Chapter Nine hundred and sixty first drinking truth
After Tang Yin was promoted to a Hanlin bachelor, he attended the court meeting for the first time as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy of Litigation, ranking only after the cabinet ministers and the six ministers and nine ministers.
Being in the court class did not make him feel very honored. After all, it was not his first time to go to court. The court meeting that day did not involve the issues of the ceremonial meeting, so there was nothing wrong with him during the whole process.
At the end of the court meeting, Tang Yin followed the flow of ministers out of the palace. Liu Chun came over intentionally and smiled and extended an invitation: "Do you have time, Bohu? Let's get together at your house tonight?"
For a socially awkward person like Tang Yin, he would almost definitely go to a banquet, but if Liu Chun invited him... he would have to think about it.
"There's no one else around. I just want to talk to Bohu about some affairs between the DPRK and China. There's also something involving Jingdao. I wonder if you'd like to give me a favor?"
Liu Chun's face was gentle.
Tang Yin felt unable to refuse and could only nod: "I will definitely attend the meeting then."
Liu Chun smiled and walked away.
Tang Yin looked at what Liu Chun was talking about with the cabinet members, and couldn't help but wonder. Could it be that he regarded me as a potential opponent for joining the cabinet?
As a court official with a good academic background, if I become a Hanlin bachelor, it is already a favor given by the emperor. It is impossible for me to join the cabinet. They don't have to worry about it at all.
At night, Tang Yin went to the banquet.
Liu Chun did not call anyone else, but set a table for Tang Yin in his small hall. It consisted of four simple dishes and one soup, and the wine was pretty good. It was the famous Jiannan Shaojiu in Shu. Maybe Liu Chun also knew that Tang Yin would not be able to drink wine.
Huancai prepared such a fine wine.
"Good wine."
After the banquet started, Tang Yin was only interested in drinks.
Liu Chunxiao asked: "Before Zhi Tong left the court, he told me that many decisions around His Majesty were made by you and Jing Dao, Bohu. I wonder if this is the case?"
Tang Yin drank half a glass of wine and almost vomited it out. Are you, Grand Master Liu Chunliu, so direct? You don't mince words at all, you just ask questions right away? "Mr. Liu Ge, there are some words... I don't know how to say them." Tang Yin felt like he was coming on his own.
Wrong place.
He originally thought that he could just exchange a few casual words with Liu Chun and treat it as a necessary official move. Who knew that he was here to be interrogated today.
Then the drink lost its appeal to him. Liu Chuntao said: "Now that we are in such a situation, is there anything else to hide? Bohu, just say so."
Tang Yin shook his head: "I don't have much to offer. If you want to ask, just ask Jingdao more."
"That's Jingdao, who has been advising His Majesty?" Liu Chun continued to be aggressive.
Tang Yin didn't want to answer.
Although he knew that Liu Chun and Sun Jiao were political allies and treated Zhu Hao well, Liu Chun was always an orthodox civil servant, and the chief minister of the cabinet was still Jiang Mian. If Liu Chun heard any definite information from him, he would turn around and
If he informed Jiang Mian of the matter and affected Zhu Hao's plan, Tang Yin would become a sinner.
Tang Yin said: "Why is Mr. Liu Ge so concerned about this matter?" "Alas!"
Liu Chun sighed, "It's embarrassing to say that when I first joined the cabinet, I felt that among the several candidates, I had no reputation and no qualifications. I never thought that the chosen spot would fall to me...
"I have been thinking very hard in the past two years, but I have found that many things seem to be destined. I wanted to help Jingdao, but my comrade told me that Jingdao was helping me when I joined the cabinet... What do you want me to do?
At the center of the court?"
When Tang Yin heard this, he thought, is Sun Zhitong so honest? Did he even reveal such a confidential matter to Liu Chun? Or does Sun Zhitong think Liu Chun is a trustworthy person?
Tang Yin thought that Sun Jiao had said everything, but he didn't know that Liu Chun was just testing him.
Tang Yin sighed: "As you said, Jingdao has been planning for His Majesty in the past two years, but with his official position in the court, what he can do for Your Majesty... is limited."
This is already a very evasive argument, trying to excuse Zhu Hao. But despite Liu Chun's honest appearance, his experience in dealing with others may even make Sun Jiao step aside.
Liu Chun heard this.
Is Zhu Jingdao working for the emperor behind his back?
Even you, Tang Yin, said so... Doesn't that mean that Zhu Jingdao is really the emperor's number one adviser? Then Yang Jiefu
Isn't it Zhu Jingdao, the master behind the emperor who had been thinking about him before he left? Liu Cundao said: "Come, drink, drink."
Tang Yin thought Liu Chun was pretty good, so he asked briefly and didn't ask any more questions. He felt a little fond of Liu Chun, so he relaxed his vigilance and continued drinking with Liu Chun.
Little did he know that he had fallen into Liu Chun's "trap".
If you want Tang Yin to tell the truth, you must drink a few more drinks and let him tell the truth after drinking.
After three rounds of drinking, the two of them continued to drink.
The standard of four dishes and one soup was a bit poor, and then Liu Chun arranged for four more dishes, but Liu Chun warned no one to come near the banquet living room.
Liu Chundao said, "It's getting cold, so drinking is a good time to warm up. Bohu, you are from the south, and as an official in the north, you have to pay more attention to your health."
When Tang Yin heard this, he felt even warmer in his heart.
"By the way, Bohu, the part about me that was previously selected based on the cabinet votes was actually Jingdao's decision, right? It's really difficult for him."
Liu Chun actually didn't drink much, but now he began to show his true nature as an old fox, taking advantage of Tang Yin's drunkenness and began to make jokes intentionally or unintentionally.
Tang Yin said: "Jingdao is just like that..."
It is impossible to say that Tang Yin was not prepared at all, so Tang Yin responded with specious answers.
Tang Yin feels that even if I say that Zhu Jingdao has been helping the emperor review important memorials in the past two years, others will not believe it, right? Sun Zhitong has told you a lot anyway, so I will just go with the flow.
Neither deny nor actively admit anything, so that nothing leaks out.
But he doesn't know...
His words caused great turmoil in Liu Chun's heart. From Liu Chun's point of view, the words of Tang Yin, a close minister of the emperor, were much more convincing than Sun Jiao, because Tang Yin knew more inside information.
When Tang Yin did not deny that Zhu Hao had the power to read the memorials and even decide on the drafts, even if Zhu Hao did not write the memorials himself, it made Liu Chun feel how high Zhu Hao's status was beside the emperor.
"Jingdao is young, but he is so experienced. All matters in the court, big and small, are handled by His Majesty, and all the ministers in the court praise him. The Ming Dynasty has been prosperous in the past two years, and Jingdao has contributed a lot."
Liu Chun was testing again.
Tang Yin said with a straight face: "Jingdao always makes his own decisions. I have taught him a lesson, but most of the time, he and I are not teachers and students, but friends. He has helped me much more than I have given him. Mr. Liu Ge followed
After getting along with him for a long time, he will naturally understand."
"oh."
Liu Chun smiled and said, "Well, Bohu, you are a Hanlin scholar. Can Jingdao help you behind the scenes?"
Tang Yin had already picked up the wine glass and was about to drink a glass. But when he heard this, he couldn't help but froze.
He didn't feel that Liu Chun was trying to pry into the previous question, but these words were obviously a direct inquiry... Did Zhu Jingdao support you? Do you also want to listen to him?
When it comes to this kind of problem, Tang Yin's inner self-esteem plays a role, and he naturally becomes more vigilant.
"Bohu, keep drinking." Liu Chun didn't feel anything yet.
You answered all the "sharp" questions just now, so why are you silent this time? Could it be that... you discovered it?
Tang Yin said: "Why does Mr. Liu Ge ask this question?"
Liu Chun said sternly: "As Zhitong said to you, Your Majesty relies heavily on Jingdao. Even if Jingdao is still young, he should be made a bachelor, or he should be transferred to Liubu as a doctor, or even go one step further. After all, the imperial court
There are still many places for him to develop. Even Bingyong can serve as a minister, so why not Jingdao?"
Tang Yindao: "Well... maybe your Majesty has a deeper meaning." Liu Chun said with a smile: "So, Jingdao can climb to a high position, but he didn't do it, right?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Yin immediately stood up from his seat and said with a serious face: "Mr. Liu Ge, I come to your house because I respect you. Don't make things difficult for me."
Liu Chun pretended to be puzzled: "Why am I making things difficult for you?" "This..."
Tang Yin had indeed drank a few too many drinks, and his head was not clear. Liu Chun
He asked back and was immediately speechless.
Thinking about it, Liu Chun knew that Zhu Hao played an unusual role around the emperor, so why could even Zhang Cong be a Hanlin scholar, while an "important figure" like Zhu Hao was still a fake Hanlin editor? After all,
This was Zhu Hao's initial official position as the number one scholar.
"Bohu, if you don't want to tell me, it doesn't matter. I will never spread this matter to outsiders. Alas! It seems that I am just wishful thinking. I have still secretly received Jingdao's help in the past two years. I am really... ashamed." Liu Chun sighed with emotion.
With.
Tang Yin sat down again, but stopped touching the wine glasses.
Liu Chun took a few bites of the food and asked, "Bohu, what are your plans for the future? Are you going to continue to be a Hanlin bachelor? Or..."
Tang Yindao: "I have explained before that even if I am a Hanlin bachelor, I will not ask much about the affairs of the Hanlin Academy, let alone seek other positions. I am just a scattered person from the countryside. I am an official in the court, but I only have a salary and a position.
Don’t ask for anything else.”
Liu Chun felt that Tang Yin was completely hypocritical.
You have managed to get a bachelor's degree in the Hanlin Academy, but you are just a civil servant. Why don't you ask for anything else?
That's really embarrassing to say.
"That's fine." Liu Chundao said, "The matter of discussing etiquette is originally very involved, and it can easily cause people in the court to be divided. Now that it is about the matter of etiquette, there has been a lot of turmoil in the court, and colleagues have changed one after another. If you can ease the matter.
When you come down, the court will get a bit of peace."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult." Tang Yin replied unceremoniously.
Liu Chun smiled and said: "So, the decision-making power on matters of etiquette still does not lie with you, Bohu, but with Your Majesty and Jingdao, right?"
When Tang Yin heard this, no matter how much he drank, he finally understood it.
Liu Chun asked so many roundabout questions, in fact, he wanted to extract from him the initiator of the great ceremony discussion.
In other words, Liu Chun wanted to know an answer. That is, all this was done by Zhu Hao behind the scenes. "Mr. Liu Ge, I have said everything that should be said. I really don't know what should not be said. The time is not right.
Good morning, I'm too drunk to drink, so I'll say goodbye."
Tang Yin was still not sure that Liu Chun would stand firmly on the emperor's side, so he could not reveal more to Liu Chun.
When he stood up, he found that he was already unsteady on his feet. Unknowingly, Liu Chun had poured a lot of wine into his mouth. "Oh! I drank too much, so I just stayed and had a good rest. It won't be too late to leave tomorrow, come here."
People, prepare a room for Scholar Tang, and bring him warm water to wake him up!"