Chapter 179

Midsummer nights, hot and irritable.

In a secluded alley outside Baodafang outside Dong'anmen, there is an ordinary courtyard house; The grape trellis and gourd trellis in the courtyard are entangled, and the roof of the passage from the door to the inner courtyard is almost all there, lush and gloomy, and it has the feeling of covering the sky and the sun.

It is also because of the shade of these green plants, the scorching sunlight is blocked on the green leaves, and the courtyard is cool and comfortable, and even has a cold feeling.

This is Liu Jin's outer house, all the eunuchs in the palace who have a head and face like to make a nest outside the palace, although there is a place to live in the palace, but after all, there are many inconveniences, and even if the residence in the palace is spacious, it always feels uncomfortable, after all, it is the palace, not a single grass and a tree do not belong to these slaves, and all the eunuchs who have a head and face always have someone to do something, gold and silver treasures, calligraphy and painting antiques are sent, is it difficult to put it in the palace?

Liu Jin came out of the palace at the beginning of the first shift, tonight Ma Yongcheng was on duty, Liu Jin could have stayed in the palace, but he didn't want to be disturbed, he hoped to be able to calm down and think about something, this is a big event about his future fate.

As soon as he entered the house, Liu Jin took off the stuffy and heavy robes on his body three or two, and threw them to the butler who greeted him, and the housekeeper Liu En was an uncle from his hometown in Shaanxi.

"Uncle En, cook me a bowl of mutton steamed buns." Liu Jin said casually.

Liu En's mutton steamed bun is an authentic hometown taste, and after a day of depression in the palace, Liu Jin's favorite thing is to have a bowl of hometown delicacies to comfort his haggard soul.

Liu En nodded in agreement, turned around and told the little servant to boil the bath water for Liu Jin, Liu Jin sat on the bamboo chair in the courtyard, reached out and took a small teapot to take a sip, every cell in the body was comfortable and relaxed, and the mood was much better.

Liu En walked a few steps with his clothes in his arms, suddenly remembered something, turned his head and came back and said, "By the way, my aunt came here after dark and said that he had something important to tell you." ”

Liu Jin was stunned and said, "Auntie? What did he do? ”

This aunt is Liu Jin's brother-in-law, Sun Cong, who is a secretary in the Ministry of Rites, has no great potential, and Liu Jin doesn't treat him very well, the position of secretary is originally a petty official, plus it is in the Ministry of Rites in Qingshui Yamen, and it is not very promising.

"I don't know what to say, I just said that if the master comes back, I will tell the master not to go out, and he will come back later."

Liu Jin waved his hand and said, "Zhilu Dao, you can go." ”

After taking a bath and eating mutton steamed buns, Liu Jin still sat in the cool courtyard with his chest open, and his mind was always quiet like boiling water, Song Nan said that the plan has begun to be implemented, and today he also agreed to build a leopard house as he wished, and tomorrow he also needs to remind the emperor not to forget to ask Wang Yue for silver, since the whole thing has been launched, it needs to be calculated everywhere carefully, and there can be no mistakes.

Although Liu Jin felt that Song Nan's method was very likely to work, but he didn't know what to do, he was always unsteady in his heart, and after thinking about it for a while, Liu Jin couldn't figure out what he was worried about, so he shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

There was a sound of soft footsteps outside, and the knocker was knocked gently, Liu En hurriedly stepped forward to open the small door and looked out, turned back to Liu Jin and said, "It's my aunt." ”

Liu Jin waved his hand and said, "Let him in." ”

It wasn't Sun Cong who came in, Sun Cong was followed by a short figure, both of them were carrying large boxes of gifts in their hands, Liu En lit a candle on the stone table in the courtyard, Liu Jin recognized that the person who followed behind was Jiao Fang, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites.

"Brother-in-law, you are here." Sun Cong frowned and stepped forward to say hello: "This is Lord Jiao Fangjiao, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, brother-in-law, you should know it." ”

Of course Liu Jin knows, I don't know how many times I have seen it in the court, and Jiao Fang was the etiquette official responsible for teaching the emperor's etiquette during the enthronement ceremony, and he dealt with Liu Jin a lot.

"Oops, it turned out to be Jiao Shilang, why are you here?" Liu Jin hurriedly got up and gave up his hand.

Jiao Fang was dressed in a thin black robe, and the whole person looked like a dried corpse wrapped in black cloth, but the smile on his face was very bright.

"Father-in-law Liu is good, Jiao Fang is polite."

"Sit down, Liu En, hurry up and make tea, and the tea will use the jar of clouds and mist that the emperor gave me." Liu Jin commanded repeatedly, wondering in his heart, this Jiao Fang had no friendship with him, so what was the matter with his visit tonight.

The three of them sat down, the tea was brewed, and Sun Cong said with a smile: "Brother-in-law, Master Jiao told me a long time ago that he wanted to find a chance to meet his brother-in-law, Lord Jiao was very polite, you see, he brought so many gifts." ”

Liu Jin said angrily: "How can you let Master Jiao bring gifts?" Isn't that ignorant of the rules? You can't do this well. ”

Sun Cong smiled dryly: "Yes, yes, it's my fault, but Master Jiao is also polite, and I can't persuade him." ”

Jiao Fang smiled and said: "Where can anyone come to visit empty-handed, they are all worthless things, Grandpa Liu can't blame Lord Sun, I insisted on bringing it." ”

Liu Jin smiled: "You are too polite, why do you need to be like this." ”

Jiao Fang said: "I've always wanted to come, the death of the first emperor and the accession of the new emperor, the Ministry of Rites has been busy, and it is only empty today, so don't be surprised by Gonggong Liu." ”

Liu Jin didn't want to talk so much, so he coughed and said to Sun Cong: "Ask Uncle En to take you to the side room to see, the emperor gave me some clothes and things that I can't use, and I will pack up and take them home for my sister and children to wear." ”

Sun Cong understood, got up and arched his hand: "Then I'll go and see, Master Jiao is good to sit and talk slowly." ”

Jiao Fang smiled and arched her hand, and when she saw Sun Cong walking into the house, she turned around and saw that Liu Jin was seriously looking at herself, so she smiled and said, "How is Father-in-law Liu doing recently?" ”

Liu Jin sighed and said, "The same as before, what the emperor was like before he ascended the throne, and what he is still like now." ”

Jiao Fang said: "I'm afraid I'm much busier than before, I used to serve His Royal Highness the Prince, but now I am serving the emperor, and my identity is very different, I really envy Gonggong Liu to see the emperor every day, I want to see the emperor but it's difficult." ”

Liu Jin smiled: "What is there to envy here, the errand is different." ”

Jiao Fang took a sip of tea and said, "Father-in-law Liu, I, Jiao Fang, do things directly, and I don't plan to go around the bend, Father-in-law Liu doesn't seem to have a good time now." ”

Liu Jin's heart was shocked, and he pretended to be calm and said, "How can you say this?" ”

Jiao Fang said: "Father-in-law Liu, can we not play dumb riddles?" Now there are rumors outside that the official position of the inner court is going to change, saying that Gonggong Liu intends to take the position of celebrant and is having trouble with Wang Yue, Fan Heng and others. ”

Liu Jin was startled, and while thinking about Jiao Fang's intention to say this, he said: "Who is chewing the root of the tongue outside, I, Liu Jin, am serving the emperor on an errand duty, who is splashing my dirty water behind my back." ”

Jiao Fang said with a smile: "This is not dirty water, people go to high places and water flows to low places, Gonggong Liu has served the emperor for many years, and his hard work and grievances are deeply liked by the emperor. ”

Liu Jin said with a straight face: "Master Jiao, if you are talking like this, I don't dare to keep you, although you are talking in private, it is better to mention these things less, and our family will never discuss these things behind our backs." ”

Jiao Fang said with a smile: "Father-in-law is angry, I speak straighter, but father-in-law doesn't have to hide it, tell father-in-law the truth, the purpose of my coming today is to help my father-in-law, father-in-law must have heard about the attitude of the cabinet and officials in various ministries, if you want to fulfill your wish, I am afraid it is not easy, the lower official is willing to serve the father-in-law." ”

Liu Jin said silently for a while: "Master Jiao, I really don't understand what the purpose of your coming here today is, and I can't understand a word of what you said." ”

Jiao Fang Zhengse said: "Of course you understand, Xiaguan is a scholar, and he doesn't want to say it so bluntly, let's put it this way, Xiaguan feels that Duke Liu should replace Wang Yue in charge of the inner court, and I also want to help my father-in-law, after my father-in-law achieves his wish, Xiaguan also has a backer, and in the future, my father-in-law will say a few beautiful words, and Xiaguan will move around in the position of the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, and Xiaguan doesn't want to stay in the Ministry of Rites." ”

Liu Jin smiled and said, "It turns out that Lord Jiao is here to worship the head of the door, how do you know that I can be in charge of the inner court?" Why should I believe you? Did you know that you weren't sent by someone from the cabinet to probe me? ”

Jiao Fang's jujube-like face was wrinkled, and he smiled with a chrysanthemum on his face and said: "That's right, my father-in-law is talking about things, if you agree, I'm a little nervous, I'll wait for my father-in-law to ask these words." ”

Liu Jin looked at Jiao Fang with a smile and said nothing, Jiao Fang shook his head and said, "Jiao believes that a sentence is called' Those who know the times are Junjie', I, Jiao Fang, are different from those pedantic people, I think I am innocent and upright, I want to be in the limelight, and I want to embarrass the emperor; the affairs of the inner court should be the emperor's decision, but they just jumped out to interfere, and the reason why I think that Gonggong Liu will be in charge of the inner court, one is out of trust in Gonggong Liu's talents, and the other is that I know that the emperor is interested in Gonggong Liu, but these two points alone are not enough, and some help is needed, Jiao is not willing to do this small help. ”

Liu Jin sighed and asked, "How do you help me?" Our family doesn't look down on you, although your official position in the outer court is not small, it may be difficult to influence the overall situation. ”

Jiao Fang said with a smile: "Gonggong Liu doesn't have to be ashamed of me, no one pays attention to me, the official of the Ministry of Rites, and the people who control the overall situation are those self-righteous big people, but don't forget, I am also a member of the outer court, I am a roundworm in their stomach, people say that ants destroy the causeway, can't my little roundworm play a big role?" ”

Liu Jin's heart brightened, Jiao Fang was sent to the door by himself to voluntarily give himself an internal response, the size of the Ministry of Rites is also a member of the third grade, and he also has a seat above the early dynasty, the cabinet elders, the ministers of the ministries, and the servants of the ministries are all regarded as the core of the civil official group, although Jiao Fang is only a small foot in it, but he is naturally well aware of the movements of the civil officials.

Liu Jin's excited eyes lit up, but he immediately warned himself, don't get carried away, don't fall into the ridicule of others, Jiao Fang came abruptly, spoke abruptly, and there was no trust between himself and him, but he couldn't put his heart in his heart because of his words, and he didn't know that it was not a trick of the outer court to listen to his own movements.

Steady, must be steady, Liu Jin secretly warned himself.