I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 26: War of words! Imperial Academy Reviewer Shen Nian vs. Duke Yansheng Kong Shangxian
In the afternoon, in the side hall of Wenhua Hall.

Little Wanli was reading when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside.

Behind the curtain.

Empress Dowager Li also heard it, and she frowned and stood up.

When the emperor was reading, no sound was allowed inside or outside the palace.

Not even a cough.

At this time.

Feng Bao ran in, his face covered in sweat, and said in a shrill voice, "Your Majesty, Lord Zhang has resigned!"

"what?"

Hear this.

Empress Dowager Li walked quickly out from behind the curtain, and then read the resignation letter handed in by Feng Bao with the little emperor.

"Your servant, Zhang Juzheng, resigns!"

"I have been blessed by the late emperor's grace to serve as a minister in the government, but I am utterly incompetent and incompetent. I have been misled to take on the task of pacifying the people, sitting idle for years and achieving virtually nothing. I look to you as the ruler of the restoration of the country, but my sincerity is insufficient to move your ears, and my words are insufficient to gain your trust. Today, the resentment of all officials is due to my incompetence in fulfilling my duties..."

"I deeply blame myself and know I am not up to the task. I humbly implore Your Majesty to dismiss me, restore peace to the world, and restore the original order of heaven and earth."

In a nutshell: I quit!

Empress Dowager Li and young Emperor Wanli were horrified.

Zhang Juzheng was not like some officials who pretended to resign in order to seek rewards.

According to his personality.

Submitting a resignation letter means you really want to resign.

Although Empress Dowager Li and young Emperor Wanli were sometimes dissatisfied with Zhang Juzheng's autocracy, they understood it very well in their hearts.

Over the years, it was Zhang Ju who protected them from the wind and rain.

If it weren't for Zhang Juzheng, this orphan and widow would have been bullied to death by the civil service group.

If Zhang Juzheng gave up.

The Ming Dynasty was like a country without a pillar that supported the sky, and was in danger of collapse.

Empress Dowager Li took a deep breath and then looked at Feng Bao.

"Lord Zhang resigned, and you returned with your resignation letter? Could you please try to persuade him and find out why he resigned?"

Feng Bao looked helpless.

"I...I...didn't see Lord Zhang at all. The Zhang family's housekeeper said he was not feeling well and was resting. They handed me this letter of resignation and let me go back!"

Don't think that Zhang Juzheng is usually very polite to Feng Bao.

But if he really ignored him, Feng Bao would have no way out.

Feng Bao was able to maintain this status or live like a human being only because he relied on the influence of the young Wanli.

And beside little Wanli.

The most important was Empress Dowager Li, followed by Zhang Juzheng, who ranked third at most.

Empress Dowager Li paused and looked at Feng Bao again.

"Immediately order the memorial sent to Gansu to be retrieved. Also, hand this resignation letter to Lord Lu and have him find a solution."

Empress Dowager Li was still very wise.

Once the memorial stating that "this will not happen again" was sent to Gansu, and then an imperial decree was issued to withdraw it, it would be a slap in the face of the imperial court.

She had to leave a way out.

If she really has to compromise, she will compromise.

……

Cabinet value.

Wow! Wow!
Lü Diaoyang, wearing a crystal gown, was reading memorials and writing drafts.

Today's memorial.

Most of them advocated the abolition of the "Post Office Regulations".

After reviewing it for a while, Lu Diaoyang sighed, "Uncle Da is fair-minded, but unfortunately too radical. This matter really needs to be taken slowly!"

at this time.

Lu Diaoyang's expression froze as he suddenly saw a different memorial.

"I have been keeping these notes under your command for over three months. Fortunately, I have benefited greatly from the Emperor's divine blessing."

"Now, reading the letter of thanks from Duke Yansheng, and hearing the voices of the people, I cannot help but speak."

"The descendants of the saints, without any trace of sainthood, entered the capital at an early age. They saw the emperor as a lie, but sold goods as a lie. Their goods were as expensive as Mount Tai. They ran the official post stations for private purposes, oppressed the good, and lost their integrity. The postmen of Lu have suffered for a long time, but the emperor accepted the reputation of being unpopular..."

"I know that the emperor treats me with courtesy and does not reprimand me lightly, but these treacherous acts are rampant, disrupting the order and bringing shame to our dynasty and a reproach to history..."

"I, your humble servant, look up to Your Majesty and wish the best for the nation and the people!"

……

Lu Diaoyang looked surprised.

This memorial actually impeached Duke Yansheng for smuggling contraband and selling it every year under the pretext of meeting the emperor.

This is not an impeachment of Duke Yansheng! This is clearly a criticism of many current officials who use public post stations for personal purposes, and strongly supports the continued implementation of the "Post Station Regulations".

This is singing a different tune from the emperor!
This is questioning the public opinion of the court!
"How dare you! If this matter is investigated in detail, wouldn't it be a slap in the face of Confucius?"

Lu Diaoyang turned to the signature, which read: Reviewer of Shen Nian by the Hanlin Academy.

"I used to think he was just a scholar who only knew how to take exams, and now I think he's just an official who only knows how to lecture. I never thought he had such courage. Although it's inappropriate to submit a memorial at this time, this boy's courage has impressed me!"

At this moment, Feng Bao came to the cabinet with Zhang Juzheng's resignation letter.

After reading it, Lu Diaoyang felt a little confused.

Zhang Juzheng never plays the game of truth or falsehood. He really wants to give up.

"This...this...this..."

Lu Diaoyang was somewhat at a loss for words, then he said slowly, "Eunuch Feng, I will ask Ziwei (i.e., Minister of Rites Zhang Siwei) to go and persuade Shuda immediately. He must report back to His Majesty before nightfall. As for these memorials, keep them all in the palace and do not send them out."

Say it.

Lu Diaoyang stuffed Shen Nian's memorial into his arms and walked out quickly.

He planned to show it to Zhang Juzheng, as perhaps the key to resolving the current court crisis was hidden inside.

Feng Bao nodded.

……

Half an hour later.

Shen Nian's memorial impeaching Duke Yansheng Kong Shangxian reached Kong Shangxian's ears.

Officials submitted memorials.

It is normal for the contents to be leaked after being passed through the hands of several clerks in the Ministry of Public Administration and without any wax seal.

When Kong Shangxian heard the words "The public post station operates for private purposes, oppresses the good and kind people, and has lost the great moral integrity. The postmen of Lu have suffered for a long time, but the emperor has to accept the reputation of being disapproved of.", he was furious.

A simple translation would be: It was he who fleeced the imperial court! It was he who oppressed the postmen passing through! It was the emperor who bore the infamy!

This crime is enough to punish the death of all nine generations of the family.

Kong Shangxian was furious.

Reputation is very important to him and he will not allow anyone to tarnish it in the slightest.

Immediately.

Kong Shangxian rushed to the Hanlin Academy to find Shen Nian to argue with him.

……

Half an hour later, in front of the Review Hall of the Hanlin Academy.

Kong Shangxian said loudly, "Reviewer Shen, could you please come out and talk?"

When Shen Nian heard this, he knew that Kong Shangxian knew that he had been impeached.

Shen Nian strode out.

"This humble official pays respect to the Duke of Yansheng. I wonder if the Duke of Yansheng has any advice for you?"

Kong Shangxian looked at Shen Nian with a cold expression.

"Shen Jiantai, you said something inappropriate the other day. I only scolded you a few times, but you actually slandered my reputation. You're really brave!"

Shen Nian's expression was calm.

"Duke Yansheng, right and wrong are determined by human actions, and God is watching. I have only said what I should say. As for whether I have slandered your reputation, the court will have a thorough investigation and the public will have its own judgment."

"As long as the law doesn't prohibit it, you can do it. I brought my merchandise to the capital to help the people of Shandong sell their goods and increase their annual income. As for the small profit I made, it was a favor from the court to my Kong family. With your outrageous remarks, are you questioning the kindness shown to my Kong family by His Majesty and the sage emperors of the Ming Dynasty?"

Kong Shangxian immediately accused Shen Nian of "questioning the emperor".

And this moment.

Many people gathered in front of the review hall.

No matter who quarrels with Duke Yansheng, it is a big deal.

Shen Nian sneered.

"Duke Yansheng, can you believe what you say? You talk about morality, but you're only interested in business. The court, remembering Confucius' kindness to the people of the world, supports his descendants. Not only do you not think about sharing the emperor's worries, but you also undermine the court, causing the people to resent the court!"

"You are so greedy and shameless, you have forgotten your original intention and have no sense of shame. Instead, you are speaking so shamelessly. If Confucius heard you say this, he would definitely call you an unfilial descendant and expel you from his family!"

……

Shen Nian has been a lecturer in two lifetimes, so he has developed a good voice and knows where to put emphasis and where to prolong the sound.

Full of momentum.

Kong Shangxian is no match for him at all.

"You...you...you..." Kong Shangxian was speechless after being scolded.

"You... just wait, His Majesty will definitely do justice for me!"

After saying that, Kong Shangxian waved his sleeves and left.

At this moment, he did not know that Zhang Juzheng had resigned, otherwise he would never dare to be so arrogant.

Shen Nian looked at the stunned crowd around him, took a long breath, and murmured, "Swearing like this is so satisfying!"

(End of this chapter)