Ezhou, Huadi Street, Chen's Mansion is cold and sparse.

After Chen Dong went to the throne, he moved here to live, although he was impeached and removed, but his identity as the leader of the society is still there, the society colleagues and people are still in the door, many wealthy businessmen and giants also invited him to the banquet inscription, but Chen Dong in order to avoid suspicion, except for Wen Xunzhi, Cao Liangshi, Chen Gongju and others, all declined, so there will be this cold situation. Even so, the Ezhou Mansion still sent additional officials to guard outside the Chen Mansion, for fear that the retired old minister would make any more trouble and bring unpredictable turmoil to the Great Song Dynasty.

A sedan chair stopped outside the gate of Chen's mansion, and a servant handed over the name post, and after a while, he came back with a sad face.

"Chen Xianggong is sick and doesn't see any outsiders?"

Deng Su frowned, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened.

After Deng Su was elected prime minister, Chen Dong's relationship with him was cold, but when Deng Su was employing people to govern, he did not deliberately hinder him. Because of the troubles of the Haikou Army, Deng Su discussed with the Ministry of War, with the veteran general Lin Shiyi as the general and Cao Gu as the deputy general, commanding the 15,000 forbidden troops to go south to Lingnan to assist Guangnan in resisting the Haikou invaders. However, after Cao Gu's army entered the territory of Quang Nam along the Ling Canal, all parts of Quang Nam not only did not supply the army with military rations, but also closed the city gates, and did not hide the wariness of the officials and soldiers at all. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household sent an official letter of 600 li to mediate, and the counties of Quang Nam Prefecture were sloppy with the imperial court in the name of the emptiness of the treasury. Seeing this, Lin Shiyi stationed troops in Jingjiang Mansion and did not enter, and Cao Gu even sent out a deployment to extort places, which made the people of Jingjiang complain, and after hearing the news, all parts of Guangnan were even more disgusted with the officers and soldiers, and even had the saying that "bandits are like combs, and soldiers are like grates".

The mutual impeachment of Zhao Xingde, the governor of the navy, and Chen Gongju, the governor of Guangzhou, has shaken the world. Under Deng Su's deliberate suppression, the news that the imperial court officials and troops were blocked from going south had not yet spread, but he knew that in order to completely solve the problem of the imperial court and Guangnan Road, Chen Dong still had to come forward, so although Chen Dong politely refused to send people to deliver the prayer post several times, Deng Su still came over in person. Menzi's refusal was also expected by Deng Su. He sighed, lifted the sedan curtain, and walked to the door of Chen's mansion in person.

"This official Deng Su is waiting here, please report to Chen Xianggong."

Deng Su is gentle and approachable. Menzi was startled, Chen Dong's guests have three sects and nine streams, and this Menzi's vision is also quite high, but when the prime minister of the dynasty came to visit in person, he didn't dare to slack off, agreed in a low voice, and hurriedly turned around and went in to report, and after a while, Menzi turned back again, with an embarrassed look on his face, bowed and said: "Deng Xiangye, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my Chen Xianggong is in poor health and doesn't see any outsiders." ”

"What?" Deng Su's doorman Zhang Xiaolian's face changed suddenly, and he lost his voice, "Deng Xianggong came to the door in person, and Chen Shaoyang is too ......."

"Shut up!" Deng Su shouted in a deep voice, looked at the door, and said in a hazy voice, "Please pass Chen Xianggong again, Chen Xianggong is sick, I came to visit the condition, it is also the proper meaning, I hope he will remember the feelings of the deceased, if it is inconvenient for the time being, I will wait here, when it is convenient, when will I go into the house to see him." ”

The door was too busy to go in to report, and Deng Su actually stood under the eaves of the Chen Mansion and waited.

"Your Excellency," Zhang Xiaolian said in a low voice, "why bother. ”

"Forbearance is for the country." Deng Su said slowly, "Why bother? ”

After that, he closed his eyes slightly, looked at his nose, and waited with his nose and heart.

Deng Suxin's is "sincerity, gold and stone for the opening", in order to worship Qin Hui as a teacher, he was willing to wait outside the Qin Mansion for three days, except for some meals in the morning and evening, there is no water and rice in the middle, turning a blind eye to the fingers and fingers of others. Now he is nearly forty years old, his body may not be as strong as when he was young, but his mind is still as strong as a rock, and he is confident in looking at the court, there are those who are more resourceful than him, and there are those who are more ruthless than him, but if it is about the strength of his mind, Deng Su is not under anyone. This point is also well known to Chen Dong, Zhao Xingde and other old people. However, Chen Dong may not see him from time to time, but Deng Su is not sure about it. Qing Dynasty events have always been bone-rooted, and it would not be surprising if Menzi came out to spread the word "the old man Chen Dong is dead, and Deng Xianggong has something to burn paper to inform Ke Ye".

A team of forbidden troops protected the prime minister outside the gate of Chen's mansion, but Huadi Street was not closed, and pedestrians came and went on the street, looking at the gentleman standing outside Chen's mansion waiting, someone pointed curiously: "Who is this?" "Don't you know that Chen Xianggong doesn't see outsiders?" "In these years, there are no skinless dogs, and there are more shameless people." "Shhhh "Huh? ——" "This is Prime Minister Deng Cheng, who has just taken office! "This is Prime Minister Deng?" "What does he mean?" "Why is Prime Minister Deng waiting outside?" "Chen Xianggong's measurement is too small." "I see, this is a weasel giving a New Year's greeting to a chicken, and I don't have a good heart!" "I heard that Chen Xianggong was brought down by Prime Minister Deng Cheng." "Nonsense, aren't they classmates and friends?" "Phew! Friends are meant to be betrayed! ”

The pedestrian's whispered discussion, Deng Su may not be able to hear it, he closed his eyes slightly, and waited calmly outside Chen's mansion.

After a long time, Deng Su's eyes opened, the black lacquered door of the Chen Mansion slowly opened to both sides, and a white-robed scholar bowed down and said, "Deng Xianggong has been waiting for a long time, and the teacher invites the Prime Minister to enter the mansion." This person is obviously Chen Dong's protégé, he stepped aside and made a gesture of "please", although the etiquette was thoughtful, his demeanor was cold. "You? ——" Zhang Xiaolian's face changed, and he was about to repel him, but when he saw that the other party looked like a living dead, he could only forcibly endure his anger. Chen Dongtuo's illness is just that, this junior behaves like this!

Deng Su didn't think it was wrong, and said with a smile: "In this way, you can lead the way in front of you." ”

This courtyard was bought by a friend the next day after Chen Dong was impeached, although it was elegant and quiet, but compared with the back office of the Prime Minister's Mansion, it was a lot cramped, Deng Su and the other three people wore flowers and trees all the way, and soon came to the study outside the back garden, Chen Dong's doorman signaled Zhang Xiaolian to wait outside the door, and only let Deng Su go in.

Chen Dong sat behind the desk, saw Deng Su come in, put down the scroll in his hand, did not speak, and stretched out his hand to signal him to sit down.

After the impeachment of the prime minister, some people were happy and some were worried, and after the chicken and dog ascended to heaven, it was inevitable that they would celebrate each other, get carried away, and distribute the fat unevenly. Deng Su took the opportunity of serving as the secretary of the Ministry of Rites to contact the local academic administration, and formed an alliance with Lu Yunsun to launch impeachment in one fell swoop, which replaced him. After learning about these things, Chen Dong's attitude towards Deng Su naturally did not improve.

Deng Su was not polite, sat down, and said with a cold face: "Shaoyang, I am not here for myself, but for the people of Guangnan." ”

Chen Dong sneered: "Really? He looked at Deng Su, was silent for a while, and said, "Shouyi, gentlemen are sincere, it seems easy, but if this word is lost...... When gentlemen fellowship, it will be difficult. "Shaoyang ......" Deng Su was still waiting to be persuaded again, but Chen Dong interrupted him, shook his head and said: "Guangnan can't believe Cao Gu, if he leads the troops, I'm afraid the imperial army will be very unsmooth."

"Why bother?" Deng Su sighed, "The so-called brothers are on the wall, and they are insulted outside." The Great Eaters and Haikou are burning and looting along the coast, the world is shaking, the people of Guangnan are all the people of my Great Song Dynasty, do you let me bear to watch the lives of Guangnan all the way? His tone was a little compassionate, "I know that Guangnan has excellent governance, and it is claimed that there are millions of regimental training, but can these regimental training really fight against the fierce and brave Dashi Haikou?" You are also a person who knows the soldiers, and you must know that you must use elite soldiers to destroy the pirates. I know you can't believe the Cao family, but far water can't quench the thirst of the near, the people and horses of the Xiangyang camp are the closest to Guangnan, and the imperial court has drawn elite soldiers, and there is only Xiangyang. If you are not at ease, I can inform the world that once the Haikou is exterminated, Cao Gu will immediately withdraw from Guangnan. ”

"No need." Chen Dong shook his head and said lightly, "What is the Cao family going to do, I'm afraid you can't stop it, right?" ”

No matter how much he tried to persuade him, Chen Dong just didn't agree. Since Deng Su ascended to the stage, he has dominated all forces and reconciled Ding Nai, and the people in the society are not very resistant to him. system, for the sake of the Great Song Dynasty, Cao Liangshi, Wen Xunzhi and other important ministers in the court did not hang up the crown and leave, but performed their own duties to ensure the handover of power. However, Guangnan is the most important foundation of the Society, and neither Chen Dong nor Cao Liangshi, Chen Gongju and other people in the Society can tolerate the Cao family's forces entering Guangnan. That's why Chen Dong's attitude is so tough. There are 21 prefectures in Guangnan Road, with a population of tens of millions, and hundreds of thousands of state regiments. If the imperial court wants to enter Guangnan, the people of the Lishe will definitely resist desperately, but they are afraid that it will be the result of the fish dying and the net being broken, and both sides will be defeated.

After about a stick of incense, he served tea to the guests, and Deng Su had to say goodbye and leave.

Although Chen Dong did not send him, after Deng Su left, he stood up and looked at the empty path outside the window, as if he saw the back of Deng Su Xiaosuo leaving. Chen Dong was silent for a long time and let out a long sigh. Although Chen Dong does not have too much resentment, the trust and old friendship between the two have been completely lost. From now on, in the Great Song Dynasty, they may be enemies and may make deals, but they will never be friends of the same way.

The doorman Zhang Qu sent Deng Su back, and when he saw Chen Dong's depressed expression, he asked: "Since the teacher has already made arrangements for Guangnan Haikou, why didn't he inform Deng Xianggong?" "Zhang is indeed one of Chen Dong's most valued disciples. Because of the impeachment, Chen Dong's subordinates were extremely resentful of Deng Su, and so was Zhang Cheng, however, when I saw it today, Deng Xianggong was sincere, and his concern for the people of Guangnan was not false.

"Deng Shouyi's secret is not comparable to me." Chen Dong said lightly, "However, he has endured it for too long, and there are too few talents available to him, if the big thing is leaked to him, success or failure would have been five or five, but I am afraid that if the news leaks, we will harm the people of Guangnan." His eyes were slightly dim, "Besides, even if we have to inform the imperial court, it is better to pass through from Yuan Zhi's side, otherwise, we will be trapped in Yuan Zhi's injustice." Only by maintaining the relationship between Deng Shouyi and Yuan Zhi, and the relationship between the South China Sea Navy Division and the imperial court, can it not be broken. I have neither participated in nor know about the matter of Guangnan, which is in the interests of the imperial court and the interests of the Great Song Dynasty! ”