I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 459: The Vast Sea and Sky Autumn

Zhang Juzheng was busy sitting in the attic when his attendant reported at the door, "Master, Master Pan from the Ministry of Rites and Master Zeng from the Metropolitan Procuratorate are here to visit."

"Siming and Sanxing are here, please come in."

After a while, Pan Sheng, the Left Vice Minister of Rites, and Zeng Shengwu, the Right Censor-in-Chief, walked into the attic together.

"Brother Uncle, we are not disturbing you, are we?"

Zhang Juzheng stood up to greet them. "I'm not disturbing you. I'm just dealing with some trivial matters. Please take a seat. Tea is served!"

After the three hosts and guests were seated, Pan Sheng asked directly.

"The Ministry of Rites has received the emperor's edict. Does Uncle know?"

"Zhang also received a copy. Xue, the daughter of Yangwu Marquis, was given a red jade ruyi, and Song, the daughter of a wealthy businessman in the southeast, was given a green jade ruyi."

"With this, the title of Crown Princess has been determined. The Ministry of Rites is now preparing for the Crown Prince's wedding next year."

Zeng Xingwu interrupted, "Mr. Taiyue, Mr. Shuilian, do you think this edict is the emperor's or the prince's?"

Zhang Juzheng and Pan Sheng turned to look at him.

"Okay, I know. It must be His Royal Highness's own intention." Zeng Shengwu waved his hand. "Since it is His Royal Highness's intention, it means that the strategy and plan will not change in the future."

Pan Sheng stroked his beard and said, "San Sheng is right. Xue family has military power, and Song family has financial resources. Your Highness should still focus on these two points and continue to implement the new policy."

Zeng Xingwu looked at Zhang Juzheng and said angrily: "It is a pity that the power to manage the new policy was snatched away by Gao Xinzheng. But he is in the position but does not fulfill his duties.

During the land survey in Shandong, the Ministry of Revenue team was beaten by local ruffians and even killed. Gao Xinzheng, the Minister of Revenue, turned a blind eye to the matter. In the end, it was Gangfeng Gong of our Censorate who went to Yanzhou for inspection and found evidence against the Confucius family. His Highness ordered the prince to recommend him as governor of Shandong, and only then was the matter officially investigated.

Otherwise, the land survey in Shandong would be difficult to proceed.

Shandong looks to the Confucius Mansion, Central Plains looks to Shandong, and the world looks to Central Plains. Gao Xinzheng is said to be leading the new policies, but he does not have much responsibility. "

Pan Sheng glanced at him, with some intention of defending Gao Gong, "Sansheng's words are a bit harsh.

The case involves the Duke of Yansheng Mansion, who wouldn't think twice? Although Gao Xinzheng has a hot temper, he is not a reckless person. Of course, he knows that Shandong looks at the Confucius Mansion, but he also knows that if Xiyuan does not intervene, he can't do anything to the Duke of Yansheng Mansion. "

Zeng Shengwu became a little anxious.

You, Master Pan, why are you speaking for Gao Da Hu Zi? Which side are you on?

"Everyone knows that Gao Xinzheng can't do anything to the Yanshenggong Mansion. But as a cabinet elder and the Minister of Revenue, the chief of the new fiscal and taxation policy, you didn't say a word when something big happened. Is that reasonable?
At least you should say something for the petty officials in the working group who are working so hard. They went down there on your orders and met with misfortune, but you said nothing. What is this?
Are you responsible?

The tall bearded man's shoulders are so weak! Since they are so weak and can't take on the responsibility, it's better to let Mr. Taiyue handle the new policy."

Pan Sheng glared at Zeng Shengwu and said, "San Sheng, stop fanning the flames here. The political situation is very delicate right now. Tan Zili has returned to Beijing and taken over as the Minister of War.

Hu Ruzhen was also on his way back to Beijing. His achievements included suppressing the Japanese in the southeast, conquering Shanxi and Xuanda, managing the South China Sea and Guangdong and destroying the Mo family. It was not enough for him to be a Minister of War.

Join the cabinet?

Are both of them going to join the cabinet?

Once these two enter the cabinet, there will be seven cabinet elders, and one or two of them will have to step down. Who will they step down? "

Zeng Xingwu said nonchalantly: "Mr. Taiyue is the teacher of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. You can dismiss anyone but him!"

Pan Sheng shook his head, his face full of worry, "It's hard to say. His Highness's actions are unpredictable. This time, when choosing the Crown Princess, Wang's daughter was recommended by Uncle Zhang, but he didn't even give her the green jade ruyi.

Uncle Zhang is the Prince's teacher, so the Prince said to Uncle, "Since you are the Prince's teacher, why don't you be so upright and set an example by giving way to others?"

Zeng Shengwu was dumbfounded.

This is very likely to happen!

"Mr. Taiyue, you should go to Xiyuan more often to consolidate the teacher-student relationship with His Highness."

Zhang Juzheng had been listening silently to the conversation between Pan Sheng and Zeng Shengwu. When he heard his name being called, he spoke.

"The Shandong team of the Ministry of Revenue was bullied and murdered by the local government, but the Ministry of Revenue did nothing about it. Will the Censorate also do nothing about it?"

Zeng Shengwu was stunned and did not understand the meaning of Zhang Juzheng's words for a moment.

Pan Sheng understood the meaning of the words, stroked his beard, looked at Zhang Juzheng, with relief in his eyes.

Although Shuda has been dormant for these years, his lofty ambitions have not faded, and now he is ready to make his own voice heard.

Looking at Zhang Juzheng who was as calm as water and Pan Sheng who had bright eyes, Zeng Shengwu seemed to be thinking about something.

"Mr. Taiyue, are you asking the students to impeach the Gaoge Department?"

"Your Highness has repeatedly stressed the need to seek truth from facts, uphold justice, not be sentimental, not care about face, and be brave enough to criticize colleagues and correct their mistakes; be brave enough to criticize oneself and correct mistakes.

We must dare to speak out and accept criticism, so as to achieve the effect of curing diseases and healing people, and punishing past mistakes and preventing future ones.

Now the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Cabinet are not aware of their own problems. Shouldn't the Censorate, which has the power of supervision, be brave enough to point out and criticize them?"

Zeng Xingwu nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "Mr. Taiyue is indeed worthy of being your highness's teacher. He understands your highness's orders and speeches so thoroughly. Okay, I will go back to the Censorate later and invite a few colleagues from the six departments and the censors from Shandong Province to submit a memorial together to impeach the Ministry of Revenue and Gao Xinzheng for their inaction!"

Pan Sheng added: "Prince Jian is appointed to govern Shandong. He is using the impeachment of Duke Gangfeng to severely crack down on the scum in Duke Yansheng's mansion and the Shandong noble families. This is actually a way to scare the tigers and kill the chickens to frighten the monkeys.

The Ministry of Justice received the files submitted to it, and found that as many as 3,000 people, including Kong Zhenning, were executed by public execution or hanging, which was a drastic measure.

The Zhao clan of Zhangde Prefecture in Henan, the Zheng clan of Huaiqing Prefecture, the Chong clan of Runing Prefecture, the Hui clan of Junzhou Prefecture, the De clan of Dezhou Prefecture in Shandong, and the Ji clan of Changsha Prefecture in Huguang were all abolished. The rest of the clans were summoned to Beijing and everyone was strictly examined.

After these two moves, I'm sure no one in the area will dare to openly obstruct the land survey. They just need to be careful of other tricks. But Gao Xinzheng can't just sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor without taking responsibility. Is he the first to select the best for Xiyuan, or is Xiyuan clearing the way for him? "

Zeng Shengwu slapped his hands on the table and exclaimed in admiration: "Mr. Shui Lian said it well! Only when a minister is driven by his lord, he is willing to be the vanguard. How can a minister force his lord to be the vanguard and then hide behind to enjoy the fruits of his labor?

The student must make this clear in the impeachment memorial! Seriously dampen Gao Xinzheng's arrogance!"

Zhang Juzheng cupped his hands and said, "Thank you very much, Sanxing."

Zeng Shengwu was eager to try, and hurried back to the Censorate to get people to help him write the memorial. But when he saw Pan Sheng had something to say to Zhang Juzheng in private, he stood up and said goodbye.

Only Zhang Juzheng and Pan Sheng were left in the attic.

Pan Sheng leaned slightly towards Zhang Juzheng and said softly, "Uncle, there are many reckless students in Beijing who are shouting that this is the biggest change in China in a thousand years. I don't think it's that mysterious, but it is true that we are in a time of great contention.

In a time of great contention, you must fight. Uncle, you have been dormant for so many years, it is time for you to come out and fight."

Zhang Juzheng's eyes were sharp as he listened quietly to what Pan Sheng was saying.

"In the cabinet, the only rival of Uncle Da is Gao Xinzheng."

Zhang Juzheng laughed, "Why do you say that, Mr. Shuilian?"

Pan Sheng chuckled.

"Uncle, please teach me. Chen Yifu (Chen Yiqin) is still a capable official, but compared with you, he seems very mediocre. Sooner or later, he will have to retire and return home.

Li Zishi (Li Chunfang) had a close relationship with the former Prime Minister Xu Gong. He was born into a family of top scholar and was a native of Xinghua County, Yangzhou Prefecture, and his ancestral home was Jurong County, Yingtian Prefecture.

Most of the Jiangnan party that used to obey the orders of Lord Xu now only obey Lord Li.

It’s just that Your Highness has never had a good impression of the Jiangnan party. Your Highness’s pillars in the southeast are the New School party, which is another group of people.

Li Zishi is just a transition for innovation and will be replaced by Zhao Dazhuo sooner or later.

Uncle, it is self-evident who your opponent is. "

Pan Sheng felt a little dry in the mouth after speaking, so he picked up the tea bowl and took two sips of warm tea to moisten his throat before continuing.

"In the 28th year of Jiajing, Shuda submitted a memorial on current affairs, which mentioned the five major malpractices of the royal family, talents, official administration, military preparations, and finance and taxation. Although you have been in a noble place like the Hanlin Academy in recent years, you are very clear about the real situation and malpractices of the Ming Dynasty.

A few years ago, when you were still a clear-minded person, you often had heated debates with others.

At that time, I also liked to make a distinction between kingship and hegemony. Uncle Da bluntly criticized us for "not knowing the distinction between kingship and hegemony, and the difference between righteousness and profit lies in the heart, not in the deeds", and mistakenly believed that "benevolence and righteousness are kingship, and wealth and power are hegemony", and repeatedly emphasized that wealth and power are benevolence and righteousness, and are both kingly ways.

Prosperity and strength lie in enriching the country and strengthening the army, in rectifying the administration of officials, and in solving the problem of financial shortage. On the basis of the previous five bad policies, Shu Da also proposed six new policies: reducing opinions, strengthening discipline, emphasizing imperial decrees, verifying the name and reality, consolidating the foundation of the country, and strengthening military preparations.

I have also accepted Uncle Da's philosophy of governing the country and have become a like-minded person."

Pan Sheng said with some excitement, "Gao Xinzheng also implemented a new policy, saying 'If it is based on righteousness, then all benefits are righteousness; if it is based on profit, then all righteousness is profit.' His new policy also included preparing for the border, selecting talents, cleaning up the bureaucracy, and sorting out fiscal and taxation.

You talk nonsense, no worse than Uncle Zhang.

Listen to what you say, watch what you do.

How many practical things has his new policy achieved?

The Salt Administration, Gao Xinzheng made a big fuss, and his twenty-four disciples left the capital and entered the Huai River, but they came back in disgrace.

It was His Highness who sent Hai Gong as the leader and Prince Jian as the assistant to make some arrangements, and then Pang Shaonan took care of the aftermath. In the end, the salt administration in the country was very good, the salt tax was fully paid, and the tax silver in the national treasury was relieved.

The salt administration is like this, and so is the land survey. When faced with difficulties, they just sit back and do nothing, leaving Your Highness to lead the charge. Do you have any virtue as a minister?

Instead of letting Gao Da Huzi use the new policy to gain fame, why don't you just kick him out of the cabinet, take over the banner of the new policy, lead everyone to be down-to-earth, reform and eliminate malpractices, and revive the Ming Dynasty! "

After several years of settling down, Zhang Juzheng grew very fast while quietly observing the struggle methods of his teacher Xu Jie, as well as other elders and ministers in the cabinet.

Now he is no longer an angry young man who gets startled easily, but a mature, steady and thoughtful elder.

Pan Sheng's words were very pleasing to the ear and very much to his liking, but Zhang Juzheng just kept nodding his head and did not seem very excited.

After receiving the message conveyed by Feng Bao in an implicit way, Zhang Juzheng knew in his heart that it was better to keep silent or not to make a splash.

The first move was to kick Gao Gong out of the marriage and take over the leadership of the new policy.

As Zhu Yijun's teacher and close minister, Zhang Juzheng was well aware that the new policies during the Longqing period were merely a continuation of the policies of the late Jiajing period, which focused on gathering financial resources, taking back military power, and quelling foreign invasions, while also carrying out exploratory reforms on a certain scale.

Investigate the facts, test the obstacles, and prepare for the next step of in-depth and comprehensive new policy reforms.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is young, but he is very cautious and steady in his actions.

After he had gathered military power and expanded his financial resources, he had plenty of time. Ten, twenty, or thirty years, he could slowly grind down the old forces and engage in a protracted war.

Feng Bao suddenly told him quietly that Emperor Longqing's health was seriously bad and he probably wouldn't be able to hold on for long, so he had to secretly speed up his pace and at least make full preparations so that he could achieve his goal in one fell swoop when the big change happened.

"I would like to thank Mr. Shui Lian and all the wise men for their support. Zhang has only one poem by Mr. Yangming in his mind right now."

"Which poem?"

"Dangers and dangers do not linger in my heart, just like floating clouds passing through the sky. In the quiet night, the sea waves are 30,000 miles away, and the moon is bright and the flying tin is under the wind."

Pan Sheng thought for a moment and nodded slowly.

(End of this chapter)