"Fat man, don't give me any 'sarcasm'!" The little emperor immediately stopped him.
Zhu Zhanzhen smiled like a cracked cold melon: "How dare you? Your Majesty knows what I have in my belly!"
"Hmph!" Zhao Tuo closed the book proudly, beckoned Zhu Zhanchen to come closer, and asked softly: "Fat man, do you want to be promoted?"
"Ah?" Zhu Zhanzhen was confused by his sudden question, and immediately felt a layer of frost on his greasy face: "This, this..., why did your Majesty suddenly...?"
"You don't have to panic, I have no other intentions." Zhao Tuo took a few steps with his hands behind his back. Everywhere he looked was controlled by the guards. There was no one around who could hear the conversation.
"You have been by my side since I was a child, playing, being naughty, and studying together. Now I encounter a difficult problem and need your help.
The disadvantage is that you can no longer fatten up as leisurely as you do now. The advantage is that you will become a member of the cabinet. After three years, I will allow you to continue to come back to manage books.
Not only managing books, but also editing, printing, and selling books. how? "Zhao Tuo said, jokingly poking Zhu Zhanchen's big belly with his thumb.
"Into the cabinet, shall I?" Zhu Zhanzhen's plump lips opened wide.
Zhao Tuo looked at him angrily and amusedly: "That's right, don't you want to be a high official?"
"But... Your Majesty, am I too young? Look at the elders in your cabinet, all of them have white beards and white eyebrows. How can there be anyone like me?" Zhu Zhanyi looked at him in confusion. My own fat, round arms.
"You are already thirty, you are not young! You have two sons... Besides, you meet the requirements, third-grade, direct bachelor, whatever.
When it comes to etiquette, allusions, and rules, they may not be your opponents. Why are you so unsure of yourself? "Zhao Tuo poked his stomach again.
According to the rules of this dynasty, cabinet ministers must be bachelors of the third rank or above. The so-called pavilion refers to the named courtyard, pavilion, and pavilion. Among them, the courtyard is the highest level and the pavilion is the lowest. The pavilion generally has no real power but is noble and elegant.
The college has two levels: bachelor's degree and bachelor's degree, while the hall and pavilion have bachelor's degree and direct bachelor's degree. People with these titles are called cabinet ministers, who are the group closest to the emperor, and can also be regarded as the candidate group for cabinet ministers.
Zhu Zhanzhen's position is a direct bachelor of Huiwen Museum, and his official title is the third-rank minister of Taichang Temple, so Zhao Tuo said that he meets the requirements for being a cabinet minister.
Zhu Zhanzhen's grandfather, Zhu Di, was the former commander of the Wuxin Army in Hebei Province. In the fourth year after taking office, he accompanied Taizong in his Northern Expedition to Qingcheng and was unfortunately seriously injured and killed in battle. He was posthumously awarded the title of Qianshi, the Right Army Governor of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion. His two sons, Yin, were respectively Wu Xun's Xiaoqiwei and Wenxun's revision. Shu Yin.
The former was given to Zhu Zhanzhen's father, Zhu Gaochi, and the latter was given to his second uncle, Zhu Gaoxu.
Therefore, Zhu Gaochi later had the opportunity to be selected as the bodyguard of Emperor Xuanzong. During Xuanzong's northern expedition to Shacheng, he risked his life to block an arrow for the emperor. He saved the emperor's life and made his eldest son Zhu Zhanji serve as the guard and command Qianhu. His second son Zhu Zhan He was the revising concubine and accompanied the Li Wang.
Eight years ago, Zhao Tuo promoted Zhu Zhanchang, who had been in charge of government affairs for three years at the Ministry of Household Affairs, to the position of Zhongshu Sheren because he was ranked seventh in the first class of Jinshi.
Then, for some inexplicable reason, he was demoted to the position of deputy director of the Department of Treasure Collection and Promotion of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and promoted to secretary of the Central Committee. Later, he successively served as the director of the Ceremony Department of the Ministry of Etiquette, the director of the Yunnan Qing Officials Department of the Ministry of Punishments, the chief of Zuosi Temple of Dali Temple, Zuosi Cheng, Taichang Temple Shaoqing, Taichang Temple Zhengqing.
Almost all the ministers thought that the young emperor just wanted to show his power and give back to his friends privately, so they just treated him as happy. After all, Zhu Zhanzhen was just a harmless bookworm.
No one took this plump, kind, and lovable expert in cuteness at ease. As a result, the minister of Taichang Temple and a direct bachelor of Huiwen Palace, who presided over court meetings and had a cheerful face, quietly rose to the rank of senior ministers of the empire without people noticing.
Because of his good popularity, Zhao Tuo felt that Fatty was an excellent lubricant, and letting him join the cabinet would be beneficial to the imperial power.
"Your Majesty is wise, but..." Zhu Zhanzhen looked around with frightened eyes, and then asked softly: "What are you going to do this time?"
"Look at you like this, as if I will harm you. Yes, last time you were demoted and you went home and received a few beatings, but this time you were promoted! Isn't it for everyone to be in the cabinet? Dream?
Even if he is not the first assistant or the second assistant, he is still the deputy assistant, right? Now the old man won't be angry anymore. It's time to set off firecrackers to commemorate the ancestors' memorial tablets. That is the most glorious thing for your Zhu family, and it is a great honor! "
The little emperor persuaded: "Don't worry, I just don't want Zheng Shou or Xie Minhong to enter the cabinet this time, so I'm using you to block him."
"That's only enough for a while, but it won't last long." The little fat Zhu Zhanzhen was not stupid. He persuaded softly: "Regardless of qualifications, rank, and popularity, there are better candidates than me.
You hired ministers this time, don’t you have to appoint them from among them next time? Otherwise, the Ministry of Education would dare to refute your will, so why bother? "
"Although your words are reasonable, I only know one thing!" Zhao Tuo sighed slightly, turned around and sat down on the square stool that Eunuch Liu brought for him. He pressed his hands and asked Zhu Zhanchen to sit on the floor as well. After thinking about it, Open your mouth and say:
"You know, these old prime ministers are all left behind by the late emperor. They only know how to be conservative and don't want to make progress. They shout every day, 'It's hard to keep a business, it's hard to keep a business'. None of them can give me any ideas or solutions. Let's see. How can those defects and holes be repaired?
I am very disappointed in them! But I have only been in charge for a short time, and I don’t have many trustworthy ministers. Even if I have them, their qualifications and grades are not enough to promote them now, so I came up with the bad idea of letting you come in to take advantage of them. It is really helpless.
The national situation is difficult. On the one hand, the people I am optimistic about still need time to hone their skills. On the other hand, those who are qualified to join the cabinet are those who are good at intrigues. It is just like the folk saying of "the lean season".
I don't have enough ministers who can take advantage of me, just like a soldier without suitable weapons, what can I do?
Therefore, I have to find ways to delay the time when these people enter the cabinet and take over power. You are also used for this purpose. After he finished speaking, he leaned down and asked, "How about you? Are you willing to help me?" "
"I have to serve Your Majesty," Zhu Zhanchen said, blinking his small round eyes, "But my ability is limited, and I'm afraid that if I can't do it well, I'll miss His Majesty's important event, which will be a bad thing."
"Don't worry about this, I have arrangements." Seeing his agreement, Zhao Tuo patted his knees happily: "I have found a good guest for you. If you make friends with him, this person can help you a lot.
It is not convenient for me to communicate with him, but you can. This son is quite strategic. If you discuss everything with him during your time in the cabinet, you will be able to keep your safety! "
"Ah?" Zhu Zhanzhen asked quickly: "Why does Your Majesty have such inconvenience because of the strict palace restrictions?"
"No! It's just because he is still young and has no fame. However, because of his military exploits, I have given him a title."
"You're still young?" Zhu Zhanzhen repeated, looking up at the emperor suspiciously. How old could he be if these four words came out of his mouth?
"Well, he is sixteen years old!"
"What, you're only sixteen?" Zhu Zhanzhen grinned: "Then, isn't that still a small government office?"
Zhao Tuo knew that he was too young, so he rolled his eyes and asked, "I remember that brother Qing's eldest son is serving in Jiangxi. Has your nephew received a letter recently?"
Zhu Zhanzhen didn't know why he suddenly asked this. He was stunned for a moment and replied with a smile:
"My dear, I sent my housekeeper to deliver some seasonal fruits and vegetables to my eldest brother a few days ago. In his reply, the eldest brother said that this boy in Qi Zhen has made a fortune and has become a household of thousands. He also said that he participated in the battle to recapture Dongxiang and captured the thieves. Quite a lot.
This child is now the one with the highest official position among the children of my Zhu family. Your Majesty, please remember. But why did you suddenly mention him? "
"Hey," Zhao Tuo told him with a mysterious look on his face: "Do you know who he is under?"
"The governor of Jiangxi and the military commander Zhao Chongbi."
"Chong Bi is the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression. This time to fight against Yang He Jiangshan bandits, Zhu Qizhen was assigned to the first line to act together with the second brigade of Jiangxi regiment training.
The entire battle plan to regain Dongxiang and rescue Fuzhou came from the hands of Li Dan, the commander of the Jiangxi regiment. He was the de facto deputy general of Chongbi. This is the son I just told you about. "After Zhao Tuo finished speaking, he took out a piece of paper from his arms and handed it over to show him.
Zhu Zhanyi handed over his hand and held it out. It was the "On Mine Management and Supervision" handed over by Zhao Chongbi.
After reading it, he returned it to the emperor with both hands, thought about it carefully, and said in a low voice: "I didn't expect that a sixteen-year-old boy would have such ideas about managing the world and planning the country. Your Majesty, this man is a great talent!"
"Well, even so, I can't use him now."
"Uh, what do you mean?" Zhu Zhanzhen asked in surprise.
“One thing is that he is indeed younger and has not experienced the dangers of the court and the storms of the political situation;
Secondly, although the old ministers say that Qin Ganluo has great stories, it is not easy for them to accept a sixteen-year-old boy;
These three stories of a king and his ministers enjoying each other are really horrifying to hear, and I don’t want to make the world happy. "
"I understand, my Majesty, so it is prudent for Your Majesty to ask me to interact with him?"
"Of course!" Zhao Tuo nodded heavily and immediately added: "But don't make arrangements immediately, try to be as natural as possible. I have also sent people to observe him, and will find a good master for him in the future.
These will unfold invisibly, and I don’t want him to discover the traces too early. You will follow this line of thinking when you contact him. Fortunately, you can see me often when you join the cabinet in the future. It will be more convenient to bring his affairs and opinions here.
After all, Chongbi is a member of the clan, so it is actually not very appropriate to ask him to handle this matter. "
"I obey the order!" Zhu Zhanzhen was surprised and surprised at the same time. He didn't expect that the emperor not only came to invite him to the cabinet, but also brought a guest over, and even gave instructions on how to treat and train Li Dan.
"So, when does Your Majesty plan to announce the appointment of the minister to the cabinet?" he asked.
The emperor thought for a while: "In three days, the cabinet should be anxious to decide who will be the examiner for next spring. After three days, I will announce the candidate and you will be the one to do it. By the way, are you interested in being the examiner for Chunwei?"
"Ah?" Zhu Zhanzhen was shocked. This was a great honor, but...can he do it on his own? His heart beat violently, and he took a deep breath to gradually calm down. Looking at the emperor's expectant eyes, he suddenly understood and hurriedly bowed: "I will just follow your majesty's arrangements."
Zhao Tuo was delighted, this little fat guy was really honest on the outside, smart on the inside, and as sensible as ever.
"Okay, then I have the names of two books here. You can find them later and have someone copy them and send them to the palace. Today we will only talk about book management and collection of new books. We will not talk about the rest."
"I know, your Majesty, just rest assured."
The big thing was done, Zhao Tuo went out happily. But after finally getting out, he didn't want to return to the palace so early. After all, young people love to play.
I was looking around on the shore of the lake when I suddenly saw a crowd of people at the Baoyue Pavilion at the head of Shixian Bridge. I turned back to Liu Funian and asked, "Send someone to see what those people are doing."
After a while, the sent guard came back and said that the scholars were holding a poetry meeting. Zhao Tuo suddenly remembered the group of people who had just arrived, and suddenly became interested. He waved his hand: "Let's go, let's watch them write poems!"
Liu Funian was stunned for a moment, but he thought it wouldn't be a big problem if the literati came here, so he winked at someone and asked him to move the people behind him to follow him. He and Eunuch Liu quickly followed behind the emperor, keeping their distance. One foot away.
When I got closer, I saw more than a dozen scholars either bowing their heads in deep thought, or shaking their heads while looking at the willow trees on the grass bank. Some of them were mumbling and seemed to be thinking about the words to use, in different forms.
When several of the guards saw it, they suppressed their laughter and did not dare to say anything. The emperor was in great spirits. He stepped forward to bow to the scholar and asked softly: "Brother, are you holding a poetry meeting?"
"Huh?" The scholar seemed a little unhappy to be pulled out of his thoughts, but he still politely replied: "Exactly."
"I'm very interested. I wonder what the topic is today?"
The scholar looked him up and down and said, "Oh, brother Hui has shaded the Imperial Academy, so we organized a poetry meeting to congratulate him. The title is the beauty of the East Lake. If my dear brother can compose poetry, I will naturally welcome him!"
"Brother Han has entered the Imperial Academy? Isn't he going to attend the Spring Festival next year?" Zhao Tuo asked.
"Hey, do you recognize Han Huizhi?"
"It's a one-time relationship," Zhao Tuo smiled: "I wonder if they still remember this poor little brother?"
The scholar also smiled after hearing this: "It doesn't matter, they are all the seeds of reading. Where can there be such high and low? You must be grateful for your poem to congratulate Brother Han. Although his family is well-off, he is not that snobbish. man of."
Then he brushed his hem and said, "Look, am I also wearing coarse clothes? We only care about talents and don't care about beautiful clothes. Right?"
"Yes, yes." Zhao Tuo was impressed and asked him his name.
"My surname is Xu, my given name is Baozhong, my courtesy name is Wuyun, and I am from Anyang, Henan."
The scholar liked Zhao Tuo very much when he saw that although he was young, he was polite, humble, and well-behaved. He introduced himself, pointed to the young man with glaring eyes next to him, and said, "This is my friend, Mr. Fang from Yantai, Shandong."
"Fang Wei means Yuanyou." The young man said in a low voice and raised his hands and asked, "May I ask how you call me my dear brother?"
"Zhili Xiaosheng Longcheng, named Shoushi." Zhao Tuo made it up casually, and Eunuch Liu thought that these two nerds wouldn't really believe it, right?
"Oh, I'm a local from Zhili? I've admired you for a long time, I've admired you for a long time!" He took him seriously, looked behind him again, and asked, "Who are these two?"
"My butler, this is Mr. Liu who lives in my mansion."
Liu Funian had no choice but to hand it over: "Liu Ji, Dezhou, Shandong, whose courtesy name is Funian."
"It turns out that we are from the same country. Sir, you know martial arts?" Unexpectedly, he had just finished introducing himself, and that's what he said. Liu Funian looked at him in surprise: "Young master, you actually know that I know martial arts?"
"He just likes to make friends with knights." Xu Baozhong said with a smile.
Fang called He Yan and waved his hand: "Young Master Ye is just a dragon lover. He learned fencing for a few days in order to strengthen his body when he was young. When he became enlightened, it was too late to memorize those scriptures, so how could he still have the time to practice martial arts? The way you move your hands is different, better than the others. It’s far away!”
Just as he was talking, someone suddenly called out that it was time to burn incense. Anyone who has a poem can come up and write it. As soon as he finished speaking, a scholar went up to make the first bet, and then the host read loudly:
The ten-mile long embankment is covered with green waves, and herons fly into the broken smoke.
But now there is no wind on the lake, and the waves hit the bow of the boat.
Just after I finished reciting, I heard someone shouting: "Fat Buddha has also written it, come on, come on, it's rare that you are quick to be wise today, please listen to him!"
Then I saw a fat man stand up, holding the paper in his hand, shaking his head and saying:
The long embankment of green willows is covered with smoke at dawn, and the blue lake is clear and round with mirror light.
There is no doubt that there is no earth in the distant green mountains, and there is no clear sky in the rippling water!
"Hey, Gongru, why are you so smart today? Let me listen to this song and see if I can compare with you?" A man in brocade clothes stood up and shouted.
Upon hearing his accent, Zhao Tuo smiled and said, "I remembered, this man's name is Mr. Deng, the peacemaker in Jinyi!"
"That's right, Deng Xun and Deng Ziqi are from Mianyang. Have you seen him before?" Xu Baozhong said softly.
"It was him and Brother Han who were together last time."
"oh!"
Deng Xun picked up the wine cup and drank a bowl, wiped his mouth, picked up what he had written and read:
The swallows pass by the long embankment and the willows are evenly green, and the flat shore of Yingzhou is sparkling with blue waves.
The smoke contains thousands of layers of green in the distance, and the sun hits thousands of green spots in the high forest.
"Okay!" Everyone applauded. Xu Baozhong looked at Fang Wei and said with a smile: "Deng Ziqi has vowed to be the second Taibai. It sounds to me that the current style of poetry is really a bit Taibai.
It seems that we need to find more good wine for him. Maybe this dynasty will also produce an immortal poet. With the name of this bridge, it will be a good story! "
Fang Wei told him seriously: "Stop commenting on the country, think about your poems as serious. Even Lin Jingru has written them. Wouldn't it be embarrassing for you and me if we couldn't show them?"
Some people died, but not completely...
