In the evening, the Ministry of Justice's bell rang again. The officials all packed up their things and prepared to return home. Yang Fan, who had been idle for a day in the Judicial Department, was much more relaxed than the others. He only locked the door and closed the empty detention room before slowly leaving the Ministry of Justice yamen, mounting his date red steed.
His figure, bathed in the brilliant red of the setting sun, soon disappeared from the Tianjin Bridge.
Tonight, the family was eating an 'antique pot', or hot pot.
Autumn was a good time to nourish the body, and the delicious soup was especially appetizing.
There was an earthenware pot with a small square door at the bottom. Roaring charcoal was stuffed inside, and the water in the round earthenware pot quickly began to boil. There were already ginger, garlic, scallions, and other seasonings in the water. Next to the earthenware pot were several plates of tender rabbit meat, as well as coriander, cabbage, mushrooms, and other vegetables.
When the fresh coriander entered the pot, the emerald green color became even richer, and there was a soft brilliance to it. Picking up a piece of tender rabbit meat, he rolled it a few times in the boiling water, and then picked up two pieces together with the coriander, dipping them in the spicy juice made from the dogwood. As expected, it was appetizing.
Even though Yang Fan had always put on an unperturbed appearance, he was still a person who ate the mundane world. Being ostracized by others like this, there was no way he could feel comfortable, and he couldn't help but feel a bit gloomy. Now that a mouthful of spicy and fragrant meat slid down his throat, it was fragrant and warm, and only then did he feel a bit better.
Xiaoman picked up a piece of Chinese cabbage and heated it in the hot pot. She carefully glanced at him and gently asked, "You just went to work at the Ministry of Justice today. Are you used to it?"
Facing his wife's concerned gaze, Yang Fan lowered his eyes, raised his wine cup, and took a sip of the top-notch 'Stone Frozen Spring'. He let the fine wine flow down his throat until it merged with the dogwood juice in his stomach, burning down his throat like fire. Only then did he narrow his eyes and say with satisfaction, "I can handle even the Emperor's side with ease, so what does a trifling Ministry of Justice count for? I just came into contact with the law, so there are some things I don't understand too well. I'll get used to it after a few days, so you don't have to worry."
"Oh …"
Xiao Man answered and gently stirred the soft pieces of spinach in the seasoning bowl. A faint smile appeared on her face.
In fact, when Langjun came back, she could tell that he was not in a good mood. But since Langjun did not say anything, she would not ask again. When a woman was wronged outside, she always liked to come back and complain to her man. She didn't really need him to help her vent her anger, but she would be happy if he comforted her.
And what men hated the most when they were wronged outside was to come back and tell their women about it. When he was humiliated outside, he could think of a way to regain his dignity, but if his woman were to question him, it would only upset him, and he might even vent his anger on her.
Women are like cats, they like to be comforted by men. Men were like wolves, they liked to hide and lick their wounds, preparing for the next battle!
Xiao Man couldn't ask, so she could only use her gentleness to comfort her man.
She picked up a dish for him and poured him a glass of wine. One's beautiful eyes were full of hope, and the other smiled sweetly. Tenderness was unknowingly passed through her red lips and watery eyes, nourishing Langjun's heart and making him happy.
When Yang Fan was about sixty to seventy percent drunk, Taomei suddenly flew in like a magpie and happily reported to him, "Ah Lang, Chen Shou is back."
"Chen Shou?"
Yang Fan was startled. Then he remembered that Chen Shou was the first doorman in his mansion. When he was arrested and sent to the Council, Chen Shou escaped in the name of returning home to visit his family. Later, when Zhao Yu came to make peace with him, he did not bring Chen Shou back. He did not expect that after so long, Chen Shou would come back on his own.
Yang Fan said impatiently, "Why did he come back? Little Xuanzi is now very competent as a doorman. We don't keep idlers in our house. Ask him to get lost! "
Chen Shou was a member of the Hidden Sect, and when Yang Fan got into trouble previously, the members of the Hidden Sect had swiftly concealed themselves. However, Taomei, Third Sister, and a few other servants that were gifted to him by Zhao Yu weren't touched at all. Yang Fan knew that these people truly weren't related to the Hidden Sect, and the only spy that the Hidden Sect had sent to his residence was Chen Shou. Although the Hidden Sect did not have any malicious intentions towards him, no one would want to have a pair of eyes and ears watching them. It was a good opportunity to get rid of the Hidden Sect's eyes and ears.
Taomei and Chen Shou were from the same batch of servants that worked in the Yang residence. They were the most familiar with each other, and thus, she was rather happy to see Chen Shou back. Now that she saw that her Ah Lang was unhappy and wanted to dismiss Chen Shou, she couldn't help but be startled. She agreed embarrassedly and was about to leave.
"Wait! Bring him to the study room and wait. "
Yang Fan suddenly thought of something and quickly called out to Taomei.
Yang Fan and Xiaoman continued to eat. When the meal was over, the stove was removed and cheese and fruits were served. The husband and wife ate the fruits and continued to chat for a while before Yang Fan walked into the study room.
When Chen Shou saw Yang Fan, his old face revealed some awkwardness. He went forward and greeted, "Ah Lang!"
Yang Fan snorted, "The Yang residence can't afford someone like you. You don't have to address me as Ah Lang. What is the purpose of your visit today? "
Chen Shou laughed dryly and readily changed his address, "This old one knows that Lang Zhong is not happy about the previous incident. How would I dare to come and obstruct your eyes? Today, I am here because I have found the whereabouts of the matter that Lang Zhong instructed me to do previously. We've already found Aunty Pei and Lady Gongsun … "
When Yang Fan heard this, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Xiaoman had already acknowledged them, but his information had only just arrived. Yang Fan said impatiently, "Alright, alright. You don't have to say anything more about this matter. I have already investigated clearly."
Chen Shou was slightly surprised. He didn't know what other sources of information Yang Fan had. But he was also tactful. He knew that he wouldn't get any results even if he asked, so he just responded.
Yang Fan said, "You came today just for this matter?"
Chen Shou said, "Yes! In addition, I wanted to inform Lang Zhong that the matter in Chang 'an has been settled. The Sect Lord is safe and sound. Lang Zhong, please be at ease. "
Yang Fan thought to himself, Shen Mu is safe and sound? It seems that not only did he not suffer any losses when he fought with that Young Master Jiang, but he even gained the upper hand. After this incident, the Hidden Sect's power must have increased greatly.
Chen Shou noticed that Yang Fan wasn't very fond of him and felt a little uncomfortable. He coughed dryly and said, "This old one is here to pass on these two matters. If Lang Zhong doesn't have any other instructions, then … this old one shall take his leave."
"En …"
Yang Fan nodded subconsciously. Seeing that Chen Shou had walked to the door, he suddenly called out, "Hold on!"
Chen Shou turned back in surprise. Yang Fan quickly walked over and asked in a low voice, "Although the Hidden Sect doesn't have much power in the imperial court, it should be easy for you to help with some things in the yamen, right?"
Chen Shou looked at him suspiciously and answered cautiously, "That depends on what Lang Zhong wants. If it's some important documents or confidential official letter, I'm afraid …"
Yang Fan waved his hand and said, "No, no, no. The things I want aren't considered confidential in the yamen. It's just that it isn't convenient for me to ask for it."
Chen Shou let out a breath of relief and smiled. "Since that is the case, I believe this old one can do it. I just don't know what Lang Zhong wants?"
Yang Fan slapped his forehead and said, "About this, I can't explain it clearly right now. How about this, as long as it involves the Three Law Division's official documents, regulations, and procedures, as well as our dynasty's laws from the 'Law of Zhenguan', etc., as long as it's related books and texts, I want them all. "
Chen Shou was startled again, but when he thought about Yang Fan's current status, he couldn't help but feel slightly enlightened. He quickly bowed and said, "That's right. This old one will gather all these things as soon as possible and send them to Lang Zhong!"
…
The next day, Yang Fan arrived at the Ministry of Justice early in the morning, just like yesterday. As usual, he had nothing to do. Yang Fan spent half a day in his detention room, then began to patrol the various places.
Everyone still had to show respect. This lowly official naturally treated him with the utmost respect, and his colleagues from the other three divisions also wouldn't give him a hard time. Yang Fan spent the morning wandering around several offices. When it was time for lunch, he once again gave his pot of wine to Sun Yuxuan. He watched as they chatted and laughed, occasionally inserting a few words into the conversation. He didn't seem to care at all about how everyone was treating him coldly and as though he was a mere figurehead.
At first, everyone was a little wary of him, but it was like this for the next few days. Yang Fan didn't have the slightest air of a newly appointed official, so everyone couldn't help but look down on him. Since this person was harmless, those who were worried that he would get in their way also didn't feel any hostility toward him.
Every day, Yang Fan had nothing to do. He just wandered around the various offices and chatted with the officials who were temporarily free of official duties. He was very knowledgeable, and there were many things that the officials here hadn't heard before. Very quickly, he became a rather popular storyteller.
When he returned home, Yang Fan became even busier. The servants in the Yang residence felt that their Ah Lang had been very busy lately.
This Yang Fan, Yang Langzhong, was just like Yang Mingsheng, Yang Langzhong. The lights in his study always went out at midnight. The difference was that Yang Mingsheng's desk was filled with all kinds of documents that he needed to deal with, while Yang Fan's desk was filled with all kinds of laws, regulations, and systems related to the laws of the Tang dynasty and the three divisions of law that Zhao Yu had gathered for him.
That night, after dinner, Yang Fan took a stroll in the garden with Xiao Man. After chatting for a while, he returned to his study. He lit a candle, opened a law book with a bookmark, and read it carefully under the light of the lamp.
Yang Fan had a book filled with tiny characters. Whenever he saw something related to his job, he would read it over and over again, carefully writing down the original text and his understanding. By now, he had already memorized a thick book.
Yang Fan held a brush in one hand and the book in the other. He was reading it carefully. When he reached a point, he seemed to have gained something and was about to write it down. Suddenly, he heard the sound of light footsteps behind him. As soon as Yang Fan heard the light footsteps, he straightened his back. Before he could turn his head, his vision darkened, and his eyes were covered by a pair of soft, jade-like hands.
Yang Fan abandoned the brush and the law book and gently caught that pair of hands. He turned his head to look, and sure enough, it was Xiao Man standing behind him with a smile. Xiao Man's long hair draped over her shoulders, black and shiny like a mirror. Her beautiful face was hidden in the middle of her black hair, and under the light, she looked exceptionally lovely.
Yang Fan reached out and pulled her into his arms. Xiao Man was only wearing light, soft clothes. Her wet hair brushed against Yang Fan's nose, and her body fragrance seeped into his heart. She had just taken a bath. Yang Fan held her soft waist and said, "The weather is getting colder. Why don't you wear more clothes? What if you catch a cold?"
Xiao Man put her soft arms on his shoulders and softly said, "Langjun, don't talk about me. These days, you sleep so late every day, and you wake up early to practice martial arts. Although Langjun is young, you can't stand this kind of torment. Look at you, your eyes are bloodshot. "
Yang Fan pinched the space between his eyebrows. He felt that reading for days, especially such dry and boring things, really consumed a lot of his spirit. He sighed and said, "There's no other way. Today is not like the past. In the past, I stood up for White Horse Temple. I played Cuju with the Inner Palace and Tufan. These things are similar to the rattan ball I played in Nanyang. It's even easier. It's easy to learn, and it's easy to amaze the world with one brilliant feat.
As for achieving meritorious service in the Western Region, it's because I took advantage of the situation and used my strengths. If I really had to deploy troops, arrange troops, and fight against the Turks, I've only read a few shallow books on strategy and strategy. I only have the ability to talk on paper. How could I achieve meritorious service? That day … "
As Yang Fan said this, he suddenly remembered that it was the Tian Ai Nu who commanded the army calmly and calmly that day, and brought the Flying Fox Pass garrison back to Ming Wei Garrison safely. This credit was given to him, and later he was promoted to Lang General. This military ability was an extremely important reason, but it was a great gift from Ah Nu. Where was she now?
Yang Fan felt lost. Xiao Man saw this and gently snuggled into his arms. She softly said, "Thinking of Miss A Nu again? I've been asking people to look for her these days. Although there are many temples in Luoyang, there's still a number. It won't be more difficult than looking for Elder Brother. As long as we have the heart, we can definitely find her. "
Yang Fan made a sound of agreement. He was hugging a warm and fragrant jade-like body, but he was thinking of another woman. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He kissed Xiao Man's smooth jade-like cheek and said, "It's different now. I'm a complete layman in the law. If I don't cram, how can I convince the public? Your husband has worked so hard, my wife should reward me well. "
Xiao Man saw a man like him pouting and acting like a spoiled child. She felt it was a little funny. She poked his forehead and coquettishly said, "Haven't I taken care of you enough? Every day I think of different ways to make things that Langjun likes to eat. How can I reward you?"
Yang Fan rolled his eyes and said with a chuckle, "Then … let's kiss!"
Although they were already husband and wife, Xiao Man still blushed. She twisted her body and rolled her eyes at him. She coquettishly said, "I don't want to!"
Yang Fan shook his thighs a few times. Xiao Man, who was sitting on his thighs, was jolted up and then fell on his thighs softly. Xiao Man's martial arts allowed her to fly over roofs and walls like a fairy flying in the sky. She seemed to be afraid after being jolted by him. She cried out and hugged his neck tightly. She coquettishly said, "You bad guy, what's wrong with you! If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have bothered with you … "
Yang Fan laughed and said, "Little girl, now you are meat on our chopping board. Do you think you can do whatever you want? Come on! Let me have some! "After that, he pouted and went up to her. Xiao Man dodged left and right and giggled. "Don't do that. It's so disgusting. You look like a big pervert …"
"Ah!"
Yang Fan suddenly stopped moving and stood there in a daze.
Xiao Man asked nervously, "What's wrong, Langjun?"
Yang Fan slightly narrowed his eyes and slowly asked, "What's the date today?"
Xiao Man said, "The fifth day of the Chinese New Year. What's wrong?"
Yang Fan's eyes became more dangerous. "The fifth day of the Chinese New Year! Hmm? "
Xiao Man didn't know why her Elder Brother was like this. She first felt guilty and cutely shrunk her neck. She stammered, "Hmm, it's … it's the fifth day of the Chinese New Year. So what?"
Yang Fan said, "If I remember correctly, the last time we were lovey-dovey was the 29th of last month."
Xiao Man blushed and gently punched his chest. She said angrily, "How can you always talk about this kind of thing? So what if it's the 29th?"
Yang Fan said aggrievedly, "The 29th. In other words, one day has passed from the five days you set!"
Xiao Man was startled and covered her mouth with a smile. "You can't blame me for that. It's you who study hard every day. Okay, okay, you read your book. I'm going back to rest! "
As Xiao Man spoke, she twisted her slender waist and slid down from Yang Fan's knee. She flashed and escaped.
"Where are you going! Bring her here! "
Yang Fan's ape arm scooped. Xiao Man's waist swayed and slid out of the door like a loach. Yang Fan chased after her. After a moment, a burst of crisp laughter came from the back garden. The laughter spread all the way to their bedroom …
…
"Aiya, I knew it. Lang Zhong is so young. To be able to receive the Saint's appreciation and be promoted as the youngest Lang General in the Imperial Court, he must have great ability!"
The head of the Ministry of Justice, Feng Xihui, listened to Yang Fan talk about the fierce battle outside the Ming Dynasty. He couldn't help but rub his palms and exclaim in admiration.
His face was filled with admiration, reverence, and worship. Anyone who looked at him would see that he was full of admiration from the bottom of his heart.
After becoming familiar with Yang Fan, Feng Xihui rarely used such mushy and superficial flattery. The expression he displayed at this moment did not need too many words of praise. In the eyes of others, it seemed even more sincere.
In the distance, Luo Ling fiercely spat on the ground. Along with the autumn wind, a sentence was faintly discernible, "Flatterer … starting … again …"
Speaking of flattery, some people said that it originated from the Mongols of the Yuan Dynasty. They said that the Mongols of that time, when two people were riding horses, they would always pat the buttocks of the horse to show respect. Others said that when they saw a fat horse, they would definitely pat the buttocks and praise it.
There were no records of whether or not the Mongols of that time had such a custom. But speaking of the origin of this "flattery", it was much earlier than the Yuan Dynasty. "Flattery" and "Flattery hits the horse's hoof", these two proverbs had existed since ancient times. They came from a fable in the "World of the Mortal" chapter of "Zhuangzi".
Hearing these words, the ears of Yang Fan, who had always had excellent hearing, suddenly seemed to have stopped working. Feng Xihui also seemed to have completely not heard it, even though the two of them heard it clearly.
Flattery?
That's right, he, Feng Xihui, wanted to flatter Yang Fan.
Flattery also required great knowledge. He, Feng Xihui, did not need to flatter his direct superior. It was true that the few Minister Counsellors were in charge of him. But did they have the right to promote or demote him? No right!
If he wanted to flatter someone, then he had to flatter someone above his rank. If he wanted to flatter someone above his rank, then he could only flatter the Minister Counsellors. Minister Cui's position was too high. He, Feng Xihui, couldn't get close to him, so he could only choose between Yang Fan and Chen Dong.
Chen Dong had his own people, and Feng Xihui was not one of them. Of the Judicial Sector's four great masters, he was ranked the last. Betting on Yang Fan was a choice he had no other choice. If he bet correctly, then he could advance a step further. If he bet incorrectly, then he would still be ranked last among the four masters. What else could he do? The barefoot did not fear those who wore shoes. That was why Feng Xihui didn't care about Chen Dong's supercilious look at him at all.
During these days in the Ministry of Justice, Yang Fan roamed about every day. Even though he still hadn't established his prestige, at the very least, he wasn't rejected by others as much. As for his greatest gain from being a storyteller, it was obtaining Manager Feng's closeness.
Feng Xihui was a famous bootlicker in the Ministry of Justice. It didn't take long for Yang Fan to find out about this, but he didn't believe that Feng Xihui was just a bootlicker. How could a useless bootlicker stand out from a group of smart people and climb to the position of the Ministry of Justice's Manager?
In the capital, a manager was admittedly not a high-ranking official, but when placed on a local level, he was still someone who could take charge of an area. The various government offices in the capital were very good at training people. Any minor character picked out here would be able to handle the complicated officialdom with ease.
For Feng Xihui to be able to become the Ministry of Justice's Manager, apart from observing people's words and body language, setting fires when the wind blew, and flattering others, he definitely had some true ability. As for him not being very proud right now, this was completely normal.
Didn't Luo Ling say that in these two years, the Ministry of Justice's head chef had already changed three times? Zhang Chujin, Zhou Xing, and then Cui Yuanzong, in these two years, the Ministry of Justice had already changed three times. As the saying goes, a change in the ruler, a change in the courtiers. Those who didn't succeed today didn't necessarily mean that they didn't have true ability. It could also be because they stood on the wrong side and suffered a setback.
As expected, after some understanding, Yang Fan now knew that this Feng Xihui was originally Zhang Chujin's trusted aide. After Zhang Chujin was executed for treason, many of Feng Xihui's trusted aides were also caught in the crossfire and lost their lives at the market. Feng Xihui was also frustrated.
But … frustrated. Feng Xihui was actually just frustrated. He wasn't executed, nor was he exiled. Instead, he was only demoted from Minister Counsellor to Manager. Who would dare say that such a person was only a bootlicker?
After Zhou Xing took office, he naturally didn't like him. And Feng Xihui was well aware of Zhou Xing's methods, so he could only tuck his tail between his legs and behave, not daring to have any ideas.
After a period of muddle-headedness, Zhou Xing fell and was replaced by Cui Yuanzong. Cui Yuanzong had his own subordinates and as soon as he took office, he was promoted wantonly. Feng Xihui still didn't have a chance to stand out.
However, Cui Yuanzong's conduct wasn't like Zhou Xing's. Playing a few tricks under his eyes wouldn't be life-threatening, so Feng Xihui's mind became active again.
At this time, Yang Fan arrived.
Yang Fan's body trembled again and again. He finally took in a bootlicker as his younger brother. Even though Feng Xihui didn't help him too much when it came to matters of the bureaucracy, Yang Fan obtained a lot of information that he might not be able to obtain from others, or even if he obtained it, it might not necessarily be true and detailed.
Right now, he was listening to Feng Xihui's explanation. Feng Xihui spoke in a very organized manner. As Yang Fan listened, he gained a relatively clear understanding of the factions and power composition of the Ministry of Justice.
As expected, Judicial Bureau's Right Minister Chen Dong wasn't Minister Cui's trusted aide!
He had already guessed this. If this wasn't the case, Chen Dong wouldn't have only been a step away from Right Minister to Left Minister, yet still couldn't ascend. When Minister Cui took up his post in the Ministry of Justice, the trusted aide he brought with him was the Ministry's Minister Pi Erding. Minister Cui always wanted to move Pi Erding to the most important Ministry of Justice, but he was firmly resisted by Chen Dong.
Chen Dong didn't belong to any faction. He was an intelligent person. Back then, when Zhang Chujin and Zhou Xing were fighting for power, he saw that neither of the two big shots were easy to provoke. As such, he maintained a strict neutrality, not offending either side. At the time, he was just the Ministry's Minister Counsellor, his status not too high. When they saw his attitude, neither side felt like recruiting him.
In the end, Zhang Chujin fell, and when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. A large number of positions became vacant. He took a step forward, becoming the Ministry's Minister. Later on, Zhou Xing fell, and he took another step forward, becoming the Judicial Bureau's Minister.
Now, of course, he could choose to rely on Cui Yuanzong, but he changed his profession halfway through, so how could he compare to the people Cui Yuanzong brought up himself? Relying on Cui Yuanzong wouldn't give him what he wanted, so why would he put the Cui Clan's brand on himself?
Cui Yuanzong's leadership abilities were far inferior to Zhang Chujin and Zhou Xing's, and he didn't have their methods. Chen Dong had painstakingly operated in the Ministry of Justice for many years, and his foundation was extremely solid. Now that the Ministry of Justice was being squeezed by the Imperial Envoy Station, Cui Yuanzong didn't dare completely fall out with Chen Dong under these circumstances. The two of them just stood there ambiguously. However, they never expected that a decree from the emperor and Yang Fan would descend from the sky, completely messing up both sides' wishful thinking.
The Ministry of Justice's Chen Dong formed his own faction, but his foundation in the Ministry of Justice was the most solid. The Ministry of Justice's Minister Pi Erding was Cui Yuanzong's trusted aide. Then what about Sun Yuxuan and Yan Xiaojun? These two people were officials of the Ministry of Justice before Cui Yuanzong was transferred to the Ministry of Justice. At that time, the two of them were only managers.
They didn't show much of their abilities, and they didn't have much integrity. When Zhang Chujin was powerful, they relied on Zhang Chujin, and when Zhou Xing was powerful, they relied on Zhou Xing. Because they were fence-sitters, neither side saw them as a thorn in their side, nor did they see them as true trusted aides. In the end, Zhang Chujin and Zhou Xing fell one after another, but they weren't implicated and were promoted step by step.
Now that Cui Yuanzong was an official of the Ministry of Justice, they naturally leaned towards Cui Yuanzong. However, this kind of "loyalty" couldn't really be considered. In addition, their abilities were limited, and they didn't have a good reputation, so Cui Yuanzong was only pretending to be courteous to them. Cui Yuanzong had only been in the Ministry of Justice for a short time, and there were internal and external troubles. Right now, he only wanted to grasp the important departments and didn't have the energy to exclude them.
This Sun Yuxuan was a Jinshi of the Ming Jing examination. The Ming Jing examination mainly tested memory. If one could recite the sage's writings fluently, there was hope for him to pass the examination. This Sun Yuxuan's memorization was top-notch, but for some reason, he couldn't understand the law no matter how hard he studied.
Once he was asked to deal with official documents, he would hold a brush in one hand and hold his forehead with the other, frowning and unable to write for a long time. There was a large backlog of documents in his hands, so he was given the nickname "Hard to Write".
Yan Xiaojun had a sinister temperament and would seek revenge for the smallest grievance.
Back when he was still the head of the Ministry of Justice, he once went to his maternal grandfather on a business trip. On the way, he was thirsty and asked a melon farmer for some melons to eat. If he didn't pay, the melon farmer naturally wouldn't agree. Yan Xiaojun harbored hatred in his heart, and went to the local magistrate's office, saying that he found a thief hiding in the melon garden.
The magistrate transferred a large number of officials to follow him to arrest the thief, turning the melon garden into a mess. Naturally, he couldn't catch the thief, but he did vent the hatred in his heart. From then on, he was given the nickname "Wading Sweet Potatoes".
Cui Yuanzong's trusted aide, Pi Erding, also had a nickname. He had received this nickname not too long ago, and he got it together with Chen Dong.
After Cui Yuanzong was transferred to the Ministry of Justice, he wanted to place Pi Erding in the position of the Left Minister of Justice, but he encountered Chen Dong's firm resistance. One time, there was an urgent need to deliver an official letter to the Imperial Censorate, but the low-ranking official in charge of the storeroom received Chen Dong's instructions and deliberately found an excuse to avoid it.
Pi Erding didn't have the key to open the door, and he was also worried that if he delivered the official letter late, he would be reprimanded by Lai Junchen. At that time, Lai Junchen was in the limelight, he didn't dare to offend him. In a moment of anger, Pi Erding went to get an axe, stepped on a stool, and with a few swings of the axe, he broke the window of the storeroom, climbed in through the window and took out the official letter.
Thus, the two of them were given nicknames. Chen Dong was called the 'Gentle Blade', and Pi Erding was called the 'Big Axe That Cleaves the Window'. Even funnier was that because Assistant Minister Cui was powerless to do anything about it, he was given the nickname of 'Bodhisattva Cui'.
The so-called Bodhisattva referred to him as a wooden sculpture made of clay, unable to control his subordinates.
Yang Fan couldn't help but fall into deep thought as he listened to Feng Xihui's explanation.
This was a very familiar scene.
Assistant Minister Cui had power and Minister Chen had influence. It was like a large Imperial Court trapping a small Imperial Court, a struggle for power no different from the open and veiled struggle between the Tibetan King and Prime Minister Qinling.
And when he rashly interfered, they would temporarily work together to deal with him. This was similar to the reaction of the Tibetans when Wuzhile led the Nine Tribes of the Western Turks to pastorate the Great Dipper Valley.
When Minister Cui had failed to instruct Chef Wang Wan to 'lure the enemy into the urn', he had immediately pulled back and watched as Yang Fan and Chen Dong fought, hoping that both sides would suffer and he would clean up the mess. Wasn't this plan the same as how the Eastern Turks had silently slapped the Yehu?
As large as a country, as small as a government office. From ancient times until now, this had always been the case.
Yang Fan gently rubbed his chin as he thought to himself, It seems that the Four Great Vajra under Bodhisattva Cui's command — Difficult to Write Brush, Sweet Potato Wading, Gentle Blade, and Big Axe That Cleaves the Window — are all disloyal and scheming. I was almost frightened by the array they set up at the start. Now it seems that they are just a motley crew of loose sand. Since that's the case, even if I, Beta Persei, am only leading a bootlicker, I might still be able to divide and conquer them!
As Yang Fan thought of this, he raised his eyes and met with the examining bootlicker. Feng Xihui had not expected Yang Fan to suddenly raise his eyes and subconsciously averted his gaze. After a moment's hesitation, he resolutely met Yang Fan's gaze. The two stared at each other, a smile of mutual understanding appearing on their faces.
Feng Xihui was very happy. He had clearly seen the sharp light in Yang Fan's eyes just now. As expected, Yang Fan had not come to the Ministry of Justice to waste his days. If Yang Fan did nothing, he had just found a fellow sufferer to share his grievances with in their free time. Since Yang Fan wanted to go to war, he was also eager to give it a try.
Yang Fan was also very happy. He had intentionally let Feng Xihui see that look in his eyes just now. At this point, he had no intention of hiding it from Feng Xihui. If he did not let him know his intentions, how could Feng Xihui be so determined to work for him? It was about time to launch a counterattack.
Yang Fan slowly said, "Manager Feng!"
Feng Xihui subconsciously straightened his body, "Yang Langzhong!"
Yang Fan put on an expression as if he had a hundred thousand soldiers hidden in his chest and said in a deep voice, "Help me invite Doctor Sun and Doctor Yan. I want to invite them to a banquet tomorrow night!"
Feng Xihui felt a burst of excitement and said with his blood boiling, "Yes! Your humble servant will … Uh, tomorrow night? "
Yang Fan still had a calm look on his face and said leisurely, "Why, is there a problem?"
Feng Xihui hesitated, "Tomorrow is Chinese Valentine's Day. Are you sure you want to invite them tomorrow night?"
Yang Fan was shocked, "Tomorrow is Chinese Valentine's Day? How can it be so fast! "
…
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
