Improving Performance

Author: Silent

Improving Performance

Zhang Zhou also wanted to establish contact with Wang Shouren before.

However, even though he was the number one pick and had a close relationship with him, he was still not in the same circle. Even Zhang Zhou was deeply involved in the previous battle at the head-turn battle, but what others remember more is Wang Yue's desperate move.

At that time, Zhang Zhou didn't have much capital to recruit a "second-generation official" who was already rich in resources in the civil service circle. If Wang Shouren wanted to get around in the civil service circle, wouldn't he be able to get along better than him because of his father's connections?

But now Zhang Zhou feels that he has capital.

After the Battle of Ningyuan, the blooming cannons were enough to change the future war trend between the Ming Dynasty and the Tatars. From Wang Shouren's point of view, it is impossible not to realize this. Then, if Wang Shouren still wants to have military ambitions in the future, don't you want to follow? Xuexue? Or even become the founder of the highest military academy in the Ming Dynasty, or even become a lecturer?

Now the emperor gave Zhang Zhou the authority to transfer people.

As for whether Wang Shouren will cooperate after he comes, that is another matter. Zhang Zhou is not demanding yet.

…

…

Then Zhang Zhou followed Zhu Youtang to Kunning Palace and met Empress Zhang and sister and brother Zhang Heling.

"Queen, look who I've invited here?"

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Bingkuan's ability is unmatched by anyone in the Ming Dynasty. Even I admire him."

Empress Zhang changed her hostile expression before. She would not even face Zhang Zhou with an indifferent and distant look. Instead, she smiled and said with an approachable look: "Bingkuan is here? Sit down."

It was as if the husband and wife were one, and their attitudes towards Zhang Zhou were also in sync.

Zhang Heling came over, moved the chair out specifically for Zhang Zhou, and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, please sit down."

"Marquis Shouning, why are you so embarrassed?" Zhang Zhou smiled.

Is Zhang Heling so "well-behaved"? The last time he met with Zhang Heling in the Jiaofang Division, Zhang Heling was obsessed with showing off his face to Zhang Zhou, and also wanted to use his status as a distinguished veteran to win over him. Zhang Zhou twisted his face, and his mentality Can it be transformed?

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, are you sure you are not fooling me?

Zhu Youtang said: "Bingkuan, you're welcome, you deserve it! If anyone else can cultivate Heling in the Ming Dynasty, it has to be you! Look at what Yanling was like before. Since he received your guidance, now You can all be on your own.”

"Yes," Zhang Heling said in support, "So I hope that Mr. Zhang can give me more advice so that I can achieve success in the army."

The general meaning is that I am asking for something, so I give him a good look.

Zhang Zhou didn't have much respect for Zhang Heling's attitude. He was basically just perfunctory.

After Zhang Zhou and the emperor and his wife sat down, Zhang Heling came to the side and sat down, smiling at Zhang Zhou.

Empress Zhang asked: "Bingkuan, how is the prince's recent studies? Your Majesty has always said that you are giving lessons to the prince, which has made the prince's progress obvious. Even the women in this palace don't understand that. Is he really a good person?"

"Yes Bingkuan, please talk to the queen." Zhu Youtang was very proud.

The most capable person in the Ming Dynasty not only served as his advisor, but also became his son's teacher.

With my discerning eye, I was able to pick Zhang Zhou out of the vast crowd...

An emperor will not be complacent about his superior abilities, but he will be proud of his accuracy in employing people.

Zhang Zhou said: "I only played a supporting role in the prince's studies. It still depends on the concerted efforts of the lecturers in the East Palace. The prince has indeed made progress in his recent study of the Four Books and Five Classics, but there is still a lot of room for improvement."

"Then it all depends on you." Empress Zhang smiled, glanced at her husband, then glared at Zhang Heling with annoyance, and then looked back at Zhang Zhou with a gentle smile.

Zhang Zhouguang knew from the look on this woman's face that she was a character who was not easy to mess with.

Could it be that Queen Zhang, in addition to knowing how to control her husband as others said, also has her own insights in governing the country?

Zhang Zhou then gave up the idea.

The reason is that Empress Zhang did not get better during the three dynasties of Hongzhi, Zhengde, and Jiajing. During the Zhengde period, she failed to persuade her son. During the Jiajing period, she could have relied on Yang Tinghe to control her adopted son Zhu Houcong tightly, but she was also unable to do so.

At this point, it took three years for an inexperienced feudal prince to complete the purge. He even refused to recognize her as his mother by relying on great rituals and ran back to recognize his ancestors.

If she had some political ambitions, why would she be like this?

Zhang Zhou smiled and cupped his hands and said, "I will definitely live up to the queen's expectations."

Empress Zhang looked at her husband again and said, "Your Majesty, should I reward Bingkuan heavily?"

"Haha, queen, you don't have to worry about this, I will naturally give him a generous gift." Zhu Youtang thought, why do you need to remind him?

Empress Zhang smiled and said: "The imperial court gave it to me. It was His Majesty's wish. I also wanted to reward him. This represents the wishes of the Zhang family. Even my mother told me before that I would go around Bingkuan more in the future, but he didn't."

His bad thoughts are all for the royal family and the Ming Dynasty. I also want him to take care of He Ling and Yan Ling..."

This sounds fine.

But Zhang Zhou still felt that there seemed to be a deep meaning in his words.

It was not that Empress Zhang deliberately revealed it, but she accidentally "let the slip".

It lies in the words "He has no bad intentions".

Zhang Zhou thought for a while, I saved your daughter, predicted the disaster in Qingning Palace, and did so many things for the court. What could have made you think I had bad intentions in the first place? It must have been the matter of marrying a concubine to the emperor.

You have seen that in the six months since I have been with the emperor, I have never instigated the emperor to have a concubine, and I have even helped you and your wife recuperate and prepare for pregnancy, so you will resolve your previous prejudice against me...or rather

You also knew you couldn't fight me now, so you made peace with me?

Zhu Youtang said: "Queen, if you want to reward me, I won't stop you, but your Zhang family is not big, so you'd better listen to me on how to reward you more."

In fact, the emperor didn't really want the Zhang family to make the reward.

First of all, the name issue is very illegal. Why does your Zhang family reward meritorious officials on behalf of the royal family? Even if it is to help, they are mainly helping me, not deliberately helping your Zhang family. You just need to thank me.

However, Zhang Zhou knew that the more critical factor that bothered the emperor was that the emperor felt that even if the queen was a reward, it would only be with the money in his pocket.

Just like your Zhang family is now able to make money or wealth, why don't you take the money out of my pocket in the end?

Will my two brothers-in-law make their own wealth?

They were being polite if they didn't empty my wallet completely. The meager wealth I had in the past two years was almost completely plundered by these two brothers!

"Pass the meal, I'm having a drink with Bingkuan today, Heling, why don't you go back first?" Zhu Youtang seemed to have no intention of keeping his brother-in-law in the palace for dinner.

Zhang Heling said: "Your Majesty, I am also hungry."

Very direct.

Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "How many mouthfuls of food are you missing at home? But that's fine, let's stay together! When I'm talking to Bingkuan, don't interrupt!"

"Yes, yes. I don't have time to follow suit, so how can I interrupt?"

…

…

It was a very tasteless lunch.

The main reason was that Zhang Heling was there, so he was not allowed to interrupt, but he talked the most nonsense at the dinner table.

Zhu Youtang was still a little unhappy, because he had no intention of inviting anyone other than Zhang Zhou, otherwise he would have even left Zhu Feng, but now Zhang Heling was there to disturb the situation.

After lunch, Zhu Youtang asked Zhang Zhou to follow him on the pretext of going back to Qianqing Palace.

Zhang Zhou found that he looked more and more like the emperor's personal attendant...a eunuch!??

"Bingkuan, as I said before, I asked you to take care of Heling to deal with the queen. You don't have to take it seriously." Zhu Youtang was afraid that Zhang Zhou would mind cultivating the Zhang brothers, so he gave special instructions.

Zhang Zhou smiled.

It seems that even if a man reaches the level of an emperor, he still does one thing with his wife in front of her and behind her back.

Zhang Zhou said: "If Shouning Hou studies hard, I won't mind giving him all my money to teach him."

"As for him...it's a good thing that he didn't cause any trouble for me. You may also be wondering why I supported him and protected him when I knew he was dishonorable, right?" Zhu Youtang asked with emotion.

Zhang Zhou smiled and shook his head: "Your Majesty has too few relatives around you. As long as Shouning Marquis and Jianchang Bo have not done anything too outrageous, I think your Majesty will treat them leniently."

"Yes, that's what I thought before, but in recent years, the two brothers have become more and more outrageous. More and more people are trying to impeach them, but the Queen still protects them..."

Zhang Zhou can feel it from here.

Because of Zhang Zhou's appearance, the emperor already had a rift with the Zhang family.

Empress Zhang should have been very aware of this at first. After all, the emperor no longer only regarded the Zhang family as his relatives. Instead, he had Zhang Zhou, a powerful figure with a civil servant background and the blessing of a half-immortal status, to make suggestions... Empress Zhang was in crisis. After realizing this, he started to criticize Zhang Zhou in various ways.

But later Empress Zhang discovered that she, Zhang Zhou, could do too many things and was irreplaceable in the emperor's heart.

That's why I took the route of warm friendship.

"So Bingkuan, you punish them for me, punish them well, you're welcome!" Zhu Youtang's attitude was very firm, "I can safely leave the prince to your charge, why can't I even let my two brothers-in-law do it? So you don’t have to have any baggage in your heart.”

Zhang Zhou thought to himself.

Your son nominally worships me as his teacher, but the Zhang brothers are at best my temporary students. It is much harder to control these two misbehaving people than it is to control your son.

No matter how smart your son is, he is still a child. When it comes to choosing interests or pursuing hobbies, I can keep track of them.

How do you know the veins of the Zhang brothers?

Recruit with titles? Or with grace? Or with money and women?
To be continued...