Xiyuan was originally a royal garden, although Jiajing built a palace and many Taoist buildings here, but it still retains a large number of landscapes, preserving a lot of original ecological lakes and mountains.

Jiajing got up this morning, and the whole person seemed to be in a very good state, as if there was a providence in the dark. He had just finished washing, but he glanced at the skylight, and suddenly wanted to take a turn in the West Garden.

"Master, do you really want to go around?" Huang Jin had just ordered the palace maids to retreat, as if he couldn't believe his ears, and looked at Jiajing Dao in disbelief.

Jiajing's face was slightly straight, and he looked angry and ordered solemnly to Huang Jin: "Go and call Yuan Wei over, if Xu Ge Lao is fine, let him come along!" ”

"Slaves obey!" Huang Jin recovered from his gaffe and turned around to make arrangements.

The emperor's travel, even if it is in this West Garden, it will not be a trivial matter. But not only to prevent assassins, the road that the emperor has to pass through is naturally to let the palace people clean it.

Yuan Wei was able to climb to the position of the second assistant of the Ming Dynasty, but not only with his good words, but also because he had a very clear understanding of Jiajing's character, so he was quite favored by Jiajing.

When Xu Jie was in power with Yan Song, he had successfully created an image of a loyal and honest man. Now that he hears Jiajing's summons, even if it is a big thing, he has to accompany Jiajing, who is rarely moving around.

The group first went to the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden to watch the spirit beasts, then went to the Jinao Jade Fly Bridge to appreciate the sparkling waters of the Taiye Pool, then went to the Jinggu to taste tea and watch the fish, and finally went to the Tianmu Pagoda on Qionghua Island to have a bird's-eye view of the infinite scenery below.

Ha ha......

Yuan Wei is an interesting person, his nature is bohemian, and he even has the nickname of an old naughty boy, and Huang Jin cooperated with him to make Jiajing laugh a few times.

Xu Jie's performance was not outstanding, and even the whole person looked a little wooden, but he responded appropriately to Jiajing's questions, and his words and deeds abided by the duties of a courtier.

If you make an analogy, Yuan Wei is a courtier who flatters and is favored, Xu Jie is an important minister who abides by his duty, and Huang Jin is a slave who does everything possible to please the emperor.

Tianmu Pagoda is located on Qionghua Island, with five floors high, which is the highest point in the entire West Garden. At this moment, they stand on the top of the tower and look at the scenery everywhere, and there is a faint experience of "being at the top of the mountain, seeing the mountains at a glance".

To the east is the majestic Forbidden City, to the west is the imposing Wangfu Street, to the south and north is the infinite lake of the Taiye Pool, and in the distance you can only faintly see the rows of houses.

Under this crisp autumn sky, standing on this Tianmu Tower, everyone's mood seems to be very good.

Xu Jie kept an eye on Jiajing, and at the same time observed which side Jiajing's gaze was facing, but found that he was looking towards the south. It's just that I don't know whether Jiajing is looking at Xiaoyongfang, or paying attention to the Temple of Heaven in the outer city, or looking at the southeast.

Yuan Wei was flattering the emperor on the one hand, and on the other hand, he was secretly observing Xu Jie, although the two were getting along quite well at the moment, but in his heart he had already regarded the first assistant next to him as an imaginary enemy.

Yuan Wei was one of the few people in the Ming Dynasty who could be called a "prodigy", and he showed extraordinary talent at a very young age, and began to specialize in Bagu Wen at the age of ten.

When he was a child, he went to Qingdao with his father to watch the magistrate county to try the case, because although he was young, he was focused, extraordinary, and his eyes were dark, but he attracted the attention of the magistrate and studied it on the spot.

The county commander saw two white cranes flying in the sky above the Taoist temple, so he came out with a pair: "Two cranes flying on the Sanqing Palace", Yuan Wei replied: "Six dragons in the five-colored clouds." ”

Then the county order gave Yuan Wei a couplet: "Cast the son in all directions and open six sides", and Yuan Wei immediately said: "The husband has one virtue and three talents", so that his name as a "prodigy" has been promoted.

In the third year of Jiajing, Yuan Wei was worthy of the name of a prodigy, and he became a talent at the age of seventeen.

It's just that on the way to the imperial examination, his aura of "prodigy" gradually eclipsed, but he repeatedly hit a wall in the township examination.

On the other hand, although Xu Jie does not have the name of a prodigy, he is a genuine teenager. As early as a year before Yuan Wei achieved the fame of Xiucai, Xu Jie, who was only 20 years old, had already entered high school and officially entered the officialdom.

It is said that the two should not have any intersection, but they are making people.

Xu Jie paid the price for his youthfulness, and because he offended Zhang Xuan, he was directly demoted to the governor of Yanping Mansion. Fortunately, Zhang Xuan was not accepted by the mainstream of officialdom, and Xu Jie's career was not greatly affected.

In the thirteenth year of Jiajing, Xu Jie served as the chief inspector of Zhejiang, managing and supervising local schools below the provincial level. At this time, Yuan Wei, who was only four years younger than Xu Jie, had been in the limelight for ten years, and he was still a well-known talent in Ningbo Prefecture, Jiangsu, Zhejiang.

Xu Jie is a provincial student in Zhejiang, and Yuan Wei is still an "old talent". Although the two do not have the reality of teacher and student, to a certain extent, there seems to be a certain degree of "teacher and student" relationship.

But the relationship is delicate. Although Xu Jie was appointed as a scholar in Zhejiang Province, there were many scholars in Zhejiang, and even the two of them had never met each other, and there was no reputation as a teacher and student at all.

Yuan Wei explored flowers in the seventeenth year of Jiajing, and then entered the officialdom, never sent a protégé to Xu Jie, and he had no contact with Xu Jie, so he was naturally not a teacher and student.

Now that the two are both ministers, Yuan Wei maintains respect for Xu Jie, but he does not have any teacher-student courtesy, let alone the status of teacher and student, and he still wants to replace Xu Jie.

As soon as Xu Jie withdrew his gaze, he found that Yuan Wei was looking at him, and he nodded gently. He does not have a strong conflict of interest with Yuan Wei, and currently wants to maintain a friendly relationship with Yuan Wei, so that this "student" can stay in the position of second assistant.

Jiajing, who was wearing a blue robe, faced the autumn breeze blowing, saw the bare trees below, and the lake surface of the large liquid pool, but looked at the house of Xiao Yongfang in the distance, and said with emotion: "At this season, it is indeed refreshing to climb high and look!" ”

In this era, it is not easy to climb high and look far.

For the people at the bottom, they can only climb the mountain and enjoy the scenery of the fields. However, for dignitaries, it is more likely to choose to climb the tower, so the towers in various places are quite popular.

Huang Jin looked at Jiajing so happy, and even said with a smile: "If the master likes it, the slave will accompany the master every day!" ”

"If it comes up every day, my body can't withstand such a toss!" Jiajing stood with his hands in his hands, and said sharply: "Maybe in a few years, my body will be like Yan Ge's elder, and I have to be carried on my back to climb this tower!" ”

Feng Bao, who was behind him, heard this, but he sensed a different taste, and looked up at Jiajing cautiously.

Yuan Wei's personality has always been optimistic, and even if he flattered with a smile: "According to the minister's opinion, if it is a few years later, the emperor will definitely climb the tower in the clouds!" ”

Jiajing's eyes immediately flashed with expectation, but then he was stunned and did not express his stance on Yuan Wei's compliment.

Xu Jie had been observing Jiajing, and immediately arched his hand seriously: "If the emperor wants to climb the tower every day, the ministers will follow the emperor to climb the tower even if they are physically inconvenient!" ”

Hey?

Yuan Wei knew that he hadn't stepped on the emperor's point just now, and when he heard Xu Jie's loyal words, he looked at Xu Jie's thoughtfully. Although he can make the emperor happy more, when it comes to figuring out the emperor's thoughts, he is inferior to Xu Jie.

Jiajing also did not express his position on Xu Jie's words, but turned from south to west, and his eyes were already looking in the direction of Wangfu Street.

When Xu Jie and Yuan Wei saw this move, they faintly captured the emperor's thoughts.

These days, the situation in the capital has actually changed greatly, and when some people are still discussing whether Lin Haoran is the right attendant of the criminal department or the left attendant of the household department, a bigger news suddenly came from the palace: because Chen Chen, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, returned to his hometown to guard the system from the loss of his father, it is rumored that the Taichang Temple Secretary and the priest of the country, Jiu Gao Gong, will take over the position of the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites.

When some officials with a keen sense of smell learned about this, they smelled a greater political opportunity from it. They quietly went to Yuwang's Mansion, and because the high arch was reused, some people have interpreted the emperor's move to have the intention of establishing a prince.

With King Jing taking up the throne for two years, and the son of King Yu came into the world again, many courtiers are more and more optimistic about King Yu. Now that it is known that the high arch has been reused, some officials are already ready to make suggestions and make suggestions, and they are already ready to enter the political bet.

Jiajing looked at the direction of Wangfu Street from afar, without the slightest expression on his face, and asked very coldly: "I don't know who has the most lively mansion in the capital now?" ”

When Huang Jin heard this question, his face turned white with fright.

"Emperor Qi, as far as the old minister knows, King Yu has been staying in the palace equally, and he has turned away too many visiting officials!" Xu Jie's eyes rolled, but he knelt down selectively.

Yuan Wei did not follow the action, but secretly looked at the emperor, hoping that the emperor would help Xu Jie, who interceded with King Yu, to severely punish him, and even directly dismiss Xu Jie.

Jiajing seemed to endure for a long time, and the green tendons on his forehead suddenly rose and said: "Even if I am old now, then I must wait for my body to enter the tomb, otherwise whoever dares to mention the matter of establishing a prince with me, I will kill him!" ”

The last four words are obviously full of murderous intent. Unlike those emperors who received orthodox education, Jiajing succeeded the big sect with a small sect, but he always wanted to kill his courtiers.

"Respectful teachings!"

Xu Jie and Yuan Wei put down their intrigue, knowing that the recent rumors about Lichu had caused great dissatisfaction among the emperor, and they said respectfully.

Xu Jie saw that the emperor did not punish him, but secretly exhaled a turbid breath, and a bright light flashed in his eyes.

It was at this time that a eunuch came to report: "Your Majesty, Qin Minglei, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, found a heavy treasure in the market today, and is asking to see him outside the palace gate!" ”

If in the history of the Jiajing Imperial Examination, who is the luckiest person, it will definitely belong to the current right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, Qin Minglei.

Qin Minglei is a person from Wuxi, who is directly affiliated to the south, and in the 23 years of Jiajing's examination and palace examination, his performance is very average, and he only won more than 200 fellow jinshi.

According to the usual practice, this kind of person is destined to be sent out to serve as a magistrate or magistrate, and only a small chance to become a speech official has a chance to return to the capital, and his career can often only touch the ceiling of the prefect.

It's just that it happened in the Jiajing Dynasty, and many impossibilities have become possible, just like when Zhang Xuan, a second-class jinshi, was able to become the first assistant in a very short time, and Song Minglei's life ushered in a major turning point.

Jiajing heard that the minister of reading the file decided that Wu Qing was the champion, but he was dissatisfied with the homonym of Wu Qing's name "ruthless", saying that he prayed for rain and dreamed of thunder at night, so it was advisable to find a champion with "thunder" in his name.

If you face a minister with integrity, you must have to fight over this matter related to the talent ceremony, but the minister's cabinet has already become a lackey who wags his tail and begs for mercy, but he agrees to this absurd plan.

The minister of reading the file was obedient to Jiajing, and looked down from the second place in the jinshi, until he found more than 200 people, and then found a person named Qin Minglei, who was selected as the champion.

It is precisely because of this that there was a limerick poem circulating at that time: "Ruthless and ruthless emperor, thunder happens to be cheap." ”

Qin Minglei picked up this big bargain, he should have been assigned a place, but he entered the Hanlin Academy as the champion and served as the Hanlin cultivator from the sixth grade, and climbed step by step to the position of the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites.

Xu Jie and Yuan Wei were not surprised at all when they heard this.

Due to the death of his father, Chen Chen, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, could only resign and return to his hometown to guard filial piety. Even if Qin Minglei is a lucky person who "picked up the champion", he can keep his ambitions, and naturally wants to obtain the position of the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites through positive performance.

The Ministry of Rites is not as powerful as the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Households, and even lower than the Ministry of War, but it is a springboard for entering the cabinet, and the current ministers Xu Jie and Yuan Wei both entered the cabinet from the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites.

Now, once you can become the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, if you are not transferred to the left attendant of the Ministry of Officials, it will be the six Shangshu, and even directly enter the cabinet like Yuan Wei to worship the prime minister.

That's right, if it comes to the gold content of the six servants, the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites is only lower than the left waiter of the Ministry of Officials, and it is a big springboard to become an important minister of the imperial court, no wonder Song Minglei will do everything possible to get this position.

"Now the autumn wind is rising, and the will of heaven is silent. Pines and willows, who can withstand the winter cold. Jiajing looked at the vegetation on the island and said inexplicable words, but he changed his words and said: "Let him go back!" He got the champion back then, it was the will of God, but the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites is already someone else who belongs to the will of God! ”

"Someone of Providence? Is it really a high arch? ”

Yuan Wei's mind immediately flashed the name of Gao Gong, because the word Gao Gong is "Su Qing", this "Su" is similar to the sound of "genus", isn't this exactly what "belongs to you" means?

It was also at this time that he finally understood why it was rumored in the palace that Gao Gong would take over as the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, and why everyone ran to Yuwang's Mansion one after another.

Xu Jie's brows furrowed slightly, he originally thought that the important position of the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites would belong to his fellow countryman Qin Minglei, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, but now I am afraid that it really belongs to Gao Gong

With the sudden return of Chen Chen, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, to guard his filial piety, there was a sudden turmoil in the officialdom of the capital, and even made Emperor Jiajing angry. But all this seems to have nothing to do with Yangzhou City, which is far away from the capital

In the yamen of the Lianghuai Patrol Salt Inspection Yuan, the officials kneeling in the main courtyard had already raised their heads and looked at Gonggong Li who was holding a Ming Huang holy decree, eager for him to announce Lin Haoran's whereabouts, whether it was the right attendant of the criminal department or the right attendant of the household department.

Gonggong Li already knew the answer, his eyes were clearly fixed on the holy decree, and he read aloud to everyone: "Fengtian carries the emperor, and the edict says: Lin Haoran, the left deputy of the Imperial Palace, was ordered to rectify the two Huai salt affairs, during which he was diligent in serving the government, cracking down on private salt gangs, and implementing the new law on salt ......"