Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 204 Winning over
……

Wu Nan quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He only knew that the Persian envoys strongly condemned Bactria for detaining their princess, but he had no idea that there was any rebellion in Persia.

But he cannot admit defeat verbally, otherwise how can he save his dignity as a minister?

Wu Nan gritted his teeth and said, "This is just Lord Jia's one-sided statement. During this period, I beg the emperor to send an envoy to Persia to find out the situation. If there is really a rebellion, it is fine for the two princesses to come to Daxia for refuge. However, if there are people with bad intentions who try to tarnish the reputation of Daxia as a country of etiquette, they should not be forgiven lightly."

Emperor Anping was now somewhat distracted by the Northwest Tartar incident, so he had no time to care about Persia's affairs. He waved his hand and said, "Lord Wu, please focus on Daxia's affairs first. You don't need to care about Persia for the time being."

Wu Nan knew that this was the emperor's way of giving him a way out, so he quickly bowed and said, "I obey your order."

After saying this, he looked at Jia Jing provocatively, thinking: This is no longer the reigning emperor. Before long, when the emperor has established his foothold, it is possible that he will demote you to be an overseas governor to accompany Lin Ruhai.

Jia Jing sneered in his heart.

Who dares to challenge me?
I'll deal with you when I have time!

……

After a while, the court was dismissed.

Ye Xiang returned home in a sedan chair.

He Yuanqiu, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, followed closely and saluted politely, saying, "Thank you for your help this morning, teacher. When you return victorious one day, I will repay you with all my heart and soul."

Although He Yuanqiu had won several battles and had become somewhat famous in the court, he still did not dare to show any pride in front of Ye Xiang, his former examination teacher.

Ye Xiang smiled slightly: "I don't need you to repay your teacher's kindness. Just serve the country well and share the worries of the emperor."

He Yuanqiu bowed and said, "Teacher, I am right." He then looked up quietly and said, "I plan to go to the Beijing camp to inspect the troops tomorrow morning. Do you have any instructions, teacher?"

Ye Xiang naturally understood what He Yuanqiu meant, and waved his hand and said, "This matter is very serious. Don't bring those who are trying to gain merit by using connections. I suggest you bring Niu Jizong's unit of the Shenjiying and Baolinghou Shi Nai's unit. Both of them are experienced in the battlefield."

He Yuanqiu frowned upon hearing this, and said in confusion: "It's fine if Niu Jizong takes them with him. After all, their Shenjiying is indeed beneficial in fighting against the Tartars. Shi Nai...he is Jia Gelao's man, I'm afraid..."

"Ah."

Ye Xiang chuckled.

"It seems you still don't understand. There is a saying that goes 'there are no fathers and sons in a casino.' Although the officialdom is not so ruthless, no one is necessarily someone else's."

“Only benefits!”

"Even if you and I become enemies one day, it is not impossible." Ye Xiang said, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

He Yuanqiu's face turned pale with fright, and he cursed and swore: "If a student betrays his teacher, he will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"

"Oh, it's over!" Ye Xiang said seriously, "I just gave you an example to make you understand better."

He Yuanqiu nodded fearfully.

"Thank you teacher for your teaching."

“Students understand.”

Ye Xiang nodded and smiled, and continued: "Now Jia Jing is working on the reform of commercial taxes, and the emperor has given him a lot of power. Whether it is because of avoiding suspicion or something else, he dare not interfere with the military power of the nine borders. At least he dare not interfere openly. This is the best time for us to win him over."

"Go ahead. When you get there, keep an eye on it carefully and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Student, excuse me."

He Yuanqiu bent over and carefully left the study. Thinking about what Ye Xiang had just said, He Yuanqiu felt both uneasy and confused.

Does the teacher not trust him, or does he really treat him as his own? Although once a teacher, always a father, but the master and the apprentice are master and apprentice, there is no relationship like that between father and son.

What a pity, he is not Ye Xiang’s son.

Otherwise, if you get the resources in Ye Xiang's hands, you may be able to rise to the top overnight.

……

inside.

Ye Xiang sat steadily in the chair, closing his eyes and resting.

There is no reason for a teacher to stand up and see his students off.

He was thinking carefully about the current situation.

No one knows what the two old guys, Jia Jing and Lin Ruhai, are up to, they are focused on developing overseas.

Although it is to avoid suspicion, there is no need to do this, right?

It's a barbaric place that couldn't be more barbaric. It's more remote than Jiaozhi and Qiongzhou. No one even goes there to exile criminals. What's there to develop there?
But when it comes to Jia Jing, Lin Ruhai is confused and thinks it is impossible. After thinking about it for a long time, he still can't come up with a conclusion, so Ye Xiang simply gives up thinking about it.

Anyway, overseas areas cannot affect his interests.

Go ahead and struggle!

It’s much better than struggling in the country.

After thinking about Jia Jing, he began to think about the emperor.

There has been no news from the retired emperor for a long time. According to the news from his spies in the palace, the retired emperor seems to have become obsessed with cultivating immortals. Although he has not started taking elixirs, he has begun to refine them!

As everyone knows:

Refining the elixir is not far from eating the elixir.

If you eat the elixir, you will be not far from ascending to heaven.

Should he continue to wait and see, or should he hurry up and show his goodwill and surrender to the new emperor?
There is also another issue that must be considered: Will the new emperor truly accept him? After all, every emperor has his own ministers.

Perhaps, the best ending for him is the death of the emperor.

It's time to train the next generation.

"Somebody come!"

"master."

Ye Xiang frowned slightly and said sternly, "Call the second and third children here. I want to ask them about their homework!"

the other side.

Ye Huashuo, the second son of the Ye family, who was playing with his maid and concubine, suddenly panicked.

Oh my god!
Asking about homework again!
He looked at his carefree elder brother Ye Huayang who was playing in the mud, his eyes full of envy.

……

The third son of the Ye family, Ye Huaming, was not much better.

Although he loved reading, he was helpless because he did not inherit Ye Xiang's ability to become the top scorer in the imperial examination, and his mind was a mess.

Commonly known as wooden head.

He was nearly thirty years old and still hadn’t passed the examination to become a scholar.

Hearing the master summoning him to ask about his homework, he walked towards the study trembling.

……

Soon, an angry roar was heard from Ye Xiang's study.

"Useless trash!"

"He's old enough to spend his days in debauchery!"

"He is such a blockhead that he can't understand anything even after ten years of studying!"

"Someone, get a rope! Get a stick!"

Ye Lao Er and Ye Lao San were trembling and their faces turned pale.

At this critical moment, the savior came!

Ye Lian walked into the room with her hands behind her back, smiling, and said sweetly, "Daddy, what's wrong with the second and third brothers?"

Seeing his precious daughter come home, Ye Xiang's anger subsided a little, but he still snorted coldly, pointed at the second and third brothers, gritted his teeth and said hatefully: "It's all because of your two useless brothers. If they had even one finger of your ability, I would be smiling in my grave!"

"Pfft."

"Pfft."

The two men knelt on the ground trembling.

Xu Lian stepped forward, stamped her feet and said angrily: "Daddy, what are you talking about? You will live a hundred years!"

Ye Xiang said: "I dare not think of living a hundred years, but I am so angry at these two beasts. You two useless bastards, get out of here!"

……

(End of this chapter)