From last year to this year, Wei Jiansu and Cui Yuan resigned one after another.
If we include the previous Fang Guan, the current emperor has dismissed three prime ministers since he succeeded to the throne.
The number of prime ministers in Zhengshitang was reduced to five, with only five remaining: Pei Mian, Cui Huan, Li Lin, Miao Jinqing and Zhang Hao.
Many ministers had other thoughts.
Pei Mian followed Long Yuanxun and took the initiative to weaken the power of the Zhengshitang, changing the Bingbi prime minister system to the group prime minister system. Now the imperial court does not have a prime minister, but Pei Mian can be regarded as a prime minister without the title of prime minister.
Cui Huan is a wealthy and idle person and a devout Buddhist. He comes from a big family and is not good at government affairs.
The reason why he was promoted to prime minister was due to Fang Guan and Cui Huan's efforts in persuading the emperor to abdicate when the new emperor ascended the throne.
Cui Huan was too lazy to do government affairs. He spent all day at home worshiping Buddha and chanting sutras, and sometimes did not even go to the political hall to work.
It is said that even some important official documents were reviewed by family members, and it is said that they have reached the ears of the emperor.
Xu Shuji and others whom Cui Huan had recommended before were now criticized by everyone in the court, and his position was no longer secure.
Li Lin was a minister of the clan and had the merit of escorting the emperor back to Luan Chang'an.
Li Lin also loved calligraphy and painting, and was not interested in court affairs.
However, he did not take matters seriously and did not take matters into his own hands. Government affairs that could not be handled would be returned to the political hall for discussion, so he had a good reputation in the court.
Miao Jinqing was a relatively poor prime minister, extremely capable and good at handling civil affairs and economic work.
He handled most of the civil affairs work in the political hall. However, Miao Jinqing was jealous of evil and was very contemptuous and arrogant towards those he looked down upon. There were also many people attacking him in the court.
The last prime minister, Zhang Hao, was also a prime minister from a poor family and was also the best military prime minister.
However, Zhang Hao recently wrote to the emperor, believing that Shi Siming and his son were just pretending to surrender, and should not follow the strategies of the Crown Prince and King Qi, and ordered Shi Siming to attack An Qingxu. This would give Shi Siming and his son a reason to raise troops again.
Because of this memorial, Zhang Hao was now put on sick leave by the emperor and was recuperating in the palace. There were rumors in Chang'an that he had been abandoned by the emperor and would soon be dismissed.
In a popular saying in Chang'an, today's political affairs hall consists of "a prime minister, a Buddha statue, an idler, a cruel official and a military man."
The only real prime minister is Pei Mian, and Pei Mian is almost sixty years old now, and his energy is running low. He can handle government affairs just fine on weekdays, but now in this time of war, he may not be able to hold on anymore.
So there was news in the court that the emperor was preparing to replenish the manpower of the political hall. As soon as the news of Xuan Ma's appointment as prime minister came out, it immediately caused turmoil in the court.
However, Cui Guangyuan was not originally on the discussion list of Chang'an officials at all.
The reason is also very simple. Cui Guangyuan is a problematic official who has surrendered to the puppet Yan. He is able to stay in Jing Zhaoyin now because the emperor sees his ability and there is currently no suitable official to replace him.
I don’t know what Cui Guangyuan did a while ago, and he also had a bad relationship with Donggong. Since the Zhengdan Dynasty Meeting, the officials of the Donggong department have been fixated on the incident of the heavy snow in Chang'an a year ago, and they have been writing letters to impeach Cui Guangyuan, which made him
Very embarrassed.
So this time for promotion to prime minister, Cui Guangyuan was not on everyone's list at all.
But today, when the Cui Mansion was secretly discussing, Shang Bo came to Cui Guangyuan's study and told Cui Guangyuan that the King of Yue was willing to support him in entering the political hall.
Cui Guangyuan thought at first that the King of Yue was bragging, but when he thought of the hidden strength of the King of Yue in Chang'an, Cui Guangyuan had a vague expectation.
Shang Bo said: "His Royal Highness has given us an order to fully support Cui Dayin's entry into the political hall!"
Hearing what Shang Bo said, Cui Guangyuan was even more excited and wanted to kowtow to the King of Yue.
However, Cui Guangyuan calmed down and asked weakly: "But the King of Yue is far away in Longyou, so how can we recommend his subordinates to join the political hall?"
Shang Bo understood that this old man was testing the waters again. Although he had fallen into the Yue King's camp, Cui Guangyuan was a loach, a master who could not see the rabbit but not the hawk.
The King of Yue wanted to promote you, Cui Guangya, but you shrank back instead.
Although Shang Bo looked down on Cui Guangyuan a little, the fact that Cui Guangyuan was still able to secure Jing Zhaoyin's position after serving as a fake official also showed how stable his system was.
Shang Bo pointed his fingers and analyzed Cui Guangyuan:
"There are several candidates for prime minister this time, and the most popular one is Yushi Zhongcheng Cui Qi."
Cui Guangyuan nodded and said: "Now everyone in Chang'an knows that Cui Qi has voted for the King of Qi, and this time the King of Qi also guaranteed his admission to the political affairs hall."
Shang Bo said: "However, Cui Qi offended too many people when he tried the puppet traitors of Yan, and the emperor also resented him for sentencing the Zhang brothers to death. What's more, he has now joined the Qi King's camp, and the emperor will not let him join.
It’s the political hall.”
Cui Guangyuan nodded. Shang Bo was right. Although Cui Qi seemed to be popular, Cui Guangyuan felt that he was the least likely to enter the political affairs hall.
Shang Bo said: "On the other hand, Li Xian, the minister of Dali Temple, advocated light punishment when trying the fake Yan officials this time. He made friends with many officials. Now the emperor also recognizes his ideas."
Cui Guangyuan also nodded. After Li Xian took charge of Dali Temple, the chaotic public security in Guanzhong quickly calmed down.
He advocated cautious punishment and personally asked Dali Temple officials to review death penalty cases, which also reduced unjust, false and wrongful convictions in the local area.
In Cui Guangyuan's opinion, Li Xian's chance of becoming prime minister is much higher than Cui Qi's.
But after analyzing so much, how can I, Cui Guangyuan, enter the Political Affairs Hall?
Cui Guangyuan looked at Shang Bo and waited until the other party proposed an opportunity for him to enter the political hall.
But Shang Bo smiled slightly and said: "As long as Dayin does his job well, it will be a matter of course for him to enter the political hall."
Cui Guangyuan has been playing riddles to his subordinates all his life, but he never expected that he would be asked to play riddles by Shang Bo now.
He just wanted to have a seizure, but he collapsed weakly on the chair.
By now he had boarded the Yue King's pirate ship, and now there was no possibility of jumping off the ship.
After coming out of Cui Guangyuan's house, Shan Tao couldn't help but ask:
"Why don't you tell Cui Guangyuan? Wouldn't it be easier if he cooperates with this plan?"
But Shang Bo said: "Supporting Cui Guangyuan to enter the political hall is just a side benefit of the plan."
"Human beings are always afraid of the unknown. If we don't pretend to be inscrutable, how can we make an old cunning guy like Cui Guangyuan work for the King of Yue wholeheartedly?"
Shan Tao laughed naively: "You guys are still arrogant, but can this plan come true?"
Shang Bo said: "It's up to people to make things happen, so we just have to try our best."
Shan Tao also nodded. In this case, it can only depend on fate.
The two returned to the backyard of the Dudu Mansion. At this time, Yu Xiaoxiao was sitting behind the table, instructing a player.
"You stick your tongue out a little longer!"
"Pay attention to your body language and be sure to show your inner hatred."
"This feels right, yes, yes, yes, move slower and lower your voice."
After seeing Shang Bo enter the door, Yu Xiaoxiao immediately said: "President!"
Only two players in white clothes were seen lying on the ground, their faces covered with blood. However, when they saw Shang Bo coming in, they all jumped up from the ground.
Shang Bo walked over and saw that the two players had disheveled hair, and the blood stains and scars on their faces turned out to be painted on them.
Shang Bo couldn't help but sigh at the magic of modern makeup technology.
Su Nuan walked over from the side with a makeup box and touched up the makeup on the two players.
"President."
These two are new players who have just arrived in Chang'an, and they are a little cautious when they see Shang Bo.
Shang Bo said to Yu Xiaoxiao: "Go on."
Yu Xiaoxiao immediately said to the two players: "Don't be lazy, time is running out, hurry up and rehearse!"
The two players quickly lay down on the ground again and started rehearsing.
A few days later, rumors spread in Chang'an City that the censor Zhongcheng Cui Qi had encountered a ghost.
It is said that Cui Qi was promoted by Da Xixun, the fake prime minister of Yan. However, when he was trying to demote the fake Yan some time ago, Cui Qi insisted on condemning Da Xixun to death. Da Xixun was beheaded under a willow tree outside the city.
Da Xixun was beheaded, and his son Da Xizhi was also convicted and executed with a cane in front of Jingzhao Mansion.
This kind of betrayal of one's benefactor has always been despised.
Cui Qi was originally a cool official and didn't care about these rumors, but he had a secret. Cui Qi was a person who believed in ghosts and gods.
It's strange to say that Cui Qi is obviously a cruel official who wants to climb up the ladder, but Cui Qi firmly believes in the theory of ghosts and gods, and secretly worships the magic tablets of various wild fox fairies at home.
This is Cui Qi's secret. Even people close to him don't know that the censor Zhongcheng, who is ruthless outside, actually worships ghosts and gods at home.
There are different versions of how Cui Qi met the ghost.
But the common version is that Cui Qi encountered the ghosts of Da Xixun and Da Xizhi's father and son.
Da Xixun held his head in his hands, Da Xizhi said, his white clothes covered with blood all over his body.
The ghosts of father and son asked Cui Qi for their lives. Cui Qi was so frightened that he claimed to be ill and did not go to the Yamen the next day.
There were rumors that Cui Qi was haunted by ghosts. King Qi even invited an imperial physician to Cui Qi, but the imperial physician treated Cui Qi and said it was a heart disease and there was no way to cure it.
At this time, Cui Guangyuan of Jingzhao suddenly admonished the emperor in the court hall. Chang'an was at the feet of the emperor. Da Xixun and Da Xizhi, father and son, deserved what they deserved. How could they entangle the dignitary of the court?
After submitting the letter, Cui Guangyuan erected a soul-calling flag in Jingzhao Mansion, telling Da Xi and his son that "they" should come towards him.
After that, rumors spread that Cui Guangyuan wore the official robe of Jing Zhaoyin and killed Da Xi and his son for fooling around. Moreover, these storytellers told it vividly, and it soon spread throughout Chang'an City.
However, Cui Qi was no longer haunted by the "ghosts" of Da Xi and his son, and his illness soon recovered.
All of a sudden, people in Chang'an were praising Cui Guangyuan for his uprightness and his ability to overcome evil spirits!