Chapter 39: Occupying the Center, Each Showing Their Skills

Censor Tang Lian was a Presented Scholar from the 41st year of Jiajing; he hadn't made it into the Hanlin Academy and was sent down to the local level, serving as a County Magistrate in Baodi.

While in office, he repaired the city walls and dredged the moats; because of his merit in defending the city, he caught Gao Gong's eye, which was why he was promoted to a Director in the Ministry of Works and then changed to a Hai Yushi.

This was the most typical patron-protégé relationship in the officialdom.

Every time Gao Gong was impeached and submitted a memorial for retirement as per custom, Tang Lian would join other Gao Gong students and old acquaintances to beg for the Senior Grand Secretary to stay.

It was this kind of character who was now kneeling and wailing, wanting to distance himself from Gao Gong!

To the point of being able to say things like "Gao Gong is insane."

This was not hesitating to be a fickle villain, not even wanting his reputation in the scholar circles!

The court officials who hadn't read the memorial were even more panicked; what exactly was Gao Gong memorializing about that even such die-hard allies were abandoning him!

Zhu Yijun looked at Tang Lian: "Tang Lian, I asked you ministers to discuss business, not to attack your colleagues."

"The Senior Grand Secretary is venerable and respected, and he is a minister left behind by the late Emperor to assist in governance. How can you disparage him at will!"

Although Gao Gong had truly shocked him.

It wasn't enough to make him lose his reason.

This matter could be big or small.

To put it lightly, it was just a moment of anxiety and lack of thorough consideration.

To put it heavily, it was rebellion!

The latter was overturning the table; until the very last moment, how could he bear to let Zhu Xizhong raise the butcher's knife?

This concerned the stability of the court situation and must not be spoken of recklessly.

Just like this Tang Lian who spoke without thinking; if Gao Gong was insane, then what was the late Emperor who heavily used him? And what was the new Emperor who was being assisted?

Struggles had winners and losers, but if even words like "insane" were pinned on someone, the situation would easily spiral out of control—unless he had truly arranged five hundred ax-wielding men in this side hall, otherwise Gao Gong could not be insane.

After the ceremonial official scolded Tang Lian and had him leave the court, all the officials had finished reading Gao Gong's memorial.

During this time, the Minister of Justice, old and weak, couldn't bear standing for long and fainted.

Everyone tried to save him; his physical reactions were all fine, but his eyes wouldn't open.

This made those Gao Gong partisans even more panicked and at a loss.

Zhu Yijun saw everything in his eyes.

Was Gao Gong's memorial that powerful? Naturally, it was.

What were the so-called "Five Urgent Matters of the New Policy"?

Simply put, first, when attending court, all memorials from various offices must be answered by the Emperor in his own voice, so there would be no role for the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Second, after the Emperor returns to the palace from court, he must personally handle the memorials, meaning the two palaces cannot interfere in the memorials.

Third, all matters must be reported in person. If the Emperor is in the palace? When encountering urgent and important matters, allow ministers to request an audience at any time, and no one is allowed to block them.

Fourth, the Emperor's imperial edicts must be agreed upon by the Grand Secretariat before they can be implemented.

Fifth, they cannot be kept in the palace without being issued; if he is stubborn? Then the third item is tailor-made, so don't blame him for being dragged out in the middle of the night.

Any one of these could cause a huge uproar in the court.

Not to mention submitting all five matters together.

Being able to force Feng Bao and Zhu Yijun to stand on the same front, the pressure was imaginable.

Zhu Yijun actually wanted to agree to part of it.

For example, abolishing the Directorate of Ceremonial, which would just happen to help him clear out Feng Bao; if he was too busy later, he could just restore it.

But the rest... he could only shake his head.

The second item seemed to be for the Emperor's benefit, but don't forget that the ruler is young and the country is suspicious.

Once the Empress Dowager is excluded, leaving him alone to face the Grand Secretariat, it wouldn't be fun.

The last three items made people suspect that Gao Gong's brain was muddled.

Without the Grand Secretariat's agreement, imperial edicts can't leave the Forbidden City; then are you the Emperor, or am I the Emperor?

And wanting to report at any time; if I can be dragged out in the middle of the night while sleeping, then why should I be the Emperor?

Zhu Yijun looked at Lu Diaoyang: "Regarding what the Senior Grand Secretary memorialized, Lu Qing, what do you think?"

He naturally understood why Feng Bao had pushed him out to take the lead.

It was best to press this memorial of Gao Gong back during the court session!

Otherwise, once it reached the palace, the people submitting memorials wouldn't be as easy to manage as the twenty-some mouths at the court session.

From local governors to provincial administration commissioners, there were Gao Gong's students and old acquaintances everywhere.

If it really caused a huge uproar, it wouldn't be so simple to lightly bat this memorial back.

Therefore, he had to come forward and cut this matter off at the court session.

This was probably one of the countermeasures Feng Bao and Lu Diaoyang had discussed yesterday.

He also tacitly took the bait and asked Lu Diaoyang what he thought first.

Lu Diaoyang had a draft long ago and bowed: "Regarding this, this minister thinks otherwise."

"His Majesty's dragon body has not yet developed; not only must he study diligently and attend daily lectures, but he must also attend court, and after the mourning period ends, he must also learn imperial archery and military affairs."

"The Senior Grand Secretary is blindly encouraging growth; with answering in his own voice, handling memorials, and requesting audiences at any time, this minister thinks it is absolutely not advisable!"

This attitude was very clear.

The Emperor was young and still growing; handling so many things, he simply couldn't manage it all.

Gao Gong's memorial clearly had ulterior motives!

Zhu Yijun nodded and looked at Wang Guoguang: "Wang Qing, what do you think?"

The order he chose was naturally calculated.

First, point out all the people who opposed it.

Not to mention the herd mentality, just the fact that one after another opposed it, the psychological pressure alone would be enough to force the hesitant ones to bow their heads.

Wang Guoguang bowed: "This minister also thinks otherwise."

"Just this sentence, 'After the Emperor has reviewed it, issue it to the Grand Secretariat for drafting and presentation; if it is appropriate, then issue it,' is truly inappropriate."

"According to the customs of the dynasty, it is not the case that all memorials must be issued to the Grand Secretariat for drafting before they can be issued."

"For example, appointments in the inner court have never gone through the court session; otherwise, why wasn't Li Jin's appointment as Commander of the Eastern Depot discussed by the Grand Secretariat yesterday?"

These words were both speaking for the Emperor and reminding the Emperor that this was a real erosion of power.

He was afraid the Emperor was too young to understand the implications.

Zhu Yijun smiled and turned to look at Feng Bao: "Chief Eunuch Feng, what Wang Qing said seems to make some sense; what do you think?"

Feng Bao was expressionless: "Your Majesty, since the Senior Grand Secretary doesn't need the Directorate of Ceremonial to approve, why not just request the seal directly?"

These words were truly heart-piercing.

You in the Grand Secretariat want the power to propose, the power to veto, and the Emperor's edicts must be heard by the Grand Secretariat, so why don't you just take the imperial seal as well?

Zhu Yijun didn't take the bait and continued to point to them one by one: "Yang Qing, what do you think?"

Yang Bo hurriedly said: "The meaning of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager is the meaning of our Ministry of War."

This old slippery fish.

Zhu Yijun didn't ask Gao Gong's students and old acquaintances at all, leaving people like Ge Shouli, Han Ji, and Luo Zun aside.

After forcing all the people who could be asked to express their stance, only Gao Gong's people were left in the court.

Fortunately, it was close to half.

Zhu Yijun skipped over some people and said to himself: "Half of the court officials do not approve of this memorial of the Senior Grand Secretary, so there is no need to discuss it further."

"Might as well let the Senior Grand Secretary go back and polish and modify it."

By the time it was polished and modified, the memorial for Gao Gong's retirement would already have the vermilion approval.

Lu Diaoyang immediately knelt: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Wang Guoguang, Yang Bo, Zhang Siwei, and others followed suit, kneeling to receive the imperial decree.

Zhu Heng and others were a beat slow, but also hurriedly echoed.

At this time, everyone's peripheral vision turned to Ge Shouli.

Seeing Ge Shouli stunned for a moment, he finally knelt to receive the order.

The officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Even Zhu Yijun and Feng Bao on the imperial steps couldn't help but look at each other and let out a long breath.

Just when the two were relaxing.

Suddenly.

The eunuch who had been sent by Feng Bao to fetch Gao Gong's retirement memorial turned in from the side hall with a panicked expression.

Zhu Yijun saw this scene, and his heart skipped a beat.

He saw the eunuch whisper a few words in Feng Bao's ear.

Feng Bao's expression changed drastically: "What!?"

And then, disregarding etiquette, he turned and walked down the imperial steps.

Dragging the little eunuch, he left the regular court session from the side!

Feng Bao could leave, but Zhu Yijun couldn't just walk away so casually.

He sat quietly until the court session ended.

It wasn't a military coup; there was no need to race against time.

A ruler, when facing major events, must have stillness; this was also an important quality.

The court session ended, the officials dispersed, and Zhu Yijun only called Lu Diaoyang to stay.

The two walked out of the Wenhua Hall one after the other.

Zhu Yijun asked first: "Lu Qing, is there nothing you want to teach me?"

Lu Diaoyang played Tai Chi: "If Your Majesty has doubts, this minister knows everything and will speak."

Zhu Yijun wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush with him.

He waved his hand and asked directly: "What does Lu Qing think of the Senior Grand Secretary's memorial?"

Lu Diaoyang hesitated: "Your Majesty, this minister has already answered at the court session..."

Zhu Yijun stopped his steps and turned his head abruptly.

His eyes fixed on Lu Diaoyang, and he said word by word: "Lu Qing, this matter is of great importance; do not speak falsely to me."

Lu Diaoyang couldn't dodge, so he had to sigh and say helplessly: "Since Your Majesty knows, why must you force this minister?"

These words were already a complaint.

Lu Diaoyang was truly afraid of saying the wrong thing again.

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "The Senior Grand Secretary is forcing me, and the two Grand Secretaries are not here; I can only trust Lu Qing."

Having said that, he seemed listless.

Without waiting for Lu Diaoyang to answer, he lifted his feet and continued walking forward.

Lu Diaoyang looked at the Emperor's helpless back, feeling inexplicably at a loss.

He paused for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and hurried to catch up.

Walking to the Emperor's side, he whispered: "Your Majesty, the Senior Grand Secretary's move is to abolish the Directorate of Ceremonial! To block the two palaces! Even to restrict Your Majesty!"

"It violates the way of a minister; this minister absolutely cannot tolerate it!"

Zhu Yijun then slowed his pace, waiting for Lu Diaoyang to catch up.

He turned his head to look at Lu Diaoyang and said lonely: "Lu Qing, why does the Senior Grand Secretary treat me this way?"

Lu Diaoyang was silent.

Between the two's question and answer, Zhang Hong ran over from afar.

Zhang Hong arrived, but didn't speak directly.

He just looked at Lu Diaoyang and then consulted Zhu Yijun with his eyes.

Zhu Yijun was displeased: "Lu Qing is a pillar of the state; saying it to me is saying it to Lu Qing, why be secretive? Report it."

Zhang Hong bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, there was a bit of a disturbance at the Office of Transmission just now."

"Chief Eunuch Feng's people went to fetch the memorial, but the Office of Transmission said the memorial had already been taken by the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"The two sides argued."

Zhu Yijun heard this, took a deep breath, and avoided showing his emotions.

He rubbed his brow, appearing to have a headache.

Lu Diaoyang couldn't help but ask directly: "Didn't Chief Eunuch Feng go? Was there a result?"

Zhang Hong glanced at the Emperor, and seeing no opposition, he felt confident.

He nodded to Lu Diaoyang and replied: "Chief Eunuch Feng went back to the Directorate of Ceremonial for this matter, so naturally, he found out."

"It was the eunuch on duty who took the memorial."

Lu Diaoyang was startled: "Where is the memorial?"

Zhu Yijun suddenly raised his hand, interrupting the two.

His expression was strange, and he muttered: "The memorial... it was sent to the Cixi Palace, right?"

Lu Diaoyang reacted!

He was horrified!

He looked at Zhang Hong, hoping to get an answer from him.

In Lu Diaoyang's horrified eyes, Zhang Hong nodded slowly: "Yes, the eunuch on duty presented the memorial to Empress Dowager Chen."

Zhu Yijun nodded.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

The clouds cleared, and the truth was revealed.

So that was it; everything made sense.

Although he was half a step slow, he finally understood what Gao Gong's reliance was and finally realized what Gao Gong's plan was.

No wonder.

No wonder Gao Gong dared to submit this "Memorial on the Five Urgent Matters of the New Policy."

No wonder he had a close relationship with Chen Hong; when Gao Gong impeached Feng Bao, Chen Hong had secretly submitted a memorial for him.

No wonder Gao Gong dared to recklessly reject Empress Dowager Li's imperial edicts.

No wonder Gao Gong dared to promise Wang Chonggu a position in the Grand Secretariat and didn't care at all about the Emperor's right to education.

No wonder he had previously discovered that the two palaces were not on good terms.

And no wonder that after he transmigrated, the first time he went to see Empress Chen, he was shut out.

One by one, they were all actors.

He suddenly understood why Empress Dowager Li had such contradictory behavior in history.

If she felt Gao Gong was monopolizing power and had to dismiss him, then why was Zhang Juzheng, who came later, even worse, and why could she let him be?

She had driven Gao Gong away, yet let Zhang Juzheng serve as Senior Grand Secretary, head the Ministry of Personnel, be the Emperor's teacher, and be granted the title of Pillar of the State.

This was a completely upgraded version of Gao Gong; why could she tolerate it?

Even if Feng Bao put in a good word, she should have been somewhat vigilant.

So, the root was here...

He suddenly connected it: after Gao Gong was dismissed in history, the first thing Zhang Juzheng did was to add the same title to the two palaces, erasing Empress Dowager Li's last bit of weakness and putting Empress Dowager Li on equal footing with Empress Dowager Chen.

He suddenly understood why Feng Bao bullied the Wanli Emperor so much, to the point that the Emperor angrily evaluated him as "deceiving the monarch and harming the country, with grievous sins," yet he wasn't executed, but protected by Empress Dowager Li and only sent to the Southern Zhili residence.

Zhu Yijun had forgotten these details.

Now that he connected them, he suddenly remembered these details.

He even remembered that before Gao Gong was dismissed, this "Memorial on the Five Urgent Matters of the New Policy," whose content he didn't remember, had clearly passed!

That sentence, "Entered on the fourth day, reported: 'Reviewed the memorial of you ministers; it is very beneficial to the new policy, showing loyalty, all follow the draft,'" lingered before his eyes and wouldn't go away.

Who passed it?

The Emperor and Empress Dowager Li would definitely not pass this memorial; who else could it be? It went without saying.

Zhu Yijun finally saw the light.

The fog of history was half-hidden.

The records of the Veritable Records were covering up the truth.

They had truly hidden a huge surprise for him!

After everything was understood, he suddenly smiled; who said this Senior Grand Secretary wasn't good at power struggles?

Zhu Yijun looked at Lu Diaoyang: "Lu Qing, why not go back to the Ministry of Rites and see? If I'm not wrong, the Senior Grand Secretary should be at the Ministry of Rites this morning."

Lu Diaoyang was still lost in thought.

Hearing this, he looked up and said blankly: "Your Majesty means...?"

Zhu Yijun shook his head and didn't answer.

He just stood by the roadside, waiting quietly.

Before long.

Jiang Keqian appeared in the distance and ran over.

Zhu Yijun said to Lu Diaoyang: "Lu Qing, I'll make a bet with you; if the Senior Grand Secretary was at the Ministry of Rites this morning, you will enter the Grand Secretariat to assist in government and help me push through the new policy, how about that?"

Lu Diaoyang heard this, and his mind was in chaos.

Just as he was about to answer, he saw the Emperor not giving him a chance to speak at all, heading toward Jiang Keqian.

Lu Diaoyang's brain was still buzzing, and he followed subconsciously.

Just as he got close, he heard the Emperor say: "Is it the Senior Grand Secretary's matter?"

Jiang Keqian only had time to take a few deep breaths and said urgently: "The Senior Grand Secretary was at the Ministry of Rites this morning and decided on the titles for the two palaces!"

Lu Diaoyang's heart shook!

Combined with the memorial being taken away just now, he finally understood what it meant!

Holding onto a last shred of hope, he asked: "What titles were decided for the two palaces!?"

Jiang Keqian was a man of action.

He couldn't remember these things, so he copied them on a slip of paper.

Being asked now, he took the slip from his sleeve and presented it.

Lu Diaoyang looked at the Emperor, only to see the Emperor wave his hand casually.

Only then did he carefully take it.

Scanning it once, he gasped and muttered: "Titles for the two palaces: 'Looking back at the old records, only Emperor Xianzong honored his mother, the Empress, as Empress Dowager Ciyi, and his birth mother, the Imperial Noble Consort, as Empress Dowager.'"

"'Today's matter is exactly the same; therefore, honor the Emperor's mother, the Empress, as Empress Dowager Rensheng.'"

"'Honor the Emperor's birth mother, the Empress Dowager, as... Empress Dowager.'"

After reading the sentence, he suddenly stumbled two steps, his hands suddenly weak, letting the slip of paper flutter to the ground.

Zhang Hong, on the side, had sharp eyes and hurriedly supported Lu Diaoyang.

Lu Diaoyang came to his senses, looked at the Emperor, and said bitterly: "This minister will return to the Ministry of Rites immediately! And intercept the Ministry of Rites' memorial!"

Zhu Yijun nodded: "Chief Eunuch Zhang, send Lu Qing off for me."

He watched Lu Diaoyang walk away.

He slowly bent down and picked up the slip of paper.

He naturally knew in his heart that it was too late for Lu Diaoyang to go back now.

Gao Gong used the "Memorial on the Five Urgent Matters" at the court session to force them to respond.

It was just to take advantage of Lu Diaoyang's absence to run to the Ministry of Rites for a departmental discussion and decide on the titles for the two palaces with the Vice Ministers and Libationers.

Then, taking advantage of the time when he was the only one on duty in the Grand Secretariat, he passed the draft.

By now, the memorial had probably already been sent to Empress Dowager Chen.

Don't look at the difference of just two characters.

This was status, this was righteousness, this was the vessel of authority.

A difference of two characters immediately determined who was superior!

If these two characters were truly settled, Empress Dowager Li would have no room to fight back against Empress Dowager Rensheng.

Gao Gong had Empress Dowager Chen's support, almost a replica of Empress Dowager Li and Zhang Juzheng.

Even a step further! Zhang Juzheng still had to look at Feng Bao's face when doing things!

If Gao Gong truly took the power of the Directorate of Ceremonial and brought it under the Grand Secretariat, and then exercised imperial power through Empress Dowager Chen.

Everyone would be pressed by Gao Gong until they couldn't breathe!

Zhu Yijun even doubted if his identity was some kind of innate suppressed holy body.

A minor Emperor, if not careful, would be labeled unfilial.

His own mother was fine, but if a wild mother who wasn't on the same page came, what could he use to fight Gao Gong?

Gao Gong!

What a Gao Gong!

The heroes of this world were truly like crucian carp crossing the river!

Zhu Yijun tucked the slip of paper into his bosom, noting this lesson—the half-hidden nature of history books had finally made him suffer.

He looked at Jiang Keqian: "Go, tell Chen Mingyan to come see me at the Qianqing Palace tonight."

"I will go see the future 'Empress Dowager Rensheng' first."

Gao Gong's move was indeed amazing, and he was indeed amazed.

But he hadn't forgotten that Gao Gong was eventually dismissed in history.

This game wasn't over yet!