In the dead of night, a horse-drawn carriage drove down the silent street, the axles creaking slightly, making it a little harsh in the night sky. Reading artifact

In the carriage, Li Yuntian closed his eyes and recuperated, while Yang Yungui frowned slightly and thought about something.

"My lord, how did you guess that Niu An has an outer room?" After a long time, Yang Yungui raised his head and asked Li Yuntian, who was sitting opposite.

"Niu An is not stupid, he knows that what he did was to lose his head, in order to avoid unloading the mill and killing the donkey, he must leave a way back for himself."

Li Yuntian closed his eyes and said in an orderly manner, "Therefore, he must have hidden the account book that recorded the real transactions, such an important thing naturally cannot be given to outsiders, and it cannot be known to others, so that there is a family outside." ”

The so-called outer room refers to the fact that a woman other than a man's wife and concubine is quietly kept outside because it is inconvenient to include her as a concubine, and she has the reality of husband and wife but not the name of husband and wife.

"I don't know how many outer chambers this guy has." Yang Yungui bowed slightly, frowned and said, "I hope things are in Tongzhou." ”

"Niu An can still miss the outer chamber of Tongzhou in a drunken state, so it can be seen that he has an important position in his mind, and there are ten things that will be hidden there."

Li Yuntian opened his eyes and said with a smile, "I just don't know where he will hide those account books, it seems that we are going to startle the snake." ”

"Hit the grass and scare the snake." Yang Yungui's eyes lit up, and he nodded with a smile, "This matter will be handed over to his subordinates." ”

"Now that the Metropolitan Procuratorate has completed its inspection, Jingcang and Tongzhou Warehouse will successively dispose of the old grain in the warehouse in order to receive the summer grain into storage." Li Yuntian stretched lazily and said slowly, "At the beginning of February, Jingcang will deal with the first batch of old grain, and then they will be taken down on the spot, and everyone will be stolen, see what else they have to say." ”

"Although I have gained a lot tonight, it's just a pity that the necklace of the third lady is a pity." Yang Yungui remembered something, and couldn't help laughing, it is estimated that Li Yuntian will "compensate" Chen Ningning well tonight.

Yang Yungui guessed wrong, Li Yuntian did not enter Chen Ningning's bedroom at night, but went to the Guogong Mansion.

As soon as he arrived at the house, the guard told him good news, not long ago Zhou Yuting gave birth to a big fat boy, and Lu Cao, Chen Ningning and Zheng Wanrou had all rushed to the Guogong Mansion.

When Li Yuntian hurried to the small courtyard where Zhou Yuting lived, Zhou Yuting's bedroom was already full of people, happily watching a big fat boy lying in swaddling clothes, his name was Li Anbang.

Li Anbang is the third son of the Li family, and also has another identity, the eldest son of the Li family, according to tradition, the Li family will have him to inherit in the future.

When Chen Ningning and Zheng Wanrou gave birth, Li Yuntian failed to take care of the two on the way to the north, which became a regret in his heart.

Speaking of which, for the birth of Li Anbang, the happiest is Zhou Zheng, the mother is precious to the son, and the son is proud of the mother, with Li Anbang, Zhou Yuting can be regarded as the real leader of the Li family's back house.

"What, you are in Chajing Tongcang" At midnight, in the study of the Guogong Mansion, Zhou Zheng looked at Li Yuntian with a surprised expression.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to come to the Guogong Mansion, Li Yuntian told Zhou Zheng about his corruption in Chajingcang and Tongzhoucang, this case is a serious matter, Zhou Zheng is his father-in-law, and he should be the first courtier to know about this matter, otherwise the two will seem to be estranged from each other.

"The emperor personally issued an edict in this case, and the son-in-law can only go all out to live up to the emperor's order." Li Yuntian bowed slightly and said, "As for how to deal with the case, it depends on the emperor's intentions." ”

Li Yuntian didn't tell Zhou Zheng everything, like Lu Dacheng, he didn't reveal it, only Yang Shiqi in the entire court knew that the emperor's investigation of Jingtongcang originated from Lu Dacheng's revelation.

"It seems that the emperor is going to kill the majesty of the six departments this time." Zhou Zheng frowned slightly, Emperor Hong Xi did not hand over the case to the Criminal Department or the Metropolitan Procuratorate, but to the cabinet, obviously to make the cabinet prestigious.

"This matter is very important, you don't want to get too involved." Subsequently, Zhou Zheng told Li Yuntian in a deep voice that the Jingtongcang case was definitely widely implicated, and I was afraid that the household department would be terminated from a group of officials, and Li Yuntian should not be involved too deeply now, otherwise it would be detrimental to his career in the future.

"Son-in-law understands." Li Yuntian smiled and nodded, he still has this bit of self-knowledge, "The son-in-law is an errand runner, and it is the cabinet that really makes the decision, and I am afraid that I will have to bother my father-in-law at that time." ”

"Lord Yang wants Bengong to help him?" Yang Shiqi was a little surprised, and couldn't help but ask suspiciously, this is an infighting between civil officials, and he shouldn't be allowed to get involved.

"Father-in-law, as soon as the case of Jingcang and Tongzhou Cang is released, then the thirteen Jingcangs and the three major Tongzhou Cangs will not be spared, and I am afraid that the emperor will ask the Gyeonggi Governor's Mansion to get people." Li Yuntian knew that Yang Shiqi would misunderstand what he meant, and explained with a smile.

"Yuntian, the emperor emphasizes the cabinet and ignores the six ministries, now it is true that the cabinet and the six ministries are fighting, and after the cabinet suppresses the six ministries, I am afraid that the next target is to deal with our Gyeonggi Governor's Mansion and the Five Army Governor's Office."

Zhou Zheng understood now, and immediately smiled, and then changed his tone and said to Li Yuntian with a solemn expression, "At that time, our Gyeonggi Governor's Mansion and the Five Military Governor's Mansion will probably be pressed under the cabinet." ”

"Father-in-law, this is exactly what the son-in-law is worried about." Li Yuntian was slightly stunned, he never expected Zhou Zheng to be able to see this, instead of gloating like other nobles, so he didn't hide it, and said in a deep voice, also expressing concern.

Originally, the governors of the major prefectures had the right to command the troops, and the military department had the right to transfer troops, and the two sides could be said to be evenly divided, not equal, and maintained a stable balance of power between them.

Now that the status of the cabinet has been suddenly improved, and with the support of the emperor, it has a situation of surpassing the six ministries, so it is natural that it will also overwhelm the Gyeonggi Governor's Office and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies.

Zhou Zheng's worries are not unreasonable, in history, the authority of the Governor's Office of the Five Armies gradually declined, and finally the military power was seized by the Ministry of War, and the result was reduced to the point of dispensability, so that the world knows the cabinet and the six ministries, but does not know the Governor's Office of the Five Armies.

Some people believe that the defeat of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, which represented the interests of the noble group, was led by the Battle of Tumubao more than 20 years later, because many nobles died in this battle at that time.

But don't forget, the lords are hereditary, and after a group dies, there will be their descendants to succeed them, and if they still hold the military power, then there is no doubt that there will still be forces to fight against the Wenchen group headed by the six departments.

It is a pity that the nobles have to deal with not the six ministries, but the more powerful cabinet controlled by the ministers, which makes them have to be defeated, and the power in their hands is gradually eroded.

Throughout the history of the Ming Dynasty, you will find that the cabinet is an important reason for the decline of the Xungui group, before Emperor Hongxi, the cabinet was only an emperor's secretary body, without real power, and above the court was the struggle between the five military governors and the six ministries, and the nobles stabilized the Wenchen group with the support of the emperor.

The emperors after Hongxi relied on the cabinet to deal with the country's military and political affairs, and let the inner court contain the cabinet, making the cabinet and the inner court become the two major institutions of the Ming Dynasty that complement each other and restrain each other.

As a result, not only was the power of the six ministries restricted, but the Governor's Office of the Five Armies was suppressed as a result.

After all, those scholars in the cabinet were all from the Hanlin Academy, and they were the best among the scholars, and the representatives of the Wenchen Group could not speak to the nobles.

Therefore, it is only natural that the Governor's Office of the Five Armies is gradually seized by the Ministry of War, and it is always more reassuring to control the military power in the hands of the civil servants than in the hands of the military generals.

"Yuntian, your Uncle Hu said that only you can break the chess game in front of you, do you have any way." Zhou Zheng couldn't help but laugh when he saw Li Yuntian looking worried.

Hu Yitu is right, Li Yuntian has really seen this, due to the limitations of the times, he can't do anything about the situation in front of him, but he is optimistic about Li Yuntian, Li Yuntian is not only younger than him, but also has a better mind than him.

In good conscience, if Hu Yitu sent the edict to Emperor Yongle, he was not sure that he would be able to complete this task, but Li Yuntian did it, and he completed it very beautifully, Hu Yitu was ashamed in his heart.

"Father-in-law, in my son-in-law's opinion, since the cabinet is composed of scholars, then it should only be in charge of the affairs of the six ministries, and the affairs of the Gyeonggi Metropolitan Governor's Office and the Five Military Governor's Office should be resolved by the governors."

Li Yuntian has an idea in his heart, but the words that are implemented now are still a little immature, since Zhou Zheng asked, then he will tell the truth, "The younger son-in-law thinks that if you want to confront the cabinet in the future, then there must be an institution that overrides the Gyeonggi Metropolitan Governor's Office and the Five Military Governor's Mansions." ”

"You mean, the formation of the Grand Governor's Office?" When Zhou Zheng heard this, his eyes couldn't help but light up for a moment, and then his expression darkened, and he shook his head again, "The Dadu Governor's Mansion was abolished by Taizu, and there is no reason to regroup." ”

Li Yuntian is right, if you want to compete with the cabinet, then you must first have an institution at the same level, whether it is the Gyeonggi Metropolitan Governor's Office or the Fifth Army Metropolitan Governor's Office, they cannot seize its edge.

However, in order to prevent the concentration of military power, Emperor Hongwu deliberately split the Dadu Governor's Mansion in charge of military affairs into the Five Military Governors' Mansions, and set up the left and right governors to contain each other, and Emperor Hongxi naturally would not set up the Dadu Governor's Mansion again.

"Father-in-law, the institution that the son-in-law said has similarities with the Governor's Mansion, but there are also differences." Li Yuntian knew the past of the Dadu Governor's Office, and said with a smile, "In this institution that the son-in-law said, the governors of the Gyeonggi Governor's Mansion and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies have the same status, and there is no distinction between high and low. ”

"Bingbu?" Zhou Zheng's eyes showed a look of surprise, what Li Yuntian said was something he had never heard of.

"Father-in-law, only by stripping the military department from the cabinet can you really confront the cabinet." Li Yuntian knew that Zhou Zheng definitely didn't understand what he meant now, so he explained in an orderly manner, "In the new organization, the officials of the military department and the governors will discuss military affairs together, and share the power to transfer troops and command the army, so that the emperor can rest assured, and those civil servants will no longer have objections."

"Wonderful, really wonderful!" Zhou Zheng was stunned there for a while, then slapped his palms, and couldn't help but praise, as Li Yuntian said, only by stripping the military department from the cabinet, then the cabinet could not get involved in military affairs.

"Yuntian, when do you think the time is ripe?" Then, Zhou Zheng looked at Li Yuntian with some excitement, once Li Yuntian's idea could be put into practice, then they would be able to confront the cabinet.

"In the opinion of the son-in-law, it will take at least two years." Li Yuntian pondered for a moment and gave a deadline.

In two years, the Cabinet will have the upper hand in the battle with the Six Ministries, and its advantages and disadvantages will also be revealed.

More importantly, an incident that occurred two years later would completely sweep away the emperor's scruples about the nobles and bring an opportunity to establish a new military organization.

"Two years!" Zhou Zheng nodded when he heard this, his eyes showed a look of expectation, and he also thought that the cabinet would become stronger in two years, which would make the emperor jealous, but he never imagined the opportunity that Li Yuntian was waiting for in his heart. One