Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Huo Peng's official residence, inner study room
Two bachelors, Huo Peng and Dong Yi, sat at the head.

Lin Ruhai, the former governor of Henan, Ding Xian, who returned to Beijing at the same time as Lin Ruhai, Bian Qing, the left minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Meng Huacai, the left minister of the Ministry of War, Dou Xiu, the right minister of the Ministry of Industry, and other new party officials sat at the bottom.

There were also two representatives of the moderate faction, Yan Ning, the Minister of Household Affairs, and Feng Yuan, the Right Minister, as well as Pang Chao, Jia Cong's representative.

Feng Yuan glanced at Shangshu Yan Ning and saw him nodding slightly, then he smiled and said: "I'm going back to Xiang Huo's house for a visit. Not to mention, the tea at Xiang Ye's house is really better than ordinary people's tea. I am a good official." ”

Huo Peng said with a smile: "I'm not good at this, so I can't tell the difference between good and bad. If little Situ likes it, I can take some back to taste later."

Feng Yuan cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Xiaguan, I have thanked Huo Xiang for his kindness. Everyone knows that Xianguan's family is in a difficult situation, and it is not easy to live in the capital. It is rare to come to Huo Xiang's house, so I have to take something with me." It’s all in vain.”

Everyone laughed, hearing what he meant.

This fat man was indeed difficult to deal with. He made it clear that the carriage and horse would have to be negotiated, but he didn't know how much he wanted to take away.

Dong Yi smiled and said: "You can take whatever little Situ wants. Huo Xiang's best friend, how can he be a stingy person? Even if he doesn't have it here, if he can make it at my house, it won't be much different.

If there are still some shortcomings, we will shamelessly ask the emperor for mercy. As long as it is not excessive, everything is expected to be granted. "

Feng Yuan hurriedly cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Don't dare, don't dare, the two elders are so flattering, the subordinate is so flattered that I don't deserve it."

He has never known what politeness is, and today he just happened to eat the plaintiff and the defendant. Why is this kid Jia Cong so popular?

Yan Ning also smiled and said: "Today we are having a drink at Huo Xiang's house, and Prime Minister Jiang wanted to come, but because Su Xiang also held a banquet at home, we couldn't be separated.

Therefore, I was sent to collect it on my behalf. If I had known that the two prime ministers were so kind, he would definitely come as well. "

"It doesn't matter if we get together another day, as long as we are of the same mind and share the same goals, it doesn't matter whether people come or not." Huo Peng smiled.

"Goodbye, Mr. Huo."

Everyone laughed.

The tone of tonight's discussion has been set by a few big guys chatting and laughing.

The new party is willing to pay a sufficient price to win over the neutral lineage.

Dong Yi smiled slightly and returned to the topic, saying: "What do you think about the matter of this morning's court meeting?"

Lin Ruhai took the lead and said: "Obviously, this is the old party's public revenge for private revenge, openly impeaching Jia Cong, and secretly sparking party strife."

Ding Xian said: "This time the old party did not hesitate to put down their status and collude with Dongchang. This is not a good sign. If they get their way and successfully take down Dang Koubo, will they learn the lesson and deal with other people who can't stand it? "

Bian Qing said: "What the two gentlemen said is absolutely true. This trend cannot last forever, and this cannot be repeated. Otherwise, the atmosphere of evil will permeate the court, which will not be a blessing to the country."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Yan Ning and Feng Yuan looked at each other, smiled slightly, and spent some time sipping tea. They seemed to be oblivious to these official clichés. As mature politicians, they only care about their interests and regardless of whether their feelings are right or wrong. This is their basic quality.

Dong Yidao: "Do Yan Butang and Xiao Situ have any ideas?"

Yan Ning rolled his eyes, and the two mustaches on his lips moved up and down, and said: "What you all said is reasonable, but this matter is quite difficult. After all, the Jia family did commit a crime and someone got the handle.

Dongchang also had a hand, thinking that he had prepared the evidence and was waiting for the conviction. "

Feng Yuandao: "What Yan Budang said is absolutely true. To be honest, I have the same spirit with Dang Kou Bo, and they have an irreversible friendship. It is a long-lasting agreement, and I was even given a poem by him."

No matter what the possibility, I don't want him to suffer such a prison sentence. I have tried my best today to just barely crack down on the old party's killing situation, but in the end it will not help.

It seems that the other party has another plan, but it is beyond expectation. I hope you all will take the trouble to rescue my little brother as soon as possible. "

Everyone secretly scolded the two for being shameless. They talked a lot and did not talk about serious matters. They only focused on showing off their merits and complaining, which was nothing more than asking for a price.

Pang Chao glanced at Feng Yuan and the two men and said: "Two of you, gentlemen in the middle hall, Chao Yan is a guest of Dang Kou Bo. He has little talent and little knowledge. He saw Dong Weng suffering but could not do anything to relieve his worries. I am really ashamed.

Today I went to visit Zhao Prison. Dang Koubo said that he went south to the south of the Yangtze River to raid illegal gentry and got nearly 80 million silver in stolen goods. He only hoped that the court could use it well and he would have nothing to worry about in prison. "

Everyone is a smart person, and you will understand as soon as you hear it.

Dong Yi looked at Yan Ning and Feng Yuan with a smile and said: "You two are in charge of the household department. These illegally stolen funds will eventually be transferred to the national treasury for overall use. This is not an easy job."

Everyone in the New Party looked at the two people with a smile on their face and said, "What Prime Minister Dong said is very true. How can such a missionary of gold and silver be so easy?
That is to say, the two young and old Situ were extremely talented, shrewd and experienced, and they just took over. It would have been impossible for us to do it. "

The subtext is, you two old foxes, don’t go too far. Such a big cake is enough for you to sell your ancestral graves. Why don’t you eat it without any effort? But we are not fools either.

Yan Ning and Feng Yuan looked at each other and smiled. They had been prepared for this scene.

"My lords, you are ridiculous. We must do our best to eat the emperor's salary and be loyal to the emperor. We should work side by side with all our colleagues to maintain the integrity of the court and eliminate the evil atmosphere.

If it were just for today, there would be no problem for us to risk our lives and fight against the evil villains. I'm afraid this matter will change drastically, which will be beyond our control. "Yan Ning looked at everyone with stern eyebrows, stroking his whiskers, and said "sadly".

Dong Yi said: "I would like to hear the details."

Feng Yuan said with a smile: "Prime Minister Dong and all the Ming Gongs have their eyes as bright as fire. How can they not understand? It's nothing more than a test of the lower officials and the Yanbu Hall. Let me put it into words. I hope all the Gongs will criticize and correct me.

Some people teamed up with Dongchang to suddenly attack this matter. It is no longer an ordinary court battle. It is said that there are gods at the top of the head. When gods fight, mortals suffer. We must act with caution. "After speaking, he pointed his finger upward.

Everyone understood that the dispute he was referring to today and the Supreme Emperor was the truth, and they remained silent for a while.

This damn fat man is so cunning and cunning, it's hard to deal with him.

Huo Peng said calmly: "What you two said is not unreasonable, why should you teach me?"

"I don't dare." The two of them hurriedly handed over their hands in thanks.

"Brother Feng is very articulate. It's up to you, the Prime Minister, and all the other lords to explain it to you," Yan Ning said.

Feng Yuan nodded, cupped his hands and said: "Two prime ministers, everyone, what Master Bian just said cannot last long, and there is a demonic atmosphere in the court, so I thought I hit the nail on the head. What does the affairs of the court have to do with Dongchang?" If this trend arises, won’t we be able to rely on others to live our lives in the future?

Going one step further, it is inevitable to repeat the mistakes of Emperor Huan Ling in the late Han Dynasty. At that time, the world will be in chaos, the country will no longer be a country, and we will all become sinners. "

Everyone frowned, this damn fat man was alarmist and had a huge appetite.

Lin Ruhai said: "Master Feng, how do you think this disaster can be avoided?"

Feng Yuandao: "I don't think that it is precisely because the Tao eliminates demons that the demonic trend prevails. Only when the righteous people prevail in the court, depose the evil and uphold the righteous, can this be the fundamental strategy to sweep away the demonic atmosphere and clarify the government."

Everyone looked at each other, this is the official hat.

A damn fat man, he wants money and an official position, he has a big appetite, and he's not afraid of stuffing himself to death.

Bian Qing was the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which was within the scope of his duties. Yin smiled coldly and said: "What Mr. Feng said is quite reasonable. It's just that he is in a hurry and it is difficult to find upright people. What can Mr. Feng do?" Do you recommend it?"

Feng Yuan smiled slightly, took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, and said: "I have been searching and observing these officials with my colleagues for a long time. I feel that these officials are worthy of appointment because of their pure intentions and outstanding talents."

Bian Qing took it and saw that there were more than a dozen names on it, all of which were first-rate figures who were prefects, prefects or heads of various ministries.

After pondering for a moment, this damn fat man would sit down and raise the price. The price was not too high, but after promoting these people, his own people would lose a lot of positions. For a moment, it was difficult to choose, so he handed the paper to the two nuns. .

Huo and Dong glanced at each other. They had a much bigger picture. They were not entangled and exchanged a look.

Dong Yi smiled and said: "It's rare that you have the world in mind and recommend talented people to the imperial court. I have also heard about the moral achievements of these people. The imperial court has always used the capable ones at the top and the mediocre ones at the bottom. Since they are talented people, they should be reused."

Feng Yuan and Yan Ning looked at each other. They didn't expect the New Party boss to be so generous without even negotiating the price.

"Listening to the Prime Minister's words, our fighting spirit is aroused and our fighting spirit is strong. Now that we have successors, we have no worries and are only willing to fight to the death against the traitors in the DPRK.

Even if you lose your official position and your life is at risk, you still have to fight with them to set the right course. "Feng Yuan stood up and made an impassioned speech.

Everyone laughed and praised, while secretly cursing in their hearts. You, the damn fat guy, must be the best in this dynasty in terms of shamelessness. No matter how shameless you say, you can say it with confidence.

Yan Ning said: "Before I came, Prime Minister Jiang told me that if the two prime ministers really wanted to help the court, let us do what they were told. Now that we are united in our will, I will ask the two prime ministers to give instructions, and we will act as ordered." yes."

Huo Peng nodded and said: "Okay, let's discuss this matter. Brother Gongzai, if you have any high opinions, you might as well speak up."

Seeing that everyone had finally negotiated the terms, Pang Chao smiled and said: "My lords, I foolishly thought that we should start from three aspects. One is to determine whether it can be done or not to gain public opinion; the other is to use offense as defense to disrupt its position; the third is to use offense as defense to disrupt its position; Jinyi helps us identify grievances..."

After everyone listened attentively, they all clapped their hands and smiled: "Brother Gongzai is worthy of being the number one scholar. He has far-reaching vision and thoughtful consideration. I can't wait."

"A little bit of insight is enough to make people laugh."
-
In the past few days, the court has been quarreling over Jia Cong's case. Seeing that the old party had nothing new, the New Party and the Moderate Party gradually made efforts to refer the case to the new law.

It is only said that the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River and the old party in the DPRK were dissatisfied with Jia Cong's execution of the wealthy families who colluded with the bandits and rebels. Therefore, they were charged with crimes and attacked them in groups. It was called anti-Jia Cong, but it was actually anti-new law.

At the same time, based on the information provided by Jin Yiwei, impeachments were launched against members of the old party.

Moreover, news of the Jiangnan Socialist Party came one after another. Scholars from poor families from all over the country signed a letter one after another, shouting for the new law, criticizing the old parties in the DPRK, resisting the new law, and clinging to the old.

Chen Guojiu also took action and secretly instigated some old party officials to rebel and defect to the new party.

The Chen family, a millennium-old family, was originally a die-hard old party. However, due to the changes in the court and the Queen's instruction, the old party suddenly changed its tune. This caught the old party off guard, and the camp was suddenly torn apart.

The old party insisted on the Jia family's crimes, demanding that the country's laws be rectified and traitors eliminated.

Especially recently, Zhu Wenfeng, Jia Yucun and others were escorted to Beijing by Dongchang. After a brief interrogation in the factory prison, they all confessed, which further increased their persuasiveness.

Emperor Xifeng had a clear view of the situation in the court, so he only allowed the ministers to express their opinions and discussed it again and again. Seeing that the power of the old party in the court was gradually weakening, he did not argue.

These days, Jia Cong is eating well and sleeping well in the imperial prison, but he does not suffer at all.

The Sanfa Division and Dongchang Fanzi came to interrogate several times, but Jia Cong ignored him and only let Zhou Wei, the "Queen Litigator", deal with it.

The visitors had no choice. In the imperial prison, they could neither use torture nor extort confessions, so they came several times in vain and stopped coming.

October 12th was nearly a month since Jia Cong was imprisoned.

Today is the time for the court meeting again.

People in the old party brought up Jia Cong's case as usual, and people in the new party refuted it one after another.

Today, the clan members and nobles also came out, and the scene was very lively.

The loyal and shun king's party and the Hou Bo family advocated severe punishment.

Prince Zhongxin and others as well as the founder of the country tried their best to defend Jia Cong and advocated a light sentence.

Suddenly, Li Meng, the right governor of the Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army, Guanyang Marquis, came out and said: "During his tenure, Jia Daihua, the former Jingying Jiedushi envoy, deducted military pay, resold ordnance, falsely reported troop quotas, and embezzled military expenditures. He betrayed the divine grace and was abolished. In the case of the prince's rebellion, he stood still and secretly supported the rebellion."

"I visited Jia Jing of Ningguo Mansion in the hope of immortality. In the Xuanzhen Temple outside the city, he took the hearts and livers of hundreds of boys and girls and made elixirs. Their bodies were buried in the mountains behind.

Now a gang of evildoers have been arrested and the bodies of the victims have been exhumed. The scholars and common people were agitated and indignant, demanding severe punishment. " Xing Shan, the Minister of Punishment, stood up.

"I consult the third-ranking general Jia Rong of Ningguo Mansion. During the period of filial piety, he sexually humiliated his aunt and violated human relations. This is an unforgivable crime. I request you to be severely punished." Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites said in public.

As soon as these three charges came out, there was a sudden silence in the Golden Palace.

The new party Bing Zhongxin, Feng Yuan and others were stunned. They never expected that the old party seemed to be weakening, but it was hiding a shocking blow. There was only one thought in their hearts, the Jia family was over.

Su Haochu, a military scholar, smiled coldly and left the class: "Your Majesty, the Jia family has a surly family tradition, is treasonous, has committed crimes so heinous that it is difficult to describe them. I would like to request that the crimes of Ning Rong and the second family be handed over to the third division for joint investigation and punishment." inside and outside."

"I second the proposal!" Jiudang, Uncle Hou and a large number of clan members came out to report. (End of chapter)