Zhang Cong met with Xi Shu but did not achieve any results.
Now he was preoccupied with dealing with Zhu Hao and never thought of coming to sue for peace. When he returned home, he was only thinking about how to successfully overcome this crisis.
Xishan, temporarily traveling here.
Emperor Jiajing is receiving special envoys who have returned from Huguang, Yunnan-Guizhou, Guangxi and other places. Their mission is to go to mines all over the country. Most of them are talents selected by Zhu Hao from the old department of Prince Xing's Palace. They are considered to be Zhu Si's old acquaintances in the Palace.
Zhang Zuo said with a smile: "Your Majesty, we have started to develop mines everywhere. According to the locations designated by Mr. Zhu, mineral veins have basically been found. However, the mountains and rivers in some places are too difficult and dangerous. If we invest manpower and material resources in mining now... the cost will be too high."
High! So there is no result for the time being."
Zhu Si nodded: "Everyone has worked hard. Let's go back and have a good rest after the reward."
"yes."
Zhang Zuo smiled and sent people away.
After everyone was gone, Zhu Si asked Zhang Zuo: "Is there any news from Jingdao?"
Zhang Zuodao: "Mr. Zhu sent someone to convey a message, saying that the person who leaked the news about His Majesty's departure from Beijing is most likely...one of our own."
"One of our own?"
Zhu Si was a little surprised.
Zhang Zuo sighed: "It probably means that the people around your majesty, in order to fight for power and gain, deliberately leaked the information about your majesty's departure from the capital... In fact, even if Mr. Zhu didn't say it clearly, the old slave was aware of it. Maybe it was... Bachelor Zhang."
Zhu Si frowned: "It's impossible, isn't it? What's the benefit of doing this to Zhang Cong?"
Zhang Zuodao: "His purpose may be to make His Majesty rely more on him."
Zhu Si thought for a while, but still couldn't figure it out. When he looked back at Zhang Zuo, he suddenly thought of something: "Go back to the capital and ask Jingdao what happened! If it was really Zhang Cong who did it,
Ask Jingdao how to deal with it!"
"yes!"
Zhang Zuo left after receiving the order, rushed to the train station, and took the nearest train back to the capital.
Now all the people around the emperor take the train from Xishan back to the capital, because it is too convenient and fast for them.
…
…
Within the capital.
Zhu Hao met Zhang Zuo, who had returned from Xishan, and Wang Zuo, the commander of Jinyiwei, at Fusi Yamen in Jinyiwei North Town.
Zhang Zuo first sent Wang Zuo away and met with Zhu Hao alone.
"Mr. Zhu, look... this was done by Academician Zhang, right? Since it didn't have any substantial impact, shouldn't we... forget it?"
Zhang Zuo wanted to keep things quiet and did not want to see an internal fight between Zhu Hao and Zhang Cong.
Zhu Hao did not comment.
Zhang Zuo added: "For this purpose, Your Majesty should be allowed to return to Beijing as soon as possible."
Zhu Hao said: "I really don't understand why Your Majesty keeps wandering around Xishan and never returns?"
"Ah? This... this..."
Zhang Zuo was speechless.
Don’t you, Mr. Zhu, have a lot of ideas? Why are you asking about me?
I know where to go!
You don't want to ask why His Majesty doesn't come back to take care of the government, do you?
It seems like you have a strong opinion.
Zhu Hao added: "Your Majesty has only been on the throne for a short period of time, and the country is not stable. The patrol in Xishan was not ordered by me. I dare to ask Eunuch Zhang, is that so?"
"That's... natural."
Zhang Zuo was a little embarrassed.
He felt that there was a strong "murderous aura" in Zhu Hao's body. This was different from every time he saw Zhu Hao before, and Yan Yuese always talked with him. This fully showed that Zhu Hao probably also realized what a superior person should have when he has great power.
of majesty.
This is also a disguised way of arranging the order with Zhang Zuo. If there is an order of superiority and inferiority, then in the court now, who is more respected, Zhang Zuo, or me, Zhu Hao?
[A novel app that has been running stably for many years, comparable to the old book-chasing tool, and a source-changing app used by old bookworms,]
Zhu Hao said: "Since His Majesty is on a patrol and does not want outsiders to know about it, otherwise it may cause great consequences. Should the person who leaked the news be held responsible?"
"this……"
Zhang Zuo didn't know how to answer.
Zhu Hao sighed and said: "Eunuch Zhang, you should know that that Scholar Zhang is very helpful in discussing etiquette, but he has a dark and fighting spirit in his heart? He has passed the Jinshi examination at such an age, so he should be loyal to His Majesty wholeheartedly.
We can't always worry about personal honor and disgrace. Isn't it enough that he, a second-level Jinshi, has achieved the position of Hanlin bachelor in just three years?
"Moreover, when have you ever wanted to fight with him? He would rather leak the information about His Majesty's patrol to civil servants in an attempt to cause disputes in the court. He does not care about His Majesty's safety at all, and creates discord between the monarch and his ministers. I really can't figure out why such a cunning person is necessary.
We must keep him to work in the court."
Zhang Zuo swallowed and said tremblingly: "Then... Mr. Zhu means... that we don't need him anymore?"
Zhang Zuo did not expect that Zhu Hao, who had been holding back until now, would now kill Zhang Cong as soon as he took action.
Zhu Hao said: "Such matters cannot be disclosed to the public and should only be handled internally. I have a memorial here to submit to Your Majesty, involving some evidence of this matter and how to deal with it. I'd like to trouble Eunuch Zhang to send someone or deliver it to Your Majesty in person."
"
…
…
Zhang Zuo took the secret memorial submitted by Zhu Hao and quickly returned to Xishan by train and handed it over to Zhu Si.
Zhu Si frowned after reading it.
Zhang Zuo didn't even open it during the process, because he knew that the matter was of great importance, which meant that there was a dispute between the two larger factions around the emperor, Zhu Hao and Zhang Cong, and the conflict was irreconcilable.
Zhu Si closed the memorial with a gloomy look on his face.
"His Majesty."
Zhang Zuo waited for Zhu Si to speak.
Zhu Si asked: "Have you read the content above?"
Zhang Zuo shook his head: "I've never seen it."
"Jingdao said that since Zhang Cong returned to the capital from Nanjing, he has done a lot of things for fame and fortune, many of which I didn't know before. He first conspired against Mr. Tang, then took the initiative to contact the courtiers, and even borrowed Gui E to go to Jiangnan.
He met Yang Yiqing and Xie Qian and sent him a letter, with Yang Yiqing's reply as evidence.
"In addition, this time Zhang Cong also secretly informed the civil servants that I was not in the capital and came to Xishan for a patrol, taking the opportunity to create a rift between me and the civil servants, so that he could mediate and increase his position in my mind.
"
When Zhu Si said this, he seemed to completely believe Zhu Hao's words.
Zhang Zuodao: "Your Majesty, is there any evidence for these things?"
"have."
Zhu Sidao said, "Jingdao said, in fact, Zhang Cong has always had his people around him, and even Zhang Cong's house has spies whom he bribed. Because from the beginning, Jingdao didn't trust this person and felt that his work was too utilitarian, but
It is precisely because of this that Jingdao wants to use him in matters of great ceremony, because only such utilitarian people can achieve their goals by any means necessary."
Zhang Zuo smiled bitterly: "Mr. Zhu is pretty good at judging people."
Zhu Sidao: "Do you also think that Zhang Cong is this kind of person?"
Could it be that Zhang Zuowei said, "Your Majesty has forgotten that you asked the old slave to warn him?"
"Oh! Yes."
Zhu Si sighed, "Zhang Cong seems to be a very good person, with flexible and changeable ways of doing things, and a certain degree of intelligence. Unfortunately, he pays too much attention to fame and fortune. I don't know where he comes from such a strong fighting spirit. It seems that everyone in the world is in his eyes."
Lidu is like an ant, Jingdao wholeheartedly cultivates him, but he actually repays Jingdao's kindness with hatred."
Zhang Zuo asked tentatively: "But I haven't seen what Xuashi Zhang did to Mr. Zhu."
Zhu Si sneered: "No? Just the fight for favor shows the darkness in this man's heart. It's a waste of all my trust in him! According to what Jingdao said, the position of Shaanxi Zuobu's envoy should be given to him."
"His Majesty?"
Zhang Zuo never expected that the emperor would deal with Zhang Cong so decisively.
It's even a bit self-willed. Just because Zhu Hao submitted a memorial, your confidant Zhang Cong, the core figure of the Yili Sect, is going to be transferred from an important position like Hanlin Bachelor to the left governor of Shaanxi Province?
Although the official position of Zuo Buzheng is not low in itself, compared with the position of Hanlin bachelor, it is simply on the ground and in the sky.
"Jingdao is right. It's time for me to return to the capital. It's not good to keep delaying court affairs." Zhu Si said, "Go ahead and tell me to return to the capital before nightfall tonight and let the train be ready."
…
…
Zhu Si is going back to the capital.
A transfer order was urgently sent back to the capital from Xishan and handed over to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for execution. Zhang Cong was directly assigned to Shaanxi without even going through any court recommendation or official selection system.
If it were anyone else, Qiao Yu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, would have fought for it no matter what, but Qiao Yu knew that he only had a few days left in the court... Because Yang Yiqing traveled north from Zhenjiang very quickly, and he would arrive in the capital in about three to five days.
Qiao Yu wished he could cut off more of the emperor's wings and let Zhang Cong, who was the thorn in his side, go away. It couldn't be too perfect.
As a result, under inexplicable circumstances, Zhang Cong received the news that he had transferred Shaanxi Zuobu's political envoy. The imperial edict, the official letter from the Ministry of Personnel, and the official ultimatum were almost delivered together.
"this……"
After Zhang Cong received the transfer order, he felt that his life had plunged into boundless darkness.
Huo Tao stood aside, also surprised by the emperor's decisiveness.
In other words, they never expected that Zhu Hao had such a great influence on the emperor... Zhu Hao just sent Xu Jie to warn him, and then the emperor sent Zhang Cong out of the capital. This was not obviously to tell Zhang Cong that you are compared with Zhu Hao.
It's just bullshit, I don't need you anymore.
Zhang Cong sighed: "I must be the one to blame."
Huo Tao said: "Your Majesty's patrol did not produce any negative consequences. Even if Zhu Jingdao handed over the evidence that you leaked the matter, your Majesty shouldn't be so ruthless, right? You have made great contributions to the ceremony before."
Zhang Cong shook his head helplessly: "Haven't you seen it yet? This is considered polite. After all, Zhu Jingdao sent someone to inform me before doing anything, told me the cause and effect, and even asked me to be the chief envoy of a province.
Instead of being transferred to Nanjing to be a lowly official...this is already a blessing!"
"That……"
"it's useless!"
Zhang Cong interrupted Huo Tao, "Now I just hope that this matter will not affect you. Don't you see it? Regardless of this matter or not, Zhu Jingdao will take action against me sooner or later. This is what I have planned from the beginning.
The reason for confronting him."
Huo Tao also nodded: "Yes, but even if you strike first, His Majesty believes in him, so you still lose."
"I didn't lose."
Zhang Cong said, "It seems that I am completely defeated now, but there is always a price for listening to and believing. As long as I am pious enough and grateful enough to His Majesty, after this incident, Zhu Jingdao will not use the same trick on others again."
It worked. I used my extravagance to create a rift between him and His Majesty, isn't it good?"
"This... the price is too high."
Huo Tao felt that Zhang Cong was sacrificing himself to help his colleagues.
Zhang Cong said: "If this were not the case, how could Your Majesty see the true face of this man? He has been pretending to be indifferent to the world, but in fact, in this world, indifference is the most important thing. When will Your Majesty truly understand?"