Ming Dynasty: The ghost betrays the Confucian sage, my son Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 177 Fourth Master Zhu: Cultivate the power of the academy!

On New Year's Eve, the capital city is full of atmosphere, and the flavor of the New Year is as rich as wine. In the ancient streets and alleys, red lights hang high and the doors are full of auspiciousness. The city is full of people, walking shoulder to shoulder, laughing and cheering everywhere. Merchants gathered, and department stores were displayed with a dazzling array of items. The sugar melons are sweet and refreshing; the fireworks are gorgeous and dazzling. Children are jubilant, holding candied haws in hand, chasing and playing along the roadside.

The bells of the ancient temple are melodious, the Sanskrit sounds are lingering, and the sounds of prayers are endless. Ladies and gentlemen burn incense and worship Buddha, praying for peace and prosperity in the new year. In the elegant seats of the restaurant, literati drank and talked happily, recited poems and composed poems, and celebrated the festival together.

Xuanwu Academy was also in a happy mood, with red lights hanging all over the academy. It was also rare for the students to relax and celebrate the New Year together. Under Yao Guangxiao's call, they prepared the New Year's Eve dinner.

As the dean, Fourth Master Zhu brought his own disciples to enjoy the event with everyone. He said boldly on the spot: "Each person will be given ten taels of silver. If he succeeds in the imperial examination after the new year and is a Jinshi, he will receive a bonus of one thousand taels; if he enters the top three, he will receive a bonus of ten thousand taels."

As soon as this statement came out, all the students were happy and excited. Most of them come from poor families, and their need for money is naturally urgent. What's more, even if they win the Jinshi, entering the officialdom for the first time will require a lot of expenses. Therefore, Fourth Master Zhu's words are like giving timely help, making them full of expectations and confidence in the future.

Zhao Xuanzhen stood aside, raising her beautiful eyebrows slightly, and asked in a low voice: "Why is Fourth Master so generous today? This is not like your usual style."

Fourth Master Zhu glanced at her, with a deep smile on his lips, and responded in a low voice: "I want to cultivate the forces belonging to the academy. When they enter the officialdom, they all use the label of Xuanwu Academy."

Zhao Xuanzhen's beautiful eyes flashed with surprise: "Aren't you always not enthusiastic about court matters?"

Fourth Master Zhu smiled slightly: "Now I have changed my mind."

Prince Zhu Biao smiled broadly, giving people a feeling of spring breeze. He said, "Yes, my mother and I came to the academy specially to have a New Year's Eve dinner today."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

Zhao Xuanzhen frowned slightly. She wondered whether the fourth master decided to arrange the court because he knew Zhu Di's identity? But Zhu Di is just a prince. Why didn’t the Fourth Master choose His Highness the Crown Prince? His Royal Highness also treated him as a teacher.

However, an even more jaw-dropping scene was yet to come.

The new students were stunned and amazed. It turned out that the relationship between the dean, the queen, and the prince was so familiar and close, which was beyond their expectation.

Empress Ma and Prince Zhu Biao actually paid the courtesy of juniors to Fourth Master Zhu. The queen bowed slightly and said with a smile: "Dean, you are much richer than me, so naturally I can't give you a gift. However, I must eat this meal."

Fourth Master Zhu actually has a very good impression of Zhu Biao, especially Fengyang and his entourage, who know that this prince is both kind and kind, but also has a ruthless and decisive side.

Zhu Biao also followed up with a student salute, with a naughty smile on his lips: "Dean, today we are shamelessly eating."

The Academy's New Year's Eve dinner was finished early, because both Queen Ma and the Crown Prince had to return to the palace.

……

Some new students who entered the academy couldn't help but feel shocked when they saw this. They originally thought that the dean would be respectful when seeing the queen and the prince, but they didn't expect that he would dare to make fun of them like this.

Unfortunately, he died young.

Fourth Master Zhu laughed loudly and waved for them to come in: "Yes, you are all stingy! Come on, come on, don't dislike our New Year's Eve dinner without delicacies from all over the world."

When everyone saw Empress Ma and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince coming from a distance, Yao Guangxiao led everyone in the academy to kneel down respectfully. However, Fourth Master Zhu and Zhao Xuanzhen did not kneel down, and Zhang Xuansu just bowed calmly with Taoist etiquette.

The process was naturally very lively, and Fourth Master Zhu generously distributed new year's money to everyone. Even Queen Ma and the Crown Prince received a share. After the meal, Fourth Master Zhu and Zhao Xuanzhen stood side by side. Under the intertwining of moonlight and lamp shadow, they quietly watched Queen Ma and the Prince drive away. Zhao Xuanzhen raised her eyebrows lightly and asked in a low voice: "Shall we go back to the mountain behind the academy now?"

"The Queen is here!"

Queen Ma gracefully raised her hand and signaled: "Everyone, get up. I am here as a guest today."

Although his words were ridiculing, his eyes were full of smiles.

……

Her words were kind and easy-going, as if she were speaking to her own family.

Hearing this, Fourth Master Zhu pretended to be displeased and spread his hands towards the mother and son: "You two came here empty-handed? Isn't this too shameless?"

Fourth Master Zhu smiled slightly and shook his head: "No, let's go to Feiyan Tower tonight. How can we forget those lovely ladies? The first shot of the new year is right there."

When Zhao Xuanzhen heard this, her face turned red, knowing that it was not a good word.

"Wait for me, I'll give that kid Zhu Yong some lucky money." Fourth Master Zhu said.

Zhao Xuanzhen was confused, why did she give Zhu Yong new year's money alone?
Fourth Master Zhu found Zhu Yong who was studying in the school and gave him a bag of New Year's money. Zhu Yong was flattered. Fourth Master Zhu encouraged him without expressing too much, and then left.

He and Zhao Xuanzhen got on the carriage and came to Feiyan Tower. The building was also filled with red lanterns, and it was full of joy. The girls were busy preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.

"Fourth Master, shopkeeper, you are here." When they saw Fourth Master Zhu and Zhao Xuanzhen coming in, they all gathered around.

"Here, let's give out the money." Mr. Zhu took out a large bag of small red money bags and threw them out. The girls happily scrambled for them, and they had a happy time from time to time.

Fourth Master Zhu looked at the beautiful scenery, holding Zhao Xuanzhen in his arms, with a hint of drunkenness in his eyes: "Drunk on the knees of a beautiful woman, wake up and take over the world. This is interesting, come on, let's all come into my arms."

The girls gathered around him and followed him to the room.

This first night of the New Year is destined to be rough.

...In a blink of an eye, the new year begins.

Zhu Yuanzhang held a ceremony for his conferment. Civil servants and generals filed into Fengtian Hall. The leader of the generals was Xu Da. The leader of the civil servants was Li Shanchang. The faces of all the ministers were filled with smiles, they had finally waited for this day.

"Long live my emperor, long live the emperor"

After the ministers paid their respects, the ceremony of conferring the title officially began. Wang Jinghong, the chief eunuch, held the imperial edict in his hand and declared:
"Awarded to Li Shanchang, the Duke of South Korea; to Xu Da, the Duke of Wei; to Li Wenzhong, the Duke of Cao; to Feng Sheng, the Duke of Song; to Deng Yu, the Duke of Wei; to Chang Mao, the Duke of Zheng."

"The above six princes are all awarded a frame of alchemy, an iron ticket to avoid death, hereditary inheritance, and an annual salary of four thousand dan."

The six people were overjoyed and all knelt down and worshiped: "I accept the decree and thank you for your kindness."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon chair, glanced at the ministers, and paid attention to Tang He for a moment.

The eunuch Wang Jinghong continued to announce: "Twenty-eight people including Tang He, Lu Zhongheng, and Tang Shengzong were granted marquis status. They were all awarded a frame of alchemy, an iron ticket to avoid death, hereditary succession, and an annual salary of one thousand two hundred stones."

These twenty-eight people also bowed together: "I accept the order and thank you for your kindness."

Everyone's eyes fell on Tang He intentionally or unintentionally, but Tang He's expression remained as usual. Some people's eyes fell on Liu Bowen, and Liu Bowen was even more calm.

"Forty-one people including Liu Bowen and Wang Guangyang were granted the title of earl, a frame of alchemy book, and an annual salary of two hundred stones." Wang Jinghong announced.

"I accept the decree and thank you." Liu Bowen, Wang Guangyang and others knelt down.

After the eunuch chief finished reading, Zhu Yuanzhang stood up with a smile and walked towards the ministers. Prince Zhu Biao followed him, holding the iron certificate of the alchemy book in his hand.

"You are all the founding fathers of the Ming Dynasty." Zhu Yuanzhang said while awarding the iron certificate of the elixir book to the ministers who were named, "This elixir book records your achievements, which can be hung in high halls and passed down to future generations."

As he spoke, he picked up an iron scroll and said loudly: "This iron scroll contains our decree. No matter what crime you commit in the future, the duke will be exempted from death three times, and the descendants will be exempted from death twice. Marquis He will be saved from death twice, and his descendants will be saved from death once. However, we hope that you will never have to use the grace of saving death on this iron scroll."

All the conferred ministers smiled and bowed: "I obey the decree!"

……

Prime Minister's House.

Many Huaixi generals came to congratulate him, because Li Shanchang was the head of the Six Dukes and the eldest brother of their Huaixi nobles.

"Congratulations to the Prime Minister." The generals bowed.

Li Shanchang smiled broadly and waved: "Everyone, the reward we received today is a gift from His Majesty. From now on, we must work together for the Ming Dynasty and be loyal to Your Majesty."

All the generals nodded in agreement, knowing that this was the prime minister's official talk. The prime minister is now the head of the six founding princes and the head of the hundred officials, which shows that the emperor still relies on him very much.

"Haha, that stinky scholar only got an earl in the end." Lan Yu snorted disdainfully, "Compared to the Prime Minister, he is far behind!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Li Shanchang glared.

Lan Yu is talking about Liu Bowen, the scheming Master Liu, but in the end he was just a sincere man. Li Shanchang felt secretly happy, everyone said that Liu Bowen was great, but in the end he was far worse than himself.

Perhaps the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty didn't know why Liu Bowen was an earl, and even the queen didn't know, but Li Shanchang knew it in his heart.

He, Liu Bowen, is noble and talented. He thought of what the emperor thought of, and he also thought of what the emperor didn't think of. How could this be the behavior of a minister?
Especially that time, His Majesty advocated the rescue of the rebel leader Han Lin'er, but Liu Bowen stopped him. How should His Majesty feel? Will Liu Bowen not save himself in the future?

"Bo Wen, you're still far behind as an official." Li Shanchang secretly laughed in his heart.

……

Xuanwu Lake.

Fourth Master Zhu suddenly became interested and wanted to eat fish, so he rowed a boat to go fishing in the lake. When his boat arrived at the center of the lake, he saw there was already a boat with a middle-aged man sitting on the bow, fishing.

"But Fourth Master Zhu?" the middle-aged man asked with a smile.

"You are...Tang Shuai, right?" Fourth Master Zhu's eyes were sharp. He didn't expect to meet Tang He here.

Tang He smiled and clasped his fists at Fourth Master Zhu: "Fourth Master actually knows me?"

Fourth Master Zhu spread his hands and smiled: "I saw Tang Shuai leading his army before, so I naturally recognized him. Tang Shuai is so leisurely and relaxed, fishing alone in Xuanwu Lake?"

He thought to himself that he had just been knighted and everyone was in high spirits, so they must be feasting and feasting. The fact that Tang and a man came here to fish showed that he was dissatisfied with the fact that he was just a marquis.

However, who would have thought that those princes and princes who are so famous today would end up miserable later, but Tang He ended up having a good death.

"I'm pretty good at cooking fish. I'll invite Fourth Master to try it today." Tang He laughed loudly.

"Okay! Then it's better to obey orders than to be respectful." Fourth Master Zhu laughed.

(End of this chapter)