My father is Emperor Wu of Han, how can I be different from him?

Chapter 90: Great Revenge
After Li Cai died, Zhuang Qingzhai took over as prime minister. He was at odds with Zhang Tang. The two hated each other and fought openly and secretly in the court. But the ending was:

Zhang Tang committed suicide!

Zhuang Qingzhai also committed suicide!

After all the fighting, both of them ended up with nothing...

Of course, what we are talking about now is the original direction of history and time. When Liu Ju noticed this clue, he decisively told Zhuang Qingzhai the best solution - resign!
Serving as prime minister for an emperor named Zhu is a sure death.

Being the prime minister for the current emperor is a life-threatening situation.

Don’t touch them!

Zhuang Qingzhai has now taken over as prime minister, which is like dancing on the edge of a knife. Not only is it dangerous, but there is also Zhang Tang who is eyeing him covetously.

It's not that you can't fight, it's just that there's no need to fight. Are you rushing to jump into the fire pit?
however.

Liu Ju could not say these words directly to Zhuang Qingzhai, so he could only make up a story to discuss the necessity of resigning from office:
"Looking back at the previous prime ministers, all of them were trembling with fear and treading on thin ice, with the Imperial Censor holding them back from below and the inner court dividing their power from above."

"There are restrictions everywhere!"

"Besides, Zhang Tang has been an official for many years, and his followers are all over the government and the local areas. Shaofu has not been in the officialdom for a long time, so how can he fight with him?"

Liu Ju spoke earnestly, but Zhuang Qingzhai had no intention of backing down.

The prince still called him "Master", and Zhuang Qingzhai was very pleased, but as the saying goes, people live by their face and trees live by their bark, it was impossible for him to retreat without a fight.

Between the palace walls leading to the East Palace.

Zhuang Qingzhai took another step, his tone firm, "I know that it is difficult to be the prime minister, but which of the three dukes and nine ministers in the court is not difficult?"

"There is the emperor above and political enemies below."

"Difficulty is not a reason to retreat. As for the Zhang Tang followers that Your Highness mentioned, we will know whether we can defeat them or not only after we have fought them!"

talking.

The former Prince's tutor bowed to Liu Ju and said solemnly, "Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness and am extremely grateful!"

"I am now the Prime Minister, so Your Highness should not have too much contact with me."

"Farewell."

After saying this, Zhuang Qingzhai stood up and strode away.

Under the towering walls of Weiyang Palace, the prince stood at the back, looking at the figure leaving alone with a complicated expression.

As of today, their status as master and disciple is no longer worth discussing.

See you again.

Only the ruler and his subjects...

They both left Dongque and took the same route, but they could no longer travel on the same path. Zhuang Qingzhai went to the Prime Minister's Residence, while Liu Ju returned to the Crown Prince's Palace.

"Your Highness."

"Keep an eye on the prime minister and report any major changes in time." The master and disciple were separated, but their friendship remained. After all, Liu Ju could not sit idly by and watch Zhuang Qing and Zhai follow in the footsteps of Li Cai.

After receiving the order, Jin Midi said in a deep voice: "Yes!"

Prime Minister's House.

After Zhuang Qingzhai returned to the office, everyone could see that the prime minister looked unhappy. The clerks came in hurriedly, put down the official documents, and left in a hurry.

As the saying goes, one emperor and one courtier.

In the small "temple" of the Prime Minister's Mansion, if the chief official changes, the subordinate officials will naturally change as well.

Those close confidants recruited by Li Cai himself, who had once stood with him in front of the prince's gate, resigned on their own without Zhuang Qingzhai's intervention.

When someone goes, someone comes.

Zhuang Qingzhai was, after all, a descendant of the founding nobles and had once served as Imperial Censor, so he had both the qualifications and reputation.

He wanted to recruit subordinates or fill the lucrative position in the Prime Minister's Office, but the number of people who came to him was as numerous as crucian carp crossing the river.

When there are many people, the composition becomes more diverse.

Zhuang Qingzhai had been in charge of the Prime Minister's Office for too short a time, and was eager to fill it with officials, so it was inevitable that those he brought into the office were mixed with good and bad.

now.

Three people with ulterior motives came together.

"Prime Minister, the Imperial Censor's actions are too arrogant!" In the official residence, the Prime Minister's Chief Clerk Bian Tong was indignant and spoke up for Zhuang Qingzhai:
"Zhang Tang is totally arrogant!"

"In today's court meeting, he repeatedly interfered in matters beyond the prime minister's authority. He interfered in border and government affairs before the prime minister even said a word. How rude!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Qingzhai looked over and said nothing.

But his expression became even uglier.

"Prime Minister."

Standing below was another prime minister, Wang Chao, whose surname was Wang and given name was Chao. Wang Chao said, "We must not allow Zhang Tang to do whatever he wants, otherwise where will the prime minister's authority be?"

"Not bad!"

Still a prime minister's chief secretary, Zhu Maichen looked sincere and bowed, saying: "Zhang Tang is a cruel and greedy man!"

"If the Prime Minister remains indifferent to today's actions, the other party will surely become more aggressive in the future. We must not let them go!"

The three of them not only came to express their attitudes, but also thought of ways to turn the situation around. Zhu Maichen was about to say something else.

"okay."

Zhuang Qingzhai waved his hand to interrupt them, "I know what you mean, but I am new to being the Prime Minister. Don't play tricks at this time."

"The main thing is to get familiar with government affairs first!"

"Go away."

At today's court meeting, Zhang Tang handled government affairs with ease, which left a deep impression on Zhuang Qingzhai. It would be a shame for him, a prime minister, to not be able to do the official work as well as the other party.

What’s the use of relying solely on crooked means?

After the prime minister spoke, the three chief secretaries of the prime minister did not argue too much and each bowed and left.

Waiting out the door.

The three of them slowed down their pace tacitly and talked in low voices.

"The Prime Minister has underestimated Zhang Tang's ruthlessness. Once he strikes, he will never give up until he achieves his goal."

"Hey, that's just right."

Wang Chao smiled and said, "Zhang Tang wants to seize the position of Prime Minister. Sooner or later, his relationship with the Prime Minister will become irreconcilable. We just have to wait and see."

Bian Tong followed suit and sneered, "When the conflict between the Prime Minister and him breaks out, we will have a chance to take revenge!"

While talking.

He suddenly looked at the silent Zhu Maichen on his right, "My brother and I both have a grudge against Zhang Tang, so we gathered around the prime minister. What about you?"

"Do you have a grudge against Zhang Tang?"

Zhu Maichen was already over sixty years old, with a frown on his face and an old and frail demeanor. He sighed in response to Bian Tong's words, "Yes, there is a grudge." "Oh?"

Wang Chao asked, "I don't know what the grudge is, but we don't know it?"

"hehe."

A trace of desolation flashed across Zhu Maichen's face, and he just chuckled and shook his head. Seeing that he didn't want to mention it, the other two raised their eyebrows and didn't ask any more questions.

There were many people who had grudges against Zhang Tang, and the reasons were varied, but the most common one was the great hatred of having their fathers, mothers, relatives and friends killed!
After all, Zhang Tang's entire promotion history is full of "killing, killing, killing".

Kill members of the royal family and officials.

The ones who killed the most were the local tyrants...

So, did the three people at this moment also become enemies with Zhang Tang because of "killing"?

Dynasty and Bian Tong are not!
Wang Chao, a native of Qi, once served as the Right Secretary of the Interior because he understood the art of alchemy; Bian Tong, who learned the art of diplomacy, once served as the Prime Minister of Jinan State.

The two were dismissed from their posts for some reason and suffered humiliation from Zhang Tang.

So I held a grudge in my heart.

Now they rushed out to instigate Zhuang Qingzhai to deal with Zhang Tang. Rather than revenge, it was more like they were taking advantage of the opportunity to curry favor with the Prime Minister under the banner of revenge!
And Zhu Maichen.

His hatred is the most common kind of hatred, a great hatred that must be avenged!
Zhu Maichen's official career was very bumpy. He started as a county official, was recommended by a nobleman, and was promoted to Zhong Daifu, but was dismissed from office for committing a crime.

later.

The court appointed him as the prefect of Kuaiji County. Due to his meritorious service, he was promoted to the rank of Lord Commandant and ranked among the Nine Ministers.

Later, he was dismissed from office for breaking the law.

It was only recently that he became the chief secretary of the prime minister due to the death of Li Cai and the promotion of Zhuang Qing and Zhai Sheng.

After decades of ups and downs, his resume is so complicated that others frown when reading it. It is precisely because of this complicated resume.

No one knows why Zhu Maichen became enemies with Zhang Tang...

Ah.

But Zhu Maichen always remembered the noble man who recommended him from a common servant to a senior official.

That person is the former Zhongsan Doctor.

Zhuangzhu!

……

……

The snow in the fourth year of Yuanshou came earlier than usual. Heavy snow fell in the capital, dyeing the sky and the earth white.

The snow keeps falling.

Ordinary people prepared their needs early and stayed in their houses to spend the winter. The undercurrents in the court seemed to be frozen by the winter snow and fell into sluggishness.

However, in the depths of winter, there are still a few things worth mentioning.

the first.

Perhaps because she kept talking about having children, when it was snowing heavily, good news came from Weiyang Palace that Li Ji had given birth to a baby boy.

This is: the third son of the emperor.

On the day of the great celebration, a female official from Changning Palace disappeared...

second.

A month ago, Jiuquan County reported that the Huns were invading. The beacon barrier where Dishan was located was breached by the enemy, and the Huns cut off their heads and left.

Since then.

In the court, no one mentioned the marriage anymore...

third.

As the Right Internal History Ji'an was old, the emperor granted him permission to return home and transferred Yi Zong, the prefect of Dingxiang and the younger brother of Yi Shuo, to be the Right Internal History.

fourth.

Yang Pu was promoted to the rank of Zhongwei Cheng and became the Lord Commandant, among the Nine Ministers.

fifth.

Wang Wenshu, governor of Henei, was transferred to be the lieutenant, one of the nine ministers...

Among the above major events, the first one, Li Ji giving birth to a child, was a private matter of the royal family, while the second and third ones, Di Shan and Ji An, were the aftermath of the marriage incident.

However, from this "aftermath", the emperor began to "relocate officials".

And those who are promoted all have a distinctive label.

Cruel official!

Yi Zong, Yang Pu and Wang Wenshu were all cruel officials.

Among them, the new lieutenant Wang Wenshu is bloodthirsty and cruel, and is a close confidant of the imperial censor Zhang Tang...

After a series of officials were appointed and dismissed, no one knew how others felt, but Prime Minister Zhuang Qingzhai suddenly felt a huge pressure!

This pressure.

Some came from Zhang Tang and his followers, and some came from the emperor.

Zhuang Qingzhai always felt that His Majesty was looking for helpers for Zhang Tang. Look at the people who were promoted. They were cruel officials, and cruel officials!
As time goes by, it is proven.

Zhuang Qingzhai’s feeling was correct.

Since the day when the Grand Censor took the lead in the court meeting, Zhang Tang still had an overwhelming advantage in subsequent court meetings.

After Wang Wenshu and other new nine ministers took office in the court, Zhuang Qingzhai completely lost the chance to stand out. Whenever he expressed his opinions, someone would find fault with them.

As soon as Zhang Tang opened his mouth, someone supported him.

The emperor seemed to be blind to the struggles in the court. Whenever there was a government matter to be dealt with and someone offered a suitable suggestion, he would nod and adopt it.

Anyway, the emperor followed the procedures and no one could find fault with it.

Over time.

A phenomenon inevitably occurred: the ministers reported their memorials to the Grand Censor first, and the Grand Censor then passed them on to the higher authorities.

When the emperor issued an edict, it was first sent to the Grand Censor and then to the Prime Minister!
After such a cycle was formed, the Prime Minister...

Being sidelined!

He was sidelined by the Imperial Censor, who was supposed to be under him, and Zhang Tang showed no mercy at all. He would deal with any minister who dared to come to him to report on matters.

The Prime Minister's residence is deserted, but the Censor's residence is crowded with people.

By this time.

Zhuang Qingzhai was really a little annoyed. What did it mean?
Bullying, right?
(End of this chapter)