prosperous age

Although the Empress Dowager seems to have stopped interfering in politics and left everything to the cabinet and the emperor, the spies she had planted long ago are still there.

She didn't think much of giving gold to Monk Deqing before, and was even slightly dissatisfied with Monk Deqing occupying the temple grounds.

Even though the Taiqing Palace was in ruins, it was still a Taoist temple, and it was not something a monk could just forcibly occupy.

According to the "Great Ming Code", the land and houses of temples and monasteries belong to the "permanent residents", that is, the collective ownership of the monastic community of the temple or the Taoist priests of the Taoist temple. They are jointly managed by the abbot and the monks and Taoist priests, and private ownership or arbitrary buying and selling is strictly prohibited.

In a sense, it belongs to "collective" property.

At the same time, the "Great Ming Code" explicitly prohibited the private sale, pawning, or encroachment of temple and monastery lands, with violators to be punished. This was intended to prevent religious forces from challenging royal power through land annexation.

Furthermore, if a temple or monastery was built by imperial decree, the land and buildings belonged to the imperial family. The monks and Taoist priests in such temples and monasteries were required to be included in the Lijia system (a system of administrative divisions) to pay taxes and perform duties, and were subject to the supervision of the Ministry of Rites and local government officials.

However, people outside the secular world generally do not undertake corvée labor; they will pay someone to take their place through redemption.

Of course, these things were handled by the clerks in the government offices; all they needed to do was provide the money.

That's how it is. It's quite a bizarre thing that a piece of land clearly belonging to a Taoist temple could be forcibly occupied by monks.

Even if a Taoist temple is dilapidated or abandoned, the land ownership will not be transferred unless permitted by the Ministry of Rites' Taoist Registry or the Buddhist Registry.

However, when Empress Dowager Li heard Emperor Wanli define the nature of the case today, she truly felt as if the sky had fallen.

His son harbored such deep resentment towards her.

Yes, it's resentment.

They completely failed to understand the hardships she endured in considering his needs in everything she did, simply because...
In the Cining Palace, Empress Dowager Li sat silently without saying a word. After dismissing everyone from the palace, she sat there alone, lost in thought.

Despite her reluctance, Empress Dowager Li knew that she could not stand up and go to the Qianqing Palace to argue with the emperor at this time.

It's not that they fear the law, but rather that they're unwilling to tear down that facade.

Silence seemed to be the only option she could take.

All those involved in the case—the Six Ministries, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate—were filled with fear and trepidation upon seeing the red-inked annotations on the memorial.

The Ministry of Justice issued a warrant to arrest the person, which was carried out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, because Liu Shouyou said that Monk Deqing might be involved in other cases.

That very night, in the restaurants and teahouses of the capital, this incident became a trending topic on the Ming Dynasty's hot search list, even topping the charts.

All the officials were privately speculating about the relationship between the two women in the palace. Without any warning, the emperor showed his dissatisfaction with the empress dowager.

"Shan Dai, what exactly is going on in the palace?"

In the study of the Wei family mansion, Lao Kan and Zhang Ke, two good friends who had the opportunity to continue their progress, were the first to arrive and were particularly enthusiastic.

"Please have a seat."

Wei Guangde simply invited them to sit down, and after the servants brought tea and snacks, he waved them away.

"Now you can talk, right?"

Zhang Ke asked.

"I had overlooked this matter before."

Wei Guangde spoke up, "I didn't expect this matter to involve the relationship between those two. I just wanted to use the pill incident to hope that Eunuch Zhang would deal with Zhang Jing."

"If I hadn't noticed, the fact that the monk Deqing donated gold to build a temple would have made His Majesty think in that direction."

Wei Guangde was wise after the event; he only realized after seeing the emperor's imperial edict that the empress dowager seemed to have overstepped her bounds in many of her previous actions.

Of course, most of these events occurred when the emperor was young, which can be explained.

Now, the emperor wants to "set things right," and it seems there's nothing wrong with that.

This is also why the cabinet acted so compliantly this time.

With the emperor wielding the law and no familial affection within the imperial family, the empress dowager was in the wrong.

"Go back and tell the people below not to gossip about it in private."

If the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot overheard this, they would submit a memorial to the emperor, which would be troublesome.

Wei Guangde added, “Speaking of which, these are all matters of the imperial family, and we won’t get involved, as long as we don’t violate the law.”

“But some people in the Ministry of Rites are saying that His Majesty is being unfilial.”

Lao Kan said in a low voice.

"I can imagine that the sound is even louder from the Hanlin Academy, but so what?"

Wei Guangde shook his head slightly, then looked at Zhang Ke and said, "Jinqing, how are you handling the naval affairs in the South China Sea?"
Hurry up and draft out the new regulations for the Ministry of War, submit them to the emperor, and complete the necessary procedures.

As you all know, I might have to go back to my hometown at any time.

When Shen Shixing succeeded as Grand Secretary, there were some things he didn't oppose, but things wouldn't go so smoothly.

He's a kind-hearted person, but he also has his own little schemes.

But to say that he has wicked intentions is not necessarily true; he is just a little indecisive and hesitant in his actions.

In the imperial court, things are stable enough; maintaining the status quo is feasible.

"Among the cabinet members, the ones you fear most are probably Wang Xijue and Xu Guo."

I wonder if Shen Rumo can keep those two in check; his temperament is ultimately a bit too soft.

Lao Kan smiled bitterly.

"Yu Youding has a good relationship with him and will probably help him."

Moreover, regarding her relationship with Wang Xijue, while there might be some disagreements, they would generally compromise.

Wei Guangde thought for a moment before speaking.

He picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and then gently shook his head.

Lao Kan and Zhang Ke didn't understand why Wei Guangde shook his head, but seeing that he didn't intend to explain, neither of them pressed him for an answer.

"By the way, if you have any other matters that need to be reported to the Cabinet, report them this morning and get them settled."

Wei Guangde had been feeling uneasy these past two days. He knew it was because of the family letter, but all he could do now was help his old friends resolve their issues, which was also a way to prepare for the future.

There have been too many things done over the years, and many of them need to be brought to a close, at least temporarily.

As for the South China Sea and West China Sea naval forces, the Ministry of War will probably instruct them to exercise restraint and not focus solely on expanding their operations; they should simply maintain their existing gains.

And then there's Myanmar, a newly acquired territory, which also needs stability.

However, Wei Guangde's conquest of the Eastern Continent, which he had just begun to plan, could not be stopped.

Not to mention sending thousands of people there, the imperial court will have to continuously invest in ensuring the safety of the waterway every year.

This is the kind of thing that's most prone to recurrence.

Furthermore, Emperor Wanli clearly showed interest in the Ministry of Revenue's funds. How should the outer court respond? Would Shen Shixing falter at a crucial moment and yield to Emperor Wanli? These were also concerns for him.

Providing financial support to the inner court is perfectly reasonable, but what Wei Guangde fears most is that this balance will be broken and difficult to repair.

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Wei Guangde has been looking haggard lately because of his restlessness.

She was not only worried about her own status, but also about her father in the south, which made her lose her appetite and sleep at night.

He himself didn't know whether he valued his official position more or was more worried about his family.

"Sir, Commander Liu is outside and wants to see you."

In the cabinet office, Wei Guangde rested against a grand master's chair.

I'm not feeling well; lately, I keep getting sleepy just sitting here looking through a few memorials.

I seem to have trouble sleeping at night, but I feel sleepy during the day. I don't know why.

The calming and soothing medicine prescribed by the imperial physician was ineffective, which made her very sad.

Everyone could see Wei Guangde's condition, but only those close to him knew what was going on.

"Let him in."

Wei Guangde said weakly.

After Liu Shouyou entered and bowed, Wei Guangde told him to dispense with the formalities, and only then did he learn the purpose of their visit. "So, you're saying that Monk Deqing has no connection to the White Lotus Sect?"

Wei Guangde frowned and said.

"Yes, we have checked his personal belongings and the people in the vicinity, but found no suspicious suspects."

However, I've already had someone tamper with the items; once they reach the capital and are imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, they should be exposed.

Liu Shouyou said in a low voice.

Wei Guangde raised an eyebrow and gave him a deep look.

This is a big deal, so it's normal for Liu Shouyou to be cautious and have concerns.

However, what he said today was not to his liking at all.

How could I tell him something like this?

Even if one day it happens, it should be pushed down to the subordinates, saying that it was done because they were eager to make a name for themselves.

However, he also understood that because of the emperor's involvement, the plan to extract a confession through torture could not be carried out, and even before Monk Deqing arrived in the capital, he could not have any wounds on his body.

Unable to extract a confession through torture, they could only resort to false accusations and framing, which was also a specialty of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Ah."

Wei Guangde gave a curt reply, his expression unfriendly.

After Liu Shouyou shared some recent news, he took his leave, while Wei Guangde simply sat there watching him leave.

This person cannot be allowed to live anymore.

As the year drew to a close in the eleventh year of the Wanli reign, the monk Deqing was finally escorted back to the capital. The imperial guards sent him directly to the Ministry of Justice prison, without sending him to the Northern Garrison Command.

However, this was only the beginning of the incident.

Two days later, Zeng Shengwu hurriedly went to the cabinet to see Wei Guangde and told him that the jailers had found prohibited items in the monk Deqing's luggage.

"You mean he had a Maitreya Buddha statue in his luggage, and a hidden compartment in his suitcase containing the 'Lament for the World' scroll?"

Wei Guangde asked, feigning surprise.

He only knew that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had done something, but he had no idea what exactly they had done.

"That's not right. Since he knew the imperial court had taken it, he shouldn't have been carrying these deadly things."

Wei Guangde was still trying to exonerate the monk.

"That's what they say, but the item was actually found inside."

Moreover, this monk Deqing practiced both Buddhism and Taoism, and the White Lotus Sect's doctrines are essentially a blend of Buddhist and Taoist teachings, making them a perfect match.

Zeng Shengwu then raised another point of doubt.

When people first heard that Monk Deqing was well-versed in Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism and advocated for the integration of these three schools of thought, most were amazed by his talent.

But now that it has suddenly been discovered that it seems to have ties with the White Lotus Sect, everything makes sense.

The doctrines of the White Lotus Sect are not simply a mixture of Buddhist and Taoist elements. Its core evolutionary path is based on the Pure Land School of Buddhism, and later incorporated elements of Maitreya belief, Manichaeism, and folk Taoism to form a hybrid.

The White Lotus School, founded in the early Southern Song Dynasty, was based on the Pure Land School of Buddhism. Its core doctrine was simply "reciting the Buddha's name, upholding the precepts, and being reborn in the Western Paradise." It revered Amitabha Buddha and did not contain any Taoist content at this time.

After going underground during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, in order to adapt to the needs of popular dissemination and resistance, it gradually absorbed the ideas of Maitreya's descent into the world, the worship of the Ming King, as well as some Taoist ideas of non-action and folk deities, such as the Eternal Mother, forming a "fusion of the three religions".

The organizational structure is "half monk, half layman," not a simple superposition of monks and Taoists in terms of doctrine.

However, due to its doctrines, many White Lotus followers like to forge ordination certificates when they travel around, appearing as monks or Taoist priests.

"Hehe, what a fine saying: one cannot navigate the world without knowing the Spring and Autumn Annals; one cannot forget the world without being proficient in Laozi and Zhuangzi; one cannot transcend the world without practicing Zen."

It turns out he was practicing the doctrines of the White Lotus Sect.

At this point, Wei Guangde stopped pretending and could only say that his idea of ​​integrating the three religions seemed to have touched a very sensitive nerve in the Ming Dynasty court.

Wei Guangde didn't know, nor could he find out, the exact relationship between Zhu Yuanzhang and the Ming Cult.

Folk tales are only believed when they are insufficient.

While official documents do mention it, they offer no other explanation than that it was used to expand the army.

"So, will he confess or not?"

Wei Guangde then looked at Zeng Shengwu and asked.

Zeng Shengwu shook his head and said with some difficulty, "He said he was wronged and these things are not his."

They say yes one minute and no the next, so it's difficult to use torture.

The Imperial Guards were also watching from inside the prison, making interrogation extremely difficult.

"What is the opinion of the three departments?"

Wei Guangde thought for a moment before asking the question.

"This matter concerns the Emperor's case; perhaps it would be better to transfer it to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for handling?"

Zeng Shengwu was clever for a moment and chose to push the case away.

Actually, this wasn't the first time the Three Departments had this idea. When they sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest people, they meant to pass the hot potato to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But the Embroidered Uniform Guard had tampered with things; these things couldn't have been discovered by them. So, as soon as they arrived in the capital, they were sent to the Ministry of Justice prison, giving them no chance to shift the blame.

After all, this monk has already caused conflict between the emperor and empress, and if they are not careful, they may offend both sides.

"Then you should draft a plan and see what His Majesty says."

"Sending him to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for interrogation isn't out of the question; I've heard he still has cases against them."

Wei Guangde said another sentence.

"Yes, yes, that's what Lord Zhao and I thought too."

Zeng Shengwu immediately echoed.

"Wow, this is a big deal."

Wei Guangde suddenly blurted out a sentence.

Zeng Shengwu looked puzzled upon hearing this.

Does the White Lotus Sect practice alchemy?

Upon seeing this, Wei Guangde immediately spoke up.

Zeng Shengwu thought about his past cases and immediately shook his head.

The White Lotus sect spread its doctrines, but they were not Taoists; they were more inclined towards the Chan (Zen) school.

"But he refined elixirs, saying it was inspired by his study of Taoist scriptures."

The Imperial Medical Academy already believes those elixirs are problematic.

Wei Guangde continued.

Some things shouldn't be spread by his own people. It's easier for the officials to believe them if they're spread by people like Zeng Shengwu and Zhao Jin, who have no connection to him.

"That elixir"

Zeng Shengwu quickly shut up this time.

Wei Guangde knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't continue the topic.

"In that case, the Three Departments should submit their reports as soon as possible for Your Majesty's decision."

Something's fishy about this; it has to go through the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Wei Guangde simply said one sentence.

Wei Guangde didn't care about what happened afterward, but rumors started circulating from the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review that very day.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Eastern Depot, Zhang Jing was filled with shock and anger upon hearing the news.

He vaguely guessed what was going on, and finally made up his mind, summoning his trusted aide and giving him a few instructions. (End of Chapter)