The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 252 The Bad News Comes So Untimely
Although Zhang Zhou didn't say clearly that Yang Tinghe would be disciplined in his hometown, it's no different from saying it straight.

"You mean, Jiefu will get sick in Shuzhong? Or is there some accident at home?"

Wang Jia frowned.

This is like cursing others. As a literati of Ming Dynasty, can Zhang Zhou talk to the emperor directly?
The emperor would listen?

Zhang Zhoudao: "To be honest, I mentioned to Your Majesty earlier that Yang Shisao might encounter family changes. Your Majesty ruled the world with benevolence and filial piety, so he proposed to let Yang Shisao and his brothers go back to their hometown to visit their relatives. If everything goes as I expected , I'm afraid it's... the matter has already happened, Yang Shi said that it is impossible to come out of the mountain again in a short time after staying in Shuzhong."

"What happened?" Wang Jia asked after thinking about it.

If someone else said that, he didn't even have the possibility to ask. Such a ridiculous and nonsense statement, but he said it openly, and said that he didn't want to get along with Yang Ting and Yu Chaotang in the future?Or did Zhang Zhou not care about his own opinions?
Zhang Zhou sighed: "As I expected, maybe his mother was seriously ill, so... Alas! Wang Xueshi, do you have to say it directly?"

Wang Jia thought about it, and finally shook his head.

This time Zhang Zhou's words were more direct, and he clearly told that it was Yang Tinghe's mother who was going to die of illness.

"Bingkuan, if it is true as you said and the facts are true, Jiefu will definitely be grateful for His Majesty's kindness when he returns to Sichuan, but if it is not... if the matter spreads out, I'm afraid it will make you... Sigh!"

Facing such a wonderful "student", Wang Jia was speechless.

I have never seen someone like Zhang Zhou, who actually predicted in advance that someone else's old mother, who was thousands of miles away, might change, and asked them to go back to visit their relatives. As a result, they came up with "Da Ming Hui Dian" on the way to visit their relatives. together.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Scholar Wang doesn't need to cover up. If you want to tell the three elders in the cabinet, just say it bluntly. Now that you have done it, why do you need to cover it up?"

Wang Jia looked at Zhang Zhou and said nothing.

Emotionally, he is still willing to help Zhang Zhou conceal it, but now even Zhang Zhou himself doesn't seem to care at all, and he, Wang Jia, is a bit incapable of doing things.

……

……

Inside the Imperial Academy.

Xie Qian, who was waiting for the news in the afternoon, did not see Wang Jia who had returned in a hurry until before dark.

After Wang Jia gave an overview of how he met Zhang Zhou, Xie Qian got up angrily and said, "What is this? Bewitching words to confuse people? And for personal gain?"

Xie Qian didn't know how to evaluate Zhang Zhou.

If it is said to confuse the crowd, it seems that Yang Tinghe is the only person affected. At first, Zhang Zhou was thought to help Wang Jia get the position, but now it seems that Wang Jia and Zhang Zhou are not in the same group at all, there is only a teacher-student relationship in name. name only.

But now Zhang Zhou seems to have obtained real "self-interest" because of the "Da Ming Hui Dian".

Wang Jia asked back: "If Jiefu is here, how much help will it be in compiling the "Hui Dian"?"

"Ok?"

Xie Qian was also stunned.

Xie Qian was still very annoyed at first, probably like Liu Jian and the others, he was sure that Zhang Zhou transferred Yang Tinghe away in order to seek credit for the compilation of "Da Ming Hui Dian".

But as a bystander, Wang Jia clearly reminded him.

Even if Yang Tinghe stayed in the capital, there would not be much difference in the progress of the "Da Ming Hui Dian", but it might discredit Yang Tinghe and the Imperial Academy together.

Now we can still say, look, it’s because Yang Tinghe went back to his hometown to see his relatives, and the progress was delayed, otherwise we must have repaired faster than that kid Zhang Zhou...

It's a lie, after the nonsense is said, everyone can feel at ease, the truth is another matter.

"Then Yu Qiao, will the cabinet still submit this memorial?" Wang Jia asked.

Now even Wang Jia is vaguely inclined to believe Zhang Zhou's words, maybe Zhang Zhou really doesn't have any malicious intentions.

Xie Qian said: "Jizhi, even if Bingkuan is a Gongsheng selected by you from Jiangnan, you shouldn't trust him."

At this time, Xie Qian wanted to remind Wang Jia that you must be clear when you stand in line, and you can't be a fool, arguing with us about big things, but at the same time wanting to believe Zhang Zhou's nonsense in your heart.

If you are determined, you shouldn't ask whether you want to submit the upper report.

Wang Jia sighed: "After seeing Bingkuan, I feel that his attitude is sincere, and he doesn't seem to be aimless, and after thinking about it afterwards, it is difficult to think of any maliciousness in his doing so. It is purely for the "Hui Dian", but it can also be explained as , he didn’t want Jiefu to get involved.”

Seeing that he couldn't be persuaded, Xie Qian shook his head and said: "Don't worry too much about this matter, the cabinet will have its own opinions. Tomorrow, you don't have to say anything on behalf of Hanyuan."

……

……

After Xie Qian went back, he went to discuss countermeasures with Liu Jian and Li Dongyang.

Even at night, the cabinet's duty room was still brightly lit, and the three of them were discussing what they were studying, as well as the countermeasures for the next day.

"...Neither can the people in the court know about Zhang Bingkuan's revision of the "Hui Dian", but also let His Majesty agree to recall the mediator, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the officials in the court. Binzhi, I am afraid that this requires more planning from you. "

Xie Qian was actually a little powerless about this.

He seemed to disagree with Wang Jia's words, but Wang Jia's words still planted seeds of doubt in his heart.

He thought rationally, even if Yang Tinghe was called back, how much help would it be?
Or maybe it's better to make peace with Cheng Minzheng and let Cheng Minzheng help with the revision of the book. In terms of the professional level of compiling "Huidian", Cheng Minzheng is far above Yang Tinghe.

Li Dongyang seemed not very sure about this, and sighed: "Let's take one step at a time."

……

……

That night, a certain guest room in the Jianghuai Commercial Building in the city was crowded with people.

The Chen family's daughter is discussing with her mother-in-law, shopkeeper and others about bidding for the construction of Piantouguan Guancheng.

"...The imperial court will use frontier soldiers and recruited servants to build the Guancheng. It does not need to recruit people from outside, as long as the goods are handed over. The rumors released by the Ministry of Industry, the wood and stone provided by the capital It must be going to the Beijing warehouse, and it will be docked with the Ministry of Households. The Dudu Mansion is responsible for the procurement and delivery. During the cooperation of the Beijing soldiers, many people were active in the British government. They wanted to bid for this bid through the British public..."

Chen's daughter listened to the report of her subordinates, and she only had one thing in mind.

That is whether the Chen family's family business can support such a large business.

Finally, she came out to make a conclusion.

"Everyone, my Chen family is in Jianghuai, and I started my business by selling salt. Later, the reform of Yanyin led the nobles of the capital to take over their nests. Changing the number of business operations, Nanjing’s dignitaries are deeply entrenched, and they have been solidified for hundreds of years and have no way to start, so they can only find a way out from the capital.”

The Chen family's daughter explained the current difficulties of their Chen family, which started from the opening of grain and the reform of China and France, and then to the oppression of people doing business in the south of the Yangtze River.

Going north to develop is not determined by her personal subjective will.

One of his shopkeepers surnamed Huang asked: "There are more dignitaries here in the capital, how can there be a bigger way out here?"

The Chen family girl said: "The dignitaries are also divided into three, six, and nine grades. Even the princes are divided into relatives and estrangements with the present. Now we are looking for a good opportunity to win this business. If we make money, we can make money." From now on, you will have a firm foothold in the capital. Even if you lose, you will not lose much. Most of you are old guys who have been in the official salt business with my Chen family for many years. It is your own choice whether to advance or retreat together this time. "

"Young master, if something good happens, it won't be our turn, right?"

"Yes."

"Besides, what are you capable of? To undertake such a large business, you need to mobilize at least 10 taels of silver. Even if we add up the net worth of all of us, it is not enough."

The people below still have doubts.

Some people directly asked: "Just like before, isn't it good to drink soup behind those powerful people? Why do you have to rush forward? You have to be a tiger if you want to eat meat, and I'm just a small character. Young master, you should think twice."

"exactly……"

The Chen family girl said: "Don't you believe in my contacts in the Chen family's officialdom? My Chen family has been doing business in Nanjing for many years, and has contacts with Cheng Guogong's mansion, Yingtian mansion and other yamen. After this bidding, the imperial court will The cash is allocated in time, and we are just buying a batch of foundations first. With the business contract of Huizhou merchants as a guide, buying wood and stone is just a matter of words."

No one was there to speak.

"The opportunity is right in front of you. If anyone wants to participate, stay. If you don't want to, just part ways and have nothing to do with my Chen family!"

The Chen family's daughter is very firm.

The people below were talking a lot. Although they had a lot of doubts, they still lived with the Chen family. Most of them were old subordinates who worked hard in the mall with the father of the Chen family daughter. They had seen the Chen family as the representative family of Huizhou merchants and salt merchants. , the most glorious time.

So when the Chen family's daughter showed the posture of breaking the boat, many people still chose to stay.

It seems that they want to tide over the difficulties with the Chen family.

……

……

"Miss, up to now we have pooled a total of 4 taels of silver, and more than 1 taels are mortgaged from Jiangnan's property. I hope there will be no loss in business."

The mother-in-law under him is a accountant, and she can be regarded as the "consultant" of Chen's daughter.

Under the dim tung oil lamp, Chen's daughter looked at the books of accounts, and sighed: "If the court does not accept the wood and stone we purchased, no one can swallow such a large batch of materials. It is going to be sold cheaply. How can there be no loss?"

"Then miss, why do we still need to purchase? Can't we wait for the court's money to arrive after the bidding is finalized, can we use this to purchase?"

The mother-in-law didn't understand either.

The Chen family girl said: "Impossible. If we don't have enough goods on hand, we won't even be qualified to bid. What's more, the less goods we have on hand, the more difficulties we will encounter when we go back to buy from others. Empty With our strength, we can't do the matter of the white wolf, but if the business is done this time, it won't be difficult if we want to do it again in the future."

The mother-in-law nodded and said: "Miss, this is the so-called difficulty at the beginning, right?"

"It's not difficult for us!"

The girl from the Chen family said, "There is the wife who used to be the second bedroom of Cheng Guogong's mansion, and also Mrs. Anbian Hou who helped me, and my father's old friends who worked in the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Industry. In addition... that person's great help, we Even if we give him [-]% of the profit, it's worth it. This time, we don't care about the cost, even if there is a small loss, it is acceptable."

"That……"

"I just want others to see that the Chen family is not making a comeback, but creating another glory! We can still gain a foothold in a place full of jackals in the capital! We will bid in a few days, and I will go to that Anbian Mrs. Hou is with you day and night, and I will leave the matter here to you!"

"Miss, what should I do?"

"Inform me of something, but don't say some things in front of that lady. She shouldn't be involved!"

The mother-in-law smiled bitterly.

Shouldn't it be getting involved?I'm afraid people have already been involved by you, right?

……

……

The next day, there was a court meeting at the Meridian Gate.

The ministers all arrived early, talking in groups of three or four.

Zhu Youtang was quite kind to civil servants. During the Hongzhi period, the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty also received the highest respect since the Ming Dynasty, and most of these civil servants could feel this kind of courtesy.

Only a few people can feel that a great crisis is approaching.

The person who stirred up the tide was naturally Zhang Zhou.

"...Zhou Shu stays with me, and I have already sent someone to say hello to Eunuch Dai, the supervisor of ceremonies. Before he leaves, he will take it from me and present it to His Majesty."

The person who said this was Liu Jian.

Liu Jian just called Wang Jia over and explained to him what happened, but he didn't call Liang Chu, who was half in the dark, to tell him.

The three members of the cabinet have already discussed it.

He suggested that Zhang Zhou's "Da Ming Hui Dian" needed time to proofread and correct, and proposed to recruit Yang Tinghe to return to Beijing, and gave about three months to complete everything... Liu Jian felt that this was using himself as a "prime minister" "The power to fight against the emperor for the last time.

Just as he was talking, Zhang Zhou followed Xiao Jing to the Meridian Gate with brisk steps.

Every time Zhang Zhou went in and out of the palace, he was always accompanied by at least eunuchs at the level of a supervisor of ceremonies, and there seemed to be some talking and laughing along the way, even Liu Jian and others did not have such treatment.

The ministers present will take a few more glances.

"I have already greeted Bing Kuan, and he promised that he would not bring up the matter of the "Congress Code" with His Majesty." Wang Jia said.

Li Dongyang said: "Even if you don't mention it, just mention a few words, it will make us very passive."

Wang Jia frowned and looked at Li Dongyang, thinking to himself, are you "taking the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain"?Zhang Zhou didn't mention it, but you actually think that he came to the court council just to imply the existence of the emperor's costly "Da Ming Hui Dian" and deliberately embarrass our Imperial Academy?If he was really so black-bellied, wouldn't he have made this matter public a long time ago?You still use such a tactful approach to discuss proofreading with us?

"Let's prepare for the court meeting." Liu Jian didn't want to worry about Zhang Zhou's purpose in coming to the Meridian Gate.

Originally there was no business with Zhang Zhou, Zhang Zhou shouldn't have come, even Liu Jian was afraid that Zhang Zhou would "strike first to be strong".

Even if Zhang Zhou mentioned a few words to the emperor about the need to speed up the compilation of the "Daming Huidian", if he didn't mention a word about his own revision of the book, the cabinet and the Imperial Academy would be completely passive and beaten.

……

……

The meeting begins.

Sure enough, Zhang Zhou didn't plan to come out to speak at all that day, because he came to participate in the court meeting entirely because Zhu Youtang told him that he might have to discuss with the cabinet today about the signing and signing of the "Da Ming Hui Dian".

Neither Zhang Zhou nor Zhu Youtang intended to claim this book as their own.

The emperor also felt that if it was said that this book was compiled by Zhang Zhou alone, then no one in the Imperial Academy would have to be confused.

But if Zhang Zhou's first contribution is not remembered in this matter, and Zhang Zhou's needs are not fulfilled, and the credit is easily distributed to the people of the Imperial Academy, Zhu Youtang will never agree.

To put it bluntly, we still have to talk.

Preserve the reputation of your ministers from the pavilion, but also seek sufficient political benefits for Zhang Zhou.

This is the purpose of the emperor.

"...Dear gentlemen, I just received a thank-you form." At the end of the court meeting, Liu Jian also took the opportunity to touch the solo interview in his arms, and when he was about to hand it over to Dai Yi afterwards, the emperor Suddenly spoke.

Everyone present was very curious, who would give the thank you form?

In Ming Dynasty, thank you forms belonged to a special mode of reporting, and basically there was no need to "close white" to the cabinet. The cabinet was only an advisory layer, unlike the prime minister. It is not necessary to issue all rewards and punishments through the cabinet, and the power to refute is not in the cabinet but in the six departments.

What exactly is this thank you form, no one present knows.

Zhu Youtang handed the thank you form to Dai Yi, and raised his hand, meaning to ask Dai Yi to explain the situation.

Dai Yi sighed: "It's like this. Earlier, His Majesty approved Yang Tinghe, the lecturer of the Imperial Academy and Zuo Yude of Zuo Chunfang, and Yang Tingyi, the younger brother of the new Scholars, to go back to the hometown to visit relatives, and gave them a ride. Finally, the brothers After they returned home, they saw their mother, Ye Ruren, and stayed together for five days before they died. The Yang family, Yang Chun, together with Ye Ruren's sons, Tinghe, Tingqian, Tingyu, Tingping, Tingcui, Tingyi, and Ting Jian, Tingxuan, Tingbin, Tingshi, express their thanks together..."

Yang Ting and his grandfather Yang Mei, the two sons of Yang Yuan and Yang Zheng, born to his original partner Guo, both died early.

Yang Mei married the Yang family and had no children. She married the Xiong family for the third time and had three sons, Yang Chun, Yang Hui and Yang Zhe.

Yang Chun was a Jinshi in the 17th year of Chenghua. His official name is not obvious. He is still alive today. Historically, he did not die of illness until the 11th year of Zhengde. Yang Chun can be said to be very productive. The oldest is Yang Tinghe, who is 40 years old.

Yang Chunzheng's wife, Ye Shi, and his concubine, Wang Shi, had twelve sons in total, but Wang's two sons, Yang Tingli and Yang Tingzhong, were not eligible to jointly express their gratitude.

None of Yang Ting and the remaining younger brothers died young.

As soon as these words came out, all the ministers present were dumbfounded.

The emperor had previously transferred Yang Tinghe and his brothers back to their hometown. Everyone felt that the emperor was deliberately suppressing Yang Tinghe and the traditional civil servant faction. Doing so is "exhaustively painstaking", and it is really burdening the incomprehension of the ministers to fulfill Yang Tinghe's filial piety.

After Dai Yi finished reading the above table written by Yang Chun, Yang Ting and his father and son.

The presence was silent.

Zhu Youtang said: "When the bad news came, I was also heartbroken. I didn't get a report from the local government, and I didn't know the news that Ye Ruren was seriously ill. Someone reminded me that I should let my ministers be more filial. I just did this. Many people didn’t understand me before, and I hope you all understand that court affairs are important, and you must first cultivate yourself and run your family before you are qualified to govern the country and secure the world.”

"Your servants, please remember!"

There were 1 mothers in the hearts of the ministers present, but they all hurriedly saluted and accepted orders.

Even life and death can be predicted in advance, but you actually say you don't know in advance?Are those ministers whose parents are still alive at home, you don’t have to wait for the family to report the funeral in the future, and you should know that the emperor will let you go home?
(End of this chapter)