Looking at Zhang Xi with a look of inquiry on his face, Xu Youzhen sighed inwardly. It seemed that he had thought of things simply before. This second master Zhang is obviously much smarter now than before.
However, it only took a moment for him to regain his confidence, because in the final analysis, this kind of fighting in the court situation was not what these nobles were good at.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Youzhen said.
"Second Master, what kind of person is Yu Shaobao in your eyes?"
This question was asked a bit suddenly, making Zhang Min not sure how to answer for a moment.
After pondering for a long time, he opened his mouth and spoke.
Although they belong to the civil and military circles and are in different camps, Zhang Shi comes from a family and does not bother to belittle others in order to elevate himself.
Yu Qian had the merit of supporting him and was given the title of Shaobao. When he was in great power, he was in charge of the military department and the capital camp, but he did not take the power and respect himself. He could be called a loyal minister.
In the Battle of Oala, he faced the enemy at a disadvantage, turned the court into danger, and organized the military and military garrison, which was such a complex undertaking. He was able to complete the task in just one year. He can be said to be a capable minister.
He was favored and trusted by the emperor, but he did not bend his will to flatter him. He repeatedly violated his words and remonstrated without hesitation, and he could be called a straight minister.
Moreover, putting aside these things, Yu Qian has always been upright and simple in his conduct. His own official robes are all old and mended robes. This is unique among the important officials in the court.
His moral character is something that even Zhang Xi, his opponent, cannot express unconscionably.
Seeing this situation, Xu Youzhen smiled bitterly and said.
"This is the reason, Second Master!"
"Yu Shaobao has reached his current position step by step. Although he took advantage of the current situation, it is after all based on merit and political achievements, not opportunism."
"The only thing he is criticized for is that he has too much power. But even if he took over the power of the Ministry of War, it was because of the need to organize the army."
"But the problem is that both the government and the public, as well as His Majesty, understand that he is not going to coerce the powerful ministers and others, so this is the biggest difficulty."
"The more powerful Yu Shaobao becomes, your Majesty will naturally be wary of it. However, what he is wary of is the power itself, not Yu Shaobao. Can the Second Master understand this?"
This was a convoluted statement, and it was difficult to understand. Zhang Xi thought about it for a long time, and then he slowly got some clues. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke.
"Because Yu Shaobao has too much power, the emperor will inevitably be afraid of him. However, the emperor is also aware of Yu Shaobao's moral character, and after all, Yu Shaobao has made many achievements, so the emperor is afraid of him.
, and believe him, this is what Xu Xueshi means..."
Xu Youzhen nodded and said.
"Second Master, I'm afraid this is the reason why Your Majesty summoned Yu Shaobao back to the capital, but was unable to decide to hand over the reorganization of the military government to him."
"The reason why I called Yu Shaobao back to the capital is because he is your Majesty's most trusted minister. He is impeccable in terms of ability, character, and morality. Your Majesty can rest assured when such important matters are left in his hands."
"However, after actually recalling him, His Majesty suddenly realized that after the reorganization of the army, Yu Shaobao's prestige and power in the court had risen to a higher level. If it continued, I am afraid that even His Majesty would not be able to completely suppress it.
.”
"But if it is said that power is reduced or abandoned, after all, Yu Shaobao is a loyal and upright minister, and he has always got along with His Majesty. I am afraid that His Majesty may not be so ruthless. Due to the dilemma, this matter has been delayed until now...
…”
I see……
Zhang Xi nodded and finally straightened out the joints in the middle.
To put it bluntly, Yu Qian's problem is that he is a virtuous minister, but because he is too virtuous, the emperor cannot make up his mind and can't find a reason to deal with him.
But if he left things alone, as Yu Qian's power grew stronger, his fear could no longer be suppressed.
As soon as he thought about this, Zhang Min suddenly came up with a strange idea, that is, the emperor was still too soft-hearted after all. If the emperor were replaced and he was afraid, he would probably kill him, and he might regret it afterwards.
However, it will never be so hesitant.
However, is this a good thing or a bad thing?
The thought flashed by, and Zhang Mi quickly put it behind his mind and said.
"So what you're saying is that my move to recommend Yu Shaobao was inappropriate?"
Xu Youzhen frowned and considered.
"It's not that it's inappropriate, it's just that the prerequisite for success is that Shaobao can be defeated. In this way, no one will be available for the job, and the job will fall into your hands."
"Understanding why His Majesty is hesitant, you should understand that what His Majesty lacks is not a reason to deal with Shaobao, but a reason that can really make him make up his mind."
"If it is said that the incident in the hands of Duke Cheng was caused by Yu Shaobao himself or because of his lack of personal ethics, then once it is exposed, he will lose his sacred heart. In this way, no matter how powerful he becomes,
Overturning can happen in a matter of seconds."
"However, although this matter is closely related to Shaobao, it did not originate from him. Therefore, how to deal with it can only be decided by the Sacred Heart. If His Majesty intends to punish him, then naturally everything is easy to say. But if Your Majesty wants to
Partiality, this kind of thing, to be honest, is not a big deal."
"And what I'm worried about is that the second master's actions just give His Majesty a reason to favor Shaobao..."
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Xi suddenly became anxious and asked.
"What's the meaning?"
So Xu Youzhen continued to speak and said.
"His Majesty was only afraid of Shaobao's power, so he deliberately suppressed it. Deep down in his heart, he actually didn't want to, so he couldn't make a decision. Now that the Second Master originally recommended Yu Shaobao to take charge of this matter, Your Majesty just agreed.
Come down."
"Once this matter starts to move forward, the person who is more likely to preside over the process will inevitably affect the entire process. For this reason, His Majesty may reduce the major issue to a minor issue after the Duke of Chengguo reveals the handle.
It’s a trivial matter.”
"After all, for Your Majesty, the time to be afraid is to be afraid, but the time has not yet come when it is necessary to take action against Shaobao immediately. The handling now is not much different from the handling after the reorganization of the military government is completed, but..."
But for Zhang Shi, if he missed this opportunity, he really missed it.
As soon as he thought of this, Zhang Xi's face suddenly became extremely ugly.
Seeing this situation, Xu Youzhen sighed, with a trace of regret on her face, and said.
"That's why I wanted to make a fuss about Song Wenyi's matter before. The reason why Yu Shaobao's position is stable is largely due to divine favor. As long as he and His Majesty really have a rift, it will be easy to bring him down.
Many, but on the other hand, if Holy Grace is still there, then, given his status, it is almost impossible to overthrow him."
"It is a pity that after all, Yu Shaobao has been in power for many years and is not an easy person. Although he had conflicts with His Majesty regarding Song Wenyi, in the end, he did not pursue it in detail. Now the matter has been settled hastily and he wants to find another
I'm afraid it won't be easy when you get the chance..."
When he said this, as expected, Zhang Xi's face immediately turned black.
Looking at Xu Youzhen who was still very calm across from him, he suddenly lost his temper and said coldly.
"So, Xu Xueshi came here today just to see my jokes?"
"Of course not!"
Xu Youzhen shook her head, stood up and cupped her hands.
"To be fair to the Second Master, Xu came here because he actually has something important to say to the Second Master..."
Looking at Xu Youzhen who suddenly became serious, Zhang Xi suddenly felt uneasy and said.
"What do you want to say?"
So, Xu Youzhen took a deep breath and said.
"Second Master, can't you still see clearly what happened now?"
"As long as the current Holy One is in power, it will be extremely difficult for the British government to get ahead. Even if you can preside over the rectification of the military government this time, what can you do?"
"Can't you see that the reason why His Majesty agreed to this is just to open another hole in the military mansion and stuff his confidants into the military mansion."
"Even if you are in charge of this matter, once it starts, His Majesty will be able to benefit from it. Even if the British government can regain control of the military government, it will not be the same as the British government when King Dinh Hsing was there."
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Xi immediately realized something and looked at Xu Youzhen with frowning eyebrows. Immediately, he waved his hand and said to a few confidants who were standing far away.
"You all stand down."
So, in a moment, there was no one in the study, only two old servants were left, standing guard outside the study door.
Then, Zhang Xi turned his eyes back to Xu Youzhen and said.
"Tell me, what does it mean...as long as the Holy One is still in power?"
His tone was solemn, and it was obvious that he had already guessed what Xu Youzhen was going to say next.
At the same time, facing Zhang Xi's gaze, Xu Youzhen did not shy away and said.
"Second Master understands what Xu means, so why bother asking again?"
As he spoke, he spoke solemnly and said.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the eldest grandson of His Majesty Emperor Xuan Zongzhang and the orthodox crown prince of Sheji. As an official of the East Palace, it is the duty of Xu to protect His Highness the Crown Prince. If His Highness the Crown Prince is in trouble, Xu will do his best to protect His Highness the Crown Prince without sacrificing his own life.
His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, holds the position of treasurer, and this is the duty of a minister."
"Although the second master is not an official of the East Palace, the British government has been loyal and loyal for generations and has a distinguished family. This is all thanks to Taizong, Renzong and the late emperor. Therefore, Xu thought that the second master must have the same idea as Xu and be willing to protect the prince.
His Highness can successfully succeed to the throne in the future, and anyone who wants to shake the throne of the East Palace will be a traitor."
"For the sake of justice and orthodoxy, we will do our best... no matter the cost, no matter the means!"
For the last few words, Xu Youzhen's voice suddenly became heavier and more meaningful.
After hearing these words, Zhang Min looked extremely complicated.
He didn't expect that Xu Youzhen, a civil servant, would be so bold.
What does it mean that anyone who wants to shake the foundation of Donggong Chu is a traitor?
What does it mean to be upright and orthodox at all costs and regardless of means?
Zhang Xi shook his head and said.
"Xue Shi, do you know that if your words now reach the ears of the Emperor, it will be enough to make you irrecoverable?"
"Hahaha……"
Xu Youzhen suddenly laughed when he heard this. After a moment, his laughter slowly subsided and said.
"In the past, people from noble families like the Second Master just said that civil servants like Xu liked to play tricks and hide their displeasure. But now, how can the Second Master not be like this?"
As he spoke, Xu Youzhen's face became solemn and she spoke seriously.
"Second Master, you, me, Duke Cheng, and even many ministers in the court, His Majesty in the palace, and the Supreme Emperor all understand what I just said. It's just that I said it out loud, and you
, I just hide it in my heart and don’t dare to say it out.”
"Otherwise, why do you think Duke Cheng Guo is in such a hurry to select a bodyguard for His Royal Highness? Why does Your Majesty have to delay this matter after he has already agreed to it? This matter is obviously beneficial to the nobles, but the ministers in the court are
No objection to this?"
Several questions came one after another, causing Zhang Mi to fall into silence.
However, Xu Youzhen did not stop. He directly punctured all the window paper and said.
"After the fourth prince was born, there were already clues about what happened in the court. The government and the public seemed to have no reaction, but in fact, they had already taken action independently. I am afraid that only the second prince was still kept in the dark.
, I feel that everyone has their thoughts on the surface."
After hearing this, Zhang Xi's expression suddenly changed and he said:
"You mean, the reason why Duke Cheng Guo wants to select the honorary guards is because..."
After all, it was too sensitive. Even if there were only two people present, Zhang Xian hesitated again and again and still did not dare to speak too clearly.
However, there is no need to say it clearly when the words come to this point. Both of them naturally understand what they are talking about.
Then, a mysterious smile appeared on Xu Youzhen's face and said.
"Maybe, maybe not, but the important thing is that you won't be unprepared when needed, right?"
"In the final analysis, the task of selecting the honorary guards is now in the hands of Duke Cheng. Even if he does not serve in the East Palace in the future, it is impossible for all those who were selected by him to be expelled from the East Palace. With this rule
With the trump card, Cheng Guogong can take advantage."
"So, where is the second master?"
Zhang Xi fell silent, and he suddenly felt helpless.
The battles in this court and the calculations between nobles and nobles are indeed extremely complicated. Every time when this happens, he will regret why he let his third brother go to the border in the first place. Thinking about it, if Zhang Fu is still here, he will definitely be worse than
He can see the situation clearly.
How could the British government end up in the current situation...
First, he offended the Holy Mother in the palace, and then there was the matter of appointment. Now, the Chengguo Duke came to power, and there was Wang Qin in the military palace. Zhu Yi himself was in the East Palace. On the other hand, in the British Duke's palace, there was only one minor.
Apart from the Duke and his fellow governor, the only thing left was the old friendship left by his brother, and he had almost no power in his own hands.
Just as Xu Youzhen asked, under Zhu Yi's planning, the Duke of Chengguo can now be said to be able to advance, attack, retreat and defend, and has taken the lead. But what about him? What about the British Duke?
Zhang Mian was a little interested and waved his hand to indicate that he didn't want to talk any more. Xu Youzhen understood the situation and knew that it was enough to talk at this point, so he stood up and left without saying anything more.
This time, Zhang Min didn't even feel like getting up to see him off. He just sat on the chair and was lost in thought. It wasn't until an unknown amount of time passed and the sky was getting dark that the housekeeper boldly entered the room and said.
"Second Master, it's time for dinner..."
So, Zhang Xi suddenly woke up. Outside the window, it started to rain at some point. Amidst the patter of rain, Zhang Xi seemed to have made up his mind and said.