Chapter Forty-Five: Those Who Act on Their Own Are Not Always Loyal

Upon hearing the Emperor inquire about the meaning of his statement, Yang Bo smiled broadly. After pondering seriously for a moment, he replied, "Understanding a principle is the beginning of action, and action makes that principle clearer."

"When a known principle is genuinely and solidly put into practice, it becomes action. When action allows one to perceive and comprehend more principles, it is the process of understanding principles—that is, knowledge."

"Knowledge and action are fundamentally one and the same."

"This is what is meant by: Knowledge is the beginning of action, and action is the completion of knowledge! Where knowledge is genuine and earnest, there is action; where action is clear, conscious, and discerning, there is knowledge. The unity of knowledge and action originates from the Marquis of Xinjian, Master Wang Wencheng."

Master Wang Wencheng was Wang Shouren—none other than the Marquis of Xinjian who pacified the rebellions of the Sitian Yao people, annihilated the bandits of Nangan, suppressed the Rebellion of Prince Ning, attained enlightenment at Longchang, and founded the "Yangming School of Mind." His posthumous title was Wencheng, hence he was addressed as Master Wang Wencheng.

What Yang Bo was expounding was the unity of knowledge and action, the intrinsic relationship between knowledge and action.

Zhu Yijun asked further, "What is knowledge?"

Yang Bo thought for a moment and replied, "Knowledge, as in knowing, means to investigate, to comprehend, to summarize, and to reflect; it is action. Knowledge, as in cognition, refers to the books of sages, the reason within the heart, the essence of benevolence and virtue, and the infinite principles of all things; it is principle."

"Knowledge is internal cognition, internal comprehension, the essence of morality, humanity's understanding of the endless principles of all things, and spiritual awareness."

Yang Bo explained the character for "knowledge" with utmost clarity: knowledge is both awareness and cognition.

The expression in Zhu Yijun’s eyes as he looked at Yang Bo grew complex. Without a doubt, Yang Bo’s scholarship was beyond reproach, and his explanation was extraordinarily thorough. Pondering for a moment, the Emperor said, "My reading is limited, but the *Analects: Su Er* records: 'The Master taught four things: literature, conduct, loyalty, and trustworthiness.' This means the Master taught four subjects: knowledge, conduct, loyalty, and faithfulness."

"The Senior Grand Secretary explains it thus: Literature refers to the refinement of the Six Arts; conduct means embodying the Dao through one's person and putting principles into practice."

"Loyalty means exhausting one's heart—that is, remaining loyal to one's original mind, or acting and conducting affairs in accordance with one's spiritual awareness and innermost self. This is loyalty."

"Trustworthiness means treating others with sincerity, truly understanding all things rather than relying on hearsay, and even less on biased listening or credulity. That is trustworthiness."

"I wonder if the Senior Grand Secretary's Grand Preceptor believes there are any errors or omissions in this interpretation?"

Loyalty, as interpreted by Zhang Juzheng, meant loyalty to the sovereign, loyalty to the country, loyalty to oneself, and loyalty to one's own perception and spirituality.

"The Senior Grand Secretary is entirely correct." Yang Bo delivered these words with utmost solemnity. Zhang Juzheng’s scholarship was flawless, and their understandings coincided. Yang Bo had read the dialogue between the young Emperor and Zhang Juzheng word for word and was exceedingly familiar with this passage.

The Emperor was truly studying in earnest, tossing this quotation out effortlessly without a single error.

Although the young Emperor was somewhat unconventional in his pursuits, he had clearly devoted immense effort to his studies.

Zhu Yijun continued, "Grand Preceptor Yang, the Senior Grand Secretary states: 'To study a matter by merely listening to others is nothing more than the empty echo of mouth-to-mouth transmission, lacking the down-to-earth reality of true practice. Yet if one's actions fail to remain loyal to one's inner heart, and one neglects to investigate the true reality of affairs, then both what is known and what is practiced amount to sheer hypocrisy, and one will ultimately achieve nothing and gain nothing.'"

"As it is phrased: 'For the scholar, it is merely the emptiness of the mouth and ear, lacking the reality of execution; for the practitioner, any lack of loyalty originating from within renders all knowledge and action hypocritical, resulting in ultimate nothingness.'"

"Grand Preceptor Yang, is the Senior Grand Secretary's teaching correct or not?"

Yang Bo had already grasped the intent behind the young Emperor's inquiries. With a profound sense of melancholy, he replied, "The Senior Grand Secretary is correct."

Zhu Yijun went on, "Concluding the imperial lectures, the Senior Grand Secretary—and I myself—believe that one must read extensively, comprehend principles thoroughly, engage in practical affairs with down-to-earth execution, and act with loyalty to one's original mind, extracting reality from illusion. Only that is true learning."

"As the saying goes: 'Be diligent in literature and steadfast in conduct, loyal in heart and pragmatic in affairs, exhausting both knowledge and action, with interior and exterior as one.'"

"Your Majesty is brilliant! This subject is deeply ashamed." Yang Bo bowed once more, his body swaying slightly. Ge Shouli hurried forward to support him.

"Grand Preceptor Yang, are you alright?" Ge Shouli asked, his face etched with worry.

Yang Bo waved a hand and said, "I am fine, quite fine. An old ailment is merely acting up."

Yang Bo was uncertain whether the young Emperor's words were intended as a rebuke or merely an inquiry born of genuine perplexity.

Others might not have caught the underlying meaning, but Yang Bo heard it clearly. The Emperor appeared to be asking for instruction, but every single word and phrase felt like a lash across his face.

It rebuked him for knowing all the principles yet refusing to act out of loyalty to his own heart;

It rebuked him for knowing full well that Wang Chonggu’s promotion of the military talent roster was problematic, yet choosing to sit idly by and do nothing;

It rebuked him for knowing that factional strife was draining the national strength of the Great Ming, yet watching passively as the censors impeached Tan Lun;

It rebuked him for understanding virtue clearly—knowing the virtue within and the principles of the heart—yet behaving in a way where "any lack of loyalty originates from within."

The Emperor’s words seemed to scold Yang Bo, asking where all the sage wisdom he had studied for a lifetime had gone! Even if he cared nothing for the Emperor and remained indifferent to affairs of state, what had become of the principles of the unity of knowledge and action that he had practiced throughout his life?

If he was disloyal to the Emperor and disloyal to the country, was he also to be disloyal to his own heart?!

The Emperor’s words seemed to upbraid him, asking how, upon reaching the twilight of his years, he had ended up living in such a manner. When his final moments came, could he truly close his eyes in peace?

When Ge Shouli impeached Tan Lun based on Jing Song’s memorial, Yang Bo had merely needed to cough, offer a moderate compromise, and provide Ge Shouli with a graceful way out, sparing him such embarrassment and humiliation!

If Ge Shouli appeared foolish, it was only because he trusted Yang Bo; yet how had Yang Bo repaid that trust?

Yang Bo had taken advantage of Ge Shouli’s predicament to ruthlessly probe and test the waters step by step!

Shaken to his core and unsteady on his feet, Yang Bo found Ge Shouli supporting him with immediate and genuine concern.

The Emperor’s words seemed to brand Yang Bo as a hypocritical man, a petty villain whose exterior and interior did not match—disloyal to the Emperor, disloyal to the Great Ming, and even more disloyal to his own heart. Yang Bo could only confess his shame.

He had no defense. Whether these matters, words, and actions aligned with his original intentions or not, he had been forced to act thus.

Because he was the leader of a powerful faction.

Too many people stood behind him, pushing him relentlessly forward. In certain matters, he was not the master of his own actions—which was precisely why, once the Examination Law was fully implemented, he intended to retire to his home district to live in leisure.

"I thank Grand Preceptor Yang for instructing me in these principles." Zhu Yijun did not press the attack further. Instead, a bright and sunny smile broke across his face as he led the court officials to continue their tour.

Zhu Yijun had simply used Yang Bo’s own words to rebuke him. Literati loved the art of indirection through allusion; who was incapable of that?

Most of the court officials still believed the young Emperor was merely seeking scholarly instruction. The rather chubby, smiling face of the monarch was profoundly deceptive.

Yet Zhang Juzheng knew full well that the young Emperor had used the guise of seeking instruction to deliver a severe reprimand to Yang Bo. The陛下 had truly transformed into a scholar now, and his attacks possessed all the refined elegance of a literary man—seizing upon Yang Bo’s most vulnerable spots and striking with absolute ruthlessness.

When the time came for Yang Bo to pass away from illness, should these words flash through his mind, he would likely find it difficult to close his eyes in peace.

To think that Yang Bo, upon hearing such probing questions from a mere ten-year-old child, could respond with nothing save shame—his entire life suddenly resembled a farce.

How noble a gentleman he had once appeared, and how petty he now seemed; how open and magnanimous he had once been, and how fretful and anxious he now was; how towering his virtue had once been considered, and how utterly insupportable it now proved. How... could he ever rest in peace?

Zhang Juzheng had steadfastly refused Yang Bo’s overtures to merge the Jin and Chu factions precisely because he knew that once he accepted the position of factional leader, he could no longer remain loyal to his own "knowledge" or his own spirituality.

To accept that post would mean betraying himself first and foremost. Having already risen to the position of Senior Grand Secretary, was he expected to serve on his knees as well?

His mind and heart would never find peace.

Zhu Yijun led the court officials to inspect his experimental plots. Five new mu of land had been added to the Baoqi Palace: five mu to the left of the heating chamber, and five mu to the right. The left plot would be planted with seedlings that had undergone top-pinching and fixation, while the right plot would feature seedlings left unpinched and unfixed, allowing a direct comparison of crop yields.

Such methods could not simply be imposed on the common folk overnight; determining how best to balance these seedling techniques remained the primary challenge for future popularization.

Ge Shouli finally realized that his previous bitter denunciations of Zhang Juzheng for deceiving the Emperor were nothing short of a joke. The Emperor was actively practicing the unity of knowledge and action, not merely playing games.

For the Great Ming, this was undeniably auspicious news.

"Very well, that is all for today. My lords and ministers, walk slowly; I am returning to the inner palace." Zhu Yijun stood before the Xuanwu Gate, preparing to return to the palace for his martial arts training. Cultural studies might observe rest days, but martial training could not be interrupted for a single day.

"We respectfully send off Your Majesty." The assembled officials bowed to bid farewell to the Emperor.

On his way back to the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yijun instructed Feng Bao, "Grand Eunuch Feng, keep a close watch over my Baoqi Palace. If any miscreants break in and the Empress Dowager holds me at fault, I will not be able to protect you."

"This subject receives the decree." Feng Bao bowed his head in acknowledgment. He knew full well that if these potatoes and sweet potatoes could genuinely be cultivated, they would prove to be invaluable lifesavers in times of famine—a magnificent deed benefiting both the state and the people.

Yet would someone actually attempt to sabotage such a beneficial endeavor?

Feng Bao was utterly certain that someone would try.

The boldness of the subjects of the Great Ming had always been extraordinary. If the Emperor truly succeeded in cultivating potatoes, imperial authority would be consolidated, and the power of the throne would be extended. Once imperial authority expanded, the officials would inevitably grow panic-stricken.

As the grand eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies tasked with safeguarding imperial power, he understood all too well the audacity of the ministers.

This was an opportunity—an opportunity to regain the Emperor's trust. The Baoqi Palace was located in Jingshan within the imperial park, guarded by countless agents of the Eastern Depot. These dozen-odd mu of fields had to be watched over with absolute vigilance, admitting not the slightest oversight.

Upon returning to the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yijun changed into his martial attire and happened to cross paths with Empress Dowager Chen and Empress Dowager Li. Because Empress Dowager Chen was childless, the two Dowagers enjoyed an exceptionally harmonious relationship.

Zhu Yijun wore his trademark smile and greeted them, "Mother, Imperial Mother."

"Your Imperial Son should rest for today. Even the imperial lectures have been suspended." Empress Dowager Chen cherished Zhu Yijun the most. The lectures were originally scheduled for a nine-day break, yet a mere single day was being taken, and martial training was not paused for even a moment?

"Elder sister, try persuading our son; whenever he starts with his grand principles, he leaves you completely bewildered." Empress Dowager Li had learned her lesson the hard way; she no longer attempted to persuade him. Urging the Emperor not to work so hard only made her feel as though she had committed some monstrous transgression.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and replied, "I do not feel tired. Today the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is teaching *cuju*. We have divided into two teams—this is play, not martial training. The Commander says it is education through entertainment."

*Cuju*, a traditional sport that trained team coordination and endurance, was played by the imperial guards, blade-carrying attendants, and young eunuch servants divided into two teams. Zhu Xixiao taught this precisely to allow the young Emperor a balance of work and rest, as studying martial arts exclusively could grow somewhat monotonous.

Commander Zhu Xixiao secretly harbored the hope that the Great Ming might yet produce an emperor who ruled from the saddle.

"Tomorrow is Qingming, and the day after, Commander-in-Chief Qi will return to the capital." Zhu Yijun attached immense importance to Qi Jiguang’s return to court. Good things took time, but the date was finally confirmed.