The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Tang Yin embarked on his mission to North Korea again.

This time he went as the right minister of the Ministry of Industry of the Ming Dynasty. Although this right minister was only a part-time employee of the Admiral Yizhou Shanchang and did not handle the affairs of the Ministry of Industry, his treatment was completely different from the last time he was sent as a mission. .

Xu Jing went with Tang Yin, which was a bit exciting for Xu Jing.

Although Xu Jing also knew that Tang Yin was going to North Korea to cause trouble for North Korea, Tang Yin had an unparalleled status in North Korea anyway, and after Li Yi ascended the throne, he generously rewarded meritorious personnel. Tang Yin was almost a With the presence of the founding father, this time Tang Yin went to his own territory to "inspect".

"Bohu, what do you think if we go to North Korea, we can casually scold the leader of North Korea in court and ask him to add hundreds of thousands of dan in military rations to the soldiers in Liaodong?"

Xu Jing has already thought about how to make the North Koreans obey orders after arriving in North Korea.

Tang Yin said: "It is said that famine has also occurred in North Korea in the past few years. I am afraid that they will not be able to provide too much money, food and supplies."

"Then we can't go in vain, right?" Xu Jing was riding on a horse. Not far from their eyes was Shanhaiguan.

Exiting Shanhaiguan is the boundary of Liaodong. In Xu Jing's opinion, it is a good place.

After all, it was a place that had once been glorious, especially Tang Yin. As Zhang Zhou said, it seemed more appropriate to have Tang Yin become the governor of Liaodong.

Tang Yin reminded: "Our trip seems to be to ask for military rations, but the fundamental purpose is to show His Majesty's dragon power and the Ming Dynasty's national prestige. We must not cause trouble in North Korea. Anyone who shows kindness to you, or They all have ulterior motives, so stay as far away as possible.”

Xu Jing smiled and said: "Are you afraid that someone will give me a gift? Do you think I will care about that? When I go to other countries as an envoy, I also know how to protect the envoy's face. Don't worry Bohu, I will listen to you this time. I just don't know When I come back, can I catch the spring of next year?"

Apparently Xu Jing was still thinking about taking the exam again.

But he has accepted the selection of officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs in disguise. Strictly speaking, he has lost the qualification to participate in the examination. And with such a good "channel" as Tang Yin, Xu Jing would rather sit back and enjoy the success. Now as a judge, although he is working in the court It's all hard work, but if you can go to North Korea and become a deputy envoy, why take the Jinshi exam?
Find yourself guilty?
……

……

News of Li Rong's death reached the capital.

Although birth, old age, illness and death are natural for human beings, and Li Rong was not young at all, Li Rong's death still caused a burst of lamentation from everyone in the court.

Especially after Li Rong retired, the position he left behind was coveted by others.

The chief eunuch Bingbi of the Bureau of Ceremony and the governor of Dongchang was the second-in-command in the internal official system, and Li Rong was used by the emperor to check and balance the power of old-school eunuchs such as Xiao Jing. Li Rong's death seemed to It also heralds that the combination of Xiao Jing, Chen Kuan and Wei Bin, the supervisor of etiquette, will have a chance to breathe.

"Your Majesty, the funeral is already being prepared. Eunuch Li is not afraid of hard work during this trip to Yongping Mansion, and he worked despite being sick all the way. He can be regarded as doing his best."

Xiao Jing looked very sad in front of Zhu Youtang, and even couldn't help wiping his tears.

Zhu Youtang also looked very regretful and said: "I asked him to go to Yongping to help Bingkuan. Maybe I didn't consider his age. At his age, he should really take care of himself."

After hearing this, Xiao Jing was hesitating whether to resign himself.

Li Rong should have enjoyed his old age...Does this also imply that when you eunuchs get older, you should be more sensible and retire as soon as possible?

"Your Majesty, I wonder who should take over Eunuch Li's errand?"

When Xiao Jing asked this question, he felt that the emperor was easy to talk to.

The positions of eunuchs are all arranged by the emperor himself. You, the eunuch who is the chief of etiquette and the master of printing, do you think you are qualified to interfere in such a matter?
Zhu Youtang said: "Li Rong's fellow disciple, Li Zhang, has been in the imperial prison for many years. He was once in the study room of the ceremonial supervisor. He should be taken seriously. Let him take over."

"Yes." Xiao Jing said, "I will send the message when I turn around."

He looked very obedient, but Xiao Jing's heart was already in turmoil.

I originally thought that Li Rong's death was a blessing from God. If Li Rong was driven out, as long as it was either Chen Kuan or Wei Bin who was brought up, then even if Xiao Jing stepped down, his faction would still be able to maintain the peak of power in the court. .

But now the emperor seems not to give him a chance, and would rather give the position of Chief Eunuch Bingbi to the little-known Li Zhang.

"Recently, there are military affairs that have not been settled yet. Send them to Bingkuan by horseback for a look. He will write back his opinions. I will wait and see." Zhu Youtang said casually.

"Yes."

Xiao Jing was thinking in his heart, if His Majesty speaks, the people below will need to work hard for it.

Since Cai Guogong is so important, what is the purpose of letting him stay outside the capital?Just to torment us?

……

……

Room for the Supervisor of Ceremonies.

As soon as Xiao Jing came back, Chen Kuan and Wei Bin couldn't help but stepped forward and looked at them with concerned eyes. Wei Bin couldn't help but ask: "How is it?"

Obviously, both Chen Kuan and Wei Bin thought they could go one step further and take over Li Rong's position.

"Ugh!"

Xiao Jing shook his head and said with regret, "It's Li Zhang."

Chen Kuandao: "Li Zhang, the imperial eunuch? He has just been promoted to eunuch and within two years, he is going to be the ceremonial eunuch? Or..."

At this point, Chen Kuan also realized that he should not question the emperor's decision, so he stopped talking.

"What can I do?" Wei Bin seemed to look away, patted Chen Kuan on the shoulder, and walked towards the desk. He probably meant that even if we work hard, we should hurry up and get our work done.

Chen Kuan asked reluctantly: "You mean Li Zhang had any contact with Duke Cai Guo?"

Xiao Jing said: "Although our family doesn't know the details of Li Zhang in the past two years, we also know that he is very low-key and almost never fights with others. Your Majesty uses him more because he and Li Rongnai come from the same family, maybe because A kind of compensation for Li Rong."

"Same door?"

Chen Kuan frowned.

Among the eunuchs, although there were some who entered the palace in the same group, or even worshiped the same adoptive father, or they had worked under the same eunuch.

But eunuchs rarely discuss this relationship. Now even the emperor is using this relationship to hire people. It is clear that the emperor has regarded the eunuchs as small groups, and the rise of Li Zhang seems to be the emperor's check and balance. At present, it is a method used by the three people, Chief Li Supervisor.

Wei Bin asked: "I wonder when Cai Guogong will return to Beijing?"

"It probably won't take long." Xiao Jing said, "According to our estimation, our position will not be guaranteed before Cai Guogong returns to Beijing. From now on, we will be relying on you."

"Who is that……"

Wei Bin asked half of the question, but stopped talking.

It means.

If you step down, the position of palm print will not be replaced by Li Zhang, right?

Xiao Jing just shook his head and said that he had no knowledge of this. Obviously, the emperor was very secretive about who would replace Xiao Jing as the eunuch and eunuch, and he never revealed any information.

……

……

Li Zhang was promoted by the front line and directly transferred from the eunuch of the imperial eunuch to the eunuch of Si Li Bingbi. He also directly supervised the Dongchang and became a powerful figure in the court.

On the same day, Li Zhang went to see Zhu Youtang. On the one hand, he thanked Zhu Youtang and on the other hand, he followed orders.

Whoever supervises Dongchang has to do hard work. This is also the rule of the court now, and the admiral of Dongchang is almost a hand in Zhang Zhou's hands.

"Li Zhang, I didn't plan to use you originally, but Yang Peng has not been in Beijing recently, so I chose you."

In front of the other eunuchs of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, Zhu Youtang spoke very straightforwardly.

Li Zhang didn't mind at all. He didn't think he was qualified to be promoted to the position of Eunuch Bingbi, Supervisor of Ceremonies, so he didn't feel any trouble after hearing this.

But Xiao Jing and others are going through another baptism in their hearts.

There is also Yang Peng in love...

Thinking that Yang Peng had also been the owner of the Dongchang Factory for a period of time before, but he did not become the eunuch Bingbi, the supervisor's ceremonial supervisor. With Yang Peng's flattery to Zhang Zhou, it was simply... Xiao Jing and others would feel that this person was not only good at flattery , seems to be able to be a dog.

The kind that treats both the emperor and Zhang Zhou as masters.

A good dog has no second master...

Xiao Jing and others are thinking so.

"Bingkuan... is Cai Guogong. He is still attending to official duties outside the capital and has not come back yet." Zhu Youtang continued, "Go and deal with this matter, and by the way, bring back Li Rong's coffin and preside over the funeral." , let Wei Bin go."

Xiao Jing asked: "Your Majesty, do you want Wei Bin and Li Zhang to go to Yongping Mansion together?"

"Yes." Zhu Youtang nodded, "It's okay to go together. By the way, we can also wrap up the affairs of Yongping Mansion. Isn't Mou Bin also there? Let him come back early." Li Zhang asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, I don’t know anything about Yongping Mansion’s errands, so should Eunuch Wei take the lead and I should learn from him first?”

Now Li Zhang knew that his qualifications and reputation were not enough. At this time, he would rather take a lower profile in front of Xiao Jing and others.

"As long as Bingkuan is here, just listen to him." Zhu Youtang said impatiently, "Go early. If there is nothing important in the past two days, just review the memorial according to the cabinet vote and don't increase the burden. "

The last words were meant for Xiao Jing and others.

Probably to remind Xiao Jing to give the cabinet some face now and adopt their opinions more. While appearing reasonable, it also makes them feel my deep concern.

This may be preparation for the next big change in the cabinet.

Let me give you a little sweetness first, and then give you a hard blow later!

……

……

Inside the Hanlin Academy.

Wang Hao had just finished teaching the prince and came back from the East Palace lecture class. He was supposed to deal with some daily affairs of the Hanlin Academy, but it was Xiao Jing who brought Xie Qian into the Hanlin Academy.

"Eunuch Xiao, Mr. Xie Ge."

Wang Hao didn't know the news in advance, so he came out to greet him when he arrived at the entrance of the hall.

Xiao Jing smiled and waved his hands and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Bachelor Wang. On behalf of His Majesty, our family is here to express our condolences."

Xie Qian also smiled.

It was obvious that the two of them came together as if there was something big going on.

Wang Hao knew that he was a candidate to join the cabinet, but he did not dare to expect that he could join the cabinet. According to the rules, he, Wang Hao, was not in the first line of candidates to join the cabinet. This was also because he had been with the cabinet for the past two years. The relationship between Liu Jian and other cabinet ministers is not very harmonious.

In the Hanlin Academy system of the Ming Dynasty, the cabinet was very much about inheritance. In name, the candidates for the cabinet ministers were determined by the emperor, but in fact, the network of contacts was very important.

Before Jiajing, this manifestation was most obvious.

"Scholar Wang, by the way, we have a message for your Majesty. You will be the host of this year's Shuntian Mansion Provincial Examination." Xiao Jing continued to say with a smile, "Of course, this matter should not be publicized to the outside world first. In addition, Your Majesty We are also planning to take Duke Cai as the test taker, and the two of you...will work together."

Wang Hao said: "Isn't this inappropriate?"

For Wang Hao, being able to preside over the provincial examination together with his former "student" Zhang Zhou seems to be a good story, but in fact, it makes people unconsciously think of it.

In particular, Wang Hao's official promotion in the past two years was largely due to his cultivation and support of Zhang Zhou, which also caused many people to talk about him behind his back. He wanted to avoid suspicion.

Xie Qian smiled and added: "Your Majesty's decision is a good one. Although Bingkuan is young, he is talented. With him by your side, I can learn more from you. Jizhi, you must seize the opportunity." "

Wang Hao felt very awkward.

What opportunities do I take?
Isn’t that right? Let me learn from Zhang Bingkuan, right?
Wang Hao said: "It's still a long time before the Shuntianfu Township Examination starts. Should we take a long-term approach?"

"Hey, Bachelor Wang, you are wrong. This is what His Majesty has decided after careful consideration. Please do not question His Majesty's decision." Xiao Jing's tone turned a little cold, and he even put on airs for Wang Hao.

Xiao Jing would never be like this before. With his good-natured mentality, he would never think of offending anyone.

But now he felt that he was about to retreat, and he felt dissatisfied and felt that he had been cheated. He was upset, which was obviously obvious to the faction.

You, Wang Hao, don't belong to the old faction in the cabinet, and you don't have much contact with me, Mr. Xiao, so naturally I don't need to give you too much face.

Do you have a good relationship with Zhang Zhou?Then you ask Zhang Zhou to be your backer and ask him to send you a message to the emperor. Don't ask me!
"Also, His Majesty once promised to give Yang Tinghe a bachelor's position before he returned to his hometown to guard the system. Now that he is returning soon, I would like to ask, can he be promoted to a bachelor's position here?" Xiao Respected.

Wang Hao said: "The affairs of the Hanlin Academy can be left to him."

Xiao Jing said hurriedly: "That's not what we mean. The affairs of the Hanlin Academy are yours, Bachelor Wang. Even if Yang Hanlin comes back, he will only be promoted to bachelor. The book repairing here can be left to him for the time being. , and besides... If there is anything we can’t explain clearly, Mr. Xie Ge will explain it to you in the future.”

Wang Hao looked at Xie Qian.

Xie Qian nodded, meaning that now I will be in charge of the affairs of the Hanlin Academy.

Even if you, Wang Hao, are a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, your official position is still inferior to mine, right?Cabinet ministers have special privileges.

……

……

Li Dongyang finished his errands for the day and went home early.

He needs to take some rest first and go to the palace for night duty before nightfall. He may have to sleep for a while. In the palace, he will not stay up late to do things. He will sleep when he needs to. It's just that someone needs to be on duty in the cabinet.

He was feeling a little depressed.

I just heard that the emperor asked Zhang Zhou to be the examiner of the Shuntianfu Township Examination. Although this may not seem like a big deal, it is obvious that the emperor has shaken the foundation of the cabinet minister who was born in Hanlin.

Being able to control the promotion path of scholars is actually equivalent to mastering the personnel layout of the Ming Dynasty, and then being able to control public opinion, and even being respected by scholars.

Li Dongyang felt Zhang Zhou's pressure on the old forces in the court was increasing.

"Father."

Li Zhaoxian appeared in front of Li Dongyang.

"Ah."

Li Dongyang looked back at his son and felt something was different. It seemed that Li Zhaoxian looked much better than before.

Li Zhaoxian said: "Tell my father the good news. My wife is...pregnant."

"what?"

After hearing this, Li Dongyang was startled at first, and then his gloomy old face couldn't help but reveal a bit of joy.

Even though Li Dongyang was very tense before, he still couldn't restrain his excitement when it came to something like this: "When will it happen?"

"The doctors have been here in the past two days and I have asked many doctors. The pregnancy signs are very obvious." Li Zhaoxian said with a smile.

"Very good, very good."

Li Dongyang breathed a long sigh of relief.

No matter how well he did in the court, the lack of heirs had always been a heartache for him.

In addition, Li Zhaoxian had Hualiu before and almost died of illness, and the birth of a grandson was not even a thing before... Now not only has his son's condition improved greatly, but he may have a grandson soon. Li Dongyang suddenly felt that life was not so gloomy. .

"Father, the child's affairs have been settled. Do you think my sister's marriage should be settled earlier?" Li Zhaoxian came to see his father this time, with the intention of making arrangements for Li Jue.

Li Dongyang was originally in a good mood, but when he heard this, he became a little worried.

He said: "There are some things you don't understand!"

With that said, he was about to walk towards the study with the air of being a father.

Li Zhaoxian caught up a few steps and said: "My child, there is nothing you don't understand. Isn't it because my sister was once betrothed to Yan Shenggong's family, but the marriage was canceled before, so no one dares to come to matchmaking now? Father, do you feel now... ...Is it too high or too low?"

Li Dongyang was angry.

this kid...

Do you think you are going to be a father soon, and your position in the Li family has become stable, so you dare to challenge your father's authority?
"Father, there is no need to worry at all. My sister is very beautiful. With her character, she can be a good wife and mother no matter where she is." Li Zhaoxian said.

Li Dongyang rolled his eyes at his son and said, "What does this have to do with you?"

Li Zhao smiled first and then said: "Father, I also heard that Mr. Zhang will be the examiner in this provincial examination of Shuntian Prefecture. Is this true?"

Li Dongyang frowned and said, "What?"

"Father, you may not know that as soon as this news comes out, the scholars in the capital have been eagerly waiting for it. The students of Guozixue are all planning to win the honors this year and become the disciples of Mr. Zhang." Li Zhaoxian said with a look of longing, "My son also plans to take the exam."

Li Dongyang frowned when he heard this.

Although Li Dongyang's ancestral home is Huguang, he has moved his hometown to the capital. It was also in Shuntian Prefecture that Li Dongyang took the provincial examination.

Li Zhaoxian graduated from the Imperial College and was eligible to take the provincial examination.

If his son became a disciple of Zhang Zhou... Li Dongyang thought to himself, it would be a big loss of face. (End of chapter)