I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 185 Full-Scale Firepower Coverage! Shen Nian's "The Flattering Minister Indulges the Dictator"

Shuntianfu Huitongguan, a private courtyard with a tea room.

Feng Bao and Qi Jiguang sat facing each other.

These two men, one who frequently served in the inner court and the other who was stationed on the frontier, had no private interactions, but their official dealings overlapped considerably.

As the foremost of the nine border regions and a crucial stronghold protecting the capital, Jizhou had not only civil officials supervising the army, but also garrison eunuchs, deputy garrison eunuchs, and guard eunuchs.

Feng Bao was fully aware of all of Qi Jiguang's actions on the border.

Although the military expenses of Jizhou were allocated through the Ministry of Revenue, Feng Bao, as the person in charge of approving the funds, had a great deal of influence.

In the past two years, due to the large military expenditures of the Jizhou garrison, many censors impeached Qi Jiguang on the grounds of "wasting military funds," but Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng protected him.

In Qi Jiguang's heart.

Feng Bao did some practical work in defending the border and could be considered a decent eunuch.

but.

As a eunuch, he always put the interests of the royal family first.

Feng Bao looked at Qi Jiguang and said, "General Qi, if I'm not mistaken, if His Majesty doesn't sentence the Earl of Wuqing to death, you'll probably submit your resignation immediately!"

Qi Jiguang did not hide anything and immediately nodded, then said with a serious expression, "I value the lives of my soldiers more than my own!"

Feng Bao paused for a moment and took a sip of tea.

"Soldiers are the essence of the people and the foundation of the nation. How could Your Majesty not know the importance of soldiers? It is just that Your Majesty finds it difficult to choose between filial piety and duty!"

"General Qi values ​​the lives of his soldiers more than his own, making him a model military officer in our dynasty. This is the main reason why His Majesty treats General Qi so well, relies on him so heavily, and dares to entrust the Jizhou garrison to him."

"General Qi has done nothing wrong in doing this, but if Grand Secretary Zhang were still in court, he probably wouldn't agree to General Qi doing this!"

"Why?"

Qi Jiguang almost blurted it out.

Qi Jiguang almost always obeyed Zhang Juzheng's orders.

The relationship between the two had transcended that of superior and subordinate, and was even more than that of a student and his teacher in the imperial examinations.

In the words of Qi Jiguang's correspondence with Zhang Juzheng, Qi Jiguang repeatedly emphasized: "Regarding matters at Jizhou, I will obey your orders."

He even humbly referred to himself as "Qi, a lowly servant under my tutelage" more than once in the end of his letters.

He cared deeply about Zhang Juzheng's ideas.

A fleeting smile appeared on Feng Bao's face. He paused for a moment, then began to explain.

"First of all, the current court is in chaos because of this incident, with officials impeaching each other. In addition, the Marquis of Wuqing attempted suicide but failed, and the Empress Dowager claimed to be taking the blame for her father while she was ill. If General Qi were to submit a memorial requesting to resign, it would be like adding fuel to the fire, making the court even more chaotic. The end of the year is a busy time for officials. If this matter drags on until the end of the year or even the beginning of next year, it will affect many court affairs and even make us a laughing stock for foreign countries. Grand Secretary Zhang has always considered the overall situation and will never allow General Qi to do something that adds fuel to the fire!"

"General Qi may think that this memorial can make the court compromise, but at present, the majority of officials in the court advocate lenient punishment for the Earl of Wuqing. General Qi's move will undoubtedly put His Majesty in a dilemma."

"Secondly, after General Qi submits his memorial, it will inevitably attract a group of censors and officials to impeach him. You should know what kind of situation Grand Secretary Yin and the heads of the three judicial departments are in after being impeached."

"These censors, for the sake of their reputation for honesty and their career advancement, are most adept at finding fault where none exists. If they find some fabricated charges against General Qi, causing him to be transferred away from the northern border, it will not only affect you, but also Grand Secretary Zhang!"

"At present, His Majesty has not given up on reinstating Grand Secretary Zhang after his mourning period, because the new policies need Grand Secretary Zhang. However, if General Qi leaves the northern border unexpectedly, some officials who oppose the new policies will attack them even more recklessly, which will reduce the possibility of Grand Secretary Zhang returning to court ahead of schedule!"

……

Qi Jiguang frowned and gripped the teacup tightly with one hand.

He didn't really care how much the infighting among officials in the court went.

Officials in the Ming Dynasty court spent at least ten out of the twelve months of the year arguing or fighting.

They've been doing this all these years, and it hasn't affected the government.

However, he was very concerned that his memorial would affect Zhang Juzheng's reinstatement.

He and Zhang Juzheng shared a relationship where their fortunes were intertwined, one prospering and the other suffering.

If Zhang Juzheng does not return to the capital, Qi Jiguang will face a significant increase in the frequency of impeachments and attacks. At the same time, if Qi Jiguang is transferred away from the border, it will also affect Zhang Juzheng's return to the capital.

He felt that Feng Bao's words made some sense.

Feng Bao continued, "Besides advising General Qi not to submit a memorial requesting his resignation, I also suggest that he submit a memorial requesting the court to lightly punish Wu Qingbo and spare his life."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang looked at Feng Bao, a flash of anger in his eyes.

He wished he could tear Wu Qingbo apart with five horses.

He was still hesitating and struggling with whether to submit a memorial to the emperor to have him executed, so how could he possibly plead for the Earl of Wuqing!
Feng Bao personally poured tea for Qi Jiguang.

"General Qi, in matters of the court, there is no right or wrong, only advantages and disadvantages!"

"His Majesty has now ordered the Ministry of Revenue to transport winter clothing to the border, but the lives of those nineteen soldiers cannot be saved. If General Qi truly cares for the border soldiers, he should submit this memorial of compromise, so that His Majesty and all the civil and military officials may see a great Ming war god who puts the overall situation first!"

"With this memorial, everyone can see that you did not do it willingly, everyone knows that you swallowed your grievances, and everyone knows that you will have a lot to explain to the soldiers when you return to the border!"

"Such grievances are, in His Majesty's eyes, a great achievement that will bring tangible benefits to the soldiers guarding the border in the future. For example, you will need a lot of military funds to expand the wagon camp, and His Majesty will agree to it out of consideration for your grievances. The court is aware of your grievances and will definitely compensate you in other ways!"

At that moment, Qi Jiguang was somewhat tempted!

Arguing about right and wrong will only lead to bloodshed and mutual destruction.

Instead of seeking tangible benefits for the border soldiers, we should use this incident as a basis to support Zhang Juzheng and help him return to the capital as soon as possible.

Qi Jiguang pondered for a moment, then said to Feng Bao, "Eunuch Feng, let me think about it some more!"

Feng Bao immediately stood up and bowed to Qi Jiguang.

"General Qi, only when the border is at peace can domestic affairs be reformed. Among all the civil and military officials, only you can resolve this predicament. I look forward to General Qi submitting a memorial that will swiftly end this chaotic situation!"

After saying this, Feng Bao left the meeting hall.

At that moment, he was certain that Qi Jiguang would do as he was told.

Because Qi Jiguang loved his soldiers, and because Qi Jiguang desperately hoped that Zhang Juzheng would return to the capital soon.

……

On November 29th, the young Wanli Emperor announced that he would temporarily waive the regular court sessions to take care of the ailing Empress Dowager Li.

And at this time.

The remaining officials who insisted on submitting a memorial demanding the execution of the Earl of Wuqing were Yin Zhengmao, the chief official of the Three Judicial Offices, Wang Jiaping, Zhao Yongxian, Wang Xijue, Wang Zudi, and more than ten others.

Grand Secretaries Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang remained silent in their cabinet office, handling other official business.

Many officials who wanted to impress the young Wanli Emperor seized upon a series of reasons, such as "temporary misappropriation, being misled, being old and confused, and the law should take into account the circumstances," to endorse the Jinyiwei's punishment suggestion and demand that Wu Qingbo be punished leniently.

This is the drawback of Zhang Juzheng not being in court.

With the emperor's power absolute, some officials pretended to be mute, while others flattered him. Fewer and fewer officials were unafraid of being flogged in court.

Near noon.

Qi Jiguang, holding a memorial, walked out of the meeting hall, intending to present a memorial of compromise.

He didn't want the matter to escalate any further.

And this moment.

The eunuch who had been monitoring him immediately went to the Directorate of Ceremonial to report to Feng Bao.

Just as Qi Jiguang was about to reach the Office of Transmission, Shen Nian's memorial caused a great stir in the court.

After reading Shen Nian's memorial, Qi Jiguang paused for a moment, then headed back home.

Shen Nian's memorial was titled: "Memorial on the Flattery of the Minister Who Indulged the Emperor's Incompetence".

"Flatterers" refers to all officials who support the lenient punishment of the Earl of Wuqing.

Shen Nian gave all of them a thorough dressing-down. She showed them what it meant to remain silent until the moment of truth, and what it meant for words to be deadly.

Shen Nian mainly expressed three points in his memorial.

Firstly, they prioritize minor filial piety over major filial piety.

The reason why the sycophantic officials advocated for lenient punishment of the Earl of Wuqing was that the Earl of Wuqing was the biological father of Empress Dowager Li and the maternal grandfather of the young Wanli Emperor.

Shen Nian believed that the young Wanli Emperor's filial piety towards the Earl of Wuqing was only minor, while his filial piety towards his ancestors was the greatest.

But if one wants to practice great filial piety...

The Ming Dynasty law, left by our ancestors, should be followed, and Wu Qingbo should be executed.

These sycophantic officials, neglecting the essentials and pursuing only to flatter and bewitch the emperor, are disloyal and dishonest, and have failed the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty.

Secondly, it has made the ruler a foolish ruler and the country a dangerous state, deserving of death.

A group of sycophantic officials set a bad example, inducing the emperor to make mistakes, which led to war on the borders of the Ming Dynasty and threatened the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. Such officials are all guilty.

Thirdly, throughout history, there has never been a method of punishment that prioritizes kinship over righteousness; such sycophantic officials will be infamous for eternity.

Shen Nian, in his capacity as a historian, said he would record this event in the daily records and in the historical books.

These sycophants were condemned by countless people throughout history, and the world saw that this practice was a misfortune for the ancestral temples and the state, and a misfortune for hundreds of millions of people.

Shen Nian reads this memorial.

The core message was to thoroughly condemn all the officials who advocated for lenient punishment of the Earl of Wuqing, labeling them all as sycophants.

originally.

He thought that the three people who could control the court—the young Wanli Emperor, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang—would first resolve the disputes and impeachments among the officials, restore the court to normal, and then deal with this matter.

Unexpectedly, these three leaders adopted a hands-off approach, allowing the officials to make a huge fuss and cause a ruckus.

Shen Nian couldn't hold back any longer.

His memorial will not only fail to solve the problem, but will also add fuel to the fire.

But that was Shen Nian's purpose.

Adding fuel to the fire is not always unhelpful in solving the problem; on the contrary, it can make the problem come to a quicker end.

The way to bring this matter to a conclusion.

The young Wanli Emperor and Empress Dowager Li had to stand up and express their opinions, either forcing Yin Zhengmao and others to compromise, or for them to compromise.

Having an argument and a debate to understand each other's bottom lines might just bring this matter to a close.

Qi Jiguang chose to withdraw his memorial and return home, but it was Shen Nian's memorial that made him feel that if he persisted, there might still be a chance of victory.

soon.

Many officials began writing memorials attacking Shen Nian.

Shen Nian directly stated: writing memorials is too troublesome, so let's debate in the Drafting Office instead. He is willing to debate with all officials who hold different opinions to see who is a virtuous minister and who is a sycophant.

Shen Nian did this not to argue with these people, but to wait for the young Wanli Emperor to speak.

When the officials heard Shen Nian dare to make such outrageous remarks, they did not choose to argue with him face to face. Instead, they pondered countermeasures in the yamen and began to prepare their speeches.

Shen Nian's verbal attacks were incredibly sharp, and the officials were somewhat wary of her.

at this time.

Yin Zhengmao, the three chief officials of the three judicial departments, and Wang Xijue all came to the Drafting Department, willing to stand with Shen Nian against those who were lenient in their punishment.

After a while.

Shen Shixing, a Hanlin Academy lecturer, also came to the Drafting Office to express his support for Shen Nian.

His arrival surprised everyone.

Shen Shixing's "non-stick pan" skills were so refined that he had basically kept quiet since that draft.

He also had his own unspeakable difficulties.

After Shen Nian publicly declared that he would debate with a group of "sycophants" in the Drafting Office, Wang Jiaping, Wang Xijue, Zhao Yongxian, Wang Zudi and others from the Hanlin Academy all rushed to support Shen Nian.

With these people gone, the Hanlin Academy will be mostly empty.

This not only resulted in no one doing the work of the academy, but also made it seem as if his position as the "reader-in-charge of the Hanlin Academy" had been rendered meaningless.

So Shen Shixing stopped them and appeared at the Drafting Office as their representative.

Although he tends to evade responsibility when faced with problems, he still considers the overall situation, knows what is important and what is not, and is willing to make some sacrifices for the Hanlin Academy.

……

At this time.

Empress Dowager Li's bedroom, inside the Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Li, Emperor Wanli (the young emperor), and Feng Bao all had dark faces.

When Feng Bao learned that "Qi Jiguang saw Shen Nian's memorial when he was about to reach the Office of Transmission and went back," he was furious!

He first used a self-inflicted injury ruse, then persuaded Qi Jiguang, and even got some censors to speak on his behalf.

With meticulous planning, I thought I would achieve my goal.

After Qi Jiguang submitted his memorial of compromise, the young Wanli Emperor seized the opportunity to announce the stripping of Wuqing Earl's title and his demotion to commoner, thus ending the matter.

Yin Zhengmao and the chief officials of the Three Judicial Offices were to be persuaded by Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang.

Never thought about it.

Shen Nian, who always considered the young Wanli Emperor's interests and never acted impulsively, actually wrote a memorial that further escalated the conflict.

If this group were to actually start debating in the drafting department, it could potentially lead to a deadly brawl.

At that point, it will be even more difficult to control!
At this moment, the young Wanli Emperor looked dejected.

He didn't blame Shen Nian. He felt that Shen Nian was fulfilling his duty as a subject and that it was in line with what Shen Nian had told him during his daily lectures.

But the phrase "putting righteousness before family" really hit him hard, and he still didn't want to do it.

At this point, no one was offering him any advice.

Empress Dowager Li had a gloomy face.

She feared none of the court officials except Zhang Juzheng, but at this moment she was somewhat wary of Shen Nian.

Because Shen Nian connected a group of officials.

At this moment, it was impossible for the young Wanli Emperor to administer corporal punishment to these people.

If these people were really beaten up, the imperial court would surely be thrown into chaos.

Empress Dowager Li knew this in her heart.

Even without Zhang Juzheng, officials like Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were indispensable and capable of getting things done in the court.

Empress Dowager Li thought for a moment and said, "Summon all these tough nuts to the Wenhua Hall for a closed-door meeting. We'll discuss the terms. If they refuse to compromise in the slightest, I...I will kneel before them!"

this moment.

Empress Dowager Li had tears in her eyes, feeling that she had been wronged beyond measure.

She looked at the young Wanli Emperor and murmured to herself: If His Majesty comes of age and assumes personal rule, how could I be bullied to such an extent by these officials!

(End of this chapter)