Di Ming

Chapter 180 Welcome, General!

On the fifth day of the ninth month, Zhu Yin and other newly appointed scholars went to the governor's office in Yingtian to attend the Deer Cry Banquet.

At the banquet, the song "Deer Cry" was sung and the Kui Xing dance was performed. The newly appointed candidates were all from the same year of the provincial examination, and they addressed each other as elder brothers, always sharing the same blood and lineage.

This is also a requirement for every imperial examination. Those who passed the provincial examinations in their senior year often had connections with each other.

At the Deer Cry Banquet, Zhu Yin, being the top scholar in the provincial examination, was invited to compose a poem in the courtyard. He then offered a toast in celebration and recited a new poem:
The deer's cry echoes far into the deep forest, and stars fall amidst the evening glow.

They say I am a celestial being, but I am a flower in the mortal world.

Being a top scholar in the provincial examination is nothing to be proud of, and being a filial and incorruptible official is not something to boast

How can one compare to those who pass the imperial examinations, who then release their robes and sing in Donghua?

When the scholars heard this, they looked at each other and said, "Zhu Lang of Jiangzuo is truly a scholar of the Wei and Jin dynasties."

...

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival.

Zhu Yin invited his friends from the Xuan Society to a banquet at Qinmao. The group climbed to a high place to enjoy the view, planted dogwood sprigs everywhere, played the zither, and composed poems to express their feelings about the autumn wind. Zhu Yin personally wrote "Ode to the Ancient Pine Trees".

The poem contains the lines: "The autumn wind blows into the ancient pine's dream, and the ancient pine can hear the wind of the Qin Dynasty. A thousand years have passed quietly, and looking back, the world is empty of harmony."

...

On September 12, Tian Yi stepped down as the eunuch garrison commander of Nanjing and went north to the capital to be promoted to Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei saw Tian Yi off at Tongji Gate. Zhu Yin broke off a willow branch and composed a poem praising Tian Yi:

The sweet pear tree remains by the Wu River.
Huang Yang Ren Xianfeng.

Qinhe Jianzheng Yi

The bright moon shines on Tian Gong.

Tian Yi encouraged Zhu Yin, saying, "As the saying goes, everything has a beginning, but few things have an end. You are known as a child prodigy and have achieved success at a young age. You should remain humble and diligent in your studies, and you will eventually achieve great things. Do it well, do it well."

He then instructed Ning Caiwei, "Be a good wife to the Zhu family."

...

On September 15th, Xu Xiaobai held his coming-of-age ceremony.

Zhu Yin, having achieved the highest rank in the provincial examination, dressed in formal attire and entered the Prince of Zhongshan's residence to serve as a guest at Xu Xiaobai's coming-of-age ceremony. On that day, more than a thousand people attended the ceremony, all of whom were high-ranking officials and nobles.

Xu Xiaobai bowed in the courtyard. Zhu Yin followed ancient rites, bestowing upon him the three caps, and the congratulatory speech was given twice. He then took Xiaobai's courtesy name and named him Wenyang.

The records of the Zhongshan Prince's Palace state:
"Initially, on the fifteenth day of the ninth month of the year Wuzi in the Wanli era, the Duke of Wei was coming of age and invited Zhu Yin to be the host and guest at the coming-of-age ceremony. At that time, Yin was only eleven years old, and it seemed improper for him to be a guest at the coming-of-age ceremony."

"Ran Yin presided over the grand ceremony with perfect order and thoroughness, leaving no room for criticism. He was no less than the elders and no less than the senior scholars. Under the watchful eyes of the public, he remained calm and composed. His reputation grew even more as a result."

"People of the time said: He was refined and elegant, with innate wisdom. Since the Tang Dynasty, the so-called child prodigy seems to be Zhu Lang."

From the moment Zhu Yin passed the imperial examination with top honors to the moment he bestowed the title upon Xu Xiaobai, within just half a month, the renowned name of Zhu Lang of Jiangzuo resounded throughout Jiangnan.

By crowning Xu Xiaobai, everyone could see that since Zhu Yin could preside over such a grand ceremony and not make any mistakes on such a large occasion, he was capable of handling important matters and should not be underestimated.

Zhu Yin was at the height of his fame, and no one dared to challenge him.

.........

The Zhu family is currently breaking ground to build a massive mansion spanning hundreds of acres, designed by Ning Caiwei.

To build her luxurious mansion, Ning Caiwei hired the best craftsmen in Nanjing and spent a fortune on large materials, regardless of cost.

The two hundred slaves from the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) that Tian Yi had transferred also arrived at the Zhu family residence to take on various miscellaneous tasks.

In less than two years since arriving in the Ming Dynasty, the time traveler has already amassed a large and prosperous family.

Fields stretched as far as the eye could see, granaries were overflowing with gold and silver, herds of cattle and sheep roamed the land, and servants were everywhere.

As the business grows and the population increases, things can no longer be as casual as before; rules must be established.

Ning Caiwei appointed the seventeen-year-old Jin Yunniang as the head of household management, overseeing more than two hundred household servants of slave status. Below her were three tiers: steward, clerk, and steward.

Ding Hongying was appointed as the captain of the female guards, leading a group of female guards including Galo and Xue Susu, who served as her personal bodyguards.

Zhu Yin also officially appointed Lan Cha as the chief guard, in charge of both veteran and new guards. They were divided into four ranks: A, B, C, and D, based on their martial arts skills and seniority.

Domestic service and security systems were also established and put into practice.

The five major systems—household management, household security, intelligence (records' quarters), commerce (Ningyin Trading Company), and social organizations (Xuanshe)—all have management bodies.

As the Zhu family rose to prominence, everyone in the family, from masters to servants, benefited. Everyone in Qingqiao knew that even Zhu Yin's dogs and hawks ate the envy of all.

Although the Zhu family later rose to become the largest family in Qingqiao Village, their reputation also improved.

Many people say that Ning Caiwei is charitable and kind, a reincarnation of Guanyin. Zhu Jieyuan is known for helping those in distress and for his public-spiritedness.

Even if you borrow money from the Zhu family's bank, the interest rate is only 10%, which is much better than usury.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei were busy for a few more days, and by the end of September, they were about to set sail.

.........

September 22nd, Renwu day, is an auspicious day for long journeys.

It is advantageous to go somewhere, and it is advantageous to cross great rivers.

Zhu Yin and his group quietly set sail and arrived at the Zhoushan Islands five days later, then went to Daishan Island, where they had been separated for nine months.

Qi Jiguang and Xu Wei came to Daishan in the summer and have been there for several months.

They had been waiting for Zhu Yin to arrive. Because they knew about Luzon earlier than Zhu Yin, they unanimously believed that Luzon should be captured.

The provincial examination is over, and I don't know if Zhu Yin passed it or not; he probably didn't.

Unbeknownst to them, Zhu Yin not only passed the imperial examination but also became the top scholar at the age of eleven, making him famous throughout Jiangdong.

That day, Qi Jiguang supervised the training of troops as usual. Xu Wei wrote a five- or six-hundred-word essay titled "The Chronicle of Xia Shen" and, once again carrying a pot of wine, went to see the iron smelting at the Daishan Ironworks.

After Xu Wei arrived at Daishan Island, he confirmed that Zhu Yin had established a small base overseas. The island not only had a population of over 20,000 and a large number of craftsmen, but also the ability to mobilize thousands of soldiers. Furthermore, it was building an ironworks, manufacturing firearms, and constructing new ships.

Zhu Yin's Eight Banners system was not only well-suited for situations with a sparse population where soldiers and civilians were integrated, but it also allowed for firm control over military and civilian finances and provisions. In Xu Wei's view, it was indeed a good method.

But what interested Xu Wei even more was the iron from the Daishan Ironworks, which was much better than the iron from the Foshan Ironworks of the Ming Dynasty.

Xu Wei was an expert in military affairs, and when he served under Hu Zongxian, he often contributed to the design and illustration of military equipment.

He knew very well that the quality of Ming Dynasty's swords, spears, and firearms was questionable due to the poor quality of the iron and the rough forging.

The Ming army's firearms and swords were inadequate, mainly due to the poor quality of the iron used.

Although there was good iron, the quantity was too small to be used for military purposes.

However, Xu Wei discovered that the iron produced by the Daishan Ironworks was much better than that produced by Foshan Ironworks.

Although it is not as good as the expensive iron from the Western Regions, it is not far behind, and is even better than the iron from foreign barbarians.

It is said that the iron smelting method used in this ironworks was also improved by Zhu Yin. The craftsmen on the island experimented with Zhu Yin's method for half a year before they were able to produce good iron.

Over the past few months, more than 50,000 jin of high-quality iron has been produced.

With good iron, many things become much easier.

The artisans at the island's arsenal used this high-quality iron, following Zhu Yin's method, to create a new type of cannon that was far superior in quality to the cannons used by the Ming army.

The musket barrels made according to Zhu Yin's improved method were not only less prone to bursting, but also did not require a match cord; instead, they were struck with flint.

This type of firearm is called a flintlock musket. It was only successfully developed in the last two months and is better than the matchlock musket.

The warships being built at the shipyard are enormous, a result of Zhu Yin's efforts to improve the shipyard.

The island also produces a type of long-tube telescope, made of crystal, which can see things several miles away. It works on a similar principle to the Aida telescope and has considerable military applications.

Xu Wei suspected that Zhu Yin might have obtained the lost secrets of the Mohist school and Lu Ban, or the secrets of foreigners, which enabled him to improve so many good things.

He is truly a chosen one.

Xu Wei strolled around the ironworks, arsenal, and shipyard for a while, sensing the bustling and thriving atmosphere, before leaving satisfied.

Indeed, what he loved most was the atmosphere in the factory. Whenever he felt this atmosphere, which was something that the imperial factories lacked, he truly felt that rebellion was an opportunity, not just a pipe dream.

Here, every day brings new changes and new hope.

Xu Wei was about to go find Qi Jiguang when he suddenly heard cheers coming from the shore.

Immediately afterwards, a salute was fired, followed by shouts:

"Xiao Jie is so cool!"

"Let's line up to welcome Marshal Jie!"

P.S.: I was too busy today and was planning to take a day off, but I still managed to write over two thousand words. I originally intended to write a detailed account of the Deer Cry Banquet, but considering there's also the Qionglin Banquet after passing the imperial examination, I won't go into detail about the Deer Cry Banquet. Few people are interested in the coming-of-age ceremony, so I won't go into detail about that either. I'll try to update more tomorrow. Sorry, I was too busy today. Thank you for your understanding.

(End of this chapter)