Emperor Zhengde of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 143 Flying Letters from Outside the Palace
Yang Tinghe asked someone to bind the Taoist priest to the Ministry of Punishment.

"Say, who leaked the exam questions to you?" Yang Tinghe asked viciously with a cold face.

"It was calculated by the poor."

Yang Tinghe was very surprised. If he could calculate the exam questions so accurately every year, wouldn't he be rich?
"I don't believe it. It seems that you won't tell the truth if you don't give you some severe punishment. Come here and serve me with severe punishment!"

Yang Tinghe was really angry this time, he felt that this Taoist was bluffing and defrauding, and this time he actually deceived the officials of the court, it was simply unforgivable.

Several guards from the Ministry of Punishments quickly brought torture tools, ready to torture Yu Zhenzi.

"Wait a minute, my lord, Pindao has something to say."

Yang Tinghe waved his hand to signal the guards to retreat. Anyway, the Taoist is in his hands now, even if he puts on his wings, it is difficult for him to fly out of the compound of the Ministry of Punishment.

"If you can't say one, two, three, let's see how this official will scratch you alive."

Yang Tinghe asked his subordinates to bring pens and paper, and casually recorded everything the Taoist said.

"My lord, Pindao said that the exam questions were calculated by Pindao. If you don't believe me, Pindao will deduce it for you."

"Today's court, the emperor is facing several difficult things. The first is the construction of the Daming Navy. Although a lot of manpower, material resources and talents have been invested in naval construction, the results have not been very good so far. Pirates often come and go, and there are Japanese pirates on the eastern coast, which not only worries His Majesty the Emperor, but also worries more ministers in the court and China."

"The second most important matter in the imperial court right now is that Jianzhou Jurchen invaded the land of Ming Dynasty, but His Majesty has already sent people to investigate this matter, and this matter is very serious, His Majesty attaches great importance to it, and it cannot become a question in the current exam. .”

"The third thing is His Majesty's lifelong event. Although the Queen Mother has always had candidates for the Empress, His Majesty has never found a suitable candidate. Therefore, this is His Majesty's concern, and it cannot become a current examination question."

"."

Yu Zhenzi's analysis was clear and logical, and Yang Tinghe's jaw almost fell from the ground when he heard it.

Although he is an outsider, what he said, the thoughts of the current government and His Majesty are clearer than those of them who are courtiers.

"You, how did you know?" Yang Tinghe stood up from the chair in shock, and walked in front of Yu Zhenzi with trembling hands.

"Untie, come, untie!"

Yang Tinghe couldn't believe that the Taoist in front of him was so clever. He always thought that this kind of person was a bluff before, but seeing is believing.

"These are of course the result of Pindao watching the sky at night and observing the direction of the sky. Do you want to make a bet with Pindao?"

"What? You say?"

"In a few days, your son will take part in this test. I bet he will lose his name."

Yang Tinghe's eyes widened when he heard this, and everything that this person said just now existed and verified. However, his son Yang Shen has studied hard at home for many years, and this time he will definitely pass high school.

"Well, I will make this bet with you. The result will be known in a month. If it is true as the Taoist priest said, I will sell all the household items and repair the Taoist temple for you."

After a pause, Yang Tinghe continued: "If your calculation is wrong, I will behead you to vent your anger."

Although Yu Zhenzi had been untied, his hands and feet were already numb. Hearing what Yang Tinghe said, he moved his hands casually, and then put one hand on his chest and said: "Wuliang Tianzun, the poor Taoist lives in Yangquan Temple. Your Excellency is welcome."

Yang Tinghe felt that this Taoist was very unusual, so he temporarily stayed in the Ministry of Punishment, and hurried out to the Forbidden City by himself. He wanted to report the matter to Zhu Houzhao as soon as possible.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City.

After hearing Yang Tinghe's report, Zhu Houzhao was greatly surprised.

He didn't expect that what the Taoist said about his marriage was exactly the same as what he thought in his heart, and his analysis of the current situation was extremely accurate.

He remembered that during the Taizu Hongwu period, there was a man named Liu Ji who not only knew astronomy and geography, but also had a good grasp of the current situation. In the end, Taizu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang listened to all his opinions , to conquer the world.

Is this person also comparable to Liu Ji?
Zhu Houzhao was full of curiosity about this person.

"Yang Aiqing, do you think this person has some expert behind his back to guide him?"

Yang Tinghe shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, according to my observation, this person can pinch and count, and no one will play tricks behind his back, but what he said is very reasonable, and I feel that he will not lie."

"Okay, you arrange a time, I want to meet this person."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Zhu Houzhao has always been very curious about this Taoist priest, and he felt that if there are people in the world who can pinch and count, they should be used by him.
Inside the nunnery.

All the nuns were knocking on their bowls and praying for Yu Zhenzi. He was Master Yang's brother and their uncle, and he had given them a lot of help in the process of practicing Taoism.

Shangguan Haitang sat alone on the stool next to her and wept. She felt that there was a disaster in her life. No matter where she went, there would be anxiety everywhere. She even thought of death.

But Mrs. Yang continued to enlighten her, so she temporarily lived in the nunnery as a lay child.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City.

Xiaofangzi tiptoed to Zhu Houzhao's side.

"Your Majesty, here is a letter from Miss Yang Yan."

"Yang Yan?" Zhu Houzhao instinctively remembered an affair in the backyard when he went to Yang Tinghe's house for a banquet that day.

That Yang Yan is indeed beautiful, looks generous, and has a very kind face, at first glance, she is the kind of person who is full of joy.

When Zhu Houzhao saw Yang Yan, he did pay attention to the woman in his heart, but because of his identity, he didn't tell Yang Yan the truth and kept it a secret.

Yang Yan just wrote a love letter to his sweetheart and expressed his admiration for him. After Zhu Houzhao returned to the palace, he read the letter carefully several times. He felt that Yang Yan's feelings were not fake and were pure and innocent.

"How did her letter get into the palace? How much money did you charge her?"

"I dare not answer His Majesty's words. Eunuch Cao asked his slaves to send them."

Zhu Houzhao thought to himself: "This Cao Zhengchun, who is stalking others, tried every means to figure out my thoughts, and he is the one who knows my thoughts."

Zhu Houzhao opened the letter.

A strong fragrance wafted towards him, causing Zhu Houzhao's nose to twitch suddenly.

"Long time no see you, how are you doing recently? I always miss you in my heart. The weather is getting colder, so I'm still here."

Yang Yan's letter is very warm and touching to read.

After reading it, Zhu Houzhao was elated. This is the best gift he has received recently.

So he wrote a letter to Yang Yan.

"Xiao Fangzi, ask someone to deliver this letter to Cao Zhengchun tomorrow, and arrange for him to deliver it immediately. There must be no mistake!"

"The slaves obey the orders!"

Xiao Fangzi took the letter written by Zhu Houzhao, put it in his sleeve, and stood beside Zhu Houzhao.

"You step back! I'm a little tired." Zhu Houzhao said to Xiao Fangzi.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say, I don't know if I should say it or not?"

Zhu Houzhao frowned, glanced at the new eunuch on duty, and said impatiently: "If you think it's right to say it, you can say it, if you think it's inappropriate to say it, then shut up."

Xiao Fangzi felt that it was not interesting, so she bowed and exited the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

(End of this chapter)