first minister

Chapter 319
No matter how dark the night is, it will all pass.

This is a very important reason why people have persisted in living for thousands of years.

If eternity is really like a long night, I don’t know how many people will survive.

But for Wei Yuanzhi, it was dawn outside, and his dark night seemed to have just begun.

As an important minister under Concubine De, he was naturally reminded by Su Yuanshang, but whether it was Su Yuanshang who sent someone to deliver the message or he who received the news, he knew that it was just for peace of mind, which was better than nothing. Su Yuanshang Ordinary people like Shang and Gongsun Jing could naturally find excuses to dismiss their servants and run away. How could he run away as a minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs?
He once hoped that this was just Xia Jingyun's over-speculation due to his concern and confusion, but when the bad news came, he realized that Xia Jingyun was really powerful and his current situation was really difficult to handle.

He finished his breakfast slowly, put down his chopsticks, and called his old wife over, "Help me see if the court clothes are on properly."

The old wife at home pursed her lips and said, "You have worn official uniforms for most of your life, and you still need me to show you!"

While he was complaining, his hands kept helping him take care of every aspect of his court uniform.

Wei Yuanzhi looked at her, "I heard that Shitouji has a new gouache that can remove wrinkles when applied to the face. Let the maid accompany you to have a look later."

"Well, you surnamed Wei! You think I'm old, don't you?"

The old wife pretended to be angry and pinched him, and then sighed softly: "At this age, why are you spending that unjust money? It would be great to save some coffin books for my two sons."

Wei Yuanzhi smiled and said: "You are the virtue of this small family!"

As he spoke, he strode out, walked to the door, looked back, waved his hand, and smiled.

But he just loves it.

I got on the sedan chair and arrived outside the palace city.

As soon as he walked down, he felt that something was not right about the wind today.

Colleagues who were originally enthusiastic were now avoiding his location like the god of plague.

Those who once tried to curry favor with him didn't even dare to look at him.

And those officials who were already at odds with him were in groups, looking over with eyes full of gloating.

Needless to say, the prince's faction, once the prince ascends the throne, what awaits them is the Qingyun Avenue;
Although the British male line did not get the biggest fruits, the British male line now holds military power and is said to be the main support for the crown prince's ascension to the throne, so naturally it can also gain a lot of benefits;
The original Qin Xiang faction, those who got close to it, have all been dealt with, and now the remaining ones have either changed their factions, or have joined the neutral faction. Now they are good or bad, but they don't have any big worries;
They all have bright futures.

Only the Concubine lineage, which has been in the limelight in recent months, is now bound to be liquidated by the new monarch and the British father, and is already a piece of cake on the chopping board.

Before Wei Yuanzhi went out, he was mentally prepared for this. He didn't take it seriously and stood calmly in his position.

Not long after, Wang Ruoshui came over. It was obvious that he had been treated in the same way, but he was not in the same state of mind as Wei Yuanzhi. He frowned and looked at him worriedly, "Old Wei."

Wei Yuanzhi interrupted him calmly, "Calm down, you are also a minister after all, an important minister of the imperial court, and the imperial court has its own dignity."

Not long after, the doors on both sides were opened, and the civil and military officials filed in through their own doorways, walked into the palace city, and all the way to the Huangji Palace.

Many people have come to this court more than once, but this is the first time for most of them to see someone other than Emperor Chongning sitting on the dragon chair.

When His Highness the Crown Prince, oh no, the figure of the new monarch walked out from behind the screen and came to the dragon chair, under the leadership of the central ministers, everyone hurriedly bowed down.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

Dongfang Ming had already sat on this dragon chair early this morning, but at this moment the sky was bright and the central axis of the entire Zhongjing City was spread out in front of his eyes. The ministers bowed their heads and all the people respected him. Only then did he finally realize what it means to be the Supreme Emperor.

"All the gentlemen are flat."

He spoke slowly, speaking at a slower pace, displaying the majesty of an emperor, "Last night the rebels showed off their evil, the emperor's star was dusted, and the late emperor passed away. I am extremely sad. However, the situation in the government is in turmoil and the world is in chaos. The country cannot live without a king for a day. I As the crown prince, I will succeed to the throne in front of my soul. Peace of the world is my top priority, peace of mind for the people is my great responsibility, and I will keep everything else simple. Today is my first court meeting. If you have any suggestions, please speak frankly. I sincerely Be all ears."

After some high-sounding words were spoken, the court became lively with suggestions from careerists and enthusiasts.

Wei Yuanzhi knew that the matter had come to this, and that his personal resistance or fighting would not be enough to achieve anything, so he simply did not speak and just stood in the hall and listened silently.

In the end, this impromptu meeting did not settle on anything truly remarkable.

Because real big things are never discussed in a crowded place.

In today's court meeting, in addition to establishing the identity of a monarch and his ministers, allowing the new monarch to show his face in front of the ministers, and calming the hearts of the people in the city, there are only two biggest news.

First, the new king succeeded to the throne, changed the Yuan Dynasty to Taichu, and granted amnesty to the world. The time suddenly changed from the 24th year of Chongning to the first year of Taichu, revealing a sense of change.

Secondly, although everything was kept simple during this extraordinary period, the imperial court was still abolished for three days to mourn for the late emperor. The entire city of Zhongjing also followed the old practice of mourning for the late emperor for three days and prohibited silk and bamboo entertainment.At the same time, the capital was under martial law for three days, and within a three-day period, the remnants of the regicide thieves were captured to comfort the spirit of the late emperor.

No one from the civil and military officials raised a voice to question it. The prince had a righteous name, and the British army of [-] was outside. The struggle was in vain.

After the dispersion of the dynasty, the three sealing imperial edicts were the first to attract the hearts of the ministers.

According to previous rumors, the British Duke Lu Rusong joined Dr. Ronglu, Zuo Zhuguo and Taifu.

Xiao Fengshan, the governor of Longshou Prefecture, was promoted to Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, Shangshu Youpuse and Shangshu of the Ministry of War. He rose to the top in one step and gained great power.

Wan Wenbi, the deputy prime minister of the DPRK, was promoted to Minister Zuopushe, also known as prime minister, as he wished, as a reward for his "knowledge and interest" last night.

For a time, everyone in the court smelled the news of a major reshuffle in the court.

Many people have even begun to be active, and among them, the most focused and discussed positions are the two ministers of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Husbandry.

In the evening after the dynasty ended, Wei Yuanzhi received the visiting Wang Ruoshui in his mansion.

Seeing Wang Ruoshui sitting down and wanting to speak, Wei Yuanzhi reached out and pressed the button, and then started to make tea leisurely, "Qingyuan, don't be anxious, maybe this is the last time we get together, Qingyuan. Have a cup of tea.”

The mountain spring water was boiling on the stove. Wei Yuanzhi made a pot of tea and gave Wang Ruoshui a cup. Then he held the cup and said with a smile: "Tell me, what's the matter?"

Wang Ruoshui glanced at the clear tea soup, then looked at the old man in front of him, and said slowly: "After the court dismissed today, His Majesty summoned me."

Wei Yuanzhi's expression was slightly startled, and his eyes were slightly sharper.

"Oh? What does our new Majesty say?"

Wang Ruoshui suddenly felt that he had already drafted his words, which was a bit difficult to say. He paused and then said: "Your Majesty said, you and I made no mistakes in our duties. The atmosphere in the court was like this at the time, and everyone was his own master. It was our fault. As long as Mr. Wei can tell Su Yuanshang where they have gone and at the same time surrender to His Majesty, he will forget about it and still use me and me."

Wei Yuanzhi took a sip of tea silently, "I am the leading figure under the Queen's command. If I surrender to the new king, I will naturally set an example. Even if the Queen and His Highness the Prince of Jiaodong County really make some waves in the future, people's hearts will be dispersed." , there’s nothing to worry about anymore.”

Wang Ruoshui nodded, "That's what I mean. So His Majesty said that as long as you do this, you can enter the center, and I can also remove the word "agent" and become the real Minister of Rites."

"I don't have much burden to act like this." Wei Yuanzhi smiled faintly, his expression suddenly changed, he looked at Wang Ruoshui and said in a deep voice: "But you Wang Qingyuan, where did you get your face!"

"Before I joined the army of the empress, I was the chief minister of a state and border area. The empress and the Hou Mansion didn't help me much, but what about you!" "You were a little doctor in the Ministry of Etiquette who could hardly save your life. It was Mr. Xia and the empress who worked hard to save your life. In just over a month, you went from being an inconspicuous doctor to being the Minister of Rites. You have traveled a road that many people will never be able to complete in a lifetime! How can you turn your back on them so calmly! Use their safety as a stepping stone to your official position!"

Wei Yuanzhi's angry rebuke made Wang Ruoshui a little ashamed. He couldn't help but pick up the tea and wanted to take a sip, but Wei Yuanzhi directly reached out and knocked it away, "You don't deserve to drink my tea!"

The tea cup fell to the ground with a crisp sound, which seemed to have broken Wang Ruoshui's emotional shackles. He immediately looked sullen and said, "As a minister of Daxia, is it wrong for me to be loyal to His Majesty? You, on the other hand, just want to They are just trying to form a clique for personal gain, they don’t even understand the duties of a minister, and they are still making excuses here!”

"Your Majesty?" Wei Yuanzhi sneered, "You are also a minister, can't you understand the problem? The late emperor was in good health and a man of foresight. He left the palace and Beijing and went to the military camp. How could Qin Sichao and that man be unprepared? Old man, even if he is brave enough, the British prince has [-] troops and the most elite black cavalry in Heibingtai! How could these two people succeed? As soon as the majesty died, the prince could not wait to succeed to the throne. And the British prince, who has always been at odds with the prince, is actually the prince's biggest helper in ascending to the throne. Doesn't this explain the problem? Do you, the Minister of Rites, know this information? "

He looked at Wang Ruoshui with disdain, "Don't talk about your high-sounding nonsense in front of me. You are obsessed with fame. If you want to be a villain, do it on your own. Whether you deceive yourself or others, or lose your conscience, that is your choice. Don't do it in front of me." This is dirtying my ears!"

Wang Ruoshui's face turned green and white after being scolded, and he insisted: "Master Wei, don't be stubborn. No matter what the facts are, the overall situation of His Majesty's accession to the throne has been decided! With great justice and military power in hand, there can be no changes! Virtue! The concubine is gone! He, Xia Jingyun, has great abilities, but he can't change the world! He who knows the current affairs is a hero! You don't think about yourself, you also have to think about your family!"

Facing the temptation and coercion from his former "comrade-in-arms", Wei Yuanzhi snorted coldly, "Justice is in the heart of the people. I have been doing things all my life, sometimes doing tricks or making deals, but I have never had a clear conscience. Get out of here! If I look at you one more time, I will I feel disgusting!”

Wang Ruoshui rolled his sleeves bitterly, "Wei Yuanzhi, you will regret it!"

In the evening, Wei Yuanzhi sat in the dining room, eating dinner with his old wife and son.

As the Minister of Household Affairs in charge of the world's money, grain and taxation, there were only four simple dishes and one soup on the dinner table.

While eating, there was a sudden noise outside. A group of gray-clothed rats from the Black Ice Platform rushed in. The man in black at the head said, "Master Wei, come with us."

Wei Yuanzhi turned to look at him and said calmly: "Wait until I finish this bowl of rice."

Perhaps this indifferent attitude shocked the man in black, but the man in black did not stop him. He just stood outside the door silently, watching Wei Yuanzhi eat his meal slowly.

He put down the bowl and smiled at his old wife and son, "I have a good appetite today. I originally wanted to add another bowl of rice, but after thinking about it, I decided not to. Remember what I just told you, don't try to save me, it's useless. .”

After saying that, he stood up and looked at the man in black, "Let's go."

The spies from Black Ice Platform involuntarily moved out of the way.

On the first day of the new king's accession to the throne, Wei Yuanzhi, the former highest-ranking minister under Concubine De, was imprisoned because of a report from Wang Ruoshui, the Minister of Rites! ——
boom!
A basin of cold water was poured on his head, and the old man with bruises all over his body and gray hair opened his eyes weakly.

"Father, how are you? Have you thought about it?"

In the prison in the palace, a young eunuch looked at Gao Yi and said coldly.

Gao Yi said hoarsely: "I really don't know where Jin Zhong and his wife went."

"Gan Linliang! He's really a tough guy!"

The young eunuch cursed, this was the first test for him to surrender to Eunuch Dong. If he could not perform to the satisfaction of Eunuch Dong, wouldn't his glory and wealth be in ruins?

With a sinister look on his face, he stepped forward and said: "Father, I know that you have always regretted entering the palace all your life, and you have always hoped that someone would treat you as a man. You also often teach us that the body is no longer a man. , but my opinion is that of a man. I will give you another hour to think about it. After an hour, if you still don’t say anything, I will ask Eunuch Dong for permission to strip you naked and tie you to a wooden frame for everyone in the city to see. , the dignified chamberlain who used to be so arrogant that even the princes and kings had to give face to him. Underneath his robe is that kind of virtue! You will also become the first eunuch to parade naked in the streets in hundreds of years. Don’t you want to leave your name in history? , this will definitely leave a lasting name in history!”

Gao Yi suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with uncontrollable anger and piercing sadness.

"However, as long as you recruit honestly, this matter won't be solved. The child will ask Eunuch Dong for instructions, so that you can leave the palace to take care of yourself in old age, and adopt a few adopted sons who can truly lead the family, and pass on the incense of the Gao family to you. , spend your remaining years peacefully. Think carefully about what you want to choose!"

Gao Yi was silent for a moment and said hoarsely: "I said, I don't know."

"Old man! You are really looking for death!"

The young eunuch cursed angrily, grabbed the triangular iron from the charcoal basin on the side, and pressed it on Gao Yi's body.

A shrill howl immediately resounded throughout the small torture room.
-
At the same time, outside Liancheng County, more than 100 miles away from Zhongjing City, a ship that had been drifting on the water for many days finally slowly docked at the dock.

The two men disembarked from the boat and disappeared into the evening dusk.

Not long after, two rental carriages came speeding over.

Xia Jingyun, who was slightly disguised, mingled in the group and followed Qin Li and Su Yanyan. The group got off the boat and got directly into the carriage as if they were two wealthy daughters traveling together.

Then the carriage drove into the city, and the group came to an inn and settled down under pseudonyms.

After taking a short break, Su Yanyan and Qin Li walked into Xia Jingyun's room. Looking at Xia Jingyun who was scribbling on the paper with pen and ink spread out and frowning, Su Yanyan said softly: "Are you still worried about the capital?"

Xia Jingyun hummed, "I have had some free time on the ship these days. I reviewed the situation in Longshou Prefecture, and the more I thought about it, the more something was wrong. Xiao Fengshan's blockade and sending troops to trap me seemed justifiable, but at the same time it was also a stroke of genius. It means, but it is a completely redundant trick. He is not in Longshou State, and there is nothing I can do against him. As long as he holds the military power, I will never be able to overcome the difficulty. I think he must have some other intention. I didn't expect it. .”

Qin Li asked: "Is it possible that he is simply afraid that you will cause trouble?"

"That's the crux of the matter. What trouble can I make?"

Xia Jingyun looked at them, "The British Duke came with [-] troops from the imperial court. How can Xiao Fengshan deal with it? According to the intelligence we received along the way, Xiao Fengshan was arrested after the British Duke made a little trick. Do you think this is normal? Is this how a person who has given His Majesty a headache for several years should behave like a world-renowned hero?"

Qin Li shook his head and said: "But the British Duke supports the Prince of Linjiang and Xiao Fengshan supports the Crown Prince. These two are incompatible. Can they still collude together?"

Xia Jingyun nodded, "I thought so too at first, but after thinking about it carefully these days, it's really possible!"

He looked at the surprised two girls and said, "For example, if we are sure that His Majesty is really ready to give the crown prince's position to Linjiang County Prince, as long as this matter comes to pass, both we and the crown prince will die. Putting aside morality, is it possible? Is there no basis for cooperation between us and the prince? On the contrary, we are almost bound to cooperate, because joining forces to overthrow the Prince of Linjiang first becomes our only way out."

Su Yanyan thought for a while and then shook his head, "However, His Majesty has not shown any absolute inclination to pass the position to the Prince of Jiaodong. They will not act like this."

"What if someone has a way to make the British public believe it? After all, he is a martial artist and his brain is indeed not that good."

Qin Li and Su Yanyan wanted to refute, but they looked at each other and found themselves speechless.

Finally, Qin Li asked, "Although the British public is not as smart as you, he is not a fool. Who has the ability to convince the British public?"

"This is not something I can guess out of thin air." Xia Jingyun put down his pen, "A few days ago I asked someone to go back quickly to deliver the letter. I still want to remind my sister and Your Majesty. I don't know if the letter has been delivered. As long as Your Majesty doesn't If something goes wrong, the day will never be overturned, and we will have plenty of room to turn around."

Qin Li said softly: "I have already asked someone to pretend to be a servant of the Qin family with a waist card to find out the news. This place is not far from the capital, and I think the results will be available soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a rush of footsteps outside.

There was a sharp knock on the door, which made the three people in the room startled.

But when the visitor finished reporting the letter, both the man and the woman were stunned in place as if they had been struck by lightning.

"Young Master, two young ladies, I just received the news that His Majesty was assassinated in the army and died last night. The Crown Prince succeeded to the throne. This morning he summoned all the ministers to change the Yuan Dynasty to the beginning of Taichu!"

　Today’s chapter is difficult to separate, so it’s combined into one.

　　or2
　　
　
(End of this chapter)