Ming Dynasty: At the beginning, the house was ransacked and the ancestral temple was burned down.

Chapter 138 Emperor Wanli who couldn't sleep at night: 'He' is cheating again! ?
Shen House.

"Little brother Chonghui, Guo Meiming has already left, what are you doing here?"

Seeing Zhang Chonghui strutting around his home, Shen Yiguan's tone was not very good.

After all, on this day when the whole world is celebrating the establishment of the crown prince, as the highest official of the Ministry of Rites and the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, he can be said to be busy and slapped on the back of the head.

After finally finishing his work, he returned home and was about to take a rest. However, Zhang Chonghui brought his least favorite 'student' Guo Zhengyu to the door and gave him a 'disgusting' meal!
Despite being scolded by Guo Zhengyu in vain, Zhang Chonghui is still refusing to leave...

Shen Guanyi expressed that he was very unhappy and was going to call someone to drive away this 'mental illness' that could develop at any time!

However, just before Shen Yiguan was about to 'blow away' Zhang Chonghui, what the other party said next made him stunned!
"Shilang Shen, you don't know yet, do you?" Zhang Chonghui smiled and walked towards Shen Guanyi as he spoke: "You are going to be in bad luck!"

"Hey!" Shen Yiguan hurriedly took a few steps back, holding the wooden stick in his hand for self-defense even tighter, and said hurriedly: "If you have something to say, please don't come over!"

Shen Guanyi had to panic, after all, the punches he received last time were still aching...

Seeing that Shen Yiguan was so scared, Zhang Chonghui stood still and said with a smile:

"What on earth did you bring Guo Meiming to my house for? Just to let him scold me? Also, did you just say that I was going to be in bad luck? You cursed me?"

"Making peace? Asking for cooperation?" Shen Yiguan finally responded, but he was quite puzzled.

"Are you hesitating?"

"Oh, you are so stupid." Zhang Chonghui shook his head and said in an 'explanatory' manner:
"If I hadn't hit you, do you think you could have evaded the suspicion of being 'connected' with me? If I hadn't hit you, how could I have dragged Shen Li and the others into the water?"
If I hadn't beaten you at that time, how could you have openly and honestly hid at home because of your illness and escaped the big event of "the simultaneous sealing of three kings"? So, Sir Shen, I hit you for your own good! "

"I've already let you join the club, and you still don't believe me?"

As Zhang Chonghui finished speaking, Shen Yiguan's face became increasingly ugly, because he had known about this matter for a long time and had been troubled by it for a long time.

Shen Yiguan was shaken after all. The charm of the word "entering the cabinet" was too great.

"Shilang Shen, I won't hide it from you anymore. I'll tell you clearly that Wang Xijue, this big mountain, cannot be brought down by just you and the Zhejiang fellows behind you!

As for the "fantasy" matter of rehabilitating Zhang Juzheng, Shen Yiguan automatically ignored it.

Yes, how could Wang Xijue tolerate him, Shen Yiguan? Although there are many people from Zhejiang behind Shen Yiguan, these are simply not worth mentioning compared with Wang Xijue, who has a lot of experience!
After all, the 'power' that Wang Xijue 'inherited' had been accumulated during the ten years that Shen Shixing was in office!
The chief minister who is keen on "harmony" seems to be shaky and has been impeached all day long! In fact, the power of connections at all levels and places has long been deeply rooted!
Shen Guanyi remained silent. Seeing this, Zhang Chonghui continued to tell his plan:

"First, let's pull Wang Xijue down together! Then, let's rely on our own strength! How about that?"

But this incident happened to happen when Wang Xijue was the chief minister of the cabinet. In other words, the credit for the country’s stable foundation belongs to Wang Xijue!
Mr. Shen, do you remember what we said last time? If Wang Xijue is firmly in the cabinet, then you have to get out!
Judging from the current situation, the day is not far away for you to get out! That’s why I said you’re going to be in bad luck, is that right? "

"Shilang Shen." Seeing that the other party was starting to waver, Zhang Chonghui struck while the iron was hot and threw out an 'olive branch':

Such nonsense made Shen Yiguan silent.

Shen Yiguan couldn't help but twitch his lips when he heard this. While cursing "bullshit" in his heart, he calmly asked on his face: "So?"

"Oh?" Shen Yiguan obviously didn't believe it, and even laughed: "This is the first time I've seen someone give a gift as a way of cursing!"

"What to talk about?"

"Because of the issue of making the emperor's eldest son the crown prince, the emperor and the officials have been quarreling for so many years, and now it is finally established with great difficulty.

At this point, Shen Yiguan was speechless. Although he knew that everything Zhang Chonghui said was fallacious, these fallacies were all correct...

"So what if it's a dead end? Why don't you join the club anyway? Is the process important in everything? What's important is the result!"

"Yes." Zhang Chonghui nodded and said: "Master Guo is your student, and you know his temper very well. Although his attitude tonight is not very good, he can bring generous gifts and personally board your Shen family's house. Gate, I don’t need to say more about how rare this is, right?”

"How dare you say that! If the three kings are sealed together, it will be a dead end! I was almost scolded to death by the emperor!"

"..."

But just agreed to Zhang Chonghui? Obviously impossible!

"Shilang Shen, you don't have to be afraid. My illness has healed. And the few punches I gave you last time were actually for your own good."

"So..." Zhang Chonghui looked at Shen Yiguan: "Since Guo Zhengyu is gone, I will talk to you instead of Shen Li and others behind them."

The purpose of why I asked Mr. Guo to come tonight is very simple. He is not here specifically to quarrel with you! He represents Shen Li and the others behind him and is here to make peace with you and ask for your cooperation! "

"Cooperation."

"I can tell you clearly that as long as you are willing to cooperate, you will be the next person to join the cabinet! I am also prepared to wait for you to vindicate my grandfather!"

Although everything seemed to make sense, Shen Guanyi would not be stupid enough to thank someone who had beaten him. He directly asked about the business and said:

"Little brother Chonghui." Shen Yiguan looked like he didn't care at all and said in a bargaining manner:
"If you want to cooperate, your sincerity is too low, isn't it? First of all! I haven't even seen Shen Li in person! Secondly! Guo Zhengyu even made a lot of noise when he came up! How can I feel relieved when you are like this? Cooperate with you? Why should I cooperate with you? "

Yes, after Guo Zhengyu came in and ordered people to put down the gifts, he started the 'trolling' mode without saying a word, scolding Shen Guanyuan!
This is obviously not the attitude that 'flattery' should have when giving gifts.

"I just like talking to a cheerful person like you, Mr. Shen." Zhang Chonghui stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly:

"You damn..." Shen Guangyi cursed: "Hit me for my own good? Then let me hit you with a few sticks, I'm doing it for your own good too!"

"Okay, let's be direct." Shen Yiguan was too lazy to pretend and asked directly: "What is your purpose? Also, you just said that I am going to be in bad luck? What do you mean?"

"Why should I trust you?"

Because it seems...it does make sense?

"What kind of cooperation? How to cooperate?"

"Flatter me? Hahaha!" Shen Yiguan laughed. Who doesn't know that the person his 'good student' hates the most is his teacher, and yet he still fawns over him? Are you afraid that you want to kill him directly?
"Really, he is just here to curry favor with you." Zhang Chonghui said seriously: "Didn't you notice that he brought a lot of generous gifts? Now that the crown prince has been appointed, he will leave the palace to study soon. Mr. Guo's original intention is to beg you. You, the teacher, recommend him to teach the prince!"

"You misunderstood." Zhang Chonghui shook his head regretfully and explained: "Actually, Mr. Guo's original intention of coming to your house was not that. He actually came to curry favor with you."

"..."

Shen Yiguan's meaning is obvious. He is negotiating conditions, or in other words, he is striving for a dominant position.

After all, even if it is just a 'short-term' cooperative relationship, there is still a status distinction. This will be related to the distribution of certain benefits in the future, as well as 'most' main decision-making rights in cooperation.

In addition, there is the most important point! That is, Shen always didn't believe what Zhang Chonghui said!

Shen Yiguan never believed that Shen Li and others would want to cooperate with him. He could only rest assured if he met Shen Li in person!
Faced with this questioning bargaining, Zhang Chonghui was too lazy to explain anything. He just handed it over and said:

"It seems that you still don't believe me, Mr. Shen? Since we all distrust each other so much, there is nothing to cooperate with!

I'd better advise Shen Li and the others to attach themselves to Wang Xijue. There's nothing wrong with being dogs anyway! And you, Mr. Shen, just wait to get out!
Farewell! "

After Zhang Chonghui said that, he turned around and left!

This sudden departure also stunned Shen Yiguan...

After reacting, the sixty-year-old man hurriedly dropped the wooden stick and chased after him, while trying to persuade him: "Little brother, wait! We can still talk slowly!"

……

Qianqing Palace.

"Your Majesty, that boy came out of Shen's mansion, and he was still arm-in-arm with Shen when he came out."

Chen Ju reported the latest news to his Majesty the Emperor.

"Hands on each other's backs?" Zhu Yijun yawned and asked strangely: "Not long ago, Guo Zhengyu cursed and left, but if it were him, then he would have his shoulders and backs?"

Before Chen Ju could answer anything, he heard His Majesty the Emperor ask again: "Where did he go after he came out?"

"Back to the Emperor, there is no news yet, but I think I should go back to the Zhao Mansion." Chen Ju replied, tucking the quilt into His Majesty's eyes with dark circles, and advised with distress:

"Your Majesty, it's almost midnight. You've been tired all day, so you'd better go to sleep first."

"I'm not sleepy." Zhu Yijun replied directly, but as soon as he finished speaking, he yawned again.

Seeing His Majesty the Emperor refusing to sleep even though he was very sleepy, Chen Ju almost felt heartbroken.

Chen Ju knew that the 'culprit' who kept His Majesty the Emperor 'unable to sleep' was that boy Zhang Chonghui.

Although he didn't quite understand why His Majesty the Emperor could not sleep at night because of a thirteen-year-old child, Chen Ju could understand His Majesty the Emperor.

Come to think of it... His Majesty the Emperor has his own reasons for doing this, right?

After thinking about it carefully, Chen Ju decided to persuade:

"Your Majesty, why don't you find a reason to kill that kid secretly? It's just one person's death, it's no big deal."

Chen Ju really couldn't stand it anymore. Although killing was not his original intention, Zhang Chonghui's existence had made his most beloved Emperor unable to eat or sleep well for a long time. He really couldn't stand it anymore.

Faced with such a 'refreshing' suggestion, Zhu Yijun, who had once clamored for Zhang Chonghui's death, did not react much at this moment. Instead, he asked about another matter and said:

"Zhang Juzheng's fifth son has not been found yet?"

Chen Ju shook his head: "Back to the emperor, I think Zhang Yunxiu is already dead."

"Dead?" Zhu Yijun smiled helplessly and said bitterly: "It's good to die. If I die, there will be more people in the world who accuse me of being ruthless..."

This time, Chen Ju also fell silent.

Zhang Yunxiu's disappearance was not a big deal at all.

But under the publicity of "certain people" who reported to officials and posted notices, almost the entire capital knew about it.

Moreover, under the deliberate instigation of "some people", Zhang Yunxiu's disappearance was attributed to His Majesty the Emperor's ruthless "killing and silencing"!
If Zhang Yunxiu is missing, his reputation will be bad. If Zhang Chonghui dies, it will be really...

Chen Ju was helpless. In desperation, he could only quietly retreat and go see if there was any 'latest news'.

Perhaps after reporting Zhang Chonghui's whereabouts, His Majesty the Emperor can sleep peacefully earlier.

……

After a while.

"Your Majesty, after Zhang Chonghui left Shen Yiguan's house, he went to Gu Xiancheng's house again." After Chen Ju reported the latest progress, he persuaded again:
"Your Majesty, I think this kid won't run around again tonight, so why don't you go to bed first?"

He thought that His Majesty the Emperor should just go to sleep, but what Chen Ju didn't expect was that His Majesty the Emperor was not only no longer sleepy, but suddenly sat up straight and started talking to himself strangely!
"It seems that he really expected that I would let Shen Yiguan join the cabinet..." Zhu Yijun said to himself with a dazed look:

"But why did he do this? Is it just to let me see that Shen Yiguan and Guo Zhengyu have broken down?

No! Definitely more than that! And he didn't even leave the house. How on earth did he know what Gu Xiancheng had done?

Could it be that...they had colluded long ago? But this shouldn't be...what on earth is he going to do? "

Zhu Yijun's words were confused, and he murmured in deep thought, thinking about what exactly 'he' wanted to do?
However, the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. The more I thought about it, the more I felt it was 'shouldn't be done', and the more I thought about it, the more 'it didn't make sense'.

"That's not right!" Zhu Yijun's eyes suddenly lit up and he said to himself as if he was understanding:
"Guo Zhengyu comes to fawn over you! Guo Zhengyu scolds his mentor! These are all fake! They're all just a cover-up!"

"They must have secretly joined forces! Yes! 'His' real purpose has always been only one! That is - to let Wang Xijue go!"

Zhu Yijun knows very well that the only person in the cabinet who can really help him block the gun is Wang Xijue!

Zhang Chonghui wanted Shen Li and Shen Yiguan to unite first and bring down Wang Xijue first!
After he, the emperor, completely loses Wang Xijue's 'good shield', 'Zhang Chonghui' can use this to achieve some 'ulterior' purposes!
"Wang Xijue can't leave!"

Zhu Yijun must not let Wang Xijue leave, and if Wang Xijue wants to stay, Shen Yiguan and Shen Li will not be allowed to join the cabinet!

Otherwise, the cronies behind these two people will definitely spare no effort to bring Wang Xijue down!

After realizing this, Zhu Yijun hurriedly asked Chen Ju on the side: "Has the cabinet vote been drafted for Shen Yiguan's intention to join the cabinet?"

Chen Ju replied: "Back to your Majesty, I am busy with the canonization of the crown prince today. The elders in the cabinet are all busy with the canonization. Yesterday's memorial has not been drafted yet."

"That's good!" Zhu Yijun said hurriedly, as if he was about to receive an amnesty: "Hurry up and have someone withdraw Xuan Shen's decree to join the cabinet! Hurry!"

"Your Majesty..." Chen Ju was actually not surprised by His Majesty's behavior of changing orders every day. After all, this was not the first time.

Although he wanted to persuade His Majesty the Emperor, when Chen Ju saw His Majesty the Emperor's dark blue eyes, he could only say: "I obey my command... go now..."

"Wait!" Zhu Yijun seemed to regret it again, frowning, he suddenly thought:

"Is there... another scam here?"

……

At the same time, Gu Mansion.

To say that it is a 'mansion', it is better to say that it is just a simple house, so simple that it only has a few rooms and two servants.

Even the main hall where guests are entertained is empty and can be seen at a glance.

At this time, Gu Xiancheng and Zhang Chonghui, old and young, were warming themselves around a charcoal stove in the center of the empty main hall.

On the simple table beside them were several jars of wine, a stack of peanuts, and two ordinary and even shabby bowls.

"The emperor is not a ten-year-old child anymore, can he not understand your purpose?" Gu Xiancheng held up the broken wine bowl and drank from it while asking Zhang Chonghui who was warming himself by the fire.

"Of course you can see that." Zhang Chonghui said and poured himself another bowl of wine. After drinking it quickly, he said with a smile:
"So what if you can see it? Does he still have a choice?"

(End of this chapter)