Chapter 112: The Empress Dowager Is Also A Woman

The news of the two monks' suicides leaked out somehow, and for a time, the previously quiet monks became restless once again.

The air in every part of Beijing was thick with the scent of gunpowder, dispelling even some of the chill.

Just past the hour of Chen this day, Grand Secretary Shen Shixing arrived in a hurry in a four-bearer warm sedan chair at the Zhang University Scholar Mansion.

After stepping out of the sedan chair, he lifted his official robes and, as if his feet were fueled by the wind, headed straight for Zhang Juzheng's study. Inside the study, Zhang Juzheng was resting with his eyes closed; hearing the commotion, he slowly opened his eyes.

Upon seeing each other, the two exchanged bows and sat down according to the etiquette of host and guest.

Once seated, Shen Shixing, as if he had hot coals under his seat, hurriedly stood up and said, "Grand Secretary, this matter is of great importance. According to information I have received, elderly monks in the prefectures below have also been taking their own lives to resist the court's great law."

"That only proves that this great law of ours is necessary." Zhang Juzheng knit his brows and huffed indignantly, "These monks, they falsely claim to be followers of the Buddha. If they truly possessed profound virtue, could they even conceive of such a base method as self-destruction?"

A person who truly believes in Buddhism would never even entertain the thought of self-destruction.

The Buddha said that all living beings suffer, so they must constantly cultivate themselves so that all external things cannot affect them. Yet these people, simply because they lost the court's support, have resorted to self-destruction.

With their six senses not yet purified, they will not enter the Buddha Land after death, but will instead descend into the Eighteen Levels of Hell.

"That may be so, but the public opinion outside is very unfavorable," Shen Shixing said, standing up and walking two steps toward Zhang Juzheng.

"Oh? Tell me about it?" Zhang Juzheng leaned back, his face calm and indifferent.

"Outside... outside they say you are callous and ungrateful, forcing the monks to their deaths."

"And what is your meaning?"

Hearing the question, Shen Shixing mentally drafted his response before saying, "My meaning is that for all monks over fifty, the examination should be waived; those with disabilities should also be exempt from the examination. This would be a way to grant them a path to survival."

"No." Zhang Juzheng waved his hand abruptly, his tone cold and refusing any rejection, "If fifty is acceptable, then what about forty-nine? What about forty-eight? Forty-seven? Furthermore, regarding the matter of disabilities, if we truly decree that the disabled are exempt from the examination, I fear Great Ming will soon have tens of thousands more monks missing arms and legs."

Once the standard is lowered, it will slide downward without end.

"Then... then let us set it so that monks over sixty are exempt from the examination." Shen Shixing hesitated for a long time before saying it with a tremble.

"What is, is. There is no need for any special treatment." Zhang Juzheng waved his hand, stood up, paced to the window, and with his back to Shen Shixing, said, "Since things have reached this point, the arrow has left the bow and cannot return. You, Rumuo, should understand the gravity of this."

Looking at Zhang Juzheng's thin back, Shen Shixing was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding in agreement: "I understand. However, the monks causing trouble is a small matter; some scholars from the Hanlin Academy have also joined them."

"If they want to make trouble, let them. Scholars rebelling won't succeed in three years; they cannot amount to any great climate," Zhang Juzheng said with great authority.

"Very well. I ask the Grand Secretary to give me a set of procedures."

"What procedures?"

"In case the monks cause a major disturbance, how should I handle it?" Shen Shixing asked in a low voice.

"Disperse them, that is all," Zhang Juzheng said, turning around to look into Shen Shixing's eyes.

"And if they cannot be dispersed?"

"How could that be? Are there not the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the men of the Five Cities Patrol Battalion to help?"

Shen Shixing's mouth turned bitter as he continued, "After people died, these monks became like leeches seeing blood; their courage has grown. I am afraid that if a conflict truly breaks out, the soldiers under my command will be timid and hesitant."

"In that case, send heavy troops to guard the main thoroughfares. Anyone who dares to charge, drive them back without exception. As long as no lives are taken, everything can be managed," Zhang Juzheng said after frowning and pondering for a moment.

"Yes," Shen Shixing replied respectfully, though his feet did not move.

"Do you have something else?"

"I ask the Grand Secretary to give me a written order; otherwise, the soldiers below will not dare to act on mere spoken words."

Shen Shixing, usually a slippery character like a loach, was this time purely being forced into a corner. To protect himself, he naturally had to arrange everything perfectly.

Zhang Juzheng stared at Shen Shixing with a straight face for a long time before suddenly bursting into a laugh: "Well played, Shen Shixing. You want to push all the responsibility onto me. Fine, fine, fine—I have too many debts to worry about one more. I will write you a set of procedures."

After teasing Shen Shixing, Zhang Juzheng picked up his brush to write, when suddenly You Qi rushed into the study in a frantic hurry.

"What is it?" Zhang Juzheng asked with displeasure.

"Master, Master, it is a disaster! The warrior monks of Zhaoning Temple have clashed with the guarding soldiers. Five soldiers and three monks are dead, and over ten are injured." After taking two heavy breaths, You Qi finished speaking at a rapid pace.

Hiss. Zhang Juzheng and Shen Shixing exchanged a glance, secretly feeling the gravity of the situation.

After a long silence, Zhang Juzheng pointed at Shen Shixing and ordered, "Rumuo, go to the scene now to maintain order and comfort the casualties. I will enter the palace to see the Empress Dowager, lest someone take the opportunity to stir up trouble."

"Very well." Shen Shixing nodded in agreement, and they parted ways to act.

The two soon left the University Scholar Mansion. At this time, goose-feather-sized snowflakes began to drift in the sky.

Falling on the roof of the sedan chair, they made a rustling sound. Inside the chair, Zhang Juzheng lowered his brows and focused his mind, wondering what he was thinking about.

Yet, he showed not the slightest sign of panic.

The current situation was much better than it had been in the early years of Wanli.

At that time, although he was nominally the Senior Grand Secretary, most of the factions in the court were those of the former Senior Grand Secretary Gao Gong, and his position as Senior Grand Secretary was an empty shell.

It took a great deal of effort for him to prune away Gao Gong's factions, and after more than ten years of work, the entire court was in his hands. At least on the surface, that was the case.

The key to the problem now was that Empress Dowager Li must not cause trouble. As long as she was appeased, no matter how much trouble was stirred up outside, he would remain as steady as Mount Tai.

Just as he was thinking this, the warm sedan chair arrived before the Forbidden City.

Zhang Juzheng stepped out of the sedan chair, walked a distance along the palace wall, and arrived at the entrance of Cining Palace.

He brushed the accumulated snow off his body and stood respectfully outside. Before long, a palace maid in uniform walked out from inside and smiled, "Master Zhang, the Empress Dowager summons you inside."

"Yes." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and hurried inside.

Bypassing the shining spirit wall, Zhang Juzheng arrived at the reception hall.

Empress Dowager Li was already waiting there.

She was wearing a bright yellow long skirt with a phoenix-among-birds pattern, her beautiful hair coiled at the back of her head, adorned with two amber-white Wish-fulfilling Hairpins. Her fair, oval face was lightly powdered, making her indescribably beautiful.

"Your subject, Zhang Juzheng, pays respects to the Empress Dowager." Not daring to look too much, Zhang Juzheng hurriedly lowered his head and bowed to Empress Dowager Li.

Empress Dowager Li's cheeks flushed pink as she signaled the maid to offer Zhang Juzheng a seat. Once the two were seated, Zhang Juzheng suddenly noticed that this Empress Dowager, who usually sat upright, seemed a bit more charming.

"Master Zhang, is Yu'er doing well?"

Empress Dowager Li covered her lips and smiled, asking with a grin.

Zhang Juzheng did not know why the Empress Dowager asked this, but with the question before him, he could only bite the bullet and answer, "Miss Yu'er is by the Empress Dowager's side, influenced by what she sees and hears, she is dignified and elegant..."

Hearing this, a trace of disappointment flashed through Empress Dowager Li's eyes, vanishing in an instant.

As she spoke, her voice turned a few degrees colder: "Master Zhang, what is the matter that you have come to see Us in such a hurry?"

"Oh, it is like this: a brawl occurred at Zhaoning Temple today, and five soldiers and three monks were killed. This old minister dared not conceal it, so I came here specifically to inform the Empress Dowager," Zhang Juzheng replied unhurriedly.

"Ah? How could it have come to this? Master Zhang, back then We did not agree to let you ruin the lives of these monks," Empress Dowager said, her cherry lips agape in shock.

"Empress Dowager, long-term pain is worse than short-term pain. The prosperity of Buddhism has nothing to do with the number of monks, but rather with how many people truly believe in the Buddha. Just look at these monks—they cannot even recite the simplest Buddhist sutra meanings, and some even took their own lives."

Zhang Juzheng spoke until his throat was parched, picked up his tea to moisten it, and continued: "These are not Buddhists at all, but leeches wanting to cling to the back of the imperial court to gnaw at the bones and suck the marrow."

"But... but this has resulted in loss of life after all. In a sacred place of the Buddha, how can one see blood?"

"Empress Dowager, the Buddha speaks of cause and effect. That these people, these monks who were merely making up the numbers, have met this end today must be because they planted evil causes in the past. If they had sincerely worshipped the Buddha and refined their state of mind, how could they have met with such a disaster?"

Knowing that she was no match for Zhang Juzheng in a war of words, Empress Dowager narrowed her phoenix eyes and asked: "Then what does Master Zhang intend to do?"

"Separate these warrior monks, hold them in custody, and evaluate them to prevent them from rioting again," Zhang Juzheng said directly, stating what was on his mind.

"Master Zhang, how many people do you intend to keep?"

"Keep one out of every ten."

"That is too few."

Empress Dowager was somewhat displeased, and her voice rose unconsciously, "We told you to weed out the dregs of the Buddhist faith, but if you weed them out in this manner, in another ten years or so, will there be anyone left in the Buddhist faith?"

Zhang Juzheng's expression softened, and suppressing his emotions, he said: "Empress Dowager, in truth, everyone has a Buddha in their heart. If one sincerely worships the Buddha, just like you, why must one be in a temple?"

"This minister believes that if these Buddhists return to their hometowns to farm while doing good deeds and spreading Buddhism, would that not better fulfill the Buddha's words of 'saving all living beings'?"

"Fine, you, Grand Secretary Zhang, are learned and talented; We cannot outtalk you." Empress Dowager blinked her phoenix eyes and smiled playfully, "Just proceed according to your wishes."

"Many thanks, Empress Dowager." Zhang Juzheng let out a long sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and rose to take his leave.

Empress Dowager had wanted to keep Zhang Juzheng for lunch, but Zhang Juzheng excused himself, saying he had too many affairs to attend to and could not stay long. Empress Dowager pursed her lips with a smile and teased: "Master Zhang is a busy man, unlike Us, an idle person. Go on then."

"Oh, that's right. For this year's Ao Mountain Lantern Festival in the first lunar month, has Master Zhang sent people to prepare it?"

"This minister has already ordered the Minister of Revenue, Li Youzi, to allocate three hundred thousand taels of silver to be specifically responsible for this matter."

"That is good." Empress Dowager nodded slightly and added, "This Wanli reign has already passed eleven years; without you, Master Zhang, there would be no great achievements for Our Wanli Emperor."

"This Ao Mountain Lantern Festival is something We are holding specifically for you."

"Ah?!"

Zhang Juzheng suddenly raised his head. Empress Dowager cast her gaze toward him, and the two met eyes. Empress Dowager asked softly: "Master Zhang, what do you think of Us?"

"Empress Dowager... the Empress Dowager is dignified and elegant, a model for all women under Heaven."

"But the Empress Dowager is also a woman, a woman who has lost her husband. Sometimes, We do not wish to be the Empress Dowager, but just an ordinary woman," Empress Dowager said, her large eyes already glistening.

Zhang Juzheng dared not respond; he lowered his head, his body trembling.

After a moment of silence, Empress Dowager wiped her moist eyes and forced a smile: "Master Zhang, you may go down now; this Empress Dowager is a bit tired."

"This minister obeys the decree."

(End of chapter)