Chapter 822: Giving a Banquet, Private Order

Among the first emperors of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizong Zhu Di had not yet moved the capital to Beijing, and he had been patrolling Beijing from Nanjing all the year round, so the original vacant hunting ceremony was carefully filled in the Yongle period. Before Zhu Zhanji's car was about to be driven this time, he sent honorable nobles and civil officials to tell heaven and earth, Sheji, Taimiao, and the imperial tomb, and then gave a banquet to the civil and military ministers in Beijing.

The cabinet members, the six ministers and the governors of the five military governors' offices, and the nobles of all colors are all on the table, and the officials above the fifth rank in Beijing are at the middle table, and the officials with the fifth rank and below are at the lower table. Although there are not many redundant officials and redundant personnel now, dozens of tables have been set up, and the Guanglu Temple is full. The emperor only showed up and left, so the rest of the courtiers could also feast, but the people at the table were just talking to each other.

For the wine and rice at the banquet, the civil officials who are really poor at home often try their best to bring things back to share with their families, because there is a precedent in front of them, and the deacons in the palace also turn a blind eye and do not care, and the officials at home are not looking down on these big pot meals prepared by Guanglu Temple. At this moment, Zhang Yue looked at the horse meat rice in front of him, but he didn't have any appetite, but the five-color tea and fruits were still in the mouth, and the imperial wine in the palace was sweet and strong, so he used two cups.

"Lord Zhang, is the emperor patrolling the border this time with too few soldiers?"

It was Guo Jin, the servant of the Ministry of Officials, who said this, who began to serve as an official from the head of the household department, and was promoted all the way to the left and right servants of the Ministry of Officials, and now he is also the Zhan Shifu Zhan Shi, and he is the oldest one among the servants. Now Jian Yi has relieved the ministry affairs, this time he has to obey, he stays in charge of the ministry, everyone says that he may be in charge of the ministry, but he knows that he is not enough, whether it is to serve or stay, he is very humble. At this time, even in the face of Zhang Yue, who was thirty years younger than himself, he still used honorific titles.

"The emperor is probably considering that there are too many soldiers, which will inevitably disturb the states and counties along the way, and there will be great pressure on grain, grass, and baggage."

"But the officials of the Ministry of Rites are all trembling, and you must know that this is not more than the soldiers brought by Emperor Taizong when he toured from Nanjing to Beijing in the past." After all, Guo Jin has been an old minister in the court for many years, and he has a good memory, so he counted with his fingers at this time, "At that time, there were 50,000 infantry troops in Beijing, including 10,000 Inner Horse troops and 40,000 infantry troops. The 5,000 horse army and the 5,000 infantry army are the front army. The remaining 5,000 horse troops and 35,000 infantry troops were led by five armies. Each army has 1,000 horses, 7,000 infantry troops, and has commanded thousands of households. Then there were 500 Han generals, 2,500 captains, and 2,000 wrestlers. Coupled with the accompanying civil and military forces, there are about 60,000 people, most of whom are sergeants, but the emperor brought the Beijing camp and Jingwei this time, a total of less than 30,000, which is also Xifengkou. ”

"Lord Guo, there are no more soldiers in the elite, the Beijing camp is practicing every day, and the Shenji battalion has all been reequipped with Yongle firearms, and there is a natural restraint for the Mongolian cavalry, and the three thousand battalions are also elite. As for the soldiers selected from the Jingwei, because they were all awarded, they all wanted to make meritorious contributions and their morale was sufficient. Besides, this is a hunting patrol rather than a personal expedition, and the emperor's trip can be safe. ”

Guo Jin sighed, and then said in a low voice: "I'm afraid that those Tartars will learn the news of the emperor's patrol, so they set up an ambush in advance, just like the first Emperor Taizong encountered the enemy on his northern tour......"

At this point, he looked left and right, and said no more. And what he said was also what Zhang Yue had thought about a long time ago, so the monk Zhang Ben had already discussed with the cabinet to stop, and advised the emperor to listen to the opinions of a few more veterans with troops in military affairs, and informed the three guards of Huizhou and Daning and the guards of Xifengkou as soon as possible, and even Guangning Weikai entered a state of complete combat readiness. Don't say that today's Ming army is still the elite of the world, even when the Tumubao changes in the later generations, if it were not for the wrong intelligence, and then the improper command and the temporary collapse, it would not have caused such a disastrous ending.

After a half-full, those high-ranking officials in their early forties at the same table as him were not as humble as Guo Jin, and he didn't have anything to say to others, so Zhang Yue put down his chopsticks and sat there, thinking in his heart that he would see off Zhang Fu after the show. After all, when the law driver of the hunting patrol leaves Beijing, there will be no effort to talk about when the ministers send each other. Suddenly, he felt someone leaning up behind him, and he hurriedly put away his thoughts.

"Lord Zhang, the prince of the royal prison outside said to talk to you for a few words."

There are several princes and princes in the imperial prison, but there should be only one who came to him at this time, and he is very familiar with the voice of the eunuch behind him. Looking at the high-ranking officials at the same table, Zhang Yue owed a confession, and then withdrew first. As soon as he left, someone at the table snorted as if carelessly.

"After all, the hairpin is taking advantage, and even those eunuchs have to be busy."

Guo Jin was raising his glass to drink, and when he heard this sentence after dipping his lips slightly, he couldn't help but persuade: "Why should Lord Fang have thorns in his words? Although Lord Zhang occupies the light of a famous family, he has also made many meritorious contributions over the years, and the emperor naturally relies on it. As for the eunuchs in the palace, it is a common thing to tend to be inflammatory, so why bother to talk about it? ”

At this moment, a waiter next to Guo Jin also sneered in a low voice: "Lord Guo can see it, we have worked all our lives to get to this job, and people who are less than thirty are the same official positions." Don't say I didn't remind you, don't think that Jian Shangshu is relieved of the ministry's affairs, you are sitting in the main hall of the ministry, Jian Shangshu has been in this position for so many years, and others can't get their hands on the power of the officials to elect officials, but it may not be the case later. The more powerful the cabinet is now, sooner or later it will have to reach in, as for Zhang Yuanjie...... He doesn't want to enter the cabinet in his life, but the position of the secretary may not be counted on, you can help him speak at this time, don't regret it in the future. ”

At this time, another person also muttered in a low voice: "Besides, what is relied on, the people that the emperor relies on have already been brought on the northern tour this time, and leaving him alone in the capital is obviously a snub." ”

Out of the place where the banquet was given, Cao Jixiang, who had just been silent, breathed a sigh of relief, looked left and right, lowered his voice and said: "It's just the prince who came, but the emperor is in the Zhou Wang Mansion, saying that he is playing chess with Lord Chen Liu, but most of them are to summon Lord Zhang to come over, and you have a preparation in your heart." ”

Knowing that the emperor was out of the palace again, Zhang Yue suddenly had a headache. The last time Du Juan entered the palace, Empress Dowager Zhang once tactfully hinted that he should persuade the emperor to sit still, but he never thought about how to mention it, not to mention that he never thought it was a bad thing. Even if you just take a walk around the capital and take a look, it is better than the Son of Heaven sitting in the deep palace and listening to the reports of outsiders about everything. He knew very well that Zhu Zhanji had to lead troops on a northern tour, and until now there are still many voices of opposition from top to bottom.

"Lord Zhang, the emperor is in the county lord's mansion and has summoned you to come over."

After seeing Wang Jin come up with a smile and meet him, he said such a sentence bluntly, Zhang Yue was not verbose, nodded and went out of Guanglu Temple with him.

Guanglu Temple is on the right side of Dong'anli Gate, next to Shang Shan Jian at one end, and it is most convenient for all kinds of dishes to come up; At the other end is the medical study place, and then there is the Dongshang Middle Gate and the Donghua Gate, which is one of the few yamen located in the imperial city. Zhang Yue and Wang Jin left Guanglu Temple, went out of Dong'anli Gate and Dong'anmen, and then entered Jinyu Hutong along Dong'anmen Street.

This is the place where the people of Beijing often call the Ten Wangfu, but Zhang Yue still remembers another famous name in his heart - Wangfujing. After Zhu Di moved the capital, the place between the Jinyu Hutong School Captain Camp and Andingmen Street was built by the Ministry of Industry to build a number of grand mansions, which were specially used for the relatives to live in when they entered Beijing to meet the court. However, after it was completed, except for King Zhao of Han, who entered Beijing for funeral, King Zhou who entered Beijing, and the son of King Shu who went to Beijing to see his father, most of the mansions were empty on weekdays. Zhu Ning's original Zhou Wang Mansion is also here, and now the Empress Dowager Zhang asked her to choose another place to live, but she didn't want people to pick and choose, so she picked a mansion at the end of Goldfish Hutong, which was only a quarter of an hour's drive from Dong'anmen, and secondly, she also blocked the mouth of the imperial history, so the Empress Dowager Zhang liked her more sensibly.

It was the first time Zhang Yue came here after returning to Beijing. Ride in from the West Corner Gate, bypass a lotus wall, and enter the place of a shot along the Yong Road, which is the second gate. Dismounted and entered the second gate, the scene was not the same as the inside, along the verandah were all standing straight brocade guards, although there were occasional servants in the middle of the retreat, but not even a cough could not be heard, only the slight footsteps that could hardly be distinguished, and even with him unconsciously put down his footsteps. Walking down the verandah to a small door at the end, he heard a voice, and before he could hear anything clearly, there was a burst of cheerful laughter.

"In that case, I will say nothing. I am the Son of Heaven, if this little thing can't fulfill Aunt Ning's wishes, wouldn't it become a joke? ”

After Zhu Zhanji smiled, he saw Wang Jin and Zhang Yue coming in by the small door over there. Seeing Wang Jin coming up, but Zhang Yue was standing in place, he raised his voice and said: "Come in Yuanjie, this is Aunt Ning's territory, you are not an outsider, there are not so many rules!" Come and try it, this is a baked rice cake made by Aunt Ning herself. ”

Since the Son of Heaven opened his mouth, Zhang Yue hurriedly went up to the pavilion, but only made a regular salute. At this time, it was already a cold day, the pavilion was surrounded by wind fences, and the tea was burning on the charcoal stove inside, but he didn't feel cold, Zhu Ning next to Zhu Zhanji was only wearing a homely eggplant purple cardigan jacket, and the gold bracelet in his hand also faded and rested on the small table on the side. Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue couldn't help but be stunned.

"Aunt Ning said that this was taught to her by your wife. Most of these pastries and dim sum in the palace were steamed and served, and the first time I tasted them, I felt very fresh. I heard that not long after you arrived in Guangzhou, there were a lot of new dim sum and all kinds of food in Guangzhou? Everyone is playing the signboard of Zhang Fantai's family? ”

Zhang Yue didn't know what to say, but at this time he was even more embarrassed, seeing that Wang Jin had retreated knowingly, and there was no one else in the pavilion, he had to explain: "The emperor forgives his sins, he doesn't get tired of eating, and he doesn't get tired of eating, and the minister has such a hobby, but he doesn't like those complicated snacks to eat, just to have fun." Just like the county lord's method, it was only to avoid waste at first...... Steamed osmanthus cake, red beans, mung bean cake, etc., are not delicious when they are cold, and then they don't taste right after coming out of the steamer, add some vegetable oil to the iron plate and fry it hot, or bake it in a two-sided iron pot, and children who don't like to eat leftovers can also eat two more pieces of ......"

As soon as these words came out, Zhu Ning, who was rummaging the rice cake, didn't pay attention, but was scalded by the splashed oil star, retracted her hand and put her finger in her mouth and swallowed it, she said angrily: "Okay, your lady thinks it's so lively, when we have a few parties, we either bake this or that with an iron plate, I don't know that you are saving money!" Your Majesty, look at your good courtier, he is such a big official and such a rich family, and he still thinks about not wasting it...... There are so many people in your family, will you not be able to eat two or three cages of osmanthus cake? ”

Zhu Zhanji was originally just a waner, but when he saw Zhang Yue dumbfounded, he immediately laughed out loud. When he saw the various utensils on the left and the right next to Zhu Ning, he couldn't help but shake his head: "If you are not under everyone's noses, you will dare not do your job, and you will have to put pressure on you in the future, so that you will know that the blacksmith has cast these strange things to satisfy your tongue!" Okay, I still have something to tell you after eating the rice cakes, so I'll fill your stomach first. ”

Zhang Yue peeked at the fragrant rice cakes on the charcoal fire, and then asked curtly: "How does the emperor know that the ministers are not full?" ”

"I eat those warm meals from the Shangshan Supervisor every day, and no matter how good the things are, they will be cold, and I don't know what the dozens of tables of Guanglu Temple will be feasting on? What's more, you just said that you don't get tired of eating, you must be pretending to be after only two bites! ”

In the past, these words were well known, and they would definitely not say them to others, but at this time, Zhu Zhanji naturally said them, not to mention Zhang Yue's surprise, even Zhu Ning was taken aback. Now that it was exposed, Zhang Yue honestly admitted that he only ate a few pieces of candied fruit, used a glass of wine and half a steamed bun, and when Zhu Ning sent the things up, he eliminated the rice cake by dividing it by two, thanked Zhu Ning again, and followed Zhu Zhanji out of the pavilion.

"I originally wanted to patrol the border when the autumn was high and the horses were fat, but at that time, it was just before the establishment of the prince, and things were complicated, and there was such a fuss before, so I couldn't get out, so I had to take advantage of now. Fortunately, there are not many people with the army this time, everyone is wearing a new jacket, and the heavy food and grass are also prepared, so there should be nothing to worry about. Arutai conspired with Uliangha but was defeated by Emperor Taizong, and they didn't dare to play tricks again. I was worried about Kyori, so the Queen Mother said to let you stay, and I agreed. ”

Seeing Zhang Yue nodded, his face was very stable, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but pause, and then said: "After the six parts are submitted to the cabinet, they will all change careers." If you have any other urgent matter to report, I will give you a special decree, seal it with the silver medal given to you, and it will be urgently presented by the Jinyi Guard. With that silver medal, if you have something, you can also ask to see the Queen Mother! As for the rest, you are familiar with everyone, so I don't need to tell you, right? ”