"Well...people have different talents. Some are born with knowledge, some learn it, and some learn it through hardship. If you are naturally smart, you don't need to rush to go to school." Wanli had no choice but to try to smooth things over.

But how could the scholars allow him to show off his skills? Shen Shixing, the best master of Xi Ni Sect, immediately retorted that no matter how smart one is, no one can succeed without teaching. The sage said that what is formed at an early age is like nature, and habits become second nature. It can be seen that without anyone to teach, one cannot become a talent!

Wanli found that he couldn't win the argument. Isn't this nonsense? One against five, and they are five university scholars. Want to have a verbal battle? It would be better to replace Zhuge Liang.

He began to back out and gave a look to Zhang Hong who was standing beside him.

The old eunuch said respectfully, "Your Majesty, it's time to give us the medicine."

"I understand." Wanli smiled bitterly and said, "Alas, I really don't want to take this medicine. It contains a tranquilizer. I will be dazed for a long time after taking it. I won't keep you for dinner. Gentlemen, go back and celebrate the New Year. Each of you will be given a table of wine and a share of the roast meat."

Several university scholars knew that Emperor Wanli was ordering them to leave. And the reason was too good to be true. They couldn't stop the emperor from taking medicine, could they? They could only stand up and thank the emperor and leave reluctantly.

After coming out, the five people looked unsatisfied. Saving Luo Yuren from the vengeful Wanli was a great success. But the national affairs still had no progress, which made people unhappy.

Who knew that before they had walked a few steps out of Yude Palace, they heard hurried footsteps behind them. It was the eunuch in charge of ceremonies who came out and asked the five university scholars to stay, saying:

"There is an imperial decree. The emperor has sent for Chang Ge'er to come. I think you gentlemen haven't met him yet. Now that he is here, you can meet him."

The five people were overjoyed when they heard this, their excitement was beyond words. They nodded yes repeatedly and hurried back to the palace to wait in the corridor.

Who knew that after waiting for a long time, Xuan Jin did not appear. I thought, could it be that the emperor fell asleep after taking medicine?

In the west warm room, Wanli didn't take any medicine at all. He just leaned lazily on the big pillow and read a comic book called "One Piece".

It tells the story of the Ming Dynasty's first circumnavigation of the world, introducing the customs and practices of overseas countries, the charming exotic beauties, the silver ships of the British Empire, and the endless treasures... Wanli was watching the part where Lin Feng hid the treasure and was fascinated by it.

It's normal for otaku to not be obsessed with comics.

Hearing the footsteps of the eunuch Zhang Cheng coming in, Wanli asked intently, "What are their expressions?"

"Undisguised ecstasy." Zhang Cheng also had a mission, which was to spy on the reactions of several university scholars when they heard that they were going to meet the eldest prince. But there was no need to spy...

"I asked them if they had lost their composure. Mr. Zhao told me that seeing Ruirong was like seeing a bright star or a cloud. We were overjoyed and couldn't contain our excitement."

"Heh..." Wanli sneered, nodded slightly, and continued reading his "One Piece".

After a while, I found Zhang Cheng still standing there.

"Anything else?" Wanli glanced at him.

"The Imperial Concubine said that since we are here, let the gentlemen meet the Third Brother." Zhang Cheng whispered.

"It's okay to meet him." Wanli turned the page and said indifferently, "I'm just afraid that he will not even look at me if I try to please him."

"Not really..." Zhang Cheng said embarrassedly.

"Just watch." Wanli curled his lips and continued to read the comics. After a while, he suddenly said with excitement: "Since the gentlemen are here, call Zhang Jing to give them a lecture."

"Ah, uh, here." Zhang Chengshi really couldn't keep up with Wanli's train of thought.

~~

The five grand secretaries waited for a long time but were not summoned by the emperor. Instead, they saw two eunuchs, Zhang Hong and Zhang Cheng, leading Zhang Jing out.

He politely said Happy New Year. Zhang Hong glanced at the dejected Zhang Jing and said to Zhao Shouzheng: "Your Majesty, Zhang Jing does not know how to correct his mistakes and betrays my grace. Can you gentlemen warn him for me?"

"Uh..." Zhao Shouzheng was also stunned. What kind of magical operation was this?

He quickly looked at his little bell, and Shen Shixing whispered, "The emperor wanted to prove that he did not defend Zhang Jing because he accepted bribes. He also wanted to show that he was arbitrary and not influenced by anyone."

Zhao Shouzheng suddenly realized and quickly declined, saying, "Zhang Jing is a close minister. Since the emperor has already reprimanded him, why should we interfere? We have no right to control the inner court officials."

Because he insisted on not doing so, Zhang Cheng went back inside to report. After a while, he came out and said, "This is my order, you must obey it! You are my teacher, so who can't teach me?"

That's just a difficult thing to do.

He ordered Zhang Jing to kneel facing west, and five men to stand in front of him to show that they were speaking on behalf of Heaven.

It was the first time for several of the Grand Secretaries to scold someone under the emperor's order, so they were a little unfamiliar with it.

Besides, who would want to offend a spy chief? So Zhao Shouzheng said something to him in a neutral tone, such as "The emperor's grace is deep, you should be careful and prudent, abide by the law, and don't betray his grace."

Zhang Jing was drinking during the New Year's Day, but he was called in to be scolded. He felt very unlucky. He was a little angry, but he felt that he couldn't admit his defeat in front of the emperor. He even said back: "I am innocent, I just talked too much, and it is also for the emperor's sake!"

It should have been a matter of just admitting the mistake and going through the motions, but this guy actually wanted to argue with him. Where can the grand secretaries put their faces?

If you don't accept my toast, I'll have you drink the forfeit! Several university scholars exchanged glances and said, "Damn it, let's get him!"

So they turned on the hair dryer mode, and they listed all the bad deeds of this guy one by one. They criticized Zhang Jing to pieces, and he was terrified and regretful. What did you say we talked back? He had no choice but to tuck his tail between his legs, kowtow and apologize, shout long live the king three times, and then leave in disgrace.

Zhang Hong went in to report, and Wanli said calmly: "Zhang Jing is just ignorant. He won't lose a piece of meat if he is criticized. I have tolerated it, so why can't he tolerate it?"

Then he snorted and said, "If it weren't for that incident, I would have killed him long ago!"

Zhang Hong knew that the emperor was talking about the East Factory's investigation into the Jiangnan Group. It has been almost two years since the 16th year of Wanli, so there should be a result, right?

~~

Zhao Shouzheng and four others waited until almost noon before the emperor summoned them in, and they were then led back into the west room.

Then I saw two boys standing in front of Wanli's bed, one was eight or nine years old, and the other was three or four years old. They had to rely on their nanny kneeling behind them to support them.

The five people felt annoyed. Didn't they say they were meeting the eldest prince? Why was it buy one get one free? It wouldn't work without a burden...

Wanli had already put away his comic book, and there was no trace of emotion on his face. He pointed at the big one and said:

"This is the eldest brother."

Zhao Shouzheng and others hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to Zhu Changluo, then stood up and looked at the eldest prince, praising him wildly, "The eldest prince has a dragon-like figure and eyes, and his appearance is extraordinary! This shows the kindness of the emperor and the queen, and the blessing of heaven!"

"Haha..." Wanli laughed dryly and said, "I really didn't see it. I think this child is very mediocre and submissive, which is not like me at all."

In fact, this is true. The nine-year-old Zhu Changluo was short and looked like he was six or seven years old. He looked very ordinary and didn't dare to look people in the eye. His timid appearance was indeed very unpleasant.

But Wanli didn't think about who was to blame... You call him "son of a man" all day long and never look at him straight in the eye. It would be strange if he could be normal in front of you.

Wanli pointed at the chubby third son and said lovingly, "The Queen Mother said that this child looks exactly like me when I was a child. I don't know what I was like when I was a child, but he is very smart and knows more words than his elder brother. It shows that there is a difference in talent, and it is not up to others."

How could Zhao Shouzheng and the others not hear Wanli's intention to favor one over the other? They hurriedly said, "This just shows that the eldest son of the emperor is getting older and older. He should go to school immediately. There is no time to lose!"

Wanli thought that after meeting the eldest prince, the ministers would understand why he disliked him. He did not expect that people's likes and dislikes were not the same. The ministers only cared about the identity of the eldest prince, and did not care about his character at all.

Then he said in a perfunctory manner, "I have asked the eunuch to teach him to read and write..."

"The emperor was in the Crown Prince's Palace when he was only six years old, and he already started to study. It is too late for the eldest prince to study now." Zhao Shouzheng argued hurriedly.

"I could read at the age of five!" Wanli emphasized, and pointed at the third son and said, "This boy really looks like me."

"So the eldest prince must go out to study immediately, and assign learned scholars to teach him day and night, so that he can catch up! It is absolutely impossible to rely on eunuchs alone!" Zhao Shouzheng didn't even look at the third prince.

Several university scholars also understood that there was no way out of this situation, and that this matter must be resolved today.

Shen Shixing and his men stepped forward without asking for permission, knelt down and looked at Zhu Changluo for a long while, as if they were appraising a treasure.

Then they said to Wanli in the most solemn tone: "The eldest prince is a natural talent, like a jade in a rough stone. Your Majesty, why don't you polish him and make him a useful person? Only in this way can you live up to our ancestors and the country!"

These words are already very serious. If you don't make the eldest son the emperor, and don't let him go out to study, you won't be able to explain to your ancestors!

Facing the resolute attitude of the Grand Secretaries, Wanli felt that he had shot himself in the foot, but he was already in a difficult situation and had no choice but to make a clear statement: "Okay, I'll make arrangements after the New Year..."

"It's settled!" Seeing that the emperor had finally given in, several university scholars were filled with excitement. They knelt down and kowtowed, thanking the emperor for finally not letting their sons drop out of school.

It was not until they said goodbye and returned to Wenyuan Pavilion that several mature and steady university professors could not help but clap their hands in celebration and thank each other for their hard work.

"Come to my place today and have a good drink." Zhao Shouzheng looked at his eight subordinates happily and said, "Today is a good day for you and we will be successful. We must not stop drinking until we are drunk!"

"Hahaha, of course." Even Shen Shixing, who was usually the most cautious, showed a relieved smile, and bowed to Zhao Shouzheng to apologize, saying, "My foolish brother is not good at drinking, and I will have to punish myself with three cups later. I said those words in front of the emperor just now, I really had no choice, and I didn't mean to insinuate Brother Gongming at all..."

"Haha, you know that too!" Liu Dongxing and Zhao Zhigao couldn't help but smile and said, "When Brother Rumo said that just now, we thought of the time when we carried the Prime Minister through the streets and alleys. What a glorious scene that was!"

"Oh?" Zhao Shouzheng finally realized that he also had a nickname of 'Iron Butt Champion'. He also remembered that there was an old lady who said that he was really white...

He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "This is really itchy."

"Hahahahahaha!" The grand secretaries laughed heartily. They all knew that the prime minister was a tolerant person and would definitely not be angry about such a thing.

Besides, it is a supreme honor, okay?

However, the grand secretaries at that time could never have imagined that the dispute over the national foundation had not ended, but had just begun!

The laughter in Wenyuan Pavilion at this moment unexpectedly became a swan song...

ps. It’s gone tonight.