I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 60: Disciple impeaches teacher! Scolding Zhang Juzheng makes him famous!

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.

The five reviewers from the Review Office of the Hanlin Academy were busy until the moon was above the willows, and then they all went home to celebrate the festival.

These past few days, the five people were very tired, but they also benefited a lot.

Shen Nian completely understood why the performance evaluation system was opposed by people from all walks of life.

Officials objected.

It was because the administration was too harsh and the punishments were too severe that destroyed their privileges and cut off their path to promotion by falsifying their achievements and bribing their superiors.

The clerk objected.

This is because after tax transparency, they can no longer conceal the ownership of their land, intercept gray income, and squeeze the people's fat and blood.

The businessman objected.

This is because officials, in order to meet performance evaluations and fill corruption holes, oppress businessmen in disguise, making it difficult for them to do business and even causing them to lose everything.

The scholars opposed it.

This is because the performance evaluation system is contrary to the Confucian belief in governing the country and emphasizing righteousness over profit. It pays less attention to the classics and emphasizes practical work, which deviates from the teachings of sages. In the eyes of scholars, it is actually a way to tempt officials with utilitarianism and corrupt the hearts of the people.

The lower class people opposed it.

This is because local officials, in order to meet performance evaluations, levied excessive taxes and forced levies on the people, causing them to become refugees and even riot.

……

Is there any perfect way to change in the world? Is there any way to implement policies and results that are completely consistent?

For the overall situation, for the long-term situation, for the stability of the country, and for the safety of the people.

We can only give up the interests of a small number of people.

Despite such a huge wave of opposition, the Performance Evaluation Law can continue to be implemented and detailed regulations are constantly supplemented.

This shows Zhang Juzheng's ability in governing the country.

If he had not been a dictator, he would have been impeached and forced to retire early and return to his hometown in Jiangling.

Also.

Zhang Juzheng had decided to appoint Fan Jixun as the governor of Jiangxi Province, and vigorously promote land measurement and implement the "One Whip Law".

When the Single Whip Law is implemented nationwide, it is expected to be met with a greater wave of opposition.

……

The twenty-first day of the first lunar month.

The relevant supplementary regulations of the Kaocheng Law were reviewed and approved by the young Wanli and began to be sent to local prefectures, counties and guards for implementation.

at the same time.

Jiangxi implemented land measurement, and the imperial decree appointing Fan Jixun as the governor of Jiangxi was also issued on the same day.

The officials could see it.

This year, Zhang Juzheng wanted to do something big and implement the new policies to the end.

Whoever wants to oppose the new policy is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot and is overestimating their own capabilities. All lazy, mediocre and corrupt officials who are just sitting in their positions and doing nothing will be punished more severely.

……

Just when Zhang Juzheng was full of confidence and ready to make drastic changes to the Ming Dynasty.

Accident happened!
The twenty-third day of the first lunar month.

A memorial from Liu Tai, the imperial censor of Liaodong, titled "Pleading with the emperor to take back the power of the ministers", was passed on to the cabinet, before the emperor, and heard by many officials in the capital.

Last year, no less than thirty officials impeached Zhang Juzheng, but most of them ridiculed the new policies and alluded to Zhang Juzheng.

However, from the name of Liu Tai's memorial, it can be seen that he was impeaching Zhang Juzheng by name.

What's more important is——

Liu Tai was of the same age as Shen Nian and was also a student of Zhang Juzheng. It was Zhang Juzheng who recommended him to the position of Censor.

In the Ming Dynasty, the grace of recommendation is like the grace of a father.

Not to mention slander, even a word of disrespect is ungrateful and will be criticized by others.

But if it really happens.

The credibility of this impeachment was undoubtedly much higher than that of other people. Liu Tai used all his strength to scold Zhang Juzheng from beginning to end.

"Ever since Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng came to power, he has always said of himself: 'As Prime Minister of the country, there is nothing I cannot do or stop, and no one I cannot promote or demote.' Officials, great and small, inside and outside, near and far, all fear my power or admire my virtue."

"Since Grand Secretary Gao Gong was expelled, Ju Zheng has been wielding great power for three or four years... Those who fear Ju Zheng fear His Majesty more than they do, and those who are grateful to Ju Zheng are more grateful to His Majesty than they are to His Majesty."

"Ju Zheng's greed lies not in his civil service but in his military officials, not in his inner circle but in the border areas. Otherwise, how could he become the richest man in Chu without even entering the cabinet? How could this be possible?"

……

To sum it up briefly, it is -

Zhang Juzheng abused his power, formed a clique for personal gain, and destabilized national policy. He defied ancestral law, plotted to expel Gao Gong, a former minister, and privately bestowed the title of Duke of Cheng on Zhu Xizhong. He recruited Zhang Siwei, Zhang Han, and Shen Nian into his clique, expelled censors, led a lavish life, and accepted bribes from border commanders.

All the charges against him were enough to execute all nine clans of Zhang Juzheng.

Among them, there is a sentence mentioning Shen Nian in the memorial.

"Ju Zheng specially promoted Shen Nian, the Imperial Academy Censor, to be the daily lecturer and recorder of the daily records. This was actually an attempt to plant his own confidant to spy on the emperor."

It had never happened in the Ming Dynasty for more than 200 years that a disciple impeached his teacher by name.

For Zhang Juzheng, it was a great humiliation.

After reading this memorial in the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng was so angry that his long beard stood up.

He took off his official robe and hat, and returned home angrily to write his resignation.

Within a day, Liu Tai became famous in the capital.

After reading this memorial, Shen Nian wanted to beat Liu Tai up immediately.

What he hated most was not Liu Tai's false accusation against him.

Instead, the other party felt that he was righteous and noble, and was a model of a censor who was willing to die for the Ming Dynasty and sacrifice himself for loyalty to the emperor.

Corrupt officials like these are the most difficult to deal with.

This impeachment memorial was like a basin of ice-cold water poured on Zhang Juzheng, who was full of enthusiasm for reform.

So cool!
After seeing this impeachment memorial, the young Wanli slammed the table and stood up, shouting, "You greedy villain, your words are all lies. Bring it here immediately!"

On that day, the Jinyiwei rushed to Liaodong.

……

The next day, Zhang Juzheng submitted his resignation and cried bitterly in front of the young Wanli, saying that he wanted to return to the Zhang Mansion to be confined and await punishment.

The young Wanli and Feng Bao tried to persuade him but to no avail, so they had no choice but to let Zhang Juzheng return home.

Afterwards, cabinet minister Zhang Siwei and Minister of Personnel Zhang Han, both of whom were accused of being members of Zhang Juzheng's party, also submitted their resignations, saying they would return home to await punishment.

In the blink of an eye, the burden of all the drafting fell on Lu Diaoyang, who was in his sixties.

Young Wanli quickly asked Feng Bao to calm him down.

Lu Diaoyang started requesting retirement last year, and resigned no less than ten times a year. At the beginning of this year, he was still writing a retirement memorial.

If he quits again, there will be no one in the cabinet and the court will be in chaos.

……

At this time, no official in the capital followed Liu Tai to attack Zhang Juzheng, but some people had set their sights on Shen Nian.

Because Shen Nian did not submit his resignation.

Some officials then said that Shen Nian was attached to his official position and did not dare to resign and wait for punishment. He was indeed guilty and should be immediately arrested and taken to the Censorate or the Imperial Prison for strict trial.

Some officials and Confucian scholars who had been scolded by Shen Nian also spoke ill of Shen Nian, saying that he was promoted by currying favor with Zhang Juzheng.

These villains are like insects and ants that crawl out of their holes after the Waking of Insects. Once Zhang Juzheng falls, they will bite Shen Nianpan to pieces.

The twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month.

The young Wanli sent the eunuch Sun Long from the Imperial Household Department to visit Zhang Juzheng with gifts and a handwritten letter, asking him to return to the cabinet.

"Sir, you have assisted me with all your loyalty, working tirelessly and never shying away from criticism... But this beast has lost his mind and has become a member of his own party, speaking wildly and perversely, shaking the country..."

Young Wanli had already called Liu Tai a beast.

He and Empress Dowager Li knew best how difficult their lives would be without Zhang Juzheng in the current Ming Dynasty.

It is conceivable what Liu Tai will face when he is taken back to Beijing.

(End of this chapter)