Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 9: Just a Paper Tiger
Chiang not only respected Yuan Zonggao, but also trusted him. He always believed that Yuan Zonggao was wise and had a keen insight into the current situation.

Don’t say anything else.

In June of the 14th year of the Zhengde reign, when Prince Ning sent people to contact Prince Xing's palace after his rebellion, she clearly remembered that it was Yuan Zonggao who strongly advocated rebuking Prince Ning and advocating that Xingguo should firmly stand on the side of Emperor Zhengde. He believed that Prince Ning's rebellion would fail, and analyzed that Emperor Zhengde was not as foolish and incompetent as the outside world had said. He even predicted that Wang Yangming, the then Governor of Jiangxi, would be able to quell the rebellion.

The result was just as Yuan Zonggao had expected. Xing Guofan made no mistake in choosing his side and won the favor of Zhengde. Zhu Houcong was also successfully made the crown prince by Zhengde and was given an additional salary of 3,000 stones.

And because of this, Jiang trusted Yuan Zonggao more and more.

Therefore, when Yuan Zonggao said this, Jiang had to believe it.

But the more she believed that Yuan Zonggao would not make a mistake, the more she could not accept it subjectively, so she still asked the question, and then looked at her son Zhu Houcong sadly.

Jiang felt heartbroken when she thought that the child she had carried for ten months and raised with great difficulty would no longer recognize her as his mother!
At this time, Zhu Houcong's face looked calm.

Because he knew that historical events were exactly as Yuan Zonggao had expected. After he became emperor, civil servants such as Yang Tinghe, after refusing to establish an heir for Zhengde, forced him to recognize Xiaozong as his father and to recognize Jiang as his aunt. They also asked him to bring Jiang to the capital with the ceremony of a princess and treat her as a princess.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong was not that surprised. He just nodded and said, "I also think what you guessed is likely to happen."

After hearing this, Jiang became even more frightened and uneasy.

Yuan Zonggao's eyes showed surprise.

Although he knew that Zhu Houcong was very intelligent, he did not expect that Zhu Houcong was so intelligent that he could have a clear understanding of the current situation in the world.

Zhu Houcong naturally knew that Yang Tinghe benefited the most in the entire process of establishing the new monarch.

In Zhu Houcong's view, Yang Tinghe's strength lies in the fact that he first used the eunuch Zhang Yong, who had already defected to their outer court civil officials, to take the initiative to propose the necessity of enthroning Zhu Houcong in front of Empress Dowager Zhang, and then pulled Wei Bin, who also advocated enthroning Zhu Houcong, to his side, thereby undermining Empress Dowager Zhang, who came from a humble family.

Secondly, Yang Tinghe also used the merit of welcoming the emperor to the throne as bait to win over Liang Chu, a cabinet minister who was close to Wang Qiong, to his side, making Wang Qiong, the only official who could compete with him, excluded from the decision-making circle until now.

Finally, he suddenly and generously arranged three eunuchs to welcome the new emperor, obviously intending to replace Zhu Houcong's eunuchs in the palace, such as Huang Jin, as soon as possible.

It can be said that Yang Tinghe was just like Qin Shihuang touching the electric wire.

What a win!
As for everyone else.

Needless to say.

Wang Qiong will suffer a crushing defeat because of Liang Chu's defection.

Not to mention Jiang Bin, because of Wei Bin and Zhang Yong's betrayal, he would lose the support of the Imperial Household Department and the Queen Mother, and die a miserable death.

Before Zhu Houcong ascended the throne, Yang Tinghe had already planted spies around him.

Zhu Houcong was unable to refuse for the time being.

First, Zhu Houcong had to take care of the feelings of the old eunuchs in the palace left by Zhengde to prevent them from being forced into a coup, such as instigating the eunuchs and palace maids who had formed a community of interests with them to strangle Jiajing in the middle of the night or set fire to him.

Secondly, Yang Tinghe and others would use the excuse that the eunuchs who had served Emperor Zhengde in the palace were more professional, and allow the eunuchs who had become political allies of Yang Tinghe to follow the emperor. They would transfer away the old people from the Prince Xing's Mansion who had followed Zhu Houcong since childhood, on the grounds that they had no experience in taking care of the emperor and managing the inner court.

This made Zhu Houcong admire Yang Tinghe, who was indeed very capable in the power struggle.

Naturally, Yang Tinghe’s power is now very great, so great that it is almost on the verge of undermining his position as emperor.

Zhu Houcong then asked Yuan Zonggao: "In your opinion, will Yang Xindu dare to be Yi Yin or Huo Guang next?" Yuan Zonggao was shocked to see that Zhu Houcong was so calm after he analyzed Yang Tinghe's current power. He also secretly sighed that his prince was indeed calm and steady. Perhaps Yang Tinghe might not be able to realize his dream of becoming a powerful official.

Naturally, Yuan Zonggao had to further give up his dream of becoming a powerful official in the future, and was certain that if even Yang Tinghe could not become a powerful official in the future, then the one who could truly have the final say in the entire world would be the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, not himself, the imperial teacher.

Then Yuan Zonggao bowed even more humbly and said:

"My Lord, in my humble opinion, Yang Xindu dares neither be Yi Yin nor Huo Guang!"

"It is because his party members have no ambition to save the people of the world, but only to pursue petty and conservative things. Therefore, his party members can work together with him for temporary stability, but if they work for the great cause of the country and the world, they will fall apart and he will not have the opportunity to become Yi Yin and Huo Guang."

"So, Yang Xindu and his party will only take advantage of the young prince and test his character. If the prince is willing to give in, they will naturally dare to push their own limits. If the prince is unwilling to give in, they will only dare to advise him openly."

"As long as the prince is good at taking advantage of the situation and remains firm in his resolve, they will not be able to achieve their goal."

“This is also the reason why I asked the Crown Prince to learn about Yangming’s teachings and read Zhang Luofeng’s (Zhang Cong’s) books.”

After Yuan Zonggao said this, Zhu Houcong nodded.

Jiang couldn't help but stand up at this time: "But can my son win over them?"

Jiang was born into a family of military merit in the capital, so he was naturally well-educated and well-mannered. He was also clear about the struggles in the court. He had witnessed the dominance of the civil officials in the Hongzhi Dynasty and the extent to which military merits were suppressed. He also witnessed the extent to which Emperor Hongzhi feared the civil officials.

Therefore, Jiang did not think that even if his son became emperor, he would be able to defeat Yang Tinghe and other civil officials who had accumulated reputation during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong.

What's more, his son was not Zhengde's biological brother, but only a cousin from a smaller clan.

Naturally weak!
Therefore, after Yuan Zonggao's reminder, Jiang almost felt that it would be a foregone conclusion that her son would be forced by the civil officials to recognize her as his aunt.

She was even worried that she might not even be able to return to the capital, let alone go back to see her family in style.

Because of this thought, Jiang asked Yuan Zonggao a question without confidence at this time.

Yuan Zonggao knew why Jiang asked this, and he also knew that it would be difficult for his son and Jiang to win against civil servants such as Yang Tinghe who might have the support of the empress dowager.

So, he didn't answer, he just looked at Zhu Houcong.

Zhu Houcong remained calm and took the initiative to persuade Jiang, saying:

"Please rest assured, mother. Although I have never met Yang Xindu and his people, I have read many books and have a good understanding of them. In my opinion, even if they have the intention, they probably don't have the courage to do so. They will never dare to offend the future emperor to death for the so-called filial piety system. Especially the cabinet and the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department, they are just paper tigers. They look scary, but they dare not fight to the death, including Yang Tinghe!"

"They should be aware of the consequences of being hated by the emperor, so they will never openly cut off the emperor's escape route to refuse to inherit the filial temple system, but will only persuade him."

When Yuan Zonggao heard what Zhu Houcong said, he looked up at him in surprise.

Is this the mentality of a fifteen-year-old boy?
It is surprising that he has such a thorough understanding of the civil officials and eunuchs at the decision-making level. The key point is that describing these people as paper tigers is really appropriate and incisive!

If one is not someone who can see through people's hearts, he would not be able to make such an accurate evaluation of people like Yang Xindu.

But it’s only been a short time since I let him come into contact with the knowledge of Wang Yangming and Zhang Cong?
Could it be that the prince is really a genius sent from heaven?
Yuan Zonggao was amazed and followed suit, saying, "Your Highness is right. We will know tomorrow when we read the contents of the will that these people are just paper tigers."

(End of this chapter)