《明史·列传·卷一百四十三》
陛下想整顿朝廷纪纲，驱除外患，那帮大臣就用严刑峻法，打击百官，陛下想革弊防奸，以一警百，那帮大臣就以此借题发挥，制造矛盾，招揽权力。
不救凌围，而谓凌城必不可筑；不理岛民，而谓岛众必不可用；兵逃于久顿，而谓乱生于无兵；饷糜于漏邑，而谓功销于无饷。
When His Majesty wanted to rectify the court's discipline and expel foreign enemies, those ministers used harsh laws to attack all officials; when His Majesty wanted to eliminate corruption and prevent treachery, to warn many by punishing one, those ministers would use this as an opportunity to create contradictions and seize power.