Early morning, the third day of the sixth month, the sixth year of Longqing.
...
Before dawn had even broken, Gao Yi set out from his home, heading toward the Imperial City.
Buying two scallion pancakes from a roadside stall, he munched on them as he walked.
It was not that he had lacked the time to make breakfast at home; he simply had neither the heart nor the appetite for it today.
Yesterday, messengers from the palace had arrived out of the blue, delivering quite a few everyday sundries along with several taels of broken silver as a stipend, leaving him thoroughly bewildered.
Only upon asking did he learn that this was a grace the Crown Prince had personally requested from Noble Consort Li.
The eunuch's exact words had been: "His Highness the Crown Prince spoke gracious words, saying, 'The master has benefited me greatly, so how could I bear to see him in such straits?' Her Ladyship the Noble Consort thus consented."
Caught completely off guard, Gao Yi had stood frozen on the spot.
Unlike Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, Gao Yi was a traditional scholar—or rather, he preserved some of the stiff, upright temperament of the literati of antiquity.
His slacking and coasting through his duties was merely dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs; it did not mean he rejected traditional rites and propriety.
On the contrary, it was precisely because the ways of the world could no longer fulfill his yearning for the traditional rites that he had turned into an easygoing peacemaker, just muddling through his days.
As the saying went: *When the sovereign regards his subjects as mere weeds, the subjects regard their sovereign as an enemy.*
Just as Emperor Taizu had treated scholar-officials like grass to be mowed, the attitude of the Zhu family emperors toward their civil ministers had long caused Gao Yi to lose faith in them.
To say nothing of Emperor Shizong, whom he had served, who had been self-indulgent without measure and ever eager to lay blame on his subordinates; or the late emperor, who had abandoned himself to sensual pleasures and neglected state affairs.
How could any of them have earned his true respect?
Yet the Crown Prince... he had actually taken notice of Gao Yi's humble family circumstances! He had truly treated him as a disciple would a master, and honored him as a ruler should a subject!
This devotion between teacher and pupil, this care of a sovereign, in a daze awakened Gao Yi's long-extinguished paternal warmth and loyalty to the throne.
A scholar-official knew well: *If a sovereign regards his ministers as his own hands and feet, his ministers will regard him as their own heart and belly!*
Yet doubt still lingered in his mind.
Had Noble Consort Li merely used the Crown Prince's name?
Or had someone else instructed the boy?
Even stepping back, even if the Crown Prince truly had such an intention, could he be harboring hidden motives, treating him with political calculation?
And yet, Gao Yi could not suppress the faint glimmer of anticipation deep within his heart.
Entrusted with the orphan sovereign to assist the realm, bound by the sacred ties of ruler, father, master, and disciple—what scholar-official did not yearn for such an illustrious chapter in history? With the precedent of Marquis Wu of Zhuge before them, who would not be stirred?
Tossed in tangled, conflicting thoughts, Gao Yi had spent the night virtually sleepless.
Today was the third; court was held on the third, sixth, and ninth, so it was a day for the Crown Prince to oversee the court audience, with no daily lectures scheduled. This left Gao Yi feeling a touch disappointed, yet also somewhat relieved.
The disappointment was self-evident, while the relief came from the fact that he truly did not know what mindset to adopt when facing the Crown Prince right now.
Only yesterday, he had acceded to another's request and altered the topic of the daily lectures without permission; at this moment, his heart was profoundly uneasy.
His thoughts churning ceaselessly, Gao Yi walked along the street in a daze.
The various ministries and yamens all had roll calls. Although their schedules were slightly later than the morning audience, there was not much difference.
Court officials clad in robes of various colors gradually converged toward the Imperial City.
As a Grand Secretary, Gao Yi was a prominent figure. Meeting people along the way, pleasantries and exchanges were naturally unavoidable.
"Elder Gao."
"Grand Secretary Gao."
"Elder Gao."
Officials bowed with clasped hands to him along the road, until his face almost froze from smiling back, forcing his drifting thoughts to a halt.
"Elder Gao, why not board the sedan chair and ride with us?" a voice called out from behind him.
Gao Yi looked back to see a grand palanquin carried by six bearers. Inside sat an older man and a younger man, who had lifted the curtains to hail him.
Once he saw their faces clearly, he recalled that they seemed to be Zhu Xixiao from the Duke of Chengguo's household and Jiang Keqian from the Count of Yutian's estate.
*Oh... just hereditary nobles. Never mind, then.*
Gao Yi was finally spared the trouble of returning a polite smile. Treating them as mere air, he turned his head away.
A sense of helpless disdain welled within him: *Just who do they take Gao Yi for? Even nobles think they can cozy up to me? Do they truly believe every noble can be like Zhu Xizhong?*
Paying the matter no further heed, he stepped aside and walked on alone.
As he reached the gates of the Imperial City, Gao Yi was hailed once more.
"Zixiang, why do you look so unwell?"
Gao Yi turned. It was Zhang Juzheng, walking side by side with Minister of Rites Lü Diaoyang.
Lü Diaoyang cupped his hands in greeting. "Elder Gao."
Not daring to act presumptuous, Gao Yi promptly returned the gesture. "Minister Lü. Left Chancellor."
Zhang Juzheng was the Second Grand Secretary, and Gao Yi always addressed him face-to-face as 'Left Chancellor' to show his respect.
Having returned the courtesies, Gao Yi offered a wry smile. "Old age catches up with me. Yesterday the palace sent over fresh bamboo shoots. Succumbing to gluttony, I ate them all, only to suffer from severe bloating afterward and end up sleeping quite late."
Amused by his candidness, Lü Diaoyang stroked his beard with a laugh. "For the Grand Secretary to possess such an appetite is a blessing! Unlike me, whose teeth have grown so loose that I cannot eat them even if I wished to."
Gao Yi had always been modest and agreeable, enjoying good relations with most court officials.
Zhang Juzheng chimed in, "Zixiang, it is fortuitous we ran into you. Heqing and I were just discussing the ceremonial protocol for the Crown Prince's accession. Come, lend your counsel."
Heqing was Lü Diaoyang's courtesy name.
The accession protocol encompassed the rituals, proclamation texts, sacrificial prayers, and selections of personnel for each task to be observed during the enthronement.
The three fell into step together, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi in front, while Lü Diaoyang tactfully lagged half a step behind.
Gao Yi asked, "When has the third petition urging his ascension been scheduled?"
Zhang Juzheng replied, "Only yesterday did the Two Palaces approve the memorial. It has been set for the sixth to present the petition once more. After His Highness accepts, the enthronement will take place on the tenth."
Gao Yi pondered for a moment before saying, "With the realm in mourning and unrest, it is only proper that he accede before the imperial bier."
In the imperial house, mourning periods were often observed counting days in place of months, or months in place of years.
Zhu Yijun's period of deep mourning lasted twenty-seven days. From the late emperor's passing to the tenth day of the month was only a little over a dozen days, so ascending before the bier was natural and expected.
As Minister of Rites, Lü Diaoyang bore the heaviest burden at this time. He could not help remarking with a sigh, "The funeral rites and accession ceremony themselves are not difficult. It is just that the Ministry of Revenue has kept a tight rein on the budget. Fortunately, the Two Palaces have proven reasonable and understanding."
Gao Yi nodded. This was precisely the benefit of the Grand Secretariat steering the court; women residing deep within the palace could rarely overturn the collective decisions of the civil bureaucracy.
One had to remember that when the late emperor had been alive, he had constantly demanded funds from the Ministry of Personnel to line his own private coffer.
Gao Yi suddenly recalled another matter and asked, "Has the matter of the imperial mausoleum been settled?"
This referred to selecting an auspicious site of feng shui to construct the tomb.
Zhang Juzheng shook his head. "That matter is being handled directly between the Senior Grand Secretary and the Ministry of Works. After all, they must first trace the dragon veins to survey the mountains and determine the site. They are likely still selecting the officials to oversee it."
Lü Diaoyang took up the thread. "At present, the only matters left undecided are the imperial mausoleum and the sacrificial proclamation text to report to the ancestors."
"Elder Gao is well-versed in these specific affairs. Why not have you compose the sacrificial text?"
Drafting sacrificial and ceremonial texts fell squarely within the duties of a Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Halls, and nearly all of them possessed a deft hand at composing Daoist green petitions and solemn prayers. Furthermore, Gao Yi had served as Minister of Rites before entering the Grand Secretariat, making him ideal for the task.
Gao Yi had no reason to refuse. "So long as you do not find my scholarship lacking, I would be honored."
Lü Diaoyang flattered him smoothly, "I only fear the Grand Secretary's prose might be so profound and arcane that the Crown Prince will groan over memorizing it."
At these words, both Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi burst into laughter in unison.
Lü Diaoyang, unaware of the inside joke, simply joined in with a couple of chuckles.
"I shall head to my office first to prepare the memorials for the court deliberation. We will discuss this further during the morning audience."
Excusing himself, Gao Yi took his leave ahead of them.
Zhang Juzheng and Lü Diaoyang cupped their hands in farewell, slowing their pace.
Once Gao Yi had walked away, Lü Diaoyang said slowly, "Lately, Elder Gao seems to enjoy quite a bit of affectionate regard from the Crown Prince."
The palace had bestowed fresh bamboo shoots upon all the officials.
Yet Gao Yi had received an extra reward on top of that. Naturally, this could not be hidden from the court, and the implications could not help but make others feel a twinge of jealousy.
Zhang Juzheng shook his head, remarking helplessly, "He is merely taking advantage of an honest man."
Lü Diaoyang looked at him in confusion.
Zhang Juzheng did not linger on the topic, asking instead, "Has the Senior Grand Secretary contacted you privately?"
Lü Diaoyang shook his head. "He hasn't even approached you; why would he come to me?"
Zhang Juzheng was the leader of the Chu Faction, though this faction was not strictly divided by geography. Its adherents came from across the four seas; it was merely labeled as such because Zhang Juzheng was a native of Huguang, and its regional character was far less rigid than in later times.
Just like Lü Diaoyang, who was from Zhejiang yet was counted among the Chu Faction.
Rather than calling it the Chu Faction, it was more accurately described as the Reformist Faction.
As for why they had not rallied around Gao Gong? Zhang Juzheng had already made a point of following Gao Gong's every lead.
To Gao Gong, who set his sights on higher ambitions, the pure stream, the Chu Faction, the Shanxi Faction, and the Zhejiang Faction were all the same. Whether it was Yang Bo or Zhang Juzheng, they were all subordinates to be employed.
Zhang Juzheng sighed, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Before the Senior Grand Secretary retires, we must borrow his momentum to make the six ministries and nine courts accept the general framework of the Evaluation Law. Only then will our hands be free to act later."
The Evaluation Law was the system of civil service performance assessment that would serve as the cornerstone of the new governance.
Taking a blade to the civil official bureaucracy had always met with immense resistance.
If it could not be finalized before Gao Gong retired, it would take far more time for Zhang Juzheng to clean up the mess and coordinate the various parties once he became Senior Grand Secretary.
Time was running out for him to implement the new laws.
Curious, Lü Diaoyang asked, "What do you plan to do?"
Zhang Juzheng waved his hand dismissively. "I do not know."
"Let us go. Time for the morning audience."
...
During today's regular court audience, Zhu Yijun remained exceptionally quiet.
Not only did he refrain from intervening in the court deliberations, he did not even lean over to pepper Feng Bao with questions, prompting Feng Bao to cast frequent, furtive glances his way.
Of course, this was not because he was trying to look profound—he was simply exhausted!
Transcribing Buddhist and Daoist scriptures had proven far more agonizing than he had anticipated.
Yesterday, after returning to the Eastern Palace, he had written for four straight hours. Even now, his arms felt sore and numb, and his entire body was drained of energy, forcing him to conserve his strength by thinking and speaking as little as possible.
*That Zhang Juzheng is truly wicked. Bullying a child like this—just wait until I catch an opportunity to repay the favor.*
While resting his mind, Zhu Yijun glanced through the screen at Gao Yi.
Unfortunately, these veteran courtiers possessed first-rate self-restraint; not the slightest hint of emotion showed on Gao Yi's face, leaving Zhu Yijun unable to tell whether his gesture of goodwill yesterday had moved the man at all.
*It seems I will have to press harder.*
The court deliberations proceeded methodically.
Matters were addressed one by one: the spring tax collections from various provinces, court nominations for provincial administration commissioners, and imperial interrogations regarding noble criminal cases.
This was Zhu Yijun's first time witnessing court nominations and court trials in person.
The so-called court nomination occurred when a high-ranking post fell vacant. The court ministers—namely the heads of the nine courts, the assistant censors-in-chief, the chancellors of the National University, and other dignitaries—would collectively recommend two or three candidates, submitting their names for the Two Palaces to endorse.
As for the court trial, it was reserved for major judicial cases, such as those involving the nobility, which had to be deliberated and decided by the court ministers.
As for how they nominated and deliberated—it turned out to be done by headcounts and voting!
Zhu Yijun found it quite fascinating; it truly felt like a leadership committee meeting, giving him a strong sense of déjà vu.
Naturally, the tacit agreements reached by all sides prior to the public nomination were just as familiar.
He watched the spectacle attentively, thoroughly amused.
Once all items had been discussed, he thought the audience was about to conclude. However, Feng Bao stepped forward two paces. "My lords, I have one more matter here."
Looking down haughtily at Gao Gong, Feng Bao said, "According to precedent, one hundred thousand taels of silver from this spring's tax revenue ought to be transferred into the palace treasury. This was always the practice under the late emperor. Yesterday, I also requested a decree from Her Ladyship the Noble Consort instructing the court ministers to deliberate on this. Why did the Senior Grand Secretary bypass it during today's court deliberation?"
The Taicang Vault belonged to the Ministry of Revenue, whereas the palace treasury was the inner court's private coffer. Other bodies like the Court of the Imperial Stud, the Court of Imperial Entertainments, and even the various provincial administrations had their own treasuries as well.
Every yamen, great and small, ate from its own pot.
Gao Gong naturally knew of this. Without batting an eye, he said, "I am aware of this matter and was just about to mention it to Director Feng."
"Yesterday, no sooner had Her Ladyship the Noble Consort issued her decree than the Supervising Secretaries of the Six Offices rejected and blocked it, citing 'an illegitimate order, not to be obeyed.' This Secretariat does not even know the contents of the decree."
The Supervising Secretaries of the Six Offices were charged with attending upon the throne, admonishing and remonstrating, correcting errors, supplementing omissions, and inspecting all affairs of the six ministries and hundred offices—acting much like a supervisory and disciplinary commission.
Likewise, they held the power to reject and return imperial decrees. This was an established part of institutional propriety, carried out openly and honorably.
Gao Gong sat composed and unruffled, acting as though the matter had nothing to do with him.
Livid with rage, Feng Bao pointed at Gao Gong and spluttered, "Gao Gong! You... you have the audacity of a rebel!"
Gao Gong's voice turned cold. "Eunuch Feng, mind your words."
Seeing the censors regulating court etiquette stirring into action, Feng Bao's chest heaved violently. Flicking his sleeve, he retreated. "I shall report this truthfully!"
Having observed the entire exchange, Zhu Yijun could not help but frown.
For Gao Gong to offend Feng Bao was one thing, but for him to actually dare direct someone to openly reject Noble Consort Li's decree went completely beyond expectations.
Even though it was merely a consort's decree, in theory, it could indeed be lawfully refused.
Yet within days, Lady Li would become the Empress Dowager. By then, it would no longer be a consort's command, but the august edict of the Empress Dowager.
By bluntly and unilaterally returning it without any prior consultation, Gao Gong had shown no mercy whatsoever.
Did he not fear Lady Li settling scores with him in the future?
Though Gao Gong wielded immense power at present, once the two sides tore off all pretense and Lady Li overturned the table to step into the fray personally, Gao Gong would have no choice but to retire. This was not the Song dynasty, after all.
What backing did he possess to act with such fearless impunity?
Though history was clear, it could not reveal every detail; Zhu Yijun only knew that Gao Gong was ultimately driven out by Lady Li.
Yet the exact nature of their clashes remained lost to him.
Was Gao Gong simply a reckless hothead, or did he hold some hidden trump card?
...
All the way back to the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yijun was still pondering this question.
He did not even notice Zhang Hong coming out to greet him.
Zhang Hong trailed behind him for a considerable distance before Zhu Yijun finally snapped out of his reverie.
"Companion Zhang has arrived? Why didn't you call out to me?"
Zhang Hong lowered his eyes submissively. "Seeing that Master was deep in thought, this servant dared not intrude."
Zhu Yijun smiled, pleased with his deference. "Speak, what is it?"
Zhang Hong paused, gesturing for the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs to fall back.
Only then did he whisper beside Zhu Yijun, "Just now, an officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard on duty at the Eastern Palace approached me in private, saying that Jiang Keqian requests an audience with Master. I wonder if I should report this officially?"
Zhu Yijun was taken aback.
Puzzled, he asked, "Jiang Keqian? I don't listen to ballads; what does he want with me?"
He had heard of this man—a musician known even to later generations. Why was he seeking him out?
Was Feng Bao up to his old tricks again, trying to sap his will with frivolous amusements?
Zhang Hong choked on his words. The Crown Prince knew that Jiang Keqian was compiling musical scores for the zither, yet seemed unaware of his actual background—how utterly bizarre.
Could it be that... besides Zhang Hong himself, there were others who had already pledged their loyalty to this Crown Prince?
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed to Zhang Hong. After all, having bided his time and hidden his light for so many years, how could this Crown Prince not have gathered some forces of his own?
Zhang Hong felt an even deeper sense of awe.
Not daring to dwell further, he weighed his words carefully before speaking: "Master, Jiang Keqian is the legitimate heir of the Count of Yutian's estate. His grandfather Jiang Lun was the younger brother of Emperor Shizong's mother, the Empress Dowager. After his father inherited the earldom, he committed crimes, and the title was demoted; Jiang Keqian now inherits the post of Assistant Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"He currently serves under Zhu Xixiao."
The moment he heard 'Embroidered Uniform Guard' and 'under Zhu Xixiao,' Zhu Yijun understood immediately.
This was Zhu Xizhong's response, putting forward a fallen noble to test the waters.
Yet his impression of the man was purely that of a musician, leading him to mistake him for an entertainer sent by Feng Bao to distract his mind—quite the misunderstanding.
It turned out he was imperial kin by marriage; no wonder he had the wealth and leisure to pursue music.
Pondering for a moment, Zhu Yijun said, "Have him come see me directly; there is no need to make an official announcement."
Whether to announce it officially meant whether they would meet privately or openly.
Since he happened to be on guard duty at the Eastern Palace, making a private meeting convenient, there was no reason to bring it out into the open.
After all, many matters were best conducted in the shadows. Putting them on display for all to see would only provoke sensitive nerves needlessly.
Chapter 17