Zhang Zhou also wanted to beat Liu Jin to death with a stick.
However, the conditions are not met yet.
Moreover, Zhang Zhou also knew that Liu Jin's monopoly on power was just a microcosm of Zhu Houzhao's misdeeds during the Zhengde period. Even without Liu Jin, there might still be Gu Dayong and Zhang Yong. The Eight Tigers could still cause trouble if one of them was missing, and there could still be Qian Ning and Qian Ning outside the palace. Jiang Bin, Xu Tai, etc.
The key is not to solve a person's problem, but to solve Zhu Houzhao's stubborn character.
"Go and tell Father, won't Father attack me?"
Although Zhu Houzhao was also resentful of Zhu Youtang's "unreasonableness", he was a little timid when he was asked to take responsibility himself.
Zhang Zhou said: "What Your Majesty wants to see is your progress. Even if you do something wrong, as long as you can learn from it, His Majesty will scold you, and he will be happy in his heart. And this is also something you have to experience as you grow up." "
Zhu Houzhao glared at Zhang Zhou: "I found that you are very bad, and it is different from what others said. If it were other gentlemen, they would advise me to behave well, but you... are you not afraid of my father punishing you? "
Zhang Zhou spread his hands.
It means that if you want to be punished, it’s fine.
"Why can't I see you all day long now? Are you going to go to the palace if you have nothing to do?"
Zhu Houzhao didn't say he would agree, but judging from his tone, Zhang Zhou's suggestion was listened to.
You can't go to Zhu Youtang right away to argue, that will make Zhu Youtang feel that his son is resisting. You have to wait until Zhu Youtang's anger subsides.
Zhang Zhou stood up and said, "Prince, I'm just here to tell you what's wrong with you. This is His Majesty's order. Your fault is that you are too noisy and do not play well. You think everyone can accept you." Those clothes? Do what suits your identity."
"What do you mean?"
"It means that if you are playing in the sandbox, His Majesty will not blame you, but will praise you and even play with you. But if you play Cuju, His Majesty will at most just watch from the side or ask you to come over. I will blame you for a few words...but if you put on those clothes and smashed them around in the Wenhua Palace...you will see the result..."
Zhu Houzhao thought about it for a while, and then his little head understood: "You mean, if my father thinks he can learn something from what I play with, he won't blame me?"
"Yes." Zhang Zhou nodded.
Zhu Houzhao said impatiently: "You think I have so many things to play all day long! It's very boring in the palace, just a group of people... Occasionally you and those officials will come, you think it's easy to find fun games ? You still have to worry about what your father thinks?"
Zhang Zhou said: "This is what I have said. Whether you can listen to it depends on the prince himself."
After saying this, Zhang Zhou was about to leave.
Zhu Houzhao said hurriedly: "Don't go. I know that you are capable. You can teach me things and you can also find things for me to play with. I admit my mistake. Don't be angry. Come back and play with me again... I know, from now on Not only will my father not be angry with the gameplay you brought out here, he will also praise me...hehehehe..."
Zhu Houzhao said with a smile on his face.
He still knows how to assess the situation and knows how capable Zhang Zhou is.
He relies on his ability to earn a living. He can teach him to read strictly and also take him to play some novel and non-forbidden games. If he offends him, Zhang Zhou will never come again, and he will definitely be the one who suffers the loss.
Zhang Zhou shook his head: "I am just a scholar, and cannot be an official in the East Palace. If the prince wants more ministers to come, he must first pass the imperial examination."
"When will the exam be taken?"
"Next spring, in February."
"That's coming soon, then I congratulate you on becoming a Jinshi, and you will come every day from now on! But as promised, don't even think about it..."
"Um."
"By the way, I got more than 6,000 taels of silver from my eldest uncle and second uncle, but now I only have 5,000 taels left. Do you want it? I will give you one thousand taels, take it back to prepare for the exam, and treat it together. Open a bookstore with my investment.”
Zhu Houzhao also knew how to win people's hearts.
Before he got the money, he thought it was a good thing. But after he got it, he realized that it could neither be brought into the palace nor spent, so it was a burden.
So he was very generous and wanted to give Zhang Zhou a little bit, which means that if you common people like it, then I will give it to you, as long as you use the money to do things.
Zhang Zhou said: "No merit will be rewarded, and I will not be short of money. Prince, remember, I will talk to His Majesty about this matter in two days. You should be restrained in these two days."
Zhu Houzhao rolled his eyes at Zhang Zhou: "Okay, there's so much nonsense. I know what to do!"
…
…
In the supervisor's room of the Huanyi Bureau, Liu Jin was lying on a dilapidated couch.
There was no one serving tea or water, no one even came to ask. The window paper was torn, and the cold wind blew in. Liu Jin felt cold. She wanted to reach out to grab the quilt to cover herself, but found that her hands were frozen. .
"Are they all dead? Bring a brazier in!"
Liu Jin shouted, but no one responded.
Although his current position as the supervisor of the Huanyi Bureau has some status, everyone knows that he was assigned here. The people in charge of the Huanyi Bureau are a group of decrepit old eunuchs. If he can't take care of himself, who will take care of him?
Do you just want the laundry ladies to help him?
After staying up until the next day, Liu Jin wanted to die.
The next day.
His wounds were starting to fester and stick to his clothes, but no one was there to clean them up. Just when he was thinking about whether to spend money to hire someone to change his wounds, there were footsteps at the door, and then Zhang Zhou appeared. In his room.
"you……"
When Liu Jin saw Zhang Zhou, he was filled with anger because he felt that it was Zhang Zhou who had caused him to end up like this.
Zhang Zhou said to the person at the door: "Thank you for your help. I'll go in and do some work. Please take me out later."
"Okay, Immortal Master, please."
Outside was the voice of eunuch Yang Peng.
Zhang Zhou then walked to the edge of the couch and looked at Liu Jin's appearance. Liu Jin was still groaning in pain, but after seeing Zhang Zhou, he had to take care of his manners and deliberately pretended to be fine.
But anyone with a discerning eye can see how he is.
Lao Liu's final strength.
"How is it? Do you feel good?" Zhang Zhou brought a stool over and sat down, as if joking and sarcastic.
Liu Jin said: "Zhang Gongsheng, are you here to see our joke?"
"Yes, I'm here to add insult to injury. I'll see if you're dead. If you're not dead, I'll give you a bottle of poison." Zhang Zhou said.
"you……"
Liu Jin turned pale.
Zhang Zhou was obviously bluffed, because he also felt yesterday that the emperor did have murderous intentions. If the emperor just didn't want to kill him in front of his son, but waited until later to find someone to kill him...
"Liu Jin, do you know where you went wrong?"
Zhang Zhou discussed the issues of gains and losses with Liu Jin seriously.
Liu Jin was so scared to death that she had no intention of talking to Zhang Zhou.
"Calm down!" Zhang Zhou said, "No one wants to kill you, I'm scaring you."
"you……"
The more Liu Jin is asked to calm down, the less calm Liu Jin becomes.
Devil.
He told me that he was going to poison me to death, but he still asked me to calm down. Can I calm down?
"Liu Jin, do you know who the person in the world wants you to die the most?" Zhang Zhou asked.
Liu Jin glared at him: "It's you!"
Zhang Zhou shook his head: "So, your vision is too narrow. I work for His Majesty and rarely go to the East Palace. The occasional visit is just to teach the prince and have fun. I have no direct interest entanglement with the eunuchs of the East Palace. , what does it have to do with me whether you die or not?"
Liu Jin was speechless for a moment.
In fact, he himself had a clear conscience. The person who wanted him dead the most was not Zhang Zhou, but his colleagues in the East Palace.
Peers are enemies.
Zhang Zhou's family worked for the emperor, and he even had the favor of the Empress Dowager. He could tell when there would be thunder and fire in the sky. The eunuchs in charge of the rites, the eunuchs in charge, and the boss of the Dongchang factory all had to be polite to him.
You, Liu Jin, take yourself too seriously...
Liu Jin felt that maybe he was a villain.
But that's really not the case.
Zhang Zhouxin said, "The person who wants you to die the most in the world is of course me, Zhang."
Even though you are just a nobody now, no one knows better than me how domineering you will be in the future and how much trouble you can cause.
Now it’s time to discuss the issue of seniority and inferiority with you.
"Liu Jin, what happened this time is that you were wrong because you didn't understand your position clearly. You are just a father-in-law who obeys orders. Even if you can please the young master, no one will take you seriously. Instead, they will think of you. Keep suppressing it. The things I found for you are just to make you favor in front of the prince. It's a pity, some things are destined, and you are not lucky in life."
When Liu Jin heard this, he looked up at Zhang Zhou.
There was no jealousy in his eyes anymore.
Because he knew that he was not qualified to challenge Zhang Zhou.
I was not qualified to begin with, and now that I have been reduced to such a bad state, I am even less qualified.
Zhang Zhou said: "Want to return to the East Palace and continue to serve the prince?"
Liu Jin didn't know what tone to use to speak, so he tried to lower his voice and said, "Is it still possible?"
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "To be honest, I met the prince yesterday and told him that the most important thing in life is to have the courage to take responsibility. I have discussed it with him and he will go to your majesty to talk to him in the next two days. You must learn to be responsible and also intercede on your behalf.”
"you……"
Liu Jin felt that his world view was about to be subverted.
He treated Zhang Zhou like that, treating Zhang Zhou as his enemy, yet Zhang Zhou would actually help him?
Zhang Zhou said: "Liu Jin, do you think anyone else besides me will help you now?"
"No...no."
Liu Jin is not a fool either.
Now we are waiting to see what happens to him. Who will help him?
"Then from now on..." Zhang Zhou didn't finish his sentence.
But it's already obvious.
I help you, and you have to reciprocate. I can't say that after I help you, you turn around and treat me as your enemy. Then am I still spending all this time just to make myself angry?
Liu Jin didn't answer for a while.
Zhang Zhou said: "It seems that all the servants in the East Palace and even the Imperial Palace know how to assess the situation and know that His Majesty now trusts me and compliments me in every possible way. But I know very well that I am just the second Li Guang. When he gains power, others will He holds me up like a god, and when I am down and out, he will step on me."
"Only you, Mr. Liu, dare to go against the trend just because I competed for your position in the crown prince's heart?"
Liu Jin hurriedly explained: "We... didn't mean that."
Zhang Zhou said: "No need to explain. You are so arrogant that you definitely don't want to be inferior to others, but now that you have fallen like this, my help cannot be in vain."
Liu Jin knew how to express his sincerity now. He said: "As long as you are willing to help, Master Zhang, I am willing to be driven by you all my life. This villain's life is yours."
"good!"
Zhang Zhou stood up and said coldly, "I'll remember what you said. As long as you are loyal to the prince, have no intention of harming me, and are willing to listen to me, then your head will be on your neck. If you violate this oath, I will I’ll take your head at any time! Keep your word!”
"Thank you, Master Zhang. Thank you, Master Zhang."
Although Liu Jin could not stand up and kowtow to Zhang Zhou, he lay down on the couch and kept banging his head on the wooden board to show his loyalty to Zhang Zhou.
…
…
Zhang Zhou was not in a hurry to leave the Huanyi Bureau, but asked Yang Peng to accompany him for a walk inside the Huanyi Bureau.
The Huanyi Bureau is mainly composed of female officials who have been convicted of crimes.
It is already very cold in November of the lunar calendar, but the female workers are still washing clothes in a large yard, and the older female workers with slightly more seniority are responsible for drying them.
Zhang Zhou seemed to be looking for someone in the crowd.
Yang Peng said: "Someone heard about Liu Jin. He dared to deceive the emperor, and even dared to take the prince for fun. He deserved his death. Why do you need to come to see him, Master Immortal?"
Zhang Zhou thought to himself, not only do I come to see him, but I also want to help him return to the East Palace.
Do you think I'm happy with it?
The person who most wants this guy to die without a burial place is not me who is familiar with history, so who is it?
But the problem is...this time Liu Jin offended the emperor, not the prince.
Zhu Houzhao has the style of a young chivalrous man and is the most loyal.
The naughty kid has no right to speak in front of his father, but his intention to fight for Liu Jin's injustice yesterday was obvious. At this rate, I'm afraid that not only will Liu Jin not be forgotten by history, but he will even be "a blessing in disguise."
A person who is willing to suffer for the prince, why do you think that he will never recover?
Zhang Zhou knew very well what the consequences of insisting on forcing would be counterproductive.
Then it would be better to do the opposite, push Liu Jin down first, and then lift him up with some sweetness... to make him grateful.
Don't worry about Liu Jin'en's revenge. Before Zhu Houzhao ascended the throne, even if Liu Jin had the prince as his backer, he would not be able to act. On the contrary, because of this incident, Liu Jin would have an enmity with the eunuch of the East Palace, and Liu Jin would have to rely on Zhang Zhou.
Treat people like Liu Jin.
Beating him to death with a stick is not the best goal. If Liu Jin dies, there will be a second Liu Jin.
The best thing is to control this person as much as possible and treat him as your own kite.
It just depends on whether the string of the kite will break in the future, or when it will break.
"Eunuch Yang, if I want to transfer one or two of the women here, is there any chance?"
Zhang Zhou suddenly asked an unreasonable question.
Yang Peng was startled, wondering: "I'm afraid it won't be easy, but if there is someone you know, just say it and report him dead secretly or something, and there will be no problem in sending him out."
"Forget it, let's talk about it later."
Zhang Zhou didn't say clearly what was going on.
He looked back at Yang Peng and said with a smile: "How is the Qingning Palace repaired?"
Yang Peng smiled and said: "It will definitely be completed before the year. The people below are working hard day and night. Maybe it can be completed more than half a month in advance. Maybe the Empress Dowager can move in before the year."
"Okay, I'll leave it to you!"
Zhang Zhou is about to say goodbye to Yang Peng.
Yang Peng specially sent a carriage to Zhang Zhou from the Royal Horse Prison.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "I have my own carriage, so I won't bother Eunuch Yang."
After Zhang Zhou got on his carriage, he was also thinking about it.
I used Yang Peng first, and then Liu Jin... Doesn't it mean that I am getting closer to Li Guang?
no.
You must go back and prepare for the exam quickly, otherwise you will have to be surrounded by these eunuchs all day long. I, Zhang, am determined to be the top scholar in the exam.
I came to Ming Dynasty, obviously to experience the imperial examination, my Jieyuan... my future number one scholar!
(End of chapter)
