Wealth and glory seek stability

The fifth day of the third month in the thousand six hundred years of Xuanwu.

Jian Xi, wearing scarlet court robes, walked into the Gate of Light once again.

There were six columns of officials in a row, with Jian Xi standing in the center on the left.

Zhang Cen'er was wearing the robe of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, with a crown of jewels and gems hanging quietly, making it impossible to see her expression. , raised her hand slightly.

The eunuch held a bright yellow scroll of imperial edict and read it out.

"The Empress has issued an order!"

All officials in the court knelt and listened attentively.

"I have inherited the care of my ancestors and have been committed to the stability of Xuanwu. The Minister of Agriculture and the Lord of Saibei, Jian Xi, has made remarkable achievements in government and has not slacked off in the past five years. He is extremely intelligent and wise, so I have appointed him as Prime Minister to assist in managing the four cities and eight departments and assist me in governing the world. I decree this."

The most confidential things in the Xuanwu Dynasty are the Four Cities and Eight Tribes, which refer to the four capital fortresses and eight brave tribes. These forces are directly under the jurisdiction of the empress. It is a supreme honor for court officials to have access to the Four Cities and Eight Tribes.

"Your humble servant Jian Xi bows his head in thanks for your great grace." Jian Xi bowed solemnly.

After Ruan Zhiyin retired, the power of the Ruan family in the court was greatly weakened, and the Qi family became the dominant force.

Zhang Cen'er needs someone to restrain the Qi family at this time, and Jian Xi is undoubtedly the best candidate.

Jian Xi kept her promise. The tax revenue in Saibei has now surpassed that of Yemayuan, making it the richest place in the Xuanwu Dynasty.

Over the years, Jian Xi has won over the surrounding capitals and moved around to exchange interests, and her position has become unshakable.

Everyone in the court was afraid of her fierce methods and dared not utter a word of provocation.

The image of Jian Xi killing Ruan Chizheng and his daughter without blinking an eye in the royal court was still lingering in their minds.

Jian Xi's action saved Zhang Cen'er from the stigma of murdering his father and sister. In addition, there was an inexplicable bond between the two of them, so no one dared to bring bad luck upon themselves.

Jian Xi stood up and calmly accepted everyone's compliments and congratulations.

These important figures whom she had to kneel down to please in the past now all had kind smiles on their faces.

As expected of a veteran, he speaks in a pleasant way.

Jian Xi felt relaxed after hearing this.

The meeting is over.

Zhang Cen'er specially summoned Jian Xi to wait in the side hall of the warm room.

This warm room is naturally not the same warm room that Zhang Qiao used to have.

The interior is still decorated with countless treasures.

Zhang Cen'er, dressed in casual clothes, sat in front of the transparent glazed window, looking at the snow scene outside.

Just as Jian Xi was about to salute, Zhang Cen'er said, "Don't be so polite, sit down quickly, and let's drink together."

There was an exquisite basket-shaped pot on the kang table, filled with refreshing imperial wine. Jian Xi swallowed her saliva.

I had smelled the scent of this wine in the warm room before, and it made me salivate.

She took the wine glass from Zhang Cen'er and drank it all in one gulp. The warm wine actually had a refreshing taste. Jian Xi couldn't help but drank three glasses in a row.

Zhang Cen'er's face looked much more mature in just two years, but she could still vaguely see the little princess riding a horse and whipping it on the grassland.

"how?"

"It tastes good." Jian Xi's face turned slightly red, and she felt as if there were double images in front of her eyes.

The small couch covered with animal skins looks so comfortable no matter how you look at it.

As I was thinking about it, I lay down.

Although my eyes are closed, my mind is clear.

Hearing the sound of wine being poured, Jian Xi thought that Zhang Cen'er had not drunk enough and was drinking by himself.

"Why aren't you a man?"

"Why aren't you a man?"

"I really don't want to have a harem."

"Xi'er, I only dare to call you that after you fall asleep."

"You know, after hearing that you got divorced, I was really happy for you. A loser like that couldn't protect you at all."

"Just stay in the imperial capital and stay with me forever."

"When Hui'er grows up, I will adopt him and marry your daughter. I want our blood to flow through our family for thousands of years."

"..."

Jian Xi: “…”

It’s really better to get drunk to death.

This situation is so embarrassing. I don't know whether to wake up or not.

She had never thought of this situation.

Just fall asleep and pretend you heard nothing.

Zhang Wanhui is the son of Zhang Xuanyu and Lan Qi.

Zhang Cen'er has been rejecting the officials' suggestions to select concubines for the harem. Could it be because he likes her?

o (╥﹏╥) o

Oh my god, what a crazy plot.

She was not a good person to Zhang Cen'er, so how could she have such thoughts?

As I was thinking, I fell into a deep sleep.

However, ever since she knew Zhang Cen'er's feelings, Jian Xi has been deliberately avoiding Zhang Cen'er, and apart from reporting government affairs to her, she only treats her with the courtesy of a monarch and his subject.

Zhang Cen'er seemed to have noticed it and stopped doing anything beyond the rules.

Wu Zhan was sentenced to being turned into a human pig for treason.

Zhang Cen'er intended to suppress the witch clan and abolish the high priest. He went against the majority opinion and appointed Lingbao, who had just turned thirteen, as the only national teacher.

Zhang Cen'er has been on the throne for ten years. She opened up the northern frontier and established close ties with the Xia Kingdom and the White Tiger Dynasty. Finally, no one can shake her throne.

the following year.

The empress issued an edict, appointing Prince Xiaoyao's son Zhang Wanhui as the crown prince and bringing him into the palace to be carefully educated. At the same time, she selected outstanding young men from among the nobles to enter the palace as his study companions, among whom was Gao Qingxi.

Gao Qingxi looked at Shen Zhiyi gnawing on a chicken leg in front of her and said angrily, "Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating!"

Shen Zhiyi's greasy face was full of confusion, "Cousin, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm not your cousin. My mother and uncle are not blood relatives at all. You blockhead, you make me so angry." After saying that, Gao Qingxi jumped on her horse and ran away.

Jian Xi walked out from a corner, took out a handkerchief and wiped the oil stains off Shen Zhiyi's mouth, smiling kindly, "Zhiyi."

"Aunt, I seem to have made my cousin angry." Shen Zhiyi was at a loss.

Jian Xi rubbed Shen Zhiyi's head and explained patiently, "That's because she's going to the capital to be a tutor. She won't be able to see Zhiyi anymore, so she's sad, not angry."

Hearing this, Shen Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat, and a feeling as if he had lost something spread from the bottom of his heart.

Jian Xi looked at Gao Qingxi's receding figure and sighed, "From now on, the world will be yours. Auntie is getting old."

The purpose of having a companion for the crown prince was to build a rapport between the monarch and his subjects, and also to cultivate confidants for the crown prince in advance.

Therefore, all the noble families tried their best to get the younger generations of their clans in.

Jane Xi never wanted her daughter to be involved in this.

But Gao Qingxi was the study companion chosen by the empress, so she couldn't disobey.

Enjoying glory and power also requires paying a corresponding price.

The 1,608th year of Xuanwu.

The empress appointed Gao Qingxi as the crown prince's principal wife and issued a will that the crown prince was not allowed to take concubines and that future kings must be descendants of Gao Qingxi.

Xuanwu one thousand six hundred and thirty-seven years.

Prime Minister Jian Xi died at the age of 58. The empress allowed him to be buried in the imperial mausoleum so that he could be worshipped by future generations.

The 1,638th year of Xuanwu.

The empress died at the age of 58 and was buried in the imperial mausoleum.

In the same year, the crown prince ascended to the throne, and Zhang Cen'er left a will to make Gao Qingxi's eldest daughter Zhang Nian the crown princess.

Later generations praised Zhang Ceng'er and Jian Xi as models of eternal honor for monarchs and ministers.