My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Hong Chengchou pondered for a moment, quickly weighing the options in his mind.

Severely punishing the shopkeeper might appease anger temporarily, but it would inevitably leave an impression on the government and the public that he is vindictive and narrow-minded, which would be detrimental to his future policy implementation after joining the cabinet.

Conversely, appearing magnanimous can better demonstrate one's character and vision, which is beneficial for restoring reputation and winning people's hearts.

So Hong Chengchou stood up, bowed respectfully, and said in a calm tone:
“Your Highness, although the shopkeeper was outspoken and nearly put me in dire straits, he is ultimately just an ignorant commoner who is naive and easily swayed by rumors. He may also harbor resentment over past border troubles, which is why he uttered such wicked words. He is not an irredeemable villain.”

"Your Highness has exonerated me, and I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's boundless grace. I have no desire to waste any more time arguing with such ignorant and petty people, which would only cause me more trouble."

"In my opinion, a light punishment is sufficient to make him realize his mistake. It would be better to have the Five Cities Garrison punish him with ten strokes of the cane in court as a warning to others, so that he can correct his mistakes and start anew. There is no need to investigate his crimes further."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed with admiration, for this was in line with Hong Chengchou's status and would also be beneficial for future endeavors.

Then Zhu Cilang smiled and said:
“Minister Hong is magnanimous and can repay evil with kindness. I am very pleased. So I will do as you have suggested.”

The imperial decree was quickly relayed to the Five Cities Military Command.

The innkeeper, who had been imprisoned for two days, was dragged out of his dark cell by the yamen runners and taken to an open area in front of the yamen.

He was then stripped of his lower garments in front of a large crowd, pressed down on a bench, and then the executioners swung water and fire sticks, delivering ten solid blows.

The blows were loud and clear, tearing the skin and flesh, but the bailiffs were careful not to injure the man's bones.

After the beating, the bailiffs threw him out of the yamen, cursing:
"Get out of here! From now on, watch your mouth that's always causing trouble! If it weren't for Lord Hong's magnanimity in pleading for you and charging you with false accusation according to the law, you wouldn't have enough heads to go around! Remember this lesson!"

The shopkeeper, both ashamed and pained, covered his face with his sleeve, and, in a disheveled state, leaned against the wall and disappeared around the street corner.

And just like that, this matter is finally completely resolved!

After seeing off the tearful and grateful Hong Chengchou, the Eastern Palace returned to tranquility.

Zhu Cilang felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and he relaxed completely.

He then leaned back comfortably and lay down on the rosewood armchair covered with bright yellow cushions, placing his feet on the edge of the smooth, mirror-like mahogany desk in front of him.

Then, without realizing it, the corners of his mouth turned up, and he hummed a tune he didn't know, a light and cheerful melody.

No wonder he was so relaxed. Hong Chengchou's crisis was finally weathered without serious incident. This sudden storm not only failed to break this future cabinet minister, but also, due to its ultimately fair outcome, further demonstrated the rule of law of the court.

More importantly, everything has been going smoothly lately, and there is a peaceful and harmonious scene everywhere.

The granaries of all government departments in the capital were already overflowing, enough to guarantee officials' salaries and necessary relief.

In the city, thanks to the previous vigorous regulation and the guidance of the "Da Ming Daily", every household has prepared enough rice and grain for the winter and the New Year.

Looking across the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, although the situation varied from place to place, with the high yields of potatoes and sweet potatoes, coupled with the disaster relief grain allocated by the imperial court, the tragedy of people starving to death should be avoided in this cold winter.

What pleased him even more was that the sales of honeycomb briquettes, which he had previously promoted, were extremely popular, with almost every household stockpiling hundreds or even thousands of briquettes.

With enough food to fill their stomachs and enough fuel to keep warm, the people of the Ming Dynasty may be able to have a more peaceful and warmer winter than ever before.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang felt a rare surge of pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Because all these changes, when traced back to their source, are all due to the arrival of this time traveler, aren't they?
If it weren't for his time travel, the Ming Dynasty might still be sliding down its original trajectory toward that known abyss.

This feeling of personally turning the tide and benefiting hundreds of millions of people made him feel that all the hard work was worthwhile.

However, his rare moment of comfort was interrupted.

Ma Bao entered silently, a hint of caution on his face, and bowed to report:

"Your Highness, Eunuch Wang has arrived."

"Eunuch Wang?"

Zhu Cilang was taken aback at first, then realized that in the capital, who else could be addressed as "Eunuch Wang" by Ma Bao with such respect, except for Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Chongzhen's most trusted confidant?

A sense of doubt quickly arose in his mind:
Why would Wang Chengen come looking for him at this time?

Could it be that Emperor Chongzhen wants to see him?

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang suppressed his relaxed expression and instructed Ma Bao, "Let him in."

"The slaves obey."

Ma Bao bowed and withdrew.

Zhu Cilang also got up and sat down again, regaining his usual composure.

Before long, a series of light and rhythmic footsteps approached from afar, and Wang Chengen was seen walking silently into the hall with his head down.

Upon seeing Zhu Cilang sitting upright, he immediately stepped forward and performed a deep kneeling bow.

"This servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Zhu Cilang raised his right hand slightly and said in a calm tone:
"Eunuch Wang, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise! Does the Emperor wish to see me?"

Wang Chengen rose to his feet, still slightly bowing, and respectfully replied:
"Your Highness is wise. His Majesty has sent me here to summon you to the palace for an audience immediately."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang's doubts deepened.

It should be noted that Emperor Chongzhen had not summoned him proactively for a long time; usually, he was the one who went to see Emperor Chongzhen.

He then asked directly:
"Do you know why Father Emperor has summoned me so suddenly?"

Wang Chengen's face also showed a hint of confusion. After thinking carefully for a moment, he cautiously replied:
"Your Highness, this servant is not quite sure of the specific reason. This servant only knows that His Majesty was in a good mood after lunch today and even asked a few questions about trivial matters concerning the preparations for the Emperor's birthday celebration."

"Later, His Majesty read through the 'Da Ming Daily,' which had just been delivered to the palace that morning. As he read, his expression gradually turned sour. He then ordered me to immediately invite His Highness the Crown Prince to the palace."

Upon hearing the words "Da Ming Daily," Zhu Cilang instantly understood why Chongzhen had summoned him!

Needless to say, it must be because of what was reported on the front page of today's Da Ming Daily!

In order to control public opinion about cheating in the imperial examinations and clarify the facts, he specifically instructed Xue Guoguan to publish in today's edition of the "Daming Daily" the whole story of how Hong Chengchou was falsely accused of "bribery and cheating" by the innkeeper, as well as the decision to hold a temporary review examination for all candidates from Liaodong at the Imperial College to prove his innocence.

Emperor Chongzhen read the "Da Ming Daily" almost every day, so he naturally learned about this matter and summoned him to ask for clarification.

Having figured this out, Zhu Cilang stood up and said to Wang Chengen:

"In that case, I'll trouble Eunuch Wang to lead the way, so as not to keep Father Emperor waiting." "Yes, Your Majesty."

Wang Chengen quickly stepped aside to lead the way.

Zhu Cilang quickly tidied his clothes and then followed Wang Chengen out of the East Palace, heading towards the Kunning Palace, where Emperor Chongzhen lived.

At this time, the Forbidden City was still shrouded in the bleak afternoon sun of winter. The snow had not yet melted, long icicles hung from the eaves, and the air was filled with a biting chill.

Along the way, all the palace maids and eunuchs they encountered held their breath and bowed to give way, making the entire palace appear exceptionally quiet and solemn.

Upon arriving outside Kunning Palace, a eunuch was already inside to announce our arrival.

Zhu Cilang did not wait for Chongzhen to summon him and stepped directly into the hall.

The underground heating in Kunning Palace was burning brightly, making it warm as spring, a stark contrast to the icy and snowy outside. Emperor Chongzhen was sitting alone on the heated kang bed by the window, wrapped in a thick black sable cloak. On the rosewood kang table in front of him was a copy of the "Da Ming Daily".

Emperor Chongzhen frowned, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his face gloomy, clearly in a bad mood.

"My son, I will meet my father."

Zhu Cilang approached and bowed.

Emperor Chongzhen seemed not to hear, not even lifting his eyelids, and remained silent, staring at the newspaper. The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became somewhat stagnant.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang didn't stand on ceremony. He straightened up and sat down on the embroidered stool on the other side of the kang table, waiting calmly.

After a moment of silence, Chongzhen finally raised his head, pointed to the newspaper article about Hong Chengchou and the Jurchen students, and asked directly:
"Is what's written here true or false? How come there are two Jurchens among the candidates who came to the capital this year?"

"And what about Hong Chengchou? How did he get involved in the imperial examination fraud? What exactly happened?"

Faced with Chongzhen's questioning, Zhu Cilang instead revealed a calm smile and explained unhurriedly:
"Father, please rest assured, this matter has now been perfectly resolved!"

He paused and continued:
"The exam results came out this morning. The two Jurchen students, Wu Shouren and Chang Yong'an, ranked third and sixth respectively. Their scores were both excellent."

"This is enough to prove that they passed the imperial examination in Liaodong entirely based on their true talents and learning, and the stigma of Hong Chengchou being accused of 'accepting bribes and committing fraud' has been completely disproven."

What? Third place and sixth place?
When Chongzhen heard this result, his eyes widened instantly, his face filled with disbelief and astonishment, and he was even a little dumbfounded!

He never imagined that these two Jurchen students, whose identities were sensitive and whom he subconsciously regarded as "barbarians," could achieve such outstanding results among more than eighty talented people from Liaodong!
Especially that third place, it completely overturned his preconceived notions!

"What's going on? How could a Jurchen pass the imperial examination?"

Emperor Chongzhen muttered to himself, his tone filled with confusion.

Then Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cilang and said:
"I am very pleased that Hong Chengchou was able to clear his name and prevent the court from losing a capable minister."

"But then again, is it really appropriate to let the Jurchens participate in the imperial examinations of our Great Ming? There has never been such a precedent in the more than two hundred years of our Great Ming!"

"What if, just what if, they actually pass the imperial examinations and become Jinshi? Should we really let them enter the court as officials?"

Zhu Cilang looked at the undisguised doubt and rejection on Chongzhen's face and couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

He knew that Emperor Chongzhen and many ministers in the court harbored deep-seated suspicion and prejudice against the Jurchens. This was a long-standing grudge accumulated over many years of war, which was difficult to eliminate easily.

After all, the Jurchens in Liaodong had caused the Ming Dynasty a great deal of suffering, and even nearly brought it to the brink of collapse.

He could understand this emotion, but as the one in charge, he couldn't let it affect his rational judgment.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang answered directly:

"What's so difficult about that? If they are truly capable and pass the imperial examinations through sheer merit, then we should grant them the corresponding official positions according to the imperial system and let them serve the court."

"Isn't this the original intention of the imperial examination system? It selects people based solely on their talent, regardless of whether they are Chinese or barbarians?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's face darkened further, and his voice rose several decibels:

"You make it sound so easy! But they are not Han Chinese, not of our race, and their hearts are bound to be different! How can we allow them to be officials of our Great Ming, in charge of affairs in a region? Is there any precedent for this in our ancestral laws?"

Zhu Cilang was somewhat speechless, then he used a leading question:
"Father, I would like to ask you, before Nurhaci's rebellion, was the vast land of Liaodong part of the territory of our Great Ming? Was it under the jurisdiction of our Great Ming?"

Emperor Chongzhen was taken aback, not understanding why his son would suddenly ask this, but he still nodded firmly and said:

"That's natural! Liaodong was developed by Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu. Although it is located on the frontier, it has always been an inseparable part of our Great Ming territory, and the court has set up military garrisons to govern it."

Zhu Cilang spread his hands and continued logically:
"In that case, the people living in Liaodong, whether they are Han, Jurchen, Mongol, or of other tribes, as long as they accept the rule of the Ming Dynasty and pay taxes and perform service to the court, then they are naturally subjects of the Ming Dynasty. Does Father Emperor acknowledge this?"

"This"

Emperor Chongzhen was speechless for a moment after being asked this question by his son.

Following this logic, it seems that this is indeed the case.

Under the whole world, is it not the king's land, and the coast of leading the land is not the king's ministers.

He couldn't refute this reasoning.

Zhu Cilang pressed his advantage and continued:

"Your subject knows that allowing Jurchens to participate in the imperial examinations, especially the possibility of becoming officials, is indeed difficult for Father Emperor and many ministers to fully accept at the moment. After all, this is the first time since the founding of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"But Father, do not forget that now that we have recovered Liaodong, in order to truly win the hearts of that land and its people and make it a stable frontier of the Ming Dynasty, we must integrate them into the Ming Dynasty and accept the rule of the emperor."

"Letting them study for the imperial examinations is the best way to integrate them."

"Moreover, look at how well Wu Shouren and Chang Yong'an achieved such results; it shows they are truly talented."

"Wouldn't such a talented person be loyal to the Ming Dynasty and serve the court? Not to mention the distant past, wasn't Man Gui, the famous general who guarded the northwest and made many military achievements for the court during the Jiajing and Wanli reigns, a Mongol?"

"Isn't Qin Liangyu, the general currently stationed in Xuanfu, a member of the Tujia ethnic group? Haven't they all made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty?"

Emperor Chongzhen shook his head and stubbornly said:

"That's not how it works. The situation of Man Gui, Qin Liangyu, and the Liaodong Jurchens is different."

Zhu Cilang knew that Chongzhen simply couldn't overcome the hurdle of the "distinction between Chinese and barbarians" in his heart. This was a deeply ingrained problem of mindset that couldn't be completely changed by words alone. (End of Chapter)