Zhao Hongru turned his old eyes, and continued: "The imperial concubine Ziyan is the empress dowager's cousin, and has a relationship with the emperor. If the emperor can use this relationship to consolidate the rule, what a great thing it is!"
Finally got to the point! Zhao Hongru came here today to be a lobbyist for the queen mother and asked Li Hai to make Ziyan the queen.
It's not that Li Hai has no intention of making Ziyan the queen, but because of the pressure from Rong Chang'an, he has never dared to move this idea.
However, Li Hai snorted coldly, with a gloomy face: "Master Zhao, you must be old and confused! Now the queen is Rong Chang'an, how can I make another queen?"
Dong Wanshan finally waited for the opportunity to take revenge on Zhao Hongru, and shouted loudly: "Lord Zhao, what nonsense are you talking about! Empress Rong is not at fault at all, why do you want to abolish her and install a new empress? Not only among ministers Among them, the vast majority of people are dissatisfied, even the people of the country are also dissatisfied. If you want someone like you to be the prime minister, I don’t know how many things will happen! When the time comes, the country will be turned upside down, can you take this responsibility?”
Unexpectedly, Zhao Hongru didn't feel ashamed or panicked at all, he was calm and composed: "Your Majesty, I have no intention of abolishing the queen..."
Li Hai couldn't understand Zhao Hongru's words: "Since it is not abolished, how can it be established? Mr. Zhao, are you really confused?"
Zhao Hongru said: "I have read the old scriptures, and I know that in previous dynasties, the emperor would have two queens, one is the West Queen and the other is the East Queen. The West is the first and the East is the second. Now the Rong Queen is the West Queen. Concubine Ziyan is the empress, that is, the Eastern Empress. Therefore, there is no such thing as abolition."
If Ziyan is promoted as the Queen of the East, then Ziyan's arrogance will be even more arrogant. She is in the inner palace, only smaller than the emperor, empress dowager, and empress.
Zhao Hongru's proposal is not unacceptable, but it is related to the change of Rong Changan's status. Will Rong Changan easily agree to let Ziyan be the Queen of the East? If Rong Changan became angry, it would not be a small matter. Outside the palace, there are many soldiers who are loyal to Rong Changan, these people are no less than one hundred thousand!
Li Hai twirled his Yuban finger, lost in thought.
Dong Wanshan retorted in order to refute, and said loudly: "The minister does not agree to appoint another queen, which will make the palace uneasy. Making Ziyan noble concubine the empress is not a slap in the face of Empress Rong!"
"How do you know it's not peaceful before standing?" Zhao Hongru said.
Dong Wanshan said: "It will be too late to know that there is no peace at that time."
The two quarreled under Li Hai, but to no avail. So Li Hai nodded to Bai Xiangwan who had been refusing to speak and said, "Master Bai, why don't you speak?"
Bai Xiangwan said: "The emperor's words are the minister's words, and the minister dare not have any hopes." He spoke very modestly, but he also wanted to be a prime minister in his heart.
Li Hai really wanted to make Bai Xiangwan the prime minister. After all, he was the Minister of the Ministry of War and had military power in his hands. It would be great to have such a person as his right-hand man. It's just that Bai Xiangwan's ability is still somewhat insufficient compared to a certain person.
"What about you, Yan Yushi?" Li Hai looked sharply at Yan Li who was standing with his hands crossed.
"I feel that we can talk about the matter of setting up a queen later. After all, Queen Rong is not at fault now, and setting up another queen easily will only cause dissatisfaction among the people."
Li Hai deliberated, and made a concluding remark: "Master Zhao's opinion will be considered. Today, I have also seen the demeanor and knowledge of the ministers. As for who will be the prime minister of the Great Jing Kingdom, tomorrow morning, I will make a decision." Announce again."
Zhao Hongru was overjoyed: His Majesty said that he would consider my suggestion, does it mean that he tacitly accepts me as the prime minister
Dong Wanshan also thought: The emperor does not agree with Zhao Hongru's suggestion, and he got angry just now, which means that the emperor is not satisfied with Zhao Hongru in his heart. It seems that this prime minister belongs to me, Dong Wanshan.
Bai Xiangwan thought complacently: the prime minister is the head of all officials, the most important thing is not ability and knowledge, but the ability to unite officials, as long as he can unite officials, then he is a qualified prime minister. The dispute between Zhao Hongru and Dong Wanshan just now has displeased the emperor, and the prime minister is still mine!
Leaving Shang's study room, the four of them left through the back door of the palace. There are several horse-mounting stones outside the imperial gate. Zhao Hongru stepped on the horse-mounting stone and was about to mount the horse. Dong Wanshan was not convinced, so he walked over and said loudly: "Master Zhao, what you just said is really sensational!"
Zhao Hongru smiled and said, "How am I sensational?"
"It's not shocking to encourage the emperor to appoint another queen! I'm afraid that if you become the prime minister, the world will be in chaos! I advise you to give the emperor a memorial early, saying that you are old, dim-witted, confused, overwhelmed and tired, and can't be the prime minister." position. If you do this, you will have a good reputation for resigning quickly, otherwise I am afraid I will die in the future!"
Zhao Hongru saw murderous intent from Dong Wanshan's eyes, snorted his nose, blew on his gray beard, and said with a sneer, "If I'm not up to the task, is Mr. Dong qualified to be prime minister?"
Dong Wanshan said: "I didn't say it must be me, the emperor has his own opinions. I just think that if you become the prime minister, you will harm the country and the people."
As the minister of the Ministry of Rites, Zhao Hongru was originally a polite person, but when he heard what Dong Wanshan said, he stopped being polite and bared his fangs: "Master Dong, you must not let me be the prime minister, otherwise, I will be the prime minister." The first person to be investigated is you, and your house will definitely be ransacked by then!"
The more they talked, the more angry they were, and they almost fought, but Bai Xiangwan and Yan Li stopped them, so they didn't really fight.
After Dong Wanshan and Zhao Hongru separated, they did not go back to their own home, but went around a detour and entered the palace again to visit Rong Changan.
When Chuntao heard that Dong Wanshan, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, came to pay homage, Rong Changan was not only puzzled: she and Dong Wanshan had never had an affair, even when she was a general, she didn't talk much to Dong Wanshan, and now she came to see Dong Wanshan, I don't know why? What's the matter
"You take him to the small garden of my Fengming Palace, where I drink tea and look at the flowers."
Chuntao said: "Good queen, I'll announce it right now!"
Rong Changan set up a table and a stool under the shade of a pine tree, and the maid made a pot of Biluochun and put it on the table.
Facing the blooming flowers, Chuntao brought Dong Wanshan here. Dong Wanshan was still far away, so he happily sang to Rong Changan.
"Shangshu Dong Wanshan pays his respects to the empress!"
Rong Changan glanced at him, and said with a smile: "Lord Dong, don't be so loud. Since ancient times, the harem has not interfered in political affairs. You are so loud, let the emperor listen to it, or let some people with ulterior motives listen to it and say it in the emperor's ear." Make irresponsible remarks, that would be bad."
Rong Changan's reminder made Dong Wanshan shrink his head into his neck.
Dong Wanshan came here for political affairs, but he didn't expect that Rong Chang'an would reject him thousands of miles away.
"Empress Empress, I am here not to discuss political affairs, but to pay my respects to Empress Empress, that's all!"