Chapter Nine: Wang Wenyans internal connections with the powerful eunuchs and external alliances with the cabinet ministers

... ...

Fan Yuqi left Liu Yiheng's place

At this moment, Liu Yiyan said: "Alright, Fan Yuqi, you may return. By the way, tell your master that earning merits is what truly matters; do not only focus on collecting and sending silver! You Shan merchants should also understand the limits; do not indulge in fostering bandits alongside the generals of Liaodong to the extent of changing dynasties. When the time comes, it will not be my reputation that suffers, but your own!"

Wang Wenyin then looked at Liu Yiyin and took out a ticket: "Esteemed Minister, this is five thousand taels of silver. Feng Sanyuan and the others wish to adjust their positions. Back in the days of the temple (Wanli), there was a lack of governance, leaving many official positions in the capital vacant. I wonder if the esteemed Minister could facilitate their promotion"

Wang Wenyanz looked at Liu Yiyin with a glance

Qianqing Palace

Wei Dazhong also curiously asked a question

Wang Wenyans expression brightened: "With this statement from the Grand Secretary, I can rest assured!"

Wang Wenyanzhe continued, saying: "Now Your Majesty intends to reappoint Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong. Both of them are dissatisfied with Fang Congzhe, so it will not be difficult to persuade them to participate in the matter of 'overthrowing Fang' in the future. However, at present, there are several officials in the court who are also involved in admonition, so there is no worry about future opportunities to remove Fang Congzhe. But what needs to be removed first is not Fang Congzhe, but rather Xiong Tingbi."

Wang Wenyanz looked at Wei Dazhong and smiled: "I have heard that Lord Wei has a very close friendship with Feng Sanyuan, and that he and Wei Yingjia are both officials in the Department of Civil Affairs. I wonder if you could introduce me to them! As long as I can persuade these two gentlemen to impeach Xiong Tingbi and ensure his removal from office, then the impeachment of Fang Congzhe in the future will surely succeed! Once Fang Congzhe departs, the day of Lord Wei's return to court will be in sight"

Wei Dazhong agreed to this matter as it was closely related to his career interests

Fortunately, Zhu Youjiao was already well aware of the trajectory of history and understood that Xiong Tingbi was not the incompetent figure described by those officials.

If Zhu Youjiao did not have a clear understanding of the historical development of later generations due to being a time traveler, he would truly believe what Feng Sanyuan said, thinking that Xiong Tingbi was a person without strategy, even a deceitful and greedy individual.

... ...

Ah! Is it a bit too much, Mr. Wang

Fan Yuqi then awkwardly said: "Mr. Wang may not be aware that since Xiong Tingbi took office, he has strictly investigated smuggling, and funds are directly allocated to soldiers and refugees. As a result, our master and the various generals in Liao have seen a significant reduction in their profits. Nowadays, it has become a challenge to send tribute silver to the capital every year, and we truly cannot spare much surplus money. However, rest assured, if we can indeed bring down Xiong Tingbi and fulfill the wishes of the civil and military officials in Liao, we will certainly offer 50,000 taels of silver in the future! But for now, could we possibly take out just 10,000 taels?"

Fan Yuqing began to haggle.

Liu Yiyan did not even look at the numbers on the ticket, but simply said: "There are still vacancies for officials in places like the Tai Chang Si, Da Li Si, and Tai Pu Si, and there are positions available."

Liu Residence

Liu Yiyan nodded slightly

Zuo Guangdou thus began to inquire

Wang Wenyang then replied: "Certainly! Just make sure you don't go back on your word when the time comes. You must understand that while we can bring Xiong Tingbi down, we can also elevate him back up."

Therefore, in Wang's view, it would be better to first remove Xiong Tingbi from his position due to his incompetence in handling the affairs of Liaodong, and then recommend a capable minister from the Donglin faction to take over the military administration of Liaodong. Once this capable minister succeeds in recovering lost territories, he will undoubtedly become a new favorite of the court and gain the favor of His Majesty, who hopes for a revival. Subsequently, this person can then impeach Fang Congzhe, and together with us, the officials of the court, and Sun and Xu, we can jointly impeach him. At that point, Fang Congzhe will surely find himself isolated and without any support.

You should ask Mr. Wang about this; he is well acquainted with the internal minister Wang An and has good relations with the gentlemen of the Donglin Society. He will know how much silver is needed

What does this statement mean

Wang Wenyanzhe then seriously began to calculate: "Aside from the Grand Minister here, if we consider the expenses up and down, it would require at least 30,000 taels!"

Understood! How could one not understand the small matters!

The Deputy Minister Liu Yiren was holding a teacup and bringing it to his lips, while also touching his thigh. He then cast a glance at a maid, who promptly knelt before Liu Yiren and began to massage his legs with her hands.

Your family patriarch, Wang Huazhen, while serving as the Right Councilor in Liaodong, along with your uncle Fan Yongdou and these Shanxi merchants, must have made quite a fortune by trafficking grain and ironware to the Jurchens. You should be well-off. If you are unwilling to part with these 30,000 taels of silver, then do not blame us for exposing this matter.

Sitting beneath Wang Wenyans, Fan Yuqing stood up with a smile and said: "The esteemed elder is loyal to the country, and we all know this. My family’s master has always regarded the esteemed elder as a model, wishing to emulate the esteemed elder in seeking peace for the state. Once Xiong Tingbi is dismissed, it will surely be Yuan Yingtai who takes over as the new military governor. At that time, may I ask if the position of governor could be taken up by my family’s master? I would like to know how much silver would be required, and I kindly ask the esteemed elder to clarify."

Liu Yiyan nodded after listening: "I am also thinking of the state of the Ming Dynasty. Xiong Tingbi has been training troops in Liaodong, exhausting the people, and only knows how to ask the court for silver, yet has achieved nothing. This is truly unacceptable. He can afford to delay, but the court cannot afford it!"

Zhu Youjiao had to admit that these civil officials were indeed masters of the eight-legged essay, and the impeachment memorials they wrote were highly persuasive

Wang Wenyin, who was half-sitting on the chair, quickly stood up, bending slightly, and said with a flattering smile: "Rest assured, esteemed elder, it has already been taken care of. The censor Feng Sanyuan will first submit a memorial to impeach Xiong Tingbi for delaying the war in Liaodong, and then the official Wei Yingjia will follow suit with another memorial. These two individuals are not disciples of the esteemed elder, but rather students of Ye Xianggao, so His Majesty will certainly not harbor any suspicions."

Wang Wenyanz then nodded confidently and said: "Indeed, it is Xiong Tingbi. This person has achieved no merit in managing Liaodong, and to this day has not eradicated the Eastern bandits, which can be said to be utterly incompetent! His Majesty, being both young and mature, is keen on governance, and naturally cannot allow the affairs of Liaodong to be delayed any longer. The fact that Xiong Tingbi is still in charge of Liaodong's administration is entirely due to Fang Congzhe's support!"

At this moment

Thus, Zhu Youjiao could only secretly think to himself and smile, pondering: "So soon has the attack on Xiong Tingbi begun; I wonder who is so eager to see Xiong Tingbi removed from his position"

Liu Yiyan passed the ball to Wang Wenyin

Fan Yuqi smiled

At this moment, Liu Yiyan leisurely asked Wang Wenyin across from him, "How is the matter progressing?"

Moreover, Zhu Youjiao discovered after reading that Feng Sanyuan's impeachment of Xiong Tingbi was very incisive, directly enumerating eight instances where Xiong Tingbi lacked strategy and three instances of deceiving himself, the emperor.

As an important strategist of the Donglin Party, Wang Wenyin smiled and said: "What the Left Minister said is indeed correct. Directly impeaching Fang the Thief is bound to be despised by Your Majesty. In my opinion, it would be better to first cut off his wings!"

Not long after, Zhu Youjiao received the memorial from the censor Feng Sanyuan, impeaching Xiong Tingbi

Wang Wenyin instead resorted to direct coercion

Liaodong Military Commissioner Xiong Tingbi

The young one has remembered, the young one will take their leave now

Wei Dazhong also stated: "There are many in the court who are dissatisfied with Xiong Tingbi, such as Yao Zongwen, Liu Guojin, Gu Can, Feng Sanyuan, Wei Yingjia, and Guo (Wang Fan), so it would not be difficult to impeach and remove Xiong Tingbi!"

Zuo Guangdou nodded after hearing this: "Yang Gong (Yang Lian) has always been dissatisfied with Xiong Tingbi's behavior of depleting resources and closing the city without taking action. If someone more capable were in charge, it would indeed be beneficial for the state!"