As soon as Shao An's voice fell, Sun Yi immediately excused himself and said: "The talent of the minister is not enough to do anything, and Lord Shao is young and talented, and he is the best candidate for prime minister." After saying that, he retreated and quickly glanced at the left squire of the officer.

After Peng Yuanping saw Sun Yi's signal, he immediately raised the wat board and stepped forward and said, "The minister seconded the proposal." ”

The officials had already been instructed by their superiors, and they also echoed in unison: "The ministers seconded the proposal." ”

Then Jiang Jiamin, the secretary of the Criminal Department, also joined in, "The minister seconded the proposal." ”

The rest of the people in the criminal department saw that their bosses had seconded the proposal, and they still dared to stand? Everyone in the Ministry of Officials also said in unison: "The ministers seconded the proposal." ”

For a while, the court only heard a voice of secondment, and the rest of the people who didn't know why opened their mouths, and said in their hearts that Sun Yi's shirking drama was too realistic.

Shao An looked at so many people seconding the proposal and felt incredible. Although he knew that Sun Yi would pull people to support him, he thought that he could only bring in the officials, but he didn't expect that the criminal department would also be pulled into his banner.

Seeing that the situation was about to fall one-sided, Shao An hurriedly said, "The minister is a cloth cloth, and he is a humble body. Fortunately, he was favored by the country, and he worshiped the minister's book, how dare he dare to have hope. I wish to tie the grass and tie the ring, and be faithful to the Lord, so as to repay the grace of heaven. ”

Yixi's words were generous, and his tears were falling, so sincere that he couldn't see a trace of falsehood. The people from the Ministry of Punishment looked at Sun Yi silently. The people in the household department were at a loss, because Shao An didn't give them a pass, they didn't know whether to support their boss to be prime minister, or inappropriate? As for the Yushitai, the second monk was even more confused, and said in his heart that these two people really didn't want to be along, right?

The emperor sat silently on the dragon chair and looked down, to be precise, at Shao An. He counted everyone's attitudes, but Shao An's attitude didn't guess. Maybe everyone thinks that Shao An's refusal is because of humility, but only the emperor really understands that it is not modesty, but suspiciousness.

In the end, it was Gao Wei who broke the deathly silence, and he spoke on behalf of the military cardinal: "The minister supports Shao Junyi as the prime minister. ”

Yu Chengping almost jumped after hearing this, he used to listen to the gossip, didn't he say that Shao An and Gao Wei had a bad relationship? Didn't you say that the two had a fight? How could he support Shao An at a critical moment?

Of course, Gao Wei and Shao An are indeed at odds, but Shao An is also a soldier, and for his brother's sake, it is better to support him as a prime minister than to support Sun Yi.

As soon as the attitude of the Privy Council was confirmed, the Ministry of War followed suit and expressed its support for Shao An. Three of the six ministries have already expressed their positions, and although the household department has not expressed its position, everyone knows their attitude. So when the two scholars of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Industry saw this situation, they could only be like the clouds.

Ignoring the household department, the six parts can be said to be all one-sided. Now only the Imperial Observatory and the Five Temples are left without speaking. The emperor opened his mouth and asked Dali Temple: "Feng Aiqing, they all say that you are just and upright in judging the case, and you are a direct minister." Then you should also put an end to this matter. ”

Feng Che didn't want to get involved in the struggle for power and profit between the DPRK and China, so he never spoke. Now that His Majesty the Emperor has named him to say it, he will be blunt. I only heard him say: "The minister thinks that Lord Shao can be the prime minister." ”

The emperor was not interested in the other people's answers, but was very surprised by Feng Che's and asked, "Oh? What is Aiqing's reason? ”

"Chen and Lord Shao once went to Hangzhou to investigate the case together, and they knew that they were good at insight and careful and cautious. Later, he worked together in the Criminal Department, and found that he was good at analyzing the general trend and strategizing. Feng Che is really virtuous and does not avoid revenge, and makes a correct evaluation of Shao An without selfishness.

The first time Shao An heard someone comment on him like this, he still said it from the mouths of people who were not in harmony with him, and he always felt very absurd, so he said: "Lord Feng praises him falsely. Weichen is still young, and he still has a lot to learn, so he may not be able to take on this big responsibility. ”

The emperor asked again: "Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Taifu Temple, Honglu Temple, who do you think should be chosen?" ”

The four chiefs glanced at each other, and after exchanging opinions, they decided to follow in the footsteps of Dali Temple, "The ministers choose Lord Shao." ”

The emperor asked the household department again, "Ni Aiqing, what do you think?" ”

Ni Hongyu is now more and more incomprehensible, I don't know if they are really humble or false, so he said ambiguously: "Weichen is stupid, how dare he criticize, and ask the Holy Cadre to be arbitrary." ”

The emperor chuckled lightly and asked Yu Shitai again, "Yu Aiqing, what is your opinion?" ”

"Ahem, ahem, minister...... Don't dare to talk about it. "Yu Chengping slandered in his heart, and he didn't ask me until the end, what's the use of opposing it now?

The emperor silently glanced at the hall for a moment, and finally fixed on Shao An. Now that the situation is clear, Shao An is elected, but I am afraid that I will refuse to be the prime minister. Shao An seemed to sense the emperor's gaze, and slowly raised his head, with a slight trace of doubt and uneasiness in his eyes.

Once bitten by a snake, he was afraid of the well rope for ten years. That's true. Shao An was really scared of the mistakes of the year, if it was according to his previous character, how could he be so forward-looking and hesitant.

The two monarchs and ministers looked at each other for a moment, and the emperor smiled: "Today I am very relieved, the first time I have seen the court, the ministers are so humble. Shao An, since everyone has said so, why are you too humble, don't you want to share your worries for me? ”

The emperor said so, and Shao An understood that he had made up his mind, how could he dare to refuse? So he knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "Thanks to the Holy One, I will not give up, and you will be recommended." Wechen will do his best to repay the Lord with blessings, return the ministers with government affairs, and repay the public with punishment and punishment! ”①

The emperor praised: "Very good, I hope Shao Aiqing will live up to expectations." Aiqing stepped forward to listen to the seal, Huai'en, announce the decree. ”

Gonggong Chen took out the holy decree that had already been written, and read it aloud: "Fengtian carries the emperor, and the edict says: In ancient times, the Ming monarch ruled the world by virtue of virtuous appearances. Zhou, summoned to surrender, there are Yan Ying, Baili Xi, Sun Shu Ao belonging; Han has Xiao He and Cao Shen continued. Today, the government is sluggish, and the government is not moving. The gentleman has no conscience, and it is difficult to sing alone. I often look forward to Guan Zhong's resurrection, and I meet it unexpectedly. The existing Qinhuai Shao'an can judge major events and not be informal. There are tools for cadres, not showing their edge, and they can be embraced with the wisdom of things. (2) Today, worship Shao An as the prime minister, the king, the commander of hundreds of officials, and the assistant of ten thousand machines. Announce to the world, and make the salty envoy known. ”

Shao An raised his hands flat, solemnly accepted the edict, and said in a firm and sonorous tone: "Long live my emperor!" ”

At this time, the emperor got up, took the seal symbolizing power from the attendants, and personally awarded it to Shao An. Shao An got up after thanking him, and took the seal of the holy decree in a daze, but his thoughts flew to the past, recalling the most humble and humiliating part of his life......

That year, King An was defeated and Li Hongyi died.

※※※※※

Yongkang twenty years, summer.

At noon in the middle of summer, the sun is blazing. There was not a trace of wind in the air, let alone rain, only the scorching sun, which made the ground hot and dizzy. In this weather, even in the heavily guarded barracks, not many people patrolled the camp, and most of the soldiers hid in the shade to rest and cool off.

But there was a young man who knelt under the scorching sun. Not only that, but the heavy shackles were fastened around his thin shoulders, restraining his hands and bending his waist. The clothes on his body were already soaked with sweat, wet and sticking to his back, and he was indescribably uncomfortable. Beads of sweat the size of beans on his forehead scrambled out, rolling down his cheeks and dripping into the dust.

He had been kneeling at the gate for two days, not eating, drinking, or sleeping, how could that weak body bear it? I had to lean forward, support my knees with my elbows, and maintain a kneeling position.

I don't know how long it took, my knees were numb to the hard floor. He licked his chapped lips and hung his head, staring weakly at this difficult time. He was hot, tired, and thirsty, but he had no complaints. This is the sin he deserves, and he has brought it upon himself.

Misjudging the situation and delaying military planes led to the defeat of our army. His comrades and brothers were killed in the battle, and their bodies were not even found. The commander King An was extremely angry and punished him to kneel at the gate and show his flail to the public, waiting for the final conviction.

The prison army Sun Yi lifted the curtain and entered the account, and after meeting King An, he hesitated and said: "Lord Wang, people have fainted again, I'm afraid that if I kneel down again, something will happen." Besides, his brother has just died, and his heart is still in pain, so why do you torture him? ”

When the man sitting on the main seat got up, went to the window and looked into the distance, he saw the young man fainting on the ground. Although he was unconscious, he was slanted to the ground due to the restraint of the wooden flail, and his posture was very unnatural.

Seeing this, King An couldn't help but feel sorry, was silent for a moment, and sighed faintly, "This king doesn't want to either." But this matter has alarmed the capital and caused the anger of the father, and besides, the sent messenger is about to arrive, and the king must at least make a show. Although he suffered a little, the most important thing was to save his life. ”

"But this sin is so great that such a grave sin is to be beheaded. The prince punished him so harshly, with the intention of sparing his life? ”

King An nodded, "This king has made a mistake in command and improper allocation, so he will ask the Qin messenger for his own guilt." As for him, he was judged by mistake. ”

Sun Yi knew that this was to share the blame. King An is a relative of the emperor, so naturally he will not be responsible. And the principal offender in this matter can also be given a light sentence. It's just that King An has taken this charge, and I am afraid that he will no longer be able to win the throne in the future.

An'er was woken up by the torture shackles, and when he woke up in a daze, the sun finally set. But this is not a good thing, because the climate here in the desert is extremely climatous, and there has always been a saying that "wear a leather jacket in the morning and a veil in the afternoon". It won't be long before the hot sand and gravel will cool down quickly, and the cold will be overwhelming.

An'er has survived two days of alternating hot and cold, and the feeling of temperature has long been numb, and she is kneeling in place like a wooden pillar at the moment. He didn't know how long he would last, or when the torture would end. But he had only perseverance and patience.

Suddenly, there was a chaotic sound of footsteps, and An'er saw a pair of official boots stop in front of her in a trance, and it seemed that the time to pronounce the sentence had finally arrived.

King An accompanied the Qin Cha to come with him, and King An had already informed him of the defeat and the reason, so the Qin Cha came directly to announce the verdict. Seeing An'er kneeling at the door of the barracks in her dying, she no longer made it difficult.

“…… If you don't try it, you don't know how to explore the thief, you don't say anything, if you say more, you will say less, and if you say less, you will say more, which is called a mistake in the army, and the offender will be beheaded. Remembering his military exploits, he was sentenced to exile in Qianzhou. ”

Although he was exiled to a bitter cold place, at least he survived. After hearing this, King An had nothing to say.

And An'er's eyes were empty, there was no sadness or joy on her face, and she didn't know if she had listened to it. When the soldiers next to him picked him up from the ground and dragged him out, An'er still didn't react, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.

Seeing him like this, King An called out uneasily, "An'er? ”

An'er finally reacted, and slowly looked at King An in the direction of the voice. After just one glance, he was escorted out of the barracks and never looked back......

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(1) From: Xu Jie, Ming Dynasty

(2) From: Shen Kuo of the Song Dynasty