Early morning, the sixth day of the sixth month, the sixth year of Longqing.
...
Today, the sixth, was not only the day of a regular court audience, but also the occasion for the third accession petition.
As a daily lecture official to the Crown Prince, Yu Youding naturally had to join the fray, leaving him no choice but to rise at the crack of dawn.
For today's accession petition, one had to dress far more formally than when merely sitting for duty at the yamen: one had to don a ridged beam cap, a uniform of red gauze robes, and not a single miscellaneous accessory—from leather belts to jade pendants and ribbons—could be omitted.
After all that fuss, if he did not rise earlier still, he would never make it in time for a piping hot bowl of soup at the end of the alley.
Yu Youding had frequented the mutton soup stall at the end of the alley ever since he passed the jinshi examinations and settled in the capital. It had been exactly ten years now, and the soup had never failed to suit his palate.
He had even gone so far as to devote an entire page of his brush-notes to this shop, leaving it for posterity's reveries.
He had drawn the inspiration for this from the Song dynasty scholar Meng Yuanlao's *The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendors Past*.
Back then, when the Northern Song fell to the Jurchen Jin invaders, the bustling imperial capital with its thrumming chariots turned to ash in an instant, and Meng Yuanlao, amidst wandering and hardship, looked back time and again upon that capital which had once so richly satisfied men's hearts.
Yu Youding had watched as, ever since the Jiajing era, the state of the realm had taken a steep turn for the worse. Wokou pirates, Tatars, land annexation, fiscal revenues, armaments, and local governance formed a tangled knot, showing every sign of a sun setting behind the western hills.
If, within his lifetime, misfortune should strike and things fall apart, rather than reminiscing in hindsight about this capital's splendor, it was better to record it now, stroke by stroke, so as to preserve the joyful state of mind he felt in the moment.
Cradling his three-ridged beam cap in his arms, Yu Youding gently adjusted it, wondering how many more years he would have to endure before he could trade it for a five-ridged one and enter the inner halls of power.
While there was nothing wrong with the fifth rank, being able to enter the Six Ministries and take up a post among the Nine Chief Ministers would naturally offer far grander horizons.
Lost in thought, he had already arrived at the mutton soup stall at the end of the alley.
The hour was still early, the sky not yet even gray with dawn, yet someone was earlier still than he.
When Yu Youding stepped over the threshold, Shen Shixing was already sipping his soup, and Wang Xijue was actually at his side as well.
The three were jinshi of the same examination cohort: Shen Shixing was the first-place optimus, Wang Xijue was the second-place secundus, and their friendship was naturally deep.
Among them, Shen Shixing served as Left Mentor of the Household and Hanlin Reader, also on duty at the Hanlin Academy. Moreover, he lived nearby, so he and Yu Youding usually walked together when heading to the yamen for duty.
Wang Xijue, on the other hand, clearly held an official post in Southern Zhili; what was he doing here?
Yu Youding took a seat beside them and asked curiously, "Yuanyu, aren't you on duty in Southern Zhili? What brings you to the capital—a promotion?"
Yuanyu was Wang Xijue's courtesy name.
As the three top graduates of a single cohort, all three possessed the seniority and standing to potentially enter the Grand Secretariat, and Yu Youding's current post as daily lecture official was precisely a form of tempering and qualification-building.
Just as Shen Shixing, being the optimus, had been appointed daily lecture official to the late emperor last year; though the late emperor passed away half a year later, this did not prevent Shen Shixing from already acquiring the seniority required to enter the Six Ministries.
Wang Xijue, however, had been unfortunate: having offended Zhang Siwei, he had been transferred away to Southern Zhili, far from the central court.
Though the Ming dynasty had two capitals, south and north, there was an unmistakable distinction in status between them; being transferred from Southern Zhili to the capital, even if at the same rank, was considered a promotion.
Wang Xijue shook his head, refuting Yu Youding's guess. "I was only here on official business, but for today's accession petition, the Ministry of Rites dragged me in to make up the numbers."
Yu Youding understood.
The officials petitioning for accession came in wave after wave, and some men had to be hauled in from various regional offices to go through the motions—and also to see the new sovereign's face.
"Bingzhong, Yuanyu has come all this distance and still arrived before you. Look at you—living the closest, yet stepping out the latest," Shen Shixing teased with a smile.
Bingzhong was Yu Youding's courtesy name.
Of the three, Wang Xijue was the youngest at thirty-six, the most straightforward, and possessed the stubbornest temper.
Shen Shixing was only one year older, the optimus of their cohort, lively yet with brilliance and depth concealed within.
Yu Youding was past forty, an easygoing and amiable man.
Noticing that Wang Xijue was reluctant to dwell on the subject of promotions, Shen Shixing had changed the topic.
Yu Youding realized this as well and picked up the thread with a rueful sigh. "Things have been so hectic of late; I truly overslept a bit."
With that, he called over the shopkeeper and ordered a bowl of mutton soup.
Shen Shixing took a sip of soup and said, "Bingzhong is in the prime of his years; you'll have plenty more to keep you busy."
With their backgrounds as top-three jinshi graduates, accumulating seniority now meant boundless prospects ahead, so of course he would be kept busy.
Yu Youding knew what Shen Shixing meant, yet felt a trace of helplessness. Shen Shixing was ten years younger than him, an optimus who had already accumulated ample qualifications and had a far smoother official path ahead, yet here he was poking fun at him instead.
Fortunately, they were close friends, so he took no offense at a bit of ribbing.
Setting his beam cap aside, he sighed. "It's just that there has been so much to do at the Bureau of Classics lately, on top of serving as Reader for the daily lectures, which has left me rather weary."
With the late emperor's passing and the transition between old and new, the Bureau of Classics, as a nominal subordinate office to the Eastern Palace, had uncharacteristically found itself with actual, serious duties.
At this point, Wang Xijue suddenly chimed in, "Speaking of the daily lectures... Bingzhong, since you serve as a daily lecture official, do you know whether this Crown Prince is truly as the street rumors claim?"
Shen Shixing also looked over with curiosity.
Yu Youding started. "Street rumors? What street rumors?"
Wang Xijue asked in puzzlement, "As a Reader, you actually don't know? The moment I arrived in the capital yesterday, I heard people talking about the Crown Prince."
Seeing that Yu Youding was still thoroughly in the dark, he could not help but explain: "The talk on the street says that the Crown Prince was hopelessly unruly before, doing nothing in the palace but hunting with hawks and walking his songbirds.
"He seemed completely unfit to bear great responsibilities, driving both the Two Palaces and the Senior Grand Secretary to despair over his lack of ambition.
"Then, after receiving a dream visitation from the manifested spirit of the late departed emperor, he experienced a complete awakening in a single day. Now, not only has he thoroughly reformed his past ways, but he is striving diligently, pursuing his studies, and cultivating his virtue.
"It is said that when the Crown Prince reads before the imperial bier, it is as though he has divine aid. Some in the palace even claim to have seen a ghostly imperial phantom beside the Crown Prince, assisting him in his studies.
"And thereafter, his progress has truly advanced by leaps and bounds.
"Not only does Noble Consort Li regard him in a completely new light, but even Grand Secretary Gao praised him yesterday, saying that these past few days the Crown Prince has been 'tirelessly devoted to his studies, striving for the benefits of sage cultivation; solemn and dignified when attending court, displaying the extraordinary demeanor of heaven's own son,' leaving him utterly astonished.
"Now, even street vendors scolding their children cite him as an example, saying things like, 'Have you ever seen the Four Books and Five Classics at the dead of night?' It's gotten to the point where oil lamps are selling out!
"I haven't been in the capital, so I don't know how much truth there is to these rumors."
As Yu Youding listened to Wang Xijue rattle them off so familiarly, his brow knitted tighter and tighter.
Beside them, Shen Shixing remained completely calm and unruffled, sipping his mutton soup without a word.
Seeing that Yu Youding offered no reply, Wang Xijue prompted him again.
Helpless, Yu Youding pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "It wasn't that exaggerated before. At most, he showed some childish petulance and lacked focus; hunting with hawks and teasing birds is pure hyperbole.
"As for the Senior Grand Secretary despairing over his lack of ambition, or the late emperor appearing in a dream, those are utter nonsense.
"Though in these past few days... he truly has shown signs of striving diligently."
A waiter brought over a bowl of mutton soup, and Yu Youding instantly held his tongue.
Once the man had walked away, Wang Xijue pressed, "How has he been these past few days? Don't keep us in suspense."
Shen Shixing's gaze drifted, yet he too pricked up his ears.
Yu Youding took a sip of soup, feeling a warm current settle into his stomach with immense comfort.
Savoring it for a moment, he slowly resumed: "These past few days, the Crown Prince has indeed acted contrary to his usual ways.
"Every day he pays his respects to the Two Palaces without the slightest neglect; it can truly be called pure filial devotion.
"In his studies, he has also made remarkable strides. In parsing sentences and reading aloud, he never forgets anything he lays eyes upon, and he can even extrapolate from one instance to deduce principles of statecraft and moral cultivation on his own. His progress is so rapid that it has genuinely left me stunned, as if beholding a prodigy.
"I lack the rank to attend the morning audiences, so I am not too clear on that, but Grand Secretary Gao stated in private that the Crown Prince conducts himself with measured propriety, every bit possessing the imperial majesty of the Son of Heaven. That, I imagine, is no empty praise."
Yu Youding did not actually feel that much awe toward the Crown Prince's intelligence. To speak treasonously, among those with jinshi degrees, who had not been a child prodigy? The Crown Prince's current aptitude did not even hold a candle to Yu Youding's own younger years.
What truly astonished him was the sheer magnitude of the transformation before and after, which left him utterly dumbfounded.
With such overnight enlightenment, he himself could hardly help wondering whether there truly had been some divine manifestation of the late emperor.
Shen Shixing held his bowl, momentarily still.
Once Yu Youding finished speaking, Wang Xijue remarked in surprise, "If it is as you say, isn't he truly completely transformed?
"No wonder the streets are buzzing with tales that the late emperor manifested his spirit to enlighten the Crown Prince."
Shen Shixing was silent for a moment before finally being unable to contain himself.
He looked around, saw no one nearby, leaned in close, and whispered, "Could it be somewhat exaggerated?
"I heard that Grand Secretary Gao enjoys considerable filial affection and respect from the Crown Prince. Yesterday, after the daily lecture, once the Crown Prince finished his calligraphy practice, he specially presented him with a scroll reading: 'Entrusted with the late emperor's charge to assist the realm, my bosom and limbs, serving as my guardian and mentor, bound in wholehearted devotion.'"
The underlying implication was: could the Crown Prince's renown be something Gao Yi intentionally puffed up to showcase the effectiveness of his own tutoring, both endorsing the Grand Secretariat and bolstering his own standing within it?
Shen Shixing had caught wind of certain whispers; recently the Grand Secretariat had made countless moves, clashing especially fiercely with the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Yu Youding shook his head without explaining further. He knew that any court official who had not seen it with his own eyes would find it hard to believe the Crown Prince's present poise and bearing.
Even having witnessed the Crown Prince's change of character with his own eyes, he himself had still not fully recovered from the shock, to say nothing of outsiders.
Wang Xijue, however, suddenly spoke up: "Rumo, you don't understand Grand Secretary Gao.
"Grand Secretary Gao was the patron-examiner of my younger brother, Wang Dingjue. When I saw my brother yesterday, he mentioned this matter to me.
"He said that of late, Grand Secretary Gao has repeatedly entertained thoughts of retirement.
"That calligraphy scroll was written only because the Two Palaces and the Crown Prince did everything they could to retain him, moving the old man almost to tears."
Shen Shixing quickly offered an apology, lost in thought.
Yu Youding chimed in opportunely, "In ordinary times, we have no opportunity to attend the morning court audiences. Today, with the accession petition, won't we be able to observe from afar?"
He simply did not wish to pursue this subject any further.
Wang and Shen understood immediately, nodding in agreement one after another and letting the topic drop.
Amidst their conversation, they finished their breakfast before they knew it.
Together, the three set off toward the Imperial City.
Wang Xijue brought up another matter: "Yesterday I also heard that the Grand Secretariat is deliberating a new method for assessing officials. Is that true or false?"
At present, there were already evaluations for official performance: metropolitan officials underwent the Metropolitan Inspection once every six years, while regional officials underwent the Grand Assessment once every three years.
Yet more often than not, if a superior said you were good, you were deemed good even if you were bad; if he said you were bad, you were deemed bad even if you were good.
Lacking specific assessment criteria, it had gradually deteriorated into mere formality.
And what the Grand Secretariat was deliberating this time was precisely these specific assessment criteria.
Ever since the late emperor ascended the throne, calls for administrative reform had grown increasingly clamorous.
Time and again, memorials were submitted demanding the overhaul of bureaucratic administration.
Whether Grand Secretaries, court ministers, surveillance censors, or regional officials, all submitted memorials urging action on this matter.
Among them were Zhao Zhenji's *Memorial on the Three Crises, Nine Evils, and Three Trends*, Zhang Juzheng's *Memorial Presenting Six Affairs*, and even Wang Chonggu had memorialized on the subject.
Later, once Gao Gong took charge of the Ministry of Personnel, he pushed this movement to its peak.
In the past year alone, he had dealt with cases of false reporting of arrival dates to claim phantom salaries; impeached incompetent officials appointed by the Court of the Imperial Clan to Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, and Guangxi; cleaned up the corrupt greed and negligence across the three offices of the Court of the Imperial Stud, Court of the Imperial Pasturage, and the Salt Distribution Commissions; strictly commanded that officials on government missions return to the capital within statutory deadlines, going so far as to prosecute dozens of late returnees under the law; and enacted rules dictating that tenures for promotion could only be counted after actually assuming office, thereby prosecuting dozens more who submitted false reports.
With dozens of corruption cases great and small tackling chronic abuses, a tremendous storm had been stirred up across court and country.
Yet all along, these actions had taken the form of memorials from the Ministry of Personnel followed by imperial rescripts.
Likewise, there was no concrete standard, leaving "the hundred officials with no standard to rely upon."
The current court deliberation was aimed at instituting new, written statutory laws built upon the foundation of the Metropolitan Inspection and Grand Assessment to reform bureaucratic administration.
Specifically: what constituted qualified, what constituted unqualified, and what conduct warranted promotion.
This was the crux of the current new policies.
Shen Shixing, holding the highest rank among them, was the best informed. He nodded. "The Grand Secretariat floated the idea long ago. The court was deliberating it on the fourth, and they spent the entire day yesterday debating it as well."
Wang Xijue asked curiously, "Why is there still no outcome? Is there pushback?"
Yu Youding put in, "It would be strange if there were no pushback. In the past, even monks who didn't ring the bell got incense offerings. Now the abbot wants the monks to ring the bell and even inspect the incense money! The monks are saying that if that's how it's going to be, they might as well return to secular life."
Shen Shixing suddenly chimed in out of nowhere: "The monks clamoring is one thing, but the Buddha is also reluctant, and Ananda and Kasyapa are learning to chant the scriptures crooked."
Wang Xijue started, then immediately caught on: this meant the Two Palaces were also dragging their feet on making a stance, while the Directorate of Ceremonial, trying to divine imperial will, was stirring up trouble during the court deliberations.
He was a shrewd man as well, and after a moment's thought understood why the Two Palaces refused to take a stand—for no other reason than that it offended people.
The late emperor had only just passed away; if they alienated the civil and military officials right now, what if turmoil erupted?
If the monks banded together and made a massive fuss, the abbot could dust off his robes and retire, but what about the three Buddhas? The Future Buddha was only ten years old!
Having realized this, Wang Xijue found it stranger still.
If he could see this, there was no reason the Grand Secretariat would fail to see it.
Wang Xijue pondered aloud, "Why didn't the Grand Secretariat think things through more thoroughly before submitting it to the Two Palaces?"
During a transition between old and new, calm was preferable to upheaval; why didn't they wait a little longer?
Once the political situation stabilized, implementing the new laws would go much smoother.
Yu Youding sighed. "Who knows? Our official ranks haven't reached that level yet; we cannot see the layout at that height."
Wang Xijue shook his head and decided not to dwell on it. "Still, this is fine too. A day sooner the administration is reformed, the Ming dynasty gains another breath of relief."
Shen Shixing nodded along, saying nothing.
Inwardly, he let out a sigh, recalling once more what his mentor Lü Diaoyang had said to him yesterday.
Grand Secretary Zhang had conferred with the Senior Grand Secretary, saying that while evaluating the hundred officials through the Evaluation Law could rectify administrative discipline, it might harm imperial virtue and inevitably "concentrate power in the Grand Secretariat." Once the Crown Prince grew older, he might not consent to it.
With this, he persuaded the Senior Grand Secretary to push the measure through in the court deliberations.
Shen Shixing did not approve of acting with such drastic haste, and even felt the Evaluation Law was excessively harsh. One had to know that the human heart was like water; strict Legalist severity could not simply enforce obedience and prohibitions at will.
This matter clearly ought to be pursued slowly and steadily; only by taking step by single step could one cover a thousand li and let success flow naturally. Drastic action was like potent medicine—the backlash it invited was terrifying to contemplate.
And yet...
His mentor Lü Diaoyang had merely shaken his head and uttered a single line: only when there were those who acted drastically now would there be room for juniors like them to proceed slowly later.
Shen Shixing had pondered this until now, his feelings growing ever more tangled and complex.
"Rumo, hurry up! Don't be late for the accession petition," Yu Youding called out to him.
Shen Shixing gave an answering cry and quickened his pace to catch up.
Yet in his heart, he could not help but wonder: did the Crown Prince, Zhu Yijun—that junior of juniors—fall within the scope of what his mentor had spoken of?
Chapter 19