Sun Yuanhua obviously did not intend to discuss only technical issues with Bi Maokang today, and after a few unsuccessful persuasions to persuade Bi Maokang to give up the development of reliable flints, he moved on to other topics.

"Wang Hanru's case is so big, I think it is a foregone conclusion that Qian Muzhai will step down as the first assistant, it is nothing more than taking the initiative to go, or being impeached and removed from power.

Although Qian Muzhai is a little weak, when he was in office all these years, he was still loyal to his duties and did not make any big trouble. I don't know if the next first assistant will be able to maintain the status quo after he comes to power, or will he start a new set? ”

Bi Maokang glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to the steam engine in front of him, and said, "Brother Sun has something to say, do you still need such a roundabout temptation between the two of us?" However, I think that the court has finally been stable for a while, and everyone can bury their heads in things without having to fight for the portal, so it is best for the next first assistant to be able to go to the one who does not like to toss, so as not to spoil the current good situation. ”

Sun Yuanhua laughed and said, "Brother Bi is still quick to talk, but the foolish brother thinks badly." Actually, I really want to talk to you today, why don't we go to the back lounge and sit down for a few words? ”

Bi Maokang looked left and right, and then agreed to Sun Yuanhua. He casually explained a few words to his subordinates and asked them to continue to stare at the operation of the steam engine, and then took Sun Yuanhua out of the steam engine development workshop, and walked along a cement path to an independent two-story building, which is where Bi Maokang works and temporarily rests.

After ordering the servants in the building to serve tea to the two of them, Bi Maokang waved his hand to let the servants leave the room, and then asked Sun Yuanhua formally, "What does Brother Sun want to talk to me about?" ”

After staying in the ordnance prison for so long, Sun Yuanhua was accustomed to this kind of straightforward conversation between technicians, and he didn't continue to test anything, so he said bluntly: "Actually, Wen Wucheng asked Tang Meicheng to ask me, he intends to take over the stall left by Qian Muzhai, and hopes that the party comrades can elect him as the only candidate for the first assistant of the party."

However, Wu Yousan of the Ministry of Industry also asked someone to let off steam, saying that the current situation between the DPRK and China is somewhat delicate, and it may be difficult for the party to obtain the position of first assistant by relying on its own strength, so it is more reliable to form an alliance with friendly people outside the party and give up the election of the first assistant of this term and wait for the next term. So I want to ask you, how should we choose? ”

After all, Bi Maokang is Sun Yuanhua's deputy, and he mainly focuses on the internal affairs of the Ordnance Supervisor on weekdays, so he is a little sluggish about the changes in the court, and after listening to Sun Yuanhua's question, he can't help but ask first: "The one who can compete with the candidates launched by the party is probably the candidate of the New Donglin Party." Since Wu Gongbu thinks that the party's chance is not great, who does the new Donglin Party want to take over the position of Qian Muzhai's first assistant? ”

Sun Yuanhua pondered for a while and said: "Qian Muzhai himself is interested in Qu Jiaxuan, but what Ni Yuanlu, Huang Daozhou and others want to elect are Jiang Dejing and Fan Jingwen, and Zhou Yanru's voice is also very high. ”

Bi Maokang thought for a moment, and then said: "Qu Jiaxuan's qualifications are still shallow, Fan Jingwen is more than honest but not capable, and only Jiang Dejing and Zhou Yanru can stop Wen Wucheng's progress." But who does Wu Gongbu plan to work with? It can't be Feng Zhenlu, right? ”

Sun Yuanhua shook his head and said: "Feng Zhenlu is more feminine and not strong enough, now there is Wang Hanru's case in front of him, and the famine year has not yet completely receded, he would rather live a happy life in his prime minister's yamen than come to this troubled water." What Wu Gongbu wants us to support is Cui Chengxiu. ”

Bi Maokang was suddenly surprised and said angrily: "How could it be him? Cui Chengxiu can return to the court, which can already be regarded as an ancestral virtue, does he still dare to worry about the position of the first assistant? It really doesn't make sense. ”

Although Sun Yuanhua's face looked a little embarrassed, he still persuaded him: "When I first heard the news, I was also very annoyed, but after thinking about it for a few days, I think this matter is still negotiable."

Although this Cui Chengxiu is not a good thing, but at the moment, the party is also in short supply, and there is no suitable candidate to recommend, Wen Wucheng will be better than Cui Chengxiu as the first assistant? After this person became the secretary of the ministry, he has been organizing small groups in the party, and those who are close to him will be promoted first, and those who are unwilling to attach to him will be sent to remote areas.

If he is allowed to be the last first assistant, I think the Scientific Progressive Party will really have the surname Wen. If this continues, how can we face Elder Xu under Jiuquan? ”

Bi Maokang is really speechless now, although these technical officials are not keen on political struggle, but they still have an antipathy to the eunuch party, and Cui Chengxiu and other eunuch leaders are naturally even more respectful. But for an outdated eunuch leader, party leaders like Wen Tiren, who manipulated power in the party, are now even more disgusted.

After all, the purpose of Xu Guangqi and others to establish the Scientific Progressive Party is mainly to be able to do things better. Moreover, in view of the party struggle set off by the Tianqi Dynasty and the Donglin Party, Xu Guangqi agreed with everyone when the party was founded that the Scientific Progressive Party would not form a party for personal gain, and that there should be matters that should be discussed within the party on the basis of facts, and should not become a hall of words for certain people or small groups.

However, with the continuous expansion of the scale of the Scientific Progressive Party, various small groups inevitably appeared in the party, especially Wen Tiren, who held the power to appoint and dismiss officials, became more and more powerful in the party, and gradually had the intention of overriding other members of the party, which naturally caused the dissatisfaction of most party members, including Bi Maokang.

Therefore, when Sun Yuanhua pointed out this fact, Bi Maokang's dissatisfaction with Wu Chunfu and Cui Chengxiu quickly subsided, and he was silent for a long time before he sighed and said: "Hey, we are really powerless about this court matter." In fact, as long as you don't change your course, I don't have a problem with whoever comes to power. Brother Sun, what do you think? ”

Sun Yuanhua thought for a while, then nodded and said, "Indeed, as long as they don't come to provoke us, I don't care who is the first assistant, but it's better not to let Wen Wucheng take over." Should we all advance and retreat together in this matter? ”

Bi Maokang looked at him and said, "Of course, Brother Sun's choice is my choice..."

Although there are many sunny days and few rainy days in the first month of Chongzhen's fourteenth year, the outdoor temperature is still cold and makes people stomp their feet. Compared with the large and small courtyards of the harem, the Xiyuan Jingshe, which adopts a variety of new architectural designs, is more suitable for living.

And with Chongzhen's long-term residence in the Xiyuan Retreat, all the concubines in the harem tried to occupy one or two houses in the Xiyuan Retreat, so as to be closer to the emperor and facilitate contact with Chongzhen. Although Chongzhen is more restrained in terms of women, there are as many as seven or eight famous concubines in the harem, and letting them live together is undoubtedly unpleasant for him.

Therefore, in order to settle these concubines, Chongzhen asked the Internal Affairs Office to build several independent small villas near the Xiyuan Jingshe, nominally as a temporary courtyard for summer residence, so naturally there was no need to make a big splash. Of course, at this time, these small villas have not yet been completed, so only three or four concubines such as Zhou Hou can live in the Xiyuan Elite House.

Naturally, there is more than one building in the house, and the place where these concubines live is still a few steps away from the emperor's daily office. However, after all, the Jingshe is not a harem isolated by a high-walled compound, and it is much more convenient for them to see Chongzhen than before. It's just that Queen Zhou didn't want the concubines to disturb the emperor at will, so she still set some rules to prevent them from going to the office building where the front yard of the fine house was located at will.

Of course, these rules are not so rigid for some people. For example, Concubine Tian Xiuying, whose status is second only to the queen, sometimes ignores these rules so much. Especially in the first month, the emperor still has to put down the shelf and have fun with the people, and the few rules set by the queen make it more difficult to restrain her.

So when Chongzhen had just finished talking to Li You in the study of the Jingshe, Li You had just gone out here, and Tian Xiuying couldn't wait to walk out of the other door leading to the study in the inner room.

Zhu Youzhen subconsciously looked at her and asked, "Why are you here, I still have business to do here." ”

Tian Xiuying took a food box from the maid beside her, and while opening it, she said angrily: "Didn't you hear you coughing last night?" The concubine specially boiled rock sugar pear soup here, could it be that the concubine cares about His Majesty's body, and she cares about it wrong? ”

Zhu Youzhen took the porcelain bowl and said with a smile: "That's what I said, why do you lose your temper." This pear soup is boiling just right, and you can sit down and talk to me. ”

Lu Qi, who was waiting in the room, also saw the hint given by Chongzhen, so he quietly left the room with the others, so that the emperor and Concubine Li could stay comfortably for a while.

Hearing Chongzhen's careful reassurance, Tian Xiuying restarted her laughter, and after the two chatted for a while, Tian Xiuying said intentionally or unintentionally: "Your Majesty is really too tired, even in the first month, he is so busy." This Qian Shoufu has been recuperating for so long, and he should be cured, can't Your Majesty issue an edict and let him go out to work quickly, so as not to make Your Majesty tired and sick. ”

Zhu Youzhen's action of drinking the soup paused slightly, and then he continued to drink the last two or three mouthfuls of soup, then put the soup bowl aside, took the handkerchief handed by Tian Xiuying and wiped his mouth and hands, and then asked slowly: "Did that Liu Ru tell you something?" ”

Tian Xiuying didn't deny it, "Yes, in the morning, she came to the palace to pay New Year's greetings, and she mentioned the difficulty of mentioning Qian Shoufu. Naturally, the concubines dare not interfere in state affairs, but Your Majesty can't take everything on yourself. If you burn down, what will Ah Zhao and I do? Qian Shoufu just wanted His Majesty to give him an attitude to do things, and the concubine had the courage to come over and say the last sentence. ”

Zhu Youzhen looked at her and shook his head with a smile and said, "You, you better go back quickly, if the queen knows, I won't be able to protect you." ”

"The concubines are just kind-hearted, whether you listen to your majesty or not, your majesty scares the concubines with the queen, it's too boring." Although Tian Xiuying was not very convinced of the queen, she also knew the seriousness of this matter, so after making a petty temperament in front of Chongzhen, she beckoned her maid to pack up her things and leave.

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