Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 583 I Have the Skill
Pei Yuan, holding one in each hand, acted like a scumbag, showering Yan Song with affection and saying enthusiastically, "I've heard about you from you before, and I've long known of your great talent, Mr. Yan."

"If we're talking about who's younger than me, I should call him brother-in-law too."

Seeing Pei Yuan's enthusiasm, Yan Song was momentarily at a loss for words.

Yan Song came here this time because he was currently out of office and had a more flexible stance, so he came to see who Pei Yuan was.

He had assumed that the two sides would be somewhat unfamiliar with each other since it was their first time communicating.

This distance, neither too close nor too far, is just right for his current status.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan was as enthusiastic as a character from a storybook.

Yan Song was more cautious and didn't know how to respond, so he looked at Ouyang Bijin for help.

Although Ouyang Bijin saw it, his eyes darted around, and he didn't dare to say anything.

Yan Song could only force a smile and say, "This must be an exaggeration by my brother-in-law. I am just an ordinary person and do not deserve such praise."

Pei Yuan smiled and pulled the two of them to sit down.

He didn't go to the hall, but sat down next to the two men, and said leisurely, "Although my Zhihua Temple also accepts incense offerings from the people, if Mr. Yan is really an ordinary person, I'm afraid he wouldn't even be able to step into this courtroom."

Upon hearing this, Yan Song's expression remained unchanged, but he was slightly displeased by the man's sudden rudeness.

But Pei Yuan smiled again, "Even if I exaggerated a bit before, Wang Bo'an and I are sworn brothers, he wouldn't lie to me, would he?"

Wang Bo'an was the courtesy name of Wang Shouren.

When Wang Shouren was demoted to Jiangxi to serve as an official, he often had contact with Yan Song, who had resigned and returned home.

Pei Yuan's words were clearly an attempt to get closer to him.

When Yan Song first arrived in the capital, he stayed at Wang Shouren's house for a few days. Ouyang Bijin, to avoid suspicion, did not dare to stay at the residence of the Minister of Rites, which is why Huo Tao took him there.

Yan Song was somewhat uneasy about Pei Yuan's unpredictable temperament.

He could only say, "I never imagined that Commander Qian and Brother Bo'an had such a friendship. It's been quite a while since I last saw Brother Bo'an, and I've found that his scholarship has become even more profound since I came to the capital."

Pei Yuan smiled but remained silent. He had a general idea of ​​Yan Song's intentions when this guy came to visit.

Yan Song, well, what can I say about him?

In short, the more cunning he was during the early stages of development, the more pathetic he became when he was groveling before Xia Yan later on.

Liu Jin was overthrown in the fifth year of the Zhengde reign, while Yan Song officially took office in the tenth year of the Zhengde reign, which is three years from now.

So what was so special about the tenth year of Zhengde's reign?
Why did Yan Song, the sixth son who should have been exonerated in the fifth year of the Zhengde reign, wait so long to make his move decisively at this moment?

Because it was at this moment.

The struggle between Yang Yiqing and Yang Tinghe has undergone a decisive change and a dramatic turn.

First, Yang Tinghe defeated Yang Yiqing's faction, and then Yang Tinghe strongly promoted his student Jin Gui to the cabinet, making him the fourth Grand Secretary.

Subsequently, Yang Yiqing, the Minister of Personnel who failed to enter the cabinet, could not bear the humiliation and repeatedly asked the court for permission to resign, claiming illness.

At this time, the cabinet lineup became: Yang Tinghe as the chief minister, Liang Chu, who had a bad reputation, Fei Hong, an honest man, as the third minister, and Jin Gui, Yang Tinghe's student, as the fourth minister.

At that time, Yang Tinghe's power was immense.

Yan Song, who had been slyly observing the political situation, believed that the situation was clearer than ever before and that a decisive move was necessary!

Therefore, Yan Song immediately went north to seek reinstatement.

Just as he was clearly defining Yang Tinghe's team, Yang Tinghe's camp continued its efforts and achieved new results.

That is, after Yang Tinghe released the three guards of Prince Ning, in order to make the case irrefutable, he decisively drove away Fei Hong, the Grand Secretary who opposed the restoration of the three guards for Prince Ning.

However, just as Yang Tinghe's power reached its zenith, a dramatic event occurred.

Yang Tinghe's father suddenly passed away that year...

Then, Yang Tinghe could only resign from his position as Grand Secretary as was customary and return home to observe the mourning period.

With the simultaneous loss of both Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe and Third Grand Secretary Fei Hong, the cabinet was left with only the unprestigious Liang Chu and the newly appointed Grand Secretary Jin Gui.

As for Liang Chu, there's no need to say anything. He was condemned by the entire court and the public because of the "Liang Cishu Case." The only reason he was able to survive was because he had a thick skin.

Jin Gui was a typical Hanlin scholar and a distinguished official.

His official career was very simple; he mainly served as a court official, and only occasionally held minor official positions in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Court of Imperial Ancestral Temple when he was transferred.

While he wasn't completely ignorant of the affairs of the imperial court, his knowledge was limited to the Four Books and Five Classics.

Moreover, as a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Jin Gui lacked the most important support: the powerful Seven Ministers who could echo him in the outer court.

As a result, an extremely weak civilian government emerged.

Then, a medical miracle suddenly occurred in Yang Yiqing, who had repeatedly claimed illness and asked to resign, and he happily came to court that very day.

Under these circumstances, both the government and the public believed that Yang Yiqing should be appointed to the cabinet to revitalize the government.

This caused Yan Song's mental state to break down.

I've been lying low for five years, and this is what you guys are playing with me for?

You two big bookmakers aren't secretly watching me, are you?

If this had happened five years ago, Yan Song would have been ashamed and quickly claimed illness to return to his hometown.

If this happened fifteen years later, Yan Song would have gone to observe mourning with Yang Tinghe.

However, Yan Song still believes he has the ability to manipulate things.

He smiled slightly, turned around gracefully, his expression conveying a mix of clarity, decisiveness, ruthlessness, and nonchalance.

Who is Yang Tinghe?
Who the hell is Yang Tinghe?
—Yang Yiqing from team!
Seeing that Yan Song was his base of support in Jiangxi, Yang Yiqing didn't say anything.

Soon, Yang Yiqing successfully entered the cabinet, and with his good reputation and seniority, he kept Liang Chu and Jin Gui from saying anything.

A new era is about to begin.

However, they did not realize that those eyeing this weakest cabinet included not only the civil officials from various factions, but also the military men who had long been eyeing it covetously.

The border troops and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who have always been at odds, joined forces in an unprecedented attack, launching a fierce assault on Yang Yiqing just as he had secured his position in the Wenyuan Pavilion.

So, at this time, what about Zhang Yong, Yang Yiqing's most important political ally?

At this time, the influence of the "old guard of the Hongzhi era" was waning, and Zhang Yonghe, Gu Dayong and others were being reinstated.

As a convicted criminal, Zhang Yong was unable to directly regain control of the Directorate of Ceremonial. He was currently overseeing military affairs in Xuanfu, Datong, and Yansui in the north and could not help Yang Yiqing at all.

However, when faced with the martial artists' attack on Yang Yiqing, Liang Chu and Jin Gui, these two weaklings, both chose to stand by and watch coldly with their hands in their pockets.

For Zhu Houzhao, this situation was not unacceptable. —With Yang Tinghe gone, Yang Yiqing had better go home first.

Soon after, Yang Yiqing was impeached and had no choice but to retire.

The cabinet was replaced again with a new Grand Secretary, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji, who had just returned from mourning.

Then came the best two years for the Ming Dynasty.

The emperor devoted himself to replenishing military supplies, riding back and forth along the border to boost the morale of every army. When the Mongol prince marched south in large numbers, the emperor bravely met him, resulting in the significant Battle of Yingzhou.

Meanwhile, Yan Song, who had a smooth operation throughout, returned to his beloved Hanlin Academy.

— Nanjing Hanlin Academy.

The six ministries in Nanjing also undertook certain tasks and wielded considerable power.

However, as a literary institution that directly served the emperor, it is conceivable how superfluous the Hanlin Academy in Nanjing would be.

Pei Yuan had previously thought that Xiao Yan was not very mature yet.

Without the ups and downs of Zhengde's ten years of life and the accumulation of fifteen years in Nanjing, one always feels that this version of Grand Secretary Yan is somewhat different.

But now that Yan Song has come to him, Pei Yuan doesn't mind polishing it himself.

But how should it be polished to look?

Is it Yan Song who develops his skills in a sneaky way, Yan Song who has the skills, or Yan Song who grovels to Xia Yan?
It’s so hard to choose.

As Pei Yuan sized up Yan Song, Yan Song also sorted out his thoughts and smiled at Pei Yuan, "I came here today specifically to thank Commander Pei."

"Oh?" Pei Yuan was somewhat surprised.

I haven't even done anything yet, and you're already thanking me?

But Yan Song said calmly, "I was fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination this time, and I owe much of it to the help of the commander. Now that I know about this, how can I pretend not to know and accept the commander's favor for nothing?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan subconsciously glanced at Ouyang Bijin.

Ouyang Bijin's eyes flickered, but he remained sitting there obediently, eyes downcast.

Upon seeing this, Yan Song quickly explained to Pei Yuan, "After my younger brother returned last time, he told me that all the scholars he used to associate with were on the list of successful candidates."

"Yan had asked about the exam questions for this subject and knew that making it onto the list this time would be a matter of survival against all odds, and not as easy as he had imagined."

"The fact that more than ten people from Commander Pei's side made the list at the same time shows that it was no accident."

As he spoke, Yan Song glanced at Pei Yuan, trying to observe his expression.

Pei Yuan also saw it, but he just smiled and neither denied it nor made any argument.

Yan Song continued, "So I asked my younger brother about the details of my interactions with Huo Tao and other scholars, and also asked him to recall some examination papers that the commander had someone show him."

Yan Song glanced at Ouyang Bijin and laughed, "Fortunately, my brother-in-law has a photographic memory. Even though some time has passed, he can still write it down."

“I looked closely and figured out the key to it, and that’s when I understood the commander’s good intentions.”

"That's why I brought my brother-in-law along to express my gratitude."

After listening, Pei Yuan thought for a moment and then laughed.

Yan Song's use of such a topic to engage in deep conversation with someone he barely knew clearly indicated his intention to become close to him.

Otherwise, just what he said would be enough for Pei Yuan to arrange for someone to solve this problem.

Yan Song had heard about what Pei Yuan and Ouyang Bijin had done in Southern Zhili, and he also knew that Pei Qianhu was no saint.

But Yan Song still said that, which gave Pei Yuan the feeling that he was willing to trust Pei Yuan and was willing to entrust his life to this trust.

As long as Pei Yuan has this thought, he will inevitably have a strong liking for him.

So how risky is this? Would Pei Yuan kill them to keep the secret?

of course not.

Back when Pei Yuan was in Southern Zhili, he failed to eliminate Ouyang Bijin, who knew a huge secret. Moreover, during their reunion in the capital, Pei Yuan generously offered Ouyang Bijin pointers on the key to passing the imperial examination.

After the imperial examination, Ouyang Bijin, at Yan Song's instigation, distanced himself from Pei Yuan. This time, when Pei Yuan saw Ouyang Bijin, he did not get angry.

Pei Yuan even warmly took Ouyang Bijin's hand and led him into the hall.

Therefore, Yan Song certainly had reason to take a gamble on this matter, using the psychological suggestion of "I will keep your secret" to gain favor without any effort.

Pei Yuan thought calmly.

Looking at it this way, he really does have some skills.

Fortunately, Pei Yuan was very interested in Yan Song, the former compiler of the Hanlin Academy, and didn't mind.

Speaking of which, Huo Tao and Tian Fu caused quite a bit of trouble back then, but Pei Yuan knew the importance of talent and was always exceptionally lenient with them.

Pei Yuan thought for a moment.

The quickest way to improve your friendship with Yan Song is, of course, to take the bait directly and, as Yan Song expected, to show your goodwill towards his willingness to entrust your life to him.

Then Pei Yuan sighed and said, "Now I believe that what Wang Bo'an said is true. My brother is truly a gentleman."

"To be honest, my Zhenxie Thousand-Household Office is a ruthless and dangerous place. Only that you, Brother Zhong, have come here so calmly and frankly to tell me this shows that you trust my character. I am both grateful and delighted."

“Since Brother Weizhong trusts Pei Yuan and is willing to entrust his life to him with sincerity, then Pei Yuan should also open his heart and live up to Brother Weizhong’s trust.”

"I'm not afraid to tell you, not to mention the candidates who are on good terms with me this time, even this special imperial examination was brought about by my efforts."

As Pei Yuan spoke, he seemed to realize that he had said something inappropriate and quickly shut his mouth.

Then he calmly looked at Yan Song.

Come on, continue your performance.

I'll show you what it means to be a lord who doesn't spoil the fun and knows how to cooperate.

Quickly use your wisdom and intelligence, Grand Secretary Yan, to uncover my secret!
Yan Song was startled by Pei Yuan's words, and his face quickly showed a startled expression.

He hurriedly said as if trying to stop Pei Yuan, "Commander, please be quiet and do not say anything more. I did not hear what you just said, and I will not have come here after you leave this door."

Seeing that Yan Song was about to leave, Pei Yuan waved his hand and said, "There's no need for that. Brother Weizhong treats me with sincerity, so I don't need to hide anything from him."

He then added jokingly, "Besides, I, Pei Yuan, only have one head, and the court can't behead me twice. Brother Weizhong even took the blame for me for manipulating the imperial examinations, so what else could I possibly worry about?"

Yan Song was somewhat reluctant to respond to that remark.

After all, it's one thing for him to create cards out of thin air and try to get something for nothing; since neither side has explicitly stated their intentions, these things are ultimately a matter of personal interpretation.

But what does it mean to even cover up the manipulation of the imperial examinations?
Doesn't this just get him trapped in his own mess?
(End of this chapter)