Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 713 Cunning
Zhang Yanling quickly submitted a detailed implementation plan for the military parade.

Zhu Youtang was very satisfied after reading it.

Although Zhu Youtang lived a very restrained life in the first half of his life, he was still a young man after all. In addition, Zhang Yanling's summary of the reasons for holding a military parade was very sufficient, and Zhu Youtang also hoped to make achievements in both civil and military affairs, so he readily agreed to the plan.

However, when Zhu Youtang handed the things to Huai'en and asked him to assist Zhang Yanling in carrying them out, Huai'en raised objections.

"Your Majesty, while it is important to demonstrate the country's prestige, we must also be careful not to be extravagant. Such a move would only cost the people money and time. After all, we are still in a period of national mourning, and many things should not be done in a big way."

Huai En knew that it was too difficult to stop a young man's self-righteousness. The best way was to start from the boy's weak spot.

Zhu Youtang's greatest strength, but also his flaw, is that he is too honest and filial. He is a good boy who possesses the five virtues, four beauties and three loves.

He always needs to use some big hats to restrain the unrealistic ideas in his head, otherwise he may not be able to stop.

Zhu Youtang explained: "Yanling has a perfect plan. He said that in terms of expenses, there is no need for the court to allocate additional money and grain. Instead, it can be raised by the people."

Huai En said: "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about how there is so much floating wealth among the people, ready for the court to use at any time? Now is the critical period of salt policy reform, is there any particular reason for it?"

It's almost like saying that your brother-in-law may have promised many benefits that should have belonged to the court, and transferred the profits to private merchants by enriching himself, which made them pay money to the court again and again.

Zhu Youtang glanced at Tan Ji beside him and asked, "My dear, do you think Yanling would be inappropriate in doing things?"

Tan Ji was stunned.

I thought, is this a problem?

A question that has a preset correct answer is not a question. It is just a message asking me to say it for you. In short, it is a substitute for your words.

Even though Qin Ji was now very afraid of Huai En, he still followed the emperor's wishes and said it verbatim: "Your Majesty, I will personally watch it and will not let the young uncle of the Zhang family easily promise the interests of the court to others. And in my opinion... it seems that this is not necessary."

Wynn asked, "Why not?"

Qin Ji said: "Eunuch Huai, do you think that the Zhang family only has one profitable business, the textile factory opened for the imperial palace? Actually, it is not. The young prince has been managing the family business all the time, and there is a lot of income every year... Of course, most of it is donated to the court."

Huai En still appeared calm and said, "This is just converting the power held by the relatives into money, which will lead to the public's infamy.

"Just like the Zhang family was previously targeted by some merchants and scholars, they cannot always rely on Your Majesty to support them. To win the hearts of the people, you must convince them."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Huai Daban, what you said makes sense, but when you see the plans made by Yanling, you will know that there is no such thing as bullying and dominating the market, because what he does is a business that has never existed in the world. On the contrary, the only business that may have competition, spinning and weaving, was handed over to the court, so we should not blame him."

Huai En frowned slightly: "So, this time the inspection of the Beijing army is borne by the Zhang family?"

Zhu Youtang said: "I don't know how much silver it will cost yet. But I think since I've handed the matter over to Yanling, I'll let him have a try.

"It is estimated that the Tatar envoys will arrive in the capital in a few days."

"Then... Your Majesty, Li Zisheng should not continue to stay in the northwest." Huai En said, "In my opinion, he should be recalled to the capital as soon as possible."

"Eh? Hasn't he completed the mission of escorting cloth, military uniforms and food to the west? It's only been a few days, and they've summoned him back to the capital? Will there be any..."

Zhu Youtang was obviously a little worried.

Huai En said, "Your Majesty, didn't you ask about the current situation of the former Shanxi Governor Zhai Xuan before, and still let him go to Piantouguan to take over the post of Governor? Although there are disputes at the court, the majority of people are in favor after all, so you can issue an edict as soon as possible. In addition, you can send Baoguogong and others to continue to transport money, grain, cloth, etc. to Yansui."

Zhu Youtang shook his head: "No, no. At this time, shouldn't we prioritize the safety of Piantou Pass?"

Huai En insisted: "There is no danger of war in Pianguan now, and troops from all over the country have gathered at Pianguan. On the contrary, your majesty's grace has not yet been deployed to the military garrisons west of Piantouguan.

"Yansui and its surroundings are the core of Ming's northwest defense. We should strengthen the defense of Yansui and other places to prevent Tatar tribes from harassing the border and adding uncertainty to the Tatar tribute this time."

"is it?"

Zhu Youtang didn't quite understand the connection.

Because his advisor Zhang Luan is now claiming illness and unable to come out, it is impossible for Zhang Yanling to be around to provide him with advice all the time.

When the emperor wanted to seek military advice, he could only ask the ministers in the court...and this was exactly what the emperor was not very willing to do.

Apart from this, he could only listen to the opinions of his close ministers.

At present, Huai En has preconceived prejudices about the military and political affairs of the Northwest, which leads to a great deviation in the emperor's acquisition of information.

It is impossible to listen to both sides and then be wise.

Originally, Qin Ji could have corrected it...

But Qin Ji knew very well that Huai'en knew that his time in the court was running out, so before his retirement, he had been trying to influence the emperor's use of his relatives.

As a good guy, what Qin Ji fears most is jumping out and singing a different tune from others.

Huai En said: "Your Majesty can temporarily transfer Li Zisheng to be the Chief Censor, and let him inspect the inner three passes and other places, transfer him back to Juyong Pass, and then transfer him back to the capital from Juyong Pass. Along the way, he can observe the movements of the Tatars up close."

Zhu Youtang asked: "Why don't you give Li Zi any subordinates, but just transfer him to Juyongguan?"

Huai En said seriously: "The Tatars have only sent a delegation of about 500 to 600 people, so there is no need to be too strict on defense. Instead, we should worry that the Tatars will cause trouble on the way to Beijing and take the opportunity to obtain our intelligence..."

"My dear, what do you think?"

Zhu Youtang interrupted Huai En because he felt that what Huai En said was biased. Unfortunately, he could only ask Tan Ji, who usually didn't take care of things.

There is no one around to ask for the time being.

Qin Ji hesitated for a moment and said seriously: "Eunuch Huai's reminder makes sense. Leaving Li Zisheng in Pianguan will lead to criticism from court officials and cause instability. It would be better to..."

When he said this, Qin Ji also felt upset.

Because he knew that what he said was not what he meant.

If Huai En had not informed him in advance and used favors or coercion and inducement to make him submit, he would not have said this to the emperor.

But Huai En had said that whether Li Zisheng was in Piantou Pass or not would not have much impact on the overall situation in the Northwest. For the long-term stability of the Northwest, a qualified and popular person should be replaced by Li Zisheng, and the little emperor had already made the decision.

In this case, Li Zisheng’s military power should be removed.

As for transferring him to Juyong, Daomaguan and other places first, it was a compromise. To put it bluntly, it was because they were afraid that Li Zisheng would rebel.

But in fact, even Qin Ji knew that Huai En was simply worrying about nothing.

Will Li Zi Province rebel?

Why?
Just because he had won a victory by attacking the Tatars at Piantou Pass, he dared to rebel with his current strength? Who would listen to him if he rebelled?

Tan Chang or Zhu Yong and his son?

Zhu Youtang said: "In this case, let's mention this matter at the court meeting tomorrow and temporarily transfer Li Zisheng back to Juyong Pass. As for Tan Chang and Zhu Yong, they will still stay at Piantou Pass to prevent the Tatars from making any unusual moves. As for the task of delivering military supplies, let others do it."

The emperor seemed to agree only partially with Huai En's views.

Transferring Li Zisheng is understandable and agreeable.

But the overall situation of Piantouguan must not be disrupted...

Since you are so wary of Li Zisheng, why not transfer Li Zisheng to a different environment? Without the support of his direct lineage, you won't have to worry about him doing anything that would harm the court, right?

As for the next step, whether to transfer Li Zisheng back to the capital, or let him continue to stay in Juyongguan as a second-line Chief Censor, we'll just have to take it one step at a time.

……

……

The meeting in the Qianqing Palace had just ended.

Qin Ji was the first to come out. He was going to meet Zhang Yanling to discuss matters related to the military parade, but before he had taken a few steps, he was stopped by Huai En who had chased him out.

"I don't have many days left to live."

Huai En got straight to the point and said, "Your Majesty has agreed to let me go back to spend my remaining years... I will hand over the matters at hand to you recently and go to my private residence. From now on, the affairs of the court will have nothing to do with me."

Tan Ji asked in surprise, "Are you going back home?" Huai En said with emotion, "I am like a floating duckweed, I can't go back. It's good to stay in the capital. There are many familiar people here, and it's prosperous and lively. I don't like quiet places."

Tan Ji was stunned.

He immediately thought of Huai En, who had been exiled and had guarded the imperial mausoleum in Zhongdu. He was probably afraid of that kind of silent and deserted environment and wanted to live among the hustle and bustle of life.

Everyone has different pursuits, and not everyone is willing to retire to the countryside after retirement.

Obviously Huai En still had some things that he was worried about. Even if he stepped down, with Huai En's desire for control, he still wanted to secretly assist the emperor in clearing some obstacles in the court.

"Houfang, you have to be careful of Li Zisheng."

Huai En reminded, "After spending some time together, I have come to understand that Zhang Guozhang is a free and easy person who does not fight for fame and fortune, but Li Zisheng is different... He is extremely cunning, and his dependence on Zhang Guozhang is more of an exploitation. Even if he makes great contributions this time, he will definitely be the source of troubles in the Ming Dynasty in the future."

"Uh……"

Qin Ji didn't know what to say.

Huai En continued, "As for that young uncle, no matter how outstanding his ability is, he is not a scholar. If he has achievements, it's nothing. But as a relative, even if he can get a title in the future, he should not be out of the scope of the Five Military Commander's Office. At most, he can hold some positions in the inner court."

Qin Ji agreed: "Yes."

Huai En said: "Do you know why I am so wary of Li Zisheng?"

Tan Ji nodded first, then shook his head.

"Alas! Hou Fang, you are so honest, how can anyone trust you?"

Huai En sighed, "I really can't trust you to be in charge of the Imperial Household Department. You must remember my advice today... No matter how much you trust Zhang Guozhang, you must be on guard against Li Zisheng. He... is too cunning!"

……

……

Qingning Palace.

Queen Mother Zhou sat there in a plain robe, with her eyes closed and Buddhist beads in her hands, like a living Bodhisattva.

Meanwhile, the eldest brother Zhou Shou was complaining to his sister.

"...If Li Zisheng can do it, so can we, especially the father and son of the Duke of Baoguo who led the troops to the northwest this time. They didn't even fight in a war, but they successfully gained military merit. Sister, you have such a good relationship with Zhang Luan, why don't you help your brothers and ask them to let us go to the northwest as well?"

Zhou Shou was blaming his sister. She was clearly guarding a treasure trove and usually called her nephew affectionately, but when it came to fighting for benefits for the Zhou family, she seemed to have forgotten about it.

Queen Mother Zhou opened her eyes, her gaze was sharp, even a bit ferocious: "Even if Lai Zhan was very capable, I would never have thought that he could help Li Zisheng gain military merit... If I had expected this, would I not have fought for you?"

Queen Mother Zhou was already upset at the time, and she became even angrier when she heard her brother's complaints.

Could it be that she had never met Zhang Luan before he proposed the plan?

No opinions?

But at that time, no one expected that Zhang Luan, a layman in military affairs, could help Li Zisheng, a more marginal figure, win the battle.

Zhou Shou said, "I heard that sister had met Zhang Luan before he mentioned the suggestion of sending troops?"

"so what?"

Queen Mother Zhou asked viciously.

Zhou Shou seemed to be unaware that his sister was angry. Like an ignorant child, he continued to rub salt into her wounds: "Why didn't your sister say anything at the time?"

Queen Mother Zhou took a deep breath, calmed down a little, and then said: "At that time, everyone in the court had prejudices against Lai Zhan. They thought that he had certain abilities in civil affairs, but they did not dare to involve him in military affairs. At that time, I just wanted to show him my magnanimity as an elder. Who would have thought..."

Can I say that the reason I didn’t fight for you at that time was simply because I didn’t think highly of him either?
I just want to use my eldest nephew's words to show my grandson that his grandmother is a reasonable person, selfless and not pursuing personal gain but only for the court.

If I had known that Li Zisheng would get such a huge advantage later, would I have missed the opportunity?
Seeing her brother was about to complain, Empress Dowager Zhou angrily interrupted, "Don't mention Li Zisheng to me. What's wrong with Li Zisheng? When my son was in power, he praised him highly. He was able to stay in the court for a long time because of his real ability! Besides, he has been working in the Tongzhengsi and has sufficient experience in being an official. You are just doing a sinecure in the Dudufu. How can you compare?"

Zhou Shou said: "If you can't replace Li Zisheng, you can always replace Zhu Yong, right? He is just a dog following a capable person. In the past, it was Wang Zhi, Wang Yue, and now it is Li Zisheng..."

"Humph!"

Queen Mother Zhou said, "Don't look down on the Duke of Baoguo. At least he can judge the situation. What about you?"

"Sister, if there is such an opportunity in the future, can't you help your brothers to fight for it? The younger generation in the family also wants to achieve something." Zhou Shou said.

Queen Mother Zhou shook her head and said, "Laizhan has been very ill recently, and I haven't seen him for a long time. If you have time, you should go visit him yourself, check on his condition, and maintain a good relationship. After all, I have recognized him as my nephew, so in the future... why can't we get closer?"

"This one……"

Zhou Shou seemed very embarrassed.

Queen Mother Zhou said, "I know. We are all relatives by marriage, so we must be competing against each other secretly. I clearly gave you a chance before, and you established a close relationship. But later you didn't fight for it, and now you blame me?"

"Cough cough."

Zhou Shou felt that his sister was starting to blame him because she was angry.

Queen Mother Zhou pointed to the box next to her and said, "I don't need the things you brought. Take them back yourself. Also, don't come to the palace all the time! Look at the Zhang family..."

Zhou Shou said, "Sister, we can't come to the palace for nothing, right? Even if it's just to reward our family with a few acres of land?"

Although Zhou Shou sent gifts to the palace, he seemed to be very respectful to his sister.

But when you give gifts to others, you must have something in mind. Zhou Shouquan did it for some practical benefits, such as land and houses. It seems that this is also the foundation of the family's survival... Apart from the fact that land can make people feel at ease and can be passed down from generation to generation to become a big landlord and maintain the family business, there is really nothing else to expect.

After all, the old lady is quite old. If she dies, the Zhou family will be completely ruined.

Queen Mother Zhou sneered and said, "You should also learn from Lai Zhan in this regard. You see, he never asked the court for land, and even when Your Majesty wanted to give it to him, he refused.

"Look at you guys. I've given you land time and again, but you still think it's not enough. Not only are you greedy, but you also like to snatch land from the common people. How many times have you been impeached? Can't you just stop doing such shameful things?"

Zhou Shou said: "The land can provide a stable living and continue the Zhou family's incense. Don't you understand?"

"Who doesn't know that having a few more acres of land would be better? But why can the Zhang family hold back?"

Queen Mother Zhou waved her hands and said, "Go away, go away, go back and reflect on your mistakes. Think about what has caused the Zhou family to gradually weaken in recent years. Don't always talk about the Wan family and the Zhang family. They were able to rise to power because of their real abilities!"

"Ugh!"

Zhou Shou could only sigh.

His face looked unwilling.

They are both in-laws, so why is there such a big difference between them?
When the Wan family was in power before, the Zhou family was not as envious, jealous and hateful as they are now... The main reason is that no matter how powerful the Wan family is, they are still subject to the arbitrariness of foreign relatives, and they only have the opportunity to show off their power because of the emperor's protection.

But Zhang Luan took a completely different path.

Queen Mother Zhou said, "Go visit Lai Zhan on my behalf and speak to him calmly. You are a few years older than him, and he will respect you. There are some things that I cannot ask my little grandson for, but you can ask Lai Zhan. As long as he is willing to help you, you will have the opportunity to advance. You think Li Zisheng is just trying to curry favor with him. Don't you know how to do this?"

Zhou Shou said: "How can I curry favor with them when my family is not as wealthy as theirs?"

Queen Mother Zhou seemed very angry.

She probably realized that her brother was just complaining about being poor in front of her, and his purpose was to get some land.

Why do you want the opportunity to make meritorious service?
In the end, it all comes down to the fields.

In the final analysis, it is all for the so-called "wealthy family background". They are not serving the country at all, let alone thinking of shedding their blood and sacrificing their lives.

"Something that doesn't live up to expectations."

Queen Mother Zhou cursed, "I hope the younger generation won't end up like you. You waited for the opportunity, but ended up in such a miserable state! The Wan family is already on the decline, and you will be too!
"Go, go, go. I don't want to see you again! I'd rather not see you."

(End of this chapter)