"What? You asked me to invite him?" Yan Wen turned his head in confusion and looked at his younger brother Yan Liang.
"This is Prime Minister Liu's order to tell you to talk to Niu Yuan about this matter." Yan Liang couldn't make unreasonable accusations, so he had to answer truthfully.
Yan Wen sighed with a depressed look on his face: "He has wanted to enter Zhongshu Province for a long time, and now that he has got his wish, it is really a villain who has succeeded...I am afraid it will be extremely detrimental to what I want to do in the future."
"Well, when eldest brother was in the general's mansion, he was suppressed by this guy. But when you got to the position of prime minister, he still stayed in the mansion for a long time. He accumulated a lot of resentment, and naturally he hated us so much. ." Yan Liang sneered.
"No," Yan Wen waved his hand to his younger brother, "This is not the fundamental reason. His mind is not so bad. There are more conflicts in political opinions. But here is the problem. Once his wishes are not fulfilled, he will He is a stumbling block overtly and covertly, and his eyes cannot tolerate others. So... I am quite worried."
"Do people in the province know about this transfer?" Yan Liang decided to avoid the previous topic.
"I only mentioned it to Li Shen, but I was no longer in the mood to talk." He rubbed his temples helplessly.
"Since you have such big objections to him, it's better to let your brother go for you. Anyway, Mr. Liu is not forcing his eldest brother." Yan Liang advised.
"Even so, how can I be so disregardful of the overall situation in this position?" Yan Wen said earnestly, "If I can't unite the top and bottom, but continue to vent my anger, our group will be in trouble. . This is a top priority. As for what I have to do later, I will leave it for later."
"Young brother, I understand." Although Yan Liang stopped arguing, he was a little unwilling: after all, what he called 'what to do later' was the most noble ideal in the hearts of the two brothers.
There has been no trace of Liu Zhennian in the General's Mansion for a long time. Since the general got involved in officialdom, he has gradually started to discuss affairs in Zhongshu Province; now that he has been granted the title of Prime Minister, he has settled into the Prime Minister's Mansion in a more down-to-earth manner. Of course, Liu Zhennian is not a heartless person, and he often thinks about finding opportunities for his former comrades to come out. Especially Niu Yuan, although he no longer has the status of a mastermind, he has unique insights in running the army. He can indeed teach the inexperienced Ye Yongjia to ensure the smooth operation of the Ministry of War.
Therefore, the quota to enter the province fell on his head. In order to make Niu Changshi feel more balanced, Liu Zhennian followed Gui Fu's suggestion and set up the post of "Serving the Prime Minister" in Zhongshu Province, responsible for executing the Prime Minister's orders. If the proposal is successful, it will be sealed on behalf of everyone; If it fails, it can be rejected on behalf of the public. His official position and participation in politics are on an equal footing, which can satisfy Niu Yuan's requirements. After that, Yan Wen was sent to invite him to come out.
Yan Wen stood at the door of the outer study room and was led by his servants to sit inside. After preparing tea, he listened to the sound of chanting in the inner room: "The ruler is the one who controls the power. If the master fails to maintain it, it will be in danger. The emperor and his ministers interpret the law and are responsible for it." If there is selfishness, there will be chaos. Therefore, if the legislation is clear and does not harm the law with private interests, it will be governed. The power system is arbitrary and the king is powerful..."
"Is this your master's voice?" Yan Wen didn't even remember.
"Yes."
"Oh, distinguished guest, distinguished guest!" I saw a man holding a book, opening the curtain and walking out of the back room, "Mr. Yan, many of you have never been here before, but are you nostalgic for the past?"
Yan Wen quickly smiled and bowed: "In the past, my brother and I were behind the scenes together, making suggestions for the general. It was really more enjoyable than sitting in the court all day long."
"What's the purpose of coming here this time?" Niu Yuan put down a volume of books and sat next to him and asked.
"General Liu intends to ask you to come out of the mountain and join the Zhongshu Province to assist Yan." Yan Wen said.
Niu Yuan's face looked a little ugly. He lowered his head and said with a faint smile: "Niu is like a war horse on the battlefield. He only likes to gallop freely. It is not my intention to be trapped in the court. If Mr. Liu misses his old feelings, I can teach him a lesson." Why should you bury talents for me in a leisurely position?"
Yan Wen took the opportunity to say: "When Liu Gong was on the southern expedition, Chang Shi followed the formation and offered suggestions and made many strange plans. But now there is no place to put them into practice. This is called talent being buried. Liu Gong is uniquely discerning. Perhaps in his eyes, others are just a stone." A piece of wood has nothing to do with the overall situation, only Chang Shi is a hidden gem in the ocean, a rare figure."
Niu Yuan felt very happy when he heard Yan Wen's flattery, but he still showed his indifference: "I am so virtuous and capable, but he just sees me as pitiful... Tell me a few words, what does the general want to reward me?" What kind of official is this?"
Seeing that he was a little shaken, Yan Wen said: "General Liu was afraid that you wouldn't want to be an ordinary official, so he specially set up a 'Fengxiang' in Zhongshu Province to weigh in with me, just like in the past. There is absolutely no distinction between superior and inferior.”
The word 'back then' kept stirring up Niu Yuan's emotions. He thought of himself at a young age, waving a riding whip on the battlefield, and receiving all the honors in the general's mansion... Now his hair is covered with white hair, his hands are empty, and he can only look at his colleagues. One by one they ascended to high positions. But at this time, someone said that they wanted him to restore his former grace, which immediately moved the groggy old man. He straightened up, his eyes flickering like two clusters of flames: "Then I want to go!"
Yan Wen didn't know whether he was happy or sad at this moment, so he nodded blankly: "Yes, Niu Changshi, no, Niu Fengxiang, that's right! All the ministers are waiting for you to show off your skills!"
Niu Yuan was feeling proud of the spring breeze, but he couldn't help but feel worried, so he said to Yan Wen: "It's probably because I don't know how to do things in the officialdom that I ended up in this situation. If I really want to do something big, I have to get along with those people." Come. I am not very knowledgeable about this matter, and I still need to ask Yan Shenzheng for advice."
Yan Wen said anxiously: "We are all dedicated to serving the country. It is normal to have some differences of opinion, but it is not something to belittle like this..."
"Oh, I'm afraid it won't be a problem if you complain a little in my study," Niu Yuan said with a smile, "Forget it, I take it back."
"When it comes to being in the officialdom, especially with those on General Liu's side, it's important to be in harmony. As long as you can reconcile everyone's opinions and satisfy most people, you can get along well. Don't go your own way in everything. You can’t be too particular about perfection.”
"I understand this truth." Niu Yuan said.
"Now that Liu Gong's prestige is getting higher and higher, what plans does the wise brother have after becoming prime minister?" He spoke again after a moment of silence, seeming to test Yan Wen's opinion.
Yan Wen was afraid of offending him and didn't want to misunderstand him, so he gave a vague answer: "You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to play chess step by step. No one can predict what will happen in the future."
"Then what's the next move in this game?"
"It's up to you." Yan Wen replied in shock.
"I think it's a great idea to work for the Ministry of War." Niu Yuan tapped lightly on the table with one finger.
