Chapter 30: Suicide in the Southeast

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After Zhu Zairui and Zhang Juzheng had revealed their aspirations to one another that day, and after Zhu Zairui had recited another poem, their relationship advanced by leaps and bounds.

Before long, the two of them were spending nearly the entire day in the eastern side hall of the Hall of Literary Glory.

Each morning, Zhu Zairui remained in the Eastern Palace, following Zhu Qi in the study of martial arts and the tempering of his body. He would then pay his customary respects to the two empresses before beginning his lessons in the eastern side hall.

Once all his other affairs were concluded, he would remain there with Zhang Zhi and Zhang Juzheng, who still took turns giving the principal lectures each day, and dine with them in the eastern side hall.

Naturally, he would also occasionally bestow feasts upon Lu Ben, Gao Gong, and the others.

At the Palace of Longevity in the Western Park, it seemed that, because the Crown Prince had begun participating in the administration of state affairs, most matters were now left for discussion in the afternoon.

On this particular day, Zhu Zairui had invited all the officials responsible for the daily lectures to dine with him.

Everyone observed the rule of not speaking while eating. They carefully finished every dish of the bestowed feast before them, then waited until His Highness the Crown Prince had completed his meal before rising one after another to offer thanks and depart.

Gao Gong was the last among them to leave. Seeing that Zhang Juzheng had not gone with the others and had already begun carrying books and account ledgers toward the Crown Prince, Gao Gong could not help giving a silent sigh.

The Crown Prince had originally agreed to let him take charge of handing over the Classics of Rites, yet Gao Gong had waited day after day without ever receiving a private summons from His Highness.

By the time everyone else had departed, Feng Bao had already cleared the table for Zhu Zairui.

Zhu Zairui glanced sideways at Zhang Juzheng, who was waiting nearby, and smiled.

“Did you eat your fill at noon today, Sir?”

Zhang Juzheng wore a smile as well. Placing the materials he had arranged upon the table, he bowed and replied, “I dare not eat too much in the morning or at noon. I fear that a full stomach would leave my mind muddled and drowsy, making it impossible to see matters clearly.”

With that, Zhang Juzheng placed a memorial before Zhu Zairui.

“This is the general framework and detailed outline of the performance-assessment system Your Highness mentioned that day, which I compiled after understanding its intent.”

Zhu Zairui’s face immediately brightened. He had only mentioned the matter a few days earlier, yet Zhang Juzheng had already organized every detail with such remarkable efficiency.

He opened the document at once and began to examine it carefully.

He had not realized how much it contained until he saw it, and then he was astonished.

He could not help admiring Zhang Juzheng. No wonder he was a man capable of saving a collapsing empire.

Zhu Zairui had merely provided the general direction, yet within only a few days Zhang Juzheng had produced such a detailed plan.

He had even specified which offices each of the Six Ministries ought to inspect and how local government offices should be examined. Building upon Zhu Zairui’s original proposal, he had further refined the inspection schedule from yearly and half-yearly reviews down to the specific offices and local administrations to be examined each month, as well as the particular matters that should be investigated.

He had truly prepared every aspect, down to the smallest detail.

At this moment, Zhang Juzheng explained from the side, “I know that Your Highness believes this is not yet the right time to submit the memorial. I have therefore drafted it in advance. Should anything still be lacking, I beg Your Highness to allow me time to revise it carefully.”

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Zhu Zairui closed the detailed regulations Zhang Juzheng had compiled and praised him without reserve.

“Your talent is worthy of the office of Grand Councillor!”

A flush spread across Zhang Juzheng’s face.

Zhu Zairui continued, “I know that you are determined to eliminate the accumulated abuses of the realm. Yet none of these matters can be rushed. We must wait for the proper opportunity before presenting this system of performance assessments to the court. I trust you understand.”

Zhang Juzheng nodded. “How could I not understand? If the proposal cannot be implemented after being submitted, it would be better to set it aside for the time being and wait quietly for the right moment. Once it is presented, it must be put into effect.”

Seeing that Zhang Juzheng was not intent on forcing the system into immediate implementation, Zhu Zairui felt relieved.

Zhang Juzheng then produced another memorial.

“This is the memorial requesting the opening of maritime trade that Your Highness mentioned the other day. I have prepared it as well. There is only one matter I still do not quite understand…”

Zhu Zairui accepted the memorial requesting the opening of maritime trade and smiled.

“Sir, there is a principle I have been considering. I wonder what you think of it.”

Zhang Juzheng immediately leaned forward, adopting the posture of one eager to listen.

Zhu Zairui said with a smile, “The multitude forms the people, and discourse consists of their words. Public opinion is therefore the voice of the common people. If I do not occupy the realm of public opinion, my enemies will naturally occupy it instead.”

Zhang Juzheng’s brows drew together as he savored the meaning behind those words.

He had grown accustomed to the Crown Prince’s frequent flashes of startling originality.

Zhu Zairui continued, “Since you intend to reform the realm, and since many loyal and upright men in the court have urged the removal of abuses in recent years, why do they seem like dragons without a leader, each shouting in his own direction? Their voices may be heard, but they possess no influence. Opening the seas is a new undertaking for the reform of the realm. If you proclaim it publicly today, you will be remembered as the first to advocate it. Once all the new laws are enacted, you will surely be the leading figure behind them all.”

Zhang Juzheng’s face flushed again. He lowered his head and raised his arms in a respectful salute.

“Your Highness… Your Highness’s words are penetrating. I shall submit this memorial requesting the opening of maritime trade to the court within the next few days.”

Having agreed to the matter, Zhang Juzheng continued, “Your Highness, Weng Wanda, the governor-general of the three frontier regions of Xuanfu and Datong, has recently submitted a memorial impeaching Zhu Wan, the former censor overseeing Zhejiang and Fujian. Several others have joined him in accusing Zhu Wan.”

At this, Zhu Zairui’s eyes darkened.

Zhang Juzheng cautiously studied the Crown Prince. He knew that the matters His Highness had been most concerned with recently were the three frontier regions of Xuanfu and Datong and the southeastern coast.

Recalling that Zhu Zairui had asked him to submit a memorial requesting the opening of maritime trade, Zhang Juzheng said softly, “Weng Wanda is from Guangdong, and his in-laws are from Fujian. Over the years, he has been able to remain securely in his position as governor-general of the three frontier regions not only because he has the support of men such as Lu Ben in the court, but also because he truly possesses ability. Stationed along the frontier, he can defend an entire region and keep foreign enemies at bay.”

“Zhu Wan governed two provinces and enforced the maritime prohibition with great severity. Ultimately, this affected the interests of every southeastern coastal province. Even if Weng Wanda’s own family never engaged in maritime smuggling, he could not prevent his in-laws, pupils, and old associates from taking part. What is more, he himself and those people frequently submitted memorials concerning the maritime prohibition…”

Zhu Zairui waved a hand, his expression turning somewhat cold.

“I have read all of Weng Wanda’s memorials concerning the maritime prohibition over the years. In essence, he believes that the coastal people of the southeastern provinces live in hardship. Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong have many mountains but little arable land. Unless the people go out to sea in search of a livelihood, they may well go hungry every day.”

Zhang Juzheng restrained his expression and fell silent.

Zhu Zairui smiled and shook his head.

“I naturally know that when he speaks this way, he is thinking of the coastal people. Likewise, although he has repeatedly petitioned the court for additional funds and grain for the three frontier regions, he has indeed kept the Mongols beyond the Great Wall. He has also reorganized the frontier armies, managed the military farms, and built fortresses and settlements. He has accomplished real things.”

After saying this, Zhu Zairui could not help letting out a quiet sigh.

Such was the complexity of human nature.

Throughout history, there had been very few people who could be described in purely black-and-white terms.

Take Weng Wanda. During his many years in the frontier regions, all that he accomplished was tangible. No one could deny his achievements or his merits. Yet regarding the southeastern coast, he was inclined to sympathize with the suffering of the local people, while his in-laws, pupils, and old associates undoubtedly influenced him as well.

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That was where the contradiction lay.

And for precisely this reason, the civil and military officials of the court could not simply be labeled loyal ministers or treacherous ministers.

Zhang Juzheng spoke quietly.

“Yet for Your Highness, opening the seas is a means of creating new sources of revenue for the court. The coastal provinces of the southeast cannot therefore be permitted to monopolize maritime trade and profit from smuggling, seizing such enormous gains for themselves. Thus… Weng Wanda and the others, along with all who oppose the opening of the seas, must be removed when the time is right.”

This was the meaning of seeking to fulfill one’s duty in the position one occupied.

Zhu Zairui nodded as well.

One should not interfere in affairs beyond one’s position; once one occupied a position, one had to fulfill its responsibilities.

He needed to open the seas, and the Ming Empire needed it as well. The people and affairs entangled in the southeast therefore had to be dealt with and punished.

What was lacking now was merely an opportunity.

An opportunity to transform the maritime commerce of the meritorious nobles, led by the Duke of Chengguo’s household, into a comprehensive and officially sanctioned opening of the seas before the old Daoist abbot; to establish a complete system of customs duties; and to create new sources of revenue and tax income for the court.

It was certainly good for the meritorious nobles to sail overseas for trade while the Palace of Tranquil Purity received a free tenth of the profits.

But if the court could open the seas on a comprehensive scale and see tax revenues rise sharply, the benefits would naturally be far greater.

At the thought of opening the seas, Zhu Zairui realized that the matter would likely prove extraordinarily difficult.

He changed the subject.

“The court’s expenditures are increasing by the day. If we cannot find new sources of income or ways to reduce spending, matters will only grow more difficult. I have recently been thinking about the grain transport system and the salt tax. Sir, do you think it might be possible to…”

Zhang Juzheng’s eyes widened.

“Does Your Highness intend to reform the grain transport system and the salt tax?”

Just as Zhu Zairui was about to explain, a sudden burst of dense and disorderly footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Then came a voice from beyond the doors, requesting an audience with the Crown Prince.

Feng Bao hurried forward to investigate.

A short while later, when Feng Bao returned from outside, his footsteps had become hurried, and his face was filled with alarm.

He came straight to Zhu Zairui and Zhang Juzheng.

Without even catching his breath, Feng Bao spoke in a trembling voice.

“Your Highness.”

“Zhu Wan is dead!”

“He took his own life in the southeast!”

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