Minister

194 [The second year of Zhenglong]

It is still early in the spring, and the heavy snow has stopped. It seems that we are preparing for a good weather to welcome the emperor's wedding. `乐`文`Novel`.xs.Com No matter what mood they are in, the people in the capital are still discussing the wedding scene more enthusiastically after dinner, as if they are looking forward to a good show that is still rehearsed.

Qi Yuan was sitting in front of the window in a daze, because after today, tomorrow will be the emperor's wedding, and Wei Chi agreed to take her to ride a horse in the countryside during this holiday.She hoped that the sky would remain sunny so that she could travel smoothly.

Wei Chi has not come back from the yamen, but according to the annual practice, there will not be too many things today, Qi Yuan stayed for a while, watching the birds looking for food flying around in the yard.

"Mei Yue?"

Mei Yue held a shovel in her hand: "Madam, I'm looking at the master's peony."

Before the winter, Chen Hu asked people to bury the potted peonies in the garden to survive the winter. Mei Yue followed his request and came to check every month. If it was very cold, he would be told to move it to the cellar.

Qi Yuan was bored and came out: "How many pots are there?"

"Last year, Chen Hu made two more pots." Mei Yue hurried over to support Qi Yuan: "Our house grows well. If we live in it for a few more years, the rockery over there will be full of peonies."

"The master over there wants to practice knives. If we want to divide the pots this year, it's better to put them by the lake."

The open space next to the rockery is quite large, in fact, putting two pots of flowers would not hinder anyone, Mei Yue felt that the lakeside was not pretty, so she bouncingly led Qi Yuan to look beside the rockery to see if she could find an open space.

But Qi Yuan felt cold: "You are naughty, so what if you see it, don't you have to ask her? I don't make the decision, you can go and see it if you want to see it."

Qi Yuan said, and went back to the house, but Mei Yue didn't feel cold, and ran to the rockery happily.Wei Chi likes to practice knives beside this rockery, and Mei Yue sometimes comes over to join in the fun, but after all, climbing the rockery is done by children, and it is really the first time he has climbed up the rockery.The rockery was built by King Yan at a cost of money. Although it is not big, its shape is extremely luxurious.Meiyue saw a wonderful depression between the rocks. If the artificial rock in that depression could be removed, it would fit a large flowerpot, which would be much more interesting than placing it by the lake.

Thinking of this, Mei Yue walked in slowly. The rockery in the hole was strange. I didn't think it carefully before, but now it's really ugly.Mei Yue kicked it with her feet, but the stone didn't seem to be buried tightly, and it actually moved. Mei Yue sighed and was about to move it away.

"Cough! Mei Yue!"

Mei Yue looked back, but saw Chen Hu standing outside the rockery, holding a large bundle of dead branches in his hand: "I just saw you, come out and help me get some, let's take them out together."

Mei Yue agreed and helped Chen Hu hug a bundle of dead branches, temporarily forgetting about the strange stone.

The emperor's big wedding holiday is followed by the Spring Festival, and this holiday is so long that it makes people feel very happy.Qi Yuan opened the box again to look at her new riding outfit, but Wei Chi hadn't returned yet.Qi Yuan had no choice but to sit back in front of the window in a daze, watching Mei Yue and Chen Hu take care of the flowers and plants in the yard. When they were done, the sun was westward and Wei Chi hadn't come back yet.

When it was time for dinner, Mei Yue looked at Qi Yuan eagerly: "Madam, shall we wait, or wait for you to eat first?"

Qi Yuan thought for a moment: "It's okay, let's eat first."

Mei Yue picked up the bowls and chopsticks to serve the meal, when Chen Hu suddenly opened the door: "Ma'am, Yiqing is back!"

Yiqingqi ran in panting, "Ma'am, the master won't come back for dinner. Today, today, the cabinet ordered all officials not to leave their posts. It is said that it is for congratulations."

On the eve of the emperor's wedding, it is customary for all officials to present their congratulations.Although everything about Chen Entropy's big wedding was simple, this step was absolutely unavoidable. Who is behind the scenes?Didn't even care about Wang Yunyi?

Qi Yuan put down her chopsticks: "Eat first, you don't have to wait on me, everyone will go to bed early, maybe you will wake up in the middle of the night."

He didn't get up in the middle of the night, because Wei Chi didn't come back all night.

Wei Chi squatted in the guard room of Dali Temple, not wanting to show too much color on his face.He hadn't received any information before this, but just as everyone was about to leave the yamen, someone suddenly returned all the congratulatory forms handed in.Wei Chi looked at the unopened congratulatory form in surprise, making various guesses in his heart.

As the evening approached, things gradually became clear. It seemed that because some of the censors were unwilling to submit congratulatory forms, the cabinet expressed that they would collect them all and hand them over to the emperor, and they were still consoling and persuading them one by one.

I couldn't ask about the details, but I only know that basically all the officials stayed at their posts and dared not leave.Wei Chi understood how many pairs of eyes were staring at him, so he pretended not to care and sat down in his seat to drink tea.

At nightfall, shocking news came suddenly.

Chen Entropy said that he would suspend all the progress of the wedding. This does not seem to be a threat. The people in the Ministry of Rites have received a formal order, and all matters have stopped.

At this moment, no one cares about the cabinet or not, and everyone is nervously watching the palace.

Wei Chi was upset, and walked into the courtyard alone, the sky was already completely dark, and he couldn't see a few stars when he looked up, but the crescent moon was hanging on the edge of the sky, which was strangely bright.

Everyone was anxious, and someone stood beside Wei Chi. This person was a Jinshi of the new department this year, and his name was Lin Xuan.Lin Xuan didn't seem to care too much about those eyes staring at Wei Chi, and smiled at Wei Chi: "Master Wei, do you know that the refugees in Jiangnan rebelled?"

Of course Wei Chi didn't know, and looked at Lin Xuan in surprise.

Lin Xuan comes from the famous Lin family in the capital, but he seems to be completely different from Lin Mao. He has always followed the rules and passed the scientific examination step by step until he was admitted.Since entering Dali Temple, he has been keeping a low profile, and he does not appear to be a disciple of an aristocratic family.

"This matter is still in the sixth department, so we don't know." Lin Xuan lowered his voice: "The cabinet must be using this matter to suppress the emperor, but I don't know whether the cabinet wants to rely on King Qin or General Wang."

It turns out that this is not on the congratulatory table should be instigated by the cabinet. It seems that the emperor and the cabinet have different opinions on this matter.Wei Chi knew that Lin Xuan came from an aristocratic family, and if he dared to come over and say this to himself, he must have received reliable news.

"The emperor terminated the ceremony of the big wedding. I'm afraid that he will have to rely on His Majesty the King of Qin?"

Wei Chi shook his head: "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"Master Wei is the emperor's teacher, what does Master Wei think of this?"

Just as Wei Chi was about to speak, several colleagues from Dali Temple came over: "It's really cold, it's really cold, I don't know when we can go back, hey, Master Wei, are you chatting with Master Xiao Lin?"

"Aren't you talking about family affairs?" Lin Xuan said with a smile.

"That's right, although Lord Wei entered the court earlier, he is actually one year younger than Lord Xiaolin."

Lin Xuan saw that the conversation could not go on, so he said haha: "Everyone is a senior who is a junior official, dare not be, dare not be."

Wei Chi didn't know why Lin Xuan revealed such an important secret to himself, so he followed Lin Xuan's haha ​​and said, "Master Lin is too modest, I don't know how long we will stay, let's go in."

Everyone walked in as they talked, but there seemed to be a tacit understanding. There were always a few people around Wei Chi chatting with him. Since there was no way to chat with Lin Xuan alone, Wei Chi had to digest Lin Xuan's information while perfunctory.

The south of the Yangtze River is indeed in chaos. Judging from the movement of the cabinet, it seems that the army is about to be mobilized. Wang Yunyi's troops are ready-made. From Chen Entropy's point of view, they have already married. Relying on the Wang family is definitely more reliable than the coveted King Qin.Or because of this, Zhou Wenyuan unscrupulously pressured Chen Entropy to compromise.

But now Chen Entropy has suspended the wedding!That's why Lin Xuan revealed this amazing news to him at this moment.Like everyone else, Lin Xuan thought he could sway the emperor's decision?

Thinking of this, Wei Chi took a deep look at Lin Xuan.Lin Xuan just looked at him with no expression on his face, as if he was just waiting for an ending.

That's right, what's the use of having this ability even if I'm outside the palace?

If I were in the palace now, would the situation be completely different, or after this disaster, would the cabinet have other ways to force people to submit little by little?

"destiny."

Wei Chi thought of this word, is this fate?Is the future of a country just "destiny"?

Wei Chi closed his eyes in pain.

The atmosphere inside the palace was far more tense than outside the palace. Zhou Wenyuan sent someone from the cabinet to appease the imperial censor, and confronted Chen Entropy himself.Chen Entropy understood Zhou Wenyuan's intentions, although what he was talking about was indeed just the rebellion in the south of the Yangtze River, about his own shortcomings, and about the need to endure and condescend to repair his relationship with Yushi.But Zhou Wenyuan wanted more than that. As long as he let go, his demands would continue to come forward until he gave up and was willing to be a puppet.

After listening for an hour, Chen Entropy felt that his anger subsided, and he began to imagine what kind of person Wang Xiuyun was?He began to try to imagine, but to no avail.A feeling of loneliness and sadness surged out suddenly—is this my wedding?A wedding that even I didn't expect.

And what about that person?According to etiquette, you have already bathed and changed your clothes and started to pan your head, right?I have experienced the wedding of the queen myself, and those steps are too complicated to add.Like a clown being teased, it's ridiculous.

Zhou Wenyuan said enough, and quietly looked at Chen Entropy, waiting for him to get angry or speak.

Chen Entropy turned to look at Hong Fang: "What time is it?"

"If you go back to the master, it's almost three o'clock."

"Well, pass on my oral order to ask the Ministry of Rites to suspend all the etiquette of the big wedding, and tell them to wait for the cabinet to collect all the congratulatory forms before proceeding."

Hong Fang looked at Chen Entropy in surprise.

"Go." Chen Entropy seemed to be talking about an unimportant matter.

Hong Fang went out, and Chen Entropy looked at Zhou Wenyuan, this kind-faced, gentle and refined old man: "Why is Mr. Zhou Ge still staying here? Hurry up and collect Qi He Biao."

"The old minister is not talented, I'm afraid the emperor will not go there in person, and the censors will not go to the table to congratulate."

"Mr. Zhou Ge hasn't been there before, so how do you know it's useless?" Chen Entropy smiled half-smile: "Mr. Zhou Ge, hurry up, I can sleep for a while when you go."

Zhou Wenyuan's face twitched.

"Zhou Ge always go out to get some air, think about it carefully, if something unexpected happens, my Uncle Wang is still surnamed Chen, if you help each other, you won't end badly, but if Jiangshan changes surname, the Wang family will let you go? "

There was no one else in the hall, and Chen Entropy had a showdown.

"If I don't receive all the congratulatory forms, I won't get married. Mr. Ge always wants to use this to blackmail me and ask me to ask for a congratulatory form from all the officials? Don't Mr. Zhou think that his actions are too deceiving?"

Zhou Wenyuan thought for a moment, then knelt on the ground: "Does the emperor think that the old minister is making things difficult for you?"

"Is not it?"

"The rebellion in the south of the Yangtze River is a major event. Why did the emperor suppress this matter in the Sixth Division and not let it be issued? If the Sixth Division is allowed to be issued, the censors will not fail to show their congratulations."

Chen Entropy sneered: "Issue? Ge Lao can't even relieve the disaster in the suburbs of Beijing. He is so embarrassed that he uses the money from my wedding to make up for it. According to Ge Lao's approval, how can this disaster be relieved?"

"Our country has been established for nearly 50 years, and it is at the time of ZTE. All dynasties and dynasties will inevitably encounter a bureaucratic faction and a political situation where corruption is rampant during this ZTE. The emperor blames all this on the old ministers, which is really hard for the ministers to believe."

Chen Entropy looked at the old man silently.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at him frankly: "I have been an official for more than [-] years, and I have never corrupted a penny from the court."

The minister has never been greedy for a penny from the court!

Chen Entropy's gaze turned to the corner of the palace: "I will send troops to the south of the Yangtze River to suppress it."

Zhou Wenyuan's expression became desperate: "Your Majesty, it is not impossible to send troops. Now the imperial court has no soldiers to send!"

"And my uncle Wang." Chen Entropy sighed inadvertently: "Even if something unexpected happens, Jiang Shan's surname is still Chen, and I am worthy of my ancestors."

"It was so hard for the vassal king and his relatives to return to the fief. People of insight in the court will not agree to the emperor using their troops again. This is not something that the minister alone or the cabinet alone can do. The emperor's decision is so repeated. , Hundred officials are hard to believe!"

"Mr. Zhou Ge, you forgot that marrying the Wang family is the cabinet's proposal." Chen Entropy's eyes suddenly burst into a fierce light: "I don't want to marry Wang Xiuyun! I married the Wang family for you and to help you get rid of Wang Shu." Now you are using the marriage of the Wang family as a bargaining chip to force me here, and to say that my decision is repeated!!?? Is it true that I am repeating???"

"Your Majesty! This is the emperor's world! This is the people's world! This is not the minister's world!" Zhou Wenyuan was anxious: "The emperor is not for the minister, the emperor is for the country and the people! The minister does not want to be attached to King Qin or Wang Yunyi! The minister relies It is the emperor! If there is still a gap between the emperor and the ministers, where will the officials and the people be placed?" Zhou Wenyuan kowtowed heavily: "The situation will be stable now, and the famine or rebellion is just a temporary emergency. It’s just that in the current dynasty, all dynasties have had it. If the emperor loses his position because of this, it is really not worth the loss. For example, in the past few years of the dynasty, which round was not a good year to pay off the debt in a disaster year? There is a small disaster in three years, and there is one in ten years. Catastrophic disasters are indeed a common occurrence. Now that the deep winter is coming to an end, as long as the country survives the famine and the people's livelihood can be revived, how can there be another war? And it is still the army of the vassal king? If the emperor insists on doing this, the minister's hard work this year is really true. It’s all in vain!”

Zhou Wenyuan's speech was impassioned, but Chen Entropy was too lazy to listen. He slumped on his throne and waved his hands coldly: "Go out, Mr. Ge, I've made up my mind, so there's no need to persuade me. If you want to see me again, you can take it all away." Congratulations come again."

Zhou Wenyuan closed his eyes in despair, fell silent for a moment, and backed out.

The heavy palace door was closed, Chen Entropy lowered his head, a tear dripped from the corner of his eye, looked up the window, it was already light.What kind of rumors are going on outside the palace at this moment?Who can guess the truth?

Or, did you guess the truth?Sitting in the duty room of Dali Temple, Wei Chi looked at the dawn light outside the window and the direction of Dachen Palace, feeling sad in his heart.

The sun was rising high, and the ground was steaming with cold air. The cabinet issued an urgent order requesting the king of Qin to send troops to the south of the Yangtze River, and the court was in an uproar.

Chen Entropy's big wedding still has no intention of continuing. The Wang family's people speculated uneasily. The girl in the queen's wedding dress tore off the hipa on her head and untied her complicated hairstyle: "What's the point of staying? Go to sleep first, if you don’t want to marry me again or it’s time to eat, don’t wake me up.”

"This?" The female family members of the Wang family did not dare to persuade them.

"Ah! No rush!" Wang Xiuyun yawned, "I will write to my uncle when I wake up."

After finishing speaking, he lay down and ignored everyone.After all the people left, the maid who was close to her carefully came over and helped her pinch the quilt: "Miss, are you up?"

"Your majesty actually stopped the big wedding, do you think I can really sleep?" Wang Xiuyun sneered: "It seems that the situation has changed."

The servant girl was startled: "Then write a letter to the general immediately!"

"No rush," Wang Xiuyun turned over, "wait and see what happens."

Chen Entropy?

How dare you ask King Qin for troops?

It seems that he is not a person without guts. Unfortunately, the truth you guessed is the truth?

Wang Xiuyun looked at her beautifully embroidered cuffs, and smiled half-smile-it was said that the sky had fallen on the top of a tall man, but my uncle was smart enough to draw her to do this good job!It is a pity that I am a chaotic person, the mountains and rivers can pass, and the temples are free.Now let's take a step-by-step look, meet the people in the capital, and see who made our Wang family so sad!

Are the pair of towers at the entrance of Dachen Palace still as clever as the ones I saw in my childhood?Are those blurred mirrors, clear people, selfish entanglements still as glorious as before?