I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 228 Last Words from His Deathbed! Gao Suqing's Last Dance

On the tenth day of the eleventh month, news of a military victory came from Liaodong.

Under the overall planning of Li Chengliang, the General Commander of Liaodong, and the strategic planning and leadership of Shen Maoxue, the Trade Commissioner, the Liaodong Border Army annihilated 285 members of the Tuman tribe at Xin'an Pass Market.

Emperor Wanli and his court officials were all very excited upon hearing this news.

At present, the Ming Dynasty's foreign policy is: not to provoke war, but not to fear war either.

Thanks to the court's tough policies and Zhang Juzheng's firm instructions to the border generals, the Ming army in the north was fearless and dared to fight and kill.

Tribes like the Tuman tribe, which are inherently rebellious, can only be instilled with fear through severe punishment, thus stabilizing the border region and ensuring peace and tranquility in the north.

Immediately, Emperor Wanli issued an edict to commend and reward Li Chengliang and Shen Maoxue, and ordered the secret police to spread the news to the people as soon as possible.

Li Chengliang's annihilation of bandits in the northern border was not a novelty to the people.

But it was quite a novel thing that Shen Maoxue, the top scholar in the fifth year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, a renowned scholar who was even physically weak, used himself as bait to lead the border troops in an operation to eliminate bandits. While protecting the normal operation of the market, he was also able to annihilate the invading Tujia people.

This propaganda will not only enhance the prestige of the Ming Dynasty, but also encourage many scholars in the Ming Dynasty to join the army and make contributions.

Therefore, the imperial court would certainly publicize this matter extensively.

……

November 12th, afternoon.

The weather was cold and gloomy, with a howling north wind. Before long, a heavy snow swept across the entire city of Beijing.

Inside the Hall of the Hanlin Academy Lecturer.

Shen Nian, who considered himself physically strong and disliked having charcoal braziers lit in the house, couldn't help but order someone to light one because he was so cold.

Outside the hall.

The snow fell like goose feathers, turning everything white in the blink of an eye.

In the past, snowfall at the end of the year was considered a good omen.

Officials would submit reports to congratulate the auspicious snowfall, but in the past two years, the winters have been extremely cold, and when it snows, it is a heavy snowfall, which directly causes snow disasters.

Today's snow, which had been brewing for a long time, came in with great force.

This was enough to cause roads to be cut off, canal transport to stop, grain prices to skyrocket, and even cause many people at the bottom of society to suffer from frostbite and die.

An hour later, the snow fell heavier and heavier, and the weather grew colder.

Shen Nian, who was sitting in the hall processing official documents, first received two bronze hand warmers and two baskets of red charcoal (imperial charcoal, which is smokeless, has a strong firepower, and is durable) sent by the eunuchs on behalf of the young Wanli Emperor.

Then, they received a tin charcoal basin and an exquisite tea set sent by the cabinet.

There were also three baskets of charcoal (made from mixed wood, producing less smoke than ordinary charcoal) sent by Wang Xijue, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and a Hanlin Academician.

None of the officials in the imperial court received this treatment.

This is a reward for Shen Nian's ability to always offer advice and strategies to the court, especially for his recent resolution of the conflict between Empress Dowager Li and the young Wanli Emperor.

The Hanlin officials were all envious, but they also felt that this was a reward that Shen Nian deserved.

……

It was near dusk, the time for the government offices to close.

The snow is a foot deep and still falling.

After leaving the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nian felt that a carriage might not be as fast as walking, so she immediately changed into casual clothes and walked with Aji on the snow-covered road.

Aji carried a cloth bag containing two bronze hand warmers.

Shen Nian's tin charcoal brazier is sufficient.

He planned to give one of these two exquisite bronze hand warmers, bestowed by the emperor, to his mother and the other to his beloved wife.

At this moment, the capital city is covered in a blanket of white.

The frozen moat was also completely covered with snow.

On the main roads of the capital, soldiers from the Five City Garrison were busy clearing the snow.

If the snow were to freeze solid, it would be even more difficult to clear, so they had to brave the heavy snow to clear the accumulated snow.

The shops on both sides of the street were all closed, while the restaurants and teahouses where people could stay warm were packed to capacity.

For a homeless traveler in the capital, the greatest happiness would be to be able to enjoy a cup of hot tea, a pot of warm yellow wine, or a stew of mutton in a warm, draft-free place.

……

About half an hour later, Shen Nian and Aji walked into Masheng Hutong.

Shen Nian saw that the snow in front of every house in the alley was two feet thick, and they were discussing building a snowman at their doorsteps when they got home.

However, as soon as I got to my doorstep, I was surprised to find that there was only a thin layer of snow in front of the door. All the snow had been cleared away, and two snowmen had been piled up in front of the door.

Shen Nian knew without a doubt that this was the work of the Embroidered Uniform Guards who were secretly protecting his family.

However, the Imperial Guards would not enter the Su residence without Shen Nian's orders or unless the Shen family was in any danger.

"Thanks, bro!" Shen Nian shouted at his doorstep, confident that someone would hear him.

into the night.

After Shen Nian's family finished dinner, the snow was still falling.

Xiao Yanche was very fond of the snow scene.

When Shen's mother and Gu Yue'er weren't paying attention for a moment, he grabbed the little wooden sword Shen Nian had bought for him, ran into the yard, and ran around like a madman.

Shen Nian carried him to the eaves of the front door, gave him two clumps of snow, let him play with them for a while, and then, urged by Shen's mother, forcibly carried him back inside.

In this kind of weather, it's easy to catch a cold and get sick while outdoors.

However, Xiao Yanche was like a little furnace, unable to sit still in the room for even a moment.

Looking at the heavy snow outside, Shen Nian was certain that he would be exempt from court the next morning. So he played with Xiao Yanche until late at night, and the father and son fell asleep at almost the same time.

……

The next day, at the fourth watch of the night.

The snow is still falling, but much less than it was at nightfall last night.

At this point, the snowfall in the capital city could be considered a snow disaster.

Shen Nian received a notice that due to the heavy snow, court and government offices would be closed today. Except for the officials and clerks on duty in the Cabinet, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, and other government offices, all other officials were to stay home and rest. Unimportant official business would be postponed for one day.

In the event of heavy snow, the imperial court would only waive court sessions but would not suspend government operations.

This time, the snow was so heavy that it blocked the gates of some government offices. In addition, some officials had to walk to the offices, which could take one or two hours. Therefore, the court had no choice but to suspend court sessions and close the offices.

Fortunately, Shen Nian is not on duty today and can rest at home for the whole day.

After receiving the news, he immediately lay down again.

I slept until 10:00 AM before getting up to wash and get ready.

As an official in the capital, it was very difficult for Shen Nian to sleep in, and sleeping in was the best way for him to maintain his energy.

After Shen Nian woke up, she, Aji, and Xiao Yanche began clearing the snow in the yard, busy and happy.

As noon approached, the heavy snow gradually stopped.

But there was still no sign of the sky clearing up.

Temples in and around Shuntian Prefecture and the capital set up soup kitchens and distributed warm clothing, wood, and other items to the poor who could not keep warm.

In addition to clearing the snow, the soldiers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Five City Garrison Command increased the frequency of their patrols.

In such weather, incidents of house collapses, theft, looting, and grain sellers demanding exorbitant prices frequently occur both inside and outside the capital. If not dealt with promptly, these incidents could quickly escalate into riots.

……

And this moment.

Shen Nian learned that Zhang Juzheng had stayed overnight at the Wenyuan Pavilion and had not left since. This morning, many officials, despite receiving notices that they were not required to go to the yamen, still went to handle official business.

Among them, all the officials and clerks of the Censorate were present, and they even received verbal praise from Grand Secretary Shen Shixing.

Shen Nian was not averse to this.

At the moment, he likes the way the officials in the court are all rolled up in their sleeves. As long as it's not just for show, he quite likes this atmosphere.

In the present Ming Dynasty, officials need to be at the forefront. If they are busy, the people will not be so tired in the future.

In Shen Nian's eyes, being rotten is not scary, because he has already rotted away; what is scary is lying down and giving up.

at the same time.

The first thing that came to mind for the young Wanli Emperor was the soldiers in the northern border region.

The capital is cold, but the nine border regions in the north are even colder.

Emperor Wanli immediately ordered the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue to provide additional cotton-padded clothing for the soldiers stationed along the nine northern borders, and instructed the Ministry of War to promptly report on the soldiers' winter conditions and the city's defense arrangements.

This kind of weather is precisely when border defenses are lax, and some Tatar tribes are very likely to raid the people and plunder resources for the winter, so we must be on guard.

……

afternoon.

After eating and drinking their fill and having nothing else to do, Shen Nian, Gu Yue'er, and Xiao Yanche built a big snowman in the yard.

Just as it was nearing completion.

Aji, holding a book, came to Shen Nian and said, "Young Master, Manager Liu sent this by someone. He said this news is extremely important and you must read it immediately!"

Manager Liu is a bookstall owner who regularly provides Shen Nian with tabloids and occasionally shares some current events with her.

Shen Nian put the shovel for building a snowman aside and said to Xiao Yanche, "Yanche, you play with your mother first!"

After saying that, Shen Nian took the book. When she saw the four characters on the cover, she frowned slightly and then walked into the front hall.

then.

He sat in the large chair and began to read intently, his expression growing increasingly serious.

This book was not printed by an ordinary folk newspaper workshop, but by exquisite woodblock printing. It was obviously printed by someone special, and the quantity must have been considerable.

The four characters on the front of the book are: "Last Words from My Sickbed", and the author of the book is: Gao Gong, the former Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty.

Gao Gong passed away in August of this year at the age of 67 and was buried in his hometown of Xinzheng.

Because he was dismissed from his post and banished from the capital, the court made no statement.

Some of his students had submitted memorials to apply for posthumous honors for him (i.e., the funeral rites, posthumous titles, and honorary ranks established by the emperor for officials after their death), but the young Wanli Emperor was very dissatisfied with Gao Gong's disrespectful behavior towards the young emperor, so he shelved the memorials and it may take a long time before funeral rites are arranged for him.

This "Last Words from His Sickbed" consists of three volumes: the Regent's Mandate, the Causes of Conflict, and the Deep-Seated Poisonous Schemes, totaling nearly 20,000 words. It records in detail everything that happened in the court before and after the death of the late emperor in the sixth year of the Longqing reign, including: Zhang Juzheng becoming the regent and taking power, the assassination attempt by the princes and ministers, his ostracization, his near suicide, and his subsequent expulsion from the capital.

In short, this will was Gao Gong's defense to prevent history from wronging him and to prevent the world from misunderstanding him.

Its contents are terrifying to read.

Gao Gong claimed that Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao altered the late emperor's edict, thus enabling Feng Bao to share the responsibility of assisting the emperor with the cabinet.

Gao Gong claimed that Feng and Zhang took his words about "how a ten-year-old crown prince can govern the country" out of context, which intensified his conflict with Empress Dowager Li and led to his dismissal and repatriation.

Gao Gong claimed that he was falsely accused of being the mastermind behind the Wang Dachen's palace intrusion incident, but it was actually a conspiracy between Feng and Zhang.

Gao Gong stated that Zhang Juzheng used the performance evaluation system to secretly cultivate cronies to control departments such as the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate, and used censors to slander him, causing his reputation to plummet.

Gao Gong also stated that Zhang Juzheng, under the guise of reform, accepted bribes, including treasures from local officials and beautiful women and tonics from Qi Jiguang. The purpose of his new policies was to strengthen his personal power, rather than to benefit the country and its people.

……

In short, 80% of Gao Gong's nearly 20,000-word last will and testament was about the crimes of Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao.

The last words of this will also state that this article was written by Gao Gong after he recovered from a serious illness in October of the first year of the Wanli reign, and the original manuscript was kept by his adopted son, Gao Wuguan.

On the last page, there is a line of small print: This edition has a print run of 6,000 copies.

After reading it, Shen Nian's forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

Because he wrote daily records and compiled historical records, he had read through all the events that happened from the ascension of the Longqing Emperor to the ascension of the young Wanli Emperor.

Much of what this will describes is historically verifiable, and the writing style is entirely in Gao Gong's style.

Shen Nian was convinced that this must be Gao Gong's last words, and that these words had been deliberately sent to the capital.

at this time.

The fact that Shen Nian could see this last message means that it had already spread.

The Directorate of Ceremonial and the Cabinet have most likely already seen this will, or will see it very soon.

Shen Nian believes that some of the contents of this will are unreliable.

In his will, Gao Gong believed himself to be flawless and devoted to the country, while Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao were both villains, and he had too many subjective opinions.

However, these were, after all, his last words, and there was a mixture of truth and falsehood in them.

Out of sympathy, and because many scholar-officials opposed the new policies, they were more inclined to believe that Gao Gong's words were true.

If this were to spread among the general public, it would absolutely be enough to ruin the reputations of Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao.

That was an amazing move!
This matter is extremely thorny and far more difficult to handle than Liu Tai's attack on Zhang Juzheng, or the controversy surrounding Zhang Juzheng's decision to withdraw from mourning last year.

At this moment, Shen Nian had no way to stop the spread of this dying message.

He can only wait and see how things develop, and react accordingly.

He believed that neither Zhang Juzheng nor Feng Bao were passive recipients of the attack and would certainly take some measures to protect their reputations.

"Alas! Lord Gao, why do you do this? Throughout history, there have always been many dark sides to officialdom and political struggles. The winners win all, and the losers lose all. How can the new policies progress if you do this? In the end, it is the common people who will suffer!"

Shen Nian had a terrible headache.

What he disliked most was this kind of infighting within the court, which harmed the country and its people and was utterly worthless.

……

And this moment.

Inside the Directorate of Ceremonial, Feng Bao was the first to see Gao Gong's "Last Words on His Deathbed".

After reading it, he was furious.

"That damned Gao Xinzheng, even in death he can't stay still. I should have killed him back then. I...I...I was only trying to protect myself, but he tried to take my life!"

Compared to the conflict between Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong, the conflict between Feng Bao and Gao Gong was the most intense.

Because Gao Gong advocated that the inner court should not interfere in politics and that the power of the Directorate of Ceremonial should be returned to the cabinet, and because Gao Gong was indeed too arrogant, Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao together ousted him from office.

Feng Bao thought for a moment, then turned to the young eunuch beside him and said, "Quickly deliver this book to His Majesty. This matter cannot be kept from His Majesty. Hiding it is useless. The intelligence from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs must not be slower than that of other departments. I believe His Majesty knows what's going on!"

"Furthermore, His Majesty should know that I have not yet read this book!"

"Understood, Ancestor!" The young eunuch took the book with both hands and quickly walked outside.

Feng Bao then turned to another eunuch beside him and said, "Quickly investigate where this book came from and how it has spread among the people!"

(End of this chapter)