Chapter 244: Figure Out a Way to Lend Him a Bit More

Emperor Zhu Zhu Yijun was recognized by the court ministers because, though stern, he was certainly not cruel.

Take the case of Wang Wang Xijue: the emperor personally summoned him, they played a carefully staged drama where everyone pretended not to understand, Wang Wang Xijue ceased his actions, the emperor pardoned him entirely—just as he had once cut off a strand of Wang Wang Chonggu's hair.

Take corruption: everyone took bribes in the past; if you didn't, you were an oddity in court and had no place in this arena of fame and profit, let alone a future. Hence Hai Rui was too upright—he could only serve as a banner, not as a capable administrator, even though he was truly competent.

When the tide turned, promptly changing course was the wise choice: unwilling to charge into battle, unwilling to be the first to stick out, refusing to strive for the state's welfare, yet following others who defied heaven and altered fate, shouting encouragement from the sidelines, was not foolish—but to stubbornly refuse to turn was to invite downfall.

Wang Wang Xijue was a classic example: the emperor summoned him, asked him to return the illicit gains since Emperor Wanli's reign, and cease all wrongdoing; the Censorate submitted a memorial, the emperor rejected it in red ink, and the matter was dropped—Wang Wang Xijue remained a proud, third-rank official of the Great Ming, still seated among the top three ranks of the court.

But Wang Wang Xijue refused—perhaps greed, perhaps he had gone too far, too deep; he clearly understood the emperor's meaning, yet pretended not to, until things reached this point.

To punish without instruction is cruelty; His Majesty is stern, but never cruel—he instructed, and gave two chances. No third time: this has been the emperor's iron law since the assassination attempt.

Zhu Zhu Yijun showed Wang Wang Xijue one more mercy: when Zhang Zhang Juzheng left court, the emperor executed twenty-six ministers; Wang Wang Xijue's name nearly made the list.

As for His Majesty's sternness, blame Zhang Zhang Juzheng—without the old bastard, where would the young one come from?

The emperor's vile traits mirror Zhang Zhang Juzheng's foul temper: vengeful, petty as a needlepoint.

"Execute him," Zhu Zhu Yijun decided after thought. The Great Ming's first de facto third-rank official was, in the emperor's eyes, less valuable than Chen Zhuang—Chen Zhuang at least died by his own hand.

"Your Majesty, execute him?" Wan Shihé gritted his teeth and defied the emperor. According to His Majesty's usual practice, Wang Wang Xijue hadn't even been stripped of his property—shouldn't he be grateful for the imperial grace?

"What do you think, Grand Secretary Wan?" Zhu Zhu Yijun kicked the ball back. He didn't grasp Wan Shihé's intent, assuming he was pleading for Wang Wang Xijue.

Retreat to advance is also a form of pleading—was Wan Shihé's meaning truly meant to be guessed by the emperor?

Is the emperor a child, to be guessed at?

"Your Majesty's judgment," Wan Shihé returned the ball. He sensed no clear wind direction and dared not speak plainly; the brief boldness of Wan Shihé had retreated back to his usual stance: "Your Majesty is right."

Zhu Zhu Yijun considered and said: "Then proceed swiftly—he won't preserve his dignity, so the Embroidered Uniform Commander will grant it for him."

In the end, Zhu Zhu Yijun granted Wang Wang Xijue dignity: if Wang Wang Xijue were publicly beheaded, he would lose his life, but the court would lose face; if Wang Wang Xijue committed suicide out of guilt, all parties preserved dignity and room to maneuver.

In political struggle, room to maneuver is vital—without it, there is no space for advance or retreat, no scale of compromise; forcing both sides into open warfare, blade to blade, blood to blood, is factional purge.

A state perishes in three ways: seeking honor and gaining shame, bureaucratic stagnation, and factional purge overwhelming the court.

Factional purge overwhelming the court means abandoning even the most basic rules in mutual destruction: trivial matters become life-or-death struggles, and the consequence for the realm is capricious edicts, the court's complete loss of control and interference over the provinces—that is the most terrifying outcome of factional strife.

Take the factional strife of the Northern Song: new policies and old policies lost all meaning, opposing for opposition's sake alone—morning edicts ordered the Green Sprout Law, evening edicts abolished it; local officials could only act as they pleased—who knew what wind the court would blow today?

No leader, each acting independently.

The Great Ming's fiercest factional strife occurred in the late Emperor Wanli to Emperor Chongzhen eras: the Qi, Chu, Zhe, Xi, Donglin, and eunuch factions took turns on stage—until finally, the Yellow Robe Envoys never left the capital; the emperor's envoys could no longer step beyond the city walls.

Factional purge harms the emperor by stripping him of his value as arbiter, for his authority to judge has lost all efficacy.

Zhu Zhu Yijun granted Wang Wang Xijue this final dignity partly to avoid escalation, and partly because behind Wang Wang Xijue stood a powerful network of elite families—the court still needed them; currently, only these elite families could participate in maritime trade, and they held major shares in the long chain of shipbuilding.

For example, tung oil supply came from tung groves in Huguang, Jiangxi, and Fujian; those who could afford ships, hire crews, and find navigators were still primarily the elite families of the southern prefectures.

Wan Shihé and the emperor had poor rapport this time: Wan Shihé wanted to ask whether to confiscate property and implicate others; Zhu Zhu Yijun interpreted it as a plea for mercy. Since the Grand Secretary pleaded, some face must be given—the difference between execution and suicide by one's own hand was negligible; both meant death.

Lu Lu Diaoyang began drafting the memorial slip, while Zhu Zhu Yijun sank into thought.

In the original historical line, Emperor Wanli Emperor's complete abandonment of governance—refusing to even read memorials—began when Wang Wang Xijue became Chief Grand Secretary, for Wang Wang Xijue told Emperor Wanli: "Unpleasant memorials may be withheld, not forwarded." After that, Emperor Wanli truly ceased reading memorials, abandoning governance for thirty years.

In the early Emperor Wanli era, Zhang Zhang Juzheng clearly demanded in his Five Matters Memorial: audience at the imperial gate, audience with court ministers, and full response to all memorials.

During Zhang Zhang Suiwei's tenure as Chief Grand Secretary, he did nothing but stir up noise and smear Zhang Zhang Juzheng's reputation after his death; eventually, nothing was found to confiscate from Zhang Zhang Juzheng's home, and Zhang Zhang Suiwei was viciously denounced, returned home for mourning, and soon died of illness.

After Zhang Zhang Suiwei came Shen Shen Shixing, a muddled mediator who counseled both emperor and ministers, pleasing neither; the more he tried to appease both sides, the more he angered both, and finally, choked with resentment, Shen Shen Shixing decided: let someone else be Chief Grand Secretary—he wouldn't do it.

Shen Shen Shixing is usually seen as a mediator, yet he did fight court officials and even sought to inherit Zhang Zhang Juzheng's legacy by swiftly advancing new policies—but opposition grew too loud, he lacked sufficient allies, and in the turmoil over naming the crown prince, he retired.

After Shen Shen Shixing, the tenure of Chief Grand Secretaries grew shorter, and most accomplished nothing, merely keeping the rotten system running.

Wang Wang Xijue was just one among these Chief Grand Secretaries; his memorial proposing to withhold memorials paled beside Li Li Tingji, who lived in the temple as a temple priest, submitted over two hundred memorials requesting retirement, and finally walked away with his seal.

Since Zhang Zhang Juzheng's departure, his brutal end terrified everyone: serve the Zhu family, and this is your fate?

Zhang Zhang Juzheng declared, "I am not a chancellor, I am a regent." Regency meant strict frugality—he even gave the emperor an extra 200,000 taels as pocket money—and asked for nothing more. Emperor Wanli's treatment of him inevitably chilled the scholars' hearts.

In Wang Wang Xijue's case, Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't even confiscate his property—this too was a practical consideration.

"Yesterday, Prince Lu practiced martial arts in the palace, competing fiercely. Previously, I rebuked him for only punishing and never rewarding; now he finally understands the balance of authority and benevolence." Zhu Zhu Yijun annotated the memorial, detailing the cultivation progress of the first heir, Prince Lu.

When Zhu Zhu Yijun last struck Zhu Zhu Yilu, Empress Dowager Li was heartbroken but said nothing; this time, Prince Lu's antics seemed mere childish rivalry—he and his noble guards trained against each other, winners rewarded, losers punished—this met Zhu Zhu Yijun's requirements.

Prince Lu was punished last time for mistreating servants and showing only punishment, no reward; clear reward and punishment are essential to command—clearly, Prince Lu was growing, and Zhu Zhu Yijun took his education very seriously.

Court ministers glanced at each other: Prince Lu was originally to be sent to the estate of the Earl of Yicheng for personal cultivation by Zhang Zhang Juzheng, but due to Wang Wang Xijue and Zhang Zhang Juzheng's direct pleas, it never happened; now the young emperor's education of Prince Lu surpassed even Zhang Zhang Juzheng's, and was even harsher.

It would have been better to send him to the Earl of Yicheng's estate.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was the undisputed top martial expert among the young generation—he knew how to teach his brother how to be a man.

"Starting next year, the official editions of the Four Books and Five Classics shall follow the Master's annotations—the very edition I read. Add arithmetic to the provincial, metropolitan, and palace examinations. After the Master's departure, who among you gentlemen intends to ignore the reform of the educational system?" Zhu Zhu Yijun's tone grew colder; though June was scorching, the ministers felt a bone-chilling chill.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng's new policies were all displayed in the alcove of the Hall of Literary Brilliance; per the emperor's original agreement with Zhang Zhang Juzheng, after Emperor Wanli 5, the official textbooks for education must follow this edition—the previous standard, Zhu Xi's annotations, was now replaced by Zhang Zhang Juzheng's.

Changing this standard was extremely difficult: after Zhang Zhang Juzheng's departure, court ministers pretended ignorance; they preferred to push maritime grain transport rather than touch this matter—it was a decree that would earn them eternal condemnation from the literati.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng's scholarship was excellent, his annotations praised by the emperor himself—but his interpretations were indeed unorthodox.

For benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, kindness, humility, frugality, and forbearance, he offered both metaphysical and material interpretations; this dialectical approach inherently denied the sages, denied the Supreme Sage, for dialectics' fundamental truth was that all things develop continuously through contradiction.

But Confucianism prized adherence to the ways of the Three Dynasties, ancestral law, and rigid tradition.

Reforming education—even executing a few provincial examiners—was preferable to changing the rules of interpretation.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng's annotations could be ignored—skip them if you won't take the imperial examinations; no one forced you. But if you read without taking the exams, why read at all?

Clearly, Zhu Zhu Yijun intended to force implementation: reforming the examinations required redefining knowledge, and adding arithmetic to further promote quantitative understanding.

"You gentlemen look troubled—are you preparing to pretend deafness and dumbness?" Zhu Zhu Yijun's tone grew icier. He had raised the issue as emperor; if these ministers remained silent, their silence was opposition.

There are many ways to express disagreement—silence is one.

"Your Majesty, I see no objection," said Qi Qi Jiguang, the Grand General. As a military commander, he spoke cautiously on military matters and remained silent on civil affairs; as commander of the Capital Garrison, Qi Qi Jiguang sat in the Hall of Literary Brilliance mostly in silence.

But when the emperor needed him, he would tell His Majesty: the 120,000 troops of the Capital Garrison stand firmly behind him—he possessed the power to overturn the table at any moment.

Though Qi Qi Jiguang didn't understand why even court ministers opposed it, if His Majesty deemed it necessary, he would act: eliminate opponents physically, and no voice of dissent would remain.

Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled and said to Qi Qi Jiguang: "Grand General, calm yourself—the ministers haven't stormed the palace, haven't forced a coup."

Had the ministers staged a coup? Was such silence a coup? It was all up to the emperor's word.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng and Qi Qi Jiguang—the civil and military pillars.

Yu Yu Dayou chuckled beside him, glanced around, and said nothing; sometimes silence was agreement. Qi Qi Jiguang, as a high-ranking military noble, had spoken; Yu Yu Dayou's silence meant approval.

"Your Majesty, permit me to say: adding arithmetic was long agreed upon—I believe it excellent. Since the Great Ming adopted quantitative understanding, all things have gained constancy—it is a great fortune for the Great Ming. I congratulate Your Majesty, I congratulate the Great Ming." Wang Wang Guoguang first endorsed adding arithmetic to the examinations; the decision to add arithmetic after Emperor Wanli 5 had been settled by court deliberation after the Emperor Wanli 2 palace examination, and no minister had objected.

"So, Grand Minister of Revenue, you mean the Master's annotated Four Books and Five Classics as official editions shall not be implemented?" Zhu Zhu Yijun frowned.

"The Master himself would not agree while still in court," Wang Wang Guoguang stated firmly, no longer silent—he now openly aligned himself as Zhang Zhang Juzheng's faction. The emperor sought control over knowledge's interpretation, but the timing was not right; even if he wanted it, it would be useless.

"Precisely because the Master is no longer in court, we must act," Zhu Zhu Yijun refused to yield. The current official editions of the Four Books and Five Classics were all Zhu Xi's; even the School of Mind was more meaningful—Zhu Xi's version was utterly worthless.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng had indeed opposed it: Zhu Zhu Yijun had mentioned this during lectures, and Zhang Zhang Juzheng strongly resisted; though he seemed persuaded, he never pushed it—he clearly had reservations.

Writing a treatise on dialectics was one thing; making one's own annotations the official textbook was a matter of immense gravity—demanding extreme caution.

"Your Majesty, after Wang Wang Yangming's death, his disciples became idle talkers—that is the precedent," Wang Wang Guoguang, seeing the emperor's determination, voiced Zhang Zhang Juzheng's concern: not for posthumous fame, but fear that the doctrine, if widely spread, would be distorted; if distorted, it was better to treat it as an imperial text, locked away in the palace, reserved solely for imperial heirs.

For the philosophical view of opposition and unity was inherently hard to accept; if necessary, it could be taught in the Hanlin Academy—no need for nationwide official editions.

This was also Zhang Zhang Juzheng's view.

"Your words are reasonable, but the Master also said: to correct an excess, one must go too far. Since we must correct, let us proceed," Zhu Zhu Yijun acknowledged Wang Wang Guoguang's point but refused to change his mind—he would continue pushing forward.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was often more radical than Zhang Zhang Juzheng; the most radical in court was Tan Lun, especially on new policies—Zhu Zhu Yijun was even more radical than Zhang Zhang Juzheng, acting with sweeping boldness, favoring broad, flood-like measures.

This was the court ministers' limitation: they had no effective means to constrain the Great Ming emperor's decisions.

In fact, the entire Great Ming lacked such a correction mechanism: the Grand Secretariat and the Six Boards of Censors could indeed reject imperial edicts—that was precisely what Wang Wang Guoguang had just done, opposing the emperor's decree; if the emperor persisted, they could only comply.

This was a world of sovereign and minister; Wang Wang Guoguang standing up to argue with the emperor was already pushing his limits.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng, as imperial tutor, could effectively restrain the emperor's decisions—that was possible only under the special circumstances of a young sovereign and a doubtful succession, when Zhang Zhang Juzheng, as de facto supreme authority, could act.

Alas, Zhang Zhang Juzheng now fished by the Western Hills, playing the lazy man; if the emperor truly made a mess, he could always come out to clean it up later.

Zhu Zhu Yijun's decree passed the court deliberation with neither opposition nor strong support.

Tan Lun pulled out a memorial: "The Censor of Zhili, Guo Guo Siji, impeached the Battalion Commander Ren Zhang Xian for embezzling military supplies during his tenure in Suzhou Garrison in the Emperor Longqing era—this is an old case from Emperor Longqing 4, when Ren Zhang Xian, serving as Garrison Commander in Suzhou, embezzled 3,500 taels' worth of military supplies."

"At the time, a censor impeached him; Ren Zhang Xian escaped punishment and soon rose to Battalion Commander. Guo Guo Siji has now exposed this case and requests the court investigate and hold him accountable."

This was an old Emperor Longqing 4 case: Ren Zhang Xian had narrowly escaped punishment—not by fleeing, but by securing protection through Qi Qi Jiguang and becoming Zhang Zhang Juzheng's disciple, thus avoiding consequences.

The case was simple, facts undeniable: Ren Zhang Xian had confessed, and Zhang Zhang Juzheng had protected him.

Now, the Censor of Nanzhili, Guo Guo Siji, was attacking Ren Zhang Xian over this old case—this was a test.

"Second Grand Secretary, one offense shall not be punished twice. Since it was already settled, why reopen it? The circumstances then and now differ; back then, without becoming the Master's disciple, how could one accomplish anything? I too am the Master's disciple." Zhu Zhu Yijun's words clearly favored Ren Zhang Xian; at the time, the case resulted in the dismissal of one Commandant and two Battalion Commanders.

"Your Majesty is wise," Wang Wang Chonggu bowed.

The current Grand Secretariat was a statue: Lu Lu Diaoyang constantly said, "Your Majesty is right"; Wang Wang Chonggu didn't even go to the Hall of Literary Brilliance; whatever the emperor said, it was law—no one dared to remonstrate or offer advice.

Wang Wang Chonggu entered the Grand Secretariat but didn't perform its duties—this conformed to Grand Secretariat norms.

During the Emperor Jiajing, Emperor Longqing, and Emperor Wanli eras, the Grand Secretariat held immense power; ministers were appointed to it to better mobilize personnel, resources, and authority; others, due to age or illness, withdrew under the pretext of sickness—Lu Lu Diaoyang was the classic example; others, unwilling to engage in factional strife, simply hid from duty—Li Li Chunfang was the classic example.

Wang Wang Chonggu entering the Grand Secretariat without attending its duties was perfectly legitimate; he was appointed to better oversee the wool official factory and the Western Hills coal bureau.

Thus, the Grand Secretariat was now a mere echo.

"Guo Guo Siji raises this matter, claiming Ren Zhang Xian was already a criminal who escaped punishment—why, years later, was he promoted to Battalion Commander? He impeaches Ren Zhang Xian for promotion despite his guilt," Tan Lun knew the emperor had no intention of reopening old cases and raised the second accusation from the Nanzhili censor.

How did Ren Zhang Xian, a criminal, get promoted?

Everyone knew Ren Zhang Xian was Zhang Zhang Juzheng's protégé; when Zhang Zhang Juzheng governed, even without his explicit approval, officials would naturally recommend Ren Zhang Xian; the Ministry of War couldn't go to the Quanzhou Association to ask whether Zhang Zhang Juzheng approved Ren Zhang Xian's promotion.

Thus, Ren Zhang Xian was promoted despite his guilt.

"Chief Grand Secretary, when the Master left court, you fled—I sent Embroidered Uniform riders to bring you back. Yet you still entered the Grand Secretariat as Second Grand Secretary. Why do I suspect Guo Guo Siji resents your appointment and is using Ren Zhang Xian's case to indirectly attack you?" Zhu Zhu Yijun deployed a tactic: shifting blame.

Both were criminals who had been promoted; if Ren Zhang Xian was guilty, so was Wang Wang Chonggu.

Wang Wang Chonggu froze, startled—he now saw it clearly: he had thought Guo Guo Siji was responding to the Southern Prefecture's heretical pamphlets, attacking Zhang Zhang Juzheng; but now the emperor's words revealed Guo Guo Siji was aiming to kill two birds with one stone—taking him down along with Zhang Zhang Juzheng!

Wang Wang Chonggu rose, shook his sleeves, knelt on the ground, and cried loudly: "Your Majesty, if I had not fled, you would never have seen me again! Malicious schemers seek to place me on the fire, roast me alive—I had no choice but to escape. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!"

"Junior Minister, please rise." Zhu Zhu Yijun gestured for Wang Wang Chonggu to stand, then said: "Guo Guo Siji appeared to mention two matters, but in truth he mentioned only one: Ren Zhang Xian is guilty, and his guilt lies in having become a disciple of you, Master."

"Is becoming your disciple a crime?"

"Master, you taught me to judge matters according to the circumstances of the age, not merely by personal preference, ignoring the times. Back then, when our Great Ming's generals did not become your disciples, to whom else could they turn? During the Emperor Jiajing and Emperor Longqing eras, to whom could generals have become disciples? Grand Marshal merely because he could fight was relentlessly marginalized."

"Generals under the control of civil officials, like slaves—this is what you told me when you urged me to grant generals slightly more authority during the Emperor Wanli era."

"At that time, aside from hereditary posts, the only path was passing the military examination; there was no other recommendation system. Today is not as before: military merit now grants entry into the Military Academy of the Ministry of Works, thus creating a ladder for promotion."

Zhu Zhu Yijun's defense and favoritism toward Zhang Zhang Juzheng were not baseless personal indulgences; he explained himself clearly and in great detail—this reply was thoroughly reasoned and well-founded.

If Ren Zhang Xian had truly committed an unforgivable offense, neither the Commandant nor the two Company Commanders would have been dismissed over this matter. If Ren Zhang Xian could find a way through, why couldn't they?

Lü Lu Diaoyang, after consulting the opinions of the court deliberations, drafted a preliminary note, excerpted the Emperor's words, and submitted it for the Emperor's seal and stamp, then sent it to the Censorate for delivery to the Southern Office, serving as the official reply.

Ignoring messages without reply was the lazy tactic Wang Wang Xijue offered the Emperor Wanli Emperor; now that Zhang Zhang Juzheng was gone, the Emperor still stamped every document he received.

The Grand Coordinator of the Grain Transport, Wu Wu Guifang, submitted a memorial: this year, three million shi of the four million shi of grain tribute would be transported by sea, thereby freeing up three months of river transport time. He also proposed a comprehensive package of twenty-six measures to revitalize commerce along the canal. After prolonged court deliberation, three were deleted and twelve revised, and the final version was approved.

The Grand Canal toll stations of the Great Ming collected treasure notes—this was one of the few remaining contexts where treasure notes were still in use. But due to the fixed quota of four million shi of grain transport, toll revenues were never high, and on the Ministry of Revenue's ledgers, they were classified under "other."

But now, with increased transport capacity, toll revenues from the river route have been steadily rising. Continuing to collect only treasure notes would mean a loss.

According to Wu Wu Guifang's view, the river route should not collect tolls at all—it should be fully opened to promote commerce along its banks.

But Minister of Works Guo Guo Chaobin opposed this: toll revenues must fund the maintenance of the canal. If no tolls are collected, where will the money come from? In the end, the toll stations became silver stations, collecting taxes in silver coins or silver bullion instead of treasure notes.

Accumulating wealth and promoting profit were seen by the pure stream as floods and ferocious beasts, yet the court's prior financial desperation had lessened ministers' reservations about such practices. There would certainly be opposition, but even opponents would have to support accumulating wealth and promoting profit—the fact that the late Emperor's mausoleum had gone twelve months without payment of construction fees had severely damaged the court's dignity.

"The Portuguese envoy and ship captain Antonio has returned to the capital. I plan to summon him tomorrow. Two mariners and four sailors who sailed with him have also returned to report on their voyage to the Western Seas. After today's court deliberation concludes, summon them." Zhu Zhu Yijun said, as the court session neared its end, referring to the arrival of the large ship.

"Oh, by the way—when Antonio arrives, have him first repay his debt to the Imperial Treasury."

The Imperial Treasury eunuch Cui Min reported that Antonio had fully repaid the principal and interest on the Emperor's loan. Zhu Zhu Yijun was slightly troubled—he had charged only a modest interest rate of four percent per year, and Antonio had repaid too quickly, depriving Zhu Zhu Yijun of the interest income.

"Maritime trade yields great profits; of course he repays when he has money. Otherwise, the court would bar his ships from port, forcing him to make another round trip through Manila—that would be a far greater loss," Wang Wang Guoguang remarked with mild reflection.

Zhu Zhu Yijun pondered for a long while, then smiled: "Find a way to lend him more. Doesn't he want to become King of Portugal? How can he become king without money? True, commoners support him, but Philip II is also eyeing Portugal. With such a powerful enemy nearby, war will surely bring profit."

Zhu Zhu Yijun never worried that Antonio would default. One threat—barring him from trading in Ming waters—and he would collapse. The plantations Antonio offered as collateral were precisely what Zhu Zhu Yijun coveted. If Antonio defaulted, Zhu Zhu Yijun could simply use force to collect.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was always a true dragon that devours men.

Silence can mean agreement, opposition, or distraction. Please vote for the moon! Awooooo!!!!!!!!

(End of Chapter)