As the saying goes, those who are involved are often confused. Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao were caught in the middle of the situation, and under the huge pressure of interests, it was inevitable that they could not turn around for a while.
But Zhao Hao, as an outsider, saw it clearly. What kind of person is Li Caifeng? She is really not a person. She is smart, but she is not as determined as a real politician to carry out her decision to the end, not to mention that the target is her own flesh and blood.
Therefore, her attempt to depose the emperor was not so much because she was worried that an unqualified emperor would bring disaster to her ancestors' country, but rather because of her resentment towards her husband, her sadness at her eldest son's incompetence, and her preference for her youngest son, which all burst out together and made her an impulsive act.
Empress Dowager Chen's intervention should have calmed her down and made her realize that she was making a big deal out of nothing... Although he said that it was Mr. Zhang who came up with the idea, Zhang Juzheng actually had no choice.
Zhang Xianggong was entrusted by Emperor Longqing to be both a teacher and a father, and he devoted all his efforts to raising Wanli.
As the saying goes, "If the teaching is not strict, the teacher is lazy." How could he not give the emperor a chance to reform himself, but agree to depose the emperor just because of a "small matter"? And then continue to assist the new emperor openly? How would the world view him?
They would definitely scold him, saying that the deep affection between Zhang Xianggong and the emperor was all fake! Shouldn't Zhang Xianggong commit suicide first? !
Even if Empress Dowager Li calmed down afterwards, she would blame him for not stopping her.
The same was true for Eunuch Feng. In fact, he exposed the emperor's ugly behavior last night just to take the opportunity to get rid of Sun Hai, Ke Yong, and the guys who surrounded the emperor.
Although Eunuch Feng was the chief eunuch of the palace, he could not interfere with the personnel arrangements of the Qianqing Palace and Shouning Palace because of the emperor's uncle Li Jin's sacrifice of his life to enter the palace. Because no matter how much Empress Dowager Li trusted him, he was not as good as the younger brother who didn't even want a younger brother to help her.
Especially in the past year or so, as the emperor and he became more and more distant, and even obviously avoided him, Eunuch Feng would not reflect on whether it was because he pushed too hard, but only thought that it was the lackeys around the emperor who were trying to sow discord and compete with him for favor.
So he had been planning to do something bad for a long time, and wanted to find a chance to deal with Sun Hai, Ke Yong and the others. So when he reported the secret last night, he was not targeting the emperor, but he did not expect that the Empress Dowager Li would want to delete her account and start over on impulse.
This frightened Feng Bao, who knew that the matter was serious. If Wanli found out, wouldn't he hate him to death? So he wanted to go all out and support the abolition of the emperor and reopen the trumpet.
But in fact, Feng Bao also faced the same dilemma as Zhang Xianggong, and the relationship between master and servant was more emotional than that between master and apprentice. Emperor Wanli grew up on his neck!
If he had not helped dissuade the emperor from the beginning to the end, and even secretly made trouble, Empress Dowager Li would have figured it out sooner or later. By then, Mr. Zhang might be able to land safely, but he would definitely die without a burial place.
~~
Both of them were extremely smart and didn't need Zhao Hao to remind them. Once they calmed down, they figured out the pros and cons of the situation.
"Oh, we almost made a big mistake..." Eunuch Feng slapped his forehead, looking frightened.
"It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep have been lost, don't panic, brother Tinglin." Zhang Juzheng sighed and said, "But I don't have a chance to escape unscathed."
"You mean, the Queen is also taking this opportunity to attack you?" Feng Bao realized, "Oh, it seems that she has really given up the idea of deposing the Emperor!"
"Alas..." Zhang Juzheng sighed again, "It seems that the queen is determined to let me die, and the candle will not stop shedding tears until it is burned down to ashes..."
"It is my uncle's great blessing to be trusted by the Empress Dowager!" Feng Bao said with true envy.
There was only dead silence in Zhang Juzheng's eyes after his struggle was in vain.
~~
The Empress Dowager couldn't be kept waiting for too long, nor could the Emperor be kept kneeling for too long. Zhang Juzheng put on his court robes again after many days, and hurriedly followed Feng Bao back to the Forbidden City.
In Ningshou Palace, the two Empress Dowagers had already taken their seats and were waiting. Upon hearing the report, they immediately summoned the emperor.
Because Empress Dowager Li was going to receive foreign officials, she dressed up again, put on a phoenix crown and a phoenix robe, and put on light makeup.
Seeing Zhang Xianggong walking in through the beaded curtain, she couldn't help but feel a surge of heat in her heart. Since returning to the palace, she could no longer see him every day like before, so the Queen Mother naturally missed him very much.
"Your servant Zhang Juzheng pays his respects to the Empress Dowager Rensheng and Empress Dowager Cisheng!" Zhang Juzheng knelt down and saluted, and greeted in a deep voice.
Empress Dowager Li was so busy looking at him that she forgot to speak.
Empress Dowager Chen coughed lightly, and she suddenly remembered what day it was and who she was and what she was doing.
"Mr. Zhang, please stand up. Please take a seat." Empress Dowager Li said hurriedly.
"I dare not sit down. I am here to apologize to the two palaces!" Zhang Juzheng took off his black veil, kowtowed heavily and cried, "It is my fault that I did not teach the emperor well and failed the empress dowager..."
Feng Bao followed suit and knelt down, saying, "It is all my fault that I failed to fulfill my duty. I am willing to die to apologize. I only ask that you give the emperor another chance!"
When the two men apologized, the two Empress Dowagers couldn't help but wipe away their tears.
Empress Dowager Li cried, "Do you agree with what I am saying?"
"Please forgive me, Queen Mother. I cannot obey your order!" Zhang Juzheng shook his head firmly and said, "Your Majesty has been on the throne for nine years and has long been respected and supported by the people! You must not lightly depose or enthronize your Majesty unless it is absolutely necessary!"
"Just because he acted foolishly for a moment and made a small mistake, it is not a reason to depose the emperor!" Zhang Xianggong
Empress Dowager Chen breathed a sigh of relief, closed her eyes, turned the rosary beads, and chanted "Amitabha" silently.
"What's more, the emperor has inherited the queen's kindness, wisdom and judgment. He has studied hard and practiced government affairs over the years. He has already become a great ruler!" Zhang Juzheng continued to persuade.
"My lord, you are too partial to him! If Zhu Yijun was really as good as you say, how could he do such...things?" Although Empress Dowager Li still used a questioning tone, the anger in her voice had faded a lot.
In fact, she was not relieved. Just as Zhao Hao expected, Empress Dowager Chen stopped her and Empress Dowager Li was already in a difficult situation.
The key point is that deposing Wanli would not benefit her in any way. Even if the emperor who replaced him was still her son, she would only suffer endless pain. With the shrewd calculations of Empress Dowager Li, she began to regret it after calming down. How could she do such a losing business?
Zhang Juzheng's attitude was exactly what she wanted, and she also expected that Zhang Juzheng, a man of integrity and loyalty, would save his students, so she asked Feng Bao to invite him.
"No one is perfect." Then Zhang Juzheng explained confidently, "The emperor is only eighteen years old, full of vigor and vitality. It is normal for him to be seduced by the treacherous people around him and make such mistakes. But it should be regarded as a test. As long as he knows his mistakes and corrects them, it will be fine. You can't not give him a chance to correct them, Your Majesty."
"Oh, so my husband also made such a mistake when he was young?" Empress Dowager Li's tone became increasingly lighter... and Empress Dowager Chen pretended not to hear anything.
"I am ashamed..." Zhang Juzheng thought to himself that I am still committing the same mistake...
"Sister, after hearing what my husband said, I have some confidence in the emperor again." Empress Dowager Li did not forget that there was a light bulb beside her.
"Then give him another chance?"
"Okay." Empress Dowager Chen thanked God and immediately took a step back, saying, "As long as you don't destroy him, I have no objection to how you punish him."
"Call the emperor." Empress Dowager Li finally agreed.
~~
Soon, Emperor Wanli, whose knees were swollen from kneeling in the Fengtian Hall, limped in with the support of Li Jin.
Although he had heard from Li Jin that he should pass the test, he still pretended to be terrified and knelt on the ground swiftly, lowering his head and not daring to look at his mother.
"Humph, you're lucky to have a good teacher!" Then the Queen Mother Li said coldly, "Mr. Zhang and Mr. Daban have guaranteed with their lives that you won't do it again, so I decided to give you another chance!"
"Thank you, mother, thank you, sir, thank you..." Wanli cried with joy as if he had been pardoned, "I will never dare to do it again!"
But no matter how shameless he is, he will not thank his slaves. And they are dog slaves!
"Your Majesty, please take your seat." Zhang Juzheng quickly glanced at Feng Bao.
"Your Majesty..." Feng Bao stepped forward and was about to help Li Jin help the emperor up.
"Wait a minute!" Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Li did something weird again.
Wanli immediately collapsed to the ground like a deflated ball.
"Mr. Zhang, seeing the emperor's current state, do you still dare to insist on retiring after success?" Empress Dowager Li said with an expression that showed she had Zhang Juzheng in her grasp.
"I am ashamed. I dare not say anything more..." Zhang Juzheng said with his head down.
"So you have to continue to discipline the emperor for me. When he becomes a wise ruler, you can talk about retirement!" Empress Dowager Li couldn't help but said proudly.
Zhang Juzheng's face turned pale when he heard this. This woman is really clever but not wise. Saying such things at this time, wouldn't it make the emperor lose all gratitude and instead feel resentment?
It was as if the emperor had suffered because of himself...
What does this have to do with anything?
But at this time he could only bite the bullet and reply: "I will sacrifice my life until I die."
"I won't let you die. You have to live well." Empress Dowager Li said softly, and then coldly said to the emperor: "Thanks to your master, you still get to sit on the throne."
"Thank you, mother, thank you, sir..." Wanli thanked them profusely.
"But I have already reported it to our ancestors, so I have to punish him. Let's just let it go!" Empress Dowager Li changed the subject.
"Alas, I understand." Wanli's face immediately turned bitter again: "I wonder how the Queen Mother is going to punish me?"
"I have dealt with a few of the treacherous people in your palace, but it is far from enough. I have to replace them all!" Empress Dowager Li said in a deep voice.
"Hey, hey, change it, change it..." Wanli nodded repeatedly. At this time, of course he would rather die than let his friends die.
"Also, please write a "Confession of Sins". I read in a book that all emperors who made mistakes wrote this." Empress Dowager Li said, "Tell your ancestors everything about your mistakes and promise not to do it again. Let the people of the world bear witness to it! What do you think, sister?"
The last question was naturally addressed to Queen Mother Chen. Queen Mother Chen had said so before, so naturally she couldn't say no. She said, "It's up to you."
"Alas..." Wanli responded dejectedly. His mother didn't know the importance of the "Edict of Confession of Sins" and thought it was just a self-criticism.
He was very clear about it, but for fear of causing further complications, he dared not say no.