Chapter 84: Teacher and Disciple Friends

No matter how the emperor plans to deal with Xu Jie, outsiders have to serve him well before the final decision is made.

Thanks to the officials returning their bribes, there are now many vacant mansions in the capital.

Two of them were taken over by the Ministry of Rites and used to house high-ranking officials who had no place to live when they arrived in Beijing in a hurry.

Xu Jie was suitable to be placed there - Xu Jie originally had a private residence in the capital, but the residence was implicated in a case in the fifth year of Longqing and was confiscated.

However, Xu Jie changed his bad habit of enjoying himself, righteously rejected Li Jin's offer, and took the initiative to ask to be placed in the post station, just like an ordinary official on call, which was a true example of noble character.

In short, Li Jin was finally brought to the post station by Xu Jie, and left with a minor official from the Ministry of Rites to accompany him and two Jinyiwei to guard him, and then he left.

It is said that one should remain calm in times of crisis.

After settling down, Xu Jie threw himself onto the bed, slept soundly, and took a short rest.

In broad daylight, he slept for an hour and a half.

If it weren't for the faint snoring and the rise and fall of his chest, the Jinyiwei guarding the door would have thought that he had died of old age.

It was not until dusk and the sky gradually darkened that Xu Jie woke up.

He stretched himself comfortably, put on his clothes, and called out to the door, "Someone come."

The clerk from the Ministry of Rites came in from the next room and asked, "Master Xu, what do you want?"

These petty officials cannot afford to offend a tiger in distress.

As Xu Jie dressed himself, he said, "I'm going out so I'll have dinner late. Is that inappropriate?"

The clerk said respectfully, "Master Xu, you are too kind. What's wrong with this? I will lead the way for you."

You can have dinner, but you can't go alone.

Xu Jie naturally understood, and he didn't mind, so he nodded.

He dressed meticulously, used a bronze mirror to tidy up his temples, and then slowly stood up: "Let's go, lead the way."

……

Imperial City, outside the Meridian Gate.

At noon, as the sky gradually darkened, Zhang Juzheng slowly walked out of the imperial city.

As soon as he walked out of the Meridian Gate, the butler You Qi immediately ordered the servants to get out of the sedan chair and wait for him.

Zhang Juzheng pushed aside the curtain and went in with ease.

A voice came from the sedan chair: "Is there something going on at home?"

Generally speaking, unless there was something going on in the mansion, You Qi would not deliberately come to wait outside the Meridian Gate, and he would not be missing to carry the sedan chair.

You Qi followed the sedan chair, walked forward in small steps, and said in a low voice: "Master, at noon, Wang Chonggu handed in a visiting card and wanted to see you soon."

After hearing this, Zhang Juzheng rubbed his brows tiredly in the sedan chair - this was another thing he couldn't shirk.

Since becoming the Prime Minister, there have been more and more affairs to deal with.

The first is the performance evaluation method.

The court’s administrative problems are too serious. Now, after two seasons of trial implementation, problems have been exposed one after another.

Shen Shixing of the Ministry of Personnel was always inferior to Gao Gong in prestige and decisiveness, so he had to discuss the matter with Zhang Juzheng.

At the same time, in order to set an example himself, Zhang Juzheng took the initiative to petition the emperor to examine the compilation of "The Veritable Records of Emperor Muzong".

As the saying goes, "A project must have a schedule before it can be held accountable for effectiveness", Zhang Juzheng rejected all objections and set up a timetable for this matter.

Every month, the editors of each library had to complete the compilation of one year's events, which would be revised and improved by Zhang Siwei at the end of the month and then handed over to Zhang Juzheng for deletion and polishing every six months.

The plan is to complete one year's compilation every month and three years' organization every quarter, accumulating gradually in the hope of ultimate success.

Of course, monthly and semi-annual assessments are essential.

This kind of thing is really a thankless task.

Not only did he receive a lot of criticism from the Ministry of Rites, but he was also exhausted.

But there was no way around it. In the emperor's words, this was called "exemplary leadership," and he agreed with it.

In addition, there was the matter of the Lianghuai and salt administration that the emperor forced upon him.

It does not mean that once the emperor sets the general direction and makes two personnel appointments, it will be implemented in practice.

The change of the post of Admiral Caojiang and Governor alone involved changes in the official system.

After several rounds of consultations with the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War, he finally came up with a result in a hurry.

Even so, he still forced for the position of Left Censor-in-Chief in the Censorate, which made Ge Shouli upset for several days.

In addition, there is the matter of the Salt Administration Office.

Although there is a general consensus, there are still disputes on some key issues.

For example, neither the Ministry of Revenue nor the emperor was willing to give up the right to print salt permits.

There is still room for discussion as to whether the Salt Administration Office reports directly to the emperor or to the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of Revenue.

We can discuss it, but things have to be pushed forward. An imperial decree was just issued today, asking Yin Shidan to come to the capital to discuss this matter together.

These are just internal affairs.

But who knew that border conflict broke out again in Ji-Liao.

Dong Fox is an old rival. During the Jiajing and Longqing periods, there were many intrusions by this man on the borders of the imperial court. Now that it is the Wanli period, it is naturally no exception.

Tuman Khan and Qi Jiguang had a battle on the border, and it was impossible for the central government not to pay attention to it.

Now we have to fight and exchange prisoners.

In addition, they were afraid that these barbarians would fail to get rewards and would start large-scale border conflicts again.

War is too expensive!
Judging from the current emperor's actions, time is on the Ming Dynasty's side. If the war can be delayed for a few years, it may not be a bad thing.

Everything was going on in turmoil, and Wang Chonggu happened to come to Beijing again.

Zhang Juzheng just felt a little tired.

He opened the curtain of the carriage and ordered, "In two days, go and invite Wang Chonggu to come to the mansion for a dinner."

You Qi responded, indicating that he understood.

He paused, then said, "Master, there is one more thing."

There was a nasal sound coming from inside the car.

You Qi said slowly, "Today Sun Yizheng came to deliver something to the mansion again, and I took the initiative to chase him away."

Zhang Juzheng replied absentmindedly: "This is because I failed the test and was impeached by Li Zaiting, so I was afraid."

"You did the right thing, as you should."

The emperor told him clearly that if he needed money, he could use the treasury to pay.

Now that the emperor has done this, there is no reason for him to get involved with Sun Yizhen's shit anymore.

He paused, then thought of something else and asked, "What's new in the newspaper recently?"

The Xin Bao said that it was organized by He Yongqing of the Ministry of Public Security, but all the officials in the court knew who did it.

The volume of publication throughout northern Zhili alone was not something that could be covered by the budget of the Ministry of Public Administration.

Today's new newspaper has gradually become a regular practice. In addition to publishing in Northern Zhili, more newspapers are printed and sent to local government offices and post stations for announcements together with the court reports.

In remote areas, although the number is small and it takes time, the locals seem to enjoy watching it.

Even at the local level, there is already a business of copying and selling new newspapers.

There was silence outside the sedan for a while, obviously he was reminiscing.

After a while, You Qi's voice was heard: "Since the last revision, when it became twice as big and foldable, the form has not changed."

"The content is still the same, with interesting stories, current affairs, and math enlightenment, and occasionally some insights about the new school. It is said that there will be an 'experiment' after the summer."

"Oh, by the way, the serialization of Journey to the West has ended, and a new novel will start serialization next time."

Zhang Juzheng nodded.

From the moment the emperor collected the manuscripts of Journey to the West and translated them into plain language, Zhang Juzheng knew the target audience of the Xinbao.

The publication of Mathematical Enlightenment now further confirms his idea.

He looked at it twice, but those crooked symbols really didn't interest him.

He did know something about You Qi's so-called "experiment" though.

The emperor had told him the truth last year.

Rotten grass turns into fireflies... He is actually quite curious about it.

Zhang Juzheng casually asked about some business matters, such as the market price of rice, the exemption of the Nine-Gate Tax, whether there was any hypocrisy, whether the children in the family studied well, etc.

Halfway through the journey home, the sedan finally became quiet.

Zhang Juzheng took out the memorial from his sleeve and took the opportunity to read it.

Once you become the Prime Minister, there is no rest time in the absolute sense.

Either he is handling political affairs, or he is on his way to handling political affairs.

Now that the emperor has just bled Nanzhili, there are many people who need to be appeased.

Whether it is to write a letter to your satisfaction or to get a promotion, it has to be dealt with.

Not to mention the two Maritime Customs Offices waiting to be fulfilled, memorials from all over the country concerned about this matter can be said to have drifted into the cabinet like snowflakes. Some rejected and resisted - saying that establishing a Maritime Customs Office would be harmful and useless and would only lead to banditry.

There were concerns and questions - especially whether only tribute ships could pass through, or civilian ships could also pass, as well as what the tariffs were and how many troops were stationed there.

There was no time for Zhang Juzheng to rest.

Zhang Juzheng just flipped through the books like this while enduring the swaying of the sedan chair.

After a while, he fell asleep.

You Qi heard snoring in the sedan, but didn't dare to disturb him.

After being jolted all the way to the doorstep of his home and getting out of the sedan chair safely, You Qi woke up his master.

Zhang Juzheng suddenly woke up.

After he came to his senses, he lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and got out.

As soon as he stood up and walked back home, his eyes suddenly fixed.

I saw an old man standing quietly beside the gate of Zhang's mansion, with his hands behind his back, looking up at the couplets on the door.

Zhang Juzheng took a closer look and his expression changed slightly.

He waved his hand and asked You Qi, who was trying to help him, to go into the mansion first.

He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and walked forward slowly.

Zhang Juzheng walked behind the old man, bowed like a disciple, and called out in a respectful tone, "Teacher."

Waiting outside the mansion was his teacher, Xu Jie.

Xu Jie did not turn around, but said in an ambiguous tone: "When I was teaching in the Imperial Academy, I only had eyes for you, but I never thought that you could reach the position of Prime Minister."

"Why don't you build a new gatepost just for you?"

Zhang Juzheng was silent for a while before he spoke: "Teacher, only old houses in the countryside need to be decorated with couplets. This is the capital, so a couplet is enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jie slowly turned around.

The former Prime Minister, with admiration and satisfaction on his face, smiled and said, "Gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, yes, that's the demeanor of a Prime Minister."

He did not care about the implicit alienation in Zhang Juzheng's wit and was generous in his praise.

Xu Jie reached out his hand to help Zhang Juzheng up, and said casually: "I have been busy with the king's affairs and rushed to the capital. I just landed here and came to your place for dinner."

Zhang Juzheng looked at the teacher and understood his situation, his eyes became more complicated.

He took the initiative to bend down and support Xu Jie: "Teacher, I have already eaten dinner in the cabinet, and my family has not prepared anything. I will take you to the restaurant to welcome you."

Xu Jie paused as he was about to enter the mansion.

He turned his head, looked at Zhang Juzheng deeply, and nodded slowly.

Xu Jie didn't expect that his own disciple would be so disrespectful to him.

Not only did they come here on their own initiative, but they were also unwilling to bring him into the house, for fear of causing misunderstandings from outsiders.

What a good prime minister.

Zhang Juzheng didn't look at his teacher's expression, but helped him turn around and walk out.

The two of them each had their own thoughts and were not in the mood to eat any delicacies, so they just randomly found a nearby restaurant and sat down in a private room overlooking the water.

Zhang Juzheng respectfully helped Xu Jie to his seat, observing the proper etiquette of a disciple.

The latter also accepted it calmly, and there was no sign of anything wrong on his face.

Xu Jie opened the window, looked at the night outside and the river in the distance, and said casually, "The water in Tongzi River is clearer than when I left."

Tongzi River is the Jinshui River, which originates from Yuquan Mountain, passes through Danei, exits the capital, and flows into Tonghui River.

It is a moat for internal and external traffic.

Zhang Juzheng sat opposite Xu Jie and spoke in a gentle tone: "It is all thanks to your Majesty's good governance. After the fire in Ciqing Palace last year, your Majesty took special care of these water systems."

He paused and said sincerely, "After all, it is a river for transportation. Everyone is watching it, so it's better to keep it clear."

Zhang Juzheng also had his own difficulties.

Being in the position of Prime Minister, with connections both inside and outside the government, it is impossible for him to follow the example of Yan Song and sacrifice public office for personal gain.

Xu Jie shook his head: "If we only want to enjoy the fish swimming among the algae, it would be a waste of materials."

Zhang Juzheng patiently explained: "That is not the case. Your Majesty said that there might be an unexpected disaster. This water can be relied upon."

This is because they are afraid that there will be another fire in the palace, and then they will have to rely on this pool of water.

The two of them kept exchanging witty remarks.

Xu Jie kept probing and pressing, but achieved nothing. Zhang Juzheng spoke sincerely, but refused to give in.

The two of them were in a stalemate for a long time, and Xu Jie sighed in his heart.

At this point, he also understood that Zhang Juzheng was unlikely to give in and really try to rescue him.

This disciple, though seemingly respectful, was actually just like him, unfeeling and unfeeling - he could abandon most things for the sake of his so-called ambitions.

Xu Jie had to change his plan.

He skipped over the previous events and turned to talk about today's interesting events: "On my way here, I met the Tatar envoys."

Zhang Juzheng also tacitly stopped talking about the previous topic and took over the conversation: "Well, recently the Tuman Khan has invaded the border again, and he came to the capital to ask for rewards."

To call it a reward is actually a euphemism on their part.

It is actually appeasement silver.

It's no different from robbery. If you give money, they won't fight. If you don't, they will invade.

Xu Jie could not help but advise: "The overall situation is more important. If a war really breaks out, millions of taels will have to be spent."

Zhang Juzheng curled his lips and said, "The Ministry of War also means the same thing, but Qi Jiguang said in his memorial that the bandits are greedy and insatiable, and even rewards will be of no use."

Xu Jie smiled and said, "That depends on the cabinet's decision."

After hearing this, Zhang Juzheng was silent for a moment.

After a while, he looked up at his teacher and said seriously, "Since ancient times, war and sacrifice have been decided by the emperor. Naturally, it depends on the emperor's decision."

Zhang Juzheng's attitude towards the emperor was impeccable.

Xu Jie smiled without saying anything. He secretly put his hands into his sleeves and pinched himself to keep himself calm.

Seeing Zhang Juzheng's stubborn attitude, he had to make his words clearer: "Speaking of the emperor... I will meet the emperor tomorrow, and I don't know how talented and wise your majesty is. I am really nervous."

He sighed in his heart. Zhang Juzheng just didn't want to help, but he wouldn't stop him from saving himself, right?

If the emperor is not willing to reveal his personality, there is no point in having this banquet.

Zhang Juzheng was silent again, and Xu Jie waited for his reply.

After a long while, Zhang Juzheng raised his head, looked at Xu Jie, and said seriously: "Teacher, there is no need to be so nervous. His Majesty... is a benevolent monarch."

Xu Jie was stunned.

I never expected to hear such an evaluation from the emperor from Zhang Juzheng.

Renjun! ?
So the cruelty towards him was all fake, right? During the turmoil in Southern Zhili, hundreds of innocent officials and salt merchants were killed. Are you pretending not to know?

Zhang Juzheng ignored Xu Jie's expression and said earnestly, "Since your majesty ascended the throne, you have been respectful to your teachers and elders, filial to the two palaces, kind to old ministers, and generous to the nobles. You can naturally be called a benevolent monarch."

Zhang Siwei was disrespectful every day, and Tao Dalin was trying to take advantage of the situation, but the emperor did not lose his manners at all.

There were many disagreements between the two palaces, but the emperor tried to mediate between the two queens and was filial to them, which was witnessed by all the foreign officials.

Gao Gong's behavior eventually led to a good ending.

How could he not be called a benevolent ruler? Even if outsiders did not recognize him, Zhang Juzheng at least did.

Xu Jie seemed to be thinking about something.

It seems that the emperor is still very tolerant towards his close ministers, otherwise Zhang Juzheng would not protect the emperor like this.

If this is the case, then he is truly a political creature without any preferences of his own.

If they are useful, they will be treated with kindness and given the highest honors; if they are useless, they will be killed without blinking an eye.

but……

This is actually a good thing.

At least it means that the emperor will not kill me to vent his anger just because of his momentary joy or anger!
Even his way of survival may be included in it.

Thinking of this, Xu Jie slowly took out a memorial from his sleeve.

He pushed the memorial to Zhang Juzheng and said in a serious tone: "After I retired, I lived in Nanjing for a long time. I have some experience and understanding of local governance, Japanese pirate invasions, and local gentry."

"Now that I have the opportunity to see the emperor, I am thinking of writing a memorial and submitting it to your majesty for your reference."

"Yuan Fu, can you escort me to the West Garden?"

Having said this, he no longer called himself a teacher, but instead called himself the prime minister.

Zhang Juzheng was stunned.

He quickly stood up, bent down respectfully, and took the memorial.

He held it upright and looked down.

There were only six big characters on the cover: "A Memorial on the Five Evils of the World".

(End of this chapter)