Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 405: First-Class Loyalty

Wei Tai's words made the ministers present extremely surprised.

All thinking.

What is Zhang Luan doing?
Didn’t he claim that he wanted to help the prince?

Why did he try so hard to cure the emperor and wake him up?
Isn't this just a side issue?

Others can't do anything, but he repeatedly saves the emperor from dangerous situations, which makes him, Zhang Luan, seem capable, right?

You are so ungrateful, and you still want to gain the trust of the prince?
But obviously, they could not understand the prince's thinking. Zhu Youtang came down in surprise and asked excitedly, "Is the emperor awake? I will go to see him immediately."

Wei Tai hesitated at first.

After all, the emperor did not say he wanted to see the prince before arranging for him to come. But now the prince is the regent, or even the future emperor. If he doesn't even listen to the prince, then he's really doomed.

"Your Highness, please follow me."

Wei Tai led the way and took Zhu Youtang to meet the emperor.

Wan An followed behind happily, saying loudly, "Eunuch Wei, I also want to go and pay my respects to His Majesty, is that ok?"

"That's not necessary."

As Wei Tai walked away, he turned back and refused, "Your Majesty has just recovered from his illness and doesn't want to see foreign ministers. If you have anything to say, you can tell the Crown Prince. It's the same... Everyone, please go back..."

Liu Jiben also caught up and was planning to request to go to the Qianqing Palace to pay a visit to the emperor. Upon hearing this, he could not help but take a few steps back.

Seeing this situation, the ministers blocking the entrance of Wenhua Hall had to put aside their display of loyalty to the emperor and give way to Wei Tai and Zhu Youtang, letting them leave.

……

……

In the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youtang was allowed to enter and met Zhu Jianshen.

Zhu Jianshen was lying on his back on a soft pillow, but he was not asleep. Instead, he looked at his son with a little satisfaction and nodded in praise: "Prince, you have done a great job. It is not in vain that I have cultivated you."

Zhu Youtang quickly knelt down and kowtowed.

"Get up, I'm fine."

Zhu Jianshen raised his hand and said, "Do your own thing. Don't worry about me. You have grown up and are no longer the child who knew nothing about the world. You should also take responsibility for some things. Take yesterday's incident for example. You did a great job and I am very pleased."

Hearing this, Zhu Youtang didn't even understand.

What did I do well yesterday?
Li Zisheng, who was listening carefully nearby, could not help but look at Zhang Luan with admiration, thinking, you are really the best old man, you not only helped alleviate the emperor's condition, but also helped the prince win his trust.

"Let's go back."

Zhu Jianshen then sent his son away.

Later, the rest of the people were also dismissed.

……

……

Outside Qianqing Palace.

Li Zisheng pulled Zhang Luan aside and said with a smile: "Laizhan, when I knew that you were going to use the method of awakening His Majesty to make him regain consciousness, I thought you were going to mess around. Now I know that you are the smartest one."

"I……"

Zhang Luan thought, what's so smart about me?
I don’t know what happened. I just listened to my son. He gave me a prescription for refreshing medicine, and I used it.

Who knew that after using it, you all would give me such high praise?
Li Zisheng said with emotion: "In fact, what your majesty is most worried about the crown prince is that something bad will happen to him. The crown prince is too weak to control the overall situation. This is a preview of what is happening. When your majesty was unconscious and unconscious, the crown prince was able to stabilize the situation in the court in just half a day and even convened a court meeting. What kind of courage is this? What else is your majesty dissatisfied with the crown prince?"

"That's right."

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "But...what does this have to do with me curing His Majesty's illness and awakening his mind?"

In Zhang Luan's opinion, whether the prince could control the situation existed before I woke the emperor up.

Does it make such a big difference whether the incident was witnessed by the emperor himself or not?

To show off to his old father?

Li Zisheng said, "Laizhan, you are pretending to be ignorant even though you know the truth! You want me to say it myself and praise your ability, right? Since you have said it, I might as well tell you something."

Zhang Luan looked slightly ashamed.

Oh no, I couldn’t see my son’s brilliance and was just following orders. Now I need Li Zisheng to help me analyze and see how awesome my son is?
How embarrassing!
But I am also very curious, what did my son do?
Li Zisheng leaned over and whispered, "Look, if His Majesty doesn't wake up and everything continues like this, then... it's settled. Even if the Crown Prince takes the throne, there will still be criticisms of him in the court. There will even be people who secretly think that the Crown Prince has usurped power while His Majesty is critically ill, which will pose a huge hidden danger."

"Uh……"

Zhang Luan thought about it.

The prince has become the emperor, why does he care what others think?

“But now it’s different.”

Li Zisheng said, "When His Majesty woke up, he not only agreed with the Crown Prince's actions, but also encouraged him to do so in public, and even helped the Crown Prince to punish those disobedient court officials. This let everyone in the court and the public know that His Majesty has never had the intention of changing the crown prince. It is both fair and reasonable for the Crown Prince to govern the country and eventually inherit the throne, which is what His Majesty wants to see most."

Zhang Luan said: "That is to say, the Crown Prince has been recognized by His Majesty from the legal perspective, and all the ministers in the court are convinced?"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "You are quite clear-headed, aren't you? Do you really need me to tell you?"

"This one……"

Zhang Luan lowered his head, feeling even more ashamed.

Li Zisheng said, "By doing this, you will make the prince trust you a little more... Our prince is a first-class filial son. If he ascends to the throne like this, the prince will definitely think that someone helped him to seize the throne, and he will always feel guilty. The prince really needs the approval of your majesty, which will be of great help to him in ruling the world in the future." Zhang Luan nodded and said, "Actually... I didn't think too much about it. I just thought of a way and used it."

"Yeah."

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "In fact, this is also good for me. I introduced you to treat His Majesty. When everyone was at a loss, you were the only one who dared to go against the crowd and even used a special method to treat His Majesty when His Majesty was unconscious. Who can compare with this kind of courage and loyalty? You have made great contributions, and His Majesty will appreciate me more."

As they were talking, Wei Tai came out and said, "Master Li, His Majesty has summoned you to come in."

"I'm coming!"

While Li Zisheng responded, he turned around and looked at Zhang Luan, as if saying something.

see?

I was right. I have to go in and claim the reward first.

……

……

Cabinet value.

After Liu Ji returned from the Wenhua Palace, he stood guard at the door. When Wan'an came in, he hurried forward and asked, "Wan Lao, can't you speak to me directly about what you have to say? We are all on the same boat. If you really retire, I will not stay alone in the court."

Wan An glanced at him and said, "Your Majesty has woken up, did you know?"

Liu Ji was startled and asked, "How...does this mean?"

"Your Majesty, when you wake up, there are many things in the past that you may have to reckon with." Wan An asked sinisterly, "Then who will take responsibility?"

"Then... naturally it's... me, right?"

Liu Ji just shouted slogans so loudly that I would not stay in the court without you.

But when it comes to taking responsibility, he instinctively thinks, of course you, as the Prime Minister, have to take the blame, otherwise how can you demonstrate that you are my superior?
Wan An looked disdainful and said, "Okay, then I will go and tell His Majesty that you were the one who planned the malicious attack on Zhang Laizhan, and you were also the one who led the Tongzhou warehouse deficit case... You even instigated the death of Sun Ren, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Do you think this is okay?"

"I……"

Liu Ji smiled bitterly and said, "Mr. Wan, please don't say angry words. Shouldn't we take a long-term view now?"

Wan An angrily said, "Oh, now you want to take a long-term view? What were you doing before? His Majesty is going to hold someone responsible, so why take a long-term view... His Majesty is just looking for someone to take the blame, so tell me, who is the right person to take the blame? You? Or me?"

"My……"

Liu Ji hung his face, not knowing how to respond.

But he quickly calmed down and said, "Since someone has to take the blame, let me go."

The reason why Liu Ji was so confident was because he felt that even if I came out to take the blame, the emperor would probably "deal with the matter at hand" and deal with the person who was truly responsible, that is, you, Wan'an, right?

People like me are at most just being pushed out as shields. Could it be that Your Majesty can't see clearly?
"Okay, remember what you said."

Wan An said, "I will go and tell His Majesty right away."

"Master Wan, are you... going to see the emperor?"

When Liu Ji heard this, he became inexplicably nervous and instinctively wanted to stop it.

Wan An said: "I would like to see you, but I don't know if I have the chance. But I still have to ask for apology. Will you go with me?"

"I have some things on hand, so let me finish them first...you go ahead." As a famous Liu Mianhua in the Ming Dynasty court, Liu Ji is definitely an expert at shirking responsibility and procrastinating.

You're going to apologize, and you want to drag me along?
Do you think I'm stupid?

Would I be so stupid as to go crazy with you?

……

……

Li Zisheng went to see the emperor. After coming out, he had a look of relief on his face. He looked up at the sun in the sky, and it seemed that his life had become a little brighter.

"All I did finally paid off. It seems like I'm on the right side. I should really support the prince and not go down the wrong path."

Li Zisheng seemed a little satisfied.

At this time, Wei Tai came out from behind and asked, "Master Li, what did His Majesty say to you?"

Li Zisheng said: "It's just encouragement, so that I can do my job well and assist the crown prince well."

Wei Tai said: "Your Majesty, this is..."

"Eunuch Wei, don't worry too much." Li Zisheng said, "I think His Majesty's dragon body is gradually recovering now, don't you think?"

Wei Tai was surprised and asked, "Did Zhang Taichang say that?"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "You shouldn't call me Zhang Taichang anymore. Your Majesty has officially promoted Zhang Laizhan to the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. From now on, you should call him Vice Minister Zhang."

"what?"

Wei Tai was horrified.

It's only been a few days and he got promoted again?

Why does it feel like a flying monkey?
Although the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites is also of the third rank and is only a nominal position, not a full-time job, but with this position, one will be qualified to join the cabinet in the future.

It seems that even the emperor intends to cultivate his father-in-law to become a cabinet minister of the Ming Dynasty and the right-hand man of the future crown prince.

"Laizhan is loyal and can help the prince. He deserves all this." Li Zisheng said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)