The sitting emperor flicked his sleeves, and the standing emperor, Liu Jin, collapsed. However, it took a long time to eliminate the remnants of Liu Jin's party. There were many officials who attached themselves to Liu Jin, but most of them just wanted to go with the flow and climb up a big tree to become an official. Although they attached themselves to power and flattered, they were not evil. Moreover, these officials had their own relationships and involvement, so it was impossible to catch them all at once.
There was no absolute division in the officialdom, and there was no absolute right and wrong.
The responsibility of distinguishing the officials' loyalty and treachery was given to the three scholars, Li Dongyang, Jiao Fang, and Yang Tinghe, and Dai Yi, Miao Kui, and Zhang Yong, who were capable of eliminating the traitors. The civil and military officials were uneasy. Every day, their attention was focused on the Hall of Martial Valor where the six people discussed matters. Every day, with the news coming out from there, there were people who were dismissed, promoted, and imprisoned. Naturally, there were also people who had been dismissed from their posts and restored to their posts.
There was no smoke of gunpowder in the capital, but it was getting more and more intense. At the same time, the riots in Qingzhou and Bazhou were in full swing. The Rattling Horse Bandits in Bazhou had tens of thousands of troops. Xu Tai was ordered to control the surrounding prefectures, with a total of sixty thousand troops to besiege them.
The Governor of Shandong was also organizing the whole province to fight against the Taihang Bandits. Every day, there was an endless flow of news to the capital. However, the previous news was that a city had been lost, and the next news was that the city had been recaptured. The Rattling Horse Bandits were running around everywhere, and they had no intention or ability to occupy a city. Therefore, it seemed that they were just roaming bandits and did not pose a big threat.
For the officials in the court, as long as the work of identifying the eunuch of Liu Jin's party was not finished, and the power in the court was not reshuffled, they had no time to pay attention to the two groups of 'unambitious' Rattling Horse Bandits. Not all of these officials were greedy or had no long-term vision. It was just that they were not in their positions and could not speak, or they were in the situation and could not control themselves.
Take Li Dongyang for example. Although he felt that the Ringing Horse Rebellion this time seemed to be very harmful, but to suppress the bandits, he had to send troops, conscript, and obtain provisions. He had to get all the yamen to work together. Now that the officials were all concerned about their own futures, how could they calm down and do this kind of thing? Therefore, they could only strive to solve Liu Jin's case as soon as possible, reward and punish people according to their contributions, and stabilize the political situation.
This time, many of the important positions that had been left vacant in the internal and external courts were not so easy to grasp. Not only did the arrangement of the officials in court take a lot of thought, but the empty position of head of the Bureau of Rites in the internal court also made them rack their brains.
With the punishment of the eunuch's clique and the arrangement of the low-level bureaucrats, the ranks of the officials that needed to be dealt with became higher and higher, and the atmosphere in the Martial Heroic Hall became more and more tense. Li Dongyang and Yang Tinghe, who had always advanced and retreated together, also began to diverge. The three eunuchs, Dai Yi, Miao Kui, and Zhang Yong, each had their own thoughts. Often, after a day of planning, the topic would go around from the beginning and then go back to the beginning without any results.
Li Dongyang was burning with anxiety because of this. At this time, Yang Ling had beautiful wives and concubines at home, and his child was becoming more and more adorable by the day. However, he was even more anxious in his heart. He held his head and thought seriously for a long time. Other than the "dragons and phoenixes", the only thing he could remember in Zhengde was King Ning's rebellion.
That phoenix was now in his home and fought with him every day to hold his son. Otherwise, it was with Yu'Er and Cher in the spring. It was very comfortable. He had also sent people to pay attention to King Ning. Until now, he could not see any strange movements.
He also had no idea what the civil unrest in Bazhou and Qingzhou would turn out to. In his opinion, perhaps this group of people did not have much success in history. It should only be a small rebellion. It should not be difficult for the imperial court to suppress and pacify them. Otherwise, how could he not have any impression of it. However, because of his participation, history had changed beyond recognition. Who knew what changes would happen? What was even more worrying was that he now knew for sure that Red Lady Cui Ying 'er was in Qingzhou. She was currently stationed in Tang Sai' er village and was one of the leaders of the rebel army.
Among his women, only Red Lady should not have any interaction with him. However, due to a freak combination of factors, they had a relationship. This woman and Cheng Qiyun, one was an intellectual and the other was a martial artist. Originally, they were the experts who had the most ability to control their own fate. Their strength was definitely not inferior to a man's, but their fate was full of misfortune. They suffered the pain of wandering from place to place in a man's world.
All of Cui Ying 'er's experiences had a lot to do with him. In Yang Ling's heart, he always felt a sense of guilt and pity towards her. He never would have thought that this woman staked everything on one throw and actually did something that pierced the heavens. It was a rebellion!
Thinking of this, Yang Ling clenched his teeth in hatred. This arrogant and untamed wild horse. Sooner or later, I will let her taste the power of the Yang family's law. If I don't beat her until her buttocks are swollen and she can't get off the kang bed, my surname is not Yang!
After venting his anger, Yang Ling could only worry. With such a big disaster, how could he quell the rebellion? How could he ensure that she, the bandit leader, would be safe?
The efficiency of sending out spies to gather information was extremely low. In the chaos of war, refugees flowed like a stream, and soldiers and bandits attacked ceaselessly, it was difficult for the spies to ensure their own lives. Not to mention asking for any useful information from anyone.
Without modern communication equipment, it was difficult for the spies to send out the information they got. Maybe after a long time, when they finally sent out the information, the enemy would already be thousands of miles away, so it was useless.
As for the military information about the Taihang Bandits and the Bazhou Rattlesnakes, the spies were completely useless. Because these bandits not only came and went like the wind, but also traveled thousands of miles in a flash. Even they themselves were aimless. Whether they attacked or retreated, no matter where they attacked or retreated, it was completely spontaneous, so it was impossible for people to guess.
In this way, the information Yang Ling got was also fragmented and worthless. He could only know where they attacked, where they were stationed, the increase or decrease of their troops, and the destruction they caused. Hearing the monstrous crimes committed by the two groups of rebels, Yang Ling was secretly worried. "Red Lady, oh Red Lady, you must not commit a heinous crime for your personal hatred. Otherwise, even if I forgive you, God will not forgive you."
Yang Ling sat at home anxiously, and the six brothers in the Martial Meritocrats Hall were also in an impasse. Although the traitors had been eliminated, Yang Ling had decided to be an idle Marquis, and gradually turned the hidden power in his hands into a complete commercial organization, no longer interfering in the political affairs.
Due to the long-term plans of the imperial court system, Li Dongyang did not wish for another powerful official to appear and influence the imperial court. However, in the face of this kind of deadlock, he had no choice but to rely on external forces to break the deadlock and take the initiative to visit.
It was not that Yang Ling was unaware of the happenings in the imperial court. With Old Jiao Fang directly involved in the affairs of the central government, and the Minister of Personnel Yang Shen's informant, Yang Ling knew everything about the promotion and transfer of the officials of the imperial court. But what he knew was only on the surface. He did not know some of the reasons why these people could not come up with, and the crux of the contradiction between them.
Yang Ling was involved in the war in Qingzhou, so he could not bear the wrangling in the imperial court anymore. So he immediately came out to welcome him and let him into the mansion.
As soon as the two sat down in the study, Li Dongyang did not exchange pleasantries and immediately said directly, "Marquis Wei, I took the liberty to visit you because I have no other choice. The matter of dividing the eunuchs in the imperial court and pacifying the officials really cannot be delayed any longer …"
Yang Ling frowned and said, "Yes, Lord Li, the civil unrest in Bazhou and Qingzhou is getting fiercer and fiercer. I thought that this is the most important thing, but why is the imperial court still talking about the reward and punishment of officials?"
Li Dongyang spread out his hands and said, "It is related to this that I came to see Marquis Wei. The matter in the imperial court cannot be solved as soon as possible, so how can we concentrate on eliminating the rebellion?"
Yang Ling's eyes slightly narrowed, and he asked, "May I ask Grand Secretary, what is the difficult matter?"
Li Dongyang sighed softly and said, "The difficult matter is just the word 'power'. Currently, there is a big disagreement between the cabinet and the three eunuchs about the candidates for the eunuch of the Department of Rites and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. These two positions are extremely important. If the wrong people are appointed, there will be endless troubles. However, after many days of discussion in Martial Heroic Hall, they still could not come to a decision. Marquis Wei is an important minister of the country and is trusted by the Emperor. I have no choice but to take the liberty to visit you for help. "
Yang Ling nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "Grand Secretary, do you have a suitable candidate?"
Li Dongyang said, "I have two people in mind, one is Wang Hua, the other is Yang Yiqing."
Yang Ling thought for a moment and said, "These two people are suitable. Since you can't decide, how about recommending them and letting the Emperor decide?"
Li Dongyang said with a wry smile, "It is precisely because the Emperor can't decide, that I came to see Marquis Wei."
Yang Ling asked doubtfully, "Why can't you decide?"
Li Dongyang stroked his beard and said, "I wanted to appoint Wang Hua as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and enter the cabinet as a disciple of the Grand Secretary. Grand Secretary Yang opposed it. So I recommended Yang Yiqing as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but Grand Secretary Yang still opposed it. We both insisted on our own opinions. After the case of Liu Jin, the Emperor became more cautious about the court affairs. This is a good thing. However, the Emperor didn't dare to make a decision easily, so the proposal was rejected several times. "
Yang Ling's eyes flashed and asked, "Why is one of them a Grand Secretary and a Minister, while the other is only the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel? Is there a reason behind it? "
Li Dongyang chuckled and said, "Of course there is a difference. The Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is the head of the six ministries and the head of all the officials. He can compete with the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Among the six ministers, according to the official system, only the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel doesn't have to give way to the Grand Secretary.
Therefore, when Lord Ma Wensheng was in power, he could lead the group even though he wasn't in the Cabinet. Naturally, when Liu Jin was in power, the Cabinet became a decoration, and Zhang Cai's Ministry of Personnel became Liu Jin's dogs. But it was a different story. Official Wang Hua is a modest gentleman who pursues the doctrine of the mean all his life and doesn't show his sharpness in everything he does. His literary talent and moral character were naturally excellent, but with this kind of temperament, whenever he encountered a major event, if there was a dispute between people with the same authority, he often could not stick to his own opinion, and was easily swayed by others, or compromised to seek stability. This was Minister Wang's shortcoming. I recommended him to be the Minister of the Cabinet and become the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. He will have a high position and power, which can make up for this shortcoming. "
Hearing this, Yang Ling was shocked, "What does Li Dongyang mean by this? He is now the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, but he wants to support Wang Hua to take the position … He wants to retire? Moreover, Yang Tinghe's admission to the Cabinet was the result of his compromise with him. If he wants to retire, he should support Yang Tinghe to be the Prime Minister. But why did he go through so much trouble to support Wang Hua to take the position? Is it to keep Yang Tinghe in check? "
Yang Ling leaned forward slightly, his expression solemn, and his eyes emitted a sharp light. Seeing his expression, Li Dongyang admired his sensitive political sense. He nodded slightly and continued, "Wang Hua was the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. It makes sense for him to move from the Ministry of Rites to the Ministry of Personnel and be in charge of the Cabinet at the same time. As for Yang Yiqing, he was the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War. If he took on two positions at once, it would raise eyebrows.
Moreover, Yang Yiqing is smart, capable, and has a strong character. He also has a high prestige in the army. Even if he doesn't enter the Cabinet, he will be able to perform well. There is no need for him to be the Grand Secretary. "
Yang Ling frowned slightly and said uneasily, "Official Li means … you want to … you want to …?"
Li Dongyang laughed heartily and said, "That's right, the traitor is gone and this old man has nothing to worry about. The Emperor is growing up day by day, and the court is now stable. It is time for me to retire. I went home in the first month of this year and felt a lot of things. After going back and forth, I feel that my body is getting worse and worse, and I can't use it anymore. When it is time to retire, it is better to retire bravely. "
Seeing Li Dongyang's lonely and sorrowful expression, Yang Ling couldn't help but be moved. With a turn of his mind, he understood Li Dongyang's meaning. Li Dongyang was the leader of the literary world and had a clean reputation. He had been in the Cabinet for a long time, and his prestige was unparalleled.
"Li Gongmou, Liu Gongduan, and Xie Gongyou with confidence and composure." They were the three carriages of the Hongzhi court. However, after Liu Jian and Xie Qian were deposed one after another, Li Dongyang compromised and stayed in the court. Just this matter alone had caused him to be spurned by many chaste scholars. They scolded him for being greedy for power and position and for being shameless.
After Liu Jin took power, in order to ensure that the court could be carried out as much as possible and not be corrupted beyond repair because of Liu Jin, he had no choice but to maintain a good personal relationship with Liu Jin. He even did some things to curry favor with Eunuch Quan. This kind of behavior was denounced by many of the scholars who regarded chaste as higher than life.
The Heaven, Earth, and Monarch are close to one's teacher. The position of a teacher is like that of a parent. However, because of this, his student even wrote a letter and announced that he was severing his teacher-student relationship with Li Dongyang. He was not willing to tarnish his reputation because of his' shameful conduct '. Being pointed at and ridiculed by his former peers, how much humiliation had this old man endured?
Those who know me say that I am worried, those who do not know me say that what do I want? Enduring shame and humiliation, looking at the big picture, now his virtuous deeds have finally come to fruition.
Reaching the position of an official like Li Dongyang, he was already an extremely high official. What else did this old man want? Eunuch Quan was executed, and he was also a person who had made great contributions to the eradication of traitors. He should have been rewarded and put in an important position. However, he had to resign and return to his hometown at this time, and confess his heart to the world with the practical action of a commoner.
Yang Ling met Li Dongyang's firm gaze and swallowed the words that rushed to the tip of his mouth. He knew that there was no need to persuade him anymore. This respectable old man had worked his heart out for the sake of Ming Destiny's empire and had sacrificed too much. This was his greatest wish and also his only chance to clear his name. If it was any other time, resigning and returning to his hometown would not have the desired effect.
Yang Ling nodded silently and asked, "If that's the case, I won't try to persuade you any further. Grand Secretary Li, please tell me frankly, Your Excellency wants to return to his hometown, why must you make such an arrangement? "
Li Dongyang smiled slightly and said, "This old man has retired. Old Jiao is older than me and can only hold on for a few more years. In the future, the cabinet will be the world of Jie Fu (Jie Fu, Yang Tinghe).
In the past, when Liu and Xie were in the imperial court, we discussed that Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing, and you, Duke Wei, the three little Yangs may be able to recreate the grand occasion of the three Yangs during the reign of Emperor Renxuan. However, Duke Wei is now of high status and can no longer enter the imperial court to assist in politics. As for Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing … "
Li Dongyang slowly said, "Both of them are talented ministers. Yang Tinghe is knowledgeable and has broad horizons. I, Yu Wenhan, have a long way to go. In terms of governing and helping the country, I am not as good as him. However, Yang Tinghe is unavoidably arrogant towards his colleagues. Ming Destiny is the number one prodigy. It is normal for him to be arrogant from a young age. However, as a prime minister, one's breadth of mind and bearing will have a great impact on the imperial court. This is his shortcoming. Yang Yiqing is much more modest. In addition, Tinghe is slightly harsh towards those who have different political views. He does not have tolerance and is easy to break.
On the other hand, Yang Yiqing has been demoted and his temperament has been tempered for a long time. He is more steady and tactful. Yang Yiqing knows how to be patient and knows how to take a roundabout route to achieve his goal. In this aspect, Yang Tinghe is not as good as him. However, in terms of governance, financial management, and long-term vision, in this aspect, Yang Yiqing is not as good as Yang Tinghe. Between these two, one is good at governing while the other is good at governing methods. They have their own strengths and if they can complement each other, they will be able to work together. "
He saw that Yang Ling wanted to say something but hesitated. He smiled and said, "I understand what you mean. These two have never been on good terms. If there is a chance, they will fight and scheme against each other. However, these two are loyal and devoted officials. They will haggle over small matters. Once they take on the heavy responsibility of the cabinet and shoulder the Great Ming Dynasty, they will know the depth of this. They will not use the state's affairs as a means of personal politics. "
Yang Ling was silent for a moment. He felt that although Li Dongyang hit the nail on the head on their strengths and weaknesses, he has overestimated their ability to distinguish between public and private interests. However, he also thought that with Yang Tinghe's temperament, if he met someone like the Emperor of Hongzhi, they would probably be like fish in water, getting along well with each other.
However, for Zheng De, the young and vigorous Son of Heaven, once Yang Tinghe was in power, it was very likely that due to all sorts of incidents, the ruler and his ministers would fight against each other, which would lead to a disaster. With a calm and experienced person like Yang Yiqing to keep things in check and balance the cabinet, it was better than having one faction monopolizing power. Zheng De said, "Master Li has requested to go. I presume that Grand Scholar Yang already knows about this matter. I wonder if Grand Secretary Yang has recommended anyone? "
Li Dongyang stroked his beard and said, "Of course. Yang Tinghe recommended two people. One is the Minister of Appointments and the other is the Minister of Politics. They are Liu Zhong and Liang Chu. Now they are the ministers in charge of decrees and decrees, holding the title of Minister of Appointments. Hehe, these two used to be the Crown Prince's Spring Square lecturers and the Emperor's former officials. Their official positions and ranks are suitable. No wonder the Emperor can't choose them. "
Yang Ling understood as soon as he heard this. He couldn't help but smile knowingly. Yang Tinghe also came from the Spring Square of the Eastern Palace and used to be the Crown Prince's lecturers. Liu Zhong and Liang Chu were also lecturers. These three teachers might have originally been buddies in the same office. Pulling them up would naturally make things easier for him.
Yang Tinghe was brimming with talent and ambition. When he entered the cabinet, he originally wanted to show off his abilities and become a capable minister who could rule the world and leave his name in history. Unfortunately, it was not the right time for him to enter the cabinet. His superiors were pressured by the highly respected Old Teacher Li. It was not his turn to make decisions. In the inner court, there was Liu Jin, the number one eunuch in the world, making trouble. He also couldn't put down his pride to learn from Li Dongyang and make friends. Therefore, ever since he entered the cabinet, he had basically been a decoration.
Now that Liu Jin had been removed, Li Dongyang had retired, and Yang Ling had hidden, it was a good opportunity for him, a little white poplar in his forties, to grow strong and healthy. If he could pull two old colleagues who had always been on good terms with him, whose fame and status were far inferior to his, into the center of power, then he would be the number one person in the court and could fully realize his political ambitions.
Yang Ling thought for a moment and asked, "Then according to Grand Secretary Li's opinion, between Wang Hua and Yang Yiqing, who is more suitable to take charge of the Ministry of Appointments?"
A hint of joy appeared on Li Dongyang's face. He knew that Yang Ling had made up his mind. He immediately answered, "Of course it's Yang Yiqing!"
Yang Ling nodded and asked, "Then who was the one who argued with the Grand Secretary over the position of the eunuch of the Department of Rites?"
Li Dongyang smiled bitterly and said, "Is there a need to argue with me? It was the three eunuchs, Dai, Zhang, and Miao, who argued fiercely. The three eunuchs are all valued by the Emperor. Each of them has their own reasons for appointing any one of them. The other two are not convinced. The Emperor is in a difficult position. The position of the Director of the Department of Rites is now in name only. "
Hearing this, Yang Ling lowered his head and did not speak. These three eunuchs are on good terms with him. Miao Kui has always been his comrade-in-arms. Ever since he was suppressed by Wang Yue and Fan Ting, he has been a comrade-in-arms. After the arrest of Wang Yue and the death of Fan Ting, Miao Kui was in charge of the Middle Palace, allowing him to have no worries. This time, in the case of Liu Jin, Miao Kui also contributed greatly.
There is no need to mention Zhang Yong. Among the Eight Tigers who were originally good friends, the only one who has maintained a good friendship with him and has a strong sense of loyalty is his older brother. Even Gu Daeyong is far inferior to him. As for Dai Yi, he is an accomplice in the case of the Golden Well leak in the Emperor's mausoleum. Right now, he is equivalent to his own trusted aide. He cannot hurt his feelings. Thinking about this, Yang Ling could not help but feel troubled.
Li Dongyang solemnly said: "High Duke, the authority of the Board of Rites has never been clearly defined. Nominally, the eunuch in charge of the Board of Rites is in charge of the internal and external memorials as well as the examination of the Emperor. The eunuch in charge of the writing of memorials is in charge of the memorials. In fact, their authority can be expanded infinitely. Being in charge of the memorials and approving the memorials according to the Cabinet's votes will make them the Cabinet of the Cabinet. The Board of Rites will also become the Prime Minister of the Prime Minister. Using the wrong people will only lead to disaster. In fact, it is even more important than choosing the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. "
Yang Ling pondered for a moment before nodding and said: "I understand. Leave these two matters to me."
Li Dongyang was overjoyed and said with joy: "On behalf of the people of Ming Destiny, this old man thanks High Duke Wei."
Yang Ling thought of Tang Sai 'er village's Red Lady and could not help but smile bitterly: "This matter should be settled earlier so that the Imperial Court will not wrangle anymore. Only then can we concentrate on quelling the chaos in the two provinces! Ai, I do not know if I will have the opportunity to lead the troops into battle. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. Family affairs and national affairs are mixed together. What should I do? "
* * *
In the southwest of Qing Province, there was a Tang Sai 'er village on the lofty and precipitous mountain range. Tang Sai 'er village was originally called Shishitang village. It was the place where Tang Sai' er, the White Lotus Cult's Buddhist mother, set up camp for a long time in the early Ming Dynasty to fight against the soldiers. Therefore, although it was officially forbidden, the people still called this place Tang Sai 'er village.
Looking from afar, the top of the village looked like a bun on a woman's head. It was formed by several interconnected mountain tops. The mountain was not high but extremely precipitous. The village was built for danger. It was surrounded by dangerous cliffs and precipices. Looking up from the bottom of the cliff, one could not see the top. Looking down from the top of the village, one could have a panoramic view of the nearby mountains and ravines. The houses were only the size of a fist.
There were only two winding staircases in and out of the village. The Taoist who descended from the mountain was extremely dangerous. But the top of the village was very spacious. A large village was divided into four small villages: east, west, south and north. Each small village had a natural commanding height. The four commanding heights echoed each other from a distance. Among the four villages, the south village was the highest. It rose from the ground and was extremely dangerous. Red Lady was stationed here.
A vigorous figure was rushing up the mountain along the winding path. He was wearing a snow-white cloak and light green clothes. At first glance, it was obvious that he was dressed in Yang Hu's volunteer army. Originally, Yang Hu's army did not have a uniform. After conquering a few prefectural towns, they seized a large amount of unfinished cloth. The cloth had not been dyed and was pure white. They cut it and used it to make a cloak for each person. When the cavalry moved quickly, it was like a piece of white cloud. When the clothes were neat, the momentum was really different. Yang Hu's army was called the White Coat Army by the officers and soldiers.
Cui Ying 'er's army was slightly different from the ordinary White Coat Army. Her soldiers all wore red cloth on their heads. At first glance, it was obvious that the White Coat Army was Red Lady's men. This was the only difference from other volunteer armies. Red Lady was also called Red Commander by the White Coat Army.
That person rushed up the village and walked into the main hall of the village while sweating profusely.
Inside the hall, Red Lady's graceful and beautiful body was wrapped in a fiery red cloak. Her cloak was also bright red. She sat upright on the main seat. On both sides, there were six or seven generals. They were all the leaders of Cui family's old village. Many of them were ambitious and ruthless people who moved unhindered in the Green Forest in the north. After living in seclusion for many years, they finally wielded weapons again.
The burly man who had just arrived at the village was reporting the military situation. "Ri County, Ju County and Yi County were successively captured by Marshal Yang's army. Now his army has fifty thousand people. Therefore, he launched a counterattack against Qingzhou City. Heng Wangfu and Qingzhou Prefectural Magistrate heavily guarded the city. Both sides have been fighting fiercely for two days and are in a deadlock. Great Marshal Yang wants us to immediately go to help."
Red Lady frowned and said hesitantly, "Qingzhou Prefectural Magistrate Luo Shaohua is an honest and upright official. After Bi Zhen was transferred back to the capital, he pacified the people and was very attentive. Attacking Qingzhou City …?"
Her eyes flashed. Seeing the impatience on the faces of her uncles, Red Lady suddenly realized that she was rebelling now. She was no longer the king who occupied a mountain in the past. She was particular about enforcing justice on behalf of heaven and only killing corrupt officials. As long as it was the officers and soldiers of Ming Destiny, they should be killed. Her uncles' desire to rebel and take revenge was very strong. Although she had the intention to restrain them so that they would not kill as much, it was impossible for them to do nothing.
Therefore, she hurriedly changed the topic and said, "There are no outsiders here so I might as well speak frankly. We have a small number of troops. Currently, our main force is still the old stronghold's troops. Qingzhou City is high and dangerous and heavily guarded. With our small number of troops, I'm afraid we won't be of much use and will only waste our lives."
The uncles and elders present all knew that other husband and wife share the same bed but dream different dreams. Red Lady and Yang Hu did not share the same bed but also dream different dreams. Their relationship had long existed in name only. They thought that she was unwilling to help Yang Hu. But since she had rebelled, then she had to put her head on the line and fight for her life. How could she just live peacefully in the mountain stronghold?
Second Uncle Honest Cheng immediately said, "Marshal Red, Yang Hu's plan is to first create chaos in Shandong and take the opportunity to recruit more troops and accumulate food. Then, he will meet up with Liu Liu and go straight to the Central Plains. We should also take the opportunity to expand our power. Staying in the mountains is not only disadvantageous to us but also easy to arouse the suspicions of the Taihang soldiers. We should do something. "
Fourth Brother Zhen Yangge clapped his tiger's palm and said, "Second Brother is right. Ying 'er … ah no, Marshal, it's fine if we don't go to Qingzhou. But staying in the mountains all the time will make people look down on us. We have less than two thousand troops now. If this goes on, how can we kill our way to Jinling and take Zhou Dean's dog head?"
Red Lady said, "The quality of the troops is not the quantity. We can't use Yang Hu's methods."
Honest Cheng said, "The quality of the troops can't be compared to a hundred. Now that the world is in chaos, we can only strengthen ourselves by leaving the mountains. Marshal Red is not willing to go to Qingzhou. Why don't we attack Qufu and attract the attention of the soldiers. This can be considered as helping Yang Hu get out of his predicament. Moreover, Qufu's magistrate is corrupt and that dog official is part of Bi Zhen's faction. He has harmed countless people. If we kill him, we will definitely win the hearts of the people and strengthen our power. "
Fourth Brother Zhen Yangge hurriedly added, "Yes, this is called killing two birds with one stone. Why don't we attack the canal. Xia Town is where the soldiers gather grain. If we attack there, we can get some grain and cut off the imperial court's grain route. Then we can attack Qufu and Tan City through Zou County.
Isn't there a Confucian scholar over there? I heard that Confucius's family has been officials for generations. No matter who becomes the emperor, he will be a high-ranking official. His family must be rich. If we destroy Confucius's family, we will have money and grain. People will come to join us and our power will be great. "
Sixth Brother Xie Zhongcai slapped his thigh and said, "Yes yes yes, I heard about it too. I heard that his ancestor is called Kong Zhongni. He has been an official for dozens of generations. He is a famous high-ranking official. His family must be rich. Let's attack Qufu."
His twin brother, Seventh Brother Xie Zhongbao said hatefully, "Damn it, one of us is called Zhongcai and the other is Zhongbao. In the end, we didn't grow anything. He is so lucky that Zhongni became a high-ranking official. Let's destroy his family!"
The bandits responded in unison. Some of them had been educated for a few days. They knew that Sixth Brother and Seventh Brother were like blind. They did not know how to read at all. It was already good enough that they could hear Confucius's words. Therefore, they only secretly found it funny but did not dare to pick on them.
Red Lady bit her lips and thought for a moment. She frowned and suddenly stood up. A murderous look appeared on her handsome face, "Good! Let's go down the mountain. Remember, my people only kill corrupt officials and bullies. We will only confiscate the wealth of the rich and landlords. Do not follow Yang Hu's example. Those who kill the innocent, rape and pillage will be killed without mercy! "
The generals of the Cui Family stood up together and cupped their hands in obeisance, "We will obey Commander Red's order!"
Cui Ying 'er suddenly waved her hand, "Raise the flag and attack Qufu. Destroy Confucius's family. Let's go!"
* * *
Zhang Yong, Dai Yi, and Miao Kui all coveted the position of eunuch of the Department of Rites. Although the three of them could not agree, none of them went to Yang Ling to help them. Because after weighing the pros and cons in private, the three of them felt that they might not have more weight in front of Yang Ling. Now there was a chance to profit from the chaos. If they let Yang Ling intervene, once he decided to help someone other than them, there would be no hope at all.
Therefore, the three of them tacitly maintained the current delicate situation. None of them asked Yang Ling for help. But after Li Dongyang visited Yang Ling, Yang Ling immediately went to the palace and invited the Emperor to go for a horse race and go to the four military camps to train the soldiers. When he came back, the little Emperor was confident and directly issued an edict.
Yang Yiqing was promoted from the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War to the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Liang Chu became a Grand Scholar of the Hall of Literary Glory and Liu Zhong became the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Both sides gave each other a carrot and temporarily achieved a balance of power.
But this time, the position of Minister of War was vacant again. The civil and military officials rubbed their palms together in anticipation of another fight. Unexpectedly, this big meat pie fell into the hands of an unexpected person. This lucky star was Xuan Fu Inspector-General Lu Wan.
This dear friend had come to the capital to deliver a gift to Liu Jin. Because he was late, he was scolded by Liu Jin. Then, because he was bored in the court room, he helped the Emperor put in a good word and advised everyone not to force the Emperor too much because the Emperor did not want everyone to kneel in front of the Empress Dowager. In the end, he ruined Liu Jin's plan and was called in to be scolded.
Old Lu was very worried and went to visit Yang Ling. Unexpectedly, when Liu Jin found out about this, he called him in again and scolded him like a grandson.
Liu Jin scolded him three times and scolded him until he was a country bumpkin. Official Lu stiffened his neck and walked out of the Liu Residence, ready to pack his belongings and leave. Who would have thought that Liu Yang would be in a fierce struggle and the attention of the whole court, the dignified Xuan Fu Inspector-General Lu was forgotten.
It was only today that Lu Wan had the opportunity to report to the Emperor. When Zhengde heard him report his name, he had a good impression of him because someone had told the Emperor about what he had said in the court room that day. Following the fall of Liu Jin, Lu Wan's heroic deeds of not fearing the eunuchs, standing up to Liu Jin, not offering any bribes, and walking out of the Liu Residence with a strong sense of righteousness and awe-inspiring righteousness also spread through his own exaggeration.
Every day he squatted in the Imperial Court waiting for the Emperor to summon him. There he would drink tea and blindly chat his teeth, all day long he would brag to the Imperial Court officials. There were some talkative ones who would occasionally mention this matter to the Emperor. Therefore, as soon as he reported his official position and name, Zheng De recalled these two matters, his royal countenance immediately brightened, and very happily chatted with him for a while.
They talked about the current situation of the war against the bandits. Lu Wan was the Inspector-General of Xuan Fu. That place was at war almost every year, so he was quite knowledgeable about military affairs. Thus, he chatted with the Emperor for a while. His views were unique and he was greatly appreciated by Zhengde. Thus, Zhengde gave an order. "You don't need to go back to Xuan Fu. Just fill in for me as the Minister of War and preside over the plan to suppress the bandits."
At this point, the outer court had calmed down. Everyone's focus was on the position of the Eunuch of Rites. Miao Kui and the other two could not sit still. They knew that for the outer court to be able to settle things so quickly, the little Emperor had definitely listened to Yang Ling's opinions. However, they did not know if he had also given advice on the inner court's arrangements.
Now that the outer court had been settled, the Emperor still had not expressed his stance on the position of the Head of the Eunuch of Rites. The three of them were uneasy and could no longer keep their cool. Dai Yi carried a heavy gift and was the first to slip in to find Yang Ling. He wanted to make one last test.
When Dai Yi arrived, Yang Ling was holding his white and chubby son and playing with the goldfish in the garden. The two large goldfish had been scooped into a shallow blue and white porcelain fish tank. Their large mouths opened and closed to blow bubbles. The young master of the Yang Family stared with his large black eyes and found it very interesting.
When Dai Yi arrived, he began to chatter endlessly about his loyalty and grievances. He talked about how he had worked hard even though he had not done much, and how he had times when he was tired even without hard work. The young master of the Yang Family stopped looking at the goldfish. He stared with wide eyes at the unchanging smile in front of him, who opened and closed his mouth but did not blow bubbles. He stared for a long time until he was tired and fell asleep in his father's arms. Only then did Yang Ling pat his son's little bottom and sigh heavily toward Dai Yi.
Seeing this, Dai Yi became very nervous and hurriedly said, "What? Could it be that Duke … … no, no, no, His Majesty has already made arrangements? "
Yang Ling slowly walked under the grape trellis and picked up a thin blanket from the stone table to cover his son. Then he sat down on the rattan chair and said, "Eunuch Dai, sit."
Dai Yi carefully sat down at the side and leaned forward to listen to him speak.
Yang Ling said in a low voice, "Eunuch Dai, presumably you also know that His Majesty trusts me and Liu Jin the most."
"Right, right," Dai Yi smiled apologetically and nodded, "Now that Liu Jin has been executed, you are His Majesty's most favored person. Your words carry weight and no one can compare to you!"
Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, "Eunuch Dai, did you know? Liu Jin has His Majesty's trust. His Majesty doesn't just think of him as his internal official, he is also his family. But when Liu Jin's dozens of crimes were brought out, it hurt His Majesty's heart. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, a ruler, but he was played in the palm of Liu Jin's hand. After being deceived for so long, His Majesty is very moved. "
Dai Yi seemed to sense something and carefully said, "Duke means … …?"
Yang Ling faintly sighed. A gust of wind came and carried the fragrance of fruit trees. The fragrant wind slowly blew a few strands of hair on his son's forehead. Yang Ling helped him cover the corner of the blanket and said in a light voice, "Eunuch Dai is not an outsider. I will tell you the truth. The position of the eunuch of the Rites Department of the Internal Court has been suspended for a long time. That is His Majesty's bait … …"
"A bait?"
"Correct, a fishing bait. Up until now, I still have His Majesty's trust. That is because I have become a Duke and will no longer touch state politics. What about you? His Majesty's most trusted aide, Liu Jin, who has served him since he was a child, is greedy for power and deceiving his master. Will His Majesty not be suspicious? "
Dai Yi was frightened and his face changed color. "Duke is saying … … His Majesty has suspended the position of the eunuch of the Rites Department for a long time to see who among us will fight for it, who covets this position?"
Yang Ling nodded slightly. Dai Yi said in alarm, "Fortunately, fortunately I have never mentioned it to His Majesty." He suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Yang Ling. He said gratefully, "Only Duke knows what is on His Majesty's mind. Only you would be willing to tell me so calmly. I, Dai Yi, am deeply grateful. "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Sit, sit. Our relationship is not ordinary. If I don't tell you, who else can I tell?"
"Eunuch Dai, you said that Wang Yue has great power, right? He alone controls the Twelve Battalions, the Two Factories and the One Guard. He is the Former Emperor Ye's most trusted internal official. At that time, the three elders of the cabinet, the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers, the entire court's civil and military officials tried to kill me and kill the Eight Tigers. We had to use every possible way to curry favor with him and borrow the power of the internal court. However, they were the first to be unlucky. In one night they became prisoners. Who do you think has the ability? "
Dai Yi said respectfully, "At that time I was in the Department of Rites, so I know the details. Naturally it was Duke's ingenious plan that turned the tide. Duke's thunderous methods flattened the internal court in one night. By daybreak, the Twelve Battalions, the Four Factories and the Department of Rites were all in your hands. When the civil and military officials came to court, they could only look at you and lament their inadequacy."
Yang Ling shook his head. "Wrong!" He said, "If it wasn't for Liu Jin leading the Eight Tigers crying and begging to calm His Majesty, how could I have returned to the capital in time? If it wasn't for Miao Kui arresting Wang Yue and cutting off their idea of mobilizing the capital's troops to purge the Emperor's side, how could they have resigned themselves to death so quickly?
And this time, Liu Jin failed. If it wasn't for you, Eunuch Dai, Miao Kui, Zhang Yong, and Mou Bin's ingenious plan, how could Liu Jin have been eliminated? I'm afraid that now that His Majesty's anger has subsided, he will be pardoned and return to court to strut around. "
Dai Yi blinked his eyes. He didn't quite understand what Yang Ling meant.
Yang Ling said, "The danger of the internal court always comes from the internal court. If it wasn't for the Eight Tigers and Miao Kui, Wang Yue wouldn't have fallen. If it wasn't for you, Eunuch Dai, Miao Kui, and Zhang Yong, Liu Jin wouldn't have fallen. At that time, they won the Emperor's favor and suppressed the officials. They offended their colleagues in the internal court and still ended up like this.
Now, His Majesty is afraid of the position of Director of Rites. He uses it as a touchstone, a stone to test the loyalty of the officials, and a bait to lure out those with wild ambitions. If you want to take the position, you must first lose the Emperor's favor. And once you take the position, there are several other internal officials who wield the power of the Factory Guards and the Capital Camp. Whether it's seniority, power, or the Emperor's favor, they are all about the same. Think about this position of Director of Rites. Won't it become a deadly furnace? Up, down, left, and right, smoke and fire from all sides? Who can stand it? "
The more Dai Yi thought about it, the more afraid he became. How was this an internal minister? This was practically a soul-sucking Yama's token. Dai Yi said gratefully, "Many thanks to Duke for your guidance. Otherwise, Dai Yi would be muddle-headed and wouldn't even know how he died. Many thanks, Duke. I will stay in Dongchang and honestly work for His Majesty. As long as His Majesty favors me, it's the same anywhere. "
Yang Ling smiled. "That's right. But if the other two were to take the position of Director of Rites eunuchs, wouldn't that be harming them? I really can't bear to do that. Besides, as long as they abide by their current duties and responsibilities, they will be your good friends and helpers. There won't be any animosity or friendship. You also don't want them to walk into a dead end and then replace them with a eunuch who has no friendship with you as the leader of the West Factory or the Capital Camp, right? "
Dai Yi nodded and busily asked, "What brilliant plan does Duke have?"
Yang Ling smiled. "You can come today, so tomorrow they will certainly come as well. At that time, I will give a slight hint to His Majesty's intention and they won't have any greedy thoughts. But the Director of Rites cannot be left empty. I think it would be better for you to appoint a loyal and honest eunuch as the head of the Director of Rites. This way you can live in harmony and be safe and sound.
Take Wang Yue, Fan Ting, and the others for example. Wang Yue is the Director of Rites eunuch and has been in charge of the internal court for several decades. Below her, Fan Ting and the other senior eunuchs have their own duties. They are not bound by any restrictions, nor are they afraid of being stripped of their power. If they were not bewitched by the external court and forced to abdicate, they would still be sitting there peacefully and steadily. How could it be someone else's turn to take the position? You used to be one of the four chief eunuchs of the Director of Rites; you should have a deep understanding of this. "
Dai Yi recalled the time when Wang Yue was the Director of Rites eunuch and how the chief eunuchs lived in harmony; he could not help nodding his head repeatedly.
Yang Ling nonchalantly said, "Why don't you follow this example and take the initiative to recommend an honest, honest, and unambitious eunuch to the Emperor to be the Director of Rites. This way, your current power will not be affected and you can also express your loyalty to His Majesty, showing your loyalty and lack of ambition. Why not? Oh … I think that Du Fu is not bad. He is simple, honest, and his connections cannot compare to yours. "
"Good! Many thanks for Duke's guidance. I will return to the palace now and recommend the Director of Rites to His Majesty. "Dai Yi was so moved that his face was red." How fortunate, how fortunate. Fortunately I made this trip. Otherwise, I would have lost the Emperor's favor and lost my life. I wouldn't even know why. This trip was worth it, this gift was worth it! "
Dai Yi promptly expressed his thanks and left. He hurried to the palace, afraid that someone else would beat him to it and express his selflessness to the Emperor.
Miao Kui came with a generous gift.
Yang Ling was lying on the bed, enjoying Gao Wenxin's massage. He put on a robe and went outside to sit with Miao Kui. The two of them exchanged greetings. Yang Ling said sincerely, "Eunuch Miao is not an outsider, so I will be honest with you. The position of the Director of Rites has been left untouched for a long time. It is a bait for His Majesty …"
…
Miao Kui left excitedly, feeling happy that he had not fallen into a trap.
Zhang Yong came soon after and also left happily …
The position of head of the Internal Court's Bureau of Rites unexpectedly fell into the hands of the loyal and honest Du Fu. What was even rarer was that the Emperor had suddenly made a decision to change the candidates for the Grand Scholar of the Cabinet and the Minister of the Six Ministries. While the outer court was still in a state of turmoil and discussion, the three heavyweights of the internal court were all of one voice. They were unprecedentedly united as one.
The power struggle in the court finally settled. The court sent Miao Kui as the Army Supervisor to Bazhou again. Together with Xu Tai, he controlled the sixty thousand soldiers from the prefectures near Bazhou and began to encircle and suppress the Ringing Horse Bandits. The Inspector-General of Shandong mobilized his troops. The Inspector-General of Tianjin and Inspector-General of Baoding each took their troops to Shandong to suppress the bandits.
The Jianghu Hegemony Tournament was filled with smoke …
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
