I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 131 Xu Jie and Zhang Juzheng Conspire
Xu Jie stroked his beard and spoke softly.

"On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor took His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Crown Grandson to the West Garden to enjoy the moon. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not come out until very late."

Zhang Juzheng was stunned.

That's it?
The emperor, his son, and the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren gathered together to admire the moon. This has made you, teacher, think about it for so many days?

The accumulated problems in horse administration that I have just reported exist not only in Liaodong Town, but may also exist in all nine border areas. If not handled properly, they may jeopardize the border affairs of the entire nine border areas.

Teacher, you turned a blind eye to it and were completely focused on trying to figure out what was going on?
Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Teacher, how did you become like this?

Xu Jie waited for a while, but did not hear Zhang Juzheng's answer, so he asked again: "Uncle, don't you find it strange?"

Zhang Juzheng replied disapprovingly: "Teacher, I think it is nothing special. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, many families gather together to enjoy the moon."

Xu Jie waved his hand, "Uncle, don't be careless. Don't you remember what Taoist Master Tao said, two dragons should not meet each other?"

Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath and thought for a while, "Teacher, the emperor, the prince, and the grandson, there are three dragons in total. Two dragons cannot meet, but I didn't say that three dragons cannot meet."

Xu Jie laughed out loud, "Uncle is indeed a Jiangling prodigy, with a quick wit."

After laughing, Xu Jie's expression slowly returned to seriousness, "I have served the emperor for decades, and I know his temper. In his heart, the second dragon and the third dragon are all the same.

He would not do this unless it was absolutely necessary. But on Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor invited the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince to the West Garden, saying that they were going to enjoy the moon.

Zhang Juzheng asked, "Teacher, what do you think the emperor's intention is?"

Xu Jie glanced at him and said quietly, "There's news coming from the Western Garden and the Imperial Hospital, saying that the Emperor's health has been deteriorating since the beginning of autumn.

He is already sixty years old.”

Zhang Juzheng said nothing.

So what if I’m sixty?
Yan Song is still in his hometown in his eighties and is said to be living a very comfortable life.

But since the emperor likes to take elixirs, it’s hard to say.

It's just that the Emperor summoned the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince to talk about some trivial matters, and as a subject, it's not appropriate for me to make any comments.

Looking at the expression on Zhang Juzheng's face, Xu Jie guessed what his favorite student was thinking, and spoke leisurely while stroking his beard.

"Uncle, I am old, and I have exhausted myself in serving the emperor. Now that the crown prince has ascended the throne, I am afraid that the affairs of state will have to be handed over to you and Gao Xinzheng.

I heard that in his hometown Gao Xinzheng, he said he was studying at home, but there were more famous scholars and officials visiting him every day than crabs in Yangcheng Lake.

Gao Xinzheng, he must be unwilling to accept this. He is waiting for the right time to return to the court. "

Xu Jie stared at Zhang Juzheng with a sharp gaze.

"Gao Xinzheng is a gentleman, but he is narrow-minded. It is not wrong to say that he will never give up. In the 43rd year of Jiajing, the Jin Party was traced back to the Gengxu Incident and almost completely destroyed.

Gao Xinzheng will definitely put this account on my head."

Zhang Juzheng was stunned.

The Jin Party was traced back to the Gengxu Incident and suffered heavy losses. It was the Crown Prince who was behind it. Xu Jie and the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Party only did some things to add insult to injury. Why did Gao Gong put the blame on his teacher?

Oh, I guess Gao Gong was already afraid of the Crown Prince's scheming and tactics after the last confrontation. Knowing that he was the mastermind, he didn't dare to blame him and instead picked on the weak.

At this point, Zhang Juzheng somewhat understood the purpose of Xu Jie's conversation with him today.

It was obvious that the Emperor summoned the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the West Garden, most likely to give instructions on his affairs after his death.

Teacher Xu Jie had already made up his mind. As soon as the prince ascended the throne, he would retire and return to his hometown to avoid being humiliated and ruining his reputation when Gao Gong returned to the court.

However, when he retired and returned home, he also had to be wary of retaliation from Gao Gong.

Then the chess piece that the teacher had set up to protect himself was himself, the crown prince. Zhang Juzheng was becoming more and more disappointed in his heart.

The teacher who used to be full of vigor and enthusiasm has grown old. He no longer has the ambition to reform and revive the Ming Dynasty. Instead, he only wants to enjoy his old age and make his descendants prosperous and wealthy.

Zhang Juzheng looked serious, cupped his hands and said, "Teacher, please explain clearly!"

Xu Jie stroked his beard, feeling very relieved.

Uncle Zhang, I was right about you!

Xu Jie was so enthusiastic that he wanted to pass on all his skills to Zhang Juzheng.

"Uncle, I know you want to do great things. But to do great things, you must first seize power. Once you seize power, you must be cautious.

The Yan Party has been in power for more than 20 years. Do you think Yan Song has seized power? "

Zhang Juzheng shook his head.

"Yes, if Yan Song dared to seize power, the emperor would not have kept him for more than 20 years. Yan Song is also very smart. The former cabinet minister Xia Yan made great efforts for the emperor during the Great Ceremony Debate, and the emperor regarded him as his right-hand man and pillar.

Unfortunately, Xia Yan had great ambitions and wanted to do great things, so he had to take great power, but he didn't want to violate taboos. The emperor finally took power back from Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing, but could he watch Xia Yan take it again?

Yan Song knew the situation and stepped forward to impeach Zeng Xin, exposing him to the bone, and finally pointed his sword at Xia Yan. All the officials in the court knew that although Xia Yan abused his power and was tyrannical, his crime was not punishable by death. Unfortunately, the emperor wanted to use his head to intimidate all the officials.

So, uncle, you have to be careful with authority."

Xu Jie felt a little thirsty as he spoke, and reached out to take the teacup. Zhang Juzheng quickly stood up, picked up the teacup and handed it to Xu Jie.

Xu Jie smiled and nodded, then took two sips to moisten his throat.

"If nothing unexpected happens, His Royal Highness will take the throne and be in charge of state affairs. You and I both know his personality, and he will definitely take on a lot of responsibilities.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a gentle personality and is grateful for the old friendship. No matter how powerful and overbearing Gao Gong is, he can never become the second Xia Yan. But now there is the variable of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhang Juzheng deeply agreed with this.

After the defeat of the Jin Party in the 43rd year of Jiajing, Gao Gong would certainly be very wary of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

"Uncle, I have served the emperor for more than 20 years. I can guess his temperament and thoughts. If I am not mistaken, the emperor's plan should be to leave the Forbidden City to the crown prince and the Western Garden to the crown prince after he dies."

Zhang Juzheng was stunned. "Teacher, what is the purpose of the emperor's arrangement?"

Xu Jie answered slowly: "In the 21st year of Jiajing, the emperor moved to the Western Garden, and the Imperial Household Department also moved there. Later, the cabinet ministers were proud to serve in the Western Garden. Until the 40th year of Jiajing, the emperor issued an edict, asking all the cabinet ministers to return to the Wumen Cabinet to serve.

From then on, the center of the Ming Dynasty was not in the Forbidden City, but in the Western Garden. "

"Teacher, what are you saying?" Zhang Juzheng was shocked by the news, and his thoughts were a little confused. "Teacher, are you saying that the emperor arranged for the crown prince to ascend the throne, and then let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince secretly supervise the country?"

Xu Jie shook his head, spread his hands, and said calmly, "We don't know what the emperor and his father, son, and grandparents talked about on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Maybe they were just appreciating the moon and expressing their family affection!

However, Zhang Juzheng knew that the teacher was making an excuse.

How could the emperor, who is such a shrewd man, summon the crown prince and the crown prince's grandson to the West Garden for no reason, risking the two dragons not meeting each other, just to admire the moon?
Who would believe it?

"Uncle, I have another piece of news for you."

"Teacher, please tell me."

"Not long after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor issued an edict to appoint the eunuch Feng Bao to the Silijian as the eunuch in charge of the East Factory. He also appointed Liu Yi to the Silijian as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Horse Bureau."

Zhang Juzheng was shocked. "Feng Bao and Liu Yi have been serving His Royal Highness the Crown Prince since they were in Prince Yu's Mansion."

Xu Jie did not answer, but said leisurely: "So, Uncle, now you have become a variable too."

(End of this chapter)