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

Chapter 75: Secret Success
The dishes in the restaurant were steaming hot, and the steam coming out of the hot pot created smoke that filled the lobby with smog for a moment.

Liu Jin went to prepare two plates of sesame paste, one for Zhu Houzhao and one for Chen Ce. The shopkeeper kept placing plates of mutton in front of Zhu Houzhao and Chen Ce.

Zhu Houzhao's mouth immediately watered. He ate the mutton hotpot with sesame sauce without caring about his image, and ate it with relish.

In the lobby of the restaurant, Tang Yin's confident voice came from the crowd, and he said cynically, "Thank you for your kind words."

"I think so too."

"Next year, when the exam is held, I want both first place and number one place!"

"Mr. Su'an won the top three places in the imperial examination. Now I, Tang Yin, will become the second Shang Su'an in the Ming Dynasty!"

Chen Ce sat in the corner listening to Tang Yin's words, his expression froze for a moment, and then he continued to eat hot pot as if nothing had happened.

The group of scholars immediately applauded Tang Yin and praised him continuously.

After three rounds of drinks, they began to discuss Wang Yue who had returned to Beijing.

Most of these scholars in the Ming Dynasty had a good impression of Wang Yue, which formed two extremes with the bureaucrats in the court.

Ultimately, it's all about different levels of cognition. They can ignore the stain of Wang Yue's friendship with the eunuchs in the imperial palace because Wang Yue's talent in the Ming Dynasty's foreign military affairs is so outstanding.

The edge is so strong that that little stain is nothing.

Since the Battle of Tumu, the literati of the Ming Dynasty were passionate and made expelling the Tartars their lifelong ambition to serve the country. Wang Yue did exactly what they wanted to do but were unable to do.

Which young man is not passionate?

"General Wang won a great victory in the battle of Helan Mountain, demonstrating the might of the Ming Dynasty. It is said that the little Tatar prince changed several pairs of pants before the battle."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter after they realized what was going on.

One person asked, "Didn't they say that General Wang Yue only killed 42 enemy heads in this battle? Is this considered a great victory?"

Another person spoke calmly, "A large-scale anti-bandit campaign would kill more than 42 people. Can the data given by the Ministry of War be trusted?"

Everyone let out a long "oh" in tacit understanding.

"Then why did General Wang return to Beijing this time?"

"Of course, I want justice."

Everyone was talking at once, and the discussion became quieter and quieter. Some sensitive topics were not discussed any further, and in the end, they continued to drink and eat hotpot.

Zhu Houzhao did not listen to the nonsense of these scholars. After finishing his meal, he said to Chen Ce, "I am leaving now."

"I've paid, so I won't go to your place anymore."

Chen Ce nodded and watched Zhu Houzhao and Liu Jin leave.

Tang Yin felt someone patting him on the back. He looked back and immediately sobered up a little. Then, with a smile on his face, he followed Chen Ce out of the restaurant.

The cold wind blew, and Tang Yin couldn't help shivering. He was almost sober now, and said to Chen Ce with a smile: "Teacher, why are you coming out to eat too? This is not like you."

Seeing that Chen Ce didn't say anything and looked a little serious, Tang Yin was a little puzzled. Did the teacher seem a little unhappy?
Tang Yin asked tentatively: "What's wrong?"

Chen Ce glanced at Tang Yin, paused in the snow with an umbrella, and said, "I don't really want to get involved in your private affairs."

Tang Yin was stunned for a moment. Generally speaking, if someone said something like this, it meant that they were dissatisfied with themselves.

He hurriedly asked, "But what did I do wrong, teacher?"

Chen Ce said calmly: "Although you call me a teacher, I have never regarded myself as such. I treat you more as an equal friend." Tang Yin was silent.

He always thought of Chen Ce as his teacher, but deep down he knew that this kind of relationship between teachers and students was quite different from the traditional relationship between teachers and students.

That time he became a disciple was purely a coincidence, but Tang Yin valued trust, and once he became a disciple, he was his disciple. A teacher is a teacher, and that cannot be changed.

Heaven and Earth are close to the emperor and teachers, the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues have always been so.

But sometimes Tang Yin would feel that he was a little impulsive and a little unwilling at the time. He was rebellious by nature and had been like this since he came to the capital.

Therefore, his relationship with Chen Ce as a teacher and student is somewhat subtle, one step further is a teacher, one step back is a friend. Just as Chen Ce said.

If Chen Ce was an elderly scholar or a high-ranking official in the court, Tang Yin would not have had such an idea, but he was not.

Now that Chen Ce had pointed it out, he was still at a loss as a child who had made a mistake.

"Why do you suddenly say that?" Tang Yin asked worriedly.

Chen Ce said: "I know your academic career has been smooth, and your life has also been smooth."

"The more you are like this, the more you should be grateful for everything God has given you, and the more you should tread carefully and take every step of your life carefully."

"You should have felt the pressure from what Li Gui said in the palace. I thought you would restrain yourself."

Tang Yin lowered his proud head. Li Gui did put a lot of pressure on him in the palace. If Chen Ce had not come forward to help, his reputation might have been affected.

Chen Ce continued, "People's hearts cannot stand the test. Now we are classmates and friends, that's because you are famous and outstanding."

"If one day you stop being like this, then all your current rebelliousness and wildness will become a sore spot for them to verbally attack you."

Tang Yin was in deep thought, his eyes flickering, thinking about Chen Ce's words.

The future is determined by Tang Yin's constant confident speeches in various public occasions, saying that he will definitely get first place in the imperial examination and will definitely win the top prize.

This provides sufficient evidence for next year's scientific examination cheating case.

This is why batches of Tang Yin's former "friends" and "classmates" continued to provide evidence to expose that Tang Yin colluded with the examiner to know the examination questions in advance.

Chen Ce continued: "You know I don't like to meddle in other people's business, but since you called me teacher."

"I think it is my responsibility to remind you to keep your edge to yourself, study hard, stop attending these meaningless gatherings, and stop boasting about your self-confidence in public."

"This is not a good thing. It is not a good thing for both people and officials."

"I thought the last Li Gui incident would teach you a lesson and make you reflect on yourself, but you didn't."

"I'm only saying this once, and I won't say it again."

"First, things are accomplished by secrecy, and ruined by disclosure. Success is achieved by thinking, and planning is done by deep thought."

"Second, don't try to contact any officials. You can't guarantee whether they will be your examiner in the future."

If he didn't listen, Chen Ce would have no choice but to give up on him, which would only mean that he would be the same as Tang Yin in history, and even if he became an official, he would not go far in the end.

Compared to Tang Yin, Chen Ce has always admired Xu Jing. Although Xu Jing is scheming, he is more suitable to be an official.

If Xu Jing had not visited Cheng Minzheng, and if he had not been involved in the imperial examination cheating case, his future achievements in officialdom might not have been worse than Tang Yin, and might have been better.

Chen Ce left, leaving Tang Yin standing alone in the snow, looking a little confused.

(End of this chapter)