Humans are social animals, but for animals that live in groups, the leader is extremely important. If the leader is an outstanding figure like a lion and a tiger, the sheep under him can also turn into a group of hungry wolves. If the leader is a sheep, even a group of fierce ligers under him will become like sheep.
What the Yang family is facing now is the latter situation. Yang Yue, Yang Wensi, Yang Shen, Yang Xuangan and others in the Yang family are all very capable, and several of them are even high-ranking ministers. However, they currently lack a person. An outstanding leader, a strong master who can lead them out of difficult situations.
On the one hand, the new head of the family, Yang Xuangan, is indecisive, ambitious and lacking in talent, and does not have the courage, prestige, and experience to overwhelm the whole family. Externally, he has no good way to deal with the storm; internally, he cannot shake his mother and wife who are always trying desperately to move the family property to their parents' home, which makes everyone extremely disappointed in him. In this chaotic situation, masters who expressed their own opinions sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. If Yang Xuangan dared to ignore the facts and prescribe strong medicine, no matter how good the prescription was, it would be poison that would lead to internal strife and collapse of the Yang family.
On the other hand, there are many causes of illness in the Yang family, which makes people feel like a dying and terminally ill old man. In the absence of a strong head of the family, the interests and positions represented by the various "owners" are complicated. It makes it impossible for everyone to reach a revolutionary compromise.
For now, the only consensus their family has reached is to use external forces to return Yang Yue to an important position in the court.
As soon as Yang Ji's words came out, Yang Xuanting's expression changed, and Yang Jishan's expression also looked a little unnatural; for no other reason than he was ashamed.
Not only Yang Xuanting and Yang Jishan knew about the disease in the Duke of Chu's mansion, but also Yang Yue, Yang Wensi, Yang Shen, Yang Xuangan and others. The latter shouted the slogan of reform louder than anyone else, but because of the lack of a convincing leader, every time a presbytery meeting was held, they were excited when speaking and moved by hearing, but in the end they remained motionless.
Their muddled, self-deceptive ostrich mentality and approach was the source of shame for the two brothers. However, Yang Ji exposed it unceremoniously and mercilessly. How could they not be ashamed?
Yang Xuanting felt ashamed and helpless. At the same time, he was a little displeased by Yang Ji. He forced a smile and said: "Your Majesty, family matters are decided by the head of the family. But after all, my father has contributed to the country and the country, and there is no big fault; as a human being, I Son, naturally I cannot sit back and watch my father being depressed and sick because he has no way to serve the country. Now that the king is in the holy book Youlong, if he can say a fair word to the saint, the effect will be a hundred times or a thousand times better than ours."
Ling Jing couldn't help but frown, feeling extremely unhappy, and thought to himself, is this your attitude towards asking for help? What does it mean to be the king of my family?
Besides, Your Majesty is too busy to take care of himself and is walking on thin ice. How can he use the Holy Scroll on a family like yours that doesn’t know how to advance or retreat?
Zhang Chuchen, who was wearing a scarlet robe, and several maids were carrying a red clay stove, a pot of boiling spring water, tea, and pastries, ready to enter. Upon hearing Yang Xuanting's aggressive words, his handsome face was covered with frost. , feeling a little angry.
She took a deep breath, tried her best to put on a calm look, and walked into the hall first. Her arrival also resolved the solemn and awkward atmosphere in the hall at the right time. .... Zhang Chuchen first saluted everyone one by one, and then asked the maid to remove the "old" teapot and the stove that was about to burn out, and replace them with new tea sets and spring water.
The tea ceremony attaches more importance to tea leaves than spring water. Only when the water is good can the tea be fragrant, just like red flowers and green leaves. If there are no green leaves to match, what is the unique difference in the flowers no matter how gorgeous they bloom? And no matter how good the spring water is, it will become old if it is boiled for a long time, and it is naturally not worthy of new tea leaves.
After the maid rearranged the tea set and left, she knelt down on the couch in an elegant manner and placed the purple sand teapot on the burning stove. Previously, she had added various ingredients to the sencha tea, but this time, she replaced it with But it is making tea, and the tea sets are naturally different.
The Yang brothers had also drank the bubble tea invented and promoted by Yang Ji, but they were not so particular and watched her actions with interest.
Zhang Chuchen smiled at the guests and explained: "Salt, onions, garlic, ginger, pepper, mutton oil, etc. are added to sencha. This kind of tea soup is very similar to vegetable soup and has the effect of satisfying hunger. However, my son and aunt only like tea." It is pure, so no ingredients are added except a cup of water. At first we were not used to it, but over time, we found that the tea brewed in this way has a unique flavor."
Yang Xuanting first bowed slightly to Zhang Chuchen to show that he was taught, and then smiled at Yang Ji and said: "Everyone has his own preferences, and the way of drinking tea has evolved into thousands of ways. The drinking method created by the king." The method of tea is more elegant than the traditional sencha that combines various flavors. It has a refreshing fragrance and is slightly bitter and astringent, but afterwards it is extremely sweet and makes people feel refreshed and comfortable. If you think about it carefully, it feels like life. .”
"Brother's words have already captured the essence of tea!" Yang Ji also smiled: "Tea is a divine thing. It absorbs the aura of heaven and earth, the essence of the sun and the moon, and takes up all the five elements and eight trigrams. However, gold, wood, water, fire, and earth are not It doesn’t have the same thing. But the fried tea has also been exposed to wind, sun, rain, and human suffering. Finally, it has to be fried in an iron pot and soaked in boiling water, so that its unique aroma can be brewed.”
Glancing at Yang Xuanting, he continued meaningfully: "Brother, have you ever thought about how much suffering it has to suffer before it can deliver the fragrance to our mouths? Do you know what it intends to tell us? It tells us that it will be bitter first before it will be sweet. Only through accumulation can you make short achievements. In fact, I think it is not just about tea, but also about life. If a person is small-minded, has a narrow vision, cares about trivial matters, and worries about gains and losses, he cannot hide his unique fragrance and charm; and a person can't hide his unique fragrance and charm; , If a group has a small structure, its career in this life will not be big or long-lasting! Therefore, tea is a kind of attitude towards life, and understanding tea is a kind of life perception. "
There are many dandies who are ignorant and unskilled among the aristocratic families, but those who are personable, polite, and talented are equally valuable. Yang Xuanting and Yang Jishan, as envoys of the Yang family, are naturally not playboys.
Speaking of elegant things, it will not disappoint. And Yang Ji's very obvious "metaphor" made their brothers' expressions stagnant.
It's a pity that the world is changing and no one can control it at all. As the head of the family, Yang Ji is self-reliant. But for children with low status like them, their words are like a breeze, and they pass without causing any trouble. ….For a moment, the hall fell into silence.
"Gudu, Gudu!" In the silence of everyone, the purple clay pot on the stove quickly rang.
As soon as it boiled, there was a slight sound. Zhang Chuchen calmly covered the teapot with a white towel, then opened the lid, scooped out a scoop of water with a small and delicate bamboo scoop and put it aside, and then scooped out another scoop with another bamboo scoop. A ladle of water was slowly poured onto the white porcelain teacup to wash it.
After boiling for the second time, there will be springs flowing in the pot.
Before the second boil reached the extreme and the third boil reached, she added a ladle of water back. Before it boiled again, she picked up the purple clay pot, moved it away from the fire, and started washing, brewing, and dividing the tea.
Zhang Chuchen behaves elegantly and flows smoothly, and his every move is indescribably graceful and natural.
Yang Xuanting picked up a tea cup as white as jade, looked at the crystal clear green tea soup, and took a sip. A sweet taste lingered between his lips and teeth, fresh and mellow.
Perhaps after Yang Ji's exaggeration, he felt different after drinking this time. He put down the tea cup, hesitated for a long time, and then repeated the old words: "But I wonder if the king can...?"
Yang Ji was also annoyed. He took a sip of tea and stared at the crystal clear white jade teacup for a long time. Then he raised his eyes and said to Yang Xuanting: "I am a local official after all, and I cannot interfere in court affairs, especially personnel appointments and removals." , if I point fingers, it will be a disservice, and it will be of no benefit to anyone. Wen Sigong is now the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and brother Xuangan is the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. They are both important ministers in the court, and they have all the talents to recommend to the country. Why should my brother sacrifice the near and seek the far away? If the two ministers go to court together, I think this matter will probably be settled, and it will be a good story by then."
After a series of words, Yang Xuanting and Yang Jishan were almost blocked back, leaving them speechless with their eyebrows pounding.
Ling Jing's eyes lit up and he secretly cheered! Regarding the family, Yang Ji has pointed out the mistakes of the Yang family and given them good solutions. Yang Xuanting had nothing to do, so he was moved by his feelings. However, Yang Ji's rejections and recommendations were all reasonable and impossible to find fault with.
Yang Jishan's city was not as deep as Yang Xuanting's, and he felt unhappy after hearing this. He moved his eyes from Yang Ji to his brother, and said sarcastically: "Brother, people are all upright and selfless. I didn't believe it before, but I have learned a lot today. Listen. It is said that King Qi broke the law, and it was the king who reported it to the sage."
As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became a little colder, and his strange annoyance was clearly taking Yang Jian as an example and accusing Yang Ji of not recognizing his relatives. Zhang Chuchen stared at Yang Jishan with cold beautiful eyes, feeling a strong sense of disgust and murderous intent in his heart.
Why didn't she realize why Yang Jishan was so hateful before? If she had known this, she should have poisoned this bastard!
"Emperor Gaozu Wen and Queen Wenwen were selfless, dedicated to the country, and enforced the law impartially. When King Jun of Qin and King Xiu of Shu committed crimes, they truly made the princes guilty of the same crime as the common people. I am a disciple who was taught by hand, so I inherit the legacy of the late emperor. , the late Queen’s legacy is to tell the truth about the mistakes made by the King of Qi. The sage clearly understands the truth, rewards and punishments are fair, punishes according to the law, and praises me highly!" Yang Ji's face became cold, and he said to Yang Jishan in a deep voice: "If you feel that Emperor Gao Zuwen and Queen Wenwen did not teach well, that the saints dealt with things unfairly, and that I did something wrong, you can go back to Beijing and argue with the saints!"... These words are loud and well-founded; Zhang Chuchen He could only hear his jade face turning crimson and his bright eyes twinkling with water. He looked at A Lang who was hiding his inner thoughts and expressing his thoughts from the outside. He felt that the tip of his heart was burning, causing ripples in his heart.
But when Yang Jishan heard it, he felt a sense of hunting and killing coming towards his face, and he was sweating coldly behind his back.
Ling Jing's face was livid, and he calmly "made things right" and said to Yang Xuanting calmly: "Master Xuanting, whether Uncle Hui will remain silent for now or become a prime minister, after all, it is the saint who decides; how can a minister make the decision?" Making decisions for the saint?"
These words, coupled with Yang Ji's words, were even more horrifying. Yang Xuanting felt awe-inspiring. He did not have any words to argue. He smiled and said: "Mr. Ling's words are absolutely correct. This is exactly the truth. We are not saying that we are in charge." , but..."
But what? He did not continue.
Just because Yang Jishan had frozen the good atmosphere, no matter how he tried to make up for it at the moment, it was all in vain.
Yang Jishan finally came to his senses and realized that his impulsiveness had ruined something big. He glanced at Yang Ji and met a pair of bright eyes, but his eyes were no longer soft, but sharp. When he looked at him, he felt the murderous intent of Zhen Xinji. He did not dare to look at each other, lowered his eyes in fear, cupped his hands and whispered: "Your Majesty, I am ignorant. I don't want to have such a sense of truth. I am wrong. I still hope Haihan will be here."
"It's okay!" Yang Ji smiled faintly and told Zhang Chuchen: "Chuchen, go tell the kitchen to prepare a banquet. I want to get drunk with Brother Xuanting."
He said this as if he didn't take what happened just now to heart, but Yang Xuanting could tell that Yang Ji didn't welcome or entertain Yang Jishan, but what was the difference between this and blasting him away together? Even if he stayed to eat, he would be staring at her and making him even more disgusting.
He quickly stood up and declined: "Your Majesty is so generous that I shouldn't refuse. However, our brothers have already made arrangements with our friends to watch the night view of Zhangye. We don't want to break our trust, so we won't eat here."
Yang Ji tried to persuade Yang Ji with a few words of "politeness", but in the end he could not defeat Yang Xuanting and could only "regretfully" send them out of the door in person.
When Yang Ji finished his polite greetings at the door and Xu Bu returned to the living room, he found that in addition to Ling Jing and Zhang Chuchen, Xiao Ying, Liu Rumei, Pei Shuying, Yang Shanhui, Wei Yunqi, Shen Faxing, and Zhu were in the hall. Can and Zong Luohu also came.
Yang Ji was not surprised by this.
Ling, Yang, Wei, Shen, Zhu, Zong and others actually all have their own houses, but they are all determined to go out with the army, so they said goodbye to their families yesterday and moved into the houses that the palace has reserved for them. , in order to follow orders and communicate in a timely manner.
Xiao Ying, Liu Rumei, Pei Shuying, and Zhang Chuchen are their "mistresses". In addition, the relationship between men and women in the Sui Dynasty is not as ruthless as in the Song Dynasty, so everyone is familiar with each other and gets along with each other like a family. They discuss matters together and work together. Eating is even more common.
"Lang Jun! Situ taught you skills during his lifetime. Isn't it a good idea to do this?" Xiao Ying and others had already listened to Ling Jing and Zhang Chuchen briefly introduce the process of the meeting and what the Yang family had done. Qiu and Yang Ji refused; it was inevitable that his subordinate Wenwu misunderstood that her husband was a heartless and unjust person, so he deliberately brought it up in public so that everyone could know her husband's true intentions.
"I don't want to! But the Yang family is too scary!" Yang Ji shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "If it's just about interests, then that's it. But the children of the Yang family are always challenging the limits of saints. If I get too involved with them, I risk my life dancing on the edge of a knife with them."
"What the king said is true." Ling Jing agreed: "If a person upholds his integrity, he may be easily slandered and criticized at first, but in the long run, there are only benefits and no harm."
Now the Sui Dynasty has changed beyond recognition, and Yang Ji doesn't know if Yang Xuangan will rebel, but they are losing the emperor's favor step by step; once the emperor's favor is lost, they will take care of business and put on the Yang family's shoes.
At that time, no one can guarantee that Yang Xuangan will be honest and not rebel, so it is best to keep a distance!
The fact that Yang Xuanting and Yang Jishan came to Zhangye to see him was by no means a big secret; Yang Ji was implicated, and the news spread that day.
The news that made them plead for mercy spread like wildfire. .
Bihai Siyun reminds you: Remember to collect after reading this
