In the morning, Li Guolou went to the Yamen of the Ministry of Justice to visit his old superior Bao Yiyi. When you get promoted and get rich, you can't forget about the well digger. When passing by the second hall, he chatted with Zhu Danyu for a while. Zhu Danyu didn't pass the Jinshi examination, but he didn't. Disappointed, he had a bag to cover him, and he was wearing a ninth-grade official robe, which was quite eye-catching.
In more than half a year, Li Guolou was promoted from an official to a fifth-grade senior official. He was already well-known in the Ministry of Justice and everyone could chat with him. Li Guolou invited his old friend to have a drink with him in the evening. After walking around the house, he went to the Dizihao compound where he had fought so hard.
Looking at all the familiar things in front of him, Li Guolou couldn't let go. He missed the life of a policeman. He only needed to catch criminals, and he didn't need to guess the thoughts of his immediate bosses. Now he can't use curse words in his words, and he has to use them every day. It’s time to practice writing Manchu, these earthworm-like words are of no use.
"Head! What are you thinking about?" Gao Yao Wuyun shouted as he whirred.
An ear-piercing sound made Li Guolou come back to his senses. He turned to look at the room full of people, smiled slightly and said, "What's wrong? I'm looking at a peep show. It's only been a few days since I've met you."
"Master Li, I have fulfilled my mission and caught the criminal this time. Give me a good job." Jin Erzi licked his face and wanted to climb a high branch. He bowed his head and filled Li Guolou's cup with tea.
Jin Erzi and Zhang Junjie were lurking in Gaojiazhuang to find out the real culprit who killed Gao Xiuxiu and his maid Aihua, and to clear the grievances of Gu Shuimo, a young scholar who had been wronged. Things turned out to be just as Li Guolou thought. , the real culprit was Gao Xiuxiu's cousin Gao Shengguan. Gao Shengguan, who was used to going to the prostitute village every month to hunt wild food, couldn't bear the long lonely nights, and finally went out to have a good time, using the gold and silver jewelry robbed from Gao Xiuxiu's boudoir. The prostitute was caught by Jin Erzi and Zhang Junjie.
"Stop! Yin Lai, stop talking. If you open a hole, Mr. Bao will lose talents. Even if I want people, I can't poach people in the Ministry of Justice. Do you think this is the case?" Li Guolou refused to let Jin Erzi To put it into perspective, stability and unity are the general direction, and forming your own team is not something that can be done overnight.
The eccentric and selfish Jin Erzi immediately understood and thought of opening the back door to talk to "Sister Xiaofang" about the world. He immediately changed his tune and said: "Master Li has been promoted, so he invites us to have a drink. You thief! Knock on the door! I'm blind!" Eyes, if I had known today, why would I have used my hands to separate my muscles and bones when I first met you... Ouch! Master Li, please spare your life!"
The people next to him burst into laughter. It turned out that Li Guolou stretched out his right hand and grasped Jin Erzi's right hand. He squeezed his hand hard and tried hard with him. Jin Erzi couldn't stand it anymore. He grinned in pain and squatted on the ground. Ask for mercy.
"Come on, gold and silver, when did you gain ten pounds of flesh? Come and tell me about your hands that separate muscles and bones." Li Guolou is young and powerful, and his hand strength is top-notch. There are few people in the Criminal Department who can surpass him.
After joking with his old subordinates, Li Guolou sat in his original seat, accompanied by only a few old subordinates in the room, Ai Hai, Jin Erzi, Zhang Haojie and Gao Yaowun. In fact, Li Guolou had already In the past, two close confidants, Cheng Kun and Liu Yu, were transferred to his house and served as his bodyguards. Everyone knew this kind of thing tacitly and would not expose Li Guolou's employment for personal gain. Now Li Guolou no longer has any relationship with Tianzihao. Brothers talk about business in the world, just like a gentleman acts like an official. When a person ascends to another level, he has to break away from the past. Many shady things are hidden in the deepest part of the soul and will not be shown off.
"Hey, I really can't bear to be here. The pain behind the scenery is so depressing." Li Guolou took a sip of tea and missed the good times in the past. But he was met with sarcastic sounds. Who would believe his words? It's so damn scary.
Li Guolou squinted and said dissatisfied: "What do you know? The reason why I compete with people with high IQs is not to see how capable you are and how hard-working you are. These are bullshit. You must first have academic qualifications, and then you must be good at writing. Only with good words can we talk about ideals and ambitions. People like you who only know how to do things have no hope of promotion. Even if I promote you in the future, you will still be a ninth-grade official."
Zhang Haojie smiled and said: "Master Li, Captain Ai is bald and has no hope of promotion. I have a pretty good image, and a ninth-rank official is my goal. Master Li, give me a hand, I only want a ninth-rank official." "
"Pull him down. If you want to be promoted first, let's promote Brother Caijin first. It won't be your turn." Gao Yao Wuyun came up to Li Guolou to light a cigarette, but he refused.
"Hey..." Li Guolou glanced at him and said: "Gao Yao is the head catcher. It would be great if Na Bazi's articles could be as effective as his mouth. Let's forget it and let Na Bazi buy one. Get the honorary title and become a red-top businessman in the future."
Gao Yao Wuyun was very happy. Of course, Li Guolou paid for the money to buy an official hat. Although it was a false title, as long as there was a place to rely on, who knew the tricks inside? You could still wear a tiger's skin and pretend to be a leader. .
Li Guolou was rewarding his subordinates, giving each one a future. Ai Hai still sat in the Penal Department Yamen and asked Bao to promote Ai Hai to the top. They took both black and white, received protection fees, and restrained Yao Cuo's dominance. How could he let it happen? The "eldest brother" controls the underworld in the capital, and he always has a confidant to watch over the Yamen of the Ministry of Justice for him. This is not because he does not trust Yao Cuo, but because of the way of being an official, only by checking and balancing power can there be harmony. Li Guolou has The manipulation of power has long been practiced with ease.
Only Li Guolou and Ai Hai were left in the room. Li Guolou said in a low voice: "Captain Ai gives you a task. There is a craftsman going out of business in Chaoyang Development Zone. Don't get involved. Don't worry about the black and white. I have my own. Claim.”
"No way, whoever is doing well will go out of business." Ai Hai was thinking about the bustling scene at the construction site in Chaoyang area, which was a sign of going out of business.
Li Guolou said: "It won't happen now. It won't be able to hold on until the second half of the year. It will stop in the second half of next year. If this piece of fat is in our hands, how can outsiders make a fortune? Others Don't worry about it, sit down and get bored."
Ai Hai touched his bare forehead and smiled cunningly. His insatiable greed gave him a bigger appetite. With Li Guolou backing him up, who would dare not give him the face of the "Thirteen Taibao"? .
At noon, Li Guolou came to Baozhifang for a banquet with Mao Changxi and other six room masters, and gave each of them a generous gift. The answer to his cheating in the scientific examination was given to him personally by his teacher Mao Changxi. Some of these six teachers were from the Prime Minister's Office. Some of the yamen came from the Hanlin Academy, as well as the other six yamen. Although they were not as powerful as Li Hongzao, they were still powerful in the Mesozoic era. They were all great talents who had read the books of sages and had at least the fourth rank.
The whole table tacitly talked about poetry without mentioning anything about what happened in the examination room. Everyone was dirty and made a little money by selling a few Jinshi titles. The disciples are the powerful ones standing in the court, and they are the horns of each other. It depends on the group of disciples below to gain a foothold.
These six house masters are from different walks of life. Some are from the Qing school, some are conservatives, some are Westernizers, and there are also people directly named by the empress dowagers of the two palaces. Therefore, at the banquet, they listened to ditty and drank flower wine. , elegant and sentimental, no need to talk about other things.
At the end of the banquet, Li Guolou bid farewell to the six teachers. Mao Changxi, who was at the end, stayed alone. Instead of stepping onto the carriage, he turned back to Baozhifang and whispered to Li Guolou.
"Guolou, let me tell you something. Weng Tonghe of the Qing Dynasty and Xu Tong, the minister of etiquette, went to the palace in the morning to complain to the Empress Dowager Cixi. It was about Prince Gong's share of information yesterday and what you proposed to the emperor for examination. You have to be prepared in your mind about the students who failed to pass the imperial examination and learn foreign languages. Tomorrow when the Empress Dowager asks, you have to think of a good answer and do your best." Mao Changxi was obviously a member of the Qing school, but secretly betrayed his mentor Li Hongzao. .
"Thank you, Mr. Mao, for your care. I will definitely come to pay my respects in the future." Li Guolou bid farewell to Mao Changxi, sighing that people are far away from each other. Yesterday, in the study room, Weng Tonghe only had a few arguments with him and Prince Gong when the emperor did not come. When the emperor came, he said nothing. He did not refute Prince Gong's suggestion about studying abroad, nor did he express his dissatisfaction with his proposal to let the failed students learn foreign languages. The emperor even said that this suggestion should be "study in the middle school without success!"
Weng Tonghe actually hid the truth from the emperor, and even attracted Xu Tong, the stubborn and stubborn minister of the Ministry of Rites, to complain to the Empress Dowager Cixi and dragged him into the water. The Empress Dowager Cixi liked to use eight-legged essay when writing articles. What will happen in this matter? What about him, this newly discovered beauty? Li Guolou was thinking, immersed in the intrigues in the court. He did not expect that there would be a life-and-death contest for the first time in his life. He had never thought about handing over the book, but it seems that today He had to write articles for half the night. He would never compromise on the issue of government-sponsored study abroad. As for letting the failed students learn foreign languages, it depended on the face of the Empress Dowager Cixi. She was always ready to change the direction when the wind came. Only by taking a step back can the world be brighter.
Is Weng Tonghe still the emperor's master? Why did he betray Emperor Tongzhi Zaichun? He was not afraid at all. Emperor Tongzhi will take charge of the government next month. "Pro-government!" Suddenly Li Guolou was shocked and suddenly realized. Come here, as a divine hunter, he has a keenness that ordinary people don't have, and he discovered the clues of a major conspiracy.
Li Guolou stood up, pushed open the door of Cuiyun Pavilion, found Chen Xiangfang, and said: "Grandma, I have to go into the palace now to see the emperor. If I come back later in the evening, please entertain the guests." After finishing, Li Guolou rushed out of the door of Baozhifang without waiting for Chen Xiangfang to react. Even if there was a mountain of swords and a sea of fire in front of him, he still had to go through. No one who could plot against him had yet been born.
Li Guolou came to the Yangxin Hall in the afternoon to meet Emperor Tongzhi. It was impossible to see the emperor's figure. But who was Li Guolou? The eunuchs were all his friends. After some bargaining, the eunuch who led the way Under the guidance, after walking for more than an hour, Li Guolou finally kowtowed to his master, Emperor Tongzhi, and Queen Alute in a theater.
Not many people could interrupt Emperor Tongzhi's enjoyment of the opera. Although he was very unhappy, he accepted Li Guolou's sincere apology.
"What's going on at Li Guo Tower?" Emperor Tongzhi asked absently, looking at the actors who had stopped performing on the stage downstairs.
Li Guolou bowed and said: "Slave, when I go home, I think that when the emperor takes charge next month, I will not be around, so I can't congratulate the emperor and the queen. I feel anxious and uneasy, so I have sent congratulatory gifts to the emperor and the queen in advance." He said. Afterwards, Li Guolou took out the gift list from his sleeve and presented it. The eunuch Liu Deyin handed the gift list to Emperor Tongzhi.
"Oh...that's what happened!" Emperor Tongzhi opened the gift list casually. At first glance, he saw that there was a small note stuck in the gift list, "It's urgent, so I'll tell you in person!"
Emperor Tongzhi gathered up the gift list and still held it in his hand instead of handing it to the eunuch beside him. He smiled and said: "Queen, please listen to the play first. I want to go for a walk and talk to Li Guolou for a while."
Queen Arut nodded to Li Guolou and said in a pleasant voice: "Your Majesty, I will order another play and watch it together when you come back."
"Well, okay!" Emperor Tongzhi stomped down the theater, dragging four young eunuchs behind him, with Li Guolou walking at the end.
In the pavilion in the garden, Emperor Tongzhi dismissed the four eunuchs who were following him. He sat on a rosewood bench with hollow jade inlays and said, "Why is Li Guolou so mysterious? What is going on?"
Li Guolou stood beside him with his head bowed and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, my servant tells you the truth. In the past, my servant was a magic catcher who specialized in playing cat-and-mouse games with bad guys. Therefore, when others were doing things behind their backs, I knew it at a glance. A conspiracy bigger than the sky has been plotted against the Emperor, haven’t you discovered it, Your Majesty?”
"Excuse me!" Emperor Tongzhi looked at the four eunuchs standing in the distance. They all knew the rules and no one looked up.
Li Guolou whispered: "Your Majesty, did the Queen Mother of the two palaces ask you to build the Wanshou Mountain project, so that the Queen Mother would remove the curtain? And did your teacher ask you to make your first order when you took office is to let the two Queen Mothers To take good care of life and promulgate the decree to rebuild the Old Summer Palace?"
"Yes! Li Guolou, how do you know the secrets in the palace?" Emperor Tongzhi was a little angry, and his tone was reproachful.
Li Guolou whispered: "The emperor personally awarded me the title of supervising the Wanshou Mountain project. I deduced what happened next. This is a huge conspiracy, the emperor. As long as you issue this decree, the world will be in chaos. The central government, The local officials will all come forward to object. No one will support your pro-government, and everyone will belittle you. At that time, the empress dowagers of the two palaces will come forward to settle the matter, saying that you are still young and need someone to supervise you. The curtain will be hung up again. The Emperor will still be like now, listening to games and playing games, waiting for the day of the Queen Mother's funeral, so that he can be successful."
"Bold!" Emperor Tongzhi stood up angrily and scolded Li Guolou, who trembled and turned over to kneel on the ground.
"Your Majesty, if you risk your life to come to see me, whoever makes this suggestion to the Emperor should be killed! Your Majesty, you can do everything in secret. Since the management of the Wanshou Mountain project is left to your slaves, why bother making it known to everyone in the world."
Li Guolou kowtowed three times, breaking his forehead and creating a tumor on his forehead. Good advice is hard to hear but helps practice, and it was rare for him to be a die-hard loyalist.