In the hall, there were sometimes impassioned statements, sometimes noisy discussions, which were very enthusiastic. The cabinet and the officials of the six ministries finally reached a consensus on the candidates for the senior officials who presided over the Quartet. Among these candidates is Zhang Wen, who acted as the governor of Zhejiang as the third rank of the left deputy capital Yushi, and controlled the military and political affairs of the southeast.

Zhang Wen turned out to be a fourth-grade official, and now he will be promoted by two levels, and he will be approved by the emperor or the celebrant supervisor; The reason for the promotion is not to commend Zhang Wen's merits, but to be a big man like the governor of Zhejiang, the fourth grade is too shabby, and if you want to use Zhang Wen to preside over the southeast, you have to be promoted. In fact, even the three-rank officials are a little shabby, because the governor and governor control the three divisions: they all command the envoys, the political division, and the judges, and the envoys and officials are all from the second grade; However, Zhang Wen's three products are three-grade Beijing officials, and the political envoys are local officials, and Zhang Wen is barely able to get by by holding the title of Sanpin Imperial History to preside over the southeast.

"Your Majesty, is it appropriate for the ministers to arrange like this?" Ye Xianggao said. After arguing for a long time, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Zhu Youxiao sat on the jade collapse and was silent for a moment before he said: "I will pass the ticket to the celebrant in a while, and the celebrant will approve it." ”

Zhu Youxiao did not express any objection to the results of the ministers' discussions, and was very cooperative with the ministers. Because he knows that although he is the emperor, he is nothing without the support of these people below. Just like the card ticket in the yamen, there is a soap subordinate to execute, it is a very deterrent thing, if no one executes, it is just a piece of paper.

After cooperating with the minister, Zhu Youxiao added: "Another 500,000 taels of silver will be allocated for military salary." For the rest, the first assistant and the ministers summed up and came up with a solution. ”

It was another quarrel, Zhang Wen, as a party, was inconvenient to participate in the dispute, so bored that he didn't know how many hours he stood for, and his legs were almost numb. It was a long time before the distribution of the silver and troops was completed, and in some places the money was still verbally spoken, and it was not possible to cash it until the taxes came up.

When everyone was finished arguing and Ye Xianggao was about to summarize and report, Zhang Wen finally couldn't help it, and asked weakly: "Zhejiang's soldiers and money and food have been distributed, what do the officials do to suppress bandits and provide disaster relief?" ”

Liu Yixiao said in a loud voice: "In the rich land of Jiangnan, as the governor and control the military and government of several southeastern provinces, you don't have any way of your own?" ”

Zhang Wen frowned and said: "The yamen of the governor of Zhejiang has been withdrawn, and there is not a single official in the yamen, no money and food, and no soldiers, what kind of moderation do I use, and who will I control?" ”

What is there to be a right without? Zhang Wen can naturally think of a way, but there are many Donglin parties in Zhejiang, and Zhang Wen wants to bargain and order more things. For example, Shang Fang's sword, the holy decree of the king's order, etc., can also be done without worry.

Liu Yixiao snorted: "You don't have that ability, who is to blame?" You don't go, someone rushes to go. ”

Zhu Youxiao spoke at this time and said: "I will allocate another 200,000 taels of silver to you from the inside, and give you the holy decree of the king, you have the right to make a decision on the spot, cut first and then play, you use this 200,000 silver to recruit strong men and preside over the southeast." ”

After hearing this, Zhang Wen hurriedly bowed and said: "The internal treasury allocated 1 million military expenses last year, and at the beginning of this year, it went to 500,000 yuan, and the emperor gave the minister silver, but the minister did not dare to ask for it." The minister has only one request......"

Zhu Youxiao said in his heart: The outer court is trying to design to make Lao Tzu bleed, but Zhang asks but doesn't want money, it seems that his relatives still know how to understand my difficulties. He had some good feelings in his heart, so he said: "You said, as long as you can get things done and ask for reasonableness, I will promise you." ”

"Wechen used to be a magistrate, and the local situation was complicated and there were many collusions. There is only one request for Wechen, if some officials are abolishing private affairs and not listening to moderation, Wechen will be dismissed and replaced, please ask the emperor and the cabinet to support it, and if Wechen finds talents in Zhejiang and wants to be promoted, please also ask the emperor to support Wechen. ”

Zhang Wen's words mean that he wants to cultivate party henchmen in Zhejiang. Liu Yixiao, Yang Lian and others were present, how could they not understand? Liu Yixiao immediately objected: "This time the Quartet employs people, no one has so many requirements from you, why do you ask for this and that?" ”

"Liaodong, Sichuan, Guizhou, give money and give people, the lower officials are in the past, and those requests are all within the governor's responsibility, what is excessive? The lower officials just said ugly things first, so as not to let some people shelter private individuals in the court and affect the right thing. ”

Liu Yixiao roared: "Who is sheltering a private person in the court? "A big beard is splashed with spittle.

Zhang Wen stood on the other side, a few steps apart, and when he saw the saliva flying, he was secretly happy in his heart.

At this time, Cui Chengxiu stood up and said: "Lord Zhang, that is not a request at all, the governor has the power to impeach and dismiss his subordinates, and Lord Zhang just made his words clear." Who sheltered the private, and didn't say Liu Gelao, why are you so excited? ”

After such a quarrel, the whole court understood that Zhang Wen had taken refuge in the eunuch party. At the same time, the eunuchs immediately regarded Zhang Wen as their own.

At this time, Ye Xianggao said: "What is the need to quarrel over these quarrels?" It is the right thing for everyone to perform their duties and encourage each other to repay the emperor's kindness. Ye Xianggao still has some prestige, and the meaning of his words is also modest, he has always said that the court is important, and as soon as his serious words came out, everyone wanted to buy two points of face, so he stopped.

Maybe Ye Xianggao really values the court and doesn't want to see everything focus on party strife and infighting, but even if he is a veteran of the three dynasties, he can't calm down the new and old hatreds among this party. However, after the struggle between the former dynasties and the country, how much blood has been shed, and the party struggle is no longer just as simple as different political views, but also carries selfish desires and hatred.

is like two brothers, originally a family; But you killed my wife, I killed your son, and you fought for me for the property. That's the love between brothers.

In the long-term struggle, the monarch and the ministers were separated from morality, and there was no hope in sight. Just like Zhang Wen, he can't see any hope; He is now very glamorous as the governor of Zhejiang, maybe one day the emperor dies and the eunuch party falls, and he will have to go to the execution ground. In such an environment, many officials feel that the silver is the most down-to-earth, so they don't care about political opinions at all, and they make a lot of money; Zhang Wen felt that the silver was not steady, so he wanted to cultivate his own private power in a muffled voice, and he had a faint bad heart.

Everyone quarreled at the royal gate for several hours, at this time it was dark, Zhu Youxiao ordered to disperse the court, the officials of Honglu Temple praised and sang "retreat from the court", the officials knelt down and shouted long live, and then each went out of the imperial gate in order.

Zhang Wen walked out of Zuoshun Gate, and everyone dispersed, divided into several groups of people and walked towards Wang'en Bridge one after another. Lanterns have been hung all over the forbidden city, and they are as bright as day.

Zhang Wen rubbed slowly for a while, and waited until Cui Chengxiu came over, then he greeted him and said some words of thanks. Cui Chengxiu was short and fat, and Zhang Wen was a head taller than him, so he deliberately stood far away at this time, otherwise the contrast between the two appearances would be too contrasting.

"Today, the emperor said that he supports Changyan's political strategy in Zhejiang, Changyan just let go of his hands, and the old man in the court has his own opinions." Cui Chengxiu patted his chest and said, also to the surrounding eunuchs, as if the boss would cover everyone.

Now the power of the eunuch party in the foreign dynasty is still not as good as Donglin, and it is not easy to seize the power of the southeastern provinces, Cui Chengxiu immediately hinted to Zhang Wen to suppress the Donglin party in the southeast and promote his own people. As for the White Lotus Sect in Fujian, they are all small shrimps and small fish, and Cui Chengxiu forgot about it for a while.

Zhang Wen agreed one by one and walked out of Donghua Gate together, and then said goodbye to Cui Chengxiu. His sedan chair was still waiting outside the door, and when Xuanyue saw Zhang Wen, she beckoned the sedan chair man to carry the sedan chair over.

Xuanyue rode a horse, Zhang Wen sat in a sedan chair, and there were guards carrying lanterns in front and behind. Just a few steps away, Zhang Wen picked up and beckoned to Xuan Yue, and Xuan Yue rode his horse and leaned over.

"You ride back, inform Huang Renzhi and Shen Jing, and wait for me in the living room in the front yard."

Xuanyue took the order and rode away.

Zhang Wen returned home by sedan chair, and the porter opened the corner door and put the sedan chair into the courtyard. Zhang Wen got down from the sedan chair and saw Cao An greeting him, so he said: "Cao An, you immediately arrange your home and prepare the things you need on the road, I will go tomorrow to receive the holy decree and official documents, and I will leave for Zhejiang when I receive it." ”

"Yes, young master...... What kind of official is the young master? ”

"Governor of Zhejiang." Zhang Wen's eyes lit up when he said this, authority, his favorite. He asked again, "Have Huang Renzhi and Shen Jing arrived?" ”

"Master Hui, I'm here, waiting in the living room."

"Okay." Zhang Wen went straight to the living room and consulted with two staff.

Huang Renzhi and Shen Jing greeted the door, and the three of them entered together, Zhang Wenping retreated left and right, and sat up and down. Before Zhang Wen could speak, Huang Renzhi had already seen the difference in the look on Zhang Wen's face, so he asked, "My lord, what happened to the court?" ”

Zhang asked: "Today's summons by the emperor was originally nothing serious, but I received several border emergency reports in a row on the way. I went there in the morning and I'm only back now, but something happened. Yuan Yingtai died, and together with the remaining 100,000 troops in Liaodong, many important towns east of the Liaohe River may not be able to be saved; rebellions in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Fujian; The whole province of Fujian is in chaos, the government is gone, and the imperial court has appointed me as the governor of Zhejiang, to control the military and political affairs in the southeast, and to try to calm the situation in Fujian. ”

Huang Renzhi and Shen Jing were both surprised when they heard this, Huang Renzhi touched his beard and said, "This thing is too sudden, the old man and the others didn't even hear the slightest rumor before." ”

Zhang Wen poured a sip of tea and said, "Me too." I expected that something would happen in Liaodong sooner or later, but I didn't expect it to be so soon. Probably there is no food for thousands of miles in Jianzhou, and it is really impossible to get over this green and yellow time. ”

Huang Ren said straightly: "The old man met an official in the teahouse a few days ago; He found out that the old man was running an errand with the adults, so he tried to make friends with the old man. This person was transferred from Zhejiang to Beijing, and he knew a lot about the current personnel in Zhejiang, and the old man also took the opportunity to inquire about some news. ”