Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 498 Reluctant

Huai En called the young eunuch who was waiting outside the door, handed over several thick stacks of files related to the case, said a few words to him casually, and then took his leave.

Even though he was physically disabled, Zhang Luan still insisted on coming out, and with the help of his son, he personally escorted Huai En out of the house.

"Eunuch Huai."

As soon as Huai En walked out of the gate of Zhang's house, Xiao Jing, who came with him, hurried forward to greet him.

Seeing Xiao Jing was about to ask a question, Huai En stretched out his hand and motioned to go back first.

As soon as the sedan chair that Huai En was riding in drove out of the street, he immediately ordered the sedan bearer to stop, then he pushed aside the curtain, got out of the sedan chair, and walked quickly to the shadowy area at the corner of the street.

Although it was already late, Huai En still poked his head into the alley to peek.

Xiao Jing, who got off the sedan chair right after him, saw Huai En's unusual behavior, and quickly ordered the guards and sedan bearers to carry the sedan chair to find a shaded place, then walked up to Huai En, first glanced at the door of Zhang's mansion in the alley, and then asked in a low voice: "Eunuch Huai, do you find anything wrong?"

Huai En pointed to the opposite side of the alley and said softly, "When I came here, I noticed that there was a sedan chair and a group of people parked at the other side of the street. It looked like some dignitaries came to visit Zhang Guozhang, but I didn't see any guests in Zhang's house afterwards.

"From the hints given by Zhang's father and son, it seems that the man has been hiding behind the screen in the main hall and eavesdropping... I want to see who is so ignorant."

"Ah!? You mean, someone in Zhang's house eavesdropped on your conversation with the father-in-law?"

Xiao Jing was quite surprised.

Who is so bold?

Could it be that you think your life is too long?
The Prime Minister discussed matters with Zhang Luan, a powerful official of the dynasty, concerning the national economy and people's livelihood, as well as the replacement of officials. Did he think that any minister could sit in on the discussion?

The two held their breath and waited patiently.

Not long after, the door of Zhang Luan's mansion was opened again, and a man came out.

This time, Zhang Luan personally saw him off.

But the man seemed to be drunk, staggering out and unable to walk steadily.

In response to Zhang Luan's farewell words, the man showed no courtesy at all. He stumbled to the other side of the alley without looking back.

"Ha ha……"

Seeing this scene from afar, Huai En couldn't help laughing out loud.

Xiao Jing looked again, and after careful identification, he frowned and asked, "That person seems to be... Elder Wan?"

Huai En smiled and said, "You are right. Wan An is a person who clings to power. How could he easily give up the power in his hands and return home? He is still ruthless and came to ask Zhang Guozhang for help..."

Xiao Jing said, "In other words, the person who eavesdropped on your conversation with Zhang Guozhang was this Lord Wan? He...what does this mean?"

"He's avoiding me like a snake or scorpion... And it looks like he didn't get along well with Zhang Guozhang either... Seeing that he's at the end of his rope, it depends on whether he will be willing to retire tomorrow!"

Huai En smiled and said, "The second son of the Zhang family is so interesting... Now that I think about it, that kid is really a little devil. When I was chatting with Zhang Guozhang, he was always making jokes. Every word and action contained ridicule and sarcasm towards Elder Wan. No wonder he can stand out in the Zhang family... I heard that Zhang Guozhang obeyed his son's orders. It's not simple!"

Xiao Jing was a cautious person and did not dare to ask casually, what exactly did Zhang Jia Erlang say and do that made you think so highly of him?
Logically speaking, a young boy has no right to speak in front of the Prime Minister.

Not only did he say it, but he also made the internal minister think that what he said was good. This required not only a certain identity and background as support, but also the ability to do things and outstanding vision.

Otherwise, no matter how outstanding your words and actions are, they will make people feel that they are too abrupt or may not be tolerated by the world.

Huai En turned around and called for a sedan chair to get ready. While waiting to get on the sedan chair, he specifically instructed: "Ke Gong, tomorrow morning, find someone with a stick and wait outside the court. If Wan An refuses to leave, beat him up and expel him on the spot, making him lose face and become a joke to the court and the public!"

……

……

Wan An returned home in a daze. He sat down in the main room, feeling a little limp.

He was in a trance, as if he had lost his soul!
Wan Yi knew his father had returned, so he hurried out of the backyard, walked into the main hall, and asked, "Father, who did you visit tonight?"

Wan An said with a sad face: "Son, I am afraid that I can no longer be the Prime Minister! From now on, no one will support you in the court. Everything depends on you."

"what!?"

Wan Yi couldn't help but frown when he heard that.

He thought to himself, my father is the most power-hungry person. Ever since he became the Prime Minister, he has done everything he can to keep his position.

What had he been through to have such a heart-wrenching realization?
Wan Yi said tentatively: "It's a good thing for father to leave the court now, right? At his age now, it's time for him to return home and spend his remaining years in peace."

"Oh, do you think I want to leave? I was confused for a moment and submitted a memorial to Your Majesty about the art of sex. The purpose was to help Your Majesty strengthen his body... Alas, who knew that Your Majesty would be irritated and shout for killing. I don't know what he was thinking. Don't young people, who are strong and healthy, need to take care of their health?"

When Wan'an said this, his face was full of grief and indignation, and he seemed justified, as if the person who made the mistake was the emperor.

This made Wan Yi roll his eyes. His father's train of thought... was unique.

Wan Yi, after all, had come through the imperial examinations and once held the rank of Third Grade. Although he was currently in mourning, his insights were incomparable to those of ordinary people. He immediately complained:

"Father, not everyone is like you and likes those secret techniques of sex. If you like to discuss them with others, just tell your students and old friends. They will cater to you no matter what to please you.

"But when you tell His Majesty these things, it means that the lower-ranking officials do not know the hard work of the higher-ranking officials. Didn't you ever use your brain before deciding to do these things?"

"What are you talking about, you bastard? You're actually lecturing me, your father?"

Wan An angrily shouted, "At the Zhang residence, I was humiliated by the Zhang family's kid, but now I have to endure your cold words? Who do you think you are? I will beat you to death just because I want to do it!"

Wan Yi looked very upset, but he still didn't have the courage to argue with his old father, so he could only humbly say: "Your son admits his fault to you... Now that things have come to an end, I wonder what you want to do now, father?"

"I am unwilling to accept this as my father!"

Wan An looked up and sighed, "I am going to meet with a few colleagues tonight and ask them to fight for me at the court meeting tomorrow...

"Your Majesty has always been considerate of our old friendship. He suppressed all the impeachment petitions against my father. I think if I can handle this properly, I may be able to turn the bad situation into a good one... After all, my father played a great role in his ascension to the throne..."

"hehe."

Wan Yi approved on the surface, but secretly he was critical.

Are you the only one who is contributing?
It’s good enough that I didn’t make things worse!
Don't think I don't know that you are colluding with Liu Ji and others to secretly promote the plan of changing the storage. The first target is Zhang Luan, who you just visited.

It's just that your plan failed, and the emperor's condition took a turn for the worse, so you no longer have the opportunity to take action.

Do you think that the current emperor is such a fool that he doesn't know what you are doing?

"The late emperor just passed away, and I am the important minister entrusted with the care of his son before his death. How can a fledgling want to fly away alone when its wings are not yet strong enough? There will definitely be many people who will plead for me at the court meeting tomorrow... Your father has to write a memorial..."

"Resigning...?"

Wan Yi asked cautiously.

"No, no, I want to write a memorial to the emperor about my hard work and achievements for the court over the past few decades, to let your majesty know that the Ming Dynasty can do without anyone but me... If I were gone, wouldn't the court be in chaos? The new emperor has just ascended the throne, and there are a lot of villains watching him. It's all up to me to stabilize the court!"

Wan An became more and more excited as he spoke.

It was as if he was the most capable minister of the Ming Dynasty. Without him, the emperor would definitely suffer a great loss, and the country might even be destroyed.

Wan Yi knew his father's character very well, and he didn't dare to refute him, but he still offered his own suggestion: "Then... Father has to write quickly. He has to write about his own achievements, and he also has to talk to his colleagues and subordinates about protecting you. Is this enough time tonight? If not, then he can just claim to be sick and not attend court tomorrow... Is this better?"

"No, no, your father must be present in person!"

Wan An said nervously, "If I don't go, His Majesty will tell everything at the court meeting, and I won't even have a chance to defend myself. How can I suffer in silence?

"Humph, damn Huai En, I must make him look good. It's all his fault. If it weren't for him... Woohoo, I wouldn't have fallen to this point."

……

……

Before the morning court.

Huai'en accompanied Zhu Youtang to Fengtian Gate.

"Your Majesty, I have someone waiting outside the palace with a stick. If Wan'an is still greedy for power and refuses to give up, you don't have to pay attention to his pleading. Just give a gesture and someone will come out to beat him with a stick."

Wynn said with a smile.

Zhu Youtang looked embarrassed and asked hesitantly, "But... is this... really... okay? Isn't this... too disrespectful... to the dignity of the monarch and his subjects?"

Because of his worry, the little emperor even developed a stutter.

Huai En comforted him, "Your Majesty, don't worry. It was Wan'an who was the first to disregard propriety... Don't worry, Your Majesty doesn't need to tell me. I will tell everyone in the court everything he did, and he will definitely be despised by the world!"

"Ugh!"

Zhu Youtang collected his thoughts and sighed, "I also don't understand why my father, who is so wise and powerful, would use a mediocre person like Wan'an for such a long time?

"Wan'an is a scholar after all, and has served in the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Household Department for a long time. How can he be so unreliable? Could it be that he has been deliberately slacking off in government affairs over the years, and has slowly ruined himself, which is why he keeps making stupid moves?"

"Your Majesty, you can only know a person's face but not his heart!"

Huai En sighed, "Over the past few years, Wan An, as the Prime Minister, has always been working without putting in any effort. He has cooperated with Liang Fang and others in the court to do many things that angered the heavens and the people. It's not that I mean to say bad things about him. Just ask the civil and military officials in the court. They all know the true character of this beast."

"I see. Let's get rid of him. It's annoying to think about this fool hanging around all day. In the future, if there are fewer people who don't do their job, the court will have hope."

(End of this chapter)