The Forbidden City with red walls and yellow tiles in Beijing is located in the Yangxin Hall on the west side of the Qianqing Gate, and the three auxiliary ministers of the cabinet, Zhang Siwei, Shen Shixing, and Yu Youding, are waiting for Emperor Wanli.

Ming generation, since the Hongwu period after the Hu Weiyong case will not set up a prime minister, Zhu Yuanzhang thinks that the monarchy is no longer constrained by the power of the prime minister, from then on can be the sole proprietor, but I don't know that it backfires, with the increasing complexity of the government, it is more and more difficult for the emperors of later generations to do it personally, so from the Yongle period to set up a cabinet to assist in government affairs, after more than 100 years of ups and downs, the cabinet in the Wanli period is at its peak, the power of the first assistant is extremely heavy, even above the prime minister of the previous dynasty, and the cabinet ministers below the second assistant can not compete with it.

Zhang Siwei, who was about to leave the position of first assistant, looked sad and calm, and had the prestige and demeanor of a cabinet minister, because in the past twelve hours, he had arranged everything intensively, and after negotiating with Shen Shixing, he summoned many fellow party members to make plans, choose succession, contact party henchmen, and install henchmen...... Even after leaving the Gyeonggi region, he was still able to exert influence on the government until it regained 27 months later.

Shen Shixing, who is about to ascend to the position of first assistant, anyone with a discerning eye can see that his sad appearance is pretended to be for Zhang Siwei, and the mental excitement caused by the joy in his heart is on his face, and he is a little uneasy, as if he is a little embarrassed because his promotion is based on Zhang Siwei's worries - all in all, the gains and losses of a good old man.

Sanfu Yu Youding saw this scene in his eyes, and secretly sighed in his heart.

In the forty-first year of Jiajing, the top three are Shen Shixing, Wang Cijue, and Yu Youding, and the three of them are under the door of Yuan Wei, the prime minister of Qingci, so Yu Youding is very clear about Shen Shixing's details.

Yuan Wei relied on writing green words for Emperor Jiajing to enter the cabinet, every time there was an entertainment text or the emperor sent to write the Xuanzhu Jiao Chapter, and even an important article in the Hanlin Museum, he had to ask these three protégés to go to his private house to ghostwrite and draft. Yu Youding and Yuan Wei are in the same county, and once Yuan Wei actually scolded: How did you get the name "Youding", you should be called "Yu Baiding".

Yuan Wei was mean and ugly, and asked his protégé to write for him, but he didn't even prepare food, wine, and food, and locked the door to prevent them from going out. Rao is like this, Shen Shixing, Wang Cijue, and Yu Youding don't dare to complain, just promise.

In the flick of his fingers in the past twenty years, two of the three [***] silks who were forced back then actually became cabinet ministers, and Shen Shixing, who was hungry and yellow and thin-skinned in Yuan Wei's mansion, was about to ascend to the top of the first assistant! Yu Youding can only sigh with emotion at this moment.

Since the year of Jiajing, Xia Yan, Yan Song, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng, regardless of loyalty, at least their talents are all masterpieces, even Zhang Siwei, who is about to go to the throne, is also a forbearant and vicious, scheming, really terrifying guy, who would have thought that Shen Shixing, this guy, could also take the turn to sit in the position of the first assistant?

Yu Youding didn't know that compared with the world-famous first assistants in front of him, Shen Shixing was definitely not even a scumbag in terms of ability, and his ability to pretend to be stupid and stunned on both sides and mud was far superior to his predecessors: Zhang Juzheng was the first assistant, he tried his best to do his job, Wanli and Zhang Siwei wanted to overthrow the Jiangling Party, but he was a member of the Jiangling Party but did not resist at all, and when Wanli wanted to copy the Jiangling Zhang family, he went to the table to persuade him tactfully.

In the original history, Shen Shixing worked steadily for nine years as the first assistant, and his political achievements were summed up in three words, he was fifty-seven years old, did not do any good things and did not do anything bad, and died at the age of eighty...... The three cabinet assistants who were at the peak of Wenchen had their own thoughts, and waited quietly in the Yangxin Palace for a long time, Zhang Siwei wanted Ding to worry, and Shen Shixing was expected to succeed him.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty is at Zheng Niangniang's," the little eunuch just said, and the older eunuch next to him glared at him fiercely, and the little eunuch suddenly looked unsightly, closed his mouth and didn't dare to answer again.

Yu Youding smiled bitterly, the Wang family, who gave birth to the emperor's eldest son, was named Concubine Gong, and the Zheng family, who also gave birth to the prince a little later, was named the imperial concubine. This is a big violation of the national and Korean system, and you have to fight with him no matter what...... The atmosphere in the palace was indeed strange, the eunuchs and palace maids walked in a hurry, their expressions were sneaky when they talked, and an invisible depression permeated the Forbidden City.

If the royal family is like a towering tree, they are vines that cling to the tree, and they are naturally attached to the strong and bullying the weak.

But the question before them at the moment is, who is the strong man to rely on?

The Ming Dynasty has always had a grandson, no grandson, Zheng Niangniang certainly favored the crown of the six palaces, but Wang Gongfei gave birth to the emperor's eldest son, because the queen has no concubine - it seems that there will be no chance in the future, because Wanli does not go to the Kunning Palace where she lives at all, then the emperor's eldest son Zhu Changluo will definitely become the prince, the mother is expensive by her son, in the future, Wanli Dragon will control Bintian, Zhu Changluo will succeed the unification, and Wang Gongfei is naturally the status of today's Empress Dowager Li.

It's just confusing, the Wang family who gave birth to the emperor's eldest son was only named Concubine Gong, and the Zheng family, who gave birth to the second son, was named the imperial concubine, only one step away from the queen, who knows if His Majesty has the intention of abolishing the elder and younger? That Zheng Niangniang's methods are amazing, if they rush to Feng Wang Gong and the eldest son of the emperor now, if they really abolish the elder and the youngest in the future, how should they deal with themselves?

(Cat note: It turns out that in history, Zheng Guifei gave birth to Zhu Changxun, the king of Wanli, in the fourteenth year of Wanli, because Qin Lin and Zhang Cheng helped each other, Zheng Zhen was favored in advance, so the time to give birth to children became early, and similar problems will not be explained one by one in the future, so as not to annoy the readers) The focus of this whirlpool, the Chuxiu Palace where Zheng Guifei lives in the West Sixth Palace, is celebrating with lanterns, and the little Shunzi next to Zheng Zhen shouted commandingly: "Pang Bao, Liu Cheng, what are you going to do?" How can this red lantern be older than that of Yonghe Palace? Do you look down on my little Shunzi, or do you look down on Zheng Niangniang? ”

Pang Bao and Liu Cheng are also regarded as eunuchs with heads and faces, and when they heard this sentence, their faces were as pale as earth, and they hurriedly explained: "Shun Gonggong is compassionate, we are grateful." How dare we despise Zheng Niangniang? Just because there are eight pairs of the number one horse palace lamp of the internal officials and supervisors, two pairs are hung in the Huangji Palace, two pairs are hung on the side of the Queen Mother of the two palaces, and the remaining one is in Kunning Palace and one is in Yonghe Palace. ”

Xiao Shunzi snorted coldly: "What are you doing hanging lamps in those places where Your Majesty never goes?" Who will pretend to be festive? ”

Pang Bao and Liu Cheng glanced at each other, the taste in these words was heard, yes, what are we mortals mixing when the gods fight?

Ahem, there were two dry coughs in Chuxiu Palace, followed by the casual voice of Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun: "Let you go and get it, just go and get a pair, such a trivial matter, just stir it up." ”

Pang Bao Liu Cheng immediately took the order and left, the Huangji Hall and the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces naturally can't be picked, and the queen can't afford to provoke it, that Wang Gongfei has been as black as coal since she gave birth to the emperor's eldest son, and the emperor said to pick a pair, then pick Yonghe Palace.

In the palace, the imperial concubine Zheng Zhen reclined on the bed, holding the baby in her arms, it was early autumn, the weather was not very cold, the beast fragrance was curling and the heating hit people, and the cheeks were two intoxicating redness, which was charming.

Wanli saw that his heart fluttered, and he couldn't wait to hold her in the palm of his hand, and he had to stay with her.

Zheng Zhen raised his hand and slapped him on the head, and said angrily: "Look at what I do, it's all yellow-faced!" Look at your son to be serious. ”

Seeing that the emperor's dragon head was beaten, the palace maids and eunuchs could only be speechless, this emperor's weapons are not very clever, try to beat him instead? It's just that I just serve Zheng Niangniang's set, and I don't get annoyed when I scold him, and I don't get annoyed when I beat him.

"If Concubine Ai is a yellow-faced woman, there is no beauty in the world," Wanli smiled shyly, and Zheng Zhen glanced at him, so he didn't say anything more embarrassing.

Because the eldest princess is still here! Zhu Yao'e, the eldest princess of Shouyang, who is married, Zhu Yaoyuan and Zhu Yaoji, the royal sisters to be married, and Zhu Yaoyuan, the eldest princess of Yongning, who is married, are all four sisters.

Zhu Yaoyuan and Zhu Yaoji were younger, and when they heard Xiao Shunzi asking for lanterns just now, their brother immediately ordered them to bring Yonghe Palace, and they couldn't help but feel that their sister-in-law and nephew were not worthy, and there was a look of shame on their faces.

Zhu Yao'e has been married for two or three years, but she is much more sensible than the two sisters, so she quickly made her eyes restrain her, the princess of the Ming Dynasty is just an ornament, why should she offend Concubine Zheng? provoked her to hold a grudge, only we were unlucky.

Only the eldest princess of Yongning, Zhu Yaoyuan, has no thoughts, she has lived in a simple place during this time, or she will accompany her biological mother Empress Dowager Li to recite Buddhism, and she has lived a bleak and lonely life, and finally the sisters gathered to see Zheng Guifei and the imperial nephew, which was happy in her heart, and the corners of her beautiful eyes and eyebrows carried a joy that she hadn't seen for a long time.

Wanli hindered the presence of the sisters, and it was not good to be too explicit with Zheng Zhen, so he concentrated on teasing the children, and that kind of love was something that the eldest son of the emperor had never enjoyed. If you want to say that he loves the house and Wu, there is also it, but it is strange to say, the eldest son of the emperor is more like Concubine Wang Gong, born with thin eyebrows and curved eyes, but Zheng Zhen's second son is fat and big-eared, more like the short and fat Wanli, which makes the emperor's heart naturally favor one over the other.

The kind and weak Yongning, who really likes children, is lonely these days, and when he saw that the baby was fat and cute, he couldn't help but walk over and asked softly: "Brother Huang, I, can I hug it?" ”

Wanli looked back, the smile on his face suddenly froze, his sister-in-law died before she got married, although the Liang family returned the marriage letter in time, it was not a widow, but after all, she felt a little unlucky, let her hold the child...... Yongning was stunned, stretched out his hand that was ready to hold the child and froze in the air, looking at his brother's expression, he understood, only to feel a sour heart, his already bloodless face became more and more translucent, tears swirled in his eyes, and the aggrieved and bitter pitiful look was like an innocent deer.

It's ridiculous that Wan Litian's surname is cold, and it's nothing more than the same for his own sister.

Zhu Yaoyuan, the eldest princess of Shouyang, sighed secretly when she saw this, Yongning was born to Empress Dowager Li, and she is still the sister-in-law of His Majesty's mother, but that's it, what hope do we have for those born to the concubines of the former emperor?

Only Zheng Zhen, who was leaning on the head of the bed, sneered, she looked down on Wanli as the Supreme of the Ninety-Five Dynasty from beginning to end, and she was used to doing her own thing, so she hugged her son and handed it to Yongning: "The eldest princess just hugs, I heard that whoever hugged looked like whom, I hope he will not look like his father in the future, he will be stupid and ugly, and he must be as delicate and intelligent as the eldest princess." ”

I have to say that Zheng Zhen's hope is doomed to fail, King Fu indulges in wine, and grows to three white sixty pounds when he becomes an adult, if history does not change, he will be caught by Li Zicheng, who broke through Luoyang, and a few sika deer in the pot together, cooked into a "Fulu feast".

Where did everyone at this moment think so far? The princesses heard Zheng Zhen say that Wanli was dumbfounded, so it was difficult to say anything, but Wanli was willing, and she didn't think it was angry at all.

Yongning took the baby and coaxed it, only to feel that the baby was chubby and cute, most of the grievances just now were gone, and I couldn't help but wonder: Zheng Niangniang is a good person, why are those eunuchs and palace maids afraid of her, and many people say that she is a concubine in private? I remember that even Brother-in-law Qin told me to stay away from her...... Hey, when will he return to Beijing? Although I have met Sister Xu a few times, I am embarrassed to ask this sentence...... At this time, I heard the footsteps of Suo Suo outside, and Xiao Shunzi came in with his hand down to report, saying that the three pavilion elders on the side of the Heart Cultivation Hall had been waiting for a long time, urging His Majesty to go.

Wanli frowned, he was in Chuxiu Palace, but he didn't completely ignore the government, but he hadn't made up his mind yet.

Studied under Zhang Juzheng to learn the art of the emperor, Wanli is quite clever, and he has learned a lot of tricks and tactics to check and balance, the reason why he can't make up his mind is because Shen Shixing and Yu Youding in the cabinet have something to do with the Jiangling Party, Shen Shixing has been Zhang Juzheng's assistant for a long time, and Yu Youding is also recommended by Zhang Juzheng during his serious illness as a scholar of the Ministry of Rites and a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, and participates in the maintenance of the machine, which is a bit of a taboo for Wanli.

And Shen Shixing is accustomed to pretending to be confused and mixing mud, the real facts are usual, accustomed to capable Shoufu like Zhang Juzheng, Wanli can't help but look down on Lao Shen - it's really right to say that the companion is like a tiger, the courtier is too capable, and the king thinks that he has usurped the imperial power, which is common, and looks down on him.

In terms of his heart, Wanli is intended to be Yan Qing, but Yan Qing is not from the Hanlin Academy, and he is not allowed to enter the cabinet to worship scholars according to the convention...... Wanli hesitated after thinking about it, but Zheng Zhen had already guessed the ** score, she smiled slightly, and didn't say anything, just took the child from Yongning's hand and secretly pinched him on the leg: "Yongning give me the child, this hard-working son, I hope you will take care of your aunt more." There are some bad people in the palace, they only tend to worship his brother who is the eldest son of the emperor, and what else is said outside, is such a small child a thorn in the flesh of others? ”

The baby cried, and Yongning was at a loss, with big wet eyes and a blank look.

Wanli heard the words but his heart moved, abolishing the long and young is a taboo for Confucian civil officials, if you want to do this in the future, it will definitely cause a lot of criticism, and if you don't do it, you will repeat the story of the emperor's ancestor making a big ceremony and making the government and the opposition boiling...... Shen Shixing, a good old man, has always been submissive to me, and he may come to be the first assistant......

(To be continued)