After three months of wandering around, Liu Bei finally returned to Jinyang. But as Chen Chong said before, the impact of Sangqian's defeat was far from over. The court was still undecided, and the officials in Taiyuan were still worried, fearing that the emperor would be furious.
Send out a carriage to escort the relevant persons to the capital.
Chen Chong was at ease. He let Liu Bei rest assured and selected herbs for him to decoct and drink. After instructing him on the medicinal drinks, he made an appointment with Dou Fu, the governor of the county, and the meritorious Cao Yufan and the southern governor Zhang Gu.
As a staff member, he followed them south to the counties to review the administrative gains and losses of the counties last year.
In fact, the county magistrates have not been in office for a long time, and the longest one has been in office is only four months. Most of the county residents under his command are in Xihe, and they will return to their hometowns near the end of the year. Whether the county magistrate is mediocre or virtuous, it is difficult to tell at this time.
.
However, Chen Chong was still prepared, and his party went south to Qi County first. When Wang Gai, the magistrate of Qi County, greeted him, he saw Chen Chong in the team and took the initiative to salute and talk to him. Chen Chong discussed with him the policy and coordination of Qi County this year: when asked about his advice and advice,
Farmers, Wang Gai answered fluently; when asked about official management and guarding against thieves, Wang Gai looked troubled, but still tried his best to answer; when asked about lawsuits and prison sentences, Wang Gai was speechless.
Chen Chong was not angry because of this. Instead, he checked and filled in the gaps for Wang Gai, explained the key points of governance, and finally warned: "I don't like the theory that Han Fei has an evil nature, but there are many insights in it. You can take the approach according to your own circumstances."
Then he recited Han Fei's "Two Handles": "The master of the Ming Dynasty guides his ministers with only two handles. The two handles are the virtue of punishment. Killing is called punishment, and celebrating and rewarding is called virtue. Being a minister is fearful.
Punishment brings benefits and rewards, so if the ruler himself uses his punishment virtue, then the ministers will fear his power and return to his advantage." Speaking of this, Chen Chong couldn't help but sigh: "The people are not stupid, as long as you can understand Xing De clearly,
Rewards should be rewarded and punishments should be punished. Then the people will know the laws and regulations, and the people will be governed naturally."
Chen Chong stayed in Qixian for two days, and then set off for Yangyi, the eleven counties in the south of the county. Chen Chong took the exams as he did in Qixian.
When Chen Chong returned to Jinyang at the end of the month, Zhongdu ordered Guo Mian to write to his father Guo Quan, saying: "The dragon head has the elegance of dry bamboo and flowers, but it can carry out the heroic strategies of clouds, dragons, winds and tigers. It can be said that it is both civil and military. It can be said that my son and I are perfect."
When Prime Minister Long talked about it, he only hated the shallowness of what he had learned, and his anxious thoughts were scattered like the wind. As for fame and wealth, he felt that they were just floating clouds."
Chen Chong's trip was precisely to eliminate the uneasy atmosphere in Taiyuan of fear of punishment due to defeat. Now is the spring planting season, and the harvest of the year depends entirely on it. Last year, Taiyuan did not harvest a single grain of rice. If it cannot be cultivated in time now, it will only
If a large-scale famine is caused again, then it will be considered a catastrophe.
I don’t know whether to call it a coincidence or an accident, but Chen Chong and his party bumped into the investigation team sent by the imperial court in Gengyang. The two groups met and stopped to greet each other.
The leader was the new Bingzhou governor Ding Yuan. After Dong Zhuo successfully stayed in Liangzhou as he wished, the general He Jin proposed that since there was no suitable candidate for the shepherd, it would be better to reset the Bingzhou governor. So he recruited the governor from the Southern Army.
Ding Yuan was elected as the governor of Bingzhou and also served as the leading cavalry captain.
The first thing Ding Yuan did after taking office was to investigate Liu Bei's defeat. Although it was an investigation, Ding Yuan had no say in how to investigate and how to report it, because there was someone else who was actually in charge of the investigation. Chen Chong
Hidden in the cavalry, when Dou Fu and others came up to greet him, he neither scolded nor quarreled, but only exchanged some pleasantries.
On the contrary, a Cangtou came out of the motorcade and asked the crowd: "I wonder where the dragon's head is?" The voice was loud and Chen Chong could hear it in the crowd. He did not shy away from hiding, and rode out alone and said:
"Chen is indeed here. I wonder who taught Chen?"
Hearing that the person in front of him was the famous Xiping Dragon Head, Ding Yuan took a deep look at Chen Chong and finally said, "Just let him go. You will know when the time comes."
Chen Chong followed the Cangtou into the motorcade, and Cangtou led him to an inconspicuous two-seater car. Chen Chong opened the curtain and went in, but unexpectedly saw a completely unexpected person.
It turned out to be the current Xiyuan Military Academy Lieutenant and the emperor’s most trusted lieutenant—Jian Shuo Jian.
Jian Shuo is already sixty years old. As a eunuch, he has been in the palace all year round, so he has aged faster than ordinary people. Now his hair is half as white as snow, and the wrinkles on his face are squeezed together lifelessly, as if they were soaked in water.
On the sun-dried paper, only the protruding eye sockets reveal a pair of black and white eyes.
He smiled at Chen Chong and said: "Longshou, last time we said goodbye, how long has it been since we last met?"
When Chen Chong saw him in the car, his expression was complicated, and finally Taixi said: "Jiangong is deeply favored by the emperor. He must be in power when he comes here. Why don't you ask questions in public, but stop with me on the road?"
The secret message behind the curtain of the car?"
Jian Shuo was dressed in regular clothes, sitting in the car with his sleeves rolled up. He looked at Chen Chong's broken finger, glanced past it, and then said with emotion: "The dragon head must still be resentful of me. At that time, Dong Zhuo and I insisted on killing and surrendering.
In Longshou’s eyes, I’m probably already a thief.”
Chen Chong's face was expressionless, and he sat on one side and asked, "I bet Mr. Jian came here to discuss this matter with me, right?"
Jian Shuo shook his head and laughed: "Longshou is still so quick to talk." Then he sighed: "I do have something to ask of Longshou, but I always know that my reputation has been ruined. If anyone knows that Longshou is talking to me, there must be something dirty.
The dragon's head has a good reputation, so I am here to wait for the dragon's head."
Chen Chong squinted at Jian Shuo. When Jian Shuo saw his silence, he continued: "I came here because I wanted to make a deal with Longshou and let each of us get what we deserve."
Chen Chong understood what he meant, so he simply pointed it out: "I think Jian Gong meant that Xuande's defeat can be reduced to a minor issue and lightly exposed." Seeing Jian Shuo nodding happily, Chen Chong asked again: "
Then I wonder what Duke Jian wants to ask for? If even Duke Jian finds it difficult, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about it!”
There was no response to this, and Jian Shuo was speechless for a while. Chen Chong waited for a long time before the Chang Shi said: "I never thought in the past that one day I would beg the Longshou Sect, but if there was a way, how could I do this?
What?" After playing charades for a long time, he finally got to the point: "Longshou, Your Majesty's condition is getting worse and worse, and I'm afraid he won't survive six months."
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Chen Chong was well prepared for this. Zhong Yao had written to him before and asked, "Is the position of the prince yet to be decided?"
Jian Shuo nodded, and then sighed: "Your Majesty's idea is simple and concise, but he still prefers 'Dong Hou'. But the ministers are determined to oppose it, and more importantly, General He is also determined to oppose it." Chen Chong leaned back slightly and said with a smile:
"Is the General willing to give up his position as regent? Even if he is, many famous people in the world have turned their hearts to the General, will they be willing to give up?"
"Exactly!" Jian Shuo said sarcastically: "What are you talking about Qingliu Party members? What are you talking about loyal ministers and filial sons? To put it bluntly, eunuchs like us are all after money. They not only want wealth, but also fame and fortune!" At this point
, his already high-pitched voice was like needles, and he went on to say: "If the general and the queen are allowed to serve as regents, I'm afraid the court will never have peace!"
At this point, Jian Shuo stopped and looked at Chen Chong. Chen Chong asked: "But Chen is currently in white form and may not be able to do anything to the government. If Mr. Jian comes to me, why is it any different from asking a blind question?" p>
Jian Shuo shook his head resolutely and said: "I came to find Longshou because I wanted to sell him a favor." "A favor?" "Because once Your Majesty leaves, I'm afraid my days will be numbered."
Chen Chong was surprised when he heard this. He looked at Jian Shuo seriously for the first time, but he saw that the eyes of this notorious old man were full of emotion. He did not look at himself, but clearly looked at someone, but he was very familiar with that kind of emotion.
Emotions, my grandfather and father often looked at me this way.
He heard Jian Shuo continue to say: "Your Majesty entrusted 'Dong Hou' to me, and asked me to find a way to make him succeed to the throne." "I'm afraid this is too difficult. What do the other ministers say?" "Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong
, Xia Yun and others did not express their stance. I know them too well. Not expressing their stance would be opposition. They will definitely not oppose He Jin and the Queen's regency."
Chen Chong asked in a deep voice: "What are Duke Jian going to do?" "I plan to assassinate He Jin after His Majesty's imperial concubine, and then rely on the Queen Mother and General Hussar to take charge of the overall situation and support Prince Xie's ascension to the throne."
"It's too dangerous, it's too dangerous!" Chen Chong thought for a moment, and finally he could only conclude: "The general's gang members are spread inside and outside the court. Even Jian Gong's subordinates can hardly say that there are no inner factions. Even if Jian Gong succeeded by luck, many of the general's subordinates
The ministers may take the opportunity to cause trouble, and even if Duke Jian has the power of Taigong Wang, it will be difficult for him to accomplish anything!"
But Jian Shuo's expression remained as usual, and he said calmly: "I have to give it a try. If I don't even have this chance, how can I be worthy of your majesty's great trust in me?"
Chen Chong was speechless, and Jian Shuo continued: "If the old man succeeds by luck, today's matter will be over. I hope Longshou will pay more attention to the matter in Northern Xinjiang." He paused, slowed down and asked, "If the old man fails,
, I also hope that Longshou will take more care to take care of Prince Xie. He Jin and the Queen are not soft-hearted people, but they still care about their reputation. If Longshou is willing to do his best to protect each other, he will not be in danger of death. "<
/p>
"Chen Chong promised Jian Gong." Chen Chong was silent for a long time and finally answered. Then he couldn't help but ask: "Why did Jian Gong bother to do this? The emperor's family affairs have nothing to do with Jian Gong. Jian Gong is now extremely powerful. Everything can succeed or fail. He can't make it happen."
The father went one step further, Chen Chong really couldn’t understand.”
Jian Shuo laughed loudly when he heard this. He took a breath and replied: "In Longshou's eyes, Jian Shuo is still a mediocre person! Back then, Longshou was giving lectures in Taixue, saying that the way of heaven is universal, and that all people, regardless of high or low, have feelings of love and affection.
, His Majesty was furious at that time, but Long Shou was able to talk him out of it. But the old man remembers it clearly."
"The old man is a eunuch and has no descendants. There are many relatives in the clan who were implicated by me and forced by the party members. But I brought up your majesty. When your majesty entered the palace, he had just turned ten years old and was not yet tall.
It reaches my chest. I didn’t expect that in the blink of an eye, the prince would be as big as he was back then.”
Speaking of this, Jian Shuo smiled at first, and then his eyes slowly dimmed. He couldn't help but lamented: "I never thought that Your Majesty would become ill so urgently and so quickly! If I had known this, I should have taken him with me on weekdays.
Let me hunt together!"
The two of them talked in the car for an hour. After Chen rushed out, the convoy set off again. To everyone's surprise, Ding Yuan and his party only walked through the process and left the city after only one day.
Liu Bei only met Liu Bei once and sent some condolences and supplements. The governor said that he was appointed by the emperor and was eager to train a new army between Shangdang and Hanoi. Zhang Yang, Zhang Liao, Lu Bu and others of the former governor's shogunate were all worried about this.
He was recruited and left.
Everyone understood the implication that this matter must have been revealed. Only Chen Chong knew the reason, but he didn't know whether he should be sad or happy.
But at this moment, a new round of civil strife in the Xiongnu finally broke out.