After getting Wan 'er's approval from Fu Qingqing, Yang Fan's heart was at ease. He no longer looked around and strode towards the palace gate.
Yang Fan had just left the Meridian Gate when he saw Li Xucai, the assistant minister of the Yellow Gate, walking towards him.
Behind Li Xucai was a scribe who was carrying a stack of documents. It looked like they were going to the Political Affairs Hall. As soon as he saw Yang Fan, Li Xucai smiled and stood still. He cupped his hands and said, "Yang Langzhong, it's been a long time."
Yang Fan recognized him. This assistant minister of the Yellow Gate was the trusted aide of Prime Minister Li Zhaode. After Li Zhaode took power, he was also very famous in the court. Yang Fan smiled and stood still. He cupped his hands and said, "Assistant Minister Li, it's been a long time."
"Haha, Yang Langzhong's trip to the Southern Border is very satisfying. Now that you have returned with success, the saints will reward you. Moving Yang Langzhong to the Heavenly Official Fu is exactly what everyone wants. It's a cause for celebration."
Li Xucai laughed loudly as he walked closer. He lowered his voice and said, "Second Lang's trip to the Southern Border did not disappoint. Prime Minister Li is also very happy. Today, Prime Minister Li has set up a banquet in the fu and invites Lang to come."
"Oh! Prime Minister Li … is really too polite to me. "
Yang Fan's heart was slightly moved. He did not hesitate and calmly cupped his hands and thanked him.
Li Xucai smiled and cupped his hands again to Yang Fan. He then walked towards the palace.
Yang Fan stood where he was and looked at his back. His eyes showed that he was deep in thought.
Before the journey to the Southern Border, Yang Fan had anticipated that this fierce battle with the Censorate would inevitably result in him being impeached by the Censorate. In order to avoid being hindered by the Imperial Court, he had requested Li Zhaode to protect him, and Li Zhaode had graciously agreed.
Later, Huang Jingrong forced Wu Man and Bai Man to rebel. When the news of the rebellion of the Black and White Barbarians reached the capital, Wu Zetian's attitude changed drastically. She went from obstructing Yang Fan to supporting Yang Fan. As a result, Li Zhaode did not have to use force.
However, regardless of whether or not Li Zhaode played a role in this matter, his previous promise was enough. When Yang Fan returned to the capital this time, he definitely had to pay a visit. Li Zhaode was very clear about this. Since that was the case, why did he take the initiative to extend an invitation to the wise?
This was not Li Zhaode's usual style. The current Li Zhaode did not put anyone in his eyes. Yang Fan didn't need to think too deeply to know the reason behind it: Southern Frontier's official selection!
The selection of officials!
Now, there were more and more officials attached themselves to Li Zhaode. Why did they follow him? Wasn't it because following him would give them a more stable position, more opportunities, a brighter future, and more opportunities for their children? Very obviously, Li Zhaode was also eyeing this good opportunity of the Southern Border's official selection.
Yang Fan secretly smiled bitterly and turned around. As soon as he turned around, he jumped in fright.
This was in front of the palace gate, so there was no need for him to be on high alert at all times. In addition, he was deep in thought, so Yang Fan didn't notice that someone had already come up to him. This turn of events gave him a fright.
The person standing behind Yang Fan was Guanglu Temple's Deputy Song Zhixun. Song Zhixun was looking at him with a thought-provoking smile. As soon as he saw him turn around, he said with a smile, "Erlang is independent of the palace gates and seems to be deep in thought. What happy event has happened?"
Yang Fan had already calmed down. Hearing this, he said with a smile, "Deputy Song must be joking. I just happened to think of a trivial matter. How can there be any happy event?"
Song Zhixun laughed and said, "Erlang has returned with success. His Highness, the King of Liang, is extremely happy. He has specially set up a banquet in his manor to welcome Erlang. He invites Erlang to attend the banquet at one o 'clock today."
"One o 'clock today?" Yang Fan cried out involuntarily.
Although he did not know when Song Zhixun arrived, he dared to confirm that when he was talking to Li Xucai, Song Zhixun was definitely not here yet. Therefore, he could not have heard Li Xucai's words and deliberately chosen this time. It could only be said that it was a coincidence.
Although the Emperor was not attending court today, the various yamens were operating as usual. If the officials had any private matters, they would usually finish their official business in the morning and then deal with it in the afternoon. Therefore, it was not strange that Li Zhaode and Wu Sansi coincidentally chose this time in the afternoon.
Seeing Yang Fan's appearance, Song Zhixun could not help but ask suspiciously, "What? Could it be … Erlang already has an appointment? "
Wu Sansi and Li Zhaode coincidentally invited Yang Fan. This was no different from the purpose of the Shandong aristocratic families and the Guanlong aristocratic families. These large powers and powerful ministers had such behavior, but it did not mean that Yang Fan could make a decision on the selection of the Southern Frontier officials. Wu Zetian did not give him this authority, and the final decision was not in his hands.
But since Wu Zetian wanted to cushion the pressure from the various powers and factions and ease the resistance from the tribal leaders of the Southern Frontier, she had chosen him, so he had the right to make the initial selection.
Li Zhaode and Wu Sansi, as well as the various aristocratic families, used their own connections and power. Could they forcefully insert their own people into the selection? Could they overrule the candidates proposed by Yang Fan? Of course they could, but to do so, wouldn't it be too evil? It was easy for him to suppress Yang Fan, but he would not be able to suppress the impeachment from the other factions.
Yang Fan could not do anything to them, but the other powers would have sufficient reason to impeach them for using their power to overstep their authority and interfere with the selection of officials for their own personal gain. But through the candidates proposed by Yang Fan, they would be justified.
At that time, they could do whatever they wanted and secretly support Yang Fan. As long as they could resist the attacks from the other powers, they would be able to achieve what they wanted, and they would not fall into a passive position from the beginning to the end. The importance of Yang Fan lay in this. Wu Sansi and Li Zhaode put down their differences and took the initiative to quickly invite him, because they were afraid that others would beat them to it.
Of course, Yang Fan would not say that Li Zhaode had already sent someone to invite him. The fact that he sent someone to invite him proved that there was contact, contact, and a relatively close relationship between them. For example, Wu Chengsi could only do his best to recommend his people. He also predicted that Yang Fan would not give him special care, so he could only grit his teeth and wait to find the weakness of Yang Fan.
If Yang Fan told Song Zhixun that Minister Li had already sent someone to invite him, Wu Sansi would immediately understand. Yang Fan was connected to Li Zhaode's faction, and Yang Fan would have one less trump card. In the future, it would not be easy for him to maintain his current status of being like a fish in water. But the truth could not be said, so how could he refuse?
Whether it was Li Zhaode or Wu Sansi, if they refused the invitation, they would definitely offend someone. Just as Yang Fan was in a dilemma, suddenly there was the sound of horse hooves coming from afar, galloping towards them.
Galloping horses in front of the palace, unless it was an urgent military report, was almost impossible. Which official or noble would not know to restrain their horses and gallop in front of the palace? Could it be that something big had happened at the border?
Yang Fan and Song Zhixun were a little surprised. They turned their heads together and saw that the approaching person was not a military courier with a triangular flag on his back, but a monk with a bald head and a large robe.
The monk galloped wildly on the horse, unscrupulously. There were only a few people in front of the palace. He saw Yang Fan at a glance, and immediately grinned. He laughed and shouted, "Brother Hong Liu, I trust you have been well since we last met!"
"Brother Hong Liu!"
Yang Fan was overjoyed. He quickly excused himself to Song Zhixun and quickly walked up to greet him.
When the horse came close, Hong Liu hurriedly pulled the reins and jumped off. He laughed and gave him a tight hug. "Brother Hong Liu, we brothers all know about what you did in the Southern Frontier. Good job, you did not lose face for our White Horse Temple. Under Master Xue's tutelage, one must have an insolent spirit. Whoever dares to go against us, we will teach them a lesson! "
Hong Liu's eyebrows danced as he said this, and he heavily punched Yang Fan's chest. It seemed that Yang Fan had killed two imperial envoys in the Southern Frontier, causing the other imperial envoys to be imprisoned after returning to the capital, was really to this ruffian monk's liking.
Yang Fan laughed and said, "Brother is overpraising me. How did you find your way to the palace? After this matter is over, I should have gone to pay my respects to Shizun and all the other brothers."
Hong Liu laughed and said, "It's not like you don't know Shizun's temper. He is as impatient as a thunderbolt. How could he have the patience to wait for you in the temple? As soon as he heard that you had returned, Shizun was grinning from ear to ear. Right now, he has already gone to the 'Golden Hairpin Drunk' to wait for you. All the other brothers are there. If there is nothing else, let's go now. Don't let Shizun wait for too long. "
Yang Fan was overjoyed when he heard this. A prime minister and a prince, one with political power and one with imperial power, chose to invite him to a banquet at the same time. No matter how quick-witted he was, he could not think of a solution that would satisfy both sides. Unless the Emperor wanted to invite him to a banquet. No matter what reason he used to reject one party's invitation, he would offend them.
But there was one exception, and that was Xue Huaiyi! Xue Huaiyi was an unreasonable person who did not care about anyone. Whether it was Li Zhaode or Wu Sansi, they were not willing to bicker with this unreasonable person. His purpose in inviting Yang Fan to a banquet was the purest of all. It had nothing to do with the selection of officials or the politics of the court. He had invited Yang Fan to a banquet purely because he was in a good mood and wanted to drink. Regardless of whether it was Wu Sansi or Li Zhaode, when they heard that he had stolen their guest, they could only laugh bitterly. They would not vent their anger on him, nor would they blame Yang Fan.
Yang Fan was overjoyed, but he quickly put on a troubled expression. He turned to Song Zhixun and said, "Deputy Song, this … I am overwhelmed by the king's invitation, but since my master has summoned me, I do not dare to refuse. This … why don't Yang Fan pay a visit to His Highness King Liang tomorrow? What do you think?"
As Yang Fan spoke, he shot him a meaningful glance. His meaning was self-evident. "Deputy Song, the person behind me is a scoundrel! The scoundrel behind me is the number one scoundrel in the entire dynasty! Yang Fan really has no choice. You should be careful with your words, lest you get beaten up. He really does dare to beat you up! "
Hong Liu glared at him. "What? Does King Liang also want to invite my seventeenth brother to a drink?"
Song Zhixun smiled bitterly and stepped forward. He cupped his fists and said, "His Highness King Liang does indeed intend to invite Erlang to a drink. However, since Master Xue has already prepared a banquet, then … cough cough, having a master is like having a father. Naturally … hahaha, this old man will report to His Highness that he will host another banquet tomorrow."
…
Yang Fan did not dare to ride his horse in front of the imperial palace. After bidding farewell to Song Zhixun, he led his horse and Hong Liu out of the imperial palace. Only then did he get on his horse and gallop towards Drunken Golden Hairpin.
Hong Liu, who was riding on his horse, suddenly laughed out loud. He gave Yang Fan a thumbs up and praised, "Erlang, you are truly capable."
Yang Fan smiled bitterly. "Sixth senior brother, you're at it again. Isn't it just a trip to the southern border? There's no need to praise me over and over again."
Hong Liu shook his bald head vigorously. "That's not what I'm talking about."
Yang Fan asked curiously, "Then what is it?"
Hong Liu winked at him and chuckled. "Don't hide it from me. Everyone already knows about this."
Yang Fan was even more baffled. "What do you mean everyone already knows?"
Hong Liu grinned mischievously. "Of course it's about Princess Taiping's pregnancy! Heh heh, don't tell me that the child belongs to Prince Consort Wu? "
…
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