The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 15 Zhang Juzheng was really murdered

Feng Bao suddenly fell ill.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Jue, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was arrested!
Zhang Dashou, the commander-in-chief of the Tengxiang Four Guards, also seems to have problems.

It was still summer, but Wanli felt a chill in his heart.

History has long proved that Feng Bao was not capable of doing this. As soon as Zhang Juzheng died, Feng Bao's property was quickly confiscated and he was exiled.

He actually entrusted his safety to such a person!
Feng Bao is no match for Zhang Siwei at all.

It was obvious that Zhang Siwei had begun his counterattack. This guy wanted to deal with Feng Bao and his cronies and seize control of the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Guards.

Wang Zhizhen, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, is the grandson of Wang Chonggu!

In history, this grandson once used the case of the evil book to frame his fellow soldiers, and he was notoriously cruel.

Feng Bao actually dared to use such a person, and even let him be in charge of the Northern Pacification Office. He must be crazy!
Now, the Jinyiwei commander-in-chief Xu Jue has been arrested, and the Jinyiwei assistant commander-in-chief Wang Zhizhen is the highest-ranking official in the Jinyiwei. It is estimated that the Jinyiwei seal has been taken away by this guy.

If Zhang Dashou is caught again, he will become a lamb to be slaughtered again.

He was too careless. Feng Bao was so unreliable, he shouldn't have allowed this guy to control the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Guards.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Imperial Guards were his personal troops, specifically responsible for guarding the palace and protecting him personally. He must have some problem in his head if he allowed someone like Feng Bao to be in charge.

He should have found a way to take back control of the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Guards from Feng Bao long ago. Military force is only useful when it is completely under his own control.

Now, Zhang Siwei has taken the lead. This old bastard should have known the importance of controlling military force a long time ago, but he has been keeping silent all the time.

This guy likes to do things secretly.

Feng Bao must have been targeted by this guy for a long time, and he was really a bit careless.

If the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Guards were taken away this time, Empress Dowager Li would probably depose him without hesitation and let Prince Lu take the throne!

What should we do now?
Wanli frowned and pondered for a moment, then said decisively, "Hurry and tell someone to pass on my order. Order Qi Jiguang to lead the elite troops of the Beijing Camp into the palace to protect you."

what?
You don't trust the Imperial Army, you trust the Beijing Camp?

Zhang Dashou was stunned when he heard this.

This guy is no longer useful.

Wanli stared at the guy coldly and said, "If you don't want to die, quickly send someone to pass on my order. They've already taken action, so what are you still doing standing here?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dashou hurried away.

Wanli looked at the dark sky outside and couldn't help but sigh.

The civil officials were powerful and the situation was dark, making it extremely difficult for him to regain imperial power.

He was just sighing inwardly when the eunuch Zhang Cheng, the chief eunuch in charge of ceremonies, unexpectedly sent him a large pile of memorials.

It's only the morning of April 1st, where do so many draft memorials come from?

Jiang Dongzhi, the censor of Shandong Province, accused Xu Jue, the co-director of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, of deserting the army for committing a crime and bribing Feng Bao with 30,000 taels to join his camp. He then abused his power in military office and solicited bribes everywhere.

The cabinet drafted a bill ordering the Jinyiwei Beizhenfu Division to arrest Xu Jue and bring him to justice.

Chen Yujiao, the Imperial Censor, impeached Chen Siyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Yu Jing, the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Household Department, for bribing Xu Jue, colluding with Feng Bao, and colluding with evil forces to harm the country. They should be dismissed immediately to clear the official path.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Chen Siyu and Yu Jing from their posts and investigate them.

Li Zhi, the censor of Jiangxi Province, assisted Feng Bao, the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, in deceiving the emperor and harming the country. His crimes were grave and he should be executed for twelve crimes.

The cabinet drafted a bill ordering the Jinyiwei to arrest Feng Bao and bring him to justice.

Li Tingyan, the censor of Shaanxi Province, impeached Feng Bao for taking advantage of Zhang Juzheng's death from illness to send Xu Jue and Zhang Dashou to demand seven famous zithers, nine night-shining pearls, five sets of pearl curtains, 30,000 gold taels, and 100,000 silver taels from Zhang Juzheng's home.

The cabinet proposed to confiscate the property of Feng Bao, Xu Jue and Zhang Dashou and exile them.

Chen Ye, a member of the Ministry of Rites, impeached You Qiyu, a relative of the former prime minister Zhang Juzheng, for using connections to bribe and sell candidates for the Juren degree.

The cabinet drafted a bill ordering the Ministry of Justice to arrest You Qi and bring him to justice.

Zhang Yingzhao, the censor of Henan Province, impeached the Nanjing Minister of Punishment Yin Zhengmao, and the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor-General and Minister of War Chen Rui, all of whom were accused of embezzling gold, silver and pearls from their officials and privately giving them to Zhang Juzheng, Feng Bao and Juzheng's servant You Qi.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Yin Zhengmao and Chen Rui from their posts and investigate them.

Han Guozhen, the censor of Guangdong Province, impeached Wang Zhuan, the right vice-minister of the Ministry of Personnel, for giving Feng Baoyu ten bundles of jade belts and 20,000 taels of silver in an attempt to take control of the Censorate.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Wang Zhuan from his post and investigate him.

Feng Lu, a censor in the Criminal Department, impeached Gao Wenjian, the governor of the Three Borders and the left assistant minister of the Ministry of War, for joining the rebel Bao and marrying the sister of Wang Zhuan's concubine. He accepted bribes and when the concubine tried to extort money from the Jinglu Guards but failed, he increased the grain tax, which led to the Hui chiefs gathering their people and occupying the Yellow River. He was so greedy that he was not fit to be in charge of an important city.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Gao Wenjian from his post and investigate him.

Tian Chou, a censor in the Criminal Department, impeached the Datong Governor Jia Yingyuan for allowing his own territory to be occupied and severely damaging the salt law, and the Civil Service Doctor Jiang Zunzhen for taking advantage of his private residence to accept bribes and sell official positions. He requested that both officials be dismissed at the same time to clear the official path.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Jia Yingyuan and Jiang Zunzhen from their posts and investigate them.

Huang Zhong, the Imperial Censor of Huguang Province, impeached the Huguang Governor, Chen Sheng, for bribing Ju Zheng and protecting his family, employing hundreds of soldiers and providing them with thousands of dollars in annual pay. The cabinet then voted to dismiss Chen Sheng from his post and investigate him.

Tang Yaoqing, a member of the Imperial Censorate, impeached the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Chen Rui, for bribing Feng Bao and befriending the former Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng. When Zhang Juzheng lost his father, he wore mourning clothes and handled the funeral affairs for Juzheng's father. Only then did he gain the respect of Juzheng and showed no shame.

The cabinet voted to dismiss Chen Rui from his post and investigate him.

Chen Rui?

Jia Yingyuan?
Chen Sheng?

No, this is about the land survey regulations!
He originally thought that Luo Sigong was secretly investigating corrupt officials and accidentally got caught, but now it seems that is not the case at all.

The charges against Feng Bao, Xu Jue, You Qi and others in these impeachment memorials may be true, but those against Chen Rui, Jia Yingyuan and Chen Sheng are definitely not true.

Because it was during these few days that Chen Rui, Jia Yingyuan and Chen Sheng reported the results of the land survey in Guangdong, Guangxi, Datong and Huguang, Zhang Siwei immediately ordered the censors to impeach these provincial governors along with Feng Bao, Xu Jue, You Qi and others.

If Feng Bao, Xu Jue, You Qi and others are found guilty, Zhang Siwei will have an excuse to dismiss and investigate Chen Rui, Jia Yingyuan, Chen Sheng and other provincial governors!
This guy is so vicious.

It seems that Zhang Juzheng might have been murdered.

Because the land survey regulations have not progressed smoothly since they were implemented in November of the eighth year of the Wanli reign.

He still remembered that not long after the policy was first implemented, news came from Shanxi that several generals guarding the country and generals serving the country from the Dai Wang Palace in Datong had beaten the officials who were surveying the land. That was why Zhang Juzheng sent Jia Yingyuan to be the governor of Datong.

Moreover, most local officials pretended to obey but actually disobeyed and responded passively. In many places, the land survey regulations could not be implemented at all. Until May of the ninth year of Wanli, half a year had passed, and the land survey had not been completed in any place.

Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to send a large number of governors, provincial governors, and inspectors to the local areas to supervise the implementation of the land survey regulations.

However, there were still many difficulties in pushing forward the project. It was not until September of the ninth year of the Wanli reign that He Qiming, the governor of Shandong, reported that about half of the farmland in Shandong had been surveyed.

Zhang Juzheng was extremely angry about this and dismissed and investigated many prefects, governors, and garrison commanders. Only then did the implementation of the land survey regulations gradually make progress.

However, the progress was limited to the survey and measurement of military farms in several prefectures and local garrisons, and the results were not significant.

It was not until March of the tenth year of the Wanli reign that good news came from the Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commission. The land survey was completed, and the old quota was filled with more than 6 million mu of land.

Zhang Juzheng was very pleased and rewarded 62 meritorious governors, provincial governors, councilors, prefects, county magistrates, etc. at one time.

Who knew that not long after, Zhang Juzheng suddenly fell ill.

These guys clearly wanted to stop the implementation of the land survey regulations, but Zhang Juzheng was ignorant and continued to implement the regulations despite his illness.

As a result, Zhang Juzheng died just like that!
Zhang Juzheng was killed because he insisted on implementing the land survey regulations regardless of the consequences!
It is obvious that he insisted on respecting his teacher and making use of Liang Menglong, a disciple of Zhang Juzheng, which inspired the officials promoted by Zhang Juzheng. This is why the land survey results in Datong, Huguang and Guangdong were achieved.

However, the results of this land survey were a curse rather than a blessing for him.

Feng Bao's sudden illness was a warning to him. If he did not know what was good for him and continued to push forward the reforms, Feng Bao would die, and he would die too!
Do these people really dare to do this?
He can't take any chances.

In history, Taichang died in one month because he believed in the young and foolish people of Donglin who wanted to eliminate the long-standing malpractices and punish corrupt officials. He was also branded as being obsessed with women!
These people really dare to kill the king. They can do anything to protect their own interests.

Historically, the reason why he was not killed was because he gave in when he couldn't win, ignored the affairs of state, and let these guys do whatever they wanted.

Now, he has made it clear that he respects his teachers and wants to continue to implement reforms. Will these guys let him live?
Wanli was just frowning in deep thought when Qi Jiguang, fully armed, hurried in, bowed and said, "I am late in coming to your rescue, Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Fortunately, I was prepared.

Wanli was quite pleased and said, "Yuan Jing, you came at the right time."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang said solemnly, "Your Majesty, what's going on? What happened?"

Wanli sighed slightly and said, "Daban has fallen ill, and Xu Jue, the commander of the Jinyiwei, has been arrested by Zhang Siwei's men. I'm afraid the Jinyiwei will be controlled by Zhang Siwei.

Also, Zhang Dashou, the commander of the Tengxiang Four Guards, seems to be a problem. This guy is probably not a clean person. If he is caught, he will probably be finished."

These guys are so arrogant that they even dare to touch the Emperor's personal army.

Qi Jiguang said with a determined face, "Your Majesty, what should I do?"

Wanli thought for a moment, then asked, "How many elite soldiers from the Beijing Camp have you selected?"

This one.

Qi Jiguang said helplessly, "Your Majesty, the Beijing army is truly rotten. There are less than 20,000 soldiers capable of fighting. Moreover, I have requested wages several times but the cabinet has rejected them. I can only ask my personal soldiers to share some food. If the cabinet does not approve the food and wages, they will have trouble eating."

Zhang Siwei, you fucking bastard!

Wanli could not help but get angry and said, "Didn't he say that we would give you 600,000 yuan in food and wages every year?"

Qi Jiguang sighed helplessly, "He said the Beijing troops had only been training for a few days before they were paid their food and wages. There's no precedent for this. They need at least a month of training before they can be paid."

You wait, you bastard.

Wanli thought carefully before giving instructions: "You station the rest of the troops from the Beijing Camp in the Imperial City to guard the perimeter of the Imperial Palace. Your personal soldiers will take turns guarding the Qianqing Palace for twelve hours."

Qi Jiguang bowed without hesitation and said, "I will obey your order."

(End of this chapter)