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In the blink of an eye, it’s the end of the first year.
Gui E, who went to Zhenjiang to find Yang Yiqing, sent back the news. His letter was sent directly to Zhang Cong, telling him a bad news, that is, Yang Yiqing seemed not in a hurry to return to the court and become a minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs... Zhang Cong Trying to win over Yang Yiqing as an ally seems to be unfeasible for the time being.
Zhang Cong was naturally very angry.
Regarding his promotion to cabinet bachelor, he was not in a hurry, because as he had worried before, if Zhu Hao's status in the emperor's heart could not be suppressed, joining the cabinet first would mean that sooner or later he would make room for Zhu Hao, while joining the cabinet later would be the opposite. I can drink some soup along with it.
At least on the surface, Zhang Cong felt that he had not completely broken up with Zhu Hao, far from the point where it was a life-and-death situation where only one person could be left in the court.
After learning the news, Zhang Cong wrote a memorial on behalf of Gui E and reported it to Zhu Si.
After the morning court on the last day of the first lunar month, Zhu Si called Zhang Cong to Qianqing Palace.
"...Gui E went to Zhenjiang, but it didn't work out. Why didn't you tell me personally instead of telling you?" Zhu Si disagreed with Gui E's way of doing things.
The emperor felt that he was being ignored.
Zhang Cong quickly explained: "He came to seek countermeasures from the minister. He hopes that I can help him and help your majesty recall Yang Butang back to the capital."
"Yeah?"
General Zhu Si was doubtful.
Zhang Zuo, who was standing next to him, said: "Your Majesty, many of the old ministers in the court are like this. They have been idle in the local area for a long time and are used to the life of idle clouds and wild cranes, so they don't really want to return to the court to become officials."
Zhu Sidao: "I think they are acting hypocritically, deliberately maintaining an aloof and arrogant posture, and deliberately not obeying the imperial edict, right?"
"this……"
Zhang Zuo didn't know what to say.
This is an ambiguous question. It may be that those civil servants do not know how to commend themselves, that they value their honor and do not want to be called upon, or that they feel that they are incompetent and incompetent... From different perspectives, there will be different perspectives.
Zhu Si suddenly asked: "Why has there been no news from Jingdao these days?"
Zhang Zuo said in surprise: "Mr. Zhu has been in Xishan all the time. There was news the day before yesterday that he didn't go anywhere. However, I heard that the railway construction will be accelerated after the spring. Now we are intensifying the dispatch of money, food and materials." , and the manpower available to the Beijing camp has been deployed at the beginning of the year."
"Then... what about the Taoist temple?"
Zhu Si didn't want to use the manpower available from the Beijing camp to build some kind of railway. He wanted to occupy the pit to build the Taoist temple that he was more enthusiastic about recently.
Zhang Zuodao: "Already making arrangements."
"Then hurry up." Zhu Si immediately thought that there was a seemingly superfluous Zhang Cong standing in front of him, and immediately waved his hand, "You can go back first. I am not in a hurry whether Yang Butang from Zhenjiang comes back. I will let Gui Gui first. Calyx should stay in Zhenjiang, or let him go to Yuyao again... By the way, are there any other great sages who are hiding in the world?"
Zhang Zuo thought for a while and deliberately said in front of Zhang Cong: "Except for the two of them, there is no one else among the candidates originally proposed by Mr. Zhu."
"Okay, let's find someone to take Academician Zhang out of the palace."
Zhu Si stood up and waved his hand, "I have something to do, so I won't read those memorials today. Your Chief of Ceremonies will handle them as appropriate. If there is anything that cannot be handled well, just send it to Jingdao."
…
…
The emperor returned to the inner garden of the palace, probably to hang out with the queen or concubines.
Zhang Cong didn't dare to ask more questions, but Zhang Zuo seemed to "appreciate" him and personally escorted him out of Qianqing Palace.
In front of the gate of Qianqing Palace, Zhang Cong stopped and bowed and said: "There is no need to trouble Eunuch Zhang, just find someone to escort the subordinate out of the palace."
"You are Welcome!"
Zhang Zuo smiled and said, "You are also a Hanlin scholar, and someone whom His Majesty relies on. You handled the previous ceremonial discussions very well, but compared to Mr. Zhu, you still lack a little enthusiasm."
"yes."
Zhang Cong responded, but felt very depressed in his heart.
Could it be that Zhang Zuo thinks I am inferior to Zhu Hao?
What kind of soul-stirring soup did that boy give these people? A eunuch in charge of the ceremony, being suppressed by a foreign minister, and being controlled by others, didn't he ever think of getting rid of that boy?
Zhang Zuo said with a smile: "Our family knows what Academician Zhang is thinking. We come from Prince Xing's Palace, and all our interests are put first by Your Majesty. This is very similar to Mr. Zhu. Academician Zhang needs to work harder."
"ah?"
Zhang Cong was startled.
What does Zhang Zuo mean by reminding him?
Could it be said that Zhu Hao doesn't care about personal interests at all?
how can that be possible?
Zhang Zuo continued: "Your Majesty has made a preliminary decision on the candidates to join the cabinet. Jia Yong, a scholar of Hanlin Academy, will join the cabinet, and Huang Zan, a bachelor of Wenyuange, will be the minister of the Ministry of Hubu. The current minister of the Ministry of Hubu, Jin Xianmin or Tune the Minister of the Ministry of Officials..."
After hearing this, Zhang Cong felt uncomfortable.
Although he knew that there was no benefit in joining the cabinet first, he still couldn't hide his jealousy when he heard that Jia Yong, who had not completed his bachelor's degree in Hanlin for a month, was about to join the cabinet.
"Eunuch Zhang, if this happens, wouldn't it mean that people from the old school have taken the lead in the cabinet again?" Zhang Cong reminded.
Zhang Zuodao: "As ministers in one palace, what are the new and old schools? Our family doesn't quite understand what you mean..."
He said he didn't understand, but Zhang Zuo's eyes clearly told Zhang Cong that our family knows everything and you don't need to pretend to be one of your own here.
You think that the new faction belongs to the emperor, but in fact the emperor regards everyone as his ministers, but some of them are a little paranoid on the issue of rites. Could it be said that they do not know how to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic?
Why is Jia Yong an outsider, but you are one of our own?
Zhang Cong sighed: "As I know, Mr. Tangge is not in good health, and he may be retiring from office recently. Besides, he has never been involved in cabinet matters. As for Mr. Shige... he has always been very careful about discussing rituals. He was so paranoid that he even went to court to raise objections later in the year."
Zhang Zuo continued to walk forward and shook his head: "It is best not to have factional disputes. Your Majesty does not want to see any factions in the court. Everyone is working for the court, so how can we differentiate between them?"
"hehe."
Zhang Cong smiled bitterly.
When did the emperor learn to be tolerant?
The emperor was not polite at all when dealing with those traditional civil servants, and this little emperor knew how to distinguish between himself and outsiders. Could it be that Zhang Zuo deliberately played riddles in front of him, right?
Zhang Zuodao: "Mr. Zhu, you have also seen that people are helping His Majesty in Xishan, and they really don't care about personal gain. What Your Majesty most hopes Ming Dynasty can build is a railway and a shipyard. Now Tianjin Wei, there is a shortage of A person responsible for building ships..."
"ah?"
Zhang Cong suddenly felt bad.
Could this be Zhu Hao's plan to ask the emperor to send him to the Tianjin Shipyard as a supervisor?
Zhang Cong didn't want to get the position of minister and run to a place outside the capital. For him, the greatest reliance was the emperor's trust. Apart from that, he was useless. When he went to the local government, the chief envoys and even the prefects He will not be given face, and some upright local officials may even yell at him in front of him.
Zhang Zuo smiled and said: "Don't worry, Bachelor Zhang. You don't know how to build ships. His Majesty will not send you there. But I heard that Mr. Zhu plans to go to Tianjin to work for a few more months..."
Zhang Cong: "..."
In the past, Zhang Cong thought he could understand Zhu Hao, but now his mind is a mess.
At this time... the emperor has driven away Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian and others. Even Qiao Yu, the last banner of the traditionalists, can count the hours in the court. It can even be said that as long as Yang Yiqing agrees to return to the court, Qiao Yu
You must get out immediately.
Even after Jia Yong's entry into the cabinet was settled, Qiao Yu still wanted to get out.
In this way, Zhu Hao only thought about building trains and ships, and never thought that he could join the cabinet or even become the chief minister after returning to the court?
Zhu Hao obviously has such good political resources, why not use them?
Pretentious?
Or are you trying to make me angry?
"This is the case with Mr. Zhu. He made great contributions when he was in Xingwang's Mansion in the past, and he never took any credit for it. Even our family has received many favors from him. However, don't offend him. He is very good at dealing with people. Yuan
Does Changshi know? In the old palace of Prince Xing, Yuan Changshi annoyed Mr. Zhu, so that he never received His Majesty's respect after he entered the court..."
Zhang Zuo laughed and talked about the past.
Zhang Cong heard it. Zhang Zuo was clearly warning him not to confront Zhu Hao.
"Old Yuan Ge... my subordinates have always respected him."
Zhang Cong didn't know what to say.
After Yuan Zonggao arrived in the capital with the emperor, he first became the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and then entered the cabinet. Indeed, as Zhang Zuo said, he did not do anything at all.
Now Zhang Zuo said that this was all Zhu Hao restricting his actions... Why did Zhu Hao be so cruel to his own people? Yuan Zonggao was so hateful to Zhu Hao? Yuan Zonggao was an old man who watched the emperor grow up.
Wouldn't it be so heartless?
"Alas! Yuan Changshi always thinks about how to correct His Majesty's mistakes, but he has never thought that what His Majesty needs more is the recognition of others. Mr. Zhu can help Your Majesty achieve great things, and Your Majesty does not need to count Mr. Zhu who has no tricks at all. What can you do?
How about using Yuan Changshi, who is stuck in the old ways?"
As Zhang Zuo spoke, he seemed to look down on Yuan Zonggao.
Zhang Cong said: "Eunuch Zhang, why do you want to mention this to my subordinates?"
Zhang Zuo smiled and said: "Bingyong, you are a smart man. You have achieved your current status by making friends with Mr. Zhu. At first, he did not choose anyone else but you. I am afraid he would not have thought that one day he would be with Mr. Zhu.
Are you so troubled that you seem to be inseparable from each other?"
"this……"
Zhang Cong looked gloomy.
Is this a warning?
It was just a slap in Zhang Cong's face.
This statement clearly told him that even the emperor knew that you were targeting Zhu Hao, and that you were too careless in doing things.
The emperor used you only because of Zhu Hao's recommendation, but now you are on the opposite side of Zhu Hao. You are so ungrateful, how can others dare to use you?
Seeing the palace gate in sight, Zhang Zuo stopped and said softly: "Sister Zhang, that's it. Your Majesty doesn't want you to form a clique for personal gain, nor does he want someone to always try to drive a wedge between him and Mr. Zhu, nor does he want to see anyone betray him.
!
"Mr. Zhu has fulfilled the loyalty of a courtier and stayed away from officialdom as much as possible. If we have to fight... Zhang, perhaps there is a better position waiting for you in Nanjing."
Zhang Cong said hurriedly: "The lower officials dare not make mistakes."
"That's good."
Zhang Zuodao said, "If anything happens later, the imperial court will ask you to go to Xishan to spread the message. Then you and Mr. Zhu will hold a candlelight night talk to eliminate the misunderstanding. Your Majesty hopes to see you working together!"