After coming to this conclusion, Zhao Junchen was naturally extremely horrified at first.
After all, once you become the target of Zhou Shangjing's calculations, although you can't say that you have a narrow escape from death, you are definitely in danger.
With Zhou Shangjing's scheming methods, the moment he decides to plot against you, it means that he has already put a rope around your neck, and may strangle your throat in the next moment.
In fact, Zhao Junchen was severely plotted by Zhou Shangjing once.
At that time, Zhao Junchen, under Zhou Shangjing's secret calculation, unknowingly replaced him and became the leading figure in the temple. He was a thorn in the side of Emperor Deqing. In order to suppress Zhao Junchen's rapid expansion of power, Emperor Deqing
He even sought cooperation from Zhou Shangjing. This situation gave Zhou Shangjing a chance to escape from the temple when he retired and returned to his hometown, while Zhao Junchen became Zhou Shangjing's scapegoat.
Later, if Zhao Junchen had not revealed the true nature of the seventh prince Zhu Hejian to Zhou Shangjing in time, Zhou Shangjing, out of overall considerations, began to take the initiative to suppress Zhu Hejian and interfered in the abolition of the crown prince. He once again became a thorn in the side of Emperor Deqing and also shared the burden.
The pressure on Zhao Junchen, coupled with the many changes in the temple situation, have also strengthened Zhao Junchen's importance. Zhao Junchen's current situation is definitely much worse than it is now.
Precisely because of that lesson, when Zhao Junchen found out that he had once again become the target of Zhou Shangjing's calculations, he naturally felt deeply pressured and was even unwilling to accept the reality for a time.
However, after Zhao Junchen thought about it repeatedly, he found that this was the only reasonable explanation, and only this conclusion could explain all the abnormal situations that happened today!
Just like the sentence often quoted in detective novels of later generations - after eliminating all impossible options, the remaining option, no matter how incredible it is, must be the truth of the matter!
Therefore, no matter how unwilling Zhao Junchen is to accept it, he must admit the fact!
"Whether it's public or private, there is no need for Zhou Shangjing to share with me the news that Crown Prince Zhu Heyu returned to the capital early without authorization. Such an approach would definitely do more harm than good to his own interests, but he still chose to share it with me.
Intelligence... In this case, after eliminating all the impossibilities, there is only one possibility left, and that is that he wants to use this information to mislead my judgment!
The word 'unknown' has always been the greatest source of terror for mankind. Before hearing this information, I was completely unable to judge Emperor Deqing's thoughts in the face of Emperor Deqing's plan to divert the tiger away from the mountain without any warning. Naturally, I would
Be cautious like a frightened bird, guard against everything, and the possibility of being plotted will be reduced.
Zhou Shangjing chose to share information with me, undoubtedly to dispel my doubts and stop me from being cautious and guarding against everything; and then he wanted to divert my attention so that I would only focus on the prince's early return to Beijing.
things, so other things will be ignored!
These situations all mean that Zhou Shangjing has laid a trap somewhere, waiting for me to jump into it without any precautions... But where exactly is the trap he has laid, and what exactly does he want me to ignore?
What happened, I had no clue for a moment!"
Thinking of this, Zhao Junchen's expression became more serious and gloomy!
After standing there and thinking for a long time, Zhao Junchen finally turned around and walked to his sedan chair. He first waved his hand to stop Xu Qingyan's questioning next to the sedan chair. He just told Xu Qingyan to go back home as soon as possible, and then bent down and entered the sedan chair.
I fell into thinking again in the confined space.
"Zhou Shangjing's calculations and targeting are certainly extremely terrifying, but what is even more frightening is that Zhou Shangjing deliberately revealed to me the news that the prince returned to Beijing early without permission. Perhaps there is a deeper reason, that is, he wanted to
To justify and explain Emperor Deqing's drastic measures today, I think that Emperor Deqing's actions are all excusable and are not specifically targeted at me!
If this is the case, the situation becomes even more terrifying!
Everything that happened today always made me feel like something was wrong at first, but after repeated thinking and testing, I finally found the reason!
That is, in the face of Emperor Deqing's plan to divert the tiger away from the mountain, seeing that the imperial power was in danger of overwhelming the ministerial power, Zhou Shangjing's performance was too calm and too tolerant!
In fact, when the Central Committee of the Imperial Court first formulated the plan to take over the power of the Six Ministries in Nanjing, I had proposed that Zhou Shangjing should personally come forward and go to inspect and sit near Nanzhili. However, when the Central Committee of the Imperial Court's plan to take over the power entered the final stage, because
Zhou Shangjing's physical condition is getting worse and worse, and Wang Baoren's side is doing everything right, so no one will mention this matter again!
Therefore, if Zhou Shangjing is really unwilling to leave the center of the capital and goes south to patrol and sit in command, he can easily achieve his goal. All he needs to do is get a serious illness at the right time! Zhou Shangjing is the current chief minister and a veteran of three dynasties. If he suffers from illness
Unable to move, Emperor Deqing really didn't dare to force him!
In the officialdom, pretending to be sick is a common tactic, and Zhou Shangjing certainly doesn't understand. But when I discussed the follow-up countermeasures with him, even if I hinted repeatedly, Zhou Shangjing always pretended not to understand, and he always pretended not to understand.
We don’t plan to use such means to stop Emperor Deqing’s plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain!
Obviously, Zhou Shangjing not only secretly condoned and cooperated with Emperor Deqing's Sacred Heart arbitrariness this time, he even wanted to use the information about Prince Zhu Heyu's unauthorized return to Beijing to explain and explain Emperor Deqing's actions.
Exculpate, to remove my guard...
Considering that Emperor Deqing's fierce performance this time is also unusual and completely different from his past stability-seeking style, does that mean... Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing have already formed a relationship on certain matters?
They have a tacit understanding, and all the things that happened today are all due to their secret understanding and working together to achieve it?"
Thinking of this, Zhao Junchen's face turned pale, and he was even more frightened for a moment!
In today's temples, if there is anything more terrifying than Zhou Shangjing's calculations and targets, it is undoubtedly the joint calculations and targets between Zhou Shangjing and Emperor Deqing!
In fact, Zhou Shangjing and Emperor Deqing had been getting along with each other for many years. Although they always fought openly and secretly, Emperor Deqing had always been able to tolerate a powerful official like Zhou Shangjing standing at the top of the temple, and Zhou Shangjing had always been willing to assist Deqing with all his heart.
Emperor, of course there is a reason!
That's because both of their personalities tend to seek stability, and they both tend to use balanced methods when doing things.
Although the balance pursued by Emperor Deqing was the balance between different factions in the temple, and the balance pursued by Zhou Shangjing was the balance between the selfish interests of the parties and the justice of the court, no matter what kind of balance it was, it was
It is necessary to weigh the pros and cons, get used to compromise, understand where the other party's bottom line is, and be able to stick to your own bottom line at critical times!
Therefore, in a certain sense, although Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing were constantly fighting openly and secretly, in fact there was never a lack of cooperation and tacit understanding between them. It was more like a relationship between enemies and friends. Whenever they encountered major difficulties, they would
Emperor Deqing has always been willing to trust Zhou Shangjing's judgment, and Zhou Shangjing has always been willing to consolidate Emperor Deqing's authority.
From this aspect, it is not surprising that Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing would form a tacit understanding on certain matters and act together.
What's more, in the officialdom, there is always no distinction between friend and foe, and all forces are always enemies and friends at times. Zhao Junchen once plotted against Zhou Shangjing with Emperor Deqing, and also plotted against Emperor Deqing with Zhou Shangjing. So Deqing
It is only natural that Emperor Qing and Zhou Shangjing would one day unite to plan and deal with Zhao Junchen!
But for Zhao Junchen himself, this situation is undoubtedly a horror story.
As for the current situation, even if Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing are not working together, at least Zhou Shangjing is deliberately cooperating with Emperor Deqing, forming a joint force with Emperor Deqing, and wants to guide the situation in the direction he wants to see——
And this direction is his plan for Zhao Junchen!
*
In this way, Zhao Junchen returned to the Zhao Mansion in a sedan chair full of worries.
After returning to the Zhao Mansion, the first thing Zhao Junchen did was to send someone to contact the palace informants urgently to find out whether Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing had had any private contacts or secret conversations in recent days.
Zhao Junchen also knew that his character had always been suspicious and he often battled with the air, so he hoped that this time he was just worried about others.
If Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing had formed a tacit understanding and wanted to work together to scheme against him, then they must have had private contact in the recent past.
If Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing have not had any personal contact recently, it means that the various concerns in Zhao Junchen's heart are probably just his usual persecution paranoia;
If the opposite is true, it means that Zhao Junchen's worries are likely to be the truth!
About an hour later, Zhao Junchen received the exact news from Li Ru'an, the eunuch of the Imperial Study Room, and this news also broke the last trace of luck in Zhao Junchen's heart.
Just yesterday evening, Zhou Shangjing suddenly entered the palace to meet Emperor Deqing. Then Emperor Deqing, under Zhou Shangjing's initiative, dismissed all the people in the imperial study, and then the two of them had a conversation.
It was a short secret conversation, and naturally no one knew the content of the conversation.
In the study room of the Zhao Mansion, after Zhao Junchen heard the news, he first took a deep breath, and then finally suppressed the panic in his heart, closed his eyes and sat behind the desk, thinking carefully about countermeasures.
After about a stick of incense, Zhao Junchen slowly opened his eyes, first took out five pieces of rice paper, and then wrote several large characters on each of the five pieces of rice paper.
Finally, Zhao Junchen laid the five pieces of rice paper flat on the desk and stared at the writing on the five pieces of rice paper with his eyes flickering.
On these five edicts, there were written "what", "where", "why", "how", and "what priority" respectively.
The writing on each piece of rice paper represents a question in Zhao Junchen's heart.
"What's the matter" means - if Zhou Shangjing wants to use the information about the prince's early return to Beijing to divert Zhao Junchen's attention, and then make Zhao Junchen relax his vigilance and ignore other things, then what exactly does Zhou Shangjing want Zhao Junchen to ignore?
What things?
"Where" means - if Zhou Shangjing has really dug a trap for Zhao Junchen and is waiting for Zhao Junchen to jump into it, then where is this trap? Is it in the center of the capital? Or is it when Zhao Junchen is about to jump in?
Are you going to Liaodong? Or somewhere else?
As for "why", this question is not directed at Zhou Shangjing, but at Emperor Deqing - Zhao Junchen has not done anything particularly taboo in recent times. If Emperor Deqing is teaming up with Zhou Shangjing to plot Zhao Junchen
If so, for what reason? - Zhao Junchen knew very well that Emperor Deqing would deal with him sooner or later, but it stands to reason that now is not the right time!
This question was only directed at Emperor Deqing, but it was because after Zhao Junchen thought about it repeatedly, he no longer wondered why Zhou Shangjing wanted to plot against him.
In the eyes of Zhou Shangjing, there is no difference in the nature of Zhao Junchen and Zhu Hejian. They are both young and resourceful, both are unscrupulous in doing things, and both are hidden dangers and unstable factors for the stability of the country. Therefore, since Zhou Shangjing will take action against Zhu Hejian, he will naturally
Will take action against Zhao Junchen!
Perhaps Zhou Shangjing had no intention of letting Zhao Junchen go from the beginning, and all the cooperation during this period was just to paralyze Zhao Junchen; or maybe Zhou Shangjing has always been good at using intrigues and serial schemes, and this time, regardless of
Whether it is Zhao Junchen who is about to leave for Liaodong, or Zhu Hejian who is stranded in Nanjing, they are all part of Zhou Shangjing's conspiracy and series of schemes!
There is also "how much", which means if Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing are working together to plot against Zhao Junchen, how far do they intend to go? Do they just want to take the opportunity to warn and beat Zhao Junchen? Or do they want to take advantage of the opportunity?
To severely damage Zhao Junchen’s influence? Or do you want to completely eradicate the hidden danger of Zhao Junchen?
The last question is "what's the priority" - if Emperor Deqing and Zhou Shangjing teamed up to plot against Zhao Junchen, who would be the leader and who would be the auxiliary during the action? Did Emperor Deqing have other plans? Did Zhou Shangjing ask Deqing?
Did the emperor inform him of his overall plan? Or did Zhou Shangjing just guide Emperor Deqing's thoughts and decisions and take the opportunity to do something else?
Each of these five questions is crucial, but Zhao Junchen was limited by the lack of information in his hands at this time, so he was unable to find the answers in a short time.
Therefore, Zhao Junchen was destined to have trouble sleeping that night!