"Ziying, are you aware of my purpose?" Chai Ke picked up the teacup, pondered for a moment, then used the cup lid to apply matcha foam, and said calmly.
"It's inevitable to be entrusted by others." Feng Ziying also smiled, "Officials and teachers are also so ignorant."
Chai Ke smiled silently, "Times have changed, things have changed. Back then, he was the head of the college and you were a student. Before that, he was a second-rank official and you edited the Hanlin Academy. Now he is the same as you. As a minister of the cabinet, there are some things that are hard to say, so naturally I can only say them."
Feng Ziying shook her head and looked at the other person: "Brother Zishu, is it still early? Even if it's a rainy day, but..."
There was no further word after the word "but", and Feng Ziying didn't know what to say. If she didn't plan for a rainy day, wouldn't it be self-defeating to wait until the trouble came to find a way out?
Chai Ke also knew Feng Ziying's difficulties, but he felt that he might as well clarify some things.
If it works, it will work. If it doesn't work, it won't work. If it doesn't work now, it may not work then. If there are difficulties, everyone understands and we can talk about the conditions. At least there are no irreconcilable conflicts between Feng Ziying and her own side.
"Ziying, let's do this. You know my purpose here. Dongxian and Liu Jigong had an agreement. You also know that next year will be a change of office. It was originally agreed that Liu Jigong would take office and Dongxian would take over as the chief minister. But at present, Judging from the situation, I am afraid that Dongxian may not be willing to give in. Although Liu Ji Gong has not made it clear yet, we can also see that, let alone that he does not want to do it, even if he wants to do it, he still has to fight for his side. People think about it, so I find it difficult. In this case, it can only be..."
Chai Ke was still thinking about his words, and Feng Ziying smiled and answered: "The eight immortals crossed the sea, each showing his magical powers?"
Chai Ke laughed, "You can also say that the rules have been set long ago. Nomination, election, and voting are both simple and fair. Of course Liuji Gong has his confidence, and Dongxian certainly wants to give it a try." Try, life is full of grass and trees, and people always have their own pursuits. This is understandable..."
Feng Ziying nodded: "Brother Zishu, there is no need to talk about nominations. The officers and teachers can nominate themselves, but they can vote forty votes. At least 21 votes are needed to get the majority. Are the officers and teachers sure?"
"If you are really sure, why should I come to you?" Chai Ke spread his hands, "But you have to give it a try. If you don't try, how can you know it won't work?"
Feng Ziying had nothing more to say, "Brother Zishu, I won't lie between you and me. It's understandable that the officer hopes to succeed Liu Ji Gong as the next chief minister. It turns out there was a verbal agreement, but As you said, times have changed, and the situation has changed. Liuji Gong may not be willing to give up his throne. I am also in a dilemma, but I will support the implementation of the contract, that is, support the officials and teachers, but you also know that my influence is limited. …”
Chai Ke didn't expect Feng Ziying to agree so readily, and was quite surprised, "Ziying, are you serious about this?"
"Brother Zishu, how can I still deceive you? But I don't think that an official can do it. There are twenty-one votes for important ministers. This is a real vote. You know how many votes I can get here. How many votes can you get over there?" You should know how many votes you will get, so how can you get these 21 votes together?" Feng Ziying asked rhetorically.
Chai Ke smiled, "Then Ziying means that Liu Ji Gong can gather 21 votes? We know that he is also working hard now, but you northern scholars do not support him, even if all the Jiangnan scholars support him , he can’t succeed either, or maybe he and Ru Jun have a tacit understanding?”
Feng Ziying couldn't answer this question.
The relationship between Gu Bingqian and Qiao Yingjia was very ordinary. It was hard to say whether he could persuade Qiao Yingjia to support him.
Moreover, the Northern scholars did not have a good impression of Gu Bingqian. Even if they convinced Qiao Yingjia, it was hard to say whether Qiao Yingjia could handle these dozen or so important Northern cadastral officials.
This still means getting rid of Lian Guoshi and Geng Ruqi, who have always been on Feng Ziying's side.
Pan Ruzhen is not from the Northern Cadastral Register. He is from Tongcheng, Nanzhi Province, and Fu Shi is not from the Northern Cadastral Register. He is from Shangyuan County, Jinling, Nanzhi Province, and is from the same hometown as the Jia family.
"I don't know much about the situation on Ru Jungong's side, and you know that, well, how should I put it, he may have some ideas now..." Feng Ziying pondered.
Chai Ke was shocked and asked quickly: "Ru Jun also wants to be the chief assistant?"
Feng Ziying said leisurely: "Who doesn't want to? Having reached this position, Ru Jungong can also be regarded as the leader of our northern scholars. For now, the northerners have the largest number of important ministers. If you, the scholars from Huguang, can support him , he may not be able to compete for the position of chief assistant."
Chai Ke shook his head decisively: "This is impossible. Dongxian can't agree. We have an agreement with Liu Ji Gong. If Ru Jun wants to intervene, it will break the rules!"
"Mr. Zishu, what do you mean by breaking the rules? It is not clear who can and cannot be the chief minister. The original rule was that anyone who is a cabinet minister can be a minister, even if he has only been a cabinet minister for one day, you Although Duke Jun has been in the cabinet for a shorter period of time, it has been two years, and it will be almost the same next year..., and it is only a convention that he can be the chief assistant before he joins the cabinet, and it is not an express custom..."
Feng Ziying's explanation failed to win Chai Ke's approval, "Whether it is expressly customized or established by convention, there must always be moral rules. In the past, when Chengfeng Gong served as the first assistant, we fully supported it, but now it is Dongxian's turn. , everyone just draws the ground as a prison and has to fight with each other?"
This was difficult for Feng Ziying to accept. There was only one position for the chief assistant, and the princes were all old and in different physical conditions. After two or three years, their bodies might not be able to support him anymore.
Just like Qi Yongtai, he was supposed to work for a full term, and everyone was convinced, but who told him that his health was not good enough, and he stopped working after just over a year. He couldn't work on the hospital bed all day long, right?
"Brother Zishu, I just said that there is a possibility. No one can tell until then, right?" Feng Ziying waved her hands helplessly, "Ru Jungong has never mentioned it to me, but I feel it. , Under this current situation, it is inevitable that Ru Jun will have some ideas."
Chai Ke already knew it.
In fact, they were not worried about Qiao Yingjia's thoughts in this regard. However, although the Northern scholars were the most powerful and accounted for the largest number of important ministers, among the Northern scholars, although Qiao Yingjia was the natural leader, Feng Ziying's influence was not underestimate.
More importantly, Lian Guoshi, Geng Ruqi, Fu Shi and Pan Ruzhen stood firmly on Feng Ziying's side.
The cohesion of this small group is extremely strong. It can be said that Feng Ziying can decide where to vote for these four votes without any discount.
Unlike Qiao Yingjia who had to persuade other northern scholars one by one, it is inevitable that some of them would disobey or disagree and would not support Qiao Yingjia. It is estimated that even Qiao Yingjia himself cannot tell how big these variables are. Perhaps he can be persuaded now. Now, at the critical moment of voting, the important ministers who voted do not agree and change their tune. This situation is very likely to happen.
In a word, Qiao Yingjia's influence on other northern scholars and his ability to control the entire northern scholar group are far inferior to Qi Yongtai's. Just like Gu Bingqian's insufficient control over the Jiangnan scholar group, this kind of problem also exists. Condition.
On the contrary, Guan Yingzhen's ability to control Huguang scholars and Feng Ziying's ability to control this small group were quite strong.
After talking about this, Feng Ziying also expressed his attitude, but he still wanted to ask: "Ziying, if Ru Jun also wants to compete for the first assistant, Dongxian also has this intention, and Liuji Gong, then will you vote? who?"
Feng Ziying spread her hands and said, "Zishu, if the three of them have to decide the outcome through voting by important ministers, I guess no matter who we vote for, they will still fail to win. If such a chaotic situation really occurs, it must be the imperial court." For good fortune, it is best to find a solution that everyone can accept, compromise, or even make a deal..."
Feng Ziying said it so bluntly that Chai Ke shook his head, "If we can't choose, then Liuji Gong can continue to act as the first assistant. I guess this is not what Dongxian and Rujun want to see, right?"
"Sir Liuji is also unwilling to see this situation. From the chief assistant to the acting chief assistant, his prestige will be greatly affected. It is better to find a suitable compromise..."
Before Feng Ziying finished speaking, Chai Ke's expression changed, "Are you saying that Mr. Liu Ji wants to compromise with Ru Jun?"
What are the terms of the compromise? Naturally, Qiao Yingjia was appointed as the second assistant, while General Yingzhen evicted him from the position of second assistant.
If Guan Yingzhen stepped down from the position of second assistant, he would probably have no shame in staying in the cabinet anymore and would have no choice but to retire.
Feng Ziying shook her head, "I'm just saying that it's possible. Brother Zishu, if Duke Dongxian can reach a compromise with Duke Ru Jung, it may not be impossible."
Chai Ke left.
Couldn't get a satisfactory answer.
In fact, it is still early before the real cabinet change. No one knows how the situation will change by then, and what the outcome of the duel and game between Gu, Guan, and Qiao will be.
Even Xu Guangqi, an amateur and passerby, may not just watch, but may also have his own opinions.
*******
"Chai Ke went to Ziying's house..." Qiao Yingjia's eyes were calm, and the long beard under his chin trembled slightly, "I stayed for a long time. It seems that Dongxian can't hold it anymore. Maybe he will come to my house in two days." On."
Sun Juxiang frowned and glanced at Han Xu next to him, "Rujun, it seems that Ziying is really planning to set up her own business? Want to divide us northern scholars?"
Han Xu shook his head, "Bofu, what you said makes no sense. Yes, the few people around Ziying are indeed very close to him, but Fu Shi and Pan Ruzhen are not from the North, okay? As for Jun Yu, you Do you think anyone can influence his views and attitudes just because of cadastral reasons?"
Sun Juxiang did not answer Han Xu's words, "Rujun, there is only half a year left, and Dongxian has started to make moves. It seems that he is really unsteady and unsure. Is Liuji not going to abide by the agreement and withdraw?"
