The Crown Prince was only ten years old and couldn’t handle state affairs. Though nominally supervising the government, everything was actually decided by Chief Minister Gao Gong.
Ceremonial Directorate’s Meng Chong was Gao Gong’s yes-man. With the emperor bedridden and the Crown Prince young, Gao Gong’s power reached its peak during these two months, becoming increasingly tyrannical and domineering.
Gao Gong was the Crown Prince’s tutor and should have participated in Eastern Palace lectures, but he monopolized the Cabinet and wielded all power, having no time to teach the Crown Prince. He only visited monthly on the third and sixth days to pay respects. Cabinet Minister Zhang Juzheng, marginalized by him with nothing to do, spent entire days in the Eastern Palace accompanying the Crown Prince’s studies, growing increasingly close to Imperial Consort Li.
The Imperial Medical Academy physicians weren’t incompetent. Over these two months, they carefully treated Emperor Longqing’s health with medicine like meals. Since Emperor Longqing was only thirty-six, in his prime, after two months he could get out of bed and walk, with some color returning to his face.
Emperor Longqing forgot the pain once his wound healed. After two months without touching women, having abstained for two months, he wanted to indulge again.
Previously he’d had a stroke while on a woman’s belly and fainted. When favored Imperial Consort Li heard the news and rushed over, she gathered up all the red pills and threw them away (destroying evidence).
When Emperor Longqing asked Meng Chong for new red pills, Meng Chong was so frightened his legs went weak. He knelt on the ground: “Your Majesty, please spare this slave. When Your Majesty fainted last time, this slave nearly lost his life. The imperial physicians said you absolutely cannot touch red pills again.”
Without red pills he couldn’t touch women, couldn’t produce sons. Emperor Longqing said: “No matter. I feel much better. The late emperor practiced immortality and alchemy in the Western Garden, taking elixirs, yet lived to over sixty. In toxicity, red pills certainly can’t compare to those elixirs. I’m still young—surely I can outlive the late emperor? Bring the medicine.”
Meng Chong had no choice but to present his stock to Emperor Longqing. “Your Majesty has just recovered from serious illness—please exercise restraint.”
Emperor Longqing impatiently swallowed one pill and summoned a fresh, tender beauty. Half an hour later, Emperor Longqing ordered Meng Chong to bring another pill. Perhaps he’d been ill too long—one pill couldn’t rouse him, requiring increased dosage.
Meng Chong was terrified: “This won’t do, Your Majesty. Taking two pills might harm your health.”
Emperor Longqing said: “I’m not doing this for personal pleasure, but to produce sons for the imperial house.” His spirit was willing but flesh weak—he couldn’t even plow the field, let alone plant seeds.
Meng Chong was a puppet. If Gao Gong could easily manipulate him, he certainly couldn’t resist Emperor Longqing’s orders. He gave Emperor Longqing the second pill.
After taking it, Emperor Longqing soon felt heat throughout his body and regained his vigor—he could do it again!
The next day, Emperor Longqing attended morning court for the first time in two months. When getting up, his legs were somewhat weak. He barely managed to walk to the dragon throne and sit down. All officials shouted “Long live!” three times. Emperor Longqing raised his right hand: “All ministers, rise.”
His right hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. Emperor Longqing exhausted all his strength, seeing stars. He couldn’t clearly see the officials’ faces or even the Crown Prince supervising government beside him. Everything before his eyes was like a water-soaked painting—all people were faded by water, indistinguishable from one another.
Gao Gong was presenting a memorial. Emperor Longqing heard nothing, his hands trembling uncontrollably. He relied on willpower to hold on, but being mortal flesh after all, his diseased body ultimately defeated his will. Emperor Longqing’s head tilted and he fainted on the spot.
Now all officials suspected the emperor was finished.
With Emperor Longqing critically ill, he finally faced reality and arranged his affairs early. He summoned the ten-year-old Crown Prince, his most trusted teacher Gao Gong, the Crown Prince’s tutor Zhang Juzheng, and another Cabinet minister Gao Yi to his deathbed.
He first gave the three regency ministers a succession edict, then gave the Crown Prince an enthronement edict, instructing the young Crown Prince: “I am unwell. You shall be emperor. All ceremonies shall be properly requested and performed by the relevant departments. You must rely on the three assistant ministers and the Ceremonial Directorate for guidance, advance in learning and cultivate virtue, employ the worthy and capable, avoid negligence and indolence, and preserve the imperial enterprise.”
Hearing this, Gao Gong thought: This edict favors me! The Ceremonial Directorate is my dog. Controlling both Cabinet and Ceremonial Directorate means wielding supreme power.
Gao Gong was wildly delighted inside but had to put on an act, crying: “A ten-year-old emperor—how can he rule the realm? This minister will certainly give his all, dying only after exhausting himself, to assist the Crown Prince!”
Immersed in joy at soon wielding absolute power, Gao Gong completely failed to notice that Ceremonial Directorate Chief Eunuch Meng Chong wasn’t present at this succession scene!
Where was Meng Chong?
He’d been summoned by Empress Chen to Kunning Palace. As soon as he entered, Wang Daxia closed the main door. Inside were actually Imperial Consort Li, Eastern Depot Director Feng Bao, and court physician Wei Caiwei!
Meng Chong instinctively sensed something wrong and kept backing away, but Wang Daxia blocked the door—he had nowhere to retreat.
The usually kind-faced Empress Chen shouted: “Meng Chong, how dare you! Repeatedly presenting red pills, harming the dragon’s body—do you know your crime?”
Meng Chong was so frightened he collapsed: “This slave… this slave could only obey His Majesty. This slave couldn’t make decisions.”
Imperial Consort Li gave Feng Bao a look. Feng Bao stepped forward: “By His Majesty’s oral decree: Meng Chong has harmed Us. Strip him of his Ceremonial Directorate Chief position and grant him death. Eastern Depot Chief Eunuch Feng Bao shall concurrently serve as Ceremonial Directorate Chief Eunuch to protect the Crown Prince. Respect this.”
Wei Caiwei handed medicine to Meng Chong. He refused to drink: “This slave… this slave wants to see His Majesty. This slave doesn’t want to die.”
Wang Daxia grabbed the medicine and force-fed it. Meng Chong soon stopped moving.
Wang Daxia handed Meng Chong’s great seal to Feng Bao: “Congratulations, Eunuch Feng. Your wish is fulfilled.”
Emperor Longqing had issued no oral decree to execute Meng Chong—everything was fake.
Until death, Meng Chong never imagined that he’d forged imperial edicts, using fake warrants to save his usury-practicing adopted son. Feng Bao, collaborating with Imperial Consort Li, Empress Chen and others, also used the method of forging imperial edicts to eliminate him.
Emperor Longqing’s succession edict required the three Cabinet ministers and the Ceremonial Directorate to jointly assist the young emperor. Killing Meng Chong and replacing him with Feng Bao meant securing this important piece for their side. The Ceremonial Directorate staff had long been dissatisfied with Meng Chong for his crude cook’s background. Now with Eastern Depot Director Feng Bao taking over the Ceremonial Directorate, this fulfilled everyone’s wishes.
With Meng Chong dead, Empress Chen and Imperial Consort Li immediately went to Qianqing Palace. Emperor Longqing had fallen into a coma. To prevent the miracle of Emperor Longqing waking up and asking for Meng Chong—which would expose everything—Imperial Consort Li sprinkled powder hidden in her fingernails into ginseng soup and personally fed it to Emperor Longqing—naturally another of Wei Caiwei’s “masterpieces.”
After one bowl of ginseng soup, Emperor Longqing never woke again. That same day, in the sixth year of Longqing, on the twenty-sixth day of the fifth month, Emperor Longqing passed away.
With the emperor’s death, the urgent task was organizing the state funeral and determining the late emperor’s posthumous title (emperors were called “late emperor” during the brief period between death and receiving their posthumous title).
Gao Gong wrote a posthumous title as usual without consulting the other two regency ministers Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi, ordering it sent to the Ceremonial Directorate as a formality for Meng Chong to stamp and implement.
The emperor’s succession edict required Cabinet and Ceremonial Directorate to jointly assist the Crown Prince, so the emperor’s posthumous title needed joint decision by Cabinet and Ceremonial Directorate.
However, the Ceremonial Directorate rejected the posthumous title, saying it had poor implications, and drafted several new ones for Empress Chen and Imperial Consort Li’s reference.
What was happening? Had that fool Meng Chong gotten drunk? How dare he reject my words! Gao Gong couldn’t believe his eyes and went to the Ceremonial Directorate to confront Meng Chong.
However, the person in the duty room wasn’t Meng Chong, but Feng Bao.
Moreover, Feng Bao still concurrently held the Eastern Depot Director position. Eastern Depot agents surrounded and protected the Ceremonial Directorate in layers—they weren’t afraid of Feng Bao.
Gao Gong asked in surprise: “Why are you here?”
Finally sitting in his dream position, Feng Bao faced Gao Gong’s intimidation neither servile nor arrogant: “This old servant received the late emperor’s oral decree to execute Meng Chong for harming the dragon’s body and assumed the Ceremonial Directorate Chief Eunuch position.”
“Impossible!” Gao Gong exploded in rage: “If the late emperor wanted to execute Meng Chong, how could he hide it from me? You must have forged the imperial edict and killed to silence him!”
“Why does Minister Gao say this?” Imperial Consort Li’s confidant, Ceremonial Directorate Secretary Chen Jingji came over: “The late emperor’s oral decree was heard by both Her Majesty the Empress and Her Consort in person. This matter was kept secret due to its sensitive nature. Does Minister Gao doubt Her Majesty the Empress and Her Consort?”
Gao Gong hurriedly said: “This minister dares not.”
Chen Jingji said: “Her Majesty the Empress and Her Consort are both urging for the late emperor’s posthumous title. The three Cabinet ministers and Ceremonial Directorate should quickly decide—we cannot delay the state funeral.”
The inner palace was now firmly controlled by two women and half a man (Feng Bao). Gao Gong had no choice but to swallow his humiliation, return to the Cabinet, and consult with Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi. The three each wrote two posthumous titles—six total—and sent them to the Ceremonial Directorate for selection.
Feng Bao dared not decide alone and sent them to Kunning Palace for the Empress and Imperial Consort to decide. Empress Chen had now found her proper position: “I think they’re all good—my eyes are dazzled. Sister, please choose one.”
Li Jiubao picked up the vermillion brush and circled the character “Mu”: “This one. Let’s not fuss anymore—the late emperor’s funeral is important.”
Seeing this, Feng Bao immediately felt this usually gentle Imperial Consort actually had steel wrapped in silk: Everyone knew Emperor Longqing had died from taking fierce aphrodisiac red pills, his kidney essence depleted, dying from exhaustion on a woman’s body. Yet Imperial Consort Li deliberately chose the solemn “Mu” as his posthumous title—how ironic…
If Emperor Longqing knew from beyond the grave, he’d probably be so angry his coffin lid couldn’t contain him.
Feng Bao secretly warned himself: Better to offend the Empress than the Imperial Consort. Once this woman turned ruthless, she killed people and hearts without spilling blood!
On the tenth day of the sixth month, the ten-year-old Crown Prince ascended the throne with the reign title Wanli.
With ten-year-old Emperor Wanli enthroned, Imperial Consort Li was honored as Empress Dowager Cisheng, Empress Chen as Empress Dowager Rensheng, with both palaces equally revered.
Because Emperor Wanli was too young, Empress Dowager Cisheng Li Jiubao moved to Qianqing Palace, handling all government affairs for the young emperor. The Ming Empire’s imperial power was actually in Li Jiubao’s hands.
Every day Li Jiubao had Emperor Wanli go to Cining Palace to pay respects to Empress Dowager Chen, rain or shine. The two empress dowagers got along harmoniously like sisters, together maintaining palace tranquility.
Just as Gao Gong was about to use the reason that the harem shouldn’t interfere in politics to mobilize his faction to drive Li Jiubao from Qianqing Palace, Li Jiubao struck first and eliminated Gao Gong.
On the sixteenth day of the sixth month, only six days after Emperor Wanli’s enthronement, when Gao Gong entered the Cabinet for business and had just entered the palace, he was controlled by the Imperial Guard. Wang Daxia guarded the Eastern Prosperity Gate, ordering the palace gates closed and Gao Gong’s carriage completely surrounded.
Gao Gong raged: “Wang Daxia! I am the Chief Cabinet Minister. How dare you, a mere Imperial Guard Commander, block my path?”
Wang Daxia said: “I follow Empress Dowager Cisheng’s decree to guard the Eastern Prosperity Gate. No one may move without permission.”
Ceremonial Directorate Chief Eunuch Feng Bao came out with an imperial edict: “By decree of Empress Dowager Rensheng, Empress Dowager Cisheng, and His Majesty the Emperor: Grand Secretary Gao Gong has monopolized power and governance, forcibly seizing all court authority for himself, not permitting the emperor to govern, with unknown intentions. We three mother and son are frightened and restless. Gao Gong shall return to his native place for idle residence and is not permitted to linger!”
Hearing this, Gao Gong’s face immediately turned ashen, sweat pouring like rain. He prostrated on the ground, unable to rise for a long time. Finally, Cabinet Minister Zhang Juzheng ordered guards to help him to a carriage to rest.
The edict saying “not permitted to linger” meant immediate expulsion from the capital. He hurriedly packed at home and was directly escorted to his hometown under Imperial Guard supervision the next morning.
With Gao Gong gone, Zhang Juzheng became Chief Cabinet Minister. Feng Bao and Li Jiubao were on the same boat. The three implemented new policies, and the Ming entered a renaissance period.
Li Jiubao repaid kindness. After gaining control, she rehabilitated the Lu family, restoring some of their wealth. Lu Yi and Lu Cai returned from Tieling. Lu Ying was restored to office as Imperial Guard Assistant Commander.
However, the Lu residence had become Imperial Relative Li’s mansion and couldn’t be returned. But the Lu family had also seen through fame and fortune. The whole family moved to the Sanli Village countryside, retiring from then on and no longer asking about worldly affairs.
At this time, Mongol Tatar tribe’s Third Madam and An Da Khan decided to build a city on the northwestern border. Once completed, both Mongols and Ming people could trade freely in the city. Third Madam wrote requesting Ming assistance in construction. This was a city surrounded by green mountains, called Hohhot, meaning “blue city.”
Li Jiubao agreed to help and, in the young emperor’s name, bestowed the name “Guihua City” (Pacification City) on Hohhot.
Besides requesting the name, Third Madam also wrote Li Jiubao a secret letter saying An Da Khan’s health was failing, several sons were eyeing his position, and she needed Ming help to continue holding power after An Da Khan’s death.
Lu Ying and Ding Wu decided to go to Guihua City to help Third Madam maintain the hard-won peace.
Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei decided to retire and live quietly. Wei Caiwei gave her elder brother and sister-in-law several carts of emergency medicines. Wang Daxia laughed: “This time we’re truly parting ways. You’re people who do great things. Caiwei and I are tired of this life and just want to find a place for great hermits to hide in the city, not wanting too much worry. From now on, let’s reunite in the capital every ten years.”
Ding Wu and Wei Caiwei embraced, both with red-rimmed eyes.
Lu Ying said to Wang Daxia: “Even so, you must always be prepared. If I encounter truly unsolvable troubles, I’ll still send people to ask your help. The Imperial Guard needs talents like you and Doctor Wei. The rise and fall of the realm, every citizen has—”
Before Lu Ying could say the word “responsibility,” Wang Daxia pulled Wei Caiwei onto his horse and galloped away like fleeing plague, shouting loudly: “What are you saying? I can’t hear! My ears haven’t been working well lately! Goodbye!”