0p0 Chapter 176: Following Concubine Yi's Path
Chapter 176: Following Concubine Yi's Path
Prime Minister Wang persuaded Shen Shan for a long time and finally persuaded him to leave.
Then he couldn't wait to call his staff to discuss countermeasures, trying to see if there was any way to keep Shen Shan. After all, the position of Jingzhao Prefecture Governor was of vital importance to him.
The Jingzhao prefect was in charge of public security, justice, civil affairs, and other matters within the capital and its surrounding areas. His authority was immense, not only enabling him to coordinate the capital's security forces and maintain stability, but also to influence the implementation of imperial policies in the local area.
Moreover, the prefect of Jingzhao was often an important channel for the emperor to understand the various aspects of people's lives in the capital, and his reports had an influence on the court's decision-making that could not be underestimated.
"Think about it quickly. Is there any way to save Shen Shan?"
The aide frowned and paced back and forth in the hall, sometimes picking up the teacup with his right hand, bringing it to his mouth but forgetting to drink, and then putting it down again, repeating this many times.
Prime Minister Wang sat on the chair, his eyes following the figures of his staff so closely that they were almost blurry.
After a long while, the staff suddenly clapped their hands and said excitedly, "Got it!" Prime Minister Wang hurriedly said, "Go ahead!"
The staff member gathered his thoughts and said slowly, "Prime Minister, no matter what happens, the Jinyiwei has no right to arrest the Jingzhao prefect, so this matter depends entirely on the emperor's opinion. If the emperor is unwilling to arrest Shen Shan, then no matter how much Xu Feng tries, it will be useless."
Prime Minister Wang said worriedly, "But how can we convince the Emperor about this? They say that when the water is too clear, there are no fish. Your Majesty doesn't require all his subjects to be clean, and a little chaos in their personal lives is fine, but if corruption, bribery, and disregard for human life were to be exposed, I'm afraid His Majesty would be furious and order a thorough investigation by the Imperial Guards. If that happens, Shen Shan will fall into Xu Feng's hands and it will be difficult for him to escape."
A sly look flashed in the aide's eyes as he said, "I understand this, so someone still needs to convince His Majesty."
Prime Minister Wang asked anxiously, "Who can tell His Majesty? It's not convenient for me to come forward, otherwise I will definitely be jealous."
The staff lowered their voice and said, "There is one person who can do it, and that is Concubine Yi!"
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Wang fell into deep thought.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking to himself, "Noble Concubine Yi is deeply favored by the Emperor. If she could speak a few good words to him, perhaps things could turn around."
But can Concubine Yi agree?
If the emperor knew that he was colluding with the harem in his position as prime minister, he would inevitably think too much.
But if he doesn't take the risk, once Shen Shan is brought down, his influence in the court will be greatly affected.
Prime Minister Wang's brows furrowed more and more, and the hall fell into silence, with only the slight knocking sound echoing in the air.
The aide continued to analyze the situation for Prime Minister Wang: "Noble Concubine Yi has a brother-in-law who has been trying to get her to grant him a position, but she has never agreed. If we can get this done, Noble Concubine Yi's brother-in-law will surely be grateful to us and will do his best to persuade her to help..."
"Noble Concubine Yi is soft-hearted and has always felt guilty about her brother-in-law's affairs. Our move can be said to have hit her hard. As long as Noble Concubine Yi is willing to come forward and whisper in the emperor's ear, say some good things about Shen Shan, and mention Shen Shan's past achievements, the emperor may show some leniency to Shen Shan."
Prime Minister Wang stroked his chin and nodded slightly. "It's feasible without having to contact the harem directly. You can take care of this matter. You can also give a heads up to Eunuch Liu in the Imperial Household Department. Tell him that we've bought him a thousand acres of fertile land in his hometown. I hope he can put in a good word for us in front of the Emperor."
The staff member smiled and replied, "That's exactly what we're doing. Eunuch Liu has served the Emperor for many years and knows his mind well. If he's willing to help, the results will surely be quite good. We're taking a two-pronged approach, so we're not afraid that the Emperor won't be tempted. Moreover, not only can we protect Lord Shen, but we can also put Xu Feng in a bad light. As long as everyone around the Emperor speaks ill of him, his favor will not last long. Then, not only will Lord Shen be safe, but we can also take the opportunity to suppress Xu Feng, leaving him with no chance of recovery."
Prime Minister Wang's brows relaxed, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "Go ahead and do it. Make sure you do it thoroughly and without the slightest mistake. If this succeeds, you will definitely benefit from it in the future!"
The aide quickly bowed and said, "Don't worry, Prime Minister. I will do my best and will never let you down." After that, the aide hurriedly withdrew and began to arrange various matters.
Prime Minister Wang sat alone in the hall, his face showing a changing expression.
This plan is of great importance. If it succeeds, his position in the court will be more stable. If it fails, it will be difficult to suppress Xu Feng again in a short period of time.
But now that things have come to this, he has no way out and can only give it a try.
Honglian sent the last brothel girl out of the Jinyiwei prison, then breathed a long sigh of relief and stretched lazily. Her exquisite figure looked even more graceful in the red tights.
The Jinyiwei next to her didn't dare to look at her any longer, and they secretly thought that this was the master's woman, and they didn't dare to have any improper thoughts.
At this time, a Jinyiwei came running over with wine and food, saying, "Miss Honglian, these are what you ordered. There's peach blossom wine from Zuixianju, and braised beef from Fuyuanji."
Honglian took it, her stomach growling twice as she asked, "Where's Master Xu?" The Imperial Guard quickly replied, "Master is studying in the study."
Honglian was very surprised. Studying? Could it be that Xu Feng was going to take the imperial examination?
As she spoke, she carried the food and wine and walked towards the study. Arriving at the study, she saw Xu Feng really was reading, his entire head buried in a pile of books, his eyes focused. The candlelight beside him flickered gently, illuminating his serious expression.
Honglian liked Xu Feng's serious attitude towards work the most, so she walked up to him and asked, "What are you studying? Are you planning to take the imperial examination?"
Xu Feng smiled and said, "I'm not taking the imperial examination. I just borrowed a few books from Mr. Zhuge and studied them."
In the past, he had been using the Human Emperor Banner to collect ghost minions, but recently the Human Emperor Banner had undergone a change. It no longer collected ghost minions, but Jade-faced Rakshasa. This made him eager to learn more about it. Could it be that the ghosts collected by the Human Emperor Banner could be upgraded?
Honglian put the food and wine on the table and said, "You can read the book later. Your stomach won't wait for you."
Then she snatched the book from Xu Feng's hand and prepared to throw it aside.
At this moment, she suddenly felt a shock in her heart, as if her heart was suddenly stabbed hard, and the pain spread throughout her body in an instant.
Honglian's face turned pale in an instant, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She covered her chest and her body trembled uncontrollably.