The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 213 It's time to spell "Dad"

In the afternoon, the rain was still falling sporadically.

In the cabinet duty room, Liu Jian stood at the window and looked out at the quagmire, water stains, and figures passing by in a hurry, with a melancholy look on his face.

Li Dongyang took a copy and asked for instructions: "The list of examiners for the palace examination has been drawn up, and it can be submitted to His Majesty in two days for his approval."

On the twelfth of March, there were only three days left before the palace examination.

Liu Jian said: "Too many things have happened in Chunwei this time, so we must be cautious in marking the palace examination papers."

Before he could say a few more words, he saw a group of people coming with umbrellas in the distance, and the figure of the eunuch Dai Yi, who was in charge of the chief of ceremonies, could be seen from a distance from the window.

Xie Qian heard the sound of Jin Yiwei's boots stepping on the ground outside, so he couldn't help but went to the window. Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but sighed: "I used to see this Yin Gong, and I still had expectations. Why do I always feel bad when I see it now?"

Li Dongyang said: "It's different from before."

Where exactly is the difference, he didn't make it clear.

But how could Liu Jian and Xie Qian not understand?
The so-called difference is actually that in the past, the emperor could only rely on the cabinet and civil servants for anything, but now the emperor relies more on Zhang Zhou.

In the past, Dai Yi and other supervisors came to seek advice, but now they come more often to inform them to cooperate.

……

……

"Three cabinet elders." Dai Yi entered the cabinet to be on duty, and respectfully greeted the three cabinet members.

Being polite is still very polite, but Liu Jian and the other three didn't feel much honored.

"This is the roster of officials drafted by His Majesty. If there is no problem, this will prevail. The questions for this year's palace examination should have been proposed by the cabinet, but His Majesty is also planning to come up with his own questions."

Dai Yi came to inform about the preparations for the imperial examination.

The imperial examination questions should have been drafted by the cabinet or the Minister of Rites. There are several questions for the emperor to choose, and the emperor chooses one question for inspection.

No need this time, the emperor personally set the question.

The cabinet examiner should have also been invited by the cabinet, but this time there is no need for it. The emperor drew up a list himself.

The big difference is not bad, after all, most of the cabinet elders and department halls are going to be the examiners of the palace examination, but it is up to the emperor to choose who to look for in the Hanlin Academy, five temples and nine ministers, etc. To decide.

"Ah."

Liu Jian nodded.

Originally, in order to relieve the pressure on the emperor, the cabinet drafted the title and the list of officials who read the papers on behalf of the emperor. Now that the emperor wants to come in person, the cabinet has no right to object.

Dai Yi said with a smile: "Your Majesty still has instructions, saying that the selection of officials in the palace examination is a heavy responsibility. There was a lot of noise in the previous rumors about the inscriptions, or they would not select the nobles who entered the palace. Please don't ask the three elders." Set a threshold for the candidates of this palace examination, and be picky."

"What does Eunuch Dai mean?" Xie Qian asked with a smile.

Dai Yi smiled and didn't answer, which means you understand.

Xie Qian also naturally understood that this was probably about Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhou was Huiyuan in the general examination, and it is likely that he also performed exceptionally in the palace examination, and the palace examination did not seal the papers. If the cabinet intends to suppress Zhang Zhou, it is not impossible to go to Zhang Zhou's calligraphy to see the handwriting.

Li Dongyang stated: "The palace examination is of great importance, and the cabinet and palace examination examiners will definitely not favor one's own interests."

"How can there be favoritism? Just say don't be too picky with some people, especially those who are good at exam questions. The elders of the pavilion have said everything that needs to be said, and our family should go back. "

……

……

Dai Yi was about to leave, and Liu Jian, as the first assistant, personally sent him out, and asked by the way: "Dai Gonggong, dare to ask, what is the point of praying for rain today?"

Dai Yi smiled and shook his head, meaning I know, but I can't say it.

From Dai Yi's simple reaction, Liu Jian knew that many things should not be asked, and in fact, there should be answers even if they are not asked.

After Liu Jian sent Dai Yi and his party to leave, Xie Qian returned to the duty room, and Xie Qian seemed to want to verify the result, so he came over and asked, "How?"

Liu Jian said: "I'm afraid it's probably close to ten."

He didn't say what it was, but everyone knew that it was related to Zhang Zhou's role in praying for rain today.

Even Li Dongyang frowned and sighed softly.

"I can't stop it anymore." Xie Qian said with emotion, "He understands the will of heaven, knows ghosts and gods from below, and is quite talented and insightful into people's hearts... I just don't know if this virtue is worthy of his ability."

Needless to say in terms of ability, what civil servants care about is the person's character.

This is superficial rhetoric.

In terms of private talk, it should be said whether he is sensible, willing to integrate into our civil servants, and be a courtier who obeys the rules... This kind of rules is only limited to certain aspects, not for him to be rigid.

If he can't integrate into us, then we can only assume that he "does not cultivate his virtues". Anyway, the discretion of a scholar rests with us.

If you don't join, you will be blamed?
……

……

Ningyuan.

After traveling day and night, Zhu Feng and others finally arrived on March [-]th.

The first thing they did when they entered the city was not to rest, but to call together the important city defense personnel to arrange Zhang Zhou's arrangement into the defense around Ningyuan.

The commander of the patrol town, Qian Ying, and the eunuch Ren Liang, the eunuch of Liaodong, got the news and rushed to Ningyuan a few days in advance. They didn't even know why the emperor suddenly sent a young and energetic Uncle An Bian here.

"...Everyone, I hope you will not leak the content of today's meeting."

Zhu Feng first vaccinated the people present.

Ren Liang looked at Zhang Yong, the eunuch who supervised the army, and Ping Jiangbo Chen Rui.

He also didn't understand why Chen Rui and Zhang Yongzai, who had just helped Wang Yue achieve a great victory in Pianguan, asked the little-known Zhu Feng to preside over the pre-army meeting.

"Hurry up and go to bed after finishing talking!" Someone urged impatiently, and it was Uncle Jianchang Zhang Yanling.

The representative of civil servants, household doctor, and food supervisor Wang Qiong asked, "Why hasn't Zhang Zhongcheng, who is in charge of military affairs in eastern Liaodong, arrived?"

This is asking why Zhang Yu didn't come.

Wang Qiong, as the highest-ranking civil servant on the scene, felt that this battle should be strategically arranged by the civil servants instead of Wu Xun and the guarding eunuchs.

Ren Liangdao: "Zhang Zhongcheng is busy with military affairs, so he can't come here. If you have something to say, hurry up, our family also has other things to do."

As the eunuch guarding Liaodong, Ren Liang had a strong background in the court. He felt that the three-acre land in Liaodong was his own. He still didn't pay much attention to household officials like Wang Qiong.

Zhu Feng obviously couldn't control the scene, he said: "Your Majesty asked me to lead the troops to set up an ambush to stop the coming Hulu."

"Haha." Ren Liang laughed.

When he smiled, everyone in the Liaodong system laughed along with him.

Ren Liang said with a smile: "Uncle An Bian, are you joking? It's fine to come to Ningyuan to set up defenses. The terrain here is narrow and long. Even if the Hulu came to kill us, we couldn't set up an ambush. Besides, the Hulu just came to plunder. After all, if there is any trouble, you only need to withdraw the troops to the earth city, and after the Hulu retreat, they can all be resettled back."

Wang Qiong said: "The spring sowing has just ended, so wouldn't Di Yi's horseshoes trample the seedlings in the field?"

"Wang Langzhong, look at what you said, whether it is Liaodong or Northwest, the situation is the same. As long as the Hulu don't rob people and animals, what's the loss of some young crops? The worst is to replant!"

Zhu Feng was a little overwhelmed by Ren Liang's dominance.

Zhang Yong walked over to Ren Liang, Ren Liang was a little puzzled, then Zhang Yong took out a letter and handed it to him in front of everyone.

Ren Liang wanted to open it, but found that everyone was looking at him. He just glanced at it. After seeing that it was a letter written by Wei Bin, he quickly put away his contempt and put the letter in his arms.

Zhu Feng said: "I am following the order to do things."

"The decree is the most important thing, and the holy will is the first." Ren Liang changed his previous attitude, "Uncle An Bian, please give orders, how to set up an ambush, you have the final say!"

Zhu Feng took out a sketch of the terrain around Ningyuan, which was given to him by Zhang Zhou. It described in detail the number of troops that should be stationed in various places, and how to gradually drive the troops of Duoyan Sanwei Kou into a dead end.

"...Here, here, arrange people..."

The more Zhu Feng said, the bigger the beads of sweat on his head became.

Some experienced side will see this scene, are sniggering.

What Uncle An Bian, he is just a young boy, and he still comes to be the chief military officer of the patrol town like this?
After listening to Zhu Feng's talk for a long time, Qian Ying couldn't help asking: "Dare to ask, whose arrangement is this?"

As the commander of the capital, Qian Ying should be the commander-in-chief in a war, but now he is not even a deputy commander-in-chief, how can he be willing to act as a general to help Zhu Feng, Chen Rui and Zhang Yanling?

The arrangements in front of him sounded very strange, and of course he wanted to verify them.

Zhang Yong said in a strange tone: "Commander Qian, is this what you should ask?"

Qian Ying is not too afraid of Zhu Feng, but she is very afraid of Zhang Yong.

How can it be said that Zhang Yong was also sent by the emperor, and they have already inquired about it, he is a close minister of the empress, and he also contributed to assisting Wang Weining in the great victory, so how can his status be average?
As for Zhu Feng...

"Eunuch Zhang taught you the right thing." Qian Ying hurriedly admitted her mistake with cupped fists and saluted.

Zhang Yongdao: "Just listen to what Uncle An Bian said. Take the sword bestowed by His Majesty."

As he said that, someone immediately sent a sword to Zhang Yong, and Zhang Yong pointed to Zhu Feng, meaning to give it to him.

Zhu Feng immediately picked up the sword in his hand, still a little uncomfortable.

"Your Majesty said that this battle is related to the stability of Liaodong in the next few years, even more than ten years. If anyone dares to disobey this order, one of them here will count as one, including our family. We will be killed first and then played!" Zhang Yong threatened the people present on behalf of Zhu Feng. people.

This time even Ren Liang didn't expect it.

You group of mighty dragons, you haven't even got your feet on your feet yet, so you came here to scare us?You don't know the power of our local snakes, do you?
Qian Ying and the others looked at Ren Liang begging for help.

Ren Liang was about to stand out, but was stared at by Zhang Yong, and then he remembered the letter from Wei Bin that Zhang Yong had handed him earlier, and only then did he understand that Zhang Yong was actually "preceding the etiquette before fighting".

"Your Majesty ordered, it sounds right?" The corners of Ren Liang's mouth began to twist, and he almost wanted to grit his teeth, but he held back.

Zhu Feng said: "Time is short, we may only have less than eight days to prepare, please hurry up."

"Work!" Ren Liang said angrily to the people present.

If he didn't give orders, it would be useless to rely on Zhu Feng alone. The generals in Ningyuan still listened to Qian Ying, and Qian Ying and the commanders in other places also listened to Ren Liang.

……

……

"Father, I'm afraid this won't work. How can a boy be willing to give orders as soon as he comes up? I'm afraid that when the time comes, the orders from the top will not be followed, and there will be chaos in the army."

Coming out of the general's mansion where the pre-military meeting was held, Qian Ying and several of his generals rushed to complain to Ren Liang.

Qian Yingnian was nearly forty, but he had already worshiped Ren Liang, who was not a few years older than him, as his adoptive father. Of course, this kind of thing could not be announced to the outside world, and he would only call him this in private.

At this time, Ren Liang had already read Wei Bin's letter with his head down.

Others don't know the situation in the court, but Ren Liang knows a little bit. Before that, both Wei Bin and Chen Kuan secretly sent people to communicate with him, telling him who is in power in the court.

Ren Liang said: "Don't use the army to bluff people! You have no brains, why do you send a kid here when you are His Majesty? This kid has an unusual background. Now Mr. Zhang is promoted in the court, and he has unpredictable abilities. Your Majesty is right He is convinced, and this Mr. Zhang was recommended to His Majesty by Zhu Feng, do you understand the joint?"

Qian Ying asked in surprise, "Mr. Zhang who assisted Wang Weining to kill him in the side pass?"

"Not him, who else?"

Ren Liang was also helpless.

It is said that there are people in the court who are good at being officials. Now that there are people in the court, the people in the court have to be ranked high and low.

Who made Zhu Feng's background in court look more awesome than Ren Liang?

He is still rejoicing, fortunately Eunuch Wei wrote me a letter, letting me know that I can't confront this Zhu Feng, otherwise I really thought that my background was about to surpass the sky.

"With Wang Weining's bravery, he still relied on that Mr. Zhang to achieve a great victory. Doesn't that mean..."

"Otherwise? Your Majesty only wants to give the credit to the Duke of Cheng's family, even Uncle Jianchang. You don't understand that?"

"Father..."

"Don't call our adoptive father! My father, it may not be as powerful as that boy's father."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Ren."

It was only then that Qian Ying realized that he was not here to go through the motions, but to make meritorious service.

But this kind of good thing seems to have nothing to do with him, and even his godfather, who is usually arrogant, is dumb.

But even if Zhu Feng's father is Cheng Guogong Zhu Fu, is he really better than you?

Ren Liang gritted his teeth and said with a look of embarrassment: "Earlier, the imperial court sent people to investigate the matter of Yizhou, and our family still has to rely on nobles in the imperial court to explain the matter. His biological father is not good, but he has a good foster father... ..."

This time, in Wei Bin's letter, he explained to Ren Liang that you, Ren Liang, should pay attention to Liaodong, and the emperor can almost confirm that you are pretending to be meritorious in Yizhou. Now it depends on whether you can draw a line with Li Gao and the others. Don't make trouble at this time.

You might even beg Zhang Zhou later to let Zhang Zhou speak for you.If you can't cooperate well this time, you may be punished for several crimes.

Qian Ying was curious.

Isn't that kid's backer Zhang Zhou?Who is his adoptive father?Is it so awesome?

"Ren Gong, Commander Qian, I just heard that someone is shooting cannons at the top of the city." A messenger arrived.

No movement in the city could be hidden from Ren Liang and Qian Ying.

Ren Liang frowned: "Wuliangha's men don't approach the city wall, so what's the use of setting up cannons? It's better to use cannon carts to pile the cannons out."

Qian Ying sighed: "Mr. Ren, from a humble position, the kid surnamed Zhu is messing around. How can he have any experience in leading troops? How much does it have anything to do with him in the first battle? It's Wang Weining and Shenwei who are ahead, not as good as us... "

Ren Liang scolded: "Bastard bastards, be more honest recently, do what you are told to do! Don't make trouble for me."

(End of this chapter)