The Prosperous Era of Longwan

"Brother Suqing, walk slowly."

Wei Guangde raised his hands and said to the high arch of the sedan chair.

"Old Gaoge."

The officials behind him also kept saying polite words to the high arch of the sedan. Wei Guangde slowly retreated behind the crowd and looked up at the sky. At this time, the bright moon was in the sky and the moonlight covered the ground. It was a good weather.

pity

After Wei Guangde watched the high-arched sedan leave, he smiled at Yin Shizhen and Zhang Juzheng and said, "Let's go too."

"good."

"See you tomorrow."

Yin Shizhen and Zhang Juzheng both responded with smiles. They each walked to their sedan chairs, and other officials immediately gathered around to see them off.

Wei Guangde got on his sedan, and after walking not far from the ground, Wei Guangde pulled the rope in the sedan. The small bell outside the sedan rang a clear ring, and the sedan immediately stopped.

Wei Guangde opened the sedan curtain and ordered the senior attendant who came over: "Send this to Mr. Ouyang's house."

While talking, Wei Guangde took out a sealed letter from the sedan drawer and handed it to the sedan.

"Yes, sir."

The chief attendant outside agreed, took the letter and left quickly.

Today, the crowd greeted Gao Gong. Yang Bo, Ouyang Yijing and others were not present. They were all determined to go and would not change at all because of Gao Gong's friendly attitude. Wang Ting did not go out of the city to greet Gao Gong. He only showed up at the reception banquet.

However, Wei Guangde observed that Wang Ting and Gao Gong did not look good after drinking.

Wei Guangde prepared two letters for Ouyang Yijing, one saying that everything was safe and the other asking him to retreat immediately.

The letter Wei Guangde handed over just now was the letter asking Ouyang Yijing to continue submitting his resignation. He could see that Gao Gong was acting all day today, and it was not his true performance.

Unknowingly, Gao Gong, who had always had a tough attitude, also learned to be patient, making him even more difficult to deal with.

The next day, Wei Guangde entered the cabinet office early in the morning.

Although Gao Gong returned to the court, it did not mean that he could return to the cabinet immediately with the imperial edict.

After returning to the capital yesterday, Gao Gong sent the memorial requesting an audience to the palace and waited for the emperor to summon him.

Generally, officials who are recalled to the capital will first request an audience with the emperor, and then decline with sincere words. They may even write a letter of resignation after leaving the palace, showing their modest and prudent attitude, and then be happy after being rejected by the emperor. Bian Dian took office.

After all, if you really don't want to come back, you can just submit your resignation letter in your hometown, why bother traveling thousands of miles to the capital.

While Wei Guangde was processing official documents, Lu Bu entered the duty room quietly, and said in a low voice next to Wei Guangde: "Master, Gao Gong has just entered the palace."

"So fast?"

Wei Guangde just said something casually, and then nodded to show that he understood.

For this kind of memorial requesting your Majesty to see you, the result will generally be good after three to five days. It is normal for it to take ten days and a half.

But the day after Gao Gong returned to the court, Emperor Longqing summoned people into the Qianqing Palace, which showed the emperor's feelings for him.

"Go and find out when he will leave the palace, and then tell me."

At the stall where Lu Bu was about to go out, Wei Guangde suddenly gave another order.

Although he knew that the two of them had a close relationship, Gao Gong had finally entered the palace once, and Emperor Longqing would have held him for a long time, but Wei Guangde still wanted to know how long Gao Gong could stay in the Palace of Qianqing. It would take half a day until the afternoon Just left.

During the lunch break, Lu Bu brought freshly brewed tea. Wei Guangde asked casually: "Is Gao Gong still in the palace?"

"Sir, I'm still over there. Your Majesty is hosting a royal banquet to entertain you."

Lu Bu replied softly.

Still nodding, Wei Guangde believed that the news that Gao Gong had entered the palace for a long time might have spread throughout the officialdom of the capital as if it had grown wings.

After Lu Bu left, Wei Guangde said to himself: "Your Majesty is determined to build momentum for Gao Gong, and I don't know who he is targeting."

It is said that the cabinet ministers are all the emperor's confidants, otherwise they would never be introduced into the cabinet. However, after being a bachelor for more than a year, Wei Guangde felt more and more that Emperor Longqing had changed a lot, and he was completely different from when he was Qian Zhuan. .

Maybe it's because of the different status.

When I was in Qianzhuan, I was just a prince, or crown prince, so I didn't have to think about too many things.

Now that he has ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, stabilizing the imperial power has become his first goal, and the method is the art of balance.

If before, Wei Guangde was not aware of his own changes at the beginning, especially the pressure that the three cabinet ministers united to put on others, then when Gao Gong returned to the court and they suddenly felt huge pressure, Wei Guangde finally realized it later. I noticed something.

It's just that they were self-righteous at first, thinking that since they were the emperor's confidants, the emperor would trust them unconditionally.

If the three of them had restrained themselves a little when Li Chunfang reminded them, perhaps what happened today would not have happened.

But at that time, they were so obsessed with it that they didn't realize that their small group might cause uneasiness to those in power.

Yes, at that time, as long as one of them had any intention to get involved in government affairs or official positions in the government, and the other two had no objections, it was basically a done deal, and Emperor Longqing would not object.

If you don’t feel pressure, you won’t reflect on yourself, but will become addicted to it.

This is what Wei Guangde has felt these past two days.

He was really forced to wake up from his dream by Gao Gong's incident. Even if the three of them had no intention of stealing the imperial power, it still aroused that person's uneasiness.

While he was thinking, Chen Yiqin's voice came from outside the door.

"Is Shan Loan in the house?"

"Mr. Chen Ge, Mr. Wei is resting in the house."

Lu Bu replied respectfully.

"Okay, I'll go in and find him."

Hearing that Chen Yiqin was coming, Wei Guangde immediately put his thoughts back and stood up to greet him.

"Brother Yifu."

"Shandai, I have nothing to do, so come and sit here."

After welcoming people into the room and sitting down, Chen Yiqin whispered: "I know His Majesty has left Gao Gong in the palace. Our Majesty really has nothing to say to Gao Suqing, tsk tsk."

Wei Guangde nodded and replied in a low voice: "I remember Eunuch Li once told me that when His Majesty just moved out of the palace and moved into the palace, he was restless and couldn't sleep every night. He knew that the late emperor sent high ministers to the palace and treated him several times. After enlightenment, the situation began to improve.

From that moment on, his status in His Majesty's heart was destined to be unshakable by anyone. "

After listening to Wei Guangde's words, Chen Yiqin just nodded slightly. He didn't know if he had heard Li Fang mention this before.

But he should be able to understand what kind of mood changes would occur for a young man like that who suddenly finds someone he can rely on when he is anxious and anxious.

"The prince sent me a note this morning. He has decided to go. He must have thought deeply about it last night."

Chen Yiqin suddenly talked about Wang Tinglai. The Zuodu Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate was the first person he promoted to the position to help him suppress the situation.

"When he suppressed the incident in Bian Town, Gao Suqing lost an opportunity to criticize Mr. Xu Ge. In my opinion, he would definitely be hated.

in addition"

When Wei Guangde said this, he suddenly paused, obviously hesitating.

"Shandai, it's just you and me here. If you have anything to say, it doesn't matter."

Chen Yiqin saw Wei Guangde's hesitation and said.

"Yesterday's high arch was very different from before. He even deliberately got closer to us during the banquet. He had never been like this before."

Wei Guangde said in a deeper voice.

"You mean, he's against us."

Chen Yiqin frowned and asked carefully.

Wei Guangde did not answer directly, but said seemingly casually: "I always feel different from before, just like an actor on the stage, showing kindness to others all the time.

According to Gao Gong in my eyes, he should have returned very arrogantly, sarcastically mocking those who had offended him.

The way he looked at us was different from before, and I could feel the faint hint of joking in his eyes. "

After saying this, Wei Guangde shook his head, indicating that he could not understand this person.

"You feel that way too?"

To Wei Guangde's surprise, Chen Yiqin actually said that he felt it, and Gao Gong looked at them with unkind eyes.

Yesterday, everything Wei Guangde showed to Gao Gong seemed to him to be acting.

Well, there is no such thing as acting these days, but singing, a form of performance similar to that of later dramas.

Therefore, Wei Guangde couldn't tell Chen Yiqin that it felt like everyone was acting yesterday. In that case, Chen Yiqin would just not understand. Maybe he would understand.

He was acting, and it seemed that Gao Gong was also acting in front of them. Everyone was hiding their true thoughts, which was not good.

"Be careful in the future and don't get caught."

Chen Yiqin just reminded me.

Wei Guangde nodded, and suddenly he heard Chen Yiqin say again: "I heard that Si Zhi submitted his resignation again this morning, but I don't know who will receive it."

"I felt bad yesterday, so I asked him to go early."

Wei Guangde had already expected it, so he said directly.

"Then let Wang Zizheng submit his resignation the day after tomorrow. Leave early and feel at ease."

Chen Yiqin said with a somewhat depressed mood.

When Chen Yiqin was about to leave, he stood at the door and saw no one around. He suddenly turned around and whispered to Wei Guangde: "That man is cruel and ruthless. You must be careful not to get caught."

After saying that, Chen Yiqin Shiran left, heading back to his room.

It seems that Chen Yiqin came here specifically to come here. Could it be that he had forgotten something that might be used by Gao Gong to criticize him in the future?

Wei Guangde was a little suspicious, but after thinking about it, it seemed that there might be some small mistakes in business.

But in business, everyone is doing it, but they don’t show it openly, and they do it too.

Pursuing profit will definitely damage the reputation of a cabinet minister, but it is better than those corrupt officials who harm the public and enrich themselves.

Wei Guangde shook his head. If Gao Gong really used it to attack him about doing business, Wei Guangde would not mind learning from Xu Jie and inciting the courtiers to try again.

Just kidding, living in the capital is not easy. If you don't do some business to support your life, who can survive with just the salary from the court?

He started working in the afternoon, and not long after Zhu Heng, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, arrived at his duty room.

"Brother Shi Nan, please sit down quickly."

Wei Guangde asked people to come in and sit down, and asked Lu Bu to bring tea and water before sitting down.

"Good loan, the Huaihe River is flooded again. I know that the government's finances are tight, but I can't ignore it."

As soon as he sat down, Zhu Heng spoke.

"I remember that during the forty-fifth year of Jiajing, you and Master Pan Jixun assisted in the management of the Yellow River flood control. In the end, the court invested a lot of manpower and material resources in digging new river channels. Why did another major disaster occur in such a short period of time?

When the Ministry of Works reported this matter before, there was a lot of controversy in the cabinet, and with the current financial situation, it is difficult to allocate funds for another river project. "

Wei Guangde replied in a low voice.

At this point, Wei Guangde looked towards the door and then said in a voice that only two people could hear: "There are already censors at the Metropolitan Procuratorate who are gearing up to impeach this.

Although the original river project was run by Xu Gang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, you were the minister in charge after all. If the river project was really involved in corruption, it would be very troublesome. "

Wei Guangde revealed the news to him at this time, hoping that after Zhu Heng returned to the Ministry of Works, he could check the water control account books and fill in the gaps, so as to avoid trouble when it was discovered that there was a real problem when it was traced.

Of course, there are two opinions on whether such a matter should be investigated.

After all, it doesn't mean that the Metropolitan Procuratorate or the Sixth Section will impeach something, but it must be strictly investigated.

In fact, for these matters, most of the time, the court would lift them high and lower them gently, and the punishment would not really be too severe.

However, there is a tacit understanding of the officials involved, so they are usually transferred.

When Wei Guangde said Xu Gang, he actually made Zhu Heng know that if there was any trouble, Xu Gang would definitely move away.

The most honorable thing to do is to move to Nanjing. Whether it is to hide one's capabilities and bide one's time, or to take care of one's old age, the court must do something to warn those who come after.

Hearing Wei Guangde reveal this, Zhu Heng was a little silent for a moment, lowering his head and not knowing what he was thinking.

After a long time, Zhu Heng raised his head and said: "Shandai, this flood is not a problem caused by the Xinhe River Engineering Project. It is caused by the Yellow River changing its course again into the Huaihe River, causing the river to become silted up and water transportation interrupted."

There are endless problems with the water in the Yellow River. One area is repaired and the other is damaged. This happens over and over again, and there is nothing I can do about it. ’

Decisively putting aside the previous topic, it was really difficult to explain the power of it to Wei Guangde in detail.

To say whether Xinhegong is corrupt, of course there is.

The money has been disappearing since I left the capital. Where can I go to find out about this?

However, he really had no choice but to change the course of the Yellow River again and divert the Huai River into the sea.

“I remember that there were two opinions in the DPRK. One was that you proposed digging a new river and abandoning the old river channel, while Assistant Prime Minister Pan Jixun proposed dredging and repairing the old river channel.

Now it seems that your method has not relieved the flood problem. I suggest you think carefully about whether to try the method proposed by Pan Jixun. Even if it cannot solve the flood problem, it will at least show that the Ministry of Works really has no other solution. "

Wei Guangde reminded him.

"The only good method has been used before, but it failed within a few years."

Zhu Heng said, "And now he is still in his hometown of Dingyou. If we want to use this method, it is best for the imperial court to issue an order for him to come back. Prime Minister."

"He was the governor of the river at the beginning. It is easy to resume his original position."

Wei Guangde replied.

During the floods in the 44th year of Jiajing, Emperor Jiajing appointed the Minister of Industry and the right deputy censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Zhu Heng, who was in charge of water transportation and river affairs, and the right censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Pan Jixun, who was in charge of river affairs. However, according to his rank and authority, Zhu Heng was appointed as the leader and Pan Jixun as the assistant.

"Make plans early when you go back, don't get stuck."

Wei Guangde finally reminded.