[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor":3,"chapter-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-360":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wanli, the Enlightened Emperor",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2322182,4542,"Chapter 360: The Yellow River Rises to Heaven, Heads Fall to Earth","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-360",360,"\u003Cp>October 11, Xuzhou, Mount Yunlong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain has nine segments, winding and rolling, its head raised toward the northeast and its tail dragging to the southwest, resembling a divine dragon—hence its name, Yunlong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this is why celestial spirits resonate here: Yunlong Mountain drew the true dragon to take up residence, coiled within Xinghua Temple atop the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this is the local people’s claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the imperial court publicly claimed the emperor’s virtue kept him from entering the city to disturb the people or lingering at the prefectural yamen to disrupt officials’ work—reasons too lofty to rival the more popular tale of dragons drawn by spiritual affinity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, Xinghua Temple, covering nearly a hundred mu and housing over a hundred halls, had been occupied by the imperial family for several days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those sincerely devoted to Buddhism worshipped; those who loved mountain strolls wandered; those with nothing to do fished along small streams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the northern foot of Yunlong Mountain, a stream murmured, flowing downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the bank lay a large, square, protruding rock, like a stone bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon the stone bed lay a figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just past the hour of Si, sunlight pierced the dense forest, illuminating the figure’s true form: the Wanli Emperor, dressed in ordinary robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun propped his head with one hand, held a book in the other, occasionally lifting the fishing rod beside him to untangle dead branches and rotting leaves caught in the bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he caught nothing, he appeared calm and at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the Wanli Emperor was not truly idle; hearing footsteps behind him, Zhu Yijun knew his moment of solitude was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard early this morning that His Majesty had finished inspecting the Xuzhou water-side granary. When I asked Eunuch Wei, he insisted you hadn’t returned—turns out you were hiding here fishing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman’s voice shattered the mountain stream’s stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun, book in hand, shifted from lying flat to lying on his side, without turning: “Just arrived, just arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying “just arrived” while fishing is like a corrupt official claiming “I just reached out”—it doesn’t count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li stepped forward gracefully and sat beside him on the stone, massaging his shoulders: “Why does His Majesty seem in low spirits? Did you discover some flaw during your inspection of Yongfu and Guangyun Granaries?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor had long spread word he would inspect the water-side granaries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when the inspection came, it ended hastily—truly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun, facing away from Imperial Consort Li, spoke with pointed sarcasm: “What flaw could arise from an inspection announced in advance? Naturally, the granaries are full of rice, governance is smooth, and the people are harmonious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water-side granaries are warehouses built beside rivers or docks, serving both as storage and as transit points for grain transport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this dual function, the stored grain is hard to verify—the grain seen today may well be the grain scheduled for tomorrow’s grain transport—had it not been for this convenience, fires would have broken out long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To confirm whether the storage conditions at Xuzhou’s water-side granary truly match Zhang Zhan’s reports, a proper opportunity must still be seized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the emperor unwilling to elaborate, Imperial Consort Li knew not to press further and changed the subject: “Then perhaps it is the book in your hand that troubles you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun smiled, knowing this was the consort’s way of drawing him out for amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not dampen her mood, agreeing wholeheartedly: “Lu Shen is truly no good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, handing her the book in his hand: Records of the Emperor’s Southern Tour, documenting Shizong’s journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li shifted closer to the emperor and took the book curiously: “Shizong once praised Lu Wenyu for his profound learning and quick wit—how could such a simple diary upset our present emperor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A diary records daily entries—no deep scholarship needed; even a child could write one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Shen, hailed as the literary jewel of Shanghai County in Songjiang Prefecture, had solid scholarship and keen insight—there was no reason for his writing to be so poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun nestled his head against Imperial Consort Li, adjusting his posture: “It’s not that his writing is improper—it’s just that his tone is too refined, too aloof, and it grates on me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he’d been dead for decades; one needn’t spare him courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li flipped through a few pages, puzzled: “Refined? Aloof?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had she not noticed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun scoffed: “As the advance inspector of the southern tour, he was supposed to observe local customs and investigate the people’s conditions—yet the entire record is filled with nonsense like ‘melancholy with nostalgic longing,’ ‘lovely peaks,’ and ‘climbing a pavilion to view Emperor Taizu’s portrait.’ Utterly meaningless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s this but a state-funded vacation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s nothing compared to Shizong’s solitary travels, covering three hundred li a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li sat beside the emperor, reading with delight, yet still soothing him: “Lu Wenyu is already a model of simplicity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, Your Majesty—on the fifteenth of the second month, he ate only one meal; on the seventeenth, exhausted, he rested in a peasant’s home; on the twentieth, he warmed himself with firewood and drank only hot broth; on the twenty-seventh, townsfolk supplied him with noodle soup; on the third of March, he ate bean rice, barely able to swallow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun grimaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Little Li knew which Lu the “Lu” in Lujiazu referred to, she’d never say such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Lu Shen himself was hardly extravagant—even Xu Xiake, with no official rank, could rely on his reputation to have local officials assign porters—let alone a Hanlin academician like Lu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such treatment among scholar-officials was practically living exposed to wind and dew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then finally voiced what truly annoyed him: “I’m annoyed that he treats the common people as if they don’t exist. His entire record, thousands of characters, mentions the people’s condition in just nine words!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li, hearing this, carefully flipped through the pages and finally found the passage on the people’s condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the day Xin-Si of March, we departed at dawn; by noon we passed Yao Dian, where we saw starving peasants kneeling, their cries continuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, only a single line—no vivid imagery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this isn’t Lu Shen’s fault; all diaries and collections were written this way—and if this criticism spread, it would make the emperor seem cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as his intimate companion, Li Baiyang understood the emperor better than the outer court did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She closed the diary and spoke gently: “Your Majesty isn’t annoyed by Lu Wenyu—you’re reminded of what you’ve seen on this southern tour, and your heart is heavy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor’s mood had been off since returning to the imperial lodging the night before; Lu Shen was clearly a victim of guilt by association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun fell silent, then sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let his head sink onto Imperial Consort Li’s lap: “Half and half. The scholar-officials’ aloofness is already tiresome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Collective consciousness holds power; only by seeing these scholar-officials’ haughty demeanor do you realize how rare it is for serving the people to be deemed “correct”—at least, criticizing scholar-officials for being detached from the people won’t be met with accusations of the emperor’s cruelty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the other half, the troubles are many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun sighed repeatedly: “Staying inside the Forbidden City and reading memorials, everything seems prosperous, perfect in every way. But step outside, and nothing’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think ‘starving peasants kneeling, cries continuous’ is just a few words—but when I happened to see it, I couldn’t eat all day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The clerks along the way do nothing but extort: setting up checkpoints to collect taxes, brazenly so—even before Li Rusong, the advance inspector of military readiness, men dared approach and demand bribes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, when we passed Linqu County, did you hear of the Linqu Feng family—a lineage of generations of farmers and scholars?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor, nestled in his consort’s arms, chattered on about what he’d seen on the journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li combed his hair, thought a moment, then replied: “The Feng family of Feng Caixing, the Yuan dynasty’s ten-thousand-household marquis? I heard they once fled to the south, only returning to Linqu after Feng Yu passed the imperial examination and reestablished their lineage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then Feng Yu, Feng Weizhong, Feng Weinai, Feng Zilü—four generations of jinshi, uninterrupted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They endured two dynasties without decline, once celebrated as the nation’s most illustrious clan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a woman of a noble family, she spoke of them with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun chuckled at this—two dynasties? Underestimating them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A family with over a dozen jinshi, with orderly succession—when the Ming falls, they won’t fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Qing, Feng Pu still served as Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall; in the Vice Prefect era, they shrewdly adapted, making Feng Guizeng a general commanding troops—if not for heavenly warnings, they might have lasted even longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun, his view blocked, asked: “Do you know what folk ballads say about the Feng family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t wait for her reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun answered himself, softly reciting: “Only know Linqu has a Grand Secretary—don’t know Beijing has an emperor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk. Had Zhang Fu not pointed out the Feng family and made me visit Linqu myself, I’d never have known how powerful they were—treating local officials like dogs and horses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The balance of power among social classes is hard to grasp from memorials alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talking of great clans means nothing without seeing them firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun pushed his head slightly off her lap to meet her gaze: “Speaking of which, even monks and Daoists still show reverence, always mindful of my dignity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember, six years ago, I made a covenant with monks and Daoists to curb usury?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six years ago, during my inspection of Zhili, I brought usury under the Ministry of Revenue’s supervision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t impose many restrictions—only three rules: register with the Ministry, cap the interest rate, and forbid compounding interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li remembered clearly, nodding: “The Ministry of Revenue argued long with the original Daoist Zhang and Master Hongfa, finally agreeing to a maximum annual interest rate of forty percent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Ming law, private lenders may charge no more than three percent monthly—equivalent to thirty-six percent annually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first glance, this seems higher than the law—but it was a mutual compromise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Ming law was largely symbolic; in practice, folk lenders used the “nine out, thirteen back” scheme, charging up to three hundred percent annually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with the emperor forbidding seizure of homes or livestock and banning compounding interest, monks and Daoists’ income dropped and bad debts rose—they raised rates slightly to offset losses—otherwise, widespread lawbreaking would overwhelm the court’s ability to punish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun clicked his tongue: “That was only in Zhili!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Imperial Consort Li’s puzzled look, he patted his belly: “I asked temple abbots in Jinan—they said the forty percent cap is Zhili’s rule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In Shandong, they give His Majesty only eight-tenths of that respect—the cap is forty-eight percent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yesterday I inquired in Xuzhou—the rate rose to fifty-one percent. The abbot said if they charged less, they might as well risk execution and keep compounding interest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zhu Yijun couldn’t help laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could local officials not know this? This is already them giving His Majesty face—yet the emperor’s face grows less valuable the farther from the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Words are law only in speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li showed no emotional reaction, soothing gently: “Your Majesty’s heavenly authority reaches far—how could you doubt it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps the farther south we go, the more prosperous trade becomes, the denser the population—the rising demand forces localities to adapt, voluntarily easing burdens for Your Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Li was still good at comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed himself up half-sitting: “Those who find me beautiful are partial to me. Had I not learned yesterday that local officials colluded to intercept memorials and block communication, I might have believed your words and thought my imperial authority truly reached everywhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Li finally showed surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She helped him sit up, frowning: “Who dares intercept memorials?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the emperor’s mood worsened the farther south he traveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every three steps, a pit—exhausting for anyone to walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun sighed again: “There’s more than that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hidden dangers of the Yellow River embankment, the fictitious records of grain and canal troops, and official collusion harming colleagues—all were beginning to take shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhu Yijun did not wish to tell the imperial harem too much about the specifics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang glanced at the emperor and saw that the more they talked, the more troubled he became, with no sign of improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, she puffed out her cheeks and grabbed his waist, scratching wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun, caught off guard, was subjected to the tickle torture; he quickly clamped his arms and dodged away: “In broad daylight, under the clear sky, how dare you molest a virtuous woman? What decorum is this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang’s eyes narrowed into slits, and she seized the chance to shift the topic: “By the way, this morning I bought a little cat by the roadside—it hasn’t been named yet. Does His Majesty have any spare interest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she waved to the attendant beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun turned his head, following Li Baiyang’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he notice a tiny black cat, no bigger than a palm, curled up inside the attendant’s hood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun rose and walked behind the attendant, poking gently into the hood, muttering reproachfully: “Didn’t we say we’d find one after reaching Nanjing? Now you’re dragging along an entire household.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang also stood up, lifting the sleeping cat from the hood into her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant then pulled an old scroll from her bosom and explained to the emperor: “Your Majesty, Her Imperial Highness has a keen eye—she instantly recognized that the cloth wrapping the cat was a famous painting, and while the vendor was unaware, she bought it for seven taels of silver along with the cat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun glanced in surprise at Imperial Consort Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang’s face was expressionless, save for a faintly raised chin betraying a hint of pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun felt a strange unease, reached out, and took the scroll, unfurling it against the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The painting depicted a black cat rendered in bold strokes, crouched on all fours, neck drawn in, head raised, gazing intently at a butterfly painted in ink wash, its wings colorful and fluttering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above right, a poem was inscribed: “Spring wanes, the butterfly’s dream cannot form; the warm cat walks full after meals. Though rats roam unchecked, it comes idly to vie with the butterfly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the left, the signature read: Xueju Hong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang leaned in, her voice brimming with delight: “Your Majesty, this is Sun Kehong’s early work, ‘The Painting of Longevity.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Given Sun Kehong’s current stature as a painter, this piece would be worth at least fifty taels today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t really about value—the cat-and-butterfly motif itself carried the auspicious meaning of “mao die,” wishing for longevity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their southern tour would soon reach Yangzhou; she could present it to her grandfather, Li Chunfang, during her ancestral visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfect omen, indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun quietly closed the scroll, his expression one of reluctant pity: “Sister, I must tell you—this ‘Painting of Longevity’ is a forgery. You’ve been deceived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang blinked, snatched the scroll back, and examined it closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, she looked at the emperor skeptically: “Does Your Majesty understand painting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun nodded calmly: “No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang opened her mouth to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun cut her off: “Last year, Xu Jie turned eighty. Sun Kehong personally sent him a copy of ‘The Painting of Longevity’ as a birthday gift. I saw it at Xu Jie’s residence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spread his hands, delivering his final verdict: “Therefore, Xu Jie’s is the original. Yours is surely a fake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A classic trick of the underworld—they target self-proclaimed connoisseurs with fakes, using the cat as mere bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang slowly understood, her face flushing like a quail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her raised chin sank; she mumbled: “I’ll have Wei Chao go retrieve the money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think the seller will just wait there for you to show up?” Zhu Yijun laughed, pulling her hand. Anyone who’d seen how the underworld rigged art scams knew: whether a painting was forged or not, even the artist’s word didn’t settle it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t mobilize state power over something this trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun patted Li Baiyang’s head, offering mild comfort: “Just think of the cat as priceless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the fishing rod twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun seized it with both hands, fearing a giant would drag it into the stream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A graceful arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small fish, two fingers long, lay flopping on the stone slab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun rolled his eyes, reached into Li Baiyang’s arms, plucked up the cat, and bent down to place it before the fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang crouched beside him, cheeks puffed: “Has Your Majesty decided on a name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the cat showed no interest in raw food, Zhu Yijun tossed the fish back into the stream: “Call it Mipa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial clan names for cats were always elegant—Qingshuang, Baixue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had it come to this, from literary patriarch to this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hesitated: “Your Majesty… perhaps think of another?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun chuckled, wiping water from his hand onto Li Baiyang’s face: “Names are for people to call.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you name it Mipa, you’ll spend your days calling ‘Mipa, Mipa’—I’ll hear it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun paused, then pinched her cheek: “Adorable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baby fat always felt good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang’s face flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She finally slapped his hand away, scolding: “In broad daylight, under the clear sky, how dare you molest a virtuous woman!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two crouched by the stream, whispering, hands moving, teasing back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An untimely cough came from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sprang to their feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Baiyang shoved the cat back into her bosom; Zhu Yijun turned as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, beneath the trees nearby, stood a line of court officials, backs turned, eyes lowered, noses straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Chao stepped forward, throat tight, and whispered: “Your Majesty, Director of River Management Pan Jixun, Director of Grain Transport Hu Zhili, Vice Censor-in-Chief Chen Wude, Vice Minister of Works Wan Gong, Provincial Governor of Henan Deng Yizan, Acting Secretary of the Southern Capital Secretariat Sun Jigao, and Acting Secretary of the Southern Capital Secretariat Gu Assistant County Magistrate request an audience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun glanced at the grove, surprised so many had gathered in such a short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his hand: “There’s no room here. Return to the main hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There truly was no room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Jixun and Hu Zhili had arrived via the Grand Canal from Huai’an last night; Deng Yizan, summoned from Henan, arrived only this morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All three were uncertain of the reason and looked uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate had been dispatched by Vice Minister of Rites He Luowen from Nanjing to report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Luowen’s prior mission to Nanjing to monitor the “Rouke” elements was no secret in the central court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, as they returned to the Buddhist hall, the emperor signaled the senior officials to listen, and first called out Gu Assistant County Magistrate’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gu Qing, you’ve been in Sichuan for only six years, yet you look ten years older. Is the land and water disagreeing with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor walked ahead on the blue stone path, granting Gu Assistant County Magistrate permission to walk beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate had spent six years in grassroots service, rising under Hai Rui from county magistrate to assistant provincial administrator—his demeanor had grown far more grounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When first met in the capital, he had been refined, open, and otherworldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now in his early thirties, his brow bore deep creases, his lips etched by wind and frost, shaped by hardship into an ordinary mortal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate smiled bitterly: “Your Majesty’s concern humbles me. It’s not the land or water—it’s merely the difficulty of governance, and my own inadequacy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun patted Gu Assistant County Magistrate’s shoulder, reassured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blue robe stained with frost, a leather belt bound with dust—better than empty talk of benevolence and morality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The juren of Wanli 2 were the first batch sent to the provinces, the unlucky ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Jigao, tested for talent; Gu Assistant County Magistrate, tempered in character—both had turned out well; Yu Menglin had fine prose but lacked ability—he’s now prefect of Huizhou, still being ground down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Sancai, tested on political stance; Li Kun, trialing rural governance models—still untested, their results unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun shook off his brief reverie and returned to the matter at hand: “How is the situation in Nanjing’s ministries?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless threads, none could be neglected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had not forgotten the main purpose of this southern tour still lay in Jiangnan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate, no longer eager to show off, reported succinctly: “After Vice Minister He took over the Nanjing Tongzheng Office, public debate shifted beneath the surface.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It still centers on unfair taxation between north and south, unequal examination quotas, land surveys and household registration seen as draining the south for the north…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ministry officials watch coldly; clerks and runners stir the waters; merchants and landowners are incited; workers and students gather frequently to protest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s said Governor Wang Jiaoping has been severely affected—his new policies advance with great difficulty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Currently, the surface is controlled, but the undercurrents grow stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun listened silently, his face unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the constant rubbing of his thumb and palm betrayed inner unrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate pulled two scrolls from his sleeve: “These are the memorials Vice Minister He ordered me to submit to Your Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One lists officials in Nanjing’s ministries with Rouke leanings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other cross-references Zhang Fu’s list of those resisting land surveys, isolating those who appear on both.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What should be done with them, Your Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun took the scrolls, scanning them briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials with Rouke leanings must be distinguished from those who had already committed Rouke offenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought a moment, then gave no drastic order, only instructed: “Keep their posts, but remove them from new policy work until after the Wugong Mountain meeting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate exhaled in relief and promptly replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finished speaking of this matter, he hesitated for a moment, then spoke again: “Your Majesty, Vice Minister He is deeply concerned about the rumors stirring the common people; he has discussed this with me, and we all believe that merely sealing the news bureaus and removing officials with soft-acceptance tendencies can only be like pouring hot water over boiling soup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You have very limited control over industries that have reached scale, let alone this high-end industry rooted in the scholar-gentry class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun did not beat around the bush but asked directly: “Gu Qing, you are from Wuxi—do you have any insight to offer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Donglin Party generally favors empty moralizing and has taken a wrong path, it cannot be denied that some scholars genuinely possess a sense of loyalty to country and family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Gu Assistant County Magistrate’s revised perspective holds considerable reference value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate, startled by the Emperor’s courtesy, hurriedly replied: “Your servant possesses meager talent and dares not accept such praise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My humble thought is that the scholar-gentry class always has public discourse; if we remain silent, we will inevitably be swept up by external rumors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rather than allowing them to ignite fires everywhere, we should raise our voices and correct the public’s perception!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun could not help but smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he is the leader of the Donglin Party—his sensitivity to public opinion is unquestionable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded: “Continue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate took a breath and proceeded calmly: “I believe we should trace the origins of the north-south conflict.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the Southern Migration after Yongjia, the north-south divide has gradually become a prominent scholarly theme.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet since the Three Dynasties, the mainstream of the empire has always been the east-west rivalry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After Zhou overthrew Shang, they divided rule along the Shan River—during King Cheng’s reign, Duke Zhao governed the Three Excellencies; west of Shan, Duke Zhao presided; east of Shan, Duke Zhou presided.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether it was the standoff between the pre-Qin states of Shandong or the subsequent Chu-Han contention, all continued the pattern of east-west opposition—the Chu River and Han Boundary fully reveal its essence…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, Zhu Yijun suddenly raised his hand to interrupt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop, stop, stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate looked up, bewildered and at a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun rubbed his temples: “You mean we should trace from the Three Dynasties to the Southern Migration after Yongjia—in the newspapers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Explain how regional opposition evolved from a geographical issue into a political and cultural one, aiming to dissolve the emotional roots of north-south division and shift toward rational discussion of state governance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate, as if finding a kindred spirit, nodded vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhu Yijun looked utterly speechless, turning to Wei Chao: “Wei Daban, Gu Qing just rattled off a whole string—did you understand any of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Chao glanced at the Emperor, then at Gu Assistant County Magistrate, and scratched his head apologetically: “Your servant is dull-witted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun then sighed at Gu Assistant County Magistrate, speaking with solemn gravity: “Let me make this clear, Gu Qing—public opinion in the marketplace is not like our old scholarly debates, where everyone was a great Confucian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among the common people, simple, humorous jests have always been far more incendiary than lengthy, rigorous arguments.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what the people said when my vanguard officer helped an elderly man return to Xuzhou the other day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The onlookers said: Don’t think just because northerners are tall and strong, they have the right to pity southerners—believe in the strength of southerners.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the vanguard officer stepped back, the onlookers said: Northerners are always like this—cold-hearted, standing idly by, unlike the kind and delicate southerners.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun spread his hands: “Gu Qing, can your lengthy treatise be more understandable than that? Can your dry, citation-heavy arguments be more shareable than their witty remarks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he did not know what “cognitive cost” or “entertainment value” meant, he immediately grasped the Emperor’s point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Debating a Confucian viewpoint with fellow scholars” and “mass-promoting an idea to the common people” were entirely different concepts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep familiarity with the scholar-gentry system did not necessarily translate to adaptability in popular public opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Gu Assistant County Magistrate bowed humbly, deeply ashamed: “Your Majesty’s instruction has enlightened me like nectar poured upon my crown!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun waved his hand: “Your approach is sound—go back and think of concrete methods. Report to me again when I reach Nanjing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The high ground of public opinion must indeed be seized—it is complementary to the court’s campaign against soft-acceptance, forming two interlinked fronts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many tangled threads, it was simplest to hand them all over to He Luowen, Gu Assistant County Magistrate, and the other vanguard officials for preliminary study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Assistant County Magistrate did not know the Emperor placed great hope in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the Emperor end his guidance, he bowed deeply and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dismissing Gu Assistant County Magistrate, the Emperor and the others returned to Xinghua Chan Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xinghua Temple had six courtyards and over a hundred halls and pavilions; Zhu Yijun chose a large hall and summoned Pan Jixun, Director of River Management; Hu Zhili, Director-General of Grain Transport; Chen Wude, Vice Censor-in-Chief; Wan Gong, Vice Minister of Works; Deng Yizan, Provincial Governor of Henan; and Sun Jigao, Acting Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat—all into the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had they taken their places than the Emperor swept his sleeve and spoke sharply: “I have no time for idle talk. Along my inspection route, I’ve found serious problems in Xuzhou—officialdom, grain transport, grain storage, and construction are all leaking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Especially since Xuzhou lies at the confluence of the Yellow River and the Grand Canal, it is vital to the empire’s lifeline; I dared not act rashly before clarifying the situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hence I summoned you all to share my burdens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ministers exchanged uneasy glances, anxiety quickly spreading across their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Wude, Vice Censor-in-Chief, had the toughest disposition; he stepped forward first and picked up the Emperor’s thread: “Your Majesty, please clarify—what exactly do you mean by ‘serious problems’ and ‘everywhere leaking’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he finished than Wei Chao, without waiting for a signal, stepped forward with a copied copy of Zhang Zhan’s memorial and distributed it to each minister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the ministers read the memorial, Zhu Yijun’s face darkened: “These are all from the memorial of a River Management Assistant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It states: the two capitals are established side by side; Huai, Xu, Lin, and De are the true throat of north and south. Since the long-standing grain transport system, Lin and De still maintain annual reserves, yet Xuzhou’s two granaries hold not a single grain—please decree that when Shandong and Henan have full harvests, all grain must be delivered directly to the granaries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin and De granaries held five hundred thousand shi of rice; Xuzhou’s water-side granaries were already empty. That such news was so easily revealed by Zhang Zhan suggests it may be an open secret within Xuzhou’s river and transport system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why Zhu Yijun believed it immediately…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For two hundred years of the dynasty, Xuzhou delivered three million shi of grain to the capital; by the thirtieth year of Wanli, it had dropped to only one million three hundred thousand shi—could this be without cause?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another memorial states: since Jiajing, floods have repeatedly struck the Xuzhou stretch; to prepare for disasters, the court has stored fifty-four thousand two hundred fourteen shi of wheat and rice, and thirty-two thousand three hundred sixteen shi of beans in Guangyun Granary every three years—but when relief comes, only rotten grain and spoiled rice are found.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It also says: in the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu, the quota for military colonies and garrison troops in Xuzhou was two thousand one hundred sixty-seven shi annually; now, under our reign, it has surged to ten thousand two hundred seventeen shi, yet the number of grain transport soldiers has decreased, forcing them to scour local villages for civilian laborers to escort grain—how many transport soldiers and workers are now drawing empty rations from Your Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It further says: the water-side granaries are completely empty; conscripted laborers have no food or provisions, fleeing in disarray; river officials turn a blind eye, performing perfunctory dike repairs—resulting in nineteen dikes, including Feiyun Bridge, Jingshan, Chacheng, and Lijian, riddled with ant holes and on the verge of collapse!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and where did the dozen or so shipments of cement I ordered from the Ministry of Works go? Why has the Peixian river section never received any?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even more baffling: these memorials, meant for the imperial desk, were never received by the Tongzheng Office—and just days ago, Assistant Zhang met an untimely death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say the two rivers have a minor breach every three days and a major one every five—now I see why.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Central River Water Office, Xuzhou Water-Side Granary, Prefect of Xuzhou, Imperial Eunuch in Charge of Xuzhou River Transport, Yellow River Xuzhou Director, River Transport Inspector, Imperial Commissioner for Grain Transport and Regional Defense Commander, Assistant Regional Commander of Grain Transport, Henan River Affairs Deputy Prefect, Xuzhou River Affairs—and over a hundred river clerks—are they all blind, or have they all rotted away!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I read the Xuzhou Gazetteer yesterday—do you know how it describes the people of Xuzhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The people along the Xuzhou banks suffer most from floods; originally famed for their thriving population and abundant food and clothing, they now live in peace and song—but… when great disasters strike, they die or flee without count; along the riverbanks, one household every ten li, one village every hundred li—dogs no longer bark.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die or flee without count—dogs no longer bark!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this decay continues, the Grand Canal may be abandoned—fine, we can shift to sea routes—but are you not afraid of another Yellow River flood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A century of river management will come to ruin in a single stroke—then the common people will weep blood, and the masses will hang upside down!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s face grew darker, his voice nearly grinding with rage: “Gentlemen, don’t blame me for speaking plainly beforehand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Yellow River rises, heads will roll!”\u003C\u002Fp>",5405,"2026-06-20T16:31:35.124Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ffabc6ce1989100b6bf96ff550aa34ade7cead4c736d249d714a9f6e998aa7ec","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-361","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-359",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwanli-the-enlightened-emperor-cover.jpg"]