Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 711 Winning People's Hearts
Huai En and Qin Ji came out of the Qianqing Palace one after another.

At this time, Huai'en had deeply felt that his time was up. Faced with an emperor who was gradually becoming more assertive, and Tan Ji who seemed to be able to take on the position of the keeper of the Imperial Household Department, he deeply felt that no matter how capable he was, it would not be as useful as having close relationships.

The emperor seemed to trust the old servant in front of him who had served him for many years and was with him day and night, and he only showed courtesy to Huai En.

Before Qin Ji left the palace to deliver the message, he wanted to ask Huai En's opinion.

Huai En smiled and shook his head to refuse, then parted ways with Qin Ji.

That afternoon, Zhang Yanling learned that Li Zisheng had successfully persuaded the Tatars to pay tribute to the court, and then rushed to Zhang Luan's outer residence to inform him of the situation.

At this time, Zhang Luan, supported by Qi Niang, went outside to the yard to bask in the sun.

"I'm feeling better now. My limbs feel rusty after staying in bed for so long. My joints make crackling noises when I move them a little. So I'm going out for a walk. I won't catch a cold... Don't worry."

Zhang Luan was probably afraid that his son would misinterpret the matter, so he quickly explained.

Zhang Yanling said, "Your leg is your own, and you know the severity of your illness. If you really want to do something, I can't stop you, but in the end it will hurt your body and affect your life. I came here to tell Dad that Li Zisheng has succeeded."

"Haha, I knew it."

Zhang Luan was immediately excited, and raised his hand to Qi Niang, saying, "You go for now. I will return to the mansion after tonight... Sorry for bothering you these past few days."

Qi Niang hurriedly asked, "Master, what are you talking about?"

Zhang Luan said with emotion: "I have been away for so long, and I don't know how things are going at home... Son, tell me about the situation at home later, especially your big brother who makes me worry..."

As he said this, he glanced at Qi Niang who was leaving, as if blaming her for not leaving decisively and promptly enough.

……

……

Qi Niang was also wondering in her heart.

The old master of our family is the epitome of being unreliable, but it seems that he has done something extraordinary. How can he make great achievements for the court just by lying at home?
No wonder the powerful butler admires the old master so much. It seems that this cannot be explained by his status as a father-in-law of a king.

Zhang Yanling turned his head and saw Qi Niang's back disappearing behind the moon gate. He shook his head, walked to Zhang Luan and asked, "Dad, do you want me to help you go back to your room to rest?"

"no need."

Zhang Luan waved his hand and pointed to the stool next to him, saying, "Sit down and take a rest. Tell me in detail what happened."

Zhang Yanling immediately informed Qin Ji of the latest news in detail.

In particular, it was mentioned that the emperor decided to let Qin Ji cooperate with Zhang Yanling to be responsible for receiving the Tatar envoys.

"I don't know what my brother-in-law is planning, but from what Eunuch Tan said, my brother-in-law took the initiative to bring it up. He probably took into consideration that you are recovering from an illness and didn't want to trouble you."

Zhang Yanling said casually.

Zhang Luan shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm not suitable for this. The last time I was asked to receive that North Korean envoy, I had a headache. This time you can go and exercise. Remember to bring your elder brother with you so that he can also broaden his horizons."

Zhang Yanling protested in dissatisfaction: "Dad, since you know that your eldest son is a worry, why do you insist on giving him to me? Isn't it your job to teach your son?"

"Can't you help your father cultivate your brother?"

Zhang Luan said shamelessly, "I only have two sons, they can't be too different, right? Didn't you also fail to understand before? Maybe with your advice, he can wake up."

"hehe."

Zhang Yanling thought to himself, that would be difficult.

This is a skill I acquired as a reincarnated human being thanks to the memories of two lifetimes.

As for your eldest son...

As a native who suddenly became rich, it is good enough that he can keep his original heart and not do evil. Do you still want him to have a bright future?

You really think highly of him!

The key point is that you, as a father, have not set a good example. The Zhang family's education is not strict at all, and they cannot cultivate any decent talents.

Zhang Luan was a little embarrassed, and stood up and said, "It's really hard to listen to you... You came here just to tell me this? Go back after you're done... Don't worry, I'll be back home tomorrow morning."

Zhang Yanling said, "Dad, I'm not urging you to go back home. If you really feel that the service here is more considerate, you can stay a few more days."

Zhang Luan looked back at his son and asked, "I've been lying here for so long, and you want me to stay here? It's fine if my family doesn't need me, but does the court really not need me? But why do I feel like... it doesn't matter whether I'm in the court or not..."

"Then... Dad, how do you want to stand out?"

Zhang Yanling asked.

Zhang Luan said, "There must be something that I need to worry about. Even if I just listen to you first and then hand it over to you and let you take charge, it's fine. At least I have to show my value as a father in the court."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Isn't it just that we can let someone from our family go to receive the Tatar envoy? It's just that this time it's me, not you.

"How about this, Dad, you go to court tomorrow morning and let others know that you are alive and have the ability and energy to serve the Ming Dynasty until your death?"

"Tsk tsk, kid, why do nice words sound so awkward when they come out of your mouth?"

Zhang Luan frowned and complained, then said, "Li Zisheng is the same. He insisted on sending me a troupe. Doesn't he know what I like? It's really boring!"

As soon as these words came out, Zhang Yanling knew that as his old father's health was getting better, he could no longer suppress his inner restlessness.

When I felt that I was about to die, my old father was still there acting like a cuckoo, saying that he wanted to send away all the people from the outer houses and that he wanted to cultivate his character and so on.

As a result, before he even recovered, he forgot the pain and started thinking about women again.

"Dad, take good care of yourself. You are weak and frail. In order to live a few more years, you must cultivate your mind and character and avoid women."

Zhang Yanling said to Zhang Luan as he left.

Zhang Luan said without even turning his head, "I see. You're so nagging. Your father has given you a lot of luck, and you're filial. You'll definitely live a happy life in your later years."

……

……

As the news spread, Li Zisheng's actions were no longer a secret in the court.

Before sunset that afternoon, the news began to spread in all the major government offices. The person who was most annoyed was naturally the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Ji, who was waiting to see Li Zisheng and Zhang Luan make a fool of themselves.

"What's going on? Are you not going to fight anymore? This Li Zisheng is such a coward. It would be fine if he retreated from the battlefield, but he actually sold out his country for personal gain? It's totally unreasonable!"

Liu Ji denounced, "This kind of ambitious person should not be allowed to stay in the court... I wonder how many people in the Six Departments, the Censorate, and the Imperial Academy want to impeach him? Unite tomorrow morning, and I will take him down as a sacrifice this time!"

Xu Pu, who was standing beside him, seemed very calm. Instead of answering, he asked, "Mr. Liu, may I ask on what grounds do you intend to impeach Li Zisheng?"

Liu Ji said: "Isn't what I said clear enough? He fled from the battlefield! He won the battle, but failed to pursue the victory. Instead, he passively avoided the battle and retreated to Pianguan to hide. Facing the invasion of the Tatars, as the governor of Shanxi, he failed to take the responsibility of resisting the invading enemy and took the initiative to ask for peace. What a despicable act is this?"

"Ugh!"

Xu Pu sighed slightly and said, "Many things may be interpreted differently from different perspectives."

Liu Ji frowned and said, "From what you said, you don't intend to take the lead in impeaching him? And you admit that his despicable behavior has merits? Who will fight for the court in the future? They ran to negotiate peace in the middle of the battle! In the end, it was the Ming Dynasty that suffered the loss? Such a simple truth, no one understands it?"

Xu Pu said: "But he did not humiliate the military prestige of the Ming Dynasty!"

"What military prestige?" Liu Ji said disapprovingly, "Why didn't the previous emperor make peace with the Tatars? He just beat them hard! Beat the Tatars so hard that they fled in panic. Now, look at them, they have fallen to the point of accepting tribute from foreign barbarians. For this, the court has to give them several times the reward and allow them to facilitate border trade? Where is the prestige?"

Xu Pu had no words to refute.

Logically speaking, he also agreed with Liu Ji's statement. After all, Li Zisheng's actions this time were not necessarily glorious.

In other words, from the perspective of a civil official, no matter which path you, Li Zisheng, choose, it will be wrong.

Unless you, Li Zisheng, are really capable of winning battle after battle, and never repeating the same thing...

But even if you always win battles, you can't "waste money and manpower". It's best to raise troops and prepare food on your own. After the war, you don't need to ask for rewards from the court, and you can calmly wait for others to find fault with you.

Now Lizi Province only won a "small victory", and then made peace with the Tatars and agreed to the Tatars' request for tribute.

Obviously, this cannot satisfy the civil servants.

Liu Ji said: "He is so good at making decisions, is there no one to supervise him?"

Xu Pu frowned and reminded him, "Mr. Liu, you must know that His Majesty has already issued an edict, agreeing to let him accept the Tatars to come to the capital to pay tribute, right?"

"Is this true? Why didn't I know about it?"

Liu Ji seemed very surprised.

Xu Pu thought to himself, everyone calls you Liu Mianhua, knowing that you do not interfere in the affairs of state.

Take our cabinet for example. There are only two of us, but you can just sit there and do nothing. You also work for three days and rest for two days, leaving almost all government affairs to me... How can you be at ease? And you still have the nerve to say you didn't know about this?
Xu Pu said, "Right now, the Hanlin Academy is discussing the selection of new cabinet ministers. I wonder what Elder Liu thinks?"

"Anyone can do it, except Zhang Laizhan!"

Liu Ji said firmly, "If he enters the cabinet, he will definitely bring harm to the country! You don't deny this, right?"

Although Liu Ji did not think that he and Xu Pu were of the same mind before, he at least felt that Xu Pu and other traditional ministers of the Hanlin Academy were against Zhang Luan's entry into the cabinet.

But right now...

But he was not so sure in his heart.

Xu Pu expressed his opinion in a rare way and nodded, "I don't deny it."

"That's it. Your Majesty has already said that if Li Zisheng makes achievements in the northwest, Zhang Laizhan will be appointed to the cabinet." Liu Ji said, "At present, Li Zisheng's actions cannot be counted as achievements! You must be firm in this position. Especially regarding the Tatars' tribute, you must exaggerate the impact and give Your Majesty a preconceived bad impression."

Xu Pu thought to himself, what do you mean by this?
Let us speak nonsense with open eyes, calling black white, so that the emperor will have a preconceived idea that Zhang Luan and Li Zisheng are harming the country and the people?

Even if we don't admit that Zhang Laizhan has supernatural powers, we can't go against common sense.

Xu Pu said helplessly: "Mr. Liu, do you know how the officials and people in Beijing reacted to this news today?"

"I am deeply distressed and wish I could...wait."

Liu Ji suddenly looked at Xu Pu with eyes wide open and asked, "What do you mean by that? Don't you think that Zhang Laizhan and Li Zisheng are doing a good job and they are the pillars of the Ming Dynasty? Ahem, don't forget their origins! Taoist priests and relatives of the emperor are not acceptable!"

Xu Pu smiled bitterly and said, "Even though their colleagues have some complaints about their backgrounds, the common people... ah! They admire these two very much."

Liu Ji said with a dark face: "How can you, an ignorant person, not be able to distinguish right from wrong?"

Xu Pu sighed: "He can lead the army to win battles, and he can also pacify the foreign barbarians, make them come to Beijing to apologize, and resume the tribute that has been interrupted for many years. This is a move to calm people's hearts.

"The people of the capital don't want to be in war for years. After all, just raising money and food this winter has caused the price of food in the capital to soar. If the war continues, I'm afraid... people's livelihood will be in decline and the people will suffer terribly."

……

……

Xu Qiong's residence.

Shen Lu couldn't see Zhang Luan, so he hurried to find Xu Qiong to tell her the good news.

But in fact, he didn't need to report the news at all, because Li Zisheng's memorial had gone beyond the framework of the Ministry of Public Security and became known to everyone.

"That's a good thing."

Shen Lu smiled and said, "He not only won the battle, but also won the hearts of the people, using both kindness and force. This Minister Li is truly a rare and famous minister and general. After he returns to the court, he should at least be an assistant minister of six ministries."

Xu Qiong looked quite indifferent and asked, "Who in the court can tolerate him?"

In one sentence, it was like pouring a bucket of cold water on Shen Lu's head.

Shen Lu said, "Mr. Xu...you mean...Li Zisheng will still not be able to gain a foothold in the court in the future? This Minister Li is also a key figure in the past and the future. When the late emperor was dying, he had high expectations for him."

Xu Qiong shook his head and said, "Few people in the court agree with him. Even those who used to respect him and cling to him have now left him, haven't they?"

Shen Lu thought to himself, are you talking about yourself?
Others may not be grateful to Li Zisheng, but you, Xu Qiong, have received a lot of favors from him. If Li Zisheng had not helped you transfer to the capital to be a minister at the end of the late emperor's reign, I'm afraid you would still be living in a poor government office in Nanjing now?
Then Xu Qiong added: "How many people would care about Minister Li's abilities and his contributions to the court like you and I do?"

"Yes."

Shen Lu heard something, but he was not quite sure.

"Have you seen Lai Zhan?"

Xu Qiong asked.

Shen Lu sighed, "He has been resting outside. I am not even sure whether he is in the capital now. Even if I want to see him, I can't."

Xu Qiong said, "The Ministry of Personnel held an examination at the beginning of the year, and many officials from all over the country came to Beijing. Other people's houses were full of guests, and no matter if they were retainers or not, they were all welcomed. Only Lai Zhan hid himself from the court at this time. Was he trying to avoid the world, or was he trying to let it go completely?"

"Then I'll try to meet him."

Shen Lu understood the trick.

At this time, Li Zisheng and Zhang Luan had made achievements in the northwest. It was the best time to use their reputation to develop their factions.

Otherwise, no matter how capable Zhang Luan was or how much trust he had in the emperor, he would still be a commander without supporters and his policies would be difficult to implement.

If I could develop more connections in the capital and in the local areas, it would be much easier to get things done.

Xu Qiong added, "You should ask him whether the Yellow River project should be delayed indefinitely. If we have to wait until he returns to the court before moving forward, I'm afraid it will be delayed again this year... After all, in two months, it will be the busy summer harvest season."

"Yeah."

Shen Lu said, "It's best to repair the river during the slack season. The Yellow River's spring flood is coming soon, and the court is making preparations in an orderly manner. The summer harvest is very important, and it's really not suitable to advance the river works by then. I have to hurry up and rush to Zhan."

Xu Qiong nodded and said, "It seems that sometimes you also need someone to remind you. If you don't come to ask about things, you have to go out more often. It's always inconvenient for me to be here."

Shen Lu was like a competent errand boy, smiling and saying, "I understand. Since Lai Zhan is not paying attention, I will keep a closer eye on him. But I have to say that Lai Zhan is very decisive in his work. He either doesn't do it or... when he does it, he is very clear about it. Fortunately, his second son Yanling is always on the road, and with his nephew here, we don't have to worry too much."

Xu Qiong frowned when he heard this.

You don't expect the father-in-law Zhang Laizhan to do anything, but instead place your hopes on his underage son?
Obviously, as a traditional civil official, Xu Qiong looked down on a young man like Zhang Yanling.

In his opinion, no matter how capable a child is, he is still a naughty kid... No matter how sensible his younger generation is, at the age of twelve or thirteen, he does not seem to have the ability to get involved in court affairs.

It is not easy to be able to restrain oneself, return to propriety, cultivate one's character, and then continue one's studies.

No matter how capable a child is, can he really hold up the whole world?
Who would believe it?
But Shen Lu seemed very sure of this, and he said goodbye with a smile.

(End of this chapter)