Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 172 Spring Flowers and Autumn Moon Are the Most Beautiful
In the Bafu Hall of the Jisufang, Zheng Yuandong, the Chief Secretary of the Privy Council and the Secretary of the Jisufang, was holding a pair of scissors and pondering a bonsai in front of him.

He cut here and there, leisurely and contentedly.

Zheng Yuandong is about forty years old, with a clear face, eyes like bright stars, and a graceful demeanor. He is a handsome man with outstanding temperament.

He was the third place in the imperial examination in the ninth year of Shaoxing. The third place was usually chosen from the young and handsome candidates among the current Jinshi graduates, with a naturally outstanding appearance and temperament.

Like Qin Hui, Zheng Yuandong also worked as a secretary and a Hanlin scholar.

And now, he is also a high-ranking official in the Privy Council.

The senior officials of the Song Dynasty have always been civil servants.

In fact, there is nothing wrong with the system of "controlling the military with civil power". Even modern countries mostly adopt this system.

Whenever a country is ruled by military personnel, there will be frequent turmoil.

The dynasties before the Song Dynasty were not as powerful in military control as the Song Dynasty, but their reigns were not as long as that of the Song Dynasty.

Among the dynasties in the Central Plains since the Qin Dynasty, the Song Dynasty was second only to the Han Dynasty in terms of national prosperity. At the same time, the Song Dynasty was also remarkable in terms of people's livelihood and economy.

However, although the Song Dynasty avoided the pit that their predecessors had fallen into, they dug a new pit for themselves.

That is an overcorrection of "controlling the military with culture". The national policy of "controlling the military with culture" will soon turn into "promoting culture and suppressing military".

The Ming Dynasty could not avoid this pitfall. As long as the scholar-official group existed and as long as the scholar-official group was in power, this pitfall could not be avoided.

Fei Yuye was wearing a men's official uniform and stood tall in front of the case: "I obey your order. Are you listening to me? Just transfer Yang Yuan to another place!"

"Everyone has his own place. Where do you want me to transfer him to?"

Zheng Yuandong sighed helplessly and put down the scissors.

"Now your Yuzifang is the only one with a vacant position as deputy director. Is it too much for the emperor to commend and promote Wugonglang to be a deputy secretary in your Yuzifang?"

"It's not excessive, but... it's unfair! How many people have risked their lives for the court? Are their contributions less than his?"

"What is fairness? Yang Yuanjian is in the emperor's heart, this is fairness!"

"Chunhua and Qiuyue have followed me for many years. When the position of deputy secretary of the Yuzifang became vacant, I promised to recommend them both and let the court select one of them. Now Yang Yuan has suddenly appeared. I... am I breaking my promise?"

Zheng Yuandong smiled: "Yang Yuan is now a military officer, so should he be assigned a job as a guard or official?
Although he was not brought up by you personally, he has been a veteran of your Yuzifang for ten years and has made great contributions to your Yuzifang."

"All in accordance with the decree, he went to the Northern Kingdom when he was thirteen years old and has been lurking behind enemy lines for many years. Although he is a talent, in fact... he may not be suitable for serving in the government."

"Um……"

Zheng Yuandong thought for a moment and said, "Yang Yuan is now a person appointed by the emperor. If he is treated coldly right after arriving, wouldn't that be a slap in the emperor's face?"

"Yuye, how about this? Let him go to your Yuzifang as a deputy secretary. If he is not worthy of the position, I will not make any concessions during the year-end examination. I will give him a bad review if necessary. Then I will have a reason to transfer him out next year. How do you think?"

"This one……"

Zheng Yuandong said: "It's already halfway through August, so it will only take half a year until the beginning of next spring."

"Well... okay, I'll just put up with him for half a year."

Fei Yuye muttered something, and then said a little embarrassedly: "I was ignorant just now.

I am in charge of a department. If the rewards and punishments are unfair, the subordinates will inevitably have opinions, so I am a little impatient. If I have offended you, please accept my order and bear with me."

Zheng Yuandong snorted and said, "How can I not take responsibility? I made you cry, my little girl. Why don't you come and peel my skin off?"

Fei Yuye stuck out her tongue and said with an apologetic smile, "All is in accordance with your order. Then... I will take my leave."

Fei Yuye's father, Fei Tianlu, was the chief of the Privy Council's Skinning Office.

Many official positions and government offices in the Song Dynasty had strange names with no origins.

Like the Bingjingwu of the Imperial City Department before, it was the type of person who was selling dog meat under the guise of selling mutton.

On the surface, it is a department that manages the royal ice cellar, but in reality it is the internal discipline and audit department of the Imperial City's secret service agency.

The Privy Council was under the jurisdiction of the Editing Department, the Inspection Department, the Military Department, the Skinning Department, the Imperial Archery Department, the Imperial Decree Department, the Cabinet Department, the Confidential Department, and the Speed ​​​​Decree Department.

Some names of official offices were inherited from the previous dynasty, such as Jiageku; some were original to the Song Dynasty, such as Jisufang; and some were borrowed from the names of official offices of other departments, such as Pibosuo.

There was a skinning station in the Qunmu Division under the Imperial Household Department of the Song Dynasty.

Their function was to send sick and terminally ill war horses to them for skinning.

A horse hide is estimated to be worth about 350 coins. If they process the saltpeter themselves and then sell it, they can get a higher price.

The Privy Council borrowed the name of this yamen from the Imperial Household Department and also set up a "Pi Pi Si".

The mission of the Privy Council's Skinning Office was not to skin horses, but it was the most terrifying and violent agency of the Privy Council of the Song Dynasty.

They don't skin horses, they skin people!
Now, there are more than ten human skins hanging in the "Ningzhi Hall" of the skinning center, and the lanterns at the entrance of "Ningzhi Hall" are all covered with human skins.

Every human skin there was a traitor of the Song Dynasty or a spy of the Jin Dynasty who had caused great losses to the Song Dynasty.

Fei Tianlu also embroidered them, recording their life experiences and all the evil deeds they had done, like flowers on their skin.

Everyone in the Privy Council kept their distance from Fei Yuanwai.

……

As soon as Fei Yuye returned to her signing room in the Yuzifang, two "handsome men" in light blue official uniforms with long legs and thin waists walked into her signing room one after another.

Both "handsome men" are tall and slender, with red lips and white teeth.

One of the "handsome men" had an oval face, big eyes, and a pure and elegant complexion, just like the first touch of green on the branches in spring. She had a pair of small, shallow dimples on her cheeks.

She is the "Chunhua" mentioned by Fei Yuye, Leng Yuchan, the left official of the Yuzi Room of the Privy Council's Speed ​​Room.

The other "handsome man" has an oval face and a pair of natural crescent eyes. His eyes are always crescent-shaped and look particularly sweet.

She is Xue Bingxin, the right yamen official of the Yuzi Room of the Privy Council. These two are Fei Yuye's left and right arms, the left and right yamen officials of the Yuzi Room.

However, their personal relationships were within the palace, and they were considered palace ladies-in-waiting.

"Spring Flowers" and "Autumn Moon" are the result of mutual harm between them and Fei Yuye.

They were transferred from the Palace to the Privy Council's Machine Room by Fei Yuye through her godmother, Madam Zhe.

However, the two girls were proud and arrogant, and at first they were not convinced that Fei Yuye was in charge of them.

So, every day they respectfully called Fei Yuye "Fei Zhangfang".

So, the fat housekeeper, with a smiling tiger face, gave them the nicknames "Spring Flower" and "Autumn Moon".

By the time they were both conquered by Fei Yuye and willingly became her right-hand men, they could no longer get rid of this "nickname".

Two beautiful girls in men's clothing let Fat Yuye take her seat.

Xue Bingxin, with the crescent-shaped eyes, came forward to massage her shoulders, while Leng Yuchan, with the more reserved dimples, brought her the brewed tea.

Xue Bingxin asked sweetly, "Accept the decree, have we all agreed to your decree? Has the man surnamed Yang been transferred?"

Leng Yuchan said calmly: "You are asking unnecessary questions. We have accepted the imperial order and have come forward. How can we not give her this face?"

Fei Yuye glared at him and said, "You two, stop trying to stir up trouble. I won't fall for it."

Xue Bingxin smiled droolingly and said, "How could that be possible? We are very smart and clever, who would dare to be petty in front of you?"

Leng Yuchan frowned and asked, "Why, he won't agree to it even though we have received your order?"

Fei Yuye sighed and said unhappily, "It is said in the imperial decree that Yang Yuan was just rewarded by the emperor, and we cannot embarrass him right after he takes office."

After hearing this, Xue Bingxin's face immediately showed frustration.

Although Leng Yuechan looked cold and silent, with no sign of change, she did not say anything.

Fei Yuye felt a little guilty. She was the one who compiled Yang Yuan's Jia calendar, and she didn't think too much about it at the time.

If she hadn't given Yang Yuan too high a starting point, how could Yang Yuan have taken away the position of deputy imperial secretary that belonged to Chunhua Qiuyue?

Fei Yuye hurriedly comforted him, "However, you must agree to my order. As long as Yang Yuande is unworthy of the position, he will find a reason to transfer Yang Yuan to another place next year!"

"As long as his virtue is unworthy of his position..."

Xue Bingxin's eyes lit up and she began to silently calculate in her heart. Leng Yuechan also showed a thoughtful expression.

Fei Yuye glanced at them calmly and said, "Vice Imperial Secretary Yang has been lurking in the North Country for many years and is not familiar with the affairs of our Speed ​​​​Room.

In order to help him get familiar with his duties as quickly as possible, I intend to assign your left and right guards to him, and let him command you. What do you think? "

Chunhua Qiuyue immediately understood what he meant.

Xue Bingxin stood at attention solemnly and said loudly: "I will do my best to assist Deputy Secretary Yang! I will always be at your service and follow your orders!"

Leng Yuchan pursed her lips. Although she didn't say anything, the pair of dimples on her cheeks became deeper because of this action.

The smile on Fei Yuye's lips flashed and disappeared: "Well! The two yamen officials are very understanding and righteous. I am very pleased to accept your order.

Go ahead, do your best and don’t be discouraged. Remember, the clouds will eventually clear and the sun will appear. When the rain stops, a rainbow will appear…”

……

"Our Speed ​​Room consists of eight rooms: Dragon, Phoenix, Fish, Cicada, Bird, Snake, Elephant, and Lion."

As Yang Yuan walked towards the Dragon Room, he recalled the introduction given to him by Zheng Yuandong, the Chief of the Speed ​​Room.

He had just come out from Privy Councilor Qin Hui and had just gone to pay a visit to Zheng Yuandong.

Qin Hui was promoted to the Privy Council by Qin Hui, and Zheng Yuandong was in charge of the Mechanical and Electrical Bureau. He came at the same time as Qin Hui in order to contain Qin Hui.

It can be seen that Zheng Yuandong must be a trusted minister of Emperor Zhao.

Yang Yuan naturally felt a certain closeness to him.

But this kind of closeness is only the closeness of being in the same hostile camp of Qin Hui.

Zheng Yuandong must be Zhao Gou's confidant, so it is impossible that Prince Enping was the one who pushed him into the Privy Council.

Prince Enping would not be foolish enough to bribe the emperor's confidants, so Yang Yuan was wary of him.

Zheng Yuandong still admired Yang Yuan, the secret spy who had been lurking in the enemy camp for ten years and had made great military achievements.

However, he also did not think that an excellent undercover agent behind enemy lines would be suitable for working in the machine room.

Therefore, when Fei Yuye begged him to transfer Yang Yuan just now, he already had the same plan.

He planned to find a reason to transfer Yang Yuan to Jiankang in the early spring of next year.

Jiankang Prefecture was the temporary capital of the Song Dynasty and an important town in the southeast, second only to the capital.

As the saying goes, the root of the country lies in the southeast, and the root of the southeast lies in Jiankang.

The majestic mountains form the city, the Yangtze River forms a pond, and boats, carriages and canals form several routes, which are exactly like today's Guanzhong and Henei.

The Jisufang had built a hall on the Qinhuai River. Transferring him there to enjoy a good life would be worthy of his life-threatening service to the court.

Therefore, I didn't introduce Yang Yuan in too much detail. I just chatted with him for a few minutes and then sent him away.

Yang Yuan planned to go to the "Dragon Room" to collect his official uniform, and then report to the "Fish Room".

The three mermaids from the "Fish Room" were already swimming around, waiting to swallow him whole, skin and bones!

(End of this chapter)