The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.
There is only one day left before New Year's Eve.
That morning, Concubine Hui left the palace with the emperor's eldest son and returned to her parents' home to visit relatives.
Her "grandfather" Lu Zheng has been promoted from the minister of Dali Temple to the minister of the Ministry of punishment. Although the grandfather and grandson are not very familiar with each other, they still have to follow the procedures that need to be followed, and they still need to borrow the momentum that should be borrowed.
After staying in Lu Shangshu's house for a morning, in the afternoon, Concubine Hui changed her clothes and went to Dayifang to visit another grandfather.
At this time, there were no students in the Dayifang Private School, only Old Man Gu was there. Concubine Hui went in to see him for a while, then sent someone to Jiangdu Uncle's Mansion to inform Shen Yi.
Shen Yi was still taking a nap at this time. After receiving Jiang Sheng's message, he hesitated slightly, changed into plain clothes, and left home on foot.
At this time, it had been snowing heavily for several days, and it finally stopped.
Because of the cold weather, the snow that was not cleared away on the road was refrozen after a slight thaw, making a creaking sound when stepped on.
Mr. Shen walked on the street, wandered around for a few times, and then arrived at Dayifang. After knocking on the door of the private school, a young man who looked sixteen or seventeen years old soon opened the door.
The young man had a pale face and no beard. Although he looked very normal and had an Adam's apple, Mr. Shen could tell at a glance that he was a young eunuch.
After all, he has had a lot of contact with eunuchs over the years, and he can recognize the characteristics of eunuchs almost at a glance.
Subconsciously, he bent down slightly, with the word caution appearing all over his body.
The young man looked up at Shen Yi, then lowered his head and asked, "Is this Mr. Shen Yi?"
Shen Yi looked behind him and did not see Concubine Hui. After frowning slightly, he said, "I am Shen Yi."
The young man lowered his head and said, "My mother-in-law is waiting for Mr. Shen in the private room of the restaurant across the street."
Shen Yi glanced at him and ignored him. Instead, he strode into the private school and said, "I came today to visit Master Gu, not to meet some empress."
"I don't want to know where your mother-in-law is."
Shen Yi's attitude was very simple. He would not and could not meet the imperial concubine in private.
After all, at this time, there were no advanced equipment and all the words were spoken. If Shen Yi really had a private meeting with Concubine Hui, he would not be able to explain it clearly.
Even if this kind of meeting was tacitly approved by the emperor, or even the emperor had an idea in it, Shen Yi would not be able to go to it.
He strode into the private school.
The attitude is simple and clear.
If Gu Hengbo really wants to see him, let her return to the private school again.
After Shen Yi entered the private school, he found Mr. Gu who was immersed in writing something. Shen Yi walked over, moved a chair himself, and sat next to the old man. He looked at him curiously and asked, "What is Master Gu writing?"
The old man looked up at Shen Yi, then put his eyes on the paper again, and said, "This morning, Zhao Zhi came to see me."
Shen Yi thought for a while and said with a smile: "Could it be that I want you to come out and teach at the Jiankang Ganquan Academy that is about to be built?"
Old Man Gu nodded silently. He kept writing with his hands and said: "Zhao Zhi said that after the spring begins, Jiankang's Ganquan Academy will be opened. Let me go there to teach and study at the end of the year."
"He spoke very loudly, saying that he could restore my old reputation."
Having said this, the old man's mouth twitched, and the brush in his hand stopped, with a complicated expression: "That fame was given to me more than thirty years ago, and it may still be of some use. Now, the loess has been buried up to my neck, and I still need to What do you want to achieve fame for?"
Shen Yi thought thoughtfully: "Master Gu refused?"
"Rejected."
The old man sighed and said, "I don't have to think about anything else for the rest of my life. It would be a good thing to educate a few more children here."
"But Zhao Zhi is quite a kind person and has helped me a lot over the years. Although I don't plan to teach in his business, I can't be ungrateful."
"I'm going to spend some time sorting out my experience in the exams and the tips for studying, write it into a booklet, and give it to Zhao Zhi, so that he can teach the students according to the method."
When Shen Yi heard what he said, he couldn't help but said dumbly: "Master Gu, that is Jiangdu Ganquan Academy, the branch in Jiankang. It is a serious academy, not some business."
"It's just business."
Old Man Gu curled his lips and said: "You people from Ganquan Academy have devoted your efforts to running a school in Jiankang. In the future, you will train Jinshi, who will be your disciples and build up your reputation in the court. When these people become great Official, he came back to strengthen the academy."
"What is this if it's not a business?"
Shen Yi was speechless by what he said. After a moment, he shook his head helplessly and said, "What Master Gu said is too unpleasant. My father-in-law is an honest man. He only cares about his studies and not about fame and fortune. All he wants is to make the academy stronger." .”
"Lu Jizhong, I know."
Old Man Gu continued to immerse himself in writing and said in a low voice: "He is still a serious scholar, but the reason why Lu Jizhong is so open-minded may be because he has no son and has stopped his career."
Mr. Shen frowned slightly: "Master Gu, it is not the behavior of a gentleman to make assumptions and criticize others behind their backs."
Old Man Gu did not accept this trick and replied without thinking: "When did I say that I am a gentleman?"
Shen Yi shook his head and was about to speak. The little eunuch who had just spoken to him stood at the door again, bowed his head to Shen Yi and said, "Master Shen, the empress is waiting for you in the front hall."
After hearing this, Shen Yi stood up, looked at Old Man Gu who was carefully sorting out his thoughts, and sighed slightly in his heart.
Why didn't he understand that the little old man who had been doing nothing for more than thirty years suddenly became diligent and started writing a book?
Of course this is not, or it is not entirely because of Master Zhao’s face.
I'm afraid it's more because of Shen Yi and that Concubine Hui.
It's just that Old Man Gu is thin-skinned and is too embarrassed to say it directly.
"Master Gu, please write first and I will go to the front to take a look."
The brush in the old man's hand shook, but he didn't speak.
Shen Yi put his hands behind his back and walked outside. Not long after, he arrived at the main hall.
Mr. Gu's private school is actually a rented house with a front yard and a backyard. However, neither the front yard nor the back yard is particularly large, especially the main hall, which cannot accommodate a few chairs, making it look small and stingy.
Shen Yi walked to the door of the main hall, but did not walk in. He just glanced at the woman sitting in the main hall, lowered his head slightly and said, "Shen Yi has met the empress."
Concubine Hui in the main hall looked at Shen Yi who was standing at the door not ready to come in, and sighed quietly: "It's not easy to meet Lord Shen."
Shen Yi said calmly: "It couldn't be easier to meet me. As long as your Majesty gives you a verbal order, I will be here at your call."
Concubine Hui sighed slightly, then looked up at Shen Yi and spoke softly.
"In the future, Jiankang's Ganquan Academy will be built, and the emperor's eldest son will enter this academy to study."
"As for the future, it depends on Sir Shen whether he is willing to accept him as his student."
Shen Yi's eyelids twitched.
He didn't know whether this was Gu Hengbo's personal intention or the emperor's.
However, after thinking for a while, he still looked up at Concubine Hui and said slowly: "For the sake of our old acquaintance, I would like to remind you."
Gu Hengbo raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Sir, please speak."
Shen Yi said softly: "The Sun family has been queen for two generations, and the current queen is very young and already pregnant."
"At this time, it's best for your Majesty to be calm. Not fighting is the best way to fight."
"At this time, if you strive for victory too much, you may bring disaster upon yourself."
Gu Hengbo picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and put it back to its original position: "I have been in the world in the early years, so I naturally know the truth that Sir Shen said, but Sir Shen did not go there. After being in the harem, I don’t know some of the principles of the harem.”
Shen Yi thought thoughtfully: "My Majesty, please teach me."
"I am a weak woman. Although I entered the palace in the name of the Lu family, my foundation is shallow. How does Sir Shen know that I don't want to live in peace and harmony?"
Hearing her words, Shen Yi's heart fluttered violently.
Some doubts that he could not figure out before suddenly became clear in an instant.
Yes!
Gu Hengbo was by no means an idiot. She had almost no foundation in the government. After entering the palace, she should have stayed on her own and been cautious.
How dare you suddenly start fighting in the ring with the queen?
She doesn't have the courage.
So behind this... it was probably someone who was instigating it, or simply someone who was instigating it.
It is self-evident who this person is.
An idea exploded in Shen Yi's mind.
It seems that His Majesty the Emperor is not only seeking balance in the outer court, but also in the harem...!
In the final analysis, it is still the follow-up of two generations of queens, with luxuriant roots and luxuriant leaves, which makes the emperor uncomfortable to look at!
Gu Hengbo looked at Shen Yi and said softly: "Sir Sir Shen, no matter what the cause is, when things have reached this point, it is a good opportunity for you and me."
Concubine Hui looked at Shen Yi with a soft voice.
"Rather, we are very similar."
"To this day, whether it's me in the palace or you on the battlefield..."
"There is no way out."
