Force a good concubine

Gu Yan bit his lip and bowed his head in silence.Zheng Luan glanced at the female officer and smiled slightly: "Qiniang, you go to Liuniang's place and pass on my word that the female officials entering the palace tonight will be temporarily placed in the enclosures of the East Fifth Institute, and they will spend the same amount as them." It’s the same as the case, report back to me when it’s settled.”

A look of joy flashed across the female officer's face, she saluted neatly, and went out through the curtain.But Zheng Luan looked at her back and smiled wryly: "After copying the documents for a year, I still have such a temperament of being active and not happy. I really can't help it." She sat down behind the case, and picked up the dental plaque that the female officer casually put on the desk to look at it. Look, pick up a pen to fill out the customs defense documents for Gu Yan, hand it to Gu Yan, and motion for her to sit down beside him: "This is my youngest apprentice, I have spoiled my temper, and I don't know how to do things, I make you laugh Gu Yan, you are an examinee of Enke this year, and I am the number one scholar of Luan Yi Ke in Yanxi 36, which is considered your senior, but now you are relying on the old to sell the old, calling you 'A Yuan', isn't it a mistake?"

Seeing Gu Yuan nodding and sitting down as promised, she still hesitated to answer, smiled again, raised her finger and pointed to the opposite wall: "A Yuan, you have also stayed in the palace, do you know where the next door is? "

"It's the memorial room of Luan Yisi." Gu Yuandao, "The secretary is in charge of the daily memorial documents, and he is known as the number one assistant in the inner court, isn't he?"

"I don't dare to be the number one in the assistant government, but it can be regarded as an urgent assignment. In the 36th year of Yanxi, I entered the Luan Yisi. At first, I was just like you, just a small clerk who was favored by my mentor. After only three years, I became an official. In charge of the Neishutang, another three years, concurrently with the document study room, another year, changed to be in charge of the office, another three years, changed to the division of the Zoufang, and started again from sweeping tea and organizing documents, and after another five years, was promoted to the division It took 15 years from entering Luan Ceremony to becoming an assistant government officer after Zoufang picked up the pen."

"15 years." As if remembering something, Zheng Luan shook his head with a smile, "This is the place where Qiniang spent nine years from entering Luan Ceremony to being on duty here. It took me 20 years to step in. These two people are more familiar with palace law than you, but none of them dared to ask me about the law. A Yuan, Your Majesty sent you to my subordinates Master Luan Yisi took over the task of learning palace law. If you are just talking nonsense for a while to please the public, explain to me right now. I don’t blame you for the sake of your innocence; if you are lucky, just Thinking that everything will be fine if you cater to His Majesty," she suddenly sank, "You must know that I, Luan Ceremony, cannot tolerate reckless, frivolous, big-talking roles!"

Gu Yan still drooped his eyelashes and pondered, as if there was something worth thinking about, and after a while, he raised his eyes: "Master Zheng, I don't know something, can I ask for advice?"

"speak."

"Hearing the meaning in Mr. Zheng's words, His Excellency can also see what His Majesty is thinking, but why does he seem to regard the matter of law repair as a scourge?"

"Today's world has been in peace for a long time, and hundreds of officials have accumulated diseases and abuses. Emperor Sejong intended to rectify it. Unfortunately, there is no holiday. Although the first emperor did not achieve anything here, he was kind, thrifty and generous, and he cherished the power of the people. Whenever there is a major event, I would rather save money from the internal treasury than add a penny to taxes. In the case of floods and droughts, I would rather let the lower officials receive relief indiscriminately, and I will never be harsh. Over the past few decades, although some villains have occasionally caused trouble, it is not harmful. The overall situation; Your Majesty today is diligent in governing and caring for the people, similar to the previous emperor, but his spirit of hard work is no less than that of Emperor Sejong." Zheng Luan looked at ease, as if he was not disrespecting the monarch, but gossiping with Gu Yuan, "In the peaceful years of the dynasties, Zhongxing is the most difficult. Your Majesty's original intention is good, but I am worried about two things."

"what's up?"

"My dynasty governs the country with benevolence and filial piety. The court selects scholars and uses the way of sages and sages. I am following the path of legalism in the cultivation of law, and it is easy to be criticized by others. If the name is not right, the words will not be right. This is one of them."

"It's called revising the law. In fact, it is necessary to reform the law. It's just that it's not easy to judge the scale. Small repairs will not help. If the change is too big, if it is not beneficial or harmful, or it is difficult to implement, there is no reason to change the law overnight. Second."

"Also, Your Majesty revises the law. Some items in the palace law and household marriage must be revised. You know the intention behind it." Law revision is a public act, but His Majesty's move is purely selfish. If you stick to this point, you will immediately muddy the water. If you start a party dispute, wouldn't it be contrary to His Majesty's original intention?This is the third. "She smiled slightly at Gu Yan, "Since you want to practice palace law, you can be regarded as the first to open up the world, but with these three points, what can you do?If you can't answer it, just study the law of the palace honestly here, and don't mention it again in the future if you practice the law. "

Gu Yuan lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly smiled at Zheng Luan: "Gu Yuan is willing to learn palace law here."

"Be careful in doing things and confuse people with big words. Fortunately, there is still some self-knowledge. Forget it!" Zheng Luan looked disappointed and stood up, "I, Luan Yisi, don't care for idlers, so you will go to the office to do some chores tomorrow. In your free time, you should read the palace laws by heart, and then come and find me when you can memorize them."

She walked out quickly as if she didn't want to take another look at Gu Yuan. Qiniang was guarding the door. When she saw her go out, she paid the order in a proper manner before she glanced at the value room: "Master, I don't understand. Yuan said that he wanted to practice the law, but he couldn't answer the water after being released by the master, how could he be self-aware?"

Zheng Luan glanced at her, with a half smile but not a smile: "Where did I put the water?"

"The master asked three questions, the first one is obviously wrong - since the repair is the palace law, how can the courtiers criticize the way of the sages? The second question seems difficult, but there is an answer in the court system - my court There is a trial strategy; only the last one is related to her own interests, but it is not a question that cannot be answered." She curled her lips as she spoke, "An outsider like me can answer it, but she has no clue , which shows that he is a person who speaks lightly of interests."

Zheng Luan smiled slightly: "If she can answer at this moment, I will be disappointed—you have also read her policy theory, which can be regarded as having something to say. If the policy theory can be written, such an outsider can easily say something. Why can't she tell the questions that come in two, three, or four?"

Seeing Qiniang's blank face, she sighed inwardly, and said in a low voice: "If you have the beauty of Duke Zhou's talent, you can be arrogance and be stingy, and the rest will be worthless."

"The master is talking about "The Analects of Confucius"."

"That's right. Children in school can also recite the words backwards. How many people can really understand and practice the truth? The most taboo thing for a smart person is to be arrogant and smart. She is willing to let go of her prejudices when she sees things that are sure. Go and examine it carefully again, and live up to my point of advice, which shows that you are really smart." Zheng Luan glanced at Qiniang, "If you can learn from her, I will be less worried about you. From tomorrow Now, you don't have to copy the documents here anymore, and go to the study room and recite the palace laws with her!"

Qiniang was surprised for a while, and only had time to say "Master", Zheng Luan had already entered the auditorium without looking back.She didn't dare to follow in, looked at the door with a thin bamboo curtain and stomped her feet, turned around and entered the guard room, and said to Gu Yuan who was waiting inside: "You are placed in the Dongwu enclosure like them, follow me stop!"

She was resentful, and her tone was very rude, but Gu Yan didn't care, and handed her the dental card and documents together, and said: "Master, please lead the way."

Qiniang raised her eyebrows: "In the Luan Ceremony Division, except for the chief and supervisor, everyone is called by their first names. Although you are not a member of the Luan Ceremony Division, since you are studying in the Luan Ceremony Division, you should be the Luan Ceremony Division." rules."

Gu Yan remained motionless, and only smiled at her: "Thank you, Qiniang, for teaching me."

"Qiniang is the top of my master's family. Only Master and Uncle Lin and Master Lu can be called." Qiniang glanced at Gu Yan again, and pointed to the tooth plate on her body, "My real name is Zheng Yan, you just call me Ah Yan is."

Her tone was still not inferior, but she saw that Gu Yan was still polite, thoughtful and calm in her words. In contrast, she showed her own evil appearance, and she couldn't help being even more unconvinced. She pouted and led Gu Yuan to Dongwu, picky all the way Gu Yuan's behavior.It's just that the more picky she is, the more stubborn she wants to be compared with Gu Yan—why is she, a newcomer who has not yet entered the Luan Ceremony, speaks more like Zheng Luan than her own disciple?

She secretly made up her mind that when she had the opportunity, she would have a private battle with Gu Yan, but she didn't know that at this moment, Lin Yuan in the secretary's room had already expected something to happen and smiled wryly at Zheng Luan: "You sent Qiniang With her? Qiniang is upright and decisive, bold and responsible, but she is a material for opening the way, but her temper-hey! I know you intend to test Gu Yuan's way of employing people, but it is the people under your hands, The only one who can make Qiniang obediently obey is the eldest lady, isn't it too difficult to use her as Gu Yan's test questions?"

"If you can't do it, continue to learn the law of the palace. If you can't do it in a year, you can learn it for a year. If you can't do it in ten years, you can learn it for ten years." Knowing and employing people is very important for what can be done by one person. If even one Qiniang can't be used well, how will you deal with others in the future?"

"If Your Majesty orders—"

"Your Majesty told the imperial physician today that he accidentally knocked over the tea bowl, and it happened to be the right time for Gu Yuanzhao." Zheng Luan closed the tea bowl, looked up at Lin Yuan, and the smile on his lips grew stronger. Yuan's mind is clearer than mine, what do you think His Majesty will get angry about?"

"Your Majesty has already mentioned to me clearly that Luan Yisi will protect Gu Yuan for three years, and after three years, His Majesty will arrange for the succession; but according to Gu Yuan's answer to me that day, it doesn't mean that." Lin Yuan continued. After carefully recalling Gu Yuan's expression and words that day, he suddenly laughed, "Interesting, interesting, does she, a little female official, also want to protect His Majesty from the wind and rain?"

"That's right." Zheng Luan's tone was also a little more emotional, "She and His Majesty only met each other, and then she took the initiative to bring up the matter of law revision, and her words went straight to the point that you and I would not dare to do lightly, and she was clearly worried that His Majesty will not be in power soon. , there is no one left or right, I want to accompany Your Majesty to open the way for the New Deal——When I read the Records of the Taizu, I only thought that the heroic spirit of empress Shengwen who wrote a letter at the Meridian Gate and shared the history was the only one in the ages, but I don’t want to see another one now. , is this the fate you mentioned?"

It's just that such arrogance, if placed on short-sighted and incompetent people, is the source of chaos and confusion. I don't know how much her talent and vision can compare with Queen Shengwen's?

Seeing that Lin Yuan was still sighing, Zheng Luan smiled, swallowed the remaining words along with the strong tea in his mouth, and put the tea bowl back in Lin Yuan's hand.Only then did Lin Yuan come to his senses, lifted the lid of the bowl and took a look, his expression changed immediately: "Why did you drink all of it, and why didn't you leave some for me?"

Zheng Luan saw that she was out of breath, half angry and half funny: "It's not a good tea. There is a big pot in the copper samovar, which you don't like as much. You just come to grab my tea all day long. At such an age, how can I change it?" Don't get rid of this problem, and don't be afraid of disciples making jokes behind their backs?"

"They don't care about taking care of you, how dare they chew my tongue?" Lin Yuan frowned, "You have trouble sleeping well, but at such an old age, you still like to drink strong tea, I won't drink some for you , you can’t close your eyelids at night, what should you do if you burn yourself out?”

"When I was young, I stayed up late a lot, and I fell in love with it without knowing it. I can't change it." Zheng Luan looked at her with a smile, and sighed softly, "It's better to be a martial arts practitioner like you. When I was on duty, I couldn't change it." I have never seen you drink the bitter tea soup, but it has the same spirit."

"Who told you to keep your mouth full of power and confusion, and refuse to learn the art of breathing and guiding from me?" Lin Yuan glared at Zheng Luan with hatred, got up and turned to her back, rubbing his hands to warm up, " There is no one in the duty room at the moment, you close your eyes and rest up, don't talk."

"No need today." Zheng Luan leaned back against Lin Yuan, although his eyes were closed, but there was a smile on his lips, "Your Majesty injured his hand. The people in the Luan Ceremony Division rose up. When I go to the Compassionate Palace to pay my respects tomorrow, the Queen Mother will definitely ask. Seeing what Your Majesty means, it should be to bear it all by myself and leave Gu Yuan completely behind, but Gu Yuan today Calls during the day cannot be concealed from others. This time, the Empress Dowager can't find out, can't she think of it? As long as there is suspicion, even if there is no evidence, it becomes evidence. If your majesty is concerned, you will be confused, and the joint will be momentary Unexpectedly, if we two old fellows don't think of a way to share our worries at this moment, the queen mother will have a prejudice against Gu Yuan, and it will be difficult for Gu Yuan to gain a foothold in the palace no matter how familiar he is with Gong Law in the future."

"I have an idea." Lin Yuan hugged Zheng Luan's shoulders, making her lean on him more comfortably, "No matter how an outsider argues about this kind of thing, it's just scratching the surface. The Queen Mother is always sensible and kind, so it's better to use the bottom of the pot to draw salary." way."

"What way?"

"Your Majesty will not be angry with the Queen Mother no matter how you explain it, and we don't have to ignore it. What about Gu Yuan?" Lin Yuan pondered slightly, "I remember that Emperor Sejong also mentioned revising the law and ordered Princess Beiwu to compose the law. A draft is for reference, but Princess Beiwu passed away early, and King Beiwu committed suicide to accompany him. Emperor Sejong, when he was in pain, offered the manuscript of this draft in the small Buddhist hall, and never mentioned it again. Now Gu Since Yuan wants to practice law, why not arrange for her to go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to copy a copy after studying every day, and let her explain the empress dowager's prejudices by herself, wouldn't it be more appropriate for us to speak for her?"