The former secretary of the imperial court, Lang Hua Qifang, glanced at the personnel in the room with a strange expression, and after Wei Zhaocheng went back, he really went to the emperor again, attacking the cabinet and obstructing the audit team.

So he accepted Chongzhen's order to investigate the matter, and after listening to the explanation of the cabinet secretary Lang Yao Shiheng and the five members of the audit team, he finally began to announce the conclusion of his investigation.

“… Based on what you have described, I don't think that Secretary Yao has done anything beyond his power. I also think that Secretary Yao did not make a move to obstruct the audit team on the subjective will. ”

Hua Qifang's words completely cleared Yao Shiheng of the suspicion of obstructing the audit team's actions, which made several team members present a little upset.

It was only then that the members of the group realized that something had changed in the matter, and that the change was clearly not good for them.

In the past, when a court official was discussed or impeached, they were not held responsible.

If the sparse is successful, it will naturally go up. Even if you don't succeed, you can get a good reputation for being impartial. At most, it's just a fear of private retaliation, but basically this probability is very small.

But now the emperor has sent the five of them to form a review team to find out whether there is a problem with the peace treaty. Not only did it exclude the support of other officials, but it also made them have to come to a conclusion within a limited time.

If the conclusions of their investigation are consistent with the content of their sparseness, it will naturally be fame and fortune. But if you come to the opposite conclusion of what they have learned, isn't that a slap in the face?

Hua Qifang's words of favoritism to the cabinet made the members of the review team suddenly feel a lot of pressure. They immediately realized that it was rumored that it was not Chongzhen's intention to negotiate peace with Jiannu, but the statement that Shoufu Huang Liji was manipulating behind his back, and it might indeed be just a rumor.

In fact, with the many new policies implemented by Chongzhen after his pro-government, which led to the cabinet reaping the greatest political benefits, most middle- and lower-class officials did not think that these policies were Chongzhen's original intention.

After all, a prince who has not undergone a complete crown prince education and has been bound in the deep palace since he was a child, even if he is talented, cannot understand the world so well. What's more, the implementation of these new policies has greatly enhanced the status and power of the cabinet.

Therefore, these officials privately speculated that it must be a few people in the cabinet who stood behind Chongzhen to make suggestions, especially Huang Liji, who actively supported Chongzhen's ascension after the first emperor returned to heaven, and was the most suspicious.

But with Wei Zhongxian being demoted to Fengyang, the new emperor gradually gained a firm foundation, and at this time, Huang Liji also vigorously implemented the new policy to expand his own power, will it arouse Chongzhen's jealousy.

It is precisely with this kind of speculation that some people want to use the content of the peace treaty to make trouble, and want to find an excuse for Chongzhen to attack the cabinet.

And Wei Zhaocheng and other officials also participated in this political speculation with this kind of thought. But Hua Qifang, who represented the emperor himself, suddenly poured a basin of cold water on them, making them feel that they couldn't do anything.

"However, Your Majesty will not raise our level of secrecy, we will even read the original copy of the peace treaty..."One of the panelists hastened to defend himself for a few days.

Yao Shiheng, who had been smiling, suddenly lowered his face, interrupted him sternly and said, "Please remember the confidentiality agreement you signed yourself, don't do anything that you regret." For the sake of you being a first-time offender, I should have not heard what you just said. But next time, it won't be that simple. ”

Several officials of the audit team were a little overwhelmed by Yao Shiheng's attack, and then they reacted and asked Yao Shiheng angrily: "Secretary Hua Lang came to interrogate on behalf of His Majesty, can't even he say it?" ”

Yao Shiheng first nodded apologetically at Hua Qifang, and then turned to the members of the audit team and said, "Secretary Hua Lang came to inquire on behalf of His Majesty whether the cabinet has obstructed the review team. But His Majesty did not have the authority to let him know the process of the review of the peace treaty. ”

"Aren't the two the same thing?" Wei Zhaocheng finally couldn't help but yell at Yao Shiheng.

Seeing that everyone in the room was about to quarrel over this, Hua Qifang, who didn't want to get involved in this matter, quickly calmed down everyone's emotions.

Then, he calmly said to Wei Zhaocheng and the others: "You don't have to argue with Secretary Yao, Your Majesty does not approve of the matter of raising the confidentiality level of the audit team."

Your Majesty has asked me to convey to you that the purpose of the imperial court's secrecy system is to be used for implementation, not for pretense.

Since you are an official of the imperial court, you should act according to the laws established by the imperial court, and not think about taking shortcuts all day long.

If His Majesty raises the secrecy level of the review team, this problem can only be resolved. So if anyone questions the results of your review, will Your Majesty continue to raise the level of secrecy of others?

If this continues, what is the point of setting a level of secrecy for the peace treaty? Why don't the imperial court just make the peace treaty public?

Solving problems under the existing conditions is the ability that officials should have, and if you don't even have this basic ability, then the imperial court really needs to consider whether you are qualified for your current official positions. ”

Hua Qifang's words relayed by Chongzhen suddenly made the momentum of the five members of the review team down. After being silent for a long time, Wei Zhaocheng finally said with resentment: "Since Your Majesty thinks that our ability is insufficient, then I will resign from the review team." ”

After Wei Zhaocheng spoke up, he took it for granted that Qiao Yingjia and the others would immediately follow him to resign. In this way, even if they can't reveal the content of the audit, the behavior of the five people resigning from the audit team together, as long as the discerning person can see that they must have been pressured by some people, so they can't continue the review.

In this way, perhaps the focus of public opinion in the capital will be pulled back from the sports meeting and the actions of the Independent Commission Against Corruption to investigate and deal with Tongzhou Cang.

But after he waited for a long time, he did not hear the second voice that followed him to offer his resignation. He turned his head in some surprise and found that the other three officials were all hesitantly looking at Qiao Yingjia's face, as if Qiao Yingjia was the leader of everyone.

Qiao Yingjia seemed to sense the urging in Wei Zhaocheng's eyes, he coughed a few times, and then said in embarrassment: "Although Your Majesty's words are too harsh, as the saying goes, thunder, rain and dew are all heavenly graces. What is wrong with us courtiers?

I think everyone should be calmer. Let's see if we can settle this matter according to His Majesty's orders. ”

After listening to Qiao Yingjia's words, the other three officials thought for a moment and then echoed him. Compared with Wei Zhaocheng's drastic approach, it was obviously safer for Qiao Yingjia to wait and make a decision after seeing the situation clearly.

Without waiting for Wei Zhaocheng to speak, Hua Qifang had already spoken: "I already know what you mean, I will truthfully report your words to Your Majesty, including Wei Qishi's request to resign from the audit team..."

When Hua Qifang reported to Chongzhen with the conclusion of the investigation, Chongzhen was listening to Lu Qi's report on the progress of the sports meeting.

After the start of the games, he attended the opening ceremony. Although his presence aroused the emotions of the people involved in the game, in order to protect his safety, many guards were placed at the sports meeting, which made the spectators watching the game very quiet.

In order not to spoil the mood of the audience, Chongzhen had to give up the fun of going to the scene to watch the game.

The four teams with the best performances in this sports meeting were the team composed of craftsmen from the Army and Navy Military Academy, Yenching University, and Wensi Academy. In particular, the two military academies performed the most well in the sports meeting, competing with each other for first and second places.

Every afternoon, when listening to Lu Qi's report on the results of the sports meeting, Chongzhen felt that he had the feeling of returning to the afterlife, which also became his relaxation time.

However, today's relaxation time was obviously over, and when he received the notification of Hua Qifang's arrival, his relaxed expression suddenly ended.

After Hua Qifang entered the upper study and reported to Chongzhen, Zhu Youzhen thought for a moment and said, "Resign?" He was thinking too simply. Now that you are in the game, you should admit defeat instead of turning the table for me.

is playing like him, won't the court be chaotic in the future. The Imperial Secretariat drafted an edict for me to reprimand the audit team, and it was just a matter of ability. But doing things halfway is a matter of responsibility.

If the ability is insufficient, the court can also give the opportunity to adjust the seat, but for those who lack a sense of responsibility, the court cannot tolerate it.

Since he is going to resign, he should simply resign completely, and let me go back to my hometown to live idlely, and the court will not trouble him in the future. Write it in this sense. ”

Hua Qifang naturally agreed, in the past, the edict had always been a matter for the cabinet and the celebrant supervisor, but today it actually fell on the body of the imperial secretariat, which is undoubtedly a very good opening.

After Hua Qifang exited the room, Zhu Youzhen turned to Wang Chengen and asked, "How is the case in Tongzhou Cang progressing now?" ”

Wang Chengen replied quickly and preparedly: "The Independent Commission Against Corruption handled the case of corruption of ink in the household department before, and through the spread of newspapers and storytellers in teahouses, it has had a great repercussion among the people.

Those who dared to defend those corrupt officials in the capital were criticized by the people, and some Qingliu who wanted to attack the Independent Commission of Integrity became traitors in the mouths of the people, and their reputation plummeted.

At present, the scholars in the capital do not dare to defend the corruption case, for fear that their remarks defending the corrupt officials will appear in the newspapers and become the target of public opinion.

Now Yanjing News and Daming Times have become the main channels for the people of Beijing to understand current affairs. The Propaganda Department guides public opinion through the newspaper, and this Tongzhou warehouse has become a cancer in the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, in the process of cleaning up the Tongzhou warehouse, the Independent Commission Against Corruption did not encounter any frontal resistance. Many officials only wanted to reduce their punishment, but they cooperated very much.

Yichen estimated that in about half a month, the case of Tongzhou Cang would be closed. However, the minister wants to ask His Majesty, what does His Majesty plan to do with these retired officials? ”

Zhu Youzhen hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Since they are so cooperative, the punishment does not need to be too harsh." Let the Independent Commission Against Corruption count the number of embezzlers and divide them into four levels, from probation to exile, and try not to kill anyone..."