Chapter 1112: Combining Vertical and Horizontal (Part 2)
In the afternoon, Yang Mi came to the leather goods shop in Liren City. Liren City is equivalent to the West Market in Chang'an. It specializes in wholesale and circulation of bulk goods and goods related to people's livelihood, such as grain, cloth, meat, oil, tea cakes, etc.
Wait, it is a barometer of the city's economy. If business is booming and transaction volume is high, it means that the city's economy is prosperous and people's living standards are good, and vice versa.
The weather is nice today, and it is the prime time in the afternoon, but the business in Liren City can only be described as "bleak and deserted". This is not something that has become like this recently. It has been like this for the past few years. Every store is...
The life and death line of bankruptcy.
Throughout Luoyang, apart from brothels, dance halls and other sensual places as well as high-end restaurants and luxury goods stores, all other businesses were in mourning.
Looking at the deserted Liren City, Yang Mi secretly shook his head. The Zhu Si Dynasty was already terminally ill, and the top officials were still engaged in a life-and-death power struggle. There was really no hope of salvation.
He urged the donkey and speeded towards the leather goods shop. The business of the leather goods shop was also bleak, with only a little business in winter. Most of the shops were closed, and only three or four shops were still open, including the Hexi leather goods shop.
One family.
The Hexi leather goods shop is naturally the intelligence base of the Jin Wei Mansion in Luoyang. The intelligence leader Jiang Min is the proprietor of this shop. When several chatting clerks saw Yang Mi, they all stood up and said with a smile: "Mr. Yang is here!"
"You little monkeys are hiding here and being lazy when the shopkeeper is not here."
"No way! There is no business in the store. We are sitting here waiting for customers! How about Mr. Yang buying some sheepskins?"
"Mr. Yang, are you buying sheepskin? If your skin is itchy and you dare to go around and scold me, I will tell you to go to the shopkeeper."
At this time, Jiang Min walked out of it and asked with a smile: "What are you talking about? It's so lively, yo! Mr. Yang is here. I heard something about sheepskin just now. Are you here to buy sheepskin?"
All the waiters burst into laughter, and Yang Mi said angrily: "The upper beam is not straight and the lower beam is crooked. I know where the root cause is?"
Jiang Min knew that he must have something important to come to, so he smiled and said, "Let's go to the backyard!"
Yang Mi handed the donkey to the clerk and followed Jiang Min to the backyard. The two walked into the room. Yang Mi smiled and asked, "Does Boss Jiang know why I'm here?"
Jiang Min thought for a while and asked: "Is it related to Zhu Si's son?"
Yang Mi put his hands on his hands and laughed, "The proprietor is really good, he guessed it right."
Jiang Min smiled slightly and said: "Concubine Xiao Shu gave birth to a son, Liu Feng must be under a lot of pressure!"
Yang Mi nodded, "The pressure is not as great as usual. Liu Feng first heard the news that Zhu Si wanted to make King Zhao the crown prince. This morning, the imperial concubine wrote to Liu Feng again, saying that Zhu Si might make Concubine Xiao Shu the queen. Let Zhu Si
Si was greatly frightened, and Zhu Sui came to visit him at noon. The two hit it off and decided to join forces to deal with the increasingly powerful Xiao family."
Jiang Min pondered for a moment and said, "Zhu Si is going to establish a new heir to the throne. Is this news accurate?"
"There is no clear news, but I think this is not groundless. There are obvious signs."
"What are the signs?" Jiang Min asked.
"One sign is that Xiao Wanding was promoted from General Zuowei to General Hubenwei, was granted the title of Prince of Xingyang County, and took control of Zhu Si's 100,000 Imperial Forest Army. Another sign is that Xiao Di became the doctor of the Neiku Duzhi, and actually took control of the Neiku.
If Zhu Si did not want to establish a new crown prince, he would not have promoted the Xiao family in this way. You must know that even Liu Feng only named Song Guogong and not the county prince. This is not equivalent to Liu Guifei. It only shows that Zhu Si wants to be canonized.
Concubine Xiao Shu will be the queen, and then she will make King Zhao the prince. Of course, Zhu Sui must be deposed first."
Jiang Min also felt that what Yang Mi said was reasonable. He thought deeply and asked: "What if it is discovered that King Zhao is not Zhu Si's son?"
Yang Mi shook his head, "I'm sure Zhao Wen is Zhu Si's son. The Liu brothers and sisters tried every means to find clues that Concubine Xiao Shu was having an affair with other men. They even checked the imperial doctor, but they couldn't find any clues. The only way to find out was
The man whom Concubine Xiao Shu diagnosed was the old imperial doctor Zhang Xiaoqiu. He was sixty years old, and several palace maids were present during the pulse diagnosis. He diagnosed the happy pulse.
All the evidence proves that King Zhao is Zhu Si's son. Even Wang Xianzhong, the eunuch who always flattered Concubine Liu, proved Concubine Xiao Shu's innocence to Zhu Si.
This is when Wang Xianzhong could not find any evidence, so he turned his allegiance to Concubine Xiao Shu. He is the weathervane in the inner palace, which means that the positions of Concubine Xiao Shufei and her son are stable."
Jiang Min walked a few steps and asked again: "Then what do you want me to do? Just tell me these things?"
"Zhu Si is a little confused today. He wants me to help him make up his mind, but I can't think of what to do? I hope to get instructions from His Highness Prince Jin."
Jiang Min nodded, "Then tell Zhu Si that it will take some time to think about it, and I will send an eagle letter to Chang'an right away! I will give you a reply in three days!"
Yang Mi suddenly remembered something again and quickly added: "I heard that Liu Sigu and Xiao Wanding are very close, and they may want to join forces to deal with Liu Feng."
"I know, I'll write right away!"
...........
Xiao Wanding is about fifty years old, tall, strong, and handsome. He comes from a military family and his ancestral home is Xingyang. His grandfather was once a general. He had high hopes for him and gave him a very impressive name.
Xiao Wanding.
Xiao Wanding's father was the deputy historian of the Zhengzhou regiment training. When he was thirty years old, Xiao Wanding inherited his father's official position and continued to serve as the left deputy envoy of the Zhengzhou regiment training. Generally, the state regiment training envoys are concurrently serving as governors. The real officer in charge of training the army is the left and right deputy envoys.
.
There are a thousand militia soldiers in Zhengzhou. Xiao Wanding leads 500 militia soldiers, who are responsible for maintaining public order and exterminating banditry. Xiao Wanding has been in office for twenty years. He has no chance to climb up. People like them who came from local militia groups have been beaten to the core by the regular army.
Contempt is said to be contemptuous of a scholar, but contempt for a soldier is equally serious.
If nothing else happens, in a few years, his eldest son will inherit his position as deputy regimental training envoy, and he himself will disappear.
Three years ago, when his daughter Xiao Wuniang was seventeen years old, the palace was recruiting maids from all over the country. As usual, all daughters of the middle and lower classes in various states and counties had to apply. Xiao Wanding made a major decision and spent three hundred taels of silver to bribe her.
The talent selector selected his daughter into the palace.
Xiao Wanding really had no choice, and he was not willing to disappear into obscurity, so he took up the idea of his daughter, hoping that her daughter would make him stand out, but he also knew that his daughter's appearance was too ordinary, and the possibility of being favored by the emperor was slim.
, it had been three years since he entered the palace, and there was no news at all. Just when Xiao Wanding was about to despair, he was suddenly hit by a hydrangea thrown by the God of Destiny.
His daughter was actually pregnant with the emperor's dragon species, and was the only dragon species. The daughter was named Shu Fei, and the Xiao family immediately ascended to heaven. Xiao Wanding, his wife, and their two sons were summoned to the capital, and Xiao Wanding was named General Zuowei.
Zheng Guogong, his wife was named Zheng Guo's wife, and his two sons were named Huben Lang General, each commanding an army of five thousand.
His brother Xiao Wance was suddenly promoted from the chief clerk of Xingyang County to the governor of Zhengzhou. Even his nephew Xiao Di, who had repeatedly failed in the imperial examination, was named a doctor of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
The God of fate obviously did not stop caring for the Xiao family. His daughter finally gave birth to a son as she wished. This was the emperor's only son. Xiao Wanding's career took off again. From the empty position of General Zuowei, he was suddenly promoted to the title of Tiger Guard.
General, commanding an army of 100,000 people, was promoted from Zheng Guogong to Prince of Xingyang County.
In just half a year, Xiao Wanding rose from a little-known local official to one of the most powerful people in the court. The ups and downs were so great and his encounters were so bizarre that Xiao Wanding always felt like he was dreaming.
But Xiao Wanding soon learned that the Xiao family had violated the interests of the Liu family, the most powerful family in the dynasty. The Liu family had already regarded their family as a thorn in their side and a thorn in their flesh. This made Xiao Wanding, who had no deep foundation, really feel uneasy.
But at this moment, his allies also appeared. Military advisor Liu Sigu took the initiative to visit him and implicitly expressed his willingness to help him deal with the pressure from the Liu family. Xiao Wanding, who was extremely happy, immediately hosted a banquet at Taibai Restaurant to invite Liu Sigu back.
They became familiar with each other, and Xiao Wanding's waist gradually became harder.
Xiao Wanding's county prince's residence was Zhang Guangsheng's former residence. After Zhang Guangsheng's death, with Liu Sigu's repeated pleas, Zhu Si spared Zhang Guangsheng's two sons and allowed them to take their mother and transport their father's coffin back to Wanqiu County, Chenzhou for burial, where Zhang Guangsheng was buried.
There was a manor nearby, and their mansion in Luoyang was confiscated by the officials.
Now this mansion is awarded to Xiao Wanding as the palace of the Prince of Xingyang County. It is the so-called iron-clad camp and flowing soldiers. Who knows who will own this mansion that Wu Sansi once owned in a few years?
At night, a distinguished guest came to Xiao Wanding's Prince's Mansion, Wang Xianzhong, the eunuch who came from the palace. Wang Xianzhong was responsible for reviewing memorials for Zhu Si in the inner palace. He had power over the government and the public. He was called the internal minister and was called Xian Gong by all the officials in the court.
It's a bit like Gao Lishi's character back then.
Wang Xianzhong was originally just an ordinary eunuch in the Xingqing Palace of Chang'an. He lived in the Xingqing Palace before Zhu Si usurped the throne. Because Wang Xianzhong was proficient in pen and ink and could write well, he became Zhu Si's pen and ink eunuch and followed him all the time.
Coming to Luoyang from Chang'an, he became the general manager of the palace. He was loyal to Zhu Si and good at doing things. He won Zhu Si's trust and his power became more and more powerful. To a certain extent, he was exercising it for Zhu Si.
The power of the emperor, such as the appointment of officials above the fifth rank, basically rests with him.
Xiao Wanding invited Wang Xianzhong into the inner hall and asked the maid to serve tea.
Wang Xianzhong said with a smile: "We are here this time, following the emperor's instructions to talk to the general. We want to congratulate the general!"
Xiao Wanding asked in a trembling voice: "Where does happiness come from?"
"The Holy One has made preliminary considerations and decided to appoint Concubine Xiao Shu as the queen. This is a big deal. Since the death of his wife twenty years ago, the Holy One has never renewed the relationship and established a dynasty. The position of the Queen in the Palace has also been vacant. Now he is nearly 20 years old.
Sixtieth-year-old, I finally decided to make a queen, this is a great blessing for the Xiao family!"
Xiao Wanding had actually heard about it for a long time, but it was just a rumor at that time. Now the rumor turned out to be true, which made him extremely excited. He suppressed the excitement in his heart and said quickly: "A mother is more valuable than a son! He is the destined son of the Holy God.
That’s why our Xiao family is as wealthy as it is today. It should be said that our Xiao family has been blessed by the Holy One.”
Xiao Wanding was very good at talking. His blessing from his daughter suddenly turned into his blessing from the emperor. This made Wang Xianzhong narrow his eyes with a smile and thought to himself, "They say the Xiao family are bumpkins, but now it seems that is not the case."
, this Xiao Wanding can be a good friend.'
He then said to Xiao Wanding: "Of course, it is not so fast to appoint a queen. It will take at least several months to prepare. But the general must understand that Xiao Shufei becoming the queen is just a starting point. The real purpose of the emperor is to appoint King Zhao as the crown prince.
Everyone knows it, and I hope the general will know it."
Xiao Wanding nodded repeatedly. He had already heard Liu Sigu say that when the emperor had a son in his later years, he would definitely pass the throne to his biological son and not to his nephew. The Zhu family was thin, so the role of the Xiao family was to protect the new prince.
Growing up and ascending the throne, this is the fundamental reason why he was named General Hu Benwei.
Wang Xianzhong added: "The above is the oral message that the emperor asked me to convey to the general. Then we also want to say a few heartfelt words to the general."
Xiao Wanding straightened his back and said, "Please speak frankly, Mr. Xian!"
Wang Xianzhong said slowly: "The establishment of a crown prince has been a major national event since ancient times, involving the interests of too many people. Our family believes that some people will hate Concubine Xiao to the core, and some people will wish to poison Zhao Wen to death. There will also be people who will gnash their teeth at the Xiao family.
, who they are, we won’t mention them by name, the general should also know very well.”
Xiao Wanding nodded silently, "I know!"
"It's good that the general knows. In fact, the emperor is in charge of the inner palace and we are monitoring it. There won't be any trouble. I'm just afraid of the outside..."
Speaking of this, Wang Xianzhong leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "People's hearts are complicated. You don't know where he stands until the last moment? Our family is afraid that someone will jump over the wall and someone will launch a mutiny, so the general is at this critical moment."
, you should not live in the palace, but should stay in the military camp, General, do you understand what I mean?"
Xiao Wanding suddenly broke into a cold sweat on his back. He quickly stood up and clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Mr. Xian, for reminding me. I was indeed negligent."
"We just want to remind you that His Majesty had a profound intention in letting the General and his son take over the military power. It's getting late, so we have to say goodbye."
Xiao Wanding's son brought a box over, and Xiao Wanding quickly handed the box to Wang Xianzhong, "This is a piece of my heart. Please don't think it's shabby, please accept it!"
Wang Xianzhong looked at the red sandalwood box and knew what it was. It was a very precious pearl gifted to Concubine Xiao by the emperor. He smiled and said: "Although we are famous for being good at making money, we can still distinguish the importance clearly. In the future, we will
Our family is giving a gift to the general."
Xiao Wanding has always been very proficient in giving gifts. He pretended to have a straight face and said: "This is not a gift. This is a little bit of my heart and affection for Mr. Xian. If Mr. Xian does not accept it, then he does not accept my love from Xiao Wanding!"
Wang Xianzhong laughed loudly, "Okay! Okay! Okay! I'll just accept it."
He accepted the box, said goodbye and left. Xiao Wanding walked all the way to the gate, watched him get on the carriage, and watched the carriage drive away.
The pearl was given by Concubine Xiao to her nephew, but her father gave it to Wang Xianzhong. The eldest son Xiao Tan was really dissatisfied and said, "Wang Xiangong really dares to accept that pearl. Isn't he afraid of burning his hands?"
Xiao Wanding squinted his eyes and smiled: "Don't worry! Since he came to our house to burn incense, he will never ask for that bead. He will definitely repay the favor twice in two days."
...........
The news that Zhu Si had given birth to a son also reached Chang'an. The imperial court was busy with the imperial examination at this time, and the political affairs hall was not very concerned about this matter. However, with the arrival of an eagle letter from Jiang Min of the Luoyang Intelligence Station, Chang'an was finally aroused.
High-level attention.
Right Prime Minister Pan Liao, Left Prime Minister Du You, and Minister of War Zhang Qiu'an all hurriedly came to the palace of the King of Jin.
Guo Song waved his hand and said with a smile: "Everyone, please take a seat!"
The three of them sat down. Guo Song first asked Du You, "How is the civil service examination going?"
"Overall, it's pretty good. It's a little better than last year. The Jinshi students are more confident in their speech. They generally hope to go to local government to make contributions. There are more than 20 people who want to become civilian officials in the army."
The Civil Service Examination is not a test of talent and learning. It mainly tests eloquence and appearance. Officials of the Civil Service Department are all talented people and can judge people very accurately. Whether they are rhetorical or down-to-earth, whether they are more hard-working or eager for quick success and quick success. After passing an interview,
They can basically see the character of each new scholar, and then comprehensively evaluate them based on their respective conditions before conferring official titles.
There is a last-place elimination system. If the conditions are too poor, the distribution may not be very good. This is actually the tradition of the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty. The officialdom of the Tang Dynasty attached great importance to family background and appearance. If the family background was good, tall, handsome, and good-looking.
If you are dignified, you will generally do well. If you are from a poor family background, short and ugly, it will be difficult for you to do well.
Although Guo Song repeatedly asked the officials not to look at family background and appearance, but to focus on character, in fact, this chain of family origin and appearance discrimination is still everywhere.
If your family background is not good or your appearance is too bad, you may work as a librarian, or go to the state school to teach, or in short, go to Qingshui Yamen that is not valued by others.
The bad family background here does not mean that the family is poor, but that it does not mean that the family has no social status, such as a businessman, a subordinate, or an ordinary family. It is useless to have money. Under the same conditions, of course, the interests of the family must be considered first, and when the world is stabilized,
Then consider the issue of fairness.
Guo Song nodded and said: "Let's make arrangements as soon as possible! In addition, I will have a few lists for the staff to make special arrangements."
Du You nodded in agreement, and Guo Song continued: "I came to you because I wanted to talk about Luoyang. I just got news that Zhu Si may want to re-establish the crown prince."