Looking at the broken tea cup on the ground, Zhang Jingxiu felt very uneasy. She wanted to know why her father and the emperor had such an unpleasant quarrel.
This is something that has never happened before.
In the past, the emperor obeyed his father's words...
Faced with his daughter's thoughtful concern, Zhang Juzheng didn't say much. He just closed his eyes slightly and responded tiredly: "Yes."
This response was profound.
It seems hard to describe in words.
Driven by curiosity, Zhang Jingxiu wanted to ask what happened, but finally held back. Looking at the white hair on his father's temples, he bit his red lips in worry.
She could only bite her red lips tightly and gently knead her father's forehead to relieve his deep fatigue.
The night is already deep.
The candlelight flickered in the study, but it was stormy and rainy in the capital that night.
The next day, early morning.
After the rooster crows three times, the Taishi Mansion changed from quiet to noisy.
The servants got up before dawn, swept away the flower petals and fallen leaves blown by the wind and rain in the yard, drained the accumulated water, and prepared meals for the nobles.
Zhang Jingxiu had something on his mind and didn't sleep much all night.
As soon as it dawned, she climbed up from the embroidery bed. After hurriedly washing and dressing up, she went to her father's courtyard to pay her respects as usual.
But in the courtyard where my father lived, the door to the dormitory was closed.
After a quarrel broke out with the emperor yesterday, my father did not get up early to go to court for the first time.
Zhang Jingxiu stood in the courtyard to say hello, feeling a little at a loss.
From the room, Zhang Juzheng's old voice came: "Jing'er... go, you don't have to be grounded today. If you want to go out, bring more guards."
Zhang Jingxiu quickly responded: "Yes, daddy."
She left the yard with a light step, returned to her room, sat in front of the dressing table and thought for a while, then put on men's clothes and hurried straight to the cheap shop.
Chaoyangmen.
Cheap square.
Early in the morning, Shen Lie and Yun'er came to the shop early and started preparing today's ingredients, picking out some potatoes, peeling them, and shredding them...
While he was busy, Shen Lie felt something in his heart. He looked up and saw a beautiful lady in men's clothing walking slowly outside the door. She seemed a little lost.
Watching the beautiful lady who has been dreaming about walking into the store.
Shen Lie quickly put down the kitchen knife, took three steps in succession and walked out, wondering: "Aren't you grounded?"
Zhang Jingxiu responded listlessly: "Yeah."
Then she moved lightly and sat by the window, resting her chin and feeling worried.
Shen Lie's heart skipped a beat.
Something happened.
Looking at the worried look on her bright and pretty face, she seemed to be uneasy.
Shen Lie walked over and closed the door of the store, then walked back slowly, then tentatively asked softly: "What happened?"
Zhang Jingxiu looked at Shen Lie's concerned look, hesitated to speak, and looked around again. Zhang Kui and several guards were tying their horses outside.
Think about it.
Zhang Jingxiu still whispered what was on his mind.
"My father...hey."
Thousands of words turned into one long sigh.
Follow Zhang Jingxiu’s eloquent talk.
The atmosphere in the dark store was very depressing.
Shen Lie walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and looked at the red bricks and green tiles that were clearing outside after the rain. His heart was filled with turmoil, and he couldn't help but feel excited.
According to Zhang Jingxiu, Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty, had a big quarrel with Emperor Wanli in the study of Taishi Mansion yesterday.
This thing is really shocking.
If word spreads...
I'm afraid that the Ming Dynasty and the public will be shaken.
In the deathly silence, the air seemed to be stagnant.
Shen Lie suppressed the shock in his heart and began to quickly analyze. The emperor was old. He was already eighteen years old this year. He was no longer that child.
The emperor began to rebel.
As expected, the consequences were very serious.
If you are a young boy from an ordinary family, it is okay to be rebellious. At most, you can do a few extraordinary things.
But if the emperor becomes rebellious...
At this time, Shen Lie thought of the ridiculous things that Emperor Wanli had done after Zhang Juzheng's death.
After his mentor died of a serious illness, the young emperor felt that he had finally stood up and could get rid of the shadow left by his mentor.
He overturned all the achievements of Zhang Juzheng's reforms almost out of anger, retaining only the whipping method, and abused the Zhang family wantonly.
This caused great chaos in the court, and the officials and Emperor Wanli were at odds with each other, so that this chaos lasted throughout the Wanli Dynasty.
After all, it was the prosperous age of the Ming Dynasty that paid for Emperor Wanli's youth and frivolity.
At this time, Shen Lie thought of a question, did Emperor Wanli regret it?
There must be some.
However, after Shen Lie weighed the pros and cons, he quickly breathed a sigh of relief. According to the history he knew, Emperor Wanli did not attack Zhang Juzheng before his death.
Think about this.
Shen Lie then comforted him softly: "A little quarrel is nothing. Even couples often quarrel, not to mention emperors and generals. You don't have to worry about things in silence."
Some explanation.
Perhaps Zhang Jingxiu felt that what Shen Lie said was very reasonable, so her tightened brows relaxed and she said softly: "What you said is absolutely true."
Shen Lie smiled slightly again, but murmured in his heart. He thought of a very crucial question, why did Zhang Juzheng die a year later?
The cause of Zhang Juzheng's death is an unsolved case in history. Some say he died of hemorrhoids, while others say he died of taking too many aphrodisiacs.
Of course, this is all folklore, and most likely it is to discredit Zhang Juzheng. The real cause of death of this famous prime minister is historically a mystery.
Shen Lie's heart moved again, and he said slowly: "Jingxiu... How is your father's health?"
Zhang Jingxiu was stunned and said: "Why did you say that? My father has always been very strong."
Seeing Zhang Jingxiu's suspicious expression, Shen Lie wisely closed his mouth tightly. Now it was the Chief Minister of the Ming Dynasty who was quarreling with the emperor, and it was not his turn as a young shopkeeper to intervene.
Let's take a step at a time. This matter can only be explored slowly.
Shen Lie wisely changed the topic and said softly: "Shen has one more thing that he would like to discuss with Brother Jingxiu."
Zhang Jingxiu's mood improved a little, and he said indifferently: "But it doesn't hurt to talk."
Shen Lie looked at her face and said softly: "Shen's intention is to bring Tian Hong into the group and make him the third shopkeeper of Bianyifang."
Naturally, he wanted to recruit Tian Hong after careful consideration. As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot overwhelm a local snake, from Liutiao Street to Chaoyangmen.
Tian Hong, a member of the Imperial Guards, although he smiles and bows his head when meeting everyone, his power is actually astonishing.
The words just fell.
Zhang Jingxiu's pretty eyebrows wrinkled slightly, as if she was unhappy.
As expected by Shen Lie, it was obvious that she felt a little disgusted with Tian Hong in her heart.
Who is Tian Hong?
In the eyes of Zhang Jingxiu, a daughter of the prime minister's family, it is not worth mentioning, nor is it worth making friends with.
Looking at her, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, with a look of displeasure on her face.
Shen Lie had already expected it, so he hurriedly persuaded him: "Although Tian Hong is a little more philistine and smooth, he is cruel and ruthless, and he goes out of his way to flatter others..."
Shen Lie wanted to find some advantages in Tian Hong, but his voice became softer and softer as he spoke, and he lost confidence in himself.
In a hurry.
Shen Lie dropped a sentence: "It is better to be a true villain than a hypocrite. If you don't see it, most of the people who are heartless are scholars, and if they are righteous, they will slaughter dogs."
I accidentally copied another couplet from a later generation.
Zhang Jingxiu was stunned and recited this famous couplet that has been passed down through the ages to commemorate it. His brows seemed a little shaken.
She pondered and said slowly: "This matter...it's up to you to make the decision."