Di Ming

Chapter 138 The Chronicles of Summer

Without Yao Guangxiao, there would be no Emperor Chengzu of Ming.

Xu Wei thought of Hu Zongxian, Qi Jiguang, and Yu Dayou.

These three men were all outstanding individuals, but unfortunately, they were also staunch loyalists to the imperial court.

None of these three individuals were able or willing to surpass Zhang Juzheng's achievements and usher in a true golden age of harmony.

Over the years, he has observed many people. Some were scheming and opportunistic, some were single-mindedly focused on becoming officials, some were mediocre and incompetent, some were law-abiding, and some were self-serving.

He had tested both Li Chengliang and Yang Yinglong, and although they had the ability and ambition, they were by no means great heroes who would serve the country and its people.

But today, this child he had just met actually gave him a feeling of "a rare commodity worth hoarding".

He had a gut feeling that Zhu Yin was very likely the kind of person he was looking for!
Zhu Yin was not only exceptionally talented and kind-hearted, but more importantly, he was unlike any other. He did not hold the court in awe, but instead harbored lofty ambitions and a deep concern for the well-being of the people.

Moreover, he possesses remarkable strategic acumen at a young age. He is adept at winning people's hearts, strategizing, and leveraging external forces. When the time is right, he shows no mercy to his enemies, displaying absolutely no womanly compassion.

He returned to Jiangning from Southeast Asia in just a few months and built a family business from scratch, replacing the Wang family as the local tycoon.

He foiled a Jesuit conspiracy, befriended Hai Rui and Tian Yi, enrolled in the Imperial Academy, and brought down the Wang brothers…

To possess such mental acuity at such a young age is truly a prodigy.

He believed that Zhu Yin was not lying and that these things were true.

He also noticed that Zhu Yin had calluses on his thumbs, indicating that he practiced archery frequently, which showed that he was martial and did not neglect martial arts, and that he would not be a weak scholar in the future.

This is the bearing of a great hero throughout the ages!

If this child's ambition is reignited, he could very well surpass Zhang Juzheng in the future.

Xu Wei grew more and more expectant as he thought about it; his long-cooled passion seemed to be rekindled at this moment.

He really wanted to know just how far Zhu Yin could go!
*********
This autumn rain, once it started, just wouldn't stop.

Zhu Yin, showing compassion for the craftsmen, simply gave them a holiday and temporarily suspended work on the construction site.

But Zhu Yin himself was in a tragic situation; he was a student.

Little boy, carrying his schoolbag, goes to school, unafraid of wind and rain.

Amidst the bleak winds and bitter rains of Jiangnan, Zhu Yin would go into the city to attend classes every morning at 4:45 AM, accompanied by his guard Lancha and his page Kangxi.

Then, at 3:15 PM, school ended and I went home. After returning home, I would train the students, giving them a lesson for an hour.

First, I listened to other people's lectures. Then, I came back and taught other people's lectures.

Homework and training were carried out step by step, rain or shine.

In his spare time, he practiced Qi family martial arts, managed the intelligence network, practiced the musical scores given to him by Tian Yi, and chatted with Xu Wei.

Life was both hectic and leisurely.

Xu Wei was arranged to stay in a separate courtyard. Shang Yang came to stay with him for a few days. After Shang Yang left, he read, wrote, painted, and composed articles in the courtyard.

With his improved living standards, Xu Wei no longer worried about food and clothing, and suddenly became relaxed and carefree again.

He temporarily found a new pleasure: writing the full-length mythological novel "The Summer Gods".

This was, of course, a "conspiracy" orchestrated by the time traveler Zhu Yin.

At this time, Xu Zhonglin's "Investiture of the Gods" had been published for more than ten years.

Wu Yuantai's "Travels to the East" has been around for decades and is already widely circulated.

Yu Xiangdou's "Travels in the North" and "Travels in the South" have been published for more than 20 years.

Wu Cheng'en had written most of "Journey to the West," but it had not yet been published, though it had already begun to circulate.

Zhu Yin believes that although novels such as "Investiture of the Gods" and "Journey to the West" have made great contributions to Chinese mythology, they also have many regrets.

The main problem is that the mythological systems in the two books contradict each other in many places and are not compatible, which is not conducive to the logical closed loop of the Chinese mythological system.

A nation's mythological system is an important factor in national cohesion.

The Han people in later generations lacked cohesion and were often criticized for being disorganized, for many reasons. One major reason was the lack of a unified mythological narrative.

The origins of Han Chinese mythology are diverse and fragmented, forming relatively independent systems that make it impossible to reach a unified understanding. Even the accounts of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are subject to numerous conflicting interpretations and no consensus has been reached.

This has resulted in a lack of unity on the innate ideology that should have been unified, while unity has occurred on the acquired ideology that should not have been unified.

Therefore, Zhu Yin would often "patiently guide" Xu Wei, emphasizing the importance of Chinese mythology to the Han dynasty and peddling various mythological stories to inspire Xu Wei.

This inspired Xu Wei to write "The Chronicles of the Xia Dynasty," which compiled and perfected a grand and rigorous system of Chinese mythology, serving as the standard for Chinese mythology.

For example, the first step in mythology is to unify the accounts of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

It organically integrates stories such as the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Taoist mythology, Pangu creating the world, Nuwa creating humans, Kuafu chasing the sun, and Houyi shooting down the sun, making them logically connected and mutually explanatory.

At the same time, it must be compatible with "Investiture of the Gods", "Journey to the West", "Classic of Mountains and Seas", "Journey to the East", "Journey to the South", and "Journey to the North".

It is also necessary to explain the incompatibility between the Lord of Mount Tai and King Yama, and to reconcile them.

Moreover, for the sake of entertainment, it should be written as a novel.

This is a very big ambition.

After successfully inspiring Xu Wei's desire to write, Zhu Yin suggested that Xu Wei should create a hierarchy of gods and a cultivation system in his book.

They even suggested things like the "Golden Three Chapters" and leveling up by fighting monsters...

It's practically a tutorial on how to write fantasy and martial arts novels for future generations.

Upon hearing Zhu Yin's various "suggestions," Xu Wei felt as if he had suddenly gained enlightenment, and even admired a child for the first time ever.

I admire not only Zhu Yin's ideas, but also his dedication to education.

Zhu Yin was also worried that Xu Wei would get tired, so he hoped that he would write slowly, just for fun, and not in a hurry, and treat it as a hobby.

Xu Wei said he couldn't wait to start writing "The Chronicles of Summer".

*********
After the continuous autumn rains, the Beginning of Winter arrives.

A month has passed since Ning Caiwei left.

On the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter), the Imperial Academy was closed for the holiday. Zhu Yin then took gifts and went to the Ningbo Guild Hall to pay his respects to Shen Yiguan.

This was his second time visiting Shen Yiguan. The last time he came, Shen Yiguan was entertaining guests and they didn't talk much.

This time, Shen Yiguan did not receive any guests, but waited specifically for Zhu Yin to come to his door.

"Disciple greets revered master." Zhu Yin entered Shen Yiguan's study and knelt down to kowtow without any hesitation.

"Get up." Shen Yiguan looked refreshed and was very happy to see Zhu Yin.

He wore a square turban made of velvet and a long blue cotton jacket, looking like a scholar.

“Sir, today is the Beginning of Winter, and the weather is getting cold.” Zhu Yin sensibly took out a gift. “This is a mink fur coat that I personally selected. The tanning is very well done, and there is no smell at all.”

Shen Yiguan glanced at the brand-new mink fur coat, and without refusing, nodded and smiled, "Child Tiger, you're too kind. Sit down and let's talk."

This mink coat must be worth at least a hundred taels of silver.

It is clear that this disciple is thoughtful.

"Yes." Zhu Yin sat down, and a page took away the fur coat.

Shen Yiguan immediately asked, "How were the results of the recent monthly exams at Nanyong?"

Zhu Yin honestly replied: “Reciting and reciting are excellent, policy essays are excellent, examination poems are good, imperial edicts, memorials, proclamations and judgments are also good, but the classics and essays (eight-legged essay) are only passable.”

Shen Yiguan nodded and said, "I'm not worried about your policy essays; most scholars can't match your insight. You're also fine with memorization and the examination poems. What I'm concerned about is your understanding of the classics and the current affairs essays. But unfortunately, the current affairs essays are the most important."

Zhu Yin was also speechless.

In the recent monthly exam, his essay on the eight-legged essay topic only received a passing grade. Unfortunately, the eight-legged essay topic had the highest weight in the score, which caused his score to drop to six points.

A score of six is ​​not enough to qualify for the provincial examination.

If he hadn't read the eight-legged essay before his transmigration and hadn't received Zhuang Tingjian's lectures on the eight-legged essay, he would have had a hard time even passing the exam.

The eight-legged essay was not only difficult.

In fact, you could say that its problem isn't difficult.

Instead, they speak on behalf of sages, which is grandiose but inappropriate, empty and vague, like walking on a thread, difficult to elaborate on, and without any standards.

In other words, whether your essay is well-written or not has no necessary connection with your grade.

Good grades don't necessarily mean good writing.

A good article doesn't necessarily mean good grades.

It's very mysterious.

The most crucial point is that although the imperial examination covered a wide range of subjects, the first exam, which tested the interpretation of classics and the eight-legged essay, was the most important.

How important is it?
If you write a good eight-legged essay, as long as you can pass the second and third exams without making any mistakes, you'll pass.

If you can't write good essays, it won't matter how well you do on your second or third exam.

The eight-legged essay is full of empty rhetoric, yet it accounts for 80% of the weight of the essay.

The exam content that truly tests talent, such as policy essays, legal codes, and official documents, only accounts for about 20% of the total importance.

How can this kind of exam truly test a person's abilities?
During this period, Zhu Yin wrote several essays in the eight-legged essay style, and his feeling was: those who are truly talented are not good at writing this kind of essay, and those who are not talented are even less capable.

On the contrary, those who are neither outstanding nor unsuccessful, and who are conventional, are the most suitable for writing.

Shen Yiguan continued, "You have the foundation of a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination). However, your writing of contemporary essays is still far from passing the provincial-level examination. You need to polish it repeatedly. Just finding the right topic is a major hurdle."

"Many people stumble at the very beginning of solving a problem; a small difference can lead to a huge error. How skilled should one be at solving problems? To the point where there is nothing left to solve."

"Unbreakable?" Zhu Yin pondered, yet felt a chill run down his spine.

To train to this level, that must be incredibly tough.

Shen Yiguan laughed and said, "Child Tiger, the imperial examination tests not only literary knowledge, but also patience and a humble heart."

Shen Yiguan stood up, stood in front of a landscape painting, and said:

"Young Tiger, what are your thoughts when you look at this landscape painting?"

Zhu Yin stood beside Shen Yiguan, looking up at the landscape painting, his voice clear and childlike:

"I feel awe and admiration for your greatness, and I am humbled and modest."

Shen Yiguan nodded approvingly, patted his head, and said:
"Indeed, you are very perceptive. This is the heart of humility. As the saying goes, a wise man must start from humble beginnings to reach great heights and begin from the nearest point to travel far."

To reach great heights, one must begin with humble beginnings; to travel far, one must start from the nearest point!
Zhu Yin felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and in an instant he understood why Xu Wei had failed the imperial examination.

Xu Wei was too proud.

Shen Yiguan's voice was calm and deep, each word striking a chord in Zhu Yin's heart:
"The examination for the title of Juren in Jiangnan is extremely difficult, with only one in a hundred being selected. So many people fail not only because they lack the necessary skills, but also because... many of them do not have enough humility."

“If there is even a trace of arrogance, a hint of self-importance, a bit of self-righteousness, or a hint of resentment in an article, then it loses its humility and the true meaning of the eight-legged essay. The article will lose its smoothness and gentleness, and how can it replace the words of the sages?”

Shen Yiguan looked at Zhu Yin with a solemn expression:
"How to achieve humility? By being selfless. What does it mean to be selfless? It means having no prejudice, no preconceived notions, and no personal opinions. Because I am selfless, I can become a saint. Do you understand?"

Zhu Yin opened his mouth, feeling both as if he had heard a sacred voice and speechless.

Damn it, this is the work of a lackey. No wonder so many talented people fail the imperial examinations.

What is this "humble heart"? It's just a nice-sounding term; in reality, it's about belittling oneself mentally, which is also known as "selflessness."

It's not about what I think, but what the sages think, what Zhu Xi thinks, what the examiners think, and what the emperor thinks.

In other words, you need to write an article that does not express your own opinions or highlight your own personality.

This must have been incredibly difficult for someone like Xu Wei.

"I will remember your great teachings," Zhu Yin said gratefully.

He knew that these were Shen Yiguan's golden words of wisdom, the true essence of the imperial examinations, honed through countless trials.

Shen Yiguan pointed to the landscape painting again, "Then look at it now, what is this painting that makes you feel so inferior?"

Zhu Yin solemnly replied, "It is the imperial court, the imperial palace, and the emperor."

“Excellent, this young man is teachable.” Shen Yiguan nodded. “With an extremely humble heart, he faces the court, the imperial palace, and the emperor. This is selflessness in the imperial examination.”

"With this humble heart, your writing will be smooth and gentle, and in accordance with the mean. Such writing is impeccable."

What constitutes a truly exceptional essay? It's not about being ornate and flowery, but about being flawless. Why can't the examiners find fault with it? Because you are speaking on behalf of the sages, using their words. How could the examiners possibly find a mistake?

"This is the standard, the benchmark."

"Once you pass the exam and become an official, you can put away your humble heart. Why? Because you will be a shepherd of the people, and governing a region requires authority and dignity."

"At that time, when you look at this landscape painting again, it will be from above, not from below. What you will see will no longer be the court and the emperor, but what?"

Zhu Yin replied, "At that time, what we will see is the common people and the state."

Shen Yiguan nodded. "That's right. You're already in a high position, so you see the world and its people. Therefore, you should start with the humble and then move to the noble."

Zhu Yin was very grateful. Shen Yiguan was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and his words were extremely important for his own examinations.

Shen Yiguan would certainly not easily utter these words to others.

No wonder I'm so smart, well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and have the advantage of being a time traveler, yet I always fall short in the eight-legged essay style.

It turns out that it wasn't that I lacked ability, but rather that my mindset wasn't humble enough.

Zhu Yin bowed and said, "Today, listening to your great teachings has been like a revelation, and I have benefited immensely. I am deeply grateful."

Shen Yiguan helped him up and said expectantly:

"Throughout history, many child prodigies have been ruined by their arrogance. A child prodigy is like a beautiful tree, but arrogance is like an axe."

"The so-called gentleman possesses great talent and awaits the opportune moment."

"Child Tiger, you are very smart and sensible. What's most admirable is your humility. You are not arrogant because you are a child prodigy. You are neither proud nor impatient. I am waiting for you to pass the imperial examination with flying colors."

"Yes." Zhu Yin replied sincerely, "This disciple will remember your great teachings and will not forget them for even a moment."

Shen Yiguan smiled kindly and said, "Then I will assign you some homework. Let's tackle the problems first."

"When you get back, analyze every single sentence in the Four Books. Analyze each sentence until... there's nothing left to analyze!"

"Remember, this may seem like a tedious task, but it is actually the most effective. Sharpening your axe won't delay your wood-chopping work."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin immediately got goosebumps.

The Four Books together contain over 50,000 characters, with at least 2,000 sentences. If each sentence is analyzed five times, then the analysis would need to be done 10,000 times!

Even if you solve the problem fifty times a day, it would still take more than half a year.

But Zhu Yin did not hesitate at all and said without any doubt, "Yes."

Shen Yiguan said, “Every ten days, bring your problem-solving assignments to the guild hall for me to review. By May of next year, you must complete all the problem-solving exercises in the Four Books, until there is nothing left to solve.”

"Solving a problem is like solving a case. When you solve a problem to a high degree, you can grasp the essentials and make everything clear. When you start to discuss the topic, you can finish in one go, with unstoppable momentum and a steady and reliable approach, and you can handle the situation with ease."

"By then, your essays will have greatly improved. Learning how to follow up on a topic and how to begin an essay will be a piece of cake, as natural as water flowing into a channel."

Zhu Yin deeply agreed and took it as a guiding principle.

Shen Yiguan then gave Zhu Yin some pointers on his understanding of the classics, and it was lunchtime.

Zhu Yin accompanied Shen Yiguan through lunch before taking his leave.

*********
After leaving the Ningbo Guild Hall, Zhu Yin went to the garrison headquarters to visit his aunt and uncle.

This time, no one stopped Zhu Yin from coming to the garrison headquarters. He went straight into the back hall as if he were one of the family.

Tian Yi was discussing matters in the main hall, and Zhu Yin, of course, could not interfere, so he went to pay his respects to Madam Ning first.

Ning was chanting sutras and worshipping Buddha in the Buddhist hall of the west wing. She was sitting cross-legged on a prayer cushion with her eyes closed, chanting the Diamond Sutra.

Several maids stood quietly around, not even coughing. Another maid was striking a wooden fish.

Zhu Yin sat down cross-legged beside him and also silently recited the Diamond Sutra.

After Ning finished reciting the sutra, she opened her eyes and saw Zhu Yin. She immediately smiled happily and said, "Zhihu, when did you arrive, child?"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "It only takes the time of reading one scripture. I originally wanted to read it ten or eight times with you, but you just happened to finish reading it."

Ning's still-charming face was full of a kind smile. "You child, how could you have the patience to read it with me just once? It's already too much trouble for you."

As she spoke, she looked left and right, and asked in surprise, "Where's Caiwei? Didn't she come with us?"

Zhu Yin replied, "She went to Huguang to buy goods and hasn't returned yet. Otherwise, why wouldn't she come to see her aunt?"

"Amitabha!" Madam Ning's expression changed slightly. "She's only eleven years old, a girl, going to such a far place! How can anyone feel at ease! Although women from Guanzhong are known for their boldness, this is still too much!"

Zhu Yin helped her offer incense before the Buddha and comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, sir. She's worldly and not an ordinary girl. Besides, she has plenty of guards, all of them capable and reliable."

Ning said with a stern face, "Little tiger, you said it yourself. I'll be asking you for people later."

Zhu Yin smiled wryly and said, "Don't worry, sir. I will definitely bring her to pay my respects during the New Year."

Ning then smiled again and said to the maid, "Go and get some fruit and candied fruit for Brother Yin to eat."

Zhu Yin, observing Ning's expression, noticed the unconcealed worry in her eyes and her prayers in the Buddhist hall. He asked, "What troubles you, my lady? Is there anything I can do to ease your worries?"

Ning trusted her nephew-in-law implicitly and said without hiding anything:

"A while ago, the Emperor sent a secret decree, which was actually to allocate funds from the imperial treasury. There was no other way, as the Emperor's mausoleum and the main halls in the palace needed to be repaired, and that did require money."

"Your uncle is in a dilemma. Of course, the more money confiscated from the house, the better, but you can't just make up cases unjustly, can you?"

"Even I am terrified. One wealthy family after another has been wiped out. The silver has been confiscated, but how many heads have been lost, and how many women have been sent to the brothels?"

Zhu Yin said, "Aunt, you are overthinking it. When I was among the common people, I saw them applauding and cheering. Which of those wealthy families whose property was confiscated was not filled with great public resentment and had committed heinous crimes? If all ten people were killed, perhaps some would be innocent, but if every other person was killed, there would definitely be some who escaped.

“These corrupt officials and gentry deserve to die, even if they did not plot a rebellion.”

Ning's expression softened. "Little Tiger, what you say makes sense. I've been unable to eat or sleep properly, which is why I came to the Buddhist hall to worship."

"When you see your uncle, you'd better gently advise him to stop. With so much silver sent to Beijing, the Emperor should be satisfied, right?"

Zhu Yin asked, "How many are there?"

Ning extended a hand.

Zhu Yin's brow twitched.

Good heavens, that's already five million taels!
This was only the gold and silver presented to the emperor. How many people involved in this process also benefited?

For example, I myself benefited greatly, instantly becoming a wealthy and powerful family.

Those eunuchs and imperial guards were probably all full.

Although Tian Yi has a good reputation in history, he was not an honest official, so how much benefit did he gain from it?

No wonder my aunt is chanting Buddhist prayers.

The two talked for a while longer when a maid came to report: "Madam, the master has returned to the inner hall."

Zhu Yin immediately left the Buddhist hall and went to Tian Yi's study.

In the study, Tian Yi frowned slightly, his expression showing a hint of helplessness.

"Your son greets Uncle." Zhu Yin bowed quickly and then stood up naturally.

When Tian Yi saw Zhu Yin, his expression softened slightly, and he said, "Zhihu, I thought it was time for you to come."

Zhu Yin said, "If it weren't for the heavy workload, I should have come to thank my uncle long ago."

Tian Yi waved his hand, "You don't need to thank me for those things. The Wang and Chen families were brought to justice because of your report, so you deserve credit."

Zhu Yin considered for a moment and asked, "I noticed that you look troubled, Uncle. Is there something wrong with these matters?"

Tian Yi now considers Zhu Yin one of his own, and said directly:

"Just yesterday, someone came from Macau with a protest from the leader of the Portuguese in Macau. He said that the Ming Dynasty persecuted the Jesuits and massacred believers, which angered God and the Pope. They demand an explanation."

“It’s not that I’m afraid of them. But they said that if I don’t give an explanation, they will go to Beijing to appeal and tell the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.”

"They also said that the Portuguese have 100,000 troops and countless warships in Luzon. If the Ming Dynasty does not give an explanation, the governor of Luzon will lead his army north to demand justice."

"If this matter really escalates to Beijing..."

At this point, Tian Yi stopped the conversation.

But Zhu Yin had already understood Tian Yi's concerns.

Tian Yi was not afraid of threats from Westerners.

He feared the emperor would blame him, and that the jealous eunuchs would take advantage of his misfortune.

Emperor Wanli was a very selfish person who liked to make his subordinates take the blame while he himself never took any responsibility.

If the foreigners cause trouble in Beijing, or if the Spanish fleet comes to demand an explanation, no matter the outcome, he will make Tian Yi the scapegoat.

As for whether Tian Yi was doing favors for him and making money, does that even matter?

Anyway, I've got the money.

Rather than saying Tian Yi was afraid of being punished by foreigners, it would be more accurate to say he was afraid of the emperor's cold-heartedness. This shows that he was well aware of the emperor's character.

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then, overcome by a sudden surge of malice, said:

"Uncle, as the saying goes, 'He who strikes first gains the upper hand, and he who strikes last suffers the consequences.'"

"As far as I know, there are at most a thousand foreigners on Luzon Island. What is there to worry about?"

"Why not use the pirates, kill with a borrowed knife, and fight fire with fire? This would keep the foreign barbarians preoccupied and also restrain and weaken the pirates. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"

"Uncle, if pirates attack foreign barbarians, would the foreign barbarians still dare to offend the Ming Dynasty and go to Beijing to complain and cause trouble for you?"

Tian Yi's spirits lifted. "Zhihu, are there really only a little over a thousand barbarians in Luzon? Surely not? Are you sure?"

He knew that Zhu Yin had returned from Southeast Asia.

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "Absolutely true! This is a matter of great importance, how could I dare to speak nonsense? The Western troops on Luzon Island, both by land and sea, number at most thirteen or fourteen hundred!"

P.S.: It's so hard to come up with a three-character chapter title, I regret it! Also, during the late Ming Dynasty, subjects would address the emperor as "Huangshang" (皇上). "Huangshang" wasn't just used in the Qing Dynasty; it was commonly used in the Ming Dynasty as well. The term "nucai" (奴才) was also commonly used in the Ming Dynasty. Today's monthly ticket data is truly terrible.

(End of this chapter)