Di Ming

Chapter 340 I am but a humble servant, a poor scholar from Jiangning!

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Zhu Yin said, speechless. “What do you mean by ‘unforgettable old feelings’? I promised her before that I would be the child’s godfather.”

"Another godfather." Ning Qingchen's face fell. "You don't even have any biological children yet, but you already have several godchildren. Humph."

Zhu Yin, too lazy to argue with her, asked Jin Yunniang, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Yunniang smiled and said, "It's a young lady, but she hasn't been named yet. They say they're waiting for the master to name her. I think not only Lady Zhuang, but also Mr. Feng would like the master to name her too."

"The date is set for the day after tomorrow."

"I heard from Lady Zhuang that the newlywed Lady Tang is also pregnant and will probably give birth in July or August. It is said that Mao Wenlong and Lady Tang also hope that the lord will be the child's godfather and name the child."

She had one more thing to say. She would be marrying Emperor Kangxi this year, and after having a child, she wanted him to be her godfather. After all, her godfather couldn't have too many children.

Zhu Yin shrugged and said, "They're really something. Oh well, since they want me to be the child's godfather, I can't refuse. I should at least consider my husband's feelings. Let's go to the Feng family's full moon celebration the day after tomorrow. They're all acquaintances there, so let's go and have some fun and show our support."

Ning Qingchen scoffed, "I'm not going! Just because they gave birth, you'll suddenly become their father? Are you Lu Bu? You have so many adopted sons."

Zhu Yin's face turned green. "What do you mean, 'unplanned fatherhood'? How dare you talk like that?"

"Also, can you read more history books? History can enlighten you! Lü Bu had many adoptive fathers, not many adopted sons. No, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms isn't true history either... Never mind, even if you don't like reading history, you should at least read the novel. If you make another fool of yourself, don't say you're my sister-in-law."

He's going to become withdrawn from his sister-in-law's influence.

Jin Yunniang took out a gift list and said, "I have already prepared the gift box and gifts. Here is the gift list. My lord, please take a look and see if there is anything else you would like to add?"

Ning Qingchen glanced at the gift list, her little face puffed up like a steamed bun. "Sister Yunniang, this is too little. It doesn't suit the status of Master and Godfather. What is the relationship between Master and Zhuang Shu? They are very close and affectionate. Who are you trying to appease with this little bit? Master will be unhappy."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving behind a small silhouette.

Yunniang pretended not to see. Everyone in the manor knew that the one who dared to throw a tantrum at the master the most was the second wife. But now that the master was gone, the second wife missed him every day.

Zhu Yin glanced at the gift list and said, "Let's also send a gold lock and a piece of white jade to ward off evil spirits."

Jin Yunniang thought to herself, "My lord is really good to this adopted daughter. He is so generous. Putting aside everything else, just a gold lock and a piece of white jade to ward off evil spirits are very generous gifts."

Yunniang suddenly remembered something else, "My lord, I've settled Miss Wu You, who came back with you yesterday, in the Green Trace Studio in the southwest courtyard. Her daily necessities and clothes are all ready, and I've also assigned her two maids. Do you have any further instructions, my lord?"

He thought to himself: So that pretty boy disguised as a man managed to sneak in. What if Madam is unhappy when she returns?

Zhu Yin said, "She is my sworn sister, so she should be treated well. You don't need to worry about anything else."

Sworn sister? Yunniang pondered. Could it be that my lord is…

Zhu Yin immediately understood when he saw Yun Niang's expression.

"Yunniang, what nonsense are you thinking?" Zhu Yin's face hardened. "She's the sister I picked up. Anyone in the manor who makes wild guesses will be punished according to the family rules."

Yunniang patted her chest and smiled sweetly, "I wasn't thinking anything, it's my lord who's overthinking it. Hmm, I remember now, it's the girl you picked up on the road, sir..."

Zhu Yin glared at her, then turned and left.

Upon entering the painting hall of Hanzhang Tower, they saw Ning Qingchen practicing calligraphy, a rare occurrence, while Xiao Hei dozed off at her feet.

Zhu Yin stood beside her, watching her small hands grasp the pen like chopsticks, writing as if picking up food with chopsticks. Her writing was crooked and messy, a truly pitiful sight.

What's truly astonishing is that she's actually copying the *Records of the Grand Historian*, something that's astounding! Is she trying to cram on her history?
She wrote: "...His name was Xuanyuan, born with divine spirit, able to speak in his infancy, and quick to follow the teachings of Qi in his youth..."

She suddenly stopped writing, tilted her head, pressed the pen tip against her cheek, and said thoughtfully, "Isn't this describing me?"

She glanced at Zhu Yin with her large, black, gem-like eyes and asked, "Little Tiger, how's my writing?"

After a moment's thought, Zhu Yin nodded and commented: "Full of natural charm, brimming with childlike innocence, innocent and untouched by chaos, possessing a clarity that transcends the mundane, abstract in its artistic conception, and genuine in its brushwork."

Ning Qingchen pondered Zhu Yin's evaluation, her clear, watery eyes fixed on him. "Is this a compliment or an insult?"

Zhu Yin folded his hands and said, "Of course...it's a compliment."

"Heh." Ning Qingchen shook her head, continuing to write as she said, "Do you think I'm stupid? You're just insulting me."

Zhu Yin chuckled and said:

"A seven-year-old girl, writing the Records of the Grand Historian, who dares to criticize her? If you dare to pick up a brush and copy the Records of the Grand Historian, that is a good start and worth showing off. However, in all things under heaven, nothing is without a beginning and few things have an end. The key to practicing calligraphy is perseverance."

“Your sister has done very well. She has been practicing calligraphy and playing the piano for the past few years without stopping, and now she is quite skilled. Few women of her age can match her.”

"Praise her whenever you have the chance." Ning Qingchen snorted arrogantly. "Aren't you just trying to use her to put me down and provoke me to keep going? Don't worry, this immortal doctor is not one to give up easily."

She dipped her brush in the inkstone and said, "Of course I have to practice calligraphy; it's a matter of reputation. I'm known as the reincarnation of a medical immortal, but what would I do if I wrote something embarrassing?"

"Little Tiger, you promised me you'd teach me to write and play chess. Tell me, what's the easiest thing to overlook when practicing calligraphy?"

Zhu Yin said, "It's about momentum! Calligraphers often focus on the model and methods, but neglect momentum. This is also the most difficult thing for calligraphy learners to master. Therefore, even if you copy the same model, learn from the same calligrapher, and receive the same guidance, the characters you write can be very different."

"When you put pen to paper, you must have the confidence and spirit to write with the strength of an ox and the speed of your pen. That is momentum. Otherwise, your writing will never be presentable."

"Writing is like bending a bow, galloping a horse, wielding a knife, or brandishing a spear. If you can sweat while writing dozens of characters, then you have mastered the essence of writing. Once you have mastered the essence of writing, practicing calligraphy becomes twice as effective with half the effort, as if divinely inspired."

"This is why calligraphy can cultivate one's temperament and refine one's mind."

Ning Qingchen put down his pen, stood up, and bowed respectfully, asking, "May I ask, sir, how can one write with imposing momentum?"

Zhu Yin stroked his non-existent beard and pointed it out:
"Before putting pen to paper, have the words in your mind and in your eyes, and then let the words flow from your pen. Once you put pen to paper, do not hesitate. Be hesitant, as if you fear your neighbors; be cautious, as if you are crossing a river in winter. Many people's calligraphy is not good because they hesitate when they put pen to paper."

"Therefore, when copying calligraphy models, you must ponder each stroke, its origin, how the ancients wrote it, and what brush techniques they used to achieve it. Once you've thoroughly understood it, the character will be in your heart. Then, you'll have the character perfectly in your mind, and when you put pen to paper, its power and momentum will naturally flow..."

Upon hearing this, Ning Qingchen's eyes shone even brighter, her pupils reflecting Zhu Yin's face.

She suddenly realized that Zhu Yin's words had ignited her interest in calligraphy.

Zhu Yin continued, "When your sister heard what I said back then, she was suddenly enlightened. She would often sit for half an hour at a time, studying Wu Zetian's calligraphy, and her brushstrokes would be powerful and vigorous. Even when writing small regular script, every stroke was penetrating. Otherwise, why would she have made such great progress?"

"However, before that, if you want to learn the basic techniques of calligraphy, even if your way of holding the brush is wrong, and you can't rest your wrist or elbow on your head, you must suspend your elbow and wrist when practicing calligraphy..."

As Zhu Yin spoke, he picked up a brush and demonstrated for the little girl, carefully explaining the sitting posture and starting position. He then took out the "Brush Formation Diagram," a calligraphy model most suitable for girls to learn from his collection.

Of course, it's just a copy. But even though it's just a copy, this Song Dynasty rubbing is still a treasure.

Zhu Yin carefully opened it and said:
"This is Lady Wei's 'Treatise on Calligraphy,' who was Wang Xizhi's first calligraphy teacher. She was from the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was especially famous for her clerical script and small regular script. You should first use 'Treatise on Calligraphy' as your model. This model only has forty characters, and you must copy it for two years!"

"After copying the 'Treatise on Calligraphy' for two years, you will copy Lady Wei's 'Letter to Famous Concubines' for two years, and finally copy her 'Four Poems in Ancient Style'. These three calligraphic works together contain only two hundred characters, but as long as you thoroughly understand them, by the time you are thirteen, your calligraphy will have reached a high level."

"However, before you start copying the 'Treatise on Calligraphy,' you should first learn about Lady Wei before you begin copying it..."

"...Lady Wei was a student of Zhong Yao, and Zhang Huai-guan praised her as 'like ice in a shattered jade pot, like the moon on a radiant jade terrace, graceful as a fragrant tree, and gentle as a breeze...'"

The boy's voice was clear and warm, reassuring to hear. The winter sun shone through the window, illuminating the boy's earnest face, making even the fine hairs on his face clearly visible, his youthful beauty radiant.

The little girl nestled beside the boy, sometimes looking at the characters on the calligraphy scroll, sometimes at the boy's face, her eyes bright and her expression focused.

The black dog lay in the beam of light, lazily yawning, its tail occasionally brushing away the dust from the light spots.

After teaching for a while, Zhu Yin noticed that Ning Qingchen was very interested, so he simply said:
"Since you want to make a name for yourself in ancient times, you should not only study books, but also brush up on literature and history. Besides medicine, you can study other things. Anyway, you are only seven years old, so you have plenty of time."

Ning Qingchen laughed and said, "I also want you to teach me how to ride a horse and shoot arrows. I want to be both scholarly and martial!"

As it was almost five quarters past 1:30 PM, Kangxi suddenly came in to report:

"My lord, representatives from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial have arrived and invited us for tea in the central courtyard reception room. They say that since you wish to bestow a title, they have come to discuss the ceremony."

Zhu Yin rushed to the central courtyard reception room, where the chief clerk of the Ministry of Rites' Ceremonial Affairs Department and the deputy director of the Court of State Ceremonial Affairs' Ceremonial Office were drinking tea and chatting.

"I am late in arriving and have not been able to greet you properly," Zhu Yin said with a beaming smile, bowing respectfully.

The two hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant Qiu Shimao (Li Fei) greets the Junior Marshal!"

Although they came under orders, they were not acting on imperial decree. One was a sixth-rank official, and the other a ninth-rank official, far inferior to Zhu Yin in rank, so they naturally dared not be arrogant.

Zhu Yin said, “The duties of the Grand Master of Ceremonies are to guide the nine guests, assist in the rites, and whose influence extends to all who follow. I am deeply grateful for the presence of you two in my humble abode today, and for imparting your knowledge of etiquette. Please, please!”

After the guests and hosts exchanged pleasantries, Qiu Shimao, the chief clerk of the Department of Ceremonial Affairs of the Ministry of Rites, said:
"This humble official congratulates the Junior Sima. Your merits to the nation are outstanding and your reputation is remarkable. His Majesty has already issued an edict to confer upon you the title of Jiangning. Just now, the Cabinet received the decree and issued it, and the Ministry of Rites has made a public announcement. We are just waiting to enter the palace to attend the conferment ceremony."

Li Fei, the Assistant Director of Ceremonies at the Court of State Ceremonial, also bowed and said, "This humble official is here to instruct on etiquette. Tomorrow morning, the Court of State Ceremonial will guide the Junior Sima to perform the ceremony in the Wuying Hall..."

He paused here, looking a little embarrassed, "Originally, the imperial court confers titles in the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Fengtian Hall). However, His Majesty is unwell and it is not appropriate for him to descend from the hall, so it can only be done in the Hall of Military Prowess, with the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Grand Secretariat performing the ceremony on His Majesty's behalf."

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the foremost of the three main halls. Various ceremonies of the dynasty, such as investiture ceremonies, are mostly held there to demonstrate solemnity. However, due to the emperor's neglect of state affairs, he had not attended court at the Hall of Supreme Harmony for several years, and this time was no exception.

Since the emperor wasn't attending, the ceremony had to be kept as simple as possible. The conferment of titles was a reward for military merit, so it was moved to the side hall, the Wuying Hall.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "His Majesty has not attended state affairs for several years, so naturally he will not personally attend the conferment ceremony. As a subject, I am deeply grateful for His Majesty's favor and feel extremely ashamed. How could I dare to hope that His Majesty would pay me a visit?"

Qiu Shimao added, "That's true. Even the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven at the suburban temples is something His Majesty is unwilling to attend, let alone the ceremony of bestowing titles. Many officials who have recently entered officialdom have never seen the Emperor's face, and some don't even recognize him."

All three men's words revealed their dissatisfaction with the emperor's negligence in governing, and they openly discussed it without any attempt to conceal their discontent.

This shows that the emperor's absence from court in recent years has caused resentment among the officials.

Fairness and freedom!

After exchanging a few words, the two men grew even more impressed with Zhu Yin's approachable nature. Everyone said that Mr. Zhihu was a man of refined taste and lofty character, making people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze; indeed, it was true.

Such a person was able to pass the imperial examinations in three consecutive years, and at such a young age, he achieved the merit of being ennobled and became famous throughout the world. How could this be obtained by chance?
Although neither of them were members of Zhu Yin's faction, they both had a good impression of him.

After Qiu Shimao and Li Fei finished explaining the conferment ceremony for the next day, they took their leave together. Zhu Yin personally saw them off at the gate and watched them get into their sedan chairs, giving them ample face.

...

Early the next morning, Zhu Yin bathed, burned incense, changed into his court robes, and, holding his official tablet, rode in a sedan chair to the Meridian Gate.

Upon arriving at the Meridian Gate, many officials were already waiting. As soon as Zhu Yin appeared, he immediately attracted the attention of all officials and became the undisputed focus of attention.

Zheng Guowang also arrived.

Upon seeing Zhu Yin's figure, Zheng Guowang couldn't help but sigh, his feelings incredibly complex.

She was to be granted the title of Earl of Yongnian, a joyous occasion that Zheng had long dreamed of. From this day forward, Zheng would be a hereditary earl.

But Zhu Yin was granted the title of Marquis!

People are so irritating.

But she had no choice but to accept it.

Zhu Yin's military achievements were indeed sufficient to qualify him for the title of Marquis. If Zhu Yin was not qualified for the title of Marquis, then she was not qualified for the title of Earl.

In front of all the officials, the two men looked at each other from a distance of five or six zhang, and simply bowed to each other without exchanging pleasantries.

Zhu Yin quickly spotted his adoptive father, Qi Jiguang, in the crowd. Qi Jiguang was also looking at him, but to avoid suspicion, neither of them spoke to the other.

The court officials were almost speechless when they looked at Zhu Yin, who was only sixteen years old.

He passed the imperial examination with top honors at the age of twelve and was ennobled for his merits at the age of sixteen!

What else... is this young man unable to do? It seems there hasn't been another person like him since the Qin Dynasty.

If this isn't an auspicious omen for the Ming Dynasty, the descent of a star deity, is there a better explanation? It seems there isn't.

No one in the government or the public would dare to look down on him because of his youth!
Of course, everyone knew that Zhu Yin was able to be ennobled this time because the emperor wanted to bestow a title upon the Zheng family.

Everyone bowed to Zhu Yin and congratulated him on being granted a marquisate.

Congratulations, Brother Zhihu!

"Young Marshal, you are overjoyed!"

"Congratulations to the Grand Tutor on being granted the title of Marquis!"

Even Zhu Yin's political enemies offered their congratulations insincerely.

Zhu Yin had no choice but to return the greeting with clasped hands, offering nothing more than empty phrases like "Your Majesty's grace is boundless," "I am unworthy of such praise," and "I am deeply grateful for Heaven's favor."

However, Zhu Yin remained calm and composed, completely unfazed by honor or disgrace, as if being granted a title was nothing out of the ordinary.

That's truly the demeanor of a great general.

This calm and composed demeanor was something that all the officials talked about with great interest and admired.

Qi Jiguang and the officials said to Zhu Yin, "Congratulations on your conferment of the title of Marquis, Junior Sima! It is truly the will of the people."

Zhu Yin replied, seemingly perfunctorily, "Thank you, Grand Commander!"

Then, the welcoming music began. The Imperial Guard's ceremonial guard led the officials into the Meridian Gate, across the Golden Water Bridge, but instead of going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, they turned left and headed towards the Hall of Military Prowess.

Upon seeing this, the officials were immediately disappointed: His Majesty is not coming again!
Many people thought that the titles were being conferred on two people, with Zheng Guowang to be granted the title of Earl. He was the younger brother of the Imperial Concubine, and His Majesty might personally attend the ceremony at the Hall of Supreme Harmony for Zheng Guowang's sake.

But His Majesty still didn't come.

The Qianqing Palace is only a little over a mile away from the Huangji Hall, but even the emperor cannot travel that mile by carriage!
When the officials arrived at the Wuying Hall, they indeed found that the ceremonial procession had been greatly simplified. However, the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the cabinet ministers were all present.

Officials were arranged in order of rank, the music was dignified and peaceful, smoke swirled around tortoises and cranes, and the ceremonial guards stood in a magnificent array.

Although the Wuying Hall is a side hall, the ceremonies were simplified a lot, but it still looked very solemn at this time.

As the "Shiping Chapter" of the investiture ceremony resounded, Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang, guided by officials from the Court of State Ceremonial and under the watchful eyes of all the officials, slowly arrived at the foot of the steps to the rhythm of bells, chimes, and drums.

Next, the thirty-six-person row dance was led outside the hall by the officials in charge of ceremonies. According to the system, a six-row dance was used when bestowing titles. Since Zhu Yin was to be granted a marquisate, a six-row dance would naturally be used.

Moreover, the dance must be performed twice, symbolizing "both literary and martial virtues".

Here, Zheng Guowang benefited from Zhu Yin's influence. Because if only Zheng Guowang had been granted the title, the Yi dance could only use four rows of dancers.

Next, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, carrying the imperial edict conferring titles, came to the front of the hall.

The music changed, and it was replaced by the "Jingping Chapter" that was played when the imperial edict was read.

"Proclaim the imperial edict—!"

"kneel--"

Amidst the announcements and shouts of the master of ceremonies, Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang knelt down together. Zhu Yin stepped forward slightly, while Zheng Guowang stepped back slightly, about half a body length behind.

All the civil and military officials bowed down. Only the dancers outside the hall remained solemnly still.

Immediately, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies unfolded the first imperial edict and read it aloud:
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have heard the poem says, 'The valiant ministers, like tigers, present their heads at the imperial court,' and 'The civil and military officials, Ji Fu, serve as models for all nations.' Therefore, suppressing rebellions and securing peace for the country is a meritorious deed for the nation."

"There is Zhu Yin, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, a man of both literary and military prowess, a pillar of the nation... You possess the same merits as Zhou Yafu and Ban Dingyuan, both inside and outside the court..."

"...Hereby bestow upon you the title of Grand Master of the Palace, enfeoff you as Marquis of Jiangning, and grant you a certificate of imperial decree, with a stipend of 1,500 shi of grain, to be inherited perpetually...You shall be even more diligent and loyal, and forever preserve your honor...Do not disobey my command! Respectfully obey!"

As soon as the imperial edict was proclaimed, the thirty-six dancers outside the palace began to perform their dance.

Zhu Yin immediately bowed and said, "Your humble servant is but a lowly grass, a poor scholar from Jiangning! I am deeply grateful for the Emperor's boundless grace. How dare I not exert all my strength to serve the Ming Dynasty and dedicate myself to the country!"

"Your subject Zhu Yin thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

During the kowtow, the master of ceremonies announced: "The silver book is bestowed upon Marquis Zhu Yin of Jiangning!"

The "Chapter of Jingping" was immediately replaced by the "Chapter of Xianping" used during the investiture ceremony.

Zhu Yin stepped forward solemnly to the music and accepted the silver book conferring the title of Marquis.

The master of ceremonies then announced: "The silver seal is bestowed upon Zhu Yin, the Marquis of Jiangning!"

Zhu Yin stepped forward again to receive the marquis's silver seal with a unicorn-shaped knob.

The master of ceremonies then announced, "Side hall—present the crown and robes!"

Guided by the ceremonial hat, Zhu Yin entered the adjacent side hall and changed into the hat, belt, and robes of a marquis. The most special item was the sable crown, a unique feature of those who were granted titles. This sable crown was extremely stylish.

When Zhu Yin returned to the main hall in his marquis's court robes and sable crown, he attracted even more attention.

Then, Zhu Yin performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony again. The music played then changed to "The Song of Pacifying the World".

The officials also joined in shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

Only then did Zhu Yin truly become the Marquis of Jiangning!

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(End of this chapter)