Prime Minister

Chapter 377
When night fell, Zhang Yue had been hungry for a whole day and night, and his stomach was empty. He knew that he would have drank more tea at the Jingyan yesterday.

Zhang Yue looked through the pane and saw Yu Zhi who was guarding the door, holding a gourd as if drinking wine.

Zhang Yue coughed and said, "You two, I don't know Mr. Han, but Mr. Zeng has an answer."

The two Yuzhi heard the voice, and one of them was older and said: "I have reported to Zhongshu on behalf of the high official, but there is no reply."

"Can I accommodate some drinks?"

The elder Yu said bluntly: "You have committed a serious crime and didn't give you an order. How dare I give you drinks while waiting. If the higher-ups find out, we will be miserable."

Another person said: "Yes, we dare not, please be patient and patient."

Zhang Yue said: "Both of you, as long as you are in custody, the higher-ups didn't say that you are not allowed to eat. Besides, I haven't eaten for two days, and I am not in good health on weekdays. If I faint, you are afraid that it will be difficult to explain."

Seeing the two hesitate, Zhang Yue asked again: "I don't know what the surnames of the two brothers are?"

The elder said: "My surname is Wu."

The young ones dare not speak cautiously.

Zhang Yue said to the elder Yu Zhi: "Coincidentally, my wife's family name is also Wu, and Brother Zun is also my relative. Brother Zun, you understand that if I really committed a serious crime, why should I be locked up here? Please trouble me." Some food, if you come out of this door in the future, it will be a good reward."

The older Yuzhi was a little moved when he heard it, and the young Yuzhi said: "The superior told us to keep him in prison. If he has enough to eat and drink, what should we do if he has thoughts of running away?"

Zhang Yue laughed and said: "This class leader can't say whether I can escape from this window, even if I do, I can still escape from the palace. You haven't heard about Hanhui, have you?"

The two shook their heads.

"In the past, a high-ranking official was imprisoned, and a jailer treated him harshly, and the ashes of the other dialect revived, let alone human beings. The jailer didn't believe it, and the official was restored to his post later. What do you think of him?"

"You two, the official is a gentleman, so what if it's someone else? It doesn't matter what I eat, and it doesn't matter if I really ask the crime. Why don't you bet on whether I can get out of this door?"

The old man said: "I think it's okay to give the high officials some food, the higher ups can't blame me."

Young said: "Forget it, let it be. We also follow the orders of the senior officials, so don't blame us in the future."

Seeing that he had bluffed the two of them with words, Zhang Yue said: "You are ordered to do things, how can you blame yourself, let's be more accommodating and not forget your benefits in the future."

Immediately Zhang Yue stretched out his hand through the crack of the door, and Yu Zhi poured some wine into his palm.

The old man said to the young man: "Go and watch outside, I will make it easier for the senior officials."

Zhang Yue drank a piece with his hands in his hands, and immediately said happily: "Happy, happy, come again!"

Zhang Yue took the wine and drank more than a dozen times, and then the two broke the cake, Zhang Yue ate some whole, and then he felt comfortable.

There was something in Zhang Yue's stomach, so he immediately ignored it, cleared the things on the table, and lay down on the table and slept all night.

When Zhang Yue woke up the next morning, he took up a pen and wrote a letter home, and took some food with the two Yuzhi.

Zhang Yue became more acquainted with them, Zhang Yue took off the jade pendant around his waist, and handed it directly to the elder Yu Zhi through the crack of the door.

"Sir, what is the meaning of this?"

Zhang Yue said: "Please send me a letter from home."

"This. Yesterday it was already a drink, but today it's...don't deserve it, don't deserve it."

Zhang Yue said: "Wu Banzhi, you don't know what I am, I will repay my kindness. Don't worry, just repay your safety. There is no need to say anything."

The elder Yuzhi finally agreed to send a letter to Zhang Yue.Zhang Yue heaved a sigh of relief, people are like this, after agreeing to do a small favor, it will be much easier for the following to do a big favor.

Zhang Yue thought so, but listened to Yu Zhi and said: "Sir, I heard that you are the number one scholar, since you are the number one scholar, you are definitely not a villain, so I will help you this time, so I don't want to repay you for anything."

Zhang Yue said: "Wu Banzhi, I don't like to owe favors, I'm in a difficult situation if you do this."

The other party said: "That's fine, just follow the champion."

This day, Yu Zhi changed shifts, and Zhang Yue felt at ease because he had some stock in his stomach.Thinking about becoming famous at a young age, passing the imperial examinations all the way, marrying a beautiful and virtuous wife, and having the support of a competent in-law family, life can be said to be very smooth.

Now this predicament has given me enough time to reflect on myself.Anyway, it's okay to be idle, Zhang Yue picked up the pen and began to write on the inkstone with yesterday's residual wine.

And this day in the side hall next to the Daqing Hall.

Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang, Ouyang Xiu, Zhao Gai and other ministers stayed in the hall, waiting for news of the emperor's condition.

Several Zaizhi did not close their eyes all day and all night, and their eyes were bloodshot.

But when he saw a eunuch from the Ministry of Internal Affairs pass by, Ouyang Xiu called him up and asked, "I don't know what happened to the jade body of the official family?"

The eunuch said: "Reporting to my husband, how dare I confide half a word about the forbidden affairs, it will kill my head."

Zeng Gongliang stepped forward and said: "We also know the rules in the palace, but at this point, our chief minister doesn't know about His Majesty's condition, so how can we explain it to the civil and military officials? I'll just keep you safe."

The eunuch said: "How can this be done? A few gentlemen can talk about things outside the palace, but they can't talk about things inside the palace."

Zhao Gai stepped forward and said: "Since you don't say anything, let's make a statement. The few of us want to see the empress."

The eunuch said: "I dare not pass on this word!"

At this time, Han Qi, who was at the top, jumped up violently, rushed straight to the official from the couch, and grabbed his clothes.

"Han Xianggong, you can't make it, you can't make it."

Han Qi shouted: "The official's family is violently ill, only you can enter and leave the palace, and we, as dignified prime ministers, don't even know how sick your majesty is? What is your intention, do you want to close the palace gates, so that the prime minister will not know Is His Majesty safe?"

Frightened by Han Qi's aura, the eunuch collapsed on the ground and kowtowed to Han Qi again and again.

The eunuch said: "Your Majesty fainted yesterday and was healed by the imperial doctor. He woke up this morning. I heard that you can have some rice soup an hour ago."

Han Qi and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's true."

"It's absolutely true, even if our family has a hundred guts, we wouldn't dare to lie to our husbands."

"Okay, just trust you once."

After the eunuch left, Zeng Gongliang said: "I still need the queen to come and talk about this matter so I can feel at ease."

Han Qi frowned. Empress Cao only trusted Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi, but not herself.Ouyang Xiu said: "Since His Majesty is awake, he will summon Zaizhi immediately, don't worry."

Han Qi nodded slightly.

Han Qi said: "Actually, regardless of whether the Queen has any claims or not, I remember that when Your Majesty was not hesitant, Wen and Fu discussed making Zhao Zongshi the crown prince. If there is any emergency, I will use this to advise the Queen!"

The expressions of Ouyang Xiu and the others moved slightly after hearing this.

Several chief executives sat until the morning of the third day.

Han Qi and Zeng Gongliang couldn't bear it anymore. After Ouyang Xiu woke up for a while, it happened that a Zhongshu official came to report the matter and summoned him.

Ouyang Xiu asked him, "How is Bachelor Zhang?"

"I've been locked up next to the Erying Pavilion for more than two days and two nights, and now not a single drop of water has entered."

Ouyang Xiudao: "Such a punishment can be regarded as an excuse to the officials. If it really makes people starve and thirsty, what should I do? You secretly send some food to Zhang Xueshi."

"Yes."

After Ouyang Xiu finished speaking, a little Huangmen came to him and said, "Your Majesty has woken up, please go to the bedroom to meet the Lord."

Han Qi and others were overjoyed.

Everyone followed the little yellow gate into the emperor's bedroom.

When I arrived at the palace, I saw the official's face was pale, lying on the imperial couch, and the maid beside him was feeding medicine with a spoon.

Seeing this, Han Qi and the other chief executives could not help but almost shed tears.

After feeding the medicine, the official said weakly to the servant: "Have Zhigui and the others come? Go outside and take a look."

Han Qi was taken aback for a moment, officials rarely called him by his name, but now he was called by Biao.

Han Qi hastily stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, the ministers and others dare not disturb His Majesty when he is taking medicine, so please forgive me."

The official nodded lightly and said: "I will feel at ease when you are here."

Han Qi said: "I don't know the inside story of the palace, so I wait for the news in the Daqing Palace, worrying about the safety of Your Majesty's dragon body."

The official said weakly: "To be honest, my body is getting worse every day. I thought I could hold on today, but who would have thought that when I was listening to the lecture, I could not stop being dizzy for a while."

"That's right, what happened to Scholar Zhang? My dragon body violation has nothing to do with him, it's my own fault. You can't embarrass him because of my matter."

Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu and others were all taken aback.

Han Qi said: "The ministers didn't make things difficult for him, Xueshi Zhang is now detained next to the Yingying Pavilion, and he dare not let him go until he hears from His Majesty."

The official said: "Then let him go, he's fine, don't make a fuss. Don't say anything about it. It's the first time for Zhang Xueshi to attend the Jingyan. ruined his future."

"And don't implicate others because of my illness, and if something happens to me, don't make things difficult for the medical officers, treat them well, just like I usually do."

Han Qi and the others said: "Your Majesty is tolerant and kind, and he will thank God with sincerity, so as to increase his life and age."

The official looked at the top of the tent and said: "I have been in power for 41 years. Although my business is mediocre, I enjoy the country more than Taizu, Taizong, and previous emperors. If you don't increase your lifespan, what's the regret if you don't add discipline. "

Han Qi said: "Your Majesty, I have the courage to say it bluntly. In the past few days, I have waited for the governor to stay in the Daqing Palace in fear. I am afraid that something will happen. If the country is endangered, I will not be able to accept the crime even if I die."

"As a minister, you should plan early for your Majesty. Now that the East Palace is empty, please ask your Majesty to set a reserve position early to stabilize the hearts of the subjects inside and outside."

The official said nothing, and said after a while: "I'm tired."

Han Qi and others had no choice but to resign.

Zhao Gai and Zeng Gongliang replied first, while Han Qi and Ouyang Xiuzhuo spoke behind.

Ouyang Xiudao: "It seems that the officials don't want to decide the crown prince. It's useless for me to talk about it."

Han Qi said: "Ougong, now is not the time to say these things. The matter of the crown prince is related to the foundation of the country, so we must talk about it."

Ouyang Xiudao: "But I see what the officials mean. The two ministers, Wen and Fu, had already agreed on the reserve position. After the official family's funeral, can we ask the queen again? If the crown prince is established early, the plan will change. What if there is no one else?"

Han Qi said anxiously: "Uncle Yong is so confused! How can a woman interfere with the position reserve matter, so where do you put your majesty and me in power? Are you afraid of the recurrence of the Empress Dowager Xianzhang listening to the government behind the curtain?"

Ouyang Xiu suddenly said: "Yes, I lost my mind."

(End of this chapter)