Chapter 213

The night wind is fierce, the streets are empty, the night of early winter is cold, and the turmoil in the court today has obviously affected the people of the capital, the weather is cold, and the people's hearts are also cold.

Song Nan led the escort team to gallop on the empty streets, went straight to the residence of Li Dongyang in Yongfang, Dashi, dismounted in front of the Li Mansion, and ordered someone to come forward and knock on the door.

The small hole in the door was half opened, and someone showed half of his face and asked vigilantly: "Who are you?" Why are you here so late? ”

Song Nan stepped forward and arched his hand: "Please inform Master Li, and say that Song Nan, the deputy envoy of Jinyi Weibei Town, wants to see him." ”

The family members inside were obviously a little flustered, looked left and right along the small hole, and found that there were more than 20 heavily armed brocade guards standing beside Song Nan, who closed the door with a bang, and ran to report it.

Song Nan stood on the doorstep with his hands in his hands, staring at the two lanterns on the gatehouse that were swaying in the wind and dimly lit, as soon as the person was unlucky, even the lanterns in front of the door looked so listless, and the halo emitted looked very bleak.

There was a noisy footstep sound from inside the door, and a faint voice came: "Master, you can't go out, Jinyiwei is probably not good for me when I come here." ”

Li Dongyang's angry voice came: "The old man wants to see if Liu Jin wants to take the old man to the court staff, the old man's life is enough." ”

The door opened with a bang, Li Dongyang strode out of the door, and several servants hurriedly followed out with lanterns.

"Hello Lord Li, the lower official Song Nan is polite." Song Nan arched his hand.

Li Dongyang's face was blank and avoided one side, and he said coldly: "Don't dare, the old man and the grass people don't dare to accept Lord Song's courtesy; The old man will go with you, but don't frighten the women and children in my house. ”

Song Nan was stunned and said, "Let's go?" Where to? ”

Li Dongyang sneered: "Don't pretend to be garlic, didn't you come to get the old man on Liu Jin's orders?" Although the old man admits that he is not guilty, you always have a way to come up with some crimes, stop talking nonsense, let's go. ”

After Li Dongyang finished speaking, he walked down the steps, and Song Nan smiled bitterly: "Master Li, you misunderstood, I didn't come to get you, nor did I follow Liu Jin's orders, Xia Guan and Liu Jin were not all the way." ”

Li Dongyang sneered and looked at Song Nan a few times, and said contemptuously: "Oh? This is strange, this is the funniest joke the old man has ever heard; You and Liu Jin are not all the way, is the old man the same? Ha lu haha. ”

Song Nan said: "Can I go into your mansion for a while?" It's not very convenient to stand on the street and talk. ”

Li Dongyang said: "There is nothing to talk about between the old man and you, if you come to take me, please do it, and if you don't take the old man, please leave." ”

Song Nan said with a straight face: "The lower official came by the emperor's order, Lord Li really doesn't want to talk to the lower official?" ”

"Imperial Order?"

"Yes, I just came out of the palace, and the emperor wants to come to see you, and I have important matters to discuss."

Li Dongyang was suspicious, thought for a while, and said: "Since it is the emperor's order, how dare the old man disobey it, come in." ”

Li Dongyang turned around and entered the door, Song Nan followed on his heels, and the brocade guards behind him followed to come in, Song Nan stopped and turned around and said, "You all stay outside the mansion, don't frighten the people in Lord Li's mansion." ”

The people who followed Song Nan were Li Daniu, Wan Zhi, Wang Yong and others who were still to be separated, but they were stopped by Song Nan with his eyes, and he had no choice but to stop outside the door; Li Dongyang's face turned slightly pale when he heard this, and he said lightly: "Let them come in, there is a large group of brocade guards around the door, and I don't know what kind of big crime I think Li Dongyang has committed." ”

Song Nan said with a smile: "How could it be, but it's quite cold outside, Li Daniu, Wan Zhi, and Wang Yong, lead the team to stay in the courtyard, they are not allowed to move around casually, and they are not allowed to enter the hall without my order." ”

The three of them agreed, and led the team to stand in the open space by the door, of course, the housekeeper of the Li Mansion did not dare to slack off, and made hot tea and snacks and sent them over, but none of the brocade guards touched the slightest, this is the rule that Wan Zhi and Wang Yong have cultivated, never be distracted when protecting adults, and never eat anyone's things, so as not to have an accident.

Li Dongyang led Song Nan to the flower hall, the servant made tea and sent it up, Song Nan took a sip of the teacup, and heard a faint crying sound from the direction of the back hall, Li Dongyang obviously heard it, frowned and beckoned a maid to come forward and shouted: "Go and tell them not to cry, the old man is not dead, it is really a woman's family." ”

The maid hurriedly went to pass the word, Li Dongyang looked at Song Nan with a little apology and said, "The wife and daughter of the family are crying in the back hall, and they are smiling. ”

Song Nan smiled and said: "It's the fault of the lower officials, the lower officials shouldn't have come with the brocade guards in the middle of the night, I'm very sorry." ”

Li Dongyang waved his hand and asked, "Lord Song came here on the order of the emperor, does the emperor have anything else to say to me?" Anyway, now that I'm not a cabinet scholar, the emperor will have something to say to the grass people? ”

Song Nan put down the teacup and said with a smile: "Lord Li is a pillar of the central corridor, and the emperor relies on him very much, so why bother to say these angry words." ”

Li Dongyang laughed, and said with a desolate laugh: "Extremely dependent? It's a big joke. ”

Song Nan said: "Lord Li, today's officials came to ask Lord Li to be reinstated, the emperor said, the court must be without Lord Li, and the outer court still needs Lord Li to control the emperor to rest assured." ”

Li Dongyang shook his head with a wry smile and said: "Lord Song, don't come to entertain the old man, the old man can be regarded as seeing through, we, the important ministers of the former dynasty, are as light as a feather in the emperor's mind, the emperor's favorite is Liu Jin, these ministers who do what they like, Li Dongyang and others in the outer court, no one in this world is indispensable, the old man is very clear, you still talk about the real purpose of coming here." ”

Song Nan scratched his head and said: "This is the purpose of coming here, the emperor asked Lord Li to still be in charge of the cabinet, and the emperor was also impulsive in today's affairs, and now he regrets it tightly." ”

Li Dongyang frowned and said, "Oh? Is it really for me to be reinstated? ”

Song Nan said: "That's true. ”

Li Dongyang said: "Then how about Scholar Xie and Scholar Liu?" What about wearing milling? ”

Song Nan thought for a while and said: "Lord Li, with all due respect, the behavior of the adults in the outer court is not completely appropriate in today's matter, and the adults and the joint staff to impeach Liu Jin, in this matter alone, Song does not dare to call right or wrong; But the adults seem to be a little more aggressive, which makes people feel that they are not just targeting Liu Jin, but are going to compete with the emperor, I wonder if Song has guessed one or two? ”

Li Dongyang sneered: "Shouldn't Liu Jin be killed?" The Eight Tigers are entrenched in the inner court, headed by Liu Jin, who does not want to do his best to assist the emperor in government affairs, but on the contrary, he instigates the emperor to abolish the government and do some out-of-the-ordinary things in the palace, which is simply embarrassing; If the Eight Tigers are not removed, it will be difficult for the government to be clear, and the emperor will also indulge in frolicism. ”

Song Nan said: "The lower officials are not saying that the impeachment is wrong, but your way is too radical, to tell the truth, Liu Jin and others are guilty, but they don't deserve to die, the emperor has promised to send them to Nanjing to live idle, and you still don't give up; The emperor is a person who values feelings, after all, when he was the crown prince, only Liu Jin and others served, and let him order to kill, of course the emperor was unwilling. However, all the adults made trouble in the Qianqing Palace, and you coerced you to resign, think about it carefully, is your behavior really appropriate? ”

Li Dongyang frowned and said, "What did the emperor tell you?" ”

Song Nan said: "The emperor didn't say it, these are all in Song's own eyes, although the emperor is young, but he is very smart, can't he see it?" ”

Li Dongyang said coldly: "Then it also depends on the cause?" Yes, the old man and others did use Liu Jin's matter to warn the emperor, it was not because the emperor misbehaved, think about the first emperor, and then look at the new emperor, it's a world of difference! We are the responsibility of the courtiers to let the emperor return to the right path, this is the duty of our courtiers, throughout the ages, the direct ministers who speak to death do not know how many, and my Ming Dynasty will never lack such courtiers; What if you lose your office? How can you frustrate your arrogance and sharpen your spirit? ”

Song Nan stroked his palm and praised: "The white hair is still arrogant, why is the old man not a teenager!" It's a pity that there is no wine, otherwise it would be a big deal for Lord Li's words. ”

Li Dongyang sneered: "Don't ridicule me, people like you won't understand." ”

Song Nan said with a smile: "Maybe I don't understand what you said, but I know how to take the overall situation into account." ”

Li Dongyang said: "Make it clear, who doesn't care about the overall situation and doesn't know the general situation?" ”

Song Nan said: "Although it is very enjoyable to vent the anger of the moment, but after today, the outer court will be purged, Liu Jin will use this opportunity to grasp the outer court, and from then on monopolize the power, is this what you want to achieve?" ”

Li Dongyang said angrily: "Can you blame me for waiting? ”

Song Nan said: "Don't blame you, do you blame the emperor?" The emperor's edict ordered three scholars to take care of their lives, and you are so concerned about your lives? If you say that you are a direct minister? Is it a virtuous minister? In the shallow view, the so-called virtuous minister is to judge the situation, be the rudder of the boat on the cusp of the storm, skillfully avoid the risk of subversion, and ensure the stability of the society, this kind of ability is the real ability. To say something that Lord Li doesn't like to hear, all the lords of the outer court are too arrogant, and they always want to leave a name in history, and they do not hesitate to ignore the stability of the court, but unfortunately there are not many people who do this to leave a name in history, and I am afraid that there are many people who will be criticized by future generations. ”

Li Dongyang was furious and shouted: "Ignorant child, you are just a courtier's ear, how can you be qualified to teach the old man a lesson." ”

Song Nan slapped the table and said angrily: "Riddler? When did the lower officials bewitch the emperor to do something that violated the society? Is it wrong for me to play ball with the emperor and make some useful games? According to your meaning, the new emperor should work hard every day like the previous emperor, and then die in his thirties when he is in the prime of life? Do you think the emperor was happy? The emperor once mentioned to me about the first emperor, the first emperor was tired of that kind of day, every day was deposited in trivial matters, subject to your various requirements, even the concubines could not ask for more, you thought it was the victory of the outer court, but you did not know that from this point of view, you are the ministers. ”

Li Dongyang trembled angrily, picked up the teacup and smashed it on the ground, the teacup was shattered, and the sound of cracking was piercing and loud in the quiet night, startling the Jinyi guards and the servants of the Li Mansion hurriedly came to check, but saw Li Dongyang and Song Nan looking at each other like two fighting cocks, with red faces and red ears.