The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 114 Your Majesty, It's Time

Wang Yue is an endorsement to Zhang Zhou.

He also couldn't figure out Zhang Zhou's purpose for doing this.

As a scholar, if you take the imperial examinations honestly, even if you don’t pass the Jinshi, you can live on the trust of the emperor, isn’t it good?
Zhu Youtang didn't think so much, Zhang Zhou provided another good thing to the court, he hurriedly ordered Xiao Jing to let Dongchang take over the matter.

"Before the Tatars conquer the border next year, don't let the news out. Let Dongchang tell you what's going on. Report directly to me."

What Zhu Youtang meant was that this matter only needed a few people in charge of ceremonies, as well as Zhang Zhou and Wang Yue, and there was no need to communicate with the Governor's Mansion and the Ministry of War.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wang Yue naturally felt that it was meaningful to curry favor with Zhang Zhou.

Otherwise, as the left servant of the Ministry of War, he would have to use normal means to prepare for a big war... I am afraid that in the next life, the civil servants will not agree.

……

……

After leaving the palace.

Wang Yue couldn't help but asked Zhang Zhoudao: "Mr. Zhang, why do you bother so much? In fact, if you don't give the god gunpowder, this old man will be able to block the invading enemy."

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Wang Shilang, when I do something, I will do it if it is beneficial to the court. I have not considered the issue of personal gains and losses for the time being. Besides, Your Majesty has clear rewards and punishments, so there is no need to cherish yourself with a broom."

"Mr. is really for the country and the people."

Wang Yue involuntarily flattered again.

Flatterer.

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, it's hard to associate you with that general who is always at a disadvantage on the battlefield, since you are so slippery with flattery.

Don't just talk about others, the good and evil sides of Lao Wang are also very contradictory.

Don't you have any points in your heart?
Zhang Zhou said goodbye to Wang Yue and was about to get into the carriage when Zhu Feng rushed over and said, "Mr. Zhang..."

"Speak seriously!"

"Yes, Brother Zhang, I went to see my father and asked my father about joining the army." Zhu Feng smiled and said, "My father is very supportive of this, especially when he knew that I was going to the northwest with Wang Lao, he said I was leaving Eight lifetimes of shit luck."

Zhang Zhou frowned.

As expected, this father doesn't have much culture, is this a compliment or a derogation for his son?
"You have a long mouth, many things are still confidential, who told you to say it?" Zhang Zhou said.

Zhu Feng smiled and said: "It's okay, my father will definitely not tell the outside world, by the way, I even mentioned your magical firearm..."

Zhang Zhou rolled his eyes at him again.

Does this kid particularly like to brag now?

Zhu Feng's character, whether it is good or not, is quite easy to talk to, but bad is also a bit bad, it seems that she can't hide things.

This kid has to be beaten.

"Don't let this matter leak any more, or you won't even think about going to the northwest!"

Zhang Zhou said in an almost threatening tone.

"Okay. I'll listen to Brother Zhang." Zhu Feng said, "By the way, my father wanted to invite you over to the house, saying that he never had time to entertain you properly."

Zhang Zhou said: "No, I've been too busy preparing for the exam recently, and there are so many things other than preparing for the exam, so I don't have time."

"The wife over there..."

Zhang Zhou immediately thought of Ning Tong's appearance as a resentful woman in a boudoir.

"Your wife is not my wife, treat her better!"

Don't want to ask for "Jin Ping Mei" again, Zhang Zhou finally wants to name this book, otherwise Zhang Zhou always feels that those strange names will bring many social problems.

It seems that the Ming and Qing dynasties banned this book for a reason.

……

……

The seventh day of the twelfth lunar month.

During the court meeting at the Meridian Gate that day, the atmosphere was a bit weird.

Many ministers seemed to want to remind the emperor that the time limit had come, and it was time to talk about the "bewitching people" incident.

Zhu Youtang didn't seem to remember such a thing.

Until the end of the court meeting, Zhou Jing, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, came out and said: "Your Majesty, in the past few years, there have been rumors spread by wandering Taoists among the people, and those who involved the royal family, please order to strictly investigate. place to prevent rumors from spreading."

Zhou Jing did not directly address Zhang Zhou's rumors about the earthquake.

But what he said was more serious, because he mentioned a thorn in Zhu Youtang's heart, that is, there have been rumors among the people that Zhu Youtang was not born to Emperor Chenghua.

The starting point of this rumor is that when Concubine Wan Gui only favored the Sixth Palace, she always wanted to abolish Zhu Youtang, an uncontrolled prince. Youtang himself has a lot of inaccurate records about his birthday and his experience in the first five years.

It is debatable whether Zhu Youtang was known to Emperor Chenghua since he was born, whether he was fostered and refused to disclose it to the outside world, or whether he was not known to Emperor Chenghua until he was five years old.

The issue of the emperor's lineage has always been the most important thing for the imperial court, and the emperor cannot condone the spread of such rumors.

But Zhu Youtang was uncharacteristically this time, and seemed very easy-going: "The rumors only stop at the wise, and the more I try to block them, it often backfires. Can I stop people's mouths and control people's hearts?"

Many ministers have opinions on this.

That being said, rumors stop at wise men, but how many wise men are there in this world?A lot of things are not three people become tigers, and others say what they say?
Zhu Youtang said: "If you don't mention it, I know that today is the seventh day of the lunar new year, but even if there is an earthquake now, will it take two days to reach the capital? But it only said that it was today, not that it was When is it today, can't you wait two days to talk about it? Next topic."

The emperor didn't want to talk about gossip to confuse the public, and the ministers also changed the subject wisely.

Zhou Jing began to submit annual accounts.

"... After the autumn, grain taxes and so on have been collected from various places, and after entering Taicang one after another, the detailed figures are being summarized and reported. It is estimated that the settlement will be completed in a few days!"

……

……

After the court meeting.

Zhu Youtang was feeling a little depressed. For him, he was also very anxious these few days. He was also waiting for a news.

Dai Yi seemed to understand what the emperor was thinking. On the way to the East Palace, Dai Yi explained for the emperor...

"Your Majesty, there seems to be a stone in my servant's heart recently, and it has never landed, but she said that the earthquake will happen? If it does happen, it will be a miracle. I am afraid that no one in the court will look at Mr. Zhang. Doubts about the ability to calculate the secrets of heaven..."

Zhu Youtang glanced sideways at Dai Yi.

You really thought of me together.

Zhu Youtang said: "It's impossible to do something like an earthquake."

Dai Yi understood as soon as he heard it.

Even the emperor was not very confident about this. If it hadn't been said by the emperor's new "Bing Kuan", he probably wouldn't have said it in court.

Could it be that those ministers knew that those who calculated earthquakes in advance since ancient times were liars, and the emperor was ignorant and ignorant?

It would be nice to have a precedent of a correct forecast in advance.

The key is that from various official historical records, there is not a single successful case.

was talking.

The group has arrived at the Wenhua Palace.

At this time, there was no one watching outside the Wenhua Palace, Zhu Youtang thought to himself, it seemed that his education had worked.

Enter the Wenhua Hall.

The lecturer that day had not yet entered the palace, and Zhu Houzhao was still scratching something on the paper.

Zhu Youtang frowned when he saw it.

Just now I thought this kid would not send someone to watch him, but now it seems... he is still pretending.

Based on the father's understanding of his son, is the son the one who loves to learn?
"Prince!"

After Zhu Youtang walked in, he said coldly.

Zhu Houzhao was yawning, halfway through the yawn when he saw his father coming, he closed his open mouth abruptly, walked over and said, "Father is here."

"Did you not sleep well?" Zhu Youtang frowned.

Zhu Houzhao said: "Yes, I couldn't sleep last night."

Zhu Youtang rolled his eyes at his son, and then picked up what his son had written in a pretentious manner.

None of the crooked things on the paper are serious characters, not even strokes.

What about ghost symbols?

"What is this?" Zhu Youtang said coldly, "I told you to study, are you trying to make trouble with me on purpose? Tell me! Did you send someone out to investigate again?"

Zhu Houzhao was scolded inexplicably, and said with a confused face: "No, Father, this is the mathematics taught to me by Zhang Zhou and Zhang Qing's family, which is arithmetic. Know something about arithmetic, otherwise it will be easy to be deceived by others. Only by knowing the affairs of the world and having real skills can you assist the emperor to govern Daming well."

"Ah."

When Zhu Youtang heard it, it was quite pleasing to the ears at first.

The level of the brat's theory is getting better and better day by day, it seems that this kid also knows what I like to hear!
To be a prince, one should learn more skills...

Zhu Youtang said with a stern face: "You want to use righteousness to prevent me from punishing you, right? Is this arithmetic?"

Zhu Houzhao said: "Why not, look at this, it is one, this is two... This circle is zero, in arithmetic, it means nothing, if it is a one and a circle, then it is ten..."

Arabic numerals were taught by Zhang Zhou during the ten-day retreat with Zhu Houzhao.

Xiongzi's learning ability is top-notch, but he simply taught the basic rules. After a few days, Zhu Houzhao has been able to complete basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Arabic numerals are indeed very simple, and in terms of arithmetic rules, compared with the current "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic", etc., it is really much simpler. Calculations are also more convenient.

Precisely because arithmetic is easy to learn and difficult to master these days, accountants are also a very popular profession nowadays.

Zhu Youtang frowned and listened to his son, and asked after a while, "Is this what Bingkuan taught you?"

"Yes." Zhu Houzhao said.

Zhu Youtang said: "When did you teach?"

Zhu Houzhao replied directly: "It was those few days when I got along with him day and night, and he taught my son. Originally, my son didn't want to learn it, but he just mentioned a few numbers casually, for example, there are 35 warehouses. There are fifteen stones of grain in the warehouse, so how many stones of grain are there in total. He used this to calculate, and he figured it out quickly, and the minister thought it was fun, so he wrote it down."

"Fun?" Zhu Youtang frowned. It was the first time he heard that his son thought learning knowledge was fun. He asked, "Then what are you talking about?"

"This is..."

Zhu Houzhao was talking eloquently just now, but was asked what he was doing.

He hesitated and refused to speak.

Because he is calculating how much "net worth" he still has, Zhu Houzhao also knows how to take care of his private house money, and finally extorted 500 taels of silver from his uncle, and now he only has less than 4000 taels left. How the money is spent, of course, must be carefully calculated.

Just as I was counting... Dad came.

Bragging in front of the old man, he is one of the two, really let him tell the reason...

He knew this and couldn't confess it to his father.

I can only pretend to be dumb.

(End of this chapter)