Chapter 261: Even I, a villainous wretch, find this evil

Why is it that Wang Shoumai has always been able to obtain information that Commandant Zhao Zhao Mengyou and Commandant Luo Lu Shusheng cannot?

Because Wang Wang Chonggu is also from a family of powerful, wealthy merchants and gentry; he naturally has channels to hear such rumors. This is a realm that Zhao Zhao Mengyou and Luo Lu Shusheng, as Commandants, cannot touch. If they were to touch this realm, the Emperor would have reason to fear for his own life.

If a Red-Helmet General gets too close to the powerful and wealthy gentry, the Emperor should be vigilant.

This is only one aspect; the other is the issue of funding.

Investigations by Zhao Zhao Mengyou and Luo Lu Shusheng require accounting; every cent must be spent clearly. This is an inevitable measure to maintain organizational health and prevent corruption from thoroughly rotting the organization. Moreover, the eunuchs of the Inner Treasury and the Ministry of Revenue must audit the accounts. Therefore, Zhao Zhao Mengyou and Luo Lu Shusheng can only walk the straight path; they cannot take crooked shortcuts.

Wang Qian, however, is completely different. As the sole heir to the old Wang family, the amount of silver he can mobilize is simply too vast.

Take, for example, the matter of buying off the Wang Xiangu's maidservant this time: Wang Qian spent ten thousand taels of silver directly to bribe the other party. Afterward, he immediately arranged for her to go from the Southern Southern Yamen to the Two Guangs, and even created a new household registration for her, transforming her in a flash from a serving maid into a young lady of a fallen noble family.

This ten thousand taels of silver bought nothing but a piece of dubious information.

Zhao Zhao Mengyou and Luo Lu Shusheng cannot afford this expense. They would have to explain the whereabouts of this ten thousand taels, especially if they received false information, which would make it even harder to explain. One is public funds, watched by countless eyes; the other is private wealth, for which one only needs to answer to one's father. Furthermore, his father has no way to deal with Wang Qian. These are completely different responsibilities.

Regarding the mastermind behind the Xishan assassination attempt, Wang Qian has always believed it was the work of the Restorationist faction.

Because Zhang Zhang Siwei of the Usurpation faction has already used the lives of his fellow partisans and their families—using the price of blood—to prove that the Emperor does not allow usurpation, does not allow the authority of rites, music, and military conquest to be seized by feudal lords, does not allow local forces to hold troops in defiance, and even less does he allow the situation of separatist feudal lords to occur.

Yet, the Restorationist faction has only lost Wang Wang Xijue so far, and he was "suicided" to preserve his dignity. This Restorationist faction has not yet paid a sufficient price; they still do not see things clearly enough. Once they have been beaten enough, they will understand what His Majesty truly wants and what the powerful and wealthy gentry should do.

The Restorationist faction simply hasn't been beaten enough.

Wang Wang Xijue's daughter, Wang Wang Daozhen, has sufficient motive. Since Wang Wang Xijue died—was "suicided"—then she and the imperial court share an irreconcilable blood feud.

Wang Li Shizhen's reasons are also quite sufficient. He and Zhang Zhang Juzheng were both presented scholars of the 26th year of Emperor Jiajing and both served as bachelors. As a pampered son of a wealthy family, Wang Li Shizhen naturally looked down on Zhang Zhang Juzheng, who came from a humble background. But not only did Zhang Zhang Juzheng not help him, he even demoted him, stripped him of his salary, and sent him back to his ancestral home to await orders.

And this Wang Wang Daozhen also has a sect with over one hundred thousand followers, as well as a chief disciple with the alias "Eunuch."

"Does anyone else know about this situation you speak of?" Wang Wang Chonggu's expression was exceptionally grave. Though he often said he would kill his own son with his own hands, he had never truly been able to do it. Wang Wang Chonggu had long since cast himself as the Yan Song of the Emperor Wanli era. Today's matter was a topic that could not be touched at all; it could not be handled recklessly.

Wang Qian immediately said, "Let Commandant Luo Lu Shusheng of the Southern Southern Yamen make a trip. Even if it isn't them, this bunch of evil spirits bewitching the villagers deserves to die! Father, you don't know what evil deeds they have committed; it is simply worse than beasts. They rounded up forty-nine pregnant women, then cut open their wombs to extract the fetuses, using the umbilical cord blood for beauty treatments, claiming it allows one to remain forever young!"

"Even I, a villainous wretch, feel that if these people were to fall into the eighteenth level of hell after death, it would still be treating them too kindly."

"I asked you if anyone else knows." Wang Wang Chonggu saw that Wang Qian was already a bit agitated. This was entirely consistent with the style of someone his age: impulsive and easily angered. Even knowing that the world was so ugly, he still felt deep hatred for these evil deeds, wishing to eradicate them as quickly as possible.

"I know your thoughts; these people deserve to be sliced into a thousand pieces. But if others know, it is very likely they will tip them off. If too many people know, His Majesty will be forced to act. You must know that General Qi is currently seeking the Huining Guard in the Northeast. Fighting on two fronts is a military taboo; we cannot tear General Qi in two, can we?"

"I am not shielding them. What standing do I, your father, have to shield them? Why would they dare hope for the Grand Secretary of the Ming to shield them? It is merely a matter of handling it at the appropriate time. Do you understand?"

One hundred thousand followers—if things go wrong, it could spark a civil uprising. This is no small matter. Qi Qi Jiguang is campaigning in the Northeast, and the Capital Battalion is not at home.

"Currently, only I and Uncle Liu of our family know." Wang Qian answered the question.

"Wang Qian, your Uncle Liu and I have a bond forged in life and death. Back then, I asked Liu Da to teach you martial arts, but you were afraid of pain and refused. Now you send Liu Da out to do this kind of dirty work? Do you have no conscience?" Wang Wang Chonggu finally realized who his "good" eldest son had sent to carry out these tasks.

The "Uncle Liu" in Wang Qian's mouth was a man from Pucheng. When Wang Wang Chonggu was young, he used to trade. Liu Da, Liu Er, and Liu San—the three brothers—were all bodyguards for his family. Liu Er and Liu San were killed by mountain bandits, and it was Wang Wang Chonggu who helped Liu Da avenge his brothers. Since then, Liu Da had always been an instructor in the old Wang family.

He was the chief instructor of the old Wang family's grand training grounds.

The trade routes he traveled were all paths that secretly colluded with the Hu people; horse bandits and mountain bandits were countless. Some gave face, some did not. The world of martial arts was not always about human favors and worldly wisdom; there was also fighting and killing. Wang Wang Chonggu and Liu Da truly had a bond forged in life and death.

And yet, Wang Qian used Liu Da to do this kind of dirty work of buying people off.

"Uncle Liu did it quite smoothly. If I hadn't stopped him, he would have gone to fight the Wang Xiangu Wang to the death. Is what she did human behavior?" Wang Qian spoke of the evil deeds Wang Wang Daozhen had committed.

It was not strange for such evil sects to do things that angered both heaven and man. Wang Wang Chonggu had always disliked sects. For example, the Nestorianism that Li Li Yashi believed in—the dirty things those priests did with children—Wang Wang Chonggu in the Ming Dynasty had heard of them.

"Do not spread this. I am going into the palace now." Wang Wang Chonggu put on his crane cloak, wore the dragon cloak with the five-clawed golden dragon, and hurried into the palace.

Wang Wang Chonggu knew very well that this case was of great importance. The Capital Battalion was not at home; if handled incautiously, these evil spirits would truly incite the common people and launch a civil uprising. In the current Ming Dynasty, the contradictions between people and land, the suffering of the poor, and the powerful gentry had reached a threshold. A slight carelessness would lead to turmoil spreading throughout the entire Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was drawing. To be precise, he had a large handful of pencils in his hand, in seven colors. He was just drawing casually. Such professional tools should be left to the painters of the Ming Dynasty to fully utilize their capabilities.

This was the colored pencil invented by the Wang Gongchang after the pencil.

There was no lead in a pencil. The reason it was called a "lead pencil" was that it was a hard pen. In ancient times, the "hard pen" was actually a lead knife. "Carrying lead and tablets" meant holding a lead knife to carve on wooden boards. Therefore, the meaning of "lead pencil" was simply a hard pen compared to the soft brush.

The Wang Gongchang was under the Inner Palace Office and had specifically built a pen factory to produce pencils. The main process was grinding graphite into powder, adding water to condense it into small pieces, adding white clay just like kneading dough to make it tough, and then using a specialized spiral rolling machine to extrude it. Opposite the rolling machine was a fine hole that could extrude the graphite dough into long strips like noodles. These long strips were tied to a circular plate, cut with a knife to a fixed length, and then cut into segments. This was the core embryo.

At this point, there were two processes. If it was a pencil for mass production, the core embryo would be baked in a kiln, set, and placed into the pencil frame. If it was for small-scale use, it had to be soaked in pine oil, dried at a low temperature, and then baked in a kiln to set.

The second type was mainly used to make eyebrow pencils. In terms of cost, it only involved the extra cost of pine oil and graphite screening; eyebrow pencils did not add too much white clay.

The cost was approximately the same, but there was a difference in price. For example, an eyebrow pencil sold for twenty-seven copper coins, while a pencil only cost about three wen.

The Imperial Estate sold them for twenty-seven wen each, and they could be used for about a year. Even so, the eunuchs were still worried about being fiercely criticized by court officials for "gathering wealth and seeking profit," so they didn't dare to sell them at a higher price.

The appearance of the pencil made reading and literacy a bit simpler.

"Grand Secretary Wang, is your health better? I truly know that you are loyal to the monarch and the country. In the future, don't work so hard. Sometimes, appropriately delegate to your subordinates; if a mistake is made, just fix it. No one can guarantee they won't make mistakes. Even the Master misjudged Gao Zhu Qiyu." Zhu Zhu Yijun signaled for Wang Wang Chonggu not to be overly formal and to sit down and talk.

The dragon cloak had been brought back. By rights, this was also "donning the yellow robe," but no one would interpret it as Wang Wang Chonggu wanting to be Emperor. They would only see it as His Majesty showing concern for his ministers, a model of a benevolent ruler.

Zhao Zhao Kuangyin was able to "don the yellow robe" because he had the strength to be Emperor; the yellow robe was just the final push.

Those officials from outside the capital all thought Wan Wan Shihe was easy to bully. In fact, Wang Wang Chonggu was the easiest to bully. If the Emperor truly wanted to kill Wang Wang Chonggu, he only needed to stir up a little noise about this matter, and Wang Wang Chonggu would be forced to commit suicide.

"I was just exhausted. Losing decorum before the palace, I beg His Majesty to forgive my sin." Wang Wang Chonggu explained face-to-face why he had fallen asleep. Once the Grand Court Session ended, the tightly wound string in his heart snapped, and he just fell asleep.

"No matter, no matter." Zhu Zhu Yijun took out a box of colored pencils and a box of regular pencils, handed them to Feng Bao, and said with a smile, "Recently, the palace obtained some good things. I give them to your grandson as items for doodling. They aren't precious; don't decline."

"I thank His Majesty for his great grace." Wang Wang Chonggu accepted the reward. Whether something is precious or not depends on who gives it. This was a gift from the Emperor. His Majesty was always so sophisticated, knowing how to dispel the concerns in the hearts of his ministers. These two boxes of inexpensive pencils showed that the Emperor truly didn't care about the loss of decorum before the palace.

He was as smooth as an old fox.

Wang Wang Chonggu couldn't help but think of Wang Qian, who was so old yet still shouting about fighting and killing, not steady at all, and even less smooth.

Colored pencils were pencils with various dyes added. Zhang Zhang Juzheng had received the good things from the palace immediately. Whenever Zhu Zhu Yijun obtained good things, the first person he would never forget was Zhang Zhang Juzheng.

"Your Majesty, I have come into the palace because I have an important matter to report." Wang Wang Chonggu's expression was grave.

"Speak in detail." Zhu Zhu Yijun had thought that Wang Wang Chonggu coming into the palace in the middle of the night via the basket was to return the dragon cloak. It seemed there was a major matter.

The Ming Imperial Palace had strict palace prohibitions, but it was not without ways to adapt. Lowering a basket to bring someone up was something that had happened. There were clear records of it: Zhu Di meeting the Minister of Rites Hu Ying in the middle of the night, supposedly to discuss the matter of the Jianwen Emperor; the Emperor Jingtai Emperor summoning the Xuanfu Regional Commander and Marquis of Changping Yang Hong to devise strategies for the border, because the matter was of great importance, they talked for the entire night; and the Emperor Jiajing Emperor meeting Zhang Cong in the middle of the night to inquire about confidential matters.

What exactly was discussed was only briefly mentioned, but meeting in the middle of the night did have ancestral precedents in the Ming Dynasty.

"Wang Wang Xijue's daughter, the Wang Xiangu Wang." Wang Wang Chonggu reported everything in detail, telling His Majesty all the clues, without any deception, even regarding Uncle Liu's identity and encounter.

"Your son truly has... good methods!" Zhu Zhu Yijun couldn't help but give Wang Qian a "like." This guy truly surprised Zhu Zhu Yijun. This supernatural ability to bribe people left even Zhu Zhu Yijun stunned.

"Wait until General Qi's army returns to the capital before discussing it." Zhu Zhu Yijun did not hesitate too much and made a decision. It was not that Zhu Zhu Yijun was afraid of this Wang Xiangu Wang, but rather that this Wang Xiangu Wang was "holding the people hostage to demand from the Emperor," making her tricky to handle.

"Why do the common people resort to gods and Buddhas? Isn't it because they can't rely on the imperial court? If they could rely on the imperial court, one hundred thousand followers wouldn't have to believe in those illusory things." Zhu Zhu Yijun clearly knew how troublesome these people were. Whenever they encountered trouble, they would push the common people to the front.

The core tenet of the Ming Capital Army was to report to the Son of Heaven and save the common people. If they not only didn't save the common people but also had to use force against them, the cohesion of the Capital Army would decrease.

When the organization and cohesion of the Capital Army declined, one could only adopt the method of the "Fortress Emperor" and disband the Capital Battalion. After the Fortress Emperor restored his reign, the Capital Battalion was disbanded. That was entirely because Yu Qian was killed and the Jing Emperor died in humiliation; the Capital Battalion simply didn't belong to the Fortress Emperor.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was willing to wait a while. To deal with such evil spirits, the best method was naturally the "Five Thunders Orthodox Method"—upright and proper.

"Your Majesty, I have observed a phenomenon: the craftsmen around the woolen factory, once they have a little surplus wealth, will offer it to the Confucian scholars. Because they have to pay tuition, even with a little surplus, they scrimp and save to send their children to school. The official factory has community schools, but only the children of the woolen factory can attend. The poor commoners and laborers work hard all day, only to have it all taken away by these Confucian scholars." The first important matter for Wang Wang Chonggu entering the palace was returning the dragon cloak—this thing felt redundant the moment it was in his hands. The second was reporting intelligence, and the third was speaking about the phenomenon at the woolen factory.

This phenomenon was exceptionally common. Wang Wang Chonggu was speaking of the origin of the social status of the Ming gentry. The common people, once they had a little surplus wealth, would offer it to the Confucian scholars because letting children study was a universal, shared cognition.

The craftsmen of the woolen factory, because the factory had schools, naturally didn't need to worry. Until they took the provincial examination, they didn't need to worry too much about expenses. However, tens of thousands of craftsmen gathered around the Yongding Woolen Factory, doing business supporting the woolen factory. The children of these families could only hand over their money to the Confucian scholars in exchange for the opportunity for their children to study.

"What does the Grand Secretary mean?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked with great curiosity.

"Expand the official factory schools and charge a small amount of tuition. If only more than thirty percent of the craftsmen can attend our official factory schools, that will be enough to influence the tuition of the surrounding schools." Wang Wang Chonggu knew that with the official factory's capabilities, it was completely insufficient to allow all children to receive education equally. Being able to influence the surrounding tuition was already his limit.

These words of Wang Wang Chonggu were, in fact, the same as Zhang Zhang Juzheng's "substitutable"—they shared the same goal.

Why were the "cheap Confucian scholars" able to steal high positions in the Ming Dynasty's ecological niche, and even transform from landlords into powerful clans? It was because of their monopoly on knowledge and their monopoly on the interpretation of knowledge, thereby achieving a monopoly on politics. And Wang Wang Chonggu's expansion of the official factory schools could allow more people to study, and the transcendent status of the "cheap Confucian scholars" would be gradually dismantled, or even replaced.

It takes ten years to grow trees and a hundred years to cultivate people.

Dismantling the status of the "cheap Confucian scholars" could not be effective in the short term; this was a hundred-year grand undertaking.

"It must be done." Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded in approval and said, "The funds needed for expansion will come from the Inner Treasury. I have so much money sitting in my hands; it's just sitting there anyway."

"That is not in accordance with the rules." Wang Wang Chonggu shook his head and said, "If Your Majesty permits, I can do it."

Wang Wang Chonggu only needed policy support. As for the costs, the expansion fees, the official factory could still afford them. The Ming powerful gentry's enthusiasm for fine woolen cloth had not diminished, so the woolen factory, in addition to normal profits, had extra surplus, which could be used to expand the official factory schools.

The expansion of the official factory schools would be sponsored by the Ming powerful gentry.

The main investment direction for the money in His Majesty's Inner Treasury was still maritime trade, building shipyards, building new weaving bureaus, preparing sea ships to go to sea, etc. His Majesty had a lot of money, but most of it was in maritime trade. The funds for the expansion of the official factory would not bother the Emperor's Inner Treasury.

Mainly, begging from eunuchs would lead to them riding on one's face and humiliating one. Wang Wang Chonggu would rather spend more money than deal with eunuchs who practiced the "Qi Ren Jing" (Annoying Scripture).

Feng Bao sent Wang Wang Chonggu away, and only after watching him descend the basket did he return to the Guanghan Hall of the Baoqi Office.

This was the benefit of living in the Wang Wang Xiyuan. If he lived inside the Imperial Palace, Wang Wang Chonggu would not be able to enter the palace after the curfew. The palace gates were strictly guarded. But the Wang Wang Xiyuan did not belong to the Forbidden City; it belonged to the outskirts of the Imperial Palace, which was why Wang Wang Chonggu could enter and exit.

Living in the Wang Wang Xiyuan saved twenty years of detours.

Zhu Zhu Yijun pasted the labels of Wang Xiangu Wang, Wang Li Shizhen, Wang Wang Xijue, Sujing Sanren, and Eunuch onto the drawing board with a grave expression, and then personally wrote "One Hundred Thousand Followers" and pasted it onto the drawing board.

Holding the people hostage to demand from the Emperor—especially detestable.

Zhu Zhu Yijun covered the drawing board with a vermilion silk cloth. The Ming army was campaigning in the Northeast. Once he could free up his hands, Zhu Zhu Yijun would definitely give these guys a huge surprise.

San San Niangzi was right; the Ming Emperor was a petty person. Letting the Emperor endure was not as good as letting the Emperor vent directly. This ledger was kept in his heart, and it was growing thicker and thicker.

The next morning, the sun was bright. After Zhu Zhu Yijun finished his breakfast, he went to the Court Session. Wang Wang Yaozhuo, who had eaten with His Majesty, went to the Cixi Palace to see the two Empress Dowagers of the Ming Dynasty.

"The Emperor has handed the matter of selecting the secondary consort for the grand wedding to you. The Emperor trusts you very much; do not let down this trust." Empress Dowager Li first spoke a warning. By the order of parents and the words of matchmakers, this matter should have been decided by Empress Dowager Li. Empress Dowager Li let the Emperor decide, and the Emperor pushed it to Wang Wang Yaozhuo.

"Your daughter-in-law understands." Wang Wang Yaozhuo nodded in acknowledgment.

"You already call yourself daughter-in-law?" Empress Dowager Chen said happily. This Wang girl knew that her status had completely changed and was gradually adapting to her identity.

"Sit down and talk." Empress Dowager Li signaled that Wang Wang Yaozhuo didn't need to be overly formal.

"Does the Emperor... fancy you?" Empress Dowager Chen asked with some confusion.

Empress Dowager Li also sat up straight. She was just as curious as Empress Dowager Chen. Being mature for one's age was indeed a good thing. The Master had been away from the court for several months, and His Majesty had handled state affairs in an orderly manner. In the two major cases of Zhang Zhang Juzheng's mourning and the Xishan assassination attempt, the Emperor had handled them with ease.

However, the Emperor was truly too mature. His emotions were completely restrained. She had no idea what the Emperor's attitude toward the grand wedding was—was he satisfied, or dissatisfied?

"He fancies me." Wang Wang Yaozhuo's expression carried a faint smile. She was very certain. She wasn't lying to herself. Based on her long-term observation, the Emperor truly fancied her.

"His Majesty gives all his energy to state affairs. But even though he doesn't like music, he is willing to set aside time every five days to go to the side hall to listen to me play. It is likely the only time His Majesty truly relaxes." Every time Wang Wang Yaozhuo went to play the zither, the Emperor did nothing else. He specifically set aside time, not to appreciate it, but simply to relax.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo had always followed Zhu Zhu Yijun. The Emperor was truly very hardworking. At this age, he spent all day playing political games with a bunch of old monsters. Only when listening to music in the side hall would he let down his guard. This was trust; this was "fancying." She wasn't lying to herself.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo understood Zhu Zhu Yijun very well—better than Zhu Zhu Yijun understood himself.

The Emperor was a heartless political machine. In countless choices, he did not decide based on his own likes or dislikes. Even if he expressed his likes or dislikes, they were all based on political stances, without exception. To demand emotional value like "liking" or "love" from a heartless machine was absurd. However, the Emperor was willing to let down his guard—that was the best expression from a heartless, emotionally restrained Emperor.

To ask for more would be greedy.

"That's good, that's good." Empress Dowager Li instead felt relieved, and the heavy stone in her heart fell back into place.

Empress Dowager Li had always been worried that the young Emperor, because of his fatigue with state affairs, would turn into a cold stone. Indeed, that would be a great fortune for the Ming Dynasty, but for the Emperor himself, wouldn't it be a misfortune?

And under the imperial system, if the Emperor was unfortunate, it would become the misfortune of the world.

Fortunately, the Emperor was not without emotions; he was just extremely restrained because of the many affairs of the state.

"Then for this selection of secondary consorts, what kind of girls does the girl plan to choose?" Empress Dowager Chen was very curious about Wang Wang Yaozhuo's criteria for selecting secondary consorts.

"Beautiful ones, pleasing to the eye." Wang Wang Yaozhuo said very confidently, "His Majesty is tired all day. When he returns to the palace, if they are all mediocre in appearance, wouldn't that be adding to His Majesty's troubles? As for competing for beauty, that is inevitable in the harem."

When Wang Wang Yaozhuo said this, she was very confident. She was the main palace consort; was she afraid of these vixens fighting with her?

Besides, she was very confident in her own appearance and figure. The Emperor had previously mocked her for being a "bean sprout." On the day of the grand wedding, she would let the Emperor know what "slender branches bearing heavy fruit" meant.

Bean sprout? What bean sprout? If he hadn't seen it, how could he say she was a bean sprout!

After she entered the palace at nine, she was not trained as a palace maid, but as a prospective imperial consort. She studied and read, and her three meals a day were never lacking. Now she was even balancing accounts with the Imperial Uncle, and in terms of mathematics, she could sit and discuss the Dao with His Majesty.

She was very confident in her appearance, her figure, and palace intrigue.

With the Emperor's posture of throwing himself entirely into state affairs, harem fighting would naturally exist, but it would definitely be within a controllable range. After all, palace intrigue was for the Emperor's favor. If the Emperor only favored state affairs, where would there be so much fighting?

Therefore, the prettier the better. Focus on beauty and attractiveness. It would be best if she could bewitch the Emperor until he was completely dazed.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was at the Court Session in the front palace and sneezed forcefully. He saw the group of ministers stop the session and shook his head, saying, "My dragon body is fine. Continue with the business."

"Wang Shika, the Assistant Secretary of the Nanjing Front Army Governor's Office, is appointed as Regional Commander to guard Guangxi. Guangxi Regional Commander Li Xi, Vice Envoy Zhao Kehuai, Ling Xi Administration Commissioner Liu Zhiyi, and Assistant Commissioner Shi Pan, among other generals, will follow Ling Ling Yunyi to Shandong." Minister of War Tan Lun spoke of the personnel arrangements. Wang Shika would serve as the Guangxi Regional Commander, and the former Regional Commander Li Xi would follow Ling Ling Yunyi.

How did the gentry clans control local power? Through the clerks.

Whether it was the three offices and six departments of the Prefecture or County Southern Yamen, the heads were all filled by people from gentry clans. When officials were appointed to a locality, if the "Venerable Qingtian Old Lords" gave face, they would call you "Venerable Qingtian Old Lord." If they didn't give face, they would call you an "outsider begging for food." So, whether you were a "Venerable Qingtian Old Lord" or a "beggar for food" depended entirely on whether you, the official, knew the ropes.

Just like Magistrate Ma had to look at the face of Master Huang.

It was not uncommon for clerks to hollow out officials. Ling Ling Yunyi going to Shandong was to get things done, so he had to bring some staff and subordinates. This was drawing the sword.

"Will Ling Ling Yunyi agree?" Ma Ma Ziqiang said with some worry.

"What the Grand Secretary worries about, I had already thought of. Last time in Shandong, because of the Kong family in Yanzhou, a large number of officials were dismissed. I had already asked Ling Ling Yunyi. Minister Ling is willing." Zhu Zhu Yijun answered Ma Ma Ziqiang's question.

Ling Ling Yunyi's notoriety for being fond of killing was earned when he was the Grand Coordinator of Yunyang and Jiangxi. When he arrived in the Two Guangs, he became even more intense. Ling Ling Yunyi did not hesitate at all when facing the Emperor's inquiry. Even if Shandong was a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, he would still break into it.

When Yin Yin Zhengmao left the Two Guangs, he repeatedly reminded Ling Ling Yunyi: "Dismantling doors and moving beds is enough; kill fewer people." His reputation was already more foul than Yin Yin Zhengmao's. This was why he couldn't be promoted or enter the capital. Ling Ling Yunyi knew very well why he had always been a Grand Coordinator and couldn't enter the capital, but faced with the terrible situation, he still killed people.

Major personnel appointments naturally required consulting the person's own opinion.

"That's good." Ma Ma Ziqiang breathed a sigh of relief. Attacking the Kong family would lead to being cursed by scholars for generations. Ling Ling Yunyi knew this clearly, but he still wanted to go.

"The Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict to the Ministry of Rites yesterday, inquiring that the grand wedding dates of the ancestral sages were mostly at sixteen. Now His Majesty is only fifteen, and the Empress is only fourteen. If it is set for December next year, it will have passed the selection period. If it is set for December this year, it is too early. Inquiring about the Ministry of Rites' methods." Ma Ma Ziqiang spoke of the grand wedding date.

Setting the wedding date in the fifth year of Emperor Wanli would violate ancestral precedents. Choosing December next year would pass the selection period.

"The Directorate of Astronomy reports that within a year, only December is favorable; the rest have obstacles." Ma Ma Ziqiang added why the wedding date was difficult to choose. The Directorate of Astronomy said it could only be set for December; at other times, the Son of Heaven should not marry.

Wan Wan Shihe immediately said, "Nonsense! Taboos on dates are folk customs. Among the common people, there are those who don't follow them entirely. Moreover, His Majesty is the Lord of Heaven and the Hundred Gods. Every move he makes, the Hundred Gods will perform their duties and receive tasks. How can they be restrained by minor arts of yin and yang?"

What influence do ghosts and gods have on His Majesty's grand wedding? His Majesty can marry whenever he wants. The Hundred Gods can only cooperate. Obstacles are merely fallacious rumors.

The Emperor is the supreme being on earth. This is the correct understanding of the Emperor. Ghosts and gods must all stand aside.

"Minister Wan is truly proficient in rites and laws." Zhu Zhu Yijun said sincerely. Wan Wan Shihe was too proficient in rites and laws. In the position of Minister of Personnel, he seemed a bit out of place.

"Mother and the Empress previously told me that when all things grow in February or March next year, according to ancient rites, men and women meet in mid-spring. If it is set for spring, it will have the meaning of the harmony of heaven and earth and the richness of all things. Moreover, at the sacred age of sixteen, it will follow the rules of the successive dynasties. Neither late nor early, it is the most appropriate. What does the Ministry of Rites think?" Zhu Zhu Yijun's words seemed like an inquiry, but they were actually an instruction.

The grand wedding in March next year would not violate the ancestral precedent of the age of sixteen, nor would it pass the wedding period.

"I respectfully obey the sacred decree." Ma Ma Ziqiang chose to submit. For the Emperor's grand wedding, the Directorate of Astronomy's words didn't count; the Empress Dowagers' words counted. March, with spring warmth and flowers blooming, and all things renewed, was indeed a good time.

Ma Ma Ziqiang said with a troubled face, "The Ministry of Rites requests four chastity archways. One is for a commoner woman named Zheng from Si County, who was betrothed to the Wang family. The Wang man died of illness, and Zheng died in grief, following her husband. The wife of the Confucian scholar Liu Junyuan from Xiayi County, Yang, committed suicide after Liu Junyuan died of illness. The wife of Zhang Shu from Yifeng County, Dai, and the wife of Zhang Qiyin, Hou, maintained their chastity for forty years."

"The magistrates of each county request to honor them with archways to show their loyalty."

"His Majesty already rejected this proposal yesterday, with the rescript saying: 'From now on, no chastity archways are allowed. The Ministry of Rites should know this and not discuss it further.'" Grand Secretary Lu Lu Diaoyang looked at Ma Ma Ziqiang and said, "His Majesty has already made a sacred decision."

Zhu Zhu Yijun had already clearly stated that he would not allow chastity archways, but the Ministry of Rites still brought it to the Court Session, clearly wanting to plead their case and get this archway application approved.

Ma Ma Ziqiang rarely disagreed with the Emperor, but this time, he was clearly very bold.

"Your Majesty, I still feel that they should be granted." Ma Ma Ziqiang expressed his attitude very stubbornly.

"I know His Majesty's sacred intention. This chastity archway is naturally a tool for exploiting the common people, but according to the theory of contradictions, it is two sides of the same coin; it is not entirely so." Ma Ma Ziqiang wanted to wash the ground for this dross of Zhu-Cheng Neo-Confucianism. Under the current public opinion, this was actually very taboo.

But Ma Ma Ziqiang still stated his attitude very firmly.

"Your Majesty, would you like to hear the Grand Secretary's reasons?" Wan Wan Shihe rarely came forward to plead for mercy. Clearly, Ma Ma Ziqiang had communicated with Wan Wan Shihe, the Emperor's partisan, on this issue.

"Speak your reasons." Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Ma Ma Ziqiang's persistence and asked for the truth.

If you let people speak, the sky won't fall.

The ancient chastity archway was a product of the era. It was not washing the ground for feudal dross, but in that era, the chastity archway was largely a form of protection for the parties involved. Please vote for the monthly ticket, Awoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 262 =====