The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 99 The filial nephew has once again snatched away his fourth uncle's man!

Huimin Lane, east of the city.

Near the alley entrance, there is a large courtyard, which originally belonged to the Duke of Zheng's mansion.

Under the protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Luo Guanzhong and Jia Zhongming arrived at the gate in a carriage.

After getting out of the car, he was led into the courtyard by his attendants.

Upon arriving at the main hall's corridor, the two waited respectfully, but their hearts were still filled with unease!

After a dozen or so breaths, the person who had announced their arrival earlier came out with small steps and said, "Mr. Luo and Mr. Jia, please come in!"

After exchanging a glance, the older Luo Guanzhong gritted his teeth and stepped forward first.

Jia Zhongming frowned and followed behind.

Sanbao glanced sideways, thinking to himself: "His Highness comes out of the palace to see me, and he treats me with such great respect. He truly doesn't hold back when it comes to recruiting talent! He has the air of the Crown Prince!"

Ta-da!

As soon as Luo Guanzhong stepped into the room, he looked up and immediately noticed a young man sitting at the desk by the window.

Judging from his age alone, he's probably thirteen or fourteen!

Since she had not yet been crowned, her hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and she wore a moon-white silk robe with a dark floral pattern, a plain silk sash around her waist, and a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from it.

Even sitting quietly like this, his noble air was undeniable!

The next moment, Sanbao approached and whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, the person has been brought!"

Not knowing the boy's identity, Luo and Jia hesitated about how to greet him when Zhu Xiong Ying raised his head, put down the book in his hand, and glanced at him indifferently.

The man in the blue robe in front of us had slightly gray hair and beard, a thin face, and clear, calm eyes.

If I'm not mistaken, it must be Luo Guanzhong, the one who wrote "The world, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of unity, tends to divide"!

As for the person on the right rear side, he must be Jia Zhongming, an outstanding playwright and drama critic from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, who called himself Yunshui Sanren!

Historical records state that "at every banquet, his compositions were always praised," and he was also the favorite of his fourth uncle, Zhu Di!

But now, it's going to be his!

Although Lao Jia was famous in the early Ming Dynasty, his fame in later generations was far less than that of Lao Luo!

For him, it was a completely unexpected surprise!

Last time I made a pledge to Old Zhu, I should have found more talented people like him!

For example, Yang Jingxian and Tang Shunmin, who were skilled in zaju (a type of Chinese opera).

Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at Chiang Kai-shek and gestured for his men to step back.

Then, turning to Lai Shun and Lai Fu who were standing to one side, he said, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and serve tea to these two gentlemen!"

"yes!"

Wait until the personal attendant responds.

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled faintly and said, "I've long admired your names! It's an honor to meet you today. No need for formalities, please sit down!"

"Thank you, young master!"

After sitting down as instructed, both Luo Guanzhong and Jia Zhongming were extremely cautious and dared not speak rashly.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Xiong Ying picked up the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" on the table, waved it, and said, "A few days ago, we finally got our wish and got to read Mr. Luo's masterpiece. After reading it carefully, I found that even in just a dozen words at the beginning, he had already explained the principles of rise and fall throughout the ages. It was truly thought-provoking!"

"In our view, based on what is recorded in this manuscript, the author not only wrote about the struggle for power and intrigue among the warlords at the end of the Han Dynasty, but also about the suffering of the people—the depth of his writing is unparalleled in the world."

In later generations, he read Luo Guanzhong's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" very thoroughly.

I met the original author today, and in my excitement, I instantly became a fan of his!

Upon hearing these words, Luo Guanzhong was taken aback.

This young man was not yet twenty, but his words and actions gave people a sense of composure and profundity.

His profound understanding of the popular novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is truly astonishing and surprising!

In this world, is there anyone who understands me so well?

Luo Guanzhong's lips trembled, and he hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Is this the first time you've read my manuscript, young master?!"

As for me, I am merely a rustic scholar who writes idle verses and miscellaneous poems; I am utterly unworthy of such high praise from you, sir!

Zhu Xiong Ying, without batting an eye, said, "Mr. Luo, you are too modest! To be honest, I had already heard of you before I had thoroughly read your works!"

Luo Guanzhong was in turmoil and repeatedly said he dared not.

After exchanging a few more words, he sat down again.

Zhu Xiong Ying turned to Jia Zhongming and said in a gentle tone, "I have also read Mr. Jia's 'The Jade Comb'!"

"That line, 'Leaning against the window, speechless with sorrow, I have nothing—not even seven things to my name. What kind of family am I?'—simply captures the hardships of ordinary people in the marketplace. Every word is incisive and poignant!"

"As for your plays, sir, they were performed all over the painted boats on the Qinhuai River, and even rural opera troupes were rehearsing them—but the ability to reach the common people is truly rare!"

Incidentally, it also flattered Lao Jia.

Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes were filled with admiration, and he sighed repeatedly.

Jia Zhongming was also startled and quickly stood up, bowing respectfully and saying, "I am unworthy of such a title—"

His plays mostly depicted the vicissitudes of life in the city and the hardships of the people, which were always looked down upon by orthodox literati!

Who would have thought that the young man in front of me could pronounce those words so accurately, showing that he had put his heart into it!

Like Luo Guanzhong, Jia Zhongming became increasingly puzzled: Who exactly was this person? What was his purpose?

Occasionally, Zhu Xiong Ying would move away from his seat and walk slowly into the hall.

With his hands behind his back, his gaze traveled from the doorway to the distant rooftops, and he exclaimed, "As the sage said, literature carries the Way!"

"But in our view, the so-called 'carrying the Way' is never just empty talk hidden in the study, but rather about bringing writing and calligraphy into the homes of ordinary people."

"Gentlemen, in my opinion, you are both exceptionally talented!"

Luo Guanzhong and Jia Zhongming bowed again and said, "Young Master—"

Zhu Xiong Ying raised his hand to stop them, saying, "Gentlemen, please let me finish!"

"Since last year, the Holy Emperor has promulgated the Great Proclamation, revised the Great Ming Code, cracked a grain theft case, and severely punished corrupt officials, thereby deterring officials and protecting the people!"

"However, the dissemination of this matter at the local grassroots level is ultimately limited!"

"What the court desires is to make the people understand and remember a series of real cases of punishing corruption, including those recorded in the 'Great Proclamation'! Just as the two gentlemen wrote stories of the Three Kingdoms and plays, they want to clearly explain the inside story, clarify the laws, and publicize good and evil, thereby educating the people and enabling them to use and supervise the law!"

"The core purpose of inviting you two from afar to the capital is precisely this!"

Of course, he also had his own selfish reasons for bringing the two to Yingtian Prefecture, hoping to take the opportunity to meet the famous Luo Guanzhong!

After listening.

Understand the purpose behind it.

Jia Zhongming was the first to react, sensing something was wrong. He quickly raised his voice and said, "Young Master, we—"

'

They didn't give Lao Luo and Lao Jia a chance to refuse.

Zhu Xiong Ying clapped his hands.

Jiang led several Imperial Guards in.

Each person held a complete copy of the "Great Proclamation," a volume of the "Great Ming Code," and a copy of corruption cases compiled by the Ministry of Justice.

He turned to the side, smiling, and said, "Gentlemen and your families, why not stay here for the time being? And if you've made up your minds within three days, please let us know!"