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

Chapter 284: Furious Li Mengyang

It was still drizzling, and Zhu Houzhao appeared in Chen Ce's courtyard holding an oil-paper umbrella.

Chen Ce knew that Emperor Hongzhi would definitely not be able to persuade Li Mengyang.

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "Little brother, do you really have a way to solve it? I asked the Zhang brothers for one thousand taels for you."

Chen Ce: “???”

You are amazing, you even cheated your own uncle!
Chen Ce said: "I don't want the money, there is still a way to solve the problem, let's go."

Zhu Houzhao: "Ah? Where are you going?"

Chen Ce said: "Go find Li Mengyang, otherwise how can we solve this problem?"

Zhu Houzhao stared at Chen Ce with wide eyes, puzzled, and asked, "Are we going just like that? How do we solve this problem?"

Chen Ce said as a matter of course: "Go tell him not to hold the two uncles of the Zhang family accountable anymore."

That's it?

No, my father asked the cabinet to pass the message, and the three cabinet elders went to find Li Mengyang in person, but it was useless. Li Dongyang was still the leader of the Chaling School of poets and the leader of the literary world. It was useless even if Li Dongyang came out to mediate.

You just say something lightly and tell him not to hold on to Zhang's uncle?

How could Li Mengyang agree to this!

Zhu Houzhao wondered what strategy Chen Ce would use, whether it was a conspiracy or an open conspiracy. After all, Chen Ce had always used his brain, calculations, and planning to solve problems in the past.

He thought that Chen Ce would be the same this time and would have some amazing tricks to make Li Mengyang willingly give up impeaching the Zhang brothers.

I never expected Chen Ce to be so casual.

Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Is that all?"

Chen Ce: "What else can we do? Let's go."

Chen Ce had already put on his coat and held up an umbrella.

Zhu Houzhao was still a little hesitant. He had sworn to himself in front of Emperor Hongzhi and Empress Zhang, taken money from his two uncles, and even boasted to Chen Ce.

It would be so embarrassing if this matter is not resolved by then.

"Little brother, don't you want to think about it? For example, think of some strategy or something..."

Chen Ce said: "Don't talk too much, we are in a hurry, let's go."

Zhu Houzhao let out an "oh", gritted his teeth, opened his umbrella, and followed Chen Ce out.

The Zhang brothers hid in a corner, watching Chen Ce walk out with the prince's nephew. Zhang Heling said with great sorrow: "If we had known to find this guy earlier, we could have lowered our faces and begged him! At worst, we could have kneeled down and begged him!"

Zhang Yanling looked fierce and said, "Brother! Nonsense! We are royal relatives, how can we kneel down to this unruly person?"

Zhang Heling said, "Kneel down and you'll pay one thousand taels less. Will you kneel?"

Zhang Yanling thought about it and said, "That won't work! It's one thousand taels. How can I just kneel down? I think I should kowtow to him. That way I can justify the one thousand taels I saved."

Zhang Heling: “…”

"Stop talking nonsense and follow them to see for yourself." Zhang Heling resisted the urge to beat up his second brother.

Not long after, Chen Ce brought Zhu Houzhao to Li Mengyang's mansion.

The doorman at Li Mengyang's mansion opened the middle door to welcome Chen Ce.

After arriving at the central hall, Li Mengyang looked at Chen Ce and Zhu Houzhao.

He didn't know the prince and only thought that Zhu Houzhao was Chen Ce's little follower.

When Li Mengyang's eyes touched Chen Ce, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch, trying his best not to make eye contact with Chen Ce, and said casually: "Sit down."

"Would you like some tea?" Chen Ce nodded: "Yes."

He took a sip of the tea, then said to Li Mengyang calmly, "Let's just forget about the two uncles of the Zhang family. Don't keep nagging about it."

Li Mengyang snorted and said angrily: "Don't even think about it!"

Chen Ce frowned slightly, stared at Li Mengyang and said, "I can let you call me teacher in private, or I can let you kneel down in front of all the officials in the Qianqing Palace and call me teacher."

"It's your choice."

Li Mengyang's face twitched violently, his hands clenched into fists in his sleeves, and he stared at Chen Ce angrily.

Chen Ce said calmly, "You know what the consequences are when scholars and officials betray their teachers and ancestors. At that time, the reputation you have accumulated with great difficulty will be wasted. Just think about it."

Li Mengyang was silent for a long time, then he looked up at Chen Ce, his voice a little hoarse, and said indifferently: "Zhang's uncle is harming the village, bullying men and women, disrupting the market, and occupying land... Why would you help such a heinous person?"

"Are you really in cahoots with them?"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "This has nothing to do with you. Even if I go along with them, so what? You just need to answer me. I asked you not to pester them. Can you do it?"

Li Mengyang gritted his teeth in humiliation, his whole body trembling slightly, and uttered word by word, "Okay!"

Chen Ce said: "That's good, don't go to the Qianqing Palace tomorrow, and let's leave it at that."

"Okay, go ahead and do your work. I'm leaving now."

Chen Ce led the dazed Zhu Houzhao out of the central hall. As soon as he stepped out, he turned back to look at Li Mengyang and said, "Won't you see me off?"

Li Mengyang: “!!!”

"Students... bid farewell to the teacher!"

He stood up, bowed, and saluted Chen Ce.

Chen Ce nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well, no need to see me off, let's go."

After leaving Li Mengyang's mansion, Zhu Houzhao was stunned. Now he still couldn't believe it. Could the matter be resolved so easily?

"no……"

Zhu Houzhao stuttered, "Little brother, when did he become your student?"

Chen Ce said: "This is a long story, but to sum it up... he wanted to admit it himself, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Zhu Houzhao: "..."

……

Li Mengyang sat upright on the armchair, silent for a long time, until the servant came over with tea.

"Master, the tea is a little hot."

Li Mengyang was completely unaware of what the servant said. He took a sip of the tea with trembling lips.

The servant looked at Li Mengyang in astonishment. Could it be that his master was sick? He didn't feel anything from the hot tea?
puff!
Li Mengyang finally reacted. He covered his neck, his face flushed, and pointed at the servant angrily, "You! You!"

"Get out! Get out!"

Chen Ce, this bastard! Bastard! How dare he be so shameless as to threaten me!
This villain actually colluded with the Zhang brothers. He is morally corrupt! He is so morally corrupt!

He, Li Mengyang, led so many officials to charge into battle, ran to the outside of the imperial city, knelt down and forced the emperor to abdicate to impeach Zhang's uncle, and begged the emperor to forgive him. But if he suddenly doesn't go tomorrow, what will those officials who followed him think?
But if he went, and Chen Ce really showed up, would he have to call Chen Ce "teacher" in public? If Chen Ce asked him to leave at that time, would he not leave? Could he betray his teacher and ancestors?
"Someone is coming! Someone is coming!"

Li Mengyang shouted to the outside world: "Go, go and tell the adults that I am sick and cannot go to the imperial city tomorrow. Tell them not to go tomorrow."

Li Mengyang said this with tears in his eyes. Even though he would be despised by his colleagues, he could only swallow his anger.

(End of this chapter)