bastard seizes tang

Chapter 782 Fairness
To the south of the imperial city, Shangshu Province, the official office of the Ministry of Officials.

The Ministry of Officials, one of the six divisions, is very important in the court. It originated from the official Cao in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Since the beginning of the six divisions, he has been the head of the divisions, in charge of the world's civil servants' examinations, promotions, honors, transfers, and other matters. very heavy.

The Minister of the Ministry of Officials is the head of the Ministry of Officials, in charge of the Ministry of Officials, known as the Heavenly Official of the Ministry of Officials, commonly known as Otsuka Zai, who holds the lifeblood of most officials in the world. not far.

Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the official ministers such as Dai Zhou and Gao Shilian have all been the emperor's confidantes. During the Longshuo period, the official ministers were replaced by Ma Zhou, the hero who had followed Li Ke for many years.

And just at the beginning of this year, Li Kete decreed that Ma Zhou should take the position of Minister of the Ministry of Officials and the three ranks of Tong Zhongshu's sect, formally pay homage to the prime minister, participate in the affairs of the court, and the honor of the court can almost compete with the ministers and left and right servants.

It was midsummer, when the weather was hot, and the south of the imperial city was low and humid, so Ma Zhou was sitting in the official hall of the Ministry of Officials to discuss matters. Su Dezhang walked in quickly.

"Su Dezhang, the official kaogong doctor, pays homage to Shangshu." Su Dezhang stood in the hall and bowed to Ma Zhou, who was sitting on the head.

Ma Zhou looked at Su Dezhang who was standing in the hall, he got up first, and then asked, "Why did Mr. Su come to see me?"

Su Dezhang replied: "Earlier today, the Kaogong Division received a letter from Yushitai to inquire about the suspicion of fraud in the local imperial examinations last year. The officials feel that this is a serious matter, so they come here to report to the Minister."

Hearing this, Ma Zhou frowned slightly, obviously quite puzzled. The Ministry of Officials Examination Department is in charge of the examination of the merits and demerits of hundreds of officials. At the same time, he was ordered by Ma Zhou to monitor the imperial examinations every year. It is not inappropriate for Su Dezhang to report this matter within the jurisdiction of the Kaogong Division.

It's just that the matter of the Kaogong Division belongs to the Minister of the Ministry of Officials. After discussing with the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Su Dezhang decided whether to report it to Ma Zhou for a decision. After all, Ma Zhou was not an ordinary minister. Zaifu is going to participate in the government affairs, if you ask him for instructions on anything, he will come over how to do it.

Ma Zhou said: "Yuezu is acting as a substitute. Su Langzhong's actions like this have broken the regulations."

Su Dezhang knew what Ma Zhou meant, and quickly explained: "Shangshu is the prime minister and has the responsibility to assist the country. If it is an ordinary fraud, the lower officials dare not disturb it easily. It's just that this matter is of great importance. In fact, the less people in the ministry know about it, the better. .”

Ma Zhou said, "It's so, let me see."

As Ma Zhou said, he stepped forward and took the letter from Yushitai from Su Dezhang. After opening it for a few quick glances, his expression turned ugly, and he knew the reason for Su Dezhang's embarrassment in an instant.

Su Dezhang could be called so cautious that it was Wu Weiliang's business that Ma Zhou had to make his own decision. Wu Weiliang is the Queen's cousin, a relative, and related to the Queen's reputation. Naturally, the fewer people who know about this matter, the better. up.

After all, Wu Meiniang must be involved in the cheating by the nephew of the Wu family. No matter whether Wu Meiniang really knew about it or not, Wu Meiniang, the queen, cannot escape the responsibility and cannot shirk responsibility.

Ma Zhou looked at the letter in his hand, and said in surprise: "Your Majesty has used unprecedented power to promote the imperial examination, just to broaden the way to obtain scholars and measure talents for the country. As a brother of the queen's family, Wu Weiliang should be more restrained." , How dare he do that, if it spreads out, how will the people of the world think of His Majesty, how they think of the Empress, wouldn't the imperial examination become empty talk!"

Su Dezhang said: "That's exactly the case, otherwise the lower officials would not have passed the upper officials and reported this matter directly to Shangshu."

"You did well." After a while, Ma Zhou said to Su Dezhang.

Su Dezhang leaned forward and said, "It's about the queen's reputation. It's very important. You should be cautious."

Ma Zhou asked, "What do you think of the things recorded in this book?"

Su Dezhang thought for a while and replied: "It is not difficult to investigate the fraud in the imperial examination, but it is not easy to make a false accusation, and even if it is a false accusation, the queen's brother will not be picked. This matter is probably true."

Ma Zhou nodded, and sighed: "Yes, you have already arrived in Chang'an, you can know this matter as soon as you ask, and you can't do it fake."

Su Dezhang asked, "What does Shang Shu plan to do?"

The queen's brothers cheated and colluded with local officials to forcefully obtain fame. This is a great stain on the queen. If it is exposed, it will naturally damage the reputation of the queen. If it can be concealed and done cleanly, it will be An excellent opportunity to show favor to the queen and gain a considerable amount of political capital.

If someone else might have done this, but the person in charge of this matter is Ma Zhou, not to mention that Ma Zhou has a candid temper and cannot tolerate sand in his eyes. Ways to seek promotion ranks.

Ma Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, in governing the country, employs people the most, and is the best at employing them. He respects the virtuous and the corporals, and only uses talents. But what Wu Weiliang did is against His Majesty's wishes. I should act impartially."

Hearing this, Su Dezhang was a little worried and said: "This Wu Weiliang is the brother of the queen's family after all, and the minister should be more careful about his affairs. If he is a little careless, he will be involved in the harem, and I'm afraid it will be troublesome."

Holding the letter in his hand, Ma Zhou snorted softly and said, "If I'm afraid of trouble, why should I be in this position? I just ask His Majesty to order me to leave my post and return to my hometown. It's not easy for me to be honored. , It means that His Majesty trusts me, if I tolerate this matter, how can I be worthy of His Majesty. What's more, the imperial examination system is really not easy in today's situation, and we must not ruin the previous achievements just because of a foreign relative."

The implementation of the imperial examination system not only requires the preparation of the emperor, the cooperation of all officials, but also the trust of the people. The imperial examination system has been developed for many years in the two dynasties, and it is not easy to have the situation and prestige it is today. If Wu Weiliang is tolerated, the scholars all over the world will lose their respect for the imperial examination. Confidence, that is not worth the candle.

Moreover, what Wu Weiliang did not only violated the interests of the imperial court, but also reminded Ma Zhou of the unbearable past.Ma Zhou's family was poor, his official career was not going well in his prime, and he bumped into walls everywhere, living in a leisurely way. Fortunately, Li Ke favored him and attracted him as his confidant, and this is how he is today.

Because of his poor experience in his early years, Ma Zhou cared more about scholars of the same background, and he also paid special attention to the way to obtain scholars through the imperial examination, so he naturally despised Wu Weiliang's actions even more.

Su Dezhang said: "What the Shangshu said is that the lower officials are short-sighted."

Su Dezhang knew about Ma Zhou's temper. Once Ma Zhou became stubborn, he wouldn't even buy Li Ke's account, and Li Ke would let him get three points, let alone the queen, so Su Dezhang simply stopped talking.

Ma Zhou asked Su Dezhang, "Where is this man now?"

Su Dezhang said: "This person is now placed in the post house in the city by the supervisory censor, but the minister wants to ask him?"

Ma Zhou said: "Go there yourself, record what he said as a confession, and then give it to me. I will go to the palace and report it directly to the imperial court. Even if you offend the queen, you will seek justice for the scholars all over the world because of my position." .”

(End of this chapter)