Chapter 5 Zhu Yuanzhang’s Little Secretary
In the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Yuanzhang was arranging his clothes. He asked someone to pour a basin of cold water and wash his face with a rough, linty linen towel. The rough feeling made Zhu Yuanzhang sober up.
Although he didn't sleep a wink all night. But still in high spirits. Preparing to go to court.
The old eunuch Zong Liang came back at this time. Beside Zhu Yuanzhang, he whispered how to arrange He Xi's affairs.
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and suddenly asked: "Zong Liang, how many years have you been with me?"
The old eunuch Zong Liang was shocked and said: "Twenty-one year."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "You followed me before I ascended the throne. I will keep your credit and hard work in mind. Who else is there in your family?"
Zong Liang said: "Old slave, there is no one at home anymore. They all died in the war."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Then I will arrange a place for you in Xiaoling Mausoleum. I will also go to Xiaoling Mausoleum a hundred years later. You can go and explore the way for me first. How about it?"
Zong Liang knelt on the ground, kowtowed several times, and said, "Without Your Majesty, this little life of this servant would have been lost long ago. It is my honor to take the first step for Your Majesty."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Then you clean up the matter about He Xi. Remember, no one who sees He Xi tonight can stay. After you have done all this, you can end it yourself. It is a fight between you and my monarch." .”
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that it was difficult for others to tell. What happened to He Xi could not be hidden from the person in front of him. Don't say anything else. Why did He Xi go directly to Qianqing Palace without passing the palace ban? Maybe others just thought He Xi came in through another palace gate. But Zong Liang, the eunuch chief, understands this very well.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not fully believe in He Xi's identity. But whether you fully believe it or not. He didn't want He Xi to come into contact with other people. Even the identity of He Xi's so-called future person must be completely kept secret.
Since it must be kept secret, only a dead person would keep it completely secret.
He Xi is a smart person. He won't talk nonsense himself.
That is to silence all those who may know about this matter tonight.
Zong Liang is just one of them. Including the guards outside.
This is also Zong Liang's mission.
Zong Liang bowed tremblingly and said: "I obey the order. I can no longer serve the emperor. Please take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself. The world's affairs cannot be finished."
Zhu Yuanzhang was also slightly moved, but these moves were not enough to make him change his decision. Said: "Then go down and do it." Zhu Yuanzhang did not look at Zong Liang again. It seems like a normal task.
Zhu Yuanzhang was confident enough. Zong Liang will definitely deal with everyone who knows and may know. Then commit suicide. I still have some control over my subordinates. Zhu Yuanzhang even arranged for the eunuch to take over Zong Liang's position.
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It was already after the late dynasty when Zhu Yuanzhang summoned He Xi again.
Compared with Zhu Yuanzhang's descendants, they are not even willing to go to court. Zhu Yuanzhang was much more diligent.
Three times on one side. Morning, noon and evening.
Among them, the morning court is mainly used for discussions. It’s considered the rightful day. The midday dynasty and the evening dynasty are both supplements to the morning dynasty. Generally speaking, when ministers encounter problems in their work, they will report to Zhu Yuanzhang at noon or evening. If you have nothing to do, you don’t have to come.
But Zhu Yuanzhang had to do it.
Not to mention, in the thirteenth year of Hongwu, Hu Weiyong was killed and dismissed as prime minister. Zhu Yuanzhang's government affairs increased exponentially. In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang did not review the memorial last night, so there were many things left for today's morning meeting, so that the morning and afternoon meetings were directly connected.
I was busy until after the evening dynasty and when the lanterns first came on. Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang have time. He Xi was summoned again.
He Xi did not dare to neglect to tidy up his clothes and come to see Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang was still sitting in the empty hall, with the table covered with memorials. After Zhu Yuanzhang saw He Xi, he said to He Xi: "Zen Master Dazhi is no longer here. I am your elder. You are my nephew. From now on, you can listen to me."
He Xi immediately said: "The common people understand."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "You are still called a grassroots citizen?"
He Xi was stunned and didn't know how to answer.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "You can call me uncle."
He Xi immediately said: "My nephew pays homage to my uncle." He paused slightly and said: "Your Majesty, my nephew dare not say how talented he is, but he has been studying for twenty years. I also ask my uncle to give my nephew a job to serve the imperial court. Chance."
The reason why He Xi said this was because he felt insecure in his heart.
Accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger, not to mention a man-eating tiger like Zhu Yuanzhang.
He Xi didn't dare to think that because of his special status, he could sit back and relax. He decided to be a useful person to Zhu Yuanzhang. Only in this way can Zhu Yuanzhang be merciful.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment. In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, the most important thing about He Xi is the information he brings from later generations. As for He Xi's own abilities. Zhu Yuanzhang didn't pay much attention. Zhu Yuanzhang called him uncle and nephew because he wanted to draw closer to each other. For He Xi, he wanted to prove himself. Zhu Yuanzhang did not care for himself. Said: "Since you have this intention, just sort out the documents for me."
However, Zhu Yuanzhang had no intention of staying up late tonight.
After all, he is already in his fifties, and he didn't sleep a wink last night. I won’t sleep today. He can't reach the age of seventy.
He Xi said: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Xu Zheng." Zhu Yuanzhang said.
A middle-aged eunuch immediately came in from outside, saluted and said, "My slave is here."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "This is my nephew. He is here to sort out the documents for me today. You can make arrangements."
Xu Zheng immediately said: "I understand." Then he saluted He Xi and said, "I have met my nephew."
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and yawned. At this moment, He Xi discovered that Zhu Yuanzhang was actually very tall. Just sitting there all the time is inconspicuous. Zhu Yuanzhang got up and walked to the harem.
He Xi watched Zhu Yuanzhang leave. He Xi looked at Xu Zheng. I found that this was no longer the eunuch from yesterday. But he didn't think too much and said: "Eunuch Xu, please give me some advice."
Xu Zheng said with a smile: "The young nephew is joking. What is the identity of the young nephew? If you need anything, just give me a few instructions, and my servant will definitely take care of it for you."
He Xi said: "Look, Your Majesty asked me to sort out the documents. Where are the memorials below?"
Xu Zheng said: "Master nephew, come this way." Then Xu Zheng led He Xi to a side where countless memorials were piled up. He Xi opened it and looked at it.
Although traditional Chinese characters are calligraphy. It gave He Xi a headache. But if you think about it a little bit, you can still understand it. After all, the memorials sent up from below were determined not to engage in the art of calligraphy with Zhu Yuanzhang. They were all in regular script and had no reading difficulties.
Only He Xi felt a little confused.
It was found that these memorials were not classified. It is only divided into two categories. One category has been reviewed by Zhu Yuanzhang. There is also a category that Zhu Yuanzhang has not reviewed yet. As for the six departments and nine ministers, there is no breakdown.
He Xi said: "Why is there a bit of chaos here? The memorials from various departments are not separated."
Xu Zheng felt a little ashamed and said, "This slave is illiterate."
He Xi was stunned and suddenly understood.
Now the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty are not at all the internal ministers of the Ming Dynasty in later generations. How can I undertake these mundane tasks if I don't even know the Chinese characters?
He Xi said: "Please bring me a low table, and by the way, get me some more lamps, and get me some pencils."
"Pencil?" Xu Zheng said.
He Xi frowned slightly. He may not be used to writing brushes. And although he had brought one or two gel pens, he was reluctant to use them now. Only use pencil. It seems that Xu Zheng doesn't know about Pencil. He Xi secretly thought: "These days, you should have a pencil." Suddenly his heart moved and he said: "It's the eyebrow pencil used by ladies."
Xu Zheng said: "This slave will know."
He Xi said: "Please hurry up."
Xu Zheng agreed, and after a moment, the eyebrow pencil, desk, and lights were all delivered.
Xu Zheng picked all the oil lamps and turned them on. Then take the memorial. Started work.
Various memorials are classified according to six parts and nine ministers. In fact, this classification already exists. Then read the memorials one by one, write out the abbreviations, and then separate them by priority. It's easy to say, but not easy to do. Because He Xi found out. Zhu Yuanzhang's unprocessed memorials total about a thousand volumes. If He Xi wanted to deal with it all, it would probably take him all night.
Let's say that He Xi was in the Palace of Qianqing, burning the midnight oil and fighting at night. In the harem. Zhu Yuanzhang also rested at the queen's place.
The surrounding curtains hung down, covering the crib firmly. It seems that there is an independent space between heaven and earth.
In the darkness, Emperor Ma moved Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "What happened? I didn't sleep last night. Why can't I fall asleep now?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said in a dull tone: "Actually, it's nothing."
Although Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma had a deep love for each other, Empress Ma had also been Zhu Yuanzhang's virtuous wife for many years. But Zhu Yuanzhang still didn't want to tell Empress Ma about this. On the one hand, Zhu Yuanzhang naturally understood the principle that if you don't keep it secret, you will lose your virginity. On the other hand, Zhu Yuanzhang was in a complicated mood and didn't know what to say.
Queen Ma said: "If you don't want to say it, don't say it. We have been husband and wife for many years. Nothing is wrong with you like this. In my mind, your situation has only happened three or five times. The first time was When you were preparing to leave Haozhou City and take twenty-eight brothers out to explore, even I stayed in Haozhou City at that time. One of the disadvantages was that heaven and man were separated forever. That was how you were at that time. Also, when you decided to cross During the time of peace in Jiangsu, the Tatar navy was powerful. We didn't have many ships in hand, so we sent people to appease the Chaohu navy, but there was no news for a long time, and you were the same. Then there was the time when Chen Youliang besieged Nanchang--- --"
Zhu Yuanzhang broke out in the Lihuai dialect and said: "What's wrong with you bitch? Once the old accounts are opened, there will be no end."
