As mentioned above, there are not many views within the walls of the capital, and most of the scenery is in the imperial city, especially the West Garden.

Because when the capital was built at that time, it was completely from the perspective of politics and practicality, and there was not much free space for landscape.

On this day, the young Wanli Emperor and his favorite concubine Zheng grabbed the tail of late spring and went boating on the Taiye Pond in Xiyuan.

Concubine Zheng is nineteen years old this year and has a bright appearance, but she can be favored not only by her appearance.

The palace system is strict, and most women are very restrained, especially in front of the emperor, they dare not take one more step and say a word.

However, Zheng's temperament is very lively, and he dares to talk and laugh with the emperor, so he has a special interest and is deeply loved by the young Wanli Emperor.

"Good slave emperor! What if you give my family a champion? On the imperial boat, Concubine Zheng Guifei stood behind, wrapped around the shoulders of Emperor Wanli and said.

Emperor Wanli pretended to be serious and said: "How can the exam be so easy?

Over the years, the martial arts department has defaulted to the fact that the first martial arts test is the final result, and the people have regarded the first martial arts test as the champion.

This year's new palace test is just a formality in the eyes of others, giving the martial arts test the first official name.

Your brother is only the second in the martial arts test, and he wants to get the first place to win the champion, who is willing to be convinced. ”

Zheng Guifei said: "Who should be the champion, isn't that a matter of your words, the emperor?"

If there is no right-hand mother's house, who will be able to speak for my son in the future? ”

Last month, Concubine Zheng accompanied the emperor to worship in the Fengxian Palace, and the emperor promised in front of the ancestral tablet that he would make her son, the third son of the emperor, the crown prince.

But there is definitely no one to support the ministers of the foreign courts, so it is necessary to support the Zheng family.

Emperor Wanli said again: "Don't think that I don't know anything, does my brother have the real ability to get the second place in the martial arts test?" I'm afraid it wasn't used by some means, right? ”

Concubine Zheng Guifei was also unreasonable, and directly said: "Even if you use the clansmen to take the test, it will be fertile water that does not flow into the fields of outsiders, and the benefits will fall into the hands of your own family." ”

Emperor Wanli snorted coldly: "If I can't see it, forget it, just treat it as an ordinary fraud, and it's nothing if someone finds out."

But when it comes to the palace test, your brother is still cheating in front of me, and if it is exposed again, it will be an irrefutable crime of deception!

Haven't you thought about the fate of the crime of deceit? Even I myself could not openly tolerate the crime of bullying. ”

"No, forget it! I deserve my family to have no fame. Zheng Guifei said angrily.

Seeing that Concubine Ai was playing a petty role, Emperor Wanli said with a smile: "I don't mean that there is no way, why are you in a hurry."

There are two kinds of regulations for the palace examination submitted by the Ministry of War, the first is that I personally read the ink scroll of the top 20 strategies; The second is to try one or two royal competitions.

The first kind of statute is practical, I read the ink scroll of the martial arts trial strategy, and point your brother as the champion.

Then your brother said that he was sick and asked your father to come forward in lieu of the audience.

As long as your brother doesn't appear directly in front of my eyes, I don't think he's guilty of bullying.

After getting the title, your brother will sneak into the house and wait a year before appearing in front of people. ”

Concubine Zheng immediately turned her anger into joy, "The emperor is talented and intelligent, and he really has a good idea!" In this way, it is better to mark the palace examination. ”

Marking the paper can also allow the father to attend the ceremony instead of the brother, if it is replaced by the royal competition, you can't let the father replace the brother to do it, right?

The next day was supposed to be the feast day, which was the time when the emperor gave his big lesson.

But because of Emperor Wanli's diligence and inquisitiveness, he successfully turned what should have been a classroom time into a small court meeting.

In this way, you can save yourself the need to find another time for meetings and have a lot of leisure.

One of the contents of today's deliberations is the issue of the martial arts hall examination, although the court does not attach importance to the martial arts, but after all, the martial arts hall examination is nominally the highest level martial arts examination in the world, and it is worth discussing when the temple meets.

Ministers of the Cabinet and the Ministry of Ministers of the Third Rank and above, the Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, the Commander of the Sect, the Princes of the Actual Position, and the Military Attachés of the Governor and above will all be present.

Shoufu Shen Shixing came out of the cabinet and walked across the road to the Wenhua Hall opposite.

At this time, most of the ministers had already arrived, but the emperor did not yet have a palace.

Shen Shixing found Wang Zhiyuan of the Hubu Shangshu in the crowd waiting for the dynasty, and took the initiative to talk: "What is the problem between your Wang family and Lin Tailai?" ”

Wang Zhiyuan asked in surprise: "Why did Prime Minister Shen say this?" ”

Shen Shixing replied: "In the past two days, I have seen that Lin Tailai has stayed at home, drinking and having fun with famous singers in the capital all day long, indulging in pleasure, drunk and dreaming of death, and completely ignoring the world. ”

Wang Zhiyuan explained: "Our Wang family has not done anything, and there is absolutely no problem with Lin Tailai. ”

Shen Shixing nodded: "I believe in you, but Lin Tailai has become like this, in the eyes of others, it is difficult to say." ”

Wang Zhiyuan thought about it for a while, this matter is really difficult to explain

After all, the little sister Wang Fifteen went to Lin Tailai to make trouble at the scene of the flower wine, and his nephew Wang Yushi arrested Lin Tailai for interrogation.

Wang Situ hurriedly asked again: "He looks like this, he doesn't even care about the palace test?" Wu Zhuangyuan doesn't want it either? ”

Shen Shixing replied: "Maybe I really don't want Wu Zhuangyuan, I just received the good news two days ago, he enrolled in Wu County and won the reputation of Xiucai, so he may want to go back to study." ”

Wang Zhiyuan: "."

it! If Lin Tailai is only one step away from Wu Zhuangyuan, but gives up the palace test, what do others think? Will you think that the Wang family made Lin Tailai disheartened?

It can't be like this! The Wang family is a family with a benevolent and righteous family style, and people in the world cannot be made to think that the Wang family is ungrateful!

"Can Shen Xiang give me some advice, what does Lin Tailai think?" Wang Situ asked again.

Shen Shixing shook his head, sighed and said, "If you tell the truth, I don't know what Lin Tailai thinks, he didn't tell me anything." ”

"You won't reveal it to Shen Xiang?" Wang Situ said in disbelief: "Go alone? ”

Shen Shixing was accustomed to saying: "Just like the last time I helped you seek the book of the household, he also didn't reveal the practice to me in advance."

But I have concluded from experience that if Lin Tailai wants to do something, there must be a spokesperson standing here. ”

So Shen Shoufu and Wang Situ's eyes roamed back and forth in the crowd, if there really is such a spokesperson, who will this person be?

But after looking around, Shen Shoufu and Wang Situ still didn't know why, after all, Lin Tailai knew too few people in the court.

Except that the two of them are Zhang Jiayin, the secretary of the Ministry of War, but Zhang Dasima is obviously impossible to be Lin Tailai's spokesperson.

Could it be that Lin Tailai really gave up martial arts and followed literature and was ready to go back to his hometown to study?

At this time, the Jiangxi Provincial Supervision of the Imperial History, the acting Xicheng Patrol Imperial History, Wang Xiangmeng appeared outside the Wenhua Palace.

"Uncle is well." Wang Xiangmeng saluted Wang Situ.

Wang Situ shouted lightly: "You have to call your position here!" ”

Wang Yushi pursed his lips, looking left and right as if he was looking for someone.

Wang Situ asked very strangely, "Why did you appear here?" ”

Wang Yushi replied: "Today I am going to report the results of Lin Tailai's case, but the head of the Imperial History is sick, so he entrusts me to replace him."

So I had no choice but to come to the Mandarin Palace.

Speaking of which, this is the first time I have gone to the palace to participate in the court meeting, how can I pretend to be very familiar? ”

"Your cynical prodigal tone is like Lin Tailai!" Wang Situ couldn't bear to reprimand.

Wang Xiangmeng was taken aback, is it really so obvious? Uncle won't see that Lin Tailai taught it, right?

When Wang Situ wanted to continue to ask something, Wang Xiangmeng strode away and came to Shen Li, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites.

This Shen Shangshu is not an ordinary person, but the core of today's Qingliu, and he is also the leader of the future Donglin Party in history, and he will also enter the cabinet in the future.

Wang Yushi directly said: "Uncle Zong! Are you going to talk about the martial arts hall test today?

If the imperial court is not thoughtful, then it will be up to the great uncle to correct it! ”

Shen Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites asked curiously, "Who are you?" ”

There are so many officials inside and outside the court, Shen Li can't know them all, and he really doesn't have any impression of Wang Xiangmeng's little transparent.

Wang Yushi introduced himself and said: "In the lower is the nephew of the great Situ of the household department, supervising the imperial history Wang Xiangmeng. ”

Hearing the origin of this identity, Shen Shangshu understood in seconds. In a word, this imperial history must be the one who sits on Lin Tailai's side!

In politics, it is always the ass that decides the position, and knowing where the other party's ass sits will see through most of it.

As for why Wang Yushi asked him to talk, Shen Shangshu guessed a few points, and sneered: "What? Want me to take a shot at Lin Tailai? ”

Wang Yushi hurriedly denied it and said, "No, don't misunderstand!" In my opinion, it doesn't matter whether Lin Tailai can win the martial champion, the important thing is not to let Zheng Guotai win the martial champion! ”

Shen Shangshu only felt that the other party wanted to cover up and block Zheng Guotai, wouldn't it be equivalent to paving the way for Lin Tailai?

"Ridiculous! Do you say that it is not for Lin Tailai to take chestnuts in the fire? ”

Wang Xiangmeng used the most clumsy acting skills and said the most painful words: "I say this, I really think about the great uncle!"

The etiquette system of the imperial court is the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, and the palace examination system is no exception, and the great master cannot shirk his responsibility. ”

Shen Li said quietly: "The martial arts hall test is mainly based on the military department, and our ritual department is only a counselor. ”

Wang Yushi seemed to start talking: "In previous years, the first civilian martial arts test was awarded the fifth grade of real positions, and this year's champion will only be high and not low."

Didn't Uncle Zong think that after Zheng Guotai got the martial champion, what would happen to him? ”

Wang Yushi is not wrong in what he said, according to the system, Wu Zhuangyuan will definitely be awarded an official, and the treatment is much higher than that of other martial artists.

Shen Li responded disapprovingly: "What can you do if you make a mystery and give him a martial arts?" ”

It's not that Shen Shangshu is arrogant, but under the current system of the Ming Dynasty, a martial artist really can't make much waves.

However, according to the usual practice, the first martial arts test is very different from others.

If it is a civilian candidate, the first in the martial arts test can directly have the opportunity to be independent. And other martial artists can only start from the hundred household level martial arts, staff praise paintings, and camp leaders.

Wang Yushi suddenly took out a piece of paper and looked at it a few times, and replied: "Then it also depends on what position, what if Zheng Guotai, who is the champion, is arranged to be banned from the army in Da Nei?" ”

The system of the Beijing division is very complex, but it is roughly divided into three parts.

The first part is the Beijing battalion, one will meet the three battalions, one will meet the twelve regimental battalions, and the other will be changed back to the three battalions, and the main task is to defend the capital.

The second part is the emperor's personal army, that is, the twenty-two guards directly under the emperor's command, including the special brocade guards.

The third part is the Ouchi Forbidden Army, which is commanded by the Imperial Horse Eunuch and Eunuch Admiral, who is responsible for guarding the gates of the palace and has the highest degree of elite.

Wang Yushi continued: "For example, if Zheng Guotai won the title and had to be awarded a substantive position, and the Son of Heaven let Zheng Guotai take charge of Donghua Gate, would the great uncle dare to imagine the consequences? ”

Hearing this idea, Shen Li's body suddenly shook violently!

Donghua Gate is the east gate of the palace city, the inside of Donghua Gate is the Wenhua Palace, and the north is the East Palace of the Prince, which is very close.

In the future, if the eldest son of the emperor is appointed as the crown prince, and there is a person like Zheng Guotai who is not kind to the eldest son of the emperor in charge of Donghua Gate, the consequences will definitely be unimaginable.

It's not that Shen Li's brain is making up too much, the main thing is that there is a precedent for the accident at the Donghua Gate of the Daming Palace.

More than 100 years ago, the change of the restoration of Yingzong was Donghua Gate! This is a lesson from the past.

In fact, the traverser can add another case, one of the three palace strange cases in the late Ming Dynasty, that is, someone entered the palace from the Donghua Gate with a wooden stick, and then rushed to the prince's East Palace to beat people.

can only say that fortunately, this person is not Lin Tailai, otherwise the prince may have been defeated.

Wang Yushi asked rhetorically: "Now the great uncle still thinks that the martial arts palace test has little to do with the Ministry of Rites?" Does the national issue have much to do with the Ministry of Rites? ”

Shen Shangshu frowned and said nothing, even if Zheng Guotai was not allowed to be in charge of Donghua Gate, but such an uncle of the third son of the emperor could be in trouble wherever he was in charge of the palace.

As for saying that the Son of Heaven would do this? Shen Shangshu was sure that as long as there was a chance and a reason, the Son of Heaven would definitely do so!

Even if the Son of Heaven doesn't think of it for a while, someone will definitely remind him!

After all, the mind of the third son of the emperor to be the crown prince has been known to the whole dynasty! If there is an opportunity to support the Zheng family, there is no reason why the Son of Heaven should not do it.

Wang Yushi struck while the iron was hot and added vinegar and said: "Great Zongbo! You must know that history is like iron, and you don't want it to be recorded in the history books of later generations, because you did nothing in the Ministry of Rites, which caused your cousin Zheng Guotai to be powerful and affect the country, right? ”

In addition to his official position, Shen Li, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, also has an important political identity as the leader of the Qingliu, which is a political force based on orthodox etiquette and advocating morality.

Zheng Guotai's champion will lead to endless troubles and affect the country's opinions, if no one says it, it will be fine, Shen Shangshu can still pretend to be confused.

But today someone has clearly told what will happen to Zheng Guotai's champion, if Shen Shangshu still deliberately does not take it seriously, then it will be a huge moral stain for the Qingliu figure who is in the Ministry of Rites.

You are a scholar of the Ministry of Rites and a clear stream, and you don't even come forward for major matters related to the country's etiquette and religion, so what else does Shilin want you to do?

Looking at the Ministry of Rites Shangshu, who fell into silence for a long time and stopped speaking, Wang Yushi suddenly felt that politics was really fun.

And Wang Xiangmeng finally understood why Lin Tailai had been unwilling to expose Zheng Guotai for the exam.

Keeping a relative Zheng Guotai with excellent grades can kidnap Qingliu, who was originally standing on the opposite side of Lin Tailai.

Lin Tailai really has eighteen ways to get the martial champion, saying that if you don't need the Wang family, you don't need the Wang family, and Wang Yushi really believes it now.

(End of chapter)