At the Liubu Bridge after the Lin'an Dynasty meeting, Liuzheng and Xie Shenfu looked solemn and walked side by side, and not far behind him was Zheng Qingzhi, who was like a mourner, since his son was attacked, Zheng Qingzhi's whole person began to look like a muddy and absent-minded decadent appearance, the whole person seemed to be ten or twenty years old all of a sudden, and the white hair on his head was even more dazzling than Ye Qing's white temples.

"What's the point of staying an adult?" Xie Shenfu frowned and asked, these days have been missing Zheng Qingzhi's door-to-door courtship, although the ears are much quieter, but since he learned that the reason why Zheng Qingzhi no longer came to the door to ask for marriage was because his son had suffered an accident, he still felt some sympathy for Zheng Qingzhi in his heart.

The officials of the next dynasty came and went not far from the two, and after watching Shi Miyuan leave under the salute of everyone, Liuzheng frowned, sighed slightly, and said: "Today, the imperial history and the impeachment of Zheng Qing by the imperial historians and officials in the court are enough to imagine that Zheng Qingzhi is now the general trend. I just don't know...... Lord Xie can now ...... with Zheng Qingzhi. ”

"Xia Guan has never agreed to this family business. The meaning of the prime minister is that the lower official understands that he is afraid that the lower official will be implicated by Zheng Qingzhi, right? Xie Shenfu looked at Liuzheng, who was a little difficult to speak, and continued.

"Yes, that's one of the reasons I'm worried. However, since Master Xie and Zheng Qingzhi have nothing to do with each other, then Liu Mou can rest assured. As the saying goes, different things don't conspire with each other, not to mention that now Shi Miyuan is the left minister, and Zheng Qing's matter will not be passed on to the saint at all, obviously it is for Shi Miyuan to make a decision alone. Therefore, Lord Xie should be careful these days, and don't be careless because of this. Liuzheng said with some concern.

Since the succession of Emperor Taishang, the power of the court has gradually passed from the hands of the saints to the hands of the ministers, and it is much more serious than at any time in the past.

Whether it is the period of Emperor Gaozong or the early and middle period of Emperor Xiaozong, although the left and right ministers have power and power above the court, they still have to act according to the will of the saint, and the courtiers cannot really hide from the sky.

But since Emperor Xiaozong ignored the government because of the death of Emperor Gaozong, the power in the hands of the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty began to be gradually accepted by the court, and after the current Emperor Zhao Dan was appointed as the lord of the world, coupled with the intervention of the Empress Dowager Li Fengniang, in fact, most of the power of the court has been controlled by the left minister, and the right minister's dispatch looks more like an auxiliary minister under the left minister, and there is basically no right to speak in his hands, let alone the right to decide.

Now that Shi Miyuan has been appointed as the left minister, he has ushered in a vacuum of power for the new monarch to succeed to the throne, so that today's Shi Miyuan, after serving as the left minister, has much more power in his hands than any of the previous left ministers.

Xinjun is young and still has a lot to learn, which also makes Shi Miyuan almost completely free of any resistance in suppressing Zheng Qing.

"What do you mean by staying in the adult...... This Zheng Qingzhi is really ....... Xie Shenfu still wanted to protect Zheng Qingzhi, but looking at Liuzheng's solemn expression, it was obvious that Liuzheng was now more than capable of doing so.

Liuzheng looked up to the sky and sighed: "I'm afraid that Zheng Qingzhi has no power to return to the sky, since Zhu Xi was deposed, Zheng Qingzhi's only reliance has been broken, and there are fewer people who can talk to the saint, and Shi Miyuan has nothing to scruple about." Let alone....... ”

Liuzheng was a little hesitant in his expression, but after a pause, he still said: "Yesterday, Li Lifang, the secretary of the Criminal Department, came to visit Liu, although he didn't say it explicitly, but he could hear it outside the words, and Lord Li now intends to ....... Liuzheng looked around the two of them, and after seeing that no one was paying attention to the two of them, he deliberately lowered his voice and said: "Lord Li is now interested in the dispatch of the Hubu Shangshu, so it is almost inevitable that Zheng Qingzhi will be deposed and exiled. ”

Xie Shenfu's right eyelid jumped several times unconsciously, and his heart tightened instantly: "Could it be ...... Could it be that the saint acquiesced in Shi Miyuan's ...... impeachment of Zheng Qingzhi. ”

"It's hard to say now, but according to Lord Li's words yesterday, I can probably guess that the Empress Dowager has already agreed to Lord Li's transfer to the Household Department Shangshu to send it, so the meaning of the saint has become insignificant. But....... Liuzheng frowned even more worriedly, and continued a little helplessly: "Now Liu's worries are not about Zheng Qingzhi's safety, there are only a few people in the court who can land safely in the end, Zheng Qingzhi has been immersed in the court for many years, and he must have expected that one day he would end up like this." It's just that what I'm worried about is ...... Lord Li's request to send the household department this time, is there any tacit agreement reached between him and Shi Miyuan? ”

Xie Shenfu's right eyelid jumped a few times again, and he instantly understood what Liuzheng was really worried about: he was worried that Li Lifang and Shi Miyuan had reached a certain deal.

For Shi Miyuan, in dealing with Zheng Qingzhi, although he has full discretion to make a decision, he can not play the saint, but Zheng Qingzhi is not a petty official like the fourth or fifth grade after all, after all, he is a dignified and upright book in the imperial court, and in the end, no matter what charges Zheng Qingzhi fabricates, it needs to be approved by the Imperial Historical Observatory, the Criminal Department and Dali Temple.

And Yu Shitai is needless to say, for so many years, has been firmly held by Shi Miyuan, these years has always been in Shi Miyuan's hands, the best sword used to eliminate dissent, but above the court, if there is Shi Miyuan who does not like the eye, dare to go against him, then Yu Shitai will inevitably play the chapter, waving like snowflakes to fly to the saint the next day, or arrive at the door of the book.

Since Emperor Gaozong, the Song Dynasty once again restored the system of ruling the court under the Zhongshu Sect, and in the period of Emperor Xiaozong, the real and thorough changes began to slowly form a broad road paved for the ministers to monopolize power.

The three false titles of the Song Dynasty in Shangshu Province, Zhongshu Province in Zhongshu Province, and Shizhong in Menxia Province were completely removed from the court, thus fundamentally contributing to the system of the court in which the three provinces were combined into one, and the six departments were directly in the hands of the left and right ministers.

Ye Qing served as a privy envoy of the Privy Council for a very short time, but he was also envied because of Ye Qing's various exploits in the Northern Expedition, which made the three provinces essentially merge into one, and at the same time removed the real power function of the Privy Council, so that while the military department acted as the real power of the Privy Council, the dispatch of Pingzhang's military affairs fell on the left and right ministers.

Even if the prime minister commands the six ministries, he also concurrently serves as a major military officer, which in fact creates the military and politics

There is a gradual tendency for power to be monopolized.

Now, although Shi Miyuan has not completely straightened out the division of power above the court, the court reform that began during the period of Emperor Xiaozong has actually paved a "broad road" for the future real ministers.

History continues to move forward according to its own trajectory, and it is precisely because of Ye Qing's sudden rise in the northland and his tight grasp of the military department that this trend has been curbed, but in fact, at this time, the military and the government are still fighting each other and want to annex each other.

The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Crime, and the Dali Temple have always had a very close relationship with Ye Qing, whether it is above the court today, or in the court when Ye Qing was in Lin'an, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Punishment and the Dali Temple are all based on Ye Qing's horse, which is not a secret in the eyes of Xie Shenfu and Liuzheng, as well as in the eyes of other officials.

And now Li Lifang, the secretary of the criminal department, wants to be sent by the secretary of the household department, so naturally, he will leave a gap in the secretary of the criminal department for others to compete for, which has to make Liuzheng wonder whether this is a transaction between Ye Qing and Shi Miyuan secretly, or is this a revenge that Ye Qing intends to take advantage of the situation to take this opportunity to seize the household department from Shi Miyuan.

"If Zheng Qingzhi is deposed, I'm afraid the Criminal Department won't be able to control too much, right? In the end, it will be the Dali Temple ...... that will play a decisive role. Xie Shenfu said thoughtfully.

"Yes, the attitude of Dali Temple is very important, but the attitude of the Criminal Department cannot be ignored. But...... How could Ye Qing give up control of Dali Temple so easily? With Dali Temple in hand, it will be much easier for him to act in the north, no matter how Shi Miyuan impeaches him, but as long as the Dali Temple has been indifferent, then Ye Qing can be safe and sound in the north. For so many years, Dali Temple is confident that the queen has never changed hands, and has always been firmly controlled by Ye Qing, this is his talisman above the court, and he will not give it up easily. But the criminal department is no longer so important, after all, the imperial court has just agreed to rebuild Kaifeng and the imperial palace, so the household department is extremely important to Ye Qing in the north, so it is not impossible to give up the criminal department in exchange for the household department. And it is also in line with Shi Miyuan's interests now that he wants to monopolize power, after all, once the criminal department is in hand, it will be much easier for him to suppress his dissidents above the court. Liu Zhenglian said with an analogy, afraid that Xie Shenfu would not be able to understand the intricate relationship of interests.

"Why did Ye Qing do this?" Xie Shenfu still doesn't have a good impression of Ye Qing to this day, even if Ye Qing once rescued their father and son, and he is extremely appreciated by his precious granddaughter.

"According to my guess, Ye Qing is also forced to do so. After all, he is in the north, plus the death of Emperor Xiaozong last year, as well as the succession of the emperor and the new monarch, Ye Qing, who is far away in the north, naturally hopes to take this opportunity to lead the reconstruction of Kaifeng Mansion and the palace, so as to leave the impression of a loyal courtier in front of the new monarch. Don't forget, how bad the relationship between Ye Qing and the imperial court is, there has been a discord over the years, either the imperial court is worried that he will stand on his own feet in the north, or he is worried that the imperial court will design him again. In short, I thought that the matter of Master Li Lifang's dispatch was absolutely inseparable from Ye Qing in the Northland. Liuzheng said solemnly.

Although Xie Shenfu is pedantic, it doesn't mean that he is stupid, looking at Liuzheng's serious and dignified face that succeeded to the throne, he hesitated and asked, "So Liuxiang wants to ...... When the two of them used the six departments of the court as a private yamen transaction, they took advantage of the situation to enter the criminal department? Tobe? ”

Liuzheng nodded seriously, and then took a deep breath, Liuzheng was a little nervous at the moment, now as the right minister, he was as dangerous as Shi Miyuan and Ye Qing, and if he was not careful, he might usher in Ye Qing and Shi Miyuan's stormy revenge and attack.

"The household department is naturally not advisable, and the consequences of offending Li Lifang are probably not much easier than the results of offending Shi Miyuan and Ye Qing, not to mention that the relationship between the saint and Li Lifang is also quite close, and we will only gain more than we lose in this way. But the Criminal Department is different, since Li Lifang visited me yesterday, then maybe there is an opportunity to take advantage of it, and we can use this time to ....... Liuxiang stared at Xie Shenfu and said.

And Xie Shenfu looked at Liuzheng's gaze and vaguely guessed the purpose of Liuzheng to stay behind him.

Since the Criminal Department is vacant, if you want to fill the vacancy, you must have the best candidate, obviously, in the eyes of Liuzheng now, he Xie Shenfu is the best candidate for the Criminal Department.

"Not bad...... Xie Shenfu nodded subconsciously, and said in the direction of Liuzheng's thinking: "Yesterday, Li Lifang and Master Li went to visit Liuxiang, and even hinted that Liuxiang wanted to be transferred to the household department, so can it be explained that this is Li Lifang's intention?" Did he deliberately remind the prime minister that the lack of the criminal department should be taken seriously? ”

"Yes, your thoughts coincide with Liu's thoughts. After Li Lifang left yesterday, I wondered if Master Li was deliberately reminding me that I could fight for the vacancy in the Criminal Department. Liuzheng said seriously.

But Shi Miyuan will not sit idly by. Maybe he can't refuse and stop Li Lifang and Master Li from being sent by the head of the household department, but if it is a gap in the criminal department, let him watch others fill it, I'm afraid it will be impossible. What's more, this matter still needs to be examined by the Ministry of Officials, and the position and attitude of the Ministry of Officials, presumably there is no need to say it from the officials, and the Prime Minister should be very clear in his heart, right? Xie Shenfu was a little desperate in his heart, the Ministry of Officials was the starting point for Shi Miyuan to really gain a firm foothold in the court and have a place, just like Ye Qing's control of Dali Temple and the Ministry of War was as unbreakable.

"As long as Lord Xie is willing, as long as Master Li is willing to help, this matter is by no means without any chance of winning." Liuzheng looked at Xie Shenfu, who wanted to retreat, and said with some emotion: "Ye and Shi are lustful for profit, Ye Qing is meritorious, Shi Miyuan is wealthy, no matter who it is, it is not the pillar that my dynasty can rely on, Ye Qing has always had the possibility of supporting the army and standing on his own, Shi Miyuan still has the greed to empty the treasury for his own use, the traitor is dominant above the court, the new monarch is still young, and he can't see through the ambition of the ministers, and how can we and other courtiers watch the court being held by the traitor Xiaoxiao and be indifferent?" ”

Just when Liuzheng persuaded Xie Shenfu, Li Lifang, who was also the queen of the lower dynasty, but who was contrary to the ministers, walked into the Cining Hall where the queen mother was located under the leadership of Qingqiu

。

Although there is no queen in the saint today, Li Fengniang is quite empathetic, and she has moved from the two halls of Renming and Ciyuan, where the queen is located, to the two halls of Ciming and Cining, where the queen mother should be.

With Zhao Kuo having been the new monarch for most of the year, although there was still a lot of turmoil in the court because of the dismissal of Zhu Xi and other matters, after all, it was a small matter that did not affect the society of the court, so Li Fengniang did not take it very seriously.

Now it can be said that there is neither long-term nor near-term worries, and Li Fengniang, who is in a good mood, is also living more and more leisurely and happy, coupled with the absence of Ye Qing dangling in front of her eyes, and after missing a piece of heart disease, Li Fengniang is now like a reverse growth, and the whole person is becoming more and more young and charming.

Even Li Lifang, who had not seen the Queen Mother for just half a month, couldn't help but feel that his eyes lit up when he saw the Queen Mother for the first time, and he was a little surprised by Li Fengniang's beauty and more noble temperament at this time.

"Why are you here? You, the Shangshu of the Criminal Department, suffered a loss from Deng Youlong, why are you still so heartless and heartless, is it possible to let the Holy Lord worry about you for you? "The matter of Deng Youlong, the former waiter of the Criminal Department, can be described as Li Lifang's sore feet, and because Deng Youlong was secretly co-opted by Han Yanxuan, Li Lifang has always been a little shameless, and it has become a manifestation of incompetence here in Li Fengniang.

"The younger brother came to see the Queen Mother today, and it was ...... last time." Li Lifang has no face at all in front of Li Fengniang, so the sarcasm in Li Fengniang's words, he is not brainy at all, and only says what he requests.

"What's so good about Tobe? Why do you have to go to the Ministry of Households? Who is Zheng Qingzhi and whose henchmen are you not clear? Do you think that Zheng Qingzhi has been deposed, and the household department is a comfortable yamen? Who knows what kind of household will be left behind after Zheng Qingzhi leaves? How many of Shi Miyuan's henchmen are in it? Do you know all this? In case once you go to the household department and find that it is better to be in the criminal department, it will be too late for you to regret it. Li Fengniang sighed, put down the scissors in her hand, and carefully examined the potted plant she had just pruned and said.

"Don't I still want to glorify our ancestors for the Li Clan? My father was just the duke of the county back then, and this was only obtained for the sake of your face as the queen mother. Now that Kuo'er has succeeded to the throne, I naturally can't embarrass Kuo'er for me to be promoted to the rank of lord for no reason, right? Now that the imperial court wants to rebuild Kaifeng and the palace, the household department has naturally become a ...... that can make meritorious contributions. Li Lifang was admiring the freshly pruned potted plant on the side, but he was extremely interested in the scissors next to him.

Li Fengniang is not a thrifty person, but she is not a person who likes extravagance, but what Li Lifang has never understood is that Li Fengniang, who does not miss anything and everything, cherishes the scissors next to her hand very much.

"Since you want to be promoted to the rank of meritorious service, wouldn't it be better for you to go to the Ministry of Industry?" Li Fengniang glanced at Li Lifang, picked up the scissors that had been around for some years again, and wiped them carefully.

"What's the point of these scissors for you? No matter how you look at it, it doesn't look like a priceless treasure, but it will make you cherish ...... so much. Li Lifang ignored Li Fengniang's rhetorical question, but asked more and more interested in the scissors.

However, Li Lifang's words were only half spoken, and he immediately ushered in Li Fengniang's two sharp eyes, so Master Li, who wanted to be sent to the household department, immediately shut up with interest, but he still guessed in his heart why the scissors were so important to Li Fengniang.

"Ye Qing instigated you to go to the household department, right?" Li Fengniang stared at Li Lifang tightly, but her gaze gradually softened, and she casually put the scissors in her hand into a wooden box far larger than the scissors before.

"No, it's my own ......." Li Lifang denied it, not to mention that he didn't think that he was instigated by Ye Qing.

"None? It's no wonder that there isn't. Li Fengniang said disdainfully: "The imperial court agreed to Ye Qing's request to rebuild Kaifeng and the palace, and then you immediately ran over to seek the dispatch of the household secretary, which would be strange if it wasn't for Ye Qing's encouragement." ”

After finishing speaking, looking at the silent Li Lifang, Li Fengniang sighed softly, and said with some anger: "For so many years, you have been played by Ye Qing in the palm of your hand, and you don't know it at all. Whatever he tells you to do, you do. Do you really think that the dispatch of the head of the household is so easy? Zheng Qingzhi has been the secretary of the household department for many years because of Shi Miyuan's support, although now Zheng Qingzhi and Shi Miyuan have turned their faces, but ...... Next, if it weren't for Shi Miyuan's henchmen to take over Zheng Qingzhi's dispatch, I'm afraid that anyone who goes to the Hubu Shangshu will be stripped of their rights by the officials below such as the squire, have you really thought about it? Or are you ready to fight those subordinates? Can you fight Shi Miyuan and his henchmen alone? ”

"Even if I can't fight, won't you help me get an idea behind my back?" Li Lifang said with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

After all, Li Fengniang's words always reminded him of Deng Youlong's matter, he had been the secretary of the Criminal Department for many years, but he didn't realize that the henchman he trusted was actually Han Yanxuan's confidant.

And now, if he really goes to the household department and goes to an unfamiliar yamen, Li Lifang is really not sure that he will be able to take charge of the household department in a short time.

However, for Li Lifang, he felt that as long as he was optimistic about the money in the account books of the household department, he didn't care about the rest at all, of course, he didn't care about the money, as long as he could make meritorious contributions to the rebuilding of Kaifeng Mansion and the palace in the past few years.

"If I make up my mind for you, I'm afraid it will attract criticism from the court, and when the time comes, ...... Alas...... Go back for now, and I'll think about it before I answer you. Li Fengniang said with some confusion.

Let Li Lifang's title go further, she Li Fengniang naturally wants to do the same, but the current situation obviously does not allow her to give Li Lifang a knight for such a plain reason, and if it is a springboard for the Ministry of Benefit and the reconstruction of Kaifeng Mansion, the idea is certainly good, but once it is implemented, the risk is too great.

She didn't believe at all that with Li Lifang's talent, he could control those officials in the household department, not to mention that behind these officials, there was also Shi Miyuan, the prime minister of the left dynasty, as a backing.