Di Ming

Chapter 73 Zan Mansion
The middle-aged man wore a headband, held a book, and had an elegant demeanor. His flowing beard was black and shiny, and his features were clear and refined.

He was dressed in the typical attire of a late Ming dynasty scholar-official, and his appearance was quite appealing.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei, unaware of the handsome man's background, could only bow together.

Zhu Yin clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "This junior greets the elder. I am very grateful."

Zhu Yin could tell that this person did not seem to be there to handle official business at the county government office; judging from his demeanor and bearing, he should be a county government official.

In this important county government office, he was not wearing official robes, but rather casual clothes, which shows that he was of a high rank.

At the very least, they were "big shots" at the level of scribes or instructors.

Ning Caiwei also loosely clasped her hands together, placing one on top of the other on her abdomen, and slightly bent her knees, giving a proper "Wanfu" (a traditional Chinese greeting).

"This humble servant greets the elder. May the elder be blessed with good fortune."

The middle-aged man casually lifted the hem of his shirt and sat down on the stone bench beside him. His bright eyes swept over the two children, and he revealed a kind and amiable smile.

"You came with your master? Who is your master? Do you recognize this old man?"

He could tell that although Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei were dressed simply, they seemed to be from a prominent family, unlike ordinary people.

However, this young woman did not bind her feet; she clearly had natural feet, yet she resembled a rustic, uncultured woman from the countryside.

pity.

But the two children were like a perfect couple, very endearing. He took a liking to them at first sight.

Since I was bored in the afternoon anyway, and the autumn scenery was beautiful, chatting with my child for a while would be quite fun.

Zhu Yin honestly replied, "We came on our own; Your Excellency is not in Nanjing. I do not know Your Excellency's title, and dare not ask for your name."

This is a very polite and appropriate answer.

He didn't want to know the other person's name or background. Because this person was most likely an official, and once his official rank was known, he would have to kneel.

He didn't want to kneel. So he simply didn't ask.

The Ming Dynasty's rule that "kneeling is not required except for major ceremonies" was indeed stipulated by Emperor Taizu.

In the early Ming Dynasty, this was observed very well. Even ordinary people would simply step aside and bow when they saw a high-ranking official of the first rank.

At that time, unless it was a major ceremony or a court trial, subjects did not kneel before the emperor, subordinates did not kneel before superiors, and commoners did not kneel before officials.

But that's outdated.

After the Hongzhi era, the system deteriorated significantly.

What benefits officials is the ancestral system established by Hongwu and must not be changed. What is detrimental to them must be drastically altered and ignored.

Whether ancestral rules are ironclad or muddy depends on whether people like them or not.

Starting from the Jiajing era, the custom of kneeling and bowing began to spread. Not only did ministers frequently kneel before the emperor, but subordinates also frequently knelt before their superiors.

Even military officers knelt before civil officials.

As for ordinary people, they were required to kneel before any official. Not only did they lose the right not to kneel before the prime minister, as was the case in the early Ming Dynasty, but they were also required to kneel before lower-ranking officials.

The ancestral custom of not kneeling has become considered impolite. Kneeling, on the other hand, has become the established system.

During the Qing Dynasty, the kneeling ceremony was further "developed" to an unprecedented degree. Everyone except the emperor was calcium deficient.

If Zhu Yin knew the other party was an official, he would have to kneel.

Unless he has official rank or is a noble or imperial member.

To everyone's surprise, the middle-aged man smiled slightly and stroked his beard in an approachable manner, saying, "Young man, you are quite mature. I am the Right Vice Minister of Jiangning, and my surname is Zhuang."

They deliberately revealed their official titles and ranks.

It's unclear whether she saw through Zhu Yin's thoughts and did it intentionally.

"So it's Master Zhuang of the Zan Prefecture!" Zhu Yin was extremely annoyed, but he could only grit his teeth and kneel down, bowing and saying, "Your son Zhu Yin greets Master Zhuang of the Zan Prefecture!"

People at the time respectfully referred to the county magistrate as "Zanfu".

Oh well, I'm only nine years old. The other person is almost forty, right? I'll just treat it like kneeling to pay New Year's respects to an elder.

Ning Caiwei had no choice but to kneel down with Zhu Yin and say, "Your son greets Master Zan."

"Hai'er" was a self-reference used by common people to refer to officials, and by lower-ranking officials to higher-ranking officials, during the late Ming Dynasty. It was similar in meaning to "small" or "petty person".

You can't go wrong by referring to yourself as "child" and the other person as "master".

Since we've arrived in ancient times, we must adapt to the social environment and not act selfishly or be out of place.

Seeing the two kneeling, Magistrate Zhuang raised the scroll in his hand and said, "Get up, you can talk standing up."

"I will obey your orders." Zhu Yin immediately stood up, and a bright, harmless smile appeared on his innocent little face.

She appears both intelligent and sensible, yet retains a childlike innocence.

Ning Caiwei at this moment also resembled an elegant and well-mannered young lady, both innocent and obedient.

Magistrate Zhuang then said:
"Young lady, why did you just refer to the county magistrate? What kind of saying is that?"

Ning Caiwei's mind worked quickly, and she answered calmly and confidently:

"In reply to your question, sir, I originally thought that the county magistrate was the parent of the people, and parents are adults, so isn't the county magistrate the one who is the parent?"

Magistrate Zhuang chuckled, "In that case, there's some truth to it, and it's not just a joke."

In the Qing Dynasty, it was a common practice for the people to call the county magistrate their parents, the prefect their grandfather, and the provincial governor their great-grandfather.

Thus, a sycophantic county magistrate would refer to himself as "child" in front of the prefect, and a sycophantic prefect would refer to himself as "child" in front of the provincial governor.

So it seems only natural for the young girl to address the county magistrate as "Lord Magistrate".

Magistrate Zhuang said a few words casually, then, remembering that he had no children, he waved his hand listlessly and said, "Alright, young friends, you may go now."

Then he ignored the two of them and started reading a book in the autumn sun.

Steal a half day of leisure from this busy life.

Zhu Yin originally thought that this person would ask some questions, and then he would perform exceptionally well, showing the demeanor of a child prodigy, making the other person sigh in secret, "One should have a son like Zhu Zhihu."

You can then take advantage of the situation.

As long as one gains the favor of this powerful seventh-rank official, one can act with impunity in Jiangning County, making many things much easier.

To the spy's great surprise, Magistrate Zhuang said a few words on a whim, then went off to read whatever he wanted.

Didn't you call me "little friend"?

Is this the end?
Am I not cute?

You're so strange.

Zhu Yin felt that he had knelt for nothing, and in his frustration, he could only bow and take his leave.

He walked back five steps, then turned around and walked five steps again. Looking back expectantly, he saw the county magistrate still calmly reading a book.

The posture didn't change at all.

They made no attempt to stop me.

Ning Caiwei was also a little annoyed. What kind of situation was this? She had just arrived and finally met a leader with real power, only to have him slip through her fingers like this.

Suddenly, they both understood why.

Because they didn't have illustrious family backgrounds. Even if they were a "golden couple," why would someone as high-ranking as the third-highest official in a county in the capital care about them?
How presumptuous of me!

Important people are all very busy.

Zhu Yin walked to the ceremonial gate, where a scribe standing under the eaves posting notices asked:
"Young man, what did Master Zan say to you?"

He was just curious.

Zhu Yin shook his head and said, "He didn't say anything, just tested me and praised me a few times. I was flattered."

When the scribe heard the county magistrate praise Zhu Yin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for the boy.

"Really? Tsk tsk, this young man is not even ten years old, is he? He is already chatting and laughing with Master Zan and has even received praise. How enviable!"

Zhu Yin touched the horn-shaped bun on his head and said with an innocent smile:
"I never expected the county magistrate to be so approachable, just like an elder in my family. He even asked for my name and address."

Upon hearing this, the scribe's expression became somewhat respectful, and his smile became cautious.

"Young man, you are clever and charming, and everyone loves you. Could it be that the Right Assistant Minister wants to promote you?"

Zhu Yin shook his head. "Ah? But I don't even know the name of Master Zan. Could you tell me, brother?"

The scribe was eager to confide in someone. When Zhu Yin asked, he didn't hide anything and told him everything he knew about the leadership.

It's not exactly a secret anyway.

Zhu Yin chatted with the other party for a while and got a general idea of ​​the relevant information.

Jiangning County had two county magistrates, one on the left and one on the right. The left magistrate was named Han Canyuan, and the right magistrate was named Zhuang Tingjian.

Both men were graduates of the imperial examination system, making them officials through the regular civil service examination process. In the Qing Dynasty, the left was considered superior, so the Left Chancellor, Han Canyuan, was second only to the county magistrate, making him the second-in-command.

Zhuang Tingjian was the Right County Magistrate, ranking below the Left County Magistrate, making him the third-in-command.

That is, the executive vice president!

He's a real big shot, a powerful leader at the county level!

Jiangning County was a county in the capital. The magistrate was a sixth-rank official, and the assistant magistrate was a seventh-rank official, both on par with the ordinary county magistrate. Moreover, Zhuang Tingjian came from a prominent family in Changzhou and was said to be the grandson-in-law of Tang Shunzhi. Although Tang Shunzhi had been dead for more than twenty years, the Tang family's influence remained considerable.

Zhu Yin recalled that Tang Shunzhi had a grandson who was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) in the seventeenth year of the Wanli reign.

Then this Magistrate Zhuang will have a brother-in-law who is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) the year after next.

If we can leverage this relationship and make a good impression on the other party, now is an opportunity.

We can't just kneel for nothing, can we? A boy's knees are worth gold, a girl's knees are worth silver.

Zhu Yin pondered how to approach Magistrate Zhuang as he slowly strolled out of the county government office.

Upon arriving at the outer office, they saw two men being escorted out by a group of yamen soldiers.

The group of fast-moving soldiers, their faces contorted with murderous intent, escorted the two prisoners to the Temple of the Prison God to offer sacrifices.

"It's an immediate execution, a beheading," a nearby bailiff said. "Since the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign, this is the first death row inmate in Jiangning County to be executed immediately, an unpardonable crime."

Execution immediately? Zhu Yin's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "May I ask, Elder, what crime have those two committed that warrants immediate execution?"

The bailiff sneered: "What crime did you commit? Colluding with Japanese pirates and foreign powers, stealing books from the palace. Those were the great encyclopedias compiled by Emperor Yongle, almost all of which were kept in Beijing. Only a few were kept in the Nanjing Palace, and now they are all gone."

"It is said that although the amount hidden in the Nanjing Palace is not large, it is a very important one."

"This case has long been concluded and decided. It has been reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Court of Judicial Review, but the case is still handled by Jiangning County."

At this point, he gave a strange smile.

Zhu Yin immediately understood. Why was such a big case ultimately handled by Jiangning County?

Because high-ranking government offices such as the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were unwilling to get involved, the matter was passed on to Jiangning County.

What does this mean? It means that although the person has been caught, the case remains unsolved and the stolen items have not been recovered.

In an attempt to shirk responsibility, they simply put the event in Jiangning County.

They colluded with Japanese pirates and foreign powers, and even stole books from the Nanjing Imperial Palace. Could these stolen items have been part of the Yongle Encyclopedia?
Historical records indicate that the entire Yongle Encyclopedia was transported to Beijing. The original, the duplicate, and the Jiajing manuscript—all three sets—were in Beijing.

Could it be that the Nanjing Imperial Palace still holds a portion of the artifacts, and they were not transported north?

There is a later claim that the achievements of the Western Renaissance were the result of the theft of scientific and technological advancements from the Yongle Encyclopedia.

Although it is said that the Nanjing Imperial Palace also had the Yongle Encyclopedia, it was gradually stolen by Westerners.

Zhu Yin disagreed with this claim. He dared not say that the conjecture was necessarily wrong, but he found it even more difficult to believe.

In his view, even if the Yongle Encyclopedia was related to the Renaissance, it could only serve as an inspiration and reference, and was by no means the source of modern Western science and technology.

But one thing is certain: the Yongle Encyclopedia is no ordinary work.

However, the Ming Dynasty's attitude towards the Yongle Encyclopedia was to shelve it and leave it in the palace to gather ashes or be destroyed by fire.

The technological sections of the Yongle Encyclopedia were not utilized. These sections were essentially banned, ignored, and no one researched or cared about them.

Ultimately, even the Ming Dynasty emperors and their officials were unaware of what the technology section entailed.

Zhu Yin stood there for a while and watched as the two prisoners were escorted out of the prison temple.

Their bodies were covered in wounds, their legs were broken, and they were being carried around by others.

Two pairs of numb eyes glanced at everyone, which was quite eerie.

The bailiff said, "It is said to be an immediate execution, but the county magistrate still needs to make the final judgment, and the prisoner still needs to be taken to the three judicial offices for a formality."

"Lord Hai of the Censorate is currently ill and has gone to Jiangpu. He won't be back for several days. This process will take several more days. We'll have to wait until Lord Hai returns before we can carry out the execution."

Hai Rui went to Jiangpu and hasn't been back for several days? Zhu Yin was taken aback.

We'll have to wait several more days to find Hai Rui.

Zhu Yin nodded, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Master Pai. I have learned a lot."

Since the Han Dynasty, it has been believed that the bleakness of autumn was in accordance with the way of heaven, and criminals were executed after autumn.

Rewards are given in spring and summer, and punishments are given in autumn and winter.

According to the Ming Dynasty law, beheading was divided into two types: beheading with reprieve and immediate execution. Most beheadings were beheading with reprieve.

The process of granting reprieve for execution was very rigorous, involving procedures such as autumn review, court review, red-inking, and review of the sentence.

Moreover, the executions were to take place after the autumnal equinox and before the beginning of spring the following year.

This is called the Autumn Decision.

The so-called "execution after autumn" was actually a death sentence with reprieve. A death sentence with reprieve still offered a slight chance of survival.

Execution by beheading is different.

Although there are procedures to follow for executions, the procedures are much simpler, and the executions usually don't wait until after the autumnal equinox; the head falls in a few days to a few months at most.

Zhu Yin followed the crowd out of the county government office, only to find a large crowd gathered nearby, all watching the prisoner.

As the two prisoners were about to be taken onto the prison van, they suddenly became agitated and said a few words loudly.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei were both taken aback when they heard these two sentences.

It sounds a bit like Spanish, but Zhu Yin doesn't understand Spanish.

But his eyes were already searching through the crowd—it was an agent's instinct.

Ning Caiwei, who understood Spanish, whispered to Zhu Yin:
"These two were shouting in Spanish, which is a bit different from modern Spanish. I'm not entirely sure of the meaning, but it might mean..."

As Zhu Yin listened to Ning Caiwei's translation, he observed the surrounding crowd and soon noticed that a man responded to the two Spanish phrases.

That person might understand.

Those who don't understand will naturally think it's just crazy talk.

After observing this person, Zhu Yin noticed that his eyes seemed to be communicating with the two prisoners.

Then, the man quickly entered a porcelain shop across the street. His clothes and appearance were the same as those of the people in the porcelain shop.

He appears to be the owner of a porcelain shop.

The man entered the porcelain shop not long before it closed, and he never came out again.

Zhu Yin withdrew his gaze, and combining it with Ning Caiwei's words, he had some ideas in mind.

He turned to look at the county government office, only to find that County Magistrate Zhuang was standing at the entrance, his gaze somewhat deep, lost in thought.

The servants around him stood respectfully to one side.

"Hmm?" His gaze swept over Zhu Yin. "Zhi'er hasn't left yet?"

Zhu Yin met his probing gaze, hesitated for a moment, and then stepped forward cautiously.

He crossed his hands and whispered, "Reporting to Lord Zan, I just discovered something that might be a clue that could be useful in this case."

Hai Rui might not be able to cure him, and Shen Yiguan might not be willing to take him as a disciple.

A local official is more powerful than a distant one. To gain a foothold and make a name for oneself in Jiangning County, a place where one knows no one, one needs a powerful patron in the officialdom to support one's career.

Having a powerful backer is often something you have to earn yourself.

This County Magistrate Zhuang, who comes from a prominent family in Jiangnan, is very suitable.

County Magistrate Zhuang was somewhat taken aback. "You? You found a clue?"

Zhu Yin lowered his eyes and said, "I don't know, or maybe I know a little."

County Magistrate Zhuang looked at Zhu Yin with a half-smile and nodded, saying, "Come in with me."

"Yes." Zhu Yin followed closely inside.

Zhu Yin finally returned to the county government hall.

Zhuang Tingjian did not directly ask about the clues, but instead asked:

"Zhu Yin, how old are you? Have you been to school?"

Zhu Yin replied, "Your Excellency, I am nine years old. I began learning to read at the age of three and have been studying for six years."

"Oh?" Zhuang Tingjian nodded. "No wonder he is so intelligent and mature for his age. It turns out he has been studying for six years. He is truly precocious."

Children typically begin their formal education at age five. If they can begin at age three, they must be very intelligent.

He had six daughters but no sons. Seeing Zhu Yin's delicate features and precocious intelligence, he couldn't help but feel a little envious. He smiled and pointed to the county government office behind him, testing her:
"Since the child says he started learning at the age of three and has studied calligraphy for six years, he must have read 'The Thousand Poems.' How about we compose a five-character poem on the theme of this public hall?"

His examination was actually to see if Zhu Yin was truly precocious and intelligent.

Then, we need to decide how to treat Zhu Yin and the clues he provides.

"Yes." Zhu Yin clasped his hands. "I dare not refuse your question, elder. Please allow me a moment to think."

"Haha." The Right Chancellor, who had many daughters but no children, laughed. "I'll give you half a quarter of an hour. Let's see if you have the makings of a child prodigy."

Zhu Yin recited the poem in less than a quarter of an hour:
A hanging fish faces a xiezhi (a mythical beast).
It faces south.

A bright mirror hangs in the high hall.
A gentle breeze passes over the moonlit platform.

The legacy of the sweet pear tree is deeply cherished.
Su Zhang Er Tian Cai.

In a dark room, one should cultivate one's mind.
A pot of ice-cold white jade.

P.S.: A long chapter of 5,000 words, it will arrive even if it's late! Good night! For those readers who missed yesterday's blocked chapter, please go back and check it out, otherwise you won't be able to follow the plot.

(End of this chapter)