diskusbooks Chapter 883 Knowing everything
Chapter 883 Knowing everything
Zhang Ping'an felt quite at ease knowing that his wife had eaten well and was ready to get things done.
After they finished their conversation and ate their fill, the two went about their business.
Time flew by, and the next morning arrived. After waking up, Pengpeng had completely forgotten about what had happened the night before.
During breakfast, the topic of going to the Imperial College was subtly brought up at the table.
Zhang Ping'an hadn't expected his nephew to be so impatient. After wiping his mouth, he said, "Don't worry about your studies. After dinner, you and Xiaoyuer can go to the Imperial Academy together. I've already spoken to the teachers there, and you can study there until next year's imperial examination. Of course, if you want to stay in the capital after the imperial examination, your uncle can also help you make arrangements. We'll decide based on your examination results."
Seeing her ambitious grandson, Madam Xu was delighted and said with a smile, "Our Pengpeng is so diligent and eager to learn. Little Yu'er, your cousin is new to the Imperial Academy and doesn't know anything about it. Remember to help him out!"
Little Fish casually replied, "Of course!"
Having said that, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice: "The Imperial Academy in the capital is not like the prefectural or state schools below. It's filled with nobles and princes, and with the Empress just passed away and His Majesty in poor health, it's a sensitive time for the court. Pengpeng, remember you're here to study, so keep a low profile and don't be ostentatious. However, since you've just come from Lin'an, some people might bully you. If you encounter trouble, don't act rashly, and definitely don't resort to violence. You can seek help from Xiaoyuer, understand?"
Pengpeng wasn't ungrateful; he could sense the deep worry and concern in his uncle's words.
He immediately assured her, "Uncle, don't worry, I definitely won't cause any trouble. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask Xiaoyuer."
“Hmm,” Zhang Ping’an was satisfied with Pengpeng’s attitude. He then instructed his son, “Xiaoyuer, remember to tell your cousin about the Imperial College on your way to school later, so that you don’t accidentally offend anyone. Although we are not too afraid, it is still a tricky situation to deal with. Now is a sensitive time, so it is best not to cause any trouble.”
"I've got my cousin with me, and I'm already familiar with the Imperial Academy, so it's fine," Xiaoyuer said proudly.
He was quite a tyrant at the Imperial College, so protecting someone was a piece of cake for him.
After Xiaoyuer and Pengpeng left, Zhang Pingan changed into his official robes and went out.
Because of the Crown Prince's fainting, Zhou Ziming has specially suspended court for a day today.
Therefore, Zhang Ping'an rarely had to get up early to attend court.
When they arrived at the Privy Council, most of the staff had already arrived.
Normally, this would be the time for everyone to have morning tea and chat.
However, the atmosphere in the capital has been unusual recently, especially in the Privy Council.
The people below were all shrewd and cautious, pretending to be busy and not daring to slack off. Even if they didn't have anything to do, they didn't dare to be idle, for fear of accidentally running into trouble.
He was used as an example by his superiors.
The Vice Privy Councilor, Lord Wang, is already quite old, but in order to pave the way for his descendants, he continues to stay at his post and dares not retire to his hometown.
However, he also knew that his career had come to an end, so he was usually very tactful and avoided offending anyone.
He even showed a hint of deference towards Zhang, the Grand Councilor who might succeed him.
If Zhou Ziming hadn't secretly given the order, he really wouldn't have wanted to confront Zhang Ping'an before retiring from office.
They might not only fail to complete the task, but also get themselves involved.
In the past, Zhang Ping'an had always turned a blind eye to their behavior, only secretly resisting them without ever breaking the ice.
However, today, he unusually summoned Lord Wang into his study.
"Lord Wang, please have a seat!" Zhang Ping'an greeted him.
"Thank you, sir!"
Although Lord Wang couldn't figure out what Zhang Ping'an was up to, he remained calm on the surface.
Instead of getting to the point, Zhang Ping'an started chatting casually: "Recently, there have been one thing after another in the court. Thinking about it, it's been a long time since I've gone out for a meal or tea with you, Lord Wang. Today, let's just chat casually, so please don't be shy. Lord Wang, you are a veteran in the officialdom. Although I am fortunate enough to be one rank higher than you, there are still many things I need to learn from you."
"You flatter me, sir. I am merely taking advantage of having lived a few decades longer, having seen and experienced more, and thus having more knowledge. Besides, I am now over sixty, and my career is nearing its end. Naturally, I cannot compare to the drive of you young people."
“Hey,” Zhang Ping’an disagreed, “An old horse in its stall may still aspire to gallop a thousand miles. Lord Wang, please don’t underestimate yourself. I often hear Xiao Yu’er talk about how intelligent Qing Tan is. I’m sure he will bring glory to the clan in next year’s imperial examination. It would be a wonderful thing if the two of them, grandfather and grandson, could serve in the same court.”
Speaking of his great-grandson, Lord Wang couldn't help but smile with pride, stroking his beard and saying modestly, "Not at all, not at all. This rascal is far inferior to Xiaoyuer. To be honest, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be sitting here in the Privy Council. I have no choice!"
“I understand, it’s all for the sake of future generations, it’s only human nature. But the situation in the capital recently is not good. You’ve seen what’s happening in the court. So many people have been killed, everyone is on edge. It’s not enough that you die, you also have to drag your whole family and hundreds of people down with you. It’s pitiful to think about,” Zhang Ping’an said with a long sigh.
The two chatted for a while.
Lord Wang was one of the few officials who had managed to slip through the cracks in the previous dynasty unscathed into the new one. He was extremely cunning and naturally understood what those words meant.
He immediately picked up his teacup and drank the tea, pretending to be stupid.
Zhang Ping'an knew he was a cautious man, so he didn't press him. He continued, "Recently, I've often felt sluggish and constrained in my work at the Privy Council. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on the specific reasons. I know you, Lord Wang, are also caught in a difficult situation. We're all colleagues, and I don't want to push things to the extreme unless absolutely necessary. Helping others is helping yourself, but..."
At this point, Zhang Ping'an tapped the table lightly with his fingers, his eyes suddenly sharpening. "I hope the other party thinks the same way, otherwise, wouldn't that be too unfair, Lord Wang? What do you say?"
Lord Wang's heart tightened upon hearing this, but he showed a hint of helplessness on his face. "Sir, why are you forcing me? You know this is all the order from above. My old bones are no longer useful. If it weren't for that bunch of good-for-nothings at home, I would have retired long ago. Why should I still be living in fear in this officialdom? Alas, I really have no choice!"
"I'm not forcing you to do anything, nor am I asking you to do nothing. I just hope that at the appropriate time, you can turn a blind eye. After all, I'm still the Privy Councilor. I can't speak for others, but I know the whole story of the Privy Council. You know how many people are supported by the millions of military salaries paid to the troops in Shanxi every year."
Upon hearing this, Lord Wang broke out in a cold sweat, but he still had to force a smile and explain, "This... hehe, there are accounts for everything, so of course we know everything."
"Hmph!" Zhang Ping'an snorted softly, knowing that the old guy was still hoping for a lucky break, so he stopped hiding it.
He said coldly, "The practice of receiving a salary without working has existed in every dynasty. It's just a matter of how serious it is, depending on whether someone in the higher-ups is protecting you. Right now, Lord Wang, you are working for His Majesty, so His Majesty will naturally protect you. But what happens after I fall? Knowing His Majesty's temperament, there will inevitably be a purge. In that case, Lord Wang, you will lose everything, having done all the work for others. Your final fate will not be much better than those who were dragged out of the main hall a few days ago. You should carefully consider the choice between these two options!"
Lord Wang knew perfectly well that Zhang Ping'an had deliberately led him into a trap today.
However, what he said was indeed true, and I really had to consider it carefully.