The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Ministry of Rites.

Li Dongyang came to discuss the Autumn Festival and sat down with Lin Han to discuss for a long time. Li Dongyang deliberately brought the topic to Zhang Mao.

Li Dongyang said: "Given the prominence of the British government for generations, now that Zhang Mao is going to the northwest to lead the army to deal with the Tatars, even if he is defeated, he should not be in the position of losing his family. I don't know what Mr. Lin thinks about offering wine." ?”

In terms of loftiness, Li Dongyang was considered the best among the Chinese scholars in the court.

In front of Lin Han, he always called Zhang Mao by his first name.

It seemed disrespectful to Zhang Mao, but his words seemed to be trying to make up for Zhang Mao. In Lin Han's opinion, it might be that the cabinet was not optimistic that Zhang Mao could win this battle.

Lin Han shook his head and said, "I know very little about running the army. If something really happens, we should go to the court to discuss it."

With Lin Han's cautiousness, he would not deliberately express his position in front of Li Dongyang.

Li Dongyang smiled and said: "Then I wonder what Mr. Lin Jijiu thinks about His Majesty's sending the British Duke to go on an expedition? Could it be that... His Majesty intends to hand over the garrison of the Beijing Camp to the Ministry of War, and from then on the Governor The government only takes orders from the Ministry of War? The powerful officials can stand still!"

"hehe."

Lin Han heard Li Dongyang's concerns about Zhang Zhou's dominance, but he still just smiled.

If this had happened before, Lin Han would have been on the same side as Li Dongyang, and he had even disliked Zhang Zhou for a long time.

but now……

Zhang Zhou was his son-in-law after all, and because of his relationship with Zhang Zhou, Lin Hanzheng was promoted to Minister of Rites. And because he got along with Zhang Zhou more, his attitude naturally improved a lot.

Li Dongyang said: "In matters of great right and wrong, it is better for Mr. Lin to maintain his principles."

"Alas!" Lin Han sighed, "I don't know the consequences of a powerful official taking power. But when it comes to Zhang Shangshu, he was promoted quickly, but he still has prestige in the army. Even in Hanyuan, the people who admire him are... Quite a few, not only because he has won His Majesty's trust, but also because of his outstanding abilities."

Li Dongyang shook his head and said: "No matter how outstanding he is, he is still too young. He has not experienced a lot of polishing. I am afraid that his edges are too sharp when it comes to dealing with people."

Lin Han said: "There is nothing wrong with this. There are many mediocre people in the government and the public. If everyone in the court has an attitude of dealing with the world, I am afraid that the government and the public will have long been a peaceful backwater. Maybe your majesty uses him , and it is precisely because of this that he is different from others."

Li Dongyang narrowed his eyes at Lin Han and said, "So, Mr. Lin is on his side when he offers wine?"

Lin Han waved his hand and said: "No one is taking sides. The old man is old and frail now, and he doesn't want to ask so many things. If you want to ask him anything, you can ask someone else. I will have the opportunity to meet him within the next year." It's not much, let alone talk about major affairs in the DPRK. I don't know his position. As for the affairs of the Governor's Mansion, I will not interfere. Since His Majesty arranged for the British Duke to go on an expedition, it has its own reasons... If Nothing else, I still have some official business to deal with."

"Then I'll say goodbye." Li Dongyang stopped talking nonsense to Lin Han.

……

……

After Lin Han left the Rites Department, he went to the Staff Department and saw Ma Wensheng who was drinking medicine.

At this time, Li Dongyang also felt that the old guys in the court were not in good health. Compared with Zhang Zhou's liveliness, the old guys in front of him really seemed like a pool of stagnant water.

The two sat down and talked alone.

When Ma Wensheng learned about the communication between Li Dongyang and Lin Han, he couldn't help but smile: "He is like this, he wants to stay out of everything, but he should also know that His Majesty has long regarded him as Zhang Bingkuan's person, and therefore entrusted him with important tasks."

Li Dongyang said: "Brother Zhengtu, who do you think is more suitable to succeed you in the future?"

The smile on Ma Wensheng's face couldn't help but disappear.

He asked: "So, do you want to start preparing now?"

Li Dongyang seemed embarrassed to say it, but he had to sigh: "There must be preparations. Over the past year, the government has been very stable, but there are still changes among the six departments. In the past year, Within the court, it is reasonable to change several people in the old department of the Central Pavilion, and no one is talking about it, but now... even if only one person is changed, it is almost like a game, and it is a trade-off. "

"Ah."

Ma Wensheng nodded, agreeing with Li Dongyang's statement.

Ma Wensheng said: "In the past, civil servants were generally polite to each other, and no one took the wrong path. But now that Zhang Bingkuan is here, you should be worried that someone will take advantage of Zhang Bingkuan's relationship with His Majesty and go astray after taking office. Will it cause chaos in the imperial court?"

Li Dongyang said: "It's not that he is afraid of causing trouble. Zhang Bingkuan has been in the court for a few years and has been a minister for two years. In the past two years, he has not caused much trouble, but he is definitely not following the rules."

"What is...what?" Ma Wensheng couldn't understand what Li Dongyang meant, or what the iron triangle of the cabinet represented by Li Dongyang meant.

Li Dongyang said with a murderous look in his eyes: "Get rid of it! Otherwise, there will be no peace between the government and the public."

Ma Wensheng fell silent immediately.

He was too embarrassed to ask.

Is this solution to make Zhang Zhou completely unable to stand up, or is it a physical solution and kill him directly?

Li Dongyang said: "Brother Fuitu, what do you have in mind?"

After careful consideration, Ma Wensheng said slowly: "With His Majesty's current trust in him, I'm afraid it will be difficult to shake his status. As for who His Majesty will use and whom he will not use in the future, logically speaking, I shouldn't think too much about it, but you insist." Talk about getting rid of it...with the help of the Governor's Mansion, or...there is a slight chance."

Li Dongyang smiled slightly and said, "Brother Negative Tu also sees this?"

Ma Wensheng almost glanced at Li Dongyang, as if to say, you went to talk to Lin Han about Zhang Mao, indicating that you value the conflict between Zhang Zhou and Zhang Mao, and want to take the opportunity to tear up the relationship between them. , and then used Zhang Mao to deal with Zhang Zhou...

Do you think I'm blind?

Ma Wensheng said: "The British man was so sophisticated and tactful in the past, and he mostly tried his best to deal with Zhang Bingkuan. Now that the fire is burning on him, he can no longer ignore it."

Li Dongyang nodded and said: "But I'm afraid that the British Duke will win the battle in the northwest and return to the court. By then, the situation will be different."

Ma Wensheng asked: "Are you afraid that Zhang Bingkuan will help the British Duke to win? Let the British Duke obtain military honors? Then why didn't your Majesty send someone else but the British Duke? There are many rumors about the British Duke's misdeeds in Beijing. If someone hadn't been there, He instigated it secretly, but I’m afraid it won’t happen like this. Even Dongchang and Jinyiwei turned a blind eye, doesn’t that explain the problem?”

According to Ma Wensheng's intention, the emperor definitely did not let Zhang Mao lead the army in order to "success" Zhang Mao.

Zhang Mao lacked the military merit of leading troops in battles, but if the emperor really wanted to do good to Zhang Mao, he could have kept Zhang Mao in the capital and continued to be his wealthy and powerful prince, and there was no need to send Zhang Mao to the northwest.

This has only one purpose, and that is to suppress Zhang Mao.

Compared with the "upstarts" like Baoguo Gong Zhu Hui, who have only emerged in the past twenty years, Zhang Mao's position in the army can be said to be very stable, and he also has a lot of people. If Zhang Mao and Zhang Zhou are at odds, In the eyes of the people in the court, Zhang Mao was definitely capable enough to fight back and would even put Zhang Zhou to death.

Scholars fight with their words and wits.

What do warriors rely on?

Physical eradication can also become routine.

It seemed that Ma Wensheng secretly tested the reactions of these people because he understood that Li Dongyang wanted to use Zhang Mao's hand to kill Zhang Zhou. Li Dongyang said: "So now, we must do something."

Ma Wensheng asked: "Continue to add fuel to the fire and ask His Majesty to harshly criticize the British Duke in the northwest, so that he will feel resentful or even hateful?"

Li Dongyang didn't expect Ma Wensheng to say things so directly. After thinking about it, he nodded.

Ma Wensheng thought for a while and said: "If this is really the case, then something must be done about the grain and grass rationing, and it must be deducted in the name of the Ministry of War. But Zhang Bingkuan is not a mediocre person. He will know what to do on your side." If you notice it, you may respond.”

Li Dongyang said: "Don't worry about it. Ever since His Majesty sent the British Duke to the northwest, the conflict between Zhang Bingkuan and Zhang Mao has arisen. At present, Zhang Bingkuan has done many mistakes and made many mistakes. On the contrary, you should be worried that he has done nothing. Sometimes you should help him. , now that we are helping him, aren’t we just pushing the British public into the water?”

"Haha." Ma Wensheng sighed bitterly, "Since it was poured into the water, I think it looks like it was poured into molten iron. Once it is hot, it will disappear."

……

……

Under the coordination of Ma Wensheng and Li Dongyang, the staff immediately reported to the emperor, requesting the appointment of a new partial governor to assist the British Duke in completing the northwest war.

The British were also allowed to mobilize 60,000 soldiers and horses from Pianguan, Datong, Yansui and other places for the expedition, an increase of 10,000 troops from the original plan. However, there was no mention of how much military food and supplies, or even basic operations such as artillery, would be allocated. Firearms storage and transportation are not mentioned either.

I only give you soldiers and horses, and leave the rest of the problems to you, Zhang Mao, to solve.

"What does this mean?"

When Zhu Youtang received the memorial submitted by Xiao Jing and saw the cabinet vote, he himself was a little unclear about the situation.

Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you see, the government and the public are really concerned about the British military engagement in the northwest. They even listed clearly where to mobilize troops and where to mobilize horses. The fortresses around Pianguan are also clearly listed. The soldiers and horses at the pass can all be used by the British Duke. It seems that the British Duke must win this battle!"

"Really? If that's the case, they really mean it."

Zhu Youtang read the memorial carefully and found no faults.

No matter how you look at it, everyone from the government to the public is making suggestions to help the British Duke win in the northwest, and indeed they have made many constructive suggestions.

The help given was all presented on paper, and even the cabinet votes were inclined to assist Zhang Mao rather than create trouble for Zhang Mao.

Xiao Jing said: "Your Majesty, all the ministers in the court still care about border affairs. They probably all know that the British Duke has no experience in leading troops before, so they want to give him more help."

"Oh."

Zhu Youtang nodded.

Even with Zhu Youtang's wisdom, he did not see that the purpose of the DPRK's actions was simply to realize that "the words and the reality are two different things."

You, Zhang Mao, were very touched by the help from the government and the public, but when you found out that all of it was just empty talk, in the end you got no support at all. You asked for soldiers but no soldiers, and you asked for food and grass but no food and grass... The so-called ability to mobilize troops When the food adjustment is just a piece of paper, aren't you, Zhang Mao, furious?

Who should Zhang Mao be angry with at that time?

Is it us civil servants who are "wholeheartedly helping you", or is it Zhang Zhou who does nothing behind the scenes?

Guess, Zhang Mao, why the emperor doesn't support you?

Is it to trick you, or to train you?

Until then, who should you hate?

"Then just follow the reply. I've been in a bad mood these past few days, so I won't ask any more questions. You can just handle it yourself."

Zhu Youtang was too lazy to review the memorial.

Once he finds someone in the court who can help him with things, everyone will become lazy.

He didn't dare to do it before.

And now that Zhang Zhou is taking care of all the difficult and complicated diseases for him, he can hand over the matter with confidence.

……

……

"How is it, Eunuch Xiao?"

When Xiao Jing returned to the duty room of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, Wei Bin hurried over to greet him.

As before, Chen Kuan is not here, and not even Li Zhang is here.

Xiao Jing completely regarded Wei Bin as his successor, but Chen Kuan was already out. As for Li Zhang, he was not Xiao Jing's person in the first place.

In the Department of Ceremonies, factions are also very particular.

Xiao Jing smiled and nodded: "Your Majesty has read the following petition, and you will naturally feel that it is to help the Ming Dynasty win the victory in the northwest. How can you not agree? Your Majesty asked our family to approve on behalf of the Emperor Zhu, and this matter can be settled."

Wei Bin smiled and said: "Your Majesty still doesn't see it."

Xiao Jing glanced over coldly and said, "What do you mean by this? Do you think there is something fishy about this?"

Wei Bin was so frightened that he quickly explained: "That's not what I meant."

"You'd better not mean this. We are all sharing His Majesty's worries. What can we think? Do you think there is any connection between the Supervisor of Ceremonies and the Cabinet? You must have some brains!"

Of course Xiao Jing refused to admit that this matter was not only a secret affair between the cabinet and the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other yamen, but also their chief ceremonial supervisor was helping behind the scenes.

Because it is not the intention of the civil servants in the court to overthrow Zhang Zhou, even Xiao Jing will be deeply involved.

It's just that Xiao Jing usually gives people the impression that he is a good old man who greets everyone he meets with a smile, and no one seems to think that he will be involved in such a big party dispute.

The ceremonial supervisor himself cannot have any connection with foreign ministers.

Wei Bin said: "Having said that, we really need to coordinate everything. The British have public soldiers, food and firearms. It will be easy to win in the northwest. Then..."

"can you?"

Xiao Jing said, "Do you think Zhang Bingkuan is a vegetarian, or do you think His Majesty is unprepared? Since you asked the British Duke to go to the northwest, you are sure that he will return without success. Even if the Tatars are ten times the number, Even though Xinjianbo was driven deep into the hinterland of the grassland, he just gave in. Do you think that with the ability of the British prince, he would have a chance to have a head-on battle with the Tatars? And let him win a complete victory? "

"That means... returning without success?" Wei Bin asked.

"That's all good. What I'm most afraid of is falling into the sand. The bigger the noise, the less gain, and the more your Majesty will find fault! If the British Duke wants to win now, I'm afraid he can only win with the help of Daluo Jinxian, otherwise he won't be able to win. If he is not the second protector of the country, others will say he is! Mr. Zhang’s good life is about to begin!” (End of Chapter)