The emperor is suspicious
It was a rainy day, the palace was closed, the candlelight was reflected on the window paper, and the room was dim.
The left and right prime ministers, the ministers of various ministries, and the other first- and second-rank ministers all looked at Emperor Tiantong motionlessly.
The emperor folded his hands, supported his chin, and looked solemn: "That's it. Xu Yanmo talked in his sleep last night, talking about a three-year plan and a five-year plan - my dear ministers, I want to know what this is."
After he finished speaking, Wuying Hall fell into an eerie silence.
The ministers twitched their mouths.
Your Majesty, you are too hard.
Although this can conceal the truth as much as possible, and even avoid risks, in case this matter is gossip, and the artifact is collected and discovered by Xu Yanmiao, but... Your Majesty, don't you think that the emperor let the Jinyiwei monitor the ministers and even hear the other party's dreams clearly, which is too abnormal?
The historian who was recording the daily records next to him had a dull look in his eyes. He paused for a moment and then silently wrote down: The emperor is suspicious. For three years, Jinyiwei went to the minister's house, and then Yanmiao talked in his sleep...
The historian began to laugh while writing.
—— Just the three words "the emperor is suspicious", he has no idea how many times he has used it. I am afraid that in the eyes of future generations, their majesty must be a person who is so suspicious that he is insane.
——After all, even the favorite ministers were monitored by the Jinyiwei when they slept, so the fate of other ministers was simply unimaginable!
The emperor pretended to be more and more arrogant, and gave instructions to his right-hand ministers: "I don't want to scare Xu Yanmiao. If I ask him to explain his sleep directly, I'm afraid he will faint. You should think of a way to let him take the initiative to mention what the three-year plan and the five-year plan are."
The ministers: "..."
Your Majesty, don't you think it's a bit strange to let a group of prime ministers and ministers discuss how to deceive a young man who has just come of age?
＊
You still have to deceive.
The old foxes looked at each other and began to discuss: "It must be simple. He may not understand if it is profound."
"It is better to mention the three-year plan or the five-year plan directly in front of him. Mention it a few times, and he may understand it?"
- In fact, if you mention it a few times, he may say something related in his heart. Or if you mention it a few times, he will wonder why so many people mention it in front of him. If you check the gossip, you will find that the emperor said that he sent the Jinyiwei to eavesdrop on his dreams.
But don't say this kind of hidden meaning out loud, just keep it tacitly.
"This is fine."
"Okay, I agree."
"Who goes first?"
Silence! Silence! Silence!
These old foxes looked at each other, and suddenly, they started to make a fuss like a whirlwind -
"There is someone in my department who can take on this important task!"
"My adopted son is bold and careful, and he can tell anyone anything. Let him go!"
"I recommend someone, he is Shi Jixiang, the Minister of Personnel."
"Wait a minute, isn't this person on the side of your political enemy?"
"As the saying goes, when promoting the virtuous, one should not avoid the enemy. How can I not recommend him just because he is a political enemy?"
More than a dozen senior officials quarreled, pushing their own people and political enemies, but no one volunteered.
They thought it through very carefully. In theory, this matter was foolproof. Just show up in front of Xu Yanmiao and mention the "three-year plan and five-year plan", and His Majesty will remember you.
But it is also possible that something bad will be exposed - so the best way is to let one's own people take the credit. If something goes wrong, as the boss, he can still do his best to take responsibility.
Of course, those who promote political enemies completely believe in Xu Yanmo's power and decide to take a chance that something will happen to the political enemy.
The old emperor: "How about this, you bring the people you recommend to Wuying Hall."
The emperor spoke, and soon everyone gathered.
The old emperor sighed: "I have something to do here, but it is very dangerous, and I may even be humiliated for me. I wonder if anyone is willing?"
The officials who were recommended but had no idea what happened: "!!!"
What kind of a good day is today! I can actually get such a good job!
Being humiliated for the emperor! This is simply smoke coming out of the ancestral tomb! Given your Majesty's character, as long as they don't cross the line, your Majesty will definitely treat them well!
Moreover, they will be favored by the emperor and rise to a high position!
Wei Ren, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was so anxious that his face turned red. He was the first to rush out: "Your Majesty! I am willing!!!"
When he rushed out, he stepped on many people's feet, causing them to gasp and not have time to speak.
The officials whose feet were stepped on: "Shameless!!!"
This person is too shameless! He actually used such an outside trick, his heart must be rotten!
Minister Wei heaved a sigh of relief, like a cock full of fighting spirit, holding his crown high, and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty! Although I don't know what it is, as a minister, I should share the emperor's worries! I will definitely do it with my heart and do it well! I wonder if Your Majesty is willing to let me take on this important task!"
The old emperor put his worries to rest and said, "Then follow me."
Minister Wei went with his head held high. When he passed by his top boss, the Minister of Revenue, he saw the other party smiling at him and nodding, and Minister Wei was so happy that his face turned redder, and it can be said that his face was flushed.
Other officials who did not have time to recommend themselves looked at him with envy.
A little later, Wei Shilang reappeared in front of the crowd, his face pale, his steps weak, he looked at his colleagues, his lips trembled, and a tear rolled out of his eye socket: "Everyone, I will go first."
The other officials were shocked.
——What on earth is going on!
Chen Zhonghui, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, who was just promoted from the position of Guangdong Councillor this year and was eager to be promoted again, smiled slightly and said without avoiding people: "Minister Wei's character is still a little bit lacking. He just said too much, and now that he knows what he is going to do, he regrets it."
He said again: "If I can go, I will definitely not regret it."
Whether this is true or not, others don't know, they only see the emperor slowly walking out of the inner hall and looking at Chen Shiqing.
Some officials frowned and regretted it.
Careless! He actually forgot to show his loyalty. Now that someone else has gotten there first, it is of no use showing his loyalty anymore.
Some officials also rushed to make up for the loss: "Your Majesty! I am willing to go through fire and water for you! Please give me a chance!"
The old emperor said: "Okay, I will give you a chance next time."
*
Let's not talk about how much laughter there was in Wuying Hall. Wei Ren, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was mentally prepared and knocked on Xu Yanmiao's door.
——After reading the emperor's gossip, he went home.
The hot water on the stove was bubbling. Xu Yanmiao heard a knock on the door and shouted, "Wait a minute!" He took the kettle off the stove and put it aside before opening the door. "Hey, Minister Wei, what's up?"
Wei Ren: "Mr. Xu! I recently found a Taoist priest with a very effective spell! I recommend him to you!"
Xu Yanmiao remembered this Minister Wei, a severe superstitious patient who was keen on fortune-telling, feng shui, spells, and pills. He would also enthusiastically recommend those so-called very effective xx to others.
The two of them met because Xu Yanmiao heard that he was keen on eating golden elixirs, and Xu Yanmiao happened to know that golden elixirs were mostly mercury, cinnabar, and realgar, and the heavy metal content exceeded the standard. After struggling for a long time, he tried to mention that eating golden elixirs was bad for the body. Unexpectedly, as soon as he mentioned it, the other party accepted it without hesitation, threw away all the golden elixirs at home, and later told everyone who ate golden elixirs that eating golden elixirs was bad for the body.
Xu Yanmiao felt that this person listened to advice and could make friends.
... Although, this person was always keen to recommend to him which temple made wishes come true, which Taoist priest told fortunes, and which witch interpreted dreams most effectively. But considering that he was just recommending, and usually only said it once or twice, he would not be annoying to keep saying it, so Xu Yanmiao could accept it.
So this time, Xu Yanmiao also thought that the other party was just enthusiastically sharing his news on metaphysics as before.
"Is the talisman effective?" Xu Yanmiao was stunned for a moment, then he followed the topic and said with a smile: "How effective is it! Didn't you say before that the Yuxian Temple in Yuezhou is the most effective? Now you found
one that is more effective?" Wei Ren said excitedly: "That Taoist priest is really very effective. Even the Yuxian Temple is not as effective as him. I had a conflict with my good friend some time ago, and it was to the point where we would never see each other again. When the Taoist priest saw me on the side of the road, he said that I was trapped in love. After listening to me, he gave me a continuation talisman and did not ask for my money. Unexpectedly, two days later, my friend came back to talk to me, and found out that our previous conflict was a misunderstanding."
Xu Yanmiao was shocked: "Is it so effective!"
[Can it be a coincidence? 】
Wei Ren: "I'm going to ask him for a talisman now. Xu Lang, do you want to come with me? It's really effective!"
Xu Yanmiao hesitated for a moment, but couldn't overcome his curiosity: "Okay!"
Wei Ren was delighted.
——He had a lot of ideas hidden, just waiting to emphasize to Xu Yanmiao on the way that he had a "three-year plan (emphasis)". During the three years that the old Taoist priest stayed in the capital, he would ask for a talisman every once in a while to maximize the benefits of these three years.
I think Xu Lang would think about his own three-year plan after hearing him talk about the "three-year plan" along the way.
As for the other side.
Not only Xu Yanmiao couldn't overcome his curiosity, but the king and ministers of Daxia who listened to the broadcast of Jinyiwei were also shocked.
Is there really such an effective talisman in the world?
After a while, Jinyiwei sent news one after another.
"That Taoist priest seems to be really powerful."
"A family prayed for a talisman, hoping that their chickens would lay more eggs. Unexpectedly, not long after the talisman was taken back and hung up, the hens began to lay eggs every day."
The emperor and his ministers of Daxia: "!!!!"
The emperor and his ministers of Daxia: "Really?!"
The Jinyi Guard nodded.
This matter must be reported to the emperor, and they will of course investigate it thoroughly.
"They prayed for the talisman a year ago. In the past year, the hens have laid eggs every day. Those eggs have been sold, and everyone in the neighborhood knows about it."
"The money from selling eggs allows their family to eat meat from time to time. Now they have rosy faces when they go out, and the neighbors are particularly envious of them-oh, they often feed the leftover meat to the dogs, and the dogs in the neighborhood wag their tails enthusiastically when they see them."
It sounds so true.
Some officials rubbed their clothes with their hands, and made up their minds that they would ask Wei Ren to introduce this Taoist priest to them.
The emperor and the prime minister and ministers smiled and looked at him with disdain.
It is not uncommon for a hen to lay eggs every day. Maybe the hen was well selected, and the family made a gimmick to sell more eggs?
After a while, the Jinyiwei reported again: "Before, the young son of a chess club fell in love with the only daughter of Madam Xiuzhuang. The young lady ignored him at first, but he went to the old Taoist priest to ask for a marriage talisman, and soon they got married. The couple now lives a sweet and harmonious life."
Some officials opened their eyes wide: "Is it so effective?"
The emperor and the prime minister and ministers who had seen a lot shook their heads.
It must be that the son of the chess club and the only daughter of the embroidery manor had secretly had sex, so the rumors were over.
After a while, the Jinyiwei reported the third piece of news they had heard: "This old Taoist priest was in Fujian before. The Fujian councilor had never had a child. He finally had a child in his old age and was so happy that he almost died on the spot. Unexpectedly, the child became weak after a few days. Several doctors could not find a cure. Later, they had to pray to the gods and Buddhas, and they prayed to the old Taoist priest. The old Taoist priest drew a talisman and burned it, put it in the milk and let the child drink it. Soon, the child's health improved."
- The Fujian councilor was a third-rank official, and the doctor he could find would definitely not be a quack. Moreover, he didn't need to cooperate with the old Taoist priest to tell lies.
The rulers and ministers of Daxia, from the emperor to the ordinary officials, almost jumped up in excitement.
There are actually such talented people in the world!
The old emperor suddenly had an idea.
Then... could he ask for a talisman to make the prince better?
After the prince gets better, he can ask for another talisman to make him work harder and do more work?
The left prime minister Li Qian suddenly had an idea.
'I wonder if there is a talisman that can make people clean without taking a bath. If there is, I must ask for one, so that his wife won't always force him to take a bath! '
The Minister of Personnel was greatly stimulated and his eyes lit up.
In this case, could he ask for a talisman that can catch fish, and give it to his friend who once tried to fish for a month straight, fishing all the time except for eating, sleeping, and bathing, but still didn't catch a single fish?
The other officials also had wild thoughts.
They secretly avoided other people's gazes without any prior agreement.
——It's decided! They have to ask Wei Ren, where this old Taoist priest... no, this immortal Taoist priest is, and what he looks like. They also want to ask for a talisman!