Chapter 63: Advancing by Retreating, Acting Willfully

After the Court Deliberation.

Zhang Juzheng, Gao Yi, and Lu Diaoyang arrived at the Ministry of Personnel, and together with the Vice Minister of Personnel Shen Shixing and the Supervising Secretary of the Office of Personnel Li Zaiting, held a small meeting regarding what had just happened in the Court Deliberation.

The faces of the several Cabinet Ministers were not very good.

Just in the interval of coming to the Ministry of Personnel, the Inner Court sent a message to clear all personnel in the Inner Court, reduce the number of staff, and let the Ministry of Personnel prepare for the arrangements.

Arrangements? Palace maids could be sent out of the palace, but what could be done with eunuchs? Either send them to Nanzhili, or send them to guard the mausoleums; this was nothing more than informing the outer court.

Everyone present knew clearly that this was taking advantage of this wind to rectify the Inner Court.

In the past, such things had to be crowned with the name of isolating the inside and outside, and several great eunuchs had to be impeached.

But at this juncture, no one dared to find trouble for the Emperor on the surface.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Li Zaiting with an unhappy face and said in a deep voice: "How far does Your Majesty want us to go? Yingfeng, you might as well give us the bottom line."

Yingfeng was Li Zaiting's courtesy name.

Li Zaiting shook his head: "The incident happened suddenly; how would I know? What I said in court was truly from the bottom of my heart, not instructed by the Emperor."

He shouted to beat Hu Xiao to death in court, which made several Assistant Ministers think he was instructed by the Emperor, and now they all wanted to probe the bottom line from him.

But the pity was that he really didn't know.

Lu Diaoyang also questioned Li Zaiting: "The Emperor is about to move into the West Garden; how can you still hide it! Supervising Secretary Li, if the Emperor goes to the West Garden, we are all sinners!"

The Emperor kept saying he wanted to go to the West Garden to cultivate his body and virtue, but it didn't mean he would give up influencing government affairs.

Since he wanted to learn from Shizong, what he wouldn't give up would not be power, but the world!

At that time, it would be another sage who manipulated the court situation but ignored the common people.

Lu Diaoyang glanced at Li Zaiting; this person probably had the mold of a second Yan Song.

Li Zaiting just smiled bitterly and shook his head.

Several people were about to speak.

Gao Yi snatched the conversation: "How far the Emperor wants to go, shouldn't the Senior Grand Secretary personally request an audience? Why urge the subordinates here?"

He had long been impatient; the Imperial Palace caught fire overnight and a princess died; although everyone advised the Emperor not to think too much and that it was just a coincidence, how would the Emperor himself think?

Furthermore, in this morning's Court Deliberation, Hu Xiao took this opportunity to jump up and down; who dared to pat their chest and say to the Emperor, Your Majesty, don't be suspicious, the court officials are not that bad.

How was that different from adding fuel to the fire?

They were all living people; the Emperor's suspicion and anger, even if they couldn't empathize, could at least be understood.

This was the reason why they gathered at the Ministry of Personnel to discuss.

Gao Yi didn't give anyone face at this time and looked at Shen Shixing: "Is it the Nanzhili regional clique that did it?"

Shen Shixing was a native of Changzhou, Suzhou Prefecture, Nanzhili, but he worked in the New Party, and the brand of the regional clique was not deep.

But Gao Yi didn't care about anything and went straight to the point.

Shen Shixing kept his head down and didn't speak.

At this time, being pointed out, he raised his head and met Gao Yi's gaze: "Cabinet Minister Gao, although I am a native of Nanzhili, I have never lived as a regional clique; Heaven and Earth can testify."

Gao Yi did not yield an inch and continued to force: "Shen, the Vice Minister, is now in charge of the Ministry of Personnel and is very important; I don't believe no one has contacted you."

Shen Shixing was silent.

After a long while, he sighed: "Someone sent, Reviewer Shen Yiguan of the Hanlin Academy, secretly tried to win me over, but I didn't take the bait, and I didn't ask who was connecting behind."

Gao Yi nodded; it was indeed a secret connection.

In normal times, if a princess died in the Imperial Family and a fire started in the palace, no one would take it seriously; it just happened to be at the juncture when someone was connecting.

Gao Yi thought of this, and felt even more pity for his disciple.

He stood up and looked at Zhang Juzheng: "Senior Grand Secretary, I want to request an audience with the Emperor; will the Senior Grand Secretary go or not?"

Zhang Juzheng groped his fingers and fell into thought.

He could be said to be in a dilemma now.

This was not a question of whether to go or not to persuade the Emperor.

Once the Emperor grasped it, he would definitely be pushed out to face Nanzhili head-on.

Previously, he was unwilling to go to this extent.

The Method of Evaluation had already drawn enough hatred for him; now, rumors of his corruption and his liking to imitate the late Emperor in taking aphrodisiacs were spreading inside and outside Beizhili, and he didn't know how much dirty water would be splashed on him in the future.

He hadn't reached the step of measuring the fields, and his reputation was already in jeopardy; he truly didn't want to provoke the people of Nanzhili again.

Originally, it was the Emperor who pushed Hai Rui, and then pointed to Wang Zongmu, to come forward and do this, provoking the Lianghuai salt administration.

But now, facing the fierce counterattack, the Emperor was dissatisfied with his sitting on the sidelines, but could no longer tolerate his impartiality.

Publicly making such a move in court, forcing everyone to take sides, and forcing everyone to the cliff.

It was fine if the Emperor didn't govern; the late Emperor was like this, and everyone was very satisfied with this one.

But it wouldn't do if the Emperor controlled the court situation but didn't do proper things; Emperor Shizong was like this: I won't do it, and you don't want to do it either.

This was the reason why Gao Yi and Lu Diaoyang were afraid; they all saw this layer, for fear that the Emperor would learn from Shizong.

But... Zhang Juzheng saw deeper.

He couldn't say how well he understood this Emperor, but in his intuition, the Emperor couldn't do such a thing.

The Emperor might not be unwilling to do it!

He was afraid that he wanted to learn from Emperor Wuzong, casting aside the court officials and starting another stove!

Occupying the West Garden didn't mean he couldn't summon court officials.

If he used a villain like Li Zaiting to act on behalf of imperial power and created a small Leopard Room or a small Cabinet, it would be more troublesome than learning from Shizong!

Unfortunately, he didn't probe the bottom line from Li Zaiting.

Thinking of this, Zhang Juzheng finally sighed and stood up as well.

He looked at Shen Shixing: "Rumor, go find Jia Daiwen and watch him."

These people could no longer be allowed to connect.

If the situation escalated again, it wouldn't be solved by appeasing the Emperor.

He turned to Lu Diaoyang and instructed: "He Qing, go find Zhang Siwei and say that Wang Chonggu is a frontier official; if he wants to control the Capital Battalion after entering the capital, then why did he enter the capital!"

The Capital Battalion was originally discussed between him and the Emperor.

The Jin clique wanted to control the Capital Battalion through the Ministry of War, and they also needed to beat them before persuading the Emperor.

After explaining these two sentences, Zhang Juzheng nodded to Gao Yi.

"Let's go, let's request an audience with the Emperor."

Qianqing Palace.

The Senior Grand Secretary and the Junior Grand Secretary requested an audience, and the Emperor naturally agreed very readily.

But the two were still blocked in the side hall to wait.

Because the Emperor was summoning other court officials.

The Investigating Hai Yushi Hai Rui was originally interrogating a case, but received the news and immediately entered the palace to seek an audience with the Emperor.

The Viceroy of the Capital Battalion, Gu Huan, was summoned into the palace by the Emperor.

Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi sat in the side hall waiting quietly; both of them keenly discovered that the eunuchs and palace maids in the Qianqing Palace were nearly half less than before.

The two couldn't help but look at each other and sighed deeply.

Just as they were waiting, Hai Rui was led out of the hall by Jiang Keqian.

Gao Yi stood up directly: "Hai Yushi Hai!"

Hai Rui also returned the salute.

Gao Yi asked: "Does the Emperor have any instructions?"

Hai Rui looked at the Senior Grand Secretary and the Junior Grand Secretary with a strange gaze, staring at the two of them until they felt uncomfortable.

This was already a bit rude, but Hai Rui didn't notice it at all.

He shook his head with an unclear expression: "The Emperor instructed me about going to Lianghuai."

He added meaningfully: "Especially pay attention to safety."

Hai Rui was going to set off for Lianghuai to patrol salt taxes the day after tomorrow.

Today, after he finished interrogating the case, he originally intended to report to the Holy Emperor.

As a result, as soon as he returned to the Censorate, he heard about the events in the Court Deliberation today and immediately rushed over.

The report turned into a request to stay; Hai Rui felt that the Emperor was alone in the court and really couldn't bear to leave the Holy Emperor alone to support the court situation.

Furthermore, the Emperor said he wanted to move to the West Garden, which really frightened him!

But... what made him feel emotional was that the Emperor didn't have a decadent attitude when summoning him, nor did he have the appearance of abandoning the world.

The Holy Emperor personally said that moving to the West Garden was just to consider safety and didn't mean anything else.

Instead, he repeatedly instructed him on some Lianghuai matters.

When he proposed to stay in the court, the Emperor kept telling him to be at ease, saying that he could handle it himself.

The key to the current plan was to wait for the Lianghuai salt tax to be collected before he could stretch his hands and feet, and this matter could only be entrusted to him, Hai Rui.

Such a sage emperor!

Hai Rui didn't know what these people in the Cabinet were doing, actually letting the Emperor fall to the point of making people feel pity!

The more he thought, the more he looked down on these people.

Zhang Juzheng also stood up: "Hai Yushi Hai, be careful with your words!"

He was also full of anger today.

He didn't agree with the Emperor's insistence on moving against Lianghuai, and now that he had suffered a counterattack, wasn't that foresight?

But now that he had suffered a counterattack, he came to coerce him!

He was the leader of the civil officials and should have reconciled yin and yang and steadily promoted the new laws; did he have to let him follow the Emperor's will and beat these civil officials to death!

Plus, he and Hai Rui didn't have any private enmity, but they weren't on the same path, so naturally, he didn't speak politely.

Hai Rui was scolded but didn't refute, nodding: "Hai should indeed learn from the Senior Grand Secretary's 'caution upon caution'."

After saying this, he bowed and left.

Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath, suppressing the unhappiness in his heart.

Hai Rui passed by, walked a distance, and seemed to have more to say; he turned his head to look at Zhang Juzheng again: "Senior Grand Secretary, you are just a subordinate, so naturally you need to reconcile yin and yang and take the big picture as the priority."

"But the Emperor is the Son of Heaven; he only needs to move forward and advance bravely."

After spitting out these heartfelt words, he finally felt much more refreshed and left with big strides.

Zhang Juzheng was lectured by Hai Rui and felt depressed for a while.

Just at this time, an inner official walked out: "Two Grand Secretaries, the Emperor invites you two in."

The two pulled back their attention, put aside the matter just now, asked the inner official to lead the way, and followed behind.

As soon as they arrived inside, they saw Gu Huan, who was wearing armor and a sword, walking out.

Just as they met, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi were both startled!

Zhu Yijun explained thoughtfully: "I allowed the Marquis of Zhenyuan to wear armor and carry a sword."

Zhang Juzheng felt even more tricky.

He was already wearing armor and carrying a sword; the Emperor was hinting that he wanted to reuse the nobility and eunuchs and alienate the court officials!

Gu Huan bowed, which was considered a salute.

The simple action made the armor jingle.

Gu Huan held the sword and left directly without waiting for the two to return the salute.

Gao Yi had no mood to care about the nobility.

As soon as he entered the hall, he couldn't hold back and said directly: "Your Majesty, Hu Xiao can be sentenced to death; I request Your Majesty not to move the palace!"

Zhu Yijun didn't answer for a while.

He got up and looked at Gao Yi: "What is Hu Xiao's crime that he should be sentenced to death?"

Zhang Juzheng finally couldn't help but speak: "Your Majesty wants to use this matter to grasp us; since we are here, let's discuss a plan; why do we have to pull back and forth!"

This was because he was so anxious that he lost his cultivation.

Zhu Yijun slowly walked down from the main seat on the Imperial Steps.

He waved his hand, letting all the inner officials retreat.

And then he walked down the Imperial Steps, seemingly too lazy to move, and simply sat on the stone steps, making the two look at each other.

Zhu Yijun sat on the stone steps, leaning back, elbows supporting the stone steps, legs crossed, regardless of the appearance of the ruler.

He didn't answer Zhang Juzheng's question, but instead said irrelevantly: "The inner treasury now has 2.7 million taels."

Zhang Juzheng frowned, and Gao Yi didn't understand why the Emperor suddenly talked about money.

Only hearing Zhu Yijun continue: "After the Gengxu Incident, Gu Huan has been in charge of the Capital Battalion for ten years; even if his influence has declined, and setting aside the soldiers who eat empty pay, he can still command 70,000 camp guards."

Gao Yi was puzzled, and Zhang Juzheng's face changed drastically: "Your Majesty..."

Zhu Yijun raised his hand to stop him.

Elbows supporting the stone steps, he continued: "The Imperial Horse Bureau has 20,000 people, and I can command 15,000."

"Plus the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, counting them up, there are 15,000."

Gao Yi also understood what the Emperor meant and was panicked.

Even if the two were Grand Secretaries, with all their cultivation, they couldn't help but sweat on their foreheads.

Zhu Yijun continued: "Raiding Sun Yizheng's house alone could embezzle more than 100,000 taels; there must be quite a lot of silver in the capital."

"There is no shortage of loyal and patriotic people."

"Hai Rui, Chen Dong, Li Zaiting, Wang Xijue, etc., I can't even count them."

When he said this, he paused: "Not to mention, there are also the Cabinet Ministers who have always been of one heart with me."

Zhu Yijun looked up, so he couldn't see the forming of cliques in the center, couldn't see the deep roots in the localities, and couldn't see the panicked faces of the two Cabinet Ministers.

He muttered: "Emperor Wu of Wei held the Son of Heaven to order the princes."

"Now, I am the Son of Heaven."

He paused, looked at Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi, his voice cold but stubborn, saying: "Two sirs, with your talent, tell me."

"Can I rely on these millions of assets, 100,000 troops, the righteousness of the Son of Heaven, good ministers and fierce generals..."

"Fight the world again!"

As soon as the words fell, the two faces changed wildly.

What did this mean? This was clearly a complete overthrow and start over!

It was truly the Son of Heaven rebelling!

The two finally couldn't support it anymore and knelt on the ground.

Zhang Juzheng said urgently: "Your Majesty! How did the situation reach this step!"

Gao Yi was already kneeling and crying: "Your Majesty, the two capitals and thirteen provinces are tied to one body; you must not be impulsive!"

Not to mention the suffering of the people, the situation had not yet deteriorated to this step!

Zhu Yijun sighed.

He climbed up from the Imperial Steps, patted the dust on his buttocks, and helped the two old ministers up.

He said softly: "It hasn't reached this step."

"I just want to ask, if I want to go up the Great Ming Mountain again... will the two follow or not."

This step was what Chongzhen should have taken, but it was not his last choice—he was really not afraid to do so.

During the reform, which emperor didn't want to go up the Great Ming Mountain again?

He didn't do it now precisely because there were people like Hai Rui and Zhang Juzheng; now it depends on whether these people are worth his continued patching.

Zhang Juzheng was burning inside: "Your Majesty! These words shake the foundation of the country! I cannot answer!"

Gao Yi grabbed the Emperor's hand and held it tightly: "Your Majesty, although the court is intertwined, it is not without a solution; please take back these words!"

Zhu Yijun didn't answer.

Just looked at the two quietly.

This gaze was like Mount Tai pressing down, making the two unable to straighten their backs.

The two were truly feeling like a year in a day, feeling tormented.

Time passed slowly, and the three had no sound.

I don't know how long it had passed.

Gao Yi finally made a decision; he suddenly let go of the Emperor, knelt down again, kowtowed heavily, and choked without sound.

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng again.

Zhang Juzheng fought between heaven and man for a long time, and seeing Gao Yi behave like this, he finally couldn't resist anymore and knelt down together.

Zhu Yijun saw the two lower their heads and finally closed his eyes, nodding silently.

He helped the two up and softened his tone: "I am going to the West Garden, not to abandon the world."

"After this, I will clear out the palace people, and after cleaning up, I will move back from the West Garden."

"During this period, listening to government is exempted, but after the memorials are sent, I will naturally read them one by one, and if I have doubts, I will summon you."

The two Assistant Ministers heard this and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Juzheng didn't easily agree, but pursued: "Your Majesty, give me a date!"

This kind of thing definitely couldn't last long; otherwise, whoever the Emperor summoned would be the spokesperson for imperial power, which was no different from opening a small inner court.

Zhu Yijun was prepared and said: "Until the seventeenth day of the eighth month next year." 【6

The seventeenth of the eighth month is his birthday.

Now he is eleven; by the seventeenth of the eighth month next year, he will be twelve in nominal age.

If he cannot manage the inner court into an iron bucket within a year, then it is his own problem.

Gao Yi also had doubts and grabbed the Emperor's hand again: "Your Majesty, you must never learn from Emperor Shizong!"

Zhu Yijun patted Gao Yi's hand comfortingly, signaling him to rest assured.

Then he looked at Zhang Juzheng again: "Chief Grand Secretary, I will trouble you to take on more of the matters of the two Huai regions."

Zhang Juzheng had previously kept himself aloof and was unwilling to offend the people of Nanzhili.

Now that he was forced to express his stance, there was no way for him to hide.

Zhang Juzheng felt bitter in his heart and bowed: "Regarding this morning's matter, I ask Your Majesty to prioritize the big picture."

Regarding the two Huai regions, the Emperor wanted to hide behind the scenes and let him take the lead; although he had to accept it, Zhang Juzheng also had his own demands.

Regarding this morning's matter, it absolutely could not be defined as treason, leading to the execution of nine generations.

Zhu Yijun's expression gradually turned cold: "The mastermind, I must kill him to satisfy my hatred!"

Nine generations could be forgotten, but the mastermind absolutely could not be let go.

Zhang Juzheng hurriedly advised: "This might not be a coincidence!"

The infant mortality rate was already high; Emperor Shizong's children died so many, how could there be a mastermind for every one?

Zhu Yijun's expression remained unchanged: "I know."

He met Zhang Juzheng's gaze: "Infant death, perhaps it was illness; palace fire, it is also possible it was just an accident, I certainly know."

Zhu Yijun did not hide his killing intent and stated nakedly: "However, it was too coincidental, so coincidental that I want to kill!"

Productivity determines production relations.

In a feudal society, to talk about "innocent until proven guilty" would be too unfair to the throne beneath him!

He understood the logic, but he just wanted to kill.

Gao Yi had no connection with Nanzhili and stated directly: "Hai Yushi Hu Xiao played with omens, sentence to death!"

Zhu Yijun shook his head and did not express his stance.

Zhang Juzheng closed his eyes with difficulty and said hoarsely: "Instigated by Supervising Secretary Jia Daiwen, same crime, sentence to death."

Zhu Yijun still shook his head.

He scanned the two of them and said softly: "The three generations of the above two, and eight people including Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Works Zhang Daoming, Vice Minister of Justice Bi Qiang, and Compiler Shen Yiguan, are exiled."

Zhu Yijun smiled: "The journey is long; if they die of illness by accident, they cannot blame me."

Having said this, he turned and left.

One more chapter very late, will make up for it tomorrow.