"Master Xiao Zhu, I will not waste any more time talking nonsense. His Majesty is still waiting for my reply. Let's get down to business and start asking questions."
Meng Chong looked at Zhu Pingan with a smile.
"please."
Zhu Ping'an bowed to Meng Chong, then faced the direction of the West Garden, bowed deeply, and shouted "Long live the emperor" three times.
"Master Xiao Zhu, His Majesty is asking you, before Yang Jisheng submitted his memorial, did you read it and offer your opinion?"
Meng Chong avoided standing right in front of Zhu Ping'an, stood one step to the side, looked at Zhu Ping'an and asked.
"yes."
Zhu Ping'an nodded honestly and did not deny it. He knew that the truth had been revealed and it was useless to deny it. Besides Zhou Fangzheng, Senior Brother Yang's son also knew about it that day. In addition, the servants of Yang's house could also serve as circumstantial evidence. Even the passers-by and shops he met on his way from Linhuai Marquis's house to Senior Brother Yang's house in the morning could serve as circumstantial evidence. There is no wall that is impenetrable in the world. During the days when he was in prison, no, even on the day when Zhou Fangzheng exposed and reported the case, Emperor Jiajing would have found out the truth long ago. Asking him now was just a formality. If he denied it, he would definitely leave a bad impression. It would be better to admit it openly and leave a good impression of being daring and responsible in the eyes of the emperor.
"Haha, Master Xiao Zhu is very honest. Before I came here, His Majesty told me that if Master Xiao Zhu admitted it, I would continue to ask questions. If Master Xiao Zhu denied it, I would not need to ask any more questions."
Meng Chong said while looking at Zhu Pingan with a smile.
What Meng Chong said made Zhu Ping'an break out in a cold sweat on his back. It was really a close call just now.
No need to ask further...
There is no need to explain what this means. Fortunately, I was rational and did not pretend to be smart. Otherwise, if I was lucky, I would have been imprisoned for life. If I was unlucky, I would have been dead.
"Lord Xiao Zhu, the emperor asks you, why did you suggest Yang Jisheng to delete 'or ask the two kings'?" Meng Chong asked again.
"Because I think this point in Yang Jisheng's memorial is wrong." Zhu Ping'an replied softly.
"You said that 'or ask the two kings' was wrong, so you suggested deleting it. But you did not suggest deleting the part in the memorial that impeached Yan Song. Doesn't that mean that Yang Jisheng was not wrong in impeaching Yan Song?" Meng Chong asked immediately.
"No. It's just that without investigation, I have no right to speak. I served in Prince Yu's mansion and understood Prince Yu's affairs. I know that Prince Yu strictly abided by the Ming Dynasty's ancestral system, not interfering in government affairs and not contacting foreign ministers. So I know that Yang Jisheng's "or ask the two princes" in the memorial is wrong. In addition, I was the one who dissuaded Yang Jisheng from submitting the memorial in the first place. Since Lord Zhou Fangzheng was in Yang Jisheng's bedroom at the time, Lord Zhou Fangzheng must have been very clear about this."
Zhu Ping'an replied softly, and finally half seriously and half sarcastically pulled Zhou Fangzheng out to testify for him.
"There is only one last question left." Meng Chong looked at Zhu Ping'an and smiled slightly, then took out a piece of rice paper from his sleeve.
Zhu Pingan was a little curious when he saw this. Meng Chong heard the news on behalf of the emperor, what was he doing taking out the rice paper? !
"Master Xiao Zhu, the emperor said that you like suggestions for revisions, right? Please revise this poem by Li Bai with me. If it is good, I can give you a lighter sentence. If it is not good, you will stay in the imperial prison and keep Yang Jisheng company."
Meng Chong conveyed Emperor Jiajing's last question with a smile and looked at Zhu Ping'an with some sympathy.
Although Meng Chong worked in the Imperial Kitchen, he was actually well-versed in literature and was a top student who graduated from the Inner Court Academy.
Modify Li Bai's masterpiece!
In his opinion, the emperor's last question was actually a bit, no, quite difficult.
Who is Li Bai? Li Bai, the famous "poet immortal", whose writings can shake the wind and rain, and whose poems can make ghosts and gods weep! Su Shi once said, "Li Bai and Du Zimei, with their outstanding talents, have surpassed hundreds of generations, and all ancient and modern poets are useless." Li Bai is a legendary leader in the ancient poetry world, dominating the ancient poetry world, and no one can match him. Who can change his poems? And change them well?!
and.
The poem that the emperor asked Zhu Ping'an to revise is Li Bai's representative work, a masterpiece that was widely circulated in the previous year.
Therefore, Meng Chong looked at Zhu Ping'an with some sympathy.
As for the Jinyiwei in red flying fish uniform beside Meng Chong, the way he looked at Zhu Ping'an was like a jackal looking at its dying prey. In his eyes, Zhu Ping'an was finished and completely finished.
In fact, when Zhu Ping'an heard the last question conveyed by Meng Chong, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
Revise Li Bai's ancient poems?! And make them better?!
Isn't this asking too much
When it comes to other people's ancient poems, Zhu Ping'an is still somewhat confident, but when it comes to Li Bai's ancient poems, Zhu Ping'an is really not sure.
"Master Xiao Zhu, please come in. Because His Majesty is still waiting for a reply, I can only give you one stick of incense."
Meng Chong looked at Zhu Ping'an with sympathy, slowly unfolded the rice paper in his hand, bent down and showed it to Zhu Ping'an.
Quiet Night Thoughts
… … …
Zhu Ping'an looked up at the rice paper, and Li Bai's ancient poem on the rice paper jumped into his eyes. Then Zhu Ping'an's eyes widened involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth could not help twitching, and he looked like a fool.
"Master Xiao Zhu..."
Meng Chong saw Zhu Ping'an's eyes wide open and his mouth twitching, and thought that Zhu Ping'an was in despair and pain, and he couldn't help but feel sympathy. This is Li Bai's "Quiet Night Thoughts", a classic masterpiece of Li Bai that I have been exposed to since childhood. It has been circulated and praised for nearly a thousand years. Classics are classics, who can change it
"Hmph, haha..."
Seeing this, the Jinyiwei in the big red flying fish uniform couldn't help but snort in glee, and the corners of his mouth curled up. In his eyes, Zhu Ping'an, the dying prey, was already breathing his last breath.
"Someone, come and light the incense quickly." The Jinyiwei in the red flying fish uniform urged his men to light the incense that would count the time.
Looking at the burning incense, the Jinyiwei in the red flying fish uniform looked at Zhu Ping'an as if a butcher was looking at a fat pig on the chopping board.
However, he did not know that Zhu Ping'an, who was regarded as a fat pig on the chopping board, was not staring in despair and pain, but in great joy and excitement.
If it was Li Bai's other masterpieces, Zhu Ping'an would not be sure, but for this "Quiet Night Thoughts", Zhu Ping'an could not be more sure. Because the "Quiet Night Thoughts" that Meng Chong showed to Zhu Ping'an was the Song Dynasty version, which is different from the modern version. The modern version was modified by Zhao Huanguang and Huang Xiyuan in the Ming Dynasty and revised in the Qing Dynasty. The refined "Quiet Night Thoughts" is more catchy, more beautiful in artistic conception, and more popular among the people and the literary world. This has been the collective choice for a long time.
At this time, Zhao Huanguang and Huang Xiyuan had not yet been born.
Zhu Ping'an looked at the "Quiet Night Thoughts" shown by Meng Chong, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.
Quiet Night Thoughts
Looking at the bright moon in front of the bed, I thought it was frost on the ground.
Looking up at the mountain moon, I think of my hometown.