The stupid son of Chongba

Chapter 170 Zhu Biao and Mu Ying’s sigh: My younger brother’s talent is far superior to ours!
"Xiao Yingzi?!"

"You... why are you back at this time? Come here quickly so I can take a good look at you!"

"Cuizhu, take down the screen. Xiaoyingzi is your own child, why are you hiding her from others?"

Ma Xiuying's face was full of surprise and she waved towards Mu Ying.

Cuizhu hurried forward and removed the screen.

"……mother!"

Mu Ying was moved, but without getting up, he slid down and knelt in front of Ma Xiuying.

If asked who he has the deepest feelings for, he would definitely not hesitate at all, it must be his stepmother Ma Xiuying!
He lost both his parents when he was young and had to beg for a living. If he had not met his adoptive father and mother, he would have starved to death or died of disease in the war!
At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying had not yet given birth to Zhu Biao, so Ma Xiuying actually took care of Mu Ying, her adopted son, as her own son!
It is for this reason that Mu Ying is different from other adopted sons, and even from other princes.

There are only two nicknames like 'Xiao Yingzi'!

"Oh, good, good...good boy."

Ma Xiuying patted Mu Ying's head and said with a smile,

"He is darker and thinner, but also energetic."

"Get up, the ground is cold."

Mu Ying smiled, scratched his head, and then stood up.

"Mu Ying, didn't we arrange for you to train troops in Jianning? Why did you come back suddenly?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was not as excited as Ma Xiuying. He just smiled and asked,

"We didn't call you back."

Mu Ying's expression straightened up, and he turned around and bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"In reply to Dad, I came back this time to report to you about the military training in Jianning."

He said seriously,

"In addition, the general summoned all the generals to come to Yingtian to learn new training methods. I am also among them."

"Originally, we couldn't get to Yingtian so quickly, but I heard on the way that my parents and my younger brother got caught in the rain while praying for rain and were bedridden. I couldn't help but be eager to go home, so I traveled day and night and finally arrived today."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly realized.

"So it was Xu Da who summoned you to come up with a new method of training soldiers... Hehe, come to think of it, this was invented by your brother."

Old Zhu pointed at Zhu Ju and said with a smile,

"Last time we asked a few of them to perform martial arts, he was the one who had the most ideas. I don't know what's wrong with your uncle Xu Da. He insisted that he had unique ways of training soldiers and wanted to promote them to the entire army."

"I thought he was just talking, but I didn't expect he would actually gather all of you together."

Although he didn't say it explicitly, there was a hint of complacency in his words.

It's somewhat similar to Mu Yingxuan'er.

"Oh, I see!"

Mu Ying was startled and couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"It seems that my brother is indeed a genius that only appears once in a thousand years! God bless our Zhu family!"

Zhu Ju laughed awkwardly twice.

He has become immune to this kind of praise.

"Tell me about your situation in Jianning."

Zhu Yuanzhang straightened up slightly and said,

"I've been sick lately, and no one's come to play with me."

"You're here just in time."

As a model worker, Old Zhu has been lying in bed these days, which is really a waste of time!

It was a rare pleasure for him to listen to Mu Ying's report at this moment.

"Yes."

Mu Ying cupped his hands and said,

"I followed my father's orders to train soldiers in Jianning and control the three guards of Shaowu, Yanping and Tingzhou. At the beginning, the military discipline of the three guards was relatively loose, and some of them were undisciplined."

"First, I will train our troops to be strong and skilled, and then we will fight bandits everywhere in Fujian! This is considered actual combat training! After two years, we can say that our troops are strong and powerful, and then I will organize a joint martial arts exercise to let the soldiers of the three guards see how powerful our troops are!"

"In addition, there will be rankings after each martial arts performance. The winners will receive rewards, while the losers will have to undergo additional training and complete some combat missions that I have set."

"In this way, I have established my prestige and formed a system. Even if I leave, as long as the system remains, Fujian's troops will not be bad, nor will they be in chaos!"

After hearing these words, Zhu Ju nodded repeatedly.

He is worthy of being the future King of Yunnan!

With his skillful means, at such a young age, he was able to clean up the entire Fujian army!

Therefore, there are objective differences between people, especially leaders. Who would not trust someone like Mu Ying to lead a group?

"Yes, Not Bad!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said,

"You have done this, which shows that you have thoroughly understood everything I taught you."

"Among all our adopted sons and biological sons, your ability ranks among the best. It's a bit of a waste of your talent to have you in Fujian! Did you bring your deputy general with you this time?"

Mu Ying was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"Of course I brought it."

"Is he reliable? What are his talents?"

"... He's OK. He's honest and down-to-earth. He's reliable in his work. I promoted him from among the civilian officers."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"Okay, I don't doubt your judgment of people. When the time comes, let the deputy general observe and learn with you. After you're done, let the deputy general return to Fujian to take over military affairs."

He said,

"You stay at the center and help us."

When Mu Ying heard this, he was immediately delighted.

"Really?"

He didn't expect that he would be kept in the center after returning this time!
Power and future are secondary. What this mainly means is... that I can be with my loved ones!
"Of course it's true."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Mu Ying and said with a smile,

"Our little Yingzi... has also gained enough experience."

"It just so happens that we are in need of help right now. As the saying goes, brothers fight together to fight tigers, and fathers and sons fight together in battle! As for important positions, we should give them to family members like you, so that we can feel at ease."

Although Mu Ying's surname is not Zhu, in Old Zhu's eyes, this kid is absolutely trustworthy!
It is a member of the white list.

"Thank you dad!"

Mu Ying knelt on the ground and kowtowed to thank him for his grace.

What I am thanking for here is mainly the precious trust!

"Okay, there will be plenty of time to discuss military and national affairs with you later, so don't talk about that now."

Ma Xiuying said,

"The children have been here for quite some time, but they haven't even invited them to sit down."

"Cuizhu, make some tea."

"Bring a fruit plate...for two." Zhu Ju shouted.

The tribute fruits from Kunning Palace are the best in the entire Ming Dynasty - from food critic Zhu Ju.

Cuizhu left in response, and Mu Ying got up from the ground and said with a smile:
"By the way, Dad and Mom, I brought a lot of specialties from Fujian this time, including the best abalone and longan, which are said to have nourishing effects."

"When you two have recovered a little, we can cook it, especially the abalone. There is a local specialty in Fujian called Fo Shou Quan, one of the main ingredients of which is abalone. It tastes particularly good."

"I also brought a Fujian chef this time. Maybe he can join the imperial kitchen to improve your taste."

Ma Xiuying pursed her lips and smiled.

"You are so thoughtful. You even brought a cook for us."

She smiled and said,
"I've always heard that the food in Fujian and Guangdong is unique and has its own style. This time I can try it."

"By the way, did Feng come with you this time? I haven't seen her for a long time."

When Mu Ying heard this question, his expression darkened slightly.

"She...is not in good health and has been recuperating in Fujian."

He whispered,

"I originally wanted to bring her along. She wanted to come, but she was afraid of the bumpy and tiring journey and couldn't stand it, so she didn't make the trip in the end."

Ma Xiuying nodded slightly.

"She is also a weak person, even weaker than me."

"How about this... Although the palace doctors' medical skills are mediocre, they are at least better than those outside. I will ask one to go to Fujian and give the girl a good treatment. If she gets better, we can come to Yingtian to reunite."

Mu Ying's expression was moved.

"Thank you, mother!"

He fell to his knees again, expressing his heartfelt gratitude.

I am just an adopted son, but I can receive such comprehensive care from my stepmother, the Queen.

How can I not be grateful for this kindness!
"Get up, get up. We are all family. Why are you always being so polite?"

Ma Xiuying raised her hand.

As they were chatting, a voice came from outside the house;
"Brother Yingzi, Brother Yingzi!"

Even before anyone arrived, anxious shouts could be heard.

Mu Ying raised his eyebrows and quickly turned around to look——

Zhu Biao walked into the courtyard with the help of several eunuchs. The moment he saw Mu Ying, he was so excited that he couldn't control himself!

"elder brother!"

He was still running a fever and walking a little unsteadily, but he still stumbled all the way up!

Seeing this, Mu Ying hurried over and held Zhu Biao in his arms.

"I want to die!"

"It makes me miss you so much!"

The two of them said this almost in unison, and then both burst into laughter.

The brotherhood between these two is truly undeniable!
To all the princes, Zhu Biao is the eldest brother.

For Zhu Biao, Mu Ying is his big brother! Since his father was away, it was Mu Ying who took him out to play!

Go up the mountain to hunt and go down to the river to fish.

As soon as he saw Mu Ying, all kinds of scenes emerged in Zhu Biao's mind. Those were the most beautiful memories of his childhood!
"Cough, cough, cough..."

Zhu Biao was laughing, but then he got excited and started coughing again.

Mu Ying hurriedly helped him into the house and touched his forehead.

"Brother Biao, your fever hasn't subsided yet..."

"Hurry, hurry, don't catch a cold."

"Your body was in good shape back then, wasn't it? When I took you out to play, you didn't seem to be unable to keep up..."

Mu Ying was a little puzzled.

How come Zhu Biao looks so weak after not seeing him for a few years?
He was a lively and active child back then. Now he is strong and has endless energy.

In contrast, Zhu Biao looked sickly, thin, and exhausted.

"Well... I overdrew too much and overestimated my own abilities."

Zhu Biao smiled bitterly, shook his head, and waved his hand.

"Let's not talk about this... I, I want to greet my parents first."

As he spoke, he walked up to Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying, and was about to kneel down to greet them, but he heard Ma Xiuying shout:
"Little orange!"

Zhu Ju understood what he meant and quickly supported Zhu Biao.

"Why do you care about all that red tape? We in the Zhu family never care about that!"

Ma Xiuying frowned and said,

"Biao'er, your fever hasn't subsided yet?"

"Come here, let me touch you."

Zhu Biao felt somewhat helpless, but he could only go forward and sit next to his mother.

Ma Xiuying was very skilled. She first touched Zhu Biao's forehead and then the back of his neck.

"Yes, it's still a little hot."

she said,

"Master Peng Xuan once taught me a trick. It can relieve fever by pricking Dazhui with a needle to let blood out."

"I just learned this one trick. There were many nights when Xiaojuzi had a high fever and had convulsions. He relied on this trick to save his life."

"Cuizhu, bring me the silver needle."

Zhu Ju was somewhat surprised when he heard this.

"Mom, you actually know acupuncture?"

Ma Xiuying snorted.

"Why are you surprised? I have learned a lot for you, all for first aid."

she said,

"Your disease is rare, and the doctors at the time didn't dare to treat you for fear of killing you, so I had to come here myself."

"Speaking of which, I am also half a doctor, the kind that specializes in a certain field."

As he was speaking, Cuizhu had already handed over a silver needle.

Ma Xiuying was indeed very skilled. She held the silver needle in one hand and pressed Zhu Biao's neck with the other hand, finding the acupuncture point.

"Cough."

"cough!"

Zhu Biao happened to feel a little itchy in his throat, and with a cough, the silver needle went in.

Ma Xiuying lifted and pulled it repeatedly, bringing out a few drops of blood.

"Are you feeling better?"

she asked.

"Hmm...I don't think I'm that dizzy anymore."

Zhu Biao shook his head and said in surprise,

"Mom, you are amazing!"

"Better than the imperial physician!"

Ma Xiuying's mouth corners slightly raised.

"Of course. Fortune tellers have said that I was born with a natural talent for medicine. If I hadn't followed your father on his campaigns over the years and had to take care of the logistics, I would have studied medicine a long time ago. Maybe I would have graduated by now."

She smiled and said,
"Especially for acupuncture, I am brave enough to do it! Acupuncture is all about immediate results! As long as you get the needle in the right spot, you will feel better immediately!"

"Okay, just stay here with me for a while. Our family is together today, so it's a good time to chat."

Zhu Biao felt a little better at this moment, so he smiled and leaned obediently against my mother's side.

Cuizhu's tea and fruit plates were also brought up, two large plates full, which made Zhuju's eyes light up.

"You guys chat, I'll eat for a while..."

"I've been in court for several hours today, but I'm starving!"

As he spoke, he was already holding two fruits in his hand and started to grunt.

Zhu Biao looked at Mu Ying and said excitedly:
"Brother, is Fujian interesting? Tell me about the interesting things there!"

The word "brother" comes very naturally to him, and only in front of Mu Ying does Zhu Biao behave like a younger brother.

"Of course! Fujianese... their temperaments are quite different from our Huizhou people."

Mu Ying smiled and said,

"They don't like farming, but they like dealing with people, doing business and taking risks. Their faith in gods and Buddhas is even stronger than ours."

"I'm telling you..."

Mu Ying shared interesting stories about Fujian, and chatted with Zhu Biao in an animated manner. Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying also interjected from time to time. As for the younger brother Zhu Ju... he was concentrating on eating. After showing off the fruit plate, he burped and started showing off the snacks.

The family is happy and the atmosphere is harmonious.

"By the way, brother, you won't be going back to Fujian after you return to Beijing this time, right?"

Zhu Biao looked at Mu Ying, then turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang, and said,
"Dad, what position are you going to assign to Brother Yingzi?"

Obviously, Zhu Biao was afraid that his father would not keep his word, so he wanted his father to confirm it in person.

"Uh……"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, then laughed and scolded,
"Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't recovered from the cold yet!"

"We will slowly arrange a position for Mu Ying!"

Nephews and nephews as trustworthy and talented as Mu Ying should naturally be placed in important positions!

"I have an official here."

Zhu Ju shaved his teeth and suddenly said,

"It's temporary, but it has great power!"

"Brother Mu Ying, do you want to come and play?"

Mu Ying was slightly stunned when he heard this.

Temporary? Just for fun?

This word sounds... why does it sound so strange?

"You little brat, I let you be the regent just for fun!"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared and said,

"We want you to calm down and be responsible!"

"You were acting okay yesterday, but today you showed your true colors! You're just a dog that can't change its nature!"

Such a huge imperial court was handed over to Zhu Ju's hands, and Zhu Ju felt pressured.

What he wanted to see was naturally a mature and steady Zhu Ju, not a frivolous and playboy!

So, he jumped up and down as soon as these words came out!
"Hey, Dad, why are you so excited? Let me put it another way!"

Zhu Ju rolled his eyes, and then said seriously,
"Based on the current political environment, I have decided to conduct some experimental political system reforms!"

"Right now, I need some trustworthy people to cooperate with me in this experiment to verify the rationality and scalability of the new architecture."

"So, I invite Brother Mu Ying to join us."

"So... it's okay?"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

Ma Xiuying: “…”

Zhu Biao and Mu Ying: “???”

The four people looked at each other in confusion!
Although I don't understand what Zhu Ju is saying, it sounds pretty impressive!

"If my brother, oh no, the regent needs me, Mu Ying will do his best."

Mu Ying's expression straightened and he bowed to Zhu Ju.

When talking about serious matters, you have to adopt a serious attitude! This is the measure.

It was precisely because he was a man of great sensibility that he was loved and respected by Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying.

"it is good!"

"That's a deal!"

Zhu Ju grinned.

"you……"

Old Zhu was about to speak when he saw Zhu Ju looking at him sideways.

"you shut up!"

"I am the regent now, you have to obey me in everything you do!"

"Otherwise, you get up from the bed and remove me from my position as regent! Otherwise, don't bother me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: “!!!” Da da da!
The jade pendant trembled for a while, but in the end, Lao Zhu did not get angry. Instead, he rolled his eyes and lay back on the bed.

"Row!"

"Let's see where you get the confidence from!"

"If you mess up the court, just wait for the consequences!"

After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes.

Mu Ying was a little dumbfounded when he saw this scene.

"Brother Biao..."

"This...Does brother Zhuju always talk to dad like this?"

He tugged at Zhu Biao's sleeve and whispered.

He is a majestic godfather!
To be honest, I didn't even dare to shout loudly in front of him! It should be the same for Zhu Biao. Who dares to challenge Zhu?

Who wouldn’t be scared when he shows his power and glares at you?

But Zhu Ju actually dared to speak to his adoptive father like this!
Cattle!
Today is an eye-opener!

"Just get used to it, just get used to it..."

Zhu Biao patted Mu Ying's arm and laughed softly,
"My little brother is a very special person, so the way he gets along with his parents is also very special."

"There is only one of its kind. Just treat it as a special case."

Mu Ying suddenly realized.

But at this moment, when he looked at Zhu Ju, there was a bit more awe in his eyes.

Anyone who has the confidence to speak to his adoptive father like this must be a domineering, opinionated, and extremely confident person!

Maybe he is the second godfather! Maybe he is even better than his father!

Absolutely...you can't treat him as a child!

"Humph."

Zhu Ju raised his head, wiped his mouth, and said,

"I'm stuffed!"

"You guys continue chatting, I'm going to go back first, there are still a lot of things waiting for me to deal with in the previous dynasty!"

"You guys should take good care of yourselves and get out of bed early, so that I don't have to suffer anymore."

Having said that, he left casually.

Only four people were left in the room, staring at each other.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyes and said:

"Call Mao Xiang in!"

Da da.

In a moment, Mao Xiang had walked into the inner courtyard and knelt down to pay his respects to the four people.

"Tell me everything that happened at the meeting today!"

Zhu Yuanzhang ordered.

Zhu Biao and Mu Ying were also quite curious - they certainly wanted to know what it would be like for a young boy like Zhu Ju to preside over a grand court meeting.

"According to the order."

Mao Xiang had been prepared. Today he even copied a small notebook. Then he took out the notebook skillfully and said aloud,

"Today's court meeting, first of all..."

"..."

He narrated everything that happened at the court meeting in detail, without any exaggeration, just telling the story in a straightforward manner.

But as he listened, Zhu Yuanzhang straightened up.

Zhu Biao and Mu Ying also looked serious, just like students listening to a lecture in class.

Ma Xiuying had a smile on her face and looked relaxed.

"…At this point, the grand court meeting ended, which took a total of two and a half hours."

Mao Xiang put away his little notebook and said respectfully,
"This is also the longest court meeting since the founding of the Ming Dynasty."

silence.

There was only silence in the room.

After a long while, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Ma Xiuying and whispered:
"No wonder this kid was so awesome just now... He really is quite awesome!"

"Sister, your son seems to have really made it! Why do I feel like... he's more like an emperor than I am?"

"I can't even describe his comments and words of encouragement to the new Jinshi! This, this is really..."

At this moment, Lao Zhu was a little confused.

Is the person Mao Xiang mentioned really Zhu Ju?

Why do I feel like I'm listening to the story of a wise ruler in history?

"Little Orange has really made progress... When he gets serious, he really has what it takes!"

Ma Xiuying is also a Taoist.

"These old stories and difficult questions were clearly a test for him by the officials. Who would have thought that he could so cleverly divert them and turn them into examination questions for the new Jinshi!"

"A court meeting turned into a palace examination! Not only did he demonstrate his skills, but he also won the hearts of the new Jinshi. This... will definitely be passed down as a good story! Until today, the first imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty was successfully completed, and it was an unexpected success!"

"After this imperial examination, I believe that scholars all over the world must be looking forward to the next one!"

The three people present all nodded in agreement.

Random and clever changes, turning decay into magic, this is Zhu Ju's ability!
The first imperial examination of the Ming Dynasty was completed beautifully in his hands!

"My talent is above mine."

Zhu Biao sighed sincerely,

"Based on his performance in taking on important tasks these days, I don't think I can do as well as him."

"He is a bit lazy. He only wants to cultivate Taoism and live forever. If he could focus on government affairs, he would definitely be able to achieve something!"

Mu Ying's expression froze.

I just met Zhu Ju and formed a preliminary impression that he is a smart and talented young man.

And now, after listening to Mao Xiang's report, he realized...

Zhu Ju seems to be much more experienced in politics than him!
Compared with Zhu Ju, I am just a rookie!
Such a genius...what role will he play in the Ming Dynasty in the future?

Mu Ying didn't think about it too much, and he couldn't think about it too much.

"In that case...what was he talking about just now? What structural reform?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and suddenly said.

"Political system reform... that's what they said."

Zhu Biao reminded.

"Oh yeah... Anyway, it's just this thing. Mu Ying, just cooperate with him and see what tricks he can come up with."

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at Mu Ying and said.

"Yes, Dad."

Mu Ying accepted the order respectfully.

Now, he was also looking forward to...what kind of work the political genius Zhu Ju would assign him.

……

Yingtian, Song Prefecture.

"See the Regent."

"The old woman pays respect to the regent."

Song Lian's mansion was not big. Among all the officials, it could even be considered a small mansion.

But the layout is very elegant, giving people a simple yet grand feeling.

"As expected of a great scholar's residence, my mind became more active the moment I entered the door."

Zhu Ju smiled and raised his hand.
"Madam, please stand up."

"Where is Master Song now? I want to see him. No need to announce it publicly."

The woman Jia stood up and walked into the yard with Zhu Ju.

At this moment, Song Lian was lying on a rattan chair, covered with a thin quilt and holding a book in his hands.

"Master Song is so comfortable."

Zhu Ju stepped forward with a smile and said,

"It's warm here in the sun."

"Can this be considered stealing a little time to relax?"

Hearing Zhu Ju's voice, Song Lian was startled and the scroll in his hand fell to the ground.

"This old minister...pays respect to His Highness."

He was about to bow down, but was held back by Zhu Ju.

"You're so old, so don't kneel. I'm afraid you'll fall and blackmail me."

Zhu Ju smiled, bent down, and picked up the book on the ground.

The three big characters "Xinxue Ji" come into view.

"What are you talking about, Your Highness?"

Song Lian said somewhat embarrassedly,

"How could I possibly blackmail you? I won't blackmail anyone."

As a great scholar with noble character, how could he do such a tasteless thing?
"Hahaha, it's just a joke. You great scholars are too old-fashioned and don't know how to take a joke."

Zhu Ju held the book in his hands and glanced at it, then nodded and said,
“This book is well written!”

"Psychology... has it developed to this level? That's amazing!"

I just elaborated some core ideas at the time, which is definitely not enough to be called a book.

All in all, it only takes up a few pages.

But now, the study of psychology can even be compiled into a collection!

"The main focus is on the views and remarks made by His Highness, and the rest is nothing more than annotations and extensions."

Song Lian said with a smile,
"There are three articles in it, written by old officials."

"Speaking of which, the eldest daughter of the Xu Da family, your fiancée, is really talented. Two of the essays were written by her. The students of the School of Mind all said they were good after reading them. She is worthy of the title of a female scholar!"

"Oh, by the way, there is another anonymous contribution from the public, the quality is also good, and it is also included in this collection."

Crash, crash.

Zhu Ju flipped through a few pages and couldn't help but marvel at the book.

“Many hands make light work! I only planted a seed, but I never thought that it would grow into a tree now!”

He praised,
"Who compiled this book?"

Song Lian said with a smile:
"The book was compiled by Miss Xu. Someone from the Xu residence sent it to me. I was amazed after reading it. As for printing, I and Liu Bowen helped with it."

Zhu Ju was a little surprised.

This girl has put in a lot of effort behind the scenes!
Such a big thing was not even mentioned or mentioned.

This is a virtuous wife who hides her merits and fame!

"It's a good story. I'll have to praise her later."

Zhu Ju flipped through the book several times and nodded.
"Moreover, this acceptance of civilian submissions is also worth promoting and popularizing. There are many experts among the civilians!"

"This collection of psychology can be used as the first edition! If anyone wants to publish their thoughts and experiences in the future, they can also be collected together if they are of good quality! Let them submit their contributions!"

"In this way, by gathering the essences together, this small tree can become a towering tree, and the study of the mind can become a great discipline!"

At this moment, Zhu Ju's mind was also opened.

This form can be extended to other things!

As people of later generations, although we cannot make a steam engine by hand, we have received nine years of compulsory education after all, and we have mastered some basic principles and common sense.

So, he is good at planting seeds!

Once a seed is planted, as long as it is managed properly, there will naturally be capable people to come and water it, and maybe it will bloom and bear fruit? !
After all, those amazing achievements in Europe in the 18th century were also created from scratch. Wasn’t the wisdom and talent of various scholars also developed with the support of various powerful people?
The Chinese people in the 14th century were not necessarily stupider than the Europeans in the 18th century! They just lacked a mud pond!

And Zhu Ju just happens to be able to provide this soil!
Thinking about it, Zhu Ju actually became a little excited! This is a great merit for the benefit of the general public! If he can clean up this soil, wouldn't the 1,300 good deeds that he would need to become a celestial being be settled?

"Your Highness, what you said makes a lot of sense!"

Song Lian's eyes sparkled and he spoke repeatedly.

"Do you think it's feasible?"

Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.

"It's possible! It's definitely possible!"

"If your highness does this, the study of the mind will surely develop! Especially since we can submit anonymously regardless of the other party's identity and status! If we don't care about the details, we will definitely find the real gold!"

Song Lian said hurriedly,

"I will start working on this matter soon! I will not only call on my own disciples to submit their works, but also call on all the students of Xinxue from all over the world to submit their works!"

Zhu Ju clapped his hands and laughed.

"Having an old person in the family is like having a treasure! This is really true."

He suddenly slapped his forehead and said,
"Oh, by the way, I got so off topic that I forgot to get to the point."

"Master Song, your body should have recovered, right? You prayed for rain and got caught in the rain for the past few days, and you didn't have a good meal. You must be exhausted..."

Song Lian waved his hand.

"Hey, it's more than just exhaustion. I'm almost half dead..."

He smiled wryly,

"Fortunately, there was an imperial physician from the palace. Otherwise, with my condition a few days ago, my family would have cried and wanted to buy me a coffin."

Zhu Ju was shocked.

"so serious?"

"Yes... Well, speaking of this, Your Highness, I really have an unreasonable request."

Song Lian suddenly bowed to Zhu Ju and said,

"I dare not tell your majesty this, but to your highness... I know you are a good person who respects the elderly and loves the young, so I dare to say it."

Zhu Ju touched his nose.

Respect the elderly and love the young?
He never thought that he would receive such an evaluation one day.

Didn’t you come here to punch the Nanshan Nursing Home and kick the Beihai Kindergarten?
"This old minister...I really want to beg for my bones."

Song Lian cupped his hands and said earnestly,
"At my age, I know I don't have many years left to live. I want to cherish the remaining years and don't want to struggle in the officialdom anymore."

"If possible, I would like to study a few classics and leave a few words behind, which can be regarded as leaving some experience and summary for future generations. In addition... I would like to teach a few more disciples so that Confucianism and psychology can be promoted."

"This is my greatest wish..."

Zhu Ju was stunned.

Hearing this, he thought of "Preface to Farewell to Ma Sheng of Dongyang", which is a famous piece of work written by Master Song throughout the ages. I wonder how many poor scholars in later generations it has inspired!
"A great scholar and writer like you should indeed leave some treasures for the people of this world and even for future generations."

Zhu Ju sighed,
"It is indeed a waste of your talent to let you be an official."

"I also know that being an official for my father is not easy. It is both frightening and tiring..."

"Master Song, you have indeed worked hard. On behalf of my father, I bow to you."

As he said this, he actually stood up and bowed deeply towards Song Lian.

A famous commentator in later generations once said: "Fish represents fish, shrimp represents shrimp, and turtle represents turtle. Without my consent, whoever represents me will die with his whole family. In this world, the only one who can represent me is my son. Why? Because I fuck his mother."

Therefore, at this moment, Zhu Ju has every right to bow and apologize to Song Lian on behalf of his father, the emperor, even if his father disagrees!
"Hey hey hey... I can't do that."

"How dare this old minister accept such a great gift..."

Song Lian almost jumped up from the recliner and hurriedly bowed to Zhu Ju.

Zhu Ju stood up, helped Song Lian up, and supported him to the chair again.

"You deserve it. In my eyes, you are a national treasure. You must not be ruined."

Zhu Ju smiled and said,

"I support your idea of ​​retiring to your hometown to write books and engage in education. This is undoubtedly the best career for you to continue to shine."

"But you know my father's character. It may not be easy to retire early under his leadership. Master Liu next door wanted to retire a long time ago, but he never did, didn't he?"

"If you keep talking to him, he'll get angry and it'll be even more impossible for him to let you back out. Now Master Liu is showing signs of that."

Song Lian: "..."

Hearing this, he was silent for a moment and could only sigh.

As a good friend of Liu Bowen, how could he not know this?
Song Lian felt a little melancholy when he thought that even though he had been tortured to death, he could not retire and engage in education.

"Well, Master Song! I have a job on my hands right now, and I need someone with great ability, talent, and good character to do it."

Zhu Ju said seriously,
"I think you are the right person."

"If you accept this job, I promise you that even though I am still in the government, my father will never bother you again, and you don't have to worry about the smallest things, because I will protect you."

"Well, would you like to consider it?"

Song Lian's heart trembled, and there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"I am willing to help Your Highness. I have said that I am willing to be a servant of the School of Mind, so I am also willing to work for Your Highness. It's just that..."

He said carefully,
"May I ask whether the task Your Highness wants me to perform is official or private?"

Zhu Ju was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

This old man is quite cautious!
"Of course it's official business! What are you thinking about? What private matter can I ask you to do? It's nothing more than compiling this collection of psychological studies!"

Hearing this, Song Lian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Since this is an official matter, and Your Highness has asked it personally, how can this old minister not respond?"

He waved his hand and said with a firm look

"No matter what happens, I will do my best to cooperate!"

What Song Lian was worried about was that Zhu Ju wanted to pull him into the "Wu Wang Party" to do things for him.

As an old man, he really doesn't dare to take such a risk...

As long as it’s not this, everything else is fine!
"Okay, I like straightforward people like Master Song!"

Zhu Ju praised, stood up and said,
"Then I'll wait for you at the court meeting tomorrow!"

"It's getting late. Master Song, take a good rest. I'm afraid you'll be a little tired in the days ahead."

"I am leaving now."

Since Song Lian agreed readily, Zhu Ju didn't bother explaining it to him.

He still has several places to go!
"Your Highness, are you leaving now? Why don't you stay a while longer? I have already asked someone to make tea."

"No, I still have to go to Master Liu's place. Let's go!"

"Uh, this... this old minister respectfully sends Your Highness off!"

"..."

Watching Zhu Ju leave, Song Lian narrowed his narrow eyes slightly.

"Liu Bowen is also joining in? What big event is His Royal Highness the King of Wu planning?"

He murmured,

"This... I should have asked earlier."

He agreed so happily that he is still confused now!

"Someone is coming."

"Master." A man who looked like a servant came forward.

"In two hours... send a note to Liu Bowen's residence, inviting him to come over for a chat. Oh, and get a bag of my treasured rock tea."

"Yes."

Liu Bowen is a meticulous person and will definitely know the whole story by then. It would be right to ask him.

But you have to give up a bag of good tea!
(End of this chapter)