Da Ming Xia 3133

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Chapter Thirty-One
: Parting Ways
The alleyways outside Zhengyang Gate were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. The shopping desires of the Ming Dynasty citizens were no less than before
. A century later, the "shopaholics" lived up to their reputation, with "those without a single stone of grain eating and dressing like the wealthy," and extravagance was commonplace
. "Even the market vendors, servants, and laborers wore hats, shoes, gauze skirts, and fine trousers." Even the sedan chair carriers and laborers, who toiled all day
, would return home at night to buy wine and drown their sorrows. If judged by the standards of the Qing Dynasty, with its queues and stale clothing, the Ming Dynasty
had at least two hundred years of the "Kangxi and Qianlong Prosperity."
Luo Jinfeng strode into a jewelry store, picked out and compared several pieces, finally picked up a hairpin, held it up to her head
, and turned to smile, "Brother Ding, do you think it looks good?
" The ancient civil service system was quite humane, with one day off every five days. Ding Erye certainly wouldn't
waste this day on bathing. Taking advantage of Mo Yan's familiarity with Luo Jinfeng, he would frequently invite her out.
Luo Jinfeng, a refined young lady from Emei, rarely had male companions, making it difficult for her to resist Ding Shou's constant flattery and obsequiousness
. This once quiet and shy Miss Luo was now driven mad by this scoundrel, rarely staying home.
Just then, Ding Shou walked to a bookstall in front of the door, casually picked up a book and started flipping through it
. He was immediately captivated by the contents, a sly grin spreading across his face. Hearing the beautiful woman's voice, he didn't even look up, his eyes buried in the book, nodding repeatedly. "So beautiful,
so beautiful."
The young girl gave a light snort, her temper flaring. She raised her voice, "Is the person more beautiful, or the hairpin?
" "The hairpin is more beautiful," Ding Shou replied casually, only realizing his mistake after the words left his mouth.
Looking up at the woman, Luo Jinfeng, her almond-shaped eyes wide with anger, he feigned nonchalance and said, "The person—is more beautiful."
Luo Jinfeng's anger turned to delight. She casually tossed the hairpin onto the counter, took a few steps down, and said, "You smooth talker,
what are you looking at?
" "Nothing," Ding Shou casually put his hands behind his back, hiding the book in his sleeve. "If you like that
hairpin, why not buy it?"
With a slight pursing of her lips, Luo Jinfeng said, "The style is unique, but the workmanship and materials are too rough." Luo Yanbei
, a member of the Nine Cities elite, was born into a wealthy family, and her standards were still high.
Ding Shou was about to offer to help her choose some nicer items when he heard a faint snort behind him. Turning around,
he saw a beautiful woman in an embroidered dress, her face showing disdain—it was Cheng Caiyu.
When Cheng Caiyu saw Ding Shou, she didn't say anything and turned to leave. Ding Shou blurted out, "Caiyu!"
Only then did he realize that the address seemed a bit too intimate.
As expected, Cheng Caiyu turned around and said, "Caiyu and you are not related, please speak with restraint."
"I spoke rashly in my haste just now, please forgive me, Miss Caiyu." "
Caiyu is merely a commoner, how could I deserve your wrath?" Cheng Caiyu said coldly.
"Brother Ding, who is this—" Luo Jinfeng walked to Ding Shou's side and naturally tugged at his sleeve, asking softly
.
Cheng Caiyu glanced at her hand holding Ding Shou's sleeve but did not answer.
"This is Miss Cheng Caiyu of the Changfeng Escort Agency." She then introduced Luo Jinfeng to Caiyu, "This is Luo Jinfeng, the
daughter of Master Luo, the great magnate of Jiucheng."
"So you are the renowned female strategist of the martial world, Sister Cheng, Jinfeng greets you." Luo Jinfeng curtsied, thinking, "
This child hasn't been completely corrupted by Ding Er yet."
"One doesn't hit a smiling face," Cheng Caiyu said, though she had come in a huff, she had no intention of harming the innocent. "Jinfeng,
you're too kind. I've long admired the name of the Swift Thunder Heroine, and it's an honor to meet you today." She glanced sideways at Ding Shou and said,
"However, the martial world is treacherous, and people's hearts are unpredictable. Sister Jinfeng, be careful not to make friends unwisely. After all, it's easy to draw a dragon or a tiger, but difficult to draw its bones—
"
This woman is on fire today, every word is barbed and sarcastic, and Ding Shou was filled with resentment.
Luo Jinfeng was taken aback by his words, then smiled, "Don't worry, sister, I understand. Even though I'm young and inexperienced
, I still have Brother Ding to help me."
Good sister, I give you a thousand thumbs up in my heart. Seeing Cheng Caiyu's amused and exasperated expression, Ding Shou
felt very pleased.
"Miss, I've finally found you." A little maid ran over, panting.
Luo Jinfeng frowned and said, "Qing'er, didn't I tell you to come out and play today and come back later
? What's wrong? You're in such a hurry and don't even know how to greet people."
Qing'er hurriedly gave a deep bow to Ding Shou and Caiyu, then whispered in Luo Jinfeng's ear, "The young marquis is here
. The master wants you to go back." "
What does he want? This is really inconvenient." Luo Jinfeng was very reluctant, kicking a pebble away with the tip of his shoe
, and forced a smile, "Sister Cheng, Brother Ding, something has come up at home, so I'll take my leave." He then deliberately
moved his red lips silently a few times towards Ding Shou. Seeing that she meant "come find me later," Ding Shou smiled and nodded, and Luo Jinfeng then led Qing'er back
with a smile on his face . "You two seem to be on the same wavelength. I wonder if Old Master Luo knows he's about to have a son." Caiyu's eyes were icy. Taking a deep breath to calm her anger, Ding Shou said, "Miss Cheng, I have never felt any discomfort towards your esteemed escort agency, especially towards you. Why resort to such veiled insults and hurtful words?" Hearing his distant address, Cheng Caiyu felt bitter and angry. She didn't know why she was so flustered today . Although she had intended to use this chance encounter to sever ties, a gentleman doesn't speak ill of others when ending a friendship. Having run her escort agency for many years, she was known for her deep cunning, and she had never uttered such rude words before. After catching her breath, Cheng Caiyu calmly said, "We owe our journey south to your assistance, sir . The entire Changfeng Escort Agency is deeply grateful. Your substitution of one person for another was brilliant, and I, Caiyu, admit my inferiority and have nothing to say. Later , you used a double-dealing tactic to bring down Weng Taibei, which was everyone's responsibility, and I can understand that . However , your actions of being ruthless and bullying a vulnerable woman like yourself are truly malicious. Since ancient times, those who walk different paths cannot work together. I can only politely decline your offer . It's best for the Changfeng Escort Agency to avoid further conflict with you." Ding Shou, upon hearing this, instead of being angry, laughed, "Is this why you want to turn against me?"

"Isn't that enough?" Caiyu's eyebrows furrowed. She had originally intended to sever all ties, but
a sliver of hope lingered in her heart. She had hoped her words would bring him back to his senses, but instead, he was still laughing.
He was utterly hopeless.
"Enough, enough," Ding Shou laughed so hard he could barely stand. "Let's not talk about the jade doll. Just consider my visit to the Deng family.
Did Weng Xizhu say I came to cause trouble?" Caiyu
nodded. Ding Shou smiled and asked, "Then what did she say I should do to her
?" Caiyu hesitated and shook her head. "She said that it was fortunate that Prince Rong and the Grand Princess arrived, which put an end to your delusions
." "
That's right. Fortunately, the Prince and his entourage arrived, but unfortunately, they arrived too early. If I had waited until Weng Xizhu and I
went inside to discuss things, she probably wouldn't have had time to thank me." Ding Shou wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.
Sensing something amiss, Cheng Caiyu asked, "What exactly do you want to say to her
?" "Weng Taibei and Deng Ren are imprisoned, and Weng Xizhu is frantically trying to rescue them
. The powerful figures in the court are all calculating and won't easily take a stand before the situation becomes clear. Miss Weng is likely to face obstacles everywhere.
Therefore, she's set her sights on the censors and officials of the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits. In this dynasty, one cannot be punished for speaking out
. These officials, though not high-ranking, wield considerable power and live in the capital, which is no easy feat. I'm afraid Miss Weng has become a benefactor
."
"What's wrong with that?" Cheng Caiyu was well-versed in the affairs of the martial world, but less knowledgeable about the court
.
"When the time is right, you might as well ask Miss Weng. Did she entrust this to Li Xian, Duan
Zhi, Zhang Zan, Xue Fengming, Zhu Gun, Qin Ang, Yuwen Zhong, Cui Zhe, and others
?" Seeing Cheng Caiyu's doubtful expression, Ding Shou laughed, "These people have all recently submitted memorials demanding a thorough investigation of Weng Taibei.
Some with a conscience even suggested exiling him to the border, while the more ruthless ones directly petitioned for his execution and public display. Miss Weng
, instead of saving him, has become her own father's death warrant!"
"Why is this ? " Cheng Caiyu asked urgently. She had no prior relationship with Weng Taibei, but if he were beheaded ... Deng Renbi, the culprit behind this incident, will also be implicated. "Weng Taibei has been in charge of the Imperial Guard for twenty years, making quite a few enemies. He used to get along very well with the Cabinet and the Nine Ministers, so no one dared to touch him. Now that you bigwigs are hesitant and watching, the time to kick him while he's down has come—that's one reason. Secondly , well, Lord Weng is ruthless in his actions. Those who took money from the Deng family can imagine how they'll treat these guys who extorted their daughters once Weng Taibei is released. Rather than living in fear, it's better to ensure Weng Taibei can't recover, thus eliminating future troubles. Impeaching the Commander of the Imperial Guard will also earn them a reputation for strength among their colleagues and the public. Weng Taibei 's imprisonment is the Emperor's decree; this can be considered obeying the Emperor's will. It's a win-win situation: profit, fame, and favor—a triple win ! Why not?" Ding Shou gestured with his hands, secretly pleased with himself. If Qian Ning hadn't discovered these officials' secrets ... While Liu Jin had been telling him to keep up with Weng Xizhu's associates and to think more about the ways of officialdom, he could n't bring himself to say such things. Heaven could bear witness; although he had initially claimed it was to freeload, now every word he spoke was true. Looking at Ding Shou's three raised fingers, Cheng Caiyu was horrified by the intrigue and power struggles within the court. " Then why didn't you just tell Weng Xizhu directly ?" Ding Shou spread his hands and said, "How can I put it? I didn't even enter the Deng residence . To speak out in public, and if that gets reported back to the Eastern Depot, I'll lose my post. My relationship with the Weng family isn't that good." Realizing he was indeed in public, he looked around and saw an old face approaching. "Sir, are you going to buy that copy of 'The Tale of Ruyi Jun' or not?" the bookstall owner asked with a mournful face . The book hadn't been put down since it was picked up, and he'd even hidden it in his sleeve. If it weren't for Ding Shou's expensive clothes, the owner would have suspected the boy of stealing it. Cheng Caiyu blushed and spat. Ding Shou, caught reading erotic literature by a beauty, was incredibly embarrassed . He wanted to smash the book in the face of this clueless old man, but hesitated, throwing out a piece of silver. Amid the owner's profuse thanks, he changed the subject to ease the awkwardness. "Caiyu, you are a wise woman, you should know the saying 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. ' That day, the Jadeite Doll was delivered to the Yun Family Manor in full view of everyone. Putting aside everything else, if the Green Robe Tower had been determined to seize it, the Yun Family Manor would have been ruined . This would not have been in line with your original intention of escorting the goods for thousands of miles." Ignoring his sudden use of affectionate address, Cheng Caiyu's eyes shone with a strange light. "So, you were— " Ding Shou nodded and said, "The Jadeite Doll is an inner court treasure, and it is indeed right to take it back. However, I have already copied down what is written on it and instructed someone to send it to the Yun Family Manor after the storm has passed." "That is also leaking the secrets of the inner court treasure. Aren't you afraid of being implicated this time?" Caiyu smiled , like a pear blossom in full bloom. "I have no real relationship with Weng Xizhu, but I have an extraordinary relationship with you, Caiyu. As long as you don't betray my trust, I don't care if the sky falls or the earth collapses," Ding Shou said with a grin. Cheng Caiyu turned away, her fragrant shoulder swaying. "Who has an extraordinary relationship with you?" ****************** Jiujiang, Yun Family Manor. Late at night. Yun Wu, having recited the Heart Sutra by heart several times, put down the sutra with a bitter smile. Ever since the jade doll was destroyed in public that day, he had been depressed. Chu Chu had ruined her reputation by going to a brothel and even lost her brother's life during the treasure hunt, ultimately achieving nothing. Although Chu Chu had tried to comfort him in various ways, he still couldn't resolve his inner turmoil . In truth, he himself knew the source of his inner turmoil. Deng Ren was willing to give away the jade doll for nothing. Although Chu Chu explained that the two of them were not in a compromising situation, but simply shared similar temperaments and could understand each other's feelings, he could never easily give away a royal gift that was related to the survival of his family . When the news of Deng Ren's imprisonment for his crimes arrived, Chu Chu's sorrowful expression only intensified his doubts. He spoke inappropriately and then covered his face as he left.

Sighing deeply, Yun Wu sat in the Buddhist hall, lost in thought
. All he could think of was Chu Chu's goodness, her unwavering care and devotion over the years, even going so far as to act as bait in a brothel. He shouldn't have doubted anyone else. Now that the jade
doll was destroyed, he didn't know how much longer he had to live. He should spend the rest of his time with her. He
rose and headed towards the backyard.
Halfway there, a glimpse of a red dress caught his eye. Startled, he realized Yun San's body was still warm, and everyone
in the manor was in mourning; no one would wear red. Knowing an outsider had entered, he immediately followed stealthily
.
The person seemed quite familiar with the manor's paths, making a few turns before arriving at Chu Chu's residence in the backyard. After a brief pause,
they slipped through the window and entered.
Worried about Chu Chu's safety, Yun Wu followed and stood behind the door, listening to Chu Chu's conversation with the newcomer inside
.
"What are you doing here?" the newcomer asked, seemingly familiar with Chu Chu.
A soft, sweet voice rang out, "After all, we're old acquaintances
. Chu Chu and I served you together back then, so why be so distant today
?" "Shut up! Don't bring that up again," Chu Chu said, her voice tinged with panic.
"Oh, still embarrassed? Have you forgotten how shameless I was back then, clinging to your treasure and enjoying it all by myself
?" The voice carried a seductive undertone.
"You…you…you broke your promise," Chu Chu said, her voice filled with shame and anger.
With a soft chuckle, she said, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. If you get really angry, the young master won't forgive me." Then
came a rustling sound. "Here, this is what you wanted. I was afraid something might happen, so I kept it close to my body
."
"This is—a copy of the Jade Doll!" Chu Chu seemed incredulous. "Are you trying to trick me with a fake
?"
"You're judging a gentleman by your own petty standards. The young master promised you that day, so naturally he would pass on the
martial arts secrets hidden in the Jade Doll to you. However, he said that with so many heroes around, if he handed it over to you in front of everyone, he was afraid you wouldn't
have peace of mind later. Tsk tsk, the young master really went to great lengths for you." Her voice held
a hint of envy.
Chu Chu paused, then bowed and said, "Please tell Young Master Ding that I can never repay this kindness in this life, but
I will repay it in the next."
A string of silver bell-like laughter rang out, "Finally, you've said something pleasing. Don't worry, I will definitely pass it on." A
red cloud drifted out of the window again, circled a few times in the courtyard, and disappeared.
Chu Chu looked at the silk scroll in her hand, filled with tiny characters, carefully recalling the few lines of incantation she had hastily glanced at when she received the jade doll
. Comparing them, she closed her eyes and pondered, confirming that she was correct before opening them, only to see Yun Wu had entered the room at some unknown
time.
Unaware of Yun Wu's grim expression, Chu Chu happily handed him the silk scroll. "Fifth Brother, look quickly
! This is a copy of the Jade Doll's manual. Although not completely confirmed, it seems authentic."
Yun Wu took it, glanced at it, and found that large sections matched the manual he had found in his father's study.
Even Yun San didn't know he possessed the Jade Doll's martial arts, so it was unlikely anyone would deliberately forge it. He nodded and
said, "It's true."
Chu Chu was overjoyed. "That's wonderful! Now your illness is cured!"
"Where did I get it from?" Yun Wu asked calmly.
"Ah," Chu Chu whispered, "Du Yunniang brought it."
"That person just now was a nine-tailed fox demon
." Chu Chu was shocked, "You already know?
" Yun Wu's voice turned sharp, "Who was that man
?" "It was... Ding Shou from the Eastern Depot." Chu Chu knew she couldn't hide it.
"When did you two do such a shameful thing?" Yun Wu's voice trembled, he was furious.
Chu Chu's face changed drastically upon hearing this, "No, Fifth Brother, I didn't..."
Before she could finish speaking, Yun Wu slapped her to the ground and threw the silk scroll at her face, "Still trying
to lie to me!"
Ignoring the pain, Chu Chu crawled several steps on her knees, hugged Yun Wu's leg, and cried, "No, Fifth Brother, Chu Chu
... is still a virgin..."
Yun Wu remained expressionless, looking up at the sky, unmoved.
As if remembering something, Chu Chu wiped away her tears and forced a smile, "If Fifth Brother doesn't believe me, Chu Chu will
give herself to you tonight." She stood up, her fingers gripping the sash at her waist. After a slight hesitation, she pulled, and the moon-white dress slipped
to the ground, exposing her long, slender legs to the cold air.
Yun Wu staggered back as if bitten by a snake, "What...what are you going to do?"
Chu Chu seemed to have gone mad, muttering, "Anyway, Chu Chu is destined to be a member of the Yun family, giving myself to Fifth
Brother sooner is good..." Her hands didn't stop; the moon-white overcoat was already unfastened, revealing the white bodice underneath
.
"You slut!" Yun Wu roared, delivering another resounding slap, even harder than before, until Chu Chu
's cheek swelled up and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.
Little did Chu Chu know that Yun Wu had suffered a qi deviation during his early training, and instead of guiding his energy, he had forced a breakthrough,
injuring his Kidney Meridian. For years, despite their close proximity, they had never consummated their relationship, not because Yun Wu didn't want to, but because he couldn't
. Chu Chu's words and actions had truly touched a raw nerve.
Seeing Chu Chu's pitiful state, Yun Wu felt a pang of regret. But then, seeing the silk scroll on the ground and recalling Du
Yunniang's earlier words—who knew what shameful things those two had done—his heart hardened again. He stamped his foot, about to leave
, but suddenly turned back and walked towards Chu Chu.
Chu Chu, seeing Yun Wu approaching, looked hopeful, but he merely picked up the silk scroll, gave a cold snort
, and quickly walked out of the house.
Chu Chu slumped to the cold ground, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls. She didn't know how long she slept when
a soft cough startled her awake. Seeing Yun Wu standing before her with his hands behind his back, hope rekindled in her heart.
Yun Wu's expression was indifferent. "Put your clothes on."
Hearing this, Chu Chu realized her disheveled appearance. Blushing, she dressed. Yun Wu
placed a letter on the table. "This is for you."
The ink on the letter was still fresh, clearly just written. Chu Chu picked it up, but
all she saw were the words "Letter of Divorce." She had no interest in reading the rest, only screaming, "No—"
"You have committed one of the seven grounds for divorce; the Yun family cannot keep you." Yun Wu said expressionlessly.
"Don't you have a shred of affection for me?!" Chu Chu cried out.
Yun Wu's face darkened with anger. "If I had no affection for you, I would have killed you with my own hands long ago! Guards
!" Several servants rushed in.
"Throw her out of the manor," Yun Wu shouted sternly.
The servants exchanged bewildered glances. "Fifth Master, Madam—"
"She is no longer a member of the Yun family. Are you deaf?" Yun Wu's voice was stern.
The servant dared not speak further, "Madam, please forgive me."
As Chu Chu struggled, the servant pushed her out of the manor gate. With the black lacquered gate slamming shut, Chu Chu's heart seemed to
die as well.
For years, she had devoted herself to assisting the Yun brothers. To help her husband recover from his serious illness, she even entered a brothel
, causing Deng Ren to be imprisoned, a situation that filled her with remorse. Her journey south was fraught with danger, and she had even disregarded her daughter's innocence to obtain the jade
doll, only to be ultimately thrown out with a divorce decree. Fate
was cruel… Chu Chu wandered aimlessly, lost and disoriented. Her family was long gone; she had always relied on the Yun family for life
. Now that they no longer wanted her, where could she go
? She stumbled and fell, oblivious to the pain, getting up and continuing on her way.
She was unaware that her pale white dress was tattered and torn by tree branches. Only the sound of the waves brought her back to reality. Under the moonlight, the water rippled, and she found herself
on the riverbank. Looking at the rolling Yangtze River, Chu Chu smiled sadly and plunged into the water.
Water rushed into her seven orifices, her mind went blank, and the river water was icy cold, just like her current state of mind. This was
the last thing Chu Chu felt...
Chapter Thirty-Two
: A Young China's Tale
"Confucius said: 'If you are on three days of uniformity, and only use it for one day, I still fear it will be disrespectful. If you beat the drum for two days, what is the point
?'" "Confucius said: 'To observe the rituals within the storehouse gate, to observe them in the east, and to observe them in the market in the west—this is a mistake!'"
The clear voice of Yang Tinghe, the Grand Secretary of the Left Spring Palace, echoed in the Wenhua Hall. Yang Jiefu was a learned scholar of the time
. He passed the provincial examination at the age of twelve and the imperial examination at nineteen. In the fifteenth year of the Hongzhi reign,
he was promoted from Hanlin Attendant Reader to Academician for completing the "Great Ming Code." He served as a tutor in the Eastern Palace when Zhu Houzhao was still the Crown Prince and now served as a lecturer at the Imperial Lectures
. The Imperial
Lectures (经筵) originated in the Han and Tang dynasties, initially used by the emperor to discuss history and consult on political matters. The Song and Ming dynasties continued this system, but initially
there were no fixed days or locations. It wasn't until Emperor Yingzong of Ming ascended the throne at a young age that the three Yangs, then Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, submitted a
memorial requesting the establishment of Imperial Lectures. They established the ceremonial system for these lectures, holding them three times a month on the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd, designating them as a grand court ceremony.
One meritorious official was in charge of the Imperial Lectures, with a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet either in charge or co-in charge, and officials such as the Ministers of the Six Ministries attending. There were also
personnel for displaying books, attending to rituals, providing services, and performing ceremonies. In addition to the three monthly Imperial Lectures, there were also daily lectures, known as Lesser Imperial Lectures (小经筵
).
In fact, compared to its practical function in the Han and Tang dynasties, the Ming dynasty's lectures on the classics had degenerated into a bureaucratic and cumbersome court system
. A group of civil officials took turns instructing the emperor on how to behave.
Even the Hongzhi Emperor, known for his diligence, avoided these lectures, let alone the young Zhengde Emperor. The constant chatter in his ears was incredibly noisy. Zhu Houzhao slumped his shoulders and stretched
his waist, but Yang Tinghe noticed.
Yang Tinghe immediately stopped his lecture and loudly proclaimed, "How can a ruler not be respectful?
" The young emperor, already lost in thought, didn't react.
Yang Tinghe raised his voice again, "How can a ruler not be respectful?
" Still no reaction.
Liu Jian, who was presiding over the lecture that day, couldn't stand it anymore and coughed loudly.
"Ah! Oh!" The young emperor snapped out of his reverie and sat up straight.
Yang Tinghe nodded in satisfaction, preparing to continue his lecture.
Zhengde, feeling utterly annoyed, said, "Master Yang, I am not feeling well today. May we pause the daily lectures?"
Yang Tinghe solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, no. If the lectures are not interrupted for a day, one's learning and virtue will advance by a day; if
they are not interrupted for a month, one's learning and virtue will advance by a month. For when a person's mind and spirit are enriched, they naturally become stronger and more agile.
The lectures are a way for a righteous ruler to broaden his mind and invigorate his spirit."
"Alright, alright, then let's continue," Zhengde said, rubbing his forehead.
Yang Tinghe, satisfied, continued, "The altar is the way of the divine earth. The earth bears all things, and the heavens display their signs. We
take wealth from the earth and learn from the heavens; therefore, we honor the heavens and cherish the earth."
"Ah—," Ding Shou couldn't help but yawn. Normally, as a military official
, he wasn't qualified to participate in the lectures, but the young emperor rolled his eyes, "You're the one who forced me to attend these lectures because you urged me to open the seas
! Why should I suffer alone?" So he was dragged along as a foil.
He had been listening for over half an hour and was basically certain that these lectures were just something people did out of boredom.
Yet, the civil officials insisted on using the daily lectures as a standard to judge an emperor's worth. Thinking about it, it made sense
; there weren't always opportunities to lecture the emperor like a grandson.
But this yawn caused trouble. Before Liu Jian, Yang Tinghe, and the others could react, the old man Xie Qian had already jumped out
. "The Wenhua Hall is a place where scholars gather. A mere military officer, instead of being grateful for the Emperor's grace, is behaving in
a lazy and negligent manner. How is he any different from barbarians and beasts? Where are the guards? Throw this man out with clubs!"
There were also burly generals on duty at the Wenhua Hall for the lectures, though they wore soft robes instead of armor, but
still held their weapons, such as golden maces. Hearing Xie Qian's words, they were about to step forward.
Liu Jin, who was attending to Zhengde, shouted, "How dare you! The Emperor has not issued a decree in person
. Do you even have His Majesty in your eyes?"
The golden mace warriors retreated sheepishly, but Ding Erye was not having it.
"You think you're something special just because I yawn? You spout Confucian classics and think you're so great? You even talk about respecting heaven and earth? Do you know the earth is round
? Do you understand calculus? Can you recite the periodic table? And you look down on me…
?" He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Distinguished guests, it is indeed inappropriate of me to be so impolite in this official setting. However, at the banquet…"
"Everywhere you look, you hear the words of sages. Forgive my presumptuous words, but sages lived long ago; how could they possibly foresee all things in the world?
" Yang Tinghe sneered. "Confucius said: 'A gentleman has three things to fear: the mandate of Heaven, great men, and the words of sages
.' The words of sages are the rules for conduct; how can one cultivate oneself and govern a country without understanding them!"
"In the southeast of our Great Ming, there is a large island, its territory no less than that of the Great Ming. To the west of China lies Europe,
where more than thirty countries all follow one religion, whose leader is called the Pope. The world is vast, and the nine provinces of today are but a corner of it.
Have our ancestors ever said anything about this?" Ding Shou spoke eloquently.
Liu Jian frowned and said, "These are all fabrications. What evidence do they have?
" Yang Tinghe, living up to his reputation as a child prodigy, pondered for a moment and said, "It's not entirely baseless
. In the second year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Shun of Yuan sent an envoy westward. His edict stated: 'To you, the land where the sun sets in the west, beyond the seven seas, the Frankish Kingdom
, Christians, and the Pope of Rome, when I send my envoys back, I request that your Pope purchase fine horses from the west and
treasures from the land where the sun sets, so as not to spoil our possessions.' This shows that such a country truly exists. In the twenty-first year of the Yongle reign and the sixth year of the Hongzhi reign of our dynasty
, envoys from the Western Sunset Kingdom paid tribute, demonstrating the vastness of the world." Hmm! Ding Shou hadn't expected Yang Tinghe to be able to find evidence for him, which surprised the
already prepared Ding Er Ye, who was ready to cause trouble . Before anyone could react, Yang Tinghe began, "The *Records of the Grand Historian* states: Zou Yan of Qi said that what is called China is only one-eighty-one-tenth of the world. China is called the Red Land of Divine Continent. Within the Red Land of Divine Continent are nine provinces , which are the nine provinces ordered by Yu the Great, and cannot be counted as provinces. Outside of China, there are nine provinces like the Red Land of Divine Continent, which are the so-called nine provinces. There is a vast sea surrounding them, where people and animals cannot communicate with each other, like a region within a region, which is a province. There are nine such regions, and then there is a great ocean surrounding them." Damn, the ancients even knew about continental plate divisions! Ding Shou coughed, deciding to unleash his trump card, " The land we stand on is actually spherical, as our ancestors knew." Fearing a heated debate later, he directly presented his argument, "Looking out to sea, when looking at distant ships, you see the mast first, then the hull, and vice versa, simply because the land is not water ..." "It's flat." Magellan's circumnavigation was still over a decade away, so find me an ancient book that records it. "Zhang Heng's 'Commentary on the Armillary Sphere' states that the celestial sphere is like a chicken egg. Celestial bodies are round like pellets, and the earth is like the yolk in a chicken egg . The earth is solitary within the heavens, which shows that our ancestors already knew this ," Yang Tinghe said calmly. Ding Shou looked at Yang Tinghe with a strange expression. "Scholar Yang, do you know TFBOYS?" "Huh? What ?" Mr. Shizhai finally lost his composure. Seeing Yang Tinghe's bewildered expression, Ding Shou breathed a sigh of relief. It seems this guy isn't a time traveler . Damn it, who said the ancients only knew about the flat earth and round heaven? This is so embarrassing! Don't really blame Ding Erye (a famous Ming Dynasty official) . Even until the late Ming Dynasty, people knew what the Earth was like, and even had knowledge of the locations of various countries . Not only did Western missionaries like Matteo Ricci's *Complete Map of the World* and Giulio Aleni's *Records of Foreign Lands*, but even Chinese-published works like * Complete Map of Mountains and Seas*, *Map of the World*, *Complete Map of Mountains and Seas*, and *Map of Crossings* all contain many geographical names of the five continents. However, everything changed after the Manchus entered the Central Plains. Things got worse year by year . When Zhang Tingyu, a high-ranking official who served three emperors, compiled the *History of Ming*, he included four names related to European countries—Asia, Frankish, Dutch, and Luzon —but only knew they were in the "Atlantic Ocean." Later, after verification by officials of the Qing Ministry of Rites, this information about the "Atlantic Ocean" became "vague and unverifiable," or "its authenticity is unverifiable." While the countries of the Netherlands, France, England, and Mexico can be identified, what about the Atlantic Ocean and the Lesser Western Ocean ? Where are they located ? The *Da Qing Yi Tong Zhi*, completed in the eighth year of the Qianlong reign, defines the Western Ocean as either near the Indian Ocean or in the Southwest Sea, with the Netherlands, France, and Sumatra and Java adjacent to it. In the *Qinding Da Qing Yi Tong Zhi*, compiled by Heshen and others in the fifty-fourth year of the Qianlong reign, all foreign countries are listed as tributary states, with only the Netherlands, the Western Ocean, Russia, the Western Ocean (Solidarity), and the Netherlands listed as Western countries. In the thirty-second year of the Qianlong reign, Ji Xiaolan and others, in revising the *Qing Chao Wenxian Tongkao* and *Siyi Kao*, still criticized the *Zhifang Waiji* for "exaggeration" and the "five continents" claim as "absurd and false." Ping Buqing, a contemporary , was indignant, believing that the Ming people unknowingly suffered the insults and deceptions of treacherous villains like Matteo Ricci . He argued that Ricci's translation of Europe as "Europa" was already an exaggeration, and his translation of Asia as "Asia" was even more sinister . The character "亚" (ya) has meanings such as "second," "ugly," "fine," and "minor," as seen in classic texts like the *Erya* and *Shuowen Jiezi*, clearly insulting the Chinese people. Yet, the Ming people willingly endured Ricci's insults, with no one realizing his treachery . It's truly baffling why later TV dramas went so far as to praise this Mr. Ji. After the Opium War, Emperor Daoguang finally remembered to have Britain located. However, the *Kunyu Wanguo Quantu* (Complete Map of the World) from the Ming Dynasty clearly marked Britain's location and the sea routes to China . Yao Ying, who was ordered by the Daoguang Emperor to inquire with British soldiers captured during the Opium War about the distance between China and Britain and Russia, discovered that the "Complete Map of the World" had already clearly marked which countries bordered each other, which were east and west, and their distances. By the time the Eight-Nation Alliance was at the gates of Beijing during the Guangxu era, Xu Tong, in his university days, didn't believe that Spain, Portugal, or other countries existed. He thought they were fabrications by the British to deceive the Qing Dynasty. "Spain has teeth, Portugal has teeth, and teeth form a country? This is unheard of in history, unrecorded in any book, utterly absurd!" Seeing Ding Shou's argument fall flat, the senior officials pressed their advantage. Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the presence of such ignorant and incompetent people in the court demonstrates the inadequacy of the 'Chuanfeng' official system. This old minister requests the abolition of the Chuanfeng officials. " The so-called Chuanfeng officials were those directly appointed by the emperor without going through the Ministry of Personnel, selection, court recommendation, or departmental deliberation . This was a situation the emperor was forced into, as the selection criteria for civil officials meant that even his own relatives and close advisors couldn't be appointed to any official positions. However, these appointed officials weren't from the proper channels and often required passing the imperial examinations.

The officials were all disdainful of Ding Shou, whose official position was obtained through Liu Jin's connections. Naturally, many people disliked him
.
It was one thing for others to submit memorials, but Liu Daxia had just been badmouthed to Zhengde by Liu Jin and Ding Shou a few days prior.
Zhengde, seeing his lack of patience, coldly said, "What nonsense does Minister Liu utter? As Lao Tzu said, 'The Way cannot be clear without debate, and
principles cannot be understood without discussion.' Let's sit down and discuss the Way, let alone anything else. Now, step down!"
Uh, the old man Liu was speechless. When Emperor Hongzhi was alive, he had shown great respect to these old ministers, but after the young emperor ascended the throne,
he followed the old ways, and such a direct rebuttal had never occurred before.
Seeing that Liu Daxia's memorial failed, Xie Qian followed up with a finishing blow, "Your Majesty's words are inappropriate. Such an unruly person
does not know benevolence, loyalty, or forgiveness, nor does he understand the profound meaning of the sage's words. How can he discuss the Way? Please punish him severely."
"Grand Secretary Xie is mistaken." "This humble official dares not agree."
Two men stepped forward from the court in unison, both over thirty years old. One had a square face, a fair complexion, and a slight beard
; he was Wang Tingxiang, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of War. The other had a long face and a three-strand beard; he was Wang Shouren, a principal officer in the Ministry of War.
After the two stepped forward, they glanced at each other in surprise. Wang Tingxiang spoke first: "The words of the ancient scholars are not necessarily
irrefutable conclusions. Later generations may not necessarily be unable to surpass them. The Way has no end. If one only knows how
to follow the old ways and blindly obey the words of the ancient scholars, it is tantamount to slandering the Way."
Xie Ge Lao was naturally displeased with the two young men who suddenly appeared, but seeing that one of them was the son of an old friend
, he decided not to argue and said gently: "The ancient scholars were of noble character and lofty aspirations. How could we possibly hope to reach their level?"
"The creation of people follows the same path from ancient times to the present. Those of average or below-average talent who judge the world by their own standards are slandering others."
Wang Tingxiang's words were truly sharp. You, Xie Ge Lao, are of average or below-average talent, yet you judge the world by your own standards, believing that
no one can surpass the ancients like you. This is not slandering the "Way," but slandering "humanity."
Xie Qian, a top scholar in the imperial examinations, trembled with anger at being criticized by a younger generation. Wang Shouren stepped forward, saying, "
The essence of learning lies in internalizing knowledge. If it doesn't align with one's own understanding, even the words of Confucius are not to be accepted." "Insolence
! You mere children, after only a few days of studying, you disrespect your teachers and superiors! Get out of here
!" Wang Hua, the top scholar of the seventeenth year of the Chenghua reign and Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, shouted.
Wang Shouren shrank back, taking a few steps back. He had no choice but to retreat; it was only natural for a father to discipline his son, and
he dared not even utter a word
in return. Meanwhile, Ding Shou was furious. He didn't recognize the two men who had come out earlier, but at least they had helped him out of a predicament
. He didn't recognize this old man who came out later either. Who knew that this man was deliberately disciplining his son to vent his anger for his old friend,
also trying to protect his own son?
"My lord, be careful with your words. As the saying goes, 'Never underestimate a young man's potential, even if he's old and frail
.' Wait for him to soar like a roc in the future; his achievements in his youth will be limitless." Ding Shou was determined to get revenge for these two.
Wang Hua raised an eyebrow. This culprit was truly annoying. The old man was prepared to roll up his sleeves and join forces with Xie Qian
, the two top scholars side by side, to curse this brat to death.
Li Dongyang saw that today's lecture had become truly outrageous. He knew that the Emperor and Liu Jin would not tolerate punishing this kid, and
letting him go easily would not satisfy his own anger. After some deliberation, he chuckled and said, "Fellow
colleagues, today's lecture was meant to discuss classics and history. His Majesty's words about sitting and discussing the Way are spot on. Why should we dwell on it?"
Zhengde immediately nodded in agreement, finding this old man Li much more agreeable than the others.
"Lord Ding was indeed disrespectful before the Emperor. If we don't punish him, it would seem like we're deliberately protecting him. Since today is a literary gathering
, let's punish him by making him write an essay as a warning to others." "
That's excellent. One hour is the limit. He just said 'Don't underestimate a young man's potential,'
so let's use 'young man' as the topic and have him write an essay. It will broaden our horizons and show us what constitutes youthful talent." Liu Jian immediately nodded
. They had already investigated the boy's background; he was from Xuanfu, idle all day, and hadn't even passed the preliminary examinations. His family
had paid for him to become a student of the Imperial Academy. What good essays could someone like that produce
? Seeing that he couldn't stop Zhengde, Liu Jin had a table set up and incense lit.
Lord Ding sat behind the table and began to chew on his pen.
The scene before him was far more intense than the imperial examination. After all, the imperial examination involved a large group of people taking the exam, with the emperor and several other officials supervising
. Now, however, he was the only one holding the pen, with not only the emperor present but also the three dukes, six ministries, and nine high-ranking officials staring at him in disbelief
. This kind of pressure would have paralyzed a timid person.
Even if Ding Shou were heartless, he still needed to be able to write. Let alone prose, he struggled even with poetry.
His predecessors who transmigrated all traveled to the Tang and Song dynasties, freely copying Tang and Song poems. What was left for him to
copy in this era? He did remember a few poems by the later Taizu Emperor, but they were mostly taboo: "Two hundred thousand troops marched
into Jiangxi, red flags fluttered beneath Buzhou Mountain," "The sword pierced the blue sky, its edge still intact," "The bleak autumn wind blows again, but the world has changed
." If he used these phrases, even the Zhengde Emperor would probably have beheaded him.
Suddenly, Ding Shou heard a faint voice in his ear, "You little monkey, do your best and leave the rest to fate
. If things don't work out, pretend to faint." He looked up sharply and saw Liu Jin, his expression unchanged. Seeing him look over, Liu Jin lowered his eyelids
... Paying attention to him and pretending to faint was one way, but then he'd have to keep a low profile. Master Ding was quite conflicted.
Seeing that the incense had burned halfway down and he hadn't written a single word, Zhengde grew increasingly anxious
. If he submitted a blank paper, he, the emperor, would lose face. Having nothing else to do, he ordered a eunuch to bring over several memorials
. After reviewing only a few, his anger flared, and he slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming, "Outrageous!"
The court officials, wondering what trouble this prince was about to cause, were already furious. Zhengde roared, "In May, the little prince took advantage of
the national mourning period to raid Xuanfu, and now he's entered Huamachi, captured Qingshui Camp, attacked the Gansu Zhenyi Garrison, and his commander Liu Jing has died in battle
! He's causing great turmoil in Guanzhong! Does he think our Great Ming has no one to rely on?!"
Minister of War Liu Daxia reported, "The nine border regions are heavily fortified. Even if the Tartars break through the passes, they will find it difficult to penetrate deeply.
They will plunder and then retreat. I recommend Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Yang Yiqing to be appointed as the strategist of Shaanxi and concurrently serve as the governor, to reinforce the border
walls and prevent border troubles."
Zhengde couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. They come knocking on your door every few days, plunder, and then leave, while I can only wait to be attacked.
"Fighting them? At most, we'll just spend money to fix the door. Is that reasonable?" Xie Qian said, "Minister Liu is the head of the Ministry of War, yet he doesn't know how to make progress, only how
to patch up holes in the walls
." Zhengde replied, "Your Majesty, weapons are the most dangerous weapons in the world; courage is the most dangerous virtue. Neither of these
are the tools of a gentleman! Minister Liu's words are wise and strategic for the country. Ordering the generals of the nine border regions to be on high alert and prevent barbarians from entering the country
is indeed the right thing to do."
Panting heavily, Zhengde picked up another memorial from the Ministry of Rites. "The Duoyan tribe only colluded with the young prince to invade Datong last year
, and the late emperor did not punish them. Now they have submitted a memorial requesting trade. Can this really be granted
?" Li Dongyang said, "Duoyan is connected to the Chaobai River and Gubeikou, and is only a day's distance from the capital. We should treat them well to consolidate our foundation
.
" "What Grand Secretary Li says is absolutely right. The Mongols are barbaric, using killing as their means of cultivation. Our Great Ming is a civilized and righteous nation
, a Celestial Empire. Why should we be so petty? Opening trade and treating them well is the only way to uphold benevolence."
Emperor Zhengde was speechless with anger at these ministers spouting empty rhetoric. Ding Shou, sitting to the side, watched coldly.
A bunch of arrogant old fogies, spouting benevolence and morality, stuck in their ways. Weapons are instruments of violence, courage breeds cruelty
. The spirit of the Great Ming is being worn down by these civil officials. A surge of patriotism welled up within him, and an article appeared in his memory…
"The youth are the future of the nation. Just as people have young and old, so too do nations."
"To speak of the youth and old of the nation, one must first speak of the youth and old of its people. The elderly often think of the past, while the young often think of the future.
" Reflecting on the past breeds nostalgia; reflecting on the future breeds hope. Nostalgia leads to conservatism;
hope leads to progress. Conservatism perpetuates the old; progress leads to constant renewal. Reflecting on the past,
everything is already experienced, so one only knows how to follow precedent; reflecting on the future, everything is unexplored, so one often dares to break the mold.
The elderly often worry, while the young often indulge in pleasure. Worry leads to discouragement; pleasure leads to vigor.
Discouragement leads to timidity; vigor leads to heroism. Cowardice leads to complacency; heroism leads to risk-taking
. Complacency can destroy the world; risk-taking can bring prosperity. The elderly are often weary of things, while the young
... "Those who are always happy find joy in things. Those who are always weary of things often feel there is nothing worth doing;
those who are always happy find nothing impossible. The elderly are like the setting sun, the young like the rising sun; the elderly are like lean oxen, the young like tiger cubs. The elderly
are like monks, the young like knights-errant. The elderly are like dictionaries, the young like plays. The elderly are like willows after autumn, the young
like grass before spring. This is a general outline of the differences in character between the elderly and the young. This applies to individuals, and it should also apply to nations."
"At the head of the Xunyang River, the pipa player, as the bright moon circled her boat, the maple leaves rustled, her quilt cold as iron, in a state between dream and reality,
reminisced about the beauty of spring flowers and autumn moons in Luoyang. In the Western Palace and Southern Palace, white-haired palace maids, a single lamp like a tassel, sat in groups of three or five,
discussing the events of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, composing the 'Rainbow Feather Robe Dance.' The melon grower at the Green Gate, to his left, faced his wife, playing with his child
..." Recalling the grandeur of noble homes, bustling with activity like a sea of pearls and jade, Zhou Yafu was imprisoned in the imperial prison, while Han Shizhong died in Dongting
Lake. With a few guards or curious visitors, they
recounted their past exploits: riding alone with a short sword across the Central Plains, sweeping through the seven kingdoms, fighting a bloody battle at Yingtian, their roar shaking the world with a single shout. At first, they slammed their fists on the table, then patted their thighs, and finally looked in the mirror. Alas,
their faces were wrinkled, their teeth gone, their hair white as a handful—they were old and dejected! Such a person has no worries other than melancholy, no world other than
sorrow, no days and nights other than despair, no sound other than sighs, no purpose other than awaiting death. Even beauties and heroes are like this
, let alone ordinary, mediocre people? Their friends and family are all in ruins; their daily needs are at the mercy of others. Let today pass by
... "How can one know that this year will pass by, how can one worry about the widespread despondency and discouragement that may follow next year
? Nothing is more devastating than old age. For such a person, to desire with the means to grasp the clouds, the achievements to reverse fate, the ambition to move mountains and cross seas—is it possible or not
?"
"Looking back from today, how prosperous were the Tang, Yu, and Xia dynasties; how heroic were Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi;
how flourishing was the literature of the Han and Tang dynasties; how illustrious were the military exploits of Hongwu and Yongle! What historians have recounted
, what poets have sung about—are they not all relics of the beautiful days and delightful events of my youth?"
"The responsibility of today does not lie with others, but entirely with us, the youth. If the youth are wise, the nation is wise; if the youth are wealthy, the nation is wealthy
." ; When young people are strong, the country will be strong. When the red sun rises, its path shines brightly. The river flows out and flows into the ocean. The
hidden dragon soared into the abyss, its scales and claws flying. The tiger roars in the valley, and all the beasts are frightened. The falcon tests its wings, and the wind and dust spread. The first birth of a strange flower is so beautiful.
? ? The cadres have hair and their awns are shining. The sky wears its green color, and the earth wears its yellow color. Even though there are thousands of years, there are eight desolations. The future is vast and
the future is long. How beautiful that my young China never grows old like the sky! How great is my Chinese youth, who has no borders with my country! "
When it was written, it was originally recited by a young eunuch. After hearing a few lines of righteousness, he snatched it and read it loudly
. The more he read it, the more passionate he became. It was so enjoyable that he had long wanted to point his finger at these ministers and scold them
. After reading the last sentence, he let out a long breath and felt that the blockage in his chest had been lifted. He felt indescribably comfortable and said proudly: "My dear friends, how do you feel
? "What do you think of this article
?" "This article is passionate and inspiring, its thoughts flowing like the sea, overwhelming the reader. It can be compared to masterpieces of the Qin and Han dynasties," Wang Tingxiang said first
. He, along with Li Mengyang, Kang Hai, Wang Jiusi, and others, had always advocated a retrogressive style of "prose must be like that of the Qin and Han dynasties, and poetry must be like that of the Tang dynasty ,
" and naturally praised this style.
Xie Qian was already trembling with anger at this article that belittled his old age. Li Dongyang stroked his beard and said, "The grammar and parallelism are excellent ,
progressing step by step. Reading this article is like viewing the vast ocean. I wonder what the title
of this article is?" "A Discourse on Young China," Ding Shou replied. He had slightly modified Liang Qichao's article, removing
modern and world allusions to avoid revealing his ignorance.
"A Discourse on Young China..." The term "China" had already appeared in the Han dynasty, and during the Hongzhi era, Grand Secretary Qiu Jun especially
liked to use "China" to refer to the Ming dynasty, so the name did not seem abrupt. Li Dongyang nodded, saying, "Indeed, the young are formidable."
Zhengde was overjoyed, "Today's lecture was unlike any other, quite interesting. Yang Tinghe is learned and knowledgeable; he is promoted to
... the Grand Master of the Palace." Yang
Tinghe stepped forward to express his gratitude. His promotion from a fifth-rank scholar to a third-rank Grand Master of the Palace was a meteoric rise, and
he had gained another pillar of support among the literati. Li Dongyang and the others were delighted.
Zhengde continued, "Ding Shou, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard,
is exceptionally talented; he is hereby granted the title of Jinshi." "Your Majesty, you must not!" Liu Jian interjected, "Ding Shou is originally a military officer; there is no precedent for granting him official rank."
"That's illogical."
Liu Jin said softly, "Grand Secretary Liu, I remember that during the Xuande era, Vice Minister Zhang Xin was transferred to the position of Commander
. Is there a precedent for a civil official transferring to a military post? Is that logical?"
Upon hearing this, Zhengde waved his sleeve, "It's settled then. Anyone who disagrees can write a short story for us to read...
"
Chapter Thirty-Three
: Palace Secrets
"Great! The expressions on those old ministers' faces today were truly fascinating." The young emperor left the Wenhua Hall
in high spirits.
Seeing that Liu Jin showed no emotion, Ding Shou was somewhat puzzled, but still forced a smile and said, "I only
couldn't help myself because those old ministers were going too far."
"Good that you couldn't help yourself. Those old bastards deserved a good wake-up call," Ding Shou said, then Zhengde asked in a low voice
, "The other day, the Empress Dowager asked about Weng Taibei. What's your plan
?" Ding Shou smiled slightly and explained, which made Zhengde beam with delight, nodding repeatedly.
After the lecture, all the ministers left the palace through the Meridian Gate. Zhengde didn't want to meet them again, nor did he like riding in the imperial carriage
. He headed east, intending to bypass the Imperial Pharmacy to return to the palace. It wasn't far from the Donghua Gate, but Ding Shou felt something was amiss today
, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
As the group was moving forward, a cry of "Injustice!" suddenly rang out, and a figure darted out from the shadows of the house,
lunging towards Zhengde.
The suddenness of the attack caused the palace maids and eunuchs behind the emperor to scream. Liu Jin remained calm, merely shifting his body slightly
to shield Zhengde. Ding Shou swiftly stepped forward, reaching out and pressing down to subdue the man, who offered no resistance
, only shouting his innocence.
The young emperor, intrigued by the case, took a few steps closer and said, "Bring me your grievances quickly."
The newcomer, a rustic-looking old man, raised his head. His words shocked everyone around him :
"The Empress Dowager, Zheng, has been living in seclusion for many years, receiving no support from the people. Her father is here today and wishes to present his case to Your Majesty !" Zhengde's face changed drastically. He shouted, "Take him to the Qianqing Palace. I will interrogate him personally ." ********** ... Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Houzhao roared in fury, "Nonsense! Nonsense! I only have one younger brother and one younger sister, both of whom died young. They were born to the Empress Dowager, just like me. There are no other princes..." Ding Shou remained silent, Liu Jin looked down at the ground, Zhang Yong's gaze wandered, but he dared not look at the Emperor . Zhengde understood—this prince referred to him! Trembling, he pointed at Ding Shou, "This matter is entrusted to your Embroidered Uniform Guard . Investigate it thoroughly for me." Ah! How could I possibly get involved in this? What good would it do to know palace secrets ? He looked up pleadingly at Liu Jin, only to see the old eunuch standing there like a statue, eyes downcast, silent . At this moment, a young eunuch rushed over in a panic, "Your Majesty." " What is it?" Zhengde roared angrily, startling the young eunuch, who knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "The Empress Dowager knows about the Donghua Gate incident and summons you to speak with her." Zhengde snorted and said to Ding Shou, "You come with me." ************ When Yongle built the Forbidden City, he did not specifically establish a palace for the Empress Dowager, nor was there an Empress Dowager at that time. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the Empress Dowager resided in the Western Palace of the Inner Palace, called Renshou Palace. Because several later Ming emperors did not escape the fate of early death, and the Grand Empress Dowager frequently appeared, she was asked to move to the Eastern Palace, called Qingning Palace. As for the Cining Palace often mentioned in later generations, it was built after Jiajing ascended the throne. Ding Shou followed Zhengde to Renshou Palace. Through the beaded curtain, he could vaguely see a woman reclining on a warm couch, with a palace maid kneeling beside her, massaging her legs. Zhengde stopped outside the curtain and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty greets Your Majesty." Ding Shou knelt down, "Your subject Ding Shou greets the Empress Dowager." A languid voice rang out, "Even if you are Ding Shou, come in." Zhengde and Ding Shou entered in response. Ding Shou remained bowed, not daring to be the slightest bit careless towards this Empress Dowager Cishou Zhang . Of all the emperors in five thousand years of history, only this one was monogamous with the emperor. Whether you call it skillful husband management or deep marital affection, she certainly didn't miss out on any benefits. From the moment Emperor Hongzhi ascended the throne, he never missed a court session, except for two occasions when he requested leave from his officials. The first was when the Empress Dowager was exhausted after a fire at Qingning Palace; the second was when Zhu Houzhao, then Crown Prince, fell ill and was unable to attend court . However, Hongzhi was frequently late for morning court sessions because Empress Zhang loved to sleep in . Hongzhi, like an ordinary citizen, would sleep in with the Empress and wouldn't hold court until she woke up, thus turning morning court sessions into afternoon court sessions. Empress Zhang's father, Zhang Luan, was posthumously granted the title of Duke of Changguo, and her mother, Lady Jin, treated the palace like her own family. Her two younger brothers, Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling, were both ennobled. Hongzhi treated the Zhang family with the utmost favor; Ding Shou finds it hard to believe that this wasn't due to the Empress's influence . Upon entering the room, Ding Shou dared not look around carelessly, lowering his head to fix his gaze on the bright yellow satin embroidered shoes before him . A single pearl adorned the shoes, trembling gently as the palace maids massaged them. "I've heard about the Donghua Gate incident. What does Your Majesty intend to do ?" "Your Majesty intends to hand this matter over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for investigation." Ding Shou didn't want to pay attention to the mother and son's conversation. The second prince had already appraised the decoration on the Empress Dowager's shoes. "This matter has become quite a big deal. It's good to let the Embroidered Uniform Guard give an explanation to the outside world. Your grandmother wants Weng Tai to come out of the north, so let him handle it." Hearing this, Ding Shou felt like he'd been parched for a long time; this hot potato had finally been gotten rid of. But then he heard Zhengde say, "Mother is right." Wait, was the young emperor going to use the suggestion he'd just given him? Zhengde continued, "Weng Taibei is, after all, mature and prudent. His handling of Li Mengyang's matter back then was highly regarded by Father Emperor."

Back then, Physician Li Mengyang impeached Marquis Shouning, Zhang Heling, for oppressing the villagers, seizing farmland, and becoming a powerful figure
. His memorial also contained disrespectful remarks about Zhang. Emperor Hongzhi imprisoned him. Weng Taibei, being on good terms with the cabinet, naturally wouldn't
make things difficult for this lackey, treating him well. When Hongzhi remembered and released Li Mengyang, this man, showing no
restraint, thought, "I've been to prison, what am I afraid of?" He directly knocked out Zhang Heling's teeth in the street. Empress Zhang
urged Hongzhi to punish him severely, but was reprimanded for the first time. Now, she harbors resentment towards Zhang Heling as well.
Ding Shou closed his eyes. It was over. Sure enough, Empress Zhang's voice was filled with anger, "Alright, no need to say more
. Let Weng Taibei stay in prison."
"You are Ding Shou, raise your head," the Empress Dowager's voice rose again.
Ding Shou looked up upon hearing this and saw a beautiful woman with a face like a peach blossom and skin like jade, holding
a gilded dragon-carved hand warmer in her hands. She nodded to him and said, "It does possess some spiritual energy; this matter is entrusted to you."
"This matter is of too great importance; I dare not obey your decree." "
What?" the mother and son asked angrily.
Ding Shou, forcing a smile, said, "How could a commoner like me know about palace affairs
? There must be someone behind it. Moreover, his hiding place happens to be on the Emperor's route back to the palace. The person who instructed him is familiar with the Emperor's daily routine, and the imperial city is heavily guarded.
How could a commoner like me infiltrate the palace? There must be someone helping me. If this person is in the outer court, he must be an important minister; if he is in the inner court, he must be a noble
. I am young and inexperienced, and dare not take on such a heavy responsibility." After saying this, Ding Shou realized why he felt something was off today
. That's right, after leaving the Wenhua Hall, he hadn't seen the Han general in charge of guarding the Emperor. There was definitely something fishy going on in the palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang fell into deep thought upon hearing this. To be honest, although these words were Ding Shou's excuses, they were not without reason
. The Ming Dynasty's palace security was not particularly tight. A hundred years later, the "Clubbing Case" occurred. However, that Zhang clerk was also
brought into the palace by a treacherous eunuch. Compared to the later glorious Qing Dynasty, it was still much better. Not to mention the White Lotus Rebellion's attack on the palace, or
the antisocial personality who attempted to assassinate Emperor Jiaqing at Shunzhen Gate, even the fact that a street vendor set up a stall outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation during the Xianfeng era and
did so for several years was quite bizarre. Unprecedented events throughout history all came from the Qing Dynasty. Empress Dowager
Zhang pondered for a moment. She knew that the ministers of the outer court had always been dissatisfied with the Zhang family. Years ago, when the emperor had been married for a long time without children , those ministers urged him to take a concubine. After a son was born, they said the emperor's offspring were not numerous . She had also heard rumors that the son was not her biological child. As for her two younger brothers' misdeeds, which aroused public opinion, if it weren't for the fact that the maternal relatives of the Ming dynasty were not incompetent, they would be compared to the Yang family during the Tianbao era of the Tang dynasty. She resolved to investigate this matter thoroughly. "This matter must be investigated in detail, Your Majesty. Grant Ding Shou a gold medal. If anyone obstructs the investigation, execute them first and report later." Emperor Zhengde agreed. Empress Dowager Zhang, still not satisfied, said, "I'll also bestow upon you a palace waist token. Report any progress directly to the palace." ******************** Northern Garrison Command, back hall. A lavish banquet was laid out. Old Zheng Wang ate with gusto, his mouth greasy. Ding Shou poured wine and served dishes, constantly flattering him as "Old Master." There was no other way; Zhengde had only one requirement: a truthful confession, no torture to extract one . So, he had to appease him. Zheng Wang, with a chicken leg in his mouth, let out a burp and mumbled, "Everyone in the village knows my daughter gave birth to a prince . I often bring some local products to visit, and my daughter often brings palace clothing and ornaments as a token of her respect. " "Oh, so you've met your daughter, sir?" Ding Shou poured a cup of wine. Zheng Wang downed the drink in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "No, my daughter is already a high-ranking lady in the palace. How could she easily meet outsiders? I always had Liu Shan deliver the gifts. Young man, you don't even know that?" His tone was one of utter disdain, as if he were an ignorant bumpkin, leaving Ding Shou speechless. He forced a smile and asked, "And then what happened ?" "I became a member of the imperial family. People from all around came to offer gifts and curry favor, and many even became my slaves. Back then, who in the capital didn't know that Old Zheng was a member of the imperial family?" Zheng Wang thumped his chest loudly, then sighed, "Suddenly one day, the Embroidered Uniform Guard came knocking and threw me into prison. I was released after only a few days, but it turned out the emperor's son-in-law wanted to interrogate me. " "When I met the emperor's son-in-law, I told him everything, and I was thrown into the Ministry of Justice's prison. Later, the Ministry of Justice sentenced ..." "No one named Zheng Jinlian was found in the palace. She was convicted of spreading rumors, and Liu Shan was sentenced to death by slow slicing. I was also sentenced to beheading." Zheng Wang slapped himself. "Why didn't I just stay home and farm? Why did I run to the capital to become a royal relative ? I regretted it so much during that time. After I went to prison, there was no further news, and they didn't seem to want to torture me until a few days ago when I was released. I wanted to go home and farm, but then I ran into a man named Wang Xi who recognized me. " "What does this man do?" Ding Shou instinctively felt this person was the key. "He said he was from the capital and told me that my daughter was imprisoned by the Empress years ago, and that the current emperor is my biological grandson, adopted by the Empress as her own. He said that if I go to the palace to recognize him as my grandson, I can rescue my daughter and restore my royal status." Zheng Wang's eyes gleamed. "His logic is full of holes; he's a typical delusional patient," Ding Shou thought to himself, then asked, "How did he get into the Imperial City? " "He told me that there were loyal and righteous people in the palace, and that as long as you entered at that time, no one would stop you . He also told me where to hide, and to come out and plead your case when you see someone wearing a yellow robe. He taught me those words too." At this moment, Du Xingye entered and reported, "My lord ." Ding Shou left his seat and went to the door. Du Xingye said softly, "It's been investigated. The people on duty should be Xue Fujing and forty-eight others. I've already ordered them to be arrested." Ding Shou nodded slightly and said, "Well done. Immediately arrest a man named Wang Xi." Seeing Du Xingye hesitate, "Is there anything else ?" Du Xingye whispered a few words in his ear, and Ding Shou exclaimed in surprise, "So fast! " ****************************** Inside a teahouse, two idle men are chatting.

"Have you heard, brother? Something interesting has happened in the capital." A tea drinker whispered mysteriously.
"What is it?" The common people were always very interested in what was happening to the important figures in the capital.
"The Emperor's maternal grandfather is crying foul at Donghua Gate."
"Brother, you're up to your old tricks this morning, spouting nonsense. The Duke of Changguo has been dead for over ten years."
"You're talking about the Empress Dowager's father, I'm talking about his maternal grandfather, his birth mother's father."
"Tell me what happened."
The man boasted smugly, "Back then, the Empress hadn't conceived after four years of marriage. In desperation, she devised a scheme
—she took a child born to a palace maid and raised it as her own, imprisoning the child's mother
. Now the palace maid's father is crying foul."
"Oh, I vaguely remember that. A couple of years ago, there was always this 'Old Imperial Relative Zheng' on the street, could it be
him?"
A customer at the next table chimed in, "I heard the story goes beyond that," looking around, he
whispered, "It's said that the current Emperor wasn't born to a palace maid either, but was adopted from outside the palace.
" "Heavens! This concerns the very foundation of the Ming Dynasty!"
Similar conversations echoed frequently in teahouses, taverns, and street corners…
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
"It hasn't been long, and the whole city is in an uproar! Is the Imperial Palace a sieve? It leaks everywhere
! Follow the trail and find the source of these rumors!" Ding Shou slammed his fist on the table in exasperation.
The officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard received the order and set off.
Ding Shou stormed off angrily towards the Northern Garrison's criminal investigation department.
Inside the dungeon, a burly man was bound hand and foot and hung on a torture device. Ding Shou leisurely walked up to him. "Xue Fujing
, you're also a member of our Embroidered Uniform Guard. You know how the Embroidered Uniform Guard operates. If you know what's good for you, confess quickly
." Xue Fujing was terrified, his body covered in cold sweat. "My lord, I'm innocent!"
"Everyone accuses you of conspiring with everyone to skip their shifts today. What injustice could you possibly have
?" Swallowing hard, Xue Fujing spilled the beans. The Minister of War, Liu Daxia
, had dismissed 683 military officers, and these 48 of them were among those dismissed. They were understandably depressed.
Someone suggested that he simply choose a time to skip all his shifts, let the Emperor know about it, and perhaps things would turn around.
Xue Fujing also thought this was a good idea, so he colluded with forty-eight guards at the East Gate, agreeing not to attend the lectures at the Wenhua Hall .
But who would have thought such a big incident would occur during this time
? "Who gave you this idea ? " Xue Fujing stammered
, "It was a neighbor, named Wang Xi..." **************** ... "Thank you for your guidance, Envoy. I am willing to go through fire and water for the Holy Church," Wang Xi replied respectfully. The masked man nodded in satisfaction. "Now that you have revealed your identity, it is no longer appropriate for you to remain in the capital. Immediately leave the capital and head south. The Church has other arrangements for you." "This…" Wang Xi hesitated. He had been lurking in the capital for many years, becoming a true resident and building a considerable force. Leaving abruptly was difficult . "Hmm—" the masked man drawled, his tone displeased. "Your subordinate obeys. However, those brothers sent out to spread the message cannot be recalled immediately." "Hmph, they are probably already being watched by the Imperial Guards. There's no need to cause any more trouble. Sacrificing oneself for the Holy Church is their blessing," the masked man said disdainfully. Wang Xi had no choice but to reluctantly agree, bowing his head and saying, "This subordinate will depart immediately." Without waiting for a response, he looked up, but the masked man had vanished without a trace. ******************** "I can't take it anymore... You're courting death... Be gentle... " In a house near Xibianmen, a long, pale leg draped over Wang Xi's shoulder on the steaming heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed ), swaying with his movements. Wang Xi panted heavily, his muscular black body drenched in sweat. This woman was a young widow, and a widow of three husbands in a row. Nicknamed "Little White Shoes," she was beautiful with slicked-back hair and a slender waist that seemed to yield water. Without her husbands to rely on, and destitute, she turned to prostitution . Normally, with Wang Xi's methods and power, he wouldn't be unable to sleep with a respectable woman. However, this "Little White Shoes" was quite skilled in bed, and after one taste, Wang Xi became addicted and couldn't resist. The two became lovers. Wang Xi was about to head south, willing to abandon everything, but his body was a constraint. Strict religious rules prevented him from taking the beauty with him; he decided to treat this night as his last, satisfying encounter. "What's wrong with you today...?" Little White Shoes groaned, "I've done it three times already, and you still haven't come . Did you take some kind of drug?" Wang Xi, who had taken an extra dose of aphrodisiac, didn't answer. He just kept thrusting his thick, fleshy rod in and out of the woman's vagina . Suddenly, he lifted Little White Shoes' long legs and pressed them against her plump buttocks, thrusting wildly... "Ah—" Little White Shoes let out a sharp cry, her long black hair hanging down the edge of the bed and swinging wildly . Wang Xi suddenly lay on top of her, panting heavily. The girl in white shoes weakly pushed him away, complaining, "It's not the first time, we all know our limits . Aren't you afraid of hurting yourself by taking that strong medicine?" Wang Xi didn't answer, reaching out to knead her breasts. The girl in white shoes pushed him away, "Get out of the way, you've made me all sweaty, I need to wash up." "Huh," the girl in white shoes was surprised to find that Wang Xi's penis was erect again . Before she could dodge, Wang Xi pounced on her, pinning her down and penetrating her again. "You beast, you're never going to stop." The girl in white shoes, already exhausted, pushed and hit him a few times, then resigned herself to her fate.

He let her do as she pleased.
Wang Xi thrust his hips forcefully, pumping hard. His large mouth also blocked her small mouth.
The little white shoe, already exhausted, was no match for him. She kept trying to escape and plead, her delicate, smooth white flesh glistening with sweat. Wang Xi
swallowed hard, pinching her buttocks, and pressed down on her even more forcefully, kissing and raping her wildly.
The little white shoe endured the man's lust, pleading intermittently. But her tired and helpless moans
only fueled Wang Xi's frenzy, his penis flying in and out, wantonly manipulating and ravaging the jade body before him.
The weariness grew heavier and heavier, and she didn't know how much time had passed. She only knew that her legs were completely powerless, and he could push and sway them at will
. One moment they were pushed to her chest, the next they were spread apart and straightened, and finally, he wrapped her legs around his waist
. Little White Shoes could only moan softly, "Ah—ah—," hoping Wang Xi would finish quickly.
"Damn, this little vixen's body is fucking amazing." Wang Xi suddenly hugged her tightly, biting hard at
her full breasts, thrusting forcefully dozens of times, and with a powerful deep penetration, he let out a howl, a stream of hot fluid spraying onto her clitoris
.
With difficulty, Xiaobaixie pushed the man away and sat up, watching the dirty substance slowly leak out.
She pinched the man, "You're having a lecherous spree, acting so recklessly."
Seeing that dawn was breaking outside, Wang Xi, having caught his breath, pulled a bag of silver from his clothes and handed it to
Xiaobaixie, "I have to head south early this morning on business, I won't be back for a while. Take care of yourself."
Taking the silver, Xiaobaixie felt a heaviness in her hand, probably no less than a hundred or two taels. A bad feeling crept into her heart, "Did you
... get into some trouble
?" "Nothing like that, don't overthink it," Wang Xi comforted her.
"Then you should stay home obediently. The world outside is so chaotic; if something bad happens, I must have owed you something in my past life
. If you don't mind my tough fate, marry me and live a peaceful life. I'll serve
you well day and night."
Wang Xi
chuckled, "Then just wait and see. I'll go out and make my way in the world; maybe I can earn you an imperial title
."
The woman in white shoes shook her head, her snow-white body resting on his chest, her fingers gently tracing circles on his chest, "Stop
talking nonsense. We're already living a life of luxury, and we're still not satisfied. How could a noblewoman like that be something a family like ours could ever dream of
?"
With a slap, he struck her snow-white, plump buttocks, Wang Xi retorted, "Why not? Even Zhu Yuanzhang
was a poor beggar back then
!" ◎Search↓Back?Website↑Search╘First╚One∵VersionㄨMain▲Comprehensive∵Community△
? ? Monk, why did you sit on the throne? ”
? ? Little White Shoes' almond eyes widened, not expecting him to utter such treasonous words, when they heard someone outside lightly
laugh: “Slandering the founding emperor, another crime punishable by a thousand cuts.”
? ? With a bang, the wooden door opened wide, and a dark figure emerged, thudding a few times, before being shot down by several crossbow bolts
. ▲LatestㄨWebsite∵Search╚First▽Version╕Main╓Comprehensive╜Community? ? ? It was a quilt, and then the window opened, and Wang Xi jumped out of the house naked. As soon as he landed, a Jinyiwei captain swung his sword at him. Wang Xi , holding a kang table, deflected the attack, twisted, and smashed the table onto the captain's back. He then leaped onto the wall, only to see a flash of silver before his eyes, followed by five consecutive sword thrusts aimed at his chest. Forced into a corner, Wang Xi performed a somersault, landing flat on his back . He pushed off the wall and flipped back into the courtyard. Exhausted from the night's exertion, his limbs were weak, and he stumbled upon landing. A figure darted out from the shadows, a scabbard striking his ankle. Excruciating pain, Wang Xi cried out and collapsed to the ground. A group of Jinyiwei guards swarmed him, binding him tightly. Du Xingye had already sheathed his sword and approached him, sneering, "It's a pity the lord thought so highly of you. You 've cast a wide net at the Nine Gates land and water docks, yet you've hidden yourself in this place." Qian Ning replied with a fawning smile, "It's also thanks to your skill, Master Du, that you've managed to pry open those traitors' mouths in such a short time and traced them all the way here." Du Xingye's face darkened, showing no sign of smugness. He said in a low voice, "Take the prisoner to the Northern Garrison." Watching Du Xingye's retreating figure, Qian Ning spat, "What's with the swagger ? Do you think I don't know? Those methods you use to interrogate prisoners—you've personally experienced them at the Eastern Depot. " A captain nearby flattered, "Chief Qian, you personally captured this wanted criminal; that's a major achievement . Lord Ding will surely reward you handsomely. " Qian Ning deliberately sighed, "Lord Ding won't mistreat us, but that scoundrel Baili Ben will cause us trouble . Alas, who told us to be so devoted to Lord Weng?" The captain dared not reply, knowing it was inappropriate to say anything more. Qian Ning rolled her eyes: "Spit it out." "Captain Qian, what do you think we should do with this little wench—" the captain lewdly said. Qian Ning turned her head and saw Little White Shoes being dragged out of the room, naked and trembling, her beautiful flesh shaking wildly. The dark pubic hair between her legs made her tender white flesh appear even whiter. She chuckled and gestured towards the room, "Have some fun." "Alright." A group of Imperial Guards lifted Little White Shoes and went inside. Little White Shoes kicked and howled, being lifted up by four corners like a white sheep, accompanied by bursts of lewd laughter. With a bang, the door slammed shut, a sharp scream piercing the air, then silence. Qian Ning slung her embroidered spring knife over her shoulder, looked at the rising sun breaking through the clouds, gave a cold laugh, and strode away.

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