Shi Chang and Liu Hong were partying alone, and suddenly there was a cough in the hall. Everyone looked back and saw that it was Shangshu Lu Zhi. Lu Zhi was a thin and withered old man with gray hair, but his body was very straight and his face was solemn. He coughed twice, like a slap in the face to the ten permanent servants and Liu Hong who were in ecstasy.

Seeing that it was the great Confucian of the world who slowly got up from his seat, Liu Hong and the Ten Standing Attendants immediately closed their mouths, and the silence in the Chongde Hall immediately returned. Above the court, no one dared to anger Lu Zhi; Even Liu Hong, who had framed Lu Zhi and escorted him back to the capital in a prisoner car, had to immediately release him in order to appease the indignation of the world and crown him as Shangshu. At the moment when the position of Shangshuling has been vacant for a long time, it is he who is in charge of Shangshutai and governs together with He Jin, who records Shangshu.

Lu Zhi glanced up at Zhang Rang, and saw that Zhang Rang shrank down. The faces of the rest of the Huangmen were still smiling at the last moment, and this moment was immediately like a mourning.

At this moment, Lu Zhi is admired by everyone. Lu Zhi, who was standing beside He Jin and in the middle of the Chongde Palace, seemed to have his own halo, and everyone could see that their eyes were squinting.

Lu Zhi calmly folded his hands and bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the minister heard that all the virtuous kings in ancient times will be rewarded for their merits, and those who are guilty will be punished." In the past, Huayuan ignored the sheep, so there was the disaster of Chu captivity; Li Guang died without being a marquis, so Xiaowu fainted. Now there is Ma Teng and Ma Chao to defeat Han Sui for the Han family, and his contribution must be discussed. ”

Hearing this, He Jin's face was a little angry, and his lips trembled twice; The ministers also immediately turned their heads and ears.

Liu Hong nodded and said, "What Lu Qing said is very true. Zhongqing thinks, how should this Ma Teng Ma Chao be rewarded? ”

Before the ministers came out to make suggestions, Zhang Rang, the regular attendant, was the first to come over and said: "Your Majesty, the slave sees that Ma Chao's military exploits are so grand, it is better to be named a general and a pavilion marquis!" ”

"That's right! That's right! The slave thinks so too! Zhao Zhong and the other lieutenants echoed.

When He Jin heard this, his beard was almost not angry, and he took a step forward and said loudly: "No!" ”

Before Liu Hong could agree, he only heard He Jin's roar, and immediately looked at He Jin. Liu Hong said: "He Qing, since you reported that this Jin Ma Chao father and son had a meritorious role in suppressing the thief, why did you prevent him from worshipping the marquis?" ”

He Jin bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Ma Teng is no more than a Sima in the army, but he privately recruited 20,000 troops in Chencang; Ma Chao is just a weak-crowned child, but he has tens of thousands of subordinates. The father and son even recruited rebels, Ma Teng accepted the sons of the good families of the six counties for his own use, and Ma Chao even collected the rebel troops. This is exactly harboring evil intentions and secretly harboring resentment. If the court gives him a reward, the minister is afraid that after Jin Ma Chao completely defeats Han Sui, he will cut off Xiliang and repeat Han Sui's actions, and then the court will have to face a more tricky Ma father and son! ”

When Liu Hong heard this, he was quite surprised, and he didn't react for a while, so he heard He Jin say again: "Therefore, the ministers oppose the reward, Your Majesty should issue an edict and order Ma Teng and Ma Chao to hand over the military power back to the imperial court, and send loyal and righteous ministers to take charge of his army!" ”

Liu Hong hesitated, and the ministers didn't come out.

Zhang Rang sneered and said, "Hmph! He Gong, what is Your Majesty going to do, it's not your turn to dictate! ”

"That's it! What's more, after seizing the military power of the Ma clan, who will lead the troops to exterminate Han Sui's traitors? Is it He Gong? Zhao Zhong also sarcastically said on the side.

"Wait ......!" He Jin glared at Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong angrily, his eyes were split, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak.

The three princes and nine ministers and the ministers saw He Jin like this, and they were very angry. Zheng Tai, the servant of the imperial history, shouted loudly: "The Ma family and his son support the army and respect themselves, ignoring the laws of the imperial court to recruit troops and surrender privately, this is an out-and-out rebellion. Are the two lieutenants trying to shield the rebellion? ”

Liu Hong was a little frightened, turned his head to look at Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong on the side, and saw that the two of them were already angry.

Lieutenant Yuan Shao also rose to the ground, clenched the head of the sword with one hand, pointed at Zhang Rang with the other, and said angrily: "Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong are serving Ma Chao, and their hearts are wrong!" Please add to the sin! ”

Hu Ben Zhonglang also stood Yuan Shu beside He Jin and shouted: "The minister seconded the proposal!" ”

After that, many courtiers also shouted "second" and stood behind He Jin, but Cao Song, one of the three dukes, watched coldly and did not stand over. The third duke, who also did not second, was Taifu Yuan Kui, who had always been cautious, and just looked at his two sons and nephews worriedly.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the court was tense, and everyone could see that there were sparks between the ten permanent servants and the courtiers led by the general, and both sides were eager to eat each other alive.

Liu Hong saw that the two sides of the court division were like this, and he was a little flustered, looking left and right, very anxious.

He Jin looked back at the fellow party members behind him, and looked proud at the ten permanent servants who seemed to be lonely and poor.

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others saw that the courtiers were all the same enemy, arrogant and panicked. Although their power is monstrous, it is far from the point where they can cover the sky with one hand. Wang Fu, a member of the Zhongchang who was more powerful than them, once held Liu Hong hostage to launch a palace rebellion, killing the Taifu Chen Fan and the general Dou Wu, and his power can be said to cover the sky with one hand; But in the end, he still called Yang Biao (during the tenure of Jing Zhaoyin) and Yang Qiu (during the tenure of Si Lixiao) to kill, and they were killed. Therefore, Yuan Shao threatened to add crimes, and Zhang Rang and others must not be afraid.

But Zhang Rang and the others were not so easily defeated. Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong hurriedly weakened their knees, knelt down and kowtowed to Liu Hong fiercely, pulling their necks and crying: "Your Majesty, the ministers want to kill slaves, you can save slaves!" ”

Liu Hong immediately felt distressed, and hurriedly reached out to help Zhang Rang, and said: "Oh, what's the matter, let my father hurry up!" ”

Zhang Rang is an acting school, lying on the ground but refusing to get up, and said: "If Your Majesty doesn't save the slave, the slave won't get up!" ”

Liu Hong frowned and said, "Let my father get up quickly!" I'm here, see who dares to touch half of your hair! ”

Upon hearing this, He Jin frowned, obviously saying this to him. And Zhang Rang and the other middle attendants were secretly happy.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Rang stood up with a sob, and did not forget to touch two handfuls of tears.

Zhao Zhong cooperated closely, stood up from the ground, pointed at He Jin and said, "He Gong said that we are harboring the traitors, where did the evidence come from?" ”

"That's it! Where is Ma Chao a traitor?! ”

He Jin said in a deep voice: "Hmph! He is not a traitor, so why should he surrender and accept a traitor? He can use the surrendered rebels to attack Han Sui, and he can use them to rebel against the imperial court! Once Xiliang falls into his hands, can you afford it! ”

Zhao Zhong snorted coldly and shot back: "Hmph! Hanoi Taishou Zhu Jun is now resisting Zhang Yan's Black Mountain Army, Huangfu Song has to divide troops to pacify Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju who colluded with Karasuma, and many officers and soldiers are trapped in the remnants of the Yellow Turban, and the rest of the Northern and Southern Armies, the Fifth Captain, Yulin, Huben, etc., still have to defend the Beijing Division, and even Yulin has been evacuated: Where are the extra troops to defeat Han Sui?

If Ma Teng and Ma Chao hadn't recruited troops privately, Han Sui would have attacked Sanfu by now! Moreover, since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the imperial court has long issued an edict to encourage the recruitment of troops to quell the rebellion, and it is reasonable for Ma Teng and Ma Chao to recruit troops, so why not? And don't forget that when His Majesty promoted you to be a general, let you record Shangshushi, and presided over the pacification of Zhang Jiao, the edict that allowed the recruitment of troops was written by you! How? Now that the edict has not been withdrawn, will He Gong attack the shield of the son with the spear of the son? ”

The corners of He Jin's mouth twitched, and his momentum suddenly shrank a little. The courtiers behind him were also a little flustered.

He Jin just wanted to sneer at him, but Duan Gui on the side also smiled: "Besides, Ma Teng and Ma Chao defeated Han Sui for the country, this is a loyal move; There has been no rebellion yet. Is it too early for He Gong to start doubting their loyalty and even depriving them of their military power? ”

He Jin endured his anger and said, "If you don't get rid of it now, there will be endless troubles in the future!" Ma Teng and Ma Chao are not only after Ma Fubo, but also have Qiang blood, and both Xiliang and Qiang people are willing to obey. What if the land of Xiliang is held by the Ma family and his son? ”