After Master Shu finished speaking, the emperor nodded, even if he had some other thoughts in his heart, it was impossible to say anything at this time. Because last year, for Fan Xian's trouble, the imperial court sent the Imperial History of the Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate far away to Jiangnan Road, and the excuse used was that this person was very happy and his virtue was not good.

What the Son of Heaven Chrysostom said, naturally he can't swallow it back now. It's just that at that time, the emperor wanted to appease Fan Xian, but now the emperor wanted to do something with Guo Zheng's recital, and was blocked back by Scholar Shu, and he couldn't help laughing at himself in his heart, thinking if this was a pit he dug himself, and he jumped into it?

"Isn't there another father-in-law who went to Jiangnan?" The prince jumped out at this time to show his stupidity, and said with a smile: "Father, although I can't believe the words of Yushi Guo Zheng, when the father-in-law comes back, I will know what is going on in Jiangnan." ”

This seems to be a safe statement, but in fact it is a bit yīn bad, how can the guild slander Fan Xian, it is not a sentence from the queen mother in the palace, the prince is confident in this matter.

The emperor glared at him and said coldly: "How can you believe the words of the eunuch? Zu Xun is here, don't forget!"

The prince was cowardly and didn't dare to say anything more, and Gonggong Yao, who was serving on the side, was silent, and his face remained unchanged.

"Wait for Xue Qing's recital. The emperor closed his eyes and breathed heavily.

Everyone in the imperial study nodded one after another, thinking that what the governor said all the way was naturally more credible.

Scholar Hu, who had not expressed his position, finally opened his mouth at this time and said: "Since this is the case, then the affairs of Jiangnan will be put aside for the time being, if there is such a thing, the minister ...... I really can't believe it, as His Royal Highness said before, if someone really privately adjusts the state funds to Jiangnan for profit, it is really a rebellion, and the minister believes that Fan Shangshu is not such a crazy person. However, since the imperial history of Jiangnan Road and some local officials have been on the chapter, the imperial court cannot ignore it, and the inventory of the household department should indeed be carried out, firstly, to convince the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and secondly, to clear up these accusations received by Fan Shangshu. ”

For these scholars under his disciples, Emperor Qingguo still maintained his superficial respect, nodded after a slight groan, and suddenly laughed at himself: "Even if you do this kind of thing, it can't be considered madness...... It's just that I'm a little curious, have you ever thought about it, how can you check it?"

Although there was a faint self-deprecating smile on the corner of his lips, the hearts of everyone in the imperial study were cold, and they heard that His Majesty did have a great opinion of Fan Shangshu, but everyone didn't understand in their hearts, why did Fan's Mansion, which had always been deeply favored, suddenly become a place that His Majesty didn't like to see?

And the last sentence asked by the emperor also made the ministers dumbfounded, and they didn't know how to deal with it at all.

The Qingguo Imperial Court is used to supervise the rule of officials There are two systems, one is the speech officials, that is, those who are accustomed to the imperial history of the Imperial Inspectorate, and the other system is of course the Supervision Yuan, which is extremely powerful.

The Metropolitan Procuratorate is a corruption prevention agency and has the right to talk about things, so Guo Zheng, the imperial historian of Jiangnan Road, dared to impeach Fan Xian for privately mobilizing state funds without the slightest evidence, and went down to the treasury to compete with businessmen for profit.

The Supervision Yuan, on the other hand, is an after-the-fact investigation agency with great power, and after being authorized by His Majesty, it can interrogate hundreds of civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty.

Under normal circumstances, if there is a problem in any of the six departments, of course, it is the Supervision Yuan who goes to investigate the matter, and officials below the third grade can invite them to drink tea in the square gray and black building.

There is a deficit in the household department, and it stands to reason that it should also be done according to this strategy.

The question is...... Today's Supervision Yuan, there are presidents and eight departments. Dean Chen Pingping, who was not good at acting and frightened hundreds of officials, had not personally handled the case for several years, and in the past year, he had basically stayed in Chen Yuan, who was outside Beijing, and no longer looked at things. And now, between the dean and the eighth place, there is already an additional position, a very powerful and special position.

The Supervision Yuan is the secretary of Fan Xian.

Fan Xian now has the right to transfer the entire Supervision Yuan, except for personnel appointments and dismissals, which is almost the same as Chen Pingping's power. If you ask the Supervisory Yuan to check the deficit of the household department...... The ministers in the imperial study shook their heads one after another, thinking that they would let their son check on Lao Tzu, and only then would they be called a ghost if they could find out the problem! If this matter spreads, I am afraid that Dongyi of the Northern Qi Dynasty and the people of the world will regard this matter as the biggest joke in the officialdom of Qingguo.

Scholar Shu said with a wry smile: "It seems that this time the Supervision Yuan is going to avoid suspicion, but for a while, the minister doesn't know how to arrange the inventory of the household department." ”

Several old ministers beside him nodded again and again, since they want to check the household department, they have to check it carefully, whether they want to defeat Fan Jian, or they want to clear up the doubts on Fan Jian's body, they need to be treated with a serious attitude, and it can't become a child's play.

The emperor sneered at this time and said, "Why don't you still follow the rules of the year?"

"This ......" Scholar Shu complained again and again, thinking about something clear, why do you have to pretend to be confused, Your Majesty, after a moment, he finally mustered up the courage to say: "Your Majesty, after all, Lord Xiao Fan is the plenipotentiary of the Supervision Yuan, if you let the Supervision Yuan investigate the household department, I am afraid that the impact of this matter will not be very good." ”

"Let the Supervisory Yuan investigate. The emperor said coldly: "At the same time, the Ministry of Officials, the Criminal Department, and the Dali Temple will send people to help, and you will choose a leader to come out to lead this matter. ”

The minister in the imperial study understood that the so-called sending people to help was actually just monitoring the Supervision Yuan, but everyone really didn't understand that since His Majesty had already determined in his heart that the Ministry of Officials and the Criminal Department would investigate the household department of the Jiali Temple, he had to drag the Supervision Yuan into this puddle of water.

As for the consul general's investigation of the candidates for the ministers of the household department, the ministers are also muttering, knowing that this messenger will offend the Fan family and related officials miserably, but they also know that if they can really find out the problem, they will make a heavy note on their reputation in the world, and weigh the two sides, and in the end, no one dares to take the risk of taking this hot potato.

Even the officials and the second prince of the other side of the Fan family's enemies were silent.

The emperor's mood could not be seen, and he smiled, his gaze slowly brushed over the faces of the minister and his son, and finally fell on the face of Scholar Hu.

Scholar Hu sighed secretly, knowing that he couldn't escape this difficulty, he entered Beijing at the beginning of the year, and was mentioned by His Majesty as a cabinet scholar who walked in the middle of the door, although he had the literary name Bao a few years ago, and the official reputation in various roads over the years was the road, but there was no clear political achievement in the central place. His Majesty is interested in himself, but he has not been entangled in Beijing for a short time and has not been entangled with various forces, and on the other hand, he also wants to establish his authority in the court by taking advantage of the investigation of the household department.

For His Majesty's trust and reuse, Scholar Hu was grateful, and Scholar Hu was faintly resentful of His Majesty letting him offend the Fan Mansion.

At this moment, the eldest prince, who only replied to the silence after only one sentence, said coldly before Scholar Hu: "Father, my son is willing to be this person who offends people." ”

The emperor smiled, waved his hand and said, "You...... No way. ”

"Why?" the eldest prince frowned and said: "If the son dares to vouch for the head, he will definitely be investigated and dealt with fairly, and he will never be biased, please ask my father to believe in the loyalty of the son." ”

The emperor's face smiled, and he said, "I said, if you can't do it, then you just can't." You are the commander of the forbidden army, but you went to check the household department, do you want to set an example of the military interfering in politics!"

The last sentence was said by the emperor very harshly. The eldest prince was bored, and it was no longer easy to continue to refute anything, although the emperor has always liked him to have a one-word xìng style, but today since he has buckled such a heavy hat for the military to interfere in politics, he has no choice but to retreat.

Scholar Hu left his seat and asked for orders: "Minister, I hope that the general leader will investigate the matter of the household department." ”

The emperor nodded, turned back to look at the prince and said indifferently: "The prince will also go, follow Scholar Hu to study, investigate the matter, and Scholar Hu will take the lead, and you will be an errand runner." ”

"The retainers obeyed. ”

The prince's face is calm, but his heart can't help but be happy, although he is just an errand runner in name, but sit in the yamen of the household department, who is not afraid of himself, the prince of the East Palace? The so-called commander-in-chief, in addition to Scholar Hu, originally had his own share, the prince was a little happy, it seems that after the hanging temple, the father's lukewarm attitude towards himself has finally changed.

The ministers and the sons took the order and left, the imperial study returned to tranquility, and the emperor took a sip of tea with a cold expression, got up and left the bed.

Gonggong Yao hurriedly put on a windbreaker for him, and seeing that His Majesty was not in a good mood, he asked Xiaoyi: "Your Majesty, go back to the palace to rest?"

"Nope. The emperor went out of the imperial study and said, "Go to Xiaolou." ”

Father-in-law Yao was stunned, and hurriedly followed, without saying anything, but it was strange in his heart, these days, His Majesty has been going to Xiaolou more and more times.

Outside the gate of the ―――――――――――――――――――― palace, several ministers of the court who were uneasy in their hearts said goodbye, and some proudly prepared to go back to announce to the party that His Majesty was ready to open the knife to the household department, and some were worried about going back to the house to think about how to face the situation after the rì, and some were still confused, thinking that His Majesty's mind had turned around in a moment.

"Xiaohu, go to my house for two drinks. Shu Wu was not afraid of anything, and pulled Scholar Hu, who was about to leave first, at the gate of the palace, and said directly.

At this time, Scholar Hu was in a lawsuit, where can he eat and drink, and told him again and again: "Lao Shu, I didn't see my luck today? ”

These two people like literature, and they are the head of the ministers, and His Majesty does not strictly prohibit the ministers from coming and going in private, so the friendship is quite good, although there is a lot of difference in age, but they are often mixed together.

Scholar Shu gave a look, and Scholar Hu's heart moved, so he agreed to this proposal.

............ "The Sacred Heart is unfathomable. ”

Shu Wu's mansion is also in Nancheng, which is famous for its tranquility and is not very large, but at this time, the two drunken people are talking under the pavilion, and there is no need to worry that the chūn wind will blow the taboo topic they talk about out of the wall and be heard by others.

Shu Wu sighed and said, "I'm afraid that your errand is a little difficult to do, it's really a disappointment to my brother's feelings." ”

In these words, the Majesty is compared to his brother, and the Fan family is compared to his sister-in-law, which is inevitably a little nondescript. Scholar Hu laughed and said, "What nonsense? You don't have the surname Hu, don't you drink too much?"

"It's not nonsense. Shu Wuzheng said, "What do you say, what can you do?" Look at the meaning of the majesty, it is necessary to find out that there is a problem with the household department before you can do it, but if there is really a problem in the household department, what should Fan Shangshu do?"

"The key question now is whether there is a problem with the household department. Scholar Hu said with a sad face: "You explained to me in detail about Lord Xiao Fan's feelings, judging from his bold and arrogant style of acting with three points of ruthlessness in his Qingming and gentleness, in order to stabilize Jiangnan and increase taxes, he mobilized the household money to go to Jiangnan...... Maybe it's still true!"

"Whether it's true or not, for the time being, anyway, Xue Qing, the governor of Jiangnan, doesn't say anything for a day, and it is impossible for the imperial court to know the situation over there. As for the deficit in the household......"

Shu Wu sneered: "The household department is the yamen that manages money, and it takes money to fight wars, money to repair rivers, money to relieve disasters, money to repair gardens, and money to open chūn...... In this world, everyone is reaching out to the household department to collect debts, and the prince and officials occasionally borrow some, what a mess! In all dynasties, how can there be a household department that is completely clear on the accounts!"

"The household department is destined to be impossible to be clean. He continued to say coldly: "Our Daqing Dynasty this Fan Shangshu, starting from the lower-level officials of the household department, has been doing things in the household department all his life, to be fair, the household department under his governance is already the cleanest and clearest household department since the founding of my dynasty, but this is it, if you really want to pick thorns in it, how can there be a reason not to pick it out?"

Scholar Hu nodded slowly, different from his predecessor Lin Ruofu, and different from Fan Xian, who is now arrogant in Jiangnan, this Fan Jian, a scholar of the household department, although he may also be a little unclean under his hands, but he is extremely low-key and simple, and he has no words in terms of ability, and his official reputation is also rare in the Manchu Dynasty.

If such a Hubu scholar fell in this political struggle, these two scholars would feel extremely pity.

But this time, it was His Majesty who revealed the intention of letting Fan Jian go to the official.

Why is that?

"Why is that?" Shu Wu frowned at the old eyebrows, and asked the question that had been haunting the hearts of the officials of the Imperial Study for a long time.

Scholar Hu was silent, raised his wrist and poured a glass of liquor from Neku into his lips, and did not speak for a long time.

Shu Wu stared at his eyes, knowing that this colleague, who was much younger than himself, was quite trustworthy in some aspects.

Forced to look at the other party's gaze for a long time, Scholar Hu sighed and said slowly: "When everyone can't think of it, His Majesty moved this thought, it's really ......"

He couldn't seem to find any adjectives to describe this Ninety-Five Supreme, so he had to smile bitterly and said, "It's really admirable." His Majesty's investigation of the household department seems to be because of the rumors in the officialdom and the doubts in his heart, but in fact, this is a good strategy to kill three birds with one stone. ”

"Which three little birds?" asked Shu Wu, whose beard was covered with wine, and his speech was slurred.

"The first bird is, of course, the household department, it is Fan Shangshu, if the household department is strong, Fan Shangshu has no choice but to resign and return to his hometown anyway. ”

"The second bird is...... The eldest princess who initiated this matter was an official. Scholar Hu said with a wry smile: "The incident of the household department, Fan Jian resigned, how can Fan Xian be willing to give up? Don't worry, Your Majesty will never allow this matter to implicate Fan Xian, and Fan Xian will still be the director of the Supervision Yuan afterwards." In this way, the Supervision Yuan will naturally retaliate against the officials of the eldest princess's family. At this time, His Majesty will no longer be forced to be a mediator under the pressure of the palace, but will watch this qiē happen, and even make a gesture to appease Fan Xian, and be forced to remove a few senior officials. ”

"The pressure in the palace?" Shu Wu sighed, "Why can His Majesty not care about the pressure in the palace afterwards?"

"The reason is very simple, Fan Shangshu's dismissal, Fan Xian's anger, and His Majesty can all be blamed on the officials of the eldest princess's family. As an emperor, the most important thing is to maintain a balance between the hundreds of officials in the court. Fan Xian's side first lost the prime minister, and then Fan Shangshu, and in order to maintain balance, His Majesty also had to cut off a large section of the person on the opposite side. ”

Scholar Hu continued: "This rhetoric, this kind of imperial heart, is the best way to persuade the old man in the palace, a qiē...... It's all for Qingguo, isn't it?"

He smiled, he laughed at himself.

Shu Wu continued to sigh and asked, "What is the third bird?"

Scholar Hu looked at him with a smile: "The third bird, naturally, it is me and Lao Shu." ”

Shu Wu was shocked and said: "What kind of statement is this? You received this life, and the discussion in my imperial study is all about justice, and Fan Xian is not a foolish person, how can he be resentful of us?"

"What you said is exactly what I wanted to say. Scholar Hu said: "Who asked us to reveal the meaning of wanting to pull Fan Xian into the cabinet in the court today? His Majesty's established policy has been set early, and in the court situation after rì, you and I are one side, and Fan Xian's Supervision Yuan is one side, since we have some other thoughts, Your Majesty will naturally break our minds." Even if Fan Xian will not hold a grudge against us for this matter, how can he not hold a grudge against this civil official who has written to impeach Fan Shangshu? As soon as this incident comes out, Fan Xian will inevitably give up the idea of taking a serious career, and you and I will never have the possibility of sitting with him in the same house. ”

"It's just speculation. Shu Wu smiled and said, "Even if the Sacred Heart is unpredictable, don't think about it so complicated." ”

Scholar Hu sighed helplessly: "You have to say it, and in the end, you make fun of it." These words are enough for the two of us to be beheaded ten times, and you don't want to drink and talk about it. ”

"I'm also a scholar. Shu Wu smiled: "It's just Zuozuo wine." ”

Suddenly, he was stunned, frowned and asked: "No, the first bird you said is not right, you have to explain to me clearly, why His Majesty doesn't want Fan Shangshu to continue to take care of the household department, why do you force Fan Shangshu to resign himself." ”

Scholar Hu sighed faintly: "The reason is actually very simple, it is because His Majesty is unwilling to look at Fan Shangshu's face every day. ”

The two leaders of the civil officials of the Qingguo court were silent at the same time, sighing in their hearts, it is not worth it for Fan Jian, it seems that it is better not to raise a creature like a dragon son casually.

――――――――――――――――――――― before the two scholars were aggrieved for Fan Jian, the secretary of the household department, they also thought about whether they should quickly inform the Fan Mansion of the imperial court's preparation to investigate the household department, and then thought about it, Fan Fu had many connections in the palace, how could they not know the reason, so they diluted this thought.

Indeed, as early as shortly after the end of the imperial study meeting, Fan Jian, who said that he was sick and returned home, had already received the news that at tomorrow's court meeting, His Majesty would officially launch an investigation into the household department.

But he wasn't too worried, that solemn face had no more romantic atmosphere than it had back then, just blindly calm and calm.

"It's not a three-bird strategy, it's a four-bird strategy. Fan Jian smiled and said to the other side: "As a courtier who has been loyal to His Majesty for nearly thirty years, my admiration for His Majesty has always been consistent and has never weakened...... Admire, admire. ”

Regardless of the people before or after, once the emperor was mentioned, Fan Jian always raised his eyebrows and calmed his mind, and he was respectful, and he admired these two in the study today...... But the boss is disrespectful.

"What's the fourth bird?"

Fan Jian stretched out the palm of his right hand, unfolded it in front of him, and bent his thumb, as if he had learned a wonderful palm technique from somewhere, and his four fingers pointed strongly and unyieldingly to the sky.

"The fourth bird is the Inspectorate. ”

His Majesty wanted to see if he could command the terrifying institution of the Supervision Yuan very smoothly as he had in the past years, instead of being held in Fan Xian's hands as he was worried. ”

"Xian'er's progress is too fast. Fan Jian thought of his son who was far away in Jiangnan, and sighed: "If Your Majesty can't even command the Supervision Yuan, then the power in the hands of my Fan Mansion will inevitably be too great." ”

The corners of his eyebrows suddenly raised extremely lightly, and he said with a smile: "And His Majesty still wants to see what the real relationship between Chen Pingping and me is." For so many years, His Majesty has always trusted me and the old cripple very much, and you know why, because before Fan Xian entered Beijing, I and the old cripple have always been on the wrong path, what he wants to do, I resolutely do not do, what I want to do, he is resolutely opposed. Fan Jian's god dimmed: "Now that I think about it, it should be that Chen Pingping and I are both suspicious of each other, and wonder if the other party played a disgraceful role in that incident many years ago." ”

"But Xian'er entered Beijing. He continued to explain softly: "There is a lot less suspicion between me and Chen Pingping, and naturally, His Majesty has more suspicion of us. And the most important thing is that Xian'er is becoming more and more glorious now, whenever Xian'er is more and more glorious, when you think of the things of the past, and the current scene, you will be even more unpleasant to look at. ”

"Your Majesty is jealous. ”

"So I'm going to quit. ”

Fan Jian, the head of the household, finally came to a conclusion.

But he immediately smiled with a frivolous look that was now extremely difficult to see on his face, "But...... You know me, I have always been silent and good at acting, but in my bones, I am a very stubborn person, he wants me to learn from Lin Ruofu and ask for resignation, so as not to tear everyone's face and look bad...... I just didn't give up, anyway, the emperor always cares more about face than his courtiers. ”