Today, Wei Ge did not go to court, and the excuse he made was that his son wanted to marry a wife, and marrying a daughter-in-law should be a joyful thing, but at this moment, the depression in Wei Ge's chest almost made him explode.

He walked back and forth in the room on his back, although Jiang Jian had been dead for a day, but the boredom in Wei Wei's heart still could not be solved, Jiang Jian died so inexplicably, and the Ministry of Rites that had just arrived was thrown away, he decided that this matter could only be Cui Yuan's hand, and the dignified Xiangguo actually used such despicable means, Wei Ge kicked over the table with a hard kick, and the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table were all over the place.

"Lao Tzu also went to kill the servant of the ministry!" Wee let out a low howl like a wolf.

After shouting this, Wei Ge finally sighed helplessly, what can he do if he kills Chang Xuan and Cui Yu? Doesn't the Ministry of Officials belong to Cui Yuan? No, it is the default of the major families that the Ministry of Rites belongs to Cui Yuan, which is completely different from the Ministry of Rites only having only one squire to take refuge in him, without more than five years of actual control, it is impossible to form his possession of the Ministry of Rites, he actually only got the key to open the door, and did not enter the door, so Cui Yuan used this most direct means to eliminate this key.

Wei Ge slowly calmed down, he walked to the window, pushed the window open, the cold wind blew across his face, the bronzed skin shone in the sun, he was already fifty-four, I don't know how many storms I have experienced in this life, even last year's Hui invasion almost destroyed the entire Wei family, he can withstand such a blow, and Zhang Huan invaded Hexi at the end of last year. caused a great change in the whole Helong, what is this little thing in comparison? It's just a hooked fish falling off in mid-air, and it's really not worth such a gaffe.

Wei Ge heard movement behind him, his eyes slanted slightly, and he saw his son Wei Qing squatting on the ground to clean up the pen and ink all over the ground, and Wei Ge suddenly remembered his marriage. I don't feel a little sorry. The son has told himself several times that he doesn't like Jiang Ying, but he insists on marrying him, but now? It's meaningless to marry Jiang Ying, but I've talked too much, but now I can't pull this face.

"Qing'er, are you still resentful?

Wei Qing picked up the last pen. Hurriedly stood up and bowed his head and said, "The child doesn't dare, the father's decision is for the sake of the family, how dare the child have resentment?" ”

For the sake of the family. Wee smiled bitterly, and there was a hint of sarcasm in his son's tone!

He sighed, waved his hand lightly, and said, "You sit down!" Let's talk. ”

"Yes!" Wei Qing sat down, but he was still silent.

"I know that you are dissatisfied with the marriage, and my father really did not expect such a consequence, but the marriage has been announced, and if you don't marry, I am afraid it will damage your reputation. So it's hard for the Father! ”

Wei Qing slowly raised his head, his eyes brightened, and he could already hear that his father was giving in. It's just that you can't get face, so what's so difficult? Wei Qing couldn't hold back the excitement in his heart, and immediately said: "Father, I have a way to save face. Nor is it exempt from the marriage. ”

"Tell me about it!" Wee was also very interested.

"Drag!" Wei Qing showed a smug smile and said, "We also promised to marry her." It's just that her father has just died, and it is not appropriate to marry. We will postpone this marriage period back by one year, and then marry her into the door, but it is no longer a wife, so let her be a second wife, at that time everyone will only praise us for our love and trustworthiness, as for whether it is a wife or not, I think no one cares anymore. ”

"Wonderful!" Wei Ge slapped his thigh fiercely, full of praise for his son's wisdom, a stone in his heart fell to the ground, so he patted his son's shoulder, and smiled comfortably: "Don't worry! Your wife and father will consider your feelings, and if you like it, let's look at her family background, and it won't be like this time. ”

Do I have a favorite? Wei Qing secretly hurt himself, he remembered Pei Ying's smile like a brocade, and he couldn't help but feel like a knife.

Wee didn't understand his son's delicate psychological changes, in his opinion, women! It's all the same when I go to bed.

He was in a happy mood and looked at the scattered documents on the table, but suddenly saw a delicate New Year's greeting post, picked it up and looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but be stunned, this was actually Pei Jun's eldest son Pei Mingkai's New Year's greeting post on behalf of his father, and he didn't know, what was going on?

Wei Qing next to him saw it, and hurriedly said: "This is the place that Pei Mingkai sent early in the morning, when his father was in a bad mood, he ordered no one to see, so the child had the courage to accept it for his father, and there was a box of gifts, it was a pair of jade horses, and the child came in just now to tell his father about it." ”

"That's not right!" Wei Ge frowned suddenly, stood up suddenly, walked quickly to the bookcase, he rummaged through a stack of New Year's greeting stickers, and took out a touch of the same New Year's greeting sticker, but this was the first day of the Lunar New Year Pei Jun sent his fifth son Pei Mingyuan to represent him to pay New Year's greetings to himself.

He walked back to the table, put the two New Year's greetings together, and asked his son, "Do you understand something?" ”

Wei Qing looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but be a little surprised, he raised his head and asked his father, "Could it be that Pei Jun forgot to pay homage to the New Year, or he made a mistake, he should have come to congratulate the wedding." ”

Wei Ge shook his head, "Pei Jun does things without leakage, he will never make a mistake about this kind of thing, he paid New Year's greetings twice, it must have his intentions." ”

Speaking of this, a flash of realization suddenly flashed in Wei Gedi's mind, he had already understood what Pei Jun meant, was he begging for himself? Wanting the vote in his hand, he smiled and reminded his son: "You might as well connect the most important things in the past two days and think about it, and you will understand." ”

Wei Qing lowered his head and thought hard, the most important thing was nothing more than the assassination of Jiang Lian, but what did it have to do with Pei Jun's two New Year's greetings, Wei Ge saw that he couldn't think of it, and reminded him again with a smile, "If you think about the balance of power in the cabinet, what does Pei Jun want to be his father?" ”

Wei Qing suddenly realized that there were so many famous halls in one more year, he thought about it and said, "But father." What can a New Year's greeting post say, Pei Jun didn't promise you any conditions! ”

"Silly boy, don't you understand? If I intend to talk to him, then I will naturally put forward my conditions in a subtle way, such as I will let you return the gift, which is a clever means of communication. You've made the home and guest clerk wailang. You have to learn a little bit about that, you know? ”

"Yes! The child remembered. ”

Wei Qing hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Then the father wants the child to return the gift?" ”

"Nope! Don't be in a hurry. Wei Ge narrowed his eyes and smiled: "If I'm not mistaken, Cui Yuan will definitely make a move." ”

As soon as his words fell, the butler's voice was remembered outside the door, "Master." Cui Shilang of the Ministry of Officials asked to see him outside the house. ”

Wei Qing was impressed, "Father is really clever!" ”

Wei Ge smiled and waved his hand, "This is nothing, if you mix in the officialdom for more than ten years, you will be the same as a father." With that, he stood up and said to the housekeeper, "Please Cui Shilang." ”

Cui Shilang is also Cui Yuandi's younger brother Cui Yu, the official worship of the Ministry of Officials Zuo Shilang, in the six departments of Shangshu Province, each department can not only have one waiter, the Ministry of Officials is two waiters. One is the right waiter Chang urging, and the other is the left waiter Cui Yu, who is urging due to poor health. does not take care of specific affairs, and the power of the officials is mainly in the hands of Cui Yu.

In addition to the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of Household originally had two waiters, one was Du Hongjian and the other was Pei You. In September last year, Du Hong was gradually transferred to the city. When he went to Nanhai County (now Guangzhou) to take up his post, there was no new squire in the household department.

Although Cui Yu is only Cui Yuan's brother. But his shrewdness and ability won Cui Yuan's trust, so he was appointed to the most important position: the servant of the ministry, he came today, naturally entrusted by Cui Yuan, to negotiate a deal with Wei Ge.

He has a gentle personality and is quite popular in the court, so Wei Ge's hatred for Cui Jiadi can also tolerate him, Wei Ge took Wei Qing to greet him in person, and smiled from afar: "Isn't Cui Shilang sick?" How can you still come to our house? ”

Cui Yu bowed his hand and said with a slight smile: "I also heard that Wei Shangshu is preparing for his son's wedding, isn't it the same as getting sick!" ”

Wei Ge slapped his hands and laughed, he immediately gave his son a look, and Wei Qing immediately stepped forward and gave a deep salute, "Wei Qing see Uncle Cui Shi." ”

Cui Yu looked at him and said solemnly: "In this arrangement for the children of the family to enter politics, only you and Wang Yan have won the real power of the officials, and they are both outsiders in Shangshu Province, and others may not get this position if they have been officials for more than ten years, so you have to be cautious as an official, don't embarrass your father, you know?" ”

"Little nephew, remember Uncle Cui Shi's teachings!"

Cui Yu patted him on the shoulder, and smiled at Wei Ge again: "I have something to visit today, I wonder if Wei Shangshu will have time to receive him?" ”

Wee looked at him deeply and waved his hand, "Please!" The three of them returned to the study, and Cui Yu waited for the maid to serve tea to leave, so he said straight to the point: "I really don't hide it from Wei Shangshu, Jiang Shilang's death was not done by Cui Xiangguo." ”

Wei Yu was slightly stunned, he didn't expect the other party to say it so bluntly, Cui Yu is a well-educated person, and he has a deep knowledge of poetry, books and scriptures, he thought that he would go around and around, and finally said Cui Yuan's request implicitly like Pei Jun, but he didn't expect him to be so frank, Wei Yu was only stunned for a moment, and then laughed heartily: "Okay!" Cui Shilang is quick to talk, I like such happy people. ”

But the laughter only showed his good impression of Cui Yu, not his understanding of Cui Yuan, the laughter gradually stopped, and he said lightly: "It doesn't matter how Jiang Shilang died, the important thing is how to deal with the aftermath. ”

Cui Yu sighed slightly in his heart, he knew that Wei Ge hated Cui Yuan too much, and he couldn't eliminate the hatred by saying a few words by himself, but he was still unwilling, and continued quietly: "The person who killed Jiang Jian was actually Zhang Huan of Hexi, can he think of Wei Shangshu?" ”

Without waiting for Wei Ge to answer, Wei Qing, who was standing next to him, suddenly interjected: "What evidence is there for this matter?" ”

When Cui Yu saw him, he shook his head and said hatefully: "He has been planning for a long time, and he is doing it outside the Jiang Mansion, who would have thought about it?" There is neither physical evidence nor certification in this matter, if he hadn't hinted to Xiangguo the day before when he was persuading Nongju, Xiangguo wouldn't have thought that it would be him, hate only to hate this, but let Cui Xiangguo carry the black cauldron, Cui Xiangguo specially ordered me to tell Shangshu about this matter. Please Wei Shangshu to clear up the misunderstanding. ”

Wei Ge glared at his son fiercely, and said after a deep sigh: "I have just said that it doesn't matter how Jiang Shilang died, what matters is how to deal with the aftermath, Xiangguo asked Cui Shilang to come and just tell me the cause of Jiang Li's death!" ”

Cui Yu saw that his three sentences did not deviate from the key to the problem, and knew that it was useless to say more about other places, so he smiled and said frankly: "Since Wei Shangshu doesn't like to beat around the bush. Then I'll get straight to the point. Xiangguo hopes that you will support the candidate he proposed to be appointed as the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, and at the same time, Xiangguo will also support you to change from the current temporary position of Shuofang Jiedu envoy to a formal appointment, and order Duan Xiushi to withdraw from Lingwu County, Wei Shangshu sees how this arrangement? ”

Wei Ge didn't think about it, so he said directly: "Please tell Xiangguo Cui Shilang, and Wei Ge will think about this matter." Will get back to him in due course. ”

"What? Does Wei Shangshu feel that Xiangguo's sincerity is not enough? ”

Wei Ge smiled slightly and said: "Don't hide it from Cui Shilang, Pei Jun's eldest son Pei Mingkai came early in the morning, he brought Pei Xiangguo's meaning, and divided the Ministry of Rites into two, Fang Xiu served as the right waiter, and the left waiter was recommended by me, and I couldn't make up my mind either, so I need to think carefully about this matter." ”

With that, Wecker took the teacup and sucked it carefully, not looking at him again. Cui Yu pondered for a long time, although Cui Yuan gave him the power to dispose of the land on the spot, he was a very cautious person. He didn't believe that Pei Jun would mention such conditions, after all, Cui Yuan controlled the ministry, either Cui Pei's two families monopolized it, or Cui Pei's two families shared it, and Pei Jun would promise him other benefits. And will never agree to share the Ministry of Rites with him. In that case, the ownership of the Ministry of Rites will never be stable.

Cui Yu knew that things would not be so simple. He didn't say much, then stood up and arched his hand and smiled: "In this way, I won't bother Wei Shangshu, and I will truthfully report Wei Shangshu's meaning to Xiangguo and leave." ”

Wei Ge hurriedly asked his son to send him off, and after a while, Wei Qing hurried back to the study, and as soon as he saw his father, he said: "Has my father ever thought about using this matter in exchange for Zhang Huan's withdrawal from Hexi?" ”

Wei Ge glanced at it and said coldly: "How to change?" Can he, Cui Yuan, get Zhang Huan? Even what he said about ordering Duan Xiushi to quit Lingwu is just painting cakes to satisfy hunger, who will pay attention to him? But you are trapped all day long by personal grievances and children's affections, and if you don't repent, one day you will die on it. ”

"No kids!" Wei Qing replied tremblingly.

"And say no!" Seeing his hard mouth, Wei Ge couldn't help but say angrily: "What did you interject just now, as soon as you mention Zhang Huan, you are energetic, what are you, people dare to assassinate the waiter of the Ministry of Rites and provoke chaos in the DPRK and China, do you dare?" Don't think that you will be complacent when you get a host and guest wailang, compared with Zhang Huan, you are still 108,000 miles away! ”

Wei Qing was reprimanded so that his face was red and white, and he bowed his head and didn't dare to speak, and after a long time, Wei Ge saw that he no longer explained, so he slightly dissipated his anger, and said to Wei Qing in a long tone: "Wait a while, you will go to Pei's mansion on my behalf, and thank Pei Xiangguo for his New Year's greetings." ”

After the New Year, the winter slowly begins to wrap up, the wind is still very cold, but sometimes on a warm and sunny afternoon, a slight wind blows from the south unexpectedly, and the winter is no longer so cold and spicy.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, a warm south wind blows all over the streets and alleys of Chang'an in the afternoon, so that people can no longer bear to stay at home, and they have taken to the streets to taste the breath of spring. The ground rang out.

Zhang Huan did not accompany his newlywed wife to the street to feel the spring, and after he rushed back from Yongjiafang at noon, he officially visited Pei Jun on the matter of the waiter of the Ministry of Rites.

In Pei Jun's study, Zhang Huan gently pushed a roll of pigeon letters to him, which was obtained after shooting a pigeon flying out of Cui's mansion on a hidden pile near Cui's mansion, and ordered Cui Xian, the eldest son of the assassin in Hanzhong, to immediately report to Beijing.

Although there is no mention of the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, this is enough for Zhang Huan and Pei Jun.

Pei Jun couldn't help but smile slightly after reading the paper scroll: "This kind of thing can only be done by you, Cui Yuan has been releasing pigeons for more than ten years, but he never thought that someone would actually beat his pigeon idea, it seems that I have to be careful." ”

Zhang Huan couldn't help laughing: "Actually, this is what I learned from a staff member in my land, he has always believed that details determine success or failure, so he likes and is best at starting from details that others can't think of, for example, last time Wei Ge's bottom line in the negotiation was to take back Huijun, and he found the answer in advance from the waste paper of the other party's carriage." ”

"Oh! This is a great character. Pei Jundi's eyes swelled with strong interest, and he smiled: "When will the virtuous son-in-law introduce me to the introduction?" ”

"If my father-in-law is interested, next time I will find an opportunity for him to go to Beijing on a business trip."

Marriage is a continuation of politics, this sentence is not false at all, after Zhang Huan officially became Pei Jundi's son-in-law, the relationship between the two has undergone subtle changes, which is manifested in the tone of speech, salutation and even sitting posture between the two are different from before, but this is just an appearance, the real change is that there are only the two of them in the room, and Chu Mingyuan, who has been listening, is gone, which means that Pei Jun really regards Zhang Huan as his own person and admits that he is a member of the Pei family.

Because of this, the conversation between the two of them has become much more harmonious and frank.

"At noon, your uncle has already come to me and suggested that I give up the waiter of the Ministry of Rites in exchange for Duan Xiushi to be the envoy of Shuofang, this is actually what you mean!"

"Yes!" Zhang Huan no longer denied it, and frankly admitted it.

Pei Jun seemed to know Zhang Huan for the first time, he looked at Zhang Huan for a long time, and suddenly smiled faintly: "If I guess correctly, the death of Jiang Lian, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, should be your hand." ”