After the Empress Dowager agreed to the United Nations decision, the civil and military officials of the entire court and even the cabinet ministers became uneasy. Before, they were just noisy, but now they were shouting and cursing, and the situation was out of control for a while.
The voices in the court could not be suppressed for a while, and after a while a questioning voice rang out.
"Where is His Highness the Sea King?"
"Where did the King of the Sea go?"
Only then did everyone realize that Zhu Zhanzhen himself, the focus of this public opinion whirlpool, had disappeared at some point.
Out of sight and out of mind, Zhu Zhanzhen ran away when he saw something was wrong, not bothering to pay attention to their noisy behavior.
He walked right under the nose of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager squinted at him all the way, but did not stop him. Zhu Qizhen wanted to run after him, but the Empress Dowager glared back.
The little emperor looked depressed, why could the emperor's uncle sneak away but he couldn't?
He couldn't figure out why now.
Because Uncle Wu is older than him and stronger than him.
Zhu Zhanzhen walked in the long corridor of the palace. The high walls on both sides stood tall. Every time he walked by, he felt as if he was in a tall cage. The world inside the high walls was so beautiful and so difficult.
When the passing eunuchs and maidens saw Zhu Zhanyi, they all turned around to avoid bumping into Neptune. Only a man in official robes stood by the road in front, seeming to be waiting for Zhu Zhanyi to come over.
When I got closer, I saw that it was Xu Youzhen.
Xu Youzhen's attention in the court just now had been focused on Zhu Zhanzhen, so he knew it as soon as Zhu Zhanzhen left and waited here early.
Unlike other courtiers who were quarreling over the future of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Youzhen didn't care, or he knew that he was not qualified to participate in such a thing now. As a famous speculator in history, he put all his
Attention was focused on Zhu Zhanzhen.
Because Zhu Zhanzhen has the characteristics that speculators like them like most, he has the opportunity to win a hundred.
And this opportunity is huge, huge, very big.
"The humble minister Xu Youzhen has met Lord Hai." At this time, Xu Youzhen was already an official in the Ministry of Rites.
He is talented, capable of doing things, and tactful. He has been very successful in the officialdom over the years and has been promoted step by step because he can always choose the right place to stand.
"Why are you here?"
"Wei Chen just saw that Prince Hai left early, so he followed him out. The prince was leisurely and walked slowly, so Wei Chen was waiting here early."
"What are you waiting for me to do?" Zhu Zhanchen asked with great interest.
"After hearing the prince's ideas about the United Nations, Wei Chen felt that the prince was really infinitely wise, and his admiration for the prince arose spontaneously. The prince's poems about Hong Xi's youth had already impressed Wei Chen, so Wei Chen had the courage to come forward.
When I meet the prince, I hope to express my admiration to him."
If we don’t say that the emperor likes people who flatter him, it’s no wonder that the emperor is here. Most of the people in the court are civil servants with Jinshi background. If they flatter themselves with sincerity, it is indeed beyond the ordinary people. It is reasonable for them to lose themselves in the praises.
things among them.
But as an excellent car mechanic, you must have a big heart that is calm in the face of danger, and a calm and unsmiling attitude in the face of praise.
Zhu Zhanzhen's heart is like car antifreeze, it won't boil or freeze easily.
"Stop flattering me and wait for me to do something."
"A humble minister speaks softly, but I have a few sincere words that I would like to say to His Highness the King of the Sea."
"You said, I'm in a hurry, don't talk nonsense."
"But, Your Majesty, I'm talking from the bottom of my heart. I can't tell you outside. Can you let me come to your house?"
Zhu Zhanzhen looked at Xu Youzhen with some confusion, and said as he walked: "If you want to come, come during my lunch break today."
Zhu Zhanzhen went straight out of the palace and returned to his home in Shuntian Mansion. Although he was away all year round, the Haiwang family was rich, and the people in the house were all chosen by themselves. The monthly salary was also very high, and they were very good at cleaning the house.
Clean.
Because although Zhu Zhanzhen did not return home, the news of his return to the palace had already spread, and Zara Aliyah Hu Shanwei returned home yesterday after he landed ashore. Chen Xinyue was already well prepared at home and was waiting for her husband to come back.
.
When she opened the door, several of her wives greeted her behind the door.
"I respectfully welcome the prince home."
In front of the beauty, the ladies gathered around Zhu Zhanzhen as soon as he entered. They couldn't help but sigh that this is the life they imagined a decadent feudal dynasty prince should have.
The day's plan begins in the morning.
Zhu Zhanzhen said with a smile: "I don't plan to run around when I come back this time. Each of you will do your best for me and give me children. I will be rewarded with gold for giving birth to a son and jewels for giving birth to a daughter."
Zhu Zhanchen suddenly had an inner self-reflection about how I am different from Jie and Zhou, but he immediately threw it to the back of his mind. How can he be called Jie and Zhou? That is what a man should be called a king.
I felt very at ease at home. After lunch, Xu Youzhen came to visit me.
Leave it to dry at the door for a while, then let him enter the house.
When Xu Youzhen entered the house and went to the hall, Zhu Zhanzhen was the only one sitting drinking tea. She stretched out her hand to motion for him to sit down and drink tea together.
"Your Majesty, your tea is really good. You can't drink it outside. I think your Majesty is also a tea lover. I know a little bit about the tea ceremony."
"I don't understand. Drinking tea is purely to quench your thirst. The reason why the tea is good may be because it was given by others."
Zhu Zhanzhen's words made Xu Youzhen's flattery invisible.
Xu Youzhen's feeling of being powerless was completely different from the people he usually interacted with.
What these people like most is to have something to say, to understand without saying anything, to be arty and to work hard.
"Mr. Xu, what do you mean by the visit today?" Zhu Zhanzhen asked bluntly.
Xu Youzhen put down the tea and said with a smile: "Your Highness, you said that you want to establish the United Nations. I was shocked when I heard the suggestion, but I have a piece of advice that may be offensive to my ears, and I want to tell His Highness."
"you say."
"Privately, I think it would be better for Your Highness to serve as the Assistant Minister."
"Why?"
"Your Highness is assisting the government, and the Empress Dowager is regent. Your Majesty is still young, which is even more beneficial to Your Highness. The Empress Dowager has been busy with government affairs in recent days. Although the Empress Dowager is virtuous and kind, she is not skilled in government affairs after all. Your Highness
If the assistant government can be said to have monopoly power, the late emperor said that if your majesty has no virtue, your highness can take his place."
Xu Youzhen's words were very straightforward. In fact, what he did was the same as Chen Youshan, which was to persuade Zhu Zhanzhen to ascend the throne of emperor, but their positions were different.
Chen Youshan is Zhu Zhanzhen's own person. He has worked hard for so many years. It is reasonable to want to follow Zhu Zhanzhen further. Who doesn't want to be granted a title?
But what is Xu Youzhen's position? Speculators simply want to use Zhu Zhanzhen to get into power, and there are definitely no shortage of such people. Who in the court, or even above the cabinet, is not shaken now?
For example, why would the country be unstable if the emperor did not establish a prince?
Because there is no prince, the ministers don't know who to curry favor with, and they don't know who will be the emperor next. You support this, I support that, and they form cliques to attack each other for their own interests. Who has the heart to handle the government affairs well?
"Xu Youzhen, do you also want to have a hand in royal matters?"
"Royal affairs are world affairs. Back then, I, Xu Youzhen, was impressed by His Highness's talents and admired His Highness' talents so much that I thought about when I would be able to work under His Highness. Over the years, His Highness has been fighting outside, and what he has done
Even the Emperor Yongle of that year might not be able to compare with him, so I thought of nominating myself in the hope that His Highness would like him."
Zhu Zhanchen looked at Xu Youzhen with interest and said, "What can you help me with?"
"Weak ministers, although they are of low status now, are willing to do their best to assist His Highness. Your Highness can assist the government and take charge of the affairs. With the help of the old age of the ministers in the cabinet, Your Highness can slowly replace the ministers in the cabinet within three years, and replace them all with His Highness's own."
I also have some friends who are subordinate ministers and minor ministers. They are all rising stars in the court, and they are all people that His Highness can use at the moment. As long as His Highness gives an order, I can tell them that they will definitely be loyal to His Highness."
"Be loyal to me? Aren't you loyal to Ming Dynasty?"
"There is no difference between the two."
Looking at each other and smiling, Zhu Zhanyi asked again: "Qizhen is smart. Although he is young, he can see the future, eh."
Xu Youzhen heard the lament and felt more confident in her heart.
"Why do you need to worry, Your Majesty? Your Majesty is still young now. The Queen Mother has pampered Your Majesty too much since she was a child. Your Highness is His Majesty's biological uncle. He will be served with good food and drink every day and tomorrow. It's fine if the eunuchs and maids play with him. This is the child."
At the age where you like to play, having fun will not affect His Highness. Your Majesty will definitely thank His Highness in the future."
The words were very cryptic, but the implication was clear, that Zhu Qizhen was fed up with eating, drinking, and having fun.
Sun Ruowei loved Zhu Qizhen so much that he didn't even need to interfere with him. As long as Zhu Qizhen was crippled, Zhu Zhanchen would have to decide the future of the Ming Dynasty. It was not impossible to attack Zhu Qizhen earlier.
Xu Youzhen's ambition is written all over her face.
"The assistant minister is not that easy to do." Zhu Zhanzhen said with a smile.
"With your Highness's strength, you can drag it slowly. Several feudal princes in the country have different intentions. In fact, they are afraid of you, Your Highness. Please take your time and don't be in a hurry. What is urgent is the court and the ministers in the cabinet.
, they will try their best to give you a special status so that you can assist the government and calm down the situation. At that time, His Highness can put forward conditions to change the people in the cabinet, and replace them with your own confidants as soon as possible. In this way, Your Highness will have no problem in the court.
No more obstacles.”
"You are quite thoughtful."
Xu Youzhen raised her hands and bowed: "Your Highness is ridiculous. Your Highness has waited for two years. Your Highness can imitate Song Taizu. Now that your Majesty sees that his uncle can manage the Ming Dynasty in an orderly manner, he will naturally want to abdicate in favor of someone more worthy."
In fact, when Yao Guangxiao told Zhu Di that the word "wang" plus "white hat" means the same thing, Zhu Di himself was too embarrassed to speak, so someone had to be this person.
But unlike Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao, Yao Guangxiao has always been Zhu Di's personal advisor, the closest and most trusted person. Yao Guangxiao can do this, and Yao Guangxiao only said it after seeing through Zhu Di's mind.
Who is Xu Youzhen? Does she have a good relationship with Zhu Zhancheng? He is just a speculator. Don't say that Zhu Zhancheng doesn't have this intention. Even if he does, he will not use Xu Youzhen.
I can't trust him. Who would keep such a person around? Who knows if he will stab him in the back.
There are some things that only some people can say.
"Xu Youzhen is brave enough to discuss government affairs arbitrarily." Zhu Zhanchen said these words gently.
Xu Youzhen knelt down in front of Zhu Zhanzhen upright, saluted respectfully and said: "His Royal Highness, King of the Sea, all the ministers are for the sake of the Ming Dynasty. For the Ming Dynasty to be prosperous forever, Your Highness must be in charge of the affairs of the court."
Zhu Zhanchen clapped his hands with a slight smile. At this time, Xia Yuanji and Yang Shiqi came out from behind the hall.
"This...this...this..."
Xu Youzhen looked at the two people in shock, and suddenly felt that the world was spinning. What she just said was clearly understood by the two cabinet ministers.
Xu Youzhen said before that he wanted to find Zhu Zhanzhen, and Zhu Zhanzhen understood what he wanted to say, and simply made a small report for the two of them to come to his home to listen. It would be better to deal with this treacherous minister as soon as possible.
"You two, have you heard clearly what happened today?"
"It makes the prince laugh. People like this who are making trouble should be dealt with as soon as possible."
Zhu Zhanchen picked up his tea cup and said as if watching the fun: "You can handle the matters in court yourself."
"My lord, you misunderstood, you misunderstood." Xu Youzhen hurriedly explained when she saw something was about to happen.
Zhu Zhanzhen didn't listen to his nonsense, and his eyes signaled to the guards on the side to capture the person directly.
"I think it would be uglier if you two escorted him away. Besides, he is a young man after all, so it would be difficult for you two to take action. If you are a good person, I will let the guards help him. As for how to deal with the difference between you two,
Ask me, I don’t want to get involved."
The two looked at each other and understood what Zhu Zhanzhen meant. He was talking about things in your court, which meant that he was fully prepared to escape from the Ming Dynasty's court.
"Thank you, His Highness the King of the Sea, for your help in eliminating traitors. It is a great misfortune to have such a treacherous and sycophantic person stirring up trouble in the court with evil intentions."
"You two!" Zhu Zhanzhen called to the two of them.
"Letting you two come and take a look today is also an expression of my attitude. Xu Youzhen is the first, but he will never be the last. There will always be people who come to me. Today is Xu Youzhen. Will he be more powerful tomorrow?
People, earls, marquises, and vassals of a certain family, things are uncertain, and people's hearts are uncertain. The two Neptune Kings should discuss it carefully with everyone in the court, and it would be better to settle the matter as soon as possible."
The two of them cupped their hands and said, "Wei Chen understands."
After the three people left, Chen Xinyue walked out: "Your Majesty, snitching is not your style."
He held Chen Xinyue in his arms and scratched her nose: "Of course I can deal with him directly, but doing so is more valuable, and it also gives Xia Yuanji, Yang Shiqi and the others a disguised reminder."
"I've finished the small report. Now let me give you a big report."
"Your Majesty, the sky is bright and clear, please restrain yourself."
"It's been a long time since I last saw you."
"Your Majesty, father wants to see you."
Chen Xinyue spoke, which meant that the marshal of the East China Sea Fleet wanted to see him, and he did so quietly, otherwise Chen Xinyue would not be informed.
