Chapter 9 The Ninth Chapter Facing the Difficult Road, the Officials Resigned from Their Important Responsibilities

Emperor Kangxi nodded his head slightly, and walked in calmly. Pei Wenzhai, who was always talking, became silent.Shi Shilun suddenly became nervous, feeling the double oppression of Tianyan and Tianwei, who were close at hand.Although I have been introduced to officials several times since I was a Jinshi, I always look at one side from a distance, bow and back away after asking a few words, and myopia, I don't know what Kangxi looks like at all, this time I almost knelt down , but dare not look up. "What you said is interesting, why are you dumb?" Kangxi sat down and said with a smile, "I want to look at you, so I raised my head. I'm not a tiger, can I eat you 'ten incomplete'?" The three of Ma Tong laughed, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly eased.Shi Shilun took a deep breath, bowed down, really raised his head, and took a serious look at Kangxi.

Fifty-five-year-old Kangxi was wearing a velvet-grass raw silk-tasseled Canglongjiaozi bead crown, a very well-cut azurite straight-lined satin gold dragon jacket, and a beige Gesha gown, with four white marble tiles around his waist. The bright yellow ponytail ribbon, the already gray beard combed in an orderly manner, the corners of the mouth and the eyelids have fine fish scales, only a pair of pupils are piercing under the thick eyebrows, looking bottomless, and the spirit seems to be quite vigorous. But he looks old - in a different place, in a different blue suit, he looks like a square and kind Sanjia village pedant, who would never have imagined that he could do actuarial arithmetic, know calligraphy, painting, astronomy, and foreign languages, and reach the throne at the age of eight. At the age of fifteen, Miaomo captured Oboi with his own luck. At the age of nineteen, Gan Gang decided to withdraw from the feudal clan. He went four times to the south of the Yangtze River, conquered the Western Regions three times, conquered Taiwan, settled in the Northeast, cultivated Ming politics, dredged rivers, developed erudition and Confucianism, and conquered the world with one sweep. Hero——He is an emperor who has followed Tang Zong and Song Zu in literary and martial arts, and has all the skills!

"You can't underestimate you, Shi Shilun, you are the only one who dares to look at me like this!" Kangxi laughed, patted the memorial on the case with his right hand, and said: "When your father came back from Taiwan, I asked him, 'You How many sons can you bring up?" Shi Lang said five, but never mentioned you. Later I found out that Shi Lang had a little boy, and five of them were useless. Therefore, the one who is really capable is This old sixth, he expected you to make a name for yourself, so he didn't mention it at all, you know his son better than his father!" Seeing Kangxi happy, Zhang Tingyu hurriedly said, "Just now the servants said that there is a broken Xianggui in the photo book. , like the 'Qianhe' in the Queer card, the old general Shi Lang probably read it, so he can learn from others." Shi Shilun didn't expect Kangxi to be so bright and open-minded, and Yizhuang was as harmonious as talking about family affairs, so he immediately relaxed and replied with a smile : "Those who don't know the evil of Zidu (a famous handsome man in the Spring and Autumn Period, with a vicious heart) are without eyes, and those who don't see the beauty of Wuyan (a famous virtuous queen and ugly woman in the Spring and Autumn Period) are without heart."

Everyone laughed again after hearing this, but Kangxi changed his face and said: "Let's talk about serious business. You all get up--Li Dequan, move some stools for the adults!" Li Dequan is the deputy chief eunuch of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. In 2010, the mission was handled very neatly, and he promised repeatedly, and ordered a few young Sula eunuchs to arrange the stools.After a few people sat down, Kangxi said: "Today I will ask you to come in from the study room to discuss. Shi Shilun was recommended by the old Shisan. You are in Geshha, the Governor's Mansion in Anhui. You have a strong character. I want to take advantage of it." Your fortitude and integrity..." He leaned back, and said again: "The affairs of the household department are becoming more and more unspeakable now, and they need to be rectified painfully. The old fourth handed me a copy from Anhui, saying that Xiuhe Yinzi was short of three 100,000, I thought it would cost at least 1.5 million, which is difficult for the fourth and thirteenth, but who knows that the household department went to the prince to complain, and was refuted. I asked someone to check it out, new I collected 30 million silver, and within half a year, I borrowed another thousand. The rest I said who would kill who, thanks to this will, otherwise I would have borrowed it again! The officials are poor, pointing to the matter of borrowing money I thought I knew it in my heart, but who knows I have come to this point!" Then he shook his head, as if chewing a bitter olive, and sighed after a long time.Ma Qi hurriedly comforted: "There is no money, but the account is here. The slave also knows a thing or two about this, and the evils in it are beyond words. Some officials of the household department take out the money to lend money for interest, and the money is easy to chase. There are still more than 20 million yuan in the village, and there is no need for soldiers for a while, so it is impossible for the fourth and thirteenth masters to embarrass the money for repairing rivers and canals."

"This is the scary thing," Tong Guowei mused. "The lack of officials is uneven, and the salary is all meager. Long live is only talking about the Ministry of Households, let alone the situation of the Ministry of Officials. Except for the one-year ice charcoal respect routine, the people below are not Filial piety, those who should be promoted are suppressed, and those who should not be demoted are fabricated. No one in the Ministry of Criminal Justice will file a lawsuit. Tossing hard. Alas...the common people say that they will not sue when they die, not only because they are afraid of unjust imprisonment, but also because of this kind of torment. One person commits crimes and one village is poor. I don’t know how many murder cases are private and peaceful!" Tong Guowei usually doesn’t talk much, but today But he couldn't hold back his words.Kangxi listened quietly, without saying a word, and only looked quietly at the entrance of the hall.Although Zhang Tingyu is young, he entered the study room when he was in his twenties. He has read a lot, is deep and sophisticated, and only abides by the motto "It is better to be silent than a thousand words."It's not that he disagrees with Tong Guowei's point of view. The truth of the malpractice in the six parts is far beyond his superficial opinion, but he doesn't understand Tong Guowei's intention.Tong Guowei is the backbone of the "Baye Party". The more he says this, the more it shows that the fourth brother and the thirteenth brother are doing the right thing and doing a good job?After thinking for a long time, my heart suddenly moved: Prince Yinreng has presided over all the affairs of the six ministries these years, and the six ministries are in a mess. What achievements can the prince have?Kangxi was already very dissatisfied with Yinfeng's cowardice and incompetence, but Tong Guowei said calmly, it turned out that he was adding fuel to the fire!Zhang Tingyu was about to speak, but Ma Qi said: "Old Tong, that's why the emperor issued an order to reprimand the malpractices, and we must rectify them severely!" Zhang Tingyu had already made up his mind at this moment, and he sighed as he touched his knees, and said, "This is all about how many of us A minister who went to the study did not handle things well. 'The master worries about the humiliation of the minister, and the master humiliates the minister to death', when I think of these two words, I feel so ashamed that I can't sleep or eat, and I don't want to be at peace."

There was no expression on Kangxi's face, and he said coldly: "Everyone has his own account, and there is no need to take it on behalf of anyone. But as a minister, he should have this kind of conscience." He coughed dryly, his face paled. Gradually he calmed down, and asked Shi Shilun with a smile: "I heard that the fourth elder brother convened salt merchants from all over the province in Tongcheng to gather money to repair the broken river. Do you know about this?" I left Anhui on May 19th. When I went to Beijing, I heard rumors that the fourth master and the thirteenth master had summoned the salt merchants to collect donations by force. In fact—" Before he finished speaking, Kangxi waved his hand to stop him, saying: "I have made an order Call them back. In October, I will go hunting in Rehe and meet the Mongolian princes. All the princes must accompany me. Before I leave Beijing, the officials must pay off all their losses. I transferred you here just to handle this errand. You Go to the household department to serve as the servant, first familiarize yourself with the affairs of the department, and the fourth elder brother and the others should come back."

"Your Majesty," Zhang Tingyu asked from the side, "this time you are leaving Beijing, the Crown Prince is still sitting in Beijing, right?" Kangxi ignored Zhang Tingyu's question, stared at Shi Shilun and said, "Do you know why you were transferred? You don't take a single mustard, you are honest and self-confident, and you only take four coins for fire consumption. That's good. But with the dead Yu Jackie suffers from the same problem: if you dare to squeeze in, if a poor man sues a scholar, you will favor the poor; if a scholar sues a rich man, you will favor the scholar. This disposition is unreasonable——I prefer your disposition and ask you to manage money. Insufficient manpower, turn back and ask the fourth and the thirteenth to adjust a few, and this year some of the Jinshi can also choose to stay in the ministry to do business." After hearing the decree, Shi Shilun hurriedly got up and kowtowed: "Long live in Jiuchong, with insight for thousands of miles, say Not all ministers have their own faults, but they can be corrected if they know their mistakes. The ministers are strict and pedantic, and are not suitable to be officials in the capital. No matter which province, please Long live and still transfer the ministers out. Either as an envoy or a Taoist government, the minister will protect you for three years Within the whole territory, the doors are not closed at night. The errands of the household department are difficult and difficult, and the ministers are weak. I am afraid that it will be difficult to deal with it, and it will hurt the emperor's understanding of people." An envoy wants to offend people. But you are loyal to the king, and I should think about the future for you. I am more tolerant to my ministers, and you are still afraid of falling to the ground?"

Shi Shilun swallowed, what he was actually most afraid of was the master's "tolerance".Tolerance and generosity are originally excellent things, but if they go too far, they become "indulgence", and the disadvantages are even more unspeakable.Since the group of "princelings" like Suo'etu were purged in the 42nd year, the world has been fine for a long time. Kangxi is determined to be a perfect man from ancient to modern times. It gets hotter and hotter, all of which come from the word "tolerance".But this is the "Shengde" that Kangxi has always been proud of. How could Shi Shilun dare to criticize it so easily?After muttering for a while, he dared to say: "I...not because I'm afraid that I will offend too many people, but because I'm afraid...that there will be too many people offended!" Several ministers in the room couldn't help looking at each other, knowing what he wanted to say in their hearts. Take it high.

"It's too big..." Kangxi was slightly taken aback, turned his face and smiled and said, "Three assistants, who among you has accepted bribes or borrowed money from Kuyin?" Tong Guowei sat down next to Kangxi, and hurriedly apologized and said with a smile: "Slave I have more than a dozen Zhuangzi, and the emperor rewards me from time to time in addition to my salary. How dare I betray the emperor? Even Zhang and Ma, my slaves dare to protect them!" Kangxi said with a smile: "I am building these two palace gardens. There are positive items to be used, and I have not embezzled treasury silver. What do you mean by the word 'too big'?" Shi Shilun bowed his head and pondered for a long time, and said: "I have been in Beijing for several days, and there are several people in the household department who are in the same year. Feel sorry for each other. Now there is a slogan in the court: "If you don't owe money to the treasury, you are not a hero." Long live, do you know? Even the ministers in the study room have borrowed them before, and the fourth and thirteenth masters have entered the household department before returning them Yes, I heard that elder brother, elder brother, elder brother..." He glanced at Kangxi, whose face was getting uglier, and suddenly shivered, and stuttered. "Perhaps there is still a prince?" Kangxi had already understood the meaning of Shi Shilun's so-called "too big", and stretched out his hand to flick the corner of his robe, "It's not a big deal."

Zhang Tingyu, Ma Qi, and Tong Guowei couldn't sit still for a long time, and stood up with blushing faces. Tong Guowei's voice was so low that only he could hear him: "Please punish the slave for the crime of deceit. The slaves have indeed borrowed money. Pay off." "Sit down." Kangxi was stunned for a long while, then suddenly laughed, "If you owe a debt, how can you talk about cheating? It's better than scraping and searching the people! I don't understand, don't even people like you still need money? Tong Guowei suddenly knelt down on his knees, nodded again and again, and said, "Long live... the slaves have no choice. In the past, Duke Huan was tired of governing, and Guan Zhong built a house to keep prostitutes. There is really an unspeakable secret..." "Fart!" Suppressing his temper, listening to Tong Guowei's words was really heartbreaking and sad, and he couldn't help but change his face, "Duke Huan is the king of the subjugated country! It is the duty of the ministers to admonish the death of Wen and Wu to fight to the death. Whether the prince is good or not, you can only admonish him bitterly." , not to mention that I am still alive, why didn't I explain it? But I want to learn from Guan Zhong to slander him!"

When he got angry, the three ministers and Shi Shilun knelt down with a "plop" when they lifted the corners of their robes, and just kowtowed their heads in apology. The big Fan Jin clock on the wall ticked unhurriedly.Prince Yinreng of the East Palace is the second son of Kangxi. He was originally the only son of Empress Xiaochengren Hesheli. Since the 42nd year of Kangxi, Suo'etu has secretly formed a party and tried to force Kangxi to abdicate. He supported Yinreng and was punished. , has been unhappy, frightened like a mouse avoiding a cat, except in the evening, he dare not see Kangxi more.What the minister of the upper study worried about every day was that this half-old father and son couldn't help each other, and the splint was uncomfortable. Seeing Kangxi openly attacking the prince, how could he not be shocked?Zhang Tingyu's heart is clear, Kangxi's anger today was all provoked by Tong Guowei, but Tong Guowei is now the uncle of the country, and behind him is the powerful influence of the eighth elder brother Yinhu, how dare he be among them as a Han subject?Ma Qi was straightforward and careless, but he refused to follow Tong Guowei into the muddy water, because he kowtowed and said: "I have another reason for borrowing money: now there are six ministries and nine ministers, and there is no one who does not want to borrow money from the treasury. The slave and Li Guangdi are first-rank big In fact, a salary of one hundred and eighty taels of silver per year, with only this little money, not to mention entertainment, even his wife and children can’t support him! Relying on the emperor’s favor, the ice charcoal respect from the province of origin, and the manor, there should be no money to borrow But if you don't put on a show, how can outsiders know the details, thinking that we must live by selling and buying, how can we bear the bad name of corrupt officials?" "Has it reached this point? Those who borrow money have a good reputation, but those who don't borrow money have become bastards. It's shocking to hear!" Kangxi pressed the table and stood up, took a few steps, and looked at the west wall. He wrote the word "patience" in his own handwriting, and slowly, his face turned pale, and he looked back at Shi Shilun who was full of bewilderment and said, "Shi Shilun." "The minister is..." "The more I think about it, the bigger the matter." Kangxi said slowly and carefully, "Arabtan of the Junggar tribe is a wolf, very restless, and has already occupied a large pasture in the Khalkha tribe. It’s hard to guarantee that I won’t personally conquer Junggar for the fourth time! Once the country raises troops, there will be no money in the treasury to pay back? So the money owed by the Ministry of Households must be recovered as soon as possible, don’t hesitate.” "……tie!" "Don't look forward to the future. Liang Qingbiao, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, issued an order today to let him rest in Beijing, so as not to hinder you." Kangxi looked at Zhang Tingyu with burning eyes, "Zhang Tingyu, you have to make an edict." After finishing speaking, he tossed his braids back, and again He said to Shi Shilun: "I give you the yellow mantle and the flag of Wang Ming, and you have the right to arbitrarily decide. Then there are the princes, the four princes and the thirteen princes who are in charge. You just have to do it boldly. From the top, I bow down to the prince. All the ministers, treat everyone equally!" Shi Shilun shirked the errands, and what he was most afraid of was that Emperor Kangxi's will was not firm. Seeing that Kangxi was so determined, a stone fell to the ground immediately, and he fell deeply on the ground, and said in a hoarse voice: "The national scholar does not care about his wealth. Long live is so trusting, how dare I dereliction of duty? " "That's a good statement!" Kangxi sighed, "I just mentioned the prince, but in fact, I know the prince best. He is not a person who is confused and ignorant of things. There must be loyal people to assist him to perfect him. There are rumors outside that I Whatever you want to be the crown prince, it’s nothing—you’ve all heard that?” The four of them were stunned, and hurriedly kowtowed to agree, but Kangxi said again: “I have a warning, the world is powerful, and I am the only one. Accept it, one person handles it, and there is absolutely no reason to leave it alone. As a courtier, you must not have strange thoughts, form cliques, harm the country and seek private interests, and if I find out, who can not protect you; I am here, who can't harm you!" His words seem fragmented and incoherent at first glance, but when he thinks carefully, his words are connected from end to end, and the connotation is unfathomable.A few people are all gentle and thoughtful, what don't you understand?Their foreheads were covered with sweat, and they all answered: "Yes!" The voice was so loud that even they were startled. "Kneel down." Kangxi waved his hands gloomyly and said, "I'm tired too. Shi Shilun is going to see the prince. You can hand in the sign in a few afternoons and bring in the draft for me to read."