I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 145 Nephew and Uncle Conspire! One Cleanses the Emperor's Side, the Other Becomes Grand Secretary
April 11th, near dusk.

After Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei learned that their rebuttals had all been retained, they were certain that the young Wanli Emperor, Zhang Juzheng, and Lü Diaoyang had reached a consensus and were determined to eliminate the Zhang and Wang families.

In their eyes, Zhang Juzheng's two choices—"leave the official post and stay the merchant" or "leave the merchant post and stay the official post"—were nothing more than two different ways for their families to die, and they had to stand up and resist.

at the same time.

Zhang Juzheng had already sent word that if the two men did not make a choice, he would announce Hai Rui's memorial, "The Corruption Between Officials and Merchants," at the regular court session on April 13th.

Once this memorial is made public, it will be clear to both the court and the public.

Next, the Zhang and Wang families' activities of selling official positions, seizing military funds and fertile land, extorting tribute from vassal states, stealing and selling official documents, and especially their private transactions of grain and iron with foreign enemies will be exposed.

When.

Not only will the Zhang and Wang families face destruction, but it is also a foregone conclusion that Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei will lose their official positions.

of course.

Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei also had something to rely on.

They relied on their enormous influence in the imperial court and the influence of the Zhang and Wang families in Shanxi.

If the two are convicted, the Zhang and Wang families will surely fight back desperately.

By then, Shanxi's commerce and border trade will have been severely damaged.

Besides potentially triggering civil unrest, it could even lead to war.

Countless ordinary people, soldiers, and scholars in Shanxi who depended on the Zhang and Wang families for their livelihood were likely to rebel.

This is also the core reason why Zhang Juzheng advocated for a private reconciliation with them.

It would be easy to throw the two directly into the imperial prison for trial.

But ensuring stability in Shanxi, stability on the borders, and that ordinary people are spared from unwarranted disasters will be difficult!
The Ming Dynasty is only now beginning to see some improvement thanks to the new policies.

A political upheaval in the imperial court was enough to bring the new policies to a standstill and to plunge the Ming Dynasty into crisis.

……

Zhang Siwei, who was dismissed from his post and stayed at home, did not remain idle.

Upon learning that the young Wanli Emperor had kept the memorial in the archives and was unwilling to summon him, he immediately wrote a letter and ordered it to be delivered to Jiang Yuejiang Sishe, the female official in charge of the affairs of the Kunning Palace in the Shangqin Bureau (a position in the Shangqin Bureau).

Jiang Sishe was a pawn planted by Zhang Siwei in the harem, a pawn prepared to die at any moment.

Zhang Siwei would never use her unless it was absolutely necessary.

In his letter, Zhang Siwei stated that the young Wanli Emperor, Zhang Juzheng, and Lü Diaoyang, misled by Hai Rui's memorial, intended to put the Zhang and Wang families to death. He submitted a memorial to defend himself, but the young Wanli Emperor withheld it, leaving him unable to seek redress. Therefore, he had no choice but to transgress the bounds of propriety and earnestly request Empress Dowager Li to intercede with the young Wanli Emperor and grant him a private audience to hear his explanation. Otherwise, Shanxi would descend into chaos, the court would be thrown into turmoil, and the Ming Dynasty would be in grave danger.

Zhang Siwei's words were very sincere.

Knowing that Empress Dowager Li had limited understanding of politics, he did not elaborate on the contents of Hai Rui's memorial.

On the one hand, it was emphasized that the young Wanli Emperor's refusal to meet him was a sign that he was being misled and had closed his eyes and ears, and Empress Dowager Li was earnestly requested to persuade the young Wanli Emperor to humbly accept advice; on the other hand, it was said that this matter would cause a shock in the court, chaos in Shanxi, and even trigger war.

Based on his understanding of Empress Dowager Li, he knew she would be very nervous upon seeing the letter and would immediately seek out the young Wanli Emperor to find out what was going on.

After the Tumu Crisis, the Ming Dynasty imperial family took great care to protect the emperor, and Shanxi, which guarded the capital, was absolutely not to be compromised.

In this way, Zhang Siwei would have the opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with the young Wanli Emperor.

He didn't want to risk a complete breakdown unless absolutely necessary; he believed that as long as he could see the young Wanli Emperor, he could persuade him.

……

Night fell inside the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Feng Bao leaned back on a sandalwood couch, admiring a rare Song Dynasty edition book.

He has always been fond of refined tastes.

Two young eunuchs knelt on the ground, massaging his legs.

At this time.

A young eunuch walked quickly to him and then knelt on the ground.

"Godfather, today Duke Fengpan sent someone to deliver a letter to Jiang Sishe, instructing her to present it to Empress Dowager Cixi, saying that this letter concerns the safety of the Ming Dynasty and that the Empress Dowager must open it personally!"

This young eunuch was named Xu Kang, and he was Jiang Yuejiang Sishe's lover.

After the Yongle era, the status of female officials in the palace declined, and their duties were all replaced by eunuchs. If female officials did not find a lover or a powerful patron, they would be bullied everywhere in the palace.

As the leader of all the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace, Feng Bao's informants could see through almost everything.

He had long known that Jiang Sishe was Zhang Siwei's pawn.

Therefore, he ordered Xu Kang to secretly control him in order to find out what Zhang Siwei would instruct Jiang Sishe to do. Unexpectedly, he got results so quickly.

"Ok?"

Feng Bao quickly sat up.

For officials of the former court to privately send letters to the Empress Dowager in the inner palace is a violation of etiquette.

Zhang Siwei dared to do this because he had encountered something very important and urgent.

These two days.

Feng Bao found the series of events that had occurred in the previous dynasty very strange.

First, Zhang Siwei was unexpectedly dismissed, then Wang Chonggu quickly returned to the capital, and then Zhang Juzheng ordered the Ministry of Personnel to select a large number of officials to replace the local officials in Shanxi. In addition, Hai Rui led a group of Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) to conduct a thorough investigation of the Zhang and Wang families in Shanxi...

None of these things could be hidden from Feng Bao.

Feng Bao had a vague idea that the matter between the Zhang and Wang families was definitely not as simple as the "Memorial on the Disorder of Officials and Merchants in Shanxi Province" described.

Although the eunuch Zhang Jing did not reveal anything, Feng Bao had already vaguely guessed that the cabinet was in a state of internal strife.

Feng Baowang handed the letter sealed with wax to the eunuch Xu Kang and said, "Remove the wax seal."

Immediately.

A young eunuch standing nearby quickly took out tools from a wooden cabinet and began removing the wax residue from a table.

The eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had secretly opened many confidential letters submitted by officials to the court.

The skill in removing wax marks is truly superb.

After removing the wax residue, it can be sealed back on perfectly.

The letter was opened quickly.

Feng Bao unfolded the letter and read it carefully. After reading it, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "His Majesty and Chief Minister Zhang are going to deal with Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu, this uncle-nephew pair?"

If Feng Bao were to hand this letter to Zhang Juzheng at this moment, Zhang Juzheng would certainly be pleased.

But Feng Bao didn't want to give it.

Although his relationship with Zhang Juzheng was still good at the moment, and the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Grand Secretariat kept to themselves, the young Wanli Emperor's favor towards him diminished after the incident of the selection of the empress.

At present, he hopes that Zhang Juzheng and Lü Diaoyang can fight against Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei.

Both sides suffered heavy losses.

Only then will his power expand again, and only then will the young Wanli Emperor value him even more.

Feng Bao thought for a moment and looked at the eunuch Xu Kang.

"Fix the wax seal and have Jiang Sishe send it to the Empress Dowager!"

"Yes, sir!"

Feng Bao added, "This will cost her her life. Won't you feel bad about that?"

Xu Kang was taken aback. He first kowtowed to Feng Bao and then said, "Godfather, you are the only one in my heart. As long as it is beneficial to you, what does it matter if I kill a partner!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Bao immediately smiled.

He picked up a peanut from the dried fruit plate and threw it at Xu Kang.

"I'll reward you!"

Xu Kang was overjoyed and quickly opened his mouth to receive it.

"Bang!" The peanut hit Xu Kang on the nose and then fell onto the stone slab.

Without saying a word, Xu Kang put the peanut in his mouth, chewed it hard without spitting out the shell, and swallowed it all.

"Thank you for the reward, Godfather!" Xu Kang said, kneeling on the ground.

Feng Bao rewarding people with peanuts is a famous scene from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Those who receive the reward must catch it with their mouths and swallow it without spitting out the shell, just like a lapdog.

This was a test of obedience by Feng Bao.

If Feng Bao rewards you with peanuts, it means you will be given an important position in the future.

This was something that all the eunuchs in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs longed for.

Feng Bao appears refined on the outside, but his inner self is already warped.

The more he acts like a lackey, the more he enjoys seeing others become his lackeys.

After Xu Kang left, Feng Bao was in a very good mood.

If it were just a battle between Zhang Siwei and Zhang Juzheng, he would definitely side with Zhang Juzheng.

But now that Wang Chonggu, a veteran, has joined the fray, he's prepared to stand aside and watch the show unfold!

……

late at night.

There were no stars or moon, and the sky was as dark as lead.

Wang Chonggu disguised himself as a coachman and secretly arrived at Zhang Siwei's residence to discuss ways to save his family.

In the study room.

"Uncle, please sit down!" Zhang Siwei couldn't help but complain as soon as he sat down.

"This Zhang Baigui actually listened to Hai Rui's words and wanted to eliminate our Zhang and Wang families. He's simply insane! According to Hai Rui's rules, more than 90% of the officials in the Ming Dynasty should be imprisoned. No one can escape!"

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Siwei informed Wang Chonggu that he had sent a letter to Empress Dowager Li, requesting that the young Wanli Emperor summon him for a private audience.

Wang Chonggu nodded slightly.

"If His Majesty can see you tomorrow, and if he can compromise and agree to downplay the matter, then we will take a step back, and this matter will be considered over!"

"We can't get through this! If we can overcome this hurdle, we must quickly accumulate political achievements. Only when I rise to a high position will the Zhang and Wang families be safe!"

This high position naturally refers to the position of Grand Secretary.

Zhang Siwei usually appears unassuming and kind to people. When discussing state affairs, his favorite thing to do is to bow to the young Wanli Emperor after Zhang Juzheng finishes speaking and say: "Your subject seconds this proposal!"
But he was not without ability, nor was he without ambition.

His current position is largely due to the cultivation and recommendation of his predecessor, Grand Secretary Gao Gong.

However, unlike the outspoken Gao Gong, he was more like the former Grand Secretary Xu Jie, who was good at being patient and reserved.

Wang Chonggu nodded in agreement.

"Once we get through this hurdle, I will do everything in my power to help you ascend to the position of Grand Secretary!"

immediately.

Wang Chonggu then asked, "If His Majesty is unwilling to compromise in the slightest tomorrow, what should we do?"

Zhang Siwei puffed out his chest and said confidently, "We will resist to the end!"

"Even if Zhang Juzheng dared to publicly release Hai Rui's 'Memorial on the Corruption of Officials and Merchants,' His Majesty would absolutely not carry out a massacre against our Zhang and Wang families. This is partly because His Majesty is not Emperor Taizu, and partly because there will definitely be many officials who consider the overall situation and support us!"

“Zhang Juzheng is not well-liked in the court, and Hai Rui’s inspection method has made all the officials feel insecure. Most officials will definitely speak up for us, otherwise, if the blame falls on them, no one will defend them!”

"Furthermore, I have already begun collecting evidence of the Zhang family's crimes! Zhang Juzheng is attacking us, so what we need to do is not defend, but counterattack. By Hai Rui's standards, he is not clean either. We can also attack Zhang Juzheng in the name of purging the court of corrupt officials. Once we start impeaching him, this matter will become a factional struggle in the eyes of the people!"

"Faced with factional strife, Your Majesty must try to quell the unrest, not escalate it to the point of mutual destruction. Otherwise, with the cabinet collapsing and Shanxi in chaos, who will manage the affairs of state? We must let the court know just how great the price will be for harming my Zhang and Wang families!"

"Once we get through this, we'll openly compete with Zhang Juzheng for the position of Grand Secretary and see who can be more effective for the court. Zhang Juzheng's new policies are a way to offend officials all over the country. Back then, Grand Secretary Gao was forced to retire by him, and we can make him retire early too!"

"At present, His Majesty and the Empress Dowager rely on the Grand Secretary's abilities. We are stronger than Zhang Juzheng and have more support from court officials. We can replace him!"

……

Zhang Siwei spoke with great enthusiasm.

His confidence in making things bigger stemmed from his belief that those officials in the court who cared about the big picture, hated Zhang Juzheng's autocracy, and feared being investigated by Hai Rui would support him.

Wang Chonggu was also very excited when he heard this, and immediately said, "Alright, let's make a big scene, cleanse the court of corrupt officials, and help you become the Grand Secretary!"

……

The next day, early in the morning.

While Empress Dowager Li was washing up, Jiang Yue, who was serving her, suddenly knelt down and wept, then presented Zhang Siwei's letter to her.

After reading the letter, Empress Dowager Li's expression changed drastically.

She paused for a moment, glanced at Jiang Sishe, and then said to another female official beside her, "Give her a white silk noose!"

There was a precedent of palace maids assassinating the emperor within the Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty.

This led Empress Dowager Li to execute any disloyal palace maids or eunuchs she encountered, regardless of any hidden reasons.

Immediately, Empress Dowager Li rushed towards the Qianqing Palace.

……

After a while.

Empress Dowager Li encountered the young Wanli Emperor, who was preparing to leave for his morning lessons, at the Qianqing Palace.

Without saying a word, she handed the letter directly to the young Wanli Emperor.

After reading it, the young Wanli Emperor couldn't help but say angrily, "This Zhang Siwei dares to disturb the Empress Dowager! He's really bold!"

"Your Majesty, is it true that you refused to see Zhang Siwei?"

"A ruler must never be closed-minded. No matter what happens, you should humbly accept advice. The reason your grandfather was able to command the officials instead of being controlled by them was because he listened to the suggestions of many officials and then made his choices..."

"Furthermore, no matter what happens, Shanxi must not be in chaos, and the border must not be in chaos..."

Empress Dowager Li began to lecture.

In Empress Dowager Li's eyes, no matter the reason, refusing to meet with officials to discuss matters was not the way of a wise ruler.

She can teach young Wanli.

On the one hand, it was about filial piety; on the other hand, it was about the little bit of how to be a ruler that he had learned from the Jiajing Emperor and the Longqing Emperor.

……

Listening to Empress Dowager Li's nagging.

The young Wanli Emperor had no chance to argue, and even if he did, Empress Dowager Li would pretend not to hear him and continue nagging.

If the young Wanli Emperor had spoken louder or more seriously, Empress Dowager Li would have immediately burst into tears and reprimanded him for being unfilial.

The young Wanli Emperor knew that he could not reason with Empress Dowager Li.

Taking advantage of the moment when Empress Dowager Li paused to catch her breath, he immediately said, "Your Majesty is right. I will summon Grand Secretary Zhang alone this afternoon. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Li couldn't help but show a gratified expression.

She didn't care what the young Wanli Emperor and Zhang Siwei said; she only cared whether the young Wanli Emperor would obey her orders and summon Zhang Siwei.

An hour later.

Zhang Siwei received a message from a eunuch in the palace, ordering him to enter the palace for an audience in the afternoon.

at the same time.

Emperor Wanli ordered Shen Nian to accompany him as a Hanlin lecturer.

In the current court, only Zhang Juzheng and Shen Nian can bring him a full sense of security.

(End of this chapter)