The rainbow light of the rising sun in the sky is like red-gold silk, billowing and fluttering in the wind.
In the imperial palace in Beijing, there were green bricks and yellow tiles, pavilions and covered bridges, and three-story pavilions with cornices. Zhu Gaojiu took a sip of tea and looked at Su Wu who was sitting opposite him with a smile: "How about this tea? It's the best in Sichuan."
Mengding Manna is the best product that was just sent as tribute from Sichuan, but I don’t even have much of it in my collection.”
Su Wu took a sip and couldn't help but admired: "It's slender and curly. The color of the tea soup is green and bright, with pekoe floating on the soup. The tea is fragrant, and the mouth is fresh and sweet. It is indeed a rare good tea."
After he returned to Beijing after serving as the chief envoy of Goryeo Province and became famous, he was immediately mentioned to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to fill the vacant position of Zuo Du Censor. Zuo Du Censor, a second-rank official, was in charge of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and was honored as
"General Constitution".
Su Wu was very young and had a humerus in the East Palace. There were rumors among the capital that he would be promoted from "Su Zongxian" to "Su Xiang" in less than ten years.
The two principals and ministers had not seen each other for a long time and had a very pleasant conversation.
Su Wu saw a young man standing behind the Crown Prince. He had a handsome appearance, bright eyes and white teeth, and had the demeanor of a civil servant, which attracted people to take a second look.
He asked with some confusion: "Who is this?"
Zhu Gaojie said: "Yu Qian, the master of ceremony arranged by the old man for me."
Su Wu said in surprise: "That's quite young."
Although Zuo Chunfang Master of Ceremonies is just an attendant who follows the prince, this job is not that easy to do. It has extremely high requirements for those who hold the position. Most of them are held by famous scholars who specialize in academics. Generally speaking, they are of a certain age.
It will be less than forty.
And this Yu Qian doesn't look even twenty years old.
Zhu Gaojie smiled and said: "How old are you this year? Are you twenty? Aren't you already serving as the censor of Zuodu? Has there ever been a twenty-year-old censor of Zuodu in the past dynasties?"
Su Wu said cheerfully: "That's true. Your Highness is right. Officials do not look at qualifications but only ability. Our Ming Dynasty is still a young dynasty, and officials should also be young people. It just seems that our Ming Dynasty is full of vigor and vitality."
"Haha, good boy, why have you become so glib now?"
Yu Qian sighed, with a little melancholy in his voice.
He originally thought that this famous crown prince would be as elegant and knowledgeable as Prince Yiwen. However, during the two days he followed Zhu Gaojie, he failed to see that the crown prince had any real abilities. He was not in Wenzhou every day.
Working as an overseer in the palace means wandering around the palace drinking tea and chatting with some princeling officials for fun.
This was so different from the wise master he expected, and it made Yu Qian feel like he hated iron.
Is this the prince of the Ming Dynasty?
What a disappointment!
Zhu Gaojie glanced at it, noticed the subtle expression on Yu Qian's face, and smiled: "Yu Qian, do you have something to say?"
Yu Qian's eyes calmed and he said, "No."
"If you have something to say, you can say it directly. There is no need to hide it and keep it in your heart. In the end, you will still feel uncomfortable."
Zhu Gaojie held the tea cup and said, "I allow you to speak freely without guilt."
Yu Qian hesitated and asked, "Seriously?"
Zhu Gaojie smiled: "No one in the world knows that I, Zhu Gaojie, always keep my promises and stick to my word."
"In this case, I will venture to say a few words."
Yu Qian straightened his back and said solemnly, "I thought that His Highness is the prince and the heir apparent, and he is located in the East Palace. Every move he makes should exemplify the majesty of the Ming Dynasty. But from what I have observed in the past few days, His Highness's behavior can be called debauched!
"
With such unabashed and sharp words, Yu Qian almost pointed at the tip of Zhu Gaojie's nose and cursed him as a mediocre person.
Su Wu was dumbfounded. He wondered if this young man named Yu was going to die. How dare he talk to His Highness like this?
Even he, who was far away in Koryo Province, had heard that his Royal Highness was in the Southwest Fire Company and annihilated more than 100,000 rebels without leaving a single prisoner behind. This shows how cruel his methods were.
Faced with Qian's aggressive accusation, Zhu Gaojie did not show any emotion. He still held the teacup unhurriedly and flicked the clear tea soup with the tea lid.
He asked calmly: "Yu Qian, aren't you afraid of death?"
"If you speak frankly, why should you be afraid?"
Yu Qian said calmly, "Besides, His Highness has just said that he allows me to speak freely without guilt. Is it possible that His Highness wants to regret it?"
"That's not the case."
Zhu Gaojie was finally willing to put down the tea cup and raised the corner of his mouth, "I heard that you are particularly good at poetry?"
"Have a brief understanding of it."
Although he spoke modestly, Yu Qian's tone was quite arrogant when he spoke, which shows how confident he is in his talent in this area.
Zhu Gaojie said with a smile: "What a coincidence, I am also good at attributes and poetry. I have nothing to do today. Let's compare the two of us?"
Yu Qian was a little surprised: "Is your highness serious?"
Although he had heard that this prince had outstanding achievements in governing the country and leading troops, he had never heard that this prince had the ability to recite poems and compose poems.
Zhu Gaojie nodded slightly and said, "Of course I am serious."
Yu Qian asked enthusiastically: "What do you want to compete with, Your Highness?"
"How about using the title as the word?"
"Very good, what's the question?"
Zhu Gaojie looked around, and finally fixed his gaze on the bamboo forest near the pavilion. The breeze was blowing, and the bamboo forest was green and firm, and the branches and leaves were slightly swaying.
He asked: "The title is the Four Gentlemen of Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum. What do you think?"
Yu Qian thought to himself: "Plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums are proud, quiet, strong and light. They occupy all spring, summer, autumn and winter. They suit my heart perfectly."
Zhu Gaojie smiled and stretched out his hand to signal: "Okay, Brother Yu, please go first."
Yu Qian nodded and said: "Brother Zhu is like this, so I won't be polite."
When Su Wu heard this "Brother Zhu", he was almost shocked and knelt down to the young man named Yu on the spot.
You are so brave!
When Yu Qian accused Zhu Gaojie just now, Su Wu thought that the boy named Yu was a stupid and sour rotten scholar. But now the words "Brother Zhu" made him completely change his view of Qian.
Just saying "Brother Zhu" was enough for Yu Qian's family to be killed at Caishikou for seven days!
This brother is simply audacious and does whatever he wants!
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Hearing the word "Brother Zhu", Zhu Gaojie's face did not change much. He still had a slight smile and was calm and calm.
Yu Qian didn't think that much. He thought hard for a long time and pondered:
"The rain is still pouring on my clothes, and I can see the mountains beyond the mountains.
Immediately stand on the plain to see the autumn colors, and only pity the cold chrysanthemums for their fading beauty."
Good poetry, indeed good poetry.
Yu Qian is indeed extremely talented at reciting poems and composing poems, and he blurts out a poem with gorgeous rhetoric.
It's a pity that Zhu Gaojie still has the ultimate ultimate move in his hand.
Yu Qian raised his hand and said, "I have given up. Your Highness, please go ahead."
Having said this, he paused and said with a smile, "If Your Highness can't do it, just admit defeat. It's not shabby."
Zhu Gaojie smiled and pretended to think for a moment before speaking slowly:
"Stand firmly on the green hills and never let go; your roots are still in the broken rocks.
Even though you have endured countless blows, you are still strong, no matter how strong the wind is from east to west, north or south!"
The smile on Yu Qian's face froze. He couldn't turn his head for a while. He pondered for a long time and murmured: "Let the east, west, north and south wind, good, good, good, good, let the east, west, north and south wind..."
What he has always admired is the integrity of a gentleman, and this poem undoubtedly demonstrates the integrity to the fullest, with boldness and uprightness.
As soon as this poem comes out, the winner is clear.
Su Wu on the side couldn't help but clapped his hands and applauded: "What a poem, what a spirit, your highness is a great talent!"
Zhu Gaojie just smiled and said nothing.
I don’t know if Mr. Zheng Banqiao hundreds of years later will sigh with emotion, "Since he has given birth to his master, how can he give birth to Zheng?" and live in the shadow of Zhu Gaojie.
Charlotte can copy Jay Chou's songs, but I, Zhu Gaojie, can copy Zheng Banqiao's poems. This is very reasonable.
When Yu Qian changed from his normal state, he couldn't help but stand in awe, and cupped his hands and said: "Your Highness, I have lost. If you want to kill or behead me, Your Highness will make your own decision. I have nothing to say."
"What I'm going to do to kill you has been agreed upon in advance. You and I are just reciting poems and playing with each other for free, and we didn't make any bet in advance."
Zhu Gaojie waved his hand and said, "But I am very popular in poetry today. I can't express my feelings in one poem, but I have brewed one."
Yu Qian's eyes lit up and he was overjoyed: "I would also like to ask Your Highness to recite one or two words to open my eyes."
This song "Let the wind blow from east to west, from north to south" completely convinced him.
Now I heard that the prince had another poem, which made him very happy because he liked to recite poetry and wanted to hear what other masterpieces Zhu Gaojie could come up with.
Su Wu said with a smile: "Your Highness, please don't be stingy and show your talents so that I can see them."
"If that's the case, then I'm going to be a bit elegant today."
Zhu Gaojie said, "This second poem is also about bamboo."
Yu Qian nodded quickly: "It's good to chant bamboo, sifting the wind and making moon, living a free and unrestrained life, being elegant and indifferent, you are a humble gentleman."
Seeing this, Zhu Gaojie stopped showing off, thought for a moment, and said:
“Bamboo is like a hypocrite, strong on the outside but empty on the inside. When in groups it can block the sun, but when alone it can block the wind.
The roots are thin and good at drilling holes, and the waist is soft and bowed. Many literati love this, and the breath is the same."
The smile on Yu Qian's face gradually faded, but Su Wu couldn't help but laugh.
"Disgraceful to politeness!"
Yu Qian rolled his sleeves and said angrily.
Compared with the previous song that praised bamboo, this one is too pungent and biting.
Bamboo is like those hypocrites. From the outside, they look so prestigious and proud of their achievements, but in fact they have no real qualities.
When they are united in spirit, they can block out the sky and cover up the truth, but they cannot withstand the test when examined alone.
Bamboo's roots are fine and good at being rooted down steadily, and its waist is gentle and accustomed to bowing to others. Those literati who like bamboo may have the same integrity as those bamboos.
People usually like to chant bamboo to show their integrity, but this poem of mocking bamboo undoubtedly shreds the treacherous face of the literati.
Yu Qian was angry because he respected the integrity of a scholar the most.
Su Wu laughed because he looked down upon the literati the most.
He was the Juren in the ninth year of Yongle. He was an extremely young Juren. If nothing unexpected happened, he could easily become a Jinshi and enter the court as an official.
However, Su Wu did not continue to take the imperial examination, but said that "the examination is like an orange, sour and hard."
In his eyes, when you read the book of sages to the end, what you read is not a saint, but a rotten scholar whose thinking is imprisoned.
Yu Qian gritted his teeth angrily, wanting to say something but couldn't, so he turned around and left in a puff of his sleeves.
Zhu Gaojie and Su Wu looked at each other and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
…
After laughing for a long time, Su Wu just picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and asked: "Your Highness, is it too bad to tease such a boy?"
Zhu Gaojie did not answer the question, but asked: "What do you think of this boy named Yu?"
Su Wu shook his head and said: "He is not a rotten scholar with a sour temper. He has a spiritual charm, but he is too ignorant of current affairs and too arrogant. With his temper, he has narrowed his own path."
Zhu Gaojie waved his hand: "How can you only judge a person by his character? If he has no real ability, he dares to be so crazy in front of me. Do you think I can let him go? Do you really think that I am some kind-hearted living Bodhisattva?"
Su Wu sighed: "This is a fierce horse, and it is difficult to control. If I were to use him, I would have to suppress him for three to five years to sharpen the edges of his violent spirit. When it is almost polished, I will use it again."
Take it out and see the results, use it if you can, and throw it away if you don't."
"At the beginning, I thought the same as you. To deal with such a fierce horse, you must first suppress his anger and then slowly tame him. But after seeing him, I didn't think so."
"Then what does His Highness think now?"
Zhu Gaojie crossed his fingers and saw General Su moving his face towards him, and then said mysteriously in his ear:
"I won't tell you."
Su Wu was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Although the prince didn't say anything, he already had a premonition.
Yu Qian, who was targeted by Zhu Gaojie, is now more like a sheep bitten by a wolf.
…
On the way back, Yu Qian became more and more angry as he thought about it.
"It's an insult to elegance, it's an insult to elegance, how did he write such a poem!"
As he spoke, he couldn't help laughing.
"It seems that what he said is not unreasonable. Bamboo is like a hypocrite, but it is strong on the outside but hollow in the middle. Groups can block the sun, and independence can't stop the wind. The more I think about it, the more it seems to be realistic... Ahem, how could I think so?
, the prince mistook me."
Quietly, even Yu Qian himself did not realize that his thinking, which had been solidified by Confucian culture in the past eighteen years, had changed invisibly because of Zhu Gaojie's poem about bamboo.
…
[Choose to simulate random clips about Zhu Gaojie...]
[The current perspective is: Zhu Gaojie’s identity as emperor]
[Time: Hengjing 40th year, June.]
When Zhu Di saw this time period, a big question mark appeared on his head.
He knew that Zhu Gaojie was very capable, but was it a bit too much to rule for forty years?
Among the emperors simulated by Zhu Di, there are only two people who can compare with Zhu Gaojie's reign. One is the Wanli Emperor Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun, who reigned for forty-eight years, and the other is the Jiajing Emperor Ming Shizong Zhu Houcong, who reigned for forty-five years.
But if we talk about the reigning emperor who actually held power, there was only Emperor Jiajing. In the first ten years of Emperor Wanli's reign, due to the young age of the emperor, the queen mother took charge of the affairs, and the queen mother handed over the military and political power to Zhang Juzheng to manage it on his behalf.
However, these two emperors have been in power for a long time, which is not a good thing for the Ming Dynasty.
Jiajing reigned for forty-five years, almost destroying the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Wanli, who reigned for forty-eight years, dragged the Ming Dynasty directly into the coffin board, leaving a devastated world in the wind and rain for future generations.
The shaky empire.
Except for Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di, very few of the wise rulers of the Ming Dynasty lived beyond the age of forty.