When the emperor gave an order, soldiers outside entered the palace, and they held back the Minister of the Ministry of War.
The Shangshu of the Ministry of War was so shocked that his face turned pale, and he shouted again and again, "Your Majesty, forgive me!"
The emperor was furious, "Drag on!"
Some soldiers dragged the minister of the Ministry of War, ignored his shouting, untied his black gauze hat and crown belt, and dragged him out of the hall.
For a time, everyone panicked.
Over the years, the Minister of the Ministry of War has sat firmly in his position. Since Su Che resigned twelve years ago, the Minister of the Ministry of War has been upright, and he is quite stable in the military. He and Su Che had a good friendship in the past, so, very Valued by the emperor. The Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Etiquette, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Punishment have all changed several ministers in the past few years, but the Minister of the Ministry of War has always sat safely in this chair without making any major mistakes.
This spring, when the Northern Zhou Dynasty invaded the western region, Su Che was ordered to lead troops to fight in the western region. The Minister of the Ministry of War contributed a lot after that, and the logistics supply was very secure. It can be said that Su Che was able to win this battle thanks to the contribution of Minister of War.
Now I didn't expect that Yanbei's three 800-mile urgent reports could not be sent to Beijing. There was such a big disturbance in the post station, and it was only natural for the emperor to find the Minister of the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War is in charge of military post selection, punishment, military registration, ordnance, confinement, post stations, etc., and the urgent documents for military reports are all under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War.
The eight-hundred-mile rush at the Hejian post station was not delivered to Beijing in time, which was also a major flaw in the Ministry of War's jurisdiction over the post station.
Under the emperor's fury, most of the civil and military courtiers did not dare to intercede for the Minister of the Ministry of War.
The prime minister and Wang Lu looked at each other, and the prime minister came out to intercede and said, "Your Majesty, I think that the Hejian station is more than three hundred miles away from the capital, and the Ministry of War cannot manage it for a while. What did you say, suspend the punishment of Minister of the Ministry of War."
Hearing this, the emperor picked up Su Qing's memorial.
Su Qing wrote the memorial in great detail. After reporting the murder of all the people in the Hejian station and the autopsy, he mentioned what the county magistrate of Hejian said about the long-term drinking and having fun behind closed doors, which led to a major incident , the county guard has no knowledge of it.
After the emperor saw it, he was even more annoyed, "It's the Marquis of Jingyang again!"
When the ministers heard that the emperor mentioned Jingyang Hou, seeing the emperor's face turned livid, they dared not speak for a while.
The emperor handed Su Qing's memorial to Koizumi and ordered, "Pass it on and let them all see it."
Koizumi quickly accepted the memorial, went down the jade steps, and handed it to the prime minister. After the prime minister read it, he passed it on one by one. After looking over it, all the ministers thought that Marquis Jingjing, his wife and cousin, was really outrageous. If he hadn't been drinking and having fun behind closed doors all day long, no one would have known about the accident at the Hejian station for four or five days.
Wang Lu came out and said, "Your Majesty, it is the time when the court is employing people. Although the Minister of the Ministry of War has done so, it is only a crime of lax jurisdiction at the post station, and it will not lead to beheading."
The emperor was still furious, "The postmaster of the Hejian post station is such an ignorant person who drinks and enjoys himself. How can he manage the post station? What an important post in the military information post station, he has been handed over to such a lunatic. Now he has been killed for four or five days. People report. Is the station in vain? Shouldn’t I punish the Secretary of the Ministry of War for delaying Yanbei’s emergency military situation? Didn’t he know that the Hejian station used such a sleazy and lustful person?”
The prime minister took over the words and said, "Go back to the emperor, I remember that the postmaster of the Hejian post station was once asked by Princess Ruiyue to ask the emperor for your order, and you personally approved the appointment and appointed him."
The emperor was startled, "When?"
The prime minister said, "Ten years ago, on Princess Ruiyue's birthday, Jing Jinghou's step-wife cousin gave a snuff bottle. The eldest princess liked it very much. When she learned that he wanted to be the postmaster of the Hejian station, she asked him You asked for an order. You felt that it was rare for the eldest princess Ruiyue to speak to you, and she was another post station official, so you agreed. At that time, the old minister was also in the eldest princess's mansion, so I remember this matter."
The emperor suddenly said, "When you say that, I also remembered that there is such a thing."
The prime minister said, "Because it was appointed by the emperor himself, there have been no major mistakes over the years, and for the sake of Princess Ruiyue and Marquis Jingjing, the minister of the Ministry of War can only turn a blind eye Speaking of this matter, although the Minister of the Ministry of War has the crime of lax jurisdiction, it is not a death penalty. Now it is still necessary to find out who killed the owner of the Hejian Station as soon as possible."
Hearing the words, the emperor's face was a little uneasy for a while, but he didn't expect that he personally appointed the postmaster of the Hejian Post Station. He said with a sullen face, "I didn't expect that I would also be responsible. After listening to Princess Ruiyue, I appointed a wine woman What the Prime Minister said is justified, we should find out who killed the owner of the post station as soon as possible, and interrupted the 800-mile rush in Yanbei." After speaking, he raised his voice and ordered, "Come here, bring the Minister of the Ministry of War back. Come inside."
Someone responded and brought back the Shangshu of the Ministry of War tied outside the Meridian Gate.
The Shangshu of the Ministry of War was so frightened that his face turned pale. After entering the inner hall, his crown was disheveled, and he immediately knelt down in the inner hall and kowtowed to thank him, "Old minister, I thank the emperor for not killing me."
The emperor looked at him with a sullen face, "Ten years ago, although I trusted the recommendation of Princess Ruiyue and personally appointed the postmaster of Hejian, as the minister of the Ministry of war, you should have the responsibility of supervising the postmaster. You, a drunkard, you should report to me for punishment and punishment. But you indulged him, and now you have made a big mistake, can you be convicted?"
"The minister is guilty." The Minister of the Ministry of War pleaded guilty on his knees.
The emperor said in a deep voice, "Now the court is employing people. I think you have never made any mistakes over the years. Now that the prime minister is pleading for you, I will spare you the crime of beheading and order you to perform your crimes and make meritorious deeds. You will supervise the Southern Qi Dynasty immediately. All post stations, as long as there are such dereliction of duty, they will all be punished. At the same time, the supply of grain, grass and military equipment in Yanbei must not be slackened, and the supply and demand of 30,000 soldiers and horses at the foot of the capital and 50,000 imperial forest troops going to Yanbei must be ensured. If Yanbei is safe and sound , I won’t hold you accountable anymore, if Yan Bei can’t keep it, you can thank the world by killing yourself.”
"Yes, the minister is leading the order." The Minister of the Ministry of War repeatedly kowtowed.
The emperor turned to the Secretary of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, "Everyone in the Hejian station was killed. The Ministry of Criminal Affairs immediately sent people to Hejian to cooperate with Su Qing in investigating the case. I must find out the case. Who dared to kill court officials and delay important military affairs? .”
"Yes." The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment hurriedly received the order.
The emperor said again, "The Hejian county magistrate is afraid of the power of Jingyanghou's mansion, so he keeps a respectful distance from the postmaster of Hejian, and doesn't care about it. Hejian county magistrate governs a county. When such a big case occurs, he closes his eyes and listens." If you don't know about it for four or five days, it will be regarded as a crime of dereliction of duty, and you should be dismissed and investigated and dealt with according to the crime." After speaking, he ordered Koizumi, "Quickly pass on my order and order Su Qing to investigate and deal with the Hejian county guard!"
"Yes!" Koizumi responded quickly.
The emperor scanned the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty again, and asked in a softer voice, "My dear friends, who still has this performance?"
Manchu civil and military, you look at me, I look at you, no one speaks.
The emperor simply said, "Since there is no more performance, let's retreat."
The officials were startled, thinking that the emperor only mentioned Jingyanghou, and never mentioned the imprisoning of An Guogong and Jingyanghou. It is the first time that the joint trial has been done directly since the emperor ascended the throne. Obviously, it is not to let people intercede with the two governments.
Everyone in the palace who has not been involved in the case already knows the case of the death of King Rong An and Princess Wang in battle twelve years ago and the case of concealing the Lingshan plague four years ago. . Even people who have friendship with the two governments dare not intercede, let alone say a word.
So, after the emperor said the words of retiring from the court for nothing, all the officials knelt down in unison, shouting long live.
After the emperor left the Golden Luan Hall, Eunuch Yan, who was waiting outside the hall, hurried forward and whispered respectfully, "Your servant pays homage to the emperor. The Queen Mother invites you to go to Ci'an Palace after the imperial court is over."
The emperor asked in a deep voice, "What can the empress do to find me?"
Eunuch Yan whispered, "It's about Princess Ruiyue."
The emperor heard the words and said, "You go back and report to the queen mother, and say that Princess Ruiyue has her own judgment, and let the queen mother not care about it."
Seeing that the emperor's face was very ugly, Eunuch Yan didn't dare to say any more, he quickly responded and turned back to Ci'an Palace.
The emperor walked to the royal study.
Seeing that the emperor was going to the imperial study, Koizumi hurriedly reminded him in a low voice behind him, "Your majesty, you have not slept well all night. If this continues, your body will not be able to bear it. You must not fall down. You should go back to the bedroom and rest for a while. ! Otherwise, if Yanbei comes to the army again, what should you do if you fall ill?"
The emperor stopped when he heard this.
Koizumi continued his efforts, "Your Majesty, the crown prince is still lying in the sleeping hall, and it has been the seventh day. Counting the time, if Miss Su's words are correct, the crown prince will wake up soon."
The emperor heard the words and said, "Go back to the bedroom."
Koizumi quickly responded and ordered the guard of honor to turn back to the emperor's bedroom.
After the emperor returned to the emperor's bedroom, he saw that the prince was still lying in the bedroom, motionless and did not wake up. He motioned for Koizumi to come forward to take his body temperature, Koizumi walked up to him, touched the prince's chest, and nodded to the emperor.
The emperor rubbed the center of his brows, and told Koizumi, "Keep an eye on it, the prince wakes up, call me immediately."
"Yes, my servant is looking at the prince. Your Majesty, you can rest at ease. Once the prince wakes up, this servant will call you immediately." Koizumi responded.
The servant took off the dragon robe for the emperor, and the emperor lay down on the dragon couch.
After the courtiers left the main hall, no one went to the imperial study or the emperor’s bedroom to report the court affairs. They all left the palace together. They all shut their mouths tightly and walked out of the palace cautiously.
The so-called, when the water is clear, there will be no fish. The courtiers have been officials for many years, and they have more or less private affairs, especially the Anguogong Mansion and Jingyanghou Mansion. One of the most important mansions is Jingyanghou Mansion, which was supported by the late emperor because of his love for his sister. If the question is serious, all the courtiers will be involved with these two mansions.
Now one of the two prefectures has Taizong's alchemy book in his hand, and the other has the late emperor's gold medal for avoiding death. Although the emperor has not issued a decree to copy and behead, it will be a matter of time.
For a moment, the entire capital was filled with unprecedented noise and unprecedented silence.