Di Ming

Chapter 398: A Coup to Establish Prince Xin as Emperor?

Zhang Jing immediately kowtowed to the beautiful woman in palace attire and said, "This servant, Zhang Jing, greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I have botched my duties and am begging for your punishment..."

Zhang Jing recounted the incident, and Consort Zheng, acting as if she were just learning about it, said, "I thought it was something serious, but it turns out it's nothing. Old nanny, calm down."

After speaking, he stepped forward to support the emperor and patted his chest to help him breathe.

Before leaving Yikun Palace, Jingkong gave her another piece of advice on how to speak to the Emperor. She thought Jingkong's idea was excellent and felt confident.

Her visit to Qianqing Palace at this time was not only to exonerate Zhang Jing, but also, based on the advice of the nun Jingkong, to use this matter to strike at Qingliu and Prince Xin, and to deter the forces opposing Prince Fu.

"My lady, is this a small matter?" the emperor said with a wry smile. "When Old Man Hai comes, he will definitely scold me! The servants below mess up their duties, but I am the one who gets scolded. This man even dared to scold my grandfather. Now he is eighty years old and a veteran of three reigns. Of course he will not give me any face."

Consort Zheng spat, "A thief's bite goes deep! As the saying goes, it's not the enemy's actions that are scary, but the enemy himself. Hai Rui was instigated to come to the capital to oppose the Emperor, just to support Prince Xin. His intentions are despicable! Old nanny, Zhang Jing is really not to blame for this."

"This matter is not difficult; in fact, it is quite easy to handle. It's just that His Majesty is a benevolent and wise ruler, which is why he is caught in a dilemma, hesitating and looking back. In the past, His Majesty also had many concerns and was manipulated by his court officials, so he couldn't even grant the title of three princes at the same time. But when His Majesty became decisive and stopped indulging them, the title of three princes at the same time was immediately granted. What can the officials do if they object? Now, the officials are either silent as cicadas in winter, pretend to be deaf and dumb, or dismissed from their posts and imprisoned, or demoted and banished from the capital."

"The same applies to Hai Rui's case. In my opinion, we should deliberately let them into the capital, then issue an imperial edict to label it a treason case, accusing them of secretly forming cliques, plotting a coup, and supporting Prince Xin. Using this charge, we can send troops to arrest them, imprison them, and interrogate them. We'll surely be able to uncover their conspiracy. In this way, Hai Rui and the others will become traitors, burdened with crimes, and their own consciences will be clouded. How could they then slander the emperor and damage his holy name?"

"What?" The emperor was stunned upon hearing this.

Even the chief eunuchs, including Zhang Jing, were stunned.

This is allowed? How can this be allowed?
Who is Hai Rui? He was the octogenarian, revered throughout the land, the head of the upright officials, and a veteran of three dynasties.

Even his political enemies couldn't find any fault with him.

In the hearts of the people, Hai Rui embodies fairness and justice. Even corrupt officials hold him in high esteem deep down.

Everyone needs justice, even those who undermine it.

The Empress Dowager said that directly classifying the scholars' petitioning in the capital as a major case of treason and claiming that Hai Rui was the leader of the rebel party would not convince anyone.

Who would believe that Hai Rui was a rebel who came to the capital to force the emperor to abdicate and plot to install Prince Xin as emperor?

"Ahem." The emperor's anger subsided, but his expression turned troubled. "Your Majesty, you are mistaken. Hai Rui is an adult without heirs and is already eighty years old. He retired as Left Censor-in-Chief and was posthumously granted the title of Junior Tutor. What reason could he possibly have to plot a rebellion?"

"Hai Rui's character is known to all; who would believe he was a traitor? He was the head of the upright officials, and it's true he supported Prince Xin. But he supported Prince Xin for the sake of the Ming Dynasty's laws and regulations, not for personal gain. This is such a simple truth, even women and children know it. How can you convince people to label him a traitor?"

Deep down, he didn't actually want to label Hai Rui as a traitor. This wasn't just because the court and the people were dissatisfied and didn't believe him, but also because, as the ruler, he recognized the importance of Hai Rui's integrity and loyalty to the country and the people.

The Emperor Yingzong's killing of Yu Qian has been condemned by scholars for over a century, and even today, people still feel resentful about Yu Qian's death.

Even a powerful ruler like Emperor Shizong dared not kill Hai Rui.

If he were to kill Hai Rui, what kind of infamy would he receive? He would become a tyrant even if he wasn't one.

"Old nanny!" Consort Zheng stamped her lotus foot. "Loyalty and filial piety, loyalty and filial piety! A subject must be loyal first and foremost! Loyal to whom? Loyal to the Emperor, to the sovereign father! The Emperor is heaven, is the country. How can those who claim to be for the country and its people, yet do not understand the sovereign father, or even oppose him, be loyal? Was Hai Rui truly loyal, or was he just trying to maintain his reputation? Heaven knows!"

"Whether he is a wise ruler or a foolish one, it's up to them to decide. This is using public opinion to manipulate the emperor for personal gain, and their intentions are despicable! If we don't listen to their opinions, will the Ming Dynasty perish? I don't think so!"

Using public opinion to manipulate the emperor for personal gain—is such a heart deserving of condemnation? Upon hearing this, the emperor's brow twitched, and he looked thoughtful.

My wife's words make a lot of sense.

Consort Zheng gave Zhang Jing and the others a wink, helped the emperor sit down on the imperial couch, personally applied the longevity ointment to the emperor, and continued:

“Husband, look at Zhu Yunwen. He listened to the ministers in everything and was led by the nose by the so-called upright officials. He was praised by the court officials at the time as a wise ruler. What was the result? He lost the throne and his grandfather, Emperor Chengzu, took the throne.”

"What about Emperor Chengzu? He always made decisions unilaterally and rarely listened to his ministers. As a result, he became a wise and virtuous ruler throughout history. Which wise and sage ruler has never failed to obey his orders? Has there ever been a wise ruler who was swayed by so-called public opinion and debate?"

"My lord, you can completely ignore, despise, purify, and suppress these opinions from the upright officials. Why take them to heart and upset your health?"

“Hai Rui once slandered the imperial ancestor. Even if he is not considered a traitor, my husband can use the pretext of filial piety to pursue Hai Rui’s crime of slandering the imperial ancestral temple.”

"My lord, if you can suppress these disrespectful, fame-seeking, and arrogant scholars this time, the court and the public will surely be awed and silenced. Then, you can choose whoever you want to make crown prince, and do whatever you want. That is the true supreme emperor!"

"My husband should not only not be angry about this, but should be happy. Because this is an opportunity!"

Consort Zheng's ability to turn her funeral into a celebration was truly remarkable.

When the emperor heard his wife's words, his eyes shone with a frightening light, and he was torn between his inner thoughts and his own.

“Grandpa!” Zhang Jing crawled a few steps on his knees. “Your Majesty is absolutely right! This servant has been carrying out your orders for the past few months to clean up the court and crack down on those officials with ulterior motives. Only then have I seen the truth: the officials bully the weak and fear the strong, and they use their public office for private gain!”

“They took advantage of Grandpa’s kindness and tolerance, and repeatedly used public opinion to coerce the emperor. They kept talking about the Ming Dynasty and the country, but in reality, they were just using this as a pretext to restrain the emperor’s power and show off their own power. Isn’t this just using public office for private gain?”

"But when this servant resorts to force, how many of them dare to resist? Even the cabinet ministers turn a blind eye, don't they? It's clear that besides abusing their power for personal gain, they also bully the weak and fear the strong!"

"If you treat these ministers with leniency and kindness, it would be like casting pearls before swine, and you would be wasting your breath."

"They truly wield public opinion to command the emperor!"

"Using public opinion to command the emperor?" Upon hearing Zhang Jing's words, the emperor's brow twitched again.

Zhang Jingyi said again, "Grandpa is a wise and enlightened emperor, with profound wisdom and unparalleled wisdom. He can make decisions on matters big and small, and his words are law. Listening to their advice is a favor. Not listening to their advice is his duty."

"This servant seconds it!" The three chief eunuchs, Gao Huai, Zong Qin, and Gao Cai, also supported Consort Zheng's view, saying that this was an excellent opportunity to suppress the upright officials and rectify public opinion, and requested the emperor to "be himself".

Consort Zheng then said softly, "Has my husband forgotten Zhang Juzheng? Wasn't Zhang Juzheng once all-powerful and admired by the world? But was he a loyal minister? By condemning him, my husband has only increased the emperor's prestige and made the Ming Dynasty even more prosperous."

The emperor puffed on a cigarette while pacing back and forth in the hall, his obese body moving faster and faster.

Consort Zheng and the others followed the emperor's figure with a nervous expression.

Suddenly the emperor stopped in his tracks, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine! My wife, you're right! Let's do it this way!"

He finally made up his mind: he wanted to be himself!

He never wanted to see his ministers and officials use his benevolence and forgiveness to coerce him with so-called public opinion again!

At this moment, the emperor felt as if he had been tricked. He felt that all the officials were liars!
He finally found a perfect reason to "be himself and be a tyrant".

I am the emperor, why shouldn't I have my way?
Who is the emperor? It is I!
He seemed to suddenly realize something.

"Zhang Jing!" the emperor shouted.

"This servant is here!" Zhang Jing prostrated herself forward.

The emperor said, "Issue my secret decree: stop obstructing Hai Rui and let them enter the capital to cause trouble! I want to see if they can really force the emperor to abdicate and seize power, and plot to install Prince Xin in the capital!"

The emperor was indeed a big talker; with just a few words, the charge of "forcing the emperor to abdicate and disrupting the government, plotting to install Prince Xin" was established.

"This servant obeys the decree! Your Majesty is wise!" Zhang Jing quickly accepted the order, fearing that the emperor might change his mind.

"Grandpa is wise!" the surrounding eunuchs exclaimed in unison.

Consort Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and clasped her hands together, saying, "Thank God, my husband is finally free. From now on, my son and I will have nothing to fear."

At this moment, the emperor was no longer afraid of the public opinion brought about by Hai Rui's arrival in the capital. He wanted to take this opportunity to give the meddlesome Qingliu faction a good slap in the face!

This will teach those who use public opinion to influence the emperor a lesson they will never forget!

Officials, officials, managing everything. Ministers, ministers, a group that is disloyal.

I have long been dissatisfied with you all!

Zongqin, who was also prostrate on the ground and shouting "Grandpa is wise," was secretly sneering.

My lord is absolutely right. The current emperor is a soft-hearted man who likes to listen to Consort Zheng and his trusted eunuchs.

How could such an emperor be considered a wise ruler? His actions are utterly laughable.

Hmph, for his own selfish desires, the emperor has actually defied public opinion to convict Hai Gong and others, suppressing the upright officials and acting recklessly. I'm afraid it won't be long before his reputation as a tyrant is known to everyone, young and old.

At that time, the world will be full of criticism, and words will be like knives. He, as emperor, will lose all the people's support and be cursed endlessly!
Does he really think a single imperial edict can smear Hai Gong? He can only smear himself!

But the emperor continued, "When the news of Hai Rui's arrival in the capital comes, the court officials will surely rejoice, and some officials will even go out of the city to welcome him. Don't worry about it for now, just let them go out of the city to welcome Hai Rui, and don't alert him."

"Furthermore, spread the word that I have heard Hai Rui has entered the capital and intend to summon him."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Zhang Jing replied, somewhat surprised.

He sensed that the emperor was different. He didn't know whether this difference was good or bad.

……

In a quiet and elegant courtyard in Shoupa Hutong, Chongbeifang, outside Beijing's city walls, Luo Yan is sitting under a grapevine, carving a piece of Tianhuang stone.

He looked very focused, and his long, slender hands were very steady.

As he carved, he listened to the report from the person beside him:
"...The Emperor has decided to let Hai Gong and his group enter the capital, then charge them with 'forcing the abdication, disrupting the government, and plotting to install Prince Xin,' using this opportunity to implicate many and suppress free speech. Not only will Hai Gong be in trouble, but many officials who secretly supported Hai Gong's petition to the capital will also be in trouble..."

"...Master Manager, this matter could result in many deaths and bloodshed. We certainly fueled this fire, and if it escalates too much, the patriarch will investigate..."

Luo Yan raised his cold, youthful face, his gaze like a carving knife in his hand. "Isn't it good to make a big scene? What big event won't result in death? Bloodshed is possible, people can die, the key is whether the death is worthwhile, whether the bloodshed is worthwhile."

He put down his carving knife. "Let's leave it at that. We'll just let things take their course from here on out. The patriarch will definitely blame us, and I'll take full responsibility. Some things can only be done well if we're willing to pay the price ourselves. Any new information from Jingkong?"

"Yes," the man said respectfully. "Jingkong said that Zheng Guowang met with Consort Zheng and said he opposed convicting Hai Rui, but Consort Zheng did not accept his opinion. Also, Consort Zheng is planning to have Prince Xin leave the capital as soon as possible."

"To be enfeoffed?" Luo Yan sneered. "This woman really will stop at nothing. The eldest prince is only twelve years old. How can he be enfeoffed? She's trying to kill Prince Xin."

“If Prince Xin dies in his vassal state, Prince Fu will be the eldest son and will naturally be made crown prince. Although it is vicious, it is also clever.”

"Report these matters to the head of the family immediately!"

"Yes!"

……

Hai Rui and his companions never expected that they would arrive at the gates of Beijing so easily.

The government troops guarding the city made no attempt to prevent them from entering.

The 3,000-strong force appeared unguarded.

Is this a trick?

This was Hai Rui's first reaction.

If there is indeed a trap, what will His Majesty do? Will he deliberately let us into the city, and then, when the group arrives at the Meridian Gate, frame us for crimes such as forcing the emperor to abdicate or treason, and then suppress and arrest us without asking questions about right and wrong?

Another possibility is that His Majesty, out of shame, had a change of heart and felt remorse, and was willing to give the petitioning scholars a chance.

Another possibility is that, with the insistence of the cabinet and the nine ministers, His Majesty had no choice but to reluctantly give up his obstruction.

All three possibilities exist. Which one is it?

If the first possibility is true, then Beijing cannot be entered. Many people will die, much blood will be shed, and the emperor will not only show no change but will become even more reckless and arbitrary.

Hai Rui planned not to enter the city first, but to send people into the city to inquire about the situation. After ruling out the first possibility, it would not be too late to enter the city.

Just as Hai Rui was hesitating, a commotion suddenly broke out at the city gate, and hundreds of officials came out of the city together, all of them looking excited.

"Hai Gong!"

"Young Master!"

The officials who came out of the city to greet them were all excited and in high spirits.

"We long for Lord Hai, just as we long for thunder and rain after a long drought!"

"The arrival of Hai Gong in the capital is a great joy to the people!"

"We have heard about what happened in Texas, and we are all deeply saddened and outraged!"

Most of the officials who came to greet them were censors or officials of the third rank or below. Officials of the third rank or above were only a few.

After exchanging pleasantries with the others, Hai Rui turned directly to Yuan Keli, the Vice Censor-in-Chief, and asked, "Is there any news from the palace?"

Yuan Keli said, "It is rumored that His Majesty, upon learning of Hai Gong's arrival in the capital, seems to have regretted his decision and may summon Hai Gong."

Hai Rui asked, "Really?"

Yuan Keli nodded and said, "There have indeed been such rumors these past two days. As a result, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has released several wrongly accused officials from the Imperial Prison, and the Imperial Guard and the Special Branch have also become more restrained. This may be related to Hai Gong's arrival in the capital. If His Majesty truly has regrets, then there is still hope for the future. Hai Gong and his colleagues will not have made a wasted trip."

Yu Kongjian, a secretary in the Ministry of Rites, also said, "The rumors are probably true; His Majesty may indeed have regrets. It's a pity that His Majesty still refuses to see the officials, so we don't know his true attitude. However, if His Majesty were to summon Hai Gong, that would be a good thing."

Wu Daonan, a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue, said, "The troops of the five cities, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Eastern Depot did not intercept Hai Gong. Presumably, the Emperor may really have changed his mind. Even if the emperor has made a mistake, he is still the emperor. As long as he is willing to correct his mistakes and is open to advice, he is still a virtuous ruler like Yao and Shun."

Upon hearing this, the scholars' confidence soared, and they shouted in unison, "Let us go to the capital to plead for the emperor! Let us restore the heart of the Holy Emperor Yao and Shun!"

All the officials bowed and said, "Lord Hai, please enter the city!"

Hai Rui was relieved and then, surrounded by officials, led a large group of scholars into the city.

It was already dusk. The scholars who had come to the capital then dispersed to different lodgings and agreed to meet at the Meridian Gate early the next morning to petition the emperor.

The scholars' demands have been drafted, consisting of five remonstrances:

First, they earnestly requested the emperor to resume activities such as attending court, offering sacrifices to ancestors and Heaven, holding sutra ceremonies, and personally tilling the land.

Secondly, we earnestly request that the rites be observed, the foundation of the nation be treated with care, and that Prince Xin, the eldest son of the emperor, be given the proper treatment in order to reassure the hearts of the court and the people.

Thirdly, we earnestly request the recall of the thirty-six imperial commissioners in charge of mining and taxation, to prevent the eunuchs from exploiting the people.

Fourth, we earnestly request the dismissal of eunuchs such as Zhang Jing, the cessation of the arbitrary actions of the secret police, the restoration of power to the three judicial departments, the rectification of the court, the restoration of order, and the release of unjustly accused officials.

Fifth, we earnestly request the Emperor to work diligently to govern the country, reform corrupt practices, clean up officialdom, and reorganize the military.

In fact, Hai Rui and others did not expect the emperor to accept all five of their suggestions. If he accepted just one or two, they would see hope for the emperor's recovery.

By this time, all the officials knew that Hai Rui had led a petitioning group into the capital. Although the high-ranking officials, including the Nine Ministers, could not show their faces, they were all filled with anticipation.

Even the three cabinet ministers, Wang Xijue, Shen Yiguan, and Zhang Wei, harbored fantasies.

With such a large entourage, they actually made it into the capital smoothly. It could be a trap, but it could also be a good thing.

At least the news coming from the palace is that His Majesty intends to summon Hai Rui. Could it be that His Majesty's order to have the bandits intercept Hai Rui has been exposed, and he is ashamed and wants to make amends?

Probably.

However, Wang Xijue and the others were still uneasy.

Wang Xijue even sought an audience with the emperor to test the emperor's opinion by mentioning Hai Rui's visit to the capital. The emperor did not say much, only that scholars had been petitioning in the capital since ancient times, and as long as their intentions were pure and loyal, they could not be completely denied or condemned.

Even someone as shrewd as Wang Xijue found it difficult to discern the emperor's true inclinations. The emperor's stance was ambiguous, seemingly wavering.

Wang Xijue, representing only the cabinet and officials, requested that the matter be handled with caution and proper arrangements made.

The emperor replied with only one word: "Agreed".

Wang Xijue and others wanted to meet Zhang Jing to get information, but Zhang Jing avoided them.

Because of the urgency of the situation, the cabinet could only offer a vague stance: the Five City Garrison Command was only to maintain order, but the petitioning groups were not prevented from kneeling in front of the Meridian Gate. They were only required to stay quietly in place and not to parade around the city.

A march is definitely not an option.

The cabinet drafted a proposal overnight, but the emperor kept it in the palace without issuing an imperial edict or even a verbal order.

This caused Wang Xijue, Shen Yiguan, and other bigwigs to panic.

It wasn't until then that they realized what was happening!
His Majesty may have dug a huge pit for them, deceiving them all.

As dawn broke and the Meridian Gate opened, the three Grand Secretaries and the Nine Ministers gathered in the Wenyuan Pavilion for an emergency court meeting to discuss countermeasures.

Shen Yiguan spoke first, saying, "His Majesty requires petitioners to have loyal and pure intentions, but who decides what those four words mean?"

Wang Xijue's eyelids twitched. "That's the problem! His Majesty mentioned it yesterday, and I pondered it for a long time. The more I thought about it, the more something seemed off. It turns out it's the four words 'loyalty and integrity'! Very well, the Holy Emperor's wisdom has been used on his subjects."

Zhang Wei gave a bitter smile. "Our Emperor is indeed exceptionally intelligent, but what a pity, what a pity, he just doesn't use it in state affairs. His Majesty has deceived us! And we've been kept in the dark!"

Minister of Personnel Sun Piyang's face darkened. "What exactly does His Majesty intend to do? Does His Majesty intend to…?"

Minister of Rites Luo Wanhua, his beard trembling, said, "Surely not? Surely not! His Majesty was raised on the classics, and although he may be somewhat willful, he is inherently kind..."

Left Censor-in-Chief Li Shida sneered: "Your Majesty is indeed of pure nature, but you are surrounded by a bunch of scoundrels. Righteousness is gone, and evil is rampant. You are bound to be influenced by those you associate with."

Minister of War Shi Xing sighed, "Right now we can only prepare for the worst, but it may be too late. His Majesty has really changed, but unfortunately we were too slow to react."

The group exchanged bewildered glances, all showing shock in each other's eyes.

The thought of the emperor possibly doing something that would defy the world sent chills down their spines. It meant that His Majesty would completely abandon the constraints of rites and ancestral laws, and act in ways that were utterly unpredictable!

Just then, Song Yingchang, the Vice Minister of War, entered the Wenyuan Pavilion looking flustered and said in a trembling voice:

"Something's happened! The petitioning procession hadn't even reached the Meridian Gate when they were surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Horse Administration. They found letters addressed to the Crown Prince, the commanders of the Beijing Garrison, and the commander of the Beijing Guard—and not just one! They say that some people have already confessed that their petition was actually a plot to install Prince Xin on the throne and stage a coup!"

A plot to install Prince Xin and stage a coup? Upon hearing this, the ministers were filled with disbelief.

Something big is about to happen!
……

PS: As you can see, Wanli has changed; he's quite different from the historical Wanli. There are many reasons for this change, but one of them is definitely opium and aphrodisiacs. Requesting monthly votes, book reviews, and help climb the charts. Thank you! My heart is sinking, sigh.

(End of this chapter)