Di Ming

Chapter 88 The Ascetic (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader)

Hai Rui could tell that Zhu Yin was a precocious child. This girl, who could be both cheerful and sullen, was also a clever and insightful young lady.

She's so lovable.

I wonder what kind of person could have given birth to these two children; they are truly enviable.

Just then, a middle-aged woman dressed in simple clothes and wearing a hairpin entered with two old servants dressed in coarse linen and hemp shoes.

"This is..." The woman saw Zhu Yin and the others and couldn't help but curiously raise her lamp to examine them.

Immediately, she saw Hai Rui sitting up.

"Master, you're feeling better?" She looked surprised, her ordinary-looking face beaming with joy.

She went to the city to buy rice in the afternoon. At that time, the master was still bedridden and looked pale. How come he was able to sit up and look better in just two hours?

Could it be a final burst of energy before death?
Upon realizing this, her joy vanished, and her face turned pale.

Hai Rui, being a perceptive and shrewd old man, was well aware of his concubine's worries.

He shook his head and said, "These two children used a secret medicine given to me by a Taoist priest, and their fevers have subsided. They should be fine now."

"Mrs. Qiu, don't worry, go and cook some porridge for me."

Seeing that the woman was about to cook, Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei decided not to keep her any longer.

"Father, please rest well. I will visit you at your residence the day after tomorrow," Zhu Yin said.

Come back the day after tomorrow, of course, for a follow-up visit and another dose of medication to try and get rid of the problem completely.

Hai Rui knew what was going on, and nodded somewhat reluctantly:
"Good children, thank you very much for today. I will have my old servant escort you back..."

As he spoke, he instructed the old servant to take out a ivory tablet.

"This is my secondary token. You can take it and use it to enter the Censorate. However, the Censorate is an important place of the imperial court. You can only come here. You cannot go anywhere else."

"Yes." Zhu Yin took the heavy sandalwood ivory token. "We will come to visit Father again the day after tomorrow afternoon. Father, rest assured, we will keep your health improved a secret."

Hai Rui's eyes were deep-set, and his gaze was even more profound.

He looked at Zhu Yin with a slightly scrutinizing gaze, and sighed, "Zhu Yin, you really are... I hope you won't be too clever for your own good."

He was worried that the child's exceptional intelligence might lead to taboos and prevent him from lasting long.

Then the old servant saw the three children out.

After Zhu Yin and the others left, the official surnamed Wang lit the oil lamp and said:
"Lord Hai, these two children are certainly not from an ordinary family. Why didn't you ask about their background just now?"

Hai Rui lay down again. "There's no need for that. They came to treat my illness only because of my meager reputation. I don't need to know their origins, I only need to know their character."

"Ming Shou, you've been in charge of the Censorate these past few days, and it's been quite tiring. You'll also need to put in a lot of effort to ensure the defense of the river troop strength and preparedness."

The official stood up and bowed, saying, "Lord Hai, please rest assured and recover from your illness. Yongji will certainly handle the matter properly."

It turned out that this official surnamed Wang was none other than Wang Yongji, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

He was both Hai Rui's subordinate and one of Hai Rui's few friends.

Wang Yongji added, “Lord Hai, there are recent rumors in Nanjing’s official circles that His Majesty intends to transfer Lord Hai to the capital to serve as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.”

"When Lord Hai was seriously ill, Yongji did not mention it. Now that Lord Hai is out of danger, I must report this news, whether it is true or not."

"That's true." Hai Rui said calmly, "His Majesty has long wanted to transfer me to the capital to reorganize the Ministry of Personnel and participate in the capital inspection."

"If I recover, I won't be able to stay in Nanjing for long."

"Don't spread the word that my condition has improved. Those people in Nanjing don't want me to get back on my feet. Also, spread the word that I will no longer see guests."

“Even if I go to the capital, I will leave something for the people of Southern Zhili. Ming Shou, if you are really not afraid of going through fire and water, there are some things you need to prepare.”

Wang Yongji understood immediately and said, "Yes, I will take my leave now."

Wang Yongji walked out of Hai Rui's desolate official residence and breathed a sigh of relief.

The autumn and winter of Nanjing in the fifteenth year of the Wanli reign were anything but peaceful.

It shouldn't have been this calm in the first place!
...

On the afternoon of the third day, when Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei brought Ning Qingchen to Hai Rui's residence, they found that Hai Rui had already gotten out of bed.

Hai Rui, dressed in a linen robe and holding a book, his silver-white hair disheveled, sat slanted by the window, gazing out with a cold and stern expression and deep eyes.

When the infant Ning Qingchen saw this scene, she suddenly felt that her father, Hai Rui, looked exactly like the statue of Plato, the philosopher she knew best.

Upon seeing the two children enter, Hai Rui immediately broke into a smile, like a kind old grandfather.

"Your son greets you, Father! Your good health today is all thanks to the prayers of the people of the city."

“I told you that the millions of people are reluctant to part with their father, which has moved heaven and earth, and your father will surely be safe and sound.”

Zhu Yin, with his silver tongue, completely erased the credit and favor he had received for delivering the medicine.

Hai Rui chuckled, "You naive child, you have a clever and insightful mind, and a silver tongue."

"Sit down and talk."

Ning Caiwei was very obedient. She gave Hai Rui his medicine as soon as possible and then took the initiative to comb and style his hair.

Seeing that Hai Rui looked much better and was in a good mood, Zhu Yin glanced at the bare walls of the house and the simple, old furniture, and took the opportunity to say:
"Everyone says that my father is poor and destitute, yet of noble character. How could I not believe it? But I am dull-witted and truly do not understand... why he is like this."

This is something that future generations will never understand.

Why was Hai Rui so poor?

Even if he were extremely honest and upright, he wouldn't be so poor as to be worse off than an ordinary family. This doesn't make sense.

Hai Rui slowly said, "Very well. I am old and my days are numbered. I will talk to you about this, so that you may know where my heart lies."

Many people think that I am so poor because I am so frugal.

"Some people say that I have taken concubines and had children several times, which is why I am so poor."

"I have never clarified this matter. Whether the world knows me, hates me, praises me, or slanders me, I have never cared in the slightest."

He gently put down the book in his hand and continued:
“I hold a second-rank official position, and even if my salary were reduced to cash, it would be more than enough to easily support my large family. Although I am neither greedy nor corrupt, I do not employ staff or crave luxury, so how could I be so poor?”

“Even though I was dismissed from office for many years and had no salary, I still have ancestral property and ancestral land in my hometown of Qiongya, which is enough for me to live a peaceful life. How could I really lack food and clothing?”

“My Hai family is considered a prominent family in Hainan, not a poor and humble one.”

"I am over seventy years old, and I have not prepared a coffin or funerary objects. Do I think I can live to be a hundred?"

Zhu Yin recalled Hai Rui's life and seemed to understand.

"Is Dad practicing asceticism and self-cultivation?"

Hai Rui nodded approvingly, "You child, you are truly exceptionally intelligent. Indeed, you are one who has endured hardship to cultivate your mind, regulate your family, and develop your wisdom."

"He diligently cultivated himself without weariness, often swallowing saliva past the time of fasting."

“The eminent scholars of Buddhism and Taoism all attained great virtue through ascetic practices. Can it be that only renowned scholars of Confucianism can become sages without ascetic practices?”

"Life and official career are like a path; how can a human being, being a spirit, not cultivate oneself?"

"Even among us Confucian scholars, there are ascetics."

"It has always been easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Fine clothes, delicacies, gold and silver jewelry, fine wine and beautiful women are all temptations and poisons. Keep them at a distance, and your mind will become clear, your will will become firm, and your spirit will become strong."

Confucius said, "One should find joy in poverty and the Way. If a gentleman does not have the heart to be content with poverty, how can he have the sincerity to find joy in the Way?"

"I've used all my spare money to help others."

Upon hearing Hai Rui's words, Zhu Yin was immediately struck by a flood of thoughts from later generations.

Minimalism, enduring hardship without suffering, de-materialism, spiritual wealth, having no woman in one's heart and drawing a sword naturally, moral fastidiousness...

These labels were unconsciously attached to Hai Rui.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but think of ascetic monks, wandering Taoist priests, Christian ascetics, and Japanese samurai...

Now I know why Hai Rui was poorer than ordinary people.

Old Man Hai, you're really something!

No wonder I couldn't understand why you were so poor, even though you had a small family, lived in government housing, and received a salary.

If you are content with poverty and seek solace in the ways of the world, becoming an ascetic and impoverished scholar, and trying to cultivate yourself in the materialistic world of officialdom, how can you not be poor?
This goes beyond simply being clean-living and honest.

They're also a bit cunning.

Poverty is not only your "cultivation technique," but also your sword—the sword that allows you to control public opinion and occupy the moral high ground!

Thinking of this, Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel awe at Hai Rui's character and shrewdness.

He was an ascetic in the officialdom, a respected and upright official, and also a ruthless man.

A real ruthless person.

A remarkable person who was willing to sacrifice everything and never give up in the face of setbacks for great achievements and political ideals.

Zhu Yin stood up like a little adult, "Father's teachings are truly enlightening, I am at a loss for words!"

At this moment, a simple "I don't know what to say" is worth a thousand words.

"What utterly incomprehensible words!" Hai Rui stroked his beard and smiled, looking very pleased.

"Zhu Yin, you are the smartest child I have ever met. You are kind-hearted and have your own path. Everyone has their own nature, so there is no need for you to follow my example."

Zhu Yin solemnly replied, "Yes!"

The two, one old and one young, are more than sixty years apart in age, yet they have a tacit understanding and unspoken agreement.

Hai Rui grew to like Zhu Yin more and more.

"You didn't come here today just to deliver medicine, did you? Is there something you want to tell this old man?"

Zhu Yin did not hide anything, "Father is truly insightful. I did indeed learn of a major case by chance and wanted to report it to you."

Hai Rui narrowed his eyes. "What important matter is it? Tell me."

"Yes!" Zhu Yin stood up. "Please, Father, step forward so I can see a witness!"

Zhu Yin went outside, and a carriage was parked at the door.

Standing beside the carriage was Ding Hongying.

Zhu Yin said, "Where is the human trafficker? Bring him out."

Ding Hongying agreed and opened the car door. Lan Cha, like an eagle snatching a chick, lifted a weasel-faced man out of the carriage.

With a thud, he knelt down in front of Hai Rui.

"Father, this man is the witness. He tried to kidnap me, but I caught him and, after some interrogation, discovered a huge secret!"

P.S.: I'm too sleepy, so I can only add this one chapter. The patrons will add more chapters as well. I'll report on subscription results the day after tomorrow. Readers who really want to let the book wait a bit, please subscribe automatically, thank you! Thank you to the three new patrons: Xia Ruoshui, Anzhitinglanzhu, and Reichsbanner for their donations! Goodnight!

(End of this chapter)