Chapter 241 Meeting
Since ancient times, women have regarded their husbands as heaven, and have relied on big trees to survive like vines. The honor and disgrace of a lifetime all depend on men, and they don’t even have the right to know and make decisions. Men don’t need to obtain women’s consent for any decision.
After a blind marriage, they lived and died with a blind man.
And Yu Zheng’s move not only made Jiang Shu live clearly, but also gave her great respect. Invisibly told Jiang Shu that she was not only his wife, but also a partner who walked side by side with him.
"With Shu'er here, I'm not afraid of anything." Yu Zheng and Jiang Shu put their foreheads together, his dark eyes were firm, and the corners of his lips were slightly curved. When
a person walks forward and faces the unknown road ahead, there will always be some fear and confusion, helplessness and fatigue.
But when two people walk together, they will encourage and rely on each other, and become each other's motivation and backing.
Jiang Shu looked into Yu Zheng's eyes, and murmured as if promising: "Honor and disgrace, fortune and misfortune, life and death depend on each other."
Yu Zheng's heart shuddered when he heard it, and he leaned forward and kissed the person in front of him.
With such a wife, what else could a husband ask for.
The next day, Jiang Ning came.
The academy was about to start, and Jiang Ning seized the last free time to come to the palace to learn riding.
Jiang Shu accompanied him for half a day with a normal expression, and said nothing.
First, he was afraid that his family would worry unnecessarily, and second, the affairs of the palace were too far-reaching to be spread out casually.
Jiang Ning, who was simple-minded, did not notice anything. He came with excitement and left with satisfaction.
After lunch, Yu Zheng sent Jiang Ning away and went to Zhou's house.
Knowing that Prime Minister Xie actually took the initiative to join forces with Yu Zheng, Zhou Taifu and Zhou Boxu were very surprised.
After the shock, Zhou Taifu felt that it was reasonable and shook his head and sighed: "If you act too much, you will dig your own grave."
Zhou Boxu said: "The Cao family is ambitious and must be eliminated."
Since the death of the previous emperor thirty years ago and the emperor's accession to the throne, the Cao family has shown its ambition and has been rampantly forcing the emperor to marry the daughter of the Cao family as his queen, and then gave birth to the eldest son as the prince.
Over the years, the emperor has endured humiliation and kept a low profile, secretly cultivated confidants, quietly controlled the court situation to regain the imperial power, and finally had the power to resist the Cao family.
The Cao family sensed something was wrong and used the same old trick again, forcing Yu Cheng to marry Cao Muxue as the crown princess. Now, they have reached out to Yu Zheng again.
If the Cao family continues to cause trouble, when Yu Cheng ascends the throne in the future, the Cao family will be omnipotent, and the entire court will be the Cao family's meeting hall.
And those who are against the Cao family will definitely have no place to stand, and it is hard to say whether they can keep their lives.
Regardless of whether Yu Zheng fights or not, the Cao family cannot stay.
People can be without ambitions, but they cannot be without the ability to protect themselves.
The three of them discussed in the study for an entire afternoon, and Yu Zheng left when it was almost dark.
After a long period of clear weather, it will rain. The weather had been gloomy for two days, and finally raindrops fell.
Yu Zheng took a car out of the city, and after twists and turns, he arrived at a secret courtyard in the west of the city.
Not long after he entered the courtyard, two more carriages came one after another.
The two people who got off the last car wore wide hoods that covered their entire faces.
"Patta, patta..." Raindrops hit the umbrella, splashed onto the ground, and soaked clothes, shoes and boots.
Zhufeng led the two through the courtyard, around the corridor, stopped outside the study, and knocked on the door.
"Master, the people have arrived."
"Come in." Yu Zheng's cold voice came from the house.
Zhufeng opened the door, closed the door after the two entered, and personally guarded the door.
The three people in the room raised their eyes at the same time and looked at the visitors.
"Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Zhou, Mr. Zhou." The two took off their hats and saluted Yu Zheng and the other two.
"Thank you, Prime Minister, thank you, Minister." Grand Tutor Zhou and Zhou Boxu returned the salute.
Yu Zheng raised his hand and motioned for the two to sit down and talk.
Hot tea had already been prepared on the tables. Following the etiquette of hospitality, Yu Zheng raised the teacup and toasted them after the two sat down.
The Xie family father and son hurriedly returned the tea cup, and finally took a few sips of praise and said: "Good tea, I didn't expect such good tea to be hidden in this deserted courtyard."
He glanced at the two of them with dark eyes, and Yu Zheng said slowly: "It's my duty to treat distinguished guests with good tea. The king specially brought it from the palace, and also invited Master Zhou to accompany him. Are you satisfied?"
Prime Minister Xie said with a smile: "The prince treated me with sincerity, so there is no reason to be dissatisfied."
Although the courtiers secretly divided themselves into factions, they never expressed it openly.
Today, Yu Zheng asked Taifu Zhou and Zhou Boxu to work together. Firstly, he expressed his sincere cooperation to Prime Minister Xie. Secondly, he also reminded Prime Minister Xie that he was not alone in the court, and he had to think carefully if he wanted to make plans.
Prime Minister Xie is in the first rank and holds great power. Xie Qi'an is the fourth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel, in charge of the appointment, dismissal, promotion, assessment, reward and punishment of officials, with great power and responsibility.
Moreover, Xie Qi'an has been rooted in the Ministry of Personnel for many years and knows everything about it. It only takes time for him to become the next official.
Because both father and son hold real power and have a great influence in the court, the Cao family is jealous and wants to get rid of them, but they dare not act rashly.
"If Prime Minister Xie likes tea, you can come to my house to taste it when you have time." Taifu Zhou tentatively invited him.
If Prime Minister Xie agreed to go to Zhou's house, it would be telling the Cao family and Yu Cheng that they had formed an alliance.
Xie Qi'an said with a smile: "Although my father loves tea, he can't sleep at night if he drinks too much. I don't know if Lord Zhou likes wine. I know a wine shop with a lot of fine wine. We can drink together."
The time has not come yet, and the cooperation must be carried out secretly and cannot be publicized.
Several people looked at each other, and Zhou Boxu said: "It is difficult to refuse the kindness, so it is better to obey than to be respectful."
Now is indeed not the time to make it clear, and secretly joining forces can catch the Cao family off guard.
After some probing, several people got to the point.
To show his sincerity, Xie Qi'an said: "Cao Qian is suspicious and cautious, but he is greedy for beauty. He has a beautiful concubine by his side, who is my person."
Yu Zheng and the other three were slightly frightened when they heard it. Xie
Qi'an was able to plant someone next to Cao Qian's pillow.
Given Cao Qian's personality, even if he was greedy for beauty, he would definitely check the details before marrying a concubine and would not take her lightly.
Xie Qi'an's move must have been difficult.
"I wonder what this beautiful concubine told Minister Xie?" Zhou Boxu asked.
Xie Qi'an said, "Grand Tutor Cao is seriously ill and is about to die. He is only being kept alive by medicine."
They really didn't know this news.
Grand Tutor Cao is the pillar of the Cao family. If he died, the friendship between the Cao family and their disciples would be lost, and the Cao family would lose its arm.
Therefore, the Cao family took good care of him and kept the news strictly, not revealing any information.
Although Yu Zheng also planted people in the Cao mansion, he did not find out this news, which shows how cautious Cao Qian is and how powerful his concubine is.
Xie Qi'an gave such important information, so Yu Zheng had to show some sincerity.
With his slender fingers tapping the table, Yu Zheng said in a deep voice: "I found out that the corruption case in Jiangnan last year was related to the Cao family. A few days ago, I found the teacher who was in charge of the Jiangnan patrol. He will come to Beijing soon." In
the first negotiation, both parties were cautious, trying to exchange information with each other and make a preliminary plan.
When the rain stopped, Prime Minister Xie stood up: "The Cao family is deeply rooted and powerful, and we need to take it slowly. We have been out for a long time, and we should go back."
Taifu Zhou stood up and said: "I will see Prime Minister Xie off."
"Thank you." Prime Minister Xie left the study and walked side by side with Taifu Zhou, while Xie Qi'an and Zhou Boxu lagged behind a few steps.
After looking around and confirming that there was no one, Prime Minister Xie whispered: "Taifu Zhou, there is something I have always wanted to ask you."
"Oh? Prime Minister Xie, just say it." Taifu Zhou smiled calmly.