Chapter 209: The End of Right Prime Minister
Chapter 209: The End of the Right Prime Minister
He couldn't help swallowing his saliva and put back the prime minister's airs that he had not yet put up.

Walking down the steps in small steps, Wang Guangyang came to Ye Xuan and politely said, "May I know the general's name?"

The Jinyiwei are military officers, and Qianhu are military positions. Strictly speaking, it is not an exaggeration to call them generals, but there is also some flattering meaning in it.

Ye Xuan smiled and bowed, saying, "I am Ye Xuan, a captain of the Imperial Guard. Nice to meet Prime Minister Wang."

Ye Xuan's behavior was indeed rude, but Wang Guangyang did not dare to get angry. Instead, he was shocked!
Ye Xuan, this name sounds familiar!
Wait, isn’t this the one who is rumored to be the emperor’s illegitimate son?
Wang Guangyang also talked about this matter with Hu Weiyong in private, but at that time he just treated it as a joke.

Then what surprised him was that when Hu Weiyong heard about this, he just smiled and said nothing, neither denying nor confirming it.

Based on his understanding of Hu Weiyong, such an ambiguous attitude forced him to think deeply, but Ye Xuan had no intersection with him after all, so he did not think about it too much at the time.

But now...

"Why doesn't Eunuch Yun come to convey the imperial edict?" Wang Guangyang began to test.

Ye Xuan deliberately kept a fake smile on his face, and said meaningfully: "Your Majesty is worried that with Prime Minister Wang's high position and power, Eunuch Yun might not be able to invite you, so he asked me to lead the Jinyiwei to invite you."

When Wang Guangyang heard this, cold sweat immediately broke out on his head.

Was this ambiguous remark what Zhu Yuanzhang meant or was Ye Xuan deliberately trying to scare him?
But Ye Xuan was right about one thing, Wang Guangyang's current status is indeed a high and powerful position!

Even if Ye Xuan was really Zhu Yuanzhang's illegitimate son as rumored, there was no reason for him to have the courage to say such things to himself.

Then there is only one possibility, that is, Zhu Yuanzhang must have said something that caused Ye Xuan's attitude towards him to change.

And what is certain is that Zhu Yuanzhang definitely did not say anything good.

Thinking of this, Wang Guangyang couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. As the Right Prime Minister of the Secretariat, he showed a flattering smile to a fifth-rank captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"May I ask, General, why did His Majesty summon me?"

Ye Xuan pretended not to hear anything. Wang Guangyang was not angry. Instead, he took off a jade ring from his hand and stuffed it into Ye Xuan's hand when no one was paying attention.

Ye Xuan lowered his head and took a look. Sure enough, the texture was round. Even if he took it to the pawn shop and the price was bargained down, it would be worth at least a thousand taels.

Ye Xuan then leaned over and whispered, "It is said that it is related to the matter of the Champa envoy."

When Wang Guangyang heard this, his heart started beating wildly and cold sweat dripped down his forehead like crazy.

However, he was an old fox in a high position, so he remained calm on the surface. He bowed to Ye Xuan and said apologetically, "I see. Please wait a moment, General. I will change into my official robe and follow you."

"Of course." Ye Xuan raised his hand and motioned Wang Guangyang to do as he pleases.

At this time, Wang Guangyang didn't dare to look down on Ye Xuan anymore. He bowed again and then turned around and returned to the prime minister's residence.

As soon as Wang Guangyang left, Ye Xuan immediately turned to Song Zhenshan and said, "Take a few brothers to the back door of the Prime Minister's Mansion and keep an eye on them. If you see anyone suspicious, follow them immediately!"

"Yes!" Song Zhenshan immediately took two people to the back door of the prime minister's mansion.

After Wang Guangyang returned to the prime minister's residence, he immediately called his trusted servant and whispered something in his ear.

Then, the servant quickly rushed to the back door of the prime minister's residence.

Soon, Wang Guangyang changed into his official robes and came out of the gate in a sedan chair. "Thank you for waiting, General Ye. Let's set off now!" Wang Guangyang lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and said to Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan nodded and rode forward.

More than a hundred Jinyiwei surrounded Wang Guangyang's sedan chair as if they were escorting a prisoner.

This made Wang Guangyang even more frightened, and he lowered his head and muttered something silently.

Not long after, Ye Xuan brought Wang Guangyang to Wuying Palace.

When he saw Liu Fushun and others who had finished the state banquet and were sitting in the hall drinking tea, Wang Guangyang immediately knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please listen to my explanation!"

Zhu Yuanzhang pulled the corner of his mouth with a fake smile and sneered: "Isn't this our powerful Prime Minister Wang?"

"Why are you kneeling? What do you want to explain?"

"This..." Wang Guangyang's eyes darted around, and after a moment he said, "I saw that Your Majesty has been busy with official duties these days, so I made the decision on my own and asked these envoys who support the country to return home first."

"So, I should thank you for your consideration?" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted angrily.

Wang Guangyang was so frightened that he fell to the ground, trembling, "I dare not. I handled it improperly. Your Majesty, please punish me!"

"Is it just an improper handling?" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the dragon table and stood up, pointing at Wang Guangyang and scolding: "You privately received the foreign delegation without the accompaniment of the Ministry of Rites and even withheld the tribute. Do you know that this is tantamount to treason!"

"This, this, this... Your Majesty," Wang Guangyang was about to say something, but at this moment, Yun Qi's report came from outside the Wuying Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Left Chancellor of the Secretariat, Hu Weiyong, requests an audience!"

Zhu Yuanzhang and Ye Xuan looked at each other and nodded calmly, then said to Yun Qi: "Announce!"

Soon Hu Weiyong strode into the Wuying Hall, bowed and saluted, then looked at Wang Guangyang in surprise and said, "Why is Prime Minister Wang here too?"

Seeing Hu Weiyong coming, Wang Guangyang felt relieved.

The attacker pointed at Liu Fushun and others who were drinking tea not far away as if to explain, and told them about his private reception of the foreign delegation.

If Zhu Yuanzhang and Ye Xuan had not already made some guesses, just by looking at the way the two men talked, they would even think that Hu Weiyong was completely unaware of the matter.

After Wang Guangyang finished speaking, he pleaded with Hu Weiyong: "I was confused for a moment. Please, Prime Minister Hu, plead for me."

Hu Weiyong nodded, gave Wang Guangyang a calming look, then looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Prime Minister Wang was confused for a moment. Your Majesty, please forgive him this time because he wants to share your worries!"

"Hu Weiyong, do you also think that Wang Guangyang is just confused for a moment?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered and said in a cold voice.

Hu Weiyong's tone froze and he was suddenly speechless.

The fact that he was able to become the Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat, second only to the emperor, was naturally due to his understanding of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression and tone showed that the Emperor was really angry. If he tried to plead for Wang Guangyang at this time, he would only drag himself into trouble!
Zhu Yuanzhang no longer paid attention to Hu Weiyong, but sneered at Wang Guangyang and said, "Wang Guangyang, you said you were just here to share my worries? Well, I want to ask you, where are the tributes now? Don't tell me, they are in your house!"

(End of this chapter)