For Xu Youzhen, at this stage, he does not need Zhang Xi to completely believe in him, that is unrealistic. What he needs is just Zhang Xi to be able to see his value.
As long as he is valuable, then Zhang Xi will at least listen to him, or in other words, give him a chance.
Therefore, Zhang Min asked him if he was showing off his smart timekeeping, and he said without hesitation that he was indeed showing off, or to be more precise, he was showing off his own value.
Xu Youzhen knew very well that with his status, he was not worth mentioning in front of Zhang Min.
Therefore, he wanted to tell Zhang Xi clearly that he, Xu Youzhen, was capable enough to help the British government!
Only in this way can he really get what he wants, at least to cooperate with the British government on a relatively equal basis, instead of becoming a dog driven by Zhang Shi.
Obviously, he won the bet.
Although Zhang Shi was angry in front of him, he still sat and listened to what he said, which meant that what he had just said had changed his view of himself.
So, Xu Youzhen continued.
"My previous report to the Second Master to conduct a thorough investigation of the military government was actually a time lag. The Emperor's letter has always been more important than Shaobao's. If Yu Shaobao is in Beijing, then there is no need to think too much about this matter. No matter who is responsible for it, it will eventually fall into the hands of Shaobao." In the hands of the Ministry of War, because Yu Shaobao was out of the capital to organize the army and the officials wanted to prevent the emperor from sending troops, the second master had the opportunity."
"Of course, in the end, the emperor made a superior move and used Wang Qin, which put the second master in a dilemma..."
When this matter was brought up again, Zhang Xi's face became even more ugly.
However, he still didn't say anything more. He just looked at Xu Youzhen quietly, wanting to hear what he could say.
"All the princes in the court are shrewd people, and it is impossible not to see this. Although Xu did not know the details of the memorial, but after that memorial, the emperor quickly issued an order to recall Shaobao to the capital. , I think it has something to do with this matter.”
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Mi immediately frowned.
There were some things that Xu Youzhen didn't know, but he knew them.
Hearing what Xu Youzhen said, he immediately remembered Yu Shiyue's abnormal behavior in the palace. He originally thought that Yu Shiyue wanted him to offend the civil and military officials of the dynasty, but now that he thought about it, the reason why Yu Shiyue said that was because he was afraid that it would be more likely. It was because he wanted Yu Qian to return to the court.
However, he just turned these thoughts in his mind, but did not say them out, because Xu Youzhen quickly spoke and came to a conclusion.
"So, if you want to help the second master take the throne now, you have to face not only Fan Guang and others, but also the Ministry of War, Yu Qian!"
When Xu Youzhen got to the key point, Xu Youzhen didn't even want to address him with honorifics and directly called him by his first name.
Her body leaned forward involuntarily. Although there was no one else around, Xu Youzhen still lowered her voice subconsciously and said.
"If Xu's prediction is correct, the final destination of what the Duke of Guo told the Second Master will be on Shaobao, right?"
When saying this, Xu Youzhen stared at Zhang Xi's face closely, not letting go of any changes in him.
Sure enough, when he said these words, Zhang Xi's expression immediately changed. Although he quickly covered it up, he still did not escape Xu Youzhen's capture.
Xu Youzhen said with a smile on his face.
"At this point, Xu just wants to ask the second master one question. If the Duke can convince the second master to stay dormant, there must be a good reason. However, Yu Shaobao is the emperor's favorite, and everyone in the government and the public knows this. .”
"With the protection of the emperor, Yu Shaobao's status is as stable as Mount Tai. Xu is very curious, what method does the Duke of Guo intend to use to shake Shaobao's status?"
Zhang Min looked at Xu Youzhen in front of him, with a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.
Just by standing still, you can infer so many things. Are all these civil servants so clever?
However, for this reason, it is basically a clear card. For Zhang Shi, there is only one last question left, and that is...
"Why should I tell you?"
In other words, Zhang Shi, why should he believe you, Xu Youzhen, a civil servant who took the initiative to come to you for no reason and who had basically no friendship before.
Of course, as soon as this sentence came out, it was basically equivalent to recognizing that Xu Youzhen's judgment was correct.
"Is this really the case?"
Xu Youzhen couldn't help being surprised, exhaled a long breath and said.
"What the Duke of Guo thinks is really bold!"
Zhang Min didn't speak, but looked at Xu Youzhen coldly, with a faint hint of threat in his eyes.
Seeing this situation, Xu Youzhen immediately calmed down and said.
"I know that the second master will not easily believe Xu when he comes so rashly. However, the answer to the question that the second master is worried about is actually very simple, because Xu is not Mr. Zhu Ge, nor is he from a deep-rooted noble family."
"Xu is just a clear-blooded scholar who offended the Emperor and the Holy Mother and had to rely on the Supreme Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince to gain a foothold in the court."
"Even if the British government is in decline, dealing with Xu will be a simple matter. I think this answer is enough for the second master, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Zhang Min was stunned for a moment, and then fell into thinking.
Even if he doesn't take Xu Youzhen seriously, he is still considered a member of the Supreme Emperor's party, so he still has a basic understanding.
This man had never been favored by the emperor because of the proposal to move south. He was led by Chen Xun to build the canal. He made great contributions but was always ignored.
Later, thanks to Li Xian's relationship, he managed to get acquainted with Zhu Jian, and with Chen Xun's help, he reluctantly entered the East Palace, but he never had much sense of presence.
It is indeed a bit exaggerated to say that it would be effortless to crush such a person. However, if the British government is really determined to deal with him, it will not be a difficult task as long as it devotes enough resources and connections.
I have to say that Xu Youzhen's reason is indeed convincing enough.
If it was Zhu Jian who came here today, then Zhang Mi would never let down his guard so quickly, because when Zhu Jian was in his situation, it would not be easy to bring him down.
Of course, it's not that it can't be done, but that the price to pay is too high, and it can easily make the British government completely crippled or even worse.
However, just for Xu Youzhen, a bachelor of Youchunfang who was only a fifth-grade scholar, it would be very easy for him to be used as a back-up even if the British government declined again.
Especially since he is still serving in the East Palace. You must know that risks and opportunities coexist with officials in the East Palace.
If the prince can successfully succeed to the throne, then the merit of following the dragon will make his official career onto a prosperous road and give him the most glorious resume. Even if he makes any mistakes, he will be dealt with lightly if he has such a layer of resume.
However, such a big credit is not easy to get.
It has always been difficult to be the Crown Prince of the East Palace. Before successfully succeeding to the throne, the Crown Prince must show off his abilities, but must not show off his talents too much and make the emperor jealous. The right balance is very difficult to grasp.
Especially now that the relationship between the Tian family is unpredictable, the situation facing the East Palace is even more dangerous. It is not obvious now, but when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince grows up and really starts to participate in the court affairs, then this group of officials in the East Palace will really It can be considered dangerous every step of the way.
In normal times, they need to avoid various risks for the East Palace, make suggestions, and jointly resist open and covert attacks from all sides. If anything goes wrong, they must step in immediately and bear the blame for His Royal Highness.
This is the responsibility of the East Palace!
If it weren't for this friendship of fighting side by side, the skill of following the dragon would not be as precious as a gold medal for avoiding death.
Therefore, from this perspective, Xu Youzhen will be subject to a lot of calculations in the future. If he really offends the British government, then Zhang Xi does not even need to take action himself. He only needs to be in danger one day in the future. Sometimes, giving him a push, or just watching, is enough to kill him.
He is a low-key person with a low status, but he wants to get involved in the struggles of the big shots. This is the risk he faces.
Xu Youzhen, who was standing in front of him, could not offer anything substantial that could convince him. However, as Xu Youzhen himself said, there was a huge difference in status between the British government and Xu Youzhen, and Zhang Mi had absolute control over him. This advantage was enough to stop him from scheming against the British government.
However, Zhang Xi pondered for a moment, and with the last hint of worry, he looked at Xu Youzhen and asked.
"If I remember correctly, you are a disciple of Chen Xun, Minister of Industry. When you were able to enter the East Palace, it was indispensable for the help of your teacher. Although, because you have been close to Mr. Zhu Ge recently, you have become relatively distant. , but can Chen Shangshu watch you fall into a crisis and just ignore it?"
Therefore, there is no fool in this court.
Zhang Min didn't take Xu Youzhen, a fifth-rank official, in his eyes, but what he really needed to know was that he didn't miss anything.
As expected, after hearing this, Xu Youzhen's face froze slightly, but soon, he showed a wry smile and said.
"To be honest with you, Mr. Xu just came out of the teacher's residence before coming to the British Duke's residence."
"Whether the teacher will stand by and watch Xu's matter depends on whether the second master is willing to accept Xu today!"
Zhang Min didn't expect that Xu Youzhen had thought of this in advance. He frowned and asked.
"What's the meaning?"
Xu Youzhen hesitated for a moment and said.
"Second Master, can you tell Xu first whether you and Mr. Guo plan to deal with Yu Shaobao?"
Hearing this, Zhang Min hesitated.
However, the words had already been said for this purpose, and there was no need to hide it any more. Therefore, Zhang Xi thought for a moment and nodded gently.
If Zhang Xi just acquiesced in this matter, then this action is equivalent to a direct admission.
Although the two have the same meaning, it means that Xu Youzhen has begun to gain Zhang Min's trust.
Seeing this situation, Xu Youzhen was heartbroken and said.
"To be honest with you, although Xu doesn't know what the Duke of Guo has planned, one thing Xu can be sure of is that it is not that simple to shake Shaobao's position."
"Furthermore, what Xu wants to say is that the British government must not stand aside and let the Chengguo government take action in this matter."
"Otherwise, if something goes wrong by then, the Chengguo Government has tried its best. Even if the British Government wants to accuse, they will not be able to speak out."
"So, Xu is willing to plan for the second master!"
Zhang Mian looked at Xu Youzhen with some suspicion in his eyes and asked.
"What are you planning?"
So, Xu Youzhen told Zhang Shi exactly what she had just said at Chen Xun's mansion.
】
"...In the Chen Mansion, Xu first brought up the matter of the cabinet vacancy, and then brought up the matter of Song Wenyi's invasion of the fields. These two matters have one thing in common, that is, they both depend on the emperor's attitude."
"With the precedent of the Beijing Police, in order to prevent Wang Jianzhai from using his grand plan to suppress dissidents, it is imperative to add more cabinet ministers."
When it comes to these political battles in the court, today's Xu Youzhen is no longer the stupid young man she was back then, and she speaks clearly and logically.
"Not only Chen Shangshu, but other important ministers in the court will also contribute to the matter. However, the cabinet is different from other yamen. Whether to add more people and who to add depends on the emperor's nod. Therefore, the few people Xu mentioned, Chen The Minister will definitely not recommend him, he will only choose someone who is not compatible with Wang Jianzhai, but who is in line with the emperor's wishes."
"Of course, because the emperor's nod is needed in the end, so at this time, we must not make the emperor unhappy. However, Song Wenyi's matter is also very difficult to suppress."
"Most of the gentry near the capital have connections with Beijing and China. Song Wenyi is so domineering. They have already found relationships with each other. It's just that because of the Chinese New Year, so many big things happened, so it didn't break out for the time being. But after the new year It must be overwhelming.”
"Now that Lin Cong, Ye Sheng and others have found Chen Shangshu through me, it means that important officials in the court will definitely be involved. However, if you want to increase the cabinet, you must not offend the emperor. What Song Wenyi did, And it must be the emperor’s order, so this is a dilemma.”
As he spoke, a mysterious smile flashed across Xu Youzhen's face. He looked up at Zhang Xi and asked.
"Then at this time, there needs to be someone who can come forward to offend the emperor, and at the same time, other ministers will not be implicated. In fact, other ministers can even stand between him and the emperor to reconcile with each other and be good people. "
"In this way, we can not offend the emperor, but also appease the public opinion in the court. Of course, Chen Shangshu and others should not care about the result. After all, Song Wenyi is not invading their fields. All he needs is a minister with enough weight to step forward. Show your attitude, and the rest is the emperor's business."
"This person must have the courage to dare to offend the emperor, and he must have enough weight. He must even have the courage to speak out even though he knows that he is being plotted against."
"Second Master thinks, among all the people in the court, who is the most suitable?"
