Chapter One, the young master has suffered from heatstroke, perhaps we should see him off on his journey
Yesterday, he was still a middle-aged professional, working at an international relations think tank. Over the years, he has been diligent and has written numerous fact-based internal references.
Brother Shen, you see that Mr. Wang has also said this, you should consider it. I will leave the gift here, consider it as a contribution towards the medical expenses for your nephew. It is getting late, so I will take my leave now, so as not to delay your nephew's recovery
Shen Shuren pondered: "Did my father just say 'it's late'? Could it be that that official Zheng is obstructing and does not wish for my father to send me to Nanjing? Or is it that Zheng Zhilong is secretly hindering this?"
Furthermore, after contemplating the intricacies of the situation, Shen Shuren's resolve to resist the Qing dynasty was further strengthened—historically, when Shen Tingyang met with defeat and chose to die for his country, his entire family, including over seven hundred servants, did not surrender and were all killed by the Tartars
This physical body seems to be named Shen Lin, aged eighteen by nominal years, and has not yet taken a courtesy name
On the 19th day of the 5th month in the 12th year of the Chongzhen era, the Grain in Ear festival
On the other side, Shen Tingyang was indeed overjoyed upon discovering that his son had finally woken up, temporarily casting aside all other worries, and repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the doctor
At the beginning of the month, Shen Tingyang, the head of the Ministry of Revenue's Transport Division, who had just returned to his hometown from the capital on official business, locked himself in his study with a grave expression
Father, I have one more request to make. Shen Shuren quickly called out to him, seizing the opportunity to make his final request
Meanwhile, in the room of the eldest son of the Shen family
Shen Tingyang smiled wryly and waved his hand: "From now on, do not belittle yourself any further! What does money matter? The key point is that you are not yet married, so you must not be too ostentatious in taking concubines"
The young master has awakened! The maids could not help but cheer.
He casually agreed, saying: "Since you wish to make progress, I will have Shen Fu send it to your study later. You may rest for now"
Before Shen Shuren could grasp the situation, he felt a wave of alternating coolness and heat on his forehead and temples, accompanied by a pungent odor reminiscent of a mixture between balm and Huoxiang Zhengqi water.
That's all, these are trivial matters. Alas, I was originally invited by the Imperial Academy to send you to Nanjing. Now, I can only take my time to recover from my illness, which truly delays important matters
Shen Shuren was not concerned with beauty; he only wished to understand the situation better, so he casually asked, "I still feel a bit dizzy, and I can't remember the circumstances before I fainted. How did I fall ill? Who was the guest just now?"
Brother Shen, why must you be so anxious? Illness comes suddenly like a mountain collapsing, and it departs slowly like pulling silk. Even if the young master wakes up, shouldn't he be allowed to recuperate properly for a few months? Mr. Wang, do you not agree with this reasoning?
As his vision gradually became clearer, Shen Shuren noticed that there were three men and several maidservants in the room
"Did you hear it?" Shen Tingyang was slightly surprised, but he did not think much of it.
This is also very consistent with the general symptoms of amnesia, where recent events are often more easily forgotten, while deep-seated memories are much more firmly established
You still do not want the ten thousand taels of silver to buy that girl from the Pear Fragrance Courtyard to be your concubine. The master refuses, and you throw a tantrum, not knowing how you ended up suffering from heatstroke
As for the surname, there is currently no way to address it, so for the time being, we can only refer to him as "Shen Shuren"
After completing the pulse diagnosis, the doctor explained while skillfully applying the ointment.
Shen Tingyang's expression was awkward, yet he did not dare to oppose: "It is truly a burden on you, dear brother. My son is unworthy of such treatment. He has just awakened today, and it is inevitable that he may not observe all the formalities. I will certainly have him visit to express his gratitude in the future"
The doctor hesitated for a few seconds and then agreed, saying: "Young Master Shen is tall and stout, with stagnant evil fire. Although the medication has somewhat dispersed it on the surface, with the scorching heat approaching, caution is still necessary"
Therefore, do not be misled by the fact that Shen Shuren has taken over the body of a wealthy young master, which seems quite advantageous. However, he bears great responsibility and must fight desperately against the Qing, with no other choice; otherwise, the consequence would be the annihilation of his entire family of seven hundred members.
He turned his eyes and asked, "Father, may I ask who the esteemed guest was just now?"
Regarding sending my son to Nanjing, he received two letters, one dark and one bright.
... ...
Apart from that doctor, the other two men included one in his forties, with a well-groomed beard and a solemn appearance
Thus, during the farewell dinner with his brothers last night, he inevitably sighed and lamented, drinking a few more glasses than usual
Shen Shuren understood that trust is not established overnight, so he took a step back: "In that case, I would like to see the letter from the Imperial Academy in person; this should be acceptable, right? This concerns my future studies"
Zhu Shuren lay quietly on a zitan bed covered with a sky-blue soft mosquito net, fearing to reveal any flaws
Therefore, Zhu Shuren ultimately chose to resign and expose the truth
However, all of this is the folly committed by Shen Lin, and it has nothing to do with him, Shen Shuren. It is sufficient to have a general understanding; he does not wish to discuss it further.
Liujiagang, Taicang, Suzhou, within a grand mansion featuring eight depths.
There is nothing to conceal about this issue, and Shen Tingyang stated directly: "That is Zheng Hongkui, the District Magistrate from Fujian. Do you know Zheng Zhilong, the Grand General of Maritime Defense in Fujian? Zheng Hongkui is his fourth younger brother"
On the other side, Shen Tingyang had also finished seeing off his guests and returned to check on his son's condition. Seeing that his son was able to eat, he felt somewhat relieved and waved his hand to dismiss the maids.
Shen Shuren, realizing he had guessed correctly, quickly pressed on: "What does our Shen family's affairs have to do with him, Zheng Zhilong? Why should my father be afraid of him?"
Shen Shuren took a few sips of the clear soup and felt somewhat more comfortable
Shen Lin has some slight gaps in his memory, but mainly he has forgotten recent events, which is not a significant issue; he still remembers who is in his family
Qing Zhi cleverly changed the subject and asked the young master if he was hungry, then went to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of shrimp Yangchun noodles
This is already the second time Shen Shuren has heard someone mention the Guozijian
Recalling the past events clearly, Zhu Shuren began to contemplate how to adapt to his new identity
Now he also regrets his initial decision and can only face challenges head-on as they come
However, since Shen Tingyang is a righteous man resisting the Qing dynasty, let us turn a blind eye and respect his national integrity
Shen Shuren thought to himself: That middle-aged man with the beautiful beard must be the father of this body, Shen Tingyang.
The latter half of Shen Tingyang's sentence was directed at the bearded man, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by the other party
Having said that, he was about to turn and leave
The man with a scruffy beard listened, stroked his stubble, and laughed heartily, giving a respectful gesture to Shen Tingyang
Upon seeing this, Shen Shuren tilted his head slightly inward, deciding to continue feigning unconsciousness and observe the situation.
Confirming that there was no one outside, he then opened the secret compartment of the desk and took out a letter that was still relatively new in color but had been crumpled from being read. He placed it on the candle to burn it.
Shen Shuren's mind raced, and he slowly opened his eyes, pretending to have just been awakened by the effects of the medication
Attending the Imperial Academy is purely a waste of time; however, if it serves as a stepping stone for positioning oneself to purchase an official post, then occupying a seat without studying could be considered.
Shen Tingyang instinctively defended himself: "How could I be afraid of him! I am worried that a moment of carelessness might lead to a major mistake! Forget it, discussing national affairs with you would be futile, so you should focus on recovering from your illness first"
Shen Shuren could not help but feel a sense of alertness within himself
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the door, and several people surged into the room. The maids were caught off guard and repeatedly bowed in greeting
Do not worry, Mr. Shen. Your son's pulse has stabilized significantly compared to yesterday. I will apply some patchouli and camphor oil, and he should improve soon
He could not help but move slightly, and was immediately noticed by the doctor
This statement is consistent with medical principles, making it difficult for anyone to question it
Shen Tingyang pondered for a moment and nodded: "Since your name is Lin, this character is indeed fitting. Confucius said, 'It takes ten years to grow trees, but a lifetime to cultivate people.' I hope you will take this to heart and live up to this character."
Shen Shuren tentatively expressed his feelings: "The child will recover quickly from this illness, it won't cause any delays"
However, at the beginning, my mind was a bit chaotic, so I will lie down for a while to catch my breath
Now that I have calmed down, I find myself a bit excited— it seems we are now in the Chongzhen era. In such chaotic times, wouldn't my knowledge find its place to be of use
However, the director is a sycophant, and he finds that the articles always remind of risks, which may put the leaders in a bad mood, often causing delays in their publication.
Shen Shuren has just accepted the name designation and is contemplating how to revert to the surname Zhu in the future
Shen Tingyang did not regard his son as a stranger, and with no defenses, he sighed deeply: "It's too late!"
... ...
It is fortunate that Zhu is the national surname of the Ming Dynasty. Historically, Zheng Chenggong was able to receive the surname Zhu from Zhu Yujian due to his merits, and in the future, I will certainly find a way as well
Another figure, robust in appearance, possesses a short beard resembling steel needles, making it difficult to ascertain their age at first glance
We are also unaware of the matters outside. After you fell ill, it just so happened that the Nanjing Guozijian sent a letter, stating that the court is offering preferential treatment to the gentry and officials' children, requesting you to go to Nanjing. That guest may be related to this matter
Shen Shuren set down the bowl, pondering what to say: "The child was indeed extravagant before... Fortunately, I have come to understand now."
I never expected to wake up in the Ming Dynasty, having taken over the body of a dandy disciple
The letter was written by Yang Ge Lao, the Minister of War, and it only assigned one task: to set an example as soon as possible by sending his only adult son to the National Academy in Nanjing
In his previous life, as a think tank advisor, he naturally had a thorough understanding of the Twenty-Four Histories and knew that Shen Tingyang, as recorded in the History of Ming, was a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty who steadfastly resisted the Qing and ultimately sacrificed his life for the country in the second year of the Yongli reign
A cool breeze swept by, lifting the soft silk mosquito net, as a thin, withered hand accurately grasped his wrist, clearly indicating that the doctor was taking his pulse
The dark letter was sent by Elder Yang, and it has already been burned by him
Saying this, Shen Tingyang had no choice but to first escort the guests and the doctor out
Originally, this is a good thing, especially since it is for the great Ming dynasty, Shen Tingyang feels it is his duty to act without hesitation
Zhu Shuren naturally had a thought: "Lin" and "Shu" can be considered somewhat related, so I can try to take the character "Shuren" and thus reuse the name from my previous life
Shen Shuren: "Although I have not yet reached the age of adulthood, since I am to enter the Imperial Academy, I ought to have a courtesy name. After some contemplation, I believe 'Shuren' is quite fitting, and I kindly request my father to bestow this name upon me."
However, his spoiled son, not long ago, had a falling out with the family and recklessly mistreated himself, resulting in heatstroke
The gentleman is truly a master of the medical arts, and I believe my son will soon be completely healed. I am also grateful to Brother Zheng for his selfless dedication in seeking medical help and providing medicine, and in the future ... ...
The insidious and malicious tricks that were buried in the bottom of the box in a past life are just right to be brought out and aired, to be directed at the Tartars, without wasting a single bit
Just now, he felt that Shen Tingyang's actions were imbued with a sense of peculiarity. For instance, although he appeared to be brotherly with that visitor, a closer examination of their underlying dialogue reveals the subtle clash hidden within.
As soon as Shen Tingyang left, the maid in the room hurried over to Shen Shuren, rubbing his chest and wiping his sweat, expressing her concern with a sympathetic tone: "Young Master, you are awake! We have been terrified these past few days."
The leading maid is named Qingzhi. Upon hearing this, she was momentarily taken aback, and then sighed
Shen Tingyang turned around and asked, "What is it now?"
In fact, he woke up a quarter of an hour ago, a typical case of time travel
At this point, Shen Shuren's sense of estrangement from the "cheap father" also diminished somewhat
After more than a decade of self-study in historical military strategies, diplomatic tactics, and intelligence analysis, I found that in society, no private enterprise owner would pay for these dragon-slaying skills
Shen Tingyang was concerned about any mishaps on the way, so he decided to wait until his son recovered before proceeding
He pondered to himself: Since it is now the Chongzhen era, time is already short, and to save Han civilization, he must surely climb up quickly
Ten thousand taels to buy a song? Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, wondering if the tongue was made of gold or the lips were made of gold
After all, in future daily life, it is inevitable to pay respects to this cheap father. As a modern individual, he will certainly reject feudal rites and teachings.
Little did they know that this delay would lead to unforeseen changes
It was not until the flame licked his hand that he painfully shook his fingers.
However, he also felt quite empty inside
In times of peace, there are many so-called experts in the humanities who only report good news and ignore the bad. After all, during high tides, it is hard to tell who is swimming naked. However, when troubled times arrive, it is certain that significant matters will be mismanaged.
The letter from Ming was sent by the Nanjing Guozijian Siyi, purely official in nature, with no hidden conspiracies whatsoever
... ...
Shen Tingyang thought for a moment, and found it to be acceptable