The emperor has no private affairs, and the movements of the harem usually become the direction of the court.
In addition, due to the differences between men and women, the emperor's harem became an absolute forbidden area for court officials.
It was difficult for court officials to get information, not to mention being of the same mind and background, so some of them focused their attention on their maternal relatives.
This is also the reason why many new emperors’ first thing after ascending the throne is to clean up their in-laws.
The Cheng family is a serious scholar family, so they naturally won't follow the path of a maternal relative. But his hand has already reached the palace, but it is not so easy to know the movements of the six palaces in the east and west.
Now that he had Chang, he soon got the news about the Fourth Prince's wife's niece.
"That little girl is only eight or nine years old?" Cheng Chi sat in Cheng Shao's study, drinking the tea that Chang had brewed herself, and talked to Chang and Cheng Shao with a serious expression, "Do you know what her background is?"
The daughters of officials of the fifth rank and above in this dynasty are not allowed to be selected as daughters-in-law of the royal family.
"My father was a ninth-rank storekeeper." After all, he had been to the Qianqing Palace, so he knew the answer immediately. Chang said, "Five generations live together, and my mother is a well-known blessed woman in the capital. I have four brothers and two sisters."
Full of blessings, suitable for having a boy.
The royal family likes this kind of family the most.
In other words, this girl was intended for the Crown Prince.
"It's a good thing he could find such a family." Cheng Chi curled his lips.
Chang couldn't help but say, "I'm afraid the Fourth Prince won't accept this, so you'd better be careful."
It is best not to make enemies with them, but also not to get too close to them.
Cheng Chi felt that his new aunt was a clear-headed person. After thinking for a while, he said, "Now I am one of the teachers of the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince has also granted me a permanent farmland. Even if I don't want to offend the Fourth Prince, who knows what he will think if he succeeds? Now I can only deal with him to the end."
Chang was silent for a few breaths, then smiled bitterly and said, "I don't know if Elder Song is helping you or harming you by doing this?"
Cheng Chi felt that since the Chang family could sense the Fourth Prince's ambition, it was impossible for Song Jingran, a grassroots elder who had made his own fortune from scratch, to be completely unaware of it.
He couldn't help but laugh: "Maybe he thinks he has avoided the storm for a while. If I fall into disgrace, as long as he still has a place in the court, he can pull me back in..."
If Zhou Shaojin hadn't warned him, he would have thought so too.
I might even be glad that Song Jingran is going home to mourn his father's death at this time.
But with Zhou Shaojin's past life, the safety of the Cheng family comes from the royal family itself, and is no longer something Song Jingran can control.
The Cheng family could only find a solution on their own.
Cheng Chi made up his mind and went to see Shi Kuan.
Perhaps it was because the Fourth Prince was about to leave the capital, and there were a lot of trivial matters to deal with, and Shi Kuan looked a little tired.
The two met in a tavern, cut a few side dishes and ordered a pot of wine.
Cheng Chi drank while listening to Shi Kuan: "… Even if the Fourth Prince is going back to Beijing to pay tribute, he has to do it with a certain amount. The pearwood furniture in the main room is loved by the princess, the hundreds of green calyx trees in the back garden are loved by the Fourth Prince, and there are also the crabapples in the East Warm Pavilion, the century-old osmanthus in the West Cross Courtyard, and the pair of peacocks in the Biyi Pavilion. There are so many things that we will definitely not be able to clean up before the 15th of July. The Fourth Prince asked Master Xiong to speak in front of the Crown Prince so that we can move all the things away. When the time comes, please ask Master Cheng to help say a few good words on the side."
It sounds like a piece of cake.
But since the emperor has already refuted it, how can an ordinary person dare to touch that sensitive spot again
Cheng Chi readily agreed: "... I will speak for the Fourth Prince when the time comes."
There was a hint of confusion in Shi Kuan's eyes, but seeing Cheng Chi's frank expression, he couldn't help but suppress this confusion in his heart. The two talked about some matters concerning the Fourth Prince's enfeoffment.
Cheng Chi asked Cheng Lu: "Will he follow the Fourth Prince to the vassal state or stay in the capital?"
Shi Kuan's heart skipped a beat and he said with a smile, "He has a reputation, why would he follow our Fourth Prince to the fiefdom?"
Ever since Cheng Lu started dating the Fourth Prince as Chen Li's son-in-law, the Fourth Prince had a good impression of him and often invited him to the family banquets. He advised the Fourth Prince to seize the opportunity in his words and deeds. Although the Fourth Prince did not say anything, Shi Kuan, as his confidant, could see that many of his words hit the spot for the Fourth Prince. When the Fourth Prince was enfeoffed, Cheng Lu expressed his intention to go to Xinyang with the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince did not say anything at that time, but when the day of departure was set, he kept Cheng Lu and encouraged him to pass the imperial examinations as soon as possible so that he could be appointed as the Chief Clerk of the Fourth Prince's fiefdom.
What does Cheng Chi mean by asking this at this time
Cheng Lu is a member of the Cheng family who has lost his reputation.
What's more, Cheng Lu's expulsion was related to Cheng Chi's wife.
Shi Kuan smiled and said, "Master Cheng, do you have any advice?"
"Not really." Cheng Chi smiled, "I'm just a little curious."
Shi Kuan couldn't get any information out of him, so he had to put the matter aside.
Cheng Chi smiled slightly, and when he got home he told Huaishan: "Send someone to keep an eye on Cheng Lu."
Huaishan was puzzled.
Cheng Chi sneered, "He is not the kind of person who stays content with his lot. If the Fourth Prince has any plans, then he will be the one who follows the dragon. He will not let himself lose this opportunity no matter what. We keep an eye on him, and we will gain something more or less."
He remembered Zhou Shaojin telling him that in his previous life, the Fourth Prince ascended the throne by order of the Emperor. If the order was forged, there must be someone who had connections with the Qianqing Palace.
He doesn't know who he was in his previous life, but he might be Cheng Lu in this life.
Huaishan replied "yes" and stepped back.
Zhou Shaojin said worriedly, "What if I'm still the same person in this life?"
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "How can we put all our hopes on Cheng Lu? After all, he is just a retainer of the Fourth Prince. Keeping an eye on Cheng Lu is just a precautionary measure - I have made many arrangements in the capital in the past few years. If they arouse the suspicion of some people, I can use the opportunity of keeping an eye on Cheng Lu to divert their attention. The one we really need to keep an eye on is Chen Li of the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
He had already discussed this matter with Chang.
Someone from the Chang family helped them pass on the message.
They won't move unless Chen Li moves. As long as there is anything unusual about Chen Li, they will get the news.
But Cheng Chi was not sure whether the Fourth Prince was planning to put the little girl in the Cining Palace to plot in the future or just to paralyze the emperor, so he could only make two preparations. He did not want Zhou Shaojin to wait anxiously with him for the result.
"How are your preparations for going to the temple to watch the sutras being dried?" He changed the subject at the right time. "Have you decided where to go?"
"We are going to Zhetan Temple." Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, "Everyone thinks it's boring to always go to Daxiangguo Temple."
Cheng Chi smiled and nodded, saying, "I'll give you two hundred taels of silver as pocket money. You can accompany your mother to Zhetan Temple to have some fun, and come back tomorrow."
"Okay!" It was rare for Cheng Chi to take the initiative to ask her to spend the night outside. Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "I'll bring you some delicious food then?"
Cheng Chi said hurriedly: "Don't buy food from outside the temple, they are not clean. If you want to eat, eat the food in the temple. Especially for Yun Ge'er, don't let him eat those sugar paintings and sugar figures sold outside. You just walk around in the temple..."
Zhou Shaojin nodded continuously and smiled.
On the sixth day of June, Cheng Sheng arrived early, followed by the women of the Pengcheng Earl's family and Qiu, Xie, and Cheng Xiao. Only Chang had not arrived yet, even though the agreed time had passed.
Zhou Shaojin was just about to send someone to urge them when a servant from Shuangyu Hutong came running over, panting, and said that a guest had suddenly come to their house and Chang could not come.
Everyone felt very sorry for her and asked the servant to take a message back, saying that they would bring some vegetarian cakes from Zhetan Temple for Chang when they came back. Then they got on the carriage and filed out of the alley.
The servant ran back to report the news.
Chang gave the boy a handful of copper coins and turned back to the inner courtyard.
Cheng Chi, who was supposed to go to court, was standing in Cheng Shao's study. Seeing Chang, he asked, "Have they all left the city?"
His expression was extremely grim.
Chang nodded and said hesitantly, "Where is the second old master?!"
"Don't worry." Cheng Chi said, "I have sent people to follow the second uncle. Even if the second uncle is summoned by the emperor for questioning, the news can be passed on to Lord Han. But you, aunt, should find a place to hide! The fourth prince suddenly fell ill on the way and refused to see anyone. Today is the day when the Xishan Camp and the Wucheng Bingmasi change their defenses. After today, the fourth prince will not be able to fish in troubled waters to make adjustments. If he wants to take action, he can only do it today. The city will definitely be in chaos. Zhetan Temple is guarded by our Cheng family's guards. Even if someone from the Shanxi Camp goes there, they won't be able to take advantage for a while. What's more, the Empress Dowager will go to Baiyun Temple to listen to the teachings today. Even if the fourth prince wants to threaten the emperor, he will go to Baiyun Temple. Zhetan Temple is the safest place."
"I know." Chang said calmly, "So I should stay at home even more. I promised my best friend that if this fails, I will stand by her side. If she can't see me, she will think we have deceived her. After you leave, I will go to her place and wait for news."
"How can this be possible?" Cheng Chi frowned.
Chang interrupted Cheng Chi and said, "It's getting late. Don't you still have to go to the government office? You'd better go! It's too late to talk about this now. Without the Cheng family, there will be no me. I am willing to stand by the Second Master. The Fourth Master, please don't try to persuade me. If Zhou knew what you were planning, she would definitely not leave the capital. Isn't that why you kept it from her?"
Cheng Chi said nothing more. He bowed to Chang, said "take care", and left Shuangyu Hutong through the back door.
Chang took a look at the peaceful and quiet study, then turned and left Shuangyu Hutong.
In the Qianqing Palace, the emperor felt like something was on his mind after he finished his court session.
After reviewing the memorials for a while, he still couldn't calm down. He asked Chen Li: "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Chen Li bowed and replied respectfully, "I'm studying with Master Xiong in the upper study room!"
The Emperor asked, "The Fourth Prince asked Master Xiong to ask the Crown Prince for help. What did the Crown Prince say?"
Chen Li ducked even lower and said, "The Crown Prince said that this matter needs your decision."
The emperor felt even more annoyed. He put the memorial aside and said, "Go and invite Mr. Cheng to play two games of chess with me."
Cheng Shao is on duty at the Hanlin Academy today.
Chen Li agreed.
The clever little eunuch ran towards the Hanlin Academy like the wind.
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Hey guys, today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)