The rays of the setting sun entered the study through the window and shone on Liu Xi's face. Sitting behind the bookcase, Liu Xi's expression also looked a little uncertain. He frowned in thought, his frown getting tighter and tighter, never letting up.
After pondering for a long time, he raised his head and told a palace attendant waiting in front of him: "Find a way to find out who instigated Zheng Jingru to play the above and who was behind it!"
"yes!"
After the man retreated, Liu Xi couldn't help but sigh. He was unjustly accused of this matter. He didn't do it at all. If he really has an idea, he will definitely make a decision before taking action. He will never use such crude methods, let alone instruct Zheng Jingru, who is related to him, to point the finger at him.
Of course, Liu Xi also believed that with Emperor Liu's wisdom, it was impossible not to see the problems. However, Zheng Jingru was executed at such a fast speed and with such cruel means. Emperor Liu had eight words to say: He has ulterior motives and his heart can be punished!
This seemed to finalize the matter, which made Liu Xi unavoidably worried. He raised his eyes and looked north. Through the courtyards and palace gates, he seemed to be able to feel Emperor Liu's eyes staring at him. , with scrutiny and warning.
The situation in the court was getting more and more bizarre. Even if the prince and prince were rushing around, they would inevitably be at a loss as to what to do. Liu Xi felt a lot of pressure at this time.
With a deep sigh, Liu Xi calmed down and looked over the progress of land clearing in the Gyeonggi region and various existing tax issues. In this regard, he had actually been prepared for it.
——
Zhao Pu's return to pay homage to the Prime Minister was undoubtedly a major event that shocked both the government and the public in the political arena of the Han Dynasty. The level of sensation even suppressed the enthusiasm for Li Fang's resignation as Prime Minister. Li Fang was almost forgotten before he left Beijing to take up his post in Henan. His disgraced face was only used as a joke in the conversations of the powerful people in Beijing.
Compared with Li Fang's demotion and devolution, Zhao Pu's return obviously attracted much attention. In the Han Dynasty, the weight of the two was incomparable. The reactions of the powerful people in North Korea and China are also different, especially those of the initially formed reformists and conservatives.
For the reformists, Zhao Pu's return means that someone who can really do things is finally back. They are gearing up and preparing to fight with Zhao Pu, the powerful prime minister. For the conservatives, it was nothing less than a thunderbolt. The days ahead were obviously not going to be so easy. Zhao Pu was not as tortuous as Li Fang, and he was not a master of trouble.
The ensuing edict to pay homage to the Prime Minister also clearly stated the tasks that Emperor Liu entrusted to Zhao Pu. His resolute attitude towards tax reform was also clearly revealed, and the disputes between the DPRK and China were immediately reduced.
Deterrence is invisible and intangible, but it does exist. As soon as Zhao Pu returned, some people were already thinking about changing the thinking of the struggle and being flexible. They could not blindly fight against the reckless ones, lest they be done by Zhao Pu.
At the same time, some people feel a sense of joy falling from the sky and rejoicing. That is, the branches and leaves of the original "Xiang Party" that have been pruned away by constant attacks in the past two years are finally back. Their opportunity has come, and they The hard days are finally over.
As the news continued to spread, before Zhao Pu returned home, the Zhao Mansion in Luoyang City, which had been deserted for a long time, quickly became bustling with people. There was an endless stream of people passing by with gifts and condolences, almost blocking the entire Willow Street, and guarding the house. Several servants of the Zhao family were shocked.
Due to the overwhelming popularity, Kaifeng Prefecture even sent two teams of police officers to the scene to disperse the onlookers, maintain order, and clear the roads. When Zhao Pu left his post that year, he left peacefully, and he didn't care about the mansion in Luoyang at all. Although there were a few servants to take care of it, after two years, it was inevitable that it would become stale and a little more downtrodden.
As a result, the guests who came to the door diligently put down their congratulatory gifts, swept the floor, touched up paint, and even built walls and roof tiles, all showing their talents in Class 18.
When Zhao Pu returned to the Zhao Mansion, what he saw was naturally a bustling scene. The officials who were blocking the perimeter naturally did not dare to rush forward. On the contrary, the noise gradually died down. They looked at Zhao Pu enthusiastically and expectantly. And tacitly agreed to make way for Mr. Zhao's car to pass.
In front of the gate of the mansion, several familiar officials were setting up ladders to help replace the plaque and hang up a new plaque with the words "Xunyang Marquis Mansion" on it. There were several other plaques with the same inscription on the side.
The plaques with different styles of characters are all grand and grand. It is obvious that many people have considered this matter, and the efficiency is extremely high.
However, seeing this scene, facing the respectful gazes, and feeling their flattery, Zhao Pu's old face looked very ugly. Even when he was in power, although there were many guests and busy traffic, there was no such scene. This lively scene even made Zhao Pu feel a little absurd.
Seeing those bureaucrats who are usually sanctimonious and have five people and six people, they do not hesitate to lower their face and personally engage in low-level jobs just to show their gratification. Even though they know that it may not be effective and may even arouse Zhao Pu's disgust, they still do it. Among them were several subordinates whom Zhao Pu admired at the beginning...
His majestic gaze swept across the entire place. Everyone he looked at put down what they were doing and lowered their eyebrows. The entire Zhao Mansion gradually became quiet, and the air was so quiet that it even felt a little awkward.
Not meaning to talk nonsense to these lucky people, Zhao Pu directly ordered his entourage: "Go and get a room for me, and stay in the hotel tonight!"
"yes!"
"Since your husband has returned home, why bother..." A bureaucrat who was close to him heard this and said quickly.
Without letting him finish, Zhao Pu pointed at a group of people inside and outside the mansion and said coldly: "This is not a mansion I am familiar with. I'm afraid it's hard to get used to it! When will it return to its original appearance? When will I come back!"
As he spoke, Zhao Pu noticed the guards around him who were maintaining order, and waved to one of the middle-aged men in uniform. Seeing this, the man stepped forward quickly with awe in his face: "I have seen my husband!"
"You are an official in Luoyang Mansion, right?" Zhao Pu said.
"Back to my husband, the younger one is Wang Zhou, the security patrol officer under the military patrol envoy——"
"I don't care what your name is!" Zhao Pu interrupted him nonchalantly and ordered directly: "I'll give you an errand. Take your subordinates on patrol, watch these people inside and outside the mansion, and supervise them to restore my mansion to its original state!"
"Young man, I obey!" Under the pressure of Zhao Pu's eyes, there was no room for hesitation. The young patrolman responded immediately, but he couldn't help but think to himself, listening to what Mr. Zhao meant, he should have remembered his name. ...
After making a good explanation, Zhao Pu wanted to leave, but he probably felt that it was inappropriate not to say anything. He stood on the carriage shaft, looked around, and solemnly said: "If it's business, you can report it to your superiors. If it's personal, I won't forgive you." Reception!」
After saying that, he got into the carriage and quickly left in the dust under the eager eyes of everyone. Zhao Pu, who returned for the first time, really attracted a lot of attention. The movements in the Zhao mansion, those absurd and magical behaviors, and the absurd scenes soon reached the ears of Emperor Liu.
In response, Emperor Liu smiled indifferently, looking unconcerned, and even ridiculed him, saying that the officials in the capital were too enthusiastic and too leisurely. Even Zhao Pu couldn't stand it and had to stay away from the hotel.
However, Yantuo then asked Yantuo to mobilize a group of internal servants from various departments and bureaus in the palace to leave the palace and go to the Zhao Mansion to help Zhao Pu take care of the housework. Others could resolutely refuse, but when faced with Emperor Liu's reward, they could only thank the emperor for his kindness.
Therefore, Zhao Pu did not successfully stay in the hotel. After receiving the invitation at the royal banquet that night, Zhao Pu was able to chat with Emperor Liu until late at night. Emperor Liu even let Zhao Pu stay in the palace. He was honored and favored beyond all other officials. Of course, when Emperor Liu showed such closeness and favor, it also meant that he would bear greater responsibilities and pressure.
Among the many reactions caused by Zhao Pu's return to Beijing to pay homage to the prime minister, naturally included the prime minister Zhao Kuangyi. It is said that he directly dropped his favorite piece of jade. Zhao Kuangyi probably broke his defense for the first time in his life.
