Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 168: Are you using me to get married?

After changing into a set of clothes for meeting guests.

Zhang Yunxiu came to his own living room, where Wei Qingzao was sitting waiting.

When the two met, they bowed to each other and then sat down separately.

As soon as everything was settled, Wei Qing told Zhang Yunxiu everything that had happened in the Qianqing Palace at noon today.

It is said that just after three quarters past noon today, Emperor Wanli was dealing with memorials to the emperor.

Suddenly, a shrill voice called out from outside, "The Empress Dowager is here!" Emperor Wanli knew that his mother had arrived, so he quickly got down from the table and chair, stood with his hands hanging down, waiting.

In a short while, Empress Dowager Li walked in gracefully in a plain skirt.

"Mother."

"sit down."

The mother and son greeted each other and sat on the embroidered couch, with only a Yuan blue and white porcelain with rose petals in it between them.

Glancing at her grown-up son, Empress Dowager Li felt delighted.

That feeling was like the old wine she brewed herself. Even if she only took a sip, the mellowness of it made her intoxicated.

At the same time, she was also a little worried, fearing that she would not be able to catch the child.

She pondered for a moment before saying, "My son, Mr. Zhang is ill. Mr. Zhang has worked so hard for this country. As the emperor, you are a role model for the people. You should come up with a set of rules so as not to disappoint the scholars of the world."

"Your Majesty is right." Emperor Wanli nodded and said hastily, "I plan to wait until Mr. Zhang is better before visiting him at his residence. Then, Your Majesty can go with me."

"Me?" Empress Dowager Li said, and her pretty cheeks felt hot unconsciously.

Soon, she bit her lip and shook her head repeatedly: "I am just an imperial concubine, so it is inconvenient for me to go out with you."

"Okay, I'll go see Mr. Zhang, and then come back to tell mother that it will be the same." Emperor Wanli blinked his eyes and said with great responsibility.

Empress Dowager Li nodded and continued, "The Prime Minister is seriously ill. I plan to send eunuchs to the Buddhist temples in famous mountains and rivers to pray for the Prime Minister. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

How could Emperor Wanli dare to say a single word of "no" to his own mother?

Anyway, they were not asked to pray for him, so a group of eunuchs just went.

Without any hesitation, Emperor Wanli nodded and said, "Mother, this suggestion is very good. I will send the imperial eunuchs to visit famous mountains and rivers in the world to worship Buddha and pray for Mr. Zhang."

"That's great." Empress Dowager Li nodded with a smile.

"By the way, Mr. Zhang's youngest son is going to marry the daughter of the Xu family soon."

"Yes, this autumn."

"From what I see, there's no need to wait that long. There's an auspicious date in July, so why not let them get married soon?"

"Mother."

Emperor Wanli's eyes widened and his head was buzzing.

Her father is still lying in bed. If she gets married now, won't her spine be broken by others?

Empress Dowager Li ignored her son's questioning and said to herself, "It is a great thing for my son to get married. Who knows, once this happy event comes, Mr. Zhang's stroke will be cured immediately."

After listening to Wei Qing's words, Zhang Yunxiu had the same opinion as Emperor Wanli.

My head felt like it was hit by a heavy hammer and it couldn't stop buzzing.

Empress Dowager Li was going to use her own marriage to bring good luck to her father. This was simply too absurd, but after all, this was the will of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, how could he refuse?
After taking a sip of tea, Wei Qing stood up and bowed towards the Qianqing Palace: "Zhang Sicheng, this is the grace of the emperor and the empress dowager. The emperor and the empress dowager have granted the marriage. Apart from the princess and the prince, who else can have this honor?"

"Is there nothing to discuss?" Zhang Yunxiu asked back.

"There's no room for discussion. Zhang Sicheng should make preparations early."

"Eunuch Wei."

"Please speak, Zhang Sicheng." Zhang Yunxiu stared into his eyes, then asked boldly, "Eunuch Wei has been in the inner palace for many years. Has he ever been corrupt?"

What the hell?
Wei Qing was stunned, as if he thought he had heard it wrong. So he fluttered his eyelashes and asked again: "What did Zhang Sicheng ask just now?"

"Have you ever embezzled money?" Zhang Yunxiu repeated what he had said before.

Wei Qing heard it clearly now. He shook his head violently, like a peddler drum: "No. Absolutely not. I follow the emperor and am influenced by him all day long. How could I possibly embezzle those small amounts of money?"

However, there are some friends who occasionally send small gift boxes.

How can gifts between friends be considered corruption?
Zhang Yunxiu observed the man's words and expressions and understood about 70% of the situation.

It seems that this corruption issue needs to be thoroughly investigated, but he cannot take the lead yet, but he has to know how to advance and retreat in this storm.

After figuring this out, Zhang Yunxiu smiled and took out a bag of silver dollars from his waist: "Thank you for making this trip in person, Eunuch Wei."

"Oh, oh, this is not allowed. This is not allowed." Wei Qing refused repeatedly.

"Why not? This is customary. If you don't take the money, we will be the bad guys."

"This money doesn't count as corruption, right?"

"Not counting."

"Then we'll take it."

Wei Qing chuckled, took the silver dollar and put it in his pocket, and reminded, "Sir, you have been in the Hanlin Academy for two years. You will be leaving next spring, so you must go there at least once."

"You are doing this, it will not look good on His Majesty's side."

Zhang Yunxiu slapped his forehead and then remembered this.

Since the spring of the eleventh year of the Wanli reign until the summer of the thirteenth year, he has never been to the Hanlin Academy once.

The last time I met Shen Yongmao, Shen Yongmao reminded me.

He agreed very well, but when things got a lot to do, the matter was put on hold.

"Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch Wei. I will report to the Hanlin Academy as soon as I finish the work at hand."

"Okay, then let's wait to drink Zhang Sicheng's wedding wine."

Wei Qing grinned, turned around and walked away.

the other side.

When Zhang Siwei learned that the Ministry of Justice did not mention anyone, he was as angry as a defeated rooster.

A small captain of the Imperial Guard actually dared to defy the authority of the Prime Minister. Who gave him the courage and guts?
Even if Zhang Juzheng put pressure on him.

Now all the thousand households are shitting and pissing on his head!

Thinking of this, all the resentment from the past suddenly burst out, he grabbed the teacup and smashed it hard to the ground.

"Bang" sound.

The porcelain pieces flew everywhere, and the rich aroma of tea wafted from the ground. The maids outside the house were so frightened that their bodies trembled, their faces turned pale, and they were silent.

At this time, Qiu Yu walked in from outside.

He waved his hand and ordered the maid to clean up the porcelain pieces, and then he sat down on the left side of Zhang Siwei. As soon as he sat down, Qiu Yu was the first to speak: "Prime Minister, there was news from Zhang Cheng just now."

"It is said that the emperor wants to grant Zhang Yunxiu a marriage."

"Great, great, the Emperor and the Queen Mother are indeed kind to the Zhang family." Zhang Siwei said in defeat.

"This is inevitable. Zhang Yunxiu brought back a million taels of silver this time he went to sea." Qiu Yu answered carefully.

Zhang Siwei's eyes flashed with a hint of gloom, but he didn't say anything in the end.

(End of this chapter)