After sending the three elders to the Neidong Gate, Zhao Xu watched them disappear from his sight, then reluctantly turned around and left, even turning back three times every step of the way.
In terms of performance, Zhao Xu is qualified.
After all, he is a broadcaster.
Back at the Zichen Hall, the two palaces had opened the wooden boxes and were counting the votes.
Several little Huangmen are helping to record.
Zhao Xu went over to take a look, and the results of the votes were unexpected.
Pu Zongmeng actually got five votes!
In other words, five ministers voted for this important minister who was ready to be elected, and who had all kinds of wine, sex, wealth and everything.
Zhao Xu was happy at that time.
He originally thought that Pu Zongmeng would get zero eggs!
Now it seems that he is quite popular.
Zeng Bu, who came in second to last, had only three votes more than Pu Zongmeng.
It can only be said that Zeng Bu's popularity is a bit poor.
It seems that many people in the court are unhappy with him?
Except for these two, everyone else received double-digit votes.
Among them, the person who got the most votes was Deng Runfu, who actually got 27 votes!
You must know that there are only thirty-three ministers in Beijing who are waiting to be appointed or above, including senators and prime ministers.
In other words, Deng Runfu only lost six votes.
"Xueshi Deng is very popular." The Empress Dowager said inexplicably.
Zhao Xu smiled: "Bachelor's reputation is indeed good."
"Why did Master Zeng get so few votes?" The Empress Dowager could not hold back and said to herself unhappily.
Everyone in the government and the public knew that when the curtain fell on the two palaces, Zeng Bu served as an assistant to the Empress Dowager, and Deng Runfu assisted the Empress Dowager Xiang.
In other words, these two people have already been labeled.
The difference is that Deng Runfu has more labels.
He was not just someone from the Queen Mother's side.
At the same time, he is still an imperialist!
Annotation of the Prince's Pavilion personally selected by the late emperor - Zhao Xu's only minister before he came to the throne.
The minister is not stupid, he naturally knows to vote with his feet and bet on Deng Runfu.
As for Zeng Bu?
All I can say is that he is really unpopular!
With so many BUFFs, the number of votes never reached double digits.
At the same time, this also somewhat indicates the direction of the ruling and opposition parties.
It's no wonder that the Queen Mother was not very happy after seeing the results.
Zhao Xu turned his head and looked at the Empress Dowager, who was almost sixty years old, and said softly: "Perhaps this is because Master Zeng is a lonely minister."
"Lonely minister?" The expression of the Empress Dowager finally changed: "Really?"
When Empress Dowager Xiang saw this, she quickly helped her and said, "Your Majesty has a lonely minister, and the bride congratulates her!"
The Queen Mother became happy and said: "It turns out that Bachelor Zeng is not only knowledgeable and humble, but unexpectedly he is also a lonely minister!"
This is the magic of language.
How to understand the same thing depends purely on how the person with the power of interpretation explains it to the outside world.
Let’s take the current situation as an example.
Zhao Xu felt in his heart that Zeng Bu couldn't even get the support of double-digit ministers waiting to be appointed. This was a matter of character.
But with every move of his lips, Zeng Bu was portrayed as a lonely minister in the court.
Why did it get so few votes?
Because he is loyal and upright, he has offended too many people!
That’s why others don’t want to choose him!
The Empress Dowager sat up slightly and said, "If such a loyal and upright minister cannot be appointed as Prime Minister, wouldn't it be a loss to the world?"
He smiled at the Empress Dowager and said, "What your Majesty said is true, and the bride also thinks that Master Zeng has the talent to govern."
But there was inevitably some bitterness in her heart.
The reason is simple. Once Zeng Bu went up, Deng Runfu had to come down.
Otherwise, the new rulers of the imperial court will all come from ministers appointed by the two palaces.
What do outsiders think?
Do you think that in the Song Dynasty, the employment of people was like child's play, and they actually promoted two women's favorites?
Maybe there will be scholar-bureaucrats privately talking nonsense like "Huo Zimengzhi didn't do anything, Zhu Xuhouzhi will be dead", or even a drunkard, his mind is unclear after drinking, and he will raise his arms and shout in the market. The soil is not dry yet, how can you support a six-foot-long lone man? ’, then it will be difficult to end.
Even without these things, Si Chen's discussion is inevitable.
It is not good for the country either.
Once something like this happened, Empress Dowager Xiang knew that many ministers would try to seduce her and the Empress Dowager and try every means to gain access to them.
This is not good!
She looked at Zhao Xu and swallowed the bitterness at the corner of her mouth.
Being a mother means being strong.
She was willing to accept this grievance.
Isn’t this the case for all wives?
It's a pity that Deng Runfu...
The Queen Mother looked at Zhao Xu with a victorious smile and asked, "What do the officials think?"
Zhao Xu smiled sweetly and said, "Xueshi Zeng certainly has the talent to govern."
This is true!
Even though Zhao Xu hated Zeng Bu in his heart, he still needed to recognize his talent.
This was one of the main generals under Wang Anshi during Xining's political reform.
In terms of contribution to the new law, he is only inferior to Wang Anshi and Lu Huiqing, and is on par with Zhang Dun.
But Zeng Bu’s character is really bad!
This is also true!
The Empress Dowager smiled even happier.
Zhao Xu said at this time: "That's it..."
He looked at the Empress Dowager and said softly: "Sun Chen heard that any tree that is beautiful in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. Ministers like Zeng Xueshi should be well protected and not be exposed to the wind and waves."
"Please take a closer look, Mother-in-law!" Zhao Xu said, standing up and bowing.
The Empress Dowager's smile froze on her face.
She looked at Zhao Xu, and after a long time, nodded: "That's what the official said!"
"We should really protect such a lonely minister."
She already understood Zhao Xu's subtext.
Is it okay to use Zeng Bu if he forcibly violates the rules? sure.
The premise is that Zeng Bu can afford to be vilified by both the government and the public.
Wasn't this what Di Qing was like back then?
Zhao Xu stood up and said, "Mother Shengming."
Empress Dowager Xiang followed immediately and said with a smile: "My queen and my sixth brother are still thoughtful."
She observed the expression of the Empress Dowager for a while, and then said: "It's just that this will make Bachelor Zeng wronged."
"Brother Six..." She looked at Zhao Xu: "Why don't you give Scholar Zeng a favor?"
Zhao Xu nodded immediately: "This is natural, you should consider it as a bachelor."
"Why don't you let Master Zeng take Duan Ming out of the town?"
In the Song Dynasty, the bachelor's degree of Duanming Palace and the bachelor's degree of Zizheng Palace were usually the titles for those who were in power and left the county.
Ministers who can hold these two bachelor's titles are usually former governors or incoming governors.
Generally speaking, bachelors from the Zizheng Hall are titled as governors, while bachelors from the Duanming Hall are titled as elected governors.
Therefore, in the Song Dynasty, the edicts of all important ministers who awarded Duanming Palace bachelors to go out to the town would usually end with the sentence: Grace and regulations are regarded as governing.
The Queen Mother listened and laughed again.
"I think the official discussion is very good."
She cares about face.
Now that my face is satisfied, I am naturally happy.
Zeng Bu became a bachelor of Duanming Palace, which told the people of the world that he would worship the ruler.
"Where is the best place for Master Zeng to go out?" Queen Mother Xiang asked from the side.
The Empress Dowager didn't even think about it and said directly: "Let's go to Yangzhou."
Yangzhou, an important city in the world, has been a place where ministers and ministers have been sent to other places in the past dynasties.
Even for Zaizhi, releasing Yangzhou was a sign of favor.
Because Yangzhou is so prosperous!
The degree of development of its market economy is only higher than that of Bianjing.
Over the past dynasties, countless literati, famous ministers and celebrities have gathered in Yangzhou.
Zhao Xu and the Empress Dowager looked at each other, and then they both laughed: "Mother (Empress) Shengming."
(End of chapter)
