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 statement seems to be safe, but in fact it is a bit evil, 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 did not dare to say anything more, and Father-in-law 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. said: "Since this is the case, then the matter in Jiangnan will be put aside for the time being, if there is really 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 the investigation of the household department. It should indeed be carried out, firstly, to convince the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and secondly, to clear up the accusations that Fan Shangshu received. ”

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 do you find out?"

Although there was a faint self-deprecating smile on the corner of his lips, the hearts of everyone in the imperial study were cold. I 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? Fan Jian, where did he offend His Majesty?

And the last sentence the emperor asked also made the ministers dumbfounded. I don't know how to deal with it.

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 power to say what is going on. Therefore, Guo Zheng, the imperial historian of Jiangnan Road, dared to impeach Fan Xian and move the state funds privately without the slightest evidence, and entered the treasury to compete with businessmen for profit.

The Supervision Yuan, on the other hand, is an investigation agency after the fact, and its power is extremely great. With His Majesty's authorization, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty could be interrogated.

In general. If there is a problem in any of the six departments, the place to go to investigate the matter is, of course, the Supervision Yuan, and the officials below the third rank can invite them to drink tea in the square and gray building, and if the matter is found to be at the level of Shilang Shangshu, they will ask for privileges again, and they will check it one level at a time.

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, there are eight places in the local supervision yuan, with the president at the top and eight at the bottom. 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 let the Supervision Yuan 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 seriously, whether they want to defeat Fan Jian, or they want to clear Fan Jian's suspicions, 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 to himself about something that is clear, why do you have to pretend to be confused, Your Majesty? After hesitating for 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 personnel to help, and you will choose a leader to come out to lead the matter. ”

The minister in the imperial study heard that the so-called sending of personnel to help was actually just monitoring the Supervision Yuan, but everyone really didn't understand that since His Majesty had 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 Commander-in-Chief's examination of the candidates for the Minister of Households, the ministers are also muttering. knew that this messenger would offend the Fan family and relevant officials, but he also knew that if he could really find out the problem, he would make a heavy note on his reputation in the world, and in the end, no one dared 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 promoted by His Majesty as a cabinet scholar who walked in the middle school, although he had the literary name Bao a few years ago, and the official reputation in various roads over the years, but there was no clear political achievement in the central place. His Majesty is interested in himself, but he has only been in Beijing for a short time, and he has not been entangled with various forces. On the other hand

He also wanted to establish his own authority in the DPRK by taking advantage of the matter of checking the household department.

Trust and reuse for His Majesty. Scholar Hu is grateful, and he is faintly resentful of His Majesty for letting him offend the two of 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, "Erchen dares to vouch for his head." It will definitely be investigated and dealt with fairly, and there will never be bias, please believe in the loyalty of your father. ”

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 when you go 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 had always liked his character of saying one thing. But today, since he has taken such a heavy hat as a military interventionist, he has no choice but to retreat.

Scholar Hu left his seat and asked: "Minister." May the Consul General 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 was calm, but his heart couldn't help but be happy, although he was just an errand runner in name, but when he sat in the yamen of the household department, who was not afraid of himself, the prince of the East Palace, the so-called commander-in-chief, in addition to Hu Daxue, originally had his own share, the prince was a little happy, it seems that after the hanging temple, his 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.

Father-in-law Yao hurriedly put on a windbreaker for him, and seeing that His Majesty was not in a good mood, he asked carelessly: "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, in recent days, His Majesty has been going to Xiaoloudi more and more times. Outside the palace gate, several ministers of the DPRK and the central government 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 future situation of the court, and some were still confused, thinking that His Majesty's mind had turned around in one day?

"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 by nature, and they are the head of the civil ministers, and His Majesty does not strictly prohibit ministers from coming and going in private, so their friendship is quite good, although there is a lot of difference in age, 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 they don't need to worry that the spring breeze will blow the taboo topics they talk about out of the wall and be heard by others.

Shu Wu sighed. 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, His Majesty is compared to his brother, and the Fan family is compared to his sister-in-law, which is inevitably a bit 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 Wu Zhengse, lowered his voice and said: "What do you say you can do? Look at Your Majesty's meaning, it is necessary to find out that there is a problem with the household department before you can take a break, but if there is really a problem in the household department, what should Fan Shangshu do?"

"Which three little birds?"

The beard was full of wine, and he asked inarticulately.

"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: "After the incident in 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. And at this time, His Majesty will no longer be forced to be a mediator under the pressure of the palace, but will watch all this 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 Your Majesty not care about the pressure in the palace afterwards, and no longer continue to be a mediator?"

"The reason is very simple, Fan Shangshu's dismissal, Fan Xian's anger, Your Majesty can 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, 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, everything ...... 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?"

"You said it. Exactly what I wanted to say. Scholar Hu said: "Who asked us to reveal in the court today that we want to bring Fan Xian into the cabinet? Your Majesty's established policy has been set early, and in the future court situation, 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 would not hold a grudge against us for this matter, how could he not hold a grudge against this civil official who had written to impeach Fan Shangshu? As soon as this incident came out, Fan Xian would inevitably give up the idea of taking a serious career. You and I will never sit with him again in the middle of the 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." In the end, it's you who 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, his face was stunned, and he frowned and asked, "No, the first bird you said is wrong, you have to explain it to me." Why didn't His Majesty want Fan Shangshu to continue to take care of the household department, why did he 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 fell silent at the same time, and sighed in their hearts, it is not worth it for Fan Jian, it seems that the dragon is such a creature. It's better not to just hold it.

When the two scholars were humiliated by Fan Jian, the secretary of the household department, they also thought about whether to quickly inform the Fan Mansion of the imperial court's preparation to investigate the household department, and then thought about it, the Fan Mansion had many connections in the palace. How can there be no reason not to know, so I faded this thought.

Truly. 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 his Majesty would officially launch an investigation into the household department tomorrow.

But he wasn't too worried, that solemn face had no longer had the romantic atmosphere of the past, 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 Your Majesty has always been consistent and has never weakened...... Admire, admire. ”

Regardless of whether people have come before or after, once mentioning His Majesty the Emperor, Fan Jian always raises his eyebrows and respects him, and these two admires in today's study...... 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. ”

"Your Majesty wants to see if he can still command the terrifying institution of the Supervision Yuan very smoothly as he has in the past years, instead of being held in Fan Xian's hands as he feared. ”

"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 Your Majesty also wants to see what the real relationship between Chen Pingping and me is." For so many years, Your Majesty has always trusted me and Lao Tzu very much, and you know why, because before Fan Xian entered Beijing, I and Lao Tzu have always been on the wrong path, he wants to do things, I resolutely do not do them, and what I want to do, he resolutely opposes. “

Fan Jian's expression darkened: "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 dishonorable 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, every time Xian'er is more and more glorious, Your Majesty thinks of the things of the past, and the current scene, it will be more unpleasant to look at me. ”

"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 laughed with a look of contempt 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. ”