Zhu Youtang arrived at the Qianqing Palace.
He sat down, but had no intention of dealing with state affairs. His body was still shaking after a long time.
Rejecting his wife was also a challenge for him. Looking back, he didn't even understand where he got the courage.
"His Majesty……"
Although the eunuchs nearby did not go to Kunning Palace with Zhu Youtang, based on their understanding of the emperor's temperament, it seemed that the emperor had suffered some great grievance.
Apart from God, the only person who could make the emperor angry or frightened was probably the queen.
Apart from that, not even the Empress Dowager can do it.
"What's the matter?" Zhu Youtang looked at Dai Yi who was speaking.
Dai Yi said: "The Empress Dowager, please ask Your Majesty to come over."
Zhu Youtang stood up and wanted to obey the order, but he hesitated at his feet.
After pacing back and forth, he calmed down a little and took Dai Yi to Renshou Palace.
…
…
"Royal Grandma, it's already dark, why did you call your grandson here? But what's wrong with you in the palace?"
Zhu Youtang was extremely filial and disguised himself very well when he came to the Empress Dowager Zhou.
He didn't want to bring the conflict between his wife and his wife to his elders at all.
Empress Dowager Zhou looked at him with a warm and kind smile and said: "I know that you are still reviewing memorials in Qianqing Palace today. You are working so hard. Isn't it okay for the Ai family to ask you to come and have a cup of tea with us to reminisce about the past?"
"My grandson didn't mean that."
Zhu Youtang lowered his head, not daring to look at Empress Dowager Zhou.
Unlike ordinary grandsons and grandmothers, the Empress Dowager Zhou carried almost the only familial bond in Zhu Youtang's childhood.
After getting married, the person who had the greatest influence on him was naturally Empress Zhang, but before that... this grandmother was his only real relative.
At that time, when Concubine Wan Gui only favored the Sixth Palace, who would have dared to give him any good looks if this grandmother hadn't been there? Even his old father, Emperor Chenghua, whom Zhu Youtang had never met since he was a child until he grew up, could not be said to have any deep feelings for him.
"The Ai family heard that you have attached great importance to Zhang Bingkuan recently. He is quite good at treating diseases. Didn't you let him take a look at your body?"
Empress Dowager Zhou seemed to be chatting away at home.
Introduce the first topic.
Zhang Zhou treated diseases.
But it is obvious that Queen Mother Zhou looks so kind and gentle on the outside, but she can see through many things in her heart.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Look, he also prescribed a lot of medicine for his grandson, and also encouraged his grandson to go out more often. My grandson listened to him and feels much stronger recently."
If you can't share things with your wife, talk to your elders. It can not only comfort the elders' worries, but it is also a way of talking.
"Very good." Empress Dowager Zhou nodded with satisfaction, "If I say that the Ai family has met so many people, and he is the only one who is as sincere and kind as him, besides you, he is the only one."
"Um?"
Zhu Youtang didn't expect the old lady to speak so highly of Zhang Zhou.
It stands to reason that since Li Guang died, Queen Mother Zhou should be more prepared for Li Guang's potential successors. Why not beware of Zhang Zhou, but still praise Zhang Zhou so much?
From Zhu Youtang's perspective, that can only mean...
Zhang Zhou is really such a good person that even the imperial grandmother, who is very picky about Taoists, can't find fault with him.
Queen Mother Zhou said: "Where has he been recently? I didn't ask him to come over to talk to the Ai family. The Ai family also likes to talk to young people about outside things."
"Returning to the imperial grandmother, the grandson transferred him to teach the prince. The grandson recently asked the prince to study behind closed doors in the East Palace. He was not allowed to come out. He wanted to find someone who could teach him and also give him some guidance... grandson I have seen so many officials in the East Palace before, and found that only Bingkuan can control the prince."
"Really?" Queen Mother Zhou smiled, "Even the prince is afraid of him? He is rare and rare. The choice of a famous teacher."
Zhu Youtang seemed to be showing off his friends to his elders and said with a smile: "Actually, my grandson always thinks that if he was not born in the royal family, he would definitely be friends with Bingkuan."
Queen Mother Zhou shook her head: "As an emperor, how can you be friends with others easily?"
Zhu Youtang felt that the old lady was blaming him for his slip of the tongue, so he hurriedly admitted his mistake: "My grandson, please bear this in mind."
But Queen Mother Zhou changed the subject and said, "It's not easy to be friends, but it's okay to be sworn brothers with sincerity."
"ah?"
The old lady was out of breath when talking today, which Zhu Youtang didn't expect.
Not as friends, but as brothers?
It’s not like I don’t have any brothers, so why should I find a brother with a different surname? I have no friends around me who I can talk to!
Empress Dowager Zhou said: "The Ai family has had nothing to do recently, so they listened to the story of Liu Guan and Zhang of the Three Kingdoms. The Taoyuan fraternity and heartfelt friendship went through the ups and downs together. It is not only the righteousness of brothers, but also the friendship between monarchs and ministers. Being able to do it from beginning to end makes me sad. I felt emotional, who said that as an emperor, you can’t have people like this who are willing to help you?"
"Royal Grandmother..."
Zhu Youtang actually wanted to say.
Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to talk about this topic today?
I haven't known Zhang Zhou for that long, and I admire him very much, but it's good to be friends, and I haven't said that I want to be daring and invasive.
"Ai Jia wants to remind you that he has done so many things for you, and you should also be sincere to him." Empress Dowager Zhou said.
"Yes." Zhu Youtang nodded, "My grandson thinks so too. It's a pity that he is not a Jinshi yet."
"Okay. Just remember it!"
Empress Dowager Zhou did not ask Zhang Zhou about his preparation for the exam, but suddenly changed the subject, "How are the empress and the great-granddaughter of the Ai family?"
"Very good." Zhu Youtang nodded.
Empress Dowager Zhou said: "The Ai family has grown old in the past two years, and it is time to let go of everything. Recently, there is one thing that has been lingering in my mind for a long time. I dreamed about the late emperor twice... that is your father. In the dream, it was actually Same scene."
Zhu Youtang didn't take it seriously at first.
But I heard that it was my father who asked me to dream, and it was exactly the same twice. Given his filial piety, he was naturally very concerned.
"What dream did your father give you?"
"The Aijia saw the late emperor climbing up a tree, which seemed to be the one next to the Jiaotai Hall when he was a child. He used to like climbing. The Aijia was standing next to him and said, "Come down, don't fall, and then your father will climb down." grown up."
"Flyed away after that tree. Your father shouted from above, but he didn't want the Ai family to save him. He was just trying his best to tell the Ai family something. The Ai family was far away... but he couldn't hear... …I kept chasing and chasing until I reached a vast ocean, and the tree stopped...Then the tree seemed to be a lonely boat, carrying your father away. The tree was really lush..."
When Zhu Youtang heard this, he vaguely heard some clues.
But he didn't answer.
Empress Dowager Zhou said: "It may be that your father is there and misses you very much. He is afraid that you will not be able to govern the country and wants to tell you something through the Ai family. But how can the Immortal family easily let him reveal the secret? I guess he has no choice but to use this method." Way to hint."
Zhu Youtang asked: "Has Grandmother Huang had any other dreams?"
"Dreams happen all the time, but Ai's family is too old, and she always forgets things recently. She remembers things very clearly in her dreams, but doesn't remember them all when she wakes up." Queen Mother Zhou looked very regretful.
"Then Imperial Grandma should also go out for a walk more often. I heard it helps with sleep."
"Good boy, it's rare that you care about the health of the emperor's grandmother and take good care of yourself. The Ai family also hopes that you can make the Ming Dynasty prosperous. Everyone says that you are a wise king who is rarely seen in the ages..."
…
…
Zhu Youtang chatted with Queen Mother Zhou for a long time. When they came out, the night was already deep.
Dai Yi had been following the emperor before, so he naturally heard the dream that sounded so bizarre and nonsense. The emperor might not understand it, but Dai Yi could taste it.
The Empress Dowager Zhou was using her dream to talk to the emperor.
Whether the dream is true or false is another matter.
"Dai Yi, what do you mean by the Empress Dowager's dream?" Zhu Youtang suddenly stopped and asked.
Dai Yi could only pretend to be confused: "I don't know. Your Majesty, dreams can't be done accurately."
Zhu Youtang said: "The Empress Dowager said she did it twice, so there must be some hint. Unfortunately, I don't know much about it. I have a vague grasp of it, but I can't explain why."
Dai Yi followed the order of topics in the conversation between Queen Mother Zhou and the emperor, went back a bit, and suggested based on his understanding: "Then why not ask Mr. Zhang? He can even guess the secrets of heaven, and interpreting dreams... shouldn't be difficult."
"But he is accompanying the prince now..." Zhu Youtang obviously also wanted to ask Zhang Zhou.
Rational people would definitely not believe this kind of nonsense, and would find it bizarre and nonsense, but for a perceptual person like Zhu Youtang who believed in Taoism, it could be said that he believed it without a doubt.
Zhu Youtang felt that this must be a warning from God to him.
Empress Dowager Zhou also obviously took the right medicine.
If you don’t believe me, why are you telling me this?
Dai Yi said: "Your Majesty, why don't you let me go and ask him secretly? I won't disturb him in teaching the prince. Besides, the prince may have already fallen asleep."
"Okay, go ahead! I'll wait for you at Qianqing Palace!"
"yes!"
…
…
When Dai Yi went to the East Palace, he had a smile on his face, but when he arrived at the East Palace, he suppressed his smile again.
Entering inside, Liu Jin had just finished his shift and was about to go back to sleep.
"Eunuch Dai?"
Even the Jin Yiwei people discovered Dai Yi, and suddenly everyone cheered up.
Dai Yi asked: "Your Majesty asked our family to come and take a look. The prince and Mr. Zhang..."
When Liu Jin heard that Dai Yidu called Zhang Zhou sir, he was very angry, but he said respectfully: "They are all inside. The bed where Mr. Zhang rests has been made, and it is next door to the prince's palace."
"Okay, let's take our family in and have a look!"
Liu Jin led the way and brought Dai Yi inside.
Just after entering the palace gate, I heard Zhu Houzhao laughing "hahaha" and still saying: "Do you think this person is stupid?"
When Dai Yi heard this, he had guessed that I was here to interpret the dream? Still calling me stupid? Master!
After listening to it again, I realized that Zhu Houzhao was talking about the person in the story.
Liu Jin took the opportunity to provoke: "Telling stories! I didn't learn much!"
Dai Yi was too lazy to pay attention to Liu Jin and asked someone to carry a lantern to the inner hall. The people inside also noticed the light.
"Who? Father? I know I was wrong, let me go out!"
Zhu Houzhao thought it was his father who was coming. When he saw it was Dai Yi, he raised his eyebrows and said, "It's you again? Why are you here?"
Obviously, this is not the first time that Dai Yi has come here in the past few days. He is only responsible for inspection.
But today is an exception, there is an extra Zhang Zhou here.
Zhang Zhou stood up and said with a smile: "Today's class is over. I am telling historical stories to the prince. Can Eunuch Dai also listen?"
"No need!"
Dai Yi looked around and saw that there was no sign of the wooden boards on the window being loose. Then he said, "Mr. Zhang, please come out. We have something to ask you."
Zhu Houzhao said: "Is there anything that can't be said here?"
Liu Jin said hurriedly: "Your Highness, please calm down. Eunuch Dai just said a few words to Mr. Zhang and left. It won't take too long."
"Go back quickly!"
Zhu Houzhao didn't bother to follow him. Besides...he wasn't allowed to go out. Once he got close to the door, the Jin Yiwei would carry him back without mercy. No matter how he threatened, it was useless.
Those Jinyi guards were even more afraid of having their limbs chopped off.
…
…
Dai Yi was alone with Zhang Zhou, and Dai Yi directly told about Queen Mother Zhou's dream and Zhu Youtang's request to Zhang Zhou to interpret the dream.
After Zhang Zhou heard this, he smiled and said: "A tree without roots is rooted in the boundless. What does Eunuch Dai really mean by such a simple dream?"
Dai Yi smiled bitterly and said: "Mr. Zhang, you are a smart man, you should understand... some dreams can only be regarded as dream meanings if you interpret them, and no one else can interpret them!"
(End of chapter)
