Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 612: The Great One Does Not Take the Mistakes of the Small One into Account

Du Ming deeply felt that Liu Ji was unreliable.

Fearing that his reputation would be ruined in his later years, he could only think of a "shortcut" to escape the predicament, other than continuing to submit his resignation.

So after disguising himself, he went to Li's house in a low-key manner to meet Li Zisheng.

Li Zisheng seemed to have known that he would come, and specially invited him to the main hall of his house. After serving tea, he specially sent away the servants around him.

"Du Shangshu, you should have come earlier."

Li Zisheng greeted with a smile.

Du Ming's face looked somewhat ugly.

Du Ming bowed and said, "Please give me some advice, Minister Li."

Li Zisheng said: "During the reign of the late emperor, many people came to visit me, but I admired your virtues and visited you many times, but I rarely had the opportunity to meet you in private.

"You came to visit me once before for only one thing. This is only the second time!"

Hearing this, Du Ming's face turned a little unfriendly.

Because he really looked down on Li Zisheng before.

Even if a scholar like Du Ming wanted to find a backer or curry favor with someone, he would definitely go to the top civil officials, such as Wan'an and Liu Ji. After all, those two were cabinet ministers of the Ming Dynasty and were the "mainstay" of the court during the Chenghua period.

To put it bluntly, Li Zisheng was just a flatterer who gained the emperor's favor by using his Taoist magic.

"Please forgive me for not knowing what was good for me at the beginning."

Du Ming could only put down his old face and admit his mistakes, "Maybe I didn't do some things well, or even made mistakes. Please forgive me."

"You are wrong... Minister Du is devoted to the court, how can you be wrong?" Li Zisheng said with a smile, "You rejected me in the beginning, and now you are rejecting the Zhang family, your in-laws. In fact, you hope that the court will return to the orthodox rule, but you are putting your efforts in the wrong place."

Du Ming felt even more aggrieved after hearing this.

I am the Minister of Justice, and I actually ask you, a Taoist priest, to preach to me?

But Du Ming knew very well that he had come to Li Zisheng today to ask for help, and he no longer had the confidence to blame anyone.

Even though I was clearly not convinced, I still had to listen to others arguing with me. I couldn't tell you how uncomfortable it was.

Li Zisheng asked: "Does Minister Du want to continue to serve in the court, or choose to retire?"

Du Ming shook his head and said, "I am nearly seventy years old and too old to do anything. I just hope to return home as soon as possible and spend my remaining years in peace."

"Sichuan is indeed a good place to retire."

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "If I retire from the court, I would also like to visit the Land of Abundance. I want to see Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan with my own eyes. I heard that there is a strange animal called the iron-eating beast. I hope to visit it in person... You won't refuse me, right?"

When Du Ming heard this, he thought, Li Zisheng, you are very easy to talk to.

"Of course I welcome you."

Du Ming followed Li Zisheng's words.

Li Zisheng laughed when he heard this: "Then I'll go and talk to him for you...as long as you don't think it's a bit abrupt."

Du Ming was curious and asked, "Minister Li, who do you plan to ask to speak to His Majesty?"

"hehe."

Li Zisheng smiled and asked, "Minister Du came to visit. Who do you want me to talk to? You don't think I have the qualifications to help you with this, do you? Of course I have to ask for help."

When Li Zisheng mentioned "asking for help", Du Ming's heart sank, and he couldn't help but wonder, Li Zisheng, the next step wouldn't be to negotiate terms with me, right?
I want to land safely, but I have to shamelessly ask for help from you, a person who may not be able to land safely next time. I feel so frustrated!

"Mr. Du, if I tell you who I'm looking for, you have come here with a purpose. If it gets out, it will be bad for your reputation." Li Zisheng shook his head and said, "I won't publicize your visit to me, and no one else will know about it."

Du Ming asked: "Can the people in your house... keep secrets?"

"Do you think it's still the time of the late emperor?"

Li Zisheng looked confident. "Even during the time of the previous emperor, the Imperial Guards did not dare to watch my door. Some officials often sent spies to my door to see who was coming in. What do you think their purpose was? It can't be to restore order, right?"

Du Ming nodded and said, "Those people probably want to make a profit from this, they don't have good intentions!"

Li Zisheng sighed, "Now I am completely powerless. Who cares what I do in the capital? Although my connections in the Jinyiwei are basically cut off, at least they won't mess with me casually... Just go ahead, I will help you."

"That……"

Du Ming was a little confused.

Why don't you make any conditions?

I'm really leaving.

Li Zisheng said with a smile: "Mr. Du, I always follow my heart when doing things. This is what my friend taught me. You don't have to worry about it.

"I'll help you if I can, but if I can't help you... please don't be offended."

Du Ming cupped his hands and said, "Minister Li, you are too kind."

"Ah."

Li Zisheng said, "But I think what that person said should be of some use, and maybe it can really help you. This is one of the few good things I have done in the court."

"Minister Li, there is no need to do this..."

Du Ming felt a little apologetic.

Did I really misjudge you before?
I didn't expect that you are more reliable than Wan'an and Liu Ji, and you don't ask for anything in return. I feel so ashamed when I think about it!
Li Zisheng asked, "Do you need me to take you out?"

"No need."

Du Ming hurriedly said, "I can leave alone, so I won't bother you anymore."

"Well then." Li Zisheng said, "I won't see you off. If I have too much contact with you, it might be bad for your reputation... Since you have decided to leave the court, then leave cleanly, so that there will be no dishonorable record of you in the history books."

"Not... to the point of..."

Du Ming felt so embarrassed.

I come to you to beg you, but you ask me to keep my distance to protect my good reputation?

If I cared about my reputation, why would I come to ask for help?
Because I have no other choice.

……

……

Du Ming left.

Pang Qing came in and asked, "Master Dao, Minister Du is a rare visitor...Is he here to blame you?"

"hehe."

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "Do you think that I am going to fall and anyone can step on me? Are those powerful people visiting just to laugh at me?"

Pang Qing said quickly: "Master Dao, please stop laughing. I am afraid that you will be taken advantage of."

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "Even if I am used by Du Ming, I am happy. When I was in the limelight before, I disdained people who wanted to associate with me. Now that he can lower himself and take the initiative to come to see me, can I refuse him?"

"He's here... to seek advancement?"

Pang Qing could only associate Du Ming in this way.

Li Zisheng shook his head and said, "If he wants to leave the court smoothly, he must at least be able to leave unscathed like Li Yu."

Pang Qing asked curiously, "During the reign of the previous emperor, he had never done anything evil and had a very good reputation among the civil officials. Is he so worried?"

“Who wouldn’t be worried?”

Li Zisheng sighed, "Li Yu is a very good example... Many officials think that when the new emperor ascends the throne, no matter who he has friendship with or who he has to rely on, even if it is someone who has close ties with a flatterer like me, who wouldn't want to be able to return home safely like Li Yu? This way, they can leave a good reputation behind."

Pang Qing asked, "So he is afraid that because he had colluded with Wan'an, Liu Ji and others in the past, His Majesty will not let him go?"

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "Don't you think he went a little too far this time? He was willing to charge into battle and target Lai Zhan everywhere just to help Liu Ji.

"Just now I wanted to scold him to wake him up. Are you brainless? Why did you have to choose Liu Ji, who is even more miserable than him? Don't you know that Liu Ji is just a clay Buddha? Now even in the affairs of the cabinet, Your Majesty is more willing to listen to Xu Pu, and treat Liu Ji, the Prime Minister, as a puppet?"

Pang Qing said helplessly: "Perhaps these officials who are of literary origin all admire the one with the highest official position among the civil officials, and think they can help him... Eh? Are you going to help him?"

"Yes, before I was about to leave for the northwest, I said hello to Lai Zhan and asked him to help him." Li Zisheng said.

"I would like to advise you not to get into trouble."

Pang Qing kindly reminded, "This time, Minister Du is directly against that Zhang Guozhang. Do you still want the victim to help him? Do you still want to use your precious favor? Du Ming is about to retire. What substantial benefits can he bring to you?"

Li Zisheng frowned and shook his head, saying, "Bingkun, you are not thinking right. Do you have to ask for rewards for doing things for others?"

"..."

Pang Qing was speechless for a moment.

I thought to myself, is this still the same Taoist Priest Li who would not release the eagle until he saw the rabbit?

By the way, when you first interacted with Zhang Laizhan, wasn't it because you wanted him to predict the future and cure diseases and save lives? Later, you also wanted him to be the father-in-law of the prince?
Your original motive for dating him was not pure, and today you are here talking to me about selfless dedication?
Coaxing ghosts!
Li Zisheng said: "I am helping Lai Zhan to gain popularity. Lai Zhan is able to forgive past mistakes and be tolerant and generous. He is like this even to his enemies, not to mention his friends. Doesn't this mean that he has a broad mind and can be a high-ranking official?"

Pang Qing was full of doubts and asked, "Are you sure he doesn't mind? But why do I feel that Zhang Guozhang is a little petty at times?"

"Tsk, do you understand him or do I understand him?"

Li Zisheng said confidently, "Laizhan probably wants to keep things quiet. Don't I know his temper? I really doubt that if someone hit Zhang Laizhan, he wouldn't want to fight back."

"Will he not fight back?"

Pang Qing still didn't want to believe it.

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at Pang Qing and said, "Even if he fought back, it must have been his son who instigated it. My eldest nephew is not someone you will mess with. This time, even though my eldest nephew was just hiding behind the scenes, he was the one who instigated everything from the beginning to the end. Do you dare to deny it?"

"This one……"

Pang Qing thought about it and nodded, "Master Dao, your opinion is brilliant. Do you think your nephew... the second young master will help Du Ming escape unscathed?"

"I don't care if he does."

Li Zisheng said unhappily, "I am only responsible for conveying the message and letting them discuss it themselves... Whether to choose to settle the matter peacefully or to cling to the end is up to them to decide. I am just giving them another choice... Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Yeah. You're right."

Pang Qing answered casually.

"Since what I said makes sense, then why are you still standing there? Go and notify them quickly." After saying that, Li Zisheng looked at Pang Qing with strange eyes.

Pang Qing was surprised, pointed at himself, and asked in disbelief, "Should I go?"

"If it's not you who goes, do I have to go myself?"

Li Zisheng said angrily, "I kept you in the capital to let you do some work... Do I want you to just sit back and watch the fire and join in the fun? If you don't want to work, then come with me to the northwest. I just happen to be short of people to serve me."

"Don't mention..."

Pang Qing quickly refused.

Li Zisheng shook his head and said, "Before I leave, I probably won't meet with Lai Zhan again, so I have to avoid suspicion now.

“I hid it quite well at first, and acted in front of Du Ming, making him think that I had broken up with Lai Zhan… Oh, was my acting really that bad, that he could see through it at a glance, and be sure that I could ask Lai Zhan for help?
"Forget it, it seems I have to practice more in the future, otherwise I really won't be able to make it!"

(End of this chapter)