Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 145 A madman

Chen Ce sat in the study, reading quietly with a dazed look on his face, and began to deduce and plan over and over again in his mind.

The Tang Yin case was nothing more than a political struggle from beginning to end. Just as Chen Ce said to Xu Jing, Tang Yin was just a chess piece being used and sacrificed.

If this case were true, Cheng Minzheng would definitely be dismissed from his post, and Tang Yin's official career would be completely over.

If you want to save Tang Yin, you have to start with the Cheng Minzheng case itself. As for whether Tang Yin really cheated, it is impossible to find out.

Chen Ce didn't want to intervene, maybe because of Xu Jing's five thousand taels? Or maybe he was moved by Xu Jing's sincerity?

The key to this case is not Tang Yin, but also Tang Yin.

Once the fraud case is confirmed, Cheng Minzheng will definitely be dismissed. Fu Yuan has already told Chen Ce that this was planned by him, and he wants to see how Chen Ce will break the impasse.

This was Fu Yuan's open conspiracy. Perhaps he had already started planning this when he returned to Shuntian from Linjiang Prefecture.

If Cheng Minzheng was dismissed, Fu Han, the Left Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites, would be smoothly promoted to the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

These were all conditions that Chen Ce was aware of. If he wanted to overturn the verdict, it would not depend on the exam itself, but on the political struggle.

Those who support Cheng Minzheng dare not step forward at this time. Human nature is profit-seeking. Cheng Minzheng is in an absolutely sensitive period right now. Who dares to take the lead to help Cheng Minzheng?
When the censors, secretaries and other censors were fiercely impeaching Cheng Minzheng, anyone who entered the scene would probably suffer a lot.

But if no one supports Cheng Minzheng, the result is self-evident.

We need to bring more people in to muddy the waters so that they have no choice but to support Cheng Minzheng. This is the key to resolving the current situation.

But Chen Ce doesn’t even know any civil servants, so how can he get more civil servants to leave?
……

On February 11th, the spring rain was still dripping.

Chen Ce first went to see Xu Jing to find out under what circumstances Tang Yin visited Cheng Minzheng, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and why he wanted to visit him.

Then Chen Ce went to the Jinyiwei again, not to see Tang Yin, but to find Jinyi Tongzhi Li Zhen.

Li Zhen followed Chen Ce to Huaihua Hutong and said straight to the point: "Mr. Chen, I know the relationship between Tang Yin and you, and you still cannot interfere in this matter."

"Although I am the Jinyiwei who is trying the case, Cheng Minzheng's reaction is very intense. In the end, the emperor will most likely hand it over to the three judicial departments. We are just going through the motions here."

Chen Ce nodded and said, "Yes, I know."

"Tang Yin went to visit Cheng Minzheng because of Fu Han's suggestion. Can you help me put this matter in the book?"

Li Zhen took a deep breath and said to Chen Ce, "Mr. Chen, do you really want to buy it?"

"Do you know that it has only been two days since the incident, and how many officials and censors have been involved? They used various arguments to prove the interest relationship between Tang Yin and Cheng Minzheng. Even Li Dongyang, the cabinet vice minister who presided over the case, did not dare to risk the wrath of the world, and almost all the high-ranking officials in the court came out."

"Even if you get involved, it won't affect the overall situation!"

Chen Ce shook his head and said to Li Zhen, "Just tell me whether this matter is difficult or not, and whether it will embarrass you."

Li Zhen shook his head slightly: "You won't embarrass me, because this is the truth. It was indeed Fu Han, the Left Doctor of the Ministry of Rites, who introduced Tang Yin and other candidates to see Cheng Minzheng."

"But the group of candidates have now testified that Cheng Minzheng did have a long conversation with Tang Yin alone that night about a private matter."

Chen Ce thought for a while and said, "You don't have to worry about anything else. Just report this matter."

After Li Zhen left, Chen Ce returned to his study and thought seriously with the historical materials in his hand.

Finally, he circled a name with his pen and ink: Liang Chu, the Nanjing Minister of Personnel and the chief examiner of the Nanzhi County Examination in the 11th year of Hongzhi! Li Zhen couldn't figure it out, nor could he understand why Chen Ce did such a meaningless thing.

He reported all the information found out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Li Dongyang truthfully, and emphasized the fact that Fu Han, the Left Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites, introduced Tang Yin and other successful candidates to Cheng Minzheng.

Li Dongyang handed the memorial to Emperor Hongzhi intact.

Emperor Hongzhi convened an emergency meeting that evening, and Fu Han, as the person involved, naturally had to wait to be summoned.

Fu Mansion.

Fu Yuan said calmly, "Father, don't worry. They called you over just to ask if you can introduce Tang Yin and other candidates to Cheng Minzheng."

Fu Han said: "Isn't this exactly what I should be worried about?"

Fu Yuan smiled and said, "Nanzhi's Minister of Personnel Liang Chu and Cheng Minzheng had already recommended Tang Yin to him before Tang Yin came to Beijing. Is there any problem with this?"

"Your actions this time are the same as Liang Chu's. It's just a show of appreciation for talent. You didn't know that Tang Yin and Cheng Minzheng would actually conspire to commit fraud, right?"

Fu Han was stunned for a moment, then smiled calmly: "My son is smart, that's right. If it really depends on this, I can definitely drag Liang Chu down with me, and even Li Dongyang!"

"Father knows how to deal with it."

Fu Yuan smiled and said, "Dad, just wait for a few days. When this case is settled, the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites will be vacant. That will be your time for promotion."

The lights were lit in the Fengxian Hall, and high-ranking officials from the six ministries of the cabinet and the three judicial departments gathered here.

Emperor Hongzhi summoned Fu Han, the left doctor of the Ministry of Rites, into the hall.

The Minister of Justice Bai Ang immediately spoke up and asked Fu Han why he recommended Tang Yin and other candidates to Cheng Minzheng, and whether he had any selfish motives.

Fu Han responded calmly and answered Fu Yuan's words neither humbly nor arrogantly, saying that Liang Chu was Tang Yin's teacher in the provincial examination, and he had also introduced Tang Yin to Cheng Minzheng, all because of his love for talent. No one expected that Cheng Minzheng would collude with Tang Yin to cheat.

……

At night, the stars are shining.

In the courtyard of Huaihua Hutong, Fu Yuan sat in front of a stone bench and said to Chen Ce with confidence: "It won't be long before your student's life will be ruined. Are you really not going to take action?"

Chen Ce stared at Fu Yuan in silence, then said softly: "If you really want to defeat me, at least we have to put our strength on the same level."

"You and your father have so much political capital, what about me?"

"What a joke! How can I beat you? Is this what you call fair? Why don't I bet with you? We have never really been on the same level. Why should I bet with you when I am sure to lose?"

Fu Yuan was stunned for a moment, and said solemnly: "You say, I operate, I convey according to your will, impartially."

Chen Ce said, "Okay! I want you to use the censor to help me impeach your father. The impeachment is that your father deliberately introduced Tang Yin to Cheng Minzheng."

Fu Yuan smiled and said, "Someone has already done this this afternoon. I asked my father to use Liang Chu, the Nanjing Minister of Personnel, as a comparison to prove that the reason they recommended Tang Yin and others is that they have a tacit understanding and love talents."

"What do you need me to do next?"

Chen Ce pondered for a moment and said, "I need you to use the censors to help me impeach your father. He deliberately used this imperial examination fraud case to frame Cheng Minzheng in order to achieve his goal of promotion."

Fu Yuan said: "That's no problem, I will do it according to your idea tomorrow!"

(End of this chapter)