Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!"

Li Xian let out a mournful scream, collapsed to the ground, and wept bitterly.

"Pei Yuan is a military official, arrogant in his actions, and insatiably greedy! How could he possibly teach his cunning methods to the Crown Prince!"

"If the Crown Prince is tainted by such vulgar and arrogant behavior, the Ming Dynasty will be in grave danger! This old minister would rather die than see the Crown Prince go astray!"

"We second that opinion! Pei Yuan must never be the Crown Prince's tutor!"

The courtiers were in an uproar once again; this time, they were genuinely anxious.

Handing the crown prince over to Pei Yuan would be even more painful than killing them.

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Jianji roared angrily, his dragon-like power raging.

"Pei Yuan has overseen the construction of the navy for me, expanded our territory, and replenished the national treasury. Each of these achievements is unparalleled!"

"You call him a mercenary? Without the silver he amassed through mercenary means, you bunch of old scholars would have had your heads ripped off by the Tatars from beyond the Great Wall long ago!"

Zhu Jianji pointed at the kneeling civil officials, his words as sharp as knives.

"My mind is made up! Pei Yuan will not only teach the Crown Prince, but I will also send him to Zhenhai Fort in Tianjin and to the Royal Trading Company! He must personally witness how the Ming Dynasty's navy trains and how its merchant ships bring back real gold and silver!"

"Anyone who dares to voice any objections or obstruction is considered to have ulterior motives and is tantamount to deceiving the emperor!"

With this serious accusation of deceiving the emperor pinned on them, no one dared to utter a word.

Li Xian slumped on the gold bricks, his eyes lifeless.

He went to great lengths, even going so far as to violate the principles of being a subject by secretly conspiring, hoping to leave behind a last spark of integrity for the Ming Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, he personally delivered the crown prince into the mouth of that ferocious beast.

Pei Yuan stood up and walked slowly to the center of the hall.

He did not visit the civil officials who were grieving as if they had lost their parents.

He simply faced Zhu Jianji, bowed deeply, and his voice carried an air of unparalleled composure.

"Your humble servant obeys the decree. I will do my utmost to impart all the practical knowledge of governing a country that I have acquired over the past century... no, over the past half of my life. I will make His Highness understand that the Ming Dynasty cannot be preserved by a few eloquent articles."

The bell tolled to signal the end of the court session.

The officials left Fengtian Gate like zombies.

Pei Yuan waved his folding fan and walked briskly up the white jade steps.

The sunlight shone on his bright red python robe, making it seem as if a dazzling fire had been ignited.

"It's been a long time since I've picked up my old profession of teaching and educating people."

Pei Yuan chuckled inwardly.

When he was the Grand Secretary, he trained several emperors who followed the rules and regulations.

Now that he's a treacherous minister, he wants to see if he can raise a "monster" emperor who understands Confucianism and Mencius, is proficient in warships and cannons, and is good at capital plunder.

What magnificent and turbulent scene will this world present?

……

Outside the Wenhua Hall.

In the courtyard outside the palace, several eunuchs on duty held their breath and dared not even sweep the floor with a soft bamboo broom.

They were afraid of disturbing the clear reading voices coming from inside the hall.

Today marks the third day since Crown Prince Zhu Youzhen officially began his lectures.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

The ten-year-old Crown Prince Zhu Youzhen was dressed in a bright yellow robe with four dragon motifs and wore a winged crown.

He sat upright behind the large rosewood desk.

He was born with rosy lips and white teeth, and his eyebrows vaguely resembled those of the Chenghua Emperor, only with an added touch of childishness and innocence.

Below the desk, on the left, is a grand master's chair covered with a brocade cushion.

The former Minister of Rites, Wang Hua, a renowned Confucian scholar of his time, was sitting solemnly on a bright red official robe, holding a copy of Mencius.

His beard and hair were all white, but his back was ramrod straight, exuding the uprightness and integrity unique to upright and famous officials.

"Your Highness, as Mencius said in the Book of Jin Xin: 'The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important.'"

Wang Hua's voice, with its varied intonation, echoed throughout the hall.

"This is the foundation of the teachings of the sages. A ruler should prioritize the suffering of the people. By practicing benevolent governance and reducing taxes and levies, he can win the hearts of the people and ensure the long-term stability of the country."

"If one indulges in excessive taxation and pleasure-seeking, even with strong armor and sharp weapons, it will be difficult to silence public opinion, and there will eventually be the danger of collapse."

"As the Crown Prince, Your Highness should deeply ingrain the concepts of benevolence and forgiveness into your very being."

Zhu Youzhen listened very attentively, his young face tense, and he nodded respectfully in response.

"I will keep your teachings in mind. If I inherit the throne in the future, I will stay away from petty people, befriend virtuous ministers, practice benevolence and righteousness, and bring peace to the world."

Wang Hua stroked his beard, his trembling slightly, his old eyes filled with satisfaction.

This young prince is exceptionally intelligent and kind-hearted; he is truly a gem in the rough.

With careful nurturing and time, one can surely cultivate him into a benevolent ruler.

At that time, the Ming Dynasty will be able to return to the right track of the teachings of the sages.

We no longer have to suffer from the filth and corruption caused by those arrogant and treacherous officials.

Thinking of this, Wang Hua couldn't help but glance at the empty armchair opposite him, and his brows immediately furrowed tightly.

The Emperor decreed that he and Pei Yuan, the Right Vice-General, would jointly tutor the Crown Prince.

It was already past 1:45 AM, and there was still no sign of Commander Pei, who was also the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor.

As a teacher, how could he be so undisciplined and irresponsible? He simply disregards the Crown Prince's position!

Just as Wang Hua was about to speak to the Crown Prince and denounce Pei Yuan's arrogance,

Suddenly, a series of unhurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Immediately afterwards, a young eunuch's slightly trembling voice announced the news.

"Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Right Commander-in-Chief Pei, has arrived."

Wang Hua snorted coldly and slammed the copy of Mencius he was holding onto the table.

Zhu Youzhen looked up with some curiosity at the palace gate.

He felt a strange sense of awe and curiosity towards Pei Taibao, the famous "Grand Tutor" whom his father praised highly.

The curtain was lifted.

Pei Yuan was not wearing the imposing crimson python robe, but instead wore an extremely simple moon-white silk Taoist robe, with a wooden hairpin casually tied in his hair.

He was toying with a Xiangfei bamboo folding fan in his hand.

In his other hand, he was carrying a rough porcelain food box, a common sight in the marketplace.

"Your humble servant Pei Yuan greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am a little late today, please forgive me."

Pei Yuan walked to the desk and casually placed the rough porcelain food box on the precious rosewood tabletop.

He simply bowed slightly, skipping even the kneeling ceremony.

Upon seeing this, Wang Hua was so angry that his beard trembled, and he abruptly stood up to reprimand him.

"Governor Pei! Lectures at the Imperial Academy are a grand ceremony of the nation! As the Grand Tutor, you are late, fail to kneel before the Crown Prince, and are carrying such vulgar and crude items."

"Do you still have any regard for the proper conduct between ruler and subject, or for the way of the sage?"

Pei Yuan turned his head, looked at Wang Hua's angry face, and a nonchalant smile appeared on his lips.

"Lord Wang, please don't be anxious. I'm a rough man and don't understand your bureaucratic formalities. As for the contents of this food box..."

Pei Yuan reached out and lifted the lid of the food box.

A slightly sour smell instantly filled the hall.

Zhu Youzhen curiously leaned forward for a look, and immediately frowned.

Inside the food box was half a blackened bran cake and a bowl of thin, watery porridge with only a few shriveled grains of rice visible.

Such coarse, even rotten, food was unthinkable for the eldest prince, who was born in the deep palace and raised by women.

I have never even seen it before.