The servants of the Changsun family looked at the joyful scene in front of the Fang family with envy and jealousy. Unavoidably, they felt mixed emotions in their hearts. They shook their heads and left dejectedly.
After walking a few steps, I heard a burst of cheers behind me. I hurriedly turned around to look, but it was the steward of the Fang family standing on the stone steps in front of the door, holding a winnowing stick and scattering the rewards and yellow copper coins in handfuls.
Raindrops generally sprinkled into the crowd, and some fell directly to the ground without being caught, tinkling and swirling all over the ground.
The servants of Changsun's family looked at each other, turned around and ran back, squeezing into the crowd to grab the coins.
We are just servants. Whether we are embarrassed or not, it has nothing to do with us...
*****
The father and son of the Fang family let Wang De into the main hall and asked him to take a seat, but Wang De refused and said in fear: "The Prime Minister is a meritorious service of the empire, Your Majesty. Although the old slave is only an eunuch, he has also read several books by sages. It seems that
You are the pillar of the country, a sage who wants to be remembered in history and be remembered for centuries. How dare I sit in front of you? My life will be shortened!"
Fang Xuanling shook his head and smiled bitterly, and scolded with a smile: "You are such a sweet-tongued old slave. No wonder the palace has hundreds of interiors, but His Majesty always loves you so much."
Since Wang De refused, Fang Xuanling took his seat calmly. Wang De, Fang Yizhi, and Fang Jun sat at the bottom.
The maid served the fragrant tea, and Wang De said: "There are two princes in one family. There has never been such glory in one family since ancient times. Your palace is so dazzling that it can shine through the annals of history! Who among the civil and military families of this dynasty does not envy and admire them? Prime Minister Fang.
Although there is no one in the whole court who can surpass him in meritorious service, Erlang is amazingly talented and has repeatedly achieved special honors, but he is also the envy of others and cannot be envied! In terms of meritorious service among all the heroes in the court, perhaps they are only one step behind Fang Xiang.
, but there are many people with tiger fathers and dog sons. The honorary title of this family is indeed very high, but what is the use if there is no successor? With this, the prime minister is enough to crown all the heroes and look down upon the world!"
Fang Jun on the side couldn't help laughing.
This Wang De is indeed a master in serving the emperor. Look at what he said. He does not say how heroic Fang Xuanling is, but he brags about having a successor. At Fang Xuanling's age, he has long taken his own honor and disgrace lightly.
, but he only attaches great importance to whether his heirs can inherit wealth and power, and Wang De does what he likes, which is not unwise.
I have never seen a person with Fang Xuanling's state of mind, who is used to seeing storms, rain and snow, laughing so hard that his teeth are blinded...
"General manager, you're welcome. This rebellious son of mine has always acted erratically and unscrupulously. Everyone calls him 'Bangchui', which is absolutely not unfair to him. But he is still good in nature. He is loyal and values friendship. This is what the manager needs to be like."
I would like to be disciplined by my elders. If you have done something wrong in your life, I hope that the supervisor will not avoid suspicion and will not hesitate to teach you. I will be very grateful."
Fang Xuanling is not the kind of rotten scholar who talks about benevolence, righteousness and morals but doesn't know how to adapt. He is well aware of His Majesty Li Er's trust and respect for Wang De. Such a seemingly inconspicuous chamberlain can know all the movements in the palace, especially
No one can guess His Majesty Li Er's thoughts as well as anyone else. As long as he has a good relationship with him, there will be countless benefits in the future.
Furthermore, today is the Tang Dynasty. This is not the case in the Han Dynasty when eunuchs were rampant and brought trouble to the court. Although Wang De was only an eunuch, his conduct was not necessarily lower than that of many ministers in the dynasty, and his knowledge was even superior to others. How could he treat him like this?
Just take it lightly?
Wang Decheng was frightened and said: "Oh, Mr. Fang, you can't say that. Who in the world doesn't know that Fang Erlang is unparalleled and upright as iron? If you say this, if Erlang becomes angry and comes back to trouble the old slave,
Then the old slave will have to cry all over the place!"
"He dares!"
Fang Xuanling feigned anger and said: "If that traitor is really disrespectful to the manager, the manager will just come to me and watch me skin him!"
Fang Jun pretended to be helpless, looking at Wang De and complaining: "General Manager, are you going too far? If you have any offences, just say so. Now you go to your father to complain, but it is beneath your status.
Haven't you always admired people like Lu Qiang? Marquis Wangxiang would not go around complaining like this."
Everyone laughed together.
Lu Qiang was a regular attendant during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty. At that time, eunuchs such as Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong were engaged in political corruption and flattery. However, Lu Qiang discovered the huge hidden crisis in the Han Empire and became worried. He wrote to Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty many times to open up the channels of speech.
Suppress the traitors, appoint loyal ministers and good generals, lighten the burden of the people by frivolous corvee and low taxes.
As a eunuch, Lu Qiang was extremely opposed to eunuchs interfering in politics.
He once wrote in his memorial: Emperor Gaozu once made an oath that non-meritorious officials could not be granted the title of marquis. However, eunuchs such as Cao Jie and Zhang Rang were all granted the title of marquis. These people flattered their lord, were sycophantic and favored, and were jealous of the loyal and good.
, there will be disaster for Zhao Gao...
After the Yellow Turban Uprising broke out, Lu Qiang wrote many times, proposing to rehabilitate the loyal ministers who were persecuted by the party and punish corrupt officials in various places. Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty not only did not adopt it, but instead overhauled the palace and was keen on amassing money. Lu Qiang advised:
Wealth originally belonged to your Majesty, how can there be any distinction between public and private? Now your Majesty has amassed the treasures of the counties and amassed the wealth of the world. The result is that the traitors benefit from it, but the people suffer greatly. Please consider your Majesty.
suggestions.
Lu Qiang's many petitions touched the interests of Zhao Zhong and other eunuchs, and he was arrested by Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty on charges of corruption. He eventually committed suicide in anger.
Although he died, his name and deeds were recorded in the history of the Qing Dynasty. The "Book of the Later Han Dynasty" biographies him and does not hesitate to praise him.
As for any eunuch, how could he be unhappy if someone compared him to a loyal eunuch like Lu Qiang?
At this time, Princess Gaoyang, dressed in palace clothes, came from outside the door. Wang De hurriedly stood up and went forward to pay homage: "Old slave, I have an audience with Your Highness!"
He is the emperor's slave, and the princess is also his master. Even if he marries a woman, the identities of both parties will not change.
No matter how unruly Princess Gaoyang was, she did not dare to show off in front of eunuchs such as Wang De. She pulled back her skirt and returned the courtesy. After standing up, she waved her hand for the maid who was following behind her to come forward and said with a smile: "My family is very happy today. I have prepared some gifts."
Give the money and silk to the manager, and you will feel happy."
Wang De hurriedly smiled and said: "This old slave shouldn't have to accept it. It is really my duty to come to announce the decree. But since it is a reward from His Highness, I have no shame to accept it. Thank you very much, Your Highness."
Princess Gaoyang said happily: "If we are one family, why do we need to speak two different languages? That's how it should be."
Although she didn't know that her husband and Wang De had already been linked to each other in private, she just knew that her husband had always been on good terms with the eunuch next to her father, so she was polite and tried her best to win over him.
Wang De was also very knowledgeable, so he climbed up the ladder smoothly. Fang Jun wanted to make friends with him so that he could know what was going on in the palace. Why didn't he want to make friends with Fang Jun, thinking that he was his helper outside the palace?
Fang Xuanling proposed to hold a banquet for Wang De, but Wang De did not dare to accept it because he said: "It's not because the old slave is ignorant, but it's actually His Majesty who is waiting for the old slave's reply in the palace. One day, another day, the old slave will definitely do it."
Come to visit me and have a drink with your roommate with a shy face."
Fang Xuanling also knew that he did not dare to stay outside, so he nodded and said: "In that case, I don't force him to stay. The manager can just go back to the palace and resume his duties. Let's talk about it another day when we have time."
"Definitely, definitely."
Wang De bowed and saluted, then left.
Although he was an eunuch, he was representing the emperor when he announced the decree. Everyone in the Fang family kept sending him outside the gate. Even Fang Xuanling stood at the gate, watching Wang De board the carriage and return to the palace, and then closed the door.
door and return to the main hall.
In the hall, Mrs. Lu was sitting there, flipping through the imperial edict and the jade plate in her hands. There were a lot of support for the Duke beside her, and she smiled broadly. Fang Xuanling had already been the Duke a long time ago, and she had these things.
I have long been tired of seeing it, but this time my son has won another dukedom due to his ability, and he is even happier than when Fang Xuanling was promoted to the title.
Wu Meiniang, Xiao Shuer, Kinderman, and Fang Xiuzhu looked at this and that, marveling.
The eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Du, sat next to Mrs. Lu, looking envious.
When the male family members and Princess Gaoyang came back from the front yard, Mrs. Lu looked at Fang Jun happily and praised: "He is indeed a good son of my mother. He will revitalize the family and honor the ancestors. The ancestral graves of our Fang family are almost covered with smoke!"
Fang Xuanling paused and shouted: "What nonsense are you talking about!"
It is naturally a great joy for a son to be promoted to the title of Duke, but how can he use his ancestors as a foil?
A few people sat down, and Mrs. Lu pulled Fang Jun to her side, her eyes full of doting and contentment: "Our Fang family has really accumulated bad virtues. Your father is the pillar of the imperial court and is a very popular minister. Now you have inherited the family business and honored the ancestors, generation after generation.
You will always be rich and noble, and your mother will be satisfied."
Fang Jun was very embarrassed by his mother's words and demeanor of praising a primary school student, and said hurriedly: "My son cannot agree with what my mother said. He is just a Duke of Yue. Compared with his father, Duke Liang, he is not a bit inferior."
Half a point.”
Fang Xuanling stroked his beard and nodded slightly.
After all, I am also the father of the family. It is already stressful enough to give birth to such a defiant son. If the fiefdom is bigger than myself, how can we show the majesty of a father in the future?
It's hard to believe that with his tail raised high, this kid could go to a house and lift a roof...