Chapter 85: Go with the Flow, Degrade Yourself

April 14, early morning

The imperial envoy was ordered to enter the palace to meet the emperor and return the imperial seal.

……

I don’t know why, but in recent years, the winters have become colder and the summers are not as hot. Now that summer has just begun, it’s even a little cold.

In this regard, people from the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory have been considering whether the calendar should be revised again.

Xu Jie was led by Li Jin through the palaces of the Forbidden City and felt even cooler.

As he looked along the way, he felt that the defenses in the imperial city had become much more stringent.

Apart from anything else, when he was still working in the Forbidden City, the vendors who set up stalls outside the Meridian Gate have now disappeared.

Xu Jie followed Li Jin all the way to Xiyuan.

After he entered the Western Garden in the 31st year of Jiajing, he served Emperor Shizong for fourteen years.

Now, after six years, I feel dazed when I see the familiar flowers, trees, pavilions and palaces in Xiyuan again.

In the past fourteen years, he has walked this road countless times and has also walked his official career here.

Dongge Grand Secretary, Wuyingdian Grand Secretary, Jianjidian Grand Secretary...

Just like that, step by step, step by step, he climbed to the pinnacle of power in his life.

I was reminiscing when I was suddenly interrupted.

"Master Xu, His Majesty is not in Chengguang Hall. Please come this way." Li Jin stopped Xu Jie who was about to turn to Chengguang Hall.

Xu Jie was stunned.

Yesterday he did not just visit Zhang Juzheng - he visited quite a few of Xu Jie's students and former officials.

He understood the emperor's speech habits, daily likes and dislikes, and behavior style from different angles.

It is common practice to receive foreign ministers in Chengguang Hall, so why did they change the venue today?

Xu Jie's brain was racing, thinking about the emperor's intentions.

Li Jin walked in front and explained attentively, "Your Majesty attended the imperial lecture, the imperial archery, the sacrifice yesterday, and took Governor Gu to inspect the martial arts of the Beijing Guards. You are a little tired, so you should sleep more this morning."

Xu Jie suddenly realized: "So we are going to Wanshou Palace?"

Li Jin nodded with a smile and said nothing more.

Xu Jie's heart gradually sank.

He is here as an imperial envoy to return the imperial seal.

If the emperor still intends to use him, he should at least treat him with courtesy.

Now, she summoned him to the bedroom just because she wanted to sleep in a little longer.

This kind of contemptuous and casual attitude...Xu Jie had a bad feeling.

He looked up at the Wanshou Palace in the distance, then lowered his head and followed Li Jin sullenly.

If the defense of the Forbidden City was slightly better, then the Western Garden could be said to be strict, especially the section leading to the Wanshou Palace, where there was a guard every ten steps and a squad every hundred steps.

This kind of solemnity is best reflected at the entrance of Wanshou Palace...

Xu Jie looked at the Jinyiwei in front of him in disbelief. He actually intended to come up and search him!

What a shame!
For civil servants, this is no different from indecent assault!
Xu Jie was determined not to accept this. He stared at the Jinyiwei and said angrily, "Have you finished searching? If you're done, get out of the way!"

Jiang Keqian took two steps back, bowed his hands and apologized, and continued to stand guard at the entrance of the main hall of Wanshou Palace.

Xu Jie snorted coldly, dusted off his robes, and walked into the Wanshou Palace.

He slowed down his pace so that he could adjust his mindset.

Yesterday, he visited many people and got a general idea of ​​the emperor's character.

To sum it up in one sentence, as long as he is still useful, he will not end up like Xia Yan.

And this might be my last chance.

The next response is crucial for him.

It is necessary to show one's talents to the emperor, let the emperor see one's insights, and let the emperor understand one's role in the Ming Dynasty.

It was just like... meeting Emperor Sejong for the first time.

Thinking of this, Xu Jie couldn't help but look up and down at this familiar palace, and a strange feeling emerged in his heart.

He inquired about the new emperor from many sources yesterday, and the more he learned, the stronger his sense of déjà vu became.

The new emperor and his grandfather when he was young look like they were carved from the same mold!
Especially when Xu Jie set foot in the Wanshou Palace, this feeling became more and more persistent.

The young man also succeeded to the throne.

He also secretly controls the Jinyiwei.

He also defeated the prime minister in power and promoted a new prime minister who was in harmony with the emperor and his subjects.

The intention is also to reform the old and establish the new, and eliminate the accumulated malpractices.

Similarly, living in the West Garden.

Even the layout of the Wanshou Palace still retains the style of the Jiajing period...

Just thought of this.

clang!
Suddenly, a familiar sound of bronze chimes rang out in the Wanshou Palace!
It was like snow pouring down his forehead, instantly making Xu Jie feel cold all over!
The sound of the chimes echoed in the Wanshou Palace and also in Xu Jie's mind.

He looked towards the main hall in astonishment.

This place was a little far away, so Xu Jie could only vaguely see that there was a platform protruding in the center of the hall, about knee-high. The ground around it was engraved with the pattern of Tai Chi Bagua. This Tai Chi Bagua platform was built by the order of Emperor Shizong when he was in power.

Sejong often sat cross-legged here and summoned his ministers behind a gauze curtain.

Of course, there was no gauze curtain at this time. Instead, there was a screen, and in front of the screen was the imperial desk.

Through the imperial desk and the screen, Xu Jie could only see a figure, half lying on the Bagua platform, and slowly sitting up.

clang!
The sound of the bronze bell rang again.

Xu Jie finally saw clearly that it was that figure. He was holding a pestle in his hand and swung it lightly, hitting the bronze chime and disappearing into the distance.

He looked as if he had seen a ghost, his eyes fixed straight ahead, as if he wanted to see the figure behind him clearly through the imperial desk and the screen.

At this moment, Xu Jie seemed to have returned to the Jiajing period, when he first stepped into the Wanshou Palace!
At that time, he also stepped into the Wanshou Palace to meet the emperor with great caution.

At that time, there was also a figure with a blurred face sitting on the Bagua platform.

At that time, there were also clear and distant sounds of chimes.

It was like a scene of disordered cosmic light, which almost made Xu Jie unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.

He stared at the Bagua stage, moved his feet with difficulty, and slowly walked forward.

This year, Xu Jie is exactly seventy years old, which is already the age of old age.

There are too many memories from the past seventy years, and they are gradually becoming blurred.

But at this moment, he suddenly felt all his memories flooding back.

If he walked through the West Garden, it was like recalling how he became the Prime Minister from the day he entered the cabinet...

So at this moment, every time he took a step forward, he couldn't help but recall the past from the age of seventy.

From his failure to maintain his integrity during the Wanli reign, to his retirement in despair during the Longqing reign, to the turbulent times during the Jiajing reign...

Xu Jie felt that with every step he took forward, he seemed to be one year younger.

It seemed as if his white hair was turning back to black bit by bit, as if his hunched body was slowly becoming straight, and as if his old breathing was becoming strong again.

Xu Jie vaguely remembered the scene in which he protected Prince Yu from ascending the throne and the people cheered him on. He thought he was still strong and healthy.

His slow steps became faster and faster.

Xu Jie remembered that he was the sole controller of the cabinet and was a powerful figure at that time, and he was exactly the same age as then.

He lifted the hem of his shirt and walked quickly forward.

Xu Jie seemed to be watching again the interactions between himself and Yan Song. Serving Emperor Shenzong was like serving a tiger. That was the age when he gradually understood his destiny.

Suddenly, the hem of his shirt that he lifted up gradually turned scarlet.

Looking closely, it seemed that he was wearing the scarlet robe again... Oh, it seemed like it was the first time that King Sejong summoned him to the Western Garden.

Xu Jie seemed to hear the words "Order the Junior Guardian and Prince Taibao, Minister of Rites Xu Jie, to lead the Eastern Pavilion Grand Secretaries into the cabinet to do business!"

Bizarre images interweave before my eyes, and strange and sporadic sounds echo in my ears.

clang!
The sound of the bronze bell rang again, and Xu Jie looked up suddenly.

I saw the imperial desk and screen in front of me slowly disappearing and turning into a light gauze curtain. The figure behind it seemed to be wearing a Taoist robe embroidered with the Thousand Character Sutra, and was looking at me through the curtain.

The self who had not yet been given a seat, prostrated himself respectfully, and paid homage to Emperor Sejong.

It turned out that he had come to the ninth day of the third month in the thirty-first year of the Jiajing reign, the day when he first entered the Wanshou Palace.

Xu Jie stood in the main hall, feeling dizzy and in a trance.

Relying on his memory, he walked to his original position, lifted up his skirt, and bowed deeply, his throat moving: "Your Majesty, I, Xu Jie, kowtow to you."

He seemed to be worshipping the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but more like he was worshipping his own life.

The two figures slowly overlapped, and there was a moment of silence in the Wanshou Palace.

After a long time, there was no movement.

The figure behind the screen put down the jade pestle he was playing with on a whim and stood up.

When he stood up, he bumped into the screen, causing it to shake slightly. The wooden plaques with names engraved on them hung on them collided with each other, making crisp sounds.

Amid the melodious sound of wooden signs colliding, the figure slowly revealed its true form.

Zhu Yijun was wearing a Yanbian suit but no crown. He walked out slowly and calmly from behind the screen.

He was half-lying down to take a rest just now. He had tied his long hair casually behind his head with a wooden hairpin and now let it fly freely.

He placed his crown and hat on the table and sat down leisurely behind the imperial desk.

He slowly leaned his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes again to rest.

It's sleepiness, but also contempt.

Zhu Yijun's lips moved, his voice sounded like he was half asleep, and he murmured, "Jie, come and serve."

Li Jin, who was standing by, was about to help the emperor put on his crown, but stopped immediately upon hearing this.

He then picked up the hat and walked to Xu Jie's side.

Xu Jie's body froze.

He was a scholar, so how could he not hear that the emperor was humiliating him?

If he did not react at this time, in the future annotations of the Book of Rites, "food given out of pity" would probably be extended to mean "servant provided by others"!
Xu Jie slowly raised his head.

He saw the names of ministers written densely on the screen.

He saw the memorial on the imperial desk that he had entrusted to Zhang Juzheng to present.

We also see the emperor, with disheveled hair, leaning back behind his desk to rest.

There was a brief silence.

Xu Jie remained calm, stretched out his hands gently, and held up the crown.

He stood up, walked behind the imperial desk, and personally crowned the emperor: "I have heard that your Majesty was crowned an adult in February last year."

"It is said that the coming-of-age ceremony is carried out in order to establish a virtuous character, to be respectful and dignified, and to be the model for the people."

"Today is the first time I have met Your Majesty. I have indeed felt Your Majesty's virtue and majesty, which makes it difficult for me to take a step. At this time, I am honored to be crowned by Your Majesty. Your grace and dignity really make me feel terrified."

"When Your Majesty becomes famous in the future, I may be lucky enough to get some credit for this matter. I am so grateful for the great favor from Heaven that I am ashamed to accept it."

Xu Jie put the crown on the emperor while making his plea.

The tone is sincere and earnest, and the emotions are expressed naturally, which is really moving.

After saying this, Zhu Yijun finally opened his eyes.

He looked at the old minister in front of him who had served three dynasties. His hair and beard were half white, his facial features were regular, and he looked like an immortal.

Even though he was humiliated, his expression did not change, and he looked sincere as if he had been deeply hurt.

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but secretly praise him in his heart.

Regardless of other things, his appearance, conversation and character are all top-notch.

No wonder Emperor Sejong liked him so much.

Zhu Yijun laughed for no apparent reason, then quickly stopped laughing.

He just looked up, leaned back in his chair, and asked casually: "Xu Jie, you have been an official for more than 40 years, enjoying the emperor's grace. Why do you serve me and break my pot?"

He called him by his name and questioned him directly without any courtesy.

The emperor's attitude can be seen from this.

Xu Jie's hands paused for a moment, and then he put on the emperor's crown meticulously and slowly retreated to the imperial desk.

He bowed and pleaded guilty: "I dare not."

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "If you were just corrupt, I could still tolerate you. There is no shortage of corrupt officials in the Ming Dynasty. But... you are unscrupulously annexing land, and I can't help but want to kill you!"

Corruption is nothing more than a matter of confiscating property, so just think of it as saving money for him.

But annexing land would really ruin the overall situation.

Land is the tax base of the central government. Just like what Zhang Juzheng told him last year about the great evils in the world, the fact that the rich are now hiding their land and population and destroying the tax base of the central government is the root cause of the Ming Dynasty's decline.

As the Prime Minister, Xu Jie took the lead in doing this, which is an unforgivable crime.

Now that the central government is determined to settle the accounts of land, it has to show an attitude, and Xu Jie in front of him has a very good attitude.

Xu Jie remained calm and knelt down, kowtowed: "Your Majesty, please allow me to report!"

Zhu Yijun looked at him and motioned for him to speak.

Xu Jie went over what he had learned about the emperor's character in his mind again, took a deep breath, and made up his mind.

He raised his head and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, it is not that I annexed the land, but that the people voluntarily donated it!"

Seeing the emperor's unhappy expression, he turned a blind eye and said, "Your Majesty, you don't know that although the tax in our dynasty is only one in thirty,

"But in addition to land rent, regular labor and miscellaneous labor, there are also various taxes and levies imposed by local governments."

"There are all kinds of miscellaneous taxes, including taxes on carriages, food, treasury, cattail baskets, and taxes on gods and Buddhas along the river."

"The levies are endless, including bridge repairs, road paving, transportation, and maintenance, which often lead to the destruction of families."

"The people surrendered to me just to save their lives."

Zhu Yijun was furious: "You also know that it is a local apportionment! As the Prime Minister, can you only go with the flow? "

What local government could put pressure on Xu Jie?
It is precisely because of the confluence of the two that the central tax base collapsed!

Local governments did not dare to impose the tax on official households, and could only pass it on to poor people, which greatly increased the burden on the people.

When the people saw this, they surrendered themselves to the government in order to avoid being assigned labor service.

The government completed its task, the wealthy took over the land, and the people continued to survive.

The tax base of the central government has deteriorated again.

Xu Jie shook his head and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, this matter has already penetrated into the bones of the Ming Dynasty. It is beyond my control to change it. I will just go with the flow."

Zhu Yijun sat up straight, squinted his eyes, and looked at Xu Jie quietly.

Xu Jie said, "Your Majesty, our dynasty has spent tens of millions of taels over the years, and most of it is taken up by the treasury and military expenses, and the rest is used for salaries, disaster relief, sacrifices, etc."

"For local areas, it is even more out of reach and the benefits are limited."

"Local governments govern themselves, and without money, they can only assign miscellaneous duties."

"Building bridges and roads, repairing government offices and post stations, repairing riverbanks and city defenses, and transporting food and supplies, will these things stop just because the people are suffering?"

"These levies can be exempted for officials, households and gentry. If they don't fall on the common people, where else can they fall on?"

"Your Majesty, the country relies on local officials and gentry to govern the local areas."

"The prerequisite for curbing mergers is to take over the responsibility of governing counties and towns."

"Now that the imperial power has not reached the countryside, it only suppresses annexation but cannot effectively govern the local areas. Isn't this shaking the foundation of the country?"

"As a minister, I cannot shake the foundation of the world, so I can only go with the flow."

"After the people made contributions, I paid the regular taxes, and was exempted from miscellaneous duties because of my official position. As for the temporary levies of the government and the basic operation of the village, I was in charge of all of them, including charity fields, schools, bridges, roads, transportation, dams, etc., which greatly reduced the burden on the people."

“Isn’t this a life-saving act of kindness?”

(End of this chapter)