Chapter 270: You Be Zhang Juzheng

Wei Zaode had been in fairly good spirits these days, though not without a few worries.

He was, after all, only the top *jinshi* of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, had been an official for just a few years, and had little practical work experience. He had never even served outside the capital as a "father and mother to the people" of any locality, but had simply drifted along in the capital. No one knew what the Chongzhen Emperor had seen in him, but in four years he had been raised from a newly minted top *jinshi* to the high post of Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. Faced with a situation as tangled as a mass of hemp, what could a bookish scholar who had been a capital official for only four years possibly do? Wasn't it just a matter of muddling through one day at a time? And the post of Chief Grand Secretary under the Chongzhen Emperor was truly not an easy one to hold. When this sovereign took a liking to someone, it really was a case of "in a lover's eyes, even Xi Shi appears" — promotions came as swift as flying. But once he took a dislike to you, then you were the most treacherous of treacherous ministers in all the world! Execution would be the lightest possible sentence.

And so Wei Zaode, who had inexplicably been seated upon the Chief Grand Secretary's chair, truly felt each day was like a year. At court he scarcely dared to speak, for fear of touching the Chongzhen Emperor's reverse scale and falling from the august rank of Chief Grand Secretary to become a prisoner in the stocks.

And just when both his position as Chief Grand Secretary and the city of Beijing itself were in imminent peril, the Crown Prince, Thousand Years, who had always kept his abilities hidden and revealed nothing of himself, suddenly erupted! He was the very reincarnation of the Great Ancestor, the Exalted Emperor — no, rather of the Great Tang's Emperor Taizong — of no small ability, and at the same time quite solicitous of the meritorious ministers under him.

And so Wei Zaode, as Chief Grand Secretary, had at last enjoyed a few days not spent in constant fear and trembling.

But just when Zhu Cilang had suppressed the rebellion of the Nanjing nobles, had also ruthlessly seized a great sum of money and land, and appeared able to securely preserve a situation of holding the southeastern corner of the realm, a wave of reform that he had not quite anticipated rose up again.

Very well, reform it is. So long as this Chief Grand Secretary could muddle along and be a "three-edict minister," that would be enough.

But no one knew what the Crown Prince was thinking. In yesterday's private audience, the Crown Prince had suddenly begun praising Zhang Juzheng, and had even said: "If only we had a Chief Grand Secretary like Zhang Juzheng."

What did that mean? After returning home, Wei Zaode had pondered it all night. Did the Crown Prince wish to replace the Chief Grand Secretary with someone of Zhang Juzheng's caliber, someone with a sense of responsibility? Or did he want Wei Zaode himself to become a Zhang Juzheng?

This "Zhang Juzheng" was no easy role to play! He had only been an official for a few years — how could he possibly do the work of a Zhang Juzheng? And besides, after Zhang Juzheng died, his household had been confiscated!

"Chief Grand Secretary, Chief Grand Secretary Wei, what are you thinking about?" Zhu Cilang's face, always wreathed in a brilliant smile, leaned in close as he asked with concern. Only then did Wei Zaode realize his mind had wandered; the wine cup in his hand had tilted, and wine had spilled onto the table without his noticing. The young eunuchs attending within the Yongchun Pavilion were all suppressing laughter at his foolish expression.

It turned out that after today's midday court session, the Crown Prince had kept Wei Zaode behind to share lunch. And during the meal, Zhu Cilang had again raised the question of who at court most resembled Zhang Juzheng. That was what had plunged Wei Zaode into deep thought.

Who most resembled Zhang Juzheng? Wei Zaode thought to himself: certainly not me!

"Thousand Years," Wei Zaode said, "this subject is dull-witted and does not know who at court resembles Zhang Juzheng."

Zhu Cilang nodded gently. "Chief Grand Secretary Wei, you are not dull-witted. Rather, at present there is simply no capable minister like Zhang Juzheng at court."

Wei Zaode breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Cilang then added another line: "How about you come and be a Zhang Juzheng, then!"

With a clatter, the wine cup slipped from Wei Zaode's grasp and landed on the table.

"This subject has lost his composure." Wei Zaode hastily rose and was about to kneel.

Zhu Cilang, however, waved a hand and said, "Sit, sit. In great undertakings, one does not fuss over small details. The Chief Grand Secretary is a man who will accomplish great things and whose name will go down in history. There is no need to stand on such petty ceremony."

"How could this subject be worthy of having his name recorded in history?"

Zhu Cilang laughed. "Worthy, worthy. So long as you do well as Zhang Juzheng, we shall write this history ourselves in the future. We'll model your biography on the 'Biography of Zhuge Liang' — how about that? Or if you prefer, we could model it on Xiao He."

"Th-this, this, this..." Wei Zaode was at a complete loss, unable even to speak coherently. "How could this subject possibly compare with Zhuge Kongming or Xiao He? This subject truly cannot be a Zhang Juzheng!"

"You can," Zhu Cilang said with a smile, gesturing for him to sit. "We are the best judge of men. One look at you, and We can see you are a reform-minded famous minister of Zhang Juzheng's stamp. The new policies of our dynasty will depend on you to carry them out!"

"This subject... this subject does not know how to carry them out."

Zhu Cilang extended a hand, and Huang Xiaobao, who was attending nearby, immediately handed over a thread-bound volume. The Crown Prince took it and passed it to Wei Zaode.

"Chief Grand Secretary Wei, take a look at this," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "This was drafted by Us. Follow it, and you will be able to become a Zhang Juzheng."

Hearing this, Wei Zaode truly did not know whether to laugh or cry — who exactly was the Zhang Juzheng here?

Still, he had to examine the thread-bound volume Zhu Cilang had handed him carefully. And at a single glance, beads of sweat began breaking out across his forehead in wave after wave.

The force of the new policies Zhu Cilang proposed was far greater than the force of Zhang Juzheng's reforms!

Moreover, from the clauses concerning Ministry of Revenue reforms, Wei Zaode detected that Zhu Cilang intended to make major inroads into the interests the southeastern scholar-officials held in commercial taxes and land taxes — if he did not do so, where would he get the silver to increase officials' salaries by so much?

This was something even Zhang Juzheng had not dared to undertake with bold strokes!

"Chief Grand Secretary Wei, what do you think of these reforms We have proposed?" Zhu Cilang asked, still smiling as he watched the cold sweat on Wei Zaode's forehead.

"Th-this, this, this..." Wei Zaode stammered. "I fear it will draw great public criticism and do great harm to Your Highness's reputation. Your Highness still has to ascend the throne."

Zhu Cilang laughed. "There is no hurry about ascending the throne. We are still young and can afford to wait! We must first settle the great matters properly. Otherwise, even if We ascend the throne, We will not sit securely upon it.

As for the one who will draw great public criticism — that should be you, Chief Grand Secretary, should it not?"

So he was being asked to take the blame! Wei Zaode's face fell into a mournful expression, and he had no idea what to do.

Zhu Cilang continued, "Rest assured, Chief Grand Secretary. We are not like Our Imperial Father. We will not be swayed by slanderous words, and no matter what, We will stand firmly behind you!"

Could he really hold firm? Wei Zaode felt doubtful just thinking about it. Being the public enemy of the southeastern literati was no easy role to play!

Seeing his terrified expression, Zhu Cilang went on to console him: "Moreover, We act with a sense of proportion. We will not be hasty, nor will We devour every last bit of the southeastern literati's interests. All We seek is to enable our Great Ming to survive in the southeastern half of the realm.

Without reform, once the money We confiscated from the Yangzhou and Huai'an salt merchants and the Nanjing nobles is spent, the southeastern half of the realm will no longer be sustainable!"

"This subject understands Your Highness's painstaking intentions. It is only that this subject is weak and alone."

Zhu Cilang laughed. "Chief Grand Secretary Wei wishes to form a faction, does he?"

"No, no, no. This subject would not dare form a faction for private gain."

"What is there to fear?" Zhu Cilang tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "We must form a faction. Without a faction, we cannot control the discourse of the pure-stream officials. Without the support of pure-stream discourse, the court's new policies will meet with tremendous resistance."

"Then... then how is this subject to form a faction?" Wei Zaode asked.

Zhu Cilang looked at Wei Zaode. "You must join the Donglin Faction! In this term's Three Lords of Donglin, there ought to be a place for you!"

"But... but the Three Lords of Donglin are not appointed by the court."

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Indeed they are not appointed by the court, and We have no intention of appointing them. We merely wish for the Donglin men to put forward the Three Lords whom We have in mind! Now We ask you only this: are you willing to be one of the Three Lords? Are you willing to be Our Zhang Juzheng?"

"This subject... this subject is willing!"

How could Wei Zaode dare say he was unwilling! If he did, there might well be a Censor of the Left Bench coming to investigate him for corruption and bribe-taking! Although he was an honest official, it was still better not to be investigated.

(End of Chapter)