These words, spoken amongst the highest echelon of the Great Ming, were laden with sophisticated wit and refined intelligence, understood by few. Naturally, everyone listened intently, filled with admiration.
Seeing that the tone had been set, Yan Shifan also smiled and said, "Your Excellencies the two Ministers, now that the lofty matters are concluded, let me say a few common words…"
He glanced at his father, then at everyone present, and continued,
"Although Tayuu Sorin is not here, his subordinate, Omura, has arrived, in the vicinity of Zhoushan… The stage has been set for so long, and it is time for the play to begin. Yesterday, Omura sent a secret letter, saying they are ready to attack at any time, and that they have brought another batch of Koreans, numbering over ten thousand. Heh heh, the number ten thousand has significance, as the saying goes: Jurchens under ten thousand, but unstoppable when ten thousand strong…
That Mendōrō, who has been here for over twenty years, has been ashore for the past two months, contacting many mountain bandits and outlaws, numbering seventeen or eighteen thousand in total. Coupled with Mang Yinglong’s attack on Jinteng and Dali, and Zheng Jian’s northward push against Guangxi and Lancang, this grand performance is almost ready.
I believe that with such great advantages this time, we must not only destroy the Fujian-Zhejiang naval fleet, but after landing, we must also purge those who incited the people with Zhu Mo. As for the unruly commoners who joined in the clamor, some will be arrested and some will be killed. Otherwise, who will respect the Sage’s governance!
Let them fight the battles; we cannot interfere, lest they use it as leverage and claim we instigated them… We shall continue with our old business… What is that? It is to ask the Grand Secretariat and His Majesty, what should be done about this decaying world? If it truly cannot be helped, then let Prince Yu take charge of state affairs…"
Hiss!
Hiss!
Hiss!
Everyone knew Yan Shifan spoke without restraint, but to mention "Prince Yu takes charge of state affairs" was tantamount to rebellion. Yet, he uttered it so casually, as if eating cabbage. The crowd was immediately struck with fear.
Yan Song, seeing everyone’s apprehension, merely smiled and said,
"First, we’ll settle the score with Xu Jie. Once it’s unclear, then we’ll go to the palace… His Majesty is an enlightened monarch and will naturally make a wise decision…"
Mm-hmm,
Yuan Wei and Guo Pu nodded continuously.
Both were ministers who had attended court and met the Jiajing Emperor. Hearing Yan Song’s words, they found it quite reliable. This was because it forced a choice: between reform and the imperial throne, the Emperor had to choose. Either Zhu Mo dies, or he himself abdicates!
And the execution of this plan relied on the righteousness of the realm, showing no overt hostility, leaving the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial helpless. They could not remain silent, for once the Japanese pirates landed, the situation would be entirely different. If it truly came to it, supporting a prince to establish himself as emperor in Jiangnan and dividing the realm for governance would not be impossible.
Indeed,
Yuan Wei, after being caned in court, had become psychologically distorted. His hatred for the Great Ming grew daily, wishing to dig up the tombs of the Zhu family immediately.
At this moment,
He suppressed his excitement and slowly said, "Shifan, what the Grand Secretary says is right. First, let Xu Jie state his position. If he delays, then let the officials kneel at the palace gate…"
Guo Pu recalled how the Jiajing Emperor had once sent eunuchs to whip officials kneeling at the palace gate and reminded them, "What if His Majesty sends people to brutally beat the officials?"
Before Yuan Wei could speak, Yan Shifan laughed and said, "Then that would be perfect for storming the palace…"
This?
Hiss!
The crowd was once again filled with panic. Gao Hanwen and a few others, who were timid, felt their hearts leap out of their chests!
Yuan Wei, however, smiled and said, "Yes! Shifan speaks well! Brutally beating officials would be a violation of ancestral teachings! The officials will naturally seek justice from Prince Yu…"
Mm-hmm,
Yes, yes,
Clap clap
Clap clap clap
Yan Song applauded and said,
"You few need not be afraid. Since its founding, the Great Ming has always governed according to the Sage's principles. Now, the harsh Qin laws have caused widespread suffering among the people of Jiangnan. If eunuchs were to brutally beat officials, everyone in the world would be watching. Prince Yu would be watching, all the vassal kings would be watching, and many friendly neighboring countries would also be watching. There must be an explanation! As the saying goes, justice resides in the hearts of men!
Moreover, the Great Ming has been established for two hundred years, are these matters rare? What did Yang Sheng'an say? The nation cultivates scholars for decades, precisely for this day! You must go out and speak clearly, the Sage’s governance has reached its final moment. If you wish to defend the Way, you must show some spirit…"
These words, coming from the mouth of the current First Grand Secretary, caused everyone to quiet down and ponder. They recalled the matters of Yang Tinghe and his son Yang Shen, and suddenly felt that Yan Shifan’s words also held merit. Furthermore, Yan Shifan’s boldness far surpassed that of the Yang father and son.
Seeing that the expressions of the crowd had calmed down, Yan Shifan laughed heartily again and said,
"Don't be afraid! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up… You all go back and prepare. Once the Japanese pirates begin their attack, you will go to Xu Jie to demand an explanation…"
The crowd nodded and said, "Your subordinate understands."
…
At this time,
Inside the Yuxi Palace, the atmosphere was also unusual.
The Jiajing Emperor, breaking tradition, had not meditated all day. Instead, he was reading a collection of poems, appearing relaxed and at ease, completely different from his usual self.
Lü Fang, however, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth all day, his hands never still, either touching something or wiping something.
The current situation,
Lü Fang understood clearly, but why was His Majesty still so unmoving? As the sky was already darkening, he could no longer help but ask,
"Your Majesty, this, this Jiangnan, what exactly are they trying to do? Your servant has been in the palace for forty years and has never seen such a situation!"
The Jiajing Emperor glared at him and said indifferently, "What are you so anxious about? Our Grand Secretary Xu is not anxious, so why are you rushing?"
"But, but this matter is too significant…"
Lü Fang was genuinely very worried.
The Jiajing Emperor scoffed and calmly said, "Are they not just a few officials and merchants making trouble? Zhu Mo proclaiming himself emperor? Is Yan Song merely trying to proclaim himself emperor?"
This?
Lü Fang was immediately choked, and after a pause, he said, "Then what about Yunnan and Guangxi? Bianluo is, after all, a vassal state. Are we truly not going to intervene? At this critical juncture, the Japanese pirates have been dormant for over two months. What if they stir up trouble again?"
The Jiajing Emperor put down his book, slowly stood up, and paced a few steps with his hands behind his back, gazing at the clear scenery outside the hall. He said leisurely, "Lü Fang, do you remember how Yang Tinghe pressured me forty years ago…"
Lü Fang was just a young eunuch at the time. Because they were congenial, the Jiajing Emperor had kept him by his side. Although it was a tumultuous period, with few nights of sleep for months, recalling it now, it was only hazy, and most of it he could not remember. Thus, he said, "Your Majesty, your servant is old and truly cannot recall…"
The Jiajing Emperor sighed softly and said,
"It was also early spring then… He brought three to four hundred men, under the banner of the Sage, insisting that I state my position and make concessions… forcing me to obey them…"
Mm-hmm,
Lü Fang also remembered. The situation back then was indeed very similar to the current one—
Yang Tinghe invoked the concept of "filial piety." This time, Yan Song, without showing himself, invoked the concept of "loyalty." Both spoke with grand pronouncements. Yang Tinghe claimed the Emperor was not filial, while Yan Song this time claimed the Emperor was not loyal to the ancestral altars and the state, ignoring the approaching foreign enemies.
Having weathered many storms over forty years, he had never seen such a veiled attempt at coercion. He couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, what exactly do they want to achieve? Is it simply to halt the reforms?"