"There's nothing we can do. He's a fat guy. He drinks a lot and pees a lot. He's so pitiful." Li Youzi took out a large purple clay teapot from his sleeve like a magic trick and started to fill it with tea.
Zhao Hao wanted to ask Dr. Li to check if you have diabetes...
But now is not the time to go off topic, let’s listen to Li Sanhu first.
"Taiyue, Wang Shu'an just came to my place." Although Li Youzi is a heavy drinker, he never misses a job. He urinates a lot but is also very cunning. Otherwise, he would not be valued by Zhang Juzheng, who is so high-minded. Seeing that Zhang Juzheng did not want Zhao Hao to avoid the matter, he said in a deep voice, "He asked me to tell you that Gao Huzi is planning to push Gao Nanyu into the cabinet to replace you."
"Oh?" Zhang Juzheng asked calmly, "Is the news accurate?"
"He didn't even say how he got the news. He just left in a hurry, as if he was afraid of being seen." Li Youzi said, "I smelled garlic in his mouth. He must have just had noodles with those old guys."
"Hmm..." Zhang Juzheng fell into deep thought, his face becoming increasingly ugly, and he obviously believed Wang Guoguang's words. After thinking for a moment, he gave an order in a deep voice:
"You Qi, go next door and invite San Sheng over!"
Yang Bo was worthy of being regarded as one of the three geniuses in the world by Yan Shifan, the young cabinet minister. He knew that for smart people, such vague information would be more credible than those false information with all the elements. Because they could instantly fill in the missing information in their minds and rationalize it.
Only by seeing through human nature could one use a simple sentence to trick a very smart person like Zhang Juzheng.
This is called great skill without effort.
~~
Zeng Xingwu was also a native of Chu and lived next door to Zhang Juzheng's residence. He played a role similar to Han Ji to Gao Gong beside Zhang Juzheng. There was a small door between the two houses so that Zhang Xianggong could give Zeng Xingwu instructions in person.
Zeng Shengwu came soon after. Zhang Juzheng briefly explained the situation to him and sighed, "It seems that my father-in-law and son-in-law's compromise did not win them any mercy. After several ministers suffered hardships one after another, it is finally Bu Gu's turn."
"Since last year, Gao Huzi has been pressing hard on my husband and his son-in-law. Not only has he dismissed the high-ranking officials from Jiangnan, but we Chu people have gradually been transferred away from the capital. Seeing that our strength is getting weaker and weaker, it is only a matter of time before he takes action against my husband!" Zeng Shengwu was very unhappy with Gao Gong, because his good friend Geng Dingxiang was demoted from the fifth-rank Right Prime Minister of the Dali Temple to the seventh-rank magistrate of Hengzhou just because he offended Gao Gong.
"Alas..." Zhang Juzheng sighed again.
Originally, he was confident that he could coax Gao Gong and prevent him from being cruel to his father-in-law and son-in-law. However, the illness of Emperor Longqing made his situation worse.
In order to eliminate hidden dangers, the possibility of Gao Ge Lao kicking him out of the cabinet has greatly increased!
This is also the reason why Prime Minister Zhang believed Lao Xier’s lies - this incident could have happened, and Yang Bo just touched upon the concerns in his heart.
"Now is not the time to sigh." Li Youzi came back from peeing, wiped his hands and said, "What should we do, Taiyue? You have to come up with a set of rules!"
"It's difficult. If there was a chance of winning, Bu Gu would have fought back long ago. Why wait until today?" Zhang Juzheng said with a smile.
"Then just sit there and wait for death?" Li Youzi and Zeng Shengwu asked in unison.
"Of course not." Zhang Juzheng shook his head decisively and said, "If Bu Gu only begged for mercy when the knife was on his neck, the other party would certainly chop off Bu Gu's head without hesitation."
"That's right." The two nodded in unison.
"The Art of War says: 'End war with war, even if it means fighting.' This time we must let the other side know that Bugu is not Zhao Dazhou or Yin Zhengfu. If you want to kill Bugu, you must be prepared to die together with him!" Zhang Juzheng slammed the table suddenly, and his body fluttered in the wind, with an imposing manner!
"Good! We should have realized this long ago!" Li Youzi produced a wine gourd, gulped down a mouthful and said, "It will become clear soon."
"Tomorrow I will mobilize our people one by one and let Gao Huzi know what it means that even if there are only three households left in Chu, Chu will be the one to destroy Qin!" Zeng Shengwu shouted, rubbing his hands.
"We can't use Chu people." Zhang Juzheng said calmly, "We can't even use officials from Jiangnan, otherwise we will fall into the trap of the other side!"
"Taiyue is right. This war is for self-preservation, not to give others an advantage and bring disaster upon ourselves." Li Youzi burped and said, "We need to find someone who can never be linked to Taiyue, so that Gao Huzi can be embarrassed but still not be able to bring disaster upon us. This is called 'killing with a borrowed knife'!"
"It's better to kill someone with a borrowed knife, so you won't be suspected." Zeng Shengwu said, "But where can I borrow the knife?"
Zhang Juzheng and Li Youzi smiled at each other, and the latter said, "Gao Huzi's greatest specialty is offending people. There are knives everywhere, and there are still picks."
"True or false?" Zeng Xingwu asked with wide eyes, "For example?"
"Let me tell you about Cao Daye, how about that?" Li Youzi said.
Zhao Hao, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"Look, Master Zhao knows his stuff." Li Youzi was overjoyed and handed the wine gourd to Zhao Hao, saying, "Come on, take one."
"He can't drink!" Zhang Juzheng shouted.
But this person’s choice is really perfect!
Speaking of this Mr. Cao, he also had an intersection with Mr. Zhao. Before Altan Khan was conferred the title of tribute two years ago, Zhao Hao did not want Zhang Siwei to take the credit, so he used the Great Prophecy to silently write down his letter to Wang Chonggu, and then asked someone to slip it into the crack of a censor's house, reporting that Xiao Wei had leaked court secrets, so that Xiao Wei resigned and went home to be the richest man in Shanxi.
The censor who was used as a gun by Zhao Hao at that time was Cao Daye.
Why did Zhao Hao choose him? Because he was a fellow villager of Zhao Zhenji, and Master Zhao had taught him. This would allow Gao Ge Lao to accurately locate the mastermind behind the scenes without suspecting himself.
Later, Zhao Zhenji was driven back to Sichuan by Gao Gong, but Cao Daye was spared by Gao Gong because his family had been officials for generations and many people spoke for him. In addition, he was an insignificant little character and continued to serve as his attendant.
But the King of Hell is easier to deal with than the little devil. Han Ji, the head of the Sixth Section, is Zhang Siwei's fellow villager, and is only two years older than Xiao Wei. The two have known each other since they grew up wearing open-crotch pants. How could he let go of this subordinate who ruined the future of the Noodle Party leader? In the past two years, Cao Daye has been tortured to a point where his life is worse than death.
Therefore, if Cao Daye could be persuaded to take action again, Gao Gong would only think that he was seeking revenge for personal gain, and at most would think that Zhao Zhenji was unwilling to step down and was secretly making trouble. Anyway, he could not contact Zhang Juzheng to join him.
~~
"One Cao Daye may not be enough." Zeng Xingwu thought for a moment and said, "Is there any other suitable candidate?"
"Then tell me one." Zhang Juzheng said calmly, "How about Liu Shuchuan?"
"Liu Fenyong?" This candidate was obviously not as obvious as Cao Daye. Zeng Shengwu could not help but frown and asked, "Isn't he a fellow villager of Gao Huzi?"
"Precisely because they are from the same hometown, he harbors deep resentment towards Lord Gao." Zhang Juzheng gave a brief explanation.
Liu Fenyong, courtesy name Shuchuan, was born in Luoyang, Henan Province. He was the first place winner in the Wuwu year, and the Jinshi in the Jiwei year. He was selected as a Shujishi. When he was in the Hanlin Academy, he was selected as the secretary of Yudi. Later, when the current emperor ascended the throne, he was promoted to Shangbaoqing based on his old favor.
In the following years, the old ministers of the palace were successively put to important positions, some becoming university scholars of the first rank, some holding important posts and wearing scarlet robes.
Only Liu Fenyong seemed to have been forgotten. After three years, he was still the Shaoqing.
Yin Shidan, who had a similar experience with Gao Gong, had already beaten him up. Liu Fenyong was also from the same hometown as Gao Gong, so he was even more resentful of him.
Zhang Juzheng had been searching for possible allies over the years, and of course he would not miss him. Relying on their friendship in the palace, he had already figured out his thoughts clearly, knowing that this man had been blinded by resentment, and that he could be used as a pawn with just a little instigation.
In addition to Liu Fenyong, he mentioned several names that he had already selected and asked Zeng Shengwu to contact them.
Finally, Zhang Xianggong warned: "You can use Bu Gu's name to incite them. But you must make them understand that if Bu Gu is implicated, everyone will be doomed. Don't implicate Bu Gu, Bu Gu will do his best to keep them safe!"
"I understand. Everyone knows this principle!" Zeng Shengwu nodded heavily and contacted them overnight.
Li Youzi also yawned and said goodbye.
After the two left, Zhang Juzheng ordered Zhao Hao in a deep voice: "You don't have to worry about these things. Focus all your energy on the emperor's illness. In addition to trying to cure him as much as possible, you must also grasp the most accurate condition and report it to me in time!"
"Yes, father-in-law." Zhao Hao nodded seriously.
"Besides, the so-called war to end the war will inevitably lead to begging for mercy in the end." Zhang Juzheng closed his eyes tiredly and said, "Your father must be prepared to be humiliated by the enemy, and you must also be determined to cut off your own arm."
"Don't worry, father-in-law. I have made the worst plan. If we save the land but lose the people, we will lose both the land and the people. If we save the people but lose the land, we will save both the land and the people." Zhao Hao smiled calmly. He had already rehearsed the drama in the capital on the way here. Although he didn't expect it to be so exciting, the plot development was pretty much the same.
"If people survive and land is lost, both people and land will be lost; if people survive and land is lost, both people and land will be saved?" Zhang Juzheng's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he couldn't help but applaud and said, "Well said, I didn't expect you to be so wise! It's really enlightening for me, it's really enlightening!"
"That's not what I said." Young Master Zhao quickly waved his hand and said, "That's Chairman Mao's thought."
"Mao Bowen?" Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly. If that was the case, it would be a pity that he didn't have the chance to ask him in person.
"Haha..." Young Master Zhao laughed and said vaguely: "Anyway, my father-in-law, don't worry too much about the gains and losses of a city or a pond. As long as people are still there, there is always hope of victory."
"That's right, winning first doesn't count as winning, and losing first doesn't count as losing!" Zhang Juzheng seemed to be infused with a powerful spirit, and said with high morale: "Come on, let's see who will have the last laugh!"
"Father-in-law will win!" Mr. Zhao didn't even have to pretend to be a crazy fan, his words came completely from the bottom of his heart.
ps. Post first and edit later. Also, I think the pace has been pretty fast recently. If you don't believe me, look at the last 100 chapters, how much plot has been written. Actually, I don't want to waste time at all now, I just want to quickly explain the plot, so that I can quickly enter the big changes and conflicts that I expect 20 years later. But this is a big plot, wouldn't it be a joke to give the result directly? No matter how urgent it is, it must be told in a smooth manner.
In short, there won't be any subjective water filling.