At the foot of Phoenix Mountain, everyone heard this, and although they felt more aggrieved, they still didn't understand what Emperor Zhao meant. How could they refute it, and dare to refute it? Could anyone really stand up and complain, saying that Emperor Zhao said both the positive and negative things, leaving us speechless? On the contrary, after looking at each other, everyone could only come out one after another, confessing their guilt, saying that they were addicted to the prosperity of the southeast, and could not understand the emperor, nor the situation in the world.
For a moment, everyone knelt on the ground. Zhu Shengfei stood awkwardly on the side. Even Liu Dazhong sighed and came out to bow with the two husbands... So far, it can be said that the last wave of counterattack attempted by these people had been completely defeated by Emperor Zhao, and there was no possibility of recurrence.
However, the official sitting at the top still had no intention of letting it go, and instead shook his head directly:
"I understand what you mean. You apologize, but in fact you still feel wronged and dissatisfied. And I don't want to be called a culprit... What else do you have in your heart? Today, we, the king and his subjects, will talk about it under the influence of wine, but it will not count after today... Whether I can convince you is one thing, but at least you must understand my intentions, and I must also understand yours."
Hearing this, most people were somewhat confused, because it sounded a little wrong. How could it be said that someone should be punished for not teaching? Who let the government bear this reputation?
Zhu Shengfei, on the other hand, waited for a moment, his face turned pale and blue, and he finally lost control, and then he bowed his head and knelt down: "I am terrified, and I am ashamed of being punished without teaching..."
"You don't have to feel ashamed about this." Zhao Jiu said calmly in the upper seat. "After the White Horse Shaoxing Incident, I also reflected on it. I did go too far back then. I had the intention of punishing you without teaching you. It was even more extreme to treat you as enemies and drive you out of the court... It's natural that you feel resentful."
Everyone then realized who this sentence was directed at.
However, after hearing this, Zhu Shengfei still did not dare to move, but became even more frightened.
Emperor Zhao continued to shake his head and said, "But Mr. Zhu, you may be resentful of me, but why are you dissatisfied with the ministers in power? You have been traveling in Huaidian, telling people all day that Minister Zhao Ding is extravagant, burning four large incense burners on both sides of the lobby of the prime minister's mansion, burning dozens of kilograms of incense every day, and embezzling public funds to plant exotic bamboo at home... Is this reasonable?"
At this point, Zhu Shengfei no longer dared to look up. Even Lu Yihao, Xu Jingheng, and Liu Dazhong on the side were all stunned.
Besides, Zhao Ding's personal morality and character are recognized as good. Lu Yihao once served as the prefect of Yangzhou and later as the envoy to the southeast. He had frequent contacts with Zhao Ding, who was the transport envoy of Lianghuai at that time. Liu Dazhong had a very good personal relationship with Zhao Ding. Even Xu Jingheng had his own information channels. Everyone knew that Zhao Ding was a person who would go to a roadside stall in the south of the city to drink a bowl of mutton soup. How come he became an extravagant person when he came to Zhu Shengfei?
Not only that, Emperor Zhao continued to sigh: "And Zhang Jun, you said that he has a hall in his house, which is specially used for secret meetings with the members of the Wood Party. There are 9981 pieces of lapis lazuli slabs several feet square in the hall. It is extravagant and even beyond the rules... In fact, Zhang Jun's family is a famous family in Shuzhong. In Shuzhong, they can afford to invite Master Dahui and Master Keqin to come to their home. His wife is the niece of Yuwen Xianggong. For such a family, it is impossible to argue that he is extravagant... But I want to ask you, when you made up this statement, I am afraid you didn't know that I had awarded the same mansions in Jingyuan to the secret cabinet members and the prime ministers in the court, right? Which hall can be paved with so many lapis lazuli slabs? And I just gave them a house, and they want to do this beyond the rules under my nose? Don't they know that I still raise fish in my back garden?"
It was only the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and it was outside the mountains. Even in the south, how could it be hot? But upon hearing this, Zhu Shengfei was already sweating profusely, and the people around him saw his reaction and knew what was going on, and they became even angrier - Lu Yihao could not help but shake his sleeves, and when Liu Dazhong came to his senses, he wished he could kick this man a few times for Zhao Ding.
But this is not over yet. Emperor Zhao continued to shake his head: "And Lu Haowen about Prime Minister Lu... You said that he embezzled 170,000 strings of public funds and looted more than 3,000 pieces of public property during his tenure. I don't even know about this. How did you calculate it so clearly? And for such a serious corruption, why didn't you impeach him while in office, but instead told these things to your fellow countrymen at home after you left office? And you also said that when I was fighting in Yaoshan, you accepted my entrustment to guard Tokyo? And you said that you would write these in your "Record of Ru Huai Xianju"? Don't you feel ashamed?"
"I beg you to expel this person immediately!" Upon hearing this, the usually good-tempered Xu Jingheng couldn't hold back. "This person is not of pure character. He is unworthy of being a minister and has also tarnished the friendship of his peers."
However, at the same time, Lu Yihao, who had the harshest temper and was the benefactor of this person in the past, laughed out loud.
Amid the laughter and anger around him, Zhu Shengfei no longer dared to say a word, let alone raise his head.
"I know you are resentful of me and the prime minister at that time because of the Baima Incident, but aren't you afraid that a hundred years later, someone will use your record of leisure as evidence to discredit you because you are the minister of this dynasty?!" Zhao Jiu was also a little disappointed. "In fact, judging from what you said in your hometown, you probably didn't really want to persuade me from the beginning, but just wanted to maintain your image as an upright minister, and you were set up by others, right? I'm afraid that's why you were sent to me by the two ministers Lu and Zhao who saw through your true intentions... There are some things that they are reluctant to say."
Zhu Shengfei finally looked up in surprise, because Emperor Zhao's words had hinted at another fact.
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