I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 294 The ceremony at the imperial tomb is completed! The young Wanli Emperor makes a grave mistake; Zhang Juzheng relinquishes power and requests retirement.

March 5th, early morning.

Wang Xijue and Shen Nian, both dressed in scarlet official robes, entered the Wenyuan Pavilion, located inside the Meridian Gate and east of the Huiji Gate.

Wenyuan Pavilion is a two-story building.

The central hall on the first floor is the Mingtang (central hall), with portraits of Confucius and his four ministers hanging in the very center. On the east and west sides, facing south, there are several small rooms, which are the offices of the cabinet ministers.

At either end of the cabinet ministers' office were the imperial edict room and the imperial decree room, used to store books and for use by cabinet officials such as the secretary of the secretariat.

The second floor is a main hall and meeting room that also serves as a library, and is mainly used for meetings of five or more people.

Initially, the cabinet ministers' offices were not independent houses, but rather large, relatively separate rooms.

However, as the power of the Grand Secretaries grew, it gradually developed into a situation where "the Grand Secretaries were more respected than the Six Ministers, held the imperial authority, and had the power of a prime minister without the title." As a result, the Wenyuan Pavilion was expanded and renovated in the sixteenth year of the Jiajing reign.

The facility is twice the size of what it used to be, which has greatly improved the comfort of cabinet ministers in their offices and meetings.

……

soon.

Wang Xijue and Shen Nian were then led into their respective duty rooms by two clerks.

As the lowest-ranking official, Shen Nian's duty room was located on the west side of the first floor.

The duty room was not large. At the far end, there was a huanghuali table and chairs, a row of bookshelves and a clothes rack. Near the door, there was a tea table and several benches.

at this time.

A middle-aged man, about fifty years old, dressed in the robes of a seventh-rank official, with a slender build, entered the house.

“Wang Jia, a scribe in the Secretariat, pays his respects to Grand Secretary Shen. If Grand Secretary Shen needs anything in the future, he may summon me.”

"You're too kind, Wang Zhongshu! I'm new to the cabinet and have many things I need to ask you!" Shen Nian said with a smile.

"Your humble servant dares not!" Wang Jia bowed to Shen Nian, then presented a document, saying, "This is the document regarding the job assignment sent by Grand Secretary Zhang. Please take a look, Grand Secretary Shen!"

Shen Nian immediately took the document.

The secretaries of the cabinet were mostly selected from those who had passed the imperial examinations or were students of the Imperial Academy. They held the seventh rank and were mainly responsible for drafting various documents.

Although his official rank was not high.

However, since they mostly handled confidential cabinet documents, which was a key position, their duties at various government offices were generally on behalf of the cabinet ministers.

The cabinet currently has nine secretaries.

They belonged to the cabinet and were not private servants of any particular cabinet minister. However, the cabinet ministers were accustomed to using a certain Zhongshu Sheren (a type of secretary in the secretariat) who was convenient for them for a long time. Gradually, this led to a situation where one or two Zhongshu Sheren followed a cabinet minister in doing his work, which was equivalent to the role of a steward.

Wang Jia was a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat who often handled official business for former Grand Secretary Ma Ziqiang. He was highly experienced and skilled in regular script. At the age of 48, he was qualified to become the deputy director and assistant director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Court of Imperial Entertainments (a sixth-rank official), but he did not take the opportunity and preferred to assist the Grand Secretary in his official business.

Wang Jia was steady and rarely made mistakes. Zhang Juzheng sent him to Shen Nian's side, clearly hoping that Shen Nian would be more steady.

In the past, Shen Nian was willful, and Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, and Shen Shixing could all cover for him; now that Shen Nian has become a cabinet minister, he will have to take full responsibility for any rash or impulsive actions he takes.

A moment later, Shen Nian finished reading Zhang Juzheng's document outlining his job responsibilities.

At present, Shen Nian's main job is still giving lectures to the emperor and working in the Ministry of Revenue. The only addition is his participation in drafting proposals.

The types of draft proposals submitted by cabinet ministers include: draft memorials, draft reports to the emperor, draft imperial edicts, and draft decrees.

The process of drafting the votes was as follows: the Office of Transmission would send the memorials (such as petitions and reports) to the Grand Secretariat, which would first hand them over to the Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, who would then distribute the votes.

After the other cabinet ministers had finished drafting their proposals, they had to hand over the memorials with their drafts attached to Zhang Juzheng for review.

The Prime Minister has the final say.

If Zhang Juzheng had any objections, he would discuss them with the other cabinet ministers, but his opinion was the most important.

Once the draft is completed, the memorial will be sent to the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Next, Wang Xijue and Shen Nian will not be under much pressure. Their responsibilities will change after Zhang Juzheng retires and the young Wanli Emperor assumes power.

……

These past few days, Shen Nian has been walking on the street.

All around were shouts of "Grand Secretary Shen, Grand Secretary Shen, Grand Secretary Shen!" Some officials, even those nearly a hundred paces away from Shen Nian, stopped and bowed. This included many who had always looked down on Shen Nian.

In addition, the renovation of the three-courtyard house that Emperor Wanli bestowed upon Shen Nian has been overseen by Shen's mother. Initially, the renovation progressed slowly, but once Shen Nian entered the palace, the pace accelerated dramatically, and it is expected that she will be able to move in by early April.

This is the reality of officialdom.

When you are in a high position, you find that everything around you is good and beneficial to you.

This has been the case for thousands of years.

……

March 12th, at dawn.

The young Emperor Wanli, the two empress dowagers, and a group of nobles and high-ranking officials, escorted by thousands of soldiers, set off from the capital to Tianshou Mountain to pay homage at the imperial tombs.

At dusk that day.

When the procession arrived at the Changping Gonghuacheng Imperial Palace, which was fifty miles away, officials from Changping Prefecture and students from the prefectural school lined up outside the palace to welcome them.

into the night.

After eating a vegetarian meal, the young Wanli Emperor returned to his bedroom in the imperial palace.

Before visiting the mausoleum, the emperor had to eat vegetarian food and sleep alone.

At this moment, the young Wanli Emperor stepped out of the Forbidden City, in high spirits.

Just then, Sun Dexiu, the eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial who was serving him, came in carrying a foot-washing basin.

"Your Majesty, you've been traveling all day, please soak your feet!"

The young Wanli Emperor nodded and immediately sat down on the bench.

Behind Sun Dexiu followed two palace maids dressed in green skirts. They were palace maids from the Imperial Bedchamber Bureau, responsible for folding the quilts and tidying up the crown and robes of the young Wanli Emperor.

When the young Wanli Emperor raised his head and saw the palace maid walking at the very back, his eyes widened in surprise.

The palace maid was about seventeen or eighteen years old. She had fair skin, beautiful features, and most importantly, a curvaceous figure. With each graceful step, she exuded a charming femininity.

Just as Sun Dexiu was about to take off Xiao Wanli's boots, Xiao Wanli suddenly pulled his foot away and stepped on the ground.

"Sun Dexiu, have her wash my feet. Your hands are covered in calluses!" Little Wanli pointed at the palace maid.

Sun Dexiu was taken aback. He glanced at his well-maintained hands and instantly understood what the young Wanli Emperor meant.

He immediately stood up and said to the palace maid, "Yuerou, come and wash His Majesty's feet."

The palace maid named Yue Rou was taken aback at first, then smiled and quickly came to the young Wanli Emperor, squatting down to take off his boots.

Soon, the palace maid Yue Rou began to wash the feet of the young Wanli Emperor.

Sun Dexiu was a clever man. He could tell what the young Wanli wanted to do just by looking at the palace maid Yue Rou.

If he had kept it in the palace, he would have immediately and tactfully left.

However, this is on the way to the mausoleum.

If the young Wanli Emperor were to engage in sexual relations, it would be the greatest disrespect to his ancestors, and he would lose his head.

Just as the young Wanli Emperor reached out to touch the face of the palace maid Yue Rou, Sun Dexiu coughed.

"Cough! Cough!"

This was meant to remind the young Wanli Emperor that this was a journey to the imperial tombs, and that he should not engage in illicit sexual relations.

Upon hearing the cough, Emperor Wanli withdrew his hand, glared at Sun Dexiu, and slowly pulled his foot out, saying, "That's enough!"

Sun Dexiu was overjoyed and quickly handed the foot-wiping cloth to the palace maid Yue Rou. After Yue Rou finished wiping the young Wanli's feet, she immediately said, "You may all leave!"

Immediately, both palace maids withdrew.

Emperor Wanli sat on the bed, lost in thought for a while, then ordered Sun Dexiu to blow out the lamp before lying down.

……

The following morning, the procession continued its journey and finally arrived at the Red Gate of Tianshou Mountain on the afternoon of March 14.

The ceremony to pay respects at the mausoleum will take place tomorrow.

As night fell, the young Wanli Emperor stayed in the Hall of Gratitude inside the Red Gate.

Before going to bed, the young Wanli Emperor still personally ordered the palace maid Yue Rou to wash his feet.

Every palace maid in the harem wanted to become the emperor's woman.

The palace maid Yue Rou washed the young Wanli's feet for the second time. She was a little bolder and even mischievously counted the young Wanli's toes, gently smoothed the hair on his calves, and then stroked it backwards to make it stand up.

The young Wanli Emperor greatly admired her unruly and mischievous actions. Sun Dexiu observed everything.

He felt that this palace maid would most likely be taken into the harem after returning to the capital. He prayed that the two of them would not burn like dry tinder in the next two days.

Even the young Wanli Emperor dared not act recklessly in front of the ancestral tomb. After the palace maid Yue Rou washed her feet, he dismissed her.

The visit to the mausoleum officially began early the next morning.

Emperor Wanli (the young emperor) and the two empress dowagers personally paid homage at Changling (Emperor Chengzu of Ming), Yongling (Emperor Shizong of Ming), and Zhaoling (Emperor Muzong of Ming).

The other imperial relatives and ministers went to pay homage to the Xianling Mausoleum (Emperor Renzong of Ming), Jingling Mausoleum (Emperor Xuanzong of Ming), Yuling Mausoleum (Emperor Yingzong of Ming), Maoling Mausoleum (Emperor Xianzong of Ming), Tailing Mausoleum (Emperor Xiaozong of Ming), and Kangling Mausoleum (Emperor Wuzong of Ming) on ​​behalf of the young Wanli Emperor.

The etiquette was quite elaborate and lasted until noon.

On this day, the young Wanli Emperor was in a very good mood when he went out, but after paying his respects at Zhaoling Mausoleum, he was in a very bad mood.

When Empress Dowager Li was paying respects to the late emperor beside him, she began to lament that the imperial family had no heir and that she had no face to face her ancestors. She also complained that the young Wanli Emperor did not take the affairs of the harem seriously, often being perfunctory, and sometimes even sleeping alone in the Qianqing Palace.

Empress Wang and the other concubines stood by and wept, saying it was all their fault.

Emperor Wanli looked utterly helpless in the face of these women.

In the end, he had no choice but to reluctantly kowtow to Emperor Muzong and apologize to Empress Dowager Li, and then comfort the concubines. It took a lot of effort to end this palace crying scene.

……

As dusk approached, the young Wanli Emperor finally returned to the Hall of Gratitude.

Everyone will stay here overnight and then return to Beijing early tomorrow morning.

into the night.

Sun Dexiu, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, walked slowly to the bedroom of the young Wanli Emperor, followed by Yue Rou, a palace maid carrying a foot-washing basin.

Knowing that the young Wanli Emperor was in a bad mood, Sun Dexiu arranged for Yue Rou to wash his feet in advance.

He understands the will of the gods.

A moment later, Xiao Wanli, who had been soaking his feet in the foot bath, showed an expression of enjoyment.

Sun Dexiu's face immediately broke into a smile as he comforted her, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's words were also for your own good..."

Upon hearing this, Wanli's face darkened once again.

Sun Dexiu immediately realized that he should not bring up the matter again and quickly shut his mouth.

"I'm not washing anymore!" Little Wanli suddenly pulled his foot away.

Whether it was due to lack of time to prepare or intentional, the palace maid Yue Rou suddenly pounced on Xiao Wanli after he pulled his foot away.

A pretty face was facing the young Wanli Emperor, looking pitiful.

As soon as Xiao Wanli felt something soft, Yue Rou quickly stepped back and knelt on the ground.

"This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die!" Her voice was choked with sobs.

The young Wanli Emperor stood up, helped Yue Rou up, and then suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, his eyes burning with passion and his cheeks flushed.

Swish!
The young Wanli Emperor picked up the palace maid Yue Rou and walked towards the bed in front of him. Then, without turning his head, he said to Sun Dexiu, "No one can know about this, or I will kill you!"

"Your Majesty, no...this is..."

"Get out!" Little Wanli shouted, turning around.

Helpless, Sun Dexiu had no choice but to leave, then closed the door and made the two eunuchs outside stand further away, while he himself stood in front of the door.

Inside the room, the palace maid Yue Rou took the initiative to hug the young Wanli's neck. She had been preparing for this moment ever since she entered the palace.

In an instant, spring was in full bloom, and the dry firewood crackled and burned in the blazing fire.

……

Half an hour later, the young Wanli Emperor quelled his anger, and then suddenly felt a sense of lingering fear.

If Empress Dowager Li or the court officials were to find out about such a shameful act committed in the ancestral mausoleum at Tianshou Mountain, even writing an edict of self-reproach would likely be the lightest punishment.

At this moment, the palace maid Yue Rou suddenly pressed herself against the young Wanli again.

The young Wanli Emperor's body became hot again.

"I'm about to assume full power, and no one will be able to control me anymore!" The young Wanli Emperor encouraged himself.

Having been suppressed in the Forbidden City for a long time, coupled with the lack of romance among the concubines in the palace, the young Wanli Emperor thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of having an affair, especially in the ancestral mausoleum at Tianshou Mountain, where he felt a sense of accomplishment.

"I'm here!" Little Wanli rushed forward again.

……

About fifteen minutes later, the palace maid Yue Rou finished dressing and was escorted out by Sun Dexiu, who had been waiting outside for a long time.

After confirming that no one had discovered him and instructing Sun Dexiu to keep it a secret, the young Wanli Emperor lay on the bed with great satisfaction, murmuring, "I have been married for two years, yet I have never experienced the joy of tonight. The idle books on the street are truly not deceiving me."

……

The procession returned to Beijing early the next morning.

Three days later, near dusk, the procession returning to the capital to pay homage to the imperial tombs.

On the morning of March 19th, the regular court assembly was held, and officials presented memorials to congratulate the successful completion of the imperial tomb visit ceremony.

After returning to the palace, the young Wanli Emperor still couldn't forget the palace maid Yue Rou, but he had to find a suitable opportunity to bring her into the harem. If it was too sudden, Empress Dowager Li would definitely become suspicious.

……

March 22nd, early morning.

Zhang Juzheng submitted a memorial entitled "Requesting Your Personal Resignation to Decide on All Matters and Grant You Retirement to Demonstrate Your Duty as a Minister, as the Grand Canon is Completed and Your Virtue is Advancing Daily."

The memorial stated—

"I am but a humble servant, with shallow abilities and little knowledge. I never expected to be fortunate enough to be chosen by the late Emperor to serve in the ranks of attendants and to be entrusted with the responsibility of critical thinking. In the events of the year Renshen (the sixth year of the Longqing reign), I personally conveyed the Emperor's dying wish and entrusted him with this task."

“Since I took up this post, I have been constantly fearful and apprehensive, always worried that I may fail in my duty and thus fail the late Emperor’s wisdom. I never expected to receive such special favor and trust from Your Majesty. Therefore, I have forgotten my own ignorance and have devoted all my wisdom and strength to repay the Emperor’s kindness.”

……

"Thanks to the blessings of Heaven, Earth, and our ancestors, peace prevails both at home and abroad. Grand ceremonies, weddings, farming, and ancestral worship are all being carried out in a grand and solemn manner."

"The court is filled with loyal and virtuous officials. With Your Majesty's wisdom and sagacity, all ministers are able to assist you, thus bringing peace and prosperity and ensuring the preservation of our great cause. Therefore, I dare to bow and relinquish my power."

……

This is Zhang Juzheng's memorial requesting to retire and return power.

In short, it means: earnestly requesting the young Wanli Emperor to assume personal rule and begging to retire and return to his hometown (as shown in the picture, selected from "Wanli Emperor's Daily Records").

Emperor Wanli was very excited after reading this memorial.

The day he had been waiting for had finally arrived, but according to the rules of etiquette, he could not agree directly. He had to persuade Zhang Juzheng to stay at least twice before he would allow Zhang Juzheng to request retirement.

……

In the afternoon, at the Wenhua Hall.

Just as the young Wanli Emperor was writing a commentary with a bright smile, feigning to retain Zhang Juzheng, a palace eunuch conveyed Empress Dowager Li's imperial edict, ordering the young Wanli Emperor to go to the Fengxian Hall immediately without delay.

"Fengxian Hall?" The young Wanli Emperor was taken aback at first, then his mood became tense.

Fengxian Hall, located east of Qianqing Palace, is the family temple where the royal family worshipped their ancestors. It enshrines the spirit tablets of emperors and empresses of past dynasties. Except for the anniversary of their death, there was only one possibility that the young Wanli Emperor would go there.

Making a mistake and being punished.

The young Wanli Emperor was repeatedly forced to kneel as punishment and wrote edicts of self-reproach multiple times, all within the Fengxian Hall.

Emperor Wanli had a negative impression of the Fengxian Hall.

Emperor Wanli stood up and said to the eunuch beside him, "Where is Sun Dexiu? Summon him to see me immediately."

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Sun is in the Fengxian Hall, and Eunuch Feng is also there," the eunuch who delivered Empress Dowager Li's decree said with a bow.

Upon hearing this, the young Wanli Emperor's legs went weak, and he muttered, "It's over! It's over!"

He indulged in illicit pleasures and committed immoral acts while visiting the ancestral tombs.

This is more serious than any mistake that Emperor Wanli had made before.

The young Wanli Emperor paused for a moment, recalling what Shen Nian had taught him: when faced with a major crisis, one should not panic, but rather remain still, take a few deep breaths to calm down, and then think of a solution.

call!call!call!
After calming down, the young Wanli Emperor pondered for a moment, then thought to himself, "I...I must ask the Empress Dowager to keep this a secret from the court, from the court!"

If the court knew about this, then the historians would know, all the officials would know, the whole world would know, and future generations would all know.

Immediately, the young Wanli Emperor strode towards the Fengxian Hall.

(End of this chapter)