The couple encountered a problem with the old lady, so they had to ask the old lady what she meant. However, the old lady was not that easy to see.

As the chief assistant of the cabinet, the old man assists the emperor in regulating yin and yang. His power is extremely important and his position is the highest. He is not only in charge of important departments such as the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, and the Hanlin Academy; he is also the director of the National History Museum and several other libraries.

The president has many responsibilities and is very busy with work. It has been 60 years since the founding of the Chu Dynasty, and this is unique.

There is a cabinet duty room in the palace. Because it is close to the emperor, it is convenient to ask for instructions and reports nearby, so the old man works there most of the time. After leaving the inner court and arriving at the court room, there are often officials who line up every day waiting to see him.

There are dozens or hundreds of people. The old man often sits in the sedan chair to review documents and handle affairs. Even when he returns home after free time, he still lights candles and continues to deal with unfinished business.

In view of the fact that the old man was "diligent, diligent and courageous in his duties, and made great contributions to the country", three years after the orthodoxy, the emperor expressed on more than one occasion that he would be "worthy of enjoying the Ancestral Temple" after his death. Such an honor is rare throughout the ages.

, but the old man didn’t take it seriously.

Everyone in the family knew that the old man was busy and had no important matters, so no one dared to disturb him. Even the eldest man could never see him in person, and even if he did, he would rarely say a few words.

Just in time for the busy political affairs in the DPRK and the Central Government, the rebels in the northwest have just subsided, and the Jurchens in the northeast are causing trouble again. The old man and the officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household Affairs are busy mobilizing the army, selecting generals, organizing logistics, and raising military pay. They are extremely busy.

.I didn’t go home for several days.

The eldest lady was very anxious, but there was nothing she could do. After a few days, when she heard that the Queen Mother's condition was getting better, she once again handed her a sign and entered the Cining Palace. This time when she entered the palace, the eldest lady put on Yuxin's best clothes.

He dressed her up beautifully and took her into the West Nuan Pavilion of Cining Palace.

This was not the first time that Yu Xin met the Queen Mother, and she felt that this time the Queen Mother was more kind and easy-going than before. When she left the palace, the Queen Mother also rewarded her with a pair of long hairpins inlaid with precious stones.

Another day passed, and the old man finally returned home. The couple paid homage to the old man with a lot of talk.

The old man met his son and his wife in the Songfeng Bookstore in the outer courtyard. The Songfeng Bookstore is nestled among green pines and cypresses. It is quiet and elegant. It is the old man’s small study. There is a large collection of classics in the bookstore, including many precious ancient and unique books.

, rare books.

The old man rarely sees people here.

The old man is of medium build, with good facial features, and a four-inch beard under his chin. The only drawback is that his hair and beard are slightly gray. Although he is busy with political affairs, he seems to be in good spirits. Between the opening and closing of his eyes, there is a gleam that can be seen at a glance.

He is a man with a strong chest. His expression is solemn and serious, and he is unsmiling. Because he has been in a high position for a long time and does not use force, he naturally has a sense of majesty on his body, which makes people tremble and dare not make mistakes.

The couple gave the old man a gift and quickly explained their purpose of visiting, saying, "No!" The old man refused without thinking.

The old lady was no longer very surprised when she encountered a soft nail. She secretly gave her husband a wink, and before she could utter her words of persuasion, a concierge reported outside the door: "Mu Ning'an, the Minister of Rites, wants to see you."

!”

The old lady immediately ordered: "Please invite Mr. Mu into the south study room, I will be there soon." After saying that, he stood up and the eldest lady glanced at the old man anxiously.

The elder's lips moved, but nothing came out.

What kind of person is the old man? He has already noticed the couple's little actions. He said in a calm tone: "I know what you are thinking, but this matter will not work out. Don't mention it again in the future." After that, he waved his hand and left.

Songfeng Pavilion.

It was not until the second watch that the old man saw a large group of officials and entered the Songhe Hall.

The maids and wives were sent away in the main room, leaving only an old couple sitting across from each other.

The old couple has been an old couple for so many years, and they are too lazy to say polite words. The old lady got straight to the point and asked: "Have the boss and the daughter-in-law mentioned the matter of Sister Xin to the master?"

The old man picked up the lid of the bowl and fiddled with the tea cup and said: "Yes, it was brought up, but I rejected it. The eldest daughter-in-law went to Cining Palace once, and she had this idea when she came back. She thought it was for the Queen Mother."

The old lady nodded: "I am very enthusiastic when I see the boss..."

The old man closed the lid of the cup and shook his head repeatedly: "He is still dreaming about the dream of becoming the head of the country. The boss is always reluctant to study and do things. This time, the Ministry of officials listed him on the list of promotions, and I

Crossed out. The boss has some complaints about me as a father."

According to the rules of Da Chu, the more senior officials are appointed and dismissed, the more cautious they are. The so-called court recommendation is led by the Minister of Civil Affairs, the cabinet bachelor, the six ministers, ministers, and Yan Guan all present to select candidates for senior Beijing officials and local officials.

Form. Generally speaking, the higher the position, the more people will participate in the selection. After the list is drawn up, it is submitted to the emperor. The emperor uses a red pen to draw a circle on the name of the person he is satisfied with, and the candidate is decided.

It has a somewhat democratic meaning.

The old lady raised her eyebrows, and the old man explained: "How big is the head and how big is the hat? According to the boss's level of talent, a third-grade Taipusi Temple Minister is already very reluctant. If he goes up any higher, I'm afraid it will be a disaster rather than a blessing for him.

"

The old lady sighed: "It's a pity that none of these descendants can inherit the mantle of the master. After all, the newfound wealth of the Yang family cannot compare with the foundation of the eight major families of the founding of the country. One day when the master becomes an official, I am afraid that the Yang family will decline from then on...

…”

The old man smiled casually: "There is no banquet in the world that lasts forever, and there is no family that lasts forever. A huge family fortune is not as good as a suicide note. How many cases in the past dynasties have father and son entered the main office at the same time?" He laughed at himself.

Said: "Others see my Yang family as being cooked by fire and decorated with flowers and brocade. In fact, the Yang family has reached the extreme level of wealth and wealth and has long been unable to rise. Things in the world are like this. If you don't advance, you will retreat. If you don't advance, you will retreat.

Today is like walking on the tip of a knife. If you are not careful, you may be in danger. Since ancient times, there have been people who have achieved great success but cannot retreat bravely, such as Shang Yang and Han Xin. There are few who have a good ending. If I only focus on it at this time

Promoting people from the Yang family can bring the Yang family to prominence, but it will definitely become a source of disaster in the future! Even among the eight surnames of the founding of the country, many of them have suffered from failure during the changes of emperors in the past few generations."

The old lady nodded repeatedly: "I have serious concerns about this matter. Since you have such considerations, why don't you write a letter asking for withdrawal. I can also accompany you on a trip to the mountains and forests, read books and taste tea. Wouldn't it be fun! It's better than the black and white things like today.

work!"

The old man sighed and said: "The Huns are not destroyed, so why do we have a family? Now the four seas have not been truly unified, and the national affairs seem to be stable, but in fact they are full of crises. How can I give up my son at this time? I have determined to be Yi Yin and Lu Wang first-class since I was a child.

He is a man who used the power of temple calculations to strengthen the country and enrich the people. It is a pity that he wasted half his life and ended up in the current situation."

The old lady was in awe when she heard this: "Since I am determined to achieve a great success in becoming a famous prime minister, I consider myself to be the master of the whole generation."

The old man couldn't help but cast a grateful glance at the old lady, "I have to worry about everything at home, my wife, and my wife..." The old man shook his head.

The old lady smiled and said: "It's all within the scope of my duties, so why bother talking about it? It's the matter of the Crown Princess. I haven't fully understood it yet, so please give me some advice."

The old man said: "I should make it clear for my wife." But he did not answer immediately. He changed the subject and said: "The emperor recently promoted Wang Ying, the chamberlain, to serve as the eunuch and governor of the East Factory."

The old lady frowned: "Who is Wang Ying? Si Li Bingbi and Admiral Dongchang can be regarded as the second-ranking figure in the inner court!" The old lady is familiar with the six departments and nine ministers, but her knowledge of the inner court yamen is limited.

The old man explained to her: "Eunuch Wang was previously the eunuch in charge of Concubine Xiao Huang of the Qian Palace, and this time he followed the path of Concubine Xiao. Also, a few days ago, the emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to celebrate the Wanshou Festival this year.

Your honorable title, Imperial Concubine Xiao."

"Concubine Xiao Huang? Doesn't she already have a title?"

The old man nodded: "The emperor's intention is that a two-character title is not enough to show the virtuousness and virtue of the imperial concubine, so the ministers are required to draft a four-character title!"

The old lady was shocked: "I have never heard of such a thing in all dynasties! Such a favored person in the Sixth Palace..." The old lady frowned and fell into deep thought for a moment.

The old lady did not rush her and just sipped the tea leisurely. After a long time, the old lady suddenly said: "In the past few years, Queen Mother Xiang's illness has been recurring. Could it be that this time..."

The old man nodded. "I have received news that the Queen Mother may not be able to hold on for long..."

The old lady murmured: "... Once the Queen Mother dies... the palace will become Concubine Xiao's world..." She finally put all the clues together and understood the old lady's train of thought. "What do you mean by the master?"

It’s…the prince…”

Imperial Concubine Xiao came from the Xiao family, one of the eight major surnames in the founding of Da Chu. She had a prominent family and had served as officials for generations. Her father was Xiao Changzong, the current Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In Da Chu, the Ministry of Personnel was the head of the six departments, and the Minister was also called the Tianguan. It can be seen that

The weight of authority.

Concubine Xiao Huang was not only as beautiful as a fairy, but also had an unfathomable scheming. She won the emperor's favor as soon as she entered the palace. Soon she gave birth to the emperor's fourth son. The mother regarded the son as noble, and she was soon promoted to the imperial concubine and became the twelve sons of the East and West.

The palace was a veritable "vice empress". After that, the second and third emperor's sons died mysteriously, and only the prince, who was raised in Cining Palace, grew up safely.

The fourth prince became the actual second prince.

Over the years, with the Queen Mother suppressing her, Concubine Xiao has not taken too big steps to seize power. Once the Queen Mother leaves, the entire harem will really be hers. Queen, compared with Concubine Xiao, she is not at all

They are not in the same rank. So I'm sorry, step aside.

The old man said: "When the emperor was still in the palace, his position was not prominent, so the empress dowager chose the daughter of a Hanlin scholar as his concubine. The empress was born in a noble family, and her natal family had no power. She was too upright, so she has been

Not being favored by the Holy Spirit. Concubine Xiao Huang has made several attacks. If the Queen Mother hadn’t been suppressing her, I’m afraid the palace would have changed hands long ago..."

The old lady took a breath: "When Taizong seized the throne, will the scene of clan fratricide happen again? But after all, the prince is the queen's direct descendant, occupying both the direct line and the elder, not to mention that the prince has been established for more than ten years.

The status of king and minister has long been decided."

The old man shook his head, "Has the prince been established early? The status of monarch and ministers has been determined? I'm afraid it's not that simple! Once the prince is established, he can be deposed. As long as he does not become emperor for a day, the status of monarch and ministers will not be truly determined for a day."

The old lady was shocked and said: "Could it be that... the Xiao family... really dare to rebel?"

The old man's eyes flashed: "It's okay if the Xiao family really dares to rebel. I'm afraid the emperor himself will be shaken first..."

The old man sighed: "...in the past few years, the emperor has expanded the palace and gardens, admitted concubines, and paid less and less attention to the government. The Xiao family has invited favors, and has repeatedly offered exotic beauties, comely prostitutes, and many strange and obscene skills.

He also hired Taoist priests to burn mercury and make elixirs for the emperor. The emperor gradually became more dependent on the Xiao family.

The prince's identity is sensitive and he does not dare to make friends with foreign ministers. The queen mother is understanding, but she is sick and unable to do what she wants... If the queen mother really goes like this, the emperor is afraid that she will immediately fall in love with Concubine Xiao... Plus Zhao

The king is more favored by the emperor than the prince..." The fourth son of the emperor was named King of Zhao at the age of eight.

The old lady sighed: "I often hear people say that the prince is benevolent and filial. He is a good man..."

The old man chuckled: "Benevolence and filial piety? I think it should be called benevolence and cowardice!" I watched with cold eyes. The prince has been in charge of the East Palace for ten years, and now he still has no influence on the government. There are only a group of people from Zhan Shifu around him, and the other ministers who have surrendered to him are one by one.

They were all pushed out by him. I think he is also an Adou who cannot help me." After being the prince for ten years and holding such a prominent and important position, it is really unreasonable that he has not cultivated his own team.

But the old lady stood up and spoke for the prince: "I think the prince is afraid of taking too much power and being jealous of the emperor, so he keeps a low profile and bides his time!"

The old man nodded and said, "If I guess correctly, the queen must have taught her this. It's really pedantic."

The old lady was really confused this time.

The old man explained: "If the emperor is a talented and ambitious man, it would not be wrong for him to do this. This is because emperors with such a personality often have a strong desire for power and cannot allow others to share their power. But the current emperor has a weak personality, and the prince has the support of the queen mother.

Another powerful brother is eyeing him.
To be continued...