Winter goes to spring, and it's another year.

In this year, the crown prince and master Zhang Bin were leading the army to continuously advance to Shenyang, the seat of Jiannu's Khan's court.

This year, the drought in the northwest not only did not ease, but seemed to have become more serious.

This year, the thieves of Bashu, Central Plains and Nanzhili were still looting everywhere.

This year, the prince is already fourteen years old, and in another year, he can perform a coming-of-age ceremony.

Xu Guangqi, the first assistant of the cabinet, insisted silently, waiting for the day when the prince became an adult, although Zhang Bin didn't tell him clearly, he knew quite well in his heart that when the prince became an adult, the current emperor might have to abdicate and make way for Xian!

He is not the kind of stubborn and corrupt Confucian, he also knows that Chongzhen is no longer saved, and if the Ming Dynasty wants to prosper, he can't tolerate this kind of faint king!

However, he didn't have the idea of doing it himself, he just wanted to keep this cabinet, keep this central place of the Ming Dynasty, and stick to the day when Zhang Bin made his move.

It is precisely because of the obsession in his heart that he stands firm above the court, at the age of eighty, and has not returned to his hometown.

But the years are unforgiving after all, and the obsession in his heart can't stop the aging of his body, and during this time, he obviously feels a little powerless.

On this day, since the early dynasty, he has been in a trance, muddy, as if his soul has left the body, and even Chongzhen and the ministers can't really listen to him, but he doesn't really care, because he has been like this a lot lately, just go back to the cabinet and sit down and rest for a while.

At the end of the early dynasty, he politely declined the support of several cabinet scholars, slowly walked back to the cabinet duty room, sat at the desk, closed his eyes to recuperate, and took a nap.

His state today is surprisingly good, the review of the folds is like divine help, there is still more than half an hour before noon, he has finished all the folds, watching the little eunuch slowly walk out of the duty room with the processed folds, he even has an urge to go out for a walk.

At this time, it was the time when the spring flowers were blooming, and it was good to go out for a walk, he stood up, felt it, and found that his hands and feet were much lighter, and there must be no problem to go out for a turn, so he put his hands on his back and walked out of his duty room slowly, walking in the direction of Wenhua Palace.

Along the way, he remembered a lot of the past.

He remembered the scene of studying at Longhua Temple when he was a teenager.

He remembered the smug ambition he had when he was admitted to Xiucai at the age of nineteen.

He remembered his dead wife.

He remembered his bitter experience of teaching everywhere to support his family after repeatedly failing the township exam.

He remembered the scenery when he was thirty-five years old in high school, when he was in Shuntianfu.

He remembered his mentor Jiao Hong.

He remembered his friend Matteo Ricci.

......

Scenes of the past flashed in his mind like a marquee, and before he knew it, he walked to the gate of the Wenhua Palace.

Today, the emperor did not have a feast, the Wenhua Hall seemed a little deserted, and the sound of the prince's reading was faintly coming from the main hall in the back.

He was originally wandering aimlessly, and when he heard the sound of the prince reading, he couldn't help but move in his heart, Zhang Bin said before he went to Liaodong, please come and urge the prince when he is free, he has not been in good health during this time, and it seems that he has never been to the Wenhua Palace once, and he is really entrusted by Zhang Bin.

He shook his head a little ashamedly, turned around and stepped onto the steps, and slowly walked towards the main hall behind the Wenhua Palace.

Of course, the Jinyi guard at the door knew that this was Lord Shoufu, and even when the emperor was here to listen to the scripture feast, he could go in, and the emperor was not there at this time, so he naturally had no problem going in, so he walked in all the way, and there was no Jinyi Wei and Tai supervising him, and soon, he came to the main hall.

He stood outside and listened carefully for a while, his brows couldn't help frowning slightly, the prince was still reading the "Four Books and Five Classics"!

This prince will soon succeed to the throne, and he will be able to govern the Ming Dynasty well?

He is not disgusted with the "Four Books and Five Classics", on the contrary, even if he is so old and often takes the "Four Books and Five Classics" to study it, and understands the way of being an official and a politician and a way of dealing with the world, but the prince can't always read the "Four Books and Five Classics" or only read the "Four Books and Five Classics", because he can't understand the truth contained in it at this time, and he must read some more practical books to help govern the country.

Thinking of this, he coughed and strode into the palace where the prince was studying.

At this time, it was Chen Zilong who taught the prince to read, because the prince was used to getting along with him, and others would not be happy to teach the prince.

When the two heard Xu Guangqi's cough, they all looked at the door, and when they saw that it was Lord Shoufu coming, Chen Zilong hurriedly stood up and respectfully bowed his hand and said, "Xiaguan has seen Lord Xu." ”

Zhu Cihong also stood up and said in surprise: "Old Xu, you look so good today." ”

Xu Guangqi smiled and nodded at Chen Zilong, and then arched his hand to the crown prince Zhu Cihong and said, "Yes, His Royal Highness the Prince, Weichen also feels that his spirit is very good today, so I will come over to see how His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is studying." ”

Chen Zilong knew that this Lord Shoufu was already eighty years old, and he was probably tired when he walked here from the cabinet duty room, so he hurriedly walked down from the warm pavilion, and half-pulled and half-helped Xu Guangqi to sit on the master's seat, and then said humbly: "The lower officials are only shallow in learning, and I don't know if the method of this servant is right, and I ask the lord for more advice." ”

Zhu Cihong also cast a curious gaze, they all knew that this Shoufu Lord was not a big idler, if there was nothing to do, he would not come here to talk about it, when he talked about learning, it must be his own learning problem.

Xu Guangqi didn't beat around the bush, he just said slightly euphemistically: "Tanhualang is polite, I just heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been reading the "Four Books and Five Classics", and he has read it quite fluently, which proves that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should have read a little." This "Four Books and Five Classics" is good, and people will never learn it in a lifetime, but they must not only read the "Four Books and Five Classics" in their lifetime, but also read some other practical things. ”

When Chen Zilong heard this, he hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Please don't hesitate to give advice." ”

Xu Guangqi nodded slightly and said: "For example, learn "The Art of War" or something, understand all aspects of knowledge, and for example, look at the books that depict the current world, and understand what the common people are doing and thinking. ”

He gave a general idea of what he thought and introduced a few good books, and then got up and left.

At noon, a little eunuch appeared at the door of Xu Guangqi's duty room on time with a food box, he sang, and then walked in respectfully, put the food box on the desk, and carefully took out the food inside, and then said softly: "My lord, please eat." ”

Usually at this time, Xu Guangqi will lean on the back of the chair and close his eyes to take a nap, as soon as he speaks, Xu Guangqi will open his eyes, eat some food, and then he can pack up his things and leave.

However, this time he didn't react at all after greeting Xu Guangqi, did he fall asleep?

The little eunuch thought for a while, and said softly again: "My lord, please eat." ”

Xu Guangqi still didn't react, this little eunuch couldn't help but be anxious, he couldn't wait here all the time, he was too late to go back, and the eunuch in charge would scold.

He thought about it for a while, and simply stepped forward boldly, wanting to gently push Xu Guangqi awake.

However, as soon as he approached, he noticed that something was wrong, because this Lord Xu's chest did not rise and fall at all.

It's impossible for people to fall asleep and still hold their breath!

He had the courage to put his hand in front of Xu Guangqi's nose and try it, without a trace of anger, Lord Shoufu actually died!