The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 255
Ministry of Rites.

On behalf of the cabinet and the Imperial Academy, Xie Qian came to the Ministry of Rites to discuss the matter of sending people to collaborate in the revision of the "Da Ming Hui Dian". It was said that it was a collaboration, but in fact it was secretly weakening Zhang Zhou's leadership and voice in the process of refining the school.

In this way, Xie Qian didn't come here to discuss, but almost used it on fire.

The cabinet belongs to Fu Han, the left servant of the Ministry of Rites.

Fu Han, like Lin Han, the son of the state, is from an academic school. He is highly respected in the academic circle. Zhang Zhou has Cheng Minzheng and Lin Han to endorse him. The civil servants can't just let Liang Chu and the others cooperate. Everything has to be equal.

"...Yu Qiao, I don't understand, since I want to guard against Zhang Bingkuan, why should I ask him to coordinate the compilation?" Xu Qiong didn't make any sound after the court meeting ended.

It was Xu Qiong who felt that people from other cabinet factions might not take him seriously.

But now that Xie Qian came, he just asked straight.

We can't let our Ministry of Rites cooperate with you in handling affairs, even the reasons are still half-hidden, playing cover-ups, right?

Xie Qian sighed: "Xu Butang, don't ask about some things. Don't tell me, don't you know? This book was submitted by Zhang Bingkuan alone... As for whether Keqin and others are helping him behind the scenes, it's a matter of fact." It can't be done either!"

"one person?"

Xu Qiong also felt that this matter was a bit bizarre and nonsense.

"Cough cough!"

Or Xu Qiong was so shocked by this incident that he coughed too.

"Xu Butang, pay attention to your body." Xie Qian stood up and comforted him.

Although Xu Qiong is not a traditional civil servant, Xu Qiong is old and prudent after all. He is already 75 years old, while Xie Qian is only 50 years old. Recently, Xu Qiong has repeatedly asked to return to his hometown for health reasons.

In terms of small matters, the civil servants are still very disharmonious, but when encountering some major issues that need to be unanimous, Xu Qiong is not ambiguous.

Xu Qiong asked: "So, is Zhang Bingkuan being blackmailed now? Or Cheng Keqin?"

Xu Qiong also doesn't believe that Zhang Zhou alone can fiddle with "Da Ming Hui Dian". It can only be explained that Cheng Minzheng has been bullied too much before. Retreat at home to repair the book, and after writing it, I will present the book under the guise of Zhang Zhou's hand.

Even what Xie Qian said just now seems to be implying this.

Xie Qian shook his head: "It's said that it can't be done correctly, who knows the reason behind it? Now that the book has been sent to Hanyuan, Zhang Bingkuan asked Keqin and Hengda to enter Hanyuan with him to participate in the correction, so what else can we do? What else? Do you always go together?"

"do not!"

Xu Qiong would not wade into this muddy water.

At first, I thought it was an "outsider" against Zhang Zhou, but now that I think about it, it turns out that this is an internal struggle among civil officials, with Zhang Zhou, Cheng Minzheng, and Lin Han representing the emperor on one side, and the traditional civil servants headed by Liu Jian on the other.

Then I, Xu Qiong, am not a traditional civil servant, so why should I join in the fun?
When choosing a team at a critical time, maybe I still want to stand on Zhang Zhou's side.

"Your Majesty also sent a message from the Supervisor of Rituals, saying that on the date of completion of the book, Keqin will be transferred to Nanjing to take charge of the Southern Imperial Academy... Sigh! Speaking of which, Keqin was indeed treated unfairly before, so this can be regarded as a gift. Give him a chance to return to court."

Xie Qian almost wanted to portray himself as a "saint".

Look at how generous and benevolent our traditional civil servants are. Are we going to help Zhang Zhou?wrong!We are helping those lost lambs get back on track!
Xu Qiong asked: "Then discuss the merits afterwards, Zhang Bingkuan..."

Xu Qiong didn't care about what Cheng Minzheng was. Cheng Minzheng was originally a Hanlin scholar. He didn't die, but he was charged with "failure to avoid suspicion".

He even wanted to know how the emperor planned to comment on Zhang Zhou's merits in repairing the book.

Xie Qian didn't want to say it at first, but in order to reflect the unity of civil officials, he sighed softly: "Your Majesty wants to promote him to be a bachelor of the Imperial Academy."

"Ah."

Xu Qiong was quite inclined to Zhang Zhou's side in her heart, but she was a little annoyed when she heard the words, "It's really better to use military merits and keep him in the Dudu Mansion."

How can Zhang Zhou be able to compile and write from the History Museum of the Imperial Academy less than half a year after he entered the court, and he was directly promoted to the point of being a bachelor?They are all ministers from the Hanlin Academy, why is there such a big difference in treatment?
Xie Qian said with emotion: "Who said it wasn't? Back then, when I was in the Imperial Academy, I was promoted quickly. It took me 15 years to get promoted to a bachelor. But he... Sigh!"

Xie Qian was also born as a number one scholar, and he has been struggling in the Hanlin system.

He said this because he heard that Xu Qiong was jealous and resentful of Zhang Zhou's promotion too fast, and wanted to use this as a breakthrough to find more resonance with Xu Qiong, so as to form an alliance to check and balance Zhang Zhou.

Xu Qiong sighed: "The old man is old and frail, and there are not many days left in the court. In the future, you will work with him more! As for the revision of the "Congress Code", the Ministry of Rites will fully cooperate. It is only the old man himself. period of non-participation."

Jealousy is jealousy, and Xu Qiong will not be so stupid that he doesn't know how to stand in line.

What's so good about standing with your traditional civil servants?
I was promoted to the Minister of Rites, and you still have a lot of opinions, and now the scholars outside are still saying that I got to the top through nepotism, I believe you Yu Qiao's mouth, it's better to believe a ghost.

Let me be the vanguard?There are no doors!
Xie Qian said with a smile: "Xu Butang should take care of his health. How can we say that we should not only think about ourselves, but also be considerate for the younger generation in the court, and don't work too hard."

Probably to remind Xu Qiong.

Don't just think about your own interests, think about your protégés, you probably don't plan to stay in the court for a few more years, and don't think about your accomplices, do they want to work hard in the court in the future?

Does your son, grandson, or nephew of the same clan not want to be an official and want to be asylumed by the people in the court?Didn't the government and businessman behind you plan to find a way out?
You, Mr. Xu, don’t look down on the three members of our cabinet too much. Our daily work is not just to compete with the emperor and Zhang Bingkuan, but to govern the country, or to say... governing people. Zhang Bingkuan can even write a book now. With so many big and small affairs in the court, can it be his turn to make decisions?
"Yeah." Xu Qiong was also quite sensible.

You thanked Yu Qiao for mentioning the issue of "the younger generation", so we should be more consistent in our positions.

"In the Ministry of Rites, Yu Qiao, whoever you think you can transfer, just open your mouth. As for this matter, the old man should keep it a secret and will not publicize it to the outside world! Yu Qiao, if the power of Bing Kuan really rises in the court in the future, you will also You need to prepare early, I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for that day!"

……

……

"Xu Shiyong is just an old fox."

When Xie Qian returned to the cabinet to be on duty, Li Dongyang couldn't help commenting on the details of meeting Xu Qiong.

Liu Jian shook his head and said: "It's understandable that he wants to stay out of the matter. Recently, he has repeatedly asked to resign. It's not an act. Earlier, the imperial physician came to treat him, and his body... really couldn't bear it."

Xie Qian said with a smile: "It would be better for Xu Shiyong to give up the position of the Ministry of Rites earlier."

Suppressing Zhang Zhou is one aspect.

After all, Zhang Zhou could barely be regarded as a middle-level civil servant, and the emperor would only listen to Zhang Zhou's opinions on some matters.

When it comes to the operation of the court, Xu Qiong's influence will be even greater.

For the traditional civil servants, they hope to get Xu Qiong down and leave some vacant positions for people they admire... They don't regard this as partisan, but just think that it follows some kind of "rules", yes For civil servants to make their own rules.

Li Dongyang said: "In the past two years, the positions of the six ministers of the imperial court have been very stable, and they have not been changed for many years. Maybe the next round will start from the Ministry of Rites. I don't know what your Majesty thinks about the Ministry of Cabinet."

Li Dongyang is quite crisis-conscious.

From the ninth year of Hongzhi, after Tu Yu replaced Geng Yu as the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Zhou Jing replaced Ye Qi as the Minister of the Ministry of Households, Xu Qiong replaced Ni Yue as the Minister of Rites, Xu Guan replaced Liu Zhang as the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and Min Yu replaced Tu Yu as the censor of Zuodu, the six ministers of the Ming Dynasty It has been three years since Jiazuodu Yushi has not changed at all.

Minister of War Ma Wensheng was in office in the second year of Hongzhi, and Minister of Punishment Bai Ang was in office in the sixth year of Hongzhi and served longer.

On the contrary, Xu Pu, the former chief assistant of the cabinet, resigned from office in the 11th year of Hongzhi, which became the biggest personnel change in the court.

According to Li Dongyang, the emperor will either not move, or he may move a big one, and many people may be replaced at a time.

In the past, they didn't think that there would be some figures who could influence the order of the court. Even if personnel changes, everything would be within the control of traditional civil officials. However, with the rise of Zhang Zhou in the past two years, the emperor's reliance on civil officials has occurred. There are many changes, so it's hard to say how much the traditional civil servants will be able to control in the next big personnel change.

Xie Qian said: "There is a saying, I think Xu Shiyong's words are reasonable, or before, it's really better to let Zhang Bingkuan be a marquis and transferred to the governor's mansion, so that he can't see it from now on."

In the past, if Xie Qian said such things, Liu Jian and Li Dongyang might refute them, but now they don't say anything.

It was for the convenience of controlling Zhang Zhou before that Zhang Zhou was left in the Hanlin Academy. He thought that Zhang Zhou could be held in the position of "Hanlin Servant" for at least four or five years. Coming to the next promotion, but I am afraid that something unexpected will happen... Now Zhang Zhou is going to be promoted to a bachelor's degree in the Imperial Academy.

Is it possible to join the cabinet in the next step?

"Binzhi, what do you think?" Liu Jian asked.

Li Dongyang shook his head: "I think it doesn't make much difference whether Zhang Bingkuan is in the Dudu's Mansion or in the Hanlin, whether he is a civil servant or a military official, or which gong he is in. His Majesty's reliance on him may deepen. Now I am afraid that others will see him. This tendency, leaning towards him and getting closer, will have a greater impact on the court."

"Yes." Liu Jian nodded in agreement.

No matter where Zhang Zhou is, the emperor will trust him if he should, and he will not change if he should ask Zhang Zhou for advice.

But the problem is who will be around Zhang Zhou.

If there were only people like Wang Yue, Zhu Feng, and Xiao Jing, the traditional civil servants would not care at all, and they would not affect the order of the court.

But if Cheng Minzheng, Lin Han, or even Xu Qiong, Wang Jia, etc. began to surround Zhang Zhou, then Zhang Zhou's influence in the court would expand instantly. If there is any connection, it is equivalent to a potential political ally, and it is enough for traditional civil servants to drink a pot.

What do traditional civil servants rely on to survive today?
It mainly depends on the trust of the emperor, and then their indispensable power in governing the country, that is, their connections.

Zhang Zhouguang had trust before, and there was no one around him. No matter how powerful Zhang Zhou was, it was impossible for the emperor to replace the entire court with Zhang Zhou.

But if Zhang Zhou has a group of capable people around him, this group of people can even vaguely replace Liu Jian and the others. At that time, even if Liu Jian and others are still in their positions, their influence in the court will be greatly reduced.

A new force will rise, and many traditional civil servants will change jobs at that time...

At that time, who is the "orthodox civil servant" is another matter.

Xie Qian asked with a smile: "Then you said, was it Bingkuan himself who asked Keqin to go to Nanjing, or His Majesty?"

"Ok?"

Both Liu Jian and Li Dongyang also thought about this issue.

Seemingly insignificant, Cheng Minzheng returned to the court and went to Nanjing to become a bachelor of the academy... But whether Cheng Minzheng was transferred to Nanjing was proposed by the emperor or Zhang Zhou was a crucial "clue".

Li Dongyang frowned and said: "Yu Qiao, what you said is very true. If Zhang Bingkuan really proposed this matter, it may be that he took the initiative to show his favor to me, which shows that he has no intention of forming a party. If it is proposed by His Majesty, it is for His Majesty." To limit Zhang Bingkuan's tendency to form a party...is against us, it is beneficial and harmless."

"Yes." Liu Jian nodded.

This analysis.

If Zhang Zhou wants to play a big role and form his own faction in the court, and pull the troubled Cheng Minzheng into his group, it will be like a tiger with wings added.

There are too many people in the court who sympathize with Cheng Minzheng. The influence that Cheng Minzheng can bring to Zhang Zhou is not comparable to that of Lin Han.

But Cheng Minzheng was going to be transferred to Nanjing.

What does this mean?
Zhang Zhou still regards himself as a traditional civil servant, and has not escaped from this category.

Xie Qian laughed again: "Is that possible? He just deliberately lowered his figure, waiting for the future..."

Li Dongyang glanced at him and said, "Yu Qiao, it's no wonder that others always say that you have no clue, and they are talking about you over and over again. At least until now, Zhang Bingkuan is still in the Imperial Academy. The benefits of compiling books outweigh the disadvantages, then That's enough! As for the future, can you say for sure?"

"Yes." Xie Qian was still smiling.

Li Dongyang said: "But I still feel that if he goes to the Governor's Mansion, maybe we don't have to worry so much. At that time... it will be more straightforward!"

It doesn't matter if Zhang Zhou was more powerful then.

But at least the "difference between Wei and Wei is clear". Zhang Zhou became a martial artist, and he became opposed to civil officials.

In the future, there is no need to consider whether to attract or repel, just do it directly!
Well now.

Keeping Zhang Zhou in the Hanlin Academy, no matter whether Zhang Zhou is good or bad, they need to worry too much about advancing and retreating.

Even Li Dongyang felt that it was more difficult to control Zhang Zhou than to let Zhang Zhou go to the Governor's Mansion!

……

……

Duan Jingdian.

"Mr. Zhang, you are so awesome. You can write a book yourself, right? How many characters? Are there four books and five classics? Tell me about it!"

Zhang Zhou is still giving lectures to Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao heard that Zhang Zhou was so good that he wrote a book... mainly because Liu Jin and others helped to brag about his awesomeness, and then Zhu Houzhao admired Zhang Zhou so much.

Zhang Zhoudao: "The point is not the number of words, but the rules. Do you think the matter of research is so easy?"

"What do you mean?"

Zhu Houzhao found that his brain was not enough.

Liu Jin smiled and said: "Master Zhang probably meant that there must be more words than the Four Books and Five Classics. Think about it, Master Zhang can write a lot of martial arts scripts in one night, but the book that took months to edit , can you have fewer words?"

"Yes, yes, Lao Liu, I didn't expect you to have a brain. Let me look at you with admiration."

"His Highness praises you."

Zhang Zhou frowned at the side, watching the pair of master and servant bragging about business, and their heads were quite big.

This kid didn't learn anything else, but he learned the routine of perfunctory compliments very quickly, as if he liked to learn what he followed. He hadn't grown up yet, but he learned the routines and perfunctory of adults first.

"Prince, class is on! Take out your books!"

Zhang Zhou didn't want to talk nonsense, he wanted to act like a strict teacher, he even held the ruler in his hand, and was ready to give a good lecture.

Zhu Houzhao said: "You haven't talked about compiling the book yet. How did you write so many characters? And where did you hear those martial arts scriptures before? Why haven't I heard anyone else say it before? Hey... what are you doing? Don't scare me with this thing!"

"I can know the future. I can use the book of the future for the present, can't I?"

Zhang Zhou walked up to Zhu Houzhao with a ruler in his hand, and pointed to the contents of the book with the ruler, "I'll give you half an hour to memorize these two pages. I'll go out and go back to check. If you can't memorize... "

"What do you mean? You run away by yourself and let me carry it here?"

"Hmph! If you don't memorize it, you will have to bear it when you come back! You can decide for yourself!"

Zhang Zhou was only here to give Zhu Houzhao homework, and he was going to see the Queen Mother in a while.

He also found that whenever he entered a palace, he was very busy, as if everyone wanted him to go, and there was always something he had to do.

……

……

Inside Qingning Palace.

When Zhang Zhou came, the Empress Dowager Zhou didn't even stay with Jiang Lu, everyone retreated, leaving only Zhang Zhou to talk.

"Dream interpretation..." Empress Dowager Zhou had just begun, when she suddenly realized that Zhang Zhou was different from ordinary people, so she changed the topic, "If you accept a concubine for His Majesty now, will you be sure of succession?"

"Twenty percent."

Zhang Zhou said.

The Empress Dowager Zhou sighed: "It's still a little less. Bingkuan, you have to hurry up. If you don't wait until the day when Aijia still keeps his eyes open, you will probably lose [-]% of your chances."

"Ha ha."

Zhang Zhou smiled.

The old lady almost told him directly, besides Aijia, who else would care about this matter?When the Ai family dies, you will have no allies if you want to help the emperor accept his concubine!Can only fight alone.

The Empress Dowager Zhou said: "You keep saying, let the emperor go out of the palace to see more of the customs and customs outside, or the beauty of the world, when will you do it?"

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Forgive me, the Empress Dowager, there is no reason recently, and His Majesty will not walk out of the palace easily. If the so-called beauty of the world is sent to the palace...it will be too intrusive."

"Then find a chance and let the emperor go to Changning Bo's mansion, or Qingyunhou's mansion. You just say that there is auspiciousness over there, let the emperor go and have a look, can't you?"

Empress Dowager Zhou seemed very anxious and offered to give Zhang Zhou some advice.

Zhang Zhou shook his head: "In this matter, it is better not to deceive His Majesty. If you act too deliberately, I am afraid that His Majesty will reject it. Everything will come to fruition."

The Empress Dowager Zhou gave Zhou Zhou a blank look and said, "I'm afraid that you will be perfunctory in the end. The two boys of the Zhang family have benefited a lot from you recently. I heard that they are also very flattering to you. Don't forget that you are here The blessings of Daming! The heirs of the Ming Dynasty spread their branches and leaves, is that because of mourning for one person?"

"Empress Dowager, don't worry, I will step up." Zhang Zhou said.

(End of this chapter)