What is the sincerity of Concubine Zheng? If we follow what Concubine Zheng said to Zhang Cheng in the palace, then this sincerity is: "I must teach the three generations of Prince Baoshen and Wang Ergong to be rich and honorable. In the future, if the two princes have suggestions, I will naturally make innuendo in the palace. Thinking of supporting it.”
However, Zhang Cheng felt that this was the intended meaning of the title. If it were just that, it might not be enough to satisfy the appetites of "Shen and Wang Gong".
Especially today's meeting with Wang Xijue didn't seem to be very successful. Wang Xijue gave him the feeling that he was quite difficult to talk to. In his eyes, the two "sincerities" of the Imperial Concubine might mean that "what he said is equal to what he didn't say." .
The so-called "Prince Baoshen and Wang Ergong must be taught to be rich and respected for three generations" probably means that Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue and the two generations of descendants can all be cared for by "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince". However, let alone what Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue thought, even Zhang Cheng felt that these words were meaningless.
Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue are both elders of the pavilion. As long as nothing happens to them, their "wealth, honor and respect" in this life are basically considered to be at their peak. There is no need for further wealth and respect - these two cannot lead troops. No matter how hard it seemed, it was not their turn to go to war or be ennobled by civil servants.
As for their descendants, in theory it is indeed possible for "His Royal Highness" to take care of him in the future, but "His Royal Highness" is still in his infancy (Zhu Changxun was born in February of the 14th year of Wanli, and was less than two years old at this time). Some things are hard to say too early.
Judging from the mortality rate of children in this era, even the mortality rate of Tian family children, whether they can grow up healthily or not, some clues will not be seen until at least six or seven years old.
Even six or seven years old is not completely reliable, it depends on whether the child is usually strong or not. For example, when the late Emperor Mu Miao was a child, many people were afraid to take a good look at him. The reason was that he was often sick when he was young. Even if it was just a headache, a cold, and a runny nose, if it occurred frequently, it would mean that his body was not strong enough.
Although Miao Temple lasted to the end among the brothers,... it just collapsed in the prime of life. This shows that the physical condition of childhood does have an impact on growing up.
But having said that, Zhu Changxun, the third son of the emperor, seems to be very healthy at present (the second son of the emperor has died), but the eldest son of the emperor has been sick from time to time, which is worrying.
Assuming that the third son of the emperor, Zhu Changxun, can live a long life, but whether he can take care of the two generations of "Shen and Wang Gong" is not his decision alone - first of all, it must be the current emperor who has the final say. What if the Holy One lives well and has been in power for more than 40 years like Sejong? Where is the chance for "His Royal Highness" to take care of him? When he succeeds to the throne, the grandsons of "Shen and Wang Gong" will soon become grandfathers.
For example, Shen Shixing's son Shen Yongmao was born in the 39th year of Jiajing's reign. He is already twenty-eight years old this year. His son has already been educated. Wouldn't he be a grandfather in thirty years?
Another example is Wang Xijue's son, Wang Heng, who was born in the 41st year of Jiajing. He is already twenty-six years old this year. He is only one year older than Gao Jingshi, but his sons have already... died in infancy.
By the way, Wang Mingyu, the eldest son of Wang Xijue's eldest son, Wang Heng, had an engagement with Shen Shixing's eldest granddaughter. Unfortunately, the baby was not very lucky and died at just a few years old.
So this matter made Shen Shixing very embarrassed - his eldest granddaughter was only a little girl of a few years old, still innocent and innocent, and it was too cruel to be called a "widow" or even a "concubine". However, Shen Shixing was also the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty who was born as the number one scholar. If he took the lead in not following etiquette and law, he would inevitably worry about being intimidated by others' words. It was really a dilemma.
Fortunately, Wang Xijue was very loyal and instructed his son Wang Heng to write a letter of divorce to Shen Yongmao in the name of his future father-in-law, and asked Shen Yongmao to sign it, so that both parties could "get together and part ways."
Wang Heng's writing on the divorce was very emotional, and the friendship between the two families was as important as Mount Tai. It was a pity that his son was so unlucky that he couldn't bear it, but Miss Shen's wife was not to blame for this in any case.
In his letter of divorce, he even advised Mrs. Shen to "come out of the palace in perfect condition" and not to stick to vulgar etiquette, so as not to "create another sin" for her son... In short, he was very sincere.
Shen Yongmao hesitated for two months before he signed it nervously (the divorce letter in the Ming Dynasty did not take effect as soon as the man wrote it, there were many detailed rules), but as for his daughter's marriage, he now On the contrary, I don’t dare to decide so early anymore. He neither agreed nor refused Wang Heng's persuasion, he just pretended not to see it.
In short, when Duke Shen and Wang calculated the age of their descendants, they could not hope to become "His Royal Highness" once they lived a long life. Concubine Zheng's promise sounds good, but in fact it is probably of little use - at least for now, except for the occasional "foot disease", the Holy Emperor is basically free of illness and disaster, and there is really nothing "unbearable to say" signs of change.
Concubine Zheng's second sincerity is actually not worth mentioning. It's not that it's completely useless. After all, once the proposal of "Shen and Wang Gong" is supported by a very favored imperial concubine in the palace, the probability of the emperor agreeing will be much higher. But since everyone wants to form an alliance, this Isn’t it what it should be?
Therefore, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Bingbi thought about it and felt that they needed to add some benefits to make it easier to speak.
He smiled slightly and said to Shen Shixing: "Concubine Zheng has said that as long as the two elders support the third prince's appointment in the East Palace, they will teach the prince to protect the wealth and honor of the second prince and three generations in the future. If the second prince has any suggestions in the future, Concubine Zheng He will also make insinuations in the palace to provide support."
He paused, slowed down his speaking speed and emphasized his tone: "No matter what kind of suggestions, Concubine Zheng will do her best to support her and urge the emperor to agree."
Shen Shixing's eyes flashed, but he did not reply immediately. Instead, Wang Xijue asked calmly: "Oh? If my cabinet opposes Gao Rixin's move to gather financial power, I wonder if the imperial concubine can persuade the emperor to veto this move. Discuss?"
Zhang Cheng frowned slightly and said: "What you can and cannot do is not static. If you two and the imperial concubine work together, we feel that even if the emperor does not veto it in the end, he will at least pay more attention to this matter." If things go well in the future, then the responsibility on Gao Situ's shoulders...will always be greater, right? Do you think this is true?"
Wang Xijue snorted softly: "If everything in the world could be as easy as Zhang Gong said, Yuan Fu and my cabinet wouldn't have to work so hard."
Zhang Cheng frowned slightly, but didn't say much, just looked at Shen Shixing.
Shen Shixing quietly exhaled a breath of turbidity and said calmly: "Mr. Zhang, you should know that Chu's affairs are unusual. Once you change your original intention, it will never be possible to turn back. If Brother Yuan Yu and I agree so easily, in the future, the Imperial Concubine will see that something big has happened." However, since the momentum of practical learning has already been established, it is difficult to shake it off, so I simply sit on the sidelines and watch... Then how should the two of us deal with the world's spiritual scholars? I also ask Mr. Zhang to teach me."
Zhang Cheng said displeased: "How can our family... and the Imperial Concubine be such dishonest people?"
Shen Shixing was not a three-year-old child and would take a "guarantee" seriously, so he just smiled but refused to speak any more.
Zhang Cheng frowned deeply, looked at Shen Shixing, then at Wang Xijue, exhaled a breath, and said helplessly: "If that's the case, what do you two mean?"
Shen Shixing deliberately did not speak, but Wang Xijue knew his intention, so he took the initiative and said: "What Mr. Zhang just said is right. For some important things, the ability and inability are not fixed. Although the imperial concubine is the most favored in the harem, Gao Rixin is also very important. We are ordinary people. After all, the imperial concubine is a concubine in the harem, but Gao Rixin is a minister of the court. Above all matters of government affairs, the emperor is naturally more willing to listen to what Gao Rixin says. If I force the imperial concubine to veto Gao Rixin with one word, Rixin’s suggestion of consolidating financial power may be a bit excessive.”
Zhang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, and Wang Xijue continued: "But as Yuan Fu said just now, if the imperial concubine only has such a few words, it will be difficult for him and me to explain it to the knowledgeable people in the world, so... …Don’t Mr. Zhang think that the Imperial Concubine should first show her sincerity and influence on the Emperor in other matters?”
Zhang Cheng was silent for a moment, and then asked: "For example?"
"For example?" Wang Xijue smiled slightly: "For example, there were many unjust, false and wrong cases in the Beijing Prosecution, especially in the Southern Prosecution. Haigang Feng acted wantonly and denounced officials who did not suit his wishes. The Emperor was deceived by this. There have been many demotions. If the Imperial Concubine can lend a helping hand, Yuan Fu and I can test the opinions of the officials... I wonder what Mr. Zhang wants?"
Zhang Cheng was a little embarrassed and said hesitantly: "But these are all from the emperor's judgment, and the holy decree has just been issued. If the case is to be overturned immediately, it will be a bit difficult."
Wang Xijue snorted softly: "If it were a more ordinary matter, Yuan Fu and I could handle it without any effort, then what else would the Imperial Concubine need to save? Mr. Zhang, with all due respect, if the Imperial Concubine can save several people in a row, Even demoted officials find it difficult, so if she wants to send her son to the East Palace, it will probably be even more difficult than going to heaven, so I have no choice but to advise: Stop it as soon as possible."
Zhang Cheng was speechless for a moment.
Speaking of which, he also felt that although Wang Xijue's words were a bit unpleasant, the truth was indeed true. The imperial concubine wants to send her son, who is not the eldest son of the emperor, into the East Palace. What a big deal this is, and how much pressure she has to face. If you think about it, you will know how difficult it is. If she can't handle just rescuing a few petty officials now, what else is there to think about in terms of reserve positions? It's better to die as soon as possible. At the very least, relying on the emperor's favor, one can still be wealthy for a lifetime.
Shen Shixing had excellent eyesight. Seeing that Zhang Cheng was a little moved, he added: "There is another thing that Mr. Zhang can talk to the imperial concubine."
Zhang Chengxin said: This first thing is already difficult to handle, why do you have another thing to do?
But it was obvious that he couldn't say this, so he could only force a smile and ask: "Is there anything else that I don't know Yuan Fu wants to say?"
Shen Shixing said: "The situation in various places in Jiubian is probably not as black and white as described in the document. The situation in different places is different. For example, in the early years of Xuanda, there were many secret sales with the Mongols. We, the people in the court, I am not unaware of this, but I just consider that each border town has its own difficulties. As long as the defense is consolidated and the zoning is appropriate, some things can be passed by turning a blind eye.
However, some people have made a big fuss about Li Yincheng in Liaodong before, saying whatever they want... I think about it, Li Yincheng has guarded the bitter cold land of Liaodong for more than 20 years, and he has no shortage of credit for his hard work. Nowadays, the defense of Liaodong can be said to be as stable as a rock. Especially in the western Liaoning station where he is the main camp, the Mongolian Tatars rarely dare to invade, which is even more of his merit. It was also because of this that he was awarded the title of Ning Yuanbo, and he had the highest martial arts skills among border commanders for decades.
Why is it that for such a great general in the imperial court and a pillar of the country, there are always people who want to do things that hurt relatives and make enemies happy, and then get rid of him and then be happy? Could it be that this place in Liaodong has become a forbidden area since someone visited it, and no longer allows outsiders to get involved? "
After Zhang Cheng heard this, his face was filled with righteous indignation. He slapped the armrest of the chair and said angrily: "How unreasonable! The world belongs to the emperor, how can he allow others to treat a certain place as a forbidden area? Uncle Ning Yuan sacrificed his family for the country and devoted his wealth to justice. , this is something that everyone knows. Even if he really did sell things to others privately, it must be an expedient measure based on ever-changing circumstances, how can it be said in such a simple way!"
Although Zhang Bingbi's words were pleasant, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue were so experienced. Knowing that he had no guarantee at all, they couldn't help but secretly despise: Are you using this little trick to show off in front of the two of us? It's really like a classmate's axe, and an inscription in the Confucius Temple.
Shen Shixing was more tolerant and just watched quietly, but Wang Xijue couldn't help but smile, raised his eyebrows and asked: "Since Mr. Zhang can see through the fishy things at a glance, but he doesn't know that Mr. Zhang... and even the imperial concubine, do you think anything about this? What intention is there to bring order out of chaos?"
"Uh, this..." Zhang Cheng coughed lightly, pretended to be thoughtful, touched his bare chin, and said: "Our family is the director of etiquette, so it's not like we have nothing to say about such matters. There is room for it, but it is inconvenient to mention this matter casually, so as not to make the emperor suspicious."
He paused for a moment, and seeing that neither Shen Shixing nor Wang Xijue had any intention of interjecting, he could only continue to bite the bullet and said: "As for the Imperial Concubine, you two also know that the country has its own laws, and it is inconvenient to take the initiative to mention them. Even if Given the opportunity, I can only adapt to the situation and quietly use one or two seemingly casual words to influence the emperor... Therefore, the problem now is not that the imperial concubine and our family are unwilling to help, but that there must be someone first Opportunity.”
Zhang Cheng's words sounded like an excuse, but Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue nodded secretly in their hearts, knowing that what he said was much more reliable and sincere than being careless and careless.
As a concubine in the harem, of course the imperial concubine cannot interfere in politics. This is a dead rule of the Ming Dynasty. Even when the emperor was young and the two palaces were regents, they did not see the two palaces bypassing the emperor and directly issuing orders to the outer court to do something. As for various government affairs, the two palaces never took the initiative to express their positions. They only responded in the name of the emperor after being reported by the cabinet.
Now that the emperor has been in charge of the government for a long time, and the imperial concubine is not a member of the two palaces, it is naturally impossible for her to take the initiative to mention political affairs.
As for Zhang Cheng, although he is also the Superintendent of Ceremonies, he still has Huang Mengyu and Chen Ju at his head, so naturally he does not dare to take the initiative to tell the emperor how something should be - let alone him, look at Huang Meng Yu and Chen Ju knew that if the emperor did not take the initiative to ask, neither of them would dare to express their opinions on something.
Shen Shixing felt that Zhang Cheng's words were somewhat measured and not deliberately evasive, so he nodded slightly and said: "The opportunity will come soon. I just hope that the Imperial Concubine and Mr. Zhang will be prepared in their hearts and not miss it. That’s good.”
Zhang Cheng's heart moved, and he knew that this was the first condition offered by the Xin School. If he and Princess Zheng couldn't meet it, the next thing would not be mentioned.
This is probably a sign of submission.
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