The next day.
At the end of Chen Shi, after mourning, the officials left in an orderly manner.
When he walked to Fengtian Hall, Yang Shiqi called Zhang Fu.
"My lord, the country cannot live without a king for a day, and the court meeting cannot be suspended!"
Zhang Fu nodded lightly: "I'll go back and inform Yu Qian that starting tomorrow, the prince will be in court."
"It is certain that the prince will come to court, but... it is not an offense to the lower officials. The prince is too young. Even if he comes to court, he may not do anything. The late emperor's edicts and important national affairs must be reported to the queen mother." Yang Shiqi sighed: "Emperor It’s not a problem for the Queen Mother to be in the harem all the time!”
Zhang Fu frowned and wanted to refuse, but he couldn't stand it.
It is a fact that the prince is too young to do anything, and it is also a fact that the late emperor ordered the queen mother to govern.
Yang Shiqi cupped his hands and said: "State affairs cannot be delayed. I hope that the Duke will put the overall situation first."
Zhang Fu was silent for a while, then nodded and said, "Okay, I will go to see the Queen Mother later."
"The British prince is upright and honest, and he is dedicated to serving his country..." As soon as Yang Shiqi said a few clichés, Zhang Fu turned around and left, showing no face at all and making his stance clear.
Yang Shiqi was embarrassed, but helpless, and muttered angrily: "How am I worse than Yu Qian!"
~
East Palace.
After hearing this, Yu Qian nodded and said: "The court meeting cannot be suspended for a long time. If it is suspended for a long time, all the officials will inevitably slack off. The prince is young, and it is the late emperor's decree to let the queen mother govern. There is nothing wrong with it."
"But in this case...I'm afraid my advantage will be gone." Zhang Fu said worriedly, "It will also become difficult to form a party."
Yu Qian smiled bitterly and said: "The purpose of forming a party is to better stabilize the situation of the government. If you ignore the meeting of the court in order to form a party, wouldn't you sacrifice the fundamentals and pursue the inferiors?"
"That's true." Zhang Fu nodded and stopped worrying, "I'll go find the Queen Mother."
After taking two steps, he turned back and said, "You should tell the prince in advance so that he can be prepared."
"good."
After seeing off Zhang Fu, Yu Qian returned to the school and stopped Xiao Zhu Qizhen who was reading aloud, "Prince, you have to get up very early tomorrow."
"Why?"
"From tomorrow onwards, you have to go to court in the morning." Yu Qian said.
"Going to court?" Xiao Zhu Qizhen asked curiously, "Is it the main hall where meetings are held?"
"Yes." Yu Qian taught, "At the court meeting, the ministers will salute you. Don't say that you are exempt from the courtesy, but you should say that all ministers are equal."
"oh I got it."
"If you want to be called an orphan, you can't call me an orphan anymore." Yu Qian said again.
Xiao Zhu Qizhen nodded, "How early do you want to get up?"
"Well... we have to get up before dawn." Seeing his resistance, Yu Qian added, "The Empress Dowager will be with you, and she will also go to court."
"That's it." Xiao Zhu Qizhen was a little happier, "Then I will go to Grandma Huang's place tonight."
Yu Qian couldn't bear to refuse, so he nodded and said, "Okay."
"Can I play for a while?"
"Okay, let's play and relax for a while." Yu Qian agreed, "What do you want to do, Prince?"
"Teacher, can you play Cuju?"
"Know a little bit." Yu Qian has played with his son, but he hasn't played for a long time.
Little Zhu Qizhen hasn’t played for a long time either.
The two played badly, but the little guy was very happy.
Yu Qian, who has always been strict, was especially talkative today because he didn't have much time left for this child to be free.
Just let him be a child for a day... Yu Qianxin said.
…
Harem.
When Sun heard Wang Zhen's report, she frowned and said, "Really?"
"There will be no lies." Wang Zhen patted his chest and assured, "I have a very wide network of contacts in the palace. In the circle, I am the second best, and no one dares to be the first. The news is absolutely true."
"Well... the prince should go to court, and the queen mother must also go to court..." Mrs. Sun was not convinced, but soon she thought of something again, and her eyes lit up, "When Zhen'er ascends the throne, won't I be the queen mother?"
Wang Zhen was startled. He was overjoyed at first, and then secretly shook his head: You think too easily. The empress dowager's rank is not low, so save it.
He could see clearly that Empress Sun had no chance of winning against Empress Dowager Zhang.
He chose Sun because of his potential and for the future.
As for now... Sun is not a person at all.
Fighting in court does not rely on cleverness.
He didn't dare to say these words, he just said a few perfunctory words of flattery.
However, Mrs. Sun was already intoxicated in her own imagination, dreaming of a better future.
"Wang Zhen," Mrs. Sun said with a smile, "If you have any news in the future, you must tell me as soon as possible. I will not treat you badly."
As he said that, he took out a small box and said, "This is for you."
Wang Zhen hurriedly bent forward, took it with both hands, opened it, and saw two warm pearls as big as cat's eyes, worth no less than twenty taels.
"Thank you for the gift." If you have milk, you are a mother, and Wang Zhen's posture became even lower.
Mrs. Sun enjoys being groveled by others, probably because she has been groveling to her mother-in-law and husband for a long time.
She smiled and said, "Work hard and you will be rewarded."
"This slave will do a good job." Wang Zhen nodded, "Do you have any other instructions?"
“Pay close attention to both the big and small things.”
Wang Zhen cupped his hands and said, "My slave, please leave."
Sun nodded slightly, still immersed in his own world.
Zhen'er will go to court tomorrow and will stay in the harem tonight. I have to go to Kunning Palace to wait. No matter how hard she rushes, I won't leave... Mrs. Sun made up her mind. Seeing that it was almost evening, she got up to tidy up. I took care of my appearance and went to Kunning Palace.
Kunning Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang is reading the memorial. The cabinet has drafted it and can be implemented as long as she nods. However, she does not dare to slack off and do not check the requirements. Over time, the cabinet may slack off and even do things that harm the public and enrich private interests.
She is no longer young, she is almost sixty. Taking on this responsibility makes her feel physically and psychologically tired.
"My sons, ministers and concubines meet their mother and queen."
A sudden voice sounded, and Empress Dowager Zhang realized that Mrs. Sun was coming. She was so tired that she immediately sullenly asked, "You just barged in without asking for permission. Do you understand the rules?"
"I, my concubine, be careful next time." Ms. Sun accompanied her carefully, "My mother is working hard, and I, my concubine, am worried about my mother's health."
"Don't be hypocritical." Mrs. Zhang snorted: "What's the matter? If you want to visit me, you can go back now. I'm still alive."
"...I, my concubine, want to meet Zhen'er."
"He's not in now."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Zhu Qizhen ran in happily.
"Zhen'er." Mrs. Sun quickly stepped forward and picked up her son, "Let the queen see if you have grown taller, Zhen'er."
When little Zhu Qizhen saw that his mother and grandma Huang were there, he felt happy and smiled happily.
Empress Dowager Zhang was not happy. She couldn't see Mrs. Sun being so close to her grandson, especially since her son had told her before his death that he should beware of Mrs. Sun.
She stepped forward and grabbed her grandson, and said calmly: "I've seen you, you can go."
Mrs. Sun was angry in her heart, but she didn't dare to show it on her face. She said pitifully: "Mother, I haven't seen Zhen'er for a long time."
"I want to handle state affairs with Zhen'er." Madam Zhang looked at her coldly, "What, you want to interfere in state affairs?"
How could Mr. Sun dare to accept such a big hat? No matter how unwilling she was, she had to leave.
Let's wait for Zhen'er to ascend the throne. We'll see, after the enthronement ceremony, I will become the Queen Mother... Sun left with a sullen face.
Xiao Zhu Qizhen felt very sad when he saw the two people closest to him quarreling, "Grandma Huang, can you please stop quarreling with the Queen Mother?"
"Grandma..." Looking at her grandson's pitiful appearance, Empress Dowager Zhang finally couldn't bear it and said warmly: "Grandma will try her best from now on."
"Thank you, Grandma Huang."
"Is it necessary to talk to grandma about this?" Empress Dowager Zhang pinched his face, "Zhen'er, you are going to court tomorrow. Grandma will teach you some court etiquette..."
…
The next day.
Before dawn, the ministers who had received the news in advance gathered in Fengtian Hall.
Waiting left and right, until the white fish belly appeared in the east, the queen mother and the prince came.
The ministers saluted and paid homage: "I see the Empress Dowager and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The Empress Dowager is a thousand years old, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a thousand years old...!"
"Everyone is safe."
Little Zhu Qizhen was sitting on the dragon chair, his feet couldn't reach the ground, and he looked a bit nondescript.
"Thank you, Your Highness." The ministers stood up.
Empress Dowager Zhang stood beside the dragon chair and said in a cold voice: "When saluting from now on, the prince must be placed in front."
When the ministers saw that the flattery was not taken, they immediately handed it over and said yes.
Empress Dowager Zhang's expression softened a little and she glanced at her grandson.
Xiao Zhu Qizhen had rehearsed last night and immediately asked: "Do you have the original music?"
"I have this report." Zhang Fu took a step forward and said loudly, "I would like to report to the Crown Prince and the Queen Mother that the situation outside the pass is unstable. The battle between Tatar and Oara has severely damaged Oara's vitality and its strength is not as good as before;
Without the assistance of the Ming Dynasty, they may not be able to last long. Once the Tatars annex Oara, the grasslands will be unified, and there will be no peace in the border areas of the Ming Dynasty. "
Guo Jing, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, came out and said, "The loss of a tribe in the grassland is a good thing for the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, if there is one less tribe, the Ming Dynasty will have no peace. Is the Duke exaggerating?"
Zhang Fu glanced at him sideways and said to himself: "Damn, this is the end of your life."
He looked at the Empress Dowager Zhang and said seriously: "Oara has been destroyed, and other tribes are no match for the Tatars. I hope the Empress Dowager will think again."
"I think the British prince is making a fuss out of a molehill." The Minister of Rites came out and said, "My Ming Dynasty's money didn't come from strong winds, so why should I help Wala?"
"I second the proposal." The minister of the Ministry of Industry came out.
"I also second the proposal."
When Yu Qian saw this posture, he immediately became angry. Just as he was about to leave work, Queen Mother Zhang spoke first.
There was no room for negotiation and a voice sounded: "Assistance to Wala, this matter does not need to be discussed again!"
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