At the end of the first month of the twenty-third year of Chongzhen, Chunhe Hall in Nanjing.

The Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Cilang, was sitting on a stool listening to the class.

The person who taught him today was Liu Lishun, the lecturer of the Eastern Palace.

Liu Lishun was the top scholar in the seventh year of Chongzhen. He was 51 years old when he became the top scholar.

Because he was old and devoted to studying, Chongzhen arranged for him positions similar to those of a teacher, such as Right Yude, Lecturer in Imperial Lectures, and Lecturer in the Eastern Palace.

Liu Lishun is now 67 years old.

"Your Highness," Liu Lishun suddenly bowed deeply to Zhu Cilang, "I am nearly seventy years old, not only am I suffering from blurred vision and tinnitus, but my memory is also getting worse! In order not to delay your studies, I request to resign from the post of lecturer in the Eastern Palace."

"Sir, you must not do that!" Zhu Cilang quickly stood up and walked to Liu Lishun's side to straighten his leaning body. "I have only learned a few basics, how can you leave, sir?"

Liu Lishun sighed: "Your Highness, there is no need to keep me. I know my own health. If I had no other choice, I would not be willing to resign from the post of lecturer in the Eastern Palace!"

"Your Highness, please agree to my request!"

Zhu Cilang was about to reply when he heard the eunuch Chen Kuan shouting outside: "Your Highness, there is an urgent message from the capital!"

Immediately afterwards, Chen Kuan ran in holding an envelope.

Zhu Cilang quickly opened the envelope and glanced at it, then immediately shouted to Chen Kuan, "Quick, go and invite Mr. Ni."

After Chen Kuan left, Liu Lishun bowed to Zhu Cilang again and said, "Your Highness, I..."

"No hurry, let's wait until Mr. Ni comes!" Zhu Cilang interrupted him and said.

"I... obey your command!" Liu Lishun had no choice but to agree.

Not long.

The eunuch Chen Kuan shouted outside the palace gate: "Your Highness, Mr. Ni is here."

"Please come in, sir!" Zhu Cilang stood up to greet him while speaking.

Ni Yuanlu walked into the hall in a hurry.

He first saluted Zhu Cilang, and then greeted Liu Lishun.

Ni Yuanlu was Zhu Cilang's teacher.

Liu Lishun was a lecturer in the Eastern Palace, and strictly speaking, he was also the prince's teacher.

The relationship between the two teachers is very good.

In addition to this relationship, Ni Yuanlu and Liu Lishun have another relationship: they are both disciples of Yuan Keli.

Zhu Cilang first said to Ni Yuanlu: "Mr. Ni, Mr. Liu said that he is too old to be a lecturer in the Eastern Palace and plans to resign and return home. I can't stop him..."

Ni Yuanlu asked: "Why did your highness stop me?

"The students are reluctant to let him go..." Zhu Cilang said with his head down.

"Your Highness is wrong!" Ni Yuanlu began to teach, "For an official, dying in office is not a good thing. Returning home in glory is a good thing."

"Your Highness must think of a way out for the officials, so that the officials will support Your Highness from the bottom of their hearts!"

After listening carefully, Zhu Cilang said ashamedly: "Student understands!"

Then he bowed to Liu Lishun and said, "Please don't blame me, sir. I will write a petition to ask the emperor to allow you to retire and return home!"

Liu Lishun smiled with relief: "Your Highness is too polite. I really have the will but not the ability, so I have no choice but to resign!"

"I understand your difficulties," Zhu Cilang said with red eyes as he looked at the old man in his seventies, "Please take care of yourself when you return home. If you encounter any trouble, please write to me!"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness!" Liu Lishun supported his elderly body and slowly knelt down in front of Zhu Cilang.

Zhu Cilang was about to stop him, but Ni Yuanlu held out his hand to stop him: "This is a minister bidding farewell to the crown prince. Your Highness must accept this courtesy!"

After Liu Lishun stood up, Ni Yuanlu signaled Zhu Cilang to kneel down in front of Liu Lishun: "Since ancient times, the heaven, the earth, the emperor, the parents and the teacher have been the most important. Your Highness is Liu Lishun's student. You must kowtow when you become his disciple, and you must also bow when you say goodbye!"

"Yes." Zhu Cilang kowtowed to Liu Lishun respectfully.

Liu Lishun was suddenly so excited that he was speechless and tears could not stop flowing.

After some excited expressions of emotion, Liu Lishun said goodbye.

Before leaving, he kept telling Zhu Cilang: "As an emperor, you cannot establish your authority without being ruthless. As an emperor, if you don't have a kind heart, the world will be destroyed."

After watching Liu Lishun leave, Zhu Cilang handed the urgent letter from the capital to Ni Yuanlu: "Sir, the emperor appointed Xie Sanbin as the Minister of Revenue. Xie Sanbin recommended several officials, and the emperor appointed them as well!"

After reading the urgent message, Ni Yuanlu pondered for a moment: "What does Your Highness want to ask?"

Zhu Cilang looked around and asked in a low voice: "Father has always hated Qian Qianyi. Xie Sanbin is the favorite student of Qian Qianyi, the leader of Donglin. Father's move..."

"Haha," Ni Yuanlu smiled slightly, "Excuse me, Your Highness, the Ming Dynasty has two capitals and thirteen provinces! The currency reform is progressing very smoothly in the other nine provinces, why is it encountering obstacles in the four provinces in the south of the Yangtze River?"

Zhu Cilang tentatively guessed, "Is there someone interfering?"

"Yes, there must be someone behind this! Your Highness, guess who is causing trouble?"

Zhu Cilang didn't dare to guess and could only shake his head.

"The Jiangnan gentry group, mainly composed of the Donglin Party!" Ni Yuanlu revealed the truth in one sentence.

Zhu Cilang reminded awkwardly: "It is widely rumored that you are also a member of the Donglin Party. If your words were to spread, it would probably hurt the feelings of other Donglin Party members!"

"Your Highness has misunderstood!" Ni Yuanlu explained, "I am a member of the Donglin clan but not a clique. The life or death of those clique members has nothing to do with me!"

Zhu Cilang didn't care about Ni Yuanlu's identity. He pointed at Ji Di and said, "Sir, Xie Sanbin is a member of the Donglin Party. The emperor asked him to promote the currency reform in the four provinces of Jiangnan. Can he break the impasse?"

“It’s not a big problem.”

"No way?" Zhu Cilang was very skeptical, "Will he do something that harms himself and benefits others?"

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!