My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 124 Commissioning Gao Gong
Faced with his mother's severe punishment, Zhu Yijun remained silent, which made Consort Li even angrier and forced him to continue kneeling.

Including the time he had been kneeling before, Zhu Yijun had been kneeling for an hour. His legs were completely numb, but he still bit his lip and refused to say a word of begging for mercy.

"His Majesty is here!"

Just then, the palace servants outside the door began to announce that the Longqing Emperor had entered the Yikun Palace.

Consort Li hurriedly came out of the palace gate to greet him. Emperor Longqing excused himself from the court etiquette and asked:

"Jun'er, are you still kneeling?"

As the head of the harem, the Longqing Emperor was naturally aware of the major events happening in the palace. The news that Zhu Yijun had been summoned to the palace by Consort Li and forced to kneel as punishment reached his ears immediately.

Consort Li immediately wept and said:

"Your Majesty, this rebellious son has been misled by some treacherous official and submitted such a blasphemous memorial. That is why I punished him by making him kneel and reflect on his mistakes, so that he can think about the hardships our ancestors endured in managing the affairs of the state."

Seeing Consort Li cry, the Longqing Emperor took her hand and said:
"Jun'er is young, and it's normal for him to be playful and active. Let him stop kneeling. I have a few questions to ask him."

When Consort Li heard that Emperor Longqing had pardoned Zhu Yijun, her worry deepened. She feared that her son had said something wrong in front of the emperor, which would further displease him.

Upon receiving the emperor's decree, Feng Bao immediately went to the palace and soon helped the limping Zhu Yijun to his side.

Seeing Zhu Yijun in this state, the Longqing Emperor felt a pang of pity.

Because of the prophecy that "two dragons cannot meet," he never experienced father-son affection from a young age. However, after he became a father himself, he still loved this son very much.

Seeing her son suffer, her anger subsided considerably.

Of course, as an emperor, Emperor Longqing wouldn't show the same doting affection for his son as ordinary families. He simply said in a calm tone:
"I know I was wrong."

Feng Bao supported Zhu Yijun with his hand and gently patted his back, signaling Zhu Yijun to beg for forgiveness and admit his mistake.

However, Zhu Yijun said:

"Father, I have done nothing wrong!"

Consort Li's face showed anger again, and Zhu Yijun quickly hid behind Feng Bao, but the emperor waved his hand and said:

"Tell me, how can you say there's no mistake?"

Zhu Yijun's face flushed red. This was his first political practice, and he had already encountered such great difficulties.

The court officials submitted a petition in protest, the Empress Dowager punished him, and even the eunuchs around him were arrested and interrogated by the Eastern Depot.

This sense of frustration is very intense for a six-year-old.

Zhu Yijun, drawing courage from who-knows-where, said to his father:
“Master Yin once said that in the forty-fourth year of the Emperor’s reign, Grand Secretary Xu held a grand gathering at Lingji Palace. All the officials in the capital sent congratulatory messages. If Grand Secretary Xu could hold it, why couldn’t Father Emperor?”

Hearing his son's words, the Longqing Emperor smiled bitterly. Of course, he knew about the Lingji Palace Assembly in the forty-fourth year of the Jiajing reign.

Of course, Zhu Yijun was also quite clever; he never mentioned the Hundred Plays Festival, but instead focused on the matter of the Society.

As expected, the phrase "The Grand Secretary can do it, but Father Emperor cannot" silenced the Longqing Emperor.

Consort Li, who was beside the emperor, said sternly:

"You unfilial son, you are already the Crown Prince who has gone out to listen to lectures. Who taught you to speak to your father like that? Do you think your tutors would teach you to petition for some kind of lectures?"

Zhu Yijun blushed and said:
"Who said that! Master Su supports my lecture series!"

Zhu Yijun regretted his words as soon as he finished speaking and quickly lowered his head, no longer saying anything.

The Longqing Emperor frowned and asked:

"Master Su? Which Master Su? Among the lecturers in the Eastern Palace, the only one with the surname Su is Su Ze, Su Zilin, right?"

Upon hearing that Su Ze supported his son's lecture series, both Emperor Longqing and Consort Li fell silent.

This is where the importance of a persona comes in.

If it were any other lecturer who encouraged his son to submit a memorial, he would likely be branded as a treacherous sycophant to the crown prince, and the emperor would certainly not keep him in the Eastern Palace.

But Su Ze is different. In the past six months, Su Yishu's reputation has grown bigger and bigger. What if Su Ze also agrees to start a lecture society?
The Longqing Emperor also began to ponder, and he asked Li Fang, who was beside him:

"Has Su Ze submitted a memorial to the cabinet?"

Li Fang quickly said:

"Not yet, but it might still be with the Cabinet. I'll go ask them."

Emperor Longqing nodded, and Li Fang left Yikun Palace with two eunuchs. A short while later, she returned carrying Su Ze's memorial.

Really?
Emperor Longqing picked up Su Ze's memorial, quickly read it, then looked at the cabinet ministers' draft proposals and fell into thought.

Zhu Yijun looked curiously at the memorial in his father's hand, wondering what his tutor, Su, had said in it.
Su Ze's memorial was not particularly original, but for the emperor, the attitude of the cabinet ministers was what mattered.

Grand Secretary Li Chunfang quoted the last paragraph of Su Ze's memorial, which meant that Li Chunfang would support it as long as the emperor's private treasury provided the funds.
Zhang Juzheng's opposition to lecturing was within the emperor's expectations; the emperor was aware of Zhang Juzheng's stance.

And Gao Gong's attitude.

Gao Gong did not follow Zhang Juzheng in opposing the lectures, but instead used the lectures as an example to persuade the emperor to appropriately relax the education of the crown prince.

The Longqing Emperor raised his head and looked at his young son, a look of reluctance on his face.

Since he began lecturing, Zhu Yijun did not even take a break during the hottest summer months. He studied very diligently and made significant progress.

If the Crown Prince and the Imperial Household Department, which had diligently taught the Crown Prince, were to be punished simply because of a lecture controversy, Emperor Longqing felt it was somewhat unreasonable.

Yes, is lecturing something that only the Grand Secretary can do? And not the Emperor?

The Longqing Emperor then summoned Chen Hong, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Treasury, and asked him:
"Go and find out how much silver was spent on the last lecture at Lingji Palace, and whether the Inner Treasury has that amount of silver."

Unlike Li Fang and Feng Bao, Chen Hong rose to power entirely by satisfying the Longqing Emperor's personal desires, and therefore he was also the most sycophantic.

Since the emperor asked this question, it meant that the emperor was also interested, so he quickly replied:

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the imperial treasury is overflowing, and even the most rotten grains are not worth much."

Upon hearing Chen Hong's words, a hint of smugness appeared on the emperor's face.

Compared to his father's reign, the imperial finances during the Longqing era were indeed much better.

With the war in the southeast quelled and no large-scale battles in the northwest, coupled with the effective cabinet work and the efficient collection of overdue taxes, the emperor's treasury was indeed full.

As Su Ze said, a prosperous era should also host a grand event. Since the country is temporarily at peace, why not hold a grand event that will be remembered for all time?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun understood that his father's thoughts had also changed, and he quickly said:
"Father, the eunuchs serving me have nothing to do with the memorial. Could you please release them?"

The Longqing Emperor waved his hand and said:
"Release them. The lecturers of the Eastern Palace have been teaching the Crown Prince tirelessly through the cold and heat. Give them ten taels of silver."

"Send the Imperial Medical Academy to Grand Secretary Zhao's home to bestow medicine and comfort him."

Zhu Yijun opened his mouth, intending to ask his father about the Hundred Plays Festival.

However, he learned his lesson this time and grew a bit from it, so he swallowed his words.
-
When Zhu Yijun finally returned to the Eastern Palace, he saw Zhang Hong covered in wounds.

Seeing Zhang Hong's state, Zhu Yijun shed tears: "Zhang Daban, it was my willful insistence that caused you suffering." Zhang Hong immediately knelt down and said:
"Your Highness is too kind to me. I haven't read many books and don't understand those grand principles. I only know how to do this one thing for you."

Zhu Yijun hugged Zhang Hong and wept bitterly. Zhang Hong, enduring the excruciating pain in his back, felt even more that the trip to the Eastern Depot was worthwhile.

When the Eastern Depot came to arrest him, Zhang Hong thought he was doomed.

The head of the Eastern Depot was Feng Bao, the second-in-command of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Feng Bao was at odds with his godfather, Li Fang, and also disliked him.

As expected, once Zhang Hong entered the Eastern Depot, he was tortured to the point of near death.

Just when Zhang Hong was about to give up and was about to confess that it was Su Ze who instigated the Crown Prince to set up the lecture society, he suddenly received a message from his godfather, Li Fang.

"Shut up, just hang in there."

Zhang Hong could only grit his teeth and rely on this sentence to get through to today. Originally, Zhang Hong thought he was going to rot in the East Depot's prison, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better and he was released.

After listening to Zhu Yijun recount what had happened in Yikun Palace, Zhang Hong said to Zhu Yijun:
"Your Highness bestowed upon me my life."

"I still want to thank Master Su. If it weren't for Master Su, I would still be kneeling here right now."

Zhang Hong nodded repeatedly. Although he was a eunuch, he knew how to be grateful.

When he was in the Eastern Palace, Su Ze treated him well. If Su Ze hadn't written a memorial to change the emperor's mind and spare the crown prince, he would probably have died in the Eastern Depot.

However, this time in prison also brought Zhang Hong great gains.

Most importantly, there is the title "Daiban".

The fact that the Crown Prince changed how he addressed himself shows that from this moment on, he truly regarded him as a close confidant.

In the past, among the eunuchs in the Imperial Palace and the Eastern Palace, the title "Daban" was used specifically to refer to Feng Bao.

Feng Bao raised the Crown Prince single-handedly.

Now that I have this title, as long as I can endure until the Crown Prince ascends the throne, I will definitely become the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the position of Grand Secretary is also within reach.

This ordeal with the Eastern Depot also taught Zhang Hong a lesson: in the treacherous palace, wealth, status, and power are not important; what matters is one's relationship with the emperor.

He held firm to his position in the Eastern Depot, refusing to betray the Crown Prince, and thus won the Crown Prince's favor.

As for those eunuchs who couldn't bear it and revealed the Crown Prince's private affairs, their graves are already overgrown with weeds.

Zhang Hong was even more grateful for his godfather Li Fang's reminder. This trip to the Eastern Depot was a transformative experience for Zhang Hong.

"Otomo, what about the Hundred Entertainments Festival?"

Zhang Hong was startled. Why would His Highness still care about that shabby Hundred Plays Festival?

However, Zhang Hong could not disobey the Crown Prince, so he could only say:

"Your Highness, the one who tied the knot must untie it. Since Hanlin Su was able to organize the Academy of Arts and the Hundred Plays Festival, why not ask him again?"

Zhu Yijun nodded repeatedly and said:
“What you say is absolutely right! You are injured, so you should rest for a few days first. Anyway, this matter cannot be rushed.”

This incident has actually helped Zhu Yijun make some progress.

Historically, great statesmen and military strategists are the hardest to produce because both politics and military affairs are disciplines that require practical experience.

However, in political and military practice, even a small mistake can ruin everything.

If an ordinary official had brought up this lecture controversy, their political career would have been over.

However, for Zhu Yijun, the crown prince, there was an opportunity to put his ideas into practice. The lesson he learned this time was that one should not be too hasty in political matters. If one wanted to put forward new ideas, one should first test the waters.

This was also a very memorable lesson for six-year-old Zhu Yijun.
-
December 2nd.

The controversy surrounding the lectures started quickly, but it also subsided just as quickly.

The winds shifted instantly after the emperor bestowed gifts upon the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The reason is actually quite simple: most mid- to lower-level officials also support lecturing.

Giving lectures was a golden age for Confucian scholars; which scholar wouldn't want to participate?
Moreover, lecturing provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge, and if one can achieve remarkable success, one can become a literary master of one generation.

Moreover, rumors soon spread throughout the court and among the people that the emperor was preparing to use his own private funds to hold a lecture society, and that he would invite renowned scholars from all over the country to hold a grand lecture event that would be recorded in history.

This further diminished the opposition.

Such a grand lecture event is sure to go down in history!

Even the outspoken officials who had always opposed everything quickly switched sides after the winds of change.

History Museum.

Shen Yiguan exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Zilin, you want to commission a manuscript from the Grand Secretary?"

Luo Wanhua, Wang Jiaping, and Zhang Wei all looked at Su Ze in horror.

Su Ze said:

"Rumors are circulating throughout the court that His Majesty intends to use the imperial treasury to establish a lecture society. Since he is going to give lectures, he should let the people of the world know what he will be lecturing on."

Su Ze already knew the definite result.

The Longqing Emperor decreed that the imperial treasury should fund another grand gathering at Lingji Palace, inviting virtuous and learned scholars from across the land to attend and lecture.

This lecture series greatly enriched the intellectual world of the Ming Dynasty, but it also exacerbated its intellectual divisions. The Ming Dynasty's lifespan increases by 2.

[The host's prestige increased by 200 for advocating this policy]

The national fortune is increased by 2, which is a normal result.

A flourishing intellectual community does not guarantee a stable political regime.

Conversely, if the intellectual community fails to reach a consensus at the end of a dynasty, it can lead to even greater chaos.

Therefore, although lecturing extended the lifespan of the dynasty, it was not by much.

Su Ze became even more determined in his thinking: this conference should not only be a gathering of intellectuals, but also a platform to unify ideas and determine the direction for the future.

This requires Su Ze to continuously submit memorials during this period to revise and expand the topics and agenda of the meeting.

Since it was a major conference, Su Ze wanted to liven up the atmosphere.

Su Ze said:

"I plan to publish a supplement to the Yuefu Xinbao, and ask the Grand Secretary to write an explanation of the essential points of each school of thought."

"Grand Secretary Zhao has already promised me that he will write an article on the philosophy of mind and publish it in the newspaper. I will visit Grand Secretary Gao after I leave work today and ask him to write an article as well."

The people present looked at each other in bewilderment.

Can you do this?

But thinking about it carefully, with the circulation of the Yuefu Xinbao so large now, and Zhao Zhenji writing articles on the philosophy of mind, how could the other Grand Secretaries possibly sit still?
(End of this chapter)