Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 3 Wei Zhongxian: Let's find someone to be the plum.
When Zhu Youjian stepped into the Qianqing Palace, the hall was brightly lit by candles, yet so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The four Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, Huang Lijie, Shi Fenglai, Zhang Ruitu, and Li Guopu, were all dressed in plain clothes and stood with their heads bowed in the hall.

Wei Zhongxian, Wang Tiqian, Li Yongzhen, and other eunuchs stood on either side, each with a different expression.

As Prince Xin entered, all eyes turned to him.

The civil officials, on the other hand, had complex and difficult-to-express feelings.

It is truly a case of the subject being born before the ruler, and the ruler being born after the subject has grown old.

We all studied diligently and painstakingly to get to where we are today. Who among us, upon passing the imperial examinations, didn't think about making the emperor as wise and virtuous as Yao and Shun, and restoring the purity of customs?

If one simply wants to climb the ranks, or even just to survive, then in recent years one can only rely on the eunuch faction.

Who wouldn't want to be a paragon of virtue? It's just that I can't keep doing it, and I don't have the courage to.

Now that they have a stain on their history, with the new emperor taking the throne, he will probably sweep them all away while replacing the inner circle of officials.

The inner court officials' thoughts were even more straightforward; Zhu Youjian could almost see right through them with a single glance.

Wei Zhongxian and his core cronies were naturally filled with apprehension, but we'll leave that aside for now.

Even though Wang Tiqian and his faction of eunuchs were not closely associated with Wei Zhongxian, they were still filled with fear.

But among the eunuchs in the hall, especially those who held the brush, one could see ambitious eyes everywhere.

That's right. If we don't take this opportunity to suppress these old fogies, how will the young people ever have a chance to rise to the top?

Zhu Youjian didn't look at anyone; his gaze was fixed on the cold coffin in the hall.

He stared for a moment, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, tears streamed down his face like a burst dam.

There were no loud wailing or affected crying, yet the imperial envoys and civil officials present all felt a deep sorrow, as if a child had lost its mother.

Zhu Youjian walked forward step by step, each step extremely slow and heavy, as if a thousand pounds were weighing him down.

He walked to the coffin, bowed deeply, and then knelt down to perform the full kowtow.

Throughout the entire process, he remained silent, only his tears silently dripping onto the cold floor tiles, splashing up tiny teardrops.

The palace was eerily quiet. The civil officials could not bear to look any longer, and the eunuchs were mostly filled with sighs. Only Wei Zhongxian was in tears.

After the ceremony, Zhu Youjian slowly stood up, stood there for a moment, and then raised his sleeve to wipe away his tears.

Unexpectedly, the more she wiped away the tears, the more they flowed, and she couldn't stop them.

Zhu Youjian had no choice but to ignore him and turn directly to the assembled officials, his voice hoarse as he said:

"With the Emperor's passing, the affairs of state are of utmost importance. All of you should perform your duties to ensure the stability of the court."

"Your Highness's decree is to be obeyed." The cabinet ministers and eunuchs all bowed in response.

Just then, Wei Zhongxian, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped out from the crowd.

His face was streaked with tears he had wiped away haphazardly, and he looked gaunt and haggard. It had only been a few days since Zhu Youjian last entered the palace, yet he seemed to have aged ten years.

He bowed and said cautiously, "Your Highness, the ceremony is now complete. Please move to rest."

Zhu Youjian nodded and said gently, "Thank you for your trouble, my lord."

Upon hearing the address "Great Companion," Wei Zhongxian, though guessing it was merely a conciliatory remark, felt somewhat reassured and quickly led the way.

The journey to the other hall was only half an incense stick's time, but the atmosphere was so awkward it seemed frozen in place.

Wei Zhongxian had recovered from his grief and tried several times to say something to break the suffocating silence, but he swallowed his words back.

He wanted to show his loyalty, but was afraid of appearing too deliberate; he wanted to sound out the situation, but was afraid of offending his unfathomable new master.

Since entering the palace, this Prince Xin has uttered nothing more than the necessary formalities and a few words of reassurance. Yet, the more he remained silent, the more uncertain Wei Zhongxian felt.

He felt like a mouse being watched by a cat; the other party's silence was its sharpest claws, making him uneasy and feeling like he had thorns in his back.

Finally, we arrived at the detached palace.

"Your Highness, please." Wei Zhongxian stopped and respectfully stepped aside to make way.

Zhu Youjian nodded and walked straight in.

Only when the palace doors slowly closed behind him, isolating him from everything outside, did Zhu Youjian finally let out a long sigh of relief.

The night was deep, and only a few candles were lit in the hall, making the light dim.

He walked to the table, then took out a few wheat cakes wrapped in oil paper from his sleeve and wolfed them down in a few bites.

The pancakes were made by Zhou Yu himself, but to be honest, his skills weren't very good, and he choked so much that he rolled his eyes.

He picked up the teapot on the table, intending to take a big gulp, but his movement suddenly froze.

After hesitating for a while, he only poured a small sip, held it in his mouth, and planned to wait a while to make sure it was okay before drinking it.

He carefully counted the remaining wheat cakes: one for tomorrow morning, two for the afternoon, and one more before the coronation ceremony the day after tomorrow. Five wheat cakes, no more, no less, just right.

Hey, Zhu Yuanzhang started with a broken bowl, I started with five wheat cakes, not bad, not bad.

Once he ascends the throne, he can summon Changqiu to the palace to personally cook some hot meals, which would be much better than these brick-like flatbreads.

After enjoying himself for a moment, Zhu Youjian began to sort through the messages he had just received.

Although only an incense stick's time had passed in the Qianqing Hall, he had completely grasped the situation.

It seems that the so-called eunuch faction is already in a state of near disarray.

The reason it didn't immediately fall apart is simply due to the inertia left over from the past three years.

He did not consider eliminating the eunuch faction a major challenge.

After all, if you're aiming for a speedrun, this can be done quickly and well.

On the first day, the palace officials and guards of the nine gates were replaced. The palace was thoroughly inspected, and guards from the Prince's Mansion were transferred in to guard the palace and ensure their own safety.

The next day, they replaced the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, taking control of the two most powerful instruments of violence in Beijing. Then they summoned the nobles and brought the Beijing Garrison over as well, thus ensuring Beijing's safety.

On the third day, which happened to be the 26th, a day when court sessions were held on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th, a large-scale purge could be launched directly in the court.

However, he was not some fastidious moral gentleman, and he had no real desire for the so-called righteous and just government.

He, from the future, was a staunch realist.

As long as it benefits the country, he would grit his teeth and use even a treacherous scoundrel like Sun Zhixie, let alone Wei Zhongxian—provided that he is useful.

To simply confiscate the property of the eunuch faction and scrape together a few million taels would be far too wasteful. Within the inner palace, and in the imperial court that governs the vast lands, there are times when other things are far more precious than silver.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian shook his head and smiled, then simply sat cross-legged on the bed and began to consider it seriously.

There is no doubt that the eunuch faction must be swept away.

With a new emperor in power, having such a perfect target to establish authority and consolidate power is a waste not to take advantage of.

But you must sweep slowly, steadily, and with quality.

We must sweep under the wise leadership of His Majesty the Emperor.

The sweeping should be carried out with the goal of establishing and implementing a new style of governance in the court.

Emperor Chongzhen made several mistakes during this process, some of which even extended into the Yisi Incident and the Southern Ming Dynasty.

First, learn from Han Feizi's saying, "The one who governs the Way makes people unpredictable."

His actions were characterized by alternating between attacking Wei Zhongxian and bestowing rewards, leaving the court officials completely bewildered.

After a month of testing, the courtiers finally understood.

"Brother, you should have said so earlier!" So everyone rushed forward and knocked Wei Zhongxian to the ground.

There's nothing wrong with a ruler who wants to maintain the status quo doing this.

To sit high on the throne, manipulate power, and use the role of judge to control and distribute power—this is a well-worn tale of the machinations of Chinese emperors.

But for the founding emperor or the last emperor of a dynasty to play this game is like an old man hanging himself – he's had enough of living.

All the guessing and speculation has led to the waste of national resources on internal power struggles and maintaining balance.

Secondly, the problem lies precisely in the "rush" against castration.

The unified power that Emperor Tianqi had painstakingly consolidated through Wei Zhongxian was, in the process of everyone turning against him, part of the wall itself was overthrown.

The remaining members of the eunuch faction recovered from the suppression by the court officials, and the Donglin Party regained its prestige through the court and the public.

Both sides were eager to fight, each hoping for the other's complete demise.

Thus, factional strife reignited, continuing until the fall of the Ming Dynasty.

Even during the Southern Ming Dynasty, when the country was on the verge of collapse, that damned court was still debating whether or not to reissue the "Essentials of Three Reigns".

Thirdly, ...

Zhu Youjian shook his head. "Forget it. There's no end to talking about Chongzhen's problems."

He doesn't need to think too much right now. He should get a good night's sleep, conserve his energy, and make a decision after carefully meeting with all sorts of people after ascending the throne.

After all, if one were to directly mobilize the Khan's army based solely on a few words in historical records, what difference would there be between that and Chiang Kai-shek?
"No investigation, no right to speak"—this saying from our ancestors is indeed true.

Just then, the sounds of guards changing shifts came from outside the door, the clanging of armor and the rhythmic footsteps.

Zhu Youjian's heart stirred, and he pushed open the door and went out.

The night was cool and the chill was biting. He felt the cold wind on his skin and estimated that it was probably only eleven or twelve degrees Celsius.

He looked at the guards standing in the cold wind and asked in a loud voice, "My lords, you have worked hard and made great contributions by patrolling late into the night. I wish to bestow upon you wine and food, but I do not know where to obtain them?"

The eunuch standing to the side quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, you can issue an order to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and preparations can be made immediately."

"Very well! Convey my decree: provide all palace guards on duty with wine and food to keep them warm!"

"According to the order!"

Upon receiving the imperial decree, thunderous cheers erupted from the imperial guards stationed throughout the palace.

Hearing the cheers, Zhu Youjian smiled slightly and turned back into the palace.

These people weren't cheering for the food at the Imperial Household Department, since everyone knew that even dogs wouldn't eat the food there.

They were simply cheering because they thought they had encountered a benevolent emperor.

The Ming Dynasty emperors, whose feudal autocracy had reached its peak, found it so easy and satisfying to bestow favors!
He picked up his teacup, drank the rest of the tea in one gulp, then lay down on the bed, cleared his mind, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

……

On the other side, after Wei Zhongxian retreated to the Qianqing Hall, he summoned Yongzhen to meet him in another hall.

He called Li Yongzhen closer and asked urgently, "Yongzhen, tell me in detail, what's going on with Zhang Yong?"

Li Yongzhen dared not be negligent and recounted all the historical facts he knew.

"Reporting to the Imperial Eunuch, Zhang Yongyuan was originally one of the 'Eight Tigers,' and his power was comparable to that of Liu Jin."

Later, he developed a grudge against Liu Jin, and secretly joined forces with Grand Secretaries Li Dongyang and Yang Yiqing to accuse Liu Jin of treason before Emperor Zhengde.

With Liu Jin eliminated, Zhang Yong, as a meritorious official, naturally survived. Although he was later dismissed by the Jiajing Emperor, he ultimately died a peaceful death.

Wei Zhongxian listened intently, but suddenly froze at the end.

Hmm, this story... why does it sound so familiar?

A powerful eunuch who held immense influence in the court, and a colleague with whom he had a falling out...

If Wei Zhongxian is Liu Jin, then who is Zhang Yong? Wang Tiqian?

The thought of Wang Tiqian's businesslike demeanor in the Qianqing Palace today sent a chill down Wei Zhongxian's spine.

Looking at Wei Zhongxian's ever-changing expression, Li Yongzhen felt uneasy.

He racked his brains, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

"The Eunuch! Why would the Eunuch himself become like Liu Jin?"

Wei Zhongxian suddenly looked up at him.

Li Yongzhen lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "I have a plan, a scheme to substitute one official for another! There are so many civil officials in the court, if you just push them out and let them be Liu Jin, wouldn't you become Zhang Yong?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian's eyes lit up instantly.

"Quickly, quickly, go back to the manor and bring the roster. We'll discuss tonight who should be in charge of this plum business."

　[This chapter is fictional]

　　Li Yongzhen was Wei Zhongxian's chief steward. Unfortunately, I forgot which historical record I saw this in, so I can't post it here. Just consider it something I made up.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)