readx; Chang'an, a drizzle has been falling for seven days in a row, the heat is completely gone, the whole Chang'an city is immersed in a trace of early autumn chill, at night, there are few pedestrians on the street, and the people who can be seen by chance are in a hurry, in this cold night, home is the warmest place. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

In the northwest corner of Yongning Fang, Wannian County, there is a mansion covering an area of dozens of acres, here is the deposed Xiangguo Cui Juan's mansion, a carriage came quickly, stopped in front of Cui Juan's mansion, a guard got off the carriage, walked up the steps quickly, and the porter said a few words, the porter immediately went back to report, Wang Heng got down from the carriage, waited under the steps with his hands behind his back, and a guard held an umbrella behind him.

After a while, the side door of Cui's mansion opened, and Cui Jun, the eldest son of Cui Lian, walked out quickly, and said from afar: "Wang Xiangguo came to the cold house, and he missed the welcome, please forgive Wang Xiangguo!" ”

Cui Jun, who is about 30 years old and is currently the governor of Jinzhou in Hedong Province, is shrewd and capable, and has a good reputation among the people for managing Jinzhou, and he heard that his father had an accident, so he hurried back and arrived in Chang'an this morning.

Wang Hui returned the salute and said with a smile: "It's me who didn't say hello in advance, sorry it should be me?" ”

He took a step forward and asked in a low voice, "Virtuous nephew, is your father getting better?" ”

After a compromise between the two parties, Cui Jian has been released from Dali Temple Prison, and Wei Jiansu has also returned home, but Cui Jian fell ill after leaving home, and his illness was very serious, so Wang Heng was entrusted by Li Heng to come to Cui's house to visit his illness.

Cui Jun sighed and said: "The conditions in the prison are bad, my father was deeply hit this time, he fell ill after an attack of chronic illness, this time the illness is very serious, the doctor said that my father will be raised for at least half a year to a year, and his body will slowly improve." ”

"Hey! This time it is your father's trouble, His Royal Highness ordered me to visit your father, and go to see the condition first! ”

Cui Jun nodded and said, "Wang Xiangguo, please come with me." ”

Cui Jun took Wang Heng to a small courtyard in the inner house, Wang Heng's ward was here, and before he saw the ward, Wang Heng smelled a strong smell of medicine, he couldn't help frowning, Cui Heng's body has always been very good, why is it so serious when he falls ill.

Walking to the door, Cui Jun reported in a low voice: "Father, Wang Xiangguo has come to see you." ”

There was a fierce cough in the room, and the cough was hoarse, only to hear Cui Lian panting: "Please... Please Wang Xiangguo... In! ”

"Wang Xiangguo, my father invites you in."

Wang Heng sighed and walked into the ward, the smell of medicine in the ward was stronger, faintly mixed with a rancid smell, which made people smell disgusting, Wang Heng restrained his nausea, and stepped forward, only to see Cui Jian lying on the sickbed, his face was sallow, his hair was unkempt, and he kept coughing, the rancid smell came from him, and it was even more unbearable when he got closer, but the two concubines may be used to it, one left and one right, serving Cui Jian to drink medicine.

Wang Heng really couldn't get close, so he saluted from a distance and said, "Brother Cui's sick body feels better?" ”

Cui Jian just over fifty this year, is the most golden moment in a man's career, Tianbao years, he has been in Shuzhong as an official, the official to Zizhou Taishou, last year after the Ministry of Industry Yang Shenjin resigned with Zhang Yun, he was transferred back to Chang'an, as the Ministry of Industry Shangshu, because he is the core figure of Cui's family, Li Heng promoted him to the political hall, but unfortunately he served as the prime minister for less than a month, and became a victim of the power struggle.

He took a sip of the medicine and said hard: "Chest tightness, breathless...."

Speaking of this, he coughed violently again, and only after a while did he hold back a sentence and said, "I can't do it, I disappointed Xiangguo and His Royal Highness Jianguo." ”

"You can't say that, Brother Cui is in the prime of life, and he still has a chance to be a leader after recovering from his illness, His Royal Highness the Prison State asked Brother Cui to take care of him well, and if he needs anything, just put it forward."

"Thank you, Your Highness, I.... I didn't... What is needed. ”

Wang Heng saw that Cui Lian was having trouble speaking and could not bear the smell on his body, so he nodded, put a good century-old ginseng on the table, and arched his hand: "Then I won't disturb Brother Cui to rest, and I will come to visit next time." ”

"Jun'er, send Xiangguo for your father."

Wang Heng left, Cui Jian kept listening to Wang Heng's footsteps and walked away, his eyes suddenly opened, the cloudy and dull gaze just now suddenly disappeared, and became bright, he turned over and sat up, and said to the two concubines: "Fetch me water!" ”

A concubine hurriedly went out to fetch water, and Cui Jian said to another person: "When Jun'er comes back, let him come to the study to see me." ”

He pinched his nose and seemed to be unable to stand the stench of the house...... In the rain and fog, Cui Jun sent Wang Heng out, "Thank you Wang Xiangguo for coming to visit my father, please Wang Xiangguo go slowly." ”

"Take good care of your father, I will grant you a month off, and I will go to say hello to the officials, if there is any difficulty, just come to me!"

Wang Heng explained a few words, then boarded the carriage and left, Cui Jun kept looking at him to go away, and then turned around and instructed his subordinates: "Close the door, and if someone comes to visit, just say that the master is resting and report to me." ”

He walked into the mansion, a family member stepped forward and whispered to him, Cui Jun nodded, and walked quickly to the study of the inner house.

At this moment, Cui Lian's study was brightly lit, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood.

Cui Jian had already washed off the sallow color on his face, changed into a wide Zen robe, and sat in the study writing something, when his son Cui Jun's voice came from outside the door.

"Father, here comes the child."

"Come in!"

The door opened, Cui Jun walked in, Cui Jian put down the pen, pointed to the cushion next to him and said, "Sit down!" ”

Cui Jun sat down and said, "Father, Wang Xiangguo has left." ”

"I know he's gone, he's not gone, and I'm not going to sit here, alas! It's uncomfortable to pretend to be sick! ”

After a pause, Cui Jun said: "The child doesn't understand, why does the father pretend to be sick to Wang Xiangguo and His Royal Highness the Prison State?" ”

Cui Jian didn't answer him directly, but smiled slightly: "It's been a day since you came back, you should also know why I was dismissed, tell me what you think?" As a father, I want to know. ”

Cui Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Father, the more I think about this matter, the more strange it becomes, my father obviously didn't write any letter to Li Longji, how could he reply to his father like that?" And it fell into Li Qingan's hands, there is a problem here! ”

Cui Jun already knew the cause and effect of the incident, and intuitively thought that his father had been framed, so he said angrily: "Father, I think this is a conspiracy planned by Li Qing'an, things can never be so coincidental, the moment he needs evidence, the evidence comes, how is this possible?" ”

Cui Lian glanced at his son approvingly, his son can see this, it is already very good, it really makes Cui Lian feel gratified, he nodded and smiled: "Others think that I have fornicated in Chengdu, only I know, of course this is Li Qingan's wrist, as for how he did it, I don't think it matters, now the important thing is that we have to understand one thing, why did he choose my Cui family to start?" ”

Cui Jun didn't understand his father's words, he hurriedly said, "How can you just forget it?" Let my father be wronged, it is better to write a letter to Chengdu and ask the second uncle to check the reason, and this matter will definitely come to light. ”

Cui Jun's second uncle was Cui Yuan, the prime minister of the Southern Tang Dynasty, Cui Jian saw that his son was still a little confused on the most critical issue, so he couldn't help but shake his head and said: "You didn't understand what I meant, my crime is not important, I was loyal to the old emperor before, even if I am loyal to him now, what is the crime?" The question is not here, the question is why did Li Qingan choose my Cui family to start? Don't you understand? ”

In fact, Cui Lian can explain the problem thoroughly in one sentence, but that is not good for his son, he wants his son to understand the key to it, so that his son can gradually mature, can truly understand the mystery of the power struggle, and can take his position in the future.

After all, Cui Jun has been in politics for many years and has a certain amount of experience in political struggle, and after a little bit of his father's pull, he suddenly understood, and said: "What my father means is that Li Qingan wants to step on our Cui family and use the fall of our Cui family to entrap other families, is that so?" ”

Seeing that his son finally understood, Cui Jian couldn't help but smile and said: "You can see this, it shows that you have made great progress, then let me ask you again, the Cui family is frustrated, who is the most beneficial to it?" ”

'Who's in the best interest?' If his father didn't deliberately ask this sentence, of course Cui Jun would think of Li Qing'an, this matter is of course the most beneficial to Li Qing'an, and all major families are impressed by him, followed by the Wei family, Wei Tao actually entered the phase, indicating that the Wei family will regain its appearance.

But as soon as his father asked so deliberately, Cui Jun realized that the answer might not be so simple, he pondered for a moment, and then hesitated: "Father is referring to the Pei family?" ”

Cui Lian stroked his palms and laughed, "Not bad! My son can see this, and it is worthy of my son, and I have a successor. ”

Cui Jun blushed and hurriedly said: "Father, I just have a feeling, let me say the specific reason, but I can't say it." ”

"Okay, let me tell you."

Cui Jian looked into his son's eyes and said word by word: "Because Li Qingan has the possibility of ascending the throne!" ”

"Father, could this be true?" Choi Jun asked incredulously.

"Don't you know this?"

"The child knows a little bit, and everyone usually talks about it, but the child is in Hedong and doesn't know much, so I can't believe that this will be true."

"It's true, and it's probably getting bigger."

Cui Lian's eyes showed a trace of worry, "He suppressed our Cui family this time, in fact, it was to completely win over the Pei family and the Wei family, he was showing his strength to the Pei family, so that the Pei family would die for him, and at the same time, let the Wei family be grateful to him and be willing to be his pawn, in fact, he succeeded, I heard that the Pei family decided to marry Pei Zunqing's granddaughter Wan'er to him as a sign of their official alliance, Wei Tao also sent his son Wei Jingyuan and nephew Wei Yingwu to Anxi to serve in the army, which is also a sign of the Wei family's allegiance to him, I heard that Wang Wei is the right man of Shangshu and the face of the Lu family, and now among the major famous families in Chang'an, Dugu, Changsun, Pei, Wei, Lu, Zhang and other big families are supporting him, and his situation is getting better and better. ”

After listening to his father's analysis, Cui Jun realized that his father was pretending to be sick, just to keep a certain distance from the Prison Party and let the Cui family leave the Prison Party, so that's it!

Thinking of this, he perked up and said, "Father, according to your meaning, is there still room for reconciliation between our Cui family and Li Qingan?" ”

Cui Jian squinted and smiled, "Our Cui family is the first family in the world, if we also support him, do you think he is willing to reconcile with us?" ”

"Father, I think he must be willing, otherwise he would not have won over the Pei family, he also knows that he can't just rely on the Dugu family, Pei Wan'er is the daughter of the Pei family, he wants to marry Pei Wan'er, he just doesn't want the Dugu family to sit big, since he has the ambition to ascend the throne, the child thinks he must also have the heart to accept our Cui family."

"My son said it very well, but you can't be in a hurry, you have to take your time, if you are too anxious, you will offend Li Heng, which is even more detrimental to our Cui family, I am ready to be sick for another half a year, temporarily in the field, and when the time comes, our Cui family is changing the court."

Cui Jun was a little worried: "But if the time drags on for too long, will Li Qingan continue to clean the other children of the Cui family?" ”

"Not at all!"

Cui Jian smiled faintly and said: "Actually, Li Qingan has left a way back for our Cui family, otherwise, how could Cui Ping and Cui Guangyuan be transferred out of Chang'an?" ”

(To be continued)