In the early morning of the next day, Zhao Ji, the son of heaven, accompanied by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, stood on the Xuelang Pavilion to draw a landscape work, which was not finished last year's "Fengchi Spring", this year continued to splash ink, Zhao Ji was full of interest, has been painting for almost half an hour, his hand was a little stiff, then put down the brush, from the palace maid to take the purple gold double dragon hand stove.

As soon as he turned his head, Zhao Ji found that Liang Shicheng appeared beside him at some point, and he asked with a smile: "What are the shortcomings of Taifu's paintings?" ”

Liang Shicheng looked at it for a moment and said, "Weichen feels like there are few birds!" ”

"You don't understand, this is spring, flocks of birds are flying around, that is summer and autumn, spring is the season of recovery of all things, birds and birds are there, but not too many, you look at how many birds there are in my garden?"

"Weichen is stupid, or Your Majesty is thoughtful."

"You brainless, you have to learn to observe, don't take it for granted all day long."

When Zhao Ji said this, he saw that Liang Shicheng had a copy of the scroll in his hand, so he asked, "I came to find me early in the morning, is there anything wrong?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, this is Fan Zhixu's appeal." Liang Shicheng presented Fan Zhixu's appeal to Zhao Ji, the son of heaven.

Zhao Ji didn't accept the appeal, and asked coldly, "What did he say?" ”

"He just explained that he did not form a party, and the statement of 'Fan Dang' was completely slanderous and made out of nothing."

"Humph!"

Zhao Ji snorted disdainfully, "Everyone will say that they are innocent, and how many of the Yuanyou Party members admitted that they were a party?" ”

"Your Majesty, in fact, I think it is more appropriate to use 'faction' than 'party'."

"Oh? What kind of school is Fan Zhixu? ”

"Weichen thinks he's a prince!"

There is no need for a hammer to sound the drum, as long as it hits the point, it can also be killed with a sword, Liang Shicheng only said the three words 'prince's faction', and then defined Fan Zhixu.

Sure enough, Zhao Ji's face immediately became gloomy, he snorted heavily, turned around and walked towards the warm pavilion next to the pavilion.

Liang Shicheng hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, "Weichen is guilty, disturbing His Majesty's interest!" ”

"There you go! I want to be alone and quiet. ”

"Wechen retires!" Liang Shicheng got up and slowly retreated.

Zhao Ji pondered in the cabinet for a long time, and then ordered a eunuch to say: "Go to my imperial study, get a copy of the impeachment book on the table, and then go and find Wang Xiangguo as well." ”

The eunuch rushed away, and after a while, the prime minister Wang Huang hurried to the warm pavilion under the guidance of the eunuch, Wang Huang was excited and nervous in his heart, he knew in his heart, whether he could completely step on Fan Zhixu today, just in one fell swoop, he bowed deeply, "Weichen Wang Huang see Your Majesty!" ”

Zhao Ji was carefully reading Wang Hao's impeachment letter, he raised the impeachment letter in his hand and asked, "You have listed a lot of crimes, but what about the evidence?" Where are the concrete facts? Do you think that with this impeachment letter, I will remove the prime minister? ”

Wang Hao had already prepared, he took out Qin Hui's report and presented it to Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty, Weichen is not without a target, the basis for Weichen's impeachment comes from this report, please take a look at it!" ”

Zhao Ji took the report and looked at it, and asked, "Who is this Qin Hui?" ”

"This person is the master of the military prison office, he knows everything Fan Zhixu did in the military prison he knows very well, his report is detailed and reliable, well-documented, Wei Chen believes that the evidence of the 'Fan Party' is conclusive, they oppose the Northern Expedition under the pretext of opposing the Northern Expedition, in fact, it is for the crown prince to oppose His Royal Highness King Yun, nominally for the Great Song Dynasty Sheji, in fact, it is for his own selfish interests, this kind of friend party born for interests is extremely harmful, if it is not eradicated, it will mislead the officials, and it will mislead His Majesty's Northern Expedition plan."

Wang Ji's words pierced Zhao Ji's mind, and Zhao Ji remembered Liang Shicheng's words, this is not for the sake of the society, but for the battle for succession, Zhao Ji was extremely angry in his heart, but he was a little hesitant, he was silent for a while.

Wang Hao took out the list of thirteen people and presented it to Zhao Ji, "Your Majesty, this is the thirteen members of the Fan Party, they often gather in the military prison to discuss the strategy of sabotaging the Northern Expedition behind closed doors, please ask Your Majesty to order the Fan Party to be arrested and imprisoned, and Weichen is willing to personally try the case and give His Majesty a clear explanation." ”

Wang Hao's purpose is no longer as simple as rejecting the prime minister, he wants to follow Cai Jing's example to investigate and deal with the Yuanyou Party, and in the name of tracking down the Fan Party, he will completely wipe out the dissidents, which is an excellent opportunity to monopolize power.

Zhao Ji picked up the pen but hesitated without approval, just when he was about to put down the pen, an anxious voice suddenly came from afar, "Get out of the way, don't stop me!" ”

Immediately afterwards, there was a voice from the guards, "Please stay, Your Highness, you can't disturb the Holy Lord now!" “

Zhao Ji put down his pen and asked, "Who is it?" ”

"Your Majesty, it's His Royal Highness King Kang, he said that there is a major grievance to be reported to His Majesty urgently, and he has to break in!"

Zhao Ji felt strange in his heart, so he said, "Let him come in!" ”

King Kang Zhao Gou rushed down like a gust of wind, knelt down and kowtowed: "Please keep people under the father's sword!" ”

"You.... What are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean. ”

"Father, don't be deceived by traitors! Fan Xiangguo is an upright person, and the teacher is even more loyal, where will they form friends, it is clear that someone is framing, father, they are all loyal ministers admired by the world, for the stability of the society and oppose the Northern Expedition, if the father will put them in prison and die at the hands of traitors and evil officials, it will damage the reputation of the father, please think twice! ”

Zhao Ji was furious and said: "It's just a bunch of nonsense, give me a mess of sticks!" ”

Several guards rushed forward and forcibly dragged Zhao Gou down, and Zhao Gou shouted from afar: "My father has just suspended the Northern Expedition and set up a prison, and he listened to treacherous rumors to attack loyal ministers, how can he obey the world for trumped-up crimes?" ”

Zhao Ji was so angry that he trembled, "Rebel nonsense, give me fifty palms and mouths, and confine the palace for a month!" ”

Wang Hao knelt down in fright, and said in a low voice: "Weichen is loyal to His Majesty, and he is by no means framing Zhongliang, please learn from Your Majesty!" ”

Although Zhao Ji was half angry by his son's words, Zhao Gou's last sentence reminded him that he had just suspended the Northern Expedition and sent Fan Zhixu to prison for questioning, which would show that he was narrow-minded and retaliated against his courtiers, which was indeed bad for his reputation.

Moreover, Qin Hui's report is also one-sided, and there is no conclusive evidence, just based on the report of a master book, they are identified as forming a party for personal gain, which is a bit unreasonable, at least I don't see where the selfish interests they seek are?

Thinking of this, Zhao Ji said to Wang Hao: "I will think about this matter again, Wang Xiangguo will step back first!" ”

Wang Hao knew that the Son of Heaven was shaken, and he hated it in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it too obviously and too eagerly, so he had to say with hatred: "Please think twice, Your Majesty, and Weichen will retire!" ”

.........

At noon, a decree came out in the palace, and Fan Zhixu and other thirteen people were held accountable for the crime of gathering a crowd to form a party and misbehaving, and Fan Zhixu was specially removed from his post as Xiangguo and demoted to the governor of Dengzhou; dismissed Zheng Juzhong from the post of privy envoy, demoted to Jianzhou General Judgment, removed from the post of general of the Seed Master Dao, and ordered him to retire and return to his hometown; Li Yanqing was dismissed from the post of serving the imperial history and demoted to Jiayu Zhixian County........

If the defection of Liang Fangping can only be regarded as a cannon battle, then the demotion of 13 officials of Xiangguo Fan Zhixu is a sudden explosion of earth-shattering thunder, and the entire government and the opposition and the capital are shocked.

It is said that this time involving the dispute between the crown prince and the king of Yun, among the thirteen members of the Fan Party, one Xiangguo, three privy council officials including the privy envoy, two members of the imperial family of Taichangqing and Zongzheng Siqing, a general, a scholar and two scholars of Longtu Pavilion, two Shangshu provincial squires and one servant of the imperial history.

The atmosphere of the Imperial History Terrace was slightly depressed, Li Yanqing was packing up his personal belongings in the official room, he had just received a demotion order, and he was suddenly demoted from the sixth rank of the servant Yushi to the small county order of the eighth grade, and the official rank was also demoted from the eighth rank to the Chenglang of the eighth grade, which was really depressing.

At this time, Mo Jun walked over and persuaded him: "The official should look away!" It is normal for the imperial court to be deposed, when Wang Anshi changed the law, Xiangguo was demoted to the prefect of the county, the prefect abounds, the ups and downs of life are nothing more than this, once the prince ascends the throne, the official will definitely return to Beijing to take up important positions. ”

Li Yanqing smiled faintly, "I am already mentally prepared, I didn't go to prison to complete the 'party case', I think it is already a compromise by the Son of Heaven." ”

"The official is right, after all, the Son of Heaven also has to consider his own reputation, but also consider the influence of the prince, if he is deposed together with the prince, then he will really go to prison."

Li Yanqing smiled: "Please help me find a map, I want to see where Jiayu County is?" ”

"On the edge of the Yangtze River!"

Liu Fang walked in with a map and said with a smile: "I've been there, it belongs to Ezhou, it is a very rich land of fish and rice, not far from Chibi." ”

Li Yanqing was stunned, it was actually in Ezhou, what a coincidence, most of Baoyanzhai's Baihua Manor was in Ezhou!

Mo Jun said with a smile on the side: "The two of us also decided to follow the officials to Ezhou to take up a post. ”

"You don't have to, it's just that I was deposed, and it didn't affect you, I will let Deng Zhongcheng arrange for you, and Liu Shuling will be promoted to an official next year, and it will be too much of a loss to follow me as a staff member."

Liu Fang blinked and smiled: "If the official is reused in the future, we will also get a better future, so of course we will not let go of this opportunity." ”

Li Yanqing smiled bitterly, in case history changes, the crown prince is deposed, and King Yun ascends the throne, then the loss of the two of them will be great.

Li Yanqing saw that the two of them had made up their minds, so he had to nod and agree.

Li Yanqing packed up his things and walked downstairs, only to see Deng Yong and a group of officials from the Yushitai waiting downstairs to bid him off.

Deng Yong walked in quickly, Li Yanqing hurriedly stepped forward to salute, Deng Yong sighed, and handed the new appointment letter to Li Yanqing, "This is the appointment letter of Jiayu Zhi County, the ministry promised that you can leave Beijing in five days to take up your post, I explained to Wang Anzhong that you want to get married, Wang Anzhong said that other officials will leave tomorrow, and the situation between you and the shuai is a little special, he can have a few days of grace within the scope of his authority, and it is only five days at most." ”

"Thank you Zhongcheng for your love, Li Yanqing will remember it in his heart."

Deng Yong patted him on the shoulder, "Don't be discouraged, we all know what the reason is, if there is anything you need my help in the local area, you can write to me, I will try my best to help." ”

Li Yanqing nodded silently, although Deng Yong was not very competent Yushi Zhongcheng, he treated himself very well.

Li Yanqing saluted the other colleagues again, "Yanqing is gone, please take care!" ”

"Take care!"

Everyone said goodbye and watched Li Yanqing get on the ox cart, and the ox cart slowly left the Yushitai.

This day was the tenth day of the second month of the third year of Xuanhe, Li Yanqing suffered the biggest setback in his life, deposed the imperial history, and was deposed as Jiayu Zhixian.