Chapter 36: Sword Pointing to the Southeast
Everyone left Yuxi Palace.

Soon, voices came from the three mansions outside the palace, saying that they wanted to cut off all ties with the Yan family.

The eldest daughter of the Lu family who married into the Chengguo Mansion cried and complained to her natal family that the people in her second sister's family were bad people and brought disaster to their relatives and friends.

People in Beijing naturally love to watch and listen to the Yan family’s jokes.

It's just that no substantial impact has occurred so far.

And on the way to Prince Yu's Mansion.

After coming out of Yuxi Palace, Xu Jie and Gao Gong sat in a carriage.

Outside the carriage, the wheels were rumbling.

The streets were bustling with people from Beijing, and it was very lively.

But the atmosphere in the carriage was a little solemn.

Xu Jie sat with his arms folded and his eyes narrowed.

Gao Gong looked at it for several times before he sighed and said, "Lord Xu, what do you think His Majesty means?"

Xu Jie naturally would not answer Gao Gong.

The carriage seemed a little deserted.

Gao Gong frowned and said to himself, "Now that Taiyue has gone to Jiangnan, does His Majesty really intend to let Yan Shaoting join the cabinet?"

"But does your majesty really want to disregard the law? A cabinet minister of twenty years old cannot be true, can it?"

As he spoke, Gao Gong shook his head again.

"I think it's unlikely."

"I think it was because of the three million taels of silver at the beginning of the year that His Majesty gave Yan Shaoting the honor of joining the Imperial Academy."

Gao Gong seemed a little upset.

And he has certainly been doing that lately.

The more powerful the Yan Party became and the more it continued to control the government, Gao Gong believed that the Ming Dynasty was heading towards its demise every day.

At this time, Xu Jie finally spoke up: "The matter of the three million taels was settled when Yan Shaoting ordered the Jinyiwei Commander to enter Prince Yu's mansion to be the prince's companion."

Gao Gong stared at Xu Jie: "Then why today?"

"Why?" Xu Jie asked back, and then raised his eyes to look at Gao Gong, and said with a gloomy face: "That's because Yan Shaoting proved to the world today on behalf of Your Majesty that any disaster in our Ming Dynasty has nothing to do with the so-called God, let alone Your Majesty."

Gao Gong's breath paused.

Then, he sighed and said, "This boy is so scheming!"

In fact, from ancient times to the present, all officials in the court know that the so-called celestial phenomena are bullshit, and it is even more impossible that strange phenomena will appear because of the behavior of the king.

However, this thing is very useful.

In times of chaos, they can create momentum for ambitious people; in times of peace, they can become a reason for officials to coerce the emperor.

Therefore, this astronomical phenomenon became linked to the king's character.

After cursing, Gao Gong changed the subject and said, "Yan Shaoting was so jealous of evil in front of the emperor today that he actually sent Zhu Shitai and the other two to join the anti-Japanese army. Originally, I thought he was going to reorganize the three camps of the imperial guards."

Xu Jie smiled faintly: "He doesn't dare to do it yet, or even if he is from the Yan Party, he would never do such a thing. Yan Shaoting proposed this today, probably to please His Majesty."

"In this case... it's not enough to worry about."

Gao Gong muttered to himself.

At this time, the carriage had stopped and the bustling sounds outside had disappeared.

The groom outside reported that they had arrived at Prince Yu's mansion.

Xu Jie and Gao Gong got off the carriage and entered Prince Yu's Mansion.

In Prince Yu’s Mansion.

Because the lightning experiment Yan Shaoting conducted behind Yongding Gate today was successful, Prince Yu Zhu Zaigui was waiting at the palace early.

Seeing his two masters Xu Jie and Gao Gong coming over, Zhu Zaigui quickly stood up.

"Did we succeed behind Yongding Gate today?"

Zhu Zaigui's face was somewhat excited. For him, it was a good thing to be able to stop the court officials from putting the celestial phenomena on the emperor's shoulders.

Without waiting for Xu Jie and Gao Gong to answer.

Zhu Zaigui then said, "Master Yan is indeed quite capable. He can actually attract thunder from the sky."

As soon as he said this, Gao Gong's face turned gloomy.

Humming.

Gao Gong said, "Your Highness may not know this yet, but today we were in Yuxi Palace, and His Majesty personally appointed Yan Shaoting as a reader in the Imperial Academy."

Zhu Zaigui looked at Gao Gong with some surprise.

Then, Zhu Zaigui smiled and said to Gao Gong's surprise, "Your Majesty is fair! Master Yan was originally the tutor of the Crown Prince of Prince Yu's Palace, and now he is also the tutor of the Hanlin Academy. It is completely legitimate!"

?

Gao Gong was immediately filled with confusion.

"Your Majesty! Have you forgotten that he is a member of the Yan Party?"

Gao Gong was a little angry, but facing Prince Yu, whom they had always placed high hopes on, he couldn't say anything too harsh.

Zhu Zaigui looked suspicious and said, "Since Master Yan entered the government, he has never supported the Yan Party. Since last year, he has been helping the court to solve problems. I think..."

It seems that Prince Yu is about to describe Yan Shaoting as the only loyal and capable minister in the Ming Dynasty.

Gao Gong could no longer hold back and said, "Your Highness! Yan Shaoting is a member of the Yan family after all! How can we go along with him?"

Xu Jie looked at Gao Gong and said, "Mr. Su! You must not be rude in front of the prince!"

The scene became a little awkward for a moment.

Zhu Zaigui looked at the two of them, and finally took two steps back, sat down on his seat, and said softly with a smile: "Master Gao, please calm down. I just think that Yan Shaoting does not have any bad deeds now. If he remains like this for a long time, he may be able to be used by us in the future. Perhaps, he can even help Master Gao and you in defeating Yan in the future."

He originally wanted to say that Yan Shaoting was a talented person who could be of great use.

But seeing Gao Gong like this, he naturally didn't want to say this again, so as not to cause unpleasantness in Prince Yu's Mansion.

Gao Gong's expression softened a little when he heard Prince Yu say this, and then he bowed his head and said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I was disrespectful before."

Zhu Zaiqi nodded and turned to look at Xu Jie: "Master Xu."

Xu Jie bowed and nodded.

Zhu Zaigui said, "It's just that Yan Shaoting doesn't seem to have any bad deeds now, and he is also the tutor of the prince of Prince Yu's palace. Master Xu, don't you think we should get along better with him?"

Gao Gong was about to open his mouth to object.

However, Xu Jie had already spoken: "Your Highness is wise. Since Yan Shaoting is not causing any trouble in the court, Your Highness also thinks he can be used. Naturally, you should treat him well."

Zhu Zaigui smiled again: "Master Xu is right. Let's get along well with Master Yan from now on."

When Gao Gong heard this, the blood in his chest seemed to be stagnant.

However, Xu Jie spoke again: "No matter what Yan Shaoting does now, we should still pay attention to Taiyue's southward movement. According to the distance, Taiyue should have reached Nanzhili by now."

Zhu Zaigui affirmed: "With Master Zhang in the southeast, I don't think there will be any trouble."

Xu Jie nodded and said, "Although Taiyue is still young, he is also calm and steady. However, he wants to urgently change the cotton to mulberry in Nanzhili. I am afraid that the Yan Party will take the opportunity to cause chaos in Zhejiang."

"Then we should send more people to the southeast to keep an eye on the Yan Party!"

Gao Gong finally spoke, looking somewhat angry.

Zhu Zaiqi looked at the two of them and said, "Master Zhang has already gone to the southeast. Now even if we send someone alone to Zhejiang, who can we send?"

Xu Jie glanced at Tan Lun, the secretary of Prince Yu's mansion, who was guarding Prince Yu.

"Zi Li has experience as an official in the southeast, and is familiar with Hu Zongxian. If Zi Li goes to the southeast to persuade Hu Zongxian, he will probably be able to stabilize the situation in Zhejiang before Taiyue finishes his work in Nanzhili."

Tan Lun was a little surprised when he was called.

Zhu Zaigui pondered for a while before turning around and asking, "Zili, are you willing to go to the southeast?"

Tan Lun then bowed and stepped forward, "Everything is up to the prince's arrangements."

"Then let Lao Zili go to Zhejiang."

(End of this chapter)