Chapter 2 Chapter 1 Emperor Wanli
In 1587 AD, which is the fifteenth year of Ming Wanli in China, it is Dinghai in terms of stems and branches, which is a pig.The world was peaceful that day, and there was no big event to talk about throughout the year. Even though the weather was a bit abnormal, Beijing lacked rain in summer, and epidemics prevailed in May and June, and the drought extended to Shandong. South Zhili suffered from floods due to excessive rainfall, and autumn Afterwards there were earthquakes in Shanxi, but such minor disasters and disasters seem to be inevitable every year given the size of our country.As long as little things don't lead to catastrophe, they don't matter much.In short, in history, the fifteenth year of Wanli was actually a mediocre year.
That being the case, why did the author write such a monograph with the title as the title?
In 1587, in the history of Western Europe, it was the year before the Spanish fleet was dispatched to conquer Britain.In those years, several events took place in the court of our country that historians tend to ignore.Although these incidents seem to be the last subsections on the surface, they are actually the crux of the previous major events, and they are also opportunities that will cause waves in the future.The cause and effect of the relationship is just the focus of history.
Since it seems to be the last section on the surface, our exposition might as well start from the trivial.
On March 2 in the Gregorian calendar of this year, the ice and snow on both sides of the streets in Beijing had not yet thawed.Although the weather is not too cold, the branches have not sprouted yet, so it is not a good season for outdoor activities.However, at lunchtime that day, the streets were bustling.It turned out that the news came that His Majesty the Emperor was going to hold a grand ceremony at noon. The civil and military officials did not dare to neglect and rushed to the imperial city immediately.High-ranking officials in sedan chairs still have the opportunity to arrange their crowns in the sedan chair; low-level officials on foot, from the six government offices to the imperial city; groomed.
The imperial guards standing guard in front of the Daming Gate did not receive relevant orders in advance, but when they saw a large number of officials in costumes coming, they thought it was indeed a grand ceremony, so they did not ask.Entering the Daming Gate is the imperial city.The civil and military officials saw that the atmosphere before the Meridian Gate of Duanmen was calm, and there was no sign of court meetings on the towers, and there were few cases. Is it rumored in North Korea?
The eunuch who was close to the court announced the exact news. His Majesty did not convene the noon court, and the officials retreated one after another.The shock was established, and this groundless Wuchao incident inevitably became a topic of discussion: where did this rumor come from, and all the officials were deceived by thousands, which is really puzzling.
Emperor Wanli could have laughed at this rather dramatic event.But once he considered that this matter was detrimental to the court's dignity, he decided not to take it lightly.While the officials were talking and discussing, an imperial decree had been passed to the cabinet by the eunuch in charge of the documents, to the effect that what happened at noon today was actually related to the responsibilities of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple.The Ministry of Rituals draws up a note on the instruments, and the head of the Honglu Temple supervises the exercise.Knowing that the Great Ceremony of the Noon Dynasty had not been held for many years, the second yamen had no reason to summon all the officials hastily when the ceremony notes were not prepared.Therefore, since the other yamen have made mistakes, the second yamen should stop it immediately.If it is not stopped, it is dereliction of duty. Officials below Shangshu and Siqing will each be fined for two months, and it is still necessary to find out who was the first to spread the rumors.
The investigation by the Ministry of Rites was fruitless, so it could only be played back: At that time, it was spread by word of mouth, but first of all, the rumorer could not be found out.In order to make these stunned officials know what to do, the emperor expanded the scope of fines from the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple to all officials working in Beijing.
It is very common for several officials to be punished with fines and salaries because they can't do their job well or their words are inappropriate, which offends the Sacred Heart.But this time the punishment extended to all Beijing officials, which is unprecedentedly severe.The official salaries of this dynasty are meager, and the luxurious life of middle and senior officials in the capital cannot be maintained by mere statutory salaries.For example, the official rank of each minister is the second grade, and the annual salary is only 152 taels.Their income mainly relied on gifts from local officials, and the gifts or gifts from the governors and governors of various provinces were often equivalent to 10 times the annual salary.Naturally, this kind of situation has long been in the insight of Shengming, and the decree to punish the salary may be just considering that this generation does not rely on officials and Dai for a living, so it is a small punishment.But for most low-level officials, after being fined for two months, they will feel tight, and they will not even be able to pay for necessary family expenses.
According to the traditional concept, the emperor's will is always absolutely fair, and once the imperial decree is issued, no criticism is allowed.It is no wonder that the Sacred Heart of Emperor Wanli was furious about this incident.Because from the emperor's officials all know each other, the political affairs in the court are intricate, and the main points are not the two of etiquette and personnel.In terms of etiquette alone, it embodies the hierarchy and maintains the state system.Our empire is managed by literati with tens of millions of peasants. It is naturally impossible to explain all practical issues to the court for review and analysis.Therefore, our ancestors grasped the key point of etiquette and required officials, big and small, to be orderly and orderly, as a model for the whole country.Now all the Beijing officials are disturbing each other and running wildly, which is really out of order.
Emperor Wanli was a monarch who was familiar with various etiquettes. In March 1587, he had turned 23 and entered 24, and he had been on the throne for almost 15 years.Naturally, he would clearly remember that in the winter of the year he was 8 years old, his father, Emperor Longqing, held a crown ceremony for him to symbolize becoming an adult.He was led into the special tent in front of the hall, changed his clothes and clothes according to the etiquette regulations, and appeared in the public three times in different costumes.As soon as he came out of the curtain, he held a jade gui, was guided to salute, and drank from a special wine glass.All the programs are accompanied by singing, directing and music accompaniment by Li Guan, and the required time is close to half a day.The next day, he was led out to sit in front of the hall again, and accepted the congratulations of all officials with the most solemn gesture.
A few months later, Longqing Emperor Longyu was the guest.The crown prince, who was just 9 years old, received his officials in mourning.According to the traditional "persuasion" procedure, all officials used the most sincere rhetoric to request the crown prince, that is, the emperor's throne.The first two requests were rejected by the crown prince, because his father had just passed away, and his mourning was uncontrollable. How could he be in the mood to think about his personal status?It wasn't until the third time that he justified what the officials said that the country should be the most important thing, and he did as he asked.This process of refusal and acceptance is methodical, as if it has been previewed.
Now that he is on the throne of the emperor, he must follow the rules of various etiquette.In the past 15 years, he has offered sacrifices to heaven and earth, opened the ancestral temple, celebrated New Year's Day, and enjoyed Duanyang.He received foreign envoys, dismissed and retired officials and senior officials with honors.He also inspected the army, issued battle flags, and accepted "prisoners" after a victory in a battle.This prisoner offering ceremony is extremely solemn and frightening.The emperor's throne was set on the Meridian Gate Tower, and he sat in it, overlooking everything that happened in the granite square below.On both sides of him stood senior officers with titles, and many burly imperial guards called Dahan generals.Under the watchful eyes of a large number of officials in the square, the captives were led in, their hands and feet were shackled, a piece of red cloth with round holes was pierced through their heads, their chests were covered and their backs were covered, and they were told to kneel down facing the Meridian Gate.At this time, Minister of the Ministry of Justice stepped forward, stood still, and then read aloud the crimes of each prisoner who violated the world and endangered mankind.After reading it, he announced that these sinners were beyond reproach, and asked the emperor to approve the deportation to the city according to the law and beheaded Cao Cao to show the public.The emperor replied: "Take it!" His Tianyu Lunyin was passed down to 2 senior military officers nearby, 2 to 4, then 8, 16, and 32 in succession, and finally the Han general 320 People shouted "Take it" in unison with the greatest lung capacity, and the sound shook the roof tiles, and all bystanders were moved by it.
Every year in November of the lunar calendar, the emperor has to accept the next year's calendar and officially promulgate it throughout the country.Its promulgation enabled all subjects to obtain the basis of astronomy and festivals, knowing when to sow grain and when to visit relatives and friends.The collective works of the officials of the Imperial Academy, such as "Records", were also presented respectfully before the emperor, surrounded by cigarettes and bands.Once the book has been accepted by the emperor and added to the list, it becomes "imperial", which is the only standard in the whole country.
Under equally solemn ceremonies, the Wanli emperor bestowed on some of his brothers, uncles, and nephews the title "king," made their wives "king concubines," and sanctioned the marriages of their children.But the most solemn ceremony was to donate the title of "Empress Dowager Benevolence" to his aunt Longqing's Empress Chen, and the title of "Empress Mercy" to his biological mother Longqing's imperial concubine Li. .
Empress Dowager Cisheng had a great influence on Emperor Wanli, because apart from her, no one else could give him true natural love.But after Wanli ascended the throne, according to royal customs, an invisible distance existed between the queen mother and the emperor, which made the natural communication between mother and child extremely inconvenient.For example, not long ago, Wanli ordered the repair and decoration of the official residence where Cisheng lived. After the completion of the construction, her gratitude was not expressed in a cordial tone, but she asked the bachelor to write an article praising the emperor's pure filial piety and kneeling before him. Read it sentence by sentence.This article has become an important document of this dynasty because it can set an example and influence the subjects of the whole country.Sometimes, Wanli used puppet shows in the palace to win the Queen Mother's favor. Before she got off the sedan chair, he had to kneel in front of the court and wait for her kindness.But maternal love is the deepest feeling after all. After many years, even though the chances of Emperor Wanli's visit to the court became less and less, every November on Cisheng's birthday, he still came to Huangji Gate to receive the congratulations from all officials.
Not long before this, Wanli canonized his beloved concubine Zheng as the imperial concubine, and announced the etiquette in advance so that the relevant yamen can make necessary preparations.When the news came, one of them raised an objection to Shizhongshangshu. The reason was: According to ethics and customs, this kind of honor should be bestowed on the emperor's eldest son's mother, Concubine Gong, and the concubine Zheng is only the son of the emperor's third son. Mother, coming from behind, is really putting the cart before the horse.Although this objection caused Wanli's momentary displeasure, the canonization ceremony still proceeded as planned.No one thought that this small episode would be an opportunity for a far-reaching political struggle, which would lead to the confrontation between the emperor and his officials in the next few decades, and involved the entire empire.
To participate in various ceremonies, the emperor needs to change his crown and clothes frequently, sometimes several times a day.The crown in clothing is made of gold wire, which is exquisite and different from the European-style all-metal crown.The crown used by the emperor at the most solemn ceremony is the "crown", which is shaped like a "tile" worn by European scholars, but the cloth panel on the crown is rectangular instead of square, and 12 strings of pearls are adorned at the front and rear ends.This kind of bead curtain is an interesting prop. They dangle back and forth in front of the emperor's eyes, making him extremely uncomfortable. The purpose is to remind him that he must have a dignified manner and not be frivolous.The costume to match the tiara is a richly embroidered black top and yellow skirt with a brocade front that hangs from the belt and between the legs, and the boots and socks are all red.
At the next level of pomp and ceremony, the emperor wore an all-red "leather uniform", which was actually his military uniform.The hats are very similar to the melon-shaped rounds used by sportsmen today, with a belt tied around the neck.This kind of hat is not much different from the helmets used by the generals and soldiers at that time, but the helmets of the soldiers are made of cloth with iron plates inside and iron nails on the outside; nail.
The yellow dragon robe is often regarded as the standard attire of Chinese emperors.In fact, in this dynasty, this kind of clothing was only worn in general ceremonies.When the ceremony is not held, the emperor's ordinary clothes are blue or black dragon robes with green piping.
The emperor is a symbol of the supreme authority of the subjects of the whole country, and many of his actions are also symbolic. The "Pro-Planting" held every year near the Xiannongtan is a representative example.This matter is like acting in a play. Before the "pro-cultivation", the officials selected actors from the Jiaofang Division to play the gods of wind, thunder, cloud and rain, and called about 200 farmers from Daxing and Wanping counties as extras.At the beginning of this scene, there are two officials leading the oxen, two elderly people holding the plow, and other designated farmers carrying various agricultural tools, including dung dustpans and buckets, as if they were farming, and actors dressed as village men and women. Sing the song of peace.As for the emperor himself, of course he would not use ordinary farm tools.The plow he used was carved with dragons, all painted in gold.Holding a whip in his left hand and a plow in his right, he walked three times in the field with the support of two elders, and he completed the task of plowing.After plowing, he sat under the tent and watched the officials headed by Hubu Shangshu follow the same method.Shuntian Fuyin is the highest local governor in Beijing, and his task is to sow seeds.After sowing and covering the soil, the actor of the Jiaofang Division immediately presented the five grains to the emperor, saying that His Majesty's hard work has achieved excellent results, and the five grains are plentiful.At this time, all the officials shouted long live to him and extended warm congratulations.
However, the various etiquettes that the emperor participated in were not always so easy and fun. On the contrary, sometimes it required a lot of mental effort.For example, in the morning court every day, even an energetic politician will find it difficult to persevere, and even consider it a daunting way.The previous generations of Emperor Wanli were tired of it. Although the early court rituals had been greatly simplified by this time, it was still a heavy burden for him. The following description is the proof of this conclusion.
Before participating in the early court, all Beijing officials and local officials in the Beijing area who are eligible to participate must wait in front of the palace gate when the sky is still dark.The gate of the palace opened slowly with the sound of bells and drums, and all the officials entered the palace gate, forming a team in the square in front of the palace, with the civil officials facing east and west, and the military officials facing west and east.The censor in charge of the picketing began to roll the roll, and wrote down the names of officials who coughed, spit, etc., as well as Yahu fell to the ground, and walked unsteadily, etc., which fell into the scope of "immorality", and waited for the reference.After everything was ready, the emperor arrived and blew his whip, and all the officials turned around under the command of the salute officer, and kowtowed to the emperor like a ceremony.The officials of Honglu Temple sang the names of retired officials and officials sent to various provinces, and those who were sung saluted and thanked the emperor separately.Then officials of the fourth rank and above entered the hall one by one, and the responsible officials of various relevant departments reported government affairs to the emperor and asked for instructions, and the emperor asked questions or gave necessary answers.This morning program begins at sunrise and ends shortly thereafter, every day, with very few exceptions.
In the early years of this dynasty, when the emperor started his business, he made great efforts to govern. In addition to the early dynasty, there were noon and late dynasties. It was stipulated that there were 185 kinds of events that must be reported to the emperor by the various ministries of the government.Only when the sixth orthodox emperor ascended the throne, since he was only 9 years old, the court made a new regulation. In the early days, the report was limited to 8 things, and it was required to be delivered to the imperial court in writing the day before.As soon as this example was opened, it gradually became a document in the early dynasty.However, until the end of the 15th century, the ritual of the early court was still rarely interrupted, even if it rained and snowed, it was still necessary to persist. It was only because of the mighty grace of the emperor that officials were allowed to wear raincoats on their faces. In 1477, an edict was issued It is stipulated that the Zhangsan entourage of various officials can be incorporated into the palace together.Sometimes the emperor sympathized with the old ministers and allowed the old ministers to be exempted from court, but this was an extra grace that was not easily granted.
This heavy, day-to-day ritual is not only painful for all the officials, but even the emperor cannot avoid it, because without his appearance, this ritual cannot exist. In 1498, Emperor Hongzhi, who was in power at the time, almost used the tone of pleading to ask the academicians to agree to avoid the day, because there was a fire in the palace that night, and Emperor Hongzhi stayed up all night and was in a trance.After discussion among the great scholars, it was agreed to stop working for one day.In addition, when the emperor's close relatives or ministers died, they had to stop for one to three days to mourn as usual.However, only the emperor was able to rest for this kind of withdrawal, and all the officials still had to go to the Meridian Gate in person to salute to the hall.
The first to break this tradition was the tenth Zhengde Emperor, Wanli's great-uncle.Zhengde has a strong personality. Regarding the duties of the emperor, he rejects the traditional concepts represented by the officials and has his own views and practices.When he was in power, he often left Beijing for several months or even a year.While living in Beijing, he broke the old rules and created new ones. Sometimes he even held the evening court late at night, and held a big banquet after the court, which lasted all night.For these deviant actions, it was naturally difficult for his officials to cooperate with him, so he put aside the official responsible officials and favored trusted military officials and eunuchs.In his eyes, the cabinet, which bears the main administrative responsibility, is nothing more than an agency for delivering messages.All these things, most civil servants think that the traces are almost absurd, and if things go on like this, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Fortunately, Zhengde died in 1521 without any heirs.As a result of the discussions between the ministers and the empress dowager, it was Emperor Jiajing who welcomed the grandfather of Emperor Wanli into the Datong.There is no precedent in this dynasty for a descendant of the royal family to occupy the throne.The ministers took this opportunity to eliminate Zhengde's cronies, and several people who had done bad deeds were executed.The first 20 years of Jiajing's ascension to the throne can be regarded as due diligence.He liked to read, and he personally ruled on the modification of etiquette.But after reaching middle age, he disappointed his officials again.He gradually lost interest in holding various ceremonies, and instead devoted himself to cultivating altars and alchemy, hoping to live forever. At the same time, he moved out of the Forbidden City and lived in a separate garden from the palace.It is especially unfortunate that this emperor ruled the empire for 45 years, second only to Wanli in this dynasty.
Wanli's father, Longqing, was a mediocre and mediocre emperor in the history of this dynasty.During his five-and-a-half years as an imperial court, early courts were often held at the beginning, but he himself knew nothing about state affairs. He was like a puppet when he came to the court, and he often asked the grand scholars to answer the presentations of other officials.In the later years, it was simply exempted from the early dynasty, which was like a formal document.
In 1572, Emperor Wanli came to the throne, and there was a compromise for the early dynasty ceremony.According to the arrangement of Zhang Juzheng, a senior scholar, during the ten-day period, morning courts will be held on the third, sixth, and ninth days, and no courts will be held on other days, so that the young emperor can have more time to study the biographies of sages.It has been nearly 15 years since this regulation was implemented, and as time went on, more and more days were exempted from imperial edicts.At the same time, for other ceremonies, such as various sacrifices, the emperor often could not attend in person but sent officials to perform sacrifices.In fact, even if the Wanli emperor's early court was held according to the regulations, it was much simpler than the previous dynasty.First of all, the location of the early court is rarely in the main hall, and under normal circumstances, the personnel of the early court gather at the Xuanzhi Gate without going through the Meridian Gate, and all the guards of honor for horses and elephants are also reduced.Secondly, the Imperial Chen Zou has become a mere formality, because all the content of the Chen Zou has been reported in written form, and only things that must be known to all officials are re-recited in the early court.
At the beginning of Wanli's ascension to the throne, he impressed his officials deeply with his noble appearance.His voice came from Dantian, deep and powerful, with a lingering lingering sound.From all indications, he is indeed a precocious monarch.He himself said that he was able to read at the age of 5. According to the old Chinese calculation method, his actual age at that time was only between 3 and 4 years old.Even so, at the beginning of his imperial calligraphy, due to his young age, he had to pull out a piece of paper that had been written for him in advance from his sleeve when he was facing the court, and he read it while answering the requests for instructions from various officials.Naturally, he couldn't fully understand the meaning of the answer written on the piece of paper, but was just an underage child simply performing the duties of the emperor.
Since he is the emperor, no one is equal to him in his world.Apart from the two empress dowagers, there are only two people he needs to respect: one is Mr. Zhang Juzheng, and the other is "big companion" Feng Bao.Needless to say, this concept came from the empress dowager.The combination of Zhang and Feng had a profound impact on the future political situation.Naturally, this was not something that Emperor Wanli, who was under 10 years old at the time, could understand.
Zhang Juzheng always seems to be the symbol of wisdom.He has bright eyebrows, long beard, and pays attention to grooming, and his robes are clearly creased like brand new every day.His mind, too, was in perfect agreement with his appearance.If he doesn't speak, he can reveal the crux of the matter as soon as he speaks. His words are short and accurate, which makes people unquestionable.
Wanli and his two mothers had special respect for Zhang Juzheng, and they called him "Mr. Yuan Fu Zhang". The reason is long.At the time of Emperor Longqing's death, Gao Gong was the "Shou Kui" at that time, that is, the chief cabinet scholar.Gao Gong thought he was the former emperor's veteran and important minister, and he didn't take the new emperor seriously.The new emperor sent someone to ask Gao Gong for his opinion. He dared to say to the envoy unscrupulously: "You claim to have served the imperial decree. I said this is the words of a child under 10 years old. Can you convince me that he can really manage major affairs in the world?" Is it?" In his eyes, the emperor is just a child, and the queen mother is just a woman, and this kind of arrogance is absolutely incompatible with the status of a minister.Fortunately, God blesses him, and there is also the loyal minister Zhang Juzheng, who immediately offers a wonderful plan and proposes to take drastic measures to deal with Gao Gong. In the summer of 1572, one day all the officials were called to gather in front of the palace gate.An eunuch is holding a yellow paper document, which is the decree of the two empress dowagers and the imperial decree of the new emperor.Once the yellow paper documents were read out, Gao Gong, who was kneeling in the front row, couldn't help but his expression changed drastically.He has been stripped of his official title and ordered to leave Beijing immediately and be repatriated to his hometown.According to the usual practice, he has since been under the supervision of the magistrate of his origin and is not allowed to leave the country for life.Zhang Juzheng ensured the safety of the royal family in times of crisis, and established such a great honor, it is only natural that he should replace Gao Gong with him.
In addition to Shoukui, Zhang Juzheng is also in charge of Wanli's educational affairs.The little emperor's five teachers who lectured on classics and history, two teachers who taught calligraphy, and one waiter were all appointed by him.He also compiled sermons as Wanli's textbook, and gave lectures in person when he had the opportunity.
The place where Emperor Wanli studied is Wenhua Hall. After the autumn of 1572, his daily homework consisted of three items: scriptures, calligraphy, and history.After studying the scriptures, the teacher can take a rest in the lounge, but the emperor himself can't be so leisurely.At this time, the great companion Feng Bao and other eunuchs appeared, and they presented this chapter that was played by the officials that day.These chapters have been read by all the scholars, and they have been "drafted" with ink pens.With the assistance of Feng Bao and other eunuchs, the emperor made his instructions with a vermilion pen.
After finishing homework at noon, the little emperor had lunch in Wenhua Hall.Most of the time in the second half of the day can be freely arranged, but he is still asked to review his homework, practice calligraphy, and memorize scriptures and history.The little emperor did not dare to ignore this instruction, because the next day he had to recite the scriptures and history taught to him today.If he is well prepared and his memorization is like a silver bottle pouring down water, Mr. Zhang will praise the emperor's sageness;
Before their wedding in 1578, Wanli lived with the Empress Dowager Cisheng in the Qianqing Palace.The Empress Dowager cared very much about whether the emperor could fulfill his duties and study hard, and the emperor's other actions were often guided by her.As for Feng Bao, Wanli was his companion when he was still the prince, supporting and hugging him, taking care of him conscientiously and carefully, so he was called "big companion" later.By this time, Feng Bao had already been promoted to be the eunuch of the chief of ceremonies, that is, the highest eunuch in the palace.He often reported various situations inside and outside the palace, including the emperor himself, to the Empress Dowager Cisheng. Because of this, Cisheng was able to see and hear, but Wanli gradually became afraid because of this.Because the Empress Dowager Cisheng is very strict in teaching her children, if the companion makes a report that is unfavorable to the emperor, the empress dowager will be punished for a long time, sometimes as long as several hours.
Under such strict supervision, Wanli continued to make progress in his studies.He was taught that the most important task of being an emperor is to respect the ancestors, that is, to respect the way of heaven and follow the example of the ancestors.The effect of this earnest teaching on Wanli was quickly proved by one thing.When he had not ascended to the throne for less than four months, a guest star appeared beside the pavilion road, it was as big as a lamp, and its light was like a candle.The appearance of this star, which is called Super-nova or Anno1572 by today's astronomers, was regarded as a warning of disasters from the sky at the time.According to Mr. Zhang's teaching, Wanli quickly reviewed his thoughts, words and actions, and corrected them, in order to eliminate Tianxin's unhappiness.This "star change" lasted for two years, and the emperor's "repair of provinces" also lasted for two years, and for a long time to come, he had to pay attention to frugality, handle government affairs and treat people diligently and sincerely, Try to turn evil into good through your own efforts.
The progress of learning is more prominently reflected in calligraphy.The Empress Dowager Cisheng and her companion Feng Bao were both calligraphy lovers, and they encouraged the emperor's progress in this area from time to time.When Wanli was only 10 years old, he was able to write large characters larger than a diameter ruler.Once, he let Zhang Juzheng and other great scholars watch him brush and brush, and rewarded these ministers after writing.Zhang Juzheng thanked him for accepting it, but on the second day he told the emperor: His Majesty's calligraphy has made great achievements, and it is no longer appropriate to spend too much energy on it, because calligraphy is always a trivial skill.Since ancient times, the sages and masters have governed the world with virtue, and the exquisite art is of no benefit to the common people.Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Liang Yuan, Emperor Chen, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, and Emperor Ningzong were all great musicians, painters, poets, and poets. Some also suffered the tragedy of subjugation.For this loyal advice, the little emperor naturally had no choice but to obey.After 1578, calligraphy was canceled in his daily classes and only classics and history were left.
The saving of material resources also started in the palace.In the past century, every Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, there were fireworks and new palace lanterns in Aoshan Mountain in every palace, which was as brilliant as daytime.Under Zhang Juzheng's proposal, this extravagant and wasteful project was abolished.Wanli once wanted to repair and decorate the palace for his mother to show his filial piety, but Zhang Juzheng believed that the official courts were already very rich and perfect, and there was no need for further decoration.He also pointed out that Wanli cared about the fact that women in the palace liked pearls and jade, and pointed out that a master should always pay attention to the food and clothing of his subjects in the world.
Compared with the previous dynasties, the court expenditure of this dynasty is the largest.The Forbidden City covers three-quarters of the square. The palaces are covered with glazed tiles, and there are countless vermilion gates and corridors. The steps below the palaces are all built with white marble, which is extremely luxurious.The Imperial City surrounds the Forbidden City, covering an area of more than three square miles.There are galloping roads and artificially excavated lakes in the imperial city for galloping, boating and other sightseeing purposes.In addition to the royal villas, there are also monasteries and residences of senior eunuchs.Institutions serving the royal family, such as pancake workshops, breweries, dessert workshops, military workshops, stables, and even book printing and collection factories, are also concentrated here, so that all the things needed by the royal family do not need to be handed out.All factories, temples, and workshops are controlled by full-time eunuchs. There are 24 institutions in total, commonly known as twenty-four prisons.By the early years of Wanli, the total number of eunuchs had exceeded 20,000, and it was still expanding.The most senior eunuch has the same status as the most senior civil and military officials.The number of court ladies is at least three thousand.As many as 2,000 coffins were prepared for the deaths of these people at a time.
From the beginning of the entrepreneurial monarch of this dynasty, the following concept has been formed, that is, in the whole world, there is no need for a special royal family’s income in the garden for court expenses.The items needed by the court came from a large part of the national tax revenue, including various raw materials such as wood and metal, as well as finished products such as silk and satin and porcelain.Royal expenses can be unlimited, but officials can only live under the principle of extreme frugality, not to mention these eunuchs and court ladies.Therefore, the statutory salaries of officials and eunuchs in this dynasty are very meager.
Of course, this injustice cannot last.By the early 14th century, most high-ranking officials and eunuchs lived a life of luxury.Especially senior eunuchs are more envied. Not only do they have exquisite residences in the imperial city, but according to traditional habits, they also have good maids who live together like a couple.They have no children, but there is no lack of support from a large number of sons-in-law, nephews, and nephews, so they are not lonely.As for enlisting power and accepting bribes, it should be included in the topic.
General eunuchs also had their extra income.Taking charge of the various warehouses of the royal family is their way of making money.The objects handed over to the royal family by the provinces must be inspected, and the quality can only be put into the warehouse if they are deemed to meet the standards. Otherwise, they will refuse to accept them.In fact, there is no fixed standard for the so-called quality, which can be determined by eunuchs and their intermediaries at will.If the person delivering the object understands the mystery, he will give a considerable amount of money to the intermediary, and the intermediary will resend it to the eunuch after deducting the commission, and the delivered object can be accepted into the treasury.
Since bribery can make inferior goods into good ones, shoddy goods continue to occur, except for those used by members of the royal family.Among them, the Beijing Army suffered the most damage.Because according to regulations, their clothing is also in charge of the eunuchs, and the shoddy results make the quality of the military uniforms they obtain extremely low.The most authoritative warehouse intermediary at that time was named Li Wei, who was named Wu Qingbo. He was the father of the Empress Dowager Cisheng and the grandfather of the current emperor.The poor-quality cotton cloth entered the warehouse through him and was distributed to the sergeants, which inevitably aroused countless complaints and accusations.Emperor Wanli received a complaint from his officials about the matter, and personally took a piece of this inferior cotton cloth to the Empress Dowager Cisheng.The queen mother was ashamed and angry, and said that she would deal with it according to the law of the country.At this time, the great scholar Zhang Juzheng showed his political talents. He intervened and reached an agreement to save the empress dowager's family: Li Wei did not have to report to the court. Guaranteed not to do it again.After the matter came to an end, Zhang Juzheng, with the cooperation of Feng Bao, took the opportunity to replace a large number of eunuchs who managed the warehouse, and confidently stated to others that this bad habit of asking for "bedding fees" was banned.
Generally speaking, the first 10 years after Wanli ascended the throne, that is, from 1572 to 1582, was the 10 years when Pepsi turned to the Soviet Union and flourished.The "captive trouble" in the north no longer occurs, and the Japanese trouble in the southeast has also disappeared.With the passage of time, the country's treasury has become more and more substantial.These achievements beyond expectations cannot but be attributed to Zhang Juzheng, a cabinet scholar.It's no wonder that Mr. Zhang occasionally feels abdominal pain, and the emperor wants to make pepper noodle soup for him to eat.The Empress Dowager Cisheng also obeyed Mr. Zhang.She has always been a devout woman who believed in gods and worshiped Buddha. Once she planned to use her private savings to build Zhuozhou Niangniang Temple. Later, she followed Zhang Juzheng's advice and used the money to build bridges outside Beijing.After Emperor Wanli recovered from the rash, the Empress Dowager originally planned to set up an altar in the palace to thank the Bodhisattva for her blessing, but she gave up because of Zhang Juzheng's opposition.There were also several times when the Empress Dowager Cisheng wanted to hold an amnesty before the Autumn Judgment, but Zhang Juzheng insisted that it was impossible, and the Empress Dowager could only be forced to give up her original intention.In these cases, Zhang Juzheng's propositions are undoubtedly correct, but this kind of stern and selfless attitude will not come without a price in the future.
On the day of caring, the emperor had to review 20 to 30 pieces of this chapter a day.These chapters are all written on a long piece of paper, which is folded from left to right into four leaves, eight leaves, and twelve leaves, so it is also called "folding" for short.There are many types of chapters, which vary in style, font size, number of words per leaf, and tone of writing.But generally speaking, it can be divided into two types: First, the titles submitted by each yamen in the name of the yamen are called "title books".The inscription was delivered to the officials by the Secretary of General Administration, and its copy was sent to the Shizhong office, that is, the six-section gallery.Most of the content in the title book is routine and rarely causes disputes.Second, those submitted by Beijing officials in their own names are called "Zouben".Nineteen of the matters presented in the memorial are outside the presenter's own duties, such as officials from the Ministry of Rites discussing military and political affairs, and military and political officials criticizing etiquette.Since it is a personal criticism or suggestion, there is no need to notify your superiors in advance, and you do not need to keep a separate copy.The playbook was sent to Huiji Gate by the performer himself, and was accepted by the eunuch in charge of the gate.Because of this, no one else could know the content of the playbook until the emperor ordered it and sent it to the Sixth Section Langfang for copying and publication.This chapter, which caused a shock among all the officials, often belongs to this type of memorial.
At the beginning of Wanli's ascension to the pole, he reviewed this chapter, but according to the guidance of his great companion Feng Bao, he completed his duties by changing the "bill draft" of Mr. Zhang or other bachelors to writing with a Chinese ink pen.Some of the instructions in this chapter are extremely simple, such as "Rubi" and "I know", which are almost the same as practicing calligraphy.And according to the usual practice, the emperor only wrote a few books in person, and the other books were written by the eunuch Bingbi, the supervisor of ceremonies, with a vermilion pen.The vermilion pen represents the authority of the emperor, and if one uses the Weibi without the emperor's permission, it is a "coercive edict" and should be sentenced to death according to the law.
但即使是这些例行的批语，不到10岁的万历皇帝恐怕还是无法理解它的全部含义的。例如“知道了”，实际的意义是对本章内的建议并未接受，但也不必对建议者给予斥责。这些深微奥妙之处也只有随着他年龄的增长而逐渐加深理解。
重要官员的任命，即人事大权，也是决不容许由旁人代理的。作出这一类决定，总是先由张居正和吏部提出几个人的候选名单，而由皇帝圈定其中之一。万历皇帝虽然年幼，他已经懂得排在第一的是最为称职的人选，只要拿起朱笔在此人的名字上画上一圈就可以体现他的无上权威。他从即位以来就不断受到这样的教育：他之所以能贵为天子乃是天意，天意能否长久保持不变则在于人和。要使百姓安居乐业，他应当审慎地选择称职的官吏；而要选择称职的官吏，他又必须信任张先生。
上述情况表明，张居正在人事任免中起着实际上的决定作用，这就理所当然地招致了不满。在万历12岁的那一年，他几次接到弹劾张居正的本章。有人说他擅作威福，升降官员不是以国家的利益为前提而是出于个人的好恶。有人更为尖锐，竟直说皇帝本人应对这种情况负责，说他御宇三年，听信阿谀之臣，为其蒙蔽，对尽忠办事的人只有苛求而没有优待，这不是以恕道待人，长此以往，必将导致天意的不再保祐。
本朝有一个习惯，以气节自诩的大臣，如果遭到议论攻击，在皇帝正式表明态度之前，自己应该请求解职归田，以示决不摸棱两可，尸位素餐。张居正既然受到直接间接的攻击，他就立即向皇帝提出辞呈，说他本人的是非姑且不论，但有人说他成了皇帝陛下和舆情之间的障碍，他在御前所能起到的作用已被这种议论一扫而光。既然如此，留亦无益。
万历当然不会同意张先生的请求。他向张先生和大伴冯保表示，奏事的人必须受到惩处。张居正于是面奏说，任何人替陛下做事，都免不了作威作福。因为误事的官员必须降黜，尽职的官员必须提升，所以不是威就是福。二者之外，难道还有其他？张居正的慷慨陈辞和冯保的支持加强了皇帝的决心。他于是决定，第一个攻击张居正的官员褫夺官阶，降为庶人。第二个攻击者已经明知朕意，仍然执迷倔强，即是蔑视君上，应该押至午门外，脱去袍服，受廷杖一百下。廷杖是本朝处罚文臣的标准刑具，很多人在受刑时被立毙杖下，幸而得存者也在臀部留下了永久性的伤痕。
这时张居正显示了他的宽容。他恳请对犯官免加体罚，改为流放到边远省份，受当地官吏的监视。这种雅量使万历极为感动，无端遭受别人的攻击，还要代这个人说情，可见他确实是不计个人恩怨，有古大臣之风。然而万历所不会理解的是，权倾朝野的张居正，他的作威作福已经达到了这样的程度：凡是他所不满的人，已经用不着他亲自出面而自有其他的内外官员对此人投井下石，以此来讨好首辅。果然，在几年之后，万历皇帝获悉当日免受杖刑的这位官员，竟在流放的地方死去，其死情极端可疑。
经过这种种争论，加上年事日长，每天攻读史书也可以从中借鉴前代的教训，万历皇帝终于逐渐理解了问题的症结。
本朝的君主制度有一点与历朝不同。以前各个王朝，凡君主年幼，必定有他的叔父、堂兄这样的人物代为摄政，而这恰恰为本朝所不能容许。按照规定，所有皇室的支系，包括皇帝的叔父、兄弟以至除皇太子以外的儿子，一到成年就应当离开京城到自己的封地，谓之“之国”。之国也就是就藩，其居于各省，有极为富丽闳大的王府和丰厚的赡养，但不得干预地方政事，而且非经皇帝同意，不得离开他的所在地。这种类似放逐和圈禁的制度，目的在于避免皇室受到支系的牵制和干涉。
与此相类似的制度是防止母后引用家人干政。后妃选自良家，但多非出自有声望的巨家大族。以万历的外祖家族为例，李伟家境贫寒，直到女儿被封为皇妃，他才得到了伯爵的封号。但所谓伯爵，不过是军队中的一个名誉军官，除了朝廷举行各项礼仪时位居前列以外，并没有任何特殊的权利，而且俸给甚低，甚至不敷家用。李伟在京城中大做揽纳物资于仓库的经纪，原因之一即在于此。他还有一个儿子，即慈圣太后的弟弟，身份却是宦官。
本朝在开国之初曾经设立过丞相的职位，但前后三人都为太祖洪武皇帝所杀，并下令从此不再设置，以后有敢于建议复设丞相者，全家处死。经过一个时期，内阁大学士在某种程度上就行使了丞相的职权。但从制度上来说，这种做法实有暧昧不明之处。
大学士原来属于文学侍从之臣。由于殿试时文理出众，名列前茅，就可以进入翰林院，给予博览群书的深造机会。翰林几经升转，其中最突出的人物就可以被任命为大学士，供职于文渊阁，其职责为替皇帝撰拟诏诰，润色御批公文的辞句。由于文渊阁是皇帝的文书机构，和皇帝最为接近，在不设丞相的情况下，这个机构的职权就由于处理政事的需要而越来越大，大学士一职也变成了皇帝的秘书而兼顾问，虽然他们并不负有名义上的行政责任。
在万历的祖父嘉靖皇帝以前，内阁大学士为3至6人，皇帝可能对其中的一人咨询较为频繁，但从名义上说，他和另外的几位大学士仍然处于平等的地位。这以后情况发生了变化，张居正名为首辅或称元辅，其他大学士的任命则出于他的推荐，皇帝在圣旨中也明确规定他们的职责是辅助元辅办事。大学士之中有了主次之分，造成了今后朝臣之间的更加复杂的纠纷局面。
本朝这种以阁臣代行相职的制度，来源于开国之君为了巩固政权而做出的苦心设计，目的是使皇权不被分割，也不致为旁人取代。这种皇帝个人高度集权的制度在有明一代贯彻始终。从理论上讲，皇帝的大权不应旁落，但这种理论并不总是能和实际相一致的。万历皇帝9岁临朝，又如何能指望他乾纲独断，对国家大事亲自来做出决定？多年之后，万历皇帝回顾当时的情形，也会清楚地记得他不过是把大伴冯保的指示告诉元辅张先生，又把元辅张先生的票拟按照大伴冯保的建议写成朱批。对于年幼的万历皇帝，张、冯两人都不可或缺。但在他冲龄之际，自然也决不可能预见到内阁大学士和司礼太监的密切合作，会给今后的朝政带来多么严重的后果。
一般人往往以为明代的宦官不过是宫中的普通贱役，干预政治只是由于后期皇帝的昏庸造成的反常现象，这是一种误解。诚然，有不少宦官出自贫家，因为生活困难或秉性无赖而自宫，进入内廷。但如果把所有的宦官统统看成无能之辈，不过以阿谀见宠，因宠弄权，则不符事实。从创业之君洪武皇帝开始，就让宦官参预政治，经常派遣他们作为自己的代表到外国诏谕其国王，派遣宦官到国内各地考察税收的事情也屡见不鲜。中叶以后，宦官作为皇帝的私人秘书已经是不可避免的趋势。皇帝每天需要阅读几十件奏章，这些奏章文字冗长，其中所谈的问题又总是使用儒家的传统观念和语言来加以表达，很不容易弄清其中问题的主次和它的真正含义，更不用说还夹杂了极多的专门名词和人名地名。所以皇帝必须委派五六名司礼监中的太监作为“秉笔大监”，由他们仔细研究各种题本奏本，向自己作扼要的口头汇报。秉笔太监阅读研究这些奏章需要付出很大的耐心和花费很多的时间，他们轮流值班，有时要看到夜半，才能第二天在御前对奏章的内容作出准确的解释。经过他们的解释，皇帝对大多数的奏章就只需抽看其中的重要段落、注意人名地名就足够了。皇帝阅读过的奏章，通常都要送到文渊阁由内阁大学士票拟批答。从道理上说，皇帝可以把大学士的票拟全部推翻而自拟批答。但这并不是常见的现象，因为这种做法表示了他对大学士的不信任，后者在众目睽睽之下会被迫辞职。按本朝的传统原则，为了保持政局的稳定，如果没有特殊事故，大学士决不轻易撤调，所以上述情况是必须尽量加以避免的。一个精明的皇帝能够做到让大学士的票拟永远体现自己的意图而不发生争执，这种微妙的关系又少不了秉笔太监的从中协调。
仅凭皇帝的宠信，目不识丁的宦官被擢升为御前的司礼大监，在本朝的历史上虽非绝无仅有，但也屈指可数。一般来说，秉笔太监都受过良好的教育。当他们在10岁之前，就因为他们的天赋聪明而被送入宫内的“内书堂”，也就是特设的宦官学校。内书堂的教师都是翰林院翰林，宦官在这里所受的教育和外边的世家子弟几乎没有不同；毕业之后的逐步升迁，所根据的标准也和文官的仕途相似。有些特别优秀的秉笔太监，其文字水平竟可以修饰出于大学士之手的文章辞藻。所以他们被称为秉笔，在御前具有如上述的重要地位，决非等闲侥幸。
他们和高级文官一样服用绯色袍服，以有别于低级宦官的青色服装。有的人还可以得到特赐蟒袍和飞鱼服、斗牛服的荣宠。他们可以在皇城大路上乘马，在宫内乘肩舆，这都是为人臣者所能得到的最高待遇。他们的威风权势超过了六部尚书。但是这种显赫的威权又为另一项规定所限制：他们不能走出皇城，他们与文官永远隔绝，其任免决定于皇帝一个人的意志，他们也只对皇帝直接负责。
这种秉笔太监的制度及其有关限制，如果执行得当，皇帝可以成为文臣和太监之间的平衡者，左提右挈，收相互制约之效。然而情况并不能经常如此。前几十年就曾出现过刘瑾这样权倾朝野、劣迹昭著的太监，到此时，冯保既与张居正关系密切，而惟一足以驾驭他的皇帝又正值冲龄，因时际会，他就得以成为一个不同于过去“无名英雄”式的宦官。当然，在小皇帝万历的心目中，绝不会想到他的大伴正在玩弄权力，贻害朝廷。冯保给人的印象是平和谨慎，虽然算不了学者，但是喜爱读书写字，弹琴下棋，有君子之风。他之得以被任为司礼太监，也有过一段曲折。原来的嘉靖时期，他已经是秉笔太监之一。隆庆时期，他被派掌管东厂。东厂是管理锦衣卫的特务机构，乃是皇帝的耳目，根据过去的成例，管厂者必升司礼太监。而由于他和大学士高拱不睦，没有能够升任这个太监中的最高职位。直到万历即位，高拱被逐，他才被太后授予此职。
1577年秋天，朝廷上又发生了一起严重的事件。大学士张居正的父亲在湖广江陵去世，按规定，张居正应当停职，回原籍守制，以符合“四书”中所说的父母三年之丧这一原则。张居正照例报告丁忧，这使得万历大为不安。皇帝当时虽然已经15岁，但是国家大事和御前教育仍然需要元辅的不可缺少的襄助。再说过去由于地位重要而不能离职的官员，由皇帝指令“夺情”而不丁忧守制，也不是没有先例。于是皇帝在和两位皇太后商量之后，决定照此先例慰留张先生。在大伴冯保的协助之下，皇帝以半恳请半命令的语气要求张先生在职居丧。张居正出于孝思，继续提出第二次和第三次申请，但都没有被批准。最后一次的批示上，皇帝还说明慰留张先生是出于太后的懿旨。这些文书从文渊阁到宫内来回传递，距离不过1000米内外，但是有意思的是不论是奏章或者朱批还都要送到午门的六种廊房发抄，使大小官员得以阅读原文，了解事情的全部真相。
然而官员们的反映并不全如理想。他们不相信张居正请求离职丁忧的诚意，进而怀疑夺情一议是否出自皇室的主动。翰林院中负责记述本朝历史的各位编修均深感自身具有重大的责任。因为他们的职责就是要在记述中体现本朝按照圣经贤传的教导办事的精神，如果没有这种精神，朝廷就一定不能管理好天下的苍生赤子。统治我们这个庞大帝国，专靠严刑峻法是不可能的，其秘诀在于运用伦理道德的力量使卑下者服从尊上，女人听男人的吩咐，而未受教育的愚民则以读书识字的人作为楷模。而这一切都需要朝廷以自身的行动为天下作出表率。很多翰林来自民间，他们知道法治的力量有一定的限度，但一个人只要懂得忠孝大节，他就自然地会正直而守法。现在要是皇帝的老师不能遵守这些原则，把三年的父母之丧看成无足轻重，这如何能使亿万小民心悦诚服？
在万历并未与闻的情况下，翰林院的几十名官员请求吏部尚书张瀚和他们一起去到张居正的私邪向他当面提出劝告，想让张居正放弃伪装，离职丁忧。他们还认为，即使为张居正个人的前途着想，他也应当同意大家的意见居丧27个月，以挽回官员们对他失去的信心。但是劝说不得结果。张居正告诉他们是皇帝的圣旨命令本人留在北京，你们要强迫本人离职，莫非是为了想加害于本人？
吏部尚书张瀚，一向被认为是张居正的私人。他在张居正的破格提拔下身居要职，在任内也惟有文渊阁的指示是听。当他参加了这次私邪劝告以后，他就立即被人参奏，参奏中一字不提他和元辅的这次冲突，而是假借别的小事迫使他下台。这一参奏引起了官员们更大的愤怒，因为他们清楚地知道，朝廷的纠察官员即110名监察御史和52名给事中，都属于张居正夹袋中的人物，他们从来只纠察对张居正不利的人而不顾舆论。
官员们的愤怒使他们下定决心采取另一种方式，他们直接向万历参奏张居正。严格地说来，翰林编修上本是一种超越职权的行为，遭到反击的机会极大。但是他们熟读孔孟之书，研究历史兴亡之道，面对这种违反伦常的虚伪矫情，如果不力加诤谏而听之任之，必然会影响到本朝的安危。而且，本朝历史上集体上书的成例具在，最先往往由职位较低的人用委婉的文字上奏，以后接踵而来的奏章，辞句也会越来越激烈。皇帝因此震怒，当然会处分这些上奏的人，但其他的高级官员会感到这是公意之所在，就要请求皇帝的宥免，同时又不得不对问题发表公正的意见。这样就迫使整个朝廷卷入了这场争端，即使抗议失败，鼓动舆论，发扬士气，揭发纠举的目的已经达到。哪怕有少数人由此牺牲，也可以因为坚持了正义而流芳百世。
纠举张居正的事件按照这一程序开始。最先由两名翰林以平静的语调在奏章中提出：因为父丧而带来的悲痛，使张居正的思想已不能如以前的绵密。强迫他夺情留任，既有背于人子的天性，国家大事也很难期望再能像从前那样处理得有条不紊，所以不如准许他回籍丁忧，庶几公私两便。在两名翰林之后，接着有两个刑部官员以激烈的语气上书，内称张居正贪恋禄位，不肯丁忧，置父母之恩于个人名利之下。如果皇上为其所惑，将带给朝廷以不良的观感，因此恳请皇上勒令他回籍，闭门思过，只有如此，才能对人心士气有所挽回。
张居正既被参奏，就按照惯例停止一切公私往来，在家静候处置。但是暗中的活动并没有停止，他的意图会及时传达到冯保和代理阁务的二辅那里。个中详情，当然没有人可以确切叙述。我们所能知道的就是严厉的朱笔御批，参张的官员一律受到严惩。他们的罪名不在于触犯首辅而在于藐视皇帝。
圣旨一下，锦衣卫把4个犯官逮到午门之外。两个翰林各受廷杖60下，并予以“削籍”，即褫夺了文官的身分而降为庶民。另外两个官员因为言辞更加孟浪，多打20下。打完以后再充军边省，终身不赦。掌刑人员十分了然于犯官的罪恶，打来也特别用力。十几下以后，犯官的臀部即皮开肉绽，继之而血肉狼藉。受责者有一人昏死，嗣后的复苏，也被公认为是一个奇迹；另一人受刑痊愈之后，臀部变成了一边大一边小。刑罢以后，锦衣卫把半死半活的犯官裹以厚布，拽出宫门之外，听凭家属领回治疗。有一些官员向犯官致以慰问，被东厂的侦缉人员一一记下姓名，其中的某些人且在以后被传讯是否同谋。
皇帝的行动如此坚决而且迅速，无疑大出于反张派的意料之外。皇帝紧接着又降下敕书，内称，参奏张居正的人假借忠孝之名掩盖一个大逆不道的目的，即欺负朕躬年幼，妄图赶走辅粥，使朕躬孤立无援而得遂其私。此次给予杖责，不过是小示做戒，如果有人胆敢继续顽抗，当然要给予更严厉的处罚。这样严肃的语气，等于为再敢以行动倒张的官员预定了叛逆罪，使人已无抗辩的余地。这一恐吓立即收到应有的效果。除了一名办事进士名叫邹元标的又继续上疏弹劾以外，没有别人再提起张居正的不忠不孝。事情就此结束。最低限度在今后5年之内不再有人参劾元辅，非议夺情。至于那个邹元标，由于奏章呈送在敕书传遍百官之前，因此加恩只予廷杖并充军贵州。此人在以后还要兴风作浪，这里暂时不表。
张居正用布袍代替锦袍，以牛角腰带代替玉带，穿着这样的丧服在文渊阁照常办事。皇帝批准了他的请求，停发他的官傣，但同时命令官中按时致送柴火油盐等日用品，光禄寺致送酒宴，以示关怀优待。倒张不遂的官员大批桂冠离职，他们推托说身体衰弱或家人有故，所以请求给假或退休。此时北京城内还发现传单，内容是揭露张居正谋逆不轨。东厂人员追查传单的印制者没有结果，只好把它们销毁，不再呈报给皇帝，以免另生枝节。
次年，即1578年，张居正服用红袍玉带参与了皇帝的大婚典礼。礼毕后又换上布袍角带回籍葬父。他从阳历4月中旬离京，7月中旬返京，时间长达3个月。即使在离京期间，他仍然处理重要政务。因为凡属重要文件，皇帝还要特派飞骑传送到离京1000里的江陵张宅请张先生区处。
张居正这一次的旅行，排场之浩大，气势之烜赫，当然都在锦衣卫人员的耳目之中。但锦衣卫的主管者是冯保，他必然会合乎分寸地呈报于御前。直到后来，人们才知道元辅的坐轿要32个轿伕扛抬，内分卧室及客室，还有小僮两名在内伺候。随从的侍卫中，引人注目的是一队鸟铳手，乃是总兵戚继光所委派，而鸟铳在当日尚属时髦的火器。张居正行经各地，不仅地方官一律郊迎，而且当地的藩王也打破传统出府迎送，和元辅张先生行宾主之礼。
队伍行抵河南新郑县，张居正见到了被废乡居的故友高拱。两人相见，恍如梦寐。张居正尽力弃嫌修好，指着自己的鬓边白发，对高拱感慨不已。高拱当时已经老病，两人见面后仅仅几个月，他就与世长辞了。张居正绝对没有预料到，他和高拱之间的嫌除，不仅没有随着这次会面而消弭，而且还在他们身后别生枝节，引出了可悲的结果。
1578年前后，年轻的皇帝对张居正的信任达到最高点。这种罕见的情谊在张居正离京以前的一次君臣谈话中表现得最为充分。张先生启奏说，他前番的被攻击，原因在于一心为朝廷办事，不顾其他，以致怨谤交集；万历则表示他非常明白，张先生的忠忱的确上薄云天。说完以后，君臣感极而泣。张居正回籍葬父，这3个月的睽违离别，是他们一生中唯一的一次，所以更显得特别长久。待至元辅返京，万历在欣慰之余，更增加了对张先生的倚重。这年秋天，张居正的母亲赵氏，经由大运河到达