The group walked in the direction of the palace gate.

Along the way, many people came out to watch, Zhang Zhou, as a martial artist, was going to ride a horse, while Wenchen was either sitting in a sedan chair or riding a carriage.

All the way to the Huitong Pavilion, when it was time to settle Li Yi, Lin Han called Zhang Zhou aside and explained to Zhang Zhou what he knew: "Be careful these days, the courtiers have a lot of opinions on you. ”

Zhang Zhou pretended to be confused and asked curiously: "Isn't it that the ministers think that I interfere in the internal affairs of the DPRK?" Liaodong has made meritorious contributions, do you also have opinions? ”

Lin Han just sighed, but when the words came to his mouth, he didn't know how to discuss them in depth.

Could it be that you tell Zhang Zhou that the big guy is ready to impeach you together, and even pull me into the gang?

This side has not opened the chatterbox, and on the other side, Shen Lu came over on behalf of Xu Qiong to invite Zhang Zhou, Shen Lu smiled and said: "Lai Guogong has worked hard all the way, and then enter the palace, and the old man will accompany you to go with you, and if you have something to say on the way, you can say it clearly." It's all Xu Shangshu wants to say, but he can't pick it on the surface. ”

Lin Han didn't walk away either, probably hearing the conversation here and glancing over here.

Zhang Zhou deliberately raised his voice a little, so that Lao Lin could also hear his heart: "The eldest husband is sitting up straight, and he is not afraid of criticism from others, so he will take the trouble to guide the way." ”

……

……

Xu Qiong, as the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, seems to be enthusiastic about Zhang Zhou, but many things that want to be expressed directly will not be carried out in person, and Shen Lu is probably Xu Qiong's mouthpiece, representing Xu Qiong's opinion.

Zhang Zhou and Shen Lu entered the palace, although they were both foreign ministers, one was a close minister trusted by the emperor, and the other was Empress Zhang's "uncle", who was not an outsider in the palace, and even the eunuch who led the way could only be far away, for fear of disturbing the conversation between the two.

"Lin Shilang wants to be the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Lai Guogong knows, right?" Shen Lu asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, "I've heard a little, but this kind of thing has not yet been discussed by the court, so I'm afraid it won't be able to be done." ”

Shen Lu said: "Even if His Majesty agrees, there is not much difference between the outcome of the court discussion, and the court and the central government are convinced of Hengda's character and ability." But I don't know what kind of errand Your Majesty wants to arrange for you? ”

Zhang Zhou asked curiously, "Is my errand?" Didn't they all say that they wanted to impeach me and be an idler? ”

"Huh?"

Shen Lu originally wanted to rely on the old and sell the old, go around in a circle with Zhang Zhou or something, but when he came up, Zhang Zhou made it clear that he was very uncomfortable.

"Shen Yintai, if you have something to say, just say it." Zhang Zhou said with a smile.

Shen Lu pondered the words for a while, and said: "I heard that the court has criticized you a lot recently, you are from the imperial examination, but you entered the front of the palace with magic techniques, and you always use grotesque words first, which is deeply trusted by Your Majesty, this is considered to be the foundation of the troubled country, and you don't blame them for being harsh on you." ”

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Then I should accept their criticism calmly?" ”

Shen Lu was stunned, he also found that talking to Zhang Zhou was not like talking to those traditional Wenchen, who needed to talk at a glance, but what he was used to all his life was the twists and turns of Wenchen, and it was his turn to be very uncomfortable at this time.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Shen Yintai, don't worry, if others think that I am in the government and the opposition and block their way, then I will retreat bravely." ”

"What?"

Shen Lu was taken aback.

You kid actually want to "retreat bravely"? That's not what we meant, but we still use you as a benchmark, ready to use you to form a new faction, and take your lead as a follower.

But you kid wants to avoid it?

Wrong...... Who has attained the status he is in today, and yet wants to avoid war?

"Uh...... Lai Guogong, you should know that if you don't advance, you will retreat, if you take a step back, you may be in the abyss. "Shen Lu is reminding Zhang Zhou, you have to fight to the death.

With the emperor's support for you, now even in the Wenchen faction, we have helped you twist a rope, who said that we can't pull you up?

As long as you gain power, the order of the government and the opposition will change, how many people want to see this? Those who have been suppressed by traditional civil servants for half their lives will finally have a chance to rise.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Ten thousand abysses? Do you mean, some people still want to put me to death? ”

Shen Lu hesitated for a moment and said, "It may not be enough to die, but if you are exiled elsewhere, it will be difficult to face the saint after that, and even use the words of the edict to hold you accountable...... It's not impossible. ”

Zhang Zhou smiled, his face indifferent.

He was thinking that this was really the same as the history of Wenchen Wuxun when Zhu Houzhao first ascended the throne, and united to deal with the "Eight Tigers".

But how it turned out, everyone saw.

Even if Zhu Houzhao was just a young man on the primary throne, he still had the upper hand in the battle between the imperial power and the courtiers, not to mention that Zhu Youzhi had studied the imperial power thoroughly.

I want to rely on that kind of direct advice to solve the problem...... Wen Chen is afraid that he doesn't know what the emperor fears most about his courtiers.

Zhang Zhou said: "Then I should be careful, this advance and retreat is often not up to me, let's talk about it after facing the saint." ”

"You ......"

Shen Lu originally wanted to talk to Zhang Zhou about the alliance, but seeing Zhang Zhou's appearance of being such a "hanger", he didn't even care about being impeached and attacked, and he didn't seem to realize that "a catastrophe was coming", which made Shen Lu both anxious and wondering if he had chosen the wrong person?

……

……

Outside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youzhu greeted the door of the hall early, and he was in a hurry to meet Zhang Zhou, so he didn't sit and wait inside.

"Your Majesty, it has been reported that Lai Guogong has entered the palace, so it is better to go back to the palace and wait. It's a bit hot. Xiao Jing persuaded beside him.

Zhu Youzhu said: "I didn't stand in the sun, and I didn't feel how stuffy it was, is that Bingkuan?" ”

Xiao Jing looked up: "No, it should be someone passing by." ”

"Send someone to see ......"

Zhu Youzhi was anxious.

Xiao Jing hurriedly sent the little eunuch to the Fengtian Hall to greet him, so as to know as soon as possible when Zhang Zhou would arrive.

Finally, in the midst of thousands of calls, Zhang Zhou and Shen Lu arrived step by step, and Zhu Youzhi directly greeted him down the steps and took the initiative to welcome the guests.

"Minister Zhang Zhou, see Your Majesty." Zhang Zhou saluted.

Zhu Youzhu hurriedly said: "Bingkuan, it's all here, what are you polite?" Are you at Shen Qing's house? Walk around. ”

Saying that, Zhu Youzhu came over to pull people.

Shen Lu had never seen this form of the emperor, and he was a little dumbfounded, before he was still wondering if he had chosen the wrong comrade-in-arms of the alliance, but at this moment he seemed to feel that he had really chosen the right person to choose Zhang Zhou.

The person who can shake the power of traditional civil officials must be Zhang Zhou.

……

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhang Zhouxian explained the detailed process of his trip north to the emperor, focusing on the details of the iron mine in Yongping Mansion.

After listening to this, Zhu Youzhu was very satisfied and said: "I have also seen that the local music is playing, you have only been there for less than half a year, and even only worked there for a month or two, you can nearly double the pig iron production of Daming...... I didn't expect it, with this ability, why worry about the uneven grassland, why worry about the peace of the family and the country? ”

"Your Majesty has praised it." Zhang Zhou still looked very humble.

Shen Lu on the side listened a little puzzled.

Didn't you say that Zhang Zhou went to Liaodong to fight? By the way, it also solved a problem of North Korea's internal affairs, why is it that the conversation has changed now and directly mentioned the mining industry?

Iron ore...... Nearly double...... What is this concept?

A person who produces the iron of the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Youzhu said with a smile: "The war in Liaodong is insignificant, you have been going for so long, but you are always delaying, and people say that you are delaying the fighter, and I don't bother to compete with them." I have long agreed with you that this Liaodong must be fought steadily and steadily, and must not be in a hurry, and as you expected, the Jurchens are now losing and retreating, most of them have been submitted, and the rest depends on how Xinbo will start and finish. ”

Shen Lu hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Lai Guogong is so meritorious, he should be rewarded heavily." ”

"Shen Qing's family, how can I not know Bingkuan's exploits? It's just that he is now a prince of the country, how can I reward him? Zhu Youzhu took out a piece of things and said, "I have asked people to search around the capital recently to see if there is any suitable land for you, there are 400 hectares of fertile land around Shuntian Mansion, and 1,400 hectares of land around Yongping Mansion will also be given to you." ”

Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, the minister deserves it. ”

"Why are you ashamed? I feel ashamed of you, such a great credit, just a reward of a little acre, is this a big reward? Zhu Youzhu seemed very polite.

Shen Lu on the side was about to cry.

Coming up with more than a thousand hectares of fields, this way of rewarding has only been seen in two people before, and it just so happens that both of them are surnamed Zhang.

Zhu Youzhu said: "In addition, I have also prepared tens of thousands of taels of two Huai and Changlu salt for you, which can be regarded as a combination of you." ”

Don't talk about rewards, just say that you should use it, which is probably the same as filling your household needs.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, as a courtier, if you go to do the thing of occupying the nest, I am afraid that you will be criticized by the ministers of the court and the central government, and you will definitely be impeached." ”

"I don't give much, so why not? If someone else wants it, I won't give it yet! As soon as Zhu Youzhu heard the words about others wanting to participate in the impeachment, he immediately lost his temper.

Shen Lu smiled and said: "Lai Guogong, this is Your Majesty's grace, just thank you." ”

Zhang Zhou said: "The minister accepted it first." ”

Hey.

You're welcome.

Say let you accept it, you really accept it?

……

……

Then Zhu Youzhi had a meal with Zhang Zhou.

Just said that he wanted to stay in the palace that night, and there was something to discuss, here Shen Lu arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, the minister has completed his errand, so he will retire first." ”

"Hmm." Zhu Youzhu nodded, "Then Shen Qing's family, I'll talk to you in detail when I get back." ”

I didn't say anything in detail, but it seems that Zhu Youzhu had some communication with Shen Lu, and in Zhang Zhou's opinion, this may be related to the large-scale impeachment of the ministers of the DPRK and China.

After Shen Lu retired, Zhu Youzhu and even Xiao Jing and others also retreated.

Now Zhang Zhou also saw what Zhu Youzhu meant, and this is going to get to the point.

"Bingkuan." Zhu Youzhu walked out from behind the desk, went to the chair below, and sat on the seat given to Shen Lu before, and the two of them were on an equal footing, "There was a report in the market that slandered you before, and I ordered Dongchang to investigate, and it was found that it was related to the Zong Domain." Then the news leaked out, and I also heard that some people in the DPRK and China wanted to use the folk rumors as an excuse to carry out the impeachment, and it was not only you who participated in the impeachment, but many people I had used in the past few years. ”

"Alas! Their tone is to say, I rule the country with Fangshi, and I mess up the national foundation of the Ming Dynasty. ”

Zhu Youji's face was gloomy, which meant discussing with Zhang Zhou how to fight back.

Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, if the public speaks, the minister has nothing to say." ”

Zhu Youzhu sighed: "You should also know why this kind of thing happened today, because in the past few years, there have been few changes in the ministers of the Central Hall, and this year, a group of people are old, and it is time for the six-year examination to be completed." At this time, they are targeting you, but only to keep their henchmen from the influence of you. ”

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "The ministers can understand their actions, and in the past two years, Your Majesty has indeed valued the ministers more than ordinary courtiers." ”

"That's because you are very capable, if any of them can do so many things for me and Daming like you, I can also value and cultivate, can I?" Zhu Youzhu was very angry.

is aimed at Zhang Zhou, who is the emperor.

"Bingkuan, I want to make an example of the monkey, find out the corrupt people from the Wenchen, and you will take the lead in investigating, I also have some clues here before, as long as I can find out some people and intimidate some people, then I can define this in the court as an attack on you by a small person in order to avoid the exposure of corruption and perversion of the law." Zhu Youzhu said his own strategy.

To put it bluntly, it is to continue to give Zhang Zhou power and let the minister know that Zhang Zhou is irreplaceable.

In Zhang Zhou's ears, it's not bad.

But Zhang Zhou also understood that once this was the case, the contradiction between him Zhang Zhou and the traditional Wenchen would become fire and water, and it would not seem easy to have any room for maneuver in the future.

And there will be a problem...... He Zhang Zhou has never been able to replace the bureaucratic system of the Ming Dynasty, no matter how much the emperor trusts him now, there will always be a time when he is estranged from the emperor, and then there will be a situation where the three of them will become tigers.

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that this will make the minister not tolerate the court, and it is not enough." Zhang Zhoudao.

Zhu Youzhu smiled bitterly: "Do you still want to get along with those people?" From the time you entered the court, didn't you realize that no matter what you do, whether it's right or wrong, they will always treat you as a monk, not as a jinshi? No matter how much credit you make, they will always find all kinds of reasons to deny your merits, and now they want to unite the government and the opposition to impeach you. No matter how much you back down, you can't get them to treat each other sincerely. ”

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Then it's better to take a step back." ”

"Oh?"

Zhu Youzhu looked at Zhang Zhou curiously.

Zhang Zhoudao: "The minister pinched his fingers and calculated, in the next few days, there will be a hailstorm in the vicinity of the Ming Jingshi, and this intention will definitely become the topic of other people's dissenting words, so it is better to inform the ministers in advance with the Qin Tianjian, so that they can use this to impeach us." ”

"Bingkuan, ......" Zhu Youzhu was speechless.

You kid really don't know the sinister ways of the world.

You don't defend yourself, but you want others to attack you with the calamity you have speculated?

Zhang Zhoudao: "In the past two years, the things that should be done have been basically completed, in fact, in the next few years, I will have time to chat with Your Majesty, play chess, or even discuss the way of health preservation together, and then teach the prince some knowledge. ”

Zhu Youzhu thought for a while.

It seems to make sense.

"Bingkuan, you don't want to back down, do you?" Zhu Youzhu asked.

Zhang Zhou said with a look of longing: "Your Majesty doesn't think that if you continue to let the minister be an official like this, if others don't say anything, will the minister be on the cusp of the storm?" ”

Zhu Youzhu said: "That can't follow their wishes." Even if you want to be idle, you must not let them attack you, which will make the world think that I really used the wrong person. ”

Zhang Zhou said: "If you let the minister continue to advance, or even if you don't advance or retreat, they will also treat the minister as a thorn in the flesh, so why not let the minister help His Majesty do more things in secret?" ”

"Secretly?"

Zhu Youzhu didn't understand.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Such as holding the clan hostage, such as shipbuilding, and such as manufacturing firearms, there are many things that the ministers have not yet completed, and they do not have to use their current official positions to complete them. ”

Zhu Youzhu waved his hand and said, "No!" You're gone, and there's another war in the border towns, who am I looking for? With your might, even the Tatars will not dare to attack again. ”

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "The minister didn't say that he wanted to leave, in fact, the minister didn't say one more thing, if the minister didn't make a mistake, in less than a month, there might be a movement around Shuntian Mansion......"

"What?"

Zhu Youzhu stood up.

The earthquake in Shuntianfu, such an unusual thing, can be said to be a great warning to the emperor.

Even if the ground is only shaken, the emperor will make an edict.

Zhang Zhou spread his hands and said: "If you wait until then, Your Majesty is still arguing with the ministers of the court and the ministers, I am afraid that Your Majesty and the ministers will be very passive at that time." ”

"You ......"

Zhu Youzhu thought for a while.

Really.

If the monarch and the minister are arguing over the question of whether Zhang Zhou should go or stay, and there will be an earthquake in the capital at that time, then Wenchen will have something to say.

The emperor was only afraid that he would be forced to obey the wishes of those ministers and suppress Zhang Zhou, which would be different from Zhang Zhou's initiative to retreat.

Zhu Youzhu suddenly seemed to understand something, and said: "Bingkuan, see if you can do this, you take retreat as advance, and I agree to let you recuperate for a period of time." At this time, there was a movement on the earth, and I said that this was because God didn't want me to let down the ministers, and it was a warning from God to me, what do you think? ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, this is ...... Wouldn't it be too good? ”

"It's fine." Zhu Youzhu said, "I actually know that they just want to use those disasters to do those demagogic things, so that I will no longer be more important than you." But they forget that you are the one who knows the will of heaven. Then do the opposite, and I will come against them. ”

Zhang Zhou's face was puzzled: "Your Majesty, the minister can be idle for a while, there is no need to make things so stiff." ”

Zhu Youzhu said coldly: "No matter how much I do, I can't do it as well as them!" As soon as they thought of joining forces to put pressure on me, they should think of the consequences of doing so! For the specific details, you and I will discuss it well, and I will use this hailstorm and earth movement to make a good article! ”

(End of chapter)