【Under the Great Tomorrow】(37-39)

Author: hui329
Published: 2016/11/20 First Post
Word Count: 15512
Chapter Thirty-Seven
: No Money, No Way Out "Money is like a brother, it can turn danger into safety, death into life, nobility into poverty, and life into death. No matter
what, nothing can be done without money." This quote comes from Lu Bao's "On the God of Money" from the Western Jin Dynasty. If Lu Bao were here, Ding Shou
would surely drink and chat with him, calling him a kindred spirit. The reason is simple: the second master is broke.
Logically, this guy had the silver from the wealthy gambling den as a foundation, and later he acquired the hidden silver from that unlucky Cui Wanshan.
Over ten thousand taels of silver would have been enough for him to live a life of luxury for several lifetimes. Unfortunately, this gentleman met the wrong person, taking in a good servant eager to start his own business on the Grand Canal
.
"Over the years, I've traveled from Wu and Hui to Songjiang, Huaiyang, and Youji. Although I haven't been able to expand my business due to limited capital,
my horizons have broadened considerably. Suzhou has a high concentration of weavers, so I can trade cotton cloth. If I could
transport cotton cloth and silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and tea and bamboo from Huizhou to all corners of the country, and transport timber and grain from the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River to the lower reaches
for sale, I could also use the canal to transport cotton and soybeans from the north to Jiangnan, and then transport Jiangnan's specialties to
the north. Yangzhou is in the center of the country, so I could trade salt. My hometown, Huizhou, is poor, so I could run a pawnshop. With
your official guidance, sir, in just a few years you won't even need to leave your home to make a fortune..." Cheng Li persuaded patiently,
much like a venture capitalist in later generations.
Thus, envisioning a rosy future drawn up by his servant, Ding Shou entrusted almost all of his
wealth to Cheng Li. His haste in finding Mei Jinshu a position in the Imperial Hospital stemmed from his desire to avoid supporting idlers
. Unfortunately, money is never enough; with Tan Shuzhen and her two daughters following him, the small courtyard the Eastern Depot had given him was
no longer sufficient.
While Ming Dynasty Beijing's property prices weren't yet at the level of later imperial capitals, a small courtyard outside Zhengyang Gate cost only about twenty
taels of silver. For Ding Shou, living in the outer city and rushing to the inner city every morning was something he, a man who loved luxury,
would never do. But land in the inner city was incredibly expensive; a decent house would cost at least several thousand taels,
a considerable burden for someone as strapped for cash as Ding Shou.
Fortunately, it was New Year's, and the Ministry of Revenue was distributing salaries for the year. Ding Shou excitedly went to collect his wages,
only to realize the vast difference between reality and his dreams…
"What does this mean?" Ding Shou asked, pointing to a bag of pepper in front of him, puzzled.
"Lord Ding, this is your salary." The person distributing the salary was an ambassador from the Ministry of Revenue, a low-ranking official,
who was very polite to Ding Shou. "You are a fourth-rank official, with a monthly salary of twenty-four shi of rice. At one tael of silver, that
's equivalent to four shi of rice, so it should be seventy-two taels a year. According to the Ministry of Revenue's policy of converting one jin of pepper into one hundred guan of salary, you've gotten a good deal on this jin of pepper."
*Thud*, Ding Shou threw the pepper he had gotten for free back. Seeing his dark face, the ambassador smiled and said,
"If you don't like pepper, sir, I can use sappanwood instead. According to the salary conversion rate, you can exchange it for two jin of sappanwood..."
"I want money." Ding Shou gritted his teeth and spat out the two words.
"This..." The ambassador's face was full of reluctance. "Alright, I'll make an exception
for you, Lord Ding. I'll rely on your help from now on. "
Just as he nodded in satisfaction, Ding Shou saw the stack of banknotes the ambassador handed him, and his face immediately darkened. "
What is this?"
"Ming Dynasty banknotes." The ambassador said innocently.
"Do you expect me to use the Ming Dynasty's paper money to wipe my butt?" Ding Shou grabbed the collar of the Minister of Revenue, his eyes practically spitting
fire. One tael of silver was equivalent to four shi of rice—the price of rice only found in the Jiangnan region of Suzhou and Changzhou. Paying him that price for his salary was
one thing, but to give him paper money?
Did he think he was a sucker? The Ming Dynasty was indeed ahead of its time, issuing paper money far ahead of other countries.
The Ming Dynasty's circulating paper money, introduced in the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, was the only officially recognized currency besides copper coins. At that time, the official
credibility made it acceptable to the people. One string of paper money was equivalent to one tael of silver. However, the problem was that Zhu Chongba (Emperor Hongwu) completely misunderstood economics.
He issued paper money without reserves, and when money ran out, paper money was used instead. Over a hundred years later, the Ming Dynasty's paper
money had long become worthless. It wasn't entirely useless, though; some people still used it to pay taxes to the government, and the Ministry of Revenue used it to pay officials' salaries. It was a classic case of one bad 　　apple spoiling
another. If you wanted to buy something with it, you were either insane or deliberately trying to cause trouble. 　　The ambassador, unperturbed, said, "Lord Ding, I act according to the laws of the court. You are a 　　man of official rank; please do not disgrace your scholarly conduct." 　　Glancing at the sidelong glances of those around him, Ding Shou snorted coldly, released his grip, and turned to leave. Once 　　Ding Shou was gone, the ambassador chuckled and turned back to the inner hall, respectfully saying, "My lord, 　　do you think I handled it well?" 　　Two men emerged from behind the screen wall. One, an older man, was Li Mengyang, a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue, who stroked his beard and nodded slightly. 　　The other, a young man in his twenties, looked worried and said, "Brother Li, Ding Shou enjoys the Emperor's favor; why embarrass him over such a trivial matter ?" 　　Li Mengyang scoffed, "Military men are ignorant, unaware of the laws of the court. Such sycophants surround His Majesty, blocking the channels of communication and 　　hindering His Majesty's wisdom. I must make him aware 　　of this." "These six departments are not yet his domain to do as he pleases." Changing his tone, 　　he said to the young man, "Wei Zhong, don't mention him anymore. Yesterday at the poetry gathering at Grand Secretary Li's residence, the Grand Secretary praised you." 　　The young man was overjoyed. "Does Grand Secretary Li also know Yan Wei Zhong of Jiangxi?" 　　Li Mengyang said proudly, "Yesterday I presented your poems to the Grand Secretary, saying they 　　were written by Yan Song, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and a Shujishi (junior compiler) in the Hanlin Academy in the year of Yichou. The Grand Secretary was very satisfied with your poems and said that the writing was elegant and refined, and he intended to promote you to the position of Hanlin Compiler." 　　Yan Song was overjoyed upon hearing this. "Wei Zhong thanks Brother Li for his promotion." 　　"We are brothers, there is no need for formalities. In the future, we will need to work together to cleanse the court of villains and bring peace to the world." 　　Li Mengyang said with a smile. 　　Chapter Thirty-Eight: Old Friends in Xuanfu 　　Ding Shou walked angrily down the street, thinking that he should immediately go to the palace to ask the Emperor to abolish the imprisoned paper money. He looked up 　　and saw Qian Ning leading several officers around the street, and immediately called him over. 　　"This humble servant greets Your Excellency." Seeing Ding Shou's dark face, Qian Ning waved for his men to leave and cautiously asked, 　　"Who has offended Your Excellency?" 　　After Ding Shou explained the situation, Qian Ning couldn't help but smile. "Your Excellency is unaware of the truth; the Emperor is compassionate towards us warriors..."

"The salaries of military officers in the capital can be paid by the Imperial Treasury. They can be collected once the summer tax and autumn grain taxes are delivered to the capital."
Hearing this, Ding Shou finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Even if you don't receive the silver, it doesn't matter. Which official in our Great Ming Dynasty lives on a salary?" Qian Ning continued.
What Qian Ning said was quite true. The Ming Dynasty was notoriously poor in salaries. Not to mention Ding Shou, who was a fourth-rank official, even
a first-rank official's annual salary was only a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure). Even Gu Yanwu of the late Ming Dynasty lamented, "Never before in history has the salary of officials been
so meager." And don't complain; this was an ancestral system established by that commoner from Huaiyou.
Zhu Chongba (Emperor Hongwu) had been bullied by corrupt officials since childhood, and even after becoming emperor, he had no good impression of them.
He severely punished corruption by skinning and beheading officials, and even published a special anti-corruption textbook, "A Brief Record to Awaken the Greedy," which detailed
how many people an official's salary could support, how much rice it would be equivalent to,
how many acres of land it would require based on average yield per acre, and how much labor it would take for farmers to cultivate such land. This was to make officials understand the principle that their salaries were the hard-
earned money of the people. "Among the four classes of people, scholars are the most noble, and farmers are the most hardworking." These officials only wrote books,
"sitting in cool rooms in summer and living in warm rooms in winter, much more leisurely than soldiers and postmen," "yet still not satisfied, they still embezzled and broke
the law, harming the people in every way." These heartless old Zhu, who can blame him for beheading and confiscating their property?
That's the logic, and Mr. Zhu's calculations weren't wrong either. Even with meager salaries, Ming Dynasty officials could still make a living .
Take Hai Rui, who starved his own daughter to death, for example; when he was a county magistrate, he brought wives home one after another
without any problems. But the problem is, not all officials were like Hai Rui, who traveled thousands of miles solely for wealth. Thus,
officials of all ranks found ways to line their own pockets. Local officials could increase their tax revenue, resulting in the saying "a clean prefect for three years, 100,000 taels of silver." Military
officers had their salaries embezzled, and powerful officials in the capital used various means like "door allowances" to extort money.
Even the seemingly insignificant officials in the Censorate, with their eyes red with greed, inspected the provinces. The most pitiful were the poor scholars of the Hanlin Academy, who, besides counting down
the days until their annual tribute, did nothing but write ghostwritten articles. As for the Embroidered Uniform Guard…
"The shops on every street in the capital have been divided into sections, with each commander and centurion in charge of a section.
Making a living in the capital isn't just about bribing the Shuntian Prefecture and the Five Cities Military Command," Qian Ning said smugly.
"The monthly allowances are then distributed to the higher-ups in the Zhenfu Division according to rank." "
Why hasn't anyone brought my share?" Ding Shou asked with a dark expression.
Qian Ning smiled bitterly. "These days, with the Baili Ben purge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, everything's in chaos. Many have lost their posts, and the newly
appointed ones are busy sorting out relationships. I wonder where their allowances are hiding."
Damn it, I'll have to investigate properly later. The Second Master was determined that if anyone deliberately embezzled his money, he'd find
a pretext to confiscate their property.
The five ministries—Personnel, Rites, Revenue, War, and Works—were lined up along the Imperial Road south of Chang'an Street. The two walked and talked until they
reached the Ministry of War, where they saw a military officer being pushed out by people inside.
The military officer, dressed in the uniform of a fifth-rank official with a bear emblem, was loudly
reprimanded by a sixth-rank civil official wearing an egret emblem: "Get out of here! You're so inconsiderate! I already told you your matter would be discussed in a few days, but you keep coming here every day
to make a fuss."
The military officer was pushed and shoved, but still forced a smile: "My lord, please have mercy! I've been
delayed in the capital for half a year. Please approve the documents quickly so I can return to camp and report."
"The Ministry of War is busy with official business, not just your Xuanfu office. Just wait patiently," the civil official said indifferently.
The military officer pleaded, "My lord, please understand my plight. If the soldiers' rewards and compensation aren't distributed after this great battle,
there's a risk of unrest in the army."
The civil official scoffed, "What? Do you soldiers dare to threaten the court?"
"I wouldn't dare
," the civil official scoffed. "I doubt you have the guts."
The military officer, now more assertive, said, "I've already given my token of respect. If you have any further requests
, please advise me on how to proceed. I will have no objections."
The civil official's face darkened. "What nonsense are you spouting? Men, beat this scoundrel out of here!"
The soldiers guarding the Ministry of War immediately unleashed a barrage of blows. The man, unable to defend himself, stumbled and was thrown into the street
, where he happened to run into Ding Shou and his companion.
Ding Shou glanced at him and exclaimed, "Third Brother, it's you!"
The military officer was none other than Jiang Bin. Seeing his old friend in such a sorry state, Jiang Bin remained silent, covering his face as he tried to leave. Ding Shou
grabbed him and pressed him for details.
Jiang Bin sighed deeply and explained the situation. Last year, the Tartars invaded the border. After a bloody battle, they finally
repelled the enemy. He had then accepted the post of Governor of Xuanfu to go to the capital to report his achievements and request a reward. He had thought this would be a lucrative post to receive credit for his service,
but the Ministry of War had repeatedly delayed. Now, more than half a year had passed, and he still couldn't return to Xuanfu to report.
Hearing this, Ding Shou's anger flared. Xuanfu was his hometown, and he knew many soldiers in the border army. Now, those who had rendered meritorious service went
unrewarded, and those who died in battle received no compensation. He couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship. He immediately turned to the civil official and asked, "May I ask this gentleman's esteemed
name and current position?"
The civil official glanced at Ding Shou. Today, Ding Shou had gone to collect his salary, but he wasn't wearing his flying fish robe;
he was only wearing a fourth-rank military officer's insignia. The official didn't mind, and bowed respectfully, saying, "I am Huang Zhao, the Chief of the Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of War. May I ask which esteemed
gentleman is before me?"
No wonder he was so arrogant. People only knew that the Ministry of Personnel's Civil Service Examination and Merit Examination, and the Ministry of War's Military Selection and Armory were the four most
lucrative positions in the Six Ministries, but they didn't know that the Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of War had even greater power than the Department of Military Selection. It not only controlled the maps, performance evaluations, demerits, rewards and punishments, and compensation for military officials, but also
reviewed military records. The Ministry of War also had the power to recommend military officers for the capital garrison and border towns
, unlike the Military Selection Office which could only select officers for the garrison. Those who could hold this position must be Liu Daxia
's confidants. Ding Shou understood this but remained silent, not answering his question. Instead, he said, "This colleague just mentioned that his
document has been submitted for over half a year, and the Ministry of War has still not approved it. Is that true?" "
Oh, I'm in a good mood and giving you face as a military official, but you don't appreciate it and ignore my words, " Huang Zhao
said arrogantly, hands behind his back. "Indeed."
Taking a step forward, Ding Shou asked, "May I ask why?"
Huang Zhao scoffed, "The dynasty maintains a million soldiers and a vast territory, yet we have no time to attend to matters concerning Xuanfu."
Ding Shou took two more steps forward and said, "Rewarding merit and punishing demerit are necessary in the military. Why is the Ministry of War delaying?"

Huang Zhao, unable to bear it any longer, shouted, " 　　Shut up! When did it become your place, a mere military man, to interfere with how the Ministry of War operates?" Taking another step forward, Ding Shou was already standing in front of Huang Zhao, sneering, "Today I'll teach you how to do things." He
raised his hand and slapped Huang Zhao to the ground.
Huang Zhao rolled on the ground like a gourd, and the servants of the Ministry of War hurriedly helped him up. Huang Zhao was
seeing stars, and blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. After finally regaining his balance, he felt something in his mouth. He opened his mouth and spat out half a
mouthful of broken teeth. "%￥＆×￥…" he mumbled for a long time with blood in his mouth, but no one around him understood a word. Huang
Zhao was about to cry. He stomped his feet, pointed at Ding Shou, and threw the jade pendant from his waist at him.
The guards of the Military Command understood immediately and swarmed around Ding Shou. Ding Shou, still
seething with anger from the Ministry of Revenue that morning, was eager to vent his frustration on these men. Without even using his inner strength, he engaged the soldiers in a flurry of
punches and kicks, turning the area in front of the Ministry of War into a full-blown brawl.
"Well done! That 'Wild Goose Descending on the Sand' move was beautiful!"
"Oh dear, this soldier's pants have fallen down!"
The streets of Chang'an were bustling with pedestrians. The people of the capital, young and old, were extremely enthusiastic about watching a spectacle, especially since
the story of "Master Huang's 'bloody' slander, the Military Command fleeing in terror" was a source of great pride. They all clapped and
cheered enthusiastically.
Jiang Bin was frantic. For the past six months, he'd been burying himself
in the Ministry of War, oblivious to the widely publicized rumors surrounding the case. As for Ding Shou's promotion to fourth-rank official, it wasn't even worthy of being mentioned in the official gazette. Seeing
Ding Shou, a military officer, attack a high-ranking official in the Ministry of War was infuriating. "Brother, stop! You'll
get into trouble!"
Qian Ning, however, was unconcerned. He knew how powerful this man's backing was.
Even if he burned down the Ministry of War, he'd be blameless, let alone engage in a brawl at its entrance. He reassured Jiang Bin, "Don't worry, brother . The official is just
stretching his muscles; he won't get hurt."
Jiang Bin was on the verge of tears, worried that his father might actually hurt someone.
Just as Ding Shou was getting into the swing of things, two loud shouts of "Stop!" rang out simultaneously. Two more
men emerged from the Ministry of War. One was a familiar face—Wang Shouren, the head of the Military Selection Department. The other was an elderly man, about sixty years old, dressed in a third-rank peacock-embroidered
robe, glaring angrily at Ding
Shou. Ding Shou bowed to Wang Shouren and greeted him, then turned to the old man, saying, "May I ask which esteemed gentleman is before me?"
The old man snorted and turned his head away. Wang Shouren frowned and introduced them, "This is Xiong Xiu, the Vice Minister of War
, and this is Ding Shou, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Xiong Xiu gave a stern "Hmm," and said, "Vice Commander Ding, what brings you to the Ministry of War?"
Pointing at Huang Zhao, Ding Shou said, "Then we should ask this Chief Huang what he intends to do by delaying military affairs."
Wang Shouren looked at Huang Zhao. Huang Zhao shook his head repeatedly, looking pleadingly at Xiong Xiu. Xiong Xiu snapped, "The Ministry of War's affairs are
none of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's concern. As an official, you should know the hierarchy. Why don't you pay your respects to your superior?"
Ding Shou sneered inwardly, thinking Xiong Xiu was trying to intimidate him
. He stepped forward, placing Wang Shouren behind him. Huang Zhao, standing beside Xiong Xiu, saw him approach and, thinking another attack was imminent, retreated in fear. Xiong Xiu grabbed him,
glared at him fiercely, and raised his chin to look at Ding Shou, remaining unmoved. Ding Shou approached the two men, removed his official robes, revealing tight-fitting arrow sleeves underneath, and casually 　　dusted off the hem
of his robes . 　　Xiong Xiu, who 　　was expecting Ding Shou to bow, was immediately drawn to the hem of Ding Shou's robe. A gleaming gold medal hung at Ding Shou's waist. The old man's face changed drastically, and he exhaled a heavy breath, then knelt down, raising a cloud of dust: "Your subject, Xiong Xiu, Vice Minister of War, respectfully 　　greets Your Majesty." 　　Huang Zhao behind him also quickly prostrated himself on the ground. Ding Shou, however, did not reply, but simply adjusted his official hat and sash. 　　"Hey, brother, who is this man? How come the Vice Minister of War kneels before him so readily?" The onlookers 　　pointed and whispered. 　　The person being questioned looked disdainful, "You don't even know this gentleman? How dare you make a living in the capital?" 　　"You've got some skills?" the other person said, intrigued. 　　"Good heavens, more than one set!" the man exclaimed. "You know Deng Ren, right?" 　　"He's a god of wealth, many businesses in the capital belong to his family." 　　"And his father-in-law, Weng Taibei?" 　　"The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a man whose every stomp shakes the entire capital. What happened to him?" 　　"What happened to him! Those two were sent to the Imperial Prison because of him, and they're still catching lice in there." 　　He gestured with his chin towards Ding Shou. 　　"Oh, while I was away from the capital, such a big shot appeared." The man who asked the question touched the back of his cold neck 　　. 　　Not satisfied, he continued, "Not only Weng Taibei, but you know Princess Renhe, right? His Majesty's own aunt 　　. This man directly led people to ransack the princess's residence and imprisoned the prince consort and his son in the Northern Garrison for quite a while before they 　　were released..." 　　"Brother, according to you, this gentleman can see His Majesty the Emperor?" A strangely charming 　　voice sounded beside him. 　　Being interrupted in the middle of a long speech is incredibly frustrating. The man was about to 　　lose his temper when he saw that the person asking him was a beautiful woman in her early twenties with an oval face and bright, dark eyes. His anger vanished instantly, and he beamed, saying, 　　"Not only have I seen him, this gentleman has a palace pass bestowed by the Empress Dowager, allowing him to enter the palace as if it were his own home." 　　"You know that? Brother, you're just bragging," someone nearby scoffed. 　　The man immediately became agitated, "Who's bragging? My third uncle's neighbor's cousin's nephew is a Red Helmet General in the 3,000-strong 　　battalion, the night watchman in the imperial city. Go ask around if you don't believe me!" 　　The woman smiled without speaking, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Ding Shou, as if she had found a treasure. 　　On the other side, Ding Shou remained calm and composed. Xiong Xiu, already over sixty, began to tremble as he knelt. Wang 　　Shouren, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward and said, "Minister Ding, there are many people here, and it's adjacent to the Ministry of Rites. Foreign envoys 　　frequently travel here. We mustn't let anyone bump into us and cause a loss of national dignity." 　　Hearing this, Ding Shou thought it made sense and, having had his fill of showing off, cleared his throat: "May Your Majesty be well." 　　Xiong Xiu stood up, his face ashen. His legs, numb from kneeling for so long, gave way, and he stumbled. Ding Shou, quick as a flash, 　　caught him, saying, "Minister Xiong, please take care of your health." 　　With a snort, Xiong Xiu flicked Ding Shou's hand away. Ding Shou, unconcerned, said, "Now the Ministry of War can handle 　　the military affairs of Xuanfu, right?"

"The Ministry of War has its own procedures, even in His Majesty's presence," Xiong Xiu said indifferently.
"What? You still don't know how to repent?" Ding Shou felt the veins in his temples throbbing.
Glancing at Ding Shou, Xiong Xiu said arrogantly, "The Ministry of War has done nothing wrong, there's nothing to correct."
"You..." Ding Er Ye was infuriated by this old man's stubbornness, and rolled up his sleeves
, ready to start another fight, when he saw a group of people approaching from the direction of the Ministry of Rites.
Leading the group was a handsome, refined civil official. Seeing the chaos in front of the Ministry of War, he was puzzled and bowed, asking, "Gentlemen
, what has happened?"
Xiong Xiu, recognizing the newcomer as Shen Rong, the Director of the Ministry of Rites' Department of Ceremonies, returned the bow, saying, "Just some trivial matters, no need for you
to worry about me, Director Shen. Where are you headed?"
Shen Rong smiled and replied, "Let me introduce you. This is Li Jifu, the envoy from Joseon, who serves as the Assistant Director of
the Central Secretariat there. He has come to congratulate our Great Ming on the New Year."
Li Jifu bowed respectfully, his every gesture exuding Confucian elegance. Xiong Xiu and the others returned the bow, the Confucian scholars
gathered together in a harmonious atmosphere.
Ding Shou, feeling utterly disgusted, was not a die-hard fan of these southern neighboring countries, having only
a slight nod to Wang Shouren before turning and leaving with Qian Ning and the other two.
Li Jifu looked bewildered. "That lord left without saying goodbye. Was I perhaps impolite?"
Xiong Xiu's face was full of disdain. Wang Shouren interjected, "Your Excellency is overthinking this. That man was an officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He must have had imperial orders to keep him occupied. Your Excellency has come from afar. If you have time, please come inside for tea."
Li Jifu bowed and said, "I was just about to enjoy the sights of this great nation. I apologize 　　for disturbing you." After speaking, he casually glanced at the crowd and seemed to spot a familiar figure. He immediately 　　shook his head,
thinking it impossible. She must be dead.
********** ... 　　Ding Shou said impatiently, "Third Brother, don't trouble yourself. It's just a small matter. I'll take you to the palace to 　　meet the Emperor right away and present my case to him in person." 　　"Huh? Meet the Emperor?" Jiang Bin felt like he was dreaming. He had been risking his life and even managed to become related to the governor, 　　yet he was only a fifth-rank garrison commander. This brother of his was already a fourth-rank official, and for some reason, even the Vice Minister of War 　　had to kneel before him. Now, he was saying he was going to see the Emperor as casually as buying vegetables at the market. Was this still the same 　　Ding Erlang who used to drink and hang out with him in Xuanfu? Jiang Bin felt increasingly uncertain. 　　True to his word, Ding Shou led Jiang Bin straight to Chengtian Gate. The guards at the gate didn't even check Ding Shou's waist token, and Jiang Bin, 　　dumbfounded, followed him into the imperial city. Ding Shou left Jiang Bin waiting outside the palace gates while he entered the Forbidden City alone. Unexpectedly, 　　Emperor Zhengde wasn't in the palace. Ding Shou was now in a predicament. Not everyone 　　knew where the Emperor had gone. Even though everyone knew the Emperor spent the night in Qianqing Palace, no one knew exactly where he slept. At this time, Ming Dynasty emperors 　　didn't have the habit of stripping their concubines naked and wrapping them in blankets before sending them to the palace. They lived more like ordinary couples. However, 　　concubines couldn't stay in Qianqing Palace for long without permission. Qianqing Palace had nine warm rooms, each with two levels and 　　three beds, arranged differently each night. The Emperor would choose which room and bed to sleep in 　　based on his mood. For outsiders, assassinating him was practically like winning the lottery. 　　Ding Shou somewhat understood why the old ministers didn't want the emperor to wander around. They had already made such a boast; if 　　they couldn't see the young emperor, wouldn't they lose face? Just as he was scratching his head, he saw Liu Jin approaching. 　　These past few days, Eunuch Liu had been in a bad mood, and Ding Shou didn't want to provoke the old eunuch. With the death of the Left Censor-in-Chief Dai Lin 　　, he had fully expected Liu Yu to take over the Censorate. Unexpectedly, the Minister of Personnel, Ma Wensheng, transferred Zhang Fuhua from Nanjing to become the Left Censor-in-Chief. Zhang 　　Fuhua, along with Lin Han, Lin Jun, and Zhang Mao, were known as the "Four Gentlemen of Nanjing," all famous for their outspokenness and remonstrance. These 　　morally upright gentlemen always regarded eunuchs and powerful officials as their greatest enemies. Now that Zhang Fuhua was in charge of the Censorate, along with Min Gui's Ministry of Justice and Yang 　　Shou's Court of Judicial Review, the three judicial departments were all in the hands of civil officials and cabinet ministers. Liu Jin's days were numbered. 　　Now that he needed to inquire about the Emperor's whereabouts, Ding Shou had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to bow, saying, "Ding Shou greets Your Excellency." 　　Liu Jin glanced at him, his steps unwavering as he walked towards the Donghua Gate. "You little rascal, haven't seen you in a while. 　　What mischief are you plotting?" 　　Ding Shou touched his nose and chuckled awkwardly, "This subordinate is thinking of causing some trouble for the Ministry of War with His Majesty. I would like to ask Your Excellency if you 　　know where the Emperor is." 　　"The Ministry of War? What happened to those people?" 　　"This subordinate was bullied by the Ministry of War this morning," Ding Shou said, feigning grievance. 　　Liu Jin acted as if he hadn't heard him. "Who in the Ministry of War did you bully this morning?" 　　Uh, Ding Shou choked on his words, and after regaining his composure, he recounted the events of the day. 　　The two had already exited Donghua Gate and arrived at the moat. Liu Jin turned to look at him, "You're going to use Xiong Xiu as a scapegoat?" 　　"An old man who doesn't die is a thief. This old fellow has no respect for his subordinates, no respect for the emperor, and no respect for the emperor, so 　　what about the emperor?" 　　Liu Jin ignored this nauseating flattery and said calmly, "Xiong Xiu can't be touched. I'm actually thinking of recommending 　　him for promotion to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi." 　　A third-rank vice minister promoted to a second-rank minister, and even given a regional governorship—that old fellow doesn't seem like the type to bribe Liu Jin 　　. Ding Shou cautiously probed, "This Xiong Xiu is said to be Liu Daxia's confidant…" 　　"More than a confidant, he's practically Liu Daxia's right-hand man." 　　Ding Shou was puzzled, "Then why…" 　　"Disliking someone doesn't necessarily mean belittling them. There's another way, called 'praise to death.'" Liu Jin stopped 　　and lightly tapped the railing. "Being stationed in Guangdong and Guangxi, far from the central government, they can't respond to any disturbances in the capital. 　　Xiong Xiu knows this, and Liu Daxia knows it too. How could they not harbor resentment towards Ma Wensheng, who recommended him?" 　　"Ma Wensheng won't listen to us..." He paused, noticing the sinister smile on Liu Jin's face, and asked warily, " 　　Do we have people in the Ministry of Personnel too?" " 　　Heh heh, Xiong Xiu's departure from the capital cuts off one of Liu Daxia's arms, makes Liu Daxia's faction resent Ma Wensheng, and incidentally 　　creates a vacancy for Vice Minister of War. It's killing three birds with one stone, why not?" Liu Jin said smugly. 　　Ding Shou hesitated. "Everyone says that Liu Daxia and Ma Wensheng are of high moral character, and together with former Minister of Personnel Wang Shu, they are known as 　　the Three Gentlemen of the Hongzhi Era. This little bit of resentment is probably a bit too much."

"Whether someone is a gentleman or not, only they themselves know," Liu Jin sneered, kicking a pebble
into the moat. "The court is a stagnant pool; I merely threw in a stone. Whether it sinks without a trace or
stirs up a thousand ripples depends on the character of these officials..."
With that, Liu Jin pointed northeast. "The Emperor is at the billiards room. Go find him yourself, and figure out what to do
."
**************
The billiards room was yet another inexplicable place within the imperial city. It had one manager and several clerks, and was the
place where the imperial household prepared slingshots and clay bullets. The clay bullets, varying in weight and size, were stored in yellow cloth bags for the Emperor's use.
In other words, this place served no other purpose than making slingshots for the Emperor to shoot down other people's windows. It was unclear which emperor
had come up with the idea of setting up such an office.
When Ding Shou met Emperor Zhengde, the emperor was testing a slingshot. In fact, Ding Shou had planned to present some ingenious and whimsical
gadgets to secure the emperor's favor, but the problem was that high-tech items couldn't be made at the moment, and low-tech games and activities
would be looked down upon by the young emperor in no time.
Football? Isn't that just Cuju? Golf? A ball called Chuiwan has such a tongue-twisting name. Bowling? Your
Xuanfu name is so strange. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called "Mushe." Okay, Master Ding admits that for a while, he was
driven to the brink of neurasthenia by this bratty kid from the early 16th century. Those time-traveling predecessors could easily create a sport that
captivated the ancients, while whatever he came up with was laughed at as a country bumpkin. At one point, Ding Shou considered hardening his heart and
recommending a sport that he himself would enjoy and that was beneficial to his mind and body in later generations: women's mud wrestling. Later, he accidentally discovered a
Song Dynasty edition of "Menglianglu." Women's wrestling had already been popular in the Song Dynasty, and even the concubines in the imperial harem often participated in
this sport naked. Just thinking about the beauties with their hair disheveled, panting, naked as they fought, Master Ding felt a strong urge to join in
. He harbored deep resentment towards the old man Sima who resisted sports. Why wasn't he the child who fell into the vat back then?
"Your Majesty, your subject Ding Shou has something to report," Ding Shou said, bowing.
"This isn't the imperial court, no need for such formalities. Speak your mind." The young emperor was very
polite to those around him. With a snap, the mud bullet hit the bullseye, and Zhengde jumped up with joy.
"This morning, I met an old friend at the Ministry of War. He's a border soldier from Xuanfu. Last year, the Tatars invaded the border..." Ding Shou
knew this emperor well; he was fond of military affairs and steered the conversation towards border matters. Sure enough, this piqued Zhengde's interest, and he immediately summoned
Jiang Bin for an audience.
"Last year, the Tatars took advantage of the mourning period to invade in large numbers, their camp stretching for over twenty li. General Zhang Jun dispatched his generals Li Ji, Bai Yu, Zhang Xiong,
Wang Zhen, and Mu Rong, each leading three thousand men, to guard key points. I led my troops to garrison Dushikou..." Jiang Bin swallowed hard as he spoke.
He had been in the capital for half a year, and the highest-ranking official he had seen in the Ministry of War was a mere clerk. This young man was truly powerful and influential; he could
see the emperor just like that. He secretly pinched his thigh—ouch, it wasn't a dream.
"Later, the Tartars breached the city walls at Xinkoukou and entered. The generals and their troops held out at Yutai Ridge. Commander Jun led 3,000 men to
their aid, but he was wounded in the leg on the way. Commander Cao Tai took over as reinforcements, but they were surrounded by the Tartars at Lujiao Mountain. Commander Jun urgently mobilized 5,000 troops
with three days' rations to rush to their aid and break the siege. He also sent troops to rescue Li Ji and Bai Yu, and the two generals also broke through the siege. Only Zhang Xiong and Mu Rong
were blocked in the mountain stream and died without reinforcements. The army was exhausted and pursued by the enemy. They fought as they marched, and only managed to enter Wanquan Right Guard City.
Countless soldiers and horses died..."
Zhengde listened and kept slamming his fist on the table. These battles were also recorded in military reports, but hearing them narrated by the people involved made it seem even
more immersive.
As Jiang Bin was speaking with great enthusiasm, a faint voice reached his ears, "Third Brother, tell us more about your achievements."
"Huh?" Jiang Bin looked around and saw Ding Shou winking at him. He suddenly understood and said, "My territory, Dushikou,
is isolated and surrounded by the Tartars. With few soldiers and generals, the city walls are gradually collapsing. My soldiers are grateful for the Emperor's grace and, despite the lack of
external support, dare not abandon our territory."
"Good, loyal and courageous," Zhengde praised, then frowned, "Dushikou, is
it named after a solitary rock that rises abruptly from the ground in front of the pass?"
"That's where the name comes from. Your Majesty even knows the origin of this?"
Zhengde said smugly. "Of course. Dushikou is strategically important, the throat of Shanggu and
the right arm of the capital. How could I not know?"
Ding Shou sighed. "Even the most dangerous pass needs someone to guard it. During the Tumu Crisis, Esen of the Oirat Mongols broke through
Dushikou and surrounded Emperor Yingzong at Tumu Fortress."
Zhu Houzhao deeply felt the troubles of his ancestors. "That's right, that's exactly it. Minister Jiang is truly loyal and courageous
. If all the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty were like this, how could the Tartars not be destroyed?"
"I dare not claim credit for the work of Heaven. It all depends on the soldiers' bravery and sacrifice. I humbly request Your Majesty to reward those who have made meritorious contributions," Jiang Bin kowtowed
.
"Oh?" Zhengde was somewhat surprised. "Why hasn't the evaluation of merits for this battle been completed yet?"
Ding Shou sighed and recounted how Jiang Bin had been detained in the capital for several months. This enraged Zhengde, who roared,
"How dare they! Such actions will surely discourage the soldiers! I will hold all those in the Ministry of War accountable!" "Your Majesty, please 　　calm down 　　.
The Six Ministries have the responsibility to fill vacancies and investigate the Six Ministries. Since this concerns the Ministry of War, I request that this matter be handled
by Wang Tingxiang, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War." Liu Jin had already spoken, so Ding Shou dared not launch a major imprisonment and decided to give Wang Tingxiang 　　face 　　. Zhengde also had a good impression of Wang Tingxiang, who had angered Xie Qian in the Wenhua Hall, and immediately nodded in 　　agreement. ********** ... 　　"Why stand on ceremony, we're brothers," Ding Shou said politely, secretly thinking that Sister-in-law Yu Nu had already thanked him in bed 　　. 　　As the two were exchanging pleasantries, a figure rushed over. Jiang Bin was about to draw his sword when Ding Shou stopped him; the newcomer clearly 　　didn't know martial arts. 　　"This humble woman has been wronged, I beg you, sir, to grant me justice." The newcomer was a beautiful woman, slender and graceful, with 　　exquisite features. Although her tone was strange, it only added to her charm. 　　Jiang Bin's mouth went dry, and Ding Shou felt a tightness in his groin. He coughed, "What grievance does this woman have? 　　Speak quickly." " 　　It's not convenient to talk here. Please tell me in a quiet place, sir." 　　Ding Shou secretly rejoiced; there was hope. 　　Chapter Thirty-Nine: Changes in Haidong

"What? You are King Lee of Joseon? Consort Jang Nok-su?" Upon returning to his residence, Ding Shou summoned the woman
for questioning, but her words truly shocked him.
"My king has been imprisoned on Jodong Island by the traitor Yi Yeok, his life hanging by a thread. I beg the court to offer him assistance." Joseon
had been granted official attire and writing by the Ming Dynasty, and although Jang Nok-su's Chinese was broken, she could still speak clearly.
"As you say, the rebel army stormed in that night, and Lee? and his concubines were all captured. How did you escape, and how
can you prove your identity?"
"That day, I exchanged clothes with my personal maid, set fire to the palace, and to gain trust, I gave her the seal of consort
, then escaped the palace in the chaos of night," Jang Nok-su said, bowing her head.
Ding Shou leaned back in his chair. "In other words, your identity cannot be proven."
Zhang Lushu said urgently, "Now that our country's delegation has entered the capital, Li Jifu comes from the Li clan of Qinghai. We have met several times before,
and he will definitely recognize you."
"If he recognizes you, should I hand you over to him or send you back to Korea?" Ding Shou's eyes were icy.
Zhang Lushu was terrified. "Does the Celestial Empire intend to sit idly by and watch our country's treacherous ministers seize power without offering any help? My husband
, Li Yi, has served the Great Ming with utmost sincerity. How can he be allowed to end up like this? That Li Yi has always been disrespectful to the Celestial Empire, making presumptuous remarks and belittling
the rulers of the Great Ming throughout history. He has always harbored rebellious intentions."
"Li Yi or Li Yi, whoever becomes the King of Korea would dare not acknowledge the Great Ming as the legitimate dynasty?" Ding Shou spread his hands and
smiled.
Ding Shou's words are entirely correct. From its founding, the Ming Dynasty pursued a diplomatic policy of treating distant peoples with kindness and generosity,
establishing a comprehensive tributary system. Major East Asian countries recognized the Ming as their suzerain, and new kings were considered
legitimately entitled to receive investiture from the Ming upon their ascension to the throne. Of course, this diplomatic policy was criticized in later generations, who argued that the Ming Dynasty was simply
paying for face, gaining only the empty title of suzerain without any real benefit—a purely foolish act. This argument might have some merit,
but later dynasties, from their very inception, sent gifts to the Third World. Sending money, goods, or even territory and territorial waters as a symbol of friendship has yielded little
real benefit. Billions of dollars in aid are given annually to obscure, unknown countries, all for the sake of those countries
shouting "One China." The moment the aid stops, the friendship between the two countries vanishes. Hundreds of thousands of people die trying to prevent
their neighbor from being destroyed, yet one neighbor doesn't even display its own flag at the armistice negotiations in Panmunjom, and instead
becomes even more restless; another neighbor with the same ideology is even worse, directly raiding their doorstep.
In contrast, the Ming Dynasty, with its policy
of appeasement and benevolence, faced a chilling wave of Siberian savagery a hundred and fifty years later. The Joseon Dynasty, already forced to submit, never forgot the kindness of the Celestial Empire. "For three hundred years, our dynasty has served the Ming Dynasty;
the gratitude and righteousness are beyond words. The grace of Emperor Shenzong's restoration is unparalleled since the beginning of time.
King Seonjo's words, 'The righteousness between ruler and subject is like that between father and son,' are truly sincere and poignant. There is no greater benevolence than that between father and son, no
greater righteousness than that between ruler and subject. And among rulers and subjects, none have received such boundless grace as our dynasty has towards the Ming Dynasty."
Thus, Joseon abandoned its old grudges, allied with Japan, and allied with the Zheng family in the south, secretly plotting great things. Unfortunately, the Cursed Water Incident occurred,
Zhu Youlang was killed, and the Southern Ming perished. Even so, until the end of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Joseon king still offered sacrifices to Emperor Chongzhen,
and the common people used the Chongzhen reign title for 265 years.
Even in Japan, which had suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Ming Dynasty in Korea during the Wanli era, the Tokugawa Shogunate sent thousands of troops
to support Zheng Chenggong. Unfortunately, the Kamikaze, who had once protected Japan from Mongol annihilation, treated everyone the same, and these thousands of soldiers were simply
fed to the fish and shrimp. Siam, which admired China, vigorously searched for and treated Ming loyalists well, and repeatedly requested military assistance. Even
the quickly subjugated Annamite Mo family initially sent troops to resist the Qing. As for Burma, which handed over the Yongli Emperor and his ministers to Wu Sangui,
before Mangbai's usurpation, King Mangda of Burma repeatedly provided aid.
If this was the case at the end of the Ming Dynasty, how much more so now that the Ming Dynasty's fate was not yet waning, with the Ming Dynasty upholding virtue and the surrounding vassal states all bathed in
Han culture, and China as one, Li Yi must have been out of his mind to break away from the Ming and establish his own independent state.
"This..." Zhang Lushu was at a loss for words. As a courtesan, how could she express too much reasoning? This speech
was what she had racked her brains to come up with along the way, but Ding Shou was unmoved by her words, and she couldn't help but feel bitter.
Ding Shou never tired of watching the beauty's embarrassed state. "Write these things down, and we'll discuss them later," he instructed Yi Qing to prepare
a meal.
After the meal, Ding Shou returned to the room and saw that the food on the table was untouched. Zhang Lushu was biting her pen, her brows furrowed
. He chuckled and walked to her side, but when he saw what was written on the paper, his face darkened.
"What did you write..." The characters on the paper were horizontal and vertical lines, like scribbles, but they were not unfamiliar;
they were similar to the Korean script of later generations.
Zhang Lushu was in a state of great confusion and immediately bowed her head to apologize, saying, "My lord, please forgive me. I am of humble birth and have not had
the fortune to learn the script of our country. I have only learned some of our own Hangul, which is quite laughable."
This is now called Hangul. Ding Shou sneered, "You say you are also the illegitimate daughter of the magistrate of Munui County in Korea, how come
you don't know the script of our country?"
"My mother was a commoner. In our country, we follow the law of maternal lineage; once one is of low status, one is considered lowly. Therefore, although I am the daughter of a county magistrate, I am in reality
a slave." Seeing that Ding Shou was still staring at the Hangul, Zhang Lushu continued, "Hangul was created by King Sejong of our country.
My husband admires China and has already issued an edict banning this script. Now that Yi Yi has usurped the throne, I fear this script will become popular again."
Oh, Yi? There was even an imperial edict that piqued Ding Shou's interest; he figured he might as well give him a hand if the opportunity arose
. What Ding Shou didn't know was that King Sejong of Joseon created this script because the Korean language differed from Chinese, and Chinese characters were difficult
to learn. Many Koreans were illiterate, so he created twenty-eight characters, which the edict called "Hunminjeongeum" (Hunminjeongeum)
. He strongly advocated its use in official documents and personal letters, and even ordered the
composition of "Yongbi Eocheon-ga" (The Song of the Dragon Flying to Heaven) in "Hunminjeongeum." He also made "Hunminjeongeum" a required subject in the civil service examinations for recruiting officials
and had it engraved on coins.
This system, similar to Pinyin, was simple and easy to learn, but utterly devoid of substance. Upon its introduction, it was met
with unanimous resistance from the yangban (aristocratic class) nobles and literati of Korea. They argued that abandoning Chinese characters for Hangul was an act of barbarism, stating, "Throughout history,
within the nine provinces, though customs differ, there has never been a separate writing system based on dialect. Only the Mongols, Western Xia, Jurchens, Japanese, and Tibetans
each have their own scripts. These are all matters of barbarians, not worth mentioning," and "Throughout history, China has always compared itself to the
culture, civilization, and rituals of Jizi (a legendary figure associated with China). Now, to create Hangul, abandoning China and becoming like barbarians, is like discarding
the fragrance of styrax and taking the pill of a mantis—is this not a waste of civilization?" Therefore, this system only circulated among the common people, truly becoming...
The official text dates back to the mid-20th century, when Korea was divided and de-Sinicized. Even so, South Korean
passports and ID cards still have their Chinese names written next to their Korean names. These names are all in Chinese style and do not contain
transliterations like Xiu, Xian, Ying, Zhi, Xiao, Yu, Yuan, Dong, or Li as seen in Chinese media. It's strange that Chinese
people who are into Korean culture often use the same few characters in Korean names; they're all just a few homophones.
As for Lee? It's true that Hangul is banned, because people used it to post notices cursing him. It would be strange if it weren't banned.
Ding Shou had thoughts in his mind, but he didn't show them on his face. He called out, "Yi Qing, Yi Hong."
"Yes, sir," the two women replied from the corridor.
"Arrange a place for her to stay."
"This..." The two women looked hesitant. Yiqing said, "We two maids will stay in the east wing, and Wenxin and Aunt Tan will stay
in the west wing. There are no other rooms available."
"Oh," Ding Shou pretended to be troubled, "What should we do then?" "
I have been homeless for months. I am already grateful for even a roof over my head. I will stay in the corridor." Zhang Lushu
hurriedly said. She had suffered hardships since childhood and truly did not care.
Ding Shou shook his head, "Wouldn't that be unfair to the noble lady? You two should vacate the east wing and move to the west wing."
Yi Qing accepted the order and led Zhang Lushui to rest. Yi Hong walked to Ding Shou's side, pressed her ample breasts
against his arm, and said with a charming smile, "Which sister would you like to serve me tonight, Master? Or should the four of us do it together..."
He slapped her buttocks and said with a wicked smile, "You won't have to serve me tonight. Remember,
don't come out no matter what noise you hear..."
**************************
The night was quiet, and he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Ding Shou stared at the ceiling, calculating, "A person who has lost their country has nowhere to live.
Even if I force myself on her, she won't dare to make a sound. I should wait a little longer, until she's sound asleep before I make my move. Hehe, indeed, a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen one
..."
The Second Master was immersed in the excitement of his impending tryst when he suddenly heard the outer door creak open. Someone
entered. Ding Shou frowned. Hadn't they agreed that which slut couldn't resist the temptation and would be thoroughly dealt with
later? Where was the family discipline?
The curtains were lifted, and a hot, naked body fell into Ding Shou's arms. He reached out to pull her close, but immediately realized something was wrong. The person in his arms had
smooth, white skin and curvaceous figure; she was definitely not one of the four women beside him. He parted the curtains, flicked his finger,
and with a whoosh, the long-extinguished candlelight rekindled.
"You..." The beauty before him was like jade, her breasts pert and pink, trembling slightly. It was Zhang Lushu.
Suddenly, the lights came on, and Zhang Lushu gave a soft cry, turning her back and burying her head in the brocade quilt,
revealing her ample breasts to Ding Shou.
Her buttocks were beautifully pear-shaped, her thighs firm and full, incredibly fleshy, like a ripe fruit
, full of texture yet supple and elastic. As the beauty turned quickly, a wave of her buttocks rippled before his eyes.
"Wouldn't such a noble person put me in an unjust position? You should know that even if I were to be lustful, I would not implicate the affairs of state," Ding Shou
said, but his hands couldn't help but caress her jade-like legs.
As he caressed her, a fine layer of granules rose on Zhang Lushu's skin. She buried her head in her pink arms and whispered,
"There is nowhere in this world for me to stay. I only ask that you, my lord, keep me safe. My wish will be fulfilled."
Upon hearing these words, Ding Shou said "good," and put his hand around her waist, pressing it against her lower abdomen. His hand
found her soft and flat, full and supple, yet boneless. Her slender waist could be easily encircled, appearing
astonishingly delicate compared to her full hips, yet it felt plump and firm to the touch, not thin at all.
He gripped her lower abdomen and lifted her up, turning her into a kneeling position.
He fondled her peach-like buttocks, and the beautiful woman breathed heavily, her full breasts trembling slightly. Ding Shou could no longer restrain himself. He pressed his massive member against her
jade passage and thrust his hips forward. Zhang Lushu cried out in surprise, her hands gripping the brocade quilt beneath her tightly, beads of sweat forming on her forehead
. Ding Shou's lower abdomen was now pressed firmly against her round, firm buttocks.
"No wonder she is the most favored concubine in the Korean harem. This woman truly has extraordinary qualities," Ding Shou thought to himself. Zhang Lushu
possessed one of the ten most famous acupoints, the "Delicate Flower and Tender Pistil," a shallow opening that easily reached the stamen, giving men an indescribable sense of conquest and
satisfaction. If it were someone like Qian Niang, with her overlapping peaks and verdant slopes, most men would be easily defeated. Although it would be extremely pleasurable, even a man like
Li would probably have to consider his reputation and avoid it.
"Ah... um... ooh..." Zhang Lushui bit her lower lip tightly as Ding Shou thrust into her, letting out seductive
moans. She thought to herself, "As expected of a man from the Celestial Empire, his 'weapon' is enormous, far surpassing anything the Koreans can match. This time,
I'll make him realize his own wonders, ensure his safety first, and then slowly make my move."
This woman was originally a concubine in the household of the Grand Prince of Qi'an, yet she managed to attract Li? at a banquet and was eventually taken into the Korean harem,
given the title of Shurong. She must have had her own schemes. Both harbored their own secrets, yet their bodies were intertwined, locked in a passionate battle.
Ding Shou, while thrusting, admired the beauty's body before him: her smooth, pink back, slender waist, round, egg
-white-colored buttocks, long, straight legs, and her face hidden among her dark hair and pink arms,
adding to her mystery in the hazy night.
He forcefully flipped her over, and beneath her panting, pink face, her fair, tender breasts and erect, rosy
nipples shone brightly. Ding Shou bent down and suckled at her nipples, inhaling the unique fragrance emanating from her full body,
feeling her plump and elastic snow-white skin. Her protruding, jade-like breasts became even more
erect under his caresses. He gently pinched the red cherry on the other pink areola with his thumb and forefinger, and Zhang Lushui couldn't help but
gasp and moan, "My lord, I want..."
With a "yes," Ding Shou hoisted her two snow-white buttocks onto his shoulders, pressed down on her fragrant shoulders, and began a rapid series of thrusts.
"No... Master... It feels so good... Mmm... Ouch... It hurts so much..."
The delicate flower's characteristic is that it's not afraid of a man's small penis; the clitoris can be easily reached. Its only worry is encountering a thin penis
that can't give it fullness. Ding Shou's penis is thick and long, giving Zhang Lushu an unprecedented feeling of fullness, while
each thrust feels like it's pushing the clitoris into her stomach.
"Ouch... No... My heart is being pounded... Master, have mercy..." Zhang Lushu pleaded incessantly.
"Don't call me 'Master,' call me 'Brother.'" As he spoke, Ding Shou's body didn't stop; he continued to thrust violently, the bed...
She was already protesting with a "creak, creak" sound.
"Brother...brother...good brother...please spare me..." Zhang Lushu writhed uncontrollably
, moaning with seductive eyes.
"That's not the right way to say it. Call me in your own language." Ding Shou thrust even harder, his hands gripping her plump, soft
skin tightly. With each powerful slam, her pink buttocks and jade thighs were already a bright red.
Zhang Lushu's red lips were moist and bright red, her eyes were hazy and misty, and her flushed face was covered with fine beads of sweat. She opened her arms
and hugged Ding Shou tightly, panting as she called out, "Oppa... have mercy... Oppa... I'm satisfied
..."
"Hey!" Stimulated, Ding Shou slammed into her again, and the bed board, unable to bear the weight,
finally broke with a "bang"...
Zhang Lushu tossed her long black hair and let out a sharp cry, "Ah—"
The women in the west wing were all awakened. Gao Wenxin, wearing only a close-fitting undergarment, sat up and was about to put on her clothes and
shoes when Tan Shuzhen, who was beside her, straightened up. The quilt slipped down, revealing her snow-white and full mature body. She grabbed her and said,
"Where are you going?"
"Let's go see what's going on." Gao Wenxin was only wearing a red bodice and thin lotus-colored underpants, revealing a large
expanse of snow-white skin. It was the coldest time of the year in the north, and she hissed as she pulled her
outer garment tighter.
"Didn't Master say that no matter what noise I hear at night, I shouldn't go out?" Tan Shuzhen held onto her
hand tightly.
"But we can't just let them tear down the house," Gao Wenxin retorted.
Yi Qing, who was sleeping on the other side, laughed and said, "Sister Wenxin, you must be itching to do something, unable to bear the loneliness, and want to go find
Master to do something with you."
Gao Wenxin blushed and spat, "You little slut, it's you who's itching."
"I am itching, but my body is even itchier. It's a pity that Master isn't in the mood to relieve my itch tonight,"
Yi Qing said nonchalantly.
Yi Hong, who was lying next to him, giggled and said, "Then how about I help you?" She reached out and grabbed Yi Qing's snow-white breasts
. Yi Qing raised his hand and pushed them away, and the two of them wrestled in the quilt.
After the two of them made a fuss, Gao Wenxin felt it inappropriate to go out again. Tan Shuzhen lifted the covers and said, "Come in quickly,
don't catch a cold."
Gao Wenxin took off her outer clothes and crawled back into the quilt. The warmth of the quilt made her let out a soft moan. Tan Shuzhen pressed
close to her body, untied her bodice, and threw it to the side of the bed with her snow-white arms. She then embraced Gao Wenxin's now chilled
body, her fingers tracing Gao Wenxin's firm, rounded breasts, across her soft waist, and stopping at her
long, full thighs. She said with pity, "Wenxin, you're lucky. You gave your first time to me, and you escaped a living hell as soon as you entered the brothel
. Not every woman is as lucky as you. Cherish it, and don't let your willfulness offend me."
Meanwhile, on the other side... Hearing this, the two women felt a deep empathy. Yiqing, lying on the bed, said, "Aunt Tan is right.
We two, with our defiled bodies, serve the master and try every means to please him, just in case we are treated like playthings and given away for his amusement again
. Unlike Sister Wenxin, who has given her pure and innocent body, if she continues to act so capriciously, she might anger the master and be sent back
to the brothel. The world outside is so cruel..."
Gao Wenxin seemed lost in thought, biting her foot in silence. Hearing Yiqing's words, Tan Shuzhen sighed, "It
's truly a tragedy. I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse for Yujie to escape from the opera troupe. If she had stayed, although she would have been abused for several years, at least
she and her mother could be reunited. A girl alone outside, I don't know if she would live or die..." After saying this, tears streamed down her face.
Gao Wenxin hurriedly wiped away her tears, and Yiqing and the other woman jumped off the bed without even putting on their clothes to comfort her. Yihong said,
"Auntie, don't cry. Yujie is a lucky person and will surely be able to turn danger into safety. Yujie and I are like sisters. If you
don't mind, we would like to ask you to be our godmother and take good care of you."
Yihong nodded in agreement, and Gao Wenxin added, "Me too. My mother passed away early, and these days I've felt that you
've treated me like your own mother. I also want to recognize you as my mother."
Tan Shuzhen smiled through her tears, "Good, good, good. I don't know what great blessings you had in your past life to have three more good daughters today."
The women all laughed along.
"Achoo!" Yiqing's sneeze shattered the tender moment. Tan Shuzhen said with concern, "Go back to bed. Don't you
know how to take care of yourself?"
Yiqing giggled, "No, I want to sleep with Mother." Saying that, she crawled into Tan Shuzhen's quilt. Yihong followed suit, saying,
"Me too." In an instant, four pale bodies were squeezed together.
Moonlight streamed through the window, candle wax piled up on the candlestick, and the brocade quilt was spread out on the floor. Two sweaty, naked bodies lay sprawled
on the floor.
Zhang Lushui's long, cloud-like hair spread over Ding Shou's lower abdomen, covering half of her beautiful face, which was as lovely as a peach blossom. Her fragrant tongue
sucked up and down, helping Ding Shou clean his genitals.
Ding Shou squinted, enjoying the service of one of the three most notorious women in Joseon Dynasty history, thinking to himself, "
I was planning to steal some fragrance tonight, but it feels like I've been stolen from..."
PS: In history, King Jungjong was in September 1506. Because something happened in the Ming Dynasty at the same time,
this article is presented earlier. Also, here are a few pictures of avant-garde movements in ancient times. Sometimes I suspect that someone really traveled through time.

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