prosperous age

The next morning, Wei Guangde got up, washed up briefly, practiced boxing in the courtyard, and then looked up at the gray sky.

"The weather isn't very good today."

Wei Guangde casually remarked that he was in a good mood at the time, perhaps because of his morning exercise.

Although he was a little tired, he was in good spirits, but the sky made him feel very uncomfortable.

Once I said it, I felt a release of that pent-up frustration.

After having breakfast at the restaurant in front, we went out and took a sedan chair into the Forbidden City.

Upon arriving at the palace gate, Wei Guangde climbed out of the sedan chair and immediately said to the attendants who came to greet him, "You don't have to leave yet. Wait here for an hour. If I don't come out, then you can leave."

Wei Guangde was taking precautions. If Zhang Siwei's plan was as Zhang Ke guessed, then he would soon face impeachment.

Without a doubt, he had to put down his work and go straight back to his residence.

But it didn't matter. Wei Guangde had already planned it out. It was good to test the Wanli Emperor's attitude.

He wouldn't follow Zhang Juzheng's path, which led him down a dead end and dragged his whole family down with him.

Wei Guangde couldn't help but think of the last letter he received from Zhang Juzheng. It must have been written by Zhang Juzheng just two days before his death, naturally entrusting him with the care of the Zhang family.

Actually, Wei Guangde remembered this matter even without Zhang Juzheng mentioning it.

In any case, the Zhang family's fate should not be as tragic as it was in history, and he will definitely do his best to save them.

Stepping into the majestic Chengtian Gate and walking along the palace path, you soon arrive at the Inner Cabinet.

Along the way, Wei Guangde also secretly observed the eunuchs on both sides, but did not find anything unusual.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it."

Wei Guangde was still thinking this to himself, but when he entered the cabinet, he saw that although the secretaries and officials in charge of the cabinet still showed him respect, their faces and eyes seemed to be avoiding his gaze.

They stood quietly on both sides of the road, not daring to look him in the eye.

This is the usual practice, but it's not as formal.

Wei Guangde's heart, which had just been at ease, was now on edge again. It seemed that the cabinet might have received some news.

When he arrived at the door of the duty room, Lu Bu had already rushed over to greet him and whispered in his ear, "Master, something bad has happened. Among the memorials sent by the Ministry of Justice today, there are three impeachment memorials against you."

"Oh?"

Wei Guangde feigned surprise, stopped and asked, "What is the reason for their impeachment of me?"

"Because of the incident the other day when Steward Zhang escorted Feng Bao out of the city, they said you were involved with Feng Bao. In addition, they also impeached you for your family's lowly business of merchants in the capital, saying that you have been monopolizing the ginseng market in the capital for a long time because of your relationship with the Grand Secretary, and that no one else can participate."

Right in front of the duty room, Lu Bu quietly recounted the contents of the impeachment memorials submitted by several people.

Finally, he said, "The memorials were assigned to Zhang, the Vice Minister, by the Secretariat. They weren't given to Shen, but the news has already spread throughout the cabinet and I believe it will spread soon."

"I see."

Wei Guangde smiled casually and said, "If you are upright, you have nothing to fear. However, according to custom, if an official is impeached, I should also recuse myself."

Go inside and grind the ink for me. I'll write a memorial, and you can submit it for me. I'll go back to my residence and wait there."

Wei Guangde entered the office of the Grand Secretary, which was also his only office space after joining the cabinet.

Even during the mourning period for the deceased, this place was never used by anyone else.

However, the will of Heaven is unpredictable, and even if Wei Guangde was very confident, he was still worried about the possibility of something going wrong.

Fortunately, he was planning an eastern expedition, so even if the Wanli Emperor wanted to replace him, he wouldn't actually do so for the time being.

At his desk, Wei Guangde ground ink with a reed cloth. Soon the ink was ready, and he picked up his brush to write a memorial to Emperor Wanli, requesting leave.

He left the cabinet to return to his residence for a visit, and naturally he couldn't just walk away.

When officials from various government offices encounter such matters, they will first go to the department head to inform him before leaving, so as not to affect their work.

Wei Guangde's memorial was a direct request for leave from the Wanli Emperor. He also recommended Zhang Siwei and Shen Shixing to discuss and handle court affairs, saying that they should not delay important matters of the court and that he was confident in their abilities.

After finishing writing, Wei Guangde thought for a moment and wrote another note, folded it neatly, and handed it to Lu Bu, saying, "Give this to Eunuch Chen Ju. Be careful and make sure no one notices it."

"Please rest assured, sir, I know what to do."

Lu Bu hurriedly bowed and said.

The only way to find out the Wanli Emperor's reaction was through Chen Ju, especially the eunuchs he had placed in the Qianqing Palace. These informants were extremely important to everyone.

Having done all this, Wei Guangde stood up, strode out of his duty room, left the cabinet, and walked out along the palace road he had come from.

Perhaps the news had already spread quietly by then, because Wei Guangde felt that the eunuchs' expressions towards him had changed along the way.

Even after leaving the palace gates, Wei Guangde looked up at the sky, which was still overcast, making him feel depressed.

The sedan chair came rushing in from a distance, and the one running in front was his personal attendant.

Wei Guangde was not in a good mood, but some people in the cabinet were naturally in a good mood.

"My lord, Grand Secretary Wei has already left the cabinet. I just saw Lu Bu carrying Grand Secretary Wei's memorial to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs."

Inside Zhang Siwei's duty room, the clerk quietly reported what he had just witnessed.

Unaware of the true extent of the situation, he was actually in the same good mood as his master.

If his father can successfully rise to the position of Grand Secretary, his status outside the government will also rise accordingly.

Lu Bu, that kid, was just a minor official in the Beijing Garrison, but because he got close to Wei Guangde, he went from being a servant in the Hanlin Academy to working in the Grand Secretariat.

Putting aside everything else, after the official business was over each day, Lu Bu was more imposing in the city than some fourth or fifth-rank officials. Many officials would treat him with utmost respect and call him "Master Lu".

A large group of people followed him from the front and back.

Of course, he wasn't bad either, but ultimately his master wasn't the Grand Secretary, so he was still a little bit lacking.

The three memorials were right in front of Zhang Siwei. He was very familiar with them and had already prepared his drafts without even looking at them.

Because he had already seen the original document last night, there was no need for him to pretend to look at it again in his duty room.

The draft was ready, but he didn't plan to submit it to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs so soon.

His intention was to delay the process and send it in a little later, which would just waste a day.

Later, he called Shen Shixing over again, and the two of them discussed it for a while before sending it to the palace, which also showed how much they valued it.

"Okay, that's good. Keep a close eye on Elder Shen's side as well."

Zhang Siwei gave an order, then suddenly remembered something and added, "Also, regarding the Nine Ministers meeting scheduled yesterday, if anyone asks, just say it will proceed as planned."

"Yes, sir."

Zhang Siwei usually attends meetings as the second-in-command, but this time he's getting a taste of what it's like to be the first-in-command.

After all, at this time, he was temporarily assuming the power of Grand Secretary after Wei Guangde left.

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had already received the news, and Zhang Hong frowned as soon as he saw Wei Guangde's memorial.

Although the person behind this matter has not been revealed, and those censors who submitted memorials seem to have no deep interactions with anyone, it is certain that someone was instigating it.

Without a doubt, at this moment, the only person pulling the strings behind the scenes is that one.

Zhang Siwei had anticipated that people would find out what he was doing, but he still chose to do it anyway.

The prime minister and the second prime minister can never truly maintain peace.

After all, one wants to maintain their position, while the other is always thinking about taking their place.

That's exactly how it was during the Li Chunfang and Gao Gong era.

Even during the years that Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde collaborated, they still engaged in numerous open and covert struggles for resources. However, they never openly broke off relations, choosing instead to discuss matters behind closed doors.

However, his relationship with Wei Guangde was not as deep as that between Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde. They were both from the same family and shared a lineage.

Zhang Hong finally picked up Wei Guangde's memorial, left the Directorate of Ceremonial, and headed towards the Qianqing Palace.

This memorial is not something that the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs can approve; it must be reviewed by the Emperor first.

Before leaving, Zhang Hong asked again, "Is the impeachment memorial still in the cabinet? Hasn't it been sent over yet?"

"No."

"When the memorial arrives, deliver it to me immediately."

"Yes, Eunuch Zhang."

By this time, the news had already spread to the outer court. Upon hearing the news, Zhang Ke sneered in his duty room.

Wei Guangde must have had something in mind, otherwise he should have taken action yesterday.

But he didn't. Zhang Ke actually knew this to some extent, because Wei Guangde still relied on him.

As the time for the Eastern Expedition drew near, various transfer documents were issued by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, and rumors were already circulating in the official circles of the capital.

However, no one is sure if this is true or false, and those who know the details have been given the strictest gag order.

Everyone knew that if the secret was leaked, the immediate consequence would be imprisonment.

It was not observed that Liu Shouyou was often present and listening in during confidential discussions.

As for those rumors, they were actually guesses made by some of the people in charge through some documents and orders.

Wei Guangde and others dismissed this.

In the end, the army will only set off after the emperor issues an edict, and everyone will know by then.

The news that Japan was rich in gold and silver was no secret in the capital.

However, the Ming Dynasty's campaign against the Japanese pirates certainly didn't need to say that this was the main reason; rather, it was to avenge the wronged souls who perished in the Japanese pirate raids in the southeast.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Xueyan of the Ministry of Revenue was greatly surprised and hurriedly summoned Wei Shiliang to inquire.

"I don't know the specifics at the time, but last night when I went to Grand Secretary Wei's residence, we guessed that there would be this impeachment memorial, but we couldn't guess the contents."

Minister Zhang need not worry, we anticipated this. If Grand Secretary Wei is impeached so easily, then we can impeach Zhang Siwei as well.

Regardless, the head of the Censorate is still Lord Chen.

Wei Shiliang said calmly.

Zhang Xueyan nodded slightly, but asked calmly, "Did Grand Secretary Wei summon you last night?"

"No, I went by myself. I felt that things were a bit strange lately, especially regarding the selection of the Minister of Personnel. I wanted to ask Shan Dai for his opinion."

Unexpectedly, he said that Zhang Siwei might be planning some kind of trick.

Zhang Ke and others also went there voluntarily. After discussing it, we thought we might use this method to temporarily remove Grand Secretary Wei from the cabinet.

Therefore, when it comes to recommending the Minister of Personnel this afternoon, Zhang Siwei will have complete control. He will likely use this opportunity to strongly recommend his own person for the position.

Wei Shiliang said.

"I see."

Zhang Xueyan nodded in agreement, relieved that Wei Guangde hadn't treated him differently.

He had a good relationship with Wei Shiliang in the Ministry of Revenue, mainly because of Wei Guangde.

"Actually, it seems better for the Ministry of Personnel to maintain the status quo, as Lao Kan is ultimately not quite up to par."

Wei Shiliang said.

Inside the Censorate, Chen Kai merely frowned slightly.

He was not involved last night and was unaware of the discussion at the Wei residence.

However, having reached this position, one naturally knows that the essence of being an official ultimately depends on the palace.

This is why he, as the Left Censor-in-Chief, always had a sour face, no matter who he was facing.

One must not show any bias; one must be loyal only to His Majesty.

“If I can’t touch the Censor and the two Censors, can’t I touch you, a mere Censor?”

Chen Kai thought to himself, regardless of the outcome of this matter, the censor who submitted the impeachment memorial certainly couldn't be allowed to stay. Should he send him to Yunnan or Guangxi?
In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Wanli sat behind his desk, having already finished reading Wei Guangde's memorial.

Where are those three impeachment memorials?

Emperor Wanli frowned and asked.

"After the Office of Transmission was transferred to the palace, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs registered it and sent it to the Grand Secretariat. At this time, it should have been in the hands of Grand Secretary Zhang."

After all, the Grand Secretary should avoid any appearance of impeachment and should not be allowed to read impeachment memorials.

Zhang Hong stood respectfully to the side, answering the emperor's questions.

"The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs must have seen the impeachment, right? They said that Master Wei has run into some trouble?"

Unlike Zhang Juzheng, Wei Guangde always kept a low profile.

Of course, this low profile refers to his image in the imperial court, where he neither competed nor fought with Zhang Juzheng, but only knew how to do his duty.

"It concerns Eunuch Feng. He left the capital the day before yesterday, and the Wei family was the only one to send someone to see him off. Besides that..."

Zhang Hong listened to the eunuch who had read the memorial recount the contents of the impeachment, and then quietly repeated it to the emperor. Emperor Wanli's expression changed slightly.

All of this was observed by Liu Ruoyu, who was standing at the door.

It was clear that Emperor Wanli's face turned red when he heard that Wei Guangde had sent someone to see Feng Bao off.

Clearly, this matter had an impact on the Wanli Emperor, which also shows that the Wanli Emperor truly hated Feng Bao.

"I remember that Master Wei and Feng Bao have no relation whatsoever."

Finally, the Wanli Emperor spoke.

"Your Majesty, it seems that Yu Zhi's ancestral ties are still the strongest."

As far as this old servant knows, nowadays in Beijing, after Feng Bao left, only the Grand Secretary remains of the Yuzhi lineage.

Zhang Hong deliberately mentioned Yu Zhi's background, naturally hoping to appease the emperor.

After all, they were all people who served his father.

"Zhang Hong, write this down and go down to investigate who among those who came from Yu Zhi's family are still in the government and who are out of power."

Emperor Wanli gave the order.

Yu Zhi had actually heard some of his experiences from Feng Bao when he was young, especially about his father's side. He was not favored by his grandfather, was constantly targeted by his uncle, and was also troubled by the Yan family. He suffered a lot.

I vaguely remember that Wei Guangde got in touch with Yu Zhi for the same reason.

Well, what sustained their belief in the face of their circumstances was the principle of "establishing the eldest son in the absence of a legitimate heir."

Without a doubt, he was also a beneficiary of this belief; if he hadn't been the eldest son, the throne might not have fallen to him.

Unconsciously, the Wanli Emperor touched his right leg.

"Yuzhi ah"

He muttered to himself. (End of Chapter)