You can never guess what he's thinking, even if you know he's uneasy, and if you're not careful, you'll still fall into his trap.

As the old saying goes, if you want to fight a traitor, you must be more treacherous than a traitor.

On the occasion of Chen Jing's 60th birthday, the Taishi Mansion in Zhongjing City was lit up with lights, and it was a festive celebration.

There was an endless stream of officials of all sizes from the DPRK and China who came to celebrate his birthday, and dozens of tables of banquets were set up in the palace, which can be said to be an unprecedented grand occasion.

Chen Jing was wearing a gorgeous costume with a happy face, after all, today was his big day. Since the fall of Cao Xiangui, the Son of Heaven has relied more on him, and the ministers of the court and the central government have all looked at him as the leader, and he has been in the limelight for a while.

At his age, he can still be a very rare minister, and it stands to reason that there shouldn't be any other thoughts.

"The Second Prince has arrived!" shouted outside the door.

The whole courtyard looked out of the door, and saw the second prince Ji Lie walking in quickly with his personal guards.

"See the second prince. The ministers bowed down and bowed.

"Get up, today is Taishi Chen's big day, and Xiao Wang is also celebrating his birthday. Ji Lie said.

"Thank you, the second prince, who still remembers the old minister. Chen Jing stood up and thanked him.

"Hey, Taishi Chen is the pillar of my dynasty, Xiao Wang has been longing for a long time, and he came uninvited today, and I hope that Taishi will not be surprised. Ji Lie smiled and motioned for the guards to give the birthday gift.

I saw that the birthday gifts he brought were rare treasures, including the corals of the South China Sea, the pearls of the East China Sea, the strange stones of the Northern Desert, and the Ganoderma lucidum of the Xiling, all of which were priceless, and the people present were all in an uproar.

"These gifts are too valuable, how dare the old minister accept such a big gift. Chen Jing hurriedly said.

"Compared to the Taishi's lifelong work for the country, what are these birthday gifts, come on, carry the birthday gifts to the Taishi. Ji Lie said.

Seeing that he was so domineering, Chen Jing didn't dare to offend him, so he had to kneel down and thank him again.

On weekdays, Ji Lie and Chen Jing actually have no contact, and when they suddenly visited on the day of the birthday banquet, anyone could see that it was called a birthday celebration, which was really a woo.

Now that the dispute between him and the East Palace is flourishing, and it is known to the whole dynasty, at this time, he naturally wants to increase his political bargaining chips by winning over Chen Jing at this time.

Chen Jing Huanhai has been up and down all his life, how can he not know Ji Lie's thoughts, but he also knows that his status is given by the royal family, and the royal family can take it away at any time, who knows who will sit on the dragon chair in the end.

"Second prince, please take a seat. Chen Jing said.

"Mrs. Chen is polite, come, let's sit down together. Ji Lie stretched out his hand to help Chen Jing and entered the table together.

"The second prince is favored, and the old man is flattered. Chen Jing thanked him again.

"Haha, Taishi Chen is my elder, and he has meritorious service to the country, how dare Xiao Wang put up a stand in front of you, come, everyone is seated." Ji Lie said.

The ministers took their seats one after another, and the music rang out. Before everyone's buttocks were hot, they heard a report from the door.

"The prince has arrived!"

Hearing this, the faces of the people present changed, lest something happen, and Ji Lie's face was even more ugly.

Only Chen Jing didn't change his face as if he was fine, squinted his eyes and hurriedly got up to the door to greet him.

"The old minister sees the prince. Chen Jing led the ministers to kneel and bow, only Ji Lie was still sitting and standing still.

"The old lady is flat, everyone get up, today I am ordered by my father to celebrate the birthday of the old lady, don't talk about these false gifts. Ji Yubing hurriedly helped Chen Jing to get up and said.

Suddenly, he saw Ji Lie on the table at a glance and said, "It turns out that the second brother is also here." ”

"Taishi Chen is an important minister in the court, and he is deeply respected by his father, and I am also here to talk about expressing my heart, is it only for the eldest brother to come? Ji Lie said angrily.

"The second brother has this heart, and he is very comforted in his brother's heart. Ji Yubing smiled and said.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, Master Chen is 60th birthday today, let's sit down and chat, you can't let the old man stand and chat with you. Suddenly, a girl flashed out from behind Ji Yubing, and smiled mischievously, it was Hua Wenjun.

"Wen Jun is right, let's all sit down. Ji Yubing waved his hand and motioned for the sergeant behind him to carry the birthday gift in.

The tense atmosphere present finally eased a little, and the music sounded again, but the relationship between them at the main table was a little delicate.

Naturally, the crown prince and the second prince don't need to say it, they don't have anything on the surface, but secretly they are more energetic, and they naturally don't need to say what they mean, they are all to win over Chen Jing.

Chen Jing squinted his eyes, leaned on the old and sold the old man to sit on the side and did not say anything, neither side was offended.

"Master Chen, today is your birthday banquet, my father is busy with state affairs, unable to come in person, I hereby decree that I will come to celebrate his birthday, no, I also sent the Imperial Medical Bureau to judge Miss Hua to come, and she will be asked to prescribe you a few prescriptions for health preservation. Ji Yubing said.

"Thank you for the care of the emperor and His Royal Highness the Prince, the old minister is loyal to the country, and he should do his best, and then die. Chen Jing hurriedly thanked him again.

"Master Chen, don't say that you are dead, you are dead, with our Imperial Medical Bureau here, you will not be able to die for a while. Hua Wenjun said with a smile.

"Wen Jun, don't be rude. A middle-aged man's voice came from the side.

"Second uncle, you're here too. Hua Wenjun looked back and saw that it was his second uncle, Yin Hua Ren'an of Zhongjing Mansion.

"Xiaguan has seen His Royal Highness the Prince, and wishes the Taishi a long blessing and a longer life than Songhe. Hua Ren'an raised his glass and saluted.

"Okay, thank you. Chen Jing got up and said.

This Hua Ren'an is not of high grade, and Yin of Zhongjing Mansion is only a fourth-grade official, but because he is in danger of the safety of the Beijing Division, he is in charge of the military and political power of the Beijing Division, so he has won the trust of the royal family, and he has a share of the credit for Qinglong Gorge to exterminate Cao Xiangui's rebels.

Chen Jing also valued him very much from beginning to end, but Hua Renan was an upright person and never formed a party for personal gain, so all forces tried to win him over.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of officials took turns to congratulate Chen Jing and toast him, and he was very busy.

"Second brother, it's rare for us brothers to sit together and talk, tell me, what do you see here?" Ji Yubing said meaningfully.

"What's more, isn't it just a group of ministers' greetings. Ji Lie replied nonchalantly.

"Do you think these are all members of Chen Jing's party, but in fact, they are not, most of them are just afraid of Chen Jing's power, the same position, another person, they are still like this. Ji Yubing said with a smile.

"What do you mean, big brother?" Ji Lie said with a glance from the corner of his eye.

"You remember, it's our royal family who really holds the power in this country, not him Chen Jing. Ji Yubing said in his words.

"I'm just here to celebrate my birthday. Ji Lie replied.

"I have a message for you, in the future, you must remember your own identity. Ji Yubing said.

Ji Lie was silent and fell silent.

At this birthday banquet, the two princes were present together, and I am afraid that no one in the Southern Han Dynasty has this honor, and Chen Jing's fame has also reached its peak.

He knew in his heart that the moon was full and lost, and it was only in the blink of an eye that he would accompany the king like a tiger, and the monarch was unpredictable, and if he wanted to have power and status forever, he had to rely on himself.

In the dead of night, Chen Jing sat in his study, checking one by one the secret letters sent to various places, all of which were the rewards of the secret account system he sent to various state capitals to investigate the secret account system.

He looked at it with a sly smile, as he expected, everything was going well, and most of the dark account system established by Cao Xiangui had been controlled in his hands, and according to the accounts, the annual income was 20 million taels of silver.

You must know that the annual income of the Southern Han Kingdom is only 70 million taels, looking at this number, Chen Jing was excited, but he didn't expect Cao Xiangui to leave a big gift for him. As long as he has money, he can get whatever he wants.

After reading these secret letters, he threw them all into the brazier and burned them, and the flames in the basin burned like his ambition, growing stronger and stronger.

The dispute between the crown prince and the second prince, he is not interested in it at all, as long as he wants, he can support anyone to sit on that chair, but the premise is to listen to him.

Yi.

"My lord, there is a secret letter from Hongchang Mansion that is coming quickly. Wang Zhiyuan walked in with a small box.

Xie Huchen and Yu Zhong glanced at each other, and understood in their hearts that this might be news from Tang Jian's side.

They opened the wooden box, opened the letterhead, and sure enough, it was a secret letter written by Tang Jian himself.

The secret letter said that Tang Jian had secretly seized Pei Zhi, the deputy commander of the left road of Jiangnan, and he had confessed all of them, and found out the general ledger of the left road of Jiangnan and a huge amount of silver tickets from his home.

"Great, in this way, we can wipe out this group of corrupt officials. Yu Zhong said.

Xie Huchen frowned and said, "It's not enough, it's far from enough." ”

"What's the matter, haven't we already got all the dark accounts?" asked Yu Zhong, puzzled.

"Now that the net is closed, as long as Chen Jing dies and does not admit it, these corrupt officials will not dare to confess to him, and we may also fall into a passive situation. Xie Huchen said.

"If you say so, we're all in vain. Yu Zhong said dejectedly.

"Don't be discouraged, at least we have a good start now, and then we have to make good use of the dark accounts in our hands, as well as Zhuang Menglong. Xie Huchen smiled and said.

"Looks like you've got a ghost idea again. Yu Zhong said.

Xie Huchen shook the folding fan and smiled without saying a word.

Jiangzhou.

Zhuang Menglong walked back and forth in the study, he was already anxious like an ant on a hot pot.

Tang Jian's attitude was ambiguous, which made him unable to figure it out.

The person who was peeping on the roof didn't know who it was, what did he know, and what was his purpose? Zhuang Menglong's heart became more and more frightened.

He must get through the key point of Tang Jian as soon as possible, so as to control the secret account system on the left side of the whole Jiangnan, otherwise he will not be able to explain to Chen Jing that it is still a trivial matter, and it is a big deal to lose his life if he makes a mistake.

"No, I have to go to Hongchang Mansion in person. Zhuang Menglong secretly made up his mind in his heart.