The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 440

Zhang Zhou was already on his way back to Beijing.

The journey along the way was not fast, and it seemed that he was not in a hurry to go back to the capital to serve as Minister of the Ministry of War. The imperial edicts and book coupons related to the canonization of Cai Guogong were also on the way. Before Zhang Zhou returned to Beijing, Cai Guogong's title could be confirmed.

And within a few days, the Lai Guogong Mansion in the capital will change the plaque again.

After the end of October, the capital calmed down a lot. It was also because of the cold weather that all officials wrapped themselves in winter clothes.

The emperor was also considerate of his ministers, and basically he would not watch the court at Fengtianmen, and would go to Fengtian Hall almost every time. Such a change of the emperor was also to show his reliance on civil servants, which was regarded as a show of favor.

Ministers may not appreciate it either.

The ruling and opposition parties secretly discussed the dissatisfaction with the little Tatar prince who committed the crime of Huo Shibei, and Zhang Zhou sent troops to send ships to sea.

Zhu Youtang learned about these rumors through the factory guard's intelligence network, and he would not deliberately mention them. As long as those ministers did not attack Zhang Zhou in the court, Zhu Youtang felt that the government and the opposition were still very harmonious.

The sixth day of November.

In Ningxia Town on this day, after the end of the Battle of Ningxia, the emperor finally issued an edict on rewards and punishments for the merits and demerits of Ningxia soldiers, involving all aspects of the army.

Most of them are material rewards, and they are based on local materials. The Ministry of Finance will not allocate money to complete the rewards, and the emperor chose to turn a blind eye to the loss of Ming Dynasty in this battle.

Yang Yiqing continued to serve as the governor of Ningxia, and Zhu Feng was transferred to the capital for another purpose, and the person who replaced Zhu Feng as the commander-in-chief of Ningxia... The emperor appointed Zhu Hui, the Duke of Baoguo.

Zhu Feng didn't get a decent commendation either, the emperor just gave him "verbal praise". After receiving the imperial edict, Zhu Feng was about to return to Beijing.

Zhu Feng went to bid farewell to Yang Yiqing, Yang Yiqing specially prepared two dishes for him in the governor's yamen alone, and the Ningxia civil and military team parted ways.

"I'm leaving again. I'm going to the capital with mountains and rivers. I don't know if I can go back for a month." It took Zhu Feng about half a month to come, and it was almost a day and night.

But that was because Ningxia West Road was being invaded and he had to.

But when they went back, there were no military missions, and the time limit given was more generous.

Although Yang Yiqing looked down on Zhu Feng, he knew that the defeat and the loss of people and animals in Ningxia this time were all due to Zhu Feng's presence, so he was not blamed. Even so, he was still tired of coping with the inspector censor.

"Marquis An Bian, what's your plan when you return to the capital?" Yang Yiqing asked earnestly.

Zhu Feng said: "I will take the initiative to plead guilty."

Yang Yiqing almost wanted to beat this kid up.

Haven't you forgotten about the relationship?
"In fact, I have already made an introduction before, and I have said the specific situation. There are few people in Ningxia who can be mobilized, and Yansui has not sent reinforcements. Neither Gansu, Guyuan, nor anywhere in Guanzhong have provided assistance. I have done my best, but the Tatars are coming fiercely, and I am afraid that the loss will be too great, so I have reported the losses in several battles truthfully."

After Zhu Feng finished speaking, Yang Yiqing stood up and said, "You haven't settled anything yet? When did it happen?"

Zhu Feng said: "I wrote it early in the morning."

Yang Yiqing took a breath.

I thought the court didn't pursue it this time because Zhu Feng didn't play.

In other words, he always felt that Zhu Feng was using "pleading guilty" as an excuse to come to negotiate and deal with him, but this kid did what he said and made the pleading early.

The emperor didn't pursue it, maybe it was because Zhu Feng was honest and honest.

Zhu Feng said earnestly: "I also mentioned that after Yang Zhongcheng arrived in Ningxia, he worked day and night on military affairs without any slack, and the whole army admired him a lot. With you in Ningxia, the Tatars dared not come again for a while. .”

Yang Yiqing sat down, feeling a little ashamed.

It's fine to accept Wang Shouren's great victory in the grassland, but now there is an inconspicuous Zhu Feng, do you want to give yourself favors?

I have fallen to such a low level, should everyone have pity on myself?

Thinking about it carefully, maybe this isn’t pity, but it’s strange anyway... It’s as if I am a fledgling novice official who always needs the protection of others to complete his mission, as if he is living in the shadow of others.

"Drink." Yang Yiqing tried his best to hide the embarrassment on his face, and raised his glass.

Zhu Fengdao: "Yang Zhongcheng, Ningxia's military situation, I have actually seen it. If you want to use Ningxia as a base to attack the grassland, you will not be able to do it no matter in terms of manpower or material resources."

Yang Yiqing nodded and said: "It's natural. Most of the reserves in the three sides are in Yansui, and most of the expenses in Yansui come from Xuanfu. The Northwest seems to be a whole, but only when disasters or wars occur, each Otherwise, Ningxia still needs to raise military rations by itself."

Zhu Feng asked: "But there are so many fields, why no one cultivates them?"

"Too many escaped households." Yang Yiqing said.

Zhu Fengdao: "Before I heard Brother Zhang say that there are several kinds of grains overseas. After cultivation, the yield is very large. It doesn't need to be too good weather to feed people. If they are planted in the future, the soldiers may be full. "

Yang Yiqing frowned.

Xin said that your brother Zhang is really omnipresent and omnipotent.

"Then did he say, where is this crop?" Yang Yiqing asked.

Zhu Feng shook his head and said: "I don't know, he should be overseas. I heard that he has gone to Jiangnan to prepare for the shipbuilding. It must be for this matter."

Yang Yiqing was quite surprised and said: "Grand Lai went to the south to build a ship, the purpose is to find food crops?"

This kind of subverts Yang Yiqing's outlook on life.

Zhang Zhou went to the southeast coast to build ships, in the name of Jinghai, but secretly said that he wanted to do business with Nanyang. Only after some things can such a "secret" be revealed.

"I don't know either." Zhu Feng was a little frustrated, "He always liked to take me with him when he had something to do, but recently he always doesn't go the same way with me. But that's okay, I just want to go back to Nanjing."

again.

Yang Yiqing said: "Retire early and leave tomorrow. Since His Majesty asked you to return to Beijing earlier, there must be important errand arrangements. You don't have to worry about the defense of Ningxia. All the passes and fortresses here can complete self-defense."

Zhu Feng said: "Yang Zhongcheng, if you have a chance, go to the capital and pay a visit to Brother Zhang."

"What?" Yang Yiqing frowned.

Zhu Feng pursed his lips, looking a little shy and said: "I don't know why, but I think Yang Zhongcheng's ability is very high, but the method he used must be wrong. What His Majesty wants is that the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty can rush out. It doesn't necessarily require a large number of people. Maybe a few thousand people are enough. Because I have seen flint guns and cannons... Oh yes, I heard that the [-] soldiers and horses brought by Uncle Xinjian did not bring heavy cannons, but only light cannons. beat the Tartars all over the place."

Yang Yiqing frowned deeply and said, "You want me to ask Duke Lai for advice on strategy?"

"No." Zhu Feng said, "I hope to introduce Yang Zhongcheng to Brother Zhang."

As soon as Yang Yiqing heard it, he knew that this kid was crazy.

He belongs to the traditional faction, but Zhu Feng actually wants to drag himself into Zhang Zhou's new faction?

Could it be that I, Yang Yingning, don't want to lose face?
I don't care about promotion channels, and I'm not good at flattering people. Why do you think that I need to rely on Zhang Zhou to gain a foothold in the court?
Zhu Fengdao: "I have always felt that a hero must cherish a hero. Only a capable person like Brother Zhang can make Yang Zhongcheng the mainstay of the Ming Dynasty. When the Ming Dynasty wants to flatten the grasslands in the future, only those who know Brother Zhang's military strategy can lead troops. Entering the grassland, making contributions and making great achievements makes everyone in the Ming Dynasty rely heavily on it. Yang Zhongcheng, if what I say is not pleasant to you, you can take it as a drunken speech, and I will toast you three glasses as a thank you for your support over the past few days."

……

……

Zhu Feng's words did not stir up ripples in Yang Yiqing's heart at that time.

But after Zhu Feng left, Yang Yiqing himself drank a few more glasses, and after returning to the bedroom, recalling what Zhu Feng said, he was suddenly filled with emotion.

He returned to the study room, but it was until midnight, he almost woke up from the wine, and he still didn't feel sleepy at all.

"Master, do you still want to give me sober tea?"

The ones who came this time were not acquaintances or officials, but servants of the Yang family.

Yang Yiqing said: "There's no need to send it away, just bring a cup of hot tea."

"Yes." The old servant pushed it out.

After a long time, a man named Song Liyan from the governor's yamen came in to deliver the documents. He could have sent them directly to the clerk's room, but when he saw that the light was still on, he personally delivered them to the door.

Yang Yiqing opened the door and took the document. After reading it, he realized that it was Qin Hong who ordered Ningxia to count the autumn grain handed in this year, and to make up for Yansui's use.

Yang Yiqing was upset and said: "Ningxia has lost troops and lost generals in this battle, and the collection of autumn rations is still less than [-]% of previous years. That's it, instead of reporting according to the disaster year, we have to allocate more miscellaneous labor and other things. In the past, Lifu even had to bring his own rations... What about starving people?"

Song Liyan said: "Yang Zhongcheng can directly play with Qin Laozhi on the stage and raise the current embarrassment."

"Ah."

Of course, Yang Yiqing objected to Qin Hong's difficult problem for Ningxia.

Seeing that Yang Yiqing intended to write something to argue with Qin Hong, Song Liyan knew that it was not suitable for him to stay, so he quickly saluted and prepared to leave.

But Yang Yiqing didn't even take the pen, so he suddenly changed his tone and said: "But if all the three sides are transferred, but Ningxia does not transfer manpower and money, it seems that Ningxia is too special. After two days of discussion , call someone over first."

Seeing Yang Yiqing's transformation, Song Liyan was also a little puzzled.

Just now he was filled with righteous indignation and wanted to speak for the Ningxia military and civilians, why did he turn his face and prepare to submit?

"Go down." Yang Yiqing said.

Song Liyan was even more puzzled by Monk Zhang Er. When he went out, he was still thinking, could it be that Yang Zhongcheng thought I was the one who made Qin Zhitai and thought I was supervising him, so he deliberately didn't reveal it in front of me?

But I don't know Qin Zhitai at all, so where did Yang Zhongcheng's defensiveness come from?
Yang Yiqing's transformation was difficult for Song Liyan to understand.

Yang Yiqing knew very well that it was difficult for him to "stand up" in the court.

I don't need to be blamed for the war in Ningxia, but the problem is that the emperor's praise put him in a dilemma. If he wants to have a chance to rise in the court in the future, he must find a backer.

Either Zhang Zhou, or Qin Hong, or someone in the court.

Qin Hong is a little old, but Qin Hong still has some connections in the court...

He thought of what Zhu Feng said again... If Zhang Zhou wants to lead troops into the grassland in the future, and he is not Zhang Zhou's person, will he be rewarded for his meritorious deeds?
Wang Shouren has already become the head of Xuanda, how many years has he debuted?How many years have I been in the officialdom?
It's rare that Zhu Feng, who is the same as two hundred and five, actually "appreciates" himself, and wants to introduce him for himself, but he just rejects his kindness like this?
No matter how capable you are, you must know how to "assess the situation".

……

……

Originally, Yang Yiqing didn't plan to send Zhu Feng off.

But because of the incident that night, Yang Yiqing went to see Zhu Feng in person early the next morning, and even sent him out of the city.

Zhu Feng was very happy. The Second Young Master of the Zhu family is a person who knows "gratitude". He felt that Yang Yiqing was a little stricter on himself when it came to running the army, but he felt in his bones that only a stern general can bring out an awesome army. For example, Wang Shouren is a coach who emphasizes strict military discipline.

But now when he resigns, Yang Yiqing has shown concern for himself, which shows that Yang Yiqing is not strict with himself because of selfishness.

Then Yang Yiqing is a "good man" who distinguishes between public and private.

"Yang Zhongcheng, the mountains are long and the rivers are far away. I believe we will meet again." Zhu Feng smiled and cupped his hands.

Yang Yiqing originally wanted to discuss with Zhu Feng what he could learn from that "Martial Arts Hall", so that he could determine whether it was necessary to move closer to Zhang Zhou.

But Zhu Feng seemed to have forgotten that he had mentioned this matter yesterday, and immediately got on his horse and left.

If Zhu Feng didn't mention it, Yang Yiqing was too embarrassed to speak up.

After Zhu Feng got on his horse, he walked for a while, and suddenly thought of something, he reined in his horse and returned to Yang Yiqing, dismounted and said, "Yang Zhongcheng, then I'll go and tell Brother Zhang about your skills, I hope next time we will have more We have the opportunity to make contributions on the battlefield together.”

Yang Yiqing said in his heart, did I come to agree directly?
Or, am I such an unprincipled person?
But this time, he didn't say yes or no, which means he gave Zhu Feng an ambiguous answer.

Zhu Feng got on his horse again and left.

After they left, a group of people came up from Yang Yiqing's side, and someone asked, "Why did Marquis An Bian suddenly turn back? Yang Zhongcheng, did you mention anything to you?"

"No." Yang Yiqing said, "Once Marquis An Bian left, Ningxia lost a door god, and I will ask you to pay more attention in the future."

The officials looked relaxed and happy.

The two battles between Pianguan and Ningyuan really made Zhu Feng a god, and even Zhu Feng's performance afterwards was quite satisfactory, but the battle in Ningxia completely pulled Zhu Feng off the altar.

Now it is recognized that the door god of Ming Dynasty is of course other than Zhang Zhou, and of course it is the current Xinjian Bo Wang Shouren.

Even when it comes to the number of enemies killed, Wang Shouren is well ahead. Moreover, Wang Shouren was born as a Jinshi, and also from a famous family. No matter how you look at it, he is more reliable than the foolish Zhu Feng.

……

……

Zhang Zhou and his party did not enter Shandong until mid-November.

This journey was not very smooth, mainly by land, and the emperor sent someone to inform that King Ning might send someone to harm him and Zhu Houzhao, and he could not travel overnight, and there were some entertainment along the way, so going north was not so smooth up.

After staying in the posthouse that day, everyone inside and outside the posthouse changed into Jinyiwei.

Even the ingredients are re-purchased.

Yang Peng went to Zhang Zhou's room and sent Zhang Zhou an official letter. Only after Zhang Zhou opened it did he find out that it was the Dongchang Fanzi who had escorted Zhongling King Zhu Jinzhui out of Jiangxi.

"King Ning was dissatisfied with this, but he did not intercede with King Zhongling, and said that he would pursue it according to the law, but it is said that he is uniting with several feudal lords and wants to intervene with you for what you have done in the past, Mr. Zhang. matter of impeachment."

Yang Peng said, "Of course you don't have to care about it, but there are some things that can be accumulated and destroyed."

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "It's fine if you just say that three people become tigers."

Yang Peng asked: "Nowadays there are more officials in Shandong than in Jiangxi, so you should be more careful."

"It's okay." Zhang Zhou continued to laugh.

On the ground in Shandong, there are many officials in Jiangxi. The main reason is that Li Shishi, the left governor of Shandong, was from Nanchang, Jiangxi.

Although Li Shishi will be the main planner of King Ning's rebellion in the future, when Li Shishi was an official, he had no contact with the faction of King Ning. In addition, Zhu Chenhao's days were short when he became King Ning, so he had no chance to contact Li Shishi. A high-ranking official at the right servant level... or rather, Zhu Chenhao didn't dare to make such a publicity.

Yang Peng said: "Dongchang has heard about some limelight, so I don't know whether to talk about it or not."

"Say." Zhang Zhou said.

Yang Peng wondered: "It is said that Ning Fan has treasuries everywhere, and many of them are not in Jiangxi, but this is just a gossip, and it has not been found yet."

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "You don't want me to do the math for you, do you?"

"No such intention." Yang Peng said, "It's just such news, I don't know if it should be reported to His Majesty."

Zhang Zhoudao: "That's all for Zou Ming, let's talk about something with evidence, but if something is rumored outside, it doesn't really matter whether there is evidence or not."

"You mean..." Yang Peng looked puzzled.

Zhang Zhoudao: "I'm not asking you to spread rumors. What I mean is that since there is a source of such rumors, it is better to inquire more. There are more people who know, or if there is such a treasury, whoever secretly guards the treasury Will there be troubles in people? After all... you can figure it out for yourself."

It doesn't matter whether King Ning has the heart to rebel.

The most important thing is to let the people in the world know that King Ning has the heart of rebellion. Only in this way will King Ning be in a state of shrinking all the time.

Of course, this is only an idealized state.

It seems that before Zhu Chenhao really wanted to rebel in the future, he really did it. The whole world knew that King Ning was going to rebel, but Zhu Houzhao was the only one who knew it later... It was "thanks" to the fact that Zhu Houzhao was blinded by a group of people around him. In the end, it was still necessary for someone from King Ning's faction to come out to dive, so that Zhu Houzhao woke up.

If it hadn't been for Zhu Houzhao's early decision to move Zhu Chenhao, and let Zhu Chenhao prepare for another two years, it might be a matter of course.

"Furthermore, you tell the prince again, so that he has a sense of crisis, and let him know that the people involved with King Ning are very dangerous to him, and let him go back to the capital obediently."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)