That night, Zhou Zheng didn't sleep, sitting under the eaves, shaking the rocking chair, thinking carefully about the current situation.

The center of gravity of the Ming court has shifted from Liaodong to the northwest, and the bandits have eroded the entire five northwestern provinces, and have repeatedly invaded the hinterland of Shanxi, approaching the Beijing division.

The pessimistic atmosphere of the government and the opposition is extremely strong, and many high-ranking officials and nobles have moved their families south; The streets and alleys are full of all kinds of gossip about the lost country, and the people are tired.

Zhou Zheng looked at the cold moonlight, his face was cold, and he kept thinking, scrutinizing, and analyzing the pros and cons, as well as his plans.

Shangguan Qing came out of it, put a soft quilt on Zhou Zheng, and said softly: "Shen'er is asleep." ”

Zhou Zheng turned his head to look at her, pulled the quilt, and said, "What do you think of what Dad said today?" ”

Shangguan Qing squatted beside Zhou Zheng, blinked his still beautiful eyes, and said, "Don't go." ”

Zhou Zheng was stunned, and couldn't help but smile and said, "I thought you were going to say, where I go, you will go." ”

Shangguan Qing glared at Zhou Zheng and said, "Our foundation is in the east, and we are involved in the northwest, not in your plan. ”

Shangguan Qing is Zhou Zheng's pillow person, even if Zhou Zheng doesn't deliberately say anything, Shangguan Qing can see some clues from the clues.

Zhou Zheng put away his teasing color, turned his head to look at the dark front, and nodded: "I've been waiting for an opportunity, and that opportunity will be many years away." If I go to the northwest, it is possible to speed up this time, but it is also possible to sink into the sand and the multi-year plan is in vain. The best way is to sit in the capital and watch the situation and wait quietly. ”

Shangguan Qing looked at Zhou Zheng's side face, snuggled up to his arm, and said softly: "I know you don't want to wait, you don't want to waste time." Then find a way to do it elsewhere. ”

"Elsewhere?"

Zhou Zheng was slightly stunned, then thoughtfully, and after a moment, he shook his head and said, "There is no other place." ”

Daming's muddy water, it is impossible to knock on the side, you must go deep inside!

Zhou Zheng's eyes narrowed slightly, looked at the cold moon pass, and said to himself: "There is no other place, then you can only take a step forward......"

Shangguan Qing looked at Zhou Zheng's resolute side face, knowing that he had made up his mind, and said softly: "Shen'er is still young, if you are older, I will accompany you." ”

Zhou Zheng pressed her hand and said, "Well, I'm at ease at home." If there is danger in the capital one day, remember my words, take your father and your mother's family, and other relatives and friends, take everything you can, and go to Tianjin Wei to take refuge temporarily, don't be lucky, you know? ”

Shangguan Qing blinked and said, "Is it really that dangerous?" ”

If the bandits invade the capital, wouldn't the Ming Dynasty really be destroyed?

Zhou Zheng shook his head and said, "It's not good." Throughout the ancient and modern times, this is like a troubled era, and the change of dynasty seems to be just around the corner, and the people of the capital are panicked, which is not unreasonable. ”

Shangguan Qing snorted, snuggled up to Zhou Zheng's side, and looked at the cold moonlight.

……

Early the next morning, Zhou Zheng told Zhou Qingli his decision at the dinner table.

Zhou Qingli was not surprised, and admonished: "The bandits are not prisoners, and they must be dealt with carefully." People from all walks of life are more chaotic than Liaodong, and they cannot be taken lightly. You have decided, go and meet Zhang Shangshu, in the imperial court, you need his support. ”

Zhou Zheng snorted and said, "I'll go to the military department later." ”

Zhou Qingli didn't speak again, Zhou Zheng's decision was expected by him, but he was more worried in his heart.

Zhou Zheng had breakfast and waited for a while before getting up and going to the military headquarters.

Seeing Zhang Fengyi this time, Zhou Zheng was very surprised.

Zhang Fengyi, who was originally in an excellent mental state, now has gray temples, and the whole person seems to be dozens of years old.

Zhang Fengyi watched Zhou Zheng come in, stood up with a smile, leaned over, and said, "I thought you complained about me and refused to come to see me." ”

Zhang Fengyi is talking about Zhou Zheng coming back from Lushun and being arrested and imprisoned.

Zhou Zheng raised his hand and said, "My lord said that I laughed, what does this matter have to do with my lord, and I want to thank my lord for taking care of it." ”

Zhang Fengyi waved his hand, sat down on the side, and said, "I'm going to enter the palace later, just tell me your intentions." ”

Zhou Zheng sat down next to Zhang Fengyi, looked at his tired demeanor, thought about his age, was in a little not very good, pondered for a moment, and said, "My lord, I heard that you recommended me to be the prime minister of the five northwest provinces?" ”

The Prime Minister, the Governor, almost the same thing, but with a bias in terms of authority.

Zhang Fengyi nodded and said, "I have this idea, but whether it can be done or not." You don't want to go? ”

Zhou Zhengdao: "The lower officials want to go, but they don't have soldiers in their hands, and they still need the help of adults." ”

Zhang Fengyi frowned when he heard this, and was silent.

Zhou Zheng looked at his expression and said, "My lord, is there a difficulty?" ”

Zhang Fengyi picked up the teacup and said, "Drink tea." ”

Zhou Zheng changed his mind, quietly picked up the teacup, and took a sip.

With this buffer, Zhang Fengyi said slowly: "The situation in the DPRK and China is a little complicated, and the emperor does not trust me as much as before. Zhongdu has fallen, and the first responsibility lies with me, perhaps, it won't be long before I will be killed, or rather, I will go to prison. ”

Zhou Zheng was shocked and forgot about this stubble!

Zhou Zheng put down the teacup and thought carefully.

In this way, it will not be so easy for him to go to the northwest.

Zhang Fengyi looked at Zhou Zheng's expression and said, "I know that you are worried about the northwest, and the same is true for the adults in the court. Although I recommend you, I can't guarantee it. Lu Xiangsheng is also very good, and Yuan Fu and others are very optimistic about him. ”

In terms of military merits, Zhou Zheng is better than Lu Xiangsheng, but Zhou Zheng has a 'stain' and has been in prison. What's more, Zhou is a lifter, and Lu Xiangsheng is a jinshi.

Zhou Zheng knew that Lu Xiangsheng died from the bandits, thought about it seriously, and said, "My lord, what are the chances of winning the official rank?" ”

Zhang Fengyi picked up the teacup again and said, "If you can set it before May, you have an eighty percent chance of winning, and if you exceed May, you don't have one percent." ”

The corners of Zhou Zheng's mouth moved, this is not yet the first month, such a big thing, the imperial court actually has to drag on for a year and a half?

Zhang Fengyi didn't say much, got up and said, "If there is anything, come to me directly, don't decide without permission." You go back first, I have to enter the palace. ”

Zhou Zheng had no choice but to stand up, raised his hand and said, "The lower official retires." ”

Zhang Fengyi waved his hand, turned around and picked up a few notebooks on the case, and went out in front of Zhou Zheng.

Zhou Zheng went out of the military department, not lamenting the low efficiency of the imperial court, but thinking about other methods.

After returning home, Zhou Zheng told Father Zhou about the military department.

Zhou Qingli was speechless for a long time, and finally could only sigh with emotion: "State affairs are like this, ......what can I do?"

"I'll think of something else." Zhou Zheng said. Since he decided to get involved in the chaos in the northwest, Zhou Zheng naturally would not end up halfway.

Zhou Qingli didn't speak again, what else could she say?

Sure enough, as Zhang Fengyi said, the more defeated the northwest, the more fierce the court battle, and the court has been delaying the election of another prime minister of the five northwest provinces.

This dispute was only settled in May, and in August, after the summer grain was harvested, the decision was finalized.

That is, Lu Xiangsheng served as the prime minister of the five provinces and concurrently served as the governor of Huguang, Hong Chengchou was in charge of the northwest of the five provinces, and Lu Xiangsheng was in charge of the southeast.

What is surprising is that Zhou Zheng, who had been idle for nearly a year, was reinstated and appointed as the 'Imperial Envoy of the Right Deputy Capital of Shandong', that is, the governor of Shandong.

Zhou Zheng was responsible for clearing out the Daimyo Mansion of Shandong, North Zhili, Baoding Mansion and Henan Banditry.

This order came very suddenly, and even Zhang Fengyi didn't get the news before, as if it was the result of Chongzhen alone and Qiangang's arbitrariness.

Zhou Qingli was full of worries about this person's appointment.

Zhou Zheng was calm, bid farewell to his small family, and quickly went to Shandong to take office.

The governor of Shandong seems to have nothing to do with the northwest, but with the evolution of the Northwest Rebellion, Zhou Zheng, the governor of Shandong, is bound to enter the northwest to suppress bandits!

Zhou Zheng went to Shandong, there was no nonsense, the old troops were mobilized, and the army was quickly reorganized.

The governor of Denglai is subordinate to the governor of Shandong, and Jin Guoqi, Zhang Cunren, He Kegang and others are still his subordinates.