In the mansion of Prime Minister Zhang Jingbang.

A soft sedan quietly stopped at the side door. Officials in casual clothes got out of the sedan and carefully looked around. After feeling that no one was paying attention to them, they tiptoed into the side entrance of the mansion.

Zhang Jingbang had been waiting in the mansion for a long time. When he saw this person, he hurried over to greet him: "Wang Shangshu! Please come quickly."

The two of them took their seats, and the servant served tea.

This Wang Shangshu looks very old, more than fifty years old, with wrinkles on his face and sparse beard. His face, which was originally a grimace, now looks even more sad.

"Zhang Xiang! What can I do? What can I do?"

Wang Shangshu was like an ant on a hot pot, helpless.

The full name of this Wang Shangshu is Wang Shiyong. He is the official minister of the dynasty and is considered a powerful figure in the court.

Zhang Jingbang was another prime minister besides Tang Qin.

However, in Qi Huizong's dynasty, one of the two prime ministers advocated war and the other advocated peace. But in Qi Yingzong's dynasty, both prime ministers advocated peace.

Originally, the tasks given by Qi Yingzong to the two prime ministers were to control the outside and the internal. Tang Qin was mainly responsible for suing for peace and making agreements with the Jin people, while Zhang Jingbang was mainly responsible for suppressing the people internally and plundering people's wealth to satisfy the Jin people.

various unreasonable demands.

In this process, Wang Shiyong, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was the most diligent. Any pretty women he saw on the street were kidnapped and sent to the Jin camp.

Later, because most of the beautiful women in the city had been caught, he put the already disheveled and sick women in disguise, painted them with makeup, and sent them to the Jin camp by carloads.

Such an operation also caused resentment in the city and the people were in dire straits, so they called him "Grandpa Jin".

In real history, Wang Shiyong's destructive power to the entire capital was unparalleled, because compared with other officials, he not only had no bottom line, but also had considerable means, and was particularly quick in getting things done for the Jin people.

Later, when the Jin people planned to abolish the Qi Dynasty royal family, they also created the "Five Protection Law", which ordered the five families in Fangxiang to protect them. If anyone was found to be harboring the Qi Dynasty royal family, they would be jointly and severally punished.

In this way, he looted all the Qi Dynasty royal family in the entire capital city and sent them to Jinying.

It's just that in this slice of history, we haven't reached that step yet.

Although Qi Yingzong had entered the Jin camp and had already conducted a search in the city under the instructions of the Jin people, the Qi royal family including Qi Huizong was still there, and the number of women and property that had been kidnapped was not very large.

After His Highness King Yun led the Western Army back to the capital, the Jin people had already withdrawn their troops to Moutuogang. The matter of abolishing the Qi royal family and replacing Zhang Jingbang to establish a puppet regime, which was originally on the agenda, was naturally shelved for the time being.

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But for people like Zhang Jingbang and Wang Shiyong, this may not be a good thing.

…

Wang Shiyong took a sip of tea and said with some panic: "Yesterday, the officials summoned me."

Zhang Jingbang couldn't help but look stern: "Have the officials accused you of robbing women for the Jin people?"

He was also a little nervous. After all, although the executor of this matter was Wang Shiyong, when it was investigated higher up, he, the prime minister, was the culprit.

Tang Qin, another prime minister of the Zonghe faction, had been killed on the spot by the new official in the court. At that time, Zhang Jingbang's body was splashed with blood, and he was so frightened that he almost fainted on the spot.

After that, although the new official did not go on a killing spree, the peace-promoting ministers like Zhang Jingbang were already in danger.

Wang Shiyong smiled bitterly: "No!

"The officials didn't ask about me raiding women for the Jin people at all. Instead, they just chatted with me about family affairs."

Zhang Jingbang was a little surprised: "So, this official is still sensible?

"At this time, the Jin people are still approaching the city. This new official has just ascended the throne. The court is in turmoil. He still needs us old ministers to stabilize the situation for him.

"So, he doesn't intend to hold us accountable for the crime of plundering money and women in the city for the Jin people?"

Wang Shiyong's face was still ugly: "This... I don't know about this.

"But what makes me feel horrified is that although the official told me some family matters,... they all talked about private matters!

"He, he even knows exactly how many bowls of rice and dishes I had for lunch yesterday!"

Zhang Jingbang's expression suddenly changed: "What?!"

At this time, the powerful prime minister could no longer sit still. He stood up and walked around a few times, with an increasingly anxious expression on his face.

"Could it be...Wude Si?

"The official is not trying to make things up with you, this is clearly a threat!"

Wang Shiyong nodded: "Yes, the officials said the day before yesterday that they wanted to rectify the Wude Division and put some people from the Western Army in it.

"At that time, everyone thought that the officials just wanted to use Wu Desi to stabilize public security in the city and handle some things that were inconvenient for the Western Army to handle directly.

"But now it seems that the officials only use Wu Desi to maintain law and order? This is obviously... that is... to keep us all under surveillance!"

Zhang Jingbang's face turned pale: "Once the emperor and his ministers... I'm afraid we will never have a good life in the future..."

The prosperity of officials such as Zhang Jingbang and Tang Qin is inseparable from Qi Yingzong's accession to the throne.

During Qi Huizong's reign, senior officials including Tong Daofu, except Li Boxi, were called "six thieves", and the people angrily petitioned to have them killed.

Soon after Qi Yingzong came to power, he indeed exiled these six people and sentenced them to death. Even if these people had power in Qi Huizong's dynasty, it was inevitable that they would die at this time.

Even Tong Daosuke cannot be exempted from guilt by his past achievements.

The reason is that Qi Yingzong did not necessarily want to rectify the imperial court or the common people's grievances, but just used this as an excuse to get rid of Qi Huizong's old officials in the court to make himself more powerful.

After getting rid of these people, Qi Yingzong promoted Zhang Jingbang, Tang Qin and other officials. If he had been in power longer and not run into the Jin camp so quickly and was detained, maybe Qin Huizhi would also be able to be used by him.

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Originally, if these old ministers had been under Qi Yingzong, they would have been able to happily bring disaster to the country and the people, but the arrival of the Jin people instantly shattered their dreams.

Therefore, following the example, these people naturally followed Qi Yingzong's wishes and desperately searched for the people in the city.

Of course, it's hard to say how much of this is just to cater to the superior's wishes, and how much of it is just a matter of sheer stupidity.

After all, when the Jin people left, they wanted to make Zhang Jingbang the false emperor, and Wang Shiyong became one of his generals. There was no bottom line. No matter how you look at it, it is unrealistic for these two people to blame Qi Yingzong.

But at this time, King Yun ascended the throne.

These two old ministers from Qi Yingzong's time were naturally in panic all day long.

Because they were very afraid that they would be liquidated by the new king like Tong Daofu and other old ministers of Qi Huizong's dynasty.

Resignation from office is a trivial matter, but if it is exile or execution, then everything is over.

"Xiang Zhang, what should we do now?" Wang Shiyong spread his hands, "Is it possible that we can only sit back and wait for death?"

Zhang Jingbang thought for a long time, and then said: "It is naturally impossible to sit still and wait for death!

"The only way at this time...should be to form one body with all the ministers in the court and advance and retreat together."

Wang Shiyong blinked: "Become one body, advance and retreat together?"

Zhang Jingbang nodded: "Yes! Advance together and retreat together!"

"At this time, the official has just ascended the throne. Although he has not yet established himself, he has the Western Army in his hands. If we, the ministers, fight alone, there is no way we can be his opponents.

"Just like Tang Xiang, what if he killed him in front of the court?

"Afterwards, as long as the officials arbitrarily fabricated some charges, no one would dare to pursue the matter.

"Just like this, the officials are using Wude to monitor your every move, and it is too easy to find some evidence of guilt from you.

"In other words, when the officials talk to you about everyday things, they are actually threatening you, letting you know that your every move is under his surveillance! Then the officials can do whatever they want with you!

"If you dare to be disobedient in any way, Tang Qin will be punished!"

Wang Shiyong's face turned pale: "But Prime Minister Zhang, why can we be safe by advancing together and retreating together?"

Zhang Jingbang said: "Although the situation at this time is very unfavorable for us, one good thing is that the late emperor has squeezed out all the old party ministers!

"You think, if Li Boxi was here, the officials could kill us all just by lifting Li Boxi up.

"But those ministers headed by Li Boxi have all been reprimanded by the late emperor. At this time, all the people in the court are from my family. If we say that we are working for the late emperor or plundering for the Jin people, you and I have no idea.

Who can escape the relationship?

"If the official family is liquidated, it will be a situation where everyone is in danger and everything hurts others.

"So, only if we all unite and advance together and retreat together can the officials retreat in the face of difficulties. At least until the Jin people retreat, we will be safe."

Wang Shiyong's face improved a little, and he suddenly said: "What Prime Minister Zhang said makes sense! Although the officials hold the Western Army in their hands, we still need people like us to handle political affairs.

"If we don't cooperate with him, even if the officials want to replace him, they can't do it in a hurry.

"In addition, the threat from the Jin people is still there, so the officials can only temporarily compromise with us.

"But... what if the Jin people retreat?"

Zhang Jingbang has already thought about it: "First of all, the officials may not be able to defeat the Jin people. Although the Western Army's combat power is strong, what was the result when Zhong Pingyuan went to Beijing and King Qin? As for the siege of Taiyuan, that was also

The officials were surprised and led the Western Army to support, and the Jin talents were defeated. Otherwise, Zhong Pingyuan would not have been able to escape death.

"At this time, the Jin army is at its peak, and the two armies are gathered together. If the Guan family is defeated, then we will be of great use in suing for peace for the Guan family, and naturally we will still be used in important ways; if the Guan family is defeated

There will be victory and defeat, and the two sides are in a stalemate. It is difficult to move us, and we still need to maintain the court and handle political affairs for him.

"Even in the worst-case scenario, if the Guan family really wins and the Jin people really retreat...

"That will also take a lot of time. As long as this period of time passes, the officials will no longer be able to use old accounts to punish us. By then, even if we use other reasons to judge the crime, the crime will be reduced by one level, and the family will not be killed.
To be continued...