After spending the New Year with the wounded soldiers in Yongxia and fulfilling his agreement with Commander Lin, Zhao Hao set off north.

There is another big examination this year, and as usual he has to return to Beijing to provide pre-exam tutoring to another group of his disciples.

The sea route from Luzon to Tianjin is 3,300 kilometers. Although it was a northerly day, the Kuroshio Current helped the new fast sailing ship to sail much faster, and it took only one month to reach Dagukou.

After rushing around, I finally managed to give a test to these students, whom I had never met before the examination started on February 9th.

Mr. Zhao finally took some time to catch his breath and quickly went home to accompany his elders. As for his wife and children, they were all in Suzhou at the moment.

Li Mingyue was originally unwilling to stay in Jiang Xueying's territory, but Shiqi had grown up and was of school age. If a child is not well-educated, it is the fault of the father. Of course, she had to listen to Zhao Hao in this matter.

Although Zhao Hao had no plan to let his sons take over, he also hoped that his sons would become useful people in the future. He definitely did not want them to become playboys, useless guys, or human puppets who were served and kidnapped by the people around them!

So the first thing to do was to get them away from their mother and home. He gave his sons anonymous names and sent them to Yufeng Primary School, a boarding school, hoping that the hard-working, motivated and hands-on learning style there would help wash away the arrogance in his sons.

Now, among the sons, the eldest, Zhao Shixiang, the second, Zhao Shiqi, and the third, Zhao Shifu, are all in the second grade, and the fourth, Zhao Shili, is also in the first grade. The four boys usually live in the school, and they only have two days off every eight days, which is called ten-day rest.

Later, the eldest daughter Xiaotang saw that her brothers and sisters went to school, but she stayed at home. She refused to accept it and cried and made a fuss, wanting to go to school. Li Mingyue was helpless and had to sponsor Li Zhi's Suzhou Girls School, set up an affiliated primary school, and sent her daughter there. Only then did the situation calm down.

The children are all in Suzhou, so naturally, as a mother, she has to accompany them to study. Li Mingyue hasn't been back to the capital for more than two years. So Zhao Hao accompanied his godmother in the square dance with weapons... During the sword dance, the eldest princess slowly played with the sword and said sadly, Mingyue is thousands of miles away, and your father is too busy to see him all day, which makes me feel empty inside.

Mr. Zhao Er is very powerful now. In the cabinet, he has been demoted from Zhao Si to Zhao Er, ranking second in the cabinet and being promoted to the rank of first-rank young lady!

However, his progress was not due to personal efforts, but entirely to the course of history.

In the fifth year of Wanli's reign, he was promoted from Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites to Grand Secretary of the Dongge.

In the spring of the sixth year, the deputy assistant Lu Diaoyang saw that Zhang Juzheng still firmly controlled the government after returning home and did not give him any chance, so he was completely discouraged. He thought that the Song Dynasty had a companion to the Secretariat, so would he also be known as a "companion to the cabinet minister"? So he repeatedly claimed to be sick and begged for his body to be buried. Finally, in March, he was granted a hundred gold coins from the treasury, two sets of silk, and was ordered to return home by carriage.

After returning home, Lü Diaoyang also became ill due to depression and died on New Year's Day this year in his hometown of Guangxi. The obituary was submitted to the capital, and the emperor ordered to suspend court for one day, to hold eleven altars for sacrifice, to appoint one of his sons as a secretary of the Central Secretariat, to bestow him the title of Taibao, and to posthumously name him Wenjian. It can be said that he had a good end.

As soon as Lü Diaoyang left, Ma Ziqiang, the former Third Assistant, automatically took over as Second Assistant. Zhao Si naturally became Zhao San and was promoted to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

However, Ziqiang also fell ill, and soon after Yuanfu returned to the court in July, he died in office. The emperor bestowed upon him the title of Shao Bao, posthumously named him Wen Zhuang, and sent messengers to escort the funeral back.

So Mr. Zhao was automatically promoted to the second assistant, and naturally he was promoted to the Minister of Rites and the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace.

On New Year's Day this year, Mr. Zhao was promoted to Junior Tutor. The emperor also intended to appoint him as the chief examiner of the undergraduate examination, which was a great honor.

However, Zhao Shouzheng was very clear-headed and immediately declined the position to the emperor, saying that I was already a junior minister and it would be too much for me to be the chief examiner again. It would seem like I was greedy, so the emperor should ask for someone else.

Wanli liked him very much as a minister who did his duty and did not fight for anything. He said, "Don't refuse. I have decided on you." However, Zhao Shouzheng insisted on not accepting the position, so Yu Youding was appointed as the chief examiner and Xu Guo was appointed as the deputy chief examiner.

Both of them are from the Jiangnan Gang, and Xu Guo is Zhao Shouzheng's fellow villager from She County, so the benefits did not flow to outsiders.

~~

Although Zhao Shouzheng did not enter the thorny siege, Zhao Hao did not get to see him much. The reason was just as the godmother said, Mr. Zhao was too busy.

On the third night after Zhao Hao returned home, Mr. Zhao finally found time to come back and meet his son.

Speaking of which, since March of the sixth year of Wanli, Zhao Hao accompanied his father-in-law to the south for burial and has never returned to the capital. The father and father have not seen each other for two years!

Zhao Hao was shocked when he saw his father again. He saw that his father's temples were gray, there were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his eyelids were slightly drooping. Although Mr. Zhao was very happy to see his son and all his fatigue was gone, it was obvious that he had aged.

"Oh, Dad, what have you been through in the past two years?" Zhao Hao quickly pulled Zhao Shouzheng under the light and looked him up and down. "Isn't it said that power is the best temptation for men? Why doesn't it have any effect on you?"

"That's because your father-in-law took all the medicine. Your father and Xiao Shen were squeezed into dregs by him." Zhao Liben came out of the inner room with his hands behind his back. He stood straight and looked radiant, not old at all. He didn't look like he was going to celebrate his 80th birthday in two months.

"Dad..." Zhao Shouzheng laughed bitterly, patted his son hard and said, "Haha, your grandpa is joking. Dad is already fifty years old this year. How can he not look old after being over fifty?"

"No, grandpa doesn't admit his age." Zhao Hao said with a sour nose.

"That's right." Zhao Liben said with his beard curled up proudly, "Your grandmother Ye said that I feel I am getting younger and younger!"

"Hehe..." Zhao Shouzheng and Zhao Hao pretended not to hear.

After the grandparents sat down, Zhao Hao asked his father in a low voice: "Is it hard to help your father-in-law?"

"Hehe, it's okay." Zhao Shouzheng smiled and shook his head. He did not complain to his son immediately. Instead, he took his hand and asked him how he had been doing in the past two years and whether his grandchildren were doing well in Jiangnan.

Anyway, after becoming the assistant, Mr. Zhao has become much more calm.

"What a bullshit." Zhao Liben said angrily, "Your father-in-law was never a good person. After returning from his hometown, he became even worse, arrogant and dictatorial. Your father is already a deputy minister. If he makes a mistake in doing things, he will scold him!"

"Dad, it's not that exaggerated." Master Zhao smiled helplessly, "There are too many places in the court where money is spent. Whoever manages the purse will be scolded. The prime minister is also criticizing the matter, not the person."

"Oh." Zhao Hao sighed and nodded. He felt the same way.

~~

Perhaps he figured it out in his hometown of Jingzhou. Since returning to Beijing, Zhang Juzheng has torn off his disguise of being gentle, respectful, frugal and modest.

In the past, he cared a lot about his reputation and always hoped to maintain the image of a virtuous minister. However, after experiencing the love affair, especially kneeling in public and holding a knife to his neck, what image did Zhang Xianggong still have?

Now that he had lost all his face, he no longer cared about the trivial gossip.

Especially after his wife, Gu, passed away due to illness last year, Mr. Zhang felt that life is short and he should not hesitate. He should live out his true self and have no regrets, so that his life will not be in vain!

Sorry, I won't pretend anymore! Didn't you say I was domineering? Yes, I am domineering!

When Zhang Juzheng was buried, officials from Huguang, big and small, rushed to serve as filial sons and grandsons to the old lord, but Huguang Circuit Inspector Zhao Yingyuan was absent. Zhao later wrote a letter to explain that his term of office had expired and he was in Xiangyang to take over with the new Circuit Inspector, so he could only express his grief from afar.

This reason is appropriate, but Zhang Xianggong always felt that he was a member of the love-stealing party, so after returning to Beijing, he found a fault and dismissed Zhao Yingyuan.

In addition, all those who have offended him and did not stand on his side in the love affair will be severely punished. Now, in this three-acre land of the court, not a single poisonous weed is allowed to remain!

Also, didn’t you say I was obsessed with power? Yes, I am!

He openly declared, "Love is something that a loyal minister will not refuse. In this world, ministers, when they have achieved high status, will try their best to protect themselves and enjoy their positions."

What I mean is, it’s true that I love power, but isn’t that just to cover up for you guys?

If there were really someone who was truly responsible for the affairs of the country, would I still have to endure humiliation and work so hard? Isn't it because each of you is only thinking about protecting yourselves and no one is willing to work for the country?

When you can really take charge of this country, I will stop being obsessed with power...

Besides, didn’t you say I was a dictator? Yes, I am a dictator!

Wang Yongji, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Revenue, took advantage of Zhang Juzheng's stay in the countryside and petitioned the emperor to seize this opportunity to study state affairs diligently and strive to take charge of the government as soon as possible. Power and authority should not be entrusted to others for too long!

The spearhead was completely aimed at Zhang Juzheng. After seeing this memorial in Jiangling, Zhang immediately instructed Ma Ziqiang to dismiss Wang Yongji from his post and make him a commoner. He also wrote a memorial "Please Distinguish Loyalty and Evil to Determine National Affairs" to Emperor Wanli, saying that Wang Yongji's sinister intention was only to alienate the emperor and his ministers!

He even said that Wang's request for the emperor to take sole charge of all government affairs only wanted the emperor to be like the self-willed Qin Shihuang or the treacherous Emperor Wen of Sui!

He also said, "Your Majesty is in a high position, and you can't do things alone. If you don't entrust it to me, who can you entrust it to?!"

He even said bluntly, "I have made this complaint to the wise emperor, and I will make it clear to the people of the world - I am a minister of state, and I should die for my country. I will not shy away from death, let alone praise or criticism, gain or loss!"

The entire memorial is a naked declaration of a dictator! It is the only one in the past 200 years of the Chinese dynasty...

Also, didn't you say I was greedy for money and lustful for women? Then I'll do it for you to see... Uh, this is still closed to visitors.

In short, Mr. Zhang has now completely let himself go and is not afraid of what others say. As long as it is good for the country, as long as it is good for Wanli's new policies, as long as it makes him happy, he will do it, and do it hard, no matter what you say!

But the problem was that he was not only concerned about his political enemies, but he was also becoming increasingly concerned about his confidants, subordinates, and even the emperor and the empress dowager.

It doesn't matter if you offend subordinates like Mr. Zhao. The Queen Mother doesn't care either, maybe she even likes being manipulated by him.

But the emperor is now eighteen years old...