Chapter 172: Groundless

Why did Zhu Zhu Yijun refuse to unjustly execute Gao Gong to make himself look decent, make the world look decent, and just muddle through it? Everyone would have their dignity.

In fact, the Jin Party had completely abandoned Gao Gong. Gao Gong was bold and stubborn, and he had already offended quite a few people. It wasn't that Zhu Zhu Yijun wanted to kill Gao Gong, but the Jin Party—or more precisely, the clan faction within the Jin Party—wanted to kill Gao Gong.

Gao Gong had also agreed. He had even found a crime for himself: "intimidating the monarch." He had indeed wanted to abolish the Directorate of Ceremonial.

So, killing Gao Gong was indeed the best choice for compromise.

But Zhu Zhu Yijun refused to execute him unjustly.

The harm of Song Gaozong Zhao Gou unjustly executing Grandmaster Yue Fei was far greater than Song Gaozong had imagined. During the more than one hundred years of the Southern Song Dynasty, the Jin and Mongol empires had a total of seven Han military lords from the Two Huai River region. From the perspective of legitimacy, was it betrayal of their ancestors for these military lords to defect to the Mongols and Jin?

There was no doubt about it.

But if they defected to the Southern Song, the Emperor would execute them unjustly, and the butcher's knife would be hanging over their necks. They had no choice but to leave. In the early Southern Song Dynasty, the grandson of Wu Lin, who had been enfeoffed as a King, Wu Xi, directly rebelled against the Southern Song.

Unjust executions cause people's hearts to scatter.

Song Gaozong rehabilitated Grandmaster Yue Fei while he was still alive because he knew that if he didn't, the Southern Song dynasty would definitely not be able to be preserved. He didn't even wait for his death before the Southern Song was already falling.

And the rehabilitation of Yu Qian happened immediately after the death of the Ming "Fortress Emperor" (Yingzong). Moreover, it was the Emperor Xianzong, the very person involved, who personally issued the edict, stating that Yu Qian had wanted to establish him as the Crown Prince, not the son of the Prince of Xiang. It was a completely fabricated charge. The Fortress Emperor had known about Yu Qian's injustice while he was still alive.

Seeking glory at the cost of shame harms the cohesion of the country. National cohesion is a vague but real and precious thing. Since Yu Qian, the officials of the Great Ming began to be adept at self-preservation, and the world fell into restlessness.

Zhang Zhang Siwei couldn't understand why Zhang Zhang Juzheng wanted to revitalize the court.

The fates of Yu Qian, Zi Xia Yan, Zhu Wan, and Hu Hai Zongxian!

Indeed, while Zhang Zhang Juzheng was alive, he was invincible. Everyone admitted this; he was formidable. But what about after he died?

Knowing that after death, there was a high probability of suffering humiliation like the reformers in history, why do it?

Zhu Zhu Yijun refused to unjustly execute Gao Gong precisely to preserve this last bit of spirit in the Great Ming.

This spirit—as the Emperor, he had the duty and responsibility to hold it up.

Wang Wang Chonggu was a petty person; he was afraid because he had been beaten. Zhang Zhang Siwei wasn't afraid because he hadn't been beaten.

To this day, Zhang Zhang Siwei had never clashed head-on with Zhang Zhang Juzheng, which was why he was so bold and reckless, including Wu Dui, Fang Fang Fengshi, and others. The experience of being beaten is something one knows only by enduring it.

The young Emperor had been beaten by Luo Luo Sigong. Would the young Emperor go around telling everyone how painful Luo Luo Sigong's beating was? Obviously, he wouldn't.

Luo Luo Sigong—his name was meant to make him think more about respect and obedience. The respect and obedience Luo Luo Sigong thought about was listening to the Emperor.

As soon as Zhang Zhang Siwei saw Wang Wang Chonggu directly agree to the Lady Lady San Niang' (San San Niangzi) entry into the court, he immediately jumped out and said, "Your Majesty, this servant believes that since the foreign envoys are barbarians, they have never witnessed the solemnity of the court's rituals. If we do not first show them the etiquette and have them practice once or twice, I fear that once they have an audience, they will be terrified by Your Majesty's heavenly might, become flustered, and lose decorum. This would not be the way to manifest virtue and illuminate a grand event. I implore Your Majesty to set a date for the ceremony and have them practice carefully."

"Especially now that the three great halls have been burned down, it is even more inappropriate to receive them."

Should he receive the Lady Lady San Niang on the foundation? Where would the majesty of the Heavenly Dynasty be? Where would the dignity be?

If the Lady Lady San Niang were terrified by His Majesty's heavenly might and scared, wouldn't that be bad? If the foreigners lose face, the court also loses face. So, take it slow, practice carefully. As for when they would be well-practiced, that was up for interpretation.

The "delaying tactic" was always effective.

By then, they could criticize the Ministry of Rites, and it would be best if the Lady Lady San Niang couldn't stand the court's cumbersome rituals and returned to the grasslands in a rage. That would be the end of the matter.

Zhang Zhang Siwei's idea was very reasonable because ritual and law are the foundations of the country. Violating ritual and law would damage the majesty of the court.

Therefore, Zhang Zhang Siwei wasn't doing this out of anger or because he was desperate after failing to make money in business. He was doing it to stop the Lady Lady San Niang from entering the capital. The unbreakable political alliance between the Lady Lady San Niang and Wu Dui in Xuanfu, which was like that of a father and daughter, was gradually disintegrating.

The Lady Lady San Niang suddenly said they wanted to enter the capital for an audience, which meant they intended to abandon the Northwest Jin Party and directly collude with the court.

How could that be allowed?

Zhang Zhang Siwei wanted to kill three birds with one stone: kill this "unprincipled and muddled monarch," kill Gao Gong, or use the burning of the Hall of Supreme Extremity to block the Lady Lady San Niang from entering the capital.

Compared to the court's majesty, Zhang Zhang Siwei was more worried about the Lady Lady San Niang' backstabbing. Because once the threat of the Northern Barbarians was lost, the court could dispose of the Northwest clan faction at will.

Those officials, those powerful families who occupied land, and those border generals would all suffer losses in their interests.

The Lady Lady San Niang' entry into the capital was very sudden, but it was within Wang Wang Chonggu's expectations. Under the current situation, the largest trade in the grasslands had shifted to the wool business. Compared to the profits of other trades, the wool business was gradually becoming the number one trade.

And the wool business was entirely controlled by the court, not the clan faction. Zhang Zhang Siwei hadn't tried to play it; he just couldn't play it. The construction of official factories was a systematic project, and the regulations alone had six chapters. Zhang Zhang Siwei, a "base scholar," didn't have that ability.

Previously, the Lady Lady San Niang had raised prices in the name of Altan Khan, which was actually a round of competition with the court over the distribution of profits from the wool business. However, the Great Ming had found white clay in the Marquis Ningyuan Guard, which immediately caused the Northern Barbarians to lose the initiative in the distribution of profits from the wool business.

So the Lady Lady San Niang intended to come and talk in person.

"The Lady Lady San Niang and the Grand Secretary are also old acquaintances. How about leaving this matter to the Grand Secretary to handle?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Wang Chonggu.

Wang Wang Chonggu bowed his head and said, "This servant obeys the decree. This servant will be responsible for receiving and introducing her to the court. The Court of State Ceremonial will handle the reception. I am supervising the wool official factories, but as for the negotiations, the Ministry of Rites is more adept. This servant... is not good with words."

To avoid suspicion, Wang Wang Chonggu even brought out "not good with words."

Ma Ma Ziqiang looked at Zhang Zhang Siwei and said rather calmly, "The affairs of our Ministry of Rites need not trouble you, Manager Zhang. If we don't do the job well, it's our Ministry of Rites that loses face. Why should Manager Zhang bother?"

Ma Ma Ziqiang was Zhang Zhang Juzheng's direct subordinate. He could still handle this little matter well.

"Where are the Lady Lady San Niang?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked.

Chen Chen Xuehui bowed his head and said, "In Xuanfu, waiting to enter the court."

"Is Xuanfu her home? She stays in Xuanfu every day. Those who know, of course, understand that Xuanfu is the capital's territory. Those who don't know might think Xuanfu is the Jin Kingdom." Zhu Zhu Yijun maintained his usual combat effectiveness in insulting people.

He was scolding the rotten situation in the Northwest, where the actual controller of the Northern Barbarians was living a life of leisure in Xuanfu.

"Minister Chen, when can she enter the court and when can she have an audience?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked again. The first principle of the "Evaluation Law" (Kao Cheng Fa) was a time limit; things had to be done within the prescribed time.

Chen Chen Xuehui said rather solemnly, "Three days."

"Very fast. Does anyone else have any different opinions? This is a great court meeting. Although the Hall of Supreme Extremity has been burned down to just a foundation, the Hall of Supreme Extremity is still the Hall of Supreme Extremity. If you have any objections, say them here. Let the court officials discuss it, and the ministers of the six ministries can answer. If you act in compliance but disobey in secret, don't blame the court for being ruthless." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at the court officials.

The Ministry of Rites, which should have been talking about the majesty of the court, was silent. Everyone looked at each other. Young Emperor, this is simply forcing people to take sides!

This kind of court intrigue was taught to the young Emperor by Zhang Zhang Juzheng without any reservation!

"What does the Grand Secretary think?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked for Zhang Zhang Juzheng's opinion.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

The majesty of the court was not lost by the Emperor, and the three great halls, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and the Palace of Earthly Peace were not burned down by the Emperor playing with fire, but by someone playing with fire!

His Majesty did not damage the majesty of the court, and the majesty of the court did not lie in whether the hall was magnificent or not.

The Great Ming was winning battle after battle abroad. Even if they received the envoys of the barbarians on the roadside, the barbarians would not dare to show the slightest disrespect. If the Great Ming was losing battle after battle abroad, even if they received them in the nine-layered heavenly palace, the barbarians would still ride on their faces and humiliate them.

The New Policies of enriching the country and strengthening the army had achieved initial results. The victory at the Marquis Ningyuan Guard made the barbarians, who were adept at speaking with knives, have to talk to the Great Ming instead of relying on their path-dependence and directly invading the south to plunder.

"This servant has a report." The Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, Zeng Tongheng, came out and said, "Your Majesty, last year when the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan entered the capital, this servant requested Your Majesty to be wary of the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan having rebellious intentions."

"Oh?" Zhu Zhu Yijun signaled Zhang Hong to present the memorial. After reading it carefully, he asked, "Governor Zeng, have you started reading history now?"

"Your Majesty has taught me, and this servant does not dare to disobey." Zeng Tongheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, the Tang Xuanzong Emperor held a banquet at the Qinzheng Tower to entertain the three military governors, including An Lushan. Tang Xuanzong saw that An Lushan had a big belly and asked, 'Hu child, what is in your belly?' An Lushan replied, 'There is nothing else, only a heart of red loyalty.' Xuanzong laughed heartily and rewarded him continuously."

"Your Majesty, when the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan entered the capital last year, his appearance was loyal and cautious. This servant is truly worried that he might have the fear of a military governor. Your Majesty, if Liaodong becomes his family's slaves, this servant is terrified."

Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Well, you spoke very well. Your worry is not wrong. Not only are you worried, but the court ministers are also worried, and even the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan himself is worried."

"Even the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan?" Zeng Tongheng was stunned and repeated it.

Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "Even the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan. If he weren't worried, he wouldn't have sent Hou Hou Yuzhao to Liaodong."

"This is not the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan's problem, but the court's problem. I will ask you: if the Tang Ming Emperor had been as diligent as he was at the beginning, would An Lushan and Shi Shi Siming have dared to rebel? Could they have rebelled?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked Zeng Tongheng, using his own words to perform a "boomerang" on him.

The decision of whether the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan would be An Lushan did not lie with the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan or Liaodong, but with the court.

"This servant is dull." Zeng Tongheng was still somewhat confused. He seemed to have realized something, but he didn't seem to have realized it.

"Grand Secretary, you speak." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng and asked for the Grand Secretary's opinion. He was indeed presiding over the meeting, but you, Zhang Zhang Juzheng, were in charge of the government, and you didn't say a word, only shouting "Your Majesty is wise." Were you trying to be lazy?

Now it was you, Zhang Zhang Juzheng, who was in charge of the government!

"This servant is terrified." Zhang Zhang Juzheng looked at Zeng Tongheng and said, "It is good that you can read history, because His Majesty does not want to see history studied through the lens of Neo-Confucianism or Mind-Learning. If you don't read history like this, you won't understand the principles. And the question you asked is right on the surface: the banquet at the Qinzheng Tower."

"Human nature has always been like this: there are those who have a beginning but no end; there are those who start well but end in chaos; there are many who go from sage to mad. Therefore, the sage emperors and wise kings of ancient times were all diligent and cautious day by day, worrying about the difficulty of having a good end. It is difficult to have a good end, but easy to give up halfway."

"When Zhang Zhang Jiuling was in the middle of the Kaiyuan era, he knew that Lushan had the appearance of a rebel and wanted to execute him to cut off the root of the disaster. Xuanzong did not listen to his words. When the carriage fled to Shu, he thought of Zhang Jiuling's direct advice and foresight, but it was too late. He sent someone to Lingnan to sacrifice to him."

Zhu Zhu Yijun continued, "It was too late to regret, too late to repent."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, not to mention the previous dynasties, it is the same today. Even our Shizong Emperor, in the early years of Emperor Jiajing, built the Wu Yi Hall in the Western Garden to encourage farming and agriculture, wanting to know the hardships of the royal enterprise. He also ordered Confucian scholars to lecture on the 'Wu Yi' chapter of the Book of Zhou. After the lecture, he held a banquet for civil and military officials in the hall. For twenty years, he was diligent and cautious, day by day, without any changes, and the world already had a scene of prosperity."

"However, in his later years, he advocated burning incense and cultivation. The imperial carriage no longer visited the hall, and it was only used for copying books and hanging mysterious images. The atmosphere of diligence and focus on the people was no longer seen, and the cause of peace was not as good as before. Even with the wisdom of the Shizong Emperor, he still had this. From this, we know the difficulty of having a good end."

"The road is blocked and long; this is the same principle of the infinite nature of all things in the world. To be weak is to be cowardly; this is truly a warning for a monarch. Your Majesty, this servant is transgressive and bold, and implores Your Majesty to take the difficulty of having a good end as a warning."

In the bare Hall of Supreme Extremity, Zhang Zhang Juzheng criticized the Great Ming Shizong Emperor Emperor Jiajing, saying that he was a wise monarch for twenty years, and the Great Ming had a scene of resurgence, but in his later years, he only knew about Daoist cultivation and directly named and criticized the Shizong Emperor for losing the courage to face difficulties. More directly, Zhang Zhang Juzheng criticized the Shizong Emperor as a coward who was "weak and cowardly."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng's criticism was more direct and crisp than Hai Rui's "Memorial on Peace and Order," and even lacked those complimentary words.

"Grand Secretary, you have gone too far." Zhu Zhu Yijun reminded Zhang Zhang Juzheng not to say everything. If you say everything, it will only harm you! You are right, but you cannot say it in front of so many people.

When the Shizong Emperor was here, you didn't say it. After the Shizong Emperor left, you started pointing fingers. You also called the old Daoist a coward, but aren't you also a coward? If you have the ability, scold him to his face!

Look at Hai Rui! He always outputs to his face.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was silent for a moment and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty, this was what this servant said in a memorial in the thirty-second year of Emperor Jiajing. The Shizong Emperor was furious, called this servant to the imperial presence, and angrily scolded me as a mad scholar, asking: 'Are you the only loyal, good, and virtuous person?' This servant replied: 'This servant is only a subject of the Great Ming, and criticizing and suggesting goodness is this servant's duty.'"

"The Shizong Emperor was a person of unparalleled intelligence. Hearing what this servant said, he waved his hand and let this servant leave."

Zhu Zhu Yijun frowned and recalled for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I read the national history records, why is there no record? Grand Minister of Rites, no, Grand Minister Wan, did I read it wrong?"

Wan Wan Shihe came out and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty did not read it wrong. This is a brief record in the national history records of the content of the 'Memorial on Current Politics,' specifically the article 'The Five Diseases of Blood and Qi Obstruction and Swelling and Numbness,' among which it is briefly stated."

"Briefly stated?" Zhu Zhu Yijun was stunned.

"That is to say, the national history records briefly recorded the content of the 'Memorial on Current Politics,' not the full text. It is not that Your Majesty missed it, but that it was originally briefly stated. As for whether what the Grand Secretary said is true or false, this servant does not know." Wan Wan Shihe bowed his head again. He was responsible for annotating and correcting the national history records for the young Emperor. Zhang Zhang Siwei was the deputy official. Zhang Zhang Siwei didn't do any work and felt he had no merit.

Wan Wan Shihe was already the best among the lame. At least he had a sense of shame.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "At that time, Xu Xu Jie was in the court, and Gao Gong was also in the court. Gao Gong entered the capital today. If Your Majesty wants to ask, you can ask him."

"Commandant, go and ask." Zhu Zhu Yijun was silent for a moment and asked Zhao Zhao Mengyou to ask clearly. He didn't distrust Zhang Zhang Juzheng, but this involved the future compilation of history and Zhang Zhang Juzheng's posthumous reputation, so he couldn't be careless.

Ma Ma Ziqiang whispered a few words to the Vice Minister, and the Vice Minister hurried away.

Soon Zhao Zhao Mengyou returned and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Master Xinzheng said... said..."

"Speak directly, don't stutter." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhao Zhao Mengyou. Could there be hidden circumstances?

Zhao Zhao Mengyou took a deep breath and said, "The Duke of Master Xinzheng said: The Grand Secretary's temper used to be worse than mine. After being reprimanded by the Shizong Emperor, he insisted on leaving. When Shizong asked about it again, the Grand Secretary used illness as an excuse and had already hung up his seal and left, which angered the Shizong Emperor so much that he ordered him to be arrested and brought back to the capital."

The Vice Minister of Rites returned to the hall. Of course, only a threshold remained of this Hall of Supreme Extremity.

"Your Majesty, the old case has been found. This is the memorial submitted by the Grand Secretary that year." Ma Ma Ziqiang found the original from that year and handed it to Zhang Hong.

This memorial had already turned yellow, and there was some dust on it. After opening it, the paper inside had become brittle, but the content was not much different from what Zhang Zhang Juzheng had just said, and the scolding was even uglier...

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was very restrained today.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng used the "difficulty of having a good end" and "to be weak is to be cowardly" to encourage the Emperor Jiajing Emperor to be more vigorous and brave. There was also the Shizong Emperor's approval: "A mad scholar who doesn't know the difficulty of things."

Zhu Zhu Yijun closed the memorial and said to Zhang Hong, "Put it in the seventh display cabinet of the side hall of the Hall of Literary Brilliance for political studies, and make a copy."

Zhu Zhu Yijun thought for a while and said, "Is this the reason for the Grand Secretary's departure from the court in the thirty-second year of Emperor Jiajing? And the cause of his return in the thirty-fifth year?"

Zhang Zhang Juzheng explained again, "This servant returned on my own. The Shizong Emperor did not send anyone to arrest me and bring me back to the capital. At that time, this servant was a person of no importance, and the Shizong Emperor was afraid he had already forgotten this mad scholar."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was lying, trying to make up for the old Daoist. The old Daoist's heart was smaller than the tip of a needle. Someone scolded him as a coward to his face, and he could not remember? It was impossible not to remember! He scolded the person away, but when he needed to use someone, he had them arrested and brought back. How embarrassing!

A capable official who had gone through twists and turns recognized his own mad and arrogant words and returned to the capital to admit his mistake. That made the old Daoist look good, and the subject was wrong, while the Emperor was not wrong.

"The road is blocked and long, the difficulty of having a good end." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui and said, "Grandfather, after all, still cherished talent."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng called the old Daoist a coward, and Hai Rui called the old Daoist "Emperor Jiajing, Emperor Jiajing" (Family and Family are clean). Both of them scolded him very ugly, but the old Daoist still kept both of them.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was also making up for the old Daoist. After all, the throne was passed down, not fought for.

Rendering this, it was another beautiful story of the Shizong Emperor having the capacity to tolerate people and leaving behind a talent for governing the world. It was very reasonable.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was good at making up for things.

"Your Majesty, some grievances, Your Majesty cannot suffer!" Zhang Zhang Juzheng once again expounded his governing policy: respect the power of the monarch, respect the monarch's power of majesty and happiness.

Everyone is human. If these grievances and disappointments accumulate too much, they will turn into despair. Even the wisest person, if they suffer too many such grievances, will become weak, no matter how ambitious they are.

The Great Ming is an imperial system. Once the Emperor fails, the affairs of the world will inevitably become rotten.

Some grievances cannot be suffered! When it is time to make the rivers flow with blood, they must flow with blood, such as the burning of the Imperial Palace this time! It must be investigated to the end.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng transferred Qi Qi Jiguang back because he was afraid that Qi Qi Jiguang's war at the Marquis Ningyuan Guard would not go smoothly and would delay the investigation of the Imperial Palace case.

And Zhu Zhu Yijun always firmly believed that Qi Qi Jiguang could go from one victory to another.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was a subject and had his way of being a subject; Zhu Zhu Yijun was a monarch and had his way of being a monarch.

This kind of difference in political views would not lead to discord between the monarch and his subjects.

"Grand Secretary, I know." Zhu Zhu Yijun promised Zhang Zhang Juzheng that he would investigate to the end and exterminate the three clans. This was a golden word.

"Governor Zeng, if the Tang Ming Emperor had been as diligent as he was at the beginning, would An Lushan and Shi Shi Siming have dared to rebel? Could they have rebelled?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zeng Tongheng and told him the answer to why he asked about the Qinzheng Tower banquet. The mystery was in the question itself.

The decision of whether the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan would be An Lushan did not lie with the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan or Liaodong, but with the court.

"This servant obeys Your Majesty's teachings." Zeng Tongheng bowed again. He understood. This was the first time His Majesty had talked about the Liaodong issue in front of court officials, and it clearly expressed the court's worry about the fear of military governors in Liaodong. At the same time, it also gave a preliminary answer to the problem: Liaodong was just a place; whether Liaodong was a military governor's territory did not lie in Liaodong, but in the court.

Hai Rui came out and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty, this servant has a report. This servant impeaches the Censor of Southern Zhili, Yan Shiqiao, for protecting a villain and embezzling 201,087 taels of salt silver. He should be dismissed."

"Present it." Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Hai Rui's memorial.

In this memorial, a total of 27 salt administration officials headed by Yan Shiqiao were listed for their corrupt conduct. This was also the first memorial in the Great Ming regarding the impeachment of corruption through bribery. This case was handled together by the Governor of Yingtian, Song Yangshan, the Governor of Songjiang, Wang Daokun, and the Governor of Zhejiang, Xie Xie Pengju.

It was well-documented.

"Grand Secretary, what do you think?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Zhang Juzheng advocated first eliminating the evils of indulgence, then killing the style of corruption and bribery. Was it time to kill the style of corruption and bribery?

"Your Majesty, although the poison of indulgence has not yet been cleared, this style of killing corruption and bribery can be carried out simultaneously." Zhang Zhang Juzheng had actually communicated with Hai Rui and believed that in some areas, they could start fighting corruption and bribery.

"In that case, dismiss them all, strip them of their official status, and send them back to their hometowns to live in idleness; they are not allowed to sign official documents." Zhu Zhu Yijun gave his vermilion approval to Hai Rui's memorial and handed it to Zhang Hong, saying, "Send it to the Ministry of Personnel for supervision. Grand Minister Wan, is this difficult?"

Wan Wan Shihe took the memorial and bowed his head, saying, "It is not difficult."

He didn't feel there was anything difficult about it. This list included Jin Party members, Zhe Party members, and Zhang Party members. Everyone was treated equally, and there was no favoritism. If anyone felt he was not good enough, they could impeach him, and he would immediately resign and give way to the worthy.

He had been put up there in the first place; if he didn't cooperate, he would just resign and go home.

"If there is anything to report, do it early. If not, roll up the curtain and dismiss the court." Feng Bao took a step forward and waited for a while. Seeing no one reporting, Feng Bao looked at His Majesty and, seeing his nod, flicked his whisk again and said, "Dismiss the court."

Emperor, you are so young; with the court factional struggles and infighting, can you really handle it?

But Zhang Zhang Juzheng is tall; he is holding it up.

Minister of Rites Ma Ma Ziqiang and Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Reception Chen Chen Xuehui stepped out, bowed their heads, and said, "Your Majesty, we have a memorial to present. San San Niangzi requests an imperial decree to enter the capital for tribute. We earnestly request Your Majesty to grant her request in recognition of her submissive intent."

San San Niangzi—the beauty Altan Khan snatched when he was attacking the Oirats. This beauty is Altan Khan's mask and justification for being enfeoffed as a prince. It is all because of this beauty, San San Niangzi, that Altan Khan became a traitor on the grasslands.

As a result, after wearing this mask for so long, Altan Khan was truly usurped. Now, everyone under Altan Khan's command listens to San San Niangzi, not Altan Khan.

Now San San Niangzi wants to enter the capital for tribute.

Feng Bao announced that the great court meeting on the third day of the fifth month of the fourth year of Emperor Wanli had officially ended.

"This servant and others respectfully send off Your Majesty." The officials paid their respects.

Zhu Zhu Yijun led a long tail of people down the wooden hanging ladder from the foundation and went straight to the side hall of the Hall of Literary Brilliance.

The officials watched with their eyelids jumping! In the past, His Majesty always left from the back hall, but this time he left directly from the foundation.

This open-air court meeting would surely become a heavy stroke in the history of the Great Ming's court meetings. This was the shame of the Great Ming court.

Was His Majesty humiliating himself? No!

His Majesty was humiliating all the officials of the Great Ming. His Majesty was a fourteen-year-old child; what could he do? Someone set fire to the palace, and it was investigated by the palace agents to be man-made, not a natural disaster!

Forcing the Emperor to hold a court meeting on the foundation of the Hall of Supreme Extremity—this was the way of the Great Ming's subjects!

Everyone thought of one person involuntarily: the loyal and patriotic Hou Hou Yuzhao. If it weren't for his memorial requesting the Emperor to come out and see the court officials, how could so many humiliating things have happened!