Chapter 179 The beginning of the Donglin Party

The 22nd year of Wanli has arrived, and the new year is new.

On the 20th day of the first lunar month, Emperor Wanli issued an edict to strictly supervise officials from all over the country to safeguard the people and eliminate theft:

"Last year, the disasters and injuries in various provinces were particularly serious. I have ordered relief many times. I don't know if any department has followed it and whether the people are benefiting? At this time when the public and private relationship is in a difficult situation, I don't know if there are any first aid measures in addition to using state money and grain? Are the miners who are causing trouble in various places have been resettled to farmers? Today, the administration of officials in all directions does not pay attention to famine and shepherd the common people. They only have the reputation of fighting the wind and socializing as their profession.

.The expenses are extravagant in the public court, and the prosecutors are biased in the neighborhood. Those who are timid cannot prohibit them, and those who are exile cannot recruit them. When there are thieves, they hide each other, or deliberately favor personal gains to avoid the blame for local troubles. However, the officials of each other should stop asking for help and ask for money, and they cannot eliminate a harsh official and a bad law. This way, the upper and lower levels of confusion have caused the thieves, and I am very worried about it. From now on, we should treat the people as the promotion and demotion of the officials. If there are those who continue to deceive and conceal the imperial edicts, they should be punished and not forgiven!"

On the fourth day of the second month, the right censor of the Governor-General's Governor Cultivator Chu Jinghui wrote a memorial saying: "Please calculate the amount of drifting grains to remove evil and evil. We will also serve the powerful flag army to avoid invading fishing and exploiting fish. We will build strong grain ships to protect warehouses and organize water brigades to improve the strong and powerful ones!"

Emperor Wanli followed his advice.

On February 28, the right censor Sun Piyang, the right chief censor, reported to the people for hiding the affairs of the government: "Now the government is divided into two ways. Please ask the people to secretly punish the government: one, the responsible orders are responsible for the actual household registration. Two, the responsible orders are responsible for reclaiming wasteland. Three, the responsible orders are responsible for lenient quotas. Four, the responsible orders are responsible for promoting ethics and education. Five, the responsible orders are responsible for preventing the apology!"

Emperor Wanli ordered the lower department to be implemented.

On the second day of April, the Fujian inspector Chen Zizhen reported four matters of trading in Chen's fields: "One, please open three deserted fields in Haishan, Haitan, and Nanji. Three years later, the number of departments will be charged for the military expenses. Second, please cut the rent and taxes, check the temple fields in the province one by one, and reduce the rent and tax by two-thirds, and collect the tax. The commercial tax, except for the full load of the foreign country, the profit will be doubled, if the subtle transactions in this area are exempted. The mountain of the gods will be scattered, and the people will not be occupied by the powerful. Third, clean up the military land and will be

The provincial county and county garrisons will make another book of grain, including the name of the army, the land, the land, the land, the tenant plant, and the actual enlistment will be printed. The heads of the county will ask for rent and late posts to detain the money and grain, and the remaining ones will be given to the army. The grain officials will only urge the village to collect the land and the tenant to complete the collection, so that the army will not disturb the army. Fourth, please send the rice and valleys from Guangdong. Most of the grains from Fuzhou, Xinghua, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou will be collected in Guangdong. Guangdong Lei, Lian, Gao, Chao and others will have a lot of land. The two provincial governors will pay for the plural and financial resources according to the cost of abundance and reciprocity!”

The Ministry of Revenue is at best for request.

On April 15, the censor Zhang Pu reported on the matter of making money: "The bad money method is actually caused by the private creation of the royal palace. It has been blocked recently. As for the order of money to be made by the people but not the officials, it is incompetent to clear the money. From the Zonglu, official salary, to the household registration, commercial tax, post delivery, and work and food, all the money is correct. In addition to the transportation of money, the fine is fined and redeemed, except for the accumulation of grain, silver and money are collected. Those who support the case will pay two-tenths of the money. The provincial government will reopen the Baoyuan official bureau and cast Wanli coins. The ancient coins were originally used for both new and old. It is strictly forbidden for the royal palace to be responsible for the officials such as the Changshi."

Emperor Wanli followed his advice.

On May 23, the chief assistant of the cabinet, Wang Xijue, retired.

...

Wang Xijue, whose courtesy name is Yuannu and his nickname is Jingshi, was from Taicangzhou, Nanzhili. He was the first in the 41st year of Jiajing, and the second in the court examination. He was appointed as the editor and the priest. In the winter of the 12th year of Wanli, he was appointed as the Minister of Rites and the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, and participated in the maid service. In the 18th year of Wanli, Wang Xijue submitted a memorial to ask for the eldest son of the Pope and the crown prince. Emperor Wanli refused to listen and returned home again in June of the 19th year of Wanli. On the first month of the 21st year of Wanli, he served as the chief minister of the cabinet, and was promoted to the Minister of Personnel, and was promoted to the Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall. He retired again on May 23, the 22nd year of Wanli.

The reason for Wang Xijue's retirement was an important wave of "three kings" in the "fight for the foundation of the country" incident in the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Wanli planned to confer all the eldest son, the third son, and the fifth son of the emperor. This caused a huge uproar among the court officials. Wang Xijue, as the candidate for the emperor's blame, could not withstand the pressure and had to retire.

From March of the 14th year of Wanli to August of the 29th year of Wanli, during the "fight for the foundation of the country" incident, the court officials fought with Emperor Wanli for more than ten years, all of which were centered on whether the eldest son could be appointed as the crown prince as soon as possible. In this effect, a total of four chief ministers were dismissed and hundreds of officials were dismissed. However, in the end, the court officials won and Emperor Wanli surrendered. This shows the strength of the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty.

Huang Laifu's comment was that being an emperor in the Ming Dynasty was too painful, and the emperor would not do it even if he asked him to do it.

After Wang Xijue, the chief minister of the cabinet, retired, someone needed to act as the chief minister of the cabinet. Emperor Wanli ordered the ministers to elect candidates to join the cabinet. Gu Xiancheng, the doctor of the Ministry of Personnel, elected Wang Jiaping. Emperor Wanli was furious when he saw it. As early as the previous three princes were conferred a title, Gu Xiancheng had violated Emperor Wanli. He said to the people around him: "The court has its own ancestors' rules to establish a crown prince. How could Gu Xiancheng have a slander? How could I be willing to defy the ancestral teachings of the ancestors and abolish the eldest son and leave them to criticize the future generations?"

In addition, Gu Xiancheng knew that Wang Jiaping had always been in charge of Emperor Wanli, but he wanted to recommend this person, which was obviously unfair to him. Emperor Wanli could not bear it anymore and dismissed him for "disobeying the order".

The final candidate for the cabinet chief was Zhao Zhigao. Zhao Zhigao actually served as the cabinet chief minister once in March of the 20th year of Wanli, but he retired in the first month of the 21st year. Now he is driving a duck to the sedan chair and serves as the cabinet chief minister. To be honest, Zhao Zhigao doesn't want to do it. He is in his seventies, has poor energy and a weak personality. How can he withstand the censors who are like wolves and tigers in the Ming Dynasty? But there is no way. Emperor Wanli must let him do it, and he has to do it. In fact, Zhao Zhigao did it in pain. He died of illness a few years later.

After driving Gu Xiancheng, the doctor of the Ministry of Personnel, Emperor Wanli was relieved for a while, but he did not expect the consequences. He did not expect that Gu Xiancheng would have such a profound influence on the history of the Ming Dynasty...

After the middle and late Ming Dynasty, there was a strange phenomenon in the court and the country. As long as you fight against the emperor, even if you are dismissed from office, you will be highly respected and gained a reputation for not fearing power.

Gu Xiancheng is known as "fighting against each other" in the officialdom. Originally, when Zhang Juzheng was in the same time, he would do the opposite no matter what Zhang Juzheng said. The same is true for changing the cabinet chief.

Wang Xijue once said to Gu Xiancheng: "The most strange thing today is that what the court thinks is right, outsiders must think is wrong. What the court thinks is wrong, outsiders must think is right." Gu Xiancheng said: "I think it should be said that if outsiders think is right, the court must think is wrong. If outsiders think is wrong, the court must think is right."

Originally, his temper had always been poor in the officialdom, but after he was dismissed from office by Emperor Wanli, his fame suddenly surged. In his home in Beijing, there were endless people visiting him every day. Soon after, his younger brother Gu Yuncheng and fellow villagers Gao Panlong, Zou Yuanbiao, Zhao Nanxing, Sun Piyang and others also resigned. These people did not wait for the approval of the Ministry of Personnel, but they even left with their own crowns and seals, which aroused a lot of cheers.

Everyone said that Gu and others were diligent in national affairs, but instead were punished and dismissed from office. They were an upright and selfless official. For a time, the officials in the capital were proud to talk about Gu's brothers.

May 30, 22nd year of Wanli.

The weather is still hot, but it is cool in the Zamao Alley next to Dengshikou Street, Beijing. There is a stone bridge next to the alley. There are several huge banyan trees on both sides of the stone bridge. The rhizomes of the banyan trees have been plunging deep into the stream.

At this time, under the banyan tree, there were all kinds of car axles parked, and people dressed in cloth clothes came out of the bridge and headed for a quiet house next to them.

At this time, in the house, there were all kinds of passionate literati gathered. Everyone was eating tea and snacks, but they were just talking nonsense. There was only a man in a cloth shirt standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the courtyard in a daze.

The man was 45 or 6 years old, with a stubborn look in his expression. He didn't say a word, but just listened silently to everyone's words. It was Gu Xiancheng, the doctor of the Ministry of Personnel who was dismissed from office. After the party today, he was about to leave the capital and return to his hometown in Wuxi.

As parting is imminent, everyone speaks some good words of chanting and praying, and sometimes the words are intense.

A middle-aged man shouted: "Now the court is in a fierce and evil spirit, the court officials are traitorous. The hen is a hen, and the woman is not aware of political affairs. It is also a shame. We are only sorry that we are unable to rectify the customs. A loyal and good man like my brother Shu Shi was also demoted. What can we do?"

Another man sneered: "It's just that Your Majesty is in the ninth level, he doesn't know about politics and allows women to interfere in politics, and villains are rampant. If Zhao Zhigao and others are unable to do so, how can they assist the government? In this way, the country will not be in power!"

Another minor official cried and said, "A honest man like Mr. Jingyang was also demoted, and the court could not tolerate upright people. Now there are treacherous and slandered inside the country, Huang Laifu, Li Rusong and other domineering martial artists. The Ming Dynasty is in danger!"

Everyone responded, and sighed.

However, one person was quite disdainful of the words of the previous minor officials: "What are Huang Laifu, Li Rusong and others pay attention to them? Don't put this person in our hands, otherwise he will be able to eliminate harm on behalf of the people."

Everyone was cheering again, and they were even more excited.

The middle-aged man who spoke before was named Zou Yuanbiao, whose courtesy name was Erzhan, and his nickname was Nangao. He was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Wanli. He was more than 40 years old this year. He was always a memorial to the reform of the administration of the government. He was originally a small official in the Ministry of Personnel, and Su and Gu Xiancheng spoke out. After Gu Xiancheng was dismissed, he also left, which aroused a lot of cheers.

The latter person was named Gao Panlong. This year, he was only thirty years old. His name was Cunzhi. He was a Jinshi in the 17th year of Wanli. He was appointed as a disciple. He had a good deal with Gu Xiancheng and resigned with Gu Yuncheng, Zou Yuanbiao and others.

Everyone talked for a while, and seeing that Gu Xiancheng was still silent, Zou Yuanbiao said, "Brother Uncle Shi, since we have decided not to leave this dirty place, what will we do in the future, I would like to ask you to give me some advice."

Gu Xiancheng turned solemnly and looked at everyone with a sharp gaze. For a while, he said, "Now that the rules and regulations are not raised, the government is corrupt. How can we stand by and watch this country and the country are in danger? I will make decisions and make decisions, and use my hometown to preach the profession, to support the right people. With my whole body, I will raise my eyes and make my eyes clear. If this is the case, even if I am immediately demoted and I will sacrifice my life, what are you afraid of?"

Everyone present was filled with blood. Gu Yuncheng, Gao Panlong, Zou Yuanbiao, Zhao Nanxing and others even shouted: "Dare you dare not hold the whip and follow the wings, and follow the left and right?"

Gu Xiancheng suddenly raised a glass of wine in front of him and drank it all, with a bloody look on his face. He shouted: "Get the pen and ink!"

Immediately, my family took out a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and a book that was ground into a strong fragrant ink, brushed away the silk paper, Gu Xiancheng picked up the sheep's hair, and the storm that had been through over 40 years flowed in his mind again. He was filled with emotion, falling ink and clouds, and the pen was like dragons and snakes. With a wave of it, he said: "The people who have been foolish in ancient times, have been wasted their time and have been wasted a lot. There is still something to do, so don't die young and my heart."

The meaning of this poem is: I have been determined to do great things like the great men in ancient times since I was a child, but the years passed by and fleeting. But this year, I am nearly fifty years old and my life is in danger and nothing can be achieved. However, how can I consider my birth, old age, sickness and death? If I still have a breath, I should strive for progress!

When everyone shouted, "It's so wonderful, it really expresses our hearts." Gu Xiancheng burst into tears.

On the second day, when Gu Xiancheng and others left the capital, there were as many as a hundred officials who bid farewell. Since Gu Xiancheng was from Wuxi, he returned to his hometown in Wuxi. When he arrived in Wuxi, there were hundreds of officials and gentry outside the city to greet him. Everyone was proud that there was a villager who dared to fight against the emperor in their hometown.

Gu Xiancheng was named Duanjutang in Wuxi. After he returned home, he taught at home.

Due to Gu Xiancheng's reputation, people from all over the world came to ask him for advice. Not only did he live in his own home, but also in the surrounding temples and inns. Later, he built dozens of bookstores in the south of the house for people to live in. For a while, the sound of calligraphy was heard in the morning and the candles were shining at night. Such a grand scene attracted many famous people to come and ask for advice.

Not only that, Gu Xiancheng also often went to Suzhou, Changzhou, Yixing and other places to give lectures, the greater the influence.

In the 32nd year of Wanli, Gu Xiancheng built Donglin Academy in the east of Wuxi City. As one of the initiators, Gu Xiancheng donated the most silver and instigated officials and gentry from Wu to donate funds to repair the work, spending more than 1,000 taels of silver. Gu Xiancheng personally reviewed the purpose and the specific meeting ceremony for the academy. He also hung his famous couplet in the academy: "The sound of wind and rain sounded and the sound of reading is heard, and family affairs and the country are concerned about everything in the world."

After the opening of Donglin Academy, Gu Xiancheng and Gao Panlong, Qian Yiben, Xue Fujiao, Shi Menglin, and others taught in the lectures. There were one meeting every year and one small meeting every month, which was unprecedented. Long before the opening of Donglin Academy, there were many scholars and scholars. After the establishment of Donglin Academy, many dismissed scholars and officials were accused of the news. In addition to the lecture, they often satirized current affairs and discretionary figures. Officials in the court also responded to each other, and were called the "Donglin Party" at the time.

As the number of people attached to the party increased, the power of Donglin became increasingly widening. Most of the six ministries and nine ministers of the court were from the Donglin Party. Later, Shen Yiguan joined the cabinet to form the "Zhejiang Party", and the two parties fought each other for fifty years.

In history, Gu Xiancheng has never resurrected after being dismissed from office, but he was able to influence the court and influence the current situation in the world with a civilian, which is also a miracle. The Donglin Academy he opened, thus formed the power that could despise the chief minister of the dynasty, prevent the resurrected ministers, and even change the appointment of the emperor. The Donglin Party formed by his academy also caused a decades-long party struggle in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

This was something Emperor Wanli didn't expect at the time. Huang Laifu didn't expect that this person who seemed to be completely unrelated to him would be in such a way with him in the next few decades!
Chapter completed!