I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 175 Serving as an Official in Mourning? Wang Xijue: His Majesty cannot win, the Grand Secretary cannot remain.
Forbidden in China.

In front of the Six Departments Corridor and the Cabinet Office.

Several eunuchs in the inner court were cleaning up the memorials that Wu Zhongxing, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, Zhao Yongxian, a reviewer of the Hanlin Academy, Ai Mu, an assistant director of the Ministry of Justice, and Shen Sixiao, a principal of the Ministry of Justice, had pasted on the door with rice paste.

Officials were forced to paste their memorials with rice paste, which was unprecedented in the current dynasty.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

The four memorials were sharp in their language and presented different perspectives.

Before it was destroyed, the news spread to every government office in the capital.

The four men's memorials were not only an opposition to Zhang Juzheng's choice to "observe the mourning period while in office," but also a protest against Feng Bao's forced retention or burning of the opposing memorials, and a slap in the face to a group of officials who dared not speak out.

Wu Zhongxing, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, submitted a memorial that fiercely attacked Zhang Juzheng's private morality.

He started with filial piety.

It is said that Zhang Juzheng had not seen his father for almost nineteen years, and now that his father had passed away thousands of miles away, it was a permanent farewell. It would be unfilial of him not to observe mourning for his father.

"Father and son have been separated for nineteen years. The son has grown from youth to strength, and from strength to old age; while his father has grown from old age to gray, and from gray to old age. Their voices and appearances have been separated, and they have never seen each other. Now he has passed away thousands of miles away, and this is a final farewell."

After that, he started with the system of rites and social norms.

“The virtuous are the masters of propriety and righteousness. Moreover, those who hold important positions in the country bear the weight of the nation’s hopes. They must rectify themselves before they can rectify the officials and then the people. This is an inevitable principle.”

To put it simply—

The mourning period for a son is an ancestral law, and the emperor can retain him in office despite the mourning period. However, if a subject agrees to this, it would be a violation of etiquette. If Zhang Juzheng had chosen to remain in office, he would not have been worthy of serving as the Grand Secretary.

In contrast to Wu Zhongxing's attack on Zhang Juzheng's private morality by accusing him of being "unfilial and unvirtuous," Zhao Yongxian's memorial, written by a Hanlin scholar, was entirely an attack on the young Wanli Emperor.

Zhao Yongxian believed that Zhang Juzheng's repeated requests to observe the mourning period, and Wanli Emperor's constant attempts to persuade him to stay, were highly inappropriate.

This move will destroy Zhang Juzheng's reputation built up over many years.

"Your Majesty's refusal of the regent's request is surely because the court's decrees are decided upon through the regent's consultation, and the people's hearts are judged by the law. The regent's merits and reputation have been accumulated over many years, yet Your Majesty has ruined them in a single day. I do not know how Your Majesty could bear to do this!"

Ai Mu, an assistant director of the Ministry of Justice, and Shen Sixiao, a principal officer of the Ministry of Justice, jointly submitted a memorial, offering their remonstrance even at the cost of their lives, which was more radical than the previous two.

"Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng recently passed away. The court, citing the examples of Yang Pu and Li Xian, granted him permission to stay in office despite his grief... The moral order and customs are on the verge of collapse and cannot be reversed. Moreover, the celestial anomaly has not yet subsided, and fires are following one after another. The spirits of Heaven and our ancestors are even more anxious to warn Your Majesty. How can I, your subject, remain silent and seek only to live in peace without any responsibility to speak out? Even if I die speaking out, so that the eternal moral order may be upheld, then I will live on even in death."

Both men believed that if Zhang Juzheng were allowed to remain in office despite his illness, the moral order would be severely disrupted, natural disasters would increase in the Ming Dynasty, and the entire Ming Dynasty would be punished by Heaven.

……

The four men's memorials immediately triggered a surge of memorials opposing Zhang Juzheng's "mourning while in office" in the Office of Transmission.

Officials were stationed in the Office of Transmission.

They prepared to supervise the officials on duty at the Office of Transmission to deliver the memorials to the Grand Secretariat or to the young Wanli Emperor, so that Feng Bao had no chance and dared not burn the memorials again.

at the same time.

When this story spread among the common people, it sparked an even more sensational reaction among many scholars and intellectuals.

"Zhang Jiangling coveted the position of prime minister and plotted to seize power from his lover."

Popular legend has it that Zhang Juzheng was unwilling to leave the court, so he ordered Lü Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Yin Zhengmao to submit a memorial citing the examples of Yang Pu and Li Xian, which led the emperor to issue an edict to revoke his leave of absence. He also colluded with Feng Bao, a eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial, to burn or retain memorials from officials, so that the emperor could not hear any dissenting voices.

Such rumors were enough to ruin Zhang Juzheng's reputation and make him reviled by the world.

……

In the afternoon, inside the Wenhua Hall.

Lu Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Yin Zhengmao reported all of Wu Zhongxing's memorial and the rumors circulating among the people that "Zhang Jiangling coveted the position of prime minister and plotted to seize power" to the young Wanli Emperor.

Emperor Wanli was furious.

"These fools who only know how to observe the rules are gone. With the Grand Secretary back in his hometown, who can support the new policies and reforms? Who can solve the countless tedious political affairs on the imperial desk? They don't think about me, they don't think about the country and the people of Ming. They only know how to act according to etiquette. They are really ignorant and foolish. What use is the court to support them?"

"Cough cough..."

Upon hearing this, Ma Ziqiang immediately coughed.

The words spoken by the young Wanli Emperor were quite rude; a monarch should never utter such words in the Wenhua Hall.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, glanced at Wang Jiaping, the Hanlin Compiler who was recording the emperor's daily life, and then looked at the three Grand Secretaries.

"Three Grand Secretaries, what should we do next?"

Lu Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Yin Zhengmao exchanged glances, all looking helpless.

They knew it would be difficult to persuade Zhang Juzheng to remain in office despite his illness, but they didn't expect it to be this difficult.

In addition to criticizing Zhang Juzheng, the officials also criticized them and the young Wanli Emperor!

The memorials submitted by these four men were like a blazing fire.

This completely ignited the emotions of those officials who opposed the decision to grant leave during the mourning period.

now.

Zhang Juzheng, the most decisive man in the entire court, is currently at home heartbroken. He would probably be even more distressed to hear the criticisms and insults from both the court and the people.

Lu Diaoyang and the other two knew that Zhang Juzheng also wanted to stay in the court, but they could not get Zhang Juzheng to step forward and resolve the matter.

If Zhang Juzheng dared to say that he would remain in the court, he would be insulted by countless people, considered extremely unfilial, worse than pigs and dogs, and his reputation would be utterly ruined.

Another person who often has ideas is Shen Nian.

At this moment, he is busy proofreading historical manuscripts in the Imperial Academy's History Compilation Office.

Ma Ziqiang was certain that Shen Nian would support Zhang Juzheng's decision to remain in office despite his illness, because Shen Nian clearly understood what Zhang Juzheng meant to the Ming Dynasty at that time.

But he didn't want Shen Nian to speak.

Therefore, many tasks were arranged for Shen Nian, leaving him no time to care about this matter.

Ma Ziqiang made the worst-case scenario plan.

If Zhang Juzheng were to return to his hometown to observe mourning for his parents, given his and Lü Diaoyang's physical strength and abilities, they would be far from capable of shouldering the heavy responsibilities of the current cabinet.

Lü Diaoyang was nine years older than Zhang Juzheng, and Ma Ziqiang was twelve years older than Zhang Juzheng.

The reason he failed to become the chief minister.

It is precisely because they lacked Zhang Juzheng's decisiveness and courage to take responsibility.

The two men could serve as deputies in the new policies, but they were unlikely to be able to shoulder the burden of reforming them.

When the two are physically exhausted or when chaos breaks out in the court.

Left with no other option, Emperor Wanli either summoned Xu Jie back to serve as Grand Secretary or appointed Zhang Siwei to the cabinet.

These two are capable of managing the overall situation in the imperial court.

However, if they become the chief minister, they may lose their positions when Zhang Juzheng returns in twenty-seven months, and the new policies may take a completely different turn.

and.

Once the cabinet is reshuffled, a large number of officials will be demoted or sent to other posts.

In the eyes of many officials, Shen Nian was Zhang Juzheng's man, and he was even more ruthless than Zhang Juzheng in his belief that "it is better to make the officials suffer than the common people suffer."

If he were to stand up and support Zhang Juzheng, he would immediately be besieged by many officials.

Ma Ziqiang didn't want Shen Nian to be in the spotlight at this time, so he didn't let him participate in the matter.

After he reported this to the young Wanli Emperor, the young emperor also approved of it.

Shen Nian's silence and lack of pronouncements already constituted his support for Zhang Juzheng. At this moment...

The decision on this matter rested with the young Wanli Emperor.

Emperor Wanli had thought that once he made his stance clear, the officials would compromise, but he never expected so many stubborn officials to emerge.

……

Seeing that Lü Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Yin Zhengmao remained silent, Emperor Wanli grew somewhat anxious.

"Summon the four immediately! I want to have a discussion with them. If they change their minds and withdraw their memorials, I will let bygones be bygones. But if they are stubborn and obstinate, I will make an example of them to silence the officials of the world!"

Upon hearing this, both Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang frowned.

The young Wanli Emperor clearly wanted to emulate the Great Rites Controversy of the Jiajing Emperor, where officials who opposed him were flogged in court and dismissed from their posts.

The two were about to voice their objections.

Yin Zhengmao immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this plan is feasible. As long as these four troublemakers compromise, other officials will not dare to offer any more advice!"

Yin Zhengmao disliked many officials in the court who "couldn't do their jobs and only knew how to find fault," and he was very fond of using severe punishments.

If he were the Grand Secretary, there would likely be cries of officials being flogged every day in front of the Meridian Gate or inside the Imperial Prison.

Upon hearing this, both Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang abandoned their objections.

At this point, there is no other way.

……

Half an hour later.

Wu Zhongxing, compiler of the Hanlin Academy, Zhao Yongxian, reviewer of the Hanlin Academy, Ai Mu, assistant director of the Ministry of Justice, and Shen Sixiao, principal of the Ministry of Justice, arrived at the Wenhua Hall.

The four men stood tall and proud, their faces serious, giving off a sense of "ready to die."

The young Wanli Emperor looked at the four people, trying to persuade them.

By this time, the young Wanli Emperor had already learned many debating skills.

For example: Tears flowed before words were spoken.

The young Wanli Emperor choked up for a moment, then spoke with red eyes.

"Grand Secretary Zhang was entrusted by the late Emperor to assist me in my youth, to stabilize the nation, and his role is of utmost importance... The duty of a subject is nothing more than loyalty, and the court cannot function without the Grand Secretary, nor can the new policies be implemented without him... The paternal authority must be upheld, but the authority of the emperor and father is even greater. I wish to grant him permission to return to the cabinet to perform his duties after the forty-nine-year mourning period..."

The young Wanli Emperor fully expressed Zhang Juzheng's importance to the court, the new policies, and himself.

The young Wanli Emperor had hoped to influence the four people.

To his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, all four of them had red eyes and knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.

The four men first blamed themselves for their incompetence in assisting the government, and then began to refute the young Wanli Emperor from multiple perspectives, including ancestral laws, ancient filial piety, the mourning system for parents, and past examples.

As long as the young Wanli Emperor refutes it.

They would then kneel on the ground, kowtowing and shouting, "Your Majesty, I beg for death!"

These four men had clearly made preparations beforehand and were indeed prepared to die when they came to the meeting.

"Your Majesty, I beg for death!" After expressing their views, the four men kowtowed again.

The young Wanli Emperor was nearly driven to his death with anger and immediately lost his temper.

"Fine, fine, you want to die, huh! Guards, imprison the four of them in the Imperial Prison. Tomorrow at noon, they will be flogged eighty times each in front of the Meridian Gate, then sent back to their hometowns as commoners, never to be employed again, or... directly sent to the far border as soldiers, with no chance of pardon!"

Having said that, the young Wanli Emperor flicked his long sleeves and walked towards the side hall.

Eighty strokes of the cane would be enough to cripple or even kill them. Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would likely not live more than a year after being conscripted into the army if they were physically weak.

This punishment was an extremely severe one, clearly a result of learning from his grandfather, the Jiajing Emperor.

"Make an example of him by killing the chicken; if you oppose me, I will punish you severely."

The three cabinet ministers knew that the young Wanli Emperor was in a bad mood, so they did not try to persuade him, as they could not think of a better idea at the moment.

……

soon.

The news of the young Wanli Emperor's severe punishment of the four men spread throughout the various government offices in the capital.

Many officials were terrified and hurriedly retrieved the memorials that had been left in the Forbidden City. Some officials even risked severe punishment to submit memorials pleading for leniency for the four men.

……

In less than half an hour, Shen Nian also learned of this matter.

Shen Nian clearly did not approve of the young Wanli Emperor's actions.

Doing so will only exacerbate the conflict.

The Jiajing Emperor, through the Great Rites Controversy, directly broke the backbone of a group of officials, making imperial power stronger than ever before.

However, the young Wanli Emperor did not yet possess this ability.

If he falls out with the court officials and Zhang Juzheng is not there to help him, the Ming Dynasty court may be in complete chaos in the future.

In addition, Shen Nian did not want the young Wanli Emperor to become a powerful Jiajing Emperor. Once the imperial power became too dominant and the power of the ministers became subservient, the Ming Dynasty would inevitably decline.

Just as Shen Nian was thinking about how to resolve the matter, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue came into his room.

The two of them didn't say a word.

He closed the door first, then bolted it, and then moved two chairs to sit in front of Shen Nian.

Shen Shixing cut straight to the point, saying, "Ziheng, you should know about His Majesty's severe punishment of Wu Zhongxing and the other three, right?"

Shen Nian nodded.

Shen Shixing looked at Shen Nian and continued, "Right now, the court is on the verge of chaos! His Majesty and the three Grand Secretaries cannot forcefully dissuade him from serving his sentence. If Wu Zhongxing and the other three are punished tomorrow, the conflict between the emperor and his ministers will be irreparable!"

“We have written a memorial. Take a look. We hope you can join us in submitting this memorial!” Wang Xijue took out the memorial from his pocket and handed it to Shen Nian.

Shen Nian opened the memorial and began to read it carefully.

The memorial advocated supporting Zhang Juzheng's return home to observe mourning and uphold the principles of loyalty and filial piety.

The two men spoke in a more tactful tone, but their views were almost identical to those expressed by Wu Zhongxing and the other three.

"The mourning period for parents is a fundamental principle that has been upheld for all time and should not be abolished because of Zhang Juzheng!"

Seeing that Shen Nian had finished reading the contents, Shen Shixing said, "Even if His Majesty disagrees with what this memorial says, surely he wouldn't punish all three of us with eighty strokes of the cane and exile us to the far frontier! This memorial may not be able to resolve this matter, but it can protect Wu Zhongxing and the other three. These four have made the right suggestion and should not be punished so severely!"

The two men felt that among the court officials, Shen Nian's position in the young Wanli Emperor's heart was second only to Zhang Juzheng, and they would certainly not be willing to send Shen Nian to the far frontier to serve in the army. Therefore, they earnestly requested Shen Nian to jointly submit a memorial with them.

Seeing Shen Nian frown slightly, Wang Xijue continued, "Ziheng, this matter of seizing power during mourning not only involves the system of rites, but also whether the imperial power will expand. Even before His Majesty has assumed personal rule, he is already using his imperial power to oppress people. Once he assumes personal rule, I'm afraid we, as his subjects, will have even less say. Throughout history, once an emperor becomes autocratic, the dynasty is not far from its demise!"

"Therefore, His Majesty cannot win this time, and the Grand Secretary cannot be spared!"

Shen Nian thought for a moment, then held up the memorial and said, "This memorial neither addresses the symptoms nor the root cause. It will only put us at odds with His Majesty and force Grand Secretary Zhang to return to his hometown for twenty-seven months of mourning. I am unwilling to do so!"

"I'm thinking, is there a better strategy that will satisfy His Majesty, Grand Secretary Zhang, and all the officials?"

"Is there such a strategy in the world? Have you thought of it?" Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue looked at Shen Nian expectantly.

Shen Nian shook her head slightly and said, "Not yet, but it should be soon!"

(End of this chapter)