We eat every day, but the only one who elevates eating to a way of governing the country is the young man in front of us.
Zhu Biao looked at Gu Zhengchen deeply. Although he didn't know the reasons and links clearly, it didn't matter. He had plenty of time.
Li Xiyan came out and bowed respectfully to Gu Zhengchen: "I am blind, please forgive me, Mr. Gu."
Liang Zhen, Zhang Chang and others looked at Li Xiyan who was saluting, and were shocked.
Although there is some truth in what Gu Zhengchen said, it's not like you, the crown prince's guest, are going to salute, not to mention your age, and he is only in his prime!
Li Xiyan didn't care what other people thought. What Gu Zhengchen said was what she thought was right, and that was enough.
Guest Wang Yi came out and stood beside Li Xiyan to salute.
To acknowledge others is not to be weak, but to be powerful.
After thinking about it carefully, Gu Zhengchen was right. What the emperor adopted to govern the country was not what the people really cared about. Whether the emperor was lenient or harsh was what the officials cared about.
When a country is governed, it is not the officials who govern it, but the people.
But looking at history, looking at today's imperial court, the way of governing a country has become the way of governing officials and the way of governing officialdom.
Although this man is young, his words are sharp, his insights are outstanding, and he is enlightening and profound.
Consider this a gift!
Gu Zhengchen stepped forward, stretched out his hand to lift up the two guests Li Xiyan and Wang Yi, and said with some shame: "I don't dare to do it."
Zhu Biao clapped his hands, walked over and sighed: "Mr. Li, are you okay with this distinguished guest?"
Li Xiyan solemnly said: "Your Highness has a keen eye for pearls. This person has great talent."
When Wang Yi heard that the prince said that Gu Zhengchen was an "honored guest", he rolled his eyes and said to Zhu Biao: "Mr. Gu's words are thought-provoking. Tomorrow there will be a banquet in the East Palace. You might as well ask Mr. Gu to give a lecture."
When Gu Zhengchen heard this, he quickly said, "I don't have time."
"Well……"
Wang Yi is a little depressed. Please listen clearly. You are asked to give lessons to the prince. You have to put aside such big things. It is such a good opportunity to be appreciated for a lesson and be invited to the East Palace to be the prince's envoy and prince. guests.
Li Xiyan understood Wang Yi's intentions and persuaded her: "Mr. Gu, if the prince invites you..."
Gu Zhengchen shook his head: "I can't even invite the prince. Tomorrow I will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to apply for official certificate. After that, I will go to be my county magistrate. I really don't have time to stay in Jinling..."
"Zhi, magistrate of the county?"
Li Xiyan, Wang Yi and others opened their eyes wide, while Liang Zhen and Lu Deming also opened their mouths.
Although Gu Zhengchen is young, he is still knowledgeable. A person who can propose that eating is the way to govern a country is definitely not a mediocre person. Is it too unfair for such a person to be devolved to a local county and become a county magistrate?
Furthermore, he really didn’t know whether it was better to be a county magistrate or a guest of the prince and an envoy to the prince?
Gu Zhengchen didn't want to stay in Jinling anymore. This was the center of the storm. If Lao Zhu sneezed, everyone around him would catch a cold. It was better to run away and become a local magistrate for a while.
Although Jurong is a place close to Tiangao Emperor, it is not within Jinling after all. No matter how strong the wind is, it is still better than Jinling. What's more, most of the people in the court are old foxes. If I don't go down and practice, I will be thick-skinned and have dark methods. How can I compete with these people for power?
Liang Jiajun, even though he had made mistakes several times, was crushed to death in minutes against people of the same level as Hu Weiyong and Zhu Yuanzhang. Staying in the dark, watching how these big guys deal with each other, and learning with an open mind is the right way.
Zhu Biao walked towards Gu Zhengchen and nodded slightly: "The people of Jurong have been in poverty for a long time. If you become the county magistrate, can you solve their food problem?"
Gu Zhengchen did not answer directly, but looked at Zhu Biao and said: "If you want the local people to have enough food and food, you can't stick to the rules. You need to adapt to local conditions and prosper local industries based on local conditions. It's just that I'm new to officialdom and I'm worried about damaging it. Rules will lead to death..."
Zhu Biao understood that Gu Zhengchen was reaching out to ask for policies. He wanted permission to break the "rules"!
But Zhu Biao couldn't give him this permission.
Zhu Biao put his hands behind his back and looked at Mingyue: "To apply for official certificate, you do not need to leave Jinling to take office on the same day. You have to wait for two days. When the time comes, I will send someone to give you a lift."
Seeing that Gu Zhengchen was so valued by the prince, Liang Zhen, Lu Deming and others finally restrained their contempt and talked happily on the sidelines, as if the previous cynicism did not come from them.
Osmanthus wine has a unique mellow aroma, mellow and soft, with a long aftertaste.
When the moon viewing was over, Zhu Biao left Gu Zhengchen behind while the others retreated.
Zhou Zong, the sword-wielding man, followed Zhu Biao and Gu Zhengchen a few steps away, staring at the movements around them.
Zhu Biao stopped and looked at Zhou Zong: "Say a few words to Mr. Gu while you wait outside."
Zhou Zong responded and stopped following.
The two of them walked some distance away, and there was no one around them.
Zhu Biao sighed softly and whispered: "It's a little strange. Although I have only met you a few times, I feel that talking to you makes me feel more comfortable than others."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhu Biao with a little sympathy in his eyes.
Zhu Biao was established as the prince from the first day of the Ming Dynasty.
That year, he was fourteen years old.
But a long time ago, he had been surrounded by a group of gentlemen who taught him day after day that this was not allowed, that was not allowed, this was disrespectful, and that was against the rules.
Undoubtedly, he became what many gentlemen longed for. He was gentle and elegant, kind and diligent, with a Confucian style, courteous to the virtuous, respectful of teachers, and open-minded to learn.
Zhu Yuanzhang was satisfied, and Song Lian, Li Xiyan and others were pleased.
However, everyone regarded Zhu Biao as the prince, and no one thought that he was still a young boy, not yet in his prime.
His rebellious period was strangled to death by him.
He lives within a framework, like a cautious young bird. He can see the outside but cannot enjoy the freedom outside.
His every move was watched and recorded, and his every word and deed would be transmitted to Zhu Yuanzhang's ears verbatim.
He is the most noble prince of the Ming Dynasty, a caged bird.
Gu Zhengchen looked at Mingyue and lowered his voice: "Your Majesty, officials, guests, and Yude all have high hopes for Your Highness, hoping that one day His Highness can become their ideal monarch. As the saying goes, if you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight. Come to think of it. It's this heavy weight that makes His Highness tired. As for me, I'm not a court official, let alone instructing His Highness, maybe that's why."
Zhu Biao raised his head with a sad look on his face: "It's true, if you think about it carefully, from the day I became the crown prince of King Wu, there is no one around me who no longer restrains me, eunuchs, maids, princesses, envoys, guests, good officials, father The Emperor and the Empress are all telling me how to sit, how to walk, how to salute, how to speak, telling me when to rest and when to get up, even with the Crown Princess..."
"You are right. If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight. As the prince of the Ming Dynasty, Gu should bear these heavy weights. But sometimes, Gu wants to relax, like a farmer putting down his pole and resting for a while, but Gu can't. No one will make a promise, and if you slack off even a little bit, you will be blamed..."
Gu Zhengchen listened quietly and said nothing.
At this time, Zhu Biao just wanted to find someone to talk to and express the long-standing grievances and pain in his heart.
He doesn't need comfort.
After all, Zhu Biao is a young man. He is like a piece of clay, being pinched here and there by a group of people to mold it into the shape they desire. No one has ever asked this piece of clay, what do you want to be?
"In front of officials, I need to hold my own. In front of my younger brothers and sisters, I have to set an example. In front of my father..."
Zhu Biao kept talking.
These words cannot be said to the guests, not to Yude, not to the princess, and even less to the eunuchs and guards around her.
Gu Zhengchen is a good listener. You have no background. You are neither from Huaixi nor Jiangsu and Zhejiang. You are clean and tidy. Whatever you say will not arouse questioning or concern from your father.
Bright moon, cool breeze.
One mouthful, two ears.
Zhu Biao felt extremely comfortable, and the depression that had been lingering in his heart for a long time was finally relieved a lot. He looked at Gu Zhengchen and said with a smile: "Do you remember all these words I said?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head and said firmly: "I was so absorbed in admiring the moon just now that I forgot to listen. I'm guilty. I'm guilty."
Zhu Biao laughed loudly and shouted to Zhou Zong: "Send Mr. Gu back to Mu Mansion."
Gu Zhengchen saluted and said, "Your Highness, Jurong is not far from Jinling."
Zhu Biao understood that Gu Zhengchen was saying that next time he wanted to talk, he would go to Jurong, but as a prince, how could he leave Jinling easily? This city was so big that it was difficult to get out.
"Go ahead."
Zhu Biao nodded.
Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not call his concubines to sleep with him, but was reading the classics.
The night wind blew in and brought a cool feeling.
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head and said to the eunuch Zhao Xun: "Go and take it. The documents from the East Palace have arrived."
Zhao Xun was surprised. It was quiet outside and no one was moving around. However, the emperor had spoken. Zhao Xun did not dare to delay. As soon as he reached the gate of Qianqing Palace, he received a document from the eunuch of the East Palace.
"Your Majesty is a divine man."
Zhao Xun sighed and sent the document to Long Ben.
Zhu Yuanzhang opened it and looked at it. It recorded the conversations of everyone at the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet in the East Palace, which almost completely reproduced the time.
"Have a meal?"
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Gu Zhengchen's words and chuckled: "This boy is quite bold and dares to mention what happened when we were poor. Yes, back then, as long as we had a mouthful of food to eat, we wouldn't rebel."
"Eating is the way to govern a country? This is quite new."
"Rebellion without the participation of the people will not be successful! Are you trying to trick me into giving me advice and asking me to solve the problem of people's jobs?"
"The common people don't care about the court's leniency or harshness. That's true. When we were common people, we just wanted to get more food. It can be seen that you are quite knowledgeable about running a country."
Zhu Yuanzhang put the document aside, pondered for a long time, and said to himself: "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, physical exercise, and eating are the outlines of governing a country. I heard that you are also proficient in calculation and knowledge. Boy, you are making me more and more curious. Mu." Ying has made up his mind to place a large number of Tatar prisoners in Jurong. It just so happens that you go to Jurong to be the magistrate. If you can't control them well and cause trouble, I won't be able to spare you!"
