The civil servants of the Ming Dynasty were praised as "outstanding prime ministers" by later generations because of their great historical achievements.
After more than two hundred years of ups and downs in the Ming Dynasty, by the Jiajing period it was riddled with diseases and crises. An altar is set up in the Forbidden City every day to perform rituals, and green smoke fills the air. Emperor Jiajing, who fantasized about immortality, was intoxicated by the gorgeous words of "Ode to Qingyun" and entrusted the government affairs to Yan Song, the treacherous prime minister, with his eyes closed. Yan Song and his son took the opportunity to do evil, taking bribes and perverting the law. In this context, Zhang Juzheng, the chief minister of the cabinet (prime minister) who was born as a civilian, was pushed to the forefront of history. With his extraordinary courage and wisdom, he organized the government, consolidated national defense, and implemented a whip method to revive the dying Ming Dynasty. Gain vitality. Zhang Juzheng was also hailed as "the outstanding prime minister" by later generations for his great historical achievements.
"The wind and hair are strong and strong, going straight up to the end of the pole"
Zhang Juzheng (1525-1584), named Shuda and Taiyue. In the fourth year of Jiajing (1525), when Zhang Juzheng was born in the home of a scholar in Jiangling, Jingzhou (now part of Hubei), the shadow of his ancestors could no longer care for him. What greeted him was only a dream of a white turtle from his great-grandfather. . The moon in the dream fell into the water urn, illuminating the surrounding area with light, and then a white turtle floated leisurely out of the water. The great-grandfather believed that Bai Gui was his great-grandson, so he gave him the nickname "Bai Gui", hoping that he would be able to honor his ancestors in the future.
Bai Gui is indeed very smart, and he became a well-known child prodigy in Jingzhou Prefecture at a very young age. In the fifteenth year of Jiajing's reign, 12-year-old Bai Gui applied for examination. His cleverness won the affection of Li Shi'ao, the prefect of Jingzhou. He told young Bai Gui to have great ambitions since childhood and to serve the country loyally when he grew up. He changed his name to Ju Zheng. . This year, I am a student in the government. Four years later, the arrogant Zhang Juzheng successfully passed the provincial examination and became a young scholar. Gu Lin, the governor of Huguang, admired him very much. He once said to others, "This son will be a talented person." He took off his rhinoceros belt and gave it to Ju Zheng, saying: "I hope you will set up lofty ambitions, be Yi Yin, be Yan Yuan, not just Become a young man who will become famous. "In the 26th year of Jiajing's reign, 23-year-old Zhang Juzheng was awarded the title of "Second Grade Scholar".
Shujishi is a kind of trainee official. As a rule, he has to study in the Hanlin Academy for three years. After the expiration, he can be awarded the title of editor. Zhang Juzheng was selected as a Shujishi, and he was taught by Xu Jie, an important minister in the cabinet. Xu Jie attached great importance to the knowledge of economic development and economic development. Under his guidance, Zhang Juzheng worked hard to study the laws and regulations of the country, which laid a solid foundation for him to enter the political arena in the future.
In the early Ming Dynasty, in order to strengthen centralization of power, the prime minister was abolished and a cabinet was established, whose functions were equivalent to the emperor's secretarial office. The chief cabinet scholar is called the chief assistant, which is actually the prime minister. When Zhang Juzheng entered the Hanlin Academy to study, a fierce political struggle was going on in the cabinet. At that time, there were only two bachelors in the cabinet, Xia Yan and Yan Song. As a result of the competition between the two for the position of chief assistant, Xia Yan was killed and Yan Song became the chief assistant of the cabinet.
As for the cabinet struggle, Zhang Juzheng, as a new scholar, naturally has no say. But through several years of cold-eyed observation, he gained an intuitive understanding of the political corruption and ineffective border defense of the imperial court. For this reason, in the twenty-eighth year of Jiajing (1549), Zhang Juzheng first mentioned one disease of "congested blood and Qi" in "On Current Affairs" (Volume 15 of "The Complete Works of Zhang Wenzhonggong"), and then mentioned the five diseases of "bloat, flaccidity and paralysis". , systematically expounded his ideas for reforming politics. Naturally, these did not attract the attention of Ming Shizong and Yan Song. After that, except for routine memorials during the Jiajing Dynasty, Ju Zheng never gave any memorials.
In the thirty-third year of Jiajing reign, Zhang Juzheng left the capital and came to his hometown Jiangling on the pretext of taking leave to recuperate. During his three-year vacation, he still did not forget state affairs and personally contacted farmers. Juzheng, who came from a poor family, experienced the hard work, hunger, cold and pain of the people in the countryside. He said in "Inscriptions of Jingzhou Prefecture" (Volume 9 of "The Complete Works of Zhang Wenzhonggong"): "The land distribution is uneven, the poor are unemployed, and the people are suffering from annexation." All this can't help but make him excited, and his sense of responsibility makes him return to the political arena.
In the thirty-sixth year of Jiajing reign, Zhang Juzheng still returned to serve in the Hanlin Academy. At this time, he gradually matured in his depressed thinking. Amid the political turmoil, he imitated his teacher Xu Jie, who said he was "uncomfortable on the inside and has no trace of his external desires" and moved his camera. In the forty-third year of Jiajing's reign, Juzheng entered the palace in Youyude, Youchunfang. The far-sighted Xu Jie recommended Juzheng to serve as the minister of Yuyu and Zhu Zaihe. Yuode is just a false title, but since Yuyu is likely to inherit the throne, attending Yuyu's residence and giving lectures is no longer an idle position. During his stay in Yudi, "all the kings had good things, and all the people in the palace and in the palace were good at being upright" ("History of the Ming Dynasty. Zhang Juzheng Biography").
Forty-five years later, he took charge of the affairs of the Hanlin Academy.
In this year, Emperor Shizong died and King Yu came to the throne as Emperor Muzong of the Ming Dynasty. Zhang Juzheng's opportunity came. In the first year of Longqing (1567), as an old minister of King Yu, he was promoted to the position of Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Personnel and Bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, entered the cabinet, and participated in government affairs. In April of the same year, he was appointed Minister of Rites and Master of Wuyingdian University. Zhang Juzheng is forty-three years old this year. At this time, he will probably not forget the poem he wrote when he was thirteen years old, "The phoenix feathers are full of strength, straight to the end of the pole." Thirty years later, he finally "reached the end" in a secret contest.
"Shoot the riots of the barbarians and hoe the orchids"
After joining the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng was not complacent about his personal promotion. At this time, in the Ming Dynasty, internally, land was being annexed, refugees were scattered, misfortunes were occurring, the country's treasury was empty, and funds were scarce; externally, the northern Tatars were marching into the Central Plains, creating the "Gengxu Rebellion", and the southern chieftains were vying for power, especially Cen. There was a violent rebellion, "the two rivers were shocked", and Japanese pirates from the southeast harassed the coastal areas, making the people miserable. Faced with this, Zhang Juzheng could not relax.
What worries Zhang Juzheng even more is the increasingly fierce political struggle within the cabinet. After the fall of Yan Peng in the 41st year of Jiajing (1562), Xu Jie succeeded him as the first assistant. Together with Zhang Juzheng, he drafted the remains of King Sejong, corrected the shortcomings of building temples and temples, and building large-scale construction projects during King Sejong's period. He restored palace duties to diligent courtiers who were convicted of unjust cases, and was generally welcomed by the government and the public. But soon, in July of the second year of Longqing (1568), Xu Jie was finally forced to return to his fields due to old age and illness, and he was at a loss for money. The following year, Xu Jie's old rival Gao Gong returned to the cabinet and took charge of the ministry, taking control of the cabinet power. During Gao Gong's reign, a group of talents were appointed, and the official career path became somewhat clearer.
Zhang Juzheng was once Gao Gong's confidant, but there was a rift later. Gao Gong was at odds with Feng Bao, the powerful eunuch. In the sixth year of Longqing's reign, Mu Zong died of illness, and Shenzong, who was only ten years old, succeeded to the throne. Zhang Juzheng then teamed up with Feng Bao, instigated the concubine, and ordered Gao Gong to return to his hometown for the crime of "dictatorship and abuse of power". In this way, Zhang Juzheng became the chief minister and held sole power in the country for ten years.
To be fair, Xu Jie and Gao Gong were both very capable chief ministers. They made many specific and partial efforts to consolidate the rule of the Ming Dynasty. However, in the end they lacked far-sighted strategic vision and reformed bad policies. With his talent and courage, by the time Zhang Juzheng succeeded him as chief minister, the Ming Dynasty was still in crisis. Zhang Juzheng clearly realized that small repairs and repairs could no longer save Mingming's demise. Only drastic and comprehensive reforms could bring the country out of the predicament. As early as August of the second year of Longqing, he entrusted "Chen Liushi Shu" (Volume 36 of "The Complete Works of Zhang Wenzhonggong") to discuss the provincial affairs, Zhenji Gang, Chongmao Order, verify names and facts, consolidate the foundation of the state, and order military preparations, etc. Six aspects put forward a plan for political reform, the core of which is to rectify the administration of officials and enrich the country and strengthen the army. He criticized those who make empty debates about kings and hegemons as "ignoring that the debate between kings and hegemons and the relationship between justice and benefit are not in their hearts" and mistakenly believe that "benevolence and righteousness are kings, and wealth and power are hegemons" ("The Complete Works of Zhang Wenzhonggong" Volume 31 "Answers" Fujian Governor Geng Chutong talks about the debate between kings and hegemons"). He clearly regards solving the country's "big financial shortage" as his goal in governing the country. To achieve this goal, we must first consolidate national defense and rectify officialdom.
During the Longqing period, Zhang Juzheng, who had just joined the cabinet, presided over the work of consolidating border defense with the support of Chief Assistant Xu Jie and cabinet minister Gao Gong.
In the fourth year of Longqing, the Tatar leader Anda attacked Datong and planned to proclaim himself emperor. When Ju Zheng heard that An Da's grandson brought Han Naji, his wife Biji and wet nurse's husband Ali Ge to more than a dozen people, he begged for help. The governor of Datong, Fang Fengshi, and the governor of Xuanda, Wang Chonggu, decided to surrender. In view of the seriousness of this matter, Zhang Juzheng wrote a letter asking Chou Gu to "secretly reveal" the details to him immediately. It turns out that when Anda's third son died, he left behind a child, Bianhan Naji. Bianhan Naji grew up and married Biji. Later, he fell in love with Sanniangzi, the daughter of his aunt, and married him again. However, as a grandfather, Anda also fell in love with Sanniangzi and took her as his own. So there was a grudge between grandparents and grandchildren over a little girl, and a scene of a lovelorn young man running away from home to join the Han Dynasty was staged.