Wei Bao can also be like the emperor and Wei Zhongxian, fooling the past, avoiding the important and trivial, and passing the test in confusion.

But Wei Bao can give the emperor and Wei Zhongxian silver, and can use carpentry work together to divert the emperor's attention.

There is no way to use these methods for Zhang Weixian.

Because Zhang Weixian is an elder, Wei Bao knows that the old man hopes that he will mix well and that his daughter will live well.

Zhang Weixian doesn't want his own money, and he has clear insights, so he is not easy to be led astray, which makes Wei Bao very troublesome.

Unless you avoid it forever, after you meet, it will be the same as now, and many things can't be talked about together, which is very embarrassing.

"Dad, in order for the people to be fed and clothed, even if I offend some people, I will endure it. You can't have it both ways. Wei Bao faintly wanted to divert the topic, and then he and Zhang Zhiji had a big chat, it was best to get yourself drunk, so that today's drama could be solved.

"I'm not asking you to ignore the people, but you can do things at the first level. Although you are only a fourth-rank official now, you are a member of the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong, and the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong has not set up a governor, you are the biggest, and your power is even greater than that of the governor and the commander-in-chief! What should be done by the subordinates, it should be done by the subordinates, and the governor and the general army can't take care of everything, as well as the prefecture and county yamen in various places, and the yamen of the guards in various places, right? You have to try to get these people to do things, even if a few people don't like it, if you change it, it's not good to change a large number of people, let alone force people to spend money to buy officials. How is this different from a robber? You can't let people think that you don't have the capacity to tolerate people, and if you want to go to other yamen in the future, or want to be promoted, they are all against you, how can you develop in your career? Zhang Weixian said.

Wei Bao couldn't help nodding, but he didn't listen to a word, and said in his heart that it was better to pretend to be stupid and fool around.

"I want you to take care of it, you can take into account the interests of all parties, and you are exquisite, this is the way to be an official, understand?" Zhang Weixian saw that Wei Bao's attitude was okay, and his mood was a little better.

"I understand, I understand, Xiaobao is so smart, can you not understand," Zhang Zhiji, the eldest brother, was very conscientious, and hurriedly rounded the field for Wei Bao, "Xiaobao, quickly respect your father-in-law's wine." ”

Wei Bao hurriedly got up with a wine glass, "Dad, I toast you with a glass of wine, it's rare for the family to be happy together, I'm really busy, wait for the time to come and drink with you." ”

"Okay, okay, sit down." Zhang Weixian said happily: "It's better to be busy, if you are like your eldest brother who dangles in front of my eyes all day long, I will be upset." ”

"Dad, this is your problem, you can get me an errand, it's really not good, let me go to Beijing to get an errand, can I do nothing?" Zhang Zhi said unhappily.

"What errand do you have to do in the future to succeed the ruler of the kingdom? And do you say you're the one who does things? It's not that you haven't done things, you one, undisciplined! Second, don't care. You can find people everywhere you go, and what if you ruin your reputation when the time comes? Zhang Weixian said.

"Hehe, okay, I won't say it, I'll be a fool at home in the future, and this will start again." Zhang Zhiji smiled: "Xiaobao, let's two drink." ”

Zhang Zhiji is much older than Wei Bao, so here in Wei Bao, he still has a very psychological advantage.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, raised his glass and drank with Zhang Zhiji.

It's a pity that Wei Bao asked Zhang Zhiji to drink, and it was difficult to realize the idea of getting himself drunk, or pretending to be drunk after drinking a small half catty of wine.

Because he drank with Zhang Weixian and Zhang Zhiji, there were too few people, and they watched how much they drank.

Zhang Zhiji and Wei Bao drank a little anxiously, and Zhang Weixian would nag on the side.

"Drink slowly, what are you doing drinking so much in your own home? And no one grabbed it. Zhang Weixian said: "Xiaobao, you have to be careful with Gao Di, he is not Wei Zhongxian's person, nor is he a member of the Donglin Party, he is very good at relationships, and he is very slippery." ”

Wei Bao sighed, he didn't know anything about Gao Di, and he had found someone to check Gao Di before.

Gao Di is the seventeenth year of Wanli, the Jinshi in 1589, and the commander of Linying County. Disaster relief and famine relief, medical treatment for tens of thousands of people. Moreover, it is relatively incorruptible, and the taxes paid are not unsealed at all, and are directly sent to Kaifeng Mansion, thus eliminating the disadvantages of envy.

In this way, perhaps due to the outstanding political achievements in taxation, Gao Di "transferred to Cao, Yuhu Shuguan", that is, sent to Suzhou to collect commercial taxes.

In the old case, ropes were set up on the tributaries outside the main banknote to prevent merchant ships from running away from them to avoid taxes, but Gaudi thought that it was enough to block the waters near the main river and not worry about everything.

After a period of time, Gao Di was finally promoted to the prefect of Datong and was the official of the fourth grade.

In the thirty-eighth year of Wanli, in February 1610, Gao Di was transferred from the prefect of Datong to the deputy envoy of Shandong.

In the forty-first year of Wanli, in March 1613, he completed the Gaodi examination, and was promoted from the deputy envoy of Shandong to Huguang right to participate in politics, and was promoted to the third rank. Soon after, Gao Di was promoted to Shandong according to the inspection envoy, and he was the third product.

In the forty-sixth year of Wanli, in May 1618, he was promoted to the right political envoy of Shaanxi, from the second grade, and soon promoted to the political envoy of the left cloth in Shanxi, and officially entered the ranks of the second ranks.

In the first year of the Apocalypse, in March 1621, the Ministry of Officials made the governor of Datong with the right of the Gaodi and the Imperial Palace. In office, he personally contributed 7,000 taels of silver to help the border generals' rewards, and he had a good reputation in the army.

In the second year of the Apocalypse, in December 1622, Emperor Zhu Youxiao summoned Gao Di to Beijing as the right attendant of the military department.

In the fourth year of the Apocalypse, in the first month of 1624, he was the left squire of the military department.

In the fifth year of the Apocalypse, in February 1625, Gao Di was the left attendant of the military department and the right attendant of the Ministry of Labor. In May, he was promoted to the secretary of the military department.

In October, that is, this month, the emperor summoned Gao Di to the Wenhua Palace, gave him a python clothes and jade belt, and ordered the military department to write a little Ji Liao.

Wei Bao's impression of Gao Di is that this person is all-encompassing, left and right, so he can mix in officialdom, and he also pays more attention to the senses of ordinary people and ordinary soldiers.

In short, he is a person who is very good at being an official, but he only began to make his career in his fifties, and then rose rapidly, which is a normal promotion trajectory in the Ming Dynasty.

Ming officials are generally in their forties and fifties, and there are very few situations where Feng Quan makes a career in his early thirties, and Feng Quan hugged Wei Zhongxian's thigh.

There is no such thing as Wei Bao, who has achieved the fourth grade in his teens, which is rare in history.

"I studied Gao Di a little, this person should have a hand in making money, and he is clever, does things covertly, and can entrap colleagues and subordinates, and can also take care of ordinary people and ordinary soldiers." Wei Bao Road.

Zhang Weixian nodded: "Gao Di is your role model, if you can be like him, you can not rely on both sides, and you can still rise step by step, this is the best way." ”

"Dad, you can't say that, there are more old oilers in this kind of officialdom, and when you encounter major events, you still have to be able to do things, you let someone like Gao Di go to Liaodong, does he have the ability to replace Sun Ge Lao? Sun Ge Lao relied on these two years to keep Liaodong from being taken away by Jiannu, and he was able to keep the peace of Beizhili's wife, and he made a great contribution. Zhang Zhiji said.

"What do you know? Sun Chengzong did a good job in Liaodong, but if he didn't deal with Wei Zhongxian, and if he didn't deal with Wei Zhongxian, could he do it for a long time? Regardless of whether Gao Di has the ability or not, a person like him, if something happens, he can't find his head, if he is lucky enough to make a meritorious service, he can account for more than half of the credit. This is the way to be an official. Zhang Weixian said.

Zhang Zhiji smiled, very disdainful of his father's words, but he didn't talk back.

"I met privately with the factory yesterday, and he promised that as long as I dismantled more than 50,000 soldiers and horses in Jiliao and Liaodong, let them each mercenary 50,000, and then make military achievements in the war against Jiannu, I will be promoted to the governor of Haiphong and the governor of Yamen at the end of the year!" Wei Bao said: "The factory asked me to help Gao Di take charge of Liaodong to clear the obstacles, the meaning is self-explanatory, let me help squeeze away my mentor Sun Gelao." ”

Wei Bao originally didn't plan to tell Zhang Zhiji and Zhang Weixian about Wei Zhongxian's private meeting, worried that Zhang Zhiji liked to go out to play, and was afraid that Zhang Zhiji would say it, but he thought that since Zhang Meiyuan already knew, Zhang Weixian might know, and there was no need to hide this kind of thing from his father-in-law, so he said it.

Zhang Weixian was very relieved to see Wei Bao tell him such a confidential matter, and then he was a little puzzled, "Xiaobao, you tell me the truth, how deep have you and Wei Zhongxian been together?" Don't get caught up in it. ”

Wei Bao said this to Zhang Weixian, and couldn't help but look down at his old father-in-law, obviously Zhang Weixian knew very well that Wei Zhongxian's future fate would definitely not be good, and it would not last long.

But he was a person who knew the historical process, and only then did he know that the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Zhu Youxiao, was dead, and Wei Zhongxian was naturally about to lose power and fall, but Zhu Youxiao was only in his early twenties and was in the prime of life, so he didn't know how Zhang Weixian made this judgment.

"I'm not a close person to the factory father, but I can't control who does things for the court, I just contribute to the court and His Majesty." Although Wei Bao is in the British government, they are all his own people, and he did not speak disrespectfully to Wei Zhongxian, did not call Wei Zhongxian by his name, but did not call him nine thousand years old, but called him a factory duke.

Because Wei Bao didn't know if there was a fine work of the East Factory in Zhang Weixian's house.

Therefore, Wei Bao is also more reserved in his speech here, using ambiguous diplomatic rhetoric.

Zhang Weixian frowned, he had been in officialdom for many years, so he could naturally hear the reservations in Wei Bao's words, "There are no outsiders here, they are all their own families, are you afraid that there will be fine work in my house?" ”

"Dad, don't get me wrong, I'm sincere, I just want to do things for the court and His Majesty, I really don't think much about it, I am the same for the factory and the Donglin Party, keep a sense of proportion, not alienated, and do not take the initiative to lean in the past, between the two, I am slightly inclined to the factory public, after all, the court is now in the hands of the factory public." Wei Bao Road.

"That's right, if you have anything to say, just rest assured, although he is a little playful, he is still a little measured in what he says and does, especially in officialdom." Zhang Weixian said in a low voice: "I'll tell you a big secret, although Your Majesty is young, his body is no longer good!" Three or five years at most, understand? ”

Wei Bao was stunned, he didn't expect Zhang Weixian's roots to be so deep, and even the emperor's physical condition was clear, but it's a pity that your estimation in the past three or five years has been high on Zhu Youxiao, Zhu Youxiao, the emperor, has to learn from the West in less than two years.

But Wei Bao couldn't have said that this was the conclusion that he knew the general trend of history, so he just nodded.

"Wei Zhongxian completely relies on His Majesty, His Majesty is not here, what is he? It's going to collapse immediately. Zhang Weixian said: "So we can't just look at the present, but also think about the future and think about the long-term." ”

"I'm afraid that the emperor will give birth to an heir and continue to be manipulated by Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka family." Zhang Zhiji said.

"There is also this possibility, but God does not bless me Daming, it is difficult for His Majesty's heirs to survive healthily, I don't know if Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka clan did something from it. I'm just afraid that they will be consumed by their interests and make a fake prince come out and mess up the bloodline of the palace. However, we have eyeliner in the palace, and it is difficult for Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka family to do this! Nine times out of ten, the world will fall on the head of the king of faith! Zhang Weixian judged.

Wei Bao nodded secretly when he heard this, secretly thinking that this wine was not drunk in vain, it seems that his old man is indeed a pillar of the Ming Dynasty, he knows everything, and his judgment is extremely accurate!

In many cases, whether a person can succeed or not, the judgment at the beginning is the most critical, and the first step is destined to be right or wrong.

"Daddy is pretty much what I thought." Wei Bao said in a low voice.

Zhang Weixian thought that Wei Bao was just echoing his words, and said with a smile: "Really? What are your judgments? ”

"Although I don't have eyeliner, I often see His Majesty, and I feel that His Majesty's body is not very good, but I didn't expect that I can only live for another three or five years." Wei Bao said casually: "If Your Majesty is not here, it will be difficult to keep the position of the factory master." As for wanting to get a fake prince, this is unlikely, there are many people in the palace, which concubine wants to conceive for ten months without being found to be fake, how is it possible? ”

Zhang Weixian couldn't help but be very relieved when he saw that Wei Bao was the same as he thought, "I really didn't see the wrong person, Xiaobao, you are very smart, you can think about things comprehensively at such a young age, rare, rare." So you can't get too close to Wei Zhongxian, based on my observation of King Xin, King Xin is very disgusted with eunuchs and is close to the Donglin Party! In the future, the Donglin Party will make a comeback. I have occasionally had the opportunity to meet the king of faith, and I am already planning for you, and I often say good things about you in front of the king. ”

"Thank you, Dad." Wei Bao said hurriedly.

"In my opinion, you just try to bribe Wei Zhongxian for a sum of money, and just be a left politician in the Yamen, the governor of Haiphong, Liaodong still don't go, and you won't be able to get any benefits if you go. Do you think, the Jiliao Border Army and the Liaodong Border Army, who have been away for a long time, are all hereditary generals, separated from the imperial court, even Wei Zhongxian has no way, after you go, you don't have soldiers and horses at hand, what can you do? They won't let you disarm. It is even more impossible to fight Jiannu, as far as the situation of Jiliao and Liaodong is concerned, it is not easy to hold on to not being beaten by Jiannu! Zhang Weixian said again.

Wei Bao pursed his lips, what he was most afraid of was that Zhang Weixian said this, he would definitely go to Liaodong, do nothing, naturally there is no risk, but no meritorious service, how to expand his power, especially in order to divert Jiannu's attention to North Korea and southern Liaoning, Wei Bao must also let the soldiers and horses of Liaodong come out with some prestige.

Wei Bao knew that according to the normal trajectory, Jiannu would first pacify North Korea, and then pacify Mongolia and Mao Wenlong, and then he would have no worries, and he could concentrate on dealing with Liaodong, and he could even turn a corner and fight to Beizhili.

It seems that in history, less than two years after Chongzhen ascended the throne, Huang Taiji took people to turn around and enter Jiliao, and hit the capital, and killed a lot of Ming troops.

Now that Wei Bao has made a southern Liaoning, Jiannu must also take back southern Liaoning first, otherwise there is such a large territory behind it that is controlled by others, forming such a big force, Jiannu can't do anything, let alone deal with Liaodong, let alone fight Jingshi.

"Dad, you're a little more lenient, aren't you? A person as big as Xiaobao has his own measure in doing things, and if he doesn't go to Liaodong, how to make meritorious contributions, and the Ming Dynasty will be the easiest to make military merits in Liaodong, and he will be promoted the fastest. Zhang Zhiji said.

"You know a!" Zhang Weixian became angry when he heard it, "Have you heard of anyone who has made military achievements in Liaodong?" Jiannu is no longer what it used to be, and it would be good to be able to hold it! ”

When Wei Bao saw that Zhang Zhiji and Zhang Weixian were about to get up again, he hurriedly said, "Dad, big brother, what you said makes sense." Dad, I can't push Liaodong, I have promised Your Majesty, it is Your Majesty's holy decree. ”

"It's okay, give Wei Zhongxian some silver, Wei Zhongxian can make His Majesty make another holy decree, Dad, this is for your good, if you can't do it, Dad, I'll do it for you." Zhang Weixian said angrily.

Wei Bao had no choice but to say: "Dad, I have to go to Liaodong this time, you forgot, I still have a Liaonan in my hand!" Whether it's for the sake of the court or for myself, I can't leave behind a large area of land and millions of people in southern Liaoning. ”

"I know southern Liaonan, the land is vast and sparsely populated, and they are all barren mountains, what are you going to do? Do you know how much food is consumed in a year for millions of dollars? Can you afford it? Do you still want to dominate in southern Liaoning? Zhang Weixian asked puzzled.

"There is no land to cultivate, this year my people have been cultivated everywhere, sad that it is these two years, and when next year, the grain in the field can be produced, and the grain in southern Liaoning will not be too dependent on the outside." Wei Bao Road.

Zhang Weixian and Zhang Zhiji listened to Wei Bao's words, and they both looked at Wei Bao in shock, they didn't expect Wei Bao to have such ambitions, and actually wanted to open up a large piece of land in the rear of Jiannu?

"Can Jiannu watch you take millions of people to open up the wasteland and farm?" Zhang Zhiji asked.

"Yes, doesn't this have to be planted for half a year?" Wei Bao said with a smile: "I have repaired the ancient city walls in southern Liaoning, which are stronger than the Great Wall, and Jiannu has no sailors, so I can't get in at all." ”

The situation in southern Liaoning, the Ming side is not unaware of it at all, just because in the rear of Jiannu, no one cares at all, just like Mao Wenlong, Mao Wenlong originally had a Denglai governor Yuan Keli who cared about it, and after Yuan Keli fell, Mao Wenlong also had no one to care about.

Now if Mao Wenlong wants to get some silver and food, he has to ask Sun Chengzong.

If it weren't for the fact that Wei Bao had signed a contract with Mao Wenlong to rent the state and Lushun, promising to give a little silver and grain in installments, Mao Wenlong's life would have been even more difficult.

In this way, Mao Wenlong's subordinates originally had three or four hundred thousand people, because seeing that southern Liaoning is doing well now, at least heaven and earth will not let people starve to death casually, and they have already run tens of thousands to the territory of southern Liaoning.

Zhang Weixian pondered and didn't speak for a long time.

Wei Bao persuaded Zhang Zhiji to drink.

Zhang Zhiji originally felt that Wei Bao had climbed his own home, but after listening to Wei Bao say that he wanted to open up southern Liaoning, he suddenly realized that Wei Bao was indeed a very powerful person!

Therefore, Zhang Zhiji's attitude towards Wei Bao has also changed a lot.

Wei Bao was secretly amused, thinking that if he took Zhang Weixian and Zhang Zhiji to Weijiazhuang and Liaonan for a trip, these two people's attitudes towards themselves would change even more.

However, Wei Bao himself has not been back for more than half a year, and Wei Bao's desire to show off his strength is not very strong.

"Xiaobao, are you so confident that you have done Jiannu? Da Ming doesn't have this confidence, with your own strength, this is too big, right? Zhang Weixian asked after considering the wording.

Zhang Weixian was worried that if he said something serious, Wei Bao would be unhappy.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, "Dad, Liaonan was not mine in the first place, if you lose, it's a pity that it's a great land and millions of Liao people, if you win, you don't have to say it, right?" ”

Indeed, needless to say, whoever has such a large piece of land in his hands and millions of people has the ability to call for wind and rain in this world.

"Then Daddy won't say anything." Zhang Weixian said: "What ideas do you have, what difficulties do you have, just tell your father, your father will support you in everything he can do, just remember one thing, don't get too deep with Wei Zhongxian, don't let people grab the handle in the future." ”