A second earlier, Governor Hong thought he had reached the pinnacle of victory, and a second later, Governor Hong realized that there was a deep pit in front of him, bottomless.

Xu Liang and Cao Bianjiao's words made everything Governor Hong did a joke. In the course of the next meeting, the ridicule in the eyes of those high-level leaders in the northwest could not be concealed, which deeply stabbed Governor Hong, like a sharp sword, piercing Governor Hong to the skin.

The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, drained almost all of Governor Hong's energy. Standing at the door of the governor's lobby, watching the high-level leaders from the northwest who came to attend the meeting walk out in groups, Governor Hong's gaze was extremely gloomy.

The high-ranking officials in the northwest are gone, and several staff officers of the Governor's Mansion command the officials of the Governor's Mansion to clean up the tables and chairs and clean the courtyard. Governor Hong felt very tired, very tired, and refused the support of two staff officers, and Governor Hong prepared to go back to the house to rest.

"Your Excellency Governor......" A cowering voice sounded behind Governor Hong.

Governor Hong turned his head slowly, and saw Guyuan Zhizhou approaching, his expression gloomy.

Ma Zhizhou is also a Shaanxi official who Governor Hong worked hard to win from Xu Liang, although Ma Zhizhou's rank is not more than the fifth grade, but because it is a solid original Zhizhou, the position is critical, in the process of expanding the Hong soldiers, Governor Hong's cronies, Ma Zhizhou has made a lot of efforts.

Yes, although Governor Hong was physically and mentally exhausted, he still cheered up, squeezed out a smile at Ma Zhizhou, and said, "Oh, it turned out to be Lord Ma." Is there anything important that you are here? That one...... The Guyuan Conference has just ended, and the Governor is very tired now, so if there is nothing important, let me talk about it tomorrow. ”

Governor Hong waved his hand and said.

Governor Hong is really tired. I was so tired that I didn't even want to say more.

However, Ma Zhizhou listened to Governor Hong's words, but his nose was sour. I almost cried out in grievance.

"Your Excellency, Your Majesty is here. He resigned to His Excellency the Governor. Ma Zhizhou said with a sad face.

Governor Hong was stunned for a long time before he came back to his senses, looked at Ma Zhizhou in surprise, and asked, "What did you say?" Are you quitting? It's about to be the New Year, and you still have to go far away? ”

When Ma Zhizhou heard this, tears immediately fell, and he sobbed and said to Governor Hong: "It's not a long trip!" Just now, the governor of Shaanxi, Lord Xu, sent someone to the state government to spread the word, and he wanted to transfer the officials to Nanjing Taichang Temple to take up a post, and the new governor was served by He Qi, the former governor of Zhenyuan County, ......"

Governor Hong's eyes widened in astonishment. Hurriedly asked, "How can this be?!" Why didn't the governor know anything about the writing of the officials? ”

Ma Zhizhou smiled helplessly, shook his head and said, "There is no writing from the ministry!" The people of the Patrol Division showed the approval of the Shaanxi Governor Yamen! Moreover, the people of the patrol department have already arranged the carriage, and they want to leave today......"

Governor Hong was furious, "How can this be justified! Without the approval of the ministry, you are still the governor of Guyuan! Who dares to touch you! ”

Ma Zhizhou said with a sad face: "Your Excellency the Governor, the people of the Patrol Department said that if the lower officials do not follow the arrangement of the Governor's Yamen. It is to resist the superiors, and it is to be dismissed and investigated! The Governor's methods are well known to the Governor, and if I resist, I will die a miserable death...... Your Excellency the Governor. You're going to save me! ”

Governor Hong shouted angrily, "Lord Ma, you come with this governor." The Governor would like to see that there is no approval from the ministry. Who dares to touch you! ”

Immediately, Governor Hong called more than a dozen soldiers from the Governor's Mansion and brought them to Mazhizhou. went straight to the Yamen of Guyuan Zhizhou with murderous spirits.

The Governor's Mansion and the Zhizhou Yamen were not far away, and Governor Hong and his party of more than a dozen people rushed over. Turn two streets and arrive at the gate of Zhizhou Yamen.

When he got to the door, he couldn't get in. Nearly 100 officers and soldiers of the Governor's Yamen Patrol Division guarded the Guyuan Zhizhou Yamen, and six or seven carriages were parked on the street at the gate, two of which were headed outward, and they were taking Ma Zhizhou to Nanjing. The other four or two horses are facing inward, which is to take up the post of He Qi, the former governor of the town.

A sentry officer of the Patrol Division stopped at the door with a knife in his hand, and shouted at Governor Hong and the others, "Stop, what are you doing?" ”

Ma Zhizhou took a step forward and shouted inwardly: "Look, this is Lord Hong, the governor of the three sides!" ”

The sentinel was shocked, saw Governor Hong's face clearly, and hurriedly smiled and said, "I've seen the Governor." ”

Governor Hong's face sank like water, and he asked in a deep voice, "Where are you from?" What to do here? ”

The sentinel said with a smile: "Back to the governor's words, the small one is the patrol department, and on the order of the governor, I escorted the former governor of the original town and the county of He Qihe to take office, and took Ma Zhizhou to Nanjing Gaozhi by the way." ”

Governor Hong shouted angrily: "Nonsense! Ma Da is Guyuan Zhizhou, and without the writing of the officials, who would dare to replace Ma Daren?! After saying that, Governor Hong pointed angrily at the sentry and shouted: "Take your people and evacuate from the Guyuan Zhizhou Yamen quickly, otherwise, this governor will be severely punished!" ”

The sentry officer's face changed, and he said with a wry smile: "Back to the Governor, the little one is just a small patrol sentry officer, and he only knows how to follow the orders of the upper peak!" You're doing this, making it hard for the little ones to do. ”

Hong Chengchou was stunned when he heard this, his face sank, and Ma Zhizhou on the side shouted: "Bold! The little patrol sentry dared to talk to the Governor like this! ”

The sentinel pursed his lips, ignored Ma Zhizhou at all, and turned Ma Zhizhou's face red.

The dozen or so soldiers of the Governor's Mansion who followed Governor Hong were all indignant, guarding behind Governor Hong, pressing the hilt of their swords with their hands, and angrily facing the people of the Patrol Division.

The sentry officer took a few steps back vigilantly, retreated to the group of officers and soldiers of the patrol division at the yamen, looked at Governor Hong vigilantly, his face also turned cold, and arched his hand: "Don't be embarrassed by the governor!" As he spoke, the sentry had already pressed one hand to the handle of the knife on his waist.

Governor Hong was very angry: half an hour ago, Xu Liang and Cao Bianjiao, the governors of Shaanxi, scolded themselves fiercely, let their hard work go to waste, and made a big joke. Now a small sentry in the Patrol Division, with no more than 100 troops, dares not to take himself seriously!

"Someone!" Governor Hong shouted angrily, his eyes looked at the dozen or so soldiers of the Governor's Mansion around him, and then looked at the hundreds of officers and soldiers of the Patrol Division opposite, the disparity in strength was huge, and Governor Hong's next cruel words could not be continued!

Miscalculated. I didn't figure out how many people came from the Patrol Division before I came!

"Yo, the lower officials have seen the Governor!" It is at a critical juncture when Governor Hong is embarrassed. A tall blue-robed official strode out of the yamen of Guyuan Zhizhou and passed through the officers and soldiers of the Patrol Division. Standing in front of Governor Hong, he clenched his fists and said with a smile.

Governor Hong looked at the person and shouted, "He Qi?!" You came here to take office, do you have the writing of the ministry in your hand? ”

He Qi was obviously prepared, the smile on his face remained unchanged, and he unhurriedly took out a document from his arms, presented it to Governor Hong, and said, "Please take a look at it, Your Excellency." ”

Governor Hong snorted softly. took it, opened it and looked at it, frowned at He Qi, threw it back, and sneered: "The promotion, appointment and dismissal of officials is the power only of the ministry, and the approval of the Shaanxi governor's yamen cannot be counted, right?" ”

He Qi naturally lowered his hands, his expression unchanged. said lightly: "Back to the words of the governor, in Shaanxi, the governor Xu approved the document, and it has this effect!" The lower officials also acted according to the orders of the upper peak. If the Governor has any doubts, he can hold the Governor's Yamen accountable! ”

He Qi's words immediately choked Governor Hong. Governor Hong said secretly: If I can do anything to Xu Liang, I still need to talk nonsense with you here!

Governor Hong's face turned blue. I didn't have anything to say for a while.

He Qi turned his face to look at Ma Zhizhou, and reminded in a light tone: "Master Ma." This official remembers the meaning of the governor, you should have been on the way to Nanjing at this time. And now you are still here. In case the governor is to blame, there will be no one to take care of you. ”

When Ma Zhizhou heard this, he was taken aback, and said to Governor Hong with a sad face: "Your Excellency Governor......?" ”

Governor Hong's face changed for a while, looking at Ma Zhizhou's expectant eyes, he couldn't help but look away, and said with an unnatural expression: "That Lord Ma, you go to Nanjing with the people of the Patrol Division first, you can rest assured, this matter will be strictly investigated by the Governor to the end, and you will be given justice!" ”

After saying that, Governor Hong himself felt that his heart was very weak when he said this, and he glared at He Qi angrily, stomped his feet, shook his sleeves and turned around and left in a hurry, and the soldiers of the Governor's Mansion beside him followed closely.

At the entrance of the Zhizhou Ya, only Ma Zhizhou was left standing in the middle of the street, miserable and panicked, wanting to cry without tears. He Qi disdainfully bowed his hand to Ma Zhizhou and said, "Master Ma has gone all the way, and I will send this official not far away!" ”

Governor Hong hurried back to the governor's yamen, and smashed the furnishings in the study in annoyance. Several staff officers of the Governor's Mansion gathered around the door of the study in horror, watching Governor Hong smash a good study room to the ground like crazy.

Governor Hong panted heavily, turned around and saw several staff officers gathered at the door, wanting to enter but not daring to enter, his anger did not subside, he glared at a few people and shouted: "Go, send a letter to the cabinet elders and officials of the court, and the secretaries of the military department, this governor wants to let Xu Liang's wishes all come to naught!" Want to promote Cao Bianjiao, and want to remove the person who wants to replace the governor? Dream! ”

Several staff officers listened and left in a hurry.

Governor Hong, as the governor of the three sides, is a member of the second rank of the court, and his personal relationship with several scholars and pavilion elders in the court has always been good. Although he could not influence the appointment of high-ranking officials above the fourth rank, for the petty officials of the fifth and sixth ranks, Governor Hong believed that it should not be difficult to mess up Xu Liang's plan with his relationship with the court. Moreover, Governor Hong knew that the relationship between the cabinet elder Wen Tiren and Xu Liang had always been on the same footing.

Due to Governor Hong's bad mood, the entire Trilateral Governor's Mansion Chongzhen's five-year pro-year life was very unhappy, and the staff officers and soldiers of the Governor's Mansion looked at Governor Hong's black face every day, without any smile, and they were all frightened and cautious, for fear that they would do something wrong and hit Governor Hong's gun.

On the sixth day of the first month of the fifth year of Chongzhen, a staff officer of the Governor's Office carefully knocked on the door of Governor Hong's study with a letter from Wen Tiren, a cabinet minister who had just received a reply from the cabinet minister.

"Come in." Governor Hong's voice rang out in the study.

The staff officer walked in cautiously, stood in front of Governor Hong's desk, and placed Wen Gelao's reply in front of Governor Hong through the desk.

"My lord, the old man of Jingli Wenge has replied." The staff officer said.

Governor Hong sat behind the desk, leaning on the Taishi's chair, and while opening the letter, he asked, "What did Elder Wen Ge say?" Did you say yes? ”

According to Governor Hong's estimate, as long as the Shaanxi Governor Xu Liang's performance is reported to the cabinet, the Wen Tige should spare no effort to oppose it.

For example, in this incident, although Governor Hong sent letters to Wang Guoguang, the secretary of the Ministry of Officials, and Liang Tingdong, the secretary of the Ministry of War, the main direction was still on Wen Gelao.

The staff officer's face darkened, and he looked at Governor Hong carefully, and said: "Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, made a quick move, and the appointment of the Chang'an garrison and the Guyuan Zhizhou was approved by the Ministry of Officials as early as a year ago. ”

Governor Hong's face sank and exclaimed, "How come? Didn't Wen Tiren object? ”

The staff officer spread his hands helplessly and said: "It seems that this matter did not go through the hands of Elder Wen Ge, but was handled by Xu Guangqi, the second assistant of the cabinet...... The details of the situation were also mentioned by Elder Wen Ge in the letter. ”

Governor Hong stared at the reply letter from Wen Ge Lao in his hand, and after reading it, his face turned gray, and he sat down on the Taishi chair, not wanting to speak for a long time.

What to say? The wood has been completed, and most of the officials' writings have already reached Xu Liang's hands at this moment, and it is useless to say anything at this time.

"Wen Tiren, this cabinet minister, is a dead man! Such a big thing, he didn't even know about it in advance? There is also Wang Guoguang, the secretary of the Ministry of Officials, and Liang Tingdong, the secretary of the Ministry of War, when did these two old things become so efficient? On the 26th of the lunar month, Xu Liang's recital was handed over to the General Administration Department, and on the 27th of the lunar month, the text of the Ministry of Military Affairs was issued. After the silence, the governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou, sat on the cold Taishi chair, and loudly condemned these people who cooperated tacitly and rushed to Xu Liang's heart!

The chief of staff sighed, looked at Governor Hong helplessly, and carefully explained: "My lord, Xu Liang is too cunning!" Afterwards, Wen Ge Lao learned the news and investigated carefully! After Xu Liang's recital was brought to the General Administration, Xu Guangqi went to the emperor with the recital, and after getting the emperor's favor, he instructed the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of War to do so. In addition, the two official positions of Chang'an Garrison and Guyuan Zhizhou are small officials below the fourth grade, and they do not need to pass the hurdle of court discussion, Xu Guangqi has the intention to avoid Wen Ge Lao, and it is possible that Wen Ge Lao does not know! ”

Hong Chengchou glared at the big eyes and shouted: "Xu Lao is biased towards Xu Liang, Wen Tiren doesn't know, could it be that Zhou Yanru, the first assistant of the cabinet, Wang Guoguang, the secretary of the ministry, and Liang Tingdong, the secretary of the military department, will not know?" How could they agree so happily to this?! When did our officials of the Ming Dynasty come together so together?! ”

The staff officer sighed deeply, looking at Governor Hong helplessly, he said sadly: "It is said that Xu Liang instructed people to give money to the cabinet, the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of War, the Lord of the General Administration, and even the chief eunuch of the Chief Celebrant ......."

Hong Chengchou's eyes were straight, his lips trembled, he slapped his palm on the desk, and scolded angrily: "He is cheating!" (To be continued.) )