The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 220 I'll be a servant

March [-]th, the day of the Enrong Banquet.

After the court was disbanded, Zhu Youtang specially called three cabinet ministers and a bachelor Wang Jia to the Qianqing Palace.

It is obvious that they want to discuss candidates for the new Hanlin Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and Zhan Shifu Zhan Shi, but in fact they want to seek greater development for Zhang Zhou.

"Several, you are all the prince's gentlemen, and you have bothered a lot about the matter of entering the East Palace. I would like to mention it to you today. You can see if Zhang Bingkuan can be brought in as the attendant lecturer, and he usually attends the lecture on the Sutra feast day. ?”

Zhu Youtang's words were very direct.

I don't intend to give Zhang Zhou a post in the History Museum of the Hanlin Academy. I want to directly promote him as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, and directly to lecture in the East Palace. Let me ask you if you agree!

All four were silent.

Li Dongyang also took a special look at Liu Jian, probably questioning Liu Jian's previous behavior.

Look!
If you insist on keeping Zhang Bingkuan close and not suppressing him, this is fine. Give him the No. [-] pick and he will fly with wings. But if he is No. [-], the emperor can’t be so confident in promoting No. [-] alone as an imperial servant.

Wang Jia asked: "Your Majesty, there is no precedent for this."

At this time, the three members of the cabinet pretended to be dumb, and Wang Jia, as the instructor of Zhang Zhou's rural examination, could not just sit idly by.

Zhu Youtang sighed: "I also know that there was no such rule before, I would not mention it before, and I will not mention it this time. If it is based on Bingkuan's previous achievements, he should not be supported by him in the Imperial Academy. Whether it's treating the princess, or calculating God's will to help the Northwest Frontier Army of the Ming Dynasty win, how to calculate..."

All four were confused.

Your Majesty, you seem to understand the truth.

One thing counts for another. If he has meritorious service in the Northwest, you should promote him to be an uncle or marquis. We will fight separately. You should directly use military merit to promote him to be a lecturer in the Imperial Academy. This is unreasonable.

You are meddling in the back garden of our civil servants' deep-rooted private plot.

Zhu Youtang ignored the weird expressions of the few people, and continued: "But Bingkuan has been to the East Palace to give lectures many times before, taught the prince a lot of knowledge, and has won the trust of the prince, even if he is not as good as the prince. The teacher's name, but already the prince's teacher."

Liu Jian took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty is saying that Zhang Jinshi gave lectures to the prince before?"

"Yes." Zhu Youtang nodded.

Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty, there are so many lecturers in the East Palace, and there are many talented and learned people in the Hanlin Academy and Zhan Shifu. Why should he give lectures to the prince for him who raised tribute at that time?"

Zhu Youtang didn't like to hear the minister's questioning the most.

Maybe it was because he was angry, or maybe it was hard to explain this matter. It was a long story, so he just kept silent.

Then Dai Yi took a step forward and said, "Don't misunderstand Mr. Liu Ge. Your Majesty asked Mr. Zhang to go to the East Palace. He never said anything about Yi Xue. When the crown prince was studying behind closed doors a few years ago, Mr. Zhang even accompanied the crown prince by more than a dozen people." Day and night, Scholar Wang should be aware of this."

Liu Jian looked at Wang Jia.

Wang Jia lowered his head and said nothing. Although he had never taught the prince with Zhang Zhou, how could he, as the foreman of the lecturer in the East Palace, not know about Zhang Zhou's lecture to the prince?
At that time, I felt that the emperor might just be on a whim, but who knows that the emperor still wanted to make this matter a norm.

As soon as Zhang Zhou became a Jinshi, the emperor couldn't wait to mention Zhang Zhou as a lecturer in the Imperial Academy.

Xie Qian came out and said: "Your Majesty, if you want to be promoted to be a lecturer, even if you have a background in editing and writing, you must have a rank of at least six years, and if you have a background in editing and reviewing, it will take more than nine years. Your Majesty will do this. If the system of Hanyuan is messed up, if everyone wants to make progress with merit in the future, this trend will be hard to stop."

At the critical moment, Xie Qian also talked to the emperor like a scientific and moral official who only talked about dead rules.

Zhu Youtang continued to remain silent.

Dai Yi said: "Gentlemen, didn't your majesty tell you all? The crown prince has only been out of the cabinet for a year, and his temperament is still uncertain. At this time, it is necessary to have a gentleman who can convince the prince to teach him from time to time, even if it is the next imperial examination. It's over, it's all three years later, the prince should have some success in his studies, and he doesn't need to be promoted to anyone else. Besides, Mr. Zhang is really good at teaching the prince, not only in knowledge, but also in dealing with people and things. There are many churches."

Does this work?
Liu Jian and the others were also thinking, the emperor didn't speak, and let the eunuch, who was in charge of the ceremony, come out on behalf of the emperor to talk about the pros and cons?

Zhu Youtang opened his mouth and added: "Several Qing families, I am here to make a promise. Except for Bingkuan, I will never have such promotions in the future. The establishment of the East Palace lecturer was originally to teach the crown prince. To rectify his faults in knowledge and conduct, if Bing Kuan cannot be entrusted with important use just because he is a new scholar, it will violate the original intention of the establishment. Please be accommodating."

The emperor even used the word "please", which is actually very face-saving.

Liu Jian and Li Dongyang were relatively able to see the overall situation clearly, knowing that they came out to persuade them at this time, and they couldn't persuade them.

But Xie Qian was holding back his evil fire. With his temper, he was outspoken, and almost wanted to say, thanks to your majesty, you still know that this is to teach the prince. It’s fine if you are bewitched by Zhang Bingkuan alone. Zhang Bingkuan also brought the prince into the ditch?How dare you let us understand?

Zhu Youtang said: "If the Qing family has no objections, then the matter will be settled like this. It will be announced when Jinshi is released from office in a few days."

"Your Majesty." Liu Jian came out and said.

Zhu Youtang frowned, "I've talked to you so much, you still object?"

"The veteran does not object to using Zhang Zhou as the lecturer of the East Palace, but can he lecture as a editor of the History Museum of the Imperial Academy?" Liu Jian asked.

We don't care about the situation anymore, but please give the emperor some face, don't promote him out of the ordinary, and follow our rules.

Of course Zhu Youtang was not happy.

Liu Jiandao: "Maybe it can be compiled and written for the History Museum, and then lectured in the East Palace. After a month, according to the progress of his teaching, he will be promoted to serve as a lecturer. If you mess with your original intentions, the officials and others will definitely not make things difficult for Zhang Zhou, so you can also set rules for the prince."

At this time, Liu Jian still had his way.

To sum up what he meant... If people are confused, it will be difficult to lead the team, Your Majesty.

After hearing Liu Jian's words, the emperor's expression softened a lot.

Although it sounds like Zhang Zhou was not in line with his expectations to let Zhang Zhou give lectures to the prince as a historian, but in fact his purpose was achieved.

What Liu Jian said was right, he was directly promoted to be a servant when he came up, it was indeed a bit out of order, even if the emperor didn't care, he couldn't set a bad example for the prince.

If the crown prince wants to hire someone in the future, he will immediately think, my father and emperor did this in the past, so wouldn't the crown prince's promotion of the official position become more serious in the future?
Liu Jian also said that it would be more appropriate to use Zhang Zhou as the history museum to compile and write, for a month or two, let him sharpen it symbolically, and then find an excuse for credit or something, and promote him to be a lecturer.

After Zhu Youtang was silent for a long time, he nodded and said: "Since that's the case, I hope that the Qing family will not set up barriers for him. I just want to use him to guide the crown prince. Please, everyone!"

……

……

As a king, Zhu Youtang is sometimes stubborn, but he is still convinced of the civil servants.

That was the reliance he developed after he left the cabinet to study. No matter how much he trusted Li Guang before and how much he admired Zhang Zhou now, he did not deny the ability of the ministers in the court. .

It looks like Liu Jian has won.

But Liu Jian knew very well that he had lost badly.

After coming out of Qianqing Palace, the four of them walked straight. Xie Qian suddenly thought of something and asked Wang Jia who was beside him, "Jizhi, Zhang Zhou gives lessons to the prince very often. Didn't he want to prepare for the Chunwei exam earlier?"

Xie Qian actually couldn't understand this.

Zhang Zhou Mingming is just a juren, no matter how much the emperor trusts him, he only trusts his calculation of the secrets and other things, how can he be convinced in his talent and learning, and use him as the prince's teacher to give lectures?

The prince is so naughty, how could he listen to Zhang Zhou's lecture?
Wang Ji said: "A few years ago, I often entered the palace. The crown prince's surprise improvement on the "Four Books Annotations" was also thanks to Bing Kuan teaching him day and night. After that, the crown prince's studies have improved by leaps and bounds."

"..." Xie Qian was suddenly speechless.

Advance by leaps and bounds?

What the prince looks like, the three cabinet ministers who are the prince and Taifu in name don't know, but as a senior lecturer in the East Palace, Wang Jia is very clear.

If Wang Jia said that he was advancing by leaps and bounds, it should be true.

Li Dongyang shook his head and said: "It's not about the prince being smart or not. In my opinion, the prince's intelligence is higher than that of ordinary children. It's just that he never devotes himself to learning. Why can Zhang Zhou make him calm down and study? "

"This..." Wang Jia couldn't explain.

You three elders, are you going to question me today why I didn't teach the prince well and let Zhang Bingkuan take advantage of it?
You also know that the prince is stubborn and doesn't study hard, so you think the same way, thinking that everyone in the East Palace can meet the current His Majesty you met at that time?
What was the situation of the prince during the Chenghua period?What is the situation of the prince now?Why are you three pretending to be confused?

Xie Qian complained: "As soon as he enters the court, he has to be a servant. Maybe in a few years, we have to give him up. The Imperial Academy can't stand the toss!"

"En." Li Dongyang nodded, but his eyes kept falling on Liu Jianjian.

Liu Jian did not make any statement in front of Wang Jia, an "outsider", and stretched out his hand to signal to leave quickly. Even if something happened, the three members of the cabinet would hold the meeting behind closed doors.

……

……

Wenhua Hall.

At noon, Zhu Youtang went to supervise his son's schoolwork.

Wang Jia didn't come to give lectures in the morning, but Zhu Houzhao didn't drop out of class either. This was because the day after the palace examination delayed his homework, Zhu Houzhao yawned a lot during the morning class, and he only pretended to be in front of his father.

"Father, do you mean that Zhang Zhou is coming to give lessons to my ministers soon?"

When Zhu Houzhao heard about this, he was completely depressed, and his small eyes were gleaming.

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Don't call him by his name anymore, just call him Mr. Zhang."

"Father, why don't you call him Mr. Zhang?" Zhu Houzhao was very dissatisfied.

Although I listen to the lectures of Zhang, but he wants to be a teacher and overwhelm me?Then how can I bargain with him in the future?

Zhu Youtang straightened his face when he heard the words, "Does that mean that you don't need him to come?"

"Don't...Father, let him come, I promise, I will not make trouble in class, listen carefully to the lectures, and I will succeed in my studies as soon as possible, and I will be your courtier in the future to assist you in governing the country well..."

Zhu Houzhao spoke as if he had no doorman.

Zhu Youtang frowned.

This kid has only been out to study for a few days, and the official language is getting more and more slippery.

This should be taught by no one, right?
Self taught?

"After Bingkuan comes, study with him attentively. He can't come here all the time. He still has errands in the Imperial Academy. Don't pester him too much after class, especially don't ask him for those outside the palace. s things."

"If I think I can give you something, I will give it to you. If I don't give it to you, you can't make things difficult for him."

"I will also explain to him that you don't need to get used to you, you should be beaten and punished, and I can't teach you by your side all the time, so he will teach you the rules for me..."

After Zhu Houzhao heard it, he was almost dumbfounded.

Did you invite a gentleman back, or did you invite a father?

"Father, why don't you forget it, just let him come to the palace occasionally to give lectures to your son..."

Zhu Houzhao began to regret it.

Father, you play too much, let that bastard have the right to hit me, so wouldn't your son be passive everywhere?Then it's better to be a temporary private teacher as before, I don't want to suffer.

Zhu Youtang had an expression of "you have today too", almost gritted his teeth and said, "I waited for Bingkuan to finish the imperial examination, and after waiting for so long, do you think it will be easy to change? If there is something he can't discipline You, I will do it myself! You can figure it out!"

"Father..."

When Zhu Houzhao saw that his father was about to leave, he almost cried and begged on the spot.

Still too naive.

I thought Zhang Zhoulai was playing with me, but it turned out...

……

……

Zhu Youtang came out of Wenhua Palace in a good mood.

Zhu Youtang said to Dai Yi, who was following behind him: "No matter how strict other officials are, they are still courtiers who dare not discipline the prince, but Bingkuan is different. The prince thought I was looking for Bingkuan to mess with him ? This child still doesn't know my good intentions."

Dai Yixin said.

This is not good intentions, it should be called "sinister intentions", right?

First use Zhang Zhou to send fun things to whet the prince's appetite, making the prince think that Zhang Zhou came to the palace to play with him.

As a result, when Zhang Zhou really won the Jinshi and was really about to come to be a lecturer, the emperor also "exposed his nature" and let the prince know that he had invited a strict teacher back.

Let you kid always ignore your studies while I am busy with state affairs, now with Bingkuan, let's see how you get upset!

Dai Yi tentatively asked: "Mr. Zhang...do you really dare to correct the prince's mistakes with strict methods?"

Zhu Youtang walked in front, looked sideways at him when he heard the words, and said with a smile: "You don't know what Bingkuan is like? Don't think that he is usually joking and not in good shape, but he is unambiguous in his actions. Have you seen him before?" Kowtow to the prince?"

Dai Yi thought about it.

Not really.

Could it be that the prince is bullying?When others are polite to him, he intensifies.

And Zhang Zhou didn't have a good impression of him, so the prince couldn't please him?
Donkey?
"The Enrong Banquet is coming to an end soon, right? Go and let Bingkuan come to the palace early after finishing the work, and tell him the news." Zhu Youtang was excited.

After finally hiring a gentleman who he thought was very competent for his son, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but want to share his thoughts with Zhang Zhou.

Dai Yi said: "The servant girl will arrange for someone to notify."

"Go!"

……

……

The Ministry of Rites, Enrong Banquet.

As the No. [-] scholar, Zhang Zhou was the focus of most attention. Zhang Mao even made no secret of his admiration for Zhang Zhou at the wine table.

As the head of the Ming Dynasty's martial arts, the British Duke is a figure that others can't curry favor with.

Is it so "approachable"?
But no matter how polite he is, he can't be so polite to a new Jinshi, can he?
An official of the governor's mansion who served the banquet said: "This Zhang Zhuangyuan is not only talented, but also has the will of heaven. He is also very insightful in the matter of hanging pots. It is said that he can cure difficult and miscellaneous diseases. His acne and epidemics can be eliminated, he is really a strange person in this world."

Bragging, not bragging about Zhang Mao, but bragging about Zhang Zhou.

Holding the wine glass, Zhang Mao stood up again, his old face was flushed because of drinking a few more glasses.

Seeing Zhang Mao get up, the Jinshi in each seat also got up.

Only Lin Han, the son of the state who came to the banquet with a dark face, still sat there peacefully.

I, Lin Han, need to give you old man face?You really treat yourself like a dish!
No matter how awesome you are in the Dudu Mansion, can we have any intersection in the future?

Zhang Mao also pretended not to see Lin Han's indifference towards him, and said to Zhang Zhou with a smile: "Nephew Bingkuan is also my benefactor of Mr. Zhang. The dog has been sick for many years, and it depends on him to heal and save people. So after he entered the court, , the old man will definitely support and support with all my heart!"

Jinshi cast envious eyes one by one.

But there are still people who are thinking about it.

Are you old man drinking too much?

You support him?With his current status, I'm afraid he won't bother you if you want to ask him to help you?

Most of the Jinshi present only knew that Zhang Zhou healed the princess, predicted palace disasters, and helped Wang Weining win the Northwest victory. Frequently going in and out of the palace gate is the emperor's most trusted advisor.

They only regarded Zhang Zhou as a meritorious minister, and only a few people knew Zhang Zhou's current status in the eyes of the emperor, even more so than Li Guang in his heyday.

"Your British gentleman is polite." Zhang Zhou returned the courtesy with a smile.

Zhang Mao said: "Come, drink this cup to the brim."

……

……

The atmosphere of En Rong Banquet was very strange.

Because Zhang Mao and others were only around Zhang Zhou, so that most of the Jinshi present were left out in the cold. After all, Jinshi only had one chance to participate in the Enrong Banquet in their life. That's right.

When the banquet is about to end.

Zhang Zhou picked up the wine glass and walked in front of Tang Yin. Tang Yin looked at Zhang Zhou with a strange expression.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Brother Tang, should we fulfill our bet? You and I make an appointment, and we will judge by the ranking of the palace test. Now that you have lost, you won't just deny it?"

Everyone present fell silent.

Even Zhang Mao and other officials and nobles came over to join in the fun.

Zhang Maodao: "Bing Kuan, the old man also heard about your bet. It means that you won. Let this Jiangnan Yayuan worship under your teacher?"

"Where is the division?" Tang Yin said calmly after taking a breath.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "My master travels all over the world, and I don't know where he is, so I accept apprentices on behalf of my master."

It means that you don't need to find a mentor.

You can just find me as a senior brother directly. People say that the eldest brother is the father, and I am your senior senior brother, so you can take me as your master.

(End of this chapter)