Chapter Fifty Impeachment

  Little Drunkenness thanks Susan Fei for the reward to Piva doll, thanks Yanluo Yanzhu for sending candies, Little Drunkenness also ate candies, thank you. Is Shu Yao's mother, Guer Jia Shi, fierce? Shu Yao's father, Zhiyuan, is a very interesting person. The difficult days of Emperor Kangxi and the princes are coming soon. This family has strong personalities, in the future, the male lead not only needs to support Mihua Shu Yao but also needs to deal with his father-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and even his mother-in-law who is too fierce. Life will be very interesting, haha.

  The Forbidden City imperial palace, Emperor Kangxi strode into the Qianqing Palace, outside dark clouds were pressing down, at any moment there might be a torrential rain, "Guo Xuan, what is it that you want?"

  Guo Xun was promoted to Du Yu Shi last year for impeaching the famous minister Ming Zhu, who dominated the court. Emperor Kangxi returned from Cining Palace to Qianqing Palace through Nei Shi Tong Ben. Guo Xun saw that Emperor Kangxi's expression was not pleasant and his heart tightened, but as a man of letters with backbone and the dignity of an iron-faced imperial censor, he could not retreat. Kneeling down, he first greeted Emperor Kangxi: "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

  Kangxi sat down and slowly raised his face with a smile: "Get up, who are you going to impeach today?"

  Li Dequan knew the intention of Emperor Kangxi, ordered someone to offer tea. Since Mingzhu fell from power, Guo Xun's name was known throughout the country, known as the iron-boned imperial censor, also known as Guo Sanben. All civil and military officials saw that he had nothing to fear. Emperor Kangxi smiled and offered him tea leaves. Guo Xun did not get up, took out a memorial from his sleeve mouth, and said loudly: "I impeach Gongbu Tang's official Shu Mu Lu Zhiyuan."

  Kangxi steadied himself and emphasized again, "Shu Mu Lu Zhi Yuan?"

  "Replying to Your Majesty, it is Shu Mu Lu Zhi Yuan."

  "He is not in the capital, he went to the Yellow River to inspect the embankment." Kangxi reminded Guo Xuan, was it a mistake to impeach the wrong person? Kangxi understood Zhiyuan, he had no corruption or bribery, and no bad habits. It's said that his temper was straightforward. Emperor Kangxi took care of him because of their old relationship. Could the intelligence be wrong? "What's going on?"

  "I impeach Shi Mu Lu Zhiyuan for being a hindrance, and also impeach him again because of the river course issue, which is similar to the intense fight between Cheng Long and Tai. I beg Your Majesty to review this personally."

  The folded paper was held high above Guo Xuan's head. If the impeachment of Mingzhu made Guo Xuan gain a good reputation, then the first person impeached by Guo Xuan when he came out of his thatched cottage was Jing Fu. Jing Fu and Fulu were guilty of corruption in the construction of river dikes. Now Zhiyuan spoke up for them, which Guo Xuan could not tolerate.

  Moreover, the famous Qing official Yu Chenglong was a model for officials. Although Guo Xun had a good impression of Shu Mu Lu Zhiyuan's ambition, from Zhiyuan's promotion history, it can be seen that Zhiyuan, who came from the Manchu Upper Three Banners, was a rare scholar among the Manchu people, and was an honest and capable official. However, this good impression disappeared when Shu Mu Lu Zhiyuan and Yu Chenglong were compared, as they spoke for the Mingzhu Party. Would Guo Xun allow Zhiyuan to reverse the case for the Mingzhu Party?

  The Kangxi Emperor put the tea cup on the imperial desk, carefully reading Guo Xuan's memorial. The more he read, the tighter his brow furrowed. He had let Zhiyuan leave Beijing to inspect the Yellow River dikes just to avoid the rumors in the capital. After returning to Beijing, he would find an excuse to promote him to Shilang. When the Kangxi Emperor met with the Mongolian kings and nobles, he could also order Zhiyuan to follow him. Moreover, the Kangxi Emperor was very interested in Zhiyuan, whom he had never met before, thinking that this man was a wonderful person. Today, Guo Xuan's impeachment memorial, the Kangxi Emperor read for a long time, put the memorial on the imperial desk, "I'll keep it."

  "Shu Mu Lu is arrogant and looks down on imperial grace, abusing his power, you cannot let him go unpunished."

  "I have my own views, you may withdraw."

  Since the death of Wen Tianxiang, the literati's integrity has gradually disappeared among scholars. Guo Gong is known as the "Iron-faced Censor", who shows no mercy to others, but he dare not do so to Emperor Kangxi. In the Qing dynasty, there was never a minister who knelt at the palace gate and risked his life to advise the emperor. Emperor Kangxi's protection of Zhiyuan is obvious to Guo Gong. He impeached Mingzhu for two reasons: firstly, Mingzhu indeed had improper behavior, being arrogant and corrupt, and secondly, Guo Gong saw that Emperor Kangxi was already displeased with Mingzhu. Suo Ertu secretly instigated the situation at this time, and the emperor used Guo Gong's hands to take down Mingzhu.

  Guo Xuan said: "Chen Zunzhi."

  After Guo Xuan withdrew, the Kangxi Emperor pointed to the memorial with his finger and said, "Shu Mu Lu has a long way to go. How can I say that you are good? Obviously, you also know that Yu Chenglong is a famous clean official among Han officials, but you are at odds with him. I...I..."

  "Rumbling." Outside the Qianqing Palace, thunder rumbled and heavy rain was about to fall. Emperor Kangxi suddenly said: "Li Dequan, bring me the memorial from Zhiyuan."

  "Hmm."

  The three products of the big officials have archives, Li Dequan found a pile of receipts in the middle for a long time, took out Zhiyuan's Shangde's memorial from the bottom, and presented it to Kangxi: "Your Majesty, is this the one?"

  Kangxi glanced at it and nodded: "Change another cup of hot tea."

  "Hmm."

  The Kangxi Emperor looked at the memorial, and one sentence moved him: "Yu Chenglong is a clean official, but he doesn't understand river management. The river course is suspended in mid-air, and when it encounters wind and rain, the dike bursts, causing disaster to the people. Jin Fu has poor moral character, but he has expertise in his field. The Jian Water Dam built by Jin Fu has clear water in the Yellow River, with many trees on both banks, which is a long-term solution. Your Majesty, you cannot let Yu Chenglong's honesty blind you to his incompetence in managing rivers, nor can you ignore Jin Fu's good methods for river management just because of his greed."

  Kangxi repeatedly read Zhiru's memorial, deeply feeling that what Zhiru said made some sense. The rain outside was like a deluge, and the Yellow River's dikes almost burst every year. No matter who Kangxi sent to take charge, no one could manage the Yellow River well. The river governor was replaced by Kangxi one after another, until finally Kangxi sent Yu Chenglong. He thought that Yu was an honest official and would not embezzle the silver for repairing the dikes. Once the dikes were repaired, it would be less likely to burst. However, Zhiru said that although Yu Chenglong was a clean official, he did not understand river management at all, and the river course he built had many problems. Kangxi was filled with doubts, wondering if he had made another mistake by sending Yu Chenglong to manage the river.

  After Zhiyuan's memorial, he subtly reminded the Kangxi Emperor to appoint Yu Chenglong to a position that suited him, and not let him blindly direct in the river governor's mansion. The Kangxi Emperor's originally gloomy mood was alleviated by Zhiyuan's words. "Zhiyuan, Shu Mu Lu Zhiyuan, I'll spare you this time. Yu Chenglong is a stubborn man, I thought you two could get along. Let me see which of you two stubborn mules will win when you collide."

  The heavy rain hit the window frame, making a loud noise. Shu Yao's small body hid under the quilt, covering her ears. Because she pulled it up too high, a pair of crystal-like jade feet were exposed. As an Eight Banners woman, she didn't need to bind her feet, and Shu Yao's jade feet were crystal clear and lovely, with pink tender toenails, the arch of her foot was like a ingot, tempting people to reach out and touch them, or hold them in their palm to play with.

  "Fourth Master is well." Peach knelt down, usually those who came to call her "young lady" were all Fourth Master's people, how come today it was changed to the master who never left the study?

  Shu Xuan shifted his gaze away from Shu Yao, "Do not look at what is not proper to see, do not look at what is not proper to see."

  "Sister, little sister, wake up."

  "Sister, mother told you to get up."

  Shu Xuan's back was facing Shu Yao on the bed, "Sister, sister, won't you get up? Big brother will no longer explain the Four Books and Five Classics to you, little sister, little sister."

  Peach girl bowed her head and forced herself to hold back a smile, softly reminding him, "You won't be able to wake the young lady up like this."

  Shu Xuan was really at a loss, reading books wasn't this tiring, how come waking up his sister was so difficult? Shu Xuan had read extensively, not only had he read through the classics and histories, but also many other books. He remembered his second brother's smile when he went to wake up Shu Yao, he knew the outcome from the start. Shu Xuan turned around and started reciting the Four Books and Five Classics to Shu Yao, her ears buzzing with the sound. She was originally still able to sleep, but Shu Xuan's skills had clearly improved, Shu Yao slept for another afternoon, her drowsiness much reduced, she unwillingly opened her eyes and pouted: "Brother, big brother."

  Her voice was so sweet that it made Shu Xuan's face turn red, "Sister, sister, wake up."