The Way of Favors

???? Xu Jin approved Qiu Duoqi's reinstatement and reinstated his official duties. He was very respectful and often announced him to the Chongzheng Palace for discussion.

That morning, Xu Jin finished handling political affairs, looked outside, and said to the two important ministers in the hall: "I am a little tired after sitting for an hour. I want to walk in the imperial garden. Would you like to go with me?"

Fu Pinyan and Qiu Duo, a scholar of the Ministry of War and a cabinet bachelor, should be in unison.

The three of them went to the Imperial Garden one after another, and Xu Jia followed Hu around.

It coincides with September that the autumn is high and refreshing, the sweet-scented osmanthus is fragrant, and the scenery in the imperial garden is pleasant. Occasionally, you can see palace ladies walking by with chrysanthemums.

While talking, a group of court ladies turned up on the side path. Seeing a dragon-robed emperor, the leading maid quickly bowed her head, leading a few little court ladies to kneel aside, bowing without saying a word.

Xu Jin turned a blind eye and continued to move forward.

Qiu Duo's gaze stayed for a moment on the leading mother. If nothing happened, he did not take a few steps. Suddenly Xu Jia shouted behind him: "Bold, dare to peep at the emperor!"

Qiu Duo turned around instinctively, and saw that the fifty-something-year-old mother fell to the ground. She got up and repeatedly kowtow to Xu Jia.

"What's the matter?" Xu Jin folded back and asked with a frown.

Xu Jia said: "The emperor, this person doesn't understand the rules, so he peeped at Longyan."

Xu Jin didn't laugh in front of outsiders, and now his face became colder. He looked at the mother and scolded displeasedly: "I'm so young, and I still don't understand the rules. Come here, pull down and play 30 boards. "

Two little eunuchs ran over immediately.

Qiu Duo lowered his eyes and pursed the corner of his mouth.

At this age, he would die in his 30s.

The maid probably also knew that she was going to die, so she suddenly cried and begged: "The emperor, the slave and maid did not spy on the emperor. The slave and maid looked at Master Qiu, please be careful, and spare the slave and maid this time! Master Qiu, Master Qiu, Please testify for the old slave!"

Because I was too scared, I burst into tears.

Xu Jin turned to Qiu Duo questioningly: "Do you recognize her?"

Qiu Duo stared at the mother, seeming to be recognizing it. When the other party reminded him to say the word Luoyang, Qiu Duo suddenly realized that he handed over to Xu Jin and said: "Going back to the emperor, the minister traveled to Luoyang when he was young. The fate."

The voice is steady and his face is calm.

Xu Jin nodded, "Looking at reuniting after a long time, it's no wonder that she forgot the rules. Since there are excuses, let's hit five boards. It's a lesson."

"Grandma Xie, Grandma Xie!" The old mother knelt on her knees and kowtow, tears of gratitude.

Xu Jin traveled unabated and walked forward.

After Qiu Duo returned to the house in the evening, he suffered from insomnia.

Would the emperor be curious about how he and Madam Zheng met, and would he send someone to interrogate Madam Zheng? If he knew that he had promised life to Wang An's mother Zhang Taifei, would he suspect that he had personal relationships with An Wang? If he does not have real power, the emperor will not be suspicious, but the bad thing is that he is the Shangshu of the Ministry of War. The first emperor guarded King An, and the emperor must also guard against him. What's more, the emperor will not misunderstand him, he is the second one. Lu Buwei?

Qiu Duo had a headache.

Because Wang An is her flesh and blood, he did keep an eye on Wang An for more than 20 years, but he never had any thoughts of unfaithfulness. What's more, An Wang obviously only wants to be a idle king, and no one has a crooked mind. What is he following to join in the fun? If the king has the heart to seize the throne, and other princes have no talent for ruling the country, he might help him, but now that he is arrogant, he would never have a double heart.

Tossing and turning, I don't know how long it took to sleep.

On the second day, we will go to the morning as usual.

After the dispersal of the dynasty, Xu Jinxuan Qiuduo went to Chongzheng Hall for questioning.

As soon as Qiu Duo listened to the little eunuch's message, his heart sank.

There must be no way to hide it.

"The minister knocks on the emperor." Qiu Duo followed Father Wen into the hall and knelt down.

People of his rank, whether it was Emperor Xian or Xu Jin, only asked him to make a humility and exempt him, but Xu Jin did not speak this time. After reviewing two memorials in a row, he put down the imperial pen and looked at Qiu Duo and asked: "Mother Zheng said that when you were in Luoyang, you had an affair with Princess Zhang, the mother of Wang An's mother, whether she was born out of nothing, or..."

Qiu Duo kowtowed: "There is the truth."

The emperor did not explain how he listened to Madam Zheng. For example, Madam Zheng took the initiative to say, or he sent someone to interrogate him. Qiu Duo also understood that this matter was exposed, and he explained that he had nothing to do with King An. It's no use. Ming Jun does not doubt whether he is using people or not. The emperor cannot doubt him in any way.

They were all smart people, and there was no need to say anything, the hall fell silent.

After a while, Qiu Duo said: "The emperor, his ministers fought all over the place when they were young, and suffered from leg problems. In the past few years, the episodes have become more and more frequent, which has seriously affected the affairs of the ministers.

Since the suspicion has been raised, the official will be meaningless anymore, so it is better to take the initiative to take a step back and stay decent.

Xu Jin did not retain his royal reputation. It was not suitable for politeness at this time.

The monarch and his ministers reached a tacit understanding, and Qiu Duo officially handed in his resignation the next day.

Xu Jin got it right.

Fu Pinyan looked at the son-in-law on the dragon chair and moved in his heart.

When he returned home at night, he told Qiao about this, "Qiu Duo doesn’t understand what the emperor is like. You and I know that the emperor will not be angry because of the peeping of a grandma, and Xu Jia will not make a fuss, but it is because Qiu Duo resigned in this matter."

Qiao originally lay on his chest, sat up when he heard the words, and was puzzled: "You mean, the emperor knew that Qiu Duo had a relationship with that mother that was not conducive to Qiu Duo's official career, so he made a special case for Qiu Duo. Take the initiative to resign?"

Fu Pinyan hummed.

This son-in-law, judging from the things he did after he became the throne, he thought deeply.

Qiao frowned, "Is it a coincidence that the emperor called you, or does it mean something?"

Everyone envied her daughter becoming a queen. Only the Fu family knew that she was cautious in her steps, and she was afraid that she would end up with a reputation as a coquettish party.

Fu Pinyan sighed and held her hand and said, "After a while, I will resign too. I will resign, and the main hall may be promoted again." He is a civil officer, and his son is a military officer. Occupying a high position, I am afraid it is easier to make the royal jealous. He is old, and when his son is rushing upwards, he is willing to leave the opportunity to make contributions to his son.

Joe was sad.

In the winter moon, Fu Pinyan asked Xu Jin to resign on the grounds of being down on fame and wealth. He didn't dare to push away from him with a sickness, for fear that his daughters would worry.

Xu Jin was extremely surprised. He stared at his father-in-law and glanced at him. After a moment of thinking, he understood what the problem was.

He just thought it was funny. He told his father-in-law to go out. He invited Fu Pinyan to bed and the two played against each other.

Fu Pinyan had doubts in his heart, but had to go.

After a few sons were left, Xu Jin said to the chessboard: "Father-in-law must have guessed why Qiu Duo resigned. The reason is that it is detrimental to the royal dignity. It is inconvenient for me to talk to you in detail, and I want to prevent Qiu Duo from doubting. , I must find someone to act as a guise and invite my father-in-law to be there, because among the hundred officials, I trust my father-in-law the most. I believe that even if he guesses something, he will not investigate the hidden information without authorization."

Fu Pinyan was stunned and forgot to play chess.

Xu Jin stopped the chess piece temporarily, raised his head and asked him: "Father-in-law's resignation is nothing more than worrying about my fear of my foreign relatives. In that case, ask my father-in-law to explain to me that those foreign relatives in history have succeeded in politics. What do they rely on?"

His eyes were calm, but implicitly expectant. It was not so much an inquiry as a test of Fu Pinyan's insight.

Fu Pinyan immediately put away all previous suspicions, and calmly responded: "Take the Eastern Han Dynasty as an example, there are three main reasons why foreign relatives are involved in politics. First, the Shangshutai officials in the Eastern Han Dynasty have small powers, which is convenient for the emperor to directly control, but it is also conducive to the eunuchs and foreign relatives to cross the emperor to seize power. Second, in the Eastern Han Dynasty, foreign relatives were mostly famous generals or high-ranking clans, and they were domineering and arrogant. Third, there were many young emperors in the Eastern Han Dynasty, which caused the mother's queen to come to court, and the relatives took the opportunity to divide power."

"Okay!" Xu Jin exclaimed, then smiled, and questioned him: "The cabinet of this dynasty is auxiliary, and there is no worries about Shangshutai. Then the father-in-law has formed a private party in private, or secretly cursed me for being short-lived. Do you want to speculate about my fear of the Fu family if you do something?"

Fu Pinyan knelt down quickly: "The minister dare not!"

Xu Jin snorted, "Since I dare not, why did my father-in-law resign?"

Fu Pinyan was sweating on his forehead and was speechless.

Xu Jin helped him up and said solemnly: "Father-in-law, I know you have great talents, and Fu Jiaerlang is both virtuous and talented. Even if I don’t marry Nongnong, I will still reuse you. Now let’s kiss and kiss. So instead of appointing other people, I have to keep a little guard in my heart. Why don’t I use my trusted relatives? Throughout the ages, only useless kings have feared foreign relatives. Today I will tell you that I am not afraid of anyone, nor will my son in the future. I'm afraid, I also ask my father-in-law to help me with peace of mind, and don't make any resignation. It hurts my heart, but I will also feel troubled when I learn about it."

Fu Pinyan blushed with excitement, and knelt down again: "The emperor has great love, and the minister will remember it in his heart. When he returns, he must write the ancestral instructions to warn the children of the Fu family to be loyal to the emperor and the country, and never fail the emperor's trust. If there is a violation, the genealogy will be the same. Delisting and handing over to the government for disposal!"

Xu Jin smiled and helped him up: "Father-in-law does not have to give such a big gift. I believe in my father-in-law. Well, it is rare to have half a day free. Father-in-law will accompany me to play a few more chess games. I like regret chess, I really don't bother to play with her."

Speaking of her precious daughter, Fu Pinyan relaxed and said jokingly: "The emperor should be thankful that she does not like to play chess, otherwise it would be really torturing to pester the emperor every day."

In Fengyi Palace, Fu Rong didn't know that he was laughed at by her husband and father. He knelt on the low couch and watched Axuan and Apei play chess. The chess pieces made by Huanghuali are round, and A Pei obediently folds up one by one, while A Xuan squatted on the bed and played with it, and turned to the edge of the bed. She giggled when she fell on the floor.

Xu Jin came back in the evening and asked Fu Rong what he had done today.

Fu Rong told his daughters to play chess.

Xu Jin looked at her contemptuously: "You still play chess?"

Fu Rong explained brazenly: "I'm talking about playing chess, not chess. The meaning is totally different."

Fearing that Xu Jin didn't understand, Fu Rong asked him to put the chess board up again and pat his two daughters: "Axuan Apei, tell your father how to play chess."

A Pei obediently folded the chess pieces to show his father, A Xuan pouted his little fart. The chess piece rolled toward the father.

In exchange, Xu Jin laughed dryly.