Di Ming

Chapter 203: Can the top scholar become a prince consort?
Meanwhile, Zhu Yin, adorned in red and colorful decorations, rode through the streets on horseback, surrounded by a retinue of followers and gongs, making quite a spectacle of himself.

The people of the city were overjoyed, as if they had seen a celestial being. Everyone said that this Lord Wenqu was extraordinary, that he had descended to earth with good fortune, otherwise how could he have achieved the highest honors in all three categories at such a young age?

Seeing the prodigy's brilliance, countless hearts were captivated and utterly enthralled. Those who failed the exams were even more disheartened, feeling utterly powerless to compare themselves to him.

Passing the imperial examination and having their family name listed in the genealogy were the greatest honors for them in their studies. As for achieving the highest honor in all three levels of the imperial examination, they never even dared to dream of it.

What a night this is! They have unexpectedly met the living God of Literature, who has passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, and is a child prodigy who is only twelve years old!
Many shops spontaneously set off firecrackers to celebrate, saying they wanted to share in the good fortune, literary talent, luck, and nobility of the child prodigy and top scholar.

Many people lit incense voluntarily, some even kneeling and prostrating themselves as if worshipping a deity. Zhu Yin had no choice but to return the gesture with clasped hands and a bow. Firecrackers crackled and incense smoke filled the air along the way.

Pedestrians spontaneously moved to the left side of the road to let the top scholar pass first.

Truly: Incense burns along the way, the whole street gazes upon Zhu Lang. The child prodigy is appointed the top scholar, auspicious purple clouds move in all directions.

When they arrived at Chongwenmen Street, the crowds watching Zhu Yin were already enormous. Soldiers from the Five City Garrison and Shuntian Prefecture had to be deployed to patrol the streets and maintain order.

The nearby streets and alleys were packed with people, cheering and shouting, all eager to catch a glimpse of the Ming Dynasty prodigy and auspicious omen for the nation.

Zhu Yin sat upright on his horse, riding slowly amidst the entourage. Seeing the crowd of onlookers, his face radiated joy, and his heart was filled with boundless pride.

Even for a time traveler, this glory made him a little dizzy and unable to remain calm.

The feeling of being the center of attention and constantly admired is absolutely amazing.

Within three years of arriving in the Ming Dynasty, he achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, rose to the sixth rank in the officialdom, and became famous throughout the land.

Meanwhile, Caiwei had already amassed a fortune of several hundred thousand.

They've really become rich and powerful.

When Zhu Yin arrived at Wanfu Gambling House, he was overjoyed.

He knew, of course, that Ning Caiwei had placed a large bet at Wanfu Casino and had won more than 30,000 taels of silver this time.

This woman is a money-making machine; every time she makes a move, she makes a fortune.

Just as the procession of the top scholar arrived at Wanfu Gambling House, a tall young man in his early twenties was kicked out by the gambling house's steward.

One of them shouted, "Wei Si! You already owe sixty-eight taels of gambling debt! Even if you were sold, you still couldn't pay it back! Go find some silver! If you can't pay it back within half a month, we'll take your wife and daughters as collateral! Get out of here!"

The young man angrily retorted, "You wouldn't let me leave after I won, and you encouraged me to keep gambling! In the end, I lost again! You big shops bully your customers! Do you think I, Wei Jinzhong, am easy to bully?!"

"If you push me too far, I'll enter the palace as an official. Once I rise to power, won't you regret it? Let's be lenient and show some mercy, how about that?"

"Become an official and rise to power?" The gambling den steward sneered. "You? Even if you castrate yourself, you might not be able to enter the palace. And even if you do, you'll only be a lowly servant. You think you can rise to power and become a eunuch? Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror!"

Wei Si angrily said, "Look! The top scholar has arrived! Your gambling den is still insulting its customers in the street; this is disrespectful to the top scholar!"

The gambling den steward sneered, "Well done, Wei Si! You really know how to spout nonsense!"

Upon hearing the names "Wei Si" and "Wei Jinzhong" while on horseback, Zhu Yin's heart stirred.

Isn't that Wei Zhongxian's real name? The age matches, he also speaks with a Hebei accent, and he was forced into the palace because of gambling debts.

It must be the famous Nine Thousand Years Old.

Just as Zhu Yin was thinking this, he saw the young man, who was most likely the "Nine Thousand Years Old," suddenly rush forward. Before being stopped, he knelt down in front of the horse with a thud and kowtowed, saying:

"This humble servant, Wei Jinzhong, pays his respects to the Top Scholar! I have been instructed by the gods to await your presence and serve as your attendant!"

As he spoke, he kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Lord Wenqu, I, Jinzhong, bow a hundred times, and I know not what to say!"

He was barely literate, but he loved watching plays, and these words were all learned from the plays.

Zhu Yin never expected that the "Nine Thousand Years Old" would actually kneel down in front of the horse and beg to be led away from the horse when he was desperate.

This person is quick-witted, very bold, adventurous, and adept at leveraging opportunities and seizing fleeting chances. He truly deserves the title of the Ninth Prince of the Ming Dynasty.

He's a ruthless person, judging by his small actions.

"You audacious scoundrel! How dare you offend the top scholar!" The constables of Shuntian Prefecture immediately stepped forward, grabbed Wei Si, and shouted:

"What do you want to do! Who ordered you to do this!"

"Search him for any concealed weapons!"

This is no small matter. If the newly appointed top scholar were to be murdered in the street by thugs, the face and prestige of the court and the emperor would be damaged, and many people would be implicated.

Zhu Yin did nothing and watched helplessly as Wei Jinzhong was taken away.

Rules are rules. Even if he wanted to give this high-ranking official a chance, he couldn't publicly pardon him; instead, he had to teach him a lesson.

Otherwise, those who try to get promoted by chance will emerge one after another to imitate this person, all wanting to be imprisoned and forced to serve.

In ancient times, there were countless people who wanted to become slaves to the powerful and wealthy; it wasn't something you could just decide to do!

According to the law, the future Nine Thousand Years Old (a high-ranking official) will be taken to the yamen (government office) and given thirty or fifty lashes. In short, he will not have a good outcome.

Wei Jinzhong did not resist, but shouted loudly, "I am a humble man with a sincere heart, but you, sir, are discerning and will surely know the heart of a humble man!"

Zhu Yin turned around and met Wei Jinzhong's eyes, which looked like those of a drowning person looking at a savior.

Zhu Yin nodded to him subtly, giving him a meaningful look.

This is something the so-called "Nine Thousand Years Old" needs to understand for himself. If he is truly a smart man, he will come to pay his respects again after being beaten at the yamen.

If he weren't smart enough, he wouldn't dare come again.

Wei Jinzhong immediately understood when he saw Zhu Yin's expression.

He chuckled, his whole demeanor instantly brightening. "I was impetuous, I'll go to the yamen to accept my punishment willingly!"

Zhu Yin whispered to one of the constables, "Take him to the yamen and give him a light punishment, but don't beat him too badly."

The constable whispered, "I will obey Your Excellency's orders. Your Excellency is truly benevolent and righteous."

Zhu Yin was the top scholar in the imperial examination and a sixth-rank Hanlin Academy lecturer; his orders could be referred to as "imperial decrees".

This shows that Zhu Yin had already wielded the power of an official, and could decide the honor and disgrace of ordinary people with a single word.

Zhu Yin immediately reminded himself: Don't let power cloud your judgment, be careful not to be assimilated by officialdom, and don't fall into that great dyeing vat that devours truth and goodness.

With power in hand, how can one not be cautious?
One must always be humble and self-disciplined, never change one's original aspirations, and never be arrogant or conceited.

Do it well, do it well!
……

The good news arrived at Yunxiang Inn early, and Shang Yang, Han Shang, Mao Wenlong, and others were overjoyed.

Zhu Yin is their lord. Now that Zhu Yin has achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations, they are not only proud of him, but their future is also more secure.

The owner of Yunxiang Inn was extremely honored and personally arranged a banquet to welcome Zhu Yin back. The owner even specially vacated a small courtyard for Zhu Yin to stay in.

Zhu Yin's status is now completely different. He is now a Hanlin Academy lecturer who has achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, making him a potential prime minister! At Zhu Yin's age, he may become the youngest Grand Secretary in the Ming Dynasty.

"Congratulations, my lord!" Shang Yang, Mao Wenlong, and the others offered their congratulations, and everyone excitedly escorted Zhu Yin into the inn's courtyard.

Although Zhu Yin brought a large group of people and the place was a bit crowded, it was still very lively.

"Kangxi!" Zhu Yin instructed Kangxi as soon as he returned, "Go to Da Shi Yong Fang and Nan Xun Fang in the inner city, find the best brokers, and buy the most suitable house..."

Logically, Zhu Yin should have sent someone to buy a nice house in Beijing long ago, instead of staying in an inn. However, buying a good house in the inner city of Beijing wasn't simply a matter of having money.

After all, it was right under the emperor's nose, near the imperial palace. The hierarchy of residences was still quite strict, unlike in places outside Beijing where it was merely a formality.

Without an official rank or title, you are not eligible to purchase a high-class residence within Beijing's inner city. Even if you did buy one, the ownership could not be transferred, and the property rights would not be yours.

Even if the system becomes lax, it can't get any lax under the watchful eyes of the emperor and the court, with the imperial censors patrolling the city every day.
Therefore, Zhu Yin could only wait until he was granted an official position before he could buy a house in the inner city, where he could buy a larger and better house.

Now he is a sixth-rank official and a Hanlin scholar. According to the current system, he can buy and build a large house with five rooms and seven bays in the capital, which will have plenty of rooms.

Upon receiving Zhu Yin's order, Emperor Kangxi immediately went to the real estate brokerage to buy a house.

Less than two hours after Zhu Yin returned, and having just seen off a group of fellow villagers from Nanzhi who had come to offer their congratulations, Wei Jinzhong, leaning on his cane and limping, came to pay his respects.

The gatekeeper announced the arrival, and Zhu Yin laughed and cursed, "That bastard Wei Si, he really came! Let him get in!"

This person is perceptive and can read between the lines, understanding one's own intentions. He is a rare, intelligent, and quick-witted individual, and can be employed.

But it depends on how you use them. As a leader, you should employ people without being bound by convention. You should use both virtuous and wicked people.

Zhu Yin certainly understood Wei Zhongxian's character. With such a villain, one could use him on the one hand, but one couldn't be too polite on the other.

Soon, Wei Jinzhong threw away the stick, stepped into the hall, and bowed to Zhu Yin, kneeling down and saying, "Your son, Wei Jinzhong of Hejian Prefecture, greets Father."

He kowtowed as he spoke, the thuds echoing loudly on the floor.

Nowadays, only servants call their masters "father." Wei Jinzhong, upon meeting Zhu Yin, immediately referred to himself as "child" and called him "father," clearly identifying himself as a servant. He did so without batting an eye, acting all serious; he had a very thick skin.

A man who has a wife and daughter, yet still castrates himself to become a palace servant, shows how ruthless he is to himself.

This skill of fawning and selling oneself into servitude is something most people can't do.

When everyone saw that Wei Jinzhong was handsome and dignified, and that he actually called Zhu Yin "father" upon meeting him, they couldn't help but laugh.

This person is utterly shameless!
"Father?" Zhu Yin was stunned. He knew Wei Zhongxian was shameless, but he never expected him to call him father.

I don't have a son that big.

But Zhu Yin did not correct his form of address, and said indifferently, "Stop kneeling, get up and speak."

Wei Jinzhong raised his bruised forehead and said with a sincere and honest expression, "Father is sitting in the hall, how can I stand? I will kneel down to answer your question."

He was a very shrewd man. Since the nobleman had allowed him to come in and pay his respects, he knew that the nobleman was willing to give him a chance to seek refuge.

He was fully aware of how important this opportunity was.

Zhu Yin said, "A man's knees are worth gold; he should not kneel down at the drop of a hat. I do not like people kneeling and bowing."

Wei Jinzhong quickly replied, "Father is right, I will rise and answer."

He immediately kowtowed, then obediently got up, bent over and stood with his hands hanging down, his expression extremely respectful and humble.

Zhu Yin glanced at Wei Jinzhong, picked up his teacup, sat up with his legs crossed, and said slowly, "How many lashes did he get when he was taken to the yamen?"

“Father,” Wei Zhongxian cupped his hands, “Although I was sincere, I was still ignorant and was punished with thirty strokes of the cane by the Shuntian Prefecture. It was a lesson I learned.”

"I know that Father must have instructed the constables to show mercy. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been injured so lightly."

He had been taken to the yamen and flogged more than once. But this time the beating was very light, and he immediately guessed that it was Zhu Yin's doing.

Zhu Yin put down his teacup. "Not bad, at least you know I asked them to show mercy. Wei Jinzhong, who else is in your family?"

Wei Jinzhong answered honestly, "Father, I am married with a wife and a daughter. My daughter is only three years old and still needs to be fed."

Zhu Yin smiled enigmatically, "You willingly become a slave, wanting to hold my stirrups and lead my horse, but what about your wife and daughters at home?"

This question has a trap. It remains to be seen how Wei Jinzhong will handle it.

If the connection isn't handled well, Zhu Yin won't know how to use it.

Wei Jinzhong said with a sorrowful expression, "I am willing to be your slave, and I am willing to die for you, so that my wife and daughters can have someone to rely on. If you have pity on me, they can benefit from it too."

"You scoundrel!" Zhu Yin laughed and scolded. "Fine, I'll take you in since I feel sorry for your wife and daughter. You'll be in charge of the carriages and horses for now. All these dozens of horses and several carriages are yours, and the procurement of horse feed is also your responsibility. Go and recover from your injuries."

Wei Jinzhong was overjoyed and immediately took out his indenture, held it high above his head, and knelt down, saying:

"Your son thanks you for the task, Father! Even if I become skin and bones, I will make sure the horse is fat and strong."

Although managing carriages and horses was not an easy task, Wei Jinzhong was already quite satisfied.

Kangxi and Qianlong stepped forward, took the indenture from him, and handed it to Zhu Yin with both hands.

Zhu Yin glanced at it and then casually placed it on the table.

Upon seeing Zhu Yin accept his indenture, Wei Jinzhong breathed a sigh of relief and tactfully said:

"I am now your servant, Father. Please give me a new name so that I may feel at ease."

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "I won't change the surname. Let's change Jinzhong to Zhongxian, which means both loyal and virtuous."

"Thank you, Father, for bestowing this name upon me!" Wei Jinzhong bowed again, his expression excited. "From now on, I will be called Wei Zhongxian, and I will be loyal and virtuous to you for the rest of my life."

"Remember your words!" Zhu Yin's face darkened. "I have my own family rules, so be careful. If you break them, you'll only have yourself to blame. Good luck!"

"Yes! Yes!" Wei Zhongxian was startled when he saw Zhu Yin's sudden change in expression.

Zhu Yin said to Kang Qianlong, "According to the second-class treatment, pay him five years' salary first, so that he can pay off his gambling debts and settle his wife and daughters."

"Yes!" Kangxi and Qianlong glanced at Wei Zhongxian, thinking to themselves that this fellow was really lucky.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian was both pleased and moved, and couldn't help but shed tears, saying:
"I don't know what to say. Father's kindness is something I can never repay in my lifetime..."

"Alright!" Zhu Yin waved his hand. "Go down and recover from your injuries. Once you're healed, go and manage the carriages and horses."

"Yes!" Wei Zhongxian kowtowed, then retreated with joy and respect.

After Wei Zhongxian withdrew, Shang Yang pondered and said, "My lord, this man has practiced martial arts. His hands are calloused from practicing archery, so his archery skills must be quite good. He is a warrior."

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "I understand."

He certainly knew that the historical Wei Zhongxian was skilled in martial arts. The Zhuozhongzhi records that Wei Zhongxian was proficient in riding and archery, and had superb archery skills.

Historically, Wei Zhongxian's background is quite mysterious. Judging from his proficiency in horsemanship and archery, Zhu Yin suspected that he might be related to bandits in Hebei.

During the late Ming Dynasty, Shandong, Hebei and other places had very poor public security, and even the so-called "horse households, farmers and soldiers" who made a living by banditry and robbery for generations emerged.

These bandit families in Shandong and Hebei were mainly products of the harsh horse administration in northern China during the Ming Dynasty, and often a clan or village would wreak havoc on the local area.

They usually farmed and raised horses, much like ordinary farmers and horse owners. When the harvest was bad, they would rob merchants and even attack Mongol and Jurchen caravans that came to the capital to pay tribute.

Because they were a family of bandits for generations, they practiced riding and archery extensively. They were one of the few groups among the common people of the Ming Dynasty who were proficient in riding and archery, and were as famous as the bandit groups of the northwest who roamed Guanzhong.

These two ethnic groups are the most suitable among the Han Chinese to serve as cavalry.

Shang Yang's words interrupted Zhu Yin's thoughts: "My lord, this Wei is a very cunning and slippery person. We must be careful."

Zhu Yin smiled slightly, "I know what I'm doing."

Shang Yang smiled as well, "It's good that you took him in. This kind of person is actually quite useful."

Zhu Yin said, "Brother Zhouming, after attending the Qionglin Banquet tomorrow, I will be reporting to the Hanlin Academy. You should prepare yourselves and go to the Hanlin Academy with me as my advisors."

The Hanlin Academy in the Ming Dynasty differed from that in the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the Hanlin Academy was located in the palace, serving as a platform for the emperor to draft edicts and consult on matters. Hanlin scholars in the Tang Dynasty were among the few officials who could serve in the palace.

However, the Hanlin Academy of the Ming Dynasty, like the Five Ministries and Six Offices, was located on East and West Chang'an Streets outside Chengtian Gate, not in the Imperial City, much less in the palace.

In this way, the staff could follow Zhu Yin into the Hanlin Academy.

Not only the Hanlin Academy, but most officials in the Five Ministries and Six Departments had staff members. These government offices relied on a large number of clerks and staff members to maintain their operation.

Otherwise, how could such a large central government office be managed with only a limited number of officials?

Shang Yang laughed and said, "I never thought that I, who am not even a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examinations), would one day be able to enter the Hanlin Academy."

Upon hearing this, Han Shang and the others exchanged smiles.

But that evening, Beiliao suddenly sent over the latest intelligence: "The Zheng family has persuaded the emperor to make the top scholar his son-in-law, but the emperor is still hesitant."

Zhu Yin was very surprised to receive this information, because he knew very well that no top scholar in the Ming Dynasty had ever become a prince consort.

Can't the top scholar become a prince consort? Not at all.

The fact that no top-ranking scholar or successful candidate in the imperial examinations became a prince consort in the Ming Dynasty was not because the system explicitly prohibited it.

This was because the vast majority of top scholars and successful candidates in the imperial examinations were relatively old and already had families. The Ming Dynasty's "Collected Statutes" explicitly stipulated that a prince consort could not be older than sixteen.

In the entire history of the Ming Dynasty, there were no more than three people who could pass the imperial examination at that age. How could he become a prince consort? His age simply wouldn't allow it.

Even if a candidate of the right age and other qualifications were to appear, the emperor might not have an unmarried daughter of similar age.

Secondly, once someone became the emperor's son-in-law, they were forbidden from serving as a civil official. The scholars who had passed the imperial examinations were unwilling to accept this, and the emperor was too embarrassed to do so.

But who was Wanli? He was an emperor who wanted to depose the eldest son in favor of the younger one and who did not attend court for thirty years.

He did many absurd things in his life. It's not that he was incapable of doing such things.

As for myself, I'm under sixteen and unmarried. So I actually meet the requirements.

If Emperor Wanli truly intended to make him his son-in-law and sacrifice his own career, even if the court officials objected, they wouldn't have many reasons to do so.

Zhu Yin was devastated when he received this information.

The Zheng family is truly despicable!
After receiving the intelligence, Zhu Yin discussed the matter with Shang Yang and others overnight before finally going to sleep late.

……

Early the next morning, Zhu Yin dressed himself neatly and rode to the Ministry of Rites to attend the Ministry of Rites' Imperial Banquet (Qionglin Banquet).

But Zhu Yin today is not just attending a banquet!
P.S.: The claim that top scholars in the Ming Dynasty couldn't become imperial sons-in-law is not so simple. It wasn't a systemic prohibition, but rather a lack of practical conditions. Happy New Year to everyone, and best wishes. Thank you all for being with me in 2024. Goodbye, 2024.

(End of this chapter)