Chapter 210: Power-Money Exchange

Early the next morning, the news that Zhang Yunxiu's Memorial had not passed the Drafting of Rescripts spread to every government office in the capital.

At the same time, because He Zheng had been brawling with Huang Cheng, he was interrogated by officials from the Ministry of Justice and locked up in the Ministry of Justice prison.

These officials had nothing to do; they sat in their offices, drinking tea all day, and once they checked in, the day was done. Because they were idle, they could only find other things to do.

Thus, speculating on the attitudes of their superiors and the Emperor became the number one priority.

Once the Emperor's Imperial Edict came down, the meddlesome officials in the capital took that Memorial, looking at it horizontally and vertically, determined to read some sort of logic into it.

For three days in a row, someone finally managed to puzzle out a meaning.

Zhang Yunxiu had fallen out of favor, and the Emperor was not entirely submissive to him either.

For a time, all the officials who had once trembled under the majesty of Zhang Juzheng and lost all their dignity became excited and restless.

Those who fanned the flames and those who openly submitted memorials to impeach him acted as if they dared to pull the Emperor off his horse.

As the person involved, Zhang Yunxiu, however, paid absolutely no attention to the gossip outside.

He adopted the stance: "Let the winds blow from the east, west, south, or north; I remain as firm as a mountain."

Early this day, Li Youzi, sticking out his big belly, stepped into Zhang Yunxiu's residence.

Zhang Fu received him and led him to Zhang Yunxiu's study to sit down; once seated, Zhang Fu brewed a pot of tea and then hurriedly retreated.

Because the two were old acquaintances, Zhang Yunxiu was too lazy to exchange pleasantries; he simply congratulated Li Youzi briefly and went straight to the point: "Uncle, with all the gossip outside right now, your nephew is walking on thin ice."

"Cut it out," Li Youzi said, pulling in his stomach and answering testily, "Who doesn't know that you and the Emperor are as thick as thieves? How could he let you be bullied?"

"Who says? The academy is already built, but now they won't let me recruit people—what do I do!"

"The Emperor didn't say he wouldn't let you recruit."

As Li Youzi spoke, he took a small sip of tea, then took that Memorial out from his bosom, pointed at it, and explained, "The Imperial brush personally approved it, only saying six characters: 'Understood, follow the Ancestral System.'"

"What does the Ancestral System mean? Doesn't the Emperor mean that if you want to run it, you can run it? But wanting the government to step forward and support your schooling is definitely impossible."

Li Youzi spoke eloquently, expressing his thoughts.

How could Zhang Yunxiu, standing to the side, not know this Emperor's intentions? But then again, most of the people in this academy would be used by the imperial court in the future; if they lacked the court's recognition...

What kind of situation was this? Just as he was fretting, Zhang Yunxiu recalled his meeting with the Wanli Emperor yesterday.

It was said that after he learned the Wanli Emperor was remaining silent, he immediately went to the Qianqing Palace to see the Emperor, attempting to persuade him to change his mind.

The two met inside the East Warm Pavilion, and the Wanli Emperor's first sentence was: "If you want Us to agree to this matter, have the Grand Secretariat write a Drafting of Rescripts and submit it."

Zhang Yunxiu was stunned for a moment.

The Senior Grand Secretary, Zhang Siwei, would certainly not agree to this.

Pan Chengcheng was also quite dissatisfied with this "what-have-you" academy, which did not teach the words of the sages but instead taught those "hundred crafts."

As for the last one, Shen Shixing, this person was timid, fearful of trouble, and two-faced; he was as slippery as a loach.

It was even less worth thinking about.

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu's silence, the Wanli Emperor on the dragon throne grinned and put on a helpless expression: "Since that is the case, then even We cannot help this matter. You just go ahead and recruit disciples; as for the rest, don't think too much about it."

Zhang Yunxiu became anxious in an instant; he suddenly remembered that the Grand Secretariat was about to add three Grand Secretaries.

So he tentatively asked: "Your Majesty, the Grand Secretariat currently only has three Grand Secretaries, and they are all advanced in age..."

"The court recommendation has already been made." Wanli waved his hand, interrupting him, and turned to ask Wei Qing, "Which people were there again?"

Wei Qing leaned forward and respectfully replied: "Four people, namely Shen Li, Wang Xijue, Yu Shenxing, and Wei Xueceng."

In the Great Ming, to enter the Grand Secretariat, one needed three qualifications in total. The first, which was also an unwritten rule, was that one must be from the Hanlin Academy; without this academic background, don't even think about entering the Grand Secretariat.

Second, one must have a certain good reputation in the court and among the public.

One had to be able to withstand the questioning of colleagues.

Once the election was over, the list was sent before the Emperor, and the Emperor would circle a few names from the list of candidates, and that would be the end of it.

Zhang Yunxiu looked at these four people; two of them were "pure officials," and two had once been demoted by Zhang Juzheng.

They were coming with ill intent.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, determined to cast aside his pride and send one more person into the Grand Secretariat.

Wang Guoguang was advanced in age, and on top of that, he was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel; entering the Grand Secretariat wouldn't provide any substantial improvement. Li Youzi, however, if he could enter the Grand Secretariat, would be perfectly suitable.

After thinking it over, Zhang Yunxiu bit the bullet and recommended Li Youzi. Furthermore, he promised that the Ministry of Revenue would pay an extra 200,000 taels of silver this year to craft jewelry for the Concubines in the Inner Palace.

This move could both please the Emperor and satisfy the Concubines in the palace.

The Wanli Emperor weighed the pros and cons and finally gave his approval.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yunxiu returned to his senses, looked at the sweating Li Youzi, and smiled: "Uncle, this matter still has a turning point. If you draft the rescript quickly, this matter will surely succeed."

"What am I supposed to draft a rescript for?!" Li Youzi felt warm inside, but on the surface, he feigned surprise.

"You will know when the time comes."

Zhang Yunxiu stopped at the right moment and refused to say more.

Li Youzi, in the armchair, guessed a few things.

He knew he had no chance in this Grand Secretariat court recommendation.

But what if? What scholar didn't want to enter the Grand Secretariat and become a Prime Minister?

Zhang Yunxiu calling him here today was mostly for this matter.

The two spoke a few words with tacit understanding, and Zhang Yunxiu steered the conversation to money: "Uncle, His Majesty has gained another prince this spring; such a joyous occasion—how can we not celebrate with the whole country? You at the Ministry of Revenue must come up with a plan."

Li Youzi had long been prepared and immediately stated his plan: "It is all prepared. Of this, 50,000 taels will be for the prince's banquet, 50,000 to reward Zheng Guifei and her family, and another 30,000 taels will be donated to famous Buddhist and Daoist temples across the land to pray for the prince."

"What about Empress Dowager Li?"

"10,000 taels."

"Stingy, too stingy!" Zhang Yunxiu stood up abruptly, frowning and muttering, "This money is earned, not saved. Think about it: to hold a banquet for the prince, don't you have to procure things from the common people?"

"If you invest this money into the common people, and the shops of the common people have money, won't they dare to spend it?"

"Then how much do you say?" Li Youzi stood up as well and asked.

"At least this much," Zhang Yunxiu said, extending five fingers.

"Fi-fifty thousand taels?!" Li Youzi gulped hard.

Clearly, he was shaken to the core by this number.

It was true that the Ministry of Revenue had a surplus now, but money shouldn't be spent like this; if it were spent this way, no amount would ever be enough.

If Zhang Juzheng found out, he would surely fly from Jiangling to the capital just to whip this son of his.

"Fifty thousand Silver Dollars, actually, if you look at it from before, is only fifty thousand taels of silver," Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile, reminding him.

(End of chapter)