Chapter 153: I am guilty of all the crimes
Isn’t this irritating His Majesty?
The three of them were secretly annoyed, but they also understood that the ultimate reason was that although the cabinet was essentially the head of the officials, the six ministers were still dissatisfied.
Because the name is not correct and the words are not correct.
Moreover, because under the majesty of His extremely powerful Majesty, the cabinet is not strong enough.
If the cabinet is not strong enough, the six ministers will not obey the cabinet.
Of course they have to come forward for such a big matter.
Otherwise, you will be reviled by students all over the world and even be ruined.
The influence of Yan Shenggong and the Kong family is so terrifying.
Liu Jin and Cao Youxiang, who were facing the wall, couldn't help but exchange their peripheral visions with a hint of disdain.
madness.
"You are also here to ask me why I arrested the Kong family father and son? Are you also here to intercede for them?" Zhu Houzhao asked directly without waiting for everyone to salute.
The anger was so undisguised that Ma Wensheng and others immediately felt weak and did not dare to respond.
But considering the influence of the Kong family, I still nodded my head.
"Then you all know that Kong Hongxu killed innocent people indiscriminately when he was a boy, and that the Kong family did a lot of harm to the people?" Zhu Houzhao asked again, holding back his anger.
Ma Wensheng and others really want to say they don't know, but do they really know nothing?
What if I deceive Your Majesty at this time?
They instinctively did not dare, so they could only lower their heads and remain silent.
"Okay, very good, hahaha." Zhu Houzhao laughed angrily and gritted his teeth and said: "These are the great bachelors and ministers of my Ming Dynasty.
Knowing that someone committed a crime, but did not care.
As soon as I sent someone to arrest him, I immediately came to question and plead for mercy.
Are you my official in the Ming Dynasty? Or an official of the Kong family? ”
The last sentence was like thunder exploding, and terrifying pressure was exerted on Liu Jian and others.
More than a dozen people immediately knelt down, and their faces became pale.
"Your Majesty, please calm down, I have something to say. Liu Jian had no choice but to speak first.
"Say." Zhu Houzhao glared, as if if you don't tell me well, I will never let you go.
"Your Majesty, what happened to Duke Yansheng when he was a boy was said to be that he killed innocent people indiscriminately. All ministers have indeed heard about it.
But there is no real evidence, and Xianzong did not think so at the time. He punished Yan Shenggong and deprived him of his title until he passed.
In the eleventh year of the first emperor's reign, the officials below said that Yan Shenggong had corrected himself, and the first emperor forgave him.
< br>In the 16th year, Duke Xianyan passed away and had no children, so he had no choice but to restore his title
Your Majesty, from a legal perspective, Yan Shenggong made a mistake when he was young, but he has already been punished by Xianzong.
After the correction, it was approved by the late emperor.
We can no longer arrest him now for our past mistakes. "Liu Jian said calmly, sentence by sentence.
"Oh, are you putting all the blame on my father and my grandfather? "Zhu Houzhao sneered, feeling disgusted in his heart, "Moreover, don't talk to me about any legal principles or evidence.
I tell you, my father and grandfather are stupid and are not afraid of the influence of the Kong family, but I am not afraid.
Anyone who dares to kill the people of our Ming Dynasty will die no matter who he is or how long it has been.
Evidence? Hey, it’s been decades, can you tell me the evidence? Do you think I am a pedantic person? ”
Liu Jian felt a chill in his heart, and he deeply felt the disgust from His Majesty.
Over the past year and more, so many reforms have taken place in the court, and he almost tried to dissuade His Majesty from doing so. He didn't even dislike him.
He didn't expect that he would be disgusted by this.
But he had no choice. He had to say these words, otherwise the basis for them to come here to ask and plead would be gone.
And he is the head of the officials, so he must speak.
"I would never dare to blame the late emperor and Xianzong, but your Majesty asked me why I came to inquire and plead. This is one of the reasons.
As for Kong I don’t dare to lie to Your Majesty about family affairs. I have all heard about it more or less.
But Your Majesty, even if you know it, who in the whole court would dare to investigate? "Liu Jian was helpless. Next, he told the truth directly and calmly.
Zhu Houzhao's eyes shrank slightly, dare not?
“From the time of Taizu to the present, illegal things have been happening in the Kong family.
But they are descendants of saints, and all scholars in the Ming Dynasty are disciples and disciples of saint Kong.
Chasing the Kong family, wouldn’t that be deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors?
Your majesty, I know you don’t like to hear it, but the influence of the Kong family spreads all over the world, so we must not touch it lightly. < br>
Otherwise, the government and the opposition will be in turmoil, which will bring happiness to the enemies and pain to the loved ones.
I ask your Majesty to think again. "Liu Jian kowtowed and said solemnly.
"I ask your Majesty to think twice. "Li Dongyang and others kowtowed.
"You don't have to think twice, I have already made a decision. Zhu Houzhao said without hesitation: "Everyone, let's get up first." "
Liu Jian and others were startled and asked them to get up. Are they not angry anymore?
More than a dozen people couldn't guess it, but they still stood up.
Starting from Liu Jian, Zhu Houzhao's eyes swept over everyone one by one, and said seriously: "I am disgusted by you people who don't report the knowledge and find so many excuses."
< br>The unceremonious words made more than a dozen people look even paler.
"But..." Zhu Houzhao's voice was a little low again, revealing a bit of helplessness, hating the iron that cannot be made into steel, "I know that the biggest reason for the matter is not you.
From Taizu It was wrong. Taizu was worried about this and that. He didn't dare to destroy the Kong family directly and give him the title of Duke Yansheng.
Until my father, no one dared.
The boss doesn’t dare to do it, and you don’t even dare to do it. I can understand.
So this time, I will spare you. "
Although the words were very vulgar and disrespectful to the ancestors.
But Liu Jian and the others were moved. Be gentle with yourself and be strict with others.
This is the nature of emperors throughout the ages, even for a kind person like the late emperor, this is true in family and other aspects.
And if His Majesty can understand their broad-mindedness, how can he not make them feel moved?
Everyone is guilty, but I am guilty.
Many emperors would say this in their edicts, but they would never really think so.
Only His Majesty truly agrees with this statement.
If you start with the boss, bah, look for the reason first from the emperor as the leader.
But they also felt His Majesty's terror once again.
It is precisely because His Majesty believes and approves that sentence that he will strictly require himself to do things.
How to do things?
His Majesty's behavior has always been very clear, and he requires officials to do things more strictly.
In fact, when the late emperor was still alive, he had the idea that all parties were guilty and I was the one to blame.
But the late emperor could not strictly demand himself in everything, such as with his family.
What’s more important is that we don’t have the ability to impose stricter requirements on officials.
Then this situation will make things worse.
To put it bluntly, the late emperor was a good old man who was easy to bully.
Invisibly, I was forced by all parties in the court to commit the crime of all parties, and I am the one to blame.
Your Majesty is different. Your Majesty takes the initiative on your own and has the ability to demand officials more strictly.
In this case, it is like the vast sky, vast, ruthless, and terrifying, making people feel awe and willing surrender.
At this time, Liu Jian and others were even more respectful.
For a time, even the influence of the Kong family was put aside.
They said in unison: "I thank your Majesty for your understanding."
"My father, my grandfather, and my ancestors did not dare, but I dare.
Just in time, I will do it in one go. Please correct the mistake they made." Zhu Houzhao held his hands and said in an extremely domineering manner.
Liu Jian and others immediately realized that they were going to deal with the Kong family severely.
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask, how do you want to deal with Duke Yansheng and the Kong family?
The Kong family is related to the faith of Ming students. I sincerely ask your Majesty to act with caution." Liu Jian said solemnly.
"I am very cautious." Zhu Houzhao said without any doubt.
Suddenly, he raised his eyes and looked outside Qianqing Palace, even outside the imperial palace.
“Huh.”
There was a sneer, and everyone who laughed was even more frightened.
"What a good Kong family, very good. If there are enough people, I will help you again." Zhu Houzhao sneered and said, "Let the Jin Yiwei escort the Kong family father and son to Chengtianmen.
In addition, tell all officials and all the scholars in the city that I will punish Kong Hongxu publicly, and let them all come to see it.
People who want to see it can also come. "
After Wei Jinzhong responded, he immediately went to deliver the order.
Liu Jian and others felt more and more uncomfortable. Your Majesty was planning to make the trouble bigger and make it known to the world.
I am afraid things will not turn out to be as big a deal as they hoped.
“Your Majesty——”
“That’s enough.”
They wanted to persuade them again, but Zhu Houzhao interrupted them with a wave of his hand.
He reprimanded tyrannically: "I have spared you. You can just watch what happens next. I will bear all the consequences myself.
I have already dared. If it were you If you don’t dare, then you are not worthy of being an official of my Ming Dynasty.”
Liu Jian and others were helpless for a while.
"You should go out first and gather at Chengtianmen." Zhu Houzhao waved his hand.
Liu Jian and others had no choice but to bow and leave.
As soon as they left Qianqing Palace, everyone became even more sad and heavy-faced.
"Your Majesty obviously refuses to give up. What should we do?" Zhang Sheng, the Minister of Rites, sighed.
A pair of peripheral vision focused on Liu Jian and Li Dongyang.
Liu Jian is the chief assistant of the cabinet, and Li Dongyang is the second assistant. They have the closest relationship with the Kong family and his son.
They still have to speak first.
Liu Jian glanced at Li Dongyang, who was unusually silent and a little desperate, and sighed: "Let's see again."
He knew that Li Dongyang was finished.
Because he did not confess or apologize to His Majesty just now, this last chance is gone.
And Your Majesty, Your Majesty didn’t mention it before, so he probably doesn’t know.
But you will find out soon enough.
What will His Majesty think then?
In the Qianqing Palace, as soon as Liu Jian and the others left, Liu Jin spoke: "Your Majesty, Grand Scholar Li and the Kong family are related by marriage, and Kong Wenshao is his son-in-law."
Zhu Houzhao Yi He was startled, but then he accepted it easily. While taking pictures of the records he had thrown away to check, he said coldly: "Li Dongyang didn't say just now that the Kong family is really powerful. What other powerful in-laws do they have?"
< br>"Kong Hongxu is the son-in-law of the former great scholar Li Zhi. The old slave heard that the Kong family also had contact with the Marquis of Jianchang and made a marriage contract.
If Kong Wen Shao gave birth to a son and the Marquis of Jianchang had a daughter of the right age, the marriage would be formally concluded. "Liu Jin said without hesitation.
"Humph, none of them are good. "Zhu Houzhao hurriedly read all the records and threw them away again. The murderous intention in his eyes almost turned into reality.
(Chapter 2.)
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(End of this chapter)