The purpose of the Zhang brothers entering the palace was to meet Empress Dowager Zhang.

Usually, the two brothers rarely enter the palace. This time, Empress Dowager Zhang felt lonely and lonely in the palace. In addition, she wanted to know about the outside world, so she called the two brothers to the palace. The entry of my family would not cause criticism from the court and the public. After all, the Zhang family's status in the Hongzhi Dynasty and the current Zhengde Dynasty was transcendent.

In Yongshou Palace, Empress Dowager Zhang sat on the warm couch with a screen standing next to her.

According to the past rules, Empress Xia would listen to anyone who Empress Dowager Zhang met. This is also a kind of cultivation of her daughter-in-law by Empress Dowager Zhang.

Although Empress Xia has not been favored by Zhu Houzhao until now, she is the nominal lord of the Six Palaces. However, because Empress Zhang, the former Empress, was too strong, and Empress Xia was not favored by Emperor Zhengde, the current Empress had to go to her mother-in-law for no reason.

It is rare for Empress Dowager Zhang to find a partner to talk to, so the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is very harmonious.

When the Zhang brothers entered the palace gate, they didn't know that the queen was sitting behind the screen, and they just bowed and finished it.

Empress Dowager Zhang did not care about her two younger brothers. In her eyes, she was a family member of her mother. She felt extremely friendly and said with a smile: "His Heling and Yanling come? Give her seat..."

Then a palace maid brought the chair over. The Zhang brothers were not polite and sat down directly. Zhang Yanling picked up the tea on the table and took a sip.

"Sister, the tea here is not very good... I have recently received a batch of West Lake Longjing tea at home. It is fresh and sweet, and has endless aftertaste. I will send two kilograms to my sister."

Zhang Yanling seemed very casual, as if he had entered his own house, without any separation at all.

Zhang Heling raised his face and scolded: "Second brother, what is this place? Will the Empress Dowager still lack your two kilograms of tea?"

Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said, "Heling, don't blame him. They are all their own family, so there is no need to be taboo when speaking. However, the second brother, the Ai family does not lack your tea. There are all famous teas tributes from various places such as Gongxin, White Tea, Yunye, Xueying, and Hollyhock. You are drinking bud tea from Jianning, Fujian Province. If you don't like it, just let someone change it to something else."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "My sister is still easy-going, unlike the elder brother. She only teaches her younger brother a lesson outside, saying that her younger brother is not calm enough in his work... By the way, sister, have you seen the emperor these days?"

At first, Empress Dowager Zhang had a smile on her face, but when she heard her second brother ask about Zhu Houzhao, she felt depressed and nodded unnaturally: "Your Majesty often comes to pay tribute."

This was somewhat perfunctory. Zhang Heling immediately realized that Zhu Houzhao might have been in Yongshou Palace for a long time, but Zhang Yanling did not have this level of awareness and quickly made a statement:

"Sister, can you tell that there have been major events in the court recently. Liu Jin, who once had power in the court, was killed. After his death, he found out countless accomplices. Now the court is still investigating the case thoroughly... Now, there are many missing officials in the court, including the Governor's Office of the Five Army. I heard that the emperor is looking for someone to make up for the gap?"

Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and shook her head: "These things have nothing to do with the Ai family... The Ai family has never asked the emperor about the affairs in the court, and they are not clear about the inside story."

Zhang Yanling seemed very anxious: "Sister, we can't ignore anything. From then on, Liu Jin relied on the emperor's favor and embezzled and bribed the court, and made a prison sentence. He heard that there were hundreds of boxes of gold copied from his mansion. Now that he was killed, the power gap left behind needs to be filled."

"Before, Shen Zhihou planned and presided over the killing of Liu Jin, and now it is rumored that he will take advantage of the situation and rise up... Sister cannot let this person succeed and re-take Liu Jin's old path."

Even if Zhang Yanling said something was not so appropriate, Zhang Heling did not make any corrections because this was exactly what the two brothers discussed before they came.

They wanted to use Empress Dowager Zhang's power to suppress Chen Xi and ensure their own interests.

Empress Dowager Zhang looked cold: "This is a matter of the court and has nothing to do with the Ai family. The Ai family said that they do not want to be in charge of the affairs of the court. The Chen Qing family was a capable minister promoted by the previous emperor. How many times have they helped the Ming Dynasty turn danger into safety? There is no doubt about their ability... You should go to the emperor to talk about these things by yourself."

Zhang Heling sighed: "I'm not hiding the Empress Dowager, now we want to see Your Majesty with great difficulty. Your Majesty has lived in the Leopard Room for a long time and does not care about the affairs in the court. This time, Liu Jin was killed, and the position of the Sili Supervisor's seal has been vacant for a long time. It is rumored in the court that Your Majesty intends to let General Shen Zhihou of the Ministry of War lead the overall situation."

Zhang Yanling also spoke, "Yes, sister, if we could ask the emperor for advice, we would have already stated our interests to him. But it is too difficult to meet the saint now, and the order in the court has changed drastically, and even the Governor's Office of the Five Army is facing out of control. Zhang Mao's old man is extremely domineering, and even the Beijing camp wants to make a fuss. He is very close to the old man named Xia. It seems that he wants the Xia family's relatives to replace our Zhang family!"

When Empress Dowager Zhang heard this, she couldn't help but look behind the screen next to her.

The Zhang brothers could not see the situation behind the screen, but the silhouette of Empress Xia could be seen in the position of Empress Dowager Zhang.

After hearing the words of the Zhang brothers, Empress Xia obviously tightened her body, and she was obviously shocked by these words.

Queen Mother Zhang didn't want to get into evil with the Xia family just because of the words of the two younger brothers. This involved a dispute over the interests of new and old foreign relatives. Judging from the current situation, the Xia family could not threaten the interests of Queen Mother Zhang's mother's family at all.

"Bang"

Empress Dowager Zhang immediately slapped the table and scolded: "No one will replace the Zhang family. If you brothers say this, don't say anything again in the future, so as not to hurt our harmony with the Xia family."

Zhang Heling was obedient and did not say more, but Zhang Yanling did not realize this, and said flatteringly: "Everyone in the court and the country knows that the new queen is not favored by the emperor, but this does not mean that the Xia family has no ambitions... Now the new father-in-law is very close to the old man named Zhang. Isn't my sister at all at ease?"

"Enough!"

Empress Dowager Zhang suddenly stood up and glared at Zhang Yanling, "Is what Ai family said is not useful, or is your ears deaf?"

Empress Dowager Zhang was angry and looked at her with a very majestic face. She rarely showed the empress dowager's majesty, but the two of them were her younger brothers, and she had to gain her current outstanding status. She felt that she was qualified to teach her a lesson on her dead father.

Zhang Yanling didn't understand why Empress Dowager Zhang was abnormal and thought that her sister protected the Xia family.

It was just that Zhang Yanling was used to being arbitrary, and even if she was scolded by Empress Dowager Zhang, she still refused to let go: "Sister, what are you doing? Can you wake up by watching the Xia family ride on my Zhang family's head and shit and pee? Humph, the old guy named Xia relies on his father-in-law..."

"Crash!"

This time, Empress Dowager Zhang directly lifted the teapot on the desk beside her to the ground, gritted her teeth and scolded, "I told you to stop talking, what else do you do if you don't obey your order?"

Zhang Yanling was also angry: "Sister, you are stubborn!"

At this point, Empress Xia finally found that she had come to the wrong place. Her delicate body trembled slightly. She stood up from behind the screen and saluted respectfully at Empress Dowager Zhang. Before Empress Dowager Zhang could express that Empress Xia had already covered her mouth and shed tears with her palace maids leaving the warm pavilion of Yongshou Palace and left the back curtain with her face.

After the people left, Zhang Yanling woke up and found that the hall was not just the presence of his siblings, the palace maids, eunuchs, and outsiders.

"Who is that?" Zhang Yanling asked.

Empress Dowager Zhang watched her daughter-in-law leave crying, and was so angry that she beat her chest and stamped her feet: "Didn't you hear what the Ai family said? Are you sincerely asking the Xia family to get into evil with our Zhang family? You...you..."

Zhang Yanling curled his lips: "Sister met us brothers, and there was someone next to him who was eavesdropping openly. It was unimaginable... Why didn't you explain it to us in advance?"

"Second brother!"

Seeing that Empress Dowager Zhang’s face was red and his neck was thick and his breasts were flushing violently, Zhang Heling knew that his sister was so angry that she immediately scolded him, "Is this your attitude you should have when talking to Empress Dowager? Empress Dowager... His second brother is ignorant, please forgive me."

"Cough cough! I'm so angry that the Ai family are so angry that I'm so angry that the Ai family is so angry that I'm so angry that I'm so angry that I'm so upset." Empress Dowager Zhang shook her head repeatedly, feeling very upset.

Zhang Yanling asked Zhang Heling: "Brother knows who that is?"

Seeing Zhang Yanling being rebellious, Zhang Heling was very angry and said with a dark face: "You haven't seen it yet? That's the Queen!"

Now Zhang Yanling can't speak.

Thinking of the bad words about the Xia family I said before, Empress Xia heard it, and she knew why Empress Zhang was so angry.

He felt guilty and stood up and saluted: "Sister, don't blame me. I just didn't know that there were outsiders listening to me, so I would say this. Next time, I would explain it clearly so that I won't make a mistake... I will apologize here first!" He emphasized the relationship between brother and brother in every sentence in order to awaken Queen Mother Zhang's family affection and avoid blame him.

Empress Dowager Zhang was still angry, but she knew that the two of them were close relatives in front of her. She replied with a stern face: "The Ai family knows what you said. Now that Liu Jin collapses, there will definitely be new forces in the court... In the future, the Ai family will mention it to the emperor and greet the ministers in the court... Don't worry, as long as the Ming Dynasty is stable, our Zhang family will not be shaken."

Zhang Yanling said: "Sister, don't be too optimistic. Isn't the emperor no descendants now? When the emperor has a group of descendants, it's not too late for the elders to say this."

Zhang Heling heard Zhang Yanling's words very dissatisfied, so he quickly took over the conversation: "Mrs. Queen Mother, please rest assured. My brothers know how to do it. At least no one dares to talk to the Zhang family now, but it may not be possible after a long time... Liu Jin repeatedly suppressed my Zhang family, but he was an eunuch and a royal servant. He dared not do anything to the Zhang family, but if there were foreign ministers to take office..."

He didn't say it completely, but the general meaning was that what Liu Jin didn't dare to do at the beginning might not have been the civil officials who came to power. Shen Zhihou was the most dangerous enemy at present.

Queen Mother Zhang nodded: "The Ai family understands, the people in the court dare not treat me, Zhang's family. It's not too late, there is nothing else to do, so you can go back!"

"Sister, don't talk about family affairs?"

Zhang Yanling didn't want to leave, so he was going to say a few more bad things about Shen Xi.

Empress Dowager Zhang was also angry about what happened before and waved her hand: "The Ai family is a little tired, so I won't leave you for dinner. Go back!"

Zhang Yanling wanted to say something, but Zhang Heling pulled her heavily, and then she followed her brother out of Yongshou Palace unhappily.

The two walked out of Yongshou Palace, Zhang Heling turned his head and said nothing. Zhang Yanling asked, "Brother, you won't be angry with me like your sister, right?"

Zhang Heling said in annoyance without looking back: "The Queen Mother reminded you again and again, so you can't say a few words? Your Majesty doesn't stay in the palace often, maybe it's just because he is young and playful. After all, Xia is respected by the Queen's name and is respected by the people of the world. Once Your Majesty calms down and the couple is harmonious, he will probably gather power and become the co-lord of the six palaces... You are so careless!"

"Hmph, what are the six palaces in common? The real master of the six palaces can only be the woman of our Zhang family!" Zhang Yanling was still very domineering.

Zhang Heling sighed and said, "I don't know what's wrong with you. You can still maintain restraint when the old emperor was alive. Look at you now... Alas! Maybe it's Liu Jin's death that makes you feel that no one dares to treat the Zhang family now? Don't think that no one knows what you have done recently."

"What am I doing? Brother, don't hear it. Too many people want to put shit on our Zhang family!" Zhang Yanling said in a discerning manner.

Zhang Heling was furious: "You know what you have done! You compete with the people for profit and cannot control you for your brother, but you must also use legitimate means to not force buying and selling... Moreover, you'd better not do things that insult your wife and daughter. Such dirty things will sooner or later reach Your Majesty's ears!"

Zhang Yanling sneered and said, "I think it's important. When the late emperor was alive, I did this. Didn't the late emperor say nothing? Moreover, what our big nephew is doing now is much more than mine, and no one in the court criticized him!"

"You are seeking death."

Zhang Heling said, "You also know that Shen Zhihou is about to take office, and there are Xie Yuqiao and others behind him who secretly support him. If he takes action against you after he becomes power, how do you deal with it?"

Zhang Yanling sneered: "Shen Zhihou is nothing. As my sister said, as long as the country in the Ming Dynasty does not fall, it depends on who can do anything to me! When the old man Li Dongyang wanted to participate in me, he was still scolded by the emperor? I think who dared to touch our Zhang family!"

...

...

Empress Dowager Zhang was in a bad mood because Zhang Yanling spoke ill in front of Empress Xia.

That night, she did not go to Kunning Palace to comfort her daughter-in-law, but only asked someone to send a gift to express her feelings. After careful consideration, she asked someone to ask for thanking her and move to the palace.

It was already night when Xie Qian entered the palace and was about to go up.

Although Xie Qian had visited Empress Dowager Zhang at night before, there were important matters at that time, and he took the initiative to do so. Now that he was suddenly summoned by Empress Dowager Zhang, Xie Qian was inevitably a little frightened, feeling that there might be nothing good to see Empress Dowager Zhang this time.

If a young official went to Yongshou Palace, it might have hindered the reputation of Empress Dowager Zhang, but Xie Qian was an old minister of the three dynasties and was not young anymore. Even if he met him late at night, others would only think that he was going to discuss matters.

Despite this, Xie Qian was still cautious. After all, no matter how high the status of Empress Dowager Zhang is, she is just a widow. As the saying goes, there are many troubles in front of the widow. Xie Qian knew that this trip must be done properly.

Xie Qian arrived at Yongshou Palace and first waited for a report outside the palace gate. Then he entered the hall gate under the eunuch's guidance. At this time, only a few palace lanterns were lit in the spacious hall, and the light was dim. But he saw a graceful and luxurious woman sitting on a warm seat, and there was no eunuch or palace maid serving beside him.

"Get out, I have something to do with the Ai family to tell Grand Secretary Xie." Not only did Empress Dowager Zhang not avoid suspicion, but instead shut down the eunuch who led the way.

After the entire Yongshou Palace was only left with Empress Dowager Zhang and Xie Qian, Xie Qian obviously felt an invisible pressure coming towards him.

Xie Qian didn't know the purpose of Empress Dowager Zhang summoning her, and probably guessed that it was related to Liu Jin's fall and the changes in the court. He didn't know where to start after the ceremony.

Empress Dowager Zhang took the initiative to speak: "Mr. Xie, you are the minister valued by the Emperor..."

The opening remarks were no different from before, and even the compliments had not changed. Xie Qian felt a little relieved, at least Empress Dowager Zhang did not say "private affairs".

After talking about it for a long time, Empress Dowager Zhang finally asked: "Is the court still harmonious now?"

Xie Qian replied: "The Empress Dowager has lived in the palace for a long time, and may not know much about the affairs of the court... The eunuch party abuses power and even prepares to rebel. His Majesty personally led people to kill the eunuch party leader and investigate the house. The case is still under trial, but the thief Liu Jin has been executed."

Empress Dowager Zhang sighed: "Eunuch Liu looks kind and looks loyal. I didn't expect that he is such a person. Fortunately, there is a capable minister like Mr. Xie in the court, otherwise a big storm might have caused... The emperor was too indulged in Eunuch Liu."

Xie Qian said: "The Empress Dowager praised the old minister, and he just did his best. In this operation to kill Liu Jin, the Minister of War Shen Zhihou made great contributions."

Although Xie Qian usually has many dissatisfactions with Shen Xi, he did not erase his contribution in front of Empress Dowager Zhang.

This is different from speaking in front of the emperor. After all, Empress Dowager Zhang doesn’t care about the matter. He just needs to state the facts in front of Empress Dowager Zhang.

Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said, "It seems that the old emperor is not wrong. When he promoted the Shen Qing family, many people still criticized him, saying that the Shen Qing family was young and energetic and could not do big things, but look at it now, the Shen Qing family is already a pillar of the court... With Mr. Xie's cultivation, the Shen Qing family will definitely support the country and country in the future."

This made Xie Qian feel a little unhappy and said, "Shen Zhihou is young and energetic, and still needs to be tempered. After he has been tested, he can only be as the Empress Dowager said over time... The old minister will definitely teach him carefully and prevent him from going on the wrong path."

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Chapter 1988 New and Old Foreign Relatives (Page 1/1)

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