Liu Mingzhi looked at Old Jiang with meaningful eyes and fell silent, then quietly fiddled with the briquettes in the stove with the tongs.
After a long time, Liu Mingzhi looked at Lao Jiang with a firm gaze: "Whether they want to or not is their business. This matter has nothing to do with me. All I want to do is to ask you, a capable minister, to come out again to organize the household department.
The mess left behind.
It's natural that they want to climb up, and I don't think they have made any mistakes, but if virtue is not matched, talent is not matched, ability is not matched, and wisdom is not matched, it will only harm others and ourselves in the end.
It is right for people to go to higher places, but before going to higher places, should they first measure whether they have the ability?
Otherwise, if you sit on it, you will just be a corpse-eater.
It's not that I look down on them, but except for Pan Yun, the left minister, there is almost no underachieving person who can be of great use in the household department.
I am very optimistic about Pan Yun, but with Pan Yun's current ability and means, at best, he can only sit on the chair of Zuo Shilang.
If he wants to be the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, his temperament and methods are still far behind.
He can't do it, let alone others.
Besides you, who else do you think can be relied upon to clean up the mess in the household department?
Look at the snow in your yard. It’s like this in the capital, but it’s even worse in the north.
I have heard from more than one person that there will be a big epidemic after the heavy snow. Once the epidemic occurs, Pan Yun's method will not only fail to manage the Ministry of Household Affairs, but will not be able to treat the epidemic in time. On the contrary, it will only make the Ministry of Household Affairs even worse.
confusion.
Once the central hub of the Ministry of Household Affairs, which is in charge of the world's finances, is in chaos, let alone the officials under the Ministry of Household Affairs in various states and governments.
You don’t know what the results will be when the time comes.
Tens of thousands or even countless people will die suddenly because of delays in disaster relief from the Ministry of Household Affairs.
It's not easy for Dalong to develop like this, and it's even harder to accumulate so many people. You don't want to see Dalong return to what it was like ten years ago overnight, right?
Even if you don't think about your own position, you should think about the people around the world who may be trapped by the epidemic.
As long as I can personally guard the capital and do not go to Northern Xinjiang to guard the border, I will not be here to look at your face. However, I have the late emperor's decree and have guarded Northern Xinjiang for generations. It is impossible to guard the middle of the court.
!”
Lao Jiang was silent for a moment while listening to Mr. Liu's heartfelt words, then slowly stood up and looked at the snow in the courtyard.
"Today's snow is indeed surprisingly heavy. There have been several snowfalls in succession. It's really a bit evil."
"But......."
Lao Jiang bent down with a low expression and took the tongs from Mr. Liu's hand. He looked at the burning briquettes and moved the tongs to replace them.
Throwing the dyed waste briquettes below into the copper basin aside, Lao Jiang returned the tongs.
"Your Majesty, a new generation replaces an old one. Officials in the DPRK and Central Government are like these briquettes. They always have time to shine and heat up. This old bone is now like this burning and discarded briquettes, which are no longer useful.
At fifty and three, it’s time to reach the age of old age.
The court cannot survive without the prince, but there is no problem without the old useless old man.
Pan Yun is a great talent, but he still needs some training.
The possible epidemic next year may not be Pan Yun's whetstone.
I'm an old man. When I go back, I won't solve the mess for the court, but I'll just add to it.
Once the emperor and his courtiers are together, the situation becomes worse than before, so don't make things difficult for me like this old man.
Now I have nothing to do to teach my grandson to read poetry and teach my granddaughter to play chess. I am content with that.
Really, I am contented."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Lao Jiang's indifferent expression and fell silent.
After a long time, Young Master Liu stood up and snatched the tobacco bag tied around Lao Jiang's waist. He skillfully loaded the tobacco pipe and smashed it twice against the stove.
Young Master Liu blew out a puff of smoke: "Old Jiangtou, you old man, don't be so shameless. I'm already so low-key, what else do you want? What's going on? You have to let me learn from Liu Bei.
Can you come out of the mountain only after paying close attention to your Jiang family?"
Lao Jiang hurriedly shook his hands and started swinging his hands.
"Don't dare, don't dare, the prince came today because he still remembers Lao Chan, an old friend, and regards Lao Chan as a friend. Lao Chan does not deny that he was moved for a moment, but after these months of careful consideration, Lao Chan has also looked away."
"This land of right and wrong has been here for almost thirty years since Ruizong's reign. It's time to leave."
"I am so ashamed of the prince's kindness!"
Young Master Liu frowned and put on a pot of tobacco and lit it again.
"Lao Jiang, you bad old man, some dogs don't know how to behave when sitting in a sedan chair. You keep saying that you treat me as your friend, but if you really treat me as your friend..."
"Your Majesty, Sir, the food and wine are here, please take advantage of them!"
Lao Jiang's butler ordered his five servants to place four side dishes and a jar of fifty-year-old Dukang on the low table at one side, and then he greeted the five servants to step back with a wink.
The mud seal on the wine jar had been removed, and Young Master Liu was not polite. He directly raised the wine jar to the two large porcelain bowls and started pouring wine.
"Come on, let's go."
"To your lord!"
Liu Mingzhi and the other two drank all the wine in their bowls, and Young Master Liu wiped the corners of his mouth.
"It's so good, so good. I haven't had such a good drink in a long time. Although I don't have to do everything personally during the war, it's not that comfortable. Today I'm having sex with you, Lao Jiang."
Lao Jiang put down the wine bowl and started pouring wine: "I just have a few drinks occasionally on weekdays. It's been a long time since I drank so happily. Come on, I'll offer another bowl to the prince."
"Dry!"
The two of them drank three bowls of wine in a row before they started to eat. Their faces were already looking slightly alcoholic. Who said the wine in ancient times was not strong? Young Master Liu stabbed Gouri to death with one finger.
The food was halfway down and the wine jar was at the bottom. Young Master Liu put down the chopsticks in his hand and stood up unsteadily.
"After you have had enough wine and food, I still say the same thing. I hope you will come out."
"Don't rush to refute, Lao Jiang. I'm telling you, you can get out of this mountain even if you don't get out. There is no need to discuss it. If you don't go, you won't give me face. If you make me angry, I will burn it."
The house you bought with corruption and fraud."
Old Jiang also stood up unsteadily and burped: "My lord, please don't embarrass me. Besides, even if I give you face, what does it matter? What do you, Liu Mingzhi, think of you?"
Minister of the Ministry of Finance, whoever you say can do it can do it? It’s not that I look down on you, you are a heifer riding a crossbow, and I want to make you awesome!"
Young Master Liu, smelling of alcohol, waved his arm carelessly: "Of course I can't make the decision, but I can make a bet with you. I bet one hundred taels of silver. If the court starts next year, if His Majesty doesn't issue an edict asking you to come out.
, I will lose you one hundred taels of silver, and I will voluntarily resign and return to my hometown to take care of myself."
"Okay, I made a bet with you, one hundred taels is one hundred taels."
"It's a deal, my mother. If you, old boy, dare to make a mistake, don't blame me for tying you up with a hemp rope before taking your post. It's settled. Let's take our leave."
"I'll give it to you."
"No need to send it, I am not drunk."
"I'm not even drunk, so I have to give it away. You are the most popular prince today, how dare I not give it away."
"Just send it...burp...let's..."
The two of them put their arms around each other and stumbled out of the Jiang Mansion's gate.
Young Master Liu broke away from Lao Jiang's arm, took out the Heavenly Sword from his waist, leaned on the ground and staggered away.
Looking at Young Master Liu's figure disappearing at the corner of the street, Lao Jiang straightened up and stroked his beautiful beard on his chin with bright eyes.
"well!"
"Alas, the current situation seems to be calm and prosperous, but in fact it is full of undercurrents and ups and downs."
"At this time, the best policy is to protect yourself wisely and retreat bravely from the rapids. I really don't know whether agreeing to the prince is a good thing or a bad thing."
"Master, do you really want to enter the court? In fact, there is nothing wrong with retreating."
Lao Jiang glanced at the old housekeeper who was standing beside him at some point with a worried expression.
"Mom, why don't you go? That bastard Liu Mingzhi really dared to burn down my house. You really thought that what he said just now was just drunken talk."
"Mom, I asked you why your right eyelid keeps twitching all morning. It's really not a good thing. Go back home!"
To the east of the capital city, where civilians live.
Young Master Liu was not drunk at all, he looked at the ordinary people's hospital in front of him energetically, with a somewhat surprised and complicated expression on his face.
After thinking for a while, Liu Mingzhi gently knocked a few times on the extremely ordinary courtyard door.
"Who?"
"Please inform your master that an old friend is visiting."
"Old friend?"
A question came from the courtyard, and after a moment, the courtyard door opened gently, revealing the true face of the owner of the courtyard.
Liu Mingzhi stood at the edge of the door and Wei Yong looked stunned for a moment. Is this still the left prime minister that he knew so well back then?
Wei Yong looked at Mr. Liu outside the door with a somewhat stunned expression. After returning to his senses, Wei Yong sighed silently, with a faint open-minded look in his eyes.
"It turns out that a distinguished guest has arrived, and I am so far away to welcome him."
"Come in and have a cup of hot tea. A distinguished guest is here. It seems that the end of this old bone is approaching!"
"It doesn't matter, it's a blessing, not a curse. It's a curse that cannot be avoided."
"Master Liu, please sit down in this humble house!"