The officialdom is like a battlefield, but it is even more like a killing scene.

If you are not careful in one move, you will lose all the game. You will lose only one game in the chess field, and in the officialdom, you may lose your life. Zhang Juzheng is naturally very familiar with this principle, and the reason why he was able to become the chief assistant of the Ming Dynasty was because Gao Gong was not careful in one move.

Thinking of Yan Chong's fate, Zhang Juzheng seemed a little depressed. He could let go too high, and others might not be able to let him go in the future. Even Zhang Juzheng believed that once those people gained power in the future, in order to "kill the chicken and show the monkey", in order to let the world see the result of provoking them, he probably would not be much better than Yan Chong.

By then, the one who lost it will probably not be just your own life!

Zhang Juzheng would never tolerate himself making such mistakes. Because of this, when Zhang Siwei did such a thing, he could still accept everything calmly.

Because he knows what is the most beneficial choice for him.

Now, neither Zhang Siwei nor Shen Shixing are suitable to be the secondary assistant. Both of them are eyeing the position of the primary assistant!

But now it's a dead end!

"The Chief Supervisor, since the Chief Supervisor is committed to making progress, the Ming Dynasty's revival is imminent. When the ship reaches the middle of the river, if you don't advance, you will retreat. Now it is between advance and retreat, and it is at the critical moment. There must be no trouble. Therefore, the subordinates think that Shen Shixing will not act as a secondary assistant!"

Faced with the silence of the prime minister, Fu Zuozhou, as his confidant, could not remain silent. Moreover, this is also the reason why the prime minister came to him. No matter how ugly the words were, they had to be said. We must not let the prime minister make the wrong choice!

"Anyone in the court can be the assistant, but he can't!"

Zhang Juzheng did not hide anything about Fu Zuozhou's directness, but nodded and said.

"However, Ziwei's retirement has become a foregone conclusion, and it is impossible to keep him in the court."

These words were telling Fu Zuozhou that things have become a foregone conclusion now. I want you to come up with an idea to break the situation.

Fu Zuozhou certainly understood the meaning of the chief minister, and he suddenly became a little anxious.

"The chief minister, in this way, Shen Shixing will inevitably become the leader of all officials in Jiangnan. Once he is in the position of the secondary assistant, the Jiangnan officials will inevitably try every means to help him become the chief minister, and then dismantle everything that the chief minister has worked hard to manage! At that time, he will definitely be enemies with the chief minister! In the past, all officials in Jiangnan were without leaders, but once Shen Shixing became the chief minister, everything will be different. With a leader, then, the party struggles in the court will surely start again. Even if the chief minister wants to implement reforms, he may be constrained!"

Looking up at Zhang Juzheng with a solemn expression, Fu Zuozhou said solemnly again.

"I would like to ask the Prime Minister to try to keep Zhang Cifu. Although he is ambitious, for him, there is nothing he values ​​except salt method."

Fu Zuozhou's words were very straightforward. Zhang Siwei and others were all from the salt merchant family, so the censor in charge of salt affairs said that the destruction of salt affairs in the world was because of Zhang Siwei and his family. The salt merchants influenced the political situation with their strong financial resources. Zhang Siwei, as the spokesperson of the salt merchant, only valued the salt law and only saw whether his family could make profits from the salt law, so they naturally supported the reform.

Many so-called "reforms" are actually generally the case. The parties who support reforms often want to profit from them. As for opponents, they are often damaged by their own interests.

Although Zhang Juzheng was very grateful to Fu Zuozhou for being direct, his directness made people feel very uncomfortable. After all, whether it is Wang Chonggu or Zhang Siwei, they are all supporters of Zhang Juzheng, who value salt method... Doesn’t this mean that they are sitting on the sidelines of their own profits by borrowing salt method?

Even if this is the fact, you can't put it on the table and say it! Some things can be seen through, but you can't tell them thoroughly!

Zhang Juzheng, who knew the resistance to reform, chose to form an alliance with Zhang Siwei and then attack the Nanzhili Group to promote reform. Of course, this kind of cooperation is not without a price, the price is the salt law, and the Wang family and Zhang family and other Shanxi salt merchants gain more abundant benefits from it.

But…this is a well-known secret!

"Zi Wei's resignation has become inevitable. This matter is not needed!"

He glanced at the box that was placed on the desk again and interrupted Fu Zuozhou's words. Zhang Juzheng said seriously.

"I'm asking you to come here this time just to discuss this matter with you. As for the rest, I don't need to talk about it today."

Although Zhang Juzheng was not so direct, Fu Zuozhou still heard that he had said the wrong thing and quickly remedy it.

"It's Meng Lang, but since the second assistant has retired, Shen Shixing will definitely become the second assistant. This is the rule of the cabinet for many years. This rule cannot be broken, and if it is broken, it will inevitably cause others to rebound..."

After pondering for a moment, Fu Zuozhou, who knew that things were irreversible, could only think of other solutions in his heart. Suddenly his eyes lit up, and then he looked at Zhang Juzheng and said.

"Actually, my subordinates have a suggestion, I don't know whether to say it or not!"

"Speak!"

The reason why he called Fu Zuozhou over was because Zhang Juzheng wanted to hear his advice. If it weren't for the lack of help, he wouldn't have been so distressed. There was really no way.

"The reason why the chief minister cannot be allowed to become the secondary assistant is because Jiangnan Shilin behind him is watching him. Once he becomes the secondary assistant, it will inevitably lead to turmoil in the court and there will definitely be a party struggle. Therefore, the subordinates feel that as long as there is a person older than him enters the cabinet, he will naturally not be able to become the secondary assistant, and officials from Nanzhi will not be able to make a big fuss and incite turmoil in the government and the opposition."

Fu Zuozhou said, looking at the prime minister, and his suggestion made Zhang Juzheng frown.

"A person with older experience, what's in this cabinet..."

Suddenly, Zhang Juzheng stopped speaking, he looked at Fu Zuozhou and said,

"You mean Lu Diaoyang! But he has retired!"

Seeing that the chief apprentice understood what he meant, Fu Zuozhou hurriedly said:

"Lu Diaoyang is a master of the country. He retired because of his health. However, when the minister heard that his old illness has been cured. Fortunately, the emperor is so handsome that he will not want the old minister to be buried in the countryside, so he will definitely issue an order like he entered the court..."

There was an imperial edict issued by the emperor, which clearly suggested that Zhang Juzheng ask for an imperial edict to summon Lu to the court.

Lu Diaoyang!

When Zhang Juzheng was talking about this name, he couldn't help but hesitate. After all, when Lu Diaoyang was the assistant, he was also a threat to him. Even later, Lu Diaoyang asked for retirement one after another because the relationship between the two deteriorated. Will he be trapped in a cocoon when he asked him to enter the court? Will he be enemies with him?

Looking at the locust tree outside the window, Zhang Juzheng was a little stunning.

This move is a trick to drive away the wolf and swallow the tiger!

"What if he opposes reform?"

Faced with the question from the chief minister, Fu Zuozhou shook his head and said.

"The chief assistant, Mr. Lu Ge still supports the reform. Moreover, he is a Geng Chen and will never abolish the public for personal gain. As long as it is a matter that is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty and the people of the world, he will definitely support it. Moreover, he is from Guangxi, and even if he is a secondary assistant, it will not have any impact on the court, but Shen Shixing is different."

Fu Zuozhou's suggestion made Zhang Juzheng think for a long time. He kept thinking about all possibilities in his mind, but in the end, all possibilities fell into one sentence: "Lu Diaoyang is a Geng Chen". Yes, he is indeed a Geng Chen, and he will not abolish the public for personal gain, but people will always change. What if he changes?

Then, he thought to himself, how could he change when he was at that age?

After thinking through everything, Zhang Juzheng sighed and then said:

"Everyone in the world said that I am a unique figure, but who knows that I am walking on thin ice in the position of this assistant! I, Zhang Juzheng, have always been forced to such a point..."

After sighing, Zhang Juzheng's face looked a little strange, as if he had never expected that he would face such a choice one day. After all, everything in the past was under his control. It was too dangerous to drive away the wolf and swallow the tiger like now!

After thinking about it, Zhang Juzheng waved his hand again.

"You go back first."

Neither agree nor deny, it seemed that everything was the same as usual, but in fact everything changed.

After Fu Zuozhou left, Zhang Juzheng leaned on the chair, frowned and thought. After a long time, he sighed, and picked up his pen, wrote a memorial first, and then wrote a letter. After the letter was written, he called the servant to instruct.

"Send this letter to the Letter Bureau, and send it to Guilin at 800 miles."

Then he sat for a while, as if he was remembering something, he got up again, left the study room, and then came to a side courtyard in the back house. The windows in the side courtyard were lighted, and people could be seen vaguely through the window paper. When he walked in, a maid said to him.

"I have met my uncle."

"Xun'er is still studying?"

"The young master is still studying in the study, maid, maid calls him now."

"No, no, I'll just go over."

Nodding silently, Zhang Juzheng walked into the study room. The person who was reading at the desk might not notice him because he was too focused.

Seeing his focused appearance, Zhang Juzheng sighed again. The man came to his senses and looked up to see the visitor. A joy flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the spirit in his eyes dimmed again. He stood up and bowed.

"My nephew has met his uncle."

He nodded silently, looked at him again, and Zhang Juzheng said.

"The ship has arrived. You... pack up and prepare to return south."
Chapter completed!