The twenty-second day of the twelfth lunar month.
On this day, Zhu Youtang left the palace in casual clothes and was going to see his "beloved concubine". After all, this woman was more than four months pregnant, and Zhu Youtang could be regarded as a man who "valued love and justice."
There were only a few people accompanying him, but because Wu Hao, the Qin Tian Supervisor, was already in the court, he asked the emperor to accept the concubine based on God's will. Although the emperor did not directly agree to the matter, it was also because the news gradually began to leak... Mainly because Xu Qiong and Shen Lu had already begun to expand their connections, and the news spread like wildfire.
There are already many ministers who know that the emperor has a woman.
But it is limited to high-level officials in the DPRK and those who are closely related to the royal family.
For example, Zhu Feng, whom Zhang Zhou called to accompany him that day, was almost completely unaware of this.
"That is?"
Zhu Feng originally thought that Zhang Zhou was just taking him to meet his "ex-wife", but when he arrived, he found a familiar-looking figure entering the yard. He was still a little confused.
Zhang Zhou said: "Follow me and don't talk nonsense."
"Um."
Zhu Feng walked behind Zhang Zhou like a follower.
Entering the shop, Ning Tong was still looking at the people who had just entered. As the owner of the yard, she didn't even say hello when Zhu Youtang came in.
"you……"
Ning Tong, like Zhu Feng, could only speak half of what he said.
Zhang Zhou said: "Why, didn't you recognize him? He is the Marquis of Anbian, and I am Zhang Bingkuan."
Ning Tong came over and asked, "The one who went in just now..."
Another half-assed question.
Zhang Zhou said: "Have you not seen all the theaters?"
Not only Ning Tong, but also Zhu Feng thought about who was going in.
Zhang Zhou walked in front, leading the former husband and wife to the inner courtyard. Zhu Feng still muttered a little: "Brother Zhang, why don't we go out and wait for the driver?"
Zhang Zhou said: "What are you waiting for? We are here to relax with our friends."
"oh."
Zhu Feng responded like an aggrieved doormat.
Ning Tong originally thought Zhu Feng was unmanly, but when she saw this scene, she even looked at her ex-husband with disdain.
…
…
Zhu Youtang went in to be gentle with Xiaolian.
Zhang Zhou didn't go inside, but just waited in the yard.
Zhu Feng was afraid that there would be some bad noise coming from inside, but only Zhang Zhou knew how much Zhu Youtang cherished his unborn child. At this time, palace rules prohibited the emperor from having sex with his concubine.
So it can only be a farewell and some verbal conversation.
Until Zhu Youtang came out and saw three people standing at the door, smiling and walking over.
Zhu Feng, however, quickly saluted and said, "Your Majesty, Zhu Feng, is here to see you."
This made Ning Tong very embarrassed. She quickly lowered her head and did not dare to look at anyone present.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Knowing the rules, I went out incognito today, so I don't have to stick to etiquette. I heard that you also laid a lot of groundwork for this courtyard, and I will remember it."
"ah?"
Zhu Feng was dumbfounded and didn't understand what it meant.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said helpfully: "That's right. This courtyard was added by Marquis Anbian. He also paid great attention to the internal and external repairs and other things."
Only then did Zhu Feng realize that Zhang Zhou was taking credit for him.
Zhu Feng wanted to say, I don't know what happened here, and I don't know that someone else lives here in Tong'er. What credit do I have?
Ning Tong was a little dissatisfied with Zhang Zhou's behavior of turning his elbow on Zhu Feng, but she did not dare to make any speech on this occasion.
"Okay, I'll go back first." Zhu Youtang said with a comforting look on his face, "I won't go out of the city with Bingkuan today. I'm a little tired."
"Farewell to Your Majesty."
Zhang Zhou handed over his hand.
Zhu Youtang then smiled and nodded to Zhu Feng and Ning Tong, and led the people to the front yard.
…
…
I took a trip to Ningtong Courtyard with the emperor, but nothing strange happened.
Then Zhang Zhou called Zhu Feng to the artillery workshop outside the city to talk to Zhu Feng in the name of inspection.
"Zhijie, you behaved very badly just now." Zhang Zhou took Zhu Feng for a stroll in the workshop. "You should know that His Majesty attaches great importance to the inheritance of blood. In the future, you will establish contact with this imperial concubine and the prince. I will treat you The status of the Duke of Chengguo also helps a lot.”
Zhu Feng said: "Brother Zhang, I have already moved out to live in another mansion on my own. I don't want to interfere too much with the affairs of Duke Chengguo's mansion."
Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "Sooner or later I will need you again."
"Why?"
Zhu Feng didn't understand, but Zhang Zhou didn't know how to explain.
Do you want to tell him that your eldest brother still has no son, and you will inherit the title from now on?
With the butterfly effect, nothing is absolute.
Zhang Zhou said: "Is there any news about your father?"
Zhu Feng said with a comforting look on her face: "My father is almost arriving in the capital. It is said that he should arrive before the year before, in a few days. Grandma misses her very much, and also suggested that she would like to go back to Nanjing for a walk..."
Zhang Zhou wanted to say, silly boy, your grandmother wanted to tell me through you that your father should return to Nanjing to serve as a guard. Why are you so stupid?
"Do you know the military situation in Liaodong?" Zhang Zhou asked.
Zhu Feng asked curiously: "Are you talking about the battle on the north bank of Huangshui in the grassland? It is said to be very tragic. It would be good if I don't go."
Just as they were talking, the two of them had arrived in front of the fixed fort, and an acquaintance stood there, it was Lin Ting, one of Zhang Zhou's brother-in-law.
When Lin Ting saw that two outstanding martial artists from the Ming Dynasty were coming, he quickly stepped forward to salute, and the rest of the cannon-casting personnel also retreated first.
"Brother Lin, I just want to talk to you." Zhang Zhou seemed to ignore Zhu Feng and invited Lin Ting to the pavilion aside.
Lin Ting said: "There is a heater inside, and I would like to invite Duke Lai to come in and talk."
"Um."
Only then did the three of them enter the house.
Because Zhu Feng was thin and maybe because southerners were afraid of the cold, she had long wanted to enter the house. When she entered the room with the stove, Zhu Feng's nose was all red.
It also shows that this kid is not adapted to the northern weather.
…
…
The three of them took their seats.
Someone served hot tea. Lin Ting, as a scholarly family, was quite proficient in tea ceremony. In addition to his lower status, he personally served tea to Zhang Zhou and Zhu Feng.
Zhang Zhou said: "I plan to go to Yongping Mansion recently, and Brother Lin will go there to help mine the iron ore. Is Brother Lin qualified?"
Lin Ting sighed: "But just obey the orders."
In fact, Lin Ting didn't really want to go.
Just like Tang Yin had the same idea, he followed Zhang Zhou and was doing hard work.
In this era, officials have the lowest demand for performance appraisals. Instead, they pay more attention to matters such as etiquette and education, focus on clean discussions and reputation, and also care about reputation in the literary world and public opinion...especially officials in the capital.
Even the Jingcha and the Grand Chief are all evaluated based on their qualifications and years of evaluation in ritual and music education.
Therefore, for someone like Zhang Zhou who does practical work, it would be better to spend a few more years in Chaozhong Yamen... This is also related to the different mentality of different people.
For example, Wang Shouren didn't like the rigid and rigid principles of officialdom.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "When we get to Yongping Mansion, we have decided on the mining matter. I also want to ask you two to go to Liaodong with me. What do you think?"
When Zhu Feng heard this, he first expressed his confusion: "Brother Zhang, are you going to Liaodong? Is it to determine the merits of the previous battle?"
Zhang Zhou did not answer, but looked at Lin Ting.
Lin Ting said: "I am the head of the Ministry of Industry. I should deal with matters around the capital. I have no errands to go to Liaodong..."
This also means that if you send me an errand and I have to go, let’s go together.
Otherwise, if you want to take me with you on your own behalf, let’s not discuss it.
Zhang Zhou didn't mind. In his opinion, Zhu Feng, Lin Ting and Tang Yin had something in common, that is, they all wanted to live a relatively stable life. They wanted to be officials, and they also wanted to be officials in the traditional sense. Like to take risks.
The ideals that have changed the times and the principles of serving the country and the people are too vague for them. What they want more is smooth progress without wind and waves.
But Zhang Zhou needs help.
Without Tang Yin, Lin Ting, or Zhu Feng, does he expect Wang Shouren to lead the charge for him every time?
With those who tried their best to curry favor with him, he did not feel that they could help him achieve great things.
It was also because his position in the court was too embarrassing. He was both a civil servant and a military officer. There was too much resistance to him from the civil servants. It was also because according to the rules of seniority among literati, he, Zhang Zhou, was a junior, so he was top-heavy. The problem.
It is clear that he has great status, great power, and has done many things, but others do not respect him very much, and even regard him as an outlier who breaks the traditional civil service system.
"Two of you, let's be honest, the Ming Dynasty is about to use troops in Liaodong, and the battle is Jianzhou. I want to fight in person in this battle." Zhang Zhou said.
Lin Ting nodded, probably understanding that this was another military mission for Zhang Zhou.
After running to the northwest, we have to run to Liaodong.
Zhu Feng said: "Aren't Lu Zhongcheng and the others here?"
Lin Ting thought for a while and analyzed: "Could it be that Lu Zhongcheng and the others were sent by Duke Lai to explore the road to prepare for Duke Lai to lead the army himself?"
"Brother Lin, you still treat strangers like this, so it's best to call him Bingkuan." Zhang Zhou smiled.
Lin Ting looked at Zhu Feng, and what he probably meant was that Zhu Feng was also Anbian Hou after all, and was an "outsider." When there are outsiders around, I'd better show respect to you, otherwise others will think I'm not a big deal. Small.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "As Brother Lin said, it is natural to be prepared to send troops to establish a state. In fact, the earliest mention of this battle can be mentioned in the King of Korea's petition to the Ming Dynasty to send troops. You should know that the Ming Dynasty fought in the third year of Chenghua and Chenghua In the fourteenth year of the Hua Dynasty, the Korean army was mobilized twice to coordinate with our Ming Dynasty to conquer and teach the Jianzhou Guards. Both times they achieved good results, but they were not completely destroyed."
Lin Ting asked: "So this time we want to destroy them? But in those border areas, do people need to be moved to live there? Or should they be handed over to other tribes?"
"Of course the Ming Dynasty built fortresses and governed the border people there." Zhang Zhou smiled, "In the past few years, the Jianzhou Guards did not harass the Ming Dynasty's border areas, but they often harassed the border areas of North Korea. This is a typical example of bullying and fearing the strong, but In fact, their disobedience has been there for a long time, and the so-called tribute is just an excuse. This time the Ming Dynasty sent troops to change the order."
Zhu Feng said: "Do you want me to go to this battle?"
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "If you don't go, how can you show that Ming Dynasty attaches great importance to this war?"
Zhu Feng asked: "But isn't there Shouning Hou in Liaodong as the commander-in-chief? Should I replace him?"
"You don't need to replace him, and you are not a general of Liaodong. Your mission is just to follow me. You are a staff general, and Brother Lin is the nominal coach."
Zhang Zhou took out a folded map from his arms, opened it and presented it in front of the two of them.
"Shenyang sent troops, 50,000 soldiers and horses, divided into two groups. One group was led by Lu Wanqin, the governor of Liaodong, with 30,000 soldiers, leaving Fushun, all the way east, entering Jianzhou Youwei. The other group, with 20,000 soldiers, was led by Brother Lin. I was leading the troops in name, but actually... I secretly commanded and dispatched troops from Crow Falcon Pass to attack Jianzhou Guard City."
After Zhang Zhou finished speaking, he looked at the two of them with a smile and said, "You two, what do you think?"
Zhu Feng asked: "You mean, I also followed you, Brother Zhang, to attack Jianzhou Guard from Crow Falcon Pass?"
"Yeah." Zhang Zhou nodded.
"But...but how to fight this battle?" Zhu Feng asked a question that sounded childish to Lin Ting.
Zhang Zhou seemed to admire him very much and said with a smile: "That's a good question. How to fight? Haha. We need to send troops from North Korea first, disrupt them from the rear, and ask the Jianzhou Guards to send troops to the east to fight with them. Wait until they don't When the enemy is in danger..."
Zhu Feng asked: "Can't North Korea be defeated?"
"Yes, they should not be able to defeat them." Zhang Zhou said, "And even if they can defeat them, we will not give them this chance, because they are not qualified to use troops in Liaodong. Could it be said that the land they captured must be handed over to us? Give it to them?”
"Oh. That's right." Zhu Feng still has a very clear concept of family and country.
Zhang Zhou said: "When the Jianzhou Guards have enough time to take care of both sides, we will send out troops again. The two groups must coordinate properly and advance steadily. We must not engage in a rash battle. If the Jianzhou Guards come, just fight with them and withdraw." Not chasing, in short...playing steadily and steadily."
Zhang Zhou knew very well that the reason why the Jianzhou Jurchens were able to survive and develop in Liaodong for two to three hundred years, and finally qualified to conquer the Central Plains, was mainly because of their bravery and good fighting skills.
It is not easy to completely wipe out this kind of people on horseback, and the territory they occupy, in the eyes of today's Ming Dynasty, is more of a barbaric land where hair and blood are eaten. Zhang Zhou meant not only to capture their The territory must be managed for a long time, and a major hidden danger in the future of Ming Dynasty will be completely nipped in the bud.
Because of this, the battle was of great significance to the future Ming Dynasty, so Zhang Zhou wanted to fight in person.
"Is it a cannon?" Zhu Feng continued to ask.
Zhang Zhou nodded and said: "Now the most powerful weapon of our Ming Dynasty is artillery. It is also the best way to destroy them all at once before they are able to resolve the impact of our sharp artillery. If we drag it on, it will only bring trouble to our Ming Dynasty." Come to trouble... After capturing the Jianzhou Guard, we must also send troops northward at the same time, but because of the special climate in Liaodong, we must take advantage of the warmth of spring to go all the way north."
Lin Ting was a little worried and said: "Such a large-scale military strategy will bring trouble to the northwest dispatch in the coming year. What should we do?"
meaning is.
You Zhang Zhou put the Ming Dynasty's main energy on the northeast of the Ming Dynasty, but after all, the defense of the Ming Dynasty's border areas was mainly in the northwest. In the coming year, the Tatars will continue to go south to invade the border. What should we do?
"Both of them are great ministers of the Ming Dynasty." Lin Ting may have realized that there was an ambiguity in his previous words, and quickly took the opportunity to praise the two men in front of him.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "If everything goes well and we can capture the territory of Jianzhou Guard, Zhijie and I will not need to complete the rest, or we can just leave one person behind."
Zhu Feng understood immediately after hearing this. If you want to keep one person, you must keep me?
Zhang Zhou said: "The Marquis of Shouning cannot manage in Liaodong for a long time. It is actually a good thing for you to go over there. By the way, Zhijie, if you can successfully complete this battle, it will be very helpful for my father to return to Nanjing and serve as the garrison of Nanjing." It is of great help. It can be said that your contribution is used to establish the status of the Duke of Chengguo."
"What?"
When Zhu Feng heard this, he immediately felt Alexander.
I don’t have to worry about my father’s title, but instead of fighting for my father’s position, he actually has to rely on me, his son, to fight for it?
"Isn't this inappropriate?" Lin Ting reminded.
Even if you have the emperor's trust, the position of Nanjing garrison minister is not something you, Zhang Bingkuan, can give you just by asking, right?
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "This is your Majesty's intention."
Zhu Feng asked: "Does this mean there will be no good outcome in this battle? My father..."
"Yes, your Majesty needs more training. After all, when Ningxia used troops before, your Majesty... performed poorly. His Majesty just did not say anything out of sympathy." Zhang Zhou said, "Zhijie, you are the hope of Duke Chengguo. If you take these words back to Mrs. Cheng Guotai, she will also understand my painstaking efforts."
It's really called "painstaking".
Because from Zhu Fu to the two sons Zhu Lin and Zhu Feng in the Chengguo Palace, they only had the titles passed down from their ancestors.
If you want to stand out among the great ministers of the Ming Dynasty, without Zhang Zhou, there is really no hope at all.
If you want to curry favor with the people around the emperor, they have no way, which is terrible.
The only way is Zhang Zhou. If you don't want to fawn over or do things well, then who will help you, the Zhu family?
"I'll do my best." Zhu Feng had no choice but to accept the order.
…
…
Just after a few days of leisure, I had to go into the pit of fire again.
Zhu Feng felt that his life had been changed by others. Although he was becoming more and more awesome and others respected him more and more, why was he still unhappy?
When he returned, he went to the old lady "on the sickbed" and relayed exactly what Zhang Zhou had said to him.
Mrs. Zhu Hu jumped up from the bed, startling Zhu Feng who still wanted to fulfill her filial piety.
"Grandma, you..."
Zhu Fengren was still a little confused.
Zhu Hu said: "Grandma heard that you have the opportunity to make great achievements, and she is very happy. Your physical illness can be cured without medicine."
"Really?" Zhu Feng was a little surprised.
But then I realized that this statement was nonsense.
It's just an opportunity to make a difference. Will your illness be cured? Then if I have really made a great contribution, will you become invulnerable and immortal?
No matter how stupid Zhu Feng is now, he still knows that the old lady is pretending to be sick.
Mrs. Zhu Hu said to the old lady beside her: "Help me lie down."
Mrs. Zhu Hu obviously took the trouble to pretend to be sick in front of her children and grandchildren. Now she would finally get what she wanted, and there was no need to pretend anymore. Even if her eldest son came back, she would not have to act like she was ready to die.
"My grandson, Duke Lai Guo is right. Our hopes for becoming Duke Lai's government are all on you. Otherwise, do you expect your eldest brother? Even your father... alas! You must also treat Duke Lai well. He is I, the Bole of Chengguo Duke's Mansion, have been kind to you."
"By the way, you should also send someone to mention that useless little girl named Ning, so that she can pack up her dowry as soon as possible and follow her as a girl. Let her not be ignorant! Allow her to leave the house with Li. Why, doesn’t she have any idea in her heart?”
(End of chapter)
