The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Chapter 88 Two Heroes

Moreover, since Zhang Juzheng had joined Prince Jing's faction, he was naturally protected by Yan's faction, and even the Minister of Personnel could not match the power of the Grand Secretary.

The Grand Secretary holds the power to draft proposals and can participate in the decision-making of major military and national affairs. He can also secretly decide the advancement and demotion of the Nine Ministers and Governors. Although the Ministry of Personnel is in charge of personnel appointments and removals, it can only act according to the wishes of the Grand Secretariat and mostly follows orders without daring to make its own decisions.

Especially now that the current emperor has retired to the Western Garden and entrusted the administration of state affairs to Yan Song, he has spent a lot of effort to regain some of the power that should belong to the Ministry of Personnel. However, compared to Yan Song's power, it is just a drop in the ocean.

Moreover, this matter alone does not require Yan Song's intervention. All Prince Jing needs to do is run to the West Garden and shout that no one in the Hanlin Academy is willing to teach me, except for Zhang Juzheng, who is now being driven away. He begs the Emperor to make the decision.

The emperor lowered his gaze, and to them, it was as if the heavens and earth had collapsed.

"Alright, that's enough about this!"

"Department Head—"

Xu Jie's gaze swept over the crowd with a deep and cold look: "You are only concerned with indulging in private discussions among scholars and indulging in momentary verbal sparring. Have you ever thought about the Emperor's will in the palace and the dignity of the princes?"

"If you insist on gathering a crowd to criticize and demand that Zhang Juzheng be expelled from the Hanlin Academy, and this angers Prince Jing, who may then petition the Emperor for a decision, who among you will answer for me when His Majesty asks?"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines and lowered their heads, daring not to utter another word in rebuttal.

They had the courage to submit memorials, and a great deal of it, but they had absolutely no courage to confront the emperor directly. Yang Shen is a prime example of this.

A moment later, everyone dispersed. Xu Jie did not return to the inner hall to rest. He stood by the window of his study, gazing at the old pine trees in the courtyard whose branches and leaves were swaying in the wind, and remained silent for a long time.

The wind lifted a corner of the paper on the table, revealing Zhang Juzheng's "Memorial on Current Affairs," which he had copied and saved by hand some time ago. The handwriting was neat and meticulous.

Xu Jie returned to his desk, closed the memorial, and gently pressed it. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't heartbroken that the successor he was carefully cultivating had surrendered to Prince Jing. But on the other hand, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

What I just said was partly to persuade everyone, and partly from the heart.

No matter what, as long as he doesn't take action, his relationship with Zhang Juzheng will remain unbroken.

If Prince Yu were to ascend the throne in the future, he would leave Zhang Juzheng a way out. Not to mention that he could stay in the capital and no longer be considered a cabinet minister or minister, he could at least be appointed as a provincial governor or prefect.

If King Jing could go further, today's decision not to pursue the matter would be a way out for himself, at least ensuring that his children and grandchildren would not be implicated.

Of course, this is just a backup plan. The struggle must continue. The people around Prince Yu are far inferior to Zhang Juzheng. It seems that Gao Gong must be recalled.

Prince Yu was weak-willed and needed someone to help him establish himself; there was no one more suitable than Gao Gong in this regard.

"Your Highness, is Zhang Juzheng really that important?"

Ma Dezhao rarely saw his prince so happy, and even ate an extra bowl of noodles at lunch.

"It's very important, but he's still a bit lacking right now. Let's wait a few months and see how we arrange for him to go somewhere and gain some experience."

Zhang Juzheng's true ability lay not in devising strategies or maneuvering in the struggle for the throne.

He never imagined keeping Zhang Juzheng by his side as a close advisor and strategist.

True reform is never something that can be achieved simply by an emperor uttering a few words and expecting officials to blindly follow and implement it.

The Zhang Juzheng he wanted was someone more grounded, insightful, and capable of shouldering great responsibilities than the Grand Secretary of the Wanli era in history.

As the saying goes, a prime minister must rise from the local government, and a great general must emerge from the ranks of soldiers.

If one has never personally set foot in the local area, never faced the hardships of the people, and never seen firsthand the advantages and disadvantages of rural areas and the true nature of officials, then when one later becomes a prime minister and implements reforms, one will lack the foundation to be rooted in the people's sentiments.

Historically, Zhang Juzheng received no response after submitting his memorial to the throne. He was stuck in a quiet, unfulfilled position in the Hanlin Academy for five years, his ambitions thwarted and his spirit gradually worn down. In the end, disheartened, he simply claimed to be ill and returned to his hometown.

After spending three years in his hometown enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains and rivers, he returned to the imperial court, entered the Imperial Academy, and then served as Vice Minister of Rites and Vice Minister of Personnel until he entered the Grand Secretariat. Throughout his career, he never held a local post.

Zhu Zaizhen now wants to complete this part and see if this sword can be made even sharper.

Seeing this, Ma Dezhao silently moved the ice mirror beside him a few steps to the side, avoiding the cool breeze blowing directly on the prince, and asked, "Compared to Xu Wei, whom Your Highness invited to the capital, who is superior?"

"They each have their strengths. Zhang Juzheng was good at doing practical work, while Xu Wei was good at providing advice and strategies. They cannot be compared."

"Judging from this, one sounds like Marquis Liu, Zhang Liang, and the other like Marquis Du, Xiao He?"

"More or less."

Zhang Liang and Xiao He were the three heroes of the early Han Dynasty. With only one missing, Ma Dezhao asked with a smile, "Then who is Your Highness's Marquis of Huaiyin, Han Xin?"

"Haha, Otomo will find out soon."

Qi Jiguang? The name flashed through Ma Dezhao's mind instantly, because according to the message Lu Fu had sent last time, he was the only person who could go to the capital recently.

They were all very young: Zhang Juzheng, Xu Wei, and Qi Jiguang.

Zhu Zaizhen took a short break at noon and continued the class in the afternoon. Zhang Juzheng was very serious, as if he wanted to make up for the lessons that Prince Jing had missed during this period.

"Madam, Brother Wen, please come in. What do you think of this place?"

Lü Jin, accompanied by several servants, led Xu Wei and his elderly mother to a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard is small, with a skylight paved with bluestone slabs and surrounded by high walls. A few slender bamboos are planted in the corners of the walls, making it quiet and peaceful.

There are three main rooms in the courtyard, with blue tiles, white walls, and wooden lattice windows, simple and neat.

The main room door was open, and the furnishings inside were simple, but all the necessary items for daily life were available, and they were neither new nor old, just enough to settle people in.

There were also two granaries on the side, one filled with firewood and the other with bulging grain sacks.

Xu Wei was tall with fair skin, high cheekbones, sharp eyes, and sparse black hair and beard. He wore a blue cloth scholar's robe and had an aloof demeanor, but could not hide his air of dejection.

His elderly mother, dressed in simple clothes and a rustic skirt, looked at the small courtyard with a gentle expression and a hint of emotion in her eyes.

"This—is not quite appropriate." Xu Wei looked around, hesitated for a moment, but still spoke firmly.

"One should not accept rewards without merit."

Xu's mother leaned against the door frame, squinting as she looked into the courtyard. Having lived her whole life in low houses and narrow alleys, she had never seen such a neat courtyard before, and for a moment she hesitated to take a step.

Upon hearing her son's words, she immediately removed her hand from the door frame and took two steps back.

Although Lü Jin was young, he could tell that this man was difficult to deal with, but he was a filial son. Rather than arguing with him, it was better to speak directly to the old lady.

He walked to Xu's mother's side and bowed, saying, "Grandma, are you satisfied with this place? His Highness personally instructed us to find it. It's quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, not far from the palace, making it convenient for Brother Wen to enter the palace in the future."

There's also a small vegetable patch in the backyard; if the old lady has some free time, she can grow some melons and vegetables.

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