Amidst the sound of dusk drums on Sixth Street in Chang'an City, Wu Huaiyu left the Tai Chi Palace and went straight to Zhongshu Province in the imperial city.
"I just know that my brother-in-law hasn't returned home from office yet."
In the province, Ma Zhou, the assistant minister of Zhongshu, was still busy. When he heard the sound, he looked up and saw that his brother-in-law Huaiyu was coming. He put down his pen with a smile and stood up, "I know you returned to Beijing yesterday, but you didn't see anyone."
"Let's go to my brother-in-law's house and have a drink or two."
Ma Zhou smiled and packed his things and took Huaiyu home.
At the door, I met Cen Wenwen, another minister of Zhongshu,
"I have met Prime Minister Wu," Cen Wenwen stepped forward and saluted, showing great respect to Wu Huaiyu.
"Congratulations to Brother Jing on your promotion."
Wu Huaiyu was no stranger to Cen Wenwen. He had served in the Southern Liang Dynasty at Xiaoxian, and he met Li Jing during the Liang Dynasty. He was also regarded as a member of Li Jing's family. He later entered the court as a secretary, and his talent in writing was appreciated by Li Shimin. Li Jing and Wu Huaiyu recommended him and promoted him to Zhongshusheren.
This year, Yan Sigu and Du Zhenglun, the assistant ministers of Zhongshu, were transferred from Zhongshu successively, and Cen Wenwen was promoted to the assistant minister of Zhongshu.
However, Wu Huaiyu heard from Li Deji that Cen Wenwen was still a bachelor of the Literature Museum of the Prince of Wei, and also held a post in the Prince of Wei.
Wu Huaiyu did not believe that Cen Wenwen had become a member of the Wei royal family, but the relationship between Cen and Donggong was indeed average. Even though Li Jing and Wu Huaiyu had recommended him, Cen and Wu rarely moved around, and their friendship was as light as water.
"I heard that Chang'an now praises the two ministers of Zhongshu Province as Ma Cen's generosity,"
"I am just a junior, far behind the Marquis of Gaotang County, and I still have to study more." Cen Wenwen was titled the son of Jiangling County, but Ma Zhou was already the Marquis of Gaotang County. Although they were both ministers, Ma Zhou did have a higher status in Zhongshu.
He is tall.
However, the truth is that Cen Wenwen became famous earlier and became an official earlier. In the fourth year of Wude, he passed away from Jingzhou and became a doctor in the Xingtai examination.
Wu Huaiyu did not invite Cen Wenwen to visit Ma Zhou's house, but Cen Wenwen only said hello and left.
On the way back to Xuanyangfang, Uncle Lang and I started chatting.
"There are rumors that Cen Wenwen is already a member of the Wei Palace. Together with Du Chuke, Su Xu and Wei Ting, they are called the Four King Kongs of the Wei Palace?"
Ma Zhou smiled, "It's nonsense, it's just nonsense among the neighbors. I still know something about Cen Shilang. His father was a minister in the late Sui Dynasty and was framed by others. Cen Wenwen was only fourteen years old.
At the age of 18, he went to Si Li to defend his father's injustice. He spoke passionately and sincerely, and summoned the public to defend him. His father's injustice was vindicated, and he became famous.
At the end of the great cause, Xiao Mian proclaimed himself emperor in Jingzhou and recruited Cen Wenwen as the Minister of Zhongshu. In the fourth year of Wude, the king of Hejian and Dai Guopin decided to settle Jingzhou. The lieutenants wanted to plunder, but Cen Wenwen risked his life to remonstrate with him and saved Jingzhou.
The Supreme Emperor was very impressed after hearing this and gave him the title of Jingzhou Special Driving Master, and he was appointed as a doctor in the Taiwan Examination.
In the first year of Zhenguan, he was called into the court as Secretary Lang.
Cen Wenwen was astonishingly talented in writing, and was appreciated by saints. Now he is a high-ranking official, but he has always been loyal and loyal. He is famous for his filial piety in serving his mother, and he is very sincere in raising his brothers and nephews.
Erlang, you may not know that although Cen Wenwen was promoted to the minister of Zhongshu and also served as an official in the palace of the King of Wei, Cen Wenwen did not serve the King of Wei. Instead, he wrote to the sage that the King of Wei was overhauling his mansion and advised that the trend of luxury should not be allowed to continue.
To be frugal, please ask the emperor to limit the extravagance of King Wei.
He also wrote in a book that the materials of the East Palace are now worth 40,000 yuan per year and are sold in the market, which are worth 11,000 guan. However, the king of Wei, who is a branch of the branch and has granted a title to his wife, is worth 16,000 guan a year.
Wen is the materials for the crown prince, but against the prince and the prince, the prince's rewards are out of order, favoring one and favoring others, which violates the rules of etiquette."
Wu Huaiyu knew that Ma Zhou was now Li Shimin's top secret, and he was in charge of secrets, and all the edicts came from his hand. This was why he was called a generous man.
He specializes in secrets, and of course knows many of the center's core secrets.
In this way, although Cen Wenwen worked part-time in the Palace of the Prince of Wei, he did not support the King of Wei. Even after working part-time in the Palace of the Prince of Wei, he still sent several memorials to the emperor to advise the Emperor on some issues of the King of Wei.
After some thought, Huaiyu concluded that Cen Wenwen behaved similarly to Li Jing. He was a courtier and a confidant of the emperor, but he was unwilling to take sides between the prince and the king of Wei.
This is not a bad thing.
"Cen Wenzhao has a very strong character, is upright and honest, and does not like wealth. Although the saint gave generous rewards, he left them all to his younger brother Cen Wenzhao. This Cen Wenzhao is exactly the opposite of his brother. He only serves as a school secretary in the secretarial department.
He has a leisurely job as a bookkeeper, but he usually likes to make friends with noble relatives and children, and even makes friends with scoundrels and frivolous people in the market. His reputation is not very good."
After hearing this, Huaiyu said, "So, Cen Wenzhao must have close contacts with people from the Wei Palace, right?"
"really."
I see.
Cen Wenwen also had an older brother, Cen Wenshu, who also held a casual position in the Secretariat Department, but he was sick for many years.
Huaiyu felt that if Cen Wenwen no longer held the position of the Prince of Wei, but instead held the post of the East Palace, he could be separated from the Prince of Wei.
But this matter is not urgent. As long as Cen Wenwen is not really on the King of Wei's pirate ship, there is no need to worry. Cen Wenwen's talent and his status with the emperor make Wu Huaiyu more afraid.
The two came to Xuanyangfang, the Marquis Mansion in Gaotang County.
"Sister,"
When Huaiyu arrived at Ma Zhou's house, he was not polite and felt as familiar as if he had returned to his own home.
He called twice, and Wu Yu'e came out with a full belly and a face full of joy, "I heard that you came back yesterday. I went to your house early today, but I didn't see anyone. I said you were in the palace yesterday.
I was on duty, and I thought I wouldn’t be back today.”
"It's darker,"
Yu'e looked at her younger brother with concern. She almost raised this younger brother single-handedly when he was a child.
"Well, sister is still so beautiful."
"As I get older, you can see the wrinkles at the corners of my eyes, a lot of spots on my face, and I've also gained weight."
"Sister, she is plump. Wherever she is, she looks more graceful and rich."
Thinking of the Wu Yu'e he met when he first came down from Zhongnan Mountain, Jing Chai in a sarong, staying at her parents' house, dragging her two daughters with her, and there were rumors that she killed three husbands. After so many years, she is really grown up now.
Not to mention the gorgeous clothes, the temperament has also changed a lot.
Even now I look younger and have better skin than I did six years ago.
"uncle."
After hearing the news, several children came to see their uncle. Ma Zhou's son from his ex-wife, Ma Zai, is now a boy of fourteen and a half years old. He is studying in Chongxian Hall and is a classmate of the prince. He looks very much like Ma Zhou.
He is courteous and respectful to Huaiyu. He is also a child who has endured hardships and is very sensible.
Sisters Yingsu and Hansu are now tall and graceful girls. They are still as kind to their uncle as ever, but now that they are older, they no longer have to hug their uncle when they come up, and they bow and bow, maintaining politeness.
The son and daughter born to Ma Zhou and Yu'e came to cling to them like monkeys.
However, Ma Zhou and his concubine's children did not dare to do that. Instead, they stood by and called for help with some restraint.
Ma Zhou had three concubines in the past six years and gave birth to three children.
Today, Ma Zhou also has three concubines and eight children, and Yu'e still has one in her belly.
"Sister, my eldest niece hasn't been married yet, right?"
"Do you want Erlang to be a matchmaker for her?" the eldest sister asked with a smile.
"This is the Heavenly Family. The sage appointed Yingsu to be the Prince's Zhaoxun, saying that after the Prince gets married to the Su family next year, he will take Yingsu into the East Palace."
When these words came out, both Ma Zhou and Wu Yu'e were a little surprised.
