Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 361 The Political Correctness of the Ming Dynasty? May it be known to all under heaven!
Liu Wan'er was initially relieved, thinking that Zhang Yunxiu didn't care about Princess Yongning. However, after hearing the song "Ode to the Lantern Festival," she was extremely surprised.

I was once again amazed by Zhang Yunxiu's poetic talent; he had been hiding his abilities so well, and when he finally spoke, he was astonishing.

They were astonished that Zhang Yunxiu had turned the tide with just this one poem. Once the poem was recited, all the Japanese woman's schemes became nothing but illusions.

Faced with absolute power, all schemes become a joke.

But Liu Wan'er hadn't relaxed for long before she tensed up again after hearing Hosokawa Iya's four lines of poetry.

What a beautiful line: "Flying beauties come to light the lamps together, how can they bear to part with their beloved!"
To others, Hosokawa Iya was praised for her gentle and graceful nature, but to Liu Wan'er, this Japanese woman was actually quite cunning.

Liu Wan'er had studied with Zhu Yaoying since childhood, so she was naturally able to appreciate the nuances of the text.

"Feiqiong" means fairy.

These two lines of poetry mean that the fairy is enjoying the lanterns with her lover, but she is reluctant to part with him so easily.

Liu Wan'er had some guesses about the poems below.

With so many eyes watching, Hosokawa Iya recited this poem to Zhang Yunxiu, wasn't his intention obvious?

But Zhang Yunxiu's quatrain shocked the entire audience. With this half of her poem, it's not a pipe dream that it will spread throughout the world tomorrow. When everyone says that Zhang Yunxiu and Hosokawa Iya are a perfect match, can Zhang Yunxiu stop the public's opinions in time?

This was what Hosokawa Iya knew in his heart: he could no longer surpass Zhang Yunxiu in poetry, so he took a different approach and used this method to get closer to him.

Most of the people present were men, so it was naturally difficult for them to see that Liu Wan'er, having spent many years in the palace, was very familiar with the mindset of such women.

But there's just no way to deal with the other party.

Since the princess cannot come up today, I cannot compose a poem on the spot. Even if I did compose a poem, would I still be able to convey my feelings to Zhang Yunxiu?

She was so anxious that she kept stamping her feet, not knowing what to do.

At this moment, the voice of the Wanli Emperor came from above.

"Liu Yongning?"

Liu Wan'er instinctively bowed and said, "It is indeed this servant."

He immediately changed his tune.

"It is indeed the commoner Liu Yongning."

Emperor Wanli narrowed his eyes, not intending to expose him, and scrutinized the other party as he spoke.

"Since you come from a medical clinic, you don't need to call yourself a commoner. All the staff in the clinic are my subjects and beloved ministers. You can simply call yourself a subject."

Liu Wan'er looked somewhat embarrassed. As a maid, wouldn't it be a huge overstepping of her bounds for her to address the emperor as a subject?
However, at this point, there is no room for maneuver. It is likely that if His Majesty were to truly blame them, Princess and Zhang Shiyuan would both protect them.

Seeing the other party's nervous appearance, Emperor Wanli was somewhat disappointed. His own sister had only sent such a maid to snatch away his "husband," so it seemed that she didn't necessarily have to have Zhang Yunxiu.

He raised his voice slightly and said, "There's no need to be too nervous. Now that you're here, you must be a person of talent. You may not be as good as Shiyuan and the envoy Hosokawa, but you shouldn't be too far behind."

Upon hearing Emperor Wanli's words, Liu Wan'er became even more nervous. She thought of the poem that Zhang Yun had just revised, and it didn't seem like it could possibly overpower the Japanese woman.

Most importantly, even if one's talent surpasses that of a Japanese woman, it has no practical use.

The crux of the matter is that a poem by the Japanese woman, written after Zhang Yunxiu's, has almost confirmed their relationship, at least in terms of their poetry.

These days, even newspapers have limited reach, but the oral transmission of poetry can deeply resonate with people!

What should I do!
Liu Wan'er was torn between her inner thoughts and her own, and couldn't help but glance at Zhang Yunxiu. But when she saw his encouraging look, she became even more furious.

What exactly is Zhang Shiyuan plotting?
But as she hesitated, Yu Youding, the Minister of Rites, became somewhat displeased and spoke in a slightly serious tone.

"Young Master Liu, have you listened to His Majesty's words? Why are you so hesitant to speak?"

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "Minister Yu, there's no need to rush. This young master Liu looks quite young, and he might be a little nervous about being placed in the final position. Today is the Lantern Festival, so there's no need to be too harsh on him."

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Liu Wan'er and said in a gentle tone.

"Young Master Liu already has a draft in mind on Xuan paper. If it's not satisfactory, he can read it aloud to His Majesty and his ministers. It should be fine."

Liu Wan'er cursed Zhang Yunxiu as a pig in her heart, but she still bowed and said something on the surface.

"Thank you, Zhang, for taking charge of the guard duties."

Then, she took a deep breath. There was no other way now but to recite the poem.

But Liu Wan'er was burning with anger, and when she recited the poem, it sounded very fiery, instantly turning into a completely different flavor!
But unexpectedly, clumsiness turned into skill!

"Watching the Universal Tribute on the Lantern Festival"

"Thousands of lanterns illuminate the Heavenly Pivot, and people from all nations pay homage to the Jade Palace!"

"The sounds of flutes and drums fill the air with the joy of spring, and the Milky Way shines down upon the land, illuminating peace and prosperity!"

Liu Wan'er was going all out; even though she wasn't very confident, she still recited the poem with great intonation.

Her voice wasn't deep and sounded somewhat awkward, but it was resounding and almost everyone present could hear it.

After the poem was finished, many people looked at it strangely.

Yu Shenxing frowned deeply and couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

"Using the theme of 'All Nations Paying Tribute'? This young master Liu is quite bold; he must have a significant background."

Almost all the scholars present knew in their hearts that the emperor had set the topic of the Lantern Festival as an example, and also the topic of all nations paying tribute. So why did almost everyone write about the Lantern Festival instead of the topic of all nations paying tribute?
Isn't it because it's not easy to have all nations paying tribute?

This kind of poetry is equivalent to a political-themed work of art in the Ming Dynasty. It is difficult to write a brilliant one even if you try your best. The most important thing is to hit the heart of Emperor Wanli.

If you write poorly and make any mistakes, that would be a huge sin.

Compared to that, the grand scene of the Lantern Festival is much easier to describe. There are countless excellent works about the Lantern Festival from ancient times to the present. Why compete with the tribute from all nations?

From the beginning, intelligent people like Yu Shenxing had already made some calculations in their minds. They thought that the reason why Emperor Wanli set such a broad question was to give Zhang Yunxiu an opportunity.

Others might not dare to do it, but Zhang Yunxiu would be more than capable, since to outsiders, the emperor and Zhang Yunxiu seemed to be inseparable.

Unexpectedly, this "Liu Yongning" was fearless and dared to use "All Nations Paying Homage" as the title, and even his tone was quite arrogant.

"All nations' officials and their retinues pay homage to the Jade Emperor."

Emperor Wanli leaned back on his dragon throne, savoring the poem as if reminiscing, and spoke leisurely.

"The spirit is indeed impressive, but it lacks some meter and artistic conception." But Yu Youding, the Minister of Rites, had his eyes shining. He had waited all night and finally got to see this poem. He immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty! I personally think this poem is the best."

"Oh?" The Wanli Emperor smiled enigmatically. "Does my beloved minister have a different interpretation?"

Yu Youding coughed and said, “Your Majesty, this poem does lack meter and transitions, but it is still magnificent to read. It uses words to create a scene and vividly portrays the grandeur of the Lantern Festival of our Great Ming Dynasty. Doesn’t the line ‘All nations in their robes pay homage to the Jade Pavilion’ perfectly reflect the magnificent scene of all nations coming to pay tribute to our Great Ming Dynasty today?”

How could he not know in his heart that this poem is inferior to the two poems by Zhang Yunxiu and Hosokawa Iya?
But for the Minister of Rites, is the accuracy of the poem's meter really that important? The most important thing is to convey a message to envoys from all over the world and to the common people through this poetry gathering.

That was the Ming Dynasty's determination to open up the seas and its resolve to recreate the glorious Tang Dynasty of the past!
This demonstrates that as long as the poem is even slightly decent, the Ming emperor and his ministers could recognize it.

The Wanli Emperor looked hesitant. This matter was rather tricky. With the previous two poems being so excellent, if he were to select this poem as the top scholar, wouldn't it make him, the emperor, seem illiterate?
What will the world think of him?

Therefore, Emperor Wanli couldn't help but turn his gaze to Zhang Juzheng and say something.

"What is your opinion, Mr. Yuanfu?"

Zhang Juzheng glanced at Liu Wan'er with a complicated expression, which made the latter move back in fear. He then quickly glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, as if he were sighing.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this poem. Today's Ming Dynasty is not the same as the Ming Dynasty of the past. Since the ninth year of Wanli's reign, our Ming Dynasty has shown a new look and can no longer be as orderly as it was in the past."

Since things had come to this point, Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to smooth things over, so he began to explain.

"In the past, poetry and songs were the exclusive domain of scholars and writers. The so-called rules and artistic conception could only be understood by a few. But my Great Ming Dynasty has a vast territory and hundreds of millions of people. There are not only scholars, but also millions of ordinary people."

Today, the Ming Dynasty is implementing the policy of opening up the seas to trade with foreign countries, not only for the sake of scholars, but also for the millions of ordinary people who are either farmers or merchants.

This poem is magnificent in its style and not particularly profound in its language. If it could be widely circulated, it would surely let the world know of the Ming Dynasty's determination to recreate the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties.

Zhang Juzheng's words were brilliant; they almost turned the impossible into reality, elevating today's poetry gathering to a whole new level.

The Wanli Emperor nodded slightly, expressing his approval.

"What you say, Minister Yuan, is absolutely right. This poem, 'Watching the Tribute from All Nations on the Lantern Festival,' truly resonates with me!"

What matters is not genuine talent or learning, but political considerations.

Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, it would be difficult for Emperor Wanli to bestow the title of "Zhuangyuan" upon Zhang Yunxiu. On the one hand, it would send a signal to the outside world that Zhang Yunxiu was increasingly trusted by the emperor. On the other hand, it would make outsiders think that if the grand event held in Xishan allowed Zhang Yunxiu to win the crown, wouldn't that be suspected of cheating?

After careful consideration, giving the title of "top scholar" to Liu Yongning was a perfect choice.

After some deliberation, the Wanli Emperor had another idea and spoke to Yu Youding.

"Minister Yu, I am still somewhat hesitant. Who do you think should be awarded the title of top scholar? I am finding it very difficult to decide. I believe that since you once served as the head of the Imperial Academy, you should have a better understanding of the reasons behind this."

Yu Youding was taken aback. Hearing the emperor and Zhang Juzheng say this, he naturally spoke up instinctively.

"Your Majesty, I believe that this poem, 'Watching the Ten Thousand Nations Pay Homage on the Lantern Festival,' is worthy of being the title of the top scholar."

He didn't care about any of that. If this poem could make him the top scholar and spread the spirit of the Ming Dynasty, he, as the Minister of Rites, would naturally be praised by everyone in the country.

Unexpectedly, the Wanli Emperor had outmaneuvered him, and he immediately clapped his hands and laughed.

"Very well! Then I will heed your suggestion, Minister Yu, and today I bestow the title of 'Top Scholar' upon this poem, 'Watching the Ten Thousand Nations Pay Homage on the Lantern Festival'!"

"what?"

Yu Youding sensed something was amiss. This matter of becoming the top scholar isn't your, the emperor's, business! When did it become a matter of "listen to my words"?

He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and realized that the emperor was trying to shirk responsibility.

At that time, the common people may not be able to see the difference, but some scholars, upon seeing this poem and comparing it with the previous two, will surely curse it out.

Yu Youding, on the contrary, became the target of public criticism!
Without waiting for a reply, the Wanli Emperor waved his hand and said...

"That's settled then. Minister Yu, please announce this to all the officials and the people on my behalf!"

Yu Youding's words were stuck in his throat, unable to come up or go down. He turned to look at Zhang Yunxiu and found that the latter was pretending not to have heard anything.

What terrible things have I done! His Majesty has been corrupted by that brat Zhang Yunxiu!
Liu Wan'er was a little confused. Looking at the emperor and his minister singing in unison, she didn't even know what was going on. She turned to look at Zhang Yunxiu, as if trying to find the answer from him, but unexpectedly, Zhang Yunxiu gave her a thumbs up to show his encouragement.

"Will all nations come to pay tribute?"

Standing in the crowd, Xu Guangqi muttered to himself. He clearly didn't care who the "top scholar" of the day was; he seemed to see the future glory of the Ming Dynasty in the poems.

Turning my head to look at the bustling crowd below the city gate and the brightly lit houses, what once seemed distant now appears to be within easy reach.

And all of this seemed to hinge on the young man not far away.

"So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"

Yu Shenxing was somewhat obsessed. He kept repeating the same phrase, thinking that if he could compose a magnificent poem that would bring all nations to pay tribute, wouldn't he be able to take over and make today's glory his own?

Zhang Juzheng and his son Zhang Yunxiu had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.

However, there are no "what ifs" in anything. From the very beginning, including the other scholars, their first thought was to protect themselves. How could they have written such verses?
Emperor Wanli glanced at "Liu Yongning" with a complicated expression. Aside from the poem, he felt he should also take care of Liu because of Yongning's connection to him.

It's all just a matter of timing, location, and people.

A thought suddenly occurred to him: could this also be part of Zhang Yunxiu's plan?

But upon thinking of this, Wanli shook his head repeatedly, absolutely impossible! Zhang Yunxiu's poem had already shocked the entire audience; if he had such a scheme, wouldn't he be a monster in the world?

Emperor Wanli coughed and continued, "In that case, Minister Yu, please announce the news of today's poetry gathering to the world. I imagine the people are eagerly awaiting it."

"By imperial decree, all the poems recited at today's poetry gathering shall be copied and circulated throughout the land, so that all people under heaven may hear them!"

Now that things had come to this, Yu Youding had no reason to delay. He sighed inwardly and wanted to seek help from Zhang Juzheng, but he found that the Grand Secretary's face was ashen and he was inexplicably displeased. He immediately lost his last hope.

Yu Youding took two steps forward, took a deep breath, and said.

"Today, on behalf of the Emperor, this Ministry announces the winner of the Lantern Festival Poetry Competition on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month!"
Liu Yongning of Renmin Medical Clinic!

Upon hearing this, the officials immediately offered their congratulations, and countless spies from the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard rushed down from the city wall to announce the day's news to the eagerly awaiting gentry and common people below.

At the foot of the city gate, Duke Zhu Yingzhen of Chengguo had just received the poem written by Zhang Yunxiu and said to Zhu Yinghuai.

“Yinting! Look at these verses! Wow! They are absolutely brilliant! Zhang Shiyuan is showing off in front of everyone, but I don’t feel disgusted at all. On the contrary, I am overjoyed!”
Zhang Yunxiu is truly a man of great talent! You and I, brothers, are also incredibly wealthy today!

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

(End of this chapter)