After that, Hu Zongxian saw Yan Song looking tired and knew that he could not drag it on any longer.
Afterwards, Hu Zongxian was seen considering the words in his mind, turned his eyes to Yan Song, and asked: "Old...teacher, I believe you should know about the incident that caused a commotion in the capital not long ago, right?"
When Yan Song heard Hu Zongxian's words, he immediately became energetic. After looking at Hu Zongxian up and down, he confirmed to him.
"You mean, Ma Ningyuan's case?"
When Hu Zongxian heard this, he couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately responded: "Yes, teacher, this is what the student is referring to!"
Yan Song seemed to have guessed what Hu Zongxian was thinking. His face was full of helplessness. After sighing, he gave instructions.
"In fact, Ma Ningyuan's case is both big and small. At the most serious level, it is a disregard for human life, disregard of the law, and lawlessness. At the most small level, it is nothing more than the process of changing rice into mulberry. Just a few people died!"
When Yan Song said this, he paused for a moment, changed the topic, and continued: "But someone took advantage of the topic and took the matter to His Majesty in the name of seeking justice for the people!"
"Right now, the imperial court has sent officials to Zhejiang to investigate the case!"
After Hu Zongxian learned the news from Yan Song, his pupils suddenly shrank. Then, he came back to his senses, looked in the direction of Yan Song, and asked: "Teacher, what do you mean, Ma Ningyuan cannot escape." One death?"
Yan Song did not escape Hu Zongxian's gaze, nodded, and immediately responded: "Ruzhen, you guessed it right, Ma Ning is far from escaping death. If he doesn't die, many people will die with him!"
"Besides, only by letting Ma Ningyuan bear all the blame alone can we keep you out of the matter."
"Otherwise, you will also be implicated in this case, and then all your Majesty's hard work will be in vain!"
When Hu Zongxian heard this, his face was full of disbelief. Immediately, he looked in the direction of Yan Song and asked.
"Old... teacher, you mean, Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
Yan Song took in the expression on Hu Zongxian's face, shook his head, and then said: "Well, that's right, not long ago, Feng Bao, the godson of Lu Fang, the eunuch of the Chief of Ceremonies, came to the house late at night. Came to visit and brought a word.”
"What words?"
Yan Song saw Hu Zongxian's face full of eagerness. After recalling it for a moment, he said, "Since this incident started because of Ma Ningyuan, it should also end with him!"
When Hu Zongxian heard Yan Song's words, his whole body felt as if he was struck by lightning. However, soon, Hu Zongxian forced himself to calm down, leaned down, and saluted Yan Song respectfully: "Thank you, teacher, for clearing up the confusion. The student understands!"
Hearing this, Yan Song glanced at Hu Zongxian, stroked his beard, and said comforting words: "Ruzhen, Ma Ningyuan is your student. You must be very clear about the consequences of being implicated in this case, right?"
When Hu Zongxian heard Yan Song's words, a bitter smile suddenly appeared on his face, he nodded, and responded softly: "Teacher, students understand!"
Yan Song heard the words and responded in a subtle way. Then, he was seen stroking his beard and giving instructions: "This is your Majesty's decision. None of us can change it. Just pretend that nothing has happened!"
"Don't worry, I will let Yan Shifan help take care of Ma Ningyuan's family!"
Perhaps out of fear that Hu Zongxian would be worried, Yan Song added another sentence.
"Thank you teacher, the students understand what to do next!"
When Hu Zongxian heard this, he immediately looked stern, bowed his hands to Yan Song, and responded in a deep voice.
"Teacher, it's getting late, students won't disturb your rest!"
"Um."
After the words fell, Hu Zongxian bowed to Yan Song, then turned and left the room.
After Hu Zongxian walked out of Yan's Mansion, he saw the moonlight seeping down from the clouds, covering the earth like a layer of gauze, and Hu Zongxian's shadow was clearly reflected.
After a long sigh, Hu Zongxian was seen getting on the sedan that had been prepared and heading in the direction of the post station.
…
On the other side, Prince Yu's Mansion, study room.
After learning that Hu Zongxian had entered the cabinet and was awarded the position of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs by Jiajing, Zhu Zaijing summoned everyone to Prince Yu's Mansion to discuss the next response.
In the room, after looking around, Zhu Zaijing withdrew his gaze and said with emotion: "I didn't expect that my father not only allowed Hu Zongxian to join the cabinet, but also granted him the position of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs!"
When Zhu Zaijing's words fell, Gao Gong stood up and expressed his opinion: "We all see Hu Zongxian's contribution to the court over the years, whether it is the annihilation The Japanese pirates still put down the rebellion, and Hu Zongxian always took the lead and charged forward!"
"Not only that, Hu Zongxian also managed Zhejiang in an orderly manner, with abundant warehouses and abundant crops, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. Now, it is normal to receive such preferential treatment from His Majesty!"
After Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng on the side also responded: "Yes, Hu Zongxian, in major matters, has never harmed the country and the people. In my opinion, he can definitely shoulder the responsibility." Take up the post of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs!"
Zhu Zaijing, who was sitting in the main seat, couldn't help but have a look of worry on his face when he heard this. After thinking about it for a long time, he raised his doubts.
"But no matter what, Hu Zongxian is also Yan Song's student, so there is no guarantee that he will not be taken advantage of by Yan Song!"
"What's more, Hu Zongxian is currently the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. If Yan Song uses him to attack our people, then he will..."
Before Zhu Zaijing finished speaking, Xu Jie, who was silent on the side, stood up and expressed his attitude.
"His Royal Highness Prince Yu is right. Even if Hu Zongxian is upright, capable, honest and self-responsible, there is no guarantee that he will not be taken advantage of by Yan Song. We must not let down our guard!"
"What's more, we have to make sure that Ma Ningyuan's case has nothing to do with Hu Zongxian before we can make a conclusion. You must know that Ma Ningyuan, who arbitrarily mobilized guardsmen, trampled on seedlings, and killed people, was Hu Zongxian's student. !”
When Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng on the side heard this, they couldn't help but have a look of sullenness on their faces. In their opinion, what Xu Jie wanted to express couldn't be clearer.
Xu Jie was suspicious that in order to promote the conversion of rice to mulberry in Zhejiang, Hu Zongxian secretly instructed Ma Ningyuan to mobilize the soldiers of the guard station to trample the rice seedlings that the people had planted.
Afterwards, Zhang Juzheng coughed twice, stood up from his seat first, and said goodbye to Zhu Zaijing, who was sitting in the main seat.
"His Royal Highness Prince Yu, I am not feeling well, so I will leave first!"
After Zhang Juzheng finished speaking, he left without waiting for Zhu Zaijing to respond.
After Zhang Juzheng, Gao Gong also stood up from his seat and bid farewell to Zhu Zaicheng.
When Xu Jie saw Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong leaving one after another, a gloomy look flashed in his eyes. He clenched his fists and muttered silently to himself.
"Hmph, these two hopeless fools are really kind to women. It would be fine if they were in other positions. Now, this Hu Zongxian has not only successfully entered the cabinet, but also holds the post of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs!"
"Hu Zongxian, the Minister of Civil Affairs, is a great threat to us. If he takes action against us, it will be too late for you to regret it!"
Thinking of this, Xu Jie couldn't help but secretly hope that Yan Maoqing and Wang Ting could find relevant evidence, preferably to prove that Hu Zongxian and Ma Ningyuan were involved in the case.
In this way, he could naturally squeeze Hu Zongxian out of the position of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
…
Forbidden City, Manna Palace.
Recently, after Jiajing finished processing the memorial sent by the Supervisor of Ceremonies, he would go to Ganlu Palace to chat with the imperial concubine Shen to relieve her inner loneliness.
As soon as Jiajing came out of the room of the Imperial Concubine Shen, Lu Fang came up to him and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, not long ago, Hu Zongxian was invited to the house as a guest by the housekeeper of the Yan Mansion with great fanfare!"
After Jiajing learned the news from Lu Fang, he did not show any surprise on his face. He waved his hands quite casually and then said: "Isn't this a normal thing? He After all, Hu Zongxian is Yan Song’s student!”
When Jiajing said this, he changed the subject and added: "Humph, this Yan Song, he is clearly taking advantage of his "power"!"
When Lu Fang heard Jiajing's words, a look of confusion suddenly appeared on her face. She immediately summoned up the courage and asked Jiajing: "Taking advantage of the situation?"
Jiajing took in the expression on Lu Fang's face, nodded, and explained: "Well, that's right, I'm just taking advantage of the situation!"
"Lu Fang, think about it. In the eyes of outsiders, Hu Zongxian is Yan Song's student, and their relationship has long been inseparable. What will those people think when they see Hu Zongxian join the cabinet and concurrently serve as the Minister of Civil Affairs? "
"They will think that Mr. Yan Ge has done a lot behind the scenes!"
When Jiajing finished speaking, Lu Fang, who was standing beside him, had a look of sudden realization on his face, and he responded without thinking.
Jiajing saw that Lu Fang had understood what he meant, nodded, and continued to add: "Well, that's right, in this way, those officials in the court who are vacillating will gradually fall to Yan Song's camp!"
Hearing this, Lu Fang couldn't help but have a look of worry on her face. After thinking about it for a moment, she slowly said: "But Your Majesty, will this lead to..."
Jiajing heard Lu Fang's words, glanced at him, and immediately said: "It doesn't matter, since Yan Song wants to take advantage of it, let him take advantage of it. In this way, it can be regarded as good news for Zhejiang! "
"The worst thing is, after this matter is over, just kill another batch of disobedient people!"
Of course Lu Fang knew what Jiajing was referring to. The mulberry seedlings in Zhejiang were now mature, and many officials in the court were eyeing this piece of fat.
What Jiajing has to do is to use Yan Song to cut off those hands reaching out to Zhejiang!
In order to ensure nothing goes wrong, Jiajing also gave Zhao Zhenji, who was going to Zhejiang to take up his post, the power to kill first and report later!
After this matter is over, if Yan Song cannot restrain the newly joined people, then he will find a reason to kill a group of people at will. In this way, the balance in the court can be maintained.
"His Majesty's tactics are truly superb. In this way, not only can the people who have converted rice into mulberry benefit, but they can also take this opportunity to give Mr. Yan Ge and Mr. Xu Ge a good beating and make them obey orders. !”
When Lu Fang thought of this, she immediately leaned down and said sincerely, "Your Majesty is wise!"
When Jiajing heard this, he looked away from Lu Fang, waved his hand, and said: "Okay, it's getting late, come back with me!"
As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, Lu Fang responded without hesitation: "As you command, Your Majesty!"
After that, Lu Fang was seen following Jiajing step by step, heading in the direction of Qianqing Palace.
After the master and servant arrived at Qianqing Palace, just when Jiajing was about to step onto the steps of Qianqing Palace, Lu Fang seemed to suddenly remember something, stopped and spoke cautiously.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I suddenly remembered that recently, rumors about His Royal Highness King Jing suddenly spread in the capital. You see..."
When Jiajing heard Lu Fang's words, he responded in a subtle way, waved his hand, and gave instructions: "Let the people from Dongchang go and investigate to see who is spreading the rumors behind the scenes. After you find out, you can deal with it directly." That’s it, there’s no need to report it to me!”
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
When Lu Fang heard what Jiajing said, she immediately lowered her head and said respectfully.
…
Time flies so fast, September is here in the blink of an eye.
After entering September, the unbearable hot weather like July and August gradually decreased.
Zhu Zaizhen opened the sedan curtain and looked at the towering city walls, scattered buildings, and the bustling crowds on the street.
In addition, in Zhu Zaizhen's ears, the shouts of vendors could be heard from time to time. Everything around him was so familiar to him.
At this time, Zhu Zaizhen's face was full of joy. Then, he lowered the sedan curtain, clenched his fists, and said silently to himself: "Beijing, this king is back again!"
After that, Zhu Zaizhen gathered his thoughts and ordered the slaves outside: "Go directly to the Forbidden City!"
"Yes, His Highness Prince Jing!"
On the other side, the Forbidden City, the Cabinet.
If there was any difference between the situation in the cabinet and usual, it was just that there was an extra chair.
After attending the banquet at Yan Mansion last time, Hu Zongxian moved into a mansion given to him by Jiajing the next day.
After learning the news, many officials in the court came to the door with gifts to congratulate Hu Zongxian on his move. In addition to Yan Song and his son, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng and others also came to congratulate him in person.
After the three-day holiday, Hu Zongxian officially joined the cabinet. Under Yan Song's guidance, Hu Zongxian quickly understood the key points of working in the cabinet. Now Hu Zongxian can handle the memorials sent by subordinate officials alone.
At this time, while everyone was still processing the memorials sent by subordinate officials, they heard a rush of footsteps outside the cabinet. Not long after, a subordinate official was seen stepping into the cabinet.
After the subordinate official entered the cabinet, he subconsciously looked in the direction of Yan Song and Xu Jie, leaned down, and reported respectfully.
"Mr. Geng Ge, His Highness King Jing has officially returned to Beijing and is almost arriving at the east gate of the Forbidden City!"
"What, His Highness Prince Jing has returned to Beijing?"
When Yan Song heard this, he couldn't help but have a look of surprise on his face, and immediately confirmed it to the subordinate official.
When the subordinate official saw Yan Song's eyes falling on him, he couldn't help but panic. Soon, he summoned up his courage and hesitated.
"Yes...yes, Mr. Yan Ge, His Highness Prince Jing has returned to the capital. The sedan that His Highness Prince Jing is currently riding is approaching the east gate of the Forbidden City!"
"Okay, I understand, go down!"
When Yan Song heard this, he waved his hand quite casually and immediately gave instructions.
"Yes, Mr. Yan Ge!"
When Yan Song finished speaking, the subordinate official's face was filled with an expression of relief, and he responded without thinking.
After that, the subordinate official turned around and left the cabinet without stopping at all.
After the subordinate official left, Xu Jie raised his eyebrows, turned his gaze to Yan Song, and said with emotion: "Old Yan Ge, it seems that His Majesty King Jing has been summoned by His Majesty!"
"Yes, logically speaking, the vassal king who has already resigned from the vassal can't return to the capital at will. I don't know why your majesty called King Jing back to the capital."
When Yan Song heard Xu Jie's words, he suppressed the panic in his heart and responded calmly as usual.
Since Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, took the throne "Fengtian Jingnan", in order to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, he strictly ordered the vassal king not to enter Beijing without an imperial edict. Since then, this policy has been continued.
But now, Jiajing has recalled King Jing to the capital for the first time, which makes Yan Song deeply worried.
After all, he once rejected King Jing Zhu Zaizhen's request without hesitation, which ultimately forced him to resign. Now that King Jing returns to Beijing, there is no guarantee that he will not retaliate against him because of this matter!
"If this matter is used by Xu Jie, it will be troublesome then!"
Yan Song thought so and glanced at Xu Jie calmly.
Hu Zongxian on the side had a panoramic view of all this, and he vaguely knew what Yan Song was worried about.
After all, as the chief minister of the cabinet, Yan Song clearly stood in the camp of His Highness King Jing, but later, His Majesty King Jing was sent to the fiefdom by His Majesty. Something must have happened in the middle.
Therefore, there is no guarantee that His Highness King Jing will not harbor resentment towards Yan Song, and this time His Highness King Jing is ordered to return to Beijing, this is the best opportunity!
…
On the other side, the east gate of the Forbidden City.
The sedan Zhu Zaizhen was riding in stopped after arriving at the east gate of the Forbidden City.
Then, Zhu Zaizhen opened the sedan curtain and looked at the magnificent Forbidden City in front of him. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, and the previous memories slowly revived in his mind.
Zhu Zaizhen clearly remembered that the last time he came to the Forbidden City, he came with his third brother Zhu Zaijing.
That time, both he and Zhu Zaijing were severely reprimanded by his father, and because the incident was exposed, he was sent to a fiefdom by His Majesty.
While Zhu Zaizhen was still recalling bits and pieces of the past in his mind, he saw the accompanying guard taking out a voucher from his arms. After showing it to the imperial guards, Zhu Zaizhen and his party were allowed to enter.
After doing this, the guards came to Zhu Zaizhen and said softly: "Your Highness, we can go in!"
Zhu Zaizhen heard the words and responded in a subtle way. Then he suppressed the panic in his heart and walked towards the Forbidden City with a calm expression.
Before coming, Zhu Zaizhen had already thought of a countermeasure. At the moment, the most important thing he should do is to show weakness and take this opportunity to perform well in front of his father, thereby lowering his reputation in his father's eyes. level of threat.
Although Zhu Zaizhen was already familiar with the Forbidden City, in order not to attract attention, he still followed the eunuch who was responsible for leading him to Qianqing Palace.
After the eunuch who was responsible for leading him left, Zhu Zaizhen looked at the Qianqing Palace so close in front of him, and a trace of hesitation flashed across his face.
He still clearly remembered what Jiajing said when he reprimanded him and Zhu Zaijing.
Due to being too nervous, Zhu Zaizhen's body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably.
At this moment, a high-pitched voice was heard: "Prince Xuanjing, Zhu Zaizhen, has an audience!"
When Zhu Zaizhen heard this, he immediately took a deep breath, and after calming down his mood, he stepped onto the stairs of Qianqing Palace.
After entering the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Zaizhen subconsciously looked at Jiajing, who was sitting on the dragon chair.
Different from what Zhu Zaizhen had expected before coming, Jiajing at this time was still much the same as when he left Beijing. Not only did he not have many wrinkles on his face, his hair was not even white. It was not at all like Wu Zaizhen. Looks like a teenager.
Not only that, Zhu Zaizhen could also see that Jiajing was in excellent spirits at this time, and his whole body seemed to have endless energy!
Seeing Jiajing's body so strong, Zhu Zaizhen's heart suddenly surged with extremely complex emotions.
On the one hand, Zhu Zaizhen is happy that Jiajing is in such good health. On the other hand, if Jiajing is in good health, he may have to wait for a long time if he wants to inherit the throne!
Then, Zhu Zaizhen suppressed all the chaotic thoughts in his mind, knelt on the ground respectfully, and said in a deep voice.
"My son has met my father!"
"Well, get up!"
Jiajing seemed to be quite happy about Zhu Zaizhen's arrival. With a smile on his face, he waved his hand and gave the order.
"Thank you, Father!"
After getting Jiajing's permission, Zhu Zaizhen slowly got up from the ground.
Not long after Zhu Zaizhen got up from the ground, he heard Jiajing's slightly excited voice ringing in his ears: "Come, come closer, let me take a good look at you!"
When Zhu Zaizhen heard Jiajing's words, he didn't hesitate at all and immediately responded respectfully: "I obey, father!"
After that, Zhu Zaizhen was seen walking to Jiajing's side. (End of chapter)
