Chapter 72: The Youth Bears Great Spirit, and the Time for Bravery Comes Naturally

Zhang Juzheng let go of the ten Company Commanders because he clearly knew that once these ten Company Commanders left Xuanfu and Datong, they would no longer continue to do evil. He used not pursuing these ten Company Commanders excessively to exchange for Yang Bo's support for Wang Guoguang's adjustment of the border grain and pay policy.

And after finishing this matter, Zhang Juzheng very solemnly requested the Emperor to speak.

It must be something that Zhang Juzheng, as the Chief Grand Secretary, could not do, so Zhang Juzheng would ask for help and request the support of imperial power.

"Grand Secretary Yuanfu, please rise. What is the matter that makes Grand Secretary Yuanfu so solemn?" Zhu Yijun put down his brush and looked at Zhang Juzheng, asking.

He was very happy to stand up for Zhang Juzheng. If Zhang Juzheng's request was too excessive, Zhu Yijun would not have a conflict with Zhang Juzheng. He was still young, but he could choose to "lie flat"—just not agree and not stamp the seal, and Zhang Juzheng wouldn't be able to do it.

Zhang Juzheng stood up, but still said very respectfully, "Rites, music, military expeditions, celebrations, rewards, and punishments—these are the great ends of grace and prestige, and the principle that they cannot be moved downward. The two handles are in the hands of the ruler; if they are lost, there is no Dao in the world."

"When the world has the Dao, rites, music, and military expeditions originate from the Son of Heaven."

"The ancients said: 'Although the world is at peace, forgetting war is dangerous.' Now that there has been peace for a long time, military preparedness is slack, and military officers are controlled by civil officials no less than slaves. If they are not nurtured with a sharp spirit in peacetime, how can they be expected to have the courage to repel the enemy when facing them? From now on, I hope Your Majesty will pay attention to military preparedness. For military officers who are loyal and brave, give them slightly more power so that their talents can be displayed. Only then can they be orderly when facing the enemy and the soldiers will obey orders."

"What Grand Secretary Yuanfu said is reasonable. I have heard of Emperor Wen of Han rewarding the soldiers at Xiliu Camp." Zhu Yijun thought for a while and chose to apply what he had learned. Zhang Juzheng could quote his words, so why couldn't he quote the *Illustrated Mirror for Emperors* that Zhang Juzheng had lectured on!

"Emperor Wen of Han went to the camps at Baling and Jimen, and his carriage entered directly without being blocked. Emperor Wen's guide carriage arrived at Xiliu Camp, and the Military Gate Commandant said: 'In the army, we hear the General's orders, not the Son of Heaven's edicts.'"

"When Emperor Wen's carriage arrived, the Military Gate Commandant still did not open the gate. Emperor Wen had to send someone to hold the tally and find Zhou Yafu, saying, 'The Son of Heaven is entering the camp to reward the army.' Only then did Emperor Wen and his party enter Xiliu Camp."

"Just after entering Xiliu Camp, the Military Gate Commandant said again: 'The General's order is that no galloping is allowed in the army.' Emperor Wen moved forward slowly until he reached the central military tent, where Zhou Yafu came out to greet him, holding a weapon, and only bowed and made obeisance, saying: 'I am in armor, so I greet you with military rites.'"

"After Emperor Wen left Xiliu Camp, he sighed and said: 'Alas! This is truly a general!'"

"Grand Secretary Yuanfu, why did Emperor Wen of Han say that Zhou Yafu was a true general?"

Zhang Juzheng said quite respectfully, "At that time, Emperor Gaozu of Han was besieged by the Xiongnu on Baideng Mountain and was forced to establish the 'Alliance Under the City Wall,' becoming brother nations with the Xiongnu. North of the Great Wall, the nations that draw bows were strong in people and horses, and their generals and soldiers were brave. The shame of the ancestors had not been washed away, the Han dynasty's mountains and rivers were not yet peaceful, and the world was not at peace."

In the early Han Dynasty, the grassland climate was mild and rainy, and the Xiongnu were strong in soldiers and horses, forming a substantial threat to the Han Dynasty. Therefore, they could not "put the horses to pasture in the south" or promote literature and abolish martial arts.

Zhu Yijun replied, "Today, the Gengxu Incident of my Imperial Grandfather—they used military force to threaten and demand, and I used strategy to respond. It was also an 'Alliance Under the City Wall.' We promised tribute and horse-price silver to stop the fighting and pacify the people. Altan Khan founded the Jin Kingdom, which is also a nation that draws bows, strong in people and horses. Has the shame of the ancestors been washed away? Can the Great Ming's mountains and rivers be peaceful?"

"Not yet." Zhang Juzheng answered extremely solemnly.

Zhu Yijun looked around at the twenty-seven court officials. No one stood up to say that the Gengxu Incident's "Alliance Under the City Wall" was not a shame. He nodded and said, "In this case, it is reasonable to pay attention to military preparedness and give slightly more power to loyal and brave military officers so that their talents can be displayed. This is metaphysical knowledge; how should it be practiced in reality?"

Zhang Juzheng still wanted to kneel, but the Emperor had told him to stand and speak several times, so he could only bow his head and say, "I am presumptuous. I have studied the ancients. When a ruler appoints a general, he personally pushes his carriage and grants him the axe. If the general's power is not heavy, military orders cannot be strict, and soldiers will not fight for their lives. I boldly request Your Majesty to move to the Northern Earth City and preside over the martial arts examination of the Beijing Camp military talents for a period of three or four months!"

"I humbly request Your Majesty to move to the Northern Earth City and preside over the martial arts examination of the military talents."

When a ruler appoints a general, he personally pushes his carriage and grants him the axe, because if the general's power is not heavy, military orders cannot be strict, and soldiers will not fight for their lives. Zhang Juzheng requested the Emperor to preside over the martial arts examination of the Beijing Camp military talents for a period of three or four months.

The reason Zhang Juzheng requested the Emperor to appear in person was entirely because if the Emperor did not appear, the Beijing Camp could not be invigorated. The Beijing Camp was the Emperor's own army. If the Emperor didn't even show up to examine the military talents, revitalizing the Beijing Camp would be nonsense.

Asking the Emperor to leave the capital—what a bold act this was! Since the Jiajing Emperor's southern tour and the burning of the palace, how long had it been since the Emperor had left the palace?

Ge Shouli stood up abruptly, bowed his head, and said, "Your Majesty, I think it is inappropriate!"

"Grand Secretary Yuanfu is a talent of the age."

"Your Majesty's mountains and rivers are tied to your body; you are a body of ten thousand gold. How can you belittle yourself! A commoner who is humiliated will draw his sword and stand up, fighting with his body, competing for strength and victory. Martial arts matters are not enough to be called bravery! Those who have great bravery in the world are not surprised when they are suddenly in danger, and are not angry when they are added to without cause. This is because what they hold is very large, and their ambition is very far!"

"A body of ten thousand gold should not die at the hands of thieves. I earnestly request Your Majesty to take your own safety as the priority! Also, stop martial arts practice, cultivate your body, nourish your spirit, and cultivate supreme virtue to pacify the world."

"Yuanfu! Observing his reasons, I slightly see his intentions. Don't go too far! Your Majesty is young, and you are so intimidating to your master, taking and giving as you please! Bolu lost the etiquette of a minister, and his way led to subversion!"

Fortunately, Zhu Yijun had read some books and knew that Bolu Hou was Huo Guang's title; otherwise, he wouldn't have understood what Ge Shouli was saying. After Huo Guang died, the entire Huo family was executed. It was said that Huo Guang deposed and established emperors, lost the etiquette of a minister, and his way led to subversion.

A body of ten thousand gold should not die at the hands of thieves. Fighting for strength and victory is not bravery. Only those who care about the world have great bravery.

Ge Shouli's logic was extremely complete.

Zhu Yijun looked at Ge Shouli's indignant appearance. He was judging—judging whether Ge Shouli was acting for the Jin Party or simply because Zhang Juzheng asked the Emperor to do things, so he stood up and angrily scolded the Chief Grand Secretary for intimidating his master.

Zhu Yijun said somewhat uncertainly, "Does the Chief Censor mean that the matter of Beijing Camp military talents should not be done? Or rather, is it inappropriate to give slightly more power to loyal and brave military talents so that their ambitions and talents can be displayed?"

"Where the truth lies." Ge Shouli said very solemnly, "Military preparedness is not flourishing, and the northern barbarians are rampant in the wilderness. I am not good at military affairs. Revitalizing military preparedness is a matter of course. Giving slightly more power to loyal and brave military talents—General Qi destroyed two thousand of Dong Huli and Bu Ha Chu's troops, showing our military might, and Jizhou Viceroy Liang Menglong submitted a congratulatory memorial to praise it—is a matter of course."

"But these things should all be done by ministers. Why bother Your Majesty?"

Zhu Yijun understood. Ge Shouli truly didn't understand, or rather, the Great Ming Beijing Camp had been slack for too long. Since the Hongzhi reign, it had become a construction team, and it had been eighty years since it had any military might. Ge Shouli didn't understand the harm in this. He only felt that military affairs should be presided over by subordinates, and the Son of Heaven should not labor his heart, and military officers should labor their strength.

The reality was that if Zhang Juzheng didn't ask the young Emperor, he couldn't do it at all.

Ge Shouli, as Chief Censor, didn't have to worry about the difficulty of specific affairs. Anyway, he wasn't the one doing it. This was the fundamental reason why the "pure stream" censors talked high and far and were impractical. The pure stream didn't need to practice reality at all; they only needed to bark and chatter, pointing fingers at those who were actually doing things.

"A body of ten thousand gold should not die at the hands of thieves. Chief Censor, let me ask you, in the assassination attempt, could Wang Zhanglong be considered a thief?" Zhu Yijun asked.

Ge Shouli answered, "Wang Zhanglong is a thief."

Zhu Yijun asked with a smile, "Then I almost died in his hands. Is it inappropriate for me to practice martial arts to strengthen my body, not to kill the enemy, but just to deal with one or two?"

"It should be." Ge Shouli frowned, but still answered the Emperor's question.

"Isn't that it?" Zhu Yijun smiled and said nothing, waiting for Ge Shouli to figure it out himself.

Ge Shouli frowned and then slowly relaxed, then showed an awkward expression, bowed his head and said, "I am ashamed."

Zhu Yijun asked Ge Shouli if the young Emperor should practice martial arts to protect himself, which was actually asking if the Emperor should control the Beijing Camp. If he didn't control it, the arrogant soldiers and fierce generals entrenched near the capital were much more terrifying than a Wang Zhanglong. How could the Emperor sleep? Should the Emperor let the Beijing Camp know who the Emperor is? Even if this Emperor is only ten years old.

If you want to practice martial arts to prevent thieves, you naturally have to control the Beijing Camp to prevent arrogant soldiers and fierce generals from committing treason. The principles are the same.

Ge Shouli agreed with part of Zhang Juzheng's approach.

He agreed that military officers should be given authority and not be treated like slaves of civil officials, because if they couldn't win the war, they would have to suffer humiliation; he agreed that the Beijing Camp should be revitalized. If the rites, music, and military expeditions do not originate from the Son of Heaven, if the skin does not exist, where will the hair be attached? Without the Beijing Camp, local feudal towns will inevitably rise.

And he also agreed with the martial arts examination to select military talents in the capital. Turning the Beijing Camp into the private beauty of the Jin Party was also losing the etiquette of a minister.

Ge Shouli just didn't agree with letting the ten-year-old human master work so hard. His Majesty was already very tired from listening to government and lectures in the morning and practicing martial arts and farming in the afternoon; what Ge Shouli disagreed with even more was Zhang Juzheng manipulating the Emperor like a puppet.

This was not the first time Ge Shouli had impeached Zhang Juzheng for losing the etiquette of a minister. The last time, the words were even uglier, saying things like "Once you die, shame will inevitably accompany you," which was simply unbearable to look at.

From Ge Shouli's perspective, Zhang Juzheng monopolizing the lectures was using education to deceive the young Emperor. But after a round of memorials with the Emperor, Ge Shouli found that the Emperor was clear in his reasoning, complete in logic, and didn't point things out, giving him, the Chief Censor, some face.

This was not something Zhang Juzheng could deceive out of him.

Zhang Juzheng flicked his sleeves as if flicking away bad luck and said, "Chief Censor, if you are jealous of this lecture job, or feel that I am isolating the inner and outer courts, I can give it to you!"

As if lecturing for His Majesty was some kind of good job!

Zhang Juzheng had doubts about his own learning when facing those tricky questions!

This was not the first time Zhang Juzheng had pushed the lecture job away. Yang Bo saw that Ge Shouli was about to agree again, so he hurriedly pulled Ge Shouli and said, "Your Majesty, Yuanfu is a great talent who is not a vessel. It is better for Yuanfu to take on the lecture job."

"I..." Ge Shouli still wanted to speak, but Yang Bo immediately opened his mouth and said, "Chief Censor, be careful with your words."

After leaving the Zhao Wenhua Hall, Yang Bo had to make it clear to Ge Shouli how dangerous this was. Ge Shouli was not a "compliant official"; he was more inclined toward the "pure stream." If he went to lecture, he would be stumped by His Majesty in two or three sentences.

Wang Jiaping and Fan Yingqi had almost become the laughingstock of the scholar community.

Ge Shouli's position as Chief Censor was not stable to begin with. If he made such a big fool of himself, he would only have to retire.

"Grand Secretary Yuanfu?" Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng. Was it so difficult to lecture for him? When the "three-inch gun" was poked in, he had to add some chili powder to let Grand Secretary Zhang Jucheng know how powerful it was!

"This is my duty to repay the late Emperor and be loyal to Your Majesty." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head. This time, the words were slightly helpless. He had received the late Emperor's last orders to be the advisor, so he had to be the Imperial Tutor.

Zhu Yijun looked at Ge Shouli and asked, "Does the Chief Censor have any other questions?"

The censors were responsible for finding fault. Although Ge Shouli's brain was not flexible and he was somewhat honest and stubborn, he was speaking for his human master, not for factional exclusion. Zhu Yijun had a very low requirement for censors: they could not engage in factional exclusion.

This was the clear bottom line and clear right and wrong in the struggle during the impeachment of Tan Lun.

"I am ashamed." Ge Shouli said hurriedly.

"What does the Duke of Cheng think?" Zhu Yijun looked at the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Xizhong. He was ranked above the nobles, the Left Commander of the Central Military Governor's Office, and the Regional Commander of the Beijing Camp!

Zhu Xizhong was stunned when he heard the Emperor call his name. He rarely spoke in court discussions, and he had no part in speaking. He hurriedly bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, I think it is good."

Zhu Xizhong raised both hands in approval of his younger brother Zhu Xixiao teaching the Emperor martial arts, and raised both hands and feet in approval of revitalizing the Beijing Camp! There were many reasons for the decline of military meritocrats, and the rottenness of the Beijing Camp was definitely one of them.

The Great Ming had not had new military meritocrats for a long time.

"Do the other ministers have any doubts?" Zhu Yijun looked at all the court officials. This was the Wenchang Pavilion, a place for discussion. If the discussion didn't work and it was enforced, it wouldn't be enforced. The Great Ming was no longer in the era of the Hongwu and Yongle reigns, where the Emperor's word was final and his commands were law.

The group of ministers looked at each other, and no one stood up to question Zhang Juzheng about making the Emperor work hard on military affairs.

Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said, "I once heard Grand Secretary Yuanfu lecture on Yue Fei's loyalty to the country."

"Grand Guardian Yue's son, Yue Yun, entered the military ranks at the tender age of twelve. At sixteen, he followed his father on the campaign to Suizhou and Dengzhou, charging at the forefront of every battle with unstoppable courage. They successively captured Suizhou and Dengzhou, and everyone called him: 'The Victorious Gentleman'."

"In the tenth year of Shaoxing, at twenty-two, Yue Yun was already the vanguard of the Beiwei Army. In the cavalry and infantry melee at Yancheng, Yue Yun took the lead and won the battle in one go;"

"The Jin thieves occupied Yingchang with over 100,000 troops. Yue Yun signed a military order, saying if he couldn't capture Yingchang, he would bring his head to see him. Yue Yun led 30,000 troops and defeated Jin Wuzhu's 100,000-strong army, beheading Jin Wuzhu's son-in-law, Xia Jinu."

Battle reports might lie, but battle lines do not. After Yingchang was captured by Yue Yun, Jin Wuzhu fled in a panic to Bianliang and crossed the Yellow River, fearing that the Southern Song army would pursue.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month of the eleventh year of Shaoxing, Yue Yun and Zhang Xian were beheaded in public, and Yue Fei was unjustly killed at the Dali Temple in Fengbo Pavilion.

Yue Yun was twenty-three when he died. He had been in the army for eleven years and had been fighting for the country for seven years.

"The youth bears great spirit, and the time for bravery comes naturally." Zhang Juzheng's request, I think, is not impossible. Zhu Yijun concluded, agreeing to Zhang Juzheng's request.

He quoted a poem by Li Bai to express that he would not lose his ambition because of his youth, and would do a good job as this Emperor, promoting the remaining glory of his ancestors and making the Great Ming better.

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

"Your Majesty is wise." The group of ministers bowed their heads and paid their respects one after another.

Since the assassination attempt, the young Emperor's laziness had disappeared. Although he was still young, his speech was already very logical. Judging from the two rebuttals to Ge Shouli's impeachment of Zhang Juzheng for losing the etiquette of a minister, His Majesty's wisdom was opening up, and he already had the appearance of a wise monarch.

Whether this change in the young Emperor was because of the assassination attempt, because of fear of Zhang Juzheng, or other reasons, the group of ministers was not very clear. But they knew very well that this change was beneficial to the Great Ming.

Of course, some people would feel like a fish bone in their throat and be unable to eat or sleep when they saw this change in the young Emperor. The Emperor of the Great Ming should honestly be a statue that only stamps seals in the Qianqing Palace, Wenchang Pavilion, and Fengtian Hall!

An Emperor like Zhu Yijun was not what some people were hoping for!

If he wanted to touch the Beijing Camp, could the young Emperor be arranged to fall into the water?

The court discussion ended quickly. Zhu Yijun agreed to examine the martial arts himself, which was actually just showing his face. The specific matters were handled by Wu Baipeng, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Yang Wen, the Assistant Regional Commander of the Jizhou Town.

"How is Wu Baipeng, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War?" Zhu Yijun looked at the memorial and asked Zhang Juzheng, who was presiding over the martial arts examination.

Zhang Juzheng thought for a while and said, "Wu Baipeng is a good friend of Hence Hai Rui."

Zhang Juzheng introduced the resumes of Wu Baipeng and Yang Wen.

Wu Baipeng and Zhang Juzheng were fellow successful candidates in the same year. He had presided over the suppression of the Japanese pirates in Yangzhou for many years, personally directed the suppression of the Japanese pirates in Yangzhou, the suppression of the Japanese pirates in Qianzhou, and the governance of the three nests. He was a rare civil official in the Great Ming court, besides Tan Lun, who possessed military talent and could command soldiers in battle.

And Yang Wen was a core figure of the southern soldiers under Qi Jiguang. He was a local soldier recruited by Tan Lun when he was the Magistrate of Taizhou. He was promoted to Assistant Regional Commander of the Jizhou Town for his military achievements. In Jizhou, Yang Wen was mainly responsible for training soldiers. Qi Jiguang's southern soldiers totaled 6,000, of which 3,000 were trained by Yang Wen.

In terms of military affairs, the "six tigers of Taizhou" recruited by Tan Lun were the main generals of the southern soldiers; in terms of politics, Wu Baipeng, Tan Lun, and Zhang Juzheng would all speak for the southern soldiers; in terms of economy, the southern soldiers relied entirely on the imperial court for silver and grain.

The southern soldiers were a complex collection. Qi Jiguang was the most shining pearl, and the southern soldiers were never Qi Jiguang's private army.

Last time, after Qi Jiguang was ennobled, he returned the waist tag outside the Xuanwu Gate. Some censors who didn't like Qi Jiguang started to impeach him. Even if Zhang Juzheng didn't speak, naturally someone would speak for Qi Jiguang.

Wu Baipeng and Hence Hai Rui were good friends, and both had the same personality—they couldn't tolerate sand in their eyes. The bribery of Ma Fang was discovered by Wu Baipeng, but the impeachment was not initiated by Wu Baipeng.

Because Wu Baipeng was not in the capital, but was inspecting the Great Wall construction in the three towns under Qi Jiguang's jurisdiction in Jizhou, Yongping, and Shanhai Pass.

This was also the reason why the Jin Party was unable to parry Zhang Juzheng's punches one after another.

Xuanfu and Datong were under inspection for construction, and the three towns of Jizhou, Yongping, and Shanhai Pass were also under inspection for construction. There was no problem with the Great Wall construction in those three towns, but there were so many problems in Xuanfu and Datong, so they could only be beaten.

Qi Jiguang had 6,000 sharp southern soldiers in his hands, plus 100,000 troops from the three towns, and had fierce generals like Chen Dacheng and Yang Wen under his command. Plus, there were public figures in the Ministry of War like Tan Lun and Wu Baipeng in the court, and Qi Jiguang himself was ennobled and became a military meritocrat.

How could it be so easy for the Jin Party to deal with Qi Jiguang?

As long as Zhang Juzheng didn't backstab Qi Jiguang, Qi Jiguang, the Left Commander of the three towns of Jizhou, wouldn't have too many concerns.

I can't forget that late autumn year, when we were both young, with great ambitions in our hearts and strategies in our chests, pointing out the mountains and rivers and stirring up words. From then on, comrades walked together and had fun, holding hands and moving forward. Wind and rain, storms and rain—no one could alienate us. Finally, after many years, you achieved success and fame, and I treated the ten Battalion Commander of that year as dirt, but the fate came to an end.

After breaking up, we are still friends.

Most importantly, who let Qi Jiguang keep winning battles?

"Start the lecture." Zhu Yijun sat straight, looked at Zhang Juzheng, and let him start the class.

"I had a night talk with Grand Preceptor Yang yesterday and gained some insights." Zhang Juzheng began to explain the insights from his night talk with Yang Bo, mainly about the universal connection between the infinite principles of all things, the definition of contradictions, the omnipresence of contradictions, the doubts generated by the opposition of contradictions, and the influence after solving these doubts. From the cognition of the infinite principles of all things by people, it extended to the system of the nation.

Zhang Juzheng didn't know if the young Emperor could understand these principles, but he must clear the Emperor's doubts; this was his duty as the Imperial Tutor.

"The Master's 'Theory of Contradictions' is truly eye-opening and suddenly enlightened. The Master is a great talent!" Zhu Yijun's eyes became brighter and brighter as he listened. Being able to comprehend the true meaning of dialectics from the pair-wise discussion of gentlemen and villains and the unity of knowledge and action, this Zhang Juzheng was indeed a talent of a "gentleman who is not a vessel."

"Your Majesty praises me too much." Zhang Juzheng answered extremely humbly.

Zhang Juzheng didn't care much about the Jin Party. In the Great Ming's system design, the Emperor was the key. What Zhang Juzheng looked forward to most was that the Emperor could become a talent. This was the top priority in Zhang Juzheng's heart.

Zhu Yijun thought for a while and said, "Why not engrave this exposition on the *Di Bao* (Court Gazette) and distribute it to the world?"

The Great Ming's *Di Bao* was issued regularly every five days. The recipients were the Great Ming government offices. All official documents sent to the various ministries were sent to the Cabinet every five days, prepared and compiled into volumes, and then sent to various prefectures, departments, and counties in the Great Ming by the "Ti Tang" officials.

"Ti Tang" officials were the gazette officials, specifically responsible for delivering the *Di Bao*. After the *Di Bao* arrived at the local level, there would be "copying rooms," where some scholars who couldn't pass the examinations were responsible for transcribing the contents of the *Di Bao*, earning one cent of silver per day and two meals—this was a living for poor scholars.

Compilation by the Six Ministries, review by the Cabinet, carving and printing, transmission by Ti Tang officials, transcription by copying room scholars, and spreading to the world.

If it was an important *Di Bao*, such as the late Emperor's passing or the new Emperor's ascension and general amnesty, the Three Classics Factory, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial Academy would carve and print it and distribute it directly to the world.

What Zhu Yijun was talking about was the latter: the "Theory of Contradictions," carved and printed for distribution to the world.

"Your Majesty, what virtue and ability do I have to carve and print the *Di Bao*?" Zhang Juzheng solemnly refused. The Emperor was ten years old, and the Empress Dowager was twenty-seven! The master was young and the nation was suspicious, and the advisor was in charge of the nation. Zhang Juzheng carving and printing his own articles for the world at this time—wasn't that asking for trouble?

Ge Shouli, who attended the court discussion every day, watched the Emperor stamp the seal himself, and even then, Ge Shouli thought Zhang Juzheng was intimidating his master, usurping the divine vessels, and deceiving the Emperor. If he were to carve and print his own articles for the world, wouldn't that confirm that he, Zhang Juzheng, wanted to be a powerful minister?

Absolutely not.

"If the atmosphere is clear, the sea will be calm and the rivers will be clear. Evil acts will have nowhere to hide. The brush is a tool for the mind to roam, educating all the people. With correctness and literature, politics can be governed, the nation can be expected, and the people will look toward it. Since it was discussed by Grand Secretary Yuanfu and the Grand Preceptor, let it be co-authored by Grand Secretary Yuanfu and the Grand Preceptor." Zhu Yijun thought of a way to block the mouths of the world.

One author, two authors—the credit is shared equally. Zhang Party, Jin Party—everyone has a share.

Zhang Juzheng still refused, bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, rites, music, and military expeditions originate from the Son of Heaven."

Zhu Yijun frowned, thought for a while, and said, "Grand Secretary Yuanfu is joking. I am young and my virtue is cool. How can such a learned and thorough theory be spoken by a ten-year-old human master? Stealing the merit of heaven will make people laugh."

Zhang Juzheng said very definitely, "When the Duke of Xinjian, Wang Wencheng, was alive, he emphasized the 'unity of knowledge and action' even more. But after the Duke of Xinjian passed away, his disciples all emphasized 'innate knowledge.' It seems that as long as there is 'innate knowledge,' it is enough, and the 'unity of knowledge and action' is completely forgotten. The School of Mind has become a theory of high-sounding talk. I am truly heartbroken."

"If the accompanying ministers hold the nation's mandate, it is rare not to lose it in three generations."

Wang Wencheng's School of Mind, the general program of "unity of knowledge and action and innate knowledge," hadn't even passed three generations, and the "unity of knowledge and action" was gone. Only the "innate knowledge" that puts the mind above all else remained. If I think it is right, the world should be like this!

It was just like Ge Shouli impeaching Zhang Juzheng for usurping the divine vessels. As long as Ge Shouli felt it was so, he could impeach him.

The learning of the world had already gone wrong. The rites had collapsed and the music had been ruined. It needed to clear the atmosphere. This was rites and music, which needed to originate from the Son of Heaven. It meant that the young Emperor would be the first author, Zhang Juzheng the second, and Yang Bo the third.

"All right then." Zhu Yijun had to agree, using the name of the Son of Heaven to carve and print Zhang Juzheng's "Theory of Contradictions" for distribution to the world.

Zhu Yijun looked at Feng Bao and said, "Grand Attendant Feng, this matter is to be led by the Three Classics Factory of the Inner Office for carving and printing, and distributed to the world."

Feng Bao was still pondering how the spear and the shield collided to produce sparks and doubts, and how they cycled forward, when he suddenly heard the Emperor's order and came back to his senses. He bowed his head and said, "I obey the decree."

Thus, the "Theory of Contradictions" was co-authored by the Great Ming's supreme young Emperor, the Great Ming's powerful Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, and the Great Ming's minister of great virtue, Grand Preceptor Yang Bo, and was printed and distributed to the world by the Director of Ceremonial Feng Bao, leading the Three Classics Factory of the Inner Office.

But this "Theory of Contradictions" still seemed incomplete. What is the specific influence of contradictions on the development of things? And how is it embodied?

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng and said quite definitely, "Grand Secretary Yuanfu, I have doubts."

"The 'Theory of Contradictions' mentioned by Grand Secretary Yuanfu is eye-opening, but is this sharp spear always correct? Or is this sturdy shield always correct? If the spear is correct for a while and the shield is correct for a while, or rather, sometimes part of the spear is correct and part of the shield is correct, what should be done?"

Zhang Juzheng had deliberately avoided the Yang Bo problem.

Similarly, Zhang Juzheng's "Theory of Contradictions" did not explain the relationship between contradictions and the development and influence of things. This learning was still not very clear.

This was the point that made Zhu Yijun quite dissatisfied. Even if the "Theory of Contradictions" was printed a little later, he had to figure this question out.

Zhang Juzheng's brows were knitted into a knot. The ten-year-old human master suddenly became terrifying, starting to disintegrate bit by bit from a sunny and cheerful boy, and then becoming indescribable, unobservable, and a kind of inexplicable existence. But he wanted to know, urgently wanted to know, the answer to the Emperor's question, to break through the boundaries of his own cognition, and to understand the places in the infinite principles of all things that he still didn't quite understand.

The Master said: "If a man hears the Dao in the morning, he can die in the evening without regret." — *Analects, Li Ren*

"I truly do not know. Please allow me to think slowly." Zhang Juzheng felt his mouth was dry. He felt he seemed to have understood something, but he didn't understand anything at all. It was like looking at flowers in the fog or scooping the moon in the water, just like what he had been tirelessly pursuing all his life—far beyond reach.

"I am not in a hurry." Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "Should we lecture on the *Analects* today, or the *Illustrated Mirror for Emperors*?"

On the throne, an unknowable existence slowly turned back into a ten-year-old human master. He was simple, studious, and eager to learn, with a sunny and infectious smile, as if he hadn't been the one asking the question just now.

"I will clear your doubts, Your Majesty." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head again and began today's lecture.

It's on the shelves! ===== CHAPTER 73 =====

It's officially launched!