Hearing Yang Fan's refusal, Shangguan Wan 'er's tensed shoulders finally relaxed. Only now did she realize that she had broken out in a cold sweat from fright.
After serving the empress for ten years, no one knew her better than her. The empress didn't have the habit of tapping the table with her fingers when she was thinking. To be precise, she didn't have this habit during normal times, but it was different when she had the intention to kill someone.
The sentence just now was just a test from the empress, a test that could make people go to heaven or go to hell. If Yang Fan's answer was a little careless, it could lead to a fatal disaster. Fortunately … he finally made a wise choice.
The position of Chief Historian was available in all levels of government. It was also available in civil and military government offices. Its function was equivalent to that of the secretary general in later generations. Although it was the same Chief Historian, the ranks of the Chief Historian in different levels of government offices were very different, ranging from third rank to seventh rank.
Princess Taiping enjoyed the treatment of a prince, and the Chief Historian in the prince's residence was above fourth rank. Therefore, the Chief Historian in the residence of Princess Taiping was also above fourth rank. Yang Fan was now a Yulin General, and his rank was above fifth rank. If he was willing to be the Chief Historian, it was equivalent to being promoted by four ranks.
Perhaps some people thought that the Chief Historian in the residence of Princess Taiping was not as powerful as the Yulin General. In fact, this was not the case. In the Tang Dynasty, many high-ranking political figures used to be the Chief Historian. This position was actually a springboard, and it was a very good springboard to train people. He was the assistant of the chief official. Not only did he manage all kinds of details, but he could also participate in the various decisions of the chief official.
Therefore, after a few years of training in this position, as long as his performance was not bad, he could usually get a more important position. Moreover, as the Chief Historian, he would establish a good relationship with the chief official, which was equivalent to finding a strong backer for his future career.
On the other hand, although military generals had military power, unless they were in troubled times, military generals with military power were not as powerful as civil officials. When governing the world, military generals could only "train for a thousand days." Therefore, not to mention the fact that he was promoted by four ranks, just in terms of power, the Chief Historian was much more powerful than the Yulin General in the army.
As for Yang Fan, who was originally a military general, but became a civil official in the Princess Mansion, this was not a problem in the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the distinction between civil officials and military officers was not as clear as it was in the Song and Ming Dynasties. At that time, civil officials could be military officers, and military officers could also be civil officials. This was a very common thing and did not count as holding a post across the system. Therefore, Wu Zetian's consideration was not unexpected.
However, anyone could be the Chief Clerk of Princess Taiping's Mansion, except for Yang Fan!
The reason was self-evident.
Although Wu Zetian had made a special trip to the Imperial Censorate because of the relationship between Yang Fan and her daughter, it did not mean that she could tolerate her daughter's unscrupulous behavior, nor could she tolerate Yang Fan's arrogance. However, even if everyone in the world knew about this, it would still be inconvenient for her to tell her daughter about it, because she, as a mother, was not competent in this aspect.
Let Yang Fan go to Princess Taiping Residence to be the Chief Clerk? Didn't that mean that she not only tacitly allowed her daughter to keep a handsome man, but also made it convenient for her daughter? Just because of her daughter's identity as an Imperial Princess, she could not allow this kind of scandal to happen. Moreover, her daughter's son-in-law was her nephew. If she did this, it would be a great humiliation to her Wu Clan.
Therefore, she proposed that Yang Fan be the Chief Clerk of Princess Taiping Residence. It was just a test, to test whether Yang Fan knew when to advance and when to retreat. She could tolerate her daughter's previous relationship with Yang Fan. After all, forcing her daughter to marry Wu Youji made her feel guilty to her beloved daughter.
If this matter did not cause a storm in the city, she could even tacitly allow her daughter to continue dating Yang Fan, as a kind of compensation for her daughter. But now it was different. The rumors outside were in an uproar. How could she continue to pretend to be deaf and dumb? As the Emperor, she could not even give up a piece of cloth to cover up.
If Yang Fan did not know when to advance and when to retreat, now that this matter had been exposed, it would be hard to guarantee that he and Taiping would be arrogant and domineering in the future. Wu Zetian did not want Princess Gao Yang's scandal to happen again in this dynasty. If Yang Fan took an inch and wanted a foot, was blinded by beauty, and readily agreed to her appointment, then she would rather make her daughter sad again and kill Yang Fan this time.
Fortunately, Yang Fan's reply satisfied her. If Yang Fan was obsessed with beauty, greedy for wealth, and relied on a wealthy family, then she would take Yang Fan's life. Conversely, this person must be put in an important position! Of course, as the price, Yang Fan would have to draw a clear line between him and Taiping. She did not need to make this clear. She believed that when Yang Fan made his choice, he already understood her intentions.
Wu Zetian straightened her body and raised the wine cup to take another sip. She allowed the sweet rice wine to slowly seep into her stomach. Her eyebrows raised slightly and she said, "Since it's like this, then you can go to the Ministry of Justice to be a disciplinary officer. It is also a fifth-rank official position. If you are transferred, zhen … will not be treating you unfairly! "
Yang Fan was startled again. The Empress's train of thought was always like a heavenly steed flying into the sky, making people unable to grasp it. Even if he cracked his head, he could not understand how he, a military officer of the Yulin Forest Guards, had become a disciplinary officer of the Ministry of Justice. Ministry of Justice's disciplinary officer? That was the third in command of the Ministry of Justice. Now that the position of Minister of Justice was vacant, the disciplinary officer was the second in command of the Ministry of Justice.
Wasn't this position the position that Yang Mingsheng had held in the past? Even though this position was not as high as the chief scribe, in terms of power … it was several times greater than the chief scribe! Yang Fan was endlessly shocked, but there was no time for him to think too much. He only hesitated for a moment before Yang Fan solemnly bowed and said in a low voice, "This subject obeys the imperial decree!"
Wu Zetian nodded and said, "Go to the Yulin Forest Guards to hand over the assignment. Tell your fellow officers that in a moment, go to Wan 'er's place in the Library of History. zhen still has some matters that Wan' er will give you!"
"As you command!"
Yang Fan forcefully suppressed his pleasant surprise. He quickly glanced at Shanghai Wan 'er, bowed, and retreated.
Wu Zetian looked at his back and her eyes revealed a slightly satisfied expression.
Yang Fan had been promoted by her at the beginning of her Great Zhou Dynasty. Yang Fan was born in white and had nothing to do with aristocratic families or Li Tang's surviving officials. This was the most crucial point that she could rely on as a confidant. Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen, and Suo Yuanli were able to obtain her unhesitatingly trust and support because of this point.
Others were born in a hero's family, but Wu Zetian was born in a hero's family.
Even if Li Tang's surviving officials or children of aristocratic families were talented and could be put in important positions, she would certainly be on guard. She trusted commoners of the common folk almost unconditionally. But Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen had met with repeated mishaps, forcing her to seriously reflect on her criteria for choosing trusted aides.
Cultivating the most important trusted aides from the commoners was a condition that she would not change. Now that there was no longer a trend of informants, there was not much room for her to choose from among the common folk. She could only choose trusted aides from the commoners who were already officials.
Yang Fan was born in a commoner's family and had been promoted by her, so he already had the basic conditions. In addition, he was Xue Huaiyi's disciple, a member of Wu Sansi's faction, and with Princess Taiping … all these factors determined that he would never betray her. Because his interests were tied to the Wu Clan, she could boldly appoint him.
As for the fact that Yang Fan had never studied the law, it was not within her considerations at all. Yang Fan had never studied the law, but he was still better than the illiterate Hou Sizhi and the half-baked Lai Junchen. There were many things that could be learned after taking office. Most importantly, there was nothing to worry about with his background, and there was no need to doubt his ability. This kind of person could be her eyes and ears.
After Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen's fall, Wu Zetian was determined to cultivate a new pair of eyes and ears!
…
When Yang Fan arrived at the Featherwood Guard to take over his duties, Huang Xuchang, Zhang Xitong, and the others who had gone through thick and thin with him in the West all rushed to see him off. Soon, Ye Huli and Wei Yong also rushed over after hearing the news. Although Yang Fan had been transferred from the army and was transferred to the Ministry of Justice, in terms of authority, he was only below one person and above tens of thousands of people. He could call the wind and summon the rain, and monitor hundreds of officials. It was far from what a Lang General could compare to.
Therefore, although Yang Fan was transferred, it was no different from a promotion. Huang Xuchang, Zhang Xitong, and the others were all excited and congratulated him, saying that he had survived a disaster and would have boundless fortune. When Ye Huli, Wei Yong, and the others rushed over, they were also very happy.
His friends in the army all talked at once and all asked Yang Fan to treat them to a meal. Yang Fan smiled and agreed to meet them at the "Drunken Immortal Restaurant". Because these friends of Yang Fan were all people in the army, most of them had duties. If they wanted to leave, some of them would have to switch shifts with others. Therefore, the date of the gathering could not be decided immediately, so it was arranged for five days later.
After a short gathering with them, Yang Fan said that he still had instructions from the Emperor. He then took his leave, left the Black Tortoise Gate, and rushed to the History Library.
When Yang Fan arrived at the History Library, he had just turned to Shanghai Wan 'er's residence when he saw the female official Fu Qingqing carrying a scroll. He quickly stopped and saluted, saying: "Sister Qingqing, has Shangguan Duzhi returned?"
Fu Qingqing pursed her lips and smiled sweetly, saying: "Aiyo, Lang General Yang … ah! No, now I should call you Yang Langzhong. Qingqing is only a small female official in the palace, she is not worthy of you calling her sister. Shangguan Duzhi has already returned. Please wait for a moment, Yang Langzhong, Qingqing will go and report. "
Yang Fan smiled, cupped his hands and said: "Thank you for your trouble, sister!"
Although Fu Qingqing was the closest female official to Shanghai Wan 'er, she did not know about the relationship between Yang Fan and Shanghai Wan' er. But ever since the last time when she was ordered by Shanghai Wan 'er to coerce the Jin Wu Wei officers and soldiers to testify for Yang Fan, coupled with the rumors from outside the palace, she had already determined that Yang Fan was Princess Taiping's man. And since Shanghai Wan' er was willing to help in such a matter, it was obvious that she had a deep friendship with the Princess. Naturally, she was especially polite to Yang Fan.
Fu Qingqing's slender waist swayed as she gracefully entered. Shanghai Wan 'er sat in front of the table, holding a weasel brush in her hand. She was bored to death as she scribbled on a piece of paper. She drew here and there, bit by bit. Who knew that after a few strokes, Yang Fan's appearance appeared under her pen.
By the time Wan 'er realized it, a lifelike portrait had already taken shape. Wan' er was very angry and wanted to wipe it off, but the tip of the pen had just touched the face of "Yang Fan" when it suddenly stopped. Langjun was looking at her with a loving smile, how could she continue?
At this moment, Fu Qingqing lightly knocked on the door three times and walked in. She bowed to her and said: "Duzhi, the new Disciplinary Officer of the Ministry of Justice, Yang Fan, requests to see you!"
…
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