Chapter 180 The Ministers Are Frightened
When Zhang Xian saw this booklet, his eyes suddenly became red.
He had a difficult life when he was young. When he was at the peak of his career, he met Yan Hua, a teacher who was not like a teacher. His career was blocked from the smooth road and he was sent to a remote place, where he worked day and night, and his black hair turned white.
During these twelve years, he had received very little help and goodwill from his colleagues in the officialdom. He had never expected that the father and daughter of the Lu family, whom he had met by chance, would not only give him a big boost in his career, but also provide him with such great help later on.
At this moment, he already regarded Lu Desheng as his mentor who taught him and answered his questions.
His wife Zhang accompanied him silently, and only she could understand how difficult it was for him.
After Zhang Xian calmed down, he asked his wife to go and rest first. He told his wife that he needed to think carefully about his next move.
That night, the light in Zhang's study was on all night.
Zhang Xian also thought about it for a whole night. He felt that what Lord Lu said was right and his suggestion was the most suitable for him.
He found that he was indeed unsuitable to be a lone minister. Furthermore, there were numerous factions within the court. Generally speaking, they were divided into three factions: the four regents formed two factions each, and Zuo Anmin assisted the new emperor and formed his own faction.
If he wanted to gain a firm foothold in the court, he had to either join Zuo Anmin's camp or confront him directly. There was no third way.
If he joined Zuo Anmin's army, Zuo Anmin would be both a big tree and a constraint to him.
Or joining the two regents is the same as joining Zuo Anmin's camp.
But Zhang Xian had been exiled before and was not so naive. He knew very well the difficulties of working under someone else.
Since we have to give it a try, we would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.
Being the head of a chicken means forming your own faction, with your life and death directly decided by the emperor. Being the tail of a phoenix means having a mother-in-law hanging over your head for no reason, and having another person who can control you.
Zhang Xian made this decision, and then thought back to Lü Desheng's words. He knew that he had also experienced the methods of Lord Lü. Lord Lü used an open strategy, but he made him willingly enter the game according to his ideas.
Lu Desheng was not surprised by his choice.
Lu Desheng knew him very well. His personality and experience made it impossible for him to be a lone minister.
Everyone needs a sense of security. A lone minister like him is like a knife in the emperor's hand. He automatically abandons his defenses, does not defend, and only attacks, which is equivalent to putting everything on the emperor.
Zhang Xian's unsuccessful career experience would make him subconsciously grab more things to protect himself after gaining power.
In addition, the current political environment does not allow him to be a lone minister. The new emperor is not strong enough to protect the sword in his hand.
Once his sword becomes broken, useless, or not sharp enough, it will be discarded, and the new emperor will quickly choose a new sword for him.
Lu Desheng felt inexplicably guilty about the new emperor's habit of abandoning a minister after just a few days.
Did the new emperor develop this habit, seemingly from the time the young lady was imprisoned in Dali? Back then, the young lady seemed to have told the new emperor that he was wealthy and had a wealth of talented people, with countless people eager to serve him, and that he shouldn't worry about the Qin family's young generals.
It was obvious that the new emperor took these words to heart.
But the new emperor's actions also made the ministers see his cold-hearted nature.
For the next period of time, Zhang Xian studied the booklet hard at home.
After the new emperor ascended the throne, the morning court was like a vegetable market, very lively.
Many political issues that did not need to be discussed before now need to be discussed before we can decide what to do next.
Moreover, many things, after being discussed to the end, still have no result.
The imperial court is now as bustling as a market, with one person taking the stage after another, you disobeying me, I disobeying you. If you try to trip me up, I will add fuel to the fire.
One day during a grand court session, Lü Desheng, who rarely excused himself from illness, showed up. Coincidentally, Zuo Anmin had taken leave because he was out of town on business.
Because the spring floods were approaching, the new emperor wanted to send an imperial envoy to inspect the south. He wanted to entrust this task to his own people, but the minister he was about to appoint was attacked by the ministers in the regent camp.
The new emperor's face was very dark.
At this moment, Zhang Xian stepped forward. He savaged the candidates prepared by both sides of the imperial court, blasting them on every level, from their abilities to their personal ethics. In contrast, it seemed that the candidate originally prepared by the new emperor was only slightly flawed in personal ethics, but had outstanding abilities.
The ministers were all startled. This style of scolding, criticizing and choking others seemed inexplicably familiar.
The more they listened, the more their scalps tingled. This damn familiar style of advice, why is it so similar to Lu Desheng's?
The ministers looked back and forth between Lu Desheng and Zhang Xian.
He first looked at Zhang Xian suspiciously and asked, "When did you and Lu Desheng make peace?"
Look at Lü Desheng again. You liar, didn't you say you didn't accept any disciples? You even refused to give me some guidance? What's with Zhang Xian? Don't tell us he learned it on his own?!
Sitting on the dragon throne, the new emperor happily announced the appointment.
This was the first time the new emperor had felt so happy since he ascended the throne. It turned out that it was so satisfying to have someone in the court who could find fault with the ministers he disliked and make them suffer! He suddenly understood why the previous emperor favored Lu Desheng so much.
After the court session, before the ministers left the Golden Palace, the chief eunuch of the new emperor came to take Zhang Xian away.
After Zhang Xian followed the eunuch chief to the imperial study, he lifted up his robe and knelt on the ground, begging the emperor for forgiveness.
The new emperor was about to praise him highly for what had just happened in the Golden Palace. Seeing this, he asked him curiously, "Lord Zhang, what crime have you committed?"
"In fact, when I last saw Your Majesty, I wanted to say that I am too incompetent and unlearned to deserve such high praise from Your Majesty."
The new emperor: "But I see you are very talented today."
"Your Majesty, actually this is just a little bit of knowledge I learned from Lord Lu." Zhang Xian said embarrassedly.
Because the new emperor was young before he ascended the throne and was not valued by the previous emperor, he rarely attended court and did not understand Lord Lu's style of admonition. Even if he did not speak of this matter, his ministers would report it to the new emperor. It would be better for him to speak.
"Oh?" The new emperor said in surprise. Everyone in the court knew that Lu Desheng was a man who cherished his own things. How could Zhang Xian catch his eye?
"Your Majesty, I actually visited Lord Lu a few days ago. Lord Lu and the late emperor had such a good relationship, I envy them. I tried to send Lord Lu a visiting card a few days ago, but I wasn't sure, thinking Lord Lu wouldn't necessarily see me. But to my surprise, he did."
"Later, when I asked him the reason, he just said it was because of Yan Hua."
The new emperor nodded in his heart. This was Lu Desheng's style of doing things. He and Yan Hua did not get along, so it was normal for him to sympathize with Zhang Xian, who was deeply harmed by Yan Hua.
Zhang Xian thought to himself, Lord Lu has helped him a lot, and since he clearly doesn't want to get involved, he naturally has to do his best to remove him. And he's not wrong, right? Nine truths and one lie, can you say he's lying? No.
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