The Rise of Yan Shifan’s Arrogance

In the mid-16th century, the Ming Dynasty’s political landscape was dominated by a man who believed himself unrivaled in intellect: Yan Shifan, son of the powerful Grand Secretary Yan Song. Confident to the point of delusion, Yan Shifan famously declared that only three men in the empire matched his brilliance—Yang Bo, Lu Bing, and himself. History, however, would prove his judgment fatally flawed. While these three were indeed exceptional, fate had already set in motion the rise of three far more formidable adversaries, each destined to dismantle Yan’s supremacy.

The Shadows Gather: Xu Jie’s Calculated Patience

The fourth figure in this unfolding drama was Xu Jie, a rising star in the Ming bureaucracy. Unlike the flamboyant Yan Shifan, Xu Jie operated in the shadows. As a junior minister, he was dismissed by Yan as insignificant—a grave miscalculation. Xu Jie’s humility masked his ambition. Having endured years of political trials, he was quietly amassing influence, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The Unlikely Threat: Gao Gong’s Ascent

The fifth figure, Gao Gong, was so obscure that Yan Shifan scarcely knew his name. A lowly scribe in the Hanlin Academy, Gao Gong’s unassuming demeanor concealed a razor-sharp mind. His journey from provincial exams to the heart of the imperial bureaucracy was a testament to his quiet perseverance. Xu Jie, ever perceptive, recognized Gao’s potential during his tenure as Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy. Among the elite scholars he mentored, one stood out: Zhang Juzheng, the sixth and final piece in this deadly puzzle.

The Catalyst: The Gengxu Crisis of 1550

The turning point arrived with the Gengxu Incident, a humiliating Mongol siege of Beijing led by Altan Khan. As panic gripped the capital, Yan Song’s cowardice was laid bare—he advised Emperor Jiajing to let the Mongols loot and leave. Xu Jie, in contrast, stepped forward with a bold strategy: diplomatic delay. By exploiting a technicality in Altan’s tribute letter (written only in Chinese, not Mongolian), Xu Jie bought critical time for reinforcements to arrive. His deft handling of the crisis earned imperial favor and exposed Yan’s incompetence.

The Art of Survival: Xu Jie’s Political Reckoning

Xu Jie’s triumph was short-lived. Yan Song, sensing the threat, struck back by poisoning Jiajing’s mind. When Xu Jie opposed posthumous honors for Empress Xiaolie on procedural grounds, Yan twisted his principled stance into disloyalty. The emperor’s fury was swift, but Xu Jie, learning from his predecessor Xia Yan’s fatal defiance, chose survival. He swallowed his pride, praised the emperor’s “wisdom,” and retreated into silence.

The Long Game: Xu Jie’s Counterattack

For years, Xu Jie played the obedient servant, writing flattering Daoist hymns (qingci) and lavishing praise on Yan Song. Behind the scenes, he studied his enemy’s tactics and cultivated allies, including eunuchs who whispered favorably of him to Jiajing. His patience paid off when he identified a vulnerable target: Yan’s ally, the disgraced general Qiu Luan. By dismantling Qiu’s reputation, Xu Jie chipped away at Yan’s power base without provoking direct confrontation.

The Legacy of the Overlooked

Xu Jie’s eventual victory—culminating in Yan Song’s downfall and his own rise as Grand Secretary—was a masterclass in political strategy. His journey revealed timeless truths: arrogance blinds even the cleverest minds, while patience and adaptability outlast brute force. The “three overlooked strategists” (Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng) reshaped the Ming Dynasty, proving that true power often lies not in visibility, but in the ability to wait, watch, and strike with precision.

Their story endures as a lesson in the art of survival within the treacherous corridors of power.