I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 153 Bestowing a Name! Please, Four Grand Secretaries, Sharpen the Great Ming Divine Sword

June 10th, afternoon.

Hai Rui, the 64-year-old Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, returned to Beijing in a low-key manner.

Just like when he came to the capital last September, the people in the city had no idea when he had arrived.

If you know.

There will definitely be people who come out of the city to greet him for miles, there will definitely be many merchants and scholars who follow his carriage to recite his memorials, and there will definitely be people whose fate has been changed because of him who kowtow to him in gratitude.

Hai Rui was already famous throughout the world during the Jiajing era.

His memorials and his words, even without evidence, were not considered by anyone to be fabricated or concocted.

Among the common people, no official's reputation for integrity is as widely known as his.

The Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate knew when Hai Rui would return to the capital.

However, the officials in charge of this matter did not disclose the news in advance because they did not want Hai Rui to be too dazzling and did not want the people to regard Hai Rui as a role model for scholar-officials.

In their eyes.

Hai Rui can only be an object of admiration and respect, not an object of learning and imitation for officials.

In other words, Hai Rui could be a lucky charm for the Ming Dynasty, but he could not be a sharp sword to clean up corrupt officials.

It was also because Hai Rui did not pay the "customary fee" as was customary.

If any other imperial censor were to return with such merit after inspecting local areas, it would be a great achievement.

They would spend money at least seven days in advance to bribe officials and ensure that the public knew about their achievements, so that local tabloids would publicize them extensively, and they would even pay people to promote their accomplishments.

After all, public opinion and reactions have a significant impact on officials' performance evaluations.

Hai Rui was always low-key and never publicized his achievements, let alone spent money on them.

He doesn't need to do that.

Shen Nian only learned of Hai Rui's arrival in Beijing at dusk.

He immediately reported to the cabinet, intending to hold a welcoming banquet for Hai Rui.

Last year, it was Shen Nian who strongly advocated for Hai Rui to return to public service, and now it is Shen Nian who suggests that Hai Rui be ordered to inspect the imperial censors throughout the country, especially since Hai Rui is not a local official.

The cabinet had no reason to reject Shen Nian's application.

Furthermore, given Hai Rui's temperament...

Even if it were a banquet hosted by cabinet ministers, it was uncertain whether Hai Rui would attend.

In Shanxi, Fang Fengshi hosted a banquet, but Hai Rui didn't taste a single bite.

Shen Nian was one of the few officials in the court who Hai Rui would never refuse when invited to dinner.

Hai Rui's achievements deserve to be celebrated today.

……

into the night.

Inside a small hut in the Censorate's official residence, where mosquito-repelling mugwort is hung.

Shen Nian and Hai Rui each sat on a small stool, facing each other at a small table.

Compared to the previous year, Hai Rui was even thinner now, with completely white hair and prominent veins in his hands.

But his complexion remained rosy, and he looked very energetic.

On the small table were four dishes and a soup: stir-fried water bamboo shoots, stewed tofu, stir-fried mutton, large meatballs, and mung bean and lily porridge, plus four large white steamed buns and a pot of lamb wine.

All the meals were prepared by Shen Nian's wife, Gu Yue'er.

Hai Rui stroked his beard and said, "Ziheng, you've gone to so much trouble. For the two of us, two dishes are actually enough!"

Shen Nian puffed out his chest.

"Mr. Hai, if my father and father-in-law knew that I only served you four dishes, they would definitely scold me. To entertain you, there should be at least sixteen dishes. I only arranged four dishes because I was afraid you would scold me. If you still think there are too many dishes, then you are complaining about me! I'm leaving!"

Shen Nian turned her head to look outside the door, but her bottom didn't move, just like when she was being willful in front of her elders.

"You brat! If you really prepared sixteen dishes, I would have scolded you. But you're treating tonight, so I won't hold it against you!"

Shen Nian smiled and picked up the wine pot, quickly pouring Hai Rui a cup of wine.

"Old Hai is back, I'm so happy! Come on, let's have a drink!"

The two laughed, clinked glasses, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Hai Rui, who was never one to smile, had been wearing a smile ever since Shen Nian sat down in front of him.

He was especially relaxed in front of Shen Nian, as if he were facing a like-minded old friend.

Followed by.

The two then ate, drank, and chatted.

Shen Nian inquired about interesting events that had occurred in Shanxi, Hai Rui asked how Shen Nian wrote his "On the Prosperous Age," Shen Nian asked if the Zhang and Wang families had sent anyone to assassinate Hai Rui, and Hai Rui asked if Shen Nian's recommendation of him as an imperial censor to inspect the entire country would offend all the officials in the court...

When Hai Rui recounted how he destroyed twenty-four bamboo baskets of documents detailing the crimes of Shanxi officials and merchants, his eyes reddened.

If these documents were to reach the capital, even more people in Shanxi would lose their heads.

Shen Nian quickly comforted him, saying: This is for the sake of the overall situation. If war breaks out on the border, it will not be as simple as losing a few hundred or a few thousand lives.

The two talked and laughed, and even shed tears, enjoying their conversation immensely.

Within the capital city.

Besides Shen Nian, the only other person who had a good relationship with Hai Rui was Yao Bin, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Personnel.

However, Yao Bin was only a junior and dared not sit down and drink with Hai Rui.

Most other officials, on the other hand, hoped to stay as far away from Hai Rui as possible.

Hai Rui glanced at them.

They all wondered if Hai Rui had caught them making a mistake, and if they were about to be impeached. They were so afraid that they couldn't sleep all night.

Officials with a guilty conscience simply dared not look Hai Rui in the eye.

……

Meanwhile, in Zhang Juzheng's residence.

Zhang Juzheng sat in his study, sipping tea, wondering what Hai Rui and Shen Nian would talk about.

Idealism.

Zhang Juzheng respected Hai Rui but disliked him.

He believed that Hai Rui was too upright, too honest, and too arrogant. He could be used to investigate cases of collusion between officials and merchants, such as those in Shanxi, but he could not be used frequently.

Because it is too destructive and too bound by laws and regulations, the new policy will need to make compromises in many areas.

He preferred Shen Nian.

In his eyes.

Shen Nian is adaptable, knows how to be an official, and like him, understands new policies and reforms.

“Hai Rui and Shen Nian have completely different ways of being officials, but why do I feel that they are so similar?” Zhang Juzheng murmured.

In the imperial court.

Some people called Shen Nian a junior Grand Secretary or a junior Zhang Juzheng, but Zhang Juzheng thought Shen Nian was a junior Hai Rui.

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Juzheng found the reason.

He dipped his brush in ink, picked it up, and wrote four large characters on a sheet of Xuan paper.

"Putting the people first."

The biggest similarity between Shen Nian and Hai Rui is that they both advocated Mencius's idea that "the people are the most important".

In his memorials, Hai Rui repeatedly put forward ideas such as "The world belongs to all under heaven; only when all people and things are in their proper place can we talk about good governance" and "The laws of officials are the fate of the people." Shen Nian...

From the initial theory of waste to the subsequent policy of pacifying the people through the assessment system, and the ideas promoted in the daily lectures at the Imperial Academy, the guiding principle for the education of probationary officials was always: the people are of paramount importance.

Officials have been chanting the slogan "putting the people first" year after year, month after month, day after day.

However, only Hai Rui and Shen Nian truly put these principles into practice within the imperial court.

For this reason, the two did not hesitate to stand in opposition to many scholar-officials.

Zhang Juzheng's reforms also adhered to this idea, which he often mentioned: "The people are the foundation of the state; when the state is secure, the people are at peace."

However, he had one premise: the stability of the Ming Dynasty was paramount.

this moment.

Zhang Juzheng suddenly realized that he could wait until the young Wanli Emperor took over the reins of government, until Shen Nian grew into a ministerial-level official, and until he could still stay in the cabinet and live for another twenty years.

The three shared the same goal.

Perhaps I really can create a prosperous era in my lifetime where all people can have enough to eat.

……

Late at night, inside the residence of the Censorate officials.

Hai Rui and Shen Nian finished all the food on the table, even dipping their steamed buns in the oil from the dishes before eating them.

Both of them thought this was a very elegant gesture.

A moment later, the two stood in the moonlit courtyard.

Slightly drunk, Hai Rui said to Shen Nian, "Ziheng, I know I am disliked in the capital. After reporting the matter of Shanxi to His Majesty, I will leave the capital immediately to begin my inspection tour of the empire. We will meet again when we have the chance, and I will write to you often."

"Elder Hai, there's no rush. The imperial court has granted you permission to conduct inspections freely, without being restricted to any particular region, precisely to prevent you from overworking yourself. Please rest for ten days to half a month before you depart!"

Hai Rui shook his head.

"I'm an old man who can't stay idle. Making me idle is worse than death!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian stopped trying to persuade him.

Hai Rui was truly born to inspect the entire country. He loved to be on the road of inspection, and when he was on the road, the censors of the Ming Dynasty were sure to be extra conscientious in their duties.

……

The next day, it was nearly noon.

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

After reviewing a memorial, the young Wanli Emperor looked at Shen Nian beside him.

"Minister Shen, I have already ordered the imperial physicians to examine Hai Qianyuan's health. What do you think I should reward him with next? I feel that Hai Qianyuan is living too austerely. How about rewarding him with some fine silk and gold?"

Shen Nian cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I fear that once the Imperial Guard receives these fine brocades and gold and silver, they will surely give them away to the poor rather than use them themselves. I suggest that you bestow upon the Imperial Guard a piece of calligraphy!"

"A bestowed title?" The young Wanli Emperor smiled helplessly and said, "Minister Shen, do you want me to be reprimanded by the Grand Secretary again?"

The young Wanli Emperor enjoyed writing large characters and liked to bestow calligraphy upon his civil and military officials.

For example, Shen Nian received gifts from the young Wanli Emperor, such as "A Gentleman Like a Jade Pendant," "High-minded and Virtuous Conduct," and "Fragrant Orchids and Li River Orchids."

Later, the bestowal of titles became too frequent.

Zhang Juzheng believed that the young Wanli Emperor had neglected his duties because of his courtesy name, and cited the example of Emperor Huizong of Song, who led to the downfall of the dynasty, which led to the young Wanli Emperor rarely bestowing courtesy names upon his subjects.

"Your Majesty, that's not what I meant. I feel that although the officials of our dynasty respect the Vice Director of the Imperial Guard, no one wants to become one, because many officials think he is too upright, too honest, and too arrogant. However, what our officialdom lacks most right now is the spirit of the Vice Director of the Imperial Guard!"

"Your Majesty, I request that you bestow a title upon me, and that the Imperial Academy Director give a lecture to the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) before departing for his inspection tour of the capital. My purpose is not to enable all the new Jinshi to become Imperial Academy Directors, but to make them understand that the Imperial Academy is not for admiration, but for learning."

……

Little Wanli nodded slightly.

He also knew the attitude of the officials towards Hai Rui: they respected him enough, but they all avoided him, and no one wanted to become Hai Rui.

While Hai Rui's approach to officialdom was indeed flawed, his spirit and drive are what officials today should learn from most. If this year's graduates had half of Hai Rui's diligence, the number of local complaints received by the court could be reduced by at least 20%.

"What name do you intend for me to bestow upon Haiqianyuan?" the young Wanli asked. Shen Nian's suggestion to bestow a name clearly indicated that he had already decided what to give.

Shen Nian straightened his chest and shouted loudly, "The Great Ming Divine Sword!"

"In my opinion, Hai Rui is a divine sword of the current dynasty, a sword of the court and a sword of the people. Wherever his sword points, there is peace and clarity."

"This divine sword is not yet sharpened. Once His Majesty bestows a name upon it, and once the Imperial Academy gains the support of the four Grand Secretaries and all the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), it will be sharpened, its power awe-inspiring to all directions, and the consolidation of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

Little Wanli looked at Shen Nian.

"The Great Ming Divine Sword, what a wonderful meaning! The Maritime Academy is indeed a sharp and precious sword!"

"Shen Qing, your request for Hai Qianyuan to lecture for this year's Jinshi is also to speak out against the fact that Hai Qianyuan is unknown despite being in the capital. You want the world to see how much the court values ​​Hai Qianyuan. In addition, the more prominent Hai Qianyuan is in the capital now, the safer he will be when he tours the country in the future, right?"

"Your Majesty is wise, and I do indeed share this intention!" Shen Nian said, bowing.

"Alright, I agree. As for the specific details, you can report to the Grand Secretary and let the cabinet arrange them!" said the young Wanli Emperor.

"Your subject obeys!" Shen Nian bowed deeply.

……

Around noon, in the Cabinet office.

The four Grand Secretaries, Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Yin Zhengmao, all stood opposite Shen Nian.

Shen Nian bowed and said, "I humbly request the four elders to grant my request! If you do not grant my request, I... I will not leave!"

Ma Ziqiang pouted and said, "Ziheng, you've gone too far!"

“We do not object to your request that the Imperial Academy lecture for this year’s Jinshi; we also do not object to your request that the lecture be held at the Imperial Academy and that all students attend; but you are now asking us to go as well, and you’re even acting like a rogue. If we don’t agree, will we not even be able to leave the house?”

"I don't dare!"

"Four Grand Secretaries, I am doing this to save the Grand Secretariat trouble! Just think, if the Imperial Censorate had your support, which censor in the land would dare to break the law? Right now, the Imperial Censorate, this great sword of the Ming Dynasty, is still covered in dust. Only if the four of you Grand Secretaries can it be sharpened and made to shine throughout the world, deterring all wicked officials!"

If the four Grand Secretaries had personally listened to Hai Rui's lectures, and with the added benefit of the young Wanli Emperor bestowing upon them a title, Hai Rui's words would no longer be something to be taken lightly, but rather something to be learned from.

Shen Nian stood opposite the four elders, not backing down an inch. If the four didn't give him an explanation, he really dared to block them from eating.

Other officials would never dare to do such a thing.

But Shen Nian is just that tough, yet she doesn't become annoying.

Lean slightly.

Ma Ziqiang said, "I don't know if the other three Grand Secretaries are busy. I'm not too busy, so I can go and listen in!"

"Thank you, Grand Secretary Ma!" Shen Nian said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting.

Ma Ziqiang felt that Shen Nian deserved at least half the credit for his position as a cabinet minister, so he strongly supported Shen Nian.

“I’ll go too. I spoke ill of Ziheng to intimidate the Henan clans, which made them hate Ziheng to the core. This time, I’ll repay Ziheng for his kindness!” Yin Zhengmao said.

"Thank you, Grand Secretary Yin!" Shen Nian bowed again, then looked at Zhang Juzheng and Lü Diaoyang.

"I'll go too! To sharpen the Great Ming Divine Sword, what a proud thing that is!" Lü Diaoyang said with a smile.

After Lü Diaoyang entered officialdom...

I've always felt that officialdom is serious and ruthless, where officials shirk responsibility and attack each other, and a slight misstep could lead to disgrace and ruin.

But Shen Nian changed his perspective, showing him the sincere and interesting side of officialdom.

Shen Nian's sincere attitude and his dedication to contributing to the stability of the Ming Dynasty made him feel that retiring a few years later was not an impossible thing.

"Thank you, Grand Secretary Lü!" Shen Nian said, then immediately looked at Zhang Juzheng.

"Enough! Enough! The most important thing is to sharpen the Great Ming Divine Sword!" Zhang Juzheng said, stroking his beard.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The four cabinet ministers couldn't help but laugh out loud; such an atmosphere in the cabinet was extremely rare.

(End of this chapter)