Chapter 196 Xu Wei's Madness
Ministry of War.
"Thank you for escaping this time."
Wang Yiqi did not say a word of thanks for his great kindness, but just bowed.
"If you hadn't been upright, there would be nothing I could do."
Jiang Qingzhi sat down, and Wang Yiqi glanced at Mo Zhan outside the door, "This man is very good at swordsmanship, has he ever thought about serving in the army?"
Old Wang is preparing a gift... With the ability of the Minister of War, to place someone in the army, he must at least start as a hundred households! As long as Wang Yiqi is not overthrown, the speed of this person's promotion will be jaw-dropping.
"The army at the moment is like a big melting pot. This guy's swordsmanship is amazing, but he doesn't know how to behave. He is too straightforward. Sooner or later he will be killed by someone in the army."
Jiang Qingzhi shook his head, "Old Wang, don't use your officialdom tricks against me."
Wang Yiqi smiled and said, "Then let's go back home and have a drink."
There are two modes of entertaining guests: one is outside and the other is at home.
For senior officials, entertaining guests outside is a social event, while entertaining guests at home represents intimacy.
"We'll talk about it later." Jiang Qingzhi said, "Old Wang, the Ministry of War is involved in a case involving millions of guan, but the highest-ranking official is only a doctor. Isn't that right?"
"Could it be..."
"Don't play dumb." Jiang Qingzhi sneered, "One million taels of silver, there must be at least one minister among them."
"Ah!" Wang Yiqi sighed, "But no one reported it, and there is no evidence. Do you want me to ask them?"
"Lu Bing must be unwilling to accept his defeat. Old Wang, I bet he is hiding in the dark, with all his minions out in force... You better take care of yourself."
Jiang Qingzhi walked out of the duty room and asked, "Mo Zhan, I won't let you go to the army, do you have any complaints?"
Mo Zhan said, "I know I will not flatter my superiors. If it weren't for you, my body would have been cold by now. I will just follow your orders."
……
Jinyiwei, Lu Bing said coldly: "Earlier in Xiyuan, Rui Jingxian laughed at me, Jinyiwei, for working in vain, but the credit was taken away by Jiang Qingzhi."
Everyone stood there with their hands folded.
"The East Factory is laughing at us and even trying to trip us up. Jiang Qingzhi seems to be at ease, but secretly Xu Wei and others are wandering around, trying to make connections for Wang Yiqi..."
Lu Bing glanced at Shen Lian. The Jinyiwei had already found out that Xu Wei and Shen Lian were relatives and had a deep friendship. "Leave it to Wang Yiqi, but the Ministry of War, from the doctor and above, must keep an eye on it. I want to catch a big rat!"
"Yes."
Everyone agreed.
"Everyone go! Shen Lian stays."
Everyone resigned.
Shen Lian stood there in silence. Lu Bing took a sip of tea and asked, "How is your relationship with Xu Wei?"
"Profound." Shen Lian said lightly.
He and Xu Wei both had an uninhibited side to their personalities, and both admired the style of the famous scholars of the Wei and Jin dynasties.
"Someone reported earlier that Xu Wei's speech at the Ministry of War won over and divided a lot of people, making great contributions to Wang Yiqi's control of the chaos in the Ministry of War. This person is talented."
Lu Bing asked in a playful tone, "Why didn't you recommend such a talented person in the first place?"
Shen Lian said calmly: "Xu Wei is arrogant."
"Can anyone be as crazy as you?" Lu Bing smiled.
He liked to bring Shen Lian and Yan Shifan to parties, and watch Shen Lian make sarcastic remarks to Yan Shifan, to remind Yan Shifan: I know all the shit going on between you and your father.
When Yan Song was in power, Yan Shifan was known as the Little Prime Minister. Who would dare to mock him like this?
That's the madman Shen Lian.
Shen Lian nodded and said seriously: "I can't compare to Xu Wei's madness."
——You can't tolerate him!
Lu Bing sneered, and that was the end of the matter.
……
In the afternoon, Xu Wei hurried to a restaurant.
"Bun-chan, here."
Shen Lian waved at him from the second floor. After Xu Wei went upstairs, he saw that he was the only one there and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"
"Nothing." Shen Lian ordered some wine and food, and the two of them drank together.
"Lu Bing mentioned you today." Shen Lian said.
"Want to recruit me?" Xu Wei sneered, "Do you think those bastards are worthy?"
"I said Xu Wei was arrogant, implying that he couldn't stand your arrogance." Shen Lian raised his glass, "I didn't agree with you joining Chang Wei Bo's mansion. First, the Yan Party is powerful, and Chang Wei Bo is alone. Even if he has the support of His Majesty, he can't defend himself against open and covert attacks. I don't think he will succeed."
Xu Wei glanced at his brother-in-law, "So I am now in my prime in the Bo's Mansion, while you are unhappy in the Jinyiwei."
"Secondly, you have a bad temper, and few people in this world can tolerate it." Shen Lian asked curiously, "I'm really curious, how did that uncle endure it?"
Xu Wei sneered, "How can I have a bad temper? I just look down on those people who are greedy for money. I have been in the capital for a long time and have met some so-called great talents and dignitaries. In my eyes, these people are all ants!"
"Jiang Qingzhi is someone you look up to, it seems he is not a simple person!" Shen Lian smiled, "Yes, there are not many people who can make Lu Bing suffer, it shows that the master is very clever. By the way, you did a great job in the Ministry of War this time, and even made Lu Bing a little angry."
Xu Wei took a sip of wine and said, "This is just a trial run."
"So what does it mean to show off your skills?"
"One day I will let Yan Song and his son kneel at my feet and wash my feet, and let Lu Bing lead my horse." Xu Wei raised his glass, "Also, Jinyiwei is not a good place."
"The Prime Minister washed your feet, and the commander of the Royal Guards bathed your feet. You are so arrogant." Shen Lian sighed, "I know the Royal Guards are not a good place, but Lu Bing has been very kind to me."
"Bullshit favor!" Xu Wei sneered, "They are just using you!"
Shen Lian didn't want to talk about this topic. "The move of getting the Ministry of War to surrender was a brilliant one. Lu Bing thought he had a sure win, but he was hit so hard that he saw stars. Wen Chang, you have improved."
Shen Lian took a sip of wine, and seeing Xu Wei's conflicted expression, he was shocked, "Isn't it your plan to let the military officials surrender?"
Xu Wei scratched his head.
"Who is it?" Shen Lian thought of Hu Zongxian, but Hu Zongxian was not known for such schemes. "Could it be..." Shen Lian was stunned, "Could it be Jiang Qingzhi?"
Xu Wei smiled but said nothing.
This is a secret, so he naturally cannot disclose it to Shen Lian.
"Hiss!" He didn't say anything, but Shen Lian concluded that it was Jiang Qingzhi, "This guy is really very capable. Lu Bing chose him as his opponent. He must have lost his mind."
The second floor faced the street. The two men talked in low voices and raised their glasses to drink from time to time.
"Meet the young minister."
There were voices outside on the street, and Xu Wei leaned out of the window. "It's Yan Shifan."
Shen Lian came over with a wine glass and looked outside.
Yan Shifan was surrounded by several followers, and opposite him was an official who was flattering him with a smile on his face.
Yan Shifan was dealing with the officials lazily, and suddenly his eyes narrowed.
"It's Jiang Qingzhi!" Shen Lian whispered.
Xu Wei also saw his boss, but this boss was actually holding a chicken leg and eating it while walking.
Don’t you care about your image?
Xu Wei rolled his eyes.
Shen Lian praised: "It is true that a true gentleman is naturally elegant."
The School of Mind advocates a way of life that comes from the heart. Shen Lian himself summed up a set of mental methods, believing that everything comes from within, without any ego.
Shen Lian felt that Jiang Qingzhi's way of living, not caring about status and position and doing whatever he wanted, was exactly the same as his own.
"Jiang Qingzhi!"
Although they had met more than ten times in Xiyuan, each time Yan Shifan and Jiang Qingzhi were separated by some people and had never had face-to-face contact.
"Yan Shifan!"
Jiang Qingzhi swallowed the chicken and Yan Shifan left the officials behind.
"I heard that Chang Wei Bo is very powerful in the Ministry of War, which makes people envious." Yan Shifan's one eye was full of smiles.
"The young cabinet minister is drafting bills on behalf of my father and is busy with many matters every day!" Jiang Qingzhi took a bite of the chicken.
Many people knew that Yan Shifan drafted memorials on behalf of his father, but no one had ever pointed it out to his face.
After all, it's taboo.
Yan Shifan laughed and said, "Let's drink some other day?"
"No." Jiang Qingzhi shook his head.
"Why, even if we are opponents, we can still sit down and discuss philosophy?" said the scholar beside Yan Shifan indifferently.
"My way is different from yours." Jiang Qingzhi said.
"Oh! Then I'd like to hear your opinion." Yan Shifan twisted his short and thick neck.
"My path is here." Jiang Qingzhi pointed at the shops and pedestrians on both sides of the street, "If we have different paths, we cannot work together."
Watching him walk away, the scholar asked, "What does this boy mean?"
Yan Shifan narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Qingzhi's back, "He wants to say that his way is the right way."
Then, as opponents, the ways of Yan Shifan and others are evil.
"Over at the Ministry of War, the Imperial Guards..." Yan Shifan pondered, and the scholar said, "Didn't the Prime Minister say that he would not get involved in this matter and just watch Lu Bing and Jiang Qingzhi fight?"
"Lu Bing is at a disadvantage, while Jiang Qingzhi is in high spirits... What is the right path? Is it to love the people like one's own children?" Yan Shifan looked at the pedestrians and merchants on both sides of the street and sneered, "Let us in the Ministry of War cooperate with the Jinyiwei."
"Young Lord..." The scholar wanted to persuade him, but Yan Shifan said, "Do you know what I noticed from what I said to Jiang Qingzhi today?"
"Arrogant." The scholar laughed and said, "This boy seems to be careless, but his eyes look down on people, as if he is looking down on ordinary people."
"I have met many powerful people, but never one that I felt so strange about." Yan Shifan said, "Somehow, I sensed a threat."
"You are joking, young minister." The scholar said proudly, "Now we are in power, with many people and power. If it weren't for your majesty's care, Jiang Qingzhi... would have died long ago."
"So we can't let Jiang Qingzhi succeed in the corruption case of the Ministry of War! Otherwise, the Ministry of War will become his helper in the future."
……
When I got home, Xu Wei was waiting for me.
"I saw the confrontation between Lord Bo and Yan Shifan on the second floor facing the street. After Lord Bo left, Yan Shifan kept staring at Lord Bo's back." Xu Wei said, "This man is vicious. Lord Bo should be careful."
"It's too early to talk about this now." Jiang Qingzhi said.
Yan Shifan was still cautious at this moment. Historically, as the Yan Party continued to expand its power, Yan Shifan became more and more bold and unscrupulous.
What Jiang Qingzhi has to do is to respond tit for tat.
You expand your power, why can't I expand my power?
The Ministry of War is the arena for both sides.
"Who is that big rat?" Xu Wei scratched his head. "This person is hiding very well."
"Remember, as long as you have done it, there will be traces to follow." Jiang Qingzhi said.
"Old Hu and I have been thinking about this for a long time and feel that both assistant ministers are suspects."
Xu Wei and Hu Zongxian were like Jiao and Meng, and they were also drinking buddies.
"Wen Chang, when it comes to wisdom and strategy, you are not inferior to anyone, but many times you are blinded by one thing. Look at this matter from a different perspective..."
Jiang Qingzhi asked softly, "Why are you only staring at the Minister?"
"What Master meant..." Xu Wei suddenly covered his forehead, "Go down!"
Children can be taught!
"It's not that you're stupid." Jiang Qingzhi patted his shoulder. "People are most easily driven by desires. It's said that people forget their principles when they see profit. In other words, when driven by desires, people will lose their normal mind. You're just impetuous!"
Xu Wei thought about it carefully and realized that he had been a little impatient recently and wanted to accomplish everything in one go.
He glanced at Jiang Qingzhi and bowed, "I will accept your advice."
(End of this chapter)
