The carriage swayed forward, and the sounds of vendors and the noise of the market kept coming from outside.
Zhu Qiyu sat steadily in the car. After asking this question, he looked at Cheng Jing calmly, with no expression on his face.
In his previous life, he trusted Cheng Jing very much and even used him more highly than Xing'an. He appointed many eunuchs recommended by Cheng Jing.
But after experiencing the Nangong Restoration, Zhu Qiyu always had an insurmountable hurdle in his heart.
That was Cao Jixiang, one of the masterminds of the coup, who was initially recommended by Cheng Jing...
After resurrecting his life, Zhu Qiyu also secretly investigated, but could never find any previous involvement between Cheng Jing and Cao Jixiang.
Cheng Jing thought for a while and replied: "When the eunuchs were in the palace, they were favored by the late emperor. They stayed in the study with Wang Zhen and others for a while, and taught the eunuchs how to read and write. There are some people who are familiar with them.
But since the emperor ascended the throne, he placed Wang Zhen in a high position. Therefore, most of the people I know well in the officialdom are not put in high priority. If there are a few who can be used..."
The inner study room was set up by the late emperor. During the time of Taizu, the eunuchs were not allowed to read. However, when the late emperor promoted the ministers of ceremony to share the pressure of government affairs, they naturally could not let these eunuchs be illiterate, so the inner study room was established.
Cheng Jing was born as a Jinshi, and was sent to the palace as a punishment for his crime. His knowledge is naturally top-notch, and he is more than qualified to serve as an instructor in the inner study.
In addition to Cheng Jing, Wang Zhen and Jin Ying also served as instructors in the inner study room. Needless to say, Jin Ying also had a reputation as a scholar before entering the palace. At that time, the inner study room was first established, so it was not surprising that he was sent to be an instructor.
Cheng Jing’s words actually made it very clear.
Among the eunuchs, factions are also very important. Every eunuch who enters the palace must have a senior eunuch as his "godfather" and have a big tree at his back to gain a firm foothold.
After the establishment of the inner study room, another layer of teacher-student relationship was added.
Since Wang Zhen is the instructor in the inner study, after he takes office, he will naturally use his own people. In contrast, Cheng Jing's lineage, who was expelled from the palace, will naturally be pushed to the edge.
You know, the struggle between the eunuchs is no easier than that of the outer court, and it is even more cruel. Cheng Jing can still have a few familiar people to gain a foothold in the palace, which is already pretty good...
Zhu Qiyu looked unmoved and continued to ask: "Who is there?"
Cheng Jing said: "The most important ones are Wang Cheng, the Young Superintendent of the Internal Affairs Bureau, Zhang Yong, the Superintendent of the Zhidian Supervisor, Zheng Shuliang, the Secretary of the Xixin Department, and Wang Qin, the deputy envoy of the Huanyi Bureau..."
Zhu Qiyu nodded, it was indeed not an important position.
He was familiar with these names. They were all recommended to him by Cheng Jing in his previous life, and they were very loyal and useful.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Qiyu asked: "Have you ever heard of Cao Jixiang?"
Cheng Jing was a little surprised. He didn't know what Zhu Qiyu meant, but he still answered: "I know, this person is a eunuch of the Department and belongs to Wang Zhen's party. However, the ministers have no contact with him. It is said that now, he is in Zhejiang under the holy order."
Supervise the army."
No contact?
So why did Cheng Jing try to protect him in the first place?
Zhu Qiyu frowned and didn't ask any more questions.
Now was not the time to investigate this. Cheng Jing's words just now reminded him that although Cheng Jing recommended Cao Jixiang, there were many other people recommended by Cheng Jing besides Cao Jixiang.
After all, he was born in the palace and once served as an instructor in the inner study, so there were many people available to him.
Except for Cao Jixiang, most of the other people recommended by Cheng Jing were loyal even though they made some minor mistakes.
Especially the Shu Liang, Wang Qin and others mentioned just now were all his trusted internal officials in the end, and they never betrayed him until their death.
There may be another hidden secret behind Cao Jixiang's case, but at least for now, it seems that Cheng Jing is still credible.
After thinking for a while, Zhu Qiyu said, "You just said that Shu Liang is now working in the Salary Cherishing Department?"
Cheng Jing nodded.
There are twenty-four yamen in the palace, namely twelve supervisors, four divisions, and eight bureaus.
Among them, the Twelve Supervisors basically manage various ceremonial guards, cleaning and other chores in the palace, the Fourth Bureau is responsible for the supply of daily items needed in the palace, and the Eighth Bureau is more responsible for various purchasing chores outside the palace.
.
Among them, the most valuable ones are the twelve eunuchs, because they are responsible for the affairs of the palace, and they often have access to the nobles in the palace, and they may have the opportunity to be reused.
As for the Fourth Division and the Eighth Bureau, they are responsible for different affairs and have different statuses.
The Xixin Division is in charge of the fuel used in the palace. It does not have much oil and water, so it can be regarded as a neither high nor low yamen.
After pondering for a moment, Zhu Qiyu said a few words in Cheng Jing's ear. After Cheng Jing listened, he cupped his hands and got off the carriage in front...
…………
Not long after, Zhu Qiyu arrived at the palace, changed his clothes under the service of the maids, and then called Mrs. Wang over.
In Jingyang Palace, he recalled that Qingzhu had deliberately mentioned that Mrs. Wang went to see Concubine Wu Xian in the early morning, and the people sent by the Queen Mother arrived in the afternoon.
Before leaving the palace, Concubine Wu Xian frequently mentioned the Wang family and even talked about beads. How could Zhu Qiyu not understand what she meant?
Concubine Wu Xian must have noticed Queen Mother Sun's actions, so she told the Wang family in advance what was inconvenient to say...
Not long after, Mr. Wang walked in. As soon as he entered, Zhu Qiyu waved away the serving maids, leaving only Xing'an and Liu Huan.
After listening to Zhu Qiyu's narration, Mrs. Wang was suddenly startled. She grabbed his sleeve and asked nervously: "So... the mother-in-law is under house arrest?"
Zhu Qiyu shook his head and said: "It is not yet under house arrest. After all, nothing has happened yet. The Queen Mother is unknown and will be opposed by the foreign court. However, monitoring and restricting movements are certain. According to Aunt Qingzhu, the Queen Mother is now
We can only go to Cining Palace and Kunning Palace. I’m afraid I won’t be able to go to other places..."
"By the way, do you have anything to tell you before you leave the palace?"
Wang thought for a while, took out an exquisite sachet from her sleeve, handed it to Zhu Qiyu, and said: "I didn't say anything, I just asked me to give this sachet to the prince."
Zhu Qiyu took the sachet and looked through it for a moment.
Before leaving the palace, Concubine Wu Xian also talked about this, saying that she had sewed a sachet and wanted to put a bead that he had worn when he was young into it, so she asked Wang to take it back to the palace and specifically asked her to take it back to her.
Zhu Qiyu agreed at that time, but he understood at that time that this was Mrs. Wu's reminder to him that he must come to see Mr. Wang after he came back.
He did have a bead, which was given by the late emperor, but because he was naughty when he was young, the bead had been lost long ago. Wu had been looking for it for a long time, but could not find it. How could it be in Prince Yin's Mansion?
Thinking of Wu's expression when he spoke, Zhu Qiyu suddenly turned his head and said: "Xing'an, bring a pair of scissors."
Xing'an nodded, and soon came back from outside and handed over a pair of small scissors.
Zhu Qiyu picked up the scissors, carefully opened the sachet along the stitches, and poured the fragrant powder inside into the bowl. However, it was just ordinary fragrant powder.
Seeing him frowning, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but asked worriedly: "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
"Before my concubine left the palace, she specifically asked me to come to see you and asked you to send the sachet back tomorrow. I thought there was some mystery in it, but..."
Looking at the fragrant powder in the bowl, Zhu Qiyu frowned. If there is nothing hidden in the sachet, then where is the mystery?
After hearing this, Mrs. Wang reached out and scratched among the scented powder for a moment, then picked up the sachet and pinched it, with a look of surprise on her face. Then she picked up the scissors on the table and cut open the top of the sachet.
"Your Majesty, there is a mezzanine..."
Mrs. Wang handed the sachet over, and Zhu Qiyu took a look. Sure enough, there was a layer of brocade sewn between the outer silk and the inner lining of the sachet.
After completely removing the lining, he took out the brocade silk along the stitches and spread it on the table. Only then did Zhu Qiyu look at it carefully.
Meng Ying, the commander of Qianshi, Chen Cheng, the young minister of Guanglu Temple, Liu Wen, the doctor of the Ministry of official affairs, and Li Kan, the chief minister of household affairs.
, Li Ke gave Zhou Jian to Shi Zhong, Shanxi Tao Supervisory Censor Li Ying...
"This is……"
Mrs. Wang leaned over and looked at the same, but she was not familiar with government affairs, so she was naturally confused. She could only roughly understand that this was a list of courtiers, there were about twenty or thirty people, from official positions to
Look, there seem to be quite a few important ministers.
Zhu Qiyu pondered for a moment and then said: "If I guessed correctly, this should be the list of courtiers that the Queen Mother can influence in the outer court."
The Empress Dowager Sun was influential in the court, which Zhu Qiyu had known for a long time.
After all, she has been in charge of the Sixth Palace for many years and has been the Queen Mother for so many years. Even if she does not deliberately manage her power, there will still be many officials from other dynasties who want to be reused through her.
Over the years, this force cannot be underestimated.