169 [Cabinet Chief Assistant] One

When Zhao Zhigao's palace was located in the northeast corner of the capital, it occupied a large position. After Huo Fangyi inquired about the detailed address, he came to Zhao Zhigao's door alone.

When he came, he didn't prepare anything. The first time he saw such a big person, Huo Fangyi was really a little embarrassed. When Zaifu was in the dynasty, he was equivalent to a figure at the level of a modern and contemporary prime minister.

The plaque of Zhao's house is not very big, only the size of a person horizontally, hanging above the gate. There are two soldiers standing outside the courtyard, and there are no other soldiers. Huo Fangyi thought that there were only two soldiers in the courtyard of such an important person, and it really looked a little uncoordinated. Are the important guards in the yard?

Regardless of that, just go straight!

Huo Fangyi came to the gate of Zhaofu in three steps and was stopped by two guards.

"What do you do!?"

Huo Fangyi leaned over and saluted, "I'm here to see Lord Zhao."

The two soldiers looked up and down at Huo Fangyi. After Huo Fangyi entered the capital, he changed his female costume and paid for a relatively noble Han costume, but these two soldiers have also seen a lot. After all, there are countless people who come to visit Zhao Zaifu every day, and there are quite a lot of them dressed. This dress is a face at best, and it still needs to be inside. Naturally, the two soldiers knew this. Seeing that Huo Fangyi's hands were empty, they were naturally unhappy and said in a stiff tone: "Go, Lord Zhao doesn't have time to wait for you!"

"This..." Huo Fangyi didn't know what to do for a moment and froze in place.

At this time, a sedan chair landed steadily in front of the door of Zhao's mansion. The sedan chair was quite large, and there were eight people carrying it together, which showed how comfortable the people sitting inside were. The curtain opened, and a man in his forties came out of it. He was followed by an entourage about the same age as him and gently came to Huo Fangyi.

As soon as the two soldiers saw this man coming, they smiled and bowed and said, "Lord Shen is here."

Who is Lord Shen?

Lord Shen said, "Is Lord Zhao in the house?"

"There, here, please allow me to go in and let me know." With that, a soldier ran quickly to the yard.

Huo Fangyi thought that Lord Shen must come here often, and depending on the level of respect the soldiers, this man's official position must be not small. Is it possible that he is also a member of the cabinet?

Huo Fangyi knew that he could not be thin-skinned now. He bravely said to Lord Shen, "Lord Shen, can you take me in to meet Lord Zhao?"

Lord Shen looked at Huo Fangyi curiously and said, "You are quite bold, but Lord Zhao is very busy. You can't see him if you want to see him, and young people like you should read more. Don't always think about ascending to the sky in one step!"

Huo Fangyi thought, I wipe it, you have seen through my mind!

Thinking about it, the soldier ran back: "Lord Shen, please come in. Lord Zhao is waiting for you in the main hall."

After Huo Fangyi waited for Lord Shen to leave, he came up with an idea. He took out an ingot of gold and said to the two soldiers, "Two brothers, I really want to see Lord Zhao. Can you ask the two brothers for help?"

The two gatekeepers usually take bribes a lot, but they really haven't seen a gold ingot like Huo Fangyi. At most, it's just a kin of silver per person. Most of the time, it's just a few taels of silver. Therefore, the eyes of the two guards were straight.

But the two guards did not reach out to receive the gold, because they could not promise Huo Fangyi to see Lord Zhao. The guard said, "There are some things, we don't say, but we can introduce someone to you. You can discuss with him how to let Lord Zhao see you!"

Huo Fangyi hurriedly stuffed the gold into the guard's clothes and said, "Thank you two."

The guard patted Huo Fangyi and said, "Brother, you are quite young, but you are very rich. Which big family are you from?"

"No, no"

"Well, come with me." A guard took Huo Fangyi into the yard, but did not go to Zhao Zhigao. Instead, he turned left and right to a bedroom that looked like a study. An old man was looking at the account book.

"This is the housekeeper Liu of our Zhao family, and the rest is up to you." After saying that, the soldier actually went out.

"..." Huo Fangyi thought that you made this gold ingot so easy that you left without even introducing me?

Now that the ducks are on the shelves, I can only say it by myself.

"How are housekeeper Liu?"

Housekeeper Liu looked at Huo Fangyi and said to himself, "These two guys must have taken your benefits. Tell me, what are you going to do?"

Huo Fangyi thought to himself, it seems that they often do this kind of thing: "Housekeeper Liu, I want to see Lord Zhao."

"The people who come here all want to see Lord Zhao. What do you want to do after seeing Lord Zhao?"

"I just want to talk to Lord Zhao."

"Don't you just want an official seat? But I can tell you that Lord Zhao is a clean official and will not accept your bribes.

Huo Fangyi quickly took out another gold from his pocket and handed it to Butler Liu: "Housekeeper Liu, please accept this little idea. I'm not here to ask for an officialdom, I just want to talk to Lord Zhao."

Butler Liu was also a little surprised when he saw the gold, but he soon regained his composure. He pretended to be calm and said, "Well, you still have some knowledge. I can find a time for you to talk to Lord Zhao, but you have to tell me what you will do first?"

"What do you mean?"

"Otherwise, how can I tell Lord Zhao!"

"Oh, I'm very good at boxing."

"Okay, you follow me." Butler Liu took Huo Fangyi to the door of a main room. Huo Fangyi knew that Lord Shen and Lord Zhao were discussing at this time. Sure enough, Butler Liu came out and said, "You wait outside the door for a moment and wait for me to call you."

It took almost half an hour for Shen to leave. At this time, housekeeper Liu asked Huo Fangyi to enter the main hall. Zhao Zhigao was drinking tea at this time. The man was not young, about 50 years old, but he seemed to be mentally depressed. Did he worry about national events all day long?

Butler Liu said, "Your Excellency, I have talked to him about both humanism and martial arts. He is a talent. He said he wants to ask for an official seat with him."

Huo Fangyi frowned and thought: I said I don't want to ask for an official. I'm not the kind of person who is greedy for small and cheap. If you want to do it, you can be a big official!

Zhao's voice was calm and extremely magnetic. He gently put down the teacup and said, "Young man, you should know that there are many people who come to me every day to ask for office, but you are the first person to make the old housekeeper so valued it!"

Huo Fangyi barely squeezed out a smile. Yes, that's an ingot of gold!

Huo Fangyi knew that he must make a sophisticated and calm temperament at this moment, but his original personality also relied on this aspect: "Thank you, Butler Liu, for his praise. Caomin has no natural talent, but there is some ink in his stomach. If the Lord appreciates Caomin, he can give Caomin an official seat (Anyway, Butler Liu After saying that, let's go ahead. The primary purpose now is not to be an official, but to gain the trust and appreciation of Zhao Zhigao!). If Caomin doesn't say anything well, please forgive Lord Zhao.

Housekeeper Liu said angrily, "Don't be rude to adults!"

Zhao Zhigao's eyes are relatively small. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Huo Fangyi and said, "It doesn't matter, but it's quite different from others. I haven't seen such a straightforward young man for many years. Well, sit down and let me ask you a question first?"

Huo Fangyi did not humbly sit down directly: "Your excellency, please speak."

"I ask you, why don't you get your fame? Although I can apply for an official seat for you, it doesn't make sense for you."

Anyway, I haven't taken the national examination, so I just made it up: "Well, capable officials may not take the exam, and officials who can take the exam may not have the ability to be officials. I think so. I have studied hard for more than ten years and dare not guarantee that I can pass the top exam. When I get old, how can I take out my youth to make a decision for the poor people? I hope Lord Zhao can give me such a chance.

Zhao Zhigao smiled and said, "What a young and frivolous man! Well said, you may not be able to do things! Many people have said the same thing to me, and I have rejected them. To tell you the truth, no one has won the official position in this way since the day I became Zaifu.

Zhao Zhigao's voice suddenly hardened, and Huo Fangyi was surprised. If what he said was true, it could only prove that this person was a good official, or he didn't give enough money? But is it useful to have so much money to be in such a high position?

Zhao Zhigao suddenly became kind again: "But it doesn't matter. Don't be discouraged. I can test you first."

"Please speak."

"What do you think of the current border situation?"

Huo Fangyi said happily in his heart that you have asked the right person. I have been fighting at the border since I crossed the border!

"I seem to be in a stable situation at present, but in fact it is not."

"Oh? Why?"

"The military territory of our dynasty belongs to Liaodong, because there are Jurchens tribes like tigers in the northeast and the remnants of Mengyuan private jackals in the north. Fortunately, a few days ago, the Jurchens experienced a civil strife, and the vitality of the Jurchens was greatly damaged. The Hetao tribe, Mongolia's most powerful tribe, has been completely eliminated by our Liaodong iron cavalry, and Zhuang Tuose and others have left our northern border. It can be said that it seems safe for the time being. However, Nurhachi is ambitious, and sooner or later he will declare war on our Ming Dynasty! Moreover, Fusang, which is far away in Dongying, still occupies the southern coast, and it seems that there is still an intention to annex* in recent years. Now the two people who are the biggest threat to me are Nurhachi and Toyotomi Hideyoshi!"

Zhao Zhigao listened to Huo Fangyi's words and his eyes were shining. Although what Huo Fangyi said was what had happened, the people in the middle of the whirlpool of the war would not know so much detail, and he also said that Nurhachi and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were the biggest threat to the border, although not It's still unpredictable, but Huo Fangyi's vision is really far-reaching!