The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 461 Good Student

Zhang Zhou was trying to save face by letting this group of ministers from foreign relatives treat him to a meal. In name, the Zhang family brothers were the hosts, but in fact, those scattered royal relatives paid for it.

The two brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling showed their teeth and claws at the banquet, as if they were the leaders of the group.

After the banquet was over, it was still early, and Zhang Zhou was about to leave. Cui Yuan came out in a hurry to see him off, and by the way, he also sent a "gift" to Zhang Zhou. : "...Cai Guogong, if I have time, I will definitely discuss poetry and articles with you. The students also know a thing or two about antique calligraphy and painting. I hope you will appreciate it."

"Ah."

Zhang Zhou nodded politely with a smile.

In Daming, being a son-in-law was actually like eating and waiting to die.

He couldn't help but think that this Princess Yongkang's son-in-law was also famous in history for his extensive reading, good poetry, and making friends. Others also said that he was "mindful, wise and resourceful", but most of them treated him after his fortune. evaluate.

The current Cui Yuan, apart from being able to make a few more friends and use his status as a son-in-law to be an idler in the capital, there is nothing he can do.

"My son-in-law, what's your opinion on the matter of marching?" Zhang Zhou saw Cui Yuan's politeness, which was regarded as a kind of appreciation, and asked him his opinion on running the army.

Cui Yuandao: "Students didn't often dabble in military and political affairs before. If Cai Guogong intends to take the school exam, please give the students some time to sort them out after they go back. What do you think?"

Ask you a question, don't answer it on the spot, but still want to go back to study and do your homework?

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "For those who come to the Martial Arts Hall, it's better to make more preparations. Maybe His Majesty will come in person to inquire about the marching and management of the army. I don't have any preparations at that time, I'm afraid it will make people laugh."

That's already a criticism.

Ordinary people are not qualified to criticize the relatives of the emperor, especially like Cui Yuan, who is the brother-in-law of the current emperor. Even if others look down on him, they will respect him in terms of etiquette.

But Zhang Zhou didn't mean to belittle Cui Yuan, it was more like a reminder.

It's not a big deal that you can't answer my question, but if the emperor comes later and he asks the question himself, and you can't answer it, then even if you are not useless, others will treat you as a useless person, and it will never happen The kind of chance to turn around.

Cui Yuan was not annoyed at all, and said humbly: "Duke Cai pointed out that after the students go back, they must study the art of war as soon as possible, so that they will not neglect their official duties. The students have been taught."

"Ah."

Zhang Zhou was quite satisfied with Cui Yuan's sincere attitude, and after nodding, he stopped staying and left the banquet restaurant.

……

……

Imperial Palace, Xinuang Pavilion.

Zhu Youtang summoned Zhang Zhou and inquired about Zhang Zhou's military training in the martial arts hall.

"I heard that that group of people is really rotten. I intended you to go to the school and question them. If some of them are not qualified for the job, how can they be expected to serve in the capital and the local capital? Bing Kuan , do you think I should be more aggressive and show no mercy to them?"

After the Martial Arts Hall was opened, what Zhu Youtang thought was to rectify the military administration.

Zhang Zhou is very clear that in March of the 14th year of Hongzhi in history, Zhu Youtang once arranged this kind of content that was close to the school examination: "First, Ma Wensheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, together with Chen Kuan, the eunuch of the Ministry of Rites, and Zhang Mao, the British Duke, etc. , read and test the strategies of riding and shooting of the commander-in-chief of the Marquis of each battalion, and whether the commander-in-chief can ride and shoot."

It means that Ma Wensheng, Chen Kuan, and Zhang Mao will be responsible for the examination of the Beijing camp generals below the Marquis.

I don't know if I don't take the test, and I am shocked when I take the test.

"If you try it, you often cannot shoot the arrow with your bow, and even some people fall to the ground, and you can't answer the question after asking about the strategy, so you can ask for their ranks. Yongshun Bo Xuexun, Yingcheng Bosun Jixian, Xing'an Bo Xusheng, Cheng Anbo Guo Ning, Taining Marquis Chen Xuan, Wu Jinbo Zhu Jie, Governor Sun Guizhiyu, Commander Li Jin, etc. should all be severely punished, and the commander-in-chief Yang Zhen and others should be arrested. Ask, as well as Xuancheng Bo Weizhang and Jianping Bo Gaoyu all said that they are sick, please depose."

"The first-class ones will be rewarded with one hundred banknotes for one arrow, the second-class ones will get one month's salary, and the third-class ones will get two months' salary. Those who fail to read and test afterward will be punished again."

Daming's group of pampered and honored ministers really reached the point where they couldn't ride a horse or shoot a bow.

Moreover, the group of people who were tested for the school were people who served in the Beijing camp, that is to say, they were the generals who led the army. After this incident, Zhu Youtang deeply realized that he relied on the honorable ministers of the Ming Dynasty to guard the Ming Dynasty. , things are a bit outrageous.

For this reason, the emperor was very angry, and then Ma Wensheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, "please publish and print one book of the martial arts, and award it to the military ministers in Beijing and the generals of all sides. To use their knowledge, order each to give one of the seven books of the martial arts."

The emperor was dissatisfied, so he sent out the book of war to study it for the next assessment.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Is Your Majesty going to take the school exam in person?"

Zhu Youtang nodded and said: "I do have this intention. Bingkuan, it's not that I'm being harsh on them. In the past few days, I've heard a lot about their daily training, and I know that few of them are competent Yes, even those who have served in the army for many years and claim to be brave are not very useful."

Zhang Zhoudao: "Since His Majesty wants to take the school examination, he should set up the examination items and rules. Not only should artillery training be the most important thing, but riding and shooting should be added. It is best for the ministers of the DPRK and China to participate in the witness together."

Zhu Youtang said: "Yes, I can't go alone, and I can't just take you. I have to bring a few more people to let them know the necessity of changing the military and political problems. Bingkuan, don't let this matter out to the outside world. These few days I will see if I have free time, and I will go with you."

Zhang Zhou thought, what a coincidence.

You don't want me to say it, but I told Cui Yuan in advance to let him go back and prepare. Wouldn't this just be cheaper for Cui Yuan, right?

"Let's go, Bingkuan, let's have dinner together, and leave the palace after dinner. I just want to discuss with you how to take the school exam." Zhu Youtang laughed, "What do you think of me taking the crown prince with me?"

"Prince, yes."

"I also plan to select those who are capable from this exam and reward them as appropriate. What do you think?"

"Returning to Your Majesty is not only an examination of the school, but it is also inevitable to set rules for rewards and punishments."

"Haha, it really is that heroes see the same thing."

……

……

That night, Zhang Zhou had dinner in the palace.

As for Cui Yuan, a member of the Martial Arts Academy, after a busy day, he returned home a little bit drunk, and concentrated on picking up military books to study.

Princess Yongkang didn't see her husband return to the bedroom in the middle of the night, so she came out with a lantern in person, but seeing that the study room was still illuminated by candlelight, she went in, and saw Cui Yuan shaking his head reading there.

"My son-in-law, I let you go to the Martial Arts Hall to have the opportunity to serve the imperial court and let the emperor appreciate you. Why are you still angry with me and deliberately using this kind of thing to snub me?"

Yongkang is usually picky about his husband.

She is not as gentle as her younger sister, Princess Deqing, and Cui Yuan's family background is much better than that of Deqing's husband, Lin Yue. Yongkang seems to need this kind of strength to hold down her husband's family.

Cui Yuan raised his head and said, "The princess is here? Don't get me wrong, I'm just doing my homework."

"Humph!"

Yongkang put the candlestick heavily on the table, and said coldly, "It's freezing cold, and you actually said you were studying? Are you going to take the No. [-] Scholar exam?"

"No... these are all military books." Cui Yuan hurriedly picked up the book and showed it to his wife, "Look, I borrowed these, and our family doesn't have any military books. Today I visited Cai Guogong alone, and he tested me. A question, let me put forward my opinion on the matter of running the army, I... I can't answer it."

Yongkang said: "Is he deliberately making things difficult for you?"

"No, I think Cai Guogong is very supportive of me. He didn't ask others, and he reminded me that if His Majesty asks questions in the future, I won't have time to go back and think about it. I think what he said is very reasonable, so Hurry up and come back early to make some supplements."

Cui Yuan is like a fan who has been encouraged by his "idol".

It was rare for Zhang Zhou to mention something himself, which made him feel very reasonable. After he came back, he naturally wanted to show it well, at least write a military policy for Zhang Zhou, to show that he had worked hard.

Yongkang rolled his eyes at his husband and said, "I think he's playing tricks on you. Thinking of him being the number one scholar in the Ming Dynasty, he has reached such a state after a few years. The government and the opposition look at him highly, and he will bow his head to show you face? Repay the emperor. Did you take the school exam yourself? You are the son-in-law... you will believe him."

"Princess, don't say that about Cai Guogong. Could it be that he asked me to come back and study the art of war to harm me? You go to bed earlier, and I will enter the room after memorizing this book."

Cui Yuan didn't take his wife's words seriously.

Yongkang said: "If you don't enter the room now, then don't enter tonight!"

The young couple are only in their early twenties, and it is the time when they are lingering in love, but Cui Yuan is so "unfamiliar" tonight, even going to the study to study the art of war does not give her the princess face, Yongkang's temper can be blamed up.

Cui Yuandao: "Princess, you should go to bed first. If Cai Guogong mentions it and see him later, I still can't answer. Isn't it very incompetent? Princess don't worry about me."

Yongkang raised his finger, tapped his husband's forehead fiercely, and said cursingly, "Em lump! I wish you success in your studies as soon as possible! Hmph!"

……

……

Cui Yuan worked for half the night, and finally fell asleep in the study.

He finally wrote a so-called "Military Policy", which he racked his brains to write, and because he is a scholar, he has a unique "advantage" compared to ordinary honored officials, but those ordinary honored officials Chen, the level of reading is mostly just to recognize characters, and he doesn't have the ability to write articles like him.

"Will Cai Guogong come today?"

In the office next to the Yanwutang school in the city, Cui Yuan arrived at the Yanwutang early in the morning, thinking of meeting Zhang Zhou, this is to "hand in homework".

But there were not many students who came that day. Yesterday a group of people went out of the city for the first time to set off cannons. There were quite a lot of people. They drank together again at night. Naturally, they all had their own nightlife after returning. Only a few of them could get up the next day. As for the cultural class after waking up...

Only come when the head is flooded.

And Cui Yuan was precisely the one whose head had been soaked in water.

"Cui Ma? What are you doing? Looking for Cai Guogong? That big man will come here at any time? You have such a high status. If you want to find Cai Guogong, go directly to the office of the Ministry of War. Maybe someone is inside... If you don't want to go to the Ministry of War, Then wait here, maybe Cai Guogong will come at any time."

Anyone in Yanwutang who is in charge has his eyes above his head.

He is not polite to talk to Cui Yuan.

The level of this group of imperial relatives is also seen by others. The instructors all look for Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling. It seems that everyone feels that the emperor does not take this group of nepotism people seriously. If there are talents in the middle school, then you should ask more talented people for advice.

Cui Yuan was very anxious, but he couldn't find Zhang Zhou, so he could only lean against the table and sleep.

He didn't rest well yesterday, Cui Yuan slept soundly lying on the guest table.

It was after noon that Cui Yuan was woken up by someone knocking on the table.

"Wang Shilang?" Cui Yuan stood up and saw Wang Qiong standing in front of him.

Wang Qiong is over 40 years old, and has been in the court for several years. Although Wang Qiong is not a general in the martial arts hall this time, he is also a "guest professor" and will come to give classes to everyone at any time.

Wang Qiong said: "Why are you alone?"

Cui Yuan looked around. When he came in the morning, he could see a few here and there, but now he was really the only one left. He said, "I... don't know."

Wang Qiong frowned and looked at Cui Yuan.

Let's say he appreciates Cui Yuan... This guy actually sleeps in class...

But if it is said that this is a relative who eats and waits to die, Cui Yuan is the only one who is waiting for the lecturer to come in class. When the students arrive in the class, they find that even their teacher, the Zhang brothers, have not come Under certain circumstances, it is not bad to stay in the classroom and wait.

"Ah."

Wang Qiong nodded and said, "Since you haven't arrived yet, then go back first, and we won't talk today."

Wang Qiong just came to take a look. Even if all the people in the foreign relatives class were there, he might not need to say anything.

Cui Yuan asked: "Wang Shilang, where is Cai Guogong? Yesterday he asked me about running the army. I went back and worked all night and wrote an article to give him some advice."

Wang Qiong had a good impression of Cui Yuan at first, but after hearing this, she immediately liked him a little more.

It turned out that the reason why I came here to sleep so hard today was because I studied hard at home last night?
Children can be taught.

"Mr. Cai Guo is busy with official duties. He may only appear in the martial arts hall once every five or six days. He may also appear in the school grounds, public classrooms, or the cannon field outside the city. If you don't mind the son-in-law of the eldest princess of Yongkang, I can help you." Take a look." Wang Qiong said.

"It's work."

Cui Yuan hurriedly handed over his "homework".

After Wang Qiong finished reading, there was a kind of "distress" between his brows, because this homework was really not good.

"Wang Shilang, although I have read the book of war carefully, there is very little mention in the book of war about artillery and firecrackers. I can only list a few formations that have been used by the predecessors, or they cannot be used on the battlefield. Do you have any ideas? Whatever your opinion, it’s okay to speak up.” Cui Yuan also knew that his student was very incompetent.

Wang Qiong said: "If you want to learn, I have lectures on new tactics here, you can take them back and study them. If you can write like this, the son-in-law of the eldest princess, it is considered hard work."

Cui Yuan was encouraged by Wang Qiong, and immediately felt full of confidence and said: "Thank you Wang Shilang, the students must work hard."

(End of this chapter)