Chapter 270

Xue Tingxiang got out, stepped down from the post of Minister of the Household Department, and went home, his wife and children were hot on the kang.

The small life is very nourishing, in addition to accompanying Zhaoer, he also gave advice on Xue Yaohong's studies along the way.

"Then that's what you're doing? This is killing a donkey. This official has not been promoted, and he has been kicked out of the official position." Zhao'er said.

"You can't see that your man is at leisure, don't you?" Xue Ting, who was wearing a normal suit and half leaning on the kang, glanced at her and said.

"That's not true. Why do I feel that once this incident happens, it won't stop. At that time, when you implemented the New Deal, I was afraid that you would be murdered. Later, when His Majesty was assassinated, I was afraid that our family It’s all filled in. Yang Dang, Feng Dang, etc. have finally fallen, and now it’s your turn to be angered by His Majesty. I haven’t seen how much the imperial court has paid you, so why is this official so unstable.”

"There's nothing safe about being an official." Xue Tingxiang said with a sigh.

"Then just be idle, and I can worry less."

With that said, Zhao'er got off the kang, planning to meet the stewards from various places.

She can't leave Beijing now, and the business in various places depends on Gao Sheng and others who usually stay outside. As for her, shopkeepers and stewards from all over the world will come to her place three times a year, which can be regarded as a job report.

This idea was given to her by Xue Tingxiang. In addition, Tailong Trading Company also set up a special monitoring team to go to various places to inspect.

This is the first time shopkeepers from all over the world have come to Beijing, and Zhao'er has been busy with this for the past few days.

Looking at the back of Zhao'er leaving, Xue Tingxiang picked up a book on the kang, smiled and lay down.

Before reading two pages, I heard Ning Ning's chattering voice from outside.

"Father, let me tell you that the second brother bullied me again."

Immediately afterwards, Tai Ge'er's slow voice sounded: "I didn't bully you, it was you who bullied me."

"Ningning, why are you bullying your second brother again? Dad is making you more and more lawless, right?"

Over the past few years, Xue Tingxiang has recognized her daughter's true nature, and will not be deceived by her pitiful appearance. With great conscience, she discovered that the second son is the most pitiful in the family, and since then she has favored her son.

From then on, Ning Ning's life at home became more difficult, making her feel that the elder brother loved her the most.

"Obviously the second brother bullied me, so why did I bully him?"

"Why did your second brother bully you?"

"I asked him to play with his golden abacus, but he won't play with me..."

How long can he be free?

Listening to the fast and slow quarrels of the children, Xue Tingxiang thought of some things that happened in the court recently, thinking that this kind of trivial and leisurely life probably won't be too long.

With this in mind, he began to act as a peacemaker to mediate for his children.

"You clearly know that your second brother's golden abacus is a gift from your mother for his birthday. It's a treasure. You are not willing to let your second brother play with your set of nine serial rings."

"That was given to me by my elder brother."

"You are reluctant to give your baby to your second brother to play with, so your second brother can't be reluctant to give up your own baby, and don't do to others what you don't want..."

*

With Emperor Jiacheng's order to close the case, the Great Purge finally came to an end.

A group of civil officials headed by Yang Chonghua and others all beheaded for public display. Depending on the severity of the situation, some were executed by the whole family, and some family members were exiled, and they were not allowed to be officials within three generations.

Although this situation is a bit miserable, it is much better than the previously expected result. Emperor Jiacheng, who was in a state of madness at that time, really made people think that these people would probably end up punishing the nine clans.

After the chief culprit was punished, the other involved officials were punished for those who had real evidence, and those who had no real evidence were released.

The court gradually calmed down, and everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

At the same time, Xue Tingxiang, who was temporarily dismissed from his official position because of offending Emperor Jiacheng, also came into people's eyes.

They all thought that he would come back soon, and it was very likely that he would go a step further, but there was no movement.

Not only was there no movement from Emperor Jiacheng's side, but also from Xue Tingxiang's side, and even all the courtiers who had made friends with him remained silent.

Could it be that the hero who welcomed the emperor and returned to the court is like this?

But they didn't speak, and naturally no one dared to intervene here.

In private, some ministers in the court were talking about it, but they didn't know that the one in Qianqing Palace had already turned his nose because of someone's ignorance.

"If I let him go, he will really go away, and he will resign and go home voluntarily. I will allow him to resign?"

"I don't know current affairs at all, and I don't know how to be a second-rank official!"

"If I annoy him, why won't he come to beg?"

Recently, this kind of scolding has always been heard in the Qianqing Palace, without warning or reason.

Maybe Emperor Jiacheng was still ordering someone to pass on the meal to eat a moment ago, and then he cursed thoughtlessly. After scolding too much, scolding for a long time, they all know that they are scolding Mr. Xue.

Li Shun carefully took a bowl of soup and medicine, and served Emperor Jiacheng to drink it.

He was a chief eunuch promoted by Emperor Jiacheng after Zheng Ancheng. Having suffered from being betrayed by the people around him once, Emperor Jiacheng was not close to Li Shun, even rather strict, so Li Shun was cautious in everything he did.

After Emperor Jiacheng finished drinking the decoction, Li Shun took the bowl of medicine, thinking of the second prince kneeling outside, he grimaced.

"What are you worried about? I'm not as worried as you are yet." Emperor Jiacheng said with a sidelong glance at him.

Li Shun was an honest man, and Emperor Jiacheng promoted him to serve him because he saw that he was honest. Seeing His Majesty asking such a question, he immediately knelt on the ground in fright, and whispered: "The second prince is here again, kneeling outside."

Since Emperor Jiacheng returned to the palace, the second prince would come to Qianqing Palace to kneel for a while every day.

The time is variable. It's also because Li Shun is an honest person who can't hide things in his heart. If it was the former Zheng Ancheng, he knew that Emperor Jiacheng didn't want to see anyone, so he would never mention that person, so he didn't have to make himself unhappy. But when he came to Li Shun's place, usually he would confide everything in a short time.

Emperor Jiacheng knew that, sometimes he would let the second prince kneel, and sometimes let him go.

But if it’s gone today, it will come again tomorrow, day after day.

The second prince came here to ask for forgiveness. The fate of the third prince really frightened him. He thought that a tiger's poison would not eat its offspring, and that the third son would be a dragon's son no matter how bad he was.

Not only the third prince was gifted to death, but also the Ma family who had been promoted to the empress dowager and later became the sin concubine. Of course, Zheng Ancheng was indispensable. Zheng Ancheng was ordered to be smashed by Emperor Jiacheng, which was the first torture since the founding of the Dachang Dynasty.

The tragic deaths of these people frightened the Second Prince and Concubine Zhong Gui.

Although he knew that his father would not do anything to him because of his past mistakes, but the second prince was still afraid.

Not only was he afraid that he would end up miserable, but also since Emperor Jiacheng returned to the palace, Dingguo's mansion was confiscated, and now everyone in the Zhong family was imprisoned in the clan's mansion, and their fate was uncertain.

"Let him go, I won't see him!"

Li Shun was not surprised by this kind of answer, and hurried out to spread the word.

Outside, the second prince's face turned ashen when he heard this sentence, but he didn't say anything, he just kowtowed on the spot, stood up and left.

Looking from a distance, the originally tall and straight back turned a little stooped at some point.

Looking at his receding back, Li Shun, holding Fuchen in his arms, shook his head and sighed.

If I knew today, why bother.

...

Li Shun didn't dare to stay outside for long, and quickly entered the hall.

Unexpectedly, just as he was going out, Emperor Jiacheng, who was leaning on the heated Kang, suddenly had a new idea.

"Xue Tingxiang's wife has meritorious service in escorting her. She was ordered to be named Mrs. Zhao Guo, and her crown and clothes are as high as that of a lady. Go spread the word and let the cabinet draw up an order."

Hearing this, Li Shun didn't have time to think about it, so he hurriedly obeyed his orders and went out again.

It was only when he walked out of the Qianqing Palace that he thought about it carefully, and he couldn't help but sigh.

His Majesty had a temper tantrum with Mr. Xue, so he named Mrs. Xue instead. Now Master Xue is at home, but his wife has been conferred the title of Mrs. Zheng Yipin, how can a husband have any face.

To put it bluntly, he was actually trying to force Mr. Xue to come back, saying that he couldn't do it, he had to come like this.

*

When the imperial decree arrived at Xue's residence, Xue Tingxiang and Zhao'er were taking Ningning and Tai Ge'er to watch the puppy.

Last winter, Heizi passed away, at the end of his life.

Heizi is very old, very few dogs can live to his age, and he can play with a few children in his early years, but in the next few years he can't walk anymore, and his teeth have lost all his teeth.

Obviously knowing that this is the reincarnation of heaven, but it is normal, Zhao'er and the children still shed tears. Especially Xue Yaohong, he has the deepest relationship with Heizi among the three children, and he has been depressed for many days.

The key point is that he claims to be the big brother, even if he is depressed, he still has to force a smile, which makes Zhao'er feel distressed when he sees it.

In order to amuse the children and get used to having a dog at home, Xue Tingxiang asked someone to get a dog from Yuqing Village.

That is, the chubby little milk dog in front of him.

He looks exactly the same as Heizi when he was a child, with dark eyes and a black nose, as black as a small piece of charcoal. According to seniority, it should be Heizi's great-grandson, the seed left by a little bitch in his harem when Heizi was still in Yuqing Village.

It was also a coincidence that Xue Tingxiang sent someone back to deliver the letter this time, and a dog in the village had just given birth. After careful calculation, he actually had something to do with Heizi, so he sent the one that most resembled Heizi.

The puppies are more than two months old, just when they are naughty.

The kennel that Chunlan and the others made of high-quality silk for it was torn apart by it. This dog didn't have the slightest awareness of having done something bad, and even rushed up to bite Xue Tingxiang's robe corner ferociously.

Xue Tingxiang kicked it away, but it still refused to let go, making Zhao'er laugh, saying that when Heizi first brought him back, he didn't want to see Xue Tingxiang the same way.

Don't look at Xue Tingxiang's nickname is Gouzi, but he was not treated by the dogs in the village when he was a child.

At this moment, a servant reported the imperial decree from the palace.

Everyone thought that Mo was the imperial decree to call Xue Tingxiang back to court, so Zhao'er specially drove him back to the house and changed his clothes.

Xue Tingxiang was a little reluctant, Zhao'er didn't even bother to give him a look. When she couldn't see it, he was actually very happy.

The two finally packed up and went to the front yard. It was Li Shun who came with the imperial edict himself.

As Li Shun emerged beside Emperor Jiacheng, this eunuch who had been silent for the first half of his life finally became a big celebrity in the palace.

Li Shunneng came to proclaim the decree, which represented the great face of the sky, and because of this, everyone in the Xue family was beaming.

"Following the imperial decree of Chengyun, Xue Tingxiang's wife, Wang Shi, has made meritorious service in escorting her husband, and she will not let her eyebrows be subdued... Today, she is named Mrs. Zhao, and her crown and clothes are of the rank of Mrs. Gong and Mrs. This is my honor!"

Zhao'er couldn't react for a while, but Li Shun smiled and glanced at her, and she hurriedly knelt down to accept the order to thank her.

"Madam, please. Madam, this is the first time since the founding of our Dachang Dynasty. Since your Majesty returned to the palace, the court affairs have been busy. No, as soon as I took the time, I remembered Madam and dragged the old man It would be good for you to ask Miss Ning, you can go to the palace to play when you are free."

Zhao'er was smiling all over his face, but there were many surprises behind the smile.

She thought the edict was for men this time, but she didn't expect it to be for her.

Li Shun said that this was the first time in the world, and she could understand what it meant.

Since the previous dynasty, the rank of the wife has followed the rank of her husband, that is to say, the husband is a high-rank official title, and the wife is a high-rank official.

A wife cannot surpass her husband.

In the Tang and Song dynasties, the wife of this country was awarded to a certain meritorious woman alone, independent of her husband. That is to say, divorce from the husband, no matter what rank the husband is, it will not affect the wife.

In particular, Mrs. Zhao Guo, because of her official title, is one level higher than Mrs. Zheng Yiming.

To put it in the vernacular, among the married women, the rank of the empress and empress dowager is higher than that of Mrs. Zhao Guo. But under normal circumstances, it definitely can't be calculated like this. If you compare the wife of a minister with the emperor's family, isn't it just looking for trouble?

"I'm really ashamed of being a concubine." Zhao'er said politely.

"How can you be ashamed of receiving it, Madam deserves it, deserves it." Li Shun smiled all over his face.

After passing through the main hall, it is natural to invite the servants to sit in and drink tea. It is also necessary to seal a big red seal before leaving.

But when the Xue family is in such a position, Jane is in the heart of the emperor, even if the Xue family offers Li Shunsai benefits, he may not dare to accept it.

After sitting for a while, Li Shun said goodbye, and Xue Tingxiang sent him out of the gate.

Before leaving, Li Shun quietly said to Xue Tingxiang: "Lord Xue, just give in to His Majesty. Your Majesty's dragon body is not good, so why be so stubborn."

This is a line added by Li Shun himself. Originally, Emperor Jiacheng granted Zhao'er Mrs. Zhao Guo.

Because his superfluous words made Emperor Jiacheng's angry behavior look childish and ridiculous.

Emperor Jiacheng didn't know about this, knowing that he probably swallowed Li Shun alive.

Xue Tingxiang smiled, but did not speak, and Li Shun couldn't say any more, so he could only leave with a sigh.

*

When Xue Tingxiang turned his head back, he realized that Zhao'er, who should have been happy, didn't seem so happy.

It's not that he's unhappy, it's just that he's calm.

Not only Zhao'er was calm, even the maids around her were calm, it seemed that Mrs. Zhao Guo's imperial order was nothing to be surprised about.

Thinking about what Li Shun said before, Xue Tingxiang touched his nose in embarrassment.

It's just that Zhao'er doesn't say anything, as a husband, he can't explain it with a straight face, and he is actually not unhappy or anything. If you really explain it like this, I'm afraid it will be superfluous.

In the end, Zhao'er didn't hold his breath, and took a nap after eating to persuade him a few words.

"Why don't you just give in to His Majesty? He is the king, and you are the minister. If you stay so stiff, you will suffer."

"What's wrong with me? I have no official position and a light body, and I enjoy leisure." Whoever said Master Xue doesn't care anymore, more or less cares, look at what he said, it's sour.

Zhao'er knew him too well, so she glanced at him when she heard the words, and said, "Don't talk about saving face, pretend I don't know that even if you are idle at home, you still go to Mr. Where are they just drinking tea and gossiping? Your majesty is your majesty after all, and your health is not good. Why is it because of your face that you are giving me this imperial order today? Your majesty has already expressed his intentions, so you can use the slope to get off the donkey .”

"You don't understand." Seeing Zhao'er's wide-open eyes, he sighed and said: "I know this matter well, don't think too much about it."

"Is there really a count?" Zhao'er looked at him, and then said: "Well, then you can count it."

*

This stalemate did not last too long, because Liaodong ignited the flames and finally broke the situation.

Since Taizu drove the group of golden men out of the customs, they have been eyeing Dachang all these years, and from time to time they want to go south to make something happen.

The Jin people are brave and good at fighting, while Dachang values ​​civility over martial arts. Although it has changed a lot over the years, it has always been at a stalemate with the opponent. It can only keep the opponent from the border of Liaodong, but cannot wipe out the opponent.

The Jin people established the country as early as the former dynasty, also known as the Later Jin. Heituala is the capital of the Jin people. Over the years, when Dachang rectified all the cancerous tumors in the dynasty, the other party has also accumulated national strength.

Mostly because they thought they could finally wrestle with Dachang, maybe they could break through the border defense line in one fell swoop and march south. At that time, they will no longer repeat the mistakes of their ancestors, but will occupy the entire Central Plains. This time the Jin people's offensive was quite fierce, and the battle in Liaodong was tense again and again, and several acropolises had been lost along the border of Liaodong.

When the battle report was sent, all the people in the court were united in the same hatred, so naturally they had to be united with the outside world.

On this occasion, Xue Tingxiang took the initiative to enter the palace. I don't know what he said to Emperor Jiacheng.

In fact, it's not a big deal, it's just that the emperor lost face, and being a courtier deliberately made face for him, but at the same time doing face for the emperor, being a courtier also needs some face, that's why this trouble happened.

After Emperor Jiacheng reorganized the imperial court, the candidate for Minister of the Household Department has been pending, obviously waiting for Xue Tingxiang.

This is a statement. And every time there is a big war, food and grass must go first, and these need to be prepared by the Ministry of Households. This war just gives the monarch and his ministers a good opportunity to step down.

After some discussions, the imperial court selected several brave generals to go to Liaodong.

And at this moment, the Fifth Prince Qi Zhan suddenly called for troops to fight.

The third prince's treason was exposed, and he was in trouble after all. Although he didn't get involved in the whole matter, but he himself has a very good friendship with the third prince, but he violated the emperor's taboo.

Among the several adult princes now, the second prince persevered every day to seek Emperor Jiacheng's forgiveness, while the fourth prince changed his previous high-profile style and kept a low profile to the extreme.

The only one who stands out is Mo Jia, who is considered to be the oldest prince except the late prince in terms of age.

According to the order of the teeth, he should be the first prince, but unfortunately he has a foreign blood, and a while ago there was a wind of becoming a prince in the court. Emperor Jiacheng directly made him the King of Lu, which can be regarded as a complete rejection of Mo Jia's qualifications to inherit the throne.

In fact, I also want to know that the Central Plains Dynasty has always attached importance to orthodoxy and blood, so how could it be possible to choose a prince with foreign blood as the prince. Even if Emperor Jiacheng agreed, the courtiers below would not agree.

Maybe in some matters, they fight on their own, and they always like to fight to the death, but they pay special attention to the succession of the great system, and their attitudes are the same.

That's why Emperor Jiacheng's appearance turned into a one-sided situation. A big rebellion and conspiracy to usurp the throne was enough to shoot the third prince to death on the spot.

It was obvious that Emperor Jiacheng had no plans to establish a heir for the time being, and the fifth prince could not let himself be in such an embarrassing situation forever, and could only find his own way out, which is why he invited troops to fight this time.

Emperor Jiacheng agreed, and the fifth prince packed his bags and left Beijing.

His departure from the capital did not attract much attention, and the world only thought that he was implicated by the third prince and exiled.

In fact, it's fine to leave, maybe there is a wider world waiting for him outside.

*

As time passed day by day, the war in Liaodong has been in a stalemate.

Dachang lost and won sometimes. It didn't suffer any big losses, but it didn't take advantage of it either.

Just when the autumn wind was blowing, the fifth prince suddenly led his troops to smash Guangning City, which was occupied by the Jin people. Since then, it has been out of control, and they have taken back three lost acropolises.

The imperial court ushered in a great victory, and Emperor Jiacheng, Longyan Dayue, named him King of Zhenbei.

For a while, the fifth prince became famous, and the courtiers who were already opposed to the prince were ready to move again, so please make the fifth prince the prince. Now that there is no direct descendant, and the other princes are either unknown or still young, the fifth prince seems to be a very good candidate.

It's a pity that this matter was dismissed by Emperor Jiacheng. He also changed his previous arbitrariness and claimed that he had left a secret edict. When he died, it would be the day when the future successor of Dachang would come to light.

In order to win the trust of his ministers, he even pulled Ye Ju, Lin Miao and others to testify that he had hidden the secret edict under the upright plaque of the Qianqing Palace.

In fact, this is just a delay, anyway, Xue Tingxiang knows that there is nothing behind it.

Naturally, a great victory in the war cannot be done without rewards for meritorious deeds, and that’s all for the Liaodong side. Xue Tingxiang, Minister of the Household Department in the capital, was ordered by Emperor Jiacheng to enter the Zhiwenyuan Pavilion because of his meritorious service in preparing military rations.

The courtiers were not surprised when the imperial decree was issued, on the contrary, they felt that it should have been so long ago.

However, the thirty-three-year-old Ge Lao, although he deserved his name, is enough to make people jealous.