After riding a fast horse down the official road, Zhou Jun was walking on the Bachuan Trail. Everything around him surprised him.
The section of clay pavement that was originally used to fill potholes has now been extended and paved, covering almost half of the entire trail.
On the road, there are no longer overgrown weeds and jagged rocks. Someone has cleared the land on both sides of the road and planted unknown flowers and trees.
In early spring, some buds appear on the flowers and trees, which look particularly full of life.
After riding a horse and walking forward for a while, Zhou Jun finally arrived at the gate of Bachuan Villa.
The original dilapidated house gate has been torn down and rebuilt.
The red-lacquered oak door allows two persons to pass through, and the courtyard wall with green tiles and gray bricks is truly magnificent.
Zhou Jun got off his horse and looked around, feeling surprised.
It has only been half a year since I left, and this Bachuan Villa has already taken on a new look and a new atmosphere.
An old soldier was resting in the concierge. Zhou Jun looked closely and saw that he was quite familiar with him. It was Qiu Yong.
Qiu Yong turned his head and saw Zhou Jun. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up and asked the latter: "Is the person here Zhou Jun?"
Zhou Jun smiled and said: "Who else can it be?"
Qiu Yong laughed and walked over, patted Zhou Jun's arm and said, "After all, I have been on the battlefield. My eyes, temperament, and body are not what they used to be."
Zhou Jun nodded lightly and asked again: "Is everything okay here in Bachuan?"
Qiu Yong turned sideways, smiled and said to Zhou Jun: "Erlang, just go in and take a look."
Zhou Jun handed the horse rein to Qiu Yong, took a deep breath, and stepped into the gate of Bachuan Villa.
As soon as you enter the gate, you can see that all the houses, corridors, and courtyards in the garden have been renovated. They are no longer damaged or messy, and only retain half of the style of the Tang Emperor's Villa.
Zhou Jun was walking in the outer garden, and everyone passing by looked at him. The former's appearance was vaguely the same as before, but the change was not small, and everyone hesitated in calling him.
Finally, the eldest son of the Qu family bowed his head and bravely stepped forward and asked: "Mr. Zhou?"
Zhou Jun smiled and nodded.
Qu Chaoli opened his eyes wide and shouted: "It's really Erlang!"
Hearing this, everyone in the Bieyuan gathered over happily and greeted Zhou Jun one after another.
Zhou Jun returned the courtesy one by one, said some more words, and finally said that he had to see Pang Gong first, so everyone gave up and gave way.
After packing some clothes, Zhou Jun walked along the middle road, passed through the garden gate, came to Zhongyuan, and then arrived at the entrance of Pang Gong's courtyard.
Yuping, who was mending clothes under the warm sunshine in the yard, saw Zhou Jun and froze where she was for a moment.
After confirming, Yuping quickly stood up and said: "Erlang is back!"
There was silence in the room at first, and then a shout came: "Let him in quickly!"
Zhou Jun bowed his hands towards Yuping, then stepped into the hall door and entered the study.
Pang Gong, who was sitting on the carriage, saw Zhou Jun walking in the door. His face was excited and with a smile on his lips, he just said: "It will be good to come back, it will be good to come back!"
Zhou Jun bowed to Duke Pang and was about to talk about the incident in Mobei.
The latter stretched out his hand to stop the former, then asked him to sit down, and asked Yuping to bring water and steamed cakes.
Zhou Jun, who had indeed not eaten much during the journey, was already hungry and thirsty. He apologized to Mr. Pang, drank a lot of water, and ate a lot of cake.
Not long after, after drinking a pot of water and eating a few steamed cakes, Zhou Jun finally felt better.
At this moment, Yin Darong got the news and hurriedly entered the study.
Seeing Zhou Jun, Yin Darong first looked around him. Seeing that the former was fine, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I got a letter from Ji Nian earlier, saying that he met an assassin on the way there. Our family has such a heart
But I had to jump out of my mind. Later, when I read that Zhou Lang retreated from the enemy in danger, I felt at ease."
Zhou Jun bowed his hands to Pang Gong and Yin Darong and told them all about the trip to Mobei.
Starting from Chang'an, he went to Suizhou where he was assassinated, then went to Uighur as an envoy, and finally went to the Northern Expedition against the Turks.
It took Zhou Jun less than half an hour to finish everything, and he heard Pang Gong and Yin Darong sigh with emotion.
Pang Gong looked at Zhou Jun and said, "Originally I just wanted to send you to Shuofang so that you can share your rewards and have a better future. But unexpectedly, I still underestimated Erlang's talent."
"Destroying the Turks, Huo Qingbei Di, there are rumors in the palace that they want to reward them based on their merits. But the rewards will probably not be distributed until the Turks surrender their prisoners."
"However, it is certain that Erlang will take over the position of chief after entering Liunei."
Zhou Jun remembered what Chief Cheng said to him before and just responded.
Pang Gong added: "In August last year, Erlang went to Mobei and is coming back today. In the past six months, undercurrents have been surging in Chang'an City, and the party's rebellion has become increasingly fierce."
"Cheng Zangyao, the former minister of Pei Dunfu, the Minister of Punishment, Cao Jian violated the criminal law. Pei Dunfu asked someone to intercede with Pei Kuan, the imperial censor, but Pei Kuan refused. Pei Dunfu hated him deeply, so he looked for an opportunity to get the Yang family to speak to the saint, saying that Pei Kuan was monopolizing power."
"The sage decreed that Pei Kuan be demoted to Suiyang Prefect."
Zhou Jun nodded while listening, and thought to himself that in the history books, Pei Dunfu was instigated by Li Linfu and spent 500 gold to buy off Yang Yuhuan's sister, which made the relative fall into slander. The Holy Emperor Li Longji was convinced of the Yang family and ordered to demote Pei Kuan.
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Pang Gong said again: "Li Linfu also gave advice to the sage, saying that Pei Dun had made great achievements in the war and staying in Chang'an would be a disgrace to his talents. He should be appointed as the strategic envoy of the five Lingnan prefectures."
"Lingnan is a land of miasma. Pei Dunfu did not want to take office and stayed away. Li Linfu also participated in Pei Dunfu's crime of staying, and he was demoted to the prefect of Zichuan."
This period of history is indeed found in the history books, but Zhou Jun never quite understood that Pei Dunfu helped Li Linfu frame Pei Kuan. Logically speaking, he should be considered a member of Li Linfu's party, so why was he designed to be demoted?
Seeing the confusion on Zhou Jun's face, Pang Gong said: "Pei Dun restructured and trapped Pei Kuan, not because he respected Li Linfu's order, but he must retaliate."
"What's more, Pei Dunfu's wife's family has an old relationship with Wei's family. Li Linfu is afraid of her and should demote her."
Zhou Jun also understood that Li Linfu originally regarded Pei Dunfu as a "fuzi" against Pei Kuan. Once Pei Kuan was demoted and moved away from the political center of Chang'an, Pei Dunfu's "fuzi" would have no use value.
Pang Gong said again: "Pei Dunfu was demoted to Zichuan, and the post of Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment was vacant. Li Linfu proposed to the sage that he wanted to move Wei Jian, the prefect of Shaanxi County, to join."
At this point, Pang Gong paused for a moment and asked Zhou Jun: "Wei Jian is the prince's brother-in-law. He was originally Li Linfu's political enemy, but Prime Minister Li promoted him to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. Do you know why?"
While recalling the history books, Zhou Jun analyzed: "Wei Jian was the governor of Shaanxi Province. In the first year of Tianbao, he supervised the people to dredge the Guangtong Canal, and in the east of Chang'an City, at the foot of Changle Slope, next to Wangchun Tower on the bank of Chan River.
, dug a lake, connected with the Cao River, and introduced the river water into the lake, named Guangyun Tan."
"After the river transport was completed, Wei Jian invited the saint and hundreds of civil and military officials to go to Wangchun Tower to watch the water transport. The saint was overjoyed when he saw the grand scene and promoted Wei Jian to the rank of third-rank Zuo Sanqi regular attendant. He also served as the envoy of Jiangnan and Huainan for renting, transshipment, and disposal.
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"For a while, Wei Jian held Jianghuai's finances in his hands and had unparalleled power."
"Some people speculate that Li Linfu made suggestions to the sage and moved Wei Jian to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. It was a promotion on the surface, but in fact he was seizing power."
Pang Gong smiled again and asked, "What power are you seizing?"
Zhou Jun: "Financial power, if we talk about it in more detail, is the right to rent, transfer, and dispose of money in Jiangnan and Huainan."
Pang Gong clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Erlang is a great talent."
Yin Darong shook his head at the side and smiled bitterly: "Only you, the sophisticated minds like you, can understand the twists and turns in this officialdom. Our family is just a blind eye."
Pang Gong said: "After Wei Jian became the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, he frequently walked around with the prince. He also handed Li Shizhi a thorn sticker, making it clear that he was a princeling, and his target was vaguely aimed at Li Linfu."
"Li Linfu once wrote in handwriting at our house, explaining the current situation of the government, and also said that he wanted to come to Bachuan for a visit."
Zhou Jun was stunned: "Li Linfu is coming to Bachuan?"
Pang Gong: "Pei Kuan was demoted to Suiyang just now, and now there is another Wei Shangshu. I think Li Linfu also has a headache at the moment."
Zhou Jun nodded, the pressure Li Linfu faced now was indeed not small.
After talking to Pang Gong and Yin Darong for a while, Zhou Jun saw that it was getting late, so he said goodbye and left the courtyard.
Walking towards his own small courtyard in the outer garden, that stubborn yet beautiful figure slowly appeared in front of Zhou Jun's eyes.
I don't know how she is doing now.
With such doubts in mind, Zhou Jun walked to the door of his small courtyard.
First, he walked into the courtyard. Seeing no one around, Zhou Jun cleared his throat and said, "Where are the people?"
A woman's exclamation was heard from the side room, followed by the sound of a vessel being knocked down.
Immediately afterwards, a puff of black smoke floated out from the side room.
Seeing this, Zhou Jun suddenly felt bad. He rushed into the side room and bumped into Hua Yue who came out.
Zhou Jun lowered his head and looked into his arms, only to see Huayue's face, clothes, hands and feet covered in soot.
Huayue looked up at Zhou Jun and asked with a smile: "You're back?"
Seeing that Huayue was safe and sound, Zhou Jun breathed a sigh of relief and laughed: "I'm back."