The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Chapter 116 Father and Son

"Your Highness, please rise slowly, let me help you."

An hour later, Huang Jin came to help him up. Zhu Zaizhen moved slightly and felt that his legs below the knees were completely stiff and numb, his blood and qi were stagnant, and his legs felt like they didn't belong to him and were completely unresponsive.

"hiss."

With Huang Jin's help, he slowly raised his body and bent and stretched his legs. The blocked blood vessels suddenly flowed back, and waves of fine, itchy, and numb sensations spread along his muscles and bones to his limbs. The heavy numbness and swelling pain intertwined, making him almost stumble.

Fortunately, there was a soft cushion here, otherwise I would have suffered terribly.

After regaining his composure, Zhu Zaizhen steadied himself and scanned the hall with his own light. The imperial procession had already departed, but the high-ranking Taoist priests remained in place. The ritual was not so simple; there were still procedures to follow, and this was just a temporary break.

The Taoist priests stood with their heads bowed on either side, but their eyes couldn't help but secretly scrutinize the renowned Prince Jing.

Especially today, without anyone urging or reminding him, Prince Jing, despite his young age, remained kneeling solemnly and devoutly accompanying the ritual for a full hour without moving an inch, demonstrating his extraordinary character.

The Taoist priests present were all quite old. Even if they didn't have sons, they had raised disciples. Children of this age are not easy to keep quiet, especially those of such noble status.

If they weren't newcomers, quite a few people would have wanted to make friends with them.

Huang Jin did not urge him, allowing Zhu Zaizhen to rest for a while before leading him to the side hall, Hong Lei Xuan, where the Emperor would temporarily rest.

Zhu Zaizhen entered the hall and saw Jiajing sitting upright, drinking tea.

Zhu Zaizhen bared his teeth and was about to kneel down to pay his respects, but his words came faster than his legs: "Your subject greets Your Majesty and wishes you well—"

"Alright, no need for formalities," Jiajing interrupted him. "Huang Jin, bring him a chair."

Zhu Zaizhen straightened up with a grin: "Then I won't stand on ceremony, Father is so kind."

"Heh." Jiajing sneered, "What, is it wrong not to let you sit down?"

"It's still good, but it's not as good as it used to be."

He would never have dared to say this before, but after the incident with Tao Zhongwen, he dared to say it because he felt a clear favoritism.

If Tao Zhongwen had been referring to Prince Yu that day, the poor prince might have actually had to go to his fief.

Huang Jin personally brought over a small chair, and seeing that the emperor had not explicitly refused, he moved closer and placed it down.

Zhu Zaizhen took a few steps forward and sat down calmly, then grimaced and rubbed his knees.

Looking at him like this, Jiajing tapped his fingertips lightly on the table: "Kneeling for an hour, it must have been unpleasant, right?"

This kid really made him look good today. He never expected that this unruly brat could persevere like this. He thought he would try to cheat halfway through.

"At first I only felt cold and solemn, but later my legs went numb and my bones ached, it was really hard to bear." Zhu Zaizhen did not hide anything and answered truthfully, "However, being able to accompany Father Emperor to pray for snow and pray for a bountiful year for the people of the world, even if it is hard, I am willing to do it."

Besides, I was merely kneeling obediently; it was Father who had worked so hard, presiding over the rituals for several days in a row, without rest from dawn till dusk. I truly don't know how you managed to persevere."

These words struck a chord with Jiajing. Everyone else thought he was enjoying a life of leisure, practicing alchemy and cultivating Taoism in the Western Garden, little did they know that he was working tirelessly to prevent natural disasters...

People's livelihood and the nation's fate have been prayed for year after year, leaving them physically and mentally exhausted.

He smiled slightly: "Since the beginning of winter, there has been no snow, the earth is parched and thirsty, and the fields around the capital are cracked. Next year's wheat harvest is worrying. As the ruler of the world, I should pray for the people. This hardship is my duty."

It was rare for his youngest son to understand this hardship, and the melancholy between Jiajing's brows dissipated somewhat.

So I casually complimented him: "You knelt for the entire time today, and surprisingly, you didn't break free of your inhibitions. You've improved, haven't you?"

"That's naturally because I have reverence in my heart." Zhu Zaizhen sat up straight. "Father Emperor is praying for snow for all people. This is related to the harvest and livelihood of the people next year. How dare I act recklessly?"

Besides, kneeling for an hour may be tiring, but it can't compare to the Emperor's hard work and toil, nor can it compare to the year-round labor of farmers in the fields.

""

"Good, it's kind of you to think about the hardships of ordinary people."

Seeing the weariness still lingering on his face, Zhu Zaizhen immediately stood up: "Father, you must be exhausted from working so hard these past few days. Shall I give you a shoulder massage?"

Before he could finish speaking, Jiajing glanced at him and a sharp look swept over him, pinning Zhu Zaizhen back into his chair.

"Don't give me that." Jiajing's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. "I know your little schemes perfectly well. What do you want? Just say it."

Zhu Zaizhen sat back down, but his hands were still raised in mid-air, making a gesture of rubbing his shoulders, just like a cat that had been scolded but refused to retract its claws.

Huang Jin, watching from the sidelines, clearly saw that although His Majesty said to stop with the nonsense, the corners of his mouth were turned up, obviously enjoying teasing the prince amidst his exhaustion over the past few days.

"Oh, Your Honor, I have no ulterior motives, only a filial heart that moves heaven and earth."

The phrase "Your Honor, the Upright Official" nearly made Jiajing lose his composure. He barely managed to suppress a laugh: "Nonsense! Where did you learn that?!"

"Xu Wei! He taught me everything."

Zhu Zaizhen had calculated that it would be difficult for Jiajing to find a commoner scholar to punish, so he sold Xu Wei without hesitation.

"I don't think so."

"The only people who can be by my side are Xu Wei, Zhang Juzheng, and the Grand Chamberlain; it has to be him."

Jiajing shook his head, too lazy to argue with him, but his previously depressed mood did indeed improve a lot.

"If you're not going to talk, then go back. I need to rest."

"Your subject has come here and knelt for an hour, and hasn't even had a sip of tea yet."

11

Jiajing did not speak, but Huang Jin understood, so he immediately brought over a cup of fresh tea.

Zhu Zaizhen was really thirsty, mainly because the smoke from earlier made his throat feel like it was full of tobacco ash.

After taking a couple of sips, Zhu Zaizhen finally felt better. He cleared his throat and said, "Father, I have something I'd like to ask you for advice on."

0

The fox's tail was finally revealed. Jiajing was not surprised at all. He merely raised his eyelids, signaling him to continue.

"I heard that the Cabinet urged the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory to determine an auspicious day for my departure from the palace a few days ago. I would like to ask Your Majesty if I may return to the palace every few days after leaving?"

"They haven't even moved out yet, and they're already thinking about going back." Jiajing put down his teacup, his tone indifferent.

"Of course I miss him. The Tenth Prince's residence is quite far away. I've never been that far from my father and mother before. Aren't you worried that my father will forget about me while he's busy with religious ceremonies every day?"

"Are you afraid I'll forget you, or afraid I won't let you come back?"

"I'm afraid of everything," Zhu Zaizhen answered frankly.

Emperor Jiajing picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then slowly spoke, his tone calm: "You are my son, who dares to stop you?"

Zhu Zaizhen's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Father. In this way, even if I live in the Prince's Palace, I won't feel lonely."

"Your mind is still that of a child." Jiajing said with a half-smile, "Once you have a princess, you won't be lonely anymore."

"No matter how good a wife is, she can't compare to one's birth parents." Zhu Zaizhen's words were tinged with self-righteousness: "Wives and concubines are ultimately things we met halfway through life. My father and mother gave me life, raised me, and bestowed upon me honor and dignity. How can anyone else compare?"

Upon hearing this, Jiajing's smile deepened. Having lived in the deep palace for so long, facing court disputes and religious ceremonies every day, with only admonitions, reports, and chanting of scriptures in his ears, this straightforward and heartwarming children's story seemed all the more genuine.

The father and son were unusually warm and friendly. After slowly finishing a cup of tea, Jiajing raised his hand to rub his temples. He had been fasting and praying for snow for days, and his body and mind were already exhausted.

"It's getting late, and the ritual is about to end. I need to return to Hongying Altar to continue the ceremony. You should go back to your residence to rest and wait for the relocation to the Prince's Palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave." Zhu Zaizhen stood up and bowed. His legs were still slightly sore and numb, and a little stiff, but he still maintained a proper posture.

"Father, please take care of your health. I will come to pay my respects to you again in a few days."

"Go."

Zhu Zaizhen bowed and retreated, only turning away after stepping out of the palace gate.

Huang Jin did not see him off this time, after all, the emperor needed someone to take care of him more.

"Your Highness is truly sensible and understanding; you already know how to be considerate of His Majesty's hardships."

"He has always been intelligent, but he used to be playful. However, if intelligence is misused, it can also be a source of trouble."

Huang Jin's smile remained unchanged. His Majesty's words sounded harsh, like a warning, but in reality, he was acknowledging that His Highness was a smart man and was just worried that he might go astray. This was just a father's normal concern.

A moment later, the sound of Taoist priests assembling their ranks came from outside the hall. Jiajing straightened his plain robes, his expression returned to solemnity, and he turned and walked once again toward the Hongying Altar, where incense smoke swirled.

The rituals at Xiyuan Temple continued, though the cold winter clouds loomed overhead and the auspicious snow was slow to arrive.

Living in the capital is no easy feat!

-

At the end of November, Qi Jiguang, a newly appointed martial arts candidate, stood in front of the inn in a somewhat embarrassed state. He had brought some travel expenses, but the journey had already cost a lot, and he would have to wait until the spring to participate in the imperial examination, so he had to be frugal.

However, the cheap, shared shops on the street were noisy and chaotic, with merchants, laborers, and wandering vagrants, making it unsuitable for calmly studying military strategy or practicing archery and horsemanship.

A slightly tidy and decent single room costs several thousand coins a month just for the room fee. Add to that the daily meals and the charcoal cost that is essential in the cold winter, and it adds up to a considerable sum.

His family were hereditary military officers, so they shouldn't have been so poor. However, his father was honest and upright throughout his life, never greedy or corrupt, and when he died, his family was destitute.

This time, the military examination was conducted using his salary accumulated over the years, so naturally he dared not waste it.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought, why not try his luck at the Ministry of War?

According to the regulations of the imperial court, when military candidates from various regions came to the capital to take the examination, the Ministry of War's Military Selection Department should have verified their provincial examination diplomas and identity documents, entered them into the list of candidates, issued examination permits, and arranged temporary accommodations for them.

Qi Jiguang felt that he was much more insightful than his father, and thus knew that if he didn't spend money to curry favor, the house would remain empty and wouldn't be given to him to live in for free according to the rules.

Even a hero can be brought down by a penny, but let's go take a look anyway. If it only costs a few taels, it's still more economical than staying at an inn.