Chapter 61: 61. Chapter 61: Living in the Capital is Not Easy, the Mantis Shows its Arms

61. Chapter 61: Living in the Capital is Not Easy, the Mantis Shows its Arms

The third day of the eleventh month.

Due to the visits and lectures along the way, Li Zhi had delayed quite a bit of time, but he finally arrived in the capital within the deadline set by the Ministry of Personnel.

Bidding farewell to the students who insisted on seeing him off—one of the gains from lecturing along the way.

Li Zhi pulled the donkey cart alone toward the city gate.

The nine gates of the capital did not collect a head tax, but they still collected a commercial tax.

Li Zhi pulled the donkey cart given by the students into the city, with a pile of local specialties on the cart; the guards at the city gate insisted on searching.

Unfortunately, the guards encountered a tough nut; Li Zhi cited classics to refute the search request, saying: In the early years of Emperor Xiaozong, Censor Chen Yao said that the tax officials at the Chongwen Gate took extortion as their ability, which was not the national style. It was ordered that apart from guest goods, vehicles should not be searched or blocked.

Anyway, it was that during the Xiaozong years, there was an edict that apart from checking guest goods, vehicles should not be searched or blocked at will.

The tax officials at the city gate originally wanted to refute physically, but after searching out his documents for taking office at the Imperial Academy, they were persuaded by Li Zhi's reasoning, and finally, they were reasonable enough not to check the donkey cart and let him into the capital.

Li Zhi entered the city gate with his head held high.

Subsequently, after seeing that the price of houses in the capital had risen a little more, he became dejected.

This was the reason why he had dawdled for so long before coming to the capital.

Living in the capital is not easy.

Li Zhi truly didn't want to come to the capital, or rather, he had never had any interest in being an official.

He couldn't remember how he had been forced step by step to his current situation.

At the age of eight, a raging fire ignited in his heart, saying that he was stubborn and difficult to change, did not believe in learning, did not understand the Dao, did not believe in immortals or Buddhism, so he hated Daoists when he saw them, hated monks when he saw them, and especially hated Daoist scholars when he saw them.

At the age of twelve, his spirit was even stronger; an article "On Old Farmers and Old Gardeners" ridiculed Confucius.

At the age of fourteen, reading the "Book of Documents," he bluntly said that Zhu Xi's annotations were stinking and unbearable.

He had once thought that he was a person with extraordinary destiny, the protagonist of history, and that one day he would write books and establish theories, sooner or later leaving these so-called Sages behind.

Later, he discovered he was wrong.

It wasn't that he was inferior to these Sages, but that these so-called Sages had too many disciples.

So many that the entire world was filled with the rules and regulations of these Sages, making him struggle at every step.

The so-called "when one dog barks at Confucius, a hundred dogs follow" was not that he looked down on Confucius—he had no intention of disparaging a moral figure who had already passed away.

What he looked down on was not Confucius, but this group of wild dogs behind Kong Qiu!

At fifteen, for the child examination, he hypocritically contemplated the so-called Confucian classics, the Four Books and Five Classics.

At the age of seventeen, his father forced him to take the provincial examination, making him pick up the Neo-Confucian classics he had previously looked down on, Zhu Zi's "Commentaries."

At the age of twenty-one, Li Zhi watched helplessly as his new bride, Huang Shi, who had married into the family because of their poverty, had to help others with needlework, eating coarse grain and wild vegetables.

His wife, only fifteen years old, was diligent and virtuous, and as the eldest sister-in-law, she "treated her sisters-in-law like her own sisters, and raised the younger generation like her own children"; how could he bear to ask her to live in poverty and joy with him?

Finally, Li Zhi compromised on the matter of being an official.

Compromised to his father, compromised to his wife and children, and also compromised to the rules and regulations.

Fortunately, his talent was not bad; he obtained the degree of Recommended Man at twenty-six and went out to be an official at thirty.

Unfortunately, Li Zhi never dreamed that the so-called "making money fast by being an official" was that kind of way.

Colluding with the corrupt? Or staying untainted in the mud?

The young and vigorous Li Zhi chose moral integrity.

Regrettably, the salary of the Ming dynasty gave him a solid lesson.

He served as an Instructor in Hui County, Henan, a Doctor in the Nanjing Imperial Academy, and a Doctor in the Beijing Imperial Academy; he lived in poverty, and finally, when he was thirty-eight, his wife and daughter starved to death in Hui County...

Li Zhi looked at every brick and tile of the capital with a complex expression along the way.

After his wife died, he returned to the capital to serve in the Ministry of Rites, but because he had a conflict with his superior, he took the initiative to submit a memorial: "I am tired of the floating prosperity of the capital and beg to go to the remaining capital (Nanjing)."

At that time, he had secretly sworn that he would never return to this place of right and wrong.

As for why he was summoned back again... because the Emperor promised that he could "not be managed by others, have his salary doubled, and study with peace of mind."

Holding a hesitant attitude of wanting to believe but not fully believing, Li Zhi did not bring his family and rushed back to the capital alone.

The capital was still the same as in his memory, with heavy traffic and people rubbing shoulders.

Li Zhi walked along the side of the road, feeling a bit uncomfortable, to avoid encountering any unnecessary trouble.

He happened to see a noodle stall, with four simple tables placed on the side of the road, a sign erected with the word "Noodle" written on it, and a coal stove boiling noodle soup, bubbling and steaming, hooking Li Zhi's gluttony.

He thought about it, walked up, tied the donkey cart to a tree, and shouted to the side: "Shopkeeper, give me two liang of noodles!"

Li Zhi hadn't eaten yet today and was already hungry to the point of sticking to his back; it was just right to rest his feet.

Before long, the shopkeeper brought a bowl of noodles up.

"Guest, please take your time." The shopkeeper said, putting down the noodle bowl.

The shopkeeper was about to turn around to do other work when Li Zhi's face suddenly sank, and he grabbed him.

"Wait a moment!" Li Zhi picked up his chopsticks and picked up the noodles in the bowl, "Where is there two liang here!"

The shopkeeper was startled and hurriedly appeased him.

Lowering his voice, he begged: "This master, we are a small business, how would we short your weight? Besides, the guards come to check every few days; even if you gave me the courage, I wouldn't dare."

Li Zhi was used to poverty and was a serious person.

He knew about the "guards checking the scales" the shopkeeper mentioned; the Ling Shi Division of the Capital Commandery checked the weights and measures of the streets every three days and audited the prices of the brokers.

But he also knew that as long as these shopkeepers paid enough, they could let the guards close one eye and open one eye.

Li Zhi ignored these excuses and just kept pestering: "I'm just asking you, is there two liang of noodles!"

The shopkeeper begged repeatedly, but seeing that this person was unmoved, he finally let go: "Guest, how about this, I will compensate you with a steamed bun."

Only then did Li Zhi relax his expression and let go of the shopkeeper: "The steamed bun can only count as compensation for the short weight! I still have to deduct one cash from this bowl of noodles!"

The shopkeeper smiled bitterly, bowed, and turned to get the bun.

Only then did Li Zhi sit down and eat the noodles in big mouthfuls.

His eyes looked at the shopkeeper from time to time, guarding against him spitting in the bun, and his ears listened to other diners talking about the world.

"... With such talent, why not take the imperial examination, why hide in a small newspaper writing novels?"

"You know a fart, look at this setting, what Bi Ma Wen, isn't that the Imperial Horse Bureau? And these official jargon, in my opinion, it's mostly an old hand who retired from the officialdom."

"Nonsense! Is there empirical proof, just babbling here!?"

Li Zhi looked at the two heads squeezed together reading the new newspaper, and suddenly remembered that he had missed two issues of "Journey to the West."

It happened that the shopkeeper came up to deliver the steamed bun, and Li Zhi nudged his mouth at the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, do you have these two issues of the new newspaper?"

The shopkeeper wanted to decline, but was afraid that this guy would find trouble; after thinking about it, he turned and took two copies of the new newspaper.

When he handed it to the guest in front of him, he didn't forget to add a sentence: "Be careful not to break it."

Li Zhi waved his hand and took the newspaper in his hand.

He had originally planned to read the novel first and eat the noodles with gusto.

As a result, one glance, and he was attracted by the large print.

Li Zhi frowned and muttered to himself: "On Good and Evil... Learning... Attitude and Method? What a ghost name!"

In a critical attitude, Li Zhi put down "Journey to the West" and looked at this piece that seemed a bit disabled first.

Seeing the beginning... oh, it turned out to be the Emperor; he then remembered the Emperor's request for innate people before this.

It was no wonder; a ten-year-old boy was just at the time of doubt about good and evil; Li Zhi relaxed his tolerance for the level of speculation at this age.

Moreover, using innate people as empirical proof, no matter what, the thinking was still a bit novel.

Let him see what conclusion was reached?

When he saw the Emperor making a rash judgment, he shook his head again.

A mere one person, how could one make a conclusion?

Just as he was about to criticize, seeing the last sentence, he raised his eyebrows again.

This little Emperor seemed to have good potential.

Li Zhi didn't go to read the novel first, but looked at the next issue of the new newspaper. After all, there had never been a newspaper before, and the Emperor's discussion on classics was something anyone would be curious about, wanting to see the follow-up.

But the next issue was even more unexpected to Li Zhi.

It was said that on the twenty-ninth of last month, the Emperor announced the establishment of a new academy, specifically for the purpose of seeking empirical proof.

On the thirtieth, the Emperor issued an edict, asking "how to obtain empirical proof, how to confirm the authenticity of empirical proof," and those who had something to say could hold a position in the new academy, be granted official status, and receive a monthly salary of ten taels.

The common people and students heard the news and discussed it one after another.

On the second day of the eleventh month, which was yesterday, the traveling merchant Cheng Dawei revealed the list, pointing out the omissions in the Emperor's memorial on the empirical proof of good and evil.

He said that the theory of good and evil, a mere one example is not enough to determine proof, or there should be ten examples, a hundred examples, all of which are like this, before it can be called empirical proof.

At the same time, since this person has been chaotic until now, how can he only let the inner officials guide him to good?

There should also be another person guided to evil, and only by comparing the two can it be proven.

The Emperor heard this, took the initiative to summon Cheng Dawei, admitted his own shortcomings face-to-face, and praised: "This is the confusion-resolving I want."

The two talked happily, and then customized it together, provisionally deciding the research method of the theory of good and evil as the "experimental method."

And according to Cheng Dawei's words, what is obtained by the experimental method must have characteristics that can be repeatedly realized, otherwise it cannot be called empirical proof.

Furthermore, the experimental method should have a comparison, one positive and one negative, just like yin and yang, otherwise it can only be called one-sided empirical proof, and it is not taken.

And he granted Cheng Dawei the status of guest lecturer at the new academy, with a monthly salary of ten taels, without having to sit for duty.

After Li Zhi finished reading, he skipped all the discussions in this part, his eyes nailed to "holding a position" and "monthly salary of ten taels."

He summoned the shopkeeper and asked: "Shopkeeper, where is this new academy built?"

He had to go and see if he could hold a concurrent position with his official status.

At the same time, Qianqing Palace.

His Majesty the Emperor slept in today and didn't get up until the sky was bright.

Today, the late Emperor's original Empress Dowager was moved into the late Emperor's mausoleum to be buried with him.

It was a major sacrificial event, and it was appropriate to stop studies for one day.

Then Zhu Yijun ordered the Imperial Son-in-Law Xu Congcheng to sacrifice on behalf of the Emperor, and he himself hid for a lazy day.

Government affairs were handed over to the Cabinet, and Lianghuai's affairs were entrusted to Hai Rui; Zhu Yijun finally had nothing urgent to handle.

Next, intervening in the Capital Battalion could be done slowly; in his memory, Gu Huan should have died quite late.

Zhu Yijun stretched and called the palace servants to change his clothes.

Thinking about whether to go to the drill ground later or go to the Ministry of Works to ask Zhu Heng about the big ship.

Just at this time, Zhang Hong entered the hall with a nervous expression.

He even took the initiative to take over the work of changing clothes and took it upon himself to drive away the palace servants.

Without waiting for Zhu Yijun to ask, he whispered: "Master, the Ciqing Palace caught fire last night."

Zhu Yijun suddenly woke up: "Is the Empress Dowager hurt?"

His first reaction was to ask about Empress Dowager Chen's safety.

If an Empress Dowager were burned to death at this time, the impact would be too bad.

Zhang Hong hurriedly said: "The fire was controlled on the spot, only a few eunuchs and palace maids were hurt, and the Empress Dowager is safe and sound."

"Afterward, the Empress Dowager ordered this servant to detain everyone in the Ciqing Palace and personally interrogate them one by one."

"This servant originally wanted to send someone to the Qianqing Palace to report to Your Majesty, but the Empress Dowager suspected that this servant wanted to send people away, so she detained this servant as well."

Zhang Hong explained the reason in a few words and specifically pointed out why he didn't report it the first time.

In that situation, if he insisted on letting people leave, he was afraid it would make Empress Dowager Chen suspect the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun breathed a sigh of relief; as long as Empress Dowager Chen was fine.

He spread his arms, let Zhang Hong dress him, and asked with a serious expression: "Is the fire normal?"

If it was just knocking over a candle, that was one thing; he was just afraid that someone was courting death.

Zhang Hong hesitated for a moment and weighed his words: "The fire started a bit fast, but it wasn't too obvious."

Zhu Yijun's face was gloomy, and he didn't speak.

If it was man-made, who could have done it? The Nanzhili regional clique? Lianghuai's claws? Or the Jin clique? Those who rejected the new laws?

And what was the purpose? Was it a demonstration? Or alienation? Or did they want to dump shit on him?

Zhu Yijun waited until he was dressed before saying in a deep voice: "Let's go, go to the Ciqing Palace."

After saying this, he flicked his wide sleeves and strode out, inadvertently revealing the urgency in his heart.

Zhang Hong hurriedly followed.

They walked in silence and soon arrived at the Ciqing Palace.

Zhu Yijun stood outside the Ciqing Palace and felt a smell of burning, rushing toward him.

While slowing his pace, he asked: "Is the Empress Dowager in the bedroom?"

Zhang Hong hurriedly said: "The Empress Dowager is in the warm pavilion."

It was normal not to dare to stay in the bedroom after a fire started; Zhu Yijun nodded, stepped into the Ciqing Palace, and went straight to the warm pavilion.

As soon as he entered the warm pavilion, he saw Empress Dowager Chen sitting on a chair, supporting her cheek with her hand, tilting her head to rest.

Hearing someone enter, she suddenly sat up straight and opened her eyes.

Seeing that it was the Emperor who entered, she relaxed slightly.

"Your child pays respects to the Empress Dowager." Zhu Yijun saluted.

Empress Dowager Chen rubbed her temples: "Temporarily safe, but not necessarily in the future."

Zhu Yijun heard the resentment in the Empress Dowager's words.

He hurriedly got up and walked over, rubbing Empress Dowager Chen's temples, saying: "Has the Empress Dowager interrogated anything?"

Empress Dowager Chen said helplessly: "Carelessly knocked over a candle."

Zhu Yijun pursued: "Really?"

Empress Dowager Chen sighed and said nothing.

Zhu Yijun was silent.

This meant she hadn't interrogated anything, but she couldn't tell the outside world that someone had deliberately set fire, but she didn't know who.

Damaging the dignity of the Imperial Family was secondary; the important thing was that it was easy to cause suspicion between the inside and the outside.

Zhu Yijun said carefully: "Does the Empress Dowager have any clues?"

Empress Dowager Chen looked at him strangely and said: "I should ask Your Majesty this; has Your Majesty been causing trouble recently?"

Palace fires were actually a very common thing and often had traces to follow.

In Empress Dowager Chen's memory, during the two years when the late Emperor supported opening the sea, there were often fires in the palace.

Now that she was isolated from the inside and outside by the Emperor, she didn't know if there was any major event in the outer court, but... judging from the fact that the Cabinet insisted on seeing her after Gao Gong left the capital last time, the outer court probably didn't guess the relationship between mother and son in a good direction; if she had been burned to death in the palace last night, the Emperor would definitely have had a big trouble.

Therefore, rather than saying it was aimed at her, it was better to say it was trouble caused by the Emperor.

Just at this time, Li Jin walked in from outside the warm pavilion: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, the court officials heard that the Ciqing Palace caught fire and specially sent people to express their condolences."

Zhu Yijun's eyes flashed, and he clicked his tongue: "Such fast news!"

He stopped rubbing and said to Empress Dowager Chen: "Empress Dowager, let your child handle it."

There is another chapter, either around 10 o'clock or tomorrow.

There are some things at work, and I will do a performance report + update task on the weekend.

Note 1: In the tenth month of the sixth year of Longqing, Gengwu, fire in the rear west connecting room of the Ciqing Palace; the Cabinet, the Ministry, and the various officials of the daily lectures expressed their condolences, all reported and heard. ===== CHAPTER 62 =====