I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 231 An Unsolvable Situation? Shen Nian: First Courtesy, Then Force; If There's No Compromise, Then Prompt Punishment

Night falls, the imperial prison.

Inside a cold, damp, dimly lit cell that reeked of a strong, foul odor.

Wang Shizhen, dressed in a prison uniform with mildew spots, sat cross-legged on a clump of dry grass, closing his eyes to rest.

Directly in front of it was a stack of documents, including the Veritable Records of Emperor Muzong compiled by historians of the Hanlin Academy, files concerning the case of princes and ministers storming the palace, and a copy of Zhang Juzheng's memorial refuting Gao Gong's last words.

These documents have been sitting in the cell for almost half a day.

However, Wang Shizhen dismissed it with the statement, "Those who ally with Jiangling are not worthy of consideration."

In the next cell were Wang Shizhen's twelve students, almost all of whom were seventeen or eighteen years old and had not yet achieved any official rank.

Wang Shizhen's decision to take them to the capital was a calculated move.

He felt he had no chance of leaving the capital, so he selected a group of young students who were loyal to him, appreciated what he did, were kind and simple, had a strong sense of patriotism, and were unlikely to enter officialdom through the imperial examinations.

These young students only accompanied him to Beijing and did not participate in the publication and promotion of Gao Gong's "Last Words on His Sickbed," so their crime did not warrant death.

As witnesses, they saw all of this and will record the truth in the future, passing it down to posterity. This unique experience will make these people famous throughout the world, and Wang Shizhen will also be remembered for eternity because of this story of fighting against the powerful minister.

Wang Shizhen was willing to risk his life to remove Zhang Juzheng from the position of Grand Secretary.

It wasn't that there was any deep-seated hatred between the two.

Rather, it was the powerful minister Yan Song who framed and killed his father, Wang Yu, which made him hate powerful ministers and act arbitrarily, so he risked his life to deal with Zhang Juzheng.

As long as he lived, he would deal with whoever became the powerful minister in the court, and whoever made the emperor weaker than his ministers.

……

Just then, Lü Hai, the adopted son of Feng Bao, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, arrived at the prison gate.

When he saw that Wang Shizhen still hadn't looked at the documents he had brought, he said with a dark expression, "Wang Shizhen, don't push your luck! This is the imperial prison. If you disobey, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

Wang Shizhen opened his eyes, glanced at him with disdain, as if to say: You are not worthy to speak to this old man, and then closed his eyes again.

Lu Hai clenched his fists in anger, wanting to beat Wang Shizhen to a pulp.

But he didn't dare.

Emperor Wanli had issued a strict order that Wang Shizhen and his twelve students should not be shackled or tortured; not even a slight touch was permitted.

In the neighboring prison.

When Wang Shizhen's twelve students saw Lü Hai insulting Wang Shizhen, they all stood up in unison.

"Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" Lu Hai glared at the group of students and said.

These young students stood tall, staring directly at Lü Hai. The leader among them said coldly, "You eunuch's lackey, we are not afraid of you!"

"You eunuch's lackey, we are not afraid of you!" the students behind shouted in unison, their voices very loud.

Everyone knew that he was Feng Bao's godson.

Enraged, Lü Hai spun around in circles, utterly furious. Then he shouted at the jailers not far away, "Bring out all our weapons and let them know how the Imperial Prison treats its guests!"

The Imperial Prison was known as a prison outside the law.

Ignoring the provisions of the Ming Dynasty Code, interrogations were mostly conducted through torture or murder.

Branding with hot irons, breaking spines with large sticks, washing the body with boiling water, removing intestines and filling with lead, and even skinning are all common practices.

Although Lü Hai dared not use torture under the emperor's command, he could still take out the instruments of torture to frighten these young people.

In general, mere intimidation is enough to frighten criminals into panic, even causing them to lose control of their bladder and bowels.

Just then, a member of the Imperial Guard ran over and whispered a few words in his ear.

Lu Hai's face was gloomy. He glanced at the instruments of torture that the Imperial Guards were carrying toward the prison gate and said, "Take all of these back first. Then quickly clean these two cells and make sure there is no foul smell. Also, make this area brighter!"

With that, Lü Hai turned and left.

The Imperial Guards also left to prepare cleaning tools.

At this moment, Wang Shizhen slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that there was no one else around, he turned to the students in the next cell and said, "It seems that a big shot has arrived. If he convicts me or kills me in the imperial prison, you don't need to resist anymore. Just bow your heads and write this down in your notebooks. In the future, there will surely be virtuous people to overturn my case!"

The twelve young students, their eyes reddening, clasped their hands in unison.

They believed they were righteous and that Wang Shizhen was sacrificing himself for the stability of the Ming Dynasty.

……

About fifteen minutes later.

Grand Secretary Shen Shixing, accompanied by Cao Wei, the pacification commissioner of the Northern Garrison, and Lü Hai, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, arrived at the Imperial Prison.

Shen Shixing was acting on the emperor's orders to probe Wang Shizhen's intentions and find a way to get him to compromise.

"Commander Cao, send a jailer to lead me to the prison cell. The others don't need to follow!" Shen Shixing said.

"Yes!" Cao Wei bowed.

After a while.

Shen Shixing appeared in front of Wang Shizhen's prison gate, waved his hand, and the prison guards he led with withdrew.

“Brother Yuanmei, it’s been a long time. Why…why did you have to do this?” Shen Shixing sighed helplessly.

Wang Shizhen and Shen Shixing served in the same court. The former was ten years older than the latter. The two had almost no interaction in their official careers and could only be considered nodding acquaintances.

Upon seeing that the visitor was Shen Shixing, Wang Shizhen slowly stood up.

"Grand Secretary Shen, if you've come here to act as an envoy for that man from Jing (Zhang Juzheng), please go back!" Wang Shizhen said coldly.

The twelve students in the next cell, upon learning that the visitor was Cabinet Minister Shen Shixing, also stood up.

Shen Shixing is pragmatic and low-key, and has a good reputation in both official circles and among the general public.

Shen Shixing paused for a moment, then continued, “Back then, your father was framed and killed by Yan Song and his son, but the late emperor exonerated him. Today’s Grand Secretary Zhang is completely different from Yan Song. I know you hate powerful ministers in power, but His Majesty is young and can only rely on Grand Secretary Zhang. You have gone too far by making this matter known to the whole world based on Gao Suqing’s book, ‘Last Words on His Sickbed,’ which is of dubious authenticity. This can be considered framing!”

"After His Majesty orders an investigation, Grand Secretary Zhang and Eunuch Feng will soon be exonerated. Is it worth it for you to fight a losing battle and ruin the futures of these young people in the process?"

"It's worth it!" Wang Shizhen said, raising her voice.

"With powerful ministers wielding absolute power and eunuchs interfering in politics, how can the Ming Dynasty prosper?"

"I know that after the court's investigation, whatever it finds, it will completely deny Gao Suqing's 'Last Words on His Sickbed,' but I believe in Gao Suqing. I came to the capital seeking death."

“If the court kills me, these young people will pass on the truth to future generations, and countless scholars who believe in me will speak out for me; if the court releases me, I will continue to fight with my pen until there are no powerful ministers or eunuchs in the court. Of course, the court can also kill us all. If they kill us, I believe that everyone in the world will believe that Gao Suqing’s ‘Last Words on His Sickbed’ is the truth!”

"You must have been sent by His Majesty to probe my thoughts and then devise a plan to make me compromise!"

"Let me tell you, I came to the capital with the intention of dying, and I have already made my final arrangements. I will absolutely not compromise or admit my mistakes." "As long as the court does not dismiss Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao, I will continue to cause trouble. After I die, I will let my disciples and followers cause trouble. They will definitely make Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao disgraced and infamous for eternity. Everyone involved in this matter will be despised by the people in the future!"

“Brother Yuanmei, no one in the court can replace Grand Secretary Zhang right now, and the new policies cannot be separated from…” Shen Shixing was interrupted by Wang Shizhen before he could finish speaking.

"You don't need to talk about Zhang Juzheng's importance to the court and the new policies. I've already said it: the Ming Dynasty can do without Zhang Juzheng, but it must have justice!"

……

"What I am doing today is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty for thousands of years to come. It may affect the court and the new policies in the short term, but His Majesty will surely realize my good intentions in the future. Only when there are no more powerful ministers and eunuchs in the court can our Ming Dynasty last for thousands of years!"

"Brother Yuanmei, you've been an official for many years, how come you still have the mindset of a scholar? Reality isn't like that, there's no perfect person in the world..."

"Don't try to reason with me anymore. Either kill me or let me out so I can continue to criticize Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao!" Wang Shizhen's tone was extremely sharp.

He was determined to risk his life to ruin Zhang Juzheng's reputation.

Shen Shixing was speechless for a moment. The trap set by the other party was almost unsolvable.

Given Wang Shizhen's influence, he could easily have turned Zhang Juzheng into a powerful and tyrannical minister who was condemned by everyone.

Public opinion can kill.

If Zhang Juzheng were to attend court and conduct business under this title every day, his prestige would rapidly decline, and the court would be unable to give him important responsibilities due to pressure.

If Zhang Juzheng himself were constantly being cursed, he probably wouldn't be in the mood to carry out reforms anymore.

As the saying goes, half a sentence is enough without speculation.

"Yuanmei, you're too stubborn! Think about it again!" Shen Shixing flicked his long sleeves and strode away.

Shen Shixing has achieved his goal.

When he reached the front of the prison where the instruments of torture were placed, Cao Wei and Lü Hai hurriedly came over to see what instructions Shen Shixing had.

Shen Shixing thought for a moment and said, "Keep a close eye on Wang Shizhen to prevent him from committing suicide. If he does, it will be even harder to clear the stains on Grand Secretary Zhang and Eunuch Feng's reputation. Also, improve their food. Those twelve young men are patriotic, passionate, and brave, but they're just not smart enough! Their parents will be heartbroken if they get sick from hunger!"

Shen Shixing never forgets to be a good and kind person at any time.

"Yes, Elder Shen!" The two bowed simultaneously.

……

The next morning, at the Wenhua Hall.

Emperor Wanli summoned all the cabinet ministers Yin Zhengmao and Shen Shixing, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Three Judicial Offices Chen Kai, the Minister of Justice Yan Qing, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review Lu Guangzu, and Shen Nian.

Since Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao were involved in this matter, they naturally had to avoid suspicion.

Shen Shixing recounted his conversation with Wang Shizhen the previous night, explaining in detail the latter's stubborn ideas.

Emperor Wanli was furious.

"He used this method to tarnish the name of the Grand Secretary, which is truly despicable. Do any of you gentlemen have a good plan to properly resolve this matter?"

The three chief officials of the three judicial departments couldn't help but frown.

The biggest challenge in this matter is that Wang Shizhen has a huge influence in the court and among the people, and in some matters he may even overshadow the credibility of the court.

He has already disregarded his own life; it's simply impossible for him to compromise and admit his mistakes.

At this moment, Yin Zhengmao strode out, cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, since he is seeking death, let the Three Judicial Offices find a reason to execute him, and that will be the end of it. As for the public opinion that will follow, just suppress it by force. This is what Eunuch Feng is best at.”

While expressing his stance, Yin Zhengmao didn't forget to annoy Feng Bao by saying that Feng Bao's secret police were indeed professional in doing shady things.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yan Qing, the Minister of Justice, stepped forward.

"No, absolutely not! Killing Wang Shizhen would likely cause an uproar among scholars across the land. Wang Shizhen's influence among scholars is too great, and we have no sufficient reason to execute him. His publication and dissemination of Gao Suqing's 'Last Words from His Sickbed' is not enough grounds for execution!"

Immediately afterwards, Chen Kai, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I suggest that we first thoroughly investigate the authenticity of the 'Last Words from the Sickbed,' make our stance clear, and then continue to persuade Wang Shizhen to compromise. If he is unwilling to compromise, we should make the investigation results public to the world. While clearing the names of Grand Secretary Zhang and Eunuch Feng, I hope that Grand Secretary Zhang can repay evil with kindness and submit a memorial requesting lenient punishment for these people. As for the final outcome, we can only believe it if we want to, and doubt it if we don't!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhengmao's face grew even darker, and he immediately stood up to refute it.

"Repay evil with kindness? Those brainless scholars would only think that Grand Secretary Zhang is in the wrong to act this way! You all know Wang Shizhen's character; because of his own family problems, he inherently hates the Grand Secretary!"

"Back when an earthquake struck Huguang, he was able to submit a memorial criticizing Grand Secretary Zhang for his excessive power, which was a warning from Heaven! If we release the tiger back into the mountains today, given his nature, scholars across the land will be instigated by him to criticize Grand Secretary Zhang. How can the new policies be reformed then?"

"Grand Secretary Zhang has been working tirelessly for the court, and his health has deteriorated to the point where he needs medication to maintain his health. His achievements in the new policies are evident to all. We cannot let him down, nor can we allow these scholars who have made no contribution to the court or the people to slander him at will!"

"If the three judicial authorities cannot find a reason to kill him, I am willing to do it myself, and then commit suicide to atone for my sins. I will never tarnish the Ming Dynasty's laws or the reputations of the three of you!"

……

Yin Zhengmao was emotional.

He always kept his word, and the banditry he had developed during his time fighting Japanese pirates had not dissipated despite his frequent presence in the cabinet. If no one stopped him, he might go home, sharpen his knife, and head straight to the imperial prison to kill someone.

At his age, he's capable of anything except rebellion.

The three chief officials of the three judicial departments were immediately speechless.

“Grand Secretary Yin, we must not be rash. We are only discussing this now and have not yet reached a conclusion. What you have said is a very poor strategy!” Shen Shixing said.

At this time, Shen Nian stood up.

"Your Majesty, since Grand Secretary Zhang assumed the position of Chief Grand Secretary, his various new policies and reforms have offended countless people, drawing both praise and criticism. Many wish for his death to end his policies, and almost every month's memorials contain criticisms of him. In the streets and among the common people, all sorts of rumors are circulating..."

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhengmao, Shen Shixing, and the heads of the three judicial departments were all taken aback. They suddenly thought of something, an outrageous statement that they dared not tell young Wanli.

Recently, there have been rumors circulating among the people that Zhang Juzheng had an affair with Empress Dowager Li.

Yin Zhengmao and the others absolutely did not believe it.

Given Empress Dowager Li's "I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen" personality and her tendency to cry at any moment, it was impossible for Zhang Juzheng to have an ambiguous relationship with her.

Moreover, Zhang Juzheng was not that kind of person at all.

Shen Nian continued, "Last time it was Liu Tai, this time it's Wang Shizhen, and next time, and the time after that, there will definitely be more people jumping out and inciting countless people to participate in attacking Grand Secretary Zhang and affecting the progress of the new policies. I think we should come up with a plan to completely solve the problem of Grand Secretary Zhang being attacked!"

“Yes, that’s the key to the problem!” Little Wanli nodded.

"I have some ideas, but I need to consider them carefully and discuss them with the three Grand Secretaries first."

"As for how to deal with Wang Shizhen now, I... I also wish I could kill him, because he has undermined the new policies and misled the people, but... killing him would have too bad an impact. I want to meet with him and have a talk. If we cannot get him to compromise, after the investigation of this case is completed, I suggest that he be severely punished in accordance with the Great Ming Code. Then we can study how to deal with the fact that there are always people criticizing Grand Secretary Zhang."

"For now, this is the only way! Shen Qing, when you see Wang Shizhen, don't worry about his status as a leader in the literary world. Scold him as much as you want and make him understand that his role in the country is less than one ten-thousandth of that of a prime minister!" the young Wanli instructed.

"Your subject obeys!" Shen Nian bowed deeply.

(End of this chapter)