Kunning Palace.

Zhang Heling came to find Empress Zhang this day, nominally to visit her sister's illness, but in fact, the purpose was to talk about Zhang Yanling's rewards and punishments for her merits in the northwest, and the ultimate goal was to get some benefits for herself.

"Sister, I just came from the Governor's Mansion and asked them about the second child, they said that this time the second brother also delayed his march in Ningxia, and he is also on the list of those who have been punished, you tell your brother-in-law, don't punish him, it's all a family, why bother?"

Zhang Heling came prepared, and it can be regarded as a matter for his younger brother.

Empress Zhang's expression was very lazy, and she picked up the gift sent by Zhang Heling, but she frowned slightly, because this gift was useless to her, and the most important thing was that it was not worth much.

"Next time, it's better to bring some melons and fruits from outside, you don't have to bring these things anymore." Empress Zhang said.

"Oh, Queen Mother, why do we still care about this? Let me tell you about my second brother." Zhang Heling was anxious first.

Empress Zhang glanced at her younger brother and said, "I didn't hear your brother-in-law say that he would punish Trillium, didn't he say that he was bent on serving the court? As long as you have the heart, your brother-in-law will not blame."

"Smack!"

Zhang Heling slapped his thigh and said, "I was really right, sister, you are right, the second child is different from Zhu Hui, Zhang Rui and the like, these people are capable of doing things but have no heart, the second leader did not follow, it is purely ability, let him go up he can't go up!"

A sneer appeared at the corner of Empress Zhang's mouth, "You speak quite well?"

Zhang Heling said with a smug face: "That's, I can't see anything else, but I've been with the second child for so many years, I don't know what kind of urine he is?" Others can travel 100 miles a day and deliberately travel 50, but he can only travel 48 after fighting his life, which is still a little worse than others."

"Shut up!" Empress Zhang really couldn't listen to it, and scolded angrily, "Can't you hope that your brother will be better? You have the ability, you are on! Why did you let him go?"

"This ...... We call this the division of labor, and we said it early in the morning, I joined the new faction and joined Zhang Bingkuan, and he joined the old faction to stabilize the hearts of those old guys, and the ultimate goal was to make our Zhang family invincible!" Zhang Heling still feels good about herself.

Empress Zhang said: "There is no need to be left and right, your brother-in-law is optimistic about Zhang Bingkuan now, you all have to lean on his side."

Zhang Heling sighed: "But there is a chance to lead the troops, and the second child and I can't go to either, I heard that this time the second child has already led the troops in Shigou City, but because of his ability, he didn't kill it, and missed the opportunity to get the battle merits, but cheapened the kid of the old Cui family." Time is also fate, I don't think the second child is so blessed."

The more Empress Zhang listened, the more she felt that this younger brother was here to dismantle the stage, so she didn't bother to talk nonsense with this younger brother again.

She rolled her eyes and said, "It's okay to go back, the palace still needs to recuperate."

Zhang Heling said with a smile: "Then next time I will bring some precious herbs to my sister, what kind of Ganoderma lucidum and tiger bone ......?"

"No need." Empress Zhang said coldly, "No, the number of roads, and what you said, there are pharmacies in the palace."

Zhang Heling said: "Then next time I bring a famous doctor, the kind that can give the dead to life, I know that there is such a famous doctor."

Empress Zhang said angrily: "There is this kind of doctor, treat your brain first, your brain is not good all day long, or what? Come on, stuff something for him, and tell him to get out of here early."

As an elder sister, she naturally knew that her younger brother was so "attentive", and said that he wanted to send medicine and a doctor, obviously to please her and ask her for things.

When the palace maid moved things here, Zhang Heling still smiled and said, "Don't, sister, how embarrassing is this? People always say that I came to the palace to ask for a reward, and the gossip is not good, and maybe I am said that I want to empty the palace."

"Hmph." Empress Zhang glanced at her younger brother, as if to say, do you still know that I'm sorry?

"Then the younger brother is disrespectful, my sister must remember to tell my brother-in-law, help the second child to intercede, if someone deliberately embarrasses our Zhang family, it is better to have a precaution, until now I don't know how the reward and punishment for the Northwest merit are determined." Zhang Heling said.

Empress Zhang said casually: "Your brother-in-law has already said that everything in the Northwest is determined by the Ministry of War, in name

It is necessary to consult with the listening office, but in fact, it is up to Zhang Bingkuan, the secretary of the military department, to decide."

"Really?" Zhang Heling said with a smile, "The rumors outside are true, it seems that those gossip is still very useful, I will definitely go to Zhang Bingkuan to talk about it if I have the opportunity, as long as he contributes, even if the second child does not go to the battlefield, he can come back with a military achievement." Sister, just look at it."

Empress Zhang looked at Zhang Heling's back as she trotted out of the palace with a slightly sad look.

She didn't seem to feel it before, but now she feels even more sad.

"Why did my mother give birth to such an unscrupulous son, next time I should tell my mother and let her regulate the two unscrupulous sons!" Empress Zhang almost gritted her teeth and said this.

Zhang Zhou is also going to leave the palace.

Sent by Li Rongxiang.

On the way out of the palace, Li Rong seemed to have a lot to say, after all, Xiao Jing was present when he entered the palace, and it was inconvenient to say a lot of things.

"Sir, you should have heard some of Your Majesty's meaning, it is about Cui Juma, Your Majesty's meaning If the eldest princess is really unwilling to reconcile, then use Cui Juma more, let him lead troops in the northwest, and he does not have to go back to Beijing, so as to avoid embarrassment." Li Rong seemed to be reminding him with kindness.

But no matter how Zhang Zhou listened, he felt as if Princess Yongkang had offended the old eunuch, and Li Rong deliberately wanted to separate Princess Yongkang and her husband.

Zhang Zhou nodded and said, "If the eldest princess really has no intention of reconciliation, then I have no problem, but if she takes the initiative to say something, I can't save face."

Li Rong said: "From what our family has seen, this eldest princess will never give up, she is too strong, and many times even His Majesty can't do anything to him, but he didn't have many opportunities to contact him before, and His Majesty will not regulate her at will." But now...... If it involves Cui Juma doing things in the court, and it is inconvenient for His Majesty to do it, you may have to ...... I'm tired."

What does it mean?

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, this means, I want to discipline his sister for the emperor?

Can I handle it?

This princess is the eldest princess, and she is not a child, she is a married woman, she is not much younger than me, the royal princess has a bad temper, I don't want to deal with her, I am her husband, give her a lecture, she can listen to me.

Li Rong said helplessly: "Our family also knows that this is embarrassing for you, and even His Majesty knows it, so I ...... it."

Zhang Zhou said, "Did Your Majesty mention it?"

Li Rong shook his head and said, "Although Your Majesty didn't say it explicitly, but his mind ...... In short, this matter also made His Majesty worried, I thought that Cui Fuma was just a mixed qualification in the army, and set an example for those royal relatives and relatives, but now there is a model, but it is not good if the credit is too great, and Your Majesty is also worried about how to place Cui Fuma."

"Understood." Zhang Zhou said, "Sharing the worries of His Majesty is a must for the people of my generation, and I have taken this errand."

Li Rong was stunned.

What did I say, why did you just take the errand?

What's the errand?

Do you want to teach the eldest princess of Yongkang how to be a person?

"Is there anything else Grandpa Li would like to remind?" Zhang Zhou asked.

"No...... It's gone......" Li Rong was also a little confused.

I feel that I don't say much, but it seems that Zhang Zhou understands a lot, this is a misunderstanding, don't wait for Zhang Zhou to do something to offend the people in the royal family, and turn around and put this black pot on his head.

The interests of the eldest princess of Yongkang are small, and the whole royal family is united in the same spirit, and Zhang Zhou herself has a good reputation among the imperial relatives, mainly relying on Queen Zhang, Empress Dowager Zhou and other families have appeals to Zhang Zhou, and those vassal princesses of the old Zhu family have little to do with Zhang Zhou's interests, and it is easy to cause discord so that Zhang Zhou becomes the target of public criticism.

When parting, Li Rong also carefully reminded: "You have to be careful, even if Your Majesty says that you will let the eldest princess make amends for your sins, you still have to ...... Harmony comes first."

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, looking very kind.

The more this is the case, the more worried Li Rong feels when he sees it.

Although this powerful minister rarely uses his power to oppress people, he can't treat him as a lamb, in case Zhou Zhen wants to rectify Princess Yongkang, his Li Rong's responsibility is not small.

Regardless of Yongkang

Whoever suffers from Zhang Zhou, it seems that he can't escape it.

Cabinet duty.

Li Dongyang put a copy of the recital written by the two soldiers in front of Liu Jian, meaning to let Liu Jian draw up the vote.

Li Dongyang said: "Regarding the rewards and punishments for the merits and demerits of the war in Ningxia, Hetao and other places, Your Majesty has made it clear that the military department will decide, and it is understandable, but this time the upper hearing office has been added, not to mention the cabinet department, and even has the intention of letting Zhang Zhou shoulder it, and this battle merit will involve the subsequent rectification of military affairs in the northwest, and it is obvious that Zhang Bingkuan has the intention of collecting military power in his hands."

Liu Jian's face was calm and he didn't say anything.

Xie Qian leaned over and said with a smile: "From Zhang Bingkuan's entry into the court, to his knighthood, when he was a scholar, he has always been a departure from the military power, after this battle, it seems that it is insignificant, none of his people have been on it, but he let him take the opportunity to get the military power. It's going to be lively."

Originally, Liu Jian looked good, but when he heard this, he couldn't help frowning.

Li Dongyang persuaded: "Yu Qiao, there is no need to use such things as a pastime at this time."

"Huh." Xie Qian is not annoyed, his character is like this, he is a poisonous tongue many times, and he doesn't mind how much others offend his words.

Liu Jian took over the conversation and said: "If you want to persuade Your Majesty, when it comes to rewards and punishments for military and political achievements, you must not let the military department Shangshu with the background of the Governor's Mansion have full power, he himself is a general, he can lead the troops outside as the chief military officer, and he can also be used as the imperial history and the leading military system.

Li Dongyang said: "There is a precedent for the head of the civil affairs department to lead the military department with martial arts."

Liu Jian said: "But it is unreasonable to judge the merits of martial arts by one person."

Li Dongyang was a little annoyed, and he wanted to remind Liu Jian that although we all knew the emperor's intention to let Zhang Bingkuan run everything alone, the emperor never made it clear, and nominally the military department and the Shangting Office were responsible for coordinating the rewards and punishments.

But he saw Liu Jian's insistence on his attitude and knew that now was the critical time to play with Zhang Zhou, and some things were not easy to say.

Although I also know that direct advice is not of much effect, I can't help it.

Inside the theater.

Zhang Zhou was meeting guests, and it was Chen Rui's daughter who came, the woman who was given to Zhang Zhou by Chen Rui and the mansion before, but was rejected by Zhang Zhou.

is also surnamed Chen, this woman is dressed in a very simple clothes, even if she is not wearing linen and filial piety, she has a similar feeling.

"The concubine hopes that Cai Guogong can help his father, so that he can spend his old age in peace, and he may not join the army in the future, but if he can keep Juelu, he will have the opportunity to let the Chen family add more meritorious services to the Ming Dynasty in the future."

The woman is not young after all, she looks like she is twenty-three or fourteen years old, she looks very polite, and her voice is very thick, giving people a feeling of being very shrewd and capable.

Zhang Zhou also saw that this woman from the Wuxun family would still have some fortitude that ordinary small families did not have, just like Wang Mingshan...... Of course, Wang Mingshan is special, Chen Rui's daughter has been married and widowed, and she has experienced more things, so her face will be a little less naïve and a little more worldly.

It is a kind of vicissitudes that have not been weathered.

Zhang Zhou said: "Miss Chen, or should I call you Mrs., dare to ask, is there anything wrong with the house?"

The woman said, "My mother has just passed away, and my brother has set up a mourning hall at home, and the people in the house are thin, and the concubine will usually be very helpful, and I don't mean to be rude in front of Cai Guogong."

"Oh."

Zhang Zhou nodded.

Chen Rui's wife died.

Of course, this wife is what he continues to get, Chen Rui has only one son, that is, Chen Xiong, in history Chen Rui died depressed after being deprived of his post in the fourteenth year of Hongzhi, Chen Xiong succeeded to the title of heir in the sixteenth year of Hongzhi, and Chen Xiong was rejected because he was bribed by Liu Jin, and after Liu Jin was cut in Zhengde for four years, Chen Xiong was reinstated, and died of illness in Zhengde in six years, and the successor to Chen Xiong's title was "re-slave", that is, the nephew of the cousin's family, that is, Chen Rui's grandson Chen Gui.

It is equivalent to saying that Chen Rui's vein, by his son's generation, the incense has been extinct

Finish.

Chen Rui died of his wife at this time, and he himself was in the northwest...... In fact, it is almost the same, because of the defeat, Chen Rui's daughter came to intercede, and it was also because of the "friendship" between Chen Rui and Zhang Zhou, and also because Chen Rui gave his daughter to Zhang Zhou as a slave and a maid before.

"Put incense on me, and I won't come to the door myself." Zhang Zhou is also polite.

The mother of the family died, even if the request was rude, Zhang Zhou would give this woman a little face.

The woman said: "My father has been fighting abroad, and he has not thought about the affairs of the family for many years, and my father mentioned earlier that he wants to recuperate for a few years, if his grandfather can fulfill this wish for his father, the Chen family will repay him even if he has a grass ring."

Zhang Zhou thought in his heart.

Did the Chen family get Chen Rui's instructions or what? The pursuit is very low.

What Zhu Hui, Zhang Yanling, Liu Jing and others are pursuing regardless of crime but merit, which is equivalent to saying that they want to record themselves in the merit book, but what the Chen family wants is to protect Chen Rui and let him leave a title, the position doesn't matter anymore, as long as he can come back alive.

In the face of such a request, Zhang Zhou only shook his head and said, "The military department's rewards and punishments for the merits and demerits of the war in the northwest have not yet been decided, everything still has to be according to the rules, please go back."

The woman's expression was a little gloomy.

Zhang Zhou refused to help, because even if Chen Rui gave Zhang Zhou a gift before, he didn't deliver it, and she herself was one of the gifts.

She obviously also knows Zhang Zhou's character, and she resolutely refuses to accept gifts that do not conform to the rules, and she is willing to come to the door, obviously because she sees that Zhang Zhou is "fair", or she wants to take advantage of the funeral at home, plus her own sad past, and the relationship between each other to play the emotional card.

As he was talking, Liu Gui's voice came from the door: "Master, my uncle is asking to see me downstairs, saying that there is something important."

This also happened to give Zhang Zhou the opportunity to issue an eviction order.

"Miss Chen, you see that I still have guests to see here, you might as well go back and wait for news first." Zhang Zhoudao.

The woman got up, bowed and said, "I hope that my grandfather can understand my father's old age and give him a chance."

As a daughter, she almost apologized to her father and pleaded for Zhang Zhou's forgiveness.

But Zhang Zhou is also pondering, this apology is completely unnecessary, Chen Rui is sorry for me, he led the troops and did not want to forge ahead, Chen Liangjiu's reputation has been stinked again and again, and it is the interests of Daming that are harmed, what is the use of expressing remorse with me alone?

Chen Rui's daughter was sent out, and Zhang Zhou naturally didn't have to send it away in person.

Later, Liu Gui took Zhang Zhou's "eldest brother" and Jiang Pingyu's brother Jiang Shantong to the private room on the second floor of the theater.

"I've seen Zhang Shangshu."

Jiang Shan came up and was about to kneel down and salute.

Zhang Zhou smiled, "Why is my brother-in-law so polite? If you have something to say, sit down!"

Jiang Shantong was not polite, and sat down on the side, slightly embarrassed: "Before coming down, there is something to tell you. But said that today, the eldest princess of Yongkang suddenly came to the door and ordered twenty jars of wine from the Jiang family's wine shop, saying that she was going to send it to your house, and it was also pointed out that it was for the purpose of making amends, and then asked the Jiang family to send it to the house. It's not ...... Now the wine is still on the way, so I came here...... Say it."

"Really? Someone bought wine from Jiang's house and came to give me a gift?"

Zhang Zhou smiled and asked, "Twenty jars of wine, what price?"

Jiang Shan said: "They are all ten catties of jars, and they are only more than ten taels of silver. It was given at market price."

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Spend ten taels of silver to buy wine to give me a gift, this is a big deal, and you don't have to send it to my home, just send it here, just when I go back to the banquet."

"That ......"

Jiang Shantong couldn't figure it out.

Although the Jiang family didn't know what an eldest princess was doing, they also knew that the person who came was not good.

Zhang Zhou can't see it here?

Zhang Zhou said: "This eldest princess also has a clear showdown with me, she knows that your Jiang family is doing business in the capital by my connections, and she may still feel that your Jiang family's business still has a share of mine." She used your wine to give me gifts to warn me

If I don't drink this Hetou wine with her, she will use her relationship to ruin your Jiang family's business, and I won't be able to make money."

"That...... So what?"

Jiang Shantong became nervous.

It stands to reason that Zhang Zhou's backer is stable enough, but now that he meets the eldest princess, the Jiang family can't afford to provoke him, in the end, the eldest princess is surnamed Zhu.

Zhang Zhou smiled, "It's okay, since she wants to drink Japanese wine with me, what can I do?" Then drink? I invited her over, do you Jiang family also want to send a representative?"

"Then you don't have to." Jiang Shantong wiped a handful of sweat and said, "I also persuaded my father in Xia to let him not do business in the capital. I'm really sorry for the trouble I caused to Zhang Shangshu."