"The minister is a bachelor of Hanlin, Zeng Xiaokuan."

This is the fourth qualified candidate to be put forward.

Although Zhang Dian did not ask Zeng Xiaokuan, he felt that Zeng Xiaokuan should have no intention of coming out to compete with others when he was a privy councilor. Zeng Xiaokuan, who is older than Lu Jiawen and others, and once served as a member of the Privy Council of the same signatory, has returned to the court after going out for some reason, and his current goal should be to participate in political affairs, not the deputy privy envoy.

Moreover, Zeng Xiaokuan and Han Gang have worked together, and the relationship is not bad, as long as they don't compete with Han Gang, maybe they can get Han Gang's help. Therefore, Zeng Xiaokuan had not moved before, so he didn't care about Zhang Dun.

However, when Shen Kuo's wall grass fell back again, he also accused Zeng Xiaokuan of having dealings with the anti-party, which was very suspicious. In order to be able to suppress Han Gang, Zeng Xiaokuan must fill the vacancy left by Shen Kuo - Shen Kuo was originally untrustworthy, once Shen Kuo's attitude changed, it was Zeng Xiaokuan who would replace him in the plan of the cadres.

It's still Cai who is tired. Zhang Dian thought. As the prime minister who has always adhered to the new law, within the new party, he is actually a self-reliant faction. His downfall also affected a large number of members of the New Party. At the same time, a group of people around Zeng Bu also collapsed. Now they are qualified to enter the core of the new party in the two provinces, that is, Zeng, Li, and Lu.

"If you don't go through two systems, you can't be selected."

Wang Anshi also vetoed a courtier with no experience in the two systems to directly qualify for the two provinces.

Zhang Dan's gaze shifted from Wang Anshi to Han Gang, and then from Han Gang to other Zaifu.

No one glanced to the side, and everyone's attention was now focused on the push. Except for Zhang Dian, no one noticed that after Shen Kuo's words, Cai Jing became a rebel without a verdict. Or maybe someone noticed, but like Zhangdun, he had all kinds of scruples and couldn't stand up.

Before, Cai Jing was only accepted for interrogation because he was suspicious, and it was dragged out for extremely far-fetched reasons, and so far, no verdict has been able to convict him.

Although Shen Kuo is Han Gang's person, the chapter judge of Kaifeng Mansion, Piguang, is also very flattering to Han Gang, and it will not be strange if it is reported that Cai Jing 'died of illness' in prison one day. But if you want to sentence Cai Jingming canonically, it is not so easy. As far as Zhang Dian knows, there are still quite a few people who are waiting for Cai Jinglu to die in prison, so as to find out Han Gang's black hand behind it.

But now Cai Jing has become a rebel silently, and even his letters with his friends have been burned, and then Cai Jing still wants to argue for himself, how to argue? From the records of Kaifeng Province?

This can be regarded as a dark warehouse!

Compared to Cai Jing's crimes, it doesn't matter at all whether Han Gang can become a privy deputy this time - how many times he himself has given up his position in the two governments. Cai Jing's crime was convicted, and nothing could prevent Han Gang from becoming the prime minister in the future.

Regardless of whether he can be selected this time or not, Han Gang is the winner!

Zhang Dian looked at the palace, Wang Anshi was already asking if he still wanted to participate in the election or recommend others to run.

He immediately closed his eyes, it was too late to stop it now, and he didn't plan to break with Han Gang completely. Han Gang is very reliable as a friend, and if he is an enemy, it makes people's hearts chill when he thinks about it. The cooperation with Han Gang in the past is very pleasant to think about now.

No longer thinking about Han Gang and Cai Jing, Zhang Dian can finally be sure that Shen Kuo is cooperating with Han Gang.

Han Gang and Shen Kuo sang together, and successfully got the Queen Mother to agree to burn all the incriminating evidence.

Although Shen Kuo did ask the Empress Dowager to search the letters, the result was that the Empress Dowager personally ordered them to be burned under Han Gang's advice.

With Han Gang's cooperation, Shen Kuo's proposal was not a suicide that offended everyone. It doesn't matter if this kind of cooperation is seen by others. Shen Kuo is a wicked person, and Han Gang is a good person. From then on, many courtiers could sleep with a little more peace of mind.

If not such a result. Even if the case is concluded in the future, no other courtiers will be implicated, but those letters that have been searched and found must still be sealed and filed. Perhaps one day, these letters will be uncovered by political opponents.

Among the letters collected by several rebels, compared to the few people named by Shen Kuo, ordinary courtiers still accounted for the vast majority. Shen Kuo didn't name them, as long as the letters were burned, they could sit back and relax. No one wants to be picked out in the private letters to Xingshu, Cai Jing, Su Shi, or Zeng Bu and Xue Xiang in the future, and find out the evidence of rebellion from them.

It's the change in Han Gang's style that makes it difficult for people to adapt for a while. In the past, Han Gang's style of acting would be a little more atmospheric, rather than using such a small trick.

"But there's anyone else to recommend?"

Wang Anshi raised his voice and asked, which made Zhang Dian wake up. The wood is already in the boat, and there is no point in thinking about it at this time.

After three questions, no one answered, and the selection of candidates was over.

The names written on the screen, when they reached the most luke, there were only four people: Li Ding, Lu Jiawen, Han Gang, and Zeng Xiaokuan.

As long as you are not confused, you should know that the winners of the Dao will be selected among those people in the past two days, and you will also know that the votes in the hands of the important ministers have long been divided.

After logging in, there was no vote, which was too ugly. It's nothing to be a companion, but it's a shame that most people are grateful for. Unless there is a grudge against the other party, no one will come forward to nominate them. And even if he is nominated, he will definitely refuse to play and lose face.

The ballots had already been distributed, and the Zaifu were not qualified to interfere in the election, so they were given seats along with the scholars and attendants. The important ministers who had the right to vote were given a table, and a set of pen, ink, paper, and inkstones were placed on the small table.

Han Gang looked down at the ballot in front of him.

Officials of the squire system and above have the right to vote, while officials of the two systems and above have the right to be elected, and the incumbent Zaifu has nothing. A few days ago, Han Gang was re-conferred the Bachelor of the Imperial Palace, and as an elector and candidate, he also had one vote in his hand, and he could vote for himself. Like him, the three people who also came to run for election all had ballots in their hands, but they didn't know who they would choose.

The so-called ballot paper is basically the form of a chapter that is played to the Son of Heaven, in which the words and patterns have been printed, as long as the name is filled in the vacancy. In addition, you must add your own name. As an important minister of the court, he must be responsible for his own choice, and Han Gang does not want the people below to vote anonymously. The dispute between the north and the south must be clearly expressed, so that the queen mother can feel it, and it can also make Han Gang gather more people's hearts.

"Whoever you wish to propose, simply write their name in the space. And at the end of the volume, the signature can be drawn. If none of the above four candidates agree, the vacancy will not be written, and only the signature will be required. ”

The rules that Wang Anshi reminded at the end have long been familiar to everyone. Almost everyone made a choice, after picking up the pen, no one hesitated, one by one, the pen flew like flying, and in the blink of an eye, they put down the pen, folded the ballot, and handed it to the hand of the waiter.

Han Gang wrote down his name, skillfully drew the charge, and then folded it and handed it to the long-awaited chamberlain.

This is in the election of the Privy Counsellor?

Wang Anshi stood at the top of the courtier's train and looked down, sighing secretly. If it were a different scenario, it might be the election of the heads of the two clubs that specialize in gambling.

There is no need to talk about the face of the imperial court, and the past system has also been abolished. From now on, whenever there is a vacancy in the two provinces, the next thing is to seal officials everywhere and make wishes and ask for votes. And the waiter system with the votes can wait for the price to sell, shop around, and sell the votes in their hands at a high price.

Perhaps, this kind of election will be expanded in the future, expanded to the prime minister, expanded to Pingzhang, at that time, how much money do you have to buy a vote?

This is like buying and selling official positions, at the beginning it was just an inconspicuous petty official, but over time, in order to meet more needs, the official positions taken out by the imperial court will become bigger and bigger. Isn't that exactly what Emperor Han Ling is? In order to accumulate money, even the three princes and nine kings can be sold, and the entire court from top to bottom does not even retain a little decency. The death of the Later Han Dynasty was really caused by Huan Ling, this sentence, no matter who looks at it, is not wrong at all.

But Wang Anshi also knew that every attendant below would not be willing to give up the power he had just arrived. It's like Zaifu, who thinks that they have too much power in their hands if they don't have anything to do? It will only feel small. The bigger the official does, the bigger the mind, when Han Gang opened the door for them, allowing them to step into the territory that they could not set foot in before, if someone drives them back behind the door, no matter how much kindness they have to the individual before, and how high their prestige in the court, they will be mortal enemies.

A few moments later, the ballots were gathered in front of the steps of the Majesty, held up by a small yellow door on a tray. The number of ballots is not large, but it looks like it is very weighty when it is stacked in two stacks.

Wang Zhongzheng was ordered to sing the vote and come down from His Majesty.

The eyes of everyone in the hall converged on his hand, and the hall that was already very quiet was so quiet that the sound of breathing could be heard at this time.

Picking up a ballot paper placed at the top, Wang Zhongzheng spread his hands out.

"Baowen Pavilion to be systematic, Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites, Chen Mu of Honglu Temple——"

In the expectation of hundreds of people, Wang Zhongzheng read out the last payment in a low voice, letting people know who voted for this vote. His gaze swept left and right across the court, and after a pause, he read out the name of the chosen one: "Lu Jia asked." ”

One of the attendants in front of the screen immediately took a pen and dipped it in thick ink, and wrote an inkblot under Lu Jiawen's name.

The corners of Lu Jia's mouth suddenly had a smile, this is a good start, and it couldn't be more auspicious. This vote is in his expectation, as long as it can accumulate one vote, it is

Far beyond Han Gang. Even if the Queen Mother wants to be partial, she has to take care of people's words. Even if the queen mother will be disgusted in the future, she will soon be driven out of the capital, but it is impossible to erase the qualifications of the cool umbrella. After a few years, the Son of Heaven will become an adult, and the opportunity will come.

As for what patricide...... There are always courtiers who don't care, and there are emperors who don't want to care.