"Gao Gong! What a man, this Gao Gong—what a Senior Grand Secretary, what a Pillar of State!"
Noble Consort Li made no statement after hearing the young eunuch's report. She merely muttered Gao Gong's name twice, her face dark with displeasure, before pulling Zhu Yijun along as they continued toward Wenhua Hall.
The others naturally dared not speak up.
Aside from one additional eunuch carrying a lantern to light the way ahead, nothing seemed to have changed among the procession.
Yet anyone with eyes could see that Noble Consort Li was genuinely enraged.
Zhu Yijun glanced at her sour expression and sighed inwardly. His nominal mother truly was of palace maid origins; she was easily provoked, and her emotions were written all over her face.
With his experience, he could naturally see that Feng Bao was tripping up Gao Gong, the Senior Grand Secretary.
Perhaps Gao Gong had said something similar in spirit, but he would never be so arrogant as to act this brazenly.
Feng Bao had dared to pull this stunt precisely because he knew Noble Consort Li lacked political acumen, and because the separation between the inner court and the outer court made it impossible for her to question Gao Gong face-to-face.
Yet Zhu Yijun possessed knowledge of history and a wealth of political maneuvering experience; he saw through this game with total clarity.
Now that the late emperor had passed away and the heir was young, what was the primary political landscape?
Naturally, an imperial power vacuum, surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves!
Every single one of them was eager to tear off a piece of flesh!
Among them were figures like Feng Bao, the powerful eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who sought to isolate the inner court from the outer court and act as Noble Consort Li's proxy.
Then there were figures like Senior Grand Secretary Gao Gong, who sought to seize this opportunity to expand the Grand Secretariat's authority at the expense of imperial power, dreaming of an emperor who ruled by inaction while ministers governed, bringing the sovereign to emulate Yao and Shun.
In truth, the two men might have found ground for cooperation—were it not for the deep-seated enmity already between them.
In the past, Gao Gong had blocked Feng Bao's promotions twice!
Now, with this fresh spark added to the blaze, their struggle had become a battle to the death.
Feng Bao's tactic was to seal off the inner court from the outer court and drive a wedge between Gao Gong and Noble Consort Li, fabricating the so-called "Gao Gong threat."
It remained to be seen what moves Gao Gong had up his sleeve. For now, however, Feng Bao held the upper hand. After all, as an inner court official, as long as he firmly held on to his base of support in Noble Consort Li, he remained in an impregnable position.
Once Zhu Yijun successfully ascended the throne and Noble Consort Li became Empress Dowager Li, legitimately supervising the state, she could dismiss and banish Gao Gong with a single word.
However...
Zhu Yijun shook his head inwardly. This did not align with his own interests.
As the saying went: for three years after a father's death, a son does not alter his father's ways.
How many days had it been since the late emperor died? What kind of ruler would subject a three-reign elder statesman to such indignity the moment he took the throne?
After all, who was Gao Gong?
He was the late emperor's revered mentor, an elder statesman spanning three reigns, and the current Senior Grand Secretary. He had presided over the Longqing New Policies and pacified the northern borders by securing the peace pact and conferment of titles upon Altan Khan, winning immense prestige.
In fact, the late emperor had paid little heed to government affairs, entrusting most matters to Gao Gong. Whenever the late emperor felt wronged, he would run to Gao Gong and weep, crying, "Someone is bullying me!"
Before breathing his last, the emperor had taken Gao Gong by the hand and told him, "I burden you, Master, with the realm."
Short of calling him his adoptive father, the late emperor could hardly have trusted and relied on him more.
Dismissing such a monumental figure might only take a word, but doing so would consume the new emperor's political credit!
Every exercise of power carried a hidden price tag, and Zhu Yijun had no intention of footing the bill for Feng Bao's ambitions.
Following closely behind Noble Consort Li, Zhu Yijun pondered whether he should pull Gao Gong back from the brink—or at least ensure he could retire with honor.
He also felt a twinge of regret. Unlike someone like Feng Bao, who usurped imperial authority purely for power and pleasure, Gao Gong seized power because he genuinely wanted to revitalize the Great Ming dynasty. The unfortunate part was that his political tact was lacking.
If Gao Gong truly possessed both visionary ideas and adept maneuvering, Zhu Yijun would not have minded entrusting governance to him. After all, a ten-year-old emperor whose wings had not yet grown needed a political champion in any case.
Then again, there was someone in the current Grand Secretariat who possessed both ideals and capability, someone Zhu Yijun had long admired from afar...
He just wondered what role that person was playing in this particular game.
Before the curtain had even risen on the grand stage, every actor was already striving to make their presence felt.
Zhu Yijun glanced at the solar eclipse as it gradually receded.
The rising sun was ascending in the east, yet because the eclipse had not fully passed, a shroud of gloom lingered, making the sky appear even darker and more oppressive.
He could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose. A storm was truly brewing.
...
Inside Wenhua Hall.
"Senior Grand Secretary, we must not cast aside the proper decorum of a subject."
Gao Yi, having already passed his fiftieth year, let out a soft sigh and spoke earnestly to Gao Gong.
Though both shared the surname Gao, they were not of the same clan.
However, both Gao Yi's reinstatement to office and his elevation to the Grand Secretariat had been recommended by Gao Gong, making their relationship far from ordinary. Only he could voice such an admonition.
There was genuine goodwill between them, of course, but once inside the Grand Secretariat, the patron-client dynamic was tacitly downplayed.
Presently, the Grand Secretariat consisted of only three men: the two Gaos and Zhang Juzheng.
With the late emperor newly deceased and power transitioning to the successor, this was precisely the moment to prioritize the greater good. Yet this Senior Grand Secretary's temperament was truly difficult to endure.
Not only was he obstinate and willful, but he was also terribly blunt. He had repeatedly spoken words that diminished the young heir's dignity. Just days ago in the Grand Secretariat, he had lamented the political situation, saying, "How can a ten-year-old child govern the realm?" Gao Yi had had no choice but to pretend not to hear it.
And today, before the assembled court ministers, Gao Gong had acted with arbitrary arrogance, intent on manipulating the Eastern Palace.
This had forced Gao Yi to step forward and intercept the official Gao Gong had dispatched to the Eastern Palace to demand a decree.
Otherwise, setting aside the impropriety of it all, if word reached the two empresses in their palaces, it would inevitably breed mutual suspicion between the inner court and the Grand Secretariat, shaking the very foundation of the state.
Facing Gao Yi's admonition, Gao Gong clearly did not take it to heart. His expression was stern, and his tone was decidedly overbearing. "Zixiang, how can a subject of the realm cherish his personal reputation to such an extent?"
Zixiang was Gao Yi's courtesy name. The moment Gao Gong spoke, he spared no feelings.
He continued, "At present, nothing is more pressing than the continuity of the imperial line. Having received the late emperor's trust to care for the young heir and assist the state, I must naturally shoulder these burdens boldly."
"This concerns the petition urging his accession to the throne! If the heir does not come, how can I stand by like you, idling and waiting as if nothing were amiss?"
"My mind is made up. If the Crown Prince does not arrive shortly, we shall deliver the accession petition directly to the Eastern Palace and request a verbal decree in reply, concluding today's business!"
"I urge you, Zixiang, to recognize what is urgent and what can wait, and not delay the great affairs of state."
The implication was unmistakably clear: Gao Yi's interference would only stall the new emperor's accession and harm the greater good.
Gao Yi shook his head helplessly.
Was he simply cherishing his own reputation? He was terrified that Gao Gong's arbitrary overreach and manipulation of the young heir would sow deep disaster!
Who had ever heard of a minister taking total charge of an accession petition on the prince's behalf!?
If the Crown Prince was too young to understand propriety, was Gao Gong equally thoughtless? If the prince failed to appear, could he not report the matter faithfully to the two imperial consorts?
Once a subject made decisions he had no right to make, no matter how trivial or grand the matter, accusations of treasonous intent would follow, bringing unpredictable ruin.
Knowing the Senior Grand Secretary's stubborn nature all too well, Gao Yi realized further argument was futile.
With that thought, he turned a pleading gaze toward the final member of the Grand Secretariat trio: Zhang Juzheng.
Sensing Gao Yi's gaze, Zhang Juzheng gave a calm, composed nod. "The late emperor instructed the Senior Grand Secretary and me to oversee the Crown Prince's studies and foster his understanding of righteousness. Now that the Crown Prince has confined himself to the Eastern Palace and alienated the civil and military officials, the Grand Secretariat cannot shirk its duty."
"The accession is of paramount importance. Since the Ministry of Rites has already drawn up the protocol, there can be no delay, nor can the Grand Secretariat sit idly by with folded hands. I naturally concur with the Senior Grand Secretary's decision."
"As for what follows, I have already restructured the curriculum and begun selecting Lecturers to instruct the Crown Prince in the classics and rectify his conduct."
Zhang Juzheng's words carried even greater weight, instantly furrowing Gao Yi's brow into deep lines.
His words not only confirmed that the Crown Prince had breached propriety, but also used the Grand Secretariat's duty of supervising his studies as a pretext to discipline the young heir.
What was Zhang Juzheng trying to do!?
Recalling that both Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng were staunch reformists advocating new policies, an unsettling thought struck him.
Could it be... that the two of them had already reached a consensus to deliberately elevate the Grand Secretariat, intending to make the new emperor rule by non-interference while the Grand Secretariat governed with absolute authority to push through reforms!?
Yet his own patron had not breathed a single word of this to him!
Gao Yi looked back and forth between Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng in disbelief, as if trying to read every nuance of their expressions.
Seeing their placid, inscrutable faces, the thought of retirement began to stir in his heart.
If things truly were as he suspected...
Gao Yi could not suppress a shudder. If this went wrong, their corpses would be exhumed and desecrated after death!
Seeing his reaction, Gao Gong broke the silence at an opportune moment. "Very well, Zixiang, I have my own considerations in this matter. You need not concern yourself."
With that, he turned to look at Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng met his gaze, and their eyes locked for a fleeting second before parting.
Gao Gong marveled inwardly. He had never shared his thoughts with Zhang Juzheng, yet Zhang had pieced together the clues from subtle signs and immediately aligned with him. Zhang understood him far better than Gao Yi ever did, truly living up to their years of steadfast friendship.
As the three Grand Secretariat titans conversed among themselves, no one else dared to approach.
Just then, an official standing near the entrance happened to look outside and caught sight of movement.
He immediately offered a quiet apology, hurried to Gao Gong's side, and whispered something into his ear.
Gao Gong's expression shifted, and he casually waved the official away.
Then, clapping his hands with a hearty laugh, Gao Gong turned to Gao Yi and Zhang Juzheng. "Zixiang, Shuda, Noble Consort Li has finally 'invited' the Crown Prince out."
"It truly was no easy feat."
The moment the words left his mouth, he stepped forward to greet them.
Gao Yi had already guessed as much when he saw the whispered report, and hearing this confirmed, his heart immediately relaxed.
As for the insolence in Gao Gong's words, he simply pretended not to hear it.
His tone grew lighter, and he casually probed Zhang Juzheng, who remained beside him. "The young heir shoulders an immense and arduous burden at such a tender age. Gentlemen, your burden is heavy, and the road ahead is long."
Zhang Juzheng lifted his eyes slightly to glance at Gao Yi, offering a slight nod without a word. He then rose and followed Gao Gong out to receive the prince.
Watching Zhang Juzheng's retreating figure, Gao Yi sighed inwardly. Zhang Juzheng had been renowned as a prodigy since childhood and was vastly read and knowledgeable; he certainly recognized the classical allusion and understood the probe and admonition behind the words. Yet he remained entirely unmoved, clearly having resolved to make his mark.
Alas, these two men.
Why couldn't they be content with being paper-pasters, patching up the cracks of state until they could retire in peace?
They could have followed the path of former Senior Grand Secretary Xu Jie, who retired to enjoy fine wine, beautiful women, and hundreds of thousands of mu of fertile land.
Or like Grand Secretary Li Chunfang, who devoted himself to scholarly pursuits after leaving office.
Or even returned home to care for their aging parents.
Did the Great Ming dynasty truly have to be saved? What dynasty under heaven had ever lasted for ten thousand generations unchanged?
Was the Great Ming dynasty worth dying for? Was the tragic end of Junior Guardian Yu Qian not chilling enough?
Lamentably, these thoughts could only remain confined to his own heart. Having served in the Grand Secretariat for less than half a year, he lacked sufficient seniority; all matters were decided by Gao and Zhang, and he had no power to sway their wills.
So be it, then. If Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng were bent on taking action, let them do as they pleased. After two centuries, the dynasty was already showing signs of decline; perhaps it was only natural for men of lofty ideals to step forward.
As for Gao Yi himself? He had served as an official for decades and submitted more than a dozen petitions to resign; his heart had long grown cold. Maintaining his integrity by refusing to drift with the corrupt tide or form factional cliques was already the limit of his personal conduct. He would never embroil himself in this dangerous game.
Having sorted through these thoughts, he suddenly understood why Gao Gong had made that remark about how a ten-year-old child could govern the realm.
If Gao Gong truly intended to pursue radical reforms and extend the dynasty's mandate, he could hardly rely on a ten-year-old child raised in the inner palace by women for such drastic undertakings.
Not to mention that with this young heir's natural talents and temperament, it was already a blessing if he did not become a stumbling block!
Perhaps only if the emperor ruled by non-interference while the Grand Secretariat governed could there be a sliver of hope.
This new emperor...
Would likely have to make sacrifices "for the greater good."
Lost in these wandering thoughts, Gao Yi rose a moment later than the others and walked out to welcome the prince.
...
Just as Gao Yi stepped outside the hall, he was startled to see Noble Consort Li's retinue turning away in the distance.
She was leaving without even greeting the assembled ministers?
Murmurs of doubt rose in his heart. It seemed the young heir had truly infuriated Noble Consort Li.
He had witnessed Noble Consort Li fuming with rage at Zhu Yijun before, so he knew what she was like. With the Crown Prince cowering in the Eastern Palace and refusing to receive the accession petition once again, Noble Consort Li had likely lost her temper.
Perhaps Noble Consort Li felt it improper to humiliate the young heir in public at such a time, which was why she had turned and departed directly.
As for this young heir, he was truly difficult to praise. Cowering in the Eastern Palace was bad enough; he only hoped the boy would not take after his grandfather and refuse to attend court for twenty years.
Harboring these private misgivings, Gao Yi shifted his gaze toward the young heir.
Zhu Yijun, the heir to the Great Ming throne, walked forward at an unhurried pace, followed closely by the newly appointed seal-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Feng Bao.
When the Crown Prince inaugurated his palace lectures, Gao Yi had served as one of Zhu Yijun's attendant officials, so he had seen the young heir quite frequently.
In his memory, to put it kindly, the prince possessed an innocent and unrestrained nature; to put it bluntly, he was unruly, impetuous, and below average in intelligence.
Today, however, struck him as entirely different.
Setting aside everything else, that singular bearing alone drew an involuntary murmur of admiration from his heart.
Zhu Yijun was clad in mourning attire. Though his frame was slight, his spine was held straight, and his steps were measured and calm. His expression bore an air of weariness and grief, yet remained solemn and dignified. When he swept his gaze across the assembled ministers, he carried an air of understated modesty, yet his eyes shone with sharp clarity. As he exchanged formal greetings with the officials, his conduct was flawless in every detail.
"This is Our first time presiding over Wenhua Hall. In all matters, We shall rely upon Our trusted ministers."
---
Note 1: His Majesty resentfully said to his minister, "Our ancestors' realm has stood for two hundred years to this day. Having an adult sovereign is the fortune of the state; alas, how can the Eastern Palace be so young?" He repeated this several times, stamping his foot and clasping the minister's hand with each remark. The minister replied, "Your Majesty possesses boundless longevity, why speak such words?" His Majesty said, "Someone is bullying me." — *Last Words from the Sickbed* (*Bingta Yiyan*).
Note 2: When the Eastern Palace inaugurated the lectures, Junior Protector of the Crown Prince, Minister of Rites, and Hanlin Academician Gao Yi; Left Vice Minister of Personnel and Hanlin Academician Zhang Siwei; Librarian of the Secretariat of the Heir Apparent and Senior Compiler Yu Youding; and Right Companion of the Spring Post and Hanlin Compiler Chen Dong served as Attendant Officials. Junior Supervisor of the Household Administration and Hanlin Reader Academician Ma Ziqiang and Tao Dalin; Hanlin Compilers Chen Jingbang and He Luowen; and Hanlin Correctors Shen Li and Zhang Zhi served as Lectors. Hanlin Correctors Shen Yuan and Xu Guo served as Collators handling matters in the Decree Office. Left Assistant Judges of the Court of Judicial Review Ma Jiwen and Xu Jishen served as Secretarial Attendants. Prior to this, Grand Secretary Gao Gong and others requested the selection of instructional officials for the Eastern Palace in conjunction with the Ministry of Personnel. An imperial decree instructed that they be chosen with great care rather than merely filling quotas. Gao Gong and the others submitted the list of names, to which the Emperor assented, instructing Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng to oversee the instruction of the officials. — *Veritable Records of Ming Muzong*, Volume 5.
Chapter 3