The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 321 Advance and Retreat
The cries of millions still echo in our ears.

The grand funeral and its solemn honors still seem vivid in my mind.

The torrential rain, like a silver river falling from the sky, was washing everything in the capital.

The Empress Dowager has not been gone long, but her voice, appearance and smile are still vivid in my heart.

The situation in the Ming Dynasty seemed unchanged, and the cabinet remained in a position of power, but everyone knew that the situation was quietly changing.

Countless eyes were fixed on Grand Secretary Lee Hsien-mu.

The Empress Dowager's will still highly valued Li Xianmu, but will the Emperor and Empress Dowager obey the Empress Dowager's will?
When the terms "young emperor" and "powerful minister" are combined, countless bloody and cruel events in history flash through their minds.

Whether it was Li Xianmu's faction or his political enemies, everyone knew that a gentle breeze had already begun to stir.

When rulers and their subjects are of different strengths, they are bound to clash when they meet on a narrow path, and there is little chance

Inside the imperial palace, in the Empress Dowager's chambers, Empress Dowager Sun sat upright. Wang Zhen prostrated himself at her feet, his face showing grievance and obsequiousness.

A hint of hatred lingered deep in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, it is not this servant who instigated this. Everyone in the world knows how powerful Li Xianmu is. He is known as 'Li Half-Court' among the common people. His power is so great that it even surpasses that of the emperor. Is this the behavior of a loyal minister?"

Empress Dowager Sun remained silent, a deep sense of apprehension and fear flashing in her eyes.

Wang Zhen caught this slight change in emotion, and he was overjoyed.

He knew that the Empress Dowager couldn't possibly trust Li Xianmu so much!

The Empress Dowager and Li Xianmu had a bond of gratitude and trust that lasted for two or three decades, but Empress Dowager Sun did not have such a bond with Li Xianmu.

A normal ruler will be more wary of powerful ministers than trust them, and suppress them more than promote them. This is his chance to turn the tables.

Empress Dowager Sun remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Li Xianmu is an elder of the imperial clan and has been highly valued by several previous emperors. He is also quite respectful to the emperor. What you said is just your personal opinion and is not reliable."

Wang Zhen was naturally not fooled by such polite words and immediately sensed that Empress Dowager Sun was not being sincere.

Empress Dowager Sun did indeed feel threatened by Li Xianmu's power, but she dared not take action due to Li Xianmu's status, since Li Xianmu was a generation older than Empress Dowager Sun in terms of seniority.

"Your Majesty, I have an idea that will surely weaken Li Xianmu's power."

Wang Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of sinister malice in his expression.

"explain."

"Let His Majesty rule in his own right!"

Wang Zhen's voice carried a hint of smugness, "Once His Majesty assumes personal rule, how can the court be controlled by Li Xianmu? It simply doesn't make sense."

Empress Dowager Sun's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she looked at Wang Zhen in surprise. She had thought that Wang Zhen was just joking, but she did not expect that he could actually make such a constructive suggestion.

What was proposed was not a conspiracy, but a perfectly legitimate and aboveboard strategy.

She didn't remain silent any longer, but agreed immediately.

……

"The Empress Dowager and His Majesty have still not summoned Father, which means they have lost trust in him."

Li Fusheng stood bowing beside Li Xianmu, his tone filled with affirmation and indignation, "Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be a loyal minister!"

"A loyal subject?"

Loyalty to the state and loyalty to the monarch are not the same thing. In the eyes of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, the father was the one who usurped the monarch's power and was probably not a loyal subject.

Aren't there many people in the public today attacking the father, accusing him of usurping the emperor's power, and calling him a traitorous minister?
Even within the school of mind, weren't there people who advised their father to retire gracefully and not embark on a path destined for self-destruction?
In a power struggle, there is no right or wrong.

Li Xianmu's complete lack of defense left Li Fusheng speechless, and he could only stammer, "Then Father..."

"It's normal for the emperor to want to reclaim power, and it's also normal for me not to want to return power to the emperor."

"Under heaven, there is nothing more beneficial to the people than power in my hands."

Li Fusheng suddenly realized that this was the belief that his father had always tirelessly upheld, and it was also the same belief that he had taught Li.

"What do you think the Empress Dowager will do?"

After giving his son another lecture, Li Xianmu asked casually. Li Fusheng was taken aback and fell into deep thought. Throughout history, there have been countless examples of emperors and powerful ministers vying for power. For a moment, he couldn't think of anything Empress Dowager Sun might do.

"Probably he would first win over a group of ministers in the court who held different political views from his father, and then reinstate a group of ministers who had been suppressed by his father, thus cultivating his own power."

Li Fusheng used normal thinking to deduce the possible events.

Li Xianmu first nodded slightly, and then pointed out the fallacy, saying, "Planning before acting is a good method."

But it was too slow, and the Empress Dowager, residing in the inner palace and not ruling from behind the curtain, found these things difficult to accomplish.

Even the Empress Dowager had to rely on cooperation with Li Xianmu to control the court, so it was extremely difficult for the inner palace to control the court.

"The emperor is about to assume personal rule."

While Li Fusheng was deep in thought, Li Xianmu uttered a startling remark.

“Ruling the government? The emperor hasn’t even been crowned yet…” Li Fusheng suddenly stopped midway through his sentence.

Royal families are not like ordinary families. Throughout history, there are many examples of emperors being crowned prematurely in order to take charge of the government.

Now that the emperor is in his teens, it is only natural that he should assume personal rule.

Even Li Xianmu couldn't stop it, otherwise he would have been accused of plotting to seize power and disrupting the government!

"Could Empress Dowager Sun have come up with such an idea?" Li Fusheng questioned Empress Dowager Sun.

"She couldn't have imagined it, but the people around her would definitely tell her, 'Your Excellency, heroes are as numerous as fish crossing a river. Never underestimate anyone. Even a lion must go all out to catch a rabbit. When you start to underestimate others, failure is not far away.'"

"I understand, son." Li Fusheng said solemnly, "Then, Father, do you have any countermeasures?"

“When facing imperial power, a subject’s natural weakness is the lack of legal basis. Since this matter is inevitable, let me propose it.”

what?
Li Fusheng was taken aback, but quickly understood and bowed.

……

The capital city was rife with intrigue and turmoil. Wang Zhen made a comeback and began to gather some of his old subordinates who were still around, while all sorts of shady characters were eager to get back at him.

At this critical moment, both in the imperial court and in the countryside, the political landscape shifted dramatically because of a single memorial to the emperor.

Countless people were confused and bewildered, then their feelings turned into deep awe and respect, followed by silence and then heartfelt speeches.

The world's affairs are shaped by our generation, and once you enter the world of martial arts, time flies by. In the Ming Dynasty, during the current Zhengtong era, the core of the world's affairs and the turmoil in the three hundred prefectures is Li Xianmu.

With just a word or an event, millions of people joined him in their outcry.

Grand Secretary Li Xianmu led a group of court officials in submitting a joint memorial, which shocked the imperial court.

"Your Majesty is the eldest son of the late Emperor, and is exceptionally intelligent. He ascended the throne at a young age."

……

His Majesty was deeply grieved by the passing of the Empress Dowager, which clearly demonstrates his filial piety.

……

The Empress Dowager's teachings are excellent, and we, your subjects, admire her greatly. She is capable of shouldering the responsibility of governing the nation. We humbly request Your Majesty to assume personal rule, to oversee the entire realm, and to look upon all the people!

The memorial was truly heartfelt, expressing the old minister's unwavering loyalty and earnest desire to urge the emperor to assume personal rule. This was a huge political advantage, leaving even those royalists who genuinely believed Li Xianmu harbored treacherous intentions speechless.

After all, it's easy to be loyal verbally, but it's more practical to be willing to relinquish power!
Countless people wondered how the Empress Dowager and the Emperor would wrest power back from Li Xianmu; it was bound to be a bloody affair.

The return of Wang Zhen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the reunion of those who had gathered around him were all for this reason. No one had ever imagined that Li Xianmu would allow the emperor to rule in his own right.

They all thought that Li Xianmu would continue to suppress the emperor, citing his young age as the reason.

Suddenly, silence fell over the court and the public.

In the palace.

Empress Dowager Sun, who was about to forcefully promote the emperor's personal rule and wanted to use this incident to strike at Li Xianmu, was somewhat confused.

This is not right.

How did Li Xianmu do my job?
What should I do now?
Wang Zhen's expression was also somewhat unpleasant. He hadn't expected Li Xianmu to do this. They had made so many preparations, but it was as if they had punched cotton, making them want to vomit blood.

"Your Majesty, even if Li Xianmu is willing to let His Majesty rule in his own right, does Your Majesty really...?"

To Wang Zhen's surprise, Empress Dowager Sun interrupted him directly, then glared at him and said loudly, "Wang Zhen!"
Who gave you the audacity to address the Grand Secretary by his full name?
Moreover, you must remember that my goal is to take power back from Li Xianmu, not to kill him!
He is a capable and important minister left by the previous emperors, and the head of the clan. The administration of the Ming Dynasty cannot do without him. As long as he is willing to submit to me and the emperor as he did to the previous emperors and the Empress Dowager, he will remain the Grand Secretary.

Even if he is unwilling and truly despises it, the worst that can happen is that he will retire and return to his hometown. He will not die, do you understand?
If you have any ulterior motives, I advise you to put them away as soon as possible, otherwise no one can save you!

Wang Zhen was terrified and immediately knelt on the ground, saying, "This servant dares not, but I am just indignant."

"Don't dare to be the best."

Empress Dowager Sun sneered, "The ministers who were highly valued by the previous emperors have always been loyal and upright. If they die at my hands or the emperor's hands, they will be infamous for ten thousand years."

If you dare to let your master bear such a reputation, you will truly be guilty beyond redemption and deserve to die a thousand deaths.

After hearing these words, Wang Zhen's anxiety completely died.

Since the Empress Dowager had given such a reason, it would be very difficult to incite her to engage in a full-scale struggle with Li Xianmu.

It seems we still need to work on the emperor.

The emperor's attitude toward Li Xianmu, his maternal great-uncle, was quite complicated. He was an elder of the clan and a regent left by the late emperor. He had even been used to intimidate people when Li Xianmu was young.

In the emperor's mind, he was definitely not a good figure.

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.

Upon hearing that Li Xianmu had petitioned him to assume personal rule, the emperor immediately went to his mother, Empress Dowager Sun's, palace to inquire about the details.

Still looking like a young boy, with undisguised joy on his face, Zhu Qizhen immediately bowed upon entering the palace. After rising, he asked with delight, "Mother, is what's been reported from the previous dynasty true?"

Empress Dowager Sun handed the memorial to Zhu Qizhen, saying, "It's true. Grand Secretary Li Xianmu and a group of officials have requested that you assume personal rule."

Zhu Qizhen hurriedly took it, glanced through it, and couldn't help but burst into laughter. After laughing, he asked in confusion, "Mother, this..."

Why is the Grand Secretary doing this?

In the education Zhu Qizhen received from childhood, Li Xianmu was a positive character with negative aspects.

In the eyes of his father and grandmother, Li Xianmu was naturally a very loyal minister. In the years immediately following his ascension to the throne, Li Xianmu and several other regents did indeed ensure the stable operation of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, Li Xianmu was a staunch opponent of another branch of the family becoming emperor.

Judging from the reactions of those around him, Li Xianmu had encroached upon the power that belonged to the emperor and was a typical powerful minister, just like the protagonists in the stories he had read since childhood, such as "The Biography of Huo Guang" and "The Biography of Yi Yin".

The emperor was also like a thorn in Zhu Qizhen's side, and even had the power to depose and install emperors, which made Zhu Qizhen feel fear and then rejection.

until today.

He was shocked but also delighted when he heard that Li Xianmu had asked him to take charge of the government. He had grown up listening to stories from his grandfather and father, so how could he not have the ambition to make a name for himself?

Now that I'm in charge, I can do things according to my own ideas!

So he asked his mother his first question, "After assuming personal rule, can I do things the way I want?"

Empress Dowager Sun replied without hesitation, "Impossible. Everything must be discussed with the court officials, especially the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet."

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent. Empress Dowager Sun and Zhu Qizhen both fell silent, while Wang Zhen raised an eyebrow, forcing himself not to speak.

Zhu Qizhen, being young and impatient, hesitated and asked, "Then what's the difference between this and now?"

Even if Zhu Qizhen was stupid, he knew that the cabinet was the sole authority of Grand Secretary Li Xianmu. If something could only be implemented after consultation with the cabinet, it didn't mean that he still had to listen to Li Xianmu.

“It’s still different,” Empress Dowager Sun retorted, but she was somewhat speechless. She suddenly realized that as long as there were no capable people available in the outer court, even if the emperor ruled personally, his power would not extend beyond the capital.

Li Xianmu's prompt request for the emperor to assume personal rule likely stemmed from his knowledge of this matter. After figuring it out, her face flushed and then turned purple before she focused her gaze on Wang Zhen once more.

She suddenly realized that Wang Zhen was no ordinary person. Years ago, he had already seen the importance of the cabinet and wanted to infiltrate it, but Li Xianmu decisively stopped him.

Moreover, Wang Zhen had been gathering people from the nineteen ministries and nineteen provinces, and many of the ministers and vice ministers of the nineteen ministries had joined his ranks.

If she remembered correctly, the previous governor of Henan had obtained his position through Wang Zhen's connections. However, after Li Xianmu deposed Wang Zhen, he dismissed all the officials in Wang Zhen's faction. The governor of Henan received a low rank in the performance evaluation and was directly sent to Jiaozhi to educate the barbarians.

"Wang Zhen, feel free to say whatever you want to say."

“Mr. Wang.” Zhu Qizhen also looked over, his eyes filled with expectation. Compared to his mother, he truly trusted Wang Zhen. If it weren’t for his strong protection, Wang Zhen probably wouldn’t have survived.

Wang Zhen felt his heart pounding. He knew that his chance had come again!
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty, if you want to keep your word, you need to have officials who obey you. If you want them to obey you, you need to give them what they want, namely wealth and honor."

Now that His Majesty has assumed personal rule and gained the greatest power, he can give them everything they want, so taking back power will not be difficult.

(End of this chapter)