Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 96 Zhao Xing's Dissatisfaction

"If you have something to say, report it early!"

With the eunuchs' singing in unison, the morning court officially began.

First, Grand Chancellor Han Zhangxuan reported the results of the investigation and handling of officials in Yangzhou and several surrounding states.

In Yangzhou and several surrounding states, the number of locust larvae at the beginning of this year was many times more than in previous years. At the call of local authorities, people exchanged locusts for food, eliminating the possibility of a locust plague.

Naturally, the officials who committed dereliction of duty must be held accountable afterwards. After several months of investigation and trial, there is now a result.

According to the government's wishes, officials from several states were sentenced to exile.

The rest of the subordinate officials, including the county magistrates, were demoted or had their salaries fined.

After listening to Han Zhang's report, the emperor said calmly, "Just follow the instructions of the Grand Chancellor. The Ministry of Personnel should select an official to take over as soon as possible. Don't cause any chaos."

"Yes!" Han Zhang and the Minister of Personnel responded.

Then some officials submitted memorials, but they were nothing serious, so the government dealt with them one by one.

As the morning court was drawing to a close, an official from the Imperial Censorate stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, I want to impeach Xie Chuanjian, the Imperial Secretary of the Secretariat. His mother was seriously ill, but he did not return home to visit her. This is an act of unfilial piety."

As the official finished speaking, all the civil and military officials looked at a thin fifty-year-old man.

The old man was Xie Chuanjian. Facing everyone's gazes, his expression was very calm.

"Thank you, my dear minister, what do you have to say?" The emperor looked at Xie Chuanjian and asked.

"I have nothing to say!" Xie Chuanjian said with a bow.

The Analects of Confucius says: "If one's private morality is deficient, it is difficult to hold public office. If one has no private morality, he cannot establish himself."

In ancient times, the requirements for filial piety were very strict. Even the emperor’s temple name after his death had to include the word "filial piety".

As the saying goes, you can't be both loyal and filial.

Putting loyalty and filial piety together shows how important filial piety is.

In fact, Xie Chuanjian's mother was not seriously ill, she just caught a cold. In order not to worry her son, she concealed the fact.

She wrote to tell him only after she recovered from her illness. Even so, Xie Chuanjian asked his wife to take the children back to his hometown to visit him.

However, there is no way to dispute these things. It is true that his mother was sick, and it is also true that he did not go back to visit her.

There is no point in saying anything you don't know before.

Zhang Yuanzhen in the crowd showed a hint of joy when he heard this. It seemed that his position as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was secure.

The emperor said calmly, "I have also heard about this matter. Lord Xie is an honest official and has not bought a house in Bianjing. His mother did not want to cause trouble for him and did not want to come to Bianjing, so she stayed in her hometown. His mother was sick, but he did not want him to worry, so he did not tell him. When he knew about it, his mother had recovered. This is not against filial piety. On the contrary, Lord Xie and his mother are role models for officials and mothers all over the world. The position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites is vacant. Lord Xie has noble character and is an honest official, so he should be promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites!"

"Your Majesty, I have something to say!"

Feng Deguang thought that the emperor would reprimand Xie Chuanjian, but he actually praised him and directly appointed Xie Chuanjian as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. He could no longer sit still and stepped out of the line to bow.

"What do you have to say, Lord Feng?" the emperor said with narrowed eyes.

"Your Majesty, even if Xie Jieshi Zhong did not know about it before, he should have asked for leave and returned home to visit after he knew about it," said Feng Deguang.

"Although Minister Xie did not go back, he allowed his wife to take the children back. This is filial piety. He stayed in the court to serve the country, which is loyalty. Minister Feng, do you think there is anything wrong with it?" The emperor said lightly.

"I didn't know all this, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." Seeing that the emperor said so, Feng Deguang didn't dare to say anything even though he was unwilling.

"The Censorate was just reporting on rumors, what's wrong with that? But as the Chief Censor, Lord Feng cannot just be loyal to the court, he must also educate his children when he has time. I heard that Lord Feng's son told people that officials who don't run around or make gifts will stay where they are. Those who run around but don't make gifts will be transferred to the same level. Only those who run around and make gifts can be promoted and given important positions."

The official's tone was calm, but to Feng Deguang's ears, it sounded like a thunderclap.

Feng Deguang was sweating profusely on his back and forehead, but he didn't dare to wipe it off. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, my son is talking nonsense. I will teach him a lesson when I return."

"In that case, my dear minister, please rest at home for a while and teach your son well," said the emperor.

Feng Deguang was shocked when he heard this. This was tantamount to temporarily suspending him from his post. He moved his mouth, bowed with a decadent look, and said, "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty!" "Let's adjourn the court." The official said, and stood up and left.

"Farewell, Your Majesty!" all the officials shouted in unison.

……

When the court was dismissed, many people looked at Feng Deguang, who had a decadent look on his face, with some amusement.

After Feng Deguang became the Chief Censor, he offended many people.

It is said that cutting off someone's financial resources is like killing his parents.

Ruining someone's future is no different from ruining their financial resources.

But Feng Deguang was cautious in his actions and would not offend those who had good backgrounds or were favored by the government.

Therefore, even though many people hate him, they are helpless because they have no evidence.

Now that I see him being punished by the government, I naturally feel very happy.

The Chief Censor, a third-rank official, was suspended from his post just like that.

As the morning court ended, the incident soon spread throughout Bianjing and became a hot topic among the people of Bianjing after dinner.

There were even many people who said that when they passed by the Feng family, they heard a shrill scream, which should be Feng Zhongcheng teaching his son a lesson.

……

In the East Palace, Sheng Wei sent over several jars of wine that had been blended after many tests.

Zhao Xing was just planning to arrange for someone to send wine to the palace so that his father could taste it, when he heard the news and was very dissatisfied.

He thought that his father had already found out everything about Li Daoquan, but was unwilling to make it public, which was considered a punishment for Feng Deguang.

It's no wonder that he has such thoughts. After all, Feng Deguang was sent by his father. If you think about it carefully, his father didn't know people well.

If this matter were to spread, it would have some impact on my father.

As an emperor, it is not impossible to do so for the sake of his dignity and face.

However, Zhao Xing couldn't accept it. He could save face, but at the very least, Feng Deguang should be severely punished, and the reputation of Li Daoquan's family should be restored, right?

Zhao Xing refused to ask anyone to deliver wine to him. He just asked for leave and brought the wine into the palace himself.

…………

Seeing Zhao Xing, with a hint of anger still on his face, the emperor smiled and said, "I knew you would come."

"Father, your punishment for Feng Deguang is too light, isn't it? He framed loyal officials and deceived his superiors and subordinates. He deserves to die. Even if you don't kill him, you shouldn't let him off so easily." Zhao Xing said.

"Haha." The emperor smiled and said, "Who told you that I was going to let him go? You have been studying for so long and have also studied military tactics with Ningyuan Hou for a period of time, but you have not made any progress at all."

Zhao Xing was startled and asked in surprise: "Is this the plan of the emperor?"

"That's right." The emperor nodded slightly and said, "The Shezhou incident is currently under investigation, but there is no evidence that he manipulated the promotion of officials. What I am doing is just waiting for someone to take advantage of my misfortune."

After hearing this, Zhao Xing pondered over it and seemed to understand his father's intention.

Feng Deguang is considered to be a powerful person, and those who hate him have no evidence and dare not speak out.

The Censorate has the power to supervise all officials and can report on matters as they come to light.

If we cannot kill him with one blow, there will be few officials who will not be afraid of revenge.

You need evidence when you sue someone, but they don't need evidence when they sue you.

Even if it is finally found out that the rumor is completely false, there is no need to even apologize.

Besides, how many officials have clean butts?
Even if there is no problem with public morality, what about private morality?
Being watched by a group of censors every day, even the smallest things can be dug up, who can stand it?
(End of this chapter)