Chapter 685: It's all a heavy burden

Since the owner's family moved to Beijing, there are only a few housekeepers and some generals left in the Baoding Hou Mansion in Nanjing. Although the rules of the Baoding Hou Mansion are big, there is no personal control at the top, and the bottom is naturally lawless, and it is useless to repair the house in a few years, but everyone has a lot of money in their pockets. In addition, in addition to transporting some local products to Beijing, the rest of the production of several granges in the south of the Yangtze River are sold on the spot for discounted money, which is an incredible number. So, at first, the steward who was still a little muttered about staying behind now no one wants to lose this fat and oily shortage, when Zhang Yue came to the door to borrow someone, several people were surprised, they didn't dare to offend, and immediately smiled and agreed.

At this time, an old steward accompanied Zhang Yue to count the dozen or so people, and looked at this master with no expression, so he smiled and said: "Third young master, it's not that the little ones are perfunctory, but they can't get rid of people here." Although Jiangnan is said to be a place of ointment, the tax is too high, and all the villages have to be watched. Don't look at them looking inconspicuous, most of them have guarded Liaodong with their old husband, this ...... This, and him, once fought with Liaodong women! ”

Zhang Yue had already visited Mu Xin and Xu Jinghuang and other Nanjing nobles before, borrowed a lot of strong family members, and transferred more than 20 people from the British Gong Zhang Fu's estates in Nanjing, and now he came to the Meng family, he didn't care about the number of people, but it was just for a little meaning. However, after dealing with these stewards, he gradually became a little dissatisfied in his heart. The Meng family stayed behind in Nanjing are all such treacherous people, and now he has to hide it when he comes in person, so what about others?

These men, who claim to have fought with Liaodong women, are still a little tough, but one of them broke his left hand at elbow, one was blind in one eye, and the other three looked thin. They were all half-worn coarse cloth shirts and green cloth shoes, which looked undesirable in this house. At this time, he couldn't help muttering, if he was really injured on the battlefield, he should be born and raised, and inspire his subordinates to work hard in the future, how can there be any reason to look at it like this?

Therefore, as soon as he groaned, he turned his head coldly and stared at the old steward: "Did they really follow the old man to guard Liaodong?" ”

When he asked, the old steward didn't have time to answer, and the man with a broken elbow replied in a rough voice: "If this young master doesn't believe it, you can let this old man behind you try our skills!" Don't look at the fact that there are still a lot of five big and three thick family members in this house, but they are just silver-like pewter gun heads, which are useless! Don't look at some of us who are old and some are disabled, the old man and the young master are not happy to ask us to make it, compared to these villains who only know how to hold money, we at least live a dignified life! ”

The old housekeeper's face suddenly turned blue and white, and he didn't care that Zhang Yue was beside him, so he opened his mouth and scolded: "I don't know what to do, I have been talking nonsense with your husband for a few years!" Since you say so, I don't dare to ask you to follow and protect the third young master, so I have to pick a better ......."

Zhang Yue was about to speak, when he heard Peng Shisan behind him whisper a sentence, and saw that these five people were standing as straight as a benchmark, and several stewards changed their faces under their aggressive gaze, so they shouted in a deep voice: "It's the five of them, no one else needs it!" ”

He didn't care what the old steward's expression was, he looked the five veterans up and down again, and then said word by word: "I don't say anything to you about loyalty and kindness, all I want is orders and prohibitions." When Mrs. Ping Ping is done, I will go to Baoding Hou for you to ask for credit. My Zhang Yue has always been a man of his word, whether you want to make a contribution to yourself, or want to seek a future for your children's descendants, as long as you do your best, you will naturally have everything at that time! ”

Zhang Yue's purpose in treating people is to be different from person to person. He is protective of his relatives, sincere to his friends, lenient and strict to his subordinates, intimate and negligent to his colleagues, and most cautious to those who know nothing before. But now the situation is different, since these five people said that they are indeed good players, he put aside other concerns. But as long as they are willing to serve, what he can give is naturally a generous reward - it is true that the death of a confidant is true, but if he does not give corresponding favors, who will really give him advice?

Sure enough, as soon as the words fell, he saw that the one-armed man took a step forward first, and he actually kowtowed his head directly. With this action, the other four also knelt down one after another to answer the order, while the others picked out by the old steward were mostly stunned, and the rest also showed relieved expressions. Although a few stewards were angry, they didn't want to get along with Zhang Yue in this kind of thing, so they said a few perfunctory words, and Zhang Yue led the people away.

Out of the old Baoding Marquis Mansion, Zhang Yue whispered to Peng Shisan next to him: "How many people have you found now?" ”

"There are forty-seven in total, and if you add His Royal Highness the Prince's own one, it will be enough." Peng Shisan took the reins handed over by the little guy next to him, watched Zhang Yue turn over and get on the horse, and whispered, "Liu Guan has been on the road this morning, so there is one less trouble." It's just that young master, you are borrowing people everywhere, I'm afraid the news has already spread, and I'm afraid it's not easy to walk along the way. ”

"It's easy to walk all the way before arriving in Shandong, and as for the road after entering Shandong, I have my own way when the time comes. When they get to the British Mansion, you make arrangements and let them go first. Zhang Yue took a deep breath and smiled at Peng Shisan, "Let's go, go to Zheng Mansion on Mafu Street, and when you finish this last one, you will have a rest and set off early tomorrow morning!" ”

When I returned home from Zheng He, it was already late at night. Although the windows were open, there was no wind at all on the early summer night, and there were many chirping insects faintly outside the screens. After washing, Zhang Yue did not go to bed immediately, but wore a wide gauze robe and stood in front of the window. He didn't think that there would be any big changes in Nanjing, after all, even if Zhu Gaoxu had any influence in Nanjing earlier, he could not compare to Mu Xin and Zheng and Wang Jinghong, who controlled the defenders of Nanjing.

He has already instructed Sun Han to take leave to take care of the family at home these days, and he has also instructed Du Juan and Autumn Scar Amber to live in a simple place, and he has also instructed those old servants in the family to be conscientious. Yongle Emperor Zhu Di is considered to be an emperor who knows him and is willing to use him, but for some unspeakable reasons, he often discounts his adoption; Zhu Gaochi refused and could not use him; The country of the Ming Dynasty is now very stable, if you want to do something, if you want future generations not to fall into the earth-shattering tragedy of Tumubao, you can only protect Zhu Zhanji. After all, this crown prince has been very good to him from the beginning.

"You're going to be on the road early tomorrow morning, and you haven't slept yet?"

Feeling a hand gently pressed on his left shoulder, Zhang Yue didn't look back, just gently held the soft wattle with his right hand, and then sighed softly: "I also know that I should sleep, but I can't sleep a little." I was thinking, if my father was seriously ill, I was afraid that I would have put aside all these worries in the morning, put on my wings and fly back. The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop, and the child wants to raise but the parent is not there. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will never feel good when he goes north on this trip. ”

"You're right." Du Juan didn't withdraw his hand, and unconsciously thought of his father, "When I went with my mother to reunite with my father, I always thought that I would hate him so much, but within a few days, an inexplicable closeness was born in my heart." The bond of family affection has not been broken, but it is hidden in the place where I don't notice it on weekdays...... Now that you've got the plan in place, I don't want to say anything else to distract you. Cherish all the way. ”

"Hmm."

The palace of the king of Zhou in the capital.

Early in the morning, a small sedan chair was carried out of the West Corner Gate, and it was put down in front of the county lord Zhai sedan chair when it went out of the door. Zhu Ning, who was dressed in plain clothes, got into the Zhai sedan chair, put down the red silk curtain, and leaned back on the chair to ponder. Since Zhu Zhanji left Beijing, she has entered the palace a lot less, and she doesn't interact with any princesses and ladies on weekdays, but always asks Xiao Wu or Meng Min to come over to talk to her to relieve her boredom, or read books and practice calligraphy. It's only been half a year, and she has cultivated like an ordinary lady who doesn't listen to anything outside the window. It's just that since the fight a few days ago, she has heard some bad rumors, and she has been a little restless for several days.

"County Lord, why did the queen suddenly summon you to the palace?"

Hearing Mother Feng's question, Zhu Ning smiled casually: "I think it's the queen who is idle, talk to me to relieve your boredom." You don't have to pay attention to the miscellaneous statements outside, they are all false, just hear it. ”

"But those messages have noses and eyes, if there is a ......"

"There is no what-if, even if it is really that day, the crown prince is expected by everyone." Zhu Ning interrupted Mother Feng's words irritably, and simply closed her eyes, "The mother of the people below is in charge, the more times like this, the more you can't make trouble." ”

That being said, when he entered the palace to meet Empress Zhang and learned what happened, even Zhu Ning couldn't maintain that calm face anymore. Standing next to the dragon bed with carved dragons and beads, looking at the supreme on the bed with her eyes closed and her breath weak, she only felt her teeth chatter, and she couldn't speak when she pinched the silk handkerchief.

Empress Zhang ordered Fan Hong to watch from the side, so she withdrew with Zhu Ning, and when she got outside, she said bluntly: "It was the emperor who sent an order to see you, but now he is speechless, so I have to say it on my behalf." The imperial doctor of the Tai Hospital said that the emperor may not be able to delay it for two days, so he must be prepared. These days, I have handled all the major affairs of the court and government, and I have also set up a temporary system - the cabinet votes, and I personally approve it on behalf of the emperor, and no one in the palace is allowed to order anyone to take a step without permission. I'm the only one to worry about, and I'll have to leave the rest of my hands behind. You are the person who was regarded as a daughter when the first emperor was here, and you used to take care of the first emperor, and now I can only ask you to take care of the palace on my behalf. Aning, would you like to help me? ”

At the beginning, Zhang Guifei and Wang Guifei died one after another, there was no main concubine in the six palaces, and Queen Zhang, who was still the crown princess at the time, was in Nanjing, and Zhu Ning had to live in the Xinuan Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace to take care of Zhu Di, who was not in good health, and at the same time reluctantly controlled the six palaces. But now it is not as good as in the past, when Zhu Di regarded her as her daughter-in-law, but now her identity is not embarrassing or embarrassing. The most important thing is that Empress Zhang is not an ordinary woman, and now the emperor's illness is inseparable from indulgence.

"If the queen is in charge of government affairs, it is difficult to be distracted, and there is still a princess of Jiaxing in the palace......"

"Although Princess Jiaxing is the eldest daughter of the emperor and me, she is still young, and secondly, she has shallow experience, and she is a generation behind those concubines, so she can't suppress the scene." Empress Zhang interrupted Zhu Ning's words, and then said meaningfully, "I know that the Zhou Wangfu is now very troubled because of the dispute between the prince and the king of Runan, so I sent you to Beijing." Even if you do me a favor now, when the prince returns, I will definitely return the Zhou Palace. You know, the prince has always respected you. ”

Zhu Ning, who originally insisted on resigning, was shocked when he heard this, knowing that Zhu Zhanji had asked for his own small actions, Empress Zhang already knew everything. After pondering for a while, she knew that she would not know how to raise her mind if she resigned at this time, so she immediately gritted her teeth and said, "Since the queen said so, I will agree." ”

Seeing that Zhu Ning agreed, Empress Zhang nodded, and then gave an order behind her, and immediately two female officials forty miles away stepped forward, and she explained: "Lu Shang Palace and Li Shang Palace have been with me for many years, and Liao Ruo, the concubine in the palace, know what you have to do with them." Not only them, but I also instructed Hou Xian, the celebrant of ceremonies, and Liu Yongcheng, the eunuch of the imperial horse, but all the affairs of the palace are at your disposal. Now that the six palaces in the east and west are all closed, if anyone dares to make trouble, you can just deal with it as one, and don't care what their position is! ”

Although Zhu Di also entrusted him with palace affairs, but because he had always been ruthless to the concubines and palace maids, everyone stopped at that time, and Zhu Ning almost never dealt with anyone, but she knew that this decision was not so easy. After taking this hot potato, Zhou Wangfu may be able to be peaceful and quiet, but these concubines in the palace may have to hate themselves. You must know that if the emperor really can't afford to fall ill and even eventually ride the dragon, I don't know how many concubines and palace people will be martyred with him.

She is not a soft-hearted person, since she has made up her mind at this time, in the face of these two Shang Gong who came up to kowtow to meet her, she just nodded slightly, and then hurriedly bowed down and took the box held by Queen Zhang with both hands. Although this carved lacquered sandalwood box is light and fluttering, it contains a heavy middle palace note and the queen's private seal.

Compared to the golden seal queen's treasure that is rarely used, these two things represent the supreme authority of the queen in the harem.

"I'll leave it to you, and I'll be relieved." Empress Zhang looked at Zhu Ning, who was holding the box and curtsied, breathed a long sigh of relief, took her hand and patted it gently, "Let it go, I'm not one of those women who have soft ears and don't take responsibility, and I will never listen to people chew their tongues." In addition to the concubines, you can also take care of the princesses who have not yet come out of the cabinet, don't let them make trouble. These days, you are living in the East Warm Pavilion of Kunning Palace, and the people there are reliable. ”

Out of the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Ning hugged the carved lacquer box in his arms, and couldn't help but look up at the cloudless sky. It's already at this juncture, Zhu Zhanji and Zhang Yue...... When will the two of them come back?