After returning home from Han Qi, Zhang Yue just sat down and heard that there was a visitor.
Zhang Yue, who had just been conferred the post of banquet, said with a smile: "If you have any visitors, just turn them away. I will have a nice conversation with the lady and have a glass of wine."
The seventeenth mother said: "Official, it seems that my uncle Cao You is asking for an audience."
Zhang Yue was stunned for a moment and said, "No, no. I'm meeting my relatives privately. Are you worried that my official position is too high?"
Zhang Yue was very taboo about meeting his relatives. Now that he was hugging the official's lap, how could he be so unclear with these relatives?
"But what Uncle Guo Ye holds in his hand is Wenliu Langjun's post." Seventeen Niang said.
"Bunrokuro-kun?"
Zhang Yue thought to himself, as the son of the prime minister, why did Wen Jifu get so close to his relatives? But when he thought about it, he was relieved. Wasn't Wen Yanbo dismissed from the prime minister just because he gave Concubine Zhang Guifei a Shu brocade?
Wen Yanbo promoted Zhang Yaozuo to four levels in a row. In the eyes of officials like Tang Jie, Wen Yanbo was really a traitor.
However, although collusion with internal affairs is criticized, there are still many risks. In the final analysis, the greater the risk, the higher the profit!
Now that Cao You came to visit was recommended by Wen Jifu, Zhang Yue was awarded the post this time, but it was because of Wen Yanbo's secret help. This favor should not be forgotten, and we would have to meet again at some point.
The Seventeenth Mother said: "Do you want me to push you, official?"
Zhang Yue said: "Is there anyone peeping outside the lady's house?"
The seventeenth mother said: "Uncle Guo did not use his own guard of honor. He came to visit privately and walked through the side alley and the back door."
Zhang Yue hesitated for a moment and said, "If someone stares outside, I will go to the back door to see him in person."
Seventeenth Mother nodded.
Zhang Yue came to the back door, where there was a wing where the doorkeeper lived. Zhang Yue immediately sent the doorkeeper away and asked Tang Jiuwang Gong to guard the door and not allow anyone to break in. He went to see Cao You in person.
"Uncle Guo, I came to visit you late at night. Do you have any advice?" Zhang Yue looked cautious.
Cao You, wearing a black cloak, smiled at Zhang Yue and said, "I know that Duke Zhuangyuan is not very happy to attend the Sutra Banquet, so I came here to congratulate you."
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "A mere lecturer at a Buddhist feast is not worthy of a visit from my uncle."
Cao You said with a smile: "After passing by the official family of the banquet official and entering and leaving the palace, I can expect to be prosperous in the future. How can I not be worthy of congratulations?"
Zhang Yue's smile gradually faded away, but Cao You still had a smile on his face.
After saying that, Zhang Yue and Cao You walked into the side room together. This was the back door where Menzi usually sat. It was even simple and had a bad smell.
An oil lamp was placed by the window. Zhang Yue and Cao You faced each other, with each other's faces looming in the darkness. The atmosphere was as dark as the content of the conversation between the two.
Cao You said: "Does Duke Zhuangyuan know that I have a close relationship with Duke Ouyang?"
Zhang Yue said: "I know a little bit about it."
"Do you also know the relationship between the current queen and the king of Jingzhao County?"
"Know."
"Does Duke Zhuangyuan know that Duke Lu..."
Zhang Yue asked in reply: "Does Uncle Guo also have contact with Duke Lu Guo (Wen Yanbo)?"
Cao You smiled and said: It's not that Duke Lu has contacts with the Cao family, but that Duke Lu is kind to my Cao family. Does the Number One Scholar understand this?"
Zhang Yue remembered something.
During the Zhiping year, the official family was very ill and was about to die.
So much so that people inside and outside the palace were discussing the matter of establishing a heir. One day, Wen Yanbo, who was the prime minister, came into the palace to meet the officials. The officials pulled Wen Yanbo's sleeve and said, "The Queen and Zhang Mao are plotting a big rebellion!"
As soon as these words came out, Wen Yanbo and Zaizhi were all eclipsed.
Afterwards, the palace people chased Wen Yanbo out one after another and said,
When Zhang Yue was studying history, he sometimes wondered if he were Wen Yanbo, how would he handle this situation?
At that time, Zhang Mao wanted to commit suicide.
Wen Yanbo said lightly: "The emperor is ill, and what he said was just delirium during the illness. If you commit suicide, where will you leave the queen?"
Wen Yanbo gently revealed the story of a delirium in illness. If it were true, Empress Cao would probably be in a bad state at this time... Therefore, Wen Yanbo was said to be kind to Empress Cao.
Cao Youdao: "At that time, the official family was ill, and the rich prime minister communicated with the queen about establishing a heir. The queen wanted to join the Thirteenth Regiment. At that time, Zhang Mao was the messenger between the queen and the wealthy prime minister, and the person who took care of the official family was Wang Guangyuan.
Cai Kang and the other two, they kept this matter secret to the official family, so when the official family was ill, they told Lu Guogong that the queen and Zhang Mao were plotting a great rebellion, so the official family was not ill and confused."
Zhang Yue's expression changed slightly, and Cao You revealed the truth sentence by sentence.
Did the Queen and Zhang Maoze rebel?
All the officials thought that Wen Yanbo was confused about what he said about the illness of officials.
But are the officials sick and confused? The emperor was still on his sick bed, and when he heard that the queen and the prime minister bypassed him to discuss the prince, his first reaction was of course that he wanted to seek power and usurp the throne.
The first reaction of the official family when facing a crisis was to ask Wen Yanbo to get rid of Empress Cao and Zhang Maoze, or at least depose the empress.
But Wen Yanbo settled the matter and kept Empress Cao's position. Protecting Empress Cao was like protecting Zhao Zongshi.
As for the official thoughts after recovering from illness, it is true that Empress Cao and Fu Bi had no intention of rebellion. The emperor was seriously ill and the Eastern Palace had not yet been established, so it was reasonable for the prime minister to ask the empress who would succeed him.
Cao You undoubtedly told him that Wen Yanbo and the Queen both wanted Zhao Zongshi to ascend the throne.
Cao Youdao: "The officials knew about this, several of the husband-in-laws also knew about it, and the ministers in the court also knew a lot, but everyone knew it tacitly. After this incident, the officials were already alienated from the queen. If it hadn't been for the Thirteenth Regiment Lian's accession to the throne,
What will happen to the Queen and Mr. Wen in the future? Does the Number One Scholar know?"
"Then why does Uncle Guo value me so much and come to me for consultation?" Zhang Yue asked.
Cao You said: "Mr. Wen Liulang has repeatedly told me that Duke Zhuangyuan is a person worthy of trust and reliance, and Ling Yue is also the person Wen Xianggong trusts most. Therefore, in serving Zhi this time, does Duke Zhuangyuan know the subtleties of it?"
Zhang Yue thought to himself, he really found him after all.
Zhang Yue said: "Uncle Guo, today I met with Han Xianggong and learned one thing. In the past, banquet officials were recommended by Zhongshu, but this time they were appointed by officials."
"I am a humble scholar who was selected by His Majesty to be the number one scholar. Now I am a storyteller in the Chongzheng Palace, going in and out of the palace. What do you believe? Your Majesty believes that I have no party or affiliation, and I am not the person of Wen, Han or Fu.
Under the curtain. It was Prime Minister Wen who recommended me to join the embassy, but if my uncle threatens me with this, I will have to resign at the worst possible outcome."
When Cao You heard this, he said seductively: "Master Zhuangyuan, why is this necessary? Establishing the throne as early as possible is also beneficial to the country. Wouldn't it be good for Zhuangyuan to repay Your Majesty's kindness in knowing you?"
Zhang Yue said: "If it is something that is beneficial to the country, I don't need to say anything, and I will do the same. If it is not beneficial to the country, even if I say it, I can't do it."
Cao You asked: "What does Zhuangyuan Gong mean?"
Zhang Yue said: "If your majesty asks me about the throne, I will of course advise you to establish it early, but I will not say a word whether you want it to belong to the Thirteenth Regiment."
Hearing this, Cao You said as if he was relieved: "That's good. Duke Zhuangyuan, Duke Wen and the Queen really saw the right person."
Zhang Yue said: "I don't dare to take it seriously. It's late at night. Uncle Guo has nothing to do, so please go back early!"
Cao You nodded and said: "Then, Lord Zhuangyuan, I will take my leave."
That night at Prince Pu's Mansion.
Gao Taotao glanced at his sleeping husband Zhao Zongshi and quietly stood up.
But she saw a secret letter sent to her by a maid. This maid was mute and illiterate. She usually secretly went in and out of Uncle Cao Guotao's house for Gao Taotao.
After Gao Taotao opened the letter under the lamp and read it, he said to himself: "The Queen did not see the wrong person. Zhang Yue is really not someone who can be easily persuaded. Otherwise, Your Majesty would not have taken a fancy to him and called him into the service."
It’s time for the feast.”
Just as Gao Taotao spoke, she felt a weight on her back. She was startled and turned around to see her husband, Zhao Zongshi, getting up and putting clothes on him.
"Did you hear that?"
Zhao Zongshi said: "I have been sleeping very lightly these days. I knew it as soon as you got up. I was afraid... I was afraid that someone would not be good for us."
Gao Taotao shook her head. Looking at her husband's pitiful appearance, she really couldn't imagine what the point of being an emperor was.
Zhao Zongshi said leisurely: "Officials have the ability to know people well and appoint them well. Others have said that they can't do anything but only be an official. He never makes mistakes when looking at people, otherwise Zhang Yue would not gain his trust at this juncture.
It’s time to attend the sutra banquet.”
Gao Tao said: "Although officials are good at judging people, I also have a way. Now I have asked Zhong Zhen to be Zhang Yue's student. When the time is right, I will expose the matter to him and let him stand on our side when the time comes!"
Zhao Zongshi was stunned when he heard this and said: "I also said that you really went to Zhang Yue's disciples to learn calligraphy for needles. Madam, you are really smart."
Gao Taotao smiled and said: "How can I be so clever? The empress is still clever. It was she who sent the news that the person she placed around the official found a seal written in the ashes of the official's calligraphy practice one day.
A fragment of the word Yue."
"So I guessed this, and later he joined the library. I remembered what happened to Shangshan Sihao, so I asked Zhen'er to become a disciple of Zhang Yue."
Zhao Zongshi said: "In the past, Liu Bang, the great ancestor of the Han Dynasty, wanted to depose the crown prince Liu Ying. Empress Lu used Zhang Liang's plan to ask Liu Ying to become a disciple of Si Hao from Shangshan. My wife actually followed Empress Lu's old wisdom. I would never have thought of this. "
Using Zhang Yue as Zhao Zhongzhen's teacher to change his point of view was Gao Taotao's plan for a rainy day.
Gao Tao sighed: "But Duke Zhuang Yuan was also cautious and only allowed Zhen'er to be called sir, not teacher. He also invited several people to read with Zhen'er."
Zhao Zongshi smiled bitterly and said: "Perhaps God won't help me. Madam, why bother plotting these things again? Just let nature take its course."
Gao Tao said: "Officials, I also want to let it be, but you and I are in this situation and we can't take a step back. Nowadays, the officials are very suspicious. The fact that Empress Dowager Zhang Xian listens to politics behind the curtain makes the officials suspicious of the current queen. I’m afraid she might want to imitate Zhang Xian.”
"In fact, not only the queen, but even many old people in the palace have become estranged from the official family over the years. There are not many courtiers who can talk to him, let alone find out his thoughts." "This time the official family has become estranged. The family ordered Zhang Yue to serve at the Sutra Banquet, and also asked Sima Guang to repair his daily life, because he valued the character of these two people. If they can say a few words in front of the emperor, then your official position will be expected. "
Zhao Zongshi was silent for a while after hearing this and poured a glass of wine.
Gao Taotao stayed with her husband silently, and the couple spent another sleepless night.