Looking at Zhao Zhigao's trembling body, Zhu Yijun frowned.
"Old Grand Secretary, please rise. He didn't do anything wrong. Zhang Cheng, help him up."
Zhu Yijun was annoyed, but he also knew that this matter had nothing to do with Zhao Zhigao. Zhao Zhigao was innocent, and he could distinguish between right and wrong. In the face of an old man in his seventies, he could not bear to punish him.
Zhang Cheng quickly helped the trembling Zhao Zhigao up, and asked him to sit down again.
Then, Zhu Yijun looked at Shen Yicheng.
"Minister Xiao has done a great service for the country, killing three hundred thousand northern invaders for the sake of the country. Ever since Hongwu, there has never been such a great service. I want to make the Daming General! I want to reward the Daming Minister! I want to reward my loyal minister! Not your loyal minister! Am I the Emperor, or are you the Emperor? What do I want to do? Do I need all of you to agree? "
Zhu Yijun swung his hand and threw a teacup at the pillar on his right, smashing it into pieces.
"Who gave you the titles? Who gave you the authority? Who gave you the salary? Did he raise a group of Tai Sui that wanted to ride roughshod over his head?! Is there such a logic in this world? "
Under Zhu Yijun's thunderous rage, Zhao Zhigao knelt down again to beg for forgiveness. Shen Yicheng's kneeling body also began to tremble.
He was the Emperor, after all. Even though he had lost most of his power, his anger could still make the officials tremble.
"Attacking the Cabinet, attacking the Palace, and asking me for an explanation! They have probably forgotten who the Emperor is, who the Daming Ruler is! Offending the Emperor, disrespecting the Emperor, and presumptuous! Zhang Cheng, call Shen Li and Yu Jideng here, and also Xu Zuo and Wen Chun! "
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Zhang Cheng quickly ran out.
"Wait!"
Zhu Yijun suddenly said.
Zhang Cheng quickly stopped and turned around.
"Help the old Grand Secretary up. Old Grand Secretary, you don't need to kneel anymore. You didn't do anything wrong, unrelated to this matter. You just need to sit."
Zhu Yijun still sympathized with Zhao Zhigao.
Zhang Cheng eagerly ran over to help Zhao Zhigao up.
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty."
Zhao Zhigao was so touched that he wiped his red eyes twice, which made Zhu Yijun feel sad, and his hatred for Shen Li deepened.
Although Shen Yicheng mentioned three people, Zhu Yijun knew very well that Shen Li played a major role in this matter.
Shen Li was the assistant of the Cabinet and had a righteous title. First of all, he could use his name to remove the self-defense of the Cabinet and easily get close to Shen Yicheng to achieve his goal.
He was disgusted by himself and lost his power, so he was thinking about how to regain his power. His target was naturally Shen Yicheng. In order to bring down Shen Yicheng, he did not hesitate to collude with the mad dogs of the Imperial Censorate. Not only did they hold Shen Yicheng hostage, but they also implicated Zhao Zhigao, who had long stopped caring about government affairs.
Zhu Yijun used to think that Shen Li, as his teacher, would be of one mind with him. At that time, he also respected Shen Li very much and took good care of him. After he took over the government, he also tried to get Shen Li to join the Cabinet, looking forward to the teacher and teacher working together to create a new situation.
However, Shen Li disappointed Zhu Yijun too much.
Did he still have a trace of teacher-student relationship in his heart? Do you still remember those great principles that he taught me when I was still ignorant? Did he ever abide by what he had said?
Being upright and outspoken, being honest and upright, were they all false principles? Could he do it himself?
When Zhu Yijun trusted Shen Li, he trusted him completely. For this reason, in the early days of taking over the government, he asked himself to do everything that Shen Li asked him to do. But later he found that Shen Li seemed to have not done these requirements, and now it was even more so.
Zhu Yijun, who was in urgent need of allies, had great expectations of Shen Li. But in the end, he found that this former teacher did not seem to care about the teacher-student relationship, but cared more about his own reputation and power.
Since that was the case, what else was there to say?
Zhao Zhigao was probably thirsty. Just now, he was so scared that he did not care. Now that he came to his senses, he only felt that his mouth was dry. He held the teacup and gulped down the tea. After finishing the cup of tea, he still looked a little unsatisfied.
Looking at Zhao Zhigao's old appearance, Zhu Yijun could not help but feel pity in his heart. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, took a hot kettle, and personally poured a cup of tea for Zhao Zhigao.
"Your Majesty … I … I thank you very much, Your Majesty …"
Zhao Zhigao habitually wanted to kneel down to express his gratitude, but Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand to hold Zhao Zhigao.
"I, I have troubled the old Grand Secretary …"
These words touched Zhao Zhigao's heart. Zhao Zhigao immediately felt his nose sour and his eyes blurred. Zhu Yijun helped Zhao Zhigao back to his seat. Seeing Zhao Zhigao's tearful and wronged look, he felt even worse.
"Your Majesty … Your Majesty understands me … I am satisfied."
Zhao Zhigao raised his sleeves to wipe his eyes and sighed, "If this old subject is in a difficult position and can make the world a little more peaceful, this old subject is willing, but this old subject … this old subject is useless, this old subject can't do it …"
Zhu Yijun raised his head and let out a turbid breath.
"How is it that I don't want to be the Son of Heaven of Peace? How is it that I don't want the world to be at peace? How is it that I don't want the palace to be at peace? How is it that I also don't want any disturbances to happen in the palace? However … subjects like the old Grand Secretary, I only have a few … in contrast, those bastards are each more shameful than the last!"
Shaking his head, Zhu Yijun patted Zhao Zhigao's shoulder. He turned his head to look at Shen Yicheng who was kneeling on the ground and did not dare to get up. After thinking for a moment, he bent down and quietly asked by Zhao Zhigao's ear, "Does the old Grand Secretary think that Shen Yicheng really cannot be the Grand Secretary?"
Zhao Zhigao was stunned for a moment. His old eyes looked at Shen Yicheng who was kneeling on the ground, not daring to move. He realized something very important.
He finally understood that he was just an incompetent old man. He really could not do anything. Even at the last moment, he still could not do anything.
He took a deep breath.
"Shen Yicheng looks soft and reserved, but in reality, he is sinister and ruthless. He likes politics and power. If he takes power, he will definitely wantonly plant trusted aides in the court, causing the court officials to be divided and cause serious internal strife. The more intense the internal strife, the more difficult it will be to heal the split among the officials. The balance of the court is important, but if internal strife becomes a battle of will and not a battle of right and wrong, then things will not be good. There are precedents in history, this is all this this old official will say."
Zhu Yijun silently straightened his body and looked at the old and weak Zhao Zhigao.
Zhao Zhigao was extremely good, but he could not do anything. Shen Yicheng was extremely bad, but he could do things.
What the Emperor needed was someone who could do things, not a good teacher.
Much less a teacher who had broken his heart.
This was a decision he should have made a long time ago. However, Zhu Yijun did not know if he could use this double-edged sword well.
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