I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 325 Young Wanli vs. Shen Nian! A huge argument erupts between the emperor and his minister.
noon.

Shen Nian and Liang Menglong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, arrived at the Jingwu Academy, located in the suburbs of Beijing, by carriage.

As the deputy chief instructors of the Jingwu Academy, the two were very familiar with the place and soon saw a barracks in front of the young Wanli Emperor's procession and many Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).

When Shi Qing, a commander of the Imperial Guard, saw Shen Nian and Liang Menglong, a look of surprise appeared on his face, and then he quickly went to greet them.

"Shi Qing pays his respects to Grand Secretary Shen and Minister Liang!"

Shen Nian cut to the chase: "Shi Qing, why did His Majesty suddenly inspect the Jingwu Academy today? Is something the matter?"

Shi Qing opened his mouth as if to speak, but failed to utter a word after opening it twice.

"Is there anything within the Jingwu Academy that you need to hide from us?" Shen Nian asked with displeasure.

Shi Qing cupped his hands in greeting once more.

"Grand Secretary Shen, Minister Liang, let me first inform His Majesty of your arrival. If His Majesty summons you, you will know what has happened."

After saying that, Shi Qing quickly walked into the barracks ahead.

……

The barracks' front hall.

The young Wanli Emperor sat high at the front, with the eunuch Fang Ping standing beside him.

British Duke Zhang Rong and several instructors from the Jingwu Academy stood on either side, while five Jingwu Academy students knelt in the middle below.

Shi Qing walked into the hall, cupped his hands towards the young Wanli Emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Shen and Minister Liang have arrived. Shall we summon them in?"

"Why are they here? Do they know about this?" Emperor Wanli frowned.

Shi Qing cupped his hands and said, "I probably don't know. When Grand Secretary Shen asked me what happened at the Jingwu Academy, I didn't say anything."

The young Wanli Emperor looked at Zhang Rong, the Duke of England, who was standing to the side.

Zhang Rong paused for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, both Grand Secretary Shen and Minister Liang are the deputy chief instructors of the Jingwu Academy. This matter can no longer be kept from them. I believe that once they know, they will certainly share Your Majesty’s burdens.”

The young Wanli Emperor nodded and waved his hand, saying, "Let them in!"

Upon hearing this, the five martial arts academy students kneeling on the ground lowered their heads even further, and some even trembled all over.

The person most feared by all the students of Jingwu Academy.

It wasn't the young Wanli Emperor, nor was it Zhang Rong or Liang Menglong, but rather Shen Nian.

Soon, Shen Nian and Liang Menglong entered the hall.

The two were quite puzzled when they saw five students from the Jingwu Academy kneeling on the ground.

"Your subject Shen Nian (Liang Menglong) greets Your Majesty!" The two bowed to the young Wanli Emperor in unison.

"No gift!"

The young Wanli Emperor looked at the instructor Liu Yuan beside him and said, "Liu Yuan, you were the instructor on duty for the Second Guard last night. Tell Grand Secretary Shen and Minister Liang the details of what happened!"

"Your subject obeys!" Liu Yuan, who was about forty years old, said, bowing.

Nine hundred students from the Jingwu Academy were divided into nine guards, each consisting of one hundred students. Each guard had five instructors who were responsible for daily training, curriculum planning, and logistics, and reported directly to Zhang Rong, Liang Menglong, and Shen Nian.

Liu Yuan was once a sixth-rank centurion in the Nine Border Guards, and is currently an instructor at the Jingwu Academy, enjoying the treatment of a fifth-rank military officer with the rank of sixth-rank.

Five students from the Jingwu Academy were kneeling beside them. Shen Nian and Liang Menglong recognized them all: Huang Hu, Xu Zhou, Yue Lang, Wei Ershan, and Bai Dashi.

These five people belong to a training team, whose captain is Huang Hu.

Liu Yuan bowed slightly to Shen Nian and Liang Menglong, then said, "The five-person team of Huang Hu, Xu Zhou, Yue Lang, Wei Ershan, and Bai Dashi from the Jingwu Academy trained well last month and received a one-day rest reward. The night before last, they asked me for permission to use their one-day rest reward, so I granted them a leave slip, allowing them to rest for the day yesterday, but they must return to the academy before sunset at the latest."

"However, after nightfall, the patrolling soldiers found that the five men still hadn't returned. I ordered men to search near the military camp, at their family residences, and found that the five men hadn't met with their families after their rest period. I guessed that the five men might have gone into the city. At the appointed time, Yongding Gate was closed, but they still hadn't returned. Since there had been cases of students spending the night in the city before, I concluded that they might be locked up inside the city. I was furious and prepared to punish each of them with fifty strokes of the cane, seven days of confinement, and the cancellation of all their awards for this year, in accordance with the Jingwu Academy's regulations."

"This morning, Huang Hu and his five men returned to the military camp. They claimed that they had damaged more than ten guards of a brothel in Fenzi Hutong yesterday and had not paid them. They hoped that I could ask Commander Shi to settle the matter privately to prevent the brothel from filing a complaint with the government, revealing their identities, and bringing shame to the Jingwu Academy."

“I was furious and questioned them about what they had done yesterday, why they went to the brothel, and why they didn’t pay. The five of them were honest and told me everything they had done yesterday.”

"Yesterday was a day off, and the five of them planned to take a trip to the capital to relax. However, in the afternoon, out of boredom, they went to a gambling den. They thought it would be harmless gambling, but they lost more and more, eventually getting carried away. They gambled while drinking until dark, and then all their money was gone. When they left the gambling den, they found that the city gates were closed, and they had no way to return to the military camp... In the end, Huang Hu pawned a jade pendant and invited the other four to spend the night at a brothel. Inside the brothel, the five of them... drank, frequented prostitutes, and listened to music. In the end, they didn't have enough money to pay the bill... So, the five of them injured more than ten guards at the brothel and ran away!"

"After they told me, I felt that the matter was very serious, so I reported it to Commander Shi."

……

After hearing this, both Shen Nian and Liang Menglong turned pale.

Since the establishment of Jingwu Academy, in order to avoid the students' training being too oppressive, Shen Nian specially allowed the students to bring their wives and children to live near Jingwu Academy. The Jingwu Academy basically covered the family housing, children's education, and daily expenses.

In addition, trainees are entitled to a day off every ten days, and those who excel in training will receive a one-day day off bonus every month.

The purpose of a rest day is to allow them to relax.

They could spend time with their families, go to the capital to eat, drink, and stroll around. The monthly allowance and supplies provided by the imperial court were enough to ensure they had no worries about food and drink.

As for those students who are not married, Jingwu Academy will also introduce them to potential partners.

Even if single students go to brothels to relax during their time off, the instructors usually turn a blind eye, neither encouraging nor prohibiting it.

After all, it's human nature; they release stress and can train better.

Shen Nian believed that this series of humanistic care was done very well, far exceeding that of all the soldiers.

But unexpectedly, these five people committed five major crimes in one day: gambling, alcoholism, soliciting prostitutes, fighting, and fraud (i.e., not paying the bill).

At this moment, Shen Nian's eyes lit up, and he suddenly understood why the young Wanli Emperor had kept this matter a secret from him and Liang Menglong, and had personally resolved it.

He intended to protect the five people.

Shen Nian took two steps forward and bowed to the young Wanli Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, Huang Hu and his four companions committed five major crimes in one day: gambling, drunkenness, patronizing prostitutes, fighting, and fraud. They should be severely punished according to military law. This matter should be decided by the Duke of Yingguo. I did not expect to disturb Your Majesty's presence."

Duke Zhang Rong of England hurriedly said, "Grand Secretary Shen, the students of the Jingwu Academy are all His Majesty's disciples. Every word and action they take concerns the face of the Imperial Family. I believe the five should be severely punished, but this matter should not be publicized. Otherwise, it will not only disgrace the Imperial Family but also damage the reputation of the Jingwu Academy. The students of the Jingwu Academy have not yet achieved any great merit and should not have such a bad reputation."

"Furthermore, the reason the five men lost track of time was because the casino owner cheated; otherwise, they wouldn't have lost all their money, nor would they have been unable to return to camp on time. As for visiting a brothel, it was merely a moment of relaxation and not a major offense. The subsequent non-payment and fight were entirely due to the brothel taking advantage of the five men's drunkenness to deliberately cheat them. The guards were beaten because they were the ones who cheated them first."

“Let’s handle this behind closed doors. What do you two think?” Zhang Rong looked at Shen Nian and Liang Menglong.

What Zhang Rong said was not Zhang Rong's own opinion, but rather the opinion of the young Wanli Emperor.

Emperor Wanli was a man who cherished his reputation above all else, and the Jingwu Academy was the one he was most involved in and the most successful one he had accomplished since ascending the throne.

The loss of face for Jingwu Academy was his loss of face, so he wanted to protect the five people and suppress the matter, handling it behind closed doors.

Shen Nian understood Wanli's thoughts all too well.

At this moment, the young Wanli looked at Shen Nian with trepidation.

He did not tell Shen Nian and Liang Menglong because he thought they would object.

Once this matter reaches Zhang Juzheng and becomes known to the court officials, it will certainly no longer be possible to handle it behind closed doors.

At this moment, as long as Shen Nian and Liang Menglong agree, this matter can be handled behind closed doors.

He has ordered the Imperial Guards to smooth things over regarding what happened at the gambling dens and brothels yesterday, and he can guarantee that no one will spread the word.

At this moment, Liang Menglong looked at Shen Nian. He was a man of principle, but when principles clashed with the emperor's face, he didn't know what to choose and could only follow Shen Nian's decision.

Shen Nian paused for a moment, then smiled and looked at Zhang Rong.

"Your Excellency, you are truly adept at cleaning up messes. In the blink of an eye, these five scoundrels involved in gambling, alcoholism, prostitution, fighting, and fraud have become innocent victims!"

These words made Zhang Rong blush, unable to refute them.

"I disagree with handling this behind closed doors!" Shen Nian suddenly raised her voice.

"Since the Jingwu Academy is the flagship of the imperial court's military reforms and is meant to cultivate future good generals and commanders, it should be thoroughly investigated and severely punished for committing such a crime!"

"When an ant nest is found on a dam, it means the dam itself is already riddled with holes. If this matter is not made public and severely punished, then Jingwu Academy will produce a bunch of gamblers, robbers, and lechers in the future!"

Although he was looking at Duke Zhang Rong of England, he was actually saying this to the young Wanli Emperor.

"Ziheng, don't be so impulsive! You should know very well what the Jingwu Academy means to the imperial court. None of us want such a terrible thing to happen, but since it has happened, we must prioritize the overall situation. Think about it carefully!"

Zhang Rong was practically saying: Can't you think about His Majesty's reputation?

"Humph!"

Shen Nian snorted coldly.

"The bigger picture! What is the bigger picture? The bigger picture for the Jingwu Academy is to cultivate good generals and commanders for the imperial court. Good generals and commanders are first and foremost judged by their character. If these five dare to do such a despicable thing today, they will dare to betray their country for personal gain in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Hu and the others broke out in a cold sweat and immediately kowtowed to the ground.

Bang!Bang!Bang!
The impact was quite loud.

Zhang Rong looked helplessly at Shen Nian and said, "Elder Shen, what do you think should be done about this?"

Shen Nian straightened his chest and said, "Make all the details public, punish all five crimes together, and they should be sentenced to death. In addition, both instructors are derelict in their duties and should be severely punished. Our three deputy chief instructors should also submit a memorial to admit their mistakes and formulate even stricter disciplinary methods!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Rong felt like crying but had no tears.

He understood that Shen Nian was saying this so that it would be heard by the young Wanli Emperor, and that she was strongly opposing the young Wanli Emperor's decision.

He was caught in the middle and felt very uncomfortable.

After Shen Nian finished speaking, the hall immediately fell silent.

Zhang Rong had nothing more to say and could only wait for the young Wanli Emperor to speak.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, looked at Shen Nian, and said, "Minister Shen, it is also my intention to handle this matter behind closed doors."

"Currently, the officials in the court, the soldiers and common people all have a good impression of the Jingwu Academy. I do not want to undermine this perception. In addition, if this matter becomes a big deal, the development of the Jingwu Academy may be hindered. We cannot judge the whole soup as bad just because of a few bad apples. I hope you can understand my situation."

The young Wanli Emperor spoke to Shen Nian in a consultative tone, showing considerable respect for Shen Nian.

Swish!
Shen Nian lifted his official robe and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty's will is my duty. However, if Your Majesty does so, please remove me from my position as the deputy chief instructor of the Jingwu Academy. Afterward, I will submit a memorial to Your Majesty, earnestly requesting that the Jingwu Academy be abolished. With students of such quality, the Jingwu Academy is useless and will only harm the country. It is better to abolish it as soon as possible!"

These words clearly indicated a direct confrontation, and the young Wanli Emperor's face immediately turned ashen.

"Shen Qing, are you threatening me?" the young Wanli Emperor asked, his eyes wide.

"If a boil grows on the body, it should be removed immediately. Hiding it will only cause damage to the whole body. This is a principle that even a five-year-old child knows. Some principles cannot be broken, Your Majesty. The dignity of the royal family is not enhanced by concealment. To admit mistakes and correct them is the right path!"

Swish!
The young Wanli Emperor suddenly stood up and pointed at Shen Nian.

"Shen Nian, this matter is not just about your reputation, but about mine!"

This was the first time that the young Wanli Emperor addressed Shen Nian by her given name in front of her.

"In ordinary households, if there is anything shameful, it is kept secret. This is a principle that even a five-year-old child knows. Why do you insist on damaging my reputation?"

"Do you know what the Jingwu Academy means to me? Do you know how the court officials will view me after this matter is made public? I am about to assume personal rule, yet I have accomplished nothing. What kind of emperor am I? In the future... in the future... will I have to listen to you as I do to the Grand Secretary? I, the emperor, will only be a figurehead!"

The young Wanli Emperor almost roared as he spoke.

These words caused Duke Zhang Rong of England, Vice Minister Liang Menglong of the Ministry of War, a group of instructors, Shi Qing, Fang Ping and others to all kneel on the ground, their foreheads touching the ground.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!" the crowd cried out in unison.

Generally speaking, the more angry one is, the more truthful their words are.

Zhang Rong and Liang Menglong were both surprised that the young Wanli Emperor viewed Shen Nian in this way.

At this moment, Shen Nian felt a chill in her heart.

He taught the young Wanli Emperor so many principles about family, country, and the world, but unexpectedly, the young Wanli Emperor came to believe that he wanted to seize power and usurp the country.

This charge against Shen Nian is enough to wipe out the entire Shen family.

After speaking, the young Wanli Emperor realized that he had spoken too harshly, so he sat back down in his chair and stopped talking.

He waited for Shen Nian to give in.

As long as Shen Nian agrees to handle this matter behind closed doors, Shen Nian will still be his most trusted confidant.

He would even apologize for what he had just said.

At this moment, Shen Nian raised her head, her face expressionless.

"Since Your Majesty says so, I have nothing to say. I will pretend that I know nothing about today's events. Please allow me to go back and write my resignation memorial!"

Upon hearing this, the young Wanli Emperor's lips trembled with anger.

He was absolutely reluctant to let Shen Nian resign.

After a few breaths, seeing that Xiao Wanli did not reply, Shen Nian immediately kowtowed to him.

"I resign!"

After saying that, Shen Nian got up and walked outside.

Beside them, Duke Zhang Rong of England and Vice Minister Liang Menglong of the Ministry of War looked up, unsure of what to do.

After Shen Nian left the Jingwu Academy, the matter escalated.

They were certain that if the three Grand Secretaries Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, and Wang Xijue knew that Shen Nian had resigned because of this matter and because of what the young Wanli Emperor had said, they would definitely submit their own resignation memorials to oppose the young Wanli Emperor.

By then, the matter will be completely out of control!
Zhang Rong thought for a moment, then quickly got up, ran out, and grabbed Shen Nian. Liang Menglong also quickly grabbed Shen Nian's other arm.

Then, Zhang Rong and Liang Menglong both looked at the young Wanli Emperor.

If the young Wanli Emperor doesn't express his opinion soon, this matter will become completely unmanageable.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment and said, "I need to speak with Minister Shen alone. You may all leave now."

Immediately, Zhang Rong, Liang Menglong, and the others all left the barracks. They didn't want to hear a single word of this suffocating conversation.

The young Wanli Emperor waved to Fang Ping, who was serving him, and Shi Qing, who was protecting him, signaling them to leave.

This action clearly demonstrates the young Wanli Emperor's trust in Shen Nian, and their relationship has long surpassed the ordinary bond between ruler and subject.

(End of this chapter)