I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 87: Gao Gong, the Unyielding One
Yang Bo looked at his back and sighed in his heart.

"Su Qing." Yang Bo called Gao Gong by his name.

Gao Gong turned around when he heard the voice.

"Mr. Yue, what's the matter?"

"You are still impatient. Things in this world cannot be rushed. You have to do them step by step."

"Mr. Wei Yue, I want to do it step by step, but someone is setting up defenses against me at every step. For every step I want to take, I have to break free from the layers of spider webs before I can free my hands.

Some people are not decisive in doing things, but they are very clever in making trouble. But Mr. Yue, I don't ask them to help me, but please don't stop me or trip me up. "

Yang Bo shook his head: "To do big things, you must have power. The cabinet is such a big place, if you take power, others will inevitably lose out. How can they not have a fight with you?
Xu Shaohu has been able to play along with Yan Song for twenty years. His schemes are deep and entrenched. How can you defeat him in a short time? Result.
Su Qing, don't you understand yet? You are being used as a gun by Xu Shaohu."

Gao Gong stroked his beard and asked, "The Crown Prince Party headed by Hu Zongxian?"

"Correct."

"The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, why would he need to form a party?"

"Haha, Lao Gao, you have a big beard! How come you are still confused? You, your arrogant temper has caused you so much trouble, why don't you understand it now?
If you don't like something, then just don't look at it! You think the prince is the heir to the throne and doesn't need to form a clique. You should know that the prince was brought up by the emperor and taught by hand."

Gao Gong's mind suddenly flashed and he understood what Yang Bo meant.

The emperor attaches great importance to power.

At first, he used the great etiquette to make the ministers fight each other, and later he forced Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing and other famous ministers out of the court. Then he made Xia Yan fight with Yan Song, and finally supported Yan Song to fight with the ministers in the front, while he hid behind the scenes in the Western Garden to command.

How could a prince taught by the emperor not hold on to power tightly?

There may be twists and turns in the process of being a crown prince from another generation.

In order to have something to rely on, the prince will certainly win over a group of people to form the prince's party. And the emperor who intends to pass the throne to his grandson will naturally support them vigorously.

The grandfather and grandson sang the same tune. Xu Jie had seen it clearly, so he dodged to the side and then went with the flow.

Gao Da Hu Zi, don’t you want to compete with me for power?

Okay, come on, I won’t fight you openly, but will secretly turn the target to the Prince’s Party.

At that time, he thought that Xu Jie had given in and he was sure to win, but he ended up falling into the trap of this old fox and ended up fighting against the Prince's Party headed by Hu Zongxian.

Then he violated the taboo of the prince and the emperor. The grandfather and grandson joined forces to set up a trap, dug a big pit, and buried themselves and the Jin Party.

When Gao Gong was dismissed from the capital, he felt something was wrong.

But at that time I was holding my breath in my chest, feeling filled with grief and anger, and I didn't think too deeply about it.

Now that I'm at the Yellow River, far away from the capital, I've let go of many things and my mind can think clearly. With Yang Bo's guidance, I finally figured out the twists and turns.

"Mr. Wei Yue, it is not unfair for me, Gao Suqing, to lose!"

"Xu Shaohu has been in the cabinet for more than a decade under the fierce flames of the Yan Party. His scheming and tactics are the best in the world. He has also served in the Western Garden for many years, and is no worse than Yan Song in understanding the emperor's intentions.

That's why they were able to seize the opportunity, sentence Yan Shifan to death and completely overthrow the Yan Party.

When you first entered the cabinet, I repeatedly told you to be patient and cautious. The nine-year teacher-student relationship between you and His Royal Highness Prince Yu is your greatest support.

"As long as you wait a few years, Xu Shaohu will know when to retreat. It won't be too late for you to make great plans then. Now, look at the present. Alas!"

Gao Gong felt a little regretful, but he was too strong-willed to allow himself to give in.

"It's okay. I'll go home for a few years, and then I'll bend down and travel around to get to know the real situation of the Ming Dynasty. I've been in the capital for a few years, and I've been blinded by a leaf."

Yang Bo felt relieved to see that Gao Gong had been relieved.

Although he had a close relationship with Xu Jie, it was just a "working relationship" where they cooperated with each other and used each other.

But he and the Jin Party are closely connected, with so many students, former officials, relatives and family members involved. How can he cut them off?
The Jin Party suddenly encountered a great disaster, and all its hopes for revival and revival rested on Gao Gong.

Therefore, Yang Bo, who left the capital first to avoid suspicion, hesitated all the way, secretly sent a letter, asked Gao Gong to meet in Anyang, and then went all the way south to have a secret talk.

Today is the day we go our separate ways, and many things need to be made clear and discussed thoroughly.

Seeing that Gao Gong completely understood and his worries were resolved, Yang Bo felt relieved and told him the last thing. "Su Qing, when you return to the temple from now on, be careful of these two people."

Gao Gong bowed and asked, "Mr. Wei Yue, may I ask who these two are?"

"The first is Zhang Siwei. He escaped unscathed from the Jin Party's catastrophe. People all over the world say that he is smart and has a clean record. Bullshit! Zhang Siwei is an out-and-out villain! A shameless villain who is also good at seeking reputation and fame. He is a hypocrite!"

Gao Gong was somewhat puzzled to hear Yang Bo scolding a core member of the Jin Party so angrily.

Zhang Siwei has deep ties with Shanxi merchants.

But who in the Jin Party has no connection with Shanxi merchants?

I, and you, Wei Yuegong, are the backbone of the Jin Party. Who among you did not take benefits from the Jin merchants and then provide conveniences in private?

Very normal.

If one wants to fight for power in the court and realize his political ambitions, he must form a party and have people.

And the root of all this is money.

If you don’t share the benefits with others, who will support you?
For the sake of the overall interests of the Ming Dynasty, it is okay to sacrifice a little bit of interest.

In Gao Gong's view, Zhang Siwei's connection with Shanxi merchants was just a minor matter and harmless. As for his escape, it was because he was flexible and compromised with the emperor and the prince when he saw that the situation was not good.

Although Gao Gong felt somewhat disgusted, he did not take it seriously.

He has great political ambitions and a bad temper, but he is not morally corrupt.

In the Ming Dynasty court, people with moral obsessions, like Hai Rui, were heretics and it was difficult for them to make progress.

Seeing Gao Gong's disapproving look, Yang Bo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He knew all of Zhang Siwei's private activities, but Zhang Siwei did it in a covert way, leaving no evidence. In addition, he had a good character and a very good reputation among the literati.

Everyone believed that he was forced by the situation to resign and stay away from the vortex.

Yang Bo sighed in his heart and said nothing more.

Gao Gong put Zhang Siwei aside and mentioned Zhang Juzheng instead.

"Uncle Zhang, I worked with him in Prince Yu's Mansion. I think he is deep, alert, and very wise. He is upright and upright. He has great ambitions and is a great man. But Master Yue told me to be careful about him, because he is Xu Shaohu's favorite student?"

Yang Bo replied: "Zhang Shuda is Xu Shaohu's student, this is one thing. More importantly, as you said, he has great ambitions and is also a contemporary hero. You all want to be motivated to innovate, reform and eliminate corruption, and revive the Ming Dynasty. But will you obey him, or do you have the confidence to make him obey you?

Su Qing, there can't be two tigers in one mountain. You are the teacher of Prince Yu, and he is the teacher of the Crown Prince. And the Crown Prince is much more resourceful than His Highness Prince Yu!"

"Mr. Wei Yue, I know what you mean. But no matter what, Prince Yu is the king and father, and the Crown Prince is the subject. No matter how clever you are, do you dare to go beyond the rules?"

Gao Gong waved his sleeves and said, "Without the emperor, the prince is insignificant, and Uncle Zhang is naturally insignificant. Lord Wei Yue, don't worry. During this time back home, I will reflect carefully, think carefully about the measures to reform and eliminate malpractices, and wait for the day when the east wind arrives."

Seeing Gao Gong regain his spirits, Yang Bo became even more worried.

Emperor Jiajing was wearing a Taoist robe, standing on the steps outside the Wanshou Palace, with his hands in his sleeves, looking towards the Forbidden City in the east.

"Huang Jin, what is Jun'er doing now?"

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is following His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the Wenhua Palace to accept the worship of the civil and military officials."

“Haha, the third brother finally got what he wanted.

I have always worried that he, who has no ears, will not be able to take over this vast country. Sometimes I really want him to go with the fourth son, so that I can pass the throne to Jun'er."

Huang Jin's Adam's apple kept shaking.

Your Majesty, this is not something I should listen to.

"Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs! He is my biological son after all, and he gave me a good grandson like Jun'er. Let's keep him. It's good that he has no ears, he's easier to fool than me, and everyone can fool him."

A young eunuch came running over with his clothes in his hand and fell to his knees at the foot of the steps.

"Your Highness, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has returned to the West Garden."

(End of this chapter)