Cai Jing, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, has been at home for more than two months because of his illness. During these two months, Cai Jing planted flowers, raised fish, wrote, painted, tasted delicious food, and played with his concubines. His life was very comfortable.

Hanlin bachelor Chengzhi, also known as Du Chengzhi, is the step leading to the road to Prime Minister and Executive. As you go up, you can step into the ranks of Prime Minister and Executive. The position of Prime Minister and Executive is almost within easy reach, but Cai Jing is already in this position.

After wandering for several years, I still couldn't take this step, still couldn't step into the ranks of Zhi and Zhi.

The reasons are complicated, mainly due to the suppression by Prime Minister Zhang Dun, Minister Zeng Bu and others.

At this time, although Cai Jing's younger brother Cai Bian was the deputy prime minister of the imperial court, and there was another deputy prime minister named General Xu, they were basically ignored by Zhang Dun, and the government orders basically came from the Zaifu, so Zhang Dun became a fact of the Song court.

Not only that, the quota of six ruling ministers was basically never filled during Zhang Dun's administration, and Zhang Dun rarely recommended new people to join the ruling ranks.

However, during these days, Zhang Dun showed favor to Cai Jing, which made Cai Jing feel uneasy.

Sima Zhao's intentions are known to everyone on the road. Cai Jing is still undecided at this time.

Zeng Bu has always been disgusted with Cai Jing. The reason is that Cai Jing had defected in battle during the Yuanfeng period, which made Zeng Bu disdain Cai Jing's character and criticized him. Of course, he also tried his best to contain Cai Jing.

"Master, the third young master is back." Just as Cai Jing was admiring the fish in the pond and thinking about his own thoughts, the old man in the mansion reported.

Cai Jing currently has five sons, the second son died early, and there are four sons now. The fifth son Chai is young and unable to do anything. Cai Jing made the eldest son You marry well with Duan Wang Zhao Ji, the third son Fei secretly betrothed with Shen Wang Zhao Ji, and the fourth son Sui married well

In the case of King Jian and Zhao Si, this is a sure-fire guarantee.

"What did King Shen say to you?" Cai Jing asked after seeing Cai Yi coming back.

"King Shen didn't say anything, he just gave the child a bottle of golden Buddha." Cai Yi then took out the golden Buddha and said.

"Golden Buddha?" Cai Jing then played with the golden Buddha and pondered for a moment before saying, "King Shen gave it to you, and you accepted it?"

"It's...a child...what? Father, don't you think we should accept it?" Cai Yi asked after hearing this.

"Because of a small loss, a big loss, we must not abandon the long-term plan for the sake of immediate gain." Cai Jing nodded and said: "The situation is still unclear, how can we accept the gift from King Shen?"

"Father." Cai Yi heard this and retorted: "King Shen is the eldest. According to what I see, the possibility of King Shen ascending to the throne is extremely high, so at this time, we should do something to help him in the snow."

"This statement is absurd." Cai Jing shook his head and said: "Did all the emperors in our dynasties ascend to the throne as the eldest son? It is not uncommon for the virtuous to be promoted but not the elder."

"What do you mean, father?" Cai Yi asked.

"Come with me." Cai Jing then said to Cai Yi.

The two then walked to a pavilion, and Cai Jing picked up a few stones and placed them on the ground.

"This is for the Queen Mother." Cai Jing squatted on the ground and moved the largest stone and placed it on the ground.

"This is King Shen, this is King Duan, and this is King Jian." Cai Jing then placed three larger stones on the ground.

"This is Prime Minister Zhang Dun, this is Zeng Bu, and this is your uncle." Cai Jing then placed some stones second only to the Queen Mother's stone on the ground.

"This is Princess Zhu, Princess Wu and others..." Cai Jing placed some of the smallest gravels on the ground.

big

Stones of all sizes formed a circle on the ground. Cai Jing finally placed a pink petal in the middle of the stone circle and said, "How many pairs of eyes are staring at this position. What do you think is the most critical moment?"

"I don't understand, please tell me." A pile of large and small stones were placed on the ground, which dazzled Cai Jing. How could he know what Cai Jing meant?

"Go get a basin of water." Cai Jing smiled at Cai Yi.

Cai Chen was completely puzzled, but he still followed Cai Jing's instructions, brought a basin of water over, and looked at Cai Jing like a monk two feet tall.

"Fall toward the pile of rocks." Cai Jing then ordered.

Cai Chen nodded, gritted his teeth and poured the water in the basin towards the pile of stones. The two of them heard a splash. The water poured behind the pile of stones, and scattered countless small stones, leaving only the huge stone of the Queen Mother.

As for the larger stones Zhang Dun, Zeng Bu, Shen Wang, Duan Wang, and Jian Wang, the Queen Mother's huge stone did not move at all. Zhang Dun, Zeng Bu, Shen Wang, Duan Wang, and Jian Wang were all

The stone was moved by the water.

"Do you understand now?" Cai Jing then asked Cai Yi.

Cai Yi stared blankly at the huge stone of the Queen Mother, and nodded in understanding.

"To me, the Queen Mother is like a rock, no matter how rain or wind blows, it will remain motionless, while the rest of the people are like gravel, which can be blown away by a slightly stronger wind and rain. Therefore, the Queen Mother is the key at this time, and the Queen Mother's intention will be

She decides all my movements, and she decides who will be in charge, and that’s pretty much it, Zhang Dun can’t do it, Zeng Bu can’t do it, and the rest of them can’t do it,” Cai Jing said.

"What do you mean, sir? To make friends with the Queen Mother? But the Queen Mother is a member of the palace, how about we...?" Cai Yi stuttered and asked hesitantly after hearing this.

"Haha" Cai Jing said with a smile at the end: "My father has made arrangements over the years. It is true that the Queen Mother is a member of the palace, but she did not pop out from a crack in the stone. She will eventually have relatives. My father has already made arrangements with me.

They are as close as brothers."

Cai Jing is referring to the two brothers Xiang Zonghui and Xiang Zongliang. They are the brothers of the Empress Dowager Xiang's clan and the natal family of the Empress Dowager Xiang. Cai Jing has long been on good terms with them and they are as close as brothers.

Cai Jing not only made friends with foreign relatives, but also made friends with many of the emperor's internal servants, ministers, concubines, and even ordinary maids and eunuchs. During every year and festival, Cai Jing's gifts were sent to the palace in large and small packages, which made the court ministers even

To be disdainful.

One of the important figures in the palace whom Cai Jing made friends with was Guan, the official in charge of the palace.

"No matter who she decides to take over, it will always be right for us to be better than her. This is a long-term plan for our Cai family, and it is also safer." The Cai family then smiled and said.

The Song Dynasty was quite different from other dynasties. Although the Song Dynasty also strictly prevented the harem from intervening in politics and relatives from monopolizing power, it was not so strict with the queen mother. On the contrary, it became a routine for the queen mother to interfere in politics, especially in the extreme handover of power. This was even more true.

"Listening to the government" seems to have become an unwritten ancestral system. Ministers must always hold up the banner of the Queen Mother, so that they can show their reputation.

"What do you mean, sir...? The child will no longer have contact with King Shen from now on?" Cai Yi then asked.

"That's not the case." Cai Jing shook his head and said, "Just now you said about providing help in times of need. What my father wants to say now is that the icing on the cake is also a flower, and it is better than nothing."

"You are still as old as you are old. With your words, your hut will be opened." Cai Yi heard this and asked again: "Having said that, who do you think is more likely to rise to the top?"

"Prince Duan Zhao Ji." Cai Jing replied affirmatively after drinking the fragrant tea.

"Why do you think so, Your Majesty? King Shen is the oldest, and King Jian is your Majesty's biological brother. Why do you think that the irrelevant King Duan can ascend to the throne?" Cai Yi asked in confusion.

"The Queen Mother has no children, and King Duan has no mother." Cai Jing replied with a smile upon hearing this.

The biological mothers of Shen Wang Zhao Bai and Jian Wang Zhao are still alive and they are concubines in the harem. How can Empress Dowager Xiang allow them to crawl on her head? It would be extremely uncomfortable for such despicable people to be treated as equals.

However, all this is still based on the fact that Emperor Zhao Xu of the Song Dynasty did not designate an heir to the throne. If Zhao Xu suddenly designated an heir before his death and left a will, then things would be completely different.

However, it is not unheard of to correct the imperial edict in all dynasties. This is the main reason for Cai Jing's decision.

Cai Jing finally remembered something and asked, "What happened to the banished immortal? Is there any news?"

"Father." Cai Yi heard this and replied: "My child has received the news that the banished sister has escaped from danger and is on her way back now."

"This will put your father at ease." Cai Jing nodded and said, "I wonder if she was humiliated in the gangster's den?"

"Should it be okay? What does daddy mean...?" Cai Yi glanced at Cai Jing and asked.

Cai Jing frowned and shook his head silently.

How could Cai Jing not know that Cai Rongxue was both talented and beautiful? The reason why Cai Jing was so concerned about Cai Rongxue's experience was because Cai Jing planned to marry Cai Rongxue as a concubine to the three princes who were vying for the throne at this time.

Yes, this will increase the Cai family's bargaining chip.

The Cai family had this plan for a long time, but the reason why it was not implemented was because they were hesitant. If Cai Rongxue loses her virginity at this time, then this bargaining chip will lose her role. Not only will it lose its role, it will also become a burden.

, Cai Jing had a headache because of this.

........

"Drive...drive...drive...back...avoid!"

On an official road from Lingnan to Kaifeng Prefecture, hundreds of Song army soldiers were riding on war horses to guard a carriage. They galloped on the official road, sending up overwhelming dust.

"Ouch, it's so bumpy. Sister, my body hurts so much." Xiao Qin, Cai Rongxue's personal maid, who was in the carriage, said as she rubbed her buttocks, which was in great pain from the jolt of the speeding carriage.

"Ninja point, we can rest when we get to the inn." Cai Rongxue pursed her lips and smiled.

"Sister, why are you so impatient? Are you rushing back in such a hurry...can't you walk slowly?" Xiaoqin said with a pout.

"I said I miss you, do you believe me?" Cai Rongxue said with a smile.

Xiaoqin has been Cai Rongxue's maid since she was a child. The two have been close to each other for a long time and talk about everything.

"I don't believe it." Xiaoqin said disdainfully: "Are you doing it for him...?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Cai Rongxue's cheeks flushed immediately after hearing this, and she quickly said: "Who is he?

"Sister, please stop pretending. Although Nunu is young, she is not blind. She knows everything, hehe."

"What do you know?"

"Xiaoqin just knows, sister, you care about him so much, does he care about you?"

"Hey...why does he care about me?"
Chapter completed!