Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Empty Talk Can Exterminate the Barbarians—Where Are the Northern Barbarians Now?

In the early Ming, the Chancellor’s office held decision-making power; Hu Weiyong wielded great authority. Today’s Grand Secretary lacks substantial decision-making power and must still submit proposals to the Directorate of Palace Affairs for red-batching and to the Emperor for approval. Zhang Juzheng’s power appears far smaller than Hu Weiyong’s.

But the current Ming Emperor is only ten years old.

Zhang Juzheng presides over court deliberations and drafts memorials, wielding immense influence—even daring to oversee the young Emperor. Is he not more formidable than Hu Weiyong?

Did Hu Weiyong dare to control Emperor Taizu?

Zhang Juzheng dares to, and can, control the young Emperor.

Zhang Juzheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the shimmering lake, and said: “In the tenth year of Hongwu, Hu Weiyong served as Left Chancellor of the Central Secretariat. He made life-and-death and dismissal decisions without reporting them to Emperor Taizu; he reviewed all memorials from ministries and departments, suppressing any that harmed his interests before submitting them to the Emperor.”

“If that were all, Emperor Taizu would merely have dismissed him.”

You Qi asked in confusion: “Then why did Emperor Taizu execute Hu Weiyong, and why did the purge extend so widely?”

Zhang Juzheng replied with absolute certainty: “Because Hu Weiyong maintained extremely close ties with the military nobility.”

“Hu Weiyong was related by marriage to Marquis Li Shan Zhang of the State of Han, and frequently associated with Marquis Lu Zhongheng of Ji’an, Marquis Fei Ju of Pingliang, Marquis Zhao Yong of Nanxiong, Marquis Zheng Yuchun of Xingyang, Marquis Zhu Liangzu of Yongjia, Marquis Jingning, and others. Hu’s ties with this clique of one duke and twenty-one marquises from Huaixi were too intimate.”

“Marriage ties—do you understand? Why does the palace fear the Jin Party? Precisely because it is a clan faction.”

You Qi suddenly understood: “So that’s it.”

“Hu’s close ties with the military nobility made Emperor Taizu restless, as if thorns pricked his back. That is why Hu compiled the ‘Record of Exposed Traitors,’ triggering a massive case at the dynasty’s founding that implicated tens of thousands, its poison lingering for generations.”

You Qi fell silent. He now grasped the key point: his Grand Secretary did not intend to become a power-hungry minister, but a minister devoted to the state.

The Ming military nobility has declined; in court affairs, they are fortunate merely to preserve themselves.

Times have changed. The most formidable military force in Ming has shifted from the original Huaixi clique to today’s Southern troops.

And the commander of these Southern troops is Qi Jiguang.

Qi Jiguang became a disciple of Zhang Juzheng at the Quanzhou Hall, their bond too intimate. The palace now ignores it because the Emperor is young and stability is paramount—but the Emperor will grow up.

When the Emperor grows up, how he views Gao Gong’s ties with the Xuan-Da frontier troops will be how he views Zhang Juzheng’s ties with Qi Jiguang.

Zhang Juzheng is inept at self-preservation—not because he cannot, but because under a minor sovereign and uncertain throne, if he preserved himself, he could not preserve the state.

Zhang Juzheng continued, his expression relaxed: “Do you think being Grand Secretary is easy?”

“To wield power as Grand Secretary is dangerous—look at Gao Gong. One memorial, a few sharp words, and he was immediately dismissed and sent home. He was too hasty. Even if Gao the Senior Grand Secretary didn’t consider the Empress Dowager or the Emperor, didn’t he consider how the Jin Party would react to his ‘Memorial on Five Matters’?”

“To be Grand Secretary and do nothing is also unacceptable. Without ability, you cannot handle civil unrest, border threats, or Japanese pirates. Take Xia Yan of the Jiajing era—he ended up beheaded in the Western Market.”

“To be Grand Secretary—whether you relinquish power, seize power, abuse power, or manipulate authority—you’re wrong no matter what you do. Even doing nothing is wrong. In the end, none fare well.”

“This way is fine.”

Zhang Juzheng spoke of balanced rigor and leniency: as Grand Secretary, every step must be cautious. One misstep means death—death. Zhang Juzheng was not afraid of death, but he feared that when he died, his policies would vanish.

The Ming already has little breath left. He is determined to reform. If he dies and opponents retaliate, how much vitality will the Ming have left?

“Policy dies with the man”—this would inevitably trigger a nationwide political upheaval. That is not Zhang Juzheng’s ambition; he does not wish to see it.

“What about the Jin Party…?” You Qi voiced his concern.

Why does the Jin Party fear Zhang Juzheng? Because Zhang’s faction has capable figures in military, administration, finance, and law—his faction can stand equal to the Jin Party. Even after losing Gao Gong as Grand Secretary, Zhang’s faction now holds the advantage.

Qi Jiguang is the pillar of Zhang’s military faction. Now that Qi has returned his token, won’t the Jin Party seize the chance to strike while he’s down?

Zhang Juzheng chuckled at You Qi’s question: “The Jin Party trying to court Commander Qi will only bring humiliation upon themselves. They can’t even pee in the same pot—why force themselves together? That’s asking for a scolding. The Jin Party is already overwhelmed: the Great Wall at Huyu Pass was only repaired last year and collapsed at the first strike. Someone must bear responsibility.”

“The Emperor once said: only those who share the same ideals and path can share true joy.”

Gentlemen form factions bound by ideals; petty men form factions bound by interests. And the most critical ties among petty men’s factions are marriage and regional kinship—the very terms the Emperor called ‘clan factions.’

Zhang Juzheng was not worried that Qi Jiguang returning his token would make him join the Jin Party, for he knew with certainty that Qi Jiguang’s ideals matched his own.

To revive the Ming. To make the Ming great again.

So even though Qi Jiguang returned his token, he remains part of Zhang’s faction—not as a disciple bound by patronage, but as a faction united by shared ideals. Patron-client ties are advantageous when weak, but become shackles when strong.

To let one’s faction grow so powerful it threatens the throne is to narrow one’s path.

In Zhang Juzheng’s view, Qi Jiguang returning the token purified their relationship—cleaned it. They are now simply Ming ministers united by a common ideal, and it benefits them both.

The Emperor has already shown his broad vision and his resolve.

A gentleman must be broad-minded and resolute, for his burden is heavy and the road long.

That morning, a memorial accusing Qi Jiguang of arrogance arrived at the Wenyuan Pavilion and landed before Zhang Juzheng’s desk.

“How impatient,” Zhang Juzheng said, glancing at the memorial with a strange expression to Lu Diaoyang. “Yesterday he returned the token, today they’re accusing Commander Qi. Can’t these people show restraint?”

Deputy Grand Secretary Lu Diaoyang placed a tray full of memorials before Zhang Juzheng: “All of these are the same.”

As usual, Zhang Juzheng would lavish praise on Qi Jiguang in his draft replies. But now, Qi Jiguang was no longer a disciple of Zhang Juzheng at the Quanzhou Hall.

Zhang Juzheng picked up his brush, his left hand gathering his right sleeve, dipped it in ink, and began to write.

Qi Jiguang returning the Quanzhou Hall token signified a complete break with Zhang Juzheng—meaning Qi had lost his political patron and backing, and could now be attacked.

Previously, censors dared not impeach him out of respect and fear of Zhang Juzheng. Now that Qi had become a military noble, who feared him?

Zhang Juzheng wrote extensively in his draft, primarily refuting the censors’ arguments. He still defended Qi Jiguang’s reputation—just as before, no difference at all.

Do gentlemanly factions rely solely on such tokens and patron-client ties?

Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang’s twenty-year friendship will not end because of a token. They still stand on different fronts, purging the Ming’s ills and restoring its vitality.

Zhang Juzheng promoted Qi Jiguang because Qi had a heart for serving the state. Zhang supported Qi in forming the Zhe troops because Qi could truly win battles.

Zhang gave Qi support; Qi repaid him with victory after victory, aiding Zhang’s political endeavors. It was a mutual achievement—not, as You Qi claimed, a one-sided favor from Zhang with no return from Qi.

You Qi, a mere servant, saw only Zhang Juzheng’s favors to Qi Jiguang.

The Directorate of Palace Affairs found Zhang Juzheng’s attitude slightly odd. Everyone says Zhang Juzheng is petty. Qi Jiguang slapped him hard in public outside Xuanwu Gate—yet Zhang still defends him in his draft replies?

Where is the vengeful Zhang Juzheng?

As always, the young Ming Emperor arrived at the Wenhua Hall in plain robes, waiting for eunuchs to carry the dragon throne into place. Zhu Yijun sat firmly upon it.

Yesterday, Zhu Yijun had issued edicts on all memorials impeaching Qi Jiguang. Zhang Juzheng’s ‘Memorial on Five Matters’ had advised: approve all. For the impeachments against Qi Jiguang, Zhu Yijun had his own solution.

Qi Jiguang’s enfeoffment and return of the Quanzhou Hall token did not mean the young Emperor had seized military authority.

It merely meant Qi Jiguang had become a military noble—that was all.

A general is merely an individual; military authority belongs to the army’s structure. These are entirely different concepts.

The Zhe troops were not Qi Jiguang’s private army—they were the Ming army. From start to finish, the Zhe troops never became Qi Jiguang’s private force. Had they become his private army, their fate would not have been so tragic.

“Your subjects pay homage to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty’s health be well?”

Zhu Yijun waved his hand slightly, signaling all to rise, and smiled: “I am well. Rise. Let the court deliberation begin.”

Zhang Juzheng still sat in the first seat on the left. He looked at the twenty-seven court ministers seated before him and opened a memorial: “The memorials impeaching Commander Qi have been rejected by the Emperor.”

“The Emperor said: ‘If empty talk could exterminate the northern barbarians, where would they be? If you wish to impeach Commander Qi, go to Jizhou to assist in military affairs for three months. If you persist in your accusations, we shall reconsider.’”

Zhang Juzheng finished speaking and laughed to himself.