My father is Jiajing

In the capital city, the early summer night breeze, carrying the lingering fragrance of flowers from the Forbidden City palaces, quietly slipped into the window lattices of Wenyuan Pavilion.

Xu Jie was bent over his desk reviewing memorials from the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. The candlelight cast a flickering shadow on his slightly tired face.

It seemed that only this could calm his mood a little.

So many things happened these days, and each one caught Xu Jie off guard.

But he persisted and there were no problems.

But now Guo Pu has also entered the cabinet, and this is what Xu Jie can't figure out.

According to the previous situation, Guo Pu should have been excluded from the cabinet candidates long ago.

But Guo Pu actually joined the cabinet!
After Guo Pu learned the news of his entry into the cabinet, he immediately went to the Wenhua Hall to express his gratitude and pay homage to the newly promoted Dongge Grand Secretary Hu Zongxian, Wuying Hall Grand Secretary Zhao Zhenji and others.

But in the end, Prince Yu actually kept Guo Pu alone and has not let him leave until now.

So at this moment, Xu Jie's heart was also filled with unprecedented waves!
He was extremely worried about Guo Pu.

I was worried that Guo Pu might have been secretly colluding with Prince Yu and had been playing double-dealing.

If this is the case, then the secret meeting in Sanxian Building that day would have already become an open secret.
Xu Jie didn't dare to think further, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

At this time, other members of the cabinet, such as Li Chunfang, Hu Zongxian, Zhao Zhenji and others all looked over.

Although several people did not take Xu Jie seriously, they still had to give him some face.

Otherwise, there are no rules.

Li Chunfang said: "Yuan Fu, it's late, it's time to go off duty."

Xu Jie stopped writing, looked up at Li Chunfang, as well as the two new faces in the cabinet, Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji, with a look of fatigue on his face.

"Yes, I am old, it is time to go."

Xu Jie sighed in confusion.

Even the kind-hearted Li Chunfang was baffled.

Although Li Chunfang wanted to force Xu Jie to leave the cabinet, he would never be so despicable.

But Xu Jie made such a statement. Isn't it obvious that Li Chunfang is embarrassed in front of Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji? By the way, it seems to remind Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji that Li Chunfang is not a good person!

Li Chunfang's good mood was immediately ruined by Xu Jie's words.

He turned around angrily and said to Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji: "Brother Ruzhen, Brother Mengjing, I'm leaving first. We'll have a small gathering in a couple of days when Yuanfu and Brother Zhifu are free."

Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji bowed slightly to Li Chunfang, "Okay."

Then the two of them bowed to Xu Jie who stood up and left alone, and finally left together.

After leaving Wenyuan Pavilion, Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji looked at the palace lanterns that had been lit outside and the starry sky.

I was filled with infinite joy and emotion, as this day had finally come.

Hu Zongxian, in particular, was filled with emotion. He thought that being a responsible minister in his life was the greatest honor and achievement in his life.

But he never imagined that one day he would be able to hold a position in the government and become an important official of the Ming Dynasty!

Hu Zongxian knew that these were all gifts and appreciation from Prince Yu.

Without the favor of Prince Yu, it is still unclear whether he could go to the southeast and make achievements in this life.

Now that he has entered the cabinet, he should continue to serve Prince Yu and render his services to him like a slave. Only in this way can he live up to Prince Yu's grace and appreciation for him!

Just as Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji were expressing their feelings, Xu Jie also quietly returned to his residence.

Xu Jie's old servant Xu An had been waiting for Xu Jie's return in front of the mansion gate early in the morning.

The moment Xu Jie arrived home, Xu An immediately came to greet him with a lantern.

"Master, watch your step."

Xu Jie hummed expressionlessly.

Xu An continued to lead the way for Xu Jie. When they passed the front hall, Xu Jie said again: "Let's go to the study."

Xu An immediately changed direction and continued to lead the way for Xu Jie.

After arriving at the study, Xu Jie walked to his chair alone and sat down, while Xu An quietly lit the candle in the study for Xu Jie.

After all the candles were lit, Xu An asked carefully, "Master, I heard that Minister Zhang is going to Nanjing to serve as the Minister of Justice, and Minister Guo is also joining the cabinet?"

Xu Jie hummed expressionlessly.

Xu An said carefully, "Master, it's a good thing that Minister Zhang went to Nanjing. Although he disagreed with you on the issue of the three palaces and three cabinets and the Hanlin Academy, he is still your student after all. When he arrives in Nanjing, he should protect Master Fan a little."

Xu Jie chuckled, his laughter full of helplessness and desolation.

"Will he really?"

Xu Jie's fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest of the imperial chair, and he said quietly, "Gao Gong is in Nanjing, Hai Rui is also in Nanjing, and now with Zhang Juzheng, these three are together. Isn't this the iron triangle that established the Beijing Special District back then reappearing?"

Xu Jie's words also frightened Xu An. He had followed Xu Jie for so many years and had never seen Xu Jie like this.

Suddenly, a gust of night wind blew by, making the doors and windows rattle.

Xu Jie seemed to be reminded by the wind. He suddenly raised his eyes and looked at Xu An, his eyes like lightning: "Xu An, prepare the pen and ink!"

The old servant hurriedly ground the ink and spread the paper. Xu Jie sat back at the desk, picked up the brush and dipped it in ink, but hesitated before putting pen to paper.

He thought of Guo Pu, Chen Hong, and the now missing Xu Er, and even more of those fatal letters from his son Xu Fan sent from Nanjing.
Xu Jie felt that all of this was like a huge net, designed to trap him and make him fall into eternal damnation.
Xu Jie was silent and did not move for a while.

"master?"

Xu An didn't understand the situation, so he reminded him softly.

Xu Jie took a deep breath and finally put his pen to paper:
"My son Xu Fan personally wrote:"

The ink spread on the rice paper, and Xu Jie's handwriting was more vigorous than usual, as if he wanted to pour all his worries into it.

"There has been a sudden change in the capital. Zhang Juzheng has been transferred to the Ministry of Justice in Nanjing, and Guo Pu has joined the cabinet. There must be something fishy going on. As a father, I am afraid that Gao Gong is secretly plotting something. Now we have Gao Gong, Hai Rui, and Zhang Juzheng in Nanjing. These three worked closely together in the Beijing Special District and always made surprising moves. Now that they have gathered in Nanjing, their ambitions are not small."

At this point, Xu Jie put down his pen and pondered. Under the candlelight, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes appeared deeper.

Since last year, when Gao Gong entered the cabinet but unexpectedly went to Nanjing to take up his post, Xu Jie felt uneasy. Later, Hai Rui, Yan Maoqing and others also left, which made Xu Jie feel even more worried, and he always felt that something big was going to happen. Sure enough, everything that happened during this period confirmed his mood. Now that Zhang Juzheng had also gone to Nanjing, he was even more uneasy.

Xu Jie was silent for a long time, then continued writing:

"My son, remember, from now on, you must be careful with your words and actions, and stay at home as much as possible. If you do something inappropriate, stop it immediately; if you see someone inappropriate, stay away from them immediately. Keep the servants in your house under strict control; and settle all the accounts as soon as possible."

Xu Jie's writing suddenly paused, and a drop of ink fell on the paper, quickly spreading into a dark cloud.

He recalled that the Ministry of Revenue doctor had previously revealed privately that there were imperial censors in Nanjing who were secretly investigating the annexation of farmland in Jiangnan. How many of the Xu family's 10,000 acres of fertile land in Songjiang were taken by force? How much ill-gotten gains did Xu Fan spend on his mansion in Nanjing?
He continued hastily:

"Pay special attention to three things: First, the matter of the land in Songjiang must be explained to the heads of the villages as soon as possible. If there is any dispute, it is better to give in than to argue. Second, the construction of the houses involved in the expansion of the Nanjing residence must be stopped immediately, and those that have already been demolished will be compensated double. Third, the account books with the salt merchants must be burned. If there are any copies outside, they will be recovered at a high price."

By the time Xu Jie reached this point, his wrists were already feeling a little sore, but the uneasiness in his heart was growing stronger.

He recalled the secret report he had received the day before, saying that Hai Rui had recently summoned clerks from various government offices in Nanjing, and Gao Gong had secretly met with several students from Songjiang. Putting these scattered clues together, they pointed to a possibility that he dared not think about deeply - they were collecting evidence of the Xu family's crimes.

"My son, you should know that Gao Gong and your father have always been at odds, Hai Rui considers himself a clean official, and although Zhang Juzheng appears respectful, his intentions are unpredictable. These three people must have some ulterior motives if they join forces. Although the six ministries in Nanjing are idle positions, the Ministry of Justice is in charge of criminal cases in the world. If they use Zhang Juzheng to review old cases, it may be detrimental to our family."

The sound of clappers came from outside the window, it was already three o'clock in the morning.

Xu Jie put down his pen and rubbed his swollen temples. He thought about how he had come a long way since the Jiajing period, experienced the fall of Yan Song, and Prince Yu's regent, and had gone through many storms, but in these seemingly peaceful years, he felt an unprecedented crisis.

"Master, it's late. Should we continue writing tomorrow?"

Xu An asked softly.

Xu Jie shook his head: "This is a serious matter, I must finish it tonight."

He picked up the pen again and wrote more quickly:

"Also, check quickly to see if any servants in the house have had contact with the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate or the Censorate. If so, dismiss them immediately. Anyone who knows the inside story of my family, either bribed or sent away, must be dealt with properly. Remember, burn this letter after reading it, and do not keep it."

Having written this, Xu Jie suddenly remembered something and quickly added:

"I heard that Hai Rui was investigating the shortage of weapons in the Nanjing Military Department's arsenal recently. You accepted ten Japanese swords from the eunuchs who guarded Nanjing on my behalf. You must hide them properly. If you are in a hurry, you can sink them in the Qinhuai River."

After finishing the last stroke, Xu Jie let out a long sigh of relief, but immediately picked up his pen and added a sentence at the end of the letter:
"Please do not write to Beijing any more in the near future. If you have any important matters, you can ask Xu Ping, the son of Xu An, the village head of Songjiang, to deliver them. He is an honest and reliable person."

Xu Jie put down his pen and read the letter carefully from beginning to end. After making sure that there was nothing missing, he carefully folded it, sealed it with wax, and stamped the seal with his own private seal.

"Xu An."

Xu Jie handed the secret letter to the old servant and said, "You must go to Nanjing in person and hand this letter to the young master. You must hand it over in person and not through the hands of others."

Xu An took it with both hands and carefully put it in his arms: "I understand. I wonder if the master has any other instructions?"

Xu Jie pondered for a moment and said, "You should go by water, take a civilian ship, and don't use the government's post ship. After arriving in Nanjing, first ask Xu Ping about the situation, and then decide when to go to see the young master. Remember, if anyone asks, just say you are going to Nanjing to visit relatives."

"Old slave, I took note of it."

Xu Jie took out a stack of Ming Dynasty Federal Reserve's guaranteed notes from the desk drawer and said, "This is 100 taels. It's for your travel expenses. Remember, this trip concerns the safety of our Xu family. You must be careful."

Xu An bowed and took it. Just as he was about to leave, Xu Jie called him back: "Wait a minute!"

He walked quickly to the bookshelf and took out a jade token the size of a copper coin from the secret compartment. "This is a token I used when I was young. Young Master recognizes it. Only when you bring this to him will he believe you."

Xu An carefully put away the jade token and whispered, "Master, rest assured, I will live up to your trust."

Xu Jie nodded, but suddenly remembered something, his expression became more serious: "There is one more thing. When you arrive in Nanjing, pay attention to Zhang Juzheng's movements after he took office, especially his dealings with Gao Gong and Hai Rui. If you have the chance, you can spend a lot of money to bribe the servants in Zhang Juzheng's house to get the news."

"Old slave understands."

Xu Jie sighed and waved his hand: "Go ahead, be careful on the road."

Xu An bowed and left, closing the door gently. Xu Jie stood alone in front of the window, looking at the gradually brightening sky in the east, feeling mixed emotions.

He recalled how he had assisted Prince Yu in eliminating Yan Song, and how he had secured his position as Prime Minister after Prince Yu became regent. He never expected that he would now have to worry about his son's illegal behavior.

"If I had known this would happen, I would have done it in the first place"

Xu Jie muttered to himself, then smiled bitterly and shook his head. After decades of ups and downs in the officialdom, he knew the rules too well - it was difficult for the clean to survive, and it was easy for the turbid to enter. But he didn't expect that retribution would come so quickly and so cleverly.

As the morning light dawned, Xu Jie finally sat back at his desk, exhausted. He picked up a memorial, but couldn't read it. Gao Gong's sharp eyes, Hai Rui's stubborn face, and Zhang Juzheng's unfathomable smile kept appearing in his mind.

"Iron Triangle" Xu Jie muttered the word softly, and suddenly felt a chill. Back then, these three people joined forces to rectify the capital, and they were resolute and vigorous, and countless dignitaries fell because of it. Now they gathered in Nanjing, and what was there in Nanjing? There was the mausoleum of Taizu, the six ministries in the capital, and the countless fields and evidence of the Xu family's crimes.

Xu Jie stood up suddenly, walked quickly to the bookshelf, flipped out a copy of the Ming Dynasty Law, and searched for something eagerly. His fingers lingered on the items of "occupying land and houses" and "accepting bribes" for a long time, and cold sweat gradually seeped out of his forehead.

"I must write another letter," Xu Jie murmured. Just as he was about to return to his desk, he heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

"Master, it's not good!"

A young servant rushed in in a panic, "Just received news that Lin Run, the censor of the Nanjing Censorate, submitted a memorial to impeach Yingtian Governor Hai Rui for shielding his subordinates from corruption!"

The Ming Code in Xu Jie's hand fell to the ground with a thud: "What? Lin Run impeached Hai Rui?"

Xu Jie was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, "Great! What a great Gao Gong! So that's how it is!"

The servant looked at the master who suddenly became excited, confused. Xu Jie walked quickly to the desk, picked up the pen and wanted to write something, but then slowly put it down.

"No, wait."

He narrowed his eyes. "It's too obvious that Lin Run is Gao Gong's man. He impeached Hai Rui?"

Xu Jie paced back and forth in the study room. "This is a trick! They must have other intentions!"

Xu Jie stood still and shouted to the servant, "Go after Xu An! Tell him to hold off!"

The servants ran out in a hurry, and Xu Jie slumped in the armchair, feeling unprecedented fatigue and fear.

He realized that what he was facing was not only a political game, but also a carefully designed hunt.

And the prey was everything that his Xu family had accumulated in Jiangnan over the past decades - including the wealth and sins that had been hidden from the public.

"Zhang Juzheng highly praised Hai Rui"

Xu Jie was mumbling these three names when he suddenly felt dizzy. He forced himself to stand up and looked towards Nanjing, as if he had seen the three people sitting at a table with the list of evidence of the Xu family's crimes spread out in front of them.

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