Chapter 391: The Princess of the Distant Seas

Zhu Zhu Yijun and Empress Dowager Li recognizing the foster daughter of Consort Zhou from among the commoners as a princess and marrying her off to the Lu Song Governor-General's Office was, in fact, a violation of the ancestral laws. According to the "Collected Statutes of the Great Ming" compiled in the thirteenth year of Hongzhi, this was indeed impermissible.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the Princess Consort's husband (the *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant*) could actually hold office. For example, Ouyang Lun, the son-in-law Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang had executed, once served as an imperial envoy to the Sichuan and Shaanxi regions to oversee the Tea-Horse Road. Another example is Zhao Hui, who served as *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant* through nine reigns and, by the During Zhengtong era, was in charge of the Nanjing Left Chief Military Commission. One of the most important duties for a *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant* was overseeing the Five Cities Military Commission.

Relying on their status as imperial relatives, many *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant* acted lawlessly, so gradually, they were no longer permitted to hold office.

In the eighth year of Emperor Jiajing, Zhang Cong submitted a memorial regarding the marriage and funeral affairs of princesses, stating directly to the Emperor Jiajing Emperor: "The entire clan of a *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant* is prohibited from holding office." By the thirteenth year of Hongzhi, the Three Judicial Offices incorporated this into the statutes for sentencing, and it has been followed ever since, becoming a fixed rule. Consequently, families of poetic and ritual standing, and those of noble lineage, are all unwilling to intermarry with the imperial house. Only commoners from the streets seek to climb the social ladder through such ties, and thus, the *Imperial Son-in-Law* are often men of base character, crude manners, and vulgar, stubborn, marketplace riffraff.

Zhang Cong's memorial was already quite polite, and the Emperor Jiajing Emperor had struggled against it, but the final result remained that the ancestral laws of the Hongzhi era could not be violated; the princess could only marry a rogue.

Once a woman marries a princess, her entire clan is barred from office, and the only position left is the nominal, salary-drawing title of *Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant*. Families of standing and scholarly households in the common world view intermarriage with the imperial house as a path to be feared. Consequently, the quality of the *Imperial Son-in-Law* is often extremely, extremely poor.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was someone very skilled at standing behind the indestructible yet fragile imperial power, carefully testing the waters. This time, it was also a test.

If the husbands of Great Ming princesses are vulgar, stubborn marketplace riffraff, then the selection of *Yibin* (husbands) for the imperial clan women of the various Ming princely estates is even more unbearable.

*Yibin*, or *Zongrenfu Yibin*, is the collective term for the husbands of county princesses, county ladies, and other noblewomen of the imperial clan. The marriages of these imperial women are extremely unfortunate. Wan Wan Shihe and Ma Ma Ziqiang rejected lists of candidates more than once, telling the various princely estates to select and look again.

In his "Memorial on the Screening of Imperial *Yibin*," Wan Wan Shihe stated: "Children of wealthy families bribe the officials in charge of the marriages, colluding with fortune-tellers to create cover. If they have money to bribe, even if the man is of base character, they claim their horoscopes are compatible and they are fit to marry. If there is no money to bribe, even if the man is intelligent and handsome, they claim their horoscopes clash, making it difficult to match them. Because of this, many imperial clan women do not find good husbands."

It is simply that the marriages of Great Ming imperial clan women have become a business, which truly damages the imperial prestige of the Great Ming.

Imperial power and prestige are lost in these tiny, incremental clashes. In the provinces, the wealthy families who cover the sky with one hand are the true masters. From the eighth year of Emperor Jiajing, when Zhang Cong pointed out this problem, to the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, this issue has never been resolved. In fact, there is also the reason of the ban on feudal princes.

On one hand, imperial clan women marrying marketplace riffraff indeed damages the Emperor's dignity; but on the other hand, if the imperial clan women of the various princely estates married into local scholarly, ritual-abiding, and noble families, the imperial court would not feel at ease either.

Because of Zhu Di's successful experience, every princely estate of the Great Ming has a heart set on becoming the Emperor.

The rebellion of feudal princes is a problem in the Ming Dynasty's enfeoffment system that cannot be bypassed no matter what.

And the solution Zhu Zhu Yijun gave was to marry them off abroad. Consort Zhou's foster daughter from among the commoners was titled a princess and married off to the Lu Song Governor-General's Office to Yin Yin Zongxin. This was a small test; a titled princess would not attract too much attention from the court officials, and afterward, it would become an ancestral law.

This was decided based on Zhu Zhu Yijun's political stance. Since he intended to inherit Zhang Zhang Juzheng's mantle and was not prepared to launch a counter-attack or settle scores against Zhang Zhang Juzheng, he had to launch a larger, all-encompassing reform on the foundation of Zhang Zhang Juzheng's New Policies.

"The operations of the Marquis of Marquis Yingyang in the Strait of Ma Liujia have put great pressure on Meneses, the Governor-General of Goa." Yin Yin Zhengmao spoke in detail about the great battle in the Strait of Ma Liujia.

The tactics of the Marquis of Marquis Yingyang, Zhang Zhang Yuanxun, focused on being elusive. When you thought he was launching a general offensive, you would discover it was only a probe; when you thought it was a probe, he was launching a general offensive. While repeatedly playing with Meneses, Zhang Zhang Yuanxun captured twelve fortresses within half a year.

When truth is taken for falsehood, falsehood becomes truth; where nothingness is taken for existence, existence turns into nothingness.

The Great Ming completely occupied the eastern side of the Strait of Ma Liujia, which is the actual control range of the former Jiugang Laos Laos Xuanweisi.

At the same time, this also made the Goa Governor-General's Office wary, not daring to detain Great Ming official ships and merchant vessels on their own again, because the Great Ming would certainly retaliate in kind by seizing the ships of the Red-Haired Barbarians.

The enemies the Goa Governor-General's Office faced before were mainly indigenous people who hadn't even figured out the enfeoffment system and had little ironware. Suddenly encountering an opponent like the Great Ming, the Goa Governor-General's Office fell into a comprehensive disadvantage.

"The Marquis of Marquis Yingyang is indeed a capable minister of the state; his military talent is truly fascinating." Zhu Zhu Yijun gave a high evaluation of Zhang Zhang Yuanxun's operations in the Jiugang Laos Laos Xuanweisi.

Yin Yin Zhengmao hurriedly said: "It is still because the ships are large, the cannons are numerous, and they are fast. All of this relies on the deep grace of the imperial court; having achieved a tiny bit of merit, one dares not be arrogant."

Now, five five-masted ocean-crossing ships are deployed in Lu Song, four of which are the most advanced Type-D. Even if Meneses grew three heads and six arms, he would be no match.

Even gunpowder can be produced in Lu Song. With such powerful support, if Zhang Zhang Yuanxun lost the battle, that would be the empire's joke.

Meneses's response was actually already very impressive, but facing Zhang Zhang Yuanxun, who had experienced many battles, had fully advanced military equipment, and was given ample time by the Emperor, he was truly retreating step by step.

The Ten Thousand Li Sea Pond is closer to the Great Ming.

Zhu Zhu Yijun and Yin Yin Zhengmao talked for a long time, mainly about the affairs of the Ten Thousand Li Sea Pond. Things couldn't be explained clearly in letters; only by talking face-to-face could the situation be clarified.

"Your Majesty, saltpeter and sulfur are the superior technologies of the Middle Kingdom. Ancestral regulations strictly forbid them from being leaked to foreign barbarians. Only Joseon, by the decree of the Taizu Emperor, is allowed to purchase three thousand catties of flame-saltpeter annually; all others are strictly forbidden." Yin Yin Zhengmao leaned forward and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the Mughal Empire has a vast, vast amount of saltpeter."

"How much?" Zhu Zhu Yijun's expression was extremely serious.

"At the very least, 1.6 million catties of saltpeter a year. And that is just the figure where the local area has not heard of royal transformation and the efficiency of mining and sales is low. If our Great Ming accepts it..." Yin Yin Zhengmao's voice was even lower.

"Incredible?" Zhu Zhu Yijun's eyes lit up.

Yin Yin Zhengmao nodded repeatedly and said: "Incredible indeed!"

Even in the Imperial Study of the Retired Palace, Yin Yin Zhengmao still lowered his voice to speak. With the improvement of Great Ming weaponry, the importance of firearms was gradually increasing, and the quantity of Great Ming firearms was mainly affected by the quantity of gunpowder, the most important of which was saltpeter.

As the Emperor of the Great Ming, Zhu Zhu Yijun knew a lot about gunpowder. The Great Ming produced no more than 500,000 catties of saltpeter a year, and flame-saltpeter, which is saltpeter used for gunpowder, was no more than 250,000 catties.

Zhu Zhu Yijun's breathing immediately became rapid. He frowned and said: "Since the Mughal Empire has so much saltpeter, why does the Mughal monarch not have many firearms?"

Yin Yin Zhengmao smiled and said: "Your Majesty, in the preparation of gunpowder, saltpeter is an extremely important link, but it is not everything. The Mughal monarch Akbar can only sit on a treasure mountain in vain. Moreover, most of the saltpeter in the Mughal Empire has been monopolized by the Goa Governor-General's Office and the Diu Governor-General's Office."

Making gunpowder requires saltpeter, but it doesn't mean that having saltpeter allows one to make gunpowder.

"Your Majesty, when the special envoy Shah Mahomet was in the Mughal Empire, he replaced all the ballast stones of the horse ships with salty sand, which was the only way to deceive the inspection of the Goa Governor-General's Office and bring the saltpeter back to the Great Ming. But in the end, it is not a long-term solution." When Yin Yin Zhengmao talked about this, he actually just wanted to tell His Majesty: if you want the Great Ming to achieve gunpowder freedom, you must firmly control the Strait of Ma Liujia in the hands of the Great Ming.

Salty sand is a type of imported cargo of the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Office. Ballast salty sand is secretly bringing back the saltpeter produced in the Bengal region of the Goa Governor-General's Office to the Great Ming. The reason for choosing this shady method is still because half of the Strait of Ma Liujia is in the hands of the Red-Haired Barbarians.

Zhu Zhu Yijun said with a full smile: "Special Envoy Shah is very elegant. Whether it is the action of throwing the silver bag or this method of stealing the sky and changing the sun, it is very elegant!"

When the cannons roar, gold is worth ten thousand taels. Gunpowder is very expensive in this era. The mining of saltpeter in the Great Ming is very difficult. Except for the saltpeter caves in Mount Laojun, there is only saltpeter and sulfur in southern Yunnan. If it can be imported, that would be the best thing.

Fushun has four thirteen-catty cannons, and Li Li Chengliang, despite his large family and great business, is reluctant to fire them.

"My dear minister, I have a doubt. Letting the Great Ming plant rice in overseas plantations, exceeding fifty percent, is this considered harsh?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked for Yin Yin Zhengmao's reference opinion. After all, the vanguard of colonial trade is the Lu Song Governor-General's Office.

Yin Yin Zhengmao shook his head and said: "Silva is the current Regional Commander of the Red-Haired Barbarians on Mianlanlaodao. Philip II of the West once said to Silva: 'Military supplies such as pig iron, saltpeter, and bronze cannons imported from China to Mianlanlaodao are all tax-free. Chinese maritime merchants must carry gunpowder and other military supplies for Mianlanlaodao every year. If it is found that there are no such goods on the merchant ship, they will be fined, or even the goods will be confiscated.'"

"Silva strictly enforces this regulation, so Great Ming merchant ships are unwilling to go to Mianlanlaodao for trade."

"So that's how it is." Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded.

If you want to trade with the Red-Haired Barbarians and avoid high extraction tariffs, you only need to have enough smuggled military supplies on the ship, and you can be tax-free, or even become an honored guest. This is also the key content of the Great Ming maritime defense inspection.

Rights and obligations are two sides of the same coin. There is no reason to have all the good things.

Yin Yin Zhengmao and Zhu Zhu Yijun ended this memorial discussion. Yin Yin Zhengmao had to stay in the capital for more than half a month, so there was still plenty of time.

After leaving the Retired Palace, Yin Yin Zhengmao went to the All-Chu Guild Hall to pay his respects. He was a genuine member of the Zhang Party, the kind with a waist tablet. Yin Yin Zhengmao was an extremely important winning move in the decisive battle between Gao and Zhang. Yin Yin Zhengmao's pacification of bandits and Japanese pirates in the two Guang regions gave Zhang Zhang Juzheng great confidence in the court's game.

Although Zhang Zhang Juzheng and Yin Yin Zhengmao had not seen each other for many years, even though Yin Yin Zhengmao had now completely become a member of the Emperor's Party, it still did not affect their friendship at all.

"Is this Xiong Xiong Tingbi? The genius in the Grand Tutor's letter?" Yin Yin Zhengmao looked at Xiong Xiong Tingbi beside Zhang Zhang Juzheng, took a book out of his sleeve, handed it to Xiong Xiong Tingbi, and said with a smile: "This is a calculation collection I wrote when I was idle. It contains some practical applications of mathematics. Consider it a meeting gift."

"Thank you, Minister Yin." Xiong Xiong Tingbi's breathing became rapid. He had just finished the enlightenment of mathematics, and this application problem collection had arrived! And he couldn't decline it.

Thank you!

Xiong Xiong Tingbi opened it and could only scratch his head. The application problems were very difficult; geniuses have the troubles of geniuses.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng and Yin Yin Zhengmao talked about recent court affairs. Yin Yin Zhengmao had no dissatisfaction with the opening of titles and rewards. Although in Yin Yin Zhengmao's view, His Majesty's pace was a bit fast, this was support for opening the seas.

"This Yuanxu Archipelago actually has 800,000 *qing* of fertile land?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng asked in surprise.

"To be precise, this is how much can be cultivated at present. It was all reclaimed by the local wild people. Calling it reclamation is actually just scattering some seeds and letting the harvest depend on heaven's will. If it is well developed, at the very least, there will be this much." Yin Yin Zhengmao stretched out two fingers.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was stunned and asked: "Two million *qing*?!"

The Great Ming's land measurement and return to fields, up to now, has only reached 7.84 million *qing*, which is 780 million *mu*. As a result, Yin Yin Zhengmao reached out his hand, and it was 200 million *mu* of arable land. How big is the Yuanxu Archipelago, the country of a thousand islands? And they are all islands.

If it were silver, Zhang Zhang Juzheng would definitely not be moved, but for permanent fields, Zhang Zhang Juzheng would only shout: "Since ancient times, it has been indivisible!"

"Three harvests a year." Yin Yin Zhengmao drank a cup of tea and continued.

"Good, good, good! Good!" Zhang Zhang Juzheng stood up and paced back and forth, saying as he walked: "Good, if we can reclaim these two million *qing* within fifty years, even if only thirty percent is planted with rice, plus emergency crops like sweet potatoes, even if the celestial phenomena change, there will be no disaster!"

"Minister Yin! You must hold your ground in Lu Song, hold your ground!"

Lu Song is the vanguard of the Great Ming's opening of the seas. Once Lu Song is gone, the great cause of opening the seas will certainly be hindered. With these 200 million *mu* of fields, isn't His Majesty able to toss about as he pleases?

Who in the world would blame him? That is the guilt of the ten thousand directions!

"Don't the wealthy families like to annex land? Don't they always scold that Zhang Taiyue manages too broadly and won't let them annex land? Go, there are fertile fields overseas, go, they can oppress as much as they want overseas!" Zhang Zhang Juzheng slapped the table. Internal contradictions, external relief—this is the best solution Zhang Zhang Juzheng could think of. It would neither let internal contradictions intensify to an irreconcilable, fire-cooking-oil level, nor would it prevent the realization of the proposition of enriching the country and strengthening the army.

Go explore! Go plunder!

Jilong Island, Lu Song, Borneo, the country of a thousand islands—within the entire scope of the Ten Thousand Li Sea Pond, it can provide more than 500 million *mu* of fields. Any social contradiction can be resolved. According to the national destiny, it can at least extend the national destiny by two hundred years.

"Isn't this the purpose of opening the seas? The burden on the Grand Tutor is too heavy. His Majesty's unswerving determination to open the seas is just hoping that the pressure on the Grand Tutor's shoulders will be a little less, right?" Yin Yin Zhengmao put down his teacup, full of smiles.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng suddenly looked at Yin Yin Zhengmao, clicked his tongue in wonder, and asked with a smile: "Is Minister Yin testing me?"

"It's not a test. Hearing that the Grand Tutor rejected His Majesty's imperial edicts twice in the capital, I am here with full sincerity to persuade the Grand Tutor not to hold a grudge against His Majesty's support for opening the seas." Yin Yin Zhengmao was full of smiles. His denial was meaningless; he was indeed testing.

The scene of a sage monarch and wise ministers had been maintained for eight years. His Majesty was gradually coming of age. The conflict between imperial power and ministerial power had been an endless cycle on this land since ancient times. As the Governor-General of the Lu Song Governor-General's Office, Yin Yin Zhengmao naturally had to understand Zhang Zhang Juzheng's true thoughts. He had to know one thing: was this conflict a difference in political views, or a struggle over the path?

Obviously, it was a difference in political views. Such things are common.

However, thinking about it, if there was a fundamental contradiction in the path, why would His Majesty make this special exception, rewarding him with hereditary titles for his strategy, and keeping Zhang Zhang Juzheng?

"Taiyue, some things should be let go." Yin Yin Zhengmao persuaded him. The Emperor is older now; differences are differences, don't let it reach a situation of confrontation between monarch and minister.

"Thank you for the reminder, brother." Zhang Zhang Juzheng actually didn't want to overly obstruct His Majesty. Just taking this matter of rewarding the strategy of exploration, if Zhang Zhang Juzheng really wanted to oppose the Emperor, how could it be just this scene? His only political successor was His Majesty; Xiong Xiong Tingbi was too young.

"Not as pure as Taiyue." Yin Yin Zhengmao actually admired Zhang Zhang Juzheng very much, and also admired His Majesty.

The things Zhang Zhang Juzheng did had a very small chance of ending well, and a very small chance of succeeding. This is a state planner entering the game with his own life, winning half a game against heaven with a righteous flag.

The imperial examination in the second month of the eighth year of Emperor Wanli was not peaceful, because another of Zhang Zhang Juzheng's sons, Zhang Zhang Maoxiu, also participated in the metropolitan examination. This aroused the attacks of the remonstrating officials, because Zhang Zhang Juzheng held a hereditary title, and it was customary for his descendants not to take the examination. Zhang Zhang Juzheng's eldest son, Zhang Zhang Siwen, was already a Great Ming Doctor of the Five Classics. The censors believed that Zhang Zhang Juzheng was seeking personal gain through power.

Zhu Zhu Yijun had met Zhang Zhang Juzheng's third son more than once. Like Zhang Zhang Siwen, Zhang Zhang Maoxiu actually had no intention of entering officialdom. He had seen too many of the troublesome things his father had dealt with in the officialdom all his life and was unwilling to get involved, so Zhang Zhang Maoxiu intended to follow his brother and enter the Imperial Academy of Things to become a Doctor of Things.

The censors were scolding, and Zhang Zhang Juzheng could only submit a memorial to resign from the position of Chief Examiner of the metropolitan examination.

On the twenty-fourth day of the second month of the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, a rare day of rest for the Great Ming Emperor, Zhu Zhu Yijun came to Yanxing Tower in ordinary clothes. There was a lively scene to watch today, which was news provided by Wang Qian.

Zhu Zhu Yijun brought Zhang Zhang Juzheng along to watch the lively scene this time, because this lively scene was related to Zhang Zhang Juzheng.

"That person is called Tang Tang Xianzu, from the Tang clan of Linchuan, born in a family of letters, raised in a hometown with a flourishing literary style. There is a mountain in Linchuan called Tangjia Mountain, which is the Tang of the Tang clan. He lives in Yuming Hall in Shajing Lane. The family has four theater stages alone, which is twenty *mu* larger than the Grand Tutor's All-Chu Guild Hall." Zhu Zhu Yijun introduced the thirty-year-old middle-aged man under the stage, who came from a prominent family in Jiangxi.

Zhu Zhu Yijun and Zhang Zhang Juzheng were both in the Qian-character private room, looking down from a high position with a panoramic view. Below the stage was a group of students, surrounding two people with great excitement.

"Beside Tang Tang Xianzu is Zou Zou Diguang, a *Ming Jinshi* of the second year of Emperor Wanli, from Wuxi, Jiangsu." Zhu Zhu Yijun introduced another protagonist.

"Your Majesty, they are all juniors, why bother?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng was slightly helpless. He had already guessed what this group of students had gathered for. These were all old tricks; he had seen too many of them.

Yin Yin Zhengmao looked at those people under the stage, sneered, shook his head, and said: "Taiyue, I think your temper is too good."

"The good show is beginning." Zhu Zhu Yijun handed two scripts to Zhang Zhang Juzheng and Yin Yin Zhengmao and explained: "Next is what they will say to each other. They rehearsed several times. After Wang Qian got his hands on them, he sent the scripts to the palace."

There was originally another actor who should have been present but didn't show up, named Shen Yu Maoxue, the top scholar of the fifth year of Emperor Wanli. Shen Yu Maoxue had some situation and missed this opportunity to make a name for himself. It was said he had diarrhea, but actually, it wasn't.

Shen Yu Maoxue sold the script to Wang Qian for fifty taels. His youngest son needed to go to school and had entered the family school of the All-Jin Guild Hall.

"Your Majesty, there is no need." Zhang Zhang Juzheng was a person who would repay every grievance. In the past two years, he had gradually become gentler. He actually didn't care much about the trouble these juniors were making.

Zhu Zhu Yijun, however, shook his head, disagreeing with Zhang Zhang Juzheng's soft heart, and shook his head, saying: "Grand Tutor, false accusation leads to counter-punishment."

The people had all arrived. Many scholars participating in the imperial examination this year had gathered on the third floor of Yanxing Tower. The scene was a bit chaotic, and everyone was whispering to each other.

Tang Tang Xianzu and Zou Zou Diguang were both famous figures in the literary world, and today's gathering at Yanxing Tower was very interesting.

"Everyone, be quiet, be quiet!" Zou Zou Diguang shouted loudly, signaling everyone to be quiet and listen to him.

Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Zou Zou Diguang shouted sternly: "In the imperial examination of the fifth year of Emperor Wanli, there was favoritism and fraud!"

"Mr. Zou! We have heard that the Great Ming Law has clear regulations: false accusation leads to counter-punishment. The imperial examination is for selecting scholars for the country, so you can't talk nonsense!" Zhu Zhu Yijun stood in front of the railing, reminding Zou Zou Diguang to think clearly about the consequences, not to do the wrong thing, and then regret it too late.

"And who might you be!" Zou Zou Diguang frowned. This scene was not in the script at all. Where did this person come from, adding scenes here!

"Huang of Penglai." Zhu Zhu Yijun answered this question. He was the noble young master of the Huang family of Penglai, a member of the Qi family!

Qi Qi Jiguang's own younger brother Qi Qi Jimei's wife came from the Huang family of Penglai. In fact, it was just a small family. In the past few years, Qi Qi Jiguang's official position had become higher and higher, and the Huang family of Penglai had soared with the wind of opening the seas.

The merchant chief of the Mizhou Ocean Trading Firm this time was presided over by the Huang family of Penglai.

"I say this, naturally I have my evidence!" Zou Zou Diguang originally wanted to mock a few words, but held back. He was a *Ming Jinshi*, and he knew a little about the wind in the court. Matters related to the Grand General's Mansion were topics that could not be touched.

The Grand General's Mansion bestowed by His Majesty was only one street away from the Retired Palace.

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng and said in a low voice: "Grand Tutor, we gave him a chance, but he didn't grasp it. We told him about false accusation leading to counter-punishment. He who sows his own seeds cannot live."

Zou Zou Diguang looked at the crowd and continued: "In the imperial examination of the fifth year of Emperor Wanli, someone was gathering scholars. As long as you were willing to cooperate with the noble, you could rank at the top, acting as a foil for the noble's son. It is simply lawless!"

"I have a friend who was seduced by this kind of temptation, agreed to it, and as a result, he really ranked at the top!"

Zhu Zhu Yijun asked happily: "Then who is this friend of yours?"

"The top scholar Shen Yu Maoxue!" As soon as Zou Zou Diguang said this, everyone started discussing, as if the pot had exploded!

The top scholar was actually a villain, and he only took the top spot after agreeing to act as a foil for the noble?!

Zhu Zhu Yijun asked with a face full of doubt: "Oh my, you said it this way. Since the noble could even decide who the top scholar was, then naturally he was powerful. Since he was looking for a foil, why was the top scholar Shen Yu Maoxue, and not the noble's son?"

"Who exactly is the foil?!"

As soon as Zhu Zhu Yijun said this, everyone immediately realized. Could the power really reach such a point, yet still let the name of the top scholar fall to someone else?

"The wind blows the trees in the forest, and the wind will surely destroy them! Naturally, he didn't dare to risk the world's disapproval and do things to the end!" Zou Zou Diguang thought for a while and answered this question.

"Oh, not daring to do things to the end and being powerful, are they a bit contradictory?" Zhu Zhu Yijun touched his two fingers and asked with a smile.

Zou Zou Diguang was speechless for a moment and shouted sternly: "Sharp-tongued! Does this noble really not fear the mouths of the world?!"

"Your friend, Shen Yu Maoxue, where is he? Let him stand out and say a few words." Zhu Zhu Yijun asked loudly.

Shen Yu Maoxue had diarrhea.

Zou Zou Diguang hated secretly. Everything was agreed upon, but Shen Yu Maoxue didn't arrive, which caused him to fall into a completely passive position. He didn't answer, but continued to shout: "The previous examination has passed. This time, Wang Zuo Zhuan, a fellow townsman of this noble, is gathering people everywhere, and again asked the scholar in front of me to act as a foil for the noble's child! It is truly unbearable!"

Zou Zou Diguang had already noticed that the noble young master of the Huang family of Penglai was good at arguing, so he stopped replying and immediately ignited the anger of all the scholars who came!

The imperial examination was actually decided internally!

"My friend here comes from Linchuan, his name is Tang Tang Xianzu! He is also a scholar this year, and was lobbied to act as a foil. Brother Tang has high morals and keeps himself clean, and will never be a tiger's accomplice!" Zou Zou Diguang grandly introduced the identity of this friend beside him.

"I dare not follow the woman who lost her chastity." Tang Tang Xianzu stood up straight and said loudly.

This sentence comes from "Confucius Jiayu: Zhisi," meaning: I will not do, nor will I participate in, things that cause a woman to lose her chastity.

"Who exactly is that noble?!" a scholar shouted with a ferocious face. After studying hard for more than ten years, the noble wanted to seek personal gain through power. Plus, with Tang Tang Xianzu, who was famous, acting as a guarantor, it was obviously true!

"Naturally, it is Duke Jiangling!" Zou Zou Diguang revealed the answer.

Boom!

The entire Yanxing Tower was like a pot that had exploded, and everyone was discussing loudly.

"Young, too young." Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't shout out, but rather talked to himself, looking at those angry scholars, he could only say that they were really easily fooled, provoked in a few words, without considering the logic at all.

Finding someone to act as a foil and Zhang Zhang Juzheng manipulating the imperial examination did not constitute a causal relationship at all.

Anyone who has been an official for two days knows very well that at Zhang Zhang Juzheng's status, if he wants to do something, he doesn't need to open his mouth at all. Many people want to add a threshold to the All-Chu Guild Hall but don't have the qualifications.

"Are you talking about the current Chief Grand Secretary, Grand Tutor and Imperial Teacher, Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Hall, Minister of Personnel, Pillar of the State, Earl of Yicheng, Duke Jiangling, Zhang Zhang Juzheng?"

"You can't talk nonsense! His Majesty has said that those who speak of the Grand Tutor's faults will be beheaded! If this is a false accusation, I'm afraid it will provoke heaven's anger!" Zhu Zhu Yijun pretended to be startled and said in horror.

"Exactly! Tang Tang Xianzu here is the witness, and Wang Zuo Zhuan from Jiangling is the lobbyist!" Zou Zou Diguang was a bit dazed. Zhang Zhang Juzheng's titles were really too long, and each title was power.

"Well then, report to the officials!" Zhu Zhu Yijun immediately said to the waiter who was watching the fun: "Waiter, go to the Shuntian Prefecture Southern Yamen! Beat the drum, I want to report to the officials, take this for tea."

Zhu Zhu Yijun threw out two taels of silver with a very elegant posture. The waiter caught it and was overjoyed, saying: "Got it, noble young master, wait a moment, I'll go report to the officials!"

This posture was naturally learned from Shah Mahomet, very elegant.

"Hey! Come back!" Zou Zou Diguang never expected it to develop to this step. He wanted to stop the waiter, but the waiter had already run away in a flash. Zou Zou Diguang never thought of making such a big scene!

Tang Tang Xianzu was obviously also very panicked. Is the matter going to the government office?

False accusation leads to counter-punishment. There is a word "accuse" in it, which means accusing the government. In Zhu Zhu Yijun's view, Zou Zou Diguang, Tang Tang Xianzu, and others were actually just wanting to step on the Grand Secretary's reputation to get ahead. But as long as it didn't involve accusing the government, the "accuse" in false accusation wouldn't be established. But now, under his manipulation as the noble young master of the Huang family of Penglai, it was established.

"Brother Zou, I'll go first." Tang Tang Xianzu couldn't hold on anymore. If he really reported to the government, he was afraid he would definitely not be able to end well!

"Today, if this matter isn't clarified, no one can leave!" Zhu Zhu Yijun said loudly.

Several burly men who looked like retainers appeared in front of the door of Yanxing Tower and blocked the door.

Ask for monthly tickets, Aowu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter)