In the early morning fog, there is still a faint residual smell of pollution after fireworks.

The messy items that can be seen from time to time in the imperial city and have not yet been cleaned up are all remnants of the Lantern Festival night decorating the palace and celebrating the program. These things are not usually seen, after all, there are many people in the palace who maintain cleanliness.

In view of the fact that since the end of last year, Zhu Gaoxu has been participating in various ceremonies in a regular manner, and is diligent in early dynasties and sacrifices to appease the wrath of heaven; As soon as the Lantern Festival passed, Hu Hui, the cabinet minister and the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, played a concert and asked for the resumption of the feast this spring.

The sutra feast is a kind of reading activity held by scholars and emperors after the Song Dynasty; The lecturer mainly talks about ancient classics, scriptures, and history. But all history is contemporary history, and civil officials will use the past as a metaphor for the present, and take the opportunity to put forward political ideas and implicitly exhort the emperor.

Zhu Gaoxu seized the throne by war, and since he ascended the throne, he has been busy with personnel integration and military activities, and has never held a banquet. At this point, ministers may feel that the time has come to restore important institutions.

Just after the New Year, everything seems to be about to get on the right track quickly.

This reminded Zhu Gaoxu of his deep feelings as a child. During the Chinese New Year, people are immersed in the excitement of the festival and the joy of family and friend gatherings; But every time the Lantern Festival is over, adults immediately resume boring livelihood activities. Families in the village began to prepare seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and pruning fields.

Probably this is the tradition, and traces can also be felt in the Ming Dynasty. From the emperor to the ministers and the common people, they all entered the state according to the seasons and step by step.

However, the first thing Zhu Gaoxu had to deal with this year turned out to be the personal affairs of the courtiers' children.

A part of the southern fleet returned from Annan, and Hou Xian landed from Liujiaxiang, led the way to Beijing, and reported Liu Sheng's private affairs. Then Zhang Sheng, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, also came to the Rouyi Hall and told Zhu Gaoxu another strange private affair between men and women.

It is precisely because Zhu Gaoxu has been in the morning court every morning recently, so almost all the places where he works in the morning are in the Rouyi Palace.

The Rouyi Hall is closer to the "Imperial Gate" Fengtianmen, and after Zhu Gaoxu went to the court, as long as he crossed the Wulou in the northwest direction, he could see the Rouyi Hall immediately. The Dongnuan Pavilion is in the north of the Qianqing Gate, closer to the harem living place, when the emperor is in the harem, it is more suitable for political activities there.

When Zhu Gaoxu met Zhang Sheng today, there were eunuch Wang Gui and young eunuch Hou Xian by his side, and Miaojin was also in the palace. Just like the sutra feast abolished a while ago, the living officer may not have been set up for a long time, and Miaojin can act as a person who records some court affairs, and it does not need to be made public.

Zhang Sheng orally recounted: "On the night of the Lantern Festival, there were many people, and the women and little ladies paraded the streets to watch the lanterns without being conspicuous. Na Hu Niangzi and her mother went out, and took the opportunity to escape halfway to meet Xie Zhenliang, the eldest son of the Jin family, in private; And because the people of the Hu family searched around the lamp market, they got into a storm. Mrs. Hu went home in the middle of the night, and when the news came out, the Hu family was afraid that they would not be able to step down. ”

"Did you do it...... Zhu Gaoxu immediately changed his words, "What?" What were the two of them doing together? ”

Zhang Sheng hugged his fists and said: "Back to the saint, no one knows about this matter." I'm afraid that only Xie Zhenliang and Hu Niangzi have a number in their hearts. ”

He went on to say: "Bachelor Hu (Hu Guang) was so angry that he had locked his daughter in the house and kept her under strict guard, not allowing her to go out. However, Weichen sent someone to inquire that this matter could not be stopped, and Hu Niangzi had twice searched for shortness in a few days. Yesterday, when Weichen saw Master Hu in the Thousand Steps Corridor, only

Seeing that his eyes were dull, his face was sad. ”

Zhang Sheng paused and said in a deep voice: "This Hu and solve the grievances and entanglements of the two families. Mr. Hu and Xie Shixue used to be classmates in the same village, and they had already had a marriage contract for their children. Later, the two had a grudge, Bachelor Hu tore up the marriage contract, and Xie Jin preached the joke of 'optimistic pigs' for Bachelor Hu many times, which made it known to the whole dynasty. They are incompatible......"

"I've heard of that, too." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Keeping promises and moral integrity are the ethics that civil officials care about the most. Hu Guang and Xie Jin attacked each other in this regard, and their grudges must be very deep. As a result, the children of the two had an affair, and this matter was troublesome. Zhu Gaoxu also thought of Romeo and Juliet, which is probably similar to the current plot.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I will think about it. ”

Zhang Sheng knelt down and bowed: "Weichen thanked him and retired." ”

In contrast, Liu Sheng's matter is simpler. Zhu Gaoxu turned his head to look at Hou Xian and said, "When Liu Sheng arrives in Beijing, you go to see him." You must let Liu Sheng understand what I mean, and I will agree with him to decide the family affairs according to his own heart, without the slightest objection; But at the same time, you can't be too sure. Do you understand how to communicate? ”

Hou Xian was stunned for a moment, bowed down and said, "Back to the emperor, the slave and maid understand." ”

Miao Jin cast an appreciative gaze, and women always seemed to like to hear about such emotional things.

Zhu Gaoxu saw that there were no outsiders around him, so he said again: "Liu Sheng values kindness and righteousness, and ignores the benefits brought by marriage, which is not a bad thing. What's more, Liu Sheng, as a powerful general under my command, how can I be unreasonable about this matter?

However, the Nguyen family originally had a husband and had not yet been divorced, and the plot was betrayal; Liu Sheng's wife is not on the table. Even if Ruan Jian is a sinner, he can't reverse the ethics and morality of the husband and wife, and there must be controversy in this. If I openly support Liu Sheng, it will bring unnecessary trouble. And the monarch and the minister understand each other, and do things well in tacit understanding, so that it can go smoothly. ”

Miao Jin said: "The saint is thoughtful. ”

Zhu Gaoxu looked at her and smiled, and then looked back at the eunuch Hou Xian. Zhu Gaoxu said in his heart: These eunuchs can indeed be used as a communication link between monarchs and ministers.

When monarchs and ministers meet, sometimes they can't communicate properly.

Just like making an article, it is necessary to find the source of the words of the saint for the rhetoric of the article, and there are often "clichés" in conversations between people. Accurately grasp the speech routines on various occasions, and be able to communicate like a fish in water; This was true until later generations. However, this kind of communication lacks the depth and accuracy of communication, and those well-tempered clichés, although rich in meaning, are often vague in meaning.

As an emperor, Zhu Gaoxu often had to speak clichés to avoid over-interpretation and omissions. At this time, the eunuch can mediate from it, and a lot of trouble can be reduced.

Zhu Gaoxu made such a decision on Liu Sheng's matter, and he also felt that it might be a good thing for a general like Liu Sheng to marry an Annanite. After all, the marriage between the nobles and the clan in the court has caused an intricate and complicated relationship, and the clan power of the powerful continues to expand and form alliances, which is obviously not good for the imperial court.

And the grievances between Xie Jin and Hu Guang will only become more complicated.

Miao Jin asked curiously: "Xie Gongzi and Hu Niangzi's private relationship, how will the saint make a conclusion?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I will meet Hu Hu first tomorrow morning." In order to reduce the estrangement,

I'm going to summon Hu Hu alone, and I'll talk to Miaojin afterwards. ”

Miaojin nodded.

Zhu Gaoxu hoped that Miaojin would record some things so that when future emperors ascended the throne, they would be able to look at the order of the court from a perspective that transcended the times......

Hu Hui recently wrote a book to resume the scripture feast, and he was also one of the civil officials who voluntarily surrendered to Emperor Taizong, perhaps knowing Xie Jin better.

The next morning, Zhu Gaoxu came to the attic on the east corner gate, where he privately summoned Hu Hu.

Everything seems to be able to find a "precedent", in the past, Emperor Jianwen was here with his teacher Huang Zicheng and secretly discussed cutting the domain, and Zhu Gaoxu was also here, summoning Liu Ming, who seemed to believe in Xinxue; This attic, which is very inconspicuous in the palace, has gradually acquired a different kind of uniqueness.

The accompanying Jinyi Wei Han generals and eunuch palace maids were waiting for His Excellency Lou, and Zhu Gaoxu stood alone in front of the window, watching the scene of a palace with heavy eaves.

Not long after, Hu Hu, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, walked up and immediately made a big salute.

Zhu Gaoxu, who was standing by the window, turned around and said, "Hu Aiqing is flat." ”

"Thank you." Hu Hu got up from the ground and immediately tugged at his robe to keep his appearance as tidy as possible.

Zhu Gaoxu asked straight to the point: "What kind of person does Hu Butang think, what kind of person is Xie Jin?" ”

"Returning to the Holy ......" Hu Hui replied first, but he dragged out the end for a long time, and seemed to be trying his best to think about measured words, "Xie Shi was born as a Jinshi, and he is very talented. Taizu and Taizong both appreciated their talents. ”

When Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he laughed and was noncommittal. Hu Hu bent down a little nervously.

"There are only you and me in the attic of this corner gate, Hu Butang is not guilty of anything, and I don't admit what I said." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Hu Hui looked surprised, after all, Emperor Chrysostom said that Zhu Gaoxu could directly say what he didn't recognize, which was really a bit strange. But there doesn't seem to be any problem, no one testifies, and Zhu Gaoxu can really not admit it.

Then Zhu Gaoxu immediately moved on to another topic: "I understand all the affairs of the imperial court, and the most important thing is etiquette and personnel. Etiquette to correct people's hearts and increase the authority of our Ming monarchs and ministers. Personnel is to use the right people to hold power, so that people can make decisions on various affairs and reduce disputes; The power of the officials of the yamen is derived from authority, which complements the etiquette. Is it correct for me to understand it this way? ”

This is a very peculiar statement. A look of surprise appeared on Hu Hui's face, but he said, "Holy and sage." ”

And this is just a euphemism for Zhu Gaoxu. According to his accurate thinking, etiquette is actually about brainwashing. The repeated etiquette is aimed at making the authority of the emperor, as well as the order of dignity and inferiority in the world, and moral ethics deeply rooted in the hearts of the people; People repeat some forms and statements too many times, and they will take it for granted.

Zhu Gaoxu first talked about Xie Jin, but he just threw out today's topic first, so that Hu Hui had enough time to figure it out. Then he talked about the imperial court, hoping to lure Hu Hu to have a more sincere and in-depth exchange.

He paused for a moment and then said: "Therefore, the opinions of the ministers are mostly based on maintaining the public intention of the government, and their loyalty is commendable. I also understand it in my heart, and I understand all the princes. ”

Hu Hui's caution has really changed slightly.

.。 Writing Chinese Network M.