I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 66: The Elegant Riddle of Emperor Jiajing
In the early morning, the snow stopped and the sunlight shone on the snow.

Wu Cheng'en stretched and stood up from the couch. On the 25th of the first lunar month, the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department began to sort out the candidates.

During this month, he can spend the winter comfortably in the capital, try all the capital's delicacies, and visit all the famous brothels.

Writing books is good, making money from writing books is better, and making a lot of money from writing books is the best.

This is truly an eternal truth.

At this moment, Gao Laoba, a book boy weighing more than 200 kilograms, rushed into the hall and shouted, "Master, something terrible has happened! Monkey King is missing!"

Wu Chengen's expression changed: "Ah?"

In the Lin family's courtyard.

Wang Xiaochuan just woke up and drowsily walked out of the south room to the toilet.

Suddenly she saw a bamboo cage under the pomegranate tree. There was a monkey in the cage. Her future father-in-law, Lin Shisan, was standing in front of the cage.

Wang Xiaochuan ran to Lin Shisan and said, "Dad, Dad, where did this little monkey come from?"

Lin Shisan quickly threatened Wang Xiaochuan: "This monkey is a monster. It is the incarnation of the devil. You'd better not open the bamboo cage."

"If you let it out, it will eat children! It will eat you first, then the tiger. It's like chewing sugar cane."

Wang Xiaochuan glared and said, "I don't believe it. Dad is bluffing me."

The Sun Wukong in the cage rolled his eyes at Lin Shisan, then raised his head to look at the sky, as if to say: This little brat smells of shit and urine, I don't even bother to eat him.

Biyun came over with a basin in her hand: "I've prepared the monkey food for you."

Monkeys cannot be full just by eating wild fruits. In addition to wild fruits, the diet of wild monkeys in the mountains also includes leaves, buds, flowers, various insects and birds.

The monkey food that Lin Shisan asked Biyun to prepare was very particular.

Add water to white flour, millet flour, and sorghum flour, mix with raw egg liquid, and then add salt, sugar, and dried fish foam, and shape it into a steamed bun.

No need to steam, monkeys don’t eat cooked noodles.

This is a staple food.

The side dishes are winter dates and thawed frozen radishes.

Lin Shisan picked up a monkey bun, shook it in front of Sun Wukong, and then reached into the bamboo cage with his hand raised.

Not only did Sun Wukong not take it, but he put his hands in his pockets, stood on tiptoe, and grinned at Lin Shisan and made a "squeaky" sound.

It seemed to be saying: Even if I, Sun Wukong, starve to death, die outside, or jump off a cliff, I will never eat a single bit of your food.

Lin Shisan said, "Hey Wukong, this is the best monkey bun. It's fragrant, sweet, and salty. The beggars in Beijing would cry when they see it."

"Look, there are winter dates and radishes here."

"As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for a monkey. If you don't eat, won't you be starving to death?"

"I haven't seen any prisoners in Shuntian Prefecture die from hunger strike."

Now Sun Wukong is exactly like the Monkey King that Lin Shisan invited into his home.

He didn't want this naughty monkey to cause any trouble in his house.

Firstly, Huang Jin had told him to treat the monkey well. Secondly, since he had extorted three thousand taels of silver from Wu Chengen, he had to return the monkey to him on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month.

Lin Shisan said a lot of nice things, but the monkey just refused to eat.

Not only did he refuse to eat, he also stuck his butt out and urinated at Lin Shisan who was outside the cage.

Lin Shisan dodged and said, "You rascal. How can you not know what's good for you?"

Wang Xiaochuan said a few words: "Dad, dad, what is that big thing on the little monkey's butt? Why don't you cut it off and let me kick it like a ball."

There is an old saying in the Ming Dynasty: He who knows the times is a hero.

After hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately subsided and hid in the corner of the cage, curled up into a ball and trembled.

This is really like the brine soaking tofu, one thing conquers another. Lin Shisan said nice things to it but it didn't listen. Wang Xiaochuan said he wanted to clean it, and it immediately became obedient. Lin Shisan said: "If you don't want to eat it, I will listen to my daughter-in-law and cut it off for you. As the saying goes, if you have no roots, you will have no worries."

Sun Wukong will have to look for a beautiful mother monkey in the future. This guy is a tough guy. He immediately reached out and took the monkey bun from Lin Shisan's hand and ate it with relish.

Lin Shisan laughed and scolded, "Look at you, you naughty monkey. What are you so greedy for? There's an old saying that goes, if you don't eat it, you'll waste it."

While Sun Wukong was chewing on the monkey bun, he nodded to Lin Shisan repeatedly, as if to say: Mm, it smells really good.

Biyun said at the side: "This monkey doesn't look like an animal at all, it's clearly a child."

Lin Shisan said: "Let's put it this way, this ten-year-old macaque's intelligence is not much lower than Xiaochuan's."

"You have to keep a close eye on Xiao Chuan and don't let her open the monkey cage. The higher-ups are hoping to trade this monkey for three thousand taels of silver."

Biyun was surprised: "This monkey is worth three thousand taels of silver? I don't believe it. If you say so, all the monkey trainers in Dazhalan will become wealthy people."

Lin Shisan laughed and said, "This monkey is worth only five taels of silver in the hands of the monkey trainer. But in the hands of your husband, it is worth three thousand taels of silver."

"Your husband's abilities are much greater than those monkey showmen."

At this time, the eunuch Chen Ju walked in and said, "Hey, Brother Lin completed the task assigned by Eunuch Huang so quickly? Otherwise, why would anyone say that you are so smart?"

Lin Shisan was a little confused: "How do you know?"

Chen Ju replied, "My adoptive father recommended me to work as a fireman in the Imperial Household Department. Now I am working under Eunuch Huang. He sent me to ask you if you have completed the task."

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "Ah! Congratulations to Eunuch Chen on your promotion. Next year you will surely be able to rise to the top and be promoted two levels, no, three levels."

Chen Ju smiled and said, "We have been through life and death together. We are like brothers with different fathers and mothers. There is no need for those official New Year's speeches."

After saying that, Chen Ju walked to the monkey cage and took a closer look at Sun Wukong: "He is indeed the beloved pet of the old talent in Jiangnan. He looks like a human being and is very energetic."

Lin Shisan said, "Please report this to Eunuch Huang. I will keep the monkey at home for half a month. After the Lantern Festival, I will write an anonymous letter to ask Wu Chengen for the money."

Chen Ju smiled and said, "Okay, okay. Oh, this must be my sister-in-law. She looks just like someone out of a painting. Sister-in-law, I am Chen Ju, your humble brother, to greet you."

After saying that, Chen Ju bowed to Biyun.

Biyun quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master Chen."

Lin Shisan said, "Since we are here, we should make the best of it. Don't leave at noon. My wife's home cooking is very good. You can stay and have a few drinks."

Chen Ju said, "No. I have to hurry back to Yongshou Palace to report to Eunuch Huang. It's not right for me to be lazy and slack off just after being recommended by my adoptive father. It's not right for me to be lazy and slack off."

Lin Shisan escorted Chen Ju out of the courtyard. He thought: The job is done. Now I can have a good and peaceful New Year.

At noon, in the West Garden, inside the main hall of Yongshou Palace.

The fifty-year-old Emperor Jiajing was sitting cross-legged and meditating in the green gauze curtain.

Huang Jin stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty. Lord Yan, please tell me whether Yang Bo's report on the Northwest Garrison will be approved as it is."

Emperor Jiajing did not answer. He liked to play riddles with his subjects, making them rack their brains to guess what he was thinking.

Of course, the emperor's riddles are usually very elegant.

Emperor Jiajing asked Huang Jin: "Stupid slave, did you throw away the toenails you cut for me yesterday?"

Huang Jin said quickly: "That is a dragon scale. How dare I throw it away? I put it in the dragon and phoenix jade box."

Emperor Jiajing ordered: "Well, pick out the nail of the big toe and send it to Yan Song. He will naturally know how to deal with the Northwest Tunbu matter."

This riddle is extremely elegant! Very elegant!
Huang Jin turned around and was about to leave. But Emperor Jiajing stopped him and said, "Wait a minute. Stupid slave, what did you do behind my back?"

Huang Jin was stunned: "No. How does the emperor know?"

The Jiajing Emperor scolded, "You stupid slave. Your mouth is open like a toad in the morning, which is very abnormal."

"If you encounter happy events, you always tell me. If you don't, you must have done something behind my back."

(End of this chapter)