Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 121: Just do it, don’t ask for money!
"Oh, did Zhang Chen really say that at the time?"
Following this voice, the emperor, who had just returned to the Qianqing Palace after practicing sword, couldn't hide his smile. If he hadn't just been outside and had to maintain his image as the emperor, he would have wanted to laugh out loud. After entering the East Warm Pavilion and sitting down, he tapped the armrest with his fingers and continued to listen to Chu Kuan's report.
But after hearing about Zhang Chen's disturbances in several places, he stared at Chu Kuan thoughtfully: "You described it as if you saw it yourself, so vividly. Could it be that someone was sent to follow Zhang Chen? Or did they plant spies in those places?"
Chu Kuan didn't expect that the emperor, who was so excited just now listening to the joke, would suddenly ask about this. He hurriedly and cautiously said, "Because the emperor handed over Banshan Hall to Dr. Zhang, I am afraid that someone will interfere, so I have to be careful..."
He racked his brains to downplay the incident and offered a lot of explanations, but in the end, all he got was a sneer from the emperor.
"You should know how taboo those people outside are towards eunuchs, and how annoying they think the outer court of the Imperial Household Department is. I know your little thoughts, and I also know your little actions. I also know that when you were recruiting soldiers outside, you were using my name. The reason why I never pointed it out is because many officials have already determined that I instructed you to do this."
Seeing Chu Kuan kneeling down in a hurry, not daring to speak, the emperor poked him with his toes in annoyance: "Do you really need to fool me with such a dead look? Taizu, Taizong, Yingzong, the late emperor... Who of the emperors who have made achievements in our dynasty has not supervised the officials? Who has not replaced an official because of the eunuchs' secret reports? I have only one request to you, don't lie to me!"
"Yes, yes, I obey your command." Chu Kuan agreed hurriedly. As a result, the emperor seemed to have opened his mouth and did not stop.
"In fact, Taizu did many things right, but he failed to stick to one thing. Since the imperial examination was abolished for ten years, it would have been better if he had changed it to a Jinshi degree and finally entered the Imperial Academy before he abdicated."
"I think that all those who pass the imperial examination must study in the Imperial College for three years and be sent to the local areas for one year of experience, and then decide how to appoint them to official positions based on the actual situation. In this way, we will not raise a bunch of idiots who have no idea about local affairs!"
Chu Kuan was greatly surprised when the emperor, who always admired Taizu, suddenly said this. However, the emperor obviously did not need his comfort or persuasion. After a while, he said lazily: "Of course, the most damaging thing is to establish a crown prince or a virtuous one instead of the eldest son... There are indeed many disadvantages to establishing the eldest son, because it is very likely that a waste will ascend the throne, but the disputes over establishing a virtuous one are too great."
"Empress Yuan had no children, and the six palaces were without a master. Emperor Taizong, as the fourth prince, was recognized by Emperor Taizu as a wise man and cultivated to ascend the throne. But two years after Emperor Taizu abdicated, he set sail to sea and something went wrong. Even if the news was suppressed, the situation in the court changed suddenly."
"As a result, Taizong died six years after he ascended the throne. The sixteen-year-old eldest prince broke his leg for unknown reasons and became a vassal. The second prince died early, and the six-year-old third prince Gaozong ascended the throne without even a queen mother. Haha, Gaozong was not a very good emperor. He was over forty years old and still favored his youngest son. Before his death, he insisted on establishing Sejong..."
"If the eldest son had not been deposed and the youngest son had not been enthroned twice, how could Yingzong have suddenly succeeded to the throne under the banner of revenge when the sons were fighting after Emperor Shizong's death? It's a pity that Yingzong didn't make things difficult for the previous two emperors in terms of posthumous titles because of his leg disease. He was also quite capable, but he had been a vassal king for too long and was old. He didn't raise his sons well, and as a result, there was chaos after his death, and my father was in trouble again..."
"In the early Tang Dynasty, almost all the princes had a bad ending. In the later period, the eunuchs monopolized the power and the imperial power fell into the hands of others. Not to mention the Yuan Dynasty, they fought almost without thinking to succeed the throne. Although every time there was a dispute in our dynasty, we always tried to protect the Military Equipment Bureau, but a few of those artillery guns and blueprints still flowed to the Northern Tartars and the Eastern Hu. Otherwise, there would not be unrest on the border!"
Even though this was an old story that Chu Kuan had known for a long time , and he had even spoken about it passionately in front of Zhang Shou, he still felt sweat on his back as he listened to it.
Because he was not sure whether the emperor was expressing his regret that Emperor Taizu should not set aside the rule of appointing the eldest son as the crown prince. Moreover, the emperor was expressing his regret about the eunuchs' monopoly of power in the late Tang Dynasty, which was definitely not a good topic for him.
Fortunately, the emperor finally did not continue talking about the old things. He was stunned for a moment and said lazily: "Forget it, I won't say it anymore. Anyway, you should be careful when you do things and employ people. If something goes wrong, I may have to take drastic measures. And that is..."
Chu Kuan was not frightened by the emperor's words "cut off one's own arm to save one's life" - in fact, the emperor had said this many times, but if he had not been tough enough at certain times during his 26 years in power, the Outer Office of the Imperial Household Department would have ceased to exist long ago.
When the emperor was still a young ruler, countless people tried to remove the eunuchs, the only bridgehead outside the palace. As a result, the queen mother wanted to compromise, but the young emperor got angry in public.
Therefore, when he heard the emperor pause, he bowed his head respectfully and said, "But please let the emperor give his orders."
"Don't think about Zhang Shou's possession of the things in the Ancient and Modern Collection. He may have considerable talent, but I still want to take a look. He went into a place that even the Grand Secretary could not enter. You know what the result will be!"
Chu Kuan was startled, and swore that he would not dare to do anything rash. At the same time, he told Zhang Shou what he wanted when he came to the outer court of the Imperial Household Department last time. Finally, he said embarrassedly: "I didn't expect that he didn't use Grand Tutor Ge to come forward, but used the favor of Shuntian Prefecture Governor Wang Datou to directly recruit students... I thought those old officials in the court and Grand Secretary Zhou would oppose it..."
"Because I need to appease, Grand Tutor Ge needs to appease, and the plaque inscribed by Emperor Taizu in the Jiuzhang Hall also needs to appease. In this way, the benefits will certainly fall on him, because since the founding of our dynasty, there have been some talented people in the science of statistics, but never as young as him."
The emperor laughed and waved his hand: "Send someone to keep an eye on the plaque inscribed by Taizu in Jiuzhang Hall. I don't want anyone to covet that..."
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside: "Your Majesty, Miss Zhu sent in a letter."
"Yingying's letter?" The emperor found it both fresh and funny. "She usually comes to the palace at once, but she actually sent a letter. What's the plan? Hurry, bring it in!"
Following these words, Chu Kuan hurriedly stood up and walked to the door of the East Warm Pavilion. After receiving the letter from a little eunuch, he looked down and saw that it was a letter sealed with a seal. He couldn't help but laugh secretly that the little girl was quite cautious . Then he quickly turned around and came to the emperor, and presented the letter with both hands.
The emperor pinched the thickness of the envelope and couldn't help but sigh, then he tore it open casually and took out the letters. But after reading the first one, he couldn't help but sigh.
It turned out that her superior Zhu Ying said straight out of the gate that she was just an enthusiastic person who helped to forward Zhang Shou's memorial.
"What an enthusiastic person... this girl!" The emperor smiled and shook his head. He was about to put Zhu Ying's letter aside, but he saw her arrogantly making a request behind him - claiming that she would visit the Banshan Hall of the Imperial College at any time in the future, in the name of an extra-curricular supervisor, to see if those children of nobles were attending classes well.
"I think you care about teacher Zhang Shou, not the students!"
The emperor laughed and moved the letter to the last piece of paper. When he saw the words on the second piece of paper, he couldn't help but look strange. Compared with Zhang Shou's profound mathematical knowledge and the words that suited his taste very well, this handwriting... Alas, to put it nicely, it lacks style, to put it bluntly... It's too bad, I need to practice more!
However, he suppressed his dissatisfaction and read on attentively. When he found out that it was a course plan for Banshan Hall, and then asked him for something, he couldn't help but laugh and scolded: "This kid actually came to me to ask for people, and said that if I don't give him people, I will give him the authority to hire external teachers, and he also wants a venue, money and food, it's simply..."
He paused, and suddenly clicked his tongue thoughtfully: "Chu Kuan, get some paper and pen!"
An hour later, Zhang Shou, who was waiting for Zhu Ying to write a letter for him at the Duke of Zhao's residence, received a reply from the palace - or a reply letter. When he opened the envelope, took out the letter, and saw the bright red handwriting, he couldn't help laughing.
"Just do it, don't ask for money!"
Zhu Ying, who came over to read the letter, was immediately annoyed: "The emperor is so stingy!"
"It doesn't matter. In fact, I'm asking for a high price, but I'm willing to pay back the money. What I really want is just the first three words from the emperor." Zhang Shou smiled and folded the letter solemnly, then raised it lightly towards Zhu Ying. "It's not a verbal order that can be denied later, but such an imperial handwriting. The emperor is very generous."
"Humph!" Zhu Ying thought to herself, could this also be seen as the emperor's encouragement to her? She took a deep breath and smiled, "The class will start the day after tomorrow, Ah Shou, what are you going to teach them in your first class?"
Zhang Shou hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "Since this is the first lesson, it's very simple. Just get to know each other, that's all."
Two princes plus a bunch of noble children, this combination is hard to deal with! If the right way doesn't work, try a crooked way!
