After dawn,
Zhu Houzhao got up and walked around the palace for a few times, then stared at the withered trees in the courtyard of the East Palace with his chin in boredom.
The little head was in front of the window, fascinated by the blue sky in another time and space, and his thoughts flew out of the Forbidden City.
Spanning 500 years, he really wanted to know what Beijing was like in this era.
What about the vast land of China?
How do people live?
Women from the south of the Yangtze River, men from the northwest, soldiers guarding the border, children, girls, literati, traffickers and pawns...
Why don't you think about eating minced meat? Maybe he is not the prince, and maybe every day will be more exciting.
But now he is the prince, and this Forbidden City, Hongwu Yongle, Hongxi Xuande, and now Hongzhi, is destined to be his story in the future.
"Your Highness," the old eunuch wearing a black gauze hat walked quickly from outside the palace. He was a little out of breath and wiped his sweat. His movements were slightly exaggerated.
"How?" Zhu Houzhao rested his chin without looking at him.
Liu Jin added to the jealousy: "These foreign ministers are really disgusting. I heard that His Majesty proposed to several ministers in a discussion tone that he would not mention the matter of giving lectures in the East Palace until spring gets warmer next year. Unexpectedly, the ministers knelt down. One place just doesn’t agree to His Majesty’s request.”
In fact, I probably guessed that, but I still sighed after hearing it.
Totally cowardly.
Originally, the ministers of the Hongzhi Dynasty were very good, and a large number of capable and famous ministers were born.
But the relationship between these emperors and their ministers always made him feel uncomfortable. It's like going to jail.
Zhu Houzhao's delicate brows fell a little, and his eyes were somewhat thoughtful, and then he slowly said, "Are there any officials from the Zhan Shifu in the East Palace now? If so, call two of them over."
Zhanshifu is an official institution dedicated to serving the prince, similar to the concept of a team of teachers. It's just that many of these officials are not that real.
For example, Wang Hua, the father of the famous Wang Yangming, was Youyunde of Youchunfang and belonged to Zhan Shifu. But he was also the Japanese Lecturer of the Hanlin Academy.
The prince is still very young and has not officially started studying, so compared to the latter, the former is almost just a name and has basically nothing to do.
Wu Kuan, the top leader of Zhan Shifu, returned to his hometown to observe mourning in the eighth year of Hongzhi. He will not be able to return until the end of this year. Even though no one is here, everything is still business as usual.
However, not everyone is absent.
There were junior officials in Zhan Shifu who were responsible for recording the prince's words and deeds, named Zuo and You Zhongyun.
Liu Jin was thinking of these two people, "Go back to Your Highness, Zhong Yun is here, Your Highness wants to see them?"
The old eunuch felt a little resistant, and the crown prince began to take the initiative to contact civil servants. This was not a good sign.
Just like civil servants don't want the prince to only have contact with eunuchs.
The eunuch also didn't like the prince and civil servants getting too close.
So much so that in real history, officials of Zhan Shifu complained to the emperor, saying that the eunuchs always found reasons for the prince to take leave and not come to study.
"Well, go quickly!"
The late autumn breeze is a little cool, but it still feels good when it blows on my body.
Not long after, two people wearing blue official uniforms... should be said to be middle-aged people.
He is not young yet, but his official position is not high yet. But they were all from the Qing Dynasty, and they were all in the East Palace. Once the dynasty changed, they would rise to the top.
Zhu Houzhao sat on the stone bench, and the two men kowtowed as usual and said: "I, from the left, allow Yang Tinghe, and from the right, I allow Zhang Tianrui to see your highness."
Yang Tinghe?
The name was familiar, and he couldn't help but take a closer look, and found that there were also traces of white on his temples.
"Get married. What kind of fame do you two have?"
Yang Tinghe said first, and he spoke slowly and slowly, "I was born in the same year as a Jinshi in the Wuxu Keke in the 14th year of Chenghua."
Zhang Tianrui replied: "I am the third in the first class of Xinchou Ke in the 17th year of Chenghua."
Zhu Houzhao nodded, as if he knew the difference between being awarded a Jinshi degree and being ranked third in the First Class.
I can only say vaguely: "Everything is fine."
After saying this, Liu Jin was asked to carry the book case over. On it were pen, ink, paper and inkstone and a copy of "The Great Learning".
He was small, so he could only place the book table lower. At the same time, he asked Liu Jin to hold the book, open the first page, and write eight words crookedly on it: The way to a university lies in Mingmingde.
Then he said: "Which of the two gentlemen will read these words for me?"
Yang Tinghe and Zhang Tianrui looked at each other, Your Highness, are you going to study?
But they all know in their hearts that there are very big rules for the prince's study, and it is definitely not something that these two ministers can teach in private here.
To put it bluntly, who knows what you are teaching the prince in private? By the late Ming Dynasty, some courtiers had scolded some elders for being too powerful, to the point where they had to read even the contents taught to the prince.
These particular things, the two of them have been in official service for more than ten years, and they are not without this sensitivity.
But when the Crown Prince summoned the two of them directly to ask, it seemed that he had to answer?
Moreover, it was the first time that the prince had summoned them to his side, and this opportunity to get close to them was also very tempting.
Yang Tinghe thought about it and said, "When the prince asks, you must answer."
This was actually told to Zhang Tianrui.
Later, he said it to the prince, "Your Highness, read this sentence: The way to a university lies in Ming Ming De."
Zhu Houzhao didn't understand ancient Chinese, so he could recognize these words in traditional Chinese, but there were no punctuation marks. He didn't know how to break up sentences until he heard them.
Yang Tinghe read it, and he also read it, and then turned to the other side, preparing to soak up the rain and dew, "Mr. Zhang, do you know the meaning of this sentence?"
Zhang Tianrui knelt down as he spoke and said in a trembling voice: "If your highness wants to study, please inform your majesty. Your majesty has decreed that the Ministry of Rites will prepare a lecture ceremony in the East Palace. When the time comes, your majesty and the cabinet elders will select good teachers for your highness, and they will be able to get twice the result with half the effort." "
Zhu Houzhao didn't understand what he meant. This gentleman probably didn't dare to go beyond the unspoken rules of the civil servant circle, so he said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang is right, let's go down first, Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Tianrui didn't know what it meant, and couldn't tell anything from Yang Tinghe's expression next to him, but His Highness had already said it, so he could only respond miserably, and then retreated far away, wiping the sweat from his forehead behind his back.
Teaching the prince privately is not a big or small matter.
How could Zhu Houzhao not understand this section?
This is not simply a matter of teaching and learning. But he couldn't help it. The emperor's decision to study again now that spring was getting warmer couldn't be pushed back, so he was held there.
In order to understand the emperor's trap, we can only give them another trap.
He asked Yang Tinghe with some profound meaning: "It is not easy for a saint to learn, but Mr. Yang has read many poems and books, and he must have read them thoroughly. Are you willing to help me answer my questions?"
Yang Tinghe held the ceremony and said, "His Royal Highness has been praised so much that I dare not say that it is thorough. I have only studied "The Great Learning" since I was a child, and I have gained occasionally. However, learning calligraphy and reading has its own sequence. Every word in the article is connected, and only half a sentence is explained, which inevitably makes it difficult to start and end. Gu. How about your highness write it again, and I will teach you again. When all the articles can be read smoothly, I will explain it to your highness, and your highness will naturally be able to understand it."
Zhu Houzhao was a little surprised, this guy... is really smart.
To put it bluntly, the incident happened suddenly, and Yang Tinghe did not dare to teach casually.
Interpreting the meaning will be private, and someone with an intention will say that you deliberately guided the prince.
But it is okay to teach how to read. Even if the court officials pursue it, it can be said that it is just a thorough reading. Although it is still unethical, it is not a big mistake...
Gain this time, and after you retire today, the elder will select the prince's mentor.
And since he showed his face in front of the prince and satisfied the prince's request, he was not too offended by the eyes staring at the East Palace.
Mainly, this attitude means that I, Yang Tinghe, not only did not deliberately go beyond the rules, but also tried my best to abide by the rules when the prince asked me to do so. I am not a very lucky minister!
Zhu Houzhao asked again: "Aren't you worried about what Mr. Zhang is worried about?"
Yang Tinghe said very righteously: "Your Highness is eager to learn from the saints. As a minister, how can you harbor other thoughts and refuse to teach? Every time Your Highness learns more, our Ming Dynasty will be more stable. Compared with this , my honor, disgrace, gain or loss, what is there to worry about?"
Zhu Houzhao was convinced after hearing this, and there was no point in pursuing him any further.
So far, his goal can be achieved.
So I turned to talk about other things.
"Speaking of which, is Mr. Yang wondering why I did what I did today?"
"Your Highness is wise. Sir, there is indeed something unclear."
Having said that,
It's time to show off your acting skills again.
Zhu Houzhao sighed, and then said with a solemn expression: "Recently, my father has been reluctant to do anything, but he still insists on reviewing memorials and memorials. The hard work is hard, and I can't bear it. Unfortunately, I can't read the article thoroughly, and I can't share my father's worries. I feel deeply Feeling guilty.”
"Your Highness's heart of filial piety and loyalty to your emperor and father can be seen from the sun and the moon. This is a blessing to Your Majesty and a blessing to the Ming Dynasty!" Yang Tinghe also grew up under the education of Confucianism.
How could a seven-year-old child not be shocked and moved with such filial piety, especially for a prince, which is even more gratifying and congratulatory.
"My father has already decreed that the matter of my going out to give lectures will be dealt with as soon as the weather gets warmer next spring."
Yang Tinghe didn't feel much at all when he heard this.
For three or four years,
This has been said many times.
Things like 'My dear friends are right, let's do it like this', 'Very good', 'It will be done in a month' and so on. Even Xu Shoufu and others were appointed as East Palace officials. In the end, it was all in vain?
But the superficial words still need to be said.
"Your Majesty is holy."
From this, Zhu Houzhao’s previous paragraph comes to an end.
Then he suddenly changed his expression. As a child, he was full of joy and anger, "But I heard that even if my father has made a decree that spring will be warm next year, there are still many ministers who want to persuade my father to change the time! They even recommended it with blood. !”
Yang Tinghe heard this with confusion. As far as he knew, His Majesty had not issued such a decree.
Why did the prince hear that someone wanted to be so rude?
But he was a prince, so he said so, and as a minor minister, there was nothing he could do.
Zhu Houzhao continued to talk angrily: "How did they know? My father feels sorry for me because I am afraid of the cold. I am connected by blood with my father. Can't this father-son love be fulfilled?"
Speaking of the excitement, the prince slapped the table and shouted loudly: "The prince's words are here. The imperial edict is the imperial edict. I am the son of the emperor, and I am the minister of the emperor. I will definitely obey the edict! So! Next year, if the weather doesn’t get warmer every day, I won’t leave the cabinet to give lectures!”
Yang Tinghe was a little confused, because the relationship between the prince and him was not that good, and he suddenly talked so much... Although he still couldn't figure out why, he obviously had other motives.
"Mr. Yang, what's behind Ming Mingde in the way of university? You can teach me how to read it."
