The sky is getting dark, and the inside and outside of the palace waterside pavilion are already brightly lit with candles, as bright as day. During the meal, Yang Ji and Yang Guang were "assigned" by the Xiao family's daughter, so that the Yang brothers did not eat in the pavilion, but had their own table by the lake.
The so-called "distribution" is of course just an excuse for the Yang family wives. The real reason is that they know that the Yang brothers are full of bad ideas. As long as they get together, it won't take long for them to talk about world affairs and think about how to calculate people; When they are standing by, it doesn't matter whether they listen or not. It doesn't matter whether they leave or not.
Without those women to disturb them, the Yang brothers were enjoying drinking and drinking, and they were really at ease. And without them, the women could talk about women's personal things freely, and they really all had their own fun!
Dinner is a pot of stew. Everyone has a small hot pot and the side dishes are the same. If you don't like it, you don't have to use the pot.
After a few glasses of wine, Yang Guang suddenly found that his place was still full, but Yang Ji had poured the entire plate of meat into the pot, and then wiped out the food like a farmer exterminating pests.
Although it was breathtaking to see, what he liked was this feeling of openness; if Yang Ji was "polite", why would he come to the palace to make a living?
Influenced by Yang Ji, Yang Guang also had a big appetite; he had a pot of stew. It's just that he didn't wear T-shirt, cropped pants, and wooden clogs like Yang Ji. After a while, he felt as hot as if he was on fire.
He pulled open his collar a little and said, "It's better to have a good meal at your house. Even the fish and grass are more delicious than the delicacies in the palace."
"Eating is a feeling." Yang Ji said with deep understanding: "However, the imperial palace serves as a model for the world, and everyone is strict about every word and deed. Over time, people have become puppets without feelings. I am subject to this. I don’t have that kind of restraint, so after every big banquet, I have to go home and have extra meals.”
Yang Guang smiled bitterly when he heard this. He even disliked such a liberal person like Yang Ji. This shows how boring the banquet in the palace is. What's frustrating is that everyone despises that kind of big banquet, but this kind of ceremonial banquet is necessary.
He drank a glass of wine with some enthusiasm, and said sadly: "Vajra slave, to tell you the truth, I also think the palace is the least interesting place. The imperial city where the official offices are located can be said to be a concentrated place of filth and evil. , and the darkest place in the world is the Imperial City. Even though you are invincible and invincible and have killed countless enemies, you are still very young compared to those who kill without using knives."
Pouring himself another glass of wine, he said: "They are all the smartest people in the world. I am really tired of fighting with them in intrigues and wits. Alas! When the Chen family case is over, let's go to Liangzhou for a walk. , Take some time to relax. Show me the changes in Liangzhou."
"Okay!" Yang Ji glanced at Yang Guang and said meaningfully and pointedly: "It is best to bring one or two million people."
Yang Guang heard the implication, raised his eyes to look at Yang Ji, and said, "One or two million people? You can imagine that. And your words are weird. Why do I think you are targeting me?"
"It's not against you, I'm against Sui... Emperor Chen Yang." Yang Ji changed the target in time and said: "It is said that when Emperor Chen Yang goes on patrol, he often brings tens of thousands of people with him."
Yang Guang drank a little too much, so he didn't doubt him and asked, "So what?"
"How is it? In order to promote the country's prestige and its so-called wealth, that bitch mobilized hundreds of thousands of people. The officials were happy, but the people were crying silently and hating them to the bone." Yang Ji snorted coldly and stared at Yang Guang. : "It is said that that bitch likes to show off. Before he goes on patrol, he not only builds dragon boats, but also distributes food and lodging for hundreds of thousands of people to local governments. Local officials have the title of 'Emperor's Patrol' and 'Emperor's Transit' , so in the name of offering food, they violently extorted money from the people in the territory."
"When the inspection team left, the deprived people had not even a grain of rice left. In order to survive, they had no choice but to sell their children and daughters, hoping that their children would have enough to eat and live in a good family. And they took the opportunity to enrich their own pockets, The corrupt officials who plunder the people's wealth and anointing are smiling happily and making a fortune."
The more Yang Guang listened, the more he felt that something was wrong. He always felt that Yang Ji was making insinuations and making accusations. What was even worse was that Yang Ji was staring at him while talking, as if he was saying, "Bitch, I'm talking about you, the dog."
He glared at Yang Ji and said angrily: "Hey, I love the people like a son and have the people in mind. Can you stop looking at me like that? It makes me feel like a tyrant and a coward who doesn't care about the people. I stared wide open Look at me with your eyes, can I be compared to Chen Shubao?"
"Chen Shubao only has half of the world, but my brother is the emperor of the whole world. He is definitely incomparable." Yang Ji became even more enthusiastic: "If my brother brings one or two million people, then I, the Liangzhou Shepherd, can also do it." He ordered the local government to donate food, filled his own pockets, and made a fortune. More importantly, this is a confusing account that no one can calculate or investigate clearly. But don't worry, brother, I will give you half of it when the time comes. As for cutting it off What does the life and death of the people who can be reborn have to do with us?"
Yang Guang completely understood. This dog-like thing was not insinuating at all, but was clearly talking about himself. But he could accept this specious way of admonition, so he solemnly promised: "Don't worry, I am not 'Chen Shubao', and I will never use the foundation of the Sui Dynasty to promote the so-called national prestige."
"I'm not talking about you!" Yang Ji picked up the wine glass and said with a smile: "If I take the courtiers and 30,000 elites to Liangzhou, I will never disturb the people. However, the East and West Turks are not the people of our Sui Dynasty, and they will occasionally disturb It’s okay.”
"You must know that we, the Sui Dynasty, are the superior state of the Celestial Empire, and you are the sage Khan who is respected by the whole world. As vassals of the Sui Dynasty, their money is the money of the Sui Dynasty, and their livestock is the livestock of the Sui Dynasty. , they did their best to receive the Holy Emperor and the Celestial Army, which is not only reasonable, but also an honor for them."
Yang Guang was a little stunned after hearing this. After a while, he quickly acted like a gentleman and said seriously: "It makes sense. If we give them the opportunity to receive them, I think their ancestors for eighteen generations will feel honored and smile." .”
The reason why Yang Ji was so weird was to prevent Yang Guang from being confused and ruining the good situation. Now that he had fully understood what he meant, it was enough. If you continue to say it, it will only make people disgusted and the gain will not be worth the loss.
Yang Guang didn't have so many ideas. Although he was stabbed secretly by Yang Ji, he also knew that the emperor's patrols had always been regarded as a good opportunity for promotion and wealth by most local officials. Let alone Chen Shubao, he was wise. When the mighty Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty went on tour, he was also exploited by corrupt officials.
Ignoring the matter, he asked Yang Ji: "Do you know about Li Ziquan's impeachment?"
"I heard that!" Yang Ji nodded and said curiously: "It is normal for important ministers in the court to be impeached! For example, I have been impeached all the time."
"It's different. I asked Yang Wei to impeach him this time! Li Ziquan, he crossed the line." Yang Guang picked up the jug and filled himself with wine, and then said to Yang Ji: "I asked him to supervise the Chen family's rebellion case. , but he jumps up and down and forms cliques. He is the representative of the Shandong gentry, so if he wins over the Shandong gentry, that's fine, but he actually plans to use the Yingchuan family for his own use."
With that said, he asked Yang Ji: "The Yingchuan family used to be a powerful force that influenced the world, do you know that?"
"I know!" Yang Ji responded and said: "The Xun family, Chen family, Zhong family, Wang family and Xie family seem to be all in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms"."
Yang Guang slapped his forehead and said with a smile: "I forgot that you wrote "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms"."
After pondering for a while, Yang Guang continued: "The Yingzhou family is located in the Central Plains zone, sandwiched between the north and the south. Since they have been competing with the Shandong gentry and the Central Plains gentry for the right to speak in the Central Plains, their relationship is very bad. However, although they are closer to the southern gentry, But it is self-contained. In this major case, many descendants of the Yingzhou family were involved."
"I guess it is for this reason that Li Ziquan is planning to take over the declining Yingzhou family for his own use. While strengthening the power of the Shandong gentry, he will weaken the southern gentry. However, the Shandong gentry itself is a deep-rooted and powerful force. If Li Ziquan If we absorb them again, the harm will be even greater than that of the Guanlong nobles."
"Originally, I was planning to classify the Yingchuan family into the Southern sect. However, after this case, the Southern gentry will break out of their cocoons and become butterflies, and their cohesion will even exceed that of the Guanlong nobles and Shandong gentry. If we continue If the Yingchuan family sends it over, then Tianxiong will stand side by side. In order to survive and develop, the relatively weak Guanzhong gentry, Hedong gentry, and Central Plains gentry can only merge into Guanlong, Shandong, and Nanfang nearby. At that time, the world will appear Zhou Zhou again. The power structure of , Qi and Chen coexisting."
When Yang Guang said this, he said happily: "But your suggestion of letting Xiao Jue be in charge of the withdrawal of the military government will indeed allow the southern gentry to fight a big war with the Guanlong nobles and Shandong gentry. No matter who is the winner among them, their strength will be the same." Big loss, but we are all the biggest winners!”
"If the southern gentry, the Guanlong nobles, and the Shandong gentry lose their strength in the battle, the six major forces and our royal family will become the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period, which are equally matched; if we add the rising poor families, they will become the Eight Great Vajras!"
"As for the Yingchuan family, it is impossible for them to be with the poor family, nor to join the royal family. But allowing them to join one of the other six major forces will cause a tilt in strength. Please help me think about it, is there a way to solve it? ?”
Yang Ji said: "Why don't we make it up to one?"
Yang Guang's heart moved and he said, "How come all ninety-nine are back to one?"
"At the beginning of the establishment of the Council, nine prime ministers were preset, allowing each of the nine prime ministers to lead a major force. One of the prime ministers was originally destined for Jiangnan, but after the fall of Yu Shiji, no suitable candidate could be found. Nowadays, Jingzhou, The two major forces in the south of the Yangtze River are about to merge into the southern gentry. They must not give it to the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. Otherwise, the southern gentry will be the only one." After analyzing this, Yang Ji added: "If this prime minister is assigned to the Yingchuan family, it will If it is completely self-contained, the strength of the southern gentry will be greatly reduced, and the Shandong gentry and the Central Plains gentry will not be able to pull it away."
"Once the Yingchuan family becomes its own faction, other major forces will definitely not sit back and watch them enter the court and seize power. They will definitely try their best to suppress them before they rise. Therefore, the only help for their rise is the royal family and my brother. In addition, there are One advantage is that it can help absorb some of the pressure from a rising but weak family."
Hearing this, Yang Guang also felt that it made sense. However, he reviewed the important officials in the court and said helplessly: "This method is not bad. But no one from the Yingchuan family is qualified to be the prime minister! What can you do? , said it together."
Yang Ji said: "It is not necessary to add a phase immediately. You can grant someone the qualification to enter the council chamber and participate in political affairs. Although this person is not the prime minister, he can exercise the power of the prime minister. If he has such power, others can not know it. Which party does he represent? As for the candidate, I think Yu Zizhi is very good."
"Okay! It's him." Yang Guang exclaimed. Yu Zizhi recommended by Yang Ji was very suitable to his liking.
Yu Zizhi was a prudent man by nature and loyal in character. He was not only a contemporary poet and famous calligrapher, but also good at writing policy essays and political articles criticizing current ills. When Yang Guang was still the king and crown prince of Jin, he was one of Yang Guang's indispensable staff members. The memorials he wrote on Yang Guang's behalf contained no typos or errors, and every famous sentence fit Yang Guang's heart.
He is now the regular attendant of the Zuo Sanqi of the Menxia Province, in charge of matters such as making mistakes and serving as advisors. His rank is from the third rank; no matter from any aspect, he has the qualifications to enter the council hall and participate in important military affairs.
After thinking for a while, Yang Guang said to Yang Ji: "It's just him, and he can't do anything alone. I intend to resume the post of Shao Qing of Xie Daohong Taifu."
After hearing this, Yang Ji got what he wanted and pretended to be deep in thought: "Xie Daohong has been the Shaoqing of the Taifu for many years. Instead of being promoted, he was involved in the Li family case in Longxi because of his careless friendship. It's just that his father Xie Daohong was not promoted. In order to understand and rescue Xie Daohong, Ge did not hesitate to report the Chen family. His contribution was to the country and the country. Moreover, the Xie family also renounced themselves from the southern gentry because of this matter. It can be said that he paid a huge and painful price."
"Originally, Xie Ge should be rewarded, but Xie Ge is old and frail and cannot be used properly. If he uses it rashly, it will be detrimental to the country. But if you ignore it, it is really chilling. No one will be willing to report criminals in the future. I Let’s see if Xie Daohongguan can be reinstated.”
Yang Guang said with a smile: "This is indeed the truth. We will announce it tomorrow morning."
The Xie family has made great achievements this time, and it is not too much to reinstate Xie Daohong to his official position. With the example of "a thousand gold buys a horse bone", those who are ambitious can see the benefits of reporting illegal crimes. In the future, they will inevitably encounter corrupt officials. Rushing like a duck.
The meal lasted for more than half an hour, and then the discussion ended. Taking advantage of his drunkenness, Yang Guang left the palace with Queen Xiao, Xiao Zhaoyi and others and returned to the palace.
By the way, I also took away those famous calligraphy and paintings.
