"Deposed?"
Xiao Jing didn't understand.
Zhang Zhou sighed, looking a little regretful.
Historically, after Li Dongyang received an order to review the examination papers of the candidates, he "deposed" thirteen questionable papers, artificially depriving these thirteen people of their qualifications as tributes. Many historians speculated that Tang Yin's papers were probably the Among those thirteen examination papers, Li Dongyang’s purpose of doing this was to calm the material debate——
You see, Tang Yin didn’t win, so we can stop criticizing this case, right?
Zhang Zhou reminded him like this because he was afraid that Li Dongyang was playing dirty tricks. Even though he had passed the exam, he was still dismissed.
However, it doesn't make much sense for Li Dongyang to do this. Even if he doesn't win the Jinshi, he can still be selected to enter the court by paying tribute, and he can still go directly to the Hanlin Academy for review.
The Hanlin Academy is the back garden of the cabinet.
In Zhang Zhou's view, Li Dongyang would rather let him pass the Jinshi examination and be released from the six ministries to observe politics, than easily let him enter the Hanlin Academy and become the "preserver prime minister" of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhang Zhou probably told Xiao Jing what Li Dongyang might do.
"Mr. Zhang is saying that in order to calm the discussion among the scholars, Mr. Li Ge will... depose some tribute officials who have clearly won the prize?"
Xiao Jing asked in confusion, "After the inner curtain is opened and sealed, isn't it true that no further adjustments can be made?"
Zhang Zhou sighed: "That was in the past. This time it involves a vendetta issue. If Mr. Li Ge reexamines it, with his resourcefulness and caution, who knows what he will do?"
"I understand." Xiao Jing said, "In addition to meeting Mr. Li Ge, our family may also need to ask for instructions from His Majesty..."
…
…
Zhang Zhou originally wanted to say, just go and mention it to Li Dongyang, why do you need to ask the emperor for instructions?
Li Dongyang didn't do anything. If he just told the emperor like this, wouldn't the emperor think that I am a chicken?
However, it seemed that Xiao Jing had no experience in dealing with issues such as imperial examinations. As the owner of Dongchang, he still had to ask the king for instructions.
This also allowed Zhang Zhou to see that the factory guards of the Ming Dynasty did not have a high status during the Hongzhi period. Such factory guards made civil servants and generals frightened, and they would confiscate people's homes and exterminate their families in an instant. This probably happened when the imperial power of the Ming Dynasty was extremely expanded. Period.
After Xiao Jing left, Zhu Lin received Zhang Zhou again, and then asked Ning Tong to talk to Zhang Zhou.
The general meaning is... you are here to confer a knighthood on my younger brother. The affairs of the eldest brother and the second brother should be handled separately, so as not to make people think that I covet the favor that my brother has received.
Don’t their second wives like to deal with women? Then just listen to the second brother and let his wife come.
"I'll take my leave."
Zhang Zhou didn't intend to say anything more to Ning Tong.
At most, Ning Tong sees off guests when she goes out.
When they arrived at the front yard, Ning Tong deliberately walked in front and blocked Zhang Zhou's path, and said in a reproachful tone: "Why do you keep helping him? His ambition is not here. By doing this, you are actually hurting him." he."
Zhang Zhou said: "Mrs. Zhu, no, I should call you Mrs. Anbianbo now. No matter how unreasonable you are, you can't get an advantage and behave like a good boy, right? I helped Zhijie obtain the title, and you said I was harming him... Do you want to say, Did I hurt you too?"
"Before, I only had to be a little woman and not ask about things outside the window, but now I have to go out and deal with too much. But they obviously don't treat me as a family member."
Ning Tong lost her temper.
Others don't know Zhu Feng's habits, but the Zhu family does. In name, Ning Tong is Zhu Feng's wife, but who in the Zhu family doesn't know that the relationship between the two is nominal?
This kind of people in the Duke's Mansion are the most snobbish. Ning Tong probably has a very strong self-esteem and feels that she is being targeted all the time. She even feels that the way people look at her is wrong.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "In my opinion, Zhijie still cares about you very much."
"What did you say?" Ning Tong shouted angrily.
You clearly know that boy Zhu Zhijie’s preferences, but you actually say that he cares about me?
"Haha, madam, you might as well think about it. He could have put you in the boudoir without caring about your feelings and let you live in the small yard. But he didn't do that. He let you take charge of Zhu from the beginning. Isn’t it because the business connection of the second wife of my family has made you appear in the public eye so that you can get more respect? Even if we can’t be a couple in name only, I think you should still be very good... friends."
Zhang Zhou considered the words and almost wanted to say that you are very good "best friends", but after thinking about it, "friends" is more appropriate to describe the relationship between this strange couple.
Ning Tong was stunned for a moment.
Before, her mind was full of resentment. She felt that her family and Zhu Feng had harmed her and made her marry a vase man.
But after listening to Zhang Zhou's analysis, she seemed to feel that the heartless Zhu Feng really seemed to care about her, but maybe it wasn't the care of a couple, but more like a friend's care. .
"You can be regarded as sharing weal and woe. He has shared his status with you. If you feel that this is harming you and you want to escape, you can choose to divorce. You don't need to resent me every time you see me. What does he bring?"
Zhang Zhou didn't want to talk nonsense to Ning Tong.
This is a woman in her early twenties who is planning to live a happy married life, but is left a widow and full of complaints.
Too many words are wrong.
Besides, he also wanted to go back quickly to make preparations for mining in Xishan.
Ning Tong frowned and said, "Are you teasing me? If I marry into the Chengguo Duke's palace, is there any chance of reconciliation?"
Zhang Zhou shrugged: "Other families can't do it, but if you don't mention it to Zhu Zhijie, how do you know it's impossible? But whether you reconcile or divorce him, your reputation will be ruined. It depends on your choice! Farewell, next time If I have a chance, I will give you the rest of that book..."
"..."
Ning Tong was also speechless.
Even if Zhang Zhou made a very outrageous proposal to her, he still remembers the book?
But thinking about it again, it seems that I am quite similar to the people and things in the book.
"Then can you tell him for me?"
Zhang Zhou had already taken a few steps, but Ning Tong's words made Zhang Zhou stop.
Zhang Zhou turned his head, frowned and looked the woman up and down, shook his head with a wry smile, and gave her a look that said, "Why don't you do it yourself if you have something to do? You need to pretend to be an outsider." Without answering, he just led her away.
…
…
Qianqing Palace.
Dai Yi reported to Zhu Youtang in detail the suggestions of the Ministry of Rites and the Cabinet on the proposal.
"...The Ministry of Rites has requested that Chang must have heard about it, so I present this memorial. However, I am afraid that what I have heard may not be true. Moreover, the list has not yet been opened, and I don't know whether the person who pointed out the truth has ever taken it? As I said, He ordered Li Dongyang, together with the Five Classics and the examiners, to read through the red scrolls in the field, and take them from the public to collect them from the public, and to discuss the matter. The date of the opening of the results was also changed to the 29th of this month. or the second day of March..."
Zhu Youtang frowned: "Didn't I explain to the court earlier that Cheng Minzheng did not participate in the marking? Since he has not marked the marks, how can he teach and receive privately during the marking?"
Dai Yi answered cautiously: "The officials in the court know it, but outsiders don't know. Hua Chang Shen Zou said this. This is probably also the appeal of the candidates in the same examination."
In fact, Dai Yi was also reminding the emperor that it was best not to publicize the matter of Cheng Minzheng stopping grading in advance.
Because civilian scholars will feel that the court knew that Cheng Minzheng had problems, but still let him take the exam, and after the exam was over, he deprived him of the authority he should have as an examiner... Why should we not let us discuss something that the court is suspicious of?
"Yes." Zhu Youtang suddenly thought of something and nodded, "The previous suggestion made by Bingkuan was also to stop marking the papers because Cheng Minzheng was unwell. He didn't even inform the other internal officials about it. It seems that I was in a hurry again. ”
Isn't it?
Dai Yi wanted to say.
Zhang Zhou suggested that you let Cheng Minzheng withdraw from the examination in a low-key manner. As a result, your majesty became anxious and told the ministers about it in the court.
A bit of a bad dish.
Zhu Youtang said: "But this allows those ministers to know Bingkuan's prediction on this matter, and they know that Bingkuan will not be involved in the issue, so why not tell them?"
Dai Yi stared.
Can it still be like this?
In your opinion, your Majesty, is it more important to calm disputes and bring stability to the government and the opposition, or is it more important to exonerate your brother Bingkuan? No need to ask, Your Majesty has already chosen the latter.
Dai Yixin said, no wonder those civil servants had such big opinions on Zhang Zhou, because His Majesty did everything possible to help Zhang Zhou. When did I get such treatment?
Not long after, Xiao Jing sent someone back to deliver a note to Dai Yi, and then Dai Yi went over to explain Zhang Zhou's hidden worries to the emperor.
Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "If it is true as Bingkuan said, Mr. Li will discard the selected test papers from the inner curtain according to the standard of calming material disputes, I am afraid it will make the situation worse."
Dai Yi was thinking secretly again, Your Majesty, you are worried that Li Dongyang will depose Zhang Zhou's paper, so you said this, right?
Even if Mr. Li Ge wants to reject some papers, he will always have standards. He will discuss it with his fellow examiners, and he will definitely deal with the matter and not the person.
Zhu Youtang didn't care about that. He said: "As for the inner curtain of Ling Gongyuan, since Cheng Minzheng is not involved in grading papers and selecting articles, once the selected papers in the inner curtain are not sealed or removed, anyone who has any doubts can Report it and keep the details, and then send someone to investigate in detail."
"yes."
Dai Yi didn't dare to make casual suggestions anymore.
He could also see that what Zhang Zhou said now was what he said. Even if Zhang Zhou was a candidate for this examination, the emperor would not mind letting Zhang Zhou participate in it deeply.
"In addition, the release of results for this general examination will be postponed for five days and moved to the second day of March."
Zhu Youtang still listened to the suggestions of the Ministry of Rites and the Cabinet, and asked Dai Yi to write a written reply to the memorial, and changed the date of releasing the list.
Dai Yi asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, now that Tang Yin, Xu Jing and Hua Chang have been sent to Fusi, Jinyiwei North Town, are you going to interrogate them strictly? There is also Bachelor Cheng..."
Dai Yi wanted to remind the emperor that among the people involved in the case, there seemed to be a "fish that slipped through the net." Cheng Minzheng, as the most critical figure, was still hanging around behind the scenes.
"Let Cheng Minzheng temporarily resign and go back to his hometown to live at leisure. The rest of the matters will be discussed separately after the results are announced."
Zhu Youtang also seemed very tired.
The affairs of the court made him unable to keep up mentally, which was also related to the fact that he had not taken Li Guang's elixir recently.
But now Zhu Youtang knew that it was not an elixir, but poison.
No matter how uncomfortable it is, you have to get through it.
(End of chapter)
