If Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong's words reached Zhao Qi's ears half a year ago, Zhao Qi would probably be happy. As the saying goes, three-legged toads are hard to find, and two-legged big living people are. How many talented people want to be among the court and extremely popular ministers? After the death of the first king and the second king, there has never been a lack of this saying in this world that no one can't. You have been here for a lifetime, and I wish you had made room for others as soon as possible!

The court's important ministers, those who start well are easy, and those who end well are difficult. Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong helped the first emperor to fight the world, and the other assisted the first emperor to rule the world, which can be called the right-hand man of the Wucheng Dynasty of Great Xia. Because he has always followed the way of public loyalty, abided by the duties of people and ministers, and obtained the best official position, he will complete his merits. In other words, whether it is for the new emperor or Yang Zhi, they have nothing to ask for. If it weren't for the public heart, it would have been better to have more than less.

Chen Wenyuan's claim that he sacrificed his life to persuade the emperor to use Yang Zhi was not a trivial fuss and an exaggeration. The emperor and Yang Zhidu are still very young, and they will come to Japan for a long time, who dares to guarantee that they will always be in harmony with the monarch and ministers in the future, and will not turn against each other? There are already unpredictable risks hidden in it. Since ancient times, those who have violated the holy taboo and been convicted for their words have been written endlessly. Even if the emperor pretends to be generous for a while, who dares to guarantee that he will not settle accounts and make fun of your children and grandchildren in the future? Geng Chao was actually pushed to death by an invisible giant hand, and Yang Yao deliberately committed suicide in desperation. The two have been in a high position for decades, so they can naturally see it very clearly: the new emperor is not only not a soft-hearted person, but also his acting skills are better than the first emperor, and his methods are more ruthless than the first emperor!

However, at the same time, they also understand and understand: they want to be a king of a powerful country in troubled times. Throughout his life, he must constantly struggle with people and things. And you can only win, you can't lose. Even if he is a good person with a pure temperament. will also be sharpened into a madman who will do anything to achieve his goals.

In the morning of the next day, Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong, two important auxiliary ministers, presented a concert recommending Yang Zhi as agreed. The emperor glanced at it cursoly, and the content of the two of them was much the same, and he immediately frowned slightly, and put it aside without saying a word. Immediately, even the routine words of "the secretaries have something to do and have nothing to do to retire from the court" were omitted, but they just coldly ordered that the ministers have another chapter and submit it to the official office of the relevant cabinet scholars. Then he walked away.

The emperor was displeased, which was expected, but Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong did not care. After the dispersal of the dynasty, the two did not say much, nor were they in a hurry to leave the palace and return home, and came to Wang Yunong's official room to wait silently. After the emperor had read the recital, he had to think about it and give him a certain amount of time. The weight of the two in the Great Xia court is self-evident, and the reason why they presented the concert in front of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. It's just a way to exert pressure and try not to let the emperor deliberately delay.

Is the emperor not just displeased? It's just a belly of evil fire. The two pieces are the same, so why look closely? Yang Zhi! It's Yang Zhi again! What benefits did Yang Zhi give you that made you miss him so much? On weekdays, you go in and out of the imperial study as casually as your own backyard, and you actually use this trick to play in court to suppress me? Two old things with kicking noses on the face!

In fact, Zhao Qi is not ignorant. As Wang Yunong said. It's just that he's young and vigorous, not old enough.

I thought that Wang Yunong's protégés and former officials were all over the world, and Chen Wenyuan was a general in the army. Both of them are auxiliary ministers, and they may be worried about constraints. After ascending the throne, when the wind is calm. The role of the two Zhenguo Pillar Stone has not yet been revealed. encountered a crisis this time, if it weren't for the two old ministers. Wang Yunong tried his best to suppress Wenchen, Chen Wenyuan tried his best to deter the generals, and he was afraid that he would have already become a pot of porridge inside and outside the court. King Ning and King Kang were originally contradictory at every opportunity, and during this period of time, they must come to the court every day, and a large number of old ministers are also accompanied by the whole process rain or shine, what is this for?

Zhao Qi also knows Yang Zhi's temperament and ability better than anyone else. In addition to being afraid of being looked down upon by Yang Zhi and secretly competing with him, there is another reason that I am afraid that even he does not realize it, or is unwilling to admit it, he is worried that he does not have enough ability to control Yang Zhi, and he has a deep fear of Yang Zhi in his heart.

In any case, it is impossible to avoid and bypass the matter so far. Thinking about it on the other hand, my father can use Yang Zhi, why can't I? Zhao Qi knew that Yang Zhi was not an ordinary courtier, if the conditions offered did not suit his appetite, or he would provoke for no reason, he would really dare to turn his face with you on the spot. Some crucial sensitive topics must be borrowed from the mouth of two old things, and it is good to explain it clearly in advance.

After calming down and thinking about it for a while, he called Jin Zishan and ordered: "Go and summon the old lady and the king to come to meet immediately." ”

"Yes." Jin Zishan had already seen that Zhao Qi's face was not good after he retired from the dynasty, and he reminded carefully: "Your Majesty, the dynasty has been dispersed at this time, and the old lady and the prince have left the palace and returned to the house, but I am afraid that the emperor will have to wait for a while." ”

Zhao Qi said angrily: "If you want to go, you will go, where is so much nonsense?" Today, even if you use a whip to chase them away, you just have to go to the cabinet office to find them. ”

Jin Zishan can be valued by the first emperor, so that he can be raised to a position that can be compared with Yang Zhi and others, and he is by no means a stupid person. As a personal attendant, he already clearly felt that the new emperor was more difficult to serve than the previous emperor. He said no more, and went away in response to the command.

After Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong were summoned as they wished, the courtesy of giving a seat and tea was naturally indispensable. Before the two of them sat down, Zhao Qi picked up two copies of the recital and threw them on the imperial case, and asked straight to the point: "Two bosses, what do you mean?" ”

The emperor asked so bluntly, the two glanced at each other, and Wang Yunong replied solemnly: "Back to the emperor, the old minister and Wen Yuan were not only appreciated and reused by the previous emperor, but also took the responsibility of entrusting the lonely auxiliary government. The emperor has not been on the throne for a long time, and everything is waiting to be done. However, the emperor's talent is beginning to appear, and the general situation is obvious, and Daxia does not allow turmoil. And Yang Zhi has the talent of the world and can be an assistant. It was recommended by the old ministers and Wen Yuan bravely, and the emperor was cautiously admonished. ”

To take a clear stand, to explain the current situation to the emperor, and to give a sycophant hat to take into account the emperor's face, this article is really not easy to do. Wang Yunong said casually, but there was no hindrance.

Since Chen Wenyuan was tied up with Wang Yunong, it was useless to stretch out his head and shrink his head, so he added a fire and said: "Your Majesty, Yang Zhi is both civil and military, and he has strong financial resources. If it's not useful, it's a pity! ”

Chen Wenyuan's scheming is not much worse than Wang Yunong. said frankly that Yang Zhi is both capable and rich. I have worked hard for Great Xia before, but I have never brought any threat to your old Zhao family. It doesn't matter if you use him or not, that's your loss.

Zhao Qi said with a straight face: "Let's be fair, how does the situation in Daxia compare with ten years ago?" At that time, the north of Great Xia was disturbed by the Turkic raids, and the south and the south of Chu confronted Xiangyang, and now it should be not bad, right? I admit that Yang Zhi is indeed a capable minister, and if he continues to serve after his term as governor of customs, is it not reused? Is it really to the point where he has to return to Beijing to clean up the situation? You jointly recommend Yang Zhi like this, it is better to say clearly, I am a mediocre king who can't support the wall in the mud! ”

Although Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong were bent on thinking about Great Xia, on the one hand, they were worried that because Yang Zhi would not be called, they would be buried hidden dangers for the future monarchs and ministers, and on the other hand, they were indeed worried about Zhao Qi's lack of ability. Yang Zhi may not have the intention of being called the king, at least not at the moment. But he has always been a difficult lord to mess with, and it is easy to disrupt Great Xia in a fit of anger.

The two pleaded in unison: "The emperor is angry." The ministers have no such intention, and they hope that the emperor will know it. ”

Zhao Qi sneered: "Is this what you mean, you should know it in your hearts." I'm too lazy to bother with you, so let's just assume that what you're saying is true! You are all veterans of the three dynasties, and you are all important ministers of the first emperor's entrustment, so I will also tell you a few words of truth. ”

"Yang Zhi was already a third-class official residence in the court, a second-class marquis, and thousands of officials under the jurisdiction of the Yamen, the governor of customs, and the annual tax paid accounted for one-third of the national revenue of Great Xia. What kind of strength does Yang Zhi have in the field, I believe I don't need to say more, right? ”

"No matter what, even if I live the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain. If I take your advice, how shall I use it? If he fails to make meritorious contributions, not only will he delay time and waste his national strength in vain, but I will also bear the infamy of not knowing people and employing people poorly. If he is able to do something, how shall I reward him? It's not that I'm stingy, it's not a problem to add an official to a knight, but I'm afraid he may not be able to see it. ”

"Another important part is that if I remember correctly, Yang Zhi is only twenty-eight years old this year. This time, he used him to make contributions, and naturally he needed to be rewarded. And what about next time? And next time? When he has made a lot of contributions, and when he is bigger, one day, will there be someone like you played in court today, and persuade me to give up this Great Xia throne to him?! ”

Zhao Qi's heart-wrenching words can be described as reasonable and well-founded, and they are also very realistic, Chen Wenyuan and Wang Yunong listened to it in a cold sweat. The emperor said it to this point, if the two insisted on fighting to the death with the emperor and then admonished them, it would be like plotting rebellion and seeking their own death.

The two of them didn't dare to look directly at the emperor's cold gaze, and lowered their heads together. Wang Yunong said: "Your Majesty, the old ministers are still the same sentence, the ministers are just dedicated to the country, and they have no two hearts for Daxia and the emperor. The words of advice from the old minister and Wen Yuan, the emperor thinks that if it is available, he will accept it, and if he does not use it, he will abandon it. ”

Although it is completely out of public heart for the country, when he is old, there is really no need to put his family's life into it.

Wang Yunong retreated, and it was impossible for Chen Wenyuan not to express his position: "Your Majesty, the loyalty of the old ministers and Yunong can be seen every day. Whether to use Yang Zhi or not, but with the will of the saint, the ministers and others will not dare to consult themselves in the future. ”

That's right! If the tiger is not powerful, you treat me as a sick cat, right? Why do you always pretend to be a grandson in front of you? Why do you have to listen to you, are you the emperor or am I the emperor?

A hint of pride flashed in Zhao Qi's eyes, and he changed his face and said warmly: "The two old Qing families have worked hard and made great achievements, and I have never doubted your loyalty, and I will still have to work hard in the future to assist the two Qing families in my good life." I just want to tell you today that although the situation is pressing at the moment, I have my difficulties! ”

Then he issued a decree that stunned the two of them: "Message: Yang Zhi, the governor of customs, will return to Beijing to report on his work!" (To be continued.) )