Recently, Grand Secretary Zhang Jiangling's health wasn't that good. The main reason was that he suffered from a hidden illness, making it difficult for him to move around. As a result, apart from entering the palace to have an audience with the emperor, he didn't easily go out. When the cabinet ministers, departments, and various yamen officials had important matters, they would all pay a visit to the Zhang Manor and ask for his instructions.
A trifling warden, in front of Zhang Jiangling who had power that could overturn all levels of society, was originally like an ant under the feet of an elephant. No matter how he jumped about, how he shouted, it was impossible for this elephant to see his insignificant figure, hear his weak voice. Now, due to a freak combination of factors, he was noticed by Zhang Jiangling.
Grand Secretary Zhang's manor was in the Xuanwu Gate area. Inside the study, there was currently a guest sitting in the guest seat, leisurely sipping fragrant tea. Meanwhile, Grand Secretary Zhang was behind his desk, reading through a batch of documents that had just been delivered. The study was quiet, only the occasional rustling noise of documents being flipped through.
This guest was precisely the great scholar Cui Xiangsheng who had previously lectured in Guiyang. Zhang Jiangling's usual habit was that even if a close friend or relative came to visit, if he still had official business at hand, he would first finish dealing with it. Unless it needed to be considered, communicated, and couldn't be handled that day, he would never hold it in his hands. Even if he was currently seriously ill, he would still handle official business while ill.
Cui Xiangsheng knew that this was Zhang Jiangling's usual habit, that he treated everyone like this, not intentionally neglecting him. The fact that he was invited into the study to receive him was already an extremely great courtesy, so he wasn't annoyed in the slightest, only waiting patiently.
When it came to Cui Xiangsheng and Zhang Jiangling's friendship, it was like no discord, no concord. Back then, when the emperor heard of Cui Xiangsheng's virtuous reputation, he had wanted to have him enter the court as an official, but he was vetoed by Zhang Jiangling, believing that this person was a rotten scholar, not the type to become an official, thus cutting off Cui Xiangsheng's future.
Cui Xiangsheng was originally an extremely utilitarian person. Zhang Jiangling cut off his future, so how could he not feel hatred? He truly hated Zhang Jiangling to the bone. However, this current Grand Secretary's authority could overturn the world, even the emperor trembling in fear before him, revering him like a father. How could Cui Xiangsheng do anything to him?
That was why Cui Xiangsheng wasn't angered in the slightest by Zhang Jiangling's almost humiliating evaluation, instead calmly admitting it. He said to others, "This Cui has never had any intention of becoming an official, precisely because this Cui knows his own limits. Although I have learned many things, I am not good at managing the affairs of the world. It is only suitable for me to study and study. "
Cui Xiangsheng's self-deprecating move was very beautiful. He immediately turned from passive to active. Not only did Zhang Jiangling's evaluation not become a stain on his reputation, but it also showed his magnanimity, positioning him as a learned scholar, and increased his prestige in the scholars' circle.
When Zhang Jiangling heard about this, he was greatly impressed by his breadth of mind and magnanimity. Zhang Jiangling's evaluation of him that day did not have any personal prejudice. He only felt that although his reputation was high and his knowledge was vast, he did not have much use in the world. He was only suitable to dig through old books, study the classics and read the scrolls. Now that he had a good impression of him, under Zhang Jiangling's intention to get close to him, it was inevitable that they would become friends.
Zhang Jiangling didn't expect that this great scholar would hate him to the bone because of his evaluation. In reality, there were countless people like Cui Xiangsheng in the Imperial Court. However, no matter how much hatred they felt in their hearts, they could only display their extreme reverence and reverence towards Zhang Jiangling. Unless this colossus collapsed with a bang, otherwise, they wouldn't dare reveal the slightest trace of the hatred they'd endured for so long.
"Ridiculous! A mere Warden actually forgot himself and overstepped his bounds by using all kinds of things that go beyond the rules! "
Zhang Jiangling frowned when he saw the official document about Ye Xiaotian. Cui Xiangsheng was warned in advance and purposely came for Ye Xiaotian to take revenge for what happened at the Qiyun Banquet in Guiyang. When he heard this, he immediately put down his teacup and asked with a smile: "Mister Taiyue is in charge of the central government and has to deal with thousands of affairs every day. Why would you even care about the affairs of a lowly Warden?"
Zhang Jiangling said: "This person's matter is a little special, so it was sent to me."
Zhang Jiangling briefly told Cui Xiangsheng about Ye Xiaotian's matter and then lowered his head to look at the official document again. He picked up his brush and pondered about how to deal with it. Cui Xiangsheng pretended to be enlightened and softly exclaimed: "Ye Xiaotian, so it's him. No wonder."
When Zhang Jiangling heard this, he raised his head in surprise and said: "Why, Xiangsheng actually knows this person?"
Cui Xiangsheng calmly replied: "That's right. When I was in Guiyang, I met this person. This person is ignorant and incompetent. He was originally a ruffian but because of his flattery, he won the favor of the magistrate of Tongren and was appointed as a Xiucai. In a blink of an eye, he became a scholar. He is a disgrace to the scholarly world! After that … "
Cui Xiangsheng first recounted what he saw and heard and what someone told him about Ye Xiaotian's actions in Gourd County. He described it as colluding with the local authorities, squeezing out the officials, building luxurious mansions and embellishing the details. Zhang Jiangling was furious and said: "Such a thing actually happened? Such a person is a monkey wearing a crown and treating the government as a circus!"
Cui Xiangsheng used a very helpless tone and said: "Mister Taiyue has worked hard for many years and under his painstaking management, the Ming Dynasty is now clear and bright. However, there are still some remote places where the roads are difficult to travel and information is blocked. The local people only know about the chieftains and do not know about the imperial court. This is why a freak like Ye Xiaotian was born. "
Zhang Jiangling's face darkened and said: "Even if there are thousands of mountains separating us, since it is our Ming Dynasty's land, they must submit to our teachings!"
He thought for a while and wrote down his opinion. After Cui Xiangsheng finished giving Ye Xiaotian a warning, he pretended to drink his tea as if nothing had happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhang Jiangling's calm expression and could not help but show a trace of pride in his eyes.
…
When God sneezes, there will be a heavy downpour.
Zhang Jiangling, who is more like an emperor than the Emperor, personally wrote down his opinion. How should the local officials react?
A fast horse galloped into the Gourd County relay station. As soon as it entered the station, the horse fell to the ground with a loud crash. The person on the horse had a large "relay station" embroidered on his chest and three small triangular red flags on his back. This was an eight hundred li fast horse. No one was allowed to stop it along the way. Even if the horse kicked someone to death on the street, there would be no punishment.
The horse fell to the ground with a loud crash. The courier on the horse rolled on the ground and nimbly avoided being crushed by the horse. He struggled a few times but could not stand up because his legs were numb.
As soon as the courier saw him rushing in on a fast horse, he was alarmed. Of course, they recognized that this was the eight hundred li military relay station. This relay station had never seen such an urgent military dispatch. Immediately, several people rushed forward to help the courier up.
The courier shouted in a hoarse voice: "Change … change horses …"
The courier supporting him said sympathetically: "Brother, the horse can be changed but you look like you can't take it anymore. Are you going to go south or west? I'm afraid that if you continue like this, you will die of exhaustion before the horse dies of exhaustion. "
Generally speaking, a military courier station could change horses or people to relay the message to the next station. However, for this kind of urgent military courier station, the person could not leave the message, and the message could not leave the person. It was impossible to casually hand it over to a local courier station.
The courier swallowed with difficulty, but his lips were cracked and there was no saliva to swallow. A courier next to him handed him a water bag, but he did not take it. Instead, he said with difficulty: "We're here … change horses. I … I'm going to the county office …"
In the county office of Gourd County, Magistrate Hua was presiding over a civil case. Suddenly, an 'old messenger' came out from behind a screen and whispered something into his ear. Magistrate Hua was shocked and immediately announced that the trial would be postponed. He did not wait for the others to leave and left the court in a hurry.
Inside the second hall, the courier was half-reclining on a chair and drinking a pot of herbal tea. Hua Qing Feng rushed in and the courier saw his seventh-rank official robe and immediately struggled to stand up. He took off the bag that had never left his side and took out a sealed letter tube and presented it to Hua Qing Feng with both hands.
Hua Qingfeng hurriedly took the tube and said: "No need to be so courteous. Sit!" He hurriedly went to the back of the table and checked that the seal was correct. He used a paper knife to cut open the seal and took out an official letter. Hua Qingfeng opened the letter and quickly read it. His expression changed several times.
Before opening the letter, Hua Qingfeng was really frightened. He thought that such an urgent courier station could only mean that there was a rebellion in the nearby counties and the imperial court was going to send troops to suppress it. He did not know if the county would be affected, nor did he know what kind of mission the imperial court had assigned him. When he opened the letter, he realized that it was Ye Xiaotian who had committed a crime.
Regardless of what kind of crime Ye Xiaotian had committed, he was nothing more than a minor official. Using an eight hundred li military courier station was making a big fuss over a minor issue. As a result, when he read this, Hua Qingfeng was a bit disapproving. However, when he read the following letter, he saw that it was actually a severe punishment written by the current Grand Secretary Zhang Jiangling himself. He was immediately alarmed and scared.
This official letter was not a courier station from the imperial court. The Grand Secretary's personal instructions were still on the way. This was the result of the lower level officials trying to figure it out and cater to their superiors' wishes. To be able to alarm the current Grand Secretary, in their eyes, either this person had committed an extremely heinous crime that reached the ears of the heavens, or he had offended some of the Grand Secretary's relatives or friends, thus provoking the Grand Secretary's anger. Then … this unlucky bug was undoubtedly going to die.
If something unexpected happened to him at this time, or even if he absconded out of fear of punishment, who would bear the Grand Secretary's thunderous fury? As a result, before the imperial court's letter on how to deal with Ye Xiaotian had even arrived, the local officials had already figured out the intentions of their superiors and swiftly and decisively dealt with the matter.
This courier was sent by the Southern Zhili Ministry of Justice. The official letter described the situation they understood, adding oil and vinegar to the details, and instructed Hua Qingfeng to immediately put Ye Xiaotian under control upon seeing this official letter.
Normally, when an official committed a crime and was awaiting impeachment, before there was a result, they could not be arrested. They could only be ordered to wait at home, and during this period of time, their salary would not be stopped. However, the Nanjing Ministry of Justice's instructions were: Immediately throw Ye Xiaotian into prison and closely guard him. If he escaped, the entire Hulu County would be brought to justice.
Hua Qingfeng was so frightened that his heart suddenly trembled. No matter how he thought about it, he really did not know what this Ye Xiaotian had done to deserve the Grand Secretary's personal order to bring him to justice. The official letter from the Nanjing Ministry of Justice was also vague about this matter, so there was really no way for him to speculate.
Although he had secretly formed an alliance with Ye Xiaotian after the last banquet, in order to resist the aggressiveness of County Magistrate Xu and Register Wang, this kind of matter was simply not something he could bear.
Hua Qingfeng held the letter in his hand and was secretly annoyed: "How hateful, once this person is gone, it will be difficult for me to do anything alone. When the time comes, I am afraid the story of Meng Qingwei and Wang Ning taking over this official will be repeated!"
Hua Qingfeng was secretly annoyed. In the end, he did not want to personally bring people to arrest Ye Xiaotian, so he listlessly said: "Come, summon County Magistrate Xu! Tell him that I have a very urgent matter to tell him! "
After a moment, Xu Boyi came to the second hall. He first looked strangely at the courier who was half-paralyzed on the chair and looked like a half-dead person. Then he immediately cupped his hands towards Hua Qingfeng and said: "May I know why the County Magistrate has summoned me?"
Hua Qingfeng handed the official letter to him and said: "You take a look!"
Xu Boyi took the letter in his hand. After reading three lines, his eyebrows were raised with joy: "The matter has been resolved! This time, I'll make sure that Ye Xiaotian dies without a doubt! "
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