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

Chapter 367 New Year’s Eve
The end of the thirteenth year of Hongzhi is approaching.

It was still snowing in Hangzhou, and the Fu family was purchasing New Year's goods. The mansion was bustling with servants shuttling back and forth.

It was clearly deep winter, but Fu Han, sweating profusely, found Fu Yuan in the study, writing calligraphy, and said bluntly, "Are you crazy?!"

Fu Yuan said calmly: "Father, why are you so angry?"

Fu Han said angrily, "You think the southeast isn't in chaos enough? You let the Fu family pretend to be pirates and rob the coast? Do you know that if they are caught, the Fu family will be doomed!"

"The imperial court has stopped calling for the opening of the sea, and the Ming court is also going to protest against the Japanese islands. How dare you cause trouble in the southeast at this juncture?"

Fu Yuan said, "So Dad is worried about this?"

He looked a little excited, and said to Fu Han: "Dad, do you know? Chen Ce is doing something extremely great. The southeast is not in chaos enough, and the court is not angry enough. I want to help him add fuel to the fire."

"Just wait. When this is accomplished, he will be famous all over the world. He will be the god of the Ming Dynasty, worshipped by thousands of people and worshiped by the people of the world!"

Fu Han didn't know what Fu Yuan and Chen Ce were planning, he just asked: "But what does this have to do with you? You committed a crime in the southeast, and he will be worshipped by everyone in the future, what about you? What about the Fu family? You lunatic!"

Fu Yuan sighed and said, "Dad, you don't understand, you don't understand, you will never understand, I am willing to be the bad guy, I am Han Chinese, we are all Han Chinese!"

"I also hope that the country's territory will be larger. Even though I am just a maggot in the dark, I am willing to do it. I don't ask the people of the world to be grateful to me. I will wait until later. Once this thing is done, the evil I have done will not matter. The death of a few people in the southeast will not matter. These are all necessary sacrifices!"

Fu Han's face twitched violently, tears welling up in his eyes: "A few deaths in the southeast are nothing, but what about the Fu family? They will be doomed!"

"Before, we didn't personally intervene, so the problem couldn't be traced back to us. Now that you've personally intervened, the situation has changed!"

"Yuan'er, stop it."

Fu Yuan pondered for a moment, and suddenly said, "Dad, kick me out of the family tree! This way I won't be implicated in the Fu family, and I will be responsible for everything in the future."

"you!"

Fu Yuan said: "That's it, find a chance to expel me from the family tree, I will no longer have anything to do with the Fu family!"

……

On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month in the thirteenth year of the Hongzhi reign, all non-confidential court offices had closed for the day.

Shuntian Express has also ceased operations, but Shuntian Newspaper's customers and servants are still working as usual.

Chen Ce sat in the courtyard of his home folding red envelopes, while Madam Wu carefully counted the copper coins. There were one hundred copper coins in each small red envelope. After framing them, Chen Ce handed them all to Wang Defa, who asked Wang Defa to distribute them one by one to the employees of Shuntian Newspaper who were still working.

The benefits of Shuntian Newspaper were extremely good, and people from all over Gyeonggi Province were trying their best to get a job at Shuntian Newspaper.

As the business system gradually took shape, various businessmen followed the example of Shuntian Newspapers and gave their employees some monetary rewards to encourage them to continue working during the year-end.

The business of the Ming Dynasty has gradually begun to get back on track.

As the year draws to a close, more and more people come to Chen Ce's courtyard to give gifts, including Qin Hong, Xu Guan, the Crown Prince, the Zhou family of the Earl of Changning, Li Zhen, and Jinyiwei Wei Wenli. In just two or three years, Chen Ce's network of contacts in Beijing has become more than one could imagine.

In order to reciprocate, Chen Ce had to prepare gifts and send them to these people, which gave Chen Ce a headache.

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, Madam Wu accompanied Chen Ce to Chengqingfang Street to buy gifts for returning the favor.

During this day, Chen Ce personally gave and returned gifts. Zhou Mansion.

When Chen Ce introduced himself, Changning Earl Zhou Yu personally came with his six sons to greet Chen Ce.

Ever since Zhou Nan listened to Chen Ce's advice and set up an accounting school last time, the Zhou family's reputation in the capital has quickly risen. Empress Dowager Zhou is very happy. If the Zhou family does more good deeds, even if he is gone in the future, future generations will live in peace and security, and the civil servants will not have to settle accounts for their previous evil deeds.

The accounting school won praise from some scholars, which was accumulated reputation. Zhou Yu naturally had to thank Chen Ce.

The Zhou family wanted to give Chen Ce a share of the profits, as tuition fees were a considerable profit, but Chen Ce refused.

Zhou Nan was even more grateful to Chen Ce. At the beginning, everyone was against Zhou Nan, and only Chen Ce supported him. This allowed Zhou Nan to realize his self-worth, so of course he was grateful to Chen Ce.

The Zhou family was very welcoming and insisted on inviting Chen Ce to have dinner at the Zhou residence tonight. Chen Ce had no choice but to stay.

Zhou Nan's brothers were all military officers in Beijing. Although they were all idle officials, they were still officials of varying degrees.

When Chen Ce was about to leave after dinner, he seemed to have thought of something and said to the Zhou brothers, "The court hasn't organized a military examination in Beijing for a long time."

"Maybe we will organize a review and examination in the spring of next year. If you have nothing to do in your spare time, you can read more of the martial arts classics and practice the art of riding and archery."

Last night, Chen Ce was bored and reading history books at home. In the early spring of the 14th year of Hongzhi, Emperor Hongzhi suddenly organized a review of the military commanders in Beijing, but the result disappointed Emperor Hongzhi greatly.

The basic qualities of these military generals were so poor, so bad that it was outrageous. In the 14th year of Hongzhi's reign, this review caused many military generals in Beijing to be demoted by one rank.

After Chen Ce left, the eldest son of the Zhou family asked Zhou Yu, "Dad, did the Ministry of War say they would organize a military review?"

Chang Ningbo shook his head, as if he hadn't heard anything, but he still said, "You guys really should practice some more."

Zhou Xiang said nonchalantly: "Forget it, I thought Chen Ce had heard some rumors. Since my father hasn't heard of it, it means that this matter cannot be taken seriously."

Zhou Nan hurriedly said, "Brother, Master Chen wouldn't be so bored as to say these things. I think there must be some inside information that Dad doesn't know. You should practice."

"I have the Essentials of the Military Classics at home. You can take a closer look at them. It's also time to practice the art of riding and archery."

Zhou Xiang said speechlessly: "Sixth Brother, you have never practiced before, you don't know how hard it is, anyway, I won't practice!"

Zhou Jing, the second son of the Zhou family, was silent for a moment, then said in a humming voice: "Brother, Master Chen is right. As military commanders in Beijing, we still need to have basic qualities. Regardless of whether there is an imperial examination or not, we should practice. It is not good to be decadent like this. What if the emperor has a whim and really wants to organize an examination, it will be a shame for the Zhou family!"

Zhou Yu nodded and said, "Old Second is right. From now on, you guys don't have to practice except on New Year's Day. You should practice for me on other days!"

"Also, you should read more of the martial arts classics!"

The brothers said helplessly: "Okay."

……

"Why don't you give us a gift?"

Early in the morning on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Zhang brothers found Chen Ce angrily. They heard yesterday that Chen Ce had given gifts to many people.

They brothers claimed to be Chen Ce's teachers, but Chen Ce didn't give them any gifts. This was really too much!

(End of this chapter)