Jingshi, Tongzhou, Zhangjiawan.

As early as July, the imperial court would push Li Sancai to be the head of the household department, but until now, Li Sancai is still stranded in Tongzhou and has never served in Beijing.

Tongzhou, where Li Sancai's hometown was located, bought a lot of land on the north bank of the canal more than ten years ago. After the imperial court sent Zhang Ye to set up a tax customs here, the price of the land purchased by Li Sancai suddenly rose sharply, and he changed hands back and forth, earning enough 10,000 taels of silver.

Staying in his hometown and not taking office without a suitable reason is obviously not possible. Li Sancai said that he went north from Fengyang, and he contracted a cold on the way, and he needed to meditate for a period of time before he could manage things.

On the cabinet side, Ye Xianggao, who is also the sole assistant, is the leader of the Donglin Party, and he knows Li Sancai's plans, so he has never urged him. In the palace, after Wanli received Li Sancai's recital, he did not express his position. In the household department, after the emperor and the foreign dynasty quarreled because of the country, there has been a shortage of personnel for nearly 20 years.

Before Li Sancai, the officials of the household department had been vacant for six years, and Zuo Shilang had been busy with the affairs of the ministry, but he did not see the yamen paralyzed.

If the new official didn't come, he wouldn't come, and the household department didn't even send someone to ask him, so the matter hung in the air.

Outsiders don't know, they only think that Li Sancai is afraid of being impeached by the three parties after entering Beijing, in fact, Li San has concerns about this, but the most important thing is that he is waiting for someone, an old friend who is about to come from Wuxi.

Li Sancai and others are naturally the founding fathers of the Donglin Party - Gu Xiancheng, and in this world, only Gu Xiancheng can relieve his worries and solve problems.

Gu Xiancheng was originally going to rush to Tongzhou in August to discuss with Li Sancai, but because the concubine died of illness and was depressed, he was delayed for a few days.

Looking forward to the stars and the moon, Li Sancai finally waited for Gu Xiancheng today.

When Gu Xiancheng's ship arrived in Zhangjiawan, it was already evening. Li Sancai didn't say much, and directly asked someone to serve the food. It didn't take long for more than a dozen plates of exquisite dishes to be placed on the table, and they were Huaiyang dishes with clear water. Among them, "Orchid Abalone", "Steamed ***** Treasure Gourd with Bamboo Leaves", "Butterfly Steamed Dumplings" and so on are Gu Xiancheng's favorite dishes.

"It's rare for Daofu to know that I love these dishes, I'm really... Alas, it's just that these are too expensive. ”

Gu Xiancheng's heart was warm, it was now the end of September, and it was in the north, not in the south of the Yangtze River. But Li Sancai still prepared so many Huaiyang dishes for him, how could he not be moved.

You must know that from the time Li Sancai ordered the kitchen to serve the dishes to the time when the meals were ready, it was only half an hour, so it can be seen that these dishes are prepared on weekdays, waiting for him Gu Xiancheng to come over. And these dishes look very fresh, and they don't last long, which shows that in order to set up a banquet for Gu Xiancheng for him, Li Sancai spent a lot of thought and a lot of money. In ordinary people's homes, I am afraid that this meal will be more than half a year's salary.

"Brother Jingyang, you are not an outsider, what are you doing with me with these kind words?" Li Sancai laughed, "Besides, you still don't know me?" I can't save money! I have been an official for many years, I have a wide range of contacts, and I spend money like running water, which is often overstretched, but for my friends, even if I am poor, I have to borrow some money to entertain, which is exactly what I am. ”

"Daofu is still really temperamental!" Gu Xiancheng nodded with emotion, his face became solemn, "Daofu is in such a hurry to ask me to come, but for the sake of entering the cabinet?" ”

Li Sancai nodded slightly, and said: "In the letter, I have already told Brother Jingyang that since the cabinet ministers should recommend me from the local government, those who are jealous of me will be widely discussed, and if I venture into Beijing at this time, it will undoubtedly be a charcoal fire." But after staying for a long time, I am afraid of changes, I think about it, and it is difficult to make a decision, so I bother to invite Brother Jingyang to come to the meeting. ”

"All the way here, I thought about it carefully, in my opinion, Daofu should boldly go to Beijing to take up a post, and don't pay attention to those traitorous villains." Gu Xiancheng had already thought about this matter, and he was angry with Ye Xianggao.

Li Sancai frowned slightly: "If the tide rises, I'm afraid it will be difficult." ”

"I always thought that Daofu was a heroic person in our group, why is he afraid of Xiaoxiao today?" Gu Xiancheng laughed, "Do you know that outsiders say that you Li San is the liver and gallbladder of my Donglin Party, if they know that our liver and gallbladder are afraid, then they will not be bullied immediately." ”

"I'm a hero, and I'm not afraid of those small nights." Li Sancai shook his head and said.

"Could it be that Daofu is afraid of Your Majesty?"

"Although the emperor said that he has not been in court for more than ten years, but the power is still monopolized, he is full of literature and history, not stupid or stupid, if I enter the cabinet, then the cabinet ministers are all for me Donglin party, do you say the emperor will be willing?"

After Gu Xiancheng heard this, he pondered silently.

Li Sancai's entry into the cabinet was as early as last year, and he began to lay it out, and it was not until Ye Xianggao entered the cabinet that he operated this matter. First of all, Zou Yuanbiao and others came forward to play the meeting to promote the book of the household department, so that Li San could enter Beijing. Later, Ye Xianggao came forward to ask for additional cabinet ministers, and then the Kedao Donglin Party changed the practice that the former cabinet ministers had to be added from the word ministers, and changed to be supplemented from local officials.

These steps were implemented one by one, and under the smooth sailing, Li Sancai's entry into the cabinet was ironclad. At present, the first step has been successful, the second step has been approved by the emperor, only the third step has been criticized by the three parties, and the imperial court has not yet reached a conclusion, so Li Sancai stayed in Tongzhou and did not want to go to Beijing.

Judging from the appearance alone, this third step seems to be a stirring up of water by the Zhejiang, Qi, Chukun and several parties, but if the emperor himself has no opinion, this proposal would have been handed over a long time ago. However, now he is stuck at this step, which shows that the emperor is indeed suspicious of Li Sancai's entry into the cabinet.

Thinking about it, Gu Xiancheng had an idea, and he said quite confidently: "Daofu is in the game, but he can't see clearly." Your Majesty has always been disgusted with the outside world since the beginning of the country, but he can listen to any advice from the inner court. If Daofu is not sure, I will write a handwritten letter and ask someone to bring it to Chen Gonggong. The father-in-law Chen in his mouth is the master of ceremonies who is good friends with Donglin, and the eunuch Chen Ju is in charge.

Hearing this, Li Sancai's expression darkened, and he sighed: "Brother Jingyang doesn't know that Gonggong Chen died of illness a few days ago. ”

"Chen Ju is dead?!" Gu Xiancheng was stunned for a long time, sighed lightly, and asked Li Sancai: "Do you know who took the palm print?" ”

Li Sancai said: "The news from the palace says that His Majesty intends to choose one of Jin Zhong and Sun Xian to take over. ”

As soon as the words fell, Gu Xiancheng had already said: "Jin Zhong can't, this person is a concubine party, and I Donglin has never dealt with it, if he is the palm seal, it will be difficult for Daofu to enter the cabinet, and it will be difficult to get into the Qing." ”

"Jinqing" is Ye Xianggao's table word.

Li San knew that Gu Xiancheng was not wrong in what he said, if the eunuch with the palm print of the celebrant was hostile to Donglin, then the level of "approving red" was really stuck.

If the cabinet cannot be "approved," the cabinet will not be able to exert its power.

"Sun Xian, although he hasn't had much contact with us, is quiet and well-behaved." Gu Xiancheng still recognizes Sun Xian.

"What does Brother Jingyang mean?"

"We need to help Sun Xian get the seal."

Li Sancai thought for a while and said, "I also have this intention." It's just that this matter doesn't have to help Sun Xian, it's easy to give people a handle, and the gains outweigh the losses. ”

Gu Xiancheng nodded and said, "What is the trick of that Daofu?" ”

"If we want Sun Xian to take over the palm seal, we just need to bring down Jin Zhong." Li Sancai's method is very simple, since you can choose one of the two, then you can kill the inappropriate one.

"Jin Zhong was with Zhang Hong back then, and he had a wide range of contacts in the palace, and His Majesty also trusted him very much, and then there was Concubine Zheng Guifei, if he wanted to bring him down, I was afraid it would be difficult." Gu Xiancheng touched his beard.

Li Sancai thought of one thing and said busily: "I heard that after the Guanmen military mutiny, His Majesty sent a young man named Wei Liangchen out of the customs to visit. This Wei Liangchen has no merit in his body, but Jin Zhong protected him as a member of the two palaces at His Majesty, and personally selected someone to escort him out of the customs, thinking that the two must have a relationship. Therefore, I think that it is difficult to directly bring down Jin Zhong, it is better to make a fuss about this Wei Liangchen, with this person's sore feet, Jin Zhong will have to take responsibility. ”

Gu Xiancheng had already heard of the military mutiny in Shanhaiguan to expel Gao Huai. Li Sancai's method is simple and effective, with the intention of encircling Wei and saving Zhao. As long as there is a problem with that Wei Liangchen, then Jin Zhong, as the sponsor, will not be able to clear himself. At that time, making a fuss from this point will be able to cut off the possibility of Jin Zhong taking over the palm print.

"Who is going to do this?" Gu Xiancheng agreed with Li Sanfa's idea.

"It's okay for Xiong Mingyu to be in the middle of the military department."

Xiong Mingyu is a jinshi of Wanli 29, and he is currently in the military department, and he is the younger generation of the Donglin Party. That Wei Liangchen went out to investigate the Guan Change, he was in Liaodong, and it was not appropriate for someone else to come forward, but it was better for Xiong Mingyu to come forward.

Poor Wei Liangchen, who was outside Yang Hao's line, didn't know that he didn't do anything, and he didn't want Jin Zhong to take over the seal, but the bigwigs of the Donglin Party refused to let him go.

Liangchen was waiting outside, because Yang Ho had guests there.

...........

Thank you for the 100 yuan reward of the upstart son!