Yan Keng quickly drew up a list of attendants, all of whom were well-read poetry and books.
Of course, one thing they have in common is that they do not have a close relationship with any important minister in the DPRK.
Otherwise, if you make wedding clothes for others, who can explain it?
Yan Keng selected three people:
The person in charge of the official seal verification is Li Xian.
Wang Zhi, a bachelor's degree student at Hanlin Academy.
One of his relatives, Yan Jingxiu, had just been awarded the Hanlin bachelor's degree with the seventh rank in the second class.
Among these three people, Li Xian is only in his twenties and young. He is very smart and graceful, and has good popularity among the courtiers.
Wang Zhi is already a bit old at this time. At the age of fifty-four, he has experienced the ups and downs of the world, and is very serious and steady, without a smile.
Yan Jingxiu was in his thirties. He was also well-read in poetry and books, and quite well-educated. Yan Keng had contact with him and felt that he was a useful talent.
The three of them all have very good reputations in the court, and excluding their own clan relative, according to Yan Keng's investigation, the other two are also people who repay their kindness.
As for the other people who gave gifts, Yan Keng closed the door and returned all the gifts, showing his determination. After Zhu Zhanji received Dongchang's report, he became more satisfied with Yan Keng and secretly said that he had not misjudged the person.
The personnel list was drawn up and submitted, and it was approved smoothly.
Yan Keng also soon met six-year-old Zhu Qizhen.
The six-year-old child is not tall, his face is pink and tender, and he looks pretty. He was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had some baby fat. Although he was young, he tried hard to look serious, which was very cute.
Yan Keng smiled softly and then saluted:
"Meet His Highness the Crown Prince!"
With a sudden death, Zhu Qizhen began his relationship with his teacher.
At the same time, on the other side of the palace, a five-year-old boy was playing.
Although his brother was missing, which made him feel a little depressed, he soon became happy again when someone from the palace gave him a horse to ride on.
The little boy was holding a wooden knife in his hand and making babbling noises. He thought he was a general charging into the battle and was playing with it, but suddenly he was startled.
The palace man below thought he had made him uncomfortable, so he hurriedly asked in a trembling voice:
"Did my slave hurt you?"
"No, no. It's okay." The little boy replied in his childish voice.
He only felt that somehow, he seemed to have lost something.
But he soon forgot all this and continued to play with the palace people.
…
The days that followed returned to calm.
Zhu Zhanji managed the government with the help of the cabinet, and the people rested and recuperated, while Yan Keng led three attendants to teach the prince Zhu Qizhen, and he became more and more familiar with him.
Regarding this fifty-six-year-old man, although Zhu Qizhen's status was much higher than him, he always treated him with complete etiquette, did not dare to neglect at all, and his words were full of respect.
This is not only because Zhu Zhanji once told him not to be rude to Chen Guogong, but also because of this old man's profound knowledge, keen insight into everything, and care for him.
The education Yan Keng received was different from others. As a modern person, Yan Ling does not pay much attention to the red tape of other officials. There is no such thing as father being the guide for son. He raises children no different from ordinary people.
Later, this was passed down as a tradition in the Yan family. Yan Ya, Yan Keng, and even Yan Keng's son, Yan Yan, taught their children this way.
This made Yan Keng face Zhu Qizhen, although he was in awe of the prince, but in his words and actions, he still unconsciously showed a little bit of respect for this six-year-old baby, as if he were treating his own grandson. warmth.
This feeling was something Xiao Zhu Qizhen had never felt before. Although Zhu Zhanji was a good emperor, he was usually busy with government affairs and did not spend much time with the prince.
Moreover, the relationship between a royal family and the father-son relationship in an ordinary family is different after all.
This made Zhu Qizhen develop a deep affection for Yan Keng in more than a year. Although this old man was quite strict when teaching, he would also care about his warmth and health and pay attention to his body. Sometimes I would tell him stories about fighting and fighting, and play with him.
The young Zhu Qizhen heard about the outside world for the first time. He not only longed for the magnificent scenes in the story, but also admired Yan Keng a little more.
However, the time the two spent together was only one year.
In August of the ninth year of Xuande, Emperor Xuande fell ill.
At the beginning, he could barely support himself to go to court, but then, his illness became more and more serious, and then he had to stay in bed, leaving the affairs to the cabinet for handling, and he only dealt with some necessary major matters.
…
In the splendid palace.
Expensive incense was lit next to the large dragon bed, and light smoke emitted from the incense burner carved with dragons and phoenixes. The musk smell filled the whole room. However, even this fine spice could not cover up the strong fragrance in the room. Medicinal smell.
It was almost dusk, and the setting sun cast a dark yellow light on Zhu Zhanji's dragon bed.
And this once heroic emperor was currently lying quietly on the bed, with the dim light shining on his face, looking gloomy.
Zhu Zhanji was very quiet, except for the fact that his chest was still rising and falling slightly, and there was still a little hot air coming out of his nose. No way, it would really be treated like a corpse.
He is dreaming.
He dreamed that he came to a place shrouded in mist.
As he stepped forward, he was met by light clouds, but they held him up properly.
It's like... heaven...
Zhu Zhanji's heart suddenly had many confusing thoughts:
Am I dead?
This is where? Don’t people go to the underworld after death? Why do they come here? Is this where the immortals live? Is it because I am the emperor, the son of heaven, that I can go straight to heaven instead of going to the underworld after death?
Zhu Zhanji took another two steps. He looked far into the distance, trying to see the legendary immortal's cave, but after walking for a long time, the surroundings were still empty.
He couldn't help shouting:
"Is there anyone there? I...I am Zhu Zhanji, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the lower realm!"
There was no fairy boy to greet him, no answer, no echo, nothing.
Looking at the endless sea of clouds, he suddenly felt great fear.
What the hell is this place!
Am I really dead? I, I am still young! My great rivers and mountains! I still have many ambitions that have not been fulfilled, I, I...
His nose felt sore and he suddenly wanted to cry.
Fortunately, at this moment, a soft voice suddenly reached his ears:
"Zhanji..."
Zhu Zhanji raised his head suddenly:
who is it?
(End of chapter)
