In the evening, Li Zhaocheng poured a glass of wine for Jiang Fan and said, "It's rare that you have time to see me today, so I cooked two side dishes for you to try."
"I want to find someone to talk to about Yan Shangshu. I don't know who to talk to, so I came to your place, eldest son." Jiang Fan said.
Nowadays, Li Yong and Li Zhaocheng are mostly revered as Li Taigong and the eldest son. After Li Xia ascended the throne, they should be given titles. It is not difficult. Just refer to the titles given to his father and brother by Liu Bang. But Li Xia just went to conquer the Song Dynasty after he became emperor.
Things were delayed.
Li Zhaocheng was so happy that he had to attract attention.
He has gained a lot of weight in recent years, his face has become rounder, and he has become somewhat middle-aged. He has grown a beard, and he no longer has the handsome and steady image he had when he was a teenager.
"I remember that there was news about her resignation last year when His Majesty ascended the throne, right? But it has always been a rumor. I thought it would gradually die down, but unexpectedly it got worse." Li Zhaocheng asked: "Your Majesty
do you know?"
"Your Majesty has returned from the Song Dynasty and has too many things to do. After hearing about it, he ordered me to find out the cause and effect before reporting."
"Did you find out clearly?"
Jiang Fan nodded and shook his head, saying: "Someone ridiculed her with the poem "Cold Food" last night. I traced the past and found a group of teenagers, all students of Chongwen College."
"Who instigated it?"
"No one ordered it."
"No one instigated it?" Li Zhaocheng was puzzled. "A group of young boys with no one instigating them dare to slander the imperial officials behind their backs?"
"They were just reading poems. What evidence do you have that they slandered the official?" Jiang Fan said: "After checking, it is true that no one was instigating it. They... heard about Yan Shangshu's background and felt that she was not suitable to be an official.
I find it interesting to force a minister to dismiss him from office."
Li Zhaocheng stopped holding the wine glass and became stunned.
Jiang Fan said again, "This time, even I can't find out the main messenger. I can't say who it is specifically in Chang'an City, but there are so many people in Chang'an City, whether they are northerners or southerners, who think that women are not suitable for officials.
They all want her to give up her position as head of the household department."
"It's not like no one has spoken about her before. She has never been intimidated by them."
"It's different." Jiang Fan said, "His Majesty has ascended the throne. She feels that it would be better to retire after her success."
Li Zhaocheng couldn't help but recall what he saw when Li Xia's foundation was first established when he first arrived in Qingfu County. Han Chengxu was old, Han Qi'an was sick, Yan Yunyun was a woman, and Han Qiao'er could only be regarded as a child. They were "old, weak, women and children"
Four words.
At that time, he thought that Li Xia's attempt to create a great career with such a team was tantamount to wishful thinking.
In the blink of an eye, nearly ten years have passed·
Two days later, Qingming Festival also passed.
The original Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Government Office was renamed the Prince of Qin's Mansion, and later it was renamed the Imperial Palace. On the long street dozens of steps away, all the shops are still open.
If it affects the majesty of the emperor, Lin'an's Royal Street is actually not much better.
Today, among the three dynasties in the world, except for the Dayuan Dynasty, all the other palaces and cities are just a makeshift place to live in.
"Come and try the spicy noodles! The civil and military officials of the entire dynasty became the founding heroes of the country by eating E family's spicy noodles!"
Hu Ji Noodle Shop specially hired a waiter who shouted like this every day to attract customers.
The noodle shop was renovated during the Chinese New Year, and a private room on the second floor was added, which was also used as a waiting room.
It is true that the founding heroes often came to sit here.
Li Zhaocheng never eats soybean noodles because he thinks his noodles are not cooked well, the soup is not thick enough, there are too many noodles and too little diced pork.
But that day, he ordered a bowl of noodles at the noodle shop and sat on a stick of incense. When he saw Yan Yunyun's sedan coming out of the palace, he got up and went over to say hello.
"Shang Shu Yan, how about I explain it step by step?"
"Okay, I happen to be hungry."
Yan Yunyun looked around and was too lazy to look elsewhere. He got off the sedan directly, entered the noodle shop and sat down on the second floor.
When she walked into the noodle shop, all the bustling diners fell silent.
This is next to the imperial palace. We have seen many officials wearing red robes, but there was only one female official in red robes in the Tang Dynasty, Yan Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue, and everyone knew that she was very strict.
Soon, the diners on the second floor fled away.
Li Zhaocheng sat down and laughed at himself: "I have gained a lot of weight, haven't I?"
Yan Yunyun nodded.
Eight years have passed since the absurd incident in Xuzhou, and Li Zhaocheng's appearance has indeed changed a lot.
As for her, when she looks back, she can hardly believe that she has done so much in just eight years.
"I heard that you are resigning?" Li Zhaocheng asked.
"Huh? Who did you listen to?"
Li Zhaocheng did not answer, but pondered and said slowly: "Back then... I really longed for you and wanted to marry you."
Yan Yunyun was picking up his chopsticks to eat noodles. He was a little surprised when he heard this and shook his head helplessly.
Li Zhaocheng is very serious.
He had a lot to say, and he had thought it over carefully, so he had to express it quickly.
"You refused to marry me because it would be difficult to be an official after you married me. After seeing you display your talents over the years, I have actually given up on you. After all, I have also married two wives."
Yan Yunyun smiled again and lowered his head to eat noodles.
Li Zhaocheng said: "But if you resign in the end, even I will not be willing to accept it. You are more talented and ambitious than me. In order to help the emperor create peace, you will not let me delay you. I agree. But this...
…”
At this point, he didn't know what to say, and he only had three words in the end.
"I don't recognize it."
Yan Yunyun understood his mood, put down his chopsticks and said, "I mentioned this to Your Majesty today."
"You resigned from His Majesty?"
"Your Majesty has been very busy recently and shouldn't have worried about such a trivial matter of mine." Yan Yunyun said, "Your Majesty only said that this matter depends on my will. If I don't want to be this official, then I shouldn't do it, and there is no need to submit my resignation again and again.
"
"you."
"But if I still want to be an official." Yan Yunyun suddenly changed the topic and said: "No matter how many people in Chang'an City whisper behind my back, no one can use this to overthrow me. They shout that women cannot be officials.
, he also said that prostitutes cannot be officials, which is outrageous. How well I hold an official position depends only on myself, not on their mouths."
She said that, she lowered her head and ate a few more mouthfuls of noodles, then stood up again quickly.
"Where are you going?"
"Xiningzhou."
"What?"
"I want to go to the ancient road of Tang and Tibet in person." Yan Yunyun said: "Go and make a great contribution. In the future, I will not only be the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, but I also want to be the Prime Minister."
Li Zhaocheng finally felt an aggressive force from her again. This change happened very quickly, only after she entered the palace to meet the saint.
Although I don't know what Li Xia said specifically, it seems that as soon as Li Xia opens his mouth, Yan Yunyun can become ambitious again.
In an instant, Li Zhaocheng suddenly vaguely understood Yan Yunyun's state of mind, and thought that he had figured out the motives for everything she did.
He felt that it was really unnecessary for him to come to persuade her.
The next moment, it was rare to hear Yan Yunyun say in a soft voice: "Thank you very much. I've been having a hard time lately, so thank you for your comfort."
Facing the ridicule from the public opinion in the city, even she couldn't bear it for a while.
But came out.
Li Zhaocheng was flattered, and then he couldn't help but smile, feeling somewhat relieved.
Yan Yunyun walked downstairs, settled the bill, and said to the waiter in the restaurant: "No more customers? Keep shouting."
"this."
Soon, Huzi Noodle Shop resumed its noisy shouting.
"Come and try the noodles! The founding heroes also came to eat the noodles from the E family!"
Ten days later, an envoy left Chang'an and headed west toward Tibet.
They will take the same road that Princess Wencheng took when she got married, going west from Chang'an, crossing Longshan, passing through Qinzhou, Linzhou, Hezhou, crossing the Yellow River, and then passing through Longzhi City to arrive in Xining Prefecture.
After arriving in Xining Prefecture, some people will stay to set up a foray and build a desert Chang'an like Gaochang, while the other group will continue to Sakya.
To conquer Tubo, it seems that there is only so much Li Xia can do for the time being.
After sending the mission, he focused his energy on domestic affairs. He originally thought that it would take at least half a year before there would be any follow-up progress on the Tibetan affairs.
However, in April, a piece of news from Tongguan caught Li Xia's attention.
"Your Majesty, the Military Intelligence Department has urgently reported that it is Secretary Lin who is here to ask for an audience."
Li Xia was inspecting the Gewuyuan when he got the news, and immediately called Lin Zi to report.
Nearly a year later, Lin Zi's hair has grown a lot, but his appearance has never returned to the "ordinary" look of the past. He has gone through many hardships and become a high-ranking official, with an ugliness that blends vicissitudes of life with wealth.
"Your Majesty, the Meng Yuan Dynasty has undergone major changes in Henan."
It was clearly not some secret news, but Lin Zi looked very nervous. He stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Dong Wenbing was sued by Ali Hague and was dismissed from his official position by Kublai Khan. Now Meng Yuan is in charge of Henan, and he has been replaced by an unknown one.
My name is Boyan."
"Bo Yan?"
Li Xia was not familiar with the name Boyan. He only heard that Haidu had a battle with Boyan when he was in the Western Regions.
According to Haidu, he beat Boyan so hard that he fled.
o "Follow-up news is still on the way. I heard that Boyan was appointed prime minister by Kublai Khan, and his power and position are even greater than when Dong Wenbing was there."
"Check this person's details."
"Yes!y."
Li Xia became confused, walked a few steps, and asked: "Where is Dong Wenbing? Has he returned to Gaocheng?"
"I don't know."
"I don't know?" Li Xia glanced at Lin Zi.
Lin Zi cupped his hands and said: "We in Luoyang only saw Dong Wenbing leading a team of elite soldiers out of the city, and there was no other news."
"check."
"We must find out!"
Li Xia thought for a while and then ordered: "Order Dong Wenwei to come see me."
No matter what, the first impression given by this incident is that Kublai Khan no longer even trusts his "Brother Dong".
Then, the time has come for the Gaocheng Dong family to recruit.
Li Xia must send someone to see Dong Wenbing.
Kaiping.
Yao Shu had just met Dou Mo, who had returned from a long journey, and was filled with emotion when talking about the incident in the west.
"Your Majesty employs people in an eclectic way. When he saw Boyan, he promoted him to prime minister. His ability to know people is unprecedented in ancient and modern times."
Dou Mo shook his head, but said: "Your Majesty's courage in employing people is unparalleled in the world."
"Not only Boyan, but also Dong Wenbing's brother defected to Li Xia and was repeatedly impeached. Your Majesty still dared to entrust the future of the Yuan Dynasty to him. Horses with thousands of miles of horses are often found, but Bole is not always found."
"Counting the time, Dong Wenbing has arrived here."
Yao Shu then looked at the map and marked it.
At the same time, Han Chengxu was looking at the map and murmuring: "Have you crossed the Yellow River?"
"Looking at the time," Han Qi'an said, "Father, this adopted daughter, is too high-spirited."
"As a father, I can only marvel at His Majesty's boldness in employing people."
Han Qi'an couldn't help but nodded, and thought deeply about it, and said: "Yunniang is just a middle-aged girl. If it weren't for His Majesty's trust that made her do her best, she would never have been able to do what she did."
"It is unprecedented for a woman to be an official, to be the chief officer of a department, and to be the prime minister."
"But I still feel that the bones in my body are too tired to handle the phase."
Han Chengxu grinned, but there were not many teeth left in his mouth.
But after laughing, he became worried again. He crossed the Yellow River on the map with his finger and murmured: "That place where the war is in chaos..."