Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang was listening to Xiao Jing convey Zhang Zhou's opinions on the use of troops.
"Bingkuan is saying that you don't need to worry too much about the war on the West Road, right?" Zhu Youtang actually started to feel relieved after hearing this.
What others say is useless, but since it was Zhang Zhou who said it, it is very effective, just like a reassurance.
Xiao Jing said: "Yes, Your Majesty, he also said that the key to using troops lies in the Pianguan line. If this battle can be won, it will be too late to transfer Wang Weining to Ningxia, and it is very likely that the Tatars will retreat without a fight..."
Zhu Youtang sighed: "But in fact, if the battle in the middle encounters trouble, the Tatars are likely to advance in two directions, and the three sides and Xuanda will face unprecedented pressure! This means that the success or failure of this battle now depends entirely on the king. More than one person! Alas!"
Xiao Jing could feel it from the emperor's words.
Instead of alleviating, the emperor's anxiety seemed to have worsened.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang also said that the war in Yizhou, Liaodong may involve cheating." Although Xiao Jing didn't want to mention it, he still said it.
Zhu Youtang sneered and said: "Let me just say that although they are the three guards of Duoyan, they are not so easy to deal with. They can casually kill more than a hundred people. The northwest has been at peace for a long time! Send someone to investigate!"
Dai Yi quickly reminded: "Your Majesty, now that the war is still going on, should we be... cautious?"
Before the war is over, it is obviously a bit excessive to investigate the matter of taking merit in Liaodong.
"Um."
Zhu Youtang thought for a while, nodded and said, "Don't publicize this matter to the outside world. Wait until the war subsides before sending someone there. Where is Bingkuan?"
Xiao Jing said: "Mr. Zhang has gone back to his hometown. He will go to Gongyuan tonight to participate in the second examination tomorrow."
"Why hasn't Bingkuan finished the exam? I'm so anxious about waiting... Okay, please step aside and let me think about it again..."
…
…
Dai Yi and other eunuchs all withdrew from Qianqing Palace.
Wei Bin seemed to sigh with emotion: "This Mr. Zhang is really capable. Your Majesty will believe whatever he says. In the battle of Yizhou, Liaodong, there has not been a detailed investigation, so you dare to say that you are taking credit?"
Dai Yi glared back and said coldly: "If you can also say so many things, not all of them, but just one or two, your Majesty will be able to obey your words! Don't think that our family doesn't know what you have in mind. If If you leak this matter, you won’t be able to live without it!”
"yes."
Wei Bin quickly lowered his head and admitted his mistake.
What Dai Yi meant was that Wei Bin had a close relationship with Ren Liang, the eunuch who guarded Liaodong.
At the level of the garrison eunuchs of Jiubian, they basically have a strong backing in the court, and since Ren Liang and Wei Bin are friends, whatever benefits Ren Liang has in Liaodong, he will share with Wei Bin.
Now that Ren Liang may be convicted of "taking credit" and Wei Bin's interests are affected, he will show his emotions towards the emperor's trust in Zhang Zhou.
"Since this battle in Liaodong has a result, there is no need to worry about the follow-up. It's a matter of turning heads. If we can't win, it will be a big deal!"
Dai Yi was also very worried.
Xiao Jing said: "Mr. Zhang has always had great confidence in Wang Weining. I don't expect there will be any deviations, right? If there are deviations, everyone should strengthen their defenses."
Dai Yi shook his head and said: "Strengthening defenses at Juyong, Zijin, and Daoma Pass is not considered an action? Who dares to say that things on this battlefield will develop as expected? Especially what you just said, Mr. Zhang expected that Wang Weining would not send troops as usual, and His Majesty’s fists were clenched at that time. Maybe you didn’t see it... How could Your Majesty not be anxious?"
"What should we do?" Chen Kuan also came over quickly and asked.
"Hmph, what can we people do? At least the Holy Master is still in the capital. Even if the northwest is in chaos, I don't think it will bring chaos to the capital!"
…
…
Zhang Mansion.
Zhang Zhou came back in a carriage, and his family had prepared a new test basket for him to take the second exam in the afternoon.
"master!"
When Jiang Pingyu saw her husband come back, she changed her name.
As Zhang Zhou was about to take part in the examination and become an official regardless of whether he passed or not, Jiang Pingyu had already made up his mind to be Zhang Zhou's good wife.
"I'll just come back and take a look. I have to enter the venue before dark, which will take less than two hours."
Zhang Zhou looked very anxious.
Jiang Pingyu helped Zhang Zhou take off his coat and hang it aside. After all, it was February and the weather was still very cold.
Jiang Pingyu said: "The water has been boiled, and my sister has prepared it a long time ago and is waiting in her room. The sister of the Wang family has gone back to the house in the past two days, saying that it was with the permission of the master... I am concubine I didn’t ask any more questions.”
When Wang Mingshan returned to the palace, it was Zhang Zhourang who did this.
Wang Yue is currently fighting in the northwest. If Lao Wang messes up and loses the battle, Zhang Zhou does not want to be bound to Wang Yue.
"Yes." Zhang Zhou nodded, suddenly smiled and said, "Madam, why weren't you prepared?"
While talking, Zhang Zhou leaned his head over and sniffed Jiang Pingyu's temple: "It smells so good."
Jiang Pingyu's face turned slightly red. It was obvious that she had prepared something, but she was too embarrassed to say it herself if her husband hadn't mentioned it.
"Where's Xiaojun?"
"The child went to study, and Suisui went to play with Xia Zhi."
"That's good. Don't let them bother me. Let's make a quick decision! Try to promote my Zhang family as soon as possible. The prosperity of our people depends on this."
Jiang Pingyu looked at her husband with wide eyes.
The husband seems to be a bit arrogant. He went to Gongyuan and took the general examination. Now he starts to worry about the family's plan to reproduce?
"Sir, you have been away for the past two days, and a letter has come."
When Jiang Pingyu spoke, Zhang Zhou was already ready to finish washing and do things quickly.
Just when I came back from Gongyuan, it was time to hand in my homework.
"What letter?"
"Two letters, one is from my uncle. He also asked someone to send a message, saying that he was coming to the capital soon, and asked him to arrange a reception." When Jiang Pingyu mentioned Zhang Ye, her expression was evasive.
Zhang Zhou scolded: "He was beaten stupid by his mother-in-law, right? Where does he go? What does it have to do with me? Does he mean to get a share of the pie? If he asks someone to come again, just go back and tell him that the two families have already separated." No involvement!”
"There is another letter from Shouning Hou."
While talking, Jiang Pingyu showed both letters to Zhang Zhou.
Zhang Zhou tore up Zhang Ye's letter and threw it into the brazier. He knew what was inside without even reading it.
He must have known that he had won the position of Jinyiwei Qianhu, and wanted to share the benefits. Based on Zhang Zhou's consistent understanding of such family snobbery, he probably wanted to use "the eldest brother is the father, the eldest sister-in-law is the mother" , "There is a position in the family that should be inherited by the eldest grandson" and so on. If you argue with him, you will probably bring him some kind of village elder, clan leader, etc. You have to make the decision in person.
Zhang Zhou thought.
If he was just a lifter, he might still have to worry about the cooked duck flying, but with his current status, if he said a word to this big brother, he would be considered a loser.
Even if he and Zhang Ye's father were resurrected and came to mention it to him in person, it would be in vain.
"Okay, you go to the room first, I'll be here as soon as possible!"
Zhang Zhou read Zhang Heling's letter, probably asking him to invite him to a banquet at Shouning Hou Mansion after he finished the examination... Zhang Zhou thought to himself, by then, the earthquake in Jianchangwei will have happened, and you won't be able to find it. You can't change the outcome even if you ask me.
Do you really think that I am just like everyone else and that you are always there for me?
You don't even know when your brother committed the crime or when the disaster happened, and you still want me to explain it after the trial is over?
As expected, like brother, like brother.
It all depends on having a sister to support me.
Otherwise, in the Ming Dynasty's noble circle, this pair of lively brothers really wouldn't be able to survive!
…
…
Zhang Zhou could only stay for more than an hour when he returned home.
Things are more "urgent".
After coming back, I was just packing up to leave. I was still busy here, and the voice of the beginning of spring came from outside: "Master, the British prince is waiting..."
"Let him cool down...hiss! Just wait!"
Zhang Lun came to bother him when he had nothing to do.
As soon as I thought about it, I knew that the British father should also know that he was enjoying himself recently and took the opportunity to tighten up again.
After thinking about it again, luckily Old Man Jiang didn't come.
When everything was over, the sun was setting in the west. Zhang Zhou got up, but Han Qing could not stay.
Jiang Pingyu, who had already left the embroidered couch, brought ginseng tea to Zhang Zhou and said with a gentle and charming face: "Thank you for your hard work, sir."
"It's not hard, it should be." Zhang Zhou smiled.
At this time, why are you using your wife to cheer you on?
He won't drink ginseng tea, mainly because he can't taste the taste. He is now young and strong, and he doesn't need to take supplements. He is different from Zhu Youtang.
After tidying up and leaving the yard, Zhang Zhou went straight to the front yard.
Zhang Lun was originally sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard. When he saw him, he quickly stood up and saluted: "Sir."
"Okay, I don't need to say anything else. Did your grandfather ask you to come?" Zhang Zhou picked up the dry cloth on the table and threw it to the ground.
Zhang Lun said: "Yes. Grandpa said that before nightfall today, the capital will be under martial law. I would like to ask you..."
"I don't know." Zhang Zhou said, "Your Majesty has never asked my opinion on the matter of martial law. After thinking about it, he thinks that the situation in the northwest war is changing so fast that the British will be very cautious in case the Tatar troops suddenly attack the capital. has experience."
"Grandpa also wants to tell you about Zhang Zhongcheng, the governor of Liaodong..."
Zhang Lun's words were quite straightforward.
He was just a young man, and he didn't understand anything about politics. Zhang Mao asked him to ask him and he didn't think about the reason behind it.
Zhang Zhou said: "Zhang Yu, the former Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, was transferred to Liaodong in August of the 10th year of Hongzhi. He is from Wuqiao, North Zhili. He has some connections with your old Zhang family. In the past, when he was the Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, he was also very close to your grandfather. Right? Tell your grandfather, I don’t know this person, and I don’t know much about what he did. I don’t want to get involved in the matter of rewards based on merit or punishment based on crime.”
Zhang Yu was the former Yin of Shuntian Prefecture. When he was in the capital, he was very close to Zhang Mao.
To put it bluntly, it is a combination of interests.
From Ren Liang to Zhang Yu, they all came to Liaodong to take up posts on the edge of the town because of their connections. When they arrived in a place far away from the emperor, the rules in the army were different from those in ordinary official circles. Giving gifts to superiors and subordinates was a trivial matter. How many connections were behind Zhang Zhou? In fact, it is difficult to understand it thoroughly just by reading history books.
"Zhang Lun, since the capital is under martial law, you should go out less often in the future!"
"I have to take part in the examination here, so I won't send it to you!"
Zhang Lun was going to say something else, but seeing Zhang Zhou's impatient look on him, he seemed to have a bit of a temper as a young man.
If you don't let me say it, I won't say it. It's not what I want to know anyway.
Zhang Zhou had just gone in and had something to eat. He originally wanted to take a look at the military map of the northwest, but Sun Shangqi came to the house in person to urge him: "Sir, it's late, you should leave. The meeting is important."
(End of chapter)
