How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

If you want to win the support of ministers, you can't just talk.

Just as in business and official circles, common interests can promote cooperation and achieve a win-win situation.

If not, then we should show no mercy and eliminate it as soon as possible.

"If we want to promote the science and engineering imperial examinations, we first need the support of the Ministry of Rites." Sheng Shihuai pointed at the name on the list, "The Minister of Rites, Hou Yuanzhen, is a conservative and stubborn person who highly advocates humanistic ideas. He is the biggest obstacle to opposing the science and engineering imperial examinations. If we want to get his approval, we must either be able to speak more eloquently than him, or..."

Sheng Shihuai drew a line through the three words "Hou Yuanzhen" and said, "Get rid of him and support someone who is willing to support Your Highness. It just so happens that Minister Hou has one year left before he retires. You can find a random excuse to let him retire and return home. This will also show Your Highness's ruthlessness and determination to other ministers."

"Then what excuse should I find?" Xie Chengze's clear and stupid eyes were filled with confusion, and he looked like a naive naive who needed to be chewed up and fed to him.

Sheng Shihuai was not annoyed at all, and patiently said, "Hou Yuanzhen's eldest grandson Hou Wende just passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. He married Qiu Ziqin, the daughter of Qiu Wenqi, a university scholar of the Hanlin Academy. It was double happiness. He wrote a letter swearing that they would be together for life and would never take concubines. Hou Wende's good name spread throughout the capital, and was even praised by His Majesty himself. Your Highness should also know about this."

Xie Chengze nodded.

"But within a year, Hou Wende had a mistress and even two children. Qiu Ziqin had been childless for three years. Not only did she suffer verbal humiliation from her parents-in-law, she was also beaten and threatened by Hou Wende. Qiu Ziqin kept her head down and endured it, and Qiu Wenqi was completely unaware of this."

Sheng Shihuai smiled slightly, "If Your Highness tells this matter, Qiu Wenqi will definitely seek justice for him. The Hou family will definitely choose to divorce his wife to preserve their reputation. Your Highness can let Qiu Wenqi bring this matter to the court and make the decision for them. Hou Yuanzhen loves his grandson so much that he will choose to resign in order to seek forgiveness. When the couple successfully divorces, Your Highness will have an extra helper in the Hanlin Academy."

After saying that, he leaned over and whispered a secret to Xie Chengze.

Xie Chengze was shocked after hearing this and looked at him in disbelief, "I didn't expect Envoy Sheng to know such a secret."

Sheng Shihuai smiled faintly, "It just so happens that there is an official under my command who has admired the girl of the Qiu family for a long time and learned about this matter by chance."

Xie Chengze was puzzled, "Then why didn't he tell Qiu Wenqi?"

Sheng Shihuai smiled but said nothing.

There was no official who admired the girl from the Qiu family. He just had a source of information. As for why he didn't tell Qiu Wenqi...

He was not a person who liked to meddle in other people's affairs. There were so many sufferings in the world, how could he possibly manage them all? Moreover, if he did, he couldn't say that the Second Prince was taking advantage of him, right?

It would be of no benefit to him to intervene rashly, so it would be better to make full use of it.

He continued, "After Hou Yuanzhen resigned, the vacancy should be filled by the Minister of Rites. This man is quite smooth. As long as Your Highness gives him the position of Shangshu, he will definitely work hard to support Your Highness in promoting the science and engineering imperial examinations."

Xie Chengze nodded. The Minister of Rites was Sheng Yiren’s father and she had been his for a long time.

"As for the Hanlin Academy..." Sheng Shihuai crossed out the word Hanlin Academy on the list again. "The president of the Hanlin Academy is my father. I will convince my father to support Your Highness. As for the Su family, Your Highness must have a plan, right?"

Of course, he had also heard about Su Qinghe. The other party was indeed a promising talent. If it weren't for Xie Chengze's keen eye, he would probably have missed such a talent.

Xie Chengze touched his nose and said, "Well, I want Su Qinghe to serve as the Dean and Doctor of the Imperial College, that is, the Vice President and Teaching Master. With the appetite of the Su family, they are naturally willing to supervise the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial College at the same time."

"Then there are only three left." Sheng Shihuai did not ask more about his relationship with Su Qinghe. In his eyes, Su Qinghe was gentle and easy to control, and he did not need to worry about it. He pointed to the last three ministers on the list and said, "There is no need to talk too much about these three people. As long as you cater to their preferences and give them expensive gifts, they will definitely be willing to support Your Highness."

Hearing that he was going to give a valuable gift, Xie Chengze could not help but lower his head shyly, "But I am short of money..."

The things in Chenghuan Palace belong to Emperor Jian. If they are used for the people, it is fine. However, if they are used to bribe ministers, even if it is just a superficial clique, Emperor Jian will definitely have some reservations.

"Then I will make the decision." Sheng Shihuai nodded indifferently and did not expect Xie Chengze to pay.

If he wants to win over the second prince to serve him, he has to pay this little bit of blood. He must ensure that in Xie Chengze's eyes, his value is higher than Shen Yuan's. Only in this way, when Xie Chengze becomes emperor in the future, he will listen to him more instead of Shen Yuan.

Before Sheng Shihuai left, Xie Chengze suddenly asked a question.

"Why is Envoy Sheng willing to support our palace in promoting the science and engineering imperial examinations?"

Sheng Shihuai paused, turned around and looked at him, his eyes flickering.

"Of course, it is for the country to be strong and prosperous."

He answered with a smile, his eyes revealing barely perceptible ambition and arrogance.

-

Sheng Shihuai’s idea is indeed a good one.

When Qiu Wenqi learned that his daughter was being tortured by the Hou family, he grabbed his mistress and illegitimate son and went to the Hou family to demand an explanation. The Hou family was not a pushover and wanted to divorce Qiu Ziqin on the grounds that she had no children for three years and could not take care of her parents-in-law.

Qiu Wenqi naturally refused, and made a scene in the court the next day, cursing Hou Yuanzhen for not being able to teach his son, and asking Xie Chengze to make the decision for his poor daughter.

Some ministers thought that such family affairs should not be brought to the court, and that it was too trifling. However, Xie Chengze showed a look of being fed up with melons, and said righteously, "This is wrong! My dear ministers, you should know that I always care about my ministers. Even if you lose one more hair, I will be heartbroken and wish I could shed your hair myself!"

"What's more, your beloved Qiu is so heartbroken that it will inevitably affect the progress of the official business at hand! In order to let your beloved Qiu untie the knot in his heart and regain his former diligence, I will make the decision for you, so as to calm his heart and restore his ambition!" Xie Chengze said in a sonorous and powerful voice.

All the ministers were speechless.

Why do I always feel that it is a bit sophistry, but at the same time it seems to make sense?

Moreover, although the Second Prince would confiscate property and execute people at will, he did care about the ministers... Otherwise, why was the Second Prince the only one willing to go and rescue Lord Shen when he was trapped in the bandit's den?

For loyal ministers, as long as the king is willing to admit his mistakes, redress the injustice of the ministers, and not abandon the ministers in prison, it is worth their dedication and death.

Therefore, the ministers no longer pursued the matter of Qiu Wenqi bringing his family affairs to the court.

He even enjoyed eating the melon.

"Minister Hou, your son and grandson have done such inhumane things. Not only do they refuse to admit their mistakes, they also try to put all the blame on my daughter. You should give me an explanation!" Qiu Wenqi shouted at Hou Yuanzhen.

"This..." Hou Yuanzhen frowned. He was nearly sixty years old and his hair had already turned gray, but his eyes and brows were still stubborn and resolute, making it impossible to match him with the word "blindness".

No wonder he is unwilling to give up his position even though he has reached retirement age.