The Cilinci meeting,
Zhang Han and Liu Yingjie remained silent.
After the meeting dispersed, Zhu Mo pulled them aside and suggested a boat trip on the West Lake for fish. Lü Kun and Li Zhi accompanied them. All their troubles seemed to vanish, and everyone felt a sense of lightness.
While grilling fish, Zhu Mo chuckled and asked, "Brother Zhang, Brother Liu, tell me honestly, what do you think of Grand Scholar Zhang Taiyue and his associates?"
He asked this because he knew these two men were aligned with Li Wenjin and Ma Fang. For over a decade, they had been deliberately suppressed by the Yan family, and their recent resurgence was only due to their counter-strategy against the Yan family. They had no chance of switching allegiances.
The two men exchanged a knowing smile. They thought, "This young man is either indirect or utterly straightforward... We saw clearly at the meeting that there were significant disagreements. If he hadn't exerted his authority, none of those proposals would have been pushed through... By asking this, he's really asking for our stance..."
After all, these civil officials in Xuanda were, in essence, gentry. In the past, Zhu Mo would have trusted them. But after this incident, he realized that this juncture was no laughing matter. Behind the disagreements lay deep-seated opposition, and anything could happen.
Zhang Han, a man of considerable talent, chuckled and said, "Grand Scholar Zhu, do you truly want to hear the truth?"
"Naturally!"
Zhang Han replied, "Very well! Then I shall speak plainly. In my opinion, Grand Scholar Zhang Juzheng's ideas are immeasurably different from what you, Grand Scholar Zhu, have proposed... I have heard of this man for a long time. For twenty years, his sole focus has been reform. However, he does not prioritize the common people but merely seeks balance. While he doesn't oppose suppressing the powerful, he would certainly object if the suppression were too severe..."
Liu Yingjie was a man of practical skills. He had spent many years in Jingxing Pass, a remote and impoverished area, and had endured significant hardship. Now serving as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, he was deeply grateful to Zhu Mo and spoke directly:
"Grand Scholar Zhu, I believe these people will eventually part ways with us. We must be on guard... Grand Scholar Zhang Juzheng is a master strategist. He navigated his way through the reigns of both Yan Song and Xu Jie with ease, which shows his formidable capabilities! Grand Scholar Zhu, I worry that he intends to use us as a shield while he secretly orchestrates things. When our reforms are successful, he will swoop in to claim the credit..."
Mm-hmm.
This sentiment resonated perfectly with Zhu Mo. He couldn't help but look at Liu Yingjie with greater appreciation, finding him profound and capable—a rare talent.
Li Zhi then chimed in, "What these two esteemed officials say is true! I believe Shen Shixing is nothing more than a Confucian house slave, displaying the ugliness of a common shrew! It is unlikely they will do anything for the common people..."
The others nodded in agreement, and at the same time, found themselves wanting to laugh.
Indeed, in this Great Ming empire, Li Zhi was the only one audacious enough to directly curse Confucius and Mencius. Even He Xinyin had not spoken so harshly. As they looked at Li Zhi again, they saw a man of refined demeanor, yet his courage seemed to surpass that of heaven itself.
Zhu Mo chuckled, "Zhuo Wu, you are so accustomed to cursing the Sage Confucius that others tremble when they hear it! Hahaha..."
The others burst into laughter.
Seeing that the atmosphere had become congenial, Zhang Han decided it was time to declare his stance. He said,
"Young Master Zhu, we have discussed this matter. The momentum for reform is now unstoppable. If we retreat now, the Yan faction will inevitably retaliate... Grand Scholar Zhang Juzheng may have a retreat, but we have none... Young Master Zhu, rest assured, we will do as you say! I, Zhang Han, have no reservations!"
Excellent!
Zhu Mo smiled, "With these words, I am reassured!"
After this frank conversation, Zhu Mo had grasped their true intentions. Zhang Han and Liu Yingjie would fully support the reform. Thus, even if they encountered resistance, they could use the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office to push it through forcefully.
As dusk approached, they disembarked.
The two men took their leave.
...
Zhu Mo and his two companions proceeded to Guanyin Temple.
Wu Ming and Wu Liang, who often worked there when free, were startled by their sudden appearance.
Wu Ming, disguised as a wealthy merchant, expressed his relief upon seeing Zhu Mo unharmed, "Grand Scholar Zhu, we received your letter last time. We were truly worried for you..."
The two men had already received a secret message from Zhu Qi, containing only four words:
"Everything as usual."
Furthermore, they held deep admiration for Zhu Mo. Unlike the thirteen high-ranking officials in the Embroidered Uniform Guard system, they came from the grassroots and were accustomed to the suffering of the common people. They also possessed more information about the misdeeds of corrupt officials and gentry than ordinary individuals. Therefore, they harbored sincere expectations for Zhu Mo's reforms.
Having navigated this recent turmoil, they now understood: the world was truly peculiar. If one truly intended to do something for the common people, it was incredibly difficult! Moreover, during this period, divisions had also emerged within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Lu Liu, Yu Zhen, Zhang Er, and Xu Jiu, among others, opposed the reforms. Their superior, Zhu Qi, maintained a neutral stance. As for the Wu brothers, they personally supported the reforms.
Wu Liang, the farmer, was the most compassionate. Thinking of how Zhu Mo had nearly been torn apart for the sake of the people, his heart ached, and he said,
"Young Master Zhu, please rest assured and proceed boldly. We brothers also come from humble backgrounds. As long as it does not violate any taboos, you can do as you please! The reforms in Jiangnan are just a small step away. If we can persevere, the Emperor and Eunuch Lü will surely be pleased..."
Mm-hmm.
Zhu Mo was deeply grateful and nodded heavily.
Lü Kun and Li Zhi had never met any Embroidered Uniform Guards before. Seeing these two men's appearances and their way of speaking, they seemed like ordinary commoners who understood right from wrong with remarkable clarity, a stark contrast to the fearsome image they had previously heard. They exchanged glances, taken aback.
Zhu Mo understood this perfectly.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Great Ming were guardians of the people. It was only in the Chongzhen era that they were utterly corrupted. Prior to that, they were considered pillars of the Great Ming.
He chuckled, "Zhuo Wu, Shu Jian, do you still think the Embroidered Uniform Guard are some kind of monstrous beings?"
Hahaha.
After a round of laughter,
Zhu Mo got to the point and calmly asked, "After Zheng Bichang and the other six were arrested, how many more people connected to the Yan family are there in Jiangnan? Do you have a clear count? Also, have you investigated Grand Scholar Zhang Juzheng and those six or seven individuals?"
Habitually, the two men glanced at Lü Kun and Li Zhi, thinking that since they were secretaries in the Grand Secretariat, there should be no problem.
Wu Ming stated solemnly,
"Young Master, there are three Prefects who are problematic, and perhaps five or six County Magistrates... During this rebellion, they were all colluding everywhere. We have reported this secretly to Master Qi. Additionally, there are a few individuals in the Provincial Administration Bureau—a Right Deputy Administrator under the Provincial Governor, two Verifiers in the Surveillance Bureau, and an Official in the Military Command, these few have connections in the capital... As for Zhang Juzheng's associates, they have no apparent flaws, except for Xu Xuemo, who is from Suzhou. His household has numerous servants and retainers, and he frequently abuses his power."
No flaws?
Truly no flaws...
At this moment, Zhu Mo felt an indescribable sensation.
The Confucian scholars who were "flawless" were the most terrifying, like Shen Shixing... Dealing with such individuals would be exceedingly difficult... Not only that, but if a true confrontation were to occur, these people would possess significant persuasive power, allowing them to contend for legitimacy with Zhu Mo. The common people would likely favor them even more... If he were not careful, all his reform achievements would become their stepping stones...
To prevent this, a foolproof plan was necessary.
...
On his way back,
Zhu Mo felt somewhat uneasy.
Lü Kun and Li Zhi were also top-tier talents. Having witnessed firsthand how these Confucian scholars upheld the sage's doctrines that morning, they could guess Zhu Mo's thoughts.
Li Zhi said, "Zi Xuan, I don't think there's much to worry about. The reform in Jiangnan is about changing people's hearts. The common people may not necessarily favor the strict scholars... "
Lü Kun also added, "Exactly! Zi Xuan, look at how He Xinyin and others lecture. The common people have never liked Neo-Confucianism or the School of Mind. We might not necessarily lose."
Zhu Mo nodded, thinking, "The common people certainly don't like Neo-Confucianism. In fact, they don't even like Confucius and Mencius. But given the high illiteracy rate in the Great Ming, the words of the scholars carry weight... Even if I let He Xinyin and his group lecture for ten years, they couldn't possibly supplant the orthodox Neo-Confucianism."
Upon returning to the posthouse,
He meticulously pondered over the remnants of the Yan family, still feeling that something was amiss.
And just as he was about to blow out the lamp and sleep,
The doorman suddenly entered and whispered, "Grand Scholar Zhu, Master Yu and Master Li are here to see you..."
Master Yu, Master Li?
Zhu Mo put on his clothes and went out, only to see Li Wenjin!
Beside him stood a robust man in his fifties, whom he felt he vaguely recognized.
Li Wenjin smiled and said, "Grand Scholar Zhu, this is Brother Yu!"
Ah?
Yu Dayou?