Chapter 208 The dissolute civil servants of Taichang Temple (two in one)
Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, then at Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen, and then at a large group of officials from the Taichang Temple and Imperial Kitchen systems behind him. He could see that Liu Jie and Qu Yang probably did not participate in this matter, but Zhu Houzhao was not sure whether these two people were involved in this matter.
For a while, Zhu Houzhao really couldn't determine who had tampered with the supply of palace food.
At this time, Wang Hua, the chief minister of the cabinet, stood up: "Your Majesty! I dare to ask what happened that made His Majesty Long Yan so angry that he ordered Xichang to arrest all the officials from Taichang Temple and the Imperial Kitchen. ”
Wang Hua did not know about this matter, but he could also see some clues from Zhu Houzhao's angry look. He was not a civil servant like Jiao Fang who only wanted to be the emperor's hawk. What he hoped was to avoid doing anything that would offend Long Yan. Many innocent people were involved, so I asked a question so that I could think of ways to make the big thing smaller.
Zhu Houzhao naturally understood why Wang Hua asked. He just smiled faintly and said: "Since the chief minister is interested, I will let you see for yourself what some gentlemen in the court are doing behind the scenes." ”
With that, Zhu Houzhao ordered: "Give each of the officials from the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple present a bowl of porridge for breakfast this morning."
After Zhu Houzhao told him, Gu Dayong of Xichang followed the instructions and gave each of the officials in the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple a bowl of porridge.
"Eat this bowl of porridge!"
Zhu Houzhao said something.
Wang Hua, the first assistant of the cabinet, Zhang Cai, the second assistant of the cabinet, Zhang Cai, the bachelor of the cabinet, and Liu Jin, the chief minister of etiquette, did not understand what Zhu Houzhao meant.
Most of the officials in the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple didn't know what Zhu Houzhao meant, but since it was His Majesty the Emperor who gave him the porridge, they all thanked him and ate the porridge.
There is nothing wrong with the young eunuchs in the imperial dining room. After all, they are all people without male abilities.
Not long after eating the porridge, the civil servants in Taichang Temple all turned red and looked at Zhu Houzhao with burning eyes.
"Liu Jie, Minister of Taichang Temple, the bowl of porridge I gave you just now was white porridge made by the imperial kitchen, using tribute rice supplied by your Taichang Temple. Now you can see what's wrong."
Zhu Houzhao asked, it was the civil servants of Taichang Temple who were tortured by hunger and lust now, not him, the emperor. Zhu Houzhao was naturally not in a hurry. He wanted the officials present to know what some people with ulterior motives in the court were doing. Use deeds.
Now Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, just wanted to go home and find his concubine to pay homage to the Duke of Zhou. However, he also understood why the emperor wanted to escort the officials of Taichang Temple and the Imperial Kitchen to the palace. .
"I never expected that someone would dare to use such means against Your Majesty, and actually intend to make Your Majesty a coward. I thought this must be the work of the eunuch in the imperial kitchen. Since your Majesty came to the throne, you have worked hard to control the Hetao in the north and the south of the Yangtze River. As a result, the country is rich and the people are prosperous, but because of this, the power of the internal ministers has been reduced, and the chief ceremonial officer can only write! Therefore, I think that your majesty has ordered the internal court to be reorganized!"
Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, obviously wanted to pass the blame to the imperial kitchen.
Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the imperial kitchen, also stood up at this time. He didn't understand the means Liu Jie mentioned, but when he heard Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, dumping the pot into his imperial kitchen, he naturally didn't understand either. He was willing to plead guilty and hurriedly defended:
"Your Majesty, you must be aware of this! I don't know what the methods Liu Taichang mentioned are, but I will never dare to harm the Emperor! If there is something wrong with the food in the imperial kitchen, then the maids and ministers around the Emperor should also take care of it first. , but now, I have not heard that any of my father-in-law and sister are involved, and I cannot think of any other means by which the thief can harm Your Majesty if there is a thief in the imperial kitchen.”
"Eunuch Qu, why do you need to pretend to be stupid? Although you don't know anything about men and women, you should also know that some medicines are only effective for men. You can add medicine to His Majesty's meals. Who else can have such advantage except your royal kitchen? ! ”
Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, was breathing rapidly. He wanted to put his hand into his robe, but he still had to hold back. He clenched his fists and argued with the young eunuch Qu Yang.
The other civil servants all blushed fiercely, some even trembled, and some couldn't help but jump to their feet with sweat dripping from their foreheads. At this moment, all of them were aware of the problem, but now they didn't Knowing what to do, I just cursed in my heart:
"Who is so wicked as to use such means to murder His Majesty!"
Qu Yang now almost understood what the methods Taichang Temple Qing Liu Jie was talking about, and he defended himself again: "Your Majesty! The minister is unjust, and the minister swears that he has never wanted to make the emperor a coward. If the minister If you have this intention, you will be struck by thunder! Your Majesty!”
Wang Hua, the chief minister of the cabinet, now also sees the fishiness in this, and understands why His Majesty brought the officials from the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple here, and also let these officials eat the porridge given by the Emperor.
However, Wang Hua doesn't know how to judge this matter now.
First of all, Wang Hua had to admit that there were still such shameless people in the court, and they did not hesitate to use this method to turn His Majesty into a debauched and immoral king.
Thinking again about the current intensified discussions between the government and the public about His Majesty's lecherous and frequent absence from court, Wang Hua couldn't help but secretly thought that there might also be these uneasy and well-intentioned treacherous ministers and traitors behind the scenes, adding fuel to the fire.
Wang Hua couldn't help but glance at Zhu Houzhao who was sitting on it. He began to feel a little sorry for the emperor. He had to admit that there would never be peace in the court, even though His Majesty had taken many extreme measures before that he had to admit were too cruel. means.
Sometimes, Wang Hua also didn't understand why, as an official in the court, he would use this method to make His Majesty a coward.
"You guys, where do you put the people of the world, where do you put the country and the country of the Ming Dynasty! Your Majesty being a wise king is not good for the world, and your Majesty being a coward is good for the world. If you want your Majesty to be a coward, why do you use such dirty methods? There is no need to complain about His Majesty’s lewdness in front of others!”
Wang Hua, the chief minister of the cabinet, loudly questioned the officials in front of him. Although he could not determine whether the incident was done by eunuchs, civilian officials, or collusion between eunuchs and civilian officials.
But what he was most indignant about was that the courtiers would use such means to murder His Majesty, and they would hypocritically sigh like him every day for His Majesty's debauched behavior. Liu Jin, the Chief Priest of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, secretly smiled coldly. He had to admit that Wang Hua, the Chief Assistant now, was indeed more innocent, and he was so excited when he saw such behavior.
However, Liu Jin didn't say much. He knew that the only thing he could do now was to remain silent if he wanted not to be implicated in this matter. He was now fortunate that Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the imperial dining room, was Luo Xiang's person, not his own. , In this way, whether Qu Yang is convicted or not, it will not have much to do with him.
Of course, Liu Jin felt that there was no need to help Qu Yang offend the civil servants, and there was no need to help the civil servants offend Luo Xiang, the procurement eunuch behind Qu Yang, who was now a popular figure around the Queen.
At this time, Zhang Cai, the Minister of Personnel and the Second Assistant to the Cabinet, also remained silent like Liu Jin, and was not as excited as Wang Hua. He had watched the court with cold eyes for so many years. He could see that although Confucian ethics came from the Ming Dynasty, of the state From a perspective, the family needs a strict father and the court needs a wise king, but in fact, as sons, nephews and ministers, they all hope that their father will indulge their king's ignorance, so that they can have more freedom and better benefit themselves.
Nowadays, the emperor in the court is diligent and diligent, and the new policies such as clearing the land and opening up the sea are carried out regularly, which has caused most officials and gentry to lose a lot of benefits. In the past, they could even rely on the emperor's kindness and laxity to ask for salt. There is no advantage in asking for imperial estates, so naturally many people want to change the emperor.
Especially after the queen gave birth to a prince, most officials and gentry had the idea of letting the Ming Dynasty have a generation of young rulers to take charge of the world. After all, that would inevitably lead to a downward shift in imperial power, and everyone could feel at ease and be a leisurely, relaxed and wealthy official.
But Zhang Cai knew that the His Majesty in front of him did not understand this truth, but that His Majesty really wanted to do something in his career, so he did not bother to remind His Majesty Zhu Houzhao.
Zhang Cai only knows that if His Majesty is a wise king who knows people well and makes good use of them, then he will be a minister of the country; if His Majesty is a foolish and incompetent king, then he will be a great corrupt official of the country.
Liu Yu, a cabinet scholar and Minister of War, also saw the clues in this. He was a shareholder of many royal industries and, like Wang Hua, was a new type of capitalist in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, like Wang Hua, he also instinctively disliked this kind of desire for His Majesty the Emperor to It was the behavior of a foolish king, but he was not as indignant as Wang Hua. He only looked at these civil servants whose faces were red from holding back with a playful smile.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao saw that all the civil servants of Taichang Temple were breathing heavily, and some could not help but put their hands into their robes. He couldn't help but slap the back of the chair and shouted loudly: "Give me your hand." I take it back! You are not allowed to do anything indecent in this important place of the royal palace! Otherwise, I will kill you for violating the royal dignity!”
After Zhu Houzhao gave such an order, the Taichang Temple civil servants present could only hold it in again. They could only divert their attention as much as possible to prevent themselves from thinking about this matter, but they could not help but always have some thoughts in their minds. Indecent pictures come.
Ye Zhi, the young minister of Taichang Temple, really couldn't bear it, but he knew that he couldn't admit it at this time, because once he admitted it, his reputation would be ruined for the rest of his life, but he couldn't let this situation continue like this. , because he had to admit that the methods he secretly imposed on Emperor Zhu Houzhao would indeed make people feel uncomfortable and want to commit suicide if he did not get vent when he tried it now.
Therefore, Ye Zhi, the young minister of Taichang Temple, shouted directly at this time: "Everyone! Who are you to harm His Majesty like this! Please stand up, why don't you dare to admit that you want to implicate us!"
"That's right! Eunuchs in the Imperial Kitchen, just admit it. If you hadn't done this, how could we, the officials of Taichang Temple, have framed the Emperor? And I'm afraid you had already expected that His Majesty would let us do what he did today. If you know the secret here and you are a eunuch, you will not suffer this crime, but we civil servants will suffer!”
Yang Yuanyi, the chief minister of Taipu Temple, also echoed.
Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the imperial kitchen, blushed at the words, but he could not pluck himself cleanly like these civil servants. He could only swear and swear, refusing to admit that he had done it.
"It is decreed that the officials who will continue to give a banquet to Taichang Temple at noon today will still be served by the people in the imperial kitchen. They can go back to their homes. At noon, they can go to the Qianqing Gate to attend the banquet. They are not allowed to shirk. Anyone who violates the order will be disobeyed. Comply with the crime!”
Zhu Houzhao asked the people from the West Factory to take these officials out. He knew that he might not be able to find out who was behind the scenes for a while, so he might as well continue playing the game and let The people behind the scenes stood up on their own. Zhu Houzhao didn't believe that the people behind the scenes would be willing to continue playing like this every day.
Ye Zhi was afraid that he would do something even more ridiculous after going to the palace for a banquet at noon. He began to regret why he did such a thing in the first place, but he knew that he could not do anything now, because as long as he took a Action will definitely be discovered by people in the West Factory.
Therefore, Ye Zhi and the civil servants of Taichang Temple had no choice but to go to the palace again for the banquet.
Moreover, in the next few days, these civil servants of Taichang Temple will be given banquets by the emperor, and they will even be given banquets three times a day.
Originally, it was a great honor to be given a banquet by the emperor, but at this moment, the civil servants of Taichang Temple felt that it was even worse than going to the execution ground.
"Ye Shaoqing, congratulations. You officials of Taichang Temple are really favored by His Majesty, and you are given a banquet by His Majesty. We, the officials of science and education, do not have this blessing." During the incident, Tang Ren was very ridiculed after seeing Ye Zhi. Said something, knowing There may be officials in the imperial dining room and Taichang Temple trying to make His Majesty a lecherous and foolish king. After being given frequent banquets by His Majesty, Tang Ren, as the official of the science and education, was also very angry about this, so when he ridiculed the officials of Taichang Temple No mercy either.
Although Ye Zhi was angry, he couldn't say anything.
Zhu Hou couldn't help but laugh after looking at the Taichang Temple officials who had lost a lot of weight: "My dear friends, it's better to be more restrained. I personally watched the people in the imperial kitchen cook the food, and indeed I didn't add anything, so these days are not enough." As for letting you be addicted to Wushan again, you are still much thinner than before, which really makes me feel wrong!”
"I also heard that recently some of you have settled your family directly in the Jiaofangsi. After having a banquet in the palace every day, you must go to the Jiaofangsi once. As a result, many people have suffered from the disease of flowers and willows. I am really convinced about this. It’s a pity. Although literati have been fond of romance since ancient times, they should also pay attention to it. How can they just become devils in sex? Don’t we, the officials of the Ming Dynasty, only know how to be romantic?”
Zhu Houzhao continued to ask.
Ye Zhi endured the pain in his lower parts caused by frequent visits to outside brothels. He helplessly held his forehead and did not answer anything.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao shouted again: "A banquet!"
So, many dishes were served again. Seeing this, Ye Zhi couldn't bear it anymore and instinctively shouted: "Zhu Houzhao! What do you want!"
Thank you book friend Li Bozhan for the 500 starting coin reward. Thank you book friend Li Bozhan for the 500 starting coin reward for the painting... I wish you all a Happy New Year again on the first day of the first lunar month. Because it is the Spring Festival on the first day of the first lunar month, I have various family visits and other things to do today, so I am very busy. Only updated now, sorry
(End of chapter)