The registration was very simple, just for the officials of the Zhifang Division to make a record, and it ended quickly. Guo Song immediately followed Liu Ji to his official room. Liu Ji poured a cup of tea for Guo Song: "Recently, there have been a lot of comments about
Most of your rumors are unfavorable to you. You have to understand what it means to have three people become a tiger. The accumulation of all kinds of unfavorable remarks about you is enough to influence the opinions of those in power about you."
"If you have any unfavorable remarks, Brother Liu might as well tell me!" Guo Song said calmly.
"There are many. For example, some people say that you have no regard for the imperial court or the emperor, and have reached important decisions on behalf of the imperial court and the Sijie Ministry without authorization. Others say that you embezzled loot and took a large amount of gold and jewelry for yourself. Some people say that you openly violated the imperial court.
Laws and regulations, granting land to the people without authorization, and some people say that you are domineering and oppressing the local gentry. These are nothing. The most serious ones are two. One is that you are too ambitious, have placed confidants to control the army, and are showing signs of becoming a vassal town.
It is said that you secretly held back Shuofang's army, causing their disastrous defeat."
Guo Song was furious, who was spreading rumors about him in the court?
He restrained his anger and said: "Does the court believe this kind of baseless nonsense?"
Liu Ji sighed, "That's why I said that three people make a tiger. In fact, the imperial court has been verifying these rumors one by one. Guo Shijun, have you offended anyone? As a result, some people have spared no effort to attack you. Even Chang Xiangguo has
I decided that there was something wrong with you, so I persuaded the emperor to call you back for investigation."
When Liu Ji mentioned Prime Minister Chang Gun, Guo Song immediately understood that this matter might have something to do with the Zhang family. It seemed that he had really underestimated the relationship between Chang Gun and the Zhang family.
After pondering for a moment, Guo Song asked: "What is the relationship between Li Huaiguang and Chang Xiangguo?"
"I heard that Li Huaiguang was recommended by Chang Xiangguo."
Liu Ji suddenly understood what Guo Song meant, and he asked in a low voice: "You mean, it was Chang Xiangguo who stabbed you in the back?"
Guo Song said calmly: "I didn't say that he stabbed me in the back, but I was answering your question. You asked me who I offended. I did offend Chang Xiangguo."
........
Guo Song came out of the Ministry of War and immediately went to the East Palace, but was told that the Crown Prince had gone to Fengxiang Mansion and would not return for a few days. He had to return to the Taoist Temple unhappy. At noon, Guo Song's staff met Yan Zhenqing.
Yan Zhenqing took him to a newly opened teahouse, and the two sat down in a private room on the second floor. Yan Zhenqing smiled and said, "I'm not used to making tea, but I still like to drink sencha."
There were two ways to drink tea in the Tang Dynasty. Ordinary families drank boiled tea, added a little salt and other seasonings, and finally ate it together with the tea powder. However, the literati thought this drinking method was crude, so they switched to the sencha method, using
Spring water is used to make tea, and finally the tea is removed and the tea is drunk. This way of drinking tea has very high requirements for tea and water, so Lu Yu introduced the benefits of various teas and spring water in detail in the Tea Classic.
This newly opened teahouse is famous for its good water. It is quite popular among officials and literati, and its business is good.
"How do you drink tea in Fengzhou?" Yan Zhenqing asked again with a smile.
Guo Song shook his head and said with a smile: "I mainly drink milk tea in Fengzhou because every household has cheese. Everyone puts a little bit of it in when making tea. I drink some sencha myself. The water is good, but the tea is not very good. This time I come to the capital.
I’m also going to buy some good tea cakes and go back.”
Yan Zhenqing chuckled, "I'll give you two kilograms of Mengding tea later, real tribute tea, so you can have a taste of the good tea."
At this time, the maid came in and served them tea. Yan Zhenqing waved his hand and asked the maid to leave. He filled a cup of tea for Guo Song and said calmly: "The court has changed a lot this year, you know!"
Guo Song nodded, "I just heard today that Zhizhengtang has disappeared."
"The Zhizhengtang is still there. To be precise, the multi-prime voting system has disappeared. I am now qualified to be a prime minister, but I do not have the actual power of the prime minister. The only ones with real power are Chang Gun, the right prime minister, and Han Huang, the left prime minister. The other three
Each prime minister is a virtual prime minister, each in charge of his own affairs. For example, I am in charge of the official department, Duan Xiu is in charge of the criminal department, and Li Mian is in charge of the Central Plains. Only when the emperor holds a small court meeting, we will be present."
"But in this case, does Chang Gun have too much power, and will he become the second Yuan Zai?"
Yan Zhenqing pondered for a while and said: "Logically speaking, as a check and balance on the monarch's power, the right prime minister should indeed hold the power, and the left prime minister, as a servant, exists to check and balance the right prime minister. The system itself is good, but the key point is
It still depends on the person.
What do you think of Chang Gun? He hated government and valued imperial examinations and education, which is true. However, he was stubborn and did not listen to others' advice. He also had serious factionalism and relied heavily on alliances to suppress dissidents. This is indeed no different from Yuan Zai.
.”
Guo Song nodded. What he was concerned about now was not how the system was, but the troubles he faced. He said to Yan Zhenqing: "Li Huaiguang was defeated miserably in the grassland. I wonder what the court will do with him?"
Yan Zhenqing smiled and said, "You are actually concerned about whether you will be implicated in Li Huaiguang's fiasco!"
"yes!"
Guo Song did not deny it. He said frankly: "I just learned today that there are various rumors about me in the court. They actually said that I negotiated with the Sijie tribe on behalf of the Tang Dynasty without authorization, and that I was the cause of Sijie's sending troops to attack the Tang army. This is obviously an attempt to
The responsibility for the tragic defeat of Shuofang's army is placed on me, and I will never accept it."
"But Li Huaiguang's report said that he sent troops to annihilate Xue Yantuo's tribe because you encouraged him, so he rashly sent troops. Is this true?"
Guo Song was speechless. He shook his head and said: "I didn't expect him to be so shameless. I suggested that we jointly send troops to annihilate Xue Yantuo's tribe. He rejected my suggestion. As a result, he sent troops by himself, and now he is defeated.
, actually said that I encouraged him to send troops, how could he, a dignified military governor, be encouraged by others?"
Yan Zhenqing was silent for a moment and said: "As a person, I am willing to believe you, but the court has indeed obtained some evidence that is not conducive to you, so you must be mentally prepared."
"What evidence do you have for me to embezzle gold trophies?" Guo Song sneered.
"It's not this, but the Sijie envoy admitted that last autumn, you sent someone to the Sijie Ministry to deliver a letter to Sijie Khan. Sijie Khan sent troops to Xue Yantuo at your request. Don't deny this!
"
"There is such a thing, but I wrote the letter to Khan Sijie in my own name, not on behalf of the Tang Dynasty, and I can't even speak of representing the imperial court without authorization."
Yan Zhenqing sighed slightly, "Actually, it's more troublesome in the name of an individual. The imperial court is most taboo about border generals colluding privately with grassland nomadic tribes. The emperor has never expressed his position on the matter, which shows that he is also dissatisfied. You must not do this kind of thing again.
, unless authorized by the emperor, you must remember it."
Guo Song was speechless for a moment.
........
Two days passed in a blink of an eye. This morning, Guo Song was sitting in the dining hall having breakfast when he saw Qingfeng running over in a hurry, "Uncle Master, there is someone looking for you outside!"
"Who is looking for me?"
"I don't know, it seems like he came from the palace."
Guo Song put down his chopsticks, stood up and walked out quickly. He saw two white-faced and beardless men standing outside the Taoist temple, wearing official uniforms of chamberlains, each holding a horse.
"Are you two looking for me?" Guo Song stepped forward and asked.
"Are you Guo Song?"
When the chamberlain opened his mouth, his voice was sharp and thin, and he was obviously a eunuch.
Guo Song nodded, "I am exactly that!"
"We are the chamberlains of the East Palace. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has summoned you. Please tidy up a little and come over as soon as possible!"
After the two of them finished explaining, they got on their horses and left.
It turned out that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was back, Guo Song quickly went back and changed into official uniform, took a few people with him, and rode towards the imperial city.
Not long after, he came to the Changle Gate of Taiji Palace. To the east of Taiji Palace was the East Palace, where the prince lived, studied and handled court affairs. The north of the East Palace was connected to the Daming Palace through Xuande Gate.
Guo Song dismounted, handed the horse to Kang Bao, and told them, "You can wait outside the palace. I should be out soon."
"Take care of yourself!"
Guo Song nodded, entered the Changle Gate with a fish card, and came to the Qinzheng Hall where the emperor handled court affairs. The two eunuchs who went to the Taoist temple to summon him had been waiting here for a long time.
"Guo Shijun, please come with us. His Royal Highness has been waiting for a long time."
"When did His Highness the Crown Prince return to Beijing?" Guo Song asked as he walked.
"I returned to Beijing last night and summoned Guo Shijun when I came back. This shows that your Majesty holds great importance in the heart of His Royal Highness!"
Guo Song smiled slightly and said, "You two father-in-laws have given me the prize!"
Not long after, the three of them came to the prince's study. A eunuch went in to report, and soon came out and said: "Shijun Guo, your highness invites you to come in, please!"
Guo Song straightened his clothes a little and quickly walked into the prince's study.