【Under the Great Tomorrow】(75)

【The Great Ming Dynasty】

Author: hui329
Published on: 1024 Forum, April 7, 2018
Word Count: 11384

Chapter 75 Sorrow upon Sorrow, Ruler and Minister Turn Against Each Other, Poison upon Poison, Each with Their Own Schemes

In the elegant room of Sihai Residence.

"Eunuch Fan?" Bai Shaochuan held a porcelain cup, his starry eyes slightly narrowed. Facing this nominally second-in-command of the inner court
, he showed no intention of rising to pay his respects.

Surprisingly, Fan Heng wasn't annoyed. He sat down beside Bai Shaochuan and asked with a smile, "Brother Bai seems to have
something on your mind. Would you like to confide in me?"

Bai Shaochuan lowered his head, staring at the wine cup in his hand, and suddenly smiled. "When did I become confidant with Eunuch Fan
?"

"Brother Bai, why be so aloof?" Fan Heng's composure today was truly surprising. He continued
in a gentle tone , "The Third Chief of the Eastern Depot is a man of exceptional talent and bearing, even Eunuch Wang often praises him."

"Oh? What merit do I, Bai, possess to deserve the favor of the Directorate of Ceremonial?" Bai Shaochuan remained calm and slowly
placed the cup on the low table.

"Brother, why be so modest? Although I find Liu Jin an eyesore, I also know that since he took over the Eastern Depot,
a great number of talented people have gathered, and his eyes and ears have spread throughout the court and the country. It can be said that the atmosphere has been completely renewed." Fan Heng stared at Bai Shaochuan and said, "Brother Bai has made great
contributions to this."

"This is all thanks to the planning of the Grand Eunuch, the strategies of Eunuchs Qiu and Gu, and the great assistance of my colleagues in the Eastern Depot
. How could I dare to take credit for it?" Bai Shaochuan remained unmoved and acted as if nothing had happened.

Fan Heng smiled faintly, "I'm afraid that's not entirely true. Liu Jin and the others are serving the Emperor and have no time to spare. Liu Wusan is blind
to everyone else, Lei Changyin is aloof, and the twelve foremen each have their own agendas. If it weren't for Bai San's combination of kindness and severity, the Eastern
Depot would probably have fallen apart long ago..."

"Has Eunuch Fan forgotten the Fourth Head?" Bai Shaochuan looked up and glanced at Fan Heng, "Brother Ding
is favored by and trusted by the Grand Eunuch. He is in charge of the Imperial Prison and bears heavy responsibilities. He is now the Eastern Depot's most capable lieutenant."

"Ding Shou?" Fan Heng chuckled, "That kid is quite something.
Not only has he risen through the ranks quickly, but he's also a master at causing trouble..."

He downed his cup of wine in one gulp, poured himself another cup without ceremony, and shook his head, saying, "He's only been in office for a year
, and he's already offended every civil and military official, as well as relatives of the Empress Dowager and nobles. At my age, this is the first time
I've seen so eager to die..."

"Yet Liu Jin still dotes on him like a treasure," Fan Heng glanced at Bai Shaochuan, saying casually
, "This kid isn't Liu Jin's bastard child, is he?"

Bai Shaochuan's bright eyes turned cold, and he said coldly, "Eunuch Fan, be careful what you say. The Grand Eunuch entered the palace when he was young, so this mudslinging won't touch
him."

Sensing the unfriendly tone of Bai Shaochuan, Fan Heng frowned slightly, staring at the wine in his cup, and said slowly, "
Wenjun Wine, a good name. Zhuo Wenjun was a widow in her youth, and almost became an abandoned woman. But compared to that
unfortunate woman from the Tang Clan, she was lucky..."

Bai Shaochuan's expression suddenly changed, and he pushed the low square table with his palm, but the table didn't move at all.
Fan Heng 's withered hand had been gently pressing on the table at some point.

Fan Heng took a sip of wine and slowly said, "Brother Bai, if you want to challenge me, you'd better
weigh your own strength first."

Bai Shaochuan's expression was uncertain, but he eventually withdrew his hand from under the table.

"Does Eunuch Fan know a lot?"

"It's just that the Third Chief is so charismatic that he attracts attention." Fan Heng said smugly, "Although the Directorate of Ceremonial lost
the Eastern Depot, its eyes and ears are still just for show."

Bai Shaochuan remained silent.

"If you were doing well under Liu Jin, I wouldn't say a word, but now..."
Fan Heng shook his head and said earnestly, "That Ding Shou has risen to prominence. Liu Jin entrusts him with important tasks everywhere and even
directly recommended him to the Emperor. You have served the Eastern Depot for many years, and you are still just a lowly Chief without any official position. That
kid has already taken charge of the Northern Division and is in charge of everything..."

"The Grand Eunuch has taken me in and protected me..." Bai Shaochuan said hesitantly.

"Nonsense! That's because you're still useful to him. If Liu Jin truly cared for you, why didn't he just wipe out
the Tang Clan ? Isn't he just trying to use those people to coerce you into not disloyalty?" Fan Heng continued persuasively, "
But now Liu Jin is heavily cultivating Ding Shou. Once that kid's wings are fully grown, he only needs to expel you from the Eastern Depot. Hmph, brother,
I'm afraid you won't even have the same fate as Zhuo Wenjun..."

Bai Shaochuan's sword-like eyebrows furrowed, his phoenix eyes filled with sorrow, and he remained silent.

Fan Heng straightened up and said softly, "Brother Bai, consider the pros and cons yourself. I'll take my leave."

Even after Fan Heng lifted the curtain and left, Bai Shaochuan remained unmoved.

After a long while, Bai Shaochuan finally picked up the porcelain cup in front of him. Before the cup reached his lips, his sword-like eyebrows rose, a flash of ferocity appeared in his eyes
, and with a forceful tug, the cup shattered and the wine spilled out.
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*** *** *** ***

Eastern Depot, inner hall.

Liu Jin leaned lazily against the black lacquered, mother-of-pearl-inlaid flower and bird-patterned Luohan bed, one hand supporting his chin, the
other letting Bai Shaochuan, sitting on the footstool in front of the bed, trim his nails.

Bai Shaochuan carefully used a file with an ivory handle to smooth and polish each of Liu Jin's nails,
seemingly casually saying, "Your Excellency, we've received intelligence that the Marquis of Wuding and the Duke of Yingguo are in close contact."

Liu Jin, with his eyes closed, merely hummed in response.

"According to the spies, it seems to be related to the Fourth Commander." Bai Shaochuan gently pressed his soft thumb against the smoothed
nails, checking for any splinters.

"What is it?" Liu Jin opened his eyes.

"Young Master Guo Xun of the Wuding Marquis's Mansion and Luo Jinfeng, the daughter of Luo Yanbei, a powerful figure in the Nine Cities, are childhood sweethearts
. The elders of both families have been trying to match them up. However, recently Brother Ding and Miss Luo have been entangled in some trouble, and Young Master Guo seems to have suffered some
losses, so he has appealed to his elders..."

Liu Jin seemed to have become interested and straightened up, saying, "What is the appearance of that Luo family girl like? Is she a good match for
Shouge ?"

"This..." Bai Shaochuan frowned and could only reply, "Luo Jinfeng comes from a family with a long history of martial arts and has also studied under
a famous master from Emei. Her martial arts skills are naturally not bad. As for her appearance, her mother, Feng Xiyan, was a famous beauty in the martial arts world in the past
. Luo Jinfeng inherited her mother's looks and has a gentle and mild temperament, unlike her mother's fierce and ruthless nature."

"Good." Liu Jin clapped his hands happily. "Old Gu is right, this kid is really destined for romance.
When is that kid getting married? I missed it in Xuanfu, but this time I have to attend his wedding banquet..."

"Lord Supervisor," Bai Shaochuan said urgently, "The Marquis of Wuding founded the dynasty and
assisted are deeply rooted in the army, and we have no one in our ranks who can rival them. If we offend them..."

"So what if we offend them?" Liu Jin retorted, then said disdainfully, "Did Zhang Mao consider
us when he submitted his memorial? It's a boil that will eventually fester. Let's see what tricks they can pull."

Bai Shaochuan lowered his head and stammered, "Lord Supervisor, you really treat Brother Ding differently."

Liu Jin gently lifted Bai Shaochuan's chin, his tone teasing, "Little Chuan, you've been complaining more and more lately
."

*** *** *** ***

Amidst the infighting and scheming among various factions in the Ming Dynasty, the first year of the Zhengde reign entered the golden autumn of September.

From the first day of the month, the palace began to indulge in flower cakes and spicy rabbit to welcome the frost, and drink chrysanthemum wine.
Under the guidance of their respective stewards, palace servants busied themselves pasting window paper, airing out fur coats, and making clothes to keep warm. The kitchens also began to speed up the
pickling of melons and eggplants and the preparation of various vegetables to get through the winter.

From the fourth day of the month, palace ladies and eunuchs were to change into robes with chrysanthemum patterns and python patterns for the Double Ninth Festival,
to accompany the emperor on his ascent of Wansui Mountain. All of this was a long-standing custom in the palace, and although it was complicated, it was well-organized,
until a minor but unexpected incident occurred…

“What? The Jiangnan Textile Bureau has no money to rush to make the dragon robe?” Zhu Houzhao put down his chrysanthemum wine and looked
at Wang Yue

, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, in astonishment. “Yes, on the second day of the ninth month, Cui Gao of the Directorate of Wardrobe submitted a memorial stating that the Jiangnan Textile Bureau had no silver available.” Wang Yue
replied meekly.

"No one to build the dragon bed, no money to make the dragon robe, what kind of emperor am I, a poor scoundrel?" Zhu
Houzhao felt aggrieved and wanted to cry.

"Didn't Cui Gao's memorial mention how to solve this?"
Ding Erye, who suddenly asked.

Looking at this ignorant brat, whose presence the emperor took everywhere, practically living in
the palace , Wang Yue felt both jealous and envious, but still honestly answered, "Yes, Cui Gao requests that, according to precedent, the Ministry of Revenue request
the 12,000 salt permits left over from previous years to alleviate the immediate crisis."

"That's settled then, Your Majesty, follow precedent." Ding Shou threw down the rabbit leg and
wiped his mouth with the embroidered napkin on his chest.

Emperor Zhengde's worry turned to joy, "Old Wang, from now on, just say what you need to say at once. You've made me worry unnecessarily. Just
inform Han Wen, and we'll do it this way."

*** *** *** ***

Fengtian Gate, morning court.

"Your Majesty's request to use the remaining salt certificates to weave dragon robes is something the Ministry of Revenue dares not obey," said Han Wenzhi, Minister of
Revenue

, with a firm and resolute voice. "When the dynasty was first established, Emperor Taizu set up the salt law, allowing salt merchants to pay grain to supplement the needs of the nine border regions. Later, during the reign of the late Emperor, Ye
Qi reformed the system, changing the payment from grain to silver. Although the name changed, the essence remained the same. The proceeds from salt tax are all for border expenses and cannot
be misappropriated . Moreover, Your Majesty has your own internal treasury, so why should the Ministry of Revenue allocate silver?"

"Minister Han, is the ancestral system truly unchangeable?" Ding Shou felt he should speak up at this point.

Han Wen glanced at Ding Shou and said, "Absolutely not." "

I recently reviewed the old records of the Registrar's Office and found some exceptions. Leaving aside the distant past,
after the implementation of the silver-based system, in the ninth year of the Hongzhi reign, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 28,000 salt permits for the weaving of imperial robes. In the tenth and twelfth years of the Hongzhi reign,
20,000 salt permits were allocated for weaving each year. In the fourteenth year of the Hongzhi reign, in addition to the 20,000 salt permits, the Ministry of Revenue added another 30,000 taels of silver for the salt price.
Lord Han, what is the Ministry of Revenue's explanation for this?"

"Well?" Han Wen stroked his beard, somewhat troubled, thinking that this reason was not easy to come up with. He looked to
the Grand Secretary Liu Jian for help.

"The late Emperor was gentle and kind, close to his senior ministers, and receptive to loyal advice. There was no discord between the emperor and his ministers, and all industries
flourished , while all ills in the court and the countryside were eliminated. If Your Majesty is willing to emulate the late Emperor, widely open the Imperial Academy, befriend the virtuous and dismiss the sycophants, and govern with
a hands-off approach, then minor expenditures will not require Your Majesty's worry or effort."

Liu Jian, you're utterly shameless! Ding Shou looked at Grand Secretary Liu with admiration. Speaking so
bluntly, isn't he afraid the young emperor will jump off his throne and beat him up?

Zhu Houzhao's performance, however, surprised Ding Shou. The usually impatient young emperor didn't get angry
. He remained silent for a long time, and even Liu Jian was somewhat puzzled by the emperor's thoughts. Finally, the young emperor spoke.

"My ministers—" His voice was calm, showing no emotion.

"Your Majesty, I am here." The ministers bowed their heads.

"My late father always respected his senior ministers, and I am willing to follow his example and listen to all your suggestions."

Zhu Houzhao suddenly started counting on his fingers. "At the beginning of my reign, you gentlemen used the late emperor's edict as a reason
to dismiss tens of thousands of Jinyiwei and eunuchs, including more than seven hundred people in the Imperial Household Department alone. This year,
there are not enough people to supervise the construction of the dragon bed and other imperial items, and six more need to be added. You refused, but I granted your request..."

Liu Jian and Xie Qian exchanged a glance and remained silent.

"Since May, there has been continuous rain. Some of you said that the unusual celestial phenomena were due to my late father's passing and my lack of
grief. I accept that..."

Wu Hao, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Observatory, shrank his neck.

"For the wedding ceremony, you said that the national treasury was insufficient and should not be wasted, so you reduced it from 600,000 to 300,000. I granted your request
..."

Han Wen, the Minister of Revenue, blushed slightly.

"Today, I will make a decision. The salt permits will be issued as ordered. Anyone who objects again will be severely punished."
Zhu Houzhao rose and left, Ding Shou quickly following.

"What about

Grand Secretary Liu?" "His Majesty is stubborn. What should we do, gentlemen?"

Once the emperor was out of sight, the court officials surrounded Liu Jian and his group, chattering amongst themselves.

"Rest assured, gentlemen, the Grand Secretariat will not arbitrarily change ancestral rules. We will refuse to write the edict granting special salt permits
. You should also petition His Majesty to rescind the order," Liu Jian said calmly. "

Of course," the officials nodded in agreement.

*** *** *** ***

With the approval of several high-ranking officials, the officials of the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits, who had been bored out of their minds, became
excited . They launched a barrage of verbal and written criticisms against the young emperor, and memorials flew into the Office of Transmission like snowflakes. However, this time...
Zhu Houzhao was determined to remain defiant, refusing to issue any memorials or even reply.

"Xiya, you need to make a decision for me," Han Wen, the Minister of Revenue, looked at Li Dongyang with hope.

Han Wen hadn't anticipated Zhu Houzhao's forceful stance. Minister Han didn't mind everyone banding together to
fight the emperor, but the key was that the focus couldn't be on him. If the emperor won, he would be the first to suffer
. Even if Liu Jian's side won, he would still be resented by the emperor. With decades of experience in officialdom, being
remembered by the emperor was never a good thing. The emperor could easily find a pretext to take advantage of the situation, and he would be in for a world of trouble. Ma Wensheng
and Liu Daxia were prime examples of this.

Of course, it's undeniable that losing one's official position would bring a good reputation in court and among the people, but reputation can't put food on the table.
Lord Han is very satisfied with his current position as the Minister of Revenue and really doesn't want to let someone else benefit from it. Liu Jian is currently furious
and won't be the first to back down, so Han Wen set his sights on Li Dongyang, the shrewd and resourceful among the Three Dukes.

"Guandao, if you had been more tactful that day and hadn't spoken so definitively, we wouldn't
be

in this situation today," Li Dongyang said with a hint of reproach, looking at the distraught Han Wen. "Wasn't it Hui'an who hinted to me that I should live within my means? How come the Ministry of Revenue is the one at fault?" Han Wen complained
.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Li Dongyang gently touched the frown line between his eyebrows, pondered for a moment, and said, "If we don't give him
the salt permits now, His Majesty might lose face. Let's give them to him..."

"If we give him the salt permits, not to mention Liu Hui'an, I'll be cursed to death by the censors first." Han Wen stood up anxiously
. Those censors were just there to curse people and make their presence known. When they went crazy, they didn't distinguish between friend and foe.

"Let me finish speaking. Of course, I can't give it all. Let's compromise and give you six thousand taels."

"That's good, that's good." Han Wen nodded repeatedly. "It preserves His Majesty's face without fully fulfilling
his wishes, and it also provides an explanation to the court and the public. It's just that Hui'an..."

"Hui'an is probably in a difficult position now," Li Dongyang laughed. "Let me take Mu Zhai to explain things to him
, and then we'll go to the palace together to meet the Emperor."

*** *** *** ***

The three Grand Secretaries, along with the Grand Minister of Agriculture, entered the Qianqing Palace. The young Emperor treated them very politely, offering them
seats and tea, and inquiring about their purpose.

Several officials, holding their teacups, smugly announced their plans, fully expecting the young emperor to be grateful and express his gratitude for
their good intentions, promising not to let them down in the future. They would then utter a few
beautiful , perhaps even squeezing out a few tears, and then burying their faces in each other's hands in grief—a perfect example of harmonious relations between ruler and subject. Who
knew...

"Half? Why only half?" Zhu Houzhao asked loudly.

Liu Jian nearly spat out his hot tea. What else did this unlucky kid want? He swallowed hard and said slowly
, "Your Majesty, this half is already against ancestral rules. We old ministers are ashamed to have violated the rules. Your Majesty still thinks it's not enough. You should understand
the principle of contentment."

First, he talked about ancestral rules, and now he talks about contentment. Zhu Houzhao was furious. He said angrily, "
If the Ministry of Revenue can give it, then I was not wrong that day. Since it was given, why not give it all? What kind of logic is that?"

Dealing with a greenhorn is exhausting. He doesn't understand any bargaining. If everything in the world were done according to reason,
wouldn't it be much simpler? Li Dongyang shook his head inwardly, but smiled and said, "The Ministry of Revenue is willing to release the salt permits to
relieve the urgent need for supplies to the inner court. If more is given, there will inevitably be people who smuggle it in and line their own pockets for profit
."

"Who would dare to offer such tribute to the Emperor?" Zhu Houzhao asked, puzzled. "Even if someone were to manipulate things,
the authorities could be ordered to arrest them and punish them according to the law. What does it matter how many salt permits are sent?"

"The inner court's procurement and textile production are all handled by eunuchs. Eunuchs are mostly greedy and unscrupulous, blinded by profit and forgetting morality
. They can't be stopped. If civil officials were in charge of procurement, there would be no such problem," Xie Qian said.

Zhu Houzhao finally understood. These people weren't against approving the salt permits at all; they fundamentally believed that as long as
eunuchs were involved, nothing good would come of it.

The young emperor couldn't understand why the eunuchs who had accompanied him since childhood were so despised. At least
these servants worked diligently for him, never making excuses or
spouting high-sounding principles.

"According to you, sir, if civil officials are employed in all matters, there will be no calamity of corruption?"

Liu Jian and the others, unaware of Zheng De's displeasure, nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, we civil officials are well-versed in
Confucianism and Mencius' teachings , learned and virtuous, and bearing the Emperor's favor, we will certainly not fail the court's trust."

The young emperor snorted coldly and said, "Not entirely so. Throughout history, how many civil officials have been corrupt
? Even though civil officials are learned and virtuous, there are still those who disregard the law. You gentlemen should be aware of this."

Liu Jian and the others' expressions changed drastically. Liu Jian said in a deep voice, " " Your Majesty's words are absurd. This old minister is horrified to hear them. If
the late Emperor could hear such absurdities in the afterlife, how could he sleep peacefully? This old minister is ashamed of failing in his duty to assist the government and has no face to remain in a high position. I beg to be granted retirement and return to my hometown. 　　" After saying this, Liu Jian knelt down on the ground, and Xie Qian, Li Dongyang, and Han Wen followed suit, saying, "We request to resign. " 　　Here we go again. Zhu Houzhao pursed his lips, panting heavily, but still stepped down from the imperial desk and helped the men up, saying , "What you gentlemen have said are all golden words of wisdom. I have suddenly understood. The matter of the salt permits will be carried out according to your wishes. " 　　Liu Jian and the others walked along the palace corridor, each with a gloomy face. 　　"Mu Zhai, I originally thought His Majesty was young and impetuous, and inevitably prone to momentary folly. I thought that as he grew older, he would eventually become wiser. But now it seems I was wrong." 　　"Hui'an, there's no need to blame yourself. His Majesty is surrounded by petty people, and it's inevitable that he'll be influenced by biased opinions. As long as we remove these treacherous officials, the Ming Dynasty will still be the Ming Dynasty." Xie Qian's hands were tucked into his sleeves, his eyes gleaming. 　　"Hesitation leads to chaos." Liu Jian sneered. "I didn't expect this day to come so soon. Guandao..." 　　Han Wen also looked worried. Hearing Liu Jian's call, he snapped out of his reverie. "Hui'an, what is it? " 　　"There is something I need you to do." Liu Jian's eyes were sharp, and a cold smile played on his lips. 　　*** *** *** *** 　　Li Mengyang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, has been in high spirits lately. It's not just the officials of the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate who are jumping around and submitting memorials to the Emperor . If Li Xianji doesn't participate, how can he live up to the prestigious title of one of the Seven Masters of the Literary World? 　　Today it was Li Mengyang's turn to be on duty at the Ministry of Revenue. When Li Mengyang entered the Ministry's duty room, he was surprised to see Han Wen, the head of the ministry, silently shedding tears.

"Minister Han, what is the matter?" Li Mengyang asked in surprise. These scholars all prided themselves on remaining calm even if
Mount Tai collapsed before them. Whether their composure was truly that refined was another matter, but for a
minister to openly wipe away tears like this was quite unusual.

"Xianji has arrived." Han Wen wiped away his tears and invited Li Mengyang to sit down, then looked up at the sky and
recounted the events that had occurred in the Qianqing Palace.

"Is His Majesty truly saying so?" Li Mengyang's expression also changed. Zhu Houzhao's words revealed
a deep distrust of the civil officials, making Li Mengyang feel a profound sense of crisis regarding their future.

"His Majesty is stubbornly clinging to his delusions, and the affairs of the nation are in ruins. It's only a matter of time before things fall apart, sob sob..." It was unclear
whether the old minister Han Wen was simply overcome with emotion, for tears welled up in his eyes without warning.

Li Mengyang rose and paced back and forth, then suddenly turned around and said loudly, "You are a high-ranking official of the state, sharing weal and woe with us
. What good is weeping in vain! I have already made a plan."

"What is your plan?" Han Wen opened his tearful eyes and looked at Li Mengyang hopefully.

"The current emperor is surrounded by treacherous officials who have misled him, leading to these muddled words. If we sweep away these traitors and clear
the sky, then the channels of communication will surely be opened wide, and loyal advice will be widely accepted." Li Mengyang spoke eloquently. "

For days, the remonstrating officials have been impeaching the eunuchs one after another, and the momentum has been established. If Your Excellency raises your voice now and proposes that
all officials a memorial to the throne to fight for the removal of the traitors, the gentlemen of the cabinet are all veteran ministers, and they will surely agree with your proposal. Then removing Liu Jin and
his ilk will be as easy as turning your hand. This is an opportunity that must not be missed." Li Mengyang was quite pleased with himself. The strategists of the ancient times were no better than this
.

Kid, you are still too green. Han Wen sneered inwardly, but his face was full of excitement. He rose with a flick of his sleeve and said
loudly , "Xianji is right. I am old and can only repay the country with my life."

Han Wen suddenly looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "But this memorial must be passionate and stirring. My blood is failing and
I am not up to ..."

Li Mengyang said impatiently, "If Your Excellency does not mind, I am willing to write it."

Cleansing the court of treacherous officials and sweeping away the corrupt ones, Li Mengyang could foresee that once this memorial was published, it would surely shake the world. Li Zizhi,
a famous scholar , would be admired by all. Why would he not take advantage

of such a free opportunity? "In that case, I will trouble Xianji." Han Wen looked at this talented man of the Ming Dynasty with a bit of pity. If things went well, he would
naturally get a share of the benefits. If things didn't go well, silly boy, you wrote this memorial...

Li Mengyang quickly prepared pen, ink, paper and inkstone. While grinding the ink, he conceived the text. In his opinion,
it should be tens of thousands of words to show off his literary talent.

Han Wen immediately understood his meaning, secretly shaking his head, and offered a word of advice: "Xianji, memorials should not be overly ornate
, lest His Majesty fail to reflect upon his own actions; nor should they be lengthy, lest he have the time to read them thoroughly, but only to be truly insightful
."

Han Wen, a seasoned scholar, had hit the nail on the head. Li Mengyang suddenly understood, "Your Excellency is absolutely right,
I understand."

He then picked up his brush and wrote a memorial in a flash.

It wasn't that Li Mengyang lacked knowledge or talent, but rather that he hadn't grasped this crucial point. He was
a Jinshi , and the strict eight-legged essay system for selecting officials had only been in place for a few years, inevitably limiting his writing style.

Regardless of the merits or demerits of the eight-legged essay system, the "Ming History...Elections" section attributes its creation
to Zhu Yuanzhang, which is not inherently problematic, as this isn't the first time the Qing Dynasty has smeared a previous emperor.
However, the Qing Dynasty itself eventually went down a dead end. Scholars and intellectuals, deeply poisoned by
the eight-legged essay it, and Zhu Yuanzhang, the "originator" of this corrupt system, was also subjected to verbal attacks. From the Qing Dynasty
to the Republic of China, and even contemporary historians, various malicious speculations have been made about Zhu Yuanzhang's intentions. Some say he stifled the people's intelligence,
some say he imprisoned patriots, some say he was sinister and suspicious, binding the wings of scholars across the land, and so on. ...

It can only be said that these scholars took themselves too seriously. With Zhu Baba's (Emperor Hongwu's) ruthless and unruly nature, he wouldn't
care about a few scholars causing trouble. If he didn't like them, he would just kill them. Why bother with all that trouble? Emperor Hongwu did indeed
establish the three-examination system. The examinations followed the Song and Yuan dynasty classics and the ten-section essay structure, which had nothing to do with the eight-legged essay. Moreover,
Emperor Hongwu wasn't too fond of the imperial examination system. He believed that the candidates were good at poetry and prose but lacked real talent. "I seek talent with sincerity
, but the world responds with empty words." During the Hongwu era, the imperial examinations were intermittent and never settled.
Emperor Zhu Baba preferred the recommendation system. Those recommended only had real talent and were not bound by any particular criteria. Even craftsmen could obtain official positions.

The eight-legged essay was not invented by Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor Hongwu); it existed in the Song Dynasty. However, its practical application in the civil service examination system truly began in the twenty-third year
of the Chenghua reign ( , the year Zhu Houzhao (Emperor Hongwu) ascended the throne. Thanks
to the tireless efforts of Wang Ao, Xie Qian, Zhang Mao, and others, the eight-legged essay became strictly formulaic, with no deviations allowed. Zhu Yuanzhang successfully took the blame for his descendants
.

Zhu Chongba rolled over on the ground, picked at his ear: "Whatever makes you happy. I'm used to it, it doesn't matter
. "

*** *** *** ***

Night fell. At Han Yu's residence, all the nine ministers were present.

"Your subjects, holding positions of great responsibility, have faced a young and uncertain ruler. Observing the heavens and the people's opinions, we have
often risen in the middle of the night to sigh, and wept before meals. We have humbly considered that rather than retreating and weeping, it is better to risk death to speak out. This is our will
, and our duty."

"In recent years, I have observed that eunuchs Liu Jin, Ma Yongcheng, Gu Dayong, Zhang Yong, Luo Xiang, Wei Bin, Qiu Ju
, Gao Feng, and others have indulged in various vices, including polo, horseback riding, falconry, rabbit hunting, and theatrical performances. They have even led the emperor into illicit
dealings, displaying inappropriate and lewd behavior, devoid of any decorum. Their daytime pursuits have not been enough; they have continued into the night, exhausting their energy and diminishing the emperor's virtue.
This has caused disorder in the heavens and earth, resulting in unusual thunder and celestial phenomena, and the withering of peach and plum blossoms in autumn. According to divination
, these are all inauspicious omens. The eunuchs of the past who ruined the country—the Ten Attendants of the Han Dynasty and the Ganlu Incident of the Tang Dynasty—are clear examples. Now that the crimes of Liu Jin and his ilk are evident, if they are allowed to go unpunished
, the consequences will be dire..."

After Han Wen finished reading the memorial, he closed it and smiled at the assembled officials, saying, "Gentlemen, what do you think of Xianji's writing?"

Min Gui, the Minister of Justice, clapped his hands and praised, "Excellent! Well-reasoned and supported by evidence. Xianji truly deserves the title of one of the Seven Masters of Literature."

Zhang Fuhua, the Left Censor-in-Chief, also said, "Now that the memorial is complete, let us all sign it."

Han Wen nodded in satisfaction and turned to Jiao Fang, the Minister of Personnel, who was sitting quietly with his eyes closed. "Mengyang,
what do you think?"

Jiao Fang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, his old face long and drooping, opened
his eyes upon hearing Han Wen's voice and smiled, "Since you gentlemen have all made your decisions, how could I have any objections?"

"Very good." Han Wen handed the memorial to Jiao Fang and smiled, "The Minister of Personnel is the head of the Nine Ministers, so..."
"Please sign your name first." "

You little bastard, now you know I'm the head of the Nine Ministers," Jiao Fang cursed inwardly, but smiled and said
, "In that case, I'll presume."

Following Jiao Fang, everyone signed their names. When it came to Wang Ao, Master Zhenze picked up his brush but didn't write. He glanced at
everyone and suddenly said, "Wait a minute, this memorial is missing one person."

Wang Ao's words startled everyone present.

Yang Shousui carefully read the memorial, even including the usually unremarkable Gao Feng, and
couldn't think of anyone missing. He asked curiously, "Shouxi, who do you think is missing?"

"Ding Shou, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Head of the Northern Garrison," Wang Ao said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Ding Nanshan?" Jiao Fang's hand, which was stroking his beard, trembled slightly. "This boy has only been in office for two years. Shouxi
is just worrying unnecessarily."

"There are foxes in Nanshan, and rainbows cover the sky." Wang Ao said indignantly, "This boy has gained the emperor's trust and is no less than Liu Jin
. If these nine people are not removed, the chaos will not be eliminated."

Han Wen nodded in agreement. "In that case, Shouxi will take the pen to revise it."

Wang Ao did not stand on ceremony and wrote it down.

"I have witnessed the recent decline of the court and the mismanagement of its orders. It is widely known, both within and outside the court, that eunuchs Liu Jin, Ma Yongcheng,
Gu Dayong, Zhang Yong, Luo Xiang, Wei Bin, Qiu Ju, and Gao Feng, among others, have become a powerful force, like the Eight Tigers . Meanwhile,
the corrupt military commander Ding Shou is a treacherous fox, and this entire group is engaged in deceitful and wicked schemes, their hearts filled with lust. These petty men only know how to bewitch the emperor for their own selfish ends, unaware that the mandate of heaven
and the great achievements of our ancestors rest entirely on Your Majesty's shoulders. The late Emperor Gaozu fought countless battles to conquer the empire, and subsequent
emperors succeeded him, passing the throne to Your Majesty. Your Majesty has heard the late Emperor's dying words. How can you tolerate such wicked men, placing them by your side for endless revelry and
insatiable desires, thus tarnishing your sagely virtue? I humbly beseech Your Majesty to uphold the law, set aside personal favors, appeal to the two palaces, and issue edicts
to all officials , clearly enforcing the law and eliminating the seeds of chaos, thus ensuring the longevity of our dynasty. Then the nation will be fortunate! The people will be fortunate!"

*** *** *** ***

The party ended, and everyone dispersed.

As soon as Jiao Fang boarded his official sedan chair, he ordered the bearers, "Quickly, return to the manor!"

Despite being jostled around so much, the old master Jiao hurried to his study,
hastily wrote a letter, and shouted, "Someone, quickly summon Huang Zhong!"

At this moment, the young master Jiao was sweating profusely, his naked body pressed tightly against the beautiful woman beneath him. A pair of
shapely, long, pink legs were firmly wrapped around his waist, and her delicate feet crossed and pressed against his buttocks, as if trying to
embed him into her.

Jiao Huang Zhong, panting heavily, thrust his penis in and out of her flesh without restraint. Her
delicate body moaned softly, showing no discomfort.

"Young Master, Young Master," a servant called from outside, waking the couple in bed.

"Wh...what is it?" Jiao Huang Zhong, breathless, managed to answer.

"Master wants to see you in the study."

Jiao Huangzhong exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. His body was covered in sweat, every detail clearly visible, his flushed
face showing fear and unease. "The old man's back?!" It was Jiao Fang's concubine, Alan.

Jiao Huangzhong jumped off the bed, hurriedly dressing, and comforted the woman, saying, "Don't worry, Father won't
know you're here."

"Master will definitely look for me when he returns; how can these marks be erased?" Alan complained, her white,
smooth breasts covered in teeth marks and pinch marks.

"Who taught you, you little slut, to be so resilient? You're more tolerant than those delicate Han women, making
the young master his temper..." Jiao Huangzhong lewdly pinched the woman's tender, dewy face.

"Wait a while before you go out, lest someone see you." With that, Jiao Huangzhong left
the courtyard .

Sitting naked on the couch, Alan resentfully reached down to her genitals, scratching herself incessantly. "A pair of lecherous devils
, all show and no substance, ugh—"

*** *** *** ***

"Father, did you need to see me?" Jiao Huangzhong entered the study.

"Your face is so flushed, are you unwell?" Jiao Fang asked with concern, noticing her son's pale complexion.

Jiao Huangzhong nervously touched his face. "Nothing, I just came in a bit too quickly."

"That's good." Jiao Fang stood up, handed a letter to Jiao Huangzhong, and said urgently, "Go to Ding Shou's
residence immediately and deliver this letter to Lord Ding. Tell him that the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers are about to jointly impeach him; the momentum is immense, and
it should not underestimated."

"Father, since Ding Shou is already in dire straits, is it necessary for us to get involved? Protecting ourselves is
the best policy " Jiao Huangzhong asked, puzzled.

"Foolish! Don't you know whose position I, your father, have usurped? Liu Jin and Ding Shou have the Emperor's favor
and still have a fighting chance. If we let them fall, I'll be the next to suffer." Jiao Fang scolded his son with
exasperation .

"There's no time to lose. You must leave now, quickly!" Jiao Fang urged repeatedly.

*** *** *** ***

After the guests had left, Han Wen went straight to a quiet room in the mansion.

Liu Jian was sitting comfortably, sipping tea. Upon seeing Han Wen, he smiled and said, "Have all the guests left?"

Han Wen nodded, hesitating to speak.

"Guan Dao, please speak frankly." Liu Jian said calmly.

"Xi Xian, this grand effort to solicit signatures seems a bit reckless." Han Wen said with a worried expression.

"What do you mean?" Liu Jian's brows twitched slightly.

"Among the court officials, there may be those who are two-faced. If tonight's events are leaked, wouldn't we lose
our advantage?" Han Wen frowned, puzzled. "Xi Ya and Mu Zhai are both cunning men; why would they resort to such a drastic
measure?"

Liu Jian laughed heartily. "Guan Dao is right; there must be someone among the court officials who leaked the information. But so what
?"

"Speaking out for justice is the duty of a subject. What have we done that oversteps the bounds? This is a perfectly legitimate plan; why fear
the tricks of petty people!" Liu Jian stroked his beard and laughed, his demeanor magnanimous.

"I'm afraid we'll alert the enemy." Han Wen remained hesitant.

"I intend to lure the snake out of its hole," Liu Jian sneered. "Let's see what those cowardly eunuchs can do."

*** *** *** ***

Inside the Eastern Depot.

Liu Jin stood in the hall, arms crossed, listening to Ding Shou's report without uttering a word.

"Your Excellency, the court officials want to put me to death! We must make plans now!" Ding Shou felt utterly
wronged. What had he done to deserve this? All he did was try to bribe the Emperor and make his life in the Ming Dynasty
more exciting Why was he treated like a rat in the street, hated and killed by everyone? The worst part was
the reason those bastards gave him for his death sentence—not a single factual point, just empty talk, no evidence whatsoever!
"

What are you planning? They're just following the rules. What can we do?" Liu Jin
chuckled .

"We'll go to the palace to see His Majesty and beg him to make a decision..."

Liu Jin shook his head, interrupting, "His Majesty doesn't know about this yet. Don't go and cause trouble."

"Then how should we deal with this? Should we call some eunuchs over to discuss it..." "

This matter must not be publicized. We must remain calm and wait for them to make their move." Liu Jin turned and
sat down on the couch, giving the instructions softly.

There was no hope of getting advice from the old eunuch. Ding Shou stamped his foot and walked out.

"The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is urging Her Majesty the Empress to accompany the Empress Dowager to offer incense at the Western Hills. You don't need to go to Renshou Palace."
Liu Jin picked up his teacup with one hand, lifted the lid, and took a sip of cool tea.

Ding Shou paused, then quickly left.

"Wu San," Liu Jin said softly.

A figure appeared silently in the corridor.

"Keep an eye on this lad," Liu Jin ordered, placing the teacup on the kang table.

Liu Wu San remained silent, bowed, and then disappeared.

Liu Jin sat on the couch, resting his chin on his hands, and muttered to himself, "The game has only just begun to get
interesting. Old Liu, don't let me down..."

*** *** *** ***

Late at night, in a small courtyard of the Eastern Depot.

Everyone in the Eastern Depot understood one thing: if there was any forbidden area within the Eastern Depot, it wasn't Eunuch Liu's inner chamber
, Eunuch Gu's archives, or Eunuch Qiu's torture chamber, but rather the perpetually serene
study of the Third Chief.

Bai Shaochuan didn't concern himself with rules or prohibitions. When several ignorant agents and servants wandered into the Third
Chief's study, they mysteriously met their demise—a fact known throughout the Eastern Depot.

The study wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. Large cabinets along the walls were filled with various
bottles and jars ; besides that, there was only a table and a chair.

Bai Shaochuan sat upright in an ebony armchair, one hand lightly stroking a golden nanmu inlaid official leather case on the table
, his face flickering in the candlelight. "Since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust," Bai Shaochuan said with a cold smile, his gaze softening

as he looked at the official leather case before him . 　　She took a key from her person, about to unlock the seven-locked box, when suddenly the door creaked open . 　　"Who goes there?" Bai Shaochuan's cold eyes flashed like lightning as he sharply called out. 　　"Brother Bai, I've cooked you a midnight snack." Guo Caiyun, dressed in a light green gauze dress, stood Just as she was about to lift her skirt and step inside, a furious shout rang out. 　　"Get out!" 　　Guo Caiyun was taken aback. "Brother Bai, you…" 　　"I told you to get out!" Bai Shaochuan snapped. 　　With a crash, the tray fell to the ground, and Guo Caiyun covered her face and ran away. 　　Facing the flowerbed in the courtyard, Guo Caiyun huddled up, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her flawless white face. 　　A soft sigh came from behind her. Guo Caiyun turned to see Bai Shaochuan standing with his hands behind his back, looking apologetic. 　　"Brother Bai," Guo Caiyun quickly wiped away her tears, stood up, and forced a smile, "I was rude just now, please don't blame me." 　　"It was I who was rude first." Bai Shaochuan hesitated for a moment, but still explained, "I was preparing a new medicine and was afraid of hurting you, young lady." " 　　Didn't you give Caiyun a poison-repelling pill, Brother Bai?" Guo Caiyun asked curiously. 　　"This medicine is potent, I'm afraid the poison-repelling pill won't be effective." Bai Shaochuan chuckled to himself, "Extraordinary people require extraordinary poisons to deal with." 　　Guo Caiyun seemed to understand, and softly hummed in agreement. 　　Bai Shaochuan suddenly fell silent, only staring at Guo Caiyun, causing Po Yunyan to blush and her heart to pound like a deer She fiddled with her skirt, lowered her head shyly, and asked, "Brother Bai, what are you looking at?" 　　"Miss Guo, go back to your sisters." 　　"What?!" Guo Caiyun abruptly raised her head, her large, dark eyes misting over. " You want to send me away?" 　　"Something very serious and extremely dangerous has happened recently, and I'm afraid it will implicate you." 　　"I don't care, I'll share whatever happens with you, don't even think about driving me away." Guo Caiyun mustered her courage, stepped forward and grabbed Bai Shaochuan's sleeve, pleading, "Brother Bai, please." 　　Seeing the tears welling up in his almond-shaped eyes, Bai Shaochuan's heart softened, and he nodded, "Alright, don't regret it." 　　Guo Caiyun jumped up excitedly, "No regrets, as long as you're here, nothing will change." 　　Bai Shaochuan looked up at the night sky, only to see heavy dark clouds and a heavy twilight. He smiled bitterly and muttered to himself, "This world —it seems it really is going to change." 　　PS: The story of Jiao Fang and his son cooking together comes from "Wanli Yehuo Bian." I personally think it's more likely that later generations fabricated the story about the old man, but since there's a source, the H-fiction might as well use it.

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【Under the Great Tomorrow】(75)

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