The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

The sky is bright.

Zhu Youtang was walking on the way to Fengtian Palace, while Li Zhang was still reporting on what the prince had experienced outside the palace last night.

"...First I went to listen to books and bet with others, and then I went to Shouninghou Mansion to get money? How much did you get?" Zhu Youtang asked.

Li Zhang said: "I don't know the details, but it is said that Hou Ninghou gave him a wooden box first, and it is said that there are at least hundreds of taels of silver in it."

"Haha." Zhu Youtang couldn't help laughing when he heard this, "His brothers have always moved money from the palace, and now it's time for them to provide the money themselves to send it to the palace. Haha."

He is responsible for sending money to his brother-in-law, while his son moves it from his brother-in-law to his home.

It seems as if his son is more capable than him.

"Then he was in Shouninghou Mansion later?" Zhu Youtang continued to ask.

Li Zhang looked very cautious and said: "His Royal Highness did not wander around in the Marquis Mansion, but immediately came out and went..."

"Where have you gone? Is it some unclean place?" Seeing Li Zhang hesitating, Zhu Youtang felt that something might be up to him.

Li Zhang hurriedly said: "The prince went to Jianchangbo's house, but was told that Jianchangbo was not at home... In fact, Jianchangbo had been at Shouninghou's house all the time, maybe he didn't meet him. Then the prince went again At the residence of Uncle Chang Ning..."

Zhu Youtang originally thought it was a bit interesting for his son to ask his brother-in-law for money.

Hearing that his son's relatives were all leaving, he couldn't help but frown and said, "Does this mean he is going from house to house asking for money? Do you have any opinions from each family? Have they made a report today?"

The sons' families went to extort money.

Li Zhang said: "I don't know yet."

"Then where did he rest?" Zhu Youtang looked at the sky, then looked at Fengtian Hall not far away, and seemed to leave in no hurry.

Listening to Li Zhang talk about his son seemed to interest him more than listening to the ministers talk about court affairs in the court.

Li Zhang then said: "Later, the prince went to a storytelling place in the city and listened to the story for more than an hour. Then... he disappeared. It was not until midnight that the Jin Yiwei found the prince in an inn. The whereabouts of the prince. I don’t know where the prince went during this period. I’m a slave and it’s useless..."

Zhu Youtang said angrily: "So many people are staring at him, but he can actually run away?"

Li Zhang did not dare to say anything.

Zhu Youtang said: "No, we can't let him leave the palace again. He is so naughty, and he still..."

Zhu Youtang was also a little speechless about this.

The son may have discovered that someone was following him, but he was actually able to get away from him. He didn't know where he went for at least two hours. This made the father very powerless. He thought he could control his son easily, but now he realized that it turned out that this was the case. He is a demon king. No matter how awesome he is as an emperor, he still looks so incompetent in front of his son.

"His Majesty……"

Li Zhang saw Zhu Youtang standing there, silent and not moving forward, so he couldn't help but remind him.

We are going to court. Should we wait until the court proceedings are over and then bring the prince back and give him a good meal?

"Go and call the prince back!" Zhu Youtang said, "Tell him that this time you have given him face. Let him prepare for punishment! If he is allowed to escape again... go right away!"

Zhu Youtang seemed to feel it.

When a son leaves the palace, he does not necessarily just go to the streets to play. He may go to the northwest or Jizhou Town.

Otherwise, why would my son need money so much?

Isn't he just trying to make ends meet?

"My slave, go ahead now." Li Zhang hurriedly accepted the order and left.

……

……

Court meeting.

The court hall seemed lifeless without the presence of Zhang Zhou and Xie Qian. By the middle of the meeting, even Zhu Youtang couldn't help but think of Xie Qian.

Thinking that although Xie Qian is not very capable, he can make the atmosphere more cheerful by making jokes in the court. The emperor will also feel that maybe these old civil servants still have some value... Atmosphere team.

"Your Majesty, the front lines in the north are now stretched too far, and the supply of the household department is also stretched. If the war cannot be ended within five days, we should send people to urge it. We cannot let the war continue, otherwise we will soon experience a cold winter. I don’t know when it will snow…”

Zhu Youtang listened for a while, closed his eyes and rested his mind, then stopped while waiting for the minister to report, and asked again: "Does Qin Tian Jian have anything to say?"

Fu Han, who was recently transferred back to the left minister of the Ministry of Rites, said: "Your Majesty, the Qintian Prison cannot accurately predict the weather in the north."

Fu Han is considered a member of the traditional civil servant faction. He was previously considered to be the best candidate to succeed the Minister of Rites, but this time he was transferred back to the Ministry of Rites as Zuo Shilang, which is more like the last dignified preservation of the traditional civil servants.

Zhu Youtang said: "We can't be sure whether it will snow or not, and we don't even know what impact it will have on the war after it snows. So what's the harm in delaying the war for a few more days? But the war still needs to be accelerated... Now we are sending troops from here. Do you think it still makes sense if people go to the front line to urge us, but it still takes eight or nine days? Or do you think it makes sense to stop now?"

Zhu Youtang didn't seem anxious at all.

Winning or losing was indifferent to the emperor.

Putting aside the fact that each faction is now sending troops and each faction is flourishing, even if one faction really loses, he does not feel that it is a loss of Ming military power.

He had won too many times before, and the emperor seemed to be indifferent to the victory in front of him.

Even the ministers will feel that the emperor's attention to the battlefield has dropped a lot this time.

"Cough cough!"

Zhu Youtang coughed twice and said, "I have been ill recently, and I may not have time to pay attention to some things. I may have to miss the day tomorrow. If you have something to do with your family, just say it directly. If there is nothing, just leave the court first. .”

The minister felt very unwilling.

You were in good condition throughout this court meeting, but you just coughed a little at the end and said you were ill?

It's not like pretending to be sick to leave the court.

"Your Majesty, I believe that matters in the north should be stopped in moderation." Liu Jian hurriedly came out to express his position.

The war cannot expand without limit, otherwise it will be an expansion of Zhang Zhou's power. The longer it is delayed, the longer Zhang Zhou will have military power. All parts of the Ming Dynasty must coordinate for it, and Zhang Zhou's right to speak in the government will always be maintained. to the maximum state.

Zhu Youtang said: "Enough is enough, it's easy to say. Do Tatars understand the principle of enough is enough? Mr. Liu Ge, I understand what you mean. You don't have to say it, and I won't point it out. That's it for now. If tomorrow comes, There is no new battle report coming, the day after tomorrow... I will send someone to rush it."

Liu Jian was speechless after hearing this.

Your Majesty, you also know that it takes about ten days to reach the front line to call for a halt. This may not include the time it takes to reach a general like Wang Shouren who is deeply alone.

But you clearly don't take calling for a truce seriously, otherwise why would you be so unhurried?

Zhu Youtang seemed too lazy to argue with Liu Jian and others, so he stood up and walked out. "Your Majesty..." There was something else Yan Guan wanted to say.

Li Zhang glared at Yan Guan fiercely, with the intention of intimidating him.

This trick works pretty well too.

Because the harmonious relationship between the emperor and Yan Guan has deteriorated since Li Zhang became the owner of Dongchang Factory, Li Zhang is now taking the blame for the emperor. Everyone thinks that he is a model of treacherous ministers, and they all think that he is Li Zhang ruined the harmonious relationship between monarch and ministers.

……

……

The wind howled and the sand filled the sky.

The army led by Zhang Mao finally passed Yansui and organized more than 26,000 troops and horses. They were still marching towards Ningxia, but at this time Zhang Mao was already miserable.

The soldiers seemed to be feeling the torment of the biting cold wind. Every soldier had little fighting spirit. Every day, soldiers were unable to move forward independently due to injuries and other problems. The carriages carrying sick and injured patients were becoming increasingly crowded.

It was hard to stay up until dark that day, and Zhang Mao was already planning to reach the ground in Ningxia in two days.

But it was Zhang Rui who brought news that made Zhang Mao very unhappy.

"Father, the bandit army in Ningxia seems to have withdrawn. There may be fighting in the grassland. It is expected that Uncle Xinjian led his troops into the grassland, and Wang Zhongcheng from the three sides killed the generals from the Hetao area, or joined forces with Uncle Xinjian's men and horses. ”

Zhang Mao's already tired heart seemed even more vicissitudes at this time.

But it seems that there is no greater sorrow than heartbreak. He has been able to take the bad news in front of him calmly, and even "enjoy" it.

"Haha... As expected." When Zhang Mao smiled, there was a bit of desolation in his expression.

Zhang Rui said: "Father, it is probably impossible to march like this now. Why don't you lead a group of people and use the cavalry to march into the Ningxia border first, fight out from Huamachi, and block the Tatars on the way back. Father, please mobilize the troops." Bar."

Zhang Mao said coldly: "Son, no matter how hard you try, it's useless. You are not Zhang Bingkuan's, he will not help you."

"Father……"

"Stop talking!" Zhang Mao said, "My father can only imagine that the next Zhu Dongyang will be me. My father's half-life fame will be paid the most painful price because of his indulgence and acquiescence to Zhang Bingkuan. How can I save him? Your life, how can you help my Zhang family...in the end, you just bury yourself."

Zhang Rui heard the disappointment in his father's words and hurriedly said: "Father, the different routes of the soldiers and horses are different. We have done nothing wrong. Your Majesty will not hold us accountable."

"You are wrong. If Your Majesty wants to pursue the case, will you still listen to your judgment? If you say you didn't try your best, then you didn't try your best. Otherwise, why did Zhu Dongyang go so far as to confiscate his house? No matter how hard he works as a father, he cannot satisfy His Majesty. "Zhang Mao said.

Zhang Rui said: "So father, please give me an order. I am willing to lead the troops and march into the grassland first."

Zhang Mao said angrily: "Why are you so stupid? If you lead troops, it is equivalent to sending troops rashly, which is disobeying the emperor's order! If you fail, our Zhang family will be completely destroyed! Now I still have a reason, You can reduce your rank and salary, or you can be transferred to work elsewhere, but if you are defeated, our Zhang family will be completely ruined!"

Zhang Rui was speechless for a moment.

"Okay! According to the normal march, we must go to Ningxia the day after tomorrow, and then we will clean up the mess... Listening to the success of other people, we will just watch the excitement... I seem to understand the original sentence, what is Feng Tangyi It’s hard to seal Lao Li Guang, maybe that’s why…”

……

……

Zhang Rui met Zhang Mao and was also infected by his father's frustration, feeling extremely unhappy in his heart.

When he returned to the camp, it was Ma Yi who came to see him.

"Young Master, why are you..." Ma Yi didn't quite understand why Zhang Rui was so high-spirited before, but turned his face like this.

Zhang Rui said: "Ping Lupo, it seems that I have no chance to make contributions. My father does not allow me to lead troops out of the customs. He only said that everything must go according to plan."

Ma Yi didn't seem to understand and said: "That's what the Lord said? But people from all walks of life are sending troops. If we follow the steps step by step, wouldn't we fall behind others? Now we have all the artillery and muskets, as well as all the troops. , there is no shortage of food and grass. It would be a pity if we don’t leave the customs, right? We will soon reach Huamachi, which is connected to the rear of the Tatars. If we send troops from there, we will get twice the result with half the effort."

Zhang Rui said helplessly: "If you think it's appropriate to send troops, you can mention it to my father."

Ma Yi was also extremely anxious.

This time Ma Yi was finally transferred back to the northwest. She thought she could continue to make great achievements and have a good future by following Wang Shouren.

As a result, Wang Shouren sent him to follow Zhang Mao, which made him feel left out. Later, he learned that Wang Shouren personally led troops into the grassland...

If Zhang Mao did not perform this well, he felt that his political future would be bleak.

"Young Master, what do you think... we will send out troops together?" Ma Yi said tentatively.

"You mean..."

"That's right, we can send out troops on our own according to the situation. Anyway, we are going to Huamachi right away. With your prestige in the army, I will mobilize my 6,000 troops...to get out of the pass. What's the problem?"

Ma Yi is also a ruthless person.

If Zhang Mao doesn't agree to mobilize troops, then we will act on our own.

Zhang Rui said: "Ping Lupo, you are disobeying military orders."

"When did you disobey the military order? I brought the troops here to cooperate with the British Duke. When did I say that I had to obey the British Duke's order? If you don't dare, young master, then just pretend that I didn't say it... My six Even if thousands of soldiers and horses come out of the grassland, they can still gain something." Ma Yi didn't care now.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Rui felt that it seemed reasonable.

After all, Ma Yi was the commander-in-chief of Datong. He was transferred under Wang Shouren's military order. This actually had nothing to do with the imperial court. For this reason, some people accused Wang Shouren of transferring troops without authorization.

At most, Ma Yi cooperated with Zhang Mao, not to listen to Zhang Mao.

Ma Yi continued: "If the young master is really in trouble, you can go out with the general's troops, so that we can advance and retreat together."

"This……"

Zhang Rui seemed to be tempted too.

Since Zhang Mao is timid and even a little bit self-pitying, he wants to mention something to his father, but his father won't listen, so why should I follow my father?

Besides, my father’s goal is to march to Ningxia and then live without any fault. He also knows that doing so will be held accountable by the court. Why should I hang on a rope with him? Can’t a son have his own opinions?

"Young Master, I will lead my troops tonight. Without further ado, I will give you an hour to think about it. If you don't think so, then all I can say is... I wish you and your father good luck." Ma Yi road.

"and many more."

Zhang Rui still called Ma Yi, "I'm here...I'm here..."

Ma Yi stepped forward, took Zhang Rui's hand and said, "Young Master, I have always thought you are heroic and courageous. We cannot be like your father, standing still and not making progress."

When Zhang Rui heard this, although he smiled bitterly, he still nodded and said: "Then I will pack up and go with you." (End of Chapter)