Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 141 Father and Son Conversation! The Truth Revealed?
Just as Zhang Juzheng was able to understand what was happening in the court today, Zhang Yunxiu could also understand his father's next move through Shen Shixing.

As soon as he came out of the court, Zhang Yunxiu ran into Shen Shixing and learned about his father's next plan.

Today in court, Zhang Yunxiu did not directly attack Zhang Siwei. On the one hand, it was to maintain appearances with the Qingliu faction and at least prevent them from resorting to desperate measures, the so-called "boiling frog in lukewarm water." On the other hand, it was a very realistic matter, as there was no evidence among the collected evidence that could completely destroy Zhang Siwei.

This old coin was even more cunning than Xu Xuemo. He showed almost no signs of participating in any of the White Lotus cult members' or sorcerers' activities.

Even the Imperial Guard spies who infiltrated the Zhang family overheard their conversations once or twice, and Zhang Siwei was still subtly cryptic, making it impossible for anyone to find any fault with him.

Of course, this does not mean that Zhang Siwei can rest easy.

Under the overwhelming tide of events, the "anti-Zhang faction" has become a pariah, and it's only a matter of time before they deal with Zhang Siwei.

Locking that old bastard up in the imperial prison might uncover some problems, even if there aren't any.

Everything depends on whether the emperor and Zhang Juzheng are willing.

However, judging from Shen Shixing's tone, both his father Zhang Juzheng and Emperor Zhu Yijun seemed inclined to let Zhang Siwei off the hook.

This infuriated Zhang Yunxiu, who wished he could kick both of them off their horses.

Of course, Zhang Yunxiu was hot-tempered and full of youthful vigor, but he was still clear-headed and wouldn't do something like chopping Zhang Siwei up with a single blow.

He has a bright future ahead of him and doesn't need to leave any leverage over this matter.

Ultimately, though, he still harbored resentment.

Shouldn't we take swift and decisive action to eliminate these "opponents" completely?

Why let Zhang Siwei go?
Upon hearing his youngest son's question, Zhang Juzheng's expression immediately turned serious. He tapped the table and asked in return.

"Even if you arrest Zhang Siwei, how can you be sure he'll be convicted? Are you just going to find some excuse to have him hang himself in prison?"

It is not impossible.

Zhang Yunxiu thought to himself, but still started to analyze it.

“That will surely leave countless loopholes and handles. Zhang Siwei, Xu Xuemo and others are just pawns put forward by the upright gentry. Even if we rashly take this pawn, we will surely face their counterattack.”

Zhang Yunxiu was very clear about this matter, which was why he had been holding back.

Zhang Siwei and Xu Xuemo may die, but they should be nailed to the pillar of shame with evidence, with no possibility of overturning their case.

"Since you already know, why do you ask the question when you already know the answer?" Zhang Juzheng said, his eyes fixed on him.

“But,” Zhang Yunxiu said, narrowing his eyes, “I still have a trump card I haven’t used! Father, do you really think I dared to attend the court assembly without any preparation?”

"True card?"

Zhang Yunxiu lowered his voice and said, "A while ago, I sought out Duke Zhang Rong of Yingguo. His servants found some things in Zhang Siwei's house."

"The White Lotus Rebellion?" Zhang Juzheng's expression grew increasingly serious.

"More or less." Zhang Yunxiu didn't say it explicitly. "But if we investigate carefully, the net of justice is vast and its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it; Zhang Siwei will eventually have nowhere to hide!"

However, Zhang Juzheng still said, "There's no need to investigate."

"Why!" Zhang Yunxiu stared intently at his father. He instinctively sensed that his father had a deeper meaning, but on the surface he still pretended to be indignant.

Zhang Juzheng let out a long breath: "The game here is hard to describe, but I can make one thing clear: Xu Xuemo may die, but Zhang Siwei cannot be touched, at least not unless it is a serious crime of treason."

"Bang!"

Zhang Yunxiu slammed the teacup over his shoulder and said angrily.

"Father, you must know all the evil deeds of the White Lotus cult, right? Those children whose hearts were ripped out, the women whose stomachs were disemboweled, and the common people whose families were destroyed because of their bewitching—did they die in vain? You are well-versed in the classics and determined to save lives for the people, yet you also want to excuse these beasts?"

"Zhang Shiyuan!"

Zhang Juzheng was also annoyed. After several attempts, he almost lost his patience, but when he saw his young son's angry young eyes, he couldn't help but be moved.

There was a time when I was as spirited and ambitious as a young child.

In the twenty-eighth year of the Jiajing reign, he submitted a memorial entitled "On Current Affairs" to the Jiajing Emperor. He first pointed out the disease of "blood and qi stagnation", and then pointed out five diseases of "bloating, weakness and paralysis", but the Jiajing Emperor completely ignored it.

He was extremely angry at the time, and eventually became disheartened and returned to his hometown to travel.

Isn't this exactly the same as Zhang Yunxiu's current anger?

"Do you insist that your father speak plainly?"

Zhang Juzheng sighed heavily, looking rather helpless.

Then, he returned to his desk and wrote two words on the white paper with unusually heavy strokes.

Zhang Yunxiu wanted to provoke his father into revealing his secrets, but when he saw the contents of the white paper, he was almost startled.

Empress Dowager Li

Pingyang Prefecture, Shanxi

After Zhang Yunxiu finished reading it, Zhang Juzheng tore the paper to shreds and then threw it into the incense burner to burn it completely. The Xuan paper and ink burned in the incense burner, emitting a strange smell.

To Zhang Yunxiu, it even carried a faint smell of blood.

He naturally understood that Zhang Juzheng's decision to let Zhang Siwei go had a deeper meaning, and that he genuinely intended to protect him.

But when the truth came out, Zhang Yunxiu almost felt suffocated and even regretted hearing it.

Like a thunderclap, it exploded right next to my head, then spread from the top of my head all the way to my heels, and even my entire back felt numb.

However, Zhang Yunxiu frowned again and looked at his father with a puzzled expression.

"That can't be right. As far as I know, the woman from Cining Palace was born into a respectable family in Huoxian County, Shuntian Prefecture. What does she have to do with Pingyang Prefecture?"

Zhang Juzheng seemed reluctant to discuss it further, but he still sighed and said in a low voice.

The Gengxu Incident

Zhang Yunxiu's pupils suddenly contracted; intelligent people don't need much explanation when they speak.

Zhang Yunxiu understood almost everything from just Zhang Juzheng's words.

Empress Dowager Li's family originated from Shanxi. During the "Gengxu Incident" in the 29th year of the Jiajing reign, Anda invaded Datong, so the whole family moved to the capital.

A simple review of historical records makes everything fall into place. As for official court records, they generally emphasize that Empress Dowager Li was born in Shuntian Prefecture, and only when her father, Li Wei, is her ancestral home in Shanxi mentioned.

Once he understood this crux of the matter, Zhang Yunxiu's eyes instantly turned somewhat cold.

This Empress Dowager Li is a model of virtue and kindness in historical records!

However, it now appears that the other party is not as perfect as history describes, and may even be aiding and abetting evil.

A fire ignited in Zhang Yunxiu's eyes, but he suppressed it and said in a deep voice.

"Pingyang Prefecture belongs to Shanxi, which is the stronghold of Shanxi merchants, and Zhang Siwei is also a Shanxi merchant."

Zhang Juzheng glanced at his young son and said.

"Why do you think Xu Guo would help you? He could have stood by and done nothing. Even if he was involved with Renmin Medical Clinic, he would never have taken such a risk."

The world is full of goodwill, and the world is all good.

"No one gets up early without a reason. This person is backed by Huizhou merchants, so naturally they wouldn't want to see Zhang Siwei grow bigger."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu felt his breathing become heavy.

He boasted that his analysis was thorough, but he still oversimplified the situation in the imperial court.

If, as Zhang Juzheng (Li Wei's father) said, Li Wei was the biological father of Empress Dowager Li, and their family's ancestral home was in Shanxi, then they must have had intricate connections with Shanxi merchants.

Even if there was no contact before, after Li entered the palace and became the head of the six palaces, would those powerful Shanxi merchants let go of this connection? Thus, everything suddenly came together.

Zhang Siwei was born in Fengling Township, Puzhou County, Pingyang Prefecture, Shanxi Province. He was a prominent figure among Shanxi merchants in the imperial court.

Why did the Wanli Emperor tolerate Zhang Siwei's repeated provocations?
Why did the "anti-Zhang faction," which was clearly outmatched in strength, have the confidence to launch such a fierce offensive after Zhang Juzheng fell ill?
The Shanxi merchants and the Cining Palace were the key to this four-dimensional power!

At this point, Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but want to remind his youngest son, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Great Learning begins by saying: "Things have their roots and branches; affairs have their beginnings and ends. If you know what comes first and what comes last, you are close to the Way."

Do you know what that means?

These kinds of tests have never been difficult for Zhang Yunxiu, he answered instinctively.

"It is nothing more than that everything in the world has a beginning and an end. By recognizing the primary and secondary relationships, understanding the order of things, and grasping the essence of things, one can gradually and progressively advance towards realizing this 'Tao'."

He even added some of the ideas of that gentleman from later generations.

Zhang Juzheng originally intended to test his son, but he did not expect his youngest son to answer so well. The phrase "grasp the essence of things" captivated him even more.

Such a brilliant answer made him somewhat embarrassed.

This kind of boasting and showing off of talent was originally intended by Zhang Juzheng to demonstrate his teaching of his young son, but now he has been used to teach the other party instead?

Silently keeping this answer in mind, he coughed twice to ease the awkwardness, and then continued.

"Your answer is excellent. This is the principle I want to teach you. Remember it well when you conduct yourself in court in the future."

Zhang Yunxiu looked at his father speechlessly.

What exactly did you teach? Wasn't it all just what I said?
Even so, the thought of the group of people behind Zhang Siwei made Zhang Yunxiu feel powerless.

My father, Zhang Juzheng, is ultimately not very capable. How come he couldn't even get rid of the Empress Dowager in the inner palace? How can I, Zhang Yunxiu, live in peace as a second-generation heir?
After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Father, haven't you thought about dealing with these Shanxi merchants properly? Are you just letting them run rampant?"

"Do you know that Anda has been granted tribute?"

Zhang Juzheng mentioned it out of the blue.

He was taken aback for a moment, but fortunately Zhang Yunxiu was truly "learned and knowledgeable," otherwise he really wouldn't have been able to communicate with someone like Zhang Juzheng.

He thought for a moment and said, "It happened after the Gengxu Incident. In the fifth year of the Longqing reign, there was an internal strife in the family of the Tatar leader Anda."
At that time, Anda submitted to our Great Ming, and this matter was jointly promoted by Grand Secretary Gao Gong and Wang Chonggu, who was then the Governor-General of Datong.

"Our Great Ming Dynasty bestows upon Anda the title of King of Shunyi, and establishes thirteen horse markets for regular trade."

In retrospect, this can be considered one of Gao Gong's "not bad" achievements during his tenure.

"What do you think of this tribute bestowal by Anda?" Zhang Juzheng asked, squinting his eyes.

"It can be considered half a benevolent policy," Zhang Yunxiu nodded slightly. "It has reduced border troubles in the north of our Great Ming, stopped warfare, and saved millions of taels of silver in military expenses over the years. The trade in the north, facilitating the exchange of goods, can also replenish the treasury and national funds in a sense. However, it has left behind many hidden dangers."

At the time, the "Anda's tribute" policy was a good decree, which alleviated the financial pressure on the Ming Dynasty in the short term.

In the long run, Altan Khan's policy of paying tribute to the emperor also led to a relaxation of defenses in the northern frontier, as the saying goes, "the border defenses were greatly weakened, and all the military pay went into the commander's pocket."

These enormous revenues inevitably enriched the border troops, and in a sense, also sowed the seeds of future Manchuria's rise.

Zhang Yunxiu wouldn't mention these things directly, but he did subtly remind his father.

Zhang Juzheng did not rush to discuss the significance of "Anda's investiture" with his young son, but instead brought it up instead.

"Then do you know who is in charge of this border trade market?"

"They're nothing more than Shanxi merchants."

As he spoke, Zhang Yunxiu's eyes grew even more profound.

Zhang Juzheng then asked, "You know that the one who led Anda to pay tribute was Wang Chonggu. Do you know where Wang Chonggu was from?"

"Pingyang Prefecture, Shanxi!!!"

Zhang Yunxiu blurted out, his eyes widening as he felt a chill run down his spine.

This is an incredibly interconnected system; the Shanxi merchants' infiltration of the imperial court can be described as all-pervasive!

These dog-like "Shanxi merchants" not only had Empress Dowager Li as their backer, but had also been deeply rooted in the Ming Dynasty since the Longqing era.

Through Wang Chonggu's connections, Shanxi merchants established trade relations with Anda, thereby making a fortune.

Then, relying on the money they earned, they cultivated a deep relationship within the imperial court.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Siwei, the successor, was placed on the throne!
Wang Chonggu is Zhang Siwei's maternal uncle!

After Wang Chonggu passed away in the fifth year of the Wanli reign, his power in the court naturally shifted to Zhang Siwei, making him even more powerful.

Zhang Siwei also became a representative of Shanxi merchants in the imperial court.

This matter is not public knowledge, but many ministers are well aware of it, which is why the political winds in the court have been swaying back and forth these days!

When Zhang Juzheng developed a rift with the emperor and fell seriously ill, these Shanxi merchants began to scheme and tried every means to push Zhang Siwei to the position of Grand Secretary.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Yunxiu came along and caused trouble.

Thinking of the wicked intentions of these people, Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but curse them.

"Damn it, I'll wipe them all out one day!"

Zhang Juzheng may not have known, but Zhang Yunxiu understood all too well.

These Shanxi merchants were not merely seeking power; they were like a "hemorrhoid" or "tumor" growing in the backyard of the Ming Dynasty! They appeared to be law-abiding, but in reality, they would be the cause of the Ming Dynasty's demise in the future conflicts at the end of the Ming Dynasty!
After the rise of the Jurchen people in the Later Jin dynasty, the Shanxi merchants had a long history of misdeeds. For profit, they provided the Later Jin with strategic materials such as grain, ironware, and gunpowder. Without these materials, it is questionable whether the Jurchen people could have survived and grown stronger.

After the Manchus entered the Central Plains, Emperor Shunzhi bestowed the title of "Imperial Merchants" upon eight Shanxi merchants, including Fan Yongdou, which is enough to demonstrate the significant role they played in the rise of the Later Jin Jurchens!

The so-called infamous "Eight Great Imperial Merchants" were none other than this group of Shanxi merchants.

In terms of their crimes, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to skin them alive, tear out their tendons, and execute their entire families!

Seeing his young son's indignant expression, Zhang Juzheng ruthlessly corrected him.

"It's not that easy."

Can you kill one person, or thousands or tens of thousands hiding in the shadows?
I will tell you that Shanxi merchants were not only involved in border trade, but also in the trade of salt, rice, tea, and oil in the capital.
If anything goes wrong, the capital will be in chaos!

Through years of operation, Shanxi merchants had become deeply entrenched in the Ming Dynasty, their influence having far-reaching consequences.

If we really push them too far, not only will the border trade be in trouble, but the livelihoods of the people in the capital will also be affected.

In a sense, Zhang Juzheng reached a tacit understanding with the Shanxi merchants, sparing Zhang Siwei's life. From then on, the two sides appeared to be keeping to themselves.

Compromise is the art of politics, not Zhang Yunxiu's art.

He didn't show it on his face, but in his heart he had already set his sights on the Shanxi merchants as his next target.

Zhang Yunxiu looked at his father and asked one last question.

"Didn't Father ever consider completely curing this stubborn disease?"

Zhang Juzheng was stunned for a moment, his face showing a very solemn expression.

He then took a book from the desk and slowly pushed a copy of an obituary from the inner lining onto the table.

After a moment of stunned silence, Zhang Yunxiu took the obituary and frowned deeply.

This obituary was sent from Shanxi to the capital a month ago.

The gist of the story is that Shen Yousong, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner sent from the capital to Shanxi, accidentally fell into the water on his way to his post, caught a cold, and died.

　There will be another chapter at 9 o'clock.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)