The palace is very large, and it is also far away from where the Holy One works!
Kong Xixue supported Kong Kejian and stood in the palace.
Zhang Chengwen walked over and greeted Kong Kejian:
"Mr. Yansheng, long time no see!"
Kong Kejian's eyes were empty, but he didn't even pay attention to Zhang Chenggang. This made Lao Zhang particularly embarrassed.
"It turns out to be Master Zhang... No, Master Zhang..."
Kong Xixue replaced his father and saluted Zhang Changshang.
"I'm sorry, Master, but my father contracted the cold yesterday and relapsed. He's a little out of shape today!"
Zhang Changsheng looked at Kong Kejian on the side. Sure enough, this "old friend" looked a little stupid, and he might not recognize him.
"How to face the saint in this state?"
Zhang Changsheng frowned slightly, and Kong Xixue replied helplessly:
"There is no other way. The Holy Spirit calls me, and my father has to come!"
While the two were chatting, a sedan came from a distance.
"Your Majesty has ordered that Duke Yan is not good at walking. With special grace, Duke Yan can get into the sedan chair!"
"Thank you, Emperor!"
Kong Xixue helped his father onto the sedan, and then looked at the embarrassed Zhang Chenggong, feeling slightly proud in his heart.
The Kong family and the Zhang family are both called aristocratic families, but why do the Kong family take the Zhang family seriously?
Just by looking at the subtle differences between the Kong family and the Zhang family, one can tell at a glance which one is stronger and which one is weaker. However, Kong Xixue would not show his disdain for the general. In his opinion, this kind of behavior is just a loss of status.
After the sedan got up, a group of people followed behind.
The Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain and Yan Shenggong of the Kong family are like a master and a servant!
Finally reaching the East Pavilion, the eunuch reported:
"Your Majesty, General Xu brings the Holy Duke Kong Kejian and his son Kong Xixue to have an audience with you. The master of Longhu Mountain, Zhang Changchang, asks to see your Majesty!"
Not long after, another eunuch came out of the imperial study and said:
"Please invite General Xu and Duke Yan to come in. Master Zhang will be waiting first!"
The emperor let the Kong family and his son in, but left Zhang Chenggong aside.
Kong Xi glanced at Zhang Changsheng inexplicably, and helped his father into the imperial study.
In the study, the emperor of tomorrow was sitting in the royal study. Kong Xixue quietly glanced at the emperor. Even if it was just a startling glance, he could feel the pressure of the king.
"Kong Xixue pays homage to the Emperor. Father, please kneel down too!"
"Xuda, I have met His Majesty (Prince)!"
Kong Xixue knelt down and saluted the emperor, but Kong Kejian was still standing there, stupidly. Kong Xixue quickly pulled his old father away, but Kong Kejian was confused.
"Xuda, what's going on?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's heart was like a mirror, but he deliberately asked Xu Da.
Xu Da was helpless and said:
"Last night Yan Shenggong got up at night and caught the wind. The old disease recurred!"
Zhu Yuanzhang half-smiled but stared at the stupid Duke Yansheng. Kong Xixue quickly knelt down and said:
"Your Majesty, my father had an old illness and was unable to walk, but he was grateful for the sincerity of the Emperor of Heaven, so he came to Yingtian despite being ill. It was just a tiring journey, and he was able to see the saint, but the old illness relapsed, and I have neglected Your Majesty. Please forgive me. crime!"
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. Although Kong Xixue confessed, the implication was that Zhu Yuanzhang ignored his father's illness and insisted on letting Kong Kejian come. Is this blaming him for being unreasonable?
The Kong family does have the confidence to blame the emperor. As the first family in China, they have seen too many emperors.
Although Lao Zhu was sullen, he was able to suppress his anger.
He chuckled and said:
"That's not easy! I thought Duke Yan didn't want to see me..."
Kong Xixue's heart skipped a beat and he quickly said:
"Your Majesty's words are serious. How can we, the Kong family, neglect the emperor?"
"Does the Kong family look towards me, the emperor, or the one from the north?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's words made Kong Xixue break out in cold sweat and kneel down:
"The one I, the Kong family, are looking for is, of course, Your Majesty!"
He was very lucky that his father pretended to be ill. If the emperor asked Kong Kejian this question, it would be difficult for Kong Kejian to answer.
Fortunately, my father is smart and doesn't care what he says now. After all, he is not the Duke Yansheng of the Kong family.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to be very satisfied with Kong Xixue's answer and said:
"Then you help your father to rest first. Later I will find an imperial doctor to take a look at him. Xu Da, thank you for your hard work!"
The emperor put Kong Xixue and his son aside and turned to his confidant and beloved general Xu Da:
"If I ask you to return to the capital, will it delay the military affairs ahead?"
"Your Majesty, I will be watching over you, so I won't be in the way!"
"I ask you, how long will it take for you to win the north?"
Xu Da seemed to understand the emperor's thoughts and said loudly:
"Now that Shandong has been captured, Your Majesty will surely capture most of it this year!"
The monarch and his ministers sang in harmony, and Kong Kejian's face showed a subtle twitch.
Zhu Biao, who had been silent, was quietly observing from the side.
Except for him, there is no one in this room who is not pretending to be crazy or acting stupid. Everyone has a little thought behind them. Observing these is also a kind of practice for him!
Xu Da began to report the situation on the front line to Zhu Yuanzhang.
The more the Kong family heard this, the more frightened they became. According to Xu Da, although the Ming Dynasty has not yet pacified the north, its strategy and layout for the north are determined.
Kong Kejian, who was pretending to be stupid, almost couldn't maintain his mentality and showed signs of it.
The father and son were silent, quietly listening to the conversation between Xu Da and Zhu Yuanzhang.
The more Kong Kejian listened, the more he felt that the emperor in front of him was completely different from what he had imagined.
The Kong family looked down upon Zhu Yuanzhang. First of all, they looked down on Zhu Yuanzhang's background. He was just the leader of a refugee rebellion. So what if he became emperor?
Before Zhu Yuanzhang, there was also a Red Scarf Army named Mao Gui during the Northern Expedition, which almost forced Emperor Yuan Shun to move the capital, but wasn't Yuan suppressed later?
Since ancient times, there has never been a precedent for someone to fight from the south to the north and dominate the world. This is why the Confucius family does not think Zhu Yuanzhang is the final winner.
But Kong Kejian, who had served the Mongols, immediately felt that Zhu Yuanzhang was different from other kings. He was not just a lucky refugee.
Needless to say, Xu Da's military ability was obvious, but during his dialogue with Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yuanzhang's strategic understanding was obviously higher than Xu Da's.
"Father, the person in front of me has the appearance of a wise master!"
Kong Xixue was uncertain, so he took care of Kong Kejian and whispered in his ear with a very small voice.
Kong Kejian's pupils shrank, but he hesitated.
The emperor in front of them did have the appearance of a wise king. He was very proud and could even discuss military matters directly in front of them without fear of any leakage of Ming's strategy.
This kind of self-confidence is the certainty that the overall situation of the world has been determined, but this kind of certainty hurt Kong Kejian's heart.
This is related to the second reason why the Kong family looks down on Zhu Yuanzhang. The Kong family and Bei Yuan are too deeply bound. The small Confucius family in Qufu had as many as ninety people becoming officials in the Yuan Dynasty. Those in high positions even reached the rank of Shangshu and Zhongshu Province and participated in politics. No other court could give such favor to the Confucius family.
Kong Kejian hesitated for a long time, and finally could not let go of his hope for the previous dynasty.
He fell silent, but these subtle movements fell into the eyes of those who were interested.
"I have to help you look decent!"
After understanding Duke Yan's choice, Zhu Yuanzhang finally gave up on Kong Kejian!
"Let Zhang come in normally!"
Zhu Yuanzhang said!
