"Your Excellency!" A young eunuch stood respectfully in front of the hall and called. This was Zhang Dejun's personal chamberlain.
"What's the matter?" Zhang Dejun's tone was slightly unkind as he was in a bad mood.
The little eunuch felt this, and his posture became even more humble, and he replied carefully: "There is someone coming from Chui Gong Palace. The official has summoned you to the palace!"
"Where is the person coming?" Zhang Dejun's expression quickly turned calm and he asked.
"Waiting in the hall!"
"Serve him tea and ask him to wait a moment. I'll pack up and set off!" Zhang Dejun ordered.
"yes!"
Under Wang Shouzhong's personal attendance, Zhang Dejun put on his court uniform, solemnly straightened his hat and crown, and said to his adopted son: "I'll go to the palace to see you! I'll give you two more days to sort things out for me!"
"My father's lesson must be remembered by my son and he will not dare to do it again!" Wang Shouzhong said quickly.
"Do it again? If you do it again, you won't be able to stay in Beijing!" Zhang Dejun said calmly.
A flash of nervousness flashed across Wang Shouzhong's face, and he responded in a deep voice: "Yes!"
...
It only took more than half an hour from entering the palace to meet the saint to returning to the imperial city office. He did not stay in the palace for long. However, his face was serious when he left. When he returned to the Yamen office, Zhang Dejun's steps were a little brisk, his expression was particularly relaxed, and there was a faint smile.
Wang Shouzhong stayed in the yamen and respectfully welcomed his adoptive father into the hall. He noticed the expression on Zhang Dejun's face and asked curiously: "Is there any happy event for the official to summon my father?"
Hearing this, Zhang Dejun immediately restrained himself and said leisurely: "This is not a happy event, but for the Imperial City Division, it is a good thing!"
After saying that, he looked at Wang Shouzhong and noticed his difficult steps. Zhang Dejun said: "Please punish me, you are very positive!"
Obviously, when Zhang Dejun was in the palace, he had already taken Zhang Dejun's orders and he seemed to be serious about it. Hearing what Zhang Dejun said, Wang Shouzhong immediately replied with a look of shame: "My father taught me just now, and my son was shocked, repentant, alert, and even more frightened. Fortunately, no bigger omissions were caused. The ten sticks are just a warning. To remember it, I don’t dare to do it again!”
"I'm very happy that you have such awareness!" Zhang Dejun's attitude was rare and gentle, and he said: "I have high hopes for you brothers. I accepted you because of your talents. I hope you will Be able to work hard and shine brightly in the future.
Therefore, we must never slack off when we are on duty, especially those under the Imperial City Department. We are all slaves of the official family. The official family has its purpose, no matter how big or small, we must complete it without reservation! "
"My father has such high hopes, my son will definitely remember them!" Wang Shouzhong was immediately awe-struck after hearing Zhang Dejun's words.
"Go and treat the injury first!" Zhang Dejun waved his hand.
Wang Shouzhong said: "A few minor injuries are not serious. If anything happens to my father, please let me know!"
Obviously, Wang Shouzhong was still very curious about Zhang Dejun's entry into the palace. Although he didn't say it explicitly, that's what he meant in his eyes.
Zhang Dejun, as for Zhang Dejun, glanced at him, took off his somewhat complicated robe, sat down, and immediately ordered: "That's just right. You can go to the archives room with my token later and bring me Li Chongju's records for the past year. I'm useful! In addition, secretly send people to strengthen the surveillance of Li Chongju and his house, especially during the next period..."
Wang Shouzhong was stunned for a moment after receiving the order, but he quickly realized what he was doing. He looked at Zhang Dejun with a slightly solemn expression and said, "Father, this is a military envoy!"
"It's the military envoy! Do you have any doubts?" Zhang Dejun was very calm.
Wang Shouzhong immediately said: "You have repeatedly taught Wude Division to be careful in handling Wude, so as not to be true. Why now..."
"Official decree! Is this a sufficient reason?" Zhang Dejun said lightly.
Wang Shouzhong was shocked when he heard this, and immediately stopped talking, his expression became even more confused.
Zhang Dejun took the tea from the waiter, took two sips, and then said calmly: "From now on, Li Chongju is no longer a military ambassador!"
After saying this, Wang Shouzhong came to his senses, calmed down and bowed, "Congratulations, father! If Li Chongju resigns, you will be a formidable enemy!"
As Zhang Dejun's adopted son, Wang Shouzhong knew Zhang Dejun's heart very well. After more than ten years, the Imperial City Division had indeed achieved great development, and its power in Beijing had grown. However, in fact, it had always been suppressed by Wude Division.
Within the capital, with the support of Emperor Liu, they could still resist, but outside the capital, they were completely shrouded in the shadow of Wu Desi, and it was always difficult to make a breakthrough.
The Wude Division was established earlier, with many people, wealth, and influence. It had camps, prisons, and even certain powers of arrest and interrogation. In comparison, the Imperial City Division was far behind. Emperor Liu seemed to have set a bottom line for them, which was always difficult to cross.
The Imperial City Division was more like a pure surveillance agency, maintaining a large number of spies and spies, but its actual power was pitifully small, and its power mostly came from Emperor Liu. This situation is very depressing for Zhang Dejun, who wants to overshadow Wude Si.
The Wude Division has a strict and orderly system and is internally united. There are almost no major flaws. If you want to deal with it, you can't find a good place to start. More importantly, the head of Wude is Li Chongju. There is no need to elaborate on who Li Chongju is and what kind of power and influence he has.
"You can't say that!" Seeing Wang Shouzhong's behavior, Zhang Dejun stretched out his hand to stop him and said: "We are both working for the government, how can we be hostile!"
"I just forgot about it!" Wang Shouzhong immediately changed his words, but he couldn't hide the smile at the corner of his mouth, but he still couldn't help asking: "But why did Li Chongju suddenly leave his job?"
"He entered the palace and resigned to become an official because of old age and illness!" Zhang Dejun said leisurely: "This man seems harmless to humans and animals, but he is also smart and very practical. He retreats bravely from the rapids and wants to be at ease!"
His expression became calmer, Zhang Dejun said: "In the past year, I have also noticed that the officials are dissatisfied with Wude Si. Of course, a smart person like Li Chongju will not be unaware of it.
Li Chongju has been in charge of the Wude Department for nearly twenty years. In such a long time, he has cultivated many forces in the Wude Department and how much influence he has. Even if he is close to the official family and how much he is trusted, it is impossible to guess how powerful the official family is. How can we not have ideas?
And the most important thing is that Li Chongju has a good relationship with his superiors and subordinates in the court, and his reputation is not bad. He is more popular than the "disreputable" eagle dogs like us. This may not be what the officials want to see! "
"Father is wise and sees things thoroughly!" Wang Shouzhong immediately complimented.
Zhang Dejun continued: "I have always had a premonition that Li Chongju, a warrior warrior, would not be able to serve as a warrior for much longer. I never thought that it would turn out in such a way!"
There seemed to be a sense of regret in his tone: "Li Chongju is worthy of admiration! A position like the Military Envoy can be given up easily. If he is greedy for power and refuses to retire, maybe it is a pity... ..."
"If this is the case, then Li Chongju is indeed extraordinary!" Wang Shouzhong said.
"Even so, how can the officials really trust him? Can they not have any doubts in their hearts?" Zhang Dejun's lips curled up slightly.
"This is the origin of the official edict!" Wang Shouzhong suddenly realized, and immediately said: "If this is the case, our division will no longer be as afraid of Li Chongju as in the past! Father, this may also be an opportunity for our Imperial City Division to continue to rise. Ah, if there is a problem with Li Chongju, then Wude Si will also be implicated!"
Seeing his excitement, Zhang Dejun decisively stopped and said calmly: "No! Li Chongju's resignation will inevitably cause a stir in Wude Division. In the next period, there is no need to have too many tricks! We should be cautious about Li Chongju. some!"
"Why?" Wang Shouzhong was puzzled.
Zhang Dejun's eyes finally showed a little bit of envy: "The friendship between the official family and Li Chongju has always been deep. Instead of becoming an official with glory, he was promoted to a county prince! There are only so many princes in the Han Dynasty who are still alive today... ....At this time, we just have to obey the orders of the officials and rashly stir up trouble. If anything goes wrong, we may get burned!"
"Yes!" Wang Shouzhong still dared not go against Zhang Dejun's decision.
Zhang Dejun indeed knew Emperor Liu too well. Therefore, when he looked at things and made decisions, he was often more concerned about Emperor Liu's emotional thoughts.
"I don't know who will succeed Li Chongju when he resigns?" Wang Shouzhong asked again.
"You mentioned before that everyone in Hexi knows Wang Yinwu!" Zhang Dejun said.
"It's him!" Wang Shouzhong was very surprised: "Can this person have such qualifications?"
"This man is very lucky!" Zhang Dejun's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned to Wang Shouzhong and said: "I'm notifying you, as for Wang Yinwu, keep an eye on him!"
"Yes!" Wang Shouzhong replied knowingly. Before, everyone in Hexi Province might not have attracted much attention, but if he became a military envoy, the situation would be completely different. More importantly, compared to Li Chongju, they would indeed be much less afraid.
Without waiting too long, Wang Shouzhong brought the private file set up by the Imperial City Division for Li Chongju, which also recorded some of Li Chongju's recent words and deeds.
However, Zhang Dejun was not in a hurry to report this matter. This was not the time to show the high efficiency of the Imperial City Division in this matter. After waiting for two days to make up for Li Chongju's performance after his resignation, Zhang Dejun went to the palace to report.
In this secret report, there was not much direct criticism of Li Chongju. It seemed that it only stated some trivial words and deeds of Li Chongju. But among the many situations, Emperor Liu still paid attention to one thing, that is, Li Chongju seemed to have deliberately delayed medical treatment, causing him to become seriously ill...
