Brocade clothing as the country

Chapter 618

"Is there something important?"

Although in mourning, Empress Dowager Li still reacted quickly, her own mother knew about it, but for an old lady who enjoys wealth and wealth, I am afraid that the word "important matter" was told to her by others.

To put it bluntly, the love of the Tian family is just that. Empress Dowager Li quickly put away her grief, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and said:
"Mother, what's the important thing, didn't you say it? Tell Dad about such things, don't mess around with me, those civil servants are not as honest as our family..."

Madam Wu Qinghou waved her hand nonchalantly, and said:
"We have been rich for so long, and our family has a lot of twists and turns... Don't talk about this, I also know that I shouldn't get involved in these things, but I have asked your father and your brother about this matter, and they all said that I should tell you. One talk."

When Madam Wuqinghou said so, Empress Dowager Li was even more cautious. Although her father Wuqinghou Li Wei and elder brother Li Wenquan were not very talented, they were more cautious in handling things and thought of everything for her. No small matter.

"The day before yesterday, Zhang Siwei's family from the Ministry of War came to our house. He said he got a few seasonal southern goods from Jiangnan, but he said he had something important to discuss..."

"Zhang Siwei?"

"Yes, I reckon it's just turning around her man's words, saying that the Empress Dowager is the most virtuous queen mother since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and she can be called Yao and Shun among women.

Mrs. Wu Qinghou cleared her throat and said, Empress Dowager Li would not be fooled by such flattery, she just frowned and waited for the next sentence.

"I also talked about why the empress is able to be Yao and Shun among women. Needless to say, the empress herself is virtuous and talented. There is Zhang Juzheng, the chief assistant of the cabinet outside, and Feng Bao, the chief inspector of ceremonies inside. These two assistants are also important reasons for the empress to conquer the world. , now that the emperor is still underage, some things are unavoidable to be rash and arbitrary, and there will inevitably be troubles without the empress in charge."

"Zhang Siwei's wife dares to speak like that!!?"

Empress Dowager Li's face was gloomy, and her voice immediately raised. Madam Wu Qinghou took a sip of tea and said:
"These ladies of great family background have the same virtues as their men, and they talk in a twist and turn, anyway, that's what they mean. Now that Zhang Juzheng is gone, if the emperor chooses someone he trusts as the chief assistant, if he does something, the empress will If you want to change the persuasion, I'm afraid there is no way... Zhang Siwei wants to say that he will take the position of Zhang Juzheng, and everything will be the same as before, but he will not be as arbitrary as Zhang Juzheng..."

After saying a few words, she saw that Empress Dowager Li had fallen into deep thought, so she stopped talking. After a pause, Mrs. Wu Qinghou said again:

"Zhang Siwei wanted to be promoted, but what he said made some sense. The chaos last night was so big that it was almost out of control. It wasn't because of Zhang Juzheng's death. When he came out, the emperor still couldn't hold back, and asked his wife to help him for a while, Zhang Siwei is no better than Zhang Juzheng, and he will not be as unkind as Zhang Juzheng."

"Now it's no different than when the emperor first came to the throne, and the first assistant will let the Ai family make up his mind. Will the emperor..."

The reason for being underage is really hard to say, Emperor Wanli now even has three daughters, this age is already considered Dingkou in the Ming Dynasty law, why is he underage.

But the taste of power is intoxicating. Since the Empress Dowager Li took control of the court in the first year of Wanli, she has been the de facto master of the world. Emperor Wanli was fine when he was young. As the emperor got older, Empress Dowager Li also knew This situation won't last long, every time I think of living in the palace and handing over the power in my hands, I feel reluctance, empty and uncomfortable.

There was chaos yesterday, and King Lu was found out again. Empress Dowager Li was also disheartened, and she was no longer ready to intervene in political affairs.

When Long Qing passed away, the chief assistant Gao Gong turned his power to the government and suppressed Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng, so it was possible to form an internal and external alliance, and then rely on each other to control the government.

But the situation is different now. Zhang Siwei, who is qualified to inherit the position of chief assistant in the cabinet, is a matter of course for this position. He does not need so much support and favor from the palace, and there is no basis for forming an alliance with each other.

Without the support of the chief minister of the cabinet, the Empress Dowager Li, who lives deep in the inner palace, has no way to exert influence on the government, which is why the Empress Dowager Li is ready to let go.

When he was about to let go, he didn't expect that Zhang Siwei would take the initiative to come to the door. It was a huge temptation to control the world and surpass the power and status of the emperor. The Empress Dowager Li hesitated.

While hesitating, Mrs. Wu Qinghou over there said carelessly:
"You are the emperor's own mother, how can the mother harm her own son, and this is not for the emperor's good, but for the sake of the great Ming Dynasty?"

Cisheng Empress Dowager Li pondered for a long time, then nodded slowly.

*************
There was chaos in the palace, there were too many things to do, the eunuch Zhang Cheng, the supervisor of ceremonies, Bingbi, didn't even bother to eat lunch, until the sun went down, and he sat in the courtyard where the supervisor of ceremonies was on duty.

The eunuchs of the Supervisor of Rituals are different from other places. The inner court yamen are all flattering and flattering. After sitting down here for a while, before the tea is cold, the eunuch of the Shangshan Supervisor came to the door with a food box. Several delicate and refreshing dishes Side dishes, a bowl of porridge and a basket of steamed stuffed buns were all steaming hot. Zhang Cheng was also hungry when he saw the delicious food. He nodded and praised Shang Shanjian, and then sat at the table to eat.

The eunuch of the Shangshan Supervisor left happily, but Zou Yi came over. After entering the door, he first bowed his head respectfully and saluted. Before he raised his head to speak, Zhang Cheng waved his hand with a smile and said:

"You are also the eunuch in charge of the horse now. You don't have to be so polite like our family. Sit down quickly. You have been busy all day. Use some together to pad your stomach."

Zhang Cheng was polite, but Zou Yi got up after performing all the etiquette, and said solemnly:
"Master Yifu is Lord Yifu. The son has today's position, but it is not due to the kindness of Lord Yifu. This time, I have something to report to Yifu."

Having achieved the position of eunuch supervisor without any arrogance, Zhang Cheng nodded with a smile, looked at Zou Yi with admiration and satisfaction in his eyes, and said slowly:

"You have experienced it, sit down and talk about it if you have anything to do!"

Zou Yi did not sit down, but stood there and said in a low voice:
"Just now, people from our side of the palace sent a message that when Eunuch Feng was on business with King Lu, a steward of the Zhonggu Division went to ask to see him."

When Zhang Cheng heard this, he picked up the porridge bowl. A steward of Zhonggusi saw Feng Bao. It was just a normal exchange in the palace. What kind of thing is this? Zou Yi continued:
"The news that Zhonggusi is in charge of the Public Security Department, but this person is related to Zhang Siwei."

"Oh?"

Zhang Cheng frowned, and put down the porridge bowl.

***************
In the palace where King Lu lived, the lives of more than a hundred people were ended. Feng Bao, who presided over the matter, didn't feel any discomfort except for a little tired look.

Tian Yi, who was in charge of the office of Li Jianwen, stood beside him. Feng Bao took a sip of tea and said:
"There is nothing wrong with our family, but with the empress dowager, let him talk about it by himself."

Tian Yi frowned, bowed and said:
"Eunuch Feng, Zhang Siwei has bad intentions. The position of the first assistant is a ruling of the Sacred Heart. He is jumping up and down here. He really has no grace. I thought this person was a loyal and capable minister, but I didn't expect it to be so. Mr. Feng It’s better to stay away from such people.”

"You are good at everything, but you are too straightforward. You are too heavily contaminated with the habits of those scholar-bureaucrats outside!!"

Feng Bao stretched out his hand and nodded Tian Yi, but the two sides can talk about such topics, and they are all from their own family. Feng Bao sighed and said:

"At the moment, Zhang Siwei and Shen Shixing are candidates for the position of chief assistant. What happened last night, Shen Shixing was not afraid of danger, and persuaded Xungui to come out to quell the chaos. This kind of courage, heart, and credit are far better than Zhang Siwei's." It is no wonder that he is in a hurry because he has done a lot of credit for going to Beijing with the imperial envoy."

"Then Eunuch Feng is still like this..."

"Shen Shixing and Zhang Cheng are getting closer. Our family doesn't want to encounter the things that Gao Gong did a few years ago. Zhang Siwei still has the ability to do things. Otherwise, Zhang Juzheng wouldn't be so reassuring about him."

During the reign of Emperor Longqing, Xu Jie, the chief assistant, retired quickly and returned to his hometown. Gao Gong, the successor chief assistant, was quite wary of Feng Bao. It was time for Feng Bao to take the position, but Gao Gong, the first assistant, recommended others several times, and in the end he even recommended the eunuch with the palm seal of the Shangshan Supervisor.

Hearing what Feng Bao said, Tian Yi stopped making a sound. The two sides were quiet for a while, and someone outside greeted him. Tian Yi went out for a while and came back again, and said:
"Eunuch Feng, a few carts left the palace just now, it should be Wang Tong and the others who left."

Feng Bao shook his head, sighed and said:
"Wang Tong really knows how to advance and retreat. After this incident, he will be rich!"

***************
The capital was in chaos last night, and Zhang Siwei, Minister of the Ministry of War, panicked throughout the house. He usually never does any housework. At this time, more than a dozen domestic servants played a role. They guarded the door with knives, guns and sticks.

In the early hours of the morning, Zhang Siwei and the palace envoys went to dispatch troops outside the city, and the mansion was considered stable. After Zhang Siwei came back in the morning and changed into court clothes, he was called to court by someone from the palace. Send out a few cronies who are useful in the mansion.

However, as one by one of his cronies returned to report, Zhang Siwei's gloomy face turned solemn.

"The escort in the palace last night was Wang Tong!!? Is this news accurate?"

"It's absolutely true, although people outside the palace don't know about it, everyone inside the palace has spread the word!!!"
-
You can't relax at the beginning of the month, please continue to support Laobai's subscription and monthly pass

(End of this chapter)