I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 37: Elder Yan Wants Five Generations to Live Together

The next afternoon, Zhu Yijun came to Yan's house again.

The Yan Mansion was still as deserted, lonely and lifeless as before.

Yan Song was still old and frail, looking weak and powerless.

Watching his movements and listening to him speak, it feels like he is a beat slower than others, but you will be very patient, waiting for his slow movements and listening to his every word.

"Lord Yan, this is an impeachment memorial." Zhu Yijun handed a copy of Lin Run's impeachment memorial to Yan Song.

Feng Bao quickly took it, took two steps, and handed it to Yan Song.

Yan Song took the papers with trembling hands, as if they weighed dozens of pounds, and put them on the table with shaking hands. He then slowly picked up the tortoise-shell crystal reading glasses, put them on his eyes shakily, then picked up the manuscript copies and stretched out his hands with trembling hands.

He tilted his head and looked at the bright light coming in through the window frame, squinting his cloudy eyes.

After watching for about a quarter of an hour, Zhu Yijun drank most of the bowl of tea, and Yan Song finally spoke.

"Your Highness, this memorial impeaches me and my son for instigating the Emperor to pursue Taoism and harm the country, building large-scale projects that waste people's money and labor; deceiving the Emperor, framing loyal officials, alienating honest officials, and getting close to treacherous people.
This memorial cannot bring down this old man and my son."

Yan Song told Zhu Yijun very confidently.

"Lord Yan is right, this impeachment memorial is full of bullshit.

The people who were impeaching Yan Ge Lao and his son were actually targeting Grandpa Huang. If this memorial was approved, would it mean that Grandpa Huang was incompetent and immoral, had amassed wealth without limit, was deceived by treacherous officials, favored villains, distanced himself from virtuous officials, and framed loyal officials?
I don't know if this censor has a head on his butt, he actually wrote such a memorial. Is he trying to impeach the father and son of Lord Yan, or is he trying to use the name of impeachment to advise the emperor in the name of the world?"

Yan Song smiled, and his face, covered with age spots, was filled with wrinkles.

"Your Highness is right. These people only know how to act on impulse and are unable to do practical things. They can only sell their integrity to gain fame."

Zhu Yijun took out another copy from his sleeve and handed it to Yan Song.

Yan Song took it from Feng Bao and was a little surprised.

"Your Highness, what is this?"

"Lord Yan, what you just saw was a copy of the original manuscript of the censor's impeachment memorial. This is the copy that was handed in."

Yan Song's eyes flashed coldly, he put on his glasses silently and looked at it carefully.

As he read, Yan Song's face turned livid. After slowly putting down the copy, he said coldly, "Your Highness, this censor has asked for advice from an expert."

"That's right. Lord Yan should be able to guess who this censor consulted."

"Impeach my son for defying the emperor's orders, sneaking back to his hometown from his place of exile, and continuing to live a life of debauchery. He is guilty of deceiving the emperor. He also colluded with the Japanese pirates and attempted to escape to the East Japan, which is treason. These two charges alone are enough to put him to death. I should have consulted Xu Shaohu on this memorial."

Yan Song had been fighting with Xu Jie for more than ten years and knew each other well.

"Last time, I strongly advocated the execution of the five Southeastern families who colluded with the Japanese, and Xu Shaohu killed my son on the charge of collusion with the Japanese. It was really a retribution for every sip."

Yan Song said sadly, rolled up his sleeves and wiped his tears.

Suddenly he looked up and asked Zhu Yijun expectantly, "Your Highness, is there any room for maneuver?"

Zhu Yijun replied slowly: "Lord Yan, it was because you insisted on severely punishing the five families in the southeast that colluded with the Japanese last time in the cabinet that I came here today."

"Prince, what do you want from me?" Yan Song asked tremblingly, his old face full of desolation and sadness.

"Lord Yan, a few days ago, Lord Xu's cousin and nephew broke the law and were tried by the Ministry of Justice. They were sentenced to immediate execution and hanging. Lord Xu received the Ministry of Justice's memorial and immediately drafted a bill to approve it."

"Your Highness, Lord Xu only took the lives of my cousins ​​and nephews, but you want me to take the life of my own son. I only have this one son, and now that my wife is gone, I can't even save my son."

Yan Song collapsed on the ground, crying loudly. Zhu Yijun looked at this old man in his eighties, crying with snot and tears all over his face, and felt a little bit sorry for him, but it quickly passed.

"Lord Yan, the Emperor gave Yan Donglou a chance. If he had stayed in Leizhou honestly, everyone would have been able to excuse him even with this memorial from the Imperial Censor.

Lord Yan, you said it yourself, you will suffer for your own sins."

Zhu Yijun's words slowly calmed Yan Song down.

"Old Lord Yan, you have four generations living under one roof. No, I heard that your great-grandson gave you a great-grandson. Five generations living under one roof. Which old man has such great fortune throughout history?

Lord Yan, you have reached the highest position among the ministers, and now you have five generations living under one roof. It is worth it."

As Zhu Yijun spoke, he waved his hand, signaling Feng Bao to help Yan Song up.

"Yes, it's rare to have five generations living under one roof." With the help of Feng Bao, Yan Song struggled to stand up and sat down on the chair.

"My son thinks highly of himself. My husband and I have only one son, so we dote on him. But he has been cunning and clever since he was young, and has a good memory.

When I grew up, I was familiar with the rules and regulations, and I was well-versed in economic affairs. I was energetic and could handle a lot of things. In the 27th year of Jiajing, I entered the cabinet again. I was almost 70 years old. I was old and weak, and mentally exhausted. I also had to go to the West Garden frequently to write Qingci. I often discussed the cabinet affairs with Qinger.

There was a saying among the government and the public that there were great prime ministers and small prime ministers. "

Yan Song sat in the chair, chattering on and on, and Zhu Yijun listened patiently.

"I and my first wife have lived together till old age, and we didn't care much about food and clothing. But Qing'er is a wine lover and has 27 concubines with names. He revels every night and cannot live without wine. He cannot bear even the slightest hardship. That's why we are in trouble today."

Yan Song closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time, two lines of tears flowing silently down his face.

He suddenly opened his eyes, looked at Zhu Yijun, and said word by word: "I will write a letter of apology immediately and submit it to the West Garden tomorrow morning, requesting the emperor to severely punish my son and uphold the law."

Good! Since respectability has been given to you and you have accepted it, it is easy to talk about.

Zhu Yijun took out another piece of paper from his sleeve and asked Feng Bao to pass it to Yan Song.

"This is..." Yan Song took a look, not understanding what it meant.

"Lianshengxiang specializes in porcelain. It has a branch in Jingdezhen. I asked them to quietly buy 3,000 acres of paddy fields in the Yuanzhou area and register them under the name of the Yan Clan Ancestral Hall as sacrificial fields.

According to the imperial edict and national law of our dynasty, no matter how serious the crime of Yan Donglou is, the sacrificial land of the Yan clan ancestral hall will not be confiscated. It will not be long before Lord Yan will return to his hometown, where five generations will live together and three thousand acres of paddy fields will be enough to provide him with food and clothing without worries. "

Yan Song raised his head in shock, looked at Zhu Yijun in disbelief, stood up tremblingly and wanted to salute.

"Lord Yan, you don't have to thank me. Your previous crimes will be punished by the law of the country. But from my point of view, you advocated killing the five Southeast families who colluded with the Japanese, suppressing Lord Xu, and helping the Coordination Office to establish its prestige in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and then gain a firm foothold.

It's considered helping me.

Besides, you are Hu Zongxian's old benefactor. I have to give them an explanation, both emotionally and rationally, so that they can feel at ease and continue to work with me peacefully."

Yan Song staggered and bowed, sighing, "Hu Ruzhen, you have met a wise master."

"Lord Yan, now that I have finished speaking, I will leave first."

"This old man is sending His Royal Highness off."

"No need to send him off. Mr. Yan is old and frail, so just send him to the door of his study." Zhu Yijun insisted.

After walking out of the study and taking a few steps, I heard sobbing sounds, like the wailing of a lonely ghost in the wilderness, coming faintly from the study.

Zhu Yijun paused for a moment, but without stopping, he continued to move forward and left Yan's house directly.

(End of this chapter)