I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 54 Zhang Juzheng: Increase your studies to help your Majesty grow healthily (Please read again, important)

On the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, at dawn, leaden clouds hang low and the winter wind howls.

Very cold.

The lights in the Huangji Hall were bright, and there were obviously more guards on duty than usual.

Civil and military officials gathered in the hall.

The ceremonial officer on duty at the Honglu Temple checked the number of people in advance and found that no one had asked for leave due to personal matters or illness.

The seventy-five officials who were about to receive the caning after the court meeting all looked depressed.

Among them, the fifty-two officials who were to be beaten with sticks in court by officials and common people were even more upset and felt like they had lost their parents.

But there is no turning back.

The New Year is approaching.

There weren't many trivial matters in the court meeting and it ended in less than an hour.

After leaving the court.

Twenty-three officials who had been in the officialdom for more than 30 years were taken to the Northern Pacification Office by the Embroidered Uniform Guard for execution, and the remaining 52 officials were taken to the outside of the Meridian Gate.

Civil and military officials, led by the three great cabinet ministers, followed closely behind.

this moment.

Outside the Meridian Gate, the Zuoye Gate and Youye Gate were surrounded by people.

Young Wanli ordered the people to watch. Even if no people dared to come, the Jinyiwei would send a group of people to watch the execution.

The people watching were very excited.

Officials being beaten has always been a scene they like to see.

Among the crowd, there were many people holding pens and writing notes.

These people are either tabloid writers, storytellers, or storybook writers.

Today's scenery is the best material for telling stories.

As long as they can elevate the final core theme of the story to the level of "the emperor is wise, governs the country according to law, and severely punishes lazy officials", their works can be circulated throughout the Ming Dynasty.

If any official dared to speak out against the ban, the Jinyiwei would teach him a lesson.

The people are smart.

No matter how powerful an official is, he is like a mouse seeing a cat in front of the imperial power.

……

About a quarter of an hour later, outside the Meridian Gate.

Civil and military officials, as well as the people of the capital, surrounded the place in layer upon layer.

Fifty-two officials were taken to the execution ground, stood in several rows, took off their official hats and official clothes, leaving only a thin plain undershirt.

Then, his hands were tied with hemp rope and he lay face down on the cold gray brick floor.

At this moment, dignity is gone.

Each official was accompanied by four Jinyiwei and one eunuch from the Eastern Depot.

Two Jinyiwei captains used wooden sticks to press down the official's legs, causing his buttocks to lift up, while the other two Jinyiwei held chestnut wood sticks five feet long and three inches in diameter to carry out the execution.

The eunuchs in the East Factory were responsible for counting and recording.

at this time.

Suddenly, snowflakes floated from the sky, like goose feathers, getting bigger and bigger.

The weather is getting colder too.

In the blink of an eye, everyone's hair turned white.

A eunuch brought a red crane cloak and presented it to the three elders and officials from the six ministries.

As for other officials, they could only stand closer together to keep warm.

After the execution preparations are completed.

Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, wearing a red crane cloak, walked in front of the criminals. After pausing for about ten breaths, he shouted, "Beat them hard!"

To hit hard means to make the skin and flesh burst but not to kill.

Swish!Swish!Swish!
The pants of the fifty-two officials were pulled open almost at the same time, revealing their white, steaming buttocks.

When being caned in court, the person must be bare-bottomed, and no one is exempt.

boom! boom! boom!
Outside the Meridian Gate came the sounds of beatings and the wailing of officials.

The sound shook the imperial court!

In this kind of weather, exposing your buttocks feels like needles piercing your bones, not to mention being beaten with a stick.

At this moment, the onlookers exclaimed that it was exciting.

They really like this atmosphere.

It doesn’t matter who they attack, as long as they attack high-ranking officials, they will be happy.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials watching the execution felt mixed emotions, including Shen Nian.

This is the power of the emperor.

He is supreme and treats his subjects like slaves.

No matter what rank you hold or how many achievements you have made, if the emperor wants you to be humiliated, disabled or killed, he only needs one word.

Some officials recalled the Zuo Shunmen crying out for help in the third year of Jiajing. One hundred and thirty-four officials were collectively tortured, and their screams resounded through the sky.

Some officials recalled that during the Longqing period, Shi Xing, a censor of the Ministry of Personnel, was caned for submitting a memorial to the emperor, accusing him of indulging in drinking and sexual pleasures. His wounds were festering and maggots were oozing out, but he was still carried to the yamen to work and almost died.

Not meeting a wise ruler.

Being a loyal minister means being beaten or killed.

People like Hai Rui were promoted not because Jiajing was kind, but because he wanted to gain a good reputation for himself.

Shen Nian once again felt the cruelty of the current officialdom.

This damn feudal dynasty does everything according to the emperor’s wishes!

If the little emperor is not trained well, he will be unable to rule the country.

Based on what Shen Nian wants to do in the future, he will probably be treated like this.

The beating in court broke the spines and knees of the scholar-officials.

Those ministers who truly dare to die for their country are all tragic heroes of this era.

Swish!Swish!Swish!
The heavy snow fell heavier and heavier.

The snowflakes fell on the officials' buttocks, which were beaten bloody and steaming. How tragic it was!
Soon, the execution was completed.

Officials with servants were helped back to the carriage by their servants, while officials without servants could only support each other to go to the clinic to get medicine.

No matter how serious the injury is, you cannot take a leave in the afternoon.

This is the rule.

If you ask for leave, you will be beaten, maybe even forty times.

Because of this snow, some officials will definitely develop canker sores and frostbite on their buttocks. If they are in poor health, they may not survive this winter.

But who cares?

The thing the Ming Dynasty had the most was officials to fill vacancies.

Just as the young Wanli blurted out, speaking clearly from his heart: Beat him to death!
Immediately, all the officials and people dispersed.

Shen Nian and other lecturers on the imperial lecture day rushed to the cabinet duty room.

……

A quarter of an hour later, in the Cabinet meeting room.

The three cabinet ministers, Zhang Juzheng, Lu Diaoyang and Zhang Siwei, sat at the front.

Ma Ziqiang, Shen Shixing, Chen Jingbang, He Luowen, Xu Guo, Wang Jiaping, Shen Yikuan, Shen Nian and other lecturers on the imperial lectures stood behind.

Zhang Juzheng slowly stood up, looked around seriously, and then spoke.

"Everyone, we've all been tired lately!"

On the day of the imperial lecture, the lecturers were all a little confused and didn't know where this talk came from.

"Since the beginning of this year, I've noticed that Your Majesty has become increasingly interested in court affairs. Some of your comments and comments are quite like those of a wise ruler. Your Majesty is intelligent and is learning politics very quickly. I feel that Your Majesty is not far from ruling the country yourself. This is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty, the officials, and the people!"

"However, Your Majesty is inexperienced after all. He is prone to being rash, impulsive, and misjudgmental in matters of state."

"This is not Your Majesty's fault, but rather that the content of our lectures has not kept pace with Your Majesty's growth. I suggest that after the new year, we add more courses for Your Majesty. We should cover classics and history, etiquette, ancestral teachings, moral education, and especially the experience of the monarch holding court. We need to teach more!"

"The late adjustment of the curriculum is truly the fault of my ministers. Later, I will ask Your Majesty for permission to reduce the salaries of the lecturers of the Imperial Lecture Day by one month for their negligence. Do you have any objections?"

After hearing these words, the lecturers on the imperial lecture day all had expressions of admiration on their faces.

As expected of the Prime Minister, his speech is so well-spoken!
While seemingly criticizing the mistakes of officials during the Imperial Lectures, the real criticism was that the young Wanli had the right intentions to rule the country, but was too rash and made arbitrary decisions regarding state affairs. Officials gathering to criticize the emperor in person was considered remonstration; however, speaking ill of him outside the emperor's presence was considered disrespectful.

Zhang Juzheng controlled the situation very well and no one could find fault with it.

The obvious meaning of this statement is that the lecturers during the imperial lectures have made mistakes in teaching, and should do their best to teach the emperor.

The hidden meaning is: Little Wanli is rash and gives random orders to the court affairs, so he needs to be given more homework to help him lay a solid foundation, which will indirectly prevent him from giving random orders and ensure his healthy growth.

"No objection!" the officials answered in unison.

Then, everyone dispersed.

Next, if everyone adds a topic about "The virtue of a wise king, thinking before acting" in the daily lectures, the little Wanli will be fascinated by it.

……

In the afternoon, inside the Wenhua Hall.

Little Wanli is practicing writing big characters. The characters read: Thinking leads to wisdom, and wisdom leads to sainthood.

This statement comes from the Book of Documents.

It means: Only by thinking more can your thoughts become clear, and only when your thoughts become clear can you reach the realm of a saint.

The reason why Empress Dowager Li asked him to write this sentence was because the young Wanli was too rash.

Originally, caning the ministers who failed to perform their duties was just a formality and could also demonstrate the emperor's power.

He insisted on adding: Let all officials and people watch.

Although severely punishing officials is also a form of consolidating imperial power, this move will displease officials throughout the court, which is not the rule of a wise monarch.

Little Wanli overexerted himself.

Young Wanli was also very depressed. He thought he had performed very well and even Zhang Juzheng lowered his head, but he didn't expect to be punished again.

At this time.

Feng Bao came into the hall holding the memorial on self-punishment of officials during the imperial lectures submitted by Zhang Juzheng.

After seeing this, Empress Dowager Li's face turned dark, and young Wanli became even more depressed.

In the memorial, every sentence mentioned the mistakes of the officials in charge of the imperial lectures. In fact, every word was pointing out that the young Wanli had made rash remarks and received inappropriate punishment.

Zhang Juzheng's expression was clear and precise.

"We all hope that Your Majesty will take charge of government as soon as possible, but Your Majesty lacks experience and acts rashly. It would be wise to allow him to experience the world again to sharpen his skills."

To sum it up in one sentence: Your Majesty, you are young and immature, so you should read more.

Empress Dowager Li put the memorial aside and looked at Feng Bao.

"See? This memorial openly criticizes the lecturers of the Imperial Lecture Hall, but it secretly scolds you and me!"

"It's still a long way off for the Emperor to take charge! If Prime Minister Zhang quits, who will be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing the Ming Dynasty? Me or you?"

Feng Bao bent his body, lowered his head, and dared not speak.

Empress Dowager Li looked at the young Wanli again.

"You, you may participate in politics and assert the authority of the Emperor, but you must act in accordance with the law and propriety. You must think twice before acting and must not act without reason against the officials. Before issuing an order, you must ask the Prime Minister: What do you think of this matter?"

"Don't ever say things like 'If I kill him, I'll kill him' again!"

"Copy that sentence on the paper a hundred times. In the future, think more about your studies and consult your advisors. Don't make decisions right away. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Queen Mother!"

Little Wanli nodded helplessly, turned around, and realized that he was still wrong.

……

On the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Liaodong generals reported victory.

Great victory in Liaodong.

The border troops defeated the bandits, beheaded more than 200 of them, including six chiefs, and many others drowned in the river.

Little Wanli was very happy.

The New Year is approaching and there are constant bandits on the border. With this great victory, the people on the border will surely have a good year.

soon.

The Ministry of War reported that this was the result of the strategic planning of Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng, and that he should be rewarded.

Young Wanli waved his hand and immediately offered a generous reward.

……

It was the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, near dusk.

Shen Nian wrote in his diary: "The emperor's handwritten message says: The great victory in Liaodong is truly rare. It was only because the prime minister taught us the secret techniques that we were able to achieve this success. I hereby grant you 100 taels of silver, a python robe, and four pieces of colorful satin lining. The two prime ministers agreed to grant each 80 taels of silver, a python robe, and two pieces of colorful satin lining. Ju Zheng and others came to express their gratitude, saying: The great victory in Liaodong is all due to the emperor's power and virtue. We, the ministers, feel ashamed of our lack of merit and deserve such a generous reward..."

It was another harmonious scene with a wise king and virtuous ministers, who praised and yielded to each other.

Shen Nian could feel that Zhang Juzheng was devoted to the country and had no other thoughts.

But the young Wanli was not like that.

Shen Nian clearly felt that the young Wanli was becoming more and more awed and distant towards Zhang Juzheng.

……

It was the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, near dusk.

Although the streets are cold, there are crowds of people and many stalls and vendors selling New Year's goods.

The festive atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger.

Gu Yue'er has basically prepared all the New Year's goods for the Shen family, except for a few door gods, hanging screens, and paper gourds.

After being released from office, Shen Nian took Gu Yue'er out to Chongwenmenli Street to buy it.

In the next few days, Shen Nian was free and only needed to gather people for the year-end sacrifice.

after that.

Shen Nian can enjoy a five-day holiday for New Year's Day and a ten-day holiday for Lantern Festival.

This is the happiest time for officials in the capital of the Ming Dynasty, but the prerequisite is that the emperor and the cabinet have no special matters to summon them.

Early March after the New Year.

Shen Nian's mother will come to Beijing to take care of Gu Yue'er. Then, Shen Nian will be able to eat the most authentic Qiantang cuisine.

……

Chongwenmenli Street.

Inside a shop selling New Year decorations.

After Shen Nian finished selecting the items he needed, he was suddenly attracted by a woodblock print.

This woodblock print is approximately five inches square.

At the bottom were five small characters written: Picture of a Court Staff in the Snow.

The carving technique is very exquisite.

In the picture, the young Wanli is sitting at the top, with the three cabinet ministers on his sides, and Zhang Juzheng in the middle with his beard almost dragging on the ground.

Below were a group of officials lying on the ground, ready to be beaten, with Feng Bao standing in the middle.

The painting is very lifelike.

It was designed based on the recent incident in which the young Emperor Wanli caned an official who had lost his place in court.

Recently, all the novels and storytellings about this incident have come out, and customers in teahouses are crowded with people who love to listen to this kind of officialdom stories.

Some people made up outrageous stories in order to make money, but the officials who were ridiculed did not dare to say anything because the owner of a certain store might be Feng Bao.

Sudden.

Shen Nian noticed that there was another person standing to the southeast of the little Wanli in the woodblock print. He couldn't help but laugh and asked, "Boss, who is standing here? He's the same size as the three elders?"

The middle-aged shopkeeper looked at Shen Nian.

"This is your Majesty's daily lecturer, Shen Nian, the Imperial Academy examiner."

"I really like this historian who dares to call all the scholars useless. He's recording your Majesty's daily life. How could you possibly have never heard of him? Don't you know his 'On Waste'?"

Shen Nian was very famous for his teaching at the Imperial College, but not many people knew what he looked like.

Shen Nian was immediately happy.

He thought it was a little eunuch, fortunately he didn't say it out loud, otherwise he would have cursed himself.

Shen Nian puffed out his chest and said, "Boss, I like him very much too. Give me five of these woodblock prints!"

"Yue'er, just pay, we don't bargain!"

"Okay, okay!" Gu Yue'er smiled immediately. What she liked most was Shen Nian's conceited temperament.

This is the right match for life.

(End of this chapter)