Lu Zhi didn't mean to blame at all, and waved his hand with a smile and said, "It's okay, it's okay." ”

Liu Ze presented the gift and said, "The students wish the teacher an auspicious New Year and a high rise step by step. ”

Lu Zhi was a little displeased, and said: "Runde, it's good for you to come, what kind of gifts do you bring, you know that the teacher doesn't like this the most." ”

Liu Ze hurriedly said: "It's just some ordinary gifts, and there are nothing valuable, how can students come empty-handed to greet their teachers during the Spring Festival." ”

Lu Zhi's face softened slightly, and said, "Okay, can it be that you have a piece of your mind and accept it as a teacher." Come, the teacher has already scalded a few pots of old wine, and today he will not return if he is not drunk. ”

Liu Ze sat down happily, Lu Zhi had an easy-going personality and didn't like red tape, so Liu Ze didn't need to be polite, and ate and drank.

After three rounds of drinking, Liu Ze talked to Lu Zhi about Liu Yu and Liu Yan's visit, although Lu Zhi was not an important minister in the court, but he had also heard a little about the idea of abolishing the thorn and placing the herd, he was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "Runde, what do you think of this matter?" ”

Liu Ze said solemnly: "The students think that the abolition of thorns and pastures is the way to take chaos. ”

Lu Zhi sighed and said with interest: "Let's hear it." ”

Liu Zedao: "Abolish the thorn and put the pastor, it seems that it is simple to change the name of the official, but in fact the significance is extraordinary, the integration of local power and military power in the hands of the state pastor, although it is conducive to quelling the rebellion in various places, but in the long run, the state pastor in all parts of the country supports the army and respects itself, and will no longer obey the orders of the court, divide one side, and cause endless harm, from then on, the court is bound to lose the control of the states, and the centralized power since the unification of Qin will also be completely lost." The princes in various places are surging, and the chaos of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period will surely reappear. Attacking each other and fighting endlessly, thousands of Li people will inevitably be in dire straits. The Yellow Turban Rebellion is nothing more than a disease of ringworm and scabies, but it is a serious problem for the heart. ”

Lu Zhi stopped throwing the cup and sighed: "Runde's words are also what I am worried about, the fall of the Han family may not be long in the future." A mecca has been drafted for the teacher. Prepare to advise the emperor and depose the proposal of abandoning the assassination of the pastor. ”

Liu Ze shook his head and smiled bitterly: "The teacher is worried about the society and has done his best, but now it is not only the saint who supports the abolition of the thorn and the pastor. Even the ministers were in favor of this proposal. It is imperative to waste thorns and pasture. I am afraid that the teacher's hard work will be in vain, and his loyalty will inevitably lead to the saint's prejudice against the teacher. ”

Lu Zhi sighed: "I also know that I can't do it. But as a courtier, you should be loyal and do your best, even if it can't be done, I have no regrets. ”

Liu Ze knew Lu Zhi's temperament, so it was difficult to persuade him anymore.

Lu Zhi said: "Runde has made a miraculous contribution to pacifying the Yellow Turban this time, and he has been awarded the title of Marquis of Muzhuo Luting in Yanzhou, and he is deeply valued by the emperor, and this cup of wine is a congratulatory gesture for the teacher." ”

"Students don't dare. Today, when the students came, there was something unclear and they came to ask the teacher for advice? ”

"Please."

Although the students have made a small contribution to pacifying the Yellow Turban, but above this court, they have had a long-standing grudge with Zhang Rang and others, and the students concluded that even if they were promoted to the rank of knight by virtue of their military exploits, Zhang Rang and others would never give up and would inevitably get in the way. This time, there was news in the palace that the student was crowned as the governor of Lihou Prefecture, which was really surprising, and the student thought that there must be something strange in this? ”

Lu Zhi was silent for a moment and said: "This reward is all from the holy will, Zhang Rang and the others are deliberately obstructed, and they will not dare to brush off the emperor's intentions, not to mention that Runde yourself is from the clan, and recently the emperor has a lot of intentions to reuse the clan, and it is reasonable to get this generous reward for his military exploits, Runde seems to be too worried." ”

Although Liu Ze didn't think so, he could only say: "I hope it is as the teacher said." ”

The news that Liu Zejin sealed the Luting Marquis of Muzhuo in Yanzhou spread far and wide, and there was a lot of traffic outside Liu Ze's apartment every day, and the officials who came to visit him were endless, and it was not interrupted for the whole New Year. The person who comes is a guest, it's really not good not to entertain, it makes Liu Ze's head bigger, he entertains every day, and repeats the same words in an official tone, and the muscles on his face stiffen, making Liu Ze feel physically and mentally exhausted, this Spring Festival is really tired!

Just after the Shangyuan Festival, the Liu Mansion welcomed a group of uninvited guests, led by Zuo Feng, the eunuch of the Little Yellow Gate. In the past month, all the people who have come to visit are civil and military generals, Qingliu gentry, and no matter how they are, they can't have any intersection with the eunuchs and eunuchs? What's more, this Zuo Feng is the culprit who once framed Lu Zhi, and he has a long-standing grudge with Liu Ze because of the Yangquan Coal Mine, Liu Ze can't figure out how he can appear here?

But if you can't figure it out, you can't figure it out, and Liu Ze did not slack off in terms of etiquette, and welcomed Zuo Feng and others into the middle hall. After three rounds of tea, Liu Ze said: "I don't know if Father-in-law Zuo came to the cold house, what do you have to say?" ”

Zuo Feng said with a smile on his face: "A few years ago, thanks to Liu Duwei's concession of Yangquan Mountain, Zhang Zhongchang was able to properly settle his ancestors and enjoy peace. ”

Liu Ze smiled slightly, if you judge who has a thick skin in history, Zuo Feng's face in the late Eastern Han Dynasty is one of the best. He said lightly: "Father-in-law Zuo is polite, it's just a gesture, why worry about it." Today, Father-in-law Zuo is here, not just for this matter, right? ”

Zuo Feng coughed lightly, with a slight discomfort on his face, and said, "Of course, of course, thanking Zhang Zhongchang for coming to the door is only one of them." Second, our family came to congratulate Captain Liu on his ascension. ”

"In the next grass people, Gou Quan's life in troubled times, the emperor's grace is huge, and he has been the official residence of the captain, and he is already extremely grateful, what is the meaning of extravagance?"

"Liu Duwei is humble, now this government and the opposition, no one has heard the name of Liu Duwei, captured the thief's first horn, and made great achievements, this marquis Jin Jue, that is just around the corner. This time, our family came to consult Liu Duwei's opinion, I don't know if Liu Duwei is willing to be an official in the court or a laissez-faire? ”

Liu Ze suddenly understood that Zuo Feng came to the door today on the orders of Emperor Ling, no wonder, otherwise, with the intersection between himself and these eunuchs, these eunuchs would really be a hell of a ghost when they came to the door. However, the emperor rewarded the reward, and it stands to reason that there is no need to discuss with his subordinates, as soon as Zuo Feng came, he asked Liu Ze whether he wanted to stay in the capital or seek to be released, even if Liu Zeli had military exploits, with the emperor's ninety-five respect, he couldn't be so low-browed, it seemed that there was something really strange.

Although Liu Ze still couldn't figure out Zuo Feng's true intentions, his face was indifferent as usual, and he said lightly: "As a courtier, you should abide by the duties of a courtier, how can you be proud of yourself and ask for a reward, as for how to reward it, it is all based on the holy will, and there is absolutely no objection in the lower part." ”

"Don't misunderstand Liu Duwei, this time the emperor sent our family over, just because he likes Liu Duwei's immortal achievements, and wants to hear Liu Duwei's opinion, there is nothing else, nothing else."

"The emperor's love, in the panic of the invincibility, please Zuo Gonggong to tell the emperor, Ze, as a courtier, should solve problems for the court and the saint, as for the reward, please consider the emperor himself, Weichen does not dare to have the slightest opinion."

"The world often says that Liu Duwei is humble and sincere, humble and honest, and when we meet today, what we say is true. The saint has already said that all those who have made meritorious contributions in this pacification of the Yellow Turban will be rewarded one by one, and there will be no omission, Liu Duwei can rest assured, this time to quell the rebellion, Liu Duwei is the first meritorious, and he will be crowned Marquis Jinjue, which cannot run. ”

Liu Ze hugged his fists and said, "Your Majesty." ”

Zuo Feng's white, tender and loose face squeezed out a trace of an ugly smile, coughed lightly, and said: "This time to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the treasury also spent countless money and food, even the saint also took out a lot of gold and silver property from the private treasury of the West Garden to replenish military funds, now the world is at the beginning of peace, all kinds of waste to be rebuilt, but the court is indeed very difficult, everywhere needs money, the saint also has a headache for this, I hope that this time all the ministers of the Jin Lord can share the worries for the saint and donate money to fund one or two." ”

Liu Ze suddenly understood, secretly scolding himself for being a big fool, the greedy and money-hungry Emperor Han Ling was forced to take out the gold and silver treasures and good horses in the personal treasury of Xiyuan as military funds, I am afraid that he has already regretted it, this rebellion was quelled, the vassals, how could Emperor Han Ling miss the opportunity to make a windfall, he also felt that this reward was so strange, how did he know that he had already become the unjust head in the eyes of Emperor Han Ling, and he was sharpening his knife and preparing to slaughter.

Liu Ze was a little chilled, not for himself, but for the thousands of soldiers who fought bloodily on the front line to break thieves and kill the enemy, and shed blood for the sake of this Han dynasty, while the Emperor Xiaoling, who was at the height of the temple, was thinking about their purses all the time, which was really a wonderful irony! And he also came up with high-sounding reasons to carry out the shamelessness to the end. Although Liu Ze was very angry in his heart, his face was as usual, and he said calmly: "For the sake of the saint and the solution of problems for the court, it is also incumbent on us as courtiers, but I don't know how much is needed?" ”

No matter how thick-skinned Zuo Feng was, he couldn't hold it at this time, and smiled slightly embarrassedly: "This...... As for the specific number, according to the different rank of the knighthood, the number is naturally different. The Holy Lord has already stated that although the court is in temporary financial difficulties, in consideration of the difficulties of the courtiers, the levy will be reduced by half, and the number will be controlled within the acceptable range of the ministers, and everyone will not be embarrassed. ”

The official mantle has been blackmailed by this kind of Cheng dù, and Liu Ze is really speechless. "But I don't know how much it takes to be promoted to the next knight? Please make it clear to my father-in-law, and I should prepare one or two in the future. ”

Zuo Feng looked happy and said: "For others, I'm afraid I can't take it out, but for Liu Duwei, it's just a drop in the bucket. ”

Liu Ze said indifferently: "The past is like a cloud of smoke, what to do with it, Father-in-law Zuo still says how much is needed, and also gives Zai time to prepare." (To be continued......)