Chapter 152: The Fisherman Profits

Ruan Dacheng, nursing his hatred, went to see Li Yongzhen, who served as Wei Zhongxian's steward.

"Eunuch Li." Ruan Dacheng raised his hands in greeting, his expression carrying a hint of humility.

Li Yongzhen's expression was indifferent as he glanced at him and said, "I hear you have business with Eunuch Wei?"

Ruan Dacheng looked at Li Yongzhen, grinding his teeth inwardly, his face calm as he said, "Yes, Your subordinate has in hand evidence of ** Xing and others engaging in fraud in official appointments and privately trading favors, and wishes to present it to Eunuch Wei."

Li Yongzhen's expression changed at once. "Is this true?"

At present, the one the Donglin Faction was most fervently targeting against Wei Zhongxian, and applying the greatest pressure to, was Minister of Personnel ** Xing. If they could get something on him, it would absolutely be a great coup!

Seeing this, Ruan Dacheng said, "Yes, so Your subordinate wishes to see Eunuch Wei and present it in person."

Li Yongzhen dared not delay and quickly fetched Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian's face betrayed nothing as he looked at Ruan Dacheng and said, "You truly have it?"

Ruan Dacheng's heart pounded wildly, knowing success or failure hung on this single move. He raised his hands and said, "Your subordinate indeed has it. The position of Supervising Secretary for Personnel should have gone to me as replacement, but ** Xing and others practiced favoritism and gave it to their partisan Wei Dazhong instead."

Wei Zhongxian's temples pulsed, and a hint of a smile appeared on his hard face. "Good. You submit a memorial impeaching ** Xing, and the position of Supervising Secretary for Personnel will still be yours!"

Ruan Dacheng was overjoyed. "Thank you, Eunuch. So long as this succeeds, Your subordinate will never forget your great kindness!"

Wei Zhongxian nodded, asked a few more detailed questions, then had someone see Ruan Dacheng out.

With Wei Zhongxian's assurance, Ruan Dacheng returned home in great delight and shut himself in his study to write the memorial.

Ruan Dacheng's blatant collusion with Wei Zhongxian shocked and enraged the Donglin Faction.

Memorials impeaching Ruan Dacheng immediately multiplied in the court, and a host of old affairs were dredged up, to the point that Ruan Dacheng dared not even leave his house.

But he was not one to sit and wait for death. He contacted his colleague, Supervising Secretary Li Chunkai, to impeach ** Xing for using public office for private gain and appointing only his own kin.

Wei Zhongxian did not go back on his word. Within a few days, Ruan Dacheng got what he wanted and became Supervising Secretary for Personnel.

** Xing and the others naturally would not let the matter rest so easily. Their spearhead soon turned toward another key figure of the eunuch faction in history, Cui Chengxiu.

Cui Chengxiu's hands were not clean. His graft and solicitation of bribes were caught with evidence by Gao Panlong, who made a great show of it at the court deliberation. Some sought to kick a man when he was down, and in the end ** Xing proposed 'exile to the frontier' — which was equivalent to being sent to the borderlands to fend for himself.

Then Cui Chengxiu begged everyone he could, and in the end still found his way to Wei Zhongxian's doorstep.

Zhu Xu now had a teacher and homework, and had to shut himself in the study reading every day. Yang Lian was an extremely stern man; outwardly he showed nothing, but when he moved, even Zhu Xu had to hold him in considerable awe.

Zhu Xu flipped through a book while listening to Cao Wenzhao's briefing. His expression did not change, but inwardly he nodded to himself — it would likely not be long before the eunuch faction grew into a real force, and those great lords at court still had not noticed.

Though Zhu Xu was not entirely clear on the specific process by which Wei Zhongxian purged the Donglin Faction, since it was a 'purge,' the big figures of Donglin would certainly be unable to maintain their footing at court.

He thought for a moment, then said, "** Xing and Gao Panlong probably won't last much longer. You keep an eye on Zuo Guangdou. If Wei Zhongxian makes a move against him, don't interfere — but no torture."

Zuo Guangdou and the other Six Gentlemen were famous names. Aside from their glory in the 'Palace Removal Case,' they also marked the beginning of Wei Zhongxian's ruthless dealings with the Donglin Faction. Nearly all of the Six Gentlemen died in prison, in circumstances so miserable they turned heads.

Cao Wenzhao acknowledged the order. He looked at Zhu Xu hesitantly, then said with some caution, "Your Highness, should we... take the opportunity to plant some people inside?"

Zhu Xu raised an eyebrow, closed the book, and his gaze turned pensive.

The waters at court ran far deeper than he had imagined. But when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits — quietly planting a few people was indeed a good choice.

"Here's what we'll do," Zhu Xu said, tapping the table. "Have someone notify my uncle and Zhou Yingqiu to act as circumstances dictate. The Donglin Faction hasn't noticed us yet, and Wei Zhongxian's side should also cooperate to some extent." Even as he said this, he was already forming other plans in his mind.

Cao Wenzhao acknowledged and went out to make arrangements. Zhou Yingqiu could be notified by messenger, but Fu Changzong he would have to visit in person.

Soon it was time for class again. Yang Lian stood at the front, his voice rising and falling with cadence, word by word, occasionally offering explanations, as if afraid Zhu Xu might not understand.

As for the classics and their meaning, Zhu Xu did not have even a smattering of knowledge. He was happy to pretend he understood nothing at all, listening quietly and occasionally answering a few questions.

Yang Lian was basically satisfied with Zhu Xu, and so although he had initially been reluctant at being forcibly assigned by the Emperor, he now had a bit more sincerity in his heart.

Another two hours passed. Finally Yang Lian looked at Zhu Xu and said, "Your Highness, today's lesson ends here. At the next class, I will examine Your Highness again."

Zhu Xu stood up and bowed. "Yes. I respectfully see off my teacher."

Yang Lian nodded slightly, his expression perpetually that displeased look of 'you owe me money and won't pay it back, and yet you think you're in the right.' Clutching his books, he turned and left.

Zhu Xu also rose and walked outside. Watching Yang Lian's retreating figure, he muttered to himself, "Strange... Teacher's expression today seems a bit off..."

"Your Highness, ** Xing and Gao Panlong are about to resign from office."

No sooner had Zhu Xu's words fallen than Cao Wenzhao appeared silently behind him and spoke.

Though it was within Zhu Xu's expectations, he was still somewhat surprised to hear it.

** Xing was Minister of Personnel, and Gao Panlong was Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Both were second-rank grand officials — one held the power over promotions and demotions of all officials under heaven, known as the 'Hidden Prime Minister'; the other was the head of the remonstrance officials, bearing the duty of investigating and correcting all under heaven. Both held positions of immense power and authority at critical posts.

In particular, both were titans of the Donglin Faction with great prestige. At court they were powers unto themselves. It could be said that so long as the two held steady, entering the Grand Secretariat was only a matter of time.

But now, both were impatient to resign.

Because Supervising Secretary Fu Kui had impeached ** Xing for 'changing the personnel system erratically without consulting others,' and had also dragged in Wang Wenyan, claiming ** Xing had 'thrown the old regulations into chaos and installed his own private men.'

Both charges were substantiated. ** Xing had always been overbearing and swift in his actions, his word law in the Ministry of Personnel, brooking no resistance. Especially concerning was Wang Wenyan — a man who had not passed the imperial examinations but had bought his office through bribery. Most critically, this matter would further implicate Grand Secretary Ye Xianggao!

Wang Wenyan, as a secretary in the Grand Secretariat, had wide connections, from Grand Secretaries to those out of office, maintaining close relations with countless people. If this matter were truly pursued to the end, most of the Donglin Faction would likely be implicated.

Thus ** Xing and Gao Panlong claimed illness and submitted their resignations, filing seven memorials in a row, with the air that they would not stop unless the Emperor refused.

But in the end, Zhu Youxiao still did not permit it, and they were forcibly retained.