"Zhenguo Gong, please." Zhang Huangyan raised his glass and said.

Wu Zheng was not happy now, put down the cup he had already picked up, and complained: "I call Brother Xuan, you call me Zhenguo Gong, could it be that there is no other difference between you and me except for colleagues?" ”

Zhang Huangyan laughed, and then changed his words: "Wu Zheng, please." ”

Wu Zheng picked up the cup again, "Okay, that's how it should be." Come, the first glass of wine, it is time to pay tribute to Zhang Gong, who sacrificed his life for the country in the post pavilion. ”

"Yes, there are also soldiers who fought bloodily in the Northern Expedition."

The two of them slowly sprinkled the wine in their hands on the ground.

Only then did he start to push the cup and change it.

The so-called wine is less than a thousand glasses of confidants.

A jar of wine was in the stomach, the two of them were red-faced and red-eared, Wu Zheng came to the head, and loudly asked Song An to take the wine again.

At this time, Zhang Huangyan stretched out his hand and held down Wu Zheng, and said: "I shouldn't have drunk it today, but I saw that you were restless, so I accompanied you to drink an altar, and I can't add it anymore." ”

Wu Zheng was stunned for a moment, then fell silent, and slowly sat back.

"I can't hide it from Brother Xuan."

Zhang Huang said: "I can't hide it from Mr. Qian and Mr. Wozi." ”

Wu Zheng nodded and said, "The tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop." I didn't want to hurt anyone, but people wanted to hurt me, so what? ”

"But they are not enemies after all!" Zhang Huang said with a straight face, "You have made great contributions to the court, and now you have been confirmed to be the identity of the clan...... Give them some time, and they'll turn the corner. ”

Wu Zheng said worriedly: "But we don't have that much time. ”

Zhang Huangyan sighed lightly: "Yes, the news from the south, I'm afraid the Longwu Dynasty won't be able to resist for a long time...... Once the south is pacified, the Qing court will inevitably go all out to try to the south of the Yangtze River, and our dynasty will be in danger. ”

Wu Zheng tapped his fingers on the table, and suddenly said, "I want to send a strange soldier south to Fujian, what does Brother Xuan think?" ”

When Zhang Huang heard this, his mouth opened wide, "Are you crazy?" ”

Looking at Wu Zheng's calm eyes, Zhang Huangyan said hurriedly: "Let's not say whether they will agree, just say that you transfer troops to the south, and it will not help if the number of people is small, and if there are many people, how do you deal with the chaos between the DPRK and China...... Now, it's not the right time. ”

Although Zhang Huangyan's words were vague, Wu Zheng could understand Zhang Huangyan's meaning.

According to the right to speak in the court today, it is really not Wu Zhengneng who has the final say.

Sending a large army south to reinforce Longwu really doesn't work.

Basically no one objected to the Qing Dynasty, but it was difficult to get a response to reinforcing their own "political enemies".

Many people in the court wish that the Longwu Dynasty, which had been suppressing them, would die sooner.

Wu Zheng knew that Zhang Huangyan was right, and now that the situation is not stable, the cabinet selection is the top priority.

So he said: "Then wait a little longer, and we will talk about it after tomorrow's court." ”

Zhang Huangyan asked, "Fifth person, do you really want to recommend Ma Shiying?" ”

Wu Wai was stunned for a moment, and asked depressedly, "How do you know everything?" I haven't told anyone about this, not even Ma Shiying. ”

"Not only do I know, but I'm afraid they have also guessed it."

"Is it that obvious?" Wu Zheng was a little frustrated.

Zhang Huangyan looked at Wu Zheng's appearance and chuckled, "It's not that you didn't do well enough, but ......." ”

"And what?"

"It's that there are too few people around you."

Wu Zheng was stunned.

Zhang Huangyan sighed, "Candidates for the cabinet not only need talent, but also qualifications, such candidates are rare in the DPRK and China now, and you can guess with a little guess." And you're around you...... Hey, you don't have to guess, you know it's Ma Shiying. ”

Wu Zheng suddenly, stomped his feet heavily and said: "What's the way, these two years have been spent on the campaign, how can you have the heart to recruit literati and artists?" ”

Zhang Huangyan nodded and said, "Also, if you really spend your energy on recruitment, I'm afraid you won't have the achievement of recovering Nanjing today." ”

"Since you have already guessed, then you say, can Ma Shiying enter the cabinet?"

Zhang Huangyan lowered his head and thought about it: "He is not suitable." But...... He must be in the cabinet! ”

Wu Zheng was puzzled: "How do you say this? ”

"Let's not talk about whether Ma Shiying is loyal or traitorous, capable or mediocre, with his reputation, it is enough to make many scholars avoid him, which will affect you."

Wu Zheng nodded, at this point, he was already mentally prepared.

Zhang Huangyan continued: "But right now, according to your strategy, four of the five members of the cabinet, Qian and Chen, will inevitably cause constraints on you, with my own strength, I can't resist, Xingguo Gong seems to be on your side, but after all, he is a full-fledged minister, unless you take up the position of a clan supervisor or ascend to the throne, it is impossible to be truly loyal to you." In this way, the fifth candidate in the cabinet determines the ownership of the cabinet's right to speak, so even if Ma Shiying is not suitable, he can only be allowed to enter the cabinet. ”

Wu Zheng nodded and said: "Yes, I think so too, against Qian and Chen, ordinary people are not opponents at all, and only experience and means like Ma Shiying can compete." ”

Zhang Huangyan suddenly interrupted: "It's just that I don't understand a little, do you really believe in Ma Shiying to be loyal to you?" ”

Wu Zheng laughed when asked, "Loyalty?" How could I believe that he would be loyal to me? ”

Zhang Huangyan was a little anxious now, "Then you still ...... It's not ...... Nonsense! ”

Wu Zheng patted Zhang Huangyan's hand on the table and said, "Don't worry, listen to me." ”

"I don't believe that he is genuinely loyal to me, but that he has no goal of allegiance, at least for now, other than mine. With his reputation, I'm afraid that no one will take him in anymore, to be precise, there is no one more powerful than me to take him in. In this way, whether or not he is genuinely loyal to me, at least in the short term, his interests coincide with mine. If I fail, he will be even worse, and vice versa, then there is no need to be entangled in whether he is truly loyal to me. ”

Zhang Huangyan bowed slightly, he understood what Wu Zheng meant, "It makes sense." It's just that I mean more than that, and if he is not genuinely loyal to you, will he cause another ...... once he occupies the important position of minister. ”

"No, it won't." Wu Zheng said firmly, "Before I took him in, I had already spoken to him in advance, if he dared to reorganize the eunuch gang under my command...... Then resolutely eradicate it! ”

Hearing that Wu Zheng was so resolute, Zhang Huangyan relieved his heart and let out a sigh of relief.

"That's fine." Zhang Huangyan changed direction and said, "Then the problem is simple, just discuss how to ensure that Ma Shiying enters the cabinet." ”

Wu Zheng asked, "Do you have any good ideas?" ”

Zhang Huangyan replied: "There is no good way, but there is a bad one." ”

Wu Zheng was a little disappointed, "Let's hear it." ”

"Swap." Zhang Huangyan gently spit out two words.

"Swap?"

"Yes."

"In exchange for what?"

"The position of the first assistant!"