Xu Jie, a native of Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, explored flowers in the second year of Jiajing High School in the Ming Dynasty, officially entered the officialdom, and rose and fell for nearly 40 years.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had a strong desire for power, and used the Hu Weiyong case to abolish the thousand-year-old prime minister system, concentrate power on the emperor alone, and set up a group training, and future generations will never establish a prime minister.

Later, Zhu Yuanzhang's son Zhu Di succeeded to the throne, and found that his energy was limited, and he had to conquer Mongolia from time to time, and it was inevitable to take care of one thing and lose the other when managing the country.

In order to facilitate the management of the country, Zhu Di established a cabinet system, selecting seven minor officials in the imperial court to participate in the discussion of national affairs, similar to the role of the emperor's secretary.

After the establishment of the cabinet, after more than 100 years of development, the power has swelled to the point that it can limit the imperial power, and it is becoming so that there is no name of prime minister, but the power of prime minister.

Because the cabinet is not a one-person organization, there are also high and low powers, and later there is a habit of ranking seniority, and gradually formed three classes: the first assistant, the second assistant, and the ordinary cabinet minister.

The first assistant of the cabinet is already equivalent to the prime minister of the country, and his status is below one person and above ten thousand people. There is even the right to dismiss the emperor's order, and the second assistant is equivalent to the deputy minister, and the power is also very large, almost to the point of being below the two.

Xu Jie is the second assistant of the dynasty, the handful of people who stand at the top of the power.

According to Xu Jie's class, not everyone can enter his mansion, no five-rank official in the imperial court can't see the entrance room of Xu Jie's mansion, and no three-rank can't see a housekeeper, only people above the third rank can have the opportunity to meet Xu Jie.

Wang Zhong is a person from the rivers and lakes, even if he is the head of the Songshan faction, he is not qualified to have contact with Xu Jie. It's even more impossible to see him.

In the feudal era, the class was strict, the four major classes of agriculture, industry and commerce were clearly stratified, the scholar had the highest status and occupied the dominant position, and the merchant status was the lowest.

Strictly speaking, Wang Zhong is not even as good as a businessman, he can only be regarded as a wanderer, and in the eyes of the noble class, he is no different from a beggar.

Therefore, Wang Zhong couldn't meet Xu Jie's through normal channels, so he could only choose to be a gentleman on the beam and sneak into Xu Jie's mansion late at night.

To say that Xu Jie's status as the second assistant of the imperial court and the deputy prime minister, his home is also luxurious, he can be regarded as a high-ranking family, and the inner courtyard is also heavily guarded, but he can't stop a warrior of Wang Zhong's level.

Xu Jie is usually used to handling official business at night, and sometimes after dealing with it, he sleeps directly in the study, and today is no exception. Wang Zhong wasted a lot of effort to find him.

"I didn't expect Lord Xu to be so diligent and still dealing with official documents late at night. ”

Wang Zhong landed in front of Xu Jie, and the frightened old man almost had a heart attack.

"A bold fanatic, you dare to trespass into the mansion of the second assistant of the imperial court, do you know what kind of crime this is?" Xu Jie was startled at first, and then regained his composure and took out the majesty of the prime minister.

"I am the deputy head of the Songshan faction, I visited late at night, and I ask Lord Xu not to be surprised. ”

As soon as Xu Jie heard that Wang Zhong was a member of the Songshan faction, his heart was a lot more stable.

"You madman, there must be something important when you come to visit late at night, but you are the head of a decent family, why do you use such means to meet this official?"

"Lord Xu actually knows about my Songshan faction?" Now it was Wang Zhong's turn to be curious.

"A few days ago, I received a letter from Hangzhou to participate in politics, saying that your Songshan faction volunteered to send disciples to assist General Qi Jiguang in fighting against the Japanese, and the imperial court is preparing to commend it!" Xu Jie said calmly.

"I see, this little thing is not enough to worry about!" Wang Zhong said casually.

In fact, Xu Jie just said casually, the imperial court did not have spare time to reward the Songshan faction, in the eyes of the big men in the imperial court, the rivers and lakes are nothing, just a group of untouchables.

In fact, the rivers and lakes have never been liked by those in power, as the so-called "chivalry is forbidden by force", those heroes of the rivers and lakes completely ignore the law and discipline of the court, killing people is commonplace, and there are many corrupt officials and corrupt officials who die in their hands, which makes the court lose face.

But every time the righteous slaughter dogs, whenever the dynasty is in calamity, it is often the people of the rivers and lakes who rush to the front.

"Why do you have to visit late at night?" Xu Jie is an old fritter in officialdom, and after seeing that Wang Zhong would not hurt him, he didn't want to have more contact with Wang Zhong at all, and his tone was a little impatient.

"I want to make a deal with Lord Xu!" Wang Zhong stared at Xu Jiedao.

"Joke!" Xu Jie said impatiently: "This official is the second assistant of the imperial court, what is there to trade with you!"

Wang Zhong said slowly: "I can help Lord Xu become the first assistant of the cabinet." ”

A sentence struck Xu Jiejie like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, and the next moment he was furious: "Bold fanatics, dare to speak wildly!

Wang Zhong clasped his arms to his chest and smiled slowly: "Don't tell lies in front of celebrities, I already knew that Lord Xu had the intention to bring down Yan Song, a big corrupt official, but he didn't have a chance, but he could provide this opportunity below!"

Xu Jie slowly calmed down, and a pair of old eyes scanned Wang Zhong up and down, as if he wanted to see him through.

"The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty know that I Xu Jie, who respects Lord Yan the most, and even married his own granddaughter to Yan Shifan, the only son of Lord Yan, as a concubine, where did you hear the news from this madman, and think that this official wants to deal with Lord Yan?"

"History books, of course. Wang Zhong naturally wouldn't tell Xu Jie like this.

"Isn't it just waiting for an opportunity for Lord Xu to endure humiliation?" Wang Zhong said with a smile: "I can give Lord Xu a chance, it depends on whether Lord Xu can be trusted." ”

"Why does this official believe you?" Xu Jie said with a calm face.

"Then it depends on Lord Xu's courage. Wang Zhong looked at Xu Jie fixedly, giving this cabinet deputy a time to consider.

"What do you want from this official?" Xu Jie asked again.

"I just want one promise!" Wang Zhong said in a deep voice.

"What promise?"

"During the reign of Lord Xu, the imperial court no longer interfered in the rivers and lakes. Wang Zhong said.

Xu Jieleng for a moment, he didn't expect Wang Zhong's request to be so simple, or naïve.

Promising such a thing is worthless for politicians!

"Aren't you afraid that the official will turn his face and deny it?"

"Don't be afraid, I believe that Lord Xu will not break his promise. Wang Zhong said very sincerely, so sincere that Xu Jie did not doubt him.

"How do you help the officer?"

"The reason why Yan Song is in power is because he has the trust of the emperor, and the emperor is used to his service and cannot do without him, and on the other hand, there are two smart people around him. ”

"Oh!" Xu Jie smiled, "I don't know who it is?"

"His son, Yan Shifan, the squire of the Ministry of Works, and Lu Bing, the commander of the Jinyi Guard. ”

Xu Jie's eyes lit up, and he stared at Wang Zhong fiercely, with vigilance in his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to be a Jianghu person who knows so much about the affairs of the court?"

"If you don't know much, how dare you make a deal with Lord Xu!" Wang Zhong said calmly.

"Then how do you want to help this officer?"

"Yan Shifan doesn't have to worry, although this person is extremely smart, it's a pity that he is too bad, there are too many illegal things, with Lord Xu's ability, I'm afraid he has already collected a lot of evidence!"

Xu Jie smiled and said nothing, which was considered a tacit acquiescence.

"The really difficult thing to deal with is Lu Bing, this person is proficient in all kinds of martial arts, and it is even more rare to be cautious, and he is the most trusted by the emperor. ”

"Yes, the emperor has been cultivating in Xiyuan all the year round, and all major national affairs depend on the news provided by Lu Bing, this person is even more terrifying than Yan Song. I wonder how Your Excellency will deal with him?"

"People from the rivers and lakes, naturally use the methods of the rivers and lakes!" Wang Zhong's eyes exuded a dangerous cold glow.