Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 259 Wang Zhen’s Value

Hall of Martial Arts.

After Wang Zhen retreated, Zhu Gaoxu coughed slightly and saw Zhu Zhanyu, Zhu Zhancheng, Zhu Zhantang, and Zhu Zhankan walking out from behind the screens on the left and right sides of the hall respectively.

"Tell me, what's your impression of the eunuch just now?"

Zhu Gaoxu's eyes fell on his eldest son Zhu Zhanyu, and he said slowly: "Zhanyu, you speak first."

"Yes."

Zhu Zhanyu bowed and continued: "Father, I believe that Wang Zhen has a kind face and elegant temperament. He should be a kind-hearted person who can be entrusted with teaching, professor and other education-related positions. "

"Zhancheng, tell me."

After hearing Zhu Zhanyu's words, Zhu Gaoxu turned his head slightly and looked at Zhu Zhancheng and said.

"Father, I have just noticed that Wang Zhen has a short black beard on his chin. According to medical classics, people with thick beards are ambitious and courageous. Although Wang Zhen entered the palace only after he became an adult, he It has been several years since he entered the palace, and he still has a short beard, which shows that he has a special talent."

Zhu Zhancheng thought: "Therefore, my minister's opinion is that Wang Zhen should not be entrusted with important responsibilities to prevent greater ambitions."

Zhu Gaoxu nodded, and then said to Zhu Zhantang: "Lao Jiu, tell me your opinion."

"My father just asked Wang Zhen to step forward twenty steps, firstly to see his appearance clearly, and secondly so that we can observe him better. But after hearing my father's inquiry, in addition to answering in the affirmative, he also specially I added that his beard is similar to Eunuch Qing (Qingyao)."

Zhu Zhantang cupped his hands and said: "Therefore, I believe that Wang Zhen is a person who is good at understanding people's hearts and is very scheming. He must not be allowed to hold confidential positions."

Zhu Gaoxu intended to examine the four legitimate sons of the school. After hearing what Zhu Zhantang said, he deliberately asked: "You said that he is good at understanding people's hearts, which is fair to say, but you can say that he is very scheming. Where can you tell?"

Zhu Zhancheng, Zhu Zhanyu, and Zhu Zhankan also want to know this question.

Zhu Zhantang explained: "Father, there was an eunuch named Tong Guan in the Song Dynasty who also had a beard. However, Wang Zhen did not say that he was similar to Tong Guan. He specifically said that his beard was similar to that of eunuch Qing. This was not only because Tong Guan Another reason for his bad reputation is that Eunuch Qing is a close confidant of his father."

"Wang Zhen's answer seems to be unintentional, but in fact it is intentional. In this way, the father will connect him with Eunuch Qing. Eunuch Qing is a close aide of the father, and Wang Zhen, who is similar to Eunuch Qing, will be in the relationship with his father. The status in the emperor's mind is naturally different from that of ordinary middle-ranking officials."

Zhu Zhankan wanted to praise "Brother Ninth is awesome", but he knew that everyone was in Wuying Hall now, and Kang Ping was still standing next to Zhu Gaoxu, so the proper etiquette should not be messed up.

So, he held back.

Zhu Gaoxu ignored Zhu Zhancheng and Zhu Zhanyu's expressions of surprise, cast his gaze on Zhu Zhankan's face, and asked: "Zhankan, tell me your opinion."

"Father, after listening to Ninth Brother's analysis, I feel that Wang Zhen is too scheming. This kind of person is too scary and cannot be kept in the palace. He should be kicked out."

Although Zhu Zhankan is already ten years old, he is still a child after all. Unlike Zhu Zhantang, who is already 13 years old, his thoughts are simpler and he can say whatever he thinks.

Zhu Gaoxu stroked his beard and smiled and said: "According to what you say, I have to drive away many of the middle officers of the [-]th Supervisor, the [-]th Division, and the [-]th Bureau of the Inner Court!"

"This?"

Zhu Zhankan was startled. He was not stupid. Of course he understood the meaning of Zhu Gaoxu's words.

When Zhu Gaoxu saw Zhu Zhankan's expression changed, he took the opportunity to say seriously: "As soon as you enter the palace gate, it is as deep as the sea. It is absolutely impossible for a middle official without scheming to get ahead in the palace."

When he said this, he looked around at his four sons and gave guidance: "You remember, a king must know people and make good use of them, and discerning a person's heart is the most difficult, because people's hearts will change with changes in the environment and situation. , which is what "Shang Shu" said, 'The human heart is in danger'!"

"My son, please follow the teachings of the emperor."

Zhu Zhanyu and the four others saluted in unison.

"I want you to know that what a person becomes often depends not only on his or her own will, but also on the changes in people caused by external environment and experience."

Zhu Gaoxu said loudly: "You all sit down. Kang Ping, please tell them about Wang Zhen's situation in detail."

"The slaves obey the order."

Kang Ping bowed and accepted the order.

"What your four highnesses don't know is that Wang Zhen had already passed the examination before the imperial court implemented the new imperial examination policy. Because his family was poor, in order to support his family, he had to find a job teaching in a private school." Kang Ping walked to the main hall. On the left, Si stood beside Zhu Zhanyu, looked at the four Zhu Zhanyu brothers, and said slowly: "Later, he became a local Confucian instructor through various channels."

"What is a Confucian instructor?"

Zhu Zhankan couldn't help but ask.

“Since the time of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, we have attached great importance to Confucian education and vigorously built schools in all provinces and counties all over the world. Since there are schools, they must be equipped with corresponding teachers, including professors, Xuezheng, teachings, and instructions. It can be said that it is a heavy responsibility for people to shoulder the responsibility of teaching at the grassroots level of our Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Zhancheng took the lead and explained for Kang Ping: "In the 31st year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu reformed the imperial examination and tried out the nine-class imperial examination system in Yingtian Mansion. No matter which subject you study, Confucianism is a compulsory study, and the Confucian instructor is A teacher who teaches Confucianism."

"What His Highness Sixth Prince said is absolutely true. Wang Zhen was a Confucian teacher in a middle school. During his tenure as a teacher, he married a wife and had children. Although he did not enter the officialdom through the imperial examination, he was a middle school student who received a salary from the imperial court. Teaching in the school is still very respected by the people."

Kang Ping continued: "However, according to the imperial court's assessment requirements for professors and teachers in various schools, if during the teaching period, the test scores of a Confucian student's students do not meet the minimum assessment standards set by the imperial court, then the teacher will be exiled to Guard the frontier.”

"Young Master Kang, what is this minimum assessment standard?"

Zhu Zhankan asked.

Kang Ping replied: "Among the students of a certain Confucian teaching, those who pass the compulsory Confucian examination are less than two-thirds of the total number of candidates, and the professor is deemed to be unqualified. In the nine consecutive years of teaching of a certain Confucian teaching, a total of five times If you fail to pass the above teachings, you will be exiled."

"I see."

Zhu Zhankan nodded.

Kang Ping continued: "Perhaps Wang Zhen was unlucky. He caught wind and cold four times in a row before holding the student Confucian exams. As a result, the students lacked guidance and failed to pass the exams. As a result, his teaching performance was not up to standard. Press Law, he will be exiled to a place near the North Sea in the Nurgandu jurisdiction."

"Exiled to Beihai, the journey is far away, and it can be said that there is a narrow escape from death. In desperation, Wang Zhen encountered an opportunity to avoid being exiled."

Zhu Zhankan couldn't help but ask: "What opportunity?"

"It was the 17th year of Yongle. The Tatar, Oala and other tribes donated a group of young firemen and girls. The grandfather of the four highnesses, who is now the Supreme Emperor, needed a group of scholars who could read and write. The palace teaches the maids and chamberlains how to read and write, so the Emperor specially issued an order to allow some Confucian instructors who did not meet the standards to clean themselves up and work in the palace."

Kang Ping said unhurriedly: "Wang Zhen just met the requirements, so he responded to the imperial edict and entered the palace. Because he was good at observing people's opinions and knowledgeable, he gained the respect of the maids and chamberlains after entering the palace, and gradually gained popularity. He gained a certain degree of fame. After the Supreme Emperor learned about Wang Zhen, he transferred Wang Zhen, who could read and digitize, to the capital inspector and promoted him to Dian Shu to assist in the affairs of various inspectors."

"A few dozen days ago, His Majesty set up an internal study hall and appointed Wang Zhen as an assistant teacher, specializing in teaching literacy and reading to many young internal servants, so that they can be assigned to various supervisors and errands in the future."

When he said this, he bowed to the four Zhu Zhanyu brothers and said: "Four highnesses, the above is Wang Zhen's past."

After listening to Kang Ping's story, the four of them, Zhu Zhanyu, all had a comprehensive understanding of Wang Zhen.

"Think about it, what kind of character would a person like him who would rather purify himself in order to live have?"

Zhu Gaoxu looked at his four sons and asked in a deep voice.

He naturally knew who Wang Zhen was, the first generation of authoritative eunuch of the Ming Dynasty in history.

In line with the principle of making the best use of materials and making full use of people's talents, Zhu Gaoxu arranged for the well-known Wang Zhen to serve as an assistant teacher in the inner book hall in order to share Huang Yan's power.

Given Wang Zhen's unscrupulous nature to climb up the ladder, he would never turn a blind eye to Huang Yan's criminal behavior. He would secretly collect evidence of the other party's crime and then expose and meritorious deeds.

Seeing that the four of them were speechless for a long time, Zhu Gaoxu asked again: "Which of you can recite the words from the "Records of Emperor Taizu Gao of the Ming Dynasty" where Emperor Taizu prohibited eunuchs from participating in politics?"

Seeing that all four of his sons were silent, he said helplessly: "In a few days, I will conduct random inspections. You all should go down first."

"My son, I have accepted the order, and I, my son, have resigned."

The four Zhu Zhanyu brothers said in unison.

appendix:

"In order to govern, one must first take care of internal and external defenses, eliminate any selfishness between parties, and ensure that the court is clear and disciplined. The rulers of the previous generation did not take this into account, allowing the officials to communicate with foreign ministers, watching the movements, and turning the estranged relationship into treachery. Stealing authority in order to disrupt the country. The harm caused is not subtle, but there are those who are determined to get rid of it, but they are unable to do so, and suffer the consequences, which extends to good people. What happened in the Han and Tang Dynasties is deeply regrettable! A benevolent person will rule without chaos. Those who know see the invisible, so I am forbidden to do so, so the warning has not yet been heard." - "Records of Taizu of the Ming Dynasty"

(End of this chapter)