The next day, Wang Gui rode his horse slowly into the palace.
Heavy snow fell, and a cool umbrella covered the snowflakes. Yuan Sui Cong followed him in from the imperial street.
Wang Gui closed his eyes and held the heater in his hand.
What Zhang Hong said last night somewhat touched his heartstrings.
He was already being suffocated by Zhang Yue in the Menxia Province. If he continued to let Zhang Yue work in the Zhongshu Province, he would have no justice in the future, and even the left prime minister would be taken over by Zhang Yue.
Now when the emperor is seriously ill, there is a vacuum of power.
How to distribute the power between the prime minister and Empress Dowager Gao, who is in charge of the imperial power on his behalf?
He, Wang Gui, stood beside Empress Dowager Gao. Wang Gui had written Shinto steles for Empress Dowager Gao's great-grandfather Gao Qiong and her grandfather Gao Jixun successively. The two families had been in contact for a long time.
In addition to Wang Gui himself, Han Zhen also joined his camp.
Since Han Zhen was suppressed by Zhang Yue, he has been secretly befriending Zhang Maoze and Liang Weijian in an attempt to reinstate him.
Zhang Maoze and Liang Weijian were the most trusted eunuchs of Empress Dowager Gao.
Zhang Maoze had served the palace since the time of Renzong. In the sixth year of Xining, he was the one who led the attack on Wang Anshi's mount.
At the same time, Wang Gui had already contacted Han Zhen. Han Zhen's fourth brother, Han Yi, married Fan Yong's daughter, and Empress Dowager Gao became his brother-in-law from his ancestor Gao Jixuan.
In addition, King Yong Zhao Hao married Feng Zheng's great-granddaughter, and Feng Zheng's son Feng Xingji is now a member of the Luoyang Senior Citizens Association. King Yong had dated Wang Gui many times, but Wang Gui declined them all. He still knew this.
But Wang Gui also knew that Queen Xiang's relatives had visited Zhang Yue and Cai's Palace many times, and frequently expressed their goodwill. Empress Dowager Gao also thought highly of Zhang Yue, saying many times in the palace that he was the prime minister selected by Renmiao. Even every New Year
When the Seventeenth Mother came to the palace for a visit, Empress Dowager Gao would hold the Seventeenth Mother's hand and talk for a long time.
It is well known that Zhang Yue did not take concubines, which was highly praised by Empress Dowager Gao, who believed that the Seventeenth Mother managed the family well. In fact, if you think about how Empress Dowager Cao won over Fu Bi's wife Yan, the routines of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were exactly the same.
Even the Seventeenth Niang would go to the palace to pay homage to Empress Dowager Gao when it was not a day of congratulations. Palace restrictions in the palace were extremely strict, and Empress Dowager Gao's announcement of the Seventeenth Niang showed that the two had a close relationship.
If Zhang Yue was determined to make friends with the palace, he would take advantage of the emperor's serious illness to continue to sit down as the right minister and take over the government affairs.
Then Wang Gui must stop Zhang Yue. At that time, his "fake servant" will become a "real servant". At that time, everything will be difficult for Zhang Yue.
Although Wang Gui knew that his son's previous manipulation of salt banknotes was still in Zhang Yue's hands, he really did not want to take this step unless he had to.
Wang Gui asked: "Has Minister Zuocheng arrived?"
Wang Gui asked his entourage about Cai Que's whereabouts.
"I just saw Zuo Cheng's team, and they seem to be approaching the palace gate."
"Have a rest and let him enter the palace first!" Wang Gui ordered.
"yes."
Immediately everyone stopped beside the palace city.
Wang Gui looked at the snowflakes and couldn't help but think of the time when he scored Zhang Yue in the sixth year of Jiayou's scientific examination. He thought to himself, if you take a step forward, you will be narrow, and if you look back, you will be wide. You have experienced so many years in the officialdom, why are you like this? Don't even understand.
…
Cai Que stepped through the gate of the capital hall first.
According to the usual practice, the consuls of the Zhongshu Province and the prime ministers in charge of the Shangshu Province must first go to their own provinces to handle affairs and then retreat to the Shangshu Province. However, in the past few days, the prime ministers have met in the capital hall first and then returned to their own provinces to handle affairs.
When Cai Que arrived, he was told that the prime ministers were not in the capital hall, but in the South Hall of the Privy Council.
Cai Que was surprised in his heart. What did it mean that the meeting was not held in the capital hall but in the south hall?
Could it be that there was an important matter to discuss and it was inconvenient because there were so many people talking about the matter? Yes, the next day all the officials arrived at the capital hall, and many officials from the Shangshu Province were here.
Cai Que, who is extremely shrewd, understood immediately.
When Cai Que arrived at the south hall of the Privy Council, he glanced at Zhang Yue sitting on the right desk in the hall. The left and right chairs were Lu Gongzhu, Zhang Zhi, Su Song, Wang Anli, and others.
The governors of the three provinces and one court were all sitting at attention. The only one missing was Wang Gui, the Prime Minister of the Left.
Zhang Yue sat down and looked at Cai Que for a moment. Cai Que's eyes narrowed slightly and he saluted Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue pushed Yi Shu to the case and asked the official to show it to Cai Que.
Cai Que glanced at Zhang Yue with vigilance and suspicion, then picked up the memorial and heard Zhang Yue say from the side: "Zuo Cheng, this is a national matter..."
Zhang Yue was only halfway through his words when he saw that Cai Chu had already signed his signature on the memorial.
Cai Que put his pen aside and said, "Youkui has really done something important for the country!"
Cai Que saluted Zhang Yue and sat on a seat aside.
Zhang Yue looked at Cai Que with a smile on his lips.
The two have known each other for decades, and have had admirations, struggles, cooperation, and disagreements.
If they cooperate, they will be intimate and eat from the same pot; if they fight, they will be eager to fight to the death.
But Cai did support himself on this matter.
Zhang Yue said: "Thank you, Zuo Cheng."
Cai Que waved his hand, picked up the tea soup, took a sip and said, "It's Cai's duty."
Wang Gui arrived after a while.
All the chief ministers stood up to pay their respects.
At this moment, he was away from everyone, and no one was around.
Zhang Yue presented the memorial without saying anything. Wang Gui's old eyes were so dim that he could not see clearly even if the memorial was placed in front of his eyes. Several court officials brought long candle handles from both sides of the south hall and illuminated the memorial in front of Wang Gui's eyes.
After Wang Gui barely understood most of the content, he glanced at Zhang Yue.
"Youkui, Your Majesty is still here! How can we go beyond His Majesty's advice on the important matter of establishing a throne?"
Zhang Yue was silent. Didn't he know that it was against the emperor's taboo to talk about establishing a heir when an official was ill?
Wang Gui continued to say to Zhang Yue: "Lianrenmiao was so tolerant to the emperor. When the emperor was seriously ill, the Cisheng Empress Dowager (Empress Cao) and Zhang Maoze secretly discussed how to make the late emperor the prince first, and how Hourenmiao dealt with it after he recovered from the illness. ?”
"When a prince is appointed, he will be in charge of the family affairs. I don't want him."
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After Wang Gui finished speaking, Lu Gong stood up and said: "Zuo Kui, at this time and that time, there was no son in Renmiao in the past, but now your majesty has a son."
"Is it possible that Your Majesty and the Prince are angry?"
Wang Anli said: "In the previous banquet, Your Majesty asked the emperor's six sons to serve in the palace. We all saw it with our own eyes. It is self-evident that Your Majesty has already chosen who to establish as heir apparent."
Zhang Zhi said: "Prime Minister, as the prime minister, I am not involved in this matter. When will we be involved?"
"As the Prime Minister, how can we not do it because we are afraid of offending His Majesty?"
Zhang Yue remained silent and looked sideways. Wang Gui saw the encouragement from the left and right, so he sat in silence.
Cai Que also said: "Zuo Kui, we and the prime ministers should fight hard for this matter!"
Su Song said: "Zuo Kui, if a piece of imperial treasure comes out in the middle of the night, what can we do?"
Wang Gui continued to remain silent. Zhang Yue looked at Wang Gui and said, "Zuo Kui, if the customs change from ancient times to the present, you will never come back."
"In the past, the Duke of Wei of Han was the leader of the two dynasties. He established one prince and one crown prince. He also established the emperor after receiving the imperial edict. The emperors of the two dynasties entrusted them to the prime ministers to plan and establish major events. We have lived up to the trust and failed to take care of them. It’s a matter of fate.”
"This is what Wen Lugong said back then, 'the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats rule the world together'."
"What Zuo Kui said is true, establishing a crown prince is a family matter, but maintaining the system is a matter for us, the prime ministers!"
"For the sake of loyalty, filial piety and righteousness, the cauldron and wok will not be avoided!"
All the prime ministers said one after another.
"Zuo Kui, I'm just waiting for you to make your final decision on this matter."
"If you refuse, we will have no choice but to go to Funing Hall to directly remonstrate with you!"
Wang Gui thought to himself: How can this happen? Everyone went to support the emperor's establishment of the throne, but he was the only one who refused to go, so he opposed the establishment of the throne.
Wang Gui waved his hand and said: "Let you go!"
Everyone was overjoyed and held the book in front of Wang Gui. Wang Gui drew a hasty seal and all the ministers were overjoyed.
After all, Wang Gui is the left prime minister. Without his consent, this essay could not have been written.
After writing the letter, all the ministers and officials went to Funing Palace together. Wang Gui walked to the first place and glanced at Zhang Yue beside him.
He thought that Zhang Yue secretly contacted the Queen Mother and the Empress to prepare for him to continue to serve as prime minister, but he did not expect that he was wrongly blamed.
Only he, Zhang Yue, dared to propose the proposal of establishing a heir apparent at this moment without fear of offending the emperor. He, Wang Gui, was still greedy for the glory and wealth in front of him.
Once the establishment of the heirloom is successful, the biggest credit goes to Wang Gui. Wang Gui can't help but feel unbearable towards Zhang Yue.
I judge the heart of a gentleman with the heart of a villain.
How could Zhang Yue not know what would happen to him as the mastermind after the establishment of the throne was successful, and even the Emperor Gao and Empress Dowager Gao would be offended?
Even if you are not offended, there will still be party strife in the future.
But no matter what the party struggles are, there would still be Sima An without Sima Guang.
Snowflakes fell around him, and he stepped up the stairs. Looking at the palaces covered with white snow, he was thinking of the quiet days after becoming an official.
He seemed to have returned to his hometown in Jianzhou.
I live in the mountains in spring, hugging my knees and looking at the mountain scenery, listening to the ringing of bells hanging under the eaves, the rustling of leaves, the microwaves on the lake when the breeze blows, and the light boats rippling away. The white clouds gather and disperse on the distant mountains.
Get together again!
I am a native of Penghao, and I sit in a temple.
Wherever you come from, where are you going?
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue walked to the car and went straight to Funing Hall.
The smell of burning moxa came from the palace, and through the curtains, the ministers saw the official lying quietly on the couch.
In the east room, a human figure is faintly visible behind the curtain.