At this time, Fan Xicheng ran over and said that the wine had been boiled. Han Daoxun invited Guo Rong to sit down in the dining room of the west wing. There was no delicacy. A plate of cured pork, a plate of white-cut mutton, and a plate of roasted chicken with mushrooms were still the same as what Han Qian and the others had today.
The ingredients brought from the villa, a jar of apricot blossoms are scalded hot, and the aroma of wine fills the room...
Han Daoxun sent Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and others down, leaving Han Qian alone to sit aside and wait while he and Guo Rong drank.
Han Qian was waiting carefully beside him. After three rounds of drinking, he realized that the middle-aged man in Qingyi was Guo Rong, the Minister of Internal Affairs.
This time the third prince came out of the palace. Although he was not directly canonized as a prince, he was only granted the title of marquis. He was young and did not hold public office. Therefore, the prince's mansion will not have officials such as chief historians and chief ministers for the time being. But even if the third prince is granted the title of marquis, he will definitely
It is different from Hou, who has a different surname.
After all, the third prince is underage, and all matters in his palace are handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This Guo Rong is the leader of the internal affairs who will accompany the third prince out of the palace, and is responsible for directing the affairs of the third prince's palace.
In addition, the third prince's palace will also have a guard team of 120 people.
Although the third prince's lecturers would be well-known Confucian scholars from the court, the sons of the four accompanying ministers, including Han Qian and Feng Yi, were still under the control of Guo Rong in the Linjiang Marquis Mansion.
Although Han Qian had not lived in Jinling for a long time, he knew that his father Han Daoxun, apart from having contacts with a few old friends from Xuanzhou, did not make friends with the ministers of the court, let alone the eunuchs in the palace.
He took it for granted that his father specially invited Guo Rong to the house to drink this time because he had spent all his efforts on this unscrupulous man, and he was a little touched in his heart.
"Do you know who in the palace had the idea for Mr. Guo to serve the third prince this time?" Han Daoxun sent Fan Xicheng to personally drive Guo Rong back to the palace gate. Han Qian stood at the entrance of the alley and watched the carriage disappear at the entrance of the alley.
, seeing his father's face looking worried, he asked in confusion.
"..." Han Daoxun glanced at Han Qian in surprise and asked, "Why do you ask this?"
"When a child is serving the Third Prince, it is inevitable that he will say some clever words to please the adults. However, if it is not clear that Uncle Guo is from the palace, even if the adults promote him to serve the Third Prince, the child may say the wrong thing." Han Qian said.
"It's good if you understand this,"
Han Daoxun felt a little relieved when he saw that Han Qian was usually fooling around, but he still knew the dangers at critical moments. He looked around and said as he and Han Qian entered the house,
"The third prince is the son of the imperial concubine. When the third prince leaves the palace, it is said that all affairs will be handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, in recent years, all matters in the palace have been handled by Anning Palace..."
The State of Chu was only 12 years old, but it copied the political system of the previous dynasty and had already formed a rather large bureaucracy, with many eunuchs in the palace.
Han Qian had only been in Jinling for four or five months. In the past, he had been indifferent to the affairs of the court, but he also knew that there were three women with the most prestigious status in the harem at this time.
Empress Xu is the master of the harem and lives in Anning Palace. She gave birth to the prince Yang Yuanwo. Xu Mingzhen, the eldest brother of Empress Xu, is not only the uncle of the current dynasty, but also one of the six existing powerful envoys of the Chu State. At this time, Xu
There are many people in the family who hold important positions in the government.
Although Prince Yang Yuanwo was said to be surly and unfavorable to Emperor Tianyou, at this time he was able to securely occupy the East Palace and was supported by a group of ministers. In addition to being the eldest son, Empress Xu was also Emperor Tianyou's wife in need.
, it is also closely related to Xu Mingzhen’s military power in Shouzhou and Xu Zhixun, Xu Zhixun and others’ control of power in the court.
The imperial concubine Shi Shi gave birth to Wang Yang Yuanyan.
King Xin Yang Yuanyan was more like Emperor Tianyou in terms of temperament and talents. At this time, he also served as the defense envoy of Chuzhou and led troops stationed in Chuzhou. Together with Shouzhou controlled by Xu Mingzhen and Xiangzhou, a military town in the west,
Formed a defense line against the powerful northern vassals Liang and Jin.
The youngest prince Yang Yuanpu, born to the concubine Wang, is only thirteen years old this year and has been living in the palace.
Although Mrs. Shifei Wang is only thirty years old, she heard that before she was pregnant with the prince Pu, she was only a personal maid beside the Queen Xu. It was a blessing to Emperor Tianyou after drinking. However, she was not favored by Emperor Tianyou afterwards and was jealous of the Queen Xu.
, only after giving birth to the prince Yang Yuanpu could he be granted the title of wife.
At this time, Han Qian volunteered to become a pawn of Wan Honglou lurking around the third prince Yang Yuanpu in order to solve the current crisis. However, Wan Honglou's conspiracy was exposed and he still could not escape the danger of death.
If he wants to act according to the situation, he must first figure out the complicated people and things around the third prince Yang Yuanpu.
"Even though Mr. Guo was sent by Anning Palace, you should not speak lightly when you are beside the prince!" Without Han Qian asking, Han Daoxun was afraid that Han Qian would act violently next to the third prince, so he called Han Qian to
In the main room, I patiently analyzed some important relationships with him one by one...
"Father, don't be too busy lecturing the child. The child has been thinking about this matter these days. The father should listen to the child first. If there is any mistake, the father will point out the fallacy. The child will be more impressed." Han Qian bravely said,
If he wants to gain greater discretion and freedom in the future, he still needs to gain the trust of his father Han Daoxun.
"..." Han Daoxun was slightly startled, but he did not interrupt Han Qian's words. After all, no matter how much he said, Han Qian had to hear it in his heart. At this time, he might as well listen to what Han Qian was thinking.
.
"Even if Guo Rong is a person sent by Anning Palace, after all, the emperor's will is the greatest in the court. In the future, if anyone can make Guo Rong change the situation, the first person will undoubtedly be the emperor. Therefore, Guo Rong is sincere in his heart.
His attitude will still change subtly due to the emperor's preferences and cannot be generalized. Therefore, even if you must say something flattering in favor of the prince and Anning Palace, you must be moderate in front of Guo Rong."
Han Qian told the information he had compiled during this period,
"At this time, there were rumors in the court that the emperor did not like the prince, but he was afraid that Empress Xu and the Xu family would become too big, so they did not dare to act rashly. Even though many ministers are well aware of such things, logically speaking, the court should not discuss it rashly.
It should not be spread to the ears of people like Hai'er. However, within a few months of Hai'er arriving in Jinling, he heard many people discussing this matter privately. He thought in his heart that this must be someone deliberately spreading this behind his back.
However, no matter who is interested, if you think that the third prince Pu is still young and has no hope of the throne, it is a big mistake to think that he is the least scrupulous, because when the water becomes muddy, it will be difficult for anyone to be alone. Children also have self-awareness, although they cannot talk about it.
He is hopeless, but his knowledge is really limited, so he should not be qualified to accompany the third prince to study. However, someone chose the child with Feng Yi, Kong Xirong, and Zhou Kun. It is obvious that they used scheming. This in turn also undoubtedly shows that
, not everyone thinks that the third prince has no chance..."
"..." Han Daoxun was slightly startled when he heard Han Qian's eloquent talk, and then the light in his eyes suddenly became more intense, and he asked, "Who did you listen to these words?"
Han Qian wanted to put on a show, and then went on to imply that his father Zhou Kun's fall and paralysis was not a pure accident, but he didn't expect that his father didn't believe it at all. He had figured it out on his own, and his first reaction was to be wary of someone behind his back.
Even if you instigate him, he will be helpless.
Han Qian smiled bitterly and said, "Some of the words were said by Feng Yi and Kong Xirong when they came to talk to the boy today. Some of the words were made by the boy himself."
Both Feng Wenlan and Kong Zhou are currently neutral or ambiguous generals in the DPRK. They should know that it is not a good thing for their sons to accompany the third prince Yang Yuanpu to study. It is also appropriate to seize the time to teach them these days.
Han Daoxun thought Han Qian's explanation was reasonable. He was indeed worried that someone had directly targeted Han Qian.
"No matter who you are hearing this from, as long as you listen to it,"
Han Daoxun said seriously,
"Master Guo, you have to get close, but you must not lose your sense of proportion. In addition, although the third prince is jealous, there are indeed many people who have plots and calculations on him, but the third prince is still young, as long as the overall situation in the court can
Decide as soon as possible, the third prince is not really an adult yet, even if the people around him will be jealous, it will not be too serious. You still have to abandon his thoughts at this time, study hard with the third prince, stick to your duty, and don't act recklessly.
It’s enough to act recklessly!”
"Since the father wants his children to be active rather than quiet, what is the reason for inviting Uncle Guo to come to the house today?" Han Qian didn't want to be looked down upon by his father, Han Daoxun, so he couldn't help but ask.
"..." Han Daoxun looked at Han Qian strangely and said, "Don't ask nonsense about some things, let alone go out and talk nonsense."
"The child understands in his heart." Han Qian said in a low voice, wondering if he had guessed wrong and it was not his father who invited Guo Rong over for a drink?
Han Qian also thought in his mind that Feng Yi's father, Feng Wenlan, was the Minister of Household Affairs, and Kong Xirong's father, Kong Zhou, was the deputy commander of the Zuo Shenwu Army. They were both real-power generals with ambiguous attitudes in the DPRK. Feng Yi and Kong Xirong were deliberately chosen as the three.
With the prince accompanying him, it can be said that "the tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop", but his father Han Daoxun is a secretary and a young prisoner, and his official life is leisurely. It is a bit strange that he is involved in right and wrong.
Before, Han Qian would never have thought so deeply, but at this time, he had been deeply affected by the strange dream without realizing it.
The information obtained was too limited to analyze, and his father still regarded him as an ignorant and frivolous prodigal. At this time, Han Qian could not gain the trust of his father, so he stopped asking questions and took a quick look.
He asked his father Han Daoxun to throw the twelve small gold cakes he had just taken out on the table in the main room before saying goodbye and exiting.
"You can take the twelve loaves of gold and use it. From now on, when you are around the third prince, you must be useful, but you are not allowed to squander it as much as before!" Han Daoxun said sternly.
Twelve small gold cakes are worth 120,000 to 30,000 yuan, which is not a small sum of money even if placed in an official's home.
At this time, Han Daoxun was serving as the secretary and young supervisor, and his salary and seasonal rewards may only add up to four to five million yuan a year.
In recent years, there have been frequent wars in the Central Plains, and there is also unrest south of the Yangtze River. However, a large number of wealthy families have moved south to Jinling with Emperor Tianyou, causing the price of grain fields near Jinling to skyrocket.
Even so, the fertile farmland in Jiangcheng County only costs 10,000 yuan per acre.
These twelve small gold cakes can bring twelve or three acres of good paddy fields in Jinling.
And like when they went to Wanhonglou today, even if they didn't have sex with the king, even if they found someone like Yao Xishui to accompany them, they only needed one or two small gold cakes to have a good time. After all, they were not buying Yao Xishui's red pills.
If Han Qian hadn't been backed by the Han family, a powerful family in Xuanzhou, he would never have had the opportunity to spend so extravagantly.
"Ask Zhao Kuo to write down how much the child will spend from the bronze shop and for what purposes in the future, and report it to his father quarterly," Han Qian said.
Even though he didn't expect to be able to get rid of Wan Honglou's control at this time, he still needed money to make friends with Feng Yi and others, to recruit Zhao Wuji under his command, and even to win over Zhao Kuo and other family soldiers to prevent him from causing trouble.
Apart from occasional rewards, he would not receive any fixed salary when he went to study with the third prince.
He thought that he would continue to pay money from Han Ji Bronze Shop in the future, but at the same time he did not want to be suspected and questioned by his father Han Daoxun because of this, so he might as well set up the rules for opening accounts for inspection now.
"You just have to restrain yourself." Han Daoxun said with a gloomy face. Although he didn't stop him directly, he didn't want to see Han Qian continue to withdraw money from Hanji Bronze Shop and squander it.
*************************
Han Qian returned to the room, and then Zhao Kuo knocked on the door and brought washing water with a copper basin - Qingyun was too thin to dare to ride a horse, so he did not follow Han Qian and the others to the city today.
After washing up, Han Qian pointed to the twelve cakes of gold on the table and said to Zhao Kuo: "You didn't talk nonsense just now. That's good. I don't have a counting house around me. From now on, you will be in charge of the money and things for me."
.From now on, you have to use your brain to remember how much you will pay from the copper shop, how much you spend, and where you spend it, and tell my father the details every month..."
"I will never dare to talk too much," Zhao Kuo said.
"I asked you to talk about this. Who blames you for talking too much?" Han Qian said.
"..." After Zhao Kuo heard what Han Qian said, he nodded in agreement and said, "Young master, if you have no other instructions, I will go out first..."
After Zhao Kuo said this, he took out the copper basin with the water Han Qian had washed with.
Han Qian frowned slightly and stared at Zhao Kuo's back as he left.
Zhao Kuo seems to be the most inconspicuous among the family soldiers. He is over forty years old, but he is lazy and cowardly by nature. It seems that anyone can mislead him, so he is also despised by other family soldiers.
Han Qian used Zhao Wuji to kill Fan Wucheng, forcing Fan Xicheng to become disheartened and unable to control himself as before. When other soldiers saw Han Qian's elbows turned outward, they favored the son of the servant and became even more alienated from Han Qian.
Therefore, the only person Han Qian can use currently is Zhao Kuo.
During this time, Han Qian also deliberately promoted Zhao Kuo's status among the family soldiers.
Logically speaking, Han Qian's position at this time is not stable. Whether it is intimidation or wooing, if Zhao Kuo is really a timid person, he should be somewhat frightened. However, Han Qian has been under his control during this period.
But I can't see this on my body.
Moreover, Fan Dahei complained in front of him, saying that Zhao Kuo was too old to remember things and that he could not leave more important things to Zhao Kuo. However, Zhao Kuo did not seem to feel the need to pay attention to the details of each month's income and expenditure at this time.
How difficult it is to remember the account.
Zhao Kuo is from Wanhonglou?
No.
Han Qian didn't think Zhao Kuo would be from Wanhonglou.
Zhao Kuo came to the Han family to serve as a soldier, which happened when his father Han Daoxun was an official in Chuzhou. It has been five years...
If Wan Honglou had made plans around his father Han Daoxun so early, this time they just had to go with the flow and use Zhao Kuo to control him. How could they be the first to think of getting rid of him so that their people could have the opportunity to lurk there?
Go to the third prince?
Zhao Kuo is not from Wanhonglou. He should not be involved with people like Yao Xishui. Maybe he is just borrowing a place to hide. He has no unfavorable intentions towards his father Han Daoxun?
Han Qian was somewhat deceiving himself when he thought this, but there were already so many biting lice on his body that he didn't want to scare Zhao Kuo off yet and make the situation more complicated.
Looking at Zhao Kuo, who had a stooped figure and a cowardly temper, carrying a copper basin full of washing water, he just walked down the corridor. He seemed to realize that he had exposed a flaw, and seemed to intuitively sense that Han Qian was staring at him. His body suddenly froze in the corridor.
, paused for a few seconds, and then turned back.
Seeing Han Qian staring at him, Zhao Kuo asked: "Young Master, do you have any other instructions?"
"There's nothing wrong." Han Qian said calmly.
Then he gently closed the door. Han Qian thought that he would still find a way to drive Zhao Kuo out in the future, but now he really had no one to use.
Thinking that there was no one around him who could make him feel at ease, and he was always worried that his head might move the next day, Han Qian was sitting in the room, feeling a little impatient. He just put on a boxing show, played Shi Gong Fist, and reluctantly gave in.
