Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 325 Hai Gangfeng Enters the Game
"Hoo! Hoo!"

Zhu Zaiji returned to his palace, leaned against the bed, hugged himself tightly, and forcibly controlled his trembling.

He did this every time he saw Zhu Houcong.

At first, the symptoms were mild, but they became more and more serious as the person got older.

So much so that now, my whole body is trembling.

I don't know if it was tension, panic, or fear...

Or perhaps it's disgust.

This time, there was also a deep sense of sadness.

“Mother…Mother…”

"I've left the palace, and I'll never see you again..."

After that night, Zhu Zaiji never saw Consort Yan again.

It is only said that in the subsequent investigation, a palace servant revealed that she had bribed people and attempted to interfere with the selection of the crown prince. She has been banished to the cold palace by His Majesty and imprisoned deep in the inner palace.

The Second Prince's birth mother, Consort Wang, received the same treatment.

These two women, who were once the most favored, were abandoned without hesitation.

As the number of concubines in the harem increased and they grew younger, gradually no one remembered the two once-glorious imperial concubines.

“Mother…Mother…”

Of course, Zhu Zaiji, as the son, would not forget.

The absence of his mother and the oppression of his father made him increasingly timid and withdrawn. Thinking about this, he finally burst into tears.

"Your Highness!"

As he was sobbing, a gentle old woman's voice rang out. Zhu Zaiji instinctively threw himself into her arms, as if hugging his mother: "Granny Du, I'm scared... I'm so scared..."

His wet nurse, palace maids, and eunuchs who had served him were also taken away. Consort Yan was able to keep her life, but the fate of those others can be imagined.

But as the eldest prince, he couldn't be without servants by his side. This Granny Du was the person who had been closest to him in recent years.

Like a mother, Granny Du gently patted his back. When Zhu Zaiji finally stopped sobbing, she whispered, "Your Highness is able to leave the palace and have your own residence. This is a joyous occasion. Why be so sad?"

“I’m worried that if I go out, I’ll never see my mother again…”

Zhu Zaiji said in a trembling voice, "Moreover, Father Emperor said some things that were quite frightening!"

Upon hearing the eldest prince's retelling, Granny Du's eyes lit up immediately: "A lecturer in the Hanlin Academy? Could it be that Scholar Hai?"

The palace environment was closed off, so some things naturally spread very quickly and widely.

The rivalry between Jiajing and Hai Rui was, on the surface, a topic that should never be touched, but behind the scenes, it was a topic of great interest to everyone.

Zhu Zaiji had certainly heard of it.

A country with honest and upright ministers will not perish.

A family with a son who speaks frankly will not bring ruin to the family.

He could never achieve the second part; now it seems that Hai Rui, the scholar, perfectly matches the first part.

Zhu Zaiji was so terrified of Jiajing that he even felt it was unreal.

Is there really anyone in the world who dares to speak eloquently in front of the Emperor, holding their own and even making the Emperor so angry that he can't sleep?

Granny Du was thrilled: "His Majesty has truly placed high hopes on His Highness by arranging for this Scholar Hai to be His Highness's tutor!"

The implication is that the test a year later would just be a formality, and he could be made the crown prince.

"no, I can not……"

Zhu Zaiji, however, was not so optimistic at all, and subconsciously shook his head.

Since losing Consort Yan's protection, the eldest prince has faced even more targeting and scheming, both openly and secretly.

Others will not sympathize with him for being a child without a mother; they will only resent his status as the eldest son and see him as their number one competitor.

Pressure from all sides forced him to learn how to protect himself wisely and to be observant of others, especially the Jiajing Emperor.

During his previous audience with the emperor, he sensed that his father seemed to have a greater interest in Hai Rui, and the so-called promise of the crown prince seemed more like a repetition of the rumors about establishing an heir.

At that time, Hanlin Academician Xue Kan was brutally beaten to death in court, and a large number of officials were imprisoned. Many people were implicated. Who will be implicated this time?
So Zhu Zaiji took a deep breath and slowly said, "I don't intend to let Scholar Hai be the teacher..."

Granny Du was taken aback, then her expression changed: "Your Highness, are you going to defy the imperial decree?"

"No! Father did not designate Scholar Hai; he only said to select a lecturer from within the Hanlin Academy!"

Zhu Zaiji explained, "Hai Rui is not the only lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. I can select another one to be a tutor in the Prince's residence..."

"oops!"

Granny Du grew anxious: "Then how will His Highness handle the examination a year from now? A scholar like Hai is someone we absolutely cannot afford to miss!"

Zhu Zaiji continued to shake his head: "It's a good thing for both of us if I don't choose him. If I really choose Scholar Hai as my teacher, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish speaking, but fear was already in his voice, and he buried himself back in Granny Du's arms.

Granny Du gently hugged the eldest prince, stroked his back, and sighed silently.

……

Haiyue left the Ministry of Rites and rode her horse home leisurely.

He has been transferred to the Ministry of Rites and appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

He rose from a fourth-rank Hanlin Academician to a third-rank official, becoming the youngest third-rank official in the court and a head of one of the Six Ministries. Everyone knew that he would likely be recommended by the court to enter the Grand Secretariat before the age of forty, becoming the top official in charge of the government.

And it is the popular choice.

However, this means that one cannot witness firsthand what happens inside the Hanlin Academy.

For example, today, the two older princes left the palace to establish their own residences and went to the Hanlin Academy to seek out their teachers.

So after returning to his study, he brewed two cups of tea and waited for his younger brother to come back.

sunset.

Hai Rui walked into the study with slightly heavy steps.

Haiyue noticed a rare hint of disappointment in her younger brother's expression and immediately understood: "The Crown Prince didn't choose you?"

"Yes."

Hai Rui nodded: "Jingfu has entered the Prince Yu's residence."

Jingfu is Lin Daqin.

In terms of scholarship, Lin Daqin undoubtedly far surpasses Hai Rui.

During his studies, this top scholar was already exceptionally talented. After entering officialdom, Lin Daqin pursued advanced studies at the Hanlin Academy, immersing himself in Confucian classics. Now, he is a pivotal figure in the literary world and is more than qualified to be a Confucian tutor to the prince.

But the princes did not lack the guidance of great Confucian scholars; what they lacked was a leader like Hai Rui, who was skilled in politics and experienced in struggle, to teach them how to be a crown prince and how to become a wise ruler in the future.

But now, the eldest prince doesn't even have the courage to ask Hai Rui to be his tutor.

Haiyue also secretly shook her head: "This is to protect oneself, and I don't want to offend His Majesty in the slightest."

Hai Rui certainly understood this, and that was the reason for his deep disappointment.

Although the father is the head of the family and the emperor is often a mountain weighing on the crown prince's head, such a timid prince still causes concern.

Moreover, some things cannot be avoided. Hai Rui continued, "His Majesty has decreed that I enter the Prince De's residence to lecture His Highness."

Prince De was the second prince, Zhu Zaiyi.

Haiyue's expression darkened upon hearing this: "Your Majesty is deliberately inciting the princes to fight each other."

Emperor Jiajing had clearly made preparations for both possibilities long ago.

If Zhu Zaiji chooses Hai Rui as his teacher, then that's good. But the Crown Prince's assessment a year later will likely be filled with endless difficulties.

If Zhu Zaiji didn't even dare to choose Hai Rui, and instead chose another lecturer, he could have betrothed Hai Rui to the second prince, Zhu Zaiyi, thus embroiling him in a power struggle between the eldest and youngest sons.

In any case, we must drag Hai Rui into the prince's quagmire.

In this field, use your extensive experience to completely defeat your opponent.

'This old man is obsessed with winning!'

Haiyue could tell that her younger brother had truly become the other person's inner demon.

Perhaps the psychological trauma caused by lecturing before the emperor was not as direct as the one-time blow of the "Memorial on Public Security" in history.

However, the accumulation over the years allowed Zhu Houcong to break through his defenses more thoroughly, making him eager for victory.

No matter how we win, we just have to win.

Even if it involves her son, she would not hesitate.

Well, he didn't care anyway.

Hai Rui, however, cared deeply: "The imperial heir is the foundation of the nation; how can we treat him so lightly? I must do my utmost to educate the prince and guide him back to the right path, so as not to fail in my duty as a subject!"

Haiyue sighed, "The implementation of the Imperial Study system has yielded very little result..."

For children, the best teachers are their closest relatives, their parents, through their words and deeds.

When one's conduct is upright, one's orders will be obeyed without being given.

Now, the mothers of several princes are being suppressed, some even being banished to the cold palace, while their father is Zhu Houcong, a cold-hearted, suspicious, and extremely controlling man.

How can growing up surrounded by such influences cultivate a sound personality and a strong inner self?
'It's even worse than two dragons never meeting...'

After a brief moment of reflection, Haiyue put the matter of the prince out of her mind and turned to talk about the current situation in the north, occasionally mentioning the opening of ports in the southeast.

Hai Rui also vaguely sensed something amiss. His political insight was astonishing, both locally and in the central government. At this moment, he said in a deep voice, "Brother, could it be that you..."

Hai Yue did not hide anything: "Yes! Grand Secretary Yan and I are doing this. Although Grand Secretary Xia is unaware of the truth, he is also cooperating unintentionally. Now, the court is gradually getting used to it!"

He paused, then said solemnly, "The battle between the southern Japanese pirates and the northern barbarians is at a critical juncture. If we win this battle, we can ensure peace for the world for decades to come. We must not allow any unforeseen complications to arise!"

Finally, he stood up and bowed, saying, "Please!"

Hai Rui's face was solemn, and a struggle flashed in his eyes. He murmured, "In the history of China, the Xia and Shang dynasties were worlds where there were only kings and no people."

"At that time, the Book of Documents said: 'When will the days end? I will perish with you!' This shows that the people were suffering and that all the people in the world had the intention to perish together with Xia Jie."

"Fortunately, Confucius was born, who taught all people to be benevolent and to love others."

“Following Mencius, he expressed the timeless truth that ‘the people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important.’”

"The Qin Dynasty disregarded the people and perished after three generations. It was only when Emperor Wen of Han truly understood this principle that he practiced frugality and put the people first, and China finally experienced a peaceful and prosperous era, known in history as the Reign of Wen and Jing."

"Emperor Taizong followed his example, governing the country together with virtuous ministers, and thus the Zhenguan era of prosperity came into being."

"After that, countless dynasties changed hands. Whenever the emperor and his ministers ruled together and the people were put first, the world was at peace. Whenever a single emperor ruled alone, abandoned virtuous ministers, and disregarded the people's livelihood, the dynasty declined and perished..."

At this point, Hai Rui's eyes hardened completely: "The current emperor is no exception. You all do your best, and I will deal with His Majesty!"

(End of this chapter)