Ming Dynasty: Traveling through the harem, Zhu Yuanzhang was dumbfounded

Chapter 142 Flattery is not enough

In recent times, Yang Chen has become the target of public criticism in the Ming Dynasty officialdom.

Countless eyes were watching him secretly, but only a few dared to take any action.

As we all know, the Ming Dynasty now has two prime ministers, the left and right prime ministers Hu Weiyong and Wang Guangyang.

There is no need to say much about Wang Guangyang, his strength is not worth mentioning in front of Hu Weiyong.

Most officials knew that the only person who could stand out in front of Zhu Yuanzhang was Hu Weiyong, and Wang Guangyang could only make a passing mention at most.

Originally, the situation was very peaceful and no one could break the balance, but the appearance of Yang Chen caused the balance to fluctuate.

Or are all resources tilted towards him?

Many people are worried that Yang Chen will be the next person to replace Hu Weiyong.

And today, Hu Weiyong wanted to see what ability Yang Chen had to be more powerful than himself and to gain the recognition of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao.

For Hu Weiyong, who was used to going with the flow, Yang Chen was the person who made him feel a sense of crisis.

As a military general and one of the few smart ones among them, Mu Ying could be said to have anticipated early on that Hu Weiyong would definitely be exposed.

While others were still thinking of ways to curry favor with Hu Weiyong, he had already wanted to sever ties with him.

As for why he appeared here today, it was entirely because of Yang Chen.

There are ten servants in Yang Chen's mansion, eight of whom are arranged by Lao Zhu, one of whom is his confidant, and it is unclear who the rest are.

Yesterday he learned that Yang Chen was going to attend Hu Weiyong's banquet, so he waited here early.

As soon as he saw Yang Chen, he tried to find a way to take him away to avoid an irreversible situation.

I originally thought that my son-in-law was a smart man, but I didn’t expect that he was actually here to fish!
"Son-in-law? Today's wedding banquet is no worse than the Hongmen Banquet. What if you run into danger, such as falling down and becoming seriously ill, or suddenly getting drunk and unable to wake up? What should I do then?"

Since ancient times, it has been common to call people to meetings and then persecute others.

Mu Ying had no idea of ​​Hu Weiyong's true intentions, so he could only assume the worst.

This will be slightly safer.

Otherwise, if something really happened, he would not be able to take responsibility.

In order to dispel Mu Ying's worries, Yang Chen said lightly:

"Father-in-law, you are worrying about something that is not your fault. It is not a good thing to worry too much. Hu Weiyong is really upset with me, but he cannot figure out my true identity for a while.

How could I not know that today's banquet was the Hongmen Banquet?
But Liu Bang would have to rush through even if he knew it was the Hongmen Banquet. Today, I can guarantee that he will not use the methods you mentioned to deal with me."

"Why? What if he moves?"

Fighting on the battlefield is a matter of either you or me. Mu Ying's vigilance was stretched to the extreme, and he was unwilling to give up even the slightest possibility.

"He has no reason to touch me, and he dares not touch me."

Yang Chen said very confidently.

“If he can’t help but attack me, then just wait for the Crown Prince and His Majesty to personally trouble him. Unless he is desperate, he has absolutely no reason to attack me.

Don't even mention how close I am to you and Prince Yan, just talk about how I was able to rise from an unknown person to become the Censor of the Capital today.

He should know that His Majesty thinks highly of me and understands that I don't have many spies around me.

Today's banquet is full of people, and no matter how brave he is, he won't dare to attack me in broad daylight."

Yang Chen put his hands behind his back and looked through the crowd towards the bustling entrance of the Prime Minister.

“The reason why he came to me was because he wanted to know from me what His Majesty and the Crown Prince meant.

If I were a 'smart person' and I responded to his solicitation, then from now on, not only would he not be afraid of me at all, but he would also find ways to satisfy all my requests."

Mu Ying looked unconvinced and squinted his eyes as he said:
"How is that possible? After the last morning court session, everyone speculated that the relationship between you and him was incompatible.

Not only does he try to deal with you by any means necessary, but he will also satisfy any of your requests?

What's the difference between you and looking forward to the moon in the daytime? It's totally impossible! "

Seeing that Mu Ying absolutely did not believe him, Yang Chen smiled and said:
"You don't believe it? Just wait and see.

For a person who usually accepts a lot of corruption, the only way he can win people's hearts is either money or beauty.

If I could show that I accepted either money or beauty, it would be enough for him to conclude that I had the potential to be corrupted.

At that time, I will say that I am someone close to His Majesty and that the Crown Prince values ​​me very much. Do you think he will use these things to seduce me for his own benefit?

If I accept it, doesn’t that mean I have satisfied my request?”

Before the Hongwu period when there were prime ministers such as Hu Weiyong and Wang Guangyang, many of the Ming Dynasty's political affairs were handled by the Secretariat led by these two people.

Zhu Biao was the only one who reviewed the documents at the last minute.

As a powerful official, naturally many people asked Hu Weiyong to do things for them on a daily basis.

Sitting in this position, almost no one would refuse such a good thing.

After years of accumulation and management, Hu Weiyong's property had already reached a number that ordinary people could not estimate.

Zhu Biao once secretly told him that Hu Weiyong had used some means to annex 70% of the farmland in his hometown of Haozhou!
That’s right! 70% of the land belongs to the people in name only.

But in fact, all of them were places where Hu Weiyong made money.

The people who worked hard all day were forced by him to sell their land and become tenant farmers.

There is no other way. If people don’t become tenant farmers, they cannot survive. The final outcome is that they will have no descendants.

Seeing that Mu Ying was still in a daze, Yang Chen put his arm around his shoulders without saying a word.

“Okay, father-in-law, don’t worry too much. If you really can’t let it go, just come in with me.

With you here, I don't want them to dare to attack me? "

Hearing this, Mu Ying's eyes flashed with confidence.

"Haha, that's right! Don't you see who I am?"

The two of them quickly joined the gift-giving team.

Originally, he wanted to queue up properly, but he didn't expect that this group of people were so snobbish. As soon as they saw him and Mu Ying, they all chose to give in.

"It turns out to be General Mu! General Mu is a distinguished guest of Prime Minister Hu, so we will not stand in the way of the general. Please move forward, General Mu!"

"Yes, yes! General Mu brought Censor Yang here today. It must be Prime Minister Hu's intention. We dare not act recklessly. Please move forward."

"We, the minor officials, can just stay in the rear. General Mu, please!"

The originally long team dispersed to make way for Yang Chen and his companion.

“It is truly astonishing how moral the world is going downhill.”

Leaving these words, Yang Chen walked forward.

Sure enough, no matter what era it is, a higher-ranking official can crush someone, and subordinates always look fawning when meeting their superiors.

"General Mu and Lord Yang are here for the banquet!"

After the gift was handed over, the person in charge of welcoming guests outside the door shouted loudly towards the mansion.

After entering Hu Weiyong's mansion, Yang Chen could tell that the other party had put a lot of thought into Feng Shui.

As soon as you enter the door, you will see a Feng Shui situation surrounded by mountains and water.

Many people believe that this decoration can gather energy and bring good luck.

There is a stone statue of a spirit beast in each of the four directions as decoration.

That is, the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, the Vermillion Bird in front, and the Black Tortoise behind.

This pattern symbolizes the ideal configuration of sand and water, which can bring good luck and fortune.

The further you go inside, the more similar Feng Shui patterns you will see. There are artificially dug streams flowing by the roadside, and there are many precious plants growing on the side, and the flowers are blooming immediately, making the air full of refreshing fragrance. Every step you take, every breath you take is filled with the smell of money.

"My goodness, how rich is Hu Weiyong? He can actually decorate his house like this. It would be impossible to do it without putting in some thought."

I thought that living in Shen Wansan's mansion was already very luxurious, but now compared with Hu Weiyong's home, it is nothing after all.

These people who hold high positions are really willing to work hard to ensure a smooth career.

Besides them, there were many servants carrying gifts from outside the door on the sidewalk.

Walk to a huge open area, where there are all kinds of unwrapped gifts.

These items are so dazzling and precious that any one of them could probably buy the lives of many people.

What caught Yang Chen's eyes was a three-foot-tall white jade statue of Guanyin!

Just from the appearance, the flawless white jade texture and the exquisite carving craftsmanship complement each other, revealing an immeasurable sense of luxury.

Among many treasures and gifts, it is the only one that is like the condensed moonlight, emitting a holy light in its warmth. Every inch of it reveals its unique rarity and nobility, which is breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

"Oh my god, this thing doesn't look cheap."

Yang Chen sighed softly, causing Mu Ying to take a look.

He had seen many treasures and quickly recognized the origin of this white jade Guanyin.

"This white jade Guanyin statue is said to be valuable enough to shake a city, and it is a rare treasure. I remember someone said last time that this thing seemed to be in Siam, a country that worships Buddhism. How did it appear in Hu Weiyong's mansion?"

Mu Ying was puzzled by this, but he didn't think much about it.

According to Hu Weiyong's method, if he wanted to get something, someone would deliver it to his door without him having to ask.

While the two were chatting, a man dressed as a servant appeared in front of them. He had a fat face and it was obvious that he ate very well.

With a humble attitude, he bowed and greeted:

"Excuse me, are you General Mu and Lord Yang, the Censor of the Capital?"

Yang Chen and Mu Ying looked at each other, then he nodded and responded:

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

After confirming the identities of the two people, the servant turned sideways and made an inviting gesture, pointing to a passage not far from the front yard.

"The distinguished guests have already gone to the banquet hall. My master has specifically instructed that if you see General Mu or Lord Yang appear, you two should be invited over immediately. The master will entertain you two personally."

In addition to the servants carrying gifts in the front hall, there were also many guests entering from outside.

Not to mention the crowd, it was impossible to find them all at once.

The two of them had only appeared for a moment, hadn't talked a few words yet, and hadn't even finished observing if there was anything special about the surrounding layout, when this person suddenly appeared and found them directly, saying that he hadn't been paying attention to them. Yang Chen was unwilling to believe it.

Mu Ying was about to say no, but was stopped by Yang Chen.

He smiled and raised his hand in response:
"Okay, please lead the way. General Mu and I will be right behind you."

Mu Ying glanced at Yang Chen and thought that the other party was deliberately looking for them in a remote place, so why did he agree?
What if Hu Weiyong does something shady?
But on second thought, Mu Ying was very confident in his own strength. Not to mention beating a hundred by himself, beating ten by himself should be no problem at all.

Besides, he was also very clear that there must be people belonging to his adoptive father in Hu Weiyong's mansion.

Even if the two of them encounter danger, they can overcome it.

So he followed Yang Chen, and he decided not to say anything from then on.

The backyard location is already bustling with activity.

Many officials and personnel on the road also greeted Mu Ying, including some from the military camp.

"Brother Mu! Why are you here?"

One of the men who looked like a marquis saw Mu Ying appear. His eyes first showed surprise, then disbelief, and finally he responded with a smile.

Just when he wanted to talk more, Mu Ying waved his hands and refused, saying:
"I am here today with my son-in-law. No, Prime Minister Hu has summoned my son-in-law to come over."

With just this one glance, many people looked towards Yang Chen with all kinds of looks.

Among them, the most common expression is watching a play.

Before this, Hu Weiyong was the top minister in the court. With Zhu Yuanzhang's deliberate connivance, his power was almost exactly the same as Zhu Biao's.

As long as Zhu Yuanzhang was not in the court, all government affairs were handed over to him.

He has the final say over any official, whether he is promoted or demoted.

In the past few years, anyone in the government and the public who wanted to ensure a bright career had to join the team and stand on Hu Weiyong's side, otherwise they would be treated as traitors.

As a result, many officials dare not speak out.

Therefore, today, even though he just took a concubine, so many people came to support him.

Is it taking a concubine that he really cares about?

No, he wanted to test how many people in the court were still on his side.

"Father-in-law, I'm going to go meet Prime Minister Hu first. Since you've met some good friends, why don't you stay here and chat with them?"

Seeing that many people who looked like military generals were gradually gathering around Mu Ying, Yang Chen took the initiative to suggest that the two of them separate temporarily.

Thinking that the other party would be in danger, Mu Ying originally planned to refuse. After all, this was completely different from what the two said outside.

But before he could react, Yang Chen had already disappeared into the crowd along with the people arranged by Hu Weiyong.

He was the only one left standing there anxiously.

Yang Chen, who followed the butler away, was also amazed.

No wonder some people say that the prime minister is a third-rank official.

Along the way, so many noble and powerful people were all servile and polite in front of the steward Hu, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

As if he was also an official.

Soon, Yang Chen was brought to the door of an ancient attic decorated with lights and colors.

This building is very outstanding, with three floors.

It is considered a tall building today. Generally speaking, only imperial palaces have such high floors.

Those pagodas that are dozens of meters high are not considered buildings. From what we see in daily life, Hu Weiyong's house is already considered to be something that only people of high status are qualified to enjoy.

"Master, Lord Yang is here."

The butler bowed respectfully outside the door and then began to speak.

Soon, a response came from inside.

"Okay, let him in, you wait outside."

"Yes!"

The butler smiled at Yang Chen, then opened the door and pushed it open.

"Master Yang, please come in."

Yang Chen ignored him and walked in. The surroundings were a little dim, with only candlelight inside.

There are transparent tiles and glass on the top floor of the attic, which can block out wind and rain while allowing sunlight from outside to come in, so that the house is not too dark.

The surroundings are decorated with various red silks, making it very festive.

Yang Chen looked through the curtain and seemed to see two figures.

One of them was sitting and the other was standing.

When he pushed aside the curtain with his hand, he saw Hu Weiyong, dressed in festive attire, smiling at him with a "kind smile".

(End of this chapter)