The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 167 The Unexpected Incident
After nightfall, the inner curtain of the Gongyuan.

Cheng Minzheng and several Neilian examiners have just arranged the ranking of the examination papers. The people in each room have set numbers, divided into east and west rooms, and Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng will be in Nangong. They will only be responsible for those recommended by their respective examiners. Zhujuan, just mark and comment on the paper.

After finishing all this, Cheng Minzheng was ready to go to bed, and waited for the examination papers to officially start early in the morning.

But at this moment, Li Dongyang came to Cheng Minzheng's resting bedroom with a note that had just been handed in from outside.

"Binzhi, what's the matter?"

Cheng Minzheng was a little surprised to see Li Dongyang. After all, the examination papers will be graded in the next day. It stands to reason that the two should meet less or not, so as not to be said to be colluding secretly in the paper grades.

Li Dongyang said: "Keqin, you don't have to participate in tomorrow's marking."

"Ah?" Cheng Minzheng said in surprise, "Why?"

"Your Majesty just asked Dongchang to pass in the note. The specific reason was not stated clearly, but it is expected that there is a reason for His Majesty to do so. It also stated that this matter was only announced in the inner curtain, on the grounds that you were unwell. As for the outer curtain officer And my colleagues in the DPRK and China have to cover it up, so... I can only be responsible for tomorrow's review."

Li Dongyang is quick-witted.

Even if he didn't say it clearly, he could actually see that the emperor's move was actually because of something related to Cheng Minzheng.

Such as... the question.

Previously, Cheng Minzheng could be said to be a leaked subject even though the main examiner of the examination hadn't been decided yet. Now that the examination has started, and when it was time to mark the papers, the emperor suddenly asked Cheng Minzheng to stand aside, and he didn't even explain the matter to the courtiers. What are you doing?
Apart from letting Cheng Minzheng avoid suspicion, it was actually a kind of protection from the emperor for Cheng Minzheng.

If outsiders criticized that Cheng Minzheng colluded with the inside and outside to select some papers with agreed questions and answers, then if Cheng Minzheng did not participate in the marking of the papers, this kind of attack would not be valid.

"Binzhi, this... How can I accept this?"

Cheng Minzheng couldn't detect the reason behind this, he just thought that he had suffered a great humiliation.

As the chief examiner of the general examination, when it came time to grade the papers, how could he be left alone?Or did the emperor himself decree?

Li Dongyang comforted: "It is reasonable to say that no one can interfere with the matter of the inner curtain now, but this is His Majesty's will after all. Even if you don't accept it, you must obey the order! In order to make people less distracted, you don't have to show up at the exam tomorrow." In the room, I will explain to them for you!"

"Then why am I still here?" Cheng Minzheng was almost furious.

They didn't let me mark the examination papers, so why should I stay in the Gong Yuan and who would look at me?

I want to leave the tribute house!
Li Dongyang's attitude is very firm: "You are still the chief examiner of the examination, and your identity cannot be changed. You can't go anywhere until the examination is over. If you insist on showing your face in front of others, you can only pass on His Majesty's will to the inner curtain officer. You know. You decide for yourself."

This is almost a threat.

Now to put it more bluntly, it is because you are unwell and do not participate in the marking.

If you insist on making a fuss, you can only let the examiners in the inner curtain and others know that you are not sick, but are ordered not to participate in the examination by the emperor.

It will be you who will be ashamed at that time.

Cheng Minzheng stared at Li Dongyang, feeling very upset, but there was nothing he could do.

……

……

That night.

Zhang Zhou stayed in the palace and did not leave.

The emperor ate with him, and even put vegetables in his bowl, which made him feel embarrassed.

Not counting after dinner, the emperor insisted on pulling him to talk about the astrology, and asked Zhang Zhou to calculate the national fortune in the next few years, but Zhang Zhou could only evade and perfunctory.

But at this time, Queen Zhang arrived.

"Your Majesty, I will take my leave first." Zhang Zhou felt that this was an opportunity.

You are too irresponsible as a husband. You said it yourself. For many days before, you didn't care about the empress and left your beautiful wife aside. How can you complete the plan of making a villain?

So you husband and wife hurry up and go to the world of two!
Don't delay me going home to practice gymnastics.

"You don't have to go." Zhu Youtang said.

Zhang Zhou said awkwardly: "Your Majesty, if it involves the emperor's family affairs, I should avoid suspicion."

Zhu Youtang sighed: "Actually, you don't need to see the queen. I also know that she is here to intercede for Uncle Jianchang. Since you want to avoid it, you should wait outside first. Take Bingkuan to the side hall."

"Yes."

After Xiao Jing took the order, he led Zhang Zhou.

……

……

Zhang Zhou went out of the palace gate and went to the side hall to wait first. As for what was going on in the main hall, he didn't know.

When the emperor summoned him back again, it was only a stick of incense time, and Empress Zhang had already left. Judging by the emperor's expression, it was as if his wife had never been here.

"As I expected, the queen is for Yanling..."

Zhu Youtang still sighed a little between his words, "I told her clearly that Yanling will still be in Beizhen Fusi before February [-]. The queen also asked me if it was confirmed that there was an earthquake, she might still be with Yanling. Regarding, how should I deal with Yanling...I didn't answer her about this matter."

Between the words, Zhu Youtang looked at Zhang Zhou, meaning, you have an idea for me.

Zhang Zhou thought to himself.

This is the key, why didn't you ask earlier?
Just locking people up is considered ill-treatment, but is that actually called going to jail?Delicious food and drink, if you don't see outsiders, it's a punishment, then Daming's law is really useless.

"Your Majesty, I'm really embarrassed." Zhang Zhou shook his head.

It means, I am a good person, I have never thought about how to punish Zhang Yanling, because I did not target him, so you are asking the wrong person, Your Majesty.

Zhu Youtang said: "It's not only the heavens warning me that I don't know people, but also warning me that I'm too conniving with Zhang's relatives. I have to do something to calm the world's discussion. In fact, I'm not... Sigh! I can't tell."

I want to punish, but I don't want to punish too much. It is best to punish myself with three cups, but it makes outsiders think "Wow, the emperor, you are really clear about rewards and punishments."

Zhang Zhouxin said, do you only think about beautiful things?

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, neither imprisonment nor exile is suitable for Uncle Jianchang, so why not let him go to the northwest to join the army?"

"Join the army?" Zhu Youtang frowned.

There are many nobles in the Ming Dynasty who joined the army, but relatives who joined the army... no matter how it sounds, it is unreliable.

They will fight a fart, go to the northwest, just not doing business and causing trouble.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Wang Shilang is in the northwest. I guess he will be a teacher for a while. Even Zhu Zhijie can teach well under his hands. Why not let Uncle Jianchang go to experience it? Your Majesty didn't say it, Pingjiang Bo Chen Rui is too useless, and I want to transfer him back, but the Northwest still needs some honorable ministers to guard it."

Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "Let Yanling lead the army, I am even more worried."

Although the emperor favored the Zhang family brothers, he was not stupid.

Asking Zhang Yanling to lead the army in the northwest is no different from throwing the northwest to the Tartars.

At that time, it will definitely be, and Zhang Yanling will lose everything.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "I've been with Wang Shilang for a long time, give him a name, and don't give him the authority to transfer troops."

Zhu Youtang thought for a while, but didn't make a decision.

Dai Yi on the side smiled and said: "Your Majesty, this proposal is not impossible. Thinking about it, Bo Jianchang can exercise more, and even the Empress...will have expectations?"

Dai Yi almost said, we are just fooling the queen, we know that Zhang Yanling must have been tortured to the point of being out of shape when he went to the northwest, but the problem is, other nobles can't grab this opportunity.

Give him a chance, so that His Majesty can have an explanation to his subjects, and also can keep the Queen from making trouble.

Such a good strategy, why not?

"Yeah." Zhu Youtang nodded, but didn't make a decision right away, "Let's discuss it later. Bingkuan, I haven't finished talking with you about the previous matter, let's continue."

……

……

Zhu Youtang pulled Zhang Zhou, talked very late, and finally fell asleep in front of the desk.

Later, Dai Yi and others helped him to the dragon couch, took off his clothes and went to bed.

Zhang Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking about it, he would definitely not be able to leave the palace, so he could only find a place to deal with it for one night.

"Mr. Zhang, why don't you go to the guard's room first to deal with it overnight?" Dai Yi came over and said.

Zhang Zhoudao: "No need, just find a place where I can rest for a while. Speaking of it... I'm really tired."

Dai Yi sighed: "You are tired, isn't our family and others tired? But to reassure His Majesty, what is this tiredness? You don't know, His Majesty hasn't been so happy today for a long time."

Zhang Zhou was ashamed.

It is not a good sign to be dragged by the emperor to talk about things like this.

Do you want to have a personal life?

"Trouble Eunuch Dai to find a place, I can just put on my clothes and sleep." Zhang Zhou said.

"Please." Dai Yi smiled and led Zhang Zhou.

……

……

Early the next morning.

All the ministers began to enter the palace to the Meridian Gate one after another.

There was a very important topic that day, which was to reward the military generals who had made meritorious service in the Northwest. The most important thing was to give Wang Yue the title, whether it was the Marquis of Weining or the Boss of Weining.

"Mr. Liu Ge, have you heard any rumors about Vendi?"

Xu Qiong, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, specially approached Liu Jian when entering the palace, and asked in a low voice.

Only Xie Qian could hear this.

Liu Jian shook his head, didn't say that he didn't know, and still didn't want to pay attention.

Xie Qian asked: "Is it the topic of the test, spread it out in advance?"

Xu Qiong said: "I don't know for now, but it seems that the source of this matter lies in Cheng Huangdun."

"Hehe, there is no conclusive evidence for the matter of chasing rumors, and they openly framed the important officials in the court. Those scholars are really spoiled by arrogance!" Xie Qian said these words with a smile.

Apparently even Xie Qian didn't want to believe that Cheng Minzheng would be involved in leaking.

What are the benefits of leaking questions to Cheng Minzheng?Is Cheng Minzheng short of money or reputation?You have to be purposeful in doing things, no matter how you look at it, Cheng Minzheng didn't have a convincing motive for leaking the question.

What's more, Cheng Minzheng has been criticized once because of the so-called "problem". Could it be that Cheng Minzheng is really not afraid of death, knowing that he is on the cusp of the storm, and insists on going against the trend?

Liu Jian changed his previous style of rarely expressing opinions on the affairs of the court, and commented on this: "If it's just the scholars' comments, don't take it to heart. After the list is released, everything will be clear."

Xu Qiong said: "I'm afraid we won't be able to wait for that time. Now the rumors are spreading outside, and the officials of Ke Dao have already gone to ask questions. I heard that there are still people who are looking for details about the problem. I'm afraid that in the next two days, they will try the inside The person behind the curtain hasn't come out yet, or something will come out!"

(End of this chapter)