The next day,
Zhu Mo suddenly received a secret letter from Zhang Juzheng, sent by the Ministry of War via an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch.
Upon opening it, his heart skipped a beat—
"To Zi Xuan,
I hear that Anda has bowed his head and offered tribute from the grasslands, and friends in the south are rejoicing, finally believing that those with high strategic calculations have a greater chance of victory. Your humble elder has followed in your footsteps; the weaving and salt industries are all progressing well. After the New Year, silk can be delivered in stages, and over thirty salt fields will be opened, which the common people are quite pleased to see.
However, the slave uprisings in Nanxun and Songjiang cannot be fully described in the official gazette. I have observed that the events are not ordinary and may brew a major change. Why? Because the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Yin Zhengmao intends to suppress them, and rumors are resurfacing among the gentry and in academies. Within ten days, I fear bloodshed is imminent, and you may be criticized by the world. I know you, Zi Xuan, are by no means one of the "ink methods" [referring to corrupt officials], but if the tenant slaves shed blood, you will have no defense. Should you not be cautious?"
No wonder joy turns to sorrow, and the sun at noon begins to set…
"I've only been happy for a few days, and dark clouds have already gathered…"
He reread the letter several times, discerning a subtle trap being laid—
Yin Zhengmao was recommended by Gao Gong, replacing He Maocai as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, with the intention of sowing discord for Zhang Juzheng. Although both were considered upright officials, they differed, and Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng were fierce rivals for the position of Grand Secretary. At the time, this consideration seemed reasonable, but now it appeared that something had gone awry.
He recalled that Gao Gong had a Legalist inclination.
He remembered a great deity on a certain platform saying that Gao Gong's Legalist leanings were even purer than Zhang Juzheng's, and he had little of the scholarly air about him.
This presented a significant problem—
Could that Yin Zhengmao also be a Legalist?
If so, he would be capable of killing civilians! And once the slave civilians were killed or severely punished, the reforms in Jiangnan would be cast under a shadow of fear.
At the very least, the common people would be terrified and confused—
Why is the person recommended by Zhu Mo also killing civilians?
Once public support was lost, reforms would be difficult to push through. Not only that, but many who had already participated in the weaving workshops might withdraw, which in turn could lead to a large-scale withdrawal of those who had subscribed to public bonds. In this way, the situation in Jiangnan would be ruined.
As for why Zhang Juzheng was no longer concealing his concerns and speaking so directly this time, it was because he was the person most deeply involved in the reforms among all the court officials. If something went wrong, he could not escape; he was, in effect, tied to the same ship… However, despite his high status, he held no official position in Jiangnan. If Yin Zhengmao insisted on proceeding, even with Zheng Bichang's support, it would be impossible for Zhang Juzheng to stop him.
Judging by the timing,
Zhang Juzheng was very vigilant. He should have written the letter as soon as he saw the signs. An eight-hundred-li dispatch from the Ministry of War would be faster. By calculation, if Yin Zhengmao were to suppress the unrest, it would likely be in the next few days.
"No wonder Xu Jie also feels uneasy…"
"Xu Gao Zhang, Xu Gao Zhang; they naturally understood Gao Gong's character… I didn't expect Gao Gong, who appeared rough and straightforward, to be a vicious and insidious villain…"
"This bastard has probably colluded with Yan Shifan…"
"Then what will they do?"
After thinking for a long time,
From Zhang Juzheng's anxiety, he sensed that Yan Shifan likely had even more formidable moves. It was at this moment that he lamented that everything was too rushed and that there were still too few people in Jiangnan. If Zheng Bichang had been replaced earlier, this situation would not have occurred…
Now, the only leverage they had was Wu Ming and Wu Liang.
He immediately drafted letters, instructing the two to do their utmost to prevent Yin Zhengmao from suppressing the tenant slaves, to block as much as they could, and to delay for as long as they could.
Secondly, there was Hai Rui in Chun'an.
He also immediately wrote a letter, instructing him to plead for the slave civilians and to stop Yin Zhengmao from killing them. Hai Rui's reputation in Jiangnan should play a significant role.
And then there was Zhang Juzheng. It would be difficult for him to remain neutral this time, and he would undoubtedly try his best to contend with Gao Gong.
With a temporary plan in place,
He decided to remain in the capital, because from the two major events, the troubles originated externally, but the storm's eye was always in the capital.
…
Meanwhile, in Jiangnan,
The Poet's Shrine.
Flecks of cold snow, suddenly disappeared into the lake surface.
Zhang Juzheng, along with his colleagues and disciples, faced the beautiful snow-covered lake scenery with no mood at all.
Because,
Yesterday, an official gazette arrived from Huzhou—
Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Yin Zhengmao personally took charge, leading three camps of officers and soldiers, and arrested all the rioters in Wucheng. As the prisons were insufficient, they were distributed among several counties in Huzhou. Following this, Yin Zhengmao personally conducted interrogations, intending to sentence seven or eight ringleaders to death, to be reported to the Ministry of Justice within a few days.
Truth be told, such matters were quite normal. It was not the first time in the Great Ming dynasty, and it even occurred several times every few years, such as with the potters in Jingdezhen or the miners in Yunnan and Guizhou.
But the problem was—
At this moment,
Rumors were spreading among the gentry and scholars: Yin Zhengmao was recommended by Zhu Mo and came to Jiangnan to replace He Maocai, aiming to forcefully push through reforms, vowing to kill any Buddha or deity that stood in his way…
Could this be concealed from Zhang Juzheng?
Clearly,
His greatest worry had come to pass—
Yin Zhengmao was likely instructed by Gao Gong to stir up major trouble in Jiangnan. Although his intentions were not yet clear, it was certain that this was merely a small part of a larger scheme.
Because,
In the morning, he had met with Hu Zongxian and asked him to intervene, but Hu Zongxian, who had always had the best grasp of the overall situation, remained silent, and Tan Lun merely offered polite words.
Therefore,
All signs indicated that an unprecedented wave was about to begin…
He murmured, "Duke of Zhou feared the rumors of the day, King Wang Mang was humble before usurping the throne…"
Shen Shixing, Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Gui Youguang, and others sat silently by the lakeside hall for a long time. Seeing Zhang Juzheng also in a state of distress, they became even more worried.
Shen Shixing said, "Esteemed Minister, what exactly do they want to do? I think this matter is quite ordinary. And Gao Suqing has always been upright; he shouldn't be colluding with the Yan family, should he?"
Mmm,
Zhang Siwei also said, "I have also heard that Gao Gong is exceptionally upright; he should have no other intentions…"
But as they spoke these words, they themselves did not believe them. Even if the intentions were not yet clear, how could the rumors that spread throughout Jiangnan overnight be a mere coincidence?
Gui Youguang, who had the most acquaintances in Jiangnan, sighed:
"Reforms are difficult, as they have always been throughout history… In my opinion, the main issue is the fear of rumors; other than that, it's not a big deal…"
After all, he had seen a lot, and according to the Great Ming Law, Yin Zhengmao's actions were blameless. Who told them to besiege the county yamen?
Zhang Juzheng suddenly asked, "Master Gui, what are the rumors?"
Gui Youguang snorted and replied:
"There are many. Some say 'reforms will fail, and Jiangnan will be blood-bathed.' Others say 'the Emperor Taizu's laws will be restored, and the Jiangnan gentry will be enslaved.' And some say the rioters were incited by Zhu Mo, with the aim of dividing the gentry's wealth…"
Xu Xuemo also said:
"Esteemed Minister, I have also heard this, but it was not the gentry who said it, but some refugees in my village. Well, they said 'Zhu Mo is the reincarnation of Emperor Taizu, and he will kill all the gentry in the world'…"
"Reincarnation?"
Zhang Juzheng, who usually enjoyed reading the Huayan Sutra, was taken aback.
These words were truly astonishing.
They sounded like something the common people would say, but upon careful consideration, it didn't seem right. It was likely fabricated by the gentry.