I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 108: His writing is poor, his talent is dull, his temperament is difficult to control, and he is not suitable for writing history.

The ninth day of October.

That was the fifth day that the brothers Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun entered the Hanlin Academy.

The two of them were still in the History Museum listening to a group of people discussing history and classics.

Just like the previous two days, they were confused and drowsy. It could be said that it was another day in which they learned nothing.

Near dusk, Hanlin Academy, Editing Hall.

Shen Nian called the two of them over.

"Don't you like discussing history and canons in the History Museum? Why haven't you said a word in the past two days?"

Choi Yun Hyuk rolled his eyes.

He couldn't say that he found it difficult to participate because his knowledge of the Ming Dynasty history was too limited and he was too unfamiliar with the content discussed by the Hanlin historians.

"Sir, the history of the Ming Dynasty is vast and profound. We have benefited greatly from listening to it. Could you please let us take a walk around the Hanlin Academy for the next two days? No homework will be assigned."

How could Shen Nian not know what they were planning?

He thought for a moment, curled his lips slightly and said, "Counselor Cui said that you are the best in the Joseon National History Museum. It seems... it seems that your country does not attach much importance to the compilation of history. Well, well... you should go with Liu Kongmu tomorrow morning!"

Hear this.

Cui Yunhe muttered in his heart, "The fifth crime of Hanlin Editor Shen Nian: slandering the vassal state, not respecting the history, and using disrespectful words."

Compiling history and establishing laws is a top priority for the country.

Shen Nian said that the Kingdom of Korea did not attach importance to the compilation of history, which was tantamount to slandering them and disrespecting their king.

The two people at the moment.

All energy is focused on collecting the "Seven Deadly Sins of Shen Nian".

Shen Nian paused for a moment, then continued, "On the last day, I will arrange an exam for you to see what you have learned and understood in the Hanlin Academy over the past few days. You can prepare in advance."

"take an exam?"

Both of them looked confused. They had learned almost nothing in the five days since entering the museum.

Cui Yunjun bowed and asked, "Sir, I wonder what the test will be on the last day?"

Shen Nian stood up, put his hands behind his back, and said seriously, "If I tell you, can it still be called an exam?"

……

The next day.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of Liu Yuan, the clerk on duty at the Hanlin Academy, who even accompanied them to the toilet, the brothers Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun spent almost the entire day wandering around the Hanlin Academy's library.

Another day of learning nothing.

After finishing their work at the government office, the two were really bored, so they went to the gathering place of official prostitutes and civilian prostitutes: Goulan Hutong.

I returned home late at night in a great mood.

Near midnight, a tipsy Choi Yun-hyuk returned to his room and wrote, "Hanlin Editor Shen Nian's sixth crime: disobeying the imperial order and failing to teach a single thing."

They came to the Hanlin Academy to study at the order of the Ming Emperor.

But these six days.

Apart from instructing them to review and copy, Shen Nian also asked them to listen to debates in the History Museum, and did not teach them any skills at all.

As for the exam on the seventh day, it was probably just a paper formality, so the two of them charged Shen Nian with the crime of "disobeying the imperial order."

……

The last day for Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun to stay at the museum.

Early in the morning.

Shen Nian prepared two sets of test papers for them.

There are not many test questions, and most of them are about the content of the Ming Dynasty History that was compiled, edited, reviewed and discussed in the past few days.

But the two of them didn't listen carefully at all.

I had to rack my brains and make up stories, and finally finished the test before noon.

Afterwards, Shen Nian ordered the two to leave the Hanlin Academy.

Shen Nian murmured: I thought it would be difficult to make them get nothing, but I didn't expect it to be so easy. It's really like trying to help a hopeless case!

……

After a while.

In the carriage outside the Hanlin Academy.

Cui Yunhe murmured, "This Shen Nian is a typical official who seeks fame and reputation and does nothing but eat and drink. If I'm not mistaken, he will go to Master Ma later to take credit, saying that we have successfully completed the seven-day study in the Hanlin Academy and that everything went smoothly."

"Then...then why is he testing us today?" Cui Yunjun asked in confusion.

Choi Yun Hyuk looked out the window and said, "I just figured it out. He gave us this test, and none of us answered well. He's probably doing it to prevent us from suing him. If we accuse him of giving us a hard time, he'll just bring out these two test papers and embarrass us!"

"He's so bad! Brother, what should we do next?"

"Humph!"

Cui Yunhe snorted coldly and said, "By doing this, he's bringing shame upon the people of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Emperor, and the Hanlin Academy. We will expose all his crimes and see how he can argue. This time, we two brothers will perform meritorious service to the Ming court and eliminate an official who has been idle and doing nothing. The Ming Emperor will surely be grateful to us!"

……

Later.

After Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun returned to the lobby of Huitong Hall, they began to write Shen Nian's seven deadly sins seriously.

An hour later.

Huitong Hall, in the front hall.

Choi Gae-guk, Choi Yun-hyuk, and Choi Yun-jun, father and son, took their seats.

"How were your seven days in the Hanlin Academy? Did you benefit a lot? Tell me what you have learned. I will submit a memorial to express my gratitude tonight, and then we will leave Beijing the day after tomorrow!" Cui Gaiguo said with a smile.

During these seven days, Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun mostly went out at five in the morning and returned around midnight, looking very tired.

Cui Gaiguo felt that they must have learned a lot about how to write history.

"Dad, we've gained nothing. We were deceived by that Hanlin editor Shen Nian. He not only made things difficult for us, but also deceived the Ming court. He's truly a corrupt official who seeks fame and fortune, but only serves his position for nothing. We hope that father can impeach him, rid the Ming Dynasty of this evil, and avenge us!"

After saying that, Choi Yun Hyuk took out the "Seven Deadly Sins of Shen Nian" he wrote.

After reading this, Cui Gaiguo murmured, "He treats you like clerks, lying down in the office in broad daylight, abandoning his post, leaving the office early, and discussing matters in an unruly manner... He is truly audacious. His actions have damaged the vassal relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Korea..."

Cui Gaiguo thought about it.

"You're so young, yet you're so arrogant because of your achievements. That's what happens! Come on, follow me to the Hanlin Academy. Let's seek justice from Scholar Ma!"

"Dad, wouldn't it be better if we go find the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty? We have sufficient evidence, and the Emperor will definitely punish him severely. If we find Scholar Ma, he might even protect him!"

Cui Gaiguo shook his head and said, "Let's find Scholar Ma first. We can slap Shen Nian in the face, but we can't slap the Ming Dynasty court in the face."

……

Near dusk.

Cui Gaiguo, with his two sons, appeared angrily in the bachelor's hall of Hanlin scholar Ma Ziqiang.

"President Cui, I was just about to ask someone to find you to discuss how to write a letter of gratitude for the Hanlin Seven-Day Class!" Ma Ziqiang said with a smile.

Cui Gaiguo's face was cold.

"Master Ma, I'm afraid I can't write a letter of gratitude. Please take a look at this first." Cui Gaiguo handed the document "Shen Nian's Seven Deadly Sins" to Ma Ziqiang.

Ma Ziqiang picked up the document and read it carefully.

After a while, he frowned and said to the clerk beside him, "Quickly call Editor Shen over."

"Yes, Maester!"

Next, Ma Ziqiang's face was gloomy and he didn't say anything until Shen Nian came to him.

"Your humble servant is here to see Scholar Ma. Judge Cui is here too!" Shen Nian greeted with a smile, but Cui Gaiguo had a gloomy expression and ignored Shen Nian completely.

Ma Ziqiang handed the document to Shen Nian and said, "Ziheng, take a look at this document first."

Immediately, Shen Nian began to read it carefully.

After reading it, his face turned pale.

Unexpectedly, Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun did not participate in the discussion of history, but instead focused all their energy on listing his crimes.

The document listed his seven deadly sins.

His first crime: making things difficult for envoys from vassal states and treating them like clerks.

This was because Shen Nian had ordered two people to review and copy more than 120 documents in the previous two days.

The second crime: lying down in the office in broad daylight.

It recorded in detail the appearance of Shen Nian dozing off in the editing room at noon and several people who were nearby and could testify.

His third crime: leaving his post without permission and leaving office early in violation of regulations.

This was after Shen Nian left the yamen half an hour early to go home after the third day of the meeting.

His fourth crime: Improper etiquette in discussing classics in the History Office.

This was when Shen Nian was discussing history, and his official uniform and appearance were not very dignified.

His fifth crime: slandering the vassal state, not respecting the historian, and using disrespectful words.

This was because Shen Nianyin and the other two did not say a word during the discussion on history and classics, and Shen Nianyin said that the Kingdom of Korea did not attach importance to the compilation of history.

The sixth crime: disobeying the imperial command and not teaching anything.

This was an accusation that Shen Nian, their teacher for seven days, had not taught the two of them any method of compiling history.

His seventh crime: occupying a position without doing any work and deceiving the emperor.

This was Shen Nian's assessment of the two on the seventh day, intending to make it look like being a teacher for seven days was very hard.

Each crime was described in detail, stating that Shen Nian's actions had discredited Ming officials and damaged the vassal relationship between Korea and Ming. Shen Nian looked at Cui Gaiguo.

"President Cui, was this written by your two sons?"

Cui Gaiguo nodded and said sternly, "Editor Shen, you do have some talent, but I didn't expect you to be so unruly. According to Ming Dynasty law, you should be dismissed for your actions!"

After saying that, he looked at Ma Ziqiang, waiting for Ma Ziqiang to give an explanation.

Ma Ziqiang slowed down and looked at Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun.

"The Emperor allowed you to join the Imperial Academy to seek advice and promote exchanges between the historians of the two countries, not to allow you to fabricate charges against the historians of our Imperial Academy!

Cui Gaiguo was stunned.

Unexpectedly, Ma Ziqiang would be the first to blame his own son.

"Master Ma, you are too protective! If these seven sins were reported to the cabinet and the emperor, I'm afraid you would also be punished. Is there anything wrong with us, father and son, helping the Ming Dynasty punish officials who are idle and doing nothing?"

Ma Ziqiang ignored Cui Gaiguo and turned around to find two documents from the bookcase.

"Counselor Cui, on the 18th of last month, His Majesty, concerned about the health of the officials in the History Bureau, granted them special permission to take a daytime nap, no longer than an hour. Your claim of lying down in the office during the day is not a crime."

"Secondly, because Shen Nian's son is still an infant and cries frequently, His Majesty has granted Shen Nian the right to return home half an hour early upon completion of his official duties, until the end of the year. Therefore, your allegations of desertion and early dismissal are not valid."

"There's also the charge of impropriety in the history office. It's just a matter of being untidy in clothing, which isn't a crime at all."

After saying that, Ma Ziqiang handed the document to Cui Gaiguo.

It was written that the young Wanli had specially allowed the officials of the History Museum to take a nap during the day and that Shen Nianke had been specially allowed to go home half an hour earlier.

As for the misconduct of the History Bureau, it was a far-fetched charge.

In the blink of an eye, seven deadly sins became four.

Ma Ziqiang picked up another document from the table and said, "This is the summary document written by Editor Shen this afternoon regarding the two young masters' seven-day study at the Imperial Academy. If you take a closer look, you will know whether the other four charges are proven."

At this moment, Cui Gaiguo, his son and his two sons were a little nervous and immediately gathered together to watch.

In the document.

Shen Nian wrote in detail about the arrangements and intentions for the Hanlin seven-day class.

On the first and second days, review and copy documents.

This is the basic skill for historians.

Shen Nian needs to know their basic abilities before deciding what to teach them.

A qualified historian in the Hanlin Academy can complete at least a hundred documents a day, but Cui Yunhe and Cui Yunjun together only completed more than 120 documents in two days.

Shen Nian's evaluation of them is: their writing is poor and they are the worst.

In the Ming Dynasty, official and private schools generally divided students into three grades and nine levels based on their performance evaluation.

The best grade is the best of the best, the middle of the best, and the bottom of the best; the middle grade is the best of the middle, the middle of the middle, and the bottom of the middle; the worst grade is the best of the worst, the middle of the worst, and the bottom of the worst.

The worst of the worst.

On the third, fourth, and fifth days, Shen Nian wanted them to participate in a series of historical review, editing, and revision discussions to learn the skills of historical writing.

However, the two of them hardly spoke a word. Choi Yun-hyuk spoke a few times, but what he said was always wrong.

Shen Nian's evaluation of them is: average to below average.

On the sixth day, Shen Nian asked them to follow the Hanlin Academy's clerk to the library to learn bibliography, but the two of them just wandered around. What was even more hateful was that after dark, they actually went to the brothel alley and returned in the middle of the night.

With the Jinyiwei around, Shen Nian could easily know their actions.

As for the seventh day.

Shen Nian thought that they might have secretly memorized the history content of the previous few days, so he gave them questions to test them.

Who would have thought that the two of them were completely making up stories, and the performance evaluation they received was: worse than the worst.

At last.

Shen Nian's overall evaluation of the two is: their writing is not well-crafted, their talents are dull, their temperaments are difficult to maintain, they are not suited to be historians, and they should change their careers!
To put it bluntly: You are not cut out to be a historian at all, I suggest you change your career.

but--

Shen Nian was kind-hearted and felt that such comments would damage the vassal relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Korea, and would bring shame to Cui Gaiguo and his two sons, forcing them to return to their country to be punished.

Therefore, he suggested that the overall evaluation be changed to: his literary talent is slightly inferior, his talent is acceptable, his character is excellent, and with more training, he can be an official who writes national history.

In this way, it will be convenient for them to express their gratitude, and the emperor will also reward them.

When the three of them were about to finish reading.

Ma Ziqiang took out the test papers of the two and the documents marked by Shen Nian from the previous two days, and asked Cui Gaiguo to take a closer look.

Lean slightly.

The Bachelor's Hall fell completely silent.

Shen Nian wrote this summary to prove that he had taught a lot but the other party did not study seriously and did not learn it.

But he didn't expect that the other party would actually bring up his seven deadly sins.

Now, this summary is the best rebuttal.

If these were to spread to the Kingdom of Korea, not only would the careers of these three father and sons come to an abrupt end, they might even be severely punished.

this moment.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun were both a little confused.

They had no idea that Shen Nian had made so many arrangements for them.

What I didn’t even expect was——

When they saw the regular performance evaluations of the historians in the Hanlin Academy, they realized that each of them reviewed no less than a hundred documents every day.

Such a comparison.

The two of them completed more than a hundred articles in two days, so they were not given any trouble at all, let alone being treated as clerks.

The key point is that the fact that they went to brothels to seek pleasure was also exposed.

This kind of thing could not be concealed at all, and the groom of the Korean delegation knew about it.

Suddenly, they all felt that the seven sins they accused Shen Nian of were not true.

this moment.

After Cui Gaiguo's mind turned around and around, he finally understood everything.

Shen Nian's seven deadly sins are completely fictitious.

The truth is: Shen Nian not only did not make things difficult for his sons, but instead gave them serious guidance. However, his two sons were determined to find Shen Nian's crimes.

In addition, his son is indeed too bad compared with the historians of the Ming Dynasty!

More importantly, in order to allow them to return to North Korea without being punished, Shen Nian also tried to make amends for them and write better reviews.

But they repaid kindness with hatred.

He interfered in the Ming Dynasty's political affairs without reason and framed Ming Dynasty historians.

If these two charges were to reach North Korea, their king would skin all three of them alive.

Pfft!
Cui Gaiguo suddenly knelt in front of Ma Ziqiang.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun also realized the seriousness of the matter and immediately knelt down.

"Ma...Master Ma, this is my fault, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have listened to these two little beasts and wronged Editor Shen. Editor Shen was thinking about us, but we wronged him like this. We are not human, not human. I beg Master Ma not to submit this document to the emperor, otherwise... otherwise my Cui family will be finished... completely finished..."

Cui Gaiguo's tears and snot fell in the blink of an eye.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun both put their foreheads on the ground, their bodies shaking continuously.

They are afraid!

This matter can be big or small, it all depends on Ma Ziqiang's decision.

Ma Ziqiang slowed down, listened to their confessions for nearly a cup of tea, and then picked up the document of "Shen Nian's Seven Deadly Sins".

Tear! Tear! Tear!

Ma Ziqiang tore it to pieces and said, "Forget about this matter. I will still submit the report according to Shen Bianxiu's advice. Cui Canpan, you should know how to write a memorial of thanks!"

"I know, I know, thank you, Master Ma, thank you, Master Ma!" Cui Gaiguo said with great gratitude.

Ma Ziqiang does not hate North Korea.

I just hate people like Cui Gaiguo who always steal the "Han and Tang culture as their own."

He was certain.

After this lesson, Cui Gaiguo and his two sons would definitely not come to the capital of the Ming Dynasty again.

As the saying goes: Forgive others when you can. He had no intention of killing the three people, so the matter ended here.

……

Two days later, the North Korean delegation left Beijing.

Choi Yun-hyuk and Choi Yun-jun were lying in the carriage, screaming in pain. Their buttocks were beaten red and swollen, and they were unable to get up at all.

There is a high probability that they will be beaten again on the way.

The experiences of the past few days were like a nightmare, and they even felt that they were not suitable to be historians.

……

For Ma Ziqiang and Shen Nian, this was just a very small and funny thing that happened in October.

That's it.

After this incident, the relationship between the two became closer.

If the Hanlin Academician Shen Shixing had grown more slowly or made an accidental mistake, perhaps Ma Ziqiang's position as Hanlin Academician would have been passed on to Shen Nian.

(End of this chapter)