Episode 1
In the 39th year of Jiajing's reign, there was no snow all winter. This was regarded as a celestial anomaly at the time and heralded misfortune for the country.On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, Zhou Yunyi, the eunuch of the Qin Dynasty, was outspoken and criticized the excessive spending of the imperial court and rampant corruption in the government. His advice undoubtedly touched the interests of the powerful.As a result, Zhou Yunyi was punished by the imperial staff and was beaten to death by Feng Bao, the eunuch of Dongchang, outside the Meridian Gate.This incident shocked the government and the public, and the scholars and the people were all indignant about it.
However, even under such high pressure, Jiajing Emperor Zhu Houcong had to face reality.On the first day of the first lunar month of the 40th year of Jiajing, he was forced to fast and pray for snow in Yuxi Palace in Xiyuan, in order to pray for auspicious snowfall from heaven and bring good news to the people.On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, before the annual financial meeting was held in Yuxi Palace in Xiyuan, snow finally fell, which seemed to indicate that the court was about to usher in a profound change.
Faced with the problem of national treasury deficit and official corruption, Xu Jie, the second assistant of the cabinet and the minister of the Ministry of household affairs, Gao Gong, the minister of the Ministry of household affairs, Zhang Juzheng, the minister of the Ministry of war, and others, together with the chief minister of the cabinet Yan Song and his son Yan Shifan, as well as the chief minister of rites on behalf of Emperor JiajingThe five great eunuchs launched a fierce struggle.This struggle was not only about financial issues, but also a redistribution of power within the imperial court.
At the same time, Emperor Jiajing's son, Prince Yu Zhu Zaihe, gave birth to Emperor Jiajing's first grandson. This good news brought a touch of joy to the court.The birth of the emperor's grandson changed Emperor Jiajing's attitude towards further investigating Zhou Yunyi's background, and also brought new variables to the power struggle within the court.
In this context, Emperor Jiajing approved a national policy proposed by the Yan Party - to implement the policy of converting rice fields into mulberry fields in Zhejiang.This policy aimed to increase silk production and expand import and export trade to fill the national treasury deficit.However, behind it lies the intention to further annex people's fields, which undoubtedly exacerbates the people's suffering.
