The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 580: Presenting Liu Rushi (Happy Qixi Festival to all book friends)
Chen Xin's advice was full of provocation.

Whether abolishing schools or restoring the imperial examination system and the treatment of students, it can be said that both were blatant trampling on the system of the Great Qi Dynasty.

If the retired emperor had not said in advance that "he who speaks out everything he knows is not guilty", it would be hard to imagine what the fate of this "reform-minded" governor of Shandong would have been.

"I believe that the court should search for the descendants of Duke Yansheng. Although Kong Yinzhi is guilty of the ten unforgivable crimes and deserves death, Confucius himself is innocent, and Confucianism is innocent! The Confucius School in Qufu was executed during the Taichang period of the previous Ming Dynasty. Now that we are going to restore the imperial examination system, it is better to prepare for the future and welcome the descendants of Kong back to Lu, allowing them to continue to enjoy the support and care of the people in Qufu, so as to demonstrate the grace of our holy dynasty and to cherish the distant people..."

Kang Yinggan's eyelids twitched, and a faint smile hung on his face. If he had not taken two pills of Vajra Powder in advance, he would have been so angry that he would have had a stroke and fallen to the ground.

Governor Chen still felt that this was not enough and emphasized that this move was to win the hearts of the people. At this time of metabolism and change of course, it was for the overall interests of the court.

Qian Qianyi snorted and said with a wry smile:
"The people that Chen Xin is talking about are roughly the same as the people that the Donglin Party said they "cannot compete with the people for profit." They are not serious common people. I wonder how much benefit this guy has received from the Kong family."

Kang Yingqian laughed loudly: "Governor Chen, you are the one who controls the hearts of the people of the world, is he serious?"

Chen Xinyi said righteously:

"How can this be inappropriate?! Your Excellency, please look at this! This is the petition from the people of Qi and Lu presented to the Emperor when I left Jinan. It requests the restoration of the imperial examinations and the return of Confucius."

Two guards carried a piece of cloth covered with writings and were about to open it in public.

Kang Yingqian waved his hand:
"No need to read it. I know what it says and I will report it to the Emperor."

Kang Yingqian saw at a glance that this was Chen Xin's trick of playing with public opinion. If Old Kang said he was second to none, no one dared to say he was first.

Now, the old emperor was dozing on the dragon throne, snoring softly. Liu Zhaosun's nap posture looked like a sleeping dragon.

The dragon has woken up and is going to eat people.

The governor of Shandong is so reckless and aggressive that he seems to want to overturn the new policy and deny the court.

There is nothing wrong in restoring order, but to openly slap the imperial court in the face is courting death.

Could it be that Shandong is also covered with weeds, just like Huguang, and the situation is about to change?

There are many civil servants and military officers throughout the empire who support the Qi Dynasty's Land System and the Polar Circle political system. If Chen Xin were to act as he wished, such a counterattack would probably trigger a bloody storm.

Reform is imminent, but Lao Kang does not want civil unrest to occur at this critical juncture.

Kang Yingqian was a Jinshi after all, and he had read a lot of books by sages. His rise and fall in the officialdom depended on one word:

Moderation and harmony.

"Why is this Chen guy putting so much effort into this? This isn't just advice, it's clearly forcing the emperor to abdicate. How bold!"

Dongfang Zhu, who was standing beside the retired emperor, couldn't stand it any longer and complained to the ministers in a low voice.

The ministers around him all rushed to speak, vying to express their loyalty to Liu Zhaosun.

Minister of Rites Hou Xun asked:
"You don't know, sir, but the Chen family has lived in Hebei for generations and is a prominent family there. Back in the early years of the Tianqi reign, the traitor Zhang Chun rebelled in Hebei. The Kaiyuan Army was ordered to suppress the rebellion, and the Chen family's shops were confiscated. Chen Xin's father was angered to death. That's why they have always held a grudge against our Great Qi court. Now they have finally found an opportunity..."

Dongfang Zhu was surprised and said, "Is there such a thing? Our family has never heard of it."

"The eunuch entered the palace in the early years of the Wuding reign. Of course, he doesn't know about the events of the Mingqi reign the day before yesterday. Some things are better not to know." Wang Huazhen held his pipe in his mouth, looking calm and composed.

Qian Qianyi took over the conversation and explained:
"Our emperor is wise and wise. He once said that when selecting talented people, one should not avoid enemies. That is why remnants of the previous dynasty like Chen Xin can also mix in Da Qi."

"Okay, okay, stop talking."

Kang Yingqian interrupted everyone: "What previous dynasty or later dynasty? Our Great Qi Dynasty is tolerant and accepts everything. Since he is not a remnant of Sun Chuanting, let him say whatever he wants. Didn't the Supreme Emperor say that those who speak are not guilty?"

The ministers stopped talking. Kang Yingqian brushed aside a few of them and quickly walked down the stairs. He said to Chen Xin, who was still talking incessantly in the distance:

"What Governor Chen said is all mature and wise advice on statecraft. Listening to your words is like a revelation... It's getting late today, and Your Majesty must return to the Cining Palace to rest. Please return to your respective guild halls first. We can discuss other matters tomorrow."

After Lao Kang finished speaking to Chen Xin, he bowed to the retired emperor who was pretending to be asleep on the dragon throne, yawned, and walked out of the hall.

Dongfang Zhu took two steps forward and symbolically announced, "Dismiss the court!"

The ministers paid their respects to the retired emperor sitting on the dragon throne. They were all extremely tired and yawned as if they had been pardoned, and then dispersed.

Only Chen Xin was left standing in the hall, feeling lost.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Zhaosun opened his eyes and looked up, and his eyes met Chen Xin's.

"Lord Chen, why don't you go back and rest?"

Dongfang Zhu looked at the ignorant Shandong governor with a look of disgust.

"Your Majesty!" Chen Xin hesitated. "Oh? What else?"

Liu Zhaosun, surrounded by the high priest and the chief steward, was about to go to the Cining Palace. When he heard Chen Xin had something to say, he turned back.

"This time I came to Liaodong, in addition to giving advice, I also have another matter."

"What's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, do you know the talented woman from Jiangnan, Liu Rushi?"

"Who?"

"Even Liu Rushi, the stunning beauty at the tender age of 28, who made Chen Zizhuang and Zuo Liangyu jump into the river for her..."

"What? Liu Rushi jumped into the river?!"

Liu Zhaosun's sleepiness was swept away, and he quickly waved away Dongfang Zhu Francisco, saying in surprise:
"Is she dead? Didn't she end up in Nanzhili and become a nun?"

Hou Xun negotiated with the Southern Ming court many times, asking Zhu Changling to hand over the girl, but was rejected every time.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Liu Rushi is safe and sound."

Chen Xin looked down on the retired emperor with a Mona Lisa smile on his face.

Liu Zhaosun seemed to see the pimp look of Old Kang in his face again.

"Your Majesty, I spent countless gold, exerted tremendous effort, and went through untold hardships to expel this girl from Hanshan Temple outside Gusu City. After much persuasion, I allowed her to keep her hair uncut and become a lay Buddhist."

The emperor rubbed his hands eagerly and said:

"What about people?"

"Just outside the palace."

~~~~
That night, Emperor Wu Ding visited the Cining Palace. It was already three quarters past midnight, and the two empress dowagers were still waiting anxiously under the lamp.

From a distance, I heard the eunuch on duty outside shouting, "The Grand Emperor is here." When I looked up, I saw the retired emperor striding in.

The maid Amber added two more whale-shaped lamps, and the surroundings suddenly became as bright as day. Yang Qing'er put down the book in her hand and looked towards the door. Jin Yuji was about to greet her husband, but they suddenly caught a glimpse of a woman following behind the emperor from a distance!
Jin Yuji thought it was Concubine Chen who came to sleep with her. But when she saw the woman's outline clearly, she saw that she was tall and plump, not like Chen Yuanyuan, so she thought it was the European woman Diane.

When the woman came under the lamp and they could see her face clearly, the two queen mothers said in unison:

"Bumbutai? When did you come to Shenyang?"

When Bumbutai saw her two sisters, she no longer cared about Liu Zhaosun and immediately started chatting with Jin Yuji.

"I came to Shenyang two days ago and listened to their discussion, but I couldn't get a word in. Today, after the court session, the Emperor said he was feeling depressed, so I came here to drink."

Twenty-two-year-old Bumbutai was at the prime age. After being stationed in western Liaoning for several years, except for her plump figure, her every frown, smile, speech and behavior were no different from those of a Han woman.

Jin Yuji could vaguely see the shadow of her youth in her.

The imperial harem was tolerant, and it was not unusual for concubines and empress dowagers to serve the retired emperor together. However, it was the first time for Marquis Zhongzhen to step onto the retired emperor's dragon bed.

It was still early, and the Emperor Retired was lying on the imperial desk in front of the dragon bed, reviewing memorials, occasionally gazing at the map beside him. According to the Emperor Retired's regular sleep schedule, he would not go to bed until the first quarter of the night. During this time, no one was allowed to disturb him.

"Your Majesty still has work to do, let's play for a while first."

It started to rain outside, so the palace maids brought some tea and snacks and added charcoal to the copper stove. Jin Yuji, Yang Qing'er, and Bumbutai sat outside, drinking, chatting, and playing a few rounds of mahjong, just like they did in Kaiyuan.

I don’t know how long it took, but suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps outside the bedroom.

The young eunuch didn't shout out, but led the person in directly.

"Which one again?" Yang Qing'er asked in surprise.

In a moment, a beautiful female Buddhist stood under the lamp.

The laywoman was slender and delicate, with a face as white as goose fat and a look as clear as autumn water. She was indescribably gentle and delicate. She wore a golden and red horse-faced skirt and a light yellow jacket. She was holding a paper umbrella. Coming through the rain, she looked even more dazzling and fresh, just like raindrops hitting green lotus leaves and misty distant mountains. She was indescribably ethereal and light.

"I, Liu Rushi, greet the Empress Dowager Cisheng. The Empress Dowager Dong greets the Marquis of Zhongzhen."

The crisp laughter sounded like the beautiful jade from Kunshan, which made people feel an indescribable emotion.

(End of this chapter)