Zeng Shengwu was the last person recommended to the cabinet during his lifetime. Although he was the Minister of Works, he was also a representative figure among Zhang Juzheng's disciples. If his retirement and return home were to be a heavy blow to Zhang Juzheng's party.

The attitude in the palace represented by this incident made everyone panic. When Wang Zhuan received the news, he immediately avenged Zeng Shengwu in the court. Emperor Wanli's reply was very simple:

"Do you remember Liang Menglong?"

Liang Menglong retired a month ago and was given a reason by the censor as a charge. He was almost the same as Zeng Shengwu, and everyone knew the attitude of the emperor.

Compared with the chaos outside, the palace seems calm and quiet, and the inner court and the outer court are closely connected, but to a certain extent, they are also independent of each other.

It has been October, and the weak are already wearing cotton coats, and the house is starting to make fire to keep warm. However, the people in the imperial kitchen are busy sweating and running around.

The busy places of these eunuchs were not in the palaces of nobles in various families, but outside the courtyard of Zhang Jing, the eunuch who was in charge of the imperial horse supervision, had good charcoal fire, good mutton, good seasonings, and good wine. To be honest, even the empress dowager and the emperor might not enjoy the thoughts used in Shangshenjian this time.

Because on that night, Zhang Cheng, the eunuch of the Sili Supervisor, wanted to have a few drinks with Zhang Jing, the eunuch of the Imperial Horse Supervisor. These two were the top figures in the Inner Supervision Office. Although the eunuch of the Shangshen Supervisor and the eunuch of the Guanglu of the Guanglu are also called eunuchs, they must be shorter in front of Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing.

If you serve these two father-in-laws well, you might have any benefits, at least there will be no harm. It is true that Master Long is the master of the big guy, but these two people are directly in charge of everyone.

Given the status of Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing, it is actually quite taboo to have a private drink. However, everyone is an old man from the Prince Yu Mansion. When he was studying in Neishutang, he was familiar with him. He went on a journey to the Prince Yu Mansion and the Palace. The relationship between the two parties was close and knew everything in the palace, and the Queen Mother and the Emperor would not be suspicious of anything.

Several eunuchs in black robes were guarding the door. Shangshenjian sent them not cooking dishes, but packed meat slices and cold dishes, but they couldn't enter the door. They were all taken by these eunuchs in black robes and delivered to the house.

However, the eunuchs in black robe outside could not enter the house. They took the things and went into the yard to make a loud noise. Someone in the house would come out to take them, otherwise they would not be allowed to go forward.

The person who came out of the house to pick up things was also a eunuch. Zou Yi, the eunuch in charge of the horse supervision. When everyone saw it, they sighed that Eunuch Zou had never forgotten his roots. He had arrived at such a position and was actually treating Zhang Cheng as usual.

There were only Zhang Jing, Zhang Cheng and Zou Yi in the room. The dishes on the round table were quite simple, just a copper pot with fresh meat slices placed around and fresh vegetables that were rare in this season. Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing sat opposite each other.

"The weather is getting colder, and eating a pot is the most suitable. Wang Tong likes to think about this. It was only then that our family realized that this thing is better."

Zhang Cheng said with a smile, the smell of wine is everywhere in the air, and the wine cups on the table are full of fine wine, with the fragrance of wine overflowing, but neither of them move.

Zhang Jing was quite silent. He practiced martial arts and was in charge of the Imperial Horse Prison. He was quite generous in style. He rinsed a large chopstick and rinsed the mutton in the pot. He placed it in the dish, but did not pick it up again and said in a muffled voice:

"I have 100,000 taels here, how much do you have?"

Zhang Cheng smiled and shook his head, and said:

"It's also 100,000 taels. Have you heard of it? Zhang Hong also got 100,000 taels."

"It is said that the Zhang family has been a great businessman from generation to generation, and the wealthy businessman in Puzhou is really amazing."

Zhang Jing sighed, and Zhang Cheng said with a smile:

"When Wang Chonggu was the governor, I don't know how much convenience the border guards provided to him. Besides, the Zhang family was a salt merchant, and it would be no exaggeration to be rich enough to rival the country. Zhang Siwei has been in the position of Minister of War for so many years, so what is this silver?"

Zhang Jing nodded, and said again after being silent:

"Today's fifth day of October, the date of the memorial is October 11th. Should we do it?"

Zhang Cheng also stopped his smile and became silent there. Zou Yi, who was standing at the door, saw this and lowered his head and said:

"Entertainment father, Eunuch Zhang, I'll go out to urge the vegetables..."

Zhang Cheng frowned, waved his hand impatiently, and said:

"What's up to you? Just stay here and don't be so careful."

After saying this, Zhang Cheng picked up the wine glass and drank it all. The wine was strong. Zhang Cheng let out a long sigh and said shrillly:

"He has been in that position for ten years, and he can't move. Now he is confused. He wants to win the title of the Earl for himself, and the Empress Dowager is not happy either."

"Does Zhang Hong need to greet him?"

"No, this man is weird and wants to learn from scholars and officials everywhere. He also took the money, so he ignored it."

On October 11, the 10th year of Wanli, Li Zhi, the Censor of Jiangxi Road, submitted a memorial to impeach the Sili Supervisor, Feng Bao, the twelve major crimes, which shocked the capital.

Emperor Wanli walked around in his study with his hands behind his back, with a look of excitement on his face. Because his legs and feet were not flexible, Emperor Wanli usually sat on a chair in the house, and he was extremely excited to walk down the ground like this.

Zhang Cheng stood down, lowered his head and said nothing, but there was a smile on his face. Emperor Wanli took a few steps, opened the memorial on the table, looked at it for a few seconds and said with a smile:

"Interesting, interesting. Zhang Siwei really dares to do it. Didn't he say that he gave Feng Bao a heavy gift a few days ago?"

"Long lively, Zhang Siwei has not stopped giving Feng Bao since he entered the cabinet. Now he is the assistant to the cabinet, but he still has to give gifts when encountering problems and compromise. How can he be willing to do this? It is reasonable to have this action."

Emperor Wanli's smile turned cold and he said:

"Zhang Siwei is unwilling to accept it. I have been kept by Zhang Juzheng and Feng for more than ten years. I am still unwilling to accept it. Zhang Fan, draft an order, Feng Bao..."

"Long live, Long live, don't worry, don't worry, this matter depends on the meaning of the Empress Dowager. Feng Bao went to Cining Palace early this morning."

Emperor Wanli was stunned for a moment, patted the tabletop with his hand, and his smile became happy again, and he said:

"Just wait, until now, it's not a matter of the past few days."

On October 13, the tenth year of Wanli, Feng Bao came to Cining Palace for two consecutive days. On this day, he finally followed Emperor Wanli to court. He also wanted to show up at the court meeting. There were already rumors outside, and he wanted to show up to calm the rumors, but on this day Zhang Cheng took leave to recuperate.

Wenyuan Pavilion is in the meeting, and the Cining Palace is extremely quiet. Empress Dowager Cisheng, who is sitting on the chair, looks indifferent and cannot see joy, anger, sorrow and happiness.

The female confidant officials all bowed their heads and held their breath, and were extremely nervous. On the ground in front of Li, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing were kneeling there with their bodies prostrated, without looking up.

"You are all old people from Prince Yu's Mansion, so what if you really do?"

Empress Dowager Cisheng asked in a somewhat desolate tone. Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing touched the ground with their heads again, but did not say anything. Empress Dowager Li shook her head slowly and said:

"Zhang Hong wrote a special memorial, saying that Feng Bao asked for a title, was arrogant and unrestrained, no longer loyal and cautious, and would be in charge of the seal for a long time, which would cause great harm... Feng Bao had been in this position for a long time and had indeed forgotten his duty as a servant..."

Empress Dowager Li's words were not so much for Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing to hear, but rather for him, the two people kneeling below were a little confused, but the two knelt there and did everything they should do, and the rest was not something they could do.

"The Ai family is a little tired, you guys go down."

Empress Dowager Cisheng, Li, said to Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing with exhaustion, and the two below hurriedly saluted respectfully and then left.

Empress Dowager Li is the most powerful person in the Forbidden City. She is the master of the eunuchs. However, the forces and voices represented by Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jing and Zhang Hong are not something she can ignore. Besides, she really is unwilling to continue watching what Feng Bao did. The surname Zhu in the Ming Dynasty was not Feng, and Feng Bao's actions had lost his duty. Moreover, the attacks on Feng Bao outside the palace had begun. What disappointed her was that these attacks were true.

The female officials of Cining Palace were not much more relaxed after Zhang Cheng and the others left, because Empress Dowager Li had been silent there and they did not dare to move.

Perhaps it was an hour, or two hours, the eunuch outside the door asked the palace maid at the door if he wanted to pass the meal. The voice was very light, but the room was quiet, and Empress Dowager Li still heard it.

Empress Dowager Cisheng Li stretched out his hand and stroked his head, which was not messy on his temples. The female official Jinxiu thought the empress dowager wanted to pass on the meal, so she hurried forward, and Empress Dowager Li whispered:

"You go and bring a message to the emperor... let's handle everything impartially..."

The female official Jinxiu's body was shocked, but she still agreed quickly. As soon as she turned around and walked to the door, Empress Dowager Li shouted again, trying to say something, but hesitated for a while, but still didn't open her mouth and waved to let Jinxiu go.

On October 15, the 10th year of Wanli, the Shandong Censor Jiangdong, impeached Wang Zhuan, the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel, to collude with Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the seal. Wang Zhuan, the eunuch in charge of the seal, and Wang Zhuan, led the commander of the Jinyiwei, bribed Feng Bao 50,000 taels through the Jinyiwei commander Xu Jue, and sought the position of Minister of Personnel.

On October 16th, the Zhili Inspector Wang Guo submitted a memorial to impeach Wang Zhuan with ten bundles of jade belts and bribe Feng Bao with 30,000 taels of silver. There was no reply in the palace and he would not be left.

On the 17th, another censor Li Tingyan submitted a memorial to impeach Wang Zhuan. The scholar Wenhui of the capital wrote a text to criticize him. Public opinion had already been established. Finally, news came out in the palace. Feng Bao asked to see the Empress Dowager, but Empress Dowager Li disappeared. This seemingly irrelevant news shows a lot. Wang Zhuan, the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel, also disappeared. He also wrote a memorial to resign on the 20th.

On the 21st, Emperor Wanli allowed him to retire and return to his hometown to retire. Wang Zhuan was Zhang Juzheng's family. He was one of the leaders of his disciples after Zhang Juzheng's death. He was defeated in the officialdom. Zeng Shengwu, who was also the core, had already retired and returned to his hometown. Shen Shixing, who was regarded as his heir, was recuperating behind closed doors.

Feng Bao, an alliance of Zhang Juzheng's one-party, has already lost power.

From mid-July to the end of October, in just four months, the new cabinet assistant Zhang Siwei established his position.
Chapter completed!