Wanli Ming Emperor

Chapter 247

In the eighth year of the Wanli reign, the Ming Dynasty faced severe challenges. The new policies were not progressing, and the rectification and reform were not yet complete. The debate over whether to use "rigid control" or "soft control" continued.

Southern gentry, misled by "Rouke's" misjudgment, obstructed the land survey, instigated a conflict between the North and the South, and had extremely serious consequences.

The emperor's demands to accelerate the pace of the new policies were thwarted, and he lost patience with the slow progress.

In order to curb the "soft and cowardly" tendencies of the southern gentry and continue to exert influence over the country, the emperor decided to go to the south to open a breakthrough for continuing the new policies.

This inevitably requires local provincial governments to respond positively and actively seek the support of central leaders—especially the three individuals named in the edict as regents: Wang Chonggu, head of the Five Military Commissions; Hai Rui, head of the Censorate; and Zhang Juzheng, head of the Cabinet.

Thus, this pre-departure concert came into being.

Wang Chonggu, who was the first to play a duet, expressed his full support without reservation.

Hai Rui, the second person to enter Chengguang Hall, expressed some criticisms in a more subtle way.

"My emperor acts with integrity and uprightness; how can he emulate the example of Duke Zheng defeating Duan at Yan?"

Hai Rui spent a few years in Sichuan, and inexplicably his skin tone became several shades lighter, which made his complexion appear even darker.

He seized the emperor's hand and kept babbling, "If a crime is found, it can naturally be dealt with according to the law."

"If they only have doubts, they should be encouraged to work harder and observe the results."

"Your Majesty, if you stand idly by and watch your subjects break the law, you will ultimately be criticized..."

Zhu Yijun tried to pull his hand back, but found that he couldn't. He suddenly regretted his eagerness in holding his hand earlier.

He turned his head helplessly and blinked innocent eyes at Hai Rui: "Haiqing, I have clearly expressed my feelings several times, why do you still misunderstand me?"

Even emperors who strive for the sake of their country sometimes find themselves bound by their own limitations.

Zhu Yijun wanted to launch a major purge based on the case of the seditious book, but procedurally he still had to get through the Censorate.

Hai Rui, who took charge of the Censorate, clearly did not agree with the strategy of luring the enemy out of their hole.

Hai Rui held the emperor's hand tightly, refusing to let go: "Your Majesty should not have lifted the ban on newspapers, allowing those people to speak freely!"

Volume 18 of the Ming Dynasty Code, Criminal Law 1, states that anyone who creates prophecies, apocryphal books, or seditious sayings, or spreads them to mislead the public, shall be beheaded.

These were all capital offenses ordered to be punished by Emperor Taizu.

The imperial court should guide people towards goodness, not lead them to commit crimes!

Once newspapers are opened up and people can speak freely, won't the number of scholars who commit this crime increase day by day?

If someone were to use this as a pretext to launch a large-scale criminal investigation in the south, it would be strange if future generations didn't regard him as a second Zheng Bo!

Zhu Yijun couldn't bring himself to do it, so he had to give up.

The two of them stood awkwardly in the middle of the hall, exchanging greetings.

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and decided to be straightforward: "Haiqing, this time I will definitely use the seditious book to investigate a major case, and I will never resubmit the ban afterwards."

Hai Rui's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, his stubborn temper clearly flaring up again, and he opened his mouth as if to speak.

Zhu Yijun preemptively retorted, "Haiqing, looking at these reclusive scholars who violated the law in this case, if I hadn't lifted the ban on newspapers, would they not have written books, published them, and spread heretical rumors?"

The "mountain man" he refers to is not some hermit living in the mountains; to be precise, he is a marginal intellectual who controls public opinion.

Although I have studied, I am unwilling or unable to pursue an official career.

The most sophisticated hermits were like Wang Shizhen before his resurgence, who controlled the lifeline of public opinion.

They could engage in political struggles by colluding with science and technology officials and critics, and they could also form literary societies and alliances, thus becoming leaders of the intellectual community.

Mid-level hermits typically make a living by seeking patronage, selling their writings, setting up a private school, or working as a secretary.

Most of them write books, poems, criticize current affairs, or sell their intellectual labor.

The lowest-class mountain dwellers could only resort to fortune telling, storytelling, selling themselves, or advertising for businesses.

They all publish tabloids and distribute posters to attract attention. In terms of selling emotional value, they can't even come close to "leaning against the door" or "cut sleeve".

However, this group of people from the mountains is not easily offended.

Even ex-convicts, once they infiltrate the mountain people's circle, are all very influential—if any big business refuses to cooperate for mutual benefit, they will directly publish articles to criticize them. Can you stand that?

Hai Rui instinctively retorted, "At least it won't be like now, with everyone blatantly breaking the rules."

Zhu Yijun corrected Hai Rui's mistake without hesitation: "That's because since the Hongzhi era, public opinion has been rampant and has become increasingly outrageous, reaching its peak right here with me!"

The presence of marginalized intellectuals at all levels of society is a unique social and cultural phenomenon in China.

It first emerged during the Hongzhi era, grew and developed during the Jiajing era, and has remained so ever since.

Didn't it exist during the Zhengde era?
The fictionalized account of Emperor Wuzong being born to a palace maid became a bestseller in Southern Zhili, selling over 17,000 copies.

Didn't it exist during the Jiajing era?
Xu Wei, Tu Long, Wang Zhideng, Mei Dingzuo, Huang Shengzeng, and others almost monopolized public opinion in daily newspapers and magazines.

Needless to say, during the Wanli era, remonstrances and criticisms had even extended to ordinary people in the city.

On the streets and alleys, today people are loudly discussing what's wrong with the court, tomorrow storytellers are criticizing what's wrong with the court, and the day after tomorrow the tabloids will publish some dry jokes about the emperor—"Now, in the main streets and bustling markets, storytellers openly put together routines and engage in dramatic discussions without any scruples. What they talk about are all the court's various misdeeds, and many people enjoy listening to them."

Even the "minister who threatened Wang Daokun" was not a technique first used by newspapers, but rather a skill that mountain dwellers had mastered through practice.

Historically, even disputes over the succession to the throne have always involved public opinion, let alone other matters.

To describe the public opinion environment in Xie Zhaozhe's words, it is like this: one person initiates it, and millions follow suit; the whole country is running around like mad, turning the world upside down and confusing right and wrong.

Zhu Yijun met Hai Rui's gaze and frankly said: "In the early years, the strict ban on newspapers was actually just a piece of paper. Tabloids circulated, posters were posted everywhere, and there was a lot of cursing. In fact, we handed over public opinion to others."

"Now that I have lifted the ban on newspapers, the News Bureau is in the hands of the court. Its words are law, and it can be strict or lenient as it pleases."

"Haiqing, I am simply following the trend of the times."

Ultimately, the active dissemination of public opinion in the Ming Dynasty was not accidental; it had its specific historical background and inevitability.

Material development has created an economic foundation and a favorable environment for the flourishing of public opinion.

There are 143 land and water routes across the country, including 11 long-distance routes from Nanjing to various parts of the country, 12 routes from Jiangnan to neighboring areas, and 15 waterways connecting Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures with various towns and counties.

The acceleration of social mobility naturally leads to the development of information.

At the same time, the cost of materials and labor for writing books was very low. For example, the advertisement for "Mao's family to recruit engravers" stated that "at that time, a silver string of coins was less than 700 coins per tael, and 3 fen of silver was used to engrave 100 characters, so each 100 characters would only cost 20 coins." Considering the material costs of "two hu of ink costing one qian; one jin of tobacco ink costing five qian," as long as a book sold reasonably well, the profit would not be bad.

For example, Wang Shizhen's "The Story of the Phoenix" sold directly in the two capitals and "splurged more than 60,000 taels of gold".

Where there is profit, there is a market; where there is a market, there is commercialization.

At the same time, the intellectual environment was conducive to this—the scholars who were open to free speech created a favorable political environment; although the philosophy of mind became outdated after the second year of the Wanli reign, its effectiveness in promoting the liberation of social thought over the past century is undeniable.

For example, Li Zaiting reported that there were more than 80 bookstores in Jianyang County, Fujian Province alone!
Even piracy has begun – “Whenever a good book is printed in a province and the price is high, it is immediately reprinted.”

This is the general trend of the times.

Under the overwhelming tide of change, Emperors Yingzong, Xianzong, and Xiaozong, each reigning over and over again, repeatedly issued bans and punished those who spread seditious and heretical ideas. What good did it do? It was just a change in name only.

The stricter the lockdown, the less taboo there is in private.

On the contrary, lifting the press ban is the first step to taking control. Commercializing it, making the ban transparent, bureaucratizing the supervision, and politicizing the punishment may be the way out for public opinion.

These words startled Hai Rui, who frowned and pondered.

Zhu Yijun took the opportunity to pull his hand away and then pressed Hai Rui down onto the low stool, letting the old man sit and think.

A long time passed.

Hai Rui sighed softly: "Your Majesty is insightful and perceptive, so why was the ban on newspapers lifted when it was lenient rather than strict, and why did the law not follow your word?"

It's one thing if the emperor just had a whim.

Since you have such a long-term vision, why weren't there any supporting government orders when you lifted the ban on newspapers?

Letting things grow wildly, the gentry who made peace with the authorities and carried out the land survey, it suddenly escalated to the point of needing a southern tour. Was this really not intentional?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun smiled awkwardly: "At the time, I was thinking about discussing new learning and spreading it widely, and I unconsciously made the mistake of taking too big a step."

His main concern was preventing Rouk from going there, but he inadvertently made the same mistake as Gangk.

This is completely understandable.

Hai Rui stared intently at the emperor: "Your Majesty cannot wait until after the case of the seditious book; you must declare the newspaper guilty of violating the law now!"

Zhu Yijun, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, nodded repeatedly: "It is only right, it is only right. I will soon issue an edict to the three judicial departments to classify the crimes and then have the ministers discuss in court to improve the News Bureau and strengthen newspaper censorship."

Looking at Hai Rui's stubborn, persistent demeanor, he felt that the embarrassment he had felt a few months ago when Wang Zongyi directly remonstrated with him in the palace was nothing compared to what he had experienced.

Seeing that the emperor had reformed, Hai Rui's expression softened.

The latter bowed deeply to apologize for his earlier rudeness: "Everyone in the world knows that Your Majesty's brilliant reforms and wise decisions have been made in advance. However, as the sage said, 'Rigidity will inevitably lead to impetuosity, impetuosity will inevitably lead to arrogance, and arrogance cannot last long.'"

"Your Majesty is at the height of your power and will live forever. Why would you be so agitated as to engage in political maneuvering? I dare to be presumptuous and offend Your Majesty. I humbly beg Your Majesty to take heed!"

As the saying goes, "too much rigidity leads to breakage." This doesn't mean that an emperor who is too harsh is easily harmed, but rather that an emperor's overly tense mentality is difficult to maintain.

This serves as a cautionary tale for Emperor Shizong—his initial enthusiasm was short-lived, as it was quickly extinguished by delusions.

That's why Hai Rui said that the emperor still had plenty of time, and if the new policies encountered setbacks, they could proceed step by step, without having to "be careless about details."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun fell silent, subconsciously muttering to himself, "Long live the Emperor for ten thousand years, that's too long."

His eyes were filled with emotion.

Hai Rui looked up suspiciously.

Zhu Yijun snapped out of his reverie and smiled, "Haiqing is right, I've got it. Now, let's get down to business."

When the emperor humbly accepts advice, what can his ministers say?

Hai Rui quietly changed the subject and listened attentively.

Zhu Yijun held up two fingers: "Two things."

"Firstly, there is a great deal of public opinion, which is confusing right and wrong. But after careful examination, I found that the officials in the censorate and the censorate in the court are also involved."

"The system of reporting rumors established at the beginning of the dynasty could only adapt to the situation at that time, and it is somewhat out of touch with the times now."

If he weren't in this position, the so-called "reporting based on hearsay" would have long since become a tool for factional strife among court officials.

The group of mountain hermits in the countryside, combined with the rumors and reports from the censors, were incredibly powerful—even high-ranking officials like Wang Xijue, Shen Li, and Lü Kun couldn't withstand them.

These officials could fabricate stories at will, yet no one could find fault with them.

So clear and pure, with only one mouth left, it's naturally as clear as it gets.

Zhu Yijun had finally managed to get Hai Rui into the position of Censor-in-Chief, so how could he not use Hai Rui's prestige to give these Ming Dynasty councilors who had power but no responsibility a warning?

As for the practice of reporting based on hearsay, it was a method left by the Taizu Emperor to control officials, and Zhu Yijun could only express his disdain for it.

"Your Majesty intends to revoke the power of the Censorate to report on matters heard through hearsay?!"

Hai Rui's expression changed drastically, and he stood up abruptly!

How can such a matter of disrupting ancestral laws be so lightly uttered!
Seeing that the old man was quite frightened, Zhu Yijun smiled and waved his hand: "Of course not. You have the great expectations of the world. As you take charge of the Censorate, your authority will naturally increase rather than decrease."

Hai Rui hesitated, already sensing that the emperor wasn't up to any good.

Zhu Yijun spoke slowly and deliberately: "Reporting matters based on hearsay is an established law of our ancestors that cannot be changed. However, the officials have repeatedly fabricated matters, diverting the central government's attention, which is really giving me a headache."

"What I mean is that in the future, if any rumors are reported to the emperor, I will still send them back to the Censorate after I have read them."

"The Censorate will verify and investigate the matter before resubmitting the report."

Hai Rui was stunned on the spot.

Verification and investigation... This is blatant granting of a gift while secretly seizing it!

His thoughts raced, and he remained silent for a moment.

The Censorate, which was in charge of supervision, impeachment, and recommendations, relied almost entirely on its mouth and was not responsible for right or wrong at all.

However, if the emperor's arrangement is followed, the Censorate will have to take responsibility for the content of the investigation!
He went from being a clean official to a powerful one overnight. What would be the reaction of the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits?
Hai Rui pondered for a long time but did not express his opinion.

After an unknown amount of time, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, rather than doing this, why not let the upright officials remain as upright officials, and I will prepare other manpower to do practical work?"

The emperor always acted inexplicably hastily.

It's impossible to get Qingliu to roll up his trousers and get to work.

Given Hai Rui's limited influence, he would likely only see the officials of the Censorate die in the imperial palace.

Rather than letting these people become a real obstacle, wouldn't it be better to draw people from the Dali Temple to do the work, even students from the Imperial Academy?

In this way, the upright officials and honest bureaucrats can be distinguished within the Censorate, and they can gradually make progress step by step each day.

Zhu Yijun stroked his chin and pondered for a while, then slapped his thigh: "Haiqing is a veteran of three reigns, and he has indeed filled in the gaps. Then let's form a new team to do the work."

"Let's call it the Discipline Inspection and Experience Hall!"

Hai Rui breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to accept the decree: "Your Majesty, this matter will surely be protracted."

"If the second issue is also a major matter concerning the political system, we may as well postpone it."

To be frank, Hai Rui knew he didn't have many years left to live.

The task we just discussed might not be completed within three to five years, let alone another one.

If the emperor has given an order, you should swallow it back!
Zhu Yijun waved his hand, his tone relaxed: "Secondly, it's a small matter, Haiqing did it with no trouble at all."

He held up his index finger and thumb and compared them.

Hai Rui was skeptical.

Zhu Yijun explained with a smile: "It's because my imperial relatives have been living too well in recent years, and it's become a bit outrageous."

"It was Li Zaiting's report that said several shipyards had abandoned their shipbuilding projects halfway through due to some reason, and the Maritime Trade Office allocated 13,000 taels of silver to alleviate the difficulties."

"As a result, those shipyards owed the Grand Princess money, and as soon as the money arrived in the treasury, the Grand Princess lured it away."

That's how nobles are; they'll play dead if you choke them, but they'll be completely disoriented once you let go.

After hearing this, Hai Rui suddenly understood.

The way the Grand Princess is doing things is truly outrageous.

Zhu Yijun sighed: "I will soon be making a southern tour."

"If we continue to let these imperial relatives go unchecked, they may break the law and be executed by Haiqing's guillotine at any time."

The interest groups that I helped to establish cannot be completely crushed, but they need to be given a proper warning. After much consideration, the Censorate is the most suitable option.

This time, Hai Rui didn't feel embarrassed at all.

He held his head high and accepted the task, saying, "It is my duty; why should Your Majesty entrust me with this?"

Zhu Yijun smiled with satisfaction.

"And my maternal grandfather..."

Inside the spacious Wenhua Hall, Xiao Zhu listed the crimes of his relatives to the upright official.

He spoke fluently and at length, as if reciting a familiar story.

Even after Hai Rui left as ordered, the echoes within the hall seemed to continue telling their story.

Zhu Yijun looked in the direction Hai Rui had left, still feeling unsatisfied.

It wasn't until Zhang Hong, who was standing nearby, spoke up and reminded him, "Your Majesty, it's almost noon. Shouldn't we have lunch before you report to the emperor?"

Zhu Yijun waved his hands repeatedly, about to call for the audience to continue, but then suddenly remembered something.

He glanced at the sky outside and nodded: "I'll take advantage of the lunch break to pay my respects to the two palaces."

……

Chengguang Hall is not far from Qianguang Hall.

With the emperor walking with an imposing gait, the crowd followed behind him at a rapid pace.

Not long after.

The group then arrived outside Empress Dowager Li's bedroom.

After confirming that there was a family banquet inside, Zhu Yijun gestured to the eunuch on duty to be quiet, and then swaggered into the Qianguang Hall.

Upon entering the main hall.

Zhu Yijun then discovered that a large family had arrived in the palace and were sitting around Empress Dowager Li.

My maternal grandfather, Li Wei, the Earl of Wuqing; my maternal uncle, Li Wenquan; my second aunt, Li Caiyun, who married into the Earl of Pingjiang's family; and my cousin, Li Chengming.

In addition, there was her own twin sister, Princess Shouyang Zhu Yao'e, who had just turned sixteen this year. "Ahem."

Zhu Yijun coughed softly.

Everyone turned around and was startled to see that it was the emperor who had arrived. They all stood up and bowed.

"His Majesty."

"Brother, His Majesty the Emperor."

Zhu Yijun reached out and pressed his hand lightly, signaling everyone to proceed as usual.

Then he walked up to Empress Dowager Li, bowed and said, "Your son greets Mother."

When her son arrived, Empress Dowager Li showed little reaction.

It was even somewhat sarcastic: "His Majesty is so busy with state affairs, it's rare that he has time to come to the Qianguang Palace."

Even with his thick skin, Zhu Yijun was starting to feel embarrassed.

He gave a stiff smile and forced an explanation: "Mother, I will be leaving the palace for a southern tour soon, which has caused a backlog of affairs, both large and small, in the inner and outer courts. I have been extremely busy lately..."

That's the truth. Early in the morning, there are ancestral worship ceremonies and imperial audiences. Even greetings have to be squeezed in during lunch break.

But Zhu Yijun had only spoken halfway when he sensed that Empress Dowager Li's expression was not quite right.

Empress Dowager Li suddenly stopped sewing and grabbed a freshly sewn collar, pulling out the veins.

Zhu Yijun's mind raced with warnings, and he silently cut off the conversation.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

Many people reluctantly accepted the Southern Tour, harboring resentment that gradually escalated over time.

This discontent finally reached its peak on August 28th!
Some people could no longer restrain themselves and took action against the Wanli Emperor!
"Southern tour! Southern tour! I'll let you tour the south!"

Empress Dowager Li swung the wind collar in her hand and lashed it wildly at the emperor!
"You've grown too big for your britches! You've decided to make a southern tour without telling me!"

"The whole court knows, but they didn't tell me! They only sent Zhang Hong to appease me when they were about to ask me to oversee the country!"

"A southern tour! Why don't you go to the capital after your southern tour to see me!"

Gusts of wind, seemingly without any pattern, swept through the Qianguang Hall.

The emperor's childhood muscle memories surged forth wildly, causing him to flee in a disheveled state.

The perfectly peaceful Qianguang Palace was thrown into chaos in the blink of an eye!

The imperial relatives and nobles inside the hall were dumbfounded.

……

Etiquette and law are a subject of study.

When there is a clear hierarchy within a family and the atmosphere among family members is tense, even the emperor must kowtow respectfully before the empress dowager.

Just like Emperor Wuzong.

Each time he paid his respects, he knelt and could not stand up—a mat was always set up in front of him, and he would kowtow, kneel and receive tea, never daring to sit down.

When parting from his mother, he had to kneel down to beg her to stay—the emperor and the empress still knelt down to beg her to stay.

But when the son is successful and the family relationship is harmonious, these rules and regulations become mere formalities, unnecessary and superfluous.

Just like today.

A greeting turned into a playful argument between a loving mother and filial son.

When they parted, it was a lively scene with the cousins ​​and the imperial sister covering the rear and covering the emperor's hasty escape.

All of this demonstrates that the emperor was adept at managing his household!

When Zhu Yijun came out of the Qianguang Hall, he was trying to save face in his mind while tidying his clothes.

At this moment, his clothes were disheveled, his hair ornaments were askew, and he looked quite disheveled.

Although the old lady had a kind heart, she was truly ruthless when it came to beating her son.

However, at least he vented his anger and agreed to become regent.

"Your Majesty, these are winter clothes, a windproof collar, and Buddhist amulets personally woven by the Empress Dowager Cixi..."

Zhang Hong chased after him, carrying a stack of clothes and garments: "The Empress also said that His Majesty should be careful on his journey, and if he suffers from acclimatization problems, he should return to the palace as soon as possible."

Zhu Yijun glanced at Zhang Hong.

He let his courtiers adjust his clothes, then reached out and picked up the amulet from his winter coat, tucking it into his pocket.

Zhu Yijun didn't think that the old lady's temper tantrum because she was afraid that her son would "not adapt to the local environment" was making a mountain out of a molehill.

The ancients didn't understand that fish oil promotes brain development; they only knew that drinking more fish soup would make them smarter.

Empress Dowager Li didn't know what microbial ecology was; she only knew that people would suffer from acclimatization problems when they moved to a different place.

Although with the exchange between the north and south, the experiences of not being able to adapt to the new environment and the miasma have gradually become outdated, this concern is still very sincere.

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "Let's go to the Yuanxi Yannian Hall."

I won't be able to eat here at Empress Dowager Li's place, but I'll see if I can mooch off Empress Dowager Chen's lunch.

The starving emperor had no choice but to detour to the Yuanxi Yannian Hall.

In contrast to the lively atmosphere of Empress Dowager Li's room filled with people, Empress Dowager Chen's palace remained quiet and peaceful throughout the year.

The old cat carried the kitten in its mouth and wandered around the palace, while the fox followed behind, curiously watching.

Princess Yanqing has finished her lessons for the day and is sitting obediently in her chair, munching on pastries.

Empress Dowager Chen, dressed in a simple, understated evening gown, sat regally at the table, one hand holding a bowl of hot porridge and blowing on it with her cheek, the other holding a book and reading intently.

As soon as the emperor stepped into the Yuanxi Yannian Hall, Princess Yanqing was the first to react: "Your Majesty!"

Empress Dowager Chen heard the commotion and belatedly raised her head.

Zhu Yijun patted Princess Yanqing's head, then pulled her to Empress Dowager Chen's side and bowed respectfully: "Your subject inquires after Your Majesty's well-being?"

Empress Dowager Chen closed the book and looked at the emperor with a serene smile: "I am a wealthy and idle person, so I am naturally at ease. Your Majesty should also be at ease during your tour of Jiangnan."

Zhu Yijun was tired of hearing these kinds of words.

He said, almost helplessly, "Your subject understands."

Empress Dowager Chen smiled.

"Has Your Majesty not yet had your meal?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at the lady-in-waiting beside her: "Please have another set of bowls and chopsticks."

Zhu Yijun had come here just to freeload, so upon hearing this, he didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down on the floor.

He turned and took the bowl and chopsticks. While serving the porridge, he said to Empress Dowager Chen, "Mother, I will be making a southern tour the day after tomorrow. I will need to trouble you to look into the imperial edict regarding the naming ceremony for the princes."

Empress Dowager Chen nodded slightly.

The family banquet was very casual, and Zhu Yijun didn't pay much attention to etiquette. He kept saying, "I will be away for many years. I'm afraid the Empress will be lonely in the palace. If Mother has time, you might as well spend more time with the Empress."

Empress Dowager Chen nodded slightly.

"With the Empress Dowager's birthday approaching, I informed Zhang Hong earlier that funds had been drawn from the imperial treasury. Would the Empress Dowager like to invite the Earl of Gu'an for a family banquet?"

Empress Dowager Chen gently shook her head.

"Does the kitten that Zhang Daban brought suit Mother's wishes...?"

The emperor ate while verbally expressing his filial piety, occasionally giving Princess Yanqing a few words of advice.

Empress Dowager Chen and Princess Yanqing both ate without speaking and slept without saying a word, only nodding and shaking their heads.

that's it.

Zhu Yijun bid farewell to the two empresses in a simple manner.

……

August 30th, the eighth year of the Wanli reign.

In the early morning, before dawn, the air was damp and dewy.

Zhang Juzheng, Wang Chonggu, Hai Rui, Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, the heads of the Six Ministries, and hundreds of officials, lined up in two rows, quietly waiting outside the Meridian Gate—even Gao Yi, who was paralyzed by illness, was among them.

Today is the day the emperor sets off on his southern tour!
Outside the thousand-step corridor, officials from the six ministries opened their doors and windows, craning their necks to look around.

Wealthy people who were curious about such things could not enter the Thousand-Step Corridor, so they had to climb to a high place and secretly take out their binoculars to aim at the corridor.

The crowd gazed at the sky, waiting for the Ming Emperor, who had not appeared for over forty years, to tour the land.

Boom!
A drumbeat suddenly rang out.

It's the time drum set by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau; it's time for the third quarter of the Yin hour!

As soon as the drum sounded...

The heavy, vermilion palace gates creaked open one after another.

There were no officials singing and playing music, no crowds cheering; only golden gourds, axes, and ceremonial stirrups poured out in a somber and solemn manner.

In the blink of an eye, the guards stood solemnly on both sides of the imperial road, surrounding the waiting officials.

The grand procession flowed out of the Meridian Gate, with the emperor, the imperial carriage, the nine-dragon umbrella with curved handles, the banners, the eight gold ornaments, the master of ceremonies, the master of ceremonies, the guards, and the various attendants filing out in single file.

A newly made imperial dragon flag was surrounded in the very center, fluttering in the wind.

Cloud cover and cloud disk followed closely behind.

A figure surrounded by stars slowly walked out of the Meridian Gate.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

In an instant, a dark mass of people knelt down, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Zhu Yijun stood outside the Meridian Gate, looked around, and said, "Please rise, gentlemen."

The southern tour was conducted without formalities, and everything was kept simple—even the ceremonial procession before us was decided upon by the Ministry of Rites on the spot.

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the officials rose one after another.

Zhu Yijun, with his sharp eyes, noticed that someone was having difficulty getting up and quickly stepped forward.

He pushed aside the palace officials, personally helped Gao Yi up, and said helplessly, "Sir, do you really want to come with me to the south of the Yangtze River?"

Gao Yi, panting, sat back in his wheelchair and looked at the emperor with a kind face: "With the Prime Minister in charge of the central government, this old minister can accompany Your Majesty on your southern tour."

Zhu Yijun fell silent.

Born in Zhejiang, a cabinet minister, and a renowned Confucian scholar of the Neo-Confucian school, Gao Yi's assistance during the southern tour was self-evident. Coupled with his childless and wifeless lineage and his reputation for "accepting" seven eggs from his neighbor, Gao Yi's reputation and prestige among scholars even surpassed that of Zhang Juzheng.

The problem is that Grohe can't withstand the arduous journey.

This behavior clearly indicates an intention to do one last thing, ultimately returning to Qiantang County to settle down and return to one's roots.

Seeing Mr. Gao's seemingly indifferent attitude towards life and death, Zhu Yijun knew he couldn't persuade him and could only sigh silently.

He looked at Wei Chao, signaling him to take good care of Mr. Gao.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Yijun walked toward Zhang Juzheng.

He grasped the Grand Secretary's hand and earnestly said, "I entrust the affairs of the court to you, sir."

Zhang Juzheng scratched the emperor's palm, frowning in confusion.

Zhu Yijun was taken aback and withdrew his hand: "What are you doing, sir?"

Zhang Juzheng looked around and lowered his voice to apologize: "Your Majesty made a southern tour, Consort Wu gave birth to a son, and Consort Han became pregnant. I thought Your Majesty had a secret edict to entrust to you!"

Zhu Yijun finally realized what was happening when he heard this.

The old man is trying to harm himself in a roundabout way!

Zhu Yijun retorted righteously, "Sir, Jiangnan is the heartland of the nation, how can it be made into a den of demons?"

"I neither engage in close combat nor go boating."

"Where is there a need to leave behind a secret edict for the succession?"

Zhang Ju remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying, his expression conveying an air of "Really? I don't believe it."

The two held hands and looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

Outsiders could only see the emperor and his minister whispering to each other, speechless and choked with emotion, and could only look on with envy.

After a long time.

Zhang Juzheng was the first to break the silence, bowing respectfully and saying, "Your Majesty, it is better to be cautious than to believe it."

Zhu Yijun paused for a moment, then gently helped the person up.

"The food and supplies for my temporary residence are still transported from Beijing."

"The accompanying guards are all from good families. Zhu Xixiao was once a guard in the Eastern Palace. He is an expert in fire prevention and theft prevention."

"The four combat battalions and one vehicle battalion that were to be relieved of their duties in Nanjing arrived in Nanjing even before I did..."

The emperor seemed to be rambling on and on.

Zhang Juzheng listened silently without interrupting.

Finally, Zhu Yijun suddenly smiled and said, "The new policies for the country may not depend entirely on me. If anything happens, you should assist me in governing and will surely be able to bring peace to the country and ultimately accomplish great things."

Zhang Juzheng stared at the emperor in astonishment.

He opened his mouth as if to offer some advice.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he involuntarily prostrated himself and solemnly declared: "Your subject dares to exert all his strength and loyalty, even unto death!"

Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue, who were closest to each other, couldn't help but exchange a glance.

The dialogue between the emperor and his minister was clearly the original dialogue between Emperor Zhaolie of Han and Marquis Wuxiang.

How could the relationship between the ruler and his ministers have reached such a point?
Zhu Yijun watched silently as Zhang Juzheng bowed.

He didn't reach out to help, but simply repeated his initial words: "I entrust the affairs of the court to you, sir."

Zhang Juzheng bowed twice and silently accepted the imperial edict.

At this moment, the Zhonghe Shaoyue music arranged by the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) began to play, with bells and drums resounding together.

Everyone turned around and saw Luo Sigong, the commander of the Imperial Guard of the Five Armies Command, leading his horse from outside the Great Ming Gate: "Grand Marshal! The Imperial Guard has arrived outside the Great Ming Gate to provide protection!"

Zhu Yijun glanced at the outside of the Daming Gate.

The distance is too far, so I can't see clearly; I can only see vague outlines.

Fan Yingqi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I request that Your Majesty make a southern tour!"

The guards on both sides shook their armor, making a rustling sound.

The officials who came to greet him all clasped their hands in greeting and shouted in unison, "Please, Your Majesty, embark on your southern tour!"

Zhu Yijun withdrew his gaze.

Looking at the scene before him, he made no extra movements, only pressing his hand on the Emperor's sword at his waist, and replied in a deep voice: "Let's begin the southern tour!"

The emperor's words were clearly resounding, yet a sudden silence fell outside the Meridian Gate.

The shouts, cries, music, the clanging of armor, and the sounds of bells and drums all vanished.

Zhu Yijun silently turned over, stepped onto the precious horse that Luo Sigong had brought, and rode lightly through the Daming Gate.

The imperial banner followed behind.

The civil and military officials, palace guards, imperial guards, and eunuchs, all gathered in an orderly fashion into the imperial procession.

The prelude to a major political event has begun.

It moves silently, without making a sound.

(Volume 4, End)

(End of this chapter)