first minister

Chapter 356
Gongsun Jing's words were like a bright light, instantly illuminating the dark night in front of him.

The news that Yan Zhi had told him tonight flashed through Xia Jingyun's mind.

There is a turbulent undercurrent in those courts, and there is news about to happen.

He looked at Gongsun Jing, "Who knows this news now?"

Gongsun Jinglue said with a bit of pride: "These are the people specially sent by the Hou Mansion to follow General Yue. They reported back as soon as the battle situation there was determined. At this moment, the palace has not received any news. ! A more accurate military report will probably be sent after the battlefield is inventoried."

Xia Jingyun nodded slowly, "Thank you for your hard work. Then hold on to this news and don't tell anyone else. At the same time, send a few people to stop the messenger behind and ask him to come and report it at the meeting tomorrow."

Gongsun Jing quickly agreed, but when he saw Xia Jingyun walking out, he asked curiously: "Sir, it's so late, where are you going?"

Xia Jingyun said calmly: "Enter the palace. When a minister learns about such matters, he should report them to Your Majesty as soon as possible."

Gongsun Jing's heart sank, and he quickly apologized: "Young master, I forgive you, I was just in a hurry, I never thought of so much."

Xia Jingyun smiled and reached out to help him up, "Just be careful in the future. The more the situation is like this, the less likely it is to follow the truth."

Gongsun Jing responded respectfully and sent Xia Jingyun out of the house with admiration.
-
All the way into the palace, Xia Jingyun sat in the imperial study room for a while, and then waited for the figure of Concubine De.

"Wei Chen has seen the Empress Dowager."

Xia Jingyun leaned over and bowed, but received no response to his serious greeting for a long time. He raised his head in surprise and found himself behind the bead curtain, with eyebrows that seemed to be frowning but not frowning, and a pair of eyes that seemed to be resentful but not resentful.

Xia Jingyun sighed in his heart and said quickly: "Sister, the news just came from Sishui Pass. Jiang Yuhu was in front of Sishui Pass today, with three thousand to fifty thousand. He defeated the coalition forces of Lu Rusong and Xiao Fengshan in a battle, and captured Lu Rusong and Xiao Fengshan alive on the spot. Two thieves."

After hearing the news, Concubine De also returned to the state of mind that a queen mother who listens to politics behind the curtain should have. A trace of sincere joy flashed across her face, and she said happily: "In this way, the biggest hidden danger to the court has been eliminated. The Jiang family's Jade Tiger is well-deserved. This is a great achievement!"

Xia Jingyun nodded and said: "However, I have asked someone to temporarily stop the messenger and wait until the meeting tomorrow to deliver the message."

After hearing this, Concubine De did not express any objection, but looked at him with an inquiring expression, obviously wanting to hear what he wanted.

Xia Jingyun said softly: "When the news came that Lu Rusong and Xiao Fengshan were knocking on the pass, the nobles and some unwilling people in the court felt that they had finally waited for the opportunity, and they were all ready to make a move. From the news that Yanzhi found out, they planned to start an uprising to respond. Although some do not have them, they want to take the opportunity to seize the vacant leadership position in the noble group, and some want to recruit those who are now frustrated. In short, they are not settled."

He went on to explain: "Now that we have taken charge of the court for the first time, although we have achieved great righteousness, we are still far from truly controlling the court. The forces of all parties are far from reaching a balance. Now we just take this opportunity to let the They teach us a lesson and give us more time to plan."

Concubine De nodded slightly, not surprised by the news, "When we were in the East Palace, we killed so many clan members at once. I find it strange that they didn't jump out and do something."

She looked at Xia Jingyun and said, "You can make up your mind on matters concerning the outer court. I trust you."

After speaking, Concubine De touched her chest gently, frowning with a hint of bitterness on her face.

"Sister, what's the matter with you?"

Concubine De waved her hand, "I may have suffered some cold, and I will recover in a few days. What do you need me to do in the court tomorrow?"

Xia Jingyun shook his head, "Sister, just wait and see what happens."

He bowed and said, "I came into the palace late at night and disturbed my sister's rest. I will take my leave."

Concubine De hummed and watched Xia Jingyun step out of the tall palace door. She sat quietly for a moment before slowly getting up and walking towards the harem.

Walking among the palaces, Concubine De asked softly: "How has Concubine Shu been doing these past two days?"

Aunt Yuan said softly: "At first she was crying and begging, then she was cursing. Now she is roaring from time to time, beating and cursing the palace people wantonly. If she knows about her father again, she may not be able to hold on anymore, right?"

Concubine De said calmly: "Then let her know."

Grandma Yuan was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."

"Let's wait until tomorrow after the meeting."

After saying that, Concubine De walked into the palace, glanced at the sleeping Dongfang Bai, gently tucked him in, and returned to her bed to sleep.

The day is getting brighter.
-
In Prince Cheng's Mansion, Princess Cheng helped her husband arrange his court clothes, while frowning and persuading in a gentle voice: "My lord, are you really going to provoke those things?"

Before King Cheng could answer, the Crown Prince Cheng beside him spoke, "Mom, you don't understand! Now that all the clan members and nobles in the court have been slaughtered, in terms of prestige, seniority, and ability, it is the father and the king who should support them. This is the end. The nobles gathered together, and their strength is not bad. Now that there is no leader, it is time to continue to find a backer. My father will just win them over. By then, my father will also be on top of the court. A very important person.”

Princess Cheng snorted, "You have also been deceived by that Marquis of Laiyang. We are now the emperor's uncles. We have a distinguished status and have no shortage of food and clothing. Wouldn't it be good to live a peaceful life?"

"What do you know about women?" King Cheng finally reprimanded: "It is precisely because I am now the emperor's uncle that I am ready to show my ambition."

He looked into the distance. What man doesn't have the desire for power in his heart?

Prince Xiaoyao, the rich and idle man, may sound nice, but only those who do not have wealth and are busy working all day long to make a living will yearn for it.

He was born with these, but under the suspicion of the emperor's brother, he had to be cautious and hide his edge at every turn. Now that the emperor's brother has passed away, the young emperor has come to the throne, the British Duke has lost power, and there are countless power vacancies waiting for him to seize, he is so majestic. Man, how can you not be moved!

That Xia Jingyun is indeed a talented person, but he still doesn't have the ability to dominate the court where power is constantly being fought. He comes from a rural background and doesn't know how power works.

He thought that he could sit back and relax after gaining His Majesty's trust, but he thought too simply. Even those sitting on the dragon throne would be divided into real emperors and "fake" emperors.

Thinking of this, he shook his court clothes, held his head high and walked out of the palace.

Behind him was the prince who loudly wished his father a "triumph" and the worried princess.
-
The Prime Minister Wan Wenbi got up from bed early and slowly moved his muscles and bones in the courtyard according to the health-preserving boxing rules taught by an old miracle doctor.

As the saying goes, people are in high spirits during happy events. Under the nourishment of power, Wan Wenbi, who had gradually shown his age under the light of Qin Weizhong and Xiao Fengshan, now seems to have a second spring and is several years younger.

After the activity, the maid washed and washed, then came to the dining room, where the eldest son personally served him breakfast.

Because of Wan Wenbi's current status, the son of the family could finally proudly say "my prime minister father" outside, and then received a lot of applause, so he paid Wan Wenbi even more compliments.

"Father, I heard that Marquis Jianning will be moving to a new residence in a few days. We must prepare gifts, right?"

Wan Wenbi nodded, "This is natural. Pick the best ones and give them to your father."

The eldest son pursed his lips and made a low hum.

Wan Wenbi smiled slightly, "What? I feel that my father is the prime minister of the dynasty and his superior. He is just a mover. My father not only has to give gifts in person but also attend banquets in person. Is this a bit flattering?"

The eldest son sighed, obviously not wanting to express his grievances.Wan Wenbi smiled faintly, stepped back, and looked at his son, "In matters involving the court, you can't just look at appearances. When my father reached a gentleman's agreement with Marquis Jianning, to a certain extent, as a father, The position is indeed rewarded by him, and the respect that should be given to him is naturally given to him as a father."

Seeing the aggrieved look on his eldest son's face, Wan Wenbi laughed and said, "You only have a partial understanding of the political affairs of the court."

He slowly stood up and paced with his hands behind his back, "I owe my fatherhood to him, so I will not betray him, let alone the Queen Mother and Your Majesty. However, this does not mean that I will do everything for him. Follow the horse's lead and be a puppet whose fate depends on your thoughts."

"The acquisition and application of power are two different things. Once you have acquired power, you have the title to exercise power. However, whether you can do it well and how far you can use this power is a matter for everyone. The throne of the emperor is supreme. , but are there still too few puppet emperors throughout the ages?"

He looked at his son who seemed to understand, "Everyone in the world despises Qin Weizhong, but who doesn't want to be as powerful as Qin Weizhong? What Marquis Jianning relies on is nothing more than His Majesty's trust, as if he should be a powerful minister. One person is less than ten thousand people. But in the court, nothing is taken for granted under power. Now the nobles are leaderless, and the group of courtiers who followed the prince have been deposed one after another. If the father can take all these people By winning over him, and adding his father's old subordinates, his father can slowly build his own power in the court. By then, his father's fate will no longer be decided by him. It is not something he has to wait for an extraordinary opportunity. Who can have the courage to massacre the whole dynasty!"

The eldest son nodded slowly, with a look of admiration on his face, "My father's good words have taught me a lesson."

Wan Wenbi waved his hand, "This is a heart-to-heart talk between you and me, father and son. You also need to remember that you cannot be domineering and ignore him. When the strength of both parties changes, everything will naturally fall into place."

The eldest son nodded excitedly.

"Well, Haosheng took good care of the house and went to court for his father."

Wan Wenbi picked up a wet cloth soaked in warm water and wiped his mouth, then stood up and walked out the door.

There was a sedan waiting at the door early, and Wan Wenbi got on it. The sedan swayed and took the new prime minister to the first court meeting after the new emperor's coronation ceremony.

After getting off the sedan chair, Wan Wenbi walked out with square steps. Officials around him gathered to greet him.

Wan Wenbi nodded slowly, glanced at King Cheng who was standing at the front of the team, walked up to Xia Jingyun, and took the initiative to say hello with a smile, "Marquis Jianning is here early!"

Xia Jingyun smiled slightly and said without exaggerating, "I've seen everything."

"Why should we be so polite between you and me?" Wan Wenbi smiled, holding his arm, and then whispered: "Yesterday, His Majesty's edict talked about demotion and amnesty. I'm afraid there will be some words in the court today! You see, King Cheng has come to court today."

Xia Jingyun looked startled, then nodded heavily, "Thank you Wanxiang for reminding me! Without you, I would have been caught off guard today!"

Wan Wenbi smiled slightly and said, "You and I are in the same boat, so why talk about this? The truth will be revealed by then. However, Marquis Jianning is an amazing talent. You should know that people in the court cannot go straight and forward like an army."

Xia Jingyun nodded repeatedly, "I naturally know that, and I'll thank you for your help."

Just as he was talking, the palace door slowly opened. Wan Wenbi and Xia Jingyun separated, returned to their respective positions, and walked into the palace door along the long doorway.

Above the court hall, Dongfang Bai was sitting on the dragon chair, with a bead curtain hanging down on one side, covering the imperial concubine's stunning appearance, and adding a bit of secrecy under her power.

After several mediocre duets, a Hanlin scholar stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have this memorial!"

Dongfang Bai said in his still immature childish voice: "Yes."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the clansmen and nobles have been the pillars of the country since ancient times, protecting the country and resting with the country. This time, they rebelled against Dongfang Ming. They were crazy and brutally killed hundreds of clansmen and nobles, and even the clansmen and nobles were extremely powerful. Reduced. I am afraid that if there are changes in the future, without these clan members and nobles to help, the country will be in danger. Therefore, I would like to request that the remaining clan members and nobles be ennobled to strengthen their strength and stabilize the country."

His words were like a signal, and another official doctor immediately came out and said:

"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, the traitor Dongfang Ming caused chaos this time. Fortunately, Your Majesty set things right, so that the truth can be clarified to the world and the country's crisis situation can be restored. However, many ministers who served in the traitor court were demoted this time and were demoted several levels. He was demoted to a squalid place on the frontier, or even directly imprisoned. However, at that time, the late emperor suddenly died, and Dongfang Ming ascended the throne in the name of the crown prince. His crime was not exposed to the world, and the courtiers welcomed him as a monarch. There was no big mistake. The court Talents are rare, should we consider this matter again?"

"I second the proposal! Your Majesty, Queen Mother, please think again!"

"I second the proposal! Your Majesty, Queen Mother, please think again!"

"absurd!"

Just when the crowd in the court seemed to be in full swing, a voice said coldly: "When Taizu founded the country, how noble were the clan members? Is there any problem with the country? Even if we suffer this misfortune now, the clan members are far more noble than Taizu. How could there be so little in those days? Furthermore, during the reign of Emperor Gong, the country was in turmoil. The person who saved Great Xia from danger was not the clan honors, but the military god! Why must we add clan honors in the name of An Sheji? What’s the reason for being expensive?”

Wei Yuanzhi was impassioned, with an angry look on his face, showed no mercy, and didn't care about offending others. This made many people's expressions change, but he was not finished yet.

He snorted and continued: "As for the idea of ​​forgiving an official who was a thief in the past, it is even more ridiculous. If the debate between loyalty and traitor is vague, what fundamental meaning does this court and this country have? Your Majesty, please. Strictly investigate those who hold this theory, they must be traitors!"

"you!"

"How could Wei Shangshu say such a thing!"

In the midst of the unfounded rebuttals, a voice said leisurely: "Master Wei, what you said is wrong!"

King Cheng stepped out of the queue and saluted Concubine De and Dongfang Bai, "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, if it is according to Master Wei's words, the traitor Dongfang Ming ascended the throne that day, including myself, and all the princes in the court at this moment, have not If we have objected, then should we all be demoted or imprisoned?"

Wei Yuanzhi snorted, "The edict issued by the Queen Mother and Your Majesty is only for those who flatter the traitors, do not repent, and resist the king's master. The rest have been forgiven based on the actual situation. Why should His Majesty Chengwang confuse right and wrong! In the past, you I rarely come to court, but today I took the initiative to go to court, and by making this statement, could it be that I want to replace Lu Rusong and become the head of the clan?"

King Cheng did not expect that Wei Yuanzhi would show no mercy at all, so he spoke directly like this, and immediately panicked, "Wei Yuanzhi! Today is the first court meeting after His Majesty's enthronement ceremony. What's wrong with me going to court to congratulate him? How can you spit on someone! This This is the court, not the backyard of your home. How can we allow you to talk nonsense! Your Majesty, Queen Mother, please kill this beast to rectify the imperial court!"

"Haha! Your Highness, King Cheng, please calm down."

Feeling that the heat was almost over, Wan Wenbi stood up slowly and said, "Shang Shu Wei, please calm down. Although the previous comments of the ministers were biased, there is one point that must be considered."

He looked at Wei Yuanzhi, "Just as Wei Shangshu mentioned a name before, please don't forget it. Lu Rusong and Xiao Fengshan are now arraying tens of thousands of troops in front of Sishui Pass to threaten the capital! In my opinion, , the remarks of King Cheng and Wei Shangshu can be slightly reconciled. If the imperial court can grant some representatives of kinship nobles to show their kindness and make them grateful, it can eliminate the possibility of great disasters caused by the nobles colluding with foreign thieves. Secondly, he can mitigate the crimes of those who are thieves as appropriate to show his generosity and benevolence, and then order people to publicize it widely in front of Sishui Pass. Secondly, the rebellious subordinates can have no worries, and maybe they can be defeated without a fight. Isn’t it beautiful?”

These words were well-founded, fair and peaceful, and the courtiers who had previously remained neutral on the matter also nodded their heads. This was indeed a good idea!
If you follow this idea, there is indeed a need for such an operation!

After all, those tens of thousands of thieves are outside Sishui Pass, only half a day's journey from Zhongjing Kuaima!
Although Xiangyang surrendered and Guangling took over, there was no worries about the future, but it was still a big trouble!
As expected of all things, long-term considerations, rationality and restraint are the blessings of the country!
Listening to the whispers in his ears and watching the reactions of the court officials, Wan Wenbi was very satisfied and smiled while twitching his beard.

"Report!"

Outside the hall door, a loud shout suddenly sounded, and then a figure knelt outside the hall from far to near.

"The Queen Mother! Your Majesty! Urgent report at Sishui Pass! Yesterday, the little army god defeated the rebel army from [-] to [-] at Sishui Pass, and captured the rebels Lu Rusong and Xiao Fengshan alive!"

The loud report echoed in the high and empty palace. Other than that, there was no sound from the officials in the palace.

Xia Jingyun's lips curled up slightly, his smile disdainful.

　There was a serious glitch, and the expedited code came out a little late.

　　or2!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)