The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Night, inside the port.

Under the guidance of Guo Ang and others, Zhang Zhou arrived at the place where Li Zhang had stored the gifts for him. It was a carriage shop with several carriages parked there, as if each carriage was loaded with Li Zhang's "heartfelt wishes."

"It was just delivered. It was already dark when we entered the city. I dare not disturb you, sir, so I had to find a way to pass it on and ask you to come and accept it in person." Guo Ang looked very respectful.

Zhang Zhou said: "Eunuch Li is actually very familiar with my personality. I will not accept ordinary gifts. What is his intention?"

"You will know if you see it."

As Guo Ang said, he asked someone to lift the curtain of the first carriage, and someone held a lantern and moved forward. Zhang Zhou did not move forward.

Then a pair of women came out from inside. The two women looked very similar. They looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. They looked very childish, but they had a bit of a romantic air.

Guo Ang came closer and whispered: "Eunuch Li knows that you are not good at beauty, but there are usually theater troupes waiting for you to entertain yourself. No, through Dongchang's connections, he chose these two girls from Jiangnan. They are also Not much, not to make up for the loss, just so that they can find a job in the troupe in the future, and it’s up to you to find a place for them.”

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Who is giving gifts to whom? I, the recipient of the gifts, seem to be justified?"

"You are joking." Guo Ang said, waving his hand and asking his mother-in-law to send the person to the carriage house. "I know that it is inconvenient for you to do things in the court, so no one else knows about it. After sending the person here, you will Wherever you settle, it’s easy.”

Zhang Zhou said: "Seal it up for me."

This thing is enough to destroy many families in the DPRK.

"Is that...sent?" Zhang Zhou asked curiously.

Guo Ang took it and presented it to Zhang Zhou and said: "This is a gift specially prepared for you by Eunuch Li. It is not worth much money. It should have been given to you in a secret place, but because of the inconvenience, it is not worth it." It can only be given here.”

When Sun Shangqi heard it, he knew that the content was not simple, while Guo Ang looked at it with an awkward look on his face.

Zhang Zhou said: "I don't dare to accept this thing."

"Is there anything else?" Zhang Zhou asked.

"I don't know what Eunuch Li wants to send, so I just asked him to deliver it like this. It's a long way from the capital. You see... I can't send it back even to you. If you want to return it, you can wait until you return to the capital. Just return it again..."

Secret stronghold.

With that said, Zhang Zhou handed the things to Sun Shangqi who was standing aside.

Zhang Zhou picked up the book and opened it casually under the light of the torch. He saw that the words on it were large and listed the "criminal evidence" of many officials.

Then the second carriage came closer. This time no one else came forward. Instead, Guo Ang walked over and opened the carriage. There was neither a box with gifts nor anyone inside. There was only a book on the carriage. Something that looks like a booklet.

Guo Ang is very knowledgeable.

Zhang Zhou couldn't help but take a breath.

"Yes." Guo Ang said.

Zhang Zhou smiled and nodded without saying anything.

Even though the book is not very thick, just taking out a part of it can make life difficult for many people.

With that said, Guo Ang respectfully presented the booklet to Zhang Zhou.

Dongchang had been keeping a low profile for more than ten years before, but after Li Zhang took over, Dongchang gradually became arrogant and domineering, and began to become radical in his actions. Now they began to collect evidence of the officials, such as some unkind remarks, and then Or there was any corruption and perversion of the law, or there were people with whom you were in contact, or there was any party-related things in the government for personal gain, or there was any malfeasance or dereliction of duty...

"Also, I have already got off the bus, so I live here." Guo Ang said, "I will settle here temporarily. To be honest with you, Eunuch Li asked Dongchang to set up a liaison place here, so he chose this place. Normally, He is responsible for delivering letters, or renting out carriages, but if anything happens, you can arrange and ask him to come over and be available at any time. "

He didn't want to know what was in the book, but he only knew that it was of great importance. If Zhang Zhou handed the things back, he would probably be the one to take the blame.

Zhang Zhouxin said, is this considered honest, or is it a deliberate attempt to expose a flaw?

Both Li Zhang and Guo Ang are ruthless characters. Now they are only afraid of his majesty, rather than really confiding in him.

"Where is he?" Zhang Zhou asked.

"Please." Guo Ang immediately led the way and let Zhang Zhou enter the carriage house.

……

……

The carriage house was still brightly lit at night.

In a room, there was a person standing at the window, looking downstairs. When he saw Zhang Zhou bringing someone in, he had a very complicated expression on his face. Then he heard the sound of footsteps, and Zhang Zhou was like this Go straight upstairs and into the house.

The person in the room was Xie Qian, who was supposed to be tortured in Fusi Prison in Beizhen and was preparing to receive the death sentence at the beginning of the year.

At this time, he was still in good shape, his clothes were clean, and he was energetic. He didn't look like he had come out of prison, but he was no different from before.

When Zhang Zhou saw it, he could only think that this person was sharp-tongued, liked to argue with others, and had a strong psychological quality.

"Mr. Xie Ge? It's been a long time." Zhang Zhou smiled and held his hands.

Xie Qian didn't want to talk to Zhang Zhou, so he turned his head to the window and said: "All the way, I was still thinking about where I was going to be exiled. Only when I got here did I know that it was true, and I left it to you to deal with it. "

Zhang Zhouyi waved his hand, and everyone at the door retreated more than ten steps away, and even the door was closed.

Zhang Zhou said: "You can't say that as the old saying of Xie Ge. I was unaware of your case from beginning to end. Even when His Majesty asked the various yamen to court, I did not participate in the period and left it to me to handle... I don't quite understand this. . Mr. Xie Ge, how are you doing lately?”

After hearing this, Xie Qian almost couldn't bear to recite it.

I'm already in such a miserable state, you ask me how I am? It’s no different than asking me what I’ve eaten?
Are you sincerely looking at my joke?

"It's okay." Xie Qian said.

"That's okay." Zhang Zhou said, "I don't understand either. Has Mr. Xie Ge's case been settled? Why did he come here? If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have known about this. Dongchang is based on Did your Majesty send you here?"

"I don't know." Xie Qian said in a bad tone.

Zhang Zhou shrugged and said: "It doesn't matter whether we know it or not. Anyway, we are all insiders and the authorities are confused. I should also write a memorial later and ask your majesty what this means." Xie Qian said: "Aren't you asking knowingly? ? Zhang Bingkuan, I advise you, you'd better take care of yourself! Sooner or later... Ahem. Now I ask you, what is wrong with my family? "

Zhang Zhou nodded and said: "That's the truth, but I heard that your brother is fine. He and I are the same age, and we have had some interactions in the past few years."

"Has he interacted with you?" Xie Qian was very angry. His brother Xie Di wanted to betray the civil servant alliance.

"That's not the point." Zhang Zhou said, "As for your second son Xie Yizhong, he is a juren and may be able to go to high school next spring. Even if Mr. Xie Ge is convicted, it probably won't affect his career. But the trouble is your eldest son Xie It’s true, he got the official position because of your blessing. As the saying goes, he will suffer both losses and gain, and he may... encounter some bad things. "

Xie Qian's face twitched after hearing this.

Zhang Zhou said: "However, Mr. Xie Ge's case is different from that of Mr. Bao Guo. He is a member of the Governor's Mansion. If he is found guilty of dereliction of duty, his family will definitely be blamed. Mr. Xie Ge, you don't have to worry so much. After all, His Majesty will still be considerate. "...isn't it true that your death sentence has been changed to exile here?"

"Is it exile?" Xie Qian asked hurriedly.

This is a matter of great importance to his destiny.

Zhang Zhou shook his head and said, "I don't know, maybe so. Could it be that Dongchang sent you here just to sell me a favor? Such a big case should not be decided within Dongchang, right?"

Xie Qian thought about it for a while, and it seemed to make sense.

If the emperor hadn't asked him to be sent here, who would have dared to touch him? If anything happens to him, he wants to avoid suspicion.

“Mr. Then go manage some accounts and help with record keeping."

"What did you say?"

Xie Qian almost wanted to kill Zhang Zhou.

Sir, even if you belong to your predecessor, you want me to be your accountant now?

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "This is a very heavy job. Mr. Xie Ge must seize the opportunity and do it well, so that he doesn't have to suffer from the fatigue of running around. Is there any work that is not done? It is all for the imperial court." People are not classified as high or low, and things should not be classified as big or small.”

According to Xie Qian's previous temper, he would definitely have fallen out with Zhang Zhou on the spot and started scolding him.

But this time he held back.

People are under the roof.

Zhang Zhou continued: "Also, this will also give Mr. Xie Ge the opportunity to come into contact with pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and you will also have the opportunity to defend yourself. Even if you cannot get a pardon for the time being, at least you can get a pardon for your family. Otherwise, I don't know. "What does it mean for an old man like you to be a moving coolie?"

Xie Qian said: "In that case, I should still be grateful to you?"

Zhang Zhou stepped forward and asked: "Mr. Xie Ge, do you think that what happened to you today was caused by me?"

Xie Qian said coldly: "You were not directly involved. But if it weren't for you, who had troubled the imperial court and deceived the saints in the past few years, how could the imperial court be in such chaos? In this way, you are not the chief culprit, but also the main culprit. who?"

"Wrong." Zhang Zhou said, "The court before seemed clear, but His Majesty seems to be in the palm of your hands. All His Majesty's decisions cannot leave the court, but your opinions can be extended in all directions, even to the middle of the court. All matters, big and small, must go through your hands before His Majesty knows about them. If you think it is inappropriate, Your Majesty will not even know about it."

"Nonsense, this is your conjecture!" Xie Qian certainly did not admit that civil servants deceived the emperor.

Zhang Zhou said: "Do you think your Majesty doesn't have that steelyard in his heart? If your Majesty has to rely on you and can't choose others, then it won't matter if the monarch and his ministers are in harmony. But today, your Majesty is an ambitious king. , because of his kindness, you cannot think that your Majesty does not want to work hard to change the Ming Dynasty, and your actions are just to keep the Ming Dynasty in its old ways. Even if you say that this will bring peace to the people, there have been fewer floods and droughts in the past few years? Is it better than before?”

Xie Qian still didn't speak.

It's not that he has no reason to argue with Zhang Zhou, it's that he thinks the debate is meaningless.

Zhang Zhou smiled bitterly and said: "My appearance is just a matter of chance. You said that I brought trouble to the imperial court, but what I did was not for the Ming Dynasty? You may say that I deceived Shengting, but since I appeared, Your Majesty is well aware of everything in the court. Even though I am in a high position now, I am often away from Beijing. How can I deceive Shengting? "

"Also, Mr. Xie Ge, do you think that it was easier to deceive Shengting when the cabinet was dominated by one family, but now that the Shangting Office is competing with the cabinet, it is easier to deceive Shengting? Your Majesty will just open an additional yamen. Will there be fewer channels for information? I think on the contrary, precisely because of the listening office, His Majesty will receive more information and have more choices."

Xie Qian waved his hand and said: "No need! I did something that harmed the country and the people, but I didn't know it, and I'm still trying to defend myself!"

Zhang Zhou said: "In my opinion, the same is true for Mr. Xie Ge. We just have different positions. Aren't our goals all for the Ming Dynasty? I can't say that the winner is a prince and the loser is a bandit. In this matter, No one has failed, you are just sent here because of your mistakes, your job is to continue to work for the court here, and I am the same, we are each other."

Xie Qian was naturally unhappy after hearing this.

You work for the court, you are free, and you are not a criminal, but I am an old man carrying the crime, here to do things for others and make people laugh at you!

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Mr. Xie Ge, if I have time recently, I will definitely come over and have a drink with you, whether it's wine or tea. After all, we can come and talk about the affairs of the government and the public and exchange opinions. I won't be returning to Beijing recently. ”

Xie Qian said: "Your Majesty doesn't intend to let you preside over the Spring Festival next year?"

"It's nothing." Zhang Zhou said, "Let me push it!"

"you……"

"What's so surprising? You don't treat me as a scholar. Do you really want me to preside over the Nangong Examination? I'd better just be an idler quietly, or be treated as a vulgar warrior or Taoist priest by you, and continue to do something here. I don’t want to bother going to the capital to disturb some people,” Zhang Zhou said.

"Humph!" Xie Qian hummed.

Zhang Zhou said: "I will ask someone to send you some expenses. You don't have to live here. I will make other arrangements for you. Accounts must be recorded clearly. If there are mistakes, it will be considered that you are not able to bear this task." He has to be transferred to the shipyard to work as a handyman. If he can't do the job as a handyman, he can only work as a coolie in ironmaking... Mr. Xie Ge's ability should be enough to handle the matters recorded, right? "

Xie Qian continued to ignore Zhang Zhou.

"Someone is coming."

Zhang Zhou shouted loudly.

Then Guo Ang opened the door and asked: "Sir?"

Zhang Zhou said: "Mr. It’s broken! Haha! The accounts will be settled in a few days. Only a capable person like Mr. Xie Ge can handle these things well.”

"Yes." Guo Ang was confused.

Shouldn't Zhang Zhou be retaliating at this time?

Why... does it seem to treat Xie Qian well? (End of chapter)