The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 310 First
Li Xianmu left Jinshen Hall with a heavy heart.

As he stepped out of the palace gate, he felt the wind grow colder and the sky darker, just like his mood at that moment.

This visit to the palace for a conversation with the Empress Dowager was to redefine future responsibilities and powers.

The Empress Dowager gave him a political promise that everything would remain unchanged. On the surface, it really was not much different from the time of Emperor Xuanzong. In fact, due to the death of the emperor who held real power, his prestige and power as the most powerful person in the court and the chief regent increased greatly.

but!

Those who only pursue short-term power and fail to see deeper changes will inevitably be crushed in the political arena.

Those high-ranking officials who rose to prominence for a time but then quickly lost their families and lives were all like this.

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, Li Xianmu's position was essentially that of a "prime minister" in the ancient political tradition. The emperor controlled the overall situation and then delegated political power to the prime minister, who then handled most of the specific affairs.

After eleven years of reforms to the cabinet system during the reigns of Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong, Li Xianmu had a real basis for power and was able to achieve institutional alignment between the monarch and the prime minister.

The political structure during Emperor Xuanzong's reign was simple and stable. Emperor Xuanzong was the emperor with real power and was able to completely control Li Xianmu. This was a typical case of "a strong ruler and weak ministers" and "the trunk being more important than the branches and leaves." For a country, this was a good political system.

But Emperor Xuanzong's death completely changed everything.

Zhu Qizhen was too young and was directly excluded from the political landscape. The Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Sun acted on his behalf, but neither of them had enough prestige, so they could only entrust the government to Li Xianmu.

But politics is a product of balance and compromise.

With Li Xianmu and the cabinet wielding such power, there was bound to be another institution to balance the power. In the political landscape of the Ming Dynasty, this institution was already quite obvious—the Directorate of Ceremonial!

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had the power to approve imperial edicts. However, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, due to the relationship between Emperor Xuanzong and Li Xianmu, this power was practically meaningless. Whenever Li Xianmu submitted a memorial, the emperor would personally go to see it, and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had no opportunity to manipulate the process.

Without room for maneuver, there is no power.

However, with the advent of the new dynasty, the change in the overall situation inevitably led to the rise of the Directorate of Ceremonial, a rise that Li Xianmu absolutely did not want to see.

But after much deliberation, he realized that the tide had turned and was irreversible!
The rise of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is a product of the current political situation in the Ming Dynasty, and it is inevitable unless the fundamental political situation of the Ming Dynasty changes.

For example, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the power was alternately held by the empress's relatives and eunuchs, which was also a product of the political system of the Eastern Han Dynasty. When did this situation change?
After Dong Zhuo disrupted the central government's authority in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the fundamental political situation changed drastically. The maternal relatives and eunuchs were no longer the main players in the political power struggle, and so after that, we never heard of their stories again.

The more Li Xianmu thought about it, the colder his heart became. Most people in this world just drift with the tide, unable to see the overwhelming trend. They can only be swept along step by step by the changing winds and clouds, until everything comes to an end, only then do they realize how vast and turbulent the journey has been.

Li Xianmu, on the other hand, could always see the changes in the overall situation, but he also always found that it was difficult for man to overcome fate, and it was also extremely difficult to overcome the overall situation.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered a passage his father had once said: "The grand trend of history is like a river that never stops flowing. Trying to change the trend is like a person going against the current in the water, trying to sweep the entire river back. Isn't that wishful thinking?"
But the ocean can turn into mulberry fields, and nothing in this world remains unchanged. When low-lying areas become plateaus, and high places become low, the rivers that once rushed forward will turn back.

This is the principle Lao Tzu meant when he said, "A tree that can be embraced grows from a tiny sprout; a nine-story tower rises from a mound of earth; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

These words, like a gentle, warm stream, slightly dispelled the chill emanating from Li Xianmu. He tucked his exposed hands into his sleeves and headed out of the palace.

……

Two days passed quickly.

The documents sent from the Cabinet to the various ministries clearly stated that the Grand Court Assembly, which had been suspended for some time, would be convened again. Except in extremely special circumstances, officials of the various ministries in the capital were not allowed to request an amendment, and anyone who disobeyed would be dismissed on the spot.

Great meeting.

As the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager led Zhu Qizhen out, one on each side, the assembled officials immediately understood everything.

The Empress Dowager stood solemnly in the hall, pointing at Zhu Qizhen and saying, "According to the late Emperor's edict, this is the new Emperor. All ministers, pay your respects."

It made no mention of the rumors, yet it was the most obvious response.

At this moment, everyone in the hall felt relieved and knelt on the ground, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" three times.

Later, as Li Xianmu had expected, someone indeed suggested, "The late emperor's edict stated that all major policies of the court should be reported to Empress Dowager Zhang and Empress Sun before implementation. We request that the Empress Dowager rule from behind the curtain."

Of the four regents appointed by the cabinet, Yang Rong's expression immediately changed slightly, while Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu remained expressionless, with Yang Pu even showing a hint of agreement.

The reactions among the court officials were also quite intriguing. Some hesitated to speak out, wanting to object but unsure what to say, while many others immediately stepped forward to agree, their voices ringing out in unison, creating a rather shocking scene.

Even the neutral ministers could see something was amiss. The one who requested Empress Dowager Zhang to rule from behind the curtain was a minister who had always been at odds with Li Xianmu. This was clearly an attempt to take away Li Xianmu's power.

Li Xianmu is likely to be in trouble this time.

After all, Empress Dowager Zhang had a will in her possession, and according to ancient political traditions, it was reasonable for her to rule from behind the curtain.

Unfortunately, they encountered Empress Dowager Zhang.

Faced with the requests of the court officials, Empress Dowager Zhang directly refused. She then summoned the four regents, including Li Xianmu, and Hu Ying, the Minister of Revenue, to step forward. Pointing to the five men, she said to the court officials, "The late emperor has already selected ministers who can be entrusted with important responsibilities for the Ming Dynasty. We only need to let the emperor learn from them."

He then looked at Li Xianmu and the other four, saying, “You are all veteran officials who entered the government during the Yongle reign and have governed the country for many years. Now that the emperor is young, the country is bound to be in turmoil. I hope that you can work together to protect the Ming Dynasty and its land, so that after a hundred years, you can face the previous emperors with a clear conscience.”

The five people bowed deeply in gratitude.

Empress Dowager Zhang then said to Li Xianmu: "Minister Li, you are of noble status. All the previous emperors praised you for your ability. Before his death, the previous emperor entrusted you with assisting the current emperor. I hope you can strive forward and never forget the trust and respect placed in you by the previous emperors."

He then looked at the assembled officials in the hall and said in a low voice, "Li Xianmu is the head of the imperial family. For the past thirty years, he has been sincere and respectful, and has great talent in governing the world. During the Yongle reign, he was listed as one of the Nine Ministers and served as the Grand Secretary and Grand Marshal. Later, Emperor Renzong bestowed favor upon him, and during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, he became the Grand Chancellor and was called the Prime Minister. Among all the ministers in the country, none can match him."

As the saying goes, "A tree grows tall when its roots are deep, and a house is sturdy when its foundation is solid." He is the pillar of our Great Ming Dynasty during this turbulent time, a giant tree supporting the sky. The affairs of the world depend on the Emperor and all loyal ministers. Li Xianmu is a capable and indispensable minister of the nation. I hope that all of you will advance and retreat together to safeguard the peace and prosperity of our Great Ming Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Even those with the lowest political awareness could see that this was blatant siding with someone! For a moment, everyone was somewhat dazed.

The Empress Dowager's refusal to rule from behind the curtain was already quite surprising, but now she's fully supporting Li Xianmu...

Truly—he has the world in his heart!
Even Li Xianmu's opponents acknowledged that Li Xianmu was indeed talented in governing the country, no less so than famous prime ministers of ancient times.

The Empress Dowager's decision to delegate power to Li Xianmu was the most correct one.

What kind of spirit is this?
This was an act of utter selflessness, dedicated solely to the benefit of the world. If Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong were alive, they would surely praise the Empress Dowager greatly.

But for Li Xianmu's political enemies, this was very difficult. They had been suppressed by Li Xianmu for so many years, and if it weren't for maintaining the balance of power in the court, they wouldn't even be able to maintain their current status.

Over the years, they have been constantly attacked and have gradually lost their power to resist.

As a result, the Empress Dowager has now given Li Xianmu such great support, even more so than during the reign of the late emperor.

How could this not lead to despair?
Since ancient times, the world has been summed up in four words: striving to become emperor.

In the imperial court, it all boils down to four words—the struggle for power and profit!
These four words carry a negative connotation, but they cannot be simply interpreted as negative. The struggle for power is the most important thing. Everyone has a different understanding of the world and wants to reshape it to their own liking.

To achieve this, power is required, so everyone is vying for power, including Li Xianmu, who has always been fighting for power.

While everyone was stunned, Li Xianmu stepped out of the ranks and solemnly bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your humble servant thanks the Empress Dowager."

The two looked at each other.

There's no need to say anything more in the hall; everything I wanted to say was already said in the palace a few days ago.

As for Li Xianmu, since reality is what it is, there is no need to think about it anymore; he can only do his best.

He turned around and looked at the assembled officials in the hall, taking in their expressions.

Li Xianmu predicted that as the Neo-Confucianism faction, led by him, received authorization from the Empress Dowager and completely seized control of the court, they would soon realize that only the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs could rival him. Soon, a eunuch faction centered around the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would emerge in the court.

The eunuch faction during the Tianqi era also gained the emperor's trust because the Donglin Party used the three major cases.

In the early years of the Tianqi reign, the Donglin Party gained dominance in the court, squeezing out the Qi-Zhe-Chu Party to the point of having no room to survive.

Later, the members of the three parties discovered that the Donglin Party's strength lay in its ability to gain the emperor's trust, but eunuchs were the ones the emperor trusted the most. If they were to curry favor with the eunuchs, the Donglin Party's greatest advantage would instantly turn into a disadvantage.

Thus, the members of the three parties, "with the thought of surrendering to the eunuch, suddenly felt that the world was wide open," and decisively formed the eunuch party. After that, the Donglin party was severely attacked by the eunuch party, and those members who truly did practical things, were capable, and had high moral character were all killed in the imperial prison.

The Donglin Party then completely transformed into an organization that only knew how to talk about morality and boast. As for the eunuch party, it was inherently corrupt from the moment they began persecuting a few upright scholars, and under the leadership of a useless idiot like Wei Zhongxian, it could accomplish absolutely nothing.

From the perspective of saving the nation, both parties have utterly failed, opposing for the sake of opposing.

In the Ming Dynasty today, there is naturally no more intense factional strife than at the end of the Wanli era. That intense factional strife was a monster cultivated by the Jiajing Emperor, which was then indulged by the incompetent Wanli Emperor, eventually growing to the point of turning against the imperial power.

Although Li Xianmu engaged in factional strife, he did so openly and legitimately under the guise of corruption cases. He did not touch any of the ministers who opposed him but were truly clean.

Everything must be within the acceptable range of people's hearts; this is called the bottom line of the struggle.

The downside is that a group of his political enemies genuinely believe he is a "gentleman" and have been relentlessly opposing him.

The clash of swords in the imperial court flashed before the eyes of the powerful officials, while those who had not participated in such struggles at this level only sensed that something was amiss, but could not understand why.

However, they only felt envy towards the four regents.

What's even more surprising is that all four of them were Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet. There wasn't a single Minister of the Six Ministries or Left and Right Censors-in-Chief. This clearly shows that in the late emperor's eyes, the Six Ministries were inferior to the Cabinet.

Now that the four regents are all in the cabinet, their influence has increased even further. Until the emperor comes of age, the cabinet will likely maintain its dominance over all other ministries.

Under these circumstances, the Empress Dowager dropped another bombshell: "Yang Shiqi, the Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, will take charge of the Ministry of Revenue from this day forward, and Hu Ying, the former Minister of Revenue, will take charge of the Ministry of War and become a Grand Secretary in the Cabinet."

After two rounds of adjustments, the cabinet consisted of five people: Li Xianmu, Minister of Personnel; Yang Shiqi, Minister of Revenue; Hu Ying, Minister of War; and Yang Rong, who was in charge of the Hanlin Academy and Yang Pu, who was in charge of the Imperial Academy.

This was the first time since the establishment of the cabinet system that all Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet had concurrently managed departments, especially the three most powerful departments. It can be said that the Cabinet had achieved a decisive victory in taking over departmental affairs.

The ministers in the palace, however, could not say anything.

The five cabinet members at that time were simply too highly qualified.

The reason why the Six Ministries and the Cabinet were able to stand on equal footing was because of the presence of veteran officials such as Xia Yuanji, but Xia Yuanji and others have been dead for several years.

These five members of the cabinet had been active in the court since the early years of the Yongle reign, and countless important national affairs had passed through their hands.

Let's not even mention Li Xianmu. As early as the Yongle era, he was already the most important minister in the country, ranking as a second-rank official.

After being granted official titles by three emperors—Hongxi, Xuande, and Zhengtong—he is now the only civil official of the first rank in the Ming Dynasty, and has been granted the titles of Grand Tutor and Chief Regent!
The others, such as Yang Shiqi, were not much different. During the Hongxi era, they were already second-rank ministers, and during the Xuande era, they were promoted to first-rank officials.

Of these five people, only Hu Ying's rank was slightly lower.

With such a group of powerful figures, how could the Six Ministries possibly fight them? Fortunately, according to long-standing rumors, Li Xianmu and Yang Shiqi were not entirely of one mind.

Otherwise, they wouldn't even have the will to compete!

(End of this chapter)