A prime minister of the current dynasty and an old minister of the two dynasties, Wang Weizheng listened to Xu Ping's words, opened his mouth, and was speechless for a long time. After a long while, he asked Xu Ping: "What are you going to do?" ”

Xu Ping sighed: "I'm a small deputy envoy of the Third Division, where else can I talk about dealing with it." I had to ask Han Zong and them to find out as much as possible and report it. ”

At this time, there were attendants and guards on the tower of Xuande Gate, and the emperor was about to ascend the tower, Wang Weizheng pulled Xu Ping to stand up together, and said in a low voice: "You should be careful about this matter, don't offend people." Zhang Xianggong is just going back, it's just that he is ridiculed by him on his face, but Taiwei Yang is a person who holds grudges, and he may be going to give you an ugly look at any time. ”

"I know that there will be proportions."

Xu Ping nodded, thanking Wang Wei for reminding him. The old chief he got acquainted with as soon as he stepped into the officialdom was really a kind person, conscientious and conscientious, and he didn't have to say anything about being a man. It's just that no one appreciates it in the court, so he lingers in a middle-level official position.

As for the two big names involved in this case, Xu Ping is still thinking about how the matter should end.

Wang Weizheng is right, Zhang Shixun is okay, although he has a bad impression of Xu Ping, he still has a gentleman's style in dealing with people, and he will not retaliate because he was caught by Xu Ping.

Yang Chongxun is different, he can be regarded as a general, relying on his father's shadow as an official. When he was young, he entered the East Palace to work when Zhenzong was still the prince, and he was trusted by Zhenzong, and Zhenzong made a career after ascending the throne. Yang Chongxun is greedy, but what disgusts his colleagues the most is that he especially likes to make small reports, and he is very close to the emperor. The villain is difficult to prevent, and Xu Ping is a little afraid of this kind of character. However, Yang Chongxun and the original privy envoy Zhang Qi were both people valued by the Empress Dowager Liu, and when the Empress Dowager died, Emperor Zhao Zhen did not like him very much.

It is said that with Zhang Shixun's personality, he should not have any close contacts with people like Yang Chongxun, but the world is so wonderful, and the two just got together. And what the two families are involved in is these private matters, and the official affairs have nothing to do with it.

The high-pitched voice of praise sounded from the city tower, and it suddenly suppressed the commotion below.

With the appearance of the emperor Zhao Zhen, followed by the sound of praise, the ministers bowed down, and the mountain shouted long live.

In this era, there was no megaphone, and it was extremely difficult to communicate, so the emperor's words had to be announced by a special messenger.

After worshipping, the ministers got up, Zhao Zhen raised a glass on the city tower and drank three glasses of wine.

At this time, it should be sitting, but this year it is not, and the chanting above is set off with fireworks.

The sound did not fall, only to hear a loud sound of "Tong" on the royal street not far away, a cannon rushed into the air, looking up, as if a brilliant flower had bloomed next to the bright moon, not dispersed in the air.

I had never seen this kind of formation before, and some of the timid people were so frightened that they sat on the ground, causing the people around them to laugh.

The fireworks in the air gradually disappeared, and I don't know who brought the heads, and the ministers under the city tower sounded the sound of long live like a mountain.

This year, there is more of this gimmick, and the royal street in front of Xuande Gate is obviously much more lively than in previous years, and the ministers sit down, all talking and laughing, talking about the excitement of the fireworks just now.

After another round of drinking, the real fireworks festival began. I saw one after another in the air, the old not scattered, and the new came again, as if flowers covered the sky.

Where have people of this era seen this kind of scene, one by one they are dumbfounded, and even the smell of gunpowder smoke in the air feels so cute. By tomorrow, I don't know how many poems will praise tonight's fireworks, and maybe there will be some famous poems that will be handed down. Even the officials who scolded these fireworks were afraid that they would not be exempt from vulgarity, and would write some splendid articles.

The color of fireworks comes from various metal ions, and Xu Ping can't remember which color to use what, anyway, some have tried a lot of materials and made a lot of varieties. The supervisor of gunpowder also regarded these as secret recipes, and wrote them down one by one with great importance and passed them on to future generations.

When the fireworks are over, all kinds of lights are lit one by one, and the huge mountain of lights is like a fairyland on earth. In front of Xuande Gate has become a sea of joy, in addition to the hundred officials who go to the feast on the East and West Royal Street, the North and South Royal Street are crowded with people watching the lanterns.

Empress Dowager Yang, who was watching the lights on the city tower, was amazed by the fireworks just now, and turned to Pan Pan who was nestled in Lin Suniang's arms and said, "You girl just said that the fireworks in your house are beautiful, and they are really rare in the world." I've lived for decades, and it's the first time I've seen something so ingenious. Come, give her ten coins to buy fruit to eat. ”

Panpan left from her mother's arms and stepped forward to salute and thank you: "Thank you for the reward!" ”

Empress Dowager Yang listened to Panpan's crisp and lovely voice, touched her head and said, "Little girl is sensible, I will reward you with ten silver coins to go back and buy a few playthings, and you can relieve your boredom when you have nothing to do." ”

Panpan thanked her happily, returned to Lin Suniang and Zhang Sanniang with ten coins and ten silver coins, and showed off to the two of them. The gold and silver coins that came out of the palace were full of color, and they were also worth a lot of money as a reward for children.

Lin Suniang and Zhang Sanniang thanked each other together, then sat down and quietly watched the lantern juggling downstairs in the city.

The Xu family is a new family, and there are a large number of princesses and princesses around, and they can't show off and make people jealous. And this kind of reward, said to be for Panpan, is actually based on Xu Ping's face, indicating a relationship.

Empress Dowager Yang does not interfere in political affairs, although there are also whims to reward money and goods, that kind of situation is still very rare. On this occasion, every move is still related to politics, and it is not really the ladies who have fun here.

Below the city tower, after three rounds of drinking, the restraint of etiquette gradually did not work, the officials ate and drank to their heart's content, and watched the performances of artists from nearby prefectures and counties who came to Beijing not far away, and the situation gradually became chaotic.

Xu Ping confessed to several officials next to him, stood up, and walked to the front.

Kou Ying's popularity is far inferior to Xu Ping, where he sits alone and drinks with his head bored. The scholars and ministers in the neighborhood gathered in groups to talk, laugh, and gossip.

When he arrived at Kou Xuan's side, Xu Ping said in a low voice: "Provincial Lord, take a step to speak." ”

Kou Yang was drunk and depressed, and when he saw that someone finally came who could talk to him, he immediately stood up.

When the two arrived at the open space next to them, Xu Ping took out the letter from Han Zong and handed it to Kou Ying: "Yesterday, I was afraid that there would be a fire in the workshops under the Third Division tonight, so I ordered Han Zong to send the soldiers in the yamen to help the guards. It is generally clear that Han Zong and Zheng Jian are transferring people to Kaifeng Mansion. ”

Kou Ying took the book and read it, and didn't speak for a long time, her brows furrowed tightly.

If he wants to go one step further, Kou Ying doesn't want to offend people in the court even more than Xu Ping, especially this kind of important minister. But now that the matter has been investigated, and multiple yamen are involved, they can't suppress it if they want to.

After pondering for a long time, Kou Ying asked Xu Ping: "The matter has come to this, what does Yunxing want to do?" ”

Xu Ping smiled bitterly in his heart, he was a mere deputy envoy of salt and iron, and he usually didn't look at it very seriously, so how could he talk about how to deal with this kind of thing? It's not just about reporting to your boss.

But his boss asked like this, and it was not easy to answer like this, so he said to Kou Ying: "Although the matter was discovered by the officials of our third division, and the goods were indeed under the third division, the transfer shop that committed the crime was not under our control. This matter, no matter how you say it, should be dealt with by Kaifeng Mansion, and we don't have to interfere. ”

"Then move the people to Kaifeng Mansion, and we won't ask anymore?"

Xu Ping shook his head: "If it's an ordinary case, it's okay to do this." Now when it comes to Zhang Xianggong and Yang Taiwei, if we pretend not to know, we will inevitably be slandered in the future, saying that we are currying favor with the minister. ”

"What then? Could it be that we will go to Kaifeng Mansion for trial! ”

Seeing that Kou Ying was starting to get irritable, Xu Ping said: "Don't go, we won't interfere in the case." In this way, the provincial lord will treat it as if he doesn't know, and I will go to Lu Xianggong with the letter in a while, and let the political affairs hall take care of the troublesome things. ”

"Well, that's it! The third division is also under the management of the Chinese book, and we can't always do things to find us, and if there is trouble, we will push it clean! You go to Lu Xianggong, how to deal with him and give him a headache! ”

Kou Ying was feeling in a dilemma, and Xu Ping's words hit the nail on the head, so he immediately agreed.

The reason why Xu Ping went to find someone, Kou Yingdang didn't know, was related to the situation of the two. If Xu Ping's popularity in the officialdom of the capital is average, Kou Ying is very poor. He was originally a lone wolf-like character, and he was implicated in his relationship with Ding Wei, and everyone avoided him for fear of being dragged down. In the end, Xu Ping has made great contributions to the country, and he has been appreciated by the emperor, and there is also a relationship with Li Yonghe's family, and his situation is much better than Kou Ying.

After discussing a few more specific matters, Xu Ping said goodbye to Kou Ying, and walked around the front with the letter in his sleeve.

After Kou Ying, it was much looser when he stepped forward again, not as crowded as the middle and lower-level officials in the back. Many people here have dealt with Xu Ping, and they are constantly saluting and greeting.

The more upper-level officials are, the more they know the relationship between Xu Ping and the royal family, and they also know the emperor's attitude towards him, but they have a kinder attitude than those middle-level officials.

Lu Yijian is at the forefront, above 10,000 people under the prime minister, and in addition to the palace in the Great Song Dynasty, there is only one person in front of him, that is, Zhao Yuanyan, the eight kings of the special class above the prime minister. Others, even if they are close relatives of the emperor, have to obediently line up behind the minister.

When he arrived in the front row, Xu Ping saluted several ministers present, and finally came to Lu Yijian's side and said in a low voice: "Lu Xianggong, the lower officials have something to report, please take a step to speak." ”

Lu Yijian knew that Xu Ping was a steady person, and when he came to find himself at this time, there must be something urgent. confessed to Zhang Shixun, Wang Zeng and others next to him, left the feast, walked to a place where there were few people, and stood there quietly waiting for Xu Ping. (To be continued.) )