Taiping Inn

From the eleventh year of Wude to the seventh year of Tianbao, time has passed quickly. The Emperor Tianbao, who was only ten years old at that time, is now a 17-year-old boy. But everyone knows that the real master of the current imperial capital is not the young emperor sitting on the dragon throne, but the empress dowager Xie Zhi who sits behind the dragon throne.

The so-called empress dowager or queen is in the court to listen to government affairs, and the palace is covered with curtains, so people all call it: listening to government behind the curtain.

Since ancient times, there have been many taboos for women to be in power, and they have been devalued by the literati and officials of the world as a hen crowing at dawn. As the empress once said, what a man can do with 100% effort, a woman must use 120% effort, this is the general trend of the world.

However, there are many exceptions and coincidences in the general trend. When the empress had not yet ascended the throne and was still the empress, the history books recorded: "At that time, the emperor had measles and could not attend the court, and all political affairs were decided by the empress. Every time the emperor attended the court, the empress hung a curtain behind the throne, and heard all the political affairs, big or small, in advance. They were called the two saints inside and outside." Today, Empress Dowager Xie also imitated the empress. Whenever she discussed matters in the court, she hung a pearl curtain and sat behind the emperor's throne. The young emperor on the dragon throne was more like a puppet than an emperor.

But Xie Zhi was not completely carefree. Apart from her body as a woman, the main reasons why she was able to take charge of the government were two points. The first point was her identity as the empress dowager, and the second point was the will left by the late emperor. However, the original intention of the late emperor's will was to use the empress dowager to check and balance the four ministers of the regent. Now that the four ministers of the regent no longer exist, should the empress dowager continue to hold the six seals of the emperor? Should the power be returned to the emperor? There were many discussions between the court and the public, and this was also the key to the emperor's party being able to rise to the top.

Xie Zhi knew very well that she was just the daughter-in-law of the Xu family. Although she could now balance the court with various means, she was still suspected of being unjust and unjust in terms of justice. Although she had the power of training, she was far from being as powerful as the previous emperor in terms of political affairs. She was very dependent on the Prince of Jin in the outer court and the Silijian in the inner court. On the other hand, although Sun Songchan was just a minister, he had the support of several powerful governors in the local area and was also the emperor's teacher. He was respected and could not be easily moved.

After the morning court today, Xie Zhi left two important officials, Sun Ge Lao and Prince of Jin, to discuss the matter of the governor of Qizhou, Qin Daofang, to suppress the rebellion. According to the Queen Mother Xie and the King of Jin, the Governor of Qizhou, Qin Daofang, had made great contributions to the country by quelling the Qingyang Rebellion that had been a disaster for many years, so he should be rewarded heavily. In addition to the usual financial rewards, Qin Daofang was also conferred the title of Jingxin Earl, and was specially granted the title of Guanglu Dafu. Then he was transferred from the Governor of Qizhou to the Imperial Capital, entered the Cabinet, and was promoted to Grand Secretary. If it were in a peaceful and prosperous era, this reward would be really generous. Since the founding of the Wei Dynasty, there have been many outstanding meritorious officials, including old ministers who have served in the Cabinet for more than 40 years and the Chief Minister for 21 years, who have never been conferred a title; Xu Shisong, who rectified military affairs and repelled the Golden Horde army, was never conferred a title, and Zhang Suqing and Qin Xiang at that time were also not conferred a title. This time, Qin Daofang will be conferred a title, and with the move of entering the Cabinet, it is not an exaggeration to say that he has ascended to heaven in one step.

However, it is a chaotic world now, not a peaceful and prosperous world. In today's world, holding a title and an empty title of the cabinet is of little use. The key is still those frontier officials who hold real power. Queen Mother Xie's move is just a promotion in name only and demotion in reality. Sun Songchan naturally refused to agree. Qizhou's rebellion has not been cleared up, there are still Qingyang sect bandits making trouble everywhere, and Qizhou has a lot of things to be rebuilt. If Qin Daofang is transferred to Beijing at this time, there may be other reasons for change. He rejected Queen Mother Xie's proposal and suggested that Qin Daofang should be a cabinet minister remotely and still serve as the governor of Qizhou.

Queen Mother Xie was mostly testing. Seeing that Sun Songchan was determined and Qin Daofang had the support of the Qin Clan in Liaodong, she was originally from the Five Sects of Liaodong and knew the power of the Qin Clan. She did not dare to act rashly, so she had to put the matter aside for the time being. She also discussed the situation in the northwest and the border defense of Liaodong. It was not until noon that Sun Songchan and Prince Jin came out of the palace.

Sun Songchan was able to replace Zhang Suqing as the chief minister of the cabinet. Naturally, he was a man of deep scheming. He usually did not show his true colors. In addition, he was old, so he often said he was sick, making people wonder whether it was true or not. After being busy for a long time, Sun Songchan's steps were a little unstable. Prince Jin took the initiative to help him walk down the layers of white jade steps and walked out of the palace gate.

At this time, raindrops floated in the sky that had been gloomy for a whole morning, and then it became heavier and heavier. In the blink of an eye, it was raining heavily.

Immediately, an eunuch held an umbrella for the two of them. Prince Jin took the umbrella, motioned the eunuch to step down, and personally covered Sun Songchan's head with the umbrella.

The figure of Prince Jin supporting Sun Songchan gradually disappeared in the wind and snow. Xie Zhi stood in front of the palace door, looking at the swift wind and rain outside the palace, with the water vapor mixed in it blowing in his face, as if the two capitals and nineteen states of the Great Wei were now shrouded in this vast rain.

"Has Mr. Li sent a message back?" Xie Zhi suddenly asked.

Liu Yi, who was standing behind Xie Zhi, replied softly: "Reporting to the Queen Mother, Mr. Li sends a message every three days. He just sent a message the day before yesterday. The next message will have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest."

Xie Zhi's mood was a little gloomy, just like the weather in front of him, and he said solemnly: "Now you are in charge of the Qingluan Guard Governor's Office. Go and ask the people of Qingluan Guard later what's going on in Xijing."

Liu Yi replied respectfully: "Yes."

Xie Zhi sighed deeply.

The state affairs are difficult, the state situation is difficult.

The Wei Kingdom has been established for nearly two hundred years, and has survived many storms, snows, and rains, but the Wei Kingdom still stands firm. But can the Wei Kingdom still withstand this heavy rain?

Xie Zhi looked back and saw that the threshold of the hall was right behind her. She could cross it in one step. She could even sit on the chair at the end of the deepest part of the hall, but she hesitated to sit on it.

If she went one step further, would the history books of later generations say that she was a woman who messed up politics? Would they say that she was a hen crowing at dawn? If she returned the power to the emperor, could she, a young man, handle the current situation and deal with those tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves?

Xie Zhi's gloomy mood became even more gloomy.

According to the laws of the Wei Dynasty, princes or old and sick ministers could ride a double-carriage in the palace with special permission. The so-called double-carriage is actually a special chair with the backrest and two sides sealed with a whole piece of wood, a cover on top, a curtain in front, and two bamboo poles passing through the two sides of the chair, carried by two people either by hand or on their shoulders.

As the chief minister and an elderly minister, Sun Songchan had long enjoyed the privilege of riding a double sedan chair in the palace. If it was in the Yanbo Palace, Sun Songchan's sedan chair could be parked at the stone steps outside the Yanbo Palace. However, the Yanbo Palace has been abandoned for a long time since the death of the previous emperor, so most of the meetings are held in this side hall. The square outside the palace is where civil and military officials enter and exit to attend court meetings, so it is not convenient to park the sedan chair, so the two of them have to walk a distance.

It suddenly rained at this time, and the two of them could only walk this distance in the wind and rain.

The King of Jin waved his sleeves to blow away the wind and rain for Sun Songchan, so that the wind and rain could not get close to him.

Sun Songchan, who looked increasingly old, sighed, "When people get old, they are useless."

King Jin said softly, "Your words are too kind. The Great Wei Dynasty cannot do without you."

Sun Songchan said slowly, "Your Highness has promoted me. The two capitals and nineteen states of the Great Wei are not on my shoulders, but on the shoulders of the Queen Mother and Your Highness."

King Jin was silent for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "Your words are both right and wrong. If we consider the overall situation, your words are correct. The Queen Mother is the foundation of the Great Wei. But in terms of some specific things, it is not right. The court today cannot do without you for a day."

Sun Songchan suddenly stopped and looked up. There was a vast rain and fog, and the surrounding scenery was looming and indistinguishable.

Then he slowly turned his head to look at King Jin, who was supporting him, and asked tremblingly, "What does your Highness mean by this?"

King Jin smiled and said, "It's just something I feel."

Sun Songchan suddenly fell silent, standing in the wind and rain for a long time without saying a word.

King Jin couldn't help but ask, "Lord?"

Sun Songchan came back to his senses and said, "This old minister just remembered a sentence Zhang Suqing once said."

King Jin said, "I would like to hear the details."

Sun Songchan said softly, "It's like entering a fire and finding a cool door."