Wanli Emperor Chapter 45 Part 1 (Patreon)

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Chapter 45 Part 1: A Hidden Storm Gathers, Who but I?

Eighteenth day of the sixth month, early morning.

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yijun, having finished dressing, sat quietly at his desk. He reviewed his dossiers while eating his morning meal—he would not attend the court conference today, for he had more pressing matters to handle.

He tasted a mouthful of congee and frowned. "Was sugar added?"

With that, he set the bowl down.

Zhang Hong froze for a moment, then hurried forward.

Zhu Yijun said with a note of helplessness, "How many times have I told you? No sugar, no sugar."

Zhang Hong seemed to recall something and quickly explained, "This slave is at fault. These past two days, you ordered this slave and Li Jin to replace the staff at the Directorate of Palace Delicacies. My instructions were incomplete; I failed to make the situation clear to the new staff."

Zhu Yijun had nearly finished eating anyway. Hearing this, he simply stopped and focused on his dossiers, waiting.

Before long, Jiang Keqian led in an old eunuch dressed in coarse hemp cloth, his face kind and benevolent.

Zhu Yijun was taken aback by the attire.

A grand eunuch dressed in hemp cloth? Had he encountered another performer?

"This slave, Li Jin, has come to pay his respects to Your Majesty."

Li Jin bowed respectfully, performing a full and proper grand courtesy.

Zhu Yijun did not immediately bid him rise.

Instead, he asked with curiosity, "Clan Uncle, why have you come to see me dressed in coarse hemp? Do you harbor some grievance against me?"

Li Jin kowtowed once more and declared himself guilty.

Then, he gave a bitter smile. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This slave is not deliberately putting on a performance. My finances are truly strained."

"To be honest with Your Majesty, this slave was not always so destitute. I took what was rightfully mine."

"But later, when the late emperor's succession was assured, and he had only the son born of Lady Li..."

"Lady Li sent someone to admonish this slave, telling me to be prudent in my words and actions, and not to use her name for ill purposes."

"This slave also feared affecting the lady and the young master, so I returned what ought to be returned and lived cautiously on my stipend."

"After so many years, my family's savings have been exhausted, leaving me in this impoverished state."

Regardless of the truth in his words, spoken to this extent, no one could find fault.

Zhu Yijun made a gesture as if to help him up.

He sighed. "Clan Uncle, I understand what you have said."

"To bear the name of an imperial relative, to be prudent in every word and action for fear of damaging my reputation—it has truly been hard on you, Clan Uncle."

Li Jin quickly demurred, "Your Majesty, I dare not accept the title of 'Clan Uncle.' It would shorten this slave's life."

"Besides, this slave has not suffered. To see Your Majesty ascend the throne brings ten thousand joys to my heart."

Zhu Yijun readily accepted his point. "Then I shall call you Grand Attendant. And Grand Attendant Li, there is no need to refer to yourself as 'slave.' We are family, after all. 'Your subject' will suffice."

Li Jin quickly knelt to express his gratitude.

After the two had completed their formalities, Li Jin finally stated his purpose. "That this subject has received the position of Admiral of the Eastern Depot is entirely due to Your Majesty's grace."

"I have come specially to thank Your Majesty."

Zhu Yijun shook his head. "The kindness Grand Attendant Li showed in sending my mother into the Residence of the Prince of Yu—how could I ignore it? Since the Eastern Depot position is vacant, it should naturally be given to someone I trust."

Li Jin quickly knelt and kowtowed in thanks.

Zhu Yijun looked at the old fox before him and sighed inwardly.

These characters who had clawed their way up were truly none of them simple.

Seeing that Li Jin still would not relent, Zhu Yijun had to concede another step. "This is a reward for your merit. You should accept it."

"Furthermore, I remember your years of toil as well."

"Grand Attendant Li, if there is anything you desire, do not hesitate to tell me, so that I may repay some small part of these many years of hardship."

For Li Jin to come dressed like this was, naturally, a performance for his benefit.

Never mind what the man said about Empress Dowager Li telling him to be honest and not reach out his hand, leading to his current destitution.

Zhu Yijun was not foolish enough to believe it.

After this back-and-forth, with Li Jin not yet pledging his loyalty, he must still have something to request.

With the current complex situation in the palace, Zhu Yijun needed to gain control of the inner court as quickly as possible, so he had to be the first to yield.

As expected, upon hearing these words, Li Jin finally revealed his true feelings.

He bowed down once more.

His voice began to choke with emotion. "Your Majesty, this slave wishes to beg a favor."

"When this slave first entered the palace, it was against my father's wishes. He had my name removed from the family register."

"Now, this subject is over fifty, alone and without support. My parents are approaching their final days, yet they still refuse to see me."

"They say that because I have no heir, I am an unfilial son."

Li Jin's face was filled with sorrow.

Zhu Yijun quickly helped him up.

He sighed in admiration of the man's filial piety.

"Grand Attendant is truly a man of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. I am moved. How could I not grant your request?"

"Let us do this. I will have the Imperial Father-in-Law mediate on your behalf and arrange for you to adopt a son."

"Once you have accumulated some merit, I will make the decision and bestow grace upon your father and mother."

Having received this promise, Li Jin finally dropped his reserve.

Crying "Long live Your Majesty," he expressed his thanks. "This subject will serve Your Majesty and would not shrink from ten thousand deaths."

Zhu Yijun secretly let out a long breath of relief.

After all that maneuvering, it was finally time for business.

He helped Li Jin to his feet and asked in a low voice, "Grand Attendant, how long will it take you to gain control of the Eastern Depot?"

Since he was going to make a move, he could not afford to overlook any force he could use.

Li Jin gave a bitter smile. "Your Majesty, this subject has only just taken over, and the former admiral was the Seal-holding Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial..."

Zhu Yijun cut him off. "I know. Just give me a timeframe."

Li Jin pondered for a moment. "I estimate it will take two months."

Zhu Yijun shook his head. That was too long.

He was going to make his move in the next two days; he could not wait.

He changed his question. "Then what if it is to prevent outsiders from interfering?"

Li Jin thought for a moment and said with great confidence, "The moment this subject took office, I replaced the key positions with my trusted men."

"Although I cannot yet command them as easily as my own arm, for an outsider to try and interfere now would be exceedingly difficult!"

Zhu Yijun nodded. That was enough.

His face expressionless, he said, "Tonight, have all the men around Ciqing Palace withdrawn. I do not want a single pair of ears there."

The hairs on Li Jin's neck stood on end.

He immediately bowed silently and assented.

Then, he slowly withdrew.

Only after Li Jin had completely left did Zhu Xixiao emerge from behind the screen.

Zhu Yijun gestured for him to approach.

"Zhu Qing, if the Eastern Depot does not interfere, is the Embroidered Uniform Guard confident enough on its own?"

Zhu Xixiao quickly replied, "The palace defenses have been properly arranged. All posts are held by trusted, loyal men."

Zhu Yijun nodded.

He murmured, "Then let it be at the hour of zi (11 PM - 1 AM)."

Zhu Xixiao knelt to receive the order.

Just as he was rising to withdraw, the emperor suddenly called out to him.

The emperor's face was shrouded in darkness. Zhu Xixiao could only hear his voice. "Zhu Qing."

"Be mindful of your limits. Do not touch those you should not touch. I will not hold you responsible."

Zhu Xixiao turned back in astonishment.

Unsure whether the words were sincere or a warning, he hesitated, "Your Majesty..."

Zhu Yijun affirmed once more, "Rest assured, I am not speaking in reverse."

"The Residence of the Duke of Cheng is loyal to the sovereign and the state. I... will fulfill the bond between us, between ruler and subject."

Zhu Xixiao, his heart filled with sincere admiration, bowed again and withdrew.

Zhu Yijun slowly closed his eyes.

He reviewed the situation once more, checking for any omissions or flaws in his plan.

What he was about to do was, naturally, not to rush into Ciqing Palace and have Empress Dowager Chen cut down—such a foolish act.

His reminder to Zhu Xixiao just now was also out of fear that he would misunderstand and act on his own initiative, placing him in the position of an unfilial son.

Did he need to go to such lengths? Of course not.

The empress dowagers of the Ming Dynasty were too constrained by the system.

Without a long period of loosening these bonds, it was impossible for them to rule as regents.

This meant that the channels of communication between the inner palace and the outer court were, in fact, very few.

This was why Chen Hong had been jumping about so frantically—Gao Gong would never take the initiative to send someone into the inner palace.

Now, Empress Dowager Chen and Gao Gong were colluding, which was how they could suppress all other parties.

But what the two of them did not know was... the military force of the inner court was entirely in his hands!

As long as he had all the inner courtiers around Empress Dowager Chen eliminated, what would they use to collude with the outer court?

She already resided in a separate palace, and of the inner courtiers around her, only two grand eunuchs had deep roots.

As long as he had Chen Hong and his group exterminated, whatever attitude he said Empress Dowager Chen had, that would be her attitude!

Who said that isolating the inner and outer courts was a specialty of the eunuchs? Now it was his turn!

Not only that, since he was going to this extent, there was no reason to leave Feng Bao around to disgust him.

He might as well seize the entire inner court in his hands!

Assuming personal rule was not urgent, but the tendrils of power that should be extended would not be neglected in the slightest.

Therefore, he had summoned Li Jin and had him secure the Eastern Depot.

He had also instructed Zhu Xixiao to arrange for the dirty work.

The only thing worth considering was the outer court.

If they saw an opportunity and intervened, it might not be impossible for them to cause him trouble.

After all, if there was no one to control the situation, it was hard to say whether the outer court would hold their noses and accept it, or simply jump out and question him.

Not to mention if his actions now provoked some fool to utter the words, "rather like Emperor Yingzong."【TN: Who was criticized for being controlled by palace eunuchs】

His political prestige would probably plummet into the negative.

Although after he gained control of the inner court, with his birth mother protecting him from behind, there was no danger of some minister entertaining the wild idea of deposing the emperor.

But the exercise of power has its costs.

The level of political prestige directly affected the cost of exercising power. In later generations, a direct manifestation of this among subordinates was called public trust.

When the cost was too great, never mind new policies—even his control would be affected.

Therefore, to protect his political reputation, he had never considered using military force against the ministers of the outer court. Similarly, after isolating the inner and outer courts, he could not have someone say of him, "he does not conduct himself like a sovereign."

Thus, to perform this play well, someone from the outer court would have to cooperate, using their political prestige to mediate and harmonize.

At that time, as long as a tacit understanding was formed between the inner and outer courts, the emperor, the empress dowager, and the outer court would still form an unbreakable power structure.

And for this kind of matter—bullying his legal mother—a proper gentleman like Gao Yi might not approve, and besides, his private relationship with Gao Gong was too close.

Unless he had no other choice, he would not disturb the resting Gao Yi.

So, he had been waiting.

Waiting for Zhang Juzheng to return from the Tianshou Mountains.

During this time, he had been avoiding Gao Gong's sharp edge, also to lull Gao Gong into a false sense of security—Gao Gong had never truly understood the emperor.

He had to meet with Zhang Juzheng!

If he could persuade him, he could complete the final link.

If not... then he feared he would not only have to ask Gao Yi to emerge, but also contact Yang Bo, Zhu Heng, and others.

Today or tomorrow, it would all be decided.

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