Ming Jiajing: Starting from Immortality

Chapter 251 The old party sank, Taoism and Confucianism coexisted!
The matter of issuing edicts to various nations.

The officials from the Ministry of Rites will do it.

After the great upheaval in the court, a new situation emerged.

During the period of Yan Song's cabinet, the three major forces in the court, the Yan Party, the Qingliu Party, and the Jin Party, died, fled, escaped, died, or were injured. They all left the capital, the center of power, and have all turned to dust since then.

In Zhang Juzheng's cabinet, the factional dispute between Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng and Deputy Prime Minister Gao Gong ended with all the Deputy Prime Minister's students and former officials being transferred out, Gao Gong himself being left alone in the court, and Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng winning a great victory temporarily.

The Jin Party and the "high families" are like a giant whale that suddenly falls. When the whale falls, all things come to life.

Zhang Juzheng seized the opportunity and quickly filled the six ministries of the court and various government offices in the capital with many of his own people.

As cabinet ministers, Hu Zongxian and Li Chunfang did not have many ideas at first, but after receiving hints from Jinyiwei commander-in-chief Lu Bing, or the person behind him in Yuxi Palace, they recommended some loyal people to power.

Gao Gong, who became an "isolated minister", became irritable again in the cabinet and denied all the key appointments proposed by Zhang Juzheng. The stalemate in compromise allowed the people nominated by Hu Zongxian and Li Chunfang to gain a great advantage.

The competition for key positions in the six ministries did not go as Zhang Juzheng expected at all.

What made Zhang Juzheng even more uncomfortable was that the position of the Minister of Personnel was difficult to decide. No matter who he wanted to take the position, he would be severely criticized by Gao Gong. The people recommended by Hu Zongxian and Li Chunfang were also insufficient in qualifications and abilities, and could not satisfy him. As a result, Zhang Juzheng simply took on the position of Minister of Personnel directly in his capacity as the Chief Minister of the Cabinet, and thus achieved actual control over the Ministry of Personnel.

Since then, three of the four cabinet ministers in Beijing have been in charge of official departments.

Zhang Juzheng actually headed the Ministry of Personnel, Gao Gong actually headed the Ministry of Finance, and Hu Zongxian actually headed the Ministry of War.

Among the four, Li Chunfang had the most power changes. He first led the Ministry of War, but because of the arrival of Hu Zongxian and the upcoming military and political reforms, he gave up the power of the Ministry of War. Since the cabinet minister Chen Yiqin went to implement the national policy of "measure the land and distribute the land equally to the people", the power of the Ministry of Rites was returned. Li Chunfang took over the power of the Ministry of Rites on behalf of his old friend. However, not long after, the court wanted to promote the national policy of "widely opening community schools and educating the world", and promoted Hai Rui to the position of Minister of Rites. The power of the Ministry of Rites was naturally given up.

If he is the chief minister of the cabinet, even though he does not actually lead a ministry, he can indirectly control the six ministries by virtue of his influence and ability, just like Yan Song in the past and Zhang Juzheng now, and he has little influence on power.

People like Li Chunfang, a famous "Gancao Ge Lao" in the court, would be greatly reduced in influence and power if he did not actually lead a ministry.

If it weren't for the turmoil in the government and the country, Li Chunfang would have nominated some people to power and put them in key positions. I'm afraid the position of the cabinet elder would have been shaken.

Because Zhang Juzheng had actual leadership, either to avoid suspicion or because he was afraid of the emperor's jealousy, he gave up the vacant position of Tongzhengsishi, one of the Nine Ministers, and did not nominate anyone to take the position.

Hu Zongxian and Li Chunfang also had no suitable person for this position, so they could only ask for an imperial edict.

Gao Yi, who served as governor of Shanxi, was promoted to the position of Tongzhengsishi.

As a result, another Jinshi who passed the palace examination in the 20th year of Jiajing became a minister in the court.

There are Gao Gong, the second prime minister of the cabinet, Chen Yiqin, the cabinet minister, Wang Chonggu, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition and the number one military figure today, and now there is also Gao Yi, the envoy of the Ministry of Public Security.

One department has four ministers.

It can be called the Dragon and Tiger List of the Ming Dynasty.

However, Gao Gong was not happy about holding a high position among his peers and his reaction was mediocre.

If we were to say which subject of Jinshi in the Jiajing Dynasty was the most incompatible, the Xinchou subject would definitely be on the list. Twenty-one years had passed, and there was little even the most basic connection.

Before Chen Yiqin went to implement national policies, Gao Gong and Chen Yiqin were both in charge of government affairs in the Government Affairs Hall. Apart from some conversations on official matters, they had no contact at all in private.

Chen Yiqin's status as a prominent family was envied by all the successful candidates in the Xinchou Imperial Examination, including Gao Gong.

Therefore, when Chen Yiqin was named on the imperial examination that year, there were many controversies surrounding him, even accusations of cheating in the imperial examination, and the source of the controversy came from his classmates.

As a teenager, Chen Yiqin never thought that being from an aristocratic family was noble. He treated others with confidence, gentleness, generosity and equality. He also treated his peers with enthusiasm. However, he did not expect that his peers would treat him like this, and no one spoke up to defend him.

From then on, Chen Yiqin cut off contact with his peers and had nothing to do with him except official business.

The frivolity of youth will eventually be understood by the older people. People like Gao Gong, Wang Chonggu and Gao Yi knew that it was a misunderstanding and jealousy of Chen Yiqin, but they all held high positions, so who could bow to whom?

Moreover, the existence of Chen Yiqin is a heavy blow to all ordinary people. Born as a human being, how can Chen Yiqin have the best family background in the world, cultivate the purest righteousness, and face anyone fearlessly?

Therefore, the Jinchou Jinshi of the 20th year of Jiajing was unwilling to apologize to Chen Yiqin.

Gao Gong looked down on Wang Chonggu. They had the same background, that of a wealthy Shanxi merchant gang, which was a symbol of wealth in the eyes of many people. But in the eyes of Gao Gong and many other Jinchou imperial scholars, he was nothing more than a person of low status, with a lowly job and a smell of money, and they would rather avoid him.

Wang Chonggu was a proud man, so he simply joined the army as a scholar and served as a general. Even when he interacted with people in the court, he only interacted with people of the same mind, not people of the same age.

You look down on me, but how do you know that I look down on you too?

As for the newly promoted Nine Ministers Gao Yi, Gao Gong did not look down on him as they both had the surname Gao. He just thought Gao Yi was very eccentric.

Gao Yi went to court and left duty on time at the court. He never talked much or socialized with others. He had the ability, otherwise he would not have been appointed as the Governor of Shanxi from the position of Taichang Qing in the 40th year of Jiajing and became the governor of a province.

He is a "weird guy" with a narrow mind and prone to distracting thoughts.

Having no contact with him was like being a familiar stranger. Whether his official position was promoted or demoted, Gao Gong felt that it had nothing to do with him.

After the cabinet meeting, Gao Gong lay down in the Zhilu for a while, wanting to take a short nap, but he felt his chest becoming more and more stuffy, as if a ball of cotton was stuffed in his chest and was pulling out threads.

Gao simply stood up, asked for leave from Zhang Juzheng, Hu Zongxian and Li Chunfang, and called the servant to prepare the sedan chair, ready to leave the city.

Not only did he have no friends in the court, he also had no relatives. His three daughters died in their teens and were buried outside the city.

Having no sons or daughters means having no descendants. Today is the anniversary of the death of his youngest daughter, and Gao Gong wants to go and see her.

The cabinet remained silent.

Gao Gong asked for leave.

The government affairs that needed to be taken care of had to be taken care of, and the court affairs that needed to be handled had to be done, and the pressure on the shoulders of the three of them was even greater.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Li Chunfang and said, "Zi Shi, you can handle the Dao Sect's affairs."

Buddhism was destroyed.

A three-way debate between Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

Only Confucianism and Taoism are left.

After a brief moment of joy at having destroyed his thousand-year-old rival, the Taoist master was then filled with worry.

The chances of the half-crippled Taoist sect winning in a one-on-one fight against the Confucian sect, which was at its peak and had masters of the three principles of Confucianism, rationalism, and psychology, seem slim.

Or rather, almost nothing.

"The Eighty-one Transformations of Laozi" is a collection of various myths and legends, which is something Taoists brag about. It is full of loopholes. In the next debate, Taoists have to verify the various miracles and legends of the Taoist ancestor without being exposed by Confucians. This is extremely difficult.

Unable to solve the problem of the topic, the Taoist master, who was scratching his head, finally remembered that the victory or defeat of a debate is not determined by the debate itself, but by something outside of it. He started looking for a referee.

The great Taoist master invited Gao Gong, the chief of the three-party debate, to the Baiyun Temple for a discussion. Since Gao Gong was not there, they had to choose another candidate.

Li Chunfang, "..."

……

Li Chunfang led the Cabinet Secretary Fu Yingzhen on horseback to the outside of the West Gate, and the Baiyun Temple was already in sight.

Li Chunfang said with a smile: "Gongshan (Fu Yingzhen's pen name), it is the end of the week now, and we are losing our social status. The two of us are riding side by side in this yellow hazel and wild wormwood. Those who know us may say we are going to do business, while those who don't may think we are bandits!"

Fu Yingzhen pulled the reins and looked around. The grass was just beginning to turn green, and some withered grass had not yet completely withered. He suddenly felt the desolation and coldness, and said with a smile, "Thanks to the virtue of His Majesty, we are in a peaceful and prosperous era now, so how can there be bandits wreaking havoc?"

After hearing this, Li Chunfang was stunned at first, nodded, and then shook his head.

Under the feet of the emperor, people feel at ease and public security is better. If it were in a poor and remote area with bad mountains and waters, people would be wild and difficult to tame, and it is inevitable that there would be villains and bandits causing trouble.

Looking up, he saw from afar the Jinyiwei Tiqi and secret envoys disguised as poor mowers and firewood gatherers, scattered around cutting weeds and picking up dead branches.

Once the prime minister travels, how can the Jinyiwei be unprepared?
There is no such thing as a peaceful life, it's just that someone is carrying the burden and moving forward.

In Fu Yingzhen, Li Chunfang seemed to see his former self, innocent and unaware of the sufferings of the world. He also had a deeper understanding of the three-level official system established by the emperor. What wisdom he had.

After a while, the mountain gate was seen standing faintly among the clouds and trees. Li Chunfang turned over and dismounted, saying, "Let's not be bandits anymore, let's be visitors. It's not very respectful to ride a horse into the temple, let's walk."

Fu Yingzhen dismounted and, together with the elder, found a small tree to tie the horses, then walked towards the mountain gate half a step behind.

Baiyun Temple is located three or four miles outside the West Gate. It was originally an "immortal palace" dedicated to Qiu Chuji, the leader of the Quanzhen Sect of Taoism during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, and was a side residence of the Changchun Palace of the Yuan Dynasty.

After Qiu Chuji ascended to heaven, his disciple Yin Zhiping led other Taoist priests to transform this side building into a temple, which they named "Baiyun", taking its name from the Taoist idea of ​​riding a yellow crane on a white cloud.

Emperor Chengzu Wen moved the capital to Shuntian and gave many rewards. Hundreds of palaces and houses, together with the houses of thousands of households nearby, made it look somewhat like a Taoist holy land.

Among the dozens of famous temples in and around the capital, Baiyun Temple is the most impressive, with incense burning day and night.

Li Chunfang and Fu Yingzhen entered the mountain gate and stopped beside a gold-inlaid incense tripod. The reason was nothing else but that the couplet on the mountain gate was written by the late Emperor Zhengde.

'Govern the country by respecting heaven and loving the people'

'Be kind, frugal, pure and quiet to cultivate oneself'

Li Chunfang couldn't help but sigh that the late emperor had a noble character.

However, Fu Yingzhen was very interested in this six-foot-tall incense burner and looked at it carefully.

The incense cauldron in Baiyun Temple is very powerful. Every morning, the Taoist children burn incense and light the fire. There is no need for human power, and the mountain gate will open automatically after a while.

When it gets dark, put water in the cauldron and the mountain gate will close automatically.

According to folklore, the Taoist priest of Baiyun Temple is in charge of the Nine Heavens Talismans, and all temple affairs are handled by divine messengers.

Therefore, this incense tripod is placed here, and even the most greedy person dare not touch the gold inlay on it.

Li Chunfang knocked on the tripod with his hand and said with a smile: "When we go out, we will be able to experience the wonders of Baiyun Temple."

It was almost dusk, and the Baiyun Temple was about to close its gates. However, their presence meant that the gates would never be closed.

The Taoist Master invited the elder to enter the temple, so he must have understood that "the Taoists in the world must be under the leadership of the emperor and the court and in accordance with the law and regulations."

"The evening bell of the smoky temple, the cold smoke is thin, the ancient temple is clear, it is almost dusk and people are worshipping gods and the world is quiet." Fu Yingzhen did not change his literary demeanor and recited according to the scene.

This sentence originally described a temple and worshiping Buddha, but with this change it became a Taoist temple and worshiping Buddha.

"Infinite Heavenly Lord!"

As the two were looking at the tripod, an old Taoist priest in his fifties came out from the side room on the east side of the Taiji Hall at the back, leading a group of Taoist masters, and bowed and said, "Welcome, Master!"

"I have met the great masters."

When Li Chunfang saw that it was Taoist Master Jin Chongshen, the abbot of Baiyun Temple and the great immortal conferred by the imperial court, he immediately returned the greeting with Taoist courtesy.

Then, he took out a gold ingot from his sleeve, which weighed about fifty taels and was obviously prepared in advance, and handed it over.

Fu Yingzhen then understood why his mentor, the Prime Minister, reminded him to bring some silver. He followed suit, bowed, and handed over a piece of silver weighing twenty taels.

With his head lowered, he silently sighed in his heart that it was so easy to make money from the Taoist priests. With just a few words of "Thank you", he could get fifty taels of gold and twenty taels of silver.

But it seems worth it to be able to get the blessings of dozens of Taoist masters.

It's much better than those fake monks and fake Taoists out there who are deceiving people.

However, Master Jin Chongshen was obviously not an ignorant person. He took off the cinnabar bracelet he had been wearing for many years and handed it to Li Chunfang. He also took off the lucky bag he was carrying and handed it to Fu Yingzhen.

The things of the Great Immortal are effective in praying, avoiding misfortune, and bringing good health and success.

The specific effects vary from person to person, but Fu Yingzhen definitely did not lose out on this trip.

You come and I go.

Jin Chongshen, the great master, invited Li Chunfang and said, "Since the elder is here in person, how about I lead him around?"

"It's my honor." Li Chunfang accepted it with pleasure.

"I've seen this tripod. In the corridor over there are clay sculptures of the story of the 81 incarnations of the Taoist master. They were destroyed half a year ago, but the remaining ones are quite good. Sir, would you like to take a look?" Great Master Jin Chongshen pointed to the corridor not far away and said with a smile.

"my pleasure."

Jin Chongshen and Li Chunfang walked forward, while Fu Yingzhen and other Taoist masters stayed where they were to drink tea.

From a distance, Li Chunfang could be heard saying with a smile: "When this temple is renovated in the future, will the Great Immortal want these stories or not?"

"Of course, these stories have to be good." Jin Chongshen answered without hesitation.

"But some people always say that the 81 transformations of Laozi were forged by later generations. I want to keep these stories. I wonder if the Great Immortal is ready?"

"In reply to what the elder said, the Dao Sect has made all the preparations."

(End of this chapter)