Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 130: Foresight and Foresight (Subscription Request)
The main hall of the Li Mansion.

Li Zisheng came out personally to greet him and bowed to Zhang Luan from a distance. Zhang Luan also hurriedly took a few steps forward and respectfully returned the greeting.

"Laizhan, I told you to come to my house if you have nothing to do, why are you so reserved? It's been a long time since I last saw you. Don't do this again in the future...

"It's best to learn from you. You see, he never considers himself an outsider. He comes to my house from time to time to talk about business or to drink tea and reminisce about the past. Isn't that a pleasure?
"As for the access control, don't worry. Just say hello at the door and you can go straight into the mansion. Even if I'm not here, you can still chat with Bingkun and have a casual conversation."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

Zhang Luan leaned forward with an attitude of trepidation and fear.

Pang Qing covered his mouth and laughed.

After Li Zisheng showed his respect for others, he introduced the situation in the palace: "I know that you are fully focused on the matter of choosing a concubine for your daughter after the New Year. Today is the stage for the crown prince to personally select... Once today's matter is decided, we will just wait for the emperor to issue an order."

Zhang Luan was delighted: "I am waiting for good news."

"Laizhan, I see you still can't let go."

Li Zisheng took Zhang Luan's hand and came to the main hall of the mansion. He personally pushed Zhang Luan to the first seat of the guests, then returned to his seat and sat down. Then he said, "If Bingkun's meeting with you yesterday made you feel pressured, I would like to express my apologies first.

"Your Majesty put pressure on me this time, and that villain tried to sow discord in front of Your Majesty and accused me of wrongdoings. That's why I thought of asking you for help. I really didn't mean to make things difficult for you."

"Know, know."

Zhang Luan still just dealt with it mechanically.

Li Zisheng's eyes suddenly became eager, and he asked expectantly: "Then... have you figured out anything?"

Zhang Luan asked calmly, "I wonder what Minister Li is asking about?"

Li Zisheng was stunned for a moment, then frowned, as if wondering, "Can I ask you anything?"

And you still say that you, an old man, know nothing?
It seems that you know everything and are just waiting for me to ask questions, right?

If I don't ask, you won't tell me?

Li Zisheng was a cunning old man. He suppressed his unhappiness and asked solemnly, "Can you calculate first? What is the current condition of the sick noble master in the palace?"

Zhang Luan felt relieved when he heard this, because this matter was not difficult as his son had mentioned it.

The son said that Concubine Wan's illness would suddenly improve after a period of time after the New Year, and then the emperor would go out of the city happily to offer sacrifices. However, he encountered heavy fog when he went, and he couldn't see her face clearly at a close distance in broad daylight. He came back happily and held a banquet for his ministers the next day. Then he heard that Concubine Wan had died.

“In the first month of spring in the twenty-third year of Chenghua.

……

Gengxu (the ninth day of the first lunar month).

The grand sacrifice to heaven and earth was held in the southern suburbs. After the sacrifice, the emperor returned to the palace to pay homage to the Empress Dowager, and went out to the Fengtian Hall to celebrate the completion of the ceremony with the civil and military officials. There was a thick fog in the morning that day, and people could not be seen at a close distance. The fog only dispersed when the ceremony was about to begin.

Xinhai (the tenth day).

To celebrate the completion of the grand sacrifice, the emperor went to Fengtian Hall to feast all the civil and military officials, officials from all over the country who came to pay homage, and envoys from the four barbarians;

The eleventh son of the emperor was born, his mother was Concubine Gong Yang;
Imperial Noble Consort Wan passed away..."

All major events at the beginning of the 23rd year of Chenghua were recorded in detail in the "Veritable Records of Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty".

Because the Emperor's Veritable Records basically did not distort or tamper with historical facts, it can be said to be a relatively complete presentation of what happened to Emperor Chenghua and his entourage in the early spring of that year.

Although Zhang Yanling's knowledge could not be said to be encyclopedic, he was relatively familiar with the history from the Chenghua Dynasty to the Jiajing Dynasty. This was mainly because he had watched the highly rated TV series "The Ming Dynasty 1566" in his previous life. Out of curiosity, he looked up the origins and inheritance of the Hongzhi and Zhengde lineages as well as the Xingxianwang lineage of Jiajing and his father, and ultimately traced it back to Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen.

He repeatedly checked what happened in these four dynasties by combining classics such as "History of Ming Dynasty" and "Veritable Records of Emperor Xianzong of Ming Dynasty". It can be said that he was familiar with the major historical events of each stage.

With the help of his son's foresight, Zhang Luan began to lay some simple groundwork. He said with an embarrassed look on his face: "The condition of a noble in the palace should have improved a little recently, right?"

"Oh!?" Li Zisheng was surprised, and his confused expression seemed to be saying, you even know this?
Pang Qing had a look of panic on his face, and he quickly asked, "Mr. Zhang, what are you talking about? Didn't you say before that Madam Wan's illness might be... serious?"

His action is to show his attitude. Taoist, I really didn't let it slip. I am also wondering how he knew this!
Zhang Luan said: "Liver and spleen diseases are like this. Before they suddenly become seriously ill, they may be in a stable state for a long time, but if they are fatal, it may only take one or two days or even a few hours.

“Once it gets to this point, there’s no way back.”

Li Zisheng asked, "Then... Laizhan, how do you know that Lady Wan's illness has improved?"

"This……"

Zhang Luan didn't know how to answer.

Is he going to say that my son told me all this, and who should I ask if you ask me?

"Well, I'm here to ask you for advice today. Just tell me the truth, and don't give me the reasons." At this point, Li Zisheng trusted and respected Zhang Luan even more, and asked expectantly, "Tell me more, can Madam Wan get over this illness?"

"I'm afraid it will be difficult."

Zhang Luan shook his head.

Li Zisheng was so excited that he couldn't help asking, "About what time?"

Zhang Luan swallowed his saliva and hesitated to speak.

Pang Qing advised: "Mr. Zhang, you don't have to hide such a big thing anymore... Even if you reveal the secret, don't you want to do something for the Ming Dynasty, for His Majesty and the Taoist priest?"

"Don't say that."

Li Zisheng hastily corrected, "This is a secret of heaven, and only the general idea needs to be revealed. If all of it is revealed, the victim may be punished by heaven. How can I let Lai Zhan bear the consequences?

"Lai Zhan, please relax. I don't mind whatever you say, and I will definitely repay you generously for what you did today."

Zhang Luan said helplessly: "Speaking of which, the one in the palace may not last more than half a month, probably just a few days, there is nothing we can do!"

"hiss……"

When Li Zisheng heard this, he couldn't help but take a deep breath and glanced at Pang Qing. It wasn't that he wanted to exchange glances with his staff to verify the truth... If he didn't even believe Zhang Luan's words, would he listen to Pang Qing? Instead, he wanted to find someone to share the storm in his heart.

Zhang Luan's face was firm, and he continued, "May I ask Minister Li, when is the date for this year's grand sacrifice?"

Li Zisheng asked back: "Why do you ask that?"

Zhang Luan asked, "But on the ninth day?"

"Uh...yes..."

Li Zisheng was startled for a moment, then smiled, "Laizhan, it's no exaggeration to say that you are a master of foresight. The date of this year's grand sacrifice was not calculated by me, but was set by the Imperial Household Department... This matter has not been announced to the court yet. You really can't hide anything from me."

Zhang Luan said solemnly: "On the day of the great sacrifice, there may be an evil fog rising, and no one can be seen within a short distance. When the celebration is over tomorrow, something big may happen in the palace."

"This so-called big event is..."

Li Zisheng said that he would not ask too many questions, but when it came to the critical moment, how could he give up after listening halfway?

Zhang Luan shook his head: "It's hard to say, and I can't say it clearly."

Pang Qing then asked, "Could it be about Lady Wan?"

"It's hard to say, it's hard to say."

Zhang Luan kept shaking his head, but his meaning was self-evident.

(End of this chapter)