Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

Regarding the arrival of Lu Ci and Di Qing, the servants of Wang Zeng's mansion were surprised, but they quickly came to their senses, and quickly welcomed them into the main hall for guests, and then sent another person to ask the master's house for instructions.

As soon as Wang Zeng heard the names of Lu and Di, he put down the unfinished documents without thinking, and went downstairs immediately.

When he arrived, Lu Ci and Di Qing were sitting next to each other, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea in each hand, smiling and talking.

No matter in Wang Zeng's eyes, or in the eyes of the servants who stood by and secretly looked at them from time to time, they were obviously handsome men who were rare to see.

Lu Ci, who has a gentle and gentle temperament, has a handsome face that is so delicate that it is difficult to pick a trace of flaws, while Di Qing, who is tall and slender, is handsome with a cold majesty condensed in the battlefield.

Only when he was by Lu Ci's side, would the palpitating icy aura soften a lot.

"A feather, Han Chen."

Although Wang Zeng didn't know why the two of them came to visit suddenly, but after the first surprise, he quickly recovered and jokingly said: "If Mr. Kou finds out about this, I'm afraid it will annoy me for a while. "

"My lord was joking." Lu Ci smiled and said, "Hanchen and I haven't returned to Beijing for a long time, and we went to the market on a whim to hang out when we didn't have any duties. Ask for a midnight snack."

Where is the market near Xiangfu?

As soon as he heard the words, he knew it was an excuse, but Wang Zeng smiled slightly, and he understood the elegant meaning of the strings, and answered without blinking.

While ordering his servants to prepare supper, he teased: "The name of Yu Yu's 'gluttony' is known to everyone in Beijing. I don't know if it is possible to just let the cook toss the existing ingredients in the mansion. Satisfied both of you."

Lu Ci's face has been tempered into an iron wall over the years. Hearing the words, he just said generously: "You can do as you please. Young brother and I didn't invite ourselves. It's kind of my husband not to drive us out. Why don't we go out?" Is it too much to bother your husband?"

After the jokes came and went, Wang Zeng had already pushed the servants away, and the hall was quiet, only the three of them were left.

Lu Ci smiled slightly, took out several volumes of documents tied with strings in his sleeves, and placed them in front of Wang Zeng: "Please read them over, too."

Wang Zeng raised his eyebrows, glanced at Lu Ci, and didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he picked up the document, lit the candle, and opened it to read it carefully.

The more he reads, the more interest on his face will be added.

In the end, he couldn't help but shook his head and took a light breath.

Wang Zeng suppressed the thousands of thoughts in his heart, and first glanced at Di Qing, but his eyes were deep, and his expressionless expression was completely unpredictable; Lu Ci was drinking tea with a smile, and when he met his gaze, he leisurely Putting down the teacup, he nodded slightly.

Wang Zeng suddenly said: "The preparation of Yu Yu is perfect, I really admire it. But I can't help meddling in my own business, I ask, when and where did this Xia Song offend you so hard?"

Lu Ci smiled and said, "My husband is just joking. I have never been a good-natured person who would allow others to bully me. The turmoil that was raging a while ago, although fortunately resolved by Bao Pingshi's ingenious plan, did not really affect me. It's enough for me to remember a big vengeance. And the reason why he is so deliberate, even if others can't see his purpose, can't escape the eyes of Mr. Xianggong?"

When he learned about the adultery farce from Liu Qixin, although everything that could involve him had been settled, Lu Ci still relied on his intuition to keenly lock on the person who was most likely to be behind the scene.

——He was the one who intervened and 'robbed' Xia Song, who was in charge of the warden envoy on the front line.

During the month when he was bedridden and recuperated, Xia Song, who had also been the emperor's teacher and had been playing steadily in recent years, had a lot of voices.

It was this "fat job" that he regarded as something in his pocket, but was taken away by Lu Cisheng when he was only one step away. It is strange that Xia Song is so narrow-minded and would not hate him to the bone. up.

Even though Xia Song turned around and almost concealed himself flawlessly, it was still 'almost'.

The judges sent by Zhao Zhen failed to deduce the real instigator who wanted to involve Lu Ci and ruin his reputation, but took the few people who floated on the surface or were exposed after digging a few times as the masters. to punish.

However, Lu Ci first identified the candidate, and then reversed the matter, which naturally seemed to be full of flaws.

Wang Zeng was silent.

Indeed, as Lu Ci said, when he proposed a thorough investigation of the matter to the officials, he vaguely guessed that Xia Song might have something to do with it.

It's just that the frontline war was tense at that time, and the imperial court had just caused this huge scandal, which aroused people's discussions. When the people's hearts were uncertain, he didn't want to say something offensive and suspicious, which would cause more officials to be involved. Increased turmoil will also tire people's hearts.

Now that the war against Xia has been completely won, people's hearts are high, and the domestic situation has stabilized, it is indeed a good time to settle accounts after autumn...

He really didn't expect that Lu Ci, who was not in Beijing, not only saw through Xia Song's layers of camouflage at a glance, but was also so good at forbearance.

He waited until he had all the evidence firmly in his hands in private, and then he put it in front of him calmly.

Thousands of thoughts flashed through Wang Zeng's mind, he smiled at the end, and asked: "The evidence is convincing now, you just need to release some rumors, or openly release a few copies of the documents, and let Yushitai know...then they How will you react, presumably you, who used to be an imperial envoy, will only know better than me, why do you need to lend my hand?"

If the crimes committed by Xia Song and his clan that Lu Ci had just shown him were all true and not false, not to mention ruining Xia Song's reputation, it would be enough to discredit him.

Even if the official is benevolent and remembers the old love, it will be difficult for him to make any progress in his official career.

Not to mention that Xia Song's reputation is not very good, and he must face the situation where everyone pushes him down.

Lu Ci said calmly, "If I raise these things just to target Xia Song alone, there is really no need to bother Prime Minister Wang."

Wang Zeng couldn't help being taken aback for a moment, and suddenly understood: "You want to—"

Use Xia Song's incident as a breakthrough, and use strong medicine to cure other incidents!

"That's right." Lu Ci seemed to have seen through his thoughts, and nodded with a smile: "It is for this purpose that I reluctantly gave up the officials and Prime Minister Kou, and came here to bother Prime Minister Wang."

That night, Lu Ci and Di Qing stayed at Wang Zeng's mansion for four full hours before finalizing the matter before the morning court.

"It's no wonder that the princes in those days paid special attention to you," Wang Zeng said with emotion, "The younger generation...is really awesome."

It's been a long time since I've heard of Wang Dan's name. Thinking about the scene where the bamboo grove supported each other, Lu Ci suddenly felt a little bit like a world away.

After he was slightly stunned, he smiled and said: "The majesty's demeanor, I am afraid that I will be far behind in my poor life. Only if I want to have a clear conscience, can I live up to my previous support."

"You don't need to be too modest." Wang Zeng shook his head and said bluntly: "There are hundreds of people who have been supported by the prince, if you say 'far behind', then they will be ashamed and wipe their necks?"

If it wasn't for the time to go to court, Wang Zeng still had some unfinished ideas.

"If Yu Yu and Han Chen don't dislike each other," he went to the court first after pouring several cups of strong tea, and said before leaving: "You might as well rest in the humble house and wait for today's business, I will immediately Come back and continue the discussion."

Lu Ci said with a smile: "My husband and I are so kind, my young brother and I will be more respectful than obedient."

It's been a long time since I lasted a whole night, and Lu Ci is also very tired right now.

After the servant led them to the guest room, Lu Ci yawned lazily, and leaned on Di Qing, who also stayed up all night but was still full of energy, and joked, "Sitting on the Buddha for a night, do you regret coming with me?"

Di Qing shook his head vigorously, and held Lu Ci's waist with one hand so that he could lean firmly in his arms: "Grandpa treats Qing... so well, unless Qing is blind, or someone who doesn't know what is good or bad, would he With that stupid thought."

"Between you and me, why should you say such embarrassing and strange things?" Lu Ci said with a smile: "Besides, I see that your actions on the battlefield are also decisive. What you think, it coincides with.”

Wang Zeng has always followed the path of a solitary pure minister. As long as it is beneficial to the overall situation and the government, he is willing to risk his life to implement it.

As for Wang Zeng's behavior, not only Kou Zhun, his submissive son, often understood, but also the officials knew that even the court officials could do nothing with this smelly and hard evergreen tree.

Because of this, he specially chose Wang Zeng to discuss this matter.

At this moment, Zhao Zhen didn't know yet, another storm was coming soon.

He was discussing with great interest with Liu Qi, the Zhongshu Sheren who was in charge of the early imperial edict, that the rewards for Lu Ci and Di Qing would be announced in the early court this time, and their possible interesting reactions.

According to common sense, Lu Ci should have gotten some word about it long ago, and he was only short of a plain text edict and sue.

However, Zhao Zhen made up his mind to give his beloved little master a big surprise, so he 'forced' the courtiers to hide him to death.

With the qualifications of entering the Political Affairs Hall not long ago, serving as a political adviser, and having made numerous military achievements, and Lu Ci has passed away, although he is still frighteningly young, he is no longer a young boy in his early twenties ...

Although the courtiers were all jealous of Zhao Zhen's decision to promote him to be a member of Tongzhongshu's family and bring him a bachelor of Jixian Palace, they knew that this was the trend of the times, and it was the will of the people.

Even if they objected again, the best result would be to delay this promotion for a few years, and in the end it would not change the momentum of Lu Ci's return to the Zhengshitang as the prime minister.

In this way, it is completely detrimental to others and not beneficial to themselves: in order to achieve this goal, they not only have to offend the officials above Xing, but also completely offend the promising Lu Ci, and maybe even offend the people who are eagerly looking forward to this. public outrage...

Since there is no deep hatred, why should it be so?

Anyway, since Lu Ci left Beijing, the officials would rather vacate the position of last prime minister, and only promoted one person to be a political adviser, which shows his firm intention of "waiting with empty seats".

They silently soothed their hearts and accepted the fact very quickly, which surprised Zhao Zhen who was full of opposition.

Compared with the shock of Lu Ci re-entering the political affairs hall at the age of only 32, Di Qing, who had just turned 24 and gained fame in the past two years, was specially promoted to be a transfer envoy on Chengdu Road. Out of the regular tune' arouses bursts of amazement, but in the end it is not like the former's 'scary'.

In this superficial harmony, Xia Song seems to have nothing to do with leisurely, but he hates Lu Ci to the core.

He wholeheartedly believes that Lu Ci's military merits as a promotion to the capital this time are all due to his subordinates' desperate efforts to kill the enemy - and he was targeted by him early on, but was snatched away by the other party.

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. Changdiao: The Ministry of Officials selects people for two terms close to the people, and some of them choose the master, who is promoted to the general judge; when the two terms of the general judgment expire, there are those who elect the master, who is promoted to the master (knowledge) state and army; from then on, they are promoted upwards, which is called ' Constant tune'

2. Out of the regular tune; those who know the state and the army have performance, or have recommendations, and those who are worthy of the name and reality, will be promoted to transfer envoys, deputy, and judges, or appointed to prisons, and judges from the state capital, which is called "out of the constant tune"

3. The difference between transshipment envoys: There is a difference between the importance of the road and the difference between distance and distance: Hebei, Shaanxi, and Hedong are the most important routes. At the end of the year, he served as the deputy envoy of the third division or the Jianghuai Metropolis Dafa envoy; The Deputy Envoy of the Third Division; the Transshipment Envoy of Chengdu Road, the third route, and the Deputy Envoy of the Third Division or the Jianghuai Shipping Envoy when the term expires; the Jingdong, West, and Huainan are followed; The roads of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Zi, Li, and Xie are far and small; the above-mentioned third-class roads are divided into transshipment envoys, deputy officers, or they will be moved closer to the last-class roads, or assigned to the provincial judge (three-division judge), Gradually promoted to the three important positions, and even the deputy envoy of the third department ("Song Dynasty Governance Dictionary" p47 General Introduction to the Song Dynasty Official System)

4. Ji Xianxiang (I wrote that Lu Ci had commented when he was working in the pavilion, but you probably forgot, so I will comment again): the prime minister is accompanied by a bachelor of Zhaowenguan, referred to as Zhaowenxiang; , referred to as the Minister of History; the last minister is referred to as "Scholar of Jixian Temple", referred to as Jixian Xiang ("Song Dynasty Regulatory Dictionary" p15, the two ministers' system in the general discussion of the official system of the Song Dynasty).

5. Although Xia Song is a complete villain, he is very good at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. He also saw at a glance that he is not suitable for head-on confrontation with Li Yuanhao in "If This Is Song History 3".