Chapter 43 The Black Hand

(Thanks to Brother Eyang for the reward. I haven’t saved enough manuscripts today. I will break out at the fourth update tomorrow. I will give it a preview in advance.)

Zhao Pu invited him warmly, but Shi Wei naturally could not refuse, so he sat down happily.

He glanced at the stone table, and there was an old book next to the wine and food. After a closer look, it turned out to be a "Analects of Confucius".

Shi Wei couldn't help but remember the allusion of "half the Analects of Confucius rule the world".

"Shi Fengyu, will this trip to Fangzhou be smooth sailing?" Zhao Pu said, and took the initiative to pour a glass of wine for him.

Shi Wei bowed slightly to show his gratitude, but he was not distracted and restrained, and drank it all in one go.

After drinking, he briefly told Zhao Pu about the story of going to Fangzhou.

Zhao Pu nodded slightly: "It seems that I recommended you to go to Shang Pharmacy at the beginning. Shi Fengyu, you are indeed the best in medical skills."

"Zhao Xiang has been awarded too much." Shi Weiqian smiled, and suddenly turned his mind, but he frowned: "It's just that when I went to Fangzhou, there was something that made Xiaguan very confused."

"I don't know what troubles Shi Fengyu, so I might as well tell me." Zhao Pu replied casually.

Shi Wei Sui concealed Na Gansui's condition and refused to report it, and his words and deeds were inconsistent with what the people in the palace said, and told Zhao Pu one by one.

The purpose of Shi Wei doing this is very simple. Gan Sui is Zhao Guangyi's person, and Zhao Guangyi is Zhao Pu's opponent. Shi Wei revealed this to Zhao Pu just to see what his reaction was.

When he spoke, his eyes were always on Zhao Pu's face, but he could not see any trace of his heart except indifferent.

The founding prime minister of the Song Empire was indeed a cunning person.

Shi Wei sighed in his heart, but asked again: "Secret Zhao, do you think this is strange? The lower official really can't figure it out."

Zhao Pu took a sip of wine and said lightly: "This matter is not simple. Someone must have thought of taking the opportunity to kill King Zheng."

Shi Wei was shocked, but he didn't expect Zhao Pu to answer so simply.

"Then Zhao Xiang thought, who would this person with interest be?" Shi Wei asked in a low voice.

This time, Zhao Pu did not respond so happily.

He ate a glass of wine and picked up a few bites of dishes, but he stroked his beard and smiled: "With Shi Fengyu's talent, I must have guessed who did it, so why bother to ask this more."

Shi Wei was speechless for a moment and thought to himself that Zhao Pu was indeed a "smart and conspiring" person. This person should be the sharpest gaze he had ever seen since he traveled through this era.

"But I am very curious. What will Princess Chai do to deal with this matter?" Zhao Pu suddenly asked back.

Shi Wei did not avoid it and replied: "The King of Zheng is the closest relative of Princess Chai. Seeing that he suffered this disaster, he naturally felt deeply hated. He did not hide it from Prime Minister Zhao. Princess planned to refer to His Majesty for a book of Nagansui after returning to Beijing."

At this time, Zhao Pu sighed softly.

This sigh seemed to indicate that he did not agree with Princess Che to do so.

"How do you say this?" Shi Wei said curiously.

"Although I love Princess Chai today, after all, Princess Chai is just a bead of the previous dynasty. Compared with those who are interested, it is obvious who is closer to Your Majesty. Moreover, what Gan Sui said is true or false, and without any evidence, how can you let Your Majesty distinguish the authenticity?"

Zhao Pu's words made Shi Wei very enlightened.

The person who was interested in the former prime minister was obviously hinting at Zhao Guangyi.

As Zhao Pu said, Zhao Guangyi and Dangjinzi are brothers and close relatives connected by blood.

Princess Chai has no blood relationship with the emperor.

Moreover, it is still unknown whether the emperor's favor for Princess Chai is sincere or to show it to the people of the world.

Furthermore, even if the emperor asked Zhao Guangyi for guilt, Zhao Guangyi could say that his purpose was just to eliminate a hidden danger for the Zhao family. Although the methods were a bit disgraceful, they were ultimately for the Zhao family.

From this point of view, the chances of the emperor targeting his own brother for Princess Chai are very slim.

Once this matter was exposed, the emperor might think that Princess Chai was deliberately provoking the relationship between their Zhao brothers. At that time, not only would he not be able to vent his anger for King Zheng, but he would lose the emperor's favor. Wouldn't it be a loss to his wife and soldiers?

"Listen to Zhao Xiang's words is really better than reading for ten years. I admire you and respect Zhao Xiang with a cup."

At this time, Shi Wei sincerely praised Zhao Pu's deep ideas and raised his glass to respect each other.

Zhao Pu seemed to have heard the praises from others, but he didn't agree. Although he drank the wine, he said: "I have said it long ago that I am no longer the prime minister. Shi Fengyu's voice "Zhao Prime Minister" is not enough."

Shi Wei was also clever and immediately smiled and said, "Although Zhao Xiang is the governor of the outside world, he still has the title of Pingzhangshi. It is not impossible for the subordinate official to call Zhao Xiang."

Although Zhao Pu was dismissed from prime minister, he was not nominally demoted.

The full name of the official title that Zhao Pu is currently holding should be the Jiedushi of the Three Cities of Heyang, the Taiwei of the Clerk, and the Tong Pingzhangshi.

According to the current official system, if Ping Zhangshi is in the court and directly presides over the government affairs of the Secretariat and the minister of the province, he is the prime minister with real power.

As for some important officials in some places who were released, they sometimes gave them the title of "Song" Pingzhangshi, which was called "Suan Prime Minister". The official positions were the same, but the difference in this word was the power of the world.

Although Zhao Pu has no longer had the power to take charge of the government, because of the false title of Tongpingzhangshi, it is not wrong for Shi Wei to continue to call him Zhao Xiang.

When people leave, tea is cold, Zhao Pu loses power once he is in trouble, and he has long seen the warmth and coldness of human feelings in the officialdom.

At this time, I met a popular imperial physician like Shi Wei, who was still so respectful to me. Naturally, I was a little relieved.

With relief, Zhao Pu laughed and said, "It's rare that Shi Fengyu has the intention."

After a few glasses of wine, the two of them had a chance to talk to each other. The atmosphere of drinking in the pavilion gradually became close.

After pouring a glass of wine for Zhao Pu himself, Shi Wei asked tentatively: "Zhao Zhao managed the government in an orderly manner, but he didn't know why His Majesty, but he insisted on putting Zhao Xiang as the governor."

"I feel ashamed of this matter." Zhao Pu shook his head and sighed.

At that moment, Zhao Pu told Shi Wei truthfully about the reason why he was dismissed from prescription.

It turned out that more than half a month ago, Lu Duoxun, who had been promoted to the Secretariat of the Central Secretariat, visited the Zhao Mansion more than half a month ago because of his contribution to the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Lu Duoxun accidentally found more than a dozen bottles of melon seeds in the Zhao mansion. When asked where they came from, Zhao Pu didn't think much about it and said bluntly that it was given by Qian Chu, the King of Wu Yue.

Unexpectedly, Lu Duoxun reported to the emperor that Zhao Pu would receive bribes from the foreign countries, and sued him for protecting his subordinates for being greedy for abuse of power, and illegally bought timber from Qinlong to build an official residence.

After seeing this memorial, the world was furious and used this as an excuse to dismiss Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu's words "shamed" were obviously a shame for his various "illegal" behaviors.

However, Shi Wei was very confused when he heard this.

Throughout history, how can officials not be greedy? The difference is only big greed and small greed.

A prime minister like Zhao Pu just collected a few melon seeds and bought some wood. This little benefit was simply negligible compared to the power of his prime minister.

Logically speaking, even if someone uses this to report Zhao Pu, and turns a blind eye to pretend not to know, why would he really get angry and punish Zhao Pu on this ground?

unless……

Unless Zhao Kuangyin had long planned to take Zhao Pu's position as prime minister, all he had been waiting for was an opportunity!

Thinking of this, Shi Wei couldn't help but feel shocked.

He then remembered that when he first came to Bianjing from Jinling, Zhao Guangyi personally went to the dock to greet Lu Duosun. Later, he learned from Cao Cong that Lu Duosun and Zhao Guangyi were very concerned.

This means that Lu Duoxun’s report to Zhao Pu is most likely Zhao Guangyi’s instruction.

With Zhao Kuangyin's knowledge, of course, he would not have known that his emperor brother stabbed Zhao Pu in the back, but why Zhao Kuangyin was still "into the trap" and gave up Zhao Pu.

"Strange, the emperor is so wise, how could he take Zhao Gao out of office because of this little thing? Isn't the emperor afraid that someone will take the opportunity to become a big shot?"

Shi Wei hinted without any hidingly that the mastermind behind the scenes had the same position as Zhao Pu when dealing with Zhao Guangyi, and it was necessary to bring the relationship closer.

Zhao Pu sighed again, shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Has Shi Fengyu forgotten what I said just now? One is a relative of blood and this is a powerful minister in other surnames. What is the surprise of Your Majesty's move?"

Shi Wei was stunned for a moment and suddenly realized.

As Zhao Pu said before, between Princess Chai and Zhao Guang's meaning, Zhao Kuangyin would obviously have a blood-related biological brother.

In other words, between Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi, Zhao Kuangyin would naturally choose to trust the latter.

In the eyes of the emperor, although Zhao Guangyi was suspected of taking over power, he was his own family and would not threaten the country of the Zhao family.

Zhao Pu's capture of power poses a threat to the Zhao family's territory to some extent.

Since the Five Dynasties, from the Later Liang to the Later Zhou Dynasty, there have been many powerful ministers and usurped the throne, Zhao Kuangyin is the best example.

If Zhao Kuangyin could use a glass of wine to release military power and remove the power of the military generals, he would naturally be able to use the means of rescinding the prime minister and eliminate the threat of Zhao Pu, a civil official.

From this point of view, all this makes sense.

"We are also subjects who are subjects to understand the efforts of the Lord. However, after Zhao Pu left like this, no one could suppress someone's power. Isn't the Lord afraid of threatening the second prince?"

After making a lot of preparations, Shi Wei finally mentioned Zhao Dezhao.

Earlier, Zhao Pu wrote a letter to Zhao Kuangyin, advising him to make Dezhao the crown prince as soon as possible. What Shi Wei can confirm is that he and Zhao Pu have the same position in supporting Zhao Dezhao.

When talking about this, Zhao Pu's originally calm expression gradually became a little solemn.

He swallowed a sip of wine and said slowly: "This is exactly what I have always been worried about, otherwise I would not have expressed my conviction to Your Majesty before. It is just that Your Majesty claims that the Spring and Autumn Period is in full swing, and obviously has no intention of establishing a prince. If this continues, I am afraid that there will be more dreams at night."

Zhao Pu also began to reveal his feelings to Shi Wei.

Shi Weisui asked again: "Since this is the case, isn't there any solution to Zhao Xiang's plan?"

Zhao Pu was silent for a while, shook his head and sighed, "I have been released as a prime minister. Now I have the heart but lack strength. Yuan Zhi, you are the person you valued by the second prince. In the future, you will rely on you to assist the second prince from the side."

Shi Wei was really surprised when he heard what he said.

!#
Chapter completed!