Father, I really don’t want to be the emperor

"I am planning to go to Jiangnan. You can rest for a few days when you come back this time. We will go to Jiangnan together in three days."

Ning Fan put down his chopsticks and said to Ergou.

Ning Fan didn't eat much at breakfast, just two or three pieces of glutinous rice cakes, a small bowl of porridge, and a small plate of pickles. The other sumptuous meals on the table were just decorations.

When Ergou heard that Ning Fan was going to Jiangnan again, he couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile on his face. He knew that Ning Fan had just returned from the north and was heading to Jiangnan immediately. It seemed that Ning Fan was indeed restless. people.

"Your Majesty, how is the situation at the Government Affairs Council? When you are not in Kyoto, someone must take charge of the overall situation. Although Mr. Zhou works hard, sometimes the pressure is on him alone, and it is inevitable that he is a little weak. No arrest.”

Ergou said tactfully.

If he had not experienced being deceived by Zhou Qun this time, Ning Fan would most likely think that Er Gou was showing off his merits for Zhou Qun. But now Ning Fan already had some grudge against Zhou Qun. When he heard Er Gou say this, Some of the meaning is unclear.

Sometimes the communication between people is very clever in terms of language. Often a tone of voice or a pause can express different meanings. Ergou seems to be speaking flawlessly, but with the solemn expression on Ergou's face, Ning Fan had already guessed that Zhou Qun might have done something more serious to him.

It's just that due to the relationship between himself and Zhou Qun's monarchs, it's not convenient for Ergou to say anything in front of him. If he says too much and makes the wrong mistake, he will become a villain and slander, and Ergou is actually in a difficult position.

Ning Fan picked up the handkerchief and wiped his mouth, then threw the handkerchief on the table. Several eunuchs quickly collected the leftovers on the table and cleared the table cleanly. Ning Fan moved to the small tea room table, looking at the falling flowers outside the window in trance.

"Your West Factory secretly monitors all the officials. Could you please tell me, what kind of person is Zhou Qun behind this person?"

Ning Fan opened the skylight and spoke frankly.

In fact, there was no need for hesitation between him and Ergou. After all, the close master-servant relationship between the two had no ill feelings at all.

Having been with Ning Fan for so long, Er Gou has a very accurate grasp of Ning Fan's character. After hearing what Ning Fan said, Er Gou had already guessed that there was a high probability that there was a rift between Ning Fan and Zhou Qun.

"Generally speaking, Mr. Zhou is the same as what he looks like. He is a person who reads books from sages and sets an example for sages."

Ergou first praised Zhou Qun, but there was a twist in his tone. Ning Fan guessed that Ergou must have something to say next, so he looked out the window without saying anything and quietly waited for Ergou's next words.

"However, no one is a sage, and no one can make mistakes. Mr. Zhou has been working hard all day, busy with political affairs for His Majesty. He has more power in his hands. The more power he has, he will gradually develop some arrogance and different thoughts. , I absolutely don’t believe that Mr. Zhou has any dissatisfaction with His Majesty.”

Ergou said cautiously again, observing Ning Fan's face while speaking. When he saw that Ning Fan's face was calm and had no change, Ergou let out a sigh of relief.

"There is no doubt that Mr. Zhou's loyalty to His Majesty is unadulterated. It's just that sometimes Mr. Zhou is too self-centered and does some things based on his own preferences. Over time, it is inevitable that the courtiers will be displeased. All of them are Mr. Zhou’s disciples.”

"What your Majesty needs to govern the country is not all the aloof and arrogant people. He also needs people with real talents and learning. But Mr. Zhou does not do this. The most important thing for him when selecting and employing people is their character."

Ergou put forward his thoughts tactfully and his meaning was precise enough. Ning Fan finally understood what Zhou Qun's problem was.

In fact, the reason is that the power in Zhou Qun's hands is too great. No one dares to raise any objection to Zhou Qun, even under Ning Fan.

As the prime minister, Zhou Qun was in charge of the affairs of the government. Zhou Qun was almost the only one to worry about the affairs of the government, and Ning Fan rarely asked about them.

In addition to formulating some major principles and policies, Ning Fan often only cares about the development of military and economic aspects. Ning Fan almost does not care about the management of officials.

In this disguise, almost all administrative power was in the hands of Zhou Qun. Although Zhou Qun managed the country in an orderly manner, the current Government Affairs Council has fallen into a rigid atmosphere, and problems will inevitably arise over time.

Any small circle will breed inbreeding problems over time. These problems have bloody lessons throughout the ages.

Ning Fan couldn't help but think of a word, that was the Donglin Party. The Ming Dynasty was destroyed by the Donglin Party. This is an indisputable fact.

"So in your opinion, how should this matter be resolved? Zhou Qun is still capable. Without him, my time will be greatly wasted on useless things."

While asking Ergou, Ning Fan also put forward restrictions, that is, Zhou Qun should not be touched, but the status quo must be changed.

Ergou, on the other hand, fell into deep thought. After a slight hesitation, he said to Ning Fan: "It is spring when all the flowers are blooming. A single flower does not represent the current situation of our great society. If Mr. Zhou is allowed to take charge of the government affairs by himself, the entire court will be in trouble." If there are people like Mr. Zhou at the top and bottom, our court will fall into rigidity, so I suggest that your majesty does not recommend talents in any way. It is better to select a group of talents from the Fuxing Society and train them. "

"Jinyiwei? From the West Factory? Aren't the people here good?"

Ning Fan looked at Ergou with a half-smile.

Ergou shook his head resolutely and said with a solemn look on his face: "The purge of Jin Yiwei is imminent. If Your Majesty does not intervene in the purge of Jin Yiwei, then Jin Yiwei will slowly become corrupt. As for the West Factory, it is now under the control of the slaves. Under the circumstances, the scale of the West Factory is not large. Generally speaking, there are no major problems, but it will not be known for a long time. "

Ning Fan nodded without saying anything, and the conversation between the monarch and his ministers came to an abrupt end.

Ergou was a very sensible person. He bowed to Ning Fan, turned around and left in small steps.

Ning Fan sat alone in front of the window, drinking tea and thinking about government affairs.

Emperor Jiajing has not been in court for thirty years, but he is still able to control the government and make sure that every minister in the court does not dare to go overboard in the slightest. This is the ability of Emperor Jiajing.

Before time travel, Ning Fan used to be a person who loved reading history. Although he was a big-headed soldier, he liked reading in his spare time and his research on history was much better than that of his peers.