Given how difficult it was for a juren to be promoted, one could imagine why Zhang Cong was so helpless after listening to Zhu Houzhen's suggestion.
Of course, when a High Scholar could be promoted to the position of Prime Minister, there were also people who were famous in the world. For example, Hai Rui, an upright official in the Jiajing period, was born in the provincial examination. In the end, didn't he also enter the court and leave his name in history?
However, Hai Rui had yet to take the stage. The stage now belonged to the Zhang Cong brothers. Hai Rui would appear in the later stages of Zhu Houjiu's reign to help him complete an unprecedented event.
"Brother, there is no future for a High Scholar to be an official. You must be a capital official to have a future! If I were an official, I wouldn't have come all the way to the capital to participate in the general exams!”
"Hehe, Brother Zhang Cong, actually, a High Scholar can also stay in the capital and become an official!”
"Hmm? Don't lie to me. I've never heard of such a rule in the court!”
"Yes, there is indeed no such rule in the court, but now I have a way to make you stay in the capital as an official!”
"What? This…"
"Alright, stretch out your hand!"
"Oh!"
Zhang Cong was very surprised to hear Zhu Houjiu's words. Although he could already tell that Zhu Houjiu was not a simple person, he did not quite believe that Zhu Houjiu really had a way to make him stay in the capital as an official.
However, Zhang Cong still listened to Zhu Houzhen and extended his hand to him.
Zhu Houzhen smiled slightly and took out a jade seal from his bosom. He pressed it on Zhang Cong's hand, and instantly, a jade seal appeared on Zhang Cong's hand.
"This…"
Zhang Cong's first reaction was that he felt that Zhu Houzhen was toying with him. However, when Zhang Cong took the palm and looked at it, he was shocked to see the words " Emperor's Treasure " written on it.
"What? This…this…could it be that you are…"
The imperial jade seal of the Ming Emperor was not the imperial jade seal of Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang's imperial jade seal had long gone missing during the Later Tang Dynasty. The imperial jade seal of the Ming Emperor was carved with the 24 square imperial jade seals ordered by Zhu Yuanzhang.
Each of the 24 jade seals had their own uses. The " Emperor's Treasure " jade seal that Zhu Houzhen carried with him was used for daily purposes, such as issuing imperial edicts and so on. It was also a symbol of the emperor's authority.
Although Zhang Cong did not enter the court as an official, he was a scholar after all. He still had some understanding of the imperial seal of the Ming Dynasty. When he saw the words " Emperor's Treasure " carved on his hand, he immediately understood everything.
It turned out that this 15-year-old young man with an imposing appearance was actually…actually…
"Hehe, I came out in private this time. I don't want anyone to know my identity!”
"What? Yes, yes!"
When Zhang Cong heard that Zhu Houjie had admitted his identity, he was overjoyed.
Although Zhang Cong really wanted to bow to Zhu Houjiu, he was afraid of exposing Zhu Houjiu's identity, so he stood there at a loss.
"Alright!"
Zhu Houjin smiled at Zhang Cong and said,""Let's not talk anymore. Now, hurry up and report to the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs with this thing! I believe that with this, even if you don't pass the imperial examinations, you can still stay in the capital as an official!”
"Yes, yes, that…Thank you, thank you!”
Zhang Cong was in high spirits at this moment. He repeatedly bowed to Zhu Houzhen and then ran towards the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs.
The onlookers near the bridge found it strange to see Zhang Cong like this. Is this kid crazy? Just a moment ago, he was still fighting with the fortune-telling stall, but in the blink of an eye, he became so excited.
Everyone nearby knew that the key to Zhang Cong's transformation was the 15-year-old youth sitting near the fortune-telling stall. At the thought of this, the people nearby began to size up this mysterious youth curiously, wondering who this youth was.
Lu Bing looked at Zhang Cong's back view as he left happily and shook his head secretly.
"Your Majesty!"
Lu Bing whispered beside Zhu Houjin,""Why did you promote such a person? This person didn't even let the fortune-telling peddler off. He was simply an ingrate. If such a person became a high-ranking official, it would be a sin for the people!”
"Hehe, of course I know this!”
Zhu Houjin smiled slightly, and his eyes flashed.
"However, good people have their own ways of doing things, and bad people have their own ways of doing things. I'm still counting on this Zhang Cong to help me deal with Yang Tinghe!”
"Just him?"
"Hehe, yes!" Zhu Houjin smiled faintly, and then his expression darkened."Although this Zhang Cong's moral character isn't good, he's ruthless and merciless. This Emperor is currently lacking a vicious dog to help this Emperor disturb Yang Tinghe and make him reveal a flaw!”
"Oh, I understand!"
Lu Bing nodded secretly after hearing Zhu Houjin's explanation. He thought to himself," You don't have to say. With Zhang Cong's vengeful personality, he's really suitable to be the vanguard in a political battle to deal with political opponents."
He believed that even a crafty old fox like Yang Tinghe would be forced into a fluster when facing a crazy hound like Zhang Cong.
Now that Zhu Houjiu had subdued Zhang Cong, it was definitely the right choice.
Therefore, from now on, Zhang Cong, the first cabinet chief under Zhu Houzhen, officially embarked on his road to promotion.
Later, in the great etiquette incident between Zhu Houzhi and Yang Tinghe, Zhang Cong was the vanguard of Zhu Houzhi and helped Zhu Houzhi launch countless attacks on Yang Tinghe. He himself was also attacked countless times by Yang Tinghe, but he stood firm in the court.
However, Zhu Houjian eventually defeated Yang Tinghe, and Zhang Cong's outstanding performance in the Great Ceremony Event had led to his promotion to the position of Chief Assistant of the Cabinet, and his power had dominated the world.
Although Zhang Cong wasn't capable, he was a pioneer who opened up a big stage in the Jiajing period. After Zhang Cong, countless capable people and heroes would shine on this stage.
Of course, this was all for later.
……
After sending Zhang Cong away, Zhu Houzhen brought Lu Bing to the place where Wang Yangming was lecturing.
However, before the two of them could walk over, they ran into Fang Xianfu on the way.
"Your Majesty!"
Seeing that there was no one around, Fang Xianfu hurriedly went forward and bowed to Zhu Houjin.
"Yes, Fang Xianfu. Has the person I asked you to find arrived yet?”
"Yes, emperor, this lowly official will bring you to see him now!”
"Alright, lead the way!"
As Fang Xianfu spoke, he led Zhu Houjin forward and arrived at a large courtyard.
When Zhu Houzhi and Lu Bing entered the courtyard and saw the layout of the courtyard, they could not help but be stunned.
"Fang Xianfu, so…so this is the place you asked me to come to?”
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