Now that the Zhu family is on the chopping block, they urgently need to find out what's going on in Prince Xing's palace, so Zhu Jia tries to win over Lin Baihu and do things for their family.
In fact, Lin Baihu was under a lot of pressure.
Now that the Zhu family does not hesitate to use inducements, it is a good thing for him. Since he can accomplish things and make money, why not do it?
"Old madam, there is another good news."
Lin Baihu didn't want to say it at first, but now that the Zhu family has promised huge profits, he no longer hides it: "Didn't I tell you before that the imperial court sent people to secretly lurk in Prince Xing's Mansion, most of them were driven out, and there are still two people who are missing.
Xun? I recently got in touch with one of them, and it turns out that he is still staying in the palace, inheriting his father's legacy, serving as a bodyguard in the Royal Palace's Yiwei Department, and has already married and established a career in Anlu."
Zhu Jiashi looked curious: "Who is he?"
Lin Baihu kept it secret: "It's inconvenient to say it clearly."
Zhu Jia suddenly realized that this should be the "ace" Lin Baihu held. He only told himself that there was such a person. If he told his specific identity and let the Zhu family get in touch with him, what value would he have?
Zhu Jia sighed: "Back then, the late emperor sent me, the Zhu family, to Anlu to investigate whether there was any collusion between the royal family and the officials and nobles, and to prevent them from causing trouble, but the palace mostly relied on others for internal affairs. Who knows now...
well!"
The implication is that our Zhu family is only responsible for investigating the external affairs of the palace, and the imperial court assigns a special person to be responsible for internal intelligence collection. Aren't you, Lin Baihu, responsible for this matter after your predecessor?
The Zhu family and Lin Baihu jointly monitored the Xingwang Mansion, but now the court has imposed all responsibilities on the Zhu family. Zhu Jia reminded Lin Baihu that you cannot stay out of the matter.
Lin Baihu said with a smile: "This man's father is the general banner of Jinyiwei. He was ordered by the emperor to serve King Xingxian. After King Xingxian granted the kingdom, his family moved to Anlu. When he became an adult, he joined the Yiwei Department and is now in the Imperial Guard.
The palace has taken root, and if we can find another candidate to serve as an internal support in Prince Xing's palace, we can support each other in the future."
Zhu Jiashi frowned.
What kind of support? Even if you can successfully sneak into Prince Xing's Mansion, you are just a child. How can you have any contact with the guards of the Royal Palace's Yiwei Department?
Lin Baihu saluted: "Now that things have come to this, Madam hastily arranged for the manpower to be selected to accompany the prince. I will take my leave."
"please!"
…
…
Zhu Jia personally escorted Lin Baihu out of Zhuangzi.
Then he called Zhu Wanjian to the main hall and told him about selecting someone to enter Prince Xing's Mansion to serve as a companion to Prince Xing's son.
Zhu Wanjian was puzzled: "Mother, how come this important event of selecting children of appropriate age to study in Prince Xing's Mansion has not been publicized outside?"
Zhu Jiashi said: "This is the news that should be conveyed within the palace. I think it will be announced to the outside world within a day or two."
Zhu Wanjian curled his lips and said disdainfully: "There are many children studying in our house, all of the same age. There are two kids in my room, but their reading skills are average. Can they be successfully sent to the prince's house?"
The Zhu family is not a scholarly family.
The military family inherited the military position, although in recent years the Zhu family has been trying to let their children study and take the imperial examination, and a scholar named Zhu Wanquan was born.
But now it is still very difficult to select someone from the descendants of the Zhu family to be chosen as a companion in the palace.
"Find everything you can find. As long as you are no more than twelve years old, you can arrange to try it... I think there are not many real scholarly families in this remote place like Anlu. Let's do some activities at that time. Is there anyone who dares to do so?
Can’t you compete with my family?”
Zhu Jiashi is making two preparations.
If you can't be selected as the best, you can simply use the Jin Yiwei to intimidate and lure the competitors. In the end, won't it be the children of the Zhu family who are selected?
Zhu Wanjian had a bad smile on his face: "By the way, there is a little Haozi in the third family. Do you want to call him to join us in the election?"
Zhu Jia's face was cold: "How can I choose to be a companion in the palace if I haven't even started yet? How will the family control the third child's room if the matter is successful?"
Zhu Wanjian nodded: "Mom is thoughtful, I will go and arrange it right away."
…
…
The Zhu family took precautions and made arrangements in advance.
At this time, Zhu Hao was also ready to go back and tell his mother and Aunt Li about this.
If the plan went to the worst and he could only work as a book boy in the palace, then he would not dare to tell his family in advance.
Being a slave is a sign of self-degradation.
But things are very different now!
The palace wants to choose a companion in the city, who is a classmate on an equal footing with Prince Xiaoxing. Although he will not be able to leave the palace every day in the future, he does not have to be trapped in the small world of the palace.
When Zhu Hao explained the situation, Zhu Niang frowned and asked, "Xiao Hao, who did you listen to about this?"
Zhu Hao said: "It was Mr. Lu who told me... Mr. Lu has a close personal relationship with Prince Sui's professor, and with his help in running the business, if I can enter the Prince's Mansion and be a companion to Prince Xiaoxing, then I will not only be able to study, but I will also not have to suffer."
Grandma held her hostage, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone."
Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked at each other, and judging from their expressions, they did not support it.
Aunt Li asked: "Mr. Lu said he could help you enter Prince Xing's Mansion?"
"I didn't say it clearly, but I might give it a try," Zhu Hao said nonsensically.
Zhu Niang shook her head: "The palace is an important place and the entrance is strictly guarded. It will not be easy to get out after entering. Mom will try her best to help you find your husband, so there is no need to risk entering the palace."
Zhu Hao originally thought that Zhu Niang would support him, but now he understands that his mother not only hopes that her son will succeed, but is also afraid that her child will cause trouble.
As a member of the Zhu family, Mother Zhu certainly knew that Prince Xing's Mansion was a target of public criticism in the court.
In the previous family meeting held by the Zhu Jia family, it was stated that Prince Xing's Mansion was a thorn in the royal family's side and a thorn in the flesh, and Mother Zhu certainly did not want her son to wade into troubled waters.
Zhu Hao asked: "Does the mother want me to return to the Zhu family?"
This question stopped Zhu Niang again.
Of course she doesn't want her son to enter Prince Xing's palace, but why would she want her son to return to the Zhu family?
"Mother, in my opinion, Prince Xing's Mansion is a place where dragons and tigers are hidden... Mr. Lu said that His Majesty has no heirs. If we follow the order of succession to the throne, if something unexpected happens to us today, a real dragon will fly out of Prince Xing's Mansion."
In order to get Zhu Niang to agree, Zhu Hao had to make his interests clear.
Zhu Niang was shocked: "Xiao Hao, you can't say such nonsense. If it spreads, you will be beheaded."
Aunt Li's eyes widened and she was obviously very frightened.
"Mr. Lu said it, not me. If the government wants to investigate, they won't bother a child, right?" Zhu Hao smiled, showing no harm to humans or animals.
Zhu Niang's expression softened, and Zhu Hao struck while the iron was hot: "If this is true, if I study in Prince Xing's Mansion, won't I have the opportunity to meet the future emperor? Not only can I study and take the imperial examination, but I can also grow up with the True Dragon Emperor..."
Zhu Niang raised her hand to interrupt her son's words, and shouted sternly: "Don't say such words randomly in the future. Even if they don't come from your mouth, they can't be spread on behalf of Mr. Lu. Maybe he really does it for your good, but Prince Xing's Mansion... doesn't
You can get in if you want to, but since you have to be selected and you haven't even read the book, your chances are slim, isn't it? Rong Niang will discuss it with your aunt carefully, and then decide whether to let you apply for the selection!"
…
…
After talking for a long time, Zhu Hao tried his best to talk, but he didn't even decide with his mother whether he should be selected.
Zhu Hao suddenly felt that maybe he should act first and then act later to avoid any setbacks. But he also understood that the two mothers, one older and one younger, had his own interests at heart.
The next day, the news about the palace's selection of the crown prince's companion became widely known.
At the same time, the selection rules are also posted on the list.
The standard is that one should be seven to nine years old, have been enlightened for one or two years, be able to memorize "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" by heart, have a clean family background, there must be no adulterers and criminals among relatives, and the royal palace will provide food, accommodation and daily expenses for the four treasures of the study...
All in all, the conditions are favorable, and for ordinary children, it is an opportunity to study for free.
When the news came out, public opinion reacted enthusiastically.
The selection will be held before the end of the month, and you need to "register" first. The palace will send people to investigate the family background of the candidates. This is actually the most difficult level for Zhu Hao to pass.
If Prince Xing's Mansion knew that he was from the Zhu family of Jinyiwei, and had already learned that the Zhu family settled in Anlu to monitor Prince Xing's Mansion, how could a descendant of the Zhu family have the opportunity to study in the Prince's Mansion?
That afternoon, when Zhu Hao and Uncle Zhong went out to collect salt from the city, he asked with a smile: "Uncle Zhong, do you think it would be good for me to go to the Prince's Palace to study with you?"
Uncle Zhong was puzzled: "Young Master, you are the only son of the head of the family. If you enter the palace... you may be beautiful on the outside, but you may suffer a lot behind the scenes. I'm afraid the head of the family won't let you go, right?"
"But if I don't enter the palace and my grandmother takes me back, I'm afraid my life will be even worse, right?" Zhu Hao continued to ask.
Uncle Zhong sighed: "Young Master, when you return to the Zhu family, you are surrounded by clan members and blood relatives. But entering the palace is like a sheep among wolves, full of dangers! It is better to leave the opportunity to the children of the aristocratic families in Anlu, even if they enter the palace
Even if things don’t go well, there will be people outside to support you, so the situation won’t be too bad.”
Zhu Hao smiled: "Especially those who come from rich families, especially those from noble families, may not want to go... They have gone, and the palace does not necessarily want them."
"Why?"
Uncle Zhong was stunned.
Zhu Hao couldn't explain much.
In fact, the reason is very simple. When the palace chooses a companion, it is of course best to choose a child from a small family. The background of children born in this way is not so complicated, and the family interests are firmly tied to the palace.
If he is the son of an official, the meaning is different. Prince Xing’s Mansion needs to worry about being held accountable by the court for colluding with local officials and gentry and plotting evil!
Moreover, no matter how powerful the local gentry in Anlu can be, how big can they be? There may be a real dragon in Prince Xing’s Mansion in the future, so they need to contact the officials and gentry in this small place of Anlu?
They just want to train a few potential helpers for their son, and the simpler the background, the better.