Preface
Fame and fortune, who doesn't want to climb to the sky in one step? However, on the road to power, have you ever thought about how many people will be imprisoned with you once you stumble and fall?
A young man who had just been admitted to the Jinshi examination thought that he would embark on a brilliant life path, but he was ruthlessly rejected by his family and was removed from the family tree. This sudden incident left the tribe confused and puzzled.
Thirty years later, however, a startling discovery dawned on them. Today, let's walk into this story together and see how the patriarch of the Zhu clan carefully weighed it and made a seemingly "absurd" but extremely clever decision?
First, the ambition of the children of the poor family
In the early Qing Dynasty, although the Zhu family was prosperous, it was not a prominent gate valve in the Lujiang area. Although their ancestors had celebrities like Zhu Xi, a great Confucian in the Southern Song Dynasty, by the time they reached Zhu Shangmeng's generation, their family background was already in the middle. Zhu Shangmeng was born in an ordinary scholarly family, received a good family education since he was a child, and has a strong interest in reading and career.
Zhu Shangmeng has had the ambition to serve the country since he was a child, and he hopes to use his talents and learning to show his skills in the field and revitalize the lintel for his family. However, the patriarch of the Zhu family repeatedly dissuaded him: "Fame and fortune are all false fame." If you pursue it wholeheartedly, you are afraid that you will fall into the whirlpool of twists and turns of right and wrong, and it will harm the whole family. "
The patriarch's words were like pouring a basin of cold water, and although Zhu Shangmeng was a little shaken for a while, his inner ambition was not extinguished. He secretly determined that he would show his skills in the field and regain the glory of his family.
For Zhu Shangmeng, the imperial examination is not only a way to achieve his ideals, but also the key to changing the fate of his family. As a child from a humble family, he is well aware of the difficulties of his family and is eager to bring a better life to his family through his own efforts. Even though the patriarch repeatedly dissuaded him, he did not give up on this dream, but strengthened his determination.
In that era, the imperial examination was the only way to a career in office, and those who could gain fame were undoubtedly highly respected and envied by society. Zhu Shangmeng knows this, and he hopes to bring glory to his family with his talents, so that his parents, relatives and friends can be proud. This strong sense of family and country and sense of family responsibility has become the driving force to support his struggle.
Second, the title of the gold list leads to trouble
Just when Zhu Shangmeng was determined to give it a go, a palace test during the Kangxi period opened the door to his official career. With a solid foundation, Zhu Shangmeng was the top student in high school and became the Hanlin of the imperial court in one fell swoop. This was an important turning point in Zhu Shangmeng's life and a major joy for his family.
After the news spread in Lujiang Town, countless relatives and friends came to congratulate them. Zhu Shangmeng's parents were even more overjoyed, and they set up a grand banquet for their son, ready to celebrate. Even the patriarch of the Zhu clan had to show up to preside over this grand ceremony.
For Zhu Shangmeng's parents, their son's fame is not only their wish for many years, but also the pride of the family. They must have imagined that with a talent like Zhu Shangmeng serving in the imperial court, the status and prestige of the family would be greatly enhanced. And for the patriarch of the Zhu clan, this is also a tricky situation.
Who would have thought that at this moment when it should have been joyful, the patriarch announced a shocking decision in public: Zhu Shangmeng, from today onwards, will be removed from the Zhu family's genealogy.
This is undoubtedly a slap in the face, which not only shocked Zhu Shangmeng's parents, but even the always steady patriarch could not hide the anxiety in his heart. Zhu Shangmeng himself also felt mixed feelings, he didn't understand what he had done wrong and would be punished so severely.
The decision of the patriarch of the Zhu clan also cast a shadow on this originally joyful occasion. People can't help but ask, what is the reason why the always cautious patriarch makes such a drastic move? Could it be that Zhu Shangmeng really did something to disgrace the family?
3. Dai Mingshi's "Nanshan Collection"
In this way, Zhu Shangmeng, with endless doubts and regrets, went to Haining, Zhejiang Province to serve as the magistrate. There, he was diligent and dutiful, and won the love of the people. However, Zhu Shangmeng never let go of the decision of the patriarch back then, and he often reflected on whether he had done something wrong alone in the dead of night.
Just when Zhu Shangmeng was in office for more than ten years, a major event occurred that shocked the government and the opposition. Dai Mingshiben was a young and promising literati who had already made a name for himself in his early twenties, becoming one of the most high-profile figures in the capital at that time. His "Nanshan Collection" was hailed as a miracle in the literary world at that time, attracting the attention and praise of countless literati and scholars.
However, just as Dai Mingshi's fame was rising, he was destroyed because of this book. It turned out that "Nanshan Collection" involved some old things about the Southern Ming Dynasty, which was a taboo topic in the political environment of the early Qing Dynasty. Although Dai Mingshi did not do anything wrong, the content of this book alone was enough to make him a sinner.
What's even more terrifying is that none of the people who have anything to do with Dai Mingshi are spared. Even Zhu Shangmeng, who served far away in Zhejiang, was implicated in this catastrophe because he had a relationship with Dai Mingshi. This also plunged Zhu Shangmeng into unprecedented panic and despair.
In those days, anything related to politics could become a bane, and even an ordinary literati could suffer because of some unintentional actions. Zhu Shangmeng deeply felt this horror, and he began to doubt whether he had made the right choice in the first place, and whether he should really take such a big risk for the sake of fame.
Fourth, the clever intentions of the patriarch
Just when Zhu Shangmeng was terrified, the patriarch's decision back then was finally understood. It turned out that the patriarch had foreseen all this a long time ago, so he resolutely asked Zhu Shangmeng to give up the road to the imperial examination. If Zhu Shangmeng was still in the genealogy back then, then the entire Zhu family would suffer because of this.
The patriarch's decision also shows his foresight in the overall situation. As the head of a family, he must always keep an eye on the interests of the whole family, and not only care about personal fame.
If Zhu Shangmeng is still in the family tree, once he is implicated in this matter, the entire family will suffer. And the patriarch's decision not only saved the entire family, but also saved Zhu Shangmeng from a greater disaster. This kind of foresight undoubtedly reflects the responsibility and responsibility of the patriarch as a parent.
Since then, the people of the Zhu clan have a deeper understanding of the wisdom of the patriarch, and they have begun to re-examine their pursuit of fame and fortune, and no longer blindly run towards the road full of thorns. They understand that in the face of power, we should not blindly chase, but carefully weigh the pros and cons, and always think about the long-term peace and stability of the family.
Fifth, new opportunities during the Qianlong period
In this way, Zhu Shangmeng served in Zhejiang until he was old. During the Qianlong period, the Zhu family ushered in new opportunities. This time, it was Zhu Shaoyu who was admitted to high school. For the Zhu family, Zhu Shaoyu's fame is undoubtedly a major good news.
After experiencing what happened to Zhu Shangmeng, their attitude towards fame and fortune has changed a lot. They understood that in that turbulent era, any politically connected figure could be a bane, and the Zhu family was no exception.
In the face of Zhu Shaoyu's fame, the patriarch did not stop him as he did back then, but readily agreed. It turned out that the social environment during the Qianlong period had undergone tremendous changes, the rule of officials had made great progress, and the emperor had paid more attention to the cultivation of talents.
In this good situation, the patriarch believes that Zhu Shaoyu should seize the opportunity to reopen up territory for the family in their official career. For the Zhu family, this is undoubtedly a rare opportunity. After experiencing Zhu Shangmeng's experience, they have understood that fame and fortune are not the goal of blindly pursuing, but also the long-term development of the family.
The social environment during the Qianlong period undoubtedly provided them with a safer and more stable stage. With the support and guidance of the patriarch, Zhu Shaoyu successfully entered the official career, and under the attention of Emperor Qianlong, he gradually emerged in the imperial court.
This not only brought prestige and status to the Zhu family, but also laid a solid foundation for their future development. In this way, with Zhu Shaoyu's hard work, the Zhu family gradually regained its brilliance and became a well-known local family.
epilogue
Seeing this, do you also have a new understanding of the foresight and sagacity of the patriarch of the Zhu clan? The rise and fall of a family is often not accidental, but stems from the patriarch's grasp of the general trend.
In the face of power, we should not blindly chase, but carefully weigh the pros and cons, and always think about the long-term peace and stability of the family. Only in this way can we avoid being overwhelmed by the torrent of the times and truly realize the eternal inheritance.