Chapter 10, Greed for Double Portions Leads to Slander

Matters of state, however trivial, cannot be dealt with casually, especially for high-ranking officials such as governors, who should not be easily replaced. The ministers of the cabinet are summoned to an audience.

Fan Yuqing gritted his teeth, slammed the table, and then stood up, looking rather out of control as he turned to Wang Wenyin: "So, are you saying that bribing Fang Congzhe is useless? Is he trying to speak on behalf of Xiong Tingbi?"

Thus, the scene of the entire platform's summons quieted down.

Liu Yiyan suspected that the emperor intended to test the attitudes of his ministers towards Xiong Tingbi

Zhang Heming, the Minister of War, arrived.

... ...

Wang Wenyanshu then turned to Wei Yingjia, the Left Assistant in the Department of Officials, and said: "Wei Shiyi, currently the Left Assistant in the Department of Officials, Wei Dazhong, has been demoted to Guizhou. This position of Assistant in the Department of Officials is certainly yours to take. However, before that, you must find a way to let Xiong Tingbi know that Inspector Feng has impeached him and that only Fang Congzhe in the cabinet is speaking on his behalf. This will cause him to feel anxious about preserving his position and compel him to bribe the officials in the capital with silver. At that time, you can use this as leverage to submit a memorial to impeach Xiong Tingbi, accusing him of bribing the officials and deceiving His Majesty!"

What the esteemed elder has said is indeed the wisdom of a seasoned statesman, and it is very reasonable

Continue

Not long ago

... ...

In this world, money cannot solve everything. Xiong Tingbi was recommended by Fang Congzhe to be in charge of military affairs, and naturally, Fang Congzhe will protect Xiong Tingbi. There is no need for you to be so agitated. Elder Liu instructed me to convey to Your Majesty that today's meeting in the Qianqing Palace with the three cabinet ministers is not meant for you to criticize Fang Congzhe, but rather to seize this opportunity to gain something from Xiong Tingbi.

After the Wei Dynasty retreated, Zhu Youjiao's gaze gradually became fierce as he stared at the back of the Wei envoy for a long time without looking away: "As my companion eunuch, how could you be so indiscreet and even dare to slander? No wonder you were dealt with by Wei Zhongxian in history!"

"That old scoundrel Fang Congzhe, just like that old thief Xiong Tingbi, is ruining our financial prospects"

Fang Congzhe became anxious and argued: "Your Majesty! I believe that although Yuan Yingtai is astute and capable, he lacks knowledge of military affairs. As far as I know, this person has indiscriminately recruited defectors and traitors in Liaodong without thoroughly investigating the presence of spies. Nurhaci is not an ordinary Jurchen; he has participated in the campaign against the Japanese and is quite familiar with the details of our Ming dynasty. He also understands the nature of the Han people, making it difficult to ensure that he will not conspire with traitors and engage in treachery. Yet Yuan Yingtai has never conducted any investigations. I am concerned that if he is appointed as the military governor, it may lead to great disaster!"

At this moment

Zhu Youjiao met with the three ministers Fang Congzhe, Liu Yiheng, and Han Luan at the platform of the Qianqing Palace

Zhu Youjiao nodded in response, yet his heart was profoundly shaken: "Yuan Yingtai of the Donglin Party historically replaced Xiong Tingbi as the Governor of Liaodong, only to lose Shenyang and Liaoyang shortly thereafter. It turns out that his rise to the position of Governor of Liaodong was supported by you, the Minister of War, from behind the scenes"

Zhu Youjiao directly instructed Wei Chao to present Feng Sanyuan's impeachment memorial against Xiong Tingbi to these three cabinet ministers for their review, and said: "As the saying goes, 'Listening to both sides makes one enlightened, while being biased leads to ignorance.' The role of a strategist is of great importance, therefore, I wish to hear the opinions of the three esteemed ministers."

Wei Chao is currently the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Horse Monitoring Office and concurrently the Supervisor of the Eastern Depot, thus he is also responsible for matters concerning the Jinyiwei

Zhu Youjiao looked meaningfully at Wei Chao after hearing what he said, then uttered a sound of acknowledgment, and said: "You may leave, I wish to be alone for a while"

Zhu Youjiao indeed wanted to take the opportunity of Feng Sanyuan's impeachment of Xiong Tingbi to observe the attitudes of the cabinet ministers

Zhu Youjiao smiled and said: "Send a message to the Minister of War, Zhang Heming!"

Zhu Youjiao nodded in response, then turned to Liu Yihuan and Han Luan

Zhu Youjiao looked at Han Luan, who had joined the cabinet the latest

On this day, Zhu Youjiao inquired about the confidential reports from the Jinyiwei in various regions, which prompted Wei Chao to bring up this matter

Huang Yujiao listened to Fang Congzhe and, like his own cabinet ministers, chose not to express his stance unless it was a critical moment. Therefore, he did not directly state his position, merely saying: "Since the Ministry of War and the cabinet have differing opinions, let it remain as it is for now."

Han Luan then kicked the ball and said: "Your Majesty, I believe this matter is of great importance and should be referred to the Minister of War, Grand Marshal Zhang Heming."

Wang Wenyang nodded and then smiled, saying: "Because Fang Congzhe spoke on behalf of Xiong Tingbi, Your Majesty only kept Xiong Tingbi's memorial in the archives. However, once the matter of Xiong Tingbi bribing the officials is exposed, and considering we have already sent silver to the people in the inner court, these individuals will surely influence Your Majesty. At that time, Xiong Tingbi will have no choice but to step down from his position as the governor!"

Therefore, Zhu Youjiao began to speak to his close eunuch Wei Chao.

After a while

Zhu Youjiao expressed his approval with a remark, yet internally he was unconvinced, secretly thinking: "What a cunning Liu Yihuan, truly shrewd and crafty; as long as it does not concern his own interests, he will not reveal his stance"

Your Majesty, according to the county magistrate Wang Eryu from Xiong Tingbi's hometown, the old home of Xiong Tingbi has been expanded several times, and it even violates regulations by using golden silk nanmu wood for the beams and columns. Every one or two months, many boxes are transported back, and there are several ships solely for transporting these boxes! This servant also heard this from the Jinyiwei in Huguang, but does not know if it is true or not

Zhang Heming cast a glance at Han Luan. Noticing that Han Luan was unwavering in his gaze, he responded according to the script he had long prepared in his mind: "Your Majesty! I believe that Xiong Tingbi is overly cautious, which has resulted in the affairs of the Liao territory remaining unresolved for a long time. Moreover, the Governor of Liaodong, Yuan Yingtai, is astute and capable; he should be appointed to replace Xiong Tingbi in managing these matters"

Because Xiong Tingbi was recommended by Fang Congzhe, Fang Congzhe spoke first: "Your Majesty is wise! What does Feng Sanyuan know about border affairs? Currently, the border troops are severely lacking in pay, military preparations have not been maintained for a long time, and each military garrison has its own ulterior motives. Xiong Tingbi, as a mere civil official, can only mediate, stabilize the military, and pacify the people, clarify friend and foe, and strengthen border defenses, causing the Eastern invaders to suffer defeat without battle. Is it possible to let him, like Yang Hao, pursue immediate gains and lead our Ming Dynasty to another defeat like that at Sarhu? I believe that Feng Sanyuan, a person who engages in empty talk that harms the country, should be severely dealt with to reassure the border officials!"

Zhu Youjiao directly handed over Feng Sanyuan's memorial to Zhang Heming and asked Zhang Heming to express his views on the military strategy of Xiong Tingbi in Liaodong

Wei Yingjia, upon hearing this, suddenly realized: "Wonderful! It is indeed Liu Ge Lao, truly unmatched in strategy! This official will act accordingly!"

Zhu Youjiao could not help but think: "Very good, only Fang Congzhe, who had recommended Xiong Tingbi, is supporting Xiong Tingbi, while the other two are as slippery as loaches, not expressing any stance. It's a pity that I still want to know who is backing Feng Sanyuan."

Therefore, Liu Yihuan would not directly express his dissatisfaction with Xiong Tingbi's appointment as the governor of Liaodong. Instead, he pretended to ponder and said: "Your Majesty, it is indeed a fact that the situation in Liaodong has remained unresolved, and the court has already expended countless funds as a result. Currently, the national treasury is under strain, and if the Liaodong issue remains unresolved, it will only make the governance increasingly difficult. However, in my view, border affairs should not be handled hastily. Perhaps Xiong Tingbi has his own difficulties. Therefore, I propose that we show the original text of Feng Sanyuan's memorial to Xiong Tingbi, allowing him to submit his own memorial. The court can then make a decision based on what both parties have said, which would be more objective."