Page 322
But it was when Yan Jingqing said this special word.
Yang Shanchang took the initiative to interrupt Yan Jingqing and said, "Your Majesty, I know that I hosted a banquet for students before. However, there were more than a hundred students in total, and there were also more than a dozen officials invited. It was because I, Lord Yan and other officials believed that these students were the pillars of our Great Xia. They would help our Great Xia flourish in the imperial examinations and become talents that can be used by our Great Xia. They would devote themselves to assisting Your Majesty's great cause, so we specially held a banquet."
When Mu Xu heard this, he smiled in his heart, and the winner was immediately apparent.
It’s also appreciation.
Also special.
But when Yang Shanchang said this, the meaning suddenly changed.
When Yan Jingqing heard what Yang Shanchang said, he immediately reacted and realized that he almost said the wrong thing in his haste, but fortunately the teacher was there.
Yan Jingqing took a breath of fear, and then immediately said: "Your Majesty, that's right. But later, a month ago, because the imperial examination was approaching, Lord Yang and I stopped meeting with these students to avoid suspicion. During this period, many students such as Ouyang Wenhua came to see me, but I turned them away. Moreover, I heard that they also went to see Lord Yang, but Lord Yang did not see them either."
"However, at that banquet, I, Lord Yang, Lord Liu and other ministers from the Censorate and the Hanlin Academy were all present at the banquet. They were preparing for the imperial examination. But now that I think about it, I'm afraid that the incident at the banquet gave them some ideas. It's my fault."
With Yang Shanchang's reminder, Yan Jingqing naturally knew what to do, and said this meaningfully and with great regret.
Xia Fengxiang glanced at Yang Shanchang, smiled and said, "Oh, so that's the case, but don't be nervous, I just saw the name Ouyang Wenhua, so I suddenly remembered it. However, I remember that this person is from the Ouyang family."
Yan Jingqing immediately replied: "He is from the Ouyang family of Jiangdu County in Yangzhou. His grandfather was the former Shangshu Ling, Mr. Ouyang."
Xia Fengxiang thought for a moment and said, "Let's check it out. Old Master Ouyang is a man of integrity. I met him once when I was young. His descendants should not do such a thing. But since you know so much about this, Master Yan, you can check the matter of these three people this time."
"In fact, it would be best if you and Yang Guofu were in charge. After all, it would avoid suspicion. But since Yang Guofu is busy eliminating gangsters and evil, you should be in charge. However, Zhao Yulang."
When Zhao Yulang heard this, he immediately stood up and said, "I am here."
Xia Fengxiang said, "You are very close to Yang Guofu, so you can replace Yang Guofu and work with Yan Jingqing to investigate this matter. However, you just came back from the salt inspection and you are tired from the journey, so I have assigned you another task. But it doesn't matter, because Lord Zhao is so capable."
He didn't give Zhao Yulang any chance to say a word, let alone a chance to refuse.
Zhao Yulang did not dare to refuse, so he immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I accept your order."
However, Zhao Yulang understood why Yang Guofu and others were inexplicably afraid of the current empress.
because
These words are full of traps!
It felt like she was a completely different person from the empress before he left!
Xia Fengxiang looked at Yan Jingqing: "Master Yan, do you have any opinion on what I said?"
Yan Jingqing was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but he immediately realized something and quickly replied: "I dare not. I will definitely live up to the emperor's grace and get to the bottom of this matter."
Xia Fengxiang looked at Yang Shanchang and said, "Grandmaster, we must thoroughly investigate the examiners this time. Many of them are your people."
Hearing this, Xia Fengxiang's words couldn't be more straightforward.
Yan Jingqing and Zhao Yulang were shocked.
Yang Shanchang, on the other hand, was calm and composed. He bowed and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am terrified."
After that, he continued, "All the land in the world belongs to the emperor, and all the ministers in the world are the ministers of the emperor. No one in the court is the minister's people. They are all your majesty's people and your majesty's ministers. The imperial examination is related to the state system, but there was a fraud. We must investigate it thoroughly."
Xia Fengxiang stood up.
But after moving a little, although the pain was not as severe as when I woke up in the morning, it was still somewhat painful.
So in his heart, Xia Fengxiang cursed Su Changan a few times and said that he would definitely teach him a lesson when he got back.
He forced himself to stand up and draw aside the curtain.
Everyone in the front yard immediately lowered their heads.
Xia Fengxiang came to Yang Shanchang and asked with a smile: "When Mi Wanjun's incident happened, I heard that he ran to the Yang Mansion at night to cry and complain, saying that he was loyal to you, Taifu, and there has always been a saying of the Yang Party in the capital. I thought you, Taifu, had your own people."
As soon as these words came out.
The atmosphere in the front yard froze instantly.
Especially Zhao Yulang and Yan Jingqing, they lowered their heads and dared not utter a word.
Zhao Yulang was even more shocked. He never expected that the empress would become so tough.
Besides, isn’t this the same as the previous emperor?? ! !
Mu Xu changed his usual behavior and stood solemnly.
Xun Kuang was so frightened that he dared not utter a sound. He said he would not come, but the teacher insisted that he come, and when he came it was so strange and scary!
As for the imperial censors, they held their breath.
Yang Shanchang took two trembling steps back, and then knelt down in front of Xia Fengxiang: "Your Majesty, I am terrified!"
Xia Fengxiang sat under the bamboo curtain.
The ministers in the front yard immediately bent their backs even lower and did not dare to let the emperor look up at them.
Xia Fengxiang just looked at Yang Shanchang and said, "That's me. Did I hear it wrong?"
Yang Shanchang knelt on the ground, his face still calm, but in fact, when he heard that Yang Guofu was going to be the leader of the "sweeping away gangs and eliminating evil", he had already thought, "Your Majesty is going to start pruning those people under him."
otherwise
How could the Queen suddenly encounter such a thing? And it was His Majesty who specifically refused to see Yang Guofu when he came to see him!
It happened that the Queen Mother went out at that time.
And what a coincidence that the Queen's maid had encountered that incident, and was even seen by her own son!
all of these.
It's obviously a plan!
more.
When this matter was suddenly brought up, Yang Shanchang was not only terrified, but in fact he was extremely terrified!
When he heard the empress' simple words, he immediately said, "Your Majesty, the Book of Jin says, 'Every movement leads to contention, contention leads to factions, factions lead to accusations, accusations lead to false praise and criticism, and truth and falsehood are mixed up.' I have been an official in the court for many years, and because I have promoted many people, they are all regarded as my people by others, but they forget that they are all officials of Daxia, and even more so, your Majesty's officials. They are not my people, and I am only loyal to your Majesty, and have no other intentions. Therefore, I often educate those people when I hear them by chance. I didn't expect that there are so many rumors outside. This is my fault and my sin. Please understand, Your Majesty."
Xia Fengxiang glanced at Palace Concubine Sun.
Sun Shang Gong immediately looked at Yang Shanchang and said, "Taifu, please stand up quickly. His Majesty did not ask you to kneel. You are already 78 years old."
Yang Shanchang didn't dare to stand up, thinking about all this in his mind.
But after thinking about it, I couldn't help but sigh in my heart.
What a good plan indeed.
Especially since the Queen Mother took the Phoenix Seal with her and forced Yang Guofu to be the leader of the matter, thus offending people and even having to deal with the people under his command.
In the palace, the imperial examination was the starting point.
It seems that he was waiting for Yulang to come back.
Thinking of this, Yang Shanchang swallowed, but his face remained calm.
Xia Fengxiang smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if there are Yang's party, just do your job well. Your son is favored by the queen, isn't he? The queen told me before that Yang Guofu did a good job in repairing the palace residents' residences. This time the queen asked Yang Guofu to do such a big thing."
After saying that, Xia Fengxiang looked at Zhao Yulang and said, "Zhao Yulang, help your teacher up."
Zhao Yulang hurriedly walked to Yang Shanchang and helped Yang Shanchang stand up.
But when he was supporting him, Zhao Yulang noticed that his teacher was sweating profusely and was shocked.
again
I thought of what Yang Guofu and Yan Jingqing had said before, "Things are different now."
He subconsciously glanced at the smiling empress and immediately looked at his teacher again.
The late emperor?
This one glance made Zhao Yulang feel like he saw the late emperor!
Because the late emperor always talked to people with a smile, but what he said was life-threatening! !
Yang Shanchang stood up and said, "I thank your majesty for your grace."
Xia Fengxiang stood up and said, "Aunt, issue an order."
Sun Shang Gong immediately bowed.
"The matter of cheating in the imperial examination is of great importance and cannot be made public. Yan Jingqing and Zhao Yulang are ordered to investigate the case. Cui Yu, Xun Kuang, and Cai Shu will assist you."
Yan Jingqing, Zhao Yulang, Cui Yu, Xun Kuang and others stood up one after another.
Among them, the imperial censor named Cai Shou, who had previously looked down upon Yang Guofu and his companions in the duty room, also stood up and bowed in unison: "Your Highness, we accept your order."
Xia Fengxiang continued, "Yang Shanchang and Mu Xu will enter the Imperial Examination Hall, and Gao Rou and Duke Qi will also enter together. The four of you, plus Su Wenqing, will be in charge of thoroughly checking all the papers in the Imperial Examination Hall. If there are any similar cases, hand them over to Yan Jingqing and others."
Mu Xu and Yang Shanchang also stood up: "Your Majesty, I accept your order."
Sun Shang Gong also bowed immediately.
Xia Fengxiang continued, "The imperial examination is a matter that should not be underestimated. These three people will be disqualified from this examination. If it is proven that they have committed fraud, all their honors will be revoked and they will never be hired again. The rest of the charges will be decided by you, Yan Jingqing."
Hear this.
All the ministers in the court immediately said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise."
Xia Fengxiang also walked into the hall and lay down again because he was still in some pain.
But just as he sat down, Xia Fengxiang saw that among the papers he had just piled aside, there was a piece of paper with something written by Su Changan.
So I took it out.
But when he looked over, he was stunned. But after thinking about it carefully, his face turned red!
Immediately put the paper in your hand aside.
When Lady Sun saw His Majesty like this, she was surprised for a moment, but then she looked at Mu Xu and the others and said, "If you have nothing else to do, please leave for now. Your Majesty is so tired, he needs to rest."
When Xia Fengxiang heard this, he coughed and looked at the poem on the paper again.
……
Ps: This is a long chapter of 6,500 words, so it’s a little late, in order to prevent you from saying that I’m discontinuous!!
Chapter 212 The Empress is Furious