Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 30: Court Discussions
After Yang Tinghe had said enough, Zhu Houcong asked in a deep voice, "Isn't keeping the people safe the first priority?"

"Your Majesty, after the distinction between loyalty and treachery is clear, as long as you are close to the virtuous and stay away from the villains, the people will be at peace!"

Yang Tinghe replied.

Zhu Houcong asked again: "How to distinguish loyalty from treachery?"

"Listening to both sides leads to enlightenment, while listening to only one side leads to ignorance. Your Majesty should open up the channels for people to express their opinions and distinguish between loyalty and treachery."

Yang Tinghe replied.

Zhu Houcong nodded: "What Yuanfu said makes sense. Although I am willing to believe that Yuanfu's words are the most correct, but if we really want to listen to both sides, the first thing to do is to let all the ministers discuss everything. Yuanfu's response this time is quite admonishing to me. I am pleased to accept it. After the platform summons him, the court will discuss it now."

Zhu Houcong then ordered: "Pass the imperial decree, order the ministers and officials to gather in Wenhua Hall tomorrow to discuss what is the most important task at hand!"

Which officials were allowed to participate in court discussions was decided directly by the emperor.

Generally speaking, it is the cabinet ministers, officials and censors who participate.

Because these two types of officials basically cover all departments with real power.

Among them, although most of the censors did not have much experience in officialdom, they had considerable power, so they basically attended important court meetings.

After Zhu Houcong said this, he said to Yang Tinghe: "Prime Minister, please step down."

Yang Tinghe was stunned for a moment, then bowed and said yes.

in this way.

Zhu Houcong's first platform interview ended like this.

Yang Tinghe returned to the cabinet with some reluctance.

Naturally, he hoped that Zhu Houcong would ask him more questions, such as how to distinguish between loyalty and treachery, and what to do after eliminating the treacherous villains?
Then he could reply that he would promote benefits and eliminate disadvantages, abolish all the new systems of the Zhengde Dynasty, and establish the grand ceremony.

But he did not expect that after he said that listening to both sides will lead to enlightenment, while listening to only one side will lead to ignorance and that he should allow all opinions to be expressed, the emperor actually thought of holding a court meeting and asked him to leave first.

But Yang Tinghe said this in order to let the censors start attacking his political enemies. Then he could let the emperor deal with these people in the name of eliminating treacherous officials, instead of holding a court meeting to consult the opinions of the ministers.

However, Yang Tinghe could not blame the emperor, because holding a court meeting was indeed in line with what he said, "listen to both sides to gain a clear understanding."

He could only blame himself for not daring to explain directly to the emperor: "Your Majesty, anyone who does not cooperate with me is a traitor!"

When Yang Tinghe returned to the cabinet, Liang Chu and other grand secretaries asked about the situation of the interview.

Yang Tinghe could only smile and sigh, "Your Majesty is very intelligent! I didn't say much, just that you should listen to all sides and open up the channels for people to express their opinions. Your Majesty is well versed in the principles of governing a country, so you have already issued an order to discuss what the top priority is right now!"

Subsequently.

Yang Tinghe looked at Liang Chu, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji and said, "Right now, there is no doubt that punishing evildoers is the top priority. Only by completely eradicating evildoers, confiscating their property, and using the confiscation as a supplement to provide relief can we bring peace to the people. This will not only bring peace to the more than 200,000 refugees who followed Your Majesty to the capital, but also bring peace to the people of the world!"

Jiang Mian and Mao Ji nodded.

Simultaneously.

Yang Tinghe looked at the deputy assistant Liang Chu and said with a smile: "Shu Hougong, our cabinet must reach a consensus on this matter now."

Right now, what Yang Tinghe is most worried about is that Liang Chu, the good old man, will raise objections to the punishment of Wei Bin and Wang Qiong and intercede for these people.

It just so happened that Liang Chu’s qualifications were not inferior to his, and he was also quite popular among the civil and military officials in the court. Among the ministers and censors, most of them were either his students and old friends, or Liang Chu’s students and old friends.

Therefore, Yang Tinghe needed Liang Chu to express his position.

"Anyone who harbors evildoers is betraying your majesty's determination to govern the country and the world!"

Jiang Mian then said in a deep voice.

Liang Chu could not help but sneer at Yang Tinghe and said, "Of course, of course!"

After Zhu Houcong summoned Yang Tinghe on the platform, he brought the eunuchs to the Wenhua Hall and instructed Wei Bin: "In addition to setting up a throne in the back hall so that I can listen to the ministers' discussions, set up a bronze chime so that I can strike it to stop the discussion."

Wei Bin nodded in agreement.

then.

Zhu Houcong asked Wei Bin again: "After the coronation ceremony, have the rewards for the eunuchs and the palace maids been distributed?"

Wei Bin said, "Your Majesty, it has been sent out."

"That's good."

Zhu Houcong nodded.

He will no longer look down on these palace servants, but will consciously show kindness to them.

In Zhu Houcong's view, although these people were insignificant in this era, they were often able to create major events that influenced history.

His kindness to these palace servants could at least reduce the probability of fires in the palaces and halls after he ascended the throne.

Regarding tomorrow's court meeting.

Zhu Houcong believed that it was unlikely that the court officials would propose reform suggestions at the court meeting.

Because he had confirmed through summoning Yang Tinghe that Yang Tinghe had no intention of reforming the system because he brought 200,000 refugees to Beijing, and only wanted to pacify the people through the traditional method of confiscating property, so he told him that the first priority after ascending the throne was to distinguish between loyalty and treachery. But Zhu Houcong still hoped that the ministers would raise different opinions in the court tomorrow.

He did not believe that the entire civil service group was really a monolithic entity, and that they were all as stubborn and conservative as Yang Tinghe, and would rather use more radical methods to deal with political opponents and settle the 200,000 refugees they brought with them than to reform the system.

He issued an order to convene a court meeting in order to confirm whether the cabinet ministers and censors who held all the real power positions in the central power of the Ming Dynasty were really the same as Yang Tinghe.

……

The next day.

The cabinet ministers, ministers, and censors all entered the Donghua Gate early and came to the Wenhua Hall.

When Zhu Houcong, accompanied by Wei Bin, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, walked to the back hall with his hands behind his back and holding a gilded wooden hammer, and sat on the throne separated from the front hall by only a wall, the discussion had already begun in the front hall.

Generally speaking, the first people to speak during court meetings would be the censors.

The cabinet ministers will not give up easily.

At this time, Yang Tinghe's disciple, the censor Wang Jun, spoke first.

"As for the first priority, it is naturally to completely eradicate Jiang Bin's remaining followers, such as his in-laws, the powerful eunuch Wei Bin!"

Zhu Houcong, who was holding a hammer and pressing down the chair, couldn't help but glance at Wei Bin after hearing what Wang Jun said.

Wei Bin's face was gloomy, and he seemed not surprised by this situation.

"That's exactly what I said!"

"People like Wei Bin have taken bribes and amassed a huge amount of wealth. They have also seized thousands of acres of land from the people. His accomplices and relatives have also amassed wealth and seized land. The only way to clear up the world is to completely confiscate his family and at the same time resettle the more than 200,000 people who followed the emperor to the capital, and preserve the emperor's benevolence!"

Qi Zhiluan, the Left Censor of the Military Department, followed suit.

"To establish a heart for the world and a life for the people, the first priority right now should be to eradicate evil and confiscate their property to help the people, and to use both confiscation and relief to resolve the dilemma!"

At this time, Yan Hong, the Right Censor of the Ministry of Personnel, clearly put forward Yang Tinghe's proposal.

However, after hearing what Yan Hong said, Zhu Houcong couldn't help but sneer.

But at the same time, Zhu Houcong gradually frowned.

So many Imperial Censors were talking nonsense to Yang Tinghe.

This undoubtedly shows that Yang Tinghe's power should not be underestimated.

"This is a good idea. By combining confiscation with relief, it can not only rectify the government and bring peace to the country, but also prevent the confiscated property from falling into the inner treasury and being obtained by the petty people, thus ensuring the safety of the people."

"Do you have any objections?"

At this time.

Yang Tinghe finally spoke.

Jiang Mian then responded, "I have no objection, this is a good idea!"

And therefore.

Zhu Houcong in the inner hall couldn't help but clench the gilded wooden hammer in his hand, his expression becoming solemn.

"I have objections!"

But suddenly.

A loud voice appeared in Zhu Houcong's ears.

Zhu Houcong immediately sat up straight.

Wei Bin, who was standing next to Zhu Houcong, also immediately perked up.

"To combine plunder with relief is contrary to the concept of promoting benevolent governance."

"Besides, using this method to pacify the people is just a cover-up and using private interests to serve the public good. It can't be considered a great strategy!"

"It is better to clean up the farmland in the capital to pacify the people."

"If we talk about the first priority, this should be the first priority."

"Punishing evildoers is not the top priority. First, Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and is not familiar with government affairs. If you suddenly implement strict policies, you will inevitably make mistakes. Second, it may be a temporary solution, not a fundamental solution, which will make people in the world look down on the court's ability to govern."

The man stated his point of view.

After hearing this, Zhu Houcong asked Wei Bin directly: "Who is this person?"

Wei Bin served as the Chief of the Imperial Household Department for a long time during the reign of Emperor Zhengde. He had dealt with many cases where the ministers knelt down in front of the emperor's palace to dissuade him from leaving the capital, so he was familiar with all the cabinet ministers and officials.

at this time.

Wei Bin walked to the door, lifted the curtain and looked, then walked back to report to Zhu Houcong: "Xia Yan, the Right Secretary of the Military Department."

(End of this chapter)