Chapter 563: Minister Yan Shaoting abuses his power

In the dark night.

Outside the city of Wuchuan at the northern foot of the Yin Mountains, undercurrents were surging in the Ming army camp.

There are dancing figures.

Qi Jiguang sent off Wang Chonggu, who had finally calmed down, and then stood in front of the central military tent.

This talented general who came from the southeast raised his head and looked at Yan Shaoting, who was sitting on the steps in front of the central army tent, with some surprise but also some expectation.

On the wooden board next to Yan Shaoting were two ceramic bowls and an opened wine jar.

Qi Jiguang looked back and around him, but saw no one.

With a gleam of light in his eyes, Qi Jiguang smiled, walked forward and sat down calmly next to Yan Shaoting.

And between the two people was a jar of wine and two bowls.

Under the stars and the moon, it was silent.

The rustling footsteps in the camp were made by the soldiers on night patrol.

Outside the camp, on the grassland farther away, the howling of wolves could be heard from time to time.

The wolves knew that there were countless delicious flesh and blood here, but they also knew that these tens of thousands of flesh and blood represented the most powerful fighting force of this era, so they followed their instincts and fled further north.

Crash.

The wine flowed out of the jar and filled two bowls.

Yan Shaoting picked up a bowl and took a sip.

"Logically, this is against the rules. Even if I am the head coach, I should be punished. But after thinking about it, I still have to drink this bowl of wine tonight and receive the punishment tomorrow."

The air on the grassland at night is much colder than in the south.

Yan Shaoting had just taken a sip of wine and started to speak when wisps of hot white smoke came out of his mouth.

Qi Jiguang looked at Yan Shaoting who said he would be punished tomorrow, then lowered his head to look at the other wine bowl that should belong to him. He just smiled slightly, picked up the wine bowl, raised his head and hand, and drank the wine in the bowl in one breath.

A stream of hot air came out of his mouth.

"happy!"

Qi Jiguang said in a low voice, then smiled and echoed: "Tomorrow I will be punished together with the general."

Yan Shaoting looked at Qi Jiguang from the side, then reached out and patted him gently on the back of his shoulder with a smile on his face.

"I wonder if Brother Yuan Jing's relative has made a decision today?"

Seeing that Yan Shaoting was indeed asking about this, Qi Jiguang smiled, nodded, but then shook his head.

Yan Shaoting immediately showed a trace of disappointment on his face, but he quickly returned to normal: "Then I guess they will help whoever wins."

Qi Jiguang then nodded and said, "That's probably what I mean."

Yan Shaoting smiled faintly, then put his hands behind his back, leaned his body on the steps, and looked up at the bright moon and the dazzling starry sky.

"Our mission is now almost complete."

"Everything is difficult for the family, the country and the world, but in the final analysis, the problems of our Ming Dynasty are caused by local factors, but also by the central government. The root cause comes from people's hearts. This is not a place I can stay for long. It's time to return to the capital."

Qi Jiguang glanced at the profile of the young man next to him, and then imitated him and looked up at the dazzling starry sky.

It seems that the stars are clearer on this grassland than inside the Great Wall. The twinkling stars seem to be within reach.

Qi Jiguang whispered: "The general has returned with unprecedented achievements. I believe he will be able to display his ambitions and express his aspirations in the court."

Yan Shaoting just smiled and shook his head, then said, "I can't go back to the capital with Brother Yuan Jing this time. Hetao has just been recovered, and the court has not yet stationed troops north and south of Yinshan. I want to recover the Qin Great Wall north of Yinshan, rebuild the six towns of Northern Wei, and manage the northern desert. I need someone I can trust to stay here."

Qi Jiguang nodded immediately: "Qi Jiguang must live up to the general's expectations and must hold the Yinshan defense line and control the grassland in the north!"

He wanted to stay in the Yinshan Hetao area and take charge of the place. This was basically what was agreed upon at the beginning and there was no need to hesitate.

Yan Shaoting added, "Wang Chonggu has to go back to the capital with me to ask for the emperor's will, so that he can take charge of the horse affairs of the border towns and get the power to govern the border people. In this way, Brother Yuan Jing will have to take on all the responsibilities for a long time in the future. But don't worry, Brother Yuan Jing, in addition to Wang Chonggu who will be back soon, I think Tan Lun, Yu Dayou and others will also be placed in various places in the Nine Borders by the court soon. By then, all the towns in the Nine Borders will be people who are familiar with Brother Yuan Jing. By then, you can plan your grand plans and ambitions inside and outside the Great Wall and drink from the vast sea of ​​​​horses."

Qi Jiguang was a little surprised: "What if... Governor Wang also wants to return to Beijing with the general?"

When he asked with a little confusion.

The galaxy in front of him was blocked by a figure.

Yan Shaoting stood up, took a few steps forward, turned around and looked at Qi Jiguang: "He Wang Chonggu is planning to help whoever wins, but if he only wants the benefits and is not willing to work hard, then I will help him."

Qi Jiguang looked at Yan Shaoting, who was standing in front of him, hiding in the shadow of the tent, and his figure was looming, and he became more and more confused.

Yan Shaoting chuckled and said, "In three days, I will lead the officers and soldiers of the Zhongyong Camp and the Beijing Camp back to the capital. I will leave here the 15,000 troops of Guo Yuchuang, the Lieutenant General of Xuanfu and the General of Guerrilla, and the 20,000 troops of the four towns led by Wang Chonggu. They will all be under the command of Brother Yuan Jing. This time when I return to the capital, I will pass through Datong as the Left Guard City. At that time, I will also meet with the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate."

Hearing this, Qi Jiguang's eyes suddenly lit up, and he finally understood why Yan Shaoting said that he wanted to help Wang Chonggu.

Why help Wang Chonggu?
That would naturally be to push him from behind and let him make a decision again.

Then we have to rely on the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

Qi Jiguang slowly stood up, raised his hands, and clasped them together in a bow: "General, you are wise! Qi Jiguang is sincerely convinced. I hope that you will return to Beijing this time and carry on the past and create more merits."

……

Beijing city.

The news that the Northern Expedition Army had won a great victory, marched north of the Yin Mountains, and controlled the south of the desert had reached the capital and was confirmed.

For a time, for several days, the whole city of Beijing was caught in a frenzy.

The royal army won a great victory and recovered the old territory.

There is nothing more worth celebrating than this.

In the court, people have already started discussing how to reward the civil and military officials who have made contributions to the Northern Expedition Army.

It's another day of court meeting.

The new emperor was indeed more diligent than the previous one. Basically, except for the days of wind and rain when the court meetings were suspended according to the resistance value, he would definitely hold court in the Wenhua Hall and govern the country at the Huangji Gate every other day.

It's the fifteenth day of the month again.

According to custom, the palace would hold court sessions on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month.

Civil and military officials attended court at Huangji Gate.

Generally speaking, the first and fifteenth day of each month were mostly ceremonial meetings, and important matters were not discussed at these meetings. Most of them were to finalize some minor political affairs.

The only times to discuss military and national affairs were the morning and afternoon court sessions, which were held every day and only required the attendance of officials from various departments.

therefore.

Today, the officials in the capital rushed to the palace after breakfast in a relaxed mood. They stood in their respective positions according to the regulations of the various departments, quietly waiting for the end of today's new moon and full moon court sessions. After returning to the yamen to wait out the day, they would go out in groups of three or five to find a restaurant in the city to meet with their friends.

Wait for the officials from various ministries and offices to stand still.

The whip-wielding captain on Neiwulong Bridge blew his whip, and Huangjimen Square gradually became quiet.

The emperor's imperial carriage and ceremonial guards also came out of the three main halls of the palace and escorted the emperor to the Huangji Gate.

Because it was the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, Zhu Zaigui should have worn a crown and robes today.

But when the emperor appeared in front of the imperial platform under the Huangji Gate, Gao Gong, who was standing at the front row of civil and military officials, narrowed his eyes.

Because the emperor was only wearing the Chaotian Winged Crown and his casual clothes, and he sat on the throne with a calm and peaceful expression.

The Prime Minister had no time to wonder why the emperor suddenly lost his manners and acted out of character. Lü Fang, who was still the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, had already stepped forward and started shouting.

As Lu Fang spoke, it also indicated that today's court meeting officially began.

According to common sense, at this time, officials from various departments should come out to report on matters according to their ranking in the court.

But before anyone could come out to ask for orders.

Then, the eunuch Feng Bao, the commander of the Imperial Stables, came out from the other side, holding in his hand an imperial edict that had already been drafted.

"In obedience to the Emperor of Heaven, the decree is: ..."

"I have heard that those with virtue are praised, those with great talent are rewarded, those who govern the country are governed, and rewards and punishments are clearly distinguished. The General of the Northern Expedition is brave and loyal, and he has shown his power and grace, and he has kept his integrity and friendship, and he has pacified the Hetao area, expelled the bandits, and has made meritorious contributions to the peace of the country. I highly praise him. His ancestor, the Marquis of Changping in the Jin Dynasty, was granted a fief of 3,000 households and a salary of 1,000 households. The General of the Northern Expedition, Yan Shaoting, was promoted to the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and was granted the title of Senior Official of Zishan and Senior Minister of Xunzhengzhi."

Huangjimen Square was completely silent.

Only Feng Bao's loud voice could be heard far away, echoing in the square.

There had been discussions about this before, and people like Gao Gong who knew the inside story were even more frowning.

According to the original outcome of their discussion with the emperor during the court meeting in Wenhua Hall, the most they could do now is to promote the Yan family to a higher title, but no substantial reward would be given to Yan Shaoting.

But now the emperor changed the originally agreed decision and suddenly wanted to promote Yan Shaoting to the second rank of Prince's Guardian, which caught them off guard.

The eyes of several people began to communicate silently.

By now, the court is basically aware of what is happening outside the Great Wall.

This time, the Northern Expedition Army not only succeeded in retracing its retreat, but also advanced north of Yinshan Mountain, driving the Mongols south of the desert to the north of the desert and even further west. Not to mention the Dragon and Tiger General Yan Hu, who, as the vanguard of the Northern Expedition Army, led the light cavalry to chase the bandits in the desert grasslands, captured countless bandits, and even captured many bandit leaders alive.

The latest report from the Northern Expedition Army has stated that they are returning to the capital and will be bringing these bandit leaders back with them to hold a ceremony to present the captives in the capital.

These achievements are truly astonishing.

It has been many years since the Ming Dynasty had such a great victory.

Now the emperor conferred the title of Grand Tutor to Yan Shaoting, but it was just an honorary title.

When the army returns to the capital, there will certainly be rewards.

In an instant, Gao Gong and others understood the emperor's plan.

This is to raise Yan Shaoting's official rank before the army returns to the capital. Once they really come back, he will be given a real official position.

The Prince's Guardian is already an honorary title of the second rank.

Zishan Dafu and Zhengzhi Shangqing were also second-rank officials and literary honors.

When Yan Shaoting comes back and presents the captives to the court, the emperor will confer a real title on him, and he can only be rewarded with the positions of one of the six ministries and nine ministers!

Just when Gao Gong was worried that his student, the emperor, only favored the Yan family.

Li Chunfang's heart was already in uproar.

too fast!
Too undisguised!

Yan Shaoting's promotion was so fast that it could be said to be rare in the court.

The emperor's intention to favor and use Yan Shaoting alone was clearly revealed without any concealment.

Re-employing Yan Shaoting was undoubtedly a further demonstration of the emperor's determination for the new policy and his intention to give the New Party more power.

If the emperor wants to strengthen the new policy and give the new party more power, the old party of the Qingliu in the court will continue to be suppressed. Over time, the old party of the Qingliu will no longer be able to hold their heads up in the court.

But fortunately, nothing has really happened yet!
Li Chunfang just looked at the figure from Huangji Sect with disappointment, then turned around silently and looked at a certain place behind him with a cold face.

Follow the rules.

During court meetings in the palace, standing positions were generally determined according to official rank, but there were some exceptions.

Such as the noble people in the Hanlin Academy, and those censors who have low official ranks but great power.

And as Li Chunfang looked back.

In the civil service row, in the area belonging to the censors, a figure suddenly moved.

When people haven't noticed yet.

A civil servant in a green robe was already standing between the civil and military ranks.

The blue official robe is the official uniform that officials from the fifth to seventh ranks should wear.

Such a minor official could stand among a crowd of officials in crimson robes, so his identity was naturally self-evident.

They were either noble officials in the Hanlin Academy or censors.

Let’s look at the vacancies in the civil service train.

This person's identity is now completely clear.

He is the censor of the Six Ministries!
Facing everyone's gaze.

Ouyang Yijing, the military official, held a tablet in his hand and bowed to the Huangji disciples.

"Your Highness, I, Ouyang Yijing, the Chief Secretary of the Military Department of the Ministry of War, hereby declare that General Yan Shaoting, the General who participated in the Northern Expedition, has abused his power and should be dismissed!"

As soon as Ouyang Yijing opened his mouth, Daoming actually wanted to criticize Yan Shaoting, and immediately there was an uproar in the Huangji Gate Square.

The emperor had just been about to confer a title on Yan Shaoting, and the decree had just been read out.

Soon after, Ouyang Yijing was about to report Yan Shaoting.

Isn't this a slap in the face of the emperor?

But no one dared to underestimate Ouyang Yijing's impeachment.

After all, although Ouyang Yijing was only a Jinshi in the 38th year of Jiajing and has been an official in the court for only seven or eight years, this guy is a tough guy.

After passing the imperial examination that year, Ouyang Yijing was appointed as the magistrate of Xiaoshan County, and later appointed as the Censor of the Criminal Department. At that time, this man impeached Jin Yinghuai, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, for his misdeeds when he was the Wenxuanlang.

It would have been fine if he had just impeached Jin Yinghuai.

But this guy is different.

He also demanded the dismissal of three people selected by Jin Yinghuai: Nanjing Vice Minister Fu Yi, Ningxia Governor Wang Chonggu, and Huguang Councillor Sun Hongshi.

Although the Ministry of Personnel later reviewed the case and only dismissed Fu Yi, the then Vice Minister of Nanjing.

But Ouyang Yijing also became famous in one battle.

He then impeached the Minister of Personnel Dong Fen, resulting in Dong Fen's dismissal from office.

After Brother Ouyang was impeached three times, he was finally promoted to the position of Military Affairs Commissioner.

He also began to impeach Wu Jijue, the general of Guangxi and the Marquis of Gong, as well as the Governor-General Chen Qixue and the Governor-General Dai Cai, which resulted in Wu Jijue being recalled to the capital, and Chen Qixue and Dai Cai both being dismissed from office.

Do you think that this is the end of Brother Ouyang’s achievements?
Do not!
He later impeached nine people, including Duke Yingguo Zhang Rong, the generals of Shanxi and Zhejiang Dong Yikui and Liu Xian, and the governor-general Li Long who was in charge of the Jinyiwei, for being incompetent. Except for Zhang Rong who was a descendant of two dynasties and was retained in office, the rest were demoted.

This is a censor from the Six Departments with super strong combat capabilities.

One strike will either kill or injure.

In an instant, everyone in the Huangjimen Square was looking at Brother Ouyang.

…………

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(End of this chapter)