Chapter 10: Corruption and Lawlessness, Daily Lectures on the

The second day of the sixth month, the sixth year of the Longqing reign, early morning.

……

A night passed.

Being a child, his sleep quality was far better than before he had transmigrated; Zhu Yijun had enjoyed a rare, long-overdue good night's sleep.

When he first woke up, he was still a bit groggy, subconsciously reaching out to grab the phone under his pillow.

Feeling nothing there, he suddenly snapped awake.

"Your Highness, you are awake." A palace maid beside the bed approached.

Zhu Yijun suddenly asked: "What did I say in my sleep last night? Did you hear clearly?"

Several palace maids were startled: "Your Highness, you did not speak in your sleep."

Only then did he set his mind at ease and nod: "It seems I had a dream. Help me change my clothes first."

Several palace maids immediately held up the mourning robes and surrounded him.

In the interval of dressing, the palace maid from before said: "Your Highness, Chief Eunuch Zhang Hong has already arrived at Ciqing Palace, saying he is ready to await your orders at any time."

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but smile; this Zhang Hong was truly eager to advance.

After he was dressed and had washed up, he ordered: "Let Chief Eunuch Zhang in."

Zhang Hong entered carrying the morning meal.

Looking at the still-youthful Crown Prince, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, nearly unable to reconcile him with the awe-inspiring heir who had been at the Qianqing Palace yesterday.

But after all, he was a high-ranking eunuch, and he certainly didn't lack composure; a trace of astonishment quickly vanished: "This servant pays respects to the Master."

Zhu Yijun nodded gently, signaling him to come closer.

Then, he sat down leisurely at the desk and began to eat.

Zhang Hong let the palace maids withdraw before pulling a stack of papers from his sleeve and saying: "Master, what you ordered me to do yesterday is all here."

Zhu Yijun took them with some surprise; this Zhang Hong was quite efficient.

He flipped through them roughly; from the first year of Longqing until now, in these six years, the list of eunuchs who had toured Huguang to collect mining taxes totaled over ten people.

Some were even marked with information such as age and official duties.

He was satisfied in his heart and did not stint on praise: "Well done."

The utility of eyes and ears was reflected right here.

The matter of Huguang was not actually urgent; he thought that to handle this, he would at least need to grasp a portion of power first.

However, "all things are prepared for, and not prepared for, they fail"; preparing in advance was always better than only being able to obtain information from memorials.

Whether it was the palace, the central government, the localities, border affairs, or finances, one must first have a plan in mind before one could make specific arrangements.

Relying entirely on knowledge from later generations to feel for the elephant in the dark, he feared he would be doomed.

He had to combine his knowledge with current events and reflect them against each other.

This was called modernizing the knowledge of later generations.

Zhang Hong received the praise and repeatedly said he dared not accept it.

Zhu Yijun ate his morning meal while reading through them earnestly.

That the mining taxes in Huguang were deep waters was inevitable, but it could not be the work of a single day.

In the six years the late Emperor was on the throne, it wasn't as if they hadn't toured for taxes; why was it that not a single person had discovered any problems?

This was the point Zhu Yijun cared about.

Seeing him reading intently, Zhang Hong whispered: "Master, another incident occurred in the palace last night."

Zhu Yijun didn't even lift his head: "Don't play coy, speak plainly if you have something to say."

Zhang Hong hurriedly said yes, and continued: "Meng Chong drowned after a slip last night."

Zhu Yijun's hand paused; he looked up with an unreadable expression: "A slip?"

Zhang Hong knew this was a master with a heart like a clear mirror, so he explained: "The Eastern Depot discovered it; after investigation, they said it was an accidental drowning, and the Directorate of Ceremonial has also confirmed it. Chief Eunuch Feng Bao is busy with this matter right now."

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "They can't even be bothered to hide it from people anymore; it's truly unsightly."

Zhang Hong dared not respond.

Zhu Yijun didn't say much more on this matter either.

After finishing the list Zhang Hong had handed over, he then opened his mouth: "These people, their lives are all going quite well now, aren't they?"

Zhang Hong deliberated for a moment and replied: "Their positions aren't very high, but they are indeed quite wealthy."

Zhu Yijun had known this in his heart for a long time.

It could be said that in this Great Ming Dynasty, out of ten officials, eleven were corrupt.

Collusion between officials and merchants, and the exploitation of the common people, were minor matters.

From the commoners below to the princes above, who could escape it?

When the Ministry of Revenue initially refused to issue the annual stipend to the Prince Yu's Mansion, the entire household nearly couldn't afford to eat.

In the end, it was only by bribing Yan Shifan that they cleared the joints of the Ministry of Revenue and had the stipend, which had been blocked for three years, issued.

And then there was the subsequent Chief Grand Secretary Xu Jie, known as "Half-City Xu," sitting on hundreds of thousands of mu of fertile land; who in the world didn't know?

When Hai Rui was ordered by imperial decree to make Xu Jie return the land, wasn't he still driven away in disgrace?

Not to mention the various ministries and yamen forming cliques for private interests, engaging in backroom deals, and buying offices and titles; it was an endless stream.

With superiors like this, the low-level minor officials were likewise stripping the bones and sucking the marrow.

Skimming off the top, inventing tax items, stealing cattle and tearing down houses; they were too numerous to count.

They could even suck dry the military pay of the border troops!

This was no longer an individual problem; it was a problem that existed universally in the Great Ming officialdom.

The officials of the time had already lost all sense of shame regarding corruption.

That's right, I am corrupt, so what? Everyone is corrupt, what's the problem?

Someone like Qi Jiguang, who had the heart to exterminate the Japanese pirates and did not fear sacrificing his life for the country, couldn't he still not escape this fate?

Why was there such a trend? In one word: low wages.

Look at those in history who received normal official salaries; after Gao Yi died, they couldn't even scrape together the funeral expenses, and the palace had to pay. Hai Rui was even more miserable; his official rank wasn't high enough to reach the palace, and it was his colleagues who paid for his burial.

It was bad enough that the wages were low, but the key was that they were often in arrears; receiving half a salary was considered a stroke of luck.

In the words of Gu Yanwu, it was "because the salary is thin, there is no way to support the family."

When they couldn't even afford to eat, what mood would they be in to set up some integrity archway?

Noble people were only a minority; most people could only drift with the tide. If one said they wouldn't be corrupt, they would starve to death; how could one restrain them?

Against this background of having no moral or shameful constraints, corruption could be said to have become a prevailing trend.

If the officialdom was like this, there was even less need to mention the eunuchs.

Why was touring for taxes a lucrative job? It was fine if there were no problems in the locality, but if there really were problems, the tax-touring eunuchs could make a fortune!

Whether this tax was toured for the palace or for their own pockets was hard to say.

I fear that the imperial commissioners checking the accounts and the local officials had long since formed a tacit understanding.

Looking at these dozen or so eunuchs, not one reported a problem, and instead, each one had bulging pockets; he had a count in his heart.

It was just that he didn't know if this time with the Huguang mining taxes, it was because the two sides hadn't reached an agreement, or if the problem was too big and someone couldn't cover it up.

Zhu Yijun pondered for a moment and said to Zhang Hong: "It's fine if you collect money while doing errands for the palace, but if there is something you are hiding from me, I won't recognize it."

"Keep an eye on these people; don't let them drown again. I will have use for them in the future."

"You secretly pick a soft bone and ask clearly for me about the real situation in Huguang."

"In the future, regardless of what the outer court says, if the palace has toured for taxes, I must know the palace's version."

Zhang Hong listened respectfully, feeling a chill in his heart.

It was already "secretly," could he still let people live?

Last night he only felt awe-inspiring majesty; at this moment he felt a bone-chilling cold.

Was this the Imperial Family?

He was only ten years old! Truly a sage monarch, ruthless and decisive!

Zhu Yijun had nothing to pretend in front of Zhang Hong; only by having the laws of the Imperial Family could he suppress these eunuchs.

Showing different traits in front of different people—this was politics.

Zhang Hong had seniority in the palace and people under him; these matters were just right for him to handle.

He shouldn't expend too much energy on this matter; catching a small eunuch to ask about the situation and having a count in his mind was enough.

It was unwise to clash with the Huguang localities now; a moment of carelessness would lead to a "popular uprising." But as long as these tax-touring eunuchs were still there, a major case would eventually be stirred up!

Let them stir up trouble if they wanted to now; he would just make a list and settle accounts after the autumn.

As for eunuch corruption, he didn't have the ability to manage it now; one had to eat rice one mouthful at a time, and do things one step at a time.

Zhang Hong stepped back: "This servant will go handle it right away."

Zhu Yijun stopped him: "Check the people around me again; arrange some of your own people in the Wenhua Hall and the two palaces."

The supervising eunuch was precisely responsible for the duty shifts in each hall; it was within his authority.

Zhang Hong hesitated for a moment before replying: "This servant understands."

What he didn't say was that he already had his people planted in the two palaces and the Wenhua Hall.

This was something every high-ranking eunuch would do.

……

After finishing his morning meal, Zhu Yijun had to go to the Wenhua Hall for lessons, which was the so-called daily lecture.

As the Emperor's secondary hall, the Wenhua Hall naturally had many halls and pavilions.

The main hall was where regular audiences were held, and the rear hall was where the Emperor's classics lectures were held.

The Crown Prince's daily lecture was in the right side hall of the Wenhua Hall.

When Zhu Yijun arrived, many of the lecturing officials had already arrived.

The Crown Prince's daily lecture was not one-on-one teaching.

There were over ten officials of various titles, including attendants, lecturers, editors, and scribes, handling everything from reciting and turning pages to proofreading and taking notes.

He only needed to sit there, follow along with the reading, and ask questions if he had any; he didn't need to do anything else.

Gao Yi, residing at the head of the class, saw the Crown Prince enter the hall and hurriedly led the two rows of lecturing officials to stand up, lining up in a row.

Zhu Yijun performed the teacher-student ritual first.

After the lecturing officials received the ritual, they performed the kneeling ritual to the heir.

After both sides performed the rituals, Zhu Yijun immediately smiled, revealing the white teeth he had just cleaned that morning, and took two steps forward.

He grabbed Gao Yi's hand and said enthusiastically: "Teacher, I reviewed my lessons yesterday and gained something again. It is truly as you said, 'Reviewing the old and learning the new'."

Gao Yi was stunned by his behavior; when had the Crown Prince become so close to him?

While trying to break free unobtrusively, he bit the bullet and said: "The words of the sages naturally cannot be wrong, but for Your Highness to have gained something, it is also thanks to your own diligence."

Zhu Yijun not only didn't let him break free, but even took his arm and held it: "It is even more inseparable from your good teaching. What are we studying today? I am already impatient."

As he spoke, he pulled Gao Yi's hand and walked inside.

If Emperor Gaozu of Han could do it, he could too; he was determined to be the Great Ming's succubus!

The remaining lecturing officials looked at each other, following behind with thoughtful expressions.

When they reached their positions, Zhu Yijun reluctantly let go of Gao Yi's hand.

Just as Gao Yi was breathing a sigh of relief, Zhu Yijun called out to a small eunuch: "The teacher is a pillar of the state, how can I not treat him with courtesy? Come, grant the teacher a seat."

Gao Yi hurriedly arched his hands to refuse: "Your Highness, this subject's body is still sturdy enough; if it were difficult even to stand, I would have no face to linger in the Cabinet."

How could Zhu Yijun let him off: "Teacher, why make excuses? This is not a regular audience, do not refuse."

"The Imperial Father left the three assistant ministers to me and specifically instructed me to treat them well; Teacher, do not make me unfilial."

Singing high-sounding tunes—he was the most skilled at that.

Honest people like Gao Yi were the easiest to bully when one pulled the big banner.

Before he could refuse, he ordered the small eunuch to place the seat beside Gao Yi.

Calling it a seat, it was actually just a small stool, only two palms wide, just enough to support two buttocks.

Gao Yi only felt that life was full of being forced to ride a duck.

The late Emperor was like this, Zhang Juzheng was like this, and now the heir was like this too.

To say that he wasn't moved by the Crown Prince's behavior would be a lie.

The master holding hands before the hall, just like the old story of Guangwu, and then granting a seat and calling him the late Emperor's assistant minister—which scholar could refuse this feeling of affection?

But, moving was moving, and this seat was still like needles and felt.

He carefully rested half his buttocks on the stool to show his submissive heart: "Many thanks to Your Highness for the seat."

Zhu Yijun sat at the desk and nodded with satisfaction, then asked casually: "Teacher, has the Cabinet discussed the date for moving the late Emperor's spirit?"

The late Emperor's coffin was still placed in the Qianqing Palace, and Zhu Yijun was waiting to move in.

On the surface, he was asking about moving the spirit, but in reality, he was asking about the date he would move into the Qianqing Palace; at the same time, it was also when he should accept the persuasion to ascend the throne before the spirit.

Gao Yi deliberated and replied: "The Ministry of Rites' proposal is to move the spirit on the sixth of this month, and offer sacrifices on the tenth; the Cabinet has agreed with the proposal, just waiting for the palace's meaning."

Zhu Yijun counted the days; today was the second, which meant accepting the persuasion in four days, and the enthronement ceremony in eight days.

Eight days, and he would ascend the throne as Emperor.

His mother would also become the Empress Dowager.

At the same time, it also meant that Gao Gong's political career was about to end.

Now was the time when Feng Bao and Gao Gong were fighting the most fiercely; Feng Bao was waiting for this time point. If it weren't for this gap, Zhang Hong might not have been able to enter the Directorate of Ceremonial safely.

So, had Gao Gong realized it?

Zhu Yijun wanted Gao Gong to retire with dignity; otherwise, if he lost too miserably, his political legacy would also go down the drain.

Not to mention anything else, just the Jin Party was currently relying on Gao Gong's personal prestige to suppress it.

If Gao Gong retired with honor, maintaining the deterrent of being able to be re-employed at any time, the Jin Party wouldn't look too bad.

But if it were still like in history, when his mother publicly issued an edict saying "Gao Gong is autocratic and usurps power; I don't know what he wants to do; the three of us, mother and son, are terrified and uneasy."

Then he really wouldn't be able to clean up this mess.

His current plan was to use Gao Gong to consume Feng Bao; it would be best if he could assist him in taking the Eastern Depot from Feng Bao's hands.

After he ascended the throne, he would then follow Li's wishes and suggest that Gao Gong retire—according to the ritual system, after a new Emperor ascended the throne, all ministers had to submit resignations; whether they stayed or left depended on the Emperor's will.

Having him initiate this matter voluntarily was better than Feng Bao deliberately provoking Li; at the very least, it could preserve Gao Gong's dignity as one of the Three Ducal Ministers.

In this way... Gao Yi wouldn't have to die of worry after Gao Gong was dismissed.

Gao Yi, who was being thought of, seemed to have a premonition; he looked up at the distracted Crown Prince, and seeing that the lecturing officials were already in place, he coughed lightly: "Your Highness, it is time for the daily lecture."

Zhu Yijun immediately came back to his senses and sat upright: "Teacher, please. Is it the 'Yin Zhi' chapter today?"

Gao Yi shook his head, trying to look indifferent: "Today we lecture on the 'Tai Jia' chapter."

As he spoke, Zhu Yijun saw the scribe beside him turn the book page to the 'Tai Jia' chapter.

His expression paused, and he let out a long "Oh," saying nothing, but his heart was surging with emotions.

"Shang Shu: Tai Jia" only told one story—Yi Yin banishing Tai Jia to the Tong Palace.

Tai Jia was a king of the Shang Dynasty, and Yi Yin was a veteran of four reigns, Tai Jia's assistant minister.

The so-called Yi Yin banishing Tai Jia to the Tong Palace meant that after Tai Jia ascended the throne, he was muddled and lawless, destroying the regulations formulated by Tang; Yi Yin then banished Tai Jia to a secondary palace near the tomb of Shang Tang and took over the regency himself.

After Yi Yin had been regent for three years, seeing that Tai Jia had repented and turned over a new leaf, he invited Tai Jia back and returned the government to him.

The story was simple and not rare; he hadn't seen people who hosted the overall situation again after writing a letter of repentance, but the problem was, why did Gao Yi suddenly insert this chapter?

He didn't believe this was a teaching arrangement; Gao Yi wouldn't do such things that invited suspicion.

It could only be intentional!

Whose meaning was it? And what did it mean?

Was it a warning to him to be honest and not follow in Tai Jia's footsteps?

Or was it a reminder that someone wanted to carry out the deposition of Yi and Huo?

Or... comparing himself to Yi Yin, taking the regency and then returning, showing his ambition?

——

Note 1: After Gao Gong was dismissed in history, Gao Yi resigned immediately, was not granted permission, and two days later, died of worry and illness at home at the age of 55.

Note 2: (Sixth month, sixth year of Longqing) Gengwu, dismissed Grand Secretary Gao Gong; Directorate of Ceremonial Eunuch Feng Bao and others conveyed the Empress Dowager's edict, the Noble Imperial Consort's order, and the Emperor's imperial edict to the officials of the Cabinet, Prefecture, and Ministries. The day before our late Emperor passed away, he summoned the three ministers of the Cabinet to the imperial couch, and together with the three of us, mother and son, personally gave the will, saying: "The Crown Prince is young, you must assist him. Now Grand Secretary Gao Gong is autocratic and usurps power, forcibly seizing the prestige and blessings of the imperial court, not allowing the Emperor to be in charge; I don't know what he wants to do? The three of us, mother and son, are terrified and uneasy; Gao Gong should return to his native place to live in leisure, and is not allowed to stay." — "Veritable Records of Ming Shenzong"

Note 3: 1571 (fifth year of Longqing), annual official salary per official: 206 shi, the rice price at that time was: 0.6 taels/shi, actual issuance was less than 40%.

Chen Guanggui: "A Preliminary Study on the Problem of China's Fiscal Support Rate," published in "Contemporary Economic Science," July 2003.

Wu Jianhua: "Research on Official Redundancy and Official Vacancies in the Ming Dynasty," Xiamen University, 2001 doctoral dissertation, page 60.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 11 =====