Chapter 185 Li Gan's response, Heshen returns to Beijing
"Cai Jing? He called all the six ministers and ministers over?"
In Dongnuan Pavilion, Li Qian listened to the eunuch's report below and frowned: "After Cai Jing returned, those people gathered again..."
You don't need to think about it to know that the only thing that can attract so much attention from the ministers is the position of deputy examiner.
Li Qian just thought for a moment and guessed what Cai Jing was thinking.
'No wonder... no wonder he just left in a hurry when he heard that it was not okay. It turns out there is such a plan...'
Besides being able to try, what else could attract Cai Jing?
Six volumes of Shangshu!
It can even be said that the Six Books of Shangshu are far more important than the General Examination.
Cai Jing’s idea was to kill two birds with one stone.
Li Qian was half lying on the soft couch, holding a yellow porcelain tea cup in both hands, like a retired veteran cadre holding a thermos cup.
He was a little overwhelmed at the moment, and Cai Jing's move really made Li Qian feel very troublesome.
At this moment, he had to make a choice.
Either continue to support Qin Hui, let him fight with the six ministers, and order Zhongshu and his ministers to fight for the position of deputy examiner.
But doing so will gradually push the originally neutral ministers in the Six Parts to Cai Jing's side.
Another option is to immediately give up cooperation with Qin Hui and announce that the deputy examiner will still be selected from among the six departments.
The advantage of this is that Cai Jing's plan will go bankrupt, and he will lose the reason to continue to win over the other ministers.
But the disadvantages are also very obvious. If Han Mulu becomes the deputy examiner, the examination may be disrupted by these people.
Those without talent and virtue will be promoted, those with talent and virtue will be demoted.
Moreover, the people Li Qian values more may also be disturbed by Cai Jing and leave.
Don't think about what you will try next time. Li Qian never felt that he was obligated to stay in the court for three years and wait for him, the emperor, to reuse him.
There are so many vassal states in Daqian, and any place may become a place for these people to shine...
Moreover, the second option has other disadvantages, that is, it will offend Zhongshu and save both parties.
After all, it was he who asked people to run for deputy examiner, and it was he who turned around and refused to let them choose.
This kind of behavior that first gives hope and then makes people despair is very hateful.
Faced with such a dilemma, Li Qian sighed softly. Cai Jing was indeed not a simple character.
He just made a little movement, and he came up with such a trick to deal with it.
"By the way, Your Majesty, Mr. Cai had diarrhea after returning home and went to Guanglu Temple to ask for soup."
"Well, I understand."
Li Qian nodded and waved his hand to signal the young eunuch to go down.
This kind of information is useless information. How can Li Qian care whether Cai Jing has diarrhea or not?
He put almost all his thoughts into breaking the situation.
'Should we call He Shen back...'
As a minister, He Shen may be able to control the current situation.
Moreover, the Ministry of Rites is not Cai Jing's territory in the first place. When He Shen comes back, he will have no legitimate reason to influence the Ministry of Rites.
Not only will there be more leeway in the selection of deputy examiners, but even if they are selected from the Sixth Department of Shangshu, as long as they are from the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Industry, they may not be easily influenced by Cai Jing...
Li Qian thought for a moment and felt more and more that this method was somewhat feasible.
Nowadays, disaster relief and embankment repairs are gradually on the right track, and the disaster areas are not as inseparable from people as they were at the beginning.
After thinking about it for a while, Li Qian sat up, wrote a letter himself, and handed it to the old eunuch beside him.
"Have someone give it to Heshen."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The old eunuch bowed and rushed out of the palace with His Majesty the Emperor's secret message...
What Li Qian didn't know was that while he was writing the letter, other changes had also taken place in the capital.
After learning the news from Qin Hui, Zhongshu and the four assistant ministers naturally did not wait and waited for the title of deputy examiner to fall on their heads. They had already started taking action...
Yanfu.
The room was as warm as spring. Yan Shifan, a fat man, was only wearing a long blue silk coat. The shirt was half-opened, revealing his greasy white flesh. He was half-lying on the bench with his eyes squinted.
Two beautiful maids like flowers were kneeling at his feet, stretching out their two pairs of jade hands to help him massage his fat feet...
Bang bang~
There was a knock on the door of the room, and a cautious voice came from outside the door: "Young Master, the two ministers are here."
Yan Shifan opened his squinted eye: "Let them come in."
"Yes." The servant turned and left, and soon he led two people in winter clothes in.
"Little Prime Minister." The two of them were very cautious towards Yan Shifan and did not show the slightest casualness.
"sit."
Yan Shifan nodded and pointed to the seat next to him: "Wait for a few more people."
The two servants looked at each other and sat down quietly on their seats.
These two people were Ding Rukui (kui) and Wan Cai (cai), the left servants of the sect. They were not seen outside the Yan Mansion at all. They took a sip from the teacup and chatted with Yan Shifan with a chuckle.
"Xiao Xiangye, how is the disaster relief work at Prime Minister Yan's side? I heard that the foundations of dikes in several places have been laid and repairs are in full swing."
Yan Shifan nodded, and just when he was about to say something, there was another sound of footsteps outside the door.
"Everyone, come in." Before the door was knocked, Yan Shifan shouted to the door.
The visitor's footsteps seemed to pause, and then with a creak, the door opened, a gust of cold wind rushed in, and three people wearing brocade winter clothes also came in one after another.
"It's still warm in the house!" The person walking at the end grinned from the cold and threw off his cold mink velvet robe as soon as he entered the house.
"Drink a cup of hot tea." Yan Shifan kicked the beautiful maid at his feet, straightened up, pointed to the table on one side, and smiled at the three of them.
Needless to say, the first two are naturally Yan Song's two generals, Yan Maoqing and Luo Longwen.
As for the last person, Zhao Wenhua, the Minister of Taichang Temple, was a little younger, with a fair face and a mustache on his lips. He was running quickly to the table, picked up a cup of hot tea and poured it into his mouth.
Poof~ Zhao Wenhua screamed out after being burned.
"Look at how stupid you are!" Yan Shifan laughed at him mercilessly: "You dare to pour boiling tea leaves into your mouth."
"Isn't it too cold for me?" Zhao Wenhua pulled his lips and gasped.
It can be seen that he is very comfortable in Yan's mansion, just like his own home.
Because this guy recognized Yan Song as his adoptive father, and Yan Shifan was his adopted brother, the relationship was naturally closer.
"Okay, sit down quickly and talk about business."
Yan Shifan turned to look at the two assistant ministers: "How sure are you two that you can win this deputy examiner?"
The two looked at each other with some hesitation on their faces.
Finally, before Yan Shifan became impatient, Ding Rukui frowned and said, "About... 20%?"
Luo Longwen and Yan Maoqing both looked sideways, seemingly surprised at the low success rate of 20%.
Yan Maoqing couldn't help but said: "Since this is the first year for the junior high school students to choose the deputy examiner, it is almost predetermined to choose from the four of you, right?"
"Even if Prime Minister Yan is not in the capital, the two of you don't necessarily have such slim hope. There must be about 40%..."
"Forty percent? Even two percent is too much!"
Yan Shifan said impatiently: "You two add up to less than 10%."
"According to me, there is no need to bother with this at all, just watch them fight!"
The cold wind howls outside the window, but the interior is as warm as spring.
Two maids in white cotton silk skirts came to the table from the side room. The maid in front turned around and picked up a teapot from the tray of the maid behind, and poured tea for everyone.
Everyone present was stunned for a moment by Yan Shifan's words.
"Less than 10%?"
Zhao Wenhua couldn't help but exclaimed: "This is too low!"
"Xiao Xiangye, this... could you be wrong?"
Ding Rukui also frowned: "It's good that Qin Xiang is strong, but even with the influence of the Sixth Department of Shangshu, our winning rate will not be less than 20%!"
"You are wrong." Yan Shifan shook his head: "Did you only see the pie under your nose and forget something?"
"I..." Ding Rukui and Wan Cai were startled.
Yan Shifan took a sip of tea and continued to talk to himself: "Do you think the four of you can defeat the deputy examiner this time?"
Wan Cai frowned: "Xiao Xiangye, why not?"
"The Zhongshu Provincial People's Government said that this time, someone from Zhongshu's sect will almost certainly serve as the deputy examiner, and His Majesty is also very fond of people from our two provinces and will secretly support..."
"His Majesty?"
Yan Shifan sneered: "Let me ask you, does he have the final say in the selection of this deputy examiner?"
Wan Cai was silent for a moment: "...Of course not."
"The final decision on the choice of deputy examiner is made by the Ministry of Rites. If our Majesty had the final say, he would have decided directly!"
Yan Shifan laughed and said: "I guess he never considered you two from the beginning to the end."
Ding Rukui felt a little uncomfortable, and Wan Cai's face turned red: "Zhongshu, our disciples are all the same, and compared to Prime Minister Qin, Prime Minister Yan is more popular with His Majesty, so our minister should also..."
"That was also when my father was here."
Yan Shifan interrupted him unceremoniously: "As long as my father is in the capital, you two have a great chance of becoming deputy examiners."
"But now that my father is not here, you two have no chance at all! Besides, do you think Qin Hui will definitely be able to get the deputy examiner? Where did you put the Six Books of Documents?"
Ding Rukui frowned slightly: "Liubu and the others..."
"I told you that you let the pie under your nose get to your head."
Yan Shifan said unceremoniously: "Who said that candidates for deputy examiners must be selected from among the junior high school students and the provincial department?"
"The Ministry of Education made it clear and clear that they only allowed the four of you to run for election. Who said you were the ones to be chosen by default?"
"You are just able to participate in the selection. Why do you think that four people can definitely win over the twelve ministers of the six departments?"
"Six!" The two of them were stunned.
Neither Ding Rukui nor Wan Cai thought about this problem. They subconsciously regarded their competitors as the two ministers of Zhongshu Province.
Now that Yan Shifan said it, he realized the problem.
Yan Shifan shook his head slightly: "Did you get carried away after meeting the deputy examiner and thinking of so many disciples??"
It stands to reason that these two people can usually be regarded as resourceful people, but their performance this time was particularly disappointing.
In the final analysis, interests still move people's hearts... In other words, subconsciously they don't want to believe that the ministers of the Sixth Department are still a threat.
With a sneer on his face, Yan Shifan shattered the two people's illusions: "This quota originally belonged to the Sixth Department, and this time I didn't say not to let the Sixth Department's assistant minister be the deputy examiner."
“Why won’t they fight??”
"Even if Qin Hui helps, the two people from Zhongshu Province may not be able to compete with the ministers of the Sixth Department of Shangshu, let alone you two?"
"Tell yourselves, with six parties participating, what are your chances of winning?"
"this……"
Ding Rukui's face looked a little pale, and his lips moved a few times, but in the end he still did not speak.
On the contrary, Wan Cai reluctantly admitted the fact: "Really... less than half..."
Yan Shifan sneered and nodded: "It's good to know. It's already like this. How can I help you?"
"But Mr. Xiang..."
Ding Rukui looked unwilling and gritted his teeth and said: "If we fight, we still have a chance."
"But if we give up directly, there will be no possibility at all!"
Yan Shifan stared at him, frowned and said, "This matter is a matter between the Ministry of Education and the Sixth Ministry of Education. Why do you have to get involved?"
"The edict says that the servants can also run for election. This is naturally a matter for our subordinates, so we can find reasons to get involved." Wan Cai also came to his senses.
Although the hope is slim, the benefits after success are too great.
Yan Shifan frowned, as if he was tired of these two people's ignorance.
Suddenly, there was another sound of footsteps outside the door.
"Lord Guan Peng is here." The servant's voice came from outside the door.
Everyone in the room paused for a moment.
Yan Shifan rolled his eyes and said to the door: "Please come in."
"yes."
After a while, the door was opened again, and Guan Peng, dressed in a crimson official robe, rushed in anxiously.
"Oh~"
Yan Shifan slapped his nose a few times with his fat hand, with a look of disgust on his face: "Lao Guan, what are you doing??"
Several other people also looked at him with strange expressions.
Although the taste is very bland, it is very smelly.
"Stop talking..." Guan Peng seemed to know that the smell on his body was not very friendly. He shook his head with a wry smile and came to the table. He didn't care whether it was ironed or not. He picked up a cup of tea and drank it, as if he wanted to wash it off. own mouth.
Yan Shifan moved his chair back and sat farther away from him: "How was it? What did Cai Jing say after he returned?"
As soon as these words came out, the two ministers from the province immediately turned their concerned eyes to Guan Peng.
Why go back? What did Cai Jing do?
Guan Peng put down the tea cup and let out a long breath, causing everyone present to frown. Zhao Wenhua even covered his nose and leaned back.
"Your Majesty has not agreed to Cai Jing's request, but will still consider letting the ministers from Zhongshu Province and Menxia Province serve as deputy examiners."
Yan Shifan nodded subtly, as if he was not surprised by the result.
"real?"
Wan Cai looked at Guan Peng with great surprise: "Did your Majesty really say that?"
Yan Shifan frowned slightly, and Guan Peng said helplessly: "Don't be happy too early."
Ding Rukui pulled Wancai's sleeve and whispered: "Have you forgotten what the young prime minister said just now? Your Majesty already supports the Zhongshu Province and the Menxia Province."
Only then did Wan Cai come back to his senses and laughed twice awkwardly: "I just lost my composure."
Guan Peng shook his head slightly and said, "Although His Majesty did not agree, Master Cai's methods are still very strong."
"He held a meeting directly in the Shangshu Yamen. Led by several of his party members and a few ministers who were very urgent about the number of deputy examiners, he wanted to twist the entire six departments of Shangshu into one rope to deal with Zhongshu. , the pressure from the disciples and His Majesty the Emperor."
As soon as these words came out, not only the other people, but even Yan Shifan was stunned: "Cai Jing takes the lead? Is this old guy so kind?"
Ding Rukui and Wan Cai's expressions became even uglier: "The ministers of the entire Sixth Department of the Book of History? Aren't there many people who can't serve as deputy examiners? Are they also willing to get involved and charge for Cai Jing?"
Guan Peng shook his head, recounted the situation to several people, and finally said: "This is no longer a question of the selection of deputy examiners, but is related to the selection of deputy examiners every time in the future."
"Cai Jing deliberately guided him. In addition, other ministers also have this concern. They are worried that with this breakthrough, every deputy examiner will be snatched away by Zhongshu and his subordinates every time in the future. This has become a common practice, so they share the same hatred."
Wan Cai looked ugly: "Is this a disease? Just take care of yourself. Do you have time to worry about any routine?"
Yan Shifan listened to their words and suddenly slammed the table: "That old guy Cai Jing definitely doesn't have such good intentions."
He frowned and stared at Guan Peng: "Lao Guan, tell Cai Jing exactly what he said at that time."
Guan Peng was startled, with a look of reminiscence on his face, and repeated what he remembered one by one...
Unexpectedly, only halfway through speaking, Yan Shifan slammed the table and his eyes widened a bit: "I knew he had no good intentions!"
Several people looked over, and Yan Shifan frowned: "Now that He Shen is not in the capital, Cai Jing must want to take this opportunity to intervene in the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Industry, and take these three ministries into his own hands!"
"This..." Everyone was stunned, even Zhao Wenhua, who was drinking tea, spilled a leg of tea.
The room was extremely silent for a while, and it took a while before anyone spoke.
"Little Prime Minister..."
Ding Rukui and Wan Cai looked at each other. The former turned his head and said timidly to Yan Shifan: "Since the involvement is so big, let's not fight..."
Wan Cai also gritted his teeth and said, "Xiao Xiangye, I think so too, so I'd better not argue."
If Yan Song was in the capital, they would naturally not be afraid.
But now that Yan Song is not here, the danger is too great if he has to participate in such a prime minister-level plan and confrontation.
Don't look at the fact that the ministers are very powerful elsewhere and can call the shots.
But in a confrontation of this level, they are just the vanguard.
It’s normal to be timid!
Yan Shifan frowned in thought, tapping his thighs with his fingers hidden in his sleeves. He stood up and walked around for a few steps, turning his back to a few people, and rolled his one eye again.
"Actually, if you two really have an idea, you can't give it a try."
Yan Shifan turned his head, his expression a little solemn, but there was a kind of light flashing in his one eye: "Although Cai Jing has big plans this time and will definitely attach great importance to the deputy examiner of the examination, don't forget, you are a subordinate of the province. The servant is my father’s subordinate.”
"With my Yan family supporting you behind your back, what do you have to fear??"