At dusk, Pei Ju's carriage slowly walked on Zhongdu Street, and more than a dozen sword guards rode horses on both sides to follow. In the past, Pei Ju would close his eyes and take a nap in the carriage for a while, but today he seemed a little worried. When he set up Ziwei Pavilion to provide advice, he was a little worried, but today his worries finally became a reality.

The multi-phase system is indeed going to be implemented, the era of the two phases is about to end, and the era of the seven phases begins. In the past, he and Su Wei took turns to control the power of the prime minister. The meals that the two people had to eat were seven people, and the decision-making power became the right to vote. This would inevitably greatly damage his interests and make him feel at ease.

But even if he disagrees, it will be useless. He has seen Zhang Xuan's determination to implement a multi-element system. He does not want to be a sacrifice for Zhang Xuan to implement a multi-element system. He must agree and actively promote it. The implementation of a multi-element system means that Zhang Xuan will substantially delegate power, such as financial power, human rights and other court powers. I am afraid that except for military power, title power, and appointment power of third rank and above officials, Zhang Xuan will not let go, other court affairs will be given to the prime minister.

Pei Ju has realized that this will be the beginning of the Jun Xiang’s right confirmation and the beginning of the realization of power. He needs to establish his own faction as soon as possible. Even if he cannot change the fact that his power is weakened, he must protect his own interests.

Six of the seven prime ministers have been identified, he, Su Wei, Wei Yunqi, Xiao Yu, Chen Len, and Li Gang, and there is still no candidate for the seventh prime minister.

Among the six people, although Li Gang and Su Wei had conflicts in their early years, Li Gang's enthronement of the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs was the result of Su Wei's efforts. To a certain extent, Li Gang was actually Su Wei's person.

Pei Ju is not isolated, and Chen Liu has an extraordinary relationship with him. He can completely regard Chen Ling as his faction. If he wins the seventh phase, then he will have three votes in the seventh phase of Ziwei Pavilion.

This seventh phase is particularly important to Pei Ju.

Pei Ju can basically be sure that the seventh person should be from the Hebei gentry. No matter how dissatisfied with the gentry group, Pei Ju knew in his heart that before Zhang Xuan's empire was completely established, he had to choose to compromise, otherwise the Northern Sui Dynasty would start to split from within, which was the most anticipated thing of the Tang Dynasty.

If the seventh prince was a gentry in Hebei, who would this person be? It was just Lu, Ercui, Li, Gao, and Bai. Pei Ju identified one by one in his heart. It should be the Lu family, but Zhang Xuan appointed Lu Chu as the right servant, obviously for the time being to temporarily exclude Lu Chu, let alone Lu Zhuo. This person is very ambitious and talented. Not only can he not help Zhang Xuan, it will bring him endless trouble, so he was appointed to go to the place. The other Lu family children, both Lu Qingyuan and Lu Han, are too young and useless.

The second is the Boling Cui family. After Cui Zhao was captured in Xuzhou, Zhang Xuan released him back to the family. He heard that he was confined to the ancestral temple for life and repented in the ancestral temple. His son Cui Wenxiang was still serving the rebel king Shichong. It is said that he had been promoted to the Huangmen Minister. If this pair of Cui family was slandered the Boling Cui family, the seventh minister should have nothing to do with the Boling Cui family.

The second is the Cui family of Qinghe. The Cui family of Qinghe was greatly affected by Zhang Jin's rebellion and many outstanding children died, such as Cui Yan, the prefect of Qinghe, and Cui Hongxin, the prefect of Pingyuan County, were all famous officials in Hebei. Unfortunately, they died in the chaos. The Cui family's school was burned by Zhang Jin's rebellion, which led to the decline of talents in the Qinghe Cui family in recent years. The head of the family Cui Huan can only say that his ability is mediocre, which makes him a bit reluctant to be the prefect of Qi County, let alone the prime minister.

There is also the Li family of Zhao County. Li Shoujie has no hope and will soon become the prefect of Hejian County. However, his son Li Qingming and his nephew Li Jing are highly valued by Zhang Xuan. Li Qingming will become prime minister sooner or later, but it is not possible now. Zhang Xuan will leave the opportunity of Li family of Zhao County to Li Qingming.

The other high-ranking families in Bohai and the Bai family in Xindu basically had nothing to serve as prime minister.

Pei Ju couldn't help but feel a little confused, but he also knew that if he hadn't found a suitable candidate, Zhang Xuan wouldn't have decided on the seventh phase yet.

Pei Ju's carriage slowly stopped in front of the mansion, and a follower helped him out of the carriage. The second-year-old Pei Jun ran quickly from the steps and held Pei Ju. Pei Ju saw a carriage parked beside him and asked, "Are there any guests coming to visit?"

"You are the Minister of Justice Zheng, who has been waiting for his grandfather for almost a quarter of an hour?"

Pei Ju frowned, "Have I made an appointment with Shangshu Zheng in advance?"

"It shouldn't be. Zheng Shangshu himself said that he was abrupt."

Pei Ju nodded. Since that's the case, it would be no longer Pei Ju's problem to let Zheng Shanguo wait for a quarter of an hour.

"Go and tell Shangshu Zheng that I will change my clothes and come soon!"

Pei Ju went back to his study and changed into a home Zen suit. He needed time to consider the purpose of Zheng Shanguo coming to see him. It would not be involved in the polygon system. After all, Zhang Xuan only told him and Su Wei about this matter, unless Su Wei leaked the news.

Pei Ju couldn't imagine why Zheng Shanguo came to find her, so she changed her clothes and walked quickly to the guest hall.

In the guest hall, Zheng Shanguo was lowering his head to drink tea, and seemed a little worried. He was appointed as the Minister of Justice and was one of the important officials of the Northern Sui Dynasty. However, he was a little upset during this period. As an old bureaucrat who had been in the officialdom of the Great Sui Dynasty for decades, he also keenly smelled the imminent redistribution of power, but he was wandering outside the door, as if he could not participate in this feast of power distribution, so how could he calm down?

At this time, a light cough came from the door, awakening Zheng Shanguo from his thoughts. When he looked up, he saw Pei Ju appearing at the door. Zheng Shanguo quickly stood up and saluted, "My nephew took the liberty to visit and disturbed Uncle Shi's rest. Please forgive me!"

Zheng Shanguo is fifty years old this year and belongs to Pei Ju's junior. Zheng Cheng is Pei Ju's close friend, so he always calls himself a nephew in front of Pei Ju.

Pei Ju walked into the room and smiled, "A nephew is also a Shangshu after all, and his identity is extraordinary. You don't have to be wronged by yourself like this. Please sit down!"

The two of them took a seat, and a maid came in and served tea again. Pei Ju took a sip of tea without any haste and said with a smile: "I heard that Zheng Shou, the clan brother of the virtuous nephew, was he named Minister of Personnel in Luoyang. Is there anything wrong?"

Zheng Shanguo smiled bitterly, "I was also forced to serve in order to ensure the safety of the family."

"It's okay, it's all right. I can only say that the Zheng family is highly valued. There is a son-in-law in Chang'an who is the crown prince. There is a Shangshu in Luoyang and Zhongzhong. He is worthy of being the leader of the Central Plains gentry."

Although Pei Ju was in a complimentary tone, Zheng Shanguo felt particularly uncomfortable when he heard it. He quickly changed the topic, "Did Uncle Shi hear it? Cui Zhao committed suicide in the Cui Clan Ancestral Hall."

Pei Ju was stunned, "When did this happen?"

"Just five days ago, I heard about the news of the Cui family blockade, but it still came out."

Cui Zhao tried his best to curry favor with Pei Ju, and even his son Cui Wenxiang almost married Pei Ju's granddaughter. When he heard the news of Cui Zhao's death, Pei Ju had a look of expression and said lightly: "What's the difference between him or not?"

"But this incident had a great impact on the Cui family of Boling. I heard that Cui Hongsheng was going to resign from his post as the prefect of Zhuo County."

"He did not resign because of this. He asked to retire and return home a month ago. After all, the seventy-year-old man suffered a lot in Goguryeo. His body had made him unable to bear the heavy affairs of the prefect. His resignation had been approved, but it had not been issued yet."

Zheng Shanguo looked happy, and hesitated for a moment, saying, "I heard that Lu Chu was going to serve as the Minister of Shangshu. Is he going to be the governor of Ziwei Pavilion?"

Pei Ju's eyelids jumped suddenly, and his eyes were sharply staring at Zheng Shanguo, "How did you know about this?"

Zheng Shanguo was so nervous that he was staring at Pei Ju's sharp eyes that he murmured: "I heard from Shangshu Wei talk about this in the afternoon."

It turned out that Wei Yunqi leaked the news, but Pei Ju changed his mind. Zhang Xuan talked about this with him and Su Wei in the morning, and must have talked with others in the afternoon. Moreover, Zheng Shanguo is the Minister of Justice, so it is normal for him to know this.

Pei Ju asked with concern again: "Is it Yunqi telling you that Lu Chu will be enthroned as Ziwei Pavilion for the administration?"

This news is very important. Wei Yunqi is Zhang Xuan's confidant and will serve as the Minister of State. His news often reflects Zhang Xuan's true intentions, so Pei Ju is very concerned.

Zheng Shanguo shook his head, "He didn't say that, he just said that Lu Chu would be more important, so my nephew guessed."

"Don't make random guesses about such things!"

Pei Ju sighed relieved and said, "It is true that Lu Chu is going to be reused. He will be promoted to Shangshu's Right Pushe. This is reused. As for the Ziwei Pavilion's supervisor, I have not heard of it."

At this time, Zheng Shanguo couldn't help asking: "I don't know what the conditions are required to enthrone the Ziwei Pavilion to provide assistance. How far is the nephew? Can Uncle Shi tell me?"

"you--"

Pei Ju then understood Zheng Shanguo's true intention to visit him. It turned out that he was also staring at the seventh prime minister. As the Secretary of the State, Zheng Shanguo could not have known the conditions for the Ziwei Pavilion to provide advice. Zheng Shanguo was just asking himself implicitly whether he could join the cabinet as prime minister?

Pei Ju was anxious and suddenly realized that Zhang Xuan did not say that Hebei gentry must have served as the Seventh Prime Minister, and that the gentry in the Central Plains could also be used as alternatives. As the leader of the gentry in the Central Plains, Zheng Shanguo really had hope of joining the cabinet as prime minister, and he could completely pull Zheng Shanguo into Ziwei Pavilion as prime minister. In addition to himself and Chen Len, there was another Zheng Shanguo, and he had three votes in the seven prime ministers of Ziwei Pavilion.

Pei Ju began to get excited and paced back and forth in the lobby with his hands behind his back. In fact, Zheng Shanguo's worries were not wrong. If he had to find the seventh prime minister among the Hebei gentry, then this person would be Lu Chu. If Lu Chu could not be the seventh prime minister, then the quota would be transferred from Hebei to the Central Plains, and Zheng Shanguo was the most promising candidate.

Pei Ju was almost certain that the seventh prefect was between Lu Chu and Zheng Shanguo, and Zheng Shanguo also realized this, so he came to find himself today.

Thinking of this, Pei Ju smiled and said, "This is not a place to talk. Please follow me to the study and talk in detail!"
Chapter completed!