I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 107 Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick, One Sin a Day Shen Ziheng
Late at night, fog and frost fell.

The South Wing of Huitongguan, the front hall of the Korean delegation's residence.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun both knelt on the ground.

The two men looked at Cui Gaiguo holding a ruler in front of them, and dared not breathe. They didn't expect that they would be beaten by their father after coming to Ming Dynasty.

"The Ming Dynasty is our fatherland. How dare you be so disrespectful in front of the Ming Dynasty's Minister of Rites? Do you think you can adjust the seating arrangement I arranged?"

"Shen Nian is not only an editor in the Hanlin Academy, but also a daily lecturer in the Imperial Lecture Hall of the Ming Dynasty. He may even become the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty in twenty years. Your father is letting you study under him. It is your blessing!"

"What? You still want to go to the cabinet and learn from Prime Minister Zhang?" Cui Gaiguo said angrily.

"Dad, can...can I?" Cui Yunjun said excitedly.

If he could study under Zhang Juzheng for seven days, he would be able to walk around the government office of the Kingdom of Korea with impunity.

Snapped!
The ruler hit Cui Yunjun on the head.

"You're dreaming! I've done my best to allow you to enter the Imperial Academy for seven days. Tell me, what is your purpose in allowing you to enter the Imperial Academy this time?"

"Learn from their strengths, make up for our own weaknesses, and strengthen the kingdom!" the two answered in unison.

"Study hard in the next seven days!" Cui Gaiguo said with regret, then waved at the two of them.

"Daddy, sleep well!" The two of them immediately retreated.

After a while, the two walked to the corner of the corridor.

Cui Yunjun whispered to Cui Yunhe, "Brother, if we follow a younger Hanlin official who holds the same rank as us and is a bit arrogant, we won't be able to show our faces when we return!"

Cui Yunhe rolled his eyes and said very confidently: "If we can prove that we are better than him, we will be exposed!"

Cui Yunhe has decided that once he arrives at the Hanlin Academy, he will do his best to show his talents so that the Hanlin officials will have to admit that Shen Nian is not worthy of being his seven-day teacher.

His confidence came from the fact that he had only a superficial understanding of Shen Nian's story in the Hanlin Academy.

……

October 5th, early morning.

Brothers Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun, wearing the sixth-rank official uniforms of the Joseon Dynasty, came to the Hanlin Academy and met Shen Nian.

"follow me!"

Shen Nian led the two of them into a room next to the editing room. Looking at the two sets of tables and chairs inside, he said, "From today on, this will be your room!"

"Later, I will go to Wenhua Hall to give a daily lecture. You will be responsible for organizing these documents first. Some need to be proofread, some need to be copied, and some need to have their contents summarized. These are all the duties of Hanlin officials. You must be careful!" Shen Nian looked at the piles of documents on the table.

After saying that, without waiting for the two to respond, Shen Nian walked quickly outside.

Cui Yunjun looked unhappy and was about to express his dissatisfaction to Shen Nian, but was stopped by Cui Yunhe who was standing beside him.

After Shen Nian walked away.

Cui Yunjun said angrily, "Brother, why are you stopping me? He...he's clearly treating us like clerks!"

Choi Yun-hyuk smiled.

"Isn't it just some paperwork? Now is the time for us brothers to show our talents. We must finish it today and let those Hanlin officials see our ability and speed. That way, he won't look down on us anymore."

"What if...what if it can't be completed?"

"If we can't finish it, it must be because the amount is too large. Shen Nian is deliberately making things difficult for us. We will first remember his crime. After seven days, let father write a memorial to impeach him!"

"Okay, let them see what we are capable of!" Cui Yunjun sat in front of the desk and picked up a document.

Then, the two of them got busy.

These documents are all memorials from local prefectures and cities, and they all report trivial matters.

The task of the Hanlin historian was to extract the important contents of these documents and memorials, to eliminate the dross and retain the essence, in preparation for compiling the national history.

……

Near dusk.

In the room of the two brothers Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun.

Cui Yunjun kneaded his aching right wrist and said, "Brother, the court is about to be dismissed, and he hasn't even glanced at us. How can he be called a Seven-Day Master? This is really too much. I will report this to father when I get back!"

"No."

Choi Yun-hyuk looked at the organized documents on the table and shook his head.

"We went to complain to him on the first day. He would have said that the Emperor's case was more serious than ours. If we questioned Father about this, it would have shown that we were too narrow-minded. It would be best to record his fault first."

Choi Yun-hyuk patted the documents beside him.

"Today, we reviewed and copied nearly fifty documents. This is the workload we completed in the past two weeks. I estimate that there are no more than five officials in the Hanlin Academy who can surpass the two of us."

"Think about it, second brother. If Shen Nian keeps making things difficult for us, and seven days later, father brings us to the emperor, and we cry out Shen Nian's crimes before him, and he makes us review and copy so many documents in one day, what will the Ming emperor do?"

"Shen Nian's actions show that the Ming court is trying to hide its own interests and has no dignity as a great power. The Ming emperor will definitely punish him severely!"

"That's right! We were bullied by him for seven days without a single complaint. We also completed all the tasks that Shen Nian had set for us. Will the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty praise us? Will our King praise us?"

"The current grievance is only temporary. It is evidence of our excellence, our humility and kindness, and also a sin for Shen Nian to despise and harass us!"

"When we see Shen Nian again, we must greet him and be polite to all the officials in the Hanlin Academy. This will make Shen Nian's actions appear even more dirty and filthy!"

"Big brother is still the best!" Cui Yunjun suddenly became excited, then picked up the pen and said, "I'll check and copy a few more copies."

……

Not long after, Shen Nian walked in from outside.

Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun looked at each other, quickly stood up, and then bowed very respectfully and said, "Mr. Shen."

Shen Nian nodded slightly and asked, "How is it going?"

Choi Yun-hyuk said proudly, "There are sixty documents on the desk, and the two of us have completed forty-eight!"

He thought that this achievement was definitely something to be proud of.

After hearing this, Shen Nian curled his lips slightly and said, "Slow! Too slow! You can leave the yamen after you finish reviewing the remaining documents!"

After saying that, Shen Nian left.

"Brother, he... he is too much, too much!" Cui Yunjun clenched his fists and wanted to beat Shen Nian up.

Cui Yunhe pressed his hands down his chest and said, "Second brother, have you forgotten what I just said? The grievance is only temporary. Let's finish reviewing these documents before going home!"

……

Nearly two hours later, the night was completely dark.

The candles in more than half of the public housing in the Hanlin Academy have been extinguished.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun walked out of the Hanlin Academy very tired.

Half an hour later.

After Cui Yunhe returned to the South Wing of Huitong Hall, he took out a pen and paper and wrote: "The first crime of Hanlin Editor Shen Nian: making things difficult for envoys from vassal states and treating them like clerks."

……

Early the next morning.

As soon as Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun arrived at their public housing, they saw two more piles of documents on the desk, more than yesterday.

aside.

A clerk bowed to the two men and said, "My two lords, Editor Shen has sent me here to tell you that you can only go to the History Museum and participate in the history compilation tomorrow after you finish processing these documents today."

After saying this, the clerk left.

At this moment, Choi Yun-hyuk's face darkened.

He said slowly, "Second brother, let's do it. He thinks we can't complete the task, so we'll complete it anyway. When we go to the History Museum, we'll learn what Father wants us to learn." What the two of them wanted to learn from the Hanlin Academy was the item-based recording method of the current "Ming Hui Yao", the techniques and methods of using the "chronological style" or "biographical style" to arrange memorials and other historical materials, the secret affairs of the Ming Dynasty in the daily records, and the Nine Frontier Atlas in some historical materials...

Therefore, entering the history museum to participate in history writing is particularly attractive to them.

These are things that the Ming Dynasty historians were unwilling to pass on, as otherwise it would easily spark a craze for private history writing among the people.

Then, the two of them started to get busy.

Almost all the noises made by the two in the house were heard by Shen Nian through the clerks passing by.

afternoon.

Cui Yunjun, who had just returned from the restroom, said excitedly, "Brother, I just walked around outside the editing room, and I... I... I found Shen Nian actually... lying on his back on the tea table!"

"Really? Was there anyone else next to him? What was the exact time and location? Can you remember it?" Choi Yun-hyuk asked excitedly.

"There are people. I've noted them all down and will write them down to you later."

"Okay, okay, although we didn't learn anything today, we have caught Shen Nian's fault again!" Cui Yunhe looked proud.

……

That night, around midnight.

Cui Yunhe had just returned home from the Hanlin Academy, and the two brothers completed all the tasks assigned by Shen Nian.

They believed that Shen Nian had no reason to refuse them entry into the History Museum and their participation in the compilation of history.

After Choi Yun-hyuk returned to his room, he took out a pen and paper and wrote, "Hanlin Editor Shen Nian's second crime: lying down in the office during the day."

If this crime is proven, according to Ming Dynasty law, the lightest punishment would be the loss of one season's salary.

……

On the seventh day of October, the weather was very sunny early in the morning.

After Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun arrived at the Hanlin Academy, they were called by Shen Nian and entered the History Museum.

Subsequently.

Shen Nian sat together with Zhao Yongxian, Wang Zudi and other reviewers. Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun also sat beside them, and each of them held a copy of "Imperial Ming Ancestor Instructions".

Shen Nian said, "Today, let's discuss the rules and regulations in the Ming Dynasty Code that conflict with the Imperial Ming Ancestor's Instructions, and determine which ones can be supplemented and which ones can be deleted..."

immediately.

Shen Nian looked at Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun and said, "You two, you can speak freely. Today, the rules and regulations are supreme. There is no distinction between high and low officials or between clans and vassals. Whoever has the right opinion will be listened to."

Hearing this, Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun couldn't help but puff out their chests.

In the Chunchugwan (History Museum) of Joseon, the two have always stood out from the crowd, and their words convinced all the reviewers (Ming Dynasty Hanlin reviewers).

Immediately, Zhao Yongxian spoke first.

Zhao Yongxian was the official in the Hanlin Academy who was most familiar with historical books and laws of all dynasties, and he could almost quote classics whenever he spoke.

Then, Shen Nian, Wang Zudi, Liu Kezheng and Liu Chuxian took turns speaking.

All five of them spoke very quickly.

In addition, he quoted from "History Book", "Hanshu", "Original Ming Dynasty Code" and "Huang Ming Zuxun Xun", which made Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun stunned.

The two of them couldn't get a word in at all and had to keep looking down at the "Imperial Ming Ancestor Instructions".

Not long after.

Choi Yun-hyuk, who is strong-willed, finally spoke, but was directly refuted by Zhao Yongxian.

Everyone reviewed the matter and discussed it heatedly.

Using historical allusions is like picking grass in the meadow, you can find them everywhere.

this moment.

Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun had to admit that the Hanlin officials of the Ming Dynasty knew history books and regulations far better than they did.

However, the two discovered that Shen Nian was just an average person among them.

The best ones are Zhao Yongxian and Wang Zudi.

The two of them were confused the whole morning, as if heavy pieces of gold were suddenly stuffed into a cheap cloth bag.

I can't catch it at all.

afternoon.

The group continued the discussion, Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun stopped interrupting and just became two listeners.

The two felt quite depressed.

Near dusk, the review and discussion finally ended.

Shen Nian said to the two of them, "You two, I guess you've learned a lot today. Tomorrow we'll be at the History Museum as usual. Don't stay up late today. I have something to do at home, so I'll leave first."

When they heard that Shen Nian was going to leave the court first, they were both stunned.

……

About a quarter of an hour later, Cui Yunjun walked into their shared housing from outside.

"Brother, I saw it with my own eyes. Shen Nian got on his carriage and went home nearly half an hour before the court was dismissed. This is a crime of desertion."

Cui Yunhe murmured, "This man is too arrogant. He's finished!"

Today was another day in which the brothers learned nothing, but it also accumulated a sin for Shen Nian.

into the night.

Choi Yun-hyuk wrote, "Hanlin Editor Shen Nian's third crime: leaving his post without permission and being released early from office in violation of regulations."

……

On the fourth day after the Cui brothers entered the museum, they still held a ceremony to discuss etiquette.

The difference is that a group of reviewers have become a group of editors.

These editors are even better!
Especially Shen Yikuan, he seemed to deliberately show off in front of Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun, quoting from classics and talking nonstop.

The expressions on Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun's faces were like when the young Wanli saw a 3,000-word memorial presented by Zhang Juzheng when he first ascended the throne, as if he were looking at a heavenly book.

I couldn't get a word in, but I couldn't walk away either. It was very painful.

For the two of them, today was destined to be another day in which they learned nothing.

into the night.

After Cui Yunhe picked up his pen and wrote "The fourth crime of Hanlin editor Shen Nian", he suddenly stopped writing.

Today he had not discovered any crime that Shen Nian had committed.

He thought for half an hour, then picked up his pen and wrote: The History Museum's discussion of classics was impolite.

This afternoon, Shen Nian put his feet on the table while discussing the case, and the long sleeves of his official uniform were rolled up a lot. If you take these actions seriously, they would be considered as inappropriate.

At this moment, Choi Yun-hyuk was certain.

Shen Nian just wanted to make things difficult for them and not let them learn anything useful.

Therefore, he planned to draft seven deadly sins for Shen Nian in these seven days.

When the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty saw that the ministers of the suzerain state bullied the ministers of the vassal state, he would definitely punish Shen Nian severely, even if it was just for the sake of the face of the King of Korea.

These seven sins are not enough to make them famous in the Ming Dynasty, but they are enough to let many people know that they can still complete the tasks assigned by Shen Nian under such difficulties, which is enough to be called: excellent.

(End of this chapter)