Chapter 180

What exactly is the theory of contradictions? It is a set of worldly knowledge, a methodology that teaches people to see through chaotic appearances to the essence of things; it is neither complex nor difficult.

The method for using the theory of contradictions is to trace a social phenomenon back to its source, understand the process of the development of things behind it, find the principal contradiction, conduct a faithful and fact-based analysis of that principal contradiction, analyze the secondary contradictions, and identify the problems and causes within the phenomenon.

Only after going through extremely complex struggles and adjusting the principal contradiction can one realize Zhang Juzheng's ambition and the main theme of making the Great Ming great again.

Whether or not one can grasp the principal contradiction is the criterion for judging whether a person is wise and capable.

In terms of grasping the principal contradiction, Zhang Juzheng is currently the only top-tier marksman in the Great Ming world, while most of the Great Ming court officials are second-tier.

Throughout his life, Zhang Juzheng did only a few things: the Examination of Officials, the clearing of land and returning it to the tillers, strengthening the military, and rectifying the educational administration, which corresponded to officialdom, the economy, the military, and culture respectively. In these four areas, Zhang Juzheng completely grasped the principal contradictions. As the Assistant Minister of the State and the Chief Grand Secretary, Zhang Juzheng was absolutely qualified, and even far exceeded others.

It is not that others could not grasp the principal contradictions or distinguish between the urgent and the trivial, but that their ultimate goals were different, and thus their actions were different.

Was Yan Song not smart enough? Was Xu Jie not smart enough? Why could they not grasp the principal contradictions when they were in power? They were actually very clear about the problems of the Great Ming, but their purposes were different; their purposes were the power and means of production for their own families.

Gao Gong's purpose was, after all, to revitalize the Great Ming, so why did he not grasp the contradictions?

Actually, Gao Gong did grasp them, but he could not achieve them.

Taking officialdom alone, above bribery is indulgence; without breaking indulgence, talking about breaking bribery is a false proposition. However, Gao Gong himself was highly dependent on the Jin Party organization, so he could only indulge. Gao Gong's first downfall was caused by his indulgence of Yang Bo as Minister of Personnel, where not a single official from Shanxi was demoted or dismissed, triggering a huge controversy.

Gao Gong could not break indulgence, but Zhang Juzheng could. He also indulged, but he did not look at factions or stances when indulging; he only looked at whether one could handle affairs and whether one could be called a capable official.

The theory of contradictions can see through chaotic appearances to the essence of all things. So, what is the essence of the theory of contradictions?

The essence of the theory of contradictions is practice, the fulfillment of reality, the unity of action, and faithfulness.

The theory of contradictions is a passive skill; after learning it, one can obtain the "Eye of Truth" and cultivate talents for local governance, which is also an important theoretical basis for Zhang Juzheng's rectification of the educational administration.

And this time, Governor Yin Zhengmao's entry into the capital and the granting of the national surname is a result ultimately obtained by sorting through the situation based on the theory of contradictions and the current national conditions of the Great Ming.

Zhang Juzheng looked at his own memorial and continued: "In the early years of Hongwu, Yunnan was far away on the frontier, and military pacification was difficult. The Taizu Emperor's enfeoffment of the princes across the world was also a decision made based on this reality. Now, Luzon is also far away on the overseas frontier, and military pacification is difficult. These two things share the same predicament."

"And now, the Great Ming's rule over Luzon faces more predicaments, namely the economy. Until now, the Yunnan region still relies on the supply from the Great Ming heartland, and its products cannot be considered rich. But Luzon is a trade center that gathers all kinds of goods from the world: cotton from India, porcelain, silk, and cotton cloth from the Great Ming, carpets, cotton, and palm oil from India and Persia, perfume from Malacca, cloves from Java, cinnamon from Ceylon, and other spices from the Thousand Islands, such as the bulk trade of pepper."

"Luzon's economic dependence on the Great Ming is lower. Even if the Great Ming bans maritime trade with Manila, a large number of smuggling merchants can still bring Great Ming goods to Manila."

"The Great Galleons can even complete trade directly in Manila without coming to the Great Ming. This can save two months of sailing time in one trade cycle. Once Governor Yin Zhengmao grasps the silver input from the West, the Great Ming will not have many good ways to deal with it."

"Minister Yin is indeed an official of the Great Ming and the Viceroy sent by the Great Ming to Luzon, but he is, in substance, the King of Luzon. Under his command, he has three thousand guest soldiers and five thousand auxiliary troops originally composed of sea pirates—an isolated overseas territory that can be financially independent and has arrogant soldiers and fierce generals."

"Therefore, I believe that we can increase some political pacification. At the very least, Minister Yin is a Minister of the Great Ming, not a Red-Haired Barbarian from overseas."

Everyone's feelings upon hearing these words were completely different. For example, what Wang Chonggu heard was cold-blooded ruthlessness. Governor Yin Zhengmao was the key chess piece in Zhang Juzheng's victory over Gao Gong in the party struggle. In the crucial position of Viceroy of Liangguang, Governor Yin Zhengmao could pacify the Japanese pirates and bandits, giving Zhang Juzheng more chips in his hands.

Now Zhang Juzheng has turned his back on him; this analysis completely pushes Governor Yin Zhengmao to the opposite side for analysis!

That is Governor Yin Zhengmao; he may be a bit greedy, but he has never betrayed the Great Ming.

Tan Lun frowned and said: "Minister Yin is loyal to the monarch and the state. The Grand Secretary's analysis completely excludes Minister Yin's personal factors. It is too heartless. Moreover, I believe that since we are not in Luzon and do not know the situation there, such an analysis is unfaithful and is blindly peeping at the leopard through a tube."

"Is that so?" Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said: "Individuals are weak under the trend of the times. Therefore, when analyzing problems, it is necessary to exclude personal factors. That's right, my current analysis is based on the interests and stance of the Great Ming to analyze the worst results."

"Therefore, I believe we should increase political pacification toward Luzon, so I thought of the old precedent of the Duke of Qian."

Tan Lun thought for a long time and still shook his head: "I agree with your disposal opinion, but I do not agree with your analysis of Luzon."

"Minister Yin and his subordinates have an extremely strong sense of belonging to the Great Ming and have absolute centripetal force toward the Great Ming. We can design institutional systems to further strengthen military pacification, such as regularly rotating generals, regularly sending junior officers, and regularly changing garrison troops. The core three thousand guest soldiers should be rotated every five years."

Zhang Juzheng smiled and said: "Seek common ground while reserving differences. I have never said that Minister Yin is currently an enemy of the Great Ming, only that he might be an enemy of the Great Ming in the future. Once Minister Yin's Luzon becomes an enemy of the Great Ming, it will cause extremely serious destruction and blows to the Great Ming's opening of the seas, just like the restoration of Annam during the Xuande period."

Zhang Fu went to Annam twice and turned Annam into the Jiaozhi Administration Commission. During the Xuande period, the Jiaozhi Administration Commission became Annam again.

Under the massive, professional, and precise calculations of the Great Ming court, it was believed that the Great Ming's rule over Jiaozhi did more harm than good. Afterward, the Great Ming's voyages to the Western Oceans suffered the most thorough destruction. If it were not for Hu Zongxian requesting the old case of Zheng He, and the old documents of Zheng He's diplomatic voyages being preserved by Mao Kun, the Great Ming would not even be able to conduct archaeological-style scientific research if it were to open the seas again now.

Therefore, Zhang Juzheng's attitude toward Luzon is extremely cautious. If we don't let Governor Yin Zhengmao become an enemy of the Great Ming, we should thoroughly turn Governor Yin Zhengmao into one of our own.

Wang Guoguang frowned and said: "Actually, economically, Luzon's trade is also highly dependent on the Great Ming. Seeking unity while in opposition, and binding Luzon to the Great Ming as much as possible, is also a feasible approach. Treating Luzon as an Administration Commission of the Great Ming, and recognizing all commodity circulation as internal trade, would be more appropriate."

"Highly dependent on the Great Ming and unable to break free—this is the purpose and significance of pacification."

"I also agree with your disposal, but I do not agree with your analysis of Luzon."

Wang Guoguang, Tan Lun, and Zhang Juzheng had some differences in political views. These differences were not intense and could be resolved by seeking common ground while reserving differences.

Hence Hai Rui thought for a long time and said: "Why not set up a Luzon Administration Commission? The administration of Luzon is somewhat chaotic now. If we turn it into a prefecture and county system, it is not a bad plan, just like when Yunnan established an Administration Commission. Isn't Hainan now gradually becoming what it is today after being turned into a prefecture and county system?"

The prefecture and county system is a traditional skill of the Central Plains dynasties, which can be traced back to Qin Shi Huang.

Wang Chonggu disagreed and said: "What the Chief Censor Hai said is impractical. As for these lowly Confucian scholars of the Great Ming, once they leave the capital, they are all about demotion and impeaching General Qi, and they won't even stay in the military camp for a single day! When Zhou Liangyin was sent to Danning Guard, how many people cried injustice for him? Turning it into a prefecture and county system is easy to say; you can draw prefectures and counties on a map, but what about the officials?"

"There is simply no one willing to go. Once they hear they are going to Luzon, they probably treat it as exile overseas. Yes, this is very important for the state, but for each individual Confucian scholar, running to Luzon to be an official is exile, is suffering. What is the environment of Luzon? What is the environment of the Great Ming? If they could endure this hardship, they could be promoted in the Great Ming heartland; why would they need to run to Luzon?"

Everyone agreed with what Wang Chonggu said. This is the situation of the Great Ming. They only read the Four Books and Five Classics and don't even read history. Since the "Spring and Autumn Annals," historical writing has lost its great ethics and only records events. Where would the Great Ming find Confucian scholars willing to go to Luzon?

Therefore, Wang Chonggu has always agreed with Zhang Juzheng's rectification of the educational administration. It is not just that Zhang Siwei was bewitched by the evil theories of He Xinyin and Zeng Guang. Without rectifying the educational administration, there would be few people willing to do things. Enriching the country and strengthening the military would simply be a moon in the water or a flower in a mirror.

Things need to be done by people. If the selection of talents is not done well, everything is a castle in the air.

Qi Jiguang could not win battles without the high-quality soldiers selected.

"Some people will go," Hence Hai Rui said very confidently.

"Oh?" Wang Chonggu asked suspiciously: "Who will go?"

"Juren. If a Great Ming scholar fails the metropolitan examination three times, they cannot take the imperial examination anymore. How many Juren are waiting to be officials but have no positions and can only be trapped as minor clerks? Let them go; they will definitely go," Hence Hai Rui said with a smile: "I was a Juren myself, and I climbed to the position of a court official only because I submitted the 'Peace and Security Memorial' back then."

Hence Hai Rui never denied the terrifying political capital brought to him by submitting the "Peace and Security Memorial" and angrily rebuking the Shizong Emperor for practicing immortality. That he can sit in the position of Right Censor-in-Chief today, serving as the Chief Censor without anyone opposing him, sitting here openly and identifying whether the court officials have integrity and righteousness, is all due to his outspoken remonstrance back then.

And going to Luzon to handle affairs is also a kind of political capital.

"Very good!" Wang Chonggu nodded repeatedly and said: "Indeed, can the Great Ming be short of people to be officials? Very good, my eyes only saw Jinshi and did not see the countless Juren of the Great Ming."

In every metropolitan examination, more than 4,000 people participate, while the quota for Jinshi is fixed at over 300, and the number of Juren in every imperial examination is 1,280.

In the third year of Hongwu, the quota for Juren in the provincial examination was 470; in the first year of Xuande, it was set at 550; in the fifth year of Zhengtong, it was 760; in the fourth year of Jingtai, it was 1,145; and by the second year of Wanli, it was 1,287.

Over two hundred years, there have been more and more Juren, and the imperial examination has become increasingly competitive.

"If we can specially grant the status of Jinshi through an imperial grace examination, they will surely flock there. I'm afraid the whole of Luzon will be filled with Jinshi," Hence Hai Rui continued, proposing an encouraging method: specially granting the status of Jinshi through an imperial grace examination.

The Great Ming has three types of Jinshi. The first type is "Jinshi Jiadi," which is the top three in the imperial examination, known as the First Rank. The second type is "Jinshi Chushen," which is the Second Rank. The third type is "Tong Jinshi Chushen," which is the Third Rank.

Zhang Juzheng was the ninth in the Second Rank, a "Jinshi Chushen," and was selected for the Hanlin Academy as a Shujishi. Wang Chonggu was a Jinshi in the 20th year of Jiajing, 87th in the Second Rank, and was not selected for the Hanlin Academy, so it was very difficult for him to enter the Grand Secretariat. Fang Fengshi was 31st in the Third Rank in the 20th year of Jiajing, a "Tong Jinshi Chushen," and did not even have the qualification for selection to the Hanlin Academy.

Gao Gong, Wang Chonggu, and Fang Fengshi were in the same cohort, all in the 20th year of Jiajing.

The "specially granted Jinshi through an imperial grace examination" mentioned by Hence Hai Rui is also a kind of status. A relatively famous one in history is Liu Yong, Liu Sanbian.

Liu Yong failed the examination repeatedly and could not become a Jinshi, so he could only linger in brothels and make a living by writing lyrics. However, he still wanted to take the exam. In the first year of Jingyou, when Emperor Renzong of Song took personal charge of the government, he specially opened an imperial grace examination and relaxed the admission standards for scholars who had sunk in the examination field over the years. Liu Yong finally became a specially granted Jinshi through an imperial grace examination.

The Great Ming does not have scholars who have sunk in the examination field because the Great Ming does not allow you to take the exam if you fail three times...

Therefore, in the context of the Great Ming, a "specially granted Jinshi through an imperial grace examination" is a status specially bestowed by the Emperor as an extra favor to those who have made great contributions.

"This method is good." Zhang Juzheng copied what Hence Hai Rui said into his own memorial. Using this thing for the reform of "changing the native chieftain system to a regular administration" is also a big move among big moves! It is very useful, and a method that can mobilize enthusiasm really needs to be carefully noted.

"Then we will discuss it in detail after Minister Yin returns to the capital. I am also willing to believe that Minister Yin is not an enemy of the Great Ming." Of course, Zhang Juzheng hopes that Governor Yin Zhengmao will not become an enemy of the Great Ming and that Luzon can become an Administration Commission of the Great Ming and land smoothly.

Zhang Juzheng wrote the floating slip and roughly drafted several questions for meeting Governor Yin Zhengmao. This depends on the specific results of the audience with the Emperor, and then various corresponding preparations must be made. If Governor Yin Zhengmao does not even observe the etiquette of a subject when entering the capital, then what the Great Ming should do is prepare for war and punishment, not celebration and rewards.

Wang Chonggu said: "Wei Zonghan and Wang Rucheng, Assistant Regional Commanders of Huizhou and Chaozhou, and Zhu Xiang, a Platoon Leader of Jieshi, are all sentenced to death."

"I truly know that the revitalization of the military is inevitable for the state, but sentencing these two Assistant Regional Commanders and the Platoon Leader to death is also a long-term strategy for revitalization."

As the Minister of Justice, Wang Chonggu sentencing three military officers to be beheaded is an old case. It is also a difficult case that has been pending for many years without a final conclusion.

Wang Chonggu said: "In the fifth month of the second year of Longqing, Zeng Yiben, a sea pirate who had been pacified, rebelled again, killed the Magistrate of Chenghai, and burned the people of Chaoshan. In the tenth month, Zeng Yiben invaded Leizhou. Assistant Regional Commanders Wei Zonghan and Wang Rucheng, and Platoon Leader Zhu Xiang, watched without helping and sat by while Li Maocai, the Garrison Commander of Huicheng (Dongguan), fought alone for dozens of days. The city fell, Li Maocai died in battle, and the people of Dongguan were tragically slaughtered and plundered."

"Li Maocai, Li Jie, Lin Qing, and others died in battle. The sea pirates burned and killed, and Huicheng (Dongguan) collapsed. Wei Zonghan and the others fled at the sight of the wind and retreated one after another, causing the sea pirates to run rampant in the sea bays. The defeat of Huicheng was particularly disastrous."

Wang Chonggu concisely told everyone about the mistakes made by these people.

This is the reason why Governor Yin Zhengmao had to go to sea to recruit Lin Afeng. If he had kept Lin Afeng in Guangzhou, wouldn't he have created another Zeng Yiben? Therefore, Governor Yin Zhengmao directly restricted Lin Afeng to the scope of Luzon.

This Zeng Yiben was pacified by the court but later rebelled again, gathering Red-Haired Barbarians, Black Barbarians, Japanese pirates, and desperadoes to run rampant. It was not until the sixth year of Longqing that he was defeated by Yu Dayou, finally captured, and beheaded to show the public.

As for the actions of these two Assistant Regional Commanders and the Platoon Leader, they can be summarized as: immovable as a mountain when friendly forces are in trouble, swift as the wind when retreating, slow as a forest when maneuvering, aggressive as fire when plundering wealth, difficult to know as shadows when drinking, and swift as thunder when seeking promotion and wealth.

"Why are they only being sentenced to death now?" Zhu Yijun asked, not understanding. According to the intensity of the Great Ming's emphasis on literature over the military, these three military officers committed mistakes in the second year of Longqing, yet they were detained until now?

Wang Chonggu was silent for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, they can be killed now."

"Why couldn't they be killed before?" Zhu Yijun asked, still unwilling to give up.

"Your Majesty, please don't ask, please don't ask," Wang Chonggu still insisted on not saying.

"Why exactly? Why is the Grand Minister of Justice so evasive?" Zhu Yijun continued to ask. He really wanted to get to the bottom of it today.

Seeing that Wang Chonggu refused to say, Wan Shihe thought for a while and said: "What is there that the Grand Minister of Justice cannot say? Isn't the Zhao Wenhua Hall for discussing state affairs? These three people were all under the protection of Wang Shizhen's father, Wang Yu, and Wang Shizhen is known as the leader of the Seven Masters of the Restoration, the head of the literary world."

Zhu Yijun understood and nodded repeatedly: "So it was indulgence."

"Isn't Wang Shizhen the Viceroy of Yunyang? He is the leader of the literary world? What a grand title. Even my teacher wouldn't dare to claim to be the leader of the literary world."

Leader of the Seven Masters of the Restoration—Zhu Yijun really disliked this title. The trend of restoring the ancient style was rampant, and even Gao Gong did not approve of this approach.

"Zhang Hong, find the memorial on the earthquake submitted by Wang Shizhen last year. I have a deep impression of that one." Zhu Yijun did not have a deep impression of Wang Shizhen, only remembering that there was such a memorial.

Zhang Hong quickly found the memorial. Zhu Yijun looked at it for a long time, frowned, and said: "Is Wang Shizhen really the leader of the literary world? Does Confucian classicism include the study of divination? He said he carefully studied the divination theories of Jing Fang, a divination master of the Western Han Dynasty, and believed that the earthquake in Huguang last year was caused by the excessive power of the subjects and the instability of the earth."

"Your Majesty, the Master does not speak of strange forces and chaotic spirits." Zhang Juzheng had seen this memorial. Lu Diaoyang had attached a blank floating slip, which was regarded as a memorial impeaching Zhang Juzheng. The Emperor had drawn an 'X' on it. Zhu Yijun actually didn't take it seriously at the time, just thinking that this was a lowly Confucian scholar engaging in far-fetched analogies.

Even if the earthquake was attributed to the turning of the earth dragon, it is a natural phenomenon. Saying that the earthquake was caused by Zhang Juzheng being in power—is Zhang Juzheng a hydrogen bomb? Can he cause an earthquake by exploding underground? How much explosive power would Zhang Juzheng need to cause a natural disaster like an earthquake?

Wang Chonggu's evasive manner made Zhu Yijun understand Wang Shizhen's appeal.

"If he can be the leader of the literary world, it would be strange if the literary world could be good." Zhu Yijun closed Wang Shizhen's memorial. This earthquake memorial was foul-smelling.

Wang Chonggu then explained: "These three Assistant Regional Commanders were under the protection of Wang Shizhen's father, Wang Yu, and this Wang Yu was unjustly killed by Yan Song. In the second year of Longqing, Wang Shizhen and his younger brother went to the capital to file a complaint and seek justice for their father. The late Emperor cleared Wang Yu's name, so these three Assistant Regional Commanders could not be killed and have been dragged out until now."

Zhu Yijun looked at Tan Lun and asked: "What does the Grand Tan Sima think?"

"The three of them should have died long ago. If it weren't for the proper handling by Minister Yin, Yu Long, and others, who knows how long Zeng Yiben's sea pirates would have caused trouble? If it weren't for these three guys watching without helping, the Japanese pirate trouble in Guangzhou wouldn't have been so fierce," Tan Lun said very firmly.

"Wang Shizhen has a good relationship with the Grand Tan Sima and General Qi. I heard that General Qi even gave a precious sword to Wang Shizhen," Wang Chonggu asked strangely, seeing that Tan Lun did not plead for these three military officers but instead kicked them while they were down.

The reason why these two Assistant Regional Commanders and one Platoon Leader had not been sentenced to death was that, besides the fact that all three were recommended by Wang Yu and the general trend of Wang Yu's exoneration could not be reversed, there was another reason: Wang Shizhen had an excellent relationship with Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, and he was also in the same cohort as Zhang Juzheng.

Therefore, Wang Chonggu did not want to say it. The Emperor kept asking, and Wan Shihe finally made it clear who the key person was: Wang Shizhen.

"Who gave him a precious sword? Who said that?" Tan Lun was stunned. How could he not know that he had a good relationship with Wang Shizhen?

Wang Chonggu was silent for a moment and said: "He said it himself, and he even wrote a poem titled 'Song of General Qi Gifting a Precious Sword'."

"A sword? That matter... In the second year of Longqing, after Wang Yu's name was cleared, I, along with General Qi and Wang Daokun, did go to pay a congratulatory visit. It was just a congratulatory gift. Isn't this all just human interaction? When the Grand Minister of Justice and the Grand Minister of Personnel became in-laws, we also sent the same congratulatory gifts," Tan Lun remembered. It was true, everyone sent congratulatory gifts, but it was very interesting that Wang Shizhen specifically took out Qi Jiguang's sword and wrote a poem about it.

Everyone had different circles in their daily lives, so how would they know that Wang Shizhen was using that sword to create such a false impression?

"There are also rumors in the streets that my son and Zhang Siwei's daughter are in-laws. I also want to ask whose rumor this is," Ma Ziqiang said helplessly. Recently, there have been many rumors saying that Ma Ziqiang's son and Zhang Siwei's daughter were engaged long ago, and that Zhang Siwei and Ma Ziqiang are in-laws, and that the extermination of three clans would reach Ma Ziqiang.

Ma Ziqiang was completely confused.

"Is there not?" Wang Chonggu looked at Ma Ziqiang in great surprise and said: "Are you and Zhang Siwei not in-laws?"

"My daughter-in-law is indeed surnamed Zhang, but that is the Zhang family of Tongzhou, not the Zhang family of Puzhou!" Ma Ziqiang looked at Wang Chonggu in great surprise and said: "Why do you ask this?"

Wang Chonggu sighed and said: "Zhang Siwei told me. At that time, I was in the Northwest presiding over the resettlement of refugees and had no time to worry about him. He told me he married his daughter into your family."

Some accounts cannot be reconciled; this is the power of the double-entry bookkeeping method. Some things are revealed as soon as the accounts are reconciled.

As long as the Third Lady takes out the past accounts and reconciles them with the Great Ming court, it will be clear at a glance what kind of tricks the faction has been playing in the middle.

Wang Shizhen took the congratulatory gift sent by Qi Jiguang for human interaction and wrote a poem, making it seem like he and Qi Jiguang had a deep relationship, while Zhang Siwei directly arranged that he and Ma Ziqiang were in-laws.

Qi Jiguang was in the Northwest and naturally could not refute it in person, but Ma Ziqiang was stunned. Did he not know where his daughter-in-law was from?

In the second year of Wanli, before his son Ma Zao went to the capital for the imperial examination, he was already engaged. At that time, Ma Ziqiang was in his hometown observing the mourning period for his parents, and it was not until Ma Ziqiang finished the mourning period in the third year of Wanli that his son got married.

Zhu Yijun looked at all the court officials with great interest. This is the Great Ming, an era where information cannot be effectively circulated. Information cannot be circulated effectively and smoothly, and the powerful who occupy the channels of information circulation deliberately spread rumors, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

The state affairs of the Great Ming were already a mix of you and me, and with this deliberate arrangement, it appeared even more chaotic.

Involving Ma Ziqiang's life and family, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already found out clearly: Ma Ziqiang's daughter-in-law was from the Zhang family of Tongzhou, not the Zhang family of Puzhou.

Zhang Juzheng wrote the floating slip and handed it to the Emperor for his vermilion approval. These three people should have died long ago.

On the fifth day of the seventh month, Zhu Yijun met with Luzon Viceroy Governor Yin Zhengmao in the side hall of the Zhao Wenhua Hall.

Governor Yin Zhengmao arrived in Tongzhou the day before yesterday. After bathing and changing clothes, he went to the Huitong Hostel yesterday and waited for the summons after burning incense. Even though Governor Yin Zhengmao had exhausted his imagination, when he entered the palace and saw the construction site not far away, he was still dumbfounded.

Governor Yin Zhengmao had mixed feelings, and his heart could be described as a mixture of five flavors. The central axis architecture of the Great Ming was burned down in the 36th year of Jiajing and rebuilt in the 41st year of Jiajing. It had only been ten years, and it was burned clean again.

"Proclaim the entry of Governor Yin Zhengmao, Earl of Sishui, Tan Sima, and Viceroy of Luzon," the minor eunuch shouted loudly.

Governor Yin Zhengmao walked into the side hall of the Zhao Wenhua Hall step by step, flicked his sleeves, performed the great ritual of five bows and three kowtows respectfully, and shouted loudly: "Your subject, Governor Yin Zhengmao, pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long long live."

"Minister Yin, no need for formalities," Zhu Yijun said calmly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Governor Yin Zhengmao stood up and looked at the little Emperor. He was completely different from the little chubby boy in his impression. Now the little Emperor looked strong and full of heroic spirit.

Zhu Yijun was also looking at Governor Yin Zhengmao. His forehead was broad, his nose was large, and his nostrils were wide. He looked quite free and easy.

It matched Zhu Yijun's stereotype of a scholar who leads troops. Governor Yin Zhengmao and Tan Lun had highly similar temperaments.

"Minister Yin, back then when the teacher asked, I said to wait until Minister Yin returned to the capital before talking. Now that Minister Yin has returned to the capital, these questions must be asked," Zhu Yijun asked calmly: "Everyone says Minister Yin is greedy. Where did the money Minister Yin obtained in Liangguang back then go?"

Governor Yin Zhengmao bowed his head and said: "It was all used to raise troops."

Immovable as a mountain when friendly forces are in trouble, swift as the wind when retreating—tsk tsk, seeking monthly votes, Awoo!!!!!!

(End of chapter)