Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 664 Weighing
"Yes! The child has already given instructions to Wang Wenzuo, please don't worry, mother!" Li Hong said quickly.

"That's it!" Li Zhi next to him finally couldn't stand it any longer: "Awu! From my point of view, there may not be a mastermind behind this matter. If you press so hard, you will find some unlucky guy to take the blame, and instead let the real murderer go. Passed. Think about it, there is a curfew on the streets of Chang'an at night, and assassins are not gods. How do you know that your nephew will come out and wander on the streets at night? Well, let's take a step back, even if it's dark all the time for your nephew When leaving the workshop, he should also be guarding the door of his workshop. I didn’t remember that Zhou Guogong’s residence was moved to Kaihua Workshop!”

"Then what do you think is going on?" Empress Wu's attention was attracted by her husband: "Don't say that just a roadside beggar can sneak into the crowd and kill Sansi!"

"I don't know about that! I'm just saying don't push too hard, otherwise it will be counterproductive!" Li Zhi smiled bitterly and said, "You also know Wang Wenzuo's abilities, so you don't feel comfortable leaving the matter to him?"

"Hmph! You actually said something nice for him!" Empress Wu sneered.

"He is indeed very talented!" Li Zhi said with a smile: "This is not the first day you have used him, is it? Hong'er!"

"That's what father said!" Li Hong responded: "My child also thinks that Sanlang is the best candidate, but Shizhong Pei also wants to help!"

"Pei Judao? Him?" Li Zhi laughed: "Isn't it enough to be in charge of the political affairs hall? Hong'er! Your father-in-law has a really big appetite!"

Hearing his father's sarcasm, Li Hong smiled bitterly: "Actually, Shizhong Pei also has good intentions."

"That's all!" Li Zhi interrupted his son's defense: "Normally, I shouldn't say good things for Wang Wenzuo. After all, it was he who helped you drive me from this position as a father. But after all, this position is yours now. , this Tang Dynasty also belongs to our Li family. As a father, I still have to explain some things clearly to you. Why is Pei Judao in this position? "

"He comes from a famous family, and he is the child's father-in-law!" Li Hong whispered.

"What about Wang Wenzuo?" Li Zhi asked.

"He is talented in both civil and military affairs, and he is extremely talented, and he is loyal to his children!"

"Not bad!" Li Zhi nodded: "You are right about Wang Wenzuo's advantages. He has the courage to do things, and can get things done and done well! Such talents are rare. After he entered the Political Affairs Hall, his first It's not about taking power, it's about doing things. If he can complete the water transportation matter, it will be a benefit for generations. But talents cannot be appointed exclusively, and the power of the court cannot be given to one person, so you appoint Pei Judao as the minister. This is very good. Pei Judao Your task is to divide Wang Wenzuo's power. The two of them can't stand each other, so you can sit firmly! But the division of power must not hinder Wang Wenzuo from doing business, let alone cause a party dispute in the court, and each side can win over a group of ministers. , the power is the same as water and fire, no matter right or wrong, just talk about the enemy or ourselves, then you will not be able to sit still, and you have to grasp the scale yourself, I can't teach you, and I can't teach you!"

Li Hong nodded. If he was still the prince, he might not have listened to what Li Zhi said, but he had been on the throne for some time and had tasted a lot of being alone, and then he gradually understood Understand the profound meaning of Li Zhi's words - power is balance. Only by maintaining balance can the emperor appear as an arbiter and maximize his own power.If the balance of power is out of balance and you do everything by yourself, you will end up half dead from exhaustion without getting anything done, which is what a wise man would not do.

"Then what is inappropriate about what Shizhong Pei said this time?"

"Let's put it this way! If Pei Judao pulls Wang Wenzuo's hindrances, says disgusting words, and restrains Wang Wenzuo, as long as it does not hinder the important affairs of the country, you can turn a blind eye. You don't have to worry about Wang Wenzuo being resentful. He is a sensible person, and proper beating is not a bad thing, as long as you show kindness and make amends afterwards. In the final analysis, if not, how can you reflect the friendship between you and him? But whether it is beating or restraining, Pei Judao just can't Take power. Power is given to those who can do things. To put it bluntly, delegate power to Wang Wenzuo. He can win the Tubo, Turks and Silla for you and repair water transportation. Does Pei Judao have this ability? At most, he is a conservative person. He can’t do it!”

"Then how should we deal with the murder of the Wu family's cousin this time?" Li Hong asked.

"Of course we have to investigate, but there is no need to put too much pressure on it!" Li Zhi said: "As for Wang Wenzuo! He has the Sixteenth Guards of Nanya in his hands, and if someone is assassinated on the street, he will naturally bear the blame. , let’s fine him three months’ salary!”

"Yes, I understand, kid!" Li Hong was not a fool. He immediately understood Li Zhi's key point of "raising high and falling gently". They argued for a long time, and finally gave him a three-month salary. Wang Wenzuo naturally understood. What is the emperor's attitude?As for Pei Judao, he is a bad person, so just bring him down!

After sending his son away, Li Zhi let out a long breath and glanced at his wife who had remained silent next to him: "Awu, are you still angry?"

"How dare I be angry!" Mrs. Wu snorted coldly: "My nephew was killed in the street, and he was fined three months' salary. You can't say it out loud!"

"Otherwise, what are you going to do?" Li Zhi asked: "Take Wang Wenzuo down and punish him, and replace Pei Judao with the power? Don't forget, with Wang Wenzuo on stage, you can still enjoy your old age in the Ming Dynasty Palace. If Pei Judao is in power, you will be afraid You have to get out of Chang'an immediately, don't forget, Pei Judao's daughter is your daughter-in-law, and you two are the ones fighting to the death!"

After listening to Li Zhi's words, the anger on Wu's face disappeared. As Li Zhi said, the most fierce fights in the inner palace since ancient times were not only between queens and concubines, but also between empress dowagers and empresses. Not peaceful.In the final analysis, whether the queen or the queen mother, the families behind these two women have a unified name of "foreign relatives". They are in the same ecological niche, and the struggle for the same ecological niche is the most cruel.Empress Pei may be able to tolerate Emperor Li Zhi eating and waiting to die in Daming Palace, but she can never tolerate Empress Wu Taishang staying in Daming Palace like this, because that means that she cannot be said to be the true "master of the harem". That's the most terrible thing.

"Pheasant slave!" Mrs. Wu lowered her voice: "Then think twice, will he be killed by Pei Judao's people and then frame the blame on Wang Wenzuo? Then take the opportunity to oust Wang Wenzuo and take the throne himself!"

"Awu!" Li Zhi smiled: "We are now old people who have retreated behind the scenes. There is no need to be too close to the stage, otherwise we will be splashed with blood! I remember that you have a nephew, right? Ask him to write a letter Please ask for release! Pick a good place to be the governor, it will be good for him!"

"You mean Wu Chengsi?" Mrs. Wu pondered for a moment and nodded: "That's fine, let him go to Fenzhou! My hometown is over there, so he can deliver Sansi's body just in time. Go back to your hometown and repair your grave!"

"It's easy! If you tell Hong'er next time, he will agree!" Li Zhi yawned sleepily: "I'm a little tired, so I'm going to rest first!"

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political affairs hall.

"Liu Shilang! Documents from the Shaanxi Land and Water Transport Envoy!" "Well, just put them here. I'll look at them later!" Liu Peiji didn't even raise his head, holding a writing brush in his hand while marking circles on the documents on the case. While writing, he tapped the corner of the desk with the little finger of his left hand. After reviewing the document at hand, he looked up and found a person standing in front of the desk. He had been watching him working, and his face couldn't help but look a little ugly: "Hu Youcheng (Shang Shu Shengyou) Cheng), what are you doing? I’ve already told you that after reading this one, I’ll look at yours right away!”

"Hehe!" Hu Youcheng smiled: "Liu Shilang, I'm not urging you, I just want to ask you something!" At this point, he turned away and pointed to the center position: "Did you see it? Shizhong Pei hasn't come to this point yet, this is the first time!"

"Whatever!" Liu Peiji snorted coldly: "Maybe he caught the cold and fell ill at home!"

"Oh, do you still remember what happened last time?" Hu Youcheng clicked his tongue twice and lowered his voice: "Let's go to the fish pond. It's easier to talk there!"

There is a small pond to the west of Zhengshitang, with some carps in it. Since it is flat all around, there is no need to worry about the walls having ears. In the name of watching fish, the husbands of Zhengshitang often say private things by the fish pond that they do not want others to hear. talk.Liu Peiji is from Wenshui, Shanxi Province, and Hu Youcheng is from Puban. They can be considered from the same hometown, and they usually have a good relationship.He was pulled by his sleeves by Hu Youcheng and came to the edge of the fish pond. He snorted coldly: "What on earth do you have to come here to talk about?"

"Look at you, you still have the same temper!" Hu Youcheng smiled: "Did you know that Prince Xima Wu Sansi was killed by an assassin outside Qihua Square last night?"

"What?" Liu Peiji was surprised: "Seriously? It's strange. There is a curfew on the streets of Chang'an as soon as it gets dark. Why is he running outside Qihuafang?"

"What do you think?" Hu Youcheng laughed: "Young man Wuling, a toad under the mausoleum, a wine-stained woman, and a daughter buying a smile, don't tell me that you don't even know these things!"

"Hahaha!" Hearing Hu Youcheng's words, Liu Peiji also showed a smile that "every man knows" on his face: "Of course I know this, but Wu Sansi and his aunt are like this, and he is still like this, and he doesn't behave properly. ?”

"Liu Shilang, what you said!" Hu Youcheng said with a smile: "My aunt still lives in the Daming Palace no matter what. The emperor will call her cousin when he sees her. He will always be indispensable for wealth and honor in his life. If we say that he used to He still needs to make progress and pay attention to the rumors. Now that he has no chance to make progress, what should he pay attention to?"

"That's true!" Liu Peiji smiled: "If it were me, I would be too lazy to bother with these things. By the way, what does Wu Sansi's assassination have to do with Pei Judao not coming to the political hall?"

"Hey! Let me ask you, who is in charge of the night patrol sergeants in Chang'an City?"

"Of course it's the guards of Nanya!"

"That's right! Then who will lead the guards in Nanya?"

"Of course it's General Wang!" At this point, Liu Peiji's eyes lit up: "Are you saying that Pei Judao is going to find a way to deal with General Wang now?"

"Probably yes!" Hu Youcheng said with a smile: "So I say that Liu Shilang, you are really patient. You can still sit down at this critical moment!"

At this point, Liu Peiji had completely understood what Hu Youcheng meant. He stood by the fish pond and murmured to himself. Suddenly he whispered: "Do you think General Wang knows about it at this time?"

"When things come to a head, if General Wang doesn't even know this, how can he be where he is today?" Hu Youcheng said with a smile.

"That's true, I was stupid for asking!" Liu Peiji patted his forehead: "Then what do you think we should do now?"

"Two heroes stand side by side, so naturally what you and I should do is to place our bets and take sides!" Hu Youcheng smiled: "Which side you think will win, take sides!"

"Of course it's General Wang. I've had enough of Pei Judao's old face!" Liu Peiji said coldly.

"Hahahaha!" Hu Youcheng said with a smile: "You still hold a grudge about that incident back then, how stingy you are!"

"Yes, I still hold a grudge in my heart!" Liu Peiji said: "But I chose the general not just because of that incident, you know? In the past two months, the matter of rectifying water transportation in Shaanzhou has been closely related to the Ministry of Revenue. I really paid more attention, and to be honest, the general's actions are indeed different. In just two months, the situation has begun to take shape. Only these people can do things and can support the world of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Oh? What do you say?" Hu Youcheng asked with interest.

"You also know that the water in Shaanzhou is fast and silty, and there are reefs and pillars in the river. It's just a boat launched into the water, but it's difficult for a boat on the water. If you're not careful, the boat will be destroyed and people will be killed. So Cao Cao When the ship arrives at Shaanzhou, the grain must be unloaded, and then it must be taken overland. Not only the freight is staggering, but the transportation volume is also greatly reduced. Therefore, the general ordered the use of special canoes on that section of the waterway, in dangerous situations. We will build towpaths in various places, clean up reefs, and mark special channels. If nothing goes wrong, we will see the results next year!”

"You have great confidence in the general!" Hu Youcheng said with a smile: "But it has been difficult for Shaanzhou to go against the current for thousands of years, so the general can change?"

"Hehe!" Liu Shilang showed a mysterious smile: "You don't understand, I have an old subordinate in Shaanzhou. He saw with his own eyes how the general's men cleaned up the reef. According to his letter, the general There is a magic medicine that can be placed in the right place. Once it is lit, even extremely hard rocks will fall apart. It is because of this that the road can progress so fast!"

"Is there such a thing?" Hu Youcheng also showed an interesting expression: "By the way, I remembered that a captain of the Yulin Army said that on the night of the palace incident, he was responsible for guarding the palace gate. At that time, he felt There was a tremor under my feet, and later I heard that a section of the palace wall of the Daming Palace collapsed, and it was from there that the general led his troops into the palace and supported Jin Shang as the throne!"

(End of this chapter)