Chapter 944 The storm is coming
On New Year's Day, which is the first day of the Lunar New Year in later generations, Jiang Qingzhi was awakened by the sound of firecrackers.
Jiang Qingzhi felt that his mind was free of thoughts and he just wanted to be in a daze for a while.
"What are you thinking about, my husband?" Li Tian also woke up and pulled the quilt up a little.
Last night, the couple stayed up to celebrate the New Year. At first, Li Tian was in good spirits and even drank sweet wine with Jiang Qingzhi. Sweet wine has a low alcohol content, so even children can drink it. Jiang Qingzhi treated it as a beverage. The couple drank sweet wine and looked forward to Dapeng speaking, walking... studying, getting married and having children...
Just as Jiang Qingzhi was looking forward to his eldest grandson, Li Tian tilted his head and fell asleep.
Thinking of this, Jiang Qingzhi couldn't help but smile, and last night's dream was gradually fading away.
"Last night I dreamed that Dapeng wanted to go overseas." Jiang Qingzhi put his arm around his wife. The dream was fading quickly, leaving only fragments. "He said he wanted to find a new continent, so we could live there when we have nothing to do."
"Nonsense." Li Tian approached him and felt that her man's body was warmer than before. According to the doctor, Jiang Qingzhi's original qi and blood were insufficient, so his limbs would be cold every winter.
"It's not nonsense." Jiang Qingzhi said, "There are really many new continents overseas. A Mohist predecessor went there in the past. The island is about the same size as the territory of the Ming Dynasty. There are some very interesting animals on it. For example, some animals have a bag in their abdomen, which contains children..."
"That's impossible." Li Tian said with a smile.
"I'm up." Jiang Qingzhi turned sideways and looked at Li Tian, "My dear, Happy New Year!"
Li Tian was startled, then burst out laughing, "Happy New Year, my husband."
"Wow!"
The kids next door started their morning show on time.
Jiang Qingzhi put on his clothes, got out of bed, and opened the door...
A series of actions flow like smooth clouds and running water.
Li Tian sat up, clasped her hands together, and said devoutly: "This year, I pray to the gods to protect my husband and Dapeng... to be safe and sound."
The sound of Jiang Qingzhi humming a song came from next door.
"The kangaroo mother has a pouch, and inside the pouch is a baby. Baby and mother love each other very much..."
Li Tian was stunned. "Could it be that there really are such beasts?"
There was no training today. After Jiang Qingzhi coaxed the child, he felt uncomfortable all over, as if he owed something.
"I'm just a cheap bastard!"
Jiang Qingzhi laughed at himself, then went in and took out the sword.
His swordplay was smooth and flowing. If someone were watching, they would definitely say it was like that of a master.
But this is just magnanimity.
After practicing the sword skills, Jiang Qingzhi took the towel handed to him by the maid. The maid lowered her head and actually stepped back.
"This is at home, not in the palace!" Jiang Qingzhi found it funny, "Where did you learn this?"
The maid trembled all over and was about to kneel down.
"Stand still!"
Jiang Qingzhi stopped her and asked, "What happened? Why are you so scared?"
The maid whispered, "I am just afraid."
Jiang Qingzhi said: "I am not a tiger."
Under the eaves, Ruyu Fu Shen, "In the Northern Expedition, the Lord defeated Altan Khan's army of 200,000 and took charge of the new policy after returning. The Lord's majesty was natural, which made her feel in awe..."
Jiang Qingzhi touched his face and didn't feel that he had changed.
He returned to the bedroom and asked his wife, "My dear, have I changed?"
Li Tian looked at him carefully and nodded.
At this age, you can still grow taller?
Jiang Qingzhi was stunned.
Li Tian said, "My dear husband, you don't know it, but the way you look at people now... has become more and more sharp."
"No way." Jiang Qingzhi refused to admit it.
He picked up the bronze mirror and looked at it carefully.
"It's still as gentle as jade."
"It's time to eat!"
Sun Chonglou’s shout was heard.
The breakfast was light, as Li Tian had eaten too much yesterday, so she just had a bowl of porridge. Jiang Qingzhi was different, he ate three fried dough sticks and drank two bowls of soy milk in one go.
Finally, have a bowl of porridge with some pickles, it’s refreshing.
After breakfast, Jiang Qingzhi had to attend the grand court meeting.
When he arrived at the front yard, Xia Yan was waiting for him. Seeing Jiang Qingzhi dressed in earl's clothes, he praised: "He really has the air of a powerful official."
"Mr. Xia, can we not bring this up?" Jiang Qingzhi thought of the maid's awe. "By the way, they said I have a sharp eye. Mr. Xia, take a look."
Xia Yan shook his head, "No need to look. It's the power at work."
Jiang Qingzhi thought, "Yes."
It's the aura of power that's at work.
"What kind of majesty? Those scoundrels are also majestic." Xia Yan said, "What they respect is not you, but power. The power of life and death."
No wonder power is fascinating.
Xia Yan said: "Today, someone will criticize the new policy, and even criticize you. On the first day of the new year, you must not give in. Make a good start."
As Xia Yan took out a red envelope, the old man muttered, "What did you say last time... No matter how old you are, you have to get a red envelope during the New Year. I don't know anything about red envelopes... Just take it. Oh, and there has to be a blessing. I've thought about it for a long time, and I just want to wish you peace and safety this year."
Jiang Qingzhi took the red envelope and opened it. It was a small silver piece with words on it. He looked carefully and saw, "Peace."
When I walked out of the house, the whole alley became the children's territory, they held a lit incense in one hand and a firecracker in the other...
The sound of firecrackers continued to be heard from far and near.
"Uncle, Happy New Year." A young man bowed.
"Happy New Year." Jiang Qingzhi bowed.
"Is the uncle in court?"
"Yes! The New Year's Day meeting is very troublesome." Jiang Qingzhi smiled bitterly. "My Lord, Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year."
The neighbors remained the same, which made Jiang Qingzhi quite happy.
The standard of success in later generations is to drive in and out of luxury cars, preferably bulletproof ones, with someone opening the door and bodyguards watching the surroundings vigilantly.
As if it wouldn't be considered a success if it wasn't like this.
What's it like to ride in a bulletproof car?
Wherever you go, you are surrounded by people and protected by bodyguards... How does it feel?
Jiang Qingzhi felt like he was in jail.
But some people think this is success.
But it was different in the Ming Dynasty.
The long street was quite deserted. Many families were either worshipping their ancestors or catching up on sleep after staying up all night. There were few people outside.
At this moment, the majority of people on the long street were officials.
Jiang Qingzhi saw an official in front of him blocked by a donkey cart. His attendants scolded him, and the old woman on the donkey cart shouted at the top of her voice: "Isn't such a wide street enough for walking? I am the cart and you are the horse. Why should the cart give way to the horse?"
The attendant was furious, "Find the Five Cities Army and bring this bitch in."
"If you have the guts, do it!" The old woman tore her hair apart and shouted, "Look! The prime minister is bullying people!"
Prime Minister?
It was still a little dark at this moment, and Jiang Qingzhi wondered who it could be.
"Forget it, don't meddle in other people's business." A familiar voice came, and Jiang Qingzhi was happy, "Old Yan?"
The official on horseback turned around and saw that it was the old prime minister Yan Song.
"Long Wilbur!"
Yan Song bowed and said, "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year." Jiang Qingzhi bowed, and the two rode their horses side by side.
"I'm afraid it will be very lively today. Judging from the look on Chang Wei's face, he seems to be confident about what he has done." Yan Song said meaningfully.
"When the enemy comes, we will fight them; when the water comes, we will block it with earth." Jiang Qingzhi said.
"I'm afraid there will be some trouble in the south." Yan Song said.
"Has the Prime Minister received the news?" In terms of being well-informed, Jiang Qingzhi could not compare to Yan Song.
Yan Song laughed it off and said, "It's just some rumors."
The Yan party and Jiang Qingzhi were clearly divided at the moment, but as prime ministers, Yan Song and Jiang Qingzhi had to pretend to be close.
Xia Yan had a deep understanding of Yan Song. According to his analysis, Yan Song was greedy, but he was quite cautious in governing.
——What he feared most was His Majesty, so he was very cautious when drafting the bill.
The new policy had entered a deep water period, and Yan Song should have kept his distance from it.
But if the new policy fails and Jiang Qing steps down, the morale of Confucianists will be greatly boosted, and they will take the opportunity to launch a general attack on the Yan Party.
Therefore, Jiang Qingzhi's think tank analyzed that Yan Song and his son had a complicated attitude towards the new policy. If the new policy succeeded, Jiang Qingzhi would inevitably seize power. This was not due to Jiang Qingzhi's personal will, but the needs of the new policy and the support of those around him...
Jiang Qingzhi laughed and said that there was a mutiny at Chenqiao and he was wearing a yellow robe. Even a bold man like Xu Wei would rush out to see if anyone was eavesdropping outside.
This was a taboo, but Xia Yan didn't care. He said, "If the new policy fails, Yan's party will also be affected. Therefore, Yan Song and his son are in a dilemma at the moment."
Yan Song looked at the young man with complicated eyes.
"Dad!" Yan Shifan came.
Jiang Qingzhi glanced at the young minister and rode away.
"He doesn't even bother to greet you." Yan Song watched Jiang Qingzhi speed up his horse and said in a deep voice: "With the support of Your Majesty, Jiang Qingzhi will continue to seize power. There will be no shortage of conflicts this year. Donglou, restrain your anger. Be patient... and watch."
Yan Shifan's attitude towards Jiang Qingzhi changed from ignoring to contempt, to anger...which was actually the process of Jiang Qingzhi seizing power.
"I originally admired this man and felt that we were somewhat like-minded. But there is only so much power. If he takes it, what will we get?" Yan Shifan's emotions were also quite complicated.
"The more power he grabs, the more troubles will follow." Yan Song stroked his beard and said calmly in the morning breeze: "Power has always been a double-edged sword. We hold power and become a wall, separating Your Majesty from the officials. Jiang Qingzhi holds power, just like holding a sharp sword, slashing at those scholars and officials..."
Yan Shifan nodded, "It may seem like a great pleasure to kill at this moment, but the backlash will be everywhere."
"So, we just need to be patient." Yan Song suddenly sighed, "I hope he can lose, but I also hope he can remain undefeated. It would be best if he can be neither tepid nor hot, neither win nor lose."
This is the embarrassment of the Yan Party.
He was unwilling to support the new policy, but if he did not support it, he was worried that the literati would use their power to attack him after the reform failed.
"Dad, let's just watch the fight. If we see who is at a disadvantage, we'll lend a hand." Yan Shifan said confidently, "We'll pull one faction together and attack the other, so that both sides can maintain a situation where they can neither win nor lose. In this situation, both sides will have to win us over. This is called the fisherman's profit!"
"My son really has the talent to be a prime minister!"
Yan Song smiled with relief.
Jiang Qingzhi met Zhu Xizhong in front of the imperial city.
The old playboy pointed at a group of civil servants nearby and said, "Someone said earlier that you will be in trouble today."
"Haha!" Jiang Qingzhi smiled. The civil servants were discussing, and when they saw him, they sneered. Then, more and more civil servants gathered together.
They looked at Jiang Qingzhi from time to time with unfriendly eyes.
"Long Wilbur!"
Wang Yiqi came and walked to Jiang Qingzhi's side, "I seem to smell gunpowder."
"I heard the sound of a sword being drawn." Father-in-law Li Huan came.
Gradually, more than ten people gathered behind Jiang Qingzhi.
But there were more than a hundred people on the opposite side.
"Your Majesty is here!"
With this shout, the grand court meeting in the 31st year of Jiajing began...
(End of this chapter)
