Chapter 1: Eclipse of the Sun, Traveling Through the Wanli Period

Ming Dynasty, the first day of June in the sixth year of Longqing, early morning. (June 1572, )

Ciqing Palace.

……

"The sun is eclipsed by the heavenly dog! The sun is eclipsed by the heavenly dog!"

"Don't panic, everyone should do their job and guard the East Palace!"

The noise and bustle continued outside the Ciqing Palace for a long time.

Inside the hall, Shi Yue was half lying on the bed, holding his forehead with his hand, looking dazed for a moment.

Two eunuchs stood by his side, waiting for him to change his clothes.

Shi Yue ignored them, closed his eyes, and sorted out the mixed information in his mind.

He only remembered that he was conducting research and holding meetings in various local districts, and then a solar eclipse occurred suddenly, and he immediately lost consciousness.

After waking up, I ended up here inexplicably, and then a chaotic stream of memories flooded into my mind.

Ming Dynasty…the sixth year of Longqing…Zhu Yijun…the crown prince…

A long time passed.

Finally, he opened his eyes.

call……

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Only at this point did Shi Yue manage to sort out the confused memories in his mind.

Shi Yue stretched out his hands with a strange look on his face.

Looking at my tender body in the candlelight.

Surprisingly, I traveled through time...

The Ming Dynasty was the dynasty in which he lived.

Crown Prince Zhu Yijun is his current identity.

His identity was truly remarkable. Shi Yue rubbed his eyebrows vigorously.

He had worked hard in his previous life, so he naturally had no lack of common sense in the civil service exam. Isn't Zhu Yijun the name of Emperor Wanli?
Apart from anything else, he had at least heard of Emperor Wanli, who had not attended court for 30 years.

Of course, it was thanks to Zhang Juzheng that he was able to learn about this period of history. As for his impression of the Wanli Emperor himself, it was naturally not very good.

There is even a common saying in later generations that the Ming Dynasty actually ended with Emperor Wanli. After all, the Ming Dynasty ended only 24 years after his death.

Regardless of whether it is right or not, after all, his major is not suitable.

But no matter what, this can be regarded as the real emperor of the late empire.

Which dynasty did not have a lot of problems at the end? The Ming Dynasty at this time was full of all five evils.

Official corruption is rampant.

The financial shortage is difficult to sustain.

The military is weak and powerless.

People's lives are in poverty and misery.

The attacks from all four barbarians continued.

Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered that the Jiannu Empire rose to power during the Wanli period, right?
Enduring the discomfort from just crossing over, I recalled the past with difficulty.

After confirming it, Shi Yue couldn't help but smacked his lips in an ambiguous manner.

At this beginning, he really has both a high position and a great responsibility, and I don’t know which powerful person will come to test him.

Shi Yue laughed at himself.

But, the test was really correct!

Who is Shi Yue?

Born in poverty, he obtained a bachelor's and master's degree, was selected and promoted, and had worked in the tax department, town and township, municipal industrial bureau, and provincial science and technology department.

After that, he was unstoppable and his road was extremely smooth.

Emperor? What can't he do? It's just the central position!
The end of the dynasty? We should turn the tide and support the collapsing building. This is what real men of our generation should do!

……

Zhu Yijun gradually calmed down and thought about his current situation.

On the 26th of last month, the late emperor passed away in the Qianqing Palace. Today is the first day of the new year, and it has only been a few days.

In other words, the throne is now vacant.

Fortunately, Zhu Yijun had been named the crown prince four years ago, and his succession to the throne was secure. Before and after the death of the late emperor, the throne was passed to him through various forms of imperial edicts, handwritten edicts, and oral instructions.

His two elder brothers died young, leaving only his younger brother, who has not even fully grown yet and is not expected to encounter any setbacks or upheavals.

Therefore, the throne is just a matter of process.

However, everything has a but.

The highest throne in the world is nothing but a name and a position.

He has lived two lives and is well versed in ancient and modern times. He has seen countless people who have the talent but not the ability.

Are there not enough chief officers who can’t even say a word during daily meetings?

The same applies to the throne of the emperor.

Being called an emperor does not mean that one has the power of an emperor.

Just like him now, even if he ascends the throne, he can only observe politics and has no right to interfere.

As for the reason?

He is only ten years old this year!

This is still the age in Chinese lunar calendar.

Zhu Yijun was born in September 1563, so he was actually only eight years old.

This is certainly not an age for him to rule the country, nor is it possible for the court officials to entrust him with government affairs.

As a descendant, he must have known that when the late Emperor Longqing passed away, some people in the cabinet lamented: How can a ten-year-old emperor rule the world?

How outrageous is this? But this is the attitude of a senior cabinet member.

As for what kind of divine weapon is bestowed by heaven?
It would be fine if he just deceived the common people, women and children, but every official is a shrewd human being.

Don’t you have any idea what a ten-year-old child is like?

Not to mention the political atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty.

The fire in the palace was a punishment from God for the emperor's lack of moral character.

The emperor's poor health was due to his indulgence in wine, sex, money and power, and he reaped the consequences.

The local uprisings were caused by the emperor's excessive demands and oppression of the people.

The emperor would retort that don’t you officials have any responsibility for governing the country?
The censor Tan Yao would then say, "Why were you obedient in the past, and why are you disobeying now?" The Ming Dynasty was fine before, why is it that it is no longer possible in your hands?

Yes, that’s right, the above are all things that Emperor Wanli experienced.

In short, it’s your fault, the Emperor!

But if the emperor really wants to do a good job? I'm sorry, the amnesty edict will not be carried out.

Not only the officials, but even his biological mother, Concubine Li, treated him like a child, scolding and punishing him at every turn.

After his predecessor ascended the throne, he was punished to kneel and scolded countless times.

He was even forced to ask the cabinet to write a confession of guilt in his name.

It can be said that everyone, from top to bottom, inside and outside the house, are traitors who despise the emperor!

Of course, he is just a child, and there is nothing wrong in treating him as a child. We are just being realistic.

But it's not just about having a different butt, it's about looking at the problem from a different perspective. Zhu Yijun very consciously stood on the proper standpoint to think about the problem.

This is the situation. In other words, this also means that he does not have the "mass base" to govern himself. I just thought of this.

It hurts.

My temple suddenly started throbbing!
Zhu Yijun frowned and quickly stopped thinking.

He had just traveled through time and was still in the body of a ten-year-old boy. He got a splitting headache when he thought about it too deeply.

He rubbed his eyebrows, and after a while his brows finally relaxed.

at this time.

An old eunuch ran in hurriedly holding a candle.

"Your Highness! Why did you fall asleep again? The officials are still waiting in the Wenhua Palace. Please hurry up and go with me, otherwise you will be scolded again when the Imperial Concubine arrives!"

Seeing that Zhu Yijun was still half lying on the bed, he urged him in an urgent tone.

When Zhu Yijun heard the old eunuch bring up Concubine Li, his heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously became a little flustered.

He immediately realized that this was his former instinct, the fear of a ten-year-old child towards his biological mother who always scolded him.

Zhu Yijun took a deep breath, suppressed his instinct, slowly raised his head, and carefully looked at the old eunuch in front of him, who was bowing and polite but had a slightly sinister look.

The eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Factory and also in charge of the Imperial Stables, was Feng Bao.

He easily found the corresponding person in his mind.

Just by hearing this long list of titles, you can tell that he is an important figure.

In fact, he is indeed a character.

Feng Bao is no simple person, he is a famous eunuch in the Ming Dynasty.

Where is the fame?
This is a great eunuch who can be included in the biography!
Historically, during the ten years when Zhu Yijun did not personally rule the country, it was this man who led the Imperial Household Department and colluded with Empress Dowager Li and the Cabinet. The three of them worked together to control the government.

Dowager Li exercised imperial power, the cabinet handled state affairs, and Feng Bao held the veto power.

This eunuch was one of the three people who stood at the pinnacle of power during those ten years.

Well, the emperor who didn’t rule the country personally can’t be ranked.

During this period, this eunuch was Zhu Yijun's close companion, responsible for supervising and restraining the little emperor's daily life. If the little emperor had any ignorant words or deeds, he would report it to Empress Dowager Li.

Emperor Wanli was often punished for this.

As a result, Feng Bao often used Empress Dowager Li's chicken feathers as a token of authority, and used Empress Dowager Li to scare Zhu Yijun all day long, and to admonish and educate him at every turn.

That would have been fine, but what was even more presumptuous was that if there was no opportunity, Feng Bao would have created one, secretly set up a trap for Zhu Yijun, and then complained to Empress Dowager Li.

The Wanli Emperor is portrayed as a naughty child who never grows up.

This made Emperor Wanli walk on thin ice and also intensified Empress Dowager Li's contempt for Zhu Yijun.

In history, Emperor Wanli must have been filled with resentment, to the point of saying, "Feng Bao deceived the emperor and harmed the country, his crimes are grave."

Zhu Yijun narrowed his eyes and looked quietly at the eunuch in front of him.

Before and after the death of the late emperor, this man guessed the intentions of the two palaces and persuaded Concubine Li to expel Meng Chong, who had been offering beautiful women and drugs to the late emperor all day long, and took away the position of the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department from Meng Chong.

He also led the East Factory and the Internal Guard, and became the most prominent figure among the eunuchs.

Such a great man, at this moment, urged him with an anxious and concerned look on his face, as if he really put himself in his shoes and was worried about him.

Wow, what great acting skills! Zhu Yijun praised in his heart.

He has been an experienced official for many years, so his acting skills are naturally good. He has obtained Zhu Yijun's memory and can imitate his tone and expression about 70% without revealing any flaws.

He sat up slowly and said, "Thank you for your hard work, I will change into mourning clothes right away."

This is the mourning period, so naturally one has to wear mourning clothes.

After Zhu Yijun finished speaking, he stepped firmly on the ground, stood up, opened his arms, and called the palace maid to change his clothes for him.

Neither hurried nor slow, and with a calm demeanor.

There was still a solar eclipse outside, but the candlelight in the hall was bright. Feng Bao looked up secretly and glanced at Zhu Yijun in surprise.

Today, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince seems a little different from usual.

In the past, when Zhu Yijun heard that Concubine Li was coming, he would definitely be anxious and hurried, for fear of being blamed.

Now he is calm and meticulous.

Can the fact that the throne is within reach make people change their attitude?
Feng Bao felt inexplicably uncomfortable, as if things were out of his control.

Even he himself did not realize it, or perhaps was unwilling to admit it - the power vacuum left behind by the emperor who was unable to rule the country was too tempting!
Reign personally? He wished he would never grow up and hand over the imperial power to the Imperial Household Department!

……

When Zhu Yijun was changing into mourning clothes, he heard noise from outside.

"Jun'er! Why are you still dragging your feet?!"

A noble lady walked in from outside, followed by two rows of female officials.

The lady was pretty, about twenty years old, with a plump figure and fair and smooth skin, but she looked obviously unhappy and walked into the hall with a frown on her face.

As soon as he walked in, the palace maids and eunuchs in the hall knelt down one after another.

Feng Bao came forward and said, "This servant greets the Imperial Concubine."

Zhu Yijun glanced at the old eunuch without saying a word.

You rely on your status to call yourself a subject in front of him, but in front of his mother you call yourself a servant, right?
I secretly made a note of this person in my heart.

Then he looked up at the person who came.

It turned out to be the biological mother of her previous life, Concubine Li.

Since he has not yet ascended the throne, the imperial concubine is naturally not the empress dowager yet.

Speaking of Ms. Li, she is a model of a strict mother.

She had extremely high expectations for Zhu Yijun, requiring his behavior to conform to etiquette and his thorough understanding of Confucian classics. If he failed to do so, she would scold and punish him.

He even threatened to depose the young emperor.

Given the Ming Dynasty's system, it was almost impossible for Li to depose the emperor, let alone some trivial matters of behavior.

It was just like the old mother in his previous life, warning her children that if they didn't obey, their uncle would take them away.

What's worse, after Emperor Wanli ascended the throne, Li simply moved into the Qianqing Palace where the young emperor lived, just to take care of Zhu Yijun nearby, and only moved out after Zhu Yijun got married.

It is evident how strict and harsh it is.

But now, the late emperor has passed away not long ago, and everything is in chaos.

Zhu Yijun had to go through the process if he wanted to ascend the throne.

Three persuasions are necessary, and today is the second time.

He had to go to the Wenhua Hall to accept the advice of all officials before declining.

It was only on the third time that he could successfully succeed to the throne.

Such a huge matter was dragged out in the palace, and Concubine Li's displeasure was naturally evident in her words.

He hasn't even ascended the throne yet, how amazing!
The anger on Concubine Li's face was ready to explode.

Zhu Yijun had just made up his mind.

He simply adjusted his belt, straightened his face, and saluted meticulously: "Your Highness, I greet you, mother."

After saying this, he did not wait for Concubine Li to get angry and continued, "There is a reason for this. Mother, please allow me to explain."
-
Note 1: The Crown Prince of Ming lived in the Eastern Palace and referred to himself as the "Prince" to the outside world.

Note 2: Regarding the record of solar eclipses, "In the sixth year of the Longqing reign, on the first day of the sixth month, a solar eclipse occurred from : a.m. to : a.m., and the remaining part of the eclipse was in the degree of the well-known star" - "The Veritable Records of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty"

Note 3: Gong said: How can a ten-year-old emperor rule the world? - "Ming History·Biographies·Volume "

Note 4: In April of the th year of the Wanli reign, the Wanli Emperor prayed in the southern suburbs. After the ceremony, he summoned his ministers and nine officials and issued an edict: The drought is severe now... Although it is caused by my lack of virtue, it is also because many officials in the country are corrupt and corrupt, cruelly harming the people, and refusing to provide relief and love for them, which is against the harmony of heaven...

The next day, Fujian Province Censor Tan Yao submitted a memorial directly pointing out that the emperor should first control himself and the affairs of the imperial court before he could govern the country. In the memorial, he particularly pointed out that the emperor did not do enough to reflect on himself, and suggested that the emperor should reflect on "why (state affairs) were smooth in the past and why are they not smooth now?" - "Records of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty"

Note 5: Regarding Note 4 and the issue of the amnesty edicts not being followed, I have discussed this in an answer on Bihu. I have discussed the situation of Emperor Wanli after he took power and why he did not attend court for decades. If you are interested, you can go and have a look. (Search keywords: Because Wanli is a god)
Note 6: This article is based on historical background research and will have certain artistic processing, as well as free play in historical gaps. Readers can refer to annotations and historical materials to make their own judgments.

　The name of the male protagonist should reflect his change of mentality through the text. Starting from the end of the fourth chapter, he accepts the identity of Zhu Yijun and then uses Zhu Yijun's name uniformly.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)