I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 149 A Rising Star in Officialdom! The Struggle Among the Junior Scholars

The cabinet ministers were personally selected by the emperor, and no civil or military officials had the power to decide on them.

The current new policies are fraught with heavy tasks.

The cabinet of Zhang Juzheng and Lü Diaoyang alone was clearly insufficient to support the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty.

On April 16, there will be a meeting with Chang Chao.

Emperor Wanli announced two decisions that were almost entirely expected by his civil and military officials.

Firstly, Ma Ziqiang, the Minister of Rites, was appointed concurrently as a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion to participate in state affairs.

Secondly, Yin Zhengmao, the Minister of Revenue, was appointed concurrently as a Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion to participate in state affairs.

Enter the cabinet.

This meant having the power to draft proposals, and becoming part of the core decision-making body of the Ming Dynasty.

For any official, it represents the highest honor in their career.

Ma Ziqiang joins the cabinet.

It was all thanks to years of hard work and dedication, plus a bit of luck.

Yin Zhengmao, who was not well-known, relied entirely on his political achievements in the Ministry of Revenue over the past year and his merits in dealing with the imperial clans in Henan.

Even though he had a thousand faults in the past.

However, it made a lot of money for the imperial court and also cracked down on the practice of Ming dynasty princes annexing land.

This is a great achievement.

This made it impossible for even the most disliked officials to submit memorials opposing his appointment to the cabinet.

at the same time.

In early April, Tan Lun, the Minister of War, who had been recuperating in Beijing, passed away.

Emperor Wanli promoted Fang Fengshi, the governor of Shanxi, to Minister of War, ordering him to govern Shanxi and temporarily stay away from the capital.

This move was naturally intended to allow them to handle the affairs of the Zhang and Wang clans, prevent internal strife in Shanxi, and avoid border conflicts.

After the closed-door court session, the officials in the capital were all very diligent.

The twelve characters, “When a whale falls, all things come to life; when Zhang and Wang fall, the people of Jin are satiated,” had a profound impact on them.

They were relieved that the young Wanli Emperor had not followed the laws of the Taizu Emperor and had actually implemented the policy of "when Zhang and Wang fall, the people of Jin are well-fed," thus completely annihilating the Zhang and Wang families.

At the same time, there was a fear that the young Wanli Emperor might, in the future, no longer choose to consider the overall situation when facing a high-ranking official or wealthy merchant, but instead choose: "When a whale falls, all things come to life."

Under the tutelage of Zhang Juzheng and Shen Nian.

The current Wanli Emperor has only one goal: to enrich the country and its people, eliminate all corrupt officials who harm the country and its people, and strive to ensure that all people in the world have enough to eat.

And this time.

Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu began to remotely control the family's ban on commerce.

The withdrawal of the Zhang and Wang clans from Shanxi trade will allow many small merchants in Shanxi and even the entire northern region to grow.

There may be some chaos in the short term.

In the long run, however, it will certainly benefit Shanxi and the people of the northern border.

When the people of the North no longer rely solely on farming to survive, and when trade in the North gradually catches up with the prosperity of the South.

The Ming Dynasty was just beginning to show signs of a golden age.

……

On April 20th, in the early morning, the daily lecture was delayed due to the selection of the Empress Dowager by the young Wanli Emperor.

The young Wanli Emperor rushed to Kunning Palace early in the morning.

The two empress dowagers have selected three candidates for empress from among fifty eligible young women.

The young Wanli Emperor's task was to choose one of three options.

Shen Nian had thought that the selection of the empress by the young Wanli Emperor would take a long time, but to her surprise, it was over in less than half an hour.

After a brief conversation with the three women, the young Wanli Emperor chose Wang Xijie, the daughter of Wang Wei, the deputy director (ninth rank) of the Wensi Academy under the Ministry of Works, as his empress.

After the young Wanli Emperor's wedding.

Wang Wei, the deputy envoy of the Academy of Literature, will be promoted to at least the fourth rank and will continue to be promoted in rank.

Her entire clan would rise to become a noble and powerful family because of Wang Xijie's status as empress.

A moment later, inside the Wenhua Hall.

Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, Shen Nian and other lecturers all looked at the young Wanli Emperor who had just sat on the throne.

They wanted to hear how the young Wanli Emperor felt about choosing an empress.

The young Wanli Emperor's face flushed slightly. Seeing that all the lecturers were looking at him, he smiled modestly and said, "It's acceptable! It's acceptable!"

Upon hearing these two words, Shen Shixing, Shen Nian, and the other lecturers all laughed.

This shows that the young Wanli Emperor was quite satisfied with the empress he had chosen today.

That put their minds at ease.

If the young Wanli Emperor is dissatisfied with the chosen empress, there will be many troubles in the harem, which will have a serious negative impact on the court.

Then, the daily lecture officially began.

……

Two days later.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau submitted a memorial stating that the auspicious date for the young Wanli Emperor's wedding should be in December.

However, both empress dowagers and Zhang Juzheng believed that the Ming emperors, such as Emperor Yingzong, Emperor Wuzong, and Emperor Shizong, all married at the age of sixteen. Therefore, they ultimately set the wedding date for the young Wanli Emperor in March of the following year.

The preparations for the emperor's wedding were numerous.

Although there are still nearly ten months until the wedding, time is not very long. The two empress dowagers will be in charge of the entire matter, with the full cooperation of various government departments.

……

April 28th, near noon.

After examination and selection by the cabinet, together with officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites, twenty-eight newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) including Shen Zibin, Zhang Sixiu, Lü Xingzhou, Tang Xianzu, Yang Qiyuan, Yang Dezheng, Li Zhi, and Feng Mengzhen became Shujishi (probationary officials in the Hanlin Academy).

Next, they will go to the Hanlin Academy's Shuchang Hall to study. In name, the study period is three years, but in reality, they can graduate in about two years.

at the same time.

The four instructors appointed by the cabinet have all been confirmed.

They are Shen Shixing, a Hanlin Academy Reader and concurrently in charge of the Hanlin Academy; Wang Xijue, the Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and concurrently the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy; Wang Tang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites; and Shen Nian, a Hanlin Academy Lecturer.

Shen Nian was appointed by Emperor Wanli (the young emperor).

Emperor Wanli hoped that Shen Nian could pass on his unique teaching methods and new policy ideas to these newly appointed scholars.

Serving as an instructor for the junior scholars was not considered arduous.

Shen Nian only needed to spend three mornings or afternoons each month giving lectures to the junior scholars and reviewing their assignments to complete his task.

……

The first day of the fifth lunar month, early morning.

The twenty-eight junior scholars arrived at the Hanlin Academy's Junior Official Office with great excitement.

The Shuchang Hall was exclusively for the use of Shujishi (probationary officials), and it contained a school, official residences, and a library.

The food was imperial cuisine specially provided by the Guanglu Temple.

In addition, the Ministry of Rites would distribute enough candles and lamp oil each month, while the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would provide all the writing implements and paper.

In addition, one day off is allowed every five days.

After entering the academy, the junior scholars didn't have to worry about anything except their studies.

Every month.

The Shujishi (junior scholars) instructors' association would set six questions, including three essays and three poems, as monthly exams.

If a probationary official consistently ranks at the bottom and performs poorly, they may be directly expelled from the Hanlin Academy.

Also.

The imperial court stipulated that after entering the academy, a Shujishi (a junior scholar in the Hanlin Academy) must decline all social engagements and devote himself to his studies.

Anyone caught sneaking off to brothels for pleasure will be immediately expelled.

The first lesson for a junior scholar was naturally taught by Shen Shixing, who was in charge of the Hanlin Academy.

Shen Nian's lectures for the junior scholars this month are scheduled for the 8th, 18th and 25th of the fifth lunar month.

His teaching focus was on: New Policy Practices and Policy Theory.

The training of the junior scholars focused primarily on political affairs, and they already possessed the right to submit memorials to the emperor.

……

That day, Shen Nian heard that during Shen Shixing's lecture, a group of junior scholars vied to debate with him, and it didn't end until nightfall.

This move was within his expectations.

As the saying goes: "In literature, there is no first place; in martial arts, there is no second."

When the junior scholars first entered officialdom, they all wanted to show off their talents.

In addition, Shen Shixing had a good temper, so the schoolroom turned into a debate arena.

The same thing happened in Shen Nian's year.

However, Shen Nian was not only not the protagonist at the time, but was also despised. Some junior scholars believed that he had achieved his current fame entirely because his father spent money on him, and they almost got into a fight.

The next few days.

The busiest place in the Hanlin Academy was the Shuchang Hall.

Yu Jideng and Zhang Wenxi, both junior scholars, were ridiculed by Feng Mengzhen, the third-ranked student in the second class, for being too close to Zhang Sixiu, the son of Zhang Juzheng, as: "They do not focus on classical studies, but only on flattery."

This argument escalated into a physical fight among the three, resulting in each of them having three months' worth of lamp oil allowance deducted.

at the same time.

Feng Qi, a junior scholar, was too studious. He made noise while reading at night, which disturbed the rest of the other junior scholars. The two sides had a quarrel, and Feng Qi was punished by having to clean and sweep the junior scholar's quarters for three days.

When the instructors asked Wu Yaobi, a junior scholar, to write a policy essay, he would always write two or even three essays in order to be different from the others, which made the other junior scholars unwilling to pay attention to him.

Two other junior scholars were punished for secretly wearing fancy clothes instead of the standard blue robes and turbans worn by junior scholars, and were forced to copy the "Great Learning Extended Meaning" ten times.

The daily life of each new generation of junior scholars was almost the same.

Some are straightforward, some are arrogant, some are solitary, some like to take action, some study hard, and some are full of ulterior motives...

On the seventh day of the fifth lunar month, in the afternoon, the weather gradually warmed up.

Inside the Hanlin Academy.

Shen Nian is reviewing the daily records he recently wrote.

Shen Shixing, a Hanlin Academician, and Wang Tang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, strode in from outside.

As soon as Shen Shixing entered, he said, "Ziheng, come with us to the Cabinet immediately. These junior scholars are simply causing chaos, and I really can't control them!"

"Gentlemen, what... what happened?" Shen Nian asked, looking bewildered.

"There's a fight, a group fight! And it was... and it was started by the second young master of the Zhang family!" Wang Tang said.

"Huh? No way, the Second Young Master has never abused his power. Why is he fighting?"

In Shen Nian's eyes, Zhang Sixiu was a decent second-generation official, and there were never any rumors of him abusing his power on the streets.

"Let's talk on the way!" Shen Shixing grabbed Shen Nian's arm and headed towards the door.

After a while.

On her way to the cabinet, Shen Nian learned the whole story.

About half an hour ago, in the Shujishi Academy.

The students are debating last year's "Hundred Schools of Thought on Politics".

After Zhang Sixiu expressed his views, Yu Jideng, a junior scholar who had been ridiculed by Feng Mengzhen as "not focusing on classical studies but only on flattery," praised Zhang Sixiu's views, which displeased a junior scholar named Wan Xiangchun.

Wan Xiangchun used this remark to mock Yu Jideng, and claimed that all the junior scholars who were close to Zhang Sixiu were sycophants.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sixiu was immediately displeased.

Since arriving at the Shuchang Hall, he has not received any special treatment because he is Zhang Juzheng's son.

On the contrary, many junior scholars were afraid of getting a bad reputation for "flattering the Grand Secretary" and stayed away from him.

In addition, Zhang Sixiu was only twenty-four years old, younger than all the other junior scholars, which meant that the only friend he could get along with was Lü Xingzhou.

However, Lü Xingzhou was a man of few words and never discussed politics with Zhang Sixiu.

These words from the other party will make Zhang Sixiu even more lonely in the Shuchang Hall and make it even harder for him to find friends.

Enraged, Zhang Sixiu took action.

As soon as Zhang Sixiu made a move, a junior official shouted: "The Grand Secretary's son has hit someone! The Grand Secretary's son has hit someone!"

These kinds of scheming officials are actually the most insidious and terrifying.

Then, several junior scholars got into a fight.

It wasn't until Shen Shixing entered the school that the other junior scholars completely separated them.

When the wound was pulled open, Zhang Sixiu was found to have a bruised and swollen face.

Beating up the son of the Grand Secretary is also a way to gain a reputation for integrity.

After all, it was Zhang Sixiu who made the first move; after all, many people's first reaction upon hearing this was that the son of the Grand Secretary was abusing his power.

After the brawl ended.

The twenty-eight junior scholars would most likely have split into several small factions.

This is what Shen Shixing hates most.

In addition, since this matter involved Zhang Juzheng's son, he took Wang Tang, a junior official in charge of learning, and Shen Nian to the cabinet to report the matter.

Another junior scholar instructor, Wang Xijue, maintained order in the school to prevent them from fighting again.

A moment later, the Cabinet Office was in session.

Shen Shixing reported this matter to Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng and Second Grand Secretary Lü Diaoyang.

After listening, Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and said with a smile, "My son suffered a loss? Suffering a loss is a blessing! As my son, it's inevitable that he would be targeted by the other junior officials. In addition, his current talents are not enough to win people's hearts, so naturally some people dislike him and even stay away from him. He enjoys the glory of being the son of the Grand Secretary, so he must bear the strict expectations that the people of the world have for the son of the Grand Secretary!"

“Scholar Shen, the officials were arguing and even fighting in the court! This is not a big deal. You can punish them according to the regulations for probationary officials. There is no need to consult the cabinet.”

At this time.

Lu Diaoyang, who was standing to the side, asked, "Scholar Shen, was my son not involved?"

“Xingzhou has a very good temper. Since he entered the academy, he has disliked arguing and has never had any conflicts with other junior scholars!” Shen Shixing said.

Lü Diaoyang slightly pursed his lips.

"Uncle, my son is not as good as your son. At this age, if he doesn't have more ambition, what will he achieve in the future?"

Hearing these words, Shen Shixing was speechless.

Unexpectedly, the two usually composed elders thought it was a good thing that their son dared to fight.

Shen Nian couldn't help but smile.

Zhang Juzheng and Lü Diaoyang served as instructors to the junior scholars for many terms and had also been involved in numerous court brawls.

The courage and integrity of Ming Dynasty officials were sometimes demonstrated through arguments and fights.

Therefore, they were already used to it.

Furthermore, the Imperial Guards guard the Shuchang Hall, and they would intervene to stop any serious fights.

In addition, this matter involves Zhang Sixiu.

If Zhang Juzheng were to punish him, he would naturally have to severely punish his own son, otherwise it would invite criticism.

Zhang Sixiu was beaten, and he was very happy.

Because no one dared to lay a hand on Zhang Sixiu, whether at the Grand Secretary's residence or on the streets.

In the Hanlin Academy, Zhang Sixiu was merely a junior scholar.

Some junior scholars even hoped to create friction with Zhang Sixiu in order to gain a reputation for integrity!

These were all invaluable tests for Zhang Sixiu, and things he had to go through to enter officialdom.

Zhang Juzheng would only feel terrified if all the junior scholars fawned over Zhang Sixiu.

Because as the future prime ministers of the Ming Dynasty, the Shujishi (a group of scholars who were appointed to the civil service examinations) had to stand tall even if they had flaws in their character.

……

After a while.

After receiving Zhang Juzheng's reply, "You are the instructors of this term, yet you are bullied by a group of students. How to discipline them is up to you. There is no need to report to the cabinet again," Shen Shixing, Wang Tang, and Shen Nian left the cabinet office.

At this time.

Wang Tang looked at Shen Nian and said, "Ziheng, tomorrow it will be your turn to teach the junior scholars. Let me remind you, they have prepared all sorts of tricky questions, hoping to stump you and gain fame for their talents!"

Shen Shixing added, "I'm worried that after this fight, they will split into several factions and keep arguing. Grand Secretary Zhang and Grand Secretary Lü won't reprimand them, they'll only reprimand us!"

After graduating, the junior scholars became colleagues with the four instructors, including Shen Shixing, and therefore did not show them the same respect that students had for their teachers.

Of course, if Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, or Ma Ziqiang were to serve as instructors for the junior scholars, they would not dare to be disrespectful.

Shen Nian's eyes darted around, looking at Shen Shixing and Wang Tang.

"Gentlemen, since Grand Secretary Zhang has said that it is up to us to decide how to manage this group of probationary scholars, we cannot let them torment us. We should torment them as well, and do so under the guise of looking out for their sake. Next, I am going to give them a lesson they will never forget!"

(End of this chapter)