Zhang Weixian thought about it for a long time, and finally determined that as long as the Zhang family had no intention of rebelling, it would be impossible to resist Chongzhen's reform of Jingying.

Obviously, the Zhang family did not have this ability, nor could they turn their backs on the loyal reputation that successive British princes had earned for their loyalty to the royal family.

"No matter what Your Majesty is thinking, it is enough for our Zhang family to obey Your Majesty's will." After thinking about it for a long time, Zhang Weixian finally came to a conclusion.

Zhang Zhiji suddenly felt a little bad, he had always been cautious, just thinking that he could safely guard the title of Duke of England and inherit it, in addition, he would not be contaminated with political disputes in the court, so that the family could live a peaceful life.

He did not have his father Zhang Weixian's political ambition and ability, so he was extremely reluctant to join the war between Chongzhen and Xungui.

"Father, in fact, we don't do anything, and Your Majesty won't do anything to the Zhang family. Moreover, isn't Shijie already charging for His Majesty? Zhang Zhiji couldn't help but remind carefully.

"Confused, although Your Majesty will not do anything to us because of this, the tradition of the Zhang family being loyal to Your Majesty for generations will also be cut off in our hands. Shijie will not inherit the title of Duke of England, let the concubine branch overwhelm the concubine branch, do you think the Zhang family's life is too peaceful? Zhang Weixian said dissatisfied.

Zhang Zhiji was suddenly silent, Zhang Weixian cleared his throat and said, "I remember that we don't have two granges in Sanhe?" Give it to Your Majesty and use it to help the people who are suffering in Shunyi. Over at the House of Lords, you are going to participate on behalf of the British Duchy, as long as you support the Marquis of Fengcheng..."

In the cabinet meeting room in the Wenhua Palace, the cabinet members and the six ministers and nine secretaries were nervously pushing the candidates for the two cabinet ministers. As is customary, the candidates on the list have all recused themselves today.

"We've been discussing it for a few days, and I mean, today we have to decide on the candidates anyway, and then hand them over to Your Majesty tomorrow for the circle. In this way, after New Year's Day, the new cabinet can officially handle political affairs. Huang Liji said to his colleagues in the conference room.

Shi Fenglai added: "In the past few days, my colleagues have put forward nine candidates: Li Tianjing, Wang Yongguang, Han Yi, Liu Zongzhou, Li Biao, Lai Zongdao, Wu Chunfu, Qian Qianyi, Yang Jingchen, etc., and the cabinet is now only vacant two, so the cabinet thinks it is most appropriate to limit the number of candidates to 6 people." ”

Li Tianjing, who ranked first in the list, was recommended by Xu Guangqi, the secretary of the ministry, and the previous meeting was originally headed by the ministry and discussed the candidates with Jiuqing. However, now Chongzhen has asked that the cabinet will be selected with Jiuqing.

Although the powers of the cabinet were expanded, others were reluctant to compete with the candidates recommended by the Ministry of Ministers.

In this way, 3 people were eliminated from the remaining 8 people. According to the previous practice of pushing, as long as the names of the next three people are ticked.

However, the officials who held the meeting today did not adopt such a simple and crude method.

Yang Jingchen is a fellow villager of the elder Zhang Ruitu, and he is also a candidate recommended by Zhang Ruitu. Although Qian Qianyi is a member of the Donglin Party, he is more sleek than Han Yi and Liu Zongzhou, and if several officials present who have a grudge against the Donglin Party are selected among the three, they would rather choose Qian Qianyi.

And Wu Chunfu is not only Zhang Ruitu's fellow countryman, but also has a good relationship with Shoufu Huang Liji, and it obviously takes great courage to oppose him.

Among the five people Wang Yongguang, Han Yi, Liu Zongzhou, Li Biao, and Lai Zongdao, the two people in the cabinet who unanimously wanted to take away were Han Yi and Liu Zongzhou.

The former used to be the first assistant, and with this qualification, it is more difficult for the current first assistant to control him.

And the latter is now regarded by Chongzhen as the only sage in the court, and no one among the elders wants to work with a sage, because it must be their mistake if something goes wrong, and it must be the merit of a sage to have merit.

What's worse is that both of them are now leaders of the Donglin Party, and letting them join the cabinet is undoubtedly an opportunity for those civil officials of the Donglin Party who want to clean up the eunuchs in the DPRK and China all day long, and meddle in the affairs of the DPRK and China.

Zhang Ruitu coughed and said: "I think, there is no need to recommend candidates who have joined the cabinet and voluntarily resigned, if His Majesty appoints him, he doesn't want to make trouble and resign, won't we have to do it all over again?"

In order to improve the administrative efficiency mentioned by His Majesty, and to reduce unnecessary trouble, I believe that those who voluntarily resign after joining the Cabinet should be excluded from the list. ”

Several people present know very well that Zhang Ruitu is talking about Han Yi, who has been the first assistant for three months. Cao Sicheng, the imperial historian of Zuodu, said with some hesitation: "Han Taichang's qualifications are much higher than those of the next few people, will removing him from the list cause criticism from the government and the opposition?" ”

Wu Chunfu immediately retorted: "We just set unqualified conditions, and we are not targeting Han Taichang, so what is there to criticize the government and the opposition?" ”

Wu Chunfu immediately resonated with several people, so Han Yi became the first person to be brushed down.

After Han Yi was removed, the room fell silent again. Huang Liji suddenly coughed lightly, Shi Fenglai's face changed, and he finally said out loud.

"Your Majesty has praised Mr. Qishan as a moral perfection in the sea, and cannot be appointed as an officer. This cabinet minister is the busiest minister in the world, and I think we should respect Your Majesty's wishes and not let Mr. Qishan be tired of secular affairs. ”

Zhang Ruitu was the first to speak out in support: "Shi Ge Lao's words are good, if Your Majesty really wants to let Qidong enter the cabinet, he will definitely make a special purpose." I'd better not spoil it, Your Majesty's kindness to Qidong. ”

Without waiting for others to speak, Huang Liji spoke: "Since everyone thinks so, then it's okay to settle it." As for the last person, I don't think people who are still out of town need to be on the list.

The cabinet is already busy with affairs, and if it waits until officials from other places return to Beijing to deal with it, then the country will not be able to function. ”

With Huang Liji's quick decision, Wang Yongguang, who was in Nanjing No. 6, was also disqualified.

At this time, the officials of the Ming Dynasty did not know what secrecy was, and no low-level official wanted to be ignorant of the ministers of the imperial court when they decided on political affairs.

In particular, the lower-ranking science and technology officials are the main force in promoting this kind of open government affairs, because information disclosure is more conducive to them, the science and technology officials, to manipulate public opinion and change the decisions of the imperial court.

Therefore, when the cabinet and Jiuqing had just decided on the list of candidates to be publicly promoted, the content of this list quickly spread from the mouths of the scholars in the cabinet.

Three Donglin Party candidates were cut off at once, and this news suddenly made Donglin Party officials feel a sense of crisis.

That night in the Yuchun Courtyard, Lu Chengyuan, Wang Shoulu, Yao Ximeng, Huang Daozhou, Ni Yuanlu, Yuan Chonghuan and other Donglin Party members finally sat down and had an open and honest exchange.

For the Donglin Party has never been able to gain Chongzhen's trust, so that the government is manipulated by the remnants of the eunuch party, many party members feel a little helpless.

"Tomorrow, the official office of the capital will be closed, from the holiday of New Year's Day the day after tomorrow to the twentieth of January, Huang Yuancheng wants to cut through the chaos quickly, counting on the cabinet to fill the lack of personnel tomorrow. Next, even if we want to advise, we will have to take a 20-day long vacation, and he is playing a trick that has already been completed. Wang Shoulu said with some hatred.

Yao Ximeng said with a glimmer of hope: "Can't we go to the top tomorrow first, impeach their party for fighting against differences, and deliberately exclude our Donglin party members?" ”

Huang Daozhou nodded and said: "What Meng Chang said is reasonable, I might as well go to the palace gate tomorrow to kneel down and accuse this public promotion of unfairness." ”

Lu Chengyuan and Ni Yuanlu stopped almost at the same time: "No." The two glanced at each other, and Lu Chengyuan immediately continued: "The list of public recommendations has not yet been announced, if I wait for tomorrow to use this list to impeach the ministers who will be promoted, I'm afraid Your Majesty will first ask us how to get this list." ”

"The affairs of the imperial court should be decided by public opinion, and we only ask whether this list is true, and where it comes from, and what is important?" Huang Daozhou said angrily.

Lu Chengyuan immediately explained: "Among the new regulations passed by the Metropolitan Procuratorate before, all bills that have not yet been announced by the imperial court will be disposed of as leaking state secrets.

For those who voluntarily leak secrets to others, the punishment ranges from demotion to death according to the level of secrecy of the leaked information.

I'm fine, of course, but what about giving this list to our friends? We can't send him to death, can we? ”

Ni Yuanlu added a few words from another aspect, "Now Your Majesty is not close to us, if we take a list of candidates who cannot be proven to impeach the cabinet." When the time comes, Huang Yuancheng said that this list is fake, and we fabricated it to frame him, what should we do then..."

While several Donglin Party members were arguing fiercely, Yuan Chonghuan had already shifted his attention to the interior decoration of the restaurant.

Although it was not the first time he had come to Yuchun Temple, it was the first time he had seen a pure wine banquet like today, without a female prostitute.

"The crackdown initiated by the emperor is really moving, and even the city of Beijing is much more depressed." When Yuan Chonghuan picked up a piece of enema and dipped it in garlic juice and put it in his mouth, he couldn't stop chewing the food and thought.

Lu Chengyuan seemed to notice Yuan Chonghuan's silence, and he couldn't help but say to Yuan Chonghuan: "Brother Ziru is so calm today, isn't he already confident, can you solve my doubts?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan was suddenly awakened, and he hurriedly waved his hand and said, "No, no, I remembered something else, so I was distracted for a while, not because I thought of any good way." ”

Wang Shoulu, who had just been transferred from the Ministry of Industry to the Ministry of Rites, said a little sourly: "Brother Ziru doesn't have to be too humble, who doesn't know that now you professors in martial arts are the most loved by Your Majesty, Brother Ziru is so silent, don't you want to go to your Majesty to tell the truth, right?" ”

"How can there be such a thing, the king is laughing." Yuan Chonghuan immediately denied it, but he also knew very well that this was not enough to dispel the jealousy of these frustrated party members.