One of his eyes was wide open, but the other eyelid was drooped. Not only was he one-eyed, this fat man also had a lame leg, and his left leg looked thinner than his right.
"Dad, were you impeached by that mad dog Wei Zheng today?"
Hearing Yan Song's footsteps entering the door, the one-eyed fat man Yan Shifan asked without raising his head.
"That's what happened, Mr. Young Prime Minister. But not only is Prime Minister Yan fine, but he was given money and cloth by His Majesty and became famous!" Yan Maoqing cupped his hands and replied with a smile.
However, then his voice changed again, and he said helplessly: "It's just that Wei Zheng came up to tease Prime Minister Yan's tiger beard again and again, but this time he still let him escape unscathed. Prime Minister Yan is too kind-hearted."
Yan Song didn't say anything. He sat back at the table and picked up an ordinary white porcelain tea cup on the table and took a sip.
Yan Shifan sneered and shook his fan a few times: "Jing Qing, you are overthinking. How can it be so easy to deal with Wei Zheng?"
Jingqing is the name of Yan Maoqing.
"During the court meeting a few days ago, he provoked everyone in the court and escaped unscathed, let alone today."
Yan Maoqing said helplessly: "Xiao Xiangye, didn't Tang Guogong and Yan Xiang help Wei Zheng break the siege that time?"
"This time he is impeaching Prime Minister Yan and Lord He. The military attachés cannot participate, and Prime Minister Yan will naturally not help Wei Zheng anymore. When the time comes..."
Before he finished speaking, Yan Shifan became a little impatient. He waved his hand: "If my father doesn't help him, won't anyone else help him? Do you think He Shen and Qin Hui are just decorations?"
"Besides, even if no one speaks for Wei Zheng, His Majesty will insist on not punishing him!"
"This..." Yan Maoqing's expression froze.
But Yan Shifan did not pause. He waved his fan and continued: "Jing Qing, if you were the emperor and there was such a person in the court, and everyone in the court disliked him and wanted to get rid of him quickly, would you deal with him?"
Yan Maoqing only thought for a moment before shaking his head with a wry smile: "How is that possible..."
Isn't this the kind of minister the emperor likes the most?
Opposing the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty meant that he would not have any possibility of forming a clique for personal gain. It was too late for the emperor to protect him, so how could he be dealt with?
"The bad thing about this is that you were too anxious that day!"
Yan Shifan collapsed on the large rosewood chair, folded his fan with a swipe, pointed at Yan Maoqing and said: "If you want to deal with Wei Zheng, do it slowly and in private. There are many tricks!"
"But as soon as he was impeached that day, you all jumped out impatiently. Even if the emperor is a fool, you can't see that something is wrong!"
"You don't really think he is a fool, do you?"
Yan Shifan's words were not polite at all, as if he was reprimanding his subordinates, but Yan Maoqing didn't have the slightest hint of anger on his face, and just listened with a wry smile.
On the other side, Yan Song couldn't stand listening anymore. He put down the tea cup and coughed heavily: "East Tower."
Yan Shifan opened his mouth, with a hint of displeasure on his face, but in the end he said nothing.
Yan Song sighed and turned to face Yan Maoqing with a wry smile: "Jingqing, I didn't say anything before because I thought you could figure it out."
"The late emperor didn't like government affairs before, so you had little experience in dealing with the emperor. I don't blame you. But now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, and you have said such words again, I feel that I must give you a warning."
Yan Maoqing's face immediately became a little solemn, and he lowered his head and said, "I am listening attentively to Prime Minister Yan's teachings."
Yan Song stared at him and said slowly in a hoarse voice: "Do not go against His Majesty at any time."
"Ah?" Yan Maoqing raised his head in shock, his eyes widening.
Yan Song was not surprised by his reaction. He leaned forward and repeated these words: "Do not go against His Majesty at any time."
Yan Maoqing opened his mouth, with countless questions in his mind. But he still lowered his head deeply, cupped his hands and said: "Strict Prime Minister's teachings, I will keep them in mind."
Yan Shifan stood up, with a bit of amusement in his one eye, and shook his fan in a huffing voice: "Jing Qing, I see you are still not convinced. But think about it carefully, even if what you want comes true today, will Wei Zheng be dismissed from office?
"
"Taking a step back, if Qin Hui, Yan Song, and even He Shen don't speak up for him, who can do anything about Wei Zheng?"
"He is not a petty official, he is a first-grade imperial official! He has the same rank as my father, the left prime minister! If the emperor strongly opposes it, who can dismiss a first-grade official?"
Yan Maoqing was startled.
Yan Shifan continued: "You want to dismiss Wei Zheng, but the emperor does not agree. If this happens, the court will inevitably fall into a stalemate."
"If someone supports you, the emperor will not lose. But if someone with a strong voice supports the emperor, you will definitely lose!"
"You think the military attaches will not participate, but have you forgotten that Tang Guogong Li Yuan is not only a military attache, but also a member of the royal family?"
"If you use your power to intimidate the emperor, he will have a reason to stand up! At that time, the internal struggle among the civil servants will become the civil servants using their power to remonstrate with the emperor. Do you think those military officers are willing to step in and step on you?
?”
"this……"
Yan Maoqing was stumbling when he spoke, and his forehead was already covered with sweat.
If the military attaches and the emperor sit together, then they, the civil servants, will definitely not get any good results.
Yan Song also sighed helplessly: "Jing Qing, your mistake is that you regarded His Majesty as a minister with the same status as us. Seeing that he had no power in his hands, you did not take your Majesty seriously."
"But you have to know that even if your Majesty has no power, he is still your Majesty and the most special person in the court. You can make anyone hate you, but you cannot make your Majesty hate you."
"Since His Majesty has a good impression of Wei Zheng, we cannot target Wei Zheng, otherwise we will arouse His Majesty's disgust. During today's meeting, I took the initiative not to hold Wei Zheng accountable, and that is why."
Yan Maoqing wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Yes, Prime Minister Yan has deep meaning in every move he makes. I can learn from this."
"Okay, when you see Hanzhang, just tell him what my father said." Yan Shifan sat back on his chair and shook his fan.
Hanzhang is the character of Luo Longwen.
"Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, I will tell Mr. Luo and all my colleagues as soon as possible." Yan Maoqing immediately agreed.
But as soon as they finished speaking, they heard footsteps coming from the courtyard outside.
Yan Nian, the chief steward of the Yan Mansion, came to the door, lowered his head and announced, "Master, Mr. Luo is here."
"Speaking of Hanzhang, Hanzhang is here." Yan Song chuckled: "Please invite him in quickly."
"Yes." Yan Nian responded, and then the door of the study room was opened, and Luo Longwen, dressed in a red official uniform, walked in from the door, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
"Prime Minister Yan, I have met Prime Minister Yan, the young Prime Minister."
"Well, Hanzhang, come sit down and have some tea!" Yan Song waved, with a smile on his face again.
"Thank you, Prime Minister Yan."
Luo Longwen sat at the table and said directly without even touching the tea: "Prime Minister Yan, you and your Excellency went to the palace just now for a holy ceremony, and when you came out, you were still sitting on the shoulder!"