Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 951: Favor
"Dad, Mr. Sun is here." In the Qianqing Palace, Crown Prince Zhu Minlan gently reminded Zhu Shenzhu who was concentrating on thinking about something, which brought him back to reality.

"Go and invite Mr. Sun in." Zhu Shenzhui came back to his senses and said to the prince.

Zhu Minlan left in response, and after a moment he supported the elderly Sun Chengzong and walked into the side hall.

"Your old minister Sun Chengzong pays his respects to Your Majesty..." Sun Chengzong stopped about ten feet away from the emperor. His waist no longer looked as straight as when they first met last year, and his face looked a little older than when he just returned to the capital. But even so, Sun Chengzong still tried to stand up straight and pay his respects with great ceremony.

"Sir, you are old, so please don't be polite."

"Your Majesty, etiquette cannot be abolished!" Sun Chengzong insisted.

Zhu Shenzui knew the temper of this old minister, and he could only smile bitterly, and at the same time gave a wink to the prince. With the help of Zhu Minlan, Sun Chengzong performed the salute to the emperor without any reservation, and was then helped to sit down.

After sitting down, Sun Chengzong said to the emperor with an apologetic look: "This old minister is not energetic enough, Your Majesty asked the Crown Prince to come out to greet you..."

Before he could finish his words, Zhu Shenzhui shook his head and said, "The Crown Prince is your student. It is natural for a student to serve your teacher. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness are moral principles. Although the Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, the Five Constant Virtues are the foundation of being a human being. Your teacher is not an outsider. It is only natural for the Crown Prince to do so."

"Thank you, Your Majesty..." Sun Chengzong bowed, with a look of relief on his face, and at the same time, there was expectation and satisfaction in his eyes as he looked towards the prince.

Although Sun Chengzong had not taught the prince for a long time, it had been only less than a year since he returned to the capital and became the head teacher of the teaching hall, but in this short period of time, his relationship with the prince and Prince of Song had grown stronger, especially the former, whom Sun Chengzong liked particularly. Although Zhu Minlan was the prince of the Ming Dynasty and the heir to the throne, this student of his not only did not have the slightest bit of the dandyism of a royal family member, but was instead humble and polite, and Zhu Minlan was very intelligent. As a young boy, he did very well in his studies under Sun Chengzong's teaching, and his reading was different from that of ordinary students. He could not only understand the contents of the books, but also draw inferences from one example to another in light of the actual situation, and often had unique views and insights, which were talents that ordinary people did not have.

As the imperial tutor, Sun Chengzong was once the teacher of Emperor Tianqi and had a very deep affection for him. Emperor Tianqi was also an extremely intelligent student. He ascended the throne at a young age and was still able to use Wei Zhongxian to fight his way out of such a complicated situation, thus controlling the government. His political means were extremely outstanding. If Emperor Tianqi had not died early, if he could live another ten or twenty years, he would have surely been a wise ruler with his ability.

Unfortunately, Emperor Tianqi eventually died unexpectedly because he offended the vested interest groups. After Emperor Tianqi's death, Sun Chengzong lost confidence in the Ming Dynasty. Especially after Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he always had a low opinion of Emperor Chongzhen in private. He even believed that Emperor Chongzhen's character and ability were simply unable to control this crumbling empire, and it was not a blessing for the country to have such a monarch!

What happened afterwards was just as Sun Chengzong had expected. Although Sun Chengzong understood it in his heart, he could not change it. He could only do what he should do with his old body. Even when Emperor Chongzhen appointed him to take charge of the situation during the Ji Yi Rebellion, after solving the threat of Huang Taiji's army, he found a reason to send him back to his hometown again. Sun Chengzong remained the same, loyal to the Ming Dynasty, without any complaints.

After the Ji Yi Incident, Sun Chengzong thought that he would just wait for the rest of his life. Maybe he could live his life peacefully, or maybe there would be another ending. But no matter what, Sun Chengzong was prepared and he would face it calmly. However, he himself did not expect that the situation in the Ming Dynasty would change so drastically. With the sudden appearance of Zhu Shenzhu, everything changed.

Although Sun Chengzong was very dissatisfied with Zhu Shenzhu's method of ascending to the throne, after all, as an orthodox scholar, he was against ascending the throne and inheriting the throne in this way, just like Zhu Di replaced Emperor Jianwen in the same way. However, Sun Chengzong had another idea in his mind, that is, it might not be a bad thing if someone could replace Emperor Chongzhen. After all, it is different from the past. The Ming Dynasty has reached a critical moment of danger, and Emperor Chongzhen does not have the ability to lead the Ming Dynasty out of the quagmire. In Sun Chengzong's view, as long as Emperor Chongzhen is still on the throne and he is still the emperor, the future of the Ming Dynasty is really worrying.

Therefore, Sun Chengzong's psychology was very complicated at that time. From his standpoint, he was against Zhu Shencui, but from his rationality, he told him that Zhu Shencui might be the one who could change the Ming Dynasty. It was for this reason that when the political situation changed drastically, Sun Chengzong did not join Zhu Shencui like others or explicitly deny him, but watched everything as an outsider, and he could only do this step.

The subsequent changes were all for the better, which gradually improved Sun Chengzong's opinion of Zhu Shenzhui. After becoming the regent, Zhu Shenzhui had always treated Sun Chengzong, who had already retired, with great favor. With Sun Chengzong's wisdom, he certainly could see Zhu Shenzhui's intention, but he still did not express his opinion and remained neutral.

Until the end, Zhu Shenzui sent someone to bring Sun Chengzong to the capital. Sun Chengzong knew that he could no longer hide, so he returned to the capital where he had left for many years and made a political exchange with Zhu Shenzui. He took the position of chief teacher in the teaching hall and assisted Zhu Shenzui in adjusting those Liao army generals who held heavy troops in exchange for the protection of his family.

To be honest, Sun Chengzong was dissatisfied with Zhu Shenzhu at that time, after all, he was forced to return to the capital. But after serving as the chief teacher of the teaching hall and meeting the crown prince Zhu Minlan and the prince of Song Zhu Mincheng, the former gradually changed his original idea. After all, Zhu Shenzhu has become the emperor, and the crown prince is the heir to the throne. If he can teach a qualified heir to be the next emperor, it will be a good thing for both the country and himself.

In fact, the crown prince Zhu Minlan also gave Sun Chengzong a great surprise. It can be said that this is what Sun Chengzong feels is his last achievement in his life. When the future crown prince succeeds to the throne, he will surely be remembered by history as the emperor's teacher, and thus go down in history. Not only the crown prince Zhu Minlan, but also the emperor Zhu Shenzhu is the same. Sometimes Sun Chengzong himself also sighed, why couldn't Zhu Shenzhu appear earlier? If I could be 20 years younger... No! If I were only 10 years younger, he would definitely be able to show his ambitions in the hands of such a monarch, and he would not be as old as he is now, even if he has the will, he is powerless.

Thinking of this, Sun Chengzong looked at the prince with a little more tenderness and a subtle reluctance, but these were just his thoughts. His mission had been completed, and he was about to return to his hometown to spend his last days. As for the future, he was afraid that he would not be able to see it.

"Prince!"

"My son is here!"

"Go and read the decree I have prepared to you, sir. You don't have to kneel to receive it. Just sit down and listen carefully."

"Yes!"

Zhu Minlan responded, walked a few steps to the side, took out an imperial edict that had been prepared long ago, and immediately unfolded it and began to read it.

This edict was given by Zhu Shenzui to Sun Chengzong. In the edict, Sun Chengzong's life contributions were first evaluated. Sun Chengzong's diligence from entering the officialdom, to being ordered to go to Liaodong in the Tianqi period, to turning the tide when the Ji Yi incident occurred, and to returning to Beijing later were given high praise.

After that, Sun Chengzong was praised. In addition to what Zhu Shenzui had promised him before, he also conferred the title of Taifu on Sun Chengzong, granted him the title of Guanglu Dafu, Youzhuguo, and rewarded his hometown Gaoyang with a fief of 1,000 households, and also gave him a dragon robe, a jade belt...

After the prince finished reading the decree, Sun Chengzong excitedly stood up to express his gratitude. It was rare for a minister to receive such treatment since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, which was enough to prove Zhu Shencui's kindness to Sun Chengzong.

"Actually, I really don't want you to leave. If you are in the capital, I can still ask you for advice when I have any political questions. Once you go back to your hometown, it will be difficult for me to find anyone to talk to!" Zhu Shenzhu said sincerely. This was what he thought in his heart. Sun Chengzong was a talented person, but unfortunately he was too old and his health was not as good as before. Although it was possible to force such an old minister who had contributed his whole life to the country to stay by his side, it was not the way of a monarch. It would be better to let Sun Chengzong return to his hometown to spend his old age.

"Your Majesty, I will always remember your kindness. To be honest, if I were a few years younger, I would definitely serve you wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, I am too old. I have the will but not the strength to do so!"

Zhu Shenzhui nodded, then turned to the crown prince Zhu Minlan and said, "Master will be returning home soon. You should accompany him more these days. When he returns home, please send him off on my behalf, as a disciple."

"I understand, Father, please rest assured."

"Your Majesty, there is no need to do this, and the Crown Prince does not need to see me off. How can a monarch see his subjects off in this world? What virtue and ability do I have to deserve such preferential treatment from Your Majesty and the Crown Prince?"

"Others are not worthy of the position, but you are qualified. When you leave, not only the Crown Prince will go, but Prince Song will also go. Let the Crown Prince arrange this matter." Zhu Shen said firmly, and his words could not help but express his opposition. Sun Chengzong was very moved when he heard this. He thought of the outcome of his two dismissals from office in the past, and such a generous treatment as now was unprecedented.

Sun Chengzong's eyes couldn't help but become moist. As a minister, it was almost unprecedented to have such an honor. Moreover, in the less than a year since he came to Beijing, he had a deeper understanding of Zhu Shenzhui. No matter what he thought before, Sun Chengzong now acknowledged the legitimacy of Zhu Shenzhui as emperor, because he knew in his heart that only such an emperor could lead the Ming Dynasty to move forward, change the many shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty, revive the country, and save the world.

After calming down and collecting his thoughts, Sun Chengzong took a deep look at the emperor and the crown prince not far away, and asked, "Your Majesty, I have a question. How is your Majesty's arrangement regarding the cabinet adjustment going?"

(End of this chapter)