Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 200: Pretending to be Perfect
The "he" Chen Boqin was referring to was naturally his nephew Chen Ce.

After he robbed the Chen family's property, he gave Chen Ce two taels of silver and let the consumptive ghost die on his own.

With such severe tuberculosis, two taels of silver could not sustain him through the winter.

Just now, in a quick glance, he seemed to see Chen Ce's figure. He hadn't seen him for a few years and he seemed to have grown taller. Maybe it was just his eyes playing tricks on him, so Chen Boqin didn't think much about it.

……

Xiao Man called Ning Zhijun in the front yard. At that time, there were many people paying tribute in the front yard of Wanggong Temple.

"Miss, miss."

"I think I saw him."

Ning Zhijun asked Xiao Man in confusion, "Who is it?"

Xiao Man said, "Yes, that's the young man who matched Miss Su's couplet that night!"

Ning Zhijun frowned slightly. She really wanted to see who that young man was. According to Xiaoman's words, the other party matched Su Hanmei's couplet without even thinking about it. How talented must one be to be able to do this?
"Where?"

Xiao Man looked at the crowd again and found that Chen Ce was gone. In fact, she was not too sure. There were so many people on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Xiao Man did not dare to stare at people's faces. She only had a vague impression.

Seeing that Xiao Man, the little maid, was dazed, Ning Zhijun shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's go to the backyard and take a look."

I heard that there was a blank couplet on the doorpost in the backyard, but no one dared to write one for Wang Yue.

Ning Zhijun also wanted to see if anyone could write the couplet today.

When Ning Zhijun and Xiao Man walked over, they happened to see Chen Zhengye put down the brush in his hand.

Chen Zhengye boasted that he had some talent, and was eager to write Wang Yue's inscription on the doorpost. However, as soon as he picked up the pen and saw the elegiac couplet on the doorpost, he knew that this was a talent that he would never be able to achieve in his entire life!
This scene happened to be seen by Ning Zhijun, who walked over with Xiao Man.

Xiao Man has been staring at Chen Zhengye. He and Chen Ce are cousins ​​and look somewhat similar.

Xiao Man scratched his head: "It seems to be him, but it also seems not to be him."

Ning Zhijun stopped in front of the door, looked up at the couplets on both sides, her pretty face changed slightly, and then she stared at Chen Zhengye in astonishment.

Chen Zhengye had never seen such a beautiful and dignified woman, and was stunned for a moment.

"I am Chen from Hangzhou."

Although it was a bit abrupt, Chen Zhengye began to introduce himself almost subconsciously.

Ning Zhijun also said: "The Ning family of Shuntian Prefecture."

Ning family?

Upon hearing this surname, Chen Boxin looked a little strange. It couldn't be such a coincidence, right?

After paying his respects, Ning Zhijun asked Chen Zhengye, "Sir, did you come up with this couplet?"

Chen Zhengye wanted to say no, he didn't have that ability, but Chen Boxin pulled him back.

Chen Zhengye understood and nodded immediately, "Yes."

Ning Zhijun's eyes showed a trace of admiration, and he immediately clapped his hands and said, "What a great way to contribute to the country, regardless of life or death!"

"I'm afraid no one will dare to write on this couplet, sir!"

Chen Zhengye smiled and shook his head, saying, "There are so many talented people in Shuntian, I dare not think highly of myself."

Xiao Man hurriedly asked, "Ah! Sir, are you the one who wrote a poem for me last Mid-Autumn Festival?"

Chen Zhengye:?

I have only been in Shuntian for a short time, and I am still in Hangzhou during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Just when he was about to deny it, Xiao Man said, "You helped my young lady a lot that day. We have been looking for you for a long time."

Chen Zhengye changed his words and said, "It's just a trivial matter. I have already forgotten it."

Chen Boqin bowed and said, "Miss, we are asking you about someone. Is this too abrupt?"

Chen Zhengye introduced: "This is my father."

Ning Zhijun nodded and asked, "Uncle, who are you looking for?" Chen Boxin said, "Ning's taboo name is Cheng, and her courtesy name is Junrui."

Ning Zhijun asked curiously, "This is my father. Why are you asking about him?"

Chen Boxin and Chen Zhengye were both stunned. Neither of them had expected that they would find Ning Cheng so easily!
"Niece Ning!"

Chen Boxin was extremely excited.

Ning Zhijun asked doubtfully: "Ah?"

Chen Boxin said hurriedly: "We have been looking for your father for a long time."

"Your father should know about us. Please ask Niece Ning to introduce us when you are free. Just say that it is Mr. Chen from Hangzhou Prefecture who wants to see you on behalf of my second brother."

Ning Zhijun thought for a moment and said, "Why bother? If you want to see my father, I can take you to see him tonight."

"He should have finished his duty by this time."

Chen Boqin said hurriedly, "No! This is too abrupt. Let's host a banquet for him."

……

The couplet written for Wang Yue in Wang Gong Temple became famous overnight!

Inside the Ministry of Rites, all the bureaucrats were discussing this matter.

Especially this morning, those two lines were on the headlines of newspapers. I don't know who came up with them, but the lines "If it is beneficial to the country, I will do it regardless of life or death" and "Why should I avoid it because of misfortune or fortune?", which stirred up the entire Ming Dynasty literary world for a while.

People in Shuntian Prefecture were looking for the person who wrote the poem.

Zhu Houzhao's jealousy was already evident. He pursed his lips, threw the newspaper aside and said, "Shit!"

"Is it really necessary to be so exaggerated? Even my father...it seems that the current emperor has a high opinion of these two lines of poetry."

"That's it."

"Not as talented as you, little brother."

Early in the morning, Zhu Houzhao found Chen Ce and teased him while eating breakfast. He looked very unconvinced, but he had to admit it, as he was jealous beyond recognition anyway.

Liu Jin also snorted and said, "If you ask me, I'm not even worth a hair of yours, Master Chen!"

"What the hell is this? I don't understand it, and I don't know why so many people are discussing it!"

Chen Ce looked at the master and servant, who were jealous and helpless, and suddenly asked, "Is there a possibility that I was the one who wrote it?"

what?
Zhu Houzhao quickly changed his words and said, "I was saying that this couplet must be something extraordinary to be praised so highly by the great scholars in the court!"

Liu Jin nodded in agreement and said, "Now that I think about it carefully, it is indeed remarkable... No, it is really amazing!"

Zhu Houzhao said: "Only my talent is worthy of writing for the prince. Others probably don't even have the courage to hold the pen."

Liu Jin: "That's right! Our master is very accurate in what he said."

Listening to this master and servant's duet, Chen Ce didn't know what to say for a moment.

Zhu Houzhao said sternly, "Little brother, why don't you sign your name?"

"Oh, that's your style."

"But what if someone impersonates you?"

Chen Ce said: "No one should be so shameless, right?"

Zhu Houzhao thought to himself, why not? I want to pretend to be someone else, anyway, no one knows, I said it was my question, who can refute it?

However, Zhu Houzhao obviously still had some shame and would never do such a thing.

Chen Ce shook his head: "It's just two couplets, written out of inspiration, nothing special."

Zhu Houzhao: "..."

It's you who's really good at pretending!
(End of this chapter)