Zhongxiaohou Mansion.
This was originally the residence of the Huyan family. After the imperial court rehabilitated the Hu family, it rewarded it to Huyan Shouyong.
In just a few days, the originally dilapidated mansion had been renovated.
Among the green flowers and trees, servants and maids shuttled back and forth. In the main hall, people were drinking wine and playing with silk and bamboo. It looked like a prosperous place.
Today, the Hu family is having a banquet, and the person sitting in the main seat is not Hu Yanshouyong, but Wang Yanling, the prime minister of the dynasty.
In front of him, Hu Yanshou and his wife could only stay at the bottom of the table and entertain them carefully.
Seeing that Hu Yanshouyong was unhappy, Wang Yanling put down his wine glass and asked with a friendly smile:
"Marquis Zhongxiao, are you worried?"
"Today's private banquet is no better than at court. Don't be afraid to speak out. I will make the decision for you."
He was extremely satisfied with Hu Yanshouyong, so he was very indulgent and pampering in his words.
The Huyan family were the founding fathers of the country. Although they were once considered treasonous for offending the late emperor, they still knew the basics and could rest assured.
Especially since he was once surrounded and suppressed by the generals of various families, he was considered a lonely minister, and now under his own leadership, he was rehabilitating his family, which made him feel quite close.
That's why he used this rebellion to promote Hu Yanshouyong to the position of commander of the front department.
It's not that he insists on monopolizing military power, but that Sima Guang's fall makes him a little uneasy.
He was originally on guard against Pan Renmei and didn't take Cao Bin seriously.
After all, Cao Bin had only been in the court for a few years, and his foundation was weak. Even if he was good at leading troops, he was just a warrior.
For a prime minister like me, it is not too difficult to figure it out.
As for his few old troops, most of them are warriors and have little say.
What's more, those warriors were just looking for a backer, how could they go against the entire imperial court for Cao Bin?
But he did not expect that the successor he had cultivated, Sima Guang, would be easily deposed by Cao Bin. Although the Pan family and his daughter contributed to this, it can also be seen that Cao Bin's influence in the court was no longer there. Small.
If his people are allowed to control a large number of forbidden troops, the situation will be extremely difficult to control.
It's not that he doubted that Cao Bin would use Di Qing to rebel.
After all, the military commander only has the power to train troops and does not have the power to mobilize troops. Without the Privy Council's order, there will be various restrictions.
Unless Cao Bin directly leads the troops, with his reputation in the army, he has a certain strength to make his soldiers ignore the orders of the Privy Council.
However, after he became the deputy envoy of the Third Division, the trapped troops had been incorporated into the Gyeonggi Forbidden Army. Except for his personal guards, Cao Bin had no direct military authority.
Not to mention whether Di Qing will help Zhou to commit evil, the scholars in the world will not agree, and Cao Bin himself will not be stupid. After all, this is no longer the troubled times of the Five Dynasties.
Wang Yanling was worried that Cao Bin and Pan Renmei would join forces and force him as the prime minister. He was not afraid of attacks from the court, but if Pan Cao rebelled and forced the palace, he didn't know what would happen to the court. He, the prime minister, would definitely be unlucky.
After all, the scene when the late emperor was critically ill was still vivid in his mind, and these two people with no bottom line might not let the same drama happen again.
When the Hou court is controlled by these two people, will it be okay?
Maybe there will be disasters caused by relatives during the Han Dynasty.
That's why after Sima Guang was deposed, he attached great importance to the position of commander in front of the palace.
But given the situation at the time, he had no way of suppressing Di Qing for no reason, so he could only reluctantly lift the Yang family out and let them compete with Di Qing for the position of palace chief.
But strictly speaking, the Yang family was not very in line with his wishes.
First, the Zeng family was implicated and convicted by themselves, and there was no way to completely suppress Di Qing.
Secondly, their reputation for loyalty is too strong, and they have a plaque bestowed upon them by the late emperor, which makes them very popular among the people. They are also leaders in martial arts, so they are too dangerous.
Third, Yang Zongbao has a lot of troops outside... There is no need to worry now, but it is a pity.
Just at this moment, Huyan Shouyong appeared,
His situation made Wang Yanling's eyes light up. He had enmity with the other generals, but he was also so kind to him. It was simply wonderful.
Taking advantage of the threat of hundreds of thousands of bandit troops outside the city, he was promoted to the position of commander of the front department. It was so justified that even Pan Renmei, let alone the ministers, did not dare to object.
At this time, Wang Yanling looked after Hu Yanshouyong as if he were his own son.
Hearing Wang Yanling's question, Hu Yanshouyong was wandering outside, as if he hadn't heard. Xiao Saihong who was next to him quickly kicked him and said:
"Husband, the Prime Minister is asking questions, are you being too rude?"
Hu Yanshou was no more than thirty years old. He had three thin strands of thin beard and a handsome and elegant face.
After being reminded by his wife, he suddenly woke up, glanced at her, and said to Wang Yanling very worriedly:
"Prime Minister, I believe that the Yang family has had a good relationship for generations. This time Zongbao was accidentally killed by my wife's adopted son. I don't know how to meet the old lady. After all, he is... the only male in the Yang family."
Wang Yanling fell silent immediately after hearing this, but Xiao Saihong said displeasedly:
"Is it difficult for my adopted son to be your adopted son?"
"Back then, when the Yang family helped Zhao... suppress your family, why didn't they remember the good feelings of the contract?"
After saying that, she wanted to get angry and said:
"What's more, my adopted son was also killed by Yang Zongbao in order to protect you."
Hu Yanshouyong suddenly choked up and explained helplessly:
"After all, it was the late emperor who gave the order, and there was nothing the old lady could do..."
Xiao Saihong said angrily:
"I think you dislike my son for not being from the Song Dynasty, so you have no father-son affection!"
Hu Yanshouyong was speechless. Wang Yanling quickly came to the rescue and said:
"At that time, everyone was their own master. It was also a misunderstanding before."
"The old lady will always show great righteousness, and I think she will put the overall situation first, so don't worry about it."
Xiao Saihong was extremely skilled in martial arts and well versed in the art of war. Wang Yanling did not want them to have conflicts as husband and wife, and Hu Yanshouyong was not interested in official matters.
Hearing Wang Yanling speak, Xiao Saihong immediately became obedient, picked up the wine glass and said with a smile:
"What the Prime Minister said is absolutely true. Now that my husband and I have returned to the Song Dynasty, we will all rely on the Prime Minister from now on."
"I would like to drink a glass of wine to show my respect to the Prime Minister..."
After saying that, he gave instructions to the second adopted son behind him:
"Go and serve wine to the prime minister. Just be your elder."
When Wang Yanling heard this, he immediately smiled and praised repeatedly:
"I heard that this time I captured Tian Hu, saved Bianjing from danger, and solved the difficulties of the Song Dynasty. It was this son who took action. Okay, okay!"
"This contribution is indeed not small, and a guerrilla general seems not enough to compare..."
The guerrilla general is already a fifth-grade military officer. For young people, it is already a high position. Even Pan Bao is only at this grade. This is really an exaggeration.
Xiao Saihong heard this but didn't take it seriously, and just said happily:
"I never thought that the Prime Minister would value me so much. Why don't you let my son be the Prime Minister's adopted grandson?"
After saying that, he hurriedly said to his adopted son:
"The court of the Song Dynasty is different from the Liao Kingdom. Now the emperor is young and the prime minister is the first person in the court."
"In the future, if a king takes his fancy, why worry about my son not being able to make great achievements? Why not quickly thank my grandfather?"
The adopted son was also very obedient. He was overjoyed and immediately fell to his knees and called himself grandfather.
He also saw that this king valued his adoptive father very much.
But I didn't expect that I would also have such an opportunity. The idea that had not been realized in the Liao Dynasty would actually be realized in the Song Dynasty.
If it was true as my adoptive mother said, would I still be able to flourish in the Song Dynasty?
When Wang Yanling heard this, she was a little speechless.
He was praising, but he didn't want to admit his relatives. Not only was this guy from the Liao Dynasty, he was from the Song Dynasty, and he didn't want to admit his relatives to a martial artist.
If someone found out, wouldn't you be laughed to death? Is there any innocence left?
Just then, the concierge reported:
"Master Prime Minister, Lord Marquis, Lord Kou, please see me."
Wang Yanling quickly changed the topic and said:
"please come in......"
Kou Zhun didn't look good when he saw the people drinking and drinking. He cupped his hands at Wang Yanling and sighed:
"Prime Minister, you have hurt the hearts of loyal ministers this time. The old lady wants to resign and go into seclusion... I can't persuade you anymore."
Wang Yanling was stunned for a moment and instinctively said angrily:
"It's nonsense. Without the approval of the imperial court, how can you resign just as you say? What do you think of the imperial court?"
Kou Zhun was silent for a moment and said:
"Prime Minister, the imperial court needs the Yang family. I hope that Prime Minister will try to appease them and not completely chill the loyal people in the world..."
After saying that, he turned around and left.
Although he always advised Taijun She to put the overall situation first, he also had some opinions on Wang Yanling's selection of people to do things. If he was not afraid of chaos in the court, he would have talked about impeaching Wang Yanling.
Seeing this, Wang Yanling shook his head helplessly and ordered:
"Prepare the car, I'll go and comfort you personally."
It's just that he was already old and had drunk a lot of wine. He couldn't get up for a while, so he had to say:
"Shou Yong, you go and keep Taijun She first. I will be there after a short rest."
Hearing this, Xiao Saihong quickly said diligently:
"My son goes first to find out whether the Yang family has left the city."
"We must keep them until the prime minister arrives..."
