Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 20: Empress Dowager Li is furious

It was just past noon when Emperor Wanli finished his breakfast and sat down in the west warm pavilion.

Ever since the imperial decree and the day he sneaked out of the palace, Emperor Wanli had tasted the sweetness of success. All day long, he was thinking about how to go out and see the world again.

He is the emperor and the world belongs to him. Who dares to say "no"?

Thinking of this, Emperor Wanli couldn't help but smile.

He glanced at the eunuchs and palace maids around him, and when he saw that no one had noticed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

As usual, he picked up a memorial, flipped it open, and was so angry that his teeth itched. He shouted, "Zhao Ning is so bold that he dared to scold me!"

If you say Mr. Zhang is a corrupt official, then if I employ a corrupt official, wouldn’t I be a great tyrant?
Emperor Wanli was furious, and the eunuchs around him lowered their heads and dared not breathe. At this time, Wanhe, the eunuch in charge of the Cining Palace, came and said that the Empress Dowager wanted the Emperor to come over.

first reaction.

Emperor Wanli thought it was a matter of leaving the palace, but the incident happened.

However, on second thought, it has been seven days already. If my mother knew, she would have known it a long time ago, and it definitely wasn't for this matter.

That was because of the imperial edict he issued and the matter of Zhao Ning.

After having a plan in mind, Wanli packed his clothes and rushed to the Cining Palace.

The Cining Palace was not too far from the Qianqing Palace, only separated by four or five palace walls. Coming here to pay respects every day was his compulsory course.

Therefore, Emperor Wanli came to the Cining Palace with ease.

Before entering, he saw Feng Bao standing outside the palace from afar. The Wanli Emperor smiled, took a few steps forward, and shouted with a smile: "My dear friend, did the Queen Mother ask you to come too?"

Feng Bao smiled brightly and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, please go in quickly. I am waiting for you outside."

Emperor Wanli answered and stepped into the palace.

As soon as you enter the hall, there is a screen wall. After walking around the screen wall, you will reach the reception room.

The hall is decorated elegantly with colorful paintings and filled with fragrance. Several pots of gorgeous peonies are placed under the window frames, blooming particularly gorgeously.

Perhaps hearing footsteps, a person walked out from behind the screen next to him.

The man was about 31 or 32 years old, tall, with an oval face, a pair of triangular eyes, two curved willow-leaf eyebrows, red lips and white teeth.

She has a slim figure, a white neck, and full breasts.
It was the biological mother of Emperor Wanli, Empress Dowager Li.

She is 38 years old this year. Although she has given birth to several children, her figure has not changed at all and she looks like she is in her early thirties.

Her skin was smooth and moist, and the wide palace robe could hardly hide her vulgar figure.

Empress Dowager Li smiled and called out, "Jun'er."

"Mother!" Emperor Wanli knelt down and saluted.

Empress Dowager Li smiled as brightly as a flower and pulled her son to sit on a chair beside her.

She looked her son up and down and felt both happy and sad to see him grow up.

Back then, Emperor Longqing had just passed away and the young emperor was only ten years old. The old man Gao Gong abused his power and bullied them, an orphan and a widow. Fortunately, she joined forces with Feng Bao to get rid of Gao Gong.

Later, Zhang Juzheng came to power and carried out a series of drastic reforms.

Over the past ten years, the country has been thriving. Who wouldn't praise her son?
But there were also conflicts between the two. For example, his father wanted three thousand acres of land, and Zhang Juzheng could refuse to give it.

Or choose a compromise.

Such a direct refusal made her, the queen mother, lose all her authority.

Besides, the Zhang brothers were both granted the title of marquis and earl, and Zhang Heling was even granted the title of Duke of Changguo, while his father was granted the title of marquis.

This won't work?
So when the young emperor issued an imperial decree, she was not in a hurry to express her opinion. She neither agreed nor opposed, but just wanted to irritate Zhang Juzheng, the iron-faced prime minister! As a result, some people took advantage of the issue, believing that the prime minister had lost power, and began to attack the prime minister openly.

She couldn't tolerate this.

Thinking about this, Empress Dowager Li looked at her son and asked softly, "Jun'er, I heard that Mr. Zhang's youngest son, Zhang Yunxiu, is studying with you?"

"Ah?! Yes." When asked this question, Wanli looked flustered.

"Why are you panicking? An emperor should act like an emperor!" Seeing her son's timid look, Empress Dowager Li was so angry that she frowned and raised her voice several degrees.

After saying this, Empress Dowager Li felt that she had lost her composure again, so she carefully advised, "Jun'er, didn't I scare you just now?"

Emperor Wanli shook his head repeatedly.

Empress Dowager Li felt relieved for a moment and asked again, "Tell me, if there was no Mr. Zhang in the Wanli Dynasty, would the people still be able to live and work in peace and contentment, and the whole world be in awe?"

"No."

"That's right," Empress Dowager Li nodded, then gritted her teeth and said, "Now, someone is trying to take advantage of this issue to attack Mr. Zhang. Tell me, what should we do?"

"Beat him with a stick!" Emperor Wanli asked tentatively.

"Not enough." Empress Dowager Li shook her head.

"What does the Queen Mother mean?"

"Dismiss that Zhao Ning from his post, exile him three thousand miles away, and never employ him again." Queen Mother Li said gritting her teeth.

"My son, I understand."

Wanli stood up, and Empress Dowager Li motioned him to sit down, saying half jokingly and half seriously, "You issued that imperial decree a few days ago, which caused Mr. Zhang a lot of trouble."

"I, I, this was all Zhang Yunxiu's idea." Emperor Wanli hesitated for a long time and spit out Zhang Yunxiu's name.

"Ah? Why is it him?" Empress Dowager Li was shocked.

Emperor Wanli nodded and told him exactly what had happened that day.

After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li burst out laughing and said with emotion, "What a great saying: 'He fights his own battles, and we play our own games.' I never thought that Mr. Zhang, who was known as the iron-faced prime minister, would have a son who was so tough."

"What does 'rolling meat' mean, mother?"

Empress Dowager Li smiled but said nothing, feeling that Zhang Yunxiu's words made some sense.

The emperor does need some authority. Thunder, lightning, rain, and dew are all grace. His benevolence conquers the world, and his power spreads across the world.

Only an emperor can use both kindness and severity!
Empress Dowager Li smiled and asked, "What official position does Zhang Yunxiu hold now?"

"The Secretary of the Shangbao Division is a sixth-rank official. But he still has to take part in the autumn examination this year." Emperor Wanli said carefully.

"Sixth rank, too high."

Seeing her son's confusion, Empress Dowager Li explained, "He is only eighteen years old, but he is already a sixth-rank official. Others may not pass the exam even after twenty years of studying hard, and even if they do, they may not be able to climb to the sixth-rank official position."

"That's nothing. I was able to become the top scholar at the age of eleven." Wanli snorted.

“Hahahaha,” Queen Mother Li laughed so hard that she fell backwards. She added, “Jun’er, you are different. You are a dragon seed, while Zhang Yunxiu is just an ordinary man. He may not be able to bear such pampering.”

"Then I will give Mr. Zhang another son."

"This is a good idea. First, it shows our care and concern for the Prime Minister. Second, it can deter those villains." Empress Dowager Li nodded slightly.

After the mother and son talked for a while, Empress Dowager Li felt a little sleepy. Just as she was about to let the emperor leave, she suddenly remembered something and advised, "Jun'er, you should be appointed as the ninth concubine next month. The royal family has few offspring, so you have to work harder."

"My son, I obey."

(End of this chapter)