I'm watching the gate in the jail

Inside the Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City

Zhu Youtang stood under His Royal Highness, raised his head, and was accepting Zhu Jianshen's knowledge examination.

"...Sincerely, Wu and Yue will be one body; if you are proud, your flesh and blood will be your way. Although Dong Zhi punishes him severely and invigorates him with majesty and anger, he will be spared in the end without being benevolent, respectful but not convinced. The complaint is not great, Only people are to be feared. When a boat is capsized, it is advisable to be cautious." (Note 1)

Zhu Youtang clasped his hands in front of him, and fluently recited the homework taught by the teacher today.Flowing clouds and flowing water, all in one go.

After he finished reciting a paragraph, he unconsciously scratched the little kindness crown on his head, raised his little head and looked at his god-like father, showing a look of expectation for praise.

"Not bad. It's a good memorization."

Zhu Jianshen didn't know how many times he recited this passage of "Admonishing Emperor Taizong's Ten Thoughts" when he was the prince himself.You don't need to read the book to know that Zhu Youtang's memorization score is not bad.Affirmed him with satisfaction.

Zhu Youtang was overjoyed by his praise, and laughed.

Seeing this, Tan Chang, who was standing by and waiting, also showed a relieved smile.

The prince is intelligent, but his personality is too shy, and he was not raised by His Majesty's side from the beginning, so he often showed timidity in front of the emperor before, and he seemed a little timid.

However, as his relationship with His Majesty and His Majesty gradually improved, and influenced by the cheerful personality of the eldest son of the emperor, he has become more dignified and generous now, and looks more and more like a crown prince.

"I heard from the servants of the East Palace that, Azang, you often don't think about food and drink recently, looking to the north?"

Putting down his studies, Zhu Jianshen asked about his daily life.

"Yes……"

Zhu Youtang didn't expect his father to ask this question suddenly. He lowered his head and said with some disappointment, "Alan - it's been more than a month since I went to the Northeast. Except that I once sent a letter to my son on the way out, talking about the situation outside the Great Wall. The scenery, the scenery of the frontier. I haven't replied to my letter yet... My son misses Alan so much, it's not because he didn't take care of his health on purpose."

Zhu Youtang has been carrying the letter from the Shanhaiguan guard close to him for the past few days.Before going to bed every day, I can't help but take it out and look through it again.

At the foot of the Great Wall under the moonlight, A Lan was roasting a bonfire, with the north wind blowing from behind him.In the distance came the cry of an unknown bird, and the sound of the tide in the East China Sea seemed to be far away, and it seemed to be close to the ear...

A Lan's description, combined with those popular lines in countless frontier poems, outlines a poignant and magnificent picture outside the frontier in the heart of little Zhu Youtang.Let him haunt his dreams, unable to control himself.

Ah Lan actually went to such a far place, and the farthest place he has been to is the Dongsi Pailou "Xinghaihui".I haven't even been out of Forty-Nine City...

"Alan is your brother...cough, it's your cousin. I'm very pleased that you can respect each other as brothers and sisters."

Zhu Jianshen almost slipped the tongue again, and coughed unconsciously, "But you are the prince, the future emperor. The emperor is in the middle of the square and cannot leave the capital. You must remember your identity."

In order to prevent the "Yingzong Beishou" accident from happening again, Zhu Jianshen beat his son from time to time so that he would not be misled by his eldest son.

Alan was an "accident", and this "accident" will never happen again.

"Son, save it."

Zhu Youtang lowered his head and said in a lonely and helpless manner.

"Do you know why Ah Lan's father, Commander Wan, went to Liaodong?"

Although Ah Tang is still young, Zhu Jianshen has intentionally let him gradually understand the government affairs of the previous dynasty.

He also saw that this child was similar to himself in temperament, but a little too weak, which may have something to do with the environment in which he was raised in Xi Nei in his early years.

The more so, the more you need to train him in advance.

After all, people from the Zhu family generally don't live long.If he dies suddenly, the Empress Dowager Zhou will definitely come out to disrupt the government.And beside Zhu Youtang, there is no "Master Wan" who can protect him.

In order to prevent such a situation from happening, although the child was only eight years old, Zhu Jianshen began to train him in the strategy of governing the country.

"Father had doubts about the war in Liaodong at the beginning of the year, so he sent Commander Wan, Brother Ah Zhi...and Admiral Wang Zhi of Xichang to find out the truth."

Zhu Jianshen nodded in satisfaction seeing that the prince answered with a certain degree of advance and retreat.

"You just memorized a paragraph in "Admonishing Taizong Shisishu", but you tell me, how is the situation in Liaodong?"

Wynn, who was standing on the other side, couldn't help but look up - His Majesty actually asked an eight-year-old child about national policy?

"The three guards of Jianzhou... belong to the Ming dynasty, and there have been no major wars in northern Xinjiang for many years. Except for the lingering sound of the Battle of Ding Hai ten years ago, which can still deter the border. It is a bilateral trade market, using 'profit' as a bait to cut its Edge."

Zhu Youtang spoke cautiously, and while answering, secretly looked at Zhu Jianshen's face.Seeing that his face was innocent, he continued to speak cautiously, "But 'profit' is a double-edged sword. The border is bitterly cold, if the border officials are swayed by "small profits" and collude with Fanshang..."

Seeing Zhu Jianshen's complexion sinking little by little, Zhu Youtang hurriedly shut up.

"Say it, why don't you go on?"

"My son..."

Zhu Youtang gritted his teeth, thinking that he was a child on both sides, so what if he made a mistake?

Brother Alan said it, and his family's Lao Wan said that when a child talks nonsense, just wipe his mouth with toilet paper when he turns around, there is no taboo.

It's a big deal for him—go back to the East Palace and wipe his mouth with toilet paper!

"Those fanatics, whether fearful of power or virtuous, will end up avoiding benevolence, being respectful but not convinced. Fights will be fought sooner or later, and the results of investigations can only change for a while, but cannot be stable for a lifetime. "

After Zhu Youtang finished speaking, he closed his eyes.

The Wenhua Palace was silent, and the servants and maids all held their breaths and concentrated.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Laughter came from the top of Zhu Youtang's head, he opened his eyes and raised his head, looked at Zhu Jianshen smiling and nodding at him, finally heaved a sigh of relief.

It seems that Donggong's toilet paper can't get on Gu's mouth today.

"Really? Your Majesty is very relieved?"

In Weiyang Palace, Wan Zhen'er was holding the fourth son born to Concubine Shao Huan, two-year-old Zhu Youzhao and teasing her.

Hearing the news from the servant, that His Majesty just took an examination of the Prince's knowledge, the Prince's answer was very good, and he stayed in the Wenhua Hall to have lunch with His Majesty, his face was full of joy.

"Great, the prince is getting more and more promising."

It is said that today the emperor asked about Liaodong affairs, that is to say, it was related to his younger brother Wanda and A Lan.

His Majesty is happy, which means that things are going well in Liaodong, so she feels at ease.

"elder sister……"

Concubine Shao Huan's complexion was not very good compared to Wan Zhen'er who was in high spirits.

"Okay, look at you, you always think too much. Isn't His Majesty's love for you enough now? Having given birth to a dragon son for His Majesty for two consecutive years, this kind of blessing, in the entire harem except you, where else is there?" the second?"

Zhu Youxuan's younger brother, Zhu Youfu, was born at the end of last year, and he is less than half a year old now. Together with his elder brother, they are raised in Concubine Shao Huan's Weiyang Palace.

Wan Zhen'er is from the north, Shao Concubine is a beauty from the south of the Yangtze River, and their personalities are also - north-south, Wan Zhen'er is generous and forthright, and Shao Concubine is as tender as water.Surprisingly, it did very well.

However, Concubine Shao's thoughts are delicate and heavy, especially after giving birth to two princes one after another, her closeness to Wan Zhen'er is almost flattering.

"If you think it's too tiring to take care of two children at the same time, then I beg Your Majesty to send more wet nurses and female officials to your palace."

Wan Zhen'er raised her eyebrows slightly, "Don't say anything about sending Ah Zhu to be raised in Anxi Palace."

"My younger sister is afraid that my elder sister will be lonely. Now that the crown prince has grown up, he has moved to live in the Eastern Palace. Ah Zhi also has his own errands, so he can't always be by my elder sister's side. I also... I am afraid that my mother will be lonely, so I said this, Sister, don't worry too much."

As Concubine Shao said, she lowered her head guiltily.

She unconsciously grasped the baby's swaddling clothes, probably because she hurt Zhu Youfu who was hugging her in her arms, and the baby cried heart-piercingly, which shocked Concubine Shao to jump.

Zhu Youzhu, who was lingering in Wan Zhen'er's arms, heard her younger brother crying, and started to cry too. Concubine Shao was at a loss for a while.

Seeing that the two children had no intention of stopping, Wan Zhen'er sighed and asked the maid beside her to call the wet nurse.

The wet nurses hurried over, took the baby from the hands of the two empresses, carried them inside to coax them.

Concubine Shao lowered her head deeply in shame, not daring to look directly into Wan Zhen'er's eyes.

"I... my concubine..."

"In my sister's palace, when did Tibetan incense change?"

Wan Zhen'er asked suddenly.

Concubine Shao was stunned, and her fingers that were twisting the handkerchief also stopped.

"Didn't my sister say that you are from the south, so you only like jasmine, gardenia, and jasmine? There is no jasmine in winter. In the past, you only put citrus, bergamot, and grapefruit in every corner of the palace. as incense. Why are you lighting such a strong Tibetan incense now?"

Wan Zhen'er pointed to the Xuande incense burner on the corner of the table.

The strong aroma of saffron, sandalwood, agarwood, and musk is intertwined, embellishing the whole bedroom softly and luxuriously.

"Chenqie, during this period of time, in her spare time, read some Buddhist classics of Tantric Buddhism... When I read Buddhist scriptures, I ordered this spice to calm my mind. Sister, don't blame me, if you don't like this taste, Chenqie ordered People are extinguished."

As Concubine Shao said, she hurriedly asked the maid beside her to take the burning incense burner outside to extinguish the flame.

Wan Zhen'er looked at the prayer wheel and prayer bead bracelets placed on the table not far away, and sneered.

"Concubine Shao Huan...I don't know how the monk Luo Xiaoxi from Wusi passed the message to you..."

Luo Xiaoxi was the Uszang monk from Miaoying Temple who previously declared that Zhu Youtang's position should be in Wuzhou, not the imperial capital.

After the Queen Mother Zhou failed to snatch the fourth prince last time, Zhu Jianshen sent Wang Zhi out of the palace to beat him up.Unexpectedly, after more than a year, this monk not only didn't stop, but even dated Concubine Shao Huan.

"Sister, no, the imperial concubine, no. No concubines."

Concubine Shao turned pale and hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Wan Zhen'er repeatedly.Seeing this, the maids and servants around her also prostrated themselves on the ground.

"Have you, you are clear in your heart, because of the friendship between sisters for many years, I have given birth to two princes for His Majesty, and for the sake of Daming's merits, I would like to remind you—"

Wan Zhen'er bent down, and supported Concubine Shao's chin with her right hand.

"When I wait for a woman in the harem, I am your Majesty's 'subject' first, and then your Majesty's 'concubine'. Your Majesty is our 'lord' first, and then our 'husband'. What do you think, this palace is not a queen, so I don’t care about you .But if you have the 'heart of disobedience', think about using the two princes to plot something..."

"Chen and concubine dare not!"

Concubine Shao kowtowed heavily.

"You don't 'dare'. But someone in the palace 'dare'. Are you going to pass the knife to 'that person' and be someone else's pawn?"

Concubine Shao naturally knew who the "others" Wan Zhen'er was talking about, and she was so upset that she hurriedly disregarded her relationship with the Queen Mother Zhou.

Luo Xiaoxi from Miaoying Temple once got very close to the Queen Mother Zhou, so she naturally knew about it.

She also knew that although His Majesty served his mother very filially, the relationship between the mother and son of the Tian family was not as harmonious as it appeared on the surface.

So when someone around her passed this monk's letter to her, Concubine Shao resolutely ignored it.

However, the monk who is admired by thousands of people said... that among her sons, there will be an emperor.

For her, this was really a huge "temptation".

Concubine Shao was moved.

No matter whether this sentence should be applied to Ah Zhuo or Ah Zhuo who was born less than half a year ago, it means that one of her sons will stay by her side forever without going to the fiefdom.

Since entering the palace, Shaw has seen that His Majesty only favors Wan Zhen'er, and he has no place in his heart as a queen, so he has long given up thinking about the status of empress and concubine, and being able to be promoted to Concubine Huan has far exceeded her expectations.

The only thing she thinks about is to keep family relationship with her son.And if he wanted his son not to leave him, the only way was to become the emperor.

So before, when the Empress Dowager Zhou proposed to take Ajiao to Renshou Palace to be raised, she didn't struggle at all.

There is even some expectation in my heart.

Because Wan Zhener once complained to her in private that the six-year-old prince who was brought from Xi Nei was not close to her, nor did he like the emperor.

She didn't have any children of her own at that time, so she could only comfort Wan Zhen'er to relax and get along with the prince.

However, she now has two princes.

Zhu Youtang is not the only son of His Majesty.

Empress Dowager Zhou's actions gave her great expectations.

But soon, she was disappointed.

The Empress Dowager Zhou withdrew her attempt to disrupt the government, and now she eats fast and recites Buddhism every day in the Renshou Palace, and even the abandoned Empress Wu in Xi'an is silent.

She felt that she had to do something.

"Whether it's my palace, or the Queen Mother Zhou... or the Queen Wang."

Wan Zhen'er ordered people to simply open the front and rear doors and windows of the dormitory, so that the cold wind would blow away all the fragrance in the room.

"Nobody wants your baby."

"Yes……"

"You can stay in Weiyang Palace with peace of mind. Isn't taking care of the child enough for you?"

"The courtiers and concubines would like to obey the emperor's imperial concubine's order."

Concubine Shao was almost prostrate on the ground, her thin shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

She has known Wan Zhen'er for many years, although outsiders say that the empress is vicious and domineering, but she has always felt that the imperial concubine is amiable and straightforward, and can even be said to be a bit out of place in this palace.

It wasn't until today that she "experienced" how terrifying Wan Zhener's anger was.Just a few light words made her feel weak, and she no longer dared to think about it.

"It's naturally good to recite scriptures and practice Zen to recuperate the body and mind."

Wan Zhen'er saw that it was enough to stop here, sighed, and slowly stood up with the help of the maid.

"However, if you deviate from the right path and go astray. If you lose your mind, and then you have some misconduct in your actions. Then when the time comes, I am afraid it will not be where you want the prince to go, but His Majesty will consider whether you can continue. Raise the prince."

This sentence was like Huang Zhong Dalu, knocking Concubine Shao's mind that was still muddled - all of a sudden.

After finishing speaking, Wan Zhen'er left Weiyang Palace with everyone in Anxi Palace.

The cold wind blowing through from front to back made the palace people shiver. After all, the weather in the capital at the end of February was still warm and cold. Sometimes it was windy at night, and the stoves had to be burned to keep warm.

"Your Majesty, can you close the doors and windows? The servants are afraid that the Empress will catch a cold, and it will be fine if she hurts her body."

The maid next to her boldly came up to ask.

Concubine Shao stood by the table, her head ached slightly from the cold air, but she was extremely awake.

She lowered her head, looked at the prayer wheel on the table and the half-written Buddhist scriptures, and stretched out her hand, sweeping them on the ground crackling.

"Miss!"

The maids knelt down in fear.

"From now on, everything in Weiyang Palace will be the same as before, no more Tibetan incense will be burned. All these things will be incinerated."

Panting, she leaned on the corner of the table and said.

It should be your own, don't argue, it will come naturally.

If you insist, even if you really sit on the Queen Mother's position... Look at the current Queen Mother Zhou, isn't it ridiculous and generous?

At that time, she didn't know.

After many, many years, I, who is already completely blind, will touch her grandson Zhu Houcong's whole body, and send him to the Ninth Five with great joy.

And her two-year-old son Zhu Youzhu will be posthumously named "Xiandi" by his grandson Emperor Jiajing, in line with what the monk Luo Xiaoxi said.

At the same time, it also set off a 20-year-long "dispute over the great ceremony" that has been recorded in the annals of history.

However, all this is still very far away, and it is still only 14 years since Chenghua.

Chen Yue's audacity surprised Wanda and the others, and the two parties met again in the teahouse. After exchanging knowledge about the horse market, everyone returned to the "Dengyun Inn".

Wang Zhi directly picked up the pen and ink in Wanda's room, and was about to write a memorial to tell His Majesty what Chen Yue had done.

"Hey, that word isn't harsh enough."

Qiu Zijin lay on the table, watching Wang Zhi write.

"You write like this——Chen Yue is scheming, greedy for money and immoral, welcoming merchants outside, connecting with eunuchs inside, being aggressive and taking credit, framing colleagues... Yes, yes, just write like this!"

Wanda sat on the side watching Qiu Zijin's "passionate guidance" to Wang Zhi, turned her head in fright, and stuck out her tongue at Yang Xiuxian.

"My dear, Xiao Qiu is too powerful, you don't need a knife to kill people."

"At that time, Mao Sui used a three-inch tongue to fight all over the world, which was stronger than a million soldiers."

Yang Xiuxian was also full of emotion, "It is said that 'a sergeant kills with a pen', no matter how hard we wait for Jin Yiwei, the power of the knife's point is still not as powerful as this pen."

The two were feeling emotional when they suddenly heard a commotion downstairs, as if there were cattle and sheep screaming.

While wondering, shopkeeper Wang knocked on the door from outside the room.

"Master Wan... Well, there are some things downstairs that need to be dealt with by you, sir."

When Yang Xiuxian opened the door, he saw Wang Qianhu—with an embarrassed face, as if he had been bitten by a bug on the back of his buttocks, and his expression was so disturbed that it was almost distorted.

"What's wrong? Could it be that Chen Yue led his troops to investigate here?"

Wanda took a step forward, walked to Yang Xiuxian's side and asked.

"It's not Lord Chen, it's... hey, it's Ajigata, he came to propose marriage."

"pat..."

The brush in Wang Zhi's hand fell on the paper in shock, and a black ink flower was swept out immediately.

Qiu Zijin and Wang Zhiqiqi looked up at the door.

Mei Qian's mask was so frightened that it almost fell off her face.

"Meaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

When Wanda and the others hurried downstairs, what they faced was the flock of sheep that almost completely submerged the hotel hall.

Ajiga stood with his hands on his hips, standing in the center of this sea of ​​white cotton candy, and shouted enthusiastically to Wanda who was standing on the stairs.

"Treasurer Wan, hello, I'm here."

Wanda is now very thankful that she can't understand Jurchen's words, and Lao Liu is not there, otherwise she really doesn't know how to take the blame.

But soon, his happiness was shattered.

Wang Qianhu has stayed here for more than 30 years. The inn is full of visitors. As the big shopkeeper, he can naturally speak multiple languages, so he was naturally pulled by Ajiga to serve as an interpreter.

"Here are - a hundred sheep, and - some are at the door, not driven in..."

Ajiga hugged Wang Qianhu's shoulders vigorously. He looked at his blue-faced superior without tears, and translated insincerely, "There are fifty cows outside, and ten horses from Hami. The camels, fifty barrels of ghee, and twenty slaves are all gifts for proposing marriage. I hope shopkeeper Wan can accept them."

"Accept? Do you want me to marry Alan to your daughter?"

Wanda was a little dizzy.

Does this mean sending me a farm to hire me?

"Haha, Master Wan's words are really interesting. Of course, your son will marry my daughter."

Ajiga smiled heartily, "According to the rules of our Jurchens. It should be 'a man confers a woman'. That is, the man goes to the woman's house to hire her. But my daughter, Duo'er, really likes the son of Shopkeeper Wan. She begged me hard. I, Ajiga, felt sorry for my daughter, so I came directly to propose marriage."

The children are still young, so there is no need to be so anxious...

Wanda waved his "Erkang hand".

"When the dowry is formally celebrated, I will have more cattle and sheep, ginseng and Dadongzhu as dowry. I will definitely not humiliate the son of shopkeeper Wan."

Ajiga patted his chest and promised.

"Use cattle and sheep as a dowry, and exchange you with a business route in the capital as a 'betrothal gift' in return. Not counting the profit from the peppers later. This Ajiga really knows how to do business."

Yang Xiuxian lowered his head and whispered in Wanda's ear, who was all stiff.

"If I agree, then—we will be able to penetrate into the interior of Haixi Jurchen completely, right?"

Wanda asked in a low voice.

"Susu!"

When Wang Zhi heard this, he was so anxious that his whole body trembled.

"Haha, just kidding, just kidding..."

Under everyone's eyes of condemnation, Wanda summoned up her courage and went downstairs.

"That, brother Ajiga..."

He was about to organize his words, thinking about refusing.

I saw—a small red whirlwind blowing in from the outside, parting the sea of ​​white sheep, rushing to Ajiga,—holding his arms around his waist.

"Ama, I don't want to marry him!"

Duo'er cried until she was out of breath, "He actually said that my maid, Ai Lanzhu, is more beautiful than me. But Ai Lanzhu is turning [-] this year! She is nearly ten years older than Alan Woolen cloth."

Hearing this, Ajiga raised his head in surprise and looked at Wanda.

After listening to Wang Qianhu's translation, Wanda's heart ached.

"If you ask me whether you are beautiful or Ai Lanzhu is beautiful, then I will tell the truth."

A Lan, who arrived late, stood at the door, listening to the "baa-baa" sound in his ears, and said helplessly.

"I'm telling the truth, you're going to be angry again. Hey, women are so troublesome..."

With Ajiga and Duo'er on his back, he winked at Wanda.

The author has something to say: Note 1: "Remonstrance Taizong Shi Sishu"

Yuelao: This is a red line.

Alan: Let me cut it!