After Ji Gang left in a huff, Wu Gao didn't say much, just looked at Bao Yuanqian meaningfully, comforted him a few words, stabilized the emotions of several people, and let him return to his residence and wait for the holy decree.

After returning to the residence, Bao Butong took the lead in firing, he disdainfully threw the scabbard aside and said, "What the hell Jinyi Wei knows, birds don't count!" ”

Ying Hao frowned and said: "Ji Gang, this person will be revenged, and now that he is deflated, he will inevitably wait for the opportunity to find us trouble, which is not good news for us to walk in Yingtian in the future." ”

Gao Shouzheng and the others also had a similar understanding of Jinyiwei to Bao Butong, and they all asked curiously: "How big is the official of this Ji Gang?" ”

Ying Hao sighed lightly and said: "You don't know, Ji Gang, the brocade guard, and I, the brocade guard, are very different. He is the second person in the new Son of Heaven's Jinyi Guard, and the Son of Heaven's pro-army is known to the Sanpin Jinyi Guard, and is highly favored. Thinking that Kou Baihu is extremely poor and has made countless meritorious contributions in his life, he is just a hundred-household official with six grades, and he is still far from it. Not to mention that I'm just an ordinary Jinyi guard captain, not even a ninth grade, but the lowest level of captain. ”

Ying Hao's words frightened a few people, and several people were stunned. A group of them are the Jinyi guards that they can contact on weekdays, that is, Kou Shicheng and Ying Hao, but they didn't expect that there would be more powerful Jinyi guards than them.

This Ying Hao and the two of them are still able to forge the holy decree and hide it from the world. How much power does this Ji Gang have in his hands?

"Don't you know if you don't know about him, and now that we have a great achievement, he has to obediently give us concessions?" Although Bao Butong was disdainful in his mouth, his expression was also somewhat restrained, presumably he also had a rod scale in his heart.

Jiang Wei shook his head and said, "It's not just our credit that can make him give in. It's more about the power that makes him restrain him, otherwise with the means of Jinyiwei, there will be fewer meritorious people to be punished? ”

Bao Bu and a few people seemed to understand whether they understood or not, but Lu Gangfeng understood the meaning of Jiang Wei's words and said: "So in the future, we can't be arrogant." There is a good saying, be careful to sail the ship of ten thousand years. ”

Jiang Wei's meaning couldn't be clearer, merit is not an eternal talisman. Merit will not only bring glory and wealth, but also bring the disaster of death.

There are both positive and negative sides to the credit, and the master of this balance lies in the emperor's personal opinion.

Bao Yuanqian looked at Ying Hao and asked, "I'm afraid that the factional dispute within Jinyiwei today is quite serious?" ”

Ying Hao shook his head and said, "I don't know much about it from Jingshi, but I have also heard some news from my colleagues these days. Now in power the Jinyi Guard commander named Zhao Xi, this person is the old minister of Jianwen, after the Jing Nan was promoted to the Jinyi Guard commander with the first opening of the Jinchuan Gate. And this Ji Gang is a martyr of Jingnan, who has made great contributions to the southern and northern wars of the Holy Shang, and belongs to the newly promoted heroes who were appointed as the Tongzhi of Jinyi Wei. ”

Bao Yuanqian nodded and said: "One is the old minister of Jianwen who welcomes the surrender, and the other is the new minister of Jingnan." Jinyiwei is indeed an infighting between the old and new factions, and these two are not all the way. ”

Lu Gangfeng realized: "No wonder this Ji Gang didn't dare to act rashly, it turned out that he was afraid that this Zhao Xi would interfere with him." ”

Bao Yuanqian looked at a few people in the room, and Zhao Biao and Zhao Bao were also here. @·error-free start~~

When he saw that several of his cronies were there, he sat down and looked around at the crowd: "Brothers, we will be summoned to Beijing in the near future." The first is to be rewarded for meritorious service, and the other is to dedicate the jade seal of the country. I think once these two things are done, there is no need to say much about prosperity and wealth. ”

"But..."Everyone saw that his words changed, and they all waited for the following, Bao Yuanqian sighed lightly and said: "What is said that Mu Xiu will be destroyed by the forest wind, and we will inevitably be rewarded for our merits, and we will inevitably be resentful because of our merits." In addition, having offended that Ji Gang, we are not at ease in Yingtianfu. ”

"Several of us started in Suzhou and traveled thousands of miles. I don't know how many times I went through that sword-to-sword death situation before I had this day. Although we are not brothers, we have long been like brothers, and we should take more care of them when we enter the court in the future, and we should not fry each other. ”

Several people nodded in agreement, they were all companions from the same place who had experienced countless trials of life and death. Now that the hardships are all over and they are about to enter the court to be rewarded, how can they not know how important it is to have a few sincere brothers in that strange and thin ice officialdom.

"I trust you, but my words are unfounded." Bao Yuanqian pulled out a short knife and said: "We are not a green forest ringing horse, so we don't have to make that."

There is no need to set up a name for those who do evil. ”

He walked to the desk and opened his palm, clenched his fist lightly, and dropped a few drops of blood into the wine cup and said, "If you recognize us as brothers, you will drip blood into this cup." Brothers and sisters drank this wine together, and from that time on the blood of brothers was each other's blood. If someone does something to hurt their siblings in the future, when people and gods are angry and thunder and thunder, they will not die well! ”..

Without saying a word, Bao Butong pulled out a short knife and dripped his own blood into it. Just like this, one after another, everyone drank this sprinkling, which was regarded as an oath.

Bao Yuanqian is a traverser, so he is naturally not interested in this set of ghosts and gods. But he is not interested, but it does not mean that he cannot take advantage of the superstitious characteristics of this era and use it as a tool to bring everyone together.

The people of this era especially believed in the theory of ghosts and gods. Regard essence and blood as a thing that reaches the gods, and there is a deep taboo about drinking blood together. If you don't have sincerity, you will never dare to do this easily.

"I don't want to be born on the same day and month of the same year, but I want to die on the same day and month of the same year." Bao Yuanqian hugged his fists and saluted everyone, and said something from Taoyuan Jieyi.

These people, who are mostly big and coarse, where have they seen the Three Kingdoms? I only felt that what Bao Yuanqian said was extremely reasonable and rhyming, so he hugged his fists passionately and said: "I don't want to be born on the same day and month of the same year, but I want to die on the same day and month of the same year." ”

In this way, Bao Yuanqian combined interests with the theory of ghosts and gods, and brought everyone together with grace and power, and initially formed a grass-stage team centered on himself.

In the middle of the night, Bao Yuanqian stood on the Guan Tower and looked at the cold night and the moon, and the north wind was whistling.

"Bao Yuanqian, right?" At this moment, a voice came from behind him.

Bao Yuanqian looked back, but a military attache in a drag suit walked over.

"What?"

"I am a soldier of a thousand households, Yang Hong." The man clenched his fists and said, "Wu Hou is invited, and please move to the inner hall." ”

Bao Yuanqian followed Yang Hong to the inner hall, and Yang Hong seemed to be quite interested in him on the road, maybe he found reinforcements to save Wu Gao, and the two talked happily all the way.

"Please." Yang Hong stopped outside the inner hall and made a gesture of please.

Bao Yuanqian stepped inside, but saw that Wu Gao was already sitting in it and waiting.

"I've seen Wu Hou." Bao Yuanqian said.

Wu Gao's face was full of warmth and motioned for him to sit down.

"Bao Yuanqian, you have made this great contribution at a young age, and now you will be unlimited in the future." Wu Gao looked at him left and right, "It's just that it can't be used by me, it's a pity." ”

Wu Hou made a mistake. But in private, the relationship between these two people is not necessarily indestructible, and they will even wait for an opportunity to bring each other down. @

Wu Gao said: "The civilian party is divided into the surrender faction and the guilty faction, and this surrender faction should be the middle and low-level civil officials headed by Yang Rong, Xie Jin, Jin Youzi and others. Especially that Yang Rong, when the saint entered the palace, he stood in front of his horse and asked about Linghu? The Dai Sin faction, on the other hand, was forgiven by most of the female cadres listed by the Holy Dynasty who were not killed, such as the Zhang Zhen Wang Chun, most of whom were members of the six departments of the old dynasty. Relying on the slight official position in the past, they failed to hinder the Jingjing, and because of their achievements in welcoming the surrender, they were complacent and used this as a springboard to suppress these guilty ministers of the old dynasty, and what they wanted was just fame and fortune. ”

When Bao Yuanqian heard Wu Gao say this, he was convinced. Whenever he read history in his later generations, he was always ashamed of the behavior of these so-called Yongle ministers.

That Xie Jin and Hu Guang talked loudly when Zhu Di entered Beijing, and they had the momentum of lifting a knife to kill a thief. In vain, Wang Genwu hid his face and wept, at a loss.

Everyone regarded Hu Xie and the two as loyal ministers of Jianwen, and spurned Wang Gen for being cowardly and incompetent. But the fact is that after Zhu Di entered Nanjing, Hu Xie and the two immediately flattered and returned. And Wang Gen, who was refuted, hanged himself and became a loyal minister who kept the festival for Jianwen.

Na Ru Yu threw himself to the ground, climbed to the feet of Zhu Di and begged him to ascend the throne, all these things are not the same, and the so-called literati style is gone in their "Yongle famous ministers".

What made Bao Yuanqian even more speechless was Yang Rong, who had the most power among the three Yangs of the Yongle Dynasty.

It is said that Yang Rong stopped Zhu Dima and let him first pay homage to the tomb of filial piety and gain a good reputation. But in Bao Yuanqian's opinion, it is just flattery, how can he not know whether Zhu Di is going to the tomb or not? Need you Yang Rong to make a self-inflattering gesture?

When Zhu Yuanzhang died four years ago, Zhu Di's mourning team was almost in the south.

Beijing, but Yang Rong and his gang of civil officials were forced to return north. It can be said that Zhu Di didn't see his father for the last time, probably because of the bad idea given to Qi Huangzhi by Yang Rong's group of middle- and lower-level civil officials.

Now that he saw Zhu Di come back, he looked at the wind and ran to stop Zhu Di's horse, but he was just a man who sold his reputation and reputation.

"Hou Ye's words, Yuan Qian has been taught." Bao Yuanqian said respectfully, "I don't know which faction Master Hou is?" Tell the villain so many things, why do you want to? ”

Since Wu Gao told him so much, it would not be as simple as being an encyclopedia. He just said that he had joined the whirlpool of party contention, and now it sounds like he is about to come out.

Sure enough, Wu Gao got up and paced: "This marquis is hereditary Marquis of Jiangyin, and it stands to reason that he should be the old faction of military generals. However, Ben Hou did not have the merit of Yingli, although he was an old honor, he did not involve civil and military party disputes. In my opinion, those people in the DPRK and China can be literate and martial. They are all objects that can be encompassed, but I am far away at the border and don't know how the government is, so how can I make a decision lightly? ”

Bao Yuanqian said thoughtfully: "What Hou Ye wants to tell me is that Hou Ye himself has not fallen to any faction now, I am the person recommended by Hou Ye, but in the eyes of others, I am already Hou Ye's person. Once you enter the court, will the civilian, military and military generals throw away the intention of wooing? ”

Bao Yuanqian naturally understood his meaning, after the Jingjing disaster, there was a serious shortage of officials, and Zhu Di had to issue an edict at the beginning of his succession to recommend talents from all over the country to enter the court, but he could not pass the imperial examination and ascend to the sky in one step.

Although he Wu Gao wanted to stand in line, he did not know the direction of the government and politics, so he could only recommend himself as his own person, and choose him to stand in line based on the strategy of several of his own people.

Wu Gao nodded and said: "Yes, after all, you have a clean foundation for both in the cracks, so it is easy to win the trust of others." ”

Bao Yuanqian said: "Wu Hou wants to let Zai Xia make his own choice, whether to join the civilian faction or join the military generals?" ”

Wu Gao nodded, "Not necessarily, you were recommended by me to enter the dynasty, and everyone knows it." The reward for your good work is yours, and I will be implicated if you do something bad. ”

When he heard Wu Gao say this, he naturally understood why Wu Gao would protect himself that day, it turned out that his party had already unknowingly boarded the big boat of party fighting.

Bao Yuanqian said: "Wu Hou is the one who will be guilty after the martyrdom, so Wu Hou wants to choose a right path in the court and clear your name and clear your previous sins, right?" ”

Wu Gao turned around and smiled lightly: "You can teach, these days I can see your lofty ambitions, and you are not willing to be subordinate." All of you are active, resourceful, and courageous. That's exactly what I need to recommend, and that's why I'm telling you so much. ”

"I see." Bao Yuanqian's heart was a little heavy when he heard this, and now he has not yet entered the court, but the signs of party strife have already appeared.

Wu Gao advised: "Think twice before acting, plan before acting." Don't trust others with small favors, you must understand that party strife is irreconcilable, once you choose a side, there is no way back, until death. ”

Bao Yuanqian is well aware of the truth, if he wants to mix in the court, he must be with the light. Whether it is to choose a military general group or a civilian official group, it is the only way to go.

But the party is the same, and the eight words of life and death run through the ancient and modern, especially so easy?

It is not easy to make a career in it.

......

After the two talked that night, Bao Yuanqian was dull for a long time, although he had a lot of discussions with Jiang Wei. But after all, it has not yet entered the court, so what is the tiger's den in Longtan is still on paper.

The strategy is like Jiang Wei, and it is also difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice.

But just three days later, they waited for the twilight, and finally waited for Zhu Di's holy decree!

A Chinese scholar who accompanied dozens of armor soldiers dressed in the appearance of the Imperial Forest Army arrived at the command of the envoy to announce the summons.

The officials in the hall and Bao Yuanqian and a few people knelt on the ground in an uproar, and after listening to the scholars in the middle school read out the holy decree that Bao Yuanqian and a few people were summoned to Beijing to face the saints, they were about to set off immediately.

It was read out for only a moment, and it was not as big as Bao Yuanqian imagined. There is no word of consolation, much less praise. After a moment's notice, he hastily read it and received the decree.

Bao Yuanqian muttered in his heart, feeling that he had made such a great contribution, as if it was no surprise to Zhu Di. This meeting is a civil official, and dozens of soldiers were dismissed.

It's just that this is the second time that Bao Yuanqian has heard the holy decree be pronounced, but none of it is a eunuch pronouncing the decree.

This scholar is also a seven-grade civil official, and in his memory, the scene of the celebrant and eunuch reading it out is untouchable, and he has never seen it until now.

He couldn't help but feel satisfied, it seems that the status of the ceremonial supervisor in the early years of Yongle was not as exaggerated as that of later generations.

When bidding farewell to the group, Yang Hong hugged his fists and saluted everyone: "You righteous people are the life-saving benefactors of my family's marquis, and I don't know when we can meet each other this time." If there is a fate in the future, I should get drunk with you again. ”

Bao Yuanqian looked at the tall man and said: "Brother Yang is arrogant, I think there will be a day of meeting in the future, don't pass it over!" ”

As he spoke, he glanced at Benjamin, who was cloaked in a cloak and masked, and was held hostage by Gao Shouzheng, and then pulled the reins and followed the scholar to the south. _o_m

"Ying Tianfu, someone is here!".