SFS Chapter 419 War?
Chapter 419 War?
The wives of the ministers who were not invited by Ying Wuyou were filled with unease. In particular, the Prime Minister's wife was furious. She smashed several vases in a fit of rage, and the floor was covered with broken porcelain shards after a series of loud crashes.
Just then, Prime Minister Wang Wan pushed open the door and stepped into the room, instantly stunned by the mess before him. He frowned slightly, looking at his wife with suspicion, and asked, "What happened? Who made you so angry?"
The Prime Minister's wife glared at Prime Minister Wang Wan and said irritably, "You still want to ask me? What do you think Princess Jiayang meant? She invited so many ladies and young misses to the banquet and even gave them mirrors, but why didn't she invite me?"
After listening, Wang Wan remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "You don't need to worry about this. This is a battle between her and me, so naturally she wouldn't invite you."
"War?" The Prime Minister's wife was so surprised she couldn't close her mouth. "She's still a woman, how can you go against her?"
Wang Wan sighed helplessly and explained, "No, it's not that I want to deal with her, but that she wants to deal with me. In short, we are not on the same side, you just need to remember that."
The Prime Minister's wife gazed at Wang Wan, noticing his furrowed brows, as if burdened by an invisible pressure. She softly replied, "Yes," then turned and ordered the servants to thoroughly clean the house.
The lady knew that Wang Wan must be extremely troubled at the moment. Although she knew nothing about court affairs, she understood the pressure he was under. She decided to cook him a nourishing soup, hoping to alleviate his fatigue.
After the Prime Minister's wife left, Wang Wan remained alone in the room, her thoughts surging like a tide. Half a year had passed since the imperial examinations ended, and these young officials had not only quickly established themselves in various places but had also demonstrated outstanding talent and performance.
However, at this very moment, Ying Wuyou suddenly made such a move. Did this mean that their war had officially begun? Wang Wan couldn't help but fall into deep thought, as various possibilities intertwined and swirled in his mind.
Wang Wan stood by the window, gazing at the withered leaves falling in the courtyard, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the window frame.
With the rise of new elites in the imperial examination system, Ying Wuyou's influence spread like vines throughout the court, while he, the prime minister, seemed to be gradually sidelined.
"She's trying to completely abolish the old system of recommendation by aristocratic families..." he murmured to himself.
The imperial examination system, with its rigorous assessments, allowed scholars from humble backgrounds to enter officialdom based on their talent and learning, freeing them from dependence on powerful families. If this continued, what foothold would these old officials, who relied on family connections and recommendations to maintain their power, have left?
What alarmed him even more was Ying Wuyou's methods—she not only controlled the assessment of newly promoted officials, but now she was using mirrors as bait to win over the families of court officials. Today she sent mirrors, what will she send tomorrow?
She was weaving a net, and Wang Wan was standing in the center of the net.
The following day at the court assembly, Wang Wan, contrary to his usual behavior, took the initiative to step forward and present his report.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report." His voice was calm, but his gaze subtly swept over Ying Wuyou, who was standing to the side.
King Ying Zheng of Qin raised his hand: "Speak."
"Although the imperial examination system is beneficial to the country and the people, newly appointed officials lack experience. I believe that experienced officials from the court should be assigned to various regions to supervise the implementation of the new policies."
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent.
Ying Wuyou's eyes flashed slightly, and he sneered inwardly—Wang Wan was using the guise of "supervision" to actually "monitor" and even take the opportunity to place her cronies among the newly promoted officials!
Before she could speak, Meng Tian retorted, "Prime Minister, you are mistaken! The new official evaluation system has been in operation for half a year with remarkable results. Why is there an need for additional supervision? Does the Prime Minister not trust His Majesty's judgment in selecting talent?"
Wang Wan remained expressionless and said calmly, "Your Excellency is too kind. This old minister is only concerned about the affairs of the state."
At this moment, a young official stepped forward and said, “Prime Minister, are you ignoring the facts? These new officials are young and sharp, without the arrogance of scions of noble families, yet possessing the practical talents honed through years of diligent study. Furthermore, the official evaluation system established by Princess Jiayang makes performance evaluations crystal clear, making it difficult to slip through the cracks with personal connections. Has the Prime Minister not seen this?”
Before Wang Wan could speak again, another official said, "I heard that the new magistrate of Yinmi County in Liangzhou Prefecture cleared up five years' worth of back taxes in just three months?"
"Not only that! The magistrate of Lepan County in Beidi Prefecture actually led his yamen runners to the fields to promote new agricultural tools, and this year's autumn tax revenue is 20% higher than in previous years!" another official interjected.
In the imperial court, the faces of the old aristocratic ministers, led by Wang Wan, grew increasingly grim.
These new officials do not curry favor with powerful figures or form cliques; they only care about their political achievements—and the criteria for judging these achievements are firmly in Ying Wuyou's hands.
Ying Zheng's gaze was deep, and he did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he looked at Ying Wuyou and asked, "Jiayang, what do you think?"
Ying Wuyou smiled slightly and stepped forward calmly.
“Father, I believe that the Prime Minister’s concerns are not without merit.”
Wang Wan frowned, clearly not expecting her to agree with her.
However, Ying Wuyou's next words caused his expression to change drastically—
"However, instead of sending veteran officials to supervise, it would be better to have those who performed well in the imperial examinations conduct mutual evaluations. As newly promoted officials, they are more familiar with local affairs and have no vested interests, so their evaluations would be more fair."
Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall nodded in agreement. This move not only blocked Wang Wan's path to interfering in local affairs but also further solidified the alliance among the newly powerful figures.
Wang Wan's hand clenched slightly in her sleeve, but she could only suppress her anger and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness is wise."
After the court session, Wang Wan walked alone on the palace road, her figure appearing somewhat lonely.
Suddenly, a clear, cold voice came from behind—
"Prime Minister, please wait."
He turned around and saw Li Si standing on the steps, slowly walking towards him.
"What instructions does the Court of Justice have for me?" Wang Wan asked in a flat tone.
Li Si approached Wang Wan with slow and steady steps. His voice was gentle, but it carried an undeniable authority: "Prime Minister, we are facing an extremely difficult battle this time. If we act rashly without adequate preparation, we may suffer more losses than gains."
Upon hearing Li Si's words, Wang Wan was speechless. He knew in his heart that Li Si was right; he had indeed been too hasty. It was precisely this haste that led to his utter defeat at the morning court session.
However, Wang Wan was not discouraged. He knew that although they had failed this time, they still had many opportunities. After all, their numbers were no fewer than Ying Wuyou's, and might even be more. Moreover, as long as they could seize on a weakness or mistake made by an official who had passed the imperial examination, they would be fully capable of instantly collapsing the situation that Ying Wuyou had painstakingly built.