Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 210 Is Dou Xian a good minister today?
He Liu unfolded Emperor Jiajing's imperial brush.

This is a seven-character poem: "When the murderous spirit dawns, Yan Bo goes up, and the thatched cottage must be put in place before it is finished. Jun Xueqiu and Hu don't know each other, and it is said that Dezong once came here. Today Dou Xian is a virtuous minister."

He Liu knew that the current emperor has a habit.When telling the courtiers what to do, they always like to use mysterious and mysterious methods to hint to the courtiers.

For example, in the 36th year of Jiajing, the Guangzhou Shipbuilding Department colluded with the local government to embezzle ink and ship taxes.The cabinet waited for Emperor Jiajing's will for a whole day.In the evening, Emperor Jiajing sent Lu Fang to send a chain lion ball for children to play with.The chain lion ball is a big ball inside a small ball.The tightness of the big and small balls varies.All the members of the cabinet were puzzled what Emperor Jiajing's intention was.

Only Yan Song guessed the sacred meaning: "The emperor is telling us to tighten the outside and loosen the inside. Outside, it refers to the local officials in Guangdong. Inside, it naturally refers to the eunuchs sent by the palace to supervise the Shipping Department in Guangzhou."

Ever since, local officials in Guangdong were severely punished.The supervisory eunuch of the Guangzhou Shipping Department was only demoted by one level.

He Liu thought to himself: The poem in front of me should hide something that the emperor asked me to do.

In fact, the preface of this seven-character poem does not match the postscript, and there is no poetic emotion or poetic environment at all.

"Today Dou Xian is a virtuous minister. Dou Xian? Xian?" He Liu pondered this sentence over and over in his mind: Dou Xian was a famous general in the Eastern Han Dynasty against the Huns.He led the army to defeat the Northern Huns, and the allusion of "Yan Ran Le Gong" came from him.Dou Xian today?Could it be that he was strategizing and pacifying Hu Zongxian in the southeast, right?
Then the last sentence of the poem is to praise Hu Zongxian as a good minister.

These days, many censors in the Yuwang Party are saying: Hu Zongxian is the largest strict party, and if you want to completely overthrow strictness, you must participate in overthrowing Hu Zongxian.These censors were murderous and gearing up, ready to collect charges and publish a memorial to impeach Hu Zongxian.

He Liu knew in his heart that although Hu Zongxian was Yan Song's student, he was a capable minister and a clean and honest official.

Could it be that the emperor wants Jin Yiwei to protect the virtuous minister Hu Zongxian and let Jin Yiwei seal the mouths of those censors?

He Liu suddenly remembered something.When investigating Ding Wang's case, Ding Wang wrote down the location where the gold and silver were buried in a Tibetan acrostic poem.

He Liu carefully read the poem "One Pillar of Incense" again.

Suddenly, he came to the opposite conclusion!The emperor didn't ask Jinyiwei to protect Hu Zongxian, but to let Jinyiwei investigate Hu Zongxian!
The fourth characters in each line of this poem are exactly the five characters "strictly deal with Hu Zongxian"!

In a poem, first praise Hu Zongxian as a virtuous minister, and then imply that Jin Yiwei strictly punishes him?

From this poem, He Liu could see the emperor's contradictory mood at the moment.

Yes, Hu Zongxian is the pillar of the southeast.But it is also the largest strict party.If Jin Yiwei investigates Hu Zongxian, isn’t it just a warning to those strict party members who are ready to move: To die for Yan Song who has retired from his old age and return to his hometown, will we have to punish even a Shangzhu country like Hu Zongxian?
A king often needs to make a choice.Between Daoyan and Hu Zongxian, Emperor Jiajing chose Daoyan and abandoned Hu Zongxian.

Emperor Jiajing finished his bath, put on a black Taoist robe, and returned to the hall.

Emperor Jiajing asked: "He Liu, have you realized the profound meaning of my poem?"

He Liu kowtowed and answered five words: "Strictly deal with Hu Zongxian!"

Emperor Jiajing sighed: "Hey, do you think I'm unkind? Hu Zongxian is in the southeast. He wears clothes and eats food, holds his hair and feeds, is as clear as water, and can be like a pillar of a country... In the end, I want you to investigate him." .”

He Liudao: "I dare not lie to the emperor. I really feel that a virtuous minister like Hu Butang should not be investigated."

Emperor Jiajing uttered a roar in the green gauze curtain: "Damn Yan Song and Yan Shifan! They killed me so much that even people like Hu Zongxian can no longer be used!"

Emperor Jiajing walked up to He Liu and said, "He Liu, sometimes, to be a king, you have to kill and make a decision! Nowadays, the strict party officials in the court and localities are against my cabinet everywhere. I must make a painful decision to abandon Hu Zongxian. The biggest strict party, kill one and make an example to others! Compared with Kyushu Wanfang and Jiangshan Sheji, Hu Zongxian's weight is still too light."

He Liu almost gritted his teeth and said: "The minister understands. If you want to be strict, you must first deter the strict party. To deter the strict party, you must first get rid of Hu Zongxian."

Emperor Jiajing smiled: "You can guess the deep meaning of my poem. It means that you are indeed better than that martial artist He Er. If he got this poem, he might not even be able to recognize the words in it. He Liu , work hard! When the time is right, I will make an order for you to take over the post of commander!"

He Liu had seen with his own eyes how Emperor Jiajing, as the king of a country, played rogue with Yan Song and his son.He said that he would order He Liu to take over as the commander, but He Liu didn't take it to heart at all, he just took it as the emperor's fart.

Emperor Jiajing said: "You go to Zhejiang immediately, and in the name of inspecting the coastal defense of Zhejiang, investigate Hu Zongxian secretly."

He Liu was embarrassed and said: "Your Majesty, there must be a crime to investigate Hu Butang. But Hu Butang is impeccable as a person and an official..."

Emperor Jiajing sighed: "The crime can always be found. If you want to commit a crime, there is no excuse! Alas! It's a pity that Hu Zongxian's sword is going to be hidden in a box!"

He Liu saw a trace of regret in Emperor Jiajing's eyes.

Emperor Jiajing changed the topic: "That's right. You go to Zhejiang alone, it seems a bit lonely! Hu San is old, so don't follow you around. This time, let him stay in Beijing. You are not here. During this period of time, let him sit in Beisi. I heard that Liu Da is very free now and has nothing to do in Weizhong. Let him accompany you to the south of the Yangtze River!"

When He Liu heard this, he thought to himself: It seems that the emperor is still worried about me.He knew that I admired Hu Zongxian, and he was afraid that I would not be able to do it.That's why Liu Da, a vicious person, went with me.

He Liu cupped his hands and said: "Dare to ask the emperor. Since you are an imperial envoy, there must always be a principal and a deputy. The emperor means that when we go to the south of the Yangtze River, who will be the master and the deputy between me and Liu Da?"

Emperor Jiajing smiled and said, "Among the Taibao of Jinyiwei, I trust you the most. Naturally, you are the leader, and Liu Da is the deputy."

He Liu kowtowed: "I would like to obey the holy order!"

Emperor Jiajing nodded: "Okay, you go back and prepare!"

He Liu exited Yongshou Palace with a lot of worries and walked towards the palace gate.

Outside the palace gate, he unexpectedly met Lao Hu's godson and his foster brother Feng Bao.

Feng Bao, a seventeen-year-old boy, actually wore the official uniform of the fourth rank.

He Liu asked: "Feng Bao, why are you here? What's the matter with this official uniform? You are a sixth-rank official uniform, and it is a crime of violating the regulations to flaunt yourself in the official fourth-rank official uniform!"

Feng Bao smiled: "Brother Yi, I don't have that much courage. The emperor's eldest grandson has already been born. Prince Yu recommended me to be the emperor's eldest grandson's companion. The supervisor of ceremonies has already hung up the management sign for me. The palace is here to receive a new official uniform!"

He Liu patted Feng Bao's shoulder: "What a boy! You got into the fourth rank at seventeen. Your godfather is getting old, and I will depend on you for retirement!"

Feng Bao suddenly lowered his voice and asked: "The emperor summoned brother-in-law to enter the palace, is there an errand order?"

He Liu also replied in a low voice: "Go back and tell Prince Yu that the emperor asked me to go south to Zhejiang to investigate Hu Zongxian."

(End of this chapter)