Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 106 Two Smooth Sides
Not long after Zhang Yunxiu left, Xu Jue leaned over to pour Feng Bao another cup of hot tea, then asked carefully, "Master, that woman is in our hands, and we are still trying to trick Master Zhang. Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Feng Bao heard the voice and stopped holding the tea in his hand. He glanced at Xu Jue, put the teacup back on the small table, and asked with a sneer, "Why, is it your turn to be the boss of this family?"

"I dare not. I dare not."

Xu Jue felt a chill down his spine, his knees went weak, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Then shut up." Feng Bao said viciously, his fair face full of dissatisfaction, and then said, "Think about it, does Empress Dowager Li want that boy to die or live?"

"Of course he's dead." Xu Jue replied.

"So that kid has to die, but this kid is a fool and insists on pulling the Empress Dowager Li's whiskers. There's nothing we can do. We are stuck in the middle. We have to be worthy of the Empress Dowager Li on the upper side, and let this kid die on the lower side." Feng Bao said, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

"I understand." Xu Jue suddenly realized and praised, "Master, you are using a kitchen knife to beat tofu, and both sides are smooth. This ginger is indeed more spicy with age. In this case, why don't we give that woman to..."

At the end of his words, Xu Jue's eyes were full of viciousness, and he used his palm as a knife to chop down.

"Forget it, just take good care of the person. I'm old now, and it's time to accumulate some good karma for myself." Feng Bao shook his head, stood up, and walked out of the hall with his hands clasped behind his back.

This year's winter came earlier than in previous years. As soon as December began, Beijing was covered with heavy snow, and the freezing cold wind was wandering on the deserted streets.

There was another heavy snow last night. By dawn, the snow was four or five inches deep, and you would sink into it if you stepped on it.

Early that morning, a young eunuch in the Cining Palace was sweeping the snow on the steps. From a distance, he saw Feng Bao walking quickly towards him.

Several eunuchs hurriedly stopped what they were doing, and stood with their heads bowed and their hands hanging down.

"Eunuch Feng."

Waving his hand, Feng Bao signaled them to continue cleaning, while he walked quickly inside.

After entering the Cining Palace, Feng Bao was taken to the reception room to wait.

The taps in the hall were burning warmly, and the Xuande furnace inlaid with emeralds was emitting a refreshing fragrance that could not be stopped.

For a moment, the room was filled with strange fragrance, which lifted Feng Bao's spirits.

Ever since he received Zhang Yunxiu's request that day, Feng Bao has been thinking about it.

Prepare to find a good opportunity, neither offend the empress dowager's face nor hurt the emperor's upstart, and then explain the matter clearly.

After waiting for three days, he finally got his chance.

So, early in the morning, he came to the Cining Palace to pay a visit to Empress Dowager Li.

According to custom, when Empress Dowager Li got up every day, she would first wash her face and hands and copy a volume of the Heart Sutra before having meals and meeting guests.

This is her unbreakable rule.

After waiting for about two quarters of an hour, dazzling sunlight came in through the window. Feng Bao was dazzled and was about to change direction.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from the inner hall.

Feng Bao hurriedly looked inside.

Empress Dowager Li walked out with a stern look on her face.

She was wearing a loose velvet long dress and a snow-white fox fur coat draped over her shoulders to keep out the cold.

Her jet-black hair was tied up at the back of her head, with a few jade phoenix hairpins inserted in it.

"This old minister has seen the Queen Mother."

Feng Bao did not dare to be negligent and bowed respectfully.

Empress Dowager Li waved her hand, indicating that Feng Bao did not need to bow, then she walked lightly to the embroidered couch and sat down.

The maidservant beside him brought a stool for Feng Bao, and Feng Bao thanked her and sat down. Empress Dowager Li couldn't wait to ask, "Eunuch Feng, was there really a reason for the thugs to beat people?"

"According to the investigations conducted by our subordinates, there are many different opinions. Anyway, everyone has his own story." Feng Bao started practicing Tai Chi.

"Hey, aren't you asking us to guess?" Queen Mother Li was obviously dissatisfied with this statement. She frowned and said angrily, "If there is really a reason, we must find out the truth. Otherwise, how will people in the world see us?"

"You don't have to worry about my face, just do what is right."

Feng Bao naturally didn't dare to believe what Empress Dowager Li said. He smiled and nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Empress Dowager Li. The Royal Guards, the Eastern Depot, and the Ministry of Justice are all investigating this matter. We will give you an explanation within three months at the latest."

"That's good." Empress Dowager Li sighed and said, "By the way, a few days ago we asked Wei Qing to find a replacement for the emperor to become a monk. Now he has found one. Tell me which temple should he go to become a monk."

Don't you already have the answer?

Feng Bao guessed what Empress Dowager Li was thinking and said directly what he was thinking: "Zhaoning Temple is in turmoil right now, why not let the emperor's substitute go to Zhaoning Temple to become a monk."

"Yes, that's what I thought too. Once the case is concluded and Zhaoning Temple is cleared of all charges, we will let the emperor's substitute go there to become a monk." Empress Dowager Li nodded frequently and directly expressed her thoughts.

"The Empress Dowager is wise." Feng Bao nodded with a smile.

Empress Dowager Li did not speak. Feng Bao thought about it for a while and then said what he wanted to do: "Empress Dowager, the person in charge of the investigation this time is Zhang Sicheng, who has some relationship with Zhao Yong."

"Who is Zhao Yong?" asked Empress Dowager Li.

"It's the thug who committed the crime." Feng Bao reminded with a smile.

"Oh, it's him. What's the relationship between him and Zhang Yunxiu?"

Empress Dowager Li then remembered and looked at Feng Bao suspiciously. Feng Bao blushed and told the whole story: "This Zhao Yong has a history with us. Our unpromising nephew once had some conflicts with his father."

"Is it the Wanping County Magistrate Zhao Lin?" Empress Dowager Li stood up suddenly.

"Exactly."

"Ah, how could it be him?" Queen Mother Li really didn't know that Zhao Yong still cared about her in this way, but when she thought of him beating someone to death, her face suddenly fell again, and she sighed, "Alas, it's a pity that County Magistrate Zhao served the country, obeyed the law, and died in poverty, but this son has completely disgraced him."

"Yes." Feng Bao echoed and continued, "Si Cheng Zhang saw that he was young and lost his father, and he was the descendant of a loyal and honest man, so he felt sympathy for him and insisted on asking Zhang Gelao for the right to investigate the case for three months."

"He did not intend to oppose the Queen Mother, but was motivated by sympathy for the descendants of loyal and good people."

When Feng Bao finished speaking, he raised his head and carefully glanced at Empress Dowager Li's expression.

Seeing that the noble lady was frowning and looking expressionless like a wooden figure, he didn't know how to start talking for a moment.

Suddenly, Empress Dowager Li raised her eyebrows, covered her red lips, burst into laughter, and asked Feng Bao: "Eunuch Feng, do you think I am a narrow-minded person?" "I dare not," Feng Bao knelt down and said.

Empress Dowager Li waved her hands and said nonchalantly, "Alright, alright, let him investigate the case. What's true can't be false, and what's false can't be true either. Don't you agree, Eunuch Feng?"

"The Queen Mother is right."

"Okay, you go down and do your work first."

"Old minister, I obey."

Feng Bao let out a long sigh, wiped the sweat from his face with his arm, and walked out of the palace.

Outside the palace, an old monk wearing a cassock, with white hair and a youthful face, and a thin complexion met Feng Bao.

"Emperor Feng."

"Master Yiru."

The two greeted each other.

"But Empress Dowager Li asked you to recite Buddhist scriptures?" Feng Bao asked.

Just as the master nodded slightly.

"Then go quickly and don't let the Empress Dowager wait anxiously." Feng Bao smiled and turned away.

A trace of struggle and hesitation flashed across Master Yiru's face. He shook his head and then walked into the palace.

the other side.

In the western warm room, Emperor Wanli was sitting in a chair bored, with Wei Qing standing behind him.

After reviewing more than ten memorials, a feeling of fatigue spread throughout my body.

He stretched and yawned as he asked Wei Qing beside him: "Wei Qing, what has Zhang Yunxiu been busy with recently? Why hasn't he come to see me for so long? Does he still have me as the emperor in his eyes?"

"Oh, Your Majesty, you are wrongly accusing Zhang Sicheng." Wei Qing replied with a smile.

"Oh, tell me, how did I wrongly accuse him?"

"Zhang Sicheng has been very busy lately, investigating a case."

"What case?"

"That's it. A young man beat a monk to death."

Wei Qing explained everything one by one. Emperor Wanli raised his eyebrows and couldn't help asking, "Why did the young man beat the monk to death? Is there some kind of life-and-death feud between the two of them?"

"I don't know about that. Some say that the young man was violent, while others say that the monk was a playboy. Anyway, each has his own reasons." Wei Qing shook his head, not wanting to delve into the matter further.

"That needs to be carefully checked."

Emperor Wanli nodded slightly.

After saying this, he stood up and walked to the window pane with carvings of dragons and paintings of phoenixes and looked out.

In the garden, a thin layer of ice crystals has already covered the pond water, and the surrounding flowers and plants are covered in a thick layer of silver.

The cold wind blew past and hit Emperor Wanli's face, and he instantly became more energetic.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Wanli turned his head and looked at Wei Qing beside him, and asked, "Wei Qing, tell me, what is fun to do outside in winter?"

"It's cold in the winter, unlike the spring, so don't even think about having fun. Old Beijingers won't leave their warm beds unless it's something serious, even if they have to hold back their hot urine." Wei Qing replied with a smile.

"Boring. Boring." Emperor Wanli shook his head and walked to the east warm room with his hands clasped behind his back.

After a while, Concubine Zheng carefully came in from outside. Because she was pregnant again, Emperor Wanli was in a good mood and directly promoted her to Concubine.

There are at most two imperial concubines, who rank above all the other imperial concubines.

Above her is the most honorable Imperial Noble Consort, of which there is only one.

Concubine Zheng was favored by the emperor, and in just over a year, she became a powerful figure in the palace.

This shows how favored she is.

When Emperor Wanli saw his charming concubine, he instantly became energized and opened his arms to hug her.

Concubine Zheng looked disgusted and exclaimed: "Be careful, I am still pregnant with the dragon seed."

After Zhang Yunxiu's reminder, she temporarily did not dare to play around with the emperor anymore.

"Oh, yes, yes." Emperor Wanli smiled awkwardly, rubbed his palms, and took Concubine Zheng to sit on his dragon throne.

Concubine Zheng smiled and said jokingly, "Your Majesty, only you can sit on this chair. Who dares to sit on it?"

"You have our son in your belly, and he can sit too." Emperor Wanli made a face and pointed at Concubine Zheng's belly.

"How does the emperor know it's a prince?"

"What I say is what it is, and you are not allowed to talk back!" Emperor Wanli glared and pretended to be angry, "What I say is what it is, and you are not allowed to disobey me, otherwise I will throw you into the cold palace."

Concubine Zheng's eyes turned red, her mouth pursed, and mist began to rise in her eye sockets.

"We lied to you, don't cry, don't cry, I will agree to whatever you want."

Emperor Wanli was in a panic, waving his hands to comfort her. Concubine Zheng sobbed for a while, then burst into laughter: "You said so."

"Once I open my mouth, I will not break my promise."

"Well, I want His Majesty to arrest those bald monks to prevent them from making noise all day and causing me a lot of trouble." After thinking for a while, Concubine Zheng hummed coquettishly.

"Ah? Why did you arrest them?"

"What are you talking about? The Queen Mother asked you to become a monk as a substitute. You are the Emperor, the Son of Heaven. Even if you are a substitute, if you become a monk, how will the history books of the future evaluate you?"

Emperor Wanli was indignant, but when he thought of his mother's face, he shook his head and said, "You don't understand. Change another one."

(End of this chapter)