Inside the yamen of the military department.

Zhang Zhou also came over to deal with some official business on a routine day, but as soon as he came, he was blocked by "Xiong Da" and "Xiong Er", and in the name of discussing things with him, he actually asked him about the situation of the war in the northwest.

Xiong Chong said: "Your Majesty mentioned in the court the day before yesterday that the Tatars may be harassing the border from the side, and now the military department has to make military preparations and go to the official document to the place, but I don't know where to step up the defense?" ”

The question is pretty straightforward.

Where did the Tatars come from, you give us a letter of approval, so that our military department will not have so much trouble when preparing.

Zhang Zhou also heard that even the military department wanted to use his "prophetic ability" to save trouble.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Doesn't the Ministry of War have a plan to prevent such things?" Still want to ask me? ”

Xiong Xiu and Xiong Chong's faces were a little ugly.

As traditional civil servants, they naturally knew that Zhang Zhou, the secretary of the military department, would directly point the Tatar on the map to attack the location, which was a bit out of tune, or they couldn't do it at all according to the work process, but the problem was that they couldn't make up their minds now.

Xiong Xiu said: "The military department is also waiting for Zhang Butang's meaning." ”

Who made you the secretary of the military department?

We don't listen to you, who do we listen to?

Zhang Zhouxin said, if I become a scholar, I can be a "god stick", right?

Zhang Zhou sighed: "Two of you, that's the case, let's sit down and talk in detail." You see, this Baoguo Gong has been sending troops for some time, and the news is still very lagging behind, and the message is transmitted from here to all parts of the border passes, and far away places such as Gansu, Pingliang and other places, it is absolutely impossible to get the letter to it in four or five days, and if there is any obstacle on the way, it will take seven or eight days before the letter can be transmitted. ”

"Too late?" Xiong Xiu asked.

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, "The precautions that should be done, if you advance it now, it will indeed be a little too late." ”

Xiong Chong said: "Even if it's seven or eight days, it's too late." You can't help but be prepared. ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "Isn't it routine for the Ming Dynasty to go on an expedition and strengthen the defense of the passes everywhere?" Does this still need special guidance from the imperial court? In the reports I have read everywhere before, they also mention the tightening of defenses and the strengthening of pass inspections, especially those old fortresses in the passes, and the customs generals should not just talk casually to deal with the imperial court, right? ”

The two bears glanced at each other, they both wanted to say, they said that it was routine to strengthen the customs defense, wasn't it also routine for them to deal with the imperial court?

Do you really think they're going to be any different in terms of security than they used to be?

Even if you want to strengthen it, who will provide the human and material resources?

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "If the expectations are not bad, the Tatars should have already made some moves, and the Baoguo Gong is about to make a head." As soon as the Tatars attacked, he would turn his gun and return to help, and then he would ...... Hehe. ”

When you send out the army, you are like a fly without a head, and even if you have a clear goal when you return to the army, it will definitely not look too good.

It's a shameful thing, let Zhu Hui do it, why is the military department doing all that excitement?

Xiong Chong still chattered and asked, "Where is it?" ”

Zhang Zhou smiled and waved his hand, meaning that he can't say it, or he can't say it to the two of you.

Anyway, I'm a scholar now, and both of you are my subordinates, and the official level is at the top level, and the boss has no obligation to explain to his subordinates in full, as for what you want to know...... It's good to take your time and experience it yourself.

……

……

The next day, Zhang Zhou did not appear in the court.

After the dissolution of the court, Xiong Xiu contacted Xie Qian and Li Dongyang on behalf of the military department, which was actually equivalent to relaying Zhang Zhou's words...... Because asking Zhang Zhou about the focus of defense was something that Xie Qian had specifically mentioned to the Ministry of War before.

"He's deliberately selling off."

Xie Qian listened to Xiong Xiu's words and looked a little annoyed.

And Li Dongyang on the side said with a relatively calm expression: "He didn't deny it, it means that he has already made a statement to His Majesty in advance, and has had his own suggestions for the defense of various places on the nine sides?" ”

Xie Qian looked at Li Dongyang curiously and said, "Did he say it?" ”

Xiong Xiu said seriously: "Zhang Butang didn't deny it, but it is expected that the matter of strengthening the precautions of the pass can be regarded as a cliché. Zhang Butang mentioned it, saying that Baoguogong's march was coming to an end. ”

Li Dongyang said: "That's it, if the Tatars attack the border from elsewhere, it is reasonable for the Duke of Baoguo to withdraw his troops and return to help." This is like Wang Bo'an marching into the grassland last year to relieve the siege of Ningxia. ”

Xie Qian's smile on the first half of his face was smiling: "Then could it be that this time it's just the other way around, and Tatar will use Ningxia as a breakthrough?" ”

Li Dongyang and Xiong Xiu couldn't answer this question.

As he was walking, Lin Han, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, was approaching this side, Xie Qian waved his hand to let Xiong Xiu avoid it first, and when it comes to today's matter, I will stop here.

Xiong Xiu also completed his task of testing Zhang Zhouhe and telling the cabinet, and did not walk away, but just followed behind and stopped making a sound.

"Lin Lao, is there something wrong?"

Xie Qian is seventeen years younger than Lin Han, and Lin Han is still from the academy, and now he is a scholar of the Ministry of Rites, so Xie Qian's words are still a little polite.

Lin Han glanced at Xiong Xiu first, and then said, "I heard that Your Majesty has appointed a new Liaodong town guard lieutenant, and the old man wants to come over and ask about it." ”

"Really?" Xie Qian smiled, "I haven't heard of it." Could it be someone Liu who was previously assigned to guard the Yanwu Hall? ”

Li Dongyang gave Xie Qian a look, meaning that this issue should not be talked about here.

Lin Han said: "The dog recently returned to Beijing and entered the research martial arts hall, and it is inevitable that the rules will be broken to stay in the research martial arts hall as the body of the Ministry of Rites, and the two of them will see if they can ......."

Lin Han obviously didn't want Lin Ting to be involved in the struggle between Zhang Zhou and the traditional Wenchen, he wanted to use his little power to "save" his son.

Xie Qian smiled: "This seems to be an errand that Zhang Bingkuan assigned to him, right?" His Majesty also specially instructed that Ling Lang can be said to be a young talent, Lin Lao, you really don't have to avoid it, the tiger father has no dogs, and Ling Lang's achievements may not be under you in the future. ”

Lin Han's gaze has been drifting towards Li Dongyang, obviously in Lin Han's opinion, Xie Qian's light can move his mouth, not as good as a conspirator like Li Dongyang.

Li Dongyang asked: "What you mentioned, the new Liaodong town guard lieutenant, who are the rumors?" ”

When Lin Han heard this, he knew that the cabinet might not know anything about this matter, but he wanted to come to the matter of appointing eunuchs, which was a matter of the emperor's words, which originally represented the king, and there was no need to discuss it with the cabinet or the ministers of the court.

"Or choose someone from the Imperial Horse Prison, I don't know much......"

Lin Han also stopped at this topic in moderation.

Waiting for Lin Han to also part ways with Xie Qian and Li Dongyang

Xie Qian asked, "Binzhi, who do you say?" ”

Li Dongyang shook his head and said: "Ren Liang and Zhang Yu, now in the edict prison, the crime is not small, and if they continue to investigate, the spearhead will be pointed at the celebrant supervisor." Guarding Liaodong is related to the stability of Liaodong in the Ming Dynasty, especially after beating the Jurchens last year...... It's very particular who to send. ”

Xie Qian said: "That's probably Zhang Bingkuan's people?" ”

Li Dongyang was silent.

He didn't understand this matter, it was actually Lin Han, an academic who seemed to be no threat in the past.

"How could it be him?" Li Dongyang obviously didn't understand where Lin Han got this "secret" from.

……

……

Zhang Zhou did not go to the court meeting that day, but he still had "official business" in his body.

He was directly invited to the Fusi of Weibei Town, Jinyi, Daming Dynasty, and personally went to "interrogate" the prisoner, that is, Zhang Yu, who was once the governor of Liaodong and is now accused of treason.

Zhang Yu, as a civil servant, can be said to have suffered in the edict prison, even if he deliberately changed into clean clothes, he still couldn't hide the haggard on his body, dragged shackles, and walked with a limp.

"Zhang Butang, please forgive me for not being able to give you a salute."

Zhang Yu still retains the face of Sven, and he still wants to hold on in front of Zhang Zhou.

Guo Ang, the envoy of Beizhen Fusi, said: "Lord Zhang is here to interrogate your case, what else have you not explained, mention it to Lord Zhang, or you can save some face for yourself." ”

Don't say that you can save a life, but only save face.

Since the emperor stuffed Zhang Yu and Ren Liang to Beizhen Fusi, there must be a "conclusion", Ren Liang's strong background may be able to save a life, but the probability that Zhang Yu can save his life is close to zero, after all, Jinyiwei is not a vegetarian, they have found evidence that Liaodong and Duoyan Sanwei secretly communicated.

It's hard to say whether these evidences can be regarded as "treason", but if you have contact with the Tartars behind your back to the court, even if it's just for money, now is the time for the Ming Dynasty to raise its military might, and Zhang Yu will be taken out as a model and make an example of him.

"There's nothing to say." Zhang Yu also looked very arrogant.

Guo Ang is a "ruthless person" after all, he doesn't even look like Mu Bin is polite, and there is probably a kind of ruthlessness in skinning and tearing people apart, he said coldly: "If you don't see the coffin, you won't cry." ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "How the case should be tried and how to be tried, I am just an outsider, so I don't want to ask too much." ”

Meaning, don't scare him, don't say anything you want to torture or anything in front of me.

Jinyiwei this place...... Are you and I rarely coming?

Zhang Yu was a little puzzled at first, and he was also wondering, how could the emperor hand over a "treason case" to a military secretary like Zhang Zhou, even if Zhang Zhou had a close relationship with the emperor, Zhang Zhou also needed to avoid suspicion as a civil servant at this time.

But he also understood that he couldn't take care of these, and said in an almost pleading tone: "Please also ask Zhang Butang to be accommodating, don't embarrass your family." ”

Zhang Zhou shook his head helplessly and said: "How to study this case carefully, it has its own law to enforce it." ”

Meaning, there is nothing you can do.

"Alas!" Zhang Yu sighed heavily in public.

With a person like him, who has served as the Yin of Shuntian Mansion and the governor of Liaodong, and has enjoyed glory and wealth, the disaster of imprisonment is very torturous for him, but he can only take the blame on himself...... That's the sadness.

"Is Yang Peng here?" Zhang Zhou asked Guo Ang next to him, as if the matter of the Fusi Court in Beizhen had nothing to do with him.

Guo Ang said: "Father-in-law Yang is already waiting outside. ”

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, "He is about to go to Liaodong as a lieutenant guard, let him come to see him, and he should be alert in advance." ”