I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 238: Formalistic Court Meeting

Today is February 15th of the second year of the Longqing reign, and it is the day for the morning court on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.

Gao Gong was woken up in the middle of the night. He sat in a chair and dozed off for a while to calm down.

Having to get up and prepare for the morning court session at midnight, once on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, was simply torture. However, many officials longed for such torture.

After washing, Gao Gong ate a bowl of red date millet porridge, and with the help of his maid, he changed into his official scarlet robe and put on his black gauze official hat.

I could vaguely hear voices coming from outside, and the sound of horses' hooves from patrolling the city.

The residence bestowed by Emperor Longqing was located just east of Chang'an Avenue and was where court officials lived.

"When?" Gao Gong asked.

"Master, it's the ugly hour."

"Is the sedan ready?"

"It's ready. It's waiting for you in the sedan."

"Let's go then."

Gao Gong sat in the sedan chair, as steady as if he was sitting in the same place and not moving.

The sedan chair bearers in the capital are very skilled at carrying sedan chairs.

His sedan chair entered Chang'an Avenue and joined the long queue of sedan chairs. However, once his procession was displayed, many sedan chairs consciously moved aside.

Now Gaobudang's market value is rising again, second only to the cabinet elders. Other officials in the capital ask the sedan bearers to give way to him and not block the way of Duke Xinzheng.

As we approached the Meridian Gate, we heard a buzzing sound rushing in through the sedan window, as if we had suddenly walked from the cold mountains into a market.

Gao Gong lifted a corner of the curtain of the sedan chair and glanced at the officials gathered in front of the Meridian Gate, waiting to have their badges checked to enter and attend the court meeting.

That group of people included Zhao Jin, Zhang Chong, Yang Sizhong, and Dong Chuanze. They are now the leading young generation under Xu Jie and are known as the Four Heroes of the Xu Family.

The three people behind were Shen Shixing, the top scorer in the imperial examination in the 1562st year of Jiajing (), Wang Xijue, the second place, and Yu Youding, the third place. They were the top three in the same exam, served in the same palace, and had a close relationship and deep feelings.

Among the dozens of subjects on the same list in the imperial court, the three of them are considered exceptions.

A little further away, a group of people gathered, led by Ding Shimei, the top scholar in the 38th year of Jiajing and a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. These people usually had close contacts with Wang Lin and himself.

His disciples and followers, including Cheng Wenyi, were standing nearby.

A little further away stood the Hanlin editors and censors, such as Gao Yongchun, Yang Sizhi, Shen Li, Xu Guo and Cai Maochun.

These people call themselves the clean stream and want to emulate Hai Rui in being a lone minister and forming their own faction.

Gao Gong's gaze lingered on Cai Maochun's face for a few moments.

He was the top scorer in the imperial examination in the 38th year of Jiajing, and the top scorer in that subject was Ding Shimei.

At that time, Zhao Zupeng, a native of Zhejiang, was an official in the Imperial Academy. He had a daughter who was the second wife of the powerful official Lu Bing. Relying on Lu Bing's power, she became rich and powerful for a time.

Zhao Zupeng also had a little daughter who was both talented and beautiful. At that time, Ding Shimei was already a widower, and Zhao Zupeng wanted to marry his little daughter to him, but Ding Shimei refused the marriage.

Cai Maochun admired the Zhao family's power and married into the Zhao family as their son-in-law. This caused a lot of controversy, and everyone despised Cai Maochun and praised Ding Shimei.

Soon after, Lu Bing passed away. Zhao Zupeng, who lost his backing, was attacked by his political enemies and exiled to the border. His family's financial situation immediately declined, and Cai Maochun also encountered many setbacks in officialdom.

He and Ding Shimei, who had had a bumpy career for more than a decade, were a pair of rising stars.

Gao Gong looked at these faces, some young and some not, but all full of passion and enthusiasm, and felt as if he was looking at a group of vultures and jackals.

Waiting for an opportunity to bite.

It was the same when I was young.

Just after passing the imperial examination, he thought that the fate of the country depended on himself. He pointed out the situation and judged the treacherous and loyal, as if the masts and oars would be reduced to ashes and the world would be at peace in the blink of an eye.

I was in the same situation at that time, looking at the seniors in high positions with sharp eyes, wondering which one could become my stepping stone.

When he arrived at the Meridian Gate, Gao Gong would definitely be able to enter with his badge checked first due to his status as a man.

Wang Lin, who was a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and also the Censor-in-Chief, also had the qualification.

The two met at the Zuoye Gate and just bowed to each other. After checking their badges, they entered the Wumen Gate and walked along the open space towards the room. The people around them suddenly became fewer, and Wang Lin spoke softly.

"Lord Xinzheng, there is a good show to watch this morning."

Gao Gong stroked his long beard and asked softly, "Was this planned by Houxi?"

Wang Lin's heart trembled.

Damn, nothing can be hidden from you, tall and bearded man. Is there a traitor among our group?
But this is normal. Gao Gong has been an official in the court for many years and is very resourceful. He has secretly won over countless people. He doesn't know which of the people around him is his secret agent.

As for the Xu family and the prince's party, among those who claim to be lone ministers and upright officials, there may be some people like Gao Gong.

This is how the court is. You are in me and I am in you. It is impossible to tell them apart. It is impossible to tell them apart at all!

Wang Lin remained calm and replied softly, "Don't worry, Lord Xinzheng, let those loyal ministers take the lead this time. Once they anger the Crown Prince and the Emperor, we will move forward.

By then, Chen Yifu will have no way to defend himself, and he will have to bear the blame even if he doesn't want to! By then, he will be kicked out of the cabinet, and you will be the Duke of Xinzheng, and everyone will want you to be his successor."

Gao Gong's face was as calm as a rock, and he said lightly, "Thank you for your hard work, Ji Jin and the others."

Wang Lin said humbly: "All of this is to clarify the government and let my Ming Dynasty get back to its roots!"

Someone came up from behind, cupped his hands and greeted him: "Mr. Xinzheng!"

Gao Gong turned around and smiled, then he said, "Mr. Zhenshan!"

Wang Lin looked at Gao Gong's back which was gradually going away, feeling somewhat resentful.

Gao Da Hu Zi, don't be so arrogant. If you were not the only one among us with the most qualifications and the most certainty of entering the cabinet, would everyone indulge you and give in to you?
The person who greeted Gao Gong and was now talking side by side with him was the Nanjing Minister of Works Zhu Heng, whose courtesy name was Shinan and alias Zhenshan.

After the Zhenwuying mutiny, Zhu Yijun issued an edict in the name of Emperor Longqing, recalling all the Shangshu, You Shilang of the six ministries in Nanjing, the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate (the Nanjing Censorate only had the Right Censor-in-Chief), the Hanlin Academy, and the five temples back to Beijing.

Only the Left Vice Minister of the six ministries, the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and the Imperial College are left in Nanjing.

The six ministers of Nanjing who were recalled to Beijing were assigned to the six ministries in Beijing, holding the title of minister but doing the work of the left vice minister.

So was Zhu Heng, and so was Liu Cai, the Nanjing Minister of War.

As they were talking, they walked towards the room and saw a group of nobles talking and laughing in low voices on the way.

There were Duke of Yingguo Zhang Rong, Marquis of Yangwu Xue Han, Marquis of Zhenyuan Gu Huan, Marquis of Gongshun Wu Jijie, Marquis of Xining Song Shien, Earl of Gu'an Chen Jingxing and others. Marquis of Lingbi Tang Shilong, who was summoned from Nanjing, stood among them and got along well with them.

Gao Gong couldn't help but glance at Chen Jingxing's face a few times.

I wonder if you will be able to laugh so happily later.

Xu Jie is old and walks slowly.

After checking his badge, he entered the Zuoye Gate, holding up his front lapel and slowly walked towards the court room. Along the way, court officials kept passing by him, bowing and calling out, "Good morning, Prime Minister!"

Xu Jie replied with a smile: "Good morning!"

Suddenly someone caught up with him from behind and held his left arm. When he turned around, he saw that it was his disciple, Guanglu Qing Zhao Jin.

"Yuan Pu."

"Master, I heard that there will be a big storm during the court meeting this morning."

"Big waves, what big waves?" Xu Jie looked at the dark sky and said with a chuckle, "The wind is calm and the sky is balanced, what big waves can there be?"

Zhao Jin was stunned, not knowing what his teacher was up to. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Teacher, I heard that there will be an imperial censor impeaching the foreign relatives at the court meeting this morning."

"Yuan Pu, there was no impeachment at that court meeting? Without impeachment, how would those censors make a living? And the relatives of the emperor were impeached. If they are not impeached by the censors once or twice a month, do they have the nerve to call themselves relatives of the emperor?"

Xu Jie answered calmly.

Seeing his teacher's calm demeanor, Zhao Jin was touched and seemed to understand something. He stopped talking and focused on helping Xu Jie to the court room for the elders. He bowed and went to the court room where the nine ministers were supposed to be.

On the Wufeng Tower of the Meridian Gate, Zhu Yijun stood in the dark with his hands in his sleeves, looking at the court officials below, who were walking towards their respective rooms in twos and threes, talking in low voices.

"This court meeting is a complete formality." Zhu Yijun muttered, turned to Feng Bao behind him and said: "Let's go, the court meeting will start soon, let's go."

"It's Your Highness."

(End of this chapter)