Zhang Juzheng was dead.
This sudden news caught everyone off guard, but everyone realized one thing, and that was, the weather had changed!
Forbidden City, Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Zhu Yijun sat on the Dragon Throne and looked at Liu Shouyou, the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, who was kneeling on the ground expressionlessly.
Zhu Yijun picked up the teacup in his hand and took a sip before saying, "Get up!"
Liu Shouyou quickly got up from the ground with a serious expression on his face.
Although he had been the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard for so many years, the number of times Liu Shouyou entered the palace was limited. He had always listened to Zhang Juzheng.
Now that Zhang Juzheng had suddenly died and he was the first to be summoned to the palace by the emperor, Liu Shouyou was very nervous.
"Liu, you've been in the Imperial Bodyguard for a long time, right?" Zhu Yijun stood up and said as he walked down from the Dragon Throne.
"Your Majesty, it's been eleven years!" Liu Shouyou didn't dare to be negligent and quickly replied.
Zhu Yijun nodded, "Yes!
Eleven years, that's long enough. "
Liu Shouyou jumped in fright when he heard this. Did the Emperor really think that it was time for him to abdicate the throne?
Liu Shouyou didn't understand. Even if the emperor wanted to replace him, wasn't this too hasty?
Zhu Yijun glanced at Liu Shouyou and said directly, "Then do a good job. I hope that you can serve me for another eleven years, just like before."
"I will be loyal to Your Majesty!" Liu Shouyou's expression became solemn as he quickly knelt on the ground and said loudly.
Zhu Yijun nodded and waved his hand, "Alright, you can leave!
These days, the Imperial Bodyguard will keep a close eye on the capital. Don't cause any trouble. "
"I understand!" Liu Shouyou bowed and said, "I will take my leave!"
Looking at Liu Shouyou's back, Zhu Yijun sighed. This was a reminder as well as a warning. If Liu Shouyou was obedient, it would be fine. If not, he would definitely be replaced.
"Imperial Majesty, Grand Elder Zhang is here!" Zhang Jing stood respectfully behind Zhu Yijun.
Hearing how Grand Secretary Zhang addressed him, Zhu Yijun was a little absent-minded. Sighing, Zhu Yijun said, "We will not see him. Send an edict to Zhang Siwei, appoint him as the minister in charge of the funeral, and have full authority over Mister Zhang's funeral."
"Old Slave will go now!" After saying this, Zhang Jing turned around and walked outside.
In fact, Zhu Yijun had long expected this day, but when it really came, Zhu Yijun still felt a little lost.
Zhang Juzheng was dead, and he felt empty in his heart.
Walking to the front of the dragon writing table, he asked a little eunuch to grind the ink. Zhu Yijun picked up the brush and wrote a sentence: * * * * *, * * * * *!
Seeing Zhang Jing coming over, Zhu Yijun said to Zhang Jing, "Send this calligraphy to the Zhang Mansion. This is for Mister Zhang."
Although it was just a few words, it represented Zhu Yijun's evaluation of Zhang Juzheng.
The evaluation of these two sentences was naturally very high. Zhang Jing took the paper, turned around, and walked outside without saying a word.
When Zhu Yijun's two sentences spread out, it instantly raised Zhang Juzheng's status, because it represented the emperor's evaluation of Zhang Juzheng.
However, there were also people who were unhappy, so they prepared to test it out. The matter of Zhang Juzheng's posthumous title was put on the agenda.
Compared to Zhu Yijun's evaluation of Zhang Juzheng, this was the final conclusion that everyone agreed on.
The evaluation of his life was all in these two words, and no one could ignore it.
"Your Majesty, regarding Grand Secretary Zhang's posthumous titles, the cabinet has drafted a few. Your Majesty, please take a look."
Zhang Siwei presented a memorial to Zhu Yijun and then took a step back expressionlessly. He quietly waited for Zhu Yijun to read the memorial.
Opening the memorial that Zhang Siwei handed over, Zhu Yijun found that there were three posthumous titles on it.
Wenzheng, Wen Zhong, and the last one, Wen Gong. Looking at these three posthumous titles, Zhu Yijun slightly narrowed his eyes, raised his head, and looked at Zhang Siwei.
Weren't you a little too brazen to test him?
Zhu Yijun calmly placed the memorial to the throne on the dragon desk.
There was nothing to say about the words. Wenzheng, this was the highest evaluation. Since the founding of the Daming dynasty, there had been two ministers with the posthumous title of Wenzheng: Li Dongyang and Xie Qian.
Li Dongyang, with "ruling the country for 18 years, unswerving chastity", was awarded the posthumous title of Wenzheng. Xie Qian, with his integrity, opposed Liu Jin's demotion, and was awarded the posthumous title of Wenzheng.
If Zhang Juzheng was awarded the posthumous title of Wenzheng, then he would be the third minister in the Daming dynasty to be awarded the posthumous title of Wenzheng.
As for Wen Zhong, it was a level lower. As for the later Wen Gong, it might not be low, but for Zhang Juzheng, it was a thorough belittlement.
The three posthumous titles represented three kinds of intentions. What was the emperor's attitude towards Zhang Juzheng?
Wenzheng represented Zhu Yijun's gratitude towards Zhang Juzheng. Wen Zhong represented slight dissatisfaction, but he still remembered their old friendship. Wen Gong represented extreme hatred towards Zhang Juzheng. Everyone could work together to settle accounts with Zhang Juzheng.
Zhu Yijun glanced at Zhang Siwei and said lightly, "Why can't he have a single posthumous title of Wenzheng?"
Although the posthumous title of Wenzheng was high enough, it was not the highest. A single posthumous title of Wenzheng was the highest posthumous title.
There were no posthumous titles in the Ming dynasty. However, when the posthumous title of Wenzheng was mentioned, Zhang Siwei immediately thought of a person.
This person was Wang Anshi.
The posthumous title of Wenzheng was Wang Wengong, and he called himself Mr. Lin Chuan. In his later years, he was conferred the title of Duke of Jing, and he was called Mr. Lin Chuan, and also Wang Gong Jing.
The emperor was going to give Zhang Juzheng a posthumous title of Wenzheng, which had never been awarded by the Daming dynasty?
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Siwei was shocked. He didn't come to his senses for a long time and didn't say anything. He never thought that the emperor would give Zhang Juzheng a posthumous title of Wenzheng!
"Wenzheng" was the highest posthumous title. Zhu Xi had a posthumous title of Wenzheng. How could Zhang Juzheng have a posthumous title of Wenzheng?
Zhu Yijun didn't care whether Zhang Siwei understood it or not. He continued to say, "Mr. Zhang's contributions are obvious to all. I think the posthumous title of Wenzheng is very suitable. For Mr. Zhang, it is also a fair evaluation."
Zhang Siwei also came to his senses at this time. Fair evaluation?
Zhang Juzheng's posthumous title of Wenzheng didn't seem fair at all!
"Pass the decree!" Zhu Yijun didn't even think about it and directly said.
Watching Zhang Siwei turn around and leave, Zhu Yijun's eyes also became serious. Since you want to test me, then I will let you test me to your heart's content. I want to see what will happen after you test me.
Whoever jumps out first will be beaten back. This time, Zhu Yijun definitely wouldn't be merciful.
In fact, Zhu Yijun also considered one thing by doing this, and that was to appease the people's hearts.
The people's hearts were not to be appeased, but the people's hearts of Zhang Juzheng's people, or the people's hearts of the Reformist Party.
The phrase "the death of the people and the death of the government" was not new at all. Zhu Yijun wanted to use this method to tell everyone not to think about it.