My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 112 Coloring Game
Zhang Juzheng was somewhat disappointed. He only got a guarantee from Su Ze that he would write a letter to support the abolition of the Liao vassal state. However, Su Ze was indeed not from Jingzhou, had never been an official in Jingzhou, and did not even know about the case of the King of Liao.

Zhang Juzheng could only blame himself for wanting to abolish the Liao vassal state too much, so he had to let his son Zhang Jingxiu send Su Ze away.

Along the way, Su Ze didn't dare to talk much with Zhang Jingxiu, for fear that he would ask him to help him cheat in the provincial examination.

After Su Ze left Zhang's house, Zhang Jingxiu returned to his father's study and helped Zhang Juzheng sort out the letters.

"You'd better not take part in next year's provincial examination."

Zhang Juzheng suddenly spoke to his son.

Zhang Jingxiu was a little confused, but he didn't dare to go against his father's opinion, so he could only nod in agreement.

Zhang Juzheng sighed again and said, "It's a pity that your sister is too young and there are no suitable women in the clan."

After saying these incoherent words, Zhang Juzheng began to deal with the letters on the table.
-
The end of the month is already here.

On October 29th, Shen Yikuan came to the History Museum early in the morning and pushed open Su Ze's public housing.

"The Prince of Dai has confessed! Censor Luo Zun once exchanged secret letters with him, instigating him to collude with former Datong General Zheng Nian to cause a rebellion in Datong, so that he could collude with the Censorate to impeach Brother Zilin!"

Luo Wanhua looked at Su Ze, and seeing that he didn't show much expression, he hurriedly asked, "What about Luo Zun?"

Shen Yiguan said triumphantly, "His Majesty is furious and has issued an order to imprison the Prince of Dai behind the walls of Fengyang, execute Zheng Nian, and punish Luo Zun with 100 strokes of the cane and exile him to Yunnan to guard the border!"

Luo Wanhua took a breath.

The abolition of the Dai vassal state was the greatest punishment for the King of Dai. The King of Dai lost the ancestral worship, which was a great sin for not being able to see the ancestors.

After all, the King of Dai did not rebel, and imprisonment behind high walls was the usual punishment used by the Ming Dynasty to deal with members of the royal family.

Zheng Nian, the general of Datong, was a military officer, so it was normal for him to be executed.

Luo Zun was beaten with a stick 100 times and exiled to Yunnan to guard the border, which was a very severe punishment.

After all, the Dali Temple had been trying for such a long time, but they only had evidence that Luo Zun instigated the King of Dai to incite rebellion at the border and threaten the court, but there was no evidence that Luo Zun instigated the King of Dai to flee to the grassland.

Considering the Ming Dynasty's lenient attitude towards censors, this punishment can be said to be extremely severe.

Moreover, after being beaten with a stick 100 times and then exiled to Yunnan, it is hard to say whether Luo Zun can survive.

"The five imperial censors who led Luo Zun were also sentenced to live in seclusion."

To be idle in the imperial court means to be relieved of one's current position, but one can retain the official status and return home to reflect on oneself.

This sentence was more severe than exile, but it did not mean the loss of official title. However, it was a death sentence for the political careers of these censors.

Officials who were sentenced to live in idleness generally had no chance of being re-employed unless the emperor granted special permission.

With this, the case of King Dai came to an end.

Shen Yi Guan looked at Su Ze and said:
"Brother Zilin, there are many vacancies in the Censorate this time."

Shen Yiquan's meaning was very clear. If there was a vacancy in the Censorate, it must be filled.

The observation period of the Jinshi candidates is about to end, and the new Jinshi candidates are eligible to fill the vacancy of the Censor of the Censorate.

These positions will become the target of competition among the ministers.

Given Su Ze's influence on Gao Gong, many people have found Shen Yikuan and expressed their ideas in recent days.

Su Ze did not show any contempt for his peers.

Throughout history, both in China and abroad, good resources in official circles have always been scarce, and everyone wants to advance.

For a Jinshi with a low ranking, being able to stay in the Censorate and serve as a censor is the best starting point in the officialdom.

Anyway, these positions need to be filled. Su Ze said to Shen Yi Guan:
"Brother Jianwu, please take a look among these classmates and see if there are any with good character and the ability to speak out frankly. I will recommend them to Lord Gao and Zhang Xuanlang."

Shen Yikuan was even more excited. Su Ze entrusted this matter to him. If his classmates really became censors, they would also be grateful to him.

Unknowingly, a small political group was established around Su Ze.
-
"Zhang Hong, is this Jiuzhou Wanfang really that big?"

Zhu Yijun held a magnifying glass in his hand, looked at the map in the latest issue of "Yuefu Xinbao", and asked Zhang Hong.

In the second edition of this issue of "Yuefu Xinbao", Su Ze did not continue to serialize popular science stories, nor did he continue to write "Haiguo Ji". Instead, he asked the newspaper's engraver to print a simple world map based on the Portuguese nautical chart given to him by Tu Zemin and his own memories of his previous life.

The map is naturally centered on the Ming Dynasty, with the areas surrounding it marked out. Su Ze also found information about the Ming Dynasty's vassal states from the Ministry of Rites, and marked the locations of these vassal states, as well as the specialties of the tribute, on the map.

The locations of many vassal states are recorded in books, so the credibility of Su Ze's map is naturally greatly increased.

In addition to the countries that had contact with the Ming Dynasty, Su Ze also roughly drew out the Americas, Europe and Africa.

Magnifying glasses have become a popular item in the capital recently.

After Su Ze published the story of two children arguing about the sun in the newspaper, someone invented a magnifying glass.

In fact, the use of magnifying glasses has been recorded since the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the capital city where treasures are gathered, it is not difficult to find highly transparent gems.

The magnifying glass in Zhu Yijun's hand was made of high-purity crystal by the palace's Shangbao Division.

Zhu Yijun liked this magnifying glass very much. The nautical chart in the newspaper was a rubbing, so it was naturally blurry. He took the magnifying glass and looked at it carefully, and found the location of Nanzhou marked by Su Ze.

"So Nanzhou is so far away! These red barbarians are willing to cross the ocean for gold and silver."

Xiaopangjun sighed for a moment, then ordered Zhang Hong to cut out the map and stick it on the screen.

"It turns out that Japan is so small, and Grandpa Emperor actually spent so much money to fight against the Japanese."

When Zhu Yijun brought up this topic, Zhang Hong quickly shut up.

Zhu Yijun added, "Father wants to trade with Japan and earn money from it. In my opinion, it would be better to conquer Japan directly and then, like the Red Barbarian Lord, let the Japanese dig for silver in the mines!"

Zhang Hong felt something was amiss and quickly said, "Prince, be careful with your words. Don't let the Junior Secretary hear."

When the Junior Chancellor Yin Shidan was mentioned, Zhu Yijun's face wrinkled again.

"Zhang Hong, do you have any idea how to get Master Su to give me lectures every day?"

Zhang Hong said with a bitter face, "Your Highness, arranging lecturers is the responsibility of Yin Shaozhan. I have no right to interfere."

Zhu Yijun put down the magnifying glass and said, "What do you think? Wouldn't it be better if Master Yin left the East Palace?"

"what?"

"Wasn't Shen Xima from the Ministry of Finance sent by my father to Jingzhou to survey the Liao Dynasty? Wouldn't it be better if we could find a job for Master Yin and get him out of the Ministry of Imperial Households?"

"Why not let Master Yin join the cabinet? Isn't it because Master Zhao rarely comes to the Zhanshi Mansion because he has too many cabinet affairs?" Zhang Hong's brain was about to crash. No, Prince, you are really working hard to let Su Ze give you lectures.

But Zhu Yijun's face quickly fell and he said:

"Emperor Father won't listen to me on such a big matter as joining the cabinet."

Zhang Hong was almost unable to keep up with the prince's thoughts, so he said, "Your Highness, please take a long-term view."

Zhu Yijun nodded, and asked Zhang Hong to read the jokes in "Yuefu Xinbao". Looking at the "Complete Map of the World" on the screen, he felt a little unsatisfied.

"Bring the colored ink!"

Zhu Yijun suddenly had an idea and ordered Zhang Hong to get colored ink from the painting garden.

He picked up the pen and first painted the Ming Dynasty red, and then painted the Ming Dynasty's vassal states red one by one.

Zhu Yijun then painted Japan and Central and South America black, and then looked at the Australian continent between Asia and America, and painted it black as well.

Then Zhu Yijun muttered to himself and asked:
"Where is Annan, the city that Emperor Chengzu conquered?"

Zhang Hong was a relatively educated eunuch and quickly pointed out the location of Annan, which Zhu Yijun then blackened with a pen.

"This is much better!"

Zhu Yijun put down his pen and looked at the map with satisfaction.

Then Zhu Yijun said to Zhang Hong:
"Can the topic of each imperial lecture only be drawn up by Master Yin?"

Zhang Hong thought for a moment and said:
"Generally speaking, it is the Junior Secretary who makes the decision. However, if His Royal Highness has any doubts about his studies, he can ask the Junior Secretary to set the questions at the Imperial Lecture Hall."

Zhu Yijun immediately became excited and said, "That's great. Go tell the Junior Secretary that I was confused when I read about 'Hua Yi'. Master Yin, please use this as the topic for your next lecture. I hope all the masters can help me solve my confusion!"

Zhang Hong nodded quickly and went to find Yin Shidan. After a while, Zhang Hong came back with a happy face and said to Zhu Yijun:
"Your Highness, Shao Zhanshi has approved it!"

Zhu Yijun also waved his hands excitedly, and whispered:
"Go and secretly tell Master Su to prepare for the next imperial lecture on the theme of Huayi."

Zhang Hong immediately said, "I understand!"
-
November came in a flash, and there were more and more gatherings in the capital these days.

The gathering of the newly graduated Jinshi is naturally one aspect. This month is the end of their observation of government. Except for a few lucky Shujishi, most of the newly graduated Jinshi will be appointed to official positions outside and leave the capital.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, various banquets were held more frequently, and those who had already been confirmed to take up external posts were also required to treat more people to meals to lay the foundation for their future work in the local area.

At Shen Yiquan's invitation, Su Ze also attended several small gatherings and finally became familiar with his classmates.

But this time it wasn’t that Su Ze was lazy and didn’t want to socialize, but getting engaged and getting married was too troublesome!
The Zhao family of Neijiang was a large family, and Zhao Zhenji was a cabinet minister of the current dynasty. The wedding ceremony was complicated, and it was thanks to Xu Wei and a group of his peers who helped arrange it that nothing went wrong.

The lady from the Zhao family was still in Sichuan, and various documents had to be passed back and forth between the capital and Sichuan.

Fortunately, with Zhao Zhenji in charge, the most troublesome "Naji" in the early stage has been completed.

Naji, after the man takes back the woman's name and birth characters, he performs divination in the ancestral temple to inquire about good or bad luck.

Of course, our ancestors would not object normally.

The next step is to pay the betrothal gifts, set the wedding date and welcome the bride. These steps can only be carried out after the lady from the Zhao family comes to the capital.

Naji is engaged, and Su Ze has received many gifts from his peers.

The newly-appointed scholars were very restrained in their interactions, and they gave gifts that were small in size but heavy in meaning. Su Ze also prepared return gifts for them one by one.

During this period, Su Ze's good friend Shen Shixing also asked someone to deliver an urgent letter.

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Hong Chaoxuan, led the troops and rushed to Jingzhou. It should be the time now.

But when Shen Shixing wrote the letter, he was still on his way.

But the journey was not peaceful. The chief envoy Hong Chaoxuan and the deputy envoy Shi Duchen had many conflicts. Hong Chaoxuan even publicly accused Shi Duchen of being a member of Zhang Juzheng's party. He said that the impeachment of the King of Liao was just to curry favor with Zhang Juzheng, and that Zhang Juzheng wanted to take revenge on the King of Liao.

This conflict also completely changed the nature of this expedition to Liaoning.

It turned from a criminal case of the King of Liao into a political struggle against Zhang Juzheng.

The fact that Hong Chaoxuan, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice who was in charge of trying the case of the King of Liao, had such a preconceived notion also made Shen Shixing very worried.

Since entering Huguang, Shen Shixing heard rumors about the many crimes of the King of Liao. Even shortly after the Liao survey team entered Huguang, they encountered a group of people from Jingzhou petitioning to abolish the Liao vassal state.

For both public and private reasons, Shen Shixing also advocated the abolition of the Liao vassal state.

Shen Shixing expressed his worries in the letter, and Su Ze could only write to comfort him. Of course, his words were still the same as what he said to Zhang Juzheng, "Wait until the King of Liao commits more evil and perishes on his own."

Su Ze asked someone to take the letter to Shen Shixing, and then he saw Tu Zemin off.

Under the emperor's order, the Ministry of Personnel quickly completed Tu Zeming's investigation. After confirming his innocence, the Ministry of Personnel recommended Tu Zemin as the Chief Censor and Governor of Denglai, in charge of port opening affairs.

The appointment was quickly approved by the cabinet, and after Emperor Longqing approved it, Tu Zemin was about to go to Denglai to take up his post.

Denglai is Dengzhou Laizhou, which is Yantai in later generations.

This place has been a seaport since the Tang Dynasty. When Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, conquered Korea, he crossed the sea from here.

Denglai is the outlet of Bohai Sea and also a good natural harbor in the north. Its navigation conditions are actually much better than Yuegang.

Su Ze saw Tu Zemin off before he took office, and instructed him to send a letter to the capital if he had any business. The opening of the Denglai port was finally settled.

Of course, the reason why the Kedao was silent this time was because the Dai Wang case had just been concluded and Su Ze was in the limelight.

However, many censors were keeping an eye on Deng Lai, and Su Ze was the initiator. As long as Deng Lai got into trouble in the future, they could use this to attack Su Ze.

On November 3rd, Su Ze stepped into the East Palace again. Today was the day of the Crown Prince's imperial lecture.

Huang Ji, the lecturer of the Eastern Palace, went straight to greet Su Ze when he saw him this time.

During the Crown Prince's lecture this time, Junior Secretary Yin Shidan was afraid that Huang Ji and his cronies would not be able to argue against Su Ze, so he simply sent the questions directly to all the lecturers in the Eastern Palace.

Of course, Su Ze is not among them.

Moreover, because Su Ze's good friend Shen Shixing was assigned to Jingzhou, the other lecturers had a bad relationship with Su Ze, so Huang Ji also made sure that no one revealed the topic to Su Ze in advance.

This time, the Hanlin lecturers were also very angry about Su Ze's two attempts to steal the show in the imperial lectures. The lecturers gathered together to discuss an outline of the imperial lectures. This time, they agreed that no matter who was nominated by the prince, he must surpass Su Ze!

Huang Ji walked up to Su Ze and said with a hint of pride, "Hanlin Su, the Junior Secretary has already informed all the lecturers of the topic of this imperial lecture in advance. I'm afraid you don't know it yet?"

(End of this chapter)