For a dignified Minister of War to resign, it was naturally not something that Lu Wan could easily decide by simply submitting his resignation at a court meeting.
Although Emperor Taizu hated red tape the most, such as promotion required the court to issue decrees many times, and the person being promoted had to decline repeatedly before the person could finally be promoted to that position; and to resign, the person had to resign many times, and the emperor had to retain him many times before the court could finally release him; but today, these old customs and practices that were once hated by the efficient Emperor Taizu are once again popular.
Therefore, even though Lu Wan even proposed his retreat plan after resigning, the emperor still kept him in office. Moreover, after the court meeting, the emperor even personally summoned someone to the Qianqing Palace for a long talk, but the result of the long talk was also spread from the Qianqing Palace in an instant, saying that the minister of the Ministry of War, who was once keen on fame and fortune, was still determined to resign.
As to whether this news was released at the emperor's instruction, no one else could know.
Lu Wan, who came out of the palace, didn't care about the various looks, and calmly got on his horse and returned to the Ministry of War. When he entered the gate of the Ministry of War and saw his main hall from afar, he saw Minister Zhao, who had a grudge against him, standing in front of the door, looking at the room with an unclear expression. This time, even though he had originally calmed down, he couldn't help but get angry and his evil heart was filled with anger.
I'm still the Minister of War, and you're coveting my territory? Even if I leave, it won't be your turn!
Thinking of this, Lu Wan quickened his pace and rushed over. When he got close, he said with a fake smile: "Minister Zhao, do you want to see me for something?"
"Haha, it's okay. I just came to take a look." Ever since his son Zhao Ying failed to be selected for Jiuzhang Hall and he himself was humiliated by Zhang Shou and Lu Wan, father and son Lu Sanlang, at the court meeting, Minister Zhao began to keep a low profile and tried his best to reduce his presence. Therefore, although Chen Zhushi, the Minister of Personnel who had lost his job, returned to his hometown to farm in misery, he was still in office.
Although everyone said that he had lost the emperor's favor, and he had once had a hard time in the Ministry of War, he was able to wait until Lu Wan resigned, and he naturally saw a ray of hope. At this moment, his resentment finally had a place to vent. How could he be willing to be humble like he had been in the past few months? Therefore, he simply smiled and pushed back Lu Wan's words without giving in.
"I just didn't expect that under such circumstances, the Shangshu-sama would actually end up like this."
"Hehe." Lu Wan sneered, and looked away casually with his eyes that had just narrowed slightly. He saw that there were clerks and officials from various departments not far away, who obviously wanted to find out what he and Minister Zhao had talked about. He took a step forward directly, shortening the distance between himself and Minister Zhao to less than three steps, a distance where he could hit someone with a punch.
"Minister Zhao, have you made a mistake? No matter what happens to me, you will not be able to sit in the main hall of the Ministry of War! What's more, why do you think I resigned in the court today? Duke Zhao won the battle in the front, so those of us who were holding him back and who should be held responsible, can we still sit there with such thick skin?"
As he spoke, he almost poked his finger directly into Minister Zhao's eyes: "Do you think I don't know? Back then, at least two censors in the Censorate were instigated by you. It was because your son Zhao Ying, that idiot, sneered in front of Zhu Ying that he almost got whipped. As a father, you can't swallow this breath!"