The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Wenhua Hall.

It was Zhu Houzhao's day off and he didn't need to study, but that day was the day when Zhang Zhou came to give him a lesson, so there was only one teacher sitting there, and there was no courtesy at all, as the two of them disliked each other anyway.

Zhu Houzhao glared at Zhang Zhou for a long time and said angrily, "So, Father went to the seaside, saw the big ships, and toured the country, but I am the only one left in this godforsaken place of the palace, guarding an empty room all by myself?"

"Bang bang bang."

Zhang Zhou tapped the table with his fingers and said, "Your choice of words is inappropriate. At your age, it's hard to explain too much to you."

Zhu Houzhao said, "You don't stick to principles. Even if you go out, take me with you. You know that the emperor is going to go on a tour, why don't you tell him to take me with you? I didn't say I wanted to cause trouble. Just let me go. I'll take a walk and have a look. Won't I be able to study harder in the future?"

Zhang Zhou glanced at the eunuchs standing in the distance.

He said, "Listen to what you said. Tell me, do you believe it yourself?"

Zhu Houzhao stood up angrily and said, "I am telling the truth! Father is getting more and more disgusted with me, as if I am not his biological son! I just want to go out and play, how simple is this request? Why don't you let me go out?"

"Good question." Zhang Zhou also stood up and picked up a thick pile of books on the table. "You should ask about these books. When you understand the great principles behind them, you should understand that as the crown prince of a dynasty, you can't go wherever you want. There's no point in complaining to me. I also want to be free, but there are too many things in the court that are beyond my control. Do you think I have achieved the life I want now?"

The conversation between the two people seemed like they were arguing or quarreling.

Anyway, no one else has ever seen anyone talk to the prince like this.

But no one dared to come forward. They leaned as far back as possible. Although they all pretended not to hear, the sound still floated clearly into their ears.

Zhang Zhou said, "You have studied for so many years, but you have learned nothing but how to show your teeth and claws. I say you are a child, but you still don't want to listen. If you are the crown prince, and you only want to leave the palace and run out to play all day, will His Majesty regard you as the hope for the future? Wake up, child, you are playing with fire now."

Zhu Houzhao asked angrily: "Are you threatening me?"

Zhang Zhou shrugged and said, "I just came to inform you that no one will help you leave the palace. You may not be able to leave for the next few years! This is your own fault."

Having said that, Zhang Zhou walked towards the entrance of Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Houzhao saw this situation.

Good man, I, the prince, lost my temper with you, and you dare to give me the cold shoulder?

"Stop!" Zhu Houzhao shouted angrily.

Zhang Zhou glanced back and said disdainfully, "It seems that I shouldn't have come today. I don't want to come anyway. What kind of a hell of a place is this? Why would I be asked to give a lecture to a kid who doesn't even understand the basic principles of human relations? I might as well sleep at home! Let's part ways in peace, and it would be best if we never see each other again."

After saying that, Zhang Zhouzhen just walked away.

……

……

Zhu Houzhao stood there, stunned for a long time, and seemed unable to react to what was happening.

After a while, he pointed to the door and asked, "Where are the people? Sitting outside?"

Gao Feng quickly went over to take a look, then walked out to look around, and finally came back helplessly and said, "Your Highness, the person has left. Duke Cai must have other things to do and can't stay here for long."

Zhu Houzhao cursed, "What? He is just throwing a tantrum! I just questioned him a few words, and look at what he has become now? Isn't he a lecturer in the East Palace? He came to give me a lecture, and he just left like that? He is neglecting his duty! I will sue him! Let my father punish him!"

Gao Feng was standing beside them with a sad face.

It seems to be saying, Your Highness, you should just save your energy. Can you let your father punish him? You really think you are a piece of cake.

Zhu Houzhao was a little discouraged and said, "Why is it like this now? Can't he listen to me anymore?"

Gao Feng said: "Your Highness, your tone was a bit harsh when you spoke to Duke Cai earlier. If you meet again next time, you can be more tactful. There is no need to be so unkind. In fact..."

He was about to correct Zhu Houzhao's attitude towards people, but Zhu Houzhao glared at him and he dared not speak anymore.

"I am intimidating without being angry, but my words are useless. In other words, he doesn't treat me as the crown prince and looks down on me, right?" Zhu Houzhao found that his sharp eyes were still effective.

Especially towards the eunuchs in the Eastern Palace, he could kill them all with just a glance.

But this trick is of no use to Zhang Zhou.

Gao Feng no longer answered such sensitive questions, because he felt that he, Gao Feng, was nothing when it came to the relationship between the emperor, the crown prince and Zhang Zhou. From his point of view, he had no idea how he should answer the questions of this naughty kid.

Zhu Houzhao asked, "Didn't the emperor ask him to come? He just left like that? Isn't he afraid that the emperor will punish him?"

Gao Feng thought, will someone punish Duke Cai?
People now come when they want and leave when they want.

To put it bluntly, if you and Duke Cai fell into the water at the same time, it’s not certain who your father would save first! He used to save you first, but now you already have a younger brother, why must he pull you out of the water?

There are many princes, but Zhang Bingkuan is unique.

Zhu Houzhao finally sat down again, like an eggplant hit by frost. He sat there in a daze for a long time before saying, "I can see that he is extremely disappointed in me now. The next step is probably to tell my father to abolish my position as the crown prince and let my second brother be the crown prince."

Gao Feng said: "Your Highness, please don't talk nonsense like that."

"Hmph! Don't think I can't see. After my father returned to the capital, he only saw me once. I wanted to ask to see him, and I couldn't even see my mother. And he still treats me as the crown prince? The next step is that I will just be a prince. In the future, I may be imprisoned, and then..."

Zhu Houzhao was planning his future there.

After listening for a while, Gao Feng also felt curious.

The prince seems to have a strong sense of crisis, but why do what you said sound so ridiculous?

Can you infer so much just from the fact that Duke Cai treated you badly?
Are you smart or are you just worrying too much?
Zhu Houzhao talked to himself for a while, then suddenly looked up at Gao Feng and said, "Do you think I should be deposed?"

Gao Feng said, "Your Highness, you are embarrassing me. I am only responsible for taking care of your daily life. I dare not even ask about other matters."

"So you also think I'm unreasonable? I...I...I'm so mad!"

Zhu Houzhao was extremely angry.

Then he felt very wronged again.

He is a prince and his parents are still alive, but no one loves him. He finally finds a teacher who shares his interests with him, but now even that teacher is so indifferent to him... The more he thinks about it, the angrier he gets, and the more wronged he feels.

…………

While Zhu Houzhao was complaining to himself, Gao Feng obediently left the hall.

Luo Xiang and others came over, and Qiu Ju asked, "Eunuch Gao, what happened? Is the Crown Prince okay?"

Gao Feng shook his head and said, "Duke Cai came over and didn't treat our young master well, and then the Crown Prince was angry. No one should go in and disturb him now. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in a bad mood, so...be careful these days."

"Duke Cai is really extraordinary. He dares to show disrespect to the Crown Prince. He is different from the lecturers in the Eastern Palace. The gentlemen in the Eastern Palace dare not say harsh words even if the Crown Prince is naughty."

Several eunuchs were muttering to each other.

Gao Feng said, "Enough, what's the point of making a fuss? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is also a little aggrieved. His Majesty went on a tour without the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has been... Forget it. If you have anything to say in the future, tell me as soon as possible. I will tell the Crown Prince, or go and see what His Majesty is doing, or ask the Queen... Talk to the Crown Prince more."

Qiu Ju said: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is trapped in the East Palace and can't go anywhere. What's the point of us investigating those things? But shouldn't we... also consider how to live in the future? The East Palace seems to be in turmoil recently."

Some things cannot be said too clearly.

When the crown prince has a sense of crisis, the eunuchs below have a stronger sense of crisis. They will realize that Zhang Zhou's attitude represents the emperor's change in attitude towards the crown prince.

Under this premise, it is no longer impossible for the crown prince to be deposed.

In the past, there was only this one prince, and the emperor had no choice. The prince was deeply favored and could do whatever he wanted.

But now the emperor already has another prince, and everyone in the palace knows that the virtuous concubine is pregnant again and has been sent out of the palace. It is obvious that the emperor no longer places all his hopes on the prince, and is preparing to find an opportunity in the future to replace the prince if he does not suit his wishes.

Gao Feng said, "If anyone talks nonsense again, don't blame us for being rude! Let's get back to work."

Although the eunuchs had nothing to do, they knew better than to avoid Zhu Houzhao at this time. Even if they just found something to do to leave themselves out in the cold, it was better than being blamed by the prince.

……

……

After Zhu Youtang returned to the capital, his concern for the prince did indeed weaken.

Mainly because he just didn't care.

There are so many things going on in the court. After his tour, he will have to face a series of personnel arrangements when he returns. In addition, his relationship with the queen is no longer as harmonious as before. When he thinks of the prince's naughty character... he would rather give himself some peace and not think about Zhu Houzhao.

As a loving father, Zhu Youtang still could not bear to educate the prince cruelly, but it was really because he had other options that he no longer had to put all his energy into training the prince.

"Your Majesty, Duke Cai came to the East Palace, just walked around, and then left the palace."

Yang Peng reported carefully to Zhu Youtang.

When Zhu Youtang heard this, he frowned. It was obvious that he didn't like hearing about his son's affairs. It was a concern for him.

If the husband can educate his son, then as a parent, especially one like him who is in poor health, busy with work and has a complicated mind, he does not want to be bothered by his son's affairs.

Zhu Youtang said: "It's enough to meet him once."

Yang Peng said: "The prince seemed a little sad, as if... Duke Cai did not have a good face towards the prince, and then even the servants of the East Palace were driven out of Wenhua Palace by the prince."

"This is called willfulness!" Zhu Youtang said, "If he studies hard, it's fine, but he is fooling around! I told Bingkuan that you don't need to care about the prince's thoughts in the future. Even if we teach him a lesson, it's what we should do."

Zhang Zhou was certainly not shooting in the dark.

Whether or not I have a good relationship with Zhu Houzhao... doesn't seem to be that important.

He was a naughty child who always had to find something to please him and coax him. Sooner or later, Zhu Houzhao would feel that everyone had to do what he wanted.

What makes Zhang Zhou different from others is that he himself is an educator. Doesn’t he know what to do when facing a rebellious child?
As for whether he would help Zhu Houzhao in the future, this is actually a false proposition. What he has to do is not to assist the royal family or any prince, but the whole world. Under this premise, Zhu Houzhao can only be regarded as his disobedient student, and should not be his superior.

Even the emperor was on his side, so he didn't have to consider the naughty kid's thoughts.

Zhu Houzhao said: "You don't need to mention the prince's recent affairs to me. There are many affairs in and outside the capital. Go and do your work."

Yang Peng bowed respectfully and said, "Yes."

At this moment, Yang Peng seemed to realize that the prince had really fallen out of favor.

The emperor's son is not as trustworthy as the emperor's friend and minister. Who would believe this?

But think about it again, the emperor's mindset probably cannot be the same as that of ordinary people. Who says that an emperor must put his son's interests first? The emperor doted on the prince before, and look at what he has become?

Perhaps some extraordinary means can be used to change the prince's character.

……

……

Zhang Zhou left the palace and went home leisurely.

He had just returned these few days and had the chance to reunite with his family. This was also the first time Cui Ying had entered the house after her marriage. As the head of the family, Zhang Zhou also had to make decisions for his young wife so that she could integrate into the family.

When he got home, all the women in the family sat together as if they were going to listen to his teachings.

Zhang Zhou didn't mention Ning Tong because he hadn't figured out how to say it.

"Master, Yingying has come home. I have given her gifts and have tidied up the yard. If you find anything you are not satisfied with, please let me know so I can prepare it."

Jiang Pingyu fully demonstrated her virtue as the mistress of the family.

Others want to fight but cannot, but she doesn't want to fight.

Perhaps the current life was satisfying enough for her and there was no need to struggle anymore. Of course, the so-called female virtue education of that era also played a big role. As Zhang Zhou's wife, she seemed to want to set a good example.

Zhang Zhou looked at Cui Ying, who still looked very shy at this moment.

In the later period in Binhai City, she talked a lot, like a happy sparrow, but after returning to the capital, she returned to the character of a timid girl.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "I can't control the affairs between you women. You should go out more often, visit the city's scenic spots and historical sites, as well as busy and crowded places. Don't restrict yourself." (End of this chapter)