Jingming

Chapter 139
Zhou Zhao, who had just recovered from a serious illness, taught Zhu Houcong another lesson by "relying on the old and selling the old". After Zhu Houcong asked Huang Jin to send him back, he did not stop thinking.

Zhu Qingping on the side hesitated to speak.

She can't talk too much about national affairs.As a female official next to the emperor, she can only do what His Majesty tells her to do.

Then Zhu Houcong ordered: "Let's go for a walk in the back garden of the palace."

At this time, it was not called the Royal Garden. Zhu Houcong thought for a moment just now, and suddenly realized that he had been in the palace for almost half a year, but he had never set foot in this small garden behind the Kunning Palace.

Partly because there are many problems to be solved in the succession of the vassal king, and partly because of the sense of mission and thinking too much about things to do during the time in the palace.

After ascending the throne, he actually lived a much more social life than his original accountant life.

Every day, I take the initiative to understand the many texts, numbers, and dynamics about the empire, or study and study Neo-Confucianism, psychology, and other ideological issues. Day after day, I ponder the hearts of the people and the gains and losses of some of my own actions.

"Being by my side, do you often worry about it?" Zhu Houcong suddenly asked Gao Zhong after passing through the Kunning Gate.

Gao Zhong immediately knelt down: "My servant only knows how to do things with my heart, Your Majesty is lenient, my servant has never felt worried."

But his actions said it all.

The leader is diligent to a certain extent, but the subordinates are really tense at any time, for fear that something wrong will be found.

What's more, it's the time when the imperial power is life and death?
"That's good, get up." Zhu Houcong smiled shallowly, looking at the palace back garden at this time.

Although the memory is fuzzy, there are still many things that are different at this moment.Zhu Houcong couldn't tell where it was different from the imperial garden he had visited before, but at this moment alone, it was probably more secluded.

There aren't many people in the harem now.

Except for Empress Dowager Zhang and the Xia family, except for Empress Dowager Shao, Empress Dowager Jiang, and the two princesses, all the concubines of the former emperors in the palace have been marginalized, and they will no longer set foot in this forbidden palace garden, which covers an area of ​​more than 1 square meters.

Zhu Houcong walked slowly in the garden, and suddenly said casually: "Change the name to Yuhuayuan. The name Gonghouyuan lacks the royal atmosphere."

I'm afraid that this place will be renamed in the future, no matter what, I still have a lot of time.Change it first, so that there is no chance of being changed by others later.

After Gao Zhong received the decree, Zhu Houcong went all the way north and looked at a location beside the wall of the North Palace.

He had the impression that there should be a lot of fake rocks in this place, but now it is a palace tower higher than the palace wall.

"What's the name here?"

"Your Majesty, this is called the Flower Viewing Hall." Gao Zhong replied, with a nervous smile, "Although there are not many flowers and trees planted in the imperial garden, when viewed from the Flower Viewing Hall, it is hidden behind the towering trees. It's not interesting either."

"Go up and have a look."

So I boarded the flower viewing hall, and I could see the scenery outside the north palace wall to the north, but to the south...

Standing on the high platform, Zhu Houcong faintly saw the Xia family supporting him, and the Empress Dowager Zhang was walking slowly on the west side.

Think about it, as an emperor, looking at the imperial garden from this high place, I am afraid that the "flowers" he sees are mainly the concubines who are trapped in the palace and can only come here to relax.

There are not many flowers in the imperial garden now.

Queen Mother Zhang and the others walked very slowly, and there were not many people around them.

Zhu Houcong seemed to be admiring the scenery, but he was still thinking about what Zhou Zhao said.

He can ascend to the throne of God because Zhu Houzhao has no heirs.

Because he knew the "abolition" of the vassal kings in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong really didn't pay attention to them.

However, does the emperor really need to be very good and hardworking?Although the vassal kings are abolished, they are also very good mascots.As long as their blood is needed, some caring people can do something by supporting a certain vassal king.

Standing at the height of Zhu Houcong, there is quite a lot of information that can be summarized now, and he still has cognition beyond the times.

What has never happened in history may happen because of some of my own operations now.

The vassal king is indeed the thread that can be held at the least cost: if someone is really dissatisfied with Zhu Houcong, he must find one of the current vassal kings to cooperate, or else it will be a rebellion during the stable period of the dynasty that is difficult in hell .

After thinking for a while, Zhu Houcong said, "I saw Empress Dowager Cishou and Empress Zhuang Su, so let's go over and say hello."

Empress Dowager Zhang and Xia Shi who saw the emperor appearing here were obviously quite surprised, after all, they had never seen him here before.

"Auntie, sister-in-law, let's rest in the pavilion over there."

So the three of them sat down on the rockery in the southwest corner of the imperial garden and in the pavilion beside the small pond. Gao Zhong and Zhu Qingping naturally ordered the accompanying eunuchs and maids to serve tea and snacks from the food box.

Queen Mother Zhang switched to fake smile mode again, and her face looked a little stiff.

Zhu Houcong's words moved the hearts of the two middle-aged and elderly women: "Yuan Jinsheng was too eager to pre-select ladies outside the palace under the guise of the holy will. I have promised the queen mother and the emperor's wife, but I have always remembered this matter." thing."

Yuan Jinsheng is mentioned, but the second half of the sentence confirms the matter of adoption again. Empress Dowager Zhang and Xia's heartbeats are different.

Zhu Houcong said with a smile: "Adoption, the aunt's biological mother must not cause disputes in the future. Originally, I wanted to get closer, but later I found out that the two younger sisters of the emperor's wife married Wei Guogong and the other married Wei Guogong. The son of the Marquis of Shouning."

Seeing that he had really thought about this issue seriously, Xia couldn't help being moved.

If it is true that her sister is accepted as the concubine and has a child adopted under her name, then she will still have the status of an aunt and can move around.

But Empress Dowager Zhang didn't think so. Was the emperor's words implying that the Zhang family now had a relationship with the queen mother and empress in the palace by virtue of their marriage, and also had a relationship with top ministers outside the palace?

She now knew that her mind was much worse than that of the emperor, so she didn't answer the conversation and listened quietly to what the emperor wanted to say.

"Although I put forward the law of both ends at that time, the ministers advised me a lot afterwards, thinking that if the arrangements are not made properly in the future, there may be great disputes." Zhu Houcong sighed, "Now that the emperor's brother's funeral is over, I I've been pondering over this for a while now. I just met here by chance today, and I want to ask my aunt and sister-in-law for their opinions."

"...Your Majesty, I would like to ask for your instructions." Empress Dowager Zhang cheered up and looked at him.

"The first way is to wait." Zhu Houcong smiled at the Xia family, "After the big marriage in the draft next year, if the eldest son or the eldest son is adopted, I am afraid that the officials will dissuade you. Therefore, I am afraid that at least the third son, fourth son or even Even further back."

Thinking of the difficulty of the royal heir, Xia's face paled slightly.Don't say that you are born as a prince, if all of them don't die young, the third and fourth princes may be a few years away.

"The second method is to choose the youngest son to succeed from the small clan now." Zhu Houcong looked at the Empress Dowager Zhang, "Check the clan roster in the clan's mansion, agree on a suitable child, and after the ceremony is done, the name will be determined Come down. This method is quick, but after the adoption, I am afraid that the prince will be canonized in advance, and the feudal clan will be established as soon as possible."

After Zhu Houcong finished speaking, he looked at them.

Empress Dowager Zhang forced a smile: "I have also discussed this matter with Empress Zhuang Su. After all, I still want to be crowned king and vassal. They are all from the blood of the Zhu family. It is really inappropriate to add trouble to Your Majesty."

"So, both aunt and sister-in-law think the second method is better?"

Empress Dowager Zhang said meaningfully: "After your Majesty's Xie Jian arrived that day, Grand Master Jiang explained the hidden dangers. With your Majesty's blood and blood, I am afraid that there will always be disputes in the future, so that's good."

Zhu Houcong didn't know if it was because he ran over to greet each other every day, which made Queen Mother Zhang more and more unbearable.

She is no longer the highest-ranking woman in the palace, so the palace wall is becoming more and more like a prison wall.

"Since that's the case, I'll explain it to you and start making arrangements for this matter." Zhu Houcong laughed, "Find a good candidate first, and then discuss where to build the feudal clan."

After chatting for a few more words, Zhu Houcong started to walk back.

He knew that Yang Tinghe should not be too suspicious, it would form a vicious circle.In history, although Yang Tinghe had some contacts with King Ning, he was later dismissed by Jiajing with great gifts, and his son was exiled, and he never planned anything again.

The matter of Guangdong and Guangxi was just Yang Tinghe's last fight, and he wanted Zhu Houcong to see the actual situation in Daming.

But because of Zhu Houcong's emphasis on the ocean, and because of the guidance of some dark hands, this matter still had a chain reaction after all.

One of the key people is Fang Muxian, the steward of Shouning Hou Zhang Heling who Wang Zuo found out.

The Zhang family's business and many of the Zhang family's current decisions all have his shadow behind them.

Now, in addition to Xu Pengju, the Zhang family, apart from Zhu Houzhao's father-in-law Xia's family, later also married the former cabinet minister Li Dongyang.

If Zhu Houcong remembers correctly, the Zhang family will marry the Kong family in the future, and Zhang Yanling's daughter will marry the next generation, Duke Yansheng.The mother of Yan Shenggong is Li Dongyang's daughter.

Li Dongyang, who impeached the Zhang brothers, has no objection to this marriage?
With the brains of the Zhang family brothers, how could there be such a big pattern?As their relatives, how could they allow Li Dongyang and the Kong family to form such a high-level relationship with them?

And this Fang Muxian, under Wang Zuo's many investigations, seems to have some indistinct relationship with Fang Xiaoru back then.

But recently, Zhu Zhishan's "Wild Notes", which has been written for several years, is still being discussed by more and more people in Jiangnan.Among the protagonists, isn't there Zhu Di, the "king of the vassal"?
Back in Qianqing Palace, Zhu Houcong looked south from a distance.

Are all the six people in Wenyuan Pavilion subdued by his "wiseness and martial arts"?
In the farther southeast, who have unspeakable thoughts, or have they been used by some people?

What kind of new changes will be brought about by choosing a person from the vassal prince's clan as Zhu Houzhao's stepson?

"Call Zhang Ting."

……

The Eastern Investigation Factory was changed to the Internal Inspection Factory. The reason why Yang Ting and the others agreed was a major change.

The original Dongchang was supervised by eunuchs, who had the authority to directly arrest subjects without going through the three courts.

The current inner factory, after the transition is completed, will only be under the command of Xunchen generals, and the subsequent duties will only be to inspect the enemy's secret spies and rebels who may spread to Ming Dynasty.Correspondingly, there is also an external factory, which has now spread to Nanyang.

The factory guard, who always exists like a shadow all day long, at least lacks an institution that makes the courtiers uneasy from the clear authority.

So now the black hand behind the Southeast Mystery is already a big case that the inner factory can definitely handle.

In fact, Zhang Tong didn't know how to operate such an inner guard. Although Zhu Houcong was not a professional, he had a lot of insights from later generations.

In addition, his internal funds are temporarily abundant.

In the East Nuan Pavilion of Qianqing Palace, Zhang Tong stayed for more than two hours.

When he left, his face was very solemn.

For him, this is new territory.But from the opportunity of the emperor's previous secret grant and the amount of silver allocated to him, he knew that this might be a very important case for His Majesty to stabilize the imperial power.

The internal factory must have its own new channels and new ways to obtain information.

All the original Dongchang fanzi were called back. In the former Dongchang yamen to the north of Donghuamen, no outsider knew what was going on inside.

At the national policy meeting, it is naturally a safe move to select someone from the clan to adopt Zhu Houzhao under the name of Zhu Houzhao, and to be crowned king as soon as possible.

The matter was handed over to the Ministry of Rites and the Clan Mansion.

"Now that the emperor's brother's funeral is over, the first year of Jiajing is approaching, and I am sixteen years old." Zhu Houcong said from the throne, "Zhang Fujing please play in Guangdong to start the preliminary selection of Shuren, and next year I will use it to appease Guangdong. Do you think it is possible? ? Can Southeast also start earlier?”

For some reason, everyone looked at him with complicated eyes.

"Is it wrong?" Zhu Houcong asked.

Yan Song coughed: "It is a matter of national importance, of course. It's just that your majesty, in such a draft, isn't it too early to decide on the candidate? If so, I am afraid that I will lose the original intention of the Taizu to choose from a good family..."

He didn't get it right, he just said it was too political.

In fact, the weird points in everyone's mind also include: Are you a young man with a vigorous blood?You finally started thinking about women, and you even opened your mouth just to cooperate with political actions?
Now, the preliminary selection of Shuren from Guangdong and Jiangnan is undoubtedly to reassure some people or divide them.

Those who are not enough, need to be appeased?With enough weight, can it be called an ordinary good family?

What about the risks of future relatives?
After thinking for a while, Zhu Houcong said: "I think that to prevent foreign relatives from interfering in politics, we still have to rely on the management system of foreign relatives, rather than just selecting people with shallow foundations from the source. Once you become a foreign relative, you will suddenly enjoy the glory and honor, and the morality It is more harmful to be unfit. People with a certain foundation may have a better understanding of the general situation. They only need to prevent their relatives from causing disasters in the current dynasty or when the old and new dynasties are changing from the system. "

The ministers in the imperial study room have muscle memory, and feel that this is another big topic that involves a lot of things. Does it take a long time to discuss it?
"Your Majesty, why not draft according to the precepts of the ancestors. Now that the funeral ceremony of the late emperor is over, the draft is imminent in order to strengthen the foundation of the country. However, at this time, we will pre-select ladies, lest people in the world will comment on it." Wang Qiong suddenly said .

"Discussion?" Zhu Houcong looked at him, pondered for a moment and then said, "But referring to the current situation, some people will say that the emperor's elder brother was drafted and married not long after his funeral, so there is something to consider in terms of etiquette?"

"Before, some ministers falsely pre-selected Shuren, and the officials even impeached him." Wang Qiong stared at him deeply, "I think it's better to wait until next year. Your Majesty has this intention today, and I feel at ease, knowing that His Majesty has this in mind." event."

Zhu Houcong laughed: "Of course I have such a thing in my heart. As for the discussion on this matter, I brought it up at this time just to see who will discuss it. The emperor originally chose me to succeed the emperor because he had no heirs. Isn’t the country the top priority at the moment? As for the pre-selection of Shuren, it is only limited to Guangdong, Nanzhili, Zhejiang, and Fujian. Therefore, those who discuss it are either superficial or pedantic, or have other ideas. Do you think so?”

Yang Tinghe and the others were frightened: the clan's relatives chose an heir to be adopted by Emperor Zhengde, and they also pre-selected Shuren in the southeast and Guangdong, all aimed at the current mystery.

Who will jump out and argue?
(End of this chapter)