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

Chapter 226 Drawing fire from the bottom of the cauldron
What Lin Shisan said was a ruthless move.

Lu Fang, who had been in the imperial court for nearly fifty years, was somewhat dismissive: "What you can think of, surely Gao Gong could think of as well?"

Why didn't Gao Gong exploit the Xu family's land holdings?

Lin Shisan cupped his hands in greeting: "I humbly request your guidance, Uncle."

Lu Fang gave a bitter smile: "In the end, it all comes down to 'face.' The former Grand Secretary Yan Song was a notorious corrupt official, but now the new dynasty brings a new atmosphere, and the new emperor has appointed his tutor as Grand Secretary. This tutor has long enjoyed a reputation for virtue in court."

"However, one day, someone suddenly announced to the world that the Imperial Tutor and the virtuous minister owned more than 200,000 mu of land, making him the biggest corrupt official during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns?"

"Then the current emperor's authority will be damaged. The current emperor has only been on the throne for two years, which is the beginning of his reign. What he needs most is authority."

Lin Shisan remained silent.

The following day, he held court at the palace gates, which led to another heated verbal battle.

A senior official of great importance in the court finally made his stance clear, supporting the opening of the sea route.

This person was Yang Bo, the Minister of Personnel.

Yang Bo rose through the ranks from general to prime minister, and in terms of military achievements, seniority, and political accomplishments, no one in the court could surpass him. He now serves as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the head of the Six Ministries. Although he is not a cabinet member, his influence in the court is in no way inferior to that of a cabinet member.

Yang Bo said: "Yesterday, I went to the Ministry of War to review the accounts for the fight against the Japanese pirates in the southeast. Since the beginning of the Jiajing reign, the court has invested a total of 20 million taels of silver in the fight against the Japanese pirates over the past 48 years."

"As a result, the military pay for the nine border regions was reduced to its lowest level due to the massive expenditures in the southeast."

"The imperial court has invested so much financial, human, and material resources in suppressing the Japanese pirates. What is it all for? Isn't it to pacify the sea routes and enable our Ming Dynasty's goods to be sold far and wide overseas?"

"It's like an old farmer getting up before dawn and working late into the night, painstakingly loosening the soil, sowing seeds, watering, fertilizing, and killing pests."

"It's harvest season, but they refuse to go to the fields to harvest the crops. They just watch the grain rot in the fields?"

Xu Dang's "God-slaying" Ouyang Yijing immediately blurted out: "What Minister Yang said is incorrect."

Yang Bo said, "Oh? I'd like to ask you, what's wrong?"

Ouyang Yijing resorted to his old, all-purpose argument: "The closure of the borders and the prohibition of sea trade are ancestral rules left by the founding emperor! Ancestral rules cannot be violated! The emperor has only been on the throne for two years, yet he wants to arbitrarily change ancestral rules. What will the people think?"

Just as Yang Bo was about to object, another person stepped forward and refuted Ouyang Yijing on his behalf.

This man was Hai Rui, a moral exemplar for the entire Ming Dynasty.

Hai Rui asked, "May I ask Ouyang, why did the founding emperor implement the policy of closing the borders and prohibiting maritime trade?"

Ouyang Yijing was speechless: "Well..."

Hai Rui said, "If you don't want to say it, I will say it for you. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the remnants of the Fujian rebel Chen Youding fled to the sea. They joined forces with the Zhejiang pirates who were unwilling to surrender to the Ming Dynasty with Fang Guozhen."

"To prevent these remnants of rebels, pirates, and Japanese pirates from colluding and harassing the coast, Emperor Taizu ordered the closure of the passes and the prohibition of maritime trade."

"However, nearly two hundred years have passed since then. The remnants of Chen Youding and Fang Guozhen's forces have long since vanished. In the last few years of Emperor Shizong's reign, the court quelled the Japanese pirate raids in the southeast."

“This so-called ‘ancestral rule’ has lost its necessity to continue.”

“Ouyang, the officials of the Six Ministries and the Censorate often say that ancestral rules cannot be violated.”

"I'll give you a quote from Wang Anshi: 'Changes in the heavens are not to be feared, ancestral laws are not to be followed blindly, and public opinion is not to be heeded!'"

These words stunned the entire court.

Previously, everyone thought that Hai Rui and Hai Gangfeng, who were known for their integrity and incorruptibility, were conservatives.

To everyone's surprise, he was a genuine reformer. In fact, Hai Rui considered himself neither a conservative nor a reformer.

He supported anything that benefited the common people, and opposed anything that harmed them.

Yang Bo said, "Your Majesty, what Hai Rui said is very true. The original intention of Emperor Taizu in closing the passes and prohibiting the sea was to prevent pirates and Japanese pirates from colluding to invade the sea."

"In this dynasty, things have turned out the other way around. Continuing to close the borders and ban the seas may lead to a resurgence of the Japanese pirate problem."

"By opening the borders and opening the seas, we can eliminate the threat of Japanese pirates."

Guo Pu jumped out: "Your Majesty, the treacherous officials have already exposed themselves. Yang Bo is one, and Hai Rui is another!"

"Hai Rui actually said that the ancestors' teachings were not worthy of being followed, and Yang Bo, as the Minister of Justice, actually supported his remarks. This is the most treacherous statement in history!"

Guo Pu was a close confidant of Xu Jie. Seeing that Xu Jie's faction of censors and henchmen couldn't control the situation, he naturally stepped forward to assert his authority as Grand Secretary.

The Longqing Emperor spoke: "When discussing state affairs at the palace gates, people should be allowed to speak. Discussions should be conducted as such, with all officials speaking freely and expressing their opinions. There should be no constant entanglement of loyalty and treachery."

For the next hour, conservative and reformist officials engaged in a series of oral exercises, spitting everywhere. Their saliva soaked the bluestone slabs of the courtyard in front of the Imperial Gate.

Lin Shisan, who was in the military officer class, was getting a little anxious.

There was an unwritten rule during the emperor's audiences: the Embroidered Uniform Guard, being close advisors to the emperor, were not allowed to speak without authorization, unless it concerned an imperial case.

Lin Shisan, quick-witted, stepped forward and said, "Your subject, Lin Shisan, acting garrison commander of the Northern Garrison, has something to report."

Censor Zhan Yangbi said, "As a member of the Imperial Guard, Commander Lin should listen more, observe more, and learn more when attending court sessions, and speak less."

Lin Shisan smiled and looked at Zhan Yangbi: "What Imperial Censor Zhan said is very true. But the matter I am reporting today concerns an imperial case."

The Longqing Emperor said, "Bring it here."

Lin Shisan announced loudly, "Your Majesty, the Northern Garrison Command has investigated and concluded the case of Liu Yuansheng, the Governor of Yingtian, for embezzlement, bribery, and lawlessness."

"During the two years that Liu Yuansheng served as the governor of Yingtian, he amassed a staggering 380,000 taels of silver."

"Liu Yuansheng has now been escorted from Yingtian to the capital by the Northern Garrison Command."

"In my opinion, the Governor of Yingtian shall govern eleven prefectures, namely Yingtian, Chengtian, Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Taiping, Chizhou, Huizhou, Ningguo, and Anqing, as well as one prefecture, Guangde."

"These are the most prosperous areas in the Ming Dynasty, accounting for more than 10% of the annual fiscal revenue of the imperial court."

"Therefore, the appointment of the governor of Yingtian must be someone as incorruptible as water, with a reputation for integrity that is known throughout the land."

Lin Shisan was implying to Yang Bo: "You, Yang Bo, are in charge of appointing and dismissing officials throughout the land. Why not take a decisive step to eliminate their weaknesses?"
Xu Jie's hometown, Songjiang, was under the jurisdiction of the governor of Yingtian.

At present, there is only one person in the court who can be described as "a person whose reputation is known throughout the world for his integrity," and that is Hai Rui, also known as Hai Gangfeng.

Why not appoint Hai Rui as the governor of Yingtian, in charge of Xu Jie's hometown? That would be like setting fire to the conservatives' backyard!

It has to be said, Lin Shisan's method is ruthless, extremely ruthless!

Yang Bo was a very intelligent man, and he immediately understood the deeper meaning in Lin Shisan's words.

With lightning speed, Old Yang Bo picked up his official tablet and announced loudly, "Your Majesty, I recommend Hai Rui, the Left Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, to be promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and appointed as the Governor of Yingtian!"

Xu Jie was dumbfounded, Guo Pu was dumbfounded, and all the conservative officials were dumbfounded!
Yingtian, comprising eleven prefectures and one state, was the most prosperous region in the Ming Dynasty and also the place with the most powerful and influential families.

Not only was Xu Jie's hometown within the jurisdiction of the Yingtian Governor, but many conservative officials also had their hometowns there!

(End of this chapter)