In the past, if Empress Xie had suddenly appointed a commoner as the Grand Secretary, the prime ministers Cui, Wang, and others would certainly have disagreed.
After all, this is their council hall, and if outsiders interfere, their rights will be taken away.
But now, they are deliberately showing weakness in order to flatter Xie Yuan and sow seeds of discord between the emperor and empress.
They not only do not stop Xie Yuan's actions of placing his cronies in positions of power, but they also secretly support them.
Xie Yuan: ...
Since you are all so enthusiastic, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't "push my luck" a little.
Therefore, Xie Yuan selected three more prime ministers from the candidates that Helian Jue had already agreed upon with her.
The Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Secretariat, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Chancellery each occupied one position.
In addition to the previous Grand Chancellor and Empress Regent Xie Yuan, they directly brought in four prime ministers.
Whether intentionally or not, among the prime ministers Xie Yuan selected, one was his grandfather's student and his father Xie Yuan's fellow student.
This man, surnamed Wang, came from the Langya Wang clan, but the clan had declined.
But he is very knowledgeable and has a great deal of insight.
He once served as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in the Southern Dynasties and was known as "Lord Wang".
"Lingjun" is an honorific title for the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.
Later, he offended a sycophantic minister favored by the last emperor and was exiled to Lingnan.
After Xie Yuan arrived in Yuezhou, he learned about this high-ranking official in the imperial court and visited him several times as his "nephew".
Thanks to the camaraderie among fellow disciples and Xie Yuan's culinary expertise, Helian Jue successfully won over this remarkable individual.
This time, Wang, Cui, and others made a foolish move, and Xie Yuan seized the opportunity to put Wang Lingjun into the Ministry of Personnel.
Outsiders were unaware of the deep affection and tacit cooperation between Helian Jue and Xie Yuan as husband and wife. They simply believed that Xie Yuan was truly blinded by power and, while serving as regent, was desperately trying to place his cronies in the council of state.
"Heaven will destroy those who are destined to perish, and will surely make them mad! The Xie family is so unscrupulous; how will she deal with this when the Sage returns?"
Cui Hong was fully prepared to watch the spectacle.
"The Emperor and Empress are his first wife. Considering the bond they shared through thick and thin, the Emperor might not make things too difficult for them!"
Wang Yu was the eldest and the most thoughtful in considering matters.
As a man himself, he knew that the first wife held a unique position, especially since Lady Xie had accompanied the emperor through the most difficult years of his life.
She must have been a very important person in the eyes of the sage.
Otherwise, the sage would not have insisted that the empress oversee the country.
Therefore, the emperor might be concerned about Empress Xie's actions of placing her cronies in power, but he would not truly embarrass the empress.
This incident, at most, planted a thorn in the side between the Emperor and the Empress.
More opportunities are needed for the emperor and empress to turn against each other!
"Not making things difficult is enough? Ha! The people you promoted aren't being given important responsibilities."
"Having grown accustomed to supreme power, she was suddenly banished back to the harem."
"I refuse to believe that the Xie family will accept this!"
Zheng Xian sneered twice. He put himself in Xie's shoes and thought that if he were in Xie's position, he would definitely not want to.
So even if this doesn't completely turn the Emperor and Empress against each other, it will at least create some rift between them.
Cui Hong and Wang Yu didn't say anything more; they had already tacitly agreed with Zheng Xian's idea.
Isn't that exactly what they're after?
I never expected Xie Yuan to actually cooperate like this!
If that's the case, then they'll have to add another handful of firewood to the fire.
"Give instructions to the heads of the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers: do not sympathize with the four newly appointed prime ministers."
"After all, she was chosen by the Empress. She should at least show the Empress some respect!"
After a moment's thought, Wang Yu made a decision.
In private, he was the leader of several prime ministers;
In the imperial court, he held the highest position among all the prime ministers and was also known as the "Prime Minister".
Therefore, both for public and private reasons, Wang Yu had the right to issue instructions.
"What Prime Minister Wang says is true!"
"The officials of the six ministries will certainly treat you with courtesy."
Cui and Zheng nodded in unison.
When it comes to "praising someone to death," the more exaggerated the praise, the better. (Reading Notes)
Whether it was Empress Xie or the four prime ministers who were promoted, only when "everything went smoothly" could they become deeply involved.
Xie Yuan: ...What a good person!
Who says these prime ministers were all hypocritical and treacherous people?
They clearly support it a lot.
The late emperor: ...I feel you are implying something about me, but I have no evidence.
Thus, with the active "cooperation" of both sides, Gu Heng and the other three prime ministers quickly gained a foothold in the council hall.
They were experienced veterans with a life full of ups and downs, making them increasingly adept and tactful in their dealings.
With the concessions of prime ministers like Zheng Xian and the "assistance" of officials in the court, their administration proceeded very smoothly.
In less than half a month, he had already taken control of most of the court.
Cui Hong, Wang Yu, and the others are not really stupid, nor are they stubborn fanatics with wishful thinking.
They knew very well that the presence of the four prime ministers in the council hall was not a good thing for them.
They're just gambling!
Gambling on human nature!
The love story of the gambling tycoon and his wife!
Of course, they cannot place all their hopes on a single gamble.
After a two-week "rest," Cui Hong, Wang Yu, and others returned to work one after another.
There were then seven prime ministers in the council hall.
The power of the prime minister has been divided to the greatest extent!
...
"Haha, as expected of my A Yuan, his actions are so decisive and meticulous!"
Thousands of miles away in the northwest frontier, Helian Jue received a message from Xie Yuan via carrier pigeon.
Yes, Xie Yuan and Helian Jue, this couple, not only exchanged letters openly, but also secretly used carrier pigeons to send messages.
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