The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 313

The uncle and nephew of the Kong family ran to Zuoshun's door and knelt down.

When the news came out, scholars in the capital naturally talked about it, and some wanted to kneel together, but Dongchang and Jinyiwei would not give others a chance.

Xiao Jing, the admiral of the East Factory, personally informed Zhu Youtang of this matter, and Zhu Youtang said coldly: "Kneel if you want to. Do you think Bingkuan has wronged them? You have learned to put pressure on me!"

Dai Yi obviously didn't want to cause conflicts between the emperor and the Kong family, he said: "Could it be...Yan Shenggong wants to admit his mistakes for brother?"

"He's going to plead guilty before the incident happened? I think he wants me to show my attitude. If this matter fails, let me punish Bingkuan. What I said in the court, it seems that they Kong The door is not listening!"

Zhu Youtang was very annoyed.

Now Dai Yi and the others could also see that the emperor was angry because he felt that Kong Hongtai's move was simply slapping the emperor in the face.

The emperor said in the court that as long as the matter does not happen, the emperor does not want to pursue it.

In the end, you, Kong Hongtai, brought your nephew to kneel down. It seemed that you were admitting your mistake, but in fact, you just wanted to show the world that our Kong family is not to be bullied. Let scholars all over the world decide for us.

Dai Yi couldn't say anything about it.

On the contrary, Xiao Jinghui's eyes were as bright as a torch, and he said: "Your Majesty, according to this servant, this Yan Shenggong should not...act against His Majesty's will."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Youtang frowned.

You Xiao Jing has a lot of skills, how dare you refute me?

Dai Yi quickly winked at Xiao Jing, meaning would you judge the situation?The emperor is angry with the Kong family, how dare you come out and speak for them?
Xiao Jingdao: "Your Majesty, from the perspective of this servant, Yan Shenggong just wanted to show that this matter has nothing to do with him, so that after the incident, he will not be angered by the Kong family. He should be very clear about His Majesty's trust in Mr. Zhang ...I heard that he came to the mansion in person today knowing that Mr. Zhang is not at the mansion, intending to pay a visit and seek advice."

"is it?"

Zhu Youtang was a little angry before, but he couldn't help laughing when he heard the words, and the atmosphere was not as tense and depressing as before.

Dai Yi exclaimed, why didn't I think of this?
He hurriedly followed Xiao Jing's words and said: "Your Majesty, do you think it's time to invite this person away immediately, so as not to further expand the situation?"

Zhu Youtang said: "No need. Let their uncles and nephews kneel until tomorrow morning... I guess if what happened last night, the news should come early tomorrow morning. At that time, if they don't want to make amends, they will have to make amends!"

Dai Yi listened.

The emperor is very sure about Kong Hongxu's setting fire. Could it be that... the emperor has stumbled, even if Kong Hongxu didn't intend to set the fire, Dongchang and Jinyiwei can take advantage of the situation to start the fire?That's really... Who are you going to reason with?

……

……

The next day.

Before the early court, when the ministers passed by Zuoshunmen, they saw Kong Hongtai and Kong Hongxu still kneeling there, and some wanted to go up to persuade them, but they didn't dare to act rashly at this time.

Some are also waiting for cabinet ministers and ministers, especially those who are close friends with Kong Hongtai to persuade them, but obviously those top civil servants can't express their views too much before the matter has a definite result.

Court meeting.

Zhu Youtang sat on the throne and listened to the minister's report on court affairs. The main topics of the day were the local military affairs in Nanjing, disasters in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and food requisition.

Liu Jian really couldn't bear it, and didn't want to strain the relationship between the royal family and the Kong family, so he took advantage of the time when the Ministry of Household Affairs was in charge, and came out and said, "Your Majesty, Duke Yansheng is still kneeling in front of the palace gate, do you want to send someone to invite him?" go back?"

Zhu Youtang said: "I also can't bear it, and I don't want to worry about things that haven't happened. But it's not convenient for me to go to many things in person. Why don't Liu Ge guide someone to go and persuade them?"

Liu Jian was embarrassed when he heard this.

He asked the emperor a problem, and the emperor returned the ball to him.

You, Liu Jian, are looking for trouble, and the uncle and nephew of the Kong family want to kneel. Your cabinet minister is so nervous, isn't it because you want to unite with their uncle and nephew to put pressure on me?
"The court proceedings continue..."

Zhu Youtang's face was still dark.

When the court meeting was about to end, Xiao Jing, who hadn't shown his face that day, came over quickly, hurried to Zhu Youtang's ear and said something, and Ma Wensheng, the minister of the Ministry of War, also stopped.

Zhu Youtang nodded, as if he knew this would happen a long time ago, coughed lightly and said: "My dear family, the news just came from Shandong that someone set fire to Xuansheng Temple the day before yesterday, It was captured by Jin Yiwei and handed over to the local government for interrogation, and the culprit is being traced."

"what?"

Although the ministers present had expected that it might be the same, they still felt a chill down their backs after the incident was confirmed to have happened.

Was Zhang Zhouyan really hit?

Or did the emperor or the local government take advantage of it?

If the person who set the fire was caught, it shouldn't be the boss of the Kong family who set the fire himself, right?That is the Kong family?Still irrelevant?How to prove that this person was sent by Kong Hongxu?

Li Dongyang came out, and he was the first to express his opinion: "Your Majesty, should this matter be treated with prudence? If there is no fire to judge the crime, if you want to expand the involvement, I'm afraid it will cause troubles in the court and the wild."

These words sounded like Li Dongyang was speaking for the Kong family.

But Zhu Youtang felt that... Li Dongyang was clearly trying to separate himself from Kong Hongtai who was kneeling outside the palace.

The more Li Dongyang helped at this time, the more he seemed to want to add insult to injury.

Zhu Youtang said: "The fire has started, but it only burned a side hall of Xuansheng Temple. The arsonist was captured and interrogated by members of the Kong clan. They used tung oil and firewood, and they were able to walk through the courtyard to the front of Xuansheng Temple... Do you think I still need to investigate?"

The emperor is also advancing by retreating.

The ministers present seemed to understand.

For the Kong family now, that's just yellow mud falling into their crotch. If it's not shit, it's shit.

With Zhang Zhou's words as the first, someone will set fire to the Xuansheng Temple if it hits the mark accurately. The second half of Zhang Zhou's prophecy said that Kong Hongxu asked someone to do it, which can almost prove it.

After all, the ones who were arrested were the Kong family... It couldn't have been bought by Zhang Zhou in the northwest, right?

After all, Tu Yu was on good terms with the Kong family, and even the marriage between Kong Wenshao and Li Yu was facilitated by him. He couldn't help but stepped out and said, "Even if the person who set the fire is really related to the Kong family, he should be investigated to the end. The petty Fangxiao people took advantage of the problem to affect the relationship between the imperial court and the Kong family."

After hearing this, Zhu Youtang's face was very displeased, and he said sharply: "Tu Qing's family, are you talking about Zhen, or Bingkuan?"

"Chen... I don't have that intention." Tu Yu hurriedly explained.

"boom!"

Zhu Youtang threw a memorial in front of him on the ground, and said coldly, "I told the matter in advance, isn't it enough to save face? What is the meaning of that outside Zuo Shun's door? It is said that someone provokes the relationship between the court and the Kong family... in the end Does the one kneeling outside the palace represent the Kong family, or the person who was accused by Bing Kuan in Qufu represents the Kong family?"

These words came with a great deal of anger.

It was said that your Confucian family wanted to burn the Xuansheng Temple, and you really did. The whole world watched the jokes of your Confucian family, and now there are still people who come forward to intercede for the Confucian family?

It really opened my eyes!
Don't blame me for targeting the Kong family. It is because you scholars don't take me and the royal family seriously, and think about how to use the Kong family to win over scholars, or even form cliques. Thinking about it...don't blame Bingkuan, don't say that he just made a prophecy and didn't find someone to make trouble secretly. Even if he did, I think Bingkuan is doing it for me For the sake of Jiangshan Sheji!
"Since you think you should investigate thoroughly, then send people from Yidongchang to investigate thoroughly. The Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate will all send people there. You must never wrong anyone, and you must not let anyone go. clues!"

Zhu Youtang ordered with a look of annoyance.

This annoyance.

It can be explained that the emperor had spoken out Zhang Zhou's prophecy in advance, but the fire was still not stopped, and the emperor felt annoyed.

Of course, it can also be said that the emperor was simply angry with the Kong family.

Or angry at Tu Yu and Li Dongyang who spoke for the Confucian family.

Anyway, you are now seeking benevolence and gaining benevolence, and I have not sent anyone to frame you, and Bing Kuan has not done so, so are you still afraid of investigation?Then check it out and explain to everyone in the world... Let's see who is the last nervous person!
……

……

Before the court meeting was over, the emperor walked away in a huff.

All the ministers could see that the emperor was really angry.

All the ministers were already arguing on the way out of the palace, and even some officials of the Sixth Division who thought they were upright were still accusing some young people of doing evil in secret, taking the opportunity to frame and frame Kong Hongxu.

Even Xie Qian couldn't bear to listen to these words, he said: "There are some things, you'd better be cautious before saying them out."

"Xie Ge, what's the meaning of this?" Li Kedu asked Tu Dan, who looked very strong in the matter.

Xie Qian also knew that these censors had always thought that they were unreasonable, and they were people who could martyr for the truth.

But he didn't think this group of people was very smart.

Xie Qian said: "It seems that you didn't hear what your Majesty said clearly. If you suspect that someone is taking the opportunity to make trouble, you should give reasonable doubt... It is Zhang Bingkuan, and his purpose for doing this... What he is targeting, It’s just a Duke Yan Sheng who seized the title, even if things don’t go as he expected, everything can be resolved if Kong’s family handed over a sinner. Then what’s his purpose?”

"He...he wants to use this to suppress the prestige of the saint's line!" Tu Dan said with certainty, his tone was still very firm.

Shen Lu, Zuo Tongzheng envoy, said with a smile: "He is organizing the army in the northwest. Recently, he heard that the soldiers and horses have left the grasslands to patrol the Weining Sea. Before dispatching troops, they sent someone to Qufu just to target a former Shenggong? How did he do it?" Do you think that this will definitely suppress the prestige of the Kong family? To frame, shouldn’t it be framed...the one at the gate of the palace?"

"This……"

Now Tu Dan is a little wilted.

indeed.

It doesn't make sense.

It was a waste of time for Zhang Zhou to do this. It is okay to say that he has ulterior motives, but where is his ulterior motives?

Instead of targeting the current Yan Shenggong, go for a previous Yan Shenggong?
Besides, Zhang Zhou was still used to target the crimes committed by Kong Hongxu, the former sage?

But anyone who knows the past should know what Kong Hongxu has done. Compared to those evil deeds of rape, robbery and murder, setting fire to a side hall of the Xuansheng Temple is a trivial matter.

Originally, a group of people were filled with righteous indignation, saying that they wanted to settle accounts with Zhang Zhou, but after being analyzed by Xie Qian and Shen Lu in such a cooperative manner, the ministers at the scene immediately fell silent.

It's not that they dispelled the suspicion of "planting" Zhang Zhou, but some people figured it out.

Regardless of whether Zhang Zhou did it or not, the result is beneficial to the emperor and the royal family. It is unrealistic for the emperor to send someone to investigate and even blame Zhang Zhou for the crime.

And as Shen Lu said, many things really cannot be explained.

Seeing that the group of people seemed to have calmed down a lot, Liu Jian deliberately said loudly to Li Dongyang next to him: "Binzhi, go to the palace gate to persuade Dongzhuang to return to the mansion earlier. He will not go out these few days! Let’s discuss everything after the outcome!”

"Ah."

Li Dongyang nodded.

As one of the few people who can see through the whole situation, Li Dongyang was thinking in his heart: "Zhang Bingkuan is impeccable in doing things, so did he really hit the mark, or did he want to use this to show his majesty? Did your majesty cooperate with him in what he did?"

There are some things that Li Dongyang can't figure out.

From a rational point of view, Li Dongyang did not believe that Kong Hongxu's arson could be counted by Zhang Zhou.

But on a more emotional level, he felt that no matter whether Zhang Zhou was playing tricks behind his back, the result was still acceptable... At least his daughter, who was as darling as a baby, finally didn't have to marry the son of Kong Hongxu, who was full of evil.

……

……

this morning.

With Li Dongyang's presence, Kong Hongtai didn't dare to be aimless anymore, whether it was pleading guilty, putting pressure on him, or wanting to separate the relationship, he knew that he could no longer kneel at the gate of the palace.

The Kong family became a joke.

It's time to draw a line with Kong Hongxu.

Zhu Youtang, on the other hand, was testing his son's knowledge in Qianqing Palace, while listening to Xiao Jing truthfully telling the detailed situation, with a happy expression on his face.

"Father, what makes you so happy? Tell my son to hear it?" Zhu Houzhao raised his head with a pen and asked with a grin.

It's as if father and son want to have fun together.

Zhu Youtang's expression darkened and he said, "I asked you to recite silence, what are you doing? Have you finished your silence?"

"Uh...I'm writing now, father, please don't scare me. I won't remember this scare. I haven't been taught by Mr. Zhang recently, and my schoolwork is not very good..." Zhu Houzhao raised his head earlier, of course It's because he didn't learn well and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to fish in troubled waters.

Right in front of him is throwing the pot away.

Erchen did not learn well, it must be because the pillow was too hard, the bedding was too soft, the weather was too dry, and Zhang Zhou was not around when he slept at night...

It's not my fault that I didn't study hard.

Zhu Youtang said: "It's just right, I plan to lock you up for a few days, punish you to confine your feet to study behind closed doors, and not to leave your room for a month."

"Father, don't, you want to shut down Erchen, and I have no objection, but can you wait for Mr. Zhang to send troops to the Weining Sea for the results of the war before shutting down Erchen? I'm concerned about major affairs in the Northwest!"

Zhu Houzhao is not looking for objective reasons for this, he is really overly worried about the seemingly calm patrol in the northwest...

In order to find out the purpose of Zhang Zhou's doing this, and to deduce whether Zhang Zhou may have a tendency to make the war bigger, he has been circling the sand table recently when he has nothing to do. The entire East Palace seems to be a small military department. , Opening and shutting is the art of war.

Zhu Youtang said angrily: "Nonsense! What does Bingkuan's use of troops have to do with you? Come and take the prince back to the East Palace and keep him under strict guard!"

"Yes."

Xiao Jing responded.

This errand is a bit complicated.

Just now I was still making face for His Majesty, and I was talking about good things to make His Majesty happy. I was still a father and a filial son before, why did I turn my face to this stage again?
You father and son... a current king and a crown prince, if you insist on discord with one word, you will engage in such a tense thing?
"Father, it's not fair! My son is already studying hard! Isn't it because he didn't recite for a while?" Zhu Houzhao saw that there were eunuchs who were about to come and carry him back to the East Palace, and he couldn't help protesting loudly.

Zhu Youtang sneered and said: "If Bingkuan didn't take care of you, there are Wang Xueshi and others. Don't worry, you will be locked in the room to study, and there will be a teacher who will guide and supervise you every day. If you can't learn it, just don't come out! "

……

……

Inside Kunning Palace.

Zhu Youtang seemed to be looking for someone to listen to, and told his wife the truth about the Kong family, especially when it came to such a display of the majesty of the royal family, he was even more satisfied.

Empress Zhang didn't care too much about it.

She said: "Your Majesty, the crown prince is young, why shut him up again? Once or twice is fine, this is always shutting him down, I'm afraid it will make him feel resentful."

The couple's concerns are clearly not in the same place.

In the past, Zhu Youtang's emotions, even his thoughts, were easily manipulated by his wife, but now he feels that he and his wife have nothing in common.

One only cares about the trivial matters inside the palace gate, while the other has the world in mind, and wants to become a wise king who shines through the past...

The realm is different.

"The prince is to blame." Zhu Youtang said with a straight face, "I can't teach him well right now, and I'm prepared to wait a month or two, and after Bingkuan finishes handling the matters at hand, he will take care of the military affairs in the Northwest." Hand it over to Qin Hong, who is in charge of the trilateral military affairs. When he comes back, he will continue to stay in the Imperial Academy as a lecturer, teaching the prince!"

Empress Zhang said: "Even so, can't we wait until Bing Kuan returns to the capital to be strict with the crown prince?"

Zhu Youtang shook his head and said: "If you don't hurry up now, you don't know when you will have to wait until Bingkuan comes back. If you want to deal with the prince's mood, then it will be difficult! Empress, I have my own decision on how to educate the prince. You don't have to ask any more."

"Father, where are the ministers?"

Zhu Xiurong was on the side, asking eagerly.

"Ok?"

Only then did Zhu Youtang realize that since he came to Kunning Palace today, he seemed to have neglected his daughter.

Zhu Xiurong is now a five-and-a-half-year-old girl. At this age, Zhu Houzhao had already begun to learn some simple characters, and even achieved a little success... At that time, the emperor looked after Zhu Hou's son Jackie Chan, but Zhu Houzhao himself always took care of him. Learning is very resistant.

On the daughter's side, Zhu Xiurong wanted to learn, but the father always felt that it was useless to teach his daughter too much.

"Xiurong, even if you want to learn, who will I ask to teach you?"

Zhu Youtang should have asked his wife to enlighten his daughter, but he also knew that his wife was knowledgeable...that was beyond words.

Zhu Xiurong said: "I want to learn from my aunt."

"Who?" Zhu Youtang looked at his wife.

Empress Zhang said: "It was Yongkang who came two days ago and told Xiurong something, which made Xiurong very yearn for."

Princess Yongkang, Zhu Youtang's younger sister, married Cui Yuan, a Confucian scholar.

Cui Yuan later won the Marquis of Jingshan by welcoming King Sejong, but in the Hongzhi and Zhengde dynasties, he was just a casual person, but Cui Yuan's younger sister was the wife of Zhang Yanling, so Princess Yongkang would often come to the palace through this relationship Visit Queen Zhang.

This point is also mentioned in the epitaph of Kong Zhenqian, the son of Kong Wenshao: "...the wife's surname is Zhang, the younger brother of the Zhaosheng Empress Dowager, the daughter of the former Jianchang Hou Yanling. The mother Cui, the son-in-law Du Wei Jingshan Hou Yuanmei also..."

"Hmm." Zhu Youtang nodded and said, "I can't let my imperial sister teach my princess all the time, right? Xiurong, if you want to study in the future, I will find a famous teacher for you. I will consider it again as appropriate. Yes. Don't worry, you will have a husband soon."

(End of this chapter)