The previous examination was nothing more than Fu Tianchou's test of Li Xiuyuan. It not only tested his temperament and talent, but also forced him to make political enemies.
Fu Tianchou didn't want such a talented person who could govern the country to be contaminated by the filth in the court and become part of the corrupt officials. The current situation was turbulent and the government and opposition parties were unstable. It was already difficult for him to stand alone in the court.
, so he eagerly hopes to find a younger generation who can inherit his ambition, continue to serve the court, and benefit all people.
But he searched for several years and failed to find such a talent.
To put it bluntly, the current imperial court is rotten to the core from top to bottom.
Today's saint believes in Buddhism and practices Buddhism all day long without asking about the government affairs. He actually asks a monk who practices Buddhism about big and small state affairs, and even appoints that monk as a national preceptor to manage the government affairs.
Isn't this a joke?
A monk who chants sutras and worships Buddha actually has the power of prime minister.
What made Fu Tianchou even more angry was that the Imperial Master knew how to collect money and build the Buddha's golden body, so that the prefects and county magistrates in various places all collected gold and silver to donate to the Imperial Master, so that the disaster relief was
You have to raise money and food yourself.
"Since you love talents, why don't you accept Li Xiuyuan as your student?" Duan, a literary official, saw Fu Tianchou's thoughtful look and couldn't help but come up with an idea.
Fu Tianchou came back to his senses, shook his head and said: "I have many political enemies in the court. If you let him worship me as your teacher, it will undoubtedly harm him. I can only recommend him upright and don't act too hastily. To be honest, this officer
The disaster relief I came to this time can be considered a blessing to him. If he had not suppressed the plague, I am afraid that the whole Jiangnan would have been in turmoil. When the time comes, I will be dismissed from office and questioned when I return to Beijing."
Having said this, he felt a little happy in his heart.
The most troublesome problem was solved by Li Xiuyuan, and the remaining trivial matters were naturally easy to deal with.
It can be said that this time, I planned to risk my life to relieve the court from this disaster, but I didn't know that it was a blessing in disguise that I made a great contribution for no reason.
With this achievement, even after returning to Beijing, he was not afraid of criticism from his political opponents.
"Qingfeng, Yuechi, what kind of behavior did you have just now? As a daughter, you don't stay at home. Instead, you ride horses and play all day long. You act recklessly with your meager martial arts skills. You even dare to fight scholars. Do you know that you have no official status?"
, is it illegal to compete in martial arts without fame? My father really regrets letting you learn martial arts in the first place." Fu Tianchou said a little sullenly again.
"Father, my daughter has realized her mistake. Please don't be angry." Fu Qingfeng lowered his head and said.
Fu Yuechi, who was next to him, said: "Father, this is none of my sister's business. It was me who did something to that scholar. One person is responsible for the work."
Fu Tianchou said angrily: "You still have to do things for one person and take responsibility for the other? Don't you know that it is the father's fault if you don't teach or educate? You have done something wrong and your father's face will be disgraced. Go back and reflect on it, and then return to Beijing next time."
go."
After he finished speaking, he pointed at the guards and said, "And you, what were you doing just now? Those who drew their swords in front of the Yamen, did you want to rebel? What kind of behavior do you have?"
The guards immediately knelt down and admitted their mistake.
However, one of the leading guards said: "To report to the master, the young man should not draw his sword in front of the Yamen, but the young man has one thing to report to the master."
"What's going on?" Fu Tianchou asked.
"Although the scholar named Li just now is a scholar, he has extraordinary martial arts. Sir, look at the broken riding whip on the ground." The guard picked up the broken riding whip and held it in front of Fu Tianchou.
Fu Tianqiu took a look and said: "Xiao Liu, if you have anything to say, just tell me. I don't know much about martial arts."
Although he is the minister of the Ministry of War, he is also a civil servant.
The guard named Xiaoliu said: "Back to my lord, just now the second lady swung her horse whip and chopped it off with her bare hands before she could hit the scholar."
"Cut off the riding crop with your bare hands?" Fu Tianchou immediately frowned.
Although he didn't understand martial arts, he was not without brains. He immediately understood the importance of Xiao Liu's words.
The riding whip is so tough that even ten strong men can pull it continuously, but one person can actually break it with his bare hands, which is enough to show how unusual it is.
"It is indeed something that only a few people can do. I remember that a Qianhu in the capital once used a waist knife to split a crazy horse and cut the horse into two pieces. At that time, I was amazed. The waist knife was only a few feet away.
"Child, how can you chop a strong horse into pieces? Later you said that a person who practices martial arts can achieve such a skill when he is very skilled in it. Could it be that Li Xiuyuan is also a person who practices martial arts?" Fu Tianchou asked.
Xiao Liu hurriedly said: "What I said is absolutely true. That scholar is a martial arts practitioner, and his martial arts is very high, no worse than that Zuo Qianhu. At that time, I was afraid that he was here to assassinate the young lady and the master, so I only temporarily
Acting recklessly.”
"If that's the case, it's understandable."
Fu Tianchou nodded, but immediately frowned: "But how can a scholar have such strong martial arts? And he also knows a lot about ghosts and gods."
"Yes, father, the scholar just now said that the young lady looks like a female ghost named Nie Xiaoqian." Fu Yuechi next to him said hurriedly.
"Don't talk nonsense. The young master just recognized the wrong person for a moment. Didn't he apologize?" Fu Qingfeng pulled his sister and glared at her.
Fu Tianchou stroked his beard and thought for a moment: "Look for an opportunity to check him out. This person is young, has extraordinary knowledge, has the ability to govern an area, has outstanding poetry, and has such strong martial arts.
I’m afraid he’s not an ordinary person, but a stranger?”
The so-called strangers refer to demons, monsters, Taoists and monks, and people with extraordinary abilities.
It is not a good thing for such people to get involved in the court.
"Yes, sir." The guard named Xiao Liu responded.
"Wen Ruo, you should also check this Li Xiuyuan and see if there are any problems with his household registration and filing." Fu Tianchou said.
The civil servant named Duan next to him also raised his hand and responded.
Li Xiuyuan didn't know that not only did he offend several officials by walking out of the yamen, he was also targeted by Fu Tianchou, the Minister of War, who wanted to investigate him.
If he had known that something like this would happen, he would never have gone to the Yamen today.
"Fu Qingfeng? Nie Xiaoqian? It's interesting. It seems that the world is indeed full of wonders. One person and one ghost actually have the same appearance." On the way, Li Xiuyuan smiled and shook his head.
"Young Master, you seem to have forgotten something very important. You haven't gone to the Yamen yet to register and receive the scholar's documents." Ma Dong reminded me on the way.
Li Xiuyuan suddenly said: "Yes, I actually forgot about this."
But after looking at the sky, he had to give up: "It's getting late now. Let's go back to the house tomorrow. By the way, there are some things that need you to run."
"Please give me your instructions, young master."
Li Xiuyuan said; "I estimate that I will stay in Jinling City for a while. The imperial court will open Enke in the beginning of spring. I have to stay in Jinling City to study hard in the past few months. Please ask Shunfeng Escort to come and help me."
Please bring the books and supplies from Jinling City, and then write a letter to my father for me, explaining the situation here, so as not to worry him."
"Yes, I will do it tomorrow, little one," Ma Dong said.
Return to the front of the mansion.
Li Xiuyuan looked up at the empty plaque in front of the house, and then said: "Niu Er, go back and find a craftsman to replace it with a plaque."
"The master has returned home?" At this time, the door of the mansion opened without any wind, and a middle-aged man wearing a purple robe with a white face and no beard was waiting for Li Xiuyuan's arrival with a kind smile on his face.
He is different from ordinary housekeepers. He is holding a paper umbrella to block the afterglow. His body is a bit unreal, not as real as a living person.
"So it's Li Linfu, why are you here?" Li Xiuyuan asked.
Li Linfu said with a smile: "Isn't the kid the master's housekeeper? Naturally, he will be here waiting for the master to return home."
Li Xiuyuan said: "As the former prime minister, you should be of greater use as my housekeeper, instead of waiting here to open the door to welcome guests. Besides, you don't need to call me Master, just call me Mr. Li."
After speaking, he saluted Li Linfu.
Although Li Linfu surrendered to him, Li Xiuyuan still felt the need to respect him.
An old ghost with the talent of a prime minister could not be found even with a lantern, so Li Xiuyuan felt that it was necessary to pay attention to him.
He believed that the value of this Li Linfu was better than any of his subordinates. It was only because the Long Bearded Ghost King didn't use him seriously that he let him guard the house.
"Yes, I have met the young master." Li Linfu saluted respectfully.
Li Xiuyuan smiled and said: "It is said that the prime minister's belly can support a boat. It is true. You don't need to be so respectful. While I help you eliminate your injustice, you must also help me. This is a mutually beneficial thing."
Even so, Li Linfu's respect did not diminish.
Li Xiuyuan also had to secretly praise Li Linfu's cautious ability. With such a personality, he could get along well in any court. No wonder he could live in peace with the long-bearded ghost king for so long.
"It just so happens that I encountered something today that I, the Prime Minister, need to refer to." Li Xiuyuan walked and told what happened in the Yamen today.
Li Linfu squinted his eyes when he heard this and said, "Fu Tianchou, the Minister of War, has a desire to conquer the young master."
"I can feel this, otherwise Fu Tianchou would not have expressed his intention to recommend me to the court as an official in person, but I think there is something hidden in it, otherwise he would not have done some meaningless things, such as letting me become an official this time.
Several officials tested my talents, poetry and prose." Li Xiuyuan said.
Li Linfu said again: "Although the young master is young, he is also very smart and has realized something is wrong. The kid then dared to expose Fu Tianchou's intentions. Before that, the kid asked why the imperial court sent a man this time.
The Minister of War is here to provide disaster relief?"
Li Xiuyuan said: "There is a military camp outside Jinling City. I am afraid that the epidemic will spread to the military camp and cause unrest. I think I want the Minister of War to stabilize the situation here."
"This is one of them. It is rare for a young master to think of himself as a scholar. I dare to ask again, besides Fu Tianchou, are there any other high-ranking officials of the imperial court who are traveling with him?"
Li Linfu said: "Generally, the court will dispatch two officials for disaster relief. One is the capable minister, who has the ability to provide disaster relief and bring peace to the people. He will do all the hard work. The second is the favored minister. If the disaster relief is successful, the credit goes to this favored minister.
Yes, and this position of favored minister is usually an important position that various factions in the imperial court compete for. If disaster relief fails and causes chaos, and the favored minister is not in trouble, the capable minister will take the blame and beheaded."
"Fu Tianchou, the Minister of War, is the only one responsible for the disaster relief this time." Li Xiuyuan thought about it for a moment and said seriously.
Li Linfu said: "The young master must not get too close to Fu Tianchou."
"Why?" Li Xiuyuan asked.
"Because this Fu Tianchou is the object of rejection by the imperial court and is an abandoned son. This time someone used this disaster relief thing to depose this Fu Tianchou. The kid thinks that if the master hadn't calmed down the disaster in Guo Beicheng this time, it would have been settled again.
Plague, then Fu Tianchou will definitely be dismissed from office. Of course, dismissal is only the best situation. If the opponent is more ruthless, beheading and questioning are not impossible. If the young master gets too close to Fu Tianchou, he may be affected and implicated.
, even if the young master wins the first prize in the examination, I'm afraid he can only be sent to a distant place and serve as a county magistrate, and it is difficult to be promoted." Li Linfu said.
Hearing this, Li Xiuyuan frowned deeply: "Are you saying that the imperial court asked Fu Tianchou to come to the disaster relief alone just to add charges to him? But now that the disaster relief has been completed, wouldn't this turn the situation around?
"
Li Linfu shook his head and said: "This will make it even more important to stay away from the Minister of War, because with this credit, he will pose an increasing threat to certain political opponents. The next time he fabricates charges, it will not be as simple as dismissal from office and questioning.
, The fact that he can come here alone means that he has no help in the court. Such a lonely minister will naturally have no worries if he meets Emperor Taizong, but the young master must know how the current emperor is."
Emperor Taizong refers to Li Shimin of the previous dynasty.
"Furthermore, this Fu Tianchou is also plotting against you, young master. He asked the officials to question you just to make you offend those officials. Even if you are not offended, he still wants to let those officials know that you are the talent he likes, so that the young master can be like him.
Being squeezed out by officials and being a lonely minister, the so-called recommendation is even more harmful to the young master. As soon as your name is reported, you will arouse the hostility of a group of political enemies before you arrive in the capital, because they all know that you are Fu.
People from Tianqiu's faction will not be accepted even if the master wants to take refuge with them." Li Linfu said again.
Li Xiuyuan immediately fell silent after listening.
I just walked into the Yamen, and there were so many dangers hidden behind it.
If Li Linfu hadn't pointed it out, I would have followed Fu Tianchou's wishes and passed the imperial examination next year, went to Beijing to take the exam, and been recommended by him, I might have died without knowing how.
As expected, none of these officials are simple things, killing people without blood.
"I have entered the game today, how can I break this game?" Li Xiuyuan said.
He has his own ideals and ambitions, how could he be restrained by Fu Tianchou?
Li Linfu squinted his eyes and stroked his beard, but there was no beard on his chin: "It is not difficult to break the situation, just a piece of pleading is enough. On the day of entering the capital, the young master can write a pleading and go to the Yamen to sue Fu Tianchou and sue him for disaster relief.
No merit, etc., just collect a few minor charges. At that time, some ministers will take advantage of the opportunity to depose Fu Tianchou. Young Master, you can also follow this breeze and rise to the top, and your career will be smooth in the future. Well, this is very good.
,Very good."
"..." Li Xiuyuan looked at Li Linfu with a strange expression.
The feeling is to stab Fu Tianchou in the back and step on his corpse to ascend to the throne.
Now he knew why Li Linfu had the title of "Sword of Mouth and Sword of Heart", and it turned out that his ability to harm people was not just a boast.
"Is this move a bit sinister?"
Li Linfu was stunned for a moment: "Young Master, why do you ask? Is this insidious? This is just a normal opportunity to rise to power, and Young Master, you are also helping Fu Tianqiu. The few minor charges you have collected are not enough to bring Fu Tianqiu to justice."
The person who was beheaded by Qiu could only be dismissed from office even if he was deliberately adding fuel to the flames. After all, he still had merit in providing disaster relief, and it would be better than having his family destroyed and his family destroyed in the future due to someone's plot."
"That seems reasonable." Li Xiuyuan touched his chin and started thinking.
If the situation is really as Li Linfu speculated, it would indeed be a good thing for Fu Tianchou to be dismissed from office.
This can be regarded as a curve saving lives.
If he can seize the opportunity to rise to power, Fu Tianqiu will not be killed in the future. It's the best of both worlds.
"Forget it, let's discuss this matter when we get to the capital. Anyway, there is still a year." Li Xiuyuan thought for a moment and felt that he was almost tempted by Li Linfu's words.
This old ghost is really powerful, and being a housekeeper here is a waste of talent.
Li Linfu chuckled and said, "Young Master knows what you are doing, so I won't nag you too much."
Stop when you hit the mark, stop when you feel good, and be sure to be proportionate.
Being said that Li Xiu is far away means that no one will feel disgusted with Li Linfu, but will trust him more and more.
He is truly worthy of being a man who has served the emperor.
"Let's put this matter aside for the time being. I have nothing to do these days. I am going to take care of the ghosts and gods in Jinling City. I want to find out about the situation here. You go and prepare the brazier. I want to write an invitation and invite everyone around Jinling City to a banquet.
Ghosts and gods, by the way, I would like to inform the long-bearded Ghost King that he needs to stand in line at this time." Li Xiuyuan said.
Li Linfu reminded: "Sir, the ghosts and gods in Jinling City are not simple."
"I know, I'm just saying hello in advance so that I can be mentally prepared," Li Xiuyuan said.
After saying that, he wasted no time and took out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone from the Ghost King's bag, stained the ink with blood, and then wrote the invitation with a pen.
The general meaning of the invitation is nothing more than: I am Li Xiuyuan, and I would like to invite the ghosts and gods from all over the world to come and gather at my house.
When he finished writing, Li Linfu came in carrying a brazier.
Li Xiuyuan lit the brazier and placed the invitation in his hand into the brazier. The invitation immediately turned into a puff of blue smoke that shot up into the sky, then floated in the wind and spread throughout Jinling City.
"Young Master is such a domineering word."
Li Linfu raised his head and glanced at the blue smoke, and couldn't help but praise it.
There are handwritings rising and falling in the green smoke. Each handwriting exudes purple energy, golden light, and is noble and extraordinary. The ghosts and gods will know at a glance that the person who can write these words is absolutely extraordinary. He is either an emperor or a saint.
Such writing can penetrate the dark sky and invite ghosts and gods to help.
I believe that most of the ghosts, gods and ghosts will come to the gathering to save their face. After all, it is Li Xiuyuan, a saint on earth, who takes the initiative to invite them to the banquet. This has a different meaning.
Because since ancient times, emperors, generals and ministers have all been monsters and aliens, so they would not take the initiative to entertain guests.
Therefore, Li Xiuyuan's invitation can be said to have a very special beginning, but I don't know whether this beginning is good or bad.
After the green smoke ended, Li Xiuyuan sat quietly in the lobby waiting for the arrival of ghosts and gods from all walks of life.
"Is this an invitation from a saint on earth?"
Green smoke drifted past Li Hou's Mansion. Taoist Shan, who was sitting in a pavilion in the mansion meditating and practicing Qi, suddenly raised his eyes. He saw the purple gold characters in the blue smoke and couldn't help but his expression moved slightly. He stood up immediately.
After blowing a breath, a breeze stirred, and nearby leaves flew, condensing into the shape of a bird.
He stepped on the bird and immediately flew out of the Hou Mansion.
"A saint in this world actually entertains ghosts and gods. It's worth seeing."
In the official office of the yamen, outside the bedroom where Fu Tianchou was, a two-foot-tall general wearing armor and holding a pair of daggers stood in front of the door, loyally guarding Fu Tianchou's sleep like a bodyguard.
He thought for a moment, left a copper hammer in front of the bedroom, then turned over and stepped on the roof of the house and strode towards the direction where the green smoke was coming from.
This large chapter is too lazy to be divided into two chapters.