My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 79 Flexible Ancestral Instructions

Wu Youning said in a low voice with a bitter face:
"Big sister, second sister insisted on coming with me, I couldn't help it!"

Wu said angrily:

"Dad didn't stop me?"

Wu Youning smiled bitterly and said:
"Can Dad stop it?"

It turned out that this servant was Wu's younger sister, Wu Youning's second sister, and Wu Suqing, the second daughter of the Wu family in Wu County.

Wu looked at her sister and immediately said to the servant beside her:
"Hurry and get her on the carriage!"

"Miss!"

Before Wu Suqing could even try to argue, she was escorted to the carriage by one of Wu's servants. Wu glared at her brother fiercely and said,
"From today on, you stay at home and study hard to prepare for the exam!"

Wu Youning cried out in injustice, and glanced at his brother-in-law Shen Shixing again. He knew that it was useless to explain to his sister at this time. He could only say to Shen Shixing:

"Brother-in-law, the cotton seeds sent back home by the capital were not good the last few times. My second sister said she wanted to come to the capital to select the cotton seeds herself. Even my father couldn't stop her, and I can't do anything about it either!"

Shen Shixing knew that his wife was angry, so he could only give his brother-in-law a helpless look.

Then he started to have a headache again. He originally wanted to matchmake his sister-in-law and let her marry Su Ze, but he didn't expect that she would run to the capital on her own.

Thinking of this lawless sister-in-law who was influenced by the School of Mind, Shen Shixing felt that it would be better not to harm his good friend.
-
East Palace.

Junior Chancellor Yin Shidan sat in the Chancellor's Mansion, looking at the reports presented by the lecturers, and felt very satisfied.

Lecturer Huang Ji stood opposite Yin Shidan and said carefully:
"The prince has been studying diligently these past few days and has memorized the first few chapters of the Imperial Ming Ancestor's Instructions."

Huang Ji looked at Yin Shidan carefully. He was an old Hanlin who had worked his way up to the Zhanshi Mansion. Once he entered the Zhanshi Mansion, he clung to Yin Shidan's thighs tightly.

The Junior Chancellor was responsible for arranging the prince's timetable and had great power over lecturers like Huang Ji.

Huang Ji also knew that the prince did not like to listen to his lectures, but with Yin Shidan's support, Huang Ji could meet the prince once or twice a week, and in the future he would become an old minister of the prince's palace.

Yin Shidan nodded with satisfaction. The education system for the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty was already very complete.

Before the age of ten, one should study "Huang Ming Zu Xun" and only have a basic understanding of the classics.

After the age of ten, they will study Confucian classics, and the "Da Ming Hui Dian" (The Code of the Ming Dynasty) and the "Da Ming Lu" (The Code of Criminal Law) will also be included in the curriculum.

Any emperor who has received a complete royal education will not have too outrageous governing ability. For example, the current Emperor Longqing was taught to study by Xu Jie, Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng when he was a child, so his level of Confucianism must be quite high.

Zhu Yijun changed his previous bad temper and began to study "The Imperial Ming Ancestor's Instructions" on his own initiative. This made Yin Shidan feel that it was the result of his tireless teaching.

Huang Ji also looked happy.

Huang Ji just heard that Su Ze made an exception and attended the cabinet meeting. Su Ze entered the Hanlin Academy later than himself, but was already able to talk to important cabinet officials. Huang Ji was even more jealous.

But after Su Ze's last lecture, the Crown Prince did not clamor for him to give lectures again, which made Huang Ji feel a little relieved.

Huang Ji secretly made up his mind that he would teach the prince well and secure his position as an old minister in the palace!

Huang Ji had a vague idea that was extremely disrespectful. Su Ze neglected teaching so much. Once the prince succeeded to the throne, it would be his turn to be in the spotlight!
Just like the current Lord Gao and Lord Zhang, aren't they also former officials of the current Prince Yu's palace?

Don’t bully the poor middle-aged people!
Huang Ji felt a little more balanced in his heart. He decided to let Su Ze be arrogant for a few more days. Once he came to power, he would definitely banish him from the capital!

At this moment, Zhang Hong, Zhu Yijun's personal eunuch, walked into the Zhanshi Mansion.

Yin Shidan disliked Zhang Hong, and Huang Ji naturally played to his dislike, looking down on Zhang Hong. Zhang Hong also bowed respectfully to Huang Ji when he saw him present, but Huang Ji only returned the greeting indifferently, which made Zhang Hong unhappy.

Among the lecturers in the Zhanshi Mansion, only a few lecturers, Shen Shixing, were polite to Zhang Hong. People like Huang Ji could not even observe basic etiquette.

Zhang Hong thought again of Su Ze's enthusiastic attitude towards him. Su Hanlin is a great talent admired by all the ministers. Isn't he more capable than you lecturers?

Su Hanlin does not discriminate against eclectics, so why do you?
Zhang Hong felt disgusted with Huang Ji and his people, but he still held back and said to Yin Shidan:
"Young Master Zhanshi, the Crown Prince invites you over."

Yin Shidan followed Zhang Hong to the East Palace, only to see Zhu Yijun, wearing the prince's dragon robe, sitting in the main seat, with palace maids standing in two rows on his left and right, actually setting up a set of ceremonial processions for the prince.

However, Zhu Yijun's age and the sparse group of palace servants made it seem more like children playing house.

Yin Shidan bowed respectfully, and the Ming Crown Prince Zhu Yijun said in a childish voice:

"Master Yin, I was reading the Treasure Instructions a few days ago. My Prince Ming lectures daily and has lectures on the classics. Why did I only see the daily lectures and not the lectures on the classics?"

It turned out to be this.

Yin Shidan, the Junior Secretary, was responsible for teaching the prince. When the prince asked him questions, Yin Shidan was naturally very pleased.

Yin Shidan said:
"As Your Highness has said, the Crown Prince's lectures are divided into daily lectures and lectures on classics. Daily lectures are daily lectures, led by lecturers, and they all teach ancestral teachings and the meaning of classics."

"The lectures on the classics are all about principles of morality and the gains and losses of national politics. Your Highness is still laying the foundation, so let's focus on the daily lectures first and hold the classics lectures later."

As Zhu Yijun asked, there is still a difference between daily lectures and imperial lectures.

In the words of later generations, daily lectures were small daily classes, and imperial lectures were special open classes.

The emphasis of daily lectures was on imparting knowledge, while the emphasis of imperial lectures was on admonition and moral principles.

Since the crown prince was young, it was normal for Yin Shidan not to hold the imperial lecture.

But Zhu Yijun frowned and said:
"How can this be possible! I've been reading the Imperial Ming Dynasty Instructions. The Great Ancestor taught his descendants to hold daily lectures on the classics. How can we only hold daily lectures and not the classics feasts?"

Yin Shidan was naturally very pleased to hear that Zhu Yijun was so eager to learn. He immediately said:
"Then I will choose a day to hold the imperial lecture."

Zhu Yijun said:
"Taizu has a rule that a lecture should be held every five days. From now on, we should hold a lecture every five days."

Yin Shidan bowed and said:
"My minister obeys."

Seeing Yin Shidan was so honest, Zhu Yijun said:
"Since the Imperial Lecture is being held, all lecturers in the Eastern Palace must be present. No one may be absent!"

Although Yin Shidan felt a little strange, since what Zhu Yijun said was also the rule of the Eastern Palace, he nodded and said:

"My minister obeys."

After Yin Shidan left, Zhu Yijun quickly dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs around him and said to Zhang Hong:

"Otomo! How's Koto doing?"

Zhang Hong quickly knelt down and said, "When I see Your Highness, I still see the majesty of Emperor Sejong when he was in the court!"

Zhu Yijun put his hands on his hips and laughed, saying:
"Master Yin has been fooled! When the imperial lecture begins, Master Su will definitely come, and I will let him give the lecture then!"

Zhang Hong quickly flattered him:

"Your Highness has a brilliant plan!"

(End of this chapter)