The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

There is no doubt that being personally invited by the emperor to have lunch together is definitely a special favor, and it also shows the emperor's importance to his subjects.

After the establishment of the Xin Dynasty, there were not many ministers in the court who had this honor.

However, Zhang Ping'an was only a second-rank official and was young. It was his first day at the Privy Council, but the emperor did not invite the head of the Privy Council, but instead invited the second-in-command. This was very puzzling.

Everyone in the officialdom is a shrewd person, so people around them will look at them strangely.

After looking at Zhang Ping'an, the subordinates secretly looked at Mr. Guo's expression. Reading people's words and expressions is a basic skill for being an official.

However, Lord Guo had been in the officialdom for decades and held a high position, so he was very stable. At that moment, he just stroked his beard and smiled, congratulated Zhang Pingan, and did not show anything else.

The chief eunuch Liang Fu urged him a few more times, and Zhang Ping'an didn't think any more about it. He stood up, bowed to his colleagues around him, and followed Eunuch Liang to the Yangxin Palace.

Zhou Ziming has always been a diligent emperor and is not very interested in women, so most of the time he would handle government affairs in the Yangxin Palace and have his meals there. The Yangxin Palace is the place he spends most of his time.

Because he was not familiar with the eunuch Liang Gonggong, Zhang Pingan did not say much along the way, let alone ask questions. In the palace, it is better to say less than to say the wrong thing, and the most taboo is to talk too much.

When we arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the eunuchs had already brought the dining table and dozens of dishes and set the table.

Zhou Ziming was still concentrating on handling government affairs. When he saw Zhang Pingan coming over to salute, he just waved his hand gently.

Therefore, Zhang Ping'an consciously stood aside quietly with his head lowered, his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart.

After a while, Zhou Ziming stood up after dealing with the last memorial, his expression relaxed.

He pinched his brows a little tiredly, then waved his hand to invite Zhang Pingan to sit down: "Ping'an, come, sit down!"

His attitude was quite easygoing, much more approachable than in the morning court.

It seems that calling him over is not a bad thing, and Zhang Pingan felt a little relieved.

After Zhou Ziming sat down, Zhang Pingan bowed politely again before sitting down.

Dining in the palace has its own set of etiquette and rules. Before eating, there are special eunuchs who "taste the food", that is, test for poison. The emperor can only take three bites of each dish before the dish is taken away to prevent others from knowing his preferences and poisoning it.

It is very different from dining in the military camp before, and the procedures and rules are much more complicated.

During the meal, there was only the slight clatter of dishes on the table. Zhou Ziming did not say much and strictly followed the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping.

Although he looked a little tired, he still stood tall and straight with sharp eyes.

Like an eagle that never takes a nap.

For some reason, although there is a difference between the king and the minister, Zhang Pingan always feels that Zhou Ziming will not harm him, and most of the time he even protects him. It seems that there is an unspoken understanding between the two.

Maybe it was because of their common extraordinary origins, or maybe it was something else, but in any case, he just had this feeling.

And this feeling cannot be expressed in words. If he does, perhaps everything will change and he will be in danger.

While I was thinking, the meal was almost finished.

Because Zhou Ziming didn't eat much, Zhang Ping'an naturally didn't eat much either. He only took two bites of each dish and ate a bowl of rice, which made him half full.

After the meal, Liang Fu ordered the palace maid to come in and serve tea, and then took the serving palace maids and eunuchs out. He personally guarded the door, leaving only the two of them to talk in the hall.

"Try this tea. It's the new autumn tea offered from Jiangnan. Although spring tea is king, this autumn black tea has a unique aroma and tastes different," Zhou Ziming's voice sounded slowly from the top, still casual.

Zhang Ping'an took a sip and found that the black tea had the seasonal aroma of osmanthus and a sweet aftertaste. It was indeed very good.

He couldn't help but praise: "Thank you for your grace, this is indeed a good tea!"

"No need to be so polite. It's just the two of us here. Just be casual. If you like, I'll give you some as a reward and ask Liang Fu to give it to you later." Zhou Ziming waved his hand and smiled slightly. He seemed to be in a good mood suddenly.

Then he asked, "Did your first day on duty at the Privy Council go smoothly?"

"Your Majesty, all my colleagues in the Privy Council are very friendly and the handover is going very smoothly. I am still familiarizing myself with all the affairs," Zhang Pingan replied respectfully.

"That's good. With your ability, I believe you will be able to gain a foothold in the Privy Council soon. However, you are too young after all, and you don't have a good family background to back you up. Most people may not respect you in their hearts. In the officialdom, especially among civil servants, on the surface, everyone is polite to each other and wraps everything with a set of complicated etiquette. In fact, the core of communication is "profit". Everyone is chasing power and status. The bond is relationship. Relying on marriage, classmates, fellow townsmen, teachers and students, these relationships form a complicated network of relationships. You have to grasp this degree yourself." Zhou Ziming was at the highest position, so he could see everything clearly.

"Your Majesty, I have followed your instructions. I am deeply grateful for your grace," Zhang Pingan responded with a bow. He naturally knew that inviting him to have dinner together today was also meant to support him.

He does not have a good family background, so the emperor's favor is one of his confidences in officialdom. Zhou Ziming's words are also meant to remind him.

"I told you there are no outsiders here, so there's no need to be so restrained between you and me. There's no need for all these cumbersome rules, they're tiring for my eyes," Zhou Ziming waved his hand casually, and it seemed that he really didn't care about this set of red tape.

Then he put down the cup and said, "What do you think of the diplomatic mission to the Western Regions discussed this morning?"

Zhang Ping'an lowered his head and thought for a moment. Since Zhou Ziming had called him over to have dinner together and expressed his support for him, when he asked about this matter, it was definitely not because he wanted to hear his high-sounding words.

Therefore, he finally spoke frankly, "Your Majesty, I believe that the threat from the Western Regions must be resolved sooner or later. It is a national priority that will benefit future generations but is difficult in the present. Whether it is sending an envoy to the Western Regions or sending troops, both are ways to resolve the problem. Each method has its pros and cons. The gentlemen expressed their opinions at the court this morning. I believe Your Majesty is more inclined to send envoys to various countries first. I believe Your Majesty has considered this."

"Yes, I do prefer to send envoys to the countries in the Western Regions first, but my reluctance to send troops is not only because the war consumes huge financial and material resources, but also not because I am afraid of fighting with the countries in the Western Regions," Zhou Ziming said with a sigh.

Zhang Pingan thought about the core military deployment of the Great Zhou Dynasty that he had learned about at the Privy Council this morning. He understood Zhou Ziming's intention and asked tentatively, "Could it be because of the Guazhou Iron Cavalry?"

"Not bad," Zhou Ziming gave an appreciative look after hearing this, then stood up and took Zhang Pingan to the side hall next door, where there was a huge sand table, which included the entire territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the approximate terrain and topography of the surrounding countries. It was considered a very core court secret.

"The current commander of the Guazhou Iron Cavalry is one of the direct descendants of the former Wei Family Army. Some of their subordinates are remnants of the Wei Family Army of the previous dynasty. They absorbed a lot of foreign soldiers during the years of war, and their manpower is very diverse. In addition, they have been stationed on the border for many years and fought in harsh environments, so their combat effectiveness is very strong. Although they expressed their submission without much fighting after the establishment of the new dynasty, and I also conferred titles on them, in fact, this is a force that has not yet been fully controlled.

In addition, in recent years, the local area has introduced high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes from the Central Plains, and established military farms and stationed troops, which has greatly solved their food difficulties. In the long run, even without the food and fodder supplies from the court, they can be self-sufficient.

"I have sent several military supervisors there, but they were unable to interfere in military affairs and were sidelined. Therefore, rashly sending troops to the Western Regions is not a wise move and may even lead to unrest in the northwest again," Zhou Ziming said slowly, pointing to the Guazhou area on the sand table.

"It seems that this general who guards the border is not only good at fighting, but also has extraordinary strategy. He is not a reckless man," Zhang Pingan understood.

If we send troops to attack the countries in the Western Regions and the troops stationed in Guazhou rebel at the same time, we will be attacked from both sides and the loss will outweigh the gain.

By then, a part of the imperial court's military force will certainly be forced to go there, and the troops stationed in other places will inevitably become weak. It will affect the entire body, so we must be cautious.

The new dynasty is unstable, so we must be especially cautious in using military force.

"He's not just a reckless man, he's a man of great shrewdness and discernment, and that's what worries me the most," Zhou Ziming said frankly, speaking highly of him. "I've long wanted to take back military power, but I just haven't found the right time."

"I understand. That's why Your Majesty prefers to send envoys to the Western Regions first. It would be best to defeat the enemy without fighting. Once stability is achieved, it will be much easier to defeat them one by one."

"Yes, governing a country is much more difficult than fighting a war. It's like playing chess, with the country as the chessboard and all places as chess pieces. You have to think a lot before moving each piece," Zhou Ziming said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, from a strategic perspective, the Western Regions are not only adjacent to Guazhou, but are also located west of the Jinwu Khanate. If these countries submit to our dynasty, we can cut off the ambitions of the Northern Khanate. They will be unable to communicate with the Western Regions, lose their support and retreat, and we can also deter the Guazhou troops. I believe they will not dare to act rashly. This is a strategy of making friends with distant countries and attacking nearby ones. It is the best way to fundamentally resolve border problems and also establish the prestige of the Celestial Empire.

In addition, although the countries in the Western Regions are located outside the Great Wall and are not as rich as those inside the Great Wall, the Western Regions are the throat of the east-west transportation. If this route is reopened, our silk, porcelain, and lacquerware can be continuously transported westward in exchange for good horses, beautiful jade, and even rare treasures from the Western Regions. Once the trade route is opened, taxes will be sufficient and the national treasury will be rich. It is also a golden road.

However, although the affairs of the Western Regions have great benefits, they also have difficulties. The first is the natural dangers. The journey is long, the Gobi Desert is vast, the sandstorms are raging, and water is scarce. It is easy for people and horses to get trapped and die on the road. The second is that the countries in the Western Regions are secretive. Cavalry often appear and rob merchant caravans. Even if they surrender temporarily, if our power is slightly reduced, there is a fear of rebellion. If we want to control them for a long time, we need to station troops, set up governments, and cultivate land, which will cost a huge amount of money, food, and troops.

Therefore, I believe that if we want to manage the Western Regions, we cannot just send envoys, but need to have follow-up plans. If the envoys are successful, we must first solve the problem of unstable military forces in Guazhou. Secondly, we must build cities one by one in key arteries, such as Loulan and Cheshi, set up protectorates, station elite troops, protect trade routes, and deter rebellious countries. For the countries in the Western Regions, it is appropriate to adopt a policy of control, give generous rewards to the countries that are friendly to the Han Dynasty, and use force to conquer the rebellious countries.

Then, merchants were encouraged to go there to trade, and the government provided protection, set up checkpoints, collected taxes, and used the wealth of the Western Regions to support the affairs of the Western Regions. Post stations and military farms were set up along the way to ensure logistical supplies, so that envoys and caravans could have a place to rely on.

The above is my humble opinion, limited in scope, and may not be comprehensive. Whether to pursue the Western Regions initiative and how to proceed ultimately depends on Your Majesty's decision. If Your Majesty commands, I will be willing to serve you even if it means sacrificing my life!"

These were Zhang Ping'an's heartfelt words. Since Zhou Ziming had already made it clear, as a subject, he naturally had to eat the emperor's salary and be loyal to the emperor.