Cai Xianqing listened, looked at the two rows of noisy civil and military ministers, and was instantly silent; Only Zeng Liang was unconvinced, he still straightened up, and he was still arguing with reason: "Prime Minister Feng, what do you mean by this?" Military affairs, how can you deceive! ”

Niu Yuan stared at Zeng Liang angrily, and scolded secretly: "I still helped this guy eradicate Yan Wen in the past, if there was no official to protect him, I am afraid that his head would have already fallen to the ground!" It's so ungrateful to chase me so hard now! After thinking about it, he finally suppressed the anger in his heart, and sneered: "Zeng Shangshu, my great work today has been completed, and the people of Fuguang and Guangzhou provinces are also grateful for my merits. Could it be that Zeng Shangshu wants to settle accounts after the autumn for the sake of today's affairs, and destroy the good governance of the official? Isn't this for some selfish interests in the belly and harming the country! ”

"You ......" Zeng Liang didn't finish his words, but was beaten by him, and he had nothing to say, so he had to take two steps back: "Okay, how do you say to deal with the things in front of you?" ”

Niu Yuan said proudly: "What else is there to talk about? Ladies and gentlemen, the wood is already in the boat, and it is no longer possible to regret it, but to open a special case for the other country, this way. ”

After Liu Zhennian heard this, he didn't look up at everyone's reactions, but just turned his ears slightly to listen to what someone was going to say; But as if they had read his thoughts, everyone remained silent, not even daring to make a breath, and did not try to meet him, nor did he speak to argue, and together maintained a strange silence.

Zeng Liang glanced at Lian Chongwen with his spare light, and saw that the latter's expression was suddenly uneasy, and suddenly expectant; He looked at the ministers again with a wandering gaze, their faces not only with the usual seriousness, but also with some of the cringe and anxiety that had just been revealed, and they were anxiously looking to the left and right, as if searching for someone—he had been watching carefully from the beginning, and was therefore extremely attentive to these small changes.

Zeng Liang hesitated for a moment, he knew who everyone needed, so he took a long breath, and after finishing the draft, he stepped out of the queue again, and retorted: "No! The country has already decreed that the sea is forbidden, if it is deliberately switched on and off just because of the pardon of the people, wouldn't it be condescending for the other country and greatly damaging the face of our Heavenly Empire? If this is the case, how will the people of the world regard it? What will the subject and neighbor think of it? Feng Xiang is thirsty for meritorious service, and he disregards the cause of the community, and his crime is great! ”

"Zeng Liang!" Niu Yuan was so angry that he suddenly sank his face, and even ignored the prince's face, and directly slapped the table and yelled, "You are so bold, you dare to make irresponsible remarks about this official, so rampant, I'm afraid it's not a traitor behind it!" If you dare to criticize the government again, be careful that I will rip off your official uniform and kill you on the spot! ”

Zeng Liang proudly said: "Xia Guan has always promised himself as a direct minister, and now he has been gifted with the name of my loyalty, which is a great honor." But it's a pity that Prime Minister Feng is not a man of his word, and the lower officials have to follow the emperor's and Liu Gong's wishes. ”

Lu Zhixian was so angry when he saw Niu Yuan, he couldn't help but rejoice, wanting to see how he responded; When the squire next to him saw it, he wanted to please the chief officer, so he also stepped forward to help. He straightened his waist slowly, and was about to take a step, but his arm was grabbed by Lu Shangshu: "Don't go." ”

"How?" The squire looked forward and backward and asked in a low voice, "If you don't pay attention to it at this time, my etiquette department will be dragged down by him sooner or later." ”

Lu Zhixian said: "That's the truth. However, Niu Yuan's power is blazing, and Liu Gong's attitude is not clear, so we can't take the initiative to attack. Zeng Liang has already stood up, and then just ask him to go to the book, I just need to stand behind him and make sure that nothing happens. ”

"Okay, good ......" Niu Yuan didn't dare to look back at Liu Zhennian, for fear of losing face, and stared at the ministers with a pair of eyes, "Since you Zeng Liang thinks that you are a critic, then the official should see who supports your ridiculous remarks!" Those who support him come out! ”

Of course, no one dared to come out of the ranks, not even those who stretched out their feet.

"Zeng Shangshu," Niu Yuan sneered, his eyebrows twitching twice, "You can impeach if you want to, but no one cares." General Lian, let's talk again! ”

Zeng Liang silently retreated, but strangely, he did not show a trace of frustration.

After this big quarrel, the agreement with Lian Chongwen began to go smoothly, and the two sides negotiated repeatedly, and finally stopped at a plan that everyone was happy with, and the contract was decided without danger.

Niu Yuan copied a copy of the contract and happily went to the emperor to ask for credit. The emperor removed the screen to meet him, and he didn't even carry the dagger he carried, and he was very kind to this great hero, and rewarded him with a thousand taels of silver on the spot, and gave the empty head a few words, and ordered him to fill in at will and promote his henchmen.

Niu Yuanke rarely saw the emperor's true face, and thought that the emperor was really afraid of him, so he would be so accommodating, so he became more and more unscrupulous, and directly added the names of a few henchmen to the sue, or transferred to the imperial history platform as Guifu's deputy, or served as a court official in various ministries, writing while thinking about it, without any trouble.

After writing, he distributed his confession to many henchmen, and looked at their panicked kowtows, as if he was floating in the clouds, which was really infinitely proud.

But there are also many timid henchmen, some people didn't dare to take this letter of appointment, and Niu Yuan said: "My lord, although most of the courtiers did not explicitly oppose today's agreement, they were not convinced, and they must be secretly calculating you. It's better to keep a low profile for the time being, when the sea is calm and the artillery is also delivered, and that is when the dust settles. The so-called tree is a big move, and now it is arrogant, it is easy to attract jealousy, and the villain still doesn't accept this sue. Niu Yuan scoffed at this, and listened to these inappropriate words again, and changed color, forcing him to obey the order.

"We're looking for Zeng Shangshu! Zeng Shangshu, come down and answer! ”

Zeng Liang's sedan chair stopped in front of his mansion, and he listened to the crowd in front of him, and urgently asked the sedan chair man to put down the pole and lift the curtain to see.

"What do you mean by coming?" Zeng Liang seemed unfazed, took a paper fan from the sedan chair, got off the sedan chair and asked.

"Your Excellency should know," Gao Jizhi deliberately bent down in order to look up at him, "We also deeply hate this covenant. If we hurt our country's prestige because of this, we who eat the emperor will not be able to escape the blame. Now is the time of crisis, I have nothing else to ask for, please speak up and impeach! ”

"This is my duty, and it is my duty to do so! It's not convenient to talk here, so please come into the house and talk about it. Zeng Liang didn't hesitate, because he had already made a choice in the main hall.