I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 300: A Talented Music Arranger

"Student Wang Daokun pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wang Daokun, dressed in a blue cross-collared long gown and a soft hat, took a step forward, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed.

He had a special status, he had passed the imperial examination and served as an official, but was impeached and dismissed from office. He could call himself a student because he had achievements, but he could not call himself a minister because he had no official position.

"Mr. Taihan, please stand up and take a seat."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Wang Daokun stood up nervously and sat halfway down on a stool.

He brought Tu Long and Pan Zhiheng to Beijing to observe the current situation.

The result is dazzling.

He visited many old friends and had in-depth discussions with them. He also traveled around the capital, and even went to Xishan, where there were many training classes and institutes, and Kaiping, where there were many factories.

After returning to his residence and pondering for a while, Wang Daokun found that the current chaos was a sign of a major change. The new and old ideas were quietly clashing in secret.

Beneath the surface of stable political situation, undercurrents are surging!

Big change!
Especially after visiting Li Zhi several times and having in-depth exchanges and debates with him and his disciples, Wang Daokun felt that a major change would soon take place in the Ming Dynasty that had not been seen in a thousand years.

Big changes mean big opportunities.

Wang Daokun was somewhat tempted. Coincidentally, the brothers Wang Shizhen and Wang Shimao jointly recommended him to the Crown Prince, so this audience in the Western Garden took place.

However, Wang Daokun was not quite sure what the Crown Prince would ask him, and whether he could please the Crown Prince in this interview.

"Mr. Taihan, are you a Jinshi in the 26th year of Jiajing?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I was selected by the late Emperor as the 107th Jinshi of the Dingwei Imperial Examination in the 26th year of the Jiajing reign. I am ashamed, ashamed!"

"The Dingwei Examination in the 26th year of Jiajing, the Ming Dynasty's Dragon and Tiger List, is comparable to the Dingyou Examination in the 2nd year of Jiayou in the Song Dynasty.

The top scholar was Shi Lu Gong (Li Chunfang), the ninth place in the second class was Tai Yue Xiansheng (Zhang Juzheng), the eleventh place in the second class was Jiao Shan Gong (Yang Jisheng), the twenty-seventh place in the second class was Xu Dazhai (Xu Zhi, Xu Jie's younger brother), the eightieth place in the second class was Yuan Mei Xiansheng (Wang Shizhen), the one hundred and ninety-seventh place in the third class was Yin Yangshi (Yin Zhengmao), the two hundredth place in the third class was Liu Zihe (Liu Yingjie)
There are so many talented people! ”

In fact, there was another one, that was Yin Shidan, the former lecturer in Prince Yu's Palace, who once entered the cabinet but was driven away by Zhu Yijun. He was just the one ranked before Wang Daokun.

It's just that this person had evil intentions, and Zhu Yijun hated him, so he didn't mention him.

Wang Daokun listened quietly.

"In the 40th year of Jiajing, you served as the deputy envoy of Fujian Province and concurrently took charge of the coastal defense. Did you fight against the Japanese pirates together with Mr. Ruzhen and Qi Yuanjing?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I once fought alongside Hu Bingbu and Feng Ningbo in Fujian."

"What a pity! I heard that you were impeached and dismissed from office at the beginning of the 41st year of Jiajing. It's a pity that I missed you so much."

"I am not so lucky as to serve my country under your command."

"There is also Mr. Zili. After learning that you were coming to Beijing, he, Mr. Ruzhen, and Qi Yuanjing wrote to me to recommend you, saying that you are both civil and military, diligent and pragmatic, courageous, knowledgeable, talented, resolute and strategic."

Wang Daokun bowed and replied, "I am unworthy of this."

"They are all my loyal followers. I know their characters. So I trust their recommendation. I don't know Mr. Taihan's other abilities for now, but I have heard of the several Kunqu opera plays you wrote.

There were two plays performed in the Forbidden City, especially "Emperor Tang Minghuang's Palace of Eternal Life on the Seventh Night", which the Empress Dowager and several concubines praised highly, praising Mr. Taihan's talent!"

Wang Daokun was a little confused.

What is the purpose of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince praising me like this?
Zhu Yijun continued, "Mr.'s repertoire and plays have spread all over the country, and are sung and praised everywhere. When Mr. Jianchuan came to Beijing to report on his work, he mentioned to me that in the remote and cold areas of Hexi, there were also opera troupes singing Mr.'s plays.

Although it was far inferior to the opera troupes in Beijing and the southeast, the local military and civilians were fascinated by it. "

Lord Jianchuan?
Wang Chonggu!
He had just recently come to the capital to report on his work. After being summoned by His Highness for several meetings in the Western Garden, he rushed to Datong to take up the post of Governor-General of Xuanda, Shanxi.

Wang Daokun seemed to catch a hint of information, just like touching a spider web thread in the sunlight.

"According to Shanxi's border merchants, the nobles of the Tumed tribe also like to listen to the music compiled by the master. The women like to listen to the literary dramas, "Gaotang Dream" and "Changsheng Palace". The nobles like to listen to martial arts dramas, as well as the master's "Luoshui Sadness" and "Distant Mountain Drama".

Opera troupes from cities such as Datong and Taiyuan were often invited to the south of the desert. They would go out of the border for five or six months a year, and travel to various big tents to make a lot of money. It is said that Altan Khan and his favorite concubine Sanniangzi both liked to listen to operas, and they spent a lot of money to invite three opera troupes from the capital and the southeast to perform for them in the king's tent. "

When Wang Daokun heard about the Tumed tribe, Aldan Khan and Sanniangzi, his heart began to beat wildly.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would never talk to me about these things for no reason.

Zhu Yijun noticed that Wang Daokun's expression was changing and knew that he had guessed what he was thinking.

He is indeed a man of wisdom and intelligence. "Mr. Taihan, can you write martial arts scenes?"

"Your Highness, may I ask if it is a martial arts play like "Fa Zi Du" or "Du Mu Guan"?"

"Yes."

"Students can write. They have written "Single Rider to Save the Lord" and "Yan Yang Lou", which were performed on stage in Suzhou and Hangzhou and received good reviews."

"'Single Rider Saves the Lord', Zhao Zilong at Changbanpo in the Three Kingdoms?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Well, 'Single Rider to Save the Lord' is good. Zhao Zilong from the Three Kingdoms, White Robe and Silver Spear, Altan Khan and Sanniangzi, I'm sure everyone will like to listen to it."

Zhu Yijun stood up and said, "Wang Daokun!"

"The students are here!"

"What you hear and see next are all military secrets. You cannot tell anyone outside the Qinzheng Hall, otherwise it will be unacceptable under the law of the country."

Wang Daokun quickly knelt down and replied, "I will keep it in mind and dare not reveal a single word."

"Okay, get up and follow me."

Zhu Yijun brought Wang Daokun to the next room, walked to the map, pointed at it and asked.

"Mr. Wang, take a look, what kind of map is this?"

Wang Daokun stepped forward and took a look, then answered affirmatively: "Your Highness, this is a map of the nine northern borders, covering the Tumed royal tent and the Chahar tribe."

"Qi Yuanjing has left the capital, do you know?"

"I know that Marquis Fengning was ordered by the Emperor to lead the three armies to attack the Chahar tribe."

"That's right. We will fight against the Chahar tribe. This war may take one to two years. During this period, I have been worried about a variable."

Wang Daokun's eyes lit up, and he quickly replied, "Your Highness, is it Altan Khan of the Tumed tribe?"

"Yes. Tumen Khan kept sending envoys to persuade him. In the Tumed king's tent, there were his nephews and confidants, who also persuaded him to form an alliance with the Chahar tribe and declare war on the Ming Dynasty.

But until now, Altan Khan's attitude has been unclear and unpredictable!"

Wang Daokun thought for a moment and asked tentatively, "Your Highness, do you want to ask me to accompany the invited troupe to the Tumed king's tent as a scriptwriter, and please Altan Khan with martial arts, or please his favorite concubine Sanniang with literary drama, and then find out what Altan Khan really thinks?"

Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "You gentlemen are right in recommending me. Mr. Taihan is indeed smart and clever."

Wang Daokun's mind was racing, and he suddenly thought of Xu Wei, whom he had met several times before. He was a commoner, but now he has become a minister and an important official.

Military merit!
In a situation of great change, military merit is the most dangerous, but also the most precious.

Once caught, he would be granted a title and promoted to an official position, and he would rise to a high position.

He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice: "I am willing to go out of the customs and enter the Tumed King's tent to find out Altan Khan's true thoughts. I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "I don't care about Altan Khan's true thoughts. Besides, people's minds are fickle. If you figure it out today, he may change his mind tomorrow if the situation changes. It will all be in vain."

I just want to ask you to do me a favor.”

"Your Highness, please give me your instructions!"

"Even if Altan Khan wanted to betray the Ming Dynasty, he didn't have the power to do so!"

Wang Daokun was extremely shocked. He never thought that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would have such a plan.

But when you think about it carefully, the prince is right.

There is little point in finding out Altan Khan's true intentions, as they may change at any time.

It would be better to find a way to restrain Altan Khan so that even if he wants to form an alliance with the Chahar tribe or go to war with the Ming Dynasty, he will be powerless!
But what to do?
Wang Daokun said respectfully: "Your Highness, I understand a little bit of your meaning, but I am still confused about how to do it. Please give me some advice, Your Highness!"

Zhu Yijun smiled, turned around and asked Qi Yan: "Has Feng Bao arrived?"

"Your Highness, Eunuch Feng is leading the Eastern Depot, the Jinyiwei Pacification Division, the Border Investigation Division, the Commercial Investigation Division, and the Imperial Academy of Music, waiting at the Xi'an Gate."

"Call in."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)