The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 249: In the 18th year of Hongzhi, he was named on the gold list
In fact, the cabinet has never thought about abolishing the establishment.

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian have enough self-confidence to be blind.The prince is our student and he was trained by us.

When he became emperor, how could he not only obey the orders of his two teachers?

In the eyes of Li and Xie, Zhu Houzhao was just a playful 14-year-old boy. How can a 14-year-old know how to govern a country?

The day has truly come when the sky falls apart and the new king ascends the throne.Isn’t it the emperor’s teacher who has the final say in government affairs?
They thought Zhu Houzhao was an ignorant boy, but they didn't know that Zhu Houzhao had opinions far beyond those of his peers.

The capital's mansion.

Liu Jian is secretly discussing with Li Dongyang and Xie Qian the candidates for the new cabinet members.

Liu Jin was able to bribe Liu Wentai and learned that Emperor Hongzhi's destiny was near.The civil service group also spent money on Liu Wentai.

Liu Jiandao: "The emperor's deadline may be within half a year. If you don't plan for the future, you can't plan for a moment. For the new cabinet members, we must make plans early."

Cabinet members are always appointed by the emperor.The civil servant group is clearly acting as a proxy.

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian looked at each other.

Li Dongyang said: "It all depends on the chief assistant's decision."

Liu Jiandao: "The first assistant is still me. The second assistant is Binzhi (Li Dongyang). Yu Qiao (Xie Qian) is still a cabinet member."

"We will recruit two more cabinet members. Of course, cabinet members are different from cabinet members. Yu Qiao has been in the cabinet for a long time and is considered the chief cabinet member."

Xie Qian asked tentatively: "I wonder which two people the chief minister plans to let into the cabinet?"

Liu Jian replied: "Wang Chao, the right servant of the Ministry of Personnel, counts as one, and Shi Daishan, the censor of the left capital, counts as one."

Both of them are also leaders of the civil service group.I have a good relationship with Liu, Li and Xie.

Li Dongyang said: "The chief minister has high opinion. Brother Wang and Brother Dai are both ministers of Shoucheng. They are qualified enough to serve as cabinet members."

Liu Jian smiled: "It's time to make some changes in the personnel affairs of the Sixth Department. Ma Wensheng has been in charge of the Ministry of Civil Affairs for many years. He is getting older and it is time to transfer to Nanjing to rest in his old age."

"As for the Ministry of War, Liu Daxia should also be granted the title of Zhuguo and be transferred to Nanjing to be the Minister of the Ministry of War."

Ma Wensheng and Liu Daxia have been outside the civil service group in recent years.The cabinet has been unable to get involved in the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War.

One of these two departments is in charge of personnel and the other is in charge of military affairs.Only when Liu, Li, and Xie controlled these two ministries could they truly be called powerful.

The three of them talked secretly all night.The list of personnel for the new cabinet and six ministries was determined.

Before the old emperor died, the ministers began to plan and arrange court personnel beyond the new emperor.If Emperor Hongzhi found out about this, he would definitely lose everything, including the Dragon Roar.

On this day, Chang Feng came to the East Palace to inspect the garrison.

Jiang Bin is now in charge of the East Palace garrison.Jiang Bin and Zhu Houzhao hit it off instantly.The two even slept on the same couch at night and talked all night long.

The eunuchs in the palace even suspected that His Highness the Crown Prince had a Longyang addiction. Naturally, these were all their inner thoughts.No one dares to gossip.

Chang Feng thought it was a good thing for Jiang Bin to sleep on the same bed as the prince.

Jiang Bin looks very much like him when he was young.Jiang Bin's hope is to become the crown prince.For the sake of his own future, Jiang Bin will fight to the death to protect the crown prince.

The guard sleeps on the prince's bed. If there is an assassin at night, he can at least block the prince's knife.

Jiang Bin said respectfully: "Master Chang, according to your instructions, all the Han generals in the East Palace have been replaced by old brothers who have been with you for more than ten years."

"Double sentries are posted at night. The number of night robes outside His Highness's palace has also tripled."

Chang Feng said: "From today on, Qian Ning, Shi Wenyi, Wang Miaoxin, Zhang Cai, and You Jingwu will all come to the East Palace to guard the palace. Duke Ding Xu Guangzuo will also temporarily come to help."

Jiang Bin was extremely surprised when he heard this: Master Chang transferred all the big shots from Jinyiwei to guard the East Palace?
Chang Feng said: "Don't care how much higher their rank is than you. When they arrive at the East Palace, they will all be at your disposal."

Jiang Bin hesitated: "Most of them are my superiors, and they are also veterans in Wei. How can I be my subordinates?"

Chang Feng waved his hand: "Extraordinary times, extraordinary means, extraordinary personnel. The person the Crown Prince trusts most now is you. It is better to leave the East Palace garrison to you."

"Jiang Bin, I made it clear in advance. If your Highness makes any mistake, I will kill you and your whole family."

Although Chang Feng's words were a bit harsh, Jiang Bin understood him very well: "Don't worry, Mr. Chang. If His Highness makes any mistake, I won't bother you to take action. I will hang myself with my family on the beam."

Chang Feng said again: "Go to the dining room and tea house to have a look."

There were not only two imperial dining rooms in the Ming Dynasty palace responsible for the emperor's diet.The princes and concubines of each palace also have their own independent dining rooms and teahouses.

The dining room and tea house in the East Palace are next to each other.

Chang Feng said: "Why are there only four Han generals guarding it? Change it to 20 people!"

"Fresh vegetables picked from outside the palace, such as radishes, should be cut into four sections, and one section should be cooked for His Highness to eat. The remaining three sections should be tasted by the eunuchs first."

"After frying it into a dish, the eunuchs will taste it twice more. If it is fine after half an hour, it will be served to His Highness."

Jiang Bin frowned: "After half an hour? Isn't the food already cold?"

Chang Feng said: "In extraordinary times, I can only give in to the crown prince."

Chang Feng took everyone to the well in the East Palace again.

Chang Feng said: "Jiang Bin, why don't you send a Han general to guard the well?"

Jiang Bin was stunned: "Well? It's not necessary."

Chang Feng frowned: "Why is it not necessary? There are six wells in the East Palace. What if someone poisons the wells? Two people are assigned to guard each well. They are on duty every four hours."

Chang Feng strengthened the guards in the East Palace.According to Chang Feng's order, not even a fly can fly in the East Palace.

In the evening, as he was about to leave the East Palace, he suddenly remembered a folk legend.

When King Xiao Ming capsized his boat and drowned, it was actually an open secret who was the instigator behind the incident.

Legend has it that King Xiao Ming cast a vicious curse before his death: "Zhu Chong's eight descendants will suffer the same fate as me!"

Chang Feng told Jiang Bin: "You will accompany His Highness every day. You must watch him and don't let him ride a boat and play in the Taiye Pond and Fish Algae Pond!"

Jiang Bin was a little embarrassed: "If His Highness' temper suddenly arises, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop him."

Chang Feng thought about it and it was right.He turned to Zhang Cai and said, "Go and say hello to Eunuch Xiao, who is the superintendent of rituals. Remove all the royal boats from Taiye Pond and Yuzao Pond."

Zhang Cai took the order and left.

After Chang Feng finished explaining everything, he returned to his house.

Time flies.The frost on the bluestone slabs of the palace turned into thick snow.When the snow melts, the spring breeze begins to blow.

The spring of Hongzhi's 18th year arrived as promised.

Emperor Hongzhi's health deteriorated.Today is the beginning of spring, and for the first time, he has been absent from the morning and afternoon morning and afternoon dynasties for six consecutive days.

Chang Feng got news from the inner palace that the emperor was too sick to get out of bed.

The emperor was seriously ill, and the prince took over the affairs of state on behalf of the emperor.

Let's put it this way, when Zhu Houzhao was in court at Yumen, he was like an honest little daughter-in-law.

The two teachers and civil servants said whatever they said.No matter what suggestions they put forward, Zhu Houzhao would always say, "Your Majesty has a great opinion and will approve it."

In the previous dynasty, there was a long-lived elder, and in this dynasty, there is a crown prince.

It seems that the prince has no opinion.He regarded the opinions of civil servants as golden rules and was controlled by the civil servants.

But Liu Jin quietly told Chang Feng that the prince was showing weakness and pretending to be submissive.
Zhu Houzhao, like Liu Jin and Chang Feng, did not want anything to happen before he ascended the throne.

During the extraordinary period when the emperor was seriously ill, a calm court was most beneficial to the prince.The seventh day of February.There are only two days left before the candidates enter the Gongyuan Academy to participate in the Spring Festival Competition.

Chang Ponu, his mother Liu Xiaoyan, and Mrs. Xiao Niangjiu were busy packing away the exam equipment.

In the evening, Chang Feng went home on a business trip.

Chang Ponu said: "Dad, I have packed the pen, ink, paper, inkstone, and test box for you."

Chang Feng waved his hand: "No need. I have asked Zhang Cai to go to the Ministry of Etiquette and hand over the photo of withdrawal from the undergraduate examination."

Chang Ponu was shocked when he heard this: "Dad, you don't want to take the exam for this subject?"

Chang Feng nodded: "I have failed five subjects in a row. I should take this one less."

Chang Feng dropped out of the exam for the sake of the government.Once you enter Gongyuan, it will last for nine days.And once you enter Gongyuan, you are basically isolated from the rest of the world.

During the extraordinary period when the emperor was seriously ill, if something unexpected happened within these nine days, Chang Feng would not be able to deal with it in time.

He thought twice and decided not to take the exam at all.

Chang Ponu sighed: "Hey, yesterday when I was drinking with Brother Jingwu and Brother Yan Song, I said that it is impossible to predict whether the father and son of the Chang family and the Yan family will be successful in this subject."

Chang Feng said: "Fame is a small matter, but the government is a big deal. Commander Mou of the Jinyi Guards is not very involved. Dad is the actual leader of the Tiqi. The emperor is not in good health."

"Okay, don't worry about it. Just prepare for the exam."

The servant reported: "Sir, your good friend Zhai Luan has arrived at the house."

Zhai Luan, a native of Shuntian Mansion, is an authentic old capital.He and Chang Ponu were the same imperial examination candidates.

Last year, when the honorary list was announced, Chang Ponu and Zhai Luan were standing next to each other during the Shuntian Prefecture's deer roaring banquet.The two chatted happily.In the past six months, I have been studying art articles together to prepare for the exam.

Chang Feng said: "Po Nu, go meet your peers."

Chang Ponu nodded and left.

After her son left, Liu Xiaoyan pulled Chang Feng aside and lowered her voice: "Tangtang is here in the afternoon. She just got the news from the palace that the emperor vomited blood last night. It was vomiting blood, not coughing up blood."

Although the civil servants reached a compromise with Chang Feng, they no longer pursued Liu Xiaoyan for killing officials in the street.But the case has not been resolved, and she is still carrying a life on her body, making it inconvenient for her to enter the palace.

Recently, Chang Tian has been going to the palace to find Queen Zhang to inquire about the condition of Emperor Hongzhi's dragon body.

Chang Feng frowned: "Vomiting blood? Oh my god."

Liu Xiaoyan said: "Empress Zhang has ordered the needle work bureau and scarf hat bureau to bring out the uniforms used by the Daxing Emperor."

Chang Feng frowned even more tightly: "Has it come to this?"

Liu Xiaoyan said: "Yes."

Chang Feng thought: It seems that I was right not to take the undergraduate examination.

Two days later, the trial will proceed as usual.Chang Ponu entered the examination room with his uncle Yan Huai, his eldest brother Yan Song, and his friend Zhai Luan from the same hometown.

The examiner of the undergraduate examination is Yang Tinghe, a bachelor of Zuo Chunfang.

On February 25, the Gongsheng list was announced.Chang Ponu, Yan Song and Zhai Luan entered the list.Yan Huai's name fell from Sun Mountain.

On March [-]th, the Gongsheng students entered the palace to take part in the palace examination.Because Emperor Hongzhi was seriously ill, the crown prince Zhu Houzhao took over the throne to take over the throne.

In fact, most of the rankings in the imperial examinations of the Ming Dynasty were not determined by the emperor.The emperor simply did not have the energy to read the examination papers of more than 300 people.

Generally, the examiner of the general examination will read the examination papers and determine the ranking.The emperor would make some fine-tuning, such as checking how the Zhuangyuan scroll was written.If you don't like it, you will move down the ranking.

For another example, if the emperor saw an extremely ugly person during the imperial examination, he would write down the name.When determining the ranking, move backward.

On the contrary, those who look particularly outstanding will rise in the ranking.

The night when the marking ends.The three cabinet elders, the Minister of Rites, the chief examiner of the joint examination and eight examiners came to the main hall of Qianqing Palace.

There was a seat next to the dragon chair, and Zhu Houzhao sat upright in front of the teachers, with his back straight.

Yang Tinghe, the examiner, reported: "Your Highness the Crown Prince. For the Hongzhi Yichou Imperial Examination, we plan to select three people from the first class, 95 people from the second class, and [-] people from the third class."

"The list is presented. Your Highness is respectfully invited to read it."

Zhu Houzhao said: "I have little knowledge. Let Mr. Liu, Mr. Li and Mr. Xie read the list on my behalf!"

After Sange Lao read the list, Xie Qian raised a question: "Chang Ponu is the ninth in the top two? This is absolutely impossible, Your Highness!"

Zhu Houzhao frowned.Chang Ponu was his companion when he was young. They both studied under Li Dongyang's guidance and had a deep relationship.

He hoped that Chang Ponu would get a good rank in the exam and that his childhood friend would be his assistant in court in the future.

Zhu Houzhao asked: "Why not? Po Nu is Mr. Li's student. Mr. Li knows his talents."

Xie Qian said, "Just because of this, Chang Ponu can never follow up with Erjia."

"Your Highness, you seek talents from heaven. Chang Ponu was your companion when you were young; the Second Assistant to the Cabinet was Chang Ponu's teacher; and Yang Tinghe, the examiner of the examination, fought alongside Chang Ponu's father in the southeast against Japanese pirates."

"Not to mention, his father Chang Feng is the emperor's number one favorite!"

"If he enters the second class and his position is so high, there must be rumors in Shilin that the court is partial!"

Zhu Houzhao asked: "In accordance with Mr. Xie's opinion?"

Xie Qian said: "It should be crossed off the list of Chang Po Slaves!"

Cruel, too cruel!Chang Ponu lived in poverty for ten years, and Xie Qian wiped out all his efforts with just one sentence.

Zhu Houzhao was in a dilemma.Agree, I'm sorry to the Chang family.He knew very well that Chang Feng had been putting a lot of thought into his safety recently.

Don't agree, Liu Jin sent him two words "showing weakness" three months ago.Playing against Xie Qian is not good for the overall situation.

At the critical moment, the examiner Yang Tinghe was still kind.

Yang Tinghe said: "Mr. Xie Ge's words are wrong. If His Highness the Prince's classmates can't even get into the gold list, doesn't it mean that the royal teachers are incompetent?"

"Besides, according to the ancestral system, there is no precedent for a son to be admitted to the Gongsheng list but not named on the gold list?"

"In my opinion, it's enough to put him in the top three."

Zhu Houzhao nodded hurriedly: "That's right! If Po Nu loses his reputation, it will appear that Mr. Li is incompetent in teaching him!"

Xie Qian thought about it.Although he didn't want the only son of the Chang family to enter the top ten of the second class, enter the Hanlin Academy and become a concubine, and get the chance to join the cabinet in the next year, he still wanted to save some face for his teacher Li Dongyang.

So Xie Qian said: "Then let's put Chang Ponu at the bottom of the list, with 2 in the top three!"

The words had already reached this point. In order to pretend to be submissive in front of the cabinet, Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to say: "Approval."

Hongzhi's 18th-year imperial examination gold list is officially released.

Gu Dingchen was the top pick, Dong Qi was the second pick, and Xie Pi was the top pick.

No. 2, Yan Song.

Second Class No. 10, Zhai Luan.

Among the top three, there was a man named Xu Zhenqing, one of the four great talents in Jiangnan and a close friend of Tang Yin.

Hongzhi’s gold medal in 18 is very special.One department produced three cabinet ministers who would become highly influential ministers in the future.

The top three, 2, at the bottom of the list is Chang Ponu, the only son of Jin Yiwei Chang Butcher.

(End of this chapter)