Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 265 He was assassinated, but did not die!

On the second day of the seventh lunar month, the sky was clear and the wind was gentle.

Zhaowen Hall.

One adult and one child, one old and one young.

Jiang Zhao picked up the documents, staring intently at them, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

Zhao Shen held the honey water in his hands, sipping it slowly, and occasionally chewing on some clear water dumplings.

In addition, to the left of the long table, there was a small wooden table about two feet long, on which were fruits, snacks, fermented rice cakes, and candied dates.

The two men, one solemn and the other naive, were a fitting and appropriate pair.

Do you still have fermented rice cake?

Zhao Shen swallowed the remaining "small cake" in one gulp, then ran excitedly toward several palace maids and nannies, asking them with a hopeful expression.

The head maid hesitated, then shook her head and advised, "Her Majesty has instructed that the key to good food is variety and balance. The young prince has already eaten rice cake twice in a row, so moderation is the priority."

"what?"

Zhao Shen's face froze, his expectation gradually fading into disappointment.

A few breaths later, Zhao Shen returned looking dejected. He tugged at Jiang Zhao's robe, looking pitiful: "My dear husband, there's no more glutinous rice cake!"

Jiang Zhao looked over.

The so-called "zaozi gao" is actually a type of sponge cake.

For the best free-range eggs, separate the yolks and whites into two small bowls. Use chopsticks to whisk the egg whites for about 15 minutes until they emulsify and turn milky white, similar to "cream".

A small amount of egg yolk, a small amount of flour, a small amount of oil, and a large amount of milk mixed together will form a thin "paste".

Then, the emulsified egg whites are mixed with the egg yolk mixture, and some sugar, honey, peanuts, and raisins are added before baking or steaming.

Once made, it's fluffy, soft, sweet, and delicious.
Of course, due to the limitations of the crop type, without corn starch, its soft and fluffy texture cannot be compared with that of the industrial era, and it must be enjoyed while it is hot.

Anyway, it's definitely very effective at soothing children.

This is also one of Jiang Zhao's inventions.

"How could the royal family not have zao gao (a type of fermented rice cake)?" Jiang Zhao asked, feigning ignorance.

He overheard the conversation between the head maid and Zhao Shen.

"Mother, you are not allowed to be greedy," Zhao Shen said dejectedly.

The two-year-old prince is still at an age where he is naturally lively, and the control and pressure from his mother in all aspects naturally makes him quite uncomfortable.

Jiang Zhao pondered for a moment, then asked, "Would you like to eat more?"

Empress Xiang, having been raised in a prestigious family, possessed a temperament, literary talent, and magnanimity that were among the best of women.

However, being women confined to their chambers, limited by their perspectives and the times, their approach to raising children was merely one of unwavering strictness.

Little did they know that raising children should be a balance of strictness and leniency, and should not be done with constant strictness and control.

A two-year-old child's memory is not yet fully developed, let alone understanding "big principles".
Ineffective strictness ultimately fosters a rebellious nature.

To put it bluntly, children have tempers too, and children also experience pressure!
What adults take for granted may be a huge deal to a child.

If this is not taken seriously, a child's childhood may be wasted, and they may become rebellious.

If you spoil your temperament, you'll be ruined.

"Ah."

Zhao Shen nodded repeatedly, looking over hopefully.

"For young children, the important thing is not to spoil the fun."

"Children begin to learn to read and write around the age of three or four."

“Strict teaching is not necessarily a good thing.”

As Jiang Zhao spoke, he glanced at several nannies and palace maids and said calmly, "Life cannot be young again, and it is rare to be carefree. Let's serve Prince Jing some fermented rice cakes."

"Yes."

The head maid hesitated for a moment, then nodded and bowed.

In an era when the monarch and the scholar-officials shared the world, once the Grand Chancellor spoke, none of them dared to disobey him in the slightest.

Afterwards, palace maids served the fermented rice cake.

Zhao Shen picked it up, took a small bite, and nodded repeatedly.

The same kind of fermented rice cake, but for some reason, this one is sweeter and softer!
"My dear husband, you are so kind." Zhao Shen's worried expression disappeared, replaced by a cheerful smile.

Jiang Zhao smiled faintly and continued reading the documents.

Jiang Zhao believed he had some experience in raising children.

The eldest son, Jiang Huaijin, had already passed the preliminary examination at the age of eleven and was preparing for the provincial examination.

In terms of academic achievement, he is certainly not comparable to his father, but he is still at the level of learning of people like Cai Jing and Sheng Changbai.

Little Prince Zhao Shen, just teach him like this, no problem!

For a moment, the only sounds in the courtroom were faint chewing sounds and the rustling of books being turned.

After a while.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Duke of Gan requests an audience." The clerk approached, bowed, and announced the arrival.

"The Duke of Gan?"

Jiang Zhao was somewhat surprised that the document was placed so lightly.

If I remember correctly, Gan Ning, the son of the Duke of Gan, was the mastermind behind the "assassination of the Grand Chancellor," right?
"Let him in."

About ten breaths later, a man dressed in a Qilin official robe strode in.

At a cursory glance, he glimpsed a young child obediently eating pastries, and the Duke of Gan's expression changed slightly.

Having a prince constantly by your side—what kind of treatment is that?
Zhuge Liang, the Marquis of Wu of Shu Han?

Or perhaps, even worse?
Taking a deep breath, Duke Gan bowed solemnly: "Greetings to His Highness Prince Jing, greetings to the Grand Chancellor."

"Please sit down," Jiang Zhao said, waving his hand.

Duke Gan nodded and walked towards the wooden chair.

A clerk served him tea, and Jiang Zhao looked down at him, asking calmly, "May I ask what brings Duke Gan here?"

"Military reform," Duke Gan said solemnly.

Jiang Zhao raised an eyebrow, a flicker of emotion flashing inadvertently in his eyes.

Is Duke Gan going to confess?

If they confess, how can they deter powerful and noble families?

“Duke Gan, please speak frankly.” Jiang Zhao said calmly.

"Military reform is a national policy and it is irreversible."

"The policies and decrees here are for enriching the country and strengthening the military, for expanding the territory, and for unifying the country."

The Duke of Gan, appearing to be a reasonable man, slowly said, "Last time, during our meeting at Zhaowen Hall, I expressed my opposition because I represented the opinions of military and noble families, and therefore had no choice but to oppose it."

“Lately, I have been racking my brains and I am filled with fear. After all, even a noble family of military commanders cannot go against the tide of history.”

"Therefore, Gan Guo made a special trip to visit military families to inquire about the reasons why these noble families opposed the idea."

"Today, I have come specifically to see the Grand Chancellor, mainly to present the document explaining why the military and noble families oppose this."

With a sincere and composed expression, Duke Gan said, "If the Grand Chancellor can use this opportunity to resolve some issues, it will reduce the resistance to military reform. I, Gan, am fifty-eight years old, and I can say that I have lived up to my duty to my family and country, and to my noble military family."

Jiang Zhao looked as if he had just realized something.

This old bastard is here to create a persona!
Establish the persona of a steady, loyal, and proactive veteran who is facing military reforms but has reservations.

If an assassination attempt were to occur and the Grand Chancellor were to die, the civil officials would certainly be filled with fear and rage.

As expected, the civil officials, who are always fighting amongst themselves, will definitely unite to fiercely attack the military generals.

The targets of this crackdown will undoubtedly be those who oppose military reform.

On the civil service side, it's likely that they might simply demand that military generals and high-ranking officials who oppose military reforms relinquish their military power and retire in glory.

The real culprit is still unknown, and the investigation is being conducted among those who oppose military reform.

If the Duke of Gan submits a document and establishes a certain persona, the suspicion against him will definitely be reduced considerably.

Of the four vice envoys of the Privy Council, one supported the military reform and three opposed it. One of the opponents was someone who actively supported the military reform.

In order to maintain stability in the military, the two who oppose it will most likely have to relinquish their military power, while the two who support it and take a positive approach will certainly continue to serve and maintain military stability.

There is only a tiny difference between simply opposing and opposing but actively confronting the issue, but at crucial moments, this tiny difference can be magnified infinitely.

In this way, even though he is the real culprit, Duke Gan can still hold power!

"Bring it here," Jiang Zhao said calmly, raising an eyebrow.

As he spoke, a clerk took the document from his hand and presented it to Jiang Zhao.

Silver mining is too costly!
Silver mining is not profitable enough!
Mining silver is too complicated!
Jiang Zhao glanced at the document symbolically twice and then put it down.

These objections are not surprising.

If we really want to discuss it, the nobles' opposition boils down to one reason only:
The human heart is not enough for a snake to swallow an elephant!
Mining silver is undoubtedly a top-notch business, but it still requires a certain amount of cost.

Without exception, all the equipment for silver mining, as well as the workers' food and clothing, had to be transported from the mainland to Japan.

In terms of mining costs, they are certainly not low.

How can this kind of business compare to the risk-free and highly profitable practice of profiting from soldiers' blood?

Military families and noble families were naturally dissatisfied with this.

To put it bluntly, they feel the benefits aren't enough!

"The Duke of Gan is truly a rare man who cares for the country and its people!" Jiang Zhao said with a very satisfied expression.

Since the Duke of Gan has no intention of confessing voluntarily, then we will have to continue this charade for a while longer.

So that the Grand Master could be assassinated!

The Duke of Gan was unaware of Jiang Zhao's thoughts, but he believed that the plan to "establish a persona" had succeeded. Overjoyed, he quickly bowed and said, "You flatter me, Your Excellency."

"Ah."

"I will accept this document for now."

Jiang Zhao raised his eyelids, took out a document from a stack of papers, and passed it down.

"Recently, news has come from Guangnan West Road that the Kingdom of Jiaozhi is not behaving properly and intends to destroy the Kingdom of Champa. They are stirring up trouble."

"General Gan, why don't you take a look at the military layout of the two kingdoms of Jiaozhi and Champa?" Jiang Zhao seemed to be moved by this and wanted to win over Duke Gan and give him more responsibilities.

The so-called Jiaozhi is Vietnam, located on the Indochina Peninsula.

In terms of national strength, it can be considered quite powerful.

Compared to the Western Xia, one of the three major regimes, Jiaozhi was not much different; it was also a country capable of raising 100,000 soldiers.

However, due to its geographical location, Jiaozhi Kingdom was always firmly suppressed by the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Champa was a relatively pro-Zhou state in the Indochina Peninsula, serving as a buffer zone between the Zhou and Jiaozhi, similar to the role of the Western Xia among the Liao, Zhou, and Xia dynasties.

In recent years, the emperor of the Kingdom of Jiaozhi was named Li Rizun. He has been on the throne for nearly fifty years, and through his hard work and dedication, the country has become increasingly powerful.

Perhaps for the sake of both civil and military achievements, the Kingdom of Jiaozhi waged war against the Kingdom of Champa year after year. The previous Grand Chancellor, Han Zhang, adopted a half-wait-and-see, half-supportive attitude. However, despite the support, the gap in national strength was too great. After a few years, the Kingdom of Champa could no longer hold on and sought help from Shen Qi, the Pacification Commissioner of Guangnan West Circuit, hoping that the Great Zhou would send troops to help its vassal.

Thus, the memorial was delivered to Jiang Zhao.

Jiang Zhao had no intention of tolerating this.

Firstly, things are different now. The Great Zhou Dynasty is becoming increasingly powerful and no longer needs to worry about the mere Jiaozhi Kingdom.

Secondly, the country of Jiaozhi is too abstract.

In the fourth year of the Qingli era, the Kingdom of Jiaozhi actually secretly moved the boundary markers in an attempt to seize the surrounding borders.

If we don't give them a warning, they really won't know who's in charge, right?

Of course, this matter was not something that Duke Gan should handle.

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency, I will certainly devote myself to the study." Duke Gan felt relieved and quickly bowed.

With this in mind, the plan to "create a persona" is a done deal!
Picking up the documents, Duke Gan strode out.

Every movement was light and graceful.

Jiang Zhao glanced at it indifferently and shook his head inwardly.

The grand gift from the southern suburbs is coming soon!
……

The Grand Ceremony in the Southern Suburbs is the foremost of all sacrificial rites.

In terms of importance, it even surpasses the sacrificial rites at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, making it almost unique.

The sacrificial ceremony culminates in the southern suburbs, encompassing ten major procedures:
Regularly, fast, report to the emperor, set out offerings, ascend the altar, inspect sacrificial animals, offer jade coins, eat cooked food, observe the burning of offerings, and receive congratulations.

Among them, ascending the altar, inspecting sacrificial animals, offering jade coins, serving cooked food, observing the burning of offerings, and receiving congratulations are the core procedures of the emperor's sacrificial rites.

Generally, the officials would arrive by carriage precisely at the hour of Yin (3 AM) to burn firewood, offer sacrifices to Heaven, and perform the first, second, and final offerings, praying to Heaven for national prosperity, peace and stability, and abundant harvests.

In order to conform to the ancient ritual logic of "communicating with the gods before dawn," the ceremony is basically completed before dawn.

However, in addition to the core procedures, the sacrificial ceremony also includes a preparation process, namely, regularity, fasting, reporting, and arrangement.

Of course, the emperor need not trouble himself during this period.

From the tenth day of the seventh month, officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs either fasted or reported to Heaven and offered sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

For the past ten or twenty days, we've been going through the relevant procedures.

……

And so, July 30th!

At 2:30 AM (the sixth quarter of the hour of Chou), at the Circular Mound Altar in the southern suburbs.

Influenced by the ancient Chinese concept of "heaven is round and earth is square," altars were typically built in a circular shape, also known as the round mound.

On the flat grassland, the firelight blazed brightly, illuminating the entire field.

Several thousand imperial guards, carrying torches and swords, stood in rows of five, their presence solemn and imposing.

The civil and military officials stood in orderly rows, all solemn and respectful.

Apart from the officials from the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Rites, and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, all other officials were in place, standing solemnly with their tablets in hand.

Jiang Zhao, Gu Tingye, and more than a hundred imperial guards entered the area one after another.

"My lord."

A soft exclamation drew Jiang Zhao's attention.

Wang Shao and Zhang Ding approached one after the other, their faces serious.

"How is it?" Jiang Zhao asked in a low voice.

Of the three, Gu Tingye was mainly responsible for guarding the area to prevent any assassination attempts, while Wang Shao and Zhang Ding were responsible for tracking down any potential assassins.

"There are ten people in the northwest corner, all claiming to have stomach aches. The ten reinforcements are all assassins," Zhang Ding said in a low voice.

When it comes to sacrificial rites, the thousands of imperial guards are all carefully selected, with strict requirements on their names, military status, and place of origin.

However, this does not mean that the garrison personnel cannot be replaced.

Given the Duke of Gan's status, he has plenty of ways to place his people in positions of power.

Of course, if the Duke of Gan could plant a murderer, then Wang Shao and Zhang Ding could also find the murderer.

The Imperial Guards have always implemented a "hierarchical responsibility system," with each level from the garrison to the army, command, and unit, making any personnel changes in any location immediately clear.

No matter how capable the Duke of Gan was, he could only take advantage of the time difference.

Generally speaking, once the commander of the Imperial Guards has inspected the guards once, he will not inspect them again. This is the time gap that allows for the placement of the murderer.

It wasn't difficult for Wang Shao and Zhang Ding to find out the murderer's whereabouts.

Ten assassins!

I suppose it was Duke Gan who optimized the assassination plan?

Jiang Zhao raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Let's go, let's go over there and have someone assassinate us."

At a command, hundreds of people, looking like they were on an inspection tour, slowly made their way from the northeast corner toward the northwest corner.

The procession of officials occasionally caught the eye, but no one lingered for long.

The main point is that the inspection by the Grand Master is basically just a formality.

With clean governance and a bright and clear world, would anyone really be foolish enough to assassinate an official?

Since it's just a formality, there's nothing to see.

There is only one exception.

Duke of Gan!
Three hundred steps.
Two hundred steps.
One hundred and fifty steps, one hundred steps
Duke Gan watched intently, his breathing gradually becoming heavy.

With over a hundred people patrolling together, we must ensure a fatal blow.

It should work if you're intentionally targeting someone who isn't, right?

In the northwest corner, the ten assassins exchanged glances, and couldn't help but feel tense.

Some were even trembling slightly, feeling uneasy and anxious.

After all, this was an assassination attempt on the Grand Chancellor!
There was a sense of unease throughout, yet also a quietude that seemed to hold the chill of an impending storm.

Eighty steps!
Sixty steps!
Forty steps!
Jiang Zhao, stop!
"Has this area been inspected?" Jiang Zhao asked casually.

Judging from his words and actions, he seems to be indicating that he will no longer conduct inspections.

“I had someone check it once,” Gu Tingye replied, quietly stepping forward and blocking half of his body from his husband.

really!

Under the watchful eyes of the ten assassins, Jiang Zhao waved his hand impatiently and said, "The time for the sacrifice is approaching. Since we have already checked, there is no need to check a second time."

With that, Jiang Zhao turned around and took a step forward.

After forty steps, the eldest son will be leaving.

This also means that this is very likely the closest opportunity to get to the Grand Master.

The ten assassins exchanged glances, their eyes filled with ruthlessness.

Not to be missed!
"kill!"

With a loud shout, ten assassins, some wielding spears and others swords, charged out.

Five feet is about 1.6 meters.

Forty steps is less than seventy meters.

In just a breath or two, the assassin was less than twenty paces away from Jiang Zhao.

"There are assassins!"

"Protect the eldest son!"

"Promote one rank for each enemy killed!"

A loud shout rang out, and everyone fell silent, turning their attention to the scene.

More than a hundred imperial guards immediately rushed forward with their swords drawn.

Gu Tingye and Jiang Zhao retreated repeatedly.

Ten assassins could not advance an inch.

Twenty steps apart is already an insurmountable chasm!

The fighting, roars, screams, and wails continued, with blood flying everywhere.

"My lord!"

"Zichuan!"

"My dear son-in-law!"

Several exclamations followed: Zhang Heng, Zhang Dun, Su Shi, Su Zhe, Zeng Bu, Wang Anshi, Wang Gui, Sheng Hong, Qi Heng…

More than 80% of the civil and military officials rushed over, and some spontaneously stepped forward to protect him with their lives.

In less than ten breaths, Jiang Zhao was surrounded and protected by civil officials.

Even Sheng Hong, who is usually timid, quickly moved closer.

There's no other reason than that Young Master Jiang is simply too important!

As the sole core of the reform interest group, if Jiang Zhao's life is in danger, where will the reform interests be placed?

Halfway through the reform, many people were offended, while many others enjoyed the benefits.

Then you suddenly say, "Why don't you quit?" Who can stand that?
In an instant, screams of alarm and carnage ensued.

"Remember to leave the assassins alive, don't give them a chance to commit suicide!" Gu Tingye shouted in admonition.

After about thirty to fifty breaths, the ten assassins were either captured or executed.

"Your Majesty has arrived——"

With a sharp shout, Zhao Ceying, draped in a large fur coat, appeared, his face dark and gloomy.

These people really dare to do things!

"The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven will be postponed for now."

Zhao Ceying said with a dark face:

"The whereabouts of the Grand Chancellor are not something that ordinary people can know."

"It is not something that ordinary people can do, even if the Imperial Guards were to hide people."

"By imperial decree, effective immediately, all those in the capital are permitted to enter but not leave."

"All civil and military officials, move to the inner palace. Until the true culprit is found, none of you will be relieved of your posts!"

"Anyone who transgresses this will be considered a traitor!"

The eldest son isn't finished yet, but some people are.

The Duke of Gan's face turned deathly pale, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

Does Gan still have a chance?

……

(End of this chapter)