I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 553: Ending without any cause, I am envious

After a while, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue silk Taoist robe and a silk scarf on his head hurried in, holding up the front of his clothes.

"Shao Hu Gong!"

The man came forward and bowed respectfully
"Fengzhou is here." Xu Jie responded with a bow.

The visitor was none other than Wang Shizhen, who had been demoted and sent back home to study.

"Why do you come to my humble abode today?"

"Shaohu Lord, Yan Song is dead."

Xu Jie stood up suddenly, his voice trembling, "Is Yan Shaoxi dead?"

"Yes, Lord Shaohu. He died of natural causes eleven days ago."

"Died of no disease." Xu Jie murmured, "Although Yan Shaoxi lost his only son, he died of no disease in the end, which can be considered a good end.

Fengzhou, how did you know about his death? "

"Mr. Shaohu, I have a good friend from school who is now a Tongzhi in Yuanzhou Prefecture. Yan Song died of illness at home, and the magistrate of Fenhuang County immediately reported it according to the rules.

After receiving the report, my good friend could not help but write a letter to his students, describing the circumstances before Yan Song's death. "

"Oh, Fengzhou, please tell me about it."

Wang Shizhen said: "Three months ago, I was invited to the Hualin Kunqu Opera Troupe in the capital to enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival with the people. I was invited to perform my student's "Ming Feng Ji" in Nanchang. When Yan Song heard about it, he ignored the dissuasion and insisted on taking a boat to Nanchang. After watching the show, he loudly praised Li Ling's performance of Yan Song, saying that it was more like Yan Song than himself.

Yan Song caught a cold on the way and stayed in bed for more than ten days after returning to Fenhuang's house. People thought he was going to die. But he got better and was able to walk around like a normal person. Eleven days ago, he could not get up after one night.

Xu Jie sighed: "Yan Shaoxi was born in the 1480th year of Chenghua (), and he is already over years old. Among the many ministers and chancellors of the imperial court, he is the longest-lived one."

Wang Shizhen said angrily: "If you are old and still alive, you are a thief!"

Xu Jie glanced at him and continued.

"Yan Shaoxi has been in the political arena for sixty years, with great ups and downs, and later served as Prime Minister for twenty years, with power over the country. It is difficult to judge the right and wrong of this matter."

Wang Shizhen said somewhat unhappily: "Yan Song is obsessed with flattering his superiors, stealing power for personal gain, spreading harm to good people, and bringing disaster to the country and the people!"

Xu Jie asked calmly: "Fengzhou, have you ever been the Prime Minister?"

Wang Shizhen was speechless for a moment.

"Fengzhou, sitting in that position, sometimes you have no choice. Fengzhou also knows what kind of emperor Shi Miao is. If it weren't for Yan Shaoxi's efforts to maintain it, the Ming Dynasty would not be what it is now.

I have different political views from Yan Shaoxi, and we are not the same kind of people. We were in the same cabinet, but we fought for decades. But I have been the prime minister, and I know how difficult it is. "

"I can't help myself?" Wang Shizhen's face changed slightly. He muttered this word, and something touched his heart. After a while, he said, "Although Yan Song abused his power, his poetry was unique among his peers. Even if the peacock is poisonous, it cannot hide his writing."

Xu Jie smiled faintly, picked up the teacup and invited Wang Shizhen to have tea.

"Fengzhou has been back home for a while. What are you busy with?"

Wang Shizhen quickly replied: "Mr. Shaohu, students are preparing for the Suzhou Opera Research Institute."

"Theatrical Research Institute?"

"Yes, Mr. Shaohu. The student loves opera and likes to write some plays and dramas, which has gained some fame. After returning to his hometown and having nothing to do, he thought of gathering colleagues who like opera together.

We should sort out the singing styles, ci tunes and scripts, and standardize them, so as to avoid chaos caused by each doing its own thing. "

Xu Jie nodded: "This is a good thing!
After returning to my hometown, I also like to listen to these operas. However, these operas are numerous and different, and each has its own unique skills, but they are kept secret.

If Fengzhou can let these actors show their unique skills and integrate them, the opera will be reborn and more interesting."

Wang Shizhen said happily: "Shaohu Gong has a good idea!

One of the purposes of our establishment of the Chinese Opera Research Institute is to take the strengths of various schools and integrate them into one, so as to make Kunqu Opera, Hui Opera and other Chinese Operas more perfect.

In the future, we will have to rely on Mr. Shaohu's support. You are a giant in the southeast, a great scholar, and with you in charge, the opera research institute will be able to reach a higher level. "

"Well, this is a grand event, and I have no choice but to take part in it."

"Shao Hu Gong, there is something else I want to discuss with you."

"Fengzhou, please speak."

"Many colleagues in the southeast have found students these days, intending to form a literary society, publish poetry newspapers, and participate in literary events together."

"Form a literary society and publish a newspaper?" Xu Jie thought for a moment, "Are there any rules and regulations?"

"We, the younger generation, originally wanted to name the literary society Jiangnan Literary Society, but in recent years, many businesses in the southeast have used the word "she", and many colleagues in the literary world feel that it smells of money and is dirty, so they don't want to use it.

So they followed the newly popular association name, established the Jiangnan Literary Association, and planned to publish the "Ci Lin" newspaper.

Literary Union?
Xu Jie was moved, and said calmly: "The name "Ci Lin" is well chosen, it promotes literary learning and is as refreshing as the Ci Lin."

"Thank you for your support, Lord Shaohu."

After chatting for more than ten minutes, Wang Shizhen suddenly looked hesitant and said hesitantly, "Shaohu Gong, I have something to say."

"Fengzhou is right."

"Dai Fengxiang and Dai Zhizeng, the imperial censors of Jiangsu Province, arrived in Suzhou the day before yesterday and prepared to hang a notice board outside the government office to encourage villagers from all over the country to report local officials and gentry who engaged in illegal activities such as flying and sending money by deception."

Xu Jie's heart skipped a beat.

Although the Inspector-General was only of the seventh rank, he toured the country on behalf of the emperor. He inspected the ministers of the vassal states, the officials of the prefectures, counties and prefectures, and was particularly particular about impeaching and impeaching. He reported major matters to the emperor for judgment and made immediate decisions on minor matters.

Although his official rank was low, his power was enormous. None of the three officials dared to confront him head-on, and only the governor could suppress him.

How could it be possible for such a person to post a notice saying that he would punish the local officials!

That's like using a 36-pound naval gun to kill a mosquito.

His target was the gentry behind him; the local officials were just a trigger.

"Dai Zhizeng?" Xu Jie read the name.

"Dai Fengxiang, a native of Haiyan, was once a student of Xu Shuming. In the 1555th year of Jiajing (), he passed the imperial examination and became a third-class Jinshi in the th year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing. In the first year of the reign of Emperor Longqing, he was appointed as a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel."

Xu Shuming is Xu Xuemo, a native of Jiading, Songjiang Prefecture. He is also a famous scholar in the southeast and a close friend of Wang Shizhen.

It seems that Xu Xuemo informed Wang Shizhen of Dai Fengxiang's movements, and Wang Shizhen hurried over to warn him. This Dai Fengxiang!
Xu Jie's eyes were sharp. "I remember this man. During the Longqing period, Hai Rui was on a tour of inspection in Southern Zhili and visited Songjiang Huating."

There is no need to explain in detail how the Xu family was forced to give up 300,000 acres of fertile land.

".Dai Fengxiang impeached Hai Rui for 'protecting the people, bullying the local gentry, and seeking fame to disrupt the government.' At that time, I was the Prime Minister.

But now, I have retired and returned to my hometown, but Hai Rui has been promoted to Right Censor-in-Chief and Governor of Jiangsu, becoming Dai Fengxiang's immediate superior. "

Wang Shizhen said, "Shaohu Gong should be careful of such villains. I also heard that people in Songjiang, Suzhou and other places are ready to make a move."

It is human nature to climb high and look down on the low.

Cai Guoxi, the right councillor of Jiangsu, hanged himself, shocking the whole southeast.

The imperial court sent Hai Rui as the governor of Jiangsu, and its intention was self-evident. Now Hai Rui had mysteriously disappeared, and officials and gentry in Jiangnan were in a state of panic.

There must be people who took the opportunity to step on the Xu Mansion in order to gain a chance to advance themselves, and there are also people who sold the Xu Mansion for personal gain. People's hearts are in turmoil, making Xu Jie uneasy.

"Fengzhou, thank you for telling me this news." Xu Jie said sincerely.

"Mr. Shaohu is too polite."

After finishing the discussion, Wang Shizhen stood up and said goodbye.

Xu Jie asked Xu Ying to send Wang Shizhen off while he sat in the backyard thinking hard.

"Master, my son has brought Mr. Fengzhou back."

"Yeah," Xu Jie replied absentmindedly.

"Master, I think Mr. Fengzhou is in good spirits. When I sent him off just now, I had a few words with him and he seemed to be ready to show his talents."

Xu Jie replied casually: "The emperor let him return home so that he could show his talents."

Xu Ying was very puzzled when he heard this: "Master, I heard that Mr. Fengzhou was almost imprisoned. Thanks to his good friend Qi Jiguang, Marquis of Fengning, and Wang Daokun, the governor of Liaoning, who pleaded with the emperor, and Zhang Yuanfu, who spoke well of him because he was in the same class, he was released safely and returned home."

"Haha, it's just a rumor."

"Master, what do you mean?"

"The emperor's methods of controlling his subordinates are much more methodical than those of the imperial court. Qi Jiguang, Wang Daokun, Zhang Shuda, and Xu Wenchang, rather than pleading with the emperor, it would be better to say that they were persuading Wang Fengzhou on the emperor's orders.

Wang Fengzhou is a man of great literary talent and reputation in the southeast, but he is not a man of strong will. "

Xu Ying still didn't understand, "Master, Mr. Fengzhou is not a man of strong will. What's the secret here?"

"Because they were not resolute in their determination, they both passed the imperial examination in the 26th year of Jiajing. Li Shilu and Zhang Shuda successively became the chief ministers, while Wang Fengzhou hesitated for 20 to 30 years and never got a high position.

If one’s mind is not strong, when faced with a major event, one will be frightened and confused, and lose one’s will.”

Xu Jie explained casually, but his mind was not here. He asked, "How long has your second brother been in Suzhou?"

"My second brother went to Suzhou for business and was gone for four days."

"It's been four days, long enough for Qi Yuanjing to kill Xin Ai and destroy Kalaqin, but there's no news about this evil boy."

Xu Jie said angrily, his beard twitching.

Seeing his father so angry that he lost his composure, Xu Ying was at a loss as to what to do. He said in a low voice, "Master, do you want me to send someone to Suzhou to urge my second brother?"

"Why rush him? What do you think he went to Suzhou for? To do something shameful. But he turned out fine. I'm afraid he's busy calling friends, visiting prostitutes and having fun, and has long forgotten the important things.

What sin did I commit to give birth to two such evil children! "

Xu Ying was terrified when he heard this, "Dad, you have two wicked sons, am I one of them?"
Xu Jie put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth in the study, like a donkey pulling a mill.

For the first time, he felt helpless.

The experienced Xu Jie felt that a big net was being cast towards the south of the Yangtze River and was now slowly being drawn in.

He was the biggest fish in the net, and his two greedy and incompetent sons were like two fish hooks that hooked him tightly and he could not get free no matter how hard he struggled.

Xu Jie sat back in his chair in frustration and said to Xu Ying sadly, "Old Third, do you know? Yan Song is dead."

Xu Ying was stunned as to why his father suddenly jumped into this topic, but he was also shocked by the news.

"Yan Song is finally dead?"

Xu Jie murmured, "Yes, he finally died. He was ninety years old, and died of natural causes in his bed at home."

Xu Ying said angrily: "It's really a bargain for him!"

Xu Jie shook his head and said sadly: "I envy him. He died without any disease. I don't know if I have such a blessing!"

Xu Ying was stunned for a moment.

Is the master getting senile and nauseous to actually say such things?

Yan Song returned to his hometown in panic, was stripped of all his official ranks, and became a commoner, having to rely on the charity land of the ancestral hall to survive.

But the master has returned home in glory and is the most honorable person of his time. How can you compare with him?

I am really getting old and confused!

Zhengyangmen Zuodajie in Nanjing City is one of the most prosperous streets in Nanjing, with shops lined up one after another.

The flags hoisted at the entrance were as densely packed as a forest.

Following Hai Rui's instructions, Ren Boan entered a prosperous but inconspicuous shop. At a glance, he found that it was a store selling Western goods.

"Sir, what would you like to buy?" The waiter came forward to greet him enthusiastically.

"I want to see you three shopkeepers."

"Third Shopkeeper, we have several Third Shopkeepers here."

"He's from the north, the third shopkeeper named Su."

The guy looked around and said with a smile, “Please follow me.

Ren Boan followed the waiter into the backyard and turned into a house. There were three people sitting inside. Their eyes turned towards him quickly, so sharp that Ren Boan's heart skipped a beat!
It turned around so quickly, so sharply that Ren Boan's heart jumped!
(End of this chapter)