After the Rebirth of the Red Chamber

Baiyunjian is the leading restaurant in Taiyuan City. It is said that the owner behind it has a certain background. Officials big and small in Taiyuan Prefecture love to come to Baiyunjian when they have banquets.

On the one hand, it saves face; on the other hand, it is safe, so there is no need to worry about what troubles may arise if an inappropriate word is spread while they are drinking.

The chief envoy, Cao Yue, set the time for the banquet to be at night, but as a subordinate, Lin Ruhai couldn't really go at night.

In fact, he arrived in the afternoon, firstly to show respect, and secondly to exchange information with other invited officials.

When he arrived at the banquet room, Lin Ruhai took a rough look, and couldn't help turning his head to glance at Mr. Xun, who was temporarily acting as his staff and accompanied him to the banquet.

——Master Cao’s post is really wide-ranging!

Not only the more than 20 subordinate officials under the chief secretary's administration were invited, but also the magistrates, general judges, professors, etc. under his prefect, and all the subordinate officials who entered the ranks also came.

As soon as Lin Ruhai arrived, Master Tongzhi Ma of Taiyuan Prefecture, Professor Song of the Fuxue, and four instructors Zhang, Wang, Liu, and Zha rushed forward to meet him.

These are all subordinate officials of the prefect, and Lin Ruhai is their immediate boss.

Therefore, they were more eager to curry favor with Lin Ruhai than to curry favor with Cao Buzheng.

"Everyone, don't be too polite," Lin Ruhai helped Ma Tongzhi with his own hands, then gave Professor Song and the others a hand, and said with a smile, "Today Mr. Cao is hosting a private banquet. Let's not talk about business, just treat it as ordinary Just get along with friends."

Although this is a polite remark, it also shows his position: eating and drinking are all right, and small things can be accommodated.But if Mr. Cao makes any embarrassing demands, let's not talk about business.

Ma Tongzhi and the others looked at each other, they all understood, cupped their hands and said with a smile: "Your Excellency is right. It's rare to have this opportunity, let's relax and relax."

Lin Ruhai pointed at Mr. Xun with a smile, and said jokingly: "Everyone should be careful today, Mr. Lin came prepared."

"Oh, I don't know this is..." Ma Tongzhi noticed this skinny old man, but seeing that Lin Ruhai specially introduced him, he knew that he attached great importance to him.

Therefore, Ma Tongzhi did not dare to neglect.

Only then did Mr. Xun come forward, bowing his hands and saluting: "My surname is Zhong, and I have a cursive character of Sancai. I am Mr. Lin's new staff member. I have met all your lords."

"It turned out to be Mr. Zhong." Ma Tongzhi and others received his salute, but their expressions were very respectful.

The few of them spoke without lowering their voices, and the officials of the Chief Secretary's Yamen who also came earlier also heard them.

After Lin Ruhai exchanged greetings with the prefect's subordinates, he stepped forward to greet the two councilors.

The official position of counseling is from the rank of the fourth rank, which should be on the same level as the prefect, but Lin Ruhai, the prefect, is a special kind of fourth rank, which just overwhelms them.

Therefore, Lin Ruhai took the initiative to come to greet him, and they wanted to avoid suspicion because of what Lin Ruhai said just now, so they had no choice but to return the courtesy.

"Master Lin."

"Master Lin."

Lin Ruhai said with a smile: "This time, the sage sent an imperial envoy to visit our Shanxi Province. You should seize the opportunity. Maybe, when you go to Beijing to report on your duties next year, the times will turn around."

The two councilors were moved, and they looked at each other quietly. One of them, surnamed Zheng, said with a dry smile, "Master Lin is right."

Relatively speaking, the one surnamed Cen looked more composed: "Thank you for your good words."

Both councilors opened their mouths, and the others couldn't do it anymore, so they stepped forward to salute.

Lin Ruhai didn't say any more meaningful words anymore, and only picked some elegant things to speak.Everyone slowly relaxed, and not long after, everyone chatted together, as if nothing had happened.

Lin Ruhai also specially introduced Mr. Xun, whose alias is Zhong Sancai, to everyone, especially emphasizing that he is a person who never gets drunk.

Cen Shen said: "I heard that Lord Inspectorate will also come today. He likes such elegant and heroic people the most. Perhaps, Mr. Zhong will win the favor of Lord Inspectorate."

"That's a good relationship," Lin Ruhai said with a smile, "Lin has always wanted to step on the threshold of the Inspectorate, but if Mr. Zhong can make the Inspector look sideways, Lin will also be honored."

This Shanxi inspector is none other than Xu Deng, the eldest son of Marquis Jingsui.

When the current saint was still the crown prince, this Mr. Xu was the confidant of the East Palace.But the sage has only been on the throne for three years, and he has become a third-rank official, which shows that his ability is not bad.

Although Mr. Xu is not that kind of unkind, but because of his special position, he is also very cautious when interacting with others, so he is not willing to go to any private banquet easily.

It's just that I don't know why Mr. Cao has such a big face this time, so that Xu Deng also came to the banquet.

I don't know if I know him well, but Cao Yue, the inspector, is also scolding his mother in his heart!

At this time, he hosted a banquet for officials of all sizes in Taiyuan City, with the idea of ​​uniting everyone and dealing with the imperial envoys together.

Cao Yue's main targets are people like Lin Ruhai, the old sage who rose to the top when he was in power, and who was expelled from the capital not long after the sage came to power.

Cough, if Lin Ruhai wanted to know that he had such thoughts, he would definitely tell him with a smile: You think too much, it's just that I want to be a local governor.

Although Lin Ruhai requested to be released by himself, from the perspective of those who don't know the details, he is a fourth-rank doctor and a doctor in the sixth department, and he was only a small magistrate when he was released from Beijing.

Although the rank has not been lowered, what is the difference between relegation and relegation?

Cao Yue judged others by himself, he didn't believe that Lin Ruhai didn't have any grievances about this matter in his heart.

He didn't need Lin Ruhai to help him with anything, he only needed Lin Ruhai to lean towards him a little at critical moments.

In many cases, that little bit can play a key role.

Compared with Lin Ruhai, a confidant of saints like Xu Deng who can be drawn, Cao Yue doesn't want him at all.

It's just that although he is from the second rank, Xu Deng is from the third rank.However, the chief envoy is in charge of civil affairs, and the procuratorate is in charge of the judiciary. They can be said to be at the same level in terms of duties.

Although the chief envoy also has the right to intervene in the judiciary, after all, it is justifiable to be an envoy.

Therefore, out of emotion and reason, Cao Yue entertained most of the officials in Taiyuan City, so Cao Yue could not be left with an illegal invitation.

The invitation must be sent out, but Mr. Cao still had luck in his heart: Xu Deng never gave anyone face in the past, and he himself was rejected by Xu Deng not once or twice, and it always annoyed him.

But this time, he was sincerely praying in his heart, so let Xu Deng sweep his face again.This time he was willing.

But Xu Deng quickly replied, and asked the housekeeper in the mansion to send it back in person, giving Mr. Cao enough face.

But Mr. Cao was not moved at all.

He wished he could jump up and slap Xu Deng.

——Cooperating with you kid means that you are sincerely fighting with the old man, right?Will I die if I let the old man go his way?

Let Mr. Cao go his way, and Mr. Xu will naturally not die.

But Xu Deng had been following Cao Yue longer than Lin Ruhai, and he had secretly reported it to the saint.Otherwise, the saint would not pay so much attention to it.

Now, seeing that King Zhongjing is coming, Cao Yue treats guests with great fanfare at this time, no matter what idea he has, Xu Deng can't let him do what he wants.

Just in time, Cao Yue sent an invitation card, and Xu Deng climbed up along the pole.

The two giants in Shanxi Province came almost at the same time. According to the inspector Xu Deng, the envoy Xu Deng arrived one step earlier, and the host Cao Yue arrived shortly thereafter.

Because of Xu Deng's presence, Cao Yue had to hold back many of the words he had prepared. This banquet seemed to be just an ordinary banquet among colleagues.

Seeing that their immediate superiors are not happy, the chief secretary, since he joined the government, all want to shrink their necks, and then perform an invisibility technique on themselves, so that people can't see them!

Lin Ruhai seemed to know nothing about what to eat and what to drink, and even asked Mr. Xun to perform a booze on the spot, drinking twenty bowls of Lihuabai in one go, and kept admiring Mr. Xun in front of Xu Deng. pride.

Because of what he said earlier, everyone felt that his actions were a bit flattering, but they can find such a capable person, and others will not accept it.

When Cao Yue saw Lin Ruhai trying to curry favor with Xu Deng, he couldn't help but get angry.

He felt that Lin Ruhai, as a person despised by saints, shouldn't be with Xu Deng, a favorite of the emperor.

But the result was far beyond his expectations.

He refused to give up and invited Lin Ruhai to his mansion for a short talk, but Lin Ruhai gave an ambiguous answer, saying that he would definitely visit when he was free.

Then, seeing Lin Ruhai turned his head, he invited Xu Deng to gather in the prefect's back office.

Although Xu Deng didn't agree, it still made Cao Yue grit his teeth secretly, thinking that he had misjudged Lin Ruhai, who is just a villain who adapts to the wind, and has no reputation for fame!

This banquet ended hastily when the host was absent-minded.

After Cao Yue sent Xu Deng away first, he said to Lin Ruhai with a sneer: "Master Lin, you are very well!" After finishing speaking, he walked away.

The two third-rank political candidates looked at each other, politely bid farewell to Lin Ruhai, and took a step ahead.

The rest belonged to Lin Ruhai with the highest rank and the greatest authority. If he didn't leave, no one would dare to leave first.

Lin Ruhai didn't intend to get entangled here, and just said with a smile: "It's been windy recently, everyone should be careful when going out. Lin will leave first."

Everyone watched him leave, some left in a hurry, and some looked at the acquaintance with some anxiety.

But in the end, no one said anything at this time, they nodded at each other, and then dispersed one after another.

Back to the magistrate's back office, someone had already prepared hot water.After Lin Ruhai and Mr. Xun washed up, they invited Jia Jing to the study to discuss important matters together.

"Master Xu went, it's really not the right time!"

After hearing Lin Ruhai's report, Jia Jing couldn't help complaining.

Originally, Mr. Xun wanted to follow Lin Ruhai because he wanted to take the opportunity to observe who was close to Cao Yue, who was close to Cao Yue, and who could be bribed and wooed, so as to prepare for King Zhongjing's affairs.

But as soon as Xu Deng came, he immediately calmed down those thoughtful people.

Everyone carefully covered it up. Mr. Xun is not a roundworm in his stomach. What can you tell?

See whose face is pale?