Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 26 No one asks when alive, but everyone knows after death

Late at night.

In the study room of Zhang Jianxiu's mansion, an old man sat opposite Zhang Jianxiu.

The old man was about sixty-three or sixty-four years old, with a fair complexion, full chins, nose like a dragon, eyes like an eagle, and he looked intimidating just by sitting there without getting angry.

It was the Minister of Punishments, Wang Zhigao.

It is also Zhang Jianxiu’s old Taishan.

As for why he came here late at night, there is a lot of reason behind it.

More than ten days ago, after Feng Bangning beat Zhao Lin, he received a report and immediately rushed to Zhang Jianxiu and asked him to hand over the person.

Zhang Jianxiu knew that he was Feng Bao's nephew, and thought it was a trivial matter, so he made an excuse to shirk the responsibility.

This time it was different, people died.

As the Minister of Justice, Wang Zhigao never tolerates any grain of sand in his eyes.

This is really too bad. If the correct punishment is not known, who will be willing to enforce the law impartially and work hard for the court in the future?
"Where are the people?!" Wang Zhigao asked.

"do not know."

"He is the deputy commander of the Northern Pacification Division. As the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, how could you not know him?" Wang Zhigao smiled coldly, staring into Zhang Jianxiu's eyes and said, "Jianxiu, you really disappoint me."

“Old Taishan.” Zhang Jianxiu wanted to explain, but Wang Zhigao interrupted him with a wave of his hand and said sarcastically, “Yes, your Zhang family is extremely wealthy, so how could you be willing to offend Feng Bao for a minor official of the eighth rank?

I'm afraid he has long forgotten that he also comes from a humble background."

"Father is not the kind of person that Lao Taishan thinks he is. He must have his own reasons for doing this." Zhang Jianxiu advised in a low voice.

Wang Zhigao did not answer. He folded his hands behind his back, walked to the window frame and looked at the night sky.

The stars were sparse, the moon was pale, the sky was clear, and the cool night breeze blew on his face, and Wang Zhigao couldn't help but have tears in his eyes.

He and Zhang Juzheng had known each other for more than 30 years. At that time, Yan Song was in power. The two were determined to clean up the country and bring peace and prosperity to the people.

Later, Yan Song fell from power, Xu Jie took over, and Zhang Juzheng was appointed as prime minister. Later, Emperor Longqing died and Emperor Wanli succeeded to the throne. Zhang Juzheng was in charge of all the government officials and was in league with Feng Bao.

The entire Ming Empire prospered by improving border defenses, eliminating bad policies, reforming tax laws, and measuring land.

But he found that Zhang Juzheng had changed. He had become self-willed, ambitious, and only listened to words of praise.

He would often use his authority as the Prime Minister to suppress any dissenting voices.

In the early years of Wanli, he was surrounded by enemies, and most of the people he used were smart and capable. Now it is different, those who flatter and fawn on others can also rise to power.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhigao cried out in pain: "Uncle, you really disappoint me."

Two lines of turbid hot tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Old Taishan, father has his own difficulties. The implementation of the new policy cannot be separated from Feng Bao's support. Compared with the dawn of the world, Zhao Lin is too insignificant." Zhang Jianxiu hurriedly defended his father.

"It's lonely at the top, I don't need to worry about that." Wang Zhigao wiped the tears from his eyes and said with a sad smile, "I will submit a memorial to the emperor tomorrow to request retirement. I am old and useless."

"Old Taishan."

"Jian Xiu, you are still young. I hope you can have more youthful passion and less old age."

"Jian Xiu understands." Zhang Jian Xiu choked up in his throat, and two hot tears filled his eyes.

Wang Zhigao nodded, opened the door, looked at the night and murmured: "I thought it was Zhong Kui who fought ghosts, but I didn't expect to become a ghost in the end. There are too many ghosts in this world, and there is no way to fight them all."

After saying that, he disappeared into the night under the stars.

The next morning, the Minister of Justice Wang Zhigao submitted a memorial requesting to retire.

Emperor Wanli refused and tried to keep her.

As for the officials of the six ministries, unless the emperor extremely disliked them, he would retain them three times before letting them go as a sign of respect.

Wang Zhigao was determined to leave and submitted two memorials in succession.

The emperor had no choice but to reward him with silver and gold, and personally arranged a farewell banquet for all officials as a sign of respect for the old minister.

In teahouses, taverns, streets and alleys, and brothels, everyone was talking about how Zhang Juzheng was ungrateful and mean.

Wang Zhigao was not only his fellow townsman, relative, and friend, but he actually allowed him to retire.

In a teahouse, four or five officials gathered together and talked in low voices.

"Tsk tsk, our Prime Minister is really heartless."

"That's right, otherwise why is he called the Iron-faced Prime Minister?"

"Oh, that's just the beginning. There's the Nine-headed Bird in the sky and the Hubei guy on the ground. The most powerful ones are still to come." A thin official said mysteriously.

His companion asked in surprise, "Could it be that he really intends to release Feng Bangning?"

"It's impossible to release him. This is the wisdom of our Prime Minister." The man smiled and continued, "However, I guess it will just be a light punishment. At most, he will be exiled!"

At this point, several people in the box were immediately filled with indignation.

"Zhang the thief is colluding with the eunuch party. It is a shame for scholars like me!"

"Poor County Magistrate Zhao, a man of integrity, was actually harmed by a rogue. I heard that when County Magistrate Zhao died, even the money for his coffin was pooled together by his colleagues and relatives, so that he would not have nowhere to be buried."

"An official of the eighth rank, with his whole family like beggars, is truly a great misfortune for the country!"

"Everyone!" One of them suddenly summoned up his courage and shouted, "Zhao County Magistrate is a man of steel. He would rather die than cling to the rich and powerful. We can't let him die in vain. Those who have courage, follow me to Zhao County Magistrate's house and put pressure on the eunuch party together!"

"Yes, let the eunuch pay with blood!" Everyone stood up together, raised their fists and roared, their voices shaking the sky.

The same thing happened repeatedly in the streets and alleys of Beijing.

Carriage after carriage poured out of Beijing and headed straight for Wanping County. Smoke and dust billowed, and yellow sand filled the sky.

It’s not lively.

After entering Wanping County, the officials asked around and went straight to the home of County Magistrate Zhao.

It was a three-room brick house with two entrances. Not only did County Magistrate Zhao live there, but also his old mother, wife, and a pair of children.

Five people and three rooms, it seems a bit crowded.

The mother occupied one room, and as her daughter had grown up, Zhao Xiancheng had to squeeze into one room with her fifteen-year-old son.

Being so poor, he is even worse than some of the clerks who are good at making money.

At this time, a white coffin was placed in the small courtyard, and white paper money was sprinkled on it. Funeral couplets and wreaths almost filled the courtyard.

A middle-aged woman, holding her children, knelt on the ground and shouted at the top of her lungs.

Her voice was so sad that it made people's hearts soften and their noses sore.

The visitors were all officials from the capital, and they used to ignore the county magistrate.

Today, they lowered their status and called the deceased county magistrate their brother, and generously donated money. One person took out five taels of silver, and the other took out more than ten taels of silver.

The woman was choked with sobs.

Wanping County Magistrate Lin Cheng thanked them one by one, and then invited these officials to go to a restaurant in the city to rest.

It was not until the evening that the crowds of people became smaller. Lin Cheng saw it clearly, wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at the woman and said, "Sister-in-law, I feel bad about your Lao Zhao's situation, but the dead cannot be resurrected."

Then he looked at the man and woman behind her and said, "Xiaoyue and Xiaoyong, you still have to live, right?"

"Take the money and live a good life."

"I want my father! Give my father back to me. Wuuuu, I want revenge." Zhao Yong roared with a red face.

Mrs. Zhao hugged her son, wiped her tears, shook her head and said, "Forget it, forget it, we can't beat them, we can't beat them."

"Lin County Magistrate, don't worry. I will take the children back to my hometown after I finish my master's funeral."

(End of this chapter)