Yan Shifan was genuinely panicked, he grumbled, "Father, this clearly means they won't let us manage affairs anymore, and we'll just be errand boys! Why? Even if Chen Yiqin is talented, how can he overshadow a host of court ministers? I feel that if this continues, with just one imperial decree, they'll arrest all of us, and that won't be far off..."
Hmph,
Yan Song hadn't been angry for a long time. He paced a few steps and said in a deep voice, "I've always said, don't concede what shouldn't be conceded. Other than that, just listen to Prince Yu... have you forgotten? He governs the country, you do your work, what's the connection? Do as you ought to do... What's there to discuss about court affairs? It's always the same few things. The key is to *do*... Only what is done is real..."
He glared at his son and continued,
"I won't attend the audience. Shifan, you go. Don't cause a scene. Let them do as they please. Whatever they decide to do, just accept it... Cough, cough, cough..."
As Yan Shifan was about to say more, Luo Longwen suddenly pulled him aside and smiled, "The Grand Secretary is truly brilliant... I am utterly impressed..."
He helped Yan Shifan sit down and continued, "Chen Yiqin claims he will implement governance of the sages, so let him! He does his thing, we do ours. It's all the way of the sages anyway, and what matters is who the people recognize... Little Grand Secretary, running errands is good! It's good for us to run errands for the way of the sages! The people have discerning eyes, they'll naturally see who is genuine and who is fake. The Grand Secretary's words are simply too insightful, I am truly impressed from the bottom of my heart. Yes, what is there to discuss about court affairs? It's just those trivial matters. Can discussing them really bring about anything? Little Grand Secretary, the great affairs of the world have long been decided, there's nothing to discuss. No matter what they discuss, we'll do as we ought to do, will we still suffer a loss?"
Hiss!
Oh...
Right!
Only then did everyone understand—
Grand Secretary Yan meant to simply ignore them. They would float in the heavens, while we would do our work on the ground. In the end, we would always be the ones benefiting...
Upon this realization,
Everyone was impressed from the bottom of their hearts—
Thankfully, there was still Grand Secretary Yan. Otherwise, Zhu Mo and Chen Yiqin alone would have capsized them...
At this moment, Yan Maoqing also chimed in, "That's right! I think this is the principle! Chen Yiqin is better than Zhu Mo, isn't he? With Prince Yu acting like this, Zhu Mo will have even less standing! Little Grand Secretary, let them do it! Let them make a fuss! When they make a mistake, or if the Emperor is displeased, we can impeach Chen Yiqin, taking down Zhu Mo along with him!"
Yes, yes, yes!
We must get rid of Zhu Mo!
Everyone chimed in simultaneously.
Zhang Yu also said, "Yes, no matter how Chen Yiqin plans to act, we'll do the opposite. Then his way of the sages will naturally be fake, and ours will be real..."
Hmm, hmm,
The more they thought about it, the more it made sense.
Gao Hanwen, who hadn't spoken for a long time, suddenly asked, "But at that time, won't the world fall into chaos, and the court become unmanageable..."
His question was genuine. After all, he was a young Hanlin scholar, and his ambition to serve the country still lingered.
But at this moment, seeing his innocent and naive face, everyone burst into laughter...
Yan Shifan roared with laughter, patted his shoulder, and said earnestly, "Moqing, you are truly a bookish scholar... I told you last time to learn to be a bit more ruthless, or you'll suffer. See? Isn't this the case? You've fallen ill again... Hahaha..."
Hahaha,
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Gao Hanwen was bewildered, "I, Little Grand Secretary, what?"
Yan Maoqing said, "Moqing, don't hesitate like that! This world doesn't belong to your Gao family! Why are you in such a hurry? Let it rot! Does the Great Ming dynasty deserve not to rot?"
"It's good if it rots, then Grand Secretary and Little Grand Secretary can come out and manage the world!"
"That's right! It doesn't belong to your Gao family anyway! The eunuch is more anxious than the emperor!"
"It's good if it rots! It should have rotted long ago!"
"Let it rot, it's all Zhu Mo and Chen Yiqin's doing anyway. When the time comes, we'll tear them to pieces, and that will be pleading for the common people!"
"Yes, yes, yes! It's all the work of the two treacherous officials, Zhu Mo and Chen Yiqin!"
"And Prince Yu, that muddle-headed emperor!"
"Right! Muddle-headed emperor!"
"..."
The crowd had endured a lot of frustration over the past two years. Now, as they vented, their words became increasingly outrageous. Even Yan Shifan was stunned.
Yan Song merely sneered and continued to pick up his brush, writing stroke by stroke.
...
Three days later,
Prince Yu summoned them again for an audience in Jianji Hall. Chen Yiqin presented the finalized strategy. Xu Jie and Yan Song remained silent, and Yan Shifan offered a few perfunctory remarks before agreeing.
Thus,
The Crown Prince's first imperial decree for supervision of the nation was finally promulgated throughout the land.
"The decree for supervising the nation states:
His Imperial Father, with a period of three years, wishes to see great order throughout the realm. The Crown Prince, having consulted with the Grand Secretariat and the ministers, and having assessed the situation, will reform the laws and return to the governance of the sages. It is hereby decreed:
Chen Yiqin, Grand Scholar of Wenhua Hall, Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and Minister of Revenue, shall head the Grand Secretariat and the Privy Council;
Zhang Yu, Minister of Dali Temple, and Zhao Zhenji, Grand Scholar, shall be appointed Governors of Jiangnan and assist the assisting minister Zhang Juzheng in overseeing the grand affairs of reform in Jiangnan;
Tan Lun shall be the Governor-General of ZheZhi, and Qi Jiguang shall be the Minister of War in Nanjing, to eradicate all Japanese pirates within three years;
Yin Shidan shall be the Vice Minister of Revenue, and Fan Yingqi shall be the Vice Minister of Ceremonies, and they shall be permitted to participate in crucial affairs;
..."
A string of appointments quickly spread throughout the land. Everyone knew that the imperial court's atmosphere had changed. The former prominent figure Zhu Mo was no longer heard of, and even Yan Song and Xu Jie had become low-key. Now, Chen Yiqin, Yin Shidan, Fan Yingqi, and others had become influential figures.
On this day,
Zhu Mo, Xu Wei, Wu Cheng'en, and others had arrived in Jiujiang. Seeing everyone discussing with excited expressions on the streets, they were naturally filled with anticipation for the three years of supervision.
After walking a few steps, they overheard various discussions—
"The Crown Prince really has some capabilities!"
"Chancellor Chen was the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, after all!"
"I heard Chancellor Chen is a filial person?"
"These three years of supervision, does it seem like there's some hope?"
"Who cares! Didn't you see? Zhu Mo is no longer heard of..."
"Zhu Mo caused trouble in Yunnan and Guizhou! I heard the Emperor had the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrest him!"
"No, I heard he offended Duke Mu!"
"Yes, yes, yes, he offended Duke Mu, so the Emperor won't protect him anymore?"
"How could he protect him? I heard it's a major case of rebellion..."
"Shhh! Don't talk nonsense!"
"Who's talking nonsense? It's from Hangzhou... even Zhang Shuda is implicated!"
"..."
The three couldn't help but exchange wry smiles—
The common people in this world are all the same wherever they go. They start by discussing the Crown Prince, and then they end up talking about Zhu Mo. And the rumors are quite exaggerated, even calling it a major case of rebellion?
Wu Cheng'en laughed, "Zixuan, at such a young age, your fame has overshadowed the Crown Prince... Hahaha..."
Xu Wei, being no ordinary scholar, expressed his concerns, "It seems these three years of supervision will not be peaceful either... This decree for supervision, with its Privy Council, seems like a solution, but how could Yan Shifan be willing to accept it?"
Wu Cheng'en asked, "What do you think they will do, Wenchang?"
Xu Wei replied, "Pretend to obey but secretly disobey. What else can they do?"
Zhu Mo suddenly remembered Journey to the West and said, "Old Wu, have you forgotten the pilgrimage? The great demons of Shituoling, under the guise of Bodhisattvas, wouldn't they commit atrocities to be worthy of the Bodhisattvas?"
Hiss!
The two were instantly awed. Despite it being broad daylight, they felt a chill.
Indeed,
The decree for supervision spoke of the way of the sages and returning to it through reform, and the actual implementers of reform were people like Zhang Yu and Zhao Zhenji. With Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng sidelined, wouldn't that lead to some trouble? Some people are truly formidable demons, and it wasn't for nothing that Wu Cheng'en wrote about them.
Wu Cheng'en nodded and sighed, "Zixuan, everything is like this. If you can escape the cause and effect of this chaos, then it has nothing to do with you... Let them be. Aren't we all Daoists or monks, outside the mundane world? Why should we concern ourselves with these matters? What do you say?"
Xu Wei disagreed, "You say you can escape, but can you really? I think the great demons won't let Tang Sanzang go. If they don't eat Zixuan and Taiyue, how can they eat the people in this city?"
With that said,
The three looked at the bustling crowds in the city, recalling Shituoling from their books, and a sense of inexplicable fear simultaneously welled up in their hearts.
Zhu Mo shook his head, feeling very annoyed, and suddenly said, "Do you think I should go find that 'Blue Immortal' now?"