Di Ming

Chapter 207 Three years have passed in the blink of an eye; it is now the year of Ren Chen (Long Chapter)

Zhu Changluo is someone who likes to talk to himself in his mind.

He was barely literate and unable to write articles to express his feelings. Yet he had many things he didn't know who to tell, and dared not tell anyone.

Her mother told her that many people in the palace were the eyes and ears of the Imperial Noble Consort. If she said something wrong and displeased the Imperial Noble Consort, life would become even harder for her and her son, and they would be bullied even more severely.

So from a very young age, he talked to himself in his heart. He rarely forgot what he said to himself, as if it were written in his heart.

"At the beginning of the fourth month of the year Ji Chou, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), I saw the Master," Zhu Changluo said to himself.

"Although I do not know you, sir, and this is our first meeting, I know that you must be the Ming Dynasty prodigy who has passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, a name even my mother has heard of."

"When I first saw him, he was standing at the door. The morning sun shone on him from behind, making him look like he was gilded, like a statue."

"When I saw that figure, I couldn't help but feel a lump in my throat, and tears were about to fall. I wanted to cry, but I also wanted to laugh."

"Sir is here."

"My mother said that my teacher is the second person I can rely on. Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher—my teacher is my mentor. With my teacher here, won't I be less afraid?"

"My mother also said that although the teacher is not much older than me, he is a national savior, a child prodigy of the Ming Dynasty, and the most intelligent and best student in the world. She told me that I must listen to the teacher."

"The gentleman came in. He said, 'Your Highness, please sit still and do not move. Your subject has come to pay his respects.' Then I saw the gentleman kneel down and bow to me."

“I was very apprehensive and wanted to stand up and help the gentleman up. I didn’t want the second elder I could rely on to bow down to me.”

"But the teacher had someone hold me down, saying that this was a national ceremony and an ancestral custom. When a prince leaves home to study, his teacher must kneel and bow first. There is no room for error or omission. He told me to accept the ceremony in peace."

"When I saw the teacher bow and straighten his clothes, I quickly stood up and performed the apprenticeship ceremony for him. My mother said that I must pay my respects to the teacher, as this is to show respect for teachers."

"The gentleman looked at me with concern and said, 'Your Highness, why are you so thin? Is it because you have worms in your stomach?'"

"When I heard this, I couldn't help but want to cry again. Mother was right, the teacher really cares about me. Father has never said such things to me."

"Although you are not much older than me, your eyes are very deep, which makes me feel at ease. I think you are very tall, like the sycamore tree at the entrance of Jingyang Palace. I have a lot to say to you after meeting you."

"The gentleman asked me gently, 'Your Highness, when you left the palace to study this time, did His Majesty summon you? What instructions did he give you?'"

“When I heard what you said, sir, I didn’t know how to answer. I felt very ashamed. I haven’t seen my father for a long time. The last time I saw him was a few months ago during the New Year. But I heard that my third brother sees my father every day.”

"The teacher didn't ask any more questions, as if he already knew. He took out a book and smiled, 'Your Highness, let's start by learning the Three Character Classic, which is a classic for enlightenment. After Your Highness finishes learning the Three Character Classic, we can learn the Thousand Family Poems and the Young Scholar's Jade Forest, and then we can learn the Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty.'"

“I told them I knew about the Imperial Ming Ancestral Instructions, but I hadn’t studied them. They all looked very serious when the Imperial Ming Ancestral Instructions were mentioned. Sir, are the Imperial Ming Ancestral Instructions difficult to study?”

The teacher smiled and said, "Your Highness, don't worry, it's not difficult to learn at all. We... Your Highness is a descendant of the founding emperor, so of course you should read the Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty. After learning these, you will learn the Four Books and Five Classics."

"Then the teacher opened the book and read the Three Character Classic to me. He would write a character on the paper after reading a line, and then he would have me write with him. He even held my hand and taught me to write each character stroke by stroke. The teacher's handwriting was really beautiful."

“My writing was crooked and messy, but the teacher was not angry or impatient at all. After I wrote a few words, the teacher praised me, saying, ‘Your Highness is truly gifted and learns quickly. However, Your Highness is too thin and weak. You should eat more and strengthen your body.’”

"I'm so happy. I didn't know I was smart after all. Sir is such a kind person. If only my father were like him. Ah, if only you were my father."

...

Zhu Yin, who was teaching Zhu Changluo to write, was of course unaware that Zhu Changluo was talking to himself. But he could tell that Zhu Changluo was very happy and had developed a dependence on him, even showing some of the affection a child has for their parents.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel some sympathy and couldn't help but feel compassion.

Zhu Yin knew better than anyone how tragic Zhu Changluo's life had been in history.

Zhu Changluo was undoubtedly the most tragic emperor in Ming history. He lived like a prisoner for thirty-eight years, only to have his reign last a mere twenty-odd days.

His mother died and he could not be buried properly; his wife died and he could not be buried properly. For decades, he lived in poverty and lacked medical care and medicine. His material supplies were often deliberately cut off, he was mentally oppressed and bullied, he was not free to move around, he was isolated and isolated in interpersonal relationships, and he was closely monitored for his every move and word.

Take this so-called "leaving home to study" for example.

The formalities and standards of the ceremony were lowered again and again, becoming extremely simple, deliberately downplaying the political significance of leaving home to study to the extreme.

Moreover, Zhu Yin could see that although Zhu Changluo was quite intelligent, his foundation was too weak. He couldn't even write the character "初" and his pen-holding posture was incorrect.

Their literacy level is lower than that of ordinary children of the same age.

Clearly, Consort Wang herself was not highly educated.

Of course, princes with Zhu Changluo's level of education were not uncommon in the Ming Dynasty.

In Zhu Yin's view, the education of Ming Dynasty princes was a complete failure, even worse than that of the Xianbei royal family and the former Yuan royal family during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

Just how bad was it? Many princes were illiterate, had poor calligraphy skills, and lacked a rigorous, systematic education. There were many semi-literate or even illiterate individuals who could neither read the classics nor write a decent piece of calligraphy.

To prevent the Crown Prince from seizing power, Emperor Taizu abolished the official system of the Eastern Palace. The so-called Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Left and Right Spring Palaces, and the Bureau of Classics were all nominal institutions, merely honorary positions held by Hanlin Academy officials on a part-time or transferred basis. As for the Three Young Masters of the Eastern Palace, these were also honorary titles, not exclusive ones.

This resulted in the education level of the Ming Dynasty crown princes being far inferior to that of previous dynasties.

The education of Ming Dynasty princes was extremely relaxed, almost entirely laissez-faire. They could study whenever they wanted, come and go as they pleased, resulting in a large number of academically weak students.

Not only was the management lax, but students also started school very late.

Children from ordinary families begin their formal education at the age of five, and usually attend community schools or private schools at the age of five or six.

But the emperor's son might not have started school by the age of ten. He might not even finish studying the Analects or reading the Thousand Character Classic in his entire life.

Among the emperors alone, several were semi-literate or even illiterate. The rest, though somewhat educated, rarely matched the scholars who had passed the imperial examinations.

Because of the system of restricting the princes' fiefdoms, the education of the princes' children was also very poor, and many of the pampered princes were illiterate.

It wasn't until the late Ming Dynasty that clan schools were established. The initial purpose was not education, but to curb the high crime rate among members of the imperial clan and raise the threshold for receiving clan stipends.

In reality, the Ming Dynasty imperial family came up with some bizarre methods for raising children by their concubines.

What is the practice of imperial concubines educating their sons? It refers to the practice of having one's mother teach a prince before he is ten or teen years old and married.

The poor eldest prince in front of us was taught by Consort Wang herself.

However, the imperial concubines of the Ming Dynasty were all selected from commoner families, not daughters of officials or nobles. How much education had they received? Coupled with the social atmosphere of male superiority and the belief that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent, it was already quite remarkable that they could read the Analects of Confucius.

Some imperial concubines couldn't even read the entire Three Character Classic. For example, Consort Wang, who came from a palace maid background.

With such a low level of education, coupled with her reluctance to let her son suffer or be punished, it's easy to see what kind of future she can raise.

Eunuchs also assisted the empresses and concubines in educating the young princes. They were truly raised by the women of the inner palace, without even a proper teacher.

Meanwhile, children of commoners of the same age were already carrying schoolbags to school, where they were punished by their community teachers with standing, copying, and being disciplined with a ruler.

By the time the so-called "empresses and concubines educating their sons" ended and the princes were allowed to study, they were often already in their teens, having missed the best stage of learning. Meanwhile, commoner children of the same age were already taking the imperial examinations to become scholars.

Most of the Ming Dynasty emperors were not as good as normal people, and the failure of education was the biggest reason.

However, what made Zhu Yin feel gratified was that Zhu Changluo was smarter than he had imagined; he was the kind of introverted yet very insightful child.

More importantly, they are obedient and have great respect for their teacher.

This is easy to handle.

Although he was the only teacher, he didn't stay in the classroom all the time.

The princes' daily studies were originally governed by a set system. However, with only Zhu Yin as their teacher, the old rules could not be implemented. Emperor Wanli simply changed the rules in an imperial edict, simplifying everything.

From then on, Zhu Yin would enter the palace at 6:45 AM every day, and after teaching for less than two hours, he could finish his lessons.

Then, Zhu Changluo would review the morning's lessons every afternoon.

Every three days was designated as a review day. On this day, he didn't have to attend classes; he only needed to instruct Zhu Changluo to review the lessons from the previous three days.

In other words, it's three days on, one day off.

According to the lectures, Zhu Changluo was required to write one hundred large characters every day, but only fifty on cold days. He was also exempt from classes on holidays.

All things considered, Zhu Yin's job was actually quite easy.

Compared to the heavy workload of the Manchu princes, Zhu Changluo's studies were much easier.

Zhu Yin waited in the right wing until 9:00 AM, after teaching Zhu Changluo ten Chinese characters and assigning him homework. Only then did he offer some encouragement and prepare to end the get out of class.

Before leaving, Zhu Yin said to the eunuchs and palace maids sent by Consort Zheng to monitor Zhu Changluo:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status. As palace officials, you should serve His Highness well while he studies. Any negligence would be a violation of etiquette."

No one dared to contradict the highly renowned child prodigy, fearing divine retribution, so they could only offer perfunctory replies such as, "Sir, rest assured, we will not dare to be negligent."

Even though they were Consort Zheng's people, they dared not be disrespectful to Zhu Yin.

Because Zhu Yin was so famous.

A child prodigy who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations—unprecedented in history—was a living Wenqu Star Lord, protected by the gods. How dare these eunuchs and palace maids offend him?

They feared divine retribution for disrespecting Zhu Yin.

In reality, let alone these insignificant figures, even the superstitious Consort Zheng wouldn't dare to kill Zhu Yin. Zhu Yin's achievement of passing the imperial examinations with top honors at the age of twelve was truly terrifying.

Zhu Yin knew that the true mistress of the harem was Consort Zheng, who held absolute power in the palace. Even powerful eunuchs like Tian Yi and Chen Ju from the Directorate of Ceremonial dared not openly oppose her authority.

Therefore, Zhu Yin could not do anything to these lackeys. He could only give them a light warning to make them restrain themselves and not treat the eldest prince too harshly.

Zhu Yin immediately took out some gold melon seeds and distributed them to these hounds, instructing them to take good care of the eldest prince while he studied.

It's really just about paying these lackeys to be lenient with Zhu Changluo and treat him better.

Everyone bowed and scraped, flattered and surprised, and said they would take good care of "Youhai".

After completing these tasks, Zhu Yincai and Zhu Changluo bid each other farewell and left Huangji Gate amidst the students' reluctant gazes.

As soon as Zhu Yin left, Zhu Changluo immediately lost the peace he had just felt. He couldn't help but shed tears as he watched his teacher's departing figure, as if he would never see his teacher again.

Zhu Changluo said to himself:

“The master is gone. I’m really scared. Once he’s gone, he’ll never come back. The spring scenery outside is so beautiful. The master has gone into the spring scenery. But I’m going to be sent back to Jingyang Palace, like a little bird locked in a cage.”

"Sir, I really don't want to be locked up in the palace. I'm afraid of my father, I'm afraid of Consort Zheng. I really want to go out and see the world with you."

A surge of impulse and courage welled up within Zhu Changluo. He suddenly stood up, ran out of the right wing, and called out to Zhu Yin's retreating figure, "Sir!"

Zhu Yin turned around, his still somewhat immature face, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness."

Zhu Changluo asked with a look of deep respect, "Will you come again tomorrow, sir?"

The teacher's smile shone brightly in the sunlight as he said, "Your Highness, rest assured, go back and study hard. I will come again tomorrow."

Zhu Changluo was immediately relieved, feeling a comfort he had never experienced before, as if he himself was basking in the radiant spring sunshine.

"Don't worry, sir, I will definitely study hard." Zhu Changlu smiled happily, revealing his missing baby teeth that hadn't all come in yet.

But then the gentleman waved his hand and walked further and further away.

When the master left, Zhu Changluo felt that his soul had gone with him, entering the vast world outside the palace.

……

April 12th.

Zhu Yin, a Hanlin Academy lecturer and Left Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, submitted a memorial requesting that the eldest son of the emperor be granted a carriage to facilitate his travels and studies.

The memorial contained the following sentence: "...The Holy Emperor's grace extends to the world, treating his subjects leniently while strictly disciplining the imperial heirs; this is truly the way of a wise ruler. However, the imperial family and nobles are ultimately different from commoners. If they were to walk freely and travel without restraint, I fear that the dignity of the Han Dynasty would not escape the criticism of fools..."

The Emperor, upon reading the memorial, angrily exclaimed, "This child is disrespectful and has stirred up trouble! Does he think I can be deceived?"

He immediately prepared to issue an imperial edict to severely reprimand Zhu Yin, denouncing him for stirring up controversy and seeking fame unnecessarily, and planned to fine him one month's salary as punishment.

Tian Yi, the Grand Master of Ceremonial, advised:

"Zhu Yin is the tutor of the princes. He is ordered to teach the princes. The relationship between teacher and student is a matter of etiquette and human relations. Zhu Yin is ignorant and cannot understand His Majesty's painstaking efforts to train the princes. However, his loyal and righteous actions and his thoughtfulness are his duty and there is nothing wrong with them."

"If His Majesty issues an edict to reprimand him, the outer court will take Zhu Yin's words seriously, which will only damage His Majesty's wisdom. Such mutual suspicion between the inside and outside will inevitably lead to public criticism."

"In my humble opinion, it would be better to leave it unsaid and ignore it. If it remains unsaid, how could Zhu Yin not reflect on his own conduct?"

The emperor trusted Tian Yi greatly and immediately adopted his advice, keeping only Zhu Yin's memorial in the palace, turning a deaf ear, but not issuing any further decree to punish him.

However, Zhu Yin submitted a memorial, the contents of which were known to both the court and the public. Although Wanli Emperor did not approve it, Zhu Yin's attitude of upholding the foundation of the nation immediately won the favor of the court officials.

The court officials showered him with praise.

Some say that "Zhu Yin was upright and incorruptible, truly a minister worthy of responsibility."

Some say that "Zhu Zhihu was of age when he danced with elephants, and he stood in court holding a tablet, becoming the tutor of the princes. This was not by chance, but because he was truly worthy of the appointment."

Some say, "Zhu Lang of Jiangzuo has achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, becoming a child prodigy renowned throughout the Ming Dynasty, and people regard him as an auspicious omen. However, many know his talent, but few know his virtue." Upon hearing this, the Zheng brothers scoffed, saying that Zhu Yin was a fame-seeker, a treacherous villain disguised as a loyal minister, and would surely become a wicked official like Yan Song in the future.

……

During this time, Zhu Yin did not forget to visit his teacher Shen Yiguan and visit Old Man Hai, listening to their teachings.

He also paid visits to his mentors in the provincial and metropolitan examinations, including Liu Zhenyuan, Xu Guo, and Zhao Nanxing. He also cultivated relationships with officials and befriended eunuchs, demonstrating his skill in social maneuvering.

Besides lecturing to the eldest prince, he also went to the garden with his fellow graduates, posed for poems, went on spring outings, socialized, and composed poems together.

Zhu Yin even paid respects to the abbots and temple masters of Xishan, seeking to establish good relations with them.

Zhu Yin was like a benevolent benefactor, spending money like water.

Anyway, Ning Caiwei told him to boldly spend money to build connections.

Through monetary diplomacy, Zhu Yin's popularity soared to the point of envy and jealousy within a month.

On April 15th, Zhu Yin met with an old acquaintance, the Jurchen envoy Eidu, at the Hongfeng Temple in Xishan.

“Brother Eidu, I’m so happy to see you.” Zhu Yin said fluently in Jurchen. “I wanted to meet Brother Eidu after seeing the Jurchen envoy in the palace.

Eidu bowed and said, "Eidu has seen I like Prince. Seeing I like Prince is like seeing a relative."

"It's been so long, I love how much taller Baylor has grown!"

The two greeted each other with a hug, which was very warm and friendly.

Eidu, of course, knew of Zhu Yin's current reputation and admired him immensely. He said that Zhu Yin truly deserved to be called "I like Prince," a name blessed by both Cuohazhanye and Fuduo Mama.

It is also said that Nurhaci, Shurhaci, Chuying, Daishan, Dongguo Gege, and others all cherish the memory of 'I like Beile'.

It turns out that Eidu's trip to Beijing, ostensibly to represent Nurhaci in paying tribute, was actually to sell goods.

Zhu Yin was also aware that economic interests played a significant role in the tribute paid by the Jurchens and Mongols to the Ming Dynasty.

Mongolian and Jurchen tribes often brought goods to Beijing to pay tribute and sell them to the imperial court.

If the imperial court didn't buy them, or couldn't buy them all, they would sell them to private individuals.

Now that Emperor Wanli is unwilling to spend money to buy goods from the Jurchens, the Jurchen delegation's goods have not been sold, which makes Eiji very anxious.

He also planned to sell the goods and use the silver to bribe powerful figures like the Zheng family in order to secure a title for the prince.

Now that Beile is about to unify the entire Jianzhou tribe, he needs a higher official position to rightfully command the various Jianzhou tribes.

He also needed money to buy urgently needed goods such as salt, cloth, tea, and herbs.

Zhu Yin chuckled inwardly, patted his chest, and said, "Brother Eidu, don't worry! If the imperial court won't buy your goods, I'll take them all!"

Eidu's expression brightened, but he immediately frowned and said, "I like you, Prince. The delegation has several hundred people and brought hundreds of camels' worth of goods. It's worth thirty thousand taels of silver..."

“I’ll take it!” Zhu Yin was very loyal. “Thirty thousand taels of silver is a lot of money, but what can I do? I’m a Beile of the Jurchen tribe, so of course I have to take care of my own people.”

"Otherwise, how will I ever face Brother Wild Boar Skin again?"

Eidu was very moved. "I like the prince, so I won't stand on ceremony."

Zhu Yin said, "Making money in the tribe is too slow. It's better to rob Japan, where there is plenty of gold, silver and slaves."

Eidu said, "The warriors also have this idea. I heard my favorite prince say that Japan has a lot of gold and silver. The two princes also have this idea, but they don't have ships and are afraid of accidents at sea, so they dare not go to fight."

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Don't rush, take your time. I'll figure out a way to make the warriors in the tribe richer and richer."

Upon hearing this, Erdu became even more eager.

Zhu Yin added, "I also want to petition for Brother Wild Boar Skin to be appointed as the Dragon and Tiger General. I will have someone submit a memorial and make arrangements, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, Brother Wild Boar Skin will become the Dragon and Tiger General of the Ming Dynasty this year."

Eidu said with delight, "I like Beile. You are truly a relative and auspicious person of the Jianzhou tribe. I, Eidu, don't know what to say. Thank you, Lord Cuohazhan, for letting my beloved Beile come to Jianzhou."

Eidu was finding it difficult to obtain an official title, but unexpectedly Zhu Yin helped him obtain one.

What he didn't know was that Nurhaci was supposed to be appointed as the Dragon and Tiger General by the Ming Dynasty this year.

Zhu Yin was merely talking and trying to gain a favor.

Eyidu didn't know how to thank Zhu Yindu enough.

I like Baylor; he's a truly rare and wonderful friend!

...

After seeing Eidu off, Zhu Yin secretly summoned the key members of Beiliao and personally arranged new intelligence work.

In addition to the capital, intelligence plans for the nine border regions, Mongolia, Jurchen, Korea, and Japan must also be prepared and carried out.

Funding increased fivefold!
Higher requirements have been set for the selection of new family members. The benefits for family members have also increased.

On April 17, after repeated petitions from Tian Yi, Hai Rui and others, the emperor was finally moved by the maritime trade benefits of Zhoushan and issued an edict to restore the county of Zhoushan, retaining the old name of Changguo County.

The emperor issued an edict to restore Changguo County and ordered Ningbo Prefecture and Songjiang Prefecture to relocate 20,000 landless people to Zhoushan Island.

When the news spread, many officials in the Jiangnan region opposed it, saying that the emperor's move would attract pirates and Japanese pirates, compete with the people for profit, and violate ancestral rules. They argued that it would be detrimental to the Ming Dynasty.

The reason for violating ancestral rules is that Changguo County was abolished by the founding emperor.

Why does Your Majesty want to restore Changguo County and relocate people to the island after Emperor Taizu abolished it?
Emperor Wanli, mindful of the benefits of maritime trade, insisted on establishing counties and relocating people, and all opposing memorials were kept in the central government and not issued.

Therefore, it was imperative to establish Zhoushan as a county.

Upon learning this, Zhu Yin couldn't help but clench his fists in celebration.

Mr. Xu's plan is finally about to succeed!

……

On April 20, Qi Jiguang arrived in Beijing.

Zhu Yin secretly met with Qi Jiguang, and the father and son discussed the matter for a long time before Qi Jiguang returned home drunk.

That very night, Tiger Tooth spies rushed to Jizhou to gather intelligence.

On May 12, an imperial censor suddenly impeached Zhang Bangqi, the general of Jizhou, for killing innocent people and claiming credit for his crimes, and for embezzling military funds.

Then, other court officials followed suit and impeached Zhang Bangqi, saying that he was smuggling goods out of the pass and using government troops to help merchants transport goods.

On May 18, the Ming court dismissed Zhang Bangqi from his post as the commander-in-chief of the Jizhou garrison and arrested him, bringing him to the capital for trial.

As a result, the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Jizhou Garrison became vacant.

The court officials submitted memorials one after another, recommending a new commander of Ji, and each had their own candidates.

Shen Yiguan submitted a memorial stating that the north was recently in turmoil and the country was looking for a capable general. He requested that Qi Jiguang be appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Jizhou garrison.

Hai Rui also submitted a memorial arguing that Qi Jiguang's merits outweighed his faults and that he should be reinstated.

Many court officials echoed Shen Yiguan and Hai Rui, believing that the north was unstable and that Qi Jiguang should be reinstated to atone for his past mistakes and redeem himself through meritorious service.

For a time, the most people recommended Qi Jiguang as commander-in-chief, surpassing Zheng's recommendation of Wang Bao.

Zhu Yin, of course, did not submit a memorial recommending Qi Jiguang. His relationship with Qi Jiguang remained a secret.

However, the reason why many court officials recommended Qi Jiguang was because of his own scheme.

Zhang Bangqi's impeachment and downfall were, of course, part of Zhu Yin's scheme.

The emperor still harbored resentment towards Qi Jiguang because of Zhang Juzheng's affair and did not want to reinstate him. Qi Jiguang, however, had fabricated his own charges.

However, with so many court officials recommending him, he hesitated. So he consulted the chief eunuch, Tian Yi.

Tian Yi only said one sentence: "It is precisely because Qi Jiguang was once a follower of Zhang Juzheng that His Majesty's reinstatement of him will make him even more grateful and willing to serve with his life."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli finally made up his mind and granted the request of Shen Yiguan, Hai Rui, and others.

On May 25, the emperor issued an edict appointing Qi Jiguang as the commander-in-chief of the Jizhou garrison and restoring him to the positions of Left Vice-General and Junior Guardian.

After being dismissed for several years, Qi Jiguang finally regained his official position and military power, and once again took command of the Jizhou Garrison!
……

May 28th.

The day after Qi Jiguang took office in Jizhou, Ning Caiwei finally brought Ning Qingchen from Xuzhou to Beijing.

Ning Caiwei had already learned of Zhu Yinlian's triple success in the imperial examinations, but she was busy acquiring coal mines along the banks of the Grand Canal and had no time to come to Beijing.

It wasn't until mid-May that Ning Caiwei successfully acquired more than a dozen barren mountains with coal mines in Xuzhou and Yanzhou, and after arranging the follow-up plans, she happily brought her younger sister to Beijing for a family reunion.

She's now the wife of a top scholar.

Of course, we're not married yet, so we won't count for now.

Ning Qingchen was also very happy. The little tiger was so famous now; she was certainly very proud of it.

When the Ning sisters saw Zhu Yin and saw his imposing appearance in his sixth-rank official robes, their eyes lit up.

Zhu Yin was overjoyed to see the two sisters.

"Caiwei, you've lost weight." Zhu Yin's first words were about Ning Caiwei's weight loss.

Ning Caiwei said with a smile, "Little Tiger, you are already an official, a top scholar, famous throughout the world, and known to everyone. I'm really afraid that someone will snatch you away to be their son-in-law."

Ning Qingchen nodded her little head vigorously and said in a childish voice, "Who's not afraid of ducks! Little tiger, has anyone been eyeing you?"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "There really is. I'm scared too."

Ding Hongying, who came with Ning Caiwei, chuckled, "Uncle Tiger, what are you afraid of? Uncle Tiger is so famous, who would dare to rob us?"

"Uncle Tiger, you don't know, nowadays everyone is talking about you, saying that you are the reincarnation of the God of Literature, that you must be a deity descended to earth, and that you will become a saint in the future."

Ning Caiwei suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but say with a smile:
"Little Tiger, what do you think Zhuang Shu and Tang Rong are feeling right now?"

Zhu Yin was taken aback upon hearing this. "Huh? How would I know?"

……

Nanjing City, Wuyi Lane, Zhuang Mansion.

The servants all said that Fourth Sister was ill.

Upon hearing the news that Zhu Xiaolangjun had passed the imperial examinations with top honors in all three categories, Fourth Sister cried and laughed, and then fell ill.

The maid heard her shout in the middle of the night: "Little Tiger, you lied to me! You're a heartless liar!"

Two days later, Tang Rong's wife also arrived.

Tang Rong's wife also looked very haggard. She went to Fourth Sister's room and was cursing something, seemingly cursing Zhu Xiaolang, who had passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, along with Fourth Sister.

Some people heard the two cousins ​​crying and laughing, cursing and spitting in their bedroom.

When the two of them came out, they were both fine.

Even Fourth Sister's illness has been cured.

The cousins ​​went out together to play, stroll through the streets, and enjoy the spring scenery. They acted as if nothing had happened.

Two days later, the two of them suddenly went to the temple together to offer incense and pray for blessings.

Their maids said that Lady Tang Rong prayed for Mao Wenlong's safety and wealth, while Lady Si prayed for Feng Menglong's safety and success in the imperial examination.

Afterwards, the two prayed together for Zhu Xiaolangjun, wishing him a successful official career, peace and happiness, and that he would not forget his old friend.

How strange. Weren't those two young ladies scolding Zhu Xiaolangjun? Why are they now praying for him?

……

Time flies, but life never stops.

As time goes by, spring comes and autumn goes, flowers bloom and wither.

Three years passed in a flash, and it was already the spring of the twentieth year of the Wanli reign.

This year is Ren Chen!

PS: This is a long chapter, an extra chapter for the recent patron "Grand Magister Mabik". There are now 15 long chapters in total, and all patron bonus chapters are now complete. This chapter spans three years, is that surprising?
(End of this chapter)