Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 713: Extreme
This day was not originally the day Zhang Shou went to the Eastern Palace to teach, and the morning court was longer than usual, so he originally planned to leave quickly after the court. However, he did not expect that as soon as he came out of the Fengtian Hall, he was stopped by the eunuch who had been waiting there, and then politely said that the emperor summoned him.
Because Yue Shanzhang and others were also summoned to the morning court, he specifically asked, "Did the emperor summon anyone else besides me?"
This kind of question was not considered a violation of the law, but the young-looking eunuch was too timid to speak, as if he was as frightened as a cicada. Seeing this, Zhang Shou could not ask any more questions, and could only follow the young eunuch out of the left wing door on the east side of Fengtian Hall and the north side of Wenzhao Pavilion under the envious and jealous eyes of others.
Although he didn't often attend court, he often visited this area east of the palace, so when he came out, he found that this place was facing the back wall of Wenhua Hall and the west wall of Ciqing Palace, so he was not surprised at all. However, when the young eunuch led him directly to Ciqing Palace, he was a little surprised. It seems that what you just said was a summons from the emperor, not a summons from the prince, right?
The eunuch who led the way quietly observed Zhang Shou as he walked. He noticed that he suddenly stopped and had a look of doubt on his face. He immediately stopped as well and explained with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, the emperor has ordered you to be summoned to Ciqing Palace soon. I think the order has been passed on to the crown prince in Ciqing Palace. You will know once you ask. How dare this servant to fool you?"
Zhang Shou thought about it and agreed. At this critical moment, no one would dare to make up a story like Lin Chong mistakenly entering the White Tiger Hall. There was no rule in Ciqing Palace that no one could enter the lecture hall except on lecture days. Even if he really entered Ciqing Palace, nothing would happen.
He thought that he was probably a little frightened by the recent mess, but he did not show it in front of the eunuch, and just smiled faintly. And he put on such a repulsive attitude, the young eunuch did not seem to dare to talk to him, until he was sent to the high wall of Ciqing Palace, he suddenly uttered a few words in a very soft voice.
"Master Zhang, please be careful of Eunuch Chu."
This incoherent remark aroused Zhang Shou 's vigilance. He suddenly turned his head to stare at the other person. Seeing that the person was a little uncomfortable at first, but then he looked up and looked into his eyes, trying his best to appear calm, he asked coldly: "If I tell this to Eunuch Chu, what do you think will happen to you?"
"Then I thought I had mistaken you." The young eunuch answered without dodging, and then bowed.
"Eunuch Lu is the adopted son of Eunuch Chu. He was previously dismissed for a crime. After learning that Eunuch Chu was demoted to Ciqing Palace, he sent people to bring gifts several times. However, Eunuch Chu not only sent them all back, but also said that they would end their friendship in the future. As a result, Eunuch Lu had to kneel for a long time to show that he had no second thoughts. The rest of his followers also repeatedly expressed their loyalty. This was the case when he left the Imperial Household Department, so what would it be like when he took over the Imperial Household Department ?"
"I just happened to know that the charity hall at the exit of the secret passage in your house, Master Zhang, belongs to the Imperial Household Department. Think about it, if something like this happens, who will be unlucky? Will it be Eunuch Chu, who is no longer in the Imperial Household Department, or the current seal holder, the honest and loyal Eunuch Qian? After this incident is exposed, Eunuch Qian will definitely resign. Will Eunuch Chu take charge of the Imperial Household Department again?"
Faced with a guy who tried so hard to convince himself that Chu Kuan had ulterior motives and could not be trusted, Zhang Shou could not help but feel angry and amused. How could he tell that he trusted Chu Kuan?
You know, ever since he first met Chu Kuan, who didn't look like a eunuch at all, at the literary meeting hosted by Princess Yongping in Yuehua Tower, and someone spoke up for him, and then he said that the inheritance of the torch depended on the eunuch party, he has been on high alert towards Chu Kuan.
Therefore, he stared at the other person for a long time with a half-smile in his eyes, and then he said calmly: "What I want to tell you is that no matter whether someone else asked you to tell me this or you came up with it to remind me, you have forgotten one thing."
“That is... don’t judge others by yourself. Let’s not talk about whether Eunuch Chu is good or bad, but you or others take the seal of the Imperial Household Department very seriously, but he may not.” If not for this, Chu Kuan would never have easily lost the position of the Seal of the Imperial Household Department because of that “small matter” before. This person should have a thousand or ten thousand ways to keep this position.
In his opinion, while some people were eyeing the position of the Imperial Household Department, Chu Kuan had already set his sights on the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and was using his own methods to try to gain favor with the Third Prince!
The title of the Chief Seal of the Imperial Household Department?
Chu Kuan probably doesn't care anymore. If he can make the third prince trust him, then from Ruizong, the current emperor, to the future emperor, Chu Kuan will be able to raise the favorability of these three generations of emperors to the maximum. What can't he do then?
Seeing that the young eunuch's face turned awkward and panicked as if he hadn't expected his reaction, Zhang Shou continued, "Also, you said that Eunuch Lu and others still respect Eunuch Chu as the superior and dare not disobey. I think that's because of the prestige accumulated over the years, not that Eunuch Chu really wants to use this to declare to others that he can come back at any time."
"To be honest, I think that even if Eunuch Lu or others swear in front of him that they have no second thoughts or express their loyalty, given Eunuch Chu's personality, he will probably say that he is no longer in the Imperial Household Department and will not accept anything."
The young eunuch didn't expect that Zhang Shou would say so many words for Chu Kuan without hesitation. His face turned pale and blue for a moment, but at this moment, he heard a long and deep voice coming from behind him.
"Haha, Chu Kuan really doesn't deserve what Master Zhang just said."
Seeing Chu Kuan coming out of the door calmly, the young eunuch couldn't dodge and turned pale with fear, as if he had foreseen the consequences of his "admonition" just now. Zhang Shou smiled and said, "Eunuch Chu, why are you being so modest? If the emperor didn't know your character very well, why would he transfer you to Ciqing Palace? You know, someone suggested before that Ciqing Palace didn't need eunuchs who could read and write."
Zhang Shou emphasized the word "someone". Since they both knew it, it didn't matter what was said. Seeing Chu Kuan's knowing smile, he glanced at the young eunuch and said kindly, "However, the young eunuch probably didn't say that out of any bad intention. How about I ask Eunuch Chu to forgive him for once?"
Chu Kuan was slightly startled, then smiled as if nothing had happened: "Master Zhang, you are joking. I am just a young lady in the Ciqing Palace. How can I be lenient to others? This matter is known to heaven, earth, you, me, and him, that's all."
Zhang Shou then looked at the young eunuch who looked even more sad, and said with a smile, "Young eunuch, did you hear what Eunuch Chu said? Whether you came to me to speak up for Eunuch Lu or for others because of your own reasons, or someone else told me this through you, since you have already said it and let Eunuch Chu and I hear it, then you have done your best."
"So, you might as well try your best to do your duty and keep your eyes open to see clearly what Eunuch Chu will do next. Is it as I guessed or as you said? Of course, the most important thing is that you have to live well and don't let anyone harm you. Otherwise, it will really be a joke."
Chu Kuan couldn't help laughing when he heard Zhang Shou talking about saving the other person's life in a joking tone. "Since you said that, Master Zhang, I have to plan carefully. Otherwise, if I let him die, I won't be able to clear myself even if I jump into the Yellow River. Fortunately, I know him... You are Luo Sanhe, the promise of the Imperial Household Department, am I right?"
Seeing that Chu Kuan even remembered the name of such an insignificant person as himself, the young eunuch didn't know what to say and could only stand there at a loss. But the next moment, he heard something that made him think he was crazy.
"What happened last night was quite serious. I'm afraid that the Qianqing Palace will have to change a few people this time. Although I am only serving in the Ciqing Palace now, I am grateful for the emperor's kindness. I can probably say a few words . I will recommend you to the Qianqing Palace later. Under the emperor's nose, a little fellow like you with a strong sense of justice should be able to live well."
Chu Kuan smiled and said to Zhang Shou, "The Emperor is always willing to be lenient with those who hate evil and punish the strong to help the weak. Of course, the premise is that they are upright. Otherwise, if they say one thing and do another, the Emperor will not tolerate it."
Luo Sanhe's mood fluctuated greatly, and he didn't even know how he left Ciqing Palace. His back figure, which was dispirited and left with one foot high and one foot low, looked tragic and lost to Zhang Shou, so he admired Chu Kuan's clever trick even more. However, before he opened his mouth, Chu Kuan nodded at him.
"To be honest, from what I've seen before, Zhang Xueshi, you've always kept your distance from me when there's nothing going on. When there's something going on, we just pass messages to each other, so we can't really be called close friends. I really didn't expect you to say that about me . Although I've been in the palace for more than 30 years, not to mention a godson like Lu Chan, I even have a so-called godson, and countless colleagues and subordinates, but I still don't understand me as well as you do."
As he led Zhang Shou inside, Chu Kuan spoke as if he was chatting, and he didn't seem to care what Zhang Shou thought. He said nonchalantly as he walked, "If it weren't for the Queen Mother, I would have died quietly outside the palace. Although it is common for poor people to abandon their children who cannot support themselves at the doorsteps of rich people in any year, I cannot accept it."
"Even if I was born with defects, that's not a reason for my parents to abandon me! If you don't want to have a baby, you can just abort the baby before it's born. Why bother letting the baby come into the world?"
"And the funniest thing is, after I had lived peacefully in the palace for only a few years, someone came to me in the name of my parents and threatened me to spy on the palace for them. Haha, they didn't even raise me for a day, but they wanted to use the grace of giving birth to me to force me to do this and that? It's a huge joke!"
"Parents who gave birth to a child but did not raise him are no different from strangers, even if they are not enemies. Moreover, they are used as a threat! Of course, I immediately reported it to the then princess, now the queen mother."
Zhang Shou didn't know why Chu Kuan told him this, but he had to admit that everyone has a gossipy heart, and at this moment he was listening to Chu Kuan talking about this old story with great interest. Especially when he heard Chu Kuan's implication that the person who abandoned him at the beginning might have ulterior motives and threatened him to be an insider to spy on him, he couldn't help but laugh.
In order to avoid Chu Kuan misinterpreting his agreement, although he also agreed with the other party's words, he did not agree with him, but asked with interest: "What happened next?"
Chu Kuan didn't keep the secret, but said with a fake smile: "Later, it was naturally me who cooperated with the Queen Mother, and we coordinated inside and outside to set a trap for the guy who wanted to order me. When the Queen Mother caught everyone in one fell swoop, I also blocked the guy who brought the message in a yard. He actually shouted in shock and anger, saying that he was my biological brother with the same father and mother."
"Seeing that I had no intention of showing mercy, he said he was willing to work for the palace. He also said that since I had such a defect, I would never be able to climb very high in this life, so I might as well fulfill his wish. As his elder brother, he would definitely take good care of me in the future... Haha, there are people in this world who are so shameless that they think they can get others to do anything for them just because of blood relationship?"
"Don't say he's just a so-called brother. Even if he's my biological parent, I'd still like to ask, why?"
It was not until this moment that Chu Kuan turned around and said calmly, "In my opinion, a family of three with no relatives is the best. If there is only one child in the family, then naturally most parents will do their best to raise the child, and will not favor boys over girls, let alone one over the other. It's a pity that if all families of three continue like this, the world's population will definitely decrease sharply."
"This idea is certainly unrealistic, but think about it, Master Zhang. Even in a big family, the children of the same generation will fight for it since they are young. Some people, no matter how good their qualifications are, cannot get the proper training because they are from a side branch. Some people, even if they are as stupid as pigs, have the best things because they are from the main line of the royal family. Not to mention those small families that are not even well-off. How many so-called seedlings of learning are provided by the whole family, and they are willing to sacrifice the future of others for this?"
If it wasn't for the fact that the basis of Chu Kuan's argument was to deny the clan concept of living together in clans for thousands of years, rather than to promote the one-child policy, Zhang Shou would almost think that the person in front of him was a time traveler!
Even though he was certain that Chu Kuan was not a time traveler, Zhang Shou was still amazed at such radical arguments - all dynasties hoped that the people of the world would maintain a family size of five, and tried their best to suppress those powerful families that could compete with local governments. But that was because the rulers wanted to suppress the powerful, and it had nothing to do with personal injustice and sacrifice.
But Chu Kuan took a different approach because of his own experience! He even doubted whether the other party's remarks would be more radical if this was not the Ciqing Palace!
Sure enough, when Chu Kuan led him into the place where the Third Prince usually lived and studied, he said to the Third Prince in front of him: "Monogamy, harmony between husband and wife, and then, educate children properly, establish a queen fairly, and give the sons who are not queens a family business that is enough to settle down... These things are simple to say, but looking at the world, it is easy to achieve in one generation, but it is difficult to achieve in three or five generations."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Shou heard the emperor's voice: "Chu Kuan, are you finding ways to scold me?"
