"I didn't know that when my father-in-law arrived, he would be far away to greet him."
Liu Yishen walked out of the study and bowed his hand to Wei Zhongxian in front of the sedan.
Wei Zhongxian hurriedly took a few steps, saluted Liu Yishen, and said, "I would trouble Mr. Liu and Mr. Han to welcome our family in person. We really don't dare to do it."
"Hmph!" Han Xu snorted coldly.
Wei Zhongxian glanced at Han Xu in surprise, wondering where he had offended the Minister of Household Affairs.
Liu Yishen pretended not to hear Han Xu's cold snort, and still smiled and said to Wei Zhongxian: "Master Han and I were drinking tea just now. Since my father-in-law is here, why don't we invite him inside and have a cup of tea together."
"Then I'll bother Mr. Liu." Wei Zhongxian's dark and red face showed a simple and honest smile like an old farmer.
However, both Liu Yishui and Han Xu are elite people with many years of experience in officialdom. Naturally, they will not think that Wei Zhongxian is a simple and honest person just because of his appearance. If he is really a simple and honest person, it is impossible to become the Eunuch Bingbi became the most trusted eunuch in the Holy Emperor.
Han Xu said in an indifferent tone: "You have to share the tea with whom you drink. If you drink tea with Brother Ji Hui, you will be as happy as a cup of tea if you drink ten or a hundred cups. If you drink tea with someone else, you will feel as bitter as Coptis lily in one sip."
As he said this, he did not forget to give Wei Zhongxian a cold look.
Wei Zhongxian, who was standing opposite, raised his eyebrows slightly, and the honest smile on his face never disappeared, as if the other person was not talking about him. ,
Although Liu Yishui knew that Han Xu didn't like Wei Zhongxian because of Wang An, he didn't expect that he would say such things to his face, and his heart sank.
In the past, when he was the Minister of Rites, he naturally didn't care about these things, and he would have ridiculed a few words. But it is different now. As the chief minister of the cabinet, he not only has to maintain the outer court, but also the inner court. It was quite discordant. His position as chief assistant was like being roasted on a fire. It was definitely not a comfortable thing.
"If Yu Chen has something to do, you can go back first. I will drink tea with Eunuch Wei." Liu Yishen did not want the relationship to become too tense, so he took the initiative to give both parties a step down.
As the chief assistant, being able to say such a thing is a great honor to Wei Zhongxian.
Sure enough, after Wei Zhongxian heard Liu Yishen's words, his brows curved slightly and he felt very comfortable.
At this time, he did not have the overwhelming power he had in the fourth year of Tianqi. He was always careful to curry favor with the Donglin Party, especially in front of the Donglin Party bosses like Liu Yishen and Han Xu. He was even more respectful, fearing that Said the wrong thing and caused dissatisfaction between these two people.
The current chief minister of the cabinet, the leader of the Donglin Party, could say such soft words, which made the resentment that had just arisen in his heart because of Han Xu disappear.
"Brother Ji Hui doesn't need to drive me away. I have nothing to do with you. Why don't you stay and listen to what Eunuch Wei is here for? Besides, even if you don't drink tea, you can still drink. Brother Ji Hui won't be reluctant to give him even a little wine." Let me drink!" Han Xu looked at Liu Yishen, showing no intention of coming down the steps.
Hearing this, Liu Yishuo smiled bitterly in his heart, knowing that Han Xu's scholarly anger had flared up again.
But at this time, he knew that he could no longer persuade him, otherwise Han Xu might hold a grudge against him, and it would not be worth it to arouse Han Xu's dissatisfaction for a flattering eunuch.
Thinking of this, he said: "That's it, brother Yu Chen will go back to the study with me."
"That's exactly what it should be." After Han Xu finished speaking, he walked towards the study, not paying attention to Wei Zhongxian and Liu Yishui outside the door.
Liu Yishui knew that this was Han Xu's dissatisfaction with what he had said before.
Wei Zhongxian on the other side had narrowed his eyes slightly.
If someone is not familiar with him, they will think that he is still smiling. If someone is familiar with him, they will know that he is already angry.
"Eunuch Wei, please come in." Liu Yishen stopped caring about Han Xu and instead entertained Wei Zhongxian.
Wei Zhongxian smiled honestly and said: "Master Liu, please."
Liu Yishen nodded without any politeness and walked toward the study.
Wei Zhongxian walked two steps closely, followed Liu Yishen half a step behind, and entered the study together.
The boys who came to Liu's Mansion with him and the sedan bearers stayed behind in the courtyard.
"Father-in-law, please sit down."
Entering the study, Liu Yishen pointed to a seat and asked Wei Zhongxian to sit down.
Wei Zhongxian took a look and saw that the seat pointed to was under Han Xu, and he was not dissatisfied with it.
This time is not a few years away.
The two people in front of him were Liu Yishui, the chief minister of the cabinet, the Donglin Party leader, and Han Xu, the Donglin Party leader who was the Minister of Household Affairs. He did not think it was humiliating to sit under these two people.
The servants of the Liu family in the study served Wei Zhongxian hot tea and replaced the tea that Liu Yishen and Han Xu had cooled down.
Liu Yishen picked up the covered bowl and took a sip. After closing the lid, he said, "My father-in-law came to my house at this time. Is it because he was ordered by the Holy Emperor?"
"Hmph." Han Xu snorted coldly.
Wei Zhongxian pretended not to hear, but said with a smile: "It is not the emperor's order that our family comes here this time. We come to see Mr. Liu ourselves."
"Oh?" Liu Yishuo said, "I wonder what my father-in-law is asking me to do?"
"To be honest, our family came here this time because of Madam Feng Sheng's affairs." Wei Zhongxian bowed his hand towards Liu Yishui.
Han Xu on the side suddenly said: "Now that the Holy Emperor has ascended the throne, Hakka, as a wet nurse, should leave the palace and should not stay in the palace."
Liu Yishui twirled his beard and said nothing, obviously agreeing with Han Xu's words.
Wei Zhongxian frowned slightly and said: "Mrs. Feng Sheng is just a female prostitute. I don't think she will interfere with your Lords' affairs. Why do you two want to embarrass Mrs. Feng Sheng?"
"Needless to say," Han Xu said, "If the father-in-law came here for the Hakka family, then there would be nothing to say. The Hakka family must leave the palace and there is no need to negotiate."
Seeing Han Xu speak so decisively, Wei Zhongxian's heart sank.
It can be said that most of his status today is due to the Hakka family. If the Hakka family leaves the palace, it means that he has lost his backer. If he fights with Wang An in the palace, it will be difficult not to lose, so the Hakka family must not leave the palace. palace.
Now Han Xu's words made him understand that these Donglin Party members were determined to get the Hakka family out of the palace.
As for the reason, he could guess some of it, and most of the reason was because of Wang An.
He fought with Wang An in the palace. Because of the Hakka family, the emperor favored him, so he did not fall behind in the face of Wang An, and he often gave Wang An some eye drops in front of the emperor, but Wang An and the Donglin Party have always been on good terms. Wang An teamed up with these Donglin Party members to carry out the original palace transfer case.
The most pitiable thing about this matter is Li Xuanshi of the West Palace. He clearly raised the current emperor, but he ended up in the same end because of Wang An and the Donglin Party. If he hadn't been because of the Hakka family, I'm afraid he would have ended up in the same end.
