First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Just when Zhu Biao was about to announce the end of the morning court today, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment came out and said: "I have something to report."

"A few days ago, a scholar surnamed Zhao in Yangzhou disappeared for half a decade. The government searched for him and found no trace. Finally, he returned home by himself, but he was still skinny and depressed. When the police asked him quickly, he found out that he was favored by nuns outside the city. Humiliated day and night in the confinement nunnery."

The words of Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice made the atmosphere in the court hall much happier. The military officers winked and winked, and the civil servants didn't think it was something worth mentioning in the early court.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Criminal Justice continued: "This is not a serious case, but according to Zhao Xiucai's confession, the guards dug up several bones from the nunnery."

Zhu Biao put his hands behind his back and frowned slightly: "Since killing someone's life, he should be punished according to the law. Why should he report it?"

The killing of several civilians is naturally a major case, but since the evidence is solid, there is nothing worth mentioning. If such a trivial matter should be dealt with in the early court, why would the court support so many local officials.

"His Royal Highness, when I first heard about it, I thought it was a small local case, but after a little research, I found that there are quite a lot of cases. Since the founding of the country, the number of nuns in Taoist nuns in temples and temples in various places have killed people because of corruption. There are hundreds of them, and I think it's time for a big investigation into the temple affairs!"

The matter instantly changed from a small local case to a major national religious matter. The slightly frivolous demeanor of the officials below turned serious, and the common people were ignorant. Too much to say.

According to the history books, the Three Wus and one sect exterminated Buddhism. It can be seen that the motives of the emperors are different, and the situation is different, but in the final analysis, it is political reasons, conflicts in the field of ideology and culture, defects in the morality of the monks, or economic interests between monks and laymen. Contradictions must be classified into one.

Now Shangshu of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs is based on the flaws in the morality of the monks, and wants to take advantage of the emperor's absence to encourage His Highness the Prince to suppress religion. The nun's matter is just a reason.

Wu Xun scoffed at Buddhism and Taoism. According to what they said, those who were killed out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood must suffer retribution after death, ha ha, retribution?

As we all know, murdering and arson and being recruited is the right way to get promoted and get rich. As for retribution, I couldn't live before, and I was afraid of retribution after death, so I will run amok for a lifetime first!

Not to mention that civil servants can be mixed into the temple, not to mention all of them are dismissive of Buddhism, but most of them don't really believe in it, so they have no intention of resisting the proposal of the Ministry of Justice.

The left and right are your proposals, and whether you allow or not is at the discretion of the prince, and you are responsible for the consequences of success or failure.

Of course, if the prince agrees, they will support it and wait for the meat to be shared. If the prince refuses, don't blame them for sending a secret letter to impeach you for instigating His Highness the prince. Their intentions are not legitimate!

Zhu Biao looked at the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice with some puzzlement. Lao Zhu deliberately suppressed religious affairs. Although the eminent monks and celestial masters of Buddhism and Taoism are still decent, their real power is very low. Same day.

Buddhism and Taoism knew that they couldn't afford to offend the decisive founding emperors, who would always beat and punish them at will. Why did Chen Mingjie suddenly focus on them?

Zhu Biao thought for a moment and said: "It's nothing if we thoroughly investigate several temples that are suspected of murder and murder. People outside the party are also covered by the court's laws. Visiting the temple will inevitably lead to the suspicion of going to war.”

The newly appointed Minister of Dali Temple, Zhang Guanglie, has not changed his habit of censors. They are particularly displeased with anyone who is outside the law, and they still want to stab them if they have the opportunity: "My Ming Dynasty ruled the world with the knowledge of saints, and the power of ghosts and gods The matter is nothing more than heresy, if the way of ghosts is allowed to flourish, politics and religion will not flourish, and morality and righteousness will be greatly damaged, so I agree with Chen Shangshu's words."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhang Guanglie helplessly. The Minister of Dali Temple has always been a confidant of the Eastern Palace, and represents Zhu Biao's will among the courtiers. From the perspective of outsiders, Zhang Guanglie's words and deeds can easily be misunderstood as Zhu Biao's meaning.

Sure enough, many officials immediately voiced their support for Chen Mingjie's memorial. Chen Youzong frowned and looked at Zhang Guanglie dissatisfiedly. This person was recommended by him to His Royal Highness, but he did not expect it to be so undignified. He was already the Minister of Dali Temple. Now, how can I still do things according to the habit of being a royal doctor?

Zhang Guanglie obviously didn't expect that his words would attract so many people's support. He has an upright personality but he is not a fool. He immediately understood that it was his status that had changed that caused this situation.

Slightly raised his head to look at the figure standing on the Imperial Street, looked at His Highness the Crown Prince for a moment, then immediately lowered his head and bent even lower.

Zhu Biao was a little helpless, the emotion in Zhang Guanglie's eyes was very simple, the behavior just now was negligent, but the proposal of the minister is not wrong, please think again, Your Highness.

Zhu Biao is very tolerant of upright officials, especially those who don’t even seek fame. Some people are honest and upright not because he doesn’t like money, but because he loves fame after his death, and there are even rarer people. To be worthy of my own heart.

Zhu Biao could only comfort himself, at least he didn't have to worry about Dali Temple being infiltrated. With such a hall official, although the people below would feel jealous and cursed in their hearts, they didn't dare to bend the law for personal gain.

The father and son have the same attitude towards religion, emphasizing both kindness and power, leniency and strictness, and some rectification in the use. The purpose of the rectification is to better maintain the rule. all aspects of society.

Hu Weiyong came out and said: "From the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties, there were two or three million monks, and hundreds of thousands of them. When the sun is flourishing, if you sit and eat, the beetles consume the wealth of the people, nothing worse than this."

Chen Liang, the right minister of Zhongshu, immediately answered the question: "My minister thinks that from the top to the king down to the people, if you are sycophant of Buddhism and Taoism, you will neglect the government and lead to the abolition of the country. If the monks and Taoists flatter the princes, you will damage yourself and even slander the Dharma."

As soon as Hu Weiyong's people exerted their strength, the situation suddenly fell to one side. Chen Youzong came out and said: "The meaning of Buddhism to the emperor is to educate the fools and help Wang Gang secretly. If the stubborn people believe in Buddhism, it will be beneficial to Wang Gang; Foolish woman, making offerings to Buddhist monks is good for the integrity of the country, not to mention that this dynasty has set up a monk and Taoist record department to restrain it, and You Cheng's words are too extreme."

Chen Liang returned: "It is not good for the people if kings and ministers linger in the mountains and forests. Buddhism and Taoism are not the place for the emperor to prove the fruit. If you don't understand it, you will spend thousands of money, government affairs will be reduced, and the streets will be groaning. Misfortune is not far away, heroes will be born!"

There is no distinction between right and wrong in the court, Zhu Biao will not be dissatisfied because Chen Liang and others argue with Chen Youzong, a confidant of the East Palace, what he thinks is the purpose of Hu Weiyong's group in promoting this matter? And will promoting this matter be beneficial to the imperial court, or will it cause turmoil?

As for the others, it is nothing. If there is harmony in the court, that is the most terrifying thing. It means that there are powerful ministers, and the government affairs of the world can continue to run without the need for an emperor.

The Wu Xuns obviously didn't think too much about it, they asked for their orders to thoroughly investigate the temple affairs, if they were really allowed to go, those nuns didn't know what would happen to them, maybe even the handsome monks would not be let go.

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and said: "The Ministry of the Secretary-General will discuss this matter again. If you have any ideas, you can also write them in the memorial. It is a matter of state affairs and cannot be decided lightly. Let's do it first. Let's disperse the court."

"The ministers take orders and send off His Highness the Crown Prince respectfully!"

Zhu Biao turned around and walked away. The civil and military officials waited for Zhu Biao's figure to go away before they straightened up and walked towards the outside of the palace in groups of three or four. Zhongshu Youcheng Chen Liang smiled at Chen You who was still standing there. Zongdao: "Brother Chen, please don't care about the words just now. If you are rude, please bear with me."

Chen Youzong cupped his hands and said: "There are disputes in the government's speech and politics, and it is all for the sake of our Ming Dynasty. Brother Chen's words are indeed true. Why do you look down on Brother Yu so much?"

The two smiled with arms crossed, which also meant that the prime minister's line and the Donggong line would not have a direct conflict. This was a matter of narrowing down the problem. The rest of the officials who were silently watching here breathed a sigh of relief and talked Smile and leave.

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