I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 74 Shen Nian's Advice: It is better to expose the ugly than to hide it

afternoon.

On the east side of the Meridian Gate is the cabinet duty room.

Before Shen Nian even bowed after entering, Zhang Juzheng pointed to the desk not far away and said, "Ziheng, read the three documents above before you reply."

"Yes, teacher." Shen Nian bowed slightly, picked up the document and began to read it.

After a while.

Shen Nian took a deep breath and his brain started working rapidly.

75 taels of silver were allocated for disaster relief, but less than 8 taels were used for disaster relief. This is truly appalling!

Once this news is announced.

The court and the people were bound to be filled with accusations and insults from censors and scholars.

He instantly understood why today's lecture was cancelled and why this inspection document did not appear on his desk.

Some people want to cover up this scandal.

But it was obviously not Zhang Juzheng.

If Zhang Juzheng wanted to cover up this document, he would certainly not let Shen Nian, the historian responsible for recording the imperial memorials, see it.

Based on his understanding of Zhang Juzheng, it must be Zhang Juzheng who wanted the young Wanli to write a confession of guilt.

Then, in order to maintain the royal dignity and the emperor's respectability, Empress Dowager Li, the young Wanli, and Feng Bao refused to comply.

A conflict arose between the two sides.

Shen Nian thought about it carefully.

Zhang Juzheng asked him to read these three inspection memorials, probably to hear his opinion and how to make Empress Dowager Li and the young Emperor Wanli compromise.

Shen Nian's reputation for quick wit is well-known in the official circles of the capital.

Shen Nian thought for a while and placed the three inspection documents on the desk.

Zhang Juzheng raised his eyes to look at Shen Nian and said, "Ziheng, what do you think?"

He called Shen Nian.

The main reason was that Shen Nian was the most favored of the emperor among all the lecturers, and he also understood the emperor's temper.

Shen Nian took two steps forward and bowed slightly.

"Teacher, I believe that although this matter will cause widespread public outrage and chaos in the court, it must not be concealed. This is the disease of our Ming Dynasty and must be made public to give an explanation to the people of the world!"

"In addition to providing further relief to the victims, reducing taxes and labor service in Liaodong, and severely punishing corrupt officials, Your Majesty should issue an edict of apology to the entire nation. The cabinet, the six ministries, and the heads of Liaodong's military and political affairs should all be punished. Furthermore, I suggest… I suggest that after Your Majesty issues the edict of apology, you, the Lord, should lead the heads of the six ministries and nine officials to apologize to the Liaodong disaster victims north of the city. You should also disseminate all subsequent handling results throughout the nation in the form of official documents, preferably compiled into a book for posterity…"

Zhang Juzheng smiled helplessly and thought to himself: You really dare to say that!
To put it bluntly——

Zhang Juzheng's idea was to have the emperor kowtow to the people of the world so that this would be recorded in history; Shen Nian's idea was that the emperor and all high-ranking officials in the court should kowtow to the people of the world so that this would be recorded in history.

Whoever knocks will feel ashamed.

Whoever kowtows knows that the pen of the historian will draw a stain on him.

But Zhang Juzheng thought about it carefully again and understood Shen Nian's intention.

The edict of repentance can only shut up the censors and scholars, but Shen Nian's entire process, without any concealment, can let the people see the court's sincerity and determination to eradicate corruption.

This is very helpful in pacifying the people and avoiding riots.

It will also serve as a warning to all officials in the future to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

In other words, only when it is embarrassing enough can it be taken seriously enough.

Zhang Juzheng slowly stroked his long beard.

"I would like to lead all the officials to the outskirts of the city to apologize to the victims of the Liaodong disaster, but the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty have refused to issue an edict of apology. I am truly powerless. I am afraid that if I do not compromise today, Your Majesty will still skip court tomorrow!"

"Do you have any good ideas?"

Shen Nian thought for a moment and said, "I think it's more difficult to persuade the Queen Mother, but it's easier to persuade His Majesty and then have His Majesty persuade the Queen Mother. I'm willing to give it a try."

"Okay, on my behalf, go find Eunuch Feng immediately and persuade His Majesty to agree to this series of measures."

Shen Nian nodded and said, "Teacher, is it possible for His Majesty to go to the shanty towns of the disaster victims on the outskirts of the city for a private visit?"

The emperor has left the palace, which is a serious matter.

Zhang Juzheng hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay. Tell Eunuch Feng that this is my intention. If he disagrees, I will go to him myself."

Young Wanli had heard about the miserable conditions of the victims countless times from the lecturers, but he had never seen it with his own eyes. Zhang Juzheng believed that this would be an unforgettable memory for the emperor.

"I'll do it right away!" Shen Nian turned and walked outside.

……

A quarter of an hour later.

In front of Wenhua Palace, Shen Nian met Feng Bao.

"Eunuch Feng, I am under orders from Lord Zhang to report to Your Majesty on the situation in Liaodong. Please let me know."

Feng Bao hesitated for a moment, looked at the corridor not far away, and said, "Wait here. I will pass on the message. If His Majesty wishes to see you, he will return to Wenhua Palace."

"Also, Editor Shen, I advise you not to offend the emperor. The imperial cane won't be directed at Lord Zhang, but it won't be difficult for it to be directed at you."

Feng Bao had the support of Empress Dowager Li and was considering the issue from the perspective of the royal family, so he directly warned Shen Nian.

"I understand." Shen Nian bowed slightly.

……

About half an hour later.

Little Wanli appeared in front of the corridor next to the Wenhua Hall sitting on a dragon sedan chair.

He currently regarded Shen Nian as a close official. If it were any other official, he might not necessarily meet him.

Shen Nian hurried over and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, Your Majesty!"

"Editor Shen, no need to be so polite!" said the young Wanli.

"Your Majesty, may I have a word with you?" Shen Nian asked, looking toward the corridor. Little Wanli nodded and stepped down from the dragon chariot.

A moment later, in the corridor.

Little Wanli walked in front, Shen Nian lagged behind, and Feng Bao followed closely behind.

Shen Nian said, "Your Majesty, after the cabinet minister informed me of the scandal in Liaodong, I had some disagreements with him. Later, I persuaded him!"

"I don't need to issue an edict of repentance anymore?" Little Wanli's face was full of excitement.

Shen Nian shook his head and said seriously, "I believe that, in addition to Your Majesty issuing an edict of apology, the cabinet, the six ministries, and the Liaodong military and political leaders should all be severely punished. The cabinet minister should also lead the six ministries and nine officials to apologize to the Liaodong disaster victims north of the city... Then, the court should spread the cause and effect of this incident throughout the country in the form of official documents, and even compile it into a book for posterity."

Shen Nian repeated the suggestions he had made to Zhang Juzheng.

"What?" Little Wanli looked at Shen Nian with confusion.

A confession of guilt is shameful in itself.

It would be even more embarrassing if I wrote about it in detail and left a book to be passed down to future generations.

He had committed a serious mistake that was passed down to later generations before he even took power. How could he become a king like Yao and Shun?
Feng Bao, who was standing behind him, looked pale.

He turned his head and glanced at the two eunuchs following behind him. As long as the young Wanli reprimanded Shen Nian, he would order people to beat Shen Nian in the court.

The eunuchs received orders from the emperor and even dared to beat Zhang Juzheng!
Shen Nian continued, "Your Majesty, it is better to expose the ugly than to hide it. The people of Liaodong have suffered a disaster, and the local officials are corrupt. The people who have suffered will definitely blame Your Majesty, because you are the head of the Ming Dynasty."

"The best way to resolve this national scandal is to let the people of the world see your sincerity."

"Glorious historical records cannot surpass the voices of the people. The best attitude for the Ming Dynasty is for its rulers and ministers to admit their mistakes together. With this attitude, comforting the victims and severely punishing corrupt officials will allow the people to see the court's sincerity!"

"Your Majesty, you must step forward. There is no perfect king in the world, but a wise ruler will not be afraid to take responsibility and admit his mistakes, and will dare to speak frankly to the people of the world about the court's mistakes!"

"Your Majesty, this is the best way to prevent riots by refugees and to stop the censors and scholars from barking and speaking nonsense. It is also the strongest motivation for the Ming Dynasty's rulers and ministers to feel ashamed of this and to work diligently on government affairs!"

……

Little Wanli frowned.

Everyone understands the principle, but it is too difficult to put it into practice.

Not to mention the emperor, even ordinary people would not want to have dirt smeared on themselves.

Once you are labeled as an incompetent ruler, it will be extremely difficult to wash it off.

Seeing that the young Wanli was touched, Shen Nian said, "If Your Majesty is still hesitant, I implore Your Majesty to leave the palace incognito and visit the shanties of the disaster victims on the outskirts of the city!"

Little Wanli bit his lip and said nothing.

Shen Nian raised his voice again and said, "Your Majesty, if you have to avoid even this little storm, how can you support the Ming Dynasty in the future?"

Little Wanli hesitated for a moment and looked at Feng Bao: "My dear companion, please make some arrangements. I need to leave the palace."

"You can tell the Prime Minister about this, but you don't need to tell my mother, do you understand?" Little Wanli added.

At this moment, the young Wanli had a serious expression on his face, and Feng Bao didn't dare to refute him at all.

……

An hour later, it was almost dusk.

Little Wanli, Shen Nian and Feng Bao, dressed in ordinary cloth, came to the shantytown in the north of the city to accommodate the Liaodong disaster victims under the secret protection of more than 30 plainclothes Jinyiwei.

When young Wanli got off the carriage, he was shocked by the scene before him.

The so-called shanty towns.

It is a simple shed built with wooden stakes and branches as pillars, and a mixture of reed mats wrapped in wet mud and dry grass as a cover.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he smelled a pungent, foul odor.

Under Shen Nian's guidance, he walked along a small dirt road in front of him that was less than seven feet wide and had been trampled out.

now.

There were more than thirty large pots standing by the roadside, bubbling with the sound of cooking pots of gray-brown porridge with a strange smell.

The victims were all dressed in rags and had unkempt hair and dirty faces.

Some people don't even have a pair of shoes, and you can see the purple and black frostbite on their feet at a glance.

Some people are as thin as a dead leaf, with sunken eyes and no light in them.

Some people also built a kiln entrance in their sheds with dry dung and mud. Cow dung can keep out the cold, but if you want to get so much cow dung, it seems that you can only do it near the capital.

At this time.

Two children, about seven or eight years old, with frostbite on their faces, walked past little Wanli, holding bowls.

Their hands and feet were swollen and their stomachs were bloated.

The young Wanli knew this because Zhang Juzheng had told him that this was the reaction to eating Guanyin soil.

Once upon a time, disaster victims were just numbers in the eyes of young Wanli.

It was as miserable as he had imagined.

They just thought it was a natural disaster and the people were just temporarily hungry and cold, not starving to the point of being skin and bones or even dying.

No dignity at all.

He knew that those who were able to escape to the outskirts of Beijing were already better off than the vast majority of disaster victims.

this moment.

The young Wanli wondered: If his life were like this, would he still love the court? Would he risk his life for the Ming dynasty?
Little Wanli's eyes were red and he walked slowly forward.

He let the victims look at him, but he didn't dare to look them in the eye.

He claimed to be the ruler of the Ming Dynasty and felt guilty.

About two quarters of an hour later.

At Feng Bao's urging, young Wanli returned to the capital.

He sat in the carriage, his eyes red, and said nothing until he was almost at the forbidden area. He said to Shen Nian, "I will definitely convince my mother."

(End of this chapter)