prosperous age

Previously, Emperor Wanli was even more afraid of Feng Bao; he was genuinely somewhat afraid of this eunuch.

However, after Feng Bao obeyed the imperial decree and left Beijing to be exiled to Nanjing to guard the imperial tombs, this fear vanished.

The Wanli Emperor increasingly felt the joy that status and power brought him. Even the most noble families were insignificant in front of him, who held the reins of power.

A single sentence can determine the honor or disgrace of an entire family.

Emperor Wanli was initially displeased that Wei Guangde would send his family to see Feng Bao off.

Although he didn't believe that Wei Guangde and Feng Bao had any deep entanglement, he was still unhappy.

After all, that was someone he had punished. Was Master Wei dissatisfied with his decision?

Fortunately, Zhang Hong mentioned his background in time; after all, it was Yuzhi, the place where he had lived since childhood.

Although Emperor Wanli was still young at that time, he was already sensible and still has memories of it.

He was a few years old when he moved to the inner palace with his father and mother. His memory of the earlier courtyard was vague, but he knew it was there.

“Zhang Hong, I cannot do without Master Wei, nor can the court do without him. Should I reject this memorial now and order him to return to the cabinet immediately to carry out his duties?”

Emperor Wanli asked the question.

He has only received Wei Guangde's memorial, but has not yet seen the impeachment memorial. This discrepancy has left him unsure how to reject it according to procedure.

Therefore, he had no choice but to ask Zhang Hong for advice.

"Your Majesty, it is more appropriate to wait until the impeachment memorial is submitted, Your Majesty will personally reject it and issue an imperial edict, and then send the memorial to Grand Secretary Wei to summon him back to the cabinet to continue his duties."

After all, recalling Grand Secretary Wei based solely on this memorial without seeing the content of the impeachment would invite criticism from the outside court.

Even if Grand Secretary Wei returns to the cabinet, he will be suspected by other officials.

Zhang Hong said.

At the very least, the emperor needs to see the content of the impeachments made by the censors before making a judgment; only then can the results be convincing.

If you reject the impeachment memorials without even reading them, what kind of nonsense is that?

"Send someone to urge the cabinet to send the memorial as soon as possible; I want to see it."

"The affairs of the court cannot be handled without Master Wei."

The Wanli Emperor spoke.

It feels good to have great power, but wouldn't it be even better if there were people in the outer court to keep an eye on things and I could make the final decisions on important matters? I wouldn't have to work so hard to do everything myself.

"This old servant accepts the decree and will immediately send someone to the Grand Secretariat to keep an eye on things. Once there is any news, it will be sent to the Qianqing Palace for His Majesty's perusal."

After bowing respectfully, Zhang Hong left the palace and hurried towards the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Upon returning to his office at the Directorate of Ceremonial, Zhang Hong inquired about the situation at the Cabinet, asking if any impeachment memorials had been sent.

"No, my son sent someone to check, and the memorial is still with Grand Secretary Zhang."

The cabinet has just sent a message to the Nine Ministers that the afternoon cabinet meeting will continue.

One of the eunuchs, who was in charge of writing, spoke up.

"what happened?"

Zhang Hong was taken aback and immediately pressed for an answer.

Yesterday, Wei Guangde arranged to convene the Nine Ministers this afternoon to discuss the selection of the Minister of Personnel.

Earlier, Minister Xu of the Ministry of Rites sent someone to inquire whether there were any changes to the afternoon meeting, so Grand Secretary Zhang instructed him to inform everyone that everything regarding the meeting would remain unchanged.

The eunuch answered.

"Selection of Minister of Personnel"

Zhang Hong remembered that the imperial edict had been issued yesterday because the Ministry of Personnel had submitted a memorial requesting the prompt dispatch of an official to take charge of the ministry, as there was no senior official in charge.

Thinking about yesterday's plan, and then this unexpected situation today, Zhang Hong immediately understood that Zhang Siwei was playing a double game.

He was vying for the recommendation of the Minister of Personnel, and also testing the emperor's attitude towards Wei Guangde.

"Hehe, what a clever scheme."

Zhang Hong smiled, but in his heart he was secretly cursing Zhang Siwei for being a scoundrel.

When Zhang Juzheng was in power, he pretended to be so respectful, but I never expected that he would change so drastically in such a short time.

Thinking of the Emperor's reaction earlier, Zhang Hong sneered inwardly. "You've disappointed me, Grand Secretary Zhang. The Emperor has no dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Wei at all; in fact, he values ​​him even more."

After Zhang Juzheng's passing, it seems that the Emperor relied on Wei Guangde even more.

Meanwhile, Wei Guangde had already returned to his residence in a sedan chair.

The entire household was naturally quite surprised by their master's sudden return.

This is the first time since the beginning of time.

The news had gradually spread throughout the various government offices in the capital, but that didn't mean it had reached outside. Therefore, the Wei family was still unaware of the impeachment proceedings.

Moreover, since it was a memorial from the Censorate, it did not go through the Office of Transmission, but was delivered directly to the palace.

Even after leaving, the Wei family did not plant any spies in this government office.

It's just that the status of the Office of Transmission in the court has been declining in recent years, and it has become a dispensable government office.

Even during the Qing Dynasty, this government office was simply abolished.

The memorials were sent directly to the palace gates, where eunuchs were specially assigned to receive them and distribute them to the Grand Council and the Emperor.

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Ji hurriedly went to the gate of the mansion to greet him.

Wei Guangde had already entered the mansion by this time, and his expression was unreadable.

Zhang Ji knew something was wrong, but as the head steward of the Wei family, he hadn't received any news. Feeling uneasy, he dared not utter a sound and silently followed Wei Guangde into the study.

Upon arriving, Wei Guangde plopped down, not even bothering to remove his official robes back at his residence.

When the maid brought the tea, Zhang Ji took it from her hand and carefully placed it in front of Wei Guangde, asking, "Master, what happened?"

"What else could it be? You remember what Jinqing said yesterday, right? He was right."

"what."

As soon as Wei Guangde finished speaking, Zhang Ji exclaimed in surprise.

"What's the big deal? It's nothing."

Wei Guangde said with dissatisfaction, reached out and picked up the teacup, used the lid to stir the tea leaves floating on the surface, and then took a small sip.

"Sir, should I contact someone so we can impeach him as well?"

When Zhang Ji said he was "flicking someone," he was naturally referring to Zhang Siwei.

"No need, it's a small matter."

Keep an eye on things in Puzhou, Shanxi. Everything is the same, just like before.

Wei Guangde glanced at Zhang Ji before giving his instructions.

"I understand, sir."

Zhang Ji knew what that was all about. Having lived in the capital for so many years, he certainly knew what the master was planning.

If it's done, no matter how powerful Zhang Siwei is, he'll have to obediently go back to Shanxi.

What does he have to compete with his master? He's just a clown. Zhang Siwei's reputation in the capital is mixed; everyone knows he has a lot of money, though perhaps not as much as the Grand Secretary, but not by much.

Wei Guangde helped his classmates quite a bit back then, and Zhang Siwei did even more.

Over the years, quite a few officials in Beijing have received financial assistance from Zhang Siwei.

Such practices naturally displeased some upright officials, who privately criticized him for using his power and wealth to build a network of influence.

As for Wei Guangde, he generally no longer provides financial assistance unless it is to someone he knows well. However, when officials leave the capital, Wei Guangde will still give them a precious ginseng root.

This was also to prevent people from using this as a basis to attack him, saying that he used money to form cliques and engage in private activities, with Zhang Siwei being a prime example.

"Alright, I'm all set here. You can go back to your work."

Wei Guangde was too lazy to ask him to inquire about the rumors outside, since he figured they were probably nothing special.

After Zhang Ji left, Wei Guangde's lips curled up, a smile appearing on his face for the first time.

With Zhang Siwei's help, Wei Guangde's reputation for being loyal to the past has been established in the court.

Most colleagues wouldn't consider this a mistake.

They say that once someone leaves, the tea cools; who among them isn't worried?

However, if the current Grand Secretary cherishes the past, even if he retires, as long as Wei Guangde is still in office, a letter of request might bring unexpected benefits.

Although it seems to have caused him a lot of trouble, especially in the future, for Wei Guangde now, it has indeed quietly added a link in the minds of all officials, a network that can be easily pulled in and connected at any time.

Next, Wei Guangde could only wait for Chen Ju to send him news, telling him the emperor's reaction upon seeing the memorial, so he would know the state of his official career.

In the afternoon, Wei Guangde brewed a pot of tea in the pavilion in the back garden, with several plates of snacks placed next to him, and leisurely flipped through his book.

What I saw was not the teachings of the Four Books and Five Classics, but a novel, a storybook that became very famous in later generations—"Jin Ping Mei".

This book was a handwritten copy; Wei Guangde didn't even know who copied it. Anyway, Zhang Ji retrieved it from outside.

As for the printed version, it is said that the earliest version discovered in later generations appeared more than 20 years after the Wanli Emperor's reign, while this book should have appeared around the time of the Longqing Emperor's reign and the Wanli Emperor's reign.

The identity of Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng is now impossible to verify, even in the present day.

No one knows who wrote the book, although there are speculations.

Wei Guangde had no intention of spying on the author, but because the book had a huge impact on scholars and its content was very attractive, he took the time to read it carefully at home.

Jin Ping Mei certainly lacked widespread social influence in the Ming Dynasty. After all, the nationwide community schools promoted by Wei Guangde had only been established for a few years, and most of the students there were still children who did not have the means or money to buy the novel.

The book in Wei Guangde's possession could sell for at least five taels of silver outside, which is roughly half a year's income for an average person.

As for the engraved and printed version, although the book is famous, no bookstore has dared to print it.

Because some of the content was considered shameful by the Qingliu faction, Wei Guangde was unsure whether he had peeked at it, but in the Ming Dynasty, some people did believe that the book should be "banned" because they thought it was improper.

This may explain why it took a long time for a publishing house to dare to print the book.

Even in modern times, some people consider "Jin Ping Mei" to be "the most extraordinary book in the world," and some scholars have even called it "a world-shaking and awe-inspiring warning book."

Later generations' research on "Jin Ping Mei" mainly focuses on the author.

After all, as the first writer in the history of Chinese literature to independently create a full-length vernacular novel, Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng reached an unprecedented height in novel writing. With the description of ordinary people and secular customs as the center, "Jin Ping Mei" opened the way for literati to directly draw on real social life to create full-length novels.

The title of the novel, Jin Ping Mei, is a combination of one character each from the names of the three female protagonists: Pan Jinlian, Li Ping'er, and Pang Chunmei.

The novel's subject matter evolved from the story of Wu Song killing his sister-in-law in "Water Margin." It describes the sinful life of Ximen Qing, a representative of the petty and ruthless power of the marketplace who combines the identities of an official, a tyrant, and a wealthy merchant, and his family.

It recreates the social life of that time, depicting a monstrous world comprised of everyone from the powerful and tyrannical Grand Tutor in the imperial court to local officials, bullies, and even street thugs, hooligans, and hangers-on.
It exposes the darkness and corruption of society in the mid-Ming Dynasty and has profound cognitive value.

At this time, Wei Guangde had changed out of his official robes and was wearing casual clothes, looking very relaxed and at ease, with two beautiful maids serving him beside him.

After a long while, Wei Guangde put down his book and looked up at the sky.

The sky was no longer gloomy, and although it wasn't raining, it felt much better than in the morning.

At this moment, Wei Guangde couldn't help but think about the past and the present, feeling that the present seemed to be the life a transmigrator should be living.

In the past, I was buried in the cabinet's memorials every day, never seeing the light of day. It was so miserable.

A figure flashed at the garden entrance, and Zhang Ji appeared there, walking quickly towards him.

Wei Guangde looked over but didn't say anything.

"My lord, Eunuch Chen from the palace has sent a message."

As he spoke, Zhang Ji handed him an envelope.

Wei Guangde took it, opened it, took out the letter inside and read it. Immediately, a smile appeared on his face again.

Emperor Wanli's performance is in line with his expectations, and there will be no change at least in the short term.

That was Liu Ruoyu's close observation of Emperor Wanli's reaction when he first learned the news; it couldn't be faked.

"Zhang Hong is indeed a good person."

Wei Guangde added, "It seems like it's a good thing that he replaced Feng Bao."

"By the way, did the cabinet meeting regarding the Minister of Personnel take place as scheduled?"

As Wei Guangde put the letter away, he asked a question.

“It has already begun. Zhang Siwei did not delay, but insisted on holding a cabinet meeting this afternoon to discuss the candidates.”

Zhang Ji immediately said.

This was the first time Wei Guangde had asked about the situation outside since returning to his residence.

"You really can't wait, hehe."

Wei Guangde smiled and put the letter into his pocket, then waved to Zhang Ji to leave.

He leaned back in his chair, becoming quite relaxed and content.

He didn't want to read the book anymore, because he felt as if a fire was burning inside him.

After Zhang Ji left, Wei Guangde beckoned, and two beautiful maids gracefully moved to his side.
While Wei Guangde was enjoying himself in the garden of his residence, Zhang Siwei was rubbing his temples in the cabinet.

Although Wei Guangde was not presiding over the meeting just now, and he still wanted to catch people off guard, it was obvious that some of the Nine Ministers were just being unreasonable. Even when the candidates were nominated, they would find some reasons to refute them.

Well, actually, as long as an official in the court reaches a certain rank, he will receive one or two impeachments every year, listing many things he did wrong.

These kinds of impeachment memorials were more of a warning, meant to serve as a cautionary tale for everyone.

Now that people are bringing this up again, saying they are not suitable to serve as Minister of Personnel, it's making Zhang Siwei very unhappy.

Unable to produce a list to submit to the Emperor, they were naturally unable to do so.

As is customary, the only option is to postpone the release of the results and discuss them later.

As for forcibly passing his proposed plan, even Wei Guangde and Zhang Juzheng wouldn't have dared to do that back then.

Of course, while they were around, these people wouldn't jump out to oppose this or that.

It is evident that securing the position of Minister is of paramount importance. He must compete with Wei Guangde for the position of Minister of Personnel, as it involves a crucial vote at the Nine Ministers Conference.

The news that the cabinet meeting on the selection of the Minister of Personnel had ended without result quickly spread throughout the officialdom in the capital, and Wei Guangde also heard the news at his residence later that evening.

Shortly after the meeting, the memorial rejecting the impeachment was sent to the cabinet and placed in front of Zhang Siwei.

Chen Ju, carrying Wei Guangde's memorial, left the palace and headed towards Wei's residence. (End of Chapter)