Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

Emperor Chongzhen's calm expression caused Zhang Shikang's blood pressure to soar and reminded him of a joke from later generations.

Jade Emperor: I rule the heavens!

Tathagata: You have been beaten by a monkey!

Jade Emperor: I have more people under my command than you!

Tathagata: You have been beaten by a monkey!

Jade Emperor: I have experienced 17,500 calamities!

Tathagata: You have been beaten by a monkey!

Jade Emperor: Can we not mention the monkey?

……

What Zhang Shikang is experiencing now is what the Jade Emperor experienced.

He said that when he was away at war he did not forget to have children, and that he had several children a year and so on. But no matter what he said, Emperor Chongzhen could dismiss him with just one word.

Wuji is very powerful, but you only have a daughter, unlike me, who has four sons.

Although in Zhang Shikang's opinion, having a boy or a girl is the same, it has to be said that in today's universal values, girls are all money-losing goods.

"It's not a big deal to have many sons. I'm still young and I will have sons too." Zhang Shikang said unconvinced.

"You should focus more on the court. Indulgence will always harm your health." Emperor Chongzhen sighed.

"I suspect Your Majesty is tricking me. Work is work, and life is life. How can they be mixed up?" Zhang Shikang said with a sneer.

“No matter what, you shouldn’t spend all that time on a group of singing girls.

It would be fine if you only gave birth to daughters, but if you gave birth to a first son, how would your wife treat you from then on?

Wouldn't it be like worrying about the eldest son again?" Emperor Chongzhen said earnestly.

However, Zhang Shikang did not like what he heard.

After all, this old man still looked down on the backgrounds of women like Chen Yuanyuan, and what Kou Baimen said really came true.

The ancients paid great attention to etiquette, especially regarding inheritance rights, and had a set of extremely strict rules.

Generally speaking, the legitimate son is chosen instead of the eldest son. However, if the eldest son is not born of legitimate wife but is favored by the male head of the family because of his preconceived position, the legitimate son will be in danger. This kind of thing is not uncommon among the people.

Even in the Ming Dynasty royal family, Emperor Wanli fought with the court for more than ten years over the dispute over the replacement of the crown prince and the national foundation.

"This kind of thing will never happen in my family. Whoever is the most capable will be the heir." Zhang Shikang's face was full of dissatisfaction.

"Oh, if only it were that simple. You will understand it later." Emperor Chongzhen sighed.

While the two were whispering, the Shangshenjian had already prepared the wine and food, and soon plates of delicacies were served on the table.

There were three tables in the Qianqing Palace, one for Emperor Chongzhen, Empress Zhou, the Crown Prince, and Zhang Shikang.

Liu Rushi and other girls sat at one table with Empress Yi'an and Concubine Tian, and the children sat at another table.

After the wine and food were served, Emperor Chongzhen raised his glass, and everyone stood up and saluted with their glasses, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Zhang Shikang was drinking with his teeth bared, not as dignified as Liu Rushi and others, but fortunately everyone was already used to it. After putting down the wine glass, Zhang Shikang said:

"Your Majesty, this is the first time I have brought my children to wish you a happy new year. Have you forgotten the New Year's money?"

As he spoke, Zhang Shikang took out six red envelopes from his arms.

"Look, I have prepared red envelopes for all the princes and princesses!

Come on, Your Highness, continue."

Zhu Cilang took it subconsciously, then quickly stood up and replied:

"Thank you, Master Zhang."

"Okay, okay. Study hard and I'll take you out to play when I'm free next year!" After saying that, Zhang Shikang walked towards the children's table again.

"Hey, this is the fifth prince, right? Here, take the red envelope."

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen had five sons and two daughters, but his second son, Prince Huaiyin Zhu Cixuan, died shortly after birth.

Since Zhang Shikang seldom saw the other princes, he was not very familiar with them.

He handed the red envelope to the youngest-looking prince with a smile on his face. It seemed that this should be the youngest child of Chongzhen's brother.

Nine-year-old Zhu Cixiong took the red envelope with his left hand and scratched his head with his right hand, feeling somewhat overwhelmed:

"I am the third prince, and he is the fifth prince."

As he spoke, Zhu Cijiong pointed at the five-year-old Zhu Cihuan who was taller than him.

Shit, I guessed wrong again! A nine-year-old can’t be taller than a five-year-old? ?

Zhang Shikang was stunned for a moment, but he was not affected at all and continued to distribute red envelopes to other children.

When the red envelope was handed to Princess Kunyi, she was not accepted. Zhang Shikang said:

"My dear little princess, it's New Year, it's time to receive red envelopes!"

no response.

Princess Kunyi's eyes were slightly red, and Zhang Shikang thought that the children were just angry with each other.

Princess Kunyi was a girl after all, so Zhang Shikang immediately spoke to the other princes in the tone of an elder:

"How could you bully your sister? If you dare to be so presumptuous again, I will tell your father!"

Of course, he just dealt with it casually, and then said to Princess Kunyi:

"How come you can't even manage your brothers? I'll teach you a trick. Beat up anyone who doesn't obey.

Come, take the red envelope, you are the only one missing."

Zhang Shikang felt that the little girl's expression was a little strange. Her eyes were red but she didn't cry. She just looked at him with a pursed mouth, which made Zhang Shikang feel a little uneasy.

"After the New Year, I will be twelve years old." Princess Kunyi said to Zhang Shikang in a depressed mood.

"What's wrong with being twelve years old? He's still a child. He should get red envelopes during the Chinese New Year!" Zhang Shikang said without thinking.

"I...I...I'm grown up now and I won't talk to you anymore!" Princess Kunyi said this and then she ran out of the Qianqing Palace crying as if she had an emotional breakdown.

Zhang Shikang frowned, threw the last red envelope in his hand to Zhu Cihuan, and then sat down in his seat and said:

"Your Majesty, this is none of my business. The little princess is in a bad mood. Perhaps she has been under too much pressure from schoolwork these days?"

Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou looked at each other, and Empress Zhou shook her head slightly, seeming helpless.

Emperor Chongzhen replied calmly:

"Nothing, let's eat first."

After saying this, Emperor Chongzhen remembered something.

"Oh, Wang Dabanban, go to the inner storehouse and get some gifts suitable for children. Let's give them as New Year's gifts to Wuji's child."

Wang Chengen agreed and went, and soon he brought back more than a dozen exquisite ornaments.

These accessories are all suitable for children to wear, including heart-protecting locks made of gold, sterling silver bracelets carved with exquisite patterns, and some Taoist jade accessories for ensuring safety.

Each of these things cannot be said to be priceless, but they are at least worth thousands of taels.

Zhang Shikang asked Chen Yuanyuan and other girls to take their children with them to choose.

Zhu Cilang was holding the red envelope in his hand, and was also curious about how much money was in Zhang Shikang's red envelope.

While Zhang Shikang was talking to his father, Zhu Cilang carefully opened the red envelope under the table.

But there was a folded piece of paper stuffed in the red envelope, and its texture felt like the mulberry paper used for silver bills.

As Zhu Cilang opened the note, he guessed the denomination of the banknote, thinking that since Master Zhang was so capable, he would definitely be very generous.

As he unfolded the folded bill.

Then he was stunned.

But on the banknote was written "Da Ming Tong Xing Bao Chao - One Guan".

That is clearly a Ming Dynasty treasure note!

……