The matter is confidential, and Shao An asked Cheng Ping to talk about it alone. After the two sat down, Yu Chengping slowly told the story of what had happened in the capital recently. It turned out that Sun Yi took the initiative to propose the matter of Jingcha, and the emperor immediately agreed and ordered Sun Yi to preside over Jingcha. So the current capital is already a nest of right and wrong.

After Yu Chengping finished speaking, he saw Shao An's brows tightened, and said uneasily: "Lord Shao has always been smart, so I have to give the lower officials an idea." ”

Shao An asked knowingly, "What do you think?" ”

Yu Chengping said with a sad face: "Lord Shao, the lower officials are now worried and can't swallow. How to investigate this plan, please show me. ”

Shao An despised him very much in his heart, which Yu Chengping saw that Prime Minister Liao Cheng was going to be unlucky, so he was busy dissociating himself from him. A while ago, he relied on the support of the prime minister, and he looked sanctimonious, and he didn't take anyone seriously. Now he is doing Xiao Fu Low again, and he is currying favor with him Shao An.

Shao An smiled: "Why should you worry, you should be happy." Because this plan will be the most just and fair plan in so many years. ”

Yu Chengping looked up at Shao An in a daze, thinking that he was stupid? This son shouldn't hurry up to curry favor with Sun Yi, why did he still learn from the upright minister?

Shao An knew his doubts and explained: "Now that the situation in Chang'an is unclear, how can you see that Lord Sun is victorious?" Since the blessings and misfortunes are unknown, it may be better not to take sides easily, and to remain neutral. ”

"But......" Yu Chengping wondered, "When the two sides decide the winner, neither of us can get any benefits?" ”

"Lord Yu still wants to be opportunistic, what benefits do you get by taking the opportunity?" Shao An was amused by his whimsy, "There has always been a struggle between the two parties, which has affected the pond fish. It is a great blessing to be spared from being implicated in this party dispute. ”

Yu Chengping's face darkened layer after layer, Shao Anxin knew that he was still reluctant to give the money given by the prime minister, and deliberately said: "Although gold and silver are good, sometimes, money is a life talisman." I am most afraid of taking money with my life, and I am afraid of spending money without my life. Lord Yu should think about it. ”

"Alas!" Yu Chengping felt aggrieved in his heart, he was really busy some time ago, he sighed and said, "What Lord Shao said is that the officials will not take ill-gotten gains. ”

"That's very good." Shao An nodded, "The assessment some time ago seems to be going to be redone." I also hope that the adults will cooperate with each other, and the plan must be completed this month. ”

"In such a hurry?"

"This official doesn't want others to say that this official is delaying time and wandering and waiting, so the plan must be all done before the end of the Beijing inspection."

At the end of the month, the vigorous foreign inspection came to an end. Those with outstanding political performance will be recommended for promotion; Those who violate the eight laws shall be impeached and recalled.

In this evaluation, the Ministry of Officials evaluated the officials of the world, and there were 13 old people, 3 sick people, 5 weak people, 36 imprudent people, 40 people who were not able to do it, and more than 800 people who were greedy.

Those with outstanding political achievements ranked first with Feng Che. After he was demoted to Liuzhou, he was not depressed. In just a few months, more than 200 cases were cracked, and the local people became Feng Qingtian. Because of his outstanding political achievements, he was promoted to Dali Temple, and he was a third-class person.

Although the plan is over, Jingcha has just entered the most critical period.

After the start of Jingcha, Jingzhong has not stopped, and this time Jingcha is fully responsible for the Ministry of Officials, and Yushitai does not even have a chance to intervene. Most of the officials in the Imperial Historical Observatory are from the prime minister's side, and they are all in a panic. It's a pity that the boss Yu Chengping is still in Hangzhou, how can the people underground fight against Sun Yi, the secretary of the ministry?

Prime Minister Liao was unwilling to admit defeat, and still jumped up and down, hoping to have room for change. But under Sun Yi's strong authority, how dare the officials accept bribes at this juncture?

Therefore, under the review of the ministry, the officials of the court and the central government were divided into three classes: eighteen people of the upper class, most of whom were the scholars and servants of various ministries; There are more than 70 people in the middle, most of whom are neutrals in the DPRK; The inferior thirty-five people are mostly officials of the Imperial Historical Observatory and members of the Taizi Party. In this list, the spearhead is directed at Prime Minister Liao.

A few days after Sun Yi reported the list of appeals, he impeached Prime Minister Liao Cheng on charges of "giving and receiving privately, disrupting Jingcha, and swaying the big plan". In an instant, the capital exploded......

※※※※※

King Jin finished singing, walked to Shao An with a smile and sat down beside him and said, "I've heard that the old thief Liao was deposed and sent to prison." Such a big thing happened in the capital, why don't you go back? ”

"What are you going back for? The dragon in Beijing is fighting, I'm going to join in the fun. ”

"I'd love to go back and see the excitement. Look at how the old thief Liao betrayed his relatives and begged for mercy on his knees like a mouse. Haha......" King Jin said in the end, as if he had seen the bleak evening scene of Liao Lao's tragic imprisonment, and couldn't help laughing.

The palace change has always been a pain in the heart of King Jin, he knows that this seems to be the prince's mastermind on the surface, but without Liao Hongxuan's advice, at the level of the prince, can he initiate a palace change? Therefore, he has always regarded the prime minister as a person who has no hatred for the sky, and now when he sees the fall of the prime minister, how can he not laugh?

Shao An is not as happy as King Jin, the situation in Beijing has been unpredictable recently, and the more he looks at it, the more dizzy he becomes. I really don't know which play Sun Yi and the emperor are singing? The most amazing thing is that Prime Minister Liao really went to prison obediently. He wondered in his heart, could it be that the edict was fake?

Over the years, Shao An's experience in the circle of fame and fortune has taught him that the more moments like this, the more he must calm down and never act rashly. Therefore, he would rather stay on the other side of Hangzhou and watch the fire than return to the capital to fight for power and profit.

And King Jin was blinded by hatred, and he always wanted Shao An to go back and step on the old thief Liao, hating to peel his skin with his own hands, eat his flesh, and avenge his mother, concubine, uncle and others. So he pushed Shao An and said, "What are you frowning about, shouldn't you rectify the old thief Liao?" It's best to let the imperial brother kill the old thief Liao, so as to relieve the hatred in my heart. ”

"Don't be too optimistic. The court is changing rapidly, what if Liao Hongxuan still has a trick? Shao An was afraid that he would rejoice in vain, so he reminded one or two.

But the king of Jin did not appreciate it and said: "Good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with evil." Liao Lao thief has done a lot of evil and deserves to be imprisoned. It's better to cut it. ”

Shao Anxin knew that the enmity between King Jin and Liao Hongxuan was due to the dispute over the heir during the period of the first emperor, so he said: "The dispute over the heir has always been tragic since ancient times. Liao Hongxuan also couldn't help himself......"

King Jin interrupted angrily: "What can't help yourself? Is it because I can't help myself that I will die? ”

"It's just a matter of becoming a king or defeating a villain. If your uncle gains power, will the prince and Liao Hongxuan have a way to live? "Shao An has always been disgusted with the party struggle for succession in the last years of Yongkang, and the two sides did whatever it took to win the throne, excluding dissidents, and making the entire court and even the world into a miasma. In the end, the ending of both defeats was unexpected, but it was reasonable to think about it.

After listening to Shao An's comment, King Jin suddenly became furious: "Why do you say that? You will only sit on the sidelines, and then judge right and wrong here at will afterwards, what qualifications do you have? ”

Shao An was startled, looked up at King Jin, and saw that King Jin's cheeks were red, his eyes were full of tears, and he was extremely sad and angry. Seeing him like this, Shao An was like a fish in his throat, but he couldn't say a word to refute the criticism.

King Jin remembered the situation when his uncle was dying, and became more and more sad, and said to Shao An: "You haven't experienced it yourself, how can you understand my pain?" At most, you sigh with emotion, and then say a few words of comfort that are not painful, and maybe you are glad that there is this palace change in your heart. Otherwise, how could the fifth brother become the emperor! ”

"King Jin! Don't talk nonsense...... "Shao An was about to reprimand, but he swallowed the words of reprimand as if he couldn't bear it; He raised his hand again and wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but when he was an inch away, he clenched his hand into a fist and slowly put it down, but he didn't touch it.

In fact, King Jin's words were like a blow to the head, waking him up. Because he was indeed standing outside the square inch, looking at the palace change as an outsider, and even speculating in vain, but he didn't understand the grief of King Jin losing his mother and uncle.

King Jin buried his head and cried for a while, then turned around and ran out. Shao sat quietly in place for a long time......

※※※※※

Taean 3rd year, May. The prime minister's case is closed. Liao Hongxuan was charged with forming a party for personal gain, influencing the general plan of Beijing and Chacha, shaking the country's foundation, etc., raided his family and beheaded him, exiled his family to Qianzhou, and most of the princes and party members were implicated. At this point, the Jin Wang Party and the Prince Party were all destroyed.

Everything finally settled, and the only unexpected thing was that Liao Hongxuan actually proposed in public before he was executed that he wanted to see Shao An.

This request was bizarre but not excessive, the emperor thought twice, agreed to him, and urgently summoned Shao An back to Beijing.

The prison was as eerie as ever, and Shao An, under the guidance of the jailer, came to the cell where Liao Hongxuan was held. Shao An stepped in, retreated left and right, and looked at the former prime minister of the Celestial Empire who was meditating with his eyes closed by a lonely lamp.

The man leaned against the cold wall, dressed in a wide cloth prison uniform, and although he was behind bars, he still maintained a neat appearance.

Liao Hongxuan clearly heard the sound of the door opening, but his eyes were still closed. Shao An despised it, and he went to such a desolate field, and he didn't forget to put on the prime minister's shelf. It's a pity that people are about to die, and they won't be able to put it for many days.

Shao An asked indifferently, "Have you seen your family?" ”

Liao Hongxuan finally opened his eyes, saw that it was Shao An, and sneered, "What is the difference between seeing and not seeing." ”

Shao An touched a soft nail, so he stopped talking nonsense and asked directly: "What are your last words?" ”

"The old man has been in prison for many days, and finally understands why he lost so badly." When Liao Hongxuan said this, his eyes flashed with a fierce light in vain, and he raised his hand and pointed at Shao An angrily, "It's all because of you!" ”

"Why did the prime minister say this? I didn't do anything in the next place. Shao An frowned, seeing Liao Hongxuan's hostility clearly on his face, he thought to himself, why did he provoke him? It was Sun Yi who impeached him, what does it matter to himself?

"It's true that you didn't do anything, but you returned to the emperor, which is more effective than doing ten thousand things." Liao Hongxuan slowly lowered his hand and looked at Shao An with complicated eyes, only to find that Shao An's seemingly gentle black eyes hid true pride and sharpness.

The old man remembered that when the first emperor was there, he had heard that there was a scholar beside King An, who was very smart and young and promising, and was very appreciated by King An. I guess that person is you. ”

Shao An didn't expect Liao Hongxuan to guess his identity, and his expression was dazed, "What's the matter, what's the matter?" ”

Liao Hongxuan smiled, no longer delved into this topic, and said inscrutablely: "After succeeding to the throne today, the old man can still live in the phase for more than two years, do you know the reason?" ”

Speaking of this, Shao An was angry, and snorted coldly: "You have a testament." ”

This is one of the reasons, but the more important reason is that the emperor is worried that after the resignation of the prime minister, no one will take on this important responsibility, so it has not been sent for a long time. But you're back, so old man, it's useless. ”

Shao An was angry, but when he heard this, he was stunned, and his eyes flashed with extreme surprise and deep doubt, "Why me?" Shouldn't it be Lord Sun? ”

"The prime minister, the chief consul and the minister, the chief regent; The power to seize the life and death of the people, and the handle of the rise and fall of the country. Therefore, the position is high and weighted. And Sun Yi is a person who is capricious at both ends of the first rat. How dare the emperor give him such a high position of power? ”

"Even if Lord Sun is excluded, there are still old ministers in the middle of the court."

Liao Hongxuan saw Shao An's hypocrisy, and laughed: "Who doesn't want to take orders as soon as they have power in their hands?" Master Shao, don't say you haven't thought about it. ”

"However, it is difficult to be a powerful minister, although the position of prime minister is expensive and dangerous." Shao An was moved, but he did not lose his mind.

Liao Hongxuan laughed again, "An Enron's life is indeed the supreme blessing. But if you can talk and laugh and scold Fang Xuan, and the power of the clouds is overwhelming, how happy is it? Even if it's hard, what's the matter? ”

Shao An was extremely arrogant and proud when he heard his tone, although he was trapped in prison, he did not repent, shook his head and sighed: "Qin Xiang Li Si, when he is about to be sentenced, he still misses the east gate of the dog. And you, however, have no remorse. ”

"Repentance? Of course repentance! At that time, the emperor took advantage of Feng Che's kneeling at the noon gate to knock on the point many times. It's a pity that the old man didn't know how to restrain himself, and still went his own way, so he let the saint take the risk of burning the edict, and finally killed himself. ”

"The edict was destroyed?" Shao An finally figured out why the emperor wanted Jingcha and why Sun Yi would be impeached.

"Humph!" Liao Hongxuan sneered, "The emperor's subordinates are really full of talents, and entering and leaving the Prime Minister's Mansion is like walking on the ground, which is really unguardable." ”

And people who can have such light skills, such courage, and such martial arts have no one else but Hong Yi. Shao An was indignant, the emperor actually let his brother do such a dangerous thing.

Shao An held back his emotions and remained silent. I only heard Liao Hongxuan continue: "The matter of the edict is so secret, do you know how the old man got the news back then?" ”

"I don't know."

The corners of Liao Hongxuan's mouth rose, revealing a strange smile, "It was deliberately leaked by the Jin Wang Party." ”

"How is this possible?"

"The old man also thought that they had accidentally lost the edict, but in hindsight, it was wrong. That edict was so important, how could it be easily lost. It must be the uneven distribution of spoils within the Jin Dynasty, which led to infighting. Then someone took refuge in the ...... Holy today! Speaking of the last four words, Liao Hongxuan deliberately accentuated his tone, and looked at Shao An's shocked expression with a smile.

Shao An stared at Liao Hongxuan fiercely when he heard this, his eyes flashed for a moment, and then deepened, "You mean that the palace change back then was manipulated by the emperor behind his back, throwing the edict to the prince, tempting and incitement, and finally benefiting the fisherman?" ”

Liao Hongxuan was silent, and a strange smile still appeared on his face, and the people who watched it were terrified.

"Who is it? Who is the Jin King Party member who temporarily defected? ”

Liao Hongxuan's smile became thicker and thicker, and he slowly guided Shao An, "How can the person who leaked the secret reveal his identity?" But you might as well guess. First of all, that person must be the backbone of the Jin King Party, and secondly, he can be trusted by Jinshang. Think about it, who will it be? ”

Shao An searched in his mind for a moment, and a name appeared in front of him, ready to come out......

Could it be him? Or was Liao Hongxuan resentful before his death and deliberately made up a communication to cause disputes between the DPRK and China?