I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 257 The Proclamation of the Wang Clan of Taicang! All Representatives of the Imperial Feudal States Have Arrived in the Capital
"The Wang family of Taicang does not have a fairy maiden in their household, but rather a sick daughter!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xijue's expression suddenly turned serious.

If the Wang family of Taicang were to explain to the outside world that Tan Yangzi's various bizarre behaviors after becoming a monk were all caused by madness and epilepsy.

The impeachment by the officials against Wang Xijue for "bewitching the public with women and failing to manage his household properly" was unfounded. Therefore, Wang Xijue did not need to be suspended from his post, and the adjustment of the imperial princes' annual stipends would not be affected.

However, in his view, this move would have too much of a negative impact on the Wang family of Taicang.

The Wang family of Taicang will suffer a great loss of reputation due to the suspicion that they "deceived the world for fame," and this incident will also make Wang Shizhen, Tu Long, and other famous scholars in Jiangnan a laughing stock.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Xijue shook his head slightly.

“Ziheng, I know what you mean, but the price is too high. Moreover, my daughter’s pursuit of chastity and immortality may not be an illness. Perhaps she is truly connected with the heavens. Taoist cultivation has been going strong for thousands of years. No one has any evidence to prove that my daughter is not a reincarnation of an immortal?”

Wang Xijue lived in Beijing for most of the year and had almost no contact with his second daughter, Tan Yangzi. His understanding of Tan Yangzi came entirely from his hometown.

Influenced by his family, he also believed in the supernatural, and that his daughter was indeed a reincarnation of a celestial being.

“Brother Yuanyu, you may not know whether she is an immortal or a patient, but your Wang family certainly does. However, none of that matters. What matters is the rumor of her becoming an immortal through her chastity. Even if it is true, we should treat it as a rumor!”

"Why?" Wang Xijue asked, puzzled.

Shen Nian slowly stood up and held up four fingers.

"Firstly, the idea that chastity and virtue lead to immortality has a huge influence at present and may lead many young people to follow suit, which could corrupt social morals and cause many young people to become passive and escapist."

"Secondly, Tan Yangzi's actions have been exploited by many scholars who oppose the new policies and Zhang Ge Lao. They respect Tan Yangzi in order to criticize the new policies and Zhang Ge Lao. This action will hinder the normal operation of the new policies throughout the country."

"Thirdly, the idea that she would become an immortal through her chastity has become a shackle around Tan Yangzi's neck. Faced with this, her final outcome will surely be an early death, which is what many believers call ascending to immortality. Do you want to take your daughter's life?"

"Fourth, this matter has spread throughout the world. It seems that the Wang family of Taicang has benefited, with a celestial being appearing in their family that makes all the literati in Jiangnan kneel and kowtow. In reality, this matter will only turn the Wang family of Taicang, a family of scholars, into a family of cultivators of immortality and Taoism. If some of the immortal techniques are found to be fake in the future, then the reputation of the Wang family of Taicang will be truly ruined!"

"As for the negative impact on the annual stipends of the imperial princes, I will not go into details. I hope you will carefully consider which aspect is more important!"

……

After hearing Shen Nian's reasons, Wang Xijue fell into deep thought once again.

Shen Nian's words make sense.

He couldn't pamper his daughter like Shen Nian did, but this matter had already affected the court, the people's morals, and the future of the Wang family of Taicang.

Although he is no longer with the family, he still wields considerable influence.

If he wanted to define his second daughter's various behaviors as being caused by madness or epilepsy, the world would naturally believe him and not those who flattered her.

He considered for about fifteen minutes, then said earnestly to Shen Nian, "Ziheng, leave this matter to me!"

"A scholar's noble righteousness!"

Shen Nian bowed slightly to Wang Xijue, then continued, "It is the Second Miss's freedom to become a nun and cultivate Taoism, but if, after this experience, she can stop belittling her body and stop fantasizing about ascending to heaven in broad daylight, and truly live as comfortably and freely as a hermit, then that will be her good fortune, and also the good fortune of the Wang family of Taicang!"

"Ziheng, I have learned a lot from you!" Wang Xijue also cupped his hands in greeting to Shen Nian.

……

A moment later, Shen Nian left the Wang residence.

Wang Xijue returned to his study and began writing letters to his family elders. He had already been persuaded by Shen Nian, and now he needed to persuade the elders in his family.

The streets of the capital were brightly lit.

Shen Nian sat in the carriage, feeling very relaxed. His words today might just save the life of a young woman with a mental illness.

……

On April 23, Wang Xijue, who was suspended from his post and at home, submitted a memorial defending himself.

He said that his second daughter, Wang Gui (Wang Taozhen), became a nun to cultivate Taoism and immortality. Sometimes she would talk nonsense, which was due to her mental illness and epilepsy. It was not because she was deviant or hated the rites and teachings. Many of the magical phenomena and supernatural phenomena that are said to exist in folklore still need to be verified.

He has written to his family elders, asking them to find a doctor to determine Wang Gui's illness, and then he will bring her to the capital to have the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital diagnose her and dispel the rumors.

This explanation left all the officials speechless.

Wang Xijue's words were tantamount to slapping his own family in the face, and would further isolate the Suzhou Taicang Wang family among the literati of Jiangnan.

However, as Tan Yangzi's father, he held the final right to interpret all of her actions.

For a time, the officials could only wait for a result and could no longer impeach Wang Xijue on the grounds of "using women to seduce the public and offending public morals".

……

On April 25th, representatives of the imperial clans began to arrive in Beijing in succession, according to the dates specified by the court.

There were fifty-six princes and nobles who came to Beijing this time.

Among them were ten princes, thirty dukes, and sixteen generals, while those of the imperial clan below the rank of general were not invited.

Currently, the Ming Dynasty has thirty princes, hundreds of dukes, several thousand generals, and tens of thousands of other lower-ranking princes.

Once these people are persuaded, the other princes will not dare to resist the imperial decree.

After the princes and nobles arrived in the capital, they were accommodated at the Southern Meeting Hall, where they were personally received by Pan Sheng, the Minister of Rites.

The young Wanli Emperor treated the Zhu family very well, providing them with the same standards of clothing, food, housing, and transportation as the imperial family.

Representatives of the imperial clan would receive a generous gift upon moving in, such as calligraphy and paintings, jade ornaments, and gold belts.

In addition, officials from the Ministry of Rites would take representatives of the imperial clans to visit many places in the capital and allow them to purchase some local specialties to take back to their fiefdoms.

This was a great favor from the emperor to the representatives of the imperial clans, who were forbidden from leaving their fiefdoms without an imperial edict.

Shen Nian said that the treatment of the imperial family should be a combination of carrot and stick, with the young Wanli Emperor in charge of giving the carrot and Wang Xijue in charge of giving the stick.

at the same time.

The young Wanli Emperor also distributed the previous "Regulations on the Imperial Clan" to the representatives of the imperial clan. If they had any suggestions, they could draft a memorial and submit it directly to the palace.

……

On April 28th, the letter from the Wang family of Taicang to Wang Xijue reached the capital.

The elders of the Wang family stated that Wang Xijue's second daughter, Wang Gui, has indeed become a nun and is practicing Taoism. However, due to her long-term lack of communication with family and outsiders, she has developed some mental problems and has sought medical treatment for her.

Wang Gui's remarks were mostly made during moments of madness, not under the deliberate instruction of anyone. The magical arts and techniques passed down among the people were mostly fabricated by scholars and literati, and are purely fictional, having nothing to do with the Wang family of Taicang...

After receiving the letter, Wang Xijue immediately wrote to the court to confirm that his daughter was indeed ill, and that it was not due to his lax management of the household or his daughter misleading the public.

To prove his words were true, he would bring Wang Gui to the capital before July and have the imperial physicians treat her.

When the young Wanli Emperor learned of this, he was overjoyed and immediately reinstated him to his official position. He then appointed him as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, assisting the Minister of Rites, Pan Sheng, in specifically handling the representatives of the imperial clans who came to the capital.

Soon, the news spread from the imperial court to the common people.

This surprised many scholars and intellectuals, who then spontaneously concluded that it might be a tactic used by a group of Jiangnan literati to oppose the new policies of the court and to guide young people to withdraw from the world. Immediately, many criticized Wang Shizhen and Tu Long.

……

On this day, in the study of a luxurious mansion in Suzhou Prefecture.

When Wang Shizhen finished reading the handwritten letter written to him by Wang Xijue's younger brother, Wang Dingjue, he almost overturned the table.

His decision to become Tan Yangzi's disciple was partly motivated by his disgust at Zhang Juzheng's failure to fully observe the mourning period, but seven parts of his motivation stemmed from his genuine admiration for Tan Yangzi's syncretism of the three religions and his unwavering commitment to immortality.

Tan Yangzi, having already retired from officialdom, found another important area of ​​work to cultivate in his later years besides writing history.

I do not seek fame or fortune, but longevity.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to begin cultivating Taoism and metaphysics, Wang Dingjue told him that what Tan Yangzi said was all due to his madness and epilepsy, and was pure nonsense.

From now on, the Wang family will no longer allow any outsiders to discuss Taoism and immortality with Tan Yangzi, lest it affect his mood, and they have instructed Wang Shizhen not to write any more articles related to Tan Yangzi.

At that moment, Wang Shizhen felt her mental world collapse!
Not only has his spiritual world collapsed, but his status as a literary master in the hearts of the people may also have collapsed.

At the same time, many literati in Jiangnan who heard the news either burned portraits of Tan Yangzi or tore up poems and articles written to him.

Of course, there are also those who remain stubbornly unrepentant.

It is said that Tan Yangzi will soon ascend to heaven in broad daylight, and at that time, the world will know whether she is a reincarnation of a deity.

……

After the imperial court announced the outcome of the Tan Yangzi incident, it no longer interfered with the discussions among the common people, nor did it claim that seeking the Dao and asking about immortality was futile.

Throughout history, dynasties have generally been very tolerant of religion.

Religion is also a very good tool for controlling the people.

Some people believe in the existence of immortals and that they can become immortals through cultivation. As a result, they will not do evil in the world and will not be crushed by the evils of life.

This is very beneficial for fostering peace among the people and giving them spiritual support so they will not do evil.

……

The first day of the fifth lunar month, at noon.

All fifty-six representatives of the imperial clansmen stayed at the Nanhuitongguan.

They each had their own courtyards, which were very close to each other. Although they would nod to each other when they occasionally met and address each other as brothers or uncles, they never visited each other to chat, let alone have meals together.

For princes and nobles to have private dealings, which is tantamount to forming a faction, is a serious crime.

Without the decree of the young Wanli Emperor, they could only exchange polite words when they met, and if no officials from the Ministry of Rites or the Embroidered Uniform Guard were present, they would not even dare to make eye contact.

They were like canaries kept in cages by the imperial court.

Now, these canaries are so fertile that the imperial court can no longer afford to support them.

……

into the night.

Prince Qingduan, Zhu Nixuan, one of the ten princes invited to the palace, paced back and forth in the living room with a dark expression.

The matter of Tan Yangzi was caused by him using money to quickly spread the news to the capital, which then led to the impeachment of Wang Xijue by the officials.

Unexpectedly, the matter was resolved in just a few days, and Wang Xijue did not suffer any punishment.

This afternoon.

Wang Xijue presented each of the fifty-six representatives of the imperial clan with a chart detailing the imperial treasury's expenditures this year, down to the last tael of silver.

Its purpose is quite clear, summed up in four words: the imperial court is very poor.

At this moment, Zhu Nixuan believed that some representatives of the imperial clans must have also learned about Wang Xijue's "Three Policies on Limiting the Annual Salaries of Imperial Clans" through their own information channels, and they all hated Wang Xijue to the core.

But they are now a disorganized bunch and unable to communicate at all.

Without reaching a consensus and devising a strategy to defend against it, it is easy to be defeated piecemeal.

Zhu Nixun paced back and forth.

He desperately wanted to find an ally to jointly resist this policy, but he was unsure which vassal would stand with him in a strong resistance against the court.

Just as he was pondering which prince was on his side, one of his personal guards suddenly entered the front hall.

He lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, I have something important to report."

This guard was a servant whom Zhu Nixuan absolutely trusted, and he brought him from Ningxia Town.

Zhu Ni looked around, then turned and walked toward the study, with the guard following closely behind.

At the Nantong Association, he would discuss important information with his subordinates in his study to avoid being overheard by outsiders.

……

A moment later, the two entered the study.

The guard skillfully closed the doors and windows tightly, then took out a purse from his pocket and said, "Your Highness, this was given to me by a groom when I was feeding the horses in the stable in the backyard. He asked me to give it to you. I checked it, and there should be a letter embroidered inside, but I haven't opened it."

"Could it be that another vassal state has contacted me?" Zhu Nixuan couldn't help but smile with delight. He opened the purse, took out the letter inside, and began to read it carefully.

Before long, a bright smile appeared on his face.

"Haha! I finally have company! I finally have company! And not just one! If the court dares to cut the annual stipends of the imperial princes, we will cry and make a scene, holding up portraits of our ancestors!"

The author of this letter was Zhu Zaiting, the Prince of Zhou of Kaifeng, who was the first prince to be investigated and punished by Yin Zhengmao for land annexation.

Due to the nationwide land survey, the imperial clans of Kaifeng suffered heavy losses.

Farmland, shops, and businesses were all hit hard, and the royal family's annual income was directly cut short.

Prince Zhu Zaiting was in Kaifeng and knew about Wang Xijue's "Three Policies on Limiting the Annual Salaries of the Imperial Clan" earlier than Zhu Nixun, and knew that the court wanted to deal with them.

Therefore, he secretly contacted several representatives of the imperial clans in advance.

Their plan was to ignore Wang Xijue's advice and instead use the Zhu family's affairs as a pretext to have the young Wanli Emperor personally discuss the "Three Policies on Limiting the Annual Salaries of Imperial Princes and Princes" with them. The young Wanli Emperor was of the same clan and lineage as them, so he would certainly not be so heartless. If they could unite and make a scene, the young Wanli Emperor would be very likely to compromise.

The reason why Prince Zhou, Zhu Zaiting, secretly sought out Zhu Nixuan without fear of being betrayed was because he knew that Zhu Nixuan had many descendants. If he agreed to the "Three Policies on Limiting the Annual Salaries of the Imperial Clan," his family might become beggars three generations later.

Zhu Nixun placed the letter in front of the candlelight and quickly lit it.

King Zhu Zaiting risked being deposed by sending him a message, which showed his trust in him, so he naturally couldn't hold him back.

(End of this chapter)