In this July of the forty-eighth year of Wanli, Zheng Haizhu was not only thinking about Zhu Yipai of Lalu Mansion participating in his jewelry maritime trade.
Of course she paid attention to what was going on in the capital.
The butterfly wings changed the outcome of the Battle of Fushun, which directly led to the Battle of Sarhu not happening. However, this slight deviation of the wheel of history did not seem to allow Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun to live a few more years.
The most criticized emperor of the Ming Dynasty will soon rule Bintian.
When Zheng Haizhu set off from Songjiang to Yanzhou and went to say goodbye to Huang Zunsu and his wife, Huang Zunsu showed a vague expression of worry and eagerness to try, which obviously showed that the Donglin faction who stayed in the officialdom of the capital had sent sensitive information from the DPRK and China back to Jiangnan.
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In the past five years, Zheng Haizhu, who has become a close friend of the Huang family, has a general understanding of the activities of the Donglin sect. Leading figures such as Gao Panlong, Zou Yuanbiao, and Zhao Nanxing, while giving lectures in the field, always maintain communication with the Donglin disciples in the capital.
Bystanders know better, let alone bystanders from later generations.
Zheng Haizhu was convinced that these Donglin people showed disdain for fighting for power with the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang parties, but in fact they were only thinking about assisting Zuo Xinjun and joining the new team.
At the Yanzhou Wharf on the canal, Zheng Haizhu welcomed Dong Qichang and his eldest grandson, the sixteen-year-old Dong Ting, who accompanied him to the capital.
Dong Qichang's image among scholars was always that of a collector and connoisseur of calligraphy and paintings.
Like Xu Guangqi, who loved Western learning, he did not get involved in the fights between various parties. Just because he was in Wu, he was more or less inclined to the Donglin faction.
He also served as the teacher of the prince Zhu Changluo. He was quite popular with Zhu Changluo at that time, so he regarded himself as a Qingliu, and the Donglin sect who supported the prince was also on good terms with him.
At the juncture when the prince was about to inherit the throne, Dong Qichang came to Beijing in the same year on the pretext of being invited to appreciate calligraphy and painting. Everyone among the scholars figured out that this prince's rise was probably based on the background of the prince's former teacher.
At least I can have a good seat in the etiquette department.
As soon as the Dong family's grandparents settled down at the post house, Dong Qichang ordered Dong Ting to invite Zheng Haizhu to speak.
What cannot be said in a letter can be explained in person.
"Mrs. Zheng, the Zhejiang Party is going to make a last ditch effort to throw dirty water on the Songjiang switch. The reason is related to the Jurchens stealing firearms. What the Zhejiang Party means is that Songjiang is not far from Liaodong. In those days, officials transported money, food and military pay to Liaodong, Shandong and
There are only two docks in Nanzhili. Now Dengzhou is still a military port, but Songjiang has become a sea trade port like Zhangzhou in Fujian. The Jurchens disguised themselves as maritime merchants and entered Nanzhili. It is hard to prevent them. You have a female this time.
The true way is the clear proof.”
Zheng Haizhu thought to himself that what he and Huang Zunsu had been worried about had indeed happened.
Party strife is really unreasonable.
"Dong Gong, what does Tatar trouble have to do with the switch? In front of Mr. Long Qing, the sea ban is an iron law, but the Japanese pirates are still making troubles? The Tatars are becoming more and more capable. Wherever they can be blocked, they must defend the territory with a strong army and manage Liaodong.
, is the most important thing.”
Dong Qichang took a sip of tea and said "Huh" noncommittally.
Zheng Haizhu's defense was exactly the same as Huang Zunsu's questioning when he heard about the impeachment.
This is the truth, but trying to reason with the opposition is a waste of time.
With this understanding, Dong Qichang was ranked first in the second class of Jinshi many years ago. After entering the Hanlin Academy, he understood it soon.
Now that Dong Qichang has passed his sixtieth birthday, he is too lazy to waste time arguing the right and wrong.
If you have the time, you might as well buy a few more paintings, or like Xu Guangqi, translate a few more Thai and Western books, and plant a few acres of sweet potato fields.
It was only because Zheng Haizhu had helped prevent Dong's house from being burned down, and this woman was well-known in Songjiang and Chongming, that Dong Qichang stopped in Yanzhou to negotiate with her, partly to repay his favor and partly for business purposes.
Ways to save yourself.
Dong Qichang then changed his tone to a less formal tone, and said with a smile: "Miss Zheng, as an old man from Songjiang, I have seen that the advantages of switching outweigh the disadvantages. You don't have to make an honest statement to me. Say this to the Zhejiang Party, even more so.
It’s useless. I asked you to follow me to Beijing in my letter to meet the people you should meet.”
Zheng Haizhu listened attentively and learned that the first person Dong Qichang wanted to take her to see was Wang An, the great king of the Forbidden City.
Eunuch Wang An was the companion of Prince Zhu Changluo. As the prince's master, Dong Qichang was naturally familiar with Wang An.
According to Dong Qichang's analysis, the top eunuchs in the imperial court today include: Lu Shou, Cui Wensheng, Wang An, Zou Yi, Li Shi, and Tian Zhao.
Whose are these internal ministers? The civil servants and military generals of the outer dynasty have a clear mind.
Lu Shou was a confidant of Emperor Wanli, and he was currently sitting in the position of Chief of Ceremonies and Chief of Imprints of the Eunuch.
Cui Wensheng belongs to Concubine Zheng.
Tian Zhao was the "Li Xuanshi" in the echelon of the prince's concubines.
The only people who truly belong to the direct lineage of Prince Zhu Changluo are Wang An, Zou Yi, and Li Shi.
Among them, Wang An has the oldest qualifications and the highest level of education. In the "Euccalyptus Strike" that caused a lot of turmoil in the past, as the chief think tank of the Crown Prince Zhu Changluo, he came forward to change the relationship between Concubine Zheng and the Crown Prince, temporarily stabilizing the relationship.
Concubine Zheng ensured that Zhu Changluo would not be further disliked by his father, Emperor Wanli.
"Miss Zheng," Dong Qichang lowered his voice more and more, but said with confidence, "I want to come, after the new king ascends the throne, Lu Shouxian will stay in the post of Chief of Ceremonies for a while, just to show off. Cui Wensheng will definitely be promoted.
In order to appease Concubine Zheng Guifei and the Zhejiang Party behind her, Tian Zhao will also promote Bingbi. After all, Li Xuanshi is now the most favored by the prince. The remaining three Bingbi positions are Wang, Zou and Li.
They have all been the prince’s father-in-law.”
In the political struggles of the past dynasties, personnel arrangements are the first priority.
Zheng Haizhu, who was bombarded by Dong Qichang's information, sorted out the clues and continued: "So, the prince will do some writing first. It seems that he is on an equal footing with Cui Eunuch and Tian Eunuch. The new king can even be in charge of the fourth division, eight bureaus and ten bureaus."
When he was the second prisoner, the fertile fields were allocated to Eunuch Zou and Eunuch Li, who were both his direct descendants. However, the position really reserved for Wang Gonggong was that of the Chief of Ceremonies. If Eunuch Lu was aware of current affairs, he should have resigned and let Wang Eunuch take over.
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Dong Qichang smiled and nodded, thinking that this woman is not bad, she is not only bloody and brave, but also has a clear mind.
The shrewd Songjiang man continued to speak clearly: "Miss Zheng, Eunuch Wang will soon have a bright future. He is also the boss of Liu Shimin in the Weaving Bureau, and you have a close relationship with Eunuch Liu. So, I will first
Lead you to see the prince. On the matter of establishing the crown prince, the prince is standing side by side with the Donglin people, but he must have his own plan. If he really wants to lose his soldiers to save the car, and betray other factions in the dynasty, don't let you go.
Become an abandoned son with Mr. Huang, and look for other pawns."
After Dong Qichang finished speaking, he glanced at Dong Ting, who was standing quietly beside him.
Although the sons are not wild and dandy, most of them are dull and incompetent. The second son, Dong Zuchang, is so henpecked that his wife, Yin Shi, publicizes him everywhere and makes him a joke to Songjiang scholars.
Only this eldest grandson, Dong Ting, was cautious in his words and deeds at a young age, had a calm temperament, and seemed to be promising, so Dong Qichang came to Beijing this time to wait for his return as an official, and took Dong Ting with him.
Dong Ting quickly echoed his grandfather's gaze. The young man understood that what his grandfather meant was to listen, learn, and write it down. The eight-part essay is just a stepping stone. If you really enter the officialdom, what I said to Mrs. Zheng will be used.
Get.
Dong Ting then bowed down, poured a cup of tea, and brought it to Zheng Haizhu.
Zheng Haizhu returned the gift to the young man, but still looked pious and asked Dong Qichang: "Thanks to Mr. Dong for taking care of and guiding the way, who is the second person you want to see?"
"Of course it's the military department that's responsible for the matter, Yang Lian."