Zhang Ning and Lao Xu were quickly received by Zhu Heng, because they were invited by Zhu Heng's personal letter. The other two attendants were regarded as followers and were not allowed to enter the living room. Zhu Heng was not too proud.
Zhang Ning bowed and bowed, and he stood up from his chair and said enthusiastically: "Sir, when you come to visit me, you will be greeted at a distance, and some will be greeted at a distance."
"It's a great honor to be able to meet Mr. Zhu." Zhang Ning said gently and politely, but what he wanted to say in his heart was: there is a gap in status, and you can't condescend to come out of the city to meet him, so I have to come. But he didn't say anything in his heart.
When you go out, it is better to abide by the rules and be polite verbally. After all, you are on someone else's territory. Anyway, the world has become accustomed to politeness that does not mean it.
Zhu Heng nodded and looked Zhang Ning up and down. He was able to stand up from the chair just now, and it was not entirely because of etiquette. Zhang Ning's appearance did make him look at him immediately. People in the Ming Dynasty actually paid great attention to appearance, and even thought that
From the outside to the inside, the facial expressions and demeanor are endowed with mysterious content.
Zhang Ning has a tall figure and a well-groomed appearance. At first glance, he does not look like a lecherous person. His skin looks a little darker because of the grass juice, but it still gives people a very clean and self-disciplined feeling, probably because of his smooth skin.
His face is well-proportioned and his body is well-proportioned. His full forehead, sword-shaped eyebrows and deep eye sockets look heroic yet restrained. His clear eyes, relatively straight nose bridge, and face are slightly thin and symmetrical, although they are not quite in line with Mingren's broad face.
The square and upright appearance also gave Zhu Heng a good first impression.
Zhu Heng glanced at Zhang Ning's lining collar with casual eyes. It was made of silk and must have belonged to someone with a high status. Because although the silk was inside, the collar was clearly visible. There was obvious dust on his cyan outer robe.
It looks dusty, and this color is indeed easy to collect dust, but it can be seen that the dress is ironed very smoothly...it is obvious that this is not a detail of an ordinary person's life.
"What's your surname, sir?" Zhu Heng said.
At this time, a maid brought tea and placed a cup in front of everyone. Zhang Ning looked at her politely, with a hint of gratitude in his eyes. The maid's face turned slightly red. In fact, the ancients were very particular about not squinting, even if
She was a slave girl from someone else's family, but his eyes didn't have the slightest feeling of "see no evil", so it was natural.
Zhang Ning then looked at the old man next to Zhu Heng. Zhu Heng raised his hand and waved slightly, and the old man bowed and walked out.
"Master Zhu treats you with sincerity, how dare you deceive me?" Zhang Ning said calmly, "My surname is Zhang, Zhang Ning, and my courtesy name is Ping'an. I was originally the censor of Huguang, and I also had contacts with Yang Shaobao in the court.
However, I was involved in the performance a while ago, and now I am guilty... I did not hand over this official seal, so I asked Mr. Zhu to identify it. If you take it and send it to the capital, you may be able to ask for it in the court.
It’s no small feat.”
"Haha..." Zhu Heng took the last sentence as a joke and laughed heartily. He waited for Lao Xu to bring the official seal to him, and then accepted the observation. After a while, he raised his head and said with a smile, "The merits and demerits still depend on it."
Where and what does peace look like?”
Zhang Ning smiled and nodded. In fact, there were many criminals on the side of the Han Dynasty who were released from prison and enlisted in the army and became soldiers.
Zhu Heng said: "I heard that Yang Shaobao had a son-in-law, and he later rejected the engagement. Isn't this Mr. Ping'an?"
Sure enough, gossip is not unique to women. There is a lot of gossip in official circles. Even the people who serve the King of Han in Le'an, Shandong Province know about this kind of thing. Zhang Ning said: "It's just me who is so embarrassed."
"It's a pity." Zhu Heng looked a little regretful. If he had known that Zhang Ning was the third son of Emperor Jianwen and was almost exposed as a rebel, he probably wouldn't have sighed like this. After he said it was a pity, he lowered his eyes and thought
After a while... Zhang Ning guessed, probably briefly thinking about whether Zhang Ning was pretending to be convicted. After all, he could win Yang Shiqi's favor and had a bright future, so how could he be convicted?
Of course it won't be a detailed work, otherwise who would dare to write about the emperor's conspiracy to kill his father? What is it if he is not seeking death?
Zhu Heng pondered for a moment and asked: "I heard some rumors about Ping An, but I don't know how you were convicted and how the courtiers participated?"
Zhang Ning hesitated a little, but then said calmly: "I colluded with the rebellious party and got the evidence."
Zhu Heng nodded. He was a relatively knowledgeable person. He figured out Zhang Ning's tone and did not ask what kind of gang he was colluding with. In fact, Zhang Ning took out his official seal and revealed his identity truthfully, which was enough to be honest.
Zhu Heng said: "Now I will find an opportunity to recommend you to the King of Han, so that heroes can be useful."
"My lord, I am very grateful for your kindness." Zhang Ning paused and said seriously, "I just have no intention of getting an official position from the King of Han... The disaster of the King of Han is right in front of me. At this time, I am asking for an official position from the prince. Not only is there no benefit, but
On the contrary, there is an additional crime of conspiracy to rebel, so why bother?"
Zhu Heng's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly calmed down: "How do you say this?"
Zhang Ning said: "The imperial army's anti-rebellion army is about to arrive. At this time, the king of Han has no more than two strategies: capture Jinan first and then force Beijing; drive south to capture Nanjing, and plan to draw a river to control it for a long-term plan."
Zhu Heng was noncommittal.
Zhang Ning continued: "But when I entered the city, I observed the scene in the city, and there was no sign of an expedition. The opportunity was running out, but the soldiers and horses of the King of Han were stagnant and did nothing. How did the dragon set off a huge wave in the pool? Le'an
How can this tiny place resist the power of the elite elite of the capital? I am definitely not pretending to be alarming or sensationalizing to please the public, nor am I claiming that everyone in the world is drunk and I am sober. The facts are right in front of us, clearly and plainly. Why are you turning a blind eye?"
Zhu Heng was not angry, but said cautiously: "Big events involve many complexities, and the prince has his own general strategy, which cannot be understood by the humble ministers."
Zhang Ning smiled: "Is Lord Zhu still worried that I am here to spy on the military situation? Didn't the eunuch Hou Tai bring the royal guards here not long ago to spy on me? Is there any need for the imperial court to use me as a wanted criminal?"
"Mr. Ping'an is in the world and knows a lot." Zhu Heng said with a half-smile.
"I have been an official for several years and have done nothing, but I have made a few friends who can be trusted by life and death. In fact, Mr. Zhu is already very sure that I will never stand on the side of the court, and I am not coming here just to get an official position. If Mr. Zhu
I don’t mind, I am willing to use my talents beside you..." Zhang Ning said.
Zhu Heng was silent for a while, stroking his thick beard and thinking about something.
Zhang Ning said: "Yang Shaobao once said that the King of Han has no talented people around him, and only Zhu Heng can use him. If something goes wrong after a while and it cannot be done by human power, Mr. Zhu can follow me out of the city. My lord is very thirsty for talents. Mr. Zhu
There is still room for my talents to be put to use.”
"Your master?" Zhu Heng asked puzzledly.
Zhang Ning smiled mischievously, as if he had a plan in mind, and did not directly answer Zhu Heng's question.
Zhu Heng couldn't guess for a while, could it be King Zhao (Zhu Gaosui), or one of the more than twenty vassal kings? But if the King of Han falls, the others will not be as strong as the King of Han, and it will be more difficult to compete with the court...
...But if things get to that point, and a certain vassal king has the ambition and courage to harbor rebel ministers, there is no way out; and Zhang Ning's risk of going to Le'an to seek help shows the sincerity of that "lord"
.
Zhang Ning looked at Zhu Heng's pensive look and was thinking about it for him: Zhang Ping'an's identity was more credible, and he was very sure of his side (because of the appeal). What was his motive for risking his life to come here? Then
The mission of a "lord" is a very reasonable explanation. Otherwise, I really can't think of any other reason. It has nothing to do with the King of Han and is not interested in officialdom... so the existence of that lord is more credible.
Zhu Heng is actually a smart man. Although he serves the King of Han, how can he not think about himself at all as a mortal? The King of Han's affairs are likely to fail. When the time comes, Zhu Heng, as an important figure as the "Minister of the Ministry of War", will not be accepted by the whole family.
It would be strange to kill him. But what can be done? The world is so big that the king has no place to escape... If there is no long-term concern, there will be immediate worries. The other lord will not give up, which is a good escape route.
"Master Zhu," Zhang Ning reminded him gently, "I don't want to alienate you and the prince. If you are determined to repay the kindness of the King of Han with death, I will not persuade you. But what will happen to Master Zhu's family in Nanjing? By then,
In order to repay today's love, you only need to write a letter in your own hand as a token, and I am willing to help you send your family members away to ensure their safety, with just a little effort."
Zhu Heng's mood was stable and he did not refuse outright. Zhang Ning was slightly relieved because of this: Master surnamed Zhu is thinking of a way out, and I have to reserve a way out... He takes care of his family, and he must find a way to send me out of the city when the time comes.
"The prince's strategy is probably to take Jinan first and then the capital..." Zhu Heng said in a very low voice, "But behind the high wall of Jinan City, it is not an easy place to attack; and after hearing that the imperial troops were coming, the prince's palace
It is difficult to issue an order to attack the city."
Zhang Ning took a long breath and said: "Your Majesty should gather the elite troops as soon as possible and drive southward from Shandong at all costs. This is the only feasible strategy. Lord Zhu probably understands in his heart."
Zhu Heng said: "I have seen this step a long time ago, but Mr. Ping'an didn't know anything. The situation of the King of Han's subordinates is complicated. Many officials and military generals are from Le'an. They are asked to abandon their fields, property, families and leave their families to the court soldiers, and follow the King of Han south alone.
, they are not even willing to fight to death."
"Is it really the laziness of the world to just sit and wait for death?" Zhang Ning sighed, "If we don't go here, everyone will have to finish playing, and more people will be buried with them, why bother? However, this situation is not impossible to solve, Han Wang
His prestige is sufficient. As long as he is determined to accomplish this, it will not be difficult. After all, there are still a large number of people who are not from Le'an, and a large number of soldiers are criminals who are not afraid of being killed. Master Zhu..."
Zhang Ning guessed that Zhu Heng was hesitant because he didn't want to offend those people by standing out. Self-preservation is simply human instinct.
Sure enough, Zhu Heng said again: "The king of Han was impatient and unwilling to go south, so the strategy was revised several times, causing uncertainty and even waste."
Zhang Ning thought to himself: The King of Han is making trouble. At this level, he is eager to rebel and seek death, right? The King of Han's generals are famous, and there are many battles to prove it, but at the strategic level, it is simply child's play... It can be concluded that even if
He escaped this disaster, but he would still be defeated at the hands of his nephew in the end, but it would only last a long time.