Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 712 Redress and Exoneration
After a symbolic lunch, Zhang Sixiu went to the Jiyi Hall and changed into his brand-new sixth-rank official robes.

However, Zhang Sixiu's heartbeat did not slow down even as he became properly dressed. He sat alone on a brocade stool in the side hall of Jiyi Hall, his hands clasped tightly in front of his knees, his fingertips icy cold. The hall was silent, and the faint scent of agarwood wafted from the incense burner, but it could not suppress the anxiety in his heart.

The sweltering heat of late afternoon seeped in through the window lattice, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. Zhang Sixiu lowered his eyes, his pair of cloudy old eyes fixed on the hem of his official robe hanging on the blue brick floor, as if trying to see a hole through it.

Faint, rapid footsteps could be heard outside the palace. The footsteps grew louder and clearer as they approached. When the footsteps reached a certain volume, someone suddenly shouted, "The Emperor has arrived!"

Zhang Sixiu's heart tightened, and he immediately slid down from the brocade stool, kneeling upright facing the wall—or rather, the emperor outside the wall. He lay prostrate on the cold floor tiles, his forehead lightly touching the back of his hand, holding his breath. He could hear his own heart pounding like a drum, seemingly exceptionally loud in the silent palace.

Shortly after, the door to Jiyi Hall was pushed open. Liu Ruoyu, who had been gone for quite some time, walked in. He walked to the side hall, looking down at Zhang Sixiu on the ground with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, the Emperor has arrived. Please follow me."

Zhang Sixiu took a deep breath, steadied himself, and stood up, saying, "I'll trouble Liu Bingbi to lead the way."

Liu Ruoyu led Zhang Sixiu out of Jiyi Hall and up the steps on the west side of Wenhua Hall to the I-shaped platform. Just then, a group of eunuchs carrying four bronze ice chests passed by. Behind them, under the shade of the dam, were several ice carts covered with cotton quilts and straw mats, ready to replenish the ice chests at any time.

After Bingjian entered, Liu Ruoyu and Zhang Sixiu crossed the threshold and entered the front hall. However, Liu Ruoyu did not immediately lead Zhang Sixiu to the main hall where the emperor was. Instead, he went ahead, passed through the corridor connecting the two halls, and came to the emperor's throne. He then formally announced, "Zhang Sixiu, the former compiler of the Hanlin Academy, has arrived."

"Announce." A clear and steady voice pierced Zhang Sixiu's ears from behind the corridor, making his already anxious heart jump to his throat.

"Summon Zhang Sixiu to an audience!" Immediately afterwards, a strong and resonant voice rang out.

Zhang Sixiu took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and, holding the locust wood plank, took a trembling step forward.

The main hall has windows on all four sides, making the interior bright and solemn, yet not hot.

On the high throne, a figure dressed in black casual clothes leaned against the left armrest, not deliberately adopting a formal posture.

Zhang Sixiu dared not look directly at the Emperor's face. He walked quickly for a few steps and stopped about ten steps in front of the throne. He then performed the five-bow and three-kowtow ceremony with utmost care: "Zhang Sixiu, former compiler of the Hanlin Academy, kowtows to Your Majesty for ten thousand years! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand years!"

"Rise, Minister Zhang." The emperor's voice came, gentle yet with a steady strength. He did not sound weak and sickly from the effects of wine and women that Zhang Sixiu had imagined. On the contrary, he was full of vigor.

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty." Zhang Sixiu bowed again and rose, still standing with his head bowed.

"Wang An, prepare a seat for Minister Zhang." Zhu Changluo turned his head to look at Wang An, then pointed to an open space near the throne.

"Yes," Wang An replied with a smile, then turned and placed an embroidered stool in the spot designated by the emperor. Afterward, Wang An walked to Zhang Sixiu's side and said, "Mr. Zhang, this way please."

Zhang Sixiu had already heard of Wang An's great reputation and knew that the eunuch in the bright red python robe was the powerful Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial. "How dare I sit here in front of His Majesty?" Zhang Sixiu dared not sit on the chair that was brought to him, so he quickly bowed to Wang An and said to the emperor, "Please allow me to stand and answer your questions, Your Majesty."

“Zhang Qing, there’s no need for such formalities.” Zhu Changluo smiled gently. “Besides, don’t let Wang An’s current appearance fool you. Back when he first entered the palace, he was working under Feng Bao.”

Wang An chimed in at the opportune moment, "Yes, when I was young, I served under Eunuch Feng and often heard him mention the demeanor of the Prime Minister of Jiangling. Although I was not fortunate enough to get close to him, I did admire him from afar a few times. Even after decades, I still vividly remember his outstanding and proud gentlemanly bearing." Wang An's voice was gentle, and her tone was filled with heartfelt respect and remembrance.

"This..." Zhang Sixiu's eyes widened, his pupils trembling violently. In Wang An's description, Zhang Sixiu seemed to hallucinate a scene where a young eunuch stood behind the chief eunuch, hunching his shoulders and looking up at his father.

"Minister Zhang, please come and sit down. Don't disappoint Wang An's good intentions," the emperor's voice rang out again.

Having said all that, Zhang Sixiu had no reason to refuse. He could only express his gratitude and bow again: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting me a seat!"

After saying this, Zhang Sixiu carefully walked to the edge of the brocade stool and silently nodded to Wang An in gratitude. Wang An smiled in response, then studied Zhang Sixiu for a while before turning back to the emperor's side.

Zhang Sixiu sat down slightly at the edge of the brocade stool, his back hunched, his hands neatly placed on his knees.

"Wang An," Zhu Changluo looked at Zhang Sixiu and asked Wang An, "Does it resemble him?"

“It does look like it,” Wang An nodded, then shook his head. “It doesn’t look like it either.”

"Oh?" Zhu Changluo asked, "How is it similar, yet how is it not?"

"It looks similar, but it lacks the spirit," Wang An said.

"What's wrong with it?" Zhu Changluo pressed.

“The Prime Minister of Jiangling stands tall and proud, but Mr. Zhang…” Wang An licked his lips, “looks a bit dejected.”

“It’s impossible not to feel dejected. Decades of wasted time have worn down even the most proud spirit.” Zhu Changluo’s gentle voice reached Zhang Sixiu’s ears. “Minister Zhang, raise your head and let me see you.” Zhang Sixiu, of course, heard the entire conversation between the emperor and the chief eunuch. When he raised his head, tears were already streaming down his face.

Zhu Changluo looked at Zhang Sixiu, and Zhang Sixiu, through his tear-filled eyes, carefully observed the new emperor on the throne.

Zhang Sixiu knew that the emperor in front of him was born in the tenth year of the Wanli reign, only two months after his father Zhang Juzheng passed away, but the emperor did not look like a man who was almost forty years old.

The emperor had a handsome, lean face, a gentle expression, and bright, piercing eyes. He was looking at Zhang Sixiu with a gentle smile. This was far from the image he had imagined—neither the sickly weakness of legend nor the ruthless and fierce air of someone who could casually order the confiscation of property and the execution of high-ranking officials.

Zhang Sixiu was surprised, but dared not show it on his face, and quickly lowered his gaze again.

As his gaze shifted, Zhang Sixiu inevitably caught sight of the enormous screen standing behind the throne. This screen almost completely covered the back wall, obscuring the back door of the main hall.

Zhang Sixiu couldn't help but glance at the screen out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that the three central panels depicted the territory of the entire country, while the six panels on the left and right each listed the titles of civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty. The emperor placed it behind his throne, presumably to consult on national affairs and geography.

A familiar thought flashed through Zhang Sixiu's mind, but he couldn't immediately recall where it came from. The moment the thought crossed his mind, the emperor's voice broke the brief silence once more, pulling Zhang Sixiu back to reality: "Minister Zhang, you've traveled north from Xuwen; was your journey smooth?"

Zhang Sixiu quickly regained his composure and respectfully replied, "Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, although the journey by land and water was somewhat bumpy, the post stations along the way provided adequate service, so there was no major problem."

"Yes, that's good." The emperor nodded, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Sixiu's old face, etched with countless lines by the passage of time. His tone became slow and solemn: "Forty years of wasted time, you've really suffered."

The emperor's concern was like a fine needle, precisely piercing the depths of Zhang Sixiu's heart, which had been sealed for decades.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject..." Zhang Sixiu took a deep breath, struggling to steady his trembling voice, and bowed his head respectfully, replying, "This humble subject has been exiled to the southern frontier for forty years, enduring hardships as sharp as knives. Yet, deep in my heart, I have never dared to forget the grace of my sovereign, nor have I ever dared to believe that the loyal and virtuous will never be unjustly accused. Though my body is mired in the mire, my soul and dreams are always tied to the northern capital. Today, thanks to Your Majesty's boundless grace, Your Majesty has cleared my name and exonerated my father..." Zhang Sixiu's throat bobbed violently, as if a thousand-pound boulder were blocking it, and his voice was choked with uncontrollable sobs, "...My years of pent-up resentment have been completely released in one day, as if I have been granted a general amnesty, as if I have seen the clear sky. This grace and virtue are etched in my heart, leaving me only with tears streaming down my face, my gratitude boundless!"

After speaking, Zhang Sixiu lowered his head deeply, his shoulders trembling slightly uncontrollably. The humiliation, despair, and forbearance of those decades, under the emperor's gentle gaze, transformed into a surging bitterness that almost broke through the dignity he had been trying to maintain.

Zhu Changluo's gaze fell on Zhang Sixiu's graying temples. His eyes were complex, with a hint of a barely perceptible sigh: "Minister Zhang, there's no need for this. The reason I decided to vindicate Zhang Wenzhong as soon as I ascended the throne was by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision. Since I can remember, I have often heard the name of Zhang Wenzhong in the palace. At that time, I was ignorant and did not understand the details."

"As he grew older, he paid close attention to national affairs and studied old documents in depth. He then realized that Zhang Wenzhong had been in power for ten years, reforming the bureaucracy, surveying land, and implementing the Single Whip Law, which filled the national treasury and improved border defenses. He was truly a pillar of the revival of our Great Ming Dynasty! His achievements are outstanding and cannot be ignored. The reason why we were able to quell Bo Bai, conquer Korea, and pacify Bozhou was all due to Zhang Wenzhong's reforms that enriched the country."

Zhu Changluo's voice gradually turned somber, "As for Zhang Wenzhong's posthumous misfortune, I have investigated it repeatedly and am deeply grieved! This is all because of Li Zhi, Yang Sizhi, Jiang Dongzhi, Qiu Shun, Ding Cilü, and their ilk, who misinterpreted the late emperor's intentions, either fabricating rumors or making things up out of nothing, concocting charges to frame loyal officials! These people, ostensibly censors, were in reality treacherous villains, using attacks to curry favor and false accusations to advance their careers! It was these villains who misled the emperor, causing him to misunderstand Zhang Wenzhong's sincerity in his great anger, believing that Zhang Wenzhong was domineering and greedy..."

The emperor's words struck Zhang Sixiu's heart like a heavy hammer. When he heard that his father had been falsely accused of "excessive corruption," his body, which had been holding itself together, trembled violently, as if struck by an invisible force. He could no longer sit upright, and his body involuntarily slid down the brocade stool, falling heavily to his knees on the cold gold brick floor with a thud, his forehead pressed tightly against the back of his hand.

His wide, brand-new official robe spread out, making his trembling body even more apparent. The grief, indignation, grievances, and determination to defend his father's reputation that had been suppressed for forty years finally broke through his defenses at this moment, turning into broken sobs and scalding tears that silently soaked the bricks beneath his hands.

"This is all a frame-up by petty villains! Zhang Wenzhong never abused his power! He merely devoted himself to the utmost, trying to turn the tide! He never embezzled! The amount of his confiscated property is far less than one-tenth or one-twelfth of that of Liu Jin, Yan Song, and Zheng Guotai!" The emperor's voice was resolute, carrying an unquestionable authority. His gaze swept over Wang An, Liu Ruoyu, and the others standing with their heads bowed in the hall, his tone gradually shifting to one of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing regret, regret, and a sense of awe).
"Looking at history and reflecting on the present, how many descendants of powerful ministers have been arrogant, extravagant, and domineering? Yan Song's son Yan Shifan, and Xu Jie's sons Xu Fan and Xu Ying are no exception. Yet, looking at Zhang Wenzhong's sons, Jingxiu died for his principles, and Sixiu and Maoxiu endured hardship yet retained their integrity. They showed not a trace of the spoiled, arrogant airs of powerful officials. This is sufficient proof of Zhang Wenzhong's strict family management and his impeccable character! Zhang Wenzhong was not like Yi Yin or Huo Guang; he was truly a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, dedicating himself to the cause until his death!"

"Your Majesty—!" Zhang Sixiu, prostrate on the ground, could no longer hold back. A long, mournful cry burst from his chest, carrying with it endless sorrow and the immense shock of sudden relief. He wept uncontrollably, only able to pound his head against the ground with a dull thud, repeatedly murmuring indistinctly, "Thank you for Your Majesty's great grace... Thank you Your Majesty... Your wise and enlightened wisdom..."

Wang An and Liu Ruoyu stood by his side, their eyes also red-rimmed, quietly covering their faces with their sleeves. Wang An recalled the dignified bearing of Zhang Juzheng when he saw him from afar at Feng Bao's place, and compared it with the Zhang Sixiu who was now prostrate on the ground weeping and emaciated. He felt a mix of emotions and sighed deeply.

For a moment, only Zhang Sixiu's suppressed sobs and the faint chirping of cicadas in the distance remained inside the hall.

Emperor Zhu Changluo quietly watched the trembling figure prostrate on the ground. Only after the sobs subsided did he slowly speak, his voice regaining its usual composure: "Minister Zhang, rise. The past is past, the injustice has been redressed, we should look forward." He paused, then turned to Wang An: "Wang An."

"This servant is here!" Wang An immediately bowed and stepped forward, her face still wet with tears, but her expression had turned solemn and respectful.

"Help Zhang Qing sit down." Zhu Changluo tilted his head forward.

"Yes!" Wang An stepped forward and gently put his hand on Zhang Sixiu's shoulder. "Mr. Zhang, please sit down."

Zhang Sixiu trembled as he sat back in his original seat, seemingly still muttering words of gratitude.

Before Wang An could release Zhang Sixiu, the Emperor's voice echoed again in the hall: "Wang An, convey my decree. The Directorate of Ceremonial, together with the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Justice, is to immediately investigate all the properties confiscated from the Zhang family. All properties, including estates, residences, shops, artifacts, books, and paintings, that can be verified in the register, shall be returned to the Zhang family descendants. Any damage or loss shall be compensated by the Imperial Treasury at market value and distributed accordingly. This must be done thoroughly and without error!"

"This servant obeys the decree!" Wang An released his hand and kowtowed deeply to accept the order.

"Your subject... Your subject Zhang Sixiu..." Zhang Sixiu lost his support and slid off the stool once more. "I thank Your Majesty for Your Majesty's grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

(End of this chapter)