Chapter 330: Summon the Prince of Lu

After Zhang Shun was also subdued, Zhu Youxiao glanced at Chen Hong and said, "Prepare the brush and ink. You grind the ink for me — I want to write a few characters."

"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will prepare it at once." Chen Hong hurriedly agreed.

In fact, Chen Hong knew very well that in all these years, his master had never had any fondness for calligraphy, and having received little education from childhood, there were probably many characters he couldn't even write.

Why would he suddenly want to write now?

Had he suddenly developed a love for calligraphy?

Perhaps the original Zhu Youxiao had little cultural refinement, but this Zhu Youxiao was passable in that regard — after all, having lived two lives, he had learned a thing or two in his previous one.

As for brush calligraphy, the original Zhu Youxiao could also write, just not very well. Of course, compared to the transmigrated Zhu Youxiao, he was still much better.

After all this time getting familiar with it, the current Zhu Youxiao had no trouble writing traditional characters. Of course, it couldn't be called good writing — merely recording words, far from true calligraphy. But for Zhu Youxiao, that was already sufficient.

Once the brush and ink were brought, Chen Hong ground the ink while Zhu Youxiao picked up the brush and began to write.

Gently dipping the brush in a bit of ink, Zhu Youxiao slowly wrote a poem on fine Xuan paper:

"One grain of millet sown in spring, ten thousand seeds harvested in autumn.

No idle fields in all four seas — yet farmers still die of hunger."

After finishing the poem, Zhu Youxiao slowly lifted the brush, set it gently aside, then nodded with satisfaction.

Turning to look at Chen Hong, Zhu Youxiao said with a smile, "How is my poem?"

"Your Majesty's calligraphy is vigorous and forceful, bold and sweeping, majestic in bearing, with the momentum to swallow mountains and rivers. This very bearing alone is beyond the reach of ordinary men — clearly Your Majesty's calligraphy carries the air of an emperor." Chen Hong praised admiringly.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at Chen Hong and said with irritation, "Do you think I'm a fatuous ruler who only listens to flattery?"

Having said that, Zhu Youxiao turned back to look at the poem he had written and said, "I know my own calligraphy."

Setting down the brush in his hand, Zhu Youxiao turned to Chen Hong and said, "Have it mounted. When the Prince of Lu arrives, give it to them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong hurriedly agreed, not daring to say another word.

Chen Hong also realized he had just misspoken — his flattery had clearly landed on the horse's hoof. His Majesty had just seen Zhang Shun and heard what he had to say; how could he possibly be in the mood to practice calligraphy?

Since this poem was to be given to the Prince of Lu, it meant teaching the Prince of Lu a lesson. This presumably also represented His Majesty's attitude — it seemed the Prince of Lu's days were not going to be easy.

Chen Hong said nothing about this — it was not something he was in a position to comment on.

After Chen Hong took the calligraphy away, Zhu Youxiao sat in his chair, gazing at the distant sky, and began pondering what to do next.

Meanwhile, in Jinan city, at the Shandong Governor's yamen.

Zhao Yan, the Governor of Shandong, was drinking tea when a middle-aged man in his forties suddenly walked in from outside.

He came to Zhao Yan's side and said, "Your Excellency, Zhao Kui, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shandong, requests an audience."

Zhao Yan glanced at the newcomer and said, "Tell him I am unwell at home and cannot receive guests."

The newcomer looked at Zhao Yan and let out a helpless sigh.

His master had a ruddy complexion and fair skin, sitting there looking perfectly at ease — by no stretch of the imagination did he look like someone who was ill.

But he also knew his master was deliberately avoiding the meeting, so he said, "Then I'll go turn them away."

"Let someone else do it." Zhao Yan waved his hand and said, "You sit down. Let's talk."

"Yes, Your Excellency." The newcomer acknowledged, turned to give an instruction to someone outside, then turned back and walked into the room, directly finding a chair and sitting down.

His manner was quite casual — clearly the relationship between the two was not a simple superior-subordinate one.

Once he was seated, Zhao Yan said, "Jiefu, you've been by my side for several years now. I told you before that if you had taken the imperial examinations and entered officialdom, your rank would surely be no lower than mine. But you had no interest in officialdom and loathed its infighting — yet now I fear you'll be dragged down by me."

The man called Jiefu was named Li An; Jiefu was his courtesy name.

Li An could be considered Zhao Yan's staff advisor. Hearing Zhao Yan say this, he smiled and said, "Seeing Your Excellency so calm and composed, you must already have a plan in mind. Since Your Excellency isn't worried, what do I have to worry about?"

Zhao Yan smiled at Li An and said, "But no one knows how things will turn out."

Zhao Yan sighed, set down his teacup, and continued, "Who can fathom the current Son of Heaven's intentions? After His Majesty arrived in Dezhou, not only did he not punish the Dezhou Prefect, he even granted rewards. Things are bustling over there in Dezhou now."

"But when His Majesty arrived in Jizhou, he directly arrested Zhang Shun of Jizhou. Now, from top to bottom in Jizhou, I imagine few of the original officials remain. He has also strictly ordered that we cannot come to pay court. The whole of Shandong is now in a state of panic."

"His Majesty arrested Zhang Shun on the charge of negligence in disaster relief. If that charge could take down Zhang Shun, it could naturally take down others as well — including this Governor. This matter is probably not so simple."

"His Majesty's journey south was never simple to begin with." Li An said with a smile.

"I know that too, but who knows how far His Majesty will go?" Zhao Yan sighed and said, "Ever since the current Son of Heaven ascended the throne, I've never been able to figure out his methods. Quite a lot of news has reached Shandong, but much of it is unclear and muddled."

"Some say His Majesty is muddle-headed, saying he is young, favors eunuchs, and also believes in Daoism — spending all day in the palace refining pills and seeking the Dao, hardly the image of an enlightened sovereign."

"But others say His Majesty is supremely wise, sweeping clean the realm, truly the sage who will revive the Great Ming."

"Observing his words and examining his deeds, much of what His Majesty does I cannot understand. For instance, in purging the court, many officials were removed — among them no shortage of renowned ministers, ministers widely praised. Yet the people His Majesty employs are all capable, none of them incompetents."

"I've never dealt with Xu Guangqi, so I don't know what he's like. But Sun Chengzong and Yuan Keli — I know both of them well. They are able ministers."

"Beyond these ministers, the new secret memorial system at court has also drawn much criticism, being called a policy that oppresses and harms officials, stirring up a trend of officials falsely accusing one another."

"Furthermore, His Majesty's heavy promotion of Feng Congwu and others, vigorously advocating Xunzi's teachings, has also come under considerable attack. One can see how deep His Majesty's schemes run, and how unfathomable his actions are."

Hearing Zhao Yan's words, Li An said with a smile, "If outsiders were to hear this, Your Excellency would likely be thrown into the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison."

Zhao Yan glanced at Li An and said, "Speaking ill of the Son of Heaven is not the act of a minister to begin with. If I were punished by His Majesty for it, there would be nothing to say. But I still want to hear your opinion."

"It's actually quite simple — I believe His Majesty is an enlightened sovereign with great ambitions." Li An said with a smile. "Though how far he can go remains to be seen."

"Why do you say that?" Zhao Yan asked hesitantly.

"Your Excellency often reads the histories — think of Emperor Wu of Han in his youth." Li An said with a smile. "Emperor Wu ascended the throne young, with the state beset by internal troubles and external threats. At court, the Huang-Lao school held sway over governance."

"Emperor Wu discarded Huang-Lao learning and honored Confucianism; he mixed kingly and hegemonic ways, and heavily employed the Legalist school. In this way, domestically he could overawe the petty and unite the nation's strength; externally he could unite all above and below, so that every man strove to be first. Only thus could Emperor Wu vanquish the Xiongnu and forge a mighty Han dynasty."

"Clearly His Majesty also believes the Great Ming's decline is connected to all these years of honoring Mencius's teachings. Compared to Mencius's learning, His Majesty clearly prefers Xunzi's. His Majesty says as much, and acts accordingly."

"In the Henan case, His Majesty severely punished the Prince of Fu. Short of stripping his title, all royal privileges were taken away. From this matter alone, I could see His Majesty's great boldness and great resolve."

"In recent days, the taxation of noble and imperial-relative manors has also caused quite a stir. Some say His Majesty is after money, but I don't think so. Money is one aspect, but more than that, His Majesty is reclaiming the privileges granted to the nobles and imperial relatives."

"From this one can imagine that this time His Majesty has come to Shandong, he will likely deal with the Prince of Lu. Even those people in Qufu will probably suffer misfortune as well. If you don't believe me, Your Excellency, just wait and see."

Hearing this, Zhao Yan said in disbelief, "Surely it won't go that far?"

"It will." Li An said with full confidence. "His Majesty champions Xunzi — Mencius is already beneath His Majesty's notice. Your Excellency, how much regard do you think His Majesty has for Confucius?"

Although Li An's words were arrogant, Zhao Yan didn't take them to heart. Having worked together for years, he knew something of Li An's way of thinking and had long grown accustomed to him speaking this way.

If not for this temperament and this sharp tongue, Li An wouldn't have failed to take the official career path.

"I also found out one more thing." Li An said with a hint of mystery.

"Go on, let's hear it." Seeing Li An's deliberately mysterious manner, Zhao Yan knew this matter must be no small thing—otherwise Li An wouldn't be beating around the bush with him.

"I've learned that Zhao Kui and the others are plotting to shift all the blame onto the Lu Prince's Manor and Qufu." Li An said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan said hesitantly: "Wouldn't that be lifting a rock to drop it on their own feet?"

"Exactly so." Li An said with a smile: "These men want to use the Lu Prince's Manor and Qufu to pressure Your Majesty, hoping Your Majesty will let the matter pass lightly and not pursue their crimes too harshly. But I think they've outsmarted themselves. If they do this, I fear they'll be playing right into Your Majesty's hands."

"They're essentially gambling on whether Your Majesty has the nerve to move against the Lu Prince's Manor and Qufu. In their view, Your Majesty lacks that nerve—after all, the status of the Lu Prince's Manor and Qufu stands right there, and if Your Majesty truly acted against them, the implications would be enormous. But as I see it, they've all underestimated Your Majesty."

"Then what should we do?" Zhao Yan said hesitantly: "I am after all the Governor of Shandong—this matter will likely implicate me as well. For all I know, Zhao Kui and the others are already thinking of how to drag me down with them."