As the sun set in the west, Qin Zhongtang finished his day's work and stood up to leave Wuyi Hall. But as soon as he reached the courtyard, he was blocked by Eunuch Qin who was in charge of rituals opposite.
"Stay overnight and have a few drinks with me," Eunuch Qin said to Qin Dewei.
Qin Dewei was surprised and questioned: "In broad daylight, you don't even avoid people? Aren't you afraid of being suspected of collusion inside and outside?"
Eunuch Qin said calmly: "Even if you deliberately avoid suspicion, will others not be suspicious of you or me? What can a drink change?"
Before the Jiajing Dynasty, I dare not say that it was not possible for ministers to stay in the inner court, but it was indeed extremely rare. The inner court may not even have supporting living facilities for ministers.
It was after Emperor Jiajing moved to Xiyuan that ministers began to stay in Wuyi Hall on a regular basis.
When the cabinet used to work in Wuyi Hall, all the bachelors lived in Wuyi Hall. So now Qin Zhongtang occasionally stays in Wuyi Hall for one night, which is totally fine.
Thinking of the hard work after returning home, Qin Dewei touched his waist and decisively decided to stay at Wuyi Hall and work overtime tonight.
The wine table was not placed in the east wing of the military aircraft office, nor in the west wing of the Chief of Ceremonies, but in the main hall of Wuyi Hall.
After drinking for three rounds, Eunuch Qin asked like an elder: "What do you think of your current situation?"
A successful politician may have no bottom line as a person or as a person, but his character cannot be without a bottom line. Loyalty to the emperor is the most important character a top minister should have.
People are all social animals. Eunuch Qin has closed himself off for more than 20 years, living alone and rarely showing his true feelings. He has been suppressed for too long and lacks opportunities to communicate with others.
You are also the Chief Supervisor of Ceremonies and the Supervisor of the East Factory. In terms of your position, you can be called the number one eunuch of the Ming Dynasty.
With the Emperor's temperament, what would you think? Especially since your palm seal was not appointed by the Emperor himself, but was obtained by you when the Emperor was in a coma!
For people like me, if something goes wrong, they will just go back and become rich, but if you make a mistake, you will be doomed!"
Qin Dewei smiled, turned around and returned to the military aircraft in the east wing, preparing to rest for the night.
You may call this hypocritical or pretentious, but this is the essential quality of a truly successful politician.
Qin Dewei asked Eunuch Qin doubtfully: "Do you know that the queen will summon me tomorrow?"
At the time, Qin Dewei did not want the historical process of this time and space to get too out of control, so he did not agree with Emperor Jiajing's death more than twenty years early.
Who is scaring whom? Eunuch Qin suppressed his emotions, and then asked in a low voice: "I want to know why you softened your heart after the emperor was in trouble last year?
Even if you can’t rise any further, it doesn’t matter. Isn’t it glorious enough or rich enough now?”
It will be more beneficial to your situation if you do what I said and ask Empress Fang to serve as regent after the emperor dies!"
Damn it! After hearing the nonsense in these scenes, Eunuch Qin just wanted to hit someone, so why are you pretending? Then he said angrily: "You must be hiding some secret in your heart!"
I know there are still many things you want to do, but if you are limited to this circle, you can't do more."
"Go away!" Eunuch Qin couldn't get the truth out of Qin Dewei's mouth, so he gave up.
Eunuch Qin especially wanted to find out what was deep in his son's heart, so he played the family card again.
"Is it possible that we can't have a heart-to-heart relationship with our real relationship?" Eunuch Qin said sincerely.
Then Qin Dewei said: "So what can happen to me, but you are at a critical moment, but you still have time to think about others!
Qin Dewei responded frivolously: "If you can't do it, you can't do it, so what? There is also the pleasure of lying flat."
It turned out that this young eunuch was delivering a decree on behalf of Queen Fang, saying that he would summon Qin Zhongtang at the Wanchun Palace in Renshou Palace tomorrow. Please trouble Qin Gong, the Supervisor of Ceremonies, to send someone to deliver the decree to Qin Zhongtang.
I just couldn't help but feel a little desolate in my heart. I was the chief minister of etiquette and the admiral of Dongchang, but I couldn't even have a heart-to-heart relationship with my own son.
If history is changed too quickly and violently, the ability to "predict and foresight" will disappear faster.
Eunuch Qin was speechless and didn't know what to say.
Qin Dewei replied: "The situation is excellent and everything is going well!"
What's more, the emperor has been so kind to me. I am afraid that I will not be able to repay your kindness. How can I agree with your rebellious move?
Confucius said it was benevolence, and Mencius said it was justice! The way to go is not to see whether it is beneficial to oneself! You are also a person who has read books, so you don’t need me to say anything more, right?"
Eunuch Qin said: "You can't just look at the present, but also look at the future. As the saying goes, if you don't have long-term worries, you must have immediate worries!
As a time traveler, the greatest ability is "prescience". Although this ability will disappear completely sooner or later, Qin Dewei hopes that this will be a controllable and gradual process.
Even if Xia Yan and Yan Song are dismissed and you are made the chief assistant, there will be no fundamental change, because the circle the emperor has drawn for you is so wide.
In essence, Qin Zhongtang preferred reform rather than revolution, so he said to Eunuch Qin: "I think it's better to study more problems and talk less about ideas!"
Qin Dewei's eyes widened and he shouted softly: "What you are asking makes no sense! What matters to a minister is loyalty. Is it wrong to be loyal to the emperor?"
Qin Dewei said contemptuously: "You have been in the palace for more than 20 years, how can you still be so naive? In the palace, you still want to have a heart-to-heart relationship with others?
In fact, it’s not like I haven’t doubted whether you are my father or not. I don’t have any personal or physical evidence, and I can’t let my mother come forward to identify you.”
On the other hand, if a politician doesn't even pretend, who can trust him?
Even in front of your own people, even if you know that what you are telling is a lie, your superficial persona must be upheld.
Don't you think that your fortune has reached its peak during the Jiajing Dynasty? In other words, in the emperor's mind, you have probably reached this point and cannot rise any further.
Qin Dewei did have a secret in his heart, but he couldn't tell it to Eunuch Qin. The reason why he didn't want to see Emperor Jiajing die at first was because he was afraid that the direction of history would change too drastically.
Just when Eunuch Qin couldn't bear it anymore and wanted to take action, a young eunuch came from outside.
This saves trouble. Qin Dewei is sitting next to him, so he doesn't have to go out to deliver the order.
The biological son who was born is now at the top of the court, and he is not much different from the chief minister. There are too many political factors involved in the relationship between father and son, let alone a heart-to-heart talk.
As for the thoughts of Eunuch Qin and Empress Fang, of course a shrewd person like Qin Dewei could detect a little bit, but he didn't dare to be sure, let alone ask directly.
In any case, it would be impossible for him, a minister with a strong sense of loyalty and integrity, to express his stance on this.
But he, Qin Dewei, can't stop anyone either. No matter what the consequences are, that's all.
There are too many things to express, so let’s leave it at that. The following may be the last chapter or two chapters.