Zhu Mo was not a person who did not understand etiquette. The old Taoist's subordinate had helped him out of a tight spot and shown him much care, so it was natural to express his gratitude.
"Venerable Daoist, please accept this bow from Zhu Mo."
He immediately stood up, bowed deeply, and performed a respectful Taoist salute.
The old Taoist quickly helped him up, saying repeatedly, "It's nothing, nothing... Young Master Zhu, if you could accompany this old man for a few more games of chess, this old man would be eternally grateful... Come, let's have another game!"
Jiajing had not played chess for many years. Seeing Zhu Mo today, despite his best efforts to control his emotions, his heart was in turmoil.
This child was too much alike!
In every word, every gesture, his demeanor was exactly like that of the young Mo'er... If not for being an Emperor, father and son would surely have embraced and wept?
Even for Jiajing, a veteran Emperor-player, amidst the overwhelming torrent of emotions, he had nearly broken down in tears several times. The pain and despair of over a decade were almost instantly compensated for, and a sense of unprecedented steadiness and satisfaction surged in his heart. This was the unique feeling one had after acquiring a reliable son, especially for a man in an imperial position, it brought doubled joy.
Moreover, after years of believing this child had met a tragic end, he was now lively, knowledgeable, and exceptionally talented in literature? For Jiajing, even if it meant losing ten or twenty years of his life for this reunion, he would not hesitate!
However, as an Emperor, his instincts told him not to be as sentimental as ordinary people. Since he was certain that the person before him was Zhu Zai Mo, what were his personality, habits, and abilities? Would he have picked up any undesirable traits living among the common folk these past years?
Also, the most important point: why did he suddenly appear? Why did he write that Qing Ci poem? Was someone directing him?
With this thought, he decided to chat more. While tidying the chess pieces, he smiled nonchalantly and said, "Young Master Zhu's literary talent is truly remarkable. Your Qing Ci poem caused paper to fly off the shelves overnight in Luoyang, making it impossible to find even a single leaf..."
He looked up, seemingly still immersed in the artistic conception, and chanted, "Leaving the Ninth Heaven to receive the Mandate of Heaven, how can the emotions bear it; ruling the Four Seas and grieving for the common people, the heart is wounded by it... Alas, a fine poem... This humble Taoist has recited it repeatedly and feels a profound meaning within the verses. I truly wish to ask, what were your thoughts when you conceived it? And how did it suddenly get presented to those important figures?"
As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, he suddenly felt a peculiar sensation: why was he being so solicitous?
In his memory, apart from his childhood interactions with his parents, he had never been so careful with anyone else in his life. Yet, at this moment, he seemed genuinely concerned about whether this young man would be displeased. With this thought, Jiajing couldn't help but a smile play on his lips: this fatherly feeling, he hadn't experienced it in years...
Although Zhu Mo found the old Taoist peculiar, he didn't think too much of it. After all, making friends was always good when navigating the capital. Based on the current situation, it was likely to cause trouble. Since they intended to help him, he couldn't keep it a secret, otherwise, he would be the one at a disadvantage. He casually replied:
"Since I'm in front of a Daoist master, I'll tell you the truth. I was originally a young Taoist priest, hehe, just like you, master... I've been doing odd jobs in the Hanlin Academy for the past year, which is quite dull! I was going to leave that day, but I suddenly saw how anxious those scholars were. I thought I'd been in the Hanlin Academy for over a year, so I should leave something behind as a memento. So, I just wrote it... Hehe, I forgot at the time that the current Emperor has a particular fondness for Qing Ci! I just stumbled upon it, and then Elder Xu and the others presented it... Haha, it's quite amusing."
Oh,
Lü Fang was instantly relieved.
Jiajing felt even more strongly that this was the work of fate. Thinking that the Qing Ci poem was filled with benevolence and seemed to carry a hint of admonishment, he placed another chess piece and asked, "You didn't write anything else, why did you specifically write this sentence?"
Zhu Mo suddenly sighed and said leisurely, "I am just a commoner, so naturally, I thought of the common people... The common people of the Great Ming are truly suffering. Though I wrote this Qing Ci on impulse, in my heart, of course, I hoped the current Emperor would wake up and, speaking deeply, I was entrusting my hope for an envisioned emperor, hoping he could alleviate the suffering of the people and truly fulfill his mandate from Heaven..."
Hiss,
This boy?
Is he not afraid of death?
Lü Fang's forehead buzzed!
If these words were spoken by anyone else, it would be considered treason! But looking at Jiajing, there was not a trace of anger. Instead, there was an expression of appreciation and curiosity.
This?
Could they really be father and son?
Lü Fang almost stumbled again.
...
Jiajing had never heard such straightforward words. At first, he felt a bit constricted, but for some reason, upon seeing the young man's face, his anger instantly vanished.
He held a chess piece and pondered for a moment, then said warmly, "Yes, yes, your point is valid... The beauty of this poem lies in its compassion for the common people, which shows that Young Master Zhu has great benevolence... However... do you, do you believe that the current Emperor does not cherish the common people? Is that why you seized the opportunity to offer advice?"
Hiss,
Why is the Emperor speaking so solicitously today?
Lü Fang was utterly bewildered.
Zhu Mo didn't think so much and frankly said, "Yes, of course, it's also advice. I just hope the current Emperor will awaken and, in his twilight years, make one last effort to create a path to survival for the common people... Moreover, I privately believe that the Great Ming is already in a precarious state, a difficult situation. Only if the Emperor undergoes a drastic transformation and fights with all his might can he overcome the challenges, and only then will his legacy be preserved for thousands of generations. Otherwise, hehe, it's truly hard to say how things will unfold in this world..."
Huh?
This?
Lü Fang was instantly choked, and with a glance, he silently sought instructions from Jiajing:
Arrest him? Or not arrest him?
Unexpectedly, Jiajing remained silent for a moment, played a dozen more moves, and then suddenly laughed again, "That's not necessarily true. The current Emperor hasn't really lost any virtue, has he? I recall the Celestial Immortal Lan mentioning that the current Emperor, in his heart, still cares for the common people... He has no more than eight sets of seasonal clothing, very frugal, uh, he has no particular desires. He's over sixty, and very devout in his cultivation..."
After speaking, he maintained a natural expression, deliberately not looking at Zhu Mo, as if he were talking about someone else.
Lü Fang observed this and was even more astonished—
Was that a look of shame on the Emperor's face?
This?
This is truly bizarre today...
Zhu Mo, having read historical texts and novels about the Ming Dynasty, always lamented that Jiajing had great abilities but failed to revitalize the Great Ming, considering it a pity and a shame. His obsession with cultivation was a significant reason for this. He immediately stated frankly, "Daoist master, let me tell you, the current Emperor is indeed a remarkable person..."
Zhu Mo paused, then placed a chess piece on the board.
At this moment, this half-finished sentence struck Jiajing's heart, and he immediately responded, "Oh? Does Young Master Zhu really think so?"
Zhu Mo ignored him and nonchalantly continued:
"This Emperor, his mind is quite sharp, but it's a pity his talents are not used for the right path, truly a shame! In my opinion, the Emperor's talent is no less than that of the Taizu or Chengzu. After Yongle, he is the one. However... hehe, facing such a crisis, the Great Ming must advance or retreat. If the Emperor does not rouse himself, he will face an abyss, which is truly tragic and regrettable. Alas, let's not talk about it, let's not talk about it..."
What?
This?
Talent not used for the right path?
How does that sound...
Jiajing had never been scolded like this before. He felt a sudden strangeness but couldn't quite articulate it. He could only feign calmness and say, "Oh? In the current era, does Young Master Zhu believe that the world has already entered its decline?"
Zhu Mo sneered and said, "Although it's not the end of the world, it's not far off..."
Ah?
This?
Lü Fang thought he had misheard, and instinctively rebuked, "Audacious!"
Zhu Mo raised an eyebrow and looked up, seeing Lü Fang's face full of terror. He couldn't help but laugh, "Hehe, Uncle, why are you so scared? Your face is all pale! There are only three of us here, what are you afraid of?"
What?
Afraid of... what?
Lü Fang was instantly stunned.
Jiajing's forehead buzzed. Initially, he was also filled with anger and was about to habitually instruct Lü Fang to draft an imperial decree to apprehend the person. But after a moment's thought, he sighed silently and quietly closed his eyes.
Who in this world could understand the state of the realm better than him? The young man's words were crude but not without reason. The current era, while not the end, was indeed approaching it...
What about the livelihood of the people now? Are their hearts resentful or content? He received monthly reports from the Imperial Guard and was naturally well aware of everything. However, with internal strife between the Yan faction and the Qing faction, and provocations from the Japanese pirates and Tatars from without, he was powerless to resolve them. If not for these dilemmas, he wouldn't have experienced such frequent emotional turmoil over the past few months.
And regarding the common people, he naturally cherished them. If not for this, he wouldn't have been so moved when he heard his Qing Ci poem that day.
This young man's claim that his talent was second only to Taizu and Chengzu was certainly not wrong. In fact, if one were to compete in the same era, perhaps only Taizu would be above him. Compared to Chengzu, the outcome of their rivalry might still be uncertain?
With this thought, he smiled indifferently again and said, "Your words, while perhaps not entirely unreasonable, are born from the saying 'Danger breeds strength, and ease breeds weakness.' As long as one is a scholar, who doesn't lament about the decline of the times? We see it so often, but in the end, the decline never truly arrives... It shows we shouldn't take it too seriously..."
Lü Fang chimed in with a smile at this moment, "Exactly. While it's good to be cautious, we shouldn't worry unnecessarily, should we? Young Master Zhu, perhaps you are exaggerating..."