As Feng Bao's influence in the inner court faded, Zhang Juzheng, together with Ge Shouli, Zhu Xixiao, Chen Ju and other court officials, finally reached the conclusion of the joint trial on Minister Wang's case.
Zhu Yijun was not in power at the time, and by the time he transferred Minister Wang to the Jinyi Guards, it was already too late. Minister Wang was given mute medicine, and subsequent questioning was difficult to carry out.
After Zhang Juzheng received the approval of Empress Dowager Li and Zhu Yijun, in the official memorial, he did not mention the disappearance of Xin Ru, a key figure in the case. He only said that Minister Wang was armed with a sharp sword and went straight to the palace, indicating that he was planning on plotting.
, the case was closed and sentenced to be beheaded.
Zhang Juzheng said in his memorial: "In the palace, the guards are strict. If you are not a person who has always done it, how can you face the emperor directly." He also said: "I hope the emperor will order the ceremonial supervisor to strictly follow the laws and orders. If there is any violation of the order,
If you do, you must commit a crime and do not lend money.”
The Supervisor of Ceremonies approved Hong and said: "As you have discussed, all the officials of the Supervisor of Ceremonies will strictly enforce the palace ban. If anyone does not follow the laws of the ancestors and neglects the law, he will be investigated and prosecuted."
Zhu Yijun wrote in another line: "In the most virtuous area of the capital, the government must be clean and tidy, so that the four directions can be transformed."
"I have recently read the report of the Jinyi Guards. Over the years, the people of the capital have been indifferent, the laws and regulations have been weakened, and homeless people have been hiding in all directions. There are many lawless people. Those who are called "heroes" use force to violate the ban, but they are mostly praised as good ones.
But the government does not ask; the person who is called the "head of the meeting" reunites the masses, settles the lawsuits and manages the affairs, just like the county magistrate!"
"The Inspector General of the Ministry of War and the Editorial Office led patrols, inspections, and Shuntian Prefecture and other officials to carry out severe crackdowns. On the ground in the capital, hooligans, local gangsters, and even city foxes, community rats, etc. were all arrested and punished. During the severe crackdown, there were
Anyone who uses his power to interfere with the law and interferes with litigation will be summoned to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to investigate and report to the Ministry of Punishment. If officials from various ministries are slack and playful or miss official duties, they will all be punished without mercy."
After the decree was issued, both the Ministry of War and the Shuntian Mansion issued memorials of apology. Zhu Yijun asked Empress Dowager Li for instructions before receiving the approval: "I understand, and I will take credit for my crime."
Following the promulgation of the imperial edict, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Punishment, Shuntian Prefecture, Daxing, Wanping and more than 20 counties were involved in the vigorous crackdown. Suddenly, old cases were uncovered and new cases were pursued, which was shocking. The "carrying" on the ground in the capital was
"Bo Zi" and "Hunter Dragon" have ceased their activities one after another. Jin Yiwei, Dongchang and other leaders also took the opportunity to recruit talents and expand their power.
In less than two months, the severe crackdown has achieved remarkable results. Many people who dared to do evil without a big background or who had a big background but committed heinous crimes were arrested. The prisons were overcrowded, and the ground in the capital was peaceful.
When the officials of Dali Temple saw the pile of case files, they could not help but complain everywhere. When Zhang Juzheng gave a speech on the Emperor's Day, he treated the complaints of Dali Temple as words of praise to the saint. Zhu Yijun wrote six words to Mr. Zhang: "
Let Dali Temple judge according to this principle."
When Zhang Juzheng saw the note that read: "Severely, severely, quickly", he smiled bitterly and said: "Unjust imprisonment is inevitable."
Zhu Yijun said: "Otherwise, we can try to use public opinion to decide the prison. Tie all the prisoners and parade them through the streets. Those who are reviled by many will be sentenced harshly. Those who are sympathetic and kind will be punished far away."
Zhang Juzheng was shocked when he heard this. He had served emperors of three dynasties, and in the past five or six years, he had been able to get closer to Tianyan. However, from Emperor Longqing, he had never experienced such an obvious difference in thinking between the emperor and his ministers.
From Zhu Yijun's point of view, doing things this way is inconsistent with the ideas of later generations. But as the saying goes, the butt determines the head. After sitting on the throne of the emperor for several months, it is not surprising that his words and deeds gradually changed to the emperor's side.
The people of the capital have seen the Western scene. Since the beginning of summer, some people in the capital have been tied up and paraded through the streets with big signs; some have committed serious crimes and will never wait to be knifed in the Western Market; some have been beaten; there are also some high-end excitements - such as
The woman was stripped of her clothes and caned.
The old and young idlers in the capital went to see the parade in the morning, the beheading in the afternoon, and the cane torture in the afternoon. It was like rushing to a performance, and they didn't even bother to eat.
People in the capital love to praise and criticize important national affairs, and they also have channels for information, so they can't help but discuss the emperor's severe crackdown policy.
Some people said: "The girl from my brother-in-law's fifth aunt's family is doing needlework in Mr. Yang's house. I heard Mr. Yang said that this time the emperor was instigated by Yuan Fu and issued an imperial edict -
Seeing that the people on the side stretched their necks to look at him, this man said proudly: "If there is any crime, all of them will be beheaded; if there is adultery, human life, etc., all of them will be beheaded. It is the Queen Mother who is compassionate and persuades her to do so."
live."
This is what I heard: "The emperor is young, but he is cruel!"
Unexpectedly, a voice shouted from the side: "Shut up, you bitch! Let me tell you, this Beijing city should be killed and taken care of - your aunt's second flat head is just living in Liaodong, and it's better not to come back!"
"Didn't you just get slapped twice in the mouth by Er Biantou? Please be polite!"
"Say it again, say it again, I'll go to the Yamen and sue you and Er Biantou!"
The conversation was not conducive, but there was inevitably a fight. The dust was flying under the summer sun. Both parties were sweating profusely, and they gathered in a circle and cheered.
.....
News of the severe crackdown in the capital spread throughout the country, and some local officials imitated the same example.
Every day, Jinyiwei intelligence reports distributed in the provinces of the two capitals are reported to the capital, and are summarized in the intelligence research room at the Jinyiwei headquarters. Special internal affairs reports are prepared by intelligence experts and sent to Zhu Yijun.
When Zhu Yijun read the memorial, he carefully noted the names of the local officials who implemented severe crackdowns for future promotion and use; he also carefully noted the names of those who did not follow his own policies, and was prepared to depose a few if he had the opportunity.
On that day, when I read the memorial, Wang Chonggu, the Governor-General of the Jinyi Guardian, was in Xuanda and Shanxi carrying out the campaign of "maintaining peace and arresting private affairs" with great fanfare. The effect was remarkable. Zhu Yijun had some impression of Wang Chonggu, but didn't know much about him. At first, he saw him asking for help in the memorial.
The scriptures and monks know that he is at least a sensible person in terms of national policies.
...
At this time, this sensible man was having a secret conversation with his nephew who came home claiming to be ill.
People at that time, especially high-ranking officials, set up secret meeting places at home, or places where no one could hide on all sides - such as Zhang Juzheng's study. Some also designed secret passages between the rockeries in the garden, guarded by trusted servants, and held conversations.
People talk in a soundproof secret room - such as the secret room in the garden of Wang Chonggu Governor's Mansion. This secret room can also be used for other purposes, but it is not appropriate to talk about it in detail.
Although it is a secret room, the decoration inside is astonishingly luxurious. One of the two people having this secret conversation was Wang Chonggu, the governor of Xuanda, and the other was Zhang Siwei, the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel and a scholar of the Imperial Academy.
Zhang Siwei's father was a salt merchant, and his grandfather was engaged in lacquerware and military grain transportation. They were both big businessmen with a fortune of tens of millions. His uncle, uncle, second brother's father-in-law, and fifth brother's father-in-law were all famous wealthy people in Shanxi.
His uncle Wang Chonggu was the governor of Xuanda, and his fellow villager and son-in-law was Yang Bo, the Minister of Civil Affairs. From this, around Zhang Siwei, a famous official and business group was formed in later generations.
Zhang Siwei had a good relationship with Gao Gong, and he gained Gao Gong's approval through his huge financial resources. He spared no effort to promote him. Last year, Gao Gong was expelled back to his hometown by Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao. How could Zhang Siwei stand under the dangerous wall?
?Immediately reported for sick leave and went back to my hometown of Puzhou to study.
The conversation between the nephew and uncle that took place in the secret room at this time was horrifying. Because the speaker had inherited the excellent businessman genes in their blood, and his view of the problem was extremely realistic.
Zhang Siwei first asked his uncle, "According to my uncle, how many years can Zuo of the Ming Dynasty last?"
Wang Chonggu said: "In my opinion, if there are no figures like Shang Yang and Guan Zhong, it will only last fifty years! If there are extraordinary changes, it will only last twenty or thirty years!"