Wanli Emperor Chapter 34 Part 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 34 Part 1: Muddying the Waters, Stirring the Political Tides

The fourteenth day of the sixth month.

Before Chongwen Gate 【TN: One of the main gates of the inner city, located southeast of the Forbidden City】, a large crowd had gathered, preparing to travel to the Tianshou Mountains to select a site for the late emperor's mausoleum.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works arrived one after another.

At this moment, Zhang Juzheng was in a quiet room not far away, secretly meeting with Zhang Siwei.

"I have spoken with Feng Bao. After the Senior Grand Secretary retires, Lü Diaoyang will have other duties. At that time, you will first take charge of the Ministry of Rites and serve as chief editor of the Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong."

Zhang Juzheng spoke with his back to Zhang Siwei, gazing out the window toward Chongwen Gate.

Zhang Siwei was still one step away from the seniority required to enter the cabinet. By serving as Minister of Rites and presiding over the compilation of the Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong, he would complete the final step of seniority needed for cabinet entry.

After a period of tempering until the new year's reign name change, he would be able to enter the cabinet.

These were all matters that had been agreed upon beforehand. Now, it was simply a matter of confirming them with Feng Bao to set Zhang Siwei's mind at ease.

Zhang Siwei stood behind Zhang Juzheng and hesitated. "Grand Secretary, are you truly going to the Tianshou Mountains?"

The fulfillment of these promises was all based on Gao Gong stepping down.

Sending Zhang Juzheng away was something Zhang Siwei had persuaded Gao Gong to do at the time, but now that the situation had changed, this move had become a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own foot.

With Zhang Juzheng sent off to the Tianshou Mountains, the cabinet would be short one person to control the situation. If Gao Gong managed to turn the tables...

Given Gao Gong's temperament, those who had turned against him would not meet a good end.

Zhang Juzheng turned his head and offered reassurance. "It matters not. The overall situation is already decided."

"The Senior Grand Secretary is deeply disliked by Empress Dowager Li. As long as the Senior Grand Secretary cannot unite with the court officials, he can only resign."

These words were very clear.

Just like Yang Tinghe during the Great Rites Controversy, as long as the imperial power had the support of court officials, even if it was weaker, the Senior Grand Secretary would have to resign.

Gao Gong only dared to be so forceful now because he believed the court officials were all of one mind with him.

Zhang Siwei was still uneasy. "These past few days, we have not seen the Senior Grand Secretary's memorial of resignation submitted."

Tacit agreements were most feared when people reneged on them.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head. "Gao Yi and I submitted our memorials of resignation yesterday. The Senior Grand Secretary cannot delay for more than a few days."

"If he continues to refuse resignation... then he will be guilty of clinging to power."

Gao Gong was not that foolish.

If the crime of clinging to power fell upon him, the public opinion against him would be no less than what Feng Bao was currently facing.

Although Empress Dowager Li, for some unknown reason, had changed her mind and, out of concern for the court's stability, wanted Gao Gong to retire with dignity, this was the magnanimity of a victor, not an intention to indulge him.

If Gao Gong did not know what was good for him and clung to power, she would no longer allow him to retire with dignity.

This was the benefit of colluding with the inner court. By spying on the sagely heart and anticipating the enemy's moves, one naturally had ample confidence.

Zhang Siwei heard the hint and the confidence in his words and finally set his mind at ease.

He made his promise: "My uncle will enter the capital next year."

This was an insurance policy. Only when he himself entered the cabinet would he let Wang Chonggu enter the capital.

If Zhang Juzheng later went back on his word, the Jin Clique would have to unleash its full strength.

Zhang Juzheng nodded, accepting these words.

He looked up and saw that it was about time.

The officials traveling to the Tianshou Mountains from Chongwen Gate had almost all arrived. Only then did he prepare to push open the door and go out.

As he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something and instructed, "Gao Yi will also be on leave for the next few days."

"At that time, you will lead the daily lectures. Keep a close eye on His Majesty. It would not hurt to add more lessons."

Zhang Siwei looked at Zhang Juzheng with confusion.

Zhang Juzheng did not explain, only adding, "After the Book of Documents and the Great Learning are finished, then lecture on history and the Analects. Tell more stories of benevolent and sagely rulers."

With that, he pushed open the door and left the quiet room.

In Zhang Juzheng's view, the current emperor was too intelligent and lacked benevolence.

This was not a good thing.

He was recently preparing to write a book called The Illustrated Mirror for the Emperor's Reference, which listed sagely rulers and foolish monarchs, precisely to guide this sagely emperor in the right direction when the imperial lectures began.

Otherwise, if he relied on his intelligence and acted like Emperor Shizong, that would be his dereliction of duty.

He could still bear the burden of the new policies now, but after him, this sagely emperor would have to fend for himself.

Compared to matters like listening to governance and holding court, lecturing on the classics and principles was the top priority.

Was Emperor Shizong not intelligent? Did he not understand political affairs?

It was precisely because he understood too well, and his heart was not bound by principles, that the poison lingered to this day.

When he had gone to persuade the Two Palaces to increase the emperor's lessons, he had clearly said, "Holding court is not as good as diligent study, which is more practical."

The Great Ming Dynasty did not lack emperors who understood the art of power; it lacked benevolent rulers with the world in their hearts.

As for using the daily lectures to keep His Majesty busy and interfere less with the situation, that could only be said to be a beneficial side effect.

With these thoughts, he arrived before Chongwen Gate.

"Grand Secretary."

"Grand Secretary Zhang."

Seeing Zhang Juzheng arrive, the crowd saluted one after another.

"Minister Zhang, everyone," Zhang Juzheng returned the salute and counted the number of people. "Is everyone here? If everyone is here, let us set out."

The weather was growing hot now. Leaving a little earlier would allow them to travel in the cool of the morning.

The Minister of Revenue, Zhang Shouzhi, spoke up. "Grand Secretary, the people from the Directorate of Ceremonial have not yet arrived. Let us wait a little longer."

Zhang Juzheng looked around and indeed did not see anyone from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

He could only nod and wait with his hands tucked in his sleeves.

After a long while, a figure finally emerged from within Chongwen Gate.

Zhang Juzheng took a closer look and saw that it was the Scribe Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Cao Xianyu, and the Superintendent Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Zhang Hong.

He was puzzled.

Before he could ask, Zhang Shouzhi asked first, "Are both of you going?"

Zhang Hong smiled obsequiously. "Only Eunuch Cao will be accompanying you to the Tianshou Mountains. I have come on His Majesty's orders."

With that, he gave a signal.

A junior eunuch behind him, holding a wooden tray covered with a yellow silk cloth, walked up.

Zhang Hong uncovered the yellow silk cloth and clasped his hands in the direction of Qianqing Palace. "His Majesty said that the weather has grown hotter recently, and the Tianshou Mountains are full of mosquitoes and summer heat."

"His Majesty cannot bear to see you pillar ministers wear yourselves out."

"He specially ordered me to go to the Imperial Hospital to obtain some herbs for cooling and relieving the summer heat, as well as some medicinal sachets to repel mosquitoes."

As he spoke, he distributed them one by one to the officials before Chongwen Gate.

Zhang Juzheng secretly shook his head. The emperor was truly skilled at winning people's hearts.

Just as he was thinking this, Zhang Hong walked up, handed him a sachet, and whispered, "Grand Secretary Zhang, this is a medicinal sachet that His Majesty personally pounded."

"His Majesty said that the Grand Secretary is a pillar of the state, and the new policies still rely on you. You must take care of your health."

Zhang Juzheng subconsciously took the medicinal sachet.

Only after Zhang Hong had left did he come back to his senses.

He looked blankly at the medicinal sachet in his hand, which the emperor had personally pounded, and was momentarily at a loss.

With a strange expression, he was about to put it in his sleeve.

After thinking for a moment, he still silently hung the medicinal sachet on his waist.

After hanging it, he looked at it again and again.

He still felt it was not quite right, so he simply took it off and put it in his bosom, keeping it close to his body.

He looked up and saw Zhang Shouzhi's questioning gaze. Zhang Juzheng finally nodded. "Let us go. The sooner we go, the sooner we return."

With that, he was the first to board the carriage, and he carefully pressed down on the medicinal sachet in his bosom to prevent it from being damaged by any sudden movements.

…..

Wenhua Hall, Court Conference.

Gao Gong looked at the figure behind the screen on the imperial dais, puzzled for a long while.

Finally, he could not help but say, "Your Majesty, today is the fourteenth of the sixth month. It is not the third, sixth, or ninth. There is no need to hold court." [1]

Zhu Yijun's voice came from behind the screen. "Senior Grand Secretary, I have finished studying the Book of Documents in my daily lectures. The various daily lecturers said that one should not bite off more than one can chew, and that I should organize what I have learned and rest for a few days."

"My mother then told me to listen to the government in the morning and review my lessons in the afternoon."

According to the original schedule, the Great Learning and the Book of Documents were supposed to take at least seven months to finish, from February to September.

Now it was only mid-June, which was truly swift.

To rest for two days was naturally justifiable.

With the approval of the daily lecturers and the instruction of Empress Dowager Li, he was sitting here openly and legitimately.

The screen blocked the view, and the hundred officials could not see his expression. Only Feng Bao, standing to the side, looked at the emperor holding a copy of the Analects, his eyes filled with vigilance.

The voice came again from behind the screen. "Let the court conference proceed. I will just listen."

After speaking, he said no more.

The court officials, each with their thoughts, no longer dwelt on this matter.

—----

[1] 【TN: The Ming dynasty divided months into three ten-day periods (xun). Regular court sessions were held on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th days of each cycle, creating sessions on days like 3rd, 6th, 9th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, and 29th of each month】

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