A cold snap came from the north, and after two days of bone-chilling north winds, the cloudy sky finally cleared, and the water of the Yellow River flowing outside the south gate of Heyang finally froze to the bottom.

Han Jiang arranged for people to go to the river to investigate the ice situation early in the morning, and when he came back to report, he said that there were now pedestrians on the Yellow River. The ice was a foot thick enough for horses and carts to pass on it.

Han Jiang waited for this news, and hurriedly lit up the state Zhongxiang army, and according to the practice of the past years, paved the road across the river with wooden planks and straw mats on the ice.

In the afternoon of the same day, the new prime minister Han Jiang took his family and guards, dozens of vehicles, and hundreds of riders, crossed the frozen Yellow River, and looked at the city of Tokyo in a hurry.

Han Jiang was in a hurry to return to Tokyo City to take up the post of prime minister.

In a few days, it will be the winter solstice suburban ceremony, and if you miss the time, you can only let the second minister Feng Jing do it for you.

He was absolutely unwilling to let this credit fall into the hands of Feng Dangshi.

The suburbs are the country's premier ceremony, and officials who serve the Son of Heaven and participate in it can be richly rewarded. And the so-called rewards are not just ordinary things such as gold, silver, and wealth. The promotion of officials and the shadow of their children and grandchildren are all due righteousness. And the prime minister, who presided over the entire ceremonial process, could get the biggest share of it. And if the ceremony can end safely, in front of the Son of Heaven, Han Jiang will be enough to prove that he is a qualified prime minister.

However, what Han Jiang is thinking about now is not how to take over the control of the Suburban Heaven Ceremony from Feng Jing, but is discussing with Qin Xun, the guest of the curtain, how to smoothly receive the political legacy left by Wang Anshi.

In the convoy, Han Jiang's carriage is the largest and most comfortable one, and it is the best carriage in the Mengzhou Post House.

There was an incense burner lit in the compartment carved out of the car wall, and the three legs were stuck in the groove, and the car shook violently, but it did not move. While the strong sandalwood fragrance wafted out from the furnace, it also spread the warmth in the carriage.

Han Jiang sat cross-legged, he was over sixty years old, and now he was no longer in Shaanxi, commanding thousands of troops. His hair was gray, and the wrinkles on his face were getting more and more day by day, but his back was still straight, and even in the bumpy carriage, he didn't lean on the cushion behind him. The demeanor that the children of the family have practiced since childhood will not relax at any time.

The staff member Qin Xun and Qin Shenxiu, who sat opposite him, had a clear appearance, wearing a green cloth shirt and dressing up as a Confucian scholar. It is an old man who is also walking towards his twilight years, around fifty years old, with three long beards under his chin, and a pair of phoenix eyes on the tail of his eyes, which are unfathomable.

Qin Xun's voice was calm and calm, telling the situation that Han Jiang was facing: "Xianggong has been away from the dynasty for many years, and the old people in the DPRK have either gone out or have become unfamiliar. But Feng Jing has never left the capital since he ascended the throne. Xining has been in power for three years, and now he has been in the political hall for four years, and his foundation has long been solid. And Wang Jue's situation is similar, he has been in the political hall for a long time. As for Lu Huiqing, although he is shallow, he has always assisted Wang Jiefu, after Zeng Bu's defection, he is the second person in the New Party, and now that Wang Jiefu is out, the people in the New Party should take him as the leader. ”

Qin Xun glanced at Han Jiang, who was silent, and said bluntly: "If you really want to talk about it, the two ministers and two participants in the political hall are the most weak. ”

Of course, Han Jiang understood this truth, otherwise why would he still find Qin Xun to discuss in the shaking carriage, and still remained silent, listening to the follow-up of the staff.

Qin Xun continued: "Xiang Gong is the prime minister, and the power to recommend the removal of the court is in the hands of Xiang Gong, and the East Court of the Judge cannot get out of the hands of Xiang Gong. However, if the prime minister has just taken office, he will quote a private person, which will inevitably cause discussion, and the Son of Heaven will be disappointed. ”

"Therefore, there must be a standard number for who is to be appointed and who is promoted, and you can't act rashly." This bit of common sense in officialdom, why does Han Jiang need to be reminded by others, he just waits for Qin Xun to give him the answer, so he can be patient and follow the topic.

"What the prime minister said is very true." Qin Xun nodded.

Qin Xun, as Han Jiang's eyes and ears, has lived in the capital for many years and has written letters all year round. However, he only crossed the frozen Yellow River early this morning and met Han Jiang. Regarding the big and small things in the capital, Qin Xun wrote to Han Jiang a lot, but some things must be said in person to make people feel at ease.

"There are hundreds of positions in the DPRK and China, but only the positions in the Chinese book are the most critical, although they are not of high rank. Especially the position of the fifth room inspection of Zhongshu, Feng Jing must not be allowed to snatch it! ”

"That's nature." Han Jiang nodded.

Just look at who has held the position of Zhongshu Wufang Inspection and Orthodox since its establishment, and you can understand the importance of this position - Lu Huiqing, Zeng Bu, and Zhang Dian, which one is not Wang Anshi's confidant, and which one is not the core of the new party?

How many years Han Jiang has been an official, he already knew that if he wanted to be in the political hall, he had to sit in his own position in the middle school and the fifth room inspection of official affairs.

And Qin Xun's words changed at this time: "But as mentioned earlier, it is absolutely inappropriate to appoint private individuals, and it is difficult for the candidates recommended by the prime minister to compete for Feng Jing, Wang Qi and Lu Huiqing." ”

"Oh...... Who do you think you should use? Han Jiang asked meaningfully.

"I heard that the Xianggong was recommended by Wang Jiefu, and the appointment of the Son of Heaven by the Xianggong should also have the intention of stabilizing the new law. Therefore, the person recommended by the public must be ......," Qin Xun said this, and his words were stunned.

Han Jiang immediately asked urgently: "New Party? ”

"No, it must be Wang Xianggong's Qili, so that Lu Huiqing is inconvenient to object, and has to support Xianggong. is the same as the prime minister, and the prime minister, should be able to overwhelm Feng Jing and Wang Qi. And there are also rumors in Beijing that Wang Jiefu will not be guilty of any crime, and the Son of Heaven is very guilty. ”

Qin Xun finally said what Han Jiang wanted to hear.

"But Wang Pingfu [Wang Anguo]?" Han Jiang said first, but immediately shook his head and denied: "Wang Pingfu is happy and sensual, he is frivolous, this person is not suitable." Wang Hefu [Wang Anli] is good, he has done impeccable things in the past few years in Hedong. ”

"It's not Wang Anguo, it's not Wang Anli." Qin Xun shook his head.

"Who's that?" Han Jiang's eyes were full of surprise, who else could there be? Wang Anshi's other younger brother, Wang Anshi, was too far away from the capital to return.

"It's Han Gang!"

"Han Gang?!" Han Jiang was stunned when he heard this.

Qin Xun nodded solemnly: "It's Han Gang Han Yukun!" ”

Han Jiang was silent in thought, and his hand gently patted his knee.

In fact, his evaluation of Han Gang is not low, after all, everything Han Gang did in Luo Wu and Xianyang, Han Jiang saw it in his eyes, which made him have a good impression of Wang Anshi's son-in-law.

After so many things, especially the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of Hebei refugees, Han Gang has been recognized as one of the few capable ministers in the court. With Fu Bi's performance in Qingzhou in the old years, no one can deny the four-character comment of Prime Minister Han Gang's talent. However, the world mostly praises Han Gang's talents, and there are also praises for his vertical and horizontal skills in persuading the rebels and reversing the mind of the Son of Heaven, but Han Jiang's evaluation of Han Gang, the first one is that he is upright.

Han Gang once opposed the Hengshan strategy in front of him, saying that it would not succeed. And when the news came out later, Han Gang said to Wang Anshi a little earlier, even if Hengshan succeeded, he didn't want to take that credit.

If an ordinary minister said this, even if he would not secretly do evil, he would be passive and slack off his work, so as not to become a laughing stock in the future. But Han Gang is a complete exception. He did his best in Luowu City, but all the generals and colonels who were besieged in the city that day were praised for their merits. It can even be said that without Han Gang, Luo Wu's battle situation was already irretrievable when the Western Xia army besieged the city. It was only because of Han Gang's plan that he lasted until the day when the Son of Heaven ordered the withdrawal of the army, and there was no decline, and there was even spare strength to fight an ambush.

Although he opposes something, he can do his best to accomplish it without selfishness and bad state affairs. Han Jiang asked himself that it was difficult for him to do it, and among the courtiers he had seen, almost no one could have this kind of bearing. There is just a problem that makes it inconvenient for Han Jiang to consider Han Gang.

"Han Gang can indeed be of great use." After thinking about it for a long time, Han Jiang raised his head and said to Qin Xun, "But he is a little too young." ”

"What about being young? The government has taken care of all the points, can't he be the official business of the fifth room inspection of the middle book? ! Qin Xun asked rhetorically. He could see that Han Jiang was actually shirking.

Han Jiang looked at Qin Xun for a long time, sighed, and finally told the truth. He told his staff about his concerns: "With Han Gang's status, presumably Lu Huiqing has probably mentioned his name. With the current situation of the new party, there is no other more suitable candidate for the new party. ”

"That's not right!" Qin Xun suddenly laughed, "Since Xianggong doesn't have a more suitable candidate, it's better to recommend Han Gang." While showing public intentions, it also reassures the New Party, so that everyone in the New Party will be pulled over by Lu Huiqing. The prime minister is the prime minister! ”

"And the Xianggong can also give Han Gang some more positions, what Lu Huiqing and Zeng Bu could do back then, could Han Gang be worse than them?! For example, the sentence of the weapons superintendent, now Zeng Xiaokuan is doing it, and he has a good relationship with Lu Huiqing. But if Han Gang goes in, Zeng Xiaokuan will definitely not be able to compare to him. There are thunderbolts, sleds, and sand table weapons there! Another example is the judgment of Sinong Temple, Han Gang is the right Zhengyan, and he is the governor of the state, can't he do it? When Lu Huiqing and Zeng Bu sat in this position, they were just the crown prince Zhongyun. As long as Han Gang is appointed to an important position, the new party will inevitably split. Lu Huiqing could not tolerate the second Zeng Zixuan. At that time, Han Gang can only take refuge in Xianggong. ”

Listening to Qin Xun's words, Han Jiang nodded, and the frequency was speeding up little by little.

Seeing this, Qin Xun knew that he had succeeded, so he took an additional step, "And I have heard that Xianggong supports the new law, but he has reservations about Wang Jiefu's new learning." And Han Gang's attitude is the same, inviting Zhang Zai into Beijing, Han Gang and Lu Huiqing will inevitably have a gap in their hearts, isn't this wonderful! ”