Di Ming

Chapter 403 "Zhu Yin Demoted to County Magistrate!"

The three never expected that the emperor would use such derogatory posthumous titles as "Miu" and "La" to humiliate Hai Rui.

In the struggle over the foundation of the state, the officials were already at a disadvantage. Now, the struggle over posthumous titles is related to the morale of the court and the people, and they cannot afford to lose ground again.

This is by no means merely a matter of posthumous honors bestowed upon Hai Rui, but rather a debate on right and wrong, and a dispute over etiquette!
"Why not?" Wanli's face darkened. "Hai Rui was perverse, hypocritical, insidious, and mean-spirited. Even before his death, he dared to criticize state affairs and disrupt the court. Should we still give him a posthumous title?"

The three cabinet ministers removed their official hats again, their expressions once more resolute.

Zhang Wei first kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Hai Rui was loyal to the country, honest and incorruptible. The people of the world called him Hai Qingtian (Hai the Upright Official), and he was highly respected for his virtue and integrity. Hai Rui loved the people like his own children, and the people loved him like their own father. Even before his death, there were thirty-nine shrines dedicated to him. Your Majesty can summon the Grand Minister of Rites and ask, in the two capitals and thirteen provinces, which place does not have a shrine to Lord Hai?"

"In the more than two hundred years since the founding of the dynasty, only Hai Rui and Zhu Yin have so many shrines built in their honor. Zhu Yin was a child prodigy who passed the imperial examinations in three consecutive years, a feat unparalleled in history. People say he was the reincarnation of the God of Literature, so it is not surprising that he has so many shrines built in his honor. But Hai Rui is different. He has earned so many shrines built in his honor entirely because of his integrity, loyalty, and love for the people."

After Zhang Wei finished speaking, he pointed in the direction outside the palace, "Your Majesty, Hai Rui just died today, and almost every household in Beijing is mourning and weeping. Officials and common people alike in the capital are deeply saddened, and their sighs can be heard on the streets. When the news of his death reaches other places, it may be a time of universal mourning, with ashes scattered like snow! Since ancient times, apart from Bao Zheng, who else could have achieved such a thing?"

"Our Great Ming Dynasty has Hai Rui, and Your Majesty is fortunate to have Hai Rui. However, Your Majesty intends to bestow upon him a derogatory posthumous title, which goes against the will of the people. I fear that Your Majesty's reputation for wisdom and integrity will be ruined in an instant! As a result, the way of the virtuous will decline, while the way of the petty will rise. Righteousness will be insufficient, while evil will be abundant. If this continues, what kind of world will it be? We are deeply worried for Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli was horrified and remained silent.

Shen Yiguan said quietly, "Your Majesty may not know, but Hai Rui has already received a posthumous title from the common people. Those who can receive such a posthumous title are extraordinary; they are either extremely loyal and righteous or extremely wicked. Was Hai Rui extremely wicked? He was given a posthumous title before he even died. Does Your Majesty know how the common people bestowed posthumous titles upon Hai Rui?"

Emperor Wanli said coldly, "Mr. Shen, tell me how the common people posthumously honored Hai Rui with the title of 'Hai Rui'."

Shen Yiguan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, in various places, the private posthumous title for those born in Southern Zhili is 'Wenzheng', that of those born in Zhejiang is 'Wenzhen', that of those born in Northern Zhili is 'Wenzhong', that of those born in Lingnan is 'Zhongsu', and in some places, the best single posthumous title is simply 'Zheng'!"

"The posthumous title proposed by the Ministry of Rites is not as beautiful as the private posthumous titles given by commoners; it is already a compromise and a downgrade. But Your Majesty directly bestows a derogatory posthumous title upon him. Wouldn't that damage Your Majesty's wisdom? As the saying goes, 'The human heart is perilous, the moral heart is subtle; only by being refined and unified can one truly grasp the mean.' Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, who follows the way of Heaven and harmonizes Yin and Yang. How can you insist on one extreme and neglect the other, seeing things only as black or white?"

"If we conclude that Hai Rui's fate in this way, I fear there will never be a definitive conclusion, and it will instead be subject to public scrutiny. If people then only recognize private posthumous titles and not those conferred by the court, where will the court's prestige be? To lose sight of the bigger picture for such a small gain is not worth it for Your Majesty."

Wang Xijue finally took out Hai Rui's last memorial and said in a sorrowful tone, "Your Majesty, this is Hai Gangfeng's last memorial. Please read it."

Emperor Wanli opened the memorial and read: "...Your subject Hai Rui's dying words, I bow a hundred times...Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, there has been no one who has not died, and no state that has not perished. This is the natural order of things, which cannot be violated. Therefore, one may seek longevity, but not immortality. One may seek long-lasting peace and stability for a nation, but not a thousand years or ten thousand generations. This is indeed true..."

"...To live a long life, one must diligently maintain physical health, restrain desires, purify the mind, and uphold virtue. Then, vitality will flourish within, and righteous energy will emanate outwards. Thus, evil influences will be easily dispelled, and disease will be difficult to contract; Heaven will reward such a person with a long and healthy life. I, a humble servant of meager talent and from a poor family, why did I die at eighty, which is considered a long life? It is simply because I dared not be lazy or complacent, did not indulge in fine wine and beautiful women, did not crave gluttony, did not love gold and silver, and did not seek power or official position..."

"The same applies to a nation. For a nation to enjoy longevity, it must have a diligent ruler, honest ministers, clear governance, and loving people. Then, the ruler and ministers will be virtuous in the court, and the people will live in peace throughout the land. Thus, with clean and efficient administration, harmonious governance, and the people living in harmony, Heaven will reward the nation with a long reign. Our Great Ming Dynasty drove out the Tartars and restored the Han dynasty. Since ancient times, no other dynasty has been able to obtain a legitimate right to rule. No dynasty has enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity since the Qin and Han dynasties. This is a great achievement that has established the foundation of the nation. The nation's fortunes will surely prosper. Is this not the mandate of Heaven?"

"However, our nation has endured for over two hundred years, and it is inevitable that numerous problems have arisen, some of which are difficult to reverse. Without a chance for revival, the fate of the nation will surely be in danger. Your Majesty possesses extraordinary talent, wisdom, and strategic brilliance; you are a ruler sent by Heaven to restore our nation. You should strive to govern diligently, be proactive and capable, appoint virtuous and capable officials, clean up official corruption, suppress powerful clans, reform the tax system, and reorganize the military... In less than twenty years, our Great Ming will be rejuvenated, its old trees will sprout anew, its deep-seated problems will be eradicated, and the momentum for revival will be fully realized, like a young person reborn, ensuring the long-term stability of the nation."

"Your Majesty, however, does not cherish yourself and now harbors a heart of self-abandonment, lacking any ambition to revive the dynasty. For years, Your Majesty has neglected state affairs, indulged in wine and women, reveled in pleasure, fought for the foundation of the nation, been greedy for wealth and goods, competed with the people for profit, condoned the secret police, and favored eunuchs... Each and every one of these acts truly pains me to the core..."

Upon seeing this, Wanli's expression grew even more displeased. "The same old story!" he exclaimed, then tossed Hai Rui's posthumous memorial to Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing opened the document and sneered, "Hai Rui is arrogant and disrespectful, slandering the emperor and his father. What audacity! How can someone so heartless and depraved have any sense of loyalty or filial piety?"

After reading it, Wang Xijue said indifferently, "Your Majesty, we see no madness or arrogance in Hai Rui's last memorial. We only see the earnest heart of an old minister before his death. Hai Rui's posthumous title was determined by the Emperor himself, and we have no right to decide it. We only hope that it will be accepted by the people of the world. Otherwise, we will be unable to explain ourselves to the public and the people, and we will be powerless to do so."

Knowing that his ministers would not back down any further, Wanli, after much deliberation, reluctantly agreed, "Then let Hai Rui be posthumously honored with the title 'Zhongjie' (忠介)."

The three men quickly kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhongjie was the least desirable of the four posthumous titles proposed by the Ministry of Rites. However, it was still considered a high-ranking posthumous title.

Although it's still not quite a match for Hairui, it's passable.

The three men knew that the officials and scholars were certainly dissatisfied, and the emperor had not accepted any of the five remonstrances. However, the emperor was unwilling to back down any further, so the matter had to end there.

Sigh, so be it. Anyway, the Ming Dynasty belongs to the Zhu family. We've done our best and fulfilled our duty. As for the future, let fate decide.

Immediately afterwards, the emperor issued an official decree to comfort and reward the petitioners, allocate funds for a lavish funeral, and provide relief to the dead and injured scholars. He also posthumously conferred upon Hai Rui the title of "Zhongjie" (忠介) and ordered the Ministry of Rites to be responsible for the funeral arrangements.

The two sides have reached a compromise.

Then, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs reluctantly went out to deliver an imperial edict, dismissing the petitioning scholars and officials who had resigned from their posts at the Meridian Gate Square.

When the imperial decree was issued, everyone was filled with disappointment. They had paid such a high price, even with the death of Hai Gong, and this was the result.

Although the crowd was outraged, they knew that this was the best they could do.

The Nine Ministers personally intervened and dismissed the crowd.

The Jia Yin Incident, which shocked the world, was resolved in less than a day. However, the grievances and dissatisfaction of scholars and officials towards the emperor were thus suppressed. The impact of the Jia Yin Incident would not simply disappear; it would only gradually escalate.

...

The three cabinet ministers did not leave the palace but remained at the Qianqing Gate to discuss matters concerning Goryeo. Having finally seized the opportunity to meet with the emperor, they naturally wanted to have a thorough discussion about Goryeo.

Wang Xijue said, "Thanks entirely to Your Majesty's great fortune and the soldiers' valiant efforts, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang's third recent report of victory stated that they annihilated 100,000 Japanese pirates in Anzhou, bringing the total number of Japanese pirates to 200,000 to zero. Zhu Yin has indeed not disappointed Your Majesty; he is truly a capable man. He settled the situation in Goryeo within two months, achieving a great victory and saving a lot of money..."

Emperor Wanli said calmly, "The King of Japan, the Japanese court, and even Hideyoshi's wife have all become prisoners. The Japanese army in Korea is leaderless, and no matter how many there are, they are just a mob. Anyone else could have won a great victory as the military governor. Although Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang fought well, their achievements are not that great. This battle is not difficult."

The three Grand Secretaries were speechless upon hearing this. Even Wang Xijue, the Grand Secretary who wanted to suppress Zhu Yin, felt that the Emperor's words were unfair.

As soon as Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang arrived in Goryeo, they immediately turned the tide, winning one battle after another and achieving great victories. Their momentum was unstoppable, annihilating 200,000 Japanese pirates and greatly enhancing the prestige of the Ming Dynasty. Such great achievements are too easy to describe.

Shen Yiguan was even more inwardly skeptical. Could anyone else have achieved such a great victory as the military governor? Your Majesty, what about Hao Jie and Yang Shaoxun, whom you previously appointed? Both of them lost tens of thousands of troops and suffered a crushing defeat. Now one is imprisoned and the other has been captured.

It was only when Zhihu and Qi Yuanjing took action that the situation was quickly turned around. What do you mean by saying this battle wasn't difficult?

Your Majesty says that the capture of the Japanese king turned the Japanese pirates into a rabble, but has Your Majesty forgotten the Tumu Crisis? Emperor Yingzong was captured by the Oirats and taken to the gates of Beijing. He was the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty! Did the court surrender?

No.

Not only did they not surrender, they also defeated the Oirat Mongols and saved Beijing.

Even if it was truly because the King of Wa was captured, who captured the King of Wa? It was none other than my disciple, Chizuru!

How could Your Majesty try to belittle the young tiger's contributions?

The straightforward Zhang Wei said directly, "Your Majesty, Goryeo has won a great victory against the Japanese pirates. Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang have made great contributions. The court should announce this to the world and reward them handsomely to deter the barbarians and let them know that the Ming Dynasty cannot be bullied. In this way, those barbarians will be more respectful, especially Burma to the south and Mongolia to the north."

"A great reward?" Wanli pondered. "Zhu Yin is only sixteen years old, yet he has already been granted the title of Marquis and held the official positions of Vice Minister, Deputy Censor-in-Chief, and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. What more reward is needed? We can't just promote him to Duke; that doesn't make sense."

In fact, given Zhu Yin's merits, he certainly deserved to be promoted to the rank of Duke.

But the emperor refused!
The three cabinet ministers certainly knew this.

Zhang Jing suddenly said, "If Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang are not rewarded for their merits, how will the court publicize its great victory in Goryeo? I think we should reward them for their merits and keep things separate."

“Zhu Yin has already been granted a marquisate, so it’s definitely inappropriate to promote him to Duke.” Zhang Jing was well aware of the emperor’s thoughts and of course would not go against the emperor’s wishes. “Since he is not to be promoted, then he can be given the title of one of the Three Dukes, the honorary title of Grand Master of the Palace, and the meritorious title of Pillar of the State. As for the actual position… that depends on Your Majesty’s decision.”

Because of his special relationship with Zhu Yin and their secret agreement, Zhang Jing was willing to say a few good words for Zhu Yin.

In fact, Emperor Wanli didn't even want to grant honorary titles like the Three Dukes, Grand Master of the Palace, or Pillar of State. Let alone promotions or substantive appointments.

Wanli Emperor said directly, "Although Zhu Yin has merits, he has also made mistakes. King Goryeo Yi Yeon and the Imperial Censor Qian Shizhen both submitted memorials impeaching Zhu Yin for being domineering and cruel to prisoners. In particular, Yi Yeon's memorial stated that Zhu Yin ordered him to kneel, which violated etiquette, damaged diplomatic relations, and humiliated the Goryeo king and his ministers. This is no small crime."

At this point, Wanli's gaze turned somewhat cold. Before the great victory of Goryeo against the Japanese pirates, he had been afraid to receive reports from Goryeo, fearing that the imperial army would suffer another major defeat and the Japanese pirates would invade Liaodong. But when the news of the great victory arrived, he felt relieved and began to be wary of Zhu Yin again.

"Furthermore," Wanli continued, "the war against Goryeo was mainly fought by Qi Jiguang, while Zhu Yin was actually in charge. In my opinion, Qi Jiguang's military achievements were greater, and no one impeached him this time."

Wang Xijue acknowledged Zhu Yin's great contributions and believed he should be rewarded, but he also hoped to prioritize Qi Jiguang in the rewards to put Zhu Yin in a more subdued position.

“Your Majesty is right. Then, when the royal army returns in triumph, we shall discuss in court whether to confer a title upon Qi Jiguang. In my opinion, based on Qi Jiguang’s military achievements over the past few years, it is entirely feasible to confer a title upon him.”

"A title of marquis?" Wanli frowned. "A title of marquis is too high. A title of earl will suffice. We'll discuss granting them earldoms after they return to the capital and their merits are recognized."

Wang Xijue frowned as well. “Your Majesty, Qi Jiguang’s merits in fighting the Japanese pirates and suppressing the barbarians back then were enough to warrant the title of Earl. However, because he was a follower of Zhang Juzheng, he was not only not granted the title of Earl, but was also dismissed from his post. In recent years, after Qi Jiguang was reinstated, he has made great contributions and is more than qualified to be granted the title of Marquis. Granting him the title of Earl is really a disservice to him.”

Shen Yiguan, who had a close personal relationship with Qi Jiguang, also said, "Your Majesty, with Qi Jiguang's military achievements, no one in the dynasty can compare. Li Chengliang is far inferior to him, yet he was already granted the title of Earl many years ago. I believe that not granting him the title of Marquis is not a way to reward such a great general of the nation."

" confer the title of Earl!" Wanli said without room for doubt. "Qi Jiguang was originally a follower of Zhang Juzheng and was suspected of treason, so he was dismissed from office back then. It was I who forgave him and reinstated him, giving him the opportunity to command troops again without holding a grudge. I am willing to give him the title of Earl and not pursue his past crimes, which is already a great act of magnanimity."

The three Grand Secretaries all sighed inwardly, speechless, and couldn't help but feel sorrow for Qi Jiguang.

He could have been ennobled as a count in his early years, but he never received the title. Now, with military merits sufficient for a marquisate, he has only been ennobled as a count.

His Majesty has been truly cruel to Qi Jiguang. What's wrong with bestowing upon him the title of Marquis? Wouldn't it make Qi Jiguang even more loyal? Although the rewards for meritorious officials are from the imperial treasury, the Marquis only received a few hundred taels more in rewards for the three festivals and family sacrifices each year, and his salary was still paid by the Ministry of Revenue.

The Emperor's private treasury only pays a few hundred taels more per year, what's the big deal?
Seeing that the three men disagreed, Wanli said, "Give him the title of Earl and appoint one of his sons as a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, that will suffice. As for Zhu Yin, he has both merits and demerits. After all, the impeachment against him was not fake, and his crimes were not minor."

"Yes, once he returns to court, he'll be promoted two ranks..."

Two promotions? The three of them were a little surprised to hear this, but Shen Yiguan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

To everyone's surprise, the emperor continued, "...He will be promoted two ranks and appointed Minister of Rites in Nanjing."

What? The Minister of Rites in Nanjing? The three Grand Secretaries looked at each other in disbelief. Was this a promotion?

In name, it was indeed a promotion; the Minister of Rites in Nanjing was a second-rank official. In terms of status, he was definitely one of the Nine Ministers, albeit in Nanjing.

Zhu Yin's original official position was Vice Minister of War, a third-rank official. In terms of rank, his promotion to Minister of Rites in Nanjing was indeed a two-rank advancement.

However, the real power of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War in Beijing was far greater than that of the Minister of Rites in Nanjing; they were simply incomparable!

It was called a promotion of two ranks, but in reality it was a demotion in disguise!
Officials sent from Beijing to Nanjing were mostly sent to sit on the sidelines. The ministers of the Six Ministries in Nanjing and Beijing held the same rank, but their status was vastly different.

The saying "the minister who raises birds, the censor who cultivates flowers" is a joke about the ministers and censors in Nanjing.

What's worse is that the Nanjing Six Ministries already had limited power, and among them, the Nanjing Ministry of Rites was the least powerful!
The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing still held some real power, which was actually quite good. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works also had some real power. But the Ministry of Rites was truly too idle.

It's worlds apart from the Ministry of Rites in Beijing.

Wang Xijue remained silent. Although he knew it was unfair, he refrained from objecting in order to suppress Zhu Yin.

At the very least, the Minister of Rites in Nanjing was a real minister. What more could a sixteen-year-old minister want? Even if his authority was limited, his rank was still there.

Shen Yiguan couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, even if Zhu Yin is impeached, his merits outweigh his faults. If he were to go directly to Nanjing to serve as the Minister of Rites, it would inevitably attract criticism, and some people might misunderstand Your Majesty's good intentions."

"Although I am Zhu Yin's teacher, I am not doing this out of personal favoritism."

Emperor Wanli said in a low voice, "So, according to Mr. Shen's words, should we still grant him a title?"

Shen Yiguan said cautiously, "Naturally, there is no need to promote him to a higher rank. His Majesty's conferment of the title of Marquis on him is already an act of great imperial grace. However, the position of Minister of Rites in Nanjing is really not appropriate for a meritorious official. In my humble opinion, even if he goes to Nanjing, it would be best if he were to serve in one of the three ministries: the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, or the Ministry of Personnel. Only in this way can we silence any criticism and ensure that the country's laws of reward and punishment are not violated."

Even the eunuch Zhang Jing spoke up, saying, "Your Majesty, the Minister of Rites in Nanjing is usually very idle and is used for retirement. It is indeed a bit disrespectful."

Zhang Wei also said, "In my opinion, rather than going to Nanjing to become a Minister of Rites who raises birds and tends flowers, giving others a handle to use against him, it would be better for him not to be promoted and to stay in Beijing as a Vice Minister. Although he has been impeached, he has not been convicted. When people go out to fight, how many are not impeached?"

He was also very dissatisfied with the emperor's actions.

Your Majesty treats meritorious officials so harshly; where is the principle of reward and punishment in the country?
Wanli glanced at the silent Wang Xijue and had no choice but to say, "In that case, when Zhu Yin returns to the capital, he will be promoted to Minister of Justice in Nanjing for his merits."

The Minister of Justice in Nanjing didn't actually wield much real power, but he was stronger than the Minister of Works in Nanjing, and even stronger than the Minister of Rites in Nanjing. He ranked fourth among the six ministries in Nanjing.

The emperor has conceded a step.

Shen Yiguan sighed inwardly and did not argue further.

His greatest effort was to change the Nanjing Ministry of Rites into the Nanjing Ministry of Justice.

Well, the position of Minister of Justice in Nanjing is passable. Zhihu should go back to Beijing and take up his post first; we'll talk about it later. With the experience of being the Minister of Justice in Nanjing, he can go directly to Beijing to become Minister of Justice in a few years.

Alas, I never expected the Emperor to be so cruel. Zhihu has made such a great contribution, yet not only was he not promoted, but he was also demoted in name only and sent to Nanjing to sit on the sidelines.

Just then, Gao Huai hurriedly arrived at the Qianqing Gate, knelt down, and said:

"Reporting to Grandfather, this is a secret report from the Western Regions received by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, saying it's something extremely important!"

When the emperor took the secret report, his plump face turned ashen, and he bit his cheeks so hard that two ridges appeared on his cheeks.

The three Grand Secretaries, along with Zhang Jing, were all taken aback upon seeing this.

"How dare they! How dare they!" Wanli angrily threw the secret report in front of the three Grand Secretaries and said, "What merits has Zhu Yin made! What merits has Qi Jiguang made! They actually let Prince Qing's heir, Zhu Shuaixin, go!"

"They've already declared themselves emperors and established their own kingdoms in the Western Regions! And they've even demoted me, the Emperor of the Great Ming, to the Prince of Yan!"

"It's been more than half a year, and I'm only just receiving this news! How infuriating! Utterly infuriating!"

When Wang Xijue picked it up and took a look, his expression changed drastically.

It turns out that although the ringleaders of the Northwest Rebellion, Prince Qing and Bo Bai, had been executed, Prince Qing's heir, Zhu Shuaixin, led the remaining troops to escape to the Western Regions.

This Zhu Shuaixin is truly capable; he actually destroyed the Yarkand Khanate, occupied the entire Western Regions, and proclaimed himself Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and Heavenly Khan.

He also issued a so-called edict, deposing the emperor and demoting him to the Prince of Yan.

This is absolutely outrageous and incredibly audacious!
But then the emperor roared, "They've been usurping the throne in the Western Regions for over half a year, and I've been kept in the dark! Do you only find out when Zhu Shuaixin marches all the way to Shaanxi?!"

"Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang are guilty of heinous crimes! Qi Jiguang is not allowed to be granted the title of Earl! Zhu Yin is demoted to the rank of County Magistrate!"

"What?" Shen Yiguan looked at the emperor in surprise, his face bitter.

Zhihu was just appointed Minister of Justice in Nanjing, but in the blink of an eye he has been demoted to county magistrate?
The emperor's face twisted in a grimace. "Anyway, the war is over. Immediately send someone to Goryeo to take over the military power of Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang! Qi Jiguang will retire immediately, and Zhu Yin will go to Chongqing Prefecture to serve as the magistrate of Pengshui County!"

...

P.S.: Don't say it's cruel to the protagonist; the cruelty won't last much longer. Trust Little Tiger. Also, historically, after Hai Rui died in Nanjing, records state: "The markets were all closed, the cries of mourners shook the Qinhuai River, paper shops were all gone, and candles burned out in Nanjing." Many people spontaneously carried his coffin south. "As the funeral procession crossed the Yangtze River, those in white robes lined the banks, and libations continued for miles." "All craftsmen abandoned their tools, and all people stopped pounding grain; in the past there was Bi Gan, now there is Gang Feng." In thousands of years of Chinese history, only a handful of officials have reached such a level of devotion.

(End of this chapter)