Chapter 61: Living in Beijing is not easy, the mantis shows its arms

November rd.

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

He said goodbye to the students who insisted on seeing him off - one of the benefits of giving lectures along the way.

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

The Nine Gates Tax in the capital does not collect head tax, but still collects business tax.

Li Zhi drove the donkey cart given by the students into the city. There was a pile of local specialties on the cart. Several guards at the city gate insisted on checking.

Unfortunately, the police encountered a tough opponent, and Li Zhi rejected the request for inspection by citing classics, saying: At the beginning of Emperor Xiaozong's reign, the censor Chen Yao said that the tax officials in Chongwen Gate were good at extortion, which was not in line with the state. So he ordered that except for passengers and goods, no vehicles should be searched or stopped.

Anyway, during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong, there was an imperial decree that, except for checking passengers and cargo, vehicles should not be searched or stopped at will.

The tax officer at the city gate wanted to refute him physically, but after finding the documents proving that he was taking up the post at the Imperial College, he was convinced by Li Zhi's reasoning. Finally, he was reasonable and did not check the donkey cart, and let him enter the capital.

Li Zhi walked into the city gate with his head held high.

Then, after seeing that the house prices in the capital had risen a little, he became dejected.

This is why he took so long to come to the capital.

Living in the capital is not easy.

Li Zhi really didn't want to come to the capital. It could even be said that he had never had any interest in being an official.

He no longer remembered how he was forced into this situation step by step.

When he was eight years old, a raging fire was burning in his heart. He said that he was stubborn and hard to change. He did not believe in learning, Taoism, immortality, or Buddhism. Therefore, he hated seeing Taoists, monks, and especially Taoist scholars.

When he was twelve years old, he was even more arrogant and wrote an article entitled "On the Old Farmer and the Old Gardener" in which he mocked Confucius.

When he was fourteen, he read the Book of Documents and said that Zhu Xi's annotations were terrible.

He once thought that he was a man of extraordinary destiny and the protagonist of history. He would write books and articles in the future and sooner or later leave these so-called saints behind.

Later, he found out that he was wrong.

The fault is not that he is not as good as these saints, but that these so-called saints have too many disciples.

So much so that the whole world is filled with the rules and regulations of these saints, making it difficult for him to take a single step.

The saying "When Confucius barks, all other dogs follow him" does not mean that he looks down on Confucius - a moral figure who has passed away, and he has no intention of disparaging him.

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

At the age of fifteen, in order to prepare for the child examination, he conscientiously studied the so-called Confucian classics, the Four Books and the Five Classics.

When he was seventeen, his father forced him to take the provincial examination and asked him to pick up the commentary on Zhu Xi's "Chuan" (Commentary on the Classic of Neo-Confucianism), a Neo-Confucian classic that he had previously despised.

At the age of 21, Li Zhi watched helplessly as his new bride, Huang, had to do needlework for others and eat coarse grains and wild vegetables because of his family's financial difficulties.

His wife, who was only fifteen years old, was hardworking and virtuous. As the eldest sister-in-law, she "treated the sisters-in-law as her own siblings and raised the servants as her own children." How could he bear to ask her to live in poverty with him?
Finally, Li Zhi compromised on the issue of being an official.

Compromise with your father, compromise with your wife and children, and compromise with rules and regulations.

Fortunately, he had good talent. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 26 and became an official at the age of 30.

However, Li Zhi never dreamed that the so-called quick way to make money as an official was what it was like.

Go along with the crowd? Or stay clean in the mud?
The young and energetic Li Zhi chose moral integrity.

Unfortunately, the salary of the Ming Dynasty taught him a hard lesson.

He served successively as a teacher in Huixian County, Henan Province, a doctor in the Imperial College of Nanjing, and a doctor in the Imperial College of Beijing. He lived a very poor life. Finally, when he was 38 years old, his wife and daughter starved to death in Huixian County...

Along the way, Li Zhi looked at every brick and tile of the capital with a complicated expression.

After his wife died, he returned to the capital to serve as an official in the Ministry of Rites. However, due to conflicts with his superiors, he took the initiative to submit a memorial stating that he was "tired of the busy life in the capital and begged to stay in the capital."

At that time, he secretly swore that he would never return to this place of trouble.

As for why he was called back... it was because the emperor promised that he could "not be supervised by anyone, his salary would be doubled, and he could concentrate on his studies."

With a conflicted mentality of wanting to believe it but not completely believing it, Li Zhi rushed back to the capital alone without taking his family with him.

The capital city was just as he remembered, with heavy traffic and crowds of people.

Li Zhi walked by the roadside somewhat uncomfortably to avoid any unnecessary trouble.

He happened to see a noodle stall with four simple tables on the roadside and a sign that read "Noodles". Noodle soup was cooking on a coal stove, bubbling with steam, which aroused Li Zhi's appetite.

He thought for a moment, then walked over, tied the donkey cart to the tree, and shouted, "Shopkeeper, give me two taels of noodles!"

Li Zhi hadn't eaten yet today and was already choking with hunger, so it was a good opportunity for him to take a break.

Soon, the shop owner brought the bowl of noodles.

"Enjoy your meal, sir," said the shopkeeper, putting down the bowl.

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

"Wait a minute!" Li Zhi picked up the chopsticks and picked up the noodles in the bowl, "You don't have two taels!"

The shopkeeper was startled and quickly tried to comfort him.

He lowered his voice and begged for mercy: "Sir, we are a small business, how can we shortchange you? Besides, the police come to check every now and then, I wouldn't dare to do it even if I had the guts."

Li Zhi was used to living in poverty and was a very serious person.

He knew that the "officers checking the scales" mentioned by the shopkeepers meant the military commander in Beijing, who would inspect the measurements and weights of the streets and check the prices of goods every three days.

But he also knew that as long as these shop owners paid their share, the officers would turn a blind eye.

Li Zhi ignored these excuses and insisted, "I just want to ask you if you have two taels of silver!"

The shopkeeper begged for mercy again and again, but seeing that the man in front of him was indifferent, he finally gave in and said, "Sir, let me make up for it with a steamed bun."

Li Zhi then relaxed his expression and let go of the shopkeeper: "The pancakes can only be considered as short-changed compensation! For this bowl of noodles, I still have to give you a penny less!"

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

Only then did Li Zhi sit down leisurely and start eating noodles with big mouthfuls.

He kept looking at the shop owner from time to time, to prevent him from spitting into the pancake, and listened to other diners' conversations.

"...With such talent, why don't you take the imperial examinations and stay in tabloids writing novels?"

"You know nothing. Look at the setting. What is Bi Ma Wen? Isn't it the Imperial Horse Supervisor? And these official jargons, in my opinion, are mostly from some retired veterans."

"Nonsense! Do you have any evidence? Why are you just talking nonsense here!?"

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

Just then, the shopkeeper came up to deliver a steamed bun. Li Zhi pointed to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, do you have the new newspapers in the past two issues?"

The shopkeeper wanted to decline politely, but was afraid that this guy would cause trouble, so after thinking it over, he turned around and took two new newspapers.

When handing it to the customer, he reminded him: "Be careful not to break it."

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

I originally planned to read a novel first and then enjoy the noodles.

As a result, I took a quick glance and was attracted by the large characters.

Li Zhi frowned and muttered to himself: "From the theory of good and evil...learning...attitude and method? What a stupid name!"

With a critical attitude, Li Zhi put down Journey to the West and first read this seemingly disabled work.

Seeing the beginning... Oh, it turned out to be the emperor. Then he remembered that before, the emperor asked for the innate person.

It is no wonder that, as a ten-year-old boy is just beginning to have doubts about good and evil, Li Zhi relaxed his tolerance for the level of thinking of children at this age.

Moreover, using innate people as evidence is, after all, a somewhat novel idea.

Let him see what conclusion he has reached.
When he saw the emperor making a rash judgment, he shook his head again.

How can a mere person make a conclusion?
Just as he was about to complain in his heart, he raised his eyebrows again when he saw the last sentence.

This little emperor seems to have good potential.

Li Zhi did not read the novel immediately, but turned to the next issue of Xin Bao. After all, there had never been a newspaper that published the emperor's discussion of classics before, and everyone would be curious and want to see the follow-up.

But the next episode surprised Li Zhi even more.

That is to say, the Emperor announced the establishment of a new institution of higher learning on the 29th of last month, specifically for the purpose of seeking evidence.

On the 30th, the emperor issued an edict, asking "how to obtain clear evidence and how to confirm the authenticity of clear evidence." Those who can provide meaningful answers can be appointed to a position in the new school, granted an official status, and receive a monthly salary of ten taels.

Upon hearing the news, the common people and the students in the Imperial Academy vied with each other to discuss the matter.

On November 2, which was yesterday, the traveling merchant Cheng Dawei unveiled the notice, pointing out to his face the omissions in the Emperor's clear evidence of the theory of good and evil.

It is said that when it comes to the discussion of good and evil, a single example is not enough to prove it. Only when there are ten or a hundred examples, all of which are like this, can it be called clear evidence.

At the same time, since he is still in a state of confusion, how can he be led to good by the eunuchs alone?
There should also be another person who leads the person to evil, and then the two can be compared to prove it.

Upon hearing this, the emperor summoned Cheng Dawei on his own initiative, admitted his shortcomings to his face, and praised him, saying, "This is exactly the solution I want."

The two had a very pleasant discussion, and then they agreed together to tentatively call the research method of the theory of good and evil the "experimental method."

According to Cheng Dawei, the results obtained by the experimental method must have characteristics that can be repeated, otherwise it cannot be called clear evidence.

Furthermore, the experimental method should have a contrast, one positive and one negative, just like one yin and one yang. Otherwise it can only be regarded as one-sided evidence and is not acceptable.

Cheng Dawei was also granted the status of visiting instructor of the new school, with a monthly salary of ten taels, without having to work in the office.

After reading it, Li Zhi skipped over this part of the discussion and stared at the "secondment" and "monthly salary of ten taels".

He called the shopkeeper over and asked, "Shopkeeper, where is this new school built?"

I have to see for myself whether I can hold both positions while I am an official.

……

At the same time, Qianqing Palace.

His Majesty the Emperor slept in today and got up only at dawn.

Today, the Empress Dowager, the former wife of the late emperor, was moved into the late emperor's mausoleum and buried with him.

For important sacrificial ceremonies, one should drop out of school for one day.

Zhu Yijun then ordered the son-in-law Duwei Xu Congcheng to offer sacrifices on the emperor's behalf, while he himself took the initiative to do the sacrifice.

State affairs were handed over to the cabinet, and the affairs of Lianghuai were entrusted to Hai Rui. Zhu Yijun finally had nothing urgent to do.

He could take his time to intervene in the Beijing camp next. As far as he remembered, Gu Huan should have died quite late.

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

I was thinking whether to go to the parade ground later or go to the Ministry of Works to ask about Zhu Heng's ship.

Just at this moment, Zhang Hong walked into the hall with a nervous look on his face.

He even took the initiative to take over the job of changing clothes and drove away the palace maids on his own initiative.

Without waiting for Zhu Yijun to ask, he whispered, "Sir, there was a fire in Ciqing Palace last night."

Zhu Yijun suddenly came to his senses: "Is the Queen Mother injured?"

His first reaction was to ask about the safety of Empress Dowager Chen.

If the empress dowager was burned to death at this time, the impact would be extremely terrible.

Zhang Hong said quickly: "The fire was brought under control on the spot. Only a few eunuchs and palace maids were injured. The Queen Mother is safe and sound."

"Then the Queen Mother ordered me to arrest everyone in Ciqing Palace and interrogate them personally one by one."

"I wanted to send someone to the Qianqing Palace to report to Your Majesty, but the Queen Mother suspected that I was sending someone away, so I was stopped."

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

In that situation, if he insisted on letting people leave, it would probably make Empress Dowager Chen suspicious of the emperor.

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

He spread his arms and let Zhang Hong put them on for him, then asked seriously, "Is the fire normal?"

It would be fine if something knocked over the candle flame, but I'm just afraid that someone is trying to kill themselves.

Zhang Hong hesitated for a moment and said, "The fire started a little quickly, but it's not too obvious."

Zhu Yijun had a gloomy expression and did not speak.

If it was man-made, who could have done it? The Nanzhili Township Party? The minions of Lianghuai? Or the Jin Party? Those who rejected the new law?

What is the purpose? Is it to demonstrate? To alienate? Or to blame him?
After Zhu Yijun and the others were dressed, he said in a deep voice, "Let's go to Ciqing Palace."

After saying this, he shook his wide sleeves and walked out with big strides, inadvertently revealing his anxiety.

Zhang Hong hurried to follow.

The group walked in silence all the way and soon arrived at Ciqing Palace.

When Zhu Yijun was standing outside Ciqing Palace, he smelled a burning smell coming towards him.

He slowed down his pace and asked, "Is the Queen Mother in the bedroom?"

Zhang Hong hurriedly said, "The Queen Mother is in the warm room."

It was normal that he didn't dare to stay in the bedroom since the fire had just started. Zhu Yijun nodded, stepped into Ciqing Palace and went straight to the warm room.

As soon as I entered the warm room, I saw Empress Dowager Chen sitting on a chair, supporting her cheek with her hand and resting with her head tilted.

Hearing someone come in, he suddenly sat up straight and opened his eyes.

Only when he saw that it was the emperor coming in did he relax a little.

"I pay my respects to my mother." Zhu Yijun bowed.

Empress Dowager Chen rubbed her brows and said, "I hope you will be well for now, but I may not be sure about that in the future."

Zhu Yijun heard the resentment in the queen mother's voice.

He hurriedly stood up and walked over to rub Queen Mother Chen's temples, saying, "Did Queen Mother find out anything during the interrogation?"

Empress Dowager Chen said helplessly: "I accidentally knocked over the candle."

Zhu Yijun asked: "Is it true?"

Empress Dowager Chen sighed without saying anything.

Zhu Yijun remained silent.

This is what it means that the truth has not been revealed during the investigation, but we cannot tell the public that someone deliberately set the fire but we don’t know who it was.

The impact on the royal family's reputation is secondary. The more important thing is that it can easily arouse suspicion both internally and externally.

Zhu Yijun asked carefully, "Does the Queen Mother have any clues?"

Empress Dowager Chen looked at him strangely and said, "I should ask Your Majesty this question. Has Your Majesty been causing trouble again recently?"

Fire in the palace was actually a very common occurrence, and there were often traces of it.

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

Now that she was isolated from the outside world 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 the last time Gao Gong left Beijing, the outer court probably didn't think well of the relationship between mother and son. If she was burned to death in the palace last night, the emperor would have been in a lot of trouble.

So, rather than saying that it was directed at her, it would be more accurate to say that the trouble was caused by the emperor.

At this moment, Li Jin walked in from outside the warm room and said, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, the ministers outside the court heard that the Ciqing Palace was on fire, so they sent people to comfort us."

Zhu Yijun's eyes flashed, and he sighed: "What fast news!"

He stopped massaging and said to Queen Mother Chen: "Mother, let me handle it."

　There is one more chapter, which will be made up either around 10 o'clock or tomorrow.

　　I have some things to do at work, and I will make a performance report + update tasks on the weekend
　　Note 1: On the Gengwu day of October in the sixth year of the Longqing reign, a fire broke out in the western room behind the Ciqing Palace. The cabinet, the ministries, and the daily lecture halls all expressed their condolences and reported the news to the emperor.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)