Di Ming

Chapter 137 The Strange Book
Upon hearing Xu Wei's words, Zhu Yin immediately understood.

The shrouded figure of Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng, whose identity has been the subject of much speculation and conundrum by later scholars, is none other than Xu Wei.

He is the author of "Meiping Jin"!
Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng remains a mystery in the late Ming Dynasty.

The novel *Meiping Jin* was written between the Longqing and early Wanli periods, at most a dozen years ago. However, regarding the identity of Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng, at this time we can only speculate and do not know who he was.

“Sir, you can keep this a secret. I don’t need to find out later.” Zhu Yin’s smile was quite amusing.

Seeing Zhu Yin's expression, Xu Wei knew that he had concluded that he was Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng.

He was surprised and somewhat helpless, and his old face even turned a little red.

"Young Tiger, how did you guess that I am Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng?"

Some people do speculate that he wrote it, but most speculate that it was written by the hypocrite Wang Shizhen.

It was also his deliberate scheme against Wang Shizhen.

Zhu Yin could only give a vague and perfunctory answer: "It was my godfather's guess. He is the old friend I mentioned before."

"Your godfather?" Xu Wei's mustache twitched slightly. "Although I finished writing this book fifteen years ago, not many people have read it. Not even many have heard of it."

"Has your godfather seen it?"

“Uh, this…” Zhu Yin chuckled, “My godfather has read it and said it’s a remarkable book, full of profound wisdom and insight.”

Ning Qingchen felt a chill run down her spine.

Qi Jiguang read this? That little tiger is really good at talking nonsense.

I'll see how this scoundrel explains himself to Qi Jiguang then.

Xu Wei nodded and smiled, "Most people who have read this book are reluctant to discuss it. Your godfather is quite upright."

Zhu Yin: "..."

He wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to bring that up? Curiosity killed the cat. Ugh, what a chatterbox!

But the question wasn't in vain; we finally found the answer.

There have been many speculations about who Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng was, with more than a dozen theories. Shen Defu, the author of Wanli Yehuo Bian, only said: "It was written by a famous scholar during the Jiajing period."

However, only a few people, such as Wang Shizhen, Tu Long, Xu Wei, and Feng Menglong, have been widely recognized by later generations.

Recent research has found that Wang Shizhen is less likely to be the culprit, while Xu Wei is more likely, as there are the most clues related to Xu Wei.

Some in academia have even asserted that there's no need to guess anymore; Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng is Xu Wei.

Zhu Yin's question today confirms it.

Xu Wei suddenly asked, "Zhihu, you haven't read that book either, have you?"

Zhu Yin's teacup trembled slightly. He raised his youthful face, his hair styled in a topknot, and said with a slightly dazed expression:
"Ah? Uh... I heard my godfather mention it, and I wanted to see it for myself, but he wouldn't allow it. So I never got to read it. Sir, what exactly is this strange book about?"

Xu Wei stared into Zhu Yin's clear eyes. "You really haven't seen it?"

Zhu Yin shook his head vigorously, his expression absolutely certain, "I really haven't seen it. Is there something wrong with it?"

This time it was Xu Wei's turn to shake his head. He stroked his beard and said seriously:
"There's nothing wrong with it. It's just... there are too many words, and they haven't been shortened, so it's not easy to read quickly."

Although Tang Rong and Zhuang Shu didn't have much affection for the famous Xu Wei, they were quite curious and asked in unison:
"What kind of extraordinary book is this, Mr. Qing Teng? Could you tell me about it?"

Xu Wei chuckled, picked up a cup of tea, and drank it while covering his face with his sleeve.

"Don't ask me anymore, I haven't even read it." Zhu Yin glared at the two girls. "In short, it's the greatest book of the Ming Dynasty, but unfortunately, although it has been published for many years, very few people know about it. It's a treasure hidden in the hands of the Ming people."

Tang Rong and Zhuang Shu exchanged a glance, their curiosity growing. They couldn't help but yearn for the book, wishing they could find a copy to read first and use it as a topic of conversation to show off their erudition.

Although Xu Wei was a morally questionable person, his writings were undoubtedly those of a master.

Ning Qingchen had a low threshold for laughter and suddenly couldn't help but giggle, rolling around on the futon next to her.

“This baby…” Xu Wei looked at Ning Qingchen, “is exceptionally intelligent, with a graceful and charming demeanor; she’s a bright child. Zhihu, is this your sister?”

Zhu Yin nodded: "She can be considered my younger sister, and my wife's younger sister."

"Hahaha!" Xu Wei couldn't help but burst into laughter. "I, Xu, have weathered over sixty years of storms and snow, and have seen countless people. I have never seen a ten-year-old boy with his one-year-old wife's younger sister!"

“Young Tiger, you are quite unconventional. I am not alone in my path.”

He was growing increasingly fond of Zhu Yin. This child was truly extraordinary.

Zhuang Shu and Tang Rong both looked displeased.

What sister-in-law? She's just the sister of Ning Dajiao, a child bride. And what difference is there between a child bride and a servant?
Zhihu, associating with someone like Xu Wei is not a good thing for you; it will be detrimental to your future.

Zhu Yin changed the subject, saying, "Sir, what do you think of my thatched cottage? It was originally an ancient royal temple of the Southern Dynasties, now used as a thatched cottage by the Zhu family. However, this cottage and villa does not yet have a name, so I would like to ask you to bestow a name upon it."

After saying that, they raised their glasses in a toast.

When Xu Wei saw Zhu Yin, a mere child, acting like a precocious adult, he couldn't help but smile, thinking of his own past.

Looking at the green mountains, white clouds, ancient pines, and thatched cottages, he swayed his head full of blossoms and said in a clear voice:
"This place is a serene and secluded spot, the site of Songdeng Temple built by Emperor Wu of Liang. However, the trees came first, and the temple came later. When the temple was built, the ancient pine tree was already seven hundred years old, a Qin pine."

"Oh?" Zhu Yin was quite surprised. He thought these ancient pines were from the Liang Dynasty, but they turned out to be from the Qin Dynasty, which made them even older.

Of course, it is impossible to determine the exact age of the ancient pine tree by visual inspection alone.

"How do you know so much detail, sir?"

Zhu Yin chuckled as soon as he asked the question. He then remembered that Xu Wei was also a renowned local historian.

Xu Wei's knowledge of local gazetteers was unmatched in the Ming Dynasty. His extensive knowledge and prodigious memory were truly exceptional.

Sure enough, Xu Wei smiled and said, "Every mountain and river has a story. This place is beautiful with clear waters and lush mountains, a place where the wind gathers and energy accumulates. How could it not be recorded in local chronicles?"

"First came Moling, then came Jianye. But before Moling, there was Jinling."

"When the First Emperor passed through Jinling, he once stayed here. At that time, the Qin Chidao (a road for building Qin emperors) was under construction, and it was stipulated that pine trees should be planted every three zhang (approximately 10 meters). These pine trees are known as Qin pines. Everyone knows that the First Emperor loved pines."

"You thought these nine ancient pine trees were a gift from Emperor Wu of Liang, but little did you know they were a gift from the First Emperor," Xu Wei said meaningfully.

"So these nine ancient pine trees were a gift from the First Emperor," Zhu Yin said with a smile. "They are Qin pines that are 1,800 years old."

"Yin happens to have an ancient zither called Tiger's Roar, made by Lei Wei, a master zither maker from the Tang Dynasty, and it is made of Qin pine."

Xu Wei said, "In that case, the young tiger is destined to be with Qin Song. How about we name this thatched hut Qin Mao?"

"Qin Mao?" Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel admiration. "Sir, your talent is unparalleled, no one can surpass the brilliance of Qin Mao."

If someone else were to name it, it would likely be something like Qin Songlu, Songfengcaotang, or Songxue'an, all rather ordinary.

However, the name Qinmao is truly ancient and profound.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Sir, since you've bestowed the name Qinmao upon us, please use your calligraphy to inscribe the name for Qinmao."

After all that talk, this is his real purpose.

They wanted an inscription by Xu Wei.

Xu Wei, being open-minded and unpretentious, simply said, "Bring me pen and ink!"

Soon, the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were laid out. The presenters were the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat of Huzhou, the Prefect of Xuanxiang of Huizhou, Mr. Chu of Xuanzhou, and the Marquis of Jimo of Duanzhou.

All four treasures are the best.

Zhu Yin personally ground the ink for Xu Wei, who then grabbed the Imperial Secretary and, with a stroke as sharp as a knife, wrote two large, wildly cursive characters: Qinmao.

It is imbued with a vigorous and unrestrained spirit, bold and elegant, a natural creation.

With just two words, it seems as if mountains are rushing and seas are rising, and winds are surging and clouds are surging.

Zhu Yin had already achieved some success in calligraphy, so he naturally had the ability to appreciate calligraphy and was quite confident in himself.

But seeing Xu Wei's cursive script at this moment gave me goosebumps and a feeling of dread.

it is good!
well!

good good!
It truly lives up to its reputation as an authentic work by Mr. Qing Teng. Xu Wei's cursive script is hailed as "the beginning of cursive script in the Ming Dynasty."

If this one authentic work were auctioned off in later generations, I wonder how much it would fetch.

After writing the two large characters, Xu Wei added a line of smaller characters as his signature, including "Old Man of Green Vine".

Tang Rong and Zhuang Shu also had a good eye for calligraphy. When they saw Xu Wei's calligraphy, they were both amazed and speechless.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Sir, you are first three parts intoxicated by wine, then three parts intoxicated by tea. Why not let your brush flow like dragons and snakes, and spare no effort in displaying your exquisite skill?"

He even took the opportunity to ask for more calligraphy, becoming insatiable. "Hahaha!" Xu Wei laughed, liking Zhu Yin's straightforwardness, and said, "Very well, then I will give you a poem, 'The Knight-Errant'."

After finishing his sentence, he wrote in a flowing, elegant style:
Young men gather here, their spirits soaring high.

Swallowtail arrows, willow-leaf spears.

To pay respects at Hou Sheng's tomb, I rode a donkey into Daliang.

Upon seeing this poem, "The Knight-Errant," Zhu Yin was filled with a sense of timeless heroism and poignant sorrow.

The poem is good, and the calligraphy is even better.

He knew Xu Wei's poem. Xu Wei gave him "The Knight-Errant" because he believed he possessed the heart, courage, and righteousness of a knight-errant.

"Thank you, Mr. Xie!" Zhu Yin said, cupping his hands in thanks. "I will certainly live up to the name of a chivalrous knight."

Xu Wei laughed and said, "Young Tiger, I've already given you two calligraphy pieces. Have you given me any?"

Zhu Yin said with embarrassment, "How dare I presume to teach someone my own skill and make a fool of myself? My poems and calligraphy are truly not worthy of being presented to you, sir."

Xu Wei disagreed, saying, "Since Zhihu is a child prodigy, why should he belittle himself? Just keep writing."

Zhu Yin sighed helplessly, thinking to himself that this person's actions were indeed unconventional.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and pick up the book, then hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Then I'll make a fool of myself and present you with a new poem."

He immediately adopted a focused, almost obsessive, attitude and wrote with complete concentration:
The mountains and waters of Jishan and Jingshui have produced many great scholars.
The talent of Jiangdong has withered and died.

The moon, after a thousand years, has condensed and transformed into its brilliance.
Why did this pearl end up unnoticed in the vast ocean?

After finishing writing, Zhu Yin looked at Xu Wei with trepidation, like a primary school student looking up at a teacher checking homework.

The previous trust has vanished.

Xu Wei stared intently at it, his expression serious, and he even showed a hint of admiration.

“Child Tiger, your calligraphy has reached a high level. When I was ten years old, I was no better than you.”

"Although your poem is simple and unremarkable, it is still remarkable that you, being so young, could write such a poem. In particular, I have already expressed the sincerity in the poem."

"Your calligraphy and poetry are worthy of the title 'prodigy'."

He likes Zhu Yin's poems, especially the empathy they convey.

Xu Wei was not a pearl of a thousand years. Yet the imperial court, like a vast ocean, had overlooked him.

Zhu Yin breathed a sigh of relief. "Sir, you flatter me. I am truly ashamed, yet inexplicably delighted."

Zhu Yin was flattered by Xu Wei's praise and his confidence was restored.

Upon hearing Xu Wei's affirmation of Zhu Yin, Tang Rong, Zhuang Shu, and Ning Qingchen gained a deeper understanding of Zhu Yin's talent.

I underestimated it before.

Xu Wei looked at Zhu Yin, who was only ten years old and already showing great promise, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He really liked this young friend who was much older than him, whom he had met at first sight.

The young tiger is only ten years old. Judging from his appearance, he doesn't look like someone who died young. He should be able to live for several more decades.

However, based on his assessment of the situation in the world, he believed that the Ming Dynasty would inevitably descend into chaos within a few decades.

Xu Wei had long been utterly disillusioned with the imperial court.

The more intelligent a person is, the clearer their vision becomes, and the more desperate they feel.

Being too awake is so painful.

He knew that the Ming Dynasty was in its twilight years and terminally ill.

Given the current problems with the people's livelihood, officialdom, and military preparedness of the Ming Dynasty, it will either perish in the Yellow Turban Rebellion or repeat the mistakes of the Song Dynasty.

There will be no other outcome.

The young tiger is likely to face great chaos in the future. When that chaos arrives, countless people will die in battle.

Unless, a peerless hero emerges, turning the tide, rising before the chaos arrives, reforming the old and establishing the new, and cleansing the world.

Even if it leads to a change of dynasty, it's better than the future destruction of the country and the suffering of its people.

But how difficult it is, how difficult it is.

"Sir, what's wrong?" Zhu Yin asked, noticing that Xu Wei looked somewhat dazed.

Xu Wei snapped out of his reverie and said with a somber look in his eyes, "It's about to rain."

Zhu Yin looked up and saw that the sky had turned as black as ink.

It looks like it will rain within an hour.

Once the autumn rains begin, it's followed by a continuous stream of cold rain.

“Let’s go back quickly.” Zhu Yin stood up. “Sir, please come with me. I have a carriage that can shelter you from the wind and rain.”

Xu Wei hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay."

.........

The autumn wind is bleak, and the air is filled with mist and rain.

A light autumn rain was falling all around. Pedestrians on the road rolled up their trousers, some carrying oil-paper umbrellas, others wearing raincoats and straw hats.

Inside the carriage, Xu Wei and Zhu Yin chatted about the past, laughing heartily from time to time.

Zhu Yin was like a kindred spirit to him, as if he were an old friend from a past life, which made him extremely gratified.

The autumn water dripped onto the carriage wall, and although the wind and rain were gloomy outside, the carriage was not soaked at all.

He couldn't help but recall a sentence Zhu Yin had once said: "Sir, I will protect you from the wind and rain."

Zhu Yin also told Xu Wei about his own experiences, and he didn't hide most of the things from him.

Of course, he had not yet told Xu Wei about the Daishan Army and Nurhaci.

If we want to win over Xu Wei, we need to let him see our potential.

A person like Xu Wei would not oppose rebellion.

Zhu Yin even suspected that Xu Wei was eager to rebel.

Xu Wei remained silent after hearing what Zhu Yin said.

After a long while, Xu Wei suddenly asked, "Child Tiger, what exactly is your ambition?"

Zhu Yin said with reservation, "To rectify the world and save the people."

These eight characters are all about how you interpret them.

Zhang Juzheng was a man who brought order to the world. Even if it were said out loud, it wouldn't be considered taboo.

Xu Wei thought a lot. He thought of Zhang Juzheng, but also of the possibility of surpassing Zhang Juzheng.

Is it really possible?
Being young is a terrible advantage.

If Zhihu really passes the imperial examination next year, he will be an eleven-year-old scholar, one year younger than Yang Tinghe.

If Zhihu passes the imperial examination at the age of twelve, he will be the youngest person to pass the imperial examination in hundreds of years!

With this title, he would be known throughout the world and become an auspicious omen for the Ming Dynasty.

With his intelligence, if he planned carefully, he could become a high-ranking official in the imperial court in his twenties.

If I could also gain control of the military... then...

Suddenly, Xu Wei remembered that Zhu Yin's surname was Zhu!

Zhu was the imperial surname of the Ming Dynasty.

Why can't the "Zhu" in Zhu Yin's name be "Zhu"?
The practice of having concubines give birth to concubines, this stinking rule of the corrupt imperial court, should have been changed long ago!

In an instant, something that had been sealed away in Xu Wei's heart for a long time was unsealed and could no longer be suppressed.

He suddenly remembered the black-robed prime minister, Yao Guangxiao!

P.S.: I've been working overtime all weekend and can't update much. I'll be able to update more tomorrow, though, as I still have some writing to do tonight. That's all for now. Why did Xu Wei think of Yao Guangxiao? Thank you, goodnight.

(End of this chapter)