Father can be an enemy to the country

The so-called external inspection refers to the imperial court's inspection of local officials.

When the world was first settled, Boss Zhu was very worried about the local government, so he stipulated that local officials should go to Hajj once a year. At the same time, the Ministry of Personnel, together with the Yushitai, inspected the work of the year, and the emperor finally decided whether to stay or move, so it was also called a pilgrimage inspection.

Therefore, there are only magistrates in their early 1000s in front of Fengtian Hall. As for the other two hundred or so people who have been classified as greedy, cruel, impetuous, inferior, old, sick, dismissed, and careless due to external inspection, they have been given sanctions such as being promoted to official positions, demoted, living idle, and serving the people respectively. It's time to have a feast.

The one thousand and eight surviving county magistrates thought they had escaped, so they came to eat in a relaxed mood.

I didn’t expect to be publicly executed again…

When Lao Liu entered the palace, he saw the magistrates standing in the corridor, all looking embarrassed and at a loss. Some of them were about to cry.

He couldn't help but whispered to the prince: "Brother, Marquis Baili must not be insulted lightly, otherwise the people will still suffer."

"Well, that's what I think too." The prince nodded happily and told the palace servants: "In such a cold weather, the food outside will get cold too fast. Come up with the curtains and form a circle under the pillars to protect the magistrates. Block the wind."

"Yes." The palace man responded without thinking, not considering the prince's instructions or any conflict with the edict.

Because the two men's orders often conflicted, the palace people had already formed a set of rules, which were based on the most recent order.

If the emperor first said he wanted to go east and the queen said he wanted to go west, then the palace people would go west.

If the emperor says to go east again, the palace people will go east again... If the prince says to go west again, the palace people will go west again.

Of course, if the queen says, it’s all nonsense, just stay calm. They will just stay there and won't move if no one gives orders...

This is the ecological niche in the palace.

So soon, bright yellow curtains surrounded the front porch of the temple.

Blocking the wind in this way is second to none. The key is to preserve the dignity of the magistrates. This made them extremely grateful to the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the King of Chu, and they felt that there were still good people in the old Zhu family...

~~

In the Fengtian Hall, thirty large tables were arranged neatly, with dishes and drinks on them.

The three hundred magistrates with the highest ranking of the foreign inspections filed into the table and stood at the table.

What came in next were the county magistrates who ranked in the middle among the 300 external inspectors and received an 'ordinary' evaluation. They consciously tried to stay away from the banquet and wanted to stand close to the wall of the hall.

Although Jinluan Hall is large, more than 600 people crowded in at once. Coupled with the emperor's bodyguards, the waiting officials, and the officials of Guanglu Temple, it was packed to the brim. So the officials who came in later had to stand next to the table.

"Sit down." After Boss Zhu sat down at the main table and gave the order, all the magistrates and magistrates thanked En and took their seats. Each of them only dared to put a quarter of their buttocks on the spoon.

"Everyone, relax, we are all our sons who are accompanying you," Boss Zhu smiled and reassured the magistrates, and then said to the princes, "You must accompany your parents and officials and let them eat and drink well."

"According to the order." The fourth and fourth boys responded, and they personally poured wine for the county magistrates.

"I can't do it, I can't do it, I'm so scared!" All the magistrates and magistrates hurriedly stood up to express their gratitude, but they all covered their wine glasses tightly. Normally, they wouldn't dare to breathe when they saw the prefect. How could they dare to let the prince pour them wine?

"Oh, you don't have to be like this." Boss Zhu waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "Sit down, sit tight."

"Yes..." The magistrates and counties hurriedly responded timidly, and had no choice but to sit down again and let their highnesses pour wine for them. Each of them held the wine cup in both hands, feeling flattered.

"This is such a great grace..."

"It's so flattering to be a minister..." Each of them held a wine cup in their hands, and their eyes filled with tears of emotion.

"The dignified prince pouring you wine is indeed a favor and a compliment." Boss Zhu picked up the wine cup and said to the magistrates: "I want to praise you again and give you a glass of wine!"

"I have to wait for you to kill me." All the county magistrates wept excitedly and said one after another: "I and others can't bear it."

"Hey, this is the courtesy you deserve. Since you deserve it, why can't you bear it?" Boss Zhu waved his hands and said solemnly: "As long as you take the people at heart and worry about their worries. , who cares about the common people’s worries is a competent official. Then I will be happy to toast you every year, come and cheers!”

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The officials who were seated all had their faces flushed, as if they had been injected with chicken blood. They excitedly picked up the wine glass and drank it.

Of course, there was no reason to stand... Thanks to the thick soles of the standing official's boots, the embarrassing toes didn't dig the soles.

~~

After the emperor toasted, the seated officials began to enjoy the royal banquet.

Although there are only four dishes and one soup on the table, the happiness is evident. With the group of standing colleagues as a foil, the imperial feast tasted particularly sweet.

The standing officials couldn't have four dishes and one soup, so they could only give each person a bowl of coarse rice with some toppings on top... How could they eat it?

Seeing the officials standing there with expressions of embarrassment and unable to eat, Boss Zhu snorted and said, "Why, can't you eat? Do you still have to feed me?"

"I don't dare." The magistrates who were standing hurriedly ate their rice, and some of them had tears falling down. I don’t know if I’m choked or sad.

"If you don't want to eat it, don't eat it!" Boss Zhu was annoyed by them and slapped the table and said:

"Now you know that our bowl of rice is not that easy to eat, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty..." The magistrates nodded vigorously. It was not just unpalatable, it was really damn unpalatable.

"Actually, we have been very kind to you." Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and walked to the standing officials, looking at them one by one.

"In the past, I would have sent you officials with mediocre achievements back home to farm. Fortunately, now that the court is recruiting people, we have given you a second chance."

"Just feel ashamed, it means you can still be saved.

"If the world is settled and everything is in ruins, the people in all states and counties are in urgent need of parents and officials to lead them to build water conservancy projects, cultivate farmland, and live and work in peace and contentment. How many things can you do to be outstanding? You have been busy for a year but have fallen behind, and you still don't feel ashamed. ?!

"Remember, you have to make a difference when you are an official. Doing nothing and occupying the toilet is also a sin." As he spoke, he raised his voice and said:

"If anyone feels that we have wronged him and that he did not occupy the toilet, he can stop now and explain to us. As long as what he said is reasonable, I will apologize to you and pour you a drink with my own hands! Let you also Sit down and eat!"

"..." As soon as these words came out, the standing magistrates no longer dared to cry, and stood there pitifully with bowls in their hands.

"Why, no one dares to say anything?" Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and said, "It seems that I know everything about my family, and I also know that I have no shame in drinking our glass of wine."

Just when everyone thought that the standing magistrates would obey, a tall and dignified official suddenly couldn't help but said loudly:

"Your Majesty, I have a clear conscience. I did not stand in the latrine without shit!"

"Oh, what's your name?" Boss Zhu asked with great interest, "What's your position?"

"Returning to the emperor, I am a fellow minister, and now I am the magistrate of Sipanyu County, the chief envoy of Guangdong!" The tall official said in a deep voice without changing his expression: "I have not derelict in my duties, and I have a clear conscience. Please give me a glass of wine, your Majesty!"