Zhang Juzheng had a feeling that the court was hurtling towards an unknown destination at breakneck speed, a pace that might soon be impossible to rein in.
Recently, he had observed that not only the Ministry of War but all six ministries were having matters reported directly to the Privy Council, only to be issued as imperial edicts in the name of the acting regent. Though the Grand Secretaries were nominally granted an audience every ten days, the Prince Yu no longer attended. The elder statesmen would exchange exasperated glances and then depart.
The Yan residence, however, was a stark contrast. After official hours, courtiers continued to frequent it. Despite the lack of any official capacity, the Yan family's directives still held sway throughout the Great Ming.
Considering this, and observing the indignation of the two men before him, Zhang Juzheng finally made up his mind. If normal means were ineffective, were there no other options?
"Qianji, Ruguan, the situation in Jiangnan is urgent. I see potential threats along several border passes, such as Jizhou and Yun-Gui. This situation cannot be delayed any longer. Since the Yan family is still hosting a grand banquet, we cannot afford to be idle!"
He paced a few steps, a good strategy forming in his mind, and continued:
"I will meet with Feng Bao to inquire about the Prince Yu's and Grand Secretary Chen's views on Jiangnan's five decrees. Afterward, I will pay my respects to Yan Song and probe his thoughts. You two, use the authority of the Ministry of War and my name to issue directives to Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, ordering them to closely monitor coastal defenses. If necessary, Qianji, you may have to personally go to Jiangnan. Ruguan can go to Jizhou; the movements of the Tumen are suspicious, and I believe trouble is brewing. As for Yang Bo, he is advanced in years and may not be able to perceive it!"
Liang Menglong nodded. "Grand Secretary Zhang, should we also issue a directive to the Fujian-Zhejiang naval fleet? Yu Dajiu and his men have not returned for over half a year; this also needs clarification."
Zhang Juzheng shook his head. "General Yu's conquest of Malacca was an unparalleled achievement! The Portuguese are surely not reconciled. Currently, it is under joint administration. Once the Portuguese are free, they will certainly counterattack. Furthermore, I once heard Zhu Mo mention that remnants of the Bianluo regime are also plotting a restoration, and General Yu is assisting them with his fleet... He certainly cannot return for now... However, we can send a dispatch to Hulushan, instructing them to guard against the resurgence of Japanese pirates."
The two men had been silent for a long time. Seeing Zhang Juzheng's earnestness, they felt a renewed sense of purpose.
Wang Guoguang said, "The Tumen's movements are indeed suspicious. I will depart for Jizhou tomorrow!"
Excellent!
At that moment, the three of them felt as though the vast Great Ming and the bustling capital were like a cage. It seemed only a handful of people were still concerned about the nation's affairs.
...
At noon,
Zhang Juzheng, at Liuquanju, finally awaited Feng Bao.
According to their usual arrangement, if Zhang Juzheng was seated alone in the sixth private room on the right corridor, the servants would inform Feng Bao.
This time, Feng Bao should not have come. After all, even the Prince Yu had refused to see Xu Jie, so how could he privately meet Zhang Juzheng? However, after years of interaction, Feng Bao held great respect for Zhang Juzheng, and Zhang Juzheng often guided him in his studies. Their relationship had evolved into one of both mentor and friend.
As Feng Bao entered, he whispered, "Minister Zhang, I still need to go to the palace..."
"Mmm,"
Zhang Juzheng cupped his hands and said, "I only have one question..."
Feng Bao nodded, having anticipated it, and replied directly, "Regarding Jiangnan's five decrees, there was an argument in the Privy Council that day. Grand Secretary Chen was quite hesitant, but the Crown Prince deemed it feasible. Yin Shidan opposed it, and Fan Yingqi remained silent."
"Oh..."
Zhang Juzheng blurted out, "As I suspected..."
He paused, then asked, "And in the palace?"
Feng Bao leaned in and, still lowering his voice, said, "Eunuch Lü is very flustered, but the Emperor has not spoken."
"Ah?"
Zhang Juzheng froze for a moment, then his mind instantly cleared—
The Emperor was indeed testing the Prince Yu; there was no conspiracy on his part... If there were a conspiracy, Lü Fang would not be flustered. Lü Fang's panic indicated that the Crown Prince's regency was indeed a necessity born of circumstance. Thus, his own assessment was correct. Zhu Mo must have retreated first, passing the problem back to the Emperor, who, playing along with the plan, used the Crown Prince's regency as both a test and a stratagem...
With this understanding,
He had a clear grasp of the situation. He immediately bowed to Feng Bao and turned to leave in haste. Feng Bao watched his retreating back and muttered to himself, "You must not be idle..."
However, as an inner official, divulging such secrets was a grave transgression. If not for the extraordinary circumstances, he would never have come out.
Although Feng Bao, having grown up in the palace, was incredibly cunning, he was, after all, from a humble background. Seeing the Yan family mistreating the Crown Prince and the common people, he could no longer stand it, and thus risked helping Zhang Juzheng.
...
That evening,
Zhang Juzheng went alone to Dengshikou Hutong. He produced a silver note for three hundred taels from his怀 and handed it to the gatekeeper with a smile, along with a calling card. He said with a smile, "This young brother, my name is Zhang Juzheng. Please announce me?"
The young gatekeeper, around twenty, was exceptionally shrewd. Initially unwilling, upon seeing the silver note beneath the card and realizing this was the renowned Zhang Taiyue, he immediately smiled and said, "Ah, Grand Secretary Zhang! Yan Yong thanks Grand Secretary Zhang for his generosity! Please wait a moment..."
It should be noted that
These retainers of powerful families were always arrogant. No matter who you were, as long as you visited, you were seeking a favor from their master. Even if it were Zhang Juzheng, what difference would it make? Without the money, they would have simply shut the door in his face!
Zhang Juzheng did not mind dealing with such people. He smiled and nodded, seeing them off courteously. To his surprise, after only a moment, Yan Yong emerged, his face beaming, "Minister Zhang, the Grand Secretary is delighted! Please, please come in!"
Yan Song, upon seeing Zhang Juzheng's calling card, was momentarily taken aback. He glanced at it, reading:
"Your junior subordinate pays his respects:
Long have I heard that state affairs are beyond repair, and only now do I believe it. I also understand the Grand Secretary's noble aspirations. Having lingered in the capital for so long, I have yet to apologize for the matters in Jiangnan. Thinking of it causes me unease, hence I request an audience."
His mind worked quickly. After a single reading, he recalled that over a decade ago, Zhang Juzheng, after his temporary retirement and subsequent return to office, had also presented him with a similar calling card. While the wording was no longer as humble as before, the sincerity was the same. Zhang Juzheng, with his unparalleled adaptability, was truly a talent, but unfortunately, he refused to be utilized by Yan Song. Now that he was being rebuffed everywhere and worried about the situation in Jiangnan, he was naturally coming to appease Yan Song.
"Quick, invite him in!"
Yan Song said, rising from his couch. He adjusted his robes slightly and added, "Also, bring that Grand Tutor's chair. He is a Grand Secretary, and I can only treat him as an equal..."
In the study, Yan Shifan, Luo Longwen, and a few others were still present. Just as they were about to speak, Yan Song waved them to silence. The others had no choice but to retreat to the back.
Yan Song had just settled down and was about to ponder when he looked up and saw the middle-aged scholar with a flowing long beard entering with a smile.
"Grand Secretary, has it been almost a year since we last met?"
Zhang Juzheng said, bowing.
Yan Song stood up and smiled, "Taiyue, I am truly delighted that you have come to see this old man... Come, sit, sit down!"
He personally stepped forward, intending to help Zhang Juzheng sit.
Zhang Juzheng, however, supported him to sit down first, then smiled at everyone and said, "Donglou brother, Lord Luo, Lord Yan, Moqing, you are all here?"
Everyone smiled and replied in unison, "Greetings, Grand Secretary Zhang."
After Zhang Juzheng was seated, Yan Song moved closer and said gently, "Taiyue, you have worked hard in Jiangnan these past two years... The Great Ming can do without anyone else, but it cannot do without you..."
Zhang Juzheng smiled faintly and said, "Not at all, Grand Secretary is the divine needle that calms the sea..."
Yan Song nodded and said with emotion, "Taiyue, do not dwell on minor matters... Wei Shi is a bit impatient, and I will have Shifan write him a letter to admonish him... Taiyue, as I said earlier, the Great Ming cannot do without you... I remember it was seventeen or eighteen years ago, you visited me then, and I was still living near the Censorate..."
Zhang Juzheng nodded. "Yes, in the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed... I feel ashamed, to be frank, Grand Secretary. Back then, I was dedicated to reforming and saving the people, but after twenty years, I have achieved nothing, and now I feel the vanity of it all..."
As he spoke,
He seemed genuinely moved, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat somber.
Everyone present harbored a mixture of resentment, fear, and respect towards him. They resented that he spoke of respecting the teachings of the sages, yet in practice, he showed them little regard. However, he was also formidable and terrifyingly capable. Their respect stemmed from his unwavering commitment over twenty years, never once abandoning his ideals. While others might speak of reform and saving the people as mere rhetoric, he was truly dedicated to it.