In Kunning Palace, Zhu Houxi's face was sad, and the imperial doctors outside the palace were worried.

"Your Majesty...... Concubines...... I'm afraid it's ...... I can't pass this level......" Sun Ming, who was pale and much thinner, had tears in her eyes, "Prince...... Prince ......"

Zhu Houxi's "middle-aged" finally began to intensively face the life and death of people close to him in this era of backward medical technology.

After a thorough investigation, the death of the Zhuang concubines and their sons and two daughters, including the queen's illness, did not have any harem methods, but they were simply seriously ill and difficult to treat.

His mother, Empress Dowager Jiang, died of illness at the age of sixty-two, which is also considered a long life in this era. And Concubine Zhuang, who left before she was forty years old, and Sun Ming, who is now seriously ill, can only be said to have no choice.

I don't know how many people died early in their thirties, from the court to the people.

Even if you are a great tomorrow, there are many who do not live beyond forty.

Now Zhu Houxi knew what Sun Ming was always worried about, and he held her emaciated hand with some distress: "Zaiji follows me and learns very well, you can rest assured." You're just grieving because of your mother's death. From then until now, you have always had too much on your mind. ”

Tears flowed from the corners of Sun Ming's eyes.

The emperor has not called himself "I" in front of her for many years, and Sun Ming remembered the scenes of the year in a trance.

But as a queen, there are so many people in the harem, how can she not pretend to have too many things in her heart?

After falling ill, he was worried about his son's future day and night.

She looked at the emperor's still healthy body, and after all these years, he didn't seem to be crushed by anything.

So, he is about a long life. So, how can the back position be hung empty? The new queen entered the Kunning Palace, and the palace didn't know what would happen. If you want to be able to hold down the harem, you can't be a newcomer. Among the old people, if you choose one who has no children, will you be tempted? What happens if you choose someone who already has a prince?

She looked at the two sons who were kneeling on the ground behind the emperor.

The crown prince is seventeen years old, and the fourth son of the emperor, Zhu Zaiqi, is twelve years old, if the biological mother goes, what will be their fate?

"Queen Mother......" Zhu Zaiqi's grief in his heart at the moment is intense, more than a year, his grandmother who doted on him died, and now his mother is also seriously ill and difficult to recover.

What did my father mean by what he said just now, Zhu Zaiqian also understood.

But from now on, I am afraid that many things will be different.

Zhu Houxi didn't expect that at this point in time, he would face such a problem.

Human nature can't be tested, could it be that at the beginning of his third decade on the throne, he will start to be anxious about the disputes in the harem around the inheritance of the throne?

If Sun Ming goes, who will sit in the back seat will be an extremely sensitive issue.

"Your Majesty...... The concubine's sister, Lan'er ......"

Zhu Houxi was silent, and when she heard Sun Ming's eager words, her hands were a little harder.

Looking at her begging eyes, Zhu Houxi was stunned and smiled bitterly: "Why ...... this?"

"Your Majesty......" felt the passage of some essence and spirit in his body, and Sun Ming couldn't care about it so much, but pleaded again.

Zhu Houxi let out a long sigh.

Could it be that Sun Jiao went to Guangdong in the past, and when he was old, he had a daughter, and he was destined to be here?

Although he is only one year older than Zhu Zaiqi, he has an aunt and blood relative, which is naturally an extra guarantee for the prince's future safety.

But with the humble background of Sun Lan's biological mother, and the opposition that the Sun family is about to bring, how can Sun Lan become the queen and hold the harem smoothly at the age of seventeen?

Now it is not what it used to be, and it is not that the family of national relatives cannot be reused. How many people will want to seize this opportunity and become a national ruler as well?

Cao Cha, the father of the concubine who had been elected from the Governor of Huguang three years ago and was supposed to be re-elected to the State Hall this year, didn't he want to?

Although Wen Zhengming, who has been helping him take care of the Huangming Academy, will not take the initiative to propose anything, but through the Huangming Academy, how many people on this link want to push Concubine Wen Suyun to the top of the ranks?

The virtual age is already nineteen, and he has accepted the daughter of the Duke of Qianguo as the princess, and is secretly forming the eldest son of the emperor in the future of the entire Waidian team, Yue Wang Zhu Zaiyu, will he get the support of some people, I hope the emperor will consider it and let Lin Qingping, the oldest person in the palace, be the queen?

Even though the status of the crown prince is unquestionable, King Yue will also have a different weight.

Also, most of the concubines in the palace are already "old and decrepit", will anyone think that it is better to figure out the emperor's mind and choose some young and beautiful to enter the palace?

Yan Song, who received the gift and handed over the ministry, must be a key role in this turmoil. He has been a minister of state for more than five years, and he is staring at Zhang Bi, who only transitioned to the prime minister and minister of state after replacing Zhang Fujing three years ago, and he must want to go one step further this time.

Zhang Bi was able to win, only because Zhang Fujing had laid a good foundation in six years, and Zhang Bi had the identity of the emperor's hometown and was loyal. When the Ming Dynasty was cultivating internal strength, there were many talents in the National Policy Council and the State Palace, and the Prime Minister and Minister of State should not make mistakes.

But after this year, it will obviously be different.

Feeling that Sun Ming's hand was exerting force again, and his eyes showed disappointment, fear and worry, Zhu Houxi said softly: "This is a problem for me...... Well, I promise you. ”

has spent too much time on state affairs for so many years, and in order not to make a big mess, she has tried to get the rain and dew evenly, although her love for Sun Ming has never decreased, but after all, she has not been happy in the past 19 years.

The queen's dignity, there is too much helplessness behind it.

Zhu Houxi enjoyed everything, and finally did not want to let her last wish be disappointed, although it would also bring many problems.

Sun Ming's face finally relaxed, a smile appeared, and she said with tears in her eyes: "Concubine...... His Majesty Longen...... Concubines...... Contented......"

That night, the bells rang loudly, and the message of mourning rang out.

The queen died, and the capital was shaken.

The people are fine, but the courtiers, especially the important ministers among the courtiers, know that this year will be an eventful year.

The struggle for the latter position, the major power policy meeting at the end of the year, will contain many disputes. And in the emperor's even less wonderful mood, many things must be cautious.

Liu Long is still the secretary of the Ministry of Rites and Communications, and Yan Song and he are already very busy this year, because there will be the Wanshou Ceremony and the World Games to be held later.

Now, the two are just busy with the queen's funeral first.

No one would start to say anything about the future at this time, but the euphemistic exchange actually started a month ago.

"The old man ......of the country" Liu Long looked at the familiar Yan Song, who was the first two living officials in the past two days, Liu Long knew his ability very well, "You know the sacred heart, after the queen enters the earth, that incident cannot be avoided......"

Ministers who participate in the national policy meeting are now called counselors if they are not in a book. Since the Cabinet has been transformed into the House of State, the rest of the people other than the Prime Minister and the Minister of State are now referred to as the Elder of the State, which is a new change in private in addition to the original "State Affairs".

The voice of the country's elders also shows that the position of the Minister of State is becoming more and more stable and powerful.

Yan Song shook his head abruptly: "Don't talk about this yet." Shunqing, this matter is so big that everyone knows it. Now, among the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, there is only one person who can find a good time to ask His Majesty what he thinks after a period of time. ”

"Who?" Liu Long is the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and he must do the matter of electing a new queen later, which cannot be avoided, so he cares.

"Naturally, it's Jingshan." Yan Song looked at him, "Shun Qing asked me, why don't you ask him." ”

Yan Song was not ready to go out to ask the emperor about his attitude on this sensitive issue, and now he was pushing Cui Yuan.

Liu Long and Cui Yuan are in-laws, and Cui Yuan does have a special identity.

He is the emperor's own uncle, and he has been trusted by the emperor since the sixteenth year of Zhengde and has never left the center.

In the past, when Huguang rebelled and the emperor toured south, it was Cui Yuan who persuaded the emperor and made the emperor change. Later, whenever it was involved in sensitive issues, and other ministers did not come forward to say anything, it was Cui Yuan who came forward to find out the emperor's intentions.

And now, Cui Yuan is in charge of Daming Bank, and his status is transcendent.

Because of the new queen's possible princely disputes, Cui Yuan can always be the most unrelated person.

Liu Long has no way to avoid this matter, since he must be on the sparse play at the right time, Cui Yuan must also help him, the in-laws, lest Liu Long step on any thunder.

“…… Mao Ren ......" Liu Long smiled bitterly, and also understood Yan Song's intention of saying this.

But the fact is that Cui Yuan is probably indeed the most suitable person.

At this moment, Zhu Houxi was in a gloomy mood in the palace.

In the replanned and renovated Forbidden City, another courtyard was built to the west of the Renzhi Temple. For more than a year, it has not stopped, and it has been used as a hall for several feasts many times.

Today, the two brothers are there to keep a watch. Clans, Honorable Relatives, and Ministers...... They and the wives of their families had to come to mourn, and Zhu Houxi, the emperor, was not personally present for those things.

And Sun Ming's brother Sun Ming, who took the position of Marquis of Jing'an, and Sun Yuan's younger brother Sun Jing, knelt in the imperial study in mourning clothes and cried at this time.

There was no one else in the room.

"Sun Yuan has a letter, it will take some time to rush back from Shaanxi."

In silence, Zhu Houxi opened his mouth: "The queen has passed away, for many years she has been virtuous and gentle, the harem is peaceful, and she is praised by the government and the opposition for her virtues, this is the work of the Sun family's upbringing." Sun Yuan, with the respect of his relatives, had a life, which was convenient for Shaanxi to experience wind and sand, suffer from bitter cold, and plant trees for several years, without complaining. With such a merit, the Sun family and I have another reward. ”

"When my father was there, he always taught his ministers. His Majesty is affectionate, and the Sun family's grace and honor are high, and they are not rewarded for their deaths, and they dare not take credit. ”

Zhu Houxi pondered about that incident in his heart, and just sighed: "How is your young sister's mother's house doing now?" ”

Sun Jing couldn't help but pause and cry in amazement, and then said, "Before my father goes, take pity on his youth. Tong begged bitterly, but his father had already changed his nationality and bought an estate. Let her brother and two preside, and even entrusted Jingshan Hou to introduce her, and now she is doing business with the Weaving Bureau. The minister's brother humbly gave up the title and has been supervising the two of them with his heart, so as not to corrupt the law and order, tarnish the reputation of the Sun family, and damage His Majesty's reputation. ”

The emperor suddenly asked about his young sister's mother's family, and Sun Jing was not stupid.

His answer was precise, and his heart was pounding.

There was silence again in the imperial study, and Zhu Houxi continued after a long time: "Since you have your duty, you have merit, then the Tong clan must also know the importance and teachings. Your young sister often enters the palace to ask the queen for peace, I have seen it a few times, and she is also virtuous and gentle, which shows that she is no wrong in raising her daughter. What about Tong's parents? ”

Sun Jing's head was buried lower: "In the past, he was poor, which made the Tong family sell himself as a slave." I met my father, and now they are all placed in the grain storage number, and they are all doing things in the past, and they are in charge of a field given by the king of the former Ji. Recently, a letter came, saying that he was old and that Panchen helped him settle back to his ancestral home in Guangdong. ”

"I see." Zhu Houxi nodded, "You go back to the house first, you will be rewarded in a few days." ”

“…… Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Majesty. ”

As one of the emperor's eldest brothers, Sun Jing had already thought of a possibility.

After kowtowing, he stood up, and saw the emperor's eyes with deep meaning.

He didn't dare to ask more, and he knew that the matter was very important, so he immediately retired.

Soon after he left, Lu Bing came to the imperial study.

"Arranged to go down?"

Lu Bing hurriedly replied: "Back to Your Majesty, the minister is doing it himself." ”

Zhu Houxi nodded.

Lu Bing is already the commander of the Jinyi Guard, and he naturally has some henchmen who know the importance of it.

Once you become a queen, you will naturally have a rich family. But Sun Lan is not as good as Sun Ming, her mother's background is too humble. After becoming the emperor's mother-in-law, the whole family on the poor side was expecting to turn over.

In the past, there was a layer of relationship, and Sun Jing was suppressed by this firewall, so it's okay to say.

But even if Sun Lan is actually named Sun Ming's sister after she is born, her biological mother is her biological mother. If the daughter flies on the branch, the two brothers Sun Yuan and Sun Jing can no longer despise the Tong family, and the mother family of this concubine accepted by their father in his old age can no longer help a little less as in the past, and they can not be pretended to be in major matters.

Over the years, Zhu Houxi has only seen the little girl a few times. Now that I think about it, I don't know if Sun Ming has long been thinking about what happened. In short, when Zhu Houxi saw her in the past two or three years, she was already like a flower and jade, and she was dressed up very well every time.

Thinking that Sun Ming always pretended to have so many things on her mind but just took precautions and never spoke, Zhu Houxi knew that she was probably entangled by Empress Dowager Zhang and was educated by Zhu Houyu after opening her mouth once, and she has always taken it to heart since then.

Because of Sun Jiao's own genes, and because of her mother's ability to make Sun Jiao so old and attractive, Sun Lan's appearance is naturally enough to enter Zhu Houxi's eyes.

But where did Zhu Houxi go deep into her character?

This is the queen, especially the queen of the second half of his life. In the face of the future succession to the throne, who knows what will happen to Sun Lan himself?

Sun Ming's last wish, Zhu Houxi did not want to disobey. By electing her, the princes can better understand their father's intentions, and the prince can feel more at ease.

Zhu Houxi smiled bitterly and asked the prince to pay attention to the situation on the North Korean side, which is really fighting now. Jin Anlao and Jin Qi are both dead, and now it is Yin and Xiao Yin who are fighting endlessly, and I heard that Li Yi has been forced to engage in an "internal Zen" to intensify the conflict.

Now, his eldest sons have also reached the stage of adulthood. According to the life expectancy of the Ming Emperors in the past, even if Zhu Houxi is still in good health now, how many of the courtiers will be like Sun Ming himself silently prepared, just in case?

There are always accidents in life, before last year, wasn't the queen's health also very good?

It has been several years since the opening of the East Palace, and some people have squeezed into the circle that is close to the prince's subordinate officials, and some people can't squeeze in.

And this time, it's an opportunity.

On the issue of the throne, before the dust settled, there was always a lot of strife.

"In and out of Beijing, pay more attention during this time." Zhu Houxi instructed Lu Bing, thinking in his heart how to guide the minds of civil and military officials not to put too much in this regard.

"Command!" Lu Bing handed over an excerpt, "Some of the previous recitals have been sorted out by the minister and presented to His Majesty for preview." The behavior of the Tong family, His Majesty will give the minister another half a month. ”

Zhu Houxi nodded and asked him to get busy first.

The Tong brothers, more relatives of the Tong family and even the local relatives, Zhu Houxi still has to find out.

Sun Jing's statement is on the one hand, and the situation that Lu Bing secretly visited here is another.

This is just one aspect, Zhu Houxi also has to understand the thoughts of other important ministers in the court.

It just so happened that after all these years, what kind of circles have been formed between civil and military officials, this time, I also found out.

"Xuan Cui Yuan."

……

No matter how much Zhu Houxi changed the Ming Dynasty, as long as the emperor is still there, the issue of the throne is always the most sensitive issue.

What's more, the current Ming Dynasty is coming again, the Son of Heaven is mighty all over the world, and the monarch is supreme?

Zhang Juzheng, who was sixteen years old, was kneeling in the hall with the prince, and he was also wearing mourning clothes.

Sensing the emperor's different view of Zhang Juzheng, the queen has also been very good to Zhang Juzheng for so many years, and she regards him as her son's future consolidated minister to release goodwill.

Therefore, Zhang Juzheng has feelings for the queen, and he is also a little sad in his heart at the moment.

But he is precocious, and he knows better how many possible twists and turns there will be in the future.

Zhang Juzheng didn't know about the queen's will.

But at this moment, he was already thinking about what to do next.

First of all, the prince should serve the twenty-seventh month of mourning to show filial piety.

During this time, it is time to concentrate on learning. Three years later, it was time to ask His Majesty to take the exam under a pseudonym. If you can be promoted and won the jinshi under a fair situation, it is an important part that can make the emperor happy and the courtiers convinced.

That's the second thing to do.

As for the third case, it is even more necessary to ask Your Majesty to choose a place to try to deal with civil affairs.

After being taught by the emperor's side for so many years, Zhang Juzheng was very keenly aware of the emperor's requirement that the princes have knowledge and experience in dealing with problems.

From the age of thirteen, the later emperor's classes were mostly cases.

However, according to the principle of practical learning admired by the emperor, it is still shallow on paper, and after all, it is necessary to experience some practice.

Zhang Juzheng felt that such a suggestion should be appreciated by the emperor.

At this time, the emperor was in his prime, and he continued to study filial piety, and if the emperor still valued the prince, he would be happy. He is the prince's teacher, and if his children are successful in their studies, they should also be willing to see it. The accumulation of prestige by the crown prince is also reasonable, and it is not considered to touch the emperor's authority.

And after gaining prestige, the land of a government does not involve military power, and it is even more distant from the center. As long as there is a pseudonym from beginning to end, only a few important ministers know that the prince is so experienced, and the emperor should be happy to see it.

Similarly, at that time, the crown prince went to the local area to train, and in terms of safety, the emperor could judge the emperor's intentions or not.

The young Zhang Juzheng was thinking about it by himself, but he knew that these ideas should be discussed with the prince first, and then the prince would consult Zhang Zongfu and Yang Guolao to see if it would work.

At this time, Zhang Bi and Yang Shen were also talking privately in Wenhua Palace.

"The old man has no intention of staying in office this year." Zhang Bi knows that his talents are average, but he has a relationship between the emperor and his fellow countrymen, and he has now an official career and the glory of the general assistant, "The queen has died, the prince has lost the protection of his biological mother, and he uses repair, you and I are the country's capital, and there must be a proper discussion this year to ensure that the prince will be safe in the future." ”

Yang Shen frowned and replied slowly: "Your Majesty is prosperous in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the Holy Ming is unparalleled." The prince has been building a mansion for many years, and His Majesty's intentions are self-evident, so what are your worries? ”

"It is precisely because Your Majesty is at the peak of the Spring and Autumn Period that the coming days are long, that there must be a proper method." Zhang Bi said earnestly, "The back position cannot be hung for a long time, no matter who is established, the harem mother is precious by her son, and future disputes are inevitable." If there is no proper discussion, His Majesty will be troubled by the disputes in the harem, and he will also be worried about state affairs. The old man intends to recommend you to take over as the chief assistant and show your strengths. With the repair of the first household department, then the Ministry of Finance and Taxation, and the Ministry of Finance and Taxation for six years, the Ming Dynasty is rich and strong, how can the use of repair be willing to be constrained by the state affairs because of the harem and the prince's hidden worries? ”

At this level, when his father resigned as the prime minister and minister of state, Yang Shen was responsible for whether he boasted of his talent or wanted the Yang family to have a prime minister.

"They are all sisters-in-law, and there are also young and old." Yang Shen disagreed, "Your Majesty Shengming, there must be a proper disposal." ”

Zhang Bi looked at him strangely.

After the completion of the Huguang Straight Road, His Majesty wants to continue to repair Jingguang, Xuanning, Hetao Straight Road and other gallop roads, and Yang Yongxiu is always in front of the emperor to admonish and slow down.

Not to mention the expenses of other heavy industry parks, Dongyang and Beiyang maritime divisions in Hebei, and even the expenses of this year's longevity ceremony and upgrading to the World Games.

But in private, Yang Yongxiu always looked like "Your Majesty Shengming", and seemed to believe in the emperor's many unclear attitudes.

But Zhang Bi has already made up his mind to do it this year, otherwise it will be too dangerous. Before Zhishi, if the emperor and the crown prince could be thanked for his thoughtfulness, and they had a proper suggestion on the problems of the queen and the prince, it would also be his legacy to the descendants of the Zhang family.

"With cultivation, you are the prince's master, you must not be careful." Zhang Bi looked at him meaningfully, "If you take over the post of chief assistant, it will also be able to make His Majesty Ming of the court and the opposition mind." However, Yan Weizhong, Gu Jiuhe, and Huang Caibo should not be underestimated! At that time, if there are fewer people who recommend you, Your Majesty will not be able to order you like this. ”

Yang Shen frowned, and then muttered: "It's all loyal to the king, I just don't have so much effort to communicate with colleagues on weekdays." ”

From the time he made a sudden advance in Guangdong Pig and scared Yang Tinghe in the Zhongyuan Palace, Yang Shen's character became more and more upright. Burdened with the heavy responsibility of finance and taxation, he was spurred on by the huge expenses of the imperial court, and he was strict in paying taxes, which really offended many colleagues.

But isn't it just a matter of His Majesty's words?

Yang Shen felt so, only Zhang Bi, who is currently the head of the prince's subordinate officials, told Yang Shen with his inexplicable winning experience: he was the product of Zhang Fujing's resignation three years ago, and no one had the full support of the emperor for the time being.

And this year, after the emperor was in a bad mood for a year, and after the queen died like this, the emperor did not show full support for anyone at the moment.

Zhang Bi only knew: Yan Song's popularity among the counselors was good enough, his qualifications were old enough, and the emperor's trust was strong enough.

But he doesn't have the slightest official rank that has anything to do with the crown prince!

Make up for the previous arrears

(End of chapter)