The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

The preparations for the marriage between the Zhang and Xie families began in this way.

Time was very tight and it needed to be completed before Zhang Zhou sent out his troops. The Xie family seemed very enthusiastic about this marriage, so much so that after the news spread, many people were surprised and realized a problem... Xie Qian actually returned to Beijing?

Some people wanted to visit Xie Qian, but they didn't know where Xie Qian lived now or which government office he worked for.

I don't know who got the news that Xie Qian went to Xishan to work, and sent people to inquire, only to find out that Xie Qian is not in Xishan now.

After all, Xie Qian would be following the emperor in the army on the tenth day of the first lunar month, and he had been given a half-month vacation before. In this way, after his vacation, he would only need to follow Zhu Youtang as a staff member and military advisor. It didn't matter whether he did anything or not. The important thing was that he was free.

In this case, arrangements must also be made for meritorious officials to accompany the army.

The emperor immediately issued several imperial decrees, calling for generals to accompany him on the expedition. He was no longer worried about Zhang Zhou, because Zhang Zhou could serve as the commander-in-chief, the military supervisor, and a meritorious official... He could do all these things alone, and the emperor had no intention of finding anyone to restrain Zhang Zhou.

If you are asked to lead the troops, just lead them. You can deploy the troops yourself and you can deploy anyone you want.

But the emperor needs help here.

In addition to the necessary Xuanda General Wang Shouren as the military commander, someone is also needed to assist the emperor in sending troops from the capital to Datong to complete this tour of Weining Sea. The Duke of Yingguo and the Duke of Baoguo are now both on the ship bound for the American continent. Someone needs to come out and fight for who will be the number one meritorious official under the emperor.

The Zhang brothers stayed in the capital, and they very much hoped to become the commander-in-chief of the army.

Although everyone knew that they didn't have that ability, they themselves didn't think so.

The seventh day was the day Zhang Zhou had scheduled to welcome his bride, and there were only three days left before he was to send out his troops. Under such hasty circumstances, time was tight for Zhang Zhou to complete such a wedding, but the Xie family was cooperative, and the three books and six ceremonies had already been finalized, so there didn't seem to be anything rushed.

After all, it was a marriage granted by the emperor, not just an ordinary concubine, so the etiquette was relatively complete.

That morning, Li Dongyang finally found where Xie Qian lived after asking around. When he arrived at the gate of the Xie family's courtyard, he saw that the lights and decorations had been set up, and they were waiting for Zhang Zhou to come and pick up the bride. He was still very puzzled.

Could it be that Yu Qiao was coerced?

Given Yu Qiao's persistence in principles, how could she lose face by marrying her beautiful granddaughter to Zhang Bingkuan as a concubine just because the emperor granted her a marriage?
He must have encountered something unknown, and I am here to rescue him.

……

……

Inside the Xie Mansion.

Xie Qian specifically asked his family to leave first, and he and Li Dongyang sat in the yard. After all, there was no place to receive guests in his house, and he would be going to the war with the army soon, so there was no need to prepare anything in the capital.

He even planned to never return to Beijing after this departure.

As long as the emperor pardoned his crimes, he would take his family back to his hometown. His two sons, Xie Zheng and Xie Pi, would continue to serve the court, while he would go back to live out his days.

Therefore, he did not consider what the capital would be like in the future.

"Yu Qiao, I'm deeply sorry that you came to Binhai City. It was only when I saw Dazhong yesterday that I learned that you had a serious illness in the middle of last year and I was unable to visit you in time." Li Dongyang still felt a little regretful when he said this.

Because of party disputes and some principled mistakes made by his side, his former political ally was exiled from the capital, and he didn't even know he was seriously ill...

But he felt that since I care about you, it means I do it with sincerity and you can't blame me.

Xie Qian smiled and said, "It's nothing, it's all over. Isn't everything fine?"

"But..." Li Dongyang said, "Did you agree to this marriage? Your granddaughter, you have been talking about this before. How can you just give away such a precious jade... to someone else?"

Xie Qian said: "Binzhi, I have actually thought deeply about this matter."

Li Dongyang almost wanted to get angry and asked, "What on earth are you after?"

"Alas!" Xie Qian said, "I am old and don't want to care about the disputes in the court. So I don't want to care about who is who, whether he has made contributions to the Ming Dynasty, or whether he can be tolerated by the world in the future. All I want now is to go back to Yuyao and spend a few days in peace and quiet."

Li Dongyang said: "So, your majesty agreed to complete this marriage and let you return to Yuyao?"

Li Dongyang was very angry.

Are you selling your granddaughter so that you can enjoy your old age?

"This is the girl's own choice." Xie Qian said.

Li Dongyang shook his head and said, "What does a girl know? If her family told her that this would help her grandfather, how could they not help you, considering how obedient and sensible the girl is? Yu Qiao, you can't push this kind of thing onto others. Your attitude is the most important."

"Binzhi, it has come to this day, do you think there is anything wrong with Bingkuan?" Xie Qian sighed and almost turned hostile first, and asked.

Li Dongyang was stunned by the question.

His once most steadfast ally has now betrayed him?
Xie Qian said, "Although the girl has not met Bingkuan many times, she respects him very much. When my family was in Binhai City, Bingkuan also took care of us. This time the girl was sick and almost lost her life after returning to Beijing. It was Bingkuan who researched the medicine overnight and gave it to the girl. Only then did the girl save her life. How can you ask me to object to this?"

Li Dongyang said angrily: "A small favor, but you don't care about your principles?"

Xie Qian said coldly: "What is the principle?"

This made Li Dongyang very angry.

Now you are marrying your granddaughter to Zhang Bingkuan as a concubine, and you actually ask me what my principles are?
How did you get so cheeky to ask that?
What on earth did you experience during this year away from Beijing that caused such a drastic change in your personality?
Xie Qian said, "Binzhi, from what I know, Bingkuan is quite sincere to others. Just like your son... when he was sick, wasn't it him who came to treat him? My girl is not very old, but she is quite sensible. She thinks it's okay for her to live in Bingkuan's house, and how can she disobey her grandfather? The children are grown up, so let them listen to themselves."

Li Dongyang asked: "So, are you ready to go back home?"

"No." Xie Qian said, "Your Majesty has issued an order for me to follow the army to the northwest, or to go to Datong."

When Li Dongyang heard this, he realized that he might have misunderstood Xie Qian.

I originally thought that Xie Qian was selling his granddaughter for fame and fortune, and that he wanted to marry his granddaughter to Zhang Zhou in exchange for his own freedom.

Only now did they realize that Xie Qian had not been freed, but had to go on a military expedition... At any time, going on a military expedition was not a good thing. Not only was it prone to danger, but the journey was also difficult and was not something that elderly scholars like them could afford.

"Binzhi, I'm grateful that you can come. But the past is the past. I don't want to serve as an official in the court anymore. In this year, I feel that what Bingkuan has done is at least for the Ming Dynasty and for the people of the world. I don't think he has let anyone down, and I don't want to let him down! So... forget it."

Xie Qian explained his state of mind to Li Dongyang based on his truest feelings over the past year.

That is to completely resolve the past grudges with Zhang Zhou.

After all, Zhang Zhou would be his grandson-in-law in the future. If Xie Qian did not approve of Zhang Zhou, why would he send his precious granddaughter to Zhang's house as if it were a gift for free?
"You...oh!"

Li Dongyang originally wanted to comment on Xie Qian's behavior.

But when the words came to my lips, I finally held them back.

Because Li Dongyang knew that it was useless to continue pestering like this, and it was impossible to convince Xie Qian with his own words... The marriage was granted by the emperor, and the groom was about to arrive at the door. If Zhang Zhou blocked him at the door, he would feel embarrassed. Since he knew that Xie Qian had changed his mind, there was no need to pester him anymore.

All I can say is that... from now on, we will not be able to work together because of different ideals. I will no longer consider Xie Qian as a political ally, or even as a friend... I need to reconsider.

……

……

Li Dongyang had just left the house, and Xie Qian was planning to see him off.

But I saw an official sedan chair coming towards this side not far away.

The people who came were not the wedding procession, but bystanders who heard that Xie Qian lived here and came to see him. The person who wanted to see Xie Qian the most was actually Lin Han...

As a Minister of Personnel who had given up on staying in the court years ago, Lin Han had been subject to much controversy among the literati for marrying his daughter as Zhang Zhou's concubine. Now that he had heard that Xie Qian, a man with a greater reputation than him in the literati circle, had done something very similar to him, he naturally had to come and see his old friend.

This seems to mean that Xie Qian will be his ally from now on.

Who makes the relationship so "close"?

Lin Han's sedan was about to arrive, and Li Dongyang could no longer stay, so he got into his own sedan and left.

When Lin Han got off the sedan chair, Li Dongyang's sedan chair had not yet left the opposite alley. It was not a wide street, but just a narrow alley. Lin Han naturally took another look and could tell at a glance that it was Li Dongyang's official carriage.

"Yu Qiao, long time no see."

Lin Han seemed very enthusiastic.

Although Lin Han's official status was not as high as Xie Qian's in the past, he was older and was already seventy years old.

Xie Qian is only in his fifties, so logically speaking, he is still in his "political prime".

Moreover, Lin Han passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi earlier than Xie Qian. He became a Jinshi in the second year of Chenghua, while Xie Qian became the top scorer in the eleventh year of Chenghua.

The two of them entered the yard together.

Xie Qian said with a smile: "How come Lin Butang has the time to come here?"

"That's too polite." Lin Han said, "When I learned you were in Beijing, I couldn't help but come to see you. The same goes for Bingkuan. If he had known you were here, why didn't he tell me? Speaking of which, I wanted to retire and return home last year, but he persuaded me to stay for a while, saying that he would let me return after the battle in the northwest at the beginning of the year. I'm waiting in Beijing now, and I can see you again."

Lin Han's words conveyed a lot of information.

It also made Xie Qian realize that Lin Han himself didn't really like the turmoil in the court. Since he said in front of him that he wanted to retire, it was not empty talk.

Xie Qian said: "There is nothing good to offer in the mansion."

"No problem, no problem." Lin Han said with a smile, "When is the auspicious time? Can I see Bingkuan soon?"

"Yes." Xie Qian nodded.

Lin Han stroked his beard and said, "I haven't seen him since the New Year. I heard that he will go to war in two days. I didn't expect him to leave in such a hurry. Why not wait until he comes back to arrange the wedding?"

"This……"

Xie Qian thought, since the emperor had granted the marriage, the time would be decided by the emperor.

The emperor just wants Zhang Bingkuan to marry into my Xie family before he goes to war. What can I object to?

Lin Han sighed: "Come to think of it, my daughter still doesn't have a child. If she can't come back..."

Xie Qian felt uncomfortable after hearing this.

It's fine if you're a jinx, but you have to say it in front of me. What do you mean?
You mean, if I marry my granddaughter to him, she'll just become a widow, right?

Lin Han said: "I brought you some gifts."

"Why be so polite?" Xie Qian asked.

"Alas! I don't know if I will have the chance to see you again in the court. The court is in such a state and there are too many disputes. It is better to go back and hide away in peace. I believe you have similar ideas to me. Maybe you can travel around the world in the future." Lin Han seemed to have begun to look forward to the scene after retirement.

At this moment, Xie Zheng came into the yard, which relieved his old father's embarrassment.

"Father, there are guests outside. They all know that there is a happy event in your house and have come to congratulate you."

Xie Qian said, "I am no longer in the court, why should I come?"

Lin Han smiled and said, "It's all about friendship between colleagues. I saw Bin Zhi's sedan chair coming before. Although you, Yu Qiao, have not been in the officialdom for the past year, there have been few changes in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. Many people are waiting for you to come back."

"No, no." Xie Qian shook his head.

The general meaning is, you want me to come back since you want to run away?

You don't know how serious the party struggles are now. You are now on Zhang Bingkuan's side, and so am I. Standing on Zhang Bingkuan means becoming enemies with people from the past. It's difficult for you, but am I not also in trouble?
The best way is to stay away from it all. The taste of home is still better. After a lifetime of military service, it is time to enjoy the rest of his life.

Let those who are full of fighting spirits deal with the chaos in the court. I won’t stay!

……

……

There were a lot of guests in front of Xie’s house.

First came the Minister of Personnel, then the Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Qiong, plus various ministers and vice ministers in secondment, old friends from the Hanlin Academy, and various doctors, deputy doctors, and officials in the court... Xie Qian simply thought that he was still an official in the court and had become the prime minister.

Even if the Prime Minister married off his granddaughter, it seemed that he wouldn't get such a grand ceremony.

"The yard is too small and there is no place to entertain guests." This became the sentence Xie Qian said most often that day.

But those who came didn’t care where they stood. They seemed to be satisfied just to see Xie Qian.

This also made Xie Qian extremely moved.

When he was in the court, he didn't have many deep friendships with everyone, but now he left, and now he comes back just to marry his granddaughter off. His former colleagues and friends have come to congratulate him without holding grudges.

It also made him realize that within the court...

There are still many kind-hearted people. (End of this chapter)