Wanli Emperor Chapter 29 Part 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 29 Part 2: Mourning Past, Scheming Future; The Silent Throne

Meanwhile, outside the Meridian Gate, the civil and military officials and representatives of the common people, waiting for the edict to be proclaimed, had long been craning their necks in anticipation.

Though bustling, the crowd was orderly. They were stationed by rank, from the leading court ministers at the Meridian Gate, stretching all the way to the representatives of the military and common people at the end, almost reaching the edge of the Imperial City.

Zhang Siwei knelt outside the Meridian Gate, secretly watching the back of Gao Gong, who stood at the very front of the ranks.

Although switching ships at the last minute was not very honorable, as the Senior Grand Secretary, Gao Gong, could truly fetch a good price.

It was no wonder they called Zhang Juzheng a prodigy. To bypass Yang Bo and come directly to him was a stroke of genius.

Yang Bo would not sell out Gao Gong for a position as auxiliary minister in the Grand Secretariat, but he, Zhang Siwei, would!

He had become a jinshi 【equivalent to a doctoral degree】 in the thirty-second year of the Jiajing era and had been tempered for nineteen years. He was originally a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy and had the seniority of a former imperial lecturer to the late emperor.

Now, as the Vice Minister of Personnel, a proper third-rank official, he was only one step away from becoming an auxiliary minister in the Grand Secretariat.

With a position in the Grand Secretariat right before his eyes, never mind selling out Gao Gong—even if he had to shave his head in the first lunar month, he wouldn't hesitate.

【TN: Shaving one's head in the first lunar month was considered extremely unlucky, as it was believed to harm one's maternal uncle】

Just as Zhang Siwei was lost in these thoughts, he suddenly heard a commotion from within the Meridian Gate.

He looked up and saw the Scribe Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Cao Xianyu, running out from the Meridian Gate, holding four scrolls high and shouting as he went.

"An edict! An edict! An edict!"

After the hundred officials had all bowed their heads to listen, Cao Xianyu shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Son of Heaven has ascended the throne, and a sagely edict is issued!"

"Let the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Xizhong, bear the memorial scroll to the southern suburbs to offer sacrifices to Heaven!"

Zhu Xizhong knelt to receive the scroll and departed for the southern suburbs.

"Let the Duke of Ying, Zhang Rong, bear the memorial scroll to the northern suburbs to offer sacrifices to Earth!"

Zhang Rong departed as ordered.

"Let the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, Xu Congcheng, bear the memorial scroll to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to inform the ancestral spirits!"

Xu Congcheng departed as ordered.

"Let the Marquis of Dingxi, Jiang You, bear the memorial scroll to the Altar of Soil and Grain to inform the spirits of the land and grain!"

Jiang You departed as ordered.

The four nobles, each leading a ceremonial procession, departed in grand and mighty fashion to offer sacrifices on behalf of the Son of Heaven.

Among them, the Duke of Cheng was the most illustrious, responsible for the sacrifice to Heaven, a position envied by countless military nobles.

Unfortunately, no one knew that Zhu Xizhong, on his way to the southern suburbs, wished he could toss this assignment away like a hot potato for anyone else to take.

These favors all had to be repaid!

He hadn't felt it so deeply before, until the handwritten letter he had received yesterday...

Having received the grace of the imperial house, it was time to risk his life.

The imperial house, the Grand Secretariat, and the Directorate of Ceremonial—the three most powerful factions of the time—were engaged in open and secret struggles.

Regardless of the outcome, the aftershocks alone would likely cost many their lives, and many more their official posts.

Of these Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, more than half would probably be replaced.

The civil officials would mostly be dismissed from office. As for those who would lose their lives, it would naturally be the unlucky eunuchs and nobles.

Zhu Xizhong's worried and pained expression was no act.

In the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong era 【1449 CE】, the struggles had been just as fierce. The Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—what a prestigious position, right? He was beaten to death in the main hall by the civil officials, right in front of the regent!

He truly did not want to get involved in this mess. To make a small bet, win a little favor from the new emperor, and receive some minor protection in the future would have been enough.

Unfortunately, Jiang Keqian had come to his door yesterday, delivering the emperor's handwritten letter, making it impossible for him to remain uninvolved.

The new emperor not only ordered him to fully activate the Embroidered Uniform Guard to keep a close watch on the Grand Secretariat and the Eastern Depot, but had also summoned his younger brother, Zhu Xixiao, to the Qianqing Palace to serve as a personal guard, and ordered him to "cooperate at all times."

Although it was a private letter, and the wording was extremely earnest and polite, the tone was firm. Zhu Xizhong had no room to refuse and could only accept everything.

He, of course, knew what had happened in the past few days.

Jiang Keqian's lips were sealed, but the Embroidered Uniform Guards under his command had, after all, been dispatched by him, the commander.

The movements of Gao Gong and the court officials, Zhang Juzheng's secret meetings with the Jin Clique, and the new emperor's clandestine actions—Zhu Xizhong knew it all.

It was precisely because he knew that he felt the situation was so perilous.

Zhu Xizhong only cursed himself for being in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, for having read too many books, for being too well-informed, and for knowing too many stories of the dynasty.

This was what made him so terrified, wishing he could just drop dead in the office.

Otherwise? What could he do?

Whether he ignored the new monarch or sided with the Directorate of Ceremonial or Gao Gong, he would be hated by the new emperor. Perhaps in a few years, the adult emperor would have his entire family executed.

As for siding with the emperor, to be his vanguard? Then he would inevitably be hated by the civil officials!

The former Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Bing, had been a playmate of Emperor Shizong and had even saved his life in a fire. Zhu Xizhong remembered his end very clearly.

After Lu Bing's death, Emperor Shizong had specially ordered people to "protect his family." And the result? As soon as Emperor Shizong was gone, the civil officials immediately launched a counterattack.

The calls to settle accounts with Lu Bing echoed endlessly in the court. Among the most vehement was the Censor Zhang Shouyue, who submitted a memorial to confiscate his property, desecrate his corpse, and arrest his relatives.

Even more laughably, the late emperor had not been able to overrule them, had failed to honor his own father's final wish, and had really had Lu Bing's family property confiscated.

No matter which choice he made, Zhu Xizhong could see no hope of breaking the deadlock. Now, caught in the vortex, it seemed he could only watch as the Duke of Cheng's residence met its declining fate.

Unless... the new emperor on the throne could not only win, but was also a person who valued relationships and would not abandon his allies once his goals were achieved.

Furthermore, he had to be more assertive than the late emperor, able to suppress the civil officials and prevent a counterattack.

Oh, and he had to live long enough until all the civil officials the Duke of Cheng's residence had offended had passed away.

As he thought about it, Zhu Xizhong himself couldn't help but laugh helplessly.

It truly was a one-in-ten-thousand chance of survival.

….

The Fengxian, Hongxiao, and Shenxiao Halls were for the worship of emperors and empresses who were not enshrined in the Nine Ancestral Temples.

For instance, the spirit tablets of his two current mothers would, after their deaths, only be placed in these three halls.

As for the sacrificial process, it was quite simple, with no extra spectators. Everyone watched from a distance outside the hall.

Zhu Yijun followed the memorial text and sacrificial rites, burning the announcement to his ancestors. After the rites were completed, he bowed three times and departed.

This completed the ritual of informing the ancestral spirits.

Just as Zhu Yijun emerged from the Shenxiao Hall, Jiang Keqian came forward to greet him.

"Your Majesty, of the speaking officials recommended by Grand Secretary Gao, after this humble subject tested them, only two are usable."

【TN: Speaking officials were censors and other officials responsible for remonstrating with the emperor and reporting misconduct】

Zhu Yijun was somewhat surprised, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded. "So be it. Two are enough."

These speaking officials were, of course, not meant for the front lines.

Yesterday, when he had heard that Zhang Siwei was colluding with Zhang Juzheng, he had immediately formed a plan.

He was now maintaining a balancing act, hoping that Gao Gong and Feng Bao would both suffer losses.

Since Gao Gong had been defeated in history, he naturally had to lend him a hand.

This Jin Clique, a treacherous bunch, was perfect for someone to tie them down, to prevent the backstabbing from being too damaging, and also to avoid alerting Feng Bao.

After the speaking officials' impeachment, Yang Bo and Zhang Siwei would have to confess their guilt and request dismissal.

To tie their hands for a while would be enough.

As for how he had persuaded Gao Yi... there was no need to tell Gao Yi about impeaching the Jin Clique.

He had only said that he had heard of some court officials being corrupt and derelict in their duties, and asked Gao Yi to recommend a few loyal and patriotic speaking officials to investigate for him.

The selection of these men had naturally involved poring over their records, investigating everything down to when they had wet their pants as children, before he had chosen a few upright officials with the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues ingrained in their minds.

【TN: Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues are the fundamental principles of Confucian ethics governing relationships and moral conduct】

And even then, after the Embroidered Uniform Guard had sent people to test them, listening at their walls for a day, only two were left who were usable.

As for the evidence of Zhang Siwei and Yang Bo's crimes, these two were truly not clean.

When Zhu Xixiao had shown him the depth of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's resources yesterday, his mouth had gone dry from talking.

In the end, he had chosen two moderately serious crimes, which he would later give to the speaking officials.

Only with such a balance could the fight be interesting.

Apart from feeling a little guilty for deceiving an honest man.

After all, when Gao Yi later learned that he was going to impeach Gao Gong's Jin Clique, he would probably feel wronged for a while—he couldn't blame me, could he? I have read the Four Books and Five Classics and hate corrupt officials without discrimination. My teacher can't have taught me to cover for them, right?

At this moment, Jiang Keqian spoke again. "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Gao says that he has been overworked recently and is feeling unwell. After Your Majesty ascends the throne, he wishes to take a few days of leave."

Zhu Yijun was stunned. "Leave?"

There were only three people in the Grand Secretariat, and one had to go and inspect the imperial mausoleum. To take leave at this time?

After a moment's thought, he realized it was most likely Gao Gong's idea.

Wasn't this Gao Gong too arrogant and self-willed? He was, after all, Gao Yi's patron, and their private relationship was excellent. At such a critical moment, he was letting Gao Yi stay out of it?

If not for Gao Gong's personality, he probably wouldn't have lost so miserably in history.

But it was just as well. Everyone was hiding their plans from Gao Yi.

As the only honest man with a clean slate, it was indeed not convenient for him to be involved in too much trouble. This way, after the dust settled, he could come out and clean up the mess.

As for the upright officials behind him, let me make use of them for a while!

Thinking this, Zhu Yijun nodded and instructed, "Have your men keep an eye on him. I need to be able to contact Grand Secretary Gao at all times."

Jiang Keqian withdrew.

Zhu Yijun summoned a ritual official. "I have finished offering sacrifices to the ancestral spirits."

The ritual official knew what to do. The time drum, which had been set earlier by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, immediately sounded its first beat.

Outside the hall, the Archery and Guards Division had already arranged the ceremonial procession, with armored guards lined up behind, each holding flags and ceremonial weapons. A five-carriage chariot was parked outside the hall, with two ceremonial ushers holding memorial tablets, attending on either side.

Zhang Hong quickly helped Zhu Yijun steadily onto the five-carriage chariot, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "Clear the way!"

Instantly, bells and drums sounded, armor clanked, and the procession moved forward in grand and mighty fashion.

A hundred men in front sprinkled water, cleared the path, and unfurled flags. On either side, the procession played ceremonial music, stretching out into a long line.

Zhang Hong shouted again, "To the Meridian Gate!"

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