Before Yan Song could speak, everyone still felt the situation was under control, but after Luo Longwen mentioned it, their views on Prince Yu changed.
If Prince Yu truly managed to rally a loyal faction, it would indeed be troublesome. And if the Emperor also secretly supported him, letting Lü Fang back him, wouldn't that mean another overbearing emperor looming over the Grand Secretariat?
Upon this thought,
Yan Shifan said,
“If that’s the case, then it’s a small Grand Secretariat facing our Grand Secretariat? Does Prince Yu really have that capability?”
Luo Longwen said,
“Little Grand Secretary, Prince Yu is the Crown Prince. He already has a Palace of the Grand Remembrancer beside him. The Palace of the Grand Remembrancer has 21 people. Apart from Tan Lun, there are several others who are somewhat well-known, such as Yin Shidan and Fan Yingqi, who have some reputation in the Hanlin Academy… These people, the highest rank is third, the lowest ninth, all are officials of some sort. The Eastern Palace has always been a group in itself! If this were to get going, it would be very fast…”
Yes, yes, yes,
Most of those present had heard of these two. Fan Yingqi was originally a prominent figure from Jiangnan, who entered the Imperial College by donating money and grain. Later, he proved himself quite capable and was widely praised in scholarly circles. Yin Shidan was a learned scholar with considerable insight, truly a rare talent, unfortunately, Prince Yu had not yet recognized him. If these individuals were to form a small Grand Secretariat, it would naturally be feasible.
At this time,
Yan Song also sighed,
“Hanzhang, you forgot about Chen Yiqin… He returned home last year for mourning… This person is extremely talented, a rare find…”
Yes, yes, yes,
Zhang Yu also said, “Your Excellency is correct to remind us. Chen Yiqin has a great reputation, and the Emperor has long appreciated him, appointing him as the editor of the Comprehensive Records. Later, he served as a tutor in Prince Yu’s residence for ten years. Although his position is not as high as Gao Gong, Xu Jie, or Zhang Juzheng, he still carries considerable weight. If this person were to assist Prince Yu, the Grand Secretariat might truly shift to the Eastern Palace, and we would all be sidelined…”
Hmph!
Yan Shifan said,
“Then let’s see if the people of the world listen to us or to Chen Yiqin!”
Yan Song glared at his son and waved his hand impatiently, saying,
“I’ve long told you to treat scholars with courtesy, but what have you all been doing? Talent is the foundation! When you go out with arrogance, talented scholars will naturally keep their distance from us! Shifan, father has also just remembered something… You, personally write a letter to Hu Zongxian, have Yan Fu deliver it, and also give him a generous gift…
Well, Shaoting is getting married soon, and his father-in-law Lu Bing hasn't been well recently. Shifan, go and visit him, and take this opportunity to create some excitement, to bring good fortune, and invite all those elders who can come… As long as you can win people over, you will be invincible!”
“Congratulations to Your Excellency, Little Grand Secretary!”
If the matter was significant, it was possible that Yan Shifan and his associates were behind it, keeping Jiajing in the dark, and Prince Jing had likely also been transferred here. Judging by Jiajing's personality, since Prince Jing had committed an offense, he would most likely not be confined to his princely residence but rather in a Taoist temple… Xu Wei’s speculation was quite reasonable.
But at this moment,
Zhu Mo could not investigate.
As he traveled and enjoyed the scenery along the way, his mind also became active—
In Yunnan and Guizhou, he had reluctantly persuaded Mu Chaobi, but Mu Chaobi insisted that Zhang Juzheng take the lead. As Xu Wei had said, reforms were indeed difficult to push forward. Any further step would immediately lead to bloodshed, and he would likely meet a violent end.
Reflecting carefully on this period, he deeply felt that Xu Wei’s reminder was timely, and he himself also felt very tired. In fact, he truly could not push it forward anymore… This was why he decided to retire for a while. After retiring, his perspective broadened, and he deeply felt that Jiajing was truly extraordinary:
He had also retired!
In this way, the overall reform situation entered a new phase. On the surface, it became a matter for Prince Yu, Zhang Juzheng, Yan Song, and Xu Jie. As for himself and Jiajing, they became irrelevant individuals. Therefore, all conflicts and clashes were temporarily kept out of the picture.
And the most direct problem, naturally, was the conflict between Prince Yu and the Grand Secretariat.
These past few days,
He and Xu Wei had also heard about matters in the capital. Prince Yu was already at odds with Yan Song and Xu Jie. He had issued some “Regency Edict,” but no one paid any attention. The summon for audience at the platform was also disrupted. During this period, no edicts had been issued from the capital, and no official dispatches had arrived from the Grand Secretariat. The Great Ming Dynasty was temporarily in a state of paralysis.
Based on his understanding of the Ming Dynasty, this situation was not difficult to predict, and it would ultimately be beneficial to the Yan family. Because these people wanted to be unrestrained, letting things decay in this manner would bring them nothing but benefits.
Prince Yu, if he truly wanted to become the Emperor, should go to the Jade Serenity Palace and kowtow in repentance. Perhaps Jiajing would secretly help him, and then they could explore a way to coexist with the officials. Only then would the Great Ming Dynasty enter the right track. Otherwise, the situation might rapidly deteriorate within two or three years.