I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 295 The Era of the Five Grand Secretaries! Empress Dowager Li sheds tears in Fengxian Hall, Zhang Juzheng postpones his retirement for three years.
Inside the Fengxian Hall in the Forbidden City.

Empress Dowager Li knelt before the ancestral tablets of the emperors and empresses of the Ming Dynasty, sobbing.

Feng Bao and Sun Dexiu knelt inside the threshold of the main hall, their foreheads pressed against the cold floor tiles, not daring to move. The other eunuchs and palace maids knelt outside the door.

Just then, the young Wanli Emperor arrived in front of the Fengxian Hall with his personal eunuch, Fang Ping.

At the young Wanli Emperor's signal, the eunuchs and palace maids all bowed silently.

After glancing at Fang Ping, the young Wanli Emperor stepped into the hall. Fang Ping slowly closed the hall door and made the eunuchs and palace maids outside step back a few steps.

Upon hearing footsteps and the sound of the door closing, Feng Bao and Sun Dexiu couldn't help but look up.

When Sun Dexiu saw the young Wanli Emperor, he looked aggrieved but dared not speak.

The young Wanli Emperor, with a gloomy expression, walked up to Sun Dexiu, stomped hard on the back of his left hand, and strode forward.

Sun Dexiu's face was contorted with pain, but she dared not utter a sound.

He did feel somewhat wronged.

The news of the young Wanli Emperor's secret revelry during his ancestral tomb worship was not reported to Empress Dowager Li by him.

It turned out that a palace maid from Cining Palace overheard another palace maid, Yue Rou, boasting to her companions last night that she had been favored by the young Wanli Emperor and was about to be taken into the harem. This morning, the palace maid from Cining Palace reported the news to Empress Dowager Li, who immediately ordered Feng Bao to summon Sun Dexiu, the eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial who was on duty at the time.

Sun Dexiu knew that concealing the emperor's secret sexual encounters with women was a capital offense, so he immediately reported the whole truth to Empress Dowager Li.

The young Wanli Emperor walked lightly to Empress Dowager Li.

"Mother!" the young Wanli called softly.

Empress Dowager Li ignored him, and her sobs grew louder and louder.

"Mother, if anyone should kneel, it should be your son!"

The young Wanli Emperor squatted down to help Empress Dowager Li to her feet, but was pushed away as soon as he touched her.

The young Wanli Emperor had no choice but to kneel beside Empress Dowager Li.

In the past, when the young Wanli Emperor made a mistake, he would try to explain himself, but this time he made a serious mistake, and there was no use in explaining. He could only sincerely admit his mistake.

About ten breaths later, Empress Dowager Li's sobbing gradually stopped.

The young Wanli Emperor spoke first.

"Mother, it was...it was my fault for walking in front of the ancestral tombs...This shameful act must never be made public, otherwise...otherwise our royal family will lose all face!"

"Your son knows he was wrong. Your son can swear before our ancestors that such a thing will never happen again. I beg Your Majesty, for the sake of the royal family's reputation and for the sake of my ability to quickly establish myself after assuming power, please do not let this matter be spread!"

"This matter...this matter...let's pretend it never happened, what do you think, Mother? As for that palace maid Yue Rou, I truly love her, perhaps...perhaps we should find an opportunity to bring her into the harem...I will definitely..."

As the young Wanli Emperor was speaking, Empress Dowager Li suddenly turned her face and glared at him.

Beneath her beautiful eyes, large tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto her gorgeous purple dress.

The young Wanli Emperor was speechless under Empress Dowager Li's glare.

"Disgusting! Shameless!"

Empress Dowager Li suddenly uttered two words that the young Wanli Emperor never expected.

Empress Dowager Li slowly stood up, glanced at the spirit tablet of Emperor Longqing, and then said, "At this moment, you are saying exactly the same things as the late emperor did after his debauchery, even your tone is exactly the same. Do you really like them? You just fall in love with every one you see!"

Empress Dowager Li suddenly raised her voice.

"The late emperor began his downfall by indulging in illicit pleasures, taking large amounts of aphrodisiacs, carving images of lovemaking on his bed, screens, and cups, and having palace maids sing erotic songs by his bedside. In the end... what did he get in return? He suffered from dizziness and blurred vision after court sessions, he was frequently ill, and in the end... in the end..."

Say it.

Empress Dowager Li sat on the ground and burst into tears.

After Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Li was actually neglected.

Empress Dowager Li's strict control over the young Wanli Emperor stemmed from her desire to prevent him from becoming the Longqing Emperor. Little did she expect that the young Wanli Emperor would go even further than the Longqing Emperor, engaging in lewd acts during the ancestral tomb worship ceremony.

If this matter were to spread, the entire Ming imperial family would become a laughingstock.

Empress Dowager Li suddenly broke down in tears, startling the young Wanli Emperor into a state of panic and helplessness.

Not far away, Feng Bao and Sun Dexiu were kneeling on the ground.

While kowtowing repeatedly to the ground, he pleaded, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down! Your health is the most important thing! Your health is the most important thing!"

The young Wanli Emperor, his voice trembling with tears, cried out, "Mother, I was wrong! I dare not do it again! I dare not do it again!"

After a while.

Empress Dowager Li stopped crying, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and looked at the young Wanli Emperor.

"When Emperor Shizong was eighteen, he took control of the court, vigorously reformed the abuses of the time, selected virtuous and capable officials, and no one in the court, whether civil or military, disobeyed his orders. But you, at eighteen, only know how to indulge in women and even committed a great act of disrespect during the ancestral tomb worship. You are without virtue, without talent, unfilial, and impolite. What qualifications do you have to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty? You are even less qualified to rule personally. You should be deposed and become a leisurely prince, doing whatever you want!"

Upon hearing this, the young Wanli Emperor panicked.

At present, he is about to assume personal rule but has not yet taken power. There is only one person who has the ability to depose him and install a new emperor.

That was Empress Dowager Li.

Furthermore, the mistake he made this time gave Empress Dowager Li ample reason to depose him.

"Mother, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!" The young Wanli knelt on the ground and cried bitterly.

Empress Dowager Li's eyes were filled with disappointment as she turned to look at Feng Bao, who was not far away.

"Feng Bao, immediately summon Grand Secretary Zhang here!"

Upon hearing this, the young Wanli Emperor trembled all over. It was clear that he wanted to discuss with Zhang Juzheng how to depose him.

Feng Bao raised his head, opened the door without saying a word, then quickly closed it and strode towards the cabinet.

Within the inner palace, Feng Bao understood Empress Dowager Li best.

Empress Dowager Li appeared to be deposing the young Wanli Emperor, but in reality, she was making a gesture to show Zhang Juzheng.

Empress Dowager Li could not hide the fact that the young Wanli Emperor had committed such a grave mistake, because if the matter were downplayed, the young Wanli Emperor would inevitably become the second Longqing Emperor after he came to power.

In order to teach the young Wanli Emperor a lesson, Empress Dowager Li declared that the emperor should be deposed, and Zhang Juzheng would surely plead for the young Wanli Emperor.

In addition, Empress Dowager Li had another idea.

She believed that the young Wanli Emperor was not capable of ruling in his own right, and she hoped that Zhang Juzheng could continue to assist in governing.

She knew exactly what the young Wanli Emperor was capable of, and she knew what the court would become without Zhang Juzheng.

Once a poorly educated young Wanli Emperor seizes power, no one will be able to suppress him.

Having experienced the cold violence of the Longqing Emperor and the helplessness of the entire court, if her son were to follow in his footsteps, Empress Dowager Li would have no face to face the ancestors of the Zhu family after her death.

……

A moment later, Feng Bao strode to the cabinet office.

Zhang Juzheng was in a good mood at this time.

While tidying up the books on the bookshelf, I wondered if I should take the opportunity to travel around, write a few poems or essays, and sample some local delicacies on my way back home.

For nine years, Zhang Juzheng served as regent, enduring criticism and becoming weary of his role as chief minister.

At present, he is eager to return home and has already begun to plan his life of poetry, wine, and pastoral pleasures after retiring from officialdom.

……

Just then, Feng Bao arrived in front of Zhang Juzheng, panting heavily.

"Grand Secretary Zhang, this is an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, ordering you to proceed to the Fengxian Hall immediately!"

"Fengxian Hall? What happened?" Zhang Juzheng asked in confusion.

"Let's talk as we walk!" Feng Bao said.

Seeing that Feng Bao was very anxious, Zhang Juzheng immediately put on his official hat and walked with him toward Fengxian Hall.

……

A quarter of an hour later.

After hearing Feng Bao's detailed description on the road, Zhang Juzheng's expression darkened.

The emperor indulged in pleasure during his ancestral rites, and the empress dowager wanted to depose him and install a new emperor.

This is the biggest hole that the young Wanli Emperor has made since ascending the throne, and this hole is difficult to fill.

Soon, Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao arrived in front of the Fengxian Hall. The hall door was opened again, and after the two entered, the door was quickly closed again.

this moment.

Before the ancestral tablets of the emperors and empresses of the Ming Dynasty, the thirty-five-year-old Empress Dowager Li slumped to the ground, her hair disheveled, her fair face streaked with tears, showing no trace of the demeanor of an empress dowager.

The young Wanli Emperor knelt on the ground, tears welling in his eyes. When Empress Dowager Li saw Zhang Juzheng arrive, she said in a sobbing voice, "Grand Secretary Zhang, this...this kind of emperor...should...should be deposed!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng immediately knelt on the ground.

He had been teaching the young Wanli Emperor for many years, and the latter's assumption of power was considered a successful completion of his teachings. If the Prince of Lu were to be installed as emperor, the court would surely be in chaos. Moreover, the Prince of Lu's abilities were far inferior to those of the young Wanli Emperor. If he were to become emperor, who knows what trouble he would cause!

Just now, Feng Bao recounted the events in great detail, almost entirely relaying the words of bystander Sun Dexiu.

The fact that the young Wanli Emperor had an affair during his ancestral worship ceremony was confirmed, and Zhang Juzheng had no questions to ask. The most urgent task was to resolve the issue.

Zhang Juzheng paused for a moment and looked at Empress Dowager Li.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty is indeed wrong to have done such an absurd thing, but it is not entirely His Majesty's fault. The eunuch Sun Dexiu of the Directorate of Ceremonial knew that it was wrong but did not dissuade him, which is also wrong; the palace maid is suspected of deliberately seducing His Majesty, which is also wrong; I have failed to properly guide His Majesty, which is also wrong... I believe that this matter was done by His Majesty on impulse, not because he was ignorant of or disrespectful of etiquette, and he should be severely punished, but not to the point of deposing the emperor!" Zhang Juzheng said, trying to find reasons for the young Wanli Emperor.

Empress Dowager Li's expression softened somewhat.

"He committed such a despicable act; even if the emperor isn't deposed, the royal family will lose all face once this gets out!"

Zhang Juzheng replied, "I believe this matter need not be publicized. However, to serve as a warning to Your Majesty, I suggest that it be recorded in the daily records of Your Majesty's activities, which I can personally record."

Once the records were sealed in the "Daily Records of the Emperor's Activities," officials of the time could no longer access them.

But when the young Wanli Emperor passes away, the historian on duty will reopen the "Daily Records" when writing his history, and future generations will know what the young Wanli Emperor did that day.

Zhang Juzheng knew that Empress Dowager Li did not want to depose the emperor.

However, he did not want the young Wanli to become the Longqing Emperor after his ascension to the throne, and how to properly resolve this matter was up to him to decide.

Empress Dowager Li was very satisfied with this solution.

But the young Wanli Emperor was furious.

Once this incident is recorded in the "Daily Records of the Emperor's Activities," it will add another negative event to his record, further reducing his chances of becoming a sage or wise ruler.

At this moment, Empress Dowager Li slowly stood up.

"Grand Secretary Zhang, I can agree not to depose the emperor, but I cannot agree to him assuming personal rule immediately!"

"Last month, when he added cabinet ministers, he actually came up with the childish idea of ​​appointing whoever could help him withdraw money from the imperial treasury as a cabinet minister. This month, he has done something so despicable again. How can he be considered capable of ruling in his own right?"

"Grand Secretary Zhang, I request that you assist him until he is thirty years old, then we can discuss it further!"

To assist the young Wanli Emperor until he was thirty years old meant to assist him for another twelve years.

Zhang Juzheng quickly shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister has already asked to retire. Even if Your Majesty takes a little longer to assume personal rule, there are still four other cabinet ministers!"

"I only trust the Grand Secretary!" Empress Dowager Li looked at Zhang Juzheng.

"Your Majesty...this...this...this...all the officials in the capital know that I am about to retire. If I stay in the court any longer, I'm afraid they will all criticize me for being domineering and power-hungry. I'm not afraid of being criticized, but...but I'm worried about the instability of the court!"

"No need to worry! I forced Grand Secretary Zhang to stay and assist in governing. I said if Grand Secretary Zhang doesn't agree, I will kneel down before him. Let any minister who dares to gossip come to me and say it!" Empress Dowager Li said domineeringly.

Zhang Juzheng looked helpless, forced by Empress Dowager Li to the point where he didn't know how to refute her.

"Your Majesty, if I do not retire, there will be five cabinet ministers in the cabinet. This old minister... is worried... worried that the cabinet will become unstable!" Zhang Juzheng came up with another reason.

Zhang Juzheng claimed to have retired from officialdom but did not actually do so.

The newly promoted Wang Xijue and Shen Nian cannot be allowed to leave their posts, which could easily lead to some ambiguity in their responsibilities.

"That's simple! His Majesty has done something so embarrassing, but we can keep it from the whole country. However, we can let the other four cabinet ministers know about it. That way, they will know how to teach His Majesty instead of putting all the pressure on Grand Secretary Zhang!"

After saying this, Empress Dowager Li looked at the young Wanli Emperor.

The young Wanli Emperor immediately understood and hurriedly said, "Prime Minister, you should stay. I need you. You... will serve me until I am thirty!"

Although the young Wanli Emperor was unwilling, he could only speak according to Empress Dowager Li's wishes.

"Grand Secretary Zhang, do you still have any concerns? His Majesty and I can resolve all your concerns!"

Zhang Juzheng looked helpless.

Just as they were struggling with this decision, Empress Dowager Li suddenly grabbed her skirt and said, "Grand Secretary, if you still disagree, I... I have no choice but to kneel down before you!"

"Your Majesty, I dare not! Your Majesty, I dare not! I am willing to continue to assist in governing, but... but at most for three years. After three years, I am afraid I will no longer have the ability to assist in governing!" Zhang Juzheng knelt on the ground and said with his head down.

If Empress Dowager Li were to kneel before him, his crime would be grave.

Empress Dowager Li nodded in satisfaction, then said to Feng Bao, "Feng Bao, quickly go and invite the other four Grand Secretaries, and let them know how to assist in governing, instead of putting all the burden on Grand Secretary Zhang."

"Yes!" Feng Bao bowed and quickly ran outside.

Although he was 59 years old, he was the only one who could do this kind of errand-running in order to make things clear on the way.

……

A quarter of an hour later.

Yin Zhengmao, Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, and Shen Nian, the four Grand Secretaries, gathered at Fengxian Hall.

When the four men learned that the young Wanli Emperor had committed such a despicable act, they were all quite surprised. They then agreed with Zhang Juzheng's solution: it was indeed not appropriate to announce the matter to the world at that moment, but it was still necessary to record it in the "Daily Records" so that the young Wanli Emperor would remember it.

In addition, regarding Empress Dowager Li's insistence that Zhang Juzheng continue to serve as regent for another three years, Yin Zhengmao and the other three saw Zhang Juzheng's helplessness, but were also pleased.

With this pillar of support, all four of them will feel much more relaxed.

Shortly afterward, after the young Wanli Emperor expressed his remorse to the five Grand Secretaries and promised to govern diligently in the future, the five Grand Secretaries withdrew from the main hall.

Subsequently, Sun Dexiu was also dragged out.

He might not be killed, but he will most likely be placed under house arrest somewhere in the inner palace and forced to do manual labor until he dies of exhaustion or old age.

……

this moment.

Only Empress Dowager Li, Emperor Wanli (the young emperor), and Feng Bao remained in the Fengxian Hall.

The young Wanli Emperor knew the rules; he would definitely kneel until late at night, and only after Empress Dowager Li relented could he return to the Qianqing Palace to rest.

Empress Dowager Li looked at Feng Bao.

"Feng Bao, find a comfortable and clean room in the Imperial Bedchamber for that palace maid to stay in, and prepare two maids for her. Treat her to good food and drink. If there is no sign of pregnancy after three months, execute her immediately!"

"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" Feng Bao said, bowing.

The young Wanli Emperor shuddered in fright and wanted to plead for mercy, but after thinking about it, he remained silent.

This is an ancestral system of the royal family.

If such illicit affairs are tolerated, the palace maids will probably all want to seduce the young Wanli Emperor and dream of soaring to great heights.

……

The following morning, the court was as peaceful as ever.

Emperor Wanli issued an imperial edict to retain Zhang Juzheng, and the two empress dowagers also issued imperial edicts to retain Zhang Juzheng. The four Grand Secretaries almost simultaneously submitted memorials to retain Zhang Juzheng.

Empress Dowager Li's desire to retain him was very strong.

She claimed that the emperor was not yet capable of ruling personally and that the court could not do without Zhang Juzheng. If Zhang Juzheng insisted on retiring and returning home, she would personally go out of the palace to invite Zhang Juzheng back to court.

This wave of attempts to retain employees is clearly not just a formality.

None of the civil and military officials were willing to argue with Empress Dowager Li about anything.

After two days of this back and forth, on March 24, Zhang Juzheng submitted a memorial to the emperor, expressing his gratitude for the emperor's favor and promising to do his utmost to assist in governing for another three years.

Zhang Juzheng's sudden decision to remain in the capital and the unfulfilled attempt by the young Wanli Emperor to assume personal rule have elicited both joy and resentment.

Some say Zhang Juzheng was autocratic and domineering, forcing Empress Dowager Li and the four Grand Secretaries to keep him in office; others say Zhang Juzheng's petition for retirement was just a performance to see who in the court opposed him; still others say Zhang Juzheng's recommendation of Wang Xijue and Shen Nian to the Grand Secretariat was actually an attempt to further expand his autocratic power...

Faced with these suspicions and insults, Zhang Juzheng could not explain and could only accept them.

Next, the cabinet consisted of Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, and Shen Nian.

These five people will play an extremely important role in how the Ming Dynasty is managed.

……

Afternoon, Wenhua Hall, on the throne.

The young Wanli Emperor was practicing calligraphy, muttering to himself, "Three years... I have to endure at least another three years, three years..."

For a long time to come, he had to be very obedient and do things very carefully, always saying: "I will follow the arrangements of the five Grand Secretaries."

At this moment, Feng Bao walked to the side of the young Wanli Emperor and whispered, "Your Majesty, tomorrow is the day of the palace examination. Should we change the arrangements made for Grand Secretary Shen last time?"

"Nothing will change!" said the young Wanli Emperor after thinking for a moment.

He had to appoint Zhang Juzheng's son as the top scholar in the imperial examination, so that Zhang Juzheng would feel indebted to him and wouldn't be able to discipline him without restraint when he made mistakes in the future.

(End of this chapter)