Chapter 273: Attacking with Arrows, Holding the Two and Using the Middle

The bell of the Mao hour had long since dissipated, and a thin layer of light frost was accumulated on the white marble steps outside the Wenhua Hall.

After a morning court meeting, the Emperor's plan to open the river had risen to the national will, and the officials of the Wenhua Hall returned to their offices one after another to arrange tasks level by level.

There was no sun today, the weather was slightly cold, and the faint light spilled into the hall, pulling long and short shadows for the officials who dispersed.

Zhang Heming still stood silently in the shadows of the hall, as if he hadn't recovered from this change.

The colleagues who left the hall passed by him, with different expressions; Song Liangzuo looked down at Zhang Heming with his nostrils in the sky, and Hou Yuzhao didn't spare his sneers.

This fellow clearly still could not fathom why his fellow townsmen had suddenly abandoned him and submitted to the Emperor's overwhelming power.

After all, expressing some dissent, or even secretly making trouble, has always been the norm for local gentry facing the court's political orders.

Wang and others, not to mention dying for their ambition, should at least have passively resisted.

Why did they suddenly kneel?

This is the confusion of the authorities; whether it is Song Liangzuo or Hou Yuzhao, they see it clearly—Wang had no choice but to endure humiliation and surrender.

Song Liangzuo presided over the Nanyang Xinhe back then, witnessed the rise and fall of the new and old rivers, and was most sensitive to merchant trade.

For example, Xiayang, before the Nanyang Xinhe was dug, was just a small fishing village, and after Zhu Heng opened the Nanyang Xinhe in the Longqing years, Xiayang immediately changed from a village to a town.

A large number of river management offices gathered, built docks, attracted merchants, and successively appeared five merchant gangs from Shanxi, Henan, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Xiazhen—there were more than 200 merchant firms, especially Kangfulou and Huijingmen, which dominated the river.

This clearly heralded the bright future of the river-adding project.

Then, what about Xuzhou, which is the opposite?

Will this major hub of water transport, once hailed as a place where boats and carriages gather like scales and trade flourishes, see its commerce decline after the separation of the transport routes?

The answer is naturally beyond doubt.

I'm afraid it will immediately be as Shen Defu said: "Since the Yi River is connected, military and civilian transport will no longer pass through, merchants will scatter, and the city will be desolate, not at all like a metropolis!"

Hou Yuzhao personally investigated Xuzhou and the Yi River, and had a further understanding of the political status of the towns along the Yellow and Canal rivers.

Back then, the Yellow River breached the Kuishan Dike in Xuzhou, and the flood poured into the prefecture city. Because the national treasury was empty, the officials discussed that the national treasury was empty, temporarily shelving disaster relief, and just building dikes.

The court naturally denied this proposal.

As a crucial link in the canal, the court would rather take forty thousand taels of silver from the military pay than spare no effort to treat the disaster victims, for fear that the people on both sides of Xuzhou would be wronged and the dredging of the canal would not be diligent enough.

But times have changed.

In Hou Yuzhao's view, now that the Yellow and Canal are separated, if the Yellow River infringes on Xuzhou City again in the future, whether the court will still be so wasteful—it is a matter of two possibilities!

This is naturally not just the imagination of the court officials—historically, in the fourth year of Tianqi, the Yellow River breached Xuzhou again, and the court swept away the warmth of the past, directly throwing out a piece of official document: "Move the prefecture government to Mount Yunlong, and the river affairs will not be discussed."

In short.

The separation of the Yellow and Canal is by no means just a water conservancy project, but more profoundly determines Xuzhou's commercial status as a canal transport heavy town, as well as its political status in the overall situation of governing the Yellow River and protecting the canal.

Facing such a huge change, Xuzhou is about to change from a water vein special zone back to a small fishing village, and its political and commercial status will fall sharply.

The people can't help but ask, why is this?

If it were just moving the canal from the perspective of the project, it would be fine, but it happened during the investigation of the Xuzhou officialdom nest case. According to the habits of the common people, how could they not connect it?

It must be that the Xuzhou official gentry and the center were at odds, causing thunderous anger!

Then, who will the officials and scholars who have suffered personal pain count this resentment on?

The court officials naturally haven't heard of later cases, but the former Tang Dynasty's Huainan Jiedushi Gao Pian was at odds with the court, causing the commercial center to shift from Jianghuai to Liangzhe, and the daily goods in the local area became more and more expensive, so angry that the local people secretly dug up Gao's ancestral grave, which is not far away.

It is precisely under these circumstances.

The Emperor did not beat Wang, but instead showed his benevolence again, throwing out the hub status of the land transport backbone as compensation.

If you want to get rich, build roads first; the water route has changed, and the land route has immediately become a life-saving straw.

Imagine, these gentry and worthies in Xuzhou, as long as they don't want to leave their homes at seventy or eighty, besides supporting it by destroying their families, what else can they do?

Those who manipulate the will of the people are also hijacked by the will of the people; those who rely on their lifeline are also pinched by others.

Wang had already tasted the bitter fruit, but Zhang Heming was still ignorant.

In the Wenhua Hall, the officials had almost dispersed.

Zhang Juzheng walked at the end, and when he passed Zhang Heming, looking at the latter's hateful and pathetic appearance, he couldn't help but stop.

After looking at it for a long time, he couldn't help but shake his head.

Zhang Juzheng was too lazy to learn the Emperor's shoulder-patting, just put his hands in his sleeves, his lips moved: "His Majesty has a good saying."

"Personal private interests and the world's public interests have always depended on each other, and the lips are dead and the teeth are cold."

"Be careful, be careful."

Zhang Juzheng didn't care whether Zhang Heming could understand, and after saying this, he stepped out of the Wenhua Hall.

Outside the Wenhua Hall, the lead-gray clouds hung low, as if they were within reach.

"Grand Secretary, please stay."

Coming out of the Wenhua Hall, Zhang Juzheng had just put on his cloak when he was called by a voice.

He fastened his collar and turned his head, only to find Hai Rui rushing over from the side of the walkway, clearly waiting for him here.

"I was just looking for Gangfeng, let's talk as we walk."

Zhang Juzheng's figure was tall and straight, and the iconic long beard under his chin was trimmed meticulously, black and oily.

He stroked his beard while waiting, and when Hai Rui walked up to him, he reached out to make an invitation, and the two stepped onto the walkway together.

It had snowed many times in the winter month, and the trees in the Forbidden City were bare, looking cold and clear.

The two walked side by side on the walkway, returning greetings to the officials coming and going from time to time.

"Hai Gangfeng, there are many things to do. Let's keep the idle talk short. According to the construction period initially drafted by the Ministry of Works, the Xuzhou Water Warehouse, the Middle River Water Department, and the Zhongrui Hall and other offices will be relocated to the Yi River bank after the New Year. How is the Censorate doing?"

Hai Rui was waiting for a rabbit by the tree on the side of the walkway, clearly having something to say, but Zhang Juzheng took the lead and threw out the topic.

This is naturally Zhang Juzheng's deliberate superior posture. Hai Rui has prestige and imperial favor, so even the Cabinet Grand Secretary has to be vigilant in his words and actions, and suppress him slightly.

I don't know if Hai Rui noticed Zhang Juzheng's strength.

He followed the latter's words naturally and shook his head helplessly: "The nest case involves a wide range, it's really slow, not to mention the public trial, it's likely to be protracted."

Whether it's the Water Department or the Ministry of Revenue branch, since they are to be relocated to the Yi River to start a new stove, they naturally have to take the opportunity to rebuild a team composed of honest and capable officials.

In the Emperor's words, it is to discover the "progressive people" who still maintain integrity in the mud of Xuzhou, play a leading role, and show a new style in the Yi River project.

This has to rely on the Censorate to remove the dross and select the essence, send the bad people to the execution ground, and invite the good people to the Yi River.

But this is slow work.

Wanting to finish it around the New Year? Clearly, he committed an error of excessive firmness!

Facing objective laws, Zhang Juzheng didn't say anything about just wanting results, but retreated to the next best thing: "That's fine, then I'll trouble Hai Gangfeng to send more manpower to Chen Wude."

"Clear and capable officials—how many can be distinguished before the New Year, let Zhang Guoxi take them to the Yi River together, and slowly screen the rest."

"This way, it's good for His Majesty, just say, leave some good officials for the people of Xuzhou to restore vitality."

This tone of ordering without discussion is both decisive and bossy.

The reaction obtained is often different from person to person.

Hai Rui's face could not squeeze out a polite expression, but his tone was full of compliance: "After the Censorate meeting, I will order the Henan Circuit Hai Yushi and the Dali Temple to communicate the case and rush to Xuzhou with people as soon as possible."

The voice was light, without any temper, and as soon as it landed, it scattered into the whistling cold wind.

Zhang Juzheng turned his head slightly to look at Hai Rui, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

After being promoted to the high position of the Nine Ministers, Hai Rui swept away his cold and hard temper and actually had a few more points of tolerance and humility.

With this subconscious look.

Zhang Juzheng found that Hai Rui was becoming more and more clear and ancient, his cheekbones were high, his knuckles were distinct, and the wide scarlet robe hung on his thin frame, blown by the cold wind, looking empty inside.

Only a pair of eyes, not like his temper, became turbid with age, still cold and hard as iron, with cold light blooming.

Zhang Juzheng scrutinized Hai Rui, while Hai Rui was unaware, looking forward.

The two were silent for a while, walking slowly on the imperial road.

Snowflakes gradually drifted in the sky, falling innocently on the roof, and the lucky ones stopped on the shoulders of the two.

I don't know how long it took, Zhang Juzheng looked at Hai Rui and sighed, not without emotion: "The country is full of grinding, and you have only been in charge of the Censorate for a few months, and you have become so thin."

It would be strange if he wasn't thin.

Since Hai Rui was reinstated in the sixth year of Longqing, he had been running non-stop. He finished investigating the two Huai rivers, was called to Huguang, finished governing Sichuan, and was immediately filled into the center's millstone. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was used as a cow or a horse.

From official business to private affairs, the address in the Grand Secretary's mouth quietly changed from the unfamiliar number to calling the courtesy name directly.

Hai Rui saw it very clearly, and he rarely showed a smile: "Cutting meat to feed the eagle is still praised as the Buddha's merit; I can burn this remnant body and burn it for the country, isn't it a great merit?"

He naturally heard Zhang Juzheng's implication.

Zhang Juzheng's aggressiveness just now was a bit aggressive, but he retreated again and again in his posture, perhaps making the Grand Secretary feel emotional.

Zhang Juzheng said the country is full of grinding, besides acknowledging Hai Rui's hard work, isn't it saying that the situation in the center is complex and not suitable for those who rush headlong?

Grinding, grinding, if it grinds away Gangfeng's edges and corners, whether the world will feel sorry for it is hard to say, at least he, Zhang Juzheng, will.

And Hai Rui's answer is simple.

Straight is for the country, bent is also for the country; the Emperor ordered himself to be an imperial envoy to the locality, so he rushed headlong; the Emperor promoted him to the position of Hai Yushi-in-Chief, so he should tolerate for the country.

As for whether the edges and corners will be ground away—grinding and sharpening, it is also grinding.

Zhang Juzheng's beard-stroking movement paused.

However, he didn't say much, just nodded lightly, the movement was very small, if it were a little further away, it wouldn't even be seen.

Zhang Juzheng seemed to have finally recovered: "Almost forgot, Gangfeng looking for me, is it for the matter of drawing inferences from the Xuzhou case?"

The Emperor's style of doing things has always been like this; after the point-to-point explosion, it is the beginning of a new policy on a larger scale.

Salt policy is like this, the clan is like this, and the Xuzhou nest case is even more so.

Hai Rui pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Grand Secretary's eyes are like torches."

"In the past few days, the ministries and courts have reached a consensus on the memorials presented by the imperial tour, except for Xiao Liangyou's memorial, which has been discussed six or seven times. Until this morning, several Censors and Censors of the Thirteen Circuits still have huge differences."

"My meaning is, the Censorate should not draw a sign for the time being, wait for tomorrow's morning court to discuss it, and listen to the thoughts of colleagues."

Zhang Juzheng was stunned and glanced at Hai Rui in surprise.

The affairs of the ministries and courts have always been a consensus first, and then the morning court meeting.

Huge internal differences, let the court deliberation decide?

Isn't this inviting a wolf into the house, letting outsiders intervene and divide power? In the early years, they would have been scolded as ministry traitors!

Zhang Juzheng frowned and recalled for a moment, confirming: "Xiao Liangyou—is it the proposal to promote Beijing inspection to the locality, and the Censorate to inspect the two capitals and thirteen provinces every year?"

Hai Rui shook his head: "This is Luo Zun's proposal, and the ministries and courts have the same view."

Luo Zun's proposal is mainly a reflection on the fact that the local prefecture and county yamen isolated memorials and formed their own system.

Since the first year of Wanli, from the two Huai rivers to Huguang, the Emperor often sent people to inspect the locality, going fast and returning fast, and the effect was indeed not bad. Now it is considered to be fixed, inspecting a few provinces every year, called the normalization of inspection.

However, the Censorate all supported this with hands and feet, and it was not the difference Hai Rui said.

Hai Rui paused for a moment, organized his language, and explained briefly: "It is about the proposal of the supervising eunuch."

"Before the Jiajing years, dozens of envoys supervised, often restraining the main officials; after the Jiajing years, one or two were selected and entrusted with heavy responsibilities, all relying on personal character, neither of which is desirable."

"Xiao Liangyou proposed to continue using the Discipline Inspection Experience Hall, open halls and set systems in the local yamen dispatched by the ministries and courts, distribute official positions, and recruit clerks."

Zhang Juzheng listened carefully, his mind thinking constantly.

The Discipline Inspection Experience Hall is an internal agency of the Censorate, which was just established before the Emperor's southern tour, mainly to draw a clear line with the Qingliu (pure stream). (Chapter 245)

The speech officials wind and hear, and the Discipline Inspection Experience Hall verifies and investigates.

In other words, this is an agency with law enforcement power.

An internal agency of the Censorate with law enforcement power, wanting to open halls and set systems in the local yamen dispatched by the ministries and courts, anyone understands what kind of political resources this is, why would the Censorate have differences over this!?

Zhang Juzheng twisted his beard and asked calmly: "Open halls and set systems—under the jurisdiction of the main official of the yamen, or the Censorate?"

Hai Rui secretly praised him for being sharp.

He nodded frankly: "The Censorate is arguing about this, the Censors all insist on the Censorate's jurisdiction, saying that if they are controlled by others, how can they talk about supervision."

An independent third party will not be in the same stream, focusing on the fairness and beauty of an absolute referee.

Only an independent third party will not collude; the goal is to be an absolute, fair, and impressive judge.

This statement naturally makes sense; inconsistent interests are precisely the prerequisite for supervision.

But things are always dialectical, and truths naturally do not have only one side.

Behind one truth, there may be another truth hidden.

Zhang Juzheng did not hide his mockery and sarcastically said to Hai Rui: "The Censorate wants to act as County Magistrates, but the Six Ministries will not be content to act as County Prefects."

How did the position of County Magistrate come to be?

During the former Song Dynasty, the Zhao family unified half the world, and the local Jiedushi (regional military governors) surrendered upon hearing the news. To show his magnanimity, the Zhao family allowed the Jiedushi to appoint their own County Magistrates.

After showing magnanimity, they naturally had to reclaim power, so the Zhao family created a bunch of "Zhi Xian Shi" (officials sent to oversee county affairs) to supervise the localities and report any disagreement as a secret accusation.

Everyone can see clearly what happened later; even the official title of "County Magistrate" disappeared, and instead, they became "Zhi Xian" (those who oversee counties), having overseen counties for hundreds of years.

Similar things happen all the time; Inspectors, Provincial Governors, and Viceroys are no exception.

Seizing local power is one thing, but how can this tactic be used against the Ministries and Courts?

The independence of supervisory power is certainly necessary, but the form it takes is even more important.

Facing the mockery of the Chief Grand Secretary, Hai Rui could not help but be speechless.

He broke a short branch from a tree by the path, brushed off the snow, and spoke with particular helplessness: "It is precisely because of this that the Censorate has never been able to reach a conclusion."

This is not because his colleagues in the Censorate have lost their minds; it is merely that they speak according to where they sit.

Since an outsider like Xiao Liangyou has delivered the token, how could the Censorate have any reason not to accept it?

Seeing this reaction from Hai Rui, Zhang Juzheng suddenly realized: "Gangfeng, just now the Censorate Chief said that all the Censors insist on the Censorate's unified jurisdiction; how could there be the slightest disagreement?"

"Does His Majesty have instructions on this?"

He had previously thought it was a split between two factions in the Censorate, and that Hai Rui was unable to reconcile them and was seeking help from the Cabinet.

Now it seems that the Censorate is clearly one-sided, and only Hai Rui, the head official, is not thinking of fighting for power and profit for the Ministry, but is instead single-mindedly worrying for the Emperor, forming a faction of his own.

So that is why they are deadlocked!

Hai Rui sighed, reached into his sleeve, and took out a memorial.

Zhang Juzheng looked as if he had expected this and reached out to take it.

While the Chief Grand Secretary was reading the memorial, Hai Rui explained: "His Majesty has circled and dotted Xiao Liangyou's memorial."

"His Majesty said that supervision is not for the sake of dividing power, but an important part of his own New Policies—self-purification."

"Only a supervisory mechanism embedded within the bureaucratic system will not evolve into a second center of power."

Zhang Juzheng saw the vermilion writing at a glance.

It was rarely the Ceremonial Secretariat acting on his behalf, but the Emperor's own handwriting, representing the Emperor's will to intervene in advance before the Ministry discussions, Court discussions, and the drafting of the *piaoni* (drafted responses).

It is obvious that the Emperor clearly hopes that the Discipline Inspection Bureau will maintain a certain degree of independence as a force to continue the New Policies and purify himself.

But at the same time, the Emperor does not expect to see it truly act as an independent office to control the various divisions of the Ministries and Courts.

Hai Rui, deeply favored by the Emperor, understood the Emperor's meaning and had to stand in the position of the Nine Ministers to control the direction of the Censorate's discussions.

But at the same time.

The Emperor's words were truly ambiguous: what does "embedded" mean? How to embed? What counts as inside the system? What degree is considered independent?

Precisely because it was vague, there was room for full discussion in the Censorate, as well as space for endless disputes.

Zhang Juzheng savored the Emperor's circles and dots and fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he closed Xiao Liangyou's memorial and nodded to Hai Rui: "I understand His Majesty's meaning. At tomorrow's morning court, we shall discuss this matter."

Hai Rui felt relieved: "What does the Chief Grand Secretary think is best?"

By this time, their colleagues had gradually walked far away, and the inner court eunuchs and palace maids were avoiding them in fear.

The wind grew stronger, carrying fine grains of snow that beat against the steps on both sides of the path, making a faint rustling sound.

On the vast path, only the two men who had reached the pinnacle of officialdom walked slowly, appearing exceptionally open.

Zhang Juzheng could not help but stroke his beard again.

He placed the stray hair he had accidentally plucked to his lips, blew it away gently, and said softly: "The gentleman follows the middle path; His Majesty and I see eye to eye."

"Dual leadership is best!"

Such strange phrasing was clearly a bad trend started by the Emperor.

However, the meaning was easy to understand; Hai Rui pondered for a moment, feeling a flash of inspiration, as if he had realized something.

He was just about to speak.

Not far away, several figures were walking quickly from the direction of the Huangji Hall. The two of them were the last of their colleagues, and they naturally understood that these people were looking for them; they stopped their discussion by mutual agreement and looked up.

"Chief Grand Secretary, Censorate Chief, this servant, following the Empress Dowager's decree, bestows upon you two white gold, colored silks, hot wine, and sweet food."

The person approaching from afar was none other than Zhang Hong, the Director of the Ceremonial Secretariat, who, together with Li Chengming, was leading a group of young eunuchs to distribute wine and food to the civil officials and imperial relatives.

When the unit distributes benefits, it is a matter of human sentiment; Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui immediately bowed to express their gratitude.

Zhang Hong hurriedly supported them: "The Empress Dowager says that the weather is cold and freezing, and she hopes you gentlemen will take care of your health; there is no need for such formalities."

The Emperor is not in the capital, and those left behind are, to put it bluntly, orphans and widows.

The attitude of the two palaces toward trusting and relying on the ministers is naturally impeccable.

Zhang Hong beckoned to the people behind him.

After the young eunuch holding the jade tray stepped forward, he smiled and explained in a low voice to the two high officials: "This is the fragrant meat that His Majesty slaughtered in Pei County."

"He specifically kept the four legs; Commander Wang and the Duke of Dingguo shared the two hind legs, and the Chief Grand Secretary and the Censorate Chief share the two front legs."

Although the Emperor is busy with a thousand tasks, he does not forget to send gifts back when he goes on a long journey.

The Empress received rouge from Jiangnan, the two palaces received Buddhist artifacts consecrated at Xinghua Temple, and the nobles, relatives, and civil and military officials all received their share every few days.

Zhang Juzheng did not seem to care much for this on the surface; he easily suppressed the corners of his mouth and bowed.

Hai Rui, however, was flattered and bowed meticulously toward the south: "His Majesty's great grace, this subject is unworthy."

Zhang Hong was amiable, his smile undiminished.

After the two finished their bows, he asked about the main business: "Do the Chief Grand Secretary and the Censorate Chief have any words to entrust to His Majesty?"

Official business between the monarch and his subjects naturally has official postal delivery.

Zhang Hong was clearly asking for private words, whether there was anything to entrust.

Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui looked at each other, not knowing if they hadn't thought it through or if it was inconvenient to speak in person.

The former coughed lightly, changed the subject, and asked curiously: "It's almost the New Year; does the Inner Court still need to go to Nanzhili on official business?"

It will be the New Year in just a month; a round trip to Nanzhili won't make it back in time for the New Year.

Besides, the Emperor was eager to arrange everything for next year before he left; what else is so urgent?

Zhang Hong shook his head and did not answer.

Li Chengming, who had been standing by without speaking, leaned over and took the initiative to take over the conversation: "It's not the Inner Court."

"It's that I, along with the Prince of Zheng's heir and the others, have matters to report to His Majesty in person."

Zhang Juzheng could not help but lower his head and look at Li Chengming's legs.

Running out during the New Year is not a good habit.

It's one thing for the Emperor to have his status, but how did Empress Dowager Li manage to refrain from breaking her nephew's legs?

Hai Rui was also a bit curious, but he was not familiar with the imperial relatives and would not ask abruptly.

He pondered for a moment and said politely: "I have no words to entrust; just ask His Majesty to take care of himself on my behalf."

Compared to officials who talk all day in their memorials about how it's raining, the weather is nice, or asking if the Emperor is hungry.

With Hai Rui's temperament, outside of official business, he clearly had nothing to say.

Li Chengming looked at Zhang Juzheng again.

The latter was silent for a long time, then took a deep breath: "There is indeed a matter that is inconvenient to present in an official document; the young Marquis must not let it reach the ears of outsiders."

As he spoke, he signaled for Li Chengming to lean in.

Seeing the Chief Grand Secretary act this way, everyone could not help but look at each other.

Li Chengming was even more uneasy; he hesitated, looked at Zhang Hong, then at Zhang Juzheng, and moved with difficulty to the latter's side.

"Ask His Majesty for me—"

Zhang Juzheng leaned down to Li Chengming's ear, his expression solemn, and said word by word: "What sin did the Filial Emperor commit to deserve such humiliation from His Majesty!?"