Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 504 It’s all your fault!
If the Third Prince was a bit hesitant and timid, then the Fourth Prince was just going to do it regardless of the consequences. Therefore, even though he was facing the famous people invited by his father, the little guy was still fearless. After he finished speaking, he even had a righteous attitude.
At this time, seeing that Shanzhang Yue was trying his best to act nonchalant, Zhang Shou laughed and said, "Where did the Fourth Prince hear that someone was expelled from Shanzhang Yue's sect? The guy you mentioned is still staying at my house, but he didn't say that."
Yue Shanzhang was caught off guard by the questioning of the Fourth Prince, but he could only pretend to be calm. However, when Zhang Shou said this, he finally couldn't help but change color. Zhang Shou actually took Fang Qing in? Why? To pursue him to the end? Or for other reasons?
The fourth prince's eyes widened at this time: "He's at the teacher's house? Why didn't Liu Feng tell me?"
Liu Feng, who was standing in a corner of the main hall at this time, was almost mad with anger. Fourth Prince, you are bullying this Yue Shanzhang for no reason, why are you betraying me? I just followed the emperor's order and found out the discussion of Yue Shanzhang's two students from the servants in Yashe, so I knew that Fang Qing, who scolded the third prince, was expelled from Zhaoming Academy, but I didn't know that he was recruited by Zhang Shou!
When Zhang Shou saw the emperor turning his head to look at Liu Feng, and the Qianqing Palace manager wanted to bury his head in the ground, he coughed lightly and said, "Fourth Prince, do you want to know why Fang Qing is in my house?"
Seeing that the Fourth Prince immediately forgot about such a trivial matter as betraying Liu Feng - he was not the kind of person who would look at the faces of his father's attendants, and nodded quickly, he smiled and told him the story of Mr. Song who went out with his cart to sell sweet soup but met Fang Qing. Of course, he omitted the words in which Mr. Song scolded Fang Qing, and only said that because of the friendship between them as fellow townsmen, he picked up the distraught Fang Qing.
Then, he talked about the incident in which Fang Qing mistook a man on the street for a rich family's servant, causing Mr. Song to be chased by a dog all the way, and after returning, they even fought in front of him.
When he talked about how Fourth Master Hua brought the terrified rich man Li San'er to his home to apologize, the Fourth Prince was already laughing so hard that he squatted on the ground and pounded Zhang Shou's armrest, completely forgetting what the occasion was.
Although Shanzhang Yue tried his best to keep calm at this time, the actions of Fang Qing and Mr. Song really exceeded the limit of what he could imagine.
Especially when he thought that Fang Qing was the impulsive and reckless person he had accustomed to over the years, he felt his face burning, and he felt that Zhang Shou's taking in Fang Qing could not be a coincidence, but a premeditated plan.
As for the emperor, he was also amused by what . Especially when he thought about the foul-mouthed Mr. Song being chased by a dog and running away until his shoes fell off, he felt relieved, as if he had also vented the anger of Princess Yongping.
"These two are really funny... Zhang Shou, you really dare to take in anyone!"
"Mr. Song, that's because Yingying likes the sweet soup he made, plus his identity was exposed, the Song family wanted to kidnap this maverick guy, so I had to give him a place to stay. As for Fang Qing..." Zhang Shou shrugged and said casually, "Anyway, Mr. Song picked him up, one more person doesn't matter, and he earned his board and lodging by himself."
As he spoke, he smiled and said, "Mr. Song forced him to work for him and then paid him, so I will be a landlord who rents out houses to people. However, Fourth Prince, don't listen to hearsay. Fang Qing didn't say that he was expelled from the family. He just felt that he had said something wrong that caused trouble for his teachers and classmates. He has now completely come to his senses and knows that he was prejudiced in the past."
"Poor families give birth to noble sons, and rich families raise spoiled children. This is just a common saying, not a universal truth. Therefore, he regretted it very much and felt ashamed of the many years of teaching by Yue Shanchang."
Although Zhang Shou's words seemed to be speaking for him, Yue Shanchang just wanted to end this summons that made him feel uncomfortable. He took a deep breath and was about to find an excuse to leave when he heard the emperor cough and said, "Silang is rude. Yue Shanchang, don't bother with a child. Besides, from what Zhang Shou said, Fang Qing is just a young man."
The emperor sneered and said nonchalantly, "Everyone is young and frivolous at times. It's just a young man who has not experienced much of the world and said nonsense impulsively. There is nothing to worry about. Besides, Zhang Shou has already punished the boy in the best way, which is to let Song Juren, the funny guy, lead people to walk around the streets and suffer."
At this point, he glared at the Fourth Prince sternly: "Silang, you are like that too. You are so upset about a small matter that you even questioned your teacher in front of me. How did you learn these rules? I will punish you by copying the Analects of Confucius twenty times!"
The fourth prince wailed immediately, but the smile on his face betrayed his mood at the moment. It was obvious that the child was in a very good mood at the moment, very good... Knowing that the guy who scolded his third brother had been frustrated again and again, and was being tormented by Mr. Song and monitored by Zhang Shou, he felt very relieved and relieved.
The emperor, who saw his mood, immediately sent the young son away without hesitation, and then nodded slightly to Yue Shanchang who stood up to apologize in fear and said, "It's just a small matter, Yue Qing, don't take it on yourself. I suddenly summoned you and Hong Qing to the palace today, which is also embarrassing for you. You should go back and have a good rest first, and I will summon you again tomorrow."
"I absolutely do not dare to accept the word embarrassment. I am incompetent and lack moral integrity. I am ashamed of the emperor's trust..."
After a few relatively clichéd eulogies, Yue Shanchang finally left as he wished. When he walked out of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, he couldn't help but raise his hand to wipe his forehead, but found that his palm was already slightly shiny. Today, he was squeezed by Hong Shanchang and Zhang Shou one after another, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. After leaving the palace and getting in the car, he made a decision.
Therefore, when the car left Dong'anmen, he said, "Please go to the Guangdong Guild Hall in the outer city. I want to meet the leader Song."
When Yue Shanchang was going to use the situation of Mr. Song as an excuse to meet with the head of the Guangdong Guild Hall, Mr. Song, he drove away the fourth prince, dismissed the emperor who had sent Yue Shanchang away, and left the Qianqing Palace, but went straight to the Empress Dowager of Qingning Palace. However, he did not let Zhang Shou go, but took him with him.
As for Liu Feng, who was too talkative and provided the Fourth Prince with some information, he was punished by him to kneel in the Qianqing Palace and reflect on himself.
Although it was not the first time for Zhang Shou to enter the palace, and he had also been to Qingning Palace, he still felt a little amused when the emperor entered the palace like he was bringing his own nephew. At this moment, when he saw the empress dowager with a surprised look on her face, and then heard the emperor laughingly talk about his previous meeting with Hong Shanchang, and then told him the suggestion he had given through the fourth prince, he found that the empress dowager's expression was different.
As expected, the Queen Mother looked at him twice, and then asked with a half-smile, "Zhang Qing, today you were lucky to have been able to fend off that Hong Shanzhang a few times. Dalang and Erlang had plotted against you, and caused such a huge disaster in Cangzhou that you had to bear the consequences. This time, you actually repaid evil with kindness by stopping someone from forcing a woman on him."
"This is not repaying evil with kindness, but just judging others by my own standards."
Zhang Shou had long felt that the Empress Dowager might be genuinely kind to Zhu Ying, but she did not have any hostility towards him - if she really had any hostility, the difference in their status was too great and he would not have lived such a leisurely and comfortable life - however, the Empress Dowager's attitude towards him was very indifferent, which he had realized when he first came to Qingning Palace.
Therefore, in front of this old woman who once ruled the country from behind the curtain and held the power of the world, he felt that he needed to be more cautious than when facing the emperor. But caution is caution, and calmness is calmness.
When he answered, he was calm and composed, without even blinking: "Mr. Hong said that we should marry a virtuous daughter-in-law and a virtuous daughter-in-law. Everyone knows this truth, but in reality, it is just talk. When parents choose sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, if they don't want to create a couple that respects each other like ice, they will always take their children's personalities into consideration."
Zhang Shou deliberately emphasized the word "ice". He didn't care how the emperor and the empress dowager would understand it.
"Whether Principal Hong praised his daughter for her righteousness or her virtue and ability, he has no idea what the eldest prince cares about most. The eldest prince is just like the second prince. When they used to compete with each other, they not only hoped that the future princess would have the best appearance, but also the best family background. As for whether she is virtuous or not, they probably don't care at all."
The Queen Mother's eyes immediately turned fierce: "Are you sure that the eldest prince is unteachable?"
The emperor agreed to the eldest prince’s request and released him to Cangzhou. What was the result ? Haven’t you and your son seen it?
Zhang Shou stared at the Queen Mother without giving in. He sneered in his heart, but said bluntly: "If Hong is not only virtuous, but also has a beauty that can make the moon and flowers ashamed, then maybe she can win the heart of the eldest prince. But if she is old and plain..."
He paused, and said calmly: "Then Principal Hong will lose his daughter, and the Queen Mother and the Emperor will lose their eldest prince."
If Zhang Shou only said that Chief Hong Shan had compensated his daughter, then even if the Empress Dowager and the Emperor hated the eldest prince's previous crimes, they would inevitably feel uncomfortable. However, Zhang Shou said that they would also compensate the eldest prince, and the most noble mother and son in the world were suddenly speechless.
After all, even if Hong Shanchang praised his daughter as the most beautiful in the world, as if Zhong Wuyan was reborn, but he let the eldest prince marry an ugly girl... this would definitely create a couple with resentment. Not only Zhang Shou knew the eldest prince's personality, they knew it even better!
If the eldest prince was full of hatred towards the emperor and the queen mother now, then after being forced to marry, his hatred would probably be beyond measure. The emperor and the queen mother were not afraid of what others could do to them, but if his anger was directed at the bride and a tragedy occurred, it would be a scandal that could not be covered up!
Therefore, the Queen Mother could not help but sigh in a low voice: "It would be great if the daughter of Chief Hong was both beautiful and virtuous."
Anyway, since Principal Hong Shan took the initiative to propose this matter, and vowed that his daughter was willing to marry him, and even planned to return to her hometown to continue to preside over her academy without seeking fame or fortune, and was not willing to serve as an official, what else could be said? To be honest, the eldest prince, a convicted and imprisoned prince, was marrying the daughter of a world-famous scholar, which was still too high a marriage!
After the emperor saw the empress dowager sigh, he immediately coughed unnaturally. As if he knew that this was wishful thinking, he looked at Zhang Shou majestically and said, "Zhang Shou, although the principal of Yuzhang Academy, Hong Renqing, is a bit pedantic, I have sent people to investigate him in advance. He is indeed a decent person, incorruptible, devoted to learning, and very popular among students."
"Since he has written a letter in public, the whole capital has heard that he proposed to marry his daughter to the eldest prince. I can easily refuse, but..." The emperor organized his words, but then felt that he couldn't organize them well, so he simply said unreasonably, "Anyway, if you don't want the eldest prince to marry Hong, you can come up with a reason to refuse!"
"In addition, you were the one who sent the eldest prince to the Zongzheng Temple. After Hong Renqing's shouting, his marriage can no longer be delayed. The person who tied the bell must untie it. You have to give me some advice."
Seeing the Queen Mother's expression of deep agreement, Zhang Shou was immediately at a loss whether to laugh or cry. This kind of thing is actually blamed on me... Aren't you two, as a father and a grandmother, too comfortable? This is none of my business!
Although he really did not think that the marriage advocated by Hong Shanchang was appropriate, he did not want to firmly oppose it. Faced with these two unreasonable problems, he could only use his brain teaser to rack his brains to think of a solution.
Soon, he had an idea for the previous question, and immediately said, "If the Queen Mother sees the daughter of Hong Shanzhang and thinks that she is indeed virtuous, steady, generous and capable, then since she has opened classes in her hometown to teach women, why not give her a corresponding commendation and keep her in the capital to preside over a charity hall? To be honest, although there are many charity halls in the capital, most of them are full of problems."
"It's just like those rotten charity halls in Cangzhou. They are called charity halls, but they are actually places where filth and dirt are hidden. They need someone with a good reputation to come out and clean them up. Although she is a woman, since she has a good reputation, isn't she also what everyone expects?"
Seeing the emperor rubbing his chin thoughtfully, and the empress dowager nodding, obviously feeling that she had made the best use of her talents, Zhang Shou thought of the more difficult second question. He was already having a headache, but suddenly an idea came to him. He smiled and said, "As for the eldest prince's marriage, if the empress dowager summons Hong tomorrow, why not ask her in person?"
Before the empress dowager could speak, the emperor smiled and said, "This is a feasible solution. I also found it strange before. It is said that Yuzhang Academy has produced many extraordinary talents. But when I saw Hong Renqing today, he seemed to be just an ordinary old scholar. Maybe his daughter is extraordinary. Your Majesty, why don't you try to test her a little more?"
Seeing the emperor's expression of letting everything go, the queen mother was immediately amused and she glanced at Zhang Shou and suddenly said lightly , "In that case, I will call Yingying here tomorrow, and you and her will accompany me to meet the people. If you are really virtuous and capable, you should not be afraid even in front of a perfect match like you two."
