March 19, the day of the Grace Banquet.

After the dissolution of the court, Zhu Youzhu specially called the three cabinet ministers and the attendant scholar Wang Wei to the Qianqing Palace.

Obviously, he wanted to discuss the candidates for the new Hanlin Academy and Zhan Shifu Zhan Shi, but in fact, he wanted to seek greater development for Zhang Zhou.

"Several, you are all the prince's gentlemen, and you have a lot of trouble talking about matters in the East Palace, I want to mention it to you today, do you want to see if you can bring Zhang Bingkuan as a waiter to talk about matters on the day of the feast?"

Zhu Youji's words were very direct.

I don't plan to give Zhang Zhou the position of the history museum of the Hanlin Academy, I want to directly promote him to be a Hanlin attendant, and directly enter the East Palace, so I ask you if you agree!

All four were silent.

Li Dongyang also glanced at Liu Jian specifically, probably questioning Liu Jian's behavior before.

See!

You have to say that you want to rein in Zhang Bingkuan, say don't press him, this is good, give him a champion and he will put wings and take off, but as long as he is a role model, the emperor wants to pull out the list of eyes alone and be a Hanlin attendant, and he can't be so arrogant.

Wang Wei asked, "Your Majesty, there is no precedent for this. ”

At this time, the three members of the cabinet pretended to be dumb, and Wang Wei, as the teacher of Zhang Zhouxiang's test, could not sit idly by.

Zhu Youzhu sighed: "I also know that there was no such rule before, I would not mention it before, and I will not mention it in the future." If it was according to Bingkuan's previous exploits, it should not be carried out by him in the Hanlin Academy, whether it was to treat the princess, or to calculate the victory of the Northwest Frontier Army of the Ming Dynasty with the help of Heaven, how should it be calculated......"

All four of them were confused.

Your Majesty, you seem to be quite sensible.

One thing is one yard, he has merit in the northwest, you want to promote him to be an uncle and a marquis, let's fight again, you directly want to promote him to be a Hanlin servant with military merits, this doesn't make sense.

You're meddling in the backyard of our civil servants' entrenched land.

Zhu Youzhu ignored the strange looks of several people and continued: "But Bingkuan has been to the East Palace many times before, and has taught the prince a lot of academic things, and has also won the trust of the prince, even if he does not have the name of the prince's teacher, he is already the prince's teacher. ”

Liu Jian took a breath and said, "Your Majesty is saying that Zhang Jinshi has given a lecture to the prince before?" ”

"Yes." Zhu Youzhu nodded.

Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty, there are so many lecturers in the East Palace, and there are talented people in the Hanlin Academy and the Zhan Mansion abound, why should he give a lecture to the prince at that time for the tribute?" ”

Zhu Youzhu did not like to hear the minister's questioning the most.

It may be that he is angry, or it may be that this matter is not easy to explain, and it is a long story, so he just kept silent.

Then Dai Yi took a step forward and said: "Liu Ge, don't get me wrong, Your Majesty asked Mr. Zhang to go to the East Palace, and he never talked about easy learning, when the prince studied behind closed doors a few years ago, Mr. Zhang accompanied the prince for more than a dozen days and nights, which Mr. Wang should know." ”

Liu Jian looked at Wang Wei.

Wang Wei lowered his head and said nothing, although he had never taught the prince with Zhang Zhou, but as the foreman of the current East Palace lecturer, how could he not know about Zhang Zhou's lesson to the prince?

At that time, I thought that the emperor might just be on a whim, and who knew that the emperor still wanted to make this matter the norm.

As soon as Zhang Zhou was promoted to the rank of scholar, the emperor couldn't wait to mention Zhang Zhou as a Hanlin attendant.

Xie Qian walked out and said: "Your Majesty, if you want to be promoted to a waiter, even if you want to cultivate your background, you must have at least six years, and it will take more than nine years to edit and review your background. ”

At a critical time, Xie Qian was also like a Taoist official who only talked about dead rules, and spoke to the emperor.

Zhu Youzhu continued to remain silent.

Dai Yi said: "Several gentlemen, didn't Your Majesty say it all?" The prince has just been out of the cabinet for only a year, and his temperament is still undecided, at this time he needs to have a gentleman who can convince the prince to teach him from time to time, even if the next palace examination is over, it will be three years later, and the prince's schoolwork should also be a small success, and there is no need to be promoted to anyone. Besides, Mr. Zhang is really good at teaching the prince, not only in terms of knowledge, but also in dealing with people. ”

Is this all right?

Liu Jian and they were also thinking, the emperor didn't speak, and let the eunuch come out on behalf of the Son of Heaven to talk about the pros and cons?

Zhu Youzhu opened his mouth and added: "A few Qing families, I will make a promise here, except for Bingkuan, I will not have such a promotion in the future." The establishment of the East Palace Lecturer was originally to teach the prince and correct his mistakes in learning and practice, if Bingkuan could not be entrusted with reuse just because he was a new science and technology scholar, it would be contrary to the original intention of the establishment. Please also ask a few people to be accommodating. ”

The emperor used the word please, which was actually very face-saving.

Liu Jian and Li Dongyang can see the overall situation relatively clearly, and they know that they can't persuade them when they come out to persuade at this time.

But Xie Qian was holding back the evil fire in his belly, with his temper, his heart was straightforward, and he almost came out and said, Your Majesty, do you still know that this is to teach the prince, you are alone and bewitched by Zhang Bingkuan, and now you have to let Zhang Bingkuan take the prince to the ditch too? Are you embarrassed to let us understand?

Zhu Youzhu said: "If the Qing family has no opinions, then the matter will be decided." A few days later, when the sergeant is released, it can be announced. ”

"Your Majesty." Liu Jian walked out and said.

Zhu Youzhu frowned, tell you that at this level, you still want to object?

"The old minister does not object to Zhang Zhou as the lecturer of the East Palace, but can he speak as a writer of the History Museum of the Hanlin Academy?" Liu Jian asked.

We don't care about the situation anymore, but please give the emperor a face, don't promote him out of the ordinary, and follow our rules.

Of course, Zhu Youzhu was not happy.

Liu Jian said: "Or it can be written for the history museum, into the East Palace, after a month, with the progress of its teaching, set the promotion of the waiter, so that it can not only spur him to work hard for the prince, but also not to make others with kitsch and mess with their hearts, and the ministers will not be embarrassed by Zhang Zhou, so they can also set rules for the prince." ”

At this time, Liu Jian still has a set.

What he meant summed it up...... If people's hearts are disturbed, the team will not be easy to lead, Your Majesty.

The emperor listened to Liu Jian's words, and his face softened a lot.

Although it sounds like asking Zhang Zhou to give a lecture to the prince as a historian did not meet his expectations, in fact, the purpose was achieved.

Liu Jian is also right, he will be promoted directly when he comes up, it is indeed a bit out of order, even if the emperor can not care, but he can't set a bad example for the prince.

If the prince wants to use someone in the future, he will directly think that my father did this back then, wouldn't it be that the prince will intensify his efforts in the matter of serving officials in the future?

Liu Jian also said that it would be more appropriate to use Zhang Zhou as the history museum to revise it first, for a month or two, symbolically let him sharpen it, and then find an excuse for merit or something, and promote him to a waiter.

Zhu Youzhu was silent for a long time before he nodded and said, "That being the case, I hope that the Qing family will not set a threshold for him at that time, and I want to use him to guide the prince well." Several, please! ”

……

……

As a king, Zhu Youzhi is occasionally stubborn, but he still has confidence in civil officials in his bones.

That was the dependence he developed after he left the cabinet to study, no matter how much he trusted Li Guang before, and now admired Zhang Zhou, he did not deny the ability of the ministers of the DPRK and China, and even knew very well that the main thing to govern the country was to rely on these ministers to support him.

It looks like Liu Jian has won.

But Liu Jian knew very well that he had lost badly.

Coming out of the Qianqing Palace, the four of them walked straight away, Xie Qian suddenly thought of something and asked Wang Wei on the side: "Jizhi, Zhang Zhou gives lessons to the prince, is it very often?" Didn't he prepare for the Spring Festival exam before? ”

In fact, Xie Qian couldn't understand this.

Zhang Zhou is obviously just a man, no matter how much the emperor trusts him, he only trusts him in his calculation of heavenly opportunities and other things, how can he be convinced in talent and learning, and use him as the prince's teacher to give lectures?

The prince is so stubborn, he can actually listen to Zhang Zhou's lecture?

Wang Wei said: "I often entered the palace a few years ago, and the prince's surprise improvement of the "Commentary on the Four Books" before the year also relied on Bingkuan to teach him day and night, and then the prince's schoolwork improved by leaps and bounds. ”

"......" Xie Qian was suddenly speechless.

Advance rapidly?

What the prince looks like, the nominal prince and the prince of the three cabinet ministers do not know, but as a senior speaker of the East Palace, Wang Wei is a clear man.

If Wang Wei said that it was advancing by leaps and bounds, it should not be false.

Li Dongyang shook his head and said: "The prince is not smart or not, in my opinion, the prince's intelligence is better than that of an ordinary child, but he never wants to learn, why can Zhang Zhou let him calm down and study?" ”

"This is ......," Wang Wei couldn't explain.

You three elders, are you going to ask me today why I didn't teach the prince well, so that Zhang Bingkuan could take advantage of the situation?

You also know that the prince is stubborn and doesn't need to study, so do you think about it, thinking that everyone in the East Palace can meet the current majesty you met at that time?

What was the crown prince like during the Chenghua period? What is the situation of the prince now? What are you three pretending to be confused?

Xie Qian complained: "As soon as he enters the court, he will enter the service to speak, maybe in a few years, we will have to give him a virtuous, and the people of the Hanlin Academy can't stand the toss!" ”

"Hmm." Li Dongyang nodded, but his eyes kept falling on Liu Jianjian.

Liu Jian did not make any statement in front of Wang Wei, an "outsider", and stretched out his hand to signal to hurry up, even if there was something, it was the three cabinet members who held a meeting by themselves behind closed doors.

……

……

Mandarin Palace.

At noon, Zhu Youzhi went to supervise his son's schoolwork.

Wang Wei didn't come to lecture in the morning, but Zhu Houzhao didn't pull off the class, because the day after the palace exam was delayed, Zhu Houzhao yawned again and again when he listened to the class in the morning, and he would only pretend in front of his father.

"Father, did you mean that Zhang Zhou was about to come to teach his son?"

When Zhu Houzhao heard about this, he was depressed, and his little eyes were glowing.

Zhu Youzhu smiled and said, "Don't call him by his first name anymore, just call him Mr. Zhang." ”

"Father, why don't you call him Mr. Zhang?" Zhu Houzhao was very dissatisfied.

Although I listened to the lecture surnamed Zhang, he wanted to be a teacher and press me? So how am I going to bargain with him in the future?

When Zhu Youzhu heard this, he straightened his face and said, "That means, you don't need him to come?" ”

"Don't ...... Father, let him come, the son promises not to make trouble in class, listen carefully and succeed in your studies as soon as possible, and in the future, you will be your courtier to assist you in governing the country......"

Zhu Houzhao said as if there was no door.

Zhu Youzhu frowned.

This kid came out to study for a few days, and the more he talked about the official language, the more slippery he became.

This should be taught by no one, right?

Self-taught?

"After Bingkuan came, study with him attentively, he can't come here all the time, there are still his errands in the Hanlin Academy, don't pester him more after class, especially less ask him for those things outside the palace."

"If I think there is something I can give you, I will give it to you. If you don't give it to you, you can't embarrass him. ”

"I will also explain to him, you don't have to get used to you, you can be beaten and punished, I can't always be by your side to teach, then he will teach you the rules for me......"

After Zhu Houzhao listened, he was almost stunned.

Did you invite a gentleman to come back, or did you invite a father?

"Father, it's better to forget it, just let him occasionally enter the palace to give lectures to his sons......"

Zhu Houzhao began to regret it.

Father, you are playing too much, let that thing be qualified to beat me, then your son and I are not passive everywhere? It's better to be a temporary personal trainer like before, I don't want to suffer.

Zhu Youzhi showed a look of "You kid also has today" on his face, and he almost gritted his teeth and said: "I waited for Bingkuan to finish the palace exam, and after waiting for so long, do you think it will be easy to change?" If there's a place where he can't discipline you, I'll do it myself! You can do it! ”

"Father's ......"

When Zhu Houzhao saw that his father was leaving, he almost cried and begged on the spot.

It's still naïve.

thought that Zhang Zhoulai was playing with himself, but the result was ......

……

……

Zhu Youzhu came out of the Wenhua Hall in a good mood.

Zhu Youzhu said to Dai Yi who was following him: "No matter how strict other officials are, they are always courtiers, and they dare not discipline the prince, but Bingkuan is different." The prince still thinks that I am looking for Bingkuan to mess around with him? This kid still doesn't know my good intentions. ”

Dai Yixin said.

This is not a good intention, it should be called "sinister intention", right?

first used Zhang Zhou's gift of fun things to hang the prince's appetite, so that the prince thought that Zhang Zhou entered the palace to accompany him.

As a result, when Zhang Zhouzhen was admitted to the Jinshi and really wanted to be a lecturer, the emperor also "exposed his true nature" and let the prince know that he had invited a strict teacher back.

Let your kid always take advantage of the fact that I am busy with state affairs and do not think about schoolwork, now there is Bingkuan, see how you get stuck!

Dai Yi asked tentatively, "Mr. Zhang...... Do you really dare to correct the prince's mistakes with harsh laws? ”

Zhu Youzhu walked in front, glanced at him sideways when he heard the words, and said with a smile: "You don't know what Bingkuan is?" Don't look at his usual giggling and not being in shape, but he is not ambiguous in his actions, have you ever seen him grovel to the prince? ”

Dai Yi thought for a moment.

Not really.

Does it mean that the prince is bullying the weak and afraid of the hard? When others were polite to him, he became even more aggressive.

And Zhang Zhou didn't have a good color for him, but the prince couldn't stutter?

Donkey?

"The Grace Feast is almost over, right? Go and inform him, let Bingkuan enter the palace earlier after he is done, and tell him the news. Zhu Youzhu was excited.

finally invited a gentleman who thought he was very competent for his son, and Zhu Youzhu couldn't help but want to share his thoughts with Zhang Zhou.

Dai Yi said: "The slave will arrange for someone to inform." ”

"Go!"

……

……

Ministry of Rites, Grace Banquet.

Zhang Zhou, as the champion, was the focus of the most attention present, and Zhang Mao made no secret of his appreciation for Zhang Zhou at the wine table, and personally toasted Zhang Zhou, so that the new science and technology scholars present were stunned.

As the head of the Ming Dynasty, the British Duke is a figure that others can't stammer.

Is it so "approachable"?

But no matter how polite he is, he can't be polite to a new science and technology scholar to this extent, right?

A subordinate official of the Governor's Mansion who served at the banquet said: "This Zhang Zhuangyuan is not only learned, but also has the will of heaven, and is also insightful in the matter of hanging pots, and I heard that he can cure incurable diseases, and even the acne and epidemic in the capital can be resolved, and he is really a strange person in the world." ”

bragging, not blowing Zhang Mao, but blowing on Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Mao stood up again with a wine glass, and his old face was still a little red because of a few more drinks.

When the Jinshi in each seat saw Zhang Mao get up, they all got up.

Only Lin Han, who came to the banquet with a black face next to him, was still sitting there.

I, Lin Han, need to give you an old man's face? You really think of yourself as a dish!

No matter how awesome you are in the Governor's Mansion, will we be able to have any intersection in the future?

Zhang Mao didn't see Lin Han's indifference to him, and said to Zhang Zhou with a smile: "Bingkuan's virtuous nephew is also my benefactor of Zhang, the dog has been sick and bedridden for many years, and it is all up to him to treat the disease and save people, so after he enters the court, the old man will definitely do his best!" ”

The jinshi cast envious glances one by one.

But there are still people who are pondering.

You old man Zhang drank too much, right?

Do you carry him? With his current status and status, I'm afraid that if you want to ask him for help, he won't take care of you, right?

Most of the Jinshi present only knew that Zhang Zhou had cured the princess's illness, predicted palace disasters, and helped Wang Weining achieve a great victory in the northwest, and they could not know how much the emperor relied on Zhang Zhou from the previous notices, nor did they know that Zhang Zhou was now the emperor's most trusted adviser by often going in and out of the palace gate.

They only regarded Zhang Zhou as a meritorious minister, and only a few people knew that Zhang Zhou's current status in the eyes of the emperor was better than that of Li Guang in his heyday.

"The British are gracious." Zhang Zhou returned the salute with a smile.

Zhang Mao said: "Come, drink this cup full." ”

……

……

The atmosphere of the Grace Banquet was very strange.

Because Zhang Mao and the others revolved around Zhang Zhou alone, most of the Jinshi present were left out in the cold, after all, the Jinshi only had one chance to participate in the Enrong Banquet in their lives, and they didn't know whether the champion could get special treatment in the past, or only today.

The feast is coming to an end.

Zhang Zhou picked up the wine glass and walked in front of Tang Yin, Tang Yin looked at Zhang Zhou with a very strange expression.

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Brother Tang, it's time for our gambling contract to be cashed in, right?" You and I meet, and we will judge the level of the palace test, and now that you have lost, you won't deny it, right? ”

Everyone present fell silent.

Even Zhang Mao and other people with officials came over to join in the fun.

Zhang Mao said: "Bingkuan, the old man also heard about your gambling contract, which means that you won, let this Jiangnan Yayuan worship in your master's door, right?" ”

"Where is the teacher?" After Tang Yin took a breath, he said calmly.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "The family teacher travels all over the world, and I don't know where he is, so I accept apprentices on behalf of the teacher." ”

Meaning, you don't have to look for a teacher.

Just look for me as a senior brother, people say that the eldest brother is the father, I am your eldest brother, you just take me as a master.

(End of chapter)