But Xiao Chen didn't have many guests tonight. Liu Qiheng, the left minister of the Ministry of Etiquette, Li Hong, the right minister of the Ministry of Works, Zhao Yu, the prefect of Fengyang, Liu Wenzheng, the doctor of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the fat man, all of them were his own people.
Seeing Xiao Chen come back after walking for a long time, they all asked him what he was doing.
It doesn't take that long to go to the toilet. Could it be that you want to avoid drinking?
Xiao Chen said that Lin Qi was back and had just gone to collect the body of Duan Fengnian's son. Unfortunately, Duan Fengnian had a lot of glory during his lifetime, but no one collected his body after his death. Only Lin Dongyang in prison was thinking about him...
"Master Dongyang has been in prison for half a year, right?" Li Hong said, "The emperor exempted him from the sentence of execution, but did not exile him... Don't forget about him, right?"
"It's impossible to forget. Besides, Lin Qi also made a meritorious service by following the prince and marquis this time. Even if the emperor forgot, he still remembered it. But it's strange to say that Wang Ruhai was released from prison on medical insurance and was allowed to go home for retirement. , it doesn’t make sense if Lord Dongyang is still locked up." Liu Wenzheng said.
"If I, Zhao Yu, hadn't spoken softly, I would have asked the emperor to release him." Zhao Yu said, "It's not a big crime in the first place. It's not good to keep him locked up all the time."
"Don't talk about Mr. Zhao, Mr. Xiao can't save him even if he protects him... unless our Prince Xuanping protects him." Liu Qiheng said.
"Why did the young prince protect him? He is a stranger to him, has no affection for him, seems abrupt, and will offend the prince... so there is no need." The prince Liu Wenzheng was talking about was, of course, Li Shi.
"If necessary, we should protect him." Zhao Yu said suddenly.
"Zhao Ziyu, what do you mean by this?" Li Hongqi asked.
"It's not interesting, it's just casual talk." Zhao Yu said.
"Can the emperor still use him again?" Liu Qiheng asked.
"Who can know our emperor's thoughts?" Zhao Yu said,
"The position of Governor of Jiangdong is still vacant. The emperor has not appointed him, nor has he been selected by the officials, nor has he held a court meeting."
"He will definitely not be able to go back to Jiangdong, but..." Liu Qiheng looked at Xiao Chen, "The governor of Langya County is also vacant. The last time we discussed it, there was no result. Mr. Xiao Hou, do you think the emperor is interested? Who is going?"
"I think it's very suitable for you, Mr. Liu Qiheng, to go." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"Master Xiao, please don't be joking, I can't do it!" Liu Qiheng shook his head and waved his hands, "I think Li Hong is pretty good."
"I can't do it any more." Li Hong said, "I have been in the Ministry of Industry since the beginning. All I have done is institutional affairs. I only deal with civil servants. I can't handle local affairs. Let alone being a governor, I am just a governor." I’m afraid that I can’t even become a magistrate and magistrate, but Mr. Zhao Yu might be able to do it.”
"Neither can I." Zhao Yu said, "Fengyang Mansion is very different from the local government. Fengyang Mansion's main responsibility is management, but being a local official has to govern. There is a huge difference! If I can really take on the responsibility If I were to take this position, I would have already recommended myself."
"Why are all the adults so humble?" Liu Wenzheng said with a smile, "I am a down-to-earth person. Otherwise, Lord Marquis, you can tell the emperor and let me go. I would be happy to go."
Everyone laughed after hearing this, saying that Liu Wenzheng had evil intentions and was an official fan.
Liu Wenzheng is still just a doctor, only the fifth rank. He has just been promoted from the fourth rank. He can be promoted to a magistrate, but he is several levels behind the governor.
"Master Xiaohou, we didn't have time to ask you before, but now that we have finished talking..." Liu Qiheng said, "could it be that the candidate you proposed to the emperor at the court meeting that day was Lin Dongyang?"
At that time, the emperor asked Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen said that there was a candidate, but he did not name it. The emperor seemed to know it and did not ask. He just said that Xu Tu would discuss it later...
Liu Qiheng has always felt puzzled about this matter, and it was hard to ask Xiao Chen. He just happened to talk about it here today, so he asked.
Li Hong, Zhao Yu, and Liu Wenzheng did not attend the court meeting that day, so they did not know about it. When Liu Qiheng asked, they all looked at Xiao Chen eagerly.
"I won't hide it from you, it's Mr. Lin Dongyang." Xiao Chen said, "But because he is a person waiting for sin, I can't say it clearly, but our emperor is so wise, I knew it was him as soon as I heard it."
"Oh, if that's the case, how about we make a memorial and recommend it for a while?" Liu Qiheng said.
"Sir, don't get involved. You are the examiner of this subject. Is it ridiculous that you are thinking about Langya County when you are not focused on such a big thing?"
"Yes." Liu Qiheng nodded repeatedly. "Then how about Mr. Zhao Yu, Mr. Wen Zheng and I sponsor him?" Li Hong said.
"That's not necessary. The emperor didn't let me say Lin Dongyang's name clearly at the beginning, so he was still hesitating between two options. If you recommend it, I'm afraid it will make the emperor embarrassed and passive. If the emperor really likes Lin Dongyang, , I will naturally ask, and it will not be too late to tell you then." Xiao Chen said.
Everyone was convinced after hearing this, so they stopped there and started chatting instead of continuing the discussion.
"Have you all received the invitation from Eunuch Gong?" Zhao Yu said, "After the new year, he will serve his son a full-month wine, but the invitation was sent more than 20 days in advance."
Liu Qiheng said he also received it, but neither Li Hong nor Liu Wenzheng received it.
"It seems that we are not high enough." Liu Wenzheng said sourly, "His father-in-law Gong only invites important people from the imperial court, but we are not in his eyes at all! As a doctor, I have nothing to say. But it would be too much to not even invite Mr. Li Hong’s dignified third-grade minister.”
"Haha, don't try to sow discord between me and Eunuch Gong. Don't take me with you even if you feel sad. I won't pick this, and I don't dare to pick it. I am a minister, but I am different from Mr. Liu, a minister. Liu Sooner or later you will become the Minister of Etiquette!" Li Hong said with a smile.
"That's why I said it's strange. How come I, from a small Fengyang mansion, am so honored to receive his invitation?" Zhao Yu said.
"Maybe it's because we were familiar with handling cases together before, so Lao Gong invited you to go." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"But Yuan Ren was also working on the case at the time. I asked him, but he didn't receive it." Zhao Yu said.
"That guy Lao Gong bullies the weak and fears the strong. Maybe because you are a strong leader, he respects you extraordinarily." Xiao Chen said.
"That's not the case. I am a small Fengyang family. No matter how tough I am, I can't be tough on him." Zhao Yu said, "Little Li Zi's father-in-law who sent the invitation said that he only placed two tables of full moon wine and one table of friends. , there are distinguished guests at one table, the distinguished guests are two princes, six ministers, Wu Zhong, Wu Zicheng, two generals, and me."
The two marquises are naturally Xiao Chen and Zhu Xiaochuan. Wu Zhongze and Wu Zicheng both have titles. The six ministers, except Liu Qiheng who has not yet been reorganized, are also high-ranking officials of the second rank.
Only Zhao Yu, the prefect of Fengyang, was among them.
Do you think he can be embarrassed?
