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

Chapter 362 How cruel is Heaven to me? This nobleman shall purge the court of corrupt officials!
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Regardless of whether the emperor was truly wise or not, the officials and ministers insisted that these three shouts could not be stopped.

The commotion atop the city tower immediately attracted the attention of many people below.

Everyone is eagerly awaiting the revelation of the true answer today.

"Zhang Shiyuan!"

Standing on the windowsill of the restaurant, Hosokawa Yusai slammed his fist on the railing, almost as if he wanted to crush the entire wooden railing.

"This is unfair! The Ming people are always good at playing tricks. What makes Zhang Shiyuan think he can participate? This poem... this poem..."

At this point, Hosokawa Yusai began to savor the poem in his mind.

"The lights in front of the twelfth floor are like fire, and the moon outside Siping Street is like frost."

Even if Hosokawa Yusai harbored deep resentment, he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion when reciting these four lines of poetry.

This is truly a masterpiece for the Lantern Festival!
He had read extensively in Tang and Song poetry and was also well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, so he simply could not bring himself to say anything bad about this seven-character quatrain.

Hosokawa Yusai's lips trembled. Tens of thousands of taels of silver had been invested, almost all of which was the money that Oda Nobunaga had prepared for him to smooth things over in the Ming Dynasty. And just like that, it was all gone.

Even so, Hosokawa Yusai, as a literary man, still savored the verses in his heart.

"Before Twelve Streets, outside Siping Street, this Siping Street must be the Chessboard Street, right? It's so fitting. I wonder when I'll be able to write such poetry."

Hosokawa Yusai stood in front of the railing, looking down at the bustling crowd below and then at the dazzling lights. He plopped down on the ground, seemingly having lost all his strength.

"Butterflies and bees flutter among the flowers in their joyful reverie, while fine horses and luxurious carriages linger through the long night!"

Inside the tavern, Li Zhi held a bowl of warm yellow wine in his hand, raised it high, and laughed heartily as he spoke.

"What a fine poem! What a fine poem! I knew Zhang Shiyuan had something up his sleeve."

He was well-versed in the classics, history, philosophy, and literature; he founded new schools of thought and science; and he spoke eloquently about the philosophy of mind. How could he not understand the way of poetry?

With a slightly tipsy expression, Li Zhi looked at his apprentice Yuan Wenwei beside him and said with a smile.

"Young man, what did I say? Tell me, was this money well spent? If I hadn't forced Zhang Shiyuan to come up on stage, how could we have heard these wonderful verses today? This Lantern Festival poem is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold!"

Yuan Wenwei said somewhat speechlessly, "Master only knows that the poem is wonderful. Wonderful as it is, what does it have to do with Master? Isn't it just that Zhang Shiyuan who stole the limelight?"

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "Life is short, so enjoy it while you can, that's what makes it fun, but you still don't understand."

After saying that, he picked up the wine jar in front of him, ate two peanuts, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, spilling the wine on half of his clothes.

"how?"

Gu Xiancheng sat in the side room, pacing back and forth, occasionally asking his two companions questions.

"Is there any news from the city gate tower?"

The other two were equally anxious.

Zhao Nanxing couldn't help but sigh and said, "I've heard about my mentor composing a poem. He has never written a poem before. I wonder how he did this time."

According to his disciples, Zhang Yunxiu was usually very secretive about poetry. Even when his disciples wanted to compose poems together, he would always find an excuse to avoid it.

Over time, in the eyes of his fellow students, their mentor Zhang Yunxiu was probably not very talented in poetry. He was proficient in classics, history, philosophy, and miscellaneous studies, but probably not very good at poetry.

This is not a big deal. After all, poetry is a minor art, something that literati use for daily leisure and entertainment. It is more often used to show off their elegance in brothels and taverns, and it is not considered a proper art form.

But today, by sheer coincidence, the final event of the Lantern Festival is a poetry contest, and Zhang Yunxiu happens to have to perform in front of the emperor. His disciples can't help but worry, fearing that their young "mentor" will embarrass himself in front of the emperor and the people of the world.

"If only we had known this would happen!" Gao Panlong was an impatient man. "We should have prepared poems for our teacher; that would have been the safest course of action."

"It's no use talking more."

Gu Xiancheng, the backbone of the group, waved his hand and said.

"Let's wait for news."

The three waited for a short while when a commotion suddenly came from outside. A scholar wearing a turban hurriedly walked in, holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"Gentlemen, the master's poem has been revealed!"

"Let me take a look."

Without saying a word, Gu Xiancheng took two steps forward, picked up the note, and carefully unfolded it. On the note were four lines of twenty-eight characters written in tiny regular script.

His heart was pounding, his fingers were trembling slightly, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"The moon outside Siping Street is as white as frost."

He kept muttering this phrase to himself, as if he were going mad.

"What happened? What did our mentor write?"

Gao Panlong couldn't help but lean closer. He recited the entire poem in one breath, and was immediately jolted awake. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"What a wonderful poem! What a wonderful poem! The meter is neat and orderly, and the imagery is extremely apt. With just a few strokes, it vividly portrays the grand scene of today's Lantern Festival!"

Upon hearing this poem, Zhao Nanxing felt a pang of shame and said with a wry smile.

"But I was worried about my mentor. He is indeed a mentor. He must have been prepared. Even if I racked my brains for three years, I still couldn't write this seven-character quatrain."

Gu Xiancheng had just recovered from his shock when he let out a long sigh.

"With this poem, all our plans seem meaningless. No wonder our master hasn't taken any action. We were too naive. Our master was prepared all along."

We've overstepped our bounds this time.

In fact, Zhang Yunxiu never expected to be on stage, and because it was so obvious, he didn't even pay attention to the changes on the leaderboard.

Originally, he intended to use the identity of "Liu Yongning" to thwart the Japanese woman's schemes, but unexpectedly, things went awry. By chance, he ended up having to "write" a poem despite his reluctance.

After all, for Zhang Yunxiu now, relying on plagiarism to appear divine is meaningless; he doesn't need such fame to enhance himself.

But plagiarism is plagiarism, and there's nothing to regret. Occasionally displaying poetic talent can win over more literary people.

The new learning not only surpasses traditional Confucianism in miscellaneous studies, but also powerfully crushes it in poetry, which is a favorite subject of scholars. Isn't this a way to promote intellectual progress?

However, now Zhang Yunxiu is more concerned about the psychological changes of a certain woman.

It was certainly not the Japanese woman Hosokawa Iya who had buried her head in her chest, but Princess Yongning Zhu Yaoying, who was hiding on the distant city wall and constantly using her telescope to investigate the situation.

Zhang Yunxiu gazed in that direction from afar, a slight smile involuntarily curving his lips.

This princess said she had taken ninety-nine steps but couldn't take another, yet she seemed to be quite honest in her heart.

Is he looking at me?

Zhu Yaoying was startled and quickly hid behind the city wall. Her heart was pounding, and the silvery moonlight made her face look even whiter.

She sighed deeply and said, feeling guilty.

"Zhu Yaoying, Zhu Yaoying, what are you thinking? If you had used the poems of the Donglin Society students, you wouldn't be in such a sorry state today, and you could have easily obtained the Emperor's blessing for a marriage. But what are you thinking?"

Even Zhu Yaoying didn't understand what she was thinking.

"If all else fails, do you really intend to elope with Zhang Shiyuan?"

Just thinking about those stories of talented men and beautiful women made Zhu Yaoying blush and her heart race.

Just then, a young palace maid rushed over and shouted loudly.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! Zhang, the head guard, has composed a poem!" Zhu Yaoying's face darkened, and she stepped forward to cover his mouth as she spoke.

"What's all the noise about? Are you afraid I won't be discovered?"

“No, Your Highness!” the maidservant insisted. “Chief Guard Zhang really did write a poem! A very long poem!”

To avoid attracting attention, Zhu Yaoying stood far away, only able to observe the changes in the people at the poetry gathering and guess some clues.

"Quickly, let me see it." Zhu Yaoying was somewhat impatient.

After a flurry of activity, the young palace maid finally managed to retrieve the note she had secretly written down from her waist.

Zhu Yaoying's hands seemed a little clumsy at this moment. After carefully spreading them out, she was almost electrocuted.

"He can actually write poetry?"

"Your Highness, you are unaware of this," the little palace maid said hurriedly. "His Majesty and all the ministers present were shocked. They never expected that Zhang, the Chief of the Guard, could compose poetry. His Majesty was somewhat skeptical, but in the end he admitted it. It's truly unexpected that Zhang, the Chief of the Guard, had this skill."

Zhu Yaoying blushed slightly, but couldn't help but say something strange.

"What I saw just now, my brother, seemed quite shocked, so I had some guesses. But then I saw that the Japanese woman was praised by many people. What was the result?"

The young palace maid smiled and said, "Your Highness only knows one side of the story."

She completely ignored the Japanese woman's poem and simply described Liu Wan'er's poem and everyone's reaction.

After hearing this, Zhu Yaoying was also extremely surprised.

"Thousands of lanterns illuminate the celestial palace, and the people of all nations, in their finest attire, pay homage at the Jade Palace."

These four lines of poetry do sound like the one I wrote, but they are completely different from the original.

Compared to his previous nonsensical poem, this one is more powerful and has a better rhythm. While it may not be the best, it is certainly passable.

What's even more surprising is that this change turned something rotten into something magical, earning praise from all the officials present, and even prompting Emperor Wanli to personally appoint him as the top scholar.

Zhu Yaoying vaguely guessed the crux of the problem.

The young palace maid couldn't help but ask, "This servant doesn't quite understand either. Zhang Zhangwei's poem was clearly exquisite, yet His Majesty specifically chose Sister Wan'er as the top scholar. Did His Majesty discover Sister Wan'er's true identity?"

Zhu Yaoying smiled and said, "There may be some reason, but how can Your Majesty call a deer a horse for my sake alone? I think Your Majesty and the ministers do have something to say about this poem."

She could naturally sense that this poem perfectly aligned with the court's plans. Literary style and poetic form were one thing, but its ability to promote the court's policies was the most important thing.

The young palace maid seemed to have grasped something crucial.

"Speaking of which, was this poem written by Her Highness the Princess, or by Sister Wan'er? It is so beautifully written!"

This question hit the nail on the head, but Zhu Yaoying remained silent, seemingly not having heard it.

She couldn't help but peek out and look in that direction not far away, and said softly.

He still is...

Oh, heavens! How cruel you are to me!

Upon hearing the news, Duke Zhu Yingzhen of Chengguo knelt down immediately beneath the city walls of Daming. He looked up to the sky and howled, crying as if his mother had died.

At the same time, many people in the crowd, dressed in fine clothes, also fainted.

"Zhang Shiyuan! You've always been winning, so why did you lose today?"
"My old man's money!"

"Master! Master! Someone, quickly call a doctor!"

Some people even stood up for Zhang Yunxiu, unexpectedly speaking up for him.

"Unfair! Unfair! Zhang Shiyuan's character may be flawed, but his exceptional talent is undeniable. Why did the court appoint Liu Yongning instead of Zhang Shiyuan?"

They also came forward to refute the previous doubts about Zhang Yunxiu's eligibility to participate in the competition.

"The Lantern Festival is meant to be a celebration for the people, not a grand ceremony for selecting and rewarding talents. There are always those with ulterior motives who try to make a big deal out of it!"

“It is heartbreaking! It is heartbreaking! The world’s harsh criticism and prejudice against Shi Yuan Gong is like a frog in a well looking at the sky, only seeing a corner and unable to see the whole picture.”

"When did our Great Ming Dynasty become so reckless in burying talent?"

The crowd erupted in uproar upon hearing that Liu Yongning had been chosen as the top scholar.

Many people who had poured their hearts and souls into Zhang Yunxiu cheered for him.

In particular, Duke Zhu Yingzhen of Chengguo cried until his eyes were red and he gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"This cannot be allowed! This cannot be allowed! How can we, the nobles, allow treacherous officials and villains to bewitch the emperor? Today, we will surely give Shi Yuan justice!"

As he spoke, he stood up angrily and said...

"Today, I will seek justice from Your Majesty and earnestly advise you to repent and stop trusting those treacherous officials around you!"

"Yes! What the Duke of Cheng said is absolutely right!"

"We all support Duke Cheng!"

Zhu Yingzhen was now receiving an overwhelming response; it seemed that as long as he gave the order, countless people would be willing to follow him and rush to the city wall.

What they didn't realize was that the "treacherous officials and petty villains" they referred to usually meant Zhang Yunxiu.

Zhu Yinghuai was almost stunned. This was the power of "silver". It was silver that could make this group of people act like madmen, and even think about "purging the emperor's inner circle" and risk their lives.

He immediately stepped forward. For the sake of the future prosperity of the Duke of Cheng's family, even if he killed his elder brother today, he would never allow him to climb the city wall!
"Brother! You must not go forward today!"

Although Zhu Yinghuai performed crosstalk at the Xishan Theater, he hadn't neglected his martial arts skills. He had learned a few moves from the theater troupe, so he was quite agile. He took two steps forward and kicked Zhu Yingzhen in the buttocks.

"Hey!"

Zhu Yingzhen fell flat on his face, his eyes red as he spoke.

"Yinting! Do you really intend to stop your brother? This is a matter of national righteousness! Even if we are brothers..."

"Brother, you motherfucker!"

Zhu Yinghuai slapped the other person across the face and said angrily.

"Zhu Yingzhen, do you have a death wish? Don't you dare disturb me and my mother!"

Just when things were in complete chaos down below, someone suddenly shouted something.

"Brothers, this is a misunderstanding. The news I just heard is that this matter was not decided by His Majesty, but by Yu Youding, the Minister of Rites. He keeps saying that this poem is more in line with the atmosphere of all nations coming to pay tribute, which is simply turning black into white!"
"Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor; let's go and cause trouble for that Minister of Rites!"

After he finished speaking, a group of people appeared menacing, including some nobles, who seemed to want to devour Yu Youding alive.

At this moment, atop the city gate tower, Yu Youding was unaware that he had become a thorn in the side of many.

After the emperor personally selected the top scholar, today's Lantern Festival can be considered a complete success, with only one last procedure remaining.

After the officials and envoys had left, only a handful of people remained on the city gate tower.

Yu Youding finally couldn't help but smile and say to Liu Wan'er.

"Young Master Liu, His Majesty has bestowed upon you the title of the top scholar today, which is a great favor. As previously mentioned, His Majesty can grant the top scholar one wish. Have you thought it through, Young Master Liu?"

Liu Wan'er was immersed in the joy of victory when Yu Youding asked her this question, and she was caught completely off guard.

"Huh? Huh! Ah?"

She had absolutely no idea what kind of reward the emperor would give her after she was named the top scholar.

(End of this chapter)