Lü Diaoyang stood frozen in place, temporarily at a loss for words.
He could not tell whether the emperor had simply experienced a flash of inspiration or was deliberately testing him.
Seeing the sovereign look his way, he had no choice but to demur: "Censors submit memorials based on hearsay. This subject is not a surveillance official and has not taken part in a detailed discussion at a regular court audience, so I dare not offer undue criticism."
He had little alternative; he was planning to impeach Gao Gong later anyway.
Now that the emperor was asking, no stance he took would be appropriate.
Yet Zhu Yijun insisted on making him speak.
"What need is there for a detailed discussion?" the boy insisted. "We are merely asking for Your Lordship's view. Did you not just say to Us that this violates ancestral precedent?"
Cornered and unable to dodge the question, Lü Diaoyang resorted to equivocation: "The censors' impeachment did not arise without cause. The dual offices held by Director Feng truly go against ancestral precedent. However... with Meng Chong's sudden death, this matter was an expedient measure, which is not entirely impermissible. Ultimately, it still depends on the will of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager."
Zhu Yijun chuckled and shook his head—a classic display of polite warmth with no real opinion.
Quietly casting out bait, he asked, "Then what of what Your Lordship mentioned earlier regarding the Senior Grand Secretary concurrently holding the Ministry of Personnel? How do you view that?"
Lü Diaoyang gave a start.
He had only mentioned it in passing just now, yet the emperor had actually taken it to heart.
Still, he was not reckless enough to slander someone behind his back.
Uncertain of the emperor's attitude, he could only test the waters gingerly.
Glancing at the young sovereign from time to time, he said cautiously, "The Senior Grand Secretary is a man of high virtue and prestige, the hope of all..."
Zhu Yijun cut him off: "Lord Lü, young though We may be, We know the way of ruler and subject. How could you bear to answer Us with hollow words?"
Alas, just because this tactic worked on Gao Yi did not mean all court officials were susceptible to it.
Having risen as a capable bureaucrat, Lü Diaoyang possessed far higher defenses against such appeals.
Gathering his thoughts, he weighed his words carefully: "Your Majesty, it is not that this subject is answering with hollow words. The Senior Grand Secretary is different from Feng Bao. His appointment as Minister of Personnel was required by the court situation at the time, personally designated by the late emperor as an expedient measure. Afterward, the Senior Grand Secretary repeatedly submitted memorials begging to be relieved of the duty of selecting officials. But because there was no suitable replacement, the late emperor consistently refused to grant permission. It was by no means because the Senior Grand Secretary was clinging to power."
On the surface, his words seemed entirely defensive of Gao Gong, but they subtly hinted that it was indeed an expedient measure born of necessity. If the new emperor felt there was a suitable candidate to take over, ancestral precedent could certainly serve as justification.
This was his way of probing.
Zhu Yijun understood the implication, yet he chose to beat around the bush: "So that is how it was... Then why did Your Lordship mention earlier that the Senior Grand Secretary was once impeached? What was the reason?"
If Gao Gong had no intention of clinging to power, why would he attract impeachment?
Unhurriedly, Lü Diaoyang explained, "Your Majesty, it was merely the wild talk of Cao Daye, Supervising Secretary of the Office of Scrutiny for Revenue!"
Zhu Yijun signaled with his eyes for him to elaborate.
Reflecting a moment, Lü Diaoyang said, "In the third month of this year, on the jiyou day, Cao Daye impeached the Senior Grand Secretary on ten major crimes, claiming he formed factions for personal gain, committed graft and malfeasance, obstructed avenues of speech, and practiced nepotism. Among them, he stated that the Senior Grand Secretary 'promoted, demoted, dismissed, or retained officials purely at his own whim,' aiming to strip him of his post at the Ministry of Personnel."
Curious, Zhu Yijun asked, "Was it truly wild talk?"
Lü Diaoyang secretly glanced at the emperor.
His selective mention of those particular charges from the ten counts was naturally intentional.
At present, the surveillance officials were all gathered under Gao Gong's wing, and his former associates and disciples occupied vital posts. Coincidentally, Feng Bao was just now accusing Gao Gong of forming factions.
If the emperor matched those past accusations to the present situation, he was bound to grow suspicious of Gao Gong. If he already held any ill will toward Gao Gong, it would show on his face.
Only then could Lü Diaoyang decide whether to influence the emperor further.
To his disappointment, not a trace of suspicion or distaste appeared on the emperor's face.
Most likely, the new emperor had a favorable impression of Gao Gong.
That made it even harder to target the man openly.
Lü Diaoyang nodded with utmost certainty: "It was the late emperor himself who endorsed the imperial verdict that it was wild talk, stating that it was full of untruths! For instance, he claimed the Senior Grand Secretary embezzled no less than several hundred thousand taels of gold, yet when asked where the silver had gone, he could only claim it was stolen by bandits. He also claimed the officials of Surveillance and Scrutiny were all the Senior Grand Secretary's confidants. When the late emperor asked him, 'Are you not an official of Surveillance and Scrutiny yourself?', he sputtered and could not utter a word. As for claims that the Senior Grand Secretary cultivated henchmen and promoted partisans, including disciples like Song Zhihan and Han Ji, the late emperor plainly declared that he was slinging wild accusations. He even claimed Zhang Siwei obtained the post of palace attendant official by bribing the Senior Grand Secretary to squeeze out Wang Xijue, but the late emperor stated personally that Zhang Siwei was scholarly and capable, and the appointment was made at his own behest. All these things show it was nothing but wild talk."
Zhu Yijun listened nonchalantly.
He could see through Lü Diaoyang's deliberate attempt to sow discord.
After all, men like Song Zhihan and Han Ji were currently being accused of factionalism. An ordinary person would inevitably feel some suspicion.
As for the truth of those past impeachments, the nonsense about hundreds of thousands of taels of gold was not even worth listening to.
However, regarding the claim that the officials of Surveillance and Scrutiny were all confidants... that was glaringly obvious now.
And as for Zhang Siwei, he knew full well that Wang Xijue had been exiled to Southern Zhili precisely because he refused to yield his seat to Zhang Siwei.
Yet now was not the time to parse those matters.
He knew what Lü Diaoyang wanted.
Lü Diaoyang likely wished to muddy the waters in order to shield Feng Bao.
Zhu Yijun, however, had no intention of allowing that outcome.
Sighing with emotion, he said, "We originally thought that because Our Companion is a eunuch, he faced hostility from the surveillance officials, leading to this impeachment. Little did We imagine that even the Senior Grand Secretary suffered such an injustice. Suddenly, We understand what Grand Secretary Zhang meant the other day."
Lü Diaoyang looked at the emperor in confusion: "Grand Secretary Zhang?"
Inwardly, he sighed.
What in the world had Zhang Juzheng discussed with the emperor without giving him a heads-up?
Being kept in the dark left him thoroughly disadvantaged.
While eavesdropping on the sovereign's words violated the proper conduct of a minister, bending the rules for the sake of the greater cause was only practical.
How could Zhang Juzheng not have breathed a word to him?
For some reason, he recalled the sixth day of the sixth month, when they were urging the prince to take the throne. He had advised Gao Yi not to make the sacrificial text too obscure so the emperor would not fail to understand it, only for Zhang and Gao to shake their heads and chuckle. At the time, he had not understood. Now, hearing that the emperor's progress in his daily lectures advanced by leaps and bounds, looking back, he realized—whether one sat in the Grand Secretariat truly made a world of difference in understanding the sovereign.
It was an unbridgeable chasm.
Not keeping him in suspense, Zhu Yijun continued to spin his fiction, duping Lü Diaoyang: "At that time, Grand Secretary Zhang discussed the Evaluation Law with Us. Touching upon the alignment of authority and responsibility, he said that if a ruler cannot make his ministers' powers match their duties, at best corruption will run rampant, and at worst the court will fall into chaos. The Grand Secretary said that had Feng Bao not been indispensable, having one man concurrently serve as Director of Ceremonial and head of the Eastern Depot would carry immense hidden perils. We did not understand then, but after hearing Your Lordship's words, We finally comprehend the reasoning. That both the Senior Grand Secretary and Our Companion have faced such attacks is Our own failing."
Lü Diaoyang's breathing slowed, terrified that the emperor might probe into why Feng Bao was considered indispensable.
Fortunately, the emperor was young and not yet deeply suspicious.
This allowed him to breathe a long sigh of relief.
Lü Diaoyang was now convinced that Zhang Juzheng and the emperor shared common ground.
Or rather, the emperor's stance toward the new reforms was already very clear.
Zhang Juzheng's words held sound logic; had Feng Bao not been needed, Lü Diaoyang would never have stood by while he concurrently held the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Eastern Depot.
Yet, the man was simply indispensable.
To support the new laws, the New Faction had to wield paramount power.
For that, they could not do without the backing of Empress Dowager Li and the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Zhu Yijun turned sideways, looking at Lü Diaoyang: "Lord Lü, having heard your counsel just now, We also believe that Companion Feng should be stripped of his post as head of the Eastern Depot!"
Lü Diaoyang's heart gave a violent leap!
Disaster!
Though the young emperor did not yet manage court affairs, if these words were spread, Feng Bao might not even keep the Directorate of Ceremonial, let alone the Eastern Depot!
Lü Diaoyang now wished he could sprint back to the court deliberation, hurl his memorial impeaching Gao Gong into the open, and tie both Gao Gong and Feng Bao to the same rope of court stability!
He could not wait until Grand Secretary Zhang returned from surveying the imperial mausoleum only to find Gao Gong still firmly in the seat of Senior Grand Secretary while Feng Bao had been chased away!
He hastened to urge, "Your Majesty, please be prudent! For key posts within and without, it would be best to consult the regent's will."
He stopped just short of saying, *You are young, do not act recklessly.*
That was precisely the reaction Zhu Yijun wanted.
Still wearing an appearance of listening readily, he said, "Lord Lü worries too much. Having ascended the throne at an early age, We do not understand governance and will naturally obey Our mother. But the reasons in the officials' memorials are sound, and We expect Our mother will likely adopt the seasoned counsel of Our ministers. We will merely persuade Mother to make an early decision to prevent turmoil in the court."
Lü Diaoyang drew a deep breath to keep from fainting.
He had planned to fish Feng Bao out during tomorrow's court deliberation.
The emperor's move was clearly aimed at forcing Empress Dowager Li to decide today.
Without the New Faction's intervention, Empress Dowager Li might very well buckle under the pressure and compromise.
Lü Diaoyang planted his feet, refusing to walk further: "Since Your Majesty already understands, you may simply explain it to the Empress Dowager yourself. This humble subject need not go."
He had to return to the court deliberation! He had to impeach Gao Gong immediately! Otherwise, it would be too late!
Only by muddying the waters could he preserve Feng Bao's position at the Eastern Depot.
If Feng Bao truly lost his post... Lü Diaoyang felt a pang of bitterness at the thought of Feng Bao venting his fury on him.
Yet just as he was about to move his feet, Zhu Yijun grabbed his wrist.
Today, by no means would he let Lü Diaoyang slip away.
Beaming, the emperor said, "Lord Lü need not stand on ceremony with Us. We still have matters to consult you on. Let us walk and talk."
Holding Lü Diaoyang's wrist, he added, "Not only Feng Bao, but the Senior Grand Secretary's concurrent post at the Ministry of Personnel should also be stripped away! Since Your Lordship has offered this counsel, why not do Us the favor of providing a stepping stone?"
Lü Diaoyang froze. His forward stride was pulled back, and his mind was hooked right along with it.
Unable to conceal his astonishment, he asked, "Your Majesty wants me to impeach the Senior Grand Secretary?!"
Did this not... play right into his hands?!
The young emperor was ignorant of court politics and naively thought he could strip the offices of both the inner and outer chancellors at once—it was truly laughable.
If ancestral precedent threatened the positions of both the inner and outer ministers simultaneously, then it was ancestral precedent that had the problem.
Instead, it would only allow both of them to land safely.
Zhu Yijun looked at Lü Diaoyang with complete sincerity: "Lord Lü, it is not that We dislike the Senior Grand Secretary or Our Companion; rather, it is for their own good. Failing to balance their authority with their responsibilities and forcing them to shoulder such burdens was Our failing. Merely because Our late father and Our mother employed them, they had to take on dual offices, only to suffer such groundless slander. How could Our heart bear it? Now that upright men fill the court, we should follow ancestral precedent, maintaining clear divisions and distinct duties to preserve their untarnished reputations. Companion Feng is a eunuch, so it is somewhat manageable. But the Senior Grand Secretary was Our late father's teacher, a man of high virtue and prestige who has exhausted himself for many years. He is approaching the age of retirement, and his reputation in history must be taken into account."
Step by step, he lured Lü Diaoyang into the trap.
The New Faction had intended to stab Gao Gong in the back with an impeachment anyway; they needed no persuasion from him.
The crucial point was whether Lü Diaoyang would establish an understanding with the emperor during this impeachment.
If he was willing, then the emperor could have him help strip Feng Bao of his post first, and then delay the impeachment of Gao Gong—would he dare disobey?
If he was unwilling... having discussed it with him, if Lü Diaoyang turned around and spoke out of turn before the Empress Dowager, the emperor would cry out about treacherous ministers right in Qianqing Palace.
In short, he was muzzling the man: either keep quiet, or say whatever the emperor told him to say.
Lü Diaoyang knew nothing of the emperor's hidden scheme.
He merely recalled why Zhang Juzheng had told him days ago that a smooth transition was best and that he should avoid being too aggressive—word from the palace was that Empress Dowager Li intended to let Gao Gong retire with dignity.
All along, Feng Bao's messages had claimed that Empress Dowager Li despised Gao Gong and would oust him the moment she became regent.
Yet a few days ago, she had acted completely out of character, leaving Lü Diaoyang baffled and attributing it to a woman's fickle nature.
Now, he finally had his answer.
The new emperor was so grateful for Gao Gong's service, and since mother and son were of one heart, it was only natural that Noble Consort Li did not want an ugly scene that would foster resentment in her son.
Connecting this, he could also be sure that the emperor truly wished to remove Gao Gong from the Ministry of Personnel for his own good.
Still...
His reputation in history...
That a sovereign would consider his minister to such an extent moved Lü Diaoyang deeply.
Zhang Cong and Emperor Shizong had been considered the picture of harmonious ruler and subject.
When Zhang Cong fell ill, Shizong personally prepared medicine for him. After his retirement, Shizong dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard multiple times to look after him, seeing to his comfort to prevent reprisals, and issued several edicts summoning him back to the capital to restore his prestige.
Even so, Zhang Cong had taken his fair share of the blame for Shizong.
Shizong had never spared a thought for the man's historical reputation.
Could this new emperor truly be benevolent to such an extent?
Gao Gong was merely benefiting from the late emperor's lingering favor, yet he received such generous treatment.
He hardly dared imagine what glory awaited Gao Yi in the future.
To say he did not envy them would be a lie; Lü Diaoyang genuinely felt a pang of jealousy.
Nevertheless, with things explained so clearly, he finally understood the emperor's stance and intentions.
He was also certain that the emperor's request for him to impeach Gao Gong was neither a child's game nor a crafty probe.
When Lü Diaoyang replied, his tone carried genuine deference: "Your Majesty's benevolence and holy virtue are the great blessing of your subjects. How could this humble servant dare refuse Your Majesty's goodwill? Shortly, before the Empress Dowager, this subject shall impeach the Senior Grand Secretary, fulfilling this bond of ruler and subject on Your Majesty's behalf!"
He would naturally go with the flow.
He had intended to do this anyway, and now he could act under the young emperor's banner.
Although impeaching someone while bypassing the Grand Secretariat was somewhat irregular, the target was the Senior Grand Secretary, so doing so to avoid a conflict of interest was justifiable.
Seeing that Lü Diaoyang was finally trapped, Zhu Yijun breathed a long sigh of relief.
A broad grin spread across his face: "Lord Lü, do not be in a rush!"
Now, this matter was no longer an internal understanding within the New Faction; it was an understanding between him and the emperor.
The timing, naturally, would be decided by the emperor as well!
Refusing outright versus agreeing and then reneging carried completely different psychological weights.
Seeing Lü Diaoyang's puzzled look, Zhu Yijun explained considerately, "How could we impeach both the inner chancellor and the outer chancellor at the same time? That would easily bring unrest to the realm. Naturally, we must wait until Companion Feng has been stripped of his office. Your Lordship needs only to accompany Us to see Mother and explain the dynastic precedents. As for impeaching the Senior Grand Secretary, that will be done once Companion Feng's matter is settled."
Lü Diaoyang's eyelid twitched.
He began to realize something was amiss, wondering if he had been led into a trap.
A hint of panic surfaced on his face: "Your Majesty, I..."
Zhu Yijun's face suddenly turned cold.
Raising a hand, he cut Lü Diaoyang off: "Lord Lü, We know you are the Minister of Rites, bearing ritual in your heart and practicing unity of knowledge and action. We have already accepted your counsel and intend to strip Companion Feng and the Senior Grand Secretary of their redundant offices. Must Your Lordship be so impatient, risking turmoil in the court?"
Lü Diaoyang froze mid-bow.
What did he mean, *accepted your counsel*?!
Now, not only had he been cornered, but the blame was being pinned squarely on his head.
Worse still, he had just agreed to the emperor's face.
Could he turn around and break his word, leaving the young emperor with the impression that he was deceiving the sovereign?
That would be one thing—at worst, he could accept the punishment.
The real problem was...
The emperor seemed to highly favor the new reforms and shared an unspoken rapport with Zhang Juzheng.
If he ruined this and caused the emperor to resent the new reforms, what then? An emperor opposed to the new laws?
Yet he did not dare stand idly by and watch Feng Bao be stripped of his post.
It was not a question of whether it was a fair trade.
Trading Feng Bao's Eastern Depot for Gao Gong's Ministry of Personnel could hardly be called a loss.
The issue was that this was being generous at Feng Bao's expense!
How would Feng Bao view it? Would he vent his anger on Lü Diaoyang, or even on the new policies?
He had no fondness for eunuchs and even thought the emperor's reasoning made sense.
In ordinary times, he would have agreed. But right now... the big picture took precedence.
Feng Bao was a minor matter, but the new laws concerned the grand design of the realm, and he feared the reforms would be derailed!
Now, he was truly riding a tiger, caught between both sides!
Reading him like an open book, Zhu Yijun saw Lü Diaoyang's reservations clearly.
He pressed further, easing Lü Diaoyang's burden.
Casually, he said, "We know the Senior Grand Secretary possesses high virtue and prestige. Even if it is for his own good, having Your Lordship impeach him must weigh heavily on your heart. However... We will never forget what Lord Lü has done. Whatever requests Your Lordship may have in the future, We will treat you just as We support Grand Secretary Zhang and the Evaluation Law."
Forget Feng Bao; look at Us.
Approved by Zhang Juzheng, supportive of the new laws, benevolent and virtuous.
Besides, at most Feng Bao might hold a grudge against you for failing to help, and even that was merely a possibility.
Who was to say Feng Bao, knowing he had the Empress Dowager's backing and held the Eastern Depot firmly, would even care?
But if you refused to comply and insisted on muddying the waters, how would We, who just opened Our heart to you, view it? How could We support the new laws in the future?
Furthermore, did weakening both Gao Gong and Feng Bao not align with the New Faction's interests?
The phrase *will never forget what Lord Lü has done* grated on Lü Diaoyang's ears.
He had already been hesitating, and now he was caught in deeper indecision.
He was forced to weigh Feng Bao against the emperor's attitude.
Pondering carefully, he suddenly realized that it might not be unworkable after all.
The weight of the emperor's support went without saying...
As for Feng Bao, Lü Diaoyang had not kicked him while he was down; anyone with eyes could see it was Gao Gong's men who had launched the impeachment.
Though he had failed to step in promptly, it could be explained away as an unexpected development, and Feng Bao might not necessarily blame him.
Besides, he could always make amends later to placate Feng Bao.
More importantly, if he ignored their agreement and stirred up trouble, he would undoubtedly incur the emperor's displeasure... and the emperor was not letting him leave anyway!
Thinking this through, Lü Diaoyang finally realized he was trapped on the tiger's back and had already missed his chance to aid Feng Bao.
Listlessly, he nodded: "Your Majesty has commanded, and how could this subject dare disobey? This is done for the Senior Grand Secretary's posthumous name, so how could it trouble me?"
Only then did Zhu Yijun relax. He had finally subdued Lü Diaoyang and no longer had to worry about him uttering reckless words before Empress Dowager Li.
Had Lü Diaoyang played tai chi with him and insisted on backing Feng Bao, Zhu Yijun would have had to let Zhu Xixiao accompany him alone.
Fortunately, having thought it through himself, everyone's face was saved.
He quickly took Lü Diaoyang's arm with warm enthusiasm.
"Lord Lü is truly a pillar of the state! In governing the country hereafter, We shall rely on you," he said earnestly. "Not just for the Senior Grand Secretary—if we can truly bring prosperity to the Great Ming once more, We may very well revive Lingyan Pavilion to secure the posthumous glory of all Our ministers!"
Walking ahead, Zhu Yijun held Lü Diaoyang's arm, almost pulling him along.
Yet the moment those words were uttered, he clearly felt the veteran minister behind him quicken his pace.
Lü Diaoyang even took Zhu Yijun's hand in return, giving his arm a firm, tight squeeze.
*Tsk. People always find themselves swept along by circumstances.*
Chapter 34