Chapter 179 Game of Thrones, a crisis unique to the Qingliu! Wu Chengen sat up in shock!
"The reason is very simple, because you have overlooked a fact," Li Chengwu said when everyone looked at him, "You all need to understand one thing, there is gain and loss in everything, if you want to get something, you must pay for it."
"The same is true for Immortal Fate. If all it requires is your loyalty, then isn't this Immortal Fate a little too cheap?"
Hearing this, everyone's eyes narrowed slightly, and the doubt in their eyes when they looked at Li Chengwu became stronger and stronger.
They suddenly realized that they couldn't understand what Li Chengwu wanted to express and could only watch quietly.
Seeing that the plan was almost ready, Li Chengwu didn't intend to keep it a secret any longer, and said directly: "What I want to say is that even if you all stand on the side of the elders in the cabinet in the future, become their subordinates, and obtain immortal fate, but if you can't provide value to others for a long time..."
At this point, Li Chengwu sneered and stared at everyone, "Then the day your value is used up is the day you will be abandoned!"
"In addition, you all need to think clearly about a few questions. That is, if you really get the chance to become an immortal, can you really rest assured? If the elders in the imperial court and the cabinet also get the chance to become an immortal, then can they really be immortal? Is getting the chance to become an immortal just the beginning of the road to immortality?"
"Then what sacrifices do you need to make before you can truly achieve immortality? Don't become someone else's stepping stone because of a wrong decision."
After hearing what Li Chengwu said, everyone was stunned.
Don't be a stepping stone for others...
These words really gave them a wake-up call.
First of all, can obtaining immortality really ensure longevity?
Thinking of this, everyone shook their heads subconsciously. If immortality could be ensured by obtaining the immortal fate, it would be too simple!
Furthermore, although today we saw that Lord Yan and the others were so old, but they were walking briskly in the rain, there was not much change in their appearance. The most was that their skin was better than before, which was very different from the legendary immortality.
Secondly, if it is really possible to obtain immortal fate so easily, then the price you have to pay will certainly not be small, and you may even end up becoming a stepping stone for others.
For a while, everyone changed from wanting to obtain the immortal fate to considering how to ensure that the immortal fate would be achieved after obtaining it, and not become a stepping stone for others.
"Li Butang, what do you think we should do?" At this time, the Chief Justice of Dali Temple, Li Weiqing, cupped his hands, his face full of anticipation.
Hearing this, everyone else also turned their eyes to Li Chengwu. Since his analysis was so clear and it seemed like he had thought of everything, they naturally wanted to listen.
"Haha." However, what everyone didn't expect was that this time Li Chengwu smiled and shook his head, "Everyone, I can't make a decision for you." As he spoke, he smiled and took a step forward, came to the door of the hall, and ordered the servants, saying:
"Come here, serve tea and breakfast!" Li Chengwu smiled and turned around, looking at everyone, saying, "We have been tired for a whole day and night. All the ministers are thirsty, hungry and cold. Eat something and go back to have a good rest. We still have to go to Wenhua Hall to discuss politics at noon."
Seeing this, everyone looked at each other. They understood that they didn't want to continue the topic of "immortal fate" anymore.
However, who among those present had not been immersed in the officialdom for many years and had been honed in observing people's words and expressions? Everyone could see that Li Chengwu obviously did not want to tell everyone what he thought.
Soon the servants began to set the table and serve the food.
However, at this moment, everyone was eating without any appetite. All they could think about was the "immortal fate" and Li Chengwu's words.
"Everyone, eat..." As Li Chengwu picked up the dishes, he took in everyone's expressions, but he smiled as if he didn't notice anything. He said, "I have sent servants to report to everyone's house that they are safe. After eating, you can rest here. We will go to court together at noon. Come, let's eat!"
Seeing this, everyone could only respond with an ugly smile.
Li Chengwu looked at everyone, a barely perceptible gleam in his eyes. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
That is to say, enough has been said. Some words should be said in moderation so as not to make people anxious and plant the seeds of doubt and uneasiness in their hearts. Only in this way can this group of people be completely brought under your control.
Of course, it was not only Li Chengwu and Yan Song's houses that were like this at this time. The Qingliu faction, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng, and Zhao Zhenji's houses were also very lively at this moment, and each had their own plans.
First, it was Xu Jie’s residence.
"I didn't expect that Meng Jing had quietly started practicing Taoism. He hadn't told anyone about it before..." Zhang Juzheng took a sip of tea and sighed.
"Humph," Gao Gong, who was upright and hot-tempered, snorted in dissatisfaction, "I think he has ulterior motives!"
"He always pretends to be a non-stick pan, always doing big things quietly, and never thinks of us before taking action!"
"Last time, he implemented the national policy of 'Gathering Fields and Cutting the Clan' quietly, catching all of us off guard. We are all in this together, so why should we be so defensive?"
Hearing Gao Gong's words, Zhang Juzheng shook his head slightly.
In the court today, not only the six ministries, the Inspectorate, and the Dali Temple are being reshuffled, but the cabinet has also undergone several power reorganizations. It seems that there are three factions, but in fact there are four.
Even within their Qingliu, everyone has his own little calculations now, even himself. Doesn't he have his own ideals of governing the country and ambitions in his heart?
However, the Ming Dynasty has not yet officially entered the Immortal Dynasty, and the grand ambitions in his heart have not yet been completed.
He has already established another, more grandiose concept of governing the country for the Great Ming Dynasty. That will be the time for him to show his fangs, but now, the time has not yet come.
"The last national policy of 'concentrating land and reducing clans'..." At this time, Xu Jie spoke slowly.
Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng looked over when Xu Jie spoke. Xu Jie spoke slowly, saying, "Meng Jing's national policy of 'gathering land and reducing clan members' solved the problem of clan members for the court and took on the responsibility for the emperor."
"Even if the royal family has a grudge, they can't break up with the emperor for the sake of face. The emperor is also unwilling to completely break up with the royal family for the sake of face. If that happens, there will be no room for maneuver."
At this point, Xu Jie paused for a moment, then continued, "Compared to ministers like me, the royal family is still the royal family. Even if the royal family has little affection, they are still surnamed Zhu."
"As the saying goes, even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected. Even I know that we need to develop a family of immortal cultivators. How can the emperor not understand this? These royal families will all become members of the immortal cultivator family."
"In this case, whether now or in the future, these royal family members can only vent their anger on Meng Jing."
"It can be said that Meng Jing took on something that he, or even his entire family, could not afford..."
"Therefore, the emperor naturally cannot reward him openly, but the rewards in secret must follow. This is also the emperor's consistent style. Don't we all know it?"
After listening to Xu Jie's analysis, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong looked at each other and saw the realization in each other's eyes.
"That is to say, Meng Jing obtained the immortal cultivation method almost at the same time as you, Lord Xu, on the day when the national policy of 'gathering land and cutting clans' was proposed, several years earlier than us?" Zhang Juzheng seemed to be thinking about something, and then a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and he said:
"Then Meng Jing's cultivation..."
When Zhao Zhenji's cultivation was mentioned, Gao Gong also looked towards Xu Jie suddenly.
If Xu Jie and Zhao Zhenji's cultivation techniques were bestowed by the emperor on the same day, then his level of cultivation is probably no less than Xu Jie's now.
"In another half a year, I will be able to break through to the second level of Qi training. Even with the existence of spiritual veins now, it may take even less time." Xu Jie talked about his progress in training.
"Hiss!" Hearing this, Zhang Juzheng subconsciously took a deep breath and said with emotion: "That means Meng Jing is about to break through the second level of Qi training!"
Thinking about the fact that Zhao Zhenji, who they had originally thought was inferior to them, was about to break through to the second level of Qi training, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong couldn't help feeling bitter in their hearts.
Fortunately, they had comforted Zhao Zhenji before, and were even secretly proud of themselves, thinking that Zhao Zhenji had offended the royal family, so the emperor did not grant him the method of cultivating immortals. Presumably, in Zhao Zhenji's eyes at that time, the two of them were a joke, right?
"Meng Jing is hiding his abilities. From another perspective, he is actually obeying the emperor's orders..." Looking at Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, who both had complicated expressions, Xu Jie said in a soothing voice:
"The emperor gave it to us secretly. Before getting the emperor's permission, he naturally couldn't tell us that he had cultivated immortality," Xu Jie said, pausing slightly, looking at Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng with a smile on his face, and said:
"The Master said: 'It is better to discuss the mind than to look at the appearance, and it is better to choose the technique than to discuss the mind. The appearance cannot defeat the mind, and the mind cannot defeat the technique.'"
“It is better to observe a person’s thoughts than his appearance, and it is better to observe how he acts than his thoughts.
If a person's way of life and thoughts are correct, then even if he is ugly, it does not prevent him from becoming a gentleman. Although appearance and heart are important, what is more important is how he chooses the right path and how he distinguishes right from wrong. "
It is better to choose the method than to judge by the heart!
After hearing this, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.
"Thank you for your advice." Zhang Juzheng stood up and bowed to Xu Jie.
Seeing this, Xu Jie smiled and waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to do this. After the two of them sat down, he continued, "Do you have any impression of the Minister of War Li Chengwu?"
Li Chengwu? Hearing this, Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng looked at each other, and then looked at Xu Jie in confusion, not knowing why Jie suddenly mentioned this person, but neither of them spoke, waiting for his next words.
Li Chengwu and the other two naturally had some impressions.
One of the new elites in the army, he had previously served in the Liaodong Military Region.
The military is now the new upstart in the imperial court, so they naturally need to get to know the Minister of War.
"Li Chengwu," Xu Jie said slowly, introducing Li Chengwu, "This man has practiced martial arts since he was young and is determined to serve his country."
"In his youth, he gradually emerged in the local army with his outstanding martial arts and military talents. Later, Li Chengwu was transferred to Liaodong Dusi for his military exploits."
"As the military commander of Liaodong, the Liaodong Military Command was responsible for the military defense and management of the area. During his time in Liaodong Military Command, Li Chengwu gained an in-depth understanding of the geographical environment and military situation in Liaodong and accumulated rich border defense experience."
"When I was a soldier, I participated in border defense construction, strengthened the training of the army, and improved the defense and combat effectiveness of the Liaodong region."
"In the battles against the Jurchen tribes in Liaodong, Li Chengwu demonstrated his outstanding military command abilities."
"He has led the army several times to repel the invasion of the Jurchen tribes, and he enjoys a high prestige in the Liaodong Regional Military Commission." Xu Jie said slowly, and his words were full of respect for Li Chengwu.
"If you say that he is a soldier in the army, it would be fine. He also pays attention to peaceful exchanges with the Jurchen tribes. He is not like most generals who only know how to fight with brute force."
"He used some means to ease the relationship between Liaodong and the Jurchens over the years, reducing the number of wars, and used all the military supplies allocated by the court on the soldiers."
"In the 45th year of Jiajing, he was appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of War. By the way..." Xu Jie said, and then looked at the two of them and said, "Do you know why this person was transferred to the Ministry of War?"
"Why?" Zhang Juzheng looked at Gao Gong and asked.
"He was promoted by the Zuojun Military Governor's Office." Xu Jie said, picking up the spiritual tea on the table and taking a sip, and said, "The Zuojun Military Governor's Office controls the Left Guard in Beijing, Zhennan Guard, Naval Left Guard, Xiaoqi Right Guard, Dragon and Tiger Guard, Yingwu Guard, Shenyang Left Guard, Shenyang Right Guard, and controls the guards under the Zhejiang Dusi, Liaodong Dusi, Shandong Dusi and the guards under the Nanjing Zuojun Military Governor's Office."
Xu Jie explained the jurisdiction of the Zuojun Dudufu, and Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong nodded slightly. "The Liaodong Dusi is the military commander of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong, responsible for the military defense and military management of the region."
"As one of the five military governors' offices, the Left Military Governor's Office is responsible for commanding and managing the Liaodong Military Governor's Office. And Li Chengwu is the cousin of Li Xiaofeng, the Right Governor of the Left Military Governor's Office!"
"Li Xiaofeng is the think tank of Left Commander Zhang Weiyuan!"
After hearing about Li Chengwu's background, even Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong could not help but be secretly surprised.
"What's the meaning of the elder suddenly mentioning this person?" Zhang Juzheng asked frankly.
"Today I heard from Fan'er that this person summoned high-ranking officials from the six ministries, the Supervisory Office, the Dali Temple, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial Observatory to his residence for a meeting. Yan Maoqing, Luo Longwen, and Li Zhiyuan were excluded. Later, several people and Fan'er did not show up for the meeting."
"This man is now the Minister of War, and behind him is the entire Left Army Commander's Office. The military is now the new elite in the court..."
Some things were said only briefly, and although Xu Jie did not continue speaking, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong heard the hidden meaning.
"Does this person want to share power?" Zhang Juzheng thought for a moment, with a gleam in his eyes.
When Zhang Juzheng talked about "decentralization of power", he naturally meant that high-ranking officials in the six ministries under the cabinet should be out of the control of the cabinet.
In fact, as early as after Renzong and Xuanzong, the power of the Cabinet and the Imperial Household Department had already become the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty.
Especially after Yan Song came to power, the eunuch Lu Fang was eager to be in the same boat with Yan Song. Well, this was naturally because the emperor needed money before and Yan Song could get it.
Therefore, Yan Song alone had power over the government and the country. He was not the prime minister but was better than the prime minister. To put it bluntly, Xu Jie and other upright officials were initially supported by officials from the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and the Dali Temple.
But with the passage of time, the control of power, and the frequent reshuffle of power among officials in the six ministries under the cabinet, the court gradually split into the Yan Party and the Qingliu faction.
But from a macro perspective, high-ranking officials such as the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and the Dali Temple, from a certain perspective, have all become vassals of the Cabinet. The Six Ministries in particular, although they were clearly on an equal footing with the Cabinet and only obeyed the Emperor's orders, have invisibly become the commanders.
This can be seen extremely clearly from the beginning, when Yinshan was buried and the cabinet rebuked the six ministries for spreading rumors about immortals.
Zhang Juzheng and others had naturally noticed this a long time ago. Everyone has selfish desires, and the Qingliu are no exception. They naturally do not want the six ministries to be out of the control of the cabinet.
To put it bluntly, they don’t want to be divided into different groups!
Now, after hearing Xu Jie say that Li Chengwu is likely to leave the cabinet and set up another faction in the court, a faction that can compete with the cabinet!
For a moment, even Zhang Juzheng, an official who prided himself on being upright and honest, couldn't help but have a cold look in his eyes.
Ever since the cabinet underwent a power reshuffle, the original Yan Party and Qingliu factions have now been divided into four forces.
If these people under the cabinet were to break away and set up their own factions, the power in their hands would be lost.
"No, this is absolutely not allowed!" Gao Gong said coldly.
"The cultivation of immortals will definitely be gradually relaxed in the future. We should take advantage of this time to win over officials from the six ministries, the Inspectorate, and the Dali Temple as much as possible..." Zhang Juzheng said seriously: "The court can no longer withstand the rise of another behemoth."
"If another force emerges that competes with the Cabinet, it will undoubtedly be a loss to the Immortal Dynasty!" Zhang Juzheng said.
However, Xu Jie and Gao Gong could naturally see what he was thinking, which was nothing more than the word "power".
As for why Zhang Juzheng was so tough, the reason was naturally related to his future plans.
As a capable minister, he has his own ambitions for governing the country, and he has even begun to formulate and perfect his ambitions and ideals for governing the country for the future Ming Dynasty.
All of this requires the cooperation of officials from the six ministries and the Inspectorate, and they need to be able to do whatever they want.
At this time, someone told him that someone was going to lead the six tribes to set up a new faction, which was equivalent to cutting off Zhang Juzheng's hand.
How could Zhang Juzheng tolerate this?
Well, even Gao Gong himself couldn't tolerate it.
"Before this, the rectification of the civil service was for the sake of Ming's stability. In addition, the emperor had absolute control over the Five Military Governors' Office, so there had never been any major changes. The emperor also tacitly agreed to this and never asked about it. This was an affirmation of the Five Military Governors!" Xu Jie spoke slowly, "So, Li Chengwu is backed by the Left Military Governors' Office, which means that if you want to deal with him, you have to consider the emperor."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng's expression froze.
Your Majesty! Yes, Your Majesty has almost absolute control over the Five Military Commands, and the Five Military Commanders are all your confidants.
Li Chengwu wanted to establish his own faction outside the cabinet. Did the emperor approve of this? These were all factors that needed to be considered.
"The military is now the new elite in the court," Xu Jie said slowly again, "If the news of the immortal technique gets out, then the commanders-in-chief of the five armies will all get involved!"
"The military system of our dynasty emphasizes the division of military power and mutual restraint. The Five Military Commandery and the Ministry of War check and balance each other, so that the power of the Five Military Commandery cannot be too concentrated."
"But since the Xuande Dynasty, the power of our civil officials has been increasing." Speaking of the increase in the power of civil officials, Xu Jie frowned. He did not want to face this problem directly, but still said:
"The power of the Five Military Governors' Office was gradually restricted by the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War intervened more and more in the Five Military Governors' Office as a result."
"The Ministry of War actually has great power. Now that it has been replaced by people from the Five Military Commandery, once Li Chengwu succeeds, the other four armies will certainly give their full support..."
After hearing what Xu Jie said, Gao Gong couldn't help but ask, "Does Yan Song want to see someone establish a new faction outside the cabinet? If so, wouldn't his position as the cabinet's chief minister be sidelined?"
Gao Gong’s meaning was very clear, and Yan Song would definitely stop it.
"It's different." This time, before Xu Jie could speak, Zhang Juzheng shook his head first. "Yan Song's power comes from the emperor. In other words, as long as Yan Song wants to do something, he only needs to make it in the interests of the emperor. Then everyone, whether in the cabinet or outside the cabinet, must obey!"
"If Li Chengwu really sets up his own faction outside the cabinet, he will most likely become a tool in the hands of Yan Song." Zhang Juzheng raised his head and looked at Xu Jie. "In fact, Lord Xu doesn't care about Li Chengwu, or the Five Military Commandery behind him."
"What the elder is worried about is that Li Chengwu will eventually become a tool in Yan Song's hands after he builds up his power!"
Zhang Juzheng is indeed Zhang Juzheng. He has been known as a child prodigy since he was young, and his growth rate is very fast.
From the 39th year of Jiajing, there was still room for strategy and cunning, but now, almost the 49th year, it has been completely transformed!
Looking at Zhang Juzheng in front of him, Xu Jie's eyes showed admiration, "Yes, if Li Chengwu can really set up his own faction, it must have been approved by the emperor."
"The emperor has Yan Song by his side to check and balance him. It is enough for us to be here. An additional force will disrupt the balance."
"To put it simply, the role played by the power that Li Chengwu has built up is the same as that of Yan Song."
“So, either the emperor would not approve Li Chengwu to do this, but he still did it.
The Five Military Commandery was also involved. The final result would be that the cabinet would defeat Li Chengwu, or the faction that Li Chengwu had built would become a tool of the emperor. What was the difference between being a tool of the emperor and being a tool of Yan Song? "
"Don't forget, Hai Rui is enough to check Yan Song and us. Cut him off with one stroke, and everything will be over!"
"The current emperor has absolute control over the government and the country. How could he bother with us over such a matter?"
"Under the cabinet, everyone just needs to do their job. Too many people will lead to poor government policy!" At this point, Xu Jie almost said it directly, "The emperor is the emperor after all. He won't agree, and he probably won't stop it. It all depends on how the cabinet handles it!"
"In other words, it's a fight between us and Li Chengwu!"
Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng understood, and a sense of crisis emerged in their hearts.
According to Lord Xu, if they cannot deal with Li Chengwu, it means they will be completely kicked out of this political struggle, and the cabinet will probably face another major reshuffle.
Li Chengwu will definitely not be able to establish his own power because the emperor does not need him. So if Li Chengwu wins, he can only join the cabinet!
"Lord Xu, what should we do next?" Zhang Juzheng looked at Xu Jie.
"Unity," Xu Jie said in a deep voice, "Unite all the forces that can be united. This is a test for us! Our enemy is the Five Military Commandery, the new elites in the court!"
"This is a tough battle, and we must also be wary of Yan Song..." Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong fell silent.
The Immortal Dynasty is coming soon, and everyone wants to fight for it!
Li Chengwu must have seen the existence of the immortal fate, so he wanted to take this opportunity to set up his own camp.
Therefore, what will follow will be a crisis and war for these clean-minded people like them!
We even have to be wary of Yan Song!
More importantly, His Royal Highness Prince Yu is unlikely to help and will no longer be on their side.
After all, Prince Yu and Prince Jing are now supporting the New Party, which is the military, and everyone knows it.
Next, it will be difficult!
Among the high-ranking officials of the court, including the Cabinet, the Six Ministries, the Inspectorate, the Dali Temple, and the Hanlin Academy, clouds are gathering and a rainstorm is brewing. None of this has anything to do with the common people, because they also have their own excitement!
There are immortals in the world!
This is the only thought in the minds of the people in the capital at this moment!
The people could not sleep until dawn because they had personally experienced a miracle.
Let them believe that there are really some gods in this world.
Those who suffered from eye diseases, illnesses, disabilities, etc. were all relieved because of this "holy water falling from the sky".
They have decided to go to the temple and Taoist temple as soon as the sun rises to pray to the gods and worship Buddha!
Of course, this trend not only spread to the hearts of the people, but also to the prisons of the Ministry of Justice.
"Bang!" In prison, Wu Cheng'en, who was imprisoned for the dispute among three religions, sat up directly, with his eyes wide open, looking in disbelief at the young constable in front of him who was holding the "Journey to the West" he wrote.
"What did you say?" Wu Cheng'en said in disbelief, "Are there really immortals in this world? Are there gods?!"
"Little constable, don't lie to me!" Wu Cheng'en felt that he was hallucinating and stared at the little constable who was telling him what happened today.
Gods? Dragons? Holy water falling from the sky? Aren’t they all in my storybook? Did they really appear?
The book I wrote came true?!
"..."
(End of this chapter)
