Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 132 One Saint Tests One Heart (Second Update)

Xu Jie walked out of the court office in a daze.

He had to admit that, although he had argued forcefully and eloquently with the stern-faced Grand Secretary Zhang Cong, a sense of fear inevitably welled up within him.

He was terrified that he had gone from being a high-ranking compiler in the Hanlin Academy to a minor official in some unknown place.

The difference between heaven and earth.

The unity of knowledge and action is extremely difficult.

Or perhaps, this fear also reflects the heart; should we re-examine our behavior and whether it aligns with our true feelings?

However, what followed was a dramatic turn of events.

Xu Jie clearly saw the eunuch enter the court room and whisper a few words to Zhang Cong.

The chief minister, who had been stern and indignant just moments before, calmed down after a brief silence. He then gave himself a few perfunctory reprimands before releasing him from the court.

How can this be?

Do not!
Of course it's possible.

There is only one person in the world who can make the powerful prime minister so obedient.

Have I finally caught His Majesty's eye?

After all, he was the third-ranked scholar appointed by the emperor...

I thought that after so many years, His Majesty would have forgotten about him, but I didn't expect that he still favors him so much!
But after the initial excitement, Xu Jie, a child prodigy and a former third-ranked scholar, realized that something was amiss.

If Your Majesty agrees with his advice, then it shouldn't be a matter of having a eunuch relay a few words, but rather summoning him to the Qianqing Palace for a formal audience and discussion of state affairs.

But it didn't.

His actions just now seemed more like a plea for Zhang Cong to be lenient and let him off the hook.

"His Majesty is a wise ruler; he will not punish anyone for their words!"

Even so, Xu Jie was still encouraged, feeling that his integrity had been rewarded.

Even if His Majesty does not ultimately adopt my opinion, as long as I have this magnanimity, the world will surely be well-governed!
When he met Zhao Shichun, Haiyue, and Yan Shifan, he immediately shared this idea with them.

Zhao Shichun was both surprised and delighted, and repeatedly agreed. Yan Shifan even loudly praised the Holy Emperor for being alive, but in reality, he was astonished.

Is His Majesty not punished for his words?

Those officials who were beaten to death at Zuoshun Gate, their spirits will never rest in peace!
However, judging from Xu Jie's outcome, this statement seems to be correct. If His Majesty had not granted him a special pardon, he would have been suppressed to death by Zhang Cong long ago. How could he have returned to the Hanlin Academy unscathed after directly offending the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet?

Only Haiyue had a different guess in her mind.

Based on what Lu Bing said not long ago, it seems that the emperor is paying close attention to his Yixin Society. Now that he has deliberately let Xu Jie off the hook, it may be closely related!

The answer was quickly revealed.

Less than two days later, Haiyue was studying hard when Yan Shifan leaned close to her, his eyebrows practically flying off: "Mingwei, Mingwei, I just heard some news that you'd never expect!"

Haiyue didn't even look up: "Does Biyutang have a new courtesan?"

"I'm telling you something serious!"

Yan Shifan swallowed hard, his throat bobbing, and composed himself: "Guess what the reason was that His Majesty pardoned Xu Zisheng that day?"

Haiyue's eyes flickered, and she became serious in her heart, but on the surface she said casually, "It is because His Majesty has a broad mind and a magnanimous spirit."

"That's...that's definitely true!"

Yan Shifan grinned, then quickly suppressed his smirk and said excitedly, "But there's another reason, it's because we're from the Yixin Association!"

"Oh?"

Haiyue looked surprised, then finally raised her head, adopting an attentive expression: "I would like to hear the details."

Yan Shifan rubbed his hands together, his face visibly flushed with excitement: "This is absolutely true! His Majesty has also read Journey to the West and praised it highly. Xu Zisheng's situation is a perfect example of 'love me, love my dog,' a truly benevolent act!"

Haiyue fell silent.

Yan Shifan was puzzled by the lack of response and decided to be more explicit: "Mingwei, do you know what an opportunity this is for our Yixin Society?"

Although the person before me received a calligraphy bestowed by His Majesty, it was due to saving the Empress Dowager's life, and it could not be done again. Moreover, it was not a substantial reward of official position or wealth. However, His Majesty now enjoys traveling to the West, which has instantly turned the precarious career of a compiler in the Hanlin Academy into a safe one. That has a completely different meaning!

The benefits extend beyond just Haiyue; they extend to all members of the Yixin Society. Yan Shifan is incredibly grateful that Haiyue had been strict in her selection process, adhering to the principle of "better to have none than to have bad ones," and had not accepted a single new member.

Back then, if we had accepted them, we would have lost a fortune. Now, a single spot is truly worth more than gold, and its value cannot even be measured by wealth.

How much money can buy a spot in the Emperor's Heart?

It's impossible to buy them!

"Sigh!" Haiyue showed no joy whatsoever. She was now 100% certain that Zhu Houcong had truly taken a liking to Yixin Society. Although she didn't know the other party's true intentions, given her own situation, she absolutely could not be complacent. She sighed, "Flattering the emperor, pandering to his tastes, and trying to please the monarch goes against the principle of literature conveying the Way!"

"Mingwei, why did you say all those opposing things?"

Yan Shifan was stunned.

He had similar concerns, but compared to the immense allure of Jane in the Emperor's heart, he felt they were insignificant.

How badly were the newly rich and powerful figures involved in the Great Rites Controversy criticized? Did it prevent them from having absolute authority and wielding great power?
The higher one's position, the more people oppose and dislike them. But how can one refuse a high position because of this?

Before he could even formulate his words of persuasion, Haiyue sighed again: "Xu Zisheng certainly wouldn't want to be pardoned by His Majesty for this, as it would damage his reputation. I've wronged my friend!"

Yan Shifan then realized what was happening and, while moved by this friendship, quickly said, "Mingwei, don't worry, I will explain to him. Everyone knows that you have never been the kind of person who profits from Journey to the West!"

"Who can understand the sorrow in my heart? Only the bright moon knows my feelings!"

Haiyue sighed softly and said slowly, "Donglou, do you think I should disband the Yixin Society?"

……

On the candlesticks in the Qianqing Palace, most of the twelve candles had already burned out.

Zhu Houcong leaned back on the dragon-embroidered couch, turning to the chapter "The Four Sages Test the Mind of Zen" in his copy of "Journey to the West." He tapped the book lightly with his fingertips, a smile appearing in his eyes.

This test is really well written.

Zen Buddhism emphasizes "directly pointing to the mind, seeing one's true nature and becoming a Buddha." The Four Sages' test of the Zen mind is precisely an examination of whether the pilgrims' original mind is clear. At the same time, it also subtly satirizes the superficial strict rules and regulations of Buddhism, which reveal an insatiable inner desire, making it truly admirable.

After praising, the next step is to apply it flexibly.

Now that he has attained sainthood, he will test his will!
What Zhu Houcong wanted to see was whether you could maintain your composure after this incident.
If Haiyue cannot maintain this, either her previous indifference to fame and fortune was an act, or she was genuinely indifferent before, but under the sudden influx of imperial favor and the impact of power, she quickly lost herself and began to expand her faction, attempting to form cliques and achieve great success in the future.

A person's true character can be best seen during periods of great ups and downs.

If Haiyue really takes that step, firstly, within Shilin, he will be seen as someone who uses fictional works to curry favor with superiors; secondly, in Lu Bing's heart, all his previous integrity will vanish, and he will be surrounded by those who are eager to seize power and profit.

But Zhu Houcong would still use him.

Since this young student still has talent, wouldn't it be a waste not to use it?

However, the consequences after using it are self-evident!
If Haiyue can withstand this test, then it will be time to truly give Yixin Hui a prominent position.

After the Princess's Mansion case, the Embroidered Uniform Guard searched the Zhang brothers' mansion and found armor, robes and other items, which confirmed their treason. They then banished the old Zhang to the Cold Palace, leaving him to die in endless loneliness. It seemed impressive, but in reality, there was no progress at all.

The investigation into that secret society has so far yielded no results.

Zhu Houcong was furious about this, but not entirely surprised.

Since that secret society dared to defy imperial power, its most direct enemies were institutions directly under the emperor, such as the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern and Western Depots.

The fact that the other party was able to remain hidden in the shadows proves that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was powerless against them and had probably already figured them out.

Even considering the worst-case scenario, there are enemy agents within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, putting us in a very passive position as the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light.

That's why Zhu Houcong needed to cultivate a separate team.

Although he was the supreme ruler, once he stepped outside the original framework of imperial power, he didn't have many loyal people at his disposal, namely eunuchs and a few old ministers.

The eunuchs have limited scope of activity, and the old ministers are getting old; we must consider what will happen to them after they pass away.

Only when Haiyue and his newly established Yixin came into view did Zhu Houcong have an idea.

If this newly established academy, with its highly talented leader and impeccable background, were nurtured, it could openly serve as a talent pool for the imperial court, given that it already had two Hanlin compilers. In secret, it could also be used to counter secret societies, truly killing two birds with one stone.

If Haiyue can truly be loyal to the emperor and eliminate that great threat, he will eventually become part of his ruling team, just as Gui'e, Fang Xianfu, and Huo Tao united around Zhang Cong. Once he has enough seniority and prestige, Zhu Houcong will not be stingy with a position as Grand Secretary. At most, he will give him a warning before he enters the cabinet.

With this arrangement, Zhu Houcong believed that he was truly a benevolent and sage ruler who had put a lot of thought into his ministers. After all, only the pilgrimage team was qualified to undergo the test of the four saints. Now that he had made the same arrangement, wasn't he also valuing the future of this minister?
'I hope you won't disappoint me!'

As Zhu Houcong relived Journey to the West, his eyes grew sore that he closed them to rest. Just then, he heard the palace doors open softly and his trusted eunuch enter the hall.

Unhurried and steady in his steps.

Unusually, Zhu Houcong was somewhat anxious.

I'm eager to hear an answer.

The eunuch approached, still kneeling on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold gold brick: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Houcong opened his eyes: "Speak!"

"He wants to disband the Yixin Society."

"Ok?"

Zhu Houcong was stunned for a moment, then his body straightened abruptly, and his expression finally changed.

(End of this chapter)