Chapter 4 Chapter Four: Enter the Dragon

In February of the ninth year of Jiajing (1530), His Majesty the Emperor suddenly summoned Zhang Cong, handed him a memorial, and said a meaningful sentence: "Go home and take a closer look, and remember to report back in the future." Reviewing memorials was already commonplace for Zhang Cong, so he casually accepted the document and went back home. A day later, he opened the document, dumbfounded and angry. In fact, this is not a curse memorial, but in Zhang Cong's view, it is much more terrifying than a curse memorial. Because in this memorial, he felt a powerful threat—a threat to his own power.

The main content of this memorial is to suggest that the heaven and the earth should be sacrificed separately. This is a relatively complicated etiquette issue. Simply put, it is this: in the past, the emperor sacrificed to the heaven and the earth together. It is stipulated that offering sacrifices to heaven alone is a sign of solemnity. Such a seemingly insignificant question, but for Zhang Cong, it is not beneficial to the five thunderbolts. The big thing is not good, the business grabber is here! Mr. Zhang himself started his career by relying on Yili. This is his old line of business. His successful experience has inspired many people. Since Yili can be promoted, why not do it?

Obviously, the current market is bullish, and many people want to get into it, and Mr. Zhang Cong is really not an open-minded person, and he is going to engage in a monopoly and dominate. He read the memorial carefully, and firmly remembered the name of the official who submitted the letter—Xia Yan. If you dare to stand up, I will beat you down! Xia Yan, male, was born in Guixi, Jiangxi Province. He was then a member of the military department. It is a bit funny to say that compared with Zhang Xueshi, although this man is a young official, he is an out-and-out senior, because he is a Jinshi A few years earlier than Zhang Cong.

But his test scores were even worse than Zhang Cong's. Zhang Cong was more or less in the second class before he got into the third class. It's really a bit embarrassing to say that with such a result, Hanlin will definitely not be able to be admitted. Finding a unit for employment is the right way. Generally, the top three Jinshi officials can be more or less a seventh-rank county magistrate when they go to the local area, but it is difficult to stay in Beijing. Needless to say, the Imperial Academy, the Six Central Departments do not need poor students. But Xia Yan did stay in Beijing. Of course, it was impossible to have the best of both worlds. Xia Yan, who couldn't get into a big office, had to settle for the next best thing, and went to a small yamen——Pedestrian Division.

Xia Yan became a pedestrian in the Department of Pedestrians, and thus he got a new title - Xia Xingren.This position is really not high, only the eighth rank, not even the sesame official. The Department of Pedestrians is an errand office, and it is really inconspicuous in the major central government agencies. Xia Yan was also quite disappointed about this at first, but it was only after he officially went to work that he realized that he had really picked up a big deal. Because he was pleasantly surprised to find that the object of his errands was very special-the emperor. Xia Yan's main job is to receive the will, send it to various places, and then report the travel situation.It's a menial job, but one with a lot of promise.

You know, the closer to the heart, the more blood you can get. Similarly, seeing the emperor every day is really a good job, no matter how you behave, it is justified to be familiar. Of course, the emperor is not easy to serve. The so-called companionship is like companionship, danger and opportunity coexist. In the final analysis, whether you do well or not depends on yourself. work. But Xia Yan was not afraid, he was like a fish in water, and was soon promoted to the military department, which can be said to be a great mystery. You know, although Xia Yan has a low score, he is definitely not low-powered, and he also has three unique weapons, which are enough to ensure him to stand out.

Please believe that being handsome is not only easy to find a wife, but also easy to get promoted. This theory should be reliable. Mr. Xia is a typical example.Because his first weapon is to be handsome (historical records: eyebrows are sparse), and a good beard (this was very important at the time). Jiajing probably didn't want to see a person who looked unappetizing when he got up early every day, so it seemed very natural for Xia Yan to be favored by this. In addition to being handsome, Mr. Xia Yan also has a second weapon - good Mandarin (official Chinese). Please note that this is a very important issue. In the Ming Dynasty, the promotion of Putonghua (Mandarin) had not yet been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the emperor was not a translator, so every time he summoned officials from Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang, it was extremely troublesome.

Although Xia Yan is from Jiangxi, he is able to learn Mandarin consciously. The so-called "speech sound is smooth, not the local accent", and he speaks very fluently, which is quite standard. With such two specialties, it is difficult not to get promoted. But no matter what, Xia Yan got into big trouble this time. After all, Zhang Cong is the chief assistant of the cabinet. In fact, Zhang Cong was planning to teach this younger generation a good lesson. He ordered his subordinates to study Xia Yan's memorial carefully and prepare to launch a fierce counterattack. Zhang Cong's resources are indeed very rich, he is powerful, rich and powerful, Yang Yiqing has collapsed, so what is Xia Yan?

It's a pity that this is not the case, because Mr. Zhang overlooked one thing - he only noticed the memorial, but he didn't understand what the emperor said. Soon, Zhang Cong's best friend, Huo Tao, a member of the cabinet, wrote a memorial. The level of insults in this memorial is so high that it is said that even veteran professional speech officials are amazed and feel ashamed. Everything is arranged properly, Xia Yan, just wait and see! Zhang Cong was completely at ease, and was ready to go home and sleep peacefully, but he would never have imagined that a catastrophe had already been planted like this.

The next day, the memorial was delivered, and His Majesty the Emperor replied in court: "Who wrote this memorial?" Huo Tao reacted very quickly, stood up immediately, and echoed loudly: "It was written by the minister!" Huo Tao waited for the emperor's praise, but what he got was a roar: "Catch it! Immediately go to prison!" Mr. Huo's smile froze on his face, he was dragged out by Jin Yiwei with a foggy head. Zhang Cong pinched himself hard, he was afraid that he was dreaming, hell, scolding Xia Yan's article, why is the emperor angry? Mr. Zhang Cong is really confused. He knew the answer to this mystery, but it seems that this time he has a bad memory.

He forgot that the reason why he was able to occupy a high position was only because of Yili, and the success of Yili depended on the support of the emperor.Jiajing is an extremely smart person, and he never does things for no reason. If he didn't agree with Xia Yan's opinion, why would he give the memorial to Zhang Cong? Mr. Huo Tao tried his best to curse people, making Xia Yan worse than the beggars on the street, but if Xia Yan was a beggar, wouldn't Jiajing who supported him become the overlord among beggars? I can't even calculate this account, I really don't know what he has been messing with for so many years. Mr. Huo went to prison, but the matter was not over yet. His Majesty, whose soul was ruthlessly traumatized, issued an order in public: "Xia Yan's memorial is very good, he will be promoted to a Bachelor of Attendance and awarded the title of fourth rank!" Then he glanced at Zhang Cong, and left without saying a word. Zhang Cong's cold sweat flowed all over his body, and he felt the taste of despair for the first time. In this struggle, he was an out-and-out loser. But it's too early to say goodbye, the game has only just begun. Zhang Cong is still confident, because everything is still under his control, and soon, he will use a quick and effective method to deal with that ignorant opponent. Zhang Cong returned to the mansion with a clouded face, immediately summoned all his subordinates, and only issued one order: "From today on, always pay attention to Xia Yan, if you find any inappropriate behavior, immediately file a letter of impeachment!" Zhang Cong's method, known scientifically as "cage tactics", is simply a scolding war. He wants to use his power, pay attention to Xia Yan's every move, and launch attacks day and night, so that he has nowhere to hide, and his spirit is always in a state of mind. Amidst the tension, he finally retreated. This is a very shameless method, a naked spiritual warfare. When scolding came to Xia Yan like an overwhelming mountain, what strength would he have to resist?After all, he was just a lonely little official. A smug smile appeared on Zhang Cong's face, victory seemed not far away. It should be said that Zhang Cong's judgment is correct. Xia Yan is indeed a lonely person. He doesn't have many friends and he doesn't have a strong backing, but in this battle, he is not without a chance of winning. Because he still has his own third weapon. Many speech officials in later generations admired Xia Yan very much, and they admired him so much that they were said to have given him the title of "No. Well, but his eloquence and penmanship. What Zhang Cong didn't know was that Xia Yan was actually a victim of exam-oriented education. In the imperial examination more than ten years ago, the reason why his grades were so poor was because his writing was too sharp and did not meet the examiner's requirements. Appetite only. So when an insider came to inform him of the situation and was worried about him, Xia Yan made an unexpected reply: "You don't need to bother, just let them do it together! What can I do!" The attack started as scheduled, and more than a dozen of Zhang Cong's subordinates launched a fierce attack on Xia Yan, from inappropriate words to being late and leaving early, not dressing according to the regulations, etc., as long as they can be scolded or pinched. Pass. But Zhang Congwan didn't expect that this was in Xia Yan's arms. Obviously, he was very talented in fighting.Opponents only need to come to the door, come one and destroy one, come two and destroy one pair.The diction is extremely sharp, and the reaction is extremely fast. Today's enemy scolds today, never staying overnight, and the efficiency is extremely high.Its terrifying fighting power can only be described as sturdy. Because Xia Yan scolded so hard, even the people who fought with him had to go around when they saw him at work during the day. For this reason, it can be said that they scolded out of level and out of style. Coincidentally, Mr. Xia's name is Gongjin. Although this man is a civil servant, he is more powerful than Zhou Yu (Gongjin), the military general of the Three Kingdoms. Therefore, every time some ministers who like to be funny see Xia Yan, they will smiled and said to him: "Brother Gongjin (Gongjin), you should change your name to Zilong!" Zilong is full of guts! Zhang Cong originally planned to step up his efforts to call Xia Yan a psychopath, but things backfired. Not only is this brother not crazy, but he is also getting more and more energetic and passionate. But when the matter got to this point, he had no choice but to quit. Zhang Cong was determined to carry out this dangerous game to the end. He will never forget the back of Yang Yiqing who left sadly. It is very clear that if he fails, his ending will be even more tragic, so he resorted to his last trick. The name of this trick is to form a party. Although it is simple, it is absolutely effective. No matter how powerful the opponent is, as long as more people are recruited, a gangster or other organization is formed, and they become the majority of the imperial court. Naturally, there will be harmony and peace in the world. Immediately doing what he said, Mr. Zhang Cong immediately started to develop the organization and crusade against the aliens, but even he himself did not expect that this unintentional move would actually create an era-the era of party struggle. The world is developing and the times are advancing. Facts have proved that one-on-one political duels are outdated. In order to adapt to the development of the trend, political organizations have emerged, and large-scale group fights are about to kick off. Zhang Cong's first target was Gui E. I'm ashamed to say that although the two were close comrades-in-arms when they started their careers, after they got rich, their relationship broke down and parted ways because of the uneven distribution of spoils. But at the critical moment, face doesn't matter. Zhang Cong pulled down his old face and came to the door in person. During the banquet, he was suddenly distraught and told the past fighting friendship. Both sides shed tears of excitement. Of course, I went around and around, and in the end I just wanted to explain a theme: If I die, you can't run away either. Gui E subdued, Zhang Cong continued to develop his own power, and more and more ministers took refuge in him, even Zhai Luan, a cabinet scholar, became his accomplice. Looking at Man Chao's lackeys, Zhang Cong finally felt relieved. Xia Yan, you can't win! Zhang Cong's arrogance became more and more arrogant, and those who supported Xia Yan did not dare to show up, but they still fearlessly stated that they would stand by his side spiritually. Although the situation is critical, Xia Yan is still not flustered, he has nothing to worry about, since this is the case, let's see who wins! Xia Yan fell into the predicament of fighting alone, but not all court ministers were cowards. Just when Zhang Cong was at his strongest, another fearless person appeared. At the end of the ninth year of Jiajing (1530), Zhang Cong's mental illness reached its peak. In order to gain the emperor's approval, he had a whim and even hit the dead. But this dead man is still very famous——Confucius Sage.Zhang Cong said that Kong Lao Er's name is not true, and he has not made any concrete contribution to society, so the title should be removed and his status should be lowered. This is really outrageous. Everyone, including Zhang Cong, got their fame after reading the textbooks of the sages of Confucius. Only Mr. Zhang could think of this kind of immoral thing about monks demolishing temples. But when the incident came to an end, the officials seemed to be collectively dumb, and no one came out to pull Kong's second child, which showed that they were very clear-headed: the dead can be ignored, and the living can't be offended. Zhang Cong is very satisfied with this scene, he firmly believes that absolute power will bring absolute obedience. But it didn't take long for the silence to be broken, and a young Hanlin stepped forward and objected. Zhang Cong didn't pay attention to it at first, but when he saw the protesting memorial, he realized that this time he was in serious trouble. Obviously, this Hanlin is a theoretical talent. He quoted scriptures and listed eight reasons to justify the abolition of the title. Wrong, the theory is sufficient and the evidence is conclusive, and the spearhead is directed at Zhang Cong. In desperation, Zhang Cong met this disobedient person in the court room. At first, he tried to persuade and persuade him in many ways, but the Hanlin refused to accept his hard words. Zhang Cong became anxious and asked him what he wanted. The answer is simple: I just want an explanation. Zhang Cong was originally a good debater, but this time he also met an opponent. No matter what he said, he was always refuted by the opponent. Zhang Cong was so angry that he lost his mind and began to shout loudly It was unreasonable to make trouble, but only got this answer: "I've heard for a long time that Mr. Zhang started discussing ceremonies, and his words are extraordinary. When I saw him today, he really lived up to his reputation." This sentence is very powerful. The so-called "starting from discussing etiquette" not only means that he came from a wrong path, but also implies that Mr. Zhang Cong has low education, poor grades, and has never worked in the Imperial Academy. Sure enough, Zhang Cong jumped up as soon as he heard it, regardless of his image, and cursed: "What are you! How dare you betray me!" This is a serious warning, which means that the court is full of my people, you'd better be obedient. Mr. Shoufu was so furious that everyone around was sweating. Out of kindness, Gui E kept winking at this man, but this brother seemed to be planning to carry the theory to the end, so he answered slowly: "From my point of view, the so-called betrayal comes from attachment, but I have never been attached to Your Excellency, so where does betrayal come from?" After speaking, salute and leave. All the people were stupefied, watching the hero's departure, but Zhang Cong who was standing in the middle was already trembling with anger, and shouted: "If I don't teach you a lesson, I won't be the chief assistant!" This brave Hanlin named Xu Jie was twenty-seven years old.It was the first struggle of his long life, and the bravest. Bravery is destined to pay a price. Zhang Cong once again proved by his behavior that he is an out-and-out villain. The next day, he found the Metropolitan Procuratorate, hoping to punish Xu Jie severely. In fact, Xu Jie only expressed his opinion and did not break the law. But the method was thought up by people, Zhang Cong immediately set a unique charge for Xu Jie: "initiating evil opinions", and the solution is also very simple: "Rectify the law to show the world!" It is not easy for a person to be so shameless. Fortunately, Mr. Zhang Cong was not yet the emperor, so he didn't count what he said, and Xu Jie still had some friends. After several efforts, he finally saved his life. Capital crimes can be forgiven, but living crimes are hard to forgive. Zhang Cong will not let it go. "Let him be spared this time and let him work in Yanping Mansion, Fujian." This is to punish people to death. Because everyone knows that in that era when only scholars in the Imperial Academy could join the cabinet, if they were deprived of their status as officials in the capital and assigned to help the poor in poor villages, there would only be one result—the ruin of their future. Zhang Cong didn't kill Xu Jie, he wanted to destroy all the future of this young Hanlin with his own hands, making his life worse than death, and spending his life in pain.Of course, he never expected that this move not only did not destroy anyone, but instead made this young and vigorous Hanlin. As for this vicious order, Xu Jie did not raise any objections, because he knew that any resistance was meaningless in front of Zhang Cong. After thanking Zhang Cong, he packed his parcel and left Beijing. For the first time, Xu Jie paid a huge amount of tuition fees for his recklessness. From Hanlin to local miscellaneous officials, he was completely desperate for his future, but he didn't know that this was just a small incident in his thrilling life. episode. His fate has changed completely. In that desolate place, he will sharpen his mind and beliefs, and finally comprehend a unique wisdom and skill.At that time, Zhang Cong was no longer worthy of being his opponent. In the next 30 years, he would face a more terrifying and cunning enemy, go through hardships and narrow escapes, and win the final victory. After driving away Xu Jie, Zhang Cong felt a great sense of satisfaction. He believed more and more that failure would never happen to him. As long as he worked harder, he would definitely be able to solve Xia Yan! As a result, Zhang Cong had more and more accomplices, and his attacks on Xia Yan became more and more fierce, but what made people wonder was that Xia Yan had no countermeasures against it. He seemed to have lost the ability to resist, and was alone all day long. Never form a party to engage in confrontation, take your time and stay calm. In Zhang Cong's view, Xia Yan's move showed that he was at a loss and could only bluff. But in Xia Yan's view, the situation is completely opposite. The reason why he behaved like this is because he is sure of winning, and this confidence comes from one of his judgments - Zhang Cong is digging his own grave. Mr. Zhang's whole-person plan can be described as well-prepared and well-thought-out.He has wooed many ministers, has countless minions, is rich and powerful, and he has almost thought of every step in the struggle. But he did all the calculations, but he ignored one question - why didn't Xia Yan form a party? If he had found the right answer to this question, maybe he could have lasted another two years, but unfortunately he couldn't. During the fierce struggle, everyone could clearly see that although Xia Yan was alone, he never gave in to that lofty chief minister, no matter how much he attacked and slandered, he never gave up. This man is really kind.Almost all bystanders share the same view. Since he dared to do it, why didn't I? ! So the anger hidden in the depths of his heart finally began to move around, taking advantage of speculation, suppressing, crowding out, framing, all accusations finally spewed out, we must completely defeat Zhang Cong, this shameless villain! More and more people surrounded Zhang Cong. They believed that this person could lead them to defeat that despicable guy and avenge Yang Yiqing who went away with a wrong! But to everyone's surprise, Xia Yan refused. He accepted everyone's enthusiasm, but declined all the help, saying that he could handle it alone, and he didn't want to hurt everyone. Countless people were moved by his righteous deeds, but they didn't know that Xia Yan was not such a simple person.He did it for one reason - he knew the answer to that question. Xia Yan is much smarter than Zhang Cong, because he knows very well that it doesn't matter how many people he recruits into the gang, and there is only one person who ultimately decides his own destiny - the emperor. Although he was a humble official, he saw through the details of the Emperor Jiajing—he was an overly smart and confident person.And such a person will never forgive anyone who dares to threaten him. Zhang Cong is an out-and-out fool. He is already the chief assistant, but he wants to expand his power. Does he want to be the emperor? Xia Yan is very aware of this, he refuses everyone's help, just to get the most critical support. So he watched Zhang Cong's smug smile and infinite expansion with great interest, because he understood that the expansion of power means accelerated demise. Facts proved Xia Yan's inference, the turning point finally arrived, the emperor's attitude towards Zhang Cong suddenly changed drastically, he often scolded him, and repeatedly rejected his suggestions and memorials, which made him lose face. Zhang Cong finally found out that something was wrong. Due to the limitation of IQ, he still didn't know where the problem was, but what was certain was that he had fallen into a trap. Waiting for death has never been the style of Chinese politicians. Zhang Cong's paranoia has reached its peak - as long as Xia Yan is resolved, the emperor's favor and everyone's respect will restore everything to its original state! And to achieve this goal, only a perfect trap is needed - a trap that will ruin Xia Yan's reputation. This trap begins with a memorial. Jiajing ten years (1531) in July. The chief of pedestrians (Sizheng) Xue Kan suddenly came to the home of Taichang Temple Minister Peng Ze and handed him a manuscript. This manuscript was intended to be handed over to the emperor, and the basic contents are as follows: "In the past, when the ancestors were entrusted, they would definitely send a royal descendant to stay in the capital in case of any eventuality. Now that you don't have a son, your majesty, I hope that you can follow the precedent and choose a royal family member to train. This is a great plan for the community. I hope you can seriously consider it. .” Xue Kan looked at Peng Ze excitedly, waiting for his reaction. "Very good," Peng Ze replied with a smile, "This is a good thing that benefits the country!" Xue Kan was relieved, he thought he had made a good rationalization suggestion.And he came to discuss with Peng Ze because they are not only Jinshi of the same subject, but also old friends for more than ten years. "It's not too late, I'll write it as a memorial tomorrow." He excitedly put away the manuscript, ready to say goodbye and leave. Peng Ze stopped him: "Don't be in a hurry, let me think about it again, please leave me a draft." That's where things start. It seems that everything is normal. Xue Kan is loyal to the country and makes suggestions. Peng Ze strongly supports and fully agrees.However, what is hidden behind is an extremely vicious conspiracy. The key to the problem was the memorial. Xue Kan thought it could benefit the country, but Peng Ze knew that it was a deadly tool.The occurrence of such a deviation is, in the final analysis, a matter of different division of labor. Mr. Xue works in the Department of Pedestrians, which is an errand department with limited experience in the world, while Mr. Peng works in Taichang Temple, which is a department that specializes in managing rituals and sacrifices. So when Peng Ze saw this manuscript, he immediately realized that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had arrived. As an official in charge of palace etiquette, Peng Ze is very clear that although Mr. Jiajing is often scolded by ministers for various reasons, there is also a forbidden area that must not be touched-the problem of his son. For some reason, this emperor has been on the throne for ten years, but he has never had a son. The reason is unknown. This kind of thing has always been absolutely private, and it is usually a hot topic of discussion on the streets of aunts. That evil old society. Dare to go to this kind of memorial, really tired of life! But as an old friend for many years, he told Xue Kan with a smile: This is a very suitable suggestion. It seems difficult to understand, but the reason is very simple: First of all, Peng Ze's backstage party is called Zhang Cong. Secondly, in the imperial examination fifteen years ago, besides Xue Kan and Peng Ze, Xia Yan also passed the exam.As we all know, Xue Kan is Xia Yan's best friend. In the end, Peng Ze is a shameless villain who doesn't recognize his friends. Because in Peng Ze’s thinking system, there is such a theorem: Anyone can be sold, but the price of friends is a little higher. Peng Ze found Zhang Cong overnight with his old friend's manuscript, and informed him of his plan. Zhang Cong agreed immediately, but in order to achieve the greatest impact, he decided to play another trick: "Go and tell Xue Kan, I agree with him very much, just go ahead and play, I will definitely support him." Peng Ze accepted the instructions and left Zhang Cong's home. But Zhang Cong didn't rest. He copied Xue Kan's documents overnight and prepared to hand them over to another person. The next day, he entered the palace to meet Jiajing and showed the manuscript. Looking at the flushed face of His Majesty the Emperor, Zhang Cong unhurriedly threw out his final killing move: "Xia Yan instructed Xue Kan to write this. Your Majesty, please don't get angry, and wait until they officially write the letter before punishing them." Jiajing suppressed his anger and nodded. In his opinion, this treacherous memorial was a conspiracy to embarrass him, and he must be thoroughly investigated! A day later, Xue Kan, who was encouraged by Zhang Cong, presented his memorial very excitedly. Of course, the effect was indeed immediate - an honorable imprisonment. Even though he was mentally prepared, Jiajing was still very angry. Looking at the memorial that mocked him for not being able to have a son, he let out a hoarse roar: "Find out the mastermind behind the scenes, no matter who they are, they will all be held accountable!" Xia Yan is in big trouble, because almost everyone knows about his relationship with Xue Kan, and this time, even if he jumped into the Yellow River, he can't clean it up. The situation was very good, Zhang Cong and Peng Ze began to celebrate the victory, although everything was within their expectations, but the accident still happened. Soon, the adjudicating officials of the Ministry of Criminal Justice came to complain one after another—the trial could not go on.Because although Xue Kan is inaccurate in judging people, he is very loyal.No matter who asked him, he had only one answer: "I did it alone, it has nothing to do with others." There was no other way, the mastermind behind the scenes came out personally, Peng Ze once again stood in front of Xue Kan, and began patient political and ideological work: "If you identify Xia Yan, you will be released immediately." Looking at the despicable villain in front of him, Xue Kan was silent. He looked around at the jury officials, and contrary to his previous anger, he said in a very peaceful tone: "I admit that the memorial was indeed written by me." It seems that there is hope, Peng Ze breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to continue asking questions, but heard a loud roar: "But the reason why I played it was at your instigation! At that time you told me that Zhang Shaofu (Zhang Cong) would fully support this proposal, have you forgotten?!" Dumbfounded, completely dumbfounded now. Although Mr. Peng Ze's face is quite thick, but under the watchful eyes of the public, he is really embarrassed.So the interrogation ended hastily. For this reason, there is no end to it, and it must be interrogated. If amateurs can't do it, then change to professional ones! The so-called professional talent refers to Wang Hung, the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. This man has long-term interrogation experience. Of course, he is also Zhang Cong's accomplice. In order to be able to successfully complete the task of framing, he thought hard, and finally decided to make a fool of himself, and directly dragged Xia Yan to the jury, hoping to make a breakthrough in court. It turned out to be an extremely idiotic idea. The Heavenly King and Lao Tzu are not afraid of such a tough person like Xia Yan, but Wang Yushi dared to come to his door. It can only be said that his head was in the water, and an interrogation turned into a farce. To say that Wang Yushi was straight to the point, pointed at Xia Yan at the beginning of the trial, repeatedly questioned the mastermind behind the scenes, and even directly asked Xia Yan whether he had participated in this matter. Wang Yushi's behavior was a naked provocation. He probably wanted to lure the snake out of the hole, but he didn't expect that what he lured out was actually a giant python! Xia Yan didn't talk nonsense with him at all, as soon as he heard that his name was called, he immediately jumped up and shouted: "Wang, who are you talking about!?" Wang Hung was stunned, he was afraid of the aggressive Xia Yan, but he didn't want to admit defeat, so he replied a few words. Xia Yan broke out completely, he left his seat, and was about to rush up to beat Wang Hong, but fortunately, the person next to him reacted quickly and grabbed him in time, so nothing happened. Prior to this, Zhang Cong had been watching the scene coldly, calmly, a bit like a big brother of the underworld, but the change of the situation exceeded his imagination.Now that his face was torn, Xia Yan didn't care about anything else. He went straight to the backstage boss and scolded loudly: "Zhang Cong, it's all your fault, what on earth do you want?!" This is the following offense, and Zhang Shoufu was unambiguous. He cleared his throat and prepared to fight back, but before he could warm up, a loud sentence suddenly came out: "Please Zhang Shoufu immediately avoid this case!" The people who said this were Sun Yingkui and Cao Bian. It should be said that Sun and Cao are very well educated in law, because what they said today has a specific legal title - "recusal of the parties". It's a pity that although they have the talents of lawyers, Zhang Shoufu doesn't have the bearing of a judge. The swear words they were going to send out were returned, and Zhang Cong was so angry that his eyes almost popped out. You are trying to make trouble, right? But Zhang Cong stood there holding back for a long time, only to realize that he had nothing to say!If they fought, they probably couldn't pinch Xia Yan, and if they talked about the law, they couldn't beat these two idiots who jumped out suddenly. In desperation, Mr. Zhang had no choice but to leave. Before leaving, he left an angry message: "Just wait and see!" The boss is gone, everyone, don't just sit around, let's withdraw together!This is the end of this strange trial. But Zhang Cong had already decided to do the villain to the end, he didn't dare to delay for a moment, and immediately made a small report to the emperor, saying that he had discovered a reactionary gang, which was well organized, and except for Xia Yan, the two who applied for withdrawal Legal experts are also veteran gang members. Jiajing praised Zhang Cong and put the three brothers in prison. Zhang Cong was overjoyed when he heard the words, this matter seems to be resolved, but unfortunately Mr. Zhang Cong forgot that Mr. Jiajing's IQ is much higher than him, so the following sentence was added: "Let them interrogate as soon as possible, and give me the confession, I want to see it myself!" This time I can't play anymore. Needless to say, Sun Yingkui and Cao Bian, the legal experts who have wronged their families, Xia Yan is not easy to provoke. If you want to get a confession from them, you may have to wait until the Qing army enters the customs. The more serious problem is that these people can't be beaten. After all, they can't be included in the conflict between the enemy and ourselves. If the leaders focus on such a case, if torture is used to extract confessions, the gains will not be worth the losses. What should I do?There is no way. In this way, many comrades from the three judicial divisions (Ministry of Justice, Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Dali Temple) racked their brains for several days and nights, and finally came up with a report result: Xue Kan's memorial was written by himself, and Peng Ze's accusation of Xia Yan's instigation was purely a false accusation (Ze falsely quoted with words). This is an extremely tragic conclusion, for Zhang Cong. Soon, Jiajing responded. He released Xia Yan, Sun Yingkui, and Cao Bian, and gave him cordial condolences. But things were not so easy to settle, Jiajing got angry again, what he hated most in his life was not villains, but villains who dared to take advantage of him. Mr. Zhang Cong is going to be unlucky, this time he will either be demoted or punished, maybe he will be dismissed from office, but he did not expect that Jiajing did not do this.As a wise emperor, he used a more vicious and ingenious trick. Not long after, in the court hall, in front of the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs, Jiajing suddenly took out a manuscript, and said to Zhang Cong expressionlessly: "You gave it to me, and I will return it to you now!" Everyone knows what that is. So Mr. Zhang Cong was going to find a crack in the ground to get in. This matter has been done until now, and finally the curtain call is honored. Finally we state the final outcome of the matter: Zhang Cong, because of the trap he set was exposed, lost his personality and ruined his future. Peng Ze, because of his participation in digging holes, was allowed to join the army (discharged) with honor, and continued to fight for the cause of national border defense. Although Xue Kan was not instigated by others, he scolded the emperor for having no sons, and the evidence of the crime was conclusive, and he was dismissed from office and demoted to a commoner (deposed as a commoner). Xia Yan, the prison is free to visit for a few days (including board and lodging), and after being released from prison, the final winner (don't ask questions). Zhang Cong is useless. Although he has all limbs and no obvious defects, from a political point of view, he is already a disabled person. The emperor didn't like it, the ministers didn't support it, and even his fellow party members turned into underground parties one after another, lest people would know about his relationship with Mr. Zhang. In stark contrast, Mr. Xia Yan was so red and purple, and so hot, but any individual knew that this guy was amazing, even Zhang Shoufu, who would dare to stand in the way? So all of a sudden, Xia Yan's family was full of people, and there was an endless stream of visitors. Cousins, distant relatives, the same family in the same year, and old neighbors all came to the door. They went around just to explain an old Proposition - Be rich, don't forget each other. And in the imperial court, there were countless people who came to chat with each other late at night (it was really inconvenient during the day), swearing at the sky and swearing allegiance. All of this was seen by Zhang Cong, and with the determination to kick his legs even before he died, he resorted to the last move-to become an official. In layman's terms, this trick is to avoid the limelight and wait for the opportunity. It is an extremely ancient trick that has been used repeatedly by countless ancestors, which fully demonstrates its reliability and effectiveness. Unfortunately, this trick didn't work for Xia Yan. Facing the great situation, Xia Yan was not overwhelmed. He always kept in mind his identity as a wage earner, served the leaders wholeheartedly, asked for instructions early and reported late, and never formed a party. , with a swipe of a pen, he was given a minister - Minister of Rites. 于是张璁的希望彻底破灭了，嘉靖十年（1531）他退休回家，不久之后又跑了回来，几年之间来来去去，忙得不亦乐乎。 可惜的是，无论他怎么闹腾，却始终没人理他，正所谓：不怕骂，只怕无人骂。混到了骂无可骂的地步，也着实该滚蛋了。 嘉靖十四年（1535），张璁申请退休（真心实意，童叟无欺），经过反复挽留（一次），由于本人态度坚决（不想混了），皇帝陛下终于批准，并加以表彰，发给路费。 黯然离京的张璁踏上了回家的路，十一年前（嘉靖三年1524），他正是沿着这条道路春风得意地迈入京城，十余年的风雨飘摇，由小人物而起，却也因小人物而落，世道变化，反复无常，不过如此而已。 但张璁并不知道，其实他是一个十分幸运的人，对比后来几位继任者，这位仁兄已经算是功德圆满了，他亲手燃起了嘉靖朝的斗争火焰，却没有被烧死，实在是阿弥陀佛，上帝保佑。 当然了，张璁先生能够得到善终，还要怪他自己不争气，和即将上台的那几位大腕级权臣比起来，他的智商和权谋水平完全不在同一档次。 张璁离开了，想起当年争爹的功劳，嘉靖也有几分伤感，但我们有理由相信，皇帝大人的感情是丰富的，心理承受力是很强的，而为了国家大计，要忘记一个人也是很容易的。 所谓以天下为己任，通俗解释就是天下都是老子的，天下事就是本人的私事。 所以对于胸怀天下，公私合营的皇帝而言，张璁不过是个木偶而已，现在第一个木偶已经用废了，应该寻找下一个了。 嘉靖十五年（1536），皇帝下谕：礼部尚书夏言正式升任太子太傅兼少傅（从一品），授武英殿大学士，进入内阁。 第二个木偶就此登上戏台。 夏言其实很清楚自己的身份，他成为了第二个木偶，并且自觉自愿甘于担当木偶的角色，从这一点上说，他实在是个不折不扣的机灵人。 夏言的确比张璁聪明，所以他的下场也比张璁惨，因为嘉靖先生似乎一直以来都坚守着一个人生信条： 活着是我的人，死了是我的死人，化成了灰还要拿去肥田！ 当然，在当时，夏言先生还没有变成饲料的危险，因为他还有很多活要干。 成为内阁学士的夏言并没有辜负皇帝的希望，他确实是个好官，干得相当不错，至少比张璁强，虽说他的提升也有迎合皇帝，投机取胜的成分，但能混到今天这个地步，还是靠本事吃饭的。 夏言是一个十分清廉的人，而且不畏权贵，干跑腿的时候就曾提议裁减富余人员，压制宦官，那时他虽然官小，却干过一件震惊天下的事情——痛骂张延龄。 说起这位张延龄同志，实在是个了不得的人物，横行天下二十多年，比螃蟹还横。当然，嚣张绝非偶然，他是有资本的——孝宗皇帝的小舅子。 凭着这个身份，他在弘治、正德年间很吃得开，无人敢惹。 然而夏言惹他了，他上奏章弹劾张小舅子侵吞老百姓的田产，送上去后没人理，连皇帝都不管，要知道，当时是嘉靖初年（1522），皇帝大人自顾不暇，连爹都弄没了，哪有时间管这事。 张延龄是个十分凶狠的人，准备搞打击报复，可他没想到，夏言比他更为凶悍。 还没等张国舅缓过劲来，朝中的内线就告诉了他一个不幸的消息：夏言又上了第二封弹劾奏折，而且比上一封骂得更狠。 张延龄气疯了，恨不得活劈了这个不识时务的家伙，不过对于夏言的攻击，他并不担心，毕竟此人人微言轻，无人理会，翻不起多大的浪。 如他所料，第二封奏折依旧没有回音。然而没过多久，他又得到消息：夏言上了第三封奏折！ 这人莫不是发疯了吧！ 夏言并没有发疯，但张延龄却真的快被逼疯了，因为夏先生的奏章并不只是上中下三集，而是长篇连载。 之后，夏言又陆续出版了奏章系列之痛骂张延龄第四、五、六、七部，这才就此打住。 之所以打住，绝不是夏言半路放弃，而是因为这事解决了，奏折一封接着一封，连皇帝陛下也被搞烦了，于是他在忙于争爹的斗争之中，还专门抽出时间料理了张延龄，退回了霸占的田地。他宁可得罪张国舅，也不敢再惹夏先生。 这就是夏言的光辉历史，当日的夏行人就敢动朝廷高干，现在成了夏尚书、夏大学士，估计除了阎王之类的传说人物，天地之间已然没有他搞不定的人了。 除了刚正不阿外，夏先生还有一个特点——廉洁，对官员们而言，这可算是要了老命了，领导不下水，问题就难办了。偏偏夏学士反贪力度又格外凶猛，于是一时之间，朝廷风气大变，哭穷叫苦声不绝于耳。 综合说来，夏言是一个传统意义上的好人，这个人不贪财，干实事，心系黎民百姓，国家社稷，他的才干不亚于杨廷和，而个人道德操守却要远远高于前者。 在他的管理下，大明王朝兴旺发达、蒸蒸日上，发展前景十分看好。 但夏言毕竟不是雷锋叔叔，他也有一个致命的软肋。 夏先生这辈子不抽烟、少喝酒、不贪钱，不好女色，除了干活还是干活，但他竟然十分享受这种郁闷得冒烟的生活。 因为在枯燥单调的背后，隐藏着一个巨大的诱惑——权力。 征服所有的人，掌控他们的命运，以实现自己的抱负。这大概就是夏言最原始的工作动力。 不过我们还是应该赞扬夏言的，他虽然追逐权力，主要目的还是为了干活，事实上，他的权力之路十分顺利，嘉靖十五年（1536），他接替李时，成为了内阁首辅，走到了权力的顶峰。 然而夏先生刚刚爬到山顶，还没来得及喘口气，就发现那里还站立着另外一个人，很明显，这个人并不打算做他的朋友。 夏言已经是内阁首领，文官的第一号人物，却偏偏管不了那位仁兄，因为这个人叫做郭勋。