Chapter 672 771 Cold Treatment

After Wei Guangde received the imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites, his home suddenly became lively.

Not only his peers and fellow townsmen in Beijing, but also all the officials who had dealt with him in the officialdom came to his house with gifts, the reason was naturally to celebrate his entry into the cabinet.

A cabinet minister of 30 years old, at this age, many candidates are still studying hard, just to pass the imperial examination and jump into the dragon gate.

As for the merchants doing business in Beijing, it is not just Jiujiang Prefecture, but all the merchants in Jiangxi came, bringing generous gifts to the door.

Entering the cabinet means that Wei Guangde's influence on the court is infinitely magnified, and he can already make the final decision on many matters.

When Wei Guangde was in the Ministry of Personnel, he could already do a lot of things.

It's just that he was not in the Ministry of Personnel for a long time, and he went to the Ministry of Rites in less than a year.

Although the Ministry of Rites is noble for officials, it has less power after all, which means that businessmen are still willing to continue to curry favor with them, after all, the Ministry of Rites still manages the local imperial examinations.

In fact, businessmen know that no matter how much money they have, it is useless as long as there is no official in the family.

Therefore, businessmen actually attach great importance to the career of their children. Even if there are already scholars and juren in the family, they have never stopped fawning on officials.

As they have come into contact with many officials, they naturally know that even if they pass the imperial examination, even if they are the top or second place in the imperial examination, they are only at the bottom in the first few years and can only work hard.

Power is something out of reach for the new jinshi.

If you want to be promoted, you have to have someone above you.

Since you need people, why not keep taking care of them and maintain good relationships.

Therefore, many businessmen not only actively cling to high officials, but also start investing in them at the beginning of their jinshi career.

Wei Guangde, as a chuanlu in the 35th year of Jiajing, was specially selected by the emperor to enter the Hanlin Academy. Naturally, he has been sought after by countless businessmen for a long time. Just casually extending an olive branch will attract countless people.

Their investment has finally paid off.

This return is not real, but the family has always maintained a good relationship with the current cabinet elders. In this era, it is a strategic deterrent, forcing anyone who covets their family wealth to think carefully.

The last category of people, of course, is the nobles in the capital.

Although the nobles in the capital will send a gift as a courtesy when a cabinet minister is born, the situation is a little different this time.

As for Yin Shizan, it is natural to follow the convention and send the housekeeper with gifts to the door. In Wei Mansion, Duke Dingguo personally came to celebrate, and Duke Yingguo and Duke Chengguo also sent their sons or outstanding children to the door with more generous gifts.

The threshold was trampled, although it is not so exaggerated, but it is also close to the fact.

There are too many people who came these days, and Wei Guangde certainly can't meet them all, even if he is exhausted.

Among the officials, that is, the old team of Prince Yu, he met them all, as well as colleagues and disciples who are more optimistic in the officialdom.

Merchants, that is, some powerful merchants he had met before, many of them were not in his eyes.

As for the nobles, the top wealthy families must meet in person, except for Xu Wenbi, Duke of Dingguo, the sons of Duke Yingguo and Duke Chengguo, and the children of the Linhuai Marquis family.

Others were naturally sent to the housekeeper Zhang Ji to deal with, and even the need to expand the warehouse at home was arranged by his wife Xu Jianglan.

Because at this time, Wei Guangde also ushered in the biggest trouble since he entered the cabinet.

"It seems that what Shandai and Yifu are worried about is right. The two brothers of the Li family, one accidentally fell into the water, and the other committed suicide out of shame and anger, and now there is no evidence."

Li Chunfang held the note from the palace in his hand. It was an urgent official document sent back by the Jinyiwei from Shanxi.

Even if they did not stop after receiving the order, they were still a step slower.

Originally, he wanted to talk about the brothers of the Li family, but when the words came to his lips, he suddenly found that he couldn't say it.

According to the coroner brought by the Jinyiwei, the so-called Li Liangyu is indeed a girl.

When the official document was handed over to Wei Guangde, he took a quick look, just sighed and shook his head, and the matter of "Li Liangyu turning into a girl" was "concluded".

"Song 𫄸 is not stupid, but the handling is still not proper, so such a big mistake occurred."

Wei Guangde said lightly.

If he said this in the past, it would be just a complaint about the ability of an official, but now it has been regarded as a mediocre hat for him, and his future promotion will certainly be affected.

As for why Wei Guangde said this, it naturally depends on two days after Song 𫄸reported the matter. He may have figured out that something was wrong, and hurriedly sent people to Jingle County to take people away from Jingle County and bring all the witnesses back to Taiyuan Prefecture.

Then, the news reported by the Jinyiwei was that all the important witnesses were killed without leaving a single one, and the matter became an unsolved case.

Let's call it an unsolved case, after all, it is impossible to confirm whether the woman is really Li Liangyu.

And so far, all the files that can be produced are the testimony left by the Jingle County Magistrate when he interrogated the case, nothing else.

"Look, what I learned from the secret investigation on the spot is that Li Liangyu had abdominal pain in the first month of the first year of Longqing, which came and went. On the ninth day of the second month of the second year, the pain was unstoppable. In April, the kidney sac retracted into the abdomen and turned into a woman's vagina. The next menstruation came, and he began to wear female makeup. He was 28 years old at that time.

It has spread among the people. Jin Yiwei was able to find out these things. I was puzzled that this Li Liangyu had severe abdominal pain and that his kidney sac had shrunk and turned into a woman. With such a big change, Jingle County Magistrate did not even ask if he saw a doctor at that time. Which doctor showed it to me.

Menstrual fluid is also ok, so he or she knows how to change women's makeup. It's really nonsense, such a thing can be recorded in the file. "

Wei Guangde was really angry now, and he was surprisingly angry at the incompetence of the Jingle County Magistrate.

He knew that if someone talked about this matter in the future, with such a detailed explanation, the falsehood would become true.

Look at the record and see it with your own eyes.

Normally, the person involved would never want to talk about such a private matter, and the date was actually remembered so accurately.

Only oral confession, no circumstantial evidence.

"Now we have to consider how to deal with this matter. There has been a lot of discussion in the public recently. We can't let the rumors spread anymore."

Li Chunfang frowned. He didn't know what to do. What he wanted to do now was to calm down.

After hearing the words of the Chief Assistant, several people in the cabinet were all frowning and could not think of a way to break the situation, but at this time Wei Guangde's voice sounded again.

"Without him, this matter is regarded as a rumor to deceive the public. Factory guards, government officials, and school lieutenants patrol the streets. Anyone who dares to spread rumors will be arrested and brought to the judicial office. All files in Shanxi will be transferred to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for sealing."

Wei Guangde originally wanted to deal with it coldly, but he would not be able to do anything about such a thing even in future generations.

Although it is more important to defend the people than to defend the river, there is not much to worry about at this time.

Later generations said that the memory of netizens is only three days. In fact, it is similar in any era. People need to run around for three meals a day, so the time for gossip is very short. That is, the enthusiasm is relatively high in the first two or three days, and then it will quickly cool down. Talk about it again.

Then, it will be covered by various memories and become a dusty memory.

"I heard that many famous doctors in the capital are also interested in this matter and have made an appointment to go to Shanxi."

At this time, Chen Yiqin suddenly spoke.

Well, now Chen Yiqin is the cabinet's medicine pot. He deals with doctors in the capital, so he has a good understanding of the trends in the medical community in the capital.

"These people ignore him."

Wei Guangde replied.

He knew that doctors in this era were relatively pragmatic and would not easily believe such nonsense.

As for the Li Liangyu incident in Shanxi, no matter whether they check it or not, at most they will record it in their own notes, and then nothing will happen.

There have been many legends about gods and ghosts in China since ancient times, but no one has actually seen them.

These capable and skilled people in ancient China generally regarded it as inheritance and would only pass it on within the family.

These records may no longer exist in the near future. Who will still remember this matter in another ten years?

But what Wei Guangde didn't expect was that a famous doctor in this era actually recorded this incident, and then printed it and published it without being buried. This also allowed this rumor to be found in later generations.

He is Li Shizhen, the author of the medical book "Compendium of Materia Medica".

"Oh, there is no other way, this is the only way."

Zhang Juzheng spoke in agreement at this time.

It is most difficult for the government to deal with such rumors spreading among the people. They know that there is something fishy in them, but there is no evidence.

What's more, people also like to believe in such things about gods and ghosts.

"I think this is the only way."

Chen Yiqin looked at Li Chunfang and said the same thing.

Li Chunfang nodded slightly under Chen Yiqin's gaze, and then looked at Yin Shizhen.

Of course, Yin Shizhen noticed that Li Chunfang was looking at him, but he couldn't think of a way to deal with this matter. If he were to issue an accusation to frame the White Lotus Sect, there would be no witnesses.

If Li Liangyu is in charge, he can let her (him) say this regardless of whether the matter is true or false.

But since the person is dead, this method will naturally not work.

"That's all."

Yin Shizhen lowered his head and stopped thinking about this matter, because he couldn't think of a way at all.

This is a dead end. Everything has been arranged long ago, leaving no room for you to make a comeback.

"In a moment, we will go into the palace to see His Majesty and tell him how to deal with this matter?"

Li Chunfang spoke again.

"It's dictated. No documents need to be left behind. All previous documents will be sealed."

Wei Guangde answered.

In the afternoon, Wei Guangde left the palace, got on the sedan and returned to his residence.

I was in a bad mood today. Zhu Xixiao, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, was scolded by Emperor Longqing for a long time in the morning. After Li Chunfang and other cabinet ministers met with him, he was certainly not satisfied with their handling of the matter.

However, after Chen Yiqin and Wei Guangde explained that doing so was a last resort, Emperor Longqing finally calmed down.

He also knew something about the character of the common people.

It is best not to announce this kind of thing through the government, and let them just treat it as a rumor. If it is really announced, no matter what it is said, the matter will be confirmed, and then the impact will be great, even irreparable.

Although he didn't get scolded like Zhu Xixiao, Emperor Longqing didn't give these cabinet ministers a good look either.

"Master, we're home."

At this time, the guard's voice came from outside the sedan, and then the sedan curtain was opened.

The eight-carriage sedan that Xu Jianglan built for Wei Guangde was, to be honest, very stable to sit on, with no bumps at all. Even when the sedan stopped, it was not easy for people in the sedan to notice.

Wei Guangde bowed slightly and got out of the sedan, then walked into the mansion. Zhang Ji, who was waiting at the door to greet him, followed him into the mansion.

"Sir, a letter has arrived from Mr. Liu Guangji, the governor of Jiangxi."

Behind Wei Guangde, Zhang Ji whispered.

"Well, take it to the study."

Wei Guangde replied casually, "By the way, are there any important guests today?"

This is what Wei Guangde asks the most when he returns home these days. Zhang Ji will send ordinary guests away, but important guests still have to meet.

The relationship is mutual. If someone else comes to you and treats you coldly for a long time, it will easily lead to people having bad thoughts over time and then switching to other companies.

An hour later, after seeing several guests, Wei Guangde finally relaxed and returned to the study.

There was a letter on the desk in the study. Wei Guangde knew that it was from Liu Guangji. Although it was a little strange, he still picked it up to check the seal, then tore it open and took away the letter paper.

As soon as he saw the beginning, Wei Guangde had a smile on his lips.

Liu Guangji probably didn't know the news about his joining the cabinet yet, so he still addressed him as "Sir", otherwise he should be called "Pavilion Elder".

However, if you look closely at the following content, in addition to the usual greetings, it is said that he has traveled to various governments in Jiangxi in the past few months to understand the actual situation, and found that many gentry and people in Jiangxi hope to restore the "one whip law".

"No wonder."

Wei Guangde muttered something and continued to read the letter.

Liu Guangji's letter to him was a bit thick. When he took it out earlier, he was still suspicious, thinking that something big had happened.

Of the seven or eight pages, the letter actually only has three pages, and the remaining pages are the first draft of a memorial he wrote. Naturally, he planned to report to the emperor and restore the "one whip method" in Jiangxi.

After all, the suspension of the "one whip method" was the Ministry of Household Affairs' report, the emperor's permission and the decree of the world. If he did not report it to the emperor in advance, a label of disobeying the imperial edict would be enough to make Liu Guangji irrecoverable.

Jiangxi is a large province with a large population and large fields. If the previous taxes and levies were used, the workload would be too much for the government. The common people did not understand taxes and levies. They only felt that the government's taxation was too much and cumbersome, so the "one whip method" was restored. ” is the unanimous voice.

Even if this method is adopted, it will not fundamentally reduce the taxes they need to pay, and they find it simpler.

You should know that if you don't follow this method, although the money and grain paid each time will seem much less, it will be paid several times a month. For farmers who make a living by farming, they will not have such free time.

You set the taxes to be collected at once, and they only pay the tax once, and the rest of the time they go home to take care of the fields. Isn't it nice?

Anyway, the emperor and the government would not waive these taxes.

After reading the first draft of the memorial, Wei Guangde nodded.

He vaguely knew why Jiangxi people from top to bottom wanted to use the "one whip method". Now Liu Guangji just confirmed the matter again after visiting.

With the direction decided, Wei Guangde immediately found the letter paper, laid it out, and replied to Jiangxi with a letter.

At this time, the news that Yin Shizhen had entered the cabinet as a bachelor of Wenyuange and Wei Guangde as a bachelor of Dongge had spread to Nanjing and other parts of the Ming Dynasty through Di Bao.