Chapter 65: An Endless Barrage of Offensives

When Qi Jiguang repelled Dong Huli at Jifeng Pass and captured Buha Chu alive, and when Datong Grand Commander Ma Fang suffered the breach of his defense at Huyuyu Pass, allowing the northern barbarians to plunder at will before retreating, Zhang Juzheng originally intended only to dispatch Li Le—an investigating censor not affiliated with the Shanxi Faction—to inspect the scene. In Zhang Juzheng's view, extending the power of imperial supervision from the court outward to Xuanfu and Datong was, in itself, a victory.

However, Zhang Siwei had to be overly clever and meddlesome. He tried every means to corrupt Li Le, employing both coercion and inducement to force Li Le into submission, demanding that he bend the knee to serve as an official.

This directly touched Zhang Juzheng's taboo. Vindictive to a fault, Zhang Juzheng watched as Li Le played the trick of serving Cao Cao while his heart remained with the Han, thoroughly making a fool of Zhang Siwei. Thus, the stage was set for Zhang Juzheng's counterattack.

"Zhang Chucheng, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War, has impeached the Viceroy and Minister Wang Chonggu, stating that the imperial patent of appointment should not have been written in gold characters, and has memorialized requesting its revocation and destruction," Zhang Juzheng announced the first matter. The patent granted to Wang Chonggu's daughter used gold lettering, which violated established protocol.

Gold seals were exclusively reserved for princes of the blood, while gold-lettered patents were strictly for princesses consort. Since Wang Chonggu held no noble title of his own, the use of gold lettering constituted an act of overreach.

Your surname is Wang, but you are no prince—how dare you use a gold-lettered patent?!

Upon hearing this, Wang Chonggu's expression shifted drastically. He cast a look of appeal toward Yang Bo, hoping Yang Bo would step in and quell the impeachment.

Wang Chonggu's daughter was married to Yang Bo's son, Yang Junqing. Yang Junqing had been the top military graduate in the fourth year of the Longqing reign, serving in the Northern Tranquilization Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard under the Commander of the Embroidered Uniforms, Zhu Xizhong, as an investigating magistrate.

Hearing Zhang Juzheng's words, Yang Bo was filled with profound emotion. Finally, he bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, I am deeply ashamed. This was the doing of my son, Yang Junqing. When the Duke of Xinzheng was governing the state, my son overstepped his bounds. I beg Your Majesty to bestow punishment, strip him of his scholarly honor and official rank, and send him home to live in idleness."

Yang Bo did not engage in endless sophistry with Zhang Juzheng. Instead, he directly confessed his guilt to the Emperor, who was reading from the raised platform. This was an undeniable offense, and to quibble and wrangle would only plunge him into an even more awkward predicament.

Yang Bo chose to surrender without a fight.

Zhu Yijun put down his pencil, sat up straight, and looked calmly at Yang Bo, asking, "When did the Grand Secretary come to know of his son's transgression of ritual and law?"

"I learned of it only after the fact. I beg Your Majesty to discern the truth." Driven to this juncture, Yang Bo chose to speak the plain truth; such minor details were ultimately irrelevant. His son had committed a grave crime against ritual and law, and he, having failed to instruct his son properly, deserved to be implicated.

"Who else was involved in the overreach?" Zhu Yijun asked again, gazing at Yang Bo.

Bowing his head, Yang Bo replied, "My son Yang Junqing, Grand Guardian Wang, former Senior Grand Secretary Gao Gong, and the Directorate of Ceremonies' Eunuch-in-Waiting Chen Hong—these four acted in concert. This is the grave crime of usurping authority. I beg Your Majesty to punish them severely without leniency."

"In that case, how does Senior Grand Secretary think we should proceed?" Zhu Yijun turned his gaze to Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Juzheng bowed and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, this minister believes it appropriate to recall the gold-lettered patent of Yang Junqing's wife, and to dock one year's salary for both Yang Junqing and Grand Guardian Wang."

"Hmm." Zhu Yijun was slightly taken aback. Was Zhang Juzheng really being this lenient?

Merely recalling the gold-lettered patent and docking a year's salary? That was the end of it?!

This punishment was far too light.

Trembling, Yang Bo stood up, shook his sleeves, and dropped to his knees. With his head bowed low and buried deep, he said, "Your Majesty, I am deeply ashamed. I have failed to instruct my son, and furthermore, I have given rise to factions and mutual patronage, severing familial ties and usurping state power. I humbly beg Your Majesty to dismiss this old minister."

"What does the Grand Secretary mean by this? Are you unwilling even to accept the recall of the gold-lettered patent?" Hearing this, Zhu Yijun's tone shifted, turning icy cold as he asked.

"This minister dares not. I, who presume to govern the people, have been shown favor by Your Majesty and the late Emperor, possessing but meager merits. I have often boasted that I grow more resolute in the face of danger, that I remain untroubled at the height of prosperity, and that having served as general and minister, mastering civil and military affairs, I was a pillar of peace for the realm. I would occasionally flatter myself with the notion of devoting my utmost loyalty until my dying breath. But looking at it today, it is nothing more than a joke, bringing only ridicule upon myself. I beg to retire from office, earnestly hoping Your Majesty will grant this old servant permission to return home in disgrace." A tremor laced Yang Bo's voice.

Just yesterday at his estate, he had told Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu that sooner or later, his old face would be dragged down, thrown to the ground, and trampled upon ruthlessly.

And now, when the ten-year-old sovereign asked if Yang Bo was feigning retreat to advance—attempting to force the court's hand so it could neither punish Yang Junqing nor revoke the patent—it was as if a thick glob of phlegm had been spat squarely in Yang Bo's face.

Yang Bo had been deeply trusted by the Jiajing Emperor, who relied heavily upon him in border matters. Yang Bo had not disappointed the Jiajing Emperor's trust, performing admirably. Yet the Shanxi Faction had degenerated; for all their past glory, they now faced an equal measure of shame.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Zhang Juzheng hurriedly interceded: "May Your Majesty be pleased to listen. Grand Secretary Yang is a minister of profound virtue. In Xuanfu and Datong, he brought stability to Xuanfu and Datong; in Jizhou and Liaodong, he brought peace to Jizhou and Liaodong; at the Ministry of War, he secured all Nine Garrisons; and at the Ministry of Personnel, he enabled the enforcement of the Comprehensive Evaluation Method. I earnestly implore Your Majesty to spare him on account of his past service and show him some leniency."

Zhang Juzheng meant that in light of Yang Bo's past achievements, the court should cease its relentless reprimands; the Emperor's words had been as sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Yang Bo's proudest armor.

Moreover, the Ministry of Personnel still required Yang Bo to oversee the Comprehensive Evaluation Method.

Zhu Yijun looked at Yang Bo, then at Zhang Juzheng, and finally realized that Yang Bo was entirely sincere. He was neither feigning retreat to advance nor using his seniority to force the Emperor's hand; rather, he simply could no longer bear the loss of face and intended to slip away.

Feng Bao, who had also been about to speak, recognized the shift in the political climate and wisely kept his mouth shut. When the Emperor was speaking, Feng Bao would never dare to interrupt.

Zhu Yijun's demeanor softened considerably, and a smile touched his lips as he said, "The Grand Secretary speaks too heavily. State affairs rely heavily upon you. Though I am young and lacking in virtue, I depend entirely on the assistance of civil and military officials both within and without. How could the Grand Secretary disregard the late Emperor's dying command and abandon me?"

"This..." Yang Bo was struck dumb. He fell silent for a long moment before finally managing, "To be so regarded by Your Majesty, this minister is overwhelmed with gratitude."

Yang Bo did not know how to continue. The young Emperor's words had entirely cut off any path of retreat. He had already failed in his duty; if he were to defy the imperial decree and insist on leaving, he would be guilty of even greater disloyalty and unfiliality.

With a smile, Zhu Yijun said, "The Grand Secretary may rise."

Having Yang Bo as the leader of the Shanxi Faction was at least tolerable; replacing him with Zhang Siwei would be utterly unbearable.

Since the Shanxi Faction had to have a leader, it was far better to have Yang Bo within the Wenhua Hall, where everyone's lot would at least be somewhat less distressing.

Zhang Juzheng's primary firepower was trained on Wang Chonggu. Wang Chonggu's daughter had used gold lettering on her patent back when Gao Gong was governing the state. Though few knew of it, Zhang Juzheng happened to be one of them; the fact that he had not raised the issue earlier did not mean he had forgotten.

The official who impeached Wang Chonggu for overreach was Zhang Chucheng, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War. Hailing from Jiangling in Jingzhou, he was a fellow townsman of Zhang Juzheng and a staunch member of the Chu Faction.

"By imperial decree: revoke the gold-lettered patent of Yang Junqing's wife, and dock one year's salary for Yang Junqing and Grand Guardian Wang. Do any of you have objections?" Zhang Juzheng asked, looking straight at Wang Chonggu and pronouncing each word with deliberate clarity.

In the end, Wang Chonggu did not fly into a rage.

The matter involved Yang Bo, whose past military merits had essentially managed to suppress the issue. To push for harsher punishments would easily risk harming the innocent. For Wang Chonggu, this disposition was already exceptionally favorable.

Zhang Juzheng affixed his seal to the memorial and handed it to Zhang Hong. Zhang Hong presented it before the throne. After a moment's thought, Zhu Yijun stamped it with the Great Seal of the Wanli Emperor and turned his gaze back to Zhang Juzheng.

Impeaching Wang Chonggu over the gold-lettered patent and overreach was merely the beginning.

Picking up the second memorial, Zhang Juzheng stated, "Chen堂, Censor of the Huguang Circuit in Nanjing, has submitted an impeachment memorial stating that the Grand Commander of Datong and Left Senior Guardian Ma Fang, fearful of the imperial inspection of border regions and the review of major construction projects, bribed Lin Shaohuai, Director of the Armory Department, and Wu Zhe, Defense Councilor, with a total of seventy-six thousand four hundred and thirty-two taels of silver in bullion. Both the bribe-givers and the stolen goods have been apprehended on the spot."

The moment Zhang Juzheng spoke, Wang Chonggu was struck with utter horror. This affair had been guarded with the utmost secrecy. The construction at Huyuyu Pass was merely one major fortification project along the Great Wall, and since the peace negotiations, cases of a similar nature had been far from rare. Both Lin Shaohuai and Wu Zhe were core pillars of the Shanxi Faction. How had this case been uncovered, and why had there not been the slightest whisper of it yesterday?!

When had the incident occurred? When had the culprits and the spoils been caught red-handed?

Whether within the Shuntian Prefecture yamen or the Ministry of Punishments, the Shanxi Faction had planted informants everywhere. How could this have happened in complete silence, resulting in the culprits being caught with the stolen goods?!

"Commander of the Embroidered Uniforms?" Zhang Juzheng looked toward Zhu Xiexiao, Commander of the Ming Embroidered Uniform Guard, who stood at the very end of the line.

"At the fifth watch this morning, when the palace gates opened, this minister received Your Majesty's imperial decree, led troops to raid two residences, and apprehended the suspects along with the stolen goods. A total of over sixty-five thousand four hundred taels of silver was recovered. All suspects have already been taken into the Northern Tranquilization Office, awaiting trial," Zhu Xiexiao reported to the Emperor on the raised platform.

Zhu Yijun was well aware of the matter; the imperial decree had been written in his own hand, and the seal stamped by his own hand. Lin Shaohuai and Wu Zhe were both central pillars of the Shanxi Faction.

Just yesterday, You Qi had brought a stack of evidence and handed it to Xu Jue. Xu Jue had delivered all the incriminating proof to Feng Bao, who, acting in his dual capacity as Director of the Directorate of Ceremonies and Supervisor of the Eastern Depot, had petitioned for an investigation.

"Minister Wang, I have heard that an arrest without an imperial warrant (an official document from the Ministry of Punishments) or an imperial decree is termed a 'white-paper case'; a case with an imperial decree but lacking an imperial warrant is termed a 'yellow-paper case'; and only a case possessing both an imperial decree and an imperial warrant constitutes a proper case. I wonder if the Ministry of Punishments is capable of affixing its seal to a genuine imperial decree?" As soon as Zhu Yijun spoke, he did not address the corruption case itself; instead, he focused on procedural compliance.

He laid heavy emphasis on the word "genuine"—that imperial decree had been written in his own hand!

If the Ministry of Punishments dared to use procedural technicalities to obstruct this matter, Zhu Yijun would certainly make sure to settle accounts with Wang Zhigao.

For the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest anyone, an imperial warrant was mandatory—namely, a document written by the Emperor detailing the specific grounds. Without the countersignature of the Ministry of War's Scrutinizing Office, such a document remained merely an imperial decree.

If the Embroidered Uniform Guard made arrests without the Emperor's imperial decree at all, it was termed a "white-paper case," which would not be recognized by court officials, and the guard would be impeached by the censors.

However, when an imperial decree existed without the countersignature of the Scrutinizing Office, it represented a major case personally directed by the Emperor; this was termed a "yellow-paper case."

If both an imperial decree and the countersignature of the Scrutinizing Office were present, it meant the case was directed by the Emperor and recognized by the Ministry of Punishments; this was a "proper case," an ironclad case.

Zhu Yijun was asking Wang Zhigao, Minister of Punishments, whether the Ministry of Punishments recognized this case.

If the Ministry did not recognize it, it would remain merely a yellow-paper case, leaving room for endless wrangling and debate.

When Minister of Punishments Wang Zhigao saw the Zhang Faction and the Shanxi Faction fighting tooth and nail, he knew that as a Minister of Punishments carelessly entangling himself in the middle, he would be ground to powder by these two colossal forces!

With a gesture from Zhu Yijun, Commander Zhu Xiexiao handed the arrest warrant and the case dossier over to Wang Zhigao.

Wang Zhigao carefully inspected the dossier, then affixed his seal to the imperial decree, transforming it into an official arrest warrant. With the Embroidered Uniform Guard making the arrests under imperial command, overseen by Censor Chen堂 of the Censorate, and officially recognized by the Ministry of Punishments, this was no longer a white-paper or yellow-paper case, but a proper, ironclad case.

Chen堂, Censor of the Huguang Circuit in Nanjing from the Censorate, had been responsible for the impeachment and had already countersigned the imperial decree; procedurally, there were no longer any flaws whatsoever.

Wang Zhigao looked at Yang Bo with an expression of helpless commiseration. Zhang Juzheng had long plotted this out; he had already grasped Yang Bo's fatal weakness, merely choosing not to unleash it until now.

This single strike possessed the overwhelming momentum of a thunderbolt, entirely irresistible.

"Grand Guardian Wang previously served as Viceroy of Xuanfu and Datong. Might Grand Guardian Wang know a thing or two about the affairs within this?" Zhang Juzheng stretched his hand slightly forward, leaning back in his chair as he looked at Wang Chonggu with an unkind expression.