Hearing Shen Zetang's words, Xu Bingyong's expression was calm, and he lowered his head to eat tea, so as to hide the color of a yin owl in his eyes.

During the period when he was dismissed from office and sent to the township, he closed his door to guests, and when he had nothing to do, he pruned the old plum tree that had been planted in the courtyard for several years.

A lot of miscellaneous branches have fallen away, but he still feels that there is no artistic conception in growth, and he has a strong temperament, so he is annoyed and depressed.

However, Wang Mei'er came to see for a long time and asked him to cut down one of the trunks full of flowers and bones.

Xu Bingyongyuan liked the trunk of the tree the most, and he was very suspicious when he heard Wang Meier's proposal, but there was no other way, how could he really cut it down, and the charm of Lao Mei came to life.

Wang Meier said with a smile: "It's just that the cut down tree trunk is too attractive, and it robs other branches to be beautiful, so that the old man has nothing to do with it in his eyes." Now it has been discarded, and at this time the branches of the tree are evenly divided, which makes people think it is beautiful. ”

Xu Bingyong was stunned, and he suddenly figured it out.

The dismissal of officials and the reinstatement of power are not things that can be achieved in the blink of an eye, and the circumstances in which they are treacherous and the people's hearts are unpredictable, and it is really difficult to straighten out the way.

The entire court can fight with him Xu Bingyong for power, except for Shen Zetang, there is no one.

He knew that Shen Zetang was cautious and thoughtful, gentle and elegant on the outside, but his mind was unfathomable, and he could be reasonable and ruthless, so he was still in a high position.

Xu Bingyong admires his talent very much, if Shen Zetang obediently listens to him and everything goes his way, maybe he will really resign and retire one day, and the post of first assistant will be passed on to him.

How could he think that Qin Yanzhao, the right attendant of the Ministry of Works, came to look for him in a few days, and what he said shocked him very much.

Originally, he was still skeptical, but Qin Yanzhao did not hurry to take out the evidence, which made him really have to believe it, and then he was extremely angry.

His nephew, Xu Zhengong, was beheaded in the early autumn of February, and when he heard that he was sitting in a prisoner's car, he was thrown stones, smashed eggs, and beaten with big sticks by the people along the street.

He was so angry that he lay sick on the bed for several days.

But it turned out to be Shen Zetang's honey-bellied sword, who secretly calculated him by drawing salary from the bottom of the kettle.

Shen Zetang is ruthless, so don't blame him for being ruthless, how can his nephew Xu Zhengong be accompanied by few people on the Huangquan Road.

"Changqing, I am already at the age of knowing the destiny of heaven, and I have long regarded fame and fortune as smoke and dust, and the first assistant is not important to me, and you are in the prime of life, everything needs to be weighed more, and it is easy to backfire if your ambition is too much."

Shen Zetang raised his eyes, but saw that Xu Bingyong was also looking at him meaningfully, and the eyes of the two sides met, and the coldness in his heart suddenly rose.

But he didn't move, just said: "What Elder Ge said is true." “

"You have been in charge of my cabinet for many years, and although you have the ability, your reading skills are still shallow, so that your vision is very narrow." Xu Bingyong said, "I have already mentioned the book before I was dismissed, you are the secretary of the ministry, and you are responsible for picketing hundreds of officials and evaluating performance." At present, there are frequent cases of corruption of officials, and the impeachment of officials is fierce, and Changqing is also responsible. For some reason, this time, you will be the governor of Liangjiang, and you will go to Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces to inspect the world, pacify the army and the people, and review serious cases. I heard Gonggong Sha say that the emperor has approved the red, you just wait for the holy oracle. “

He paused and said: "Jiangxi has not been quite peaceful in recent years, especially Ji'an. Because of the serious exploitation of the cool officials, they have already provoked a popular uprising, and I heard that the homeless people and robbers there have gathered into a team, attacking the city and grabbing the land, driving away the magistrate and other officials, and forcibly occupying the yamen, and sending tens of thousands of generals and soldiers have been suppressed for more than two years, but they have not achieved much. This time, you need to re-investigate Gao Hai, the governor of Jiangxi, but you are suspected of dereliction of duty. “

Shen Zetang was a little surprised, secretly thinking that Xu Bingyong had concealed this matter so much that even the cabinet votes had passed his ........

First cut and then play, this is not like Xu Bingyong's style of acting towards him in the past.

Shen Zetang pursed his lips, and his tone was still calm: "Yes, what the elder said today, the officials should keep in mind." “

Xu Bingyong smiled, then got up slowly, and the attendants on the side were busy putting on a big coat for him, and Wang Meier also asked the maid to put away the pipa and approach with broken steps.

Xu Bingyong walked to the door, suddenly paused, turned his head to look at Shen Zetang, who was standing respectfully, and said in a deep voice: "This farewell, I don't know when I can see you again, you can do it yourself." “

After finishing speaking, he didn't wait for him to speak, he took Wang Meier straight and went out without mentioning it.

............................

Shen Zetang came out of the courtyard, the eaves in front of the corridor were dripping, and I didn't know when the rain was falling, and Shen Rong held up a green cloth umbrella for him.

He took the black big coat in Xu Jing's hand, and while walking slowly, he pondered, and a few enchanting prostitutes came over, how many waves he had fallen over in the red dust, and at a glance, he knew the extraordinary dignity of the master, and simply threw his flattering eyes and laughed stupidly.

"Go away!" Shen Rong lowered his face and shouted.

The prostitute avoided it, and Shen Zetang suddenly raised his head and asked Xu Jing: "What about Shen Huan?" ”

"Second master, here." Shen Huan appeared from the shadows, knowing what he was going to ask, and hurriedly said: "When Feng Shunyu and I were sent outside the Baihua Building, I happened to meet Zhang Shilang with the crowd of arresters, and Feng Shunyu went with them. ”

Shen Zetang hummed lightly, walked a few steps to the front of the four people carrying the sedan chair, opened the curtain and sat down in the sedan chair, the shadow of the red cage flashed across his face, and his expression was rare and solemn.

Xu Jing asked the second master in a low voice, but something difficult happened.

Shen Zetang shook his head and handed him the note in his hand, Xu Jing hurriedly spread it out and looked at it carefully, the handwriting was very transparent, and there were four words written: Hidden arrows hurt people.

"What does that mean?" He didn't know why.

Shen Zetang told him Xu Bingyong's preface, and Xu Jing chuckled: "Isn't this what the second master wants?" On the contrary, it saves our strength. “

"It's not as simple as it seems." Shen Zetang picked up a long black hair from his sleeve, probably rubbing it off while holding Shunyu while walking, remembering to press her on the couch and tighten her into his arms, his tender bones trembled, nervous like that, but his mouth refused to accept half of the softness.

is so stubborn, I have to let her go in the future, who will make him much older than her.

"Second Master?!" Xu Jing waited for a long time and didn't speak, and looked at Shen Erye strangely, the night rain was too foggy, and the people's expressions became very soft.

Shen Zetang put away the long hair and continued: "The official department has inspected the achievements of hundreds of officials over the years, which is not a rare thing, Xu Bingyong did not hide it from the cabinet, handed over the book to the Huiwenmen, and the steward and eunuch there sent it to the emperor, and the red rear party had to be approved and told to me." The rebellion in Ji'an, Jiangxi Province has long been heard, so why did he mention it. On the contrary, it seems to be obvious, and there is a suspicion of wanting to cover up. “

Xu Jing groaned: "Maybe Xu Bingyong is afraid of the second master, he is now unofficial and light, and he is most afraid that the situation will make waves, and the DPRK and China can compete with the only second master, so he simply trapped you in Liangjiang and was busy quelling the chaos, and had no time to take care of the dispute between the first and the second." ”

"You have a point." Shen Zetang bowed his head, and after crossing the Causeway Bridge, the decadent smell of fireworks and willow alleys gradually dissipated, and his mind became more and more sober.