Chapter 248: Intensive

Just as Cui Yuan was giving Liao Hui a detailed advice, Cui Ning's room was brightly lit in the backyard of Cui's mansion. Cui Ning leaned on the table and wrote a letter to Pei Ying, looking up at the snow outside the window from time to time. Over the past three years, Cui Ning's appearance has not changed much, but his temperament has become much more mature and his personality has become more calm.

For three years, she has been taking good care of her father's sick body, and she has fulfilled her daughter's filial piety. She also missed Zhang Huan unforgettably, but she hoped that Zhang Huan could understand her painstaking efforts.

The friend who lives with her is naturally Lin Pingping. Like Cui Ning, she has been with her mother for most of the past three years.

She is twenty-five years old this year, and her mother has given up and doesn't want to arrange marriage for her. She herself never considers any lifelong affairs and lives freely every day. She is optimistic and meddling in business, and she stands up for justice everywhere, leaving the nickname of "Jincheng Female Hero" among the people of Longyou.

Three months ago, she came to Chang'an to look for Cui Ning, but it happened to be the second day after Cui Ning returned to Chang'an with her father. She simply lived with Cui Ning and advised her to return to Longyou from time to time.

At this moment, Lin Pingping sat in front of the small table to sharpen a wooden sword. This was what her apprentice, Pei Ying's son, had to do so many times. Lin Pingping cut the wooden sword for a while and then lost all patience. She scattered the wooden sword and the knife into the corner of the wall, and tiptoed behind Cui Ning, secretly watched her write for a while, and suddenly couldn't help but cover her mouth and laughed.

Cui Ning felt something, but when she turned around, she saw that she was peeking at her letter. She couldn't help but feel ashamed and anxious. She kneaded the letter into a ball in two strokes and said angrily: "You guy is always like this! Go back to your room quickly."

Lin Pingping laughed louder and louder. She stopped laughing for a long time. While Cui Ning was not paying attention, she snatched the letter from the table and unfolded it. Cleared her throat and learned from Cui Ning's tone and said, "Sister, I haven't written a letter to you for a long time. Qi'er, and Qiuqiu, who has not met, really want to see her. I don't know if she looks like you or her father..."

Before he finished speaking, Cui Ning, whose face was flushed and flushed, rushed up, grabbed the letter, and pressed her on the bed and scratched her itch hard, "If you do this again, I will drive you away."

Lin Pingping was so angry that she couldn't breathe. She begged for mercy and said, "Sister Ning, spare me! I don't dare anymore."

"Hmph! He is so thick-skinned. He is two years older than me and calls me sister." Seeing her begging for mercy, Cui Ning let her go, walked quickly to the lamp and burned the letter. The firelight shone, and a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.

Lin Pingping's smile gradually stopped. She sighed and said, "Cui Ning, don't think I'm too long-winded. This is what you are doing. He will be furious when he mentions you in the past three years. With this, you can see that your status in his heart cannot be replaced by anyone. I grew up with him, don't I understand him? He has lost his maternal love since he was a child and grew up alone. I know he is a very nostalgic person, and you should go back."

Seeing Cui Ning bowing his head and saying nothing, Lin Pingping walked to her side and pulled her down, "I know you hate him for marrying the Princess Yinping, but that's just his need to win over the Qiang people. He is a person who does big things, how could he be restrained in such things? Besides, a small landlord has three wives and four concubines. He is a dignified Longyou Jiedushi and the Prince of Zhangye. Now he is called the No. 1 warlord of the Tang Dynasty. Are there few women around him?"

Speaking of this, Lin Pingping laughed, "I thought my father really had only my mother, but later I heard from my mother that my father had dozens of concubines back then, so in order to avoid disaster, he sent them all."

Cui Ning sighed, patted Lin Pingping's hand and said, "Don't I know? My father has more than a hundred concubines, and now he is so sick that he still has 62 people. Which of my uncles does not have dozens of women? I left him not because he married so many women, and even Pei Ying wanted to marry him. What am I worried about? It's not for this, but because he has changed so much. He thinks all day long and is power and territory. In order to get Longyou, he will tear up the newly signed treaty.

The people of Luoqiang are willing to hurt their wives around them. Of course, such people may be able to accomplish great things and even seize the world, but I don’t like it. I like Zhang Huan, who was in the past with affection and righteousness, smashed the county yard and kidnapped the prime minister’s daughter to save his friends. I left him for three years, hoping that he could wake up. A person’s life will pass in an instant, not just power, status, but also family, love, and friendship. If he abandoned me just because I left him for three years, then he would not be worthy of my love.”

Speaking of this, Cui Ning stared into Lin Pingping's eyes, "Pingping, aren't you the same?"

"Me?" A hint of panic flashed in Pingping's eyes, and she waved her hands repeatedly, "Don't pull me in your business. I have nothing to do with him if I don't marry. I like freedom and don't want to be bound by marriage. If I want to marry, I'll marry long ago."

"Don't lie to me. You don't marry because you don't marry him. You said he is nostalgic. I think you are even nostalgic. I have been thinking about it for more than twenty years. Last time you told me that you are looking for Zhang Huan who is willing to eat your fried eggs every day."

"Nonsense!" Before Cui Ning finished speaking, Lin Pingping jumped up. She stuffed her ears and ran out and said, "You must have remembered it wrong. I haven't said that I'm going to sleep, so I won't tell you anymore."

When Cui Ning saw her running away, she couldn't help but shake her head. She sat down and pulled out another letter, but she had no idea how to write. After a while, she put down the pen and walked slowly to the window. Looking at the fine snow in the night sky, she whispered to herself: "Huanlang, do you know? I wrote so many letters, but I just want to ask one question, my Huanlang, are you okay?"

A crystal teardrop unknowingly slid down her beautiful face.

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The snow was getting heavier and heavier, like a sliver of tear in the sky, covering the city of Chang'an. In the west courtyard of Zhang Huan's mansion, hundreds of soldiers were on high alert and the rooms were brightly lit. Zhang Huan sat on a wisteria chair, listening to the story of the person being questioned without expressing his voice.

There was a young scholar standing below. Although he seemed a little restrained and nervous, his eyes were flashing with excitement. This person was named Zhou Ming, a native of Wugong County, Chang'an. He submitted a letter to Pei Yi's son Pei Mingdian cheated in the imperial examination and was sent by Zhang Huan to the mansion overnight.

"Zhang Shilang asked for a clerk, Pei Mingdian studied with his classmates. The students knew very well. He couldn't even recite the Analects of Confucius. Why did he be ranked eighth in the high school Jinshi? Three days before the imperial examination, he came to the students to come up with a topic to ask the students to write a strategy, saying that it was his father's inspection. The students wrote an article for him in view of his classmates for many years. Unexpectedly, the topic was the topic of the imperial examination this year. After the list was released, the student learned that he was ranked eighth in the high school Jinshi and was also given a supplementary award for Lingtai Lang. The students were intolerable and enrolled in the letter. He asked Mr. Zhang to make a clear distinction."

Zhang Huan was still calm, glanced at him and asked, "Since you said you wrote that strategy, do you still remember its content?"

"Students remember that the students have already silent, and can write it out at any time for Mr. Zhang to read it."

Zhang Huan nodded, "I understand. This matter has been exposed, and it will not end peacefully. To protect your safety, you should stay in my mansion first!" Seeing that Zhou Ming wanted to speak, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will also send someone to protect your parents, wife and children."

Zhou Ming was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed and said, "Student, thank you for your concern."

Zhou Ming was taken down, and Zhang Huan walked in the room with his hands behind his back to meditate. The key to this matter is the heat, heavy, and it must not be damaged, but it must not be silent. Pei Yi is not insignificant, and the key is the influence. At this time, Niu Sengru on the side couldn't help but remind: "Governor, my subordinates suggest that this matter should be cautious."

"What did you say?" Zhang Huan's thoughts were interrupted. He asked in surprise: "What are you saying to be cautious?"

Niu Sengru stood up and bowed and bowed, "I am talking about Pei Yi's son cheating in the imperial examination. After all, it was Zhou Ming's one-sided statement. My subordinates suggested that they should search for more people in the information and take action after the evidence is conclusive, so as not to make the governor passive if the situation is false."

"You make sense." Zhang Huan nodded in agreement, "I will leave this matter to you."

"The subordinates will not let the governor down."

At this moment, a personal soldier came in to report, "Governor, Butler Sun said that there was a censor Liao Zhongcheng in the front hall asking for a meeting."

"Liao Hui?" Zhang Huan remembered that he had seen this person at noon, so he came to the evening, "Please wait in the small guest room, don't neglect it."

Generally speaking, the places where guests are received are mainly in the living room, small guest room and study room. The living room is mainly for official business, such as the imperial edict in the palace, the visits of gentry representatives or subordinates, etc., while the study room is used for close friends, colleagues or confidential matters; while people with status but not close enough will be received in the small guest room, such as Liao Hui, the chief censor.

The Censor Zhongcheng is the second officer of the Censorate, and the Censor is the Censor, but the ministers of the monks' ministries do not care about the actual matters, and the Censor Zhongcheng is only a title. The Censor Zhongcheng is responsible for the specific matters of the Censor Zhongcheng. In this way, the Censor Zhongcheng actually holds the power of impeachment. After the Anshi Rebellion, the Censor Zhongcheng changed to be responsible for the cabinet. However, in the past three years, as the cabinet has been gradually overshadowed by Pei Jun, the Censor Zhongcheng has actually become a useless position. Impulse Vol.

When the clan was sent to the court, he often had no news, or waited for several months to meet by chance in the cabinet. The impeachment had long become yesterday's waste. On the contrary, if the matter was conducive to Pei Jun's elimination of dissidents, he could also implement it vigorously. For example, the Censor Yan Jiudu impeached the wife and brother of the former Minister of Personnel, Cui Xian, and leaked the imperial examination questions for Xuanren's fourth year, and the case was settled in just two days. From this perspective, the Censorate became Pei Jun's tool for exercising power.

Liao Hui had just come from Cui Yuan's mansion and asked to see Zhang Huan. At this moment, Cui Yuan's instructions still echoed in his ears, "Zhang Huan first arrived in the court, and there were not many people, especially censors. You can become his mouthpiece to explore his actions and report to me in the morning and evening."

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Cui Yuan asked him to surrender to Zhang Huan, but Liao Hui seemed a little worried. More than ten years ago, he was promoted from a local minor official to the Ministry of Personnel by Cui Yuan, and from the bottom to the doctor of the Ministry of Personnel, he had become a success in the eyes of ordinary people, but Liao Hui knew that his old background was firmly grasped by Cui Yuan. He was just a puppet controlled by Cui Yuan. His real responsibility was to monitor Cui Yu, the important minister of the Cui family. Over the years, he has performed his duties conscientiously, never complained, and never slacked off. After Cui Yuan fell, he was also moved to Pei Jun, but he finally gave up. But now Cui Yuan asked him to swim in Zhang Huan again. Not to mention how Cui Yu explained, Zhang Huan acted ruthlessly. Once he knew his true identity, the disaster of killing would not be far away.

Just as he was thinking, there was a brisk sound of footsteps outside the door, and then a clear laughter came, "Can Liao Zhongcheng have not had enough time to drink at noon and come to look for me again to continue in the evening?"

When the sound came, Zhang Huan walked into the room wearing a blue silk robe and a flat-topped scarf with a smile. Liao Hui quickly stood up and said apologizing: "I disturb the minister's rest late at night, please forgive me."

"Since you are here, you are my guest in the wine." Zhang Huan clapped his hands, and several servants and maids carried the small table and carried the wine and food. They walked in quickly. They quickly packed up a table of wine and food, and then stepped back.

"Come on! Liao Zhongcheng, please sit down."

Liao Hui sat down with some anxiety. He was not familiar with Zhang Huan, so he made him resign. How could he speak? It was difficult to make things difficult for him. Liao Hui sat down. Zhang Huan poured him a glass of wine and said with a smile: "Actually, I also know that Liao Zhongcheng did not come for drinking. After asking for this glass, Liao Zhongcheng just said bluntly."

Liao Hui drank the wine and sighed slightly, "Actually, I wanted to say something at noon, but because Cui Xiangguo was present, it was inconvenient to speak."

He stopped, and saw Zhang Huan holding a wine glass and smiling without saying a word, and continued, "I have been transferred from the Ministry of Personnel to the Censorate for three years. There have been no less than 40 impeachments during this period, but only five of them have been implemented. They were all personally approved by the Prime Minister Pei, and there were no news about the other cases. However, when Cui Lao Cao was in office, every case had to be approved. What I mean is that Pei Cao was not as diligent as Cui Cao, both of them were working hard every day, and even Pei Cao was even more laborious.

The key is the system. The Censorate’s words are useless. Who will supervise the dereliction of duty in various departments and temples? The Ministry of the Ministry is undermined, and who will restrict the power of the Ministry of the Secretariat? The joint meeting of the cabinet is gone. A small matter is pushed around between the Ministry of the Ministry, and it is finally left unresolved. All of this is because the checks and balances of power have been broken. Therefore, when I saw the Minister of the Secretariat, others thought that this was the sign of revitalizing the Ministry of the Ministry of the Court and restoring the order of the court.”

Liao Hui became more and more excited as he spoke, and he became more and more and more excited as he spoke. He even forgot the task he shouldered. In the end, he couldn't help but feel excited and stood up and bowed to Zhang Huanchang, "I, Liao Hui, are not mediocre officials who have been mediocre. For the long-term stability of my Tang Dynasty, I am willing to be loyal to the Minister and help him revitalize the court!"

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The next morning, the snow had stopped, and Chang'an became a white world again. The white snow was pure and flawless, as if it had buried all the sins in the world.

The side door of Danfeng Gate was slowly opening, and the sound of horse hooves of a gang of cavalry came from the distance, with thunderous momentum. After a moment, a carriage swarmed out of the Daming Palace. A carriage made a sharp turn and drove out of the side door surrounded by guards in front and back. The soldiers guarding the gate saluted together. The left prime minister Pei Jun was sitting in the carriage. He worked very late last night and stayed in the court room. Today he went home to take a nap.

On the small table in his carriage was a thick report. This was a report of Zhang Huan's whereabouts yesterday. From the time Zhang Huan left the mansion in the morning to the night, everything he did during this period, including where he went? Who had contacted him, and who had come to him. Of course, some were detailed, some were brief, and some were not recorded.

In this way, he wrote more than ten pages, and a thick stack. Pei Jun looked through it all the way, but most of them were not interested. For example, meeting Cui Yu at noon and meeting the queen mother in the afternoon to thank him. These were all things he expected. He was interested in only three things. One was that his subordinate brought a scholar and never came out after entering the mansion. Secondly, he brought more than a dozen books back to the mansion. Needless to say, he knew that it was something that was not good for him, Pei Jun, but the most interesting thing was the scene when Zhang Huan met Zhu Li, 'One day, I want you to live a life worse than death!'

After reading this sentence, Zhu Li's gritting teeth seemed to appear on the paper. Pei Jun smiled. Perhaps this is the most valuable sentence among these dozen pages of information. Since someone wants to serve him, why don't he do it?

Zhang Huan made two things and Pei Jun never interfered, but this did not mean that he would let it go, and he was also very anxious. He knew that the Pei family had succeeded in the past three years and the constraints on the family style had been weakened. Although most of the children were cautious in their words, some unworthy children still caused trouble and were suppressed by him. All they suppressed was speech, but they might not be able to suppress the hearts of the people. He was extremely worried that Zhang Huan would catch one or two things, which would be unfavorable to his reputation as the Pei family.

It's funny to say that Zhang Huan is still his only son-in-law. Their father-in-law and son-in-law have evolved into political opponents today. His daughter simply stopped going to Beijing because she was sandwiched between her husband and father. From this point of view, Pei Jun knew that Zhang Huan's visitor was not good this time.

He could not blame his son-in-law for his unfilial piety, after all, he took away his son-in-law's foundation first.

The carriage slowly stopped and before he knew it, it had arrived outside his mansion. Pei Jun got off the carriage. Although he was very tired, he had to explain some things before he could rest.

Shortly after entering the study room and sitting down, his intelligence chief Pei Danming received the order and rushed back. As soon as he entered the study room, he bowed and said, "Please give orders from the head of the family!"

"I'll leave you two things. First, you must immediately find out for me. Who is the scholar who was called into the mansion by Zhang Huan last night? Second, I asked Cui Qinggong's aide Ma Siyi, whom you bought last year, to raise troops for a thousand days and use troops for a while. Now it's time for him to play his role."

Pei Jun picked up the newly written letter from the table and handed it to Pei Danming, "Let Ma Siyi do what I said in the letter."

"Yes!" Pei Danming took the letter and turned around. When he went out, he almost got into a hurry with the butler.

Pei Jun stretched and just got up to rest, but the butler's report rang out of the door, "Master, my son-in-law asks for a meeting."

"I want to rest and let him come back tonight." Pei Jun only took one step, immediately woke up, and asked repeatedly: "Which son-in-law is it?"
Chapter completed!