The ministers begged me to ascend the throne

Chapter 163
"Kong Taichang's youngest daughter committed suicide?" The fourth prince asked in surprise, "When did it happen?"

"I heard that he hanged himself last night, but he only found out at dawn today."

"Hanged himself in Bodhi Temple."

"It's really hanging himself, isn't he killing him?"

"Didn't the emperor cancel her engagement with His Royal Highness, why did she hang herself?"

"The specific circumstances are not clear, but it seems that he was not killed by others."

"Don't you know, since she was found out that she was secretly a monk, her reputation has been ruined."

"Some time ago, His Royal Highness interceded for their family, which made her reputation worse."

"Everyone is scolding her for not knowing what is good or bad. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to stand it."

"She was originally a well-known talented woman in the capital. Because of this incident, her reputation has been discredited. It is normal for her to hang herself."

"I heard that when their family was imprisoned, she wanted to commit suicide, but she definitely didn't dare to commit suicide at that time."

"I reckon she waited for the limelight to pass before hanging herself."

"I feel like I'm living in this world without a face."

"Oh, what a pity."

"What's wrong with accepting this marriage contract honestly?"

"It's really a pity that a generation of beauties will die like this."

The fourth prince listened to the discussions of his colleagues for a while, then returned to his seat.

Sitting opposite the fourth prince, Taichang Cheng and Shaofu Cheng were transcribing historical materials while discussing the suicide of Kong Taichang's youngest daughter.

"Your Highness, do you think Kong Taichang's youngest daughter really hanged herself?" Taichang Cheng asked.

The fourth prince intuitively felt that Kong Taichang's youngest daughter did not hang herself, but this was just his feeling.

"Hard to say."

Shaofu Cheng had a different view from his brother: "I don't think it's surprising that Kong Taichang's youngest daughter hanged herself. After all, her reputation has been ruined, and reputation is really important to her daughter's family."

"She has already become a monk, so she still cares about her reputation." Tai Changcheng had a guess in his heart, but he dared not say it here. "Certainly not by hanging himself."

The fourth prince said: "Whether he really hanged himself or not, Wu Zuo should be able to verify it."

Kong Taichang learned that his youngest daughter had hanged herself, and took his wife and son to Bodhi Temple, but did not come to attend today's morning court.

In the early court, the ministers did not report this matter to Emperor Wu of Zhou. After all, they did not know the specifics of the matter.

This morning, we will mainly discuss the situation of spring plowing in various places.

Every year during spring plowing, government offices from all over the country had to go to the imperial court to report their local spring plowing conditions, such as the conditions of the cultivated land, the conditions of the seedlings, and the conditions of the cattle.

Spring plowing is related to this year's grain harvest, and Emperor Wu of Zhou attached great importance to it.

Judging from the situation reported by the government offices in various places, the spring plowing in most places is going smoothly, and the spring plowing in only a few places is not so good.

These few places are due to lack of water.Since September last year, there has been little rain in these places, and there has not been a drop of rain until now.If it doesn't rain again, the spring plowing in these places may be over.

Whether the spring plowing can go smoothly depends on God.

If it doesn't rain, the local officials can't help it.

Fortunately, the harvest in these places was not bad last year.If spring plowing cannot be carried out smoothly this year due to drought, then they will still have food to eat.

After discussing the spring plowing situation in various places, Emperor Wu of Zhou asked Sun Kui to announce his withdrawal from the court.

As soon as he was in court, Emperor Wu of Zhou asked Dai Wang and Shaoqing of Dali Temple to go to Bodhi Temple together to carefully investigate the suicide of Kong Taichang's youngest daughter.

After Emperor Wu of Zhou explained the matter, he discussed the matter of Yangzhou with He Xiang.

Last night, Emperor Wu of Zhou received a secret letter from Taishi Liu.Everything went according to plan, he wrote in the letter.

Emperor Wu of Zhou mainly discussed with He Xiang, who would be sent to Yangzhou next.

This time, Emperor Wu of Zhou wanted to completely wipe out the officialdom in Yangzhou.Judging from the situation reported by Liu Taishi, there are only a few officials who can stay in Yangzhou official circles and continue to be appointed.

Yangzhou's geographical location is important, so we must be cautious in rescheduling officials this time.

All new officials who go to Yangzhou to serve cannot be transferred from the capital.If all are transferred from the capital, the number of officials in the capital will be reduced by half.

He Xiang meant to transfer some officials from various places to Yangzhou.

Officials who are lacking in various places can be selected from recommended personnel, or some outstanding students from Taixue can be selected to serve.Or you can select outstanding students from local academies to serve.

After discussing the transfer of officials to Yangzhou, He Xiang left the Imperial Academy and returned to Lanyuan Pavilion to work.

Emperor Wu of Zhou sighed: "There is a shortage of talents."

Over the past ten years, academies have been set up in various places in Dazhou.There is no threshold for these academies, as long as there are talents, they can enter and study.Although many outstanding students have been trained, only half of these outstanding students can be officials.Therefore, the imperial court has always been short of talents.

Emperor Wu of Zhou always felt that such a recommendation was not a very good way, but he couldn't think of a good way, so he could only continue to use this recommendation method.

"Your Majesty, there are more and more scholars now, and there will be more and more talents."

"Hopefully."

In terms of cultivating talents, the imperial court has really put in a lot of effort.Among other things, the subsidy to the major academies every year is a lot of money.The money subsidized to the college is to help those students from poor families.

Sun Kui looked at Emperor Wu of Zhou, wondering whether he should remind him or not.

Seeing Sun Kui looking at him hesitantly, Emperor Wu of Zhou frowned slightly and said, "Speak up if you have something to say."

Sun Kui hesitated for a while, but decided to remind Emperor Wu of Zhou.

"Your Majesty, today is the eighth prince's birthday."

Emperor Wu of Zhou thought it was something, but he didn't expect it to be this.He said lightly, "It's the same as usual."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"In the future, you don't need to report this kind of thing to me." Emperor Zhou Wu said indifferently, "You just follow the rules."

Hearing the displeasure in Emperor Zhou Wu's tone, Sun Kui hurriedly pleaded guilty: "Damn this servant!"

Emperor Wu of Zhou waved his hand, motioning for Sun Kui to retreat.

Sun Kui backed out respectfully.

Sun Doudou saw that his master retreated with a pale face, and hurriedly stepped forward and asked with concern: "Master, what's the matter with you, have you been reprimanded by the emperor?"

Sun Kui took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and face.

"I shouldn't talk too much." After finishing speaking, he raised his hand and slapped himself lightly.

Sun Doudou was frightened by his master's appearance, and hurriedly asked: "Master, what are you talking about?"

"Isn't today the eighth prince's birthday? I reminded the emperor too much just now, but I didn't expect to offend the emperor." Sun Kui felt chills when he thought of the emperor's indifferent tone just now. "I thought that the Eighth Prince was seriously injured in order to save His Highness the Crown Prince. On the Eighth Prince's birthday, the Emperor might reward the Eighth Prince with more things. I didn't expect..."

"Master, it's not like you don't know that the emperor doesn't like the eighth prince, so why are you talking so much?"

"Isn't it because the Eighth Prince saved His Highness the Crown Prince before?" Sun Kui said in a low voice, "I didn't expect that the Emperor didn't treat the Eighth Prince because of this... I am troublesome."

"Master, you should not mention the Eighth Prince's matter to the emperor in the future."

"I won't mention it, I won't mention it again." Sun Kui regretted his talk just now, "You follow the rules of previous years, choose a gift for the Eighth Prince at random, and then send it to Xingde Palace."

"Okay, I'll pick it now."

Sun Doudou moved very quickly, picking out the gift in no time.

"Master, what do you think of this gift?"

Sun Kui looked at it, "Isn't this the inkstone that the emperor used up before?" This inkstone was a tribute inkstone, but some time ago he accidentally dropped it on the ground and broke a corner. Put it away.

"That's right, isn't this just a gift for the Eighth Prince?" Sun Doudou said with a smile, "The Emperor's used inkstone is given to the Eighth Prince, and the Eighth Prince should be very happy."

"Okay, then you can send it." Although a corner was broken, it was harmless.

Sun Doudou took the broken inkstone to Xingde Palace.

Although the eighth prince was not liked by the emperor, every time Sun Doudou saw the eighth prince, he would respectfully salute and never showed any contempt.

Sun Doudou first saluted the eighth prince respectfully, and then wished the eighth prince a happy birthday, and then gave a gift, saying that this inkstone was often used by the emperor.

The eighth prince said that when he recovered from his injuries, he would personally thank Emperor Wu of Zhou.He thanked Sun Doudou again.

Yu Hai took the brocade box, then sent Sun Doudou out and gave him a money bag.

Sun Doudou was also polite, and generously accepted the money bag.

Yu Hai returned to the house, and saw that the Eighth Prince had opened the brocade box, which was an inkstone.

"Put it on the desk."

"Yes, Your Highness." When Yu Hai took the inkstone, he realized that a corner of the inkstone was broken, and asked in surprise, "Why is it broken?"

In fact, it is not broken, but the top corner of the inkstone is broken, which does not affect the use.Sun Kui felt that one corner of the inkstone was damaged, so it was not suitable for Emperor Wu of Zhou to use it.

"It's not broken either." The Eighth Prince said calmly, "It's still usable."

"This..." Although it works, one corner is still broken.No matter how much the emperor doesn't like His Highness, there is no need to send His Highness a broken inkstone.

"This is the inkstone commonly used by my father, if a corner is damaged, it's nothing."

Seeing the Eighth Prince's expression of not caring at all, Yu Hai was very distressed and felt wronged for his Highness.

"Your Highness..."

The Eighth Prince interrupted Yu Hai and said, "I think it's very good, put it on my desk."

Yu Hai didn't dare to say anything more, and put the inkstone on the eighth prince's desk as he said.

(End of this chapter)