Chapter 26: Exploiting the Issue, Combining Love and Authority

The Implementation Law was debated in the morning court for the entire morning.

A final plan was finally reached.

The Grand Secretariat’s memorial merely suggested that, on the existing foundation, officials with outstanding performance evaluations might be granted some rewards.

The final draft designated three pilot regions: Shuntian Prefecture, Nan Zhili, and the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission.

Though none were fully satisfied, all reluctantly agreed—this was the result of mutual bargaining.

When the memorial reached Lady Li, two additional changes were added.

Lady Li ordered Feng Bao to return the memorial to the Grand Secretariat for reconsideration, with two annotations.

One was that the one hundred thousand taels owed by the Ministry of Revenue to the Inner Court need not be repaid after summer, but could instead be used as rewards under the Implementation Law, to be distributed by the Inner Court’s envoys.

The other was to include the Needlework Bureau within the scope of the evaluation, assigning Zhang Hong to oversee it.

The first change was unobjectionable, but Feng Bao reacted fiercely, insisting Zhang Hong be excluded entirely.

Lady Li was easily swayed.

Whichever advisor spoke last was the one she chose to believe.

In the end, it was Feng Bao’s adopted son who was given the task.

When Zhu Yijun heard the news and rushed to Lady Li’s quarters, Feng Bao was just stepping out of the hall.

“Your servant bows to Your Highness,” Feng Bao said, bowing first.

Zhu Yijun saw the eunuch behind Feng Bao carrying a stack of memorials—he was too late.

He sighed inwardly; after all these years as master and servant, no amount of words could easily change him.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled: hadn’t Lady Li historically moved into Qianqing Palace to tutor him?

After all this, would she still move in?

If she did, he could stand by her daily, whispering his counsel—surely then such things wouldn’t happen again.

The thought flashed through his mind; his face remained gentle: “Big Eunuch, please rise.”

“Big Eunuch has served both Your Highness and Her Majesty with great diligence.”

Feng Bao bowed with a fawning smile: “Your Highness humbles your servant. If Her Majesty and Your Highness find use in this lowly body, your servant is overjoyed.”

“Your Highness, Her Majesty has entrusted your servant with matters—I shall go now, and return later to Qianqing Palace to assist Your Highness with reading and calligraphy.”

These senior eunuchs all had some education—none could rise to such rank without it; they had no choice but to learn.

Feng Bao was among the finest of eunuchs, well-versed in the classics and skilled in calligraphy.

Every afternoon, when Zhu Yijun reviewed his lessons and practiced calligraphy, Feng Bao would come to attend him.

Recently, Zhu Yijun had deliberately concealed his intelligence, giving Feng Bao no chance to scold or correct him—but Feng Bao still insisted on coming daily.

Zhu Yijun nodded gently: “Big Eunuch, go ahead.”

Feng Bao bowed again, bending low as he stepped backward, his posture humble.

As they passed each other, both simultaneously dropped their smiles, their expressions diverging.

Zhu Yijun stood still, his face turned slightly, watching Feng Bao’s shadow recede.

He stood for a while.

Only then did Zhu Yijun step forward, his expression cool, heading toward Lady Li’s quarters.

He had used Li Shi and Gao Yi to exert influence, just settled the broad outline of the Implementation Law—and within a single turn, it had already changed.

Not only had two more pilot regions been added—one capital, one province—but Zhang Hong’s reward had been snatched by Feng Bao.

No wonder he climbed to his position by his own strength—he was no puppet on strings.

.C〇

Well then, at least the broad outline remains intact—his goal has been achieved.

Eat only as much as your stomach can hold.

With this thought, he reached the palace entrance.

Zhu Yijun once again donned a warm smile and stepped inside: “Mother, your son has come to pay his respects.”

Upon entering, he saw Lady Li not handling state affairs, but sewing.

Seeing her son, she immediately called out: “Perfect—come here, let Mother see how tall you’ve grown.”

Before Zhu Yijun understood what was happening, palace maids had already measured him thoroughly.

Only then did he recall: Lady Li had promised him a new padded jacket.

Zhu Yijun sighed: “Mother, winter is still far off.”

Lady Li shot him a reproachful glance: “You don’t understand needlework—why speak so much? If I wait until winter to make it, it’ll be too late. I’ll make it now, just make it a bit larger.”

Zhu Yijun pouted but said no more.

As she sewed, Lady Li casually asked: “I heard you told your tutors this morning that you want them to test your studies alongside me?”

Zhu Yijun nodded, half-joking: “Wasn’t it you who doubted I hadn’t studied hard enough? Now you can test me regularly.”

To seem close in relationships, one must occasionally make intimate jokes.

Pure obedience and solemnity will never bring you closer to your superior.

Lady Li knew her son was teasing her; she glared: “Disrespectful.”

Zhu Yijun leaned in with a grin: “Mother, I’ve studied hard—I want you and the tutors to see my progress. Otherwise, isn’t it like wearing brocade in the dark?”

He acted as if he merely wished to show off, never mentioning his support for the Implementation Law.

Too many words would make his motives too obvious.

Lady Li replied: “That’s true—if you’re confident in your studies, I approve.”

“But I don’t understand the Four Books and Five Classics—let the tutors test you.”

Zhu Yijun explained: “Just recitation and interpretation—Mother can simply hold the book and quiz me.”

“Besides, there’s the Empress Dowager.”

This required both imperial courts to appear—otherwise, the ceremony lacked sufficient weight and wouldn’t gain public attention.

If only the tutors were involved, people would suspect they were covering up his shortcomings or faking progress.

Moreover, a joint examination by both courts subtly reinforces his reputation as a diligent student.

Lady Li need not understand—it’s enough that Empress Chen is a competent examiner, helping spread his image as a devoted scholar.

Yet upon hearing this, Lady Li’s expression suddenly turned cold.

She turned her face away, irritably: “Then ask your Empress Mother. I have no insight—just let me serve as decoration.”

Then, claiming she was busy with her sewing, she dismissed him to return to Qianqing Palace and review his lessons.

Zhu Yijun stared, bewildered by her sudden change.

By the time he realized what had happened, palace maids had already ushered him out—he stood alone outside, stunned.

Only after walking and pondering for a long while did Zhu Yijun finally understand—his mother seemed to have some tension with Empress Chen.

He recalled: on the day he first arrived, when he mentioned having both courts supervise his studies, Lady Li had been noncommittal.

Every time he brought up Empress Chen since, she had been lukewarm.

Zhu Yijun’s expression turned strange—had he stumbled into some old palace feud?

The more he thought, the more it made sense.

The Empress had been banished to another palace, while the concubine, elevated by her son, now ruled the harem—of course they’d harbor resentment.

Zhu Yijun cursed himself inwardly—he’d been too aloof in his past life, utterly insensitive to palace politics, and only now did he realize.

Indeed, learning has no end.

Too bad he’d been thrown out too quickly—he hadn’t even mentioned the Needlework Bureau evaluation.

Never mind—it was a long shot anyway. Feng Bao had already taken the memorial to the Grand Secretariat; the chance of Lady Li changing her mind was slim.

Let Feng Bao take it—he’ll make mistakes, and then I’ll have grounds to exploit them.

If he dares to pretend compliance while secretly resisting, even better—it’ll erode Lady Li’s trust.

Rather than fixate on this, I should think about how to topple Feng Bao outright.

At this thought, he turned and signaled Jiang Keqian, who stood nearby.

Jiang Keqian hurried over: “Your Highness, what is your command?”

Zhu Yijun asked: “What has the Chief Grand Secretary been doing lately?”

A powerless young prince lacks the power to dismiss the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial—he must wait for momentum to build, then ride the wave.

This must hinge on Gao Yi.

Why haven’t they clashed yet?

Without bloodshed, how can I reap the benefits?

Gao Yi, who’s sworn to destroy Feng Bao—why hasn’t he moved yet?

Jiang Keqian hesitated: “The Chief Grand Secretary remains unchanged—these past two days, his interactions with court officials have been even less frequent than usual.”

Zhu Yijun sighed—he couldn’t force Gao Yi to act.

He merely nodded: “Keep watching.”

He glanced at Jiang Keqian, noting the dark circles under his eyes—his expression softened: “Do your duty well, but don’t rush—rest when you can.”

Jiang Keqian’s bowed posture stiffened slightly; his voice came out muffled: “Your servant understands.”

Zhu Yijun waved him off.

Yet his mind still turned to Gao Yi.

What is the Chief Grand Secretary planning?

…

"Li Shi, just what are you planning?" Gao Gong asked in confusion.

Just now, Feng Bao had conveyed the two palaces’ intentions; several Grand Secretaries could not hide their astonishment.

Imperial Consort Li not only readily agreed, but also left the ten thousand taels owed by the Ministry of Revenue to the Inner Treasury as rewards under the Examination System.

Moreover, she intended to trial the Examination System within the Inner Court as well.

Truly, the sun had risen in the west.

Gao Yi greatly admired it and laughed: "I never expected Imperial Consort Li to possess such magnanimity—truly decisive and clean-cut."

The Inner Treasury had always drawn funds from the Treasury of Grain; this was the first time Gao Yi had ever seen money flowing back.

Indeed!

His reasoning was sound: if he could properly instruct the new emperor, he could reconcile internal and external forces and cooperate in governance.

Once the new emperor assumed personal rule... the Great Ming might yet be reborn from the ashes.

Zhang Juzheng’s expression was complex: "Then let us redraw the draft edicts—first solidify the Examination System, and deliberate the details later."

When he first heard the Inner Treasury would fund it, he had not thought much of it; after all, the Ming emperors were accustomed to buying loyalty.

If the Ministry of Revenue funded it, it could become institutionalized; but if the Inner Treasury funded it, it might vanish at any moment.

Perhaps that precocious sage-emperor was merely cutting off flesh temporarily to win hearts.

But after the morning court session ended, Zhang Juzheng learned that Zhu Yijun had personally requested the Examination System, and asked the lecture officials and the two palaces to supervise his studies.

He immediately sensed the implication: this was a deliberate move to endorse the Examination System.

This distant support stirred in Zhang Juzheng a strange mixture of emotions.

Now, hearing that Imperial Consort Li intended to implement the Examination System in the Needlework Bureau, he felt even more bewildered.

How much cunning did this new emperor truly possess—and how much did he truly share Zhang Juzheng’s ideals?

Gao Gong did not overthink it; he nodded: "I’ll redraw the draft edicts right away."

Immediately, he picked up his brush and began writing.

Seizing this pause, Gao Gong multitasked: "By the way, I forgot to mention one thing."

Gao Yi and Zhang Juzheng turned to look.

Gao Gong did not lift his head: "I’ve settled the matter of inspecting the imperial mausoleum with the Ministry of Works—we’ve chosen Tan Yu Ridge on Tian Shou Mountain. Tomorrow at court, I’ll give you a heads-up."

Both nodded; this was proper procedure. Tian Shou Mountain had long been the designated site, and Tan Yu Ridge had been selected by Buddhist and Daoist geomancers alongside the Ministry of Works—both had heard rumors these past days.

Gao Gong continued: "Zixiang’s health isn’t as robust as Shuda’s. The weather is hot and dry—he’ll struggle. You should go instead, Shuda."

Gao Yi wanted to protest, but remembered his own age; better to preserve his remaining strength than to stubbornly overexert himself.

He could only cast Zhang Juzheng an apologetic glance.

Zhang Juzheng paused, then smiled warmly: "It is only right."

"Who will accompany you?"

While answering casually, Zhang Juzheng could not stop fidgeting with his knuckles.

Logically, Gao Yi was indeed too elderly to inspect the mausoleum; it was proper that Zhang Juzheng should go.

But... Gao Gong should not have explained.

Zhang Juzheng knew Gao Gong: for matters so obvious, he never deigned to explain.

By Gao Gong’s nature, he would have simply pointed at him with a casual remark.

Now, adopting this conciliatory tone, it struck Zhang Juzheng as suspicious.

Gao Gong had no idea his simple habit had betrayed him, and remained oblivious: "Following the precedent of the seventh year of Jiajing, we’ve appointed Minister of Revenue Zhang Shouzhi, Right Vice Minister of Rites Zhu Dashou, and Left Vice Minister of Works Zhao Jin."

"We’ll add one Censor and one Junior Censor—discuss it at tomorrow’s court session."

"As for the Inner Court’s representatives, let them decide among themselves."

Zhang Juzheng’s mind raced, yet his face remained calm as he nodded: "After the coronation, I will depart."

At that moment, Gao Gong finished drafting the edict.

He summoned a duty officer and ordered him to deliver it to the Directorate of Palace Affairs.

"Good. Wait until the two palaces approve the Examination System with red annotations, then proceed to the Ministry of Personnel for detailed deliberation."

The Examination System has so far only discussed broad directions: whether to implement it, and how.

But for concrete implementation, a detailed plan must be drafted—reviewing past evaluations, and compiling archives from Shuntian Prefecture, Nan Zhili, and Fujian’s Bureau of Civil Administration.

Only after the Ministry of Personnel’s bureaus produce a set of regulations, and coordinate them with the other ministries and the Six Censorates, will this process take at least two or three months.

Yet Zhang Juzheng now felt at ease: balance among all factions had been achieved. That was enough.

Even if Gao Gong retired later, his disciples, old subordinates, and other factions would still accept the outcome.

There would be no need for me to once again bind these factions together—wasting precious time. This alone saves me half a year’s labor.

But Gao Gong’s reaction just now had made Zhang Juzheng suspicious.

He had suspicions, but could not be certain.

Zhang Juzheng silently pondered Gao Gong’s intentions, bowed, and returned directly to his office.

Gao Yi, seeing nothing more remained, followed shortly after.

Just as Gao Yi was about to step over the threshold, he heard Gao Gong’s voice behind him.

"Zixiang, wait a moment."

Gao Yi turned around in confusion.

Gao Gong slowly rose from behind his desk.

He walked to Gao Yi, studied him from head to toe, and sighed: "Zixiang, your white hairs have increased considerably."

Gao Yi took it as idle chatter and shook his head: "Time spares no one."

Gao Gong looked at his old friend, squeezed his arm, and said with emotion: "Zixiang, after the prince ascends the throne, take a few days’ leave and rest."