Wen Xiang read the excerpts of the day in the East Pavilion during the day, one of the first two is older, and when he goes home, he has to deal with the seven aunts and eight aunts who are lined up in front of the door to visit, and he holds various letters of recommendation in his hand to transfer the local governor or Shi prefect, so that the secretary is the same as Yunyun.

He shrank his head and prepared to head in the back door. When I got to the back door, there was a long queue of people.

Wen Xiang crossed his arms and stood in the distance, looking at the crowded back door of his house, and the frowning brow on his face never let go.

Today, the carriage broke down, and he still walked through the back door with a fluke. I knew it earlier, even if I carried the sedan chair out.

Wen Xiang let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky that had not yet darkened.

It's not too late.

He turned and walked towards the market.

The curfew in Dongcheng was still early, and it was the busiest time on the street, and Wen Xiang walked slowly on the road, watching the hawkers shouting and the pedestrians coming and going.

Stamping leisurely with his hands behind his back.

His gaze swept over, and suddenly he landed on a vendor buying rice in front of him.

Wen Xiang paused, and then walked up quickly: "Lord He?"

He Wenjing, who was buying rice, heard this, straightened up and turned his head to look, and saw Wen Xiang behind him looking at him with his hands behind his back.

"Xiangye. He Wenjing had surprise in his eyes, turned around and stood still, clasped his hands into fists and bowed: "What a coincidence, you can meet Xiangye here." ”

"It's not a coincidence, I thought I recognized the wrong person. Wen Xiang smiled, leaning forward as he spoke: "Do you personally pick rice here, how about it?"

"The rice was not bad. He Wenjing also replied with a smile, and as he spoke, the vendor selling rice on the side had already measured the rice and handed it over to this side: "Guest officer, take the white rice you want." ”

He Wenjing took it from the little guy who followed him, took out the silver taels in his arms and paid for it.

Wen Xiang looked at the rice bag that the little guy was holding, and then turned his head to look at He Wenjing: "I thought that the affairs of the military department would make you anxious, but you can be busy." ”

The left and right attendants of the military department, one Dongfang Ge is involved in greedy ink, and the other Song Zhendong is involved in Sun Xiang, and they are all involved in the fall. A thread pulls out a bunch of rotten roots, the party henchmen are involved, the interests are stumbling, and the transfer of the following departments has almost changed. The household department involved in the national tax has Su Xinyuan in charge, and if you really want to talk about it, the military department can be regarded as the most affected this time.

He Wenjing looked at Wen Xiang and replied with a smile: "Where is Xiangye, he must be busy, but the transfer of officials is not under the control of the lower officials, I just need to do my own thing." ”

"Well, I'm the busiest, busiest. Wen Xiang smiled helplessly behind his back, and then looked at He Wenjing: "Since Master He is fine, why don't we go and have two drinks?"

"Coincidentally, Xia Guan hasn't drunk it for a long time. Saying that, He Wenjing turned his head to look at the little guy standing with a bag of rice on the side: "You go back with the rice first, and tell Mrs. that I will go with Xiangye to drink two sips." ”

"Yes. The little guy bowed his head in response, and then turned around and walked to the other side with the rice bag in his hand.

The road was a little wet after the rain in the morning, but now it is open in the afternoon. The sky was as if it had been washed by rain, and it was blue and shining.

Both of them lived in the alley of the east house, walked across the street to the guest house at the entrance of the alley, ordered a private room upstairs by the street, asked for two pots of sake, a plate of beef and a plate of elbow meat, and drank it slowly.

The windows facing the street are open, and people come and go with baskets or cloth bags, and they are noisy and lively. The later the night, the bluer the sky. Behind them, the heavy clouds had completely dispersed, and the afterglow of the setting sun poured in through the windows.

He Wenjing and Wen Xiang, the two sat next to the desk by the window, drinking slowly.

"Did the lower officials hear that the door of Xiangye's house was blocked?" He Wenjing asked with a smile while holding a wine glass and taking a sip.

Wen Xiang picked up a slice of the beef in front of him and put it in his mouth, shook his head, and took a deep breath: "It's so blocked that I can't go back." As he spoke, Wen Xiang spread his hands: "No, I came here with you to drink and have fun." ”

He Wenjing listened to Wen Xiang's casual and helpless words, and then shook his head: "It's true, I will drill when I see a crack." They are all scholars who have been admitted to the Eight Classics, and most of them have entered the Hanlin Academy. How to whisper around like this. ”

"They all think that those official positions belong to me, and they can just take one of them. Wen Xiang said expressionlessly, while stretching out his chopsticks and chewing another piece of beef.

He Wenjing also followed with a piece of meat, ate it, and said with a smile: "I have the ability, I have a meritorious service, where can I not see it." It's not blind that the top is blind. ”

Wen Xiang sighed when he heard it: "Isn't it, how good it is to keep to yourself and do your own thing." As he spoke, he pointed at He Wenjing in front of him with the chopsticks that had finished sandwiching the beef, and said with a smile: "Just like Lord He, do what you should do, and if you have merit, you will naturally adjust it up." ”

"If I move it up, it will be ten years from now. He Wenjing couldn't help but smile as he spoke. will be promoted to the secretary of the military department, and then be promoted, that is, the cabinet will pay homage to the prime minister. In such a position, before going up, no one will be convinced if he does not stay up for more than ten years.

"It doesn't matter, there is no recommendation, and it is normal to stay up for more than ten years. Wen Xiang took a sip of wine, looked at He Wenjing, and nodded with appreciation: "But now, there are not many officials like Lord He who have no family power and do not form gangs. ”

He Wenjing listened to Wen Xiang's words, put down the cup in his hand, looked at Wen Xiang, and said with a smile: "Isn't it just an adult." ”

"That's because I don't have the guts. Wen Xiang said and clapped his hands: "Otherwise, how could I have stayed up for decades with white hair before I was promoted from the Ministry of Rites to the Cabinet?"

"Now I'm still the Prime Minister. He Wenjing continued. As he spoke, he took the wine jug on the table, poured a full glass of wine for Wen Xiang, and then raised his glass: "Come, let's celebrate a cup, just celebrate...... On the celebration, you and I do not form gangs, do not climb the power and attach nobles, and sit in today's position. ”

Wen Xiang picked up the cup on the case and sighed: "It's thanks to my cowardice that I didn't dare to form a gang." ”

Saying that, Wen Xiang's mind floated through the officials who had fallen one after another in the past few years, from the Hanlin Academy to the prime minister, batch after batch, all of them were gangs, not a gang.

He sighed, then drank the glass in his hand, and sighed, "Thanks to my timidity." ”

"It's too cowardly to be involved. He Wenjing replied with a smile, while picking up the wine on the case.

Wen Xiang listened, he turned his head to look at the endless flow of cars and horses outside the window, and squinted slightly in the sunset sun shining into the window.

A big hand came into the court, a big hand that could not be seen or caught. But the big hands that turned the clouds and rained.