Early the next morning.

Zhang Zhou, as the secretary of the Ministry of War, appeared at the court meeting of the Fengtian Hall together with the "Xiong Da and Xiong Er" of the Ministry of War, that is, Xiong Chong of the left squire and Xiong Xiu of the right squire.

Zhang Zhou showed his face in front of everyone for the first time after returning to the court, which naturally attracted too much attention, and a bunch of people commented on him before the court meeting, probably thinking that this court should not stop in the future.

However, Zhang Zhou has always been a Jinshi, and there are still ways and channels of communication with some Confucian ministers, and there are "fewer and fewer people who are enemies of him" in the court, and the attitude towards him has turned to soften, and even the number of people who choose neutrality or lean towards him has increased.

The court meeting begins.

Zhu Youzhi first asked Xiao Jing to announce in public the matter of taking Zhang Zhou as the secretary of the military department, because the matter had been discussed in advance in the court, so he did not encounter any resistance.

"Bingkuan, you first play a story about the extermination of robbers on the ground in Shandong."

Zhu Youzhu first wanted Zhang Zhou to "show his face" in front of people.

Zhang Zhou personally participated in too few battles, as if Shandong Zhong 12 and a gang of thieves could be surrounded and suppressed by Zhang Zhou personally, which was simply a blessing that they had cultivated for eight lifetimes.

In addition, there is also the participation of the crown prince Zhu Houzhao in this war, Zhu Youzhi knows that it is just an ordinary anti-bandit operation, and he will also write a special book.

Zhang Zhou immediately showed the emperor the process of the battle as the secretary of the military department and the deputy marshal of the front-line suppression of bandits: "...... After judging the situation, the prince thought that the back mountain was a way for the thieves to escape, so he personally led hundreds of troops, intercepted them by the side of the road, and intercepted them with soldiers when the thieves' chariots and horses passed, and overturned the thieves with bloodless blades. The prince was brave and resolute, and he was going to personally step forward to fight the thieves, but it was the minister who stopped him from letting him take the risk himself. ”

If this is presented in the form of a recital, it may not be nothing.

But Zhang Zhou seemed to be telling a story, and told it in the court, and the ministers almost didn't fry the pot and curse on the spot when they heard it.

Kidding?

Even if you take the prince to exterminate the thieves, you still let the prince go into battle in person?

Listen to what you kid mean, if you don't stop it, the prince still plans to fight the thieves, right?

Zhu Youzhu said: "The prince has always been influenced by the military and political affairs in the northwest, and it is inevitable that there will be some children's childishness and fearlessness under the influence of his ears and eyes. Bingkuan, you blocked it very well and didn't let him get into danger, but he also took credit for planning this battle. ”

The ministers present were all embarrassed when they heard this.

A lot of people are thinking.

Your Majesty, can't you hear that Zhang Bingkuan is actually fooling you? What was planned by the prince himself, it was just Zhang Bingkuan who pushed the credit to the prince, how much knowledge can a ten-year-old bear child have?

Anyone can sort out this idea, but the words are not easy to say, only Xie Qian, who likes to ridicule, came out and said with a smile: "Cai Guogong is really good at teaching the prince, and at such a time, he puts the prince's strategy first?" ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "Xie Ge Lao is right, in fact, I originally planned to lead the troops by myself, but the thieves were menacing, intercepted on both sides of the canal, and the local government did nothing. Don't underestimate the prince, the prince's military and political insights are also commendable many times, since the prince's strategy is appropriate, why don't I listen? ”

The implication is that we are completely forced to fight.

The enemy was in front of us, and we didn't fight hard with Zhong Twelve's main force, but just went to Zhong Twelve's lair, and then went north without fighting.

With the strategy of the crown prince...... It's just a copycat, do you still need to care about whose strategy it is? The result is a win, and that's it.

Xie Qian shrugged and didn't bother to say anything.

……

……

After the matter of Shandong's suppression of bandits, Zhu Youzhu was in a good mood.

Originally, he also wanted to criticize the prince in the court for going south to Nanjing, and even punished the speaker of the East Palace, after all, it was the speaker of the East Palace who usually did not teach his son well.

However, because Zhang Zhou was a member of the East Palace, the emperor seemed to have forgotten about it, as if he had allowed the prince to go out, and this matter was even so exposed.

Privately......

Probably Zhu Youzhi will still teach his son a lesson.

Subsequently, Li Rong sent Zhang Zhou and Chen Kuan by the emperor to cooperate with the elimination and replacement of the soldiers in the Beijing camp, and announced in public.

As soon as this news came out, he felt a depressing atmosphere when he ascended to the court, especially on the side of Xiban Wuxun, who could obviously feel great pressure.

Moving the Beijing camp is equivalent to moving the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, and the stability of the Beijing division and guarding the army also involves all aspects, after all, most of the ministers of the Ming Dynasty are serving in the Beijing camp, which is also equivalent to moving the interests of the Ming Dynasty...... There are too many things involved, and in the past, the Ming Dynasty did not want to reform, and finally it was not until the Zhengde period that the initial reform was completed, or it was born through external factors such as the Central Plains Rebellion.

To put it bluntly, we all know that there are many drawbacks, but I don't dare to move.

"The minister commands." Zhang Zhou finally walked out, looking high-spirited and resolute.

Xiong Xiu, the right attendant of the military department, came out and said: "Your Majesty, the three major battalions in Beijing and other matters such as the reform of the soldiers are related to the well-being of tens of thousands of soldiers and the people. ”

It was not others who came out to oppose it, but Zhang Zhou's subordinates who came out, which meant that there was a fire in the backyard of the Yamen of the Ministry of War.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Just because you are implicated, you have to be sick and not treated?" Since the beginning of Chenghua, the Beijing camp can be said to be a pool of stagnant water, and in previous years, the Governor's Mansion and the Military Department have carefully investigated the redundant officials, but every time it is gone. Now that the border government of the Ming Dynasty is determined to forge ahead, if the soles of my feet are stagnant, how can I rest assured that the guards of Gyeonggi will be handed over to them? British Public! ”

Zhang Mao stood there, still shaking his head and listening to the excitement.

Suddenly named by the emperor, he opened his eyes and walked forward slowly, and said with an old appearance: "The old minister is here." ”

Zhu Youzhu said sharply: "What is your opinion on this matter?" ”

Zhang Mao glanced back at Zhang Zhou, and then said: "The old minister also thinks that there are many disadvantages in the Beijing camp, just because of the accumulation of disadvantages over the years, so that it is difficult to eliminate the evils. ”

If you change someone else, if you complain so much in front of the emperor, you will inevitably be disgusted by the emperor, and even directly swept him out of the court.

But Zhang Mao has the confidence to complain so bitterly.

even used this to show that he didn't want to wade into troubled waters, get rid of maladministration or something, let Zhang Bingkuan go by himself, and didn't want my old man Zhang to offend so many people for this.

"You are old, and you are indeed beyond the power of many things." Zhu Youzhu said, "But you have to contribute to this, your son Zhang Rui has always had a reputation in the army, and you have repeatedly proposed to me before that you want him to have more experience in the army, then take this opportunity to let him carry out this matter with Bingkuan!" Do you have questions? ”

"Huh?"

When Zhang Mao heard it, what is this called?

I didn't go on it personally, let my son Zhang Rui go up? The kid......

"Your Majesty, the dog is just ...... his condition" Zhang Mao meant, I don't go up, and my son can't go up either.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Your son's soft foot disease, Bingkuan has already cured him, when the palace guards were selected before, his performance was in my eyes, do you think I am blind?" That's it! ”

As soon as these words came out, not only Wenchen, but even Wuxun and many people were snickering.

is clearly laughing at the old man Zhang stealing chickens and rice.

While wanting to get out of the way and watch the fire from the other side, you put your son in, you old man Zhang personally or have a prestige to support, the lords, generals, and soldiers below dare not mess with you, but if your son rushes up, I'm afraid that he will have to shed his skin if he doesn't die, right?

Xie Qian came out again and said: "Your Majesty, this matter is very important, should you first use the military department and the governor's mansion to find out?" After the spring of the next year blooms, then draw up a plan for elimination and replacement? ”

This also shows that the Cabinet is not opposed to reform.

I just think that it should be done step by step, if the people in the Beijing camp are forced too hard, it is easy to provoke mutinies and the like, it will not be good.

Zhu Youzhu said: "I just want to eliminate the old and weak, redundant and unworthy of the name of a group of people in the Beijing camp, and I still need to spend so much time? Or do you think that it will be difficult for him to complete this matter if he does it alone? ”

Xie Qian glanced sideways at Zhang Yiyi and said, "Cai Guogong has just taken over the Ministry of War, and now it is the end of the year, so many things should be pushed forward slowly. ”

"No need." Zhu Youzhu said, "Any abscess needs to be eradicated at one time, the slower it is, the more likely it is to squeeze and pick up the situation of incompleteness, I am confident in Bingkuan." ”

Xie Qian glanced back at Li Dongyang, probably wanting Li Dongyang, a think tank, to come out and oppose it.

This reflects the "big picture" of the cabinet.

It doesn't seem to be much opposed, but it is just proposed to be delayed, but Xie Qian can see that the emperor wants to borrow Zhang Zhou's hand of reform to let Zhang Zhou firmly grasp the Beijing camp and the military department in his own hands.

At the same time of eliminating redundancy, Zhang Zhou will inevitably promote a group of new talents, and even send a lot of cronies from all over the nine sides to the Beijing camp, and at that time the military and political affairs of the Ming Dynasty will be almost controlled by Zhang Zhou, and after Zhang Zhou's affairs are completed, it will be difficult to oppose it.

But both Liu Jian and Li Dongyang chose to remain silent in the face of such problems.

You can understand it, but can you move in the general direction?

……

……

The reform of the Beijing camp was completed, and then Zhu Youzhu mentioned the matter of household registration statistics in the Ming Dynasty.

In the tradition of the Ming Dynasty, every few years, the number of households, population, acres of land and other things in the Ming Dynasty will be counted, and it is precisely that year that is the statistical year.

According to the statistics of the thirteenth year of Hongzhi in history, "...... It is 1......,42,519 households in the world, 5,858,937 households, and 8,269,981 hectares of land."

In other words, by the thirteenth year of the Ming Dynasty, the population had exceeded 50 million.

This was before sweet potatoes and corn officially entered China...... And Zhang Zhou's purpose is to introduce these two crops to China, as for potatoes...... This crop is difficult to be widely cultivated in barren places, just like a few hundred years later, basically for ordinary people, the poor eat sweet potatoes, and the slightly better conditions eat wowotou...... These two whole grains are almost the life of a person's diet, and potatoes are still a luxury for most families.

Because the results of the statistics of the provinces have not been fully reported that year, and because of the existence of Zhang Zhou, in fact, the population of the Ming Dynasty has increased compared with the statistics.

Zhang Zhou was also unable to make a perfect summary with the knowledge known from history.

Plainly.

It is the butterfly effect he produced that has made a lot of historical knowledge no longer absolutely authoritative, and now there are only natural disasters, and it will probably develop according to historical records.

Now let Zhang Zhou speculate about when the Tatars will be...... That's no different from nonsense.

In terms of personnel, everything has gone a fork in the road because of the expansion of Zhang Zhou's influence.

……

……

The court meeting ended.

Zhang Zhou, as the secretary of the Ministry of War, naturally had someone come to congratulate, and even the first to come to congratulate was Xie Qian, who had a verbal dispute with Zhang Zhou before.

Xie Qian said with a smile: "Bingkuan, from now on, the court will coexist, and you must do things for the court with your heart." ”

Zhang Zhouxin said, is this an expectation without any nutrition? Or are you so clumsy that Xie Yuqiao has nothing to say?

As he was talking, Li Rong walked in and said to Zhang Zhou: "Zhang Butang, Your Majesty has just ordered you to come down, saying that you have just returned to Beijing recently, and there are many affairs involving the Ordnance Factory, Wang Gong Factory, etc., and you still need to personally supervise it. ”

"Exempt from the pilgrimage?" Xie Qian frowned when he heard this.

For the officials of the Ming Dynasty, who are generally old and sick, if the emperor is sympathetic, they can be exempted from court participation.

is as young and vigorous as Zhang Zhou, and at first glance he is a dragon and a tiger, and he doesn't look like an old dragon clock who can't go to court every day......

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Thank you Your Majesty for your understanding." ”

Li Rong smiled and said: "If you want to thank you, you might as well go to Xinuan Pavilion with our family, Your Majesty is already waiting in Xinuan Pavilion." In addition, His Majesty has a decree, and the Hearing Office will officially act today. ”

Li Dongyang walked over and asked, "Isn't the person on duty at the listening office still undecided?" ”

"Zhang Butang has been set a long time ago." Li Rong reminded.

Approximate meaning.

It doesn't matter whether others are members of the listening office or not, what His Majesty wants is that this Zhang Shangshu is in the listening office, and he has a yamen by himself.

Don't you like to find a group of useless people to give him a hand, meaning to weaken the position of the Shangting in the court?

That's okay.

If Zhang Zhou's subordinates were incapable, it would be enough for the emperor to listen to him alone.

The emperor directly asked Li Ronglai to announce the opening of the Shangting Office without having yet determined the members of the Shangting Office, which was tantamount to countering the ministers and the army...... also made them realize that the emperor's so-called Shangting Office was only set up for Zhang Zhou alone, which was to force Wenchen to arrange capable people in the Shangting Office to check and balance Zhang Zhou.

Instead of finding a group of incompetent people to pull the hind legs.

"That's the time to go to Shane." Zhang Zhou said with a smile, "I'm tired of Gonggong Li leading the way." ”

"Please!"

Originally, Lin Han, Shen Lu and others hadn't waited to come over to find Zhang Zhou Daohe, but Zhang Zhou had already been called away by Li Rong.

and still entered the inner court alone to face the saint, which is obviously higher than the first assistant of the cabinet.

Even a minister can see that the pattern of this court is completely different from the past.

……

……

The Xinuan Pavilion next to the Qianqing Palace.

At this time, Concubine Xian's mother and son have moved out of here, and this has become Zhu Youji's usual office.

After the courtesy.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Bingkuan, I know that I should go out for a walk more, but it is too cold this day." Yesterday there was a snowfall, and there were requests for relief to the victims in Beijing, saying that there was a drought in the Central Plains last year, and some people gathered around Beijing, and I was very concerned about natural and man-made disasters...... It's helpless. ”

No matter how good the year is, there will be disasters and there will be victims.

In these years, it is all dependent on the sky for food, and the people are too dependent on the time of heaven, and it is useless to rely on the relief of the imperial court alone.

In other words, the original intention of the upper echelons of the court is good, no emperor wants to dig a corner of the wall, but not all disasters will be reported truthfully, and not every grain of grain will be sent to the victims.

This can lead to a disconnect in information and communication between the upper and lower levels.

"I asked the palace to scrape together a few thousand taels of silver, buy some winter clothes, and distribute them to the victims outside the capital, and recently the porridge field has been opened around the capital, I hope that this winter, no one will lose their lives because of poverty and displacement, and they will all be able to return to their homeland safely in the coming year."

Zhu Youzhu embodies the generosity of a benevolent gentleman.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, the minister doesn't know much about disaster relief, so he can't share your worries." ”

"I don't have to rely on you everywhere, if you are needed for such a trivial matter as disaster relief, then aren't you busy to death?" Zhu Youzhu smiled.

From Zhu Youji's expression, it also reflects that the situation of the displaced people around Beijing back then was actually the best in the past.

When the people of the Central Plains were hit by disasters, they generally gathered around the capital first, because Shuntianfu was the closest place for communication between the emperor and the people, and everything that happened was also the easiest to reach the emperor's ears through some channels...... It is also the most time-sensitive when it comes to disaster relief.

"Bingkuan, show you something good."

Zhu Youzhu pulled Zhang Zhou to his desk in Xinuan Pavilion.

Then he opened a wooden box, and inside was a pile of things that looked like official documents.

"Your Majesty, this is ......"

Zhang Zhou also didn't understand what strange interest Zhu Youzhu had raised.

Zhu Youzhu said: "These are the magic pills I found from all over the place, but I don't know much about them, you can refer to them......"

Zhang Zhou understood when he heard it.

In fact, in his heart, Zhu Youzhu still tended to treat him, a benevolent minister, as a monk.

In other words, the dream of immortality in Zhu Youji's heart is almost all pinned on him Zhang Bingkuan.

Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, if the ordinary medicinal herbs in this world can make people immortal, then it is estimated that there are already immortal people in this world." Your Majesty still shouldn't put too much of your spirit on this. ”

Demolition is also to be dismantled.

"I don't want to live forever, I want to live longer, I want to be healthy, it's not beyond human nature, right?"

Zhu Youzhu said, "I also know that I shouldn't ask for the gods and fairy grass, but I have also read a lot of classics and learned that since ancient times, there are still many old people over 100 years old. I take a step back, even if I keep myself fit for fifteen years, so that I can see the grassland for myself, I will be satisfied. Bingkuan, what is your best plan? ”

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that you won't be able to make up for it." ”

Zhu Youzhu waved his hand and said, "Don't be afraid, my health is much better now than in the first few years, even if you take some fierce medicine, I can stand it!" If you are a sick seedling all year round, it is really better to live a few years in the wind and fire! Bingkuan, what good prescription do you have, even if you use it, I can stand it! ”

(End of chapter)