I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 45: Reward! Little Wanli's Sugar-Coated Bullet

Hanlin is the court for writing.

In addition to compiling history, developing teaching materials is also one of his duties.

For example, the "Revised National Dynasty Library Courses and the Great Essays on State Affairs", "Huang Ming Library Courses", "Huang Ming Library Course Standards", "Hanlin Library Courses" and so on were compiled in recent years.

Although they are not prolific writers, editors, and reviewers, they can write all kinds of articles with ease.

He is well-versed in all kinds of writing, including edicts, memorials, discussions, essays, policies, prefaces, speeches, eulogies, fu, admonitions, praises, and postscripts.

Since ancient times, literati have looked down upon each other.

In the Hanlin Academy, no one has ever submitted to anyone else.

However, after they finished reading Shen Nian's "Lectures on the Imperial College Discipline Course", they were all stunned for a long time and could not speak.

We have to admit that they cannot write such a warning draft that is as explosive as gunpowder exploding in the streets.

Maybe I will never be able to write it in this lifetime.

In the past, most of them believed that Shen Nian was able to serve as a daily lecturer and record daily records as a special case, all because of his cleverness and luck.

After this incident, they no longer think so.

Shen Nian’s ability to admonish like this.

Not to mention them, even the two scholars Ma Ziqiang and Shen Shixing might not be able to do it.

The teachers of the Imperial College were scolded until they were speechless!

Calling all the students trash!
It implies that the scholars in the world have no real knowledge and achievements, and only know how to talk big and criticize the government!

The words are well-founded and awe-inspiring.

It requires hard measures and great wisdom, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

A group of censors quickly memorized Shen Nian's admonition.

If they are fortunate enough to inspect local official schools, Shen Nian's "On Waste" will be a powerful weapon for them to admonish a group of non-juren students.

……

Less than three days after the admonition was circulated on the streets, Shen Nian became a celebrity in the capital.

There are criticisms and praises, praises and sarcasm.

From the elderly in their seventies and eighties to the children of five or six years old, everyone knows the name Shen Nian.

Many people don’t know what a discipline class is.

I just heard a scholar in the teahouse say, "Shen Nian said: The teachers in the Imperial College are incompetent and the students are useless," and I felt that what Shen Nian said made a lot of sense.

And Shen Nian at this moment.

Adhering to the style of "high-profile work and low-key life", he went home after leaving office.

Do not participate in any eating, drinking or social gatherings.

at the same time.

The imperial court began to select admonition officials to go to local prefectures to give admonitions, rectify the lazy atmosphere in official schools, and also put the compilation of admonition collections on the agenda.

foreseeable.

Some students will reflect on themselves and adjust themselves based on this admonition.

Some students would insult and slander Shen Nian in a way that deceives themselves and others, but they continue to do the same thing.

The real losers cannot be awakened by beating or scolding, and we can only wait for them to die of old age.

……

The first day of October.

In accordance with the usual practice, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory presented the Datong calendar of the fourth year of the Wanli reign, and the Little Wanli calendar was bestowed upon all officials.

Shen Nian was rewarded with ten almanacs.

The third day of October.

There was a sudden earthquake in the capital. Although it was not very serious, it scared the young Wanli.

He immediately arranged matters of worshipping heaven and ancestors, and asked the cabinet to draft an edict, ordering all officials to reflect on themselves for three days.

The reason why young Wanli was so sensitive was that he had suffered too much from natural disasters.

In the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, no matter where natural disasters such as floods, droughts, plagues, locust plagues, lightning strikes, and earthquakes occurred.

There can only be one reason: the emperor is immoral.

If he did not issue an immediate decree to respond, the memorials from the censors accusing him would immediately be sent to the cabinet, in piles.

at the same time.

Ma Ziqiang was promoted to Minister of Rites and Hanlin Academician.

He is only one step away from entering the cabinet.

This step may be completed in just a few months, or it may not be taken until retirement.

The current control is completely in the hands of Zhang Juzheng.

After Ma Ziqiang became a full-time official in the ministry, he still served as an official in the imperial lectures, but he no longer served as a daily lecturer.

Shen Yikuan, editor of the Hanlin Academy, quickly filled in the gaps.

Just like the recent Hanlin editor Wang Jiaping, he was changed from the official in charge of the imperial lecture to the official in charge of daily lectures and also the official in charge of the imperial lectures. From this series of job changes, we can actually see that:
Zhang Juzheng was very busy, and the scholars were also very busy, so they had to supplement the lower-level Hanlin officials to serve as daily lecturers for the imperial lectures.

This was very rare in the past.

……

On October 14th, there was a Sunday lecture in Wenhua Hall.

After it was over, Shen Nian was left alone.

The reason was: Little Wanli wanted to hear Shen Nian talk about the details of the Imperial College's admonitions.

The cabinet naturally could not object to such matters related to national affairs, so it asked Shen Nian to explain them to the young Wanli.

In the side hall.

There are only three people: Xiao Wanli, Feng Bao and Shen Nian.

Shen Nian stood three steps away from the young Wanli and reported in a concise manner the circumstances of his admonition at the Imperial College.

Little Wanli listened with great interest and immediately said, "Reward Officer Shen with a basket of fresh lotus roots!"

Young Wanli always liked to reward officials.

The lecturers at the imperial lectures received rewards almost every month, and the three cabinet ministers received rewards even more frequently.

Although their value is not high, they are royal items after all. Obtaining them will bring honor to the family.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the generous reward!"

Shen Nian bowed and clasped his hands. In such occasions, it was not necessary to kneel.

Shen Nian thought he could leave immediately.

Little Wanli looked at him and said in a low voice, "Reviewer Shen, what follows is just a casual chat between you and me. It has nothing to do with government affairs and should not be recorded in the diary."

"I obey your command!" Shen Nian said loudly.

If it is some gossip that has nothing to do with political affairs, there is no need to record it.

"I have been treating you well these days, haven't I?"

Hearing this, Shen Nian instantly became alert. Once these words were spoken, it was definitely necessary for Shen Nian to do something next.

"Your Majesty's grace is as heavy as Mount Tai!" Shen Nian said.

What he said was not flattery.

Not long ago, the young Emperor Wanli rewarded him with the large calligraphy of "A Gentleman is Like Heng", which is of great significance and can be kept in the family and passed down for generations.

Little Wanli looked at Feng Bao.

Feng Bao immediately understood and said, "Reviewer Shen, you've been on duty recording His Majesty's words and actions more often recently. It's because His Majesty likes you and wants to give you more opportunities."

"Remember, everything you have is given by the court, and the court's master is Your Majesty. From now on, be careful about the severity of your words!"

When Shen Nian heard the last half of the sentence, he immediately understood the real purpose of the young Wanli meeting him.

Thirteen years old is the age when people care about their reputation.

Although the young Wanli had never read the daily records, he was clear about what he had done since he ascended the throne.

He could think of it.

The daily records are nothing more than "On a certain day of a certain month, the emperor was naughty; on a certain day of a certain month, the emperor was lazy; on a certain day of a certain month, the emperor knelt in the Wenhua Hall; on a certain day of a certain month, the emperor knelt again" and other contents that "deprecate the young emperor and praise the virtuous ministers".

When Shen Nian was recording his daily notes, he could have been more concise and not written about the mistakes of the young Wanli in detail.

It was Feng Bao who naturally spoke these words.

In this way, whether Empress Dowager Li or Zhang Juzheng knew about it, they could not blame the young Wanli.

Shen Nian's eyes rolled.

He would never agree to such a request.

Once he agreed, he violated the rules that historians must abide by: the text must be straightforward, the facts must be accurate, no false praise, and no concealment of faults.

However, you can't be like a fool and directly refute the young Wanli.

Shen Nian hesitated for a few breaths and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for being so bold. Although my current workload is heavy, it still pales in comparison to government affairs. If you could read more memorials and offer your opinions, even if I write more rigorously, the comments in my diary would only be minor flaws in a flawless piece of jade!"

Little Wanli frowned at first, and then a happy smile appeared on his face.

"I understand!"

Although Shen Nian rejected his suggestion, he also told him: As long as he can make achievements in political affairs, nothing else matters.

This statement also implies "I hope Your Majesty will take power as soon as possible", which is what the young Wanli loved to hear the most.

"Reward Shen Jiantou with three more sable skins!" said the young Wanli.

Sable fur is much more valuable than fresh lotus root, and young Wanli knows how to reward.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous reward!" Shen Nian let out a long sigh.

If he agrees today, he will become a retainer of the young Wanli. If he does not agree, he will become a minister of the country.

Retainers are favored but prone to death.

However, the ministers of the country can hold up the world, and even if the emperor doesn't like them, he will still use them.

(End of this chapter)