The cabinet can no longer be as unscrupulous as before, to reject Zhang Zhou as an outlier.

Even Liu Jian, the first assistant, had to think about how to get along with Zhang Zhouyu in the court.

If it is hard, it will only attract the alienation of the emperor; The soft ones are even more inappropriate, and the hard bones of the Confucian ministers are still needed...... This requires a degree that is neither soft nor hard.

Liu Jian's expectation for Li Dongyang is that you will carry the banner of confrontation against Zhang Zhou in the future, and you can't over-present this confrontation on the surface.

Probably just saying, in fact, I don't have a countermeasure, and all the discretion is up to you.

The next two days.

Zhu Houxuan's condition gradually recovered, except for some mild symptoms of wind and cold, he was basically fine, and even a few people from the Tai Hospital were allowed to go in to visit the condition, but every time people stared at it, as if they were afraid that they would treat the sick to death.

Zhu Youzhi himself also has some leisure, and when he walks out of the palace gate, he has to do one thing, which is to choose a place for his concubine to build the palace.

Commanded by Jin Yiwei, Mu Bin and Li Rong, the eunuch of ceremonies, accompanied him out of the palace, and it happened that Zhu Youzhi also wanted to go to relax.

"The capital is quite lively. It's been a long time since I've seen so many fireworks in the world! ”

Zhu Youzhu saw the bustling crowd in the market, and he seemed very emotional, remembering that he hadn't left the palace for a long time.

Li Rong said with a smile: "Your Majesty, this year's frontier has been frequently reported with good news, Tatars, Jurchens and other barbarians have all returned, and now it is after the autumn harvest, the people naturally come out to walk around, and the two cities in Beijing are very lively in the morning and evening." ”

"Hmm."

Zhu Youzhu just nodded.

After walking a little further, he remembered something, stopped and said, "But this year, disasters are happening everywhere." ”

Li Rong was a little embarrassed for a while.

After the eleventh year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty, there was a situation of flooding in the south and drought in the north, and the situation in the twelfth year of Hongzhi was relatively good, but the situation in the thirteenth year of Hongzhi obviously deteriorated.

However, Li Rong is the "old Jianghu" in the end, and he quickly clarified his thoughts and said: "Originally, the disaster situation over the years, the imperial court was mostly constrained by the use of border land in disaster relief, but this year, in various parts of the frontier, there are Cai Guogong to coordinate the transportation, reopen the Shangtun in Xuanda and other places, and Qin Zhitai to open up the land and expand the tun on the three sides, and the most important thing is the thrift advocated by Your Majesty, so that the household department and the government warehouses in various places have surplus grain to help the victims, so that the people in the world are stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment. This has created the prosperity of today's Jingshi. ”

"Really?"

Only then did Zhu Youzhi have a smile on his face.

He is not the kind of emperor who is easy to fool casually, after all, most of the Ming Dynasty's recitals are his own goals, especially those that are important related to disaster relief.

It can't be said that Da Ming is suffering from disasters on the one hand, and you are boasting about the peaceful and prosperous world in front of him, he doesn't believe it.

But after Li Rong's statement, it is mainly the credit of Your Majesty and that Zhang Bingkuan, the northwest was suppressed, and the expenses of the Ming Dynasty could be used more on people's livelihood, and then it was exchanged for peace.

When Zhu Youzhu heard this, he felt that there was light on his face, and he felt that it was reasonable.

……

……

Zhu Youji's face improved, and when he wandered around the Jingshi, he was full of interest.

He called Mu Bin over and asked, "Recently, among the people of Beijing, what is unusual?" ”

Mu Bin, as the commander of the Jinyi Guard, is actually not responsible for listening to the rumors of the people in the market, but because Yang Peng of the Admiral Dongchang is not there, he is still very careful about many things, he said: "Recently, the Beijing Division is staging the "Romance of the Yang Family", which is said to be based on the early Song Dynasty Yang family's resistance to the Khitan foreign clan. ”

Zhu Youzhu nodded and said, "Yang family general? I've heard it before, is this "Romance" different from the past? ”

Mu Bin said: "There have been in the past, but they have not been so detailed. The minister had never read the history books, and did not know the difference. ”

Mu Bin is not lying.

He didn't know, he really didn't.

The story of the Yang generals in history, from the Song Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty, has been circulating, but the story basically follows the direction close to the historical facts, until the middle and late Ming Dynasty, after the rise of the Jurchens, the people of the Ming Dynasty have a great market for the culture of conquest, and only in the Wanli period to compile a more complete story of the Yang family, such as Ji Zhenlun's "Romance of the Yang Family" and Xiong Damu's "Northern Song Dynasty Chronicles".

At this point, some Yang family figures who do not exist in history, such as Mu Guiying, Yang Zongbao, and events that do not exist, are presented in front of the people in the market in the form of romance.

Generally.

It's commendable.

All stories, whether true or false, are intended to highlight this spirit of fighting for the imperial court, and the historical facts develop dramatically.

Zhang Zhou probably advanced this spirit by sixty or seventy years.

Li Rong said with a smile: "Your Majesty, since it is a romance, it will definitely not follow all the history books, and the people respect it, precisely because of the current war between the Ming Dynasty and the Tatar foreign enemy, everything is in line." If Your Majesty has free time, you can go and listen to it for yourself. ”

Zhu Youzhu nodded and said: "Whether it's watching a play or an obedient book, I like it, but this is all written by Bingkuan, and without Bingkuan by his side, I always feel that something is missing." I will leave some memories first, and when Bingkuan returns, I will go with him. ”

"Yes."

Li Rongxin said.

Even to listen to the drama together, it is really the same heart of the monarch and the minister.

"Let's go, go to Dong'an Gate to take a look, there is Bingkuan's old house over there, and then Bingkuan's new residence in the north, see if there is a suitable place around."

Zhu Youzhu came out to choose a site for the palace.

At this time, Li Rong, Mu Bin and others also understood.

The address that the emperor wants must be close to Zhang Zhou's mansion, so that the emperor can go out of the palace to visit Concubine Xian's mother and son, and at the same time, he can also go to Zhang Zhou's mansion as a guest.

Is this for the sake of the virtuous concubine?

I'm afraid it's not for Bingkuan, who often goes in and out of the palace gate to find him in the future, there is a more reasonable reason, right?

……

……

Military Department.

Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the Ministry of War, was transferred to the Ministry of Officials as a secretary by a paper order, and directly vacated the seat of the secretary of the Ministry of War.

The emperor probably felt that it was not important whether there was a Shangshu sitting in the high hall in the Ministry of War, but it was more important to let the court know as soon as possible that Zhang Zhou was the best candidate for the next Shangshu of the Ministry of War.

So now the affairs of the military department are handled by two squires.

In the past year or so, the changes of the Ming Dynasty military department have also been very frequent, and there have been Wang Zongyi, Yang Mi, Xiong Chong, Zhang Zhou, Li Jie, and Xu Jin.

Now the left squire of the military department is Xiong Chong, and the right squire is Xiong Chong, who was born as a local governor and has just returned to the dynasty.

The two bear combinations, in history, are also the iron combination of the left and right servants of the military department from the thirteenth year of Hongzhi to the seventeenth year of Hongzhi, and their own strength is still okay, but the two of them do not have the life of the six Shangshu of the Beijing Division, only Xiong Chong has been the Shangshu of Nanjing for less than a year, and Xiong Xiu has not even mixed up with a Shangshu, only a Shangshu of the Criminal Department was posthumously presented.

At this time, the military department belonged to the period when Shangshu opened the skylight.

There is no Shangshu, and there are no major events, but there are a lot of miscellaneous things.

But there was another incident in the southeast, and the two had to sit down to discuss...... When it was not officially announced in the court that the new Shangshu was Zhang Zhou, the two of them did not need to be responsible for anything else, and the two of them could basically represent the military department.

Xiong Chong is older and is also a left waiter, but in the face of Xu Li, the Duke of Wei, he has also been circled.

Xiong Chong said with emotion: "Zhejiang Hainingwei, which is only a guard post in Jinghai, why would he use a sea ship loaded with a lot of artillery and soldiers to go to the South Seas?" Those Java vassal states, if they knew that our Ming sent ships and soldiers, they would definitely think that our Ming had the intention of encroaching on their islands and lands, but what could those overseas lands plot? It's going to be a hassle! ”

Xu Li is just a routine.

As mentioned, the Jiangnan Shipyard had just been established, and even the factory had not yet been built, so it first renovated an old ship of the Ming Dynasty, carrying 200 soldiers and more than 100 sailing experienced servants to go to sea, because there was not even a second ship, which made Lao Xu also have a headache.

Because the ship went to sea according to the route given by Zhang Zhou, it didn't look like it was defensive, but it seemed to be going out to fight.

Even the two hundred soldiers seem to be a little less, and Xu Li is also afraid that this ship will encounter some accidents after going to sea.

Xiong Xiu asked: "Brother Tengxiao, I don't know much about the affairs of the military department, and I have just arrived...... You see, was Zhang Zhou so eclectic in doing things before? ”

Xiong Xiu doesn't look younger, but he is a Jinshi in the second year of Chenghua, three years earlier than Xiong Chong, he got the Jinshi position, but the Jinshi is also about success, and there are not many people who can mix the top three Jinshi, he can mix in the place for so many years, and he can return to the court as a waiter just after the end of the guard...... It's not because of how strong his ability is, it's just that others think he's "harmless to humans and animals".

The traditional faction believes that finding someone who is incapable of being an assistant to Zhang Zhou makes Zhang Zhou tired of the affairs of the military department...... Who told you that even if you were a soldier in the military department, Zuo Shilang has never done ministry work?

Do you want us to find someone very experienced to help you?

For the emperor, Xiong Xiu, who did not belong to the traditional faction, happened to be accepted by Zhang Zhou for his own use.

Then Xiong Xiu was so confused, he was still a magistrate before his mother's funeral, and he became a waiter directly when he came back...... But the more I look at the matter at hand, the more wrong it becomes.

Xiong Chong sighed: "If he does everything according to the rules, do you think a new science and technology jinshi, who has not yet completed the examination for three years, can achieve his current position?" ”

"Alas! It makes sense. "Xiong Xiu also had to be convinced.

Although Zhang Zhou is a model of "courtiers" in the court, he has a good level, and there is probably a kind of family that has a close relationship with the emperor, but he conquered the emperor's heart by his ability, and was promoted by the emperor's discernment and talent.

"But how is this decided?" Xiong Xiu asked again, "The ship is equipped with twenty-four mighty cannons, six mighty long-range cannons, and one mighty heavy cannon at one time. ”

The cannons invented by Zhang Zhou are all called "mighty cannons", and there is no redundancy in the light artillery, the long cannon is the sub-mother cannon, and the heavy cannon is basically a strengthened version of the Hongyi cannon.

A ship that was in tatters and tatters, but went out with 200 soldiers and more than 30 guns at a time, in the eyes of those who were traditionally in charge of the military and government, was simply crazy.

It is also because the Ming Dynasty has never fought a decent water war since the founding of the country, and even the water war at the time of the founding of the country was not a sea ship battle, and the traditional civilian officials could not understand that the trend of future naval warfare was to use artillery to bombard, so when it was found that Zhang Zhou had used so many new artillery originally used to defend the Tatars in the north in an inconspicuous operation to go to sea, the military department felt that Zhang Zhou was messing around.

Xiong Chong said: "This is sent to the Ministry of War, in fact, there is already a book sent to the silver platform, I only need to answer when His Majesty or the cabinet asks me." I don't think Your Majesty will probably take it to the court and say it, after all, it was that person who did it, and it must have His Majesty's acquiescence. It's just that you have to deal with the side of the ministers. ”

Xiong Chong still has "experience".

Zhang Zhou went to sea with artillery in a boat, and he didn't have to worry about the emperor asking questions, he only needed to care about how the traditional civil officials would give us problems.

It seems that the squire is dealing with the big and small things in the court, but in fact, most of the things are still done by the people below, and they still have to deal with people more than things.

"What ......?" asked Xiong Xiu, "what do you say?" ”

Xiong Chong said: "If asked, it can't be said that the military department didn't know in advance, after all, this can be regarded as offending that person, and it may even make Your Majesty dissatisfied." When that man was doing this, he was still the secretary of the Nanjing Military Department, and he wanted to transfer a few cannons to the ship, and there was no need to greet us in Beijing. ”

"So?" Bear embroidery is obviously not very good at playing.

Xiong Chong sighed: "Do you think, when this incident happened, who was in charge of this military department?" Did you come then? When you were asked, you said you would go back and check the official letters sent from everywhere to see if there was anything involved. If you are really in a hurry, you can mention it again, and say that the matter of Jinghai has always been inquired about by the Southern Military Department first, and it can be directly played by the Southern Military Department to His Majesty......"

Xiong Xiu actually understood it when he heard this.

Neither can be prevaricated nor confirmed, but must say some ambiguous words, and appease the ministers on the grounds that they have not seen all the official documents when they have just arrived at the military headquarters.

The affairs of the Ministry of War itself do not need to be responsible for any ministers in the court, but it was during the Hongzhi period that there were many things to do, and the emperor asked the cabinet to say hello to the six ministries in advance when they drew up the votes, so that the cabinet gradually had the power to override the six ministries as the "prime minister".

……

……

When the cabinet saw Xu Li's performance, about sending ships to sea, and bringing soldiers and artillery, and even bringing guns, the cabinet probably realized that Zhang Zhou was preparing to use troops against the southeast sea frontier.

Xie Qian took Xu Li's recital and pushed the door directly to ask Liu Jian's opinion.

At this time, Li Dongyang was not there.

After Liu Jian took it and looked at it, he put it aside, and said indifferently: "Is it inappropriate for Zhang Bingkuan to build a ship in the name of Jinghai and build a ship to patrol the sea with artillery?" ”

When Xie Qian heard this, something was wrong and asked, "Is it the wind in our cabinet that is blowing the wrong wind these days?" ”

Liu Jian glanced at him and said, "What do you want to say?" ”

Xie Qian sat on the chair next to him, pondered for a while, shook his head and said: "Liu Zhongtang, you should know that Zhang Bingkuan's intentions have never been the stability of the Ming Sea Frontier, and even Wei Guogong has explained that this time he sent a ship to the sea, probably to go to Nanyang to transport back a batch of goods designated by Zhang Bingkuan. Could it be that Zhang Bingkuan has done a good job, if he can't buy it, he will grab it directly? Or are you not ready to buy it at all? ”

Merchant ships go to the South Seas to do business.

And Zhang Zhou sent a ship to the South Seas, but he didn't intend to spend money, so he went straight to the ground.

Liu Jian's tone was still calm: "On an island in the South Ocean, there may not be many people, and it is just right to send two or three hundred people." ”

As he spoke, he was still flying with a pen in his hand.

Xie Qian asked, "What is this?" ”

"Please resign."

Liu Jian didn't hide it.

Xie Qian was speechless when he heard this.

Feelings Li Dongyang is not here today, you are busy writing your resignation letter inside, and I am worried about the matter of the vote alone? I still think that I am just the foil of this cabinet, and the feelings are now played by me, who is taking the lead?

"Shall I go back and write a copy as well?" Xie Qian asked.

"Whatever you want." Liu Jian's answer was still not painful.

Xie Qian thought about it, but still gave up this idea.

If the emperor really wanted to let them go, he would give all kinds of hints, and now the emperor has not expressed this meaning at all, and it is useless to go back and write it, and the emperor will not agree.

Xie Qian said: "Do you want to take this matter to the court?" ”

Liu Jian glanced up at Xie Qian and said, "Yu Qiao, I hope that in the future, it is best to know about the government and the opposition, but it should not be known in the court." ”

"This is ......," Xie Qian frowned.

"Things can be promoted, but don't mention them in the court, otherwise what is right will become wrong, and what is wrong is even more wrong!" Liu Jian seemed to be teaching Xie Qian what to do.

Xie Qian frowned and said: "That means, if Zhang Bingkuan is allowed to mess around in the future, we will even be exempted from direct advice!?" ”

As he spoke, I was thinking, sure enough, the wind in the cabinet has turned, and I am the only one who has not woken up.

Liu Jian finally finished writing his resignation, put down the pen, and waited for the ink to dry, then he had the heart to face Xie Qian and said: "Go to the military department to ask, just say that you want to know the details of going to sea, don't embarrass the people in the military department, now the government and the opposition are all hindsight about Zhang Bingkuan's affairs, and they can't change anything." By the way, I will play the question a little more, but don't say it yourself, just when Wei Guogong played, it was leaked out by the way. ”

Xie Qian said: "The government and the opposition all know, and they will talk about it secretly, will Your Majesty not know?" ”

"It doesn't hurt that Your Majesty knows." Liu Jian said, "As long as I don't wait for the court to mention it, Your Majesty won't bother to ask." Your Majesty only looks at the results. ”

"Hmm."

Xie Qian nodded, got up and was about to leave.

Liu Jian reminded: "The music is left, and the ticket does not have to be decided on the next day." ”

Xie Qian was surprised for a moment.

Let me ask the Ministry of War about this in the name of the draft ticket, but you have already decided the content of the vote? So what else do I ask?

Liu Jian said: "Yu Qiao, Bingkuan is very rule-oriented. He is very tough on the outside, like a tiger, and never lets food go away; Internally, but very weak, it seems that he never confronts us head-on. ”

"Occasionally, the court has a-for-tat confrontation with us, but it is also deliberate, and every time it seems to be a passive counterattack. This will win a good impression in front of His Majesty, and make His Majesty feel that he is a virtuous minister who can be both outward and content. ”

"We need to understand his plans, and we need to change some strategies."

(End of chapter)