Jingming

Chapter 448 Chosen the wrong person?

In late autumn, there is already a chill in the capital.

Outside the Yangxin Hall, 15-year-old Qi Jiguang arrived at the door. The first thing he saw was Lu Bing standing there.

"I've seen Lu Zhi!"

"It's good to be here first, let's wait for His Highness together."

Lu Bing nodded and looked at Qi Jiguang.

I don't know how capable and accomplished that guy Qi Jingtong is, but His Majesty's grace for his son is really great.

In the last few years of Wang Shouren's life, this boy served him like his own grandson, and he learned a lot of things.

In addition to Wang Shouren, there was also Yan Chunsheng who taught special warfare, and experts from the Imperial Guards and the Military Academy of Huangming University taught martial arts.

Now we have to travel with the prince to the Ming Dynasty together with Zhang Juzheng.

It can be seen that His Majesty trained Zhang Juzheng and him as the prince's future civil and military talents and right-hand man.

"After receiving the decree, you didn't go to participate in the martial arts competition this year?" Lu Bing started to chat.

"You should take your will as your top priority and don't dare to neglect it."

"Martial arts is not difficult, and you don't need this background."

What Lu Bing wants to say is that his Qi family already has a military officer position that he can replace.Even if he only has a false title now, he still has to take a test to be conferred. With the emperor's cultivation of him and his ability, what's the difficulty?

As the boss of Jinyiwei, Lu Bing knows a lot.

Qi Jiguang replied: "Thanks to your majesty's favor, if I can't pass the exam and become a martial arts scholar in the future, wouldn't I be ashamed?"

"It makes sense." Lu Bing smiled, and then suppressed his smile, "You have a very heavy task here! You must be smart, not only to protect His Highness, but also to adapt to changes. If you and Zhang Shuda can't handle it, you have to be the first. It’s time to find the person this commander secretly arranged for, so don’t leave it to chance!”

“Keep it in mind!”

At this time, Zhu Zaiyi and Zhang Juzheng also came from the direction of Duanben Palace.

After seeing the ceremony, Lu Bing led them straight into the Yangxin Hall.

Zhu Houcong put down his imperial pen and looked at his son and the two young men.

"I won't go on a special trip. I will give you a feast when you come back."

Zhu Zaicheng was a little excited. After all, he had never left the capital despite growing up.

"Zai'an, tell me again, what are you going to do when you go out this time?"

Zhu Zaicheng collected his thoughts and replied respectfully: "My father ordered his ministers to travel to the Ming Dynasty to observe the people's sentiments. Through hearing and seeing, I know the sufferings of the people's livelihood and the difficulties of political affairs."

Zhu Houcong looked at Zhang Juzheng again: "Uncle, please tell me."

"Back to Your Majesty, I still want to study this time. Your Majesty always teaches and practices will lead to true knowledge. Your Highness and ministers will definitely only listen more, see more, and think more, and will never intervene in any local affairs."

Zhu Houcong nodded: "Yuan Jing, what's your mission?"

Qi Jiguang clasped his fists and said, "I will be a servant in front of you and behind the horse, so that you can protect your highness."

"It seems that I don't need to give too many instructions." Zhu Houcong looked at his son again, "The young man is passionate, and if he sees any injustice, he will naturally find it difficult to restrain it. However, you need to remember that things in the world are complicated, and you must not ignore them lightly because of your temporary mood. . I ask you to travel, not to show off your power as a prince, but to confirm what you have learned in daily life. The future of the Ming Dynasty is ultimately yours. You must try your best to understand the actual situation of the Ming Dynasty and how the officials and people of the Ming Dynasty are real. people."

"My son, please remember!"

Zhu Houcong nodded, paused and then said: "Go to the imperial mausoleum to say goodbye to your mother first, and then go south from the west of Beijing. The court will only know that you are observing filial piety for your mother in the imperial mausoleum and are away from home. , you should behave like an ordinary scholar of the Ming Dynasty."

"My son, I kowtow, my father will protect the dragon body..."

On this day, after congratulating the emperor on his long life, the crown prince officially went to the imperial mausoleum to marry and observe filial piety in accordance with the "ancient rituals", and at the same time devoted himself to studying.

The government and the public would naturally praise the prince's filial name, but in fact, the prince and the trio of Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang dressed in casual clothes and began their travel tour.

Lu Bing said goodbye to their southbound carriage at the imperial mausoleum and sighed deeply in his heart.

In the following days, my heart would always be on edge, and I would have to pay attention to where the prince was and how he was doing every day.

Besides him, the only people in Jingli who knew about this matter were the prince's uncle, Sun Yuan, the director-general of the Department of Public Security, and Yuan Hongmao, who was in charge of the special service team under the Department of Public Security system.

This was something Lu Bing knew. He didn't know if the emperor had any other secret arrangements.

The prince's car arrived in Liangxiang, and the sadness of parting in the imperial mausoleum dissipated. Zhu Zaiyi asked Zhang Juzheng: "Uncle, where should we go next?"

Zhang Juzheng had already entered the role and asked with a smile: "Brother Ming, do you have any ideas?"

"..." Zhu Zaiyi thought for a while, "Guangdong is the place I want to visit the most."

"Guangdong is far away, why not do this..." Zhang Juzheng had already made a plan in his mind, "Why not go to Huguang via the straight road first. Go to Anlu and then my hometown. Brother Ming has heard some things about these two places, little brother I still remember, just in time to see the changes today. Next, we will go to Brother Qi’s hometown of Shandong, and then go south along the Caohe River. To Nanjing, then to Zhejiang, via land to Fujian and Jiangxi, and then to Guangdong. Finally, from Guangdong to Guangxi and Yunnan, How about traveling from Sichuan to Shaanxi and Shanxi, and finally returning to Beijing via Xuanning, Hetao?"

Zhu Zaiyi laughed: "Uncle has done his homework, I think this trip will be worthwhile. Qi Yun, what do you think?"

"Little brother, listen to the big brother and the second brother."

Zhu Zaiyi, who went by the pseudonym Mingqian, and two people named Zhang Feng and Qi Yun began their journey.

At this time, the governors of various provinces and the envoys from the left were setting off one after another to rush to the capital.

The Jiajing 19 Major National Policy Conference will be officially held in November. This year is no small matter.

The previous three questions from the Chief Inspector and His Majesty have gradually turned into a clear signal. The wind has blown to these places and the officials know it.

This year, we will establish a constitution that both monarch and ministers must abide by.In the past, the emperors of all dynasties were taboo about something that the emperor now took the initiative to bring up: Ming Dynasty wants to establish a world-wide unified party.

Tang Shunzhi also set out from Guihua City.

In the capital, the Longevity Festival has passed, but the sports meeting is still going on.

Although people from various vassal states are now invited to participate, the Ming Dynasty has a vast territory and a dense population. Of course, in many events, most of the Ming Dynasty players still win.

But if a player from a small country occasionally wins, even if it is not the first place, the envoy from that country will be ecstatic.At the same time, the people of Ming Dynasty were naturally criticizing their own players for not being able to win the top three.

Among them, the fact that Duoyan won the first place in Marseille aroused even more discussion.

"There used to be a shortage of good horses, but now there is no shortage? Why do we let the Tatars take the lead? I don't even want to lose face!"

"You can't say that. This Duoyan tribe is now a minister of the Ming Dynasty, not a foreign vassal. Isn't this the same as the Ming Dynasty taking the lead?"

"Can it be the same? It only counts if the Han people take the lead!"

"Don't you understand this? The group of pastoral supervisors hired Duoyan riders to participate in the competition, but in fact they are selling good horses! They are close to the water, and they have the most good horses. This time, the other families are not convinced, and their horses are not good enough. Can it be sold at a higher price?”

"...The herdsmen are so shameless! Can't they just hire a good Han Chinese rider?"

"I just want everyone to hold their anger in their hearts! If you are not angry, how can you force other companies to retaliate? If they still lose, will we still buy their products?"

"But aren't those selected by each province to compete? What does it have to do with whether or not we buy their products?"

"Do important officials from various provinces have no face? These things are not important matters in the first place, and they are not all cooperation with various enterprises and commercial banks. Now that I am in Shandong, I am not convinced. When I go back, I will ask people from the Xiangxian Yuan to ask the superintendent what to do this year. The top spot is lost!”

"..."

The people in the capital belong to a relatively wealthy group. New entertainment is so close to them, and they have more and more to talk about.

Relying on the foundation laid by the light and heavy industrial park, as well as the logistics advantages established by water transportation, direct roads, river transportation bureaus, and transfer operations, there are many people working in the capital.

In the past, you had to endure hardships in the fields, but now it is still not easy to work in factories run by big companies and wealthy private businessmen, but after all, you can get solid Tongbao and even silver coins.

Taking advantage of the popularity of the World Games and the Longevity Festival, the capital is currently very lively.

Scholars who will take part in the examination next year do not want to miss this grand event, and most of them arrived in the capital early this summer.

The scholars felt unbelievable when they saw the envoys from foreign vassals buying up the good things of the Ming Dynasty without any restrictions, while the large and small bookstores seemed to let them buy without any restrictions.

Aren't you afraid that these foreign vassals will learn all the strengths of the Ming Dynasty?
They only talked about it in the big theaters and small theaters, which were especially busy during this period.

There are endless plays and new songs in the capital, and any high-end restaurant must have storytellers, dancers and piano players. This is a trend that has only become popular in the northern and southern Beijing and some big cities in recent years. .

"I think this extravagance is a little too much!"

In the Imperial Study Room, Yang Shen said with a straight face: "Although I know that your Majesty's great promotion of literature and art is to attract the hearts of the people of other vassals with culture, but it has not yet seen its effect, it has harmed the custom of the Ming Dynasty! Now that the princes from all the provinces are gathered in the capital, I don't want to invite you. I have gained and lost my knowledge, but I am happy to hang out in the theater and not think about Shu. If this continues, how will the Ming Dynasty get talented people?"

He came to communicate with the emperor about his major political direction after taking over as chief minister, including the restriction of entertainment.

Zhu Houcong didn't take it seriously: "Instead of putting efforts in this area, it is better to expand basic education. There are so many talents in the Ming Dynasty, and there is never a shortage of self-discipline. Those who indulge in pleasure can't do well in the imperial examination, so what are they afraid of?"

"It's also a waste of money!" Yang Shen insisted, "At least these places should be heavily taxed!"

"...You guys need to discuss these specific details first. In short, this great cultural undertaking cannot be killed with one stick. The court still needs to give good guidance. Isn't this the establishment of the Tianxia Datong Party? You should do a good job in publicity and let young people with ambitions People need to be more self-disciplined. Before these things, they went to brothels and hookups. Isn’t that the same?"

Zhu Houcong was tired, and so was Yang Shen.

The most difficult thing for these ministers is that being an official is no longer easier than before.Many of the situations we have to face did not exist before, or are very different from now.Just like going to the theater, listening to music, and dancing now, is it the same as going to a brothel in the past?

Although in essence it is all for fun, now that the imperial court encourages cultural undertakings, they are still plausibly talking about it.

In addition, today's scholars, civil servants, graduates of provincial colleges and universities... After the expansion of the Ming Dynasty's bureaucracy, they have more outlets.Even if it becomes more difficult to pass the Jinshi examination due to the expansion of the number of candidates, the worst case scenario is that we will not take the exam.You can also become an official by promoting people, and the ceiling for promoting people is much higher than before.

Didn’t you see that Xu Jiusi, who was born in Juren, will be promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture this time?
This is what Yang Shen is worried about.

"There's one more thing." Yang Shen added, "After I took over as the chief assistant, the prince didn't have so much energy to distract from his studies. Since the prince has gone to observe filial piety and devote himself to studying, I just happened to give him some advice before the major national policy meeting. , leave some homework."

Zhu Houcong thought for a while and then said: "The prince is not at the imperial mausoleum."

Yang Shen was shocked: "Where has the prince gone?"

"I asked him to travel incognito."

"..." Yang Shen's face changed suddenly, and then he spoke in disbelief, "How can you lie if you claim to be filial piety? That's all. Your Majesty, the prince's safety is so important, how can he leave the capital so easily? Such an important matter, How come I and other officials in the East Palace don’t know this?”

Zhu Houcong's face darkened: "Of course I have proper arrangements."

"No matter how well it is done, what if you are not acclimatized to the climate and contracted a disease while traveling?" Yang Shen was not stupid. "Your Majesty hopes that the prince knows the sufferings of the people, and I naturally agree with it. But this arrangement is really inappropriate! It is inappropriate to travel incognito. ! It’s even more inappropriate for others to know His Highness’s identity!”

He really obeyed this emperor.

How big of a deal is the prince involved?Yang Shen was even worried about what if someone wanted to fight for the throne and did something secretly?
Even in the East Palace, there is no guarantee that you will not get sick, but what if the emperor yourself becomes seriously ill during this period?
As the head of the Eastern Palace officials after Zhang Biz became official, Yang Shen felt that the emperor was really fooling around!

If you think about the worst in advance, the worst result of this matter is too terrible.

Zhu Houcong frowned: "The prince will succeed to the throne in the future, how can he not know the real situation among the people? Hearing is better than seeing. Now that I have proper arrangements, what's the harm in him going out for a walk? Why are you so nervous?"

"Your Majesty lived in the palace for a long time when he was young, and then went straight to the capital to succeed to the throne. Maybe he traveled incognito?" Yang Shen categorically retorted, "It is inappropriate for the prince to leave the capital! I beg your majesty to urgently summon the prince to return to the capital secretly!"

"...Can't you worry about the newly established Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture, the Academy of Sciences, and the straight road to Liaodong and Xuanning Hetao?"

"The prince is outside and his safety is unknown. How can I relax and worry about these things?" Yang Shen knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please summon the prince back to the capital as soon as possible!"

Zhu Houcong was angry: "Are you afraid that someone will assassinate the prince, or are you afraid that some local civil and military forces will support him and force me to meditate? Is this matter so urgent and important? If you can't let go and be so angry because of this, Can you still do a good job as Prime Minister and Minister of State?"

"Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst! As a king, you shouldn't take risks like this!" Yang Shen said stubbornly, "It is good for the prince to know the sufferings of the people, but now that all the ministers are virtuous, they will not deceive the saints in the future. . Your Majesty is doing this because you are afraid that your ministers will be cunning and your prince will be foolish in the future? This is not the right way!"

Zhu Houcong was so angry at him: "You dare to say it! All the ministers are virtuous, why do I need to inspect it, why do I need to ask those three questions? Besides, don't talk about it. The prince can hear and see, and really understands the sufferings of the people. He will be a wise king in the future." Benevolent Lord, isn’t that a good thing? You can’t eat because of choking. This trivial matter makes you feel like you are facing a huge enemy. How can you say that?”

"I'm not making a fuss. Now that Cao Guowen has resigned, I know how dangerous it is when the Empress Fengjia passes away! Now that the throne is still vacant, Your Majesty must take precautions!"

"I have already had an idea for the queen. The queen has a last wish to fill the house with her sister, and I have agreed."

Yang Shen was completely shocked when he heard the emperor's cold voice.

Very few people know about this matter, only a few people such as Cui Yuan and his wife, Lu Bing, and Sun Yuan brothers.

Originally, Princess Yongkang had to wait until after the Longevity Festival to propose the idea to the emperor to "celebrate" and "protect the year of one's life". Now that the matter was urgent, Zhu Houcong told Yang Shenming in advance.

Having two queens in one sect would naturally be a huge shock to other courtiers.

Yang Shen said in shock: "No wonder Mr. Sun returned to Beijing and Cao Guowen resigned. Could it be that he also had an affair with Duan Concubine..."

"Can I arrange for the prince to travel without thinking about this?" Zhu Houxun muttered, "The more I value the prince and the more I focus on cultivating the prince, the more secure my position in the East Palace will be! I pay attention to the queen's last wish and make an exception for her sister to be the queen. The concubines and the prince now know that all matters regarding the crown prince are decided by me, and there will be no delusions! The new queen is related to the prince by blood, she will still be noble in the future, and there will be no risk taking! The government and the public need to know that I have worked hard, don't do it Make more nonsense about this matter!"

Yang Shen said blankly: "Your Majesty, the Sun family is too generous..."

"Sun Yuan has worked hard to plant trees in Shaanxi for several years! With me here, how can the Sun family be able to dominate the government?" Zhu Houcong glanced at him, "If you are worried, why not negotiate the constitution and the purpose. Don't hold on. The prince is traveling around and admonishing me for trivial matters, so don’t go around shouting, there are many things I need you to solve for me.”

Yang Shen pursed his lips and looked at the emperor.

"Still not standing up? Kneel down like a wronged little daughter-in-law." Zhu Houcong waved his hand helplessly, "When you ran in front of me, I thought you had a clue about the big political strategy, but it turned out that it was all these small things? What about the strategy for Japan? ? What about the arrangements for the Academy of Sciences, industry, agriculture, and commerce? How to build the constitution and legal system in the next three years, and how to promote the purpose of the Datong Party?"

"……minister……"

"...I just owe you. I know that your enthusiasm has not cooled down since you went south in the past!" Zhu Houcong sighed deeply, "The situation is a little bigger. If you have the time, you should go back and think about it carefully, and discuss with several state affairs that have been initially decided. Discuss. Is this all you said at the major national policy meeting?"

After all, Yang Shen is not Zhang Fuking, and he is not as good as Yan Song in some things.

It's just that in the next period of time, politics must establish an ideological program. Yang Shen... although he sometimes gets into trouble, he is still very upright in his conduct over the years, and he is indeed a person with firm ideals and beliefs.

Other than him, those with sufficient qualifications and prestige are either Yan Song who is ambitious but may not have firm ideals and ambitions, or Zhang Bi who is an experienced person.

As for Huang Zuo, Liu Tianhe and others, they are seriously biased.

Others are still too young.

Zhu Houcong was a little depressed after being angered by Yang Shen.

He was actually a little disappointed. In the past, Yang Shen was in charge of finance and taxation, so Yang Shen made things easier for him.Now that the position is about to rise, the pattern is still not open.

Peipianpidian ran over and just stared at a few small things. He didn't know how he did such an important task as the emperor. Didn't he rush to discuss it with other important ministers?
Zhu Houcong asked Huang Jin to find many secret files and look through them again, and finally put them down with some helplessness.

People who specialize in finance and taxation have few friends.He always does business, and he may always be greeted by others with a smile and dare not offend him, but it is difficult to get along with a guy who has been rich and famous for a long time and is putting on new people's airs.

Perhaps there was also Yang Tinghe's warning to him at that time: he had a father who was a chief minister, an uncle who was a governor, and he himself was a minister and an official of the prince. Yang Tinghe must have also warned him to keep a low profile and avoid making disciples and local party members. , to avoid the fear of courtiers and the suspicion of the emperor.

So now we are not very good at forming parties according to orders.

Zhu Houcong wondered for a moment whether he had chosen the wrong person: perhaps it would be better to let Yan Song do this kind of thing.Since this guy knows how to advocate for the emperor, as one of the "founders" of the Datong Party, even if he is pretending, he should pretend to be noble and honorable, right?

At this point, which was only more than a month away from the major national policy meeting, Zhu Houcong became a little shaken.

After a while he shook his head again.

It is no longer time to rely on just one person to get certain things done. Zhu Houcong, the leader of the Datong Party, naturally needs to organize more meetings among core comrades so that everyone has a clear division of labor.

Let Yang Shen focus on economic construction, and let his successors help him with the ideological construction within the organization.

Thinking of this, Zhu Houcong gave the order: When all the next ministers of state appointed by Tang Shunzhi and others arrive in Beijing, they will hold a seminar on major national policies for the next three years.

What Yang Shen cannot figure out on his own should be decided upon by the organization, and then he can take charge of the work.

After giving instructions on this matter, Zhu Houcong remembered that since he had told Yang Shen, Sun Lan's matter should also be put on the agenda.

As part of the strategy to balance the "old and new forces" in the harem at that time, after Sun Lan, a complete newcomer, entered the palace, the other concubines were all people who had been in the palace for more than ten or even 20 years. She, a teenager, had nothing to do with them. It is difficult to be harmonious, so Sun Lan is not the only one who enters.

It would not be so obvious if the emperor welcomed someone from the Sun family into the palace alone among several people.

On the one hand, Zhu Houcong shouted the ideal of world unity, but on the other hand, he still followed his heart's desire: After working hard for most of his life, can't he enjoy a few new people?

Although he convinced himself that he was "rotten", others would not think so at all.

Isn't a house as big as the emperor's just used to house his concubines?An ordinary wealthy family would have several concubines.

So the three young men Ming Qian, Zhang Feng and Qi Yun had just arrived in Huguang and they heard and witnessed a new thing.

This time it is not a big draft of girls, it is for the emperor's happiness, and to express the emperor's equal respect for scholars, farmers, industry, commerce, military arts and other important backgrounds.

A total of six people were selected.

But there are six people in the two capitals, provinces and border areas, so the total number is quite a lot.The rest serve as a reserve to replace a group of older female officials in the palace who will be released into retirement due to grace.

"How many of those singers and dancers are clean? Wouldn't this stain the palace?"

Qiandi Anlu, the three of them were drinking tea in a small town next to the grain storage Huangzhuang. There were also discussions here.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Zhu Zaiyi and wondered what he was thinking.

Zhu Zaiyi just listened quietly.

"I wonder why there have been so many theaters in recent years."

"Brother, be careful. For so many years, Your Majesty has rarely disturbed the people. Since we want to draft a large number of women, we must not be biased. All provinces need to be loyal."

"We can't talk about the general election. I heard that we are just asking the wise men from each province to make recommendations."

"It can be seen that it is not simple. Maybe it is for the rumored Datong Party."

"Oh? Brother, what's your opinion?"

"As the saying goes, both rain and dew are affected. Not only many officials in the Industrial and Commercial Bureau are panic-stricken, but many village sages are also worried. Since the saint's grace is selected to enter the palace, it is natural for the village sages to have something to hope for."

"……I see."

When Zhu Zaiyi heard this, he suddenly smiled at Zhang Juzheng and said, "Brother Zhang Xian, you and I have come here on a study tour, and some local sages should also pay a visit."

"What Brother Ming said is true." Zhang Juzheng replied with a smile, "Then I will send you a message to pay a visit."

Through this incident, would you like to see how the local virtuous people "recommended beautiful women" for the emperor?
What kind of person enters the palace with what purpose is inseparable from the prince's future interests.

(End of this chapter)