Chapter 28: When a Nation Is on the Brink of Collapse

Politics is never a matter of wishful thinking, nor is it something one person can resolve in its entirety. Zhu Zaiji understood this quite early on.

Back then, even a small-scale reform of rural dry toilets had consumed countless amounts of energy and manpower before it was finally accomplished. How much more challenging would it be to manage the vast expanse of the Ming Dynasty, with its two capitals and thirteen provinces? Therefore, he needed a group of trusted individuals to whom he could entrust heavy responsibilities in the future—ministers capable of shouldering the weight of the entire Ming Empire.

Today, he finally waited for the first, and most important, of them.

In the East Side Hall, after the morning lecture concluded, Zhu Zaiji sat in the primary seat while Zhang Zhi sat to the side. Both remained silent as they watched the person entering the hall.

At nearly twenty-five years of age, Zhang Juzheng—who had only earned his Jinshi degree two years prior, placing ninth in the second rank, and had since been appointed as a Shujishi (Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy)—walked into the hall and stood silently before the scion of the imperial house.

"Your servant, Zhang Juzheng, pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince." Zhang Juzheng did not raise his head, bowing low in a long, formal salute.

Watching this man, destined to hold up the collapsing heavens, standing before him and lowering his head, Zhu Zaiji felt remarkably calm. He spoke softly, "Master Zhang, please rise."

Zhang Juzheng slowly straightened up and looked at the Crown Prince of the East Palace sitting before him. The prince was very young, yet possessed a shrewdness rare for his age. He nodded slightly and turned to Zhang Zhi. "I pay my respects to the Senior Grand Secretary."

Zhang Zhi smiled and waved his hand. "Shuda, there is no great matter for which I have called you today. It is simply that the Crown Prince has made great progress in his studies and has received the Emperor's permission to observe governance before the throne. As a Shujishi from two years ago, having served for three years, you will soon be appointed to an official post by the Ministry of Personnel. Since you are currently on duty at the Wenhua Hall, you are perfectly positioned to assist the Crown Prince in his inquiries."

Shuda was Zhang Juzheng’s courtesy name. Faced with Zhang Zhi’s straightforward explanation, Zhang Juzheng bowed again, a ripple of emotion stirring within him. "I shall strictly follow the Prince’s decree and keep the Senior Grand Secretary’s instructions in mind. I will serve at the Wenhua Hall, ready to answer the Prince’s questions and resolve his doubts."

His reply was decisive, yet he felt a bit dejected. He had submitted a memorial some time ago, but it had never received a response. He had intended to simply continue with his routine, and though he had been summoned by the Prince to provide counsel, he did not hold high expectations. Perhaps after a few days, when the Prince’s novelty wore off, or when he felt he no longer needed him, he would simply return to where he came from.

Zhu Zaiji, unaware of Zhang Juzheng’s wavering state of mind, turned to Zhang Zhi. "Master, the Grand Secretariat is busy lately, and I dare not detain you for too long. I shall learn a thing or two from Master Zhang here. As for the four masters who are not currently on duty at the Wenhua Hall, please convey to them that the East Palace will grant them new identity tallies, allowing them entry to the Qingning Palace at any time, along with three jars of Lang wine and five bolts of silk each."

One cannot allow the hearts of those on one's team to grow cold, Zhu Zaiji mused silently.

Zhang Zhi readily agreed, then bowed and withdrew.

The hall was now left with only Zhu Zaiji, Feng Bao, and Zhang Juzheng, who remained unsure of what would happen next. Zhu Zaiji glanced at Zhang Juzheng, who was quietly observing him, and turned to Feng Bao. "Go to the palace and fetch some refreshments."

Feng Bao understood; this was a signal that the Prince did not wish for him to be present. He immediately acknowledged the order and cautiously exited the side hall.

With that, the hall held only the fourteen-year-old Crown Prince and the twenty-five-year-old Zhang Juzheng, who had yet to receive an official appointment. Seeing Zhang Zhi and Feng Bao leave one after the other, Zhang Juzheng finally began to feel nervous.

This was clearly not the standard way for an imperial heir to summon a minor official. As he pondered this, Zhu Zaiji spoke. "Master Zhang, how do you evaluate our Ming Dynasty as it stands today?"

He did not conceal his intent, nor did he hold back. At twenty-five, merely a Shujishi without a proper post, Zhang Juzheng was not yet the Senior Grand Secretary he would become decades later. Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng’s heart sank. He hurriedly lowered his head and answered cautiously, "Replying to Your Highness, although the Ming Dynasty today faces some minor calamities and disturbances, with a sage Emperor on the throne and a wise and sagacious Crown Prince, it is a time of peace and prosperity."

The words were spoken with great caution.

Zhu Zaiji smiled silently, shook his head, and said, "If our Ming is indeed in an era of peace and prosperity as you say, Master Zhang, why did you submit a memorial on current affairs a few days ago, detailing the five major弊s (evils) regarding the imperial clan, talented men, the civil service, northern barbarians, and taxation? You argued that these five issues are like a festering, paralyzing disease that must be excised."

He smiled, watching Zhang Juzheng, whose face now betrayed his astonishment. Zhu Zaiji continued, his smile undiminished: "You said that the court treats the imperial clan with excessive protocol and protection, yet some princes ignore ancestral teachings, seeking to curry favor with the Emperor to expand their power, while internally being greedy, corrupt, and cruel, oppressing officials and squeezing the common people to satisfy their desires."

"You also said that while the court is teeming with people, it is not without those who harbor extraordinary talent yet remain hidden, or those who have been wrongly disgraced and cast aside forever."

At these opening remarks, Zhang Juzheng held his breath, his body tensed. These were the very words from his *Memorial on Current Affairs* submitted to the court not long ago! Yet, after its submission, it had not caused even the slightest ripple. How could the Crown Prince know of them so clearly?

Zhu Zaiji looked at the young man before him—the future savior of the dynasty. He continued, "You said regarding the civil service that examinations are not strict and names do not match realities; prefects and magistrates merely run about to please their superiors, treating paperwork as the urgent priority and flattery as the mark of brilliance. The supervisory officials judge merit based on this, and when the Ministry of Personnel evaluates them, they do not look deeply, relying only on the supervisors. Thus, praise and blame are inconsistent, the corrupt rise to high rank, and the sycophants ascend the official ladder."

"Regarding the barbarians, you were also correct. The enemy has grown arrogant for too long, and their incursions are frequent. Whether at Xuanfu or Datong, or deep within the interior, they take small gains for small raids and large gains for large ones. The frontier officials seek only to maintain the status quo; if they can avoid a major catastrophe, they are content, and none plan for the benefit of a thousand generations or devise strategies to overcome the enemy."

"And on the matter of taxation, you expressed deep concern. Currently, national revenue depends on the southeast, yet the people’s strength is finite while demands are endless. The dynasty's expenses are dozens of times higher than at the beginning of the reign. The supplies for grand officials increase by the tens of thousands annually, and the demands of the eunuchs are like bottomless pits. The Ministry of Revenue repeatedly reports shortages."

He recited the main points of Zhang Juzheng’s memorial in one breath, then stared at him with an amused gaze.

Zhang Juzheng was shocked to his core. He looked at the young Crown Prince with complex emotions. His memorial, presented to the court with such solemnity, had been ignored by the Emperor, the Grand Secretariat, and the Six Ministries. Yet, this Crown Prince remembered it so clearly. What did this signify?

Zhang Juzheng, who had grown dejected after his memorial was disregarded, suddenly felt a glimmer of light in his heart. Faced with the Prince’s steady gaze, Zhang Juzheng slowly knelt. Instead of offering a hollow pledge of loyalty, he bowed his head and said, "My previous words were mere obfuscation to deceive Your Highness. I am guilty."

Seeing that Zhang Juzheng did not rush to offer his absolute allegiance, Zhu Zaiji was not impatient. Instead, he asked, "Since every official does the same, what crime is there in it, Master Zhang?"

Zhang Juzheng felt a tightening in his chest. He understood that if he answered in the affirmative, he would be telling the Prince that he was no different from the other officials in court. And he did not want that. He found himself in a dilemma.

Zhu Zaiji appeared quite considerate of his ministers. "I have only recently begun my studies in the palace and, favored by my imperial father, have been allowed to observe governance. I realize I am unfamiliar with state affairs, so I have set out to select talented men for consultation. Today was merely a casual inquiry; there is no need for a Shujishi to be overly nervous."

Although the words were gentle, the address had subtly changed. Zhang Juzheng, being no ordinary man, caught the difference immediately, and his nerves tightened further. "Your Highness!"

Zhang Juzheng looked up at the Crown Prince, who now appeared calm and composed, and a flash of hesitation and anxiety crossed his face. Zhu Zaiji watched him silently.

Would he open his heart now? Or would he continue to sit back and watch the changes in the court? Zhang Juzheng hesitated.

Zhu Zaiji then placed his hand on the satchel he had prepared. Indeed, Zhang Juzheng was the one who would save the Ming Dynasty. He was the man who had bought the Ming another fifty years of life. But it was not as if he could not function without him. Now that he, Zhu Zaiji, was part of the Ming’s two capitals and thirteen provinces, the empire could endure even without Zhang Juzheng.

As he gripped the satchel, Zhang Juzheng’s defenses finally crumbled. He prostrated himself: "I am guilty! My crime lies in presumptuously second-guessing the heart of the Crown Prince, and for the sake of my own security, my words and actions were inconsistent!"

Hearing this, Zhu Zaiji smiled slightly and released the satchel. "Since you say so, Shujishi, I am curious—what exactly did you think my intentions were?"

Zhang Juzheng furrowed his brow and looked up at the Crown Prince, as if having made a firm decision. "When I received word from the Senior Grand Secretary today to see the Crown Prince, I initially thought Your Highness was acting on a whim, rather than seeking genuine counsel, which is why my words were insincere."

"I thought Your Highness was merely a young boy, not one who carries the world in his heart."

"However, it was my own arrogance and prejudice."

"This is my crime!"

Opportunities are for those who are prepared, but they are also for those who have the courage. Zhang Juzheng was now focused, not daring to let his guard down for a moment. He could have waited for decades, but if there truly was a wise ruler who put the world first, should he just let this opportunity to assist him slip through his fingers?

Seeing Zhang Juzheng, who had staked his future on this moment, Zhu Zaiji’s smile deepened. He spoke softly, "Master Zhang, you have not yet answered the question I asked before."

What had he asked? He had asked how to evaluate the Ming Dynasty as it stands today.

Zhang Juzheng held his breath, his thoughts racing. In an instant, he replied, "Replying to Your Highness, my words today—that our dynasty faces calamities but is at peace—were not false." He slowly closed his eyes. "But beneath this surface of peace, the two capitals and thirteen provinces of our dynasty are riddled with deep-seated evils that have permeated to the bone."

"If we do not correct these things now, excise these evils, and implement extensive new policies..."

"Our Ming Dynasty..."

"Will surely perish within three generations!"