After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

Chapter 107 Stop Reading

"Yang, can't we stay here?"

Zhu Houzhao stared longingly, his eyes filled with reluctance to part with the object.

He was the most stable crown prince in the Ming Dynasty. He was pampered since childhood, but he was very lonely.

In the Eastern Palace, apart from a few eunuchs like Liu Jin, he had no friends at all.

The lecturers every day were all renowned Confucian scholars of the time, but he couldn't listen to them at all.

Yang Shen would explain the Analects to him, and he would understand it immediately, always seeming to want more.

And then there are those amazing subjects like mathematics, chemistry, and physics—

"I have only returned to my hometown to study and prepare for the imperial examinations. If I pass with flying colors, I will travel to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examinations!"

Zhu Houzhao said, "Can't you just stay in the capital and prepare for the exam?"

Yang Shen thought for a moment and said, "In the past six months, I have been too outspoken and have offended quite a few people."

Are you scared?

"How is that possible!"

Yang Shen sighed and said, "This is my father's wish, there's nothing I can do about it."

As the two were talking, Xiao Jing walked over.

"Your Highness! Oh, it just so happens that Yang, the study companion, is here too!"

Yang Shen bowed and said, "Eunuch Xiao, what are your orders?"

"His Majesty requests your presence!"

"what?"

Yang Shen was stunned. If you came all this way to find me, why did you have to make it seem like a chance encounter?

He followed Xiao Jing out of the East Palace, but they walked further and further away.

"Eunuch Xiao, where are we going?"

"Jingshan!"

Yang Shen didn't ask any more questions, but he was puzzled as to why the Hongzhi Emperor didn't summon him to the Qianqing Palace or the Imperial Study, but instead went to Jingshan Park.

Half an hour later, the two finally reached the top of the mountain.

Xiao Jing was already panting heavily, and pointing ahead, he said, "His Majesty is waiting up ahead—waiting for you!"

Yang Shen stepped forward and finally saw the Hongzhi Emperor under a crooked tree.

Your subject, Yang Shen, inquires of Your Majesty's well-being!

The Hongzhi Emperor, gazing into the distance with his back to Yang Shen, said, "I am well. Rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yang Shen stood up, head down, looking bewildered.

After a long silence, the Hongzhi Emperor suddenly spoke: "I heard you made a fortune from the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Yang Shen's expression changed, and he hurriedly explained, "I said I didn't want it, but Commander Mu insisted on giving it to me. If Your Majesty feels it's inappropriate, I will return it immediately—"

"never mind!"

The Hongzhi Emperor turned around and said, "You were the one who discovered the aconite poison. You've been running around the whole case, working harder than anyone else. What's wrong with taking a little silver from him? Besides, those Jinyiwei are a bunch of useless bastards. They can't arrest anyone, and they can't even get a proper investigation. Taking only eight hundred taels from him is really letting him off easy!"

Yang Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief: "It is my greatest honor to serve Your Majesty."

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at him and suddenly asked, "Are you leaving?"

Yang Shen thought to himself, "Just now you said the Embroidered Uniform Guards were all useless, how are they useless?"

My every move is being monitored. They might even know what I'm saying in my sleep!

"Your Majesty, I plan to return to my hometown to study and prepare for the provincial examination in two years."

The Hongzhi Emperor chuckled and said, "You've caused trouble, and you want to run away?"

Yang Shen said with difficulty, "I didn't run away, it's just that—"

The Hongzhi Emperor retorted, "But what? Are you afraid of offending someone?"

Yang Shen had no choice but to reply, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Upon hearing this, the Hongzhi Emperor couldn't help but sigh, "All officials throughout history are the same: before doing anything, they leave themselves a way out, preferring to do nothing rather than make a mistake."

Yang Shen replied, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. This is human nature; people always seek advantage and avoid harm."

The Hongzhi Emperor sighed again: "As a subject, one can at least seek advantage and avoid harm, leaving oneself a way out. What about me? Where is my way out? — cough cough cough!"

A gust of cold wind swept in, and the Hongzhi Emperor began to cough violently.

Yang Shen quickly said, "Your Majesty, it's windy here. Let's talk about it back home."

The Hongzhi Emperor waved his hand to stop coughing and said, "I am well aware of my poor health, otherwise I would not have listened to that charlatan."

Yang Shen said, "He is indeed cunning. His Majesty did not use much medicine and the poisoning is not severe. He can recover with proper care."

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at him and suddenly asked, "Have you ever considered that if he wanted to harm me, why didn't he just use a strong medicine directly, instead of going to such lengths to make me take it for a whole year before it takes effect? ​​What was his motive?"

Yang Shen had long suspected something, but he dared not say it.

When the Hongzhi Emperor suddenly asked, he replied, "Perhaps he was worried about being discovered."

The Hongzhi Emperor stared at him: "Yang Shen, why do you think I summoned you here? Don't lie to me. There's no one else here, so you don't need to worry about being overheard."

Yang Shen hesitated for a moment before saying, "I am only speculating; I have no evidence and dare not speak recklessly."

The Hongzhi Emperor said, "I want to hear the truth."

Yang Shen remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "When I encounter something I don't understand, I work backward from the outcome. If Qian Xuzi succeeds, Your Majesty will pass away a year from now—"

At this point, he glanced cautiously at the Hongzhi Emperor.

The Hongzhi Emperor remained calm: "Speak freely, I will not blame you."

Yang Shen continued, "When the crown prince ascends the throne, a situation of a young ruler and a suspicious court will arise. Who will benefit most from this situation?"

The Hongzhi Emperor said, "Stop speaking in riddles, continue!"

Yang Shen shook his head: "Your Majesty, I dare not. These are merely guesses. I dare not guess any further."

The Hongzhi Emperor said calmly, "You mean to talk about Prince Ning, don't you?"

Yang Shen's expression changed: "Slandering a vassal king is a serious crime, I dare not!"

The Hongzhi Emperor sneered and said, "I have long received news that Prince Ning has been forcibly seizing tens of thousands of hectares of farmland from officials and civilians in Nanchang and is secretly recruiting refugees and bandits. Recently, there have been reports that auspicious purple clouds have appeared in the east of Nanchang, and that ancient trees in the Prince's mansion are blooming with strange flowers and bearing unusual fruits. It is said that Nanchang has the aura of an emperor."

He paused, his gaze turning cold: "Heh, what does Zhu Chenhao want?"

Yang Shen thought to himself that Zhu Chenhao in history launched his rebellion during the Zhengde reign.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Hongzhi had already sensed it, perhaps because he felt the time was not yet right, or perhaps out of consideration for his brotherly bond, which is why he didn't interfere.

However, the appearance of Qian Xuzi caused Emperor Hongzhi to change his mind.

If Qian Xuzi really colluded with Prince Ning, then the nature of this matter changes.

The Hongzhi Emperor suddenly changed the subject: "Yang Shen, you should stop studying."

Yang Shen was taken aback: "Huh?"

The Hongzhi Emperor said, "I have long witnessed your intelligence and talent, and originally placed high hopes on you, hoping that you would pass the imperial examination with flying colors. But then what? Once you become an official, will you be like those others in the court, hesitant and cautious in your actions, always securing your own escape route? At that time, will you still have your sharp edge? Will you still dare to forge ahead?"

Yang Shen said, "I was young and ignorant, and I did not think things through—"

The Hongzhi Emperor interrupted him: "If everyone considers everything and officials look out for each other, what will happen to me? What will happen to the people?"

Yang Shen, you once said that there would always be a chasm between me and the common people, namely, the officials and gentry. Do you also want to be one of them? When I am truly in trouble, who among them will stand up for me?

Yang Shen was silent for a moment, then said, "I am different from them."

The Hongzhi Emperor said, "Once you're in the dye vat, do you think you can remain untainted? Look at your father; he's tried time and again to get you out of the capital. I know he's protecting you, but isn't he also sending you into the dye vat?"

Yang Shen thought for a moment and said, "I can choose not to study, nor can I choose not to be an official. I will simply run the business honestly and help Your Majesty earn money. I will never meddle in other people's business again."

The Hongzhi Emperor shook his head: "With your talents, it would be a waste for you to go into business."

Yang Shen thought to himself, "If they won't let me be an official or do business, are they going to make me go back to farm?"

If I had known this would happen, I would have read more farming novels before transmigrating!