prosperous age

Shen Shixing ultimately left the cabinet early to go home and rest.

After that, Wei Guangde didn't have anyone keep an eye on things.

If Shen Shixing doesn't find a chance to retaliate after being betrayed, then his position as the second prime minister will have been for nothing.

When the memorial was sent to the palace, Wei Guangde only gave Zhang Ji a note, instructing him to investigate Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai.

How did a man from Daming Prefecture and a man from Shaanxi come together?

I don't have a deep impression of Wei Yunzhen and Wei Guangde.

This "not deep" refers to the impression left by later generations.

As for Li Sancai, Wei Guangde vaguely remembered seeing him somewhere before, and thought he must be someone who had accomplished something.

A day passed in the blink of an eye. Early the next morning, not long after Wei Guangde entered the cabinet, Lu Bu hurried in and whispered in Wei Guangde's ear, "Master, Grand Secretary Shen did not come today."

"Hey, old Shen, he's been tricked."

Wei Guangde simply shook his head and waved for him to leave.

His gaze was directed through the wall into the distance.

That direction leads to Yu Youding's duty room.

Last night, Wei Guangde was in his study, speculating on the mastermind behind the matter based on the principle of advantage.

If Wei Yunzhen, Li Sancai, and others conspired to do this, then who are the beneficiaries?
Without a doubt, the only person who benefited from Shen Yongmao's entry into officialdom and his subsequent coercion of Shen Shixing into resignation was Yu Youding.

His position is higher than Xu Guo's, and according to the order of succession, he will become the new second prime minister.

Of course, Zhang Ji also said last night that he did not find any contact between Yu Youding and Wei Yunzhen or Li Sancai, and he did not even find any private contact between Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai.

Therefore, if it wasn't Yu Youding pushing things from behind, then there's another possibility: they were envious of the Shen family, which is why they reported this matter to the emperor.

It should be noted that after the previous imperial examination, the Wei family of Nanle had become quite prominent in the court.

In the eighth year of the Wanli reign, Wei Yunzhen's younger brothers, Wei Yunzhong and Wei Yunfu, both passed the imperial examination. Together with Wei Yunzhen, who passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Wanli reign, the Wei family had three members who passed the imperial examination. That year, they made a great splash in the capital.

Wei Yunzhen's risky move could very well be a gamble.

If you want to get promoted in the officialdom, you can't work quietly. You have to stand out and get noticed by high-ranking officials and dignitaries in order to have a chance to get on the fast track to promotion.

The secret impeachment of the second prime minister would naturally be seen by the senior officials.

Even if he suffers retaliation for this, he still has two brothers serving as officials in the court. At worst, he can go back to his hometown and live a wealthy life, and no one will make trouble for him.

If you win the bet, your career will be smooth sailing.

Losing the bet doesn't seem like a bad thing; it's a good opportunity to go back to my hometown to recuperate.

Officials in the Ming Dynasty came and went, and everyone was actually used to it.

Unlike in later generations, once they lost power, they often had no choice but to sit on the sidelines until retirement.

These days, anything can happen at any time.

Those who offended Zhang Juzheng by "seizing the opportunity to mourn" all returned to the capital and received different promotions.

At noon, Lu Bu received lunch from the palace and was setting out the dishes in the outer room when a secretary from the Grand Secretariat was loitering at the door.

Lu Bu went out for a moment and then returned to the duty room. He whispered to Wei Guangde, "Master, I just received news that Grand Secretary Shen has submitted a memorial to the Qianqing Palace requesting to return home."

"So fast? It's already been handed in?"

Wei Guangde was taken aback, then asked.

"They said it has already been sent in."

"Lu Bu said in a low voice."

"Is the food ready? Master is hungry."

Wei Guangde didn't continue the topic, but instead asked about lunch.

Soon, only Wei Guangde remained in the duty room, sitting at the table, holding a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, slowly eating his lunch.

The food in the palace was truly indescribable.

Whenever possible, I would never eat the meals prepared by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; I would always pay for them myself.

However, the procurement of ingredients for the inner court alone was enough to make the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Imperial Kitchen extremely well-fed.

Don't forget, there are tens of thousands of people in the inner court.

People like Wei Guangde can choose for themselves, but those below them don't; they can only eat whatever they're given.

Meanwhile, in the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Wanli had a full lunch laid out in front of him, but he had no appetite whatsoever.

Before him lay the memorial that Shen Shixing had just submitted.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs did not linger for even a quarter of an hour before delivering it directly to the Qianqing Palace, to the Emperor's presence.

It must be said that if Wei Yunzhen's memorial had been used to criticize other officials under normal circumstances, it would have been very effective.

why?
Because he touched a nerve with the Wanli Emperor.

The accusation against Zhai Luan during the Jiajing reign was merely a prelude. It should be noted that Yan Shifan, who considered himself exceptionally talented, abandoned the imperial examinations because of his father's high position. Instead, he studied at the Imperial Academy, received the emperor's favor, became a minor official, and eventually rose to become a junior Grand Secretary.

Wei Yunzhen pointed out that Zhang Juzheng deceived His Majesty by claiming that he was young, allowing his sons to pass the imperial examinations one after another.

He may have thought that by bringing up Zhang Juzheng, he could make Emperor Wanli lose his mind and severely punish Shen Shixing, but he failed to see that the cabinet ministers the emperor wanted were primarily people appointed to achieve his political goals.

It was definitely not because a second chancellor was needed that someone was found in the court to fill the position.

Moreover, in Emperor Wanli's view, the matter of Zhang Juzheng was already over after he confiscated Zhang's residence.

Mentioning Zhang Juzheng at this point is like deliberately rubbing salt into his wounds.

Shen Shixing, he still has a use.

Having served as a regent for many years, Emperor Wanli believed he could understand Shen Shixing.

Moreover, after Wei Guangde became the Grand Secretary, the cabinet needed Shen Shixing.

As for Yu Youding and Xu Guo, they had only recently joined the cabinet and were naturally not qualified to compete with Wei Guangde.

He usually just takes a few words and that's it; he's not qualified enough to go toe-to-toe with Wei Guangde.

"What exactly are Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai up to?"
Ignoring the fact that I have already punished Zhang Juzheng, he still makes veiled accusations in his memorial.

The imperial examinations were a major event for the imperial court. How could a junior be forced to retire simply because their elders held official positions and they achieved success in the examinations?

Emperor Wanli's face darkened, and he threw down the chopsticks in his hand.

"Bring me pen and ink."

Also, find the memorials submitted by Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai.

Last night, Emperor Wanli saw the two memorials. Although he felt that they made sense, he thought that the content of the memorials was too biased and was just a wild expression of personal conjecture that was unrealistic.

Soon, the eunuchs summoned two people to submit their memorials.

Emperor Wanli glanced at Li Sancai's memorial again, rejected it outright, and threw it on the ground after writing it in red ink.

Upon seeing Wei Yunzhen's memorial, he picked up his brush and wrote in red ink, "Inappropriate language, investigate."

Perhaps, even if one person submitted a memorial to the emperor, the Wanli Emperor would not have paid any attention to it.

But when the two memorials were presented to him, he wondered to himself if his subordinates were conspiring against him.

The memorial that he originally intended to keep hidden was forced to be addressed after Shen Shixing's memorial requesting to return home arrived.

If we leave this place at this time, wouldn't it only embolden these people? Perhaps more memorials will be submitted later, which would be extremely annoying.

Emperor Wanli did not intend to pursue Li Sancai's memorial, as a way of saving face for him.

Those who know what's good for them will naturally back down.

As for Wei Yunzhen's memorial, Emperor Wanli intended to have the Censorate investigate the matter, which meant that he wanted to punish him, so he ordered an "investigation".

There's no need to write anything about "punishment"; just that one word is enough for anyone who sees it to understand his attitude.

The emperor approved the two memorials in red ink, and they were quickly sent to the Grand Secretariat by the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Wei Guangde was somewhat surprised to see the two memorials after he had just finished eating.

The Wanli Emperor's swift action suggests that Shen Shixing held a relatively high position in his court.

"Lu Bu, have someone make a copy and send it to Grand Secretary Shen's residence. Also, distribute these two memorials."

Wei Guangde could guess what the Wanli Emperor was thinking: the matter was over, so there was no need to say anything more.

Punishing Wei Yunzhen is enough; let's move on from this matter.

The emperor wanted to end this matter quickly, and the cabinet naturally couldn't stop him.

After all, it concerns a cabinet minister.

Shortly after the memorial was sent out of the palace, the Censorate summoned Wei Yunzhen, and Chen Kai, on behalf of the Censorate, gave him a severe reprimand.

The fact that the Shanxi Circuit Censor was dealt with by the Censorate was considered a way of saving face for them.

However, just when Wei Guangde thought the matter was over, the cabinet received Li Sancai's second memorial early the next morning.

This time, Li Sancai's memorial did not mention his own opinion at all, but instead supported Wei Yunzhen throughout, arguing that the sons of ministers should not be allowed to pass the imperial examinations.

Shen Shixing had not yet returned to the cabinet to carry out his duties, and the memorials were still being delivered by Yu Youding.

Wei Guangde was furious at the time, saying, "Does Li Sancai, the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, not want to work here anymore and want to go on a business trip?"

Before the Censorate had even submitted its findings regarding Wei Yunzhen, he was already eager to plead his case.

"Your Excellency, it would be better to inform the Ministry of Personnel and arrange for Li Sancai to be transferred out. Keeping him in the capital is just a hassle."

Yu Youding said in a low voice.

"Lubu, go and invite Grand Secretary Xu and Grand Secretary Wang over."

The cabinet should make its stance clear on this matter; this is tantamount to cutting off the career paths of our sons and grandsons.”

Wei Guangde spoke up.

Upon hearing this, Yu Youding nodded slightly.

"The most troublesome thing about this matter is that Wei Yunzhen is a censor, and it is difficult to deal with his remarks on politics."

Wei Guangde frowned deeply, just like Wei Yunzhen, who, apart from being reprimanded, received almost no other punishment from the Censorate.

That is the very function of the Censorate.

Although it might offend people, one shouldn't hold a grudge in order to show them magnanimity.

Retaliation can only be sought during the capital inspection, by tampering with the person's records and sending them to some obscure corner.

Before long, Xu Guo and Wang Jiaping also arrived at the duty room. After seeing Li Sancai's memorial, they both frowned.

They wield great power, but when they encounter the ruthless and unruly officials of the Censorate, they can sometimes be truly difficult to deal with.

In fact, this matter is not good for them either. It means that as long as they are in the cabinet, their children will be affected if they participate in the provincial examination or even the palace examination. It is definitely not just Shen Shixing's matter.

As for Zhang Siwei, it is said that he is seriously ill and has no hope of returning to the cabinet.

Therefore, no one mentioned Zhang Jiazheng's performance in the imperial examination this time; all the criticism was directed at Shen Yongmao.

“This Li Sancai is arrogant and unreasonable, and should be severely punished.”

Xu Guo was furious after reading the memorial.

Wang Jiaping merely frowned and said, "Is he, a mere official from the Ministry of Revenue, qualified to participate in this matter?"

The implication was that Li Sancai's involvement as an assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, compared to Wei Yunzhen's position as an imperial censor, seemed to be an overreach of authority.

In this kind of memorial to the throne, officials of the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate could speak freely, but officials of the Six Ministries could not.

Because the censors would not be punished for their words, but the officials of the Six Ministries would not.

"If he keeps writing, we'll all have to go home and wait."

Wei Guangde suddenly sneered.

"Then, how should the vote be drafted?"

Yu Youding frowned and asked.

Wei Guangde remained silent, glancing at Xu Guo and then at Wang Jiaping.

At this moment, all four cabinet ministers remained silent.

Seeing that no one was willing to play the villain, Wei Guangde sighed inwardly and then said, "Since you don't know what to say, then let's just leave it at that and send it directly to the Qianqing Palace."

In truth, this matter, ostensibly a critique of current affairs, is actually a veiled criticism of us.

However, this time Ru Mo became the scapegoat, taking the blame for us.

Hearing Wei Guangde say this, Xu Guo, who actually wanted to use the draft bill to vent his anger, gritted his teeth and ultimately remained silent.

This is also the so-called magnanimity that these cabinet ministers usually have to show.

The censors of the Censorate dared to impeach the Grand Secretary because of this connection.

Those in positions of power should not lay a hand on those in positions of power, otherwise it would be considered morally wrong.

Of course, this was also the power that Zhu Yuanzhang gave them, which was to keep an eye on these powerful court officials on behalf of the imperial family.

If an impeachment is submitted, the emperor can easily remove the powerful minister if he so desires.

Yu Youding stood up, simply cupped his hands in greeting to Wei Guangde, and then strode out of the duty room.

Xu Guo and Wang Jiaping followed suit and left as well.

Wei Guangde got up, walked from the outer room to his desk, sat down, and continued to handle state affairs.

This whole mess can only be left to the Qianqing Palace to see how the person inside will handle it.

Based on the previous speed, Wei Guangde believed that Emperor Wanli should have sensed the danger.

The cabinet is involved in this matter to some extent, making it inconvenient for them to make a decision.

"Lubu, send someone to the Ministry of War and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to inquire if there are any reports from the Japanese army."

Wei Guangde flipped through the memorials and casually called out to the outside.

This sudden storm once again swept into the Qianqing Palace, allowing Emperor Wanli to experience for the first time the unpredictable and treacherous nature of the court.

As lunchtime approached, a eunuch from the Qianqing Palace came to the Grand Secretariat and summoned Wei Guangde for an audience.

"Yesterday I saw the memorial submitted by Imperial Censor Wei Yunzhen regarding the prevention of the imperial examination system, which seemed to be a veiled criticism of you."

Wei Yunzhen's reckless and inappropriate remarks have been handed over to the Censorate for investigation.

Today, Wei Yunzhen's memorial was just ordered to be submitted to the Ministry for discussion, and has not yet been processed.

Li Sancai dared to overstep his authority and speak recklessly, speculating on the emperor's intentions. His behavior was outrageous and he should have been severely punished. However, he will be treated leniently for now, demoted three ranks and transferred to another province.

"I have already approved it. Master Wei, go back to the cabinet and tell the other ministers not to have any grudges. This is nothing but the arrogant and reckless talk of petty people."

In the Qianqing Palace, the Wanli Emperor personally handed Li Sancai's memorial to Wei Guangde.

"I know that the cabinet should avoid any appearance of impropriety in this matter."

Wei Yunzhen is also despicable. I urge the Censorate to make arrangements as soon as possible; I don't want him to stay in the capital.

Holding the memorial approved by Emperor Wanli, Wei Guangde walked out of the Qianqing Palace.

Wei Yunzhen was originally a seventh-rank censor, and being transferred to a post outside the capital at the same level would still make him a seventh-rank official.

Li Sancai was less fortunate; his speculation failed, and he was demoted from a fifth-rank official to a seventh-rank post in a remote area.

Previously, Wei Guangde was under some pressure, worried that if they took action and took people out of the capital, it would cause controversy.

Now things are alright, the Wanli Emperor has made the decision for them.

The emperor's order was an imperial edict, and Wei Guangde had no reason not to obey it.

Back in the cabinet, Wei Guangde summoned Yu Youding and others, showed them the emperor's imperial edict, and relayed the message.

At this moment, everyone looked relieved.

However, Wei Guangde still wrote a note to Wei Shiliang of the Ministry of Personnel.

There are specific considerations when assigning officials to posts outside the region, such as whether one is a principal official in a given area or a subordinate official in another.

The positions Wei Guangde offered them were certainly not those of county magistrates, but rather deputy county officials. (End of Chapter)