I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 209 The Emperor is Backing Me, Lin Shisan
Yan's officials fabricated the cause of the Zhenwu Camp mutiny with a flood of memorials: the whole reason was that the soldiers of the Beiwo Camp were recruited from the civilians, their military discipline was lax, they were unruly and difficult to control, and their banditry was hard to quell.

The best way to prevent such farcical mutinies that threaten the very foundation of the nation from happening again is to disband the anti-Japanese garrisons in each province.

Yan's party's attitude was something Xu's party had not anticipated.

Xu Dang was fundamentally opposed to resisting the Japanese pirates because the resistance affected their smuggling trade revenue.

Seeing Yan's party's well-reasoned suggestion to dismiss Qi's Zhejiang troops, Yu's Fujian troops, and the Wolf troops, Xu's party immediately sided with their political enemies.

The righteous officials of Xu's faction also began to submit memorials, which were exactly the same as those of Yan's faction.

The abolition of the Qi and Yu departments seems to be the popular demand.

Two famous generals, renowned for their resistance against Japanese pirates, were wandering in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty.

In a vicious campaign to suppress these two renowned generals, the two major factions of the court, the Yan faction and the Xu faction, corrupt officials and upright censors, the vice ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the censors of the Censorate, the supervising secretaries of the Six Ministries, the provincial governor of Shandong and the governor of Yingtian, all joined forces.
The most vicious memorial came from a censor in the Censorate. In it, he went so far as to slander the Ming dynasty, saying, "The people of Zhejiang, Zhili, and Fujian call the newly trained Zhejiang troops preparing against the Japanese pirates 'Qi Family Army,' and the Fujian troops and wolf soldiers preparing against the Japanese pirates 'Yu Family Army.' When has the Ming dynasty's royal army ever ceased to be a private army of the Zhu family?"

"Therefore, eliminating private armies to protect the state is the act of a wise ruler."

Good heavens, this memorial has put the Jiajing Emperor in a very difficult position. If he doesn't issue an edict to abolish the Qi and Yu Min departments, he will be seen as a foolish ruler.

Emperor Jiajing in Yongshou Palace was very experienced in dealing with the collective remonstrances of his ministers.

You submit memorials? No problem, I can simply withhold them from my court!

Half a month after the mutiny, the Jiajing Emperor, without consulting the Grand Secretariat, ordered Lin Shisan, a commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard, to investigate the cause of the Zhenwu Camp mutiny.

Nanjing, Dachanggan Street.

Immediately after the mutiny ended, Lin Shisan ordered Xue Yanwang to secretly arrest Fang Youshan, the Assistant Director of the Treasury of the Ministry of Revenue.

In an attempt to arrest Fang Youshan, Xue Yanwang's men clashed with Luo Longwen's men, resulting in over ten casualties on each side.

Inside the main room of the Lin family's new residence, Luo Longwen sat opposite Lin Shisan, his face ashen.

Neither of them uttered a word.

At this time, the imperial edict issued by the Jiajing Emperor to Lin Shisan had not yet reached Nanjing.

Luo Longwen said, "Second brother, what do you mean by arresting Fang Youshan? Don't deny it, I have found out that the person who kidnapped him is Xue Yanwang, one of your men."

"Li Gao even went along when they were arresting people."

"Have you switched sides to the Prince Yu's mansion? Are you going to change your allegiance and oppose the Grand Secretary and the Junior Grand Secretary?"

"You keep calling me your second brother. But in order to capture Fang Youshan, you killed eight of my men and seriously injured four of them in one go!"

"Others would go to great lengths for their brothers, but you betray them and stab them in the back, huh?"

"Hand Fang Youshan over to me. I'll pretend the kidnapping never happened, and I won't inform the Grand Secretary or the Junior Grand Secretary."

"Let's remain sworn brothers from now on."

Lin Shisan said decisively, "Forgive my rudeness, but I cannot heed your words, Second Brother. I'm determined to have Fang Youshan!"

"Although I am in Nanjing, I often hear about the affairs of the imperial court in the capital."

"Now, the two powerful figures in the court, Yan and Xu, both want to use the Zhenwu Camp mutiny as an excuse to disband the Qi and Yu factions."

"You've handled intelligence work against the Japanese pirates before. You once instigated infighting within Xu Hai's pirate unit. You should know that if Qi and Yu's units are disbanded, the manpower and resources the court has spent on resisting the Japanese pirates over the years will be completely wasted!"

"Only Fang Youshan is in my hands. I have determined that the mutiny was instigated by him and others with ulterior motives. Only then can I protect the Qi and Yu tribes."

Luo Longwen was furious. He slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Lin Shisan! From what you're saying, you want to send me, the Grand Secretary, and the Junior Grand Secretary all to the Imperial Prison, is that it?"

"Ming told you, I instigated the mutiny. Fang Youshan is nothing but a lackey under my command."

"I came to Nanjing to handle this matter on the orders of the Grand Secretary and the Junior Grand Secretary."

"If you insist on going your own way, don't blame me and the Yan family for turning against you! You've only been in officialdom for a few days, and the Yan family is everywhere in the court. Do you think you can fight a losing battle with an egg? Do you think you can stop a chariot with your bare hands?"

Lin Shisan said solemnly, "Doctor Luo, the Yan family is sabotaging the great cause of resisting the Japanese pirates for their own selfish interests, disregarding the lives of the people in the southeast. Is this right or wrong?"

"I arrested key criminals, reported the true situation of the mutiny to the court, and protected the Qi and Yu armies, thus safeguarding the cause of resisting the Japanese pirates. Was this right or wrong?"

"Who is right and who is wrong? Doesn't Laurent have a scale in his heart?"

"As human beings, we don't need to talk about being as virtuous as water or as generous as a person who can bear all things with a kind heart, but at the very least, we should have a basic conscience, right?"

“I’ve long heard that people who hang ‘Great virtue carries all things’ banners in their studies or bedrooms are usually immoral, while those who hang ‘The highest good is like water’ are usually extremely wicked.”

Luo Longwen got angry: "Who are you referring to indirectly?"

Lin Shisan frequently visited the Yan residence. In Yan Shifan's study hung the inscription "Great virtue carries all things," and in his bedroom hung the inscription "The highest good is like water."

Lin Shisan said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I'll speak out against whoever did something so despicable and despicable!"

Luo Longwen roared, "Believe it or not, I'll lead my men and forcibly seize Fang Youshan!"

Lin Shisan said, "I'll play along! My men aren't pushovers either."

Seeing that force wouldn't work, Luo Longwen had to resort to a softer approach: "You can't just disregard our brotherhood, can you? We kowtowed to each other in the peach blossom grove back then."

Lin Shisan interrupted Luo Longwen: "I will not sacrifice national righteousness for brotherhood!"

"Second brother, have you ever seen a Shaolin monk whose head was blasted into a bloody mist by the Japanese pirates' cannons in order to drive them out of the Ming Dynasty?"

"Have you ever seen Guangxi wolf soldiers wielding long swords even after being shot multiple times with arrows, just to cut off the heads of Japanese pirates?"

Have you ever seen a boatwoman on West Lake who donated her hard-earned money from selling herself into servitude when she contributed funds to the anti-Japanese war effort?

Have you ever seen a family where five out of six brothers died fighting to defend the country against Japanese pirates?

Have you ever seen a naval comrade who, in order to catch up with the Japanese pirates' eight ships, jumped into the raging sea to lighten the weight of his warship?

"Have you ever seen Hu Zongxian, whose hair was already completely white at the age of forty-eight, because he was planning the resistance against the Japanese pirates?"

"Have you ever seen Tan Lun, who didn't dismount for three days and three nights while chasing hundreds of Japanese pirates, eating, drinking, and relieving himself all on horseback?"

Lin Shisan's words were powerful and resounding.

Luo Longwen waved his hands repeatedly, "Stop talking, stop talking."

Lin Shisan, however, said: "I must say! Resisting the Japanese pirates is a matter of great importance concerning the future generations of the Ming Dynasty. It should not be turned into a tool for factional struggles for profit."

"Whether it's Yan Song or Xu Jie, they've completely wasted their time studying the classics! For their own selfish interests, they disregarded the country, the nation, and the common people."

"Although I, Lin Shisan, have not received much formal education and am merely a lowly servant of the royal family, I know the most basic distinctions between right and wrong, good and evil."

"If you want Fang Youshan, then come and rob him! Protecting this key criminal who instigated the mutiny is protecting the hope of a complete victory against the Japanese pirates."

"I will risk my life to preserve this hope!"

Luo Longwen stood up: "From this day forward, we are no longer brothers. Our ties are severed, and we are cutting all ties!"

You will pay for your actions! Goodbye!

After saying that, Luo Longwen left angrily. Uncle Zhang walked in and asked, "Did you two have a falling out?" Lin Shisan nodded: "Yes, we've had a falling out."

"Over the years, I've always tried to please both sides and win over all parties when I do things."

"But, just as Shen Lian Gong told me back then, in this world, black is black and white is white. We must always distinguish between black and white."

"If I let Fang Youshan go and let Luo Longwen silence him, the truth about the Zhenwu Camp mutiny will never be revealed."

"At that time, the great cause of resisting Japanese pirates will be ruined by this mutiny."

"All the brave warriors who died fighting against the Japanese pirates will never rest in peace."

Zhang Bo said, "By doing this, you will become a thorn in the side of both the Yan faction and the Xu faction. Have you decided to be an ant trying to shake a tree?"

Lin Shisan replied to Zhang Bo with a quote from Mencius: "If I examine myself and find myself guilty, I will go even if there are thousands of people against me."

As long as a person reflects on himself and is certain that he is not ashamed of truth and conscience, he should forge ahead even in the face of the obstruction of millions of people.

That afternoon, dust filled the air on Dachanggan Street. The rumble of horses' hooves and footsteps echoed throughout the ancient street.

Duke Xu Pengju of Wei rode majestically on his prized Western horse. Behind him followed three thousand soldiers, three hundred personal guards from the Ministry of War in Nanjing, and four hundred constables from the Ministry of Justice in Nanjing.

The Minister of War and the Minister of Justice of Nanjing rode in official sedan chairs, with sedan chair bearers jogging alongside Xu Pengju.

Three or four thousand people surrounded Dachanggan Street completely within two quarters of an hour.

At the gate of the Lin residence, Xu Pengju dismounted aggressively. The Minister of War and the Minister of Justice followed him in, their faces ashen.

Luo Longwen followed the three elders into the courtyard.

Lin Shisan walked into the courtyard: "Oh my, what brings you here, Duke and the two ministers? You are truly rare guests. Your presence has greatly honored my humble abode."

Xu Pengju angrily retorted, "Don't be so glib! I am the commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard. As a commander of a thousand men, don't you know how to kneel before me?"

On the night of the mutiny, Xu Pengju behaved like a typical incompetent coward.

Now that the rebellion has been quelled and the rebel soldiers are under house arrest awaiting their fate, Xu Pengju immediately stood up.

Lin Shisan didn't care about kowtowing or kneeling.

He immediately bowed and said, "Your subordinate, Lin Shisan, respectfully welcomes Your Excellency, the Duke! I wish the Nanjing Garrison Commander, the Commander of the Central Army, the Commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Duke of Wei, who has just quelled the rebellion, a long and healthy life, with blessings as boundless as the Eastern Sea and longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountain pine."

Lin Shisan's words were sarcastic and clearly a veiled criticism of Xu Pengju's cowardly behavior during the mutiny.

Xu Pengju said, "Stop with the empty talk. I'm asking you, did you kidnap Fang Youshan, the Assistant Director of the Treasury of the Ministry of Revenue? Hand him over!"

Lin Shisan glanced at Xu Pengju, then at Luo Longwen behind him.

Lin Shisan thought to himself: It seems Luo Longwen persuaded Xu Pengju and the Nanjing officials in charge of summer and autumn to come here and legitimately snatch people away.

Xu Pengju roared, "Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me you don't know where Fang Youshan is! I brought three or four thousand men with me this time. Enough to turn Changgan Street upside down!"

Luo Longwen said from the side, "Lord Duke, I have long had people keeping a close watch on Dachanggan Street. After Fang Youshan was tied up and taken to Dachanggan Street, he has not been seen coming out again."

Lin Shisan did not deny it: "Fang Youshan is in my hands. He is a serious criminal who instigated a mutiny. I need to interrogate him and find out who is behind it."

Xu Pengju retorted, "What right do you have to interrogate him? What business is it of yours what the Zhenwu Battalion mutiny has with you? You are my subordinate, when did I ever give you an order to interfere in the mutiny?"

Lin Shisan said, "As a commander of the Imperial Guard, I wear brocade robes and embroidered pendants, and have long enjoyed the Emperor's favor. Catching ghosts and eliminating evil is my duty."

Xu Pengju said, "Very well! From today onwards, you are no longer a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The appointment and removal of commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the capital requires the Emperor's approval. The appointment and removal of commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Nanjing only requires the decision of the commander!"

"Come here, strip Lin Shisan of his flying fish robe and take his embroidered spring knife. Take him to the garrison headquarters for questioning!"

"Half of the soldiers, along with the Ministry of War's personal guards and the Ministry of Justice's constables, will immediately guard the outer perimeter of Dachanggan Street. The other half of the soldiers will enter Dachanggan Street and search each house one by one."

"Anyone who resists the search will be killed without mercy!"

As soon as he said this, a thunderous roar erupted as more than thirty of Lin Shisan's comrades from Nanjing poured out from the fourth room of the courtyard house, forming a protective barrier in front of Lin Shisan.

Sun Yue shouted, "Lord Duke, if you dare to harm our Thirteenth Master, don't blame us brothers for being merciless with our guns!"

With a "clatter," the comrades protecting Lin Shisan raised more than thirty muskets, each with its matchlock already lit.

Xu Pengju instinctively took a step back. Twenty shield bearers from the battalion immediately shielded him.

These shields were made of solid wood wrapped with iron, strong enough to withstand musket fire.

Xu Pengju roared, "They've rebelled! They've all rebelled! Not only has the Zhenwu Camp mutinied, but Lin Shisan and his men have also mutinied!"

“Pointing a musket at your superior, what is that if not a mutiny?”

"Come on, quickly escort me out of here. Once I'm gone, wipe out the rebels! Massacre Changgan Street!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!"

Xu Pengju's troops were numerous and powerful. If they attacked side by side, Lin Shisan and his thirty-odd comrades would be chopped into mincemeat in an instant.

Just then, a shrill voice came from outside the courtyard: "Hey! Who dares to challenge me?"

Yang Jinshui, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing, strode in.

Yang Jinshui had previously gone to Fengyang to discuss matters with Tang Shunzhi, who was terminally ill. Strangely, he did not return to Nanjing immediately after the mutiny occurred.

But it appeared at just the right moment.

When Xu Pengju saw Yang Jinshui, he exclaimed, "Eunuch Yang, you're finally back! While you were away, the Zhenwu Camp mutinied, and Lin Shisan's group also mutinied."

Yang Jinshui retorted, "You forcibly blocked off Dachanggan Street and seized the imperial prisoner. Lin Shisan, as the imperial envoy, led men to guard the prisoner and confronted you. How can you call this a mutiny?"

Xu Pengju frowned: "When did Lin Shisan become an imperial envoy?"

Yang Jinshui unfolded an imperial edict: "Imperial Edict!"

Everyone knelt down in unison.

Yang Jinshui shouted, "Lin Shisan, step forward to receive the imperial decree!"

Lin Shisan knelt and moved to Yang Jinshui's side: "Your subject, Lin Shisan, receives the imperial decree."

Yang Jinshui said, "By imperial decree, Lin Shisan, commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard, is appointed Imperial Commissioner to thoroughly investigate the Zhenwu Camp mutiny and ensure that the cause of the mutiny is brought to light. So be it!"

Having an imperial edict is equivalent to having the emperor's backing.

Lin Shisan knelt and kowtowed: "Your subject receives the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

Yang Jinshui said, "Brother Lin, you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders again this time!"

Turning to Xu Pengju, he said, "Lord Duke, now that there is an imperial decree, why don't you quickly lead your troops and leave Dachanggan Street?"

"If you insist on going your own way and forcibly seize the criminal Fang Youshan, then you will also be considered to have staged a mutiny!"

(End of this chapter)