Bright Spring

"What kind of person do you think he is?" Qi Tai asked again.

Immediately, Yunniang's expression became more lively, and she said without thinking: "If I hadn't known that Gao Xianning had also become a high-ranking official, I really wouldn't have seen it, he is very interesting, he can talk to anyone, and he has no airs at all. Last time when he told jokes at the dinner table, even the servant girl bent over laughing..." She seemed to realize something was wrong, and stopped immediately.

Qi Tai said: "Madam is right."

Yunniang said softly: "Xianning is still young, and he is indeed not very calm, and needs to learn more from his mentor."

Qi Tai shook his head and said: "Gao Xianning's mentality is not inferior to mine. You are right to say what he said first. I have known him for many years, how can I not know? It is because of temperament, and it has a lot to do with experience. But it has nothing to do with age. Before Gao Xianning became an official, he enjoyed the wind and snow, traveling in the mountains and rivers, and making friends. But I used to study hard and stay behind closed doors, so most of the time I was a bit dull."

When he said this, he pondered for a while, and then said, "The place where I met you for the first time, I lived there when I came to Beijing for the exam. I remember that I lived there for a long time, but I didn't know the shopkeepers around me. There is almost no unnecessary conversation between the traffickers and the pawns, not because Qing Gao looks down on those people, but because they really have nothing to say. When I was in my hometown, it was the same."

Talking about these things, Yunniang seemed to understand Qi Tai, and she said comfortingly: "My husband has ambitions, and he spends his time reading poetry and books, and now he has such a great fortune."

Qi Tai said: "That's true. It is the safest way to rely on yourself after passing the Jinshi examination and becoming an official. Like Gao Xianning, because of a famous article, he refused Emperor Taizong's solicitation and attracted the attention of the world. Entering an official position is indeed just luck. However, Gao Xianning does not seem to have much interest in officialdom. His family is rich and wealthy, and he has no intention of chasing fame and fortune. It is not a case of profiteering. Some officials in the court do not like him, probably because they think he has taken a shortcut .”

He paused for a while and said: "If you want to talk about being noble, Gao Xianning is more noble than me. But ordinary people can't understand."

Yun Niang smiled wryly, "If my husband hadn't told the truth, I wouldn't know he was such a person."

Qi Tai said: "Such a high-minded person, who was rejected by his colleagues, has only been an official for a few years, but he is still in the officialdom like a fish in water; I think of Yang Shiqi, Yang Shiqi and Gao Xianning have different personalities, but there are some similarities. When Emperor Taizong summoned Gao Xianning to enter the court, if Xianning had become an official at that time, I believe he would still be a good official.

But I am different from them.The Holy Majesty was right that day, being an official is "joining the world"; I can be an official only because of my talent and education and my background as a Jinshi. If not, I might not be suitable for an official at all. "

Yun Niang said: "But my husband is still a high official like Shangshu."

Qi Tai shook his head and said: "In the past two years, I have been looking back on the past. I remembered that during the Jianwen period, I had worked hard to make plans for the court, but my ideas were never adopted; I hit a wall. So I suddenly thought of one thing, what would happen if Gao Xianning was in my position during the Jianwen period?"

Yun Niang also asked curiously: "What was Gao Xianning doing at that time?"

Qi Tai said: "He is a student of the Imperial College. He studied in the capital for a while, and wandered around the county school in his hometown for a while. Except for writing an article by chance in Jinan City, he did almost nothing. Of course I did nothing. It’s just that I said some useless words in the temple. When I think about everything, I just feel that my life has been wasted, it’s boring, and I’ve hurt my family.”

Yunniang said kindly: "My husband is in his prime, and he is already the highest-ranking minister in the Ming court. Don't think so."

"It's all because of one person that I can sit where I am now." Qi Tai's expression changed, and he sighed.

Yunniang said: "My lord?"

Qi Tai nodded and said: "Emperor Taizu valued my talent and learning, but today he values ​​my knowledge and talent. If a person like me is not trusted and reused by the Holy One, it is impossible to accomplish any great things. This is me. The difference from Gao Xianning."

Yun Niang said softly: "I roughly understand what Husband means."

Qi Tai let out a breath, and pointed to the fake painting on the wall, "The Holy Majesty summoned me alone a few days ago, and the Holy Majesty has been admiring this painting over and over again."

Yunniang responded, and the couple stared at the painting together and fell silent.

After a while, Qi Tai murmured: "The Holy Majesty wants to change the law, but I haven't fully understood how to change it. However, most of the courtiers agree with me. The current situation of our Ming Dynasty does not need to change the law. I I don't want to fight against the Holy One, I just want to do my duty."

He said calmly but firmly: "But if the Holy Majesty is right, I shall be the king's predecessor."

...Zhu Gaoxu didn't know about this until a few days after Yao Fang left Beijing.For the emperor, it was a trivial matter, and Yao Fang had no reason to submit a memorial; Zhu Gaoxu only found out now, it was normal, and he didn't care too much.

There was still a while before Youshi, when Zhu Gaoxu arrived at Dongnuan Pavilion, he told all the eunuchs around him to leave.

He walked to the bookshelf by the wall, took out a wooden box from under some books, and then took out a key from his pocket to unlock the wooden box.He took out a booklet and some maps from it.

After doing this, Zhu Gaoxu suddenly felt that he was like a local rich man who was quietly taking out his hidden treasures to observe, for fear that someone would see them and steal them.

He sat behind the imperial case, opened the booklet, and began to read the scrawled writing on it.

Zhu Gaoxu is good at writing, but he is not used to writing things down, most of them are thinking in his mind.However, his idea of ​​trying to transform the inside and outside is really too complicated and confusing, so he can only keep recording some ideas in order to gradually form a relatively complete set of plans.

Every incident will benefit who and who will lose; how much resistance will be caused, whether it can be suppressed|suppressed, or whether there is a way to compensate and appease, are all different.So Zhu Gaoxu also has a big head.

When it comes to some important figures such as vassal kings, he uses the initials of pinyin instead, so as not to cause unnecessary political panic in case this thing is leaked.Although this possibility is not great, there are people on duty day and night throughout the Qianqing Palace, and the eunuchs and maids on duty will not act alone.

For some reason today, Zhu Gaoxu felt that he couldn't concentrate.After a long time, there was no way to write more in the booklet, and the page that was opened was not turned for a while.He stared at what was on the page, unable to bring himself to think any deeper.

Zhu Gaoxu put down the brush, and rubbed his hands back and forth on his forehead for a while.He then stood up and walked to the window with the South Asian straw curtain, looking out at the courtyard.

Suddenly, a small doubt from before came to my mind again.Why did Ma Enhui suddenly become indifferent?

When he thought of this, he began to use the thinking method he adopted recently to figure out the reason, think out various factors, and make deduction.But it still doesn't make sense.

However, Zhu Gaoxu found that he could concentrate on thinking again.Compared with abstract personnel identities, he is more willing to think about people he is familiar with.

"Boom, boom, boom..." The sound of drums came from the Hongwumen gate tower in the distance, and it was already the hour of You.Zhu Gaoxu let out a sigh of relief, turned around and hid his "baby" on the bookshelf again.

He walked to the inclined corridor outside, and the eunuch Cao Fu stepped forward and bowed: "My lord, it's time for Concubine Li Zhuang to attend bed tonight, and this servant will ask someone to send Concubine Zhuang to the Qing Palace later?"

Zhu Gaoxu nodded.

He lowered his head to glance at the stone bricks on the ground, and found that the floor tiles had been worn very smooth.Generations of emperors and ministers have walked here many times.

Chapter 786 Necessary

After the Ming army captured Tsushima Island in the name of conquering the Japanese pirates, there was no important matter reported to the court, as if the matter was over.Of course, Zhu Gaoxu's purpose is not here. Only occupying Tsushima Island does not make any sense to him.

Maybe he was too impatient.After all, the diplomatic relations of this era may take several years to change a little.But Zhu Gaoxu really couldn't calm down and wait.

Because of his foreign strategy, the initial goal is to establish order in all regions east of the Straits of Malacca. It is impossible for Japan alone to wait for a few years, or even 20 years.

Zhu Gaoxu decided to order a court meeting to convene ministers to discuss matters concerning the war against Japan.

The court discussion system formed since Hongwu has not changed much up to now, which can well reflect the emperor's centralization |power.

The process is that the ministers have an imperial discussion on a major event, but the results of the discussion are for reference only, and the final decision is still made by the emperor.However, the prestige of the emperor after Hongwu was obviously lower than that of Taizu, so it is best for the ministers to fail to reach a consensus, so that the emperor can come forward to make a ruling; or the conclusion reached is just in line with the emperor's wishes.

The palace issued a decree to Honglu Temple, notifying the dozens of ministers who were about to participate in the court discussion. After confirming the relevant time, reasons and other details, Zhu Gaoxu also made some preparations and waited for the court officials to discuss.

In the afternoon when the day was approaching, Qi Tai, Minister of the Ministry of War, suddenly asked for an audience outside the Hall of Rouyi.Of course Zhu Gaoxu ordered to allow him to see him.

Qi Tai first kowtowed outside the hall, and then went inside to salute again.After finishing the etiquette, he bowed to the noble concubine Miaojin who was standing behind the desk.

Miao Jin responded, "How is Mrs. Qi?"

Qi Tai's request for an audience was obviously for business reasons. Hearing the imperial concubine's question, he showed a slightly surprised expression, and then he was relieved.The emperor's concubine asked the minister's wives, they are all women, so it is quite appropriate.

Zhu Gaoxu suddenly remembered Qi Tai's affair, and Miao Jin knew about it, and he thought that Miao Jin's greetings were not just being polite, but he should really be interested in that kind of thing.

Qi Tai said, "Thank you, noble concubine, Zhuo Jing respects the empress and concubine, presides over the internal affairs of the family, everything is fine. Soon after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhuo Jing will also enter the palace and go to the Dashan Hall to meet the queen. At that time, I can also respectfully listen to the queen, The imperial concubine, the noble concubine, etc. teach."

Miao Jin nodded with a smile.

Zhu Gaoxu only listened to their conversation, his eyes swept over the file in Qi Tai's hand.

Qi Tai quickly put the things on the table. "For the matter of Japan, I checked the old archives of Daku, which contained some records of the Korean Kingdom and the Yuan Dynasty. Then I informed Gao Xianning, Minister of Dali Temple, that the prisoner of Tsushima Island, Sotaro, had been interrogated. Wait, I have written some humble opinions and strategies, please take a look at it.”

Zhu Gaoxu leaned forward, stretched out his hand and dragged the file over, and asked directly, "Qi Butang thinks, what is the key issue in this matter?"