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Hey, you don't need to explain, just shut up, that's what you are, I don't care if you are just joining in the fun or not.

This makes sense. You look like a duck, quack like a duck, and hang out with ducks. How dare you say you are not a duck?

In history, when the suspicious Emperor Chongzhen came to power and began to purge the "Eunuch Party", such groundless rumours became even more speechless.

Shi Fenglai, the Prime Minister, voted in favor of establishing a shrine for Wei Zhongxian during the Tianqi reign. Eunuchs, get lost!

The successor, Li Guopu, was called "Changhou" by his contemporaries. However, he was impeached within two months. Li Guopu was from Suning, Northern Zhili, and a fellow villager of Wei Zhongxian.

When fellow villagers meet, they must be from the same gang!

Chongzhen thought about it and thought, this is entirely possible. Under the emperor's suspicious gaze, Li Guopu said: ... Can't I just pack up and go home?

Li Guopu left, and Lai Zongdao took over as the Prime Minister. Lai Zongdao was neither a member of the eunuch party nor a member of the Donglin party, and relied entirely on his smoothness to get through the officialdom.

But the Donglin Party would never allow a centrist like you to take power. After searching through old documents, they finally discovered a stain on Lai Huatou. When Lai Zongdao was the Minister of Rites, he had handled the "relief program" for the father of Cui Chengxiu, a member of the eunuch party.

Ha, no matter how deep the eunuch party hides, it can't escape our eyes. So, Lai Huatou only worked for more than a month and then went home.

It seems ridiculous, but this was the court and officialdom at that time. Focusing on the weaknesses of political opponents and being on guard against being caught with one's own handles, how could one focus on doing real work?

There are also those opportunists who curry favor with the powerful and cling to the powerful. Seeing that the "Donglin Party" occupies the court, they say a few similar remarks and participate in a few activities, hoping to gain the favor of the "Donglin Party" bosses, get a promotion, and get a lucrative job.

When the "Eunuch Party" came to power, the opportunists turned around and joined the "Donglin Party", criticizing it verbally and in writing, as if they had forgotten that they had once disguised themselves as "Donglin Party".

Therefore, in Zhu Youxiao's view, we should not put accusations on people indiscriminately and expand the scope.

The opposition is absolutely crazy. They point fingers and say nonsense, saying you are, he is, and he is also, which is equivalent to expanding the power of their opponents for no reason.

Zhu Youxiao has a new definition. Those who hinder him from promoting benefits and eliminating evils, those who are not doing their job, those who are corrupt and abuse their power, and those who make groundless accusations are the real "Donglin Party" and must be eliminated.

Ye Xianggao certainly didn't know that the young emperor had such a clear understanding and comprehension. However, with his political acumen and years of experience in officialdom, he realized that the emperor was increasingly dissatisfied with the factional struggles and was ready to clean up and rectify them.

How could the Donglin Party be a match for the imperial power? Ye Xianggao understood this better than anyone else.

Once the emperor decided to eliminate the Donglin Party, neither the Donglin Party nor the Five-Party Alliance could compete.

Whether it was launching a major purge or imposing severe exiles, turmoil in the court was inevitable, which was what Ye Xianggao did not want to see.

Moreover, the collapse of the civil service group meant the monopoly of power by the imperial guards. This kind of political environment was what Ye Xianggao feared most.

"Your Majesty, may I ask whether you have issued an imperial decree to Xiong Tingbi?" Ye Xianggao considered it over again and again, started with another topic, and asked with a bow.

Zhu Youxiao pondered for a moment, feeling that this matter could not be concealed and that there was nothing wrong in telling it, so he nodded and said, "I have received a secret report from the Pacification Office that Wang Huazhen's subordinate Sun Degong seems to have been instigated by the Jiannu to rebel. The military situation is urgent and must be kept secret, so I have issued an order to Xiong Tingbi. I order him to rush to Guangning and act at his discretion."

Ye Xianggao bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. If this secret report had been submitted to the court for discussion, there might have been a delay, and it might have been known to the Jiannu spies. Only by carrying out the imperial decree directly did Guangning City survive, all thanks to Your Majesty's strategic planning."

Zhu Youxiao raised an eyebrow, wondering why Ye Xianggao had changed his ways today. Instead of admonishing him, he praised him highly.

Seeing that the young emperor didn't say anything and just looked at him with some confusion, Ye Xianggao felt helpless. If he didn't make the emperor feel comfortable, it would be difficult to start the next topic.

"The Liaodong governor and governor were at odds, and the court was in turmoil, unable to reach a consensus. This has led to today's defeat." Ye Xianggao bowed and apologized. "Wang Huazhen is untrained in military affairs and underestimated the enemy. I was unable to discern this and was guilty of negligence. Your Majesty, please punish me."

Zhu Youxiao still didn't understand Ye Xianggao's purpose, so he waved his hand and said perfunctorily, "It won't be too late to discuss the merits and demerits after the Guangning War is over. Ye Qing, just focus on your work and don't worry too much."

Seeing that the emperor hadn't punished him yet, Ye Xianggao became even more certain that the young emperor had a plan. If the emperor took action, he wouldn't be the only one to be punished.

Ye Xianggao bowed again and said, "During the reign of Emperor Shenzong, I was fortunate enough to enter the cabinet. I immediately submitted a memorial to the emperor, stating that I should not enrich myself or my family, or seek personal gain or betray my superiors; that I should not deliberately go against the will of the people, or flatter the group; that I should not cultivate friendships through partisanship, or cling to my position out of anxiety about gains and losses..."

The factional struggles began to take shape in the late Wanli period. When you entered the cabinet, it seemed that it was not yet obvious. Saying "there is no way to establish friendships with party members" may not win people's trust.

As for "maintaining one's position by worrying about gains and losses," that might be true. Being in the middle of the emperor and the verbally attacking civil servants below is certainly not an easy position.

"If the proposals of the masses are inappropriate, they will be considered selfish; if they are appropriate, they will be considered false. If the virtuous people of the masses are not used, they will be considered as intentionally alienated; if they are used, they will be considered as a temporary waste of time."

"When things come to a head, we have to argue. If we argue, we will think we are winning, and we will want to destroy the opponent. If we don't argue, we will think we are discouraged, and we will attack the opponent even more."

"When people offend each other unreasonably, if we do not tolerate them, we will be considered narrow-minded and condemned by the public; if we tolerate them, we will be considered cowardly and insulted."

Listening to Ye Xianggao's somewhat complaining narration, Zhu Youxiao felt a little sympathetic.

What the hell is going on in the court? They're all wrong. Look how they're torturing this old man. Don't they know how to respect the elderly and cherish the virtuous?

However, this old man is no simple matter. Tightrope walking is a very difficult and technical job, but he is quite good at it!

"These gentlemen all have admirable conduct and opinions. Some may be extreme, but they are all seeking order for the country..."

Zhu Youxiao finally understood that this was an admonition to him!

Although civil servants have their shortcomings, their intentions are good, and government still relies on them. If they make mistakes, they should be punished accordingly, and widespread implicating others is unacceptable.

Ye Xianggao was indeed afraid. This was because he knew that the civil service could not defeat the imperial power. He didn't even need the imperial power to intervene directly; he could simply support them from behind and leverage certain forces.

To strike against the civil service clique, it doesn't have to be too complicated. There is an ultimate weapon, which is "falsely accusing them of cliques", which is always effective.

Not to mention the "Demon Book Case" during the Wanli reign, when Prime Minister Shen Yiguan and his accomplice Qian Menggao unleashed this same tactic, destroying the families and lives of many dissident officials. The historical record states: "Within a few days, clanging and clashing were rampant, and everyone in the capital was in danger!"