308, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice
308, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice
During the morning court session, Lu Mingfei found a seat at the back. In front of him were officials who were mostly older than him.
At first glance, there were quite a lot of officials attending the morning court.
I just wonder if there were as many officials attending the morning court in the past, or if there were fewer?
But he thought, even if there was a vacant seat, someone would probably sit there soon, right? How could such a good seat remain empty forever?
He had never had the opportunity to attend the morning court before. This was the first time in all his years as an official that he had the opportunity to attend a general staff meeting, so it was quite a bit of a novelty.
However, after the morning court session began that day, he could also see that all the officials in the court were headed by Prime Minister Wan, and Prime Minister Wan's faction was the dominant one.
In the past, there were the First Prince Party, the Second Prince Party, the Third Prince Party, and other princely factions, as well as the Royalist faction. However, this year has already seen the third emperor, and I'm afraid the officials of those other factions have been purged.
Prime Minister Wan is Concubine Wan's biological father, and the current emperor's grandfather.
Prime Minister Wan's influence in the court was already immense, let alone now. Even after the deposed emperor, who had already fled, ascended to the throne, he did not dare to execute Prime Minister Wan immediately, but simply dismissed him from his post and confined him to his home. This shows just how much influence Prime Minister Wan held in the court.
However, Lu Mingfei felt that the deposed emperor had done one wrong, which was to spare Prime Minister Wan's life. If the deposed emperor had killed Prime Minister Wan at that time, the Second Prince's faction would not have had the opportunity to turn the tide, and the deposed emperor would not have lost the throne and become a fugitive.
It’s a pity that in some things, one wrong step can lead to a complete failure.
At the morning court session that day, he discovered something interesting: before speaking, these officials would almost always look towards Prime Minister Wan.
He was standing further back and at a distance, so he couldn't see the expression on the emperor's face.
But Lu Mingfei could almost imagine the emperor's inner thoughts. If he were the emperor, he would probably not want to see his grandfather's power and influence in the court greater than his own. So he thought that the emperor sitting on the dragon throne must have the same thoughts as him.
Now, rather than saying that it is a member of the Zhao family sitting on the dragon throne, it is better to say that it is Prime Minister Wan who is in charge of real power and the world.
After the officials finished speaking, the emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, spoke up and said, "I have one more announcement to make here today."
"Oh, I wonder what Your Majesty wants to say?" asked Prime Minister Wan.
"Is Lu Mingfei here?" asked the emperor.
"I'm here." When Lu Mingfei heard the boss call his name, he stood up and responded.
Prime Minister Wan glanced back and saw a young official in a bright red robe standing behind him. He had some impression of Lu Mingfei, remembering that this young man was the new top scholar of the imperial examination.
A minor official who edited books in the Hanlin Academy was not qualified to attend the morning court.
I don’t know what his grandson is going to do by calling this person here?
Lu Mingfei felt that everyone's eyes were on him, especially one gaze that could not be ignored. He knew without thinking that it must be from Prime Minister Wan.
At this moment, he knew clearly in his heart that this time when he returned to the court, he was really under a stool with nails under his butt and a knife hanging over his head. If he was not careful, he would be dragged out and killed as a warning to others.
He already felt a little regretful in his heart, wondering why he didn't directly reject the emperor's invitation yesterday.
However, given the situation yesterday, the emperor would not allow him to refuse.
The way Prime Minister Wan looked at him today, I'm afraid he wouldn't allow the emperor to develop his own power so quickly and break away from his grandfather's control. In just a short moment, Lu Mingfei already understood his current situation in the court. It was really a dilemma.
Moreover, the emperor may not really trust him or want to use him. But Prime Minister Wan and the officials of his faction must have regarded him as someone close to the emperor.
The emperor on the throne glanced at his grandfather and announced, "The position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice has been vacant until now. Lord Lu will temporarily take over the position."
"Give Lu Aiqing another house so that he can serve at the Ministry of Justice. Minister of Works, please choose a good house for Lu Aiqing and let him move in as soon as possible."
Zhao Chen himself knew very well that all the officials in the court were his grandfather's people. Even if he, the emperor, wanted to do something, he had to get his grandfather's approval.
But for today's matter, he really didn't want to get his grandfather's approval before doing it!
"I obey your order and thank Your Majesty for your grace." Lu Mingfei expressed his gratitude.
"I obey your order." The Minister of Works who was named also stood up and responded.
When the officials present heard the emperor's words, almost all of them knew that their majesty wanted to make use of the young official Lu Mingfei and train him to be a trusted minister.
Asking Lu Mingfei, a minor official of the sixth rank, to temporarily replace a third rank official in the Ministry of Justice? Prime Minister Wan looked at his grandson, frowning and saying nothing, but his face was already full of displeasure.
When the officials next to him saw the expression of their prime minister, they knew that their prime minister did not agree with this matter.
Moreover, not to mention that their Prime Minister would not agree to this, even they would not agree to it. A small official of the sixth rank was promoted three levels in a row, climbing above these officials who had spent decades climbing up. What would their efforts and contributions over the past few decades be in vain?
If this matter is set in motion, then in the future, wouldn't their Majesty be able to promote anyone he wants, and promote anyone to several levels at a time?
Before their Prime Minister could even speak, an official stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this matter..."
"I have made up my mind. This matter is settled. Let's adjourn the court." The emperor did not give the officials below a chance to make trouble. He simply stood up from the dragon throne and left.
Seeing this, the eunuch beside him hurriedly shouted: "Withdraw from the court——"
"Farewell, Your Majesty." When the officials saw the emperor leaving, they could only bow and see him off.
While no one was paying attention to him, Lu Mingfei had already stood back in the team, and joined everyone in saluting and seeing the emperor off.
The big boss left and today's morning meeting ended.
It happened that he was sitting right at the door, so he quickly slipped away.
So when Prime Minister Wan turned around and looked back, he could no longer see the young official in the red robe standing behind him.
He runs really fast! Prime Minister Wan snorted in his heart.
An official standing beside their Prime Minister called out in a questioning tone, "Prime Minister."
"Nothing." Prime Minister Wan withdrew his gaze, nodded to the officials surrounding him, and walked out.
***
However, as soon as Lu Mingfei walked out of the hall, he was stopped by the eunuchs waiting at the door and brought before the emperor.
"Your humble servant greets His Majesty."
"Get up."
At this time, the emperor was standing in the pavilion in the imperial garden, surrounded by eunuchs and guards guarding from a distance. However, there was no one else in the pavilion except himself and Lu Mingfei who came to see him.
As soon as he saw this situation, Lu Mingfei knew that the emperor had come here specifically to wait for him because he had something to say to him.
Moreover, there must be many people in this palace who are arranged by Prime Minister Wan to keep an eye on the emperor, right?
As expected, the emperor opened his mouth and said, "I'm sure you saw what happened at court this morning. The officials in the court are all headed by the Prime Minister and act according to his instructions. Even I, the Emperor... need the Prime Minister's approval before I can do anything."
Lu Mingfei just listened to such words but didn't dare to respond.
The emperor and Prime Minister Wan are blood relatives, the kind that even if their bones are broken, their tendons are still connected. Only he, the minister, is an outsider.
How could he, a minister, randomly get involved in the game between two big men?
"My dear Minister Lu, I don't have many people around me who can be used. Please don't let me down." The emperor said, staring at the young minister in front of him whom he had promoted.
At this time, what else could Lu Mingfei do except to express his sincerity? So he quickly replied, "Yes, I am your Majesty's subject, and naturally I will obey your Majesty's arrangements."
"Remember what you said today." The emperor looked at Lu Mingfei deeply, and he did not completely trust Lu Mingfei in his heart.
"When you go to the Ministry of Justice, you will be responsible for catching the traitor and apprehending the deposed emperor as soon as possible. Thoroughly interrogate those rebels in prison and find out the whereabouts of the deposed emperor!"
"Yes, I obey your command." At this time, Lu Mingfei could not think of a second answer except nodding in agreement.
After leaving the palace, Lu Mingfei boarded the carriage waiting for him at the palace gate. He felt a cold sweat on his back. He wiped it with a handkerchief, then leaned back against the carriage, feeling exhausted.
I don’t know if it’s too late to resign and go home to farm now?
I'm afraid that even if he wants to withdraw now, the emperor will not allow him to do so.
"Where on earth did the deposed emperor hide? The emperor sent so many people, but they couldn't find him?" Thinking of this, Lu Mingfei felt a little strange. He always felt that the deposed emperor should still be in Kyoto City, or nearby, and he couldn't have run too far.
But where could the people hide to escape the wave after wave of searches?
Honestly, he really didn't want to get involved in this kind of shit. Every time an emperor changed, a wave of people were killed and exiled. Then another emperor changed, another wave of people were killed and exiled. So if there was another emperor next time, wouldn't they be the ones to be arrested and killed?
Were the officials who were killed and exiled, as well as their relatives, not innocent? They simply chose the wrong side.
Besides, whoever sits on the dragon throne is the emperor. Is it wrong for a minister to be loyal to the emperor?
So there are a lot of bad things happening here, and a lot of innocent people. This case is really hard to judge... Author's words: Thank you Bole 9492239 (9492239) for your support. Mua! To know more exciting content, please leave me a message on Liancheng Reading.
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