Although Jiao Fang is nearly four times as old as Xu Xun, and is deep and scheming. He can be regarded as an old fox who has been immersed in officialdom for decades. His ability to be indifferent to emotions and anger is just a basic skill. However, if he can remain calm in front of such naked words,
If he is determined, he is a saint, not Jiao Fang. Therefore, he can only press the table with one hand and try his best to tell himself to be calm and calm. His son has fallen into this kid's trap, and he, as his father,
Determined not to repeat the same mistakes.
However, after all, his Qi-nurturing skills were not that good, so he endured it again and again, but he still couldn't help but sarcastically said: "Master Hou worked hard to cultivate talents but only made wedding clothes for others. Not to mention that Qian Ning is now Eunuch Liu's lackey.
, even Zhang Cai has planned so many clever tricks and strategies for Eunuch Liu, it’s only right to say that you are the one to blame!”
"You're right, I'm very upset about losing Zhang Xilu." Xu Xun's face darkened, and then he said calmly, "It's just that we don't agree with each other. Instead of falling out with each other in the end, it's better to feel the pain now."
Break them off quickly and leave room for each other! Besides, I don’t have no talents available, so I can teach Mr. Jiao Ge. You learned that Lin Jun, the former right deputy capital censor of Nanjing, has been ordered to return to the court and is about to serve as the left deputy capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
Censor. He is less than sixty, and he is in the prime of life! And the concubines in the Hanlin Academy are about to leave, and everyone will be assigned to various ministries for training. Those who are closely related to me have already been selected.
Among them, Xu Zhenqing, whose arm was broken by someone sent by Prince Jiao Huangzhong, will stay in the palace. If he is admitted to the cabinet in the future, he may be very grateful to Mr. Jiao and Mr. Jiao Ge. "
"you……"
Jiao Fang had heard of Lin Junqi's repeated promotion mentioned earlier. However, when he heard Xu Xun talk about Xu Zhenqing, because the previous scholars did not dare to mention it in front of him, he, the second minister of the cabinet, did not receive the promotion.
Any rumor at this moment is like rubbing a pinch of salt on the wound in his heart. He glared at Xu Xun viciously, even though he knew that the effect of doing so was equivalent to zero. But he still said word by word: "
Don’t think you’ve won just like that! I think back when I was in the Ministry of Civil Affairs, there was Ma Wen at the top who was pushing me, and all the officials at the bottom were doing their best, not to mention that there were many people in the government and the opposition who wanted to take me down. I still survived.
Now. Now Ma Wensheng has already resigned from his position and is farming in his hometown, but I am already the second minister of the cabinet!"
"Yes, yes, when it comes to who has the most resilience, if Mr. Jiao Ge takes the second place, who in the whole dynasty dares to take the first place?" Xu Xun calmly opened the mud seal as he spoke, with a smile on his face.
He stood up and filled the wine bowl in front of Jiao Fang first, and then filled a bowl for himself. After taking a sip, he praised, "Good wine! I really want to eat mutton, and it has to be like this."
Only strong liquor is good... Oh, by the way, where did I say it?"
Seeing the angry expression on Jiao Fang's face, he lightly tapped his head with his finger, and then said with a sudden realization: "By the way, I just mentioned that Mr. Jiao Ge's toughness is the best in the world. It's a pity..." He dragged on
He raised his voice and said meaningfully, "It's a pity that this time and the other time have passed. After all, Emperor Xiaozong was a man who missed his old love, so you can be regarded as an old lover. You are still capable at work, even if others can't tolerate you, but
Emperor Xiaozong will definitely be able to tolerate you, but it is different now. Tell me, what is the relationship between the current emperor and you?"
As soon as these words came out, he managed to see Jiao Fang's expression suddenly change, and then he tried his best to return to the gloomy but calm expression before. However, he came here today not just to show off his rhetoric, but to completely
Jiao Fang was overwhelmed, so he quickly picked up the conversation without waiting for anyone to say anything.
"What's more, even in the eyes of Eunuch Liu, you are no longer the confidant who could plan for him and win over talents for him! Mr. Jiao Ge, your heart is too dark and your hands are too long. You are too
You are self-righteous!" At this point, Xu Xun just paused slightly, and then asked with a half-smile, "Besides, being in this mountain, Mr. Jiao Ge seems to be a little slow. Why does Cao Yuan want to keep pace with you? He
The Minister of the Ministry of War got the job because Zhang Xilu gave up his position as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Why did he have trouble with Zhang Xilu? As for Liu Yu, his Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was like a puppet. Since Eunuch Liu wanted him to join the cabinet
, why should he listen to you and accuse Zhang Xilu in front of Eunuch Liu?"
….
Jiao Fang was stunned for a moment, and then even though he knew that he was careless, he was confused. The person who wanted to join the cabinet to fight for power was not Zhang Cai, but Liu Yu! However, even if he understood, he didn't know how to face this situation
How should I resist?
Liu Yu has always had a very utilitarian temperament, otherwise he would not be upset because he was like a puppet in the official department. After joining the cabinet, he would definitely fight for power with himself. After all, Liu Jin has obviously been alienated from him; and since Cao Yuan feels that
It was because of Zhang Cai that he got the official seal of the Ministry of War, and he would not be of the same mind as himself. Looking at the court, over the past many years, Jiao Fang, who had endured eight years of hard work in Tianshun, had no close ally anymore!
Maybe there had been... Although he and Li Dongyang had no personal relationship in front of others, they had always understood each other's thoughts when they met in person. But now that they have been in the cabinet together for more than a year, that trace of friendship has long disappeared.
Got it!
Thinking of this, Jiao Fang only felt that her heart was empty and she didn't even have a clue. She unconsciously stretched out her chopsticks to pick up a piece of mutton that Xu Xun had just cut and put it in her mouth. All she tasted was the same as chewing wax.
Feeling. Seeing Xu Xun drinking and cutting meat leisurely, he glanced at the wrist-cutting knife in his hand, and suddenly he had a deep evil thought, and once the evil thought took root and sprouted, he could never get rid of it.
If you kill him here, kill this kid who has always been against you...
Xu Xun raised his head at that moment, and said as if he had a tacit understanding: "Mr. Jiao Ge, sometimes the elimination of evil is indeed the best way to solve the problem. Unfortunately, although I am only a half-dabbler, after all, I am not even good enough.
A military commander of ten, you are a civil servant who is about to be eighty. Moreover, I have arranged a few people in this shop. If there is a conflict, I will have to fight it reluctantly. Although if something goes wrong, my reputation will definitely be affected.
, but most people will think that you are so angry because of your son that you want to settle the score with me. At most, I will be in confinement for a year and a half. However, I am a military attache, not a civil servant who must go to the ministry and cabinet every day.
There won’t be any delays at home, and the Emperor will surely sympathize with my unlucky frequent visits, don’t you think?”
Overwhelmed by these words, Jiao Fang's murderous intention due to deep hatred suddenly receded without a trace like a tide. He knew very well and even experienced personally how cunning this little fox was. Since the intention was
If someone exposes him, he will naturally not repay the unexpected hope. However, when Xu Xun smiled and said that he was a military attaché and not a civil servant, he had an urge to almost vomit blood.
The noble military attachés of the Ming Dynasty have always had a reputation of honor. They have no real power at all. However, Xu Xun does not serve as a director of the ministry or cabinet, nor does he go to the Wenhua Hall to discuss matters at court, but he is still powerful and has many people.
Such a powerful force! This guy is a freak!
Since he couldn't talk or fight, Jiao Fang made up his mind to fight Xu Xun tonight. If he said anything else, he would just turn a deaf ear. He simply let go of drinking and eating meat. Fortunately, Xu Xun didn't talk anymore.
He cut the mutton piece by piece and ate it as if he was just having a late-night snack, occasionally taking a sip of wine. It was only when the two kilograms of mutton were almost filled with minced meat on the plate that he saw Xu.
Xun stood up, took out a white handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped his hands, and gently threw it on the table.
"It was really a pleasure to have a free conversation with Mr. Jiao Ge tonight. But it's already late, so I took my leave!"
Under Jiao Fang's relieved eyes, Xu Xun slowly walked out. When he was approaching the door of the store, he turned his head again. A mysterious smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Besides, I'm here to see Mr. Jiao Ge.
The spies from the East Factory and the Nei Factory should already know about this matter. We have been talking for almost half an hour. I wonder how Mr. Liu would feel if this news reached his ears."
….
"you you!"
Although she was half drunk, Jiao Fang was still conscious. After hearing these words, she felt the veins on her forehead popping up, but she could only struggle to spit out one or two words. She watched Xu Xun walk out with his hands behind his back so coolly.
At the door of the store, surrounded by a group of followers, he mounted his horse and left. When Li An walked in quickly with a hurried expression, Jiao Fang finally felt that something fishy and sweet was filling her throat. In the end, she couldn't help it.
, he picked his throat and vomited on the ground. Among a lot of yellow and white things and mutton with a fishy smell, he could clearly see a shocking bright red color.
"Master, master!"
Amidst Li An's shouts, Jiao Fang finally woke up as if waking up from a dream. He looked at the mess on the ground slumped. Although he was extremely frustrated in his heart, he still struggled to stand up because he said
: "It's okay, I'm just angry with that boy. Hurry up and drive the carriages and horses over. I'm going to see Eunuch Liu in Shajia Hutong!"
"Master, but you all..." Li An's half-sentence was interrupted by Jiao Fang's sharp eyes, and he could only persuade him calmly, "And it's so late, maybe Eunuch Liu has already rested at his place..."
"If I don't go now, I will never step through that door again in my life! Go, go quickly!"
At Jiao Fang's urging, Li An had to run out immediately. After Jiao Fang sat down slumped, he felt indescribable bitterness in his heart. It was all due to the surprise of meeting Xu Xun today and being touched by his gesture.
He was so confused by the words that he said that he actually fell into this simplest strategy. Based on his understanding of Liu Jin, if he could explain it clearly in time, there might be a turn for the better, but if he
If you miss tonight, there will be no chance to get it back.
Therefore, even though he was sitting in a somewhat bumpy carriage, his stomach was still churning violently, but he suppressed the discomfort and clutched the armrest next to him with one hand, but his face became paler and paler. Finally, when
When the sound of someone arriving came from outside, he got out of the carriage and helped Li An's hand out of the car, but whether his feet were on the pedals or on the ground, they were weak and weak at all. Until he came.
When he arrived in front of the familiar concierges at the door, he regained his usual composure.
"Excuse me, please tell Eunuch Liu that Jiao Fang wants to see you."
Although Mr. Jiao Ge was a frequent visitor to the Liu Mansion in the past, at this moment, several concierges did not even hesitate. The leader among them saluted and said: "Mr. Jiao Ge, it's not that I don't want to inform you.
In fact, Eunuch Liu has already given the order that if we don’t see any guests tonight, it will be the same for everyone. If you have anything to do, please come back tomorrow."
Jiao Fang had been frustrated too many times today, and she couldn't help but said coldly: "Is it possible that Zhang Xilu asked for an audience, but Eunuch Liu still refused to accept it?"
Faced with this question, several people looked at each other for a while, and the youngest among them immediately smiled and said: "Mr. Jiao Ge is joking, if it is Mr. Zhang, Eunuch Liu has already given instructions to allow him to go in directly at any time. But,
It is impossible for Mr. Zhang to come now, because Mr. Zhang is drinking and enjoying singing and dancing with Eunuch Liu inside. I heard that Eunuch Liu was so happy just now that he sent all the singing and dancing troupes that he had just come up to to Mr. Zhang.
Mr. Zhang is extremely happy..."
Although she hasn't finished her words yet, Jiao Fang already knows that she doesn't want to see Liu Jin tonight. Even if she sees Liu Jin, there is still a problem whether Liu Jin is willing to listen to her words, and Zhang Cai on the side will definitely not
He missed such a good opportunity to beat up the drowned dog. He used the last bit of strength to turn around and walk back as if nothing had happened. However, when he got into the car, he stumbled. Even though Li An was holding him next to him, he still suddenly lost his legs in embarrassment.
He fell to one knee and fell to the ground, then hit his head heavily on the car's shaft.
The moment before he lost consciousness, he suddenly thought that he still had an ally - Li Rong, the former eunuch of the ceremonial department! He once mentioned to Liu Jin that he could use this person who still had some influence on Zhu Houzhao to get Xu Xun
How could he forget to dismount his horse in the first place? This is his last life-saving straw, he must hold on to it!
….
When Jiao Fang suddenly fainted outside the Liu Mansion, Jiao Fang's servants and the porters of the Liu Mansion were in chaos. In the lobby of the Liu Mansion, Liu Jin was listening to Zhang Cai analyze his story in detail to him.
The nephews nodded briskly from time to time. As soon as they came to an end, Sun Cong suddenly walked in quickly, glanced at Zhang Caicai, saluted and said in a low voice: "Father, Mr. Jiao Ge is asking for an audience in front of the door. According to the
Your words sent him back, but when he got into the carriage, he fell down and passed out..."
"Bah, you want to impress our family with such a cruel trick?" Liu Jin raised his eyebrows for a moment and said in a stern voice, "He and Xu Xun have been secretly discussing it for so long. It must be because he was ignored by our family and planned to go back and lick someone's ass.
, why are you here to see our family now? He is a two-faced guy, our family was so blind that we relied on him so much in the first place! Leave him alone and let the Jiao family take him back on their own!"
Sun Cong didn't dare to persuade anymore after hearing this. He glanced at Zhang Cai and saw that he was calm and calm and showed no intention to persuade. He saluted and left in a hurry. It wasn't until he left that Zhang Cai said: "Father, please don't treat Mrs. Jiao Ge either.
That’s harsh, after all, I still don’t know right from wrong, not to mention, really speaking, I was one of the people closest to Ping Beihou..."
"Hey, Xilu, you are single-minded. I have never seen Xu Xun since we broke up with him. Our family can trust you!"
Hearing Liu Jin say this, Zhang Cai suddenly showed a hint of emotion, and then said softly: "Thank you so much, father-in-law. It's just that I just said not to treat Mr. Jiao Ge too harshly, and there are other reasons. Mr. Jiao Ge is here.
Although he is not popular with the officials in the court, he is still favored by some people in the palace. For example, Li Rong, the eunuch who was the Chief of Ceremonies at that time, had a close friendship with him."
Seeing Liu Jin's expression changed for a moment, Zhang Cai shut up and said nothing more. He knew very well that Liu Jin always eliminated the roots of his work, so it was impossible for Li Rong to stay in the capital any longer, and then, it would naturally be Jiao Fang's turn!
This stumbling block that many in the court had tried to move but failed was finally lifted with the cooperation of Xu Xun and Xu Xun, who had never met but had a deep understanding of each other! (To be continued) rq