But even if this is the case, there will be people who are untainted and enforce the law impartially. They are dedicated to the people of the world and have no regrets in their hearts. During the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Wanli borrowed 100,000 taels of silver from the Ministry of Household Affairs. As the chief minister, he flatly rejected the emperor's request. After his death, his home was confiscated. His fate was pitiful and pitiful.
In the fourth year of Jiajing (1525), a scholarly family in Jingzhou, Hubei welcomed a new life. This person was named Zhang Juzheng. Because of family reasons, his parents were very concerned about his education. In order to live a better life in the future, they strictly required him to study. He has been smart since he was a child and is very sensible. He knows his parents' expectations and good intentions, so he studies very hard. Hard work will naturally pay off. Although he is young, he is very talented and is regarded by everyone as a child prodigy with amazing literary talent. However, everyone only knows to envy his achievements, but they don't know how many days and nights of hard study are behind it.
I read history books at a young age and determined to become a person who contributed to the country. I was born with talents that would be useful, and he pinned his ambition on government affairs, hoping that one day he could benefit the people of the world. After having a goal, he started working tirelessly towards this goal. In 1537, when he was only 12 years old, he took the imperial examination. Although he did not make the list, he gained experience. After three years of dormant study, he took the imperial examination again in 1540. This time he lived up to his efforts. In the few years after he became an official, he struggled all the way to enter the Hanlin Academy, but the road to becoming an official was not as easy as he imagined.
In a short period of time, he learned about the intrigues in the officialdom. Two people who were good friends in the past could turn against each other in an instant and never interact with each other for the sake of themselves. Those vested interests are nothing more, it doesn't matter if the friendship of many years collapses in an instant. In 1550, because he was used to all kinds of competition in the officialdom, he couldn't bear it and excused himself because of illness and took a three-year break. During this period of time, he traveled to the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, saw the lives of ordinary people at dawn, and learned that people's lives are not easy. Unable to bear it, a burning fire ignited in his heart. Didn't he just want to benefit the people of the world? Now he is here feeling melancholy, his dream has not been realized yet, how can he just give up. So after some weighing, he returned to the court again.
This time, he came prepared. For the sake of the well-being of the people in the world, he is willing to give everything, regardless of the cost. Therefore, during his tenure as an official, he always put the interests of the people first. In order to improve people's livelihood, he did not hesitate to confront many dark forces in the court, spoke out, and even often made suggestions to the emperor. Gradually, his talent was noticed, and his official position rose to the position of chief minister of the cabinet, which was similar to that of prime minister.
He used his own way to benefit the people. He would raise anything he thought was incorrect, which offended many people in the officialdom. But he was not afraid. Even if the emperor had something wrong, he would point it out. The Guanglu Temple in the imperial palace is a place specially used to entertain the emperor's relatives and relatives. All kinds of delicacies are available. The expenses of Guanglu Temple are a lot of money. Every year, the national treasury allocates a large amount for this institution. In the era of feudal society, the emperor's power was supreme and everything he wanted was at his fingertips. The relatives of the emperor, who were born with rich clothes and fine food, naturally did not understand the sufferings of the world. Whenever they thought of something, they would reach out to Guanglu Temple to ask for it. How could they think of the common people? Life issues? As time passed, the court was in crisis and the treasury was in deficit.
The emperor saw that Guanglu Temple did not have enough money and the concubines did not reduce expenditures, so he asked the Ministry of Household Affairs to borrow 100,000 taels of silver. When Zhang Juzheng, the chief minister of the cabinet who was famous for his integrity, heard about this, flatly refused. The taxes paid by the people were not for the royal squandering, so he later made many innovations in the hope of solving the royal extravagance and waste. To this end, he put forward many suggestions, and even hoped that the emperor could set an example, reduce unnecessary expenses, and set a good example for ministers and officials.
Because he supported the people, the people also loved him very much, and the emperor did not dare to do anything. However, when he left this world due to overwork, the villains in the court slandered him in front of the emperor. He hoped to exterminate the entire Zhang family, but the mediocre emperor paid no attention to Zhang Juzheng's previous great achievements and executed all his family members and children. Even most of the officials he promoted and appointed during his lifetime had their positions or titles reduced. Abandoned the market.
Zhang Juzheng served the people all his life, but after his death he did not want his family to die because of it. He risked his life for the court but did not get any protection. Living in such an era, was he helpless or sad? He was upright and upright throughout his life, not afraid of power, did not hesitate to fight against the traitors in the court, and maintained his original intention in doing things. This spirit is worth learning from future generations.