须知，
Wang Cai's insights were indeed profound, a masterful strategy born from years of idle frustration.
The Great Ming Dynasty held a significant variable: the Jingnan Campaign. Emperor Yongle's merits and demerits were exceptionally difficult to assess. Neither during the civil war nor nearly two hundred years later could anyone provide a convincing narrative. This pivotal event caused a division within the court and society into two clearly defined factions: those who supported Yongle, and those who supported Jianwen.
After Emperor Yongle's death, his temple name was bestowed as Taizong, signifying his legitimate claim to the throne. However, this also subtly obscured the reasons behind the great turmoil of that era. From the temple name Taizong alone, later generations could not comprehend why the Jingnan Campaign occurred, nor grasp its significance.
Yet, since Emperor Jiajing's ascension, and through the nearly twenty years of the Great Rites Controversy, he had truly felt the cause of that ancient upheaval: the Founder's method of establishing the nation was too peculiar!
So peculiar, in fact, that two thousand years of Confucian scholars could not accept it!
Therefore, before the Founder's bones had even cooled, Emperor Jianwen and the Confucian scholars attempted to alter this peculiar state-founding methodology. Zhu Di, on the other hand, was, to a significant extent, a defender of the Founder's method. Thus, Yongle and Yao Guangxiao named this great disturbance "Jingnan," implying that the doctrines espoused by Emperor Jianwen and the Confucian scholars were essentially a disaster.
However, the problem was that even after the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di dared not govern entirely according to the Founder's last instructions; he had to make certain adjustments. Had he not, the Confucian scholars would have inevitably clashed with him. Furthermore, Zhu Di, due to his fiery temperament, harbored profound resentment towards the Confucian scholars of that time, persecuting them severely, which created an irreparable rift. For instance, the Directorate of Music and Entertainment was established specifically for the remaining officials of the Jianwen era.
Jiajing keenly felt this rift as the root of the Great Ming's problems. For, since the Hongzhi reign, the Confucian scholars had once again formed a powerful bloc encircling imperial authority, mirroring the court situation on the eve of the Jingnan Campaign. Unfortunately, the Confucian scholars encountered a paramount figure in Jiajing, leading to a stalemate where neither side could prevail, instead plunging the Ming Dynasty into quagmire.
Jiajing strongly desired to mediate this rift, thus he revised almost all court rituals. The most significant of these was changing Zhu Di's temple name from Taizong to Chengzu. Accompanying this was the removal of Yao Guangxiao from the ranks of meritorious officials enshrined in the imperial ancestral temple. Simultaneously, Kublai Khan, Emperor Shizu of Yuan, was expelled from the Grand Ancestral Temple. His original intention was to mediate, but the result was a greater intensification of this deep-seated conflict.
In a sense, "Chengzu" was equivalent to an "intercalary law," re-examining the Jingnan Campaign to clarify what had been obscured. The reason Emperor Yongle achieved "success" was his defense of the Founder's state-founding doctrine, which had been abandoned by Emperor Jianwen.
Jiajing's actions were intended to convey a fundamental message to the Confucian scholars: I am unshakeable! Do not harbor any illicit ambitions! At my core, I uphold the doctrines of the Founder and Chengzu! He indeed achieved this, but his methods primarily involved utilizing wicked officials like Yan Song, which was essentially the same as Zhu Di's reliance on eunuchs.
Regrettably, Jiajing's approach not only failed to solve the problem but instead triggered a deeper, more enduring, and more severe schism.
Fundamentally, as Zhu Mo stated, the Founder established the nation based on the great path of Yao and Shun, while the Confucian scholars idealized the system of the sages. The former was practical, the latter empty. Ultimately, under the system of sages desired by the Confucian scholars, the emperor was merely a symbolic Son of Heaven, and everything was to be dictated by the teachings of the Confucian scholars. But in that case, who would have the final say – the emperor or the Confucian scholars?
This struggle was protracted, with both sides employing their own ingenious strategies. However, in the end, Li Dongyang of the Hongzhi era proved more adept, successfully establishing the Grand Secretariat. This, in turn, transformed the Ming Dynasty into the darkest era in history. Zhu Mo's memorial on the governance of the dynasty, coupled with the crisis that Jiajing perceived in his later years, finally spurred reforms. The guiding principle of these reforms was to reaffirm the nation's establishment based on the great path of Yao and Shun, while simultaneously accommodating the Confucian scholars' ideal of the sages to the greatest extent possible.
Therefore,
This reform, in a sense, was another "literary" Jingnan Campaign. Though it did not involve armed conflict, its perilous nature was no less significant than a war fought with swords.
If, before Zhu Mo presented "The Great Path Sacrificing Confucian Literature," the Confucian scholars were not entirely clear about the substance of the matter, then after this presentation, almost everyone understood it perfectly.
...
Therefore,
Wang Cai's statement drew everyone's attention.
Mu Chaobi feigned anger and said, "Zi Nan, why are you holding back?"
Wang Cai bowed respectfully, sighing,
"Duke, you flatter me; I am merely speaking my mind... Everyone, I recall that when His Majesty revised the rituals, the primary supporters were Zhang Cong and his faction. Grand Secretaries Zeng and Xia, and Grand Secretary Yan, all opposed it... Yet, the Book of Rites states that kings have three layers of authority, all of which are the emperor's own affairs. How could subjects dare to remonstrate? Thus, the Grand Secretaries did not overstep their bounds..."
As he spoke, he suddenly grew emotional, rose, and paced a few steps. He continued,
"But this is a matter of paramount importance! Everyone, consider: Chengzu? What did he achieve? Was it not the Founder's methods? And what were those methods? I believe Chengzu was inferior to Taizong! Taizong was logical, his writings coherent; Chengzu, in essence, had the taint of deceiving the world for fame! Of course, His Majesty is a wise ruler, and those who instigated him were Zhang Cong and his ilk! Such individuals who disrupt the nation's rituals are truly detestable!"
Having said this,
He walked over to Yang Shen, poured him a cup of wine, then bowed deeply and said,
"Sheng An, your father and son once pleaded for the people of the realm. Even now, recalling it fills me with passionate fervor... Come, Mr. Sheng An, I propose a toast to you!"
Yang Shen had already repented. In addition to his studies at the Wuhou Shrine, he had spent his days reading Buddhist scriptures, having long since detached himself from worldly affairs. At this moment, he merely smiled, self-deprecatingly,
"Zi Nan, is this still a matter? I cannot recall..."
Wang Cai was taken aback and said,
"Not at all? Sheng An, you once rallied the people with 'The state has nurtured scholars for a hundred and fifty years; loyalty and righteousness are expected today!' How heroic! I had just passed the provincial examination then, and even now, recalling it, I am stirred! In my opinion, Sheng An should have accomplished that great deed back then!"
Hiss!
The entire assembly was once again stunned.
Hu Rulin asked curiously,
"What great deed?"
Wang Cai slowly said, "Remove the king's assistants! Had Zhang Cong and his faction been killed that day, His Majesty would not have been misled by treacherous officials, and there would not have been so much chaos..."
Wow!
Hiss!
Hiss!
Removing the king's assistants – wasn't that treason?
No matter how bold the crowd, they now felt a prickle of unease.
Yang Shen was stunned for a long while and blurted out, "That is not so! That is not so! I never had such intentions! Heaven and Earth can bear witness!"
At this very moment,
His thoughts raced, remembering his youthful arrogance. He knew little of the Ming Dynasty's state-founding principles, misguided by the Neo-Confucianism of Zhu Xi. Coupled with his naturally romantic disposition, in a moment of heated emotion, he had nearly committed a crime punishable by extermination of the nine familial generations. Although the Emperor was young, he had dealt with the matter justly, resulting only in a beating with rods and exile. Reflecting on it now, it could be considered imperial grace. At this point, where was there any trace of disloyal sentiment?
With this thought,
He felt the gravity of the situation. He immediately straightened his robes, bowed three times towards Beijing, and then declared loudly,
"Your subject Yang Shen harbors absolutely no disloyal intentions! Heaven and Earth, bear witness!"
Hiss!
Hu!
Seeing his solemnity, everyone felt a pang of discomfort.
Wang Cai smiled and said, "Mr. Sheng An, you are thinking too much... Today, we are celebrating the Duke's victorious return. This is merely idle talk among country folk; why take it so seriously?"
Yang Shen calmly said,
"Brother Zi Nan, Duke, esteemed sirs, in my youth, I was rash and foolish, harming the nation, the people, myself, and others. For thirty years, I have deeply regretted it. Now, I merely find solace in mountains and waters, and have no other aspirations... Zi Nan, your insights are truly profound. Write them down and hide them in famous mountains, to be passed down to future generations."
You?
Wang Cai was instantly angered, but then he reconsidered: this man was a renowned figure of the present day. If he truly offended him, all the scholars in the land would curse him...
He immediately smiled and said apologetically,
"Mr. Sheng An, what insights do I have? They are merely tea-time chatter. Let everyone take them as a joke..."
At this moment,
Yu Chaosheng, however, said,
"Eh? Why do I find Brother Zi Nan's words reasonable? If we, as subjects, see treacherous officials, how can we not remove the king's assistants from evil? In my opinion, the current Zhu Mo is just like that great treacherous official Zhang Cong!"