The Korean tribute team finally arrived in the capital.

It was also at the same time that Zhang Zhouren saw an "uninvited guest" in Dingliao's right guard, who once again traveled thousands of miles north from the south of the Yangtze River, and this time did not go to Beijing, but came directly to Zhangye and Zhang Ping father and son in Liaodong.

When Zhang Zhou knew about this and met in the past, Zhang Ye's father and son were each holding a bowl of somen noodles, and they were sweating profusely.

"Second brother." Zhang Ye was very excited when he saw Zhang Zhou, but he was reluctant to put down his chopsticks, "You wait for Brother Wei to finish these bites first." After passing through Shenyang, I didn't eat for two days. ”

After speaking, after Zhang Ye even drank all the noodle soup, he looked at Zhang Zhou with an oily face, and there was indescribable excitement in his eyes.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Someone, you are not taking the usual path." ”

Zhang Ye slapped his thigh, startling his son who was still eating noodles next to him, and after looking at him, he hurriedly comforted: "Hurry up and eat." When you are full, help your second uncle fight. ”

As soon as he heard this, Zhang Zhou understood that Zhang Ye's father and son were here to "join the army".

……

Zhang Zhou was embarrassed to teach this eldest brother a lesson in front of his nephew, so he first let Zhang Ping eat in the next room and called people to the next room.

"Second brother, don't think that the eldest brother is here to eat and drink, our father and son have worked hard along the way, you don't know, the entanglement has been empty since the Shanhaiguan, and he almost has to beg all the way. Fortunately, everywhere you pass, as long as you report your name, someone in the place will arrange for you to eat and stay, that is, after passing Shenyang, there are wars all the way, and you can't even eat......"

Zhang Ye complained to Zhang Zhou.

But how did Zhang Zhou listen, the father and son were "swaggering and cheating" all the way under his banner.

But fortunately, the motives of the father and son are quite "simple", just to come to him, otherwise they can cheat a lot of money just by relying on his fame.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Didn't you go back to Nanjing?" ”

"Alas! Don't mention it. Zhang Ye said with a sad face, "After I go back, I will be ...... by your sister-in-law Forget it, now she can't be your sister-in-law! Lao Tzu wants to reconcile with him! I have suffered too much from him in this life, and the festivals of our brothers are all because of her, she is a broom star......"

Zhang Zhou frowned and raised his hand and said, "Yes, you husband and wife don't need to tell me how they get along, what do you mean by coming to Liaodong?" ”

"Join the army." Zhang Ye said, "Don't you know, this stinky boy actually ran away by himself, I arranged so many arrangements for him, and he ran back to Nanjing without saying a word, I won't escort people back to you?" By the way, second brother, you are already Lai Guogong, don't you know, now in Nanjing, anyone who has a relationship with our family is terrible, but it is your brother and I, no one takes a look at it head-on, and they all say that I look down on people with dog eyes, and I failed to fulfill my brother's responsibilities when you were at the end of your life, is my brother that kind of person? They misunderstood me! ”

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, the thickness of people's skin is still different.

"Someone, if you split up, you will split up, I don't blame you, you take your Yangguan Road, and I will cross my single-plank bridge."

"Don't, second brother, you are Yangguan Avenue!"

Zhang Zhou said coldly: "I broke out of the single-plank bridge, you said that the road of the imperial examination, as well as the army fighting, which one is not a single-plank bridge?" How many people are leaving, and how many are coming out? And someone you were born with a golden key, and even after the separation, you have your own foundation, and you can still keep your family and business, what are you going to do? ”

"Alas!"

Zhang Ye sighed heavily and said, "That's still to blame my brother, my dog looks down on people, you can scold if you want to, but the child is right." Zhang Ping, this kid, you see him like a person, but why can't he do it, the family's business is now occupied by your sister-in-law's family, and he is almost no longer surnamed Zhang, if Zhang Ping continues to do business, isn't he a landlord? He's done with this life! ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "It's not a good thing to be in the army. ”

"Isn't there a second brother for you? Both of our brothers know that the children of the next generation are pampered and can't bear the hardship, so I'll send him directly to you, and I won't leave for my brother, just follow you, you see what is charged, even if it's the kind that rushes forward with his head up, when the elder frowns, I will treat you as a brother! ”

Zhang Ye patted his chest, looking like he was going to fight hard to rise for the Zhang family.

Zhang Zhoudao: "It's useless for you to be my father, let you be a little soldier, what are you doing?" ”

", any drudgery, just call me out!" Zhang Ye swore and said, "You see that I have come thousands of miles to find my brother, and I am determined to come with you after three meals, don't you still understand the intention of being a brother?" As a brother, I can't go back to Nanjing, you just give me a hard job, I will atone for my sins, if you can, in the future, you give Zhang Ping a small general, so that he can also pass on this vein to me, and I will be content. Whining. ”

Speaking of the back, Zhang Ye is already in tears.

Of course, Zhang Zhou didn't feel that Zhang Ye was tears of remorse, but thought of the hard work along the way, and he was moved by himself.

As he was talking, there was a "Brother Zhang" at the door, and then Zhu Feng brought people in, and saw a man crying in front of Zhang Zhou, he didn't know what to say.

"Zhang, my Zhang's ...... Have you seen it? Zhang Zhou asked.

Zhu Feng shook his head honestly.

Zhang Ye wiped his nose and asked, "This is An Bianhou, Second Prince Zhu, right?" When my brother was in trouble, I was fortunate to have you, I went to see it, did you forget? ”

Although Zhu Feng understood Zhang Ye's identity, he was still a little stunned.

Others don't know about the in Zhang Zhou's family, he came with him from Nanjing City, so he naturally knows it.

Zhang Zhoudao: "He came to ask me to join the army, isn't this just because North Korea wants to transport a batch of military rations?" Or let him go with him, and let him go to a foreign country to see and hear about it. ”

"What? North Korea? Zhang Ye almost protested when he heard this.

But then I thought that if I said before that I would rush forward with my head and quit the first errand when I came up, wouldn't my words be like a fart?

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Don't dare? It's okay, I'll give you a little bit of entanglement and send you back to Nanjing. ”

"Don't, I'm not afraid of hard work for my brother, and I'm not afraid of your eldest nephew, being loyal to the Ming Dynasty and serving the army has always been the ambition of my father and son, as long as you make arrangements, our father and son will go into battle." Naturally, Zhang Ye also heard about the subversion of the royal power in Korea.

probably also knows that Zhang Zhou is now coercing North Korea, if he goes to North Korea in the name of Zhang Zhou's brother, it is not a weasel into the chicken coop, everything is available?

Zhu Feng said: "The matter of North Korea's grain allocation has not yet been settled. ”

Zhang Zhou said angrily: "Then let the people go to Ping'an Road and wait, just now to try the ability of those so-called loyal ministers in North Korea to resist pressure, and send troops in the name of transporting grain, there are not many people, two thousand are enough, and bring artillery to enter." It doesn't take 200 miles to enter the country, reinforcements can be sent at any time, and the grain will be transported away when it comes, and if the other party is a moth, then this road is the vanguard of the capture of Hanyang City. ”

Zhu Feng asked, "Who is leading the troops?" ”

said that his eyes were still aimed at Zhang Ye, which means, he won't let you, the eldest brother, lead the troops, right?

Zhang Zhoudao: "Zhijie, as a famous general of the Ming Dynasty, you have been doing nothing in Dingliao Right Guard, which really insults your reputation, oh, you still have the ability." ”

Zhu Feng was also ashamed when he heard this.

It seems that he himself knows that he has nothing but the reputation of the god of war, as for the ability...... Not a fool yet?

"It is up to you to personally bring 2,000 soldiers and horses into Korea, remember that you don't need to enter any city all the way, you must not even harass the villages, march no more than thirty miles a day, send scouts to investigate the situation everywhere at any time, and send people to spread the word as soon as there is any change."

When Zhang Zhou said this, he looked at Zhang Ye and said, "Someone, don't pestle, go back and eat more, and leave tomorrow and two days later." Make meritorious service as soon as possible, and I can arrange an errand for your father and son. ”

Zhang Ye gritted his teeth and said: "Second brother, just look at me, I will never cause trouble for Anbian Hou, so I will be a pawn diligently, personally carry the grain when transporting it, and charge ahead when fighting......"

"Okay, okay, arrange a place for him. Not annoying enough! ”

Zhang Zhou really didn't want to hear it.

I was also thinking in my heart that if Zhangye father and son could really draw a clear relationship with the tigress in the family, it would not be impossible to help a little, but he knew that the father and son were not fuel-efficient lamps.

……

……

Jingshi, Fengtian Temple.

Early Dynasty Discussions.

Zhu Youzhu sat there, his spirit was a little sluggish, but he was still listening to the courtiers below arguing about whether or not to be the lord of Korea by the Ming Dynasty.

Confucianism believed that the affairs of the vassal states below should be decided by themselves, so as to reflect the benevolence of the suzerain.

But Zhu Youzhu had already said that this was not what he wanted, but no matter how he said it, he couldn't stand those officials from talking about things with allusions and precedents, and even said that Tang Yin's assistance to Park Yuanzong to depose Li was done by a traitor, and some people even thought that Tang Yin should be recalled back to Beijing as soon as possible, and asked if there was any hidden information behind it, so he sent Tang Yin to punish him.

After the conclusion of the court meeting.

Zhu Youzhi summoned the cabinet to the Qianqing Palace to discuss matters, but did not find any officials from the six ministries, seven secretaries, and five temples.

Roughly speaking, he now only believes in the Cabinet except for the Cabinet.

The temporary yamen of the Shangting Office has become a real power yamen that can be compared with the cabinet, or even surpass the cabinet, although there are still so many people, but the difference in meaning is very big, and even Liu Jian can feel the pressure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that the Korean envoys have arrived in the capital, the Ministry of Rites has met twice, and they have also proposed to meet with each other, but I have not agreed."

"Because I haven't figured out whether I should interfere in the internal affairs of North Korea, and if I do, whether it will be considered that the Ming Dynasty has contributed to this civil strife in North Korea, and I am also very anxious."

Although Zhu Youzhu said so, even Liu Jian and Li Dongyang understood that what the emperor was really anxious about was the opposition of the courtiers to the establishment of the Korean lordship, not from the pressure of public opinion.

Zhu Youzhu said: "After thinking about it, I decided to adopt Bingkuan's opinion to me, that is, whether North Korea can assist the Ming Dynasty in pacifying Liaobei to decide whether it will decide the new ruler internally. In exchange. ”

Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty, the matter of Guozuo cannot be used as a transaction. ”

Zhu Youzhu shook his head: "Before, I agreed to let Tang Yin interrogate the lord of North Korea, because North Korea secretly colluded with Jianzhou, Haixi Jurchen, etc., endangered the interests of the border areas of the Ming Dynasty, and acted unsubdued. Now, if they can wholeheartedly assist the Ming Dynasty in pacifying the frontier and let them decide for themselves who will be the ruler of the country, I don't bother to ask, isn't it a kind of kindness? ”

Don't say what to trade and not to trade.

This is kindness.

North Korea should be grateful, not critical.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Actually, I don't mind, because North Korea has failed to fulfill its responsibilities as a vassal and has not fulfilled its courtiers, so as to recover its land and settle its people." But I am also worried that North Korea has always done its best to the Ming Dynasty, so I didn't dig into it this time, otherwise with the current situation, why can't it be done overnight? ”

Zhang Mao smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is the alliance under the city. The North Koreans could not agree. ”

Xie Qian said: "British duke, you can't talk nonsense. ”

"It's an old man's speech, isn't this in the inner court, speaking freely, and not avoiding it? Your Majesty, please forgive the reckless outspokenness of the old minister. Zhang Mao admitted his mistake to Zhu Youji.

Zhu Youzhu was not angry at all.

What I want is for someone to come out and compete with your civil ministers, Bingkuan is not in the court, and if Zhang Mao, the head of the martial arts, is a face melon in front of your civil officials, then what else can I balance? Directly your civil officials have the final say, can't I just stamp you as a rubber stamp?

Zhu Youzhu said: "It is precisely because of the military superiority of the Ming Dynasty that it can not only deter the barbarians in Liaodong and Liaobei, but also deter the monarchs and ministers of the Korean State, that today's thing has been achieved." If we do not seek a guarantee of future stability from it today, can we expect that when Liaodong withdraws troops in the future, and when the Ming Dynasty is unable to dispatch troops to Liaodong, can we expect North Korea to abide by the way of its subordinates? ”

If you miss this village, you don't have this store.

After Liu Jian heard this, he arched his hand and said, "The old minister seconded the proposal." ”

At this time, even Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were a little puzzled, why did you Liu Jian coax so quickly?

Isn't it good to fight?

Zhu Youzhu nodded and said: "Elder Liu Ge, you should also know that in the past two years, in addition to the disasters in North Korea, droughts and floods and other disasters have also prevailed everywhere in the Ming Dynasty. Asking the DPRK to contribute money and grain is to ensure the stability of Liaodong, not to deliberately make things difficult for us. ”

"Liaodong is stable, and North Korea can also be stable, what I have done has helped to eliminate the troubles of North Korea, if they just look on coldly, they will not be able to explain to the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. The matter of etiquette and pleasure is nothing more than that. ”

Liu Jian continued to arch his hand, which was tantamount to acquiescing to Zhu Youji's statement.

The financial pressure on the imperial court was too great.

Now I can pass on this pressure, even if it is really a little difficult for the North Koreans in some aspects, and even a little bit of riding on other people's necks, but for the sake of the long-term peace and stability of the Ming Dynasty, Liu Jian also endured it.

"Okay." Zhu Youzhu said, "Then issue an order, the discretion is determined by Bingkuan, and I give him the power, in fact, I will hand over the problem to him." I believe that he will not lose the interests of the dynasty in Liaodong, nor will he harm the people of Liaodong, and he will definitely find a plan that can be accepted by North Korea. ”

……

……

The matter that was not discussed in the court was passed in the inner court because of the "transaction law" proposed by Zhang Zhou.

Back to the Cabinet Duty Room.

Li Dongyang said bluntly: "Once the news is announced, I am afraid that there will be many opponents of the DPRK and the Central People's Government, which will easily cause unrest in the court." Does Liu Ge Lao think that the wind of the court is developing towards direct advice, and every time it goes against His Majesty's will, it is easy to touch His Majesty's reverse scales? ”

Liu Jian shook his head and said, "It is the minister's responsibility to give direct advice, and I have no opinion. I'm just starting from reality, Daming can't stand the toss. ”

Li Dongyang said: "But if you continue to toss North Korea, I am afraid that I will be said that I am unkind and unjust." ”

Liu Jian asked: "Is it more important for the people of the Ming Dynasty to live and work in peace and contentment, or is it more important for the well-being of the Korean people?" ”

Li Dongyang did not answer.

"Zhang Bingkuan is in Liaodong, and the matter of the Jurchen has indeed settled the people of Korea, isn't it?" Liu Jian was helpless, and in Xie Qian and Li Dongyang's ears, his words were more of a justification, "I can even understand that the Korean lord and the Jurchens secretly corresponded and discussed the exchange of interests for the withdrawal of troops, all because they had to do it in extraordinary times." ”

"The things in this world are not black and white, is the lord of North Korea really disobedient to the Ming Dynasty, to the point where it has to be replaced? Or is this Zhang Zhou's creation out of nothing, provoking the contradiction between the suzerain's master and the vassal state? ”

Li Dongyang nodded and said, "I understand, no one is wrong." ”

Liu Jian said: "Indeed, from the perspective of the Jurchens, North Korea, Zhang Bingkuan, and His Majesty, no one is wrong, and it is others who always think that they are wrong. But that's often the case, and the interests always belong to one's own side, and only then do you think you are right. We are also sometimes too negligent about what His Majesty knows and thinks. Instead, it was Zhang Bingkuan...... He seems to be stubborn, but everything is from His Majesty's point of view. ”

Xie Qian said with a smile: "Zhongtang, you are praising Zhang Bingkuan to the sky." ”

Li Dongyang shook his head: "Yu Qiao, we are not praising him, it is difficult to check and balance." had to seek a compromise, which has been happening since he entered the court. It hasn't changed to this day. ”

"You're all right." Xie Qian didn't argue, and said with a smile.

Liu Jian said: "Liaodong Shijing, the next step is to prepare for the grassland, this is the matter of labor and money, I heard that the iron ore in Yongping Mansion has only been mined for a few months, and it has already caused local disputes, and it is also because of Zhang Bingkuan's power that it has not caused riots." ”

Li Dongyang nodded and said, "The interests are in front, who is willing to let them out?" ”

Liu Jian sighed: "The Koreans, under the pressure of the Ming soldiers, have to give up the benefits of the country. As the British public said, for the DPRK, they have no choice, and since even they want to settle the matter earlier, even if it is at the expense of some interests, then what benevolence and righteousness do we have to consider? ”

Xie Qian smiled: "Blackmailing others has become something you want me to do?" The way of this world ......"

Liu Jian said: "The way of the world is just hard to understand, isn't it? When Zhang Bingkuan proposed to send troops to the Jurchens a few years ago, who would have thought that things would develop to such a field today? Speaking of which, Zhang Bingkuan alone changed Liaodong, changed the Jurchens and North Korea, and also changed the Ming Dynasty politics! ”

(End of chapter)