There is an imperial study room belonging to the Queen of Zhou Dynasty, and a temporary imperial meeting is currently taking place.
The imperial study room has heated floor tiles and a bright yellow carpet.
The noble ministers, princes and princesses who had been summoned to the palace overnight stood on the soft carpet, as if they were stuck in a quagmire. None of them moved at all, and no one complained.
The same was true of their eyes, which were focused on the carpet at their feet. Except for the occasional choking sound of a middle-aged man in a black python suit, supported by his brother Wang, almost no one made any sound.
There were about ten people in the imperial study room.
Wei Jisi, Wei Sixing;
Xiangwang Lilun, Princess Changle;
Di Fuzi, Shen Xisheng, etc.
Behind a bead curtain in front of everyone, there is a vague silhouette of an old woman lying on a couch with her arms and pillows.
In front of the couch, there was a young female official dressed in men's clothing standing, unfolding a memorial and chanting loudly.
At this moment, it seems that the chanting has ended, and no one dares to speak or look at the bead curtain in front of them.
After listening to this urgent memorial from Jiangzhou, the old woman on the bed was quiet for a while, then spoke slowly, but with concern:
"Come here, bring a stool to the elder. The elder is already very old. It's hard to go to the palace in the middle of the night and worry about state affairs."
"I don't dare to take this responsibility as an old minister. It's my duty."
Half pushing and half pushing down, Mrs. Di sat down on the stool brought by the female officer.
The old queen behind the bead curtain seemed to have opened her eyes, looking calmly at a choking figure, waving her hand:
"Okay, stop crying. It's unbecoming to cry in the middle of the night."
Wei Jisi took off the black python clothes today and put on a coarse linen white mourning clothes again. At this moment, he raised his head and said with a sad face:
"Your Majesty, you have to make the decision for Shaoqi. You have watched Shaoqi grow up..."
The bead curtain was motionless, and the empress's expression was equally blurry. Only a line of sight fell quietly on Wei Jisi through the gap in the bead curtain, and she didn't know what she was thinking.
But if you don't speak, sometimes you have a certain attitude. Shen Xisheng took the opportunity to step forward, cupped his fists and said:
"What are you saying, His Majesty the King of Wei? Is it because Wei Shaoqi is the only one who makes the decision? His Majesty is the leader of the country. He will not only do it for him, but also for Jiangzhou Governor Wang Lengran, Xia Guanlingtai Lang Lincheng, and the Southwest Front. The dead soldiers, and even the suffering people of Jiangnan and Lingnan who were affected by the war, made the decision.
"How can we suffer the sorrow of your family now? I suggest His Highness the King of Wei put the overall situation first."
Shen Xisheng said with a serious face.
Except for the King of Wei and the King of Liang, everyone either looked sideways or nodded in agreement.
Damn it, it’s not your dead son. The white-haired man is giving away the black-haired man. Of course you are righteous and talk about the overall situation... Wei Jisi almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Unfortunately, before he could refute, the old empress had already spoken.
"Let's talk about business." There was no fluctuation in her voice.
Xiang Wang Li Lun took a step forward, sighed lightly, his eyes were worried, and he cupped his fists and said:
"Mother, the most important thing in the southwest right now is Li Zhengyan's rebellion. We need to concentrate on quelling the war. Can we wait a little longer for the establishment of a Buddha in Jiang and wait until the war subsides?"
As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell into silence.
However, no one is surprised that His Highness the Prime Minister, who is generous, kind and uncompromising, has always been a moderate conservative in the court when it comes to statues. His views are not extreme and he has won a lot of reputation.
However, now that the statue creation has progressed to this point, the real obstructionist voices have long been suppressed by Empress Wei Zhao. Her Highness the Prime Minister is more like a routine persuasion, and I guess I don't even believe that I can persuade him.
Not only did the King of Wei, King Liang and others sneer in their eyes and not take his ideas seriously, the more pragmatic Concubine Di and Shen Xisheng also fell silent. Only Princess Changle nodded lightly and agreed with her brother's benevolence as usual.
The old woman in dragon robe behind the bead curtain didn't say anything, she just changed her position on the couch slightly.
"His Royal Highness the Prime Minister's thinking is too simplistic. According to the news sent back from Jiangzhou, the female historians have initially found out that the perpetrators this time were the forces of Qi practitioners who opposed Lifo in Tiannan Jianghu, and the first offender was Yunmeng Jianze. , they cooperated with the owner of Die Lianhua inside and outside, and they cooperated so well and bypassed the heavy guard... Behind this accident, there is probably the shadow of the rebel Li Zhengyan!"
Routine rebuttals are still necessary. Liang Wang Wei Sixing took a step forward and said with dignity:
"Your Majesty, the so-called Tiannan Jianghu, including Jiangnan and Lingnan, has been neglected since the founding of the previous dynasty. The main focus has been on the control of the northern provinces, especially Hebei...
"I, Holy Week, followed the previous dynasty's thinking. Although it was lean, it was still slightly influenced by it. Our control over the so-called rivers and lakes in the south was weak and beyond our reach.
"Especially Yunmeng Jianze, a group of Yunmeng nuns who claim to be survivors of Wuyue. They only recognize the once-decayed southern royal family. They don't know the glory of our Holy Week. They rely on the sky to be high and the emperor is far away. They are even more unscrupulous and make Yunmengze become a A place that harbors filth and evil... Repeatedly violating the forbidden by force is a treasonous act.
"And this time when the giant Buddha was built in Jiangzhou, their reaction was so fierce. Doesn't it just prove that they are afraid? Building the Sifang Buddha statue was Si Tianjian's proposal. Looking at it now, the effect is excellent. The more afraid the enemy is, the more correct they are. Therefore, at this moment, the more we cannot retreat, we should continue!”
The empress behind the bead curtain nodded slightly.
Di Fuzi, Shen Xisheng and others remained silent, which was regarded as acquiescence.
Wei Jisi was a little silent. He wanted to mention the investigation again, but was stopped by Wei Sixing's eyes.
The truth of the case is no longer important, at least not at this level of meeting. Just follow the procedures to investigate the case. Repeated mention will make it seem indifferent. The most important thing right now is to use it to continue to promote the construction of Tianshu and the Great Buddha. The policy remains unwavering.
"What does the elder think?" The figure of the empress behind the bead curtain seemed to tilt her head.
The fat old man sat on the royal stool and dozed the whole time. Now he seemed to be awakened and muttered: "The national policy cannot be stopped."
Shen Xisheng immediately walked out of the queue, raised his hands and said seriously: "Your Majesty, we will put aside the pursuit of the perpetrators and the determination of responsibility for the collapse of the Buddha. The top priority is the reconstruction of the Donglin Buddha, which cannot be delayed any longer."
The voice of the old woman lying on the bed came from behind the bead curtain: "Dear ladies, do you have any suggestions?"
Shen Xisheng answered first:
"According to the advice of Rong Zhennvshi, combined with the specific situation in Jiangzhou, the most convenient way at the moment is to re-open the half-finished Buddha in Xunyang Grottoes.
"After the collapse of the Xingzifang Buddha, Rong Nvshi and Grandma Song immediately went to the Xunyang Grottoes to protect it. Currently, the only person who knows this Buddha best and can start construction immediately is the current Jiangzhou Sima Ouyang Liang Han."
As soon as this name came out, there was silence in the imperial study room for a while, and everyone had different expressions, some of which were exciting.
Especially Princess Changle, who stood proudly, lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Wei Jisi looked worried: "This son has a history of resisting imperial edicts, how can he be entrusted with such an important task?"
Shen Xisheng argued with reason: "It is the integrity of a direct minister to offend one's appearance, and he is also a good person to govern the country. It is normal to be a little arrogant. Besides, didn't he obediently accept your majesty's arrangements later? Your majesty, looking around, the government and the public have already There is no more suitable candidate than him. The reconstruction of Donglin Buddha must be done by him."
There was silence behind the bead curtain for a while, and then he suddenly asked: "What do you think of this son?"
Master Di was silent for a while, then suddenly stood up from his stool and saluted solemnly: "Your Majesty specially kept Ouyang Lianghan and asked him to take up a casual position in Xunyang City as an alternative. In fact, he had already expected that something might happen, so he kept him here. Come down just in case. After the collapse of the Buddha, Ouyang Lianghan quickly took over as governor to take care of the stall. This is a clear proof. Your Majesty is ready with both hands, and the veteran is amazed. Since your Majesty has already planned the strategy, there is no need to ask the veteran again."
Everyone looked at him with strange expressions.
Empress Wei, who was behind the beaded curtain, was silent for a long time, smiled softly, and nodded lightly...
A quarter of an hour later, a female official dressed in men's clothing and holding a pen walked out of the bead curtain with a newly promulgated imperial edict, and the imperial meeting also dispersed.
Walking out of the imperial study, Wei Jisi looked dissatisfied, and Wei Sixing moved forward with his hands folded.
But if we continue to promote the statue now, we can only use Ouyang Lianghan, and then use other people. No matter whether it works or not, it will be a waste of time, and there is no time for trial and error.
"It's okay. With her in Xunyang City, our Wei family is not alone." In the darkness, Wei Sixing suddenly spoke.
Wei Jisi was silent for a while, then reluctantly nodded...
On the other side, Xiang Wang Li Lun strolled on the palace wall corridor out of the city with a calm expression. The Donglin Buddha under construction in Jiangzhou has nothing to do with the Xiang Wang's Palace for the time being, because in the short term... it is between the Wei Palace and the Xunyang Palace. Competing for interests; in the long run... the Wei Palace should also be more anxious than the Prime Minister's Palace.
The reason why I stood up today and tried to dissuade them was not only to give eye drops to the two kings of the Wei family and tease them, but also because Ouyang Lianghan and the Xunyang Prince's family presided over the statue creation, which was generally more powerful than the Wei Prince's Palace. Better. Finally, there is actually a personal reason... He has been very interested in Ouyang Lianghan recently.
After returning home, Li Lun suddenly summoned a group of counselors and gathered in Nuange. Among them were monks in black with indifferent faces, old Confucian scholars, and a young man in white with bright eyes.
Li Lun asked about Ouyang Lianghan. After a while, the monk in black with a calm face took something out of his sleeve and handed it over.
It is a poem manuscript.
"If I were the Qing Emperor in his future years... I would be rewarded with a peach blossom blooming... Do I have the ambition to be the second Concubine Di..."
Prime Minister Li Lun held the poem manuscript in his hand with a very interested expression on his face.
The old scholar Wenton said: "Your Highness, this Tanlang has a very good relationship with King Xunyang's family."
"Isn't that right? Brother Wang and I have a deep brotherhood. Isn't his Mr. Tanlang the same as my Mr. Tanlang?"
Prime Minister Li Lun immediately asked with a smile. All the counselors were silent. The old scholar laughed and said, "Yes."
"However, Mr. Tanlang pretends to be the common people of the country, not just one person in his family. This poem shows his ambition. Isn't it because he was close to the Prince of Xunyang because when he was the county magistrate, he could only rise to prominence by helping the Wang brother and his family?
?”
Li Lun sighed and looked around. After a while, he fell in love with the poem manuscript and said with gleaming eyes:
"So in the same way, a talented person like this would choose a tree to live in, don't you think so?"
"Your Majesty is wise." The young man in white suddenly said with bright eyes.
…
During the New Year's Day holiday, many people in Xunyang City relaxed.
The royal team delivering the imperial edict arrived at Xunyang Ferry.
The eunuch who delivered the order was Zhang Yu, the eunuch who delivered the order in the last incident where Ouyang Rong refused to obey the imperial edict. The eunuch who delivered the order, Hu Fu, also came to see him. He was inspecting Xunyang City after the accident for His Majesty, and they were able to supervise the female officials a little.
our rights, just in case.
"Senior Zhang, don't worry. Our family has some friendship with Ouyang Sima. Ouyang Sima won't take it to heart about the misunderstanding last time. The same goes for senior. Let's forget about it..."
As soon as he got off the ship, Hu Fu gave Zhang Yu some psychological counseling, but the latter still looked a little nervous. On the day he refused to obey the imperial edict, he refuted Ouyang Lianghan in public and was very disrespectful to him...
Now His Majesty and the princes are going to re-enable him. Their high regard is beyond words. Zhang Yu comes again to announce the decree. Don't be affected by him.
However, Zhang Yu thought about it and felt that he was a gentleman after all, and he was not heartless.
When the edict team arrived, Ouyang Rong was resting in the yard.
Not long after waiting, the door of the Huaiye Lane mansion opened from the inside.
Ouyang Rong looked enthusiastic and took his family members out to meet his two father-in-law.
"Eunuch Zhang, please invite Eunuch Hu." He invited them into the house with a serious look.
Seeing Ouyang Rong's good attitude, Zhang Yu and Hu Fu looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Yu suddenly showed a smile. They both liked Ouyang Rong in front of them and felt that this young man had a lot of future. He used to
It's true that the tone of voice is not very good and will need to be changed in the future.
Khufu also stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with the gentle-faced Ouyang Rong.
After a while, in the open space, Zhang Yu cleared his throat and read out the imperial edict.
"Edict of the Holy Emperor... Ouyang Lianghan, the Sima of Jiangzhou, during his tenure as Sima, he fulfilled his duties outside and served his relatives at home. He had official duties and a reputation of filial piety, and he fulfilled his responsibilities. In the Holy Week, filial piety comes first... From now on, he will act as the governor of Jiangzhou.
, and then give him the post of supervising the left envoy of Jiangnan Province, and cooperate with the Prince Xunyang's Palace...I admire this."
After the old eunuch finished reciting, he put down the imperial edict and said with a smile:
"Master Ouyang, please accept the order. I will not stay for dinner. Now I have to go to Prince Xunyang's Mansion to continue announcing the order. I will eat it next time I have a chance. Master Ouyang is interested."
Khufu coughed. This imperial edict was actually very interesting. The reason for promotion was to fulfill his duties and be filial to his relatives. But Ouyang Rong was a Sima in Jiangzhou. What did he do to fulfill his duties? Does he fish seriously? The reason for this promotion was even
Even when the Buddha collapsed not long ago, he was embarrassed to mention his contribution to the crisis and was ordered to coordinate Jiangzhou...
Moreover, after conferring a high position on Ouyang Rong, he did not explicitly ask him to continue to use the giant Buddha in Xunyang Grottoes, but asked him to cooperate with Xunyang Wang Lixian... As the governor of Jiangnan, what is Xunyang Wang Lixian responsible for? Of course it is the construction.
Big Buddha... What Ouyang Lianghan should do after taking office is already very simple.
The imperial court was embarrassed to demote him in advance and kick him away. Now he directly promoted Ouyang Lianghan, but he was also embarrassed to tell him to continue building the Xunyang Grottoes. It would be best for him to take the initiative, so he went around.
After making a circle, both sides are better off. He may have a grudge about his resignation last time, but of course he will not refuse King Xunyang's request, and the intention of acting as governor is not to let him do it.
If you become a regular employee again, this is a hint of reward... Anyway, it is to protect the face of both parties.
Upon hearing this, all the female relatives jumped with joy and were ready to follow the male master and kneel down.
Ouyang Rong, who listened carefully, nodded, did not get up, but said a few words.
"What, you said that the elder in the family is unwell and needs to be filial, so continue to resign?" After the old lady listened, she looked stunned and blurted out.
Ouyang Rong nodded and refused the order on the grounds that his aunt was unwell and needed to serve her with filial piety.
Everyone was dumbfounded, including Zhen Shuyuan, who lowered her head and looked at her body in confusion. However, under Ouyang Rong's gaze, she immediately held her forehead and was about to collapse. With the help of the discerning Wei Lai, she stepped down to rest.
Zhang Yu and Hu Fu stared blankly at the female relatives who showed off their acting skills in front of them, and the corners of their eyes twitched fiercely.
"I hope that the two father-in-laws can help bring the little minister's words of difficulty to me, so that I won't bother my father-in-law to go to the palace."
Ouyang Rong looked apologetic and respectfully sent them with numb scalps to Xunyang Ferry, and watched them sail back with great consideration.
In the cold wind whistling on the river, Zhang Yu and Hu Fu, who were still confused, suddenly shuddered and looked at each other with sad faces. How... how can they go back to communicate with each other?