The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Inside Kunning Palace.

Ning Tong had just finished treating Queen Zhang. After leaving, Queen Zhang immediately sent someone to invite her husband back.

Zhu Youtang originally said that he would come to have dinner with his family at noon, but Queen Zhang seemed to be just a little more eager.

"Your Majesty, I feel that in addition to being talented and knowledgeable, Lady Ning has the demeanor of a lady and is a model for ladies in the world. I heard that she has not remarried yet, so I feel that it is better to marry her as soon as possible. She is betrothed to someone..."

Empress Zhang is very keen on thinking about Ning Tong's happiness.

But in fact, it was just to avoid having a strong competitor... This Ning Tong, in addition to being beautiful, was also a woman outside the palace, had been married before, and knew how to deal with the world.

What's even more terrible is that Ning Tong is still in contact with Concubine Xian, and they can be said to be allies.

If Ning Tong really enters the palace, doesn't that mean that my position as the queen will be in jeopardy?

Fighting against a virtuous concubine has already exhausted me, and I really can’t afford to fight two of them at once!

Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Queen, do you think so too? In fact, I have also thought about it."

"Your Majesty means..."

Queen Zhang became nervous.

If the emperor had considered it earlier, does that mean that the husband had long been interested in this girl and planned to bring her into the palace?

She wanted to say, Your Majesty, please don't get me wrong. When I said I betrothed her to someone else, I didn't mean to recruit her to the palace, but to let her find someone to marry outside.

"I learned from Dongchang that when this girl was kicked out of Duke Chengguo's mansion, Duke Chengguo's mother, Mrs. Chengguo, said that she could only marry Bingkuan and serve as his concubine. , and it is precisely because of this that the Chengguo Palace will risk being criticized by everyone in the world and let this woman leave."

When Zhu Youtang said this, he couldn't help but smile happily.

He had never thought about what his wife was thinking.

Empress Zhang finally looked relieved and asked, "Does that mean that Ning Ning is prepared for Bingkuan?"

"Yes." Zhu Youtang nodded, "That's what Mrs. Chengguo said, but in reality, Bingkuan will not force others to do anything. The Ning family has actually been weak for a long time. In the past, it relied on Chengguo Duke's government for support. Living in the lintel, now that this incident has happened, the Ning family has actually stopped having any contact with this woman. She seems to have been abandoned by the family. "

Empress Zhang sighed: "That's what women are like. If they are kicked out by their husband's family, it will be like destroying the lintel of the family. Who will dare to marry a woman from such a family in the future? In the future, it will really... sigh!"

When Queen Zhang said this, she felt a little bit the same way.

At the beginning, Empress Zhang's family also took the risk of breaking the engagement with her fiancé and being stabbed in the spine, so they sent Empress Zhang to the palace to choose the crown prince, and she was chosen.

If she hadn't been selected at that time, Queen Zhang might not be able to marry after she returned, because the Zhang family regretted the marriage for the sake of their own future. No one would look at such a family seriously whether they married or married in the future.

It is said that in the market of family marriage, the reputation is completely bad.

Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "After the death of Duke Cheng, the Duke Cheng's mansion now actually has to rely on others for help, and Bingkuan is very kind to the Duke Cheng's mansion. If it weren't for Bingkuan's relationship with Zhijie, how could I have done it?" Why would they think so highly of Duke Cheng Guo? They can see it themselves."

Queen Zhang said: "Then your Majesty, please let Ning Ning enter the Zhang Mansion's door earlier."

"I can't force others to make things difficult for me, right?" Zhu Youtang said with emotion, "I asked Bingkuan, and what Bingkuan meant was that I didn't want to force this matter. After all, we were all familiar with each other, and this woman had known integrity before. The family members, Bingkuan, may not be able to pass the test in their hearts."

"If he can't make it, Your Majesty will help him."

Empress Zhang now knows that Ning Tong is actually a "famous woman with a master", and she can't help but want to promote good things.

This not only allows Zhang Zhou to "appreciate" her, but also avoids future troubles, so that he will not have a more beneficial entanglement with this woman in the future. Why not?

Zhu Youtang thought for a while, then nodded and said: "When I look back, I will also make some plans for Bingkuan. Speaking of which, Bingkuan is doing well in everything else, but in terms of heirs, he is still a little weak. Alas!"

Speaking of Zhang Zhou's "few heirs", in fact Zhang Zhou also had two sons and one daughter, so similar to him.

In fact, Zhu Youtang was also feeling emotional about himself.

Before there was a prince, I thought about having a prince every day. Now I even have a second son, but I feel that two sons are not enough.

Empress Zhang smiled and said: "Then your Majesty, please help him and let him marry more wives and concubines, so that he can spread his wings. If your Majesty has someone you like, he wants to bring him into the palace, and I will not object." .”

Knowing that Ning Tong was not her potential rival, Empress Zhang also showed her "generosity" in order to make her husband feel that she was not a jealous woman.

"No need." Zhu Youtang said with a smile, "It's good now. As for me, you know...sometimes...I can't do what I want."

Queen Zhang couldn't help but smile shyly when she heard this.

Show the shyness of your little daughter's house.

Empress Zhang was also secretly having fun in her heart. Didn't you know this was obvious? Her husband also knew that he was not good at it, so when it came to taking in a concubine, it wasn't that her husband had a thief's heart or courage, but that he simply didn't have that intention.

The thing is...being an emperor also wants to save face.

After bringing back a concubine, you can only watch and do nothing else. That would be even more ridiculous than not having a son.

……

……

Inside the Yamen of the Ministry of War.

Zhang Zhou was meeting Zhang Mao who had come from the Governor's Mansion.

Zhang Mao was not doing official business this time, but more of a "private matter" because the case of Zhu Hui, the protector of the country, had been settled. Except for Zhu Hui being sent to the northwest, the Zhu family was almost falling apart... because of the rise of the Zhu Hui family. It's only in the past two generations, so the Zhu Hui family seems to be more of a flash in the pan.

But there is still a chilling effect.

Many old nobles in the capital felt that if they did not curry favor with Zhang Zhou, they would suffer disaster.

Because of comparing their feelings with each other, everyone felt that what Zhu Hui did was "right". It was just a choice made after assessing the situation. It was just the most routine operation of the Ming generals. Isn't it just a passive avoidance of war?

It's like no one has escaped.

The commotion has caused wives and children to be separated and families to be broken up... Even if no one is killed, doesn't this tell us that our good days are over?

"Bingkuan, do you think you can go to court and intercede on behalf of the guilty minister? Your Majesty is most willing to listen to you, even if you ask him to serve for his crime." Zhang Mao seemed to be interceding for Zhu Hui, but more of a test. Zhang Zhou’s attitude.

Zhang Zhou said: "Mr. British, do you think it is useful to speak now?"

Zhang Mao asked curiously: "Why is it useless? Let alone just being convicted, there is still room for change. Even those who have been convicted for many years have been pardoned? But like Zhu Hui, after being deprived of his title, he still has to live in exile. , and even being ordered not to be pardoned... It is really rare. There is also a lot of discussion about this outside."

Zhang Zhou said: "What the British Lord means is that some people criticize me and say that I am jealous of talents?"

"No, no, no." Zhang Mao quickly smiled and said, "What is a virtuous person? Is he called a virtuous person? Everyone knows what kind of virtue he is. It's just that some people think that the crime is a bit too heavy." "The conviction is not mine. It has been decided. I hope the British Duke knows this. I have almost never intervened in the Baoguo Duke's case. Even if His Majesty asked me to check if there was any reason behind it, I turned a blind eye and turned a blind eye. Well... to say that Zhu Hui got the result today, it was more because His Majesty wanted to kill him as a warning to others. Once this incident is over, I believe the capital will be in peace for a long time."

Zhang Zhou meant that he still didn't want to worry about it.

"Alas! It seems that this is what his fate is." Seeing that Zhang Zhou really had no intention of helping, Zhang Mao stopped asking.

Zhang Zhou said: "Is the British Lord just here to intercede for Zhu Hui? Is there something else?"

"No, I think the weather today is nice. It's getting cold in a blink of an eye. People are spreading rumors that the Tatars will invade again. I want to come over and see... if there's anything I can do to help." Zhang Mao said with a smile on his face. The smile of an old fox.

"The British Master is responsible for the training of the Beijing camp and other matters. The northwest department should be left to the generals of the Northwest Department to worry about. British Master, why don't you have time to drink? Speaking of which, there is really no good opportunity to share the wine with you. Yan Huan."

"I will definitely do it if I have a chance in the future."

Zhang Mao heard that Zhang Zhou was also a little indifferent to him.

Because it involves a conflict of interests, the rise of Zhang Zhou will inevitably lead to the decline of these old ministers. He also knew that he could not challenge Zhang Zhou, so he chatted for a few words and then got up and left.

……

……

Zhang Maogang had just left the Yamen of the Ministry of War. Before he could get on the carriage, he saw a person approaching from the opposite side. It was Anyuan Hou Liu Jing who had met him at his house before.

Liu Jing was in very bad condition and came over with a cough, which made Zhang Mao very unhappy.

"Didn't I tell you not to come?" Zhang Mao glared at Liu Jing angrily.

Liu Jing hurriedly took a few steps away and said, "I was rash. But it seems that Cai Guogong hasn't come out yet. Could it be that he hasn't..."

Liu Jing naturally went to ask Zhang Mao about Zhu Hui.

In the Battle of the Northwest, Liu Jing, as Zhu Hui's deputy, also suffered a defeat, just because Liu Jing had the support of the Empress Dowager Zhou, and because his title was lost and regained, the emperor did not reduce his title this time, but only demoted him. He was given the post and punishment and was allowed to work in the capital, which was tantamount to losing the emperor's trust.

"Of course people have seen it."

Zhang Mao was angry.

Does it seem to you, Liu Jing, that I am not even qualified to ask Zhang Bingkuan to meet him? It’s just that he didn’t send me out in person!

This is a government office, not your own home, so why do you need so many courtesy?

Besides, don’t you know who has more dignity between a British public servant and a Minister of War? It's all our martial arts heroes who come here to flatter us. How can we ever see Minister of the Ministry of War condescending someone?

"But just seeing him won't solve anything. Zhu Hui...he's finished!"

Zhang Mao almost came to a conclusion.

Even when the emperor punished him, Zhang Zhou refused to intercede. His former ministers now stayed far away from Zhu Hui.

Although Zhang Mao came to Zhang Zhou to intercede for Zhu Hui this time, if Zhang Mao was asked to intercede for Zhu Hui in this matter, he would not do it even if he was beaten to death.

"That's... such a pity." Liu Jing looked regretful.

"You're not willing to end up like him, are you?"

Zhang Mao specially pulled Liu Jing out of the street to avoid being seen.

Liu Jingdao: "Gong Baoguo can be considered a good person. When he heard about the advancement of the war in Ningxia in the northwest, he had a premonition that something would happen. He even sent people to the capital to lobby, but the result... was in vain."

"Even after sending people back to inform and lobby, Zhang Bingkuan still hasn't been dealt with clearly? Doesn't he know whose hands his family's wealth and life are in?"

When Zhang Mao heard this, he immediately felt that Zhu Hui was to blame.

It’s okay to be timid on the battlefield, but when people come back to seek connections and connections, they don’t know which way to go?

"I sent people, but it was of no use. I couldn't send money, and I couldn't send riches, women, and so on. Cai Guogong was a monolith here, and then things happened. If Bao Guogong came out to take care of it himself, maybe he could still do it. It's better, but when the incident happened, no one else had left the northwest...it was equivalent to being dismissed on the spot and facing charges."

When Liu Jing said this, he became even more regretful and said with some remorse, "I arranged some gifts through Shen Yintai and sent them out. I don't know where they were sent in the end."

"General Secretary Shen Lu?" Zhang Mao frowned.

"Yes." Liu Jing's eyes lit up.

Zhang Mao sneered and said: "That guy only looks kind, but he is also stubborn. Can he send your gift to Zhang Bingkuan? You might as well just give it to the dogs."

Liu Jing was stunned.

I said in my heart that I gave it to you, does that mean that I gave it to you as a dog feed?

"It seems that things like this are irreversible. Let's try our best to save the Zhu family. Alas!" Liu Jing sighed and said, "But he said that he couldn't help this time. He thought that all the men in the clan would go to the northwest to join the army. In order to obey the order, women must also be sent out. This matter did not go to the Ministry of Punishment at all, and I couldn’t even ask if I wanted to."

Zhang Mao sneered and said: "Old Zhu's family was so awesome at the beginning that I thought that the one who would replace my Zhang family was his Zhu family. What's the result? Now it's reduced to the point where I come out to intercede for him and save him. ?When I went to express my condolences before, no one had a good look!"

The relationship between the British government and the Baoguo government is still very "close".

Just because Zhang Mao's sister was the stepmother of Baoguo Gong Zhu Yong, it means that Zhu Hui's father was Zhang Mao's brother-in-law.

Zhang was posthumously named "Mrs. Xuanping Wang". When Zhang Mao passed away in the ninth year of Hongzhi, when Zhang Mao went to express his condolences, he was met with disappointment, mainly because Zhu Hui was not born to Zhang, but to Zhu Hui. Born to his first wife, Sun, Zhu Hui had always been a bit mean to this stepmother, especially after he inherited Duke Baoguo.

"They are all children, ignorant..." Liu Jing was interceding for Zhu Hui, "They are also members of his own family, why... are they so picky? Do you want to see... the Zhu family be ruined?"

"He has already been ruined. Is that what I can decide?"

Zhang Mao said angrily, "It's better now, I don't want to see them again. That's all!"

After saying that, Zhang Mao ignored Liu Jing's pleas. He didn't even give him a chance to talk this time and got directly into the carriage.

"Ugh!"

Liu Jing watched Zhang Mao's carriage go away and could only continue to sigh.

After Zhang Mao got into the carriage, he seemed to be itching his teeth with hatred. When he was far away, he said to the driver: "Send someone to ask later, and ask Baoguo Gong's house where the previous wife was sent to. The last time I went there, she didn't give her a good look! This time... it's my turn to let her know the consequences of being disrespectful!" (End of Chapter)