Chapter 214: Sounds of the Four Seas, Deliberating on the Past to Govern the Present

The sky was growing light.

He Xinyin, who had been left to cool his heels in the Shuntian Prefecture prison, finally ended his long winter night. Following behind a eunuch, he walked out of the Shuntian Prefecture prison and saw the light of day once more.

He Xinyin tilted his head back, greedily feeling the dim light shining upon his body.

He felt comfortable both because he could briefly leave the prison and because the Emperor had finally summoned him, clearing the blockage in his heart.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the Shuntian Prefecture Magistrate, Wang Zhiyuan, avoiding him from afar, seemingly not wanting to cross paths with him.

"I hope Master Fushan understands that the Prefecture Magistrate has not yet concluded the case against you. After this audience with the Emperor, I must still return you to the prison," Sun Long, who was to the side, explained in a low voice.

Sun Long had been thoroughly Confucianized; regarding opinion leaders among the common people like He Xinyin, he was quite respectful in his speech.

Of course, this respect was limited to his speech; it did not hinder him from returning He Xinyin to the prison to continue squatting there later.

After all, the cases against He Xinyin were not few.

The case of resisting taxes and killing an official had indeed been concluded, but the crime of fleeing his post while being punished with military service still had to be pursued.

Furthermore, there was the old case from the fortieth year of Jiajing, where he colluded with the alchemist Lan Daoxing to toy with prophecy and deceive the Shizong Emperor; this could not avoid being brought up again.

And there was the case from the third year of Wanli, where he gathered disciples to lecture and claimed the Grand Secretary was monopolizing the government; Wang Zhiyuan clearly did not intend to let that go.

Even the matter from the fifth year of Wanli, where Jin Yunfeng, Zeng Guang, and others fabricated the evil book "Record of the Great Qian's Rise," and the three tribal chieftains of Yongshun, Baojing, and Youyang plotted rebellion—the names of Liang Ruyuan and Luo Xun were also in the files reported by Huguang to the Ministry of Justice.

Add to that this current case of criticizing the imperial carriage and mocking the government.

With a whole pile of crimes, and the fact that after Shuntian Prefecture finished its trial, he would still have to be handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, He Xinyin would likely have to spend this New Year in prison.

He Xinyin followed behind Sun Long, and upon hearing this, he merely nodded calmly: "As a mere prisoner, I have troubled you, Eunuch, with this escort."

When he did not flee this time, but instead voluntarily threw himself into the net, he had already prepared himself in his heart.

His own fate was no longer important; right now, he only wanted to see the Emperor once.

Sun Long smiled politely, took out two steamed buns he had bought on the way that did not contain chives, and handed them to He Xinyin.

"Master Fushan's case has not yet been concluded, so how can one speak of crimes? During these days, many officials inside and outside the court have been pleading for you."

"Yesterday, the Shandong Circuit Hai Yushi Zhao Chongshan mentioned that there are three current grievances that should be redressed; two have been redressed, but one has yet to be."

Regardless of what the second was, this first one clearly referred to He Xinyin.

"Many thanks, Eunuch." Seeing that the buns were still steaming, He Xinyin did not decline; he took them and began to gnaw on them as he walked. "No wonder the Emperor summoned me today; it turns out someone was pleading for me."

Since voluntarily surrendering, he had been left out in the cold by the Emperor until now. He had thought he would be easily dismissed, but he did not expect a turn of events today.

Sun Long walked in front, and upon hearing this, he immediately corrected him: "That is not the case. His Majesty had already prepared to summon you, Master Fushan, beforehand."

"It is just that after His Majesty returned to the capital from his inspection tour, there was first the Empress Dowager's birthday, and then he encountered the successive assassination attempts by the rebel thieves Shi Mao Hua, Liu Shiyan, and others, so he has been busy until now."

He Xinyin stopped the motion of stuffing the bun into his mouth and looked up in astonishment: "Assassination!?"

He had been squatting in prison for a long time; although he had not been made difficult by Wang Zhiyuan, isolation from the world was unavoidable.

Hearing such a monumental event as the Emperor being assassinated, he could not help but be shocked.

Moreover, listening to this, it was successive assassination attempts!

The current Emperor was much better than the previous few, so why would people be so relentless!?

Sun Long had served in the deep palace for many years and naturally understood what it meant to stop at the right point. He only briefly summarized the recent events for He Xinyin.

At the end, he concluded: "... This morning, His Majesty did not attend the morning court, but instead began to summon the local officials who had come to the capital for their year-end performance reviews. In the middle of this, he happened to remember your request for an audience, Master Fushan, and that is why he called me to summon you into the palace."

He Xinyin listened quietly, silently devouring the bun in his hand.

A moment later, he sighed: "I, a scattered person from the countryside, usually only see the Emperor as being in his prime. I did not expect there to be such murderous intent at every step. Just hearing it makes my hair stand on end, and I am filled with lingering fear."

"Fortunately, it did not lead to a great disaster."

Sun Long reached into his bosom, took out some clove incense, handed it to He Xinyin, and praised: "Just as His Majesty said, Master Fushan is not confused about major matters."

This was also the reason why Sun Long maintained respect for He Xinyin.

Criticizing the imperial carriage and mocking the government were indeed crimes, but regarding the motivation, it was always something that could be discussed.

Tan Yao, who had been demoted to the Imperial Academy to teach the principles of ruler and subject, had been paraded through the streets a few days ago because he had privately cheered for Shi Mao Hua and was reported by students.

Yet He Xinyin, who was also not favored by the imperial court, was genuinely concerned about the Emperor's safety.

Comparing the two, the difference was clear.

He Xinyin was just taking the clove incense, and upon hearing this, his movements stalled.

He held it in his mouth and retorted indignantly: "This old man has never been confused about minor matters either!"

Sun Long heard this and shook his head with a laugh: "His Majesty was not mocking you for being confused about minor matters, Master Fushan."

He bowed toward the Forbidden City and imitated: "His Majesty said, since He Xinyin is willing to surrender to Shuntian Prefecture and request an audience, it shows that this fellow only has problems with his path... that is, his Dao; his innate conscience is still very good."

The more He Xinyin heard, the stranger his expression became.

He Xinyin did not care much about the comments of ordinary superiors.

But the Emperor was the Emperor after all, and a conclusion made from the pinnacle of the Three Bonds and Five Constants, even for someone as unconventional as him, could not help but stir up some strangeness in his heart.

"Cough, cough."

He Xinyin coughed lightly to cover it up and said no more.

Seeing this, Sun Long tactfully cut off the conversation and silently led the way.

Winter days have short daylight and long nights.

Since the sky was already growing light, the time was naturally not early.

The common people in the city had already set up their businesses along the roadside.

Along the way, they occasionally encountered court officials who had overslept and were rushing frantically.

When Sun Long led He Xinyin into the Wumen Gate, the sky was already bright.

Afterward, there was the tiresome security check by the imperial guards.

There were security checks at every palace gate; the dead skin that He Xinyin had accumulated from not washing for more than ten days was rubbed off by the guards.

It made He Xinyin start to wonder if these guards were intentionally making things difficult for him.

"Are the palace security checks so strict now?"

He Xinyin looked back at the guards at the palace gate.

It was not as if he had never entered the imperial palace; during the Jiajing period, he had only paid ten taels of silver to a eunuch to visit the inner palace.

The current appearance of such strictness was truly strange.

Sun Long politely explained: "Last time, when the vassal monk attempted to assassinate the Emperor, the Yulin Guard Commander Xia Kai committed suicide out of fear of punishment. The imperial guards are not as lazy as they used to be."

He just didn't know how long it could be maintained. Thinking this, Sun Long couldn't help but shake his head.

The two walked in silence along the imperial road, quickly moving forward, and soon entered the West Garden, standing still outside the Chengguang Hall.

Sun Long naturally went inside to report.

He Xinyin stood with his hands bound outside the corridor, looking around aimlessly.

He saw that the Chengguang Hall faced the Wengcheng Gate to the east, bordered the Taiye Pool to the west, and had ornamental columns standing to the north and south, called Jie Cui and Dui Xue. In the middle was a golden hall, with a dome like a cover, fully displaying the style of the imperial family.

He Xinyin twisted his beard and curled his lips imperceptibly; it was all the fat and cream of the people!

He turned his head and saw several officials waiting outside the Chengguang Hall, some closing their eyes to rest, others looking curiously toward this side.

Faint sounds of conversation came from inside the hall, which could not be heard clearly.

Clearly, as Sun Long said, the Emperor was summoning local officials.

Not long after, Sun Long walked out of the hall with small steps, came to He Xinyin, and reached out to lead the way: "Master Fushan, follow me inside to see the Emperor. You must pay attention to decorum later."

He Xinyin nodded and followed behind Sun Long in a disciplined manner.

After entering the hall, he still couldn't help but look around from the corner of his eye.

He saw that the inside of the hall was even more magnificent than the outside, with winding corridors like rings, cinnabar railings, and green windows, all displaying extravagance.

He Xinyin kept shaking his head, while silently drafting the outline for his audience with the Emperor later in his heart.

As he walked, the sound of conversation in the hall became clearer.

Looking toward the source of the sound, He Xinyin only saw that in the center of the great hall, the Emperor was sitting upright behind the imperial desk, talking with an official who was bowing and saluting below the imperial steps.

"Your Majesty, He Xinyin has been brought."

Sun Long stepped forward to report.

He Xinyin was just about to salute when the Emperor's voice sounded at the right moment: "Wait to the side for now."

His waist, which had just bent, straightened up silently again, and he followed Sun Long to the side, beginning to size up the Emperor.

"Official Xiong, continue."

Zhu Yijun only glanced at He Xinyin once, then withdrew his gaze, signaling for Xiong Dunpu to continue.

Xiong Dunpu collected his thoughts and immediately said: "However, promoting the 'Rhyme Summary Made Easy' in the south is facing too much resistance."

"Not only are local government offices paying lip service while acting differently, but the common people are also quite resistant."

"The reasons are also quite numerous. From a regional perspective, it is secretly rumored in official circles that this move is intended by northern officials to change customs and step-by-step pressure to suppress the south; among the common people, it is mostly said that the so-called common language is obliterating local characteristics and tampering with the culture and soul of the local people."

"The two are merging, and the emotions are extremely intense."

"Now, from the Zhejiang officialdom to the scholars among the people, whenever the 'Rhyme Summary Made Easy' is mentioned, they will bring out the 'Hongwu Hongwu Zhengyun,' viewing it as the orthodox of the founding Emperor."

"In such a situation, I truly dare not force it."

Xiong Dunpu took a memorial from his sleeve and handed it to the inner court official to the side.

Zhu Yijun took Xiong Dunpu's proposal and quickly browsed through it.

The more he looked, the more his brows furrowed.

The "Rhyme Summary Made Easy" in Xiong Dunpu's mouth was the representative of the Central Plains phonology, which was in the same line as the elegant language of the Spring and Autumn period, the common language of the Former Han, the correct sounds of the Wei and Jin, and the correct sounds of the Sui and Tang.

It was also the Northern Putong Guanhua—using northern sounds that were correct, each being able to enter into the other, called the elegant sounds of the Central Plains, roughly 70% to 80% similar to Putonghua.

And the so-called "Hongwu Hongwu Zhengyun" was the official language with southern dialects as the framework.

Besides the two, there were Tianjin Putong Guanhua, Fuzhou Putong Guanhua, Southeastern Putong Guanhua, and so on.

They were all proper languages used throughout the world.

But proper is proper, the world did not need so many official languages. When it was time to retreat to the second line, they should no longer be paraded through the streets—Xiong Dunpu's "Motherfucker" from before was a warning not far away, haven't you heard? For the goal of "unifying the world," "sounds of the four seas" was an indispensable means.

Vigorously promoting Northern Putong Guanhua was even more of an inherent meaning that needed no further explanation.

Therefore, Xiong Dunpu and others took on this task and were now reporting their performance before the Emperor.

It was just obvious that such a major matter as the sounds of the four seas was not a one-day achievement; the road was long and the burden was heavy.

Xiong Dunpu hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth: "Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking bluntly, if there is no intervention from the central government, I am afraid it will always be difficult to move an inch."

"Only with central government standardization, defining the elegant sounds of the Central Plains as the national language, can we achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Zhu Yijun slowly closed the memorial and sighed helplessly: "Letting you blow the wind first, wasn't it just to test the water temperature?"

"Now it seems, it is clearly not the time yet."

If the policy was not supported from the local officialdom to the common people, then forcing it through would only be a piece of empty paper, and instead become a joke.

Upon hearing this, Xiong Dunpu also tasted the Emperor's unwillingness.

He subconsciously complained: "The poison left by the former Yuan cannot be said to be deep!"

This matter naturally had to be blamed on the previous dynasty.

The concept of the Central Plains was constantly expanding, from the initial land of the Zhou and Qin royal domain, the area around Luoyang in Henan, slowly expanding to the subsequent Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, and other places. The elegant sounds of the Central Plains, that is, Northern Putong Guanhua, also gradually began to "circulate in all four directions."

But during the former Yuan, Mongolian was defined as the national language, and the Phags-pa script was defined as the national script. The elegant sounds lost their status as the national language for the first time—at that time, the son of the great Confucian Xu Heng, Xu Jingren, was proficient in Mongolian, and the whole clan was proud of it. Even when scolding others, they would use Mongolian.

As the elegant sounds of the Central Plains lost their status as the national language and were no longer circulated in all four directions, the local official languages naturally made a comeback silently.

A historical reversal that lasted for a hundred years, wanting to drive forward again, naturally required more effort.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and did not follow along in complaining about heaven and blaming others.

"Let's lay the foundation first."

"Let the vassal states like Ryukyu and Joseon send people to the Siyi Hall for advanced studies, and revise books like 'Learning Official Language' and 'Official Language Q&A' to ensure they are defined as the elegant sounds of the Central Plains."

"Official Xiong is now a patrolling censor who can handle things alone. Why not be more assertive and keep an eye on local government offices, private schools, academies, temples, newspapers, storytellers..."

Good experience naturally needs to be borrowed, especially respecting the objective laws of language development.

Zhu Yijun still intended to use schools as the foundation, local government offices as the leader, news media like newspapers and storytellers as examples, and public service industries like Buddhism and Daoism as windows, gradually expanding and slowly laying the foundation.

Xiong Dunpu had suffered losses himself and highly approved of this, nodding frequently.

"Also, regarding the pinyin dictionary, Official Xiong, go find Ni Guangjian at the Tongzheng Office later, and discuss it together at the Ministry of Rites to see how to improve and promote it."

Zhu Yijun gave another instruction.

Xiong Dunpu kept it in his heart and responded in a low voice.

A moment later, seeing that the Emperor had no more instructions, he saluted and retreated silently.

Zhu Yijun reached out and rubbed his neck: "Who is next?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong immediately stepped forward to respond: "Your Majesty, it is Mei Yousong, who is taking up the post of Right Vice-Counselor of the Staff Office of the Five Military Governor's Office, who wants to resign in person before you."

Zhu Yijun clicked his tongue.

The Five Military Governor's Office was now also a hot potato; before even taking up the post, he was thinking of resigning.

Of course, this could not be blamed on Mei Yousong.

This person had done well in the local area, "skilled in official administration, thorough in human feelings, eliminating evil and greed, clearing grievances, with majestic strategies, and soldiers and people were convinced," which could be said to be well-known.

But as soon as the wind of him taking up the post at the Five Military Governor's Office spread, rumors spread in the streets that this capable official from Sichuan was quite fond of male wind—even his name was a foresight of his parents, used to cover up the truth.

Zhu Yijun thought of this and couldn't help but laugh.

He was already accustomed to these tricks. From him, the Emperor, to Zhang Juzheng in the cabinet, the favored Li Zaiting, and even Wang Zhiyuan now, who following the new policies hadn't been rumored with such hook-and-wild history?

Mei Yousong's cultivation of Qi was clearly still lacking some heat.

Zhu Yijun waved his hand: "Let him wait first, cut in line here."

Unlike Xiong Dunpu who finished his report and immediately had to return to Zhejiang in a hurry, Mei Yousong had entered the capital and certainly couldn't leave, so seeing him later didn't matter.

Zhang Hong looked at He Xinyin who was cutting in line and understood: "This servant will go now."

After Zhang Hong left, Sun Long pulled He Xinyin and stepped forward: "Your Majesty."

He Xinyin paused and also stepped forward, bowing in salute: "Commoner He Xinyin pays respects to Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Sun Long's eyelids jumped.

Unfortunately, there was no room for him to speak here, so he only cast a look at He Xinyin and retreated with worry.

Zhu Yijun stood up from the throne and stretched: "Commoner? Then why does this commoner not kneel when seeing me?"

He sized up He Xinyin from top to bottom. A sixty-year-old man, withered and thin. The rumors in the world that this person had high martial arts skills and killed soldiers like grass were clearly untrue.

However, looking at his complexion, it was still quite ruddy, and there was no feeling that his end was near—historically, He Xinyin died in Wang Zhiyuan's prison in the seventh year of Wanli.

This confirmed it; historically, it was indeed Wang Zhiyuan who played the black hand.

Zhu Yijun's thoughts wandered randomly.

He Xinyin buried his head and said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Replying to Your Majesty, I was the first in the Jiangxi provincial examination in the twenty-fifth year of Jiajing, and I have the status of a Juren; I do not kneel except for great ceremonies."

Since his status had not been stripped, the status of a Juren naturally still counted.

Zhu Yijun laughed: "Didn't you just call yourself a commoner?"

He Xinyin was silent for a moment: "This commoner does not dare to be Your Majesty's student."

Zhu Yijun walked out from behind the imperial desk and paced down the imperial steps.

The "dare not" in He Xinyin's mouth was just not wanting to.

For He Xinyin, who believed that the Five Relationships were all "friends" and "the Emperor is just a profession," acknowledging the Emperor as a teacher and being lower than others was probably harder than losing his life.

Similarly, the new Four People Theory of "saints are everywhere on the street" and "different division of labor, everyone is equal" could not accept kneeling.

Therefore, He Xinyin called himself a commoner and brought out his Juren status to avoid kneeling, looking extremely awkward.

It was truly... good!

A trace of admiration rose in Zhu Yijun's heart.

Such advanced ideas truly didn't know how many years ahead they were.

It was no wonder that when he traveled the world to lecture, every time the streets were empty, whether it was Li Zhi or Wang Shizhen, they all viewed him as an idol, even court officials called him a strange person and highly praised him.

It could be said that in the world today, the first person who could resonate with Zhu Yijun spiritually was still him!

The Emperor's smile became even brighter.

He naturally wouldn't make things difficult for He Xinyin, just called for someone to bring a tea table, and asked straight to the point: "Then I don't know why Liang Zhugan keeps asking to see me? Is it not enough to insult me with posters, and you want to point at my nose and scold me again?"

After speaking, he sat down leisurely and reached out to signal for He Xinyin to be seated.

He Xinyin saw the Emperor's generosity and couldn't help but praise him secretly.

He bowed and sat down generously: "Replying to Your Majesty, this commoner truly has no intention of offending you."

"The posters were just taking the opportunity to remonstrate with Your Majesty, to correct oneself before correcting others; it was just regret that there was no way to heaven, so I took this desperate measure."

"My words were inappropriate, and this commoner is willing to accept punishment."

Zhu Yijun didn't answer, listening quietly to He Xinyin, pouring tea for himself, and moistening his somewhat thirsty throat.

"As for the reason for requesting to see Your Majesty..."

He Xinyin looked up at the Emperor and said seriously: "This commoner dares to ask Your Majesty, what is the true intention of the so-called imperial property disclosure?"

Speaking from the heart.

He used the imperial manor to admonish the Emperor, hoping at most that the Emperor would not be strict with others and lenient with himself—at most, it was just under the pressure of public opinion, letting the imperial manor take advantage of the wind of land measurement and slightly restrain itself.

He didn't expect the Emperor to make a big move, directly wanting to disclose his own property.

It was truly unexpected.

Then the key that made people scratch their hearts and heads came: what kind of thinking did the Emperor have to say such things?

Zhu Yijun took a sip of tea and put it down slowly.

He looked up and looked at He Xinyin with a strange gaze, his eyes deep: "Liang Zhugan, don't you think that in this world, only you and others are the saints who care about the world."

"The rest, including me, the Emperor, and even the civil and military officials, are all lone men who knock on bones to suck marrow and view the people as grass?"

The tone was slightly cold.

And facing the Emperor's naked pressure, He Xinyin also cautiously did not answer immediately.

A moment later, he met the Emperor's gaze, his expression serious and sincere: "Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking bluntly... isn't it?"

There was no extra sound in the hall for a while.

The breathing of the two could be heard clearly.

The silent gaze, tit-for-tat, neither shifted even a little bit.

The atmosphere gradually became scorched.

I don't know how long it had been, He Xinyin seemed a little tired, slightly lowering his eyelids.

He shrugged his nose, took a long breath, and said: "This commoner has experienced three dynasties, seeing the Shizong temple build high buildings, seeing the Muzong temple indulge in sensuality and feast guests, court officials helping the evildoers and doing nothing, the common people gradually withering and wailing everywhere."

"Even if Your Majesty has been in power for eight years, with civil and military achievements, and a holy name inside and outside the court, how much better have the days of the common people... I mean the real common people, been?"

"How does this commoner know if Your Majesty is just using the common people as a pretext to seize power?"

"Not only the Shizong temple, was Tang Xuanzong not a wise monarch at the beginning?"

Speaking to the end, He Xinyin couldn't help but sigh.

At the beginning of Tang Xuanzong's reign, he set things right, worked hard, and created the most prosperous world of the Great Tang. Who could not say he was a wise monarch?

What happened after he seized enough power?

Not to mention Duke Huan of Qi, Emperor Wu of Liang, and the Shizong of this dynasty, there are too many to count...

How many emperors can really have the common people in their hearts? Most of them are just shouting slogans loudly.

He Xinyin couldn't trust the creature called Emperor from the bottom of his heart.

But precisely because of this, he reacted so strongly after the Emperor proposed to disclose property, and had to see the Emperor.

He Xinyin looked tightly at the Emperor's eyes, sincere and moving, like weeping and complaining: "It is precisely because of Your Majesty's actions that this commoner saw a glimmer of hope that is not ordinary, so this commoner risked death to surrender and request to see Your Majesty."

"This commoner dares to ask, just want to see the shape of Your Majesty's innate conscience."

"Please fulfill this commoner."

After speaking, he stood up and avoided the seat, respectfully bowing to the Emperor.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 215 =====

(End of this chapter)