I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 451: The Riddle Between Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng

Deep in a large mansion in Mingyufang, Xicheng, there is a quiet room that is simple and elegant.

There are Su-style rosewood armchairs, screens with fan-shaped patterns by famous artists, and shelves filled with exquisite and authentic antiques. Two paintings hang on the wall, one is Liu Yong's "Looking at the Sea Tide. The Southeast Scenery" copied by Huang Tingjian of the Northern Song Dynasty, and the other is "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" by Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Feng Bao was wearing a loose sweat shirt and sitting on the armchair with his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.

After completing a small circulation of Qi, Feng Bao let out a long sigh, exhaled the foul air, and slowly opened his eyes.

After following the Taoist Emperor Jiajing for a long time, all the eunuchs who served him learned the skills of meditation and breathing regulation, especially Huang Jin, who was the best at it.

He served Emperor Jiajing the longest and learned the most profound skills in self-cultivation. Among his godsons, Yang Jinshui and Feng Bao learned the best.

Feng Bao opened his eyes. The quiet room, which had been silent just now, seemed to wake up from a deep sleep. Two maids brought in a steaming wooden barrel, which was filled with steam and exuded a special pine aroma.

Emperor Jiajing liked to soak his feet in hot water in a fresh pine wood barrel. Zhu Yijun learned this and also soaked his feet in hot water before going to bed, but the barrel did not have to be made of pine wood.

Feng Bao learned it very seriously. The wooden barrel must be a pine barrel with pine aroma.

Two maids placed the wooden barrel in front of Feng Bao, and a woman came in. She was in her prime, about 22 or 23 years old, wearing embroidered silk clothes, with a bun and a green hairpin, and she was plump and quiet.

The two maids bowed their heads and said, "Madam."

She walked straight to Feng Bao, squatted down, reached out to test the water temperature in the wooden barrel, lifted one of Feng Bao's feet, placed it on her thigh, took off his socks, and put her wrinkled feet into the warm water.

Then take off the socks on the other foot and put it in warm water.

She moved her slender hands in the warm water, carefully washing Feng Bao's feet, as if these two wrinkled and spotted feet were the most precious treasures in the world that deserved her care.

Her name was Luan Feng'er, the lady of the Feng family, and the wife that Feng Bao carried back in a sedan chair.

Luan Feng'er's father was a Jinshi Hanlin, but he had a way of making money. When he was sent out to work, he was impeached for corruption and bribery, and then he was stabbed in the back at Xishikou.

His wife and daughter were admitted to the Jiaosifang according to the law.

Luan Feng'er was born into a scholarly family and was naturally beautiful. She was trained by the Jiaosifang and became the top performer in the Jiaosi when she was sixteen. All the princes, scholars and celebrities in the capital fell in love with her.

However, just three or four years after he became famous, he was bought by a mysterious person and taken into his backyard. Countless young talents were beating their chests and stamping their feet. When they later found out that this mysterious person was actually Feng Bao, the eunuch of the Imperial Household, they were so angry that they vomited blood.

Feng Bao enjoyed Luan Feng'er's tenderness, squinting his eyes at her white neck, and a face appeared in his mind.

He was only twenty years old that year. He had been suffering in the Forbidden City for several years, and was still at the lowest level as a eunuch in the Shrine Palace. It seemed that he would never be able to make a breakthrough in this life.

That day, when he was cleaning a palace, he was noticed by a palace lady and was appointed as a vegetable grower.

The palace lady was ten years older than him, but she was his destined benefactor.

The Shang Gong was related to the Jiajing Emperor's wet nurse and had a high status among the palace ladies. After a period of marriage, Feng Bao was promoted from the Shengong Supervisor to the Sishe Supervisor. A few years later, he became Huang Jin's disciple and began to rise rapidly.

However, that palace lady died of illness less than ten years after she had been living with Feng Bao. She looked 70% similar to Luan Feng'er.

"Is there any difficulty at home?" Feng Bao's tone was very relaxed, just like the man of the house talking to the woman of the house.

"Master, there is no difficulty. The expenses are sufficient. The servants all respect your power and virtue and serve you wholeheartedly." Luan Feng'er continued to wash Feng Bao's feet while speaking without raising her head.

"The Zhending clan sent several children, both boys and girls, you can pick one that you like. Our house must be complete, with a master and mistress, and also a young master and a young lady."

"Yes, Master. I will choose two to stay tomorrow."

"After the selection, take our family's name card and bring the children to the Medicine King Hall of the Imperial Hospital to ask Medicine King Li to implant the immortal seed in the children. With the immortal seed implanted, there is no need to worry about the deadly smallpox.

There are not many immortal seeds raised in the Imperial Hospital’s Medicine King Hall right now, and you have to queue up if you want to get vaccinated.”

"Yes, Master." Luan Feng'er answered meekly.

A steward bent down at the door and reported: "Master, I, Li Fengtian, am back."

The steward was a eunuch in his twenties who looked very energetic.

"Toyota, have you returned from Shuanglinyuan?"

"Yes, sir. Shuanglin Temple will be completed next year. The abbot and the assistant abbot have also been found. The abbot of the Qingliang Zen Temple in Mount Wutai is the abbot Shangde. He is well versed in Buddhism and highly respected."

"Has the blessed land behind Shuanglinyuan Mountain been cleaned up?"

"Master, it's all ready. I will personally supervise the craftsmen to repair the fence on the side of the mountain."

"That is my blessed land after a hundred years, Fengtian, you have to be careful. After it is leveled, ask a Feng Shui master to go there and set the compass. Don't be careless!"

"Please rest assured, sir. I will never be negligent!"

"Remember to give a hundred silver dollars to Fuling Temple. That is my godfather's century-old temple."

"Remember this, little one."

Eunuchs of high status would build a Buddhist temple in a well-chosen Feng Shui location, now called a Tangshayuan Temple, and buy some land. A hundred years later they would be buried in the back mountain, with the monks there chanting sutras day and night to pray for their souls and look after the grave.

Fuling Temple is Huang Jin's century-old temple, which was built at the foot of Xiangziling Mountain near Yongling with the permission of Zhu Yijun.

"Master, Feng Qi is back." A servant reported at the door.

Feng Bao's face straightened, "My feet are washed."

Luan Feng'er quickly took the dry towel from the maid, wiped Feng Bao's red feet one by one, and put on clean socks.

Then he bowed and followed the two maids carrying the wooden barrel out of the house.

"Madam." Feng Bao called out.

Luan Feng'er turned around and asked, "Master called me?"

"Hu Ruzhen wrote back to me, your brother has been found."

Luan Feng'er turned her head suddenly, her whole body trembling uncontrollably, her beautiful eyes filled with tears.

"Master, has my brother, Yang'er, been found?"

"His name is Luan Yongfang now. Lord Ruzhen will bring him back when he returns to the capital. It won't be long before you and your sister will be reunited."

Luan Feng'er bowed with tears in her eyes and said, "Thank you, Master."

Feng Bao looked at her, his eyes flickering, and waved his hand, "Okay, we are family, so we don't have to talk about different things."

Feng Bao was the only one left in the quiet room. Soon, a man wearing a long shirt and a footless hat was brought in.

He is in his twenties, with a fair face and no beard. He is Feng Bao's adopted son Feng Qi, and also a eunuch.

"Dad, your son has been ordered to meet with Xu Liangcai."

"Didn't it attract anyone's attention?" "Don't worry, Daddy. I was very careful. Xu Liangcai is also a careful and cautious person. He didn't arouse any suspicion from outsiders."

"Have you said everything you need to say?"

"I followed your instructions and told Xu Liangcai everything word for word. I also selected two acts according to your instructions."

Feng Bao folded his hands on his abdomen, tilted his head back and looked at the roof.

"After the letter is passed on, it will all depend on how Uncle Zhang performs this drama."

His eyes flashed, and he suddenly thought of something. He stared at Feng Qi and said, "Seventh Brother, pay more attention to the East Factory. The princes of the royal family have been very active recently. Keep a close eye on them and don't let Wang Cheng take away the credit."

Wang Cheng is an old man left behind by Huang Jin in the East Factory.

Feng Qi quickly replied: "Don't worry, Daddy. This time, if I catch a few big fish, I will definitely let you show your face in front of His Highness."

"Be careful, be careful, don't expose your butt without showing your face."

"My son would never dare!"

At Zhang Juzheng's house, Zhang Juzheng was sitting in his study, listening to Xu Liangcai reporting confidential matters.

Xu Liangcai was his cousin, two years younger than him, and they studied together since childhood. Zhang Juzheng was a child prodigy, while Xu Liangcai was a useless person.

Zhang Juzheng was a scholar, a juren, a jinshi, and a Hanlin, and he rushed forward. Xu Liangcai didn't even pass the examination to become a tongsheng, so he simply went to Zhang Juzheng and became an internal steward in his mansion. He was one of Zhang Juzheng's most trusted people.

"Master, I dare not miss a single word of these words, nor make any mistakes. They are all Feng Qi's original words." Xu Liangcai said.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard, thinking about what Feng Qi had conveyed. What did he mean?
These words are just polite talk, you can't understand their meaning even if you break them down.

"What else did you two do besides talking?"

"Master, of course it's to listen to music."

Zhang Juzheng raised his eyebrows and asked, "Listening to music? What music did Feng Qi order?"

Xu Liangcai tilted his head and thought for a while, "First, I ordered a section of "Burning Incense", and then I ordered a section of "Chasing Han Xin."

"Chasing Han Xin?"

"Yes, Jin Renjie's "Chasing Han Xin"."

"Which discount did you order?" Zhang Juzheng asked.

Xu Liangcai thought for a moment and said, "The third fold."

Zhang Juzheng stood up, searched the bookshelf for a while, turned back and sat down again.

"Cousin, go to the bookstore and buy a book called "Xishan Shuangfenglu", which is a collection of miscellaneous works composed by Jin Renjie of the Yuan Dynasty."

Xu Liangcai understood immediately, "It must include Chasing Han Xin?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded.

After Xu Liangcai left, Zhang Juzheng sat in his study, thinking hard about what Feng Bao wanted to convey to him.

The two had secretly formed an alliance when Zhu Yijun was still the prince of Yu and Zhang Juzheng was teaching Zhu Yijun in Xiyuan. But the two were very cautious and kept their relationship neither too close nor too distant.

They greeted each other warmly when they met, but they never had any contact with each other on weekdays.

One of them was Zhu Yijun's personal eunuch, who served in Prince Yu's Mansion and followed him into the West Garden; the other was Zhu Yijun's teacher, who came to teach him every few days, so they must have known each other. If he acted too distant, it would arouse suspicion.

However, being too close would be inappropriate, as it would not only lead to impeachment by the censors, but would also arouse Zhu Yijun's suspicion.

This person has a sharp mind, so be careful.

Zhang Juzheng knew that Feng Bao must have important news to pass on to him, but he didn't dare to say it out loud. Because the news was of great importance, he absolutely couldn't let a third person know, so he could only pass it on very implicitly.

While he was thinking hard, he heard the faint sound of strings and singing. Zhang Juzheng's thoughts were disturbed and he became a little annoyed!
Just as he was about to lose his temper, something occurred to him and he shouted, "Where is the song?"

"Master, it was the eldest young master who asked the troupe in the mansion to rehearse a play so that it could be performed at the Madam's birthday banquet."

"Send the singer in."

"Yes."

After a while, a female actor was invited to the door nervously, "This servant pays respects to the master."

"Can you sing opera?" Zhang Juzheng asked straight to the point.

"meeting."

"What about 'Chasing Han Xin'?"

"To answer your question, sir, this is a famous piece of opera, and I can sing it."

"Stand up and sing the third act for me, the master," said Zhang Juzheng.

"Yes!"

The actress stood up and began to sing in a humming voice.

".Our king is a king who changes his subjects according to his dynasty."

Zhang Juzheng sat up straight with a gleam in his eyes, but he said nothing. He pretended to be calm and listened to the whole play.

"Well, you sang well. Here's two silver dollars as a reward."

"Thank you, sir!"

After the actresses and servants left, Zhang Juzheng was the only one left in the study.

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, feeling anxious.

Zhang Juzheng understood all of Feng Bao's meaning, but he did not expect that the emperor's health had deteriorated to this extent.

Once the crown prince ascends the throne, the political situation will be completely different.

Excited by the thought, Zhang Juzheng suddenly opened the window, and the scenery of the small garden outside came into view. He looked up and saw the blue sky and white clouds over the capital.

The world is unpredictable!

The fourth year of Longqing, will there be another fourth year of Longqing? !

(End of this chapter)