Chapter 470 Choosing a Team
Zhang Weiping's heart skipped a beat. The virtuous king had no plan for what he did, and he acted on impulse. He was also very stubborn. Once he made a decision, nothing could change it.
The wise king was resolute: "Don't try to persuade me with that same excuse. I'm giving you two choices: either you find a way to collect the silver, or I'll send someone else to get it."
Zhang Weiping was unable to persuade the virtuous king, so he had no choice but to take the list drawn up by the virtuous king and his private seal to borrow money.
Before the virtuous king went to his fiefdom, he was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice. Although these two departments were no longer officially under the virtuous king's control, the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Justice secretly supported the virtuous king.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel are both lucrative positions, and the two ministers are not short of money.
Zhang Weiping went to the residence of the Minister of Personnel first and handed the visiting card box to the doorman.
The servant took the visiting card box and went to the mansion to pass it on. He returned a short while later and said respectfully, "Sir, the old master is waiting for you in the study. I will show you the way."
"Thank you."
Zhang Weiping entered the mansion from the small door on the east side and followed the servant to the study.
In the study, the Minister of Personnel, wearing a gray Taoist robe with soft gauze, sat upright on the armchair, reading a copy of the Records of the Grand Historian in his hand.
Although he is only seventy years old, he is in good spirits and has a rosy complexion.
Zhang Weiping half-knelt before the Minister of Personnel and said, "I pay my respects to you, sir."
The Minister of Personnel pointed to a chair opposite and motioned for Zhang Weiping to sit down. "Did His Highness send you to deliver a message?"
Zhang Weiping sat down and explained his purpose: "Prince Guangling has quelled the rebellion in Yongqing County, but Yongqing County is still suffering from famine."
"His Majesty summoned Your Highness to the palace today to discuss the specifics of disaster relief."
"Your Highness, in order to relieve His Majesty's worries, plans to raise some money and donate it to the people of Yongqing County. This will not only help you accumulate virtue, but also earn you a good reputation among the people."
"It's just that His Highness remembers your kindness in his heart and always thinks of you when there are good things happening. I sent a subordinate here to ask if you would like to donate some silver and earn some credit?"
The Minister of Personnel had been in the officialdom for decades and was already a skilled old fox. How could he be fooled by a few words from Zhang Weiping?
He had already found out the inside story.
The wise king wanted to give back all the silver he had embezzled. He could not afford so much silver, so he had to blackmail them.
The Minister of Personnel understood it clearly, but he had to give the money even if he didn't want to.
Who made him support the wise king?
"The people of Northern Qi are in trouble. As an official appointed by the imperial court, I naturally have to do my part." The Minister of Personnel took out a box and pushed it in front of Zhang Weiping. "As long as Your Highness is satisfied and the people are safe, I will be satisfied. It will also be a blessing for my descendants."
Although he held a high position, the Northern Qi Emperor deliberately suppressed him. His children and grandchildren were living off the fat of the land in the government offices, and their end was obvious. They had no way of bringing honor to the family and continuing the wealth.
In a few years, he will retire. Before that, he has to pave the way for his children and grandchildren.
He took a special leave to return to his ancestral home, and spent a night discussing with the clan elders. In the end, they decided to support the virtuous king. When the virtuous king ascended the throne, they would have the merit of following the dragon, and when the time came, they would have some real power vacancies. The silver they gave out today would not be given in vain.
The Minister of Personnel gave the silver readily, saving Zhang Weiping the trouble. He said a few polite words and then took his leave.
As soon as Zhang Weiping left, the old lady entered the study.
She dismissed the attendants, sat down on the couch, patted the cushion beside her, and motioned the Minister of Personnel to come over and sit down.
The Minister of Personnel sat beside his wife and asked, "Why are you here?"
The old lady did not answer but asked, "The wise king sent someone to ask you for silver?"
"You're quite well-informed," the Minister of Personnel quipped, then got down to business. "If the virtuous prince can't raise the money, your majesty won't make it difficult for him. Since he's asking us, why not give him some money and let him remember our kindness?"
"Before Prince Guangling returned to his ancestral home, Your Majesty had only two sons: Prince Qi and Prince Xian. Neither of them was particularly outstanding, so we had to pick the best from the worst and choose Prince Xian." The old lady sighed. "Prince Guangling only made a small move, and yet Prince Xian was in such a state of turmoil. I have a feeling that things are about to change."
The wise king is neither brave nor wise. He has no idea how to behave and what to do. He only cares about the beginning and not the end.
The advantage is that it is easy to control.
It would be beneficial rather than harmful for these aristocratic families if he became emperor.
However, with the arrival of Zhao Yi, the balance between King Xian and King Qi in the competition for the crown prince position was broken.
The Minister of Personnel whispered, "No matter how brave and resourceful Prince Guangling is, his family background alone makes him incapable of becoming emperor."
"I hope I'm overthinking it." The old lady was silent for a few breaths. "I hope the wise king has a conscience and will protect those who loyally support him."
If the Minister of Personnel knew that there would be a variable like Zhao Yi, he would not support the virtuous king even if he remained neutral.
But things have already been decided, they are in a dilemma and can only be optimistic.
The Minister of Personnel reached out and adjusted the peony-patterned headband on the old lady's forehead. He said with a stern face, "You only say depressing things, and you don't even hope for anything good."
"As a person, at his age, his brain is not as good as that of a young person. He is confused." The old lady nodded and smiled: "Just treat what I said as some nonsense."
How could the Minister of Personnel regard his wife's words as nonsense?
I took it all to heart.
He was afraid that if he stood on the wrong side, he would lose not only his future but even his life.
Nothing happened in Kyoto for the next two days.
The Minister of Personnel, however, could not eat or sleep well, and always felt that this was the calm before the storm.
Sure enough, at noon on the third day, the tranquility was broken.
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