Ming Dynasty: I, Yan Maoqing, am truly radiating auspicious energy!

Chapter 224 The Conservatives Actually Think I'm Not Radical Enough! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Speaking of Xia Yan, Zhu Houcong both loved and hated him.

He admired Xia Yan's ability to govern.

This old man has only been back for a short time, yet he has already taken care of most of the political affairs and matters that Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, and Zhang Bi were unable to handle.

This restored order and stability to the court, which at least on the surface seemed reassuring.

He hated Xia Yan for being arrogant because she was favored.

Ever since he swiftly promoted this old man to Minister of Rites ten years ago, this old man has gradually begun to degenerate in the same direction as Yang Tinghe.

Later, after he joined the cabinet and participated in its affairs, and eventually rose to the position of Grand Secretary, this old man became increasingly ungrateful and seemed to have lost his sense of propriety.

He not only sought fame and fortune in the court, but also manipulated public opinion, eliminated dissidents, and formed cliques. He even dared to point fingers at the emperor, instructing his subordinates to oppose him and create problems for the emperor.

For several years prior, the imperial court had become almost entirely dominated by this old man, with no one, whether the Grand Secretary, the other cabinet ministers, or the six ministers, daring to challenge him.

Therefore, when he realized that Yan Song was unwilling to be subordinate to Xia Yan, he...

That's why he immediately favored Yan Song, entrusted him with important responsibilities, and openly showed him favor, all in order to teach Xia Yan, that old man, a lesson so that he would know when to advance and when to retreat, and learn to restrain himself.

Unfortunately, Yan Song still found it difficult to control Xia Yan in the short term, and the previous results were not very obvious.

I wonder if this old man will learn his lesson from being dismissed and put on hold this time, and from now on learn to keep a low profile in front of me...

These are the thoughts in my mind.

Zhu Houcong ordered Huang Jin to hand Guan Jieshan's silver seal and secret document to Xia Yan, and looking at Xia Yan's protruding buttocks, he said:

"Get up. Take a look at this secret document first. I want to hear your opinion."

"Thank you, Father."

Xia Yan didn't know what it was all about. After accepting the secret document and expressing his gratitude, he slowly got up from the ground and then opened it with a hint of curiosity to examine it carefully.

In just three breaths, this happened.

"Father, what?!"

Xia Yan also stiffened, and an unprecedented look of surprise and doubt appeared on his old face. He subconsciously looked up at Zhu Houcong.

He certainly knew who Guan Jieshan was.

Grand Secretary Zhai Luan and Minister of War Zhang Zan were increasingly familiar to him; they were not exactly intimate acquaintances, but had maintained frequent contact with each other before.

As for Yang Bo, the Director of the Department of Military Affairs, he is a rising star who has shown remarkable talent in the court in the past two years.

Never underestimate the fifth-rank official position of the Director of the Bureau of Personnel.

Although this official position is not of high rank, it is in charge of military merit promotions, and there is only one designated person. It is a powerful official position with a small rank but great power. No military officer or border general in the country can easily offend it.

Unfortunately, Yan Maoqing had not seen this secret memorial and was unaware of the important officials in the court that Guan Jieshan had revealed in it.

Otherwise, among Zhai Luan, Zhang Zan, and Yang Bo, he would have paid special attention to Yang Bo.

Although Zhai Luan was a cabinet minister, he was a prudent and self-protective person who basically didn't take on any responsibilities and was even somewhat afraid of trouble.

He neither competed with Xia Yan nor became the Grand Secretary. Even after that, he was no match for Yan Song and was eventually demoted to commoner status by Yan Song.

Although Zhang Zan was the Minister of War, he amassed a fortune of millions during his ten years in the ministry and cultivated relationships with powerful eunuchs. However, according to historical records, his lifespan was nearing its end, and he would die within a year at most.

Even Zhai Luan is nearing the end of his life and will be buried in another four or five years.

There's really nothing to pay attention to about two people whose careers are about to end.

Yang Bo will soon come into Zhu Houcong's sights and quickly become Zhu Houcong's most valued right-hand man, even surpassing Yan Song in status.

Although this person was hardly mentioned in later TV dramas, people don't know much about him.

However, anyone who has read history books knows that Yang Bo was the real legendary figure in the officialdom during the Jiajing reign.

He not only remained in office for forty years without falling from grace, but also made outstanding contributions in military affairs. No matter who became the Grand Secretary, they all treated him with utmost respect.

Without a doubt, the Grand Secretaries mentioned here refer to prominent figures in history such as Yan Song, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng, none of whom dared to antagonize them.

On one occasion, Yan Song attempted to attack and impeach Yang Bo because of the Qiu Luan case, but Zhu Houcong immediately stopped him with the words, "No one can replace Yang Bo in governing the border. You are not allowed to speak ill of Yang Bo anymore."

This one sentence alone is enough to prove Yang Bo's importance in Zhu Houcong's heart.

Yang Bo did not join the cabinet or become the Grand Secretary, but that does not mean he lacked prestige.

Zhu Houcong had tried to appoint him to the cabinet as prime minister several times, but he politely declined each time.

Why not take a look at the evaluations of this person by those famous historical figures?

Xu Jie: "Among those who hold high positions in the government and are skilled in both civil and military affairs, and who are relied upon for the peace of the nation, Yang Gongshi, who is both Junior Tutor and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and Minister of Personnel, is truly the best."

Zhang Juzheng said: "You have been in the military for a long time and have traveled to various towns. You have personally experienced military affairs and practiced military matters. Therefore, since I was in the government, I have learned a lot from you in terms of military planning."

Even Yan Shifan, the junior Grand Secretary who carried the weight of two capitals and thirteen provinces on his shoulders, had this assessment of him:
"Among all the talented people in the world, only I, Lu Bing, and Yang Bo are truly outstanding!" From this, it is not hard to see that Yang Bo is one of the few people in the court who has managed to have connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles.

Such people cannot be simply judged by the terms "loyalty" and "treachery," nor can we simply believe one side of the story in historical records.

Because they are usually extremely complex, deeply hidden, and possess power that both the legitimate and criminal worlds must fear.

If you think about it carefully, you'll realize that Zhu Houcong had many ministers he favored throughout his life.

Zhang Cong, Gui E, Guo Xun, Xia Yan, Yan Song... even when they were most favored and trusted, which of these people could have connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and which of them did not have a group of political enemies in the court who wanted to get rid of them?

……

"Hehe, I thought that at this age, nothing could surprise you anymore."

Seemingly enjoying Xia Yan's expression, Zhu Houcong's lips curled into an enjoyable smile, yet he feigned indifference as he spoke.

"Your Majesty thinks too highly of me..."

Xia Yan lowered his head slightly, his mind racing to connect the dense text with recent events, seeking the most reasonable cause and effect.

Then he quickly thought of someone.
—Yan Maoqing!

Yan Maoqing led his troops to Taiyuan, and then Guan Jieshan submitted this secret memorial...

So, it's Yan Maoqing!

It must be Yan Maoqing's doing. Apart from that monster Yan Maoqing, Xia Yan can't think of anyone else in the world who could accomplish such a bizarre thing!
He could even deal with Yan Song without anyone noticing, leaving Yan Song completely unaware of what had happened until he was stripped of his title. How much less could a mere Shanxi Provincial Governor?

However, Xia Yan had no idea how Yan Maoqing had managed to do it...

However, this was to his liking. If he could see through Yan Maoqing and understand his ways, why would he feel fear and decide to return to his hometown to retire?

"You need not concern yourself with other matters. Just look at the matter mentioned in this secret memorial and tell me how you intend to handle it."

Seeing that Xia Yan remained thoughtful, Zhu Houcong continued.

If Xia Yan had previously harbored a slight lingering affection...

Seeing this dense and sparse area again now immediately had a decisive effect, making him instantly and completely determined to return to his hometown to retire.

After a moment's hesitation, when he looked up again, his old eyes were much clearer than before:
"In response to Your Majesty, I believe that this matter is of great importance and should not be delayed until Guan Jieshan is escorted to the capital."

"Immediately and swiftly suspend and detain Zhai Luan, Zhang Zan, and Yang Bo, who were mentioned in the secret memorial. Order the Grand Secretariat, the Three Judicial Offices, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to jointly investigate and prosecute them. Also, order the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to intervene and supervise the investigation, so as to demonstrate the Emperor's determination to rectify official corruption!"

"Furthermore, nowadays, wealthy people own land but do not pay taxes, while poor people are burdened by excessive taxes. As a result, people are fleeing due to poverty, and the amount of taxes has been reduced. This is the root cause of the country's poverty and the people's poverty."

"Your Majesty believes that this is the perfect opportunity for Your Majesty to take advantage of the fact that Shanxi no longer has a representative in the court, and to order a pilot program in Shanxi to remeasure the land, investigate tax evasion and land ownership, rectify the chaos in the military garrisons, and evaluate and reward incompetent and redundant officials."

"If this measure can be successfully piloted in Shanxi, it can be promoted nationwide, and may solve the country's predicament!"

"Uh……"

Zhu Houcong was momentarily stunned by what he heard, and looked at Xia Yan with a face full of surprise.

"Wouldn't this move be too radical, potentially provoking opposition from court officials, or even unrest in Shanxi?"

This is not Xia Yan's style at all!
That old man is shrewd. The measures he's talking about now are another new policy. Why would he jump out and take the lead on something that would offend so many people?

Zhu Houcong knew perfectly well what this old man had done before.

When he favored Zhang Cong and Gui E to implement the new policies, this old man relied on Zhang Cong to take the lead in promoting the new policies and offend people, while he squatted behind and "treated the virtuous and learned" to reap the benefits. In this way, he gradually gained a foothold in the court and eventually his prestige surpassed that of Zhang Cong.

and so……

Don't be fooled by the old man's nice talk; he definitely won't play Zhang Cong's role in the end.

Could it be that they're planning to force a political enemy to take the fall while they sit back and reap the benefits, thus gaining power in the process?

“My lord, in times of chaos, harsh measures are necessary, and drastic medicine is needed to cure deep-seated illnesses. Right now, the affairs of the nation’s officials, taxes, and land are like a tangled mess, and only a swift and decisive action can untangle them!”

Xia Yan then added,

"It was no easy feat to achieve this situation; it is an opportunity that must not be missed."

"If Your Majesty continues to act conservatively, I'm afraid this will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause, and will end up like Your Majesty's previous new policies, which failed without a trace!"

Huh?

That old codger is putting on quite a show, even going so far as to criticize me for not being radical enough...

Do you really think I don't know what kind of person you are? If I were to order you to do something, you would probably immediately make excuses and recommend someone else to me, wouldn't you?
Cursing Xia Yan inwardly, Zhu Houcong sneered and deliberately asked:

"Then you should handle this matter. What do you think?"

Xia Yan immediately kowtowed and said:

"Your humble servant will not shirk his duty; I beg Your Majesty to issue the decree!"

(End of this chapter)