Chapter 352: Grace and Reward

The one adopted into Wang Cheng'en's line this time was his younger brother's second son, also Wang Shiqin's cousin, named Wang Shizhong, who had just turned eleven this year.

Thanks to his uncle's good fortune, Wang Shizhong had entered a private school to begin his studies at age five, and then entered the county school at age nine.

Bright, studious, and able to endure tedium, Wang Shizhong had always excelled in his studies at the county school, and this year he placed first in the local prefectural examination, earning the xiucai qualification at the age of eleven, causing quite a stir locally.

After careful deliberation over many days, Wang Cheng'en's younger brother's family, for the sake of their child's future prospects and to repay their second brother's kindness over the years, finally resolved to have Wang Shizhong adopted into Wang Cheng'en's line to carry on the family legacy.

Wang Cheng'en naturally shared these family matters with Zhu Youjian during idle conversation, and Zhu Youjian listened with great interest, showing not the slightest sign of impatience.

"Companion, this time I will not grant your boy any special favor through the grace of office. I plan to have the Crown Prince leave the palace to study at the Imperial Academy next year, and when that time comes, your boy shall serve as companion reader to Cilang. In the future, when you and I are both old, it will be up to these children to see how they govern this realm!"

Zhu Youjian looked at Wang Cheng'en and spoke with a smile.

Having Zhu Cilang conceal his identity and enter the Imperial Academy to study was a decision he had pondered for a long time—this was the first step in bringing the future helmsman of the Great Ming out of the deep palace, and he had even more important plans and arrangements in store for what would follow.

Apart from the dynasty's founder and the Yongle Emperor, nearly every emperor of the Great Ming had grown up deep within the palace, severely lacking any basic understanding of the world beyond its walls, making them easy to deceive and hoodwink. This enormous congenital deficiency was utterly fatal for a vast empire.

For an emperor who neither knew the conditions under which his subjects lived most of their lives, nor understood how officials governed the people on his behalf, nor had any idea of the daily state of his soldiers, nor knew whether the grain and supplies the common people most urgently needed in times of natural disaster and calamity had been distributed promptly and accurately by the responsible officials—such an out-of-touch emperor could never govern a country well.

To put it bluntly, this flawed system of training heirs to the throne was the primary factor in the Great Ming's downfall.

Of course, the birth of this system was caused by the limitations of the entire environment, and the rigidity and conservatism of thought was the root of everything.

To thoroughly eliminate these entrenched feudal systems and ideas that seriously impeded social progress, the sovereign of the nation had to be the first to make changes—and such changes required a heaven-and-earth overturning transformation in top-level design.

Zhu Youjian had already realized that this decision of his would certainly meet with fierce opposition from all his court ministers, including Wen Tiren, Sun Chuanting, Chen Qiyu, Yang Sichang, and others, who would very likely not support this initiative of his.

These opponents were the representatives of rigid thinking.

In their understanding, the emperor should be exalted high above, completely detached from society; the emperor need only handle red endorsements and accept remonstrance, produce descendants in the harem, and the realm would be governed by them.

To put it unpleasantly, the civil officials actually did not want the emperor to understand too much about social conditions, because an emperor like that would be hard to fool.

If Zhu Youjian had not come from a later age, he too would have been like the original Chongzhen, implementing unreasonable proposals put forward by ministers he trusted, with results that went without saying.

Zhu Youjian did not want to destroy the hard-won harmonious relationship between sovereign and ministers; what he wanted was to advance reform with the approval of the majority, to reduce obstruction and passive compliance.

If he forcibly implemented this decision, it would undoubtedly create cracks in the trust between sovereign and ministers, which would be extremely detrimental to the implementation of many major governing decisions in the future.

After days of agonizing thought, Zhu Youjian had been unable to find the best method that would make the ministers accept it, until the arrival of Wang Cheng'en's adopted son Wang Shizhong a few days ago finally gave him an excellent idea: binding interests together.

Stuff the sons and nephews of all the major ministers who were close in age to Zhu Cilang into the Imperial Academy together, to study alongside the Crown Prince.

Regardless of age, every major minister had sons, nephews, or grandsons at home—for example, Wen Tiren, who was past sixty, had an eldest son already into middle age, but old Wen's grandson could join as well.

What it meant to study alongside the heir apparent from childhood—this group of seasoned officials understood all too well, and this major decision of his would certainly transform from fierce opposition into a hall full of praise.

At the thought of such a dramatic reversal, Zhu Youjian felt quite pleased with himself.

With a "thud," Wang Cheng'en, who had just been brimming with high spirits, fell to his knees, and under the astonished, bewildered gazes of Wen Tiren and the others, he knocked his head heavily against the floor. Then, trembling all over, he raised his head, and when he spoke, he was already choked with sobs: "His... His Majesty's grace is as vast as heaven and earth! This old servant... this old servant's heart is truly overjoyed beyond measure, as if about to faint at any moment! This heart... feels as though it might burst! This old servant kowtows on behalf of my boy in gratitude for His Majesty's grace of rebirth! This old servant knows not what blessings were cultivated in a past life to receive such regard from His Majesty! This old servant... wuuu wuuu wuuu~~"

Zhu Youjian's words about not granting his son any special favor through the grace of office had caused a slight disappointment in Wang Cheng'en's heart, but he cast that trace of disappointment aside in an instant.

The grace he himself had received from His Majesty was already more than he could repay, and his adopted son had natural talent for study; with his own and Wang Shiqin's care, the boy should have a good future in this life.

But Zhu Youjian's subsequent words nearly made Wang Cheng'en faint—this sudden, enormous joy struck every part of his being.

At this moment, Wang Cheng'en wanted to shout and scream, wanted to run madly through the entire palace, wanted to laugh out loud at every person he met. In his eyes at this moment, every face seemed so kind and lovely—even Wen Tiren's ugly face, like a walnut shell, appeared distinguished and imposing.

He wanted to announce loudly to everyone: Did you hear that?! His Majesty has made my son, Wang Cheng'en's son, the Crown Prince's companion reader! Since the Han and Tang dynasties, have you ever seen an emperor treat a eunuch with such generosity? My boy will become a Grand Secretary in the future! That's right, a Grand Secretary! That is my son, Wang Cheng'en's son! When I die, I can enter the ancestral grave! I can face my father and mother with honor!

"In the future, when you and I are both old, it will be up to these children to see how they govern this realm!"

The Emperor's words echoed and pounded ceaselessly through Wang Cheng'en's mind, making his body tremble like the last leaves remaining on a tree in autumn wind.

What did these words signify? His Majesty was treating him as family! He was giving his son trust without reservation, and had promised a future as splendid as a garden of flowers. This grace as vast as heaven and earth was enough to make him die for the Emperor at once.

"Companion, rise. This grace is something you deserve. With you by my side on ordinary days, my heart is at ease! When you return, tell your boy that while he devotes himself to his studies, he must also forever maintain a kind heart. Never forget that there are still countless people in this world without food or clothing, impoverished and afflicted, who need a helping hand. In the future, using his authority to help more poor people is the true duty of an official—only then will he not betray the original purpose of studying to become an official! Remember this well, remember this well!"

Zhu Youjian did not lower his voice for these words but spoke them in his normal tone, and although Wen Tiren and the others did not know what had happened, upon hearing them they all wore thoughtful expressions.

"His Majesty may rest assured—this old servant will write His Majesty's words into the Wang family ancestral precepts. Should any descendant violate them, they shall be immediately struck from the family register!"

Wang Cheng'en kowtowed once more, then rose trembling, with tears in his eyes, and declared.

"Companion, go see whether the imperial kitchen has finished preparing the meal—I feel somewhat hungry! Heh heh!"

Zhu Youjian understood what Wang Cheng'en was thinking and feeling at the moment, so he found a convenient excuse to let him go calm his agitated emotions.

Watching Wang Cheng'en's retreating figure as he walked toward the rear hall while wiping his tears with his sleeve, Zhu Youjian felt deeply gratified.

For those loyal to oneself, one should let them receive the rewards they deserve. As for what might happen afterward—well, they would just take it one step at a time.