Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 134 Tacit understanding
After Liu Yirong returned to the duty room, the cabinet returned to its previous state. Every cabinet member tacitly kept silent about what had just happened. They drafted edicts, drafted orders, and drafted bills. In short, they each went about their own business, not interfering with each other, as if Xu Guangqi had never been there.

Not until the clear distant sky was tinged with the crimson glow of dusk and the bell tower rang the quiet chimes to signal the end of court hours did the cabinet members leave in pairs and bring up the matter again.

"Come in, brother!" Shi Jixie called Ye Xianggao before leaving Dong'anhua.

"What's the matter, Shicheng?" Ye Xianggao turned his head.

Shi Jixie was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "There's no one else around, so please stop playing dumb."

"Which side are you going to stand on?" Ye Xianggao said with a serious expression.

"I don't want to take sides, I just want to persuade them. Xu Zixian is right. If this matter cannot be resolved quickly and properly, it will probably become another major case that affects the whole country." Shi Ji said worriedly.

"Do you want to drag me into being a peacemaker?" A wisp of warm and moist air gushed out of Ye Xianggao's nostrils.

"Yes." Shi Jikai nodded.

"It can't be done. Didn't Xu Zixian come to the duty room to persuade Prime Minister Fang to calm down? It was all in vain." Ye Xianggao's chuckle was chilled by the cold wind. "You saw the situation today. Prime Minister Fang never responded directly from beginning to end."

"We can only try if there's no response. Besides, Shen Mingzhen is present. Even if Lord Fang wants to ease the situation, he won't agree with Xu Zixian in front of him," Shi Jixie said. "Everyone knows Shen Mingzhen and Xu Zixian have a feud."

"That's the problem. Prime Minister Fang not only has to consider Shen Mingzhen's face, but also his own." Ye Xianggao saw it clearly. "Shen Mingzhen and Xu Zixian have a feud, but there is no feud between the Zhejiang Party and the Donglin Party? After all, Prime Minister Fang is still the leader of the Zhejiang Party."

"Brother Jinqing. You and I both know that Prime Minister Fang is only from Zhejiang, and he was forced to be the leader. And Prime Minister Fang was able to join the cabinet back then because of your recommendation, right? If you go with me, he will definitely listen." Shi Jixie still did not give up his idea.

"I recommended Prime Minister Fang to the cabinet because I was tired of the factional strife and wanted to retire. But can factional strife be controlled?" Ye Xianggao gave a wry laugh and remained silent for a long time. "In the 35th year of the Wanli reign, I first joined the cabinet. After that, I served as a cabinet member and the sole prime minister for seven years. I tried my best to mediate, but the factional strife only grew more intense!"

"So even if we take a step back and say that Prime Minister Fang really gives up his activities because of my persuasion and tries his best to suppress the Zhejiang Party, will the Qi Party and the Chu Party, which have been suppressed by the Donglin Party, honestly let go of their old grudges for the sake of the so-called overall situation?" Ye Xianggao's emotions suddenly became intense.

"Don't be fooled by the factions' core members surrounding Prime Minister Fang. That's simply because the Donglin Faction members were so ruthless, and they need a high-ranking official to protect them. Now that the Donglin Faction members are in trouble, the situation has changed. It's no longer them who need Prime Minister Fang, but Prime Minister Fang who needs them." Ye Xianggao's face darkened. "The Prime Minister is no longer Yan Song or Zhang Juzheng. Without the Emperor's support, he lacks the power and prestige to lord it over all officials. Under these circumstances, he inevitably needs the support of officials."

"After all, Prime Minister Fang is only the leader of the Zhejiang Party." Ye Xianggao softened his tone, regaining his composure, and asked the same question again: "Which side are you going to stand on?"

"I've already said that I'm here to mediate, not to take sides." Shi Jikai frowned. He felt a little offended by Ye Xianggao's question.

Ye Xianggao noticed the change in Shi Jixie's expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't doubt your motives. In the 32nd year of the Wanli reign, the demonic book case resurfaced. I privately wrote to Prime Minister Shen Yikuan, asking him not to exploit the case and persecute many people. At the time, my thoughts were exactly the same as yours: to reduce factional strife."

"But in the end, Shen Yikuan accused me of favoring Prince Fu. At that time, the position of Minister of Rites of Nanjing was vacant, and I, as the only vice minister of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, had no chance to advance to the left. I think Prime Minister Fang, like Shen Yikuan, would vent his anger on the person who persuaded him because of this matter. I know him, he wouldn't do that. It's just that at this time, speaking out will be regarded as taking sides! If Prime Minister Fang doesn't slander you, others will." Ye Xianggao explained.

"Are we just going to sit there and watch?" Shi Jixie still didn't want to give up. "Is there no other way?"

"There is still a way." The expression on Ye Xianggao's face did not change much.

"What is it?!" Shi Jikai's eyes lit up.

Ye Xianggao seemed to be looking in the direction of the Qianqing Palace and said, "I will report directly to the emperor."

"What kind of solution is this?" Shi Jixie said, "The Emperor was angered by the Donglin Party and ordered the Imperial Guard to arrest them. It's very likely that the Emperor won't even be summoned if he requests an audience."

"It's not us who are meeting the emperor. It's someone else." Ye Xianggao's velvet cloak swayed slightly in the sudden chill.

Shi Jixie thought for a moment. "Should I ask the Prime Minister for help?"

"It's not Wang An. At the court meeting on the eleventh day of the winter month, Wang An's face was even uglier than the emperor's." Ye Xianggao said, "The fact that the Imperial Household Department didn't add fuel to the Donglin Party's flames is a testament to Wang An's restraint."

"Who is that?" Shi Jikai's anxiety was almost overflowing.

"The Imperial Tutor, Sun Chengzong." Only then did Shi Jikai realize that what Ye Xianggao was looking at was not the Qianqing Palace, but the Huangji Hall.

------

Just as Shi Jikai was talking with Ye Xianggao near Donghuamen, Shen had already followed Fang Congzhe's sedan chair to the outside of Dong'anmen.

"Prime Minister. We should take advantage of this east wind, add a handful of firewood, and burn those hateful Donglin Party members to death in one go." Shen couldn't help it. Before getting into his own sedan chair, he walked to the wooden window of Fang Congzhe's sedan chair and whispered through the curtains.

"There are so many people and it's noisy." Fang Congzhe's voice floated out.

Shen then realized that Fang Congzhe didn't want to discuss this issue in public, so he suppressed his impatience and asked, "Can I go to the Prime Minister's house and ask for a cup of tea?"

"Stale tea tastes bitter," Fang Congzhe continued his witty remarks. "But if you don't mind, come on."

"Then I'm sorry to bother you." Shen only saw the last sentence.

Fang Congzhe's ancestral home is Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, but in fact, he grew up in Daxing County, northern Zhili Province, and has no southern accent at all.

After achieving the same degree of Jinshi (Guiwei) as Ye Xianggao in the 11th year of the Wanli reign, Fang Congzhe was appointed Dean of the Imperial Academy. That same year, Fang Congzhe sold the Fang family mansion in Daxing County and purchased a smaller house in Chongjiaofang, the site of the Imperial Academy. Even as Fang Congzhe's position rose, reaching the pinnacle of officialdom in the 41st year of the Wanli reign, when he exercised the power of "sole prime minister" as a cabinet member, he never moved his Chongjiaofang mansion to Nanxunfang. He simply quietly changed the plaque from "Fang's House" to "Fang's Mansion."

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Shen couldn't wait to speak: "Your Excellency, the Prime Minister. The Donglin Party is too proud and has incurred the wrath of heaven. We should mobilize the censors and use this momentum to start a fire."

Fang Congzhe still didn't say anything until he sat down in the main seat in the reception room. Then he told the servant, "Go make a cup of tea for Lord Shen."

"Prime Minister, what are you doing?" Shen looked puzzled.

"Didn't you come here to ask for tea?" Fang Congzhe said, "I have to give you a cup."

"How can this be the time to drink tea?" Shen didn't even sit down next to Fang Congzhe.

"When is it?" Fang Congzhe held the wooden armrest with some paint peeling off with both hands and sat upright.

"Of course it's time to follow the emperor's will and set fire to the forest!" Shen was anxious.

"Sit down. Don't talk while standing." Fang Congzhe pointed to the wooden chair on the right. Shen sat down. At this time, the servant came over with tea. Just as Fang Congzhe had ordered, there was only one cup of tea for Lord Shen on the tea tray.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Fang Congzhe said calmly.

"I'm sorry for being rude." Shen symbolically took a sip of the bitter old tea, then impatiently picked up the topic he had just talked about: "Prime Minister, this is a good opportunity. The Donglin Party has been suppressing us, and now it's finally our turn to fight back."

"How do you think we should fight back?" Fang Congzhe asked with half-closed eyes.

"Of course, we should unite with the Chu Party and the Qi Party, mobilize all the censors who can be mobilized, and eradicate the Donglin Party in one fell swoop." Shen said.

"Uproot them?" Fang Congzhe shook his head in denial. "Hundreds of censors from all over the country, how are you going to uproot them? You'd be lucky if you could just prune the branches and leaves."

"That's right, Prime Minister." Shen nodded. "Which branches should I cut, which leaves should I prune?"

"What do you think?" Fang Congzhe continued to answer questions with questions.

"At least we should take this opportunity to keep the four departments, namely the Cabinet, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue, firmly under our control." Fang Congzhe was asking about laying off staff, but Shen's answer was about taking over the departments.

"How do you pinch it?" Fang Congzhe kept his gaze straight and did not move to Shen.

"Replacing just Sun Ruyou and Zou Yuanbiao isn't enough. We'll also remove Liu Yirong and Han Yu from the Cabinet, Zhou Jiamo from the Ministry of Personnel, and Xu Guangqi from the Ministry of Rites. As for the Ministry of Revenue, Li Ruhua is old enough for retirement." Shen barely hesitated. "After clearing them out, replace them all with members of my Zhejiang Party."

"What about people from other parties?"

"The Qi and Chu parties and other small factions can only be given deputy positions such as assistant ministers, temple secretaries, and junior ministers," Shen continued.

"You think far ahead." Fang Congzhe commented indifferently.

"Zhou Jiamo and Xu Guangqi are in charge of the responsibilities of the town officials and the rites respectively. If we don't eradicate them, the Donglin Party will surely revive after the special examination next year." Shen said with some pride.

"How is the tea?" Fang Congzhe suddenly asked.

"Rich and fragrant." Shen only took a sip and didn't notice any special taste in it.

"That's good." Fang Congzhe raised both corners of his mouth at the same time, as if smiling. But he still didn't look at Shen. "My family eats late."

"Then I'll take my leave." Shen thought he had received a positive response from Fang Congzhe and did not want to exchange any more pleasantries.

"I am old and weak, so I won't see you off."

"Don't be so polite, Prime Minister." Shen saluted, then left Fang's house in a hurry. He wanted to contact the various parties and launch a general attack.

Shen Zhi was very proud. Fang Congzhe's old age made him feel a vague desire: Donglin is about to fall, the Prime Minister is old, and this is a God-given opportunity. Why can't I go one step further?
"That's all you can do." After Shen left, Fang Congzhe suddenly perked up. "Where's that bastard Fang Shihong? Where's he been fooling around again?" He turned to the housekeeper, his tone filled with disappointment.

"Master, I don't know where the young master has gone. I think he went to Huanghuafang to appreciate the flowers again." The butler shook his head.

"Flower viewing? Humph! How much money did he take away?"

"Fifty-three taels of silver." The housekeeper was in charge of the accounts.

"That's enough for him to fool around for half a month." Fang Congzhe, who had a son in his old age, was a typical example of a loving father who spoiled his son. If he ordered the housekeeper to tighten the purse strings, Fang Shihong wouldn't be able to go out and have sex with prostitutes and drink. "Forget it. He's not a scholar himself. It's better for him not to enter the officialdom."

"Prepare the car." Fang Congzhe no longer thought about his son.

"Master, would you like to hang lanterns?" The butler was asking whether to hang a badge and lanterns showing the Prime Minister's identity on the car.

"No need to hang up, go to Luo's house." Fang Congzhe ordered.

The Fang residence was in Chongjiaofang, near Andingmen, and the Luo residence was in Dashiyongfang, near Xuanwumen. One of these quarters was northeast of the Imperial City, against the inner city's north wall. The other was southwest of the Imperial City, against the inner city's south wall. The winding streets and corners between them separated them by more than ten miles. Fortunately, horses were faster than people, and they arrived in about three-quarters of an hour.

"Master. Someone has sent a letter asking to see you." The gatekeeper came to the indoor training room specially set aside in Luo's mansion.

Luo Sigong likes to wrestle with stones before dinner.

"Huh!" Luo Sigong put down his tool and asked, "Who is it?"

"He is a centurion, his surname is Fang," said the servant.

"A captain named Fang?" He remembered the names of all Jinyiwei officers above the rank of captain. But after thinking for a long time, he couldn't recall which government office had a captain named Fang.

"Let him come over." Luo Sigong gave up on his pointless thinking and continued to argue with the stone. He would never meet with a captain in the reception room. A subordinate of this level would not even get tea when he brought money.

"Greetings, Captain Luo." Fang Congzhe bowed slightly.

Fang Congzhe's ancestors were members of the Jinyiwei. If Luo Sigong checked the case files, he would find that this old man was registered as a Jinyiwei and was indeed a hereditary centurion.

"Prime Minister Fang!" Fang Congzhe's shout frightened Luo Sigong so much that he almost sprained his back. "What are you doing?" Luo Sigong put down the stone in his hand and took a few deep breaths. He thought to himself: This shouldn't be the case. Isn't Fang Shihong still caught?
"I'm here to discuss things with you."

"That doesn't make sense!" Luo Sigong shook his head repeatedly. "The Imperial Guard only obeys the Emperor. If you want to eliminate the enemy party, you should follow the civil service procedures, impeach them, and submit a memorial to the emperor. There's no such thing as coming to me to 'conspire'. And I will definitely report your coming to the Imperial Household Department."

"Please. I didn't intend to hide it from the Emperor." Fang Congzhe walked a few steps to Luo Sigong. "I'm not here to attack anyone, but to persuade the Jinyiwei not to go too far."

"Heh." Luo Sigong picked up a dry towel and wiped the sweat off his face. "Did I hear correctly?"

"Of course you heard me right. I'm here to advise you to stop." Fang Congzhe's eyes were shining. He didn't have the tired look of dealing with Shen Shi at all.

(End of this chapter)