Pei Gonggui

After discussing the affairs of the DPRK and China, the cabinet was led by the palace messenger to the Zhongqing Hall to report the matter, and the court broke up unhappy in the early morning.

Jiang Yue was held back by King Tai and King Cheng to speak, and couldn't get away for a while, so Pei Jun exchanged glances with him, and let Fang Mingjue help him out of the hall first.

Yan Yuliang was walking ahead, but suddenly stopped.Fang Mingjue almost bumped into him, so he couldn't help but push him: "What's wrong with you, your legs are not working well?"

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Yan Yuliang raised his hand and pinched the back of his neck, and pouted at him and Pei Jun, "Look over there."

Pei Jun and Fang Mingjue followed him to look not far away, and saw a row of young officials dressed in imperial costumes walking towards the small mahogany door leading to the cabinet on the pillared verandah on the left side of the main hall holding books.The leader is a green shirt with black hair and a handsome look. He looks back and chats with the people behind him. He has long eyebrows and a smile, and his appearance is very outstanding.

"That's Cai Lan, the third son of the Cai family. Is this the first time you've seen him?" Yan Yuliang put up his sleeves and continued to walk down the steps, "When I was appointed, I was shocked when I saw him in the official department. "As he spoke, he bumped Fang Mingjue's arm, and asked in a low voice: "Don't you think he looks like a person?"

"Like who?" Fang Mingjue supported Pei Jun and walked beside him. Hearing this, he looked at Cai Lan again, frowned and thought about it, then suddenly turned to look at Pei Jun, and finally said, "I see, Da Xianer ! This Cai San's eyebrows and eyes really look a bit like you did back then!"

"Don't embarrass me." Pei Jun laughed. At this time, his eyes fell on Cai Lan who was walking away, his brows were slightly raised, and the smile on his lips was tinged with sarcasm, and he sighed contemptuously, "He is a talented Xilin in his prime, how can I compare to him..."

In the palace of Zhongqing, the land of the inner dynasty, the cabinet ministers are seated.Jiang Zhan was coughing, and Hu Li supported Shan Shan, who was sitting on the main hall in a platinum dragon robe. Seeing that everyone was here, he asked without courtesy: "Today, King Jin can go to court. gone?"

Hu Li replied: "Respond to the emperor's words, it is time to go to court."

Jiang Zhan clenched his fist and coughed twice, and said for a while, "How?"

In the cabinet, Zhao Taibao got up and reported back: "Your Majesty Jin is exceptionally quiet as always."

"But he has been quiet for more than ten years, and every time he makes a sound, it must be a big event..." Jiang Zhan leaned on the armrest and looked at the officials solemnly, "What do you think of his resurrection?"

Taifu Xue got up and said: "Reporting to the emperor, I think that the theory of resurrection cannot be fully believed. It is the truth to accumulate strength and occupy the hearts of the people by feigning death. In this way, King Jin is hiding his ambitions and has to guard against it."

Hearing Jiang Zhan's words, he seemed slightly hesitant: "Although Taifu Xue's words are reasonable, King Jin is my uncle, and the former emperor also valued him very much when he was alive, and he also relied on him to advise on military affairs in the court. It is really hard to guard against him. My heart aches, if the late emperor saw this, he would definitely consider me disrespectful."

"Your Majesty." Cai Yan spoke out from the first seat, "To check and balance the government and the public is to put the world before siblings. If the King of Jin really has no objection, he will naturally not complain in his heart. If the former emperor's spirit in heaven knew it, he would not blame the emperor. The ministers and others only hope to share the emperor's worries and plan ahead."

Jiang Zhan nodded his head reluctantly, sighed and said, "The grand master is right, the cabinet will present the appropriate strategy proposal today."

Taifu Xue said again: "Report to the emperor, this morning, I have to propose a matter to Pei Shaofu, which also needs to be drafted."

Jiang Zhan frowned slightly in the seat: "I heard that. He wants to be the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment. You don't agree. Li Baoxin mentioned Zhang Duancheng from Yushitai?"

He looked at Zhang Ling and asked, "I heard that Duan Cheng is the third son of Mr. Zhang?"

Before Zhang Ling could answer, Grand Tutor Xue replied on his behalf: "That's right. Zhang Duancheng is quick-witted, has a noble character, and he comes from a family and is proficient in Law. He is really a good candidate."

Jiang Zhan's gaze was still on Zhang Ling, and he asked lightly, "What do you think of Shaofu Pei?"

Zhao Taibao said: "Shaofu Pei naturally disagrees."

Zhang Ling frowned, and Jiang Zhan asked again: "What does Master Zhang think?"

Zhang Ling lowered his head slightly, his face expressionless: "The dog is still young, and his academics are not good enough. I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to take on a big job."

"The sun came out from the west today." Jiang Zhan smiled, "It's been years since Mr. Zhang had an opinion with Shaofu Pei. It's just... since the Ministry of Officials can mention him, the cabinet has no way to veto it. It must be that he has made great achievements in politics and behaved properly, so he can indeed be considered as a candidate, and the next morning, the ministers will vote for it, and if it is passed, he will take office immediately. It is not an option to leave the Ministry of Punishment empty."

After speaking, he looked at Zhang Ling and said deeply: "I believe that Mr. Zhang must teach his children well."

Hearing the words, Zhang Ling stood up and bowed his head immediately: "On behalf of the dog, I thank the emperor for his kindness."

Jiang Zhan raised his hand and beckoned him to excuse himself.Zhang Ling took his seat, and Zhao Taibao stood up again: "Your Majesty, there is one more important matter right now."

He and Cai Yan looked at each other, and said in detail: "Today, the Jingzhao Division stopped the Mei's business, so that the grain and grass in Jingguan were not in order and could not be transported. At the crucial point of delivering food, the cabinet believed that his intention was not the case."

Jiang Zhan listened quietly to the insinuations, and squinted at Cai Yan who was beside Zhao Taibao. Seeing Cai Yan's eyelids half closed, his face was calm, he couldn't help turning his eyes slightly, and began to think.

After a while, he sighed softly, and said directly: "Let Pei Yan go."

Zhao Taibao was stunned: "But your majesty, Pei Yan's murder of the royal family is unforgivable—"

"Really?" Jiang Zhan asked lightly, looked at Zhao Taibao and said, "How did I hear that King Rui's concubine has confessed the truth? Could it be that the concubine killed Rui by mistake because of jealousy and wanted to poison Pei Yan?" King? Then where did Pei Yan's murder come from?"

He sat up slightly, looked at the cabinet department present and said: "Since it is in the court, I will tell the truth. I know that the cabinet wants to use this to control Pei Jun, but if Pei Yan is locked up again, it will be nothing more than the word 'death'. After she died, not only could Pei Jun not be controlled, but also angered him even more. Isn't this not worth the loss? Besides, this matter is related to military supplies on the border. If food is not released, food and grass for border defense will be lacking. They will be recruited from the people, and the price of food will rise sharply. People's livelihood Complaints, isn't this what the cabinet wants?"

As he said that, his eyes fell on Cai Yan and said: "Grand Master Cai's beloved son's new funeral is all because of Pei Jun's stabbing of the assassin. The worry is hard to understand, and it is inevitable to use Pei Jun's sister to vent his anger, but this matter Among them, it is indeed your son who committed the crime first, and I think the Grand Master has to admit this matter."

Cai Yan was stunned when he heard the words, slowly got up from his seat, and bowed tremblingly: "What the emperor said is true, the old minister is ashamed."

Jiang Zhan said: "The principle of law is nothing more than human feelings. I am sympathetic to the grand master who lost his son in his old age, but the laws of the country are still the laws of the country. Although the grand master is the teacher of a country, he should not use the law indiscriminately. I hope that the grand master Cai will take this as a warning, and the next one will not be an example. "

"The old minister obeys the order, thank the emperor for his kindness." Cai Yan knelt down and kowtowed while leaning on the corner of the table, seeing Jiang Zhan raised his hand to avoid the ceremony, and then slowly took his seat again.

At the end of the inner court affairs, Jiang Zhan announced his retreat, slightly coughing and panting, helped by Hu Li, and was surrounded by palace servants all the way back to Chongning Hall.

As soon as he entered the hall, Jiang Zhan raised his hand to pick off the golden gauze beaded crown, and stuffed it in Hu Li's hand annoyedly: "Bring me wine."

"Your Majesty, are you drinking again?" Hu Li hurriedly helped him into the inner hall, and persuaded, "The Emperor has developed a lung fever from drinking for the past few days, and the imperial physician ordered him not to drink alcohol last night."

"I'm an emperor, can't I even drink wine?" Jiang Zhan raised his voice and let go of Hu Li's hand, glanced at the surrounding palace guards and said, "Just bring the wine and tell them to back down, let me alone People are quiet."

Seeing him walk into the purple gauze screen and sit down alone, Hu Li sighed as he looked at the thin and lonely back. He couldn't compete with him any more, so he asked the little eunuch to fetch the wine.

When the time passed, the wine was brought, and Jiang Zhan leaned on the golden dragon chair to eat two or three cups, his mind gradually softened, his eyes dimmed as he stared at the golden rooster paperweight on the imperial case, and his eyes suddenly turned red.

He continued to pour wine and drink, but when he heard Hu Li reported that the noble concubine was asking for her safety, he completely ignored it, only drank the whole pot of wine, and then called someone to bring a second pot.

He didn't know how long it had passed before he heard someone report that Hanlin had sent a new commentary on Fengsong.For a moment Hu Li refused, but he stopped Hu Li in a daze, thinking of something, and asked loudly: "The people from Hanlin are here?"

Hu Li's figure swayed in front of him, and the voice also came: "The emperor is already drunk, the servant told him to come back tomorrow."

"No, no, no," Jiang Zhan immediately grabbed his arm and shook it, "I'm waiting for him, you call him in, hurry up, call him in..."

For a moment, the gray and black figures in front of him disappeared, and Jiang Zhan's blurred eyes showed the bright gate of Chongning Palace.The palace gate was facing him directly, the sky was bright, the summer wind was slightly hot, it was not winter, and there was no snow, but he saw a shadow in a green shirt walking in the middle of the bright palace gate, walking in, looking up and down. He knelt down to him and said, "Weichen Hanlin editor——"

"You came!"

Jiang Zhan had already got up and ran into his arms, holding back his waist tightly while holding back the redness in his eyes, raised his head to hold his face, and kissed the corner of his lips: "You are finally here..."

"Squeak" as the door rang, Qian Haiqing took off the black gauze from his head and stepped into the Zhongyihou Mansion, ran all the way to the backyard, and shouted with joy: "Master! Master!"

The lotus in the pond in the courtyard is in bloom, pink and pink.The colorful koi swimming wantonly at the bottom of the lotus leaves were startled by his shadow.

In the backyard, Pei Jun was sitting with Jiang Yue at the stone table, and Mei Linyu stood in front of them holding a mahogany box, and slowly handed the box to Pei Jun with a worried face.

Pei Jun took the box, opened it, closed it, and raised his head to ask him, "Your father and brother-in-law haven't found it anywhere, where did you dig it out?"

Mei Linyu withdrew her hands and put her hands behind her back, humming: "I'm leaving you at home."

Pei Jun didn't know whether to laugh or cry, looked at his red and swollen face, shook his head and sighed: "Well, I'm sorry I didn't think of it. I'll send it to your father later, and you won't be able to go back to the mansion these days."

Mei Linyu seemed to cry and laughed at the same time: "My brother still loves me, I—"

"I don't love you." Pei Jun put the box on the table and glanced at him, "I love your father."

Just at this moment, Qian Haiqing's cry came, and Pei Jun and Jiang Yue turned their heads, only to see Qian Haiqing rushing into the corridor in the backyard wearing a mended jacket of a fifth-rank civil servant, panting while holding on to a pillar, his eyes wide open. He glared at Pei Junxi and said, "Master! You're awake!"

"Hey, isn't this Qian Sicheng?" Pei Jun leaned his arms back on the edge of the stone table, raised his eyebrows and looked at him, "I didn't see you back home last night, and I thought you were so successful that you forgot about me as a master."

"How dare you disciple!" Qian Siqi held the black gauze hat in one hand, hurriedly walked up to him with his robe, knelt down, kowtowed, and said, "Master's teachings are kind, but disciples are hard to repay when they die again. Li, the yamen is located in Nanchengfang, the road is really far away, things were not good last night and I came back late, so I slept in the department for the night, and this morning I heard that Master is going to court, so I rushed back to have a look." After finishing speaking, he asked Pei Jun, "Master is seriously injured, are you still in serious trouble now?"

Pei Jun patted the stone bench beside him, called him up and said, "It's just like this, just keep it up. You have seen Prince Jin."

Qian Haiqing hurriedly asked Jiang Yue Antai again, got up and sat beside Pei Jun.Seeing this, Mei Linyu asked, "Then where should I sit?"

Pei Jun reprimanded him: "You are standing beside me, you have no place to speak."

Mei Linyu felt aggrieved and stood a little behind him, looking at Jiang Yue with pleading eyes.

Jiang Yue coughed lightly, lowered his eyes and smiled, and said to Pei Jun, "Master Mei also stood for a long time, and now that Shang Yin has been found, let him sit down and have a sip of tea."

Hearing this, Pei Jun looked at Mei Linyu, who quickly blinked at him.Pei Jun's heart softened for a moment, and he said: "Sit down." Seeing that Mei Linyu raised his hand to get the tea on his table as soon as he sat down, he hurriedly slapped Mei Linyu's monkey paw: "This tea You have no part to drink, if you want to drink, pour your own water."

Mei Linyu withdrew her hand and blew, staring resentfully at the crimson tea soup in his cup, swallowed, then picked up the pot and poured herself a cup for nothing.

Pei Jun no longer cared about him, but turned his head to Qian Haiqing to order the business: "Secretary Yansi Xinli, you have been wronged by starting everything from the beginning. Now Zhang San is also in the Ministry of Criminal Justice. So make some preparations and wait to set off on the boat with him in a few days."

Qian Haiqing hurriedly responded and asked, "Can Zhang Duancheng really enter the Ministry of Punishment?"

Jiang Yuedao: "The cabinet is no longer dominated by the Cai family. The emperor relies on the Zhang family. The Ministry of Punishment is a country's judiciary. It is in charge of the world's criminal names. It is Zhang Ling's lifelong wish to send his son to the Ministry of Punishment and become a minister. But his eldest son Zhang Hezhi is on a study tour. Gao Sheng is not in court, so he imposed his ambition on Zhang San, and now that he finally has the opportunity, he will definitely do his best to accomplish this."

"And this matter needs to be discussed by the court, and he needs my vote." Pei Jun took Jiang Yue's words and said to Qian Haiqing, "So even if Cai Yan doesn't want to let Pei Yan go, Zhang Ling won't encourage it. His prestige is even more likely to help Pei Yan."

Qian Haiqing came to a sudden: "So that's the case. Then the master will be able to pick up my sister back home soon?"

"I, I, I, I'll pick it up!" Mei Linyu raised her hand while holding a glass of boiled water.

"You have other things to do." Pei Jun grabbed his hand, picked up the scented tea on the table, and said slowly, "You have to get the big boat ready, our dolls are going out to handle the case. "