Back to the Yuxi Palace.
Jiajing was also not in the mood for meditation. He had Lu Fang take out Gao Gong's memorial again.
Looking at it again, he felt that the regular handwriting now seemed crooked, and between the lines, two words were clearly revealed – posing!
“Your subject Gong states:
Your subject’s nature is perilous and straightforward. I studied little in my youth, often breaking chapters to take their meaning. This is what Confucius called a petty scholar of chapter and verse. When I grew older, I studied the Rites in my village. However, my perilous and straightforward nature prevented me from understanding the harm of small stratagems, and I became so engrossed that I could not extricate myself. When I took the examinations, I failed seventeen times. It was only after twenty-one years that I became a Jinshi, and then I understood the harm of being perilous and straightforward. From then on, your subject thoroughly rejected such stratagems.
When I entered government service and lectured in the Crown Prince's mansion, I came to know the wickedness of Yan Song and the venom of the Yan faction. Your subject once composed the line 'The large rooster crows proudly, the small rooster waits fearfully' to criticize them, and Yan Song and his son have resented me for it to this day. When your subject became Minister of Revenue, overseeing the national treasury, I understood even more how unbearable the Great Ming was. The reason for this is the greed and corruption of the Yan faction officials and gentry. However, due to your subject's perilous and straightforward nature, I often opposed Shi Fan in court discussions, and Shi Fan also insulted me; because of my perilous and straightforward nature, I have no colleagues, nor anyone to repay.
Now Grand Scholar Zhu is reforming Jiangnan. Your subject knows this is a fundamental path. The revival of the Great Ming depends entirely on this. However, the gentry resent this, incite unruly commoners, and the Yan faction allows it, thus hindering the great policies. Even worse, Shi Fan is directing his followers to incite unrest throughout the land, insisting that Yangming's philosophy be honored. This is a great harm to the world. Therefore, your subject's perilous and straightforward nature, and his penchant for stratagems, grow even stronger at sixty, causing Yin Zhengmao to be perpetually restrained. These are petty stratagems, temporary expedients. If great villains are concealed, then the central strategy will be achieved. However, your subject is not a supremely wise person. I only express my sincerity to the Three Pure Ones and beg for capital punishment before the Emperor. Your subject Gong writes with tears of blood.”
With tears of blood,
With tears of blood…
Why do these ministers shed tears of blood at the slightest provocation?
Jiajing sadly threw down the memorial, which seemed to express sincere emotion, and it drifted behind him like a withered leaf.
Lu Fang had also read it several times and wanted to remind the Emperor but dared not. Seeing Jiajing throw away the essay, he guessed that his mind was made up and could not help but sigh.
Jiajing naturally heard him, but closed his eyes for a while before saying indifferently, "Why are you sighing again?"
Lu Fang said sorrowfully, "Your servant dare not hide anything from Your Majesty, nor dare to speak of such a great policy. Your servant, your servant merely feels that Zhu Mo is not worth it…"
Not worth it?
Jiajing murmured, pondering the words, then suddenly stared at him coldly and said,
"Lu Fang, do you think I truly believe Gao Gong?"
Lu Fang scoffed, "Naturally not. This bald Gao is so vicious, where will he end up well in the future?"
Jiajing nodded and said leisurely,
"Yes, where will it end well… I will just use him for now. After all, he was the Crown Prince's tutor… If not him, whom should I use? Zhu Mo was recommended by Xu Jie. If Zhu Mo does not sever his connections, Xu Jie cannot hold this position… As for Yan Song, the matter in Xuanda is not yet resolved, how can he sit?"
Lu Fang remained silent.
Jiajing added, "How about this: Gao Gong will not be the first Grand Secretary for now, but will replace Xu Jie’s position, officially leading all matters in the Grand Secretariat. Yan Song can take a break for a while…"
"Should your servant draft the decree now?"
"Draft it."
…
At this time,
The strange and tumultuous atmosphere in the capital suddenly receded somewhat. Whether it was because the common people had grown tired of it, or because the Yan family felt the time was right and secretly sent people to quell the unrest, the atmosphere suddenly became much calmer. Although people were still discussing matters in the streets and alleys, the peculiar fervor had disappeared.
Although Zhu Mo had boasted to Old Daoist and Li San that he had a plan, after two days of thinking, he was still at a loss.
Feeling bored, he wandered around the streets. When he returned to his doorstep, he happened to meet Lu Kun and two other middle-aged scholars.
Lu Kun stepped forward and said joyfully, "Zi Xuan, this is He Xinyin! And this is Yan Shan Nong!"
Oh?
Zhu Mo was greatly surprised.
He Xinyin indeed had an extraordinary presence. In his thirties, his face bore an unusual sense of vicissitude, and at the same time, an transcendent aura, making it difficult to discern his true age. Yan Shan Nong, on the other hand, looked like a refined scholar, with lowered eyebrows and eyes, giving the impression of a kind person.
If others saw them, they would never associate these men with being the great traitors of Confucianism who had stirred up the world. But Zhu Mo knew well that such people did exist. Those three or four utopian social thinkers all had similar temperaments. They were clearly of the same ilk as He Xinyin.
Zhu Mo liked such people very much, and it was precisely these two who had intervened, causing the scholars of the realm to sympathize with him, and the common people to trust the scholars, which led to public support and narrowly escaped the calamity of being torn limb from limb or dismembered.
He immediately straightened his expression and bowed deeply to the two, saying, "Zhu Mo thanks Mr. He and Mr. Yan for saving my life!"
Upon seeing Zhu Mo, He Xinyin also felt that this man had an extraordinary demeanor, exuding a sense of detachment from the world. His eyes held an unfathomable depth, and it was hard to say what it was, but he felt that this person was profound and perceptive, possessing insights beyond ordinary people, and capable of truly planning great policies for the common people, making him the foremost reformer in history.
He immediately returned the bow respectfully and said, "Grand Scholar Zhu is too kind."
…
Sitting in the pavilion,
Zhu Mo personally brewed tea for the two of them, dispensing with all formalities. The four of them were not greatly different in age, and they quickly became very talkative.
Lu Kun had previously shown them Zhu Mo's last will. When they looked at it again, they burst into laughter.
Zhu Mo sighed, "If not for the salvation of you two, my life story would truly have become an epitaph… As Mr. He said, it is unheard of for someone to be executed for pleading for the people… Such insight and profound reasoning! After all, I am not like Mr. He, possessing such fearless courage…"
He Xinyin laughed heartily and said, "Grand Scholar Zhu is too modest. Throughout history, there have been no ones who planned great policies for the people. Grand Scholar Zhu is truly the first in history, and I sincerely admire you!"
Zhu Mo scoffed, "But they all say I am like Wei Yang's Qin laws…"
He originally thought that people like He Xinyin were ultimately Confucian scholars, and they would inevitably oppose Qin laws. To his surprise, He Xinyin merely chuckled and said,
"What about Qin laws? What about Wei Yang? If Qin laws were truly ineffective, why would Prime Minister Xiao He have continued to use them? If Wei Yang were truly without merit, why would the people of the Three Qin readily embrace order? It is evident that as long as a policy benefits the people, it is a good and benevolent policy. Like those who boast of the rule of the sages all day, yet the people are like slaves, what sages can be spoken of?"
Good!
Clap, clap, clap,
Zhu Mo repeatedly clapped his hands and praised,
"Mr. He, this is truly a magnanimous spirit! What is this 'rule of the sages'? If this is called the rule of the sages, then it is truly inferior to Qin laws…"
After chatting for a long time,
He Xinyin suddenly asked, "Grand Scholar Zhu, the situation is as it is now. How do you plan to proceed?"
Zhu Mo felt that these two were open-minded individuals, unlike the Neo-Confucian scholars. Recalling his journey, it was precisely the lack of like-minded people that had led him into perilous situations and ultimately into the grand formation of immortality established by the Yan family and Gao Gong. If he did not trust these people now, then there would be no one trustworthy in the Great Ming dynasty. He immediately spoke frankly and openly, saying,
"I only have one method. I want to ask a trusted acquaintance to pass a message to the Emperor through the immortal Lan, which is to change course and promote reforms under the banner of the School of Mind, similar to your ideas, but to be done by the imperial court… As for me, I can no longer be in the public eye, but can retreat behind the scenes, with Zhang Juzheng and others pushing forward…"