I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

February 13th, afternoon.

Because Shen Nian questioned the young Wanli Emperor's decree to "confiscate the Zhang family's property" and proposed the policy of "officials disclosing their private property" at the court meeting, many officials submitted memorials to impeach Shen Nian.

An official claimed that Shen Nian was a fraud and a traitor who had long been part of the same clique as Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao.

An official claimed that Shen Nian wanted to emulate Zhang Juzheng and seize control of the government.

Some officials also claimed that the Shen family's Yaodong Trading Company was established so that Shen Nian could rise to the highest ranks of officialdom, and that the prosperity of trade in the northern border was only a secondary objective.

……

The reason why so many officials dare to speak so recklessly, fabricate stories, and slander Shen Nian is that...

On the one hand, Shen Nian's proposal to "make officials disclose their private property" frightened them; on the other hand, the fact that the young Wanli Emperor did not stop it made them feel that they were acting in accordance with the emperor's wishes.

In the past.

If anyone dares to slander Shen Nian, the young Wanli Emperor will be the first to object and will immediately protect Shen Nian.

This time, it was clear that the young Wanli Emperor wanted to give Shen Nian a warning.

He hoped that Shen Nian would become his right-hand man, rather than the next Zhang Juzheng.

at the same time.

Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, and several other Hanlin officials submitted memorials to defend Shen Nian and denounced certain officials for spreading rumors and slander.

If certain officials are allowed to continue spouting nonsense, Shen Nian's crime will be even more serious than Zhang Juzheng's.

Rumors are like knives.

As the rumors spread, some people started to believe them, and Shen Nian's reputation was completely ruined.

……

February 14th, early morning.

Emperor Wanli, citing a minor health issue, cancelled the daily lectures.

This is the power that the young Wanli Emperor possessed after assuming personal rule.

Before he assumed personal rule, he could only be exempted from daily lectures if the imperial physician confirmed that he was unwell; now, he only needs a single sentence.

He was waiting for Shen Nian's confession.

As long as Shen Nian admits her mistake and softens her stance, he can let bygones be bygones.

……

About an hour later.

Fang Ping, a eunuch from the Directorate of Palace Attendants, brought the memorial to the Emperor Wanli in the Wenhua Hall.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Shen's memorial!"

The young Wanli Emperor was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Quick! Quick! Bring it here!"

"Two servings?"

Emperor Wanli was surprised when Shen Nian submitted two memorials.

Fang Ping quickly replied, "Grand Secretary Shen said that the following document is the policy proposal for the new administration."

"Shen Qing probably hopes that the court will return to normal as soon as possible and that officials will get down to business!" Little Wanli murmured.

Swish!
The young Wanli Emperor was the first to open the memorial. When he saw the first line, he was overjoyed and almost jumped for joy.

"Your subject Shen Nian respectfully reports: I have presumptuously offended Your Majesty's majesty, displaying arrogance and haughtiness. I weep and repent, and beg Your Majesty's merciful judgment."

Before he could read any further, he immediately turned to Zhang Jing, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and said, “Zhang Jing, quickly convey my imperial edict: Grand Secretary Shen has served the government for many years and worked tirelessly day and night. The remonstrances made by the officials in the past two days are nothing but rumors. I have already burned all the impeachment memorials. Anyone who makes another remonstrance will be punished with eighty strokes of the cane!”

Zhang Jing was taken aback when he heard this.

He thought he could bring down Shen Nian by taking advantage of the fact that Shen Nian had angered many officials, but he did not expect that the young Wanli Emperor would protect Shen Nian so much.

"What are you standing there for? Go! Announce the imperial edict first, then burn the memorials!" the young Wanli urged.

"Yes, ma'am!" Zhang Jing hurried towards the outside of the hall, while the eunuch Fang Ping beside her couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

With excitement, the young Wanli Emperor continued reading Shen Nian's memorial.

In his first memorial, Shen Nian repeatedly confessed his guilt, saying that he had been too stubborn and that he should not have disobeyed the emperor's wishes, and his attitude was particularly sincere.

At the end, Shen Nian stated that his crime was serious and he earnestly requested that the young Wanli Emperor remove him from his position as Grand Secretary of the Jianji Hall (i.e., expel him from the cabinet) and order him to go to Liaodong to inspect the border.

He drafted a new strategy to quell the unrest in Liaodong and hoped to personally go there to implement it.

After reading the first memorial, the young Wanli Emperor frowned slightly, then opened the second memorial.

This memorial is titled: "New Policy on the Control of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission".

When the young Wanli Emperor saw the name "Nurgan Commandery," he was even a little stunned, and it took him a moment to remember it.

Nurgan Regional Military Commission was a local military and administrative institution established in the seventh year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty in the area north of Liaodong Town, encompassing the Heilongjiang, Asujiang, Songhuajiang, and Naowenjiang (now Nenjiang) rivers.

This region was mainly inhabited by the Wild Jurchen, Haixi Jurchen, and Jianzhou Jurchen.

Initially, the Ming Dynasty had absolute control over this area, but its control gradually decreased, especially after the implementation of the tributary system, which brought the area entirely under the jurisdiction of the Jurchens.

The so-called "control" means controlling someone with military and political pressure while simultaneously appeasing them with economic and material benefits.

In other words, it means governing according to local customs and using barbarians to control barbarians.

This means appointing Jurchen leaders as officials, requiring them to perform tributary obligations to the Ming Dynasty, but not interfering in their internal affairs.

Shen Nian stated that in recent years, the Jurchens have been burning, killing, looting, and waging wars among their tribes, becoming increasingly disobedient to the Ming Dynasty's rule. The Ming Dynasty's past advocacy of the system of indirect rule and allowing their tribes to fight amongst themselves is no longer sufficient to solve the problem of frequent wars in Liaodong.

He devised a new strategy.

The plan was to develop trade in the Nurgan Regional Military Commission, allowing Han and Jurchen people to live together through commerce, and to build ports and create maritime trade routes, thereby enriching the region and gaining complete control over the Nurgan Regional Military Commission.

Let the Jurchens become ordinary people, not warriors.

Shen Nian wrote in great detail.

For example: how to develop commerce and trade, how to develop education, how to integrate Han people with Jurchen people, how to open ports, where to choose the location, and how to establish trade with other ports, etc.

Shen Nian also promised that within three years, there would be no war in Liaodong, and the people would live in peace and prosperity, with commerce and tax revenue sufficient to cover at least 50% of Liaodong's military expenses.

Shen Nian devised this plan not on a whim.

Although he had never been to Liaodong, he had always been concerned about it.

He knew that in the first month of this year, Nurhaci's grandfather and father were mistakenly killed by Li Chengliang's soldiers, and that Li Chengliang, in order to cause internal strife among the Jurchens, transferred Nurhaci's grudges to the leader of another Jurchen tribe.

Li Chengliang wanted to support Nurhaci and help him expand his power to deal with other Jurchens.

If Shen Nianruo did not know what the future held, he would not have thought there was anything wrong with this approach. But knowing what the future held, he knew that he could not allow Nurhaci to become too powerful, nor could he allow any Jurchen tribe to become too powerful.

At this moment, when the Jurchens are still weak, using trade to undermine their military strength is the best opportunity.

Shen Nian had already decided to name the port that would later be known as Vladivostok "Oriental Port".

That port will be a place that can create a continuous stream of wealth.

Shen Nian's inspection tour to Liaodong served two purposes: firstly, to resolve the Jurchen issue, and secondly, to give the young Wanli Emperor another chance.

If, in the next three years, the young Wanli Emperor proves incompetent and his new policies fail, causing widespread discontent among the people, then Shen Nian, upon returning to court, will seize power in his own way, taking the Ming Dynasty from the Zhu family and making it the Ming Dynasty of all the people.

Shen Nian never forgot her goal of "making sure everyone in the world has enough to eat".

Shen Nian thought things through far enough and considered everything thoroughly, but the young Wanli Emperor couldn't think that far ahead.

In his view, Shen Nian's purpose was to get away from the capital, because he still harbored resentment.

Just as the young Wanli Emperor was pondering how to keep Shen Nian, he suddenly raised his head and murmured, "Why should I keep him? If he leaves the court, I will be able to seize power more quickly, just like my grandfather. After three years, when I have consolidated all power, wouldn't it be better to give him a more important position?"

Thinking of this, a smile involuntarily appeared on the face of the young Wanli Emperor.

Shen Nian's temporary departure from court was beneficial to Wanli's consolidation of power and gave him more freedom. After Zhang Juzheng's death and Empress Dowager Li's neglect of the affairs of the previous dynasty, Wanli only feared Shen Nian.

Furthermore, with Shen Nian gone from court, there will be no more infighting among the officials.

That puts his mind at ease.

Emperor Wanli was not worried at all that Shen Nian would gain military power on the border. Even if Shen Nian became the Governor-General of Jiliao, he would have no power to mobilize troops without imperial decree.

The power of civil officials was concentrated within the court, not on the borders.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, then looked at Fang Ping beside him and said, "Fang Ping, summon Grand Secretary Shen."

"Yes!" Fang Ping strode outside.

……

When Fang Ping ordered the eunuch to summon Shen Nian, the imperial edict from the young Wanli Emperor had already spread to every government office in the capital.

Those officials who criticized Shen Nian never expected that the young Wanli Emperor would so protective of Shen Nian.

They immediately fell silent.

Some officials tore their half-written impeachment memorials to pieces; they were simply opportunists.

……

Fifteen minutes later, Shen Nian arrived at the Wenhua Hall.

The young Wanli Emperor chased the eunuchs out, closed the palace doors, and began to chat with Shen Nian.

Of all the officials in the court, only Shen Nian could have such a conversation with the young Wanli Emperor.

An hour later.

Emperor Wanli then summoned the three Grand Secretaries Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, and Yu Youding to the Wenhua Hall.

These five people could make decisions on any matter concerning the Ming Dynasty after deliberation.

It wasn't until noon that the four Grand Secretaries emerged from the Wenhua Hall. They were chatting and laughing, while the others remained unaware of what had transpired.

……

The following morning, the young Wanli Emperor issued three imperial edicts in succession.

The first order: Duke Xu Wenbi is to go to Jiangling to oversee the search and confiscation of Zhang's residence, in order to avoid implicating the common people and causing accidental loss of life.

This imperial decree was obtained at Shen Nian's request.

He knew that Zhang Cheng, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was ruthless and would definitely make things difficult for Zhang Juzheng's family members when confiscating their property, while Duke Dingguo Xu Wenbi was able to act impartially and keep him in check.

The second decree: Shen Nian is relieved of his post as Grand Secretary of the Jianji Hall, granted a one-month leave. One month later, Shen Nian, Minister of War, is appointed Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and Governor-General of Ji-Liao, to implement the new policies in Ji-Liao.

Granting a month's leave was the intention of the young Wanli Emperor.

On the one hand, Shen Nian was allowed to rest well, and on the other hand, the young Wanli Emperor wanted to wait until the results of Zhang Juzheng's confiscation of property came out before letting Shen Nian leave the capital.

The third decree: Shen Nian is ordered to give a lecture in the Wenhua Hall tomorrow. All cabinet ministers, heads of the six ministries, lecturers, Hanlin officials, and censors are required to attend. Those who are absent will be punished with one hundred strokes of the cane and dismissed from their posts.

Officials from various government offices were somewhat bewildered upon hearing the two imperial edicts.

They never expected that Shen Nian would be dismissed from his position as Grand Secretary and sent to the harsh and cold land of Liaodong.

This imperial edict clearly indicates that Shen Nian has been severely punished.

However, the third decree effectively made Shen Nian the tutor of all officials.

No one has received such treatment since the founding of the nation.

……

In the cabinet duty room.

Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue looked at Shen Nian, both feeling somewhat sad.

In their eyes, Shen Nian's actions were clearly for the sake of the overall situation and to stabilize the court.

However, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue clearly understood that without Shen Nian, the court would bear immense pressure.

“Ziheng, consider going to Liaodong as a way to relax. Once you have implemented your policies, write to us and we will immediately submit a memorial to His Majesty requesting that you return to the capital. The cabinet can do without me, but it cannot do without you!” Shen Shixing said from the bottom of his heart.

Wang Xijue nodded and said, "Yes, that's what I think too."

Shen Nian smiled slightly.

"Gentlemen, I entrust all matters of the court to you from now on. No matter what happens in the court in the future, I will not say anything more. I will only care about the affairs of Liaodong!"

"Ziheng, that won't do, absolutely not!" Shen Shixing said.

"Don't worry, Ziheng won't neglect state affairs. He'll be back in a year at most!" Wang Xijue said.

Shen Nian didn't say anything more; he had meant what he said earlier.

If, three years later, the young Wanli Emperor fails to satisfy him and leads the Ming Dynasty toward decline, then for the sake of the happiness of the people, he will have no choice but to take another approach.

……

Late at night, in the back hall of the Shen residence.

When Gu Yue'er learned that Shen Nian would be going to Liaodong in a month and might stay there for three years, she couldn't help but feel sad.

"I don't care, I'm marrying you, so I'll stay with you forever. Che'er and Zhiyi can't be separated from us either!" Gu Yue'er pouted.

Shen Nian gently pinched Gu Yue'er's face.

“Originally, I was thinking that you all should go back to Qiantang and I would go to Liaodong alone. But then I thought, I’m going to Liaodong to develop local commerce. Wouldn’t it be better if I brought my father, mother, and father-in-law with me?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yue'er immediately smiled.

"My dad would definitely be willing to go, but would our parents be willing to go?"

Shen Nian smiled and said, "They're willing. Once I write down the reasons, they'll definitely be willing!"

Mr. Shen, Ms. Shen, and Mr. Gu all loved doing business and helping others.

If they knew Shen Nian's plans, they would definitely be willing to go, postpone their retirement by three years, and dedicate their second spring to Liaodong.

Besides, home is wherever a family lives.

Shen Nian thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow you should tell Che'er about this and ask him to ask Elder Hai if he is willing to go. We will definitely be back in three years at most."

“Okay!” Gu Yue’er nodded, very excited.

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Shen Nian, dressed in official robes, arrived at the corridor outside the Wenhua Hall.

All the officials requested by the young Wanli Emperor were present, including several who had impeached Shen Nian a couple of days earlier.

Upon seeing Shen Nian, all of these people bowed and clasped their hands in greeting.

Even though Shen Nian wasn't in the cabinet, he was still a first-rank official, so they had to bow to him before he lectured them.

This is very likely the last lecture Shen Nian gave during his official career.

Once he left the capital, he no longer served as a lecturer in Japan.

What I will say today is not found in any scripture, but is the heartfelt words of Shen Nian.

The theme was decided yesterday: The key to a prosperous era is to ensure that the world has enough to eat.

To put it bluntly, it's what Shen Nian often says: "Let everyone in the world have enough to eat."

This was Shen Nian's original intention when he entered officialdom, his ideal for becoming an official.

This has never changed, and it will never change; he firmly believes that he will achieve it in his lifetime. (End of Chapter)