Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 254 Whimsical
Before nightfall, Zhu Youtang returned to Duanjing Hall.

He looked very tired. After all, he had to adjust his schedule and complete his studies in the past two days, which was a bit difficult for him.

"Didn't the prince get enough rest today?"

Zhang Yu walked over and asked.

Zhu Youtang sat down and said helplessly: "Teacher is giving a lecture, and I didn't help my father copy the storybook, so how can I not listen carefully?"

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "If I were in your place, I would just lie there and rest for a while if I felt tired. It's no big deal. Health comes first."

"No, Yu'er."

Zhu Youtang shook his head, "I'm sorry, I can't do that."

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "The prince is still too hardworking... But it's also good this way. Whether it's studying now or in the future... the prince will not disappoint others' expectations."

As they were talking, Qin Ji walked in from outside.

"My dear, is there something wrong?"

Zhu Youtang recently didn't like the eunuchs coming to disturb his and Zhang Yu's world of two.

Qin Ji came closer and whispered, "Prince, I have sent someone to investigate. Fang'e has indeed been leaving the East Palace frequently recently. It seems that she has been to... Concubine Shao's place."

"is it?"

Zhu Youtang was very disappointed when he heard this.

Originally, he treated everyone around him equally and cared for everyone around him equally, but now... Fang'e's behavior not only confirmed his wife's guess that there were other people's spies around him, but also proved that Fang'e betrayed his trust and went to inform the "enemy".

"Maybe... tell Aunt Shao about my situation here and let her feel at ease." Zhu Youtang quickly helped Fang'e find a way to defend herself.

Hearing this, Qin Ji had no choice but to smile bitterly, but could only look to Zhang Yu for help.

Zhang Yu said, "Don't you understand yet, Prince? It was she who leaked the matter of you transcribing the storybook this time. Otherwise, why would someone impeach us just as we started transcribing? After all, it was only two or three days from the time the storybook entered the palace to the time the incident happened..."

"Have it?"

Zhu Youtang seemed to realize it only after a short while.

Tan Ji said, "Your Highness, this time it was Zhang Shanji, the military officer, who impeached you. His Majesty felt that he was trying to sow discord between you and your father, so he was imprisoned. He also agreed to the request of Ni Yue, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, to have you serve in the Wenhua Palace. Ni Yue has now been appointed as a lecturer in the Eastern Palace."

"Yeah, I'm still curious why there's suddenly an extra lecturer today."

Zhu Youtang acted as if it had nothing to do with him.

Zhang Yu frowned and said, "I think Ni Yue is not a good person either."

Zhu Youtang and Qin Ji looked at her at the same time. Zhu Youtang asked, "My beloved concubine, didn't Mr. Ni help me get the qualification to consult in Wenhua Palace? Why do you say he is not a good person?"

Zhang Yu said, "The timing is too coincidental. Think about it, if the emperor really believed that you had been idle recently and someone made such a request when he was furious, do you think the emperor would be angry with you?"

"Probably not."

Zhu Youtang still hadn't figured out the ins and outs of it.

Qin Ji next to him was so shocked that he was burnt on the outside and tender on the inside.

I thought the Zhang father and son were masters at pretending to be confused and using tricks, but it turned out that the Crown Princess was no worse. She was able to immediately guess from the clues that Ni Yue was in cahoots with that group of people.

Qin Ji couldn't help but make some associations. Although it was not a good thing for the Crown Princess to be so cunning, it was rare that the Crown Princess was wholeheartedly helping our Crown Prince, so there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it... Could it be that putting a vase that knew nothing there would be beneficial to the Crown Prince?

Zhang Yu said, "I think we should ask my father and Yanling about this matter and see what they have to say."

Zhu Youtang thought about it, nodded first, then looked at Qin Ji and said with a smile: "My dear, I may have to trouble you again."

Qin Ji did not think there was anything wrong with it and agreed, "We should pay him another visit, because the news that His Majesty wants to grant an official position to Zhang Honglu has spread everywhere, and I am afraid that this matter will not be kept secret for long. However, if Zhang Honglu can enter the court, or even come to the East Palace to serve as a lecturer..."

"Is this possible?"

Zhu Youtang couldn't help but ask.

"It seems... not so easy."

Tan Ji said, "After all, Zhang Honglu has never been to the Hanlin Academy before."

Zhang Yu said, "Mr. Qin, since my father cannot be the lecturer of the East Palace and cannot help the prince all the time, let's not mention this matter. The prince wants to listen to other people's opinions at any time. He needs you to coordinate and help with communication. Otherwise, who else can we rely on?"

Qin Ji looked at the sky and said, "I will leave the palace before it gets dark and go see Zhang Honglu."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "That's right. My dear, it must have been a long time since I last saw Madam. It's time for me to go back and stay for a night."

"This……"

Qin Ji really wanted to say, I don’t dare go back home now, it’s a dangerous place.

If Liang Fang and Wei Xing want to harm me, they will definitely do it when I am out of the palace. I should leave the palace quickly and come back quickly, and it is best not to let them know.

……

……

After meeting Zhu Youtang and his wife, Qin Ji wanted to surprise Liang Fang and leave the palace through Donghua Gate.

Unexpectedly, just after he left the palace and was waiting for the carriage to pick him up, he saw a carriage coming quickly towards this side from the Dong'an Gate. Qin Ji's heart sank when he saw it, and he almost wanted to turn back towards the Donghua Gate.

"Eunuch Tan, long time no see."

The person who got off the carriage was Liang Fang.

When Qin Ji saw Liang Fang, his heart rose to his throat, but he had to walk over and bow respectfully: "Greetings, Eunuch Liang."

Liang Fang sneered: "You are really capable... You have been able to call the shots in the East Palace recently. Almost everyone knows that you, Qin Jin, are the most capable person in front of the prince. Why, are you going out of the palace to carry out your plan again? Come on, tell me, how are you going to harm people next?"

When Qin Ji first saw Liang Fang, he felt timid.

But when he heard Liang Fang's words, a fire of evil rose in his heart, and then all the fear in his heart was diluted, and he quickly responded in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant:

"In reply to Eunuch Liang, I have devoted myself to serving the Crown Prince and serving the Emperor in the East Palace. I dare not be partial... I may be on guard against others, but I have never intended to harm anyone. I wonder if the plan Eunuch Liang mentioned is a hint that I have failed to fulfill my duty in serving the Crown Prince?"

Liang Fang glared at Qin Ji fiercely and asked, "You don't mean that you are the one who harms others, but that others are the ones who harm you?"

Qin Ji bowed his hands and said, "If Eunuch Liang has any evidence, it is better to submit it to the relevant government. I am old and have only a few days left to live. I really cannot bear the crime of harming others. The way of heaven is vicissitudes. If I really want to harm others, I am afraid that God will not sit idly by."

"Who are you secretly cursing, old dog?"

Liang Fang immediately went over and grabbed Qin Ji's collar.

However, Qin Ji took two steps back to avoid it.

At this time, the palace guards saw that Qin Ji and Liang Fang had a conflict, and hurried over to check the situation.

A guard shouted to stop them: "Please calm down, eunuchs. This is not a place for reasoning. If you have something to discuss, please go somewhere else."

Liang Fang shook her sleeves and said, "Qin Ji, Qin Ji, I didn't realize before that you are quite cunning. We have planned everything, but we didn't expect that things would go wrong in your hands! Just wait! We will let you know the consequences of ruining others' good deeds."

Qin Ji said calmly: "If Eunuch Liang wants to embarrass the prince, he should vent his anger on me, an old man. I will fight to the end."

Liang Fang had already turned around and walked towards the carriage. Hearing this, he stood there, turned his head back to take a look, and said with a sinister smile: "If you walk too much on the night road, you may lose your life!"

…………

Qin Ji watched Liang Fang leave in a carriage and was still a little scared. He wanted to go back to the East Palace, but then he remembered that he had not completed the task assigned by the prince, and he didn't know what to do for a moment.

Finally, he mustered up his courage, got on the carriage that had just arrived to pick him up, and asked the coachman to drive quickly to Zhang's house.

When he arrived at the Zhang family's door, he got off the car without bothering to look around, and went straight up to knock on the door. Then the Zhang family's servant took him to the main hall, but he did not see the family head Zhang Luan... because Zhang Luan went to see Xu Qiong that day, and he only saw Zhang Yanling who had returned home early that day.

"Second son..."

When Qin Ji saw Zhang Yanling, he seemed to see hope.

Zhang Yanling saw that Tan Ji looked uneasy, and his heart sank. He asked hurriedly, "Eunuch Tan, is there something wrong with the East Palace?"

Qin Ji said in panic, "Yes, and not really. I was ordered by the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess to come to the mansion to inquire about the storybook I presented earlier. There are also some conspiracies and calculations in the court... Who knew that when I was leaving the palace, I met Liang Fang."

"Oh."

Zhang Yanling finally felt relieved and said, "He is indeed a difficult person, but he is in the open now. The East Factory and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are watching him, so they shouldn't do anything to Eunuch Tan. But if he uses some conspiracy, I'm afraid Eunuch Tan..."

Qin Ji sighed, "I knew this would happen, so I was still in shock. He blocked my way just to warn me, but unfortunately my mind was on the prince and I couldn't talk to him calmly. In the end, he threatened me a few times and then left."

Zhang Yanling said, "The fact that the Crown Prince is in the Eastern Palace must have had a significant impact on him. He took his anger out on Eunuch Tan because of this. I'm really sorry."

"what?"

Qin Ji was startled, then waved his hands, "That's not what I meant, please don't misunderstand me, Second Young Master. I wonder if your father...?"

"Oh, the court is going to arrange a job for my father recently. I heard that he will be given the actual position of Minister of the Ministry of Rites. My father went to the home of an elder in the family who is an official in the court to inquire about the details." Zhang Yanling said.

"That elder is... Shen Jingli?" Qin Ji asked curiously.

"It's Xu Qiong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel." Zhang Yanling said.

"Oh!"

Qin Ji suddenly realized and said, "So he is the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel... It is easy to be an official if you have someone in the court. If your father can have some guidance from an experienced official like Vice Minister Xu, he may make some progress in the Honglu Temple in the future."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "My father really has no experience in being an official. He has to learn everything by trial and error. Eunuch Tan, let's go inside and talk. My father has given me advice on matters concerning the crown prince. I can tell you the same thing."

"well."

Qin Ji no longer cares who is the real boss of the Zhang family. In his opinion, as long as it is beneficial to the prince, it doesn't matter who says it.

……

……

Xu Mansion.

Xu Qiong personally received Zhang Luan, and after a warm greeting, he asked about Zhang Luan taking over the Honglu Temple.

"…There are precedents of noble relatives serving as officials in the court, but they basically started as assistant officials in the Taichang Temple. To be honest, it is rare for someone like you to directly take charge of a temple. I don't know why it started?"

Xu Qiong was very emotional.

You, Zhang Luan, have never held an official position, but you are immediately promoted to the fourth rank Minister of the Honglu Temple, which is not far from me, who is the third rank Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

And you are in charge of a government office.

Is it so easy for Jing Qing to get along?
Zhang Luan asked in surprise: "You really don't know?"

Xu Qiong shook his head.

Zhang Luan said with emotion: "I gave my daughter a storybook to kill time in the East Palace. Unexpectedly, the prince copied it and presented it to His Majesty. After reading it, His Majesty thought that I should have some experience in the officialdom, so he promoted me as an exception..."

"What storybook?"

Xu Qiong thought, you finally got to the point.

Zhang Luan said: "It's called The Scholars."

Xu Qiong asked, "Why have I never heard of it?"

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "I wrote it in my spare time and spread it to the public. It's understandable that you don't know about it."

Xu Qiong asked, "I wonder what you are talking about?"

Zhang Luan said, "It's something that happened in the officialdom."

Xu Qiong frowned and said, "You have never been an official, but you wrote a story about officialdom and presented it to His Majesty. After reading it, His Majesty thought that you should gain more experience in officialdom, so he let you take over the job of the Minister of the Honglu Temple?"

"Uh... maybe that's the case."

Zhang Luan smiled and scratched the back of his head unconsciously, looking embarrassed.

Xu Qiong thought, are you lying to me?
If you are not talking nonsense here, then the emperor is crazy, and the prince who copied the script is not mentally normal either.

Strictly speaking, this cannot be considered political speculation, because no one would do this, or maybe you really have strong political resources, and the emperor is just looking for an excuse to grant you an official position?

"Shi Yong, don't you think there's something wrong?"

Seeing Xu Qiong's abnormal reaction, Zhang Luan couldn't help but ask curiously.

Xu Qiong said: "There are many officials in the court, and most of them are criticized by the world. With your status as a noble relative, you can get a position in the governor's office in the future, and you can win the support of the people. But being an official in the court is different. The most important thing is to be ranked according to seniority and ability. Are you... qualified for this position?"

Zhang Luan said with emotion: "My son Yanling also reminded me of this, saying that it is not easy to be an official in the court. But I also have a heart to serve the court. Everything depends on human effort, so why not give it a try first? After all, the emperor's grace is great, and I cannot let His Majesty down."

After hearing this, Xu Qiong almost wanted to curse.

I can see that you, Zhang Laizhan, are a power-obsessed person who is crazy about becoming an official. Yet you are still saying some hypocritical words here. Don't you feel ashamed?

Zhang Luan asked, "Or... Is there a lot of opposition in the court to my becoming the Minister of the Honglu Temple?"

"Not really."

Xu Qiong shook his head and said, "The post of Honglu Temple Minister has not been filled for two years. The tasks of Honglu Temple are mostly related to court meetings and foreign affairs. However, court meetings have been almost absent in the past two years, and there have been very few foreign affairs, so there are not many tasks in Honglu Temple."

"Very good. There is not much to do. It is just right that I can be an official and study at the same time. Shi Yong, you don't have to worry too much. If I can't do a good job here, I will submit a petition to resign voluntarily so as not to cause trouble to the court."

Zhang Luan looked calm.

Who says that if I become an official, I will stay here and not leave?

If I can't do a good job, I will step down. Anyway, my son told me that the father-in-law of the emperor is destined to be a meritorious official. I can choose any job in the Five Military Commandery when the time comes. Besides, it will only be half a year later.

If I can't sort out the affairs of the Honglu Temple within these six months, why should I stay there?
If you don’t leave me here, you will have my own place to stay.

Xu Qiong was even more speechless after hearing this.

The court is your place to play house? You can come and go as you please?
"Laizhan, I should have advised you to decline this job, but I know you are devoted to the imperial examinations and have long wanted to serve your country. If you return empty-handed, you will definitely not be willing to accept this."

Xu Qiong said, "How about this, you take over this position first, as an explanation to Minister Li, and then let Minister Li help you explain the situation to the court and transfer you to the Taichang Temple. After all... the court is too complicated, and you will not be able to maintain your high position when you first arrive."

"understand."

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "I'll give it a try first. If it doesn't work out, no one needs to impeach me. I'll resign on my own and won't cause any trouble for others."

(End of this chapter)