As emperor, Zhu Yunying naturally hoped to experience a normal family atmosphere. He felt good about it now, because he had his father, Xu Miaoqing, and his younger siblings, and because his younger brother and sister were all behaving very well.
However, Zhu Yunying was very clear that what he needed to do now was to become an excellent emperor, and he had a lot to do.
The report from the Honglu Temple made Zhu Yunying frown. The Ryukyu Islands are currently divided into three countries: Nanzan, Chuzan, and Hokuzan. This was the Three Mountains period, during which they ruled Ryukyu. However, before Zhu Yunying was born, the Ryukyu countries were vassal states of the Ming Dynasty of China.
King Chadu of Zhongshan had been dead for three or four years, but his heir, Wu Ning, had not yet submitted a report to the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yunying only learned of this news through intelligence gathering by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and through messages relayed by scholars from Ryukyu who had come to study in the Ming Dynasty.
That won't do. Although the Ryukyu Kingdom is divided into three separate kingdoms and rarely sends envoys to pay tribute, the Ming Dynasty, as the suzerain state, should still do something.
Moreover, although the Ryukyu Kingdoms recognize the Ming Dynasty as their suzerain state, they have not yet developed the custom of accepting investiture from the Ming Dynasty.
This won't do. Zhu Yunying felt it was necessary to establish some rules. This wasn't just for the three Ryukyu Kingdoms, but also for other vassal states. These rules truly needed to be established, and those vassal states needed to develop good habits.
Having been busy with domestic affairs, Zhu Yunying felt that he had neglected to control the vassal states.
The Ryukyu Kingdom was not at ease, and Goryeo was not entirely at ease either.
Two years ago, a rebellion broke out in Goryeo, resulting in the deaths of Crown Prince Yi Bang-seok and high-ranking officials such as Jeong Do-jeon. This was also due to Yi Seong-gye's decision to appoint his youngest son as Crown Prince, which naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of his fifth son from his first wife, Yi Bang-won.
Although Yi Seong-gye, under pressure from Yi Bang-won, appointed his son Yi Bang-gwa as crown prince, and then abdicated in September of the same year to Yi Bang-gwa, becoming the Supreme King, Yi Bang-won launched another rebellion against his elder brother Yi Bang-gan, eliminating his power. Yi Bang-gwa then appointed Yi Bang-won as crown prince, and soon abdicated in his favor, becoming the Supreme King.
In other words, Lee Bang-won exiled his fourth brother and seized the throne from his second brother. This also caused Lee Seong-gye, who had suffered two upheavals and lost his beloved son and favored minister, to be extremely depressed and even want to kill his unfilial son.
Yi Seong-gye felt that his life had undergone a tremendous change in recent years. He seized power in Goryeo by taking advantage of the return of his troops from Wihwa Island. His restless youngest son assassinated a minister loyal to the Goryeo Dynasty, allowing Yi Seong-gye to usurp the throne.
However, Busan had always been occupied by the Ming Dynasty, and although the Joseon Dynasty had been established, it had never received official recognition from the Ming. Now, with his unruly son causing two rebellions, Yi Seong-gye was truly disheartened.
Yi Bang-won made significant contributions to Yi Seong-gye's establishment of the Joseon Dynasty, and he was indeed restless. After eliminating his rivals, he is now planning to usurp the throne.
This won't do. Although the Ming Dynasty doesn't recognize the Joseon Dynasty, Yi Bang-won's actions are clearly unacceptable.
"Very well, at least you'll give me a pretext for sending troops." Zhu Yunying laughed. "My father rebelled and usurped the throne, so his ascension was illegitimate. Now my son is also committing insubordination. Although he's not quite like Li Shimin, the nature of his actions is similar, except he didn't kill his brother. But in a way, it's worse; at least his brother ascended the throne."
Such a ruler, who is ignorant of etiquette and law, absolutely needs to be severely punished, and the Joseon Dynasty should not be recognized.
The Joseon Dynasty could not be recognized, nor did it intend to help the Goryeo Dynasty restore its kingdom. From then on, that place would become the Four Commanderies of Han, the vassal state of a prince of the Ming Dynasty.
There are many instances of bloodshed over the throne and power, such as in the southern kingdom of Annam. The Annamite prime minister, Lê Quý Ly, killed his ruler, Trần Nhồn, and installed his eldest son, Đức, as king. Soon after, Lê Quý Ly killed Đức and installed his younger son, Đức, as king. However, he executed Đức because of his young age and then declared himself king.
Look, this ruthless man not only killed the king, but also his two sons!
Zhu Yunying felt that such things, which angered both heaven and man and violated human ethics, also needed to be written down in his little notebook.
After the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty, some Mongol nobles retreated to the Mongolian grasslands and Northeast China, where they continued to rule over the local Mongol and Han peoples. After repeated attacks by Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yuanzhang, internal conflicts also broke out within their rule.
Elbeg Khan was killed by his subordinates, and Kun Temur was made king...
"This year is interesting; it's practically the best time to rebel," Zhu Yunying couldn't help but chuckle, muttering to himself. "If you count the years, Grandfather is seventy-one now. If I hadn't ascended the throne, that brat Zhu Yunwen would have, and then my fourth uncle would have started his rebellion. It really is a great time for rebellion!"
Such a good era for rebellion could only happen outside the Ming Dynasty; such a thing wouldn't happen within the Ming Dynasty's borders.
Five-year-old Zhu came skipping and hopping, and lay on Zhu Yunying's lap, asking, "Dad, does Auntie have many more horses?"
"Yes," Zhu Yunying laughed, patting Little Zhu's head as she said, "Your aunt has a lot of miniature horses and has been sending you miniature horses. She'll be coming over in a couple of days, so go pick her up, along with your cousins."
Little Zhu nodded immediately, full of anticipation, "Dad, we like Auntie and Uncle the most, and we also like Auntie!"
Mainly, your aunt sends over nice things every now and then. Aside from the miniature horses, there's never a shortage of mangoes, lychees, and other treats. Little Zhu loves all of this. Although she's never seen her aunt, she has a very good impression of her.
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