Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

On the seventh day after this episode of meeting Sima Guang by chance, the boat that Lu Ci was on arrived in Bianjing smoothly and smoothly.

Although it is only the seventh day of the lunar new year, there are many people who are still immersed in the strong festive atmosphere, but the small businesses running on the streets and alleys have resumed their activities, and the shops have also opened one after another due to the restoration of the boat port. In recent days, the pedestrians along the way have been scattered.

After the public inspection was checked and it was confirmed that it was correct, Lu Ci left two servants on board to pack their bags, and took Di Qing off the boat himself.

"I still have something to do. I need to go to the official department. I don't know how long it will take, so I won't take you with me." Lu Ci temporarily rented a donkey cart and a horse from the street, and arranged for the donkey cart To Di Qing: "You have worked hard on the road, go back and rest first, and wait at home."

Di Qing pursed his lips, although he only wanted to go with his grandfather, even if he just stood and waited outside the government office, but he knew that his grandfather was considerate of him, and he didn't want to politely refuse, so he nodded obediently.

Lu Ci smiled reassuringly, patted Di Qing on the shoulder lightly, and then rode on the leased, dishonest old horse, and wobbled a little towards the direction of the official department.

Although he was an official in the capital, he was able to keep his job intact before he left the capital, but in the final analysis, the reason for his application for leave was to return to his hometown to attend to his mother's illness, and the originally scheduled return date was far after February.

However, in less than two months, he had already returned.

In terms of emotion and reason, you should inform the official department as a report.At that time, whether to let him return to his post immediately, or to wait at home for the complicated and layer-by-layer approval of the official department, can't find his fault.

When Lu Ci came to the Ministry of Officials and saw the laziness and laziness of the officials, he knew that it was probably the latter.

Although there are many people who recognized his identity at a glance and were surprised by his early return, they were indifferent and never asked, just put away the paperwork he had prepared perfunctorily, and asked him to go home and wait.

As for whether to wait until the Year of the Monkey before accepting it, it is not known.

Lu Ci never had any expectations for their efficiency, so naturally he was not disappointed.

Even if they have been backlogged and ignored, when the originally set return date arrives, he can come here to report again, and go back to report on his work directly, without too long a delay.

What's more, the things he needs to do in a hurry to return to Beijing have little to do with his authority.

Just looking at their old-fashioned and lazy attitudes, it is obvious that during this period of time in the court, most of the officials who will indulge this kind of atmosphere are the most active.

What Lu Ci didn't expect was that he not only underestimated his own weight this time, but also "wronged" the notorious procrastination of the official department - from the moment he stepped into the official office gate of the official department to the It only took half an hour for the news of his return to reach Zhao Zhen's ears.

As soon as Zhao Zhenfu heard the news that was completely beyond his expectations, there was nothing but a blank in his mind.

"...how did the little master come back?"

Because he was so surprised that what he blurted out in the next moment was the intimate name he had quietly given to Lu Ci in his heart all along, instead of the rigid "Lu Zhigao".

Because Zhao Heng, who was not willing to continue to be the shopkeeper, appeared frequently in the morning court, and today was no exception, Zhao Zhen thought about it again and again, and simply didn't even go to attend the morning court, and stayed directly in the East Palace.

Similar things have happened many times recently.

Even so, he was still unwilling to put on a tit-for-tat stance as Kou Xiang stubbornly suggested, but obediently returned to the East Palace, flipping through the insignificant small files, and doing the homework that had been put on hold for a long time .

Although he is unwilling to admit it emotionally, he is very clear intellectually that only by making such a gesture of "indifference to the world" can Dad feel at ease and reduce the follow-up actions that are pressing every step of the way.

Seeing him like this, Kou Zhun, the most radical, could only let out a long sigh, hating him for not fighting.

From Kou Zhun's point of view, the East Palace, which has held the post of state supervisor for more than half a year, already has a lot of prestige and control over the court, so it may not be impossible to fight secretly.

Moreover, Zhao Zhen, as the only surviving heir of the official family, can be said to be blessed with an unshakable absolute advantage.

If Zhao Zhen hadn't been too modest and kind, even if the officials were confused, he wouldn't have been run over by Liu Shengren, a woman and Taoist family.

If he can be tougher, not only can he stabilize the vacillating position of the officials of the prince's faction, but at least he can stop His Majesty from treating him rashly!

However, no matter how Kou Zhun persuaded him, Zhao Zhen only apologized for his good-tempered comforting him, and even for admitting that he was not capable enough.

This also made Kou Zhun full of anger and had nowhere to vent it, only himself continued to hold back.

What no one knows is that Zhao Zhen turned his soft temper towards everyone around him, but turned all the remaining edges and corners in. Except for a few words in the urgent letter to Lu Ci who was far away in Mizhou, the rest was revealed by him. Bear it alone.

But when Zhao Zhen complained to the little master, he still didn't dare to dream that the little master would really leave everything at hand for him and rush back all the way.

Especially since it's only the seventh day of the Lunar New Year...

The little master can rush to Beijing at this time, doesn't it mean that even on New Year's Eve and Spring Festival, he has not been reunited with his mother, but is driving alone?

Since Zhao Zhen was born in his mother's womb, he has been taught by everyone to be sympathetic to the people, to cherish the subjects, and to honor his parents.

Like this, it was the first time that I clearly felt that my willfulness was being pampered, pampered, and listened to.

After the extreme shock, Zhao Zhen's heart was suddenly filled with guilt, emotion and joy.

His little wife really treated him so well.

"Go and invite Lu Zhigao into the palace."

After listening to the servants questioning him for the second time, he came back to his senses, and gave orders eagerly, still feeling that the excitement all over his body could not be relieved.

He tried his best to suppress the urge to follow, and sat behind the desk.

The palace room was quiet, and no one noticed that Zhao Zhen quietly squeezed the penholder in his hand tightly, and couldn't help pursing the corners of his upturned lips, pretending to be serious, but the corners of his eyes and brows were full of smiles.

——There was a thick tome spread out in front of him, but the pages had never been turned over.

Coincidentally, before Lu Ci returned home, he ran into the servant of the Eastern Palace who was riding a fast horse on the road and wanted to go to Lu's house to invite someone.

With an excellent memory, he immediately recognized the identity of this servant who had not been reused by Zhao Zhen before, and stopped him directly.

After a brief conversation, he readily followed the others into the Forbidden Palace and went straight to the East Palace.

After listening to the movement at the gate of the palace with his ears up all the time, and distinguishing the sound of footsteps that he was very familiar with, Zhao Zhen, who was absent-mindedly playing with the little wooden turtle Simon, could no longer sit still.

He stood up abruptly, and ran straight to the source of the sound without thinking, "Lu Zhigao!"

"I haven't seen you in two months, Your Highness is much healthier."

Lu Ci said with a smile, pretending not to see the impoliteness of the little prince trotting out barefoot because he was too happy to even have time for the silk shoes, and he just let the other party hold his hand in cooperation, and let him be happy. Pulling, walked to the inner hall: "Seeing that His Highness is still so energetic, I can finally let go of half of my heart that has been raised all the way."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen blushed with shame, and said guiltily: "It's because I'm tired of Lu Zhigao that Lu Zhigao couldn't be reunited with his family."

But inconceivably, when he saw the handsome man, who was like a jade carving with no blemishes, under the soft candlelight, the lingering uneasiness disappeared without a trace. up.

As long as the most powerful little master returns, the immediate predicament will be resolved soon.

"Your Highness's words are wrong." Lu Ci said softly: "Whether it's New Year's Eve or Spring Festival, there is always one time a year. In contrast, the opportunity that His Highness is willing to open his mouth and pour out his thoughts to me is a good one." It’s unique, how can I turn a blind eye?”

Zhao Zhen is soft on the outside and strong on the inside, and has a bitter temper. Although Lu Ci has only taught him for a while, he understands it enough.

If he wasn't really flustered and overwhelmed, how could he write a letter to him who is far away in Mizhou?

Zhao Zhen's eyes were slightly hot.

It seemed that it was the first time for him to truly experience the feeling of being pampered, valued, and pampered, and he can be reassuring and self-willed, not just being respected as a prince and being taught as a prince.

He blinked vigorously, to cover up, and whispered: "It's just a little letter full of complaints, Lu Zhigao doesn't have to be like this..."

Lu Ci resolutely said: "Since His Royal Highness is at stake, why talk about trivial matters?"

Zhao Zhen fell silent.

He quietly clenched his fists and coughed lightly.

——He is really happy!

After entering the hall, Zhao Zhen retreated to the left and right, leaving Lu Ci alone.

Immediately afterwards, he seriously told the little master about the situation in the court in the past few days in as objective a tone as possible.

Empress Liu got her wish, and after she took Zhao Yunchu into the palace, she blatantly treated her as a prince, no matter the daily expenses or the grade of clothing, as if she was raising her own child with all her heart.

And Zhao Heng has always been in love with her, and when he goes to her palace seven or eight days a month, he will inevitably meet Zhao Yunchu who is still in his infancy. In words, he also loves this child who loves to laugh.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, there had been precedents for a brother to succeed a brother. Since the officials loved this baby so much, he was raised by Liu Shengren, a powerful harem... It is inevitable that some people who are vacillating are completely crooked.

In this regard, Zhao Zhen, who has never received much love from his father and saints since he was a child, is not bad. He has heard it and remembered it, and that's all.

What bothered and helpless him the most was that his father no longer behaved the same way as before, and would cover up his reneging behavior for the sake of face, instead, he appeared more and more frequently in the morning court.

Not to mention the termination of the many proposals he raised, he also wanted to bring up the matter of building Taoist temples and enshrining the "Book of Heaven" that had been put on hold for a long time.

Ding said that not long after he became the second assistant, there was Li Di, who was very wary of him, and Kou Zhun, who was watching him covetously.

He was eager to achieve some outstanding achievements in order to consolidate his position, so he caught the bait that Zhao Heng threw out.

Zhao Zhen really didn't want to see the riddled finances again, and spend more on the flashy but expensive Taoist temple, so he had to fight Zhao Heng.

It is now the fifth day of the standoff.

Just when he felt it was difficult to hold on, and he simply didn't even go to the morning court, Lu Ci came back.

During the process of Zhao Zhen's narration, Lu Ci only listened intently, never interrupting, and the most reaction was to nod from time to time to show that he was listening carefully.

Occasionally, I would bow my head and ponder for a while, then dip my fingers in water and scribble something on the table.

Zhao Zhen did it in one go, and after he finished speaking, his mouth felt dry, but he didn't feel tired mentally.

So while pouring water for himself and the young master himself, he looked at Lu Ci with hope, "Lu Zhigao, what do you think?"

Lu Ci said honestly: "Your Highness has done a good job. Now, in my opinion, the problem should not be too big."

Ding said that in order to stabilize the position of the secondary assistant, he should vigorously support the officials to cultivate temples, which is naturally within his expectation.

Dante said that in order to make this happen, not only did he have to go through Li Di and Kou Zhun, but he also had to win over people from Wang Qinruo's faction, not asking for cooperation, at least not making trouble.

After all, the "planner" who is in charge of the country's finances has always been a king's party with a clear-cut banner, and Wang Qinruo has always been superior in his ability to settle accounts and coax the emperor.

Wang Qinruo was extremely calculating, and he must have seen that as the officials intend to regain power, Kou Zhun's faction is destined to decline and its strength will decline sharply. He does not need to intervene more to regain the advantage.

What good would it do him if he helped Ding Wei in an extravagant way?

To put it bluntly, Wang Qinruo's only desire, no matter whether it is to appoint a Zaifu or abolish him, is something that Ding Wei can't manipulate no matter how smart he is——Zhao Heng is known to be very particular about whim, and he can't follow common sense at all. infer.

Even if Ding Wei offered the position of Chancellor in order to win the support of Wang Qinruo's faction, Wang Qinruo was more likely to scoff at it, not to be happy to believe it.

Ding said that if he had such a great ability, why didn't he become the chief assistant first?

Even if it works, if Wang Qinruo has been staring at the aspect for a long time, how can he be willing to be inferior to Ding Wei?

Compared with Ding Wei, who is impeccable and deeply scheming, it is better to choose Kou Zhun, who is upright and has obvious weaknesses, as his opponent.

Those in positions of authority are all suspicious. Under the circumstances of mutual suspicion, Na Ding said that he is eloquent, or he is willing to hand over a large amount of benefits to others, and wants to reach a temporary alliance with Wang Qinruo again to persuade him to deal with Kou Zhun and the others. , It is by no means a few days, or even a month's work.

Therefore, Lu Ci was not in a hurry to think about countermeasures against the fact that the Ding and Wang factions would unite.

In his opinion, it is Liu Shengren who is really the most urgent thing that will leave endless troubles if it is not handled properly.

Zhao Zhen naturally couldn't guess what Lu Ci was thinking, he couldn't help being taken aback when he heard the words, and said in disbelief, "Is it not a big problem?"

He and Kou met them, but they have been annoyed for a long time because of this 'not big' problem!

Lu Ci didn't directly answer his doubts, but gave an example with a smile: "The road is open, and tourists come and go like a weaving. One day, a tiger suddenly appears and sleeps on it, what should the prince do?"

Zhao Zhen said without hesitation: "Gather hunters locally, combine them and eliminate them."

Lu Ci said, "What if the tiger can't get rid of it?"

"Since it's a sleeping tiger, there will always be a time when it wakes up and leaves." Zhao Zhen frowned: "Before that, the only way to do this is to make a notice to tell passers-by to divert and go around it."

"Your Highness is kind and kind, and he never forgets to tell others." Lu Ci smiled and nodded, "It's a way."

Zhao Zhen asked curiously: "Since the young master has asked this question, he must have had an answer a long time ago, and it is probably not that simple. I wonder if you can tell me?"

"Since it is a sleeping tiger," Lu Ci wrote lightly, "If there is a bold person who is willing to take risks and wake it up directly, wouldn't it be much faster than waiting for it to wake up and leave without knowing when? "

Zhao Zhen was taken aback, and replied without hesitation: "Although the predicament will be resolved, isn't that the righteous man who called the tiger doomed to be more or less fortunate?"

Lu Ci laughed, and said seriously: "If there is such a person, I will definitely thank His Highness for his compassion."

No matter whether Zhao Heng is really confused, or pretending to be confused, he always needs such a bold person to pierce the layer of window paper that is tacitly ignored by people.

It is better than the act of summoning the tiger described in his story, which is tantamount to seeking death, is that due to the ancestral motto of "don't kill civil servants" followed by the emperors of the Song Dynasty, even if the other party will Outraged, but lives would still be safe.

It's a pity that this successful career will come to an end temporarily after this adventure.

As Lu Ci thought about it, when he looked at Zhao Zhen, he still had a gentle smile on his face.

But if you are afraid to do what you can do if you are tied up because you love your feathers, then what's the point of being promoted to this official?

After Lu Ci made up his mind, he didn't reveal anything to Zhao Zhen.

With the gentleness and considerateness of this student, if he wants to be aware of his intentions, he must take action to obstruct him.

Before Zhao Zhen felt suspicious and wanted to ask more questions, Lu Ci changed the subject in time, and gave a vivid description of his teacher's reaction when he received the piece of guibi that the prince entrusted to him as a gift.

Sure enough, Zhao Zhen's attention was completely attracted, and he was so happy to ask things, but he didn't care about the seemingly thoughtless "tiger" story at all.

Lu Ci: "..."

Looking at the little prince's excited little expression, he didn't know whether he wanted to impress the other party to be undefended in front of him, or to feel worried and helpless because the student was too good at fooling around.