Hudou Lane, Xiangfu.

Although he has come back to see things, after the blow of last year, Prime Minister Hu Cheng's enthusiasm for work plummeted, and he fell ill and took leave every three or five days.

On this day, he happened to be recuperating at home because of an eye disease, and Wu Liang, Marquis of Jiangyin, and Lu Zhongheng, Marquis of Ji'an, came to visit together.

The housekeeper ushered the two into the inner room, and saw Hu Xiang lying on a rocking chair with a cotton towel that smelled hot and medicinal.

There was a Le Ji sitting next to him, playing the pipa for him to relieve his boredom.

"Oh, Hu Xiang, is it really an eye disease?" Lu Zhongheng sighed: "I thought you were pretending." ”

"What's that called?" Hu Weiyong took away the cotton towel covering his eyes, slowly opened his eyes and said:

"The old man has worked hard for the Ming Dynasty for half his life, and he has already fallen ill. It's just that in the past, he supported his sick body to work hard for the emperor. Now, I'm old, tired, and can't fight anymore. ”

"Listen, listen." Lu Zhongheng patted Wu Liang on the shoulder and said, "This is sad, even Hu Xiang is sad." ”

"Alas, understood, understood too much." Wu Liang nodded and sighed.

Compared with two years ago, he was in Longjiang Bao Shipyard and was full of spirit when he was on the shelf with Lao Liu. It's only been less than two years, and the Marquis of Jiangyin's hair is also gray and wrinkled, like ten years older.

In the past two years, his life has been too hard. Ever since he instructed Chen Shanghai and Fang Datong to attack the King of Chu in vain, Wu Liang has been living in fear. Later, his younger brother Wu Zhen was transferred to Beiping by the emperor and served under the public account of Wei, which made Wu Liang feel that the emperor was about to do something to himself.

Who knew that after two years of panic, the emperor still didn't move him, and he chose his daughter as the princess of Qi. This made Wu Liang finally feel at ease.

But only a little bit of peace. He knows too well what kind of temper he has been with his superiors all his life, and he must have revenge. If you don't report it, it's just that the time has not yet come.

So he still has to fight for a little bit of life for himself.

"In the past two years, the emperor has become more and more conniving at your highnesses and abusing us old brothers." Wu Liang sighed and said, "Hu Xiang, the Han Gong handed us over to you, you can't ignore us." ”

"Yes, Hu Xiang, the superiors are becoming more and more harsh on us old brothers." Lu Zhongheng nodded and said: "When I returned to Beijing last winter, I just asked the post stations along the way to arrange carriages and horses, so I was reprimanded by the superior and made me think about it behind closed doors. Don't give any face!

"There is also Lao Fei, who was ordered to recruit the remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, this kind of thing was originally a big luck, Lao Fei returned in vain, and was severely criticized by the superiors, and he was fined for half a year, saying that he was mediocre and unwilling to do his best.

"Not to mention that the Marquis of Jinghai was deprived of the military power of the Washui Division for no reason. worked as a water master all his life, but let the upper position be transferred to Beiping to eat sand. Lu Zhongheng couldn't stop talking as soon as he complained, obviously holding back for a long time.

"So Hu Xiang, you have to give us a head, otherwise we won't have a way to live." After speaking, he looked at Hu Weiyong pitifully, and complained a little:

"When the Korean government was here, we weren't so miserable."

"How do you speak?" Wu Liang glared at him.

Hu Weiyong waved his hand, disapprovingly, and said: "What Lao Lu said is right, of course his appearance is not as good as that of Han Gong." My grace is the big butler who accompanies the emperor to start a business. The original appearance is just a substitute that the emperor didn't want to use him, so he will choose. ”

"Hu Xiang, I was wrong, we didn't mean that." Lu Zhongheng hurriedly got up and said: "My old Lu just has such a stinky mouth, don't take it to heart." ”

"I didn't take it to heart." Hu Weiyong slowly sat up straight and said: "You are all famous generals in the world, you naturally know that you have to know yourself and your opponent in a war, if you don't know how many catties and taels you have, you can still rest assured to follow me?" ”

"Hu Xiang is too modest." The two hurriedly put on his top hat and said: "Over the years, the brothers have been very convinced, and they have fought for us a lot, and they have also stiffened the relationship with the emperor." ”

"It's good to know." Hu Weiyong patted the armrest of the seat and said with a wry smile: "If I knew that this chair was so difficult to sit on, when the Korean Gong asked me to take over his shift, I would never agree." ”

"Over the years, how many times have I fought with the emperor openly and secretly for the sake of you, as well as those civil officials and local heroes?" He sighed for a long time:

"It's even more like the crown prince, he treats me as a thorn in the eye and a thorn in the flesh. I put my words here, the emperor can still tolerate me, if the crown prince ascends the throne one day, the first thing is to replace me, the hated prime minister, and it would be good to leave me alive. ”

"Hu Xiang is really not easy......" The two originally came to Hu Weiyong to complain, but they didn't expect to be spit out by him.

"Those who know me say I'm worried, and those who don't know me say what I want?" Hu Weiyong sighed and said: "Last year's situation was already very dangerous, and the prime minister only wanted to be able to get out of the way, but the emperor just wouldn't let him go." ”

"Because the imperial court can't be without Chinese books for a day, and Chinese books can't be without Hu Xiang for a day." Wu Liang said busily.

"That's not the case," Hu Weiyong shook his head and said, "It's because I'm the only one who can sell a few thin noodles from all sides and help the upper position calm down the field." ”

Saying that, he chuckled and said: "The superior originally wanted Wang Guangyang to replace me, but this old man is quite self-aware, knowing that he doesn't have that diamond diamond, and he doesn't do porcelain work at all." ”

"I heard that he was in Zhongshu Province, and he really enjoyed calling a group of national players to play chess with him all day long." Lu Zhongheng said with a smile.

"Wang Guangyang doesn't accept this errand, and Liu Bowen is a coffin again," Hu Weiyong laughed and said: "The emperor doesn't need me, who else can he use, you can't invite the Korean public out again, right?" ”

"That's definitely not possible, how much effort did it take for the superior to push the Korean duke back to his hometown, and he will never let him make a comeback." Wu Liang shook his head and said.

"So the old man has to do it now, if he doesn't do it, he has to do it. But I know in my heart that the emperor already has a problem with me. The prince's knife has been put on the neck of the prime minister. It's a miracle that I was able to make it to Zhishi in peace. Hu Weiyong sighed and said:

"I really don't dare, and I can't do anything to fight for you anymore."

"Hu Xiang, that's not it, right?" The two of them didn't expect him to be so serious, and they were both a little incredulous.

"You think I'm alarmist?" Hu Weiyong sneered, pointed to the pipa girl who had been playing non-stop outside the bead curtain, and said, "Do you know why I didn't let her stop?" ”

"Hu Xiang is elegant." Lu Zhongheng said with a smile.

"Elegant fart." Hu Weiyong spat and said: "I have been planted with spies in my family, otherwise I don't dare to talk to you." ”

"Huh?" Lu Zhongheng and Wu Liang were shocked: "Who instructed it?" ”

"Who else?" Hu Weiyong said lightly: "His Royal Highness King Yan, he took over the third brother's brocade guard, and he has carried it forward even more, from opening a brothel to eavesdropping, to taking the initiative to install eyes and ears to the minister's house." ”

Saying that, he looked at the two of them and said, "After you two go home, be careful, eighty percent of your family also has it." ”

(End of chapter)