Chapter 21: Busy Taking Advantage of the East Wind to Fly a Paper Kite

Ever since the Emperor issued a Central Edict, the entire imperial court has been in a state of panic. There is all sorts of talk; some say the Senior Grand Secretary has offended the Emperor, while others say he has offended the Empress Dowager.

The officialdom has always been this way: reading the situation, fawning over the powerful, and trampling on the weak.

There is a method to this trampling; it always begins with the lowest-ranking members of each faction submitting a memorial.

They test the Emperor's reaction; if the Emperor neither refutes nor agrees, then those of higher rank continue to submit them.

From the Imperial Censors of the Six Offices to the assistant officials of the ministries, they continue until their goal is achieved.

If the Emperor issues an immediate edict of reprimand, then it ends there, and they have only lost a small fry.

Once Zhao Ning's memorial was submitted, the Emperor immediately issued a Central Edict, stripping Zhao Ning—who had been making a mountain out of a molehill—of his office, exiling him three thousand li away, and banning him from ever being employed again.

At the same time, he granted hereditary protection to one of Zhang Juzheng's sons.

According to the regulations of the Great Ming, even a Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent may only have one son protected.

To protect two sons is a favor of immense proportions.

With this, the officials who were watching the spectacle became like gourds with their mouths sewn shut, one after another falling silent.

The Senior Grand Secretary is held in the Emperor's heart, and no one dares to pluck the tiger's whiskers again.

The Wanli Emperor has also been in a great mood lately; he has both received money and issued two Central Edicts.

That feeling of bypassing the Grand Secretariat, of holding the power of life and death, and of having absolute authority in his hands, simply leaves him intoxicated.

This is what it means to be an Emperor.

Just as he was reveling in this, a eunuch outside the palace suddenly reported that Zhang Yunxiu requested an audience.

Wanli was overjoyed; he ran down from the dragon throne with a thud-thud-thud, rushing toward the palace entrance in a great hurry.

There, Zhang Yunxiu stood in place, wearing a green robe and holding an object in his hand.

As the monarch and subject met, Zhang Yunxiu bowed first; the Wanli Emperor waved his hand, then pointed at the object in Zhang Yunxiu's hand and asked, "Is—is this the fun kite you told Us about?"

"Yes," Zhang Yunxiu nodded and replied.

"Let's go, take Us to play with it quickly," the Wanli Emperor's interest was piqued.

"Your Majesty, this kite requires a large space to fly properly; we don't have such a large open area inside the palace," Wei Qing reminded him.

"Ah?!" Wanli's face fell, but his mind turned, and suddenly thinking of something, he clapped his hands and shouted, "Who says there isn't one? Isn't there a huge open space in front of the Huangji Hall?"

Wei Qing was almost scared to the point of kneeling; what kind of place was the Huangji Hall? That was where the officials held court. Flying a kite there would surely lead to being drowned by the spit of the hundred officials.

"This is Our Imperial Palace, and We are in charge!" The Wanli Emperor glared at Wei Qing, then looked at Zhang Yunxiu and asked, "Zhang Yunxiu, do you dare to accompany Us to fly a kite?"

"This subject dares."

"Your Majesty..." Wei Qing was almost crying.

"Shut your mouth! Being so timid, what great task can you accomplish? If you don't speak and I don't speak, how would the outside officials know?" Wanli pursed his lips, counted the heads in the hall, and threatened, "Anyway, only you few people know about this."

"If anyone else finds out, I will send you all to guard the Imperial Mausoleum."

Having said that, he strode down the steps and headed straight for the plaza of the Huangji Hall with Zhang Yunxiu.

The Huangji Hall was originally called the Fengtian Hall, built during the Yongle reign, and renamed the Huangji Hall in the forty-first year of the Jiajing Emperor.

In front of the hall lies a massive plaza, approximately fifteen zhang wide and twenty zhang long, paved with bluestone slabs.

The four corners of the plaza are surrounded by white jade pillars, and the warm sunlight spills onto them, forming patches of dappled light and shadow.

It is currently the third month of spring; the spring light is mild, and the breeze is gentle.

It is the perfect season for flying kites. As the group arrived, the Wanli Emperor scanned the empty Huangji Hall and sighed, "We rarely come here when We are not holding court. We never expected that seeing it today, it would have such a unique charm."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and replied, "When Your Majesty holds court, you are discussing national affairs, and the mood is tense. Coming here today, thinking only of play, the state of mind is different, and the scenery one sees is naturally different."

After he graduated, he had similar realizations upon returning to campus.

It was quite like the sentiment: "I wish to buy osmanthus flowers and go for a ride with wine, but it is never like the wanderings of youth."

Wanli glanced at Zhang Yunxiu and laughed, "Your state of mind is quite like that of an old master."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty." Zhang Yunxiu smiled, handed the kite to the Emperor, and introduced, "In a moment, you should run for a stretch with the kite first; once it takes flight, you can let out more line."

"We know." The Wanli Emperor was dismissive and snatched the kite from Zhang Yunxiu's hand.

He let out a short length of string, then dragged the kite along, running wildly as if his feet were on wheels.

Wei Qing and the others were so shocked their faces twitched, and they chased after the Emperor's backside like mother hens protecting their chicks.

The kite fluttered in the wind behind them and soon took flight.

The Wanli Emperor looked smug, slowed his pace, and looked up at the rising kite, higher and higher.

For a moment, he was actually somewhat mesmerized.

Since he was six, he had to wake up at the hour of the rabbit every day to study various classics and histories. Afterward, even though he became Emperor, he was always controlled by others; how could he ever be as carefree and happy as he was today?

The Empress Dowager and Master Zhang constantly reminded him to be a good Emperor.

They even took the Jiajing Emperor and the Zhengde Emperor as negative examples to teach him to be diligent in government and love the people.

In his view, those two were the only ones who truly lived as Emperors—doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

Just as the Wanli Emperor was lost in thought, Zhang Yunxiu reminded him from the side, "Your Majesty, this kite cannot be flown too high, otherwise the string will easily snap."

Before he finished speaking, a sudden gust of wind rose, and the kite in the Wanli Emperor's hand swayed left and right before the string snapped with a *crack*.

The Wanli Emperor stumbled, and the eunuchs beside him hurriedly supported the Emperor, their faces full of concern.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Zhang Yunxiu asked urgently.

"We—We are fine." The Wanli Emperor shook his head with a bitter face, then suddenly laughed at himself, "No matter how high this kite flies, there is always a string in one's hand holding it back. It's better that it snapped; once it snaps, it is free."

Zhang Yunxiu heard a hint of tragedy in his tone, so he hurriedly changed the subject, "This subject has another kite; if Your Majesty likes it, you are welcome to take it."

"No need," the Wanli Emperor waved his hand and smiled, "We have already had a very happy time today. Didn't you also say? A thin stream should flow for a long time."

As he spoke, he actually had the intention of returning to the palace.

Now Zhang Yunxiu was anxious; he kept stealing glances outside, and seeing that the person he was waiting for had not yet arrived, he was burning with impatience.

"What are you looking at?" the Wanli Emperor asked suspiciously.

"Ah?!" Zhang Yunxiu woke as if from a dream, looked at the Emperor, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, what did you just ask?"

"I asked you, what are you sneaking glances at with that shifty look?" the Wanli Emperor snorted irritably.

"Is there someone over there?" Zhang Yunxiu pointed toward the four-cornered pavilion in the distance.

"Where?"

"There, inside the third pavilion in front of you, it seems like there is someone inside."

"It really is." Wanli clapped his hands, pointed at Wei Qing beside him, and ordered, "Wei Qing, go bring that person over; I want to ask what she is doing here."

Wei Qing said "Yes," acknowledged the order, and left.

(End of chapter)