Di Ming

Chapter 127 Lighting a Cold Stove

Wang Shizhen is now the Minister of Justice in Nanjing, a high-ranking official. Shen Yiguan, on the other hand, is retired at home and has not yet returned to public service, enjoying a carefree life without official responsibilities.

Zhu Yin was well aware that Shen Yiguan would not only be reinstated within a few years, but would also become the Grand Secretary, the last Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty to wield real power, making him a semi-powerful minister.

This is the most powerful chief minister since Zhang Juzheng.

This is the best cold stove to burn.

"Your son, Zhu Yin, pays his respects to Old Man Wang and Old Man Shen."

Zhu Yin knelt down in a proper manner and kowtowed to the two big shots.

"Get up," Wang Shizhen said with a smile, his demeanor refined and gentle. But this gentleness also carried a hint of insincerity.

It's simply the attitude of elders towards children.

If he knew that Zhu Yin was the one competing with his grandson for the title of child prodigy of Nanyong, I wonder what he would think.

Zhu Yin knew that later generations suspected Wang Shizhen was Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng, the author of "Pingmei Jin", but Zhu Yin did not believe it was.

Wang Shizhen, a civil official, didn't seem like the kind of person who could write such a grand and monumental work.

Shen Yiguan, who appeared honest and kind, was not as amiable as Wang Shizhen, but he was carefully scrutinizing Zhu Yin with a subtle scrutiny in his eyes, clearly paying more attention to Zhu Yin than Wang Shizhen.

"Thank you, both of you old men." Zhu Yin obediently got up and stood beside Hai Rui.

Hai Rui smiled and pointed at Zhu Yin, then said to Shen Yiguan and Wang Shizhen:

"Zhihu is only ten years old, but he is a precocious prodigy. He is exceptionally intelligent and insightful. He is a gem of Jing Mountain and will surely become a pillar of society in the future. I like him very much."

Wang Shizhen and Shen Yiguan never expected that Hai Gangfeng, who was always cold and aloof, would value and love this ten-year-old child so much.

Hai Rui was known for his keen eye for talent and never praised people indiscriminately. At least, in the two men who had known Hai Rui for many years, they had never heard him praise anyone.

Besides, it's just a child.

Since he likes Zhu Yin so much, it is enough to show that this boy is indeed extraordinary.

Putting everything else aside, the calm and composed demeanor this young man displayed in front of us was something most adults wouldn't possess.

This alone is enough to illustrate the point.

Wang Shizhen suddenly remembered what his grandson Wang Ruifang had said.

Just this afternoon, my grandson told me that there was a boy named Zhu Yin who was trying to attract attention and seek fame by doing strange things. He even brought a baby girl with him to class at the Imperial Academy.

Could it be him?
"Young Tiger," Wang Shizhen said with a smile, "Lord Hai rarely shows favoritism, yet he praises you so highly, which shows you truly deserve the title of child prodigy. Have you made any progress in your studies?"

Zhu Yin replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, I have just started studying at Nanyong."

He was quick-witted and couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that Wang Ruifang had already told her grandfather, Wang Shizhen, about the discord between the two of them?
Hmph, Wang Ruifang is narrow-minded and competitive. She can't gain the upper hand in class, so she'll probably complain to Wang Shizhen and spread rumors about me.

Let's see how this famous late Ming dynasty revivalist leader and head of the Later Seven Masters, Yanzhou Shanren, will treat himself.

When Wang Shizhen heard that Zhu Yin was indeed the child who had competed with his grandson for the title of child prodigy, although his expression remained kind, his smile became somewhat faint.

He nodded and said, "It's quite a story to have entered Nanyong School at the age of ten. Study hard and live up to your talent and good character."

Zhu Yin clasped his hands and said, "Yes. Thank you for your encouragement, Your Highness. I will not dare to slack off."

After saying this, Wang Shizhen fell silent, no longer understanding Zhu Yin's thoughts.

Wang Ruifang was his favorite grandson. Regardless of the reason, Zhu Yin was always uncomfortable with his grandson's fight, and thus his feelings for Zhu Yin became somewhat cold.

It's human nature to protect one's own and help one's relatives, so Wang Shizhen can't be blamed for that.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have done the same as Wang Shizhen.

Seeing that Wang Shizhen seemed uninterested in Zhu Yin and was only going through the motions, without asking Zhu Yin any other questions, Hai Rui couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed.

He hoped that Wang Shizhen would accept Zhu Yin as his disciple.

Wang Shizhen was once known as a child prodigy, and now he is a renowned minister and literary leader of the dynasty, highly respected throughout the country and of impeccable character. If Zhihu were to gain his favor and become his tutor, it would greatly benefit his studies and his preparation for the imperial examinations.

But Wang Shizhen doesn't seem to have that in mind.

Shen Yiguan stroked his beard and smiled:
"You are only ten years old, why are you given a courtesy name? Has there ever been a ten-year-old child given a courtesy name since ancient times?"

Zhu Yin cupped his hands to Shen Yiguan and said:

"I am ashamed to admit that I do not know which person in history has ever been recorded in history by taking a courtesy name at the age of ten. But I believe that there must be countless people who took a courtesy name at a young age but remained unknown."

"Therefore, it is not that there have never been children who were given courtesy names at a young age; it is just that their names were not well-known."

"Hehe." Upon hearing this, Shen Yiguan and the other two couldn't help but laugh.

This young man is eloquent and adept at handling situations. Only someone with a quick mind and a well-thought-out plan could achieve this.

Shen Yiguan became even more interested and continued to ask with a smile:

"Gan Luo became prime minister at the age of twelve, Cao Chong weighed an elephant at the age of six, and Li He composed a poem at the age of seven. They are all exemplary child prodigies throughout the ages. Do you wish to emulate them?"

Upon hearing this, Hai Rui's expression hardened, worried about Zhu Yin's response.

Because Shen Yiguan's question, though seemingly simple, is actually a huge trap.

This Shen Yiguan is truly seemingly honest and kind, but in reality, he is cunning and treacherous.

Zhu Yin also realized what was happening.

This question is digging a hole for himself; he's a real old fox.

Why? Because Gan Luo, Cao Chong, and Li He, although all famous child prodigies, all met tragic ends.

Gan Luo was killed for a crime when he was young, Cao Chong died at the age of thirteen, and Li He, although a genius with the reputation of being a "poetic ghost", had a tragic fate and died young.

On the surface, Shen Yiguan was talking about the prodigy's talent, but in reality, he was talking about the prodigy's fate.

The subtext is: What's so special about child prodigies?

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then said:
"As the ancients said, deep affection is short-lived, and extreme intelligence is bound to bring misfortune. Gan Luo, Cao Chong, and Li He were all examples of people whose extreme intelligence was bound to bring misfortune, and were disliked by fate. Thus, heaven is jealous of their talents."

"Although my talent and intelligence are far inferior to those three, I will not be disliked by fate, so why should I be touted as a child prodigy?"

Upon hearing this, not only did Hai Rui nod and smile, but Wang Shizhen also looked at him with new respect.

Shen Yiguan couldn't help but burst into laughter, "You little rascal, you're quite the character. I underestimated you."

He didn't expect that Zhu Yin would not only pick up where he left off, but also be able to subtly attack him.

Shen Yiguan bluntly asked again, "You entered Nanyong at the age of ten, which must have attracted attention. How will you convince people to accept your decision?"

Zhu Yin, sporting a pair of horned topknots, said earnestly:
"If I pass the imperial examination, I will be convinced. If none of us pass, we are all equally unworthy. If someone does pass, they must be older than me, and there is no reason for the older to disrespect the younger."

Shen Yiguan pointed at Zhu Yin and smiled at Wang Shizhen, "Brother Yuanmei, what do you think of this boy?"

He wasn't testing Zhu Yin's poetry and classical texts; he was testing his intellect. In his view, these were more important than poetry and classical texts.

Wang Shizhen had no choice but to nod and say, "She is a blessed child, exceptionally beautiful and intelligent. I wonder who gave birth to her."

He couldn't help but feel a little regretful. Zhu Yin was only ten years old, but his performance surpassed that of his grandson Ruifang.

If Ruifang were facing Shen Yiguan's tricky questions today, she certainly wouldn't have handled them as well as Zhu Yin.

Shen Yiguan nodded and said, "Brother Gangfeng, no wonder you like Zhihu so much, saying he is a precocious prodigy, it is indeed true!"

Although Zhu Yin was only ten years old, talking to him felt like talking to a court official.

What is this? This is Su Hui.

Hai Rui stroked his beard and smiled, every wrinkle on his face radiating joy and an air of pride.

He seized the opportunity to say, “Yuanmei, Jianwu, although this child is a talented and beautiful boy, it is a pity that his parents have died and he has no master to teach him. It is not right for him. However, I am too old and have limited knowledge to teach him.”

"You two... um?"

As he said this, he made a gesture, meaning: Take it?
Zhu Yin hadn't expected that Old Man Hai would actually find him a teacher. If he could get it done today, wouldn't his godfather be saved trouble?
Wang Shiquzhen smiled slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and stroked his beard in deep thought without saying a word.

Zhu Yin, observing Wang Shizhen's demeanor, sensed that Wang Shizhen was somewhat cold.

Ha ha.

This man from Yanzhou Mountain, who was praised for his ability to write a thousand rabbits with his pen and compose two oxen with his poems, and who "treated poor scholars with concern as if they were his own children," was indeed a man of great character.

He felt protective of his grandson because he had a past conflict with him.

However, Zhu Yin thought it was perfectly normal. After all, he was his own grandson.

Even he himself liked to protect his own. Nobody's perfect, how many people are like Old Man Hai who helps those in need and doesn't side with his own family? Zhu Yin himself couldn't do that, so of course he wouldn't harbor any resentment towards Wang Shizhen.

Shen Yiguan glanced at Wang Shizhen and smiled, "Brother Yuanmei, if you have no interest, I would like to take you under my wing."

He was self-aware. Wang Shizhen was not only older and more experienced than him, but also far more renowned for his literary talent. If Wang Shizhen was willing to accept Zhu Yin, he would have no choice but to give him up.

Wang Shizhen hesitated, though he really wanted to accept Zhu Yin's precious talent.

But thinking of his beloved grandson, Wang Ruifang, he couldn't help but sigh. If he were to take Zhu Yin as his apprentice, Ruifang would surely feel resentful and unhappy.

It's hard to say what kind of trouble might arise then. Perhaps it's best to leave it at that. Many child prodigies don't necessarily turn out well as adults.

Wang Shizhen shook his head and sighed, "I am over sixty years old, hard of hearing and with failing eyesight, and no longer fit to be a teacher. I am afraid I will mislead students and fail to live up to Brother Gangfeng's good intentions."

Shen Yiguan readily agreed, “In that case, I will gladly accept. I am free from official duties and live a carefree life, so it would be perfect for me to take on a disciple.”

He stopped there. He wouldn't offer to let Zhu Yin become his disciple.

Without a second thought, Zhu Yin knelt down and said:

"Your son, Zhu Yin, wishes to become Shen Gong's disciple and hopes that he will accept me as his teacher!"

After saying this, he kowtowed and bowed deeply.

Shen Yiguan did not allow Zhu Yin to waive the formalities, but instead sat upright and accepted the greetings while saying:
"Very well. Zhihu, it is fate that brings us together. Since Hai Gong has suggested it today, I will accept you as my disciple. From now on, you will be my student, Shen Yiguan's disciple."

Zhu Yin bowed again, "Disciple pays respects to Master! Master, please accept my bow!"

He thought to himself: Godfather, you can't believe it, Master Shen has already taken me as his disciple before you even found him.

I'm determined to cook this big, cold stove.

Shen Yiguan looked relieved and said gently, "The ground is cold, get up."

"Yes!" Zhu Yin got up and personally poured tea for Shen Yiguan. "Sir, please have some tea!"

Seeing this scene, Wang Shizhen couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

Shen Yiguan accepted the tea. “To have such a talented person to teach is the greatest joy in the world. Brother Gangfeng, I came to see you off today, but I never expected to gain a disciple.”

Hai Rui smiled at Zhu Yin and said, "Young Tiger, don't forget your old man just because you have a mentor."

They even started joking around, which is quite unusual for them.

But actually, Hai Rui also felt a little regretful.

Because he hoped that Wang Shizhen would accept Zhu Yin as his disciple.

As for Shen Yiguan... although he was a rare capable official and his knowledge was highly regarded, his character was not as good as Wang Shizhen's.

Shen Yiguan appears to be honest and kind, but in reality he is shrewd, worldly-wise, and has a deep mind. He is adept at playing both sides and is very calculating.

This person is unassuming yet capable of getting things done; he is competent and has the potential to become a prime minister.

Unfortunately, he was also selfish and concerned about his reputation. In the end, he was not a wise and capable prime minister like Wang Anshi or Zhang Jiangling, who were skilled in governing the country but inept at self-preservation, and who dared to be pioneers in saving the world.

If Zhihu becomes his apprentice, he will certainly benefit greatly in his official career. But he might also be turned into a cunning and treacherous person.

But having Shen Yiguan as a teacher was much better than having none at all. Hai Rui was still happy for Zhu Yin.

He didn't expect Zhu Yin to become an ascetic in the officialdom like himself. He only hoped that Zhu Yin would become a useful person to the court and the people in the future.

Zhu Yin said to Hai Rui, "I will never forget you, Father. I heard that you have been promoted to the capital, so I came to see you off."

Hai Rui was somewhat moved. "Young Tiger, although we are not related by name, we share a bond. I am old and, after I go to the north, I am afraid my coffin will only return south."

"Young Tiger has the talent of a child prodigy, could you send me a poem?"

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then recited:

The boy with his hair hanging down was named Zhu Yin.
In September, I bid farewell to you, sir, in Jinling.

Millions of people wept as they departed.
The post station at the ten-mile post station wept at the long pavilion.

The journey through the mountains and rivers was arduous.
At seventy years old, his official pockets were empty.

The reflection of a wild goose in Xuanwu Lake
The eight musical instruments are silent as the cicadas sing in autumn.

When Shen Yiguan and Wang Shizhen heard Zhu Yin's poem, they were both surprised by Zhu Yin's quick wit and impressed by Hai Rui's integrity.

This poem has the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, very fresh and natural, even somewhat simplistic. But its main brilliance lies in its clever use of numbers. Nine and ten are separated by a line, one hundred and one thousand by a line, and seven and eight by a line.

This was originally a minor skill, but Zhu Yin conceived of it so quickly, which shows his quick wit and talent.

Wang Shizhen's feelings were somewhat complicated. To be fair, the poem was only so-so, but his grandson, Wang Ruifang, would hardly have been able to write such a poem in a short time.

Zhu Yin's talent truly surpasses that of Ruifang.

Shen Yiguan nodded and said, "At seventy years old, his official career was clean, and he no longer sang like a cicada in autumn. Brother Gangfeng, a hundred years from now, you will truly be a figure of eternal glory in Xuanwu Lake, and your name will be recorded in history."

"Young Tiger, I consider your farewell poem to be passable. Good."

Hai Rui said somewhat reluctantly, "Zhihu, I have accepted your poem. I hope we will meet again in the future. I have official business to discuss, so you should go back now."

"Yes." Zhu Yin gave Hai Rui a deep look. "Take care, Father. I'm off. When we meet again, it will be in Beijing."

Shen Yiguan said, "Zhihu, I am staying at the Ningbo Guild Hall. Come and see me there in a few days. Go now."

Zhu Yin accepted the order and said, "Yes, disciple takes his leave!"

He then bowed to Hai Rui and Wang Shizhen before leaving the study.

……

Zhu Yin led Ning Qingchen into the carriage, left the Censorate, and hurried home as the sun set.

Inside the carriage, Ning Qingchen asked in a childish voice, "Is that Wang Shizhen the same person as Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng? Did you test him?"

Zhu Yin never expected that Ning Qingchen would be interested in Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng.

He shook his head and said bluntly:

"To put it bluntly, I don't think Wang Shizhen, as a high-ranking official born into wealth and with a smooth career, had the patience to write such an encyclopedia."

"It's not that he lacks the talent, but rather the patience. Just like a wealthy person, it's difficult to write an online article that sells for millions."

"The Four Great Classical Novels, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, The Scholars, Investiture of the Gods, Flowers in the Mirror, Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and Officialdom Unmasked... So many great classical novels, none of the authors were officials who took the imperial examinations."

"Why is Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng an exception?"

"Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng is a middle-to-lower-class scholar who failed the imperial examinations and is unconventional. He could be Xu Wei, Tu Long, Feng Menglong, etc., but he could not be Wang Shizhen."

Ning Qingchen tilted her head and said, "I think you make a good point. So, who do you think Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng is?"

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then replied after a moment's thought:

"Too much evidence points to Xu Wei, most likely the same Mr. Qing Teng. He was exceptionally talented, highly gifted, experienced, and both flamboyant and eccentric, which perfectly matches the tone of 'Ping Mei Jin'."

"Therefore, I have absolutely no interest in testing whether Wang Shizhen is Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng. Because the possibility is too small."

Ning Qingchen grabbed Zhu Yin's hand and said in a childish voice, "If you can see Xu Wei, you must ask him if he is Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng."

Zhu Yin pinched her little nose and asked curiously, "Can you tell me why you care so much about this issue?"

Ning Qingchen smiled sweetly, her rosy cheeks both adorable and earnest. "This is an academic question. As a time traveler, I have the awareness to unravel historical mysteries. What do you say?"

“Okay.” Zhu Yin nodded. “Dr. Ning, you’re right.”

After Zhu Yin finished speaking, he felt that Ning Qingchen and Ning Caiwei, these two sisters, had completely different personalities.

If it were her older sister in the carriage, she would definitely discuss issues such as becoming a disciple with her, be happy for Shen Yiguan's apprenticeship, and think about what gift to give him.

They wouldn't care whether Wang Shizhen was the author of "Plum in a Vase".

My older sister is concerned with practical matters: making money, surviving, and climbing the social ladder.

But her younger sister was more interested in more "sophisticated" topics.

As for issues such as taking on a master, she completely ignored them.

By the time we got back to Qingqiao, the lanterns were already lit.

Not long after Zhu Yin returned, and Ning Qingchen had just finished nursing, the Kangxi brothers sent over a summary of intelligence information.

Under the lamplight, Zhu Yin looked at the information sent by his informants, his gaze gradually turning cold.

Seeing Zhu Yin's expression, Ning Qingchen, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Zhu Yin said, "Wait a minute, let me analyze this intelligence first. It's too chaotic, but it's definitely not a good thing."

He combined various pieces of information for comprehensive analysis and quickly reached a conclusion.

"The Wang family plans to send people to infiltrate among the craftsmen. They intend to set fire to the craftsmen's shacks and create a tragedy."

"This is just one step. There's another step: they plan to get close to and bribe Jin Yunniang to poison us."

"Besides that, there's a third step. We can't speculate on it yet."

"So ruthless?" Ning Qingchen's face was a little pale. She climbed onto Zhu Yin's back, looked at the various intelligence reports, and frowned.

"How come I don't see that? Can these two conclusions be drawn from this information?"

Zhu Yin said, "Can't you see it? Then let me analyze it for you. Can we draw these two conclusions from these seemingly unrelated pieces of information?"

P.S.: My newly opened stock account has already lost money, so frustrating... Goodnight, thanks.

(End of this chapter)