Daming: I am the Crown Prince

Chapter 120 Things change and people change
I originally thought that there would still be some finishing work to be done after the imperial examination, but some things went more smoothly than I expected.

As the person in charge of the re-examination, Mei Yin led the top three candidates in the previous exam, Xu Guan, Zhang Xianzong, Wu Yanxin and others to start the re-examination and prepare the list of tribute scholars.

When the list was sent to Zhu Yunhuan, after taking a look at it, Zhu Yunhuan couldn't help laughing.

Jing Qing was directly placed in the position of Huiyuan because he was from the north, and from Gansu in the northwest. From this point of view, it definitely meets the requirements of the Crown Prince and is absolutely correct.

Zhu Yunhuan looked at Mei Yin and said, "Uncle, you are putting me in a difficult position."

Mei Yin's heart trembled, and he quickly said, "Your Highness, I will go back and discuss it with others immediately."

"That's not necessary. I originally thought that Jingqing had both talent and writing skills. If his writing was better during the palace examination, he could be selected as the top scorer." Zhu Yunhuan explained with a smile, "Now that he has become the top scorer, it would be difficult for him to be the top scorer again."

In the last exam, there was a top scorer named Xu Guan with six poems, so there is no need to consider winning the top three in this exam.

Zhu Yunhuan smiled and said, "When the results are announced, his essay will also be listed, so that the southern scholars will be convinced."

Mei Yin nodded immediately. In fact, there was still some "controversy" about the selection of Huiyuan. There was no best in literature. Jing Qing's article was very good, but Zhang Xin, Dai Deyi, Hu Sizong and others' articles were also very good. It all depended on the preferences of the examiners.

It seems that after showing off his power in the court, many things went much more smoothly.

Previously, Zhu Yunhuan had repeatedly suggested that the proportion of northern scholars should be increased, but Zhao Mian, Zhan Hui and others turned a deaf ear to it. But now the requirement is strictly followed, with northern scholars accounting for 40% and southern scholars accounting for 60%.

Even if the articles were similar, the emperor and the crown prince did not like the civil servants from eastern Zhejiang, so the scholars from Zhejiang and Jiangsu were also implicated. If the articles were similar, they would choose scholars from outside Zhejiang and Jiangsu if they were also scholars from the south.

As expected, after a severe beating, many people naturally became obedient. The people below would also treat the casual remarks of the emperor and the grandson very carefully.

Zhu Yunhuan was very satisfied. In general, the articles were not too bad. He was a juren (a famous scholar) and was considered to be the best among the scholars in the world.

Those who can pass the imperial examination naturally have better essays, and the lower limit can basically be guaranteed. Zhu Yunhuan also thinks the ratio is very reasonable, and he is indeed satisfied.

According to this list, those who passed the imperial examination can at least become third-class Jinshi, and the palace examination will basically not be abolished.

"Uncle, my aunt is getting married in a few days. Please ask the clan office and the Ministry of Rites to keep an eye on her." Zhu Yunhuan finally spoke up and said, "Although my aunt doesn't want a grand wedding, it can't be shabby either."

Mei Yin understood immediately, but still asked, "Your Highness, are we going to follow the princess' wedding ceremony?"

Zhu had previously fixed the etiquette for the prince to marry the princess and the princess to marry, but the problem was that Zhu had set the rules, stipulated the amount of rewards, etc. But he himself always broke the rules.

Zhu Yunhuan thought about it carefully and said, "Let's do it according to the etiquette. This is how it should be done on the surface."

After saying this, Zhu Yunhuan looked at Zhang Fusheng and said, "Go to Wuying Palace and ask, and tell them that I want to go to the inner treasury."

Mei Yin was somewhat envious, although his wife was Zhu Yunhuan's eldest aunt. But in the eyes of the grandson, the younger aunt was obviously closer, and he treated the eldest aunt with great respect and courtesy.

Zhang Fusheng came back soon, bringing not only the key but also two eunuchs following him.

Zhu Yunhuan ran back to the East Palace happily, "Aunt, elder sister, second sister, let's go pick out the dowry!"

Princess Anqing said immediately, "No, I'm getting married for the second time. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at? If you really care about me, you can give me some rewards in private after I get married."

Zhu Yunhuan's face turned pale, "Aunt, you want both the inside and the outside."

"That's right! If you give it to me, I can keep it in the future!" Princess Anqing said confidently, "And your two sisters too, they are only princesses now, after all, it's not good to be too generous. You should follow the etiquette on the surface, and give some in private, and have people move some over secretly. We will benefit, and it will be acceptable in terms of face and etiquette!"

Zhu Yunhuan gave a thumbs up and praised, "She is worthy of being my aunt!"

Although this was the case, Princess Anqing, Zhu Yourong and Zhu Youling still happily followed Zhu Yunhuan towards the treasury.

Seeing Zhu Yunhuan holding the key, the guards and eunuchs did not stop him and let him enter the treasury. Princess Anqing felt sour in her heart. When she was a child, she also helped to organize the treasury, but she was beaten if she stretched out her hand.

There are many good things in the treasure house, including gold, silver, jewelry, ancient books, calligraphy and paintings, cultural relics and collectibles, etc.

Zhu Yunhuan casually took out a sword, and drew it out with a cold light. After nodding with satisfaction, he casually took it in his hand.

The young eunuch behind him immediately wrote it down and didn't dare to say anything more.

"We said we were choosing dowries, but you still want to take some away!" Princess Anqing tried on the hairpin and said with disdain, "Won't all of these belong to you in the future? Why are you in such a hurry to take them away now?"

Zhu Yunhuan joked, "Aunt, you said all of this is mine, so take less in front of me so I don't feel bad!"

Zhu Yourong and Zhu Youling immediately lowered their heads and laughed secretly, but they couldn't slow down their movements. Many of the things in the house would belong to me in the future, not to them. If I could take some away now, I would take it away.

Fortunately, everyone knew their limits and didn't make too much trouble. In fact, this was just the private money Zhu Yunhuan gave to his younger sister-in-law and two sisters. They would receive a lot of rewards when they got married, and there would be no shortage of annual supplies.

Zhu Yunhuan took the list to Wuying Palace, while Princess Anqing and the others returned to the Eastern Palace happily.

Seeing Zhu Yunhuan coming back, Old Zhu asked with a smile, "Did you empty our treasure house?"

"I'm trying to stop you. I'd be heartbroken if you really move away." Zhu Yunhuan handed the list to Old Zhu and said, "I think my aunt will get married in a few days, otherwise her life won't be easy."

Old Zhu was somewhat depressed. He also understood what Zhu Yunhuan meant. It was simply the death anniversary of Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

Zhu Yunhuan opened his mouth and took the initiative to say, "I will go to Tianjie Temple in a few days."

Zhu couldn't help but glance at Zhu Yunhuan. Zhu was not very confident about religion. Although he had previously asked the monks to follow the princes to pray for Empress Ma, he absolutely did not allow Zhu Yunhuan and others to touch the Buddhist scriptures, and did not allow the emperor's grandchildren to touch some Taoist doctrines.

Lao Zhu nodded immediately and said, "It won't be a problem for you to go."

The religion of the Ming Dynasty today is actually still mainly Buddhism.

Although Taoism was the more prosperous religion in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, and most emperors of all dynasties believed in Taoism, it was only after Zhu Di that it started.

At that time, the two major projects were to build the capital in Beiping and to build Wudang Mountain in the south. In addition to political considerations, he also believed that he could successfully usurp the throne because he had the blessing of the Zhenwu Emperor.

However, support for Buddhism decreased, and the Da Baoen Temple was rebuilt on the original site of Yingtian Prefecture.

Things that are well known to future generations may not exist now, or may have some deviations.

Just like the Yellow River, it was believed to have burst its banks in the late Southern Song Dynasty and then flowed into the Huai River into the sea. Even the old course of the Yellow River in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was divided into two sections, north and south, and the northern section was basically completed only during the Jiajing period.

Therefore, even if Zhu Yunhuan understood some of the historical trends, he would still feel a little strange and beyond his cognition after seeing and understanding them with his own eyes.

When Zhu Yunhuan set out for Tianjie Temple, many people subconsciously thought that he was praying for Crown Prince Zhu Biao, and they also wanted to praise the crown prince for his filial piety.

However, Zhu Yunhuan knew in his heart that praying for blessings was one thing, but meeting Monk Daoyan this time was another matter.

Although Tianjie Temple was a temple that Lao Zhu occasionally visited, it was one of the three major temples in the capital, on par with Linggu Temple and Da Baoen Temple, and it governed other lesser temples. It had the highest specifications and was ranked first among the Five Mountains and Ten Temples in China.

However, there is a Monks Registration Office here, which is a sixth-rank government office. It can also be said to be an agency that manages Buddhism on behalf of the royal family.

After a group of monks chanted scriptures and prayed for blessings, Zhu Yunhuan said, "Call Monk Daoyan."

Monk Daoyan was somewhat famous. Although he had not obtained the status of a monk before, this monk, who was born in a family of doctors, studied Yin-Yang magic under the Taoist Xi Yingzhen in his early years. He was good at writing poems and had a high level of literary accomplishment. He was also proficient in some knowledge of Taoism and Confucianism.

Zhu Yunhuan was drinking tea. Although Monk Daoyan was one of the main planners of the Jingnan Campaign and was also nicknamed the Black-robed Prime Minister, he assisted Zhu Gaochi in regulating the country and was the only civil official who was entitled to be enshrined in the Taimiao.

All these deeds are enough to prove that Monk Daoyan has left a significant mark in history, but in Zhu Yunhuan's eyes, there is no need to care too much about it now.

A tall monk with triangular eyes entered the temple. His appearance was quite obvious.

Monk Daoyan knelt down and saluted, "Your Highness Daoyan pays respect to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live long."

Looking at the monk who helped his fourth uncle seize the throne, Zhu Yunhuan smiled and said, "You call yourself a minister, what does that mean? It is said that monks have pure six senses and are not involved in the mundane world. You, a monk, have impure six senses!"

Monk Daoyan replied calmly, "In my early years, I went to the Ministry of Rites to take the exam. As a Confucian monk, Your Majesty bestowed upon me the monk's robe. Later, I became the abbot of Qingshou Temple. There is nothing wrong with calling myself a minister."

Zhu Yunhuan smiled and asked, "What do you think of my face?"

Monk Daoyan still replied calmly, "Your Highness, I am not good at physiognomy. I have a friend named Yuan Gong who is very good at physiognomy. He can tell the good and evil intentions of a person just by looking at him."

Zhu Yunhuan laughed and suddenly asked, "Since there is such a talented person, why don't you recommend him to my fourth uncle?"

This time, Monk Daoyan was a little surprised and shocked.

When he was in Beiping, he often went back and forth between Prince Yan's Mansion and Qingshou Temple. When he was sent back to Yingtian Mansion, Prince Yan also mentioned that this was the intention of the Crown Prince.

But at this moment, Monk Daoyan was a little panicked, because this Crown Prince was really not easy to deal with!
(End of this chapter)