The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 68
When Zhu Youtang came out of the Wenhua Palace, his gloomy and gloomy expression changed, and his pale face was even more bloody under the warm sun.

It seemed that none of the cases of Li Guang, Tu Yu, and Huang Mi Bai Mi could make waves in his heart.

"This Bingkuan is able to teach the prince to be so eager to learn. He really has some means. I did not believe him wrong."

Zhu Youtang felt comforted in his heart, and probably felt that it was because of his outstanding vision that he discovered the talent of Zhang Zhou.

Being an emperor also requires self-satisfaction.

Dai Yi said with a smile: "Zhang Jieyuan not only knows astronomy from the top but also geography from the bottom, he also knows how to look at the secrets of heaven and save people by hanging pots. It's a pity that he hasn't passed the Jinshi exam yet, otherwise... His Majesty will have one more talented person in the future."

Zhu Youtang shook his head and said, "Talents have nothing to do with fame and fame. There is a certain bias in choosing an official by writing."

As soon as Dai Yi heard it, he understood that the emperor was trying every means to reuse Zhang Zhou.

The most fair imperial examination in Ming Dynasty, because it did not meet Zhang Zhou's admission requirements for fame and fame, could be said so embarrassingly by the emperor.

"There's also the sand table demonstration, which is very interesting, and makes me think... oh!"

Dai Yi heard some signs.

The emperor saw his son having a good time playing, and he felt very itchy beside him. It is estimated that the emperor himself wanted to go up and fight with others on the sand table.

Who said that a man who is an emperor and has a son must be busy with business?

Playing games has nothing to do with age for men, they can still have childlike innocence.

Dai Yi tentatively asked: "Your Majesty, do you want someone to bring the sand table...to you? Or...you go there again?"

Zhu Youtang waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I still have business to do. Uh, otherwise, you can send someone to watch over it. After Bingkuan leaves, I will go to the Wenhua Palace again and say I will personally teach the prince the art of war."

Dai Yi was speechless.

Just play it, you don't want to let the courtiers see it to avoid embarrassment, but also find a high-sounding excuse.

To teach the prince the art of war?Your Majesty, are you a man of knowledge?

Dai Yi thought about it again, the more people lack something in their hearts, the more they want to show something. Maybe this sage and wise monarch is eager to prove himself because he is not very good at marching and fighting.

"Yes, the old slave will arrange for people to go there."

Zhu Youtang had a sunny face: "The weather is quite good today."

"Yes."

Dai Yixin said, it was because you met Zhang Bingkuan that you felt like this weather.

Otherwise, no matter how good the weather is, you will turn a blind eye.

……

……

After Zhang Zhou passed noon, Zhu Feng came in and told Zhang Zhou that he was leaving the palace.

"What's the hurry?"

Zhu Houzhao was still eating, and he hadn't had enough of the sand table exercises all morning.

Zhu Feng said something in Zhang Zhou's ear.

Zhang Zhou stepped forward and said: "His Royal Highness, there is a time limit for ministers to enter the palace. If you still want ministers to come in the future, please let them do as they please. Your Royal Highness should know that any reluctance will not lead to good results regarding His Majesty's arrangement." .”

A group of eunuchs around stared at Zhang Zhou with wide eyes.

My heart said that you, Zhang, really dare to say it.

From what you said, you seem to be educating the prince, but also provoking the relationship between father and son. Are you overwhelmed by being favored for a while?
Zhu Houzhao said: "Hmph! What do you say?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "The Crown Prince understands the details of this game at present. People from the East Palace will accompany the Crown Prince to continue to deduce. If there are new ways to play, I will also list them in the brochure. When I enter the palace next time, I will add them together with other things. Bring it together."

Zhu Houzhao was quite unhappy at first, but after hearing this, his small eyes suddenly brightened: "Then it's settled, come earlier next time. Also, bring all the good things you said."

After finishing speaking, he didn't even bother to continue eating, so he personally sent Zhang Zhou out of the Wenhua Palace.

When he watched Zhang Zhou go, the mist of reluctance glowed in those crystal clear eyes, which made the surrounding eunuchs feel distressed when they saw it.

Liu Jin was very jealous in her heart, thinking, this kid only entered the palace once, and met the crown prince only a few times, how can the crown prince be so affectionate towards him?
Can't let him continue, otherwise what will happen to me in the future?

I'm the one who can coax the prince best in the East Palace!
……

……

Zhang Zhou and Zhu Feng went back in the carriage together.

Zhu Feng admired Zhang Zhou for a long time. He flattered Zhang Zhou on the carriage, and finally concluded: "...Brother Zhang, I am convinced. It seems that you are really a pillar of governance. It's up to you."

Zhang Zhou curled his lips: "I'm coaxing the children, do you think I'm helping the community?"

"All the same, all the same."

Zhu Feng laughed happily, "You are Mr. Wolong. I am by your side to learn more."

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, you probably won't learn much from me with your knowledge reserve, so what an honor it is to have you by my side?
"Where is this going?" Zhang Zhou suddenly became alert.

Zhu Feng smiled and said, "I'm going to meet someone."

Zhang Zhou immediately shouted: "Stop!"

All of a sudden, the coachman who was driving outside was startled, and he quickly reined in the horse and braked the car.

Zhu Fengren staggered, and hurriedly said: "It's none of your business, just keep driving."

Zhang Zhou still insisted on leaving, and said coldly: "Zhijie, every time I take your car, I feel like I'm being dragged to the Palace of the King of Hell, please, if you say send me off, you really send me off, don't make any troubles. "

Zhu Feng grabbed his arm and said: "Don't, it's a good thing, it's business. It's what you said earlier, let me go to the Zhou family to bid together, but the Zhou family's supply is not much, so I won't find a supplier." The person who bought it, or the merchant in the south, wants you to check it?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhou frowned slightly, as if he felt that this matter was more plausible.

If you meet ordinary merchants, even if you are not condescending, at least there is no personal danger.

"Go on, let's go! Hurry up, don't delay Brother Zhang going home to accompany his wife and children."

Zhu Feng has also learned to be good now, knowing that Zhang Zhou likes to talk about his wife and children's hot kang.

……

……

When we arrived at the teahouse where we met, it looked very elegant and quiet. There was only the second floor, and the windows were open. Zhang Zhou was also wondering if it wasn’t cold at the end of autumn.
Or do you mean that you are from the south, so you are not used to the northern climate?
"Brother Zhang, let me tell you, it's a good thing. It's beautiful. It looks like a knife on the head." Zhu Feng was also afraid that Zhang Zhou would walk away, so he created some expectations first.

Zhang Zhou looked at Zhu Feng with weird eyes.

It seems to be saying that the "color" we both think of should not be the same thing, right?By your standards?Or by my standards?

Zhu Feng pulled him upstairs, only then did he realize that it was still his standard.

Among the many table guests, near the open window, there was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old woman with a street-like look, clasped her hands and fingers in front of her body, stood tall and saluted Zhu Feng and Zhang Zhou from a distance.

appearance……

Zhang Zhou tasted it, and it was okay.

But he has a small round face, which is very in line with the aesthetics of men these days, but he still likes "vixes" with oval faces. He already has a good wife at home. It seems that women don't need to think about virtuous or not. Or the more enchanting the better.

The heart of a married man...

"Little girl, Mrs. Chen, I have met my young master and Mr. Zhang." After the other party saluted, he said in a very gentle voice.

The voice is not very clear, and the very thin voice is obviously intentionally lowered. Such a woman who rolls around in the vanity fair in the market must not be so graceful, and she must have the aggressive side of a strong woman in her career.

Zhang Zhou would not be fooled by this little bird's charming appearance.

It is Chen's, not "X Chen", which means that she is not married yet and has her maiden name.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "Oh, Miss Chen, right? It's a pleasure to meet you."

……

……

After sitting down, Chen's daughter personally poured tea for Zhang Zhou. Her skin was still very fair. Zhang Zhou also found that women these days seem to have fairer and more delicate skin than women of a certain age in later generations.

It probably has something to do with the fact that women these days are tightly wrapped no matter the seasons, and they don't wear short sleeves to go out in summer.

It is not raised by water and soil, but created by the background of the times.

"Brother Zhang, it's like this. The Chen family is mainly engaged in the official salt business in the south of the Yangtze River. In the past, they had business contacts with Cheng Guogong's mansion. This time she came to the north and had a batch of stone materials on hand. She just scraped together enough to bid. It’s about to happen, there’s no delay.”

Zhu Feng explained the situation.

In Zhang Zhou's opinion, this kid is still too sincere.

This is called revealing the cards.

"How much?" Zhang Zhou asked.

The Chen family said: "There are tens of thousands of square meters, and they will be transported to the capital in the next two days. They are all high-quality deep pit stones, which cannot be broken by a fifty-jin hammer."

Zhang Zhou nodded: "Zhijie, you don't need to tell me about this kind of thing. If you have the goods, you will accept them. Is there anything else?"

"Ah?" Zhu Feng didn't expect that Zhang Zhou's checks were so simple, he hesitated, "No...no more."

Chen's daughter seemed to have noticed something, she took out a book from her bosom and said, "I heard that Mr. Zhang is Jie Yuan from the Jiangnan Township Examination, and he must have the ability to appreciate books. The little girl picked out a copy of "The Collection of Solitary Peaks" here. The fragment is from the Song edition, and it was specially presented as a gift. Also, the little girl has been in business with her wife for many years, and he has entrusted him to come and visit this time when he is going north."

After a little pressure, the woman's words were not so gentle, and she poured out all the thoughts in her heart like a cannonball.

"You still know my father-in-law?"

"Yes. Master Jiang's wine is very famous in Jiangnan."

Chen's daughter was slightly relieved.

"That's fine. You are connecting with the young master of the Zhu family, not me. Please go back."

The girls of the Chen family didn't expect that even if Jiang Dezhong was moved out, Zhang Zhou would still be so famous, but she could only get up, and she didn't forget to remind her when she left: "Mr. Zhang has time to read this book more."

……

……

"Brother Zhang, she still has some looks, so why should she be driven away? Maybe she will give a generous gift?" Zhu Feng asked puzzledly as he sent away the daughter of the Chen family.

Zhang Zhou turned over the book in his hand, revealing the gold leaf inside.

Zhu Feng was stunned for an instant.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Do you think you didn't give it away? Don't talk about the gold, even this thread-bound book is worth dozens of taels of silver on the market. Let me tell you, if you do business with people, don't do business with people who are good at officialdom." People come, they don’t talk about principles for the sake of profit, if they can discuss cooperation with you today, they may go to the Zhang brothers to express their loyalty later.”

"Later, after you finished bidding, she pulled out the supply and told you that there were not enough materials. At that time, the Zhang family brothers deliberately blocked you and prevented you from buying materials. Wouldn't it be that you ruined a good game of chess?"

In an instant, Zhu Feng was like an eggplant beaten by Shuang, and said dejectedly: "Got it."

Just as he was talking, Dr. Cha came upstairs and said with a divided face: "The business is over, right? I occupied the table for a long time, hurry up, there will be a literary meeting here, I'm booked!"

"I rely on!"

Zhu Feng became angry when he heard it, touched his waist, and realized that today he was only going to the East Palace to accompany the prince, and he didn't wear the Jinyiwei suit.

Zhang Zhou said, "Aren't we like scholars?"

"Scholars still come here to discuss business with people?" Dr. Cha said, "The ones who come here immediately are all masters, but if there is a champion among them, it is known that he has sat and discussed with others at our place, and no matter what kind of scholar he is, he will patronize him in the future. Hurry up and go!"

"Snob!"

Zhu Feng didn't want to hit anyone this time, but wanted to brag.

Zhang Zhou pulled Zhu Feng to sit down, and said with a smile, "It's okay, let's go now."

Dr. Tea directly cleaned up the teapot and tea bowls on the table, leaving a bare table for them.

"Let's say he has no vision. He doesn't know the most popular candidate for the number one scholar in the next year's palace examination, so just sit in front of him?"

Zhu Feng looked disdainful.

Just as I was talking, a scholar in a blue shirt with a smile on his face came over from the next table. He clasped his hands to accompany the smile, touched things out of his arms, and said, "Look at you two, are you also a scholar? I, Shuntian Mansion Qiqing, the characters are round." Rong, lucky to see you."

While talking, he handed name cards to Zhang Zhou and Zhu Feng.

Zhang Zhouxin said, isn't this my reserved item?
After reading the famous post, I found that there was no project introduced except for the name.

"From Shuntian Mansion? Do you need us?" Zhu Feng looked wary.

Qi Qing said with a smile: "That's right. Today's Juren Wenhui is just in the next stage. It looks like the two Juren are coming to Beijing to rush for the exam. The waiter in the teahouse didn't know people and offended the two. But it doesn't matter." , I will do this article often, do you think you two need to be famous, or do you need to make friends with high officials and dignitaries? Let me tell you, I have a way in the capital, and I can introduce you to the two."

Zhang Zhoudao: "Why are you so particular about today's essay meeting?"

Qi Qingdao: "That's it. Tang Bohu, a great talent from the south of the Yangtze River, arrived in the capital yesterday. Juren and Gongsheng around Shuntian Prefecture are preparing to compete with the scholars from the south of the Yangtze River represented by him. This literary meeting is just to select good talents. to fight."

"Depend on!"

Zhu Feng was upset when he heard that, "Tang Bohu? The one who came second in the Jiangnan provincial examination? What qualifications does he have to represent Jiangnan scholars?"

Qi Qing was also quite enthusiastic, probably seeing that the two of them were dressed in extraordinary clothes, he recommended with a smile: "That's right, I heard that this year's Yingtian Mansion Jieyuan is an example tribute, and it was not well-known in the past, and it was only served in the tribute court once. Everyone knows. Tang Yin had to compete with him in Nanjing, but he ran away first... This incident was widely spread in Nanjing, and everyone felt that this person was illiterate, so they dared not accept the challenge. Tang Yin regarded himself as the number one talented person in Jiangnan, Along the way to the north, he has had confrontations with scholars from many places, not only his poems and paintings are excellent, but also his articles are outstanding, no one can match him."

"This……"

Zhu Feng couldn't help looking at Zhang Zhou.

It seems to be saying, if you don't compete with Tang Yin in learning, why are you running away?
Zhang Zhou gave him a look back, as if he was questioning him, don't you know why I came to the capital?
(End of this chapter)