I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 256 The Chaste and Virtuous Immortal Tan Yangzi, Wang Xijue Angrily Hits a Wall
April 18th, the capital city, as bustling and lively as ever. 
Shen Nian's father, Shen Yaoshan, and his father-in-law, Gu Dongxing, stayed in the capital for eight days. They also visited the newly established Beijing Mathematics Society in the western part of the capital, which already had more than 200 members, before leaving the capital in the afternoon.

These days, the two of them are even busier than Shen Nian.

Shen Yaoshan privately hinted to Shen Nian that once Shen Nian's career had progressed further and they had finalized the rules for Yaodong Trading Company, they would return to Qiantang to retire, so as to prevent Shen Nian from being criticized by the world because of Yaodong Trading Company.

After all, although Shen Yaoshan and Gu Dongxing shared the profits with the merchants and took nothing for themselves, they are now famous and can gather most of the merchants in the north with a single call.

Such power is enough to influence trade and commerce worldwide, and enough to influence the policies of the imperial court.

……

During this period, all matters of the court were proceeding in an orderly manner.

The Ministry of War has determined that by the end of May, a thousand imperial guards will be selected and sent to the capital.

At the same time, after Zhang Juzheng added a military instructor to the young Wanli Emperor's repertoire, the young Wanli Emperor was very enthusiastic. In the afternoons, in addition to practicing calligraphy, he would ride horses and shoot arrows. He was in a very good mood and looked much more energetic than before.

……

April 20th, early morning.

Just as Shen Nian was handling official business in the office of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he suddenly heard that Wang Xijue, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, had been impeached by a group of officials.

Six officials jointly submitted a memorial impeaching Wang Xijue for failing to manage his household properly, for using his daughter to seduce the public, for violating public morals, and for being unfit to continue serving as the head of the Hanlin Academy.

Shen Nian was somewhat stunned when she heard the news.

He knew that Wang Xijue's second daughter was quite unusual, and seemed to be practicing Taoism in her hometown, but he didn't know exactly what had happened.

Shen Nian immediately returned to the Hanlin Academy and learned that Wang Xijue had gone to the cabinet. He then asked his other colleagues and found out what had happened.

Wang Xijue's second daughter is named Wang Gui, courtesy name Taozhen, and is twenty-two years old this year.

At the age of sixteen, she was betrothed to Xu Jingshao, the son of Xu Tingluo, a councilor of the Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commission. However, three months before their marriage, Xu Jingshao died unexpectedly.

Wang Taozhen then decided to remain chaste for her fiancé.

During her period of mourning, she became engrossed in Taoist scriptures and cultivation. She claimed to have received guidance from immortals in her dreams, and that her soul could leave her body to communicate with them. She then began to practice fasting and meditation, subsisting only on dew and flower petals, and gave herself the Taoist name: Tan Yangzi.

In the past two years, Tan Yangzi has made many statements.

For example, she believes that the three teachings share the same origin, namely, the Confucian doctrine of moderation, the Buddhist concept of emptiness, and the Taoist concept of non-action, which are actually the same thing.

For example, she refused to study Confucian classics such as the Classic of Filial Piety, claiming that these were the constraints and trampling of life by traditional etiquette.

For example, she claimed that all physical hardships were necessary steps to attain enlightenment and sainthood, and that all she had to do was remain faithful to her husband and become an immortal through chastity.

……

Because of her peculiar remarks, and the fact that the Wang family of Taicang, Suzhou, seemed to be intentionally creating an image of Tan Yangzi as a chaste and virtuous woman who remained faithful to her husband, in order to bring glory to the Wang family, Tan Yangzi's name became famous throughout Jiangnan.

At the beginning of this year, Wang Shizhen, a leading figure in the Ming Dynasty literary world who had returned to his hometown, personally visited Tan Yangzi. After listening to her theory of the unity of the three religions, he directly became her disciple and called himself Tan Yangzi's disciple.

Later, Tu Long, a talented scholar who passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Wanli reign and was then serving as a county magistrate, also visited Tan Yangzi. He claimed that Tan Yangzi possessed the magic of "abstaining from food by swallowing air and taking things from a distance." After returning home, he hung Tan Yangzi's portrait in his bedroom and burned incense and kowtowed to him every day, saying: "The master's teachings are like thunder in my ears."

This action led many scholars to visit Tan Yangzi, and all who went said: the miracles are not unfounded, a true immortal has descended to earth.

This made Tan Yangzi's name resound throughout the literary circles of Jiangnan, and she had many admirers.

Some scholars have said that Tan Yangzi's theory of the common origin of the three religions can make up for the bias of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

Some scholars have said that Tan Yangzi's ascetic practices in attaining enlightenment surpassed the Confucian ideals of self-cultivation and family management, thus making him a true immortal.

Some scholars say that Tan Yangzi remained chaste and faithful to her husband, thus becoming an immortal in spirit, and was truly a living bodhisattva.

……

After hearing these remarks, Shen Nian smiled helplessly. Having lived two lives, he clearly did not believe in such superstitious and absurd words.

Whether Tan Yangzi possessed supernatural abilities is unknown, as he was so highly regarded by scholars in Jiangnan.

But there must be two other reasons.

Firstly, the current popular thought is in a period of enlightenment, and many literati believe in religion more than in the imperial court. They are obsessed with seeking immortality and Taoism and are very disgusted with the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism. So when a 22-year-old young woman has such a theory, they are naturally amazed and want to use her supernatural actions to make religious power supersede the imperial court.

Secondly, Tan Yangzi's act of remaining chaste for her husband and pursuing immortality through chastity was in line with the prevailing social sentiments and served as a slap in the face to Zhang Juzheng for being deprived of his affections. This act subtly satirized Zhang Juzheng and told the world that those who remain chaste can become immortals, while those who do not may go to hell.

Zhang Juzheng had many enemies, so naturally they would support Tan Yangzi and put down Zhang Juzheng.

……

The reactions of officials in the capital were completely different from those of the common people.

Officials who respected etiquette believed that Tan Yangzi's actions after upholding his chastity and practicing Taoism were heretical and immoral.

As a Hanlin scholar, Wang Xijue had to be a defender of Confucian rites, and a defender at the forefront.

His daughter's behavior is so bewitching that he has failed to manage his household properly, which is a disgrace to the scholarly profession. He is no longer worthy of serving as a Hanlin Academician.

His impeachment was entirely reasonable.

Shen Nian frowned slightly.

At the end of the month, the representatives of the imperial clan will arrive in the capital, and the main force responsible for negotiating with them is Wang Xijue. The strategy for dealing with the imperial clan was devised by Wang Xijue, and he has been preparing for this matter for nearly ten days. If he encounters this matter and is unable to negotiate with the imperial clan, his three strategies may not be able to be implemented.

Shen Nian even suspected that the revelation of Tan Yangzi's affair at this moment might have been orchestrated by some representatives of the imperial clan.

The purpose was to sabotage the imperial court's adjustment of the annual stipends of the imperial princes.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Nian decided to go to the cabinet to check on the situation.

Wang Xijue has a bad temper. If he were to resign, the affairs of the imperial clan would be difficult to handle, and all the affairs of the Hanlin Academy would likely fall on Shen Nian's shoulders.

……

About a quarter of an hour later.

Shen Nian had just stepped outside the front hall of the cabinet office and hadn't even sent someone to report when he heard a "bang" from inside.

Then, Yin Zhengmao's loud and clear voice came from inside.

"Quickly, summon the imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

Then, Shen Nian saw two clerks carrying skirts and trousers, hurrying out.

Shen Nian rushed into the front hall of the cabinet without even having time to announce her arrival.

Then he saw Wang Xijue sitting on the ground against the wall, his forehead covered in blood. Shen Shixing handed him a towel, but he refused to take it, letting the blood flow onto his nose, mouth, and even his official robes.

Zhang Juzheng and Yin Zhengmao stood in front of the chairs, both with dark faces.

Shen Nian was somewhat bewildered.

It's clearly impossible that the four of them were fighting.

Suddenly, he noticed bloodstains on the pine log below the scroll on the wall and on several protruding small bamboo nails.

Based on the sound he had just heard, he deduced that Wang Xijue must have hit the wall and then happened to hit the protruding bamboo nail below the scroll, which was why he was bleeding so much.

"What's wrong with you! Are you a toad? If you're so capable, go ahead and crash into me again. You'll die right here today, and that'll be a terrible death!" Shen Shixing said angrily.

Shen Nian quickly walked over, took the towel from Shen Shixing's hand, and then gently wiped away the bloodstains from Wang Xijue's body.

Wang Xijue remained motionless in front of Shen Nian, cooperating perfectly.

After wiping him down, Shen Nian looked at the two secretaries standing to the side and said, "Come, help Scholar Wang to the side room to rest. The imperial physician should be here soon!"

Soon, Wang Xijue was helped out.

Inside the hall, only Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, Shen Shixing, and Shen Nian remained.

Shen Nian spoke first: "Three Grand Secretaries, what... what happened? How... how did you force Scholar Wang to bang his head against the wall and beg for death?"

Shen Shixing slightly pursed his lips.

"It's my fault, I said the wrong thing!"

Shen Shixing explained, "Ziheng, you should know about Tanyangzi's chastity and pursuit of immortality, right?"

"I've heard about it all. Since Scholar Wang is still responsible for pacifying the imperial clans, I was worried that he might resign because of this, so I rushed over here!" Shen Nian said.

"Your concerns are valid. Grand Secretary Zhang, Grand Secretary Yin, and I summoned him to inquire about the specifics of the Tan Yangzi matter. He claimed he knew nothing, saying his daughter was simply keeping her chastity. He felt there was nothing wrong with Tan Yangzi pursuing her own path. Then I said, 'If this woman were born in a chaotic era, she would surely become one of the Yellow Turbans or White Lotus rebels.' He immediately became enraged, claiming his daughter had no intention of influencing others and that his family upbringing was flawless. When I argued with him, he became so angry that he declared he would die to prove his innocence and proceeded to bang his head against a wall..."

Shen Shixing's tone clearly indicated that he felt Wang Xijue's extreme actions were somewhat inexplicable.

Shen Nian looked helpless.

The phrase "If this woman were born in a chaotic era, she would surely be one of the Yellow Turbans or White Lotus rebels" practically implied that the Wang family of Taicang, Suzhou, was a family of rebels. How could Wang Xijue not be furious!
At this moment, Zhang Juzheng slowly spoke: "Just now, I was thinking about whether to suspend Yuan Yu from his post. Now it seems that he must rest at home for a few days. As for whether he should participate in pacifying the imperial clansmen, that depends on the public opinion in the court!"

"Ziheng, I will request His Majesty's decree later to temporarily appoint you to head the Hanlin Academy!"

"Your humble servant obeys!" Shen Nian cupped his hands slightly. Wang Xijue had an injury on his forehead and would need to rest for at least three to five days.

At this moment, Yin Zhengmao looked at Shen Nian and asked, "Ziheng, do you believe in immortals?"

Shen Nian pondered for a moment and said, "I don't believe it! I've never seen an immortal, only people who pretend to be immortals and people who claim that there are immortals in the world."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng and the other two couldn't help but nod.

They vaguely sensed that the incident involving Tan Yangzi might have been orchestrated by people who opposed the new policies of the court, hated Zhang Juzheng, or were even dissatisfied with the recent adjustment of the stipends for the imperial princes.

Not long after.

The imperial physician came to a side room in the inner chamber and bandaged up Wang Xijue's wounds.

Wang Xijue suffered from a severe headache. With Zhang Juzheng's permission, he took five days of sick leave and returned to his residence.

……

At noon that day.

Shen Nian received an imperial decree ordering him to temporarily take charge of the Hanlin Academy as a Hanlin Academician.

In the afternoon, many more memorials impeaching Wang Xijue were added.

In the Hanlin Academy, Shen Yiguan, a Hanlin Reader, also wrote a memorial impeaching Wang Xijue, saying that his daughter's actions shook the Confucian system of etiquette, and that Wang Xijue had failed in educating his daughter and was no longer qualified to serve in the Hanlin Academy.

As a Hanlin scholar, Shen Yiguan's severe impeachment of Wang Xijue prompted other officials to also submit memorials impeaching him.

Some did it to subtly criticize Zhang Juzheng, some for the benefit of the imperial clans, and some simply to have an extra credit score on their year-end performance evaluations...

The young Wanli Emperor was deeply troubled by these impeachment memorials.

The princes and vassals were already difficult to deal with, and Wang Xijue had been preparing for a long time. If he were to appoint other officials, even if Shen Shixing or Shen Nian were to take charge, the effect would be greatly reduced, and the two of them already had heavy responsibilities.

……

into the night.

Shen Nian arrived at Wang Xijue's residence in a carriage, carrying two boxes of pastries.

He felt that Wang Xijue's act of hitting the wall today was not entirely impulsive; there might be other factors involved.

Upon hearing that Shen Nian had come to visit, Wang Xijue immediately ordered his men to invite Shen Nian to the front hall.

At this moment, Wang Xijue was wearing a long robe, his head was wrapped in a layer of medicinal cloth, and his face was somewhat pale.

"Ziheng, please sit down, please sit down. I am fine, I am fine!" Wang Xijue said.

Then, before Shen Nian could speak, Wang Xijue started talking about Tan Yangzi.

"My second daughter suffered a difficult birth and was constantly on medication from a young age, which was considered an omen of bad luck by the family. She had no interest in poetry, books, or needlework from childhood, and didn't interact much with her siblings. She spent her days in her boudoir with a copy of the 'Yin Fu Jing' (a classic text on divination). I paid little attention to her. After her fiancé died unexpectedly, she asked to remain chaste for him and become a nun. I didn't think much of it. I never expected that she would become the teacher of a group of scholars in Jiangnan..."

After listening to Wang Xijue's story, Shen Nian felt even more strongly that Tan Yangzi was a mentally unstable girl who lived in a fantasy world because she was neglected by her family.

She may have read too many idle books and come up with some philosophical insights into seeking immortality, but it was nothing more than her own self-talk.

She was just a pitiful woman who was used and pampered.

Shen Nian looked at Wang Xijue and went straight to the point: "Brother Yuanyu, I wonder if the Wang family of Taicang supports the so-called theory of becoming an immortal through chastity?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xijue was speechless.

Wang Xijue came from the Taicang Wang clan, a well-known official family that was particularly fond of fame. The fact that he praised "Tanyangzi for her chastity, integrating the three religions, and becoming an immortal through her chastity" clearly made it possible to promote the name of the Taicang Wang clan.

Shen Nian felt that Wang Xijue might not have instructed his family to use this as a selling point to promote his daughter. In order to prove his innocence, Wang Xijue chose to bang his head against a wall.

But his family must have been very supportive.

Otherwise, how could a twenty-two-year-old woman, who usually stayed at home, attract the worship of a group of literati in Jiangnan, who even claimed to have seen her many magical abilities?

It's impossible for him not to be exposed.

"Ugh!"

Wang Xijue sighed helplessly.

"Ziheng, as expected, nothing can be hidden from you. The family has indeed been promoting my daughter's name all along, but I didn't expect Wang Shizhen to get involved and amplify this matter, using it as a means to attack Grand Secretary Zhang for seizing the opportunity to mourn, and to attack Confucianism at present!"

"But things have come to this point, and no matter how the court investigates, I can only insist that I was not involved in this matter. Otherwise, I might not be able to participate in matters concerning the imperial clans!"

Wang Xijue was aware that his daughter, Tan Yangzi, had been exploited.

But in his heart, his daughter was pursuing herself and there was nothing wrong with that, and he was not wrong either.

Shen Nian shook his head slightly.

“Brother Yuanyu, your claim of not being involved is probably not enough. I think your understanding of your daughter is only based on hearsay. This kind of praise could cost her her life. Her claim of becoming an immortal through chastity might just be a helpless act to cover up the lie after being praised.”

Wang Xijue asked with a serious expression, "Then... what should we do next?"

Shen Nian paused for a moment, then said earnestly, "Let the world know that the Wang family of Taicang does not have a fairy in their family, but rather a sick woman!"

(End of this chapter)