The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Zhu Houzhao, dressed in fine clothes, came closer and circled around Zhang Cong, smiling and saying:

"Are you willing to be my son?"

"???" Zhang Cong.

If I could inherit the country, of course I would, dad.

But hearing this is a test. If you agree, you might be kicked out of the capital.

"Students don't dare. This will bring shame to the new emperor."

Zhang Cong felt uneasy. He heard that Zhu Houzhao liked eunuchs. Although he was married, he did not want to be castrated.

Zhu Houzhao will definitely retaliate, and he may not be able to leave the capital safely.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao's eyes became serious, "If you fail to pass the exam, I will have you killed."

"...It's so difficult to get the No. 1 exam. A lowly person can't even pass the examination?" Zhang Cong complained in his heart.

Yan Chengjin did not dissuade him. He could not control Zhu Houzhao's thoughts.

"If you are really killed by me, it means you are not a lucky person." Zhu Houzhao said nonchalantly.

Gu Da took the bundle in his hand and threw it to Zhang Cong.

It's mid-April now, and there are still four months before Qiuwei, enough time for Zhang Cong to hug his thigh temporarily.

…

The teeth are broken and the house collapses.

Zhang Cong entered the room with Yan Chengjin's manuscript.

Scholars like to read in peace, so there are only two people living in this collapsed room. When the other scholar saw Zhang Cong coming back, he quickly got up and bowed.

"Brother Bingyong has just returned. Do you have food?"

"Oops, it's too late to eat. Brother Gongjin, come over and take a look. This is a manuscript given by a great scholar. Maybe I will take the exam this year."

Zhang Cong closed all the windows in the room and then eagerly spread out the manuscript on the desk.

Xia Yan went up to take a look and saw that it was the answer sheet for the number one scholar in the provincial examination and the joint examination in previous years, as well as the examination questions.

He was also a failed candidate.

I had mixed feelings when I saw these answer sheets.

"Brother Bingyong, where did you get these?"

Zhu Houzhao gave it to me. Who else but him could get such an answer sheet? Zhang Cong glanced at the window and whispered: "The new emperor gave it to me."

"New...new emperor!"

Xia Yan looked at Zhang Cong in disbelief.

This man was down and out. After meeting him in Liangxiang, he had been eating and drinking with him. How could he meet the new emperor?

"Really...really?"

"I won't tell you anymore. Look, after the provincial examination, the general examination is not far away." Zhang Cong quickly took the time to memorize it.

………

Zhu Houzhao issued an order to build more than 120 granaries in prefectures and counties across the country.

The imperial court used silver to purchase chestnuts and grain from the people.

Officials from all over the country went to the Household Department to ask for money. Wang Qiong hesitated: "The imperial court cannot allocate all at once. We still need to wait for the spices to be transported to the capital."

This time the spices brought by the Tang and Song Dynasties will be more than last time.

There are hundreds of warehouses in all prefectures and counties in the world that need repairs, which costs a lot of money.

Return to the East Palace and close the door.

"Wang Shouren has returned with a secret message." Yan Chengjin pulled out an envelope from his chest.

Zhu Houzhao had been waiting for many days, with a look of urgency on his face.

Four French cannons were sent.

If he still can't defeat Osman in this way, then he will have to go to the Tang and Song Dynasties to conquer in person.

"Lao Gao, do you have a map?"

"What is the new emperor thinking?" Yan Chengjin couldn't help but curse.

"..." Zhu Houzhao.

Yan Chengjin took this secret letter into the palace and took huge risks.

Normally, after reading it, he would immediately burn the letter and then verbally convey it to Zhu Houzhao. However, thinking that this man might not believe it, he brought the secret letter into the palace.

After a while, he felt relieved when he saw Zhu Houzhao burned with his own eyes.

"Without a map, how do I know where I'm hitting?"

Yan Chengjin walked to the imperial case, drew the shape of a bent man, and then drew a dot on the edge, "This is the Basra port that Wang Shouren said."

It is still thousands of miles away from the Ottoman royal city of Istanbul.

When Zhu Houzhao saw that the idiot had finally not wasted his money, he couldn't help but asked: "How much more money do you need?"

"I don't know, but if Liu Jin can find the Golden State, there will be no shortage of money."

Zhu Houzhao stared at the map for a long time.

Yan Chengjin tore it up and threw it into the brazier nearby. He then took out the brazier from the lamp stand and watched the picture burn up.

In early May, the capital became increasingly hot.

The imperial court began to select examiners for the provincial examinations.

Although the number of scholars has increased, the number of students admitted has remained almost the same.

This tests the examiner's question-setting skills, so it is generally composed of a bachelor and an official from the six departments.

After thinking carefully for a few days, the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi looked at Zhu Houzhao and said, "Come and make the decision."

Zhu Houzhao wanted to appoint Yan Chengjin, so he said, "Then let me and Lao Gao do it."

In this way, Zhang Cong can always pass the exam, right?

"Your Majesty cannot preside over the provincial examination. Please ask the new emperor to choose another person." Li Dongyang looked serious.

Yan Chengjin's heart moved slightly. He didn't want to be locked up in the Gongyuan for several days, but Zhu Houzhao obviously wanted to trick him.

"I want to expose this."

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi and Li Dongyang all looked over.

"I have a personal relationship with Zhang Cong. Although it is not a teacher-student relationship, I have given him some pointers. I cannot serve as the examiner."

Mao Ji, the Minister of Rites, nodded, this is indeed inconvenient.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi raised his head again and asked, "What do you want to expose?"

"The new emperor gave Zhang Cai the test questions from the previous provincial and national examinations, as well as the answer sheets from Jieyuan and Huiyuan." Yan Chengjin said

This was also for Zhang Con. If Zhang Con was criticized, he would be tricked by Zhu Houzhao.

For a moment, the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi felt itchy in his hands.

Li Dongyang raised his eyes slightly and looked at Zhu Houzhao. The new emperor handed the answer sheet to the examinee, which was not considered selling questions, but who knew if he gave him other things?

All along, the officials were afraid that Zhu Houzhao would disrupt the imperial examination.

This was a major event for the court to recruit scholars, and it should not be taken lightly.

Zhu Houzhao did not care when he heard Yan Chengjin say this.

The retired emperor Hongzhi said: "Then let the family of Mao Qing from the Ministry of Rites and the family of Zhang Qing from the Ministry of Personnel take the position."

...

The retired emperor Hongzhi walked out of the side hall, but after a few steps, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Wang Xian, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of War, who was rushing here from behind.

"Your servant Wang Xian, I pay my respects to the retired emperor."

"What's the matter?"

"Duke Dingguo has fought his way out of Gansu, advancing all the way to Tubo, and led his army into the territory of the Turks."

The retired emperor Hongzhi raised his eyebrows slightly. Who asked him to send troops?

Wang Xian continued, "Fortunately, we won a great victory, but the new emperor once said that he would count his military merits. What do you think, Grand Emperor?"

If military merits were counted, both of Xu Guangzuo's sons would be granted titles, at least as a hundred households of the Jinyiwei.

But his sons were not officials, and the court did not ask him to take two civilians with him to fight.

Besides, it was not the court's order to go out and kill the Turks.

After reading the memorial, Grand Emperor Hongzhi was slightly stunned.

Wang Xian continued, "Military generals cannot be granted titles without military merits, and military merits are divided into different categories such as capturing alive, beheading, leading, and extraordinary merits. They can also be divided into the difficulty of the place, the urgency of the situation, and the severity of the matter. They cannot be generalized."

If the enemy army surrounded the capital and cut off the head, this would be an extraordinary merit under special circumstances.

He should be granted a title.

But Duke Dingguo went to another country to kill people for no reason. This is not valid in terms of urgency, and he still needs to be convicted.

The retired emperor Hongzhi said calmly: "Burn this victory report."

"But... the new emperor has issued an imperial decree to Duke Dingguo, which counts as military merit." Wang Xian looked up.

I have something to do today, so I'm sorry I can only update twice. Finally, I ask for monthly tickets. Thank you everyone~