In the palace.
Zhu Houzhao took the boiled medicine from Xiao Jing's hand. He was thinking in his heart that even the emperor was powerless about a person's life and death. He could only do what his son should do while Emperor Hongzhi was still alive.
"Originally, I wanted to choose a concubine for you... but my health doesn't allow it. Folks say that parents' orders are the words of matchmakers. That is to say, even folk children have their parents to arrange marriage matters for them. My son will be the last one. But you don’t have to choose by yourself..."
The emperor seemed to know his end and said such depressing words, which made Zhu Houzhao feel uncomfortable.
"My father is the emperor and the supreme king. If I have to choose one myself, I will let them do it. When the time comes, I will marry the best princess, which will also make my father happy."
Emperor Hongzhi forced a smile and said, "I want the best. My prince will definitely want the best."
After saying a few words and taking a few sips of the medicine, the emperor was weak and made the most expressions when he was taking the medicine. At that time, his facial features seemed to be pulled together. Not to mention drinking these traditional Chinese medicines, Zhu Houzhao smelled bitter.
Over there, Xiao Jing quickly brought water and asked the emperor to take a few sips. Zhu Houzhao wiped his chin again, as if such simple actions took several minutes.
"Huh..." The emperor made a sound like he was coughing up phlegm. Xiao Jing wanted him to take a few more sips, but he quickly waved his hand as if he had knocked down some poison.
This scene suddenly made Zhu Houzhao feel that the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was actually suffering.
Just like many old people he saw in the hospital in his previous life, the weakened body functions made the medicine ineffective. Sometimes it hurts here, sometimes there hurts. As time goes by, the person's spirit is almost broken, and even if he can live, he actually doesn't want to. alive.
Emperor Hongzhi was a bit like this. He was weak and had to lie down countless times intermittently in the past few years. Each time for at least a month, he had to drink medicine during this period. If he continued to toss, he would really go crazy.
Thinking of these things and what he just heard the emperor say outside the door, Zhu Houzhao, who had always been tough-minded, actually shed some tears.
Emperor Hongzhi was shocked when he saw this, "What's wrong with the prince?"
Zhu Houzhao sniffed twice and said, "I feel sorry for my father. Just smelling this kind of medicine makes me want to spit it out. What's more, my father drinks it every day, almost constantly in the past few years." . My father governs the world with benevolence and filial piety. Who in the inner palace and outside the court has not said good things about my father in front of his children? They all say that good people are rewarded, but I don’t know why God always makes my father suffer from illness."
Emperor Hongzhi was also an emotional person. When he heard the prince speak these words in tears, he was infinitely moved. He grabbed Zhu Houzhao's hand and said, "You can't speak ill of God, even for me. remember?"
Zhu Houzhao nodded.
After that, the emperor had a happy smile, but he was smiling and crying, and he did not forget to pat the prince's hand, "Don't cry, I am very satisfied that you have such thoughts. A few days ago, I have also told the British Duke that your thinking is very different from mine, but you have still given priority to protecting me these years. This is your filial piety. Filial piety comes first, so it is not that God has not taken care of me. Having you as my son is God’s greatest care for me.”….
"Looking at my health, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to get better again. Even if I really get better, I may not be able to continue handling government affairs for a few days. I know that government affairs are not easy. From now on, I will have to bear the heavy burden of tomorrow. It’s up to you to pick it up.”
Zhu Houzhao heard that his heart was filled with sorrow, and this situation became even more difficult to handle.
"...It's time to celebrate the New Year." The emperor muttered.
At the end of the year, there are fewer things to do. From the palace to the ministries and yamen, everyone is free, so time passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month.
Yang Tinghe, who had been in Shandong a few days ago, packed his bags and headed north to the capital. According to the decree, he had reached the end of his tenure as chief envoy in Shandong, and he had to go back to take over the position of Zhan Shifu.
He was thirty-nine when he left Beijing, and he was already forty-six when he returned to Beijing.
Now that the situation in the DPRK is getting clearer and clearer, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is becoming more and more powerful. At this time, he can obtain the title of Shao Zhan of Zhan Shifu.
This position shows that his future is bright.
In the 18th year of Hongzhi, Yichou Enke is about to begin after the Chinese New Year. A few days ago, the prince discussed with the cabinet and promoted Yang Tinghe to the post of Shao Zhanshi of the Zhanshi Mansion. Then he and Lin Han, the Minister of Rites, were appointed as the chief examiners and responsible Yi Chou Enke responded to the matter.
The chief examiner is also a prominent position. Generally speaking, there are very few people who are suddenly promoted to this position from the position of Shandong Chief Envoy. However, the prince said that Enke's policy essays should be combined with the actual situation. Yang Tinghe served in the local area. After so many years, why can’t I hold the position?
In fact, people in the court gradually understood that on the one hand, the prince was promoting Yang Tinghe, and on the other hand, he was sending out the same message as always: those with local experience will be promoted to official positions faster.
Hongzhi has been in power for seventeen years, and these smart people can finally gain some experience.
This has also led to an increase in the number of officials in the capital who want to go to local places for experience. Didn't this mean that the missing son of the Shandong chief envoy came out after Yang Tinghe left?
In this position, the previous Wang Hua was also the governor of Zhejiang.
Who has a future and where there is a future can be understood at a glance.
If Liu Daxia was in decline in the Ministry of War, then Yang Tinghe was very hot in Shandong. From the chief envoy's office to the inspector's office, and then to the prefects of various prefectures and counties, they all held him up as a future pavilion elder before leaving. It’s time for all kinds of practices to come.
Yang Tinghe was more tired when he left office than when he took office, but fortunately, Shandong was not far from the capital, and he arrived in the capital on the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month. Han Ziren, who had been promoted by him and came into the crown prince's sight, was there to welcome him again.
Yang Tinghe was half-conscious, "I just escaped from Jinan Mansion, and fell into your wolf's den again. Please spare me."
The beard on Han Ziren's chin has also become thicker. He is stronger than in previous years. After arriving in Beijing, he actually tried to climb up the big tree of the prince. He was promoted all the way in Tengxiang Zuowei, and now he is also a thousand-year-old man. Household.
"We all know that you are going to return to Zhan Shifu. If I don't bother you, I am not sensible anymore. When I was called Yang Zhifu, my subordinates still remember it." After saying this, Han Ziren slapped his mouth and said, "Look at me With this mouthful, you are no longer the magistrate of Qingzhou!"
Yang Tinghe himself also had some emotions. He looked up at the capital after the snow with a look of reminiscence, "When I left the capital, I shocked many people. His Highness the Crown Prince asked me: He said that scholars of our generation talk about it every day. The country is for the people. If you really go from Zhan Shifu to a local magistrate, do you feel happy that you can do more for the people, or do you feel disappointed after retiring from a capital official to a local official. At that time, His Highness was not yet ten years old, and he could make great achievements. This question shocked me quite a bit.”….
After hearing this, Han Ziren resonated quite a bit, "During the time when Your Highness was handling the affairs of the court, the court has indeed had a new atmosphere. Shi Zhai's ability to take the post of chief envoy of Shandong to preside over the examination is a sign that the government affairs of the court have changed from virtual to real. This is in the heart of the official. I’m a little curious, how did Mr. Shi Zhai answer His Highness?”
Yang Tinghe walked towards the capital, "Your Highness is wise. He said that I don't need to answer, I can answer in my heart."
"In your own heart?"
what is that? Perhaps only Yang Tinghe himself knows.
But this moment is just like that moment.
At that time, there were only a few pommel horses in front of the door, but now there is someone to see you off within ten steps. It's useless to just understand these things, you have to experience them yourself to understand them.
He returned to Beijing at this juncture, so of course he had to come to deliver the message, so after entering the Yang Mansion, he simply closed the door and thanked the guests.
Yang Shen didn't know what to say. He looked at Han Ziren and said, "Brother Han, what's wrong with father?"
Han Ziren thought for a while, "If you can withstand the cold treatment and the excitement, Mr. Shi Zhai is teaching us how to be an official by setting an example."
"The way to be an official?" Yang Shen chewed on these four words.
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard a bang, and there were bright fireworks rising in the sky.
"It's Chinese New Year."
"Yes. Next year will be Hongzhi's eighteenth year!"
People bid farewell to the old and welcome the new in the New Year atmosphere, thinking that next year will be a good year. Except for Zhu Houzhao, probably no one could have anticipated the difficulties in the new year.
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96.
royal hired cat
