The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 85
The next day, the early court ended in a friendly atmosphere between the monarch and his ministers. Although more than a dozen ministers led by the three cabinet ministers resigned because of the Qingning Palace disaster, the emperor took the initiative to take responsibility for the fire and comforted the ministers present.

Even Tu Yu, who made the emperor very unhappy before, the emperor also praised him.

"Not quite right."

On the way to the cabinet to value the house, Xie Qian expressed his doubts to Liu Jian and Li Dongyang.

Li Dongyang said: "Yu Qiao said that His Majesty didn't mention the matter of building the palace?"

"Yes." Xie Qian thought about it carefully, and then glanced at Liu Jianjian, "Don't tell me your Majesty doesn't fix it anymore? If it does, everyone should discuss it today."

Liu Jian kept walking and said, "I didn't even agree on the position of the general administration of Ningyan, Gansu and Shanxi. I just used the wood and stone for my relative's family. Would your majesty be so concerned?"

"Too."

Xie Qian nodded in agreement.

At court that day, he said he wanted to discuss who would succeed Wang Yue. As a result, the emperor canceled the establishment of the trilateral system on the grounds that the current situation in the northwest was stable.

In the Ming Dynasty, the position of the trilateral general system was not established until the fourth year of Jiajing, and after the death of Wang Yue in the 11th year of Hongzhi, it was not until the Tatars invaded Shaanxi and Gansu again in the 14th year of Hongzhi that the emperor appointed Qin Hong as the trilateral general. system, the trilateral system was empty in the intervening years.

However, the Ming Dynasty has permanent governors for various key passes in the northwest, and the most popular candidates to succeed Wang Yue as the trilateral general system this time are the four governors around the three sides.

They are Governor Zhou Jilin of Gansu, Governor Wang Song of Yansui, Governor Xiong Chong of Shaanxi, and Governor Wang Xun of Ningxia.

Li Dongyang said: "I heard that a lecturer was added to the East Palace recently, who was born as a tribute in Beiyong, and may enter the palace on days when there is no sutra feast and lecture."

Liu Jian asked, "Where did you hear that?"

Li Dongyang shook his head and said he couldn't say anything, but both Liu Jian and Xie Qian knew that Li Dongyang's reputation among scholars was unparalleled, even Cheng Minzheng had to stand aside, and Li Dongyang had a lot of eyeliners in the Hanlin Academy. It's easy for officials.

"Is that Jiangnan Jieyuan Zhang Zhou?" Xie Qian asked.

"It should be." Li Dongyang didn't seem too sure.

Liu Jiandao: "I asked Liu Shiheng and said that it was in the inner curtain. Wang Jizhi saw the article surnamed Zhang Gongsheng and insisted on promoting him as Jieyuan, but this person has never visited the house since he arrived in the capital. His Majesty also trusts him a little too much. Let Jizhi try to send someone to ask him to go over and talk about it, so that he can prepare for the exam with peace of mind."

For civil servants, there is absolutely no room for dissidents who can advise the emperor.

The knowledge of the eunuchs was always limited, but it would not be what they wanted if a person like Zhang Zhou, who was born in the orthodox imperial examination, was trusted by the emperor but separated from the control of the civil servant system.

Of course, you can't directly repel them with ruthless hands, you have to gather them together first, and this task will also fall on the head of Zhang Zhou's master Wang Jia.

……

……

Zhang Zhou has often entered the palace gate recently, and this day Xiao Jing came to the door in person, and after hinting, Zhu Houzhao asked Zhu Houzhao not to tell what happened that day.

"What's the matter?"

After entering the palace, Zhang Zhou pretended to be confused and asked Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing also learned to be smart: "Mr. Zhang, what happened that day...going out of the palace with His Majesty, and being at odds with your son, which one is worth mentioning?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "Duke Xiao is right."

After entering the East Palace, the daily lecture was over. After lunch, Zhu Houzhao was playing with his sand table in the apse of the Wenhua Palace. However, it was no longer a military exercise, but a row of pottery sculptures made by Zhang Zhou. , self-written, directed and acted in a group of ceramic sculptures fighting.

"Zhang Qing's family, you are here, let me wait for you. Come, come, let's play a game, the rules will not change."

Zhu Houzhao would probably play with the eunuchs around him at ordinary times, but this thing was very addictive at the beginning. For a child like Zhu Houzhao who has no routine, good things will get tired of playing with them.

He asked Zhang Zhou to play a game with him, not for entertainment, but because he was determined to win a game, and he wanted to win Zhang Zhou.

Therefore, it is specifically proposed that the rules remain unchanged.

Zhang Zhoudao: "I am not here to have fun with the prince today."

"You don't want to give lectures to me again, do you? Today, I studied all morning and was exhausted. Even my father said that in the afternoon of the daily lecture, I just need to learn from the old and learn from the new."

Zhu Houzhao was a little impatient.

It's okay for Zhang Zhou to use fun things to coerce him to study once, but this trick can't be used too often, otherwise the brat will be disgusted.

Zhang Zhou looked back at Xiao Jing, Xiao Jing smiled wryly, and saluted: "Your Highness, the slave and servant have retired."

"Why don't you walk here?" Zhu Houzhao was impatient.

Originally, Xiao Jing wanted to hear how Zhang Zhou persuaded Zhu Houzhao, but it seemed that Zhang Zhou didn't want him to listen, so he could only leave in embarrassment.

After Xiao Jing left, Zhang Zhou opened the wooden box he brought, and inside were two things like bamboo tubes.

"What is this?"

Zhu Houzhao picked up one of the bamboo tubes and weighed it in his hand, "Bamboo tube?"

"This is a kaleidoscope." Zhang Zhou said, pointing to another one, "That is what I said, a telescope that can see things in the distance."

"I do not believe!"

Zhu Houzhao is still more interested in the telescope, and he still doesn't know how to use it after holding it in his hand.

Zhang Zhou pointed out with a smile: "Put it in front of you, that's it... look at the distance."

"Wow!"

Zhu Houzhao just glanced at the door, then exclaimed, "I saw it, it's really... so true."

Next to him, Liu Jin and other servants of the East Palace looked very curious.

I just heard from Zhang Zhou that if you hold this thing in your hand, you can see far away. How far can you see?The prince said he saw it, but where did he see it?Is it possible to see the scene thousands of miles away?
"Fun, fun!"

Zhu Houzhao put down the binoculars and picked up the kaleidoscope again: "How about this?"

Zhang Zhou instructed Zhu Houzhao to twist the kaleidoscope a few times, and Zhu Houzhao saw different lights again.

"It will be better to face the candlelight, try not to face the sun, it is easy to hurt the eyes." Zhang Zhou said, "There are still a few glazed balls here, the prince will use them to play."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhou took out a few glass balls from the bottom of the wooden box, which were derivatives of glass firing.

Gu Dayong on the side came up and asked, "Is this a tribute?"

Zhang Zhou said: "No, a few gadgets are worthless."

"Zhang Jieyuan, this thing of yours is not worth much? If it is on the market, the dignitaries will flock to it, right?" Gu Dayong seems to be very interested in collectibles.

The hobbies of eunuchs are often linked to money.

He liked the glass ball provided by Zhang Zhou very much.

Zhang Zhou smiled and didn't answer.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao had already taken his binoculars and went to the door to look around.

……

……

This time when Zhang Zhou entered the palace, he had no teaching task, but he had the responsibility to teach Zhu Houzhao how to behave in the world. Simply put, it was to teach Zhu Houzhao what to say and what not to say.

We must judge the situation.

Zhu Houzhao looked at it with a telescope for a while, and then sat side by side with Zhang Zhou on the steps in front of the Wenhua Palace. If anyone passed by from a distance, Zhu Houzhao would take a telescope to look at it, smiling obscenely.

Zhang Zhoudao: "If this thing can be used on the battlefield, does the prince think it will have a miraculous effect?"

"Yes!" Zhu Houzhao put down the binoculars and looked at Zhang Zhou in surprise, "Isn't that our team can see the opportunity? Have you told the emperor about this?"

"No, the minister intends to let the prince present this object, and offer advice, what does the prince think?"

Zhang Zhou first gave Zhu Houzhao a good opportunity to make contributions.

Zhu Houzhao shook his head: "Even if I tell you, my father won't believe that I made it. He will definitely ask me where I came from, and I can only say that you made it."

Zhang Zhoudao: "But if the crown prince said, this is something you begged from the minister, the crown prince took it back and played with it for a while, and suddenly had an idea that this thing may be used on the battlefield. Thinking about doing something for the Ming border army , the idea came from you, do you think His Majesty will feel that the prince has grown up?"

"Huh? If you still understand Father's thoughts, then I'll go right here..."

Zhu Houzhao was so excited that he was going to find Zhu Youtang immediately to show off the good things he got.

Zhang Zhou stretched out his hand and grabbed him.

"what?"

"Prince, don't be in a hurry to go. If you go, what are you doing here? Can't you wait for the minister to leave?"

"Oh, too."

Zhu Houzhao sat back down again.

Zhang Zhou pointed to the upper step and said: "Sit up a little bit, this is the imperial palace, and if people see that the minister is sitting on an equal footing with the crown prince, what will others do to me?"

Zhu Houzhao said: "I'm not as tall as you when I sit on it. It's okay, Zhang Zhou, you are very capable, and others dare not say anything about you. I heard from the people below that they are very afraid of you now, saying that you caused a thunderstorm." You can chop people to death when you come down, which is better than that Li Guang, and now whoever sees you will be like meeting the God of Plague."

Zhang Zhoudao: "I don't know that."

"You really can't?"

There was eagerness in Zhu Houzhao's eyes.

Roughly speaking, if you can even make such a fun thing, what is it to strike a thunder?Can you teach me?
"Really not!" Zhang Zhou was sure.

"Tch, you will or won't tell me, I still want to learn some real skills."

Zhang Zhou was speechless.

Is calling the wind and calling the rain a real skill?However, the thoughts in the heads of bear children may be different from those of adults.

"Prince, I come here for another purpose, which is to teach the prince the ways of the world." Zhang Zhou said.

"What is sophistication?" Zhu Houzhao was puzzled.

Zhang Zhoudao: "To put it bluntly, if the empress is the crown prince, what would you say if you saw something after leaving the palace with your majesty that day?"

"What are you talking about?" Zhu Houzhao said bluntly. With his status and status, he didn't need to think about what other people thought. The child's temperament was straightforward, let alone worry about it.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "The crown prince is really good. If the crown prince sees Shou Ning Hou and Jian Chang Bo, what would you say to them?"

"Uh... I will scold them. The palace is going to repair the palace for the empress dowager. You actually use such shabby wood and stone materials. I will tell the empress to make them look good! Then they will obediently bring me good things... …Is it this way?"

"Ok!"

Zhang Zhou discovered that this kid was also a talent.

He even knows how to hint.

"Then they beg you, how should you respond?" Zhang Zhou said.

Zhu Houzhao thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "I don't know how to do this, what should I do?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "Of course it is to let them find a place to dispose of their own rotten materials, but the prince can say, you can give them an idea, let them play by themselves, and ask Your Majesty to repair Zhang's family temple, and use them Their own materials, and in addition to the money from the court to buy materials, they will bear the rest of the labor costs themselves. When the prince keeps the secret for them, won’t they be able to get some benefits?”

"Snapped!"

Zhu Houzhao patted his thigh, and said happily, "I think so too, let's go together!"

Zhang Zhoudao: "Will you tell His Majesty or the Queen about turning around?"

"Of course I can't say it. If I say it, then my uncle and second uncle will not be afraid of me in the future. I can blackmail them for a long time in the future, and they will give them whatever they want!"

(End of this chapter)