In the fifth year of Taihe, October was not in October, and at the beginning of the year.

Chang'an, Chang'an County, Guangdefang, Jingzhao Mansion.

The northeast corner of Guangdefang is the Jingzhao Mansion Mansion, and the old residence of Sun Simiao, the king of medicine, is the Temple of Mercy.

The public hall is divided into three parts, the main hall is used for office purposes, the left and right side halls are respectively stored in the case documents, each has its own classification, the apse is the prison of Jingzhao Mansion, the upper part is used for interrogation and care, and the underground part is a dense cell. Further north of the apse, there is a large area of the back garden, in which there are scattered smaller single-family buildings, such as retreat rooms, thatched toilets, rooms, viewing platforms, and so on.

With the sound of water leakage in the main hall, the officials who stayed in Jingzhao Mansion finally bid farewell to the chief and went home in twos and threes.

At this moment, in the room in the back garden, the men have been busy for half an hour, and finally prepared the dinner at the beginning of the year, and immediately sent people to the retreat room.

Retreat from the room, fragrant, quiet and pleasant. Two middle-aged men were sitting across a large desk, both of them wearing gold and purple. The glasses and plates on the side of the table are complete, and the dishes on the table are also fragrant.

If the new Jingzhao Yin Wang Fan's favorite two things, one is promotion, and the other is the banquet, the best is the kind full of shame.

Although the meal in front of me was made of local materials and rushed out of the room an hour ago, it was enough to make people salivate and feast.

The last dish served by the man was placed in the center position: it was an example of "five life plates", which according to legend was made according to the roasted tail banquet food list offered by Wei Juyuan after the emperor of Zhongzong: the fresh tender meat of the five animals of sheep, pig, cow, bear and deer was finely cut into the chest, and the pepper was pickled and then put together into the pattern of the above five animal shapes.

Wang Fan raised the bronze jue with a smile, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes became deeper, and he said loudly: "Xianggong, see the saint!" ”

Taking sake as a saint and turbid sake as a sage, this is a joking saying in Shilinli. "See you too!" The first guest solemnly brushed his sleeves and drank the sake together with Wang Fan. The person sitting at the head of Wang Fan is none other than the new Zaifu, Guangping Mu Qingchen......

This time the two of them feasted and drank in order to thank Mu Qingchen for recommending him to be the new Jing Zhaoyin's banquet, after Wang Fan sent someone to send the invitation, Mu Qingchen immediately replied, agreeing to eat together at the beginning of tonight, Wang Fan was in a hurry to prepare for the government room quickly.

Previously, Wang Fanke did a good investigation, he heard that Mu Xianggong did not like banquets, advocating simplicity and frugality, so he specially prepared this small table of not so extravagant food, the materials are all used in the West Market can be bought ingredients, the wine is also the "West Market Dialect" brewed in the West Market, it is a fine wine made by the Western Regions method, the taste is strong, the lips and teeth are fragrant.

After a long time of drinking, Wang Fan raised his chopsticks and said happily: "Xianggong, please!" ”

Mu Qingchen looked at this simple food in Wang Fan's opinion, and he didn't know how to put down his chopsticks for a while, so he took a piece of deer belly and just put it in his mouth.

Wang Fan was stunned when he saw this, and he saw Mu Qingchen's expression when he entered the deer, the new prime minister had never eaten Wusheng plate, which Wang Fan never expected. He couldn't help but put down the wooden chopsticks a little nervously, and hurriedly explained: "Xianggong, Wusheng Pan ......" As he spoke, Wang Fan nudged a plate of sauce and vinegar sauce in the direction of Mu Qingchen, "Although there are crisp peppers, it is only a little bloody, if the smell is eliminated, you need to dip it in vinegar sauce to solve it." ”

In order to avoid embarrassment, Wang Fan restrained his tone as much as possible, his eyes couldn't help but sweep Mu Qingchen's face, and found that the prime minister didn't seem to be displeased, and couldn't help but feel relieved.

Mu Qingchen thanked him warmly, and sandwiched another chopstick, this time according to Wang Fan's words, a little dip in the sauce and vinegar sauce, and after washing away the smell of the meat, the flavor and taste were really different.

Wang Fan breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, before serving as Jing Zhaoyin, he served as the secretary of the ministry, and the new secretary at that time, Zuo Cheng Mu Qingchen, was originally a colleague, but stopped at nodding friends, who would have thought that this previously unknown colleague suddenly changed the day before yesterday and became his superior, the prime minister of the extremely popular minister, which caught many people, including himself, off guard. Even...... Wang Fan said worriedly, and even heard that Xianggong Jing'an and Xianggong Qizhang had tried to stop it, but it didn't work.

This is a signal, Wang Fan concluded in his heart, and his eyes involuntarily glanced at Mu Qingchen's seal. This is a low-key and simple new Zaifu, who must be a new star in the future, and now this person not only recommends himself as Jing Zhaoyin, but also comes to the banquet, this is a rare opportunity to win over, and must be grasped well!

Thinking of this, Wang Fan took the wine spoon again and scooped it up for Mu Qingchen, he tried to get closer to Mu Qingchen, so he called his own words, and his words were not without flattery: "The next day when Mu Xianggong paid a new visit to the prime minister, he was willing to recommend Lu Yu to lead the Jingzhao Mansion and eat with Lu Yu, which really flattered Lu Yu!" ”

"Why ......" Mu Qingchen waved his hand and smiled: "Brother Lu Yu is conscientious and conscientious, and he is a heavenly official (official), and the hundred bureaucrats see it in their eyes, and his words are serious." ”

Wang Fan's face blossomed with joy, not because Mu Qingchen praised his political achievements when he was the secretary of the ministry, but because he heard the prime minister call himself back, and called himself a brother. Such an obvious statement of proximity, of course Wang Fan refused to let go, and hurriedly shook his spirits, took advantage of the excitement to raise the bronze jue, and toasted.

The strange atmosphere between the two gradually dissolved, and the content of Mu Qingchen and Wang Fan's small talk was also enriched, ranging from court affairs to household chores.

"By the way," Mu Qingchen suddenly asked, "Does Brother Lu Yu have any acquaintances in the north?" ”

"Northside?" Wang Fan glanced at Mu Qingchen, and then realized that the prime minister was talking about Beisi. Wang Fan was shocked, why did Mu Xianggong suddenly ask this? He couldn't think clearly for a while, so he replied truthfully with some caution: "There has never been a ......"

Wang Fan has a wide range of friends, and he generally has contacts with the provincial capital temples of Nanya, Zhutai, and at least he will retain a nodding friend, but only Beisi has not made any points so far, as for the reason......

"These ministers have always played with themselves, and they will only make a move when Nanya is profitable...... And Lu Yuqian is only a commissioned heavenly official, and he is on the fourth grade, for him, he is not qualified......"

Mu Qingchen nodded silently, and didn't say anything about it, so he changed the topic and chatted about family life.

After the third round of wine, Wang Fan got up again to toast, and this time, Mu Qingchen did not raise the wine bottle like the previous two times, but solemnly bowed to the head.

"Qingchen is not here to have a good ...... with Brother Fan" Mu Qingchen looked at Wang Fan's eyes and his eyes burned: "But there is a reluctant invitation!" ”

"Oh?" Wang Fan tilted his head, his excitement was interrupted by Mu Qingchen, and he was stunned.

Reluctantly invited? Wang Fan thought of Mu Qingchen's recommendation of himself as Jing Zhaoyin, and couldn't help but guess in his heart, did he want to help get people from the county prison?

But when he thought about it, since the husband had a reluctant request to him, wouldn't this be an excellent opportunity to thank people? What is the reason to refuse?

Wang Fan immediately put down the bronze jue, and said happily: "It's okay to talk about it!" ”

Mu Qingchen didn't speak immediately, but looked around, then got up and gently closed the door of the retreat room, and sat back in front of the table under Wang Fan's suspicious gaze.

Wang Fan's right eyebrow was raised, and from the moment Mu Qingchen closed the door, he was keenly aware that the atmosphere in the retreat room had changed slightly, and Mu Qingchen's expression had become serious. This made Wang Fan's heart start to beat the drum, Mu Xianggong's reluctant invitation, I'm afraid it will be very tricky......

Mu Qingchen suddenly asked, "How many counties are under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao Mansion?" ”

Wang Fan came back to his senses and was quite surprised by this sudden question. It's not that it's out of nowhere, it's that the problem is too simple.

Wang Fan has lived in the court for a long time, and is very familiar with the rules of officialdom, knowing that this kind of mutually invited banquet is never as simple as eating a banquet, and is often mixed with some interpersonal operations, but Mu Qingchen's question He couldn't think of what he meant for a while, didn't he want to test his common sense?

"Back to Xianggong...... Emperor Xuanzong changed Yongzhou to Jingzhao Mansion in the Kaiyuan Dynasty, with 22 counties under its jurisdiction ......"

"How many soldiers and guards are there?"

"Uh......" Wang Fan thought for a while and said: "In the Kaiyuan Dynasty, the Jingzhao Mansion has jurisdiction over the old Zhechong Mansion one hundred and thirty-one, and there are ninety-three now, and there are nearly 10,000 guards in the palace, scattered in the counties......"

"How geometry is there in the Jingshi Mansion Guard?"

"The Jingshi garrison has a forbidden army, sixteen guards on the left and right, so there are fewer guards in Jingzhao Mansion, or there are more than 1,000 ......"

Mu Qingchen paused, his thick eyebrows frowned slightly, and he looked elsewhere. The new prime minister's expression was not angry and arrogant, which made Wang Fan sit on the opposite side with a big face, and for some reason, he actually smelled some of the danger behind these questions.

"Is it feasible to expand the number of guards to 5,000?"

Wang Fan was stunned at first, then shocked and got up. The garrison of Chang'an is customized, and some bold Fu Yin may slightly expand the palace guard, thinking that it is a private soldier, but they are all within 100 people. And 5,000 people are the army that will be expanded fivefold, and its behavior is comparable to rebellion! What does this Mu Qingchen want?

"This is suspected of being a big rebellion," Wang Fan stammered nervously: "No matter what the public wants, please be smart, this, this matter is difficult to do!" You and I haven't had this conversation......"

Mu Qingchen remained silent, got up slowly, looked at Wang Fan, who was frightened, and said in a calm tone: "This matter is not Qingchen's intention. ”

"No matter who wants it or what it is planning, this matter must not be done!" Wang Fan's answer was categorical, "Fan's wish in this life is only to drink fine wine, taste delicious food, be in a high position, and be a peaceful and wealthy man, such things, if you are not careful, you will have the risk of the Red Clan, and Fan will never get involved!" ”

Mu Qingchen took out a stack of documents from his arms, and from the lacquer seal on it, Wang Fan recognized that this was a post from the political affairs hall. The political hall is the prime minister's office, and the hall posts must be kept in the archives and not taken out of the palace.

"Brother Lu Yu thinks about it, Qingchen is already the prime minister, who can instruct Qingchen?"

Wang Fan was stunned when he heard this. Mu Qingchen solemnly spread his hands on the court, and what he said afterwards made Wang Fan stand in place in shock.

"Jingzhao Yin Wang Fan, receive the secret decree of the saint!"