Zhang Juzheng nodded, saying helplessly,
"People like Mu Chaobi, after all, are still unwilling to align their hearts with His Majesty. They support the reforms, but their ideas are entirely different... They pushed me to do it, and there was nothing wrong with that. As you know, my reforms were like this, different from Zhu Mo. However, Rumao, I cannot take the lead at this moment. Do you understand why?"
Shen Shixing said,
"Is it because His Majesty's attitude is not yet clear?"
Zhang Juzheng nodded and lowered his voice,
"I always feel that His Majesty's retirement this time is not for real... He wants to see how everyone performs when Prince Yu oversees the state. And then he wants to see how Prince Yu himself performs. In three years, or perhaps not even three years, His Majesty will have a final say... By then, we will know to what extent the reforms will go, whether Prince Yu can truly ascend the throne, and also, what position that Zhu Mo will ultimately hold... These things cannot be seen now, which is why I have decided to step back with them..."
Shen Shixing said worriedly,
"But if Your Excellency steps back, what if they ruin the reforms? Or worse, what if they tarnish the reputation of the reforms? Then it will be impossible to salvage later!"
Zhang Juzheng chuckled,
"The key to reform is to get things done; the name is not important. Even if one acts under the banner of a sage, reforms can still be carried out. If the reputation is ruined, one can simply change the banner; it's no big deal. The key is people... Now the Yan family has revealed their ferocity and has taken another step closer at this juncture. It is only a matter of time before something earth-shattering happens... We cannot get involved in this... Well, Rumao, you should stop getting involved. I will personally explain the matters at the Ciren Temple over the past year to the court. No matter what happens, you will definitely not be implicated... Well, the imperial examinations will be held after spring. You must prepare well and not take it lightly. Having a formal career path at that time will make things more convenient."
Shen Shixing knew that Zhang Juzheng greatly admired him and had shown him utmost care this time. He was deeply moved and choked up, saying, "Your Excellency, I am just a scholar, yet I am so highly regarded by Your Excellency? I, I would give my life to repay this kindness..."
Zhang Juzheng's considerations were actually very far-sighted. He thought that after the reforms succeeded, someone would still need to maintain them, and the most suitable person was this young Shen Shixing. As long as he could emerge and become a Grand Secretary of the Three Halls and Three Cabinets, and later a minister, he could maintain the results of the reforms for another ten to twenty years, and then it would be thirty to forty years before the results of the reforms would be truly consolidated.
He immediately laughed and said,
"We are bound by righteousness and care for the common people of the world. If you become a minister in the future, doing so will be enough..."
Nodding, Shen Shixing felt that following Zhang Juzheng for the past two years had greatly broadened his horizons and elevated him. He immediately stood up and bowed deeply to him.
The two chatted for a while longer about the gentry of Southern Jiangsu and then bid farewell late in the evening.
...
Several days later,
The Capital, Prince Yu's Mansion.
Chen Yiqin had already arrived. Of the more than twenty members of the Grand Court of Revision, six had been selected by Prince Yu, led by Yin Shidan and Fan Yingqi. They had been intensely planning another major strategy for the past few days.
After being confronted by Yan Shifan, Prince Yu deeply felt that to control the imperial court, he could only rely on his own team. He had been planning for more than ten days and had decided to establish an "Inner Court" with Chen Yiqin as the head, Yin Shidan and Fan Yingqi as the backbone, several people from the Grand Court of Revision as strategists, several outer court ministers as supporters, several regional officials as wings, and several meritorious officials and princes as backing.
Although this plan had been communicated to Chen Yiqin, who was observing mourning at home, they had not yet discussed it in person. Therefore, as soon as Chen Yiqin arrived in the capital today, Prince Yu summoned him before he could even settle down.
At this moment,
Prince Yu looked at him, full of vigor. At over fifty, he already possessed the demeanor of a distinguished scholar. Prince Yu was deeply gratified and pulled him into a side hall. After they sat down and ensured no one was around, he said,
"Master Chen, was your journey smooth? While you were observing mourning at home, I should not have asked you to return, but the circumstances forced me. I was also extremely helpless..."
Chen Yiqin, seated to the side, stood up and said,
"Thank you for Your Highness's great kindness. Who am I, Chen Yiqin, to be so highly regarded by Your Highness?"
Prince Yu helped him to sit down again. After a moment of thought, he said,
"Master Chen, have you, have you read my personal letter?"
Chen Yiqin had indeed read it. The letter stated that he was to take the lead in establishing a strategic team in the Jianji Hall and achieve something during the three years of overseeing the state. The tone of the letter was naturally understated, but Chen Yiqin, being knowledgeable about the past and present, could not fail to understand its deeper meaning.
Prince Yu wanted him to lead a group of people to form a tripod with Yan Song and Xu Jie. This idea was still acceptable, which was why he had broken his mourning to return. This was because Xu Jie was generally fine, and with himself, the two of them against Yan Song seemed barely feasible. Moreover, he had been in the Grand Court of Revision for ten years. Although he did not interact much with Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng in normal times, they were all very familiar with each other, and their views on various important matters were basically similar. If Prince Yu managed it well, it might actually work?
However,
He still did not know exactly how Prince Yu intended to proceed. What was his attitude towards the Yan family? Could he tolerate the Yan family? These questions had to be clarified, otherwise, if something major happened, he would not be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
He cleared his throat and spoke frankly,
"Your Highness, I have read the letter, but I still have a few questions..."
Prince Yu said,
"Master Chen, please speak."
Nodding, Chen Yiqin pondered for a moment and said, "How does Your Highness view the Way of the Sage?"
Prince Yu was stunned for a moment, his heart filled with mixed emotions—
Since his youth, he had heard these words every day. Until he began overseeing the state, he had considered them the supreme principles of heaven and earth, unshakeable. But in the past month or so, his experiences had told him that this set of principles was all nonsense...
But after calming down and thinking again: Without this set of principles, how could such a vast empire with so many people be unified? It could be seen that it was not entirely useless. But the problem was that when prime ministers like Li Dongyang, Yang Tinghe, and Yan Song always used these principles to threaten the emperor, it would be acceptable if they had no selfish motives. But many times, these so-called great virtuous ministers actually had selfish motives, which made him extremely displeased.
At this moment, with Chen Yiqin's question, Prince Yu's mind became clear—
He wanted his honest thoughts, he wanted a clear understanding...
He immediately shook his head, pondered for a moment, and then sighed,
"Master Chen, I have both deep affection and intense hatred for the Way of the Sage. I yearn for it, yet I also resent its imperfection, which makes me restless and without a moment's peace..."
These words were no longer false.
Chen Yiqin nodded and said,
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your honesty. But I must ask again... If it were a matter of final choice for Your Highness, would you abandon the Way of the Sage for your own will?"
This?
Prince Yu choked slightly.
He asked himself, he believed he could not abandon the Way of the Sage. After all, it was what he had studied his whole life, and from the perspective of the current dynasty, it was truly indispensable. Once this was truly discarded, there would truly be nothing else in the world to replace it... But the fact that this set of principles was controlled by treacherous officials left him helpless, and he could not help but hate it...
He immediately said,
"Master Chen, if I were not the Crown Prince, I would have no reservations about the Way of the Sage."
Nodding, Chen Yiqin couldn't help but sigh—
These views of Prince Yu were all cultivated by him over the past ten years. This answer was the truth. It showed that Prince Yu had no issues with the Way of the Sage from his own perspective. The problem lay with others, and those others were naturally the Yan family. In other words, as long as these issues were resolved, Prince Yu would not waver from the Way of the Sage.
In his opinion, this was enough.
If he, Chen Yiqin, were to play this role and waver from the Way of the Sage, it would be a sin that could not be redeemed. As long as this was guaranteed, his posthumous reputation would not have too many stains. This constituted the premise for him to repay Prince Yu.
"Your Highness, since the Way of the Sage cannot be abandoned, then all matters can only begin from the Way of the Sage... As long as the right people are employed, the Way of the Sage can naturally bring peace to the world... What do you think, Your Highness?"
Prince Yu had indeed been doubting the so-called Way of the Sage during this period. But hearing Chen Yiqin say this, he also felt it made sense. If people like Chen Yiqin could replace Yan Song, wouldn't the flaws of the Way of the Sage disappear?