Prime Minister

Chapter 1169: Sleeping in the Study

Chapter 1169: Sleeping in the Study

Wu Anshi was also stunned when she saw Wang Zhongxiu's confession.

He remembered Wang Zhongxiu, this yamen official was a powerful figure, so smart and insightful. The yamen officials were all connected to various circles. This kind of thing usually only made a fortune by hiding the truth. The other yamen officials heard the news from other places and then approached the other party to do this business.

But the other party took the initiative to pull him along and make money. Wu Anshi was not stupid, he knew what the other party saw in him.

Peng Jingyi said to Wu Anshi: "Wang Yanei has already accepted the punishment."

"The other yanei have also written confessions."

Wu Anshi felt that this was absurd and asked, "Should I write too?"

Peng Jingyi nodded.

Wu Anshi's face changed and she said, "I want to see Sanlang!"

Peng Jingyi did not respond, but sat down next to Wu Anshi and said, "Mr. Wu, do you still remember the day when you first met Mr. Zhang at my uncle's house with Mr. Chen?"

Wu Anshi recalled that this happened more than 20 years ago.

At that time, he accompanied Chen Shengzhi, who had just returned home after being dismissed from office, to rest at the residence of Peng County Magistrate. Chen Shengzhi valued Zhang Yue, and Wu Anshi suggested that Zhang Yue be his book boy, which was considered a path to success.

Wu Anshi's original suggestion was definitely well-intentioned, to help his fellow countrymen who are younger than him.

A year later, Chen Shengzhi was not only reinstated, but his career suddenly took a turn for the better, and he was promoted to Deputy Privy Councilor. At that time, Zhang Yue was still studying hard in the county school.

However, Wu Anshi forgot about this matter. At that time, Zhang Yue was not worth his attention. But if Wu Anshi remembered it, he would definitely feel sorry for Zhang Yue's missed opportunity.

There is a world of difference between a clerk of a privy councilor and a clerk of an official who was dismissed and returned to his hometown.

But who could have expected that twenty years later, the young boy who didn't want to be a book boy would become the youngest black-haired prime minister of the Song Dynasty.

Although Chen Shengzhi was appointed prime minister, he did not stay in office for long and died of illness in his hometown in Fujian last year.

However, Wu Anshi and Peng Jingyi are now communicating with each other in another identity.

Peng Jingyi said: "People are different because of their choices. If the Prime Minister had agreed to let you become Chen Xianggong's servant, what would happen today?"

Wu Anshi said: "To be honest, I have never understood what Sanlang is thinking for so many years."

“Many times, he seemed to have taken the longest path, but in the end he was ahead of others.”

Peng Jingyi said: "The Prime Minister is just doing things, he never thinks about these principles, the pros and cons."

Wu Anshi said: "I hate it when he does this, as if we are getting something for nothing."

"That's how the world is. There are so many benefits, and so many people are fighting for them. If the benefits were yours, everyone would say no. But with so many people fighting for them, you got them, and you act as if it was effortless, as if someone else gave it to you. Isn't this annoying?"

Peng Jingyi said: "Perhaps it should have been like this."

“Nothing in the world can be obtained by asking for it, but people like to see others asking for it.”

Wu Anshi smiled bitterly for a long time after hearing this, and then said: "You have grown up in these years by Prime Minister Zhang's side."

"That's true. Perhaps my Wu family doesn't have any favors towards him, Zhang Sanlang."

Peng Jingyi handed Wu Anshi a pen and paper and said, "That's not the case. Others may not have to write, but you must. Otherwise, if others fall, but you are fine, you will not be able to explain to the world."

Wu Anshi smiled bitterly. She had gone to Zhang Yue to beg for mercy, but she was the one who could not escape.

Zhang Yue's position as prime minister brought him no benefits, but he was often the first choice for those who wanted to kill their relatives for the sake of justice. He did not receive any benefits, but suffered all the disadvantages.

"I know that when the nest is overturned, no egg will be left unbroken! Zhang San is so cruel, he must be up to something big. Daddy has a good eye, he never makes a mistake when judging people!"

Wu Anshi laughed angrily and immediately picked up his pen to write.

……

Looking at the confession on the case, Zhang Yue listened to Peng Jingyi's report and sighed at Wu Anshi's words.

Zhang Yue said to Shiqi Niang, "I blame myself too. My brother-in-law and Wang Zhongxiu worked hard for half a day just for a few pieces of silver. Now all the hard work of the past few years has been vomited out, and we still have to pay some money."

Shiqi Niang laughed when she heard this and said, "Sir, I don't believe a word you said."

Zhang Yue smiled and said, "My brother-in-law scolded me for being ungrateful, but I remembered a story about someone."

"who?"

"Wang Dun of the Eastern Jin Dynasty!"

Zhang Yue said: "This man was recruited by the Jin Emperor as a consort. When he went to the princess's mansion to use the toilet, he saw dried dates in a lacquer bucket. These were originally stuffed into the nostrils to prevent odor when using the toilet. Wang Dun ate all of them."

"Afterwards, the maid from the princess's mansion brought him some bath beans to wash his hands, but because they were placed in the water, Wang Dun was very thirsty because he had eaten the dates, so he picked them up and drank them all."

"Later generations used bath beans as food to describe people who had never seen the world."

"After that, Wang Dun went to Shi Chong's house as a guest. It was also time for him to use the toilet. He saw more than ten beautiful maids serving him, and placed Jiajian powder and agarwood juice. People who used the toilet would change into new clothes. Many guests were shy about taking off their clothes in front of the maids, but Wang Dun remained calm."

"During the banquet, Shi Chong ordered beauties to serve wine. If the guests did not drink all the wine in the cup, they would be killed. But Wang Dun insisted on not drinking, so Shi Chong beheaded three beauties. Wang Dun remained calm."

Zhang Yue said to Shiqi Niang, "My brother-in-law is still not very knowledgeable."

“Those who achieve great things do not care about what others say or say. If they want to eat dried dates, they can eat them. If they don’t want to drink wine, they don’t drink it.”

"Shi Chong's killing of the beauty is Shi Chong's business. Don't try to use morality to hold others hostage. Other people's eyes are a cage that will trap you. The same goes for fame and fortune. The more you are at this moment, the more cautious you must be."

“So I only take the straight path in everything, not the crooked path. As long as I am not happy, even if I succeed in the future, I will not be happy from the bottom of my heart.”

“So I never wronged myself.”

Shiqi Niang asked, "Oh, my lord, you never wrong yourself. Did Daddy wrong you when he asked you to marry me?"

"I remember that during the Eight Princes Rebellion, Wang Dun rode back to Luoyang, but abandoned the princess he had married on the way, and gave all the more than one hundred princess maids who had served and mocked him to his subordinates?"

"Sir, do you want to be like Wang Dun?"

Seeing Shiqi Niang sneering at him, Zhang Yue broke out in a cold sweat. It was such a torture to have such a smart and knowledgeable wife.

Zhang Yue said with a smile: "My lady, that's not right."

"How can I compare with Wang Dun? I am lucky to marry you."

"Then again, who can really not care about what others think?"

"What do you mean?" asked Shiqi Niang.

Zhang Yue faced his wife's gaze, pinched his forehead and said, "Actually, I think it's too difficult to be a prime minister. You have to offend so many people. If something goes wrong, everyone in the world will be watching you, and I'm not a savior."

"If I hadn't been a high-ranking official, it would have been nice to be a gigolo next to my wife."

"This way, my brother-in-law and I might become as close as a family."

Shiqi Niang burst out laughing when she heard this and said, "Your Majesty made you the prime minister because he wants you to not avoid grudges. This position is actually used to block swords."

Zhang Yue breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You are right. If the emperor wants you to do something, he will give you some power. But when it comes to not avoiding favors and grudges, how difficult it is."

"I cite Wang Dun as an example, not to say that we should be like Wang Dun."

Shiqi Niang smiled and said, "Really? Then you go to the study to sleep tonight!"