Saving the Ming Dynasty: I can exchange bodies with Chongzhen

Chapter 41: Famous Minister Returns to the Court
Zhu Changgan walked around the back garden for a long time but still didn't see Queen Zhang Yan, and he couldn't help feeling depressed.

"Your Majesty, how come you have time to come to the back garden today?" Queen Zhou's voice suddenly reached Zhu Changgan's ears.

"Queen, I am wondering if there is any way to improve the reputation of our royal family."

"To enhance the reputation of our royal family? Your Majesty came to this Ciqing Palace?"

Ciqing Palace is where the emperor's sister-in-law Zhang Yan lives, and it is a bit far from Kunning Palace where the empress lives.

Zhu Changgan's old face suddenly turned red. He couldn't say that he had seen Zhang Yan yesterday. She was tall and beautiful, with a face as white as Guanyin, eyes as bright as waves, mouth as red as cherry blossoms, with a slender waist and light steps, showing her white wrists under the light gauze...

"You, the Queen, are judging others by your own standards, aren't you?" Zhu Changgan stood up straight for a moment. "There have been many refugees coming from Shaanxi and Henan these days. I have asked the Imperial Guards, the East Factory, and the merchants and wealthy families in the capital to go and provide relief."

"Since the imperial mausoleum was destroyed last year and the royal family's prestige was damaged, I have been wondering if it is possible to send people from the royal family to comfort the people."

In the ninth year of Chongzhen, the Daming Deling Mausoleum was destroyed. This was the mausoleum of Emperor Tianqi and also the mausoleum of Zhang Yan a hundred years later.

"Your Majesty, do you want me and the Crown Prince to go?" Queen Zhou was very intelligent and understood what the Emperor meant at the first moment.

Zhu Changgan nodded, "Not only you and the crown prince should go, but Empress Yi'an should also go. Since last year, Empress Yi'an has hardly gone out because the imperial mausoleum was destroyed, and her health has been getting worse. It's a good opportunity for her to go out for a walk as well."

"I have arranged for the Jinyiwei and Dongchang people to follow you and protect your safety."

"Your Majesty, I will go and talk to Empress Zhang right away." Empress Zhou bit her lip lightly, glanced at the emperor, and turned away.

Soon, Queen Zhou came back, "Your Majesty, Queen Yi'an agreed."

Zhu Changgan discovered that being with the Empress of the Ming Dynasty also had its advantages in this regard.

Empresses were all chosen from small families. They would not be able to look down on others, nor would they unite their families to check and balance the imperial power. Naturally, they did not have to worry about external relatives interfering in politics.

Instead, they would care about and remind the emperor, and sympathize with the sufferings of the people.

As for Zhang Yan and Queen Zhou, both of them can be regarded as virtuous queens of their generation.

"I will ask the East Factory to buy some clothes for you to distribute." Zhu Changgan said after thinking for a while.

The reason for doing this is that Zhu Changgan discovered that the national fortune value of the Ming Dynasty was rising slowly, and he wanted to try this method to see if it could improve it faster.

After explaining all this, Zhu Changgan heard a eunuch whisper something in Wang Chengen's ear and couldn't help but ask, "What's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, Sun Chengzong is already waiting outside the Qianqing Palace."

Zhu Changgan's eyes suddenly lit up, "Quick, welcome him in, and inform the imperial kitchen that I want to have dinner with Lord Sun."

……

Qianqing Palace,
Zhu Changgan smiled and raised his wine glass, saying to Sun Chengzong, who had gray hair and a beard, "Sir, you have had a hard journey. I have prepared some wine to welcome you."

Sun Chengzong was the teacher of Emperor Tianqi. As an emperor, Tianqi had many private tutors, and Chongzhen also once went to take classes.

Moreover, when Old Sun gave them lectures, he explained things in a simple and easy-to-understand way, making it easy for Tianqi and Chongzhen to understand. They would suddenly become enlightened every time. In addition, Sun Chengzong had a very good personal relationship with Emperor Tianqi, so Chongzhen had more interactions with Sun Chengzong.

This is also why Chongzhen called him "Sir".

"I really don't know why Your Majesty insisted on arresting me?" Sun Chengzong shook his head and sighed. He was kidnapped here by his own son and the Eastern Depot.

He raised his head and looked around the Qianqing Palace.

It was still the same as before, as if there was no change at all from the day when he and the emperor said goodbye.

Zhu Changgan sighed and said, "Sir, you are a great talent. When we first arrived at Shanhaiguan, we only had Shanhaiguan and the eight miles of land outside Shanhaiguan. It was because of you that we were able to consolidate Shanhaiguan, recover Ningyuan and the surrounding area of ​​more than 400 miles, establish the Guanning Defense Line, and block the Later Jin outside the pass..."

"But I am old. I am seventy-five."

"Sir, you are not old. In the past, Jiang Ziya came out of the mountains at the age of seventy and became prime minister at the age of eighty. Baili Xi was over seventy years old and assisted Qin Mugong. Compared with them, I think you are not old at all."

Sun Chengzong shook his head, "How can I compare to Jiang Shang and Baili Xi? I can no longer mount a horse or draw a bow." "I will not allow you to mount a horse, let alone draw a bow and shoot an arrow. I only want you to help me with some advice."

"Your Majesty's idea is good, but the current situation in the court..." Sun Chengzong shook his head with a wry smile and said nothing more.

Zhu Changgan suddenly said excitedly: "Sir, are you just going to watch the Ming Dynasty go to waste?"

"Your Majesty, do you really want to save the country from danger?" Sun Chengzong finally raised his head, his eyes sharp, "I dare to ask your Majesty, is there any food and money in the treasury?"

"It's not stated in the national treasury, but I have 1200 million taels in my treasury."

Sun Chengzong's eyes suddenly lit up, "I have another question for your majesty, aren't you afraid that I will become old, frail, stupid and useless?"

"Not afraid!"

"If the Donglin officials in the court attack me, how will Your Majesty deal with it?"

"They attacked and raped you, sir. I will bear the responsibility for you. All the blame lies with me. All I have to do is write a few more letters of apology."

"I will ask you one more question. What kind of Ming Dynasty does your Majesty want?"

"I want the people of this land to have their own fields, their own looms, their own homes, and their families, young and old, to have their own support."

Sun Chengzong stared at the emperor, sitting there like a piece of wood.

For a moment, I couldn't tell whether this was a dream or reality.

at last,

He stood up and knelt down, "I, your majesty, am willing to burn out my last bit of energy for you."

This Ming official, who passed the imperial examination at the age of thirty and became a Jinshi at the age of forty, and who achieved success late in life, finally returned to the court.

"Sir, I offer you a toast."

"I dare not!" Sun Chengzong quickly picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.

At this time, Wang Chengen came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Li Banghua is outside seeking an audience."

"Let him in!"

Soon, a Confucian scholar who was not very tall walked in. "Your Majesty, I, Li Banghua, kowtow to you."

"Come, Meng'an, sit beside me and drink with me." Zhu Changgan asked Wang Chengen to fill another seat. (Li Banghua, courtesy name Meng'an.)
Li Banghua then saw clearly that Sun Chengzong was also there, and quickly raised his hand and said, "Mr. Sun!"

When he was summoned to the capital by the emperor this time, he was a little nervous. He had been dismissed from office many times and had lived in idleness at home for twenty years. He didn't know whether this was a blessing or a curse. But now that he saw Sun Chengzong was there too, his eyes suddenly lit up.

room,

While eating, Zhu Changgan said to Sun Chengzong and Li Banghua: "I specially appoint you and Meng An as Grand Secretaries of Wenyuan Pavilion and Dongge."

"Sir, you will be in charge of military affairs, and Meng An will be in charge of the Beijing camp. Is that feasible?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"I seem to hear the sound of the phoenix calling for the second time under Mount Qishan."

Zhu Changgan's eyes sparkled. It was said that the demise of the Ming Dynasty began with Sun Chengzong's resignation, ended with Lu Xiangsheng's martyrdom, and ended with Sun Chuanting's death in battle.

Then I will bring Sun Chengzong and Li Banghua back to the court, and protect Lu Xiangsheng and Sun Chuanting.

(End of this chapter)