In the palace.

When Empress Dowager Li saw Zhang Juzheng's secret revelation, she was very excited. In fact, even she didn't understand why this was. It is said that the monarch and the minister have seen it more than once for so many years, and it is not the case at all. But in the past, when Zhang Ju was in the middle of the court, this feeling was still ordinary, but after he left Beijing this time, Empress Dowager Li began to miss this Mr. Zhang very much.

When I couldn't see the tall and majestic body in the Qianqing Palace, I always felt that something was missing in my heart, and even when I saw this secret revelation, I always had some different feelings in my heart. This feeling is naturally not humane to outsiders, but when reading it, it still makes Wanli on the side vaguely feel that today's queen mother is very different, and it seems to be easier to get close to than usual.

He boldly asked, "Queen Mother...... What does Mr. Zhang say in this secret? ”

"Don't worry, I'll tell you after the queen mother finishes reading." Empress Dowager Li did not answer her son's question, and had already begun to read the letter for the second time, and she did not want to let go of a single word, as if looking at this text, it was like seeing the first assistant in front of her.

After reading it several times, she handed the secret revelation to Wanli, and there was some inexplicable melancholy in her tone. "Mr. Zhang suffered such a great funeral, and he was still thinking about the court and our country, and he was really an example for his ministers. As the Venerable of All Vehicles, you must know in your heart who is loyal and who is traitorous in this world. No matter what others say, you can never mess with your heart, you know? ”

"I wrote it down. The queen mother was relieved, and when she turned around, she ordered Feng Ban to beat Zou Yuanbiao and them to death! ”

"No, look at what you Mr. Zhang wrote, you will understand, you can't move the court staff!"

"Why?" Wanli, who was determined to learn from his grandfather and intimidated the ministers, had the opportunity to move the court staff for the first time, and he didn't want to let it go. As soon as she said a word, Empress Dowager Li's face sank, "Presumptuous!" You're old and you've learned to talk to your mother, haven't you? Look at your brother, and then look at you, I was born, why is it so bad? Yi Yi has never dared to talk to me like this, are you stiff wings, and you don't take the queen mother in your eyes anymore? ”

Wanli woke up at this time, and it was not the place to speak casually, so he hurriedly said: "The emperor has no such intention, and the queen mother is angry." Don't be moved to ensure that the phoenix body is essential. ”

Empress Dowager Li counted down a few words from her son before pointing to the secret and revealed: "You take a closer look at the mourning family, what Mr. Zhang said is a wise saying." If you go down with your court staff, maybe how many people are waiting to pounce on you to invite your name, is it possible that your court staff will still beat the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty? This Ming Dynasty relies on the assistance of the ministers, it's okay for you to beat one or two people, if you fight too much, aren't you afraid of chilling the hearts of the people in the world? Go back to the room and think about it, as the owner of the people, do you rely on power or morality? ”

Wanli, who was reprimanded by his mother, returned to the dormitory dejectedly, with both the grievances of being reprimanded and the ambition that could not be expressed. I thought that as an emperor, I could do whatever I wanted, but I didn't expect that even the court staff would be dismissed, and I was a little unhappy in my heart.

At this moment, Feng Bao entered from outside, after all, he was holding the emperor up, just looking at his face, he knew that Wanli was unhappy. I admired Fan Jin's grasp of the emperor's mood and his advice to himself in private. Hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Heavenly family, but what are you worried about?" If you have anything, just tell the old slave, and the old slave will share your worries for Your Majesty. ”

Wanli looked at him, hung his head and said, "Big companion, I am not unhappy, and besides, you can't help me." ”

"That's not true, the old slave doesn't have any other skills, and he still has the ability to please His Majesty. Think about it, when you were unhappy when you were a child, who coaxed you? How it was then, and how it is now. Aren't you just unhappy that you can't punish Zou Yuanbiao? Listen to what the old slave told you, and you will understand. ”

Feng Bao came to Wanli's side, and said the thoughts that could not be fully described on the secret revelation, and finally said: "Although you can't beat the court staff, it doesn't mean that it will make him feel better." We can send a little eunuch to scold him, and go to the door of his place to scold. These people want face the most, and this scolding is to damage his face, which is much more difficult than his board. The slave and maid will send their subordinates who are the best at scolding people to ensure that Zou Yuanbiao is born and the second Buddha ascends to heaven. ”

Wanli's eyes lit up, and his originally depressed mood became excited again, and he pulled Feng Bao's arm and said, "Companion, is this possible?" Will those ministers make trouble? ”

"What's the fuss? We didn't beat him, we just asked people to scold him and admonish him on behalf of the Son of Heaven. Could it be that the emperor has lost even the power to admonish his ministers? As for what the eunuch scolded, are those ministers embarrassed to learn it? At most, the words are indecent, and I can't say anything else, anyway, I've been scolded, so what's indecent? I will not send it to His Majesty. ”

"Big companion, you are so smart, just use this method, and when the time comes, remember to ask the little eunuch to learn what he scolded."

"Your Majesty can't listen to foul words. At most, let him tell His Majesty what Zou Yuanbiao looks like. Seeing Wanli's excited appearance, Feng Bao was secretly happy in his heart, it seems that Fan Jin's method is really easy to use, and it really makes Wansui interested. As long as the little emperor knows that he Feng Daban is omnipotent, he will be inseparable from himself, and during Zhang Juzheng's trip to Beijing, the political authority of the DPRK and China will be in his own hands.

This kind of spiritual court rod method adopted by the Qing Dynasty in history was really not thought of in the Ming Dynasty, mainly because it was too lacking in virtue and ordinary people could not use this method. Fan Jin didn't plan to make this spiritual court staff a normal thing, and he could only report it in the name of Feng Bao, it was only natural for the eunuch to think of such an idea. As long as he can be angry with his future father-in-law and clean up Zou Yuanbiao, who scolds people the most, Fan Jin doesn't mind using this yin damage method.

Feng Bao was overjoyed when he saw the emperor, and said: "Your Majesty, in fact, there are still interesting things, Fan Chuanlu painted two books for Your Majesty, and they were to be sent to the palace, but they happened to be picked up by the little eunuch under the slave maid, and the slave and maid brought them over, please let Your Majesty relax." ”

These two volumes, one volume is the normal serialization of Yue Feichuan, and the other volume is the newly opened Thirteen Sisters of Chivalry. This kind of short-fought chivalrous book, the historical background is a foil, and there is nothing wrong with changing the original Qing Dynasty background to the Song Dynasty. And Wanli couldn't help but look at the thirteen sisters in the book who were dressed in heroic clothes.

After all, he already knows about things between men and women, and he is about to get married, so he will naturally have a normal interest in the opposite sex. There are many palace maids in the palace, but they are all those delicate flowers, when have I seen this kind of chivalrous woman in the book. Even that Jingzhong Chuan hurriedly glanced at it a few times and threw it aside, only holding the thirteen sisters' painting books to look at.

Feng Bao didn't know what the emperor was thinking, and said on the side: "Has Your Majesty ever been satisfied with this?" In fact, Fan Gongzi should still have a lot of stories in his stomach, but he doesn't have so much time now, otherwise he will not be able to read the paintings for His Majesty for decades. ”

The emperor, whose eyes had been firmly attracted by the fictional beauty in the book, nodded, and suddenly remembered something, "Didn't the queen mother say that she wanted Fan Qing to be my companion?" I haven't lectured for the past few days, and my schoolwork has been wasted. It's better to arrange a lecture for me tomorrow, and then Xuan Fanqing will come to the palace to accompany me. ”

Although there is no one in the cabinet for a while, the Son of Heaven has a need to study, which is the first good thing in the dynasty, and it must not be delayed. The only surviving pavilion elder Zhang Siwei's knowledge was unhindered, so he naturally had the responsibility to take over the important task of lecturing. And Fan Jin, who has been seriously absent from work recently, also received an order from the palace to ask him to enter the palace to accompany him.

Hearing the news, Qian Caiyin was even more excited than Fan Jin, and even extraordinarily enthusiastic that night, so much so that by the next day, she was already powerless to act, and she did not serve Fan Jin to dress for the first time. Just when Fan Jin put on his middle coat and went to the ground, Zheng Chan had already knocked on the door, and when she pushed the door in, her eyes were full of red silk, and she obviously didn't sleep all night.

glanced at Qian Caiyin, who was paralyzed there, smelled the smell in the room again, and snorted coldly, "I said, even if you are born with a watch, you will have a time, right?" The eldest lord is going to the palace today, you want to pick such a time to pester people, if the lord yawns in the palace today, can you bear this responsibility? ”

Qian Caiyin was originally unhindered, but today she made an exception and did not refute, but said to Fan Jin with a shy face: "Master, concubine body...... The concubine is not ......"

"Well, don't you know what I'm like? No yawning. I don't blame you, I actually like the way you did yesterday. Fan Jin smiled at Qian Caiyin, and cooperated with Zheng Chan to dress herself. smiled at her: "You won't be so nervous, just enter the palace to see the emperor, not so." ”

"How not? That's the old man of the emperor, it is the sky above our heads, the big man goes to face the saint, what a brilliance this is! Come back today, the slave family will make you a pig's head to eat, and when you eat the rest, you can reward the slave family with a few bites, so that we can touch this luxury. ”

"Eat together, eat together."

Fan Jin walked out of the door as he spoke, and Zheng Chan followed out, at this time it was not yet dawn, and the courtyard was dark. Zheng Chan looked at Fan Jin's tall body, and suddenly said boldly: "Master...... Do you really want to send that widow mother and son back to Jurong? What a good future it is now, it's not worth it for them. ”

"What has been promised to people, it must be done."

"That'...... Are you coming back? ”

"I'll be back for sure, but not now. After arriving in Jurong this time, Zhang Xiang will arrange an official position for me and put it in the locality. When I'll be back, I can't really say. But before I leave, I will arrange all your affairs to ensure that your livelihood will not be affected. For the restaurant, I will give you a sum of silver, and then teach you how to cook, even if you can't open it now, you will definitely be able to operate it after a while. ”

Zheng Chan hesitated for a moment, and suddenly grabbed Fan Jin's hand, "No...... I don't open a restaurant, I want to follow the master and go to the south! ”

Fan Jin looked at her, "Although Brother Guotai is in good health, Uncle Zheng is very old, and his body is not as good as before after being frightened by this." If you stay here, you can take care of it, and besides, if you go to the south with me, how will you come back in the future? In addition, I heard that your husband's wife died last year and has never remarried. Now he said that regardless of the past, he is willing to marry you as a continuation and be a lady at home. Although that family is not wealthy, it is also a middle-class family, with no worries about food and clothing, and if such a good thing is missed, there will be no more. You go to the south with me, they definitely can't wait, isn't this missing a good family in vain? ”

"My life was saved by Master Fan, and the kindness of those two ginseng sticks, my family has never reported it. I heard that Xiaowan was going to sell it to Master Fan to be a girl, so now let me make a girl for her. Zheng Chan's hand grabbed Fan Jin's hand, this hazy light gave her great courage, so that she didn't relax in holding the man's hand.

"There is Wan'er to take care of it here in Jingli, and it is useless for me to stay or not. Besides, I married and took care of my uncle. I am willing to follow Master Fan and be a cook and a girl for Master Fan...... Anything can be done. Her gaze swept over Fan Jin and looked into the room, "I know I'm dirty, but it's cleaner than the woman inside, I can do whatever she can do for the master......"

Fan Jin shook his head and said, "Don't say that about Cai Yin, she is a good person." Let me think about it, and I'll have to discuss it with Uncle Zheng when I go back. ”

It wasn't until Fan Jin left the courtyard that Zheng Chan also left, and a small head poked out after the water tank, and then Zheng Wan, who was squatting and numb, walked out, rubbing her legs and complaining in a low voice: "Sister is really, she actually wants Brother Fan to share the luxury for her, why don't you give it to me?" Cupidity. And I have to say something to Brother Fan for so long, but you don't let me say a word to my big brother, it's really my sister! ”

After muttering a few words, she thought a little sadly that Fan Jin was about to leave, and she didn't know how many years before she could come back. I always feel a little sour in my heart. She said softly: "Big brother, I will eat more to make myself the same as my sister, and at that time, you will not let me be my sister, and you will definitely let me be your little daughter-in-law and give you a child." Enter the palace...... Seeing the emperor, the big brother is really amazing, it would be good if I could see the emperor when in my life. ”

In the palace, Empress Dowager Li also looked at her cousin who entered the palace so early in surprise, very inexplicable, "Sister Huang, what is there to see about the emperor's study, why are you suddenly interested in this?" ”

Li Cailian's face was slightly red, and she said softly: "I...... I have always had a good relationship with the aunt of the Kasaka Xianggong's family, and I always heard her say that her master was very knowledgeable, and I was not very convinced. Today, I want to see how his knowledge is, whether he can compare to Zhang Jiangling, and ask the Queen Mother to be gracious and the quasi-ministers and concubines to watch. ”

"What are my sisters doing with this polite remark, isn't it just studying, if you want to see it, you can watch it with the mourning family." Empress Dowager Li said this in her mouth, but she always felt in her heart that today's sister seemed a little weird, very different from the past.