Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 181 Zhu Yuanzhang Actually Sent His Own Son? Upon Learning the Truth, the Scholar Wept.

"Your subject Song Ne pays respects to Your Highness Prince Jin."

Song Ne bowed respectfully to Prince Zhu Gang of Jin.

Upon hearing this, the surroundings fell silent.

The attention of everyone present had already shifted to this side when Song Ne appeared.

Seeing Song Ne's actions and hearing her words, everyone's heart skipped a beat.

The eyes of those looking at Song Ne and Prince Zhu Gang of Jin were filled with utter disbelief!

Prince Zhu Gang of Jin listened to Song Ne's words and watched Song Ne's actions, and he seemed somewhat helpless.

Originally, I wanted to stay in the position of Xuecheng for a few more days as an ordinary person.

Now, things have gotten out of hand, with this old man Song pointing it out in public.

After he pulled this stunt, how can I, as an ordinary person, interact with these people now?
Without the identity of an ordinary person, there will be many things that will no longer be so easy for me to do personally or to easily blend into the ranks of ordinary people.

"No need for such formalities, Chief Minister Song."

Zhu Gang waved to Song Ne.

"I've only been in this position as the Vice Director of the Imperial Academy for a few hours, and I haven't even warmed up my seat yet."

You've already revealed my identity.

"What should I do next?"

Zhu Gang looked at Song Ne and said with a hint of helplessness.

"With Your Highness's esteemed position as an eighth-rank school assistant, the teachers and students will surely be even more excited and greatly encouraged upon learning of this."

Even someone as high-ranking as His Highness has been studying diligently at the Imperial Academy for so long, and now he serves as the Vice Director of the Academy.

This clearly demonstrates His Majesty's emphasis on and trust in the Imperial Academy.

It motivates people to strive for excellence.

Knowing that His Highness will personally serve as the Vice Director of the Imperial Academy, there will surely be no criminals in the Academy. Everyone will devote themselves to learning, strive for excellence, and fulfill their duties, thus improving the academic atmosphere.

This will make it easier for Your Highness to carry out your work.

Song Ne gave a meticulous answer.

When it comes to carrying out the work, Song Ne doesn't feel awkward at all.

After all, he had heard these words from His Majesty several times before.

It sounded a little awkward at first, but by now I've gotten used to it.

Furthermore, I also felt that this statement was simple and easy to understand, and even more vivid.

Having discussed this matter to this point, Zhu Gang's identity was now undeniably confirmed.

It shattered the last glimmer of hope in many people's hearts.

Jin Wenzheng's eyes, narrowed to slits by Zhu Gang's beating, were now squinting.

At this moment, their eyes widened suddenly.

My heart was churning with countless turbulent waves.

My whole body was numb.

My head was buzzing, as if I had been hit a thousand or eight hundred times with a sledgehammer!
no……

Wu Xing, this guy, is actually... actually the emperor's own son?

Is it His Highness the Prince of Jin?

This... why does it sound so mysterious?
In other words, before this, he had dragged the emperor's own son into submitting a memorial to the emperor.

He impeached Song Ne, and at the same time, he told the emperor's own son about all the things he and others had done.
This also involves Wu Zhuangyuan, the Minister of Personnel.

They also thought Wu Xing was not very bright, and that they had made a great impression in front of the emperor's own son.

They even thought Wu Xingren was a fool with too much money, easy to fool and deceive, and a greenhorn.

They were even thinking of finding a way to acquire Wu Xing's family assets in the future.

What the hell have I been doing all this time?

I originally thought that Wu Xing was Wu Kun, the newly arrived school administrator.

Moreover, Wu Xing turned his back on them and attacked them with fists and feet, taking them down.

That's already shocking and unbelievable enough.

They believe that nothing could be more shocking or absurd than this.

But little did he know that he would see it shortly afterward.

Moreover, there are things that are even more shocking, outrageous, and absurd than this!
I'm numb, completely numb!

I'm just a small teaching assistant, and the things I do aren't that important.

How could the emperor's own son have been infiltrating the Imperial Academy for so long, only to be struck down so decisively later?
Is it really necessary? Is it really necessary?
Jin Wenzheng wanted to cry but had no tears.

He originally wanted to struggle a little longer to see if he could survive.

But at this moment, he had completely given up hope and no longer had any such thoughts.

In particular, she recalled how she addressed Zhu Chongba when she was talking to Wu Xing.

The feeling is simply indescribable.

Wei Siye stared in disbelief, his mouth agape, revealing his missing two teeth.

At this moment, even the pain on his body and face was forgotten.

She looked at Wu Xing with those bloodshot eyes.

It was also filled with utter disbelief and all sorts of absurd feelings.

Is this something a human being could do?

Zhu Yuanzhang was utterly shameless!

How could someone send their son to infiltrate the Imperial Academy more than a year in advance?
He had planned this long ago!

We've been waiting for this day!

The thought that their clever plan had been completely exposed to the emperor's own son made them realize how cunning they were.

He couldn't help but feel a chill run through his body, and his body trembled.

After a moment, he suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Jin Wenzheng, his eyes practically murderous.

"Idiot! Idiot!"

I've never seen an idiot dumber than you!

He cursed angrily, his voice sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

I originally thought that Jin Wenzheng was a capable assistant who did a very good job.

But this bastard turned out to be so incredibly stupid!
They even dragged the emperor's own sons into signing a joint petition.

And yet they still have the nerve to brag to themselves about how well they've done things.

So stupid!
That's so stupid!

That's incredibly stupid!
I've never seen such a stupid person before.

I've been ruined by this idiot!

"You didn't expect him to be the Prince of Jin either!"

You're insulting me?
Can you believe the emperor would bring his own son here?

He retorted, his voice filled with grievance.

I recalled what I had said to Wu Xing before: You think the Imperial Academy is run by your family.

Now it seems that it really was someone else who owned it...

When Wei Siye saw that Jin Wenzheng dared to talk back, he was furious.

But there's no way to refute it.

He truly never expected that the emperor would send his own son here.

Not only him, but probably no one could have imagined it!

No wonder that bastard Song Ne has been completely ignoring everything about the Imperial Academy lately.

Completely unaware of anything amiss.
They initially thought Song Ne was senile and had no idea what they were doing.

Only now do we realize that it was that old scoundrel Song Ne who had long been in cahoots with the emperor.

They've already set a trap, just waiting for us to jump in!
Damn it!
We were tricked by the emperor!
Mr. Jingshan's once neat goatee has long since become messy.

At this moment, his hands, which were tied behind his back, unconsciously clenched into fists.

I couldn't help but tremble.

Although he already knew beforehand that Wu Xing's identity was not simple.

However, I never expected it to be this complicated!

It's incredibly powerful; it's actually the Prince of Jin!
He's on a higher level and has seen more things.

While shocked by the truth, I also saw something deeper.

Zhu Yuanzhang came prepared!

His thoughts were so gloomy!

More than a year ago, we started planning this!

Now, things are really getting out of hand!
We have been utterly defeated!
If it were just this one thing that failed, it would be easier to explain.

The key point is that this incident is not simply a matter of our failure!
And His Highness the Crown Prince is among them!

Most importantly, and what worried him the most, was the Crown Prince's attitude!

This incident shows that...

His Highness the Crown Prince also seemed particularly dissatisfied with their actions.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been no warning or hints given beforehand.

Just let things develop as they will.

Looking at ourselves and the others doing these things.

Watching themselves step by step into the trap...

Zhu Yuanzhang had already established his character: he did not respect Confucianism and was prone to excessive killing.

It was a catastrophe for Confucianism itself.

The only hope now lies with the Crown Prince.

If the crown prince also becomes increasingly distrustful of Confucianism and deviates from it.

That would be a very serious matter!

It got to the point where he dared not think about it and did not want to think about it anymore!
Zhu Yuanzhang did not respect Confucianism, and if the crown prince, who would become emperor next, also did not respect Confucianism, then this would be a bad omen.

That situation is simply unimaginable!
With two consecutive emperors, their own Confucianism will decline even further!

It was a huge disaster!

Originally, their actions were intended to discredit the Imperial Academy.

This forced the emperor to reopen the imperial examinations. The civil service examinations were used to select officials, with Confucianism as the foundation.

The imperial examination system was the fundamental reason why Confucianism was able to prosper!
To prevent the emperor from doing whatever he wanted in the Imperial Academy.

They bring all sorts of rubbish to the forefront.

Everything is served at the table, and people are encouraged to learn.

It is ranked alongside Confucianism.

In hindsight, it seems they tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead.

No... this isn't just losing the rice; this is throwing away almost all the rice in the house!
Not only did they fail to tarnish the reputation of the Imperial Academy, they also caused the Crown Prince to develop a dislike for them.

Disliking Confucianism would be a huge loss!

Do not!
Will not!
That's definitely not the case!

His Highness the Crown Prince was taught and nurtured by Confucian masters from a young age.

I have a great fondness for Confucianism.

People raised with this kind of upbringing certainly won't have their minds changed so easily.

This incident was definitely caused by Zhu Yuanzhang, a tyrannical emperor, exerting pressure.

That's why His Highness the Crown Prince dared not make any statement on this matter.

Today, the emperor is still the one in charge of the Ming Dynasty.

His Highness the Crown Prince is unable to make decisions on many matters.

It must be so!

That must be it!
Mr. Jingshan was practically roaring inwardly.

Yang Shiqi swallowed hard, his emotions indescribable.

...It's actually His Highness Prince Jin?

It's actually His Highness Prince Jin!
It is said that the few people in the same dormitory already knew that Wu Xing was no ordinary person and that he held a very high position.

However, I never expected it to be this high!
Even before that, he had helped Wu Xing hide in the room from behind and overheard the conversation between Prince Jin and Jin Wenzheng.

They could also be certain that Wu Xing's status was even higher than they had previously imagined.

But I never expected it to be this ridiculously high!

He's the emperor's own son!
Moreover, he is the emperor's legitimate son, His Highness Prince Jin!
This is His Highness Prince Jin!

We've actually been spending so much time with His Highness Prince Jin?
Living in the same dormitory?
so far so good!

Previously, they had been closely following in the footsteps of Prince Jin.

There was no ambiguity on important matters.

Otherwise, it would really be bad.

Even the greatest blessings and the brightest future will vanish with time.

No wonder the Wu brothers said before that they should just sign the joint stamp and nothing would happen.

Now it seems that nothing bad will happen!

Wu Xing wasn't exaggerating at all!
It wasn't just Yang Shiqi.

Yang Rong, Huang Guan, Hu Yan, and Tie Xuan, these outstanding scholars of the Imperial Academy, were also deeply shaken at this moment.

My feelings were mixed – a mix of surprise, joy, and trepidation.

Surprisingly, the person they spent every day with was none other than His Highness Prince Jin!
We might very well gain His Highness Prince Jin's favor because of this.

It's even possible that through His Highness Prince Jin, the Emperor will learn of it, reaching directly to the Heavenly Court.

The concern is that, living together day and night, people are bound to say things they don't mean.

What if I say something wrong, and the speaker doesn't mean it, but the listener takes it to heart and His Highness Prince Jin remembers it? Wouldn't that be a terrible disaster?
Although it seems that His Highness Prince Jin is not such a petty person.

However, the vast difference in their social standing inevitably raises questions.

As Feng Yong arrived, they gathered here to stop Zhu Gang, attempting to rescue Wei Siye and Jin Wenzheng's many teaching assistants.

At this point, everyone fell silent and could no longer say anything.

There were many people inside, all of whom were pale and trembling.

The constables from the rope-and-punishment hall were also in a daze at this moment.

It felt like a dream.

At the same time, I am also glad that I made the choice before.

Fortunately, after listening to what Prince Jin said, they realized their mistake in time and did not continue following Li Xuecheng.

They arrived at His Highness Prince Jin's side in time and obeyed His Highness's orders.

Otherwise, it would be unimaginable at this moment.

Feel the emotional shift that occurred in an instant.

He took in everyone's reactions.

Prince Zhu Gang of Jin was actually quite pleased.

He lived incognito and disguised himself at the Imperial Academy, living as an ordinary person for so long.

At this point, their true identities were revealed.

And they also got hold of so many people's dirty laundry.

Having such a pile of insects was indeed a good thing for him.

The feeling of comfort was no less than before. In the matter of Zhongdu City, under the arrangement of the Emperor, he and his brothers went undercover in Zhongdu City with their names hidden to get Li Shanchang.

Then, when the Emperor came, he revealed his identity in front of so many people.

He smiled and nodded at Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, Huang Guan, Hu Yan, and Tie Xuan.

Zhu Gang then instructed them to do something else.

This single action dispelled all the worries in Yang Shiqi, Huang Guan, and the others.

At this point, after Zhu Gang revealed his identity...

Then many things become predictable.

All of these people were arrested.

They were escorted away from the Imperial Academy by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Even though most students had already started class by then.

However, such a commotion still caused a huge sensation.

Many students are unaware of what their beloved teachers have done wrong.

How did he get arrested?
Fortunately, Song Ne, as the chief priest, had enough prestige.

He stood there with a cold face, and had a few teaching assistants, such as Huang Guan and Yang Shiqi, who were not involved, help maintain order.

Only by having the students study in the classroom in the evening could the situation be stabilized and prevented from causing further trouble.

However, it is obvious that after this incident, the goal is to ensure that these students can continue their studies in peace.

It's basically impossible.

Only a very small fraction of exceptional individuals are able to continue studying with peace of mind.

Seeing so many people being arrested, Song Ne, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, had very mixed feelings.

There was both the joy and relief of wiping out these insects in one fell swoop.

It also contains a lot of sadness and anger.

How can these people be so inconsiderate of the bigger picture?

At the same time, I am also worried about His Majesty.

Your Majesty has made such a big move; I wonder how many people are now secretly grinding their teeth and hating you to the bone.

At the same time, I also feel somewhat worried about the future of the Imperial Academy.

This resulted in the arrest of most of the teaching assistants and other staff at the Imperial Academy.

Only a few were not arrested.

Therefore, the teaching at the Imperial Academy will become problematic as a result.

Normal teaching activities are difficult to carry out.
It will likely be chaotic for quite some time before things gradually return to normal.

The key is how to find so many suitable teachers to conduct the teaching in a short period of time.

Should the Imperial Academy undergo some further adjustments...?

……

At the Eastern Palace, Zhu Biao invited Wu Bozong to stay for dinner.

This is a rare opportunity.

Not many people are invited to stay for a meal by His Highness the Crown Prince.

Only a handful.

Over the years, Song Lian has been the one who has been invited to stay for meals the most.

Secondly, there was Wu Bozong.

Compared to Song Lian, he was far inferior, having only performed three times.

However, this is far beyond what ordinary people can achieve.

It is the proudest thing, the greatest honor.

Today, His Highness the Crown Prince invited me to stay for dinner again.

Faced with such a good opportunity, he naturally declined slightly before agreeing.

I was extremely happy.

Her standing in the Crown Prince's heart was rising higher and higher.

If Mr. Jinglian passes away in the future, I will have to carry the torch myself.

Wu Bozong, whose given name was You and courtesy name was Bozong.

"Bo Zong, it's been two years since you came to the Eastern Palace, hasn't it? How do you feel?"

After the meal, Zhu Biao looked at Wu Bozong and said with a smile.

They were chatting casually.

Wu Bozong said, "I am but a humble talent, but I have been blessed by Heaven and have entered the Eastern Palace to serve Your Highness."

It is my honor.

Your Highness trusts me greatly and values ​​me highly.

"It is only because I am of limited talent and learning that I have failed Your Highness..."

This was naturally Wu Bozong's humble remark.

"You know you've wronged me?"

The smile vanished from Zhu Biao's face...

(End of this chapter)