My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 70 The Legend of the Weary Ghost
Early the next morning, Zhang Hong came to the Chancellery and asked the Junior Chancellor Yin Shidan:
"Sir Yin, His Highness sent me to ask why Zuo Zanshan Su Ze hasn't lectured yet?"

Junior Secretary Yin Shidan looked at Zhang Hong and said coldly:

"The Imperial Lecture has its own regulations, so there's no need for you to worry about it."

Su Ze's speech had been delivered, but Yin Shidan was obviously not satisfied and sent it back to Su Ze for redrafting.

Su Ze understood that Yin Shidan was targeting him, so he simply stopped submitting manuscripts. After all, whoever wanted to attend this crappy lecture could go!

Originally, Yin Shidan thought that the matter was over. The Crown Prince was a child at heart and his attention was quickly distracted, so he would probably forget Su Ze soon.

Unexpectedly, the eunuchs came to urge him again today, so Yin Shidan was ready to teach Zhang Hong a lesson.

We are all smart people. The Crown Prince lives in the East Palace, so how could he know Su Ze?
After Yin Shidan inquired, he found out that it was Zhang Hong who read "Yuefu Xinbao" to the prince.

The Junior Secretary was in charge of the Eastern Palace. It was too easy for Yin Shidan to put Zhang Hong in a bad light. He was just about to use Zhang Hong as an example to establish his authority, but he saw Zhang Hong take out a handwritten letter from his inner lining.

"This is His Majesty's order, summoning Zuo Zanshan Su Ze to give a lecture in the Eastern Palace today! Why won't the Junior Secretary allow Su Ze to enter the Eastern Palace?"

Yin Shidan's face looked a little ugly. Zhang Hong brought out the emperor's handwritten edict, and it would be inappropriate for him to stop him.

The emperor's handwritten edict, without the cabinet's confirmation, is called the imperial edict. If it is a court affair, he, as a minister, can naturally refuse to execute the handwritten edict.

However, teaching the crown prince is a state affair as well as a family matter. Since the emperor asked Su Ze to teach his son, it would be unreasonable for Yin Shidan to stop him.

Although he was dissatisfied, Yin Shidan still said:
"I will summon Su Zanshan to the East Palace."

Seeing Yin Shidan surrender, Zhang Hong was even happier. He walked out of the official hall of the Zhanshi Mansion and once again recalled the teachings of his godfather Li Fang.

If he could suppress Yin Shidan this time, his position in the Eastern Palace would be more secure in the future.

Su Ze is indeed his benefactor!

Find an opportunity to make friends with Su Ze!
But Zhang Hong was a little worried. What if Su Ze looked down on eunuchs like those civil servants?
Just as Zhang Hong returned to the main hall of the East Palace, he saw his godfather Li Fang, whom he had missed for a long time.

But Li Fang gave him a steady look, and Zhang Hong realized then that Li Fang was wearing the clothes of an ordinary eunuch. He looked inside the main hall again and was so scared that he almost knelt down.

It turned out that Emperor Longqing was also wearing casual clothes and was sitting in the main hall.

Li Fang pulled Zhang Hong and said:

"Your Majesty is in a good mood today and wants to attend the Crown Prince's lecture. When Su Zanshan arrives later, Your Majesty will listen behind the screen."

Zhang Hong immediately understood, and he asked again:

"So, what does Godfather mean by that? Should I remind Su Zanshan?"

Li Fang glared at her godson and said:
"You're asking for your life! If this gets out, you'll go to Nanjing and guard the mausoleum of our great grandfather!"

Hearing Li Fang's harsh words, Zhang Hong didn't dare to say anything more.

He began to worry again. If Su Ze didn't speak well and the emperor was dissatisfied, wouldn't he be unable to come to the East Palace in the future?

How else can I be friendly with him?
"The prince summoned me to give a lecture?"

In the History Museum, facing the official sent by the Chancellery, Su Ze asked in confusion.

The person who came to summon Su Ze to give lectures was also an official from the Zhanshi Mansion, named Huang Ji. He was originally an official from the Hanlin Academy and had passed the imperial examination a few years earlier than Su Ze.

Huang Ji spent three years in the Hanlin Academy before being promoted from a Shujishi to an editor. Then he waited until the Eastern Palace was established before he was promoted to the Zhanshi Mansion.

He was appointed as an official in charge of imperial lectures on the recommendation of Yin Shidan.

Huang Ji originally thought that he was about to rise to great heights, and looked down on his former colleagues in the Hanlin Academy. He thought that he would lecture the prince and become a former official in the palace, and in the future he would enter the cabinet and become a prime minister like those elders.

It's a pity that the idea was good, but the result was not what he wanted. Huang Ji had a solid foundation, otherwise he would not have passed the imperial examination and became a scholar-official. However, his teaching level was not good, and he always made the crown prince drowsy.

Zhu Yijun didn't like his lectures, and after he gave two lectures, he didn't want him to continue.

Nowadays, the emperor often summoned officials like Shen Shixing, which made Huang Ji very jealous.

This time, the Crown Prince twice specifically asked Su Ze to give lectures, which made Huang Ji jealous. Seeing Su Ze's nonchalant look, Huang Ji said angrily:

"Teaching the Crown Prince is the heavy responsibility of ministers like me! Why is Su Zanshan so reluctant? If he is truly unwilling, why doesn't he resign his position as the Imperial Lecturer?"

Su Ze looked at Huang Ji, not knowing how he had offended this colleague. However, Su Ze was not the kind of person who would pamper him, so he said directly:

"If His Highness summons me, I will go."

After saying this, Su Ze simply ignored them and went straight to the East Palace.

When Su Ze arrived at the Eastern Palace, Yin Shidan frowned when he saw that he came empty-handed and didn't even bring the teaching plan.

But thinking that he was summoned by the emperor, Yin Shidan said:

"Today's lecture will follow the notes you sent me last time. Do not deviate from them. I will personally attend the lecture. If anything is inappropriate, I will impeach you!"

Su Ze was also speechless, but Yin Shidan was several levels higher in rank, so Su Ze had no choice but to agree. Then, led by officials from the Zhanshi Mansion and the Eastern Palace, he went to the main hall of the Eastern Palace.
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Su Ze looked at Zhu Yijun, and Zhu Yijun was also looking at Su Ze.

The official in charge of the imperial lectures was considered half a teacher to the crown prince, so Zhu Yijun performed a half-courteous ceremony to Su Ze, while Su Ze performed a vassal ceremony to Zhu Yijun. After both sides finished the ceremony, the crown prince Zhu Yijun glanced at Yin Shidan who was listening, and sat obediently behind the desk.

Of course, although Yin Shidan was serious, Zhu Yijun was not afraid of him. He was mainly afraid of his father behind the screen.

Su Ze naturally didn't know that Emperor Longqing was also present. He simply cleared his throat and began the prince's lecture.

The rules for the prince's lectures were set by Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang himself.

Let’s first talk about "Huang Ming Zu Xun", the "laws of ancestors" written by our ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang himself. The part about teaching to the crown prince contains some content that encourages learning and progress.

Old Zhu's original intention was naturally good, but Su Ze felt sleepy when he was reciting these boring and strict ancestral precepts, not to mention that the person listening was a six-year-old child.

With this kind of education, it’s no wonder that the descendants of the Zhu family are becoming lazier with each generation!

Yin Shidan listened from the side and nodded repeatedly.

Su Ze is indeed quite capable. He can recite the "Imperial Ming Ancestor Instructions" by heart, which shows that he has put in a lot of effort.

What a pity he is such a treacherous villain.

If only he could take the right path.

Yin Shidan was sighing, but found that Zhu Yijun's eyes were blurry and he was about to fall asleep.

In fact, it was not just Zhu Yijun who was about to fall asleep, but Emperor Longqing behind the screen was also about to fall asleep.

This reminded him of the time when he was in Prince Yu's Mansion. Even when Master Gao was lecturing on "The Imperial Ming Dynasty's Ancestor Instructions", he would fall asleep. It was no wonder that Su Ze's lecture was not good.

Su Ze glanced at the drowsy Zhu Yijun and felt sympathy for him. How could a six-year-old child bear to hear this every day?

Generally at this time, the imperial lecturers would offer advice to encourage learning.

However, Su Ze did not talk about the great principles of the ancients, but told a story. He said:
"A few years ago, I was addicted to entertainment and neglected my studies. When I was sorting out manuscripts, I felt sleepy as soon as I picked up a book."

"The ancients said, 'When a person is strong, the spirit aids him; when he is tired, the spirit enters him.' I wonder if there are ghosts in this world called tired ghosts that specifically haunt people when they are tired?"

After hearing Su Ze telling the story, the confusion in Zhu Yijun's eyes disappeared, and he looked forward to Su Ze continuing.

(End of this chapter)