Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 250 Marquis Guo Xun of Wuding Makes His Comeback

The seventh day of the eighth month of the twelfth year of Jiajing's reign.

The emperor goes on an inspection tour.

Prince Zhu Zaiji was left to oversee the country, while Grand Secretary Zhang Cong was stationed in the capital.

Yes, just before the news of victory from Annam arrived in Beijing, Consort Yan in the harem gave birth to a prince.

Zhu Houcong was overjoyed and, before the first birthday celebration, personally bestowed upon him the name "Zaiji"—meaning "to inherit the virtues of Heaven and establish the foundation of the nation."

The Directorate of Palace Attendants worked through the night to produce the Golden Cabinet and Jade Book, while the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs drafted a reward system that was three levels higher than usual.

Their earnest expectations were evident.

This eldest son was born on the 19th day of the eighth month of the eleventh year of the Jiajing reign and died on the 10th day of the tenth month of the same year, less than two months later. He was posthumously named Crown Prince Aichong, and the Jiajing Emperor was extremely saddened by his death.

Now that Zhu Zaiji has turned one year old, the emperor has more confidence to go on tours, as officials can no longer prevent him from leaving the capital on the grounds that he has no heir.

As for why Zhang Cong was left behind, it was not only because he was the Grand Secretary and deeply trusted by the Emperor, and indeed had prestige and loyalty to remain in the capital, but also because Zhang Cong fundamentally disagreed with Zhu Houcong's grand and extravagant return to his hometown.

This southern tour was essentially a disguised form of the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. At most, the cost was not as high, and the purpose was more specific. However, the expenses incurred by the emperor and officials along the way were still a huge expenditure.

The campaign against Annam relied on forcing wealthy families in Jiangnan to confiscate their property and transport supplies, leaving the national treasury perpetually empty. As a pragmatic chief minister, Zhang Cong was naturally unwilling to satisfy the emperor's personal desires in this way.

Zhang Cong was never one to always go along with Zhu Houcong, and Zhu Houcong was already used to it. Since Zhang Cong was unwilling, he decided to stay in the capital and bring the second-in-command Yan Song with him. At the same time, he designated a list of ministers to accompany the emperor.

Among the dukes and marquises, the Duke of Dingguo, Xu Yande, and the Marquis of Wuding, Guo Xun, were the leaders.

Among the officials, the six ministers, led by the second-ranking minister Yan Song, the Minister of War Mao Bowen, and the Vice Minister of Rites Huang Wan, were also Hanlin Academician Xia Yan and Hanlin Academy Compiler Hai Yue, among others.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard included Commander Wang Zuo, Vice Commander of the Rear Guard Lu Song, and Inspector General Lu Bing and his son.

Needless to say, Lu Song and his son Lu Bing were old members of the Xingwang Mansion and would definitely be by his side this time. Although Xia Yan did not have the glory of history, he had not fallen out of favor and was still lecturing the emperor on classics and history. Hai Yue's appointment to accompany him drew attention from all sides.

Even though they knew that this man had been bestowed a courtesy name by the emperor before he passed the imperial examination and had offered advice during the Annam war, he was still relatively inexperienced. Many white-haired compilers in the Hanlin Academy had toiled for ten years without being able to accompany the emperor. Now that they saw him being appointed by imperial decree, his colleagues congratulated him on the surface, but their fists clenched white in their sleeves.

Compared to his eager colleagues, Haiyue was actually quite regretful. Zhu Yuying was about to give birth, and even though her parents were taking care of her, he still wanted to see the birth of his first child. Unfortunately, the emperor's procession had been preparing for months and could not wait, so he had no choice but to set off with the main group.

When the emperor travels, the entire entourage is mobilized, causing great turmoil throughout the land. Originally, the procession would be extremely grand.

The vanguard alone included the Imperial Guards leading the way, carrying golden maces and axes, dressed in flying fish robes, a flag-bearing team carrying hundreds of flags such as dragon flags, sun and moon flags, and Big Dipper flags, and musicians and dancers performing court music such as "Flying Dragon Chant".

However, that would be too extravagant and wasteful. Zhu Houcong knew that the national treasury was not rich, so he greatly simplified the ceremonial procession and focused on the protection.

The procession was led by two thousand Imperial Guards as close attendants, two thousand elite Imperial Army soldiers as rear guards, and also included horses from the Imperial Horse Administration, food carts from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, concubines, palace maids, eunuchs, clerks, servants, cooks, musicians, and many others. The procession was a grand affair, with a total of more than five thousand people.

For the emperor, the scale of the event was already considered frugal, but the local area still faced considerable pressure in hosting over five thousand people. After all, these were high-ranking officials who lived in luxury and could not be fooled by poor commoners.

Haiyue had this firsthand experience on her first day with the team.

It's no wonder Zhang Cong vehemently opposed such a grand return home; it was far too extravagant and wasteful, especially since the trip to Anlu Prefecture in Hubei was ultimately less politically significant than the trip to the south of the Yangtze River.

Yan Shifan, who was also in the group, could not hide his joy.

After much pleading and cajoling, he finally obtained Yan Song's approval to accompany him. Although he might not be able to meet the emperor, the honor of setting foot on the land where the emperor rose to power was extraordinary. If he were to receive the emperor's favor in the future, it would be the most precious opportunity for advancement.

Upon arriving at the Liangxiang Imperial Palace on the outskirts of Beijing, he was excitedly looking around when a figure suddenly appeared in his line of sight, causing his expression to change.

The man turned his gaze towards them and actually stepped forward, slowly clasping his hands in a fist salute: "Young Master Yan!"

"Don't dare!"

Yan Shifan returned the greeting with a slightly stiff expression: "It's been a long time since I've seen Lord Guo. You still have the same charm as before!"

The visitor was none other than Guo Xun. Since the Gui Zai case, the once illustrious and domineering Marquis of Wuding had faded from the sight of the powerful and influential in the capital. He had closed his doors under the pretext of recuperating from illness and had not appeared during the subsequent Annam campaign. It was only now, during the emperor's southern tour, that he appeared in the accompanying procession.

While he may be said to still possess his former charm, Guo Xun was in fact a completely different person compared to the imposing old man who once led his personal guards into the Imperial Academy and slapped Yan Shifan across the face.

His hair was gray, his wrinkles deep, and his back somewhat hunched; were it not for his rich attire, he would have looked like an ordinary old man from the common folk. "As Han Yu once said, 'Since this year, what was once gray in my hair has turned white, and what was once loose has fallen out. My hair and blood are waning day by day, and my spirit is waning day by day; how long will it take before I die with you?'..."

Guo Xun recited a passage from Han Yu's "Elegy for My Nephew, Twelfth Brother" with a wry smile. He was indeed one of the most cultured among the nobles. At this moment, he was reciting words like an old scholar: "I am fifty-nine years old, and I am approaching the age of sixty. Although I am not as old as Han Yu was when he was toothless and gray, my eyes are dim and my ears are hard. Where is my former glory?"

Yan Shifan squinted at him, his expression relaxing somewhat, and said indifferently, "Your Excellency is still vigorous in your old age and will live to be a hundred years old. Please don't say such things!"

"I am filled with fear day and night, only remembering my foolishness back then, which offended Scholar Hai and Young Master Yan..."

The old man clasped his hands tremblingly, his voice choked with emotion: "Today, Grand Secretary Yan is deeply favored by the Emperor, and Hanlin Academy's policy of pacifying the south has brought peace to the border. Young Master Yan has also repeatedly cracked down on heretical sects and rebel parties. Whenever I think of the past, I cannot help but break out in a cold sweat!"

Having said that, he bowed again to Yan Shifan, a young man in his early twenties, saying, "I humbly beg your magnanimity to forgive this old man's foolishness!"

"Easy to say, easy to say!"

Yan Shifan felt relieved. Thinking that his father was already halfway to becoming the Grand Secretary, he proudly puffed out his chest and waved his hand: "I don't remember what happened back then. Lord Guo doesn't need to worry. It's better to resolve conflicts than to make them fester!"

Guo Xun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "Young Master Yan is truly magnanimous. This old man thanks you!"

"You old codger! You were so powerful back then, are you scared now? Serves you right!"

Watching Guo Xun's departing figure, Yan Shifan spat and then excitedly went to find Haiyue.

After meeting, he vividly described the conversation he had just had: "I never expected that after more than two years, Guo Xun would have become such a scoundrel. I originally wanted to return the favor, but looking at him now, if I slapped him, I'm afraid the Marquis of Wuding's mansion would be in big trouble! Haha!"

As she listened, Haiyue's expression turned serious: "It's probably not that simple! If this person is truly so old that he has lost his spirit, why would he accompany His Majesty on this tour? The round trip is quite exhausting for an elderly person..."

"Perhaps he was dying, and in the end, he couldn't bear to give up that bit of glory, and wanted to show off one last time. Hmm! Could this old man be faking it?"

As Yan Shifan spoke, he also sensed something amiss, and then frowned: "But Guo Xun is ultimately a military man, why pretend to be old? With this decrepit appearance, would His Majesty still value him?"

"Logically speaking, an old and frail military man would be no good, but Guo Xun did have past achievements."

Haiyue said slowly, "Perhaps he wanted to evoke His Majesty's nostalgia!"

Guo Xun was, after all, the only nobleman who supported Jiajing during the Great Rites Controversy. Of course, his loyalty was not absolute, and he had previously been exposed for the serious crime of intentionally deceiving the emperor. But his past merits were still there; otherwise, he would have lost his life and would not have had the opportunity to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors.

The timing of his return to power was perfect, coinciding with Zhu Houcong's triumphant return home. When people are riding high, they tend to be more forgiving. Upon seeing the white-haired Guo Xun again, he might soften his heart and reinstate him.

Yan Shifan's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. The slight smugness and pity he had felt for Guo Xun's hunched and frail appearance vanished instantly, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes: "Guo Xun's current wretched state is entirely our doing. This deep-seated hatred will never be forgotten! Even if he is truly old and senile, he should be eliminated with swift and decisive action. If we show any mercy today, he will surely become a major threat in the future!"

Zhang Cong's health was failing, and Yan Song could see it too. He was just waiting for someone like Gui E to retire and return to his hometown, voluntarily relinquishing the position of Grand Secretary.

Moreover, with Zhang Cong gone, Fang Xianfu's temperament and Huo Tao's prestige alone would not be enough to maintain the overall situation. The newly rich group that once supported the Great Rites Controversy would be leaderless and no longer pose a threat. However, if Guo Xun were to make a comeback at this time and join forces with Fang Xianfu and Huo Tao, the situation would be different.

Whether for public or private reasons, Yan Shifan could not accept that Guo Xun still had a chance to make a comeback!

Seeing that he was about to leave, Haiyue stopped him: "Are you going to see Uncle Yan?"

Yan Shifan nodded: "Father serves by His Majesty's side, so naturally he has to step in to stop Guo Xun."

"Inappropriate..."

Haiyue shook her head slightly: "If this matter touches the Emperor's heart and gets us involved in the cabinet struggle, I'm afraid it will backfire!"

Yan Shifan felt somewhat embarrassed. What he cared about was the change of leadership between the old and new prime ministers. After thinking about it, he realized it wouldn't work and asked for advice, "Then what should we do? We can't keep an eye on him all the time..."

Haiyue asked, "Who was it that arrested the Hawks gang back then?"

"Understood!"

Yan Shifan's eyes lit up, and he grinned: "We should go find the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

(End of this chapter)