[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor":3,"chapter-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-57":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},2321879,4542,"Chapter 57: Throwing a Stone to Test the Waters, Burdened with Doubts","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-57",57,"\u003Cp>Beijing, October 29, morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding and Shen Shixing arrived early at the mutton soup stall and took their usual seats for breakfast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They chatted idly, exchanging half-hearted remarks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding glanced at Shen Shixing’s official robe and said with no small envy: “We three were in the same imperial examination cohort—you and Yuan Yu have both donned the third-rank crimson robes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the new emperor’s ascension, a new sovereign brings new ministers: Shen Shixing became Vice Minister of Personnel, and Wang Xijue was appointed Vice Minister of Justice for Nan Zhili.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding looked at his own humble fifth-rank subordinate robe—the pale blue of the Office of Book Editing—and couldn’t help feeling bitter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing shook his head: “Chongzhong, you’re too close to see clearly. Your name is already etched in the Emperor’s heart—he’s surely saving you for something better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding blinked, doubting himself: “Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing smiled: “Look at your batch of Daily Lecturers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Set aside Gao GeLao and Zhang Minister—Ma Ziqiang became Vice Minister of Rites, Tao Dalin was promoted to Director of the National Academy, even that quiet fellow Chen Dong was elevated to Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and is soon to join Hai Gangfeng in the Huai region for merit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could you, the Imperial Probing Flower personally favored by His Majesty, be left behind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding paused—he realized it might indeed be true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still worried Shen Shixing was just soothing him, and his anxiety deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing let him stew in his thoughts and leisurely sipped his mutton soup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much thought, Yu Youding gave up and shook his head, dropping the matter to speak of something else: “Speaking of Chen Dong, after returning from Huaijiang with Hai Gangfeng, a few more years of scrutiny may well put him in the Nine Ministers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Dong is now Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; if he succeeds in Huaijiang, a Chief Justice position won’t be far off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing recalled yesterday’s palace rumor, his eyes flickering with longing: “His Majesty is serious this time. Word is he’s mobilized the Capital Garrison, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Director of Grain Transport, the Regional Commander of Grain Transport—even the newly appointed Nanjing Garrison Eunuch has been dispatched with the Imperial Stable Guard to quell unrest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such favor alone is enough to stir the heart—who knows what fortune Chen Dong has to bask in Hai Rui’s glory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged glances, and Yu Youding sighed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone says this Emperor is virtuous and benevolent, kind to ministers—why won’t his grace extend to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, shouts rang out from the street outside the soup stall: “Newspaper! Newspaper!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Latest issue of the Daily-Monthly Morning Report!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exclusive from the Tongzheng Office—His Majesty’s reflections from the Daily Lectures!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing raised his hand, signaling the boy to come closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled several copper coins from his sleeve: “Young fellow, give me two copies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He handed over the coins and received the papers with practiced ease, then passed one to Yu Youding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing wasn’t buying this paper for the first time—any official with even a whiff of political sense wouldn’t miss it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Ding’an Bo headed to Songjiang, court factions have been purged and replaced by the loyalists of today’s senior ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a few remnants of former disciples remain; among the Nine Ministers, only two are left: Ge Shouli, Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and He Yongqing, Right Secretary of the Tongzheng Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Gao Gong’s protection, how could they still stand? Everyone knows who’s shielding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it’s clear He Yongqing is someone’s man, it’s obvious who’s behind this paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Daily-Monthly Morning Report, issued alongside the Palace Bulletins by the Tongzheng Office, has become the official channel for ministers to gauge the Emperor’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men read with practiced familiarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unspoken, they both turned to the same front-page article—“Reflections on the Attitude and Method of Studying the Classics, Drawn from the Debate on Good and Evil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paper always used plain language; they were used to it—after all, the Imperial Treasury had money and didn’t need to conserve paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the article’s title immediately put them on guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding frowned: “Is this meant to settle the matter from the last Daily Lecture?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding had been present during the debate on good and evil at the lecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human nature—good or evil—has been debated for millennia; how could one lecture settle it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the Emperor demanded a verdict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like poking a hornet’s nest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is the current orthodoxy? Naturally, the Mind School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even within the Mind School, opinions diverge: some say good and evil are innate, others claim they are cultivated, and some even deny good and evil exist altogether, advocating unrestrained action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the debate was ignited, it wouldn’t easily die down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since the Emperor had appeared at the lecture determined to dig to the bottom of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The argument had raged for over a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing shook his head, his expression complex: “It’s not about settling the matter—but about shutting down discussion entirely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s essay wasn’t particularly brilliant; great scholars could argue the dead back to life—what did he care for evidence or examples?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Emperor’s current behavior cannot be ignored: his voice is loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The right to publish isn’t something ordinary publishing houses or academies possess—but for the Emperor, who controls the Tongzheng Office, it’s as easy as eating and drinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Full coverage across Bei Zhili isn’t idle talk; this is even restrained—he hasn’t yet sent copies nationwide with the Palace Bulletins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is just a test. If officials don’t react strongly, he’ll print more and send it to both capitals and the thirteen provinces—for all under heaven to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this new paper uses plain language; its volume is limited only by the number of literate people in the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loud voice, broad base, backed by evidence—its persuasive power in the populace naturally outweighs empty philosophical debates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t about debating the classics—it’s about imposing authority by force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding spoke up: “This Emperor really does everything by waving a banner—he wants to ride the Mind School’s momentum, yet drags Gaozi into it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this age of Fugu , invoking a philosopher from the Hundred Schools carries undeniable weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this “commenting the classics to serve my own purpose” posture, His Majesty will surely become a great Confucian scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shen Shixing didn’t agree—he smiled bitterly: “This Emperor isn’t arguing about good and evil at all—he doesn’t care about that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The wine-drinker’s intent isn’t in the wine, but in the mountains and rivers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What this Emperor seeks is to redefine what ‘correct’ means.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jabbed hard at the paper—at the final line: “In any dispute of claims, proof comes first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Academic debates have never had a judge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this move by the Emperor makes it hard not to suspect his intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing unconsciously jabbed six or seven times until he punctured a hole, then stopped with a grunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding saw the implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exclaimed: “Could this Emperor be aiming for the unity of Sage and King?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if power flows to the Emperor, could he also claim authority over the lineage of the classics?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seems wildly unrealistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing’s face grew grave: “Probably not. I think he wants to incite disputes among schools so he can act as judge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the judge believes doesn’t matter—what matters is having the power to judge; that alone lets him absorb all schools of thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding frowned: “How can you be sure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing murmured: “He claims to follow ‘clear evidence’—but who decides what counts as ‘clear evidence’? Isn’t that still up to His Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s using the disputes among the schools to forge his own Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earlier, I wondered why, in August, His Majesty had eunuchs fill the palace with rotting grass and made the Grand Secretaries come one by one to inspect it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding looked at Shen Shixing, waiting for more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shen Shixing fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding pressed: “I know about it—the Grand Secretaries have all clammed up since. Is there more to it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing had his suspicions but wouldn’t voice them: “Perhaps, once today’s article sparks debate, next issue will carry the story of the rotting grass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, their conversation dwindled. They exchanged silent glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing held back because even he couldn’t fathom the Emperor’s intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Youding didn’t care much—there was no longer any unified scholarly community; even if the Emperor wished to unify the classics, he’d likely fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast, each carried his own thoughts as they headed toward the Imperial City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing was now Left Vice Minister of Personnel; with Minister Lu Shusheng yet to assume office, he effectively functioned as Minister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether Lu Shusheng would ever come—well, the court had already issued two summonses, and he showed no sign of moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, Shen Shixing now presided over the Ministry of Personnel and participated in court deliberations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, this thirty-seven-year-old prodigy had become one of the ministers who shaped the fate of the Great Ming—and one of the most pivotal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, upon reaching the Imperial City, Shen Shixing regretfully parted from his fellow cohort member and headed straight for the Wenhua Hall to prepare for the court deliberation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Shen Shixing arrived, the Grand Secretaries were already standing at the front of the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had intended to ask his mentor Lu Diaoyang about the Emperor’s lecture and the new paper, but saw the Emperor already seated on the throne—he set the matter aside for now, to raise it after the deliberation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shortly after taking his place, Zhu Heng, Minister of Works, arrived last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the new Emperor’s ascension, this Minister of Works had been occupied with the Yellow River and imperial mausoleums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d barely finished those tasks when word came he’d been assigned new duties—truly a man born to labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhu Heng arrived, the court deliberation began as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng spoke first: “May I inquire after His Majesty’s health?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun nodded slowly: “I am well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Daily Lectures now underway, the Emperor’s schedule had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Senior Grand Secretary, Junior Grand Secretary, Minister of Rites, and Left Vice Minister of Personnel—all now served as Daily Lecturers—could no longer attend both court deliberations and lectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absence from either side would stall proceedings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the schedule was adjusted: the Emperor’s lectures would follow the court deliberations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for what the Emperor does before the Confucian lectures, he may arrange it freely—that is what he has won through his own wit and intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In previous examinations, the Emperor had made not a single error, earning full approval from all his daily lecture tutors with outstanding results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final examination was as difficult as the county-level civil service test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor still passed with ease, so much so that both imperial palaces praised him profusely and their trust in him deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, if the Emperor wishes to redirect some of his wit and intelligence toward attending to state affairs, it is entirely reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being greeted, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, “Are all my ministers well lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was polite small talk, meant to foster a favorable political atmosphere—atmosphere always influences people, quietly and subtly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court ministers hurriedly bowed and replied, “We are all well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun nodded and said, “The ministers may now proceed with their court deliberations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than Ma Ziqiang, Vice Minister of Rites, stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knelt toward the imperial dais but turned his face to glare at Tongzheng He Yongqing: “I, Ma Ziqiang, Vice Minister of Rites, have a memorial to submit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned to Ma Ziqiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ziqiang angrily declared: “I impeach Tongzheng He Yongqing for spying on the Confucian lectures and desecrating the Emperor’s dignity!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Monopolizing vital affairs and inflating his power!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spreading heretical words and sowing rumors!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1992,"2026-06-20T16:31:33.303Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e3171aff98c50c927878798537b2ca644de89447a12b8fd52b7937bed0f131ee","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-58","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-56",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwanli-the-enlightened-emperor-cover.jpg"]