The three brothers and sisters had a warm lunch, and no one asked to invite Zhu Houzhao. Perhaps they did not want Zhu Houzhao's arrival to disturb this rare moment of reunion between siblings.
The meals are simple. A plate of fresh leeks, a plate of green vegetables, a fish and a can of soup, plus a bowl of brown rice for each person. These meals are usually served in the residence of Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling.
The food of the servants was of this standard. Who would have thought that the Queen Mother would be so frugal?
However, the food is not the focus, the focus is the friendship between the brothers and sisters. While eating, the three siblings recalled their childhood and talked about old things at home, which made them feel particularly nostalgic and warm.
Although Zhang Yanling is quite different in age from Queen Mother Zhang and Zhang Heling, and because he came from time travel, his memory of his childhood is not clear, and he lacks some sense of empathy. However, he still learned from the words of Zhang Heling and Queen Mother Zhang.
I got a sense of the picture and felt the real family atmosphere.
In the afternoon, the Zhang brothers said goodbye to Queen Mother Zhang and came out. Zhang Heling invited Zhang Yanling to his residence to ask about Zhang Yanling's tour. But Zhang Yanling had something to do, so he made an appointment for another day.
After seeing off Zhang Heling outside the Ming Dynasty Gate, Zhang Yanling left the Meridian Gate and headed east to where the Cabinet Office is located.
The reason why the cabinet of the Ming Dynasty was a cabinet was that it could reach heaven and listen to it. The original office location was in the Wenhua Hall in the palace, because the emperor needed to listen to the opinions of the cabinet members at any time, and it was convenient to summon them.
However, as the cabinet gradually evolved from an advisory department that assisted the emperor in advising on state affairs to a core decision-making department in the outer court, the number of staff gradually increased, and it was no longer convenient to stay in the palace. Therefore, the Yamen was moved to the afternoon office.
On the east side of the gate, north of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The ground paved with bricks and stones is neat and flat, and tall trees block out the sky and the sun. Among the dense shade of trees, a simple and elegant house with blue bricks and black tiles is where the Cabinet Office is located.
There is no arrogant stone lion guarding the door, the gate tower is not high, and the dark wooden door does not look impressive. People who don’t know the inside of the house may think that it is just a house for a wealthy family when they see it. However,
, who would have known that this is the place where the power of the outer court is concentrated, where the cabinet office is located, and the decision-making department of the government that is superior to the six ministries and nine ministers.
Zhang Yanling came here for the first time, and he was not fooled by the ordinary appearance of the cabinet office. This was the case with many yamen in the Ming Dynasty. They did not look gorgeous and majestic on the outside, but in fact they were extremely powerful yamen. For example,
Meridian West Street
The Jinyiwei General Office looks like a dilapidated mansion with walls covered with ivy. But it was a powerful intelligence agency established during the Hongwu period. Even in terms of the time when Beijing was the capital, there were already
For hundreds of years.
In front of the public house, Zhang Yanling got off his horse. At the door of the cabinet house, several neatly dressed servants had already seen Zhang Yanling. When they saw Zhang Yanling dismounting and approaching, one of them stepped forward to salute.
"Is this lord here to do business in the cabinet? May I ask which lord you are looking for? Have you made an appointment beforehand?"
Those who can enter the Daming Gate and come outside the Meridian Gate of the Imperial Palace are naturally not ordinary people. What's more, Zhang Yanling is wearing a flying fish suit, which is even eye-catching. The doormen of the Cabinet Office are naturally not blind.
"Oh, I'm here to see some of the cabinet ministers. Liu Shoufu, Mr. Li, and Mr. Xie are all welcome. I didn't know the rules about making an appointment in advance, so I didn't make an appointment. Please let me know, brother." Zhang Yanling returned the courtesy and said.
The officer smiled and said: "My lord, I'm afraid you can't come in without an appointment. The three adults in the cabinet are busy with affairs, and they have business arrangements every day. If you ask for a meeting or do things, you must follow the arrangements. Besides, you come
It's such an unfortunate time. It's the afternoon, and the adults are taking a lunch break. I'm really sorry. The Cabinet Office has its own rules, and I don't dare to report it to you. I'll be punished."
Zhang Yanling nodded slightly. Sure enough, the magnanimity of the yamen did not lie in the tallness of the gatehouse, but in the people in the yamen. For a small servant, even if he rejected himself, he was easy-going and polite, which showed that the cabinet was extraordinary.
"Well, that being the case, I won't embarrass you. I'll just wait here. Cabinet Chief Liu, Li University Scholar, Xie University Scholar, and the others will always have to go home. I'll just wait here for them to come out. I can't hurt you.
Rules." Zhang Yanling cupped his hands, walked to the side of the tree, and sat on a piece of bluestone.
The officer was speechless and frowned: "You can't stay in front of the cabinet office. This is an important place of the imperial court. My lord, if you have something to do, you can go back and ask your office to send an official document and make an appointment to meet. You can't wait here.
.When the soldiers come, they will ask you to leave, which is not a good thing."
Zhang Yanling thought to herself: The cabinet is indeed very impressive. If you want to see Liu Jian and the others, you only need to make an appointment. There is still so much red tape. Perhaps this is a manifestation of majesty and power. The sense of formality will give the superiors more satisfaction.
feel.
"Brother, if this is not the case, you can report it to me and say that Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, wants to see you for something. If the adults are missing, I will turn around and leave. If I punish you, I will double the compensation for you." Zhang Yanling smiled.
road.
"What? Are you...Jianchang Marquis Zhang?" the officer said in surprise.
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Why? Don't I look like me? I just came out of the palace and met with the emperor and the queen mother. My sister, the queen mother, insisted on keeping me for lunch. I could have come earlier, so I wouldn't have to disturb the cabinet.
Several adults have taken a lunch break. But there is no way, the Queen Mother will stay for dinner, so I can't refuse."
The officer could tell that the name of Mr. Zhang was like thunder. One person who frequently came up in the mouths of several adults in the cabinet was Mr. Zhang, the current uncle of the country. How could I
Don't want to report?
"Don't be surprised, Lord Marquis. I don't know that you are the Marquis of Jianchang. Since you are the Marquis of Jianchang and want to meet with some adults in the cabinet, I should report it myself. Lord Marquis, wait a moment, and I will report it now," the servant said hurriedly.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "You won't be punished for this, right?"
The officer hurriedly said: "Even if you are punished, you must report it. When the Marquis comes, there must be something important. How dare you delay?"
Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Then you'll have some work."
After tea time, Zhang Yanling was invited into the lobby of the back house of the cabinet compound.
As soon as they entered the door, they saw the three cabinet members sitting at attention in the hall, with Liu Jian in the middle, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian sitting on the left and right, the three of them looked serious, as if they were sitting in a three-chamber meeting.
"Zhang Yanling has met three adults. I apologize for disturbing the three adults' lunch break." Zhang Yanling smiled and saluted the three of them.
The three people in the hall returned the gift expressionlessly and did not ask Zhang Yanling to take a seat. Liu Jian then asked: "Master Zhang, you are very polite. You have indeed disturbed our rest. We have been busy all morning and just wanted to take a rest in the afternoon. Master Hou,
So here we are. Don’t you know the rules of visiting others, Lord Marquis? You are not allowed to disturb others during meal and rest time. That is disrespectful behavior."
Before Zhang Yanling could speak, Xie Qian stood by and sneered: "How does the Marquis of Jianchang know these etiquettes? Who in Beijing doesn't know that the two Marquises of the Zhang family have always gone their own way and are lawless, so how can they care about these etiquettes?"
Zhang Yanling's face darkened and she said: "Mr.
Xie Qian chuckled and said: "Oh? You, Mr. Zhang, don't give me face? Then I will be scared to death. Does Xie need you to give me face? How do you treat me? How dare you act wildly in the cabinet?"
Zhang Yanling sneered and said: "Master Xie, I came here on the order of the emperor. I have something to discuss with three bachelors. When you talk like this, it seems that I don't need to discuss things with you anymore. Master Xie, you wait for me to write a statement about impeachment."
You are guilty of slander."
Hearing that Zhang Yanling was sent by the emperor to discuss matters, Liu Jian and Li Dongyang looked at each other.
Xie Qian said: "I am afraid that you will impeach me? If you impeach me, I will say that you are lawless. What's going on?"
Li Dongyang frowned and said, "Thank you, sir, and say less. Marquis Jianchang was sent by the emperor to talk about the matter."
Xie Qian snorted coldly and glanced at Liu Jian. When he saw Liu Jian looking at him with a frown, he shut up.
Li Dongyang saw a smile on his face and said in a deep voice: "It turned out that Marquis Jianchang came on the order of the emperor. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I wonder why the emperor sent Marquis Jianchang here?"
Zhang Yanling frowned and said: "The three adults are the heads of the court officials and highly respected people. How come they don't even know how to treat guests? How come guests come to a common people's home and they still watch and make tea? It's better for you to sit by yourself, guests.
Standing and scolding each other, what does this mean? You also said that I, Zhang Yanling, was lawless? I think the three of them are uneducated. They have read in books... where did the dog... go?"
Liu Jian and the others looked angry, but they had no words to refute.
Li Dongyang said loudly: "Come, take a seat and serve tea."
A clerk brought a chair and served tea. Zhang Yanling sat down and said, "This is more or less the same."
Li Dongyang said: "Can we talk now? What is the emperor's purpose in asking Jianchang to come?"
Zhang Yanling put down the tea cup he had picked up and said with a smile: "The Emperor has no intention. The Emperor wants me to greet the three adults. The three adults have worked hard for the country and worked hard. It is really hard. I heard that the three adults have been unhappy recently.
Therefore, the emperor wants me to come and greet the three adults. I hope that the three adults can combine work and rest, stay in a happy mood, and not work too hard."
Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian looked at each other. Li Dongyang frowned and said, "That's all? Is this the purpose of Lord Hou's coming here?"
Zhang Yanling said: "Yes, isn't this enough? The emperor cares for his ministers and specially sent me to greet the three of them. Don't the three of you feel warm in your hearts? Don't you thank the emperor for your care?"
Li Dongyang said solemnly: "Of course we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts. We also ask the Marquis to reply to the Emperor on our behalf to express our gratitude."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "Don't worry, I will bring it to you. Is there anything else?"
Li Dongyang was about to speak, but Liu Jian, who had remained silent, said: "One more thing, please tell Mr. Zhang to tell the emperor that ministers are not afraid of hard work, but are afraid of the fruitlessness of hard work and the futility of hard work. If the emperor cares about the hard work of his ministers,
, we should follow the rules and have the courage to reflect on ourselves. In that case, the ministers will be willing to work hard no matter how hard they work."