The Ming Dynasty's examination officially started on the ninth day of February.
On the seventh day of the lunar month, Li Dongyang, Cheng Minzheng and others entered the court, while on the afternoon of the eighth day, all the candidates entered the court.
On the morning of the eighth day of the lunar month, just after the court ended, Zhu Youtang went to Qingning Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager Zhou.
"You all stand down."
Empress Dowager Zhou specifically turned away everyone except Zhu Youtang, as if she had something important to talk about.
When Zhu Youtang was alone with the Queen Mother Zhou, he still felt a little embarrassed.
"Emperor, the Qingning Palace has been quite warm recently. It's because of the heating. Are you planning to add it to Qianqing Palace, Kunning Palace and other palaces in the future?"
The Empress Dowager Zhou came up to talk to her grandson about common things, and this was also how she broke down her grandson's inner defenses.
After hearing this, Zhu Youtang felt much relieved and said with a smile: "I have discussed with Zhang Qing's family that we will build a Nuan Pavilion next to the Qianqing Palace before winter this year. The current layout of the palace will not be changed."
To add heating, you need to break the walls and add some pipes, etc. In addition, these palaces are relatively large, so even if you add radiators, the effect may not be very good.
It is better to build a small-sized place that can not only keep warm, but also serve as a place for daily rest and work.
"Very good." Queen Mother Zhou said with a rich smile, "Speaking of which, Bingkuan is really good at getting things done, and the Ai family increasingly feels that he is an indispensable talent."
"Yes, Imperial Grandmother."
Grandfather and grandson have a common language.
The Empress Dowager Zhou seemed to change the subject, sighed, and said with regret: "Emperor, do you still remember that Beauty Wang who was here at Aijia a few years ago?"
"ah?"
Zhu Youtang was startled.
He also suddenly understood in his heart the purpose of Empress Dowager Zhou to evacuate the palace people, and she wanted to tell him this emotionally.
"This...I seem to remember..."
Zhu Youtang is a little bit reluctant to mention the past, and he avoids some things.
Empress Dowager Zhou said: "The Ai family remembers that the queen was pregnant with the prince at that time, and there was no one to take care of you. The Ai family wanted to make the decision for you and let you take a concubine. They also found an opportunity to call you over and give you a chance to be alone. She has been in the imperial court."
Zhu Youtang thought for a while and nodded.
There are some things that he has "unspeakable secrets".
He actually wanted to say, Imperial Grandma, please don’t treat your grandson as a normal person. For other men, if you show a woman and stay alone with her for more than an hour, both men and women have the same intentions. What’s the matter? It’s all done.
But your grandson...that is, me...
Can not be done.
At that time, I listened to your advice and wanted to achieve good things with that "Beauty Wang", but in the end I was busy working for a long time. I really can't tell whether it came true or not.
"Later, you were afraid that the queen would know about this and asked the Ai family to send the person away. The Ai family felt that you were a bit unlucky." Empress Dowager Zhou taught her grandson.
Zhu Youtang said: "There are some things that the Imperial Grandmother doesn't know about."
He didn't want to explain too much.
Could it be that if he tells the old lady that he has no ability as a man, if he spends an hour with a woman, nothing will be accomplished in the end?
In addition, he had no intention of finding a woman to get along with again, and the final result was that he took the initiative and asked Queen Mother Zhou to send her away.
Empress Dowager Zhou said: "The Ai family has just learned that this beautiful lady Wang was later found by the Zhang family, and her family members also ended up not very good, especially her and her sister, who were all imprisoned in the Huanyi Bureau. , just a few months ago, Miss Wang died in the Huanyi Bureau..."
"this……"
Although Zhu Youtang wanted to say that he and the so-called beauty Wang may not be a couple, and there is no basis for their relationship.
But when he heard that the person had died, he was still a little surprised and was stunned for a while.
"The person died and was buried hastily. The Ai family made arrangements and the bones were collected. Her sister is still in the Huanyi Bureau without a trace. Alas! The Ai family doesn't even know what to say."
Queen Mother Zhou looked very sorry.
This grandson seems to be a bit unkind and unkind, and after finally accomplishing something good, he actually sends someone away.
Aren't you a thin lover?
Zhu Youtang said: "My grandson will ask someone to check it out. If there is really something wrong, he will ask someone to make arrangements. This matter is...I was negligent and did not make some appropriate arrangements."
Queen Mother Zhou raised her head and said, "You just feel that you were negligent and have no other ideas?"
Of course Zhu Youtang knew what the old lady meant.
The Zhang family found the person and sent him to the Huanyi Bureau to torture the two sisters. They died in the Huanyi Bureau at a young age. But if Zhu Youtang was asked to hate him, he really couldn't hate it because he had never done so. From his personal point of view, he has no feelings for that beauty Wang, but he has deep feelings for Queen Zhang.
He blamed himself, but did not feel the need to punish his wife or the Zhang family for this.
"The Ai family has actually done it for you. In fact, she was originally found by Uncle Chang Ning. This time, her sister was also placed in Uncle Chang Ning's house. Don't you go and express your condolences?"
Queen Mother Zhou's meaning was obvious.
My sister is dead, why don't you take her in?
Zhu Youtang was so frightened that he almost ran away. He hurriedly said: "Royal Grandma, I will let someone handle this matter. Please don't embarrass your grandson. He is very busy recently. The war in the northwest will happen at any time. If you don't return the favor again, I’ll give it a try..."
Then I started to make excuses.
Empress Dowager Zhou saw that she couldn't do it on her own. She said, "Well, after Bingkuan's examination is over, let him come into the palace. The Ai family would like to see him more when they have time. The other thing is to change You don’t always feel like a king with your temperament. You need to show courage."
…
…
Zhu Youtang was in a bad mood when he came out of Qingning Palace.
He couldn't describe it. Maybe it was because he felt he owed a woman who had had "close contact" with him, or maybe he felt that the imperial grandmother was going to arrange another relationship for him that he didn't like, which made him hesitate.
Before he arrived at Qianqing Palace.
Xiao Jing came running all the way, holding something like an envelope in his hand, and said in surprise: "Your Majesty, I got it back."
"Yeah?"
Zhu Youtang seemed to have swept away all his previous unhappiness in an instant.
Because Xiao Jing brought him the interpretation of Zhang Zhou's prophecy.
He didn't even bother to enter Qianqing Palace, so he immediately asked Xiao Jing to open the envelope and then handed him the letter.
"Your Majesty, I have asked Mr. Zhang. He said that these two things have nothing to do with the war in the northwest. One thing may really be related to Jianchang Bo. He said that if Your Majesty does not punish the guilty, then God will definitely A warning will be given, and an earthquake may occur in a place that people in the world can easily relate to."
"Huh? Shaanxi or Ningxia?"
Zhu Youtang didn't even finish reading the letter, he raised his head and looked at Xiao Jing.
Even the expression of Dai Yi, who was following behind him, changed.
Zhang Zhou seemed to be playing with fire.
Before, I was just speculating on heavenly secrets. How come I changed it to "admonishing" now?
Zhang Zhou clearly meant that if you don't bring order to things, Your Majesty, God will be rude to you.
Xiao Jing said: "Your Majesty, it shouldn't be, it seems... somewhere else."
Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "One earthquake is not enough, how about several more? Where are they? Has he made it clear?"
"without……"
Xiao Jing hesitated to speak.
It is said that Zhang Zhou gave a detailed interpretation, but it was still incomplete.
Dai Yi probed: "Could it be Shuntian Mansion..."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Zhu Youtang interrupted Dai Yi's thoughts.
Dai Yi also felt that he had made a mistake. An earthquake in Shuntian Mansion was a big deal and might threaten the lives of the emperor and his family. Since Zhang Zhou didn't say it clearly, it was best not to think about it in too dangerous a direction.
"Bingkuan still made it unclear, didn't he? The earthquake... which earthquake has something to do with whether I am guilty or not? Is this saying that I have not investigated Yan Ling's fault?"
Zhu Youtang also felt that what Zhang Zhou did this time seemed to be a bit "transgression."
You talk about things as you say, but don't talk about half of the things. You actually scare me and scare my little heart.
While speaking, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but look at the second half of the letter. He also wanted to know what the second thing Zhang Zhou predicted was.
Xiao Jing also made a narration note: "...Mr. Zhang said that this examination may not go well, and there may be some rumors that will scare the scholars, and some people will use the topic to make use of the topic. It will affect the fairness of Chunwei... …”
"Is it a question?"
Zhu Youtang was startled.
Xiao Jing said: "Maybe."
Zhu Youtang put the letter down, took a breath and said: "I shouldn't force it, arrange Mr. Li Ge and Bachelor Cheng to be the main examiners, right? I remember that when I first mentioned Bachelor Cheng to Bingkuan, he said He warned me not to take him as the main test again, saying that his contact with civilian scholars would easily attract some criticism. I thought it was nothing before, and those who are clean will be cleansed, but now it seems..."
At this time, Zhu Youtang seemed to regret his decision to let Cheng Minzheng be the examiner for this examination.
Zhang Zhou tried to persuade him but he didn't listen.
But now that Zhang Zhou was talking about God's will, he was afraid.
Of course, Zhang Zhou couldn't just talk about God's will right from the beginning, otherwise he would be too deliberate.
Dai Yi reminded: "Your Majesty, it seems that it is too late to make changes now. The inner curtain officials have already entered the scene, and I am afraid that the examination questions have already been published and the papers have been printed."
Zhu Youtang nodded and said: "I made an oversight. It is impossible to change the examiner temporarily, but if you ignore it, something may happen... Go and call Mr. Liu Ge and Mr. Xie Ge."
The only way Zhu Youtang could think of was to ask Liu Jian and Xie Qian to come over and discuss countermeasures.
"Yes." Xiao Jing accepted the order and was about to leave.
I also heard Zhu Youtang muttering there: "...Is there another earthquake? Where is it?"
Dai Yi followed Zhu Youtang to the Qianqing Palace, still making suggestions: "Then Your Majesty, do you want to punish the guilty people? Or what about those people who have done evil and are under the custody of the Sanfa Division?"
Zhu Youtang said: "Bingkuan is obviously talking about Peng Quan's participation in the impeachment of Yanling. People haven't arrived in the capital yet... Otherwise, after Peng Quan is sent to the capital, he will be charged with dereliction of duty. He redeemed himself and reinstated his official position, and then asked him to go to Jianchang Bo's house and ask people from Guanglu Temple to hold a banquet. Together with the people who had participated in Yanling before, they would have a meal and a drink, and there should be no problem. .”
"Your Majesty, will this..."
"Do as I say!"
Zhu Youtang seemed to still not want to operate on Zhang Yanling at this time, but he was afraid that what Zhang Zhou said was true, so he could only pick out words and find ways to try to change "God's will" by unconventional means.
(End of chapter)
