Jingming

Chapter 416 The first meeting with Hai Rui
Towards evening, a young scholar came to the pedestrian gate not far to the west of You'anmen.

There are people working here now, and they are demolishing the palace wall on the south bank of the Waijinshui River.On the north bank of Waijinshui River, several buildings are also being built between Shejitan and Waijinshui River, which is very lively.

The young scholar's eyes couldn't help but be attracted by the scene that was mainly made of bricks and stones, and he heard a voice shouting: "You Xian!"

"Master Zhang!" Hai Rui turned around when he heard this and saw Zhang Ji coming out of the pedestrian department. He immediately bowed and saluted, "The student is late, please wait a long time, Master Zhang."

"It's not too late, it's not too late!" Zhang Ji was in a good mood. After helping him stand up, he looked up and down, and then asked with a smile, "What are you looking at?"

Hai Rui asked in confusion: "Why should this palace wall be demolished?"

"Talking as we walked." Zhang Ji was waiting for him here and immediately led him to the north. "The State Council led the Ministry of Rites and Communications and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to submit the new regulations of the imperial city. The east and west sides of Chengtianmen The side palace walls, as well as the left and right gates, were demolished and renovated. Two new ones were added, and the official office was not enough."

Zhang Ji pointed to the construction site that Hai Rui was looking at before: "Here are the Ministry of Finance and Taxation, Daming Bank, and Baoyuan Bureau. To the south of the Ancestral Temple are the Ministry of Culture and Education, the Ministry of Etiquette, and the Mingbao Bank."

Hai Rui nodded, collected his thoughts and asked, "Master Zhang, the student is still confused. Why did Your Majesty summon me?"

Zhang Ji smiled bitterly, and then said with emotion: "You also know that the teacher is cautious by nature and indifferent to fame and wealth. Maybe your majesty has never heard what the teacher asked for. This time is quite strange, right? I want to see what the teacher is like. What kind of people are you asking for grace for?”

"... Master Zhang's kindness will be unforgettable by the students." Hai Rui was also a little worried, "It's just that the students are stupid and hard-working, with little talent and little knowledge. I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to win favor with His Majesty."

Zhang Ji shook his head: "That's not a big deal. You have been upright since you were a child. Even if you don't have the talent of Marquis Jingbian or the courage to rejuvenate the country, it is enough to have an innocent heart. Before you were in Guangzhou, you still returned to Qiongshan every year to read newspapers for the farmers in your hometown? "

"This is Hainan, Master Zhang." Hai Rui smiled, "Students don't have any other skills nowadays. The farming experience published in Ming Pao can still be done by students if the children in the countryside can read."

"That's good."

While they were talking, the two of them had already entered the alley west of the original Baochao Division.

Today, this is the Baoyuan Bureau, but the New Money Seal is not here. It is mainly an office.

Hai Rui pointed to the west curiously: "What is going to be built here?"

"Poly Research Institute." Zhang Ji recalled his family treasures, "My teacher is now serving as the Royal Academy, and I also served as a priest at Huangming University. This is another grace given by His Majesty. This Institute of Polytechnics is the physics department of Huangming University. Those who have achieved success in Taoism will be awarded a Ph.D. in Physics and receive a salary to continue studying the Tao of Physics."

"This creation paradigm..." Hai Rui asked doubtfully, "Does it not follow the rules of etiquette?"

"We mostly deal with water, fire, gold, and stone. His Majesty has decreed that fire protection is the top priority, so we use more masonry and cement." Zhang Ji continued to walk forward and pointed to the northwest, "The spiritual platform is also here, and it will also belong to the Polytechnic Institute in the future."

Hai Rui's heart was moved: "The celestial phenomena are unpredictable. How can this avenue of heaven be classified as the avenue of physics?"

Zhang Ji was stunned: "Why do you want to come here?"

"...The student is talking nonsense."

The so-called Lingtai is the viewing platform.

The armillary sphere and so on here were built by Guo Shoujing and others during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty.Observing the time from heaven and issuing calendars are only part of it, the Qintian Prison is also here.

Induction between heaven and man is originally an extremely important concept in Confucianism.Nowadays, with the spread of new learning, people who talk about it are gradually becoming more secretive. But Hai Rui was naturally surprised when he saw that the emperor had assigned this spiritual platform to the Institute of Physics, which specializes in studying physics.

The two of them were silent for a moment, then passed through a door and arrived at the southwest corner of the Forbidden City.

Under the turret, many eunuchs could be seen busy.

Zhang Ji lowered his voice: "When you enter the palace, you still have to be careful with your words and actions."

"Student understands..."

"This is the place where the Queen's Supervisory Office works..."

Zhang Ji turned into a tour guide and continued to introduce to him the distribution of government offices here.

The imperial prison is on the east bank of Shichahai, and on the other side of the lake is the scope of Huangming University.

The two of them walked all the way to Xihua Gate. After the announcement, they were led in by the eunuch of the Supervisor of Ceremonies.

No more words along the way, just move forward in silence.

Hai Rui entered the Forbidden City inexplicably when he was just holding a ceremony. He just used his peripheral vision to look at it.

After passing the Wuying Hall, crossing the Neijinshuiqiao, passing by the Wu Tower, and passing through another door on the west side of the west wall of the Guoyi Hall, I caught a glimpse of the plaque of the Huangming Assets Bureau next to it, and then arrived at the Yangxin Hall.

Entering the courtyard, there is a row of covered rooms on the left, two small side halls in front, and a main hall directly in front.

The young eunuch lowered his head and said: "Master Zhang, your Majesty is still in Wuying Palace. You go to Zhiyuan Zhai and wait for a while. Eunuch Huang has already told you that your Majesty will have dinner with General Counselor Xia and others. You and this Haiju Whatever you want to use, just tell your servants."

"How dare you? We'll just wait."

"Then slave, go and pass some refreshments over..."

Hai Rui held his breath and wondered if this place was called Zhiyuan Zhai. Could it be that the small side hall opposite was called Mingzhi Zhai?

Zhang Ji first joked in a low voice: "If they are ordinary third-, fourth-, or fifth-grade people, they can only wait in the gatehouse at the courtyard gate. Only when the advisor wants to see you, and His Majesty is busy, do they allow them to wait in Zhiyuan Zhai now. For a while. When encountering big things, you need to be calm so that you can go far."

Hai Rui was immediately startled: "That student..."

Zhang Ji smiled and shook his head: "It doesn't matter. I am the father of Concubine Jing and the imperial scholar. Besides, this place is empty now. It's a good sign for you. Zhiyuan Zhiyuan, Your Majesty is willing to see you." , we can go a little further in the future.”

Hai Rui didn't know what to say and didn't dare to ask blindly.

Sitting there, after passing the gate of Zhiyuanzhai, I saw that at the door of the side hall opposite, ministers were coming in and out all the time, all holding memorials in their hands.

After a long separation, Hai Rui gradually got used to it to see if the emperor would come over soon. He answered Zhang Ji's questions about his knowledge and chatted about the changes in Guangdong over the years.

It wasn't until the southwest side became more noisy that Zhang Ji stood up first and said, "His Majesty may be back."

After that, he led Hai Rui out and stood in the courtyard. As expected, he saw Huang Jin and Xu Jie returning with the emperor, and Gao Gong coming out of the imperial study.

"See Your Majesty."

Zhang Ji just gave a normal salute. After all, he was both the emperor's "father-in-law" and the "principal" of the princes.

But Hai Rui had to kneel before him with a great ceremony: "Hai Rui, a common man, comes to see your majesty! Long live your majesty! Long live! Long live your Majesty!"

Zhu Houcong stopped in the courtyard, where he could see only Hai Rui's thin back and the cloth on his body under the eaves lights.

"Get on your feet." Zhu Houcong said with a smile, "I wanted to have dinner with you, but I spent more time in Wuying Hall and chatted in the imperial study."

This sentence seemed like an explanation, but did the emperor need to explain anything to them?

Zhang Ji listened and felt that the emperor wanted to see Hai Rui not just out of curiosity.If we just want to have a test, is it necessary to have a meal together?

This is not a grace that ordinary ministers can easily obtain.

And when Hai Rui stood up and walked forward, Zhang Ji clearly saw the emperor looking back at Hai Rui's appearance.

When we arrived at the main hall where the imperial study room was located, it was bright and bright inside.

"There's nothing to do today, Xu Jie and Gao Gong, you should take your time and go back. Are Jingbin and the children in the backyard? Bring Zhang Xuezheng over to get together, and let me test this Hai Rui."

"The minister will leave..."

"The minister leads the decree..."

Xu Jie, who followed Zhu Houcong to attend the Wuying Hall meeting, and Gao Gong, who stayed in the imperial study to sort out memorials, both looked at Hai Rui curiously, then excused themselves and left home.

Zhang Ji could hear the implication, why couldn't they?

Hai Rui?Who?
If you call yourself a grassroots citizen, you will not have an official position.

Hai Rui was the most nervous under Zhang Ji's silent and helpless reminding eyes.

Zhu Houcong smiled as he watched Xu Jie and Gao Gong leave with restrained doubts. He couldn't help but think of the scene in his memory of the drama where the two were interrogating Hai Rui. It was quite interesting.

But right now, everyone’s status and circumstances are different.

Zhu Houcong deliberately arranged this round, but Hai Rui stood there a little uneasily.

"sit down."

"The common people don't dare, the common people just stand and answer..."

"That's fine." Zhu Houcong sat down by himself and glanced at the imperial desk full of things. He couldn't help but ask Huang Jin, "What are you doing with all these congratulatory forms?"

Huang Jin said aggrievedly: "Your Majesty, you have to read everything you said yourself, and then comment on the words and deeds of these officials recorded in the internal affairs department. There are still many of them here. If Your Majesty doesn't want to read them, I will move them." Go back and save it.”

Zhu Houcong had a headache.

I really wanted to get acquainted with the new generation of officials who had entered the officialdom in recent years, so I had previously arranged this task for the Internal Affairs Department.

This Longevity Festival is so grand, orders have been sent to the place, and everyone from the seventh rank to above has sent a congratulatory form.It is not only a congratulation, but also an opportunity for them to show their merits and make suggestions.The people below all thought that the emperor wanted to promote talents, but they didn't know that the emperor just wanted to get a feel for it.

However, when it was time to actually do this job, Zhu Houcong felt tangled.

After all, I am afraid that his ambitions have inflated after the great victory in the Northern Expedition. How many seventh-grade or above does the Ming Dynasty have now?Zhu Houcong has been reading their congratulations for more than half a month and has not finished them yet.

"Look, we'll continue watching later."

Zhu Houcong shook his head and moved the pile in front of him first. Huang Jin quickly came to help.

He didn't know that the emperor wanted to have a long talk with Hai Rui. He thought he was just going to show Zhang Ji a favor and send him back, so he piled up the place.

Now I was helping the emperor clean the imperial desk more loosely. When my hand became unsteady, the congratulatory form on top of a stack slipped down and spread out on the imperial desk.

"My slave is clumsy, my slave..."

Zhu Houcong didn't take it seriously. When he took it in his hand and was about to close it and hand it over, he accidentally glanced at the content and was suddenly stunned for a moment.

After a while, he couldn't help but laugh.

After looking at the cover, Zhu Houcong looked at Hai Rui again: "You'd better sit down first, and I'll take a look at this congratulatory note first." After reading it carefully, he asked Huang Jin: "Fei Maozhong's congratulatory note." As mentioned here, your side is also under the Internal Affairs Department, right?"

"Your Majesty, it's all filed."

"What do you think?"

Huang Jin was helpless: "I don't care about this, I just remember one thing."

"How do you remember it?"

"Remember it truthfully. Huguang has made great achievements in studying politics, and the new knowledge has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. There is a nine-year-old child who can speak in detail. I wish His Majesty a long life. Fei Shenzheng quoted his words and congratulated Your Majesty on the stability of the country and the prosperity of culture and education under his rule."

Zhu Houcong smiled and asked: "Do you believe this is an article written by the nine-year-old child himself?"

"Your Majesty, I am a servant who cares about my affairs but has no brains in government affairs, so don't ask."

Zhu Houcong waved the congratulatory form to him meaningfully, as if pointing, but said nothing more.

After putting down the congratulatory form, he said: "Tell Fei Maozhong to send this child to the capital. If he is really talented, I will let him be the prince's companion. If it is just for nothing, then he will be in the capital." Huguang has really made culture and education prosperous."

Huang Jin was surprised.

Does the emperor believe this or not?
The prince is now ten years old, and the child is nine years old.But if it were not for the prince to accompany him to study, he would have a bright future.

On the one hand, it was an unimaginable good deed, and on the other hand, the emperor's implicit criticism of his practice of reporting "auspiciousness".

"This slave is going to draw up the royal letter right now."

In addition to the decree, there is now a habit of exchanging letters between the emperor and local ministers.

Hai Rui heard this and didn't know what happened.

Fei Maozhong and Hai Rui still knew about Huguang's involvement in politics.He entered Beijing from Guangdong and passed through Huguang.

The nephew of Fei Hong, the first Prime Minister and Minister of State, and the first number one scholar after His Majesty ascended the throne.

Zhu Houcong continued to look at Hai Rui for a while before speaking: "Hai Rui, you started at Huangming Primary School and then went to Guangzhou Prefecture Middle School. I want to hear your thoughts on the new learning and the past Neo-Confucianism. view."

Hai Rui became nervous, stood up first, and then said: "How can you say anything if a commoner is not good at school?"

Zhu Houcong felt slightly disappointed. Shouldn't this guy be someone who dares to speak?
Now in front of him, he looks quite submissive.

But Zhu Houcong then thought about it, after all, he was still just a student who had not really entered the society, and suddenly he was in front of him, and the person in front of him was not the Jiajing in Zhu Houcong's impression.

"Sit down." Zhu Houcong changed the subject, "I just want to hear about the new moves you learned when you were a young boy, and some of your feelings over the years. There are always some older scholar friends who chat with you during the day. It is inevitable to mention it. In addition, Guangdong was the first to try out the new law. You are from an ordinary family, so you must have your own judgment on the changes brought about by the new law in Guangdong. Speak freely. I will neither blame you nor anyone for what you said today. ."

"Then... let me talk about my experiences over the years..."

Hai Rui is a person who changed his destiny because of the opportunities of the new law in Guangdong.

Since the person who happened to go to Qiongshan Prefecture to study was Zhang Ji, who had been pre-selected by the Empress Dowager for Zhu Houhuang, and Zhang Qinghe was later made a concubine, Hai Rui entered the Huangming Primary School that was first established at that time.

In the early years after the implementation of the new law in Guangdong, there were many incidents in the confrontation between the local gentry and the new law.Folk discussions and people's lives were the most intense places of collision and change in the entire Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong started asking questions from Hai Rui's personal experience, which can be regarded as another perspective.

For some reason, Hai Rui felt the emperor's kindness towards him.

I thought it would be a very dignified test, but now it has really become a normal conversation.

Zhang Ji was worried about the situation here. When he returned here, he heard the emperor say: "My original intention in promoting this new study and new law is indeed pragmatic and concerned about the national economy and people's livelihood. Now that the examination syllabus and examination system have been changed, scholars are studying the new Learning is indeed only because of the imperial examination. The people's vitality has improved, but it is still very limited. I know it in my heart..."

Hearing a sigh, Zhang Ji was startled. He didn't know what Hai Rui said to make the emperor sigh.

Hai Rui continued: "Your Majesty, the common people believe that the emphasis on practice in new learning is of course the principle, but the principles of Neo-Confucianism, ethics and moral cultivation, are also the principles of human nature. Your Majesty is now focusing on the path of physics, and everyone knows it. The wish to enrich the country , all officials follow. Encourage industry and commerce, and money is the only thing that inevitably breeds cunning and corrupts laws and disciplines. The common people are stupid and think that in addition to stating the laws and regulations, they also need to mention more about cultivating one's character and running one's family."

Zhang Ji was startled and couldn't help but say: "Ru Xian! You are just making a move, don't make any arbitrary comments!"

Zhu Houcong waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, I let him speak freely."

Finally, through chatting about daily life, Hai Rui talked about some new phenomena in the officialdom and among the people under the prosperous industry and commerce in Guangdong, which aroused some passion in Hai Rui and said these words.

No system is perfect, and human nature dictates that there will always be people who find backdoors under any "new law" to seek personal gain.

Hai Rui just felt that some of the things that were previously praised in Neo-Confucianism should continue to be vigorously promoted, even though some of them were fictitious.

But this is actually what Zhu Houcong has been thinking about, ideological things.

Today's Ming Dynasty is not like 500 years later. It has experienced profound hardships, repeated attempts and fusion of ideas brought about by seeking history and exploring foreign countries, and finally awakened.

At this moment, if there is a loud slogan that the gentry of the Ming Dynasty can publicly shout, it is nothing more than self-cultivation, harmonization of the family, governance of the country and peace of the world, and it is nothing more than four lines of horizontal canal.

There are many idealists and many practical people in this era, but what unites their common aspirations is still mixed with complex things such as loyalty to the emperor and respect for Confucianism.

From Zhu Houcong's point of view, based on today's common people's ideas, it is difficult for him to take big steps in his thinking.

Only when the real world slowly changes, and only when it is really difficult for old ideas to adapt to the new situation, will new trends of thought emerge.

Nowadays, civil servants, military generals, relatives, state-owned enterprises, rural sages, businessmen, craftsmen, farmers, and in the future there will be some forces outside the Ming Dynasty. It is obvious to the naked eye that the Ming Dynasty will form many different interest groups.

By then, there will be a lot of disputes and huge contradictions, which even Zhu Houcong may not be able to control.

This is a situation he has guided, but he is not sure where it will go.

He couldn't do it even if he was asked to follow the rules and wait for the people in this land to experience misery before rising from the ashes.

The imperial study room became quiet. After Zhu Houcong was silent for a while, he smiled and said, "Hai Rui, do you know that if I summon you today, your path will be different in the future?"

"Your Majesty is so kind, but the common people are terrified..."

Zhu Houcong had a smile on his lips: "Those who were noticed by me before they even started serving as officials include Marquis Jingbian, Marquis Hanhai, and Yang Bo. Now they have gone to the Nanyang Protectorate. Those who were promoted by me as soon as they made suggestions and suggestions include the current president. Auxiliary and general staff."

"Your Majesty's ability to recognize people is rare in ancient times. The common people are stupid and extremely ashamed, fearing that they may fail the holy hope..." Hai Rui said truthfully, "I took the exam three times and was lucky enough to be on the list..."

"You were summoned by me. Now Xu Jie and Gao Gong know about it. I think more important ministers will know about it soon." Zhu Houcong said these words that made Hai Rui confused, and then said, "Next, you will enter the capital in the capital." If you learn, they will naturally interact with you. After all, there is a precedent. If you soar into the sky in the future, this good relationship is worth forming. "

Hai Rui couldn't help but open his mouth and was speechless.

"Hai Rui." Zhu Houcong became serious, "With what happened today, you will probably be able to pass the National Examination in the next year. Although the imperial examination is more fair than before, you have many good connections and many people know you, so we will plan accordingly when the time comes. With your essay style, many people will naturally recognize you and will not hesitate to give you more points to help you. This is also human nature."

Hai Rui knelt down and said, "The common people know that their talents are dull, and they have given up on the idea of ​​becoming a Jinshi. Even if they are born as a juzi, they can repay the emperor's favor and benefit the people. Now, with the guidance of Master Zhang and His Majesty's grace, the common people are lucky enough to enter the school. On the way to Beijing, I also made up my mind to study hard behind closed doors, not daring to be complacent and socialize with people everywhere. If it is as your Majesty said, how can ordinary people think of themselves as Jinshi? Please decree that the ordinary people are willing to go to the border areas or return to Hainan to teach Meng. born."

"No." Zhu Houcong said, "I want to make friends everywhere, and I want to be a Jinshi."

Hai Rui raised his head and looked at the emperor.

Zhu Houcong had a smile on his face: "I will watch. There are so many courtiers who are willing to befriend you and help you. Can you always cultivate yourself, be loyal to the emperor, love the people, and abide by the law? There will be many more in the future Ming Dynasty. New questions. Where will the new learning and new laws go? How can the monarch, ministers and people be united? If you have a strong balance in your heart, you don’t need to worry about these trivial matters. I would like to see how far you can go in this life. The towering tree of the Ming Dynasty What the tree will grow into.”

Hai Rui was stunned and didn't understand why the emperor wanted to connect his life with what the towering tree of the Ming Dynasty would look like.

"Go ahead and report to the Political Management Yuan tomorrow."

In Huangming University, there is a pragmatic department called "Governance" that focuses on classics, history, and humanities.Except for the Imperial College, those who study directly in the Political and Management Institute have a very clear goal: to pass the general examination and become an official under the new examination syllabus.

Zhang Ji and Hai Rui thanked them and left the Yangxin Hall in a daze.

Zhu Houcong picked up Fei Maozhong's congratulatory form again on the imperial case.

Zhang Juzheng also showed up. Can this eight-year-old kid really be able to write a decent piece of praise and congratulations in parallel prose?

But it doesn't matter, he is younger, and in the following years, Zhu Houcong also has more leisure.

Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Hai Rui, Zhang Juzheng... more people will appear on the future stage of Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong did not want this towering tree of the Ming Dynasty to grow strangely, wither or die in an inexplicable way after he fertilized it.

In this case, we need to figure out how to refine our thoughts, convey our values, and inherit our mission.

Huang Jin sent the prepared imperial letter. After reading it, Zhu Houcong nodded, and the letter began to enter the Tongyi Bureau's system and headed south.

"Your Majesty, after a long day's work, why don't you read these congratulatory forms? I have filed them all over there. Your Majesty will check them later so that they are clear at a glance."

"This is part of the government, aren't you brainless?"

"This slave is so attentive when doing errands!"

Zhu Houcong smiled: "I'd better take a look first. He Biao looks very happy."

The congratulatory messages are full of praises and virtues, which makes me really happy to see them.

Hai Rui talked about some new changes in Guangdong, some good and some bad.

Zhu Houcong knows that this is inevitable. There will always be problems and problems must be solved.

Take your time, governing a big country is like cooking a small one. He has already shaken things up hard enough, and just now he was preparing to shake things up in the military system.

There will always be troubles, but Zhu Houcong is used to it.

So adjust it a bit and see what sounds good.

In addition: "Go to Duanbi's place, I will stay with her today."

"The slaves obey the order."

Work and rest.

(End of this chapter)