I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 286 A Self-Inflicted Torture Performance! The Bitter Scheme of Zhang Taizheng, the Son of an Official
On the ninth day of the first lunar month, at night, the weather was very cold.

Within the capital city.

Restaurants, teahouses, theaters, brothels, and other leisure and entertainment venues were almost all full.

Many wealthy merchants gathered in the capital, and they all spent lavishly.

Some people treat themselves during the Lunar New Year, while others go around hosting guests and building connections in hopes of a more prosperous business next year.

In the evenings, many private residences in the suburbs of Beijing are packed with cars and people, where there are very exciting performances.

Only the wealthy and powerful, and those not invited by the host, are permitted entry.

At that moment, Zhang Siwei's second son, Zhang Taizheng, was sitting alone in a private room of an inn in Chongjiaofang, drinking alone in silence.

Since his conflict with Shen Nian at the City God Temple book fair yesterday, and the latter completely ignored him, many scholars, merchants, officials, and even some of his father's former students and friends who fawned over him and treated him as an honored guest have all avoided him.

Even when he hosted a dinner party, those invited would politely decline and not attend.

Zhang Taizheng deeply regretted going to the book fair and throwing books at people, but there's no going back.

He participated in the imperial examination this year with the certainty of passing.

Zhang Siwei claimed that he had already made arrangements in the capital, and even if he didn't perform well and was unlikely to pass the first or second class, passing the third class of the imperial examination would still be no problem.

But right now, Zhang Taizheng has offended Shen Nian.

Furthermore, he was given a bad reputation by some scholars as "arrogant and domineering, bullying the weak, and a real playboy".

Reputation also affects one's ranking in the imperial examinations.

Next, those officials who had been bribed by his father might no longer give Zhang Taizheng preferential treatment.

After all, Shen Nian currently holds a much higher position and greater power than Zhang Siwei, who has already retired from officialdom, and no one in the capital is willing to offend Shen Nian in order to curry favor with Zhang Siwei.

Zhang Taizheng's original plan was to strive for the opportunity to become a probationary official after passing the imperial examination, and then stay in the capital to serve in the imperial academy.

However, as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nian would most likely become the deputy chief instructor or even the chief instructor of the junior scholars. If you offend Shen Nian, you will not have a good time. With a little trickery, Shen Nian can make it impossible for you to stay in the academy, or even assign you to a remote and impoverished area.

This means that as long as Shen Nian is in power, he will never have a chance to rise in the ranks.

Realizing the serious consequences, Zhang Taizheng rushed to the Shen residence this morning to present a visiting card, apologizing to Shen Nian for yesterday's events and hoping to gain her forgiveness.

However, to his surprise, Shen Nian did not see him, but instead had the doorman dismiss him with the words, "It's not a big deal, there's no need to apologize in person."

This greatly angered Zhang Taizheng.

He once again believed that Shen Nian dared to look down on him because his father had retired.

After much deliberation, Zhang Taizheng realized that no one had come to his dinner invitation, so he decided to publicly apologize to the bookseller, that is, to sincerely apologize in front of many people.

In this way, at least a persona of "to err is human, to forgive divine" can be created.

He has already sent people to find the stall owner, and once they are found, he will apologize tomorrow in a place where many people can witness it.

at this time.

His personal bodyguard, Asui, quickly walked over.

"Young Master, we've found the stall owner, but he's leaving the capital early tomorrow morning. He says there's no need for an apology, nor does he need your help to publish the manuscript. He says Minister Shen has already given him two hundred taels of silver, and not only will the book be published at the Shen Family Bookstore in Qiantang, but he'll also write a preface for it!"

Zhang Taizheng's face was gloomy.

"He said there was no need to apologize, but if he didn't apologize, the infamy of being arrogant, domineering, and bullying the weak would be firmly etched on my forehead. I told him to stay out of here!"

“This…this probably won’t work. He’s leaving the capital tomorrow, and Minister Shen will send people to escort him directly to the ship. If we try to stop him, we probably won’t be able to, and we’ll only anger Minister Shen!” Asui said in a low voice.

boom!
Zhang Taizheng smashed the wine bowl on the ground.

"Damn it! Then...then I'll chase after him and apologize tomorrow. If he doesn't forgive me, I...I'll kneel on the ground and never get up!"

Asui muttered, "It's really strange that a third-rank official would value a book of supernatural and ghostly entertainment so much, and even write a preface for it!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Taizheng was taken aback at first, and then suddenly became excited.

"Ah Sui, how much money do we have left?"

Asui thought for a moment and said, "There are still more than two hundred and thirty taels!"

Before Zhang Taizheng went to the capital, Zhang Siwei gave him five hundred taels of silver, instructing him to spend it sparingly and not to use it for visiting prostitutes or watching operas.

For candidates with a certain financial background, traveling to the capital to participate in the imperial examinations would cost more than one hundred taels of silver, covering expenses such as travel, accommodation, food, socializing, entertainment, and the purchase of books, stationery, and clothing.

For some impoverished scholars, ten taels of silver would be enough if they did odd jobs after arriving in the capital.

Zhang Taizheng possessed 500 taels of silver, which was considered the treatment of a wealthy young man.

But he could clearly sense that his family was declining and his father was broke.

According to his spending standards, Zhang Siwei would have to give him at least three thousand taels of silver to satisfy him, but when he asked for three thousand taels, Zhang Siwei almost beat him to death.

Zhang Taizheng thought for a moment and said, "In my father's name, borrow another five hundred taels from his former students and friends."

"Young Master, this...this...I'm afraid..." Asui hesitated. If he were shameless, it wasn't that he couldn't borrow it, but the two of them would probably get a beating when they got home.

"Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility. Once my plan succeeds, my father won't scold me; he'll praise me instead!"

"Alright, I'll go borrow it tomorrow morning!"

Zhang Taizheng continued, "Later, take out one hundred taels of silver and go to the black market to find a few small newspaper workshops. Have them write a few articles about Shen Nian buying popular entertainment books and how extravagant he is. Remember to highlight two points: one is that the content of these entertainment books is vulgar and full of supernatural and ghostly things, and that Shen Nian not only has his own bookstore publish them but also has to write a preface for them; the other is that Shen Nian is extravagant and extremely wasteful."

"We must ensure that tomorrow, booksellers throughout half of the capital will be selling tabloids with this content, and that scholars and intellectuals will be discussing this matter!"

"Understood!" Just as Asui was about to leave.

Zhang Taizheng added, "Also, call two quick-witted guards from outside; I have important instructions to give." There were nine guards protecting Zhang Taizheng this time.

"Yes!"

……

A moment later, two guards appeared in front of Zhang Taizheng.

When Zhang Taizheng told them what to do, both guards knelt on the ground.

"Young master, I wouldn't dare!"

“What’s there to be afraid of? Quickly find a sack, and we’ll head out in a quarter of an hour!” Zhang Taizheng said, glaring at him.

"Yes, yes!" The two guards quickly withdrew.

Zhang Taizheng murmured, "Those who achieve great things must be ruthless to themselves!"

……

Fifteen minutes later, Zhang Taizheng walked out of the inn alone.

The two guards changed into scholarly robes and, ten breaths later, also headed in the direction Zhang Taizheng had gone.

One of them was carrying a bundle on his back, which contained a burlap sack.

Zhang Taizheng walked slowly forward in a small alley. About two hundred steps ahead was the bustling Jixian Street.

At the same time, two guards in long robes followed about ten paces behind him. Zhang Taizheng looked around and, seeing that there was no one else there, waved to the guards behind him.

Although the light was dim, the two guards still saw Zhang Taizheng's gesture, immediately took out sacks, and rushed over.

Whoops!

Suddenly, a sack was placed over Zhang Taizheng's head.

Then, one of the two guards kicked Zhang Taizheng's thigh and buttocks, while the other hit Zhang Taizheng's head.

One of them, while hitting the man, raised his voice and said, "How dare you offend our Scholar Shen! You deserve to die!"

"Enough!" Zhang Taizheng whispered.

The two immediately ran deeper into the alley.

Zhang Taizheng paused for a moment, and only after realizing that the two had run to a safe distance did he shout at the top of his lungs, "Help! Help!"

Soon, people on Jixian Street heard his voice and rushed over.

Wow! Wow!
The two scholars opened the sack and helped Zhang Taizheng to a bright spot on Jixian Street, where a group of people gathered around.

"This...isn't this the second young master of the Fengpan family?" Soon someone recognized Zhang Taizheng.

At this moment, Zhang Taizheng's face was covered in bruises and red marks, and his buttocks and thighs were covered with footprints.

"Second Young Master, who...who dares to lay a hand on you?" someone asked.

Zhang Taizheng's eyes reddened.

"I...I didn't see the murderer's face, but he said: 'How dare you offend Scholar Shen! You deserve to die!'"

“Yesterday I threw a book at the bookseller on the street. It was…it was my mistake. He asked for two hundred taels of silver. I…I didn’t know that the manuscript had six hundred thousand words. Because of this, I offended Minister Shen. I was also scolded as an arrogant and domineering playboy who bullies the weak. I…I know I was wrong. This morning I went to apologize to Minister Shen, but he refused to see me!”

"The one who hit me must be someone who admires Minister Shen. It seems that... if I don't seek Scholar Shen's forgiveness, I... I'm in mortal danger!"

……

Zhang Taizheng sat on the ground, his eyes red, perfectly portraying his weakness, pitifulness, and helplessness.

Soon, his two guards, who had changed back into short grey shirts, appeared before him.

"Quickly... report to the authorities!" Zhang Taizheng shouted at the two men.

Zhang Taizheng's self-directed performance was intended to demonstrate his helplessness as the son of a retired and disgraced cabinet minister.

The more pitiful, innocent, and helpless he appears, the less like a spoiled brat he seems.

This was a self-inflicted injury he used to salvage his reputation.

After making a big fuss about this, he will go to the Shen residence again the next morning with his face bruised and swollen to apologize. Before kneeling on the ground, he will say that if Shen Nian does not forgive him, some of Shen Nian's admirers may beat him up again.

Therefore, Shen Nian had no choice but to forgive him.

Zhang Taizheng's plan goes beyond that; tomorrow, news will spread that Shen Nian will spend a lot of money to buy idle books and write a preface for them.

Afterwards, Zhang Taizheng planned to spend a lot of money to hire several pedantic scholars who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations and wanted to become famous, so that they would criticize Shen Nian.

He had already thought of the reasons for his criticism.

"This official, a third-rank official of the court, a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, and the emperor's daily lecturer on the classics, is corrupt and goes against the orthodox Confucian classics. In the streets, he promotes a book of supernatural and fantastical things that incites people to indulge in debauchery. Not only did he spend two hundred taels of silver to buy out the manuscript and publish it in his own bookstore, but he also wanted to write a preface for it. Such behavior not only shows that he is indulging in worldly things and has no intention of reforming, but it will also mislead the emperor's mind, confuse the moral order, damage the character of the literati, and mislead the scholars of the world. He should be severely punished!"

In addition, Zhang Taizheng also listed some anti-Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism content in Journey to the West, such as mocking the Jade Emperor, Taoist immortals, and the Buddha of the West, which is blasphemous to religion; and Sun Wukong's rebellion against the Heavenly Court, which is actually an act against the imperial court and will mislead the people's minds, etc.

Some things are as light as four ounces when you don't weigh them, but once you do, they weigh a ton.

He believed that followers of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism would respond and criticize Shen Nian after learning of this content.

After all, such criticism is reasonable and legitimate, and it can even bring fame to oneself.

This was Zhang Taizheng's plan.

First, he played the victim by claiming he had been beaten, then he went to the Shen residence to kneel down and apologize, and then he spent money to hire a group of pedantic scholars and intellectuals who opposed the new policies to criticize Shen Nian and completely discredit him.

Such matters require no evidence; once they spread, the court, in order to appease the people, will have no choice but to severely punish Shen Nian.

If Zhang Taizheng fails the imperial examination after this plan is implemented, he can claim that it is Shen Nian's revenge against him.

……

Half an hour later, Zhang Taizheng finished reporting to the authorities and returned to the inn where he was staying.

Such a beating occurred in a dark alley.

The yamen runners of Shuntian Prefecture and the soldiers of the North City Military Command claimed that they would definitely catch the murderer, but Zhang Taizheng knew that these people were just making empty promises.

His goal was to make this matter known to everyone, and now everyone knows how pitiful this disgraced son of an official is.

inside the room.

One of the guards who had been punching him in the face brought Zhang Taizheng, whose face was bruised and swollen, some medicine for his injuries.

"Young Master, did I apply too much? Please apply some more. This medicine works very quickly; the swelling will go down overnight!"

Zhang Taizheng looked at him with annoyance.

"Fool! If the swelling goes down tonight, how am I supposed to show it to Shen Nian tomorrow? Get out!"

Looking at his bruised and swollen face in the bronze mirror, Zhang Taizheng said, "As long as Shen Nian suffers a major setback, everything I've done is worth it!"

……

late at night.

While Zhang Taizheng was pondering how to act pitiful in front of Shen Nian the next day.

In her study, Shen Nian was reading the original version of "Journey to the West" with shining eyes.

After Shen Nian brought the manuscript home yesterday, she began reading it after dinner and didn't go to bed until almost midnight.

Shen Nian spent almost the entire day reading this book, except when eating or using the restroom.

Perhaps it was because he had read too many classics and historical texts and official documents over the years that Shen Nian suddenly became addicted to the fascinating Journey to the West.

He did not see Zhang Taizheng this morning.

On the one hand, he genuinely disliked Zhang Taizheng's arrogance; on the other hand, he was ill-suited to go out and meet people due to his dark circles under his eyes.

Just as Shen Nian was engrossed in watching...

"Cough cough..."

Suddenly, Shen's mother coughed outside the window.

"Nian'er, your mother was hoping that you and Yue'er could have another child during the New Year's holiday. What have you been doing staying in the study late at night these past two days? Go to sleep!"

"Okay, Mother, I...I'll go back to my bedroom right away!" Shen Nian suddenly started to stutter. He still remembered that when he was eleven or twelve years old, it was his mother who interrupted him when he was secretly reading a book late at night.

(End of this chapter)