Chapter 24 Undercurrent
After all, Wang Ji had personally participated in many major battles. With his presence, the rebellions in the three places were much milder, or at least there was no tendency for the scope to continue to expand. Zhu Qizhen could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
As for the rebellion in Guizhou, although it was fierce, there were still local officers and soldiers guarding Guizhou. Except for the fierce situation at the beginning, the situation gradually eased under suppression. Although it could not be completely resolved in a short time, at least most parts of Guizhou have returned to stability.
At this time, Princess Shunde Zhu Yuhuan took the initiative to write a letter, begging the emperor to treat the local people and Miao people who surrendered voluntarily leniently, resettle the local people, and continue to popularize the facilities in Yunnan and other places in Guizhou. At the same time, reduce the land tax and labor service in Guizhou and Huguang, so as to ease local conflicts.
Princess Shunde introduced these measures clearly in her memorial, and also did not forget to explain them in combination with the current basic situation in Yunnan to prove the feasibility of these measures.
This question book was enough to show the princess's intentions, but Zeng Heling had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
The emperor today is no longer the young man who was still naive about government affairs, but an emperor who has developed a strong possessiveness and vigilance towards power.
No matter how reasonable Princess Shunde's words are, as long as the emperor has doubts, then whatever Princess Shunde says will be wrong.
Another person who shared Zeng Heling's views was Wang Zhen. He almost immediately made a judgment that as long as he fanned the flames a little, the relationship between the emperor and Princess Shunde, which was gradually showing cracks, would continue to deteriorate. At that time, he would be able to completely wash away his past humiliation.
Therefore, Wang Zhen immediately asked some officials who had secretly pledged their support to Princess Shunde.
The reason was simple: the emperor was filled with resentment towards most officials. When a person denies something, he will unconsciously stand on the opposite side of it. And now Wang Zhen wanted to make Princess Shunde the opposite of the emperor.
As expected, Zhu Qizhen's face became a little gloomy after seeing several officials' support for Princess Shunde.
Wang Zhen cautiously spoke, "Your Highness has lived in Yunnan for many years and is very familiar with the local people's livelihood. You submitted this memorial for the Emperor's benefit..."
Before he could finish his words, Zhu Qizhen sneered and said, "If that's the case, why didn't she come out to 'uphold justice' in the beginning? Now that the truth has been revealed, she has stood up and spoken for the people."
Wang Zhen knew very well that Zhu Qizhen was now upset because of the rebellion and had many government affairs to deal with, so he just wanted to resolve the Guizhou issue quickly.
As for the best way to resolve the problem quickly, it is naturally to kill the rebellious people and set an example for others.
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhen immediately spoke cautiously, "When the late emperor was alive, he often praised the eldest princess for her kindness, and the eldest princess was even more loyal to the emperor..."
Hearing this, Zhu Qizhen's expression grew even colder. "Loyal? If she were truly loyal, she wouldn't be saying such things now. She's just trying to gain fame for herself, as if she were a saint." He grew increasingly annoyed, "If she hadn't been born earlier and hadn't been taught by the Emperor, if I hadn't supported her so strongly, would she be where she is today? Now she's turning the tables on me, helping those outsiders to deal with me... I was too kind to her!"
Wang Zhen was overjoyed in his heart, but his face was still full of fear.
The heart of an emperor is to love those who want them to live, and hate those who want them to die. Now that the eldest princess is in a dangerous situation, Wang Zhen must help push her back.
"Princess...Princess..."
Zhu Qizhen realized something was wrong at this moment and asked, "You look so terrified, what are you afraid of?"
Wang Zhen stammered, "I'm in awe of the Princess."
Zhu Qizhen laughed in anger and asked, "Fear her? Who is your master? Why do you fear her?"
Wang Zhen quickly replied, "Of course I will obey the Emperor, but..."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but understand Wang Zhen's implication. He sneered and said, "I think you are not the only one who has such thoughts. Those officials who have always opposed me have the same thoughts."
"The Emperor is the Supreme Being. How dare these officials have such outrageous thoughts?"
Zhu Qizhen was completely enraged when he heard Wang Zhen mention Zhu Zhanji. Even though Wang Zhen's attempt to sow discord was too obvious, Zhu Qizhen didn't care. He just said, "I think they are very brave. I am too lenient with them. Do they think I will be soft-hearted just because I haven't been on the battlefield?"
Wang Zhen understood the implication of his words and thought he was going to punish the officials who had spoken on behalf of the princess, so he took the initiative to speak up, "The situation in Yunnan has stabilized considerably. If His Majesty wants to warn the officials, why not summon Princess Shunde to the capital directly?"
Zhu Qizhen pondered for a moment and said, "That makes sense. As for the arrangements for the eldest princess..."
His consideration was naturally to seize all the power that Zhu Yuhuan currently held. Even if it was not convenient to arrange a marriage for Zhu Yuhuan, at least he had to keep her within the princess's mansion. However, if he treated the eldest princess as decisively as the officials before him, he was afraid that there would be some unnecessary gossip outside.
Zhu Qizhen's successive punishments of officials, Yang Shiqi and Liu Qiu being typical examples, and these incidents, all linked to Wang Zhen, had already invisibly led people to believe that he was a king bewitched by Wang Zhen. If he targeted the eldest princess too much, these rumors would only intensify. Therefore, it would be better to wait until the rebellions in Guizhou, Huguang, and Fujian were quelled before showing more favor to the eldest princess and allowing her to return to her rightful position.
Wang Zhen could also guess what Zhu Qizhen was thinking, so he said, "The Emperor has always been kind to his brothers and sisters, and will not be harsh on the eldest princess. Rewarding her with some platinum and silk will be a courtesy from the Emperor."
By that time, Princess Shunde would have no choice but to be humble to him like other princesses and their husbands.
Zhu Qizhen nodded slightly and said, "Just do as you say."
Compared with the vassal kings, Princess Shunde posed almost no threat. In addition, as his mother, Empress Dowager Cihui, was still alive, Zhu Qizhen naturally would not directly break off relations with Zhu Yuhuan.
If Empress Dowager Cihui became seriously ill because of this, Zhu Qizhen would only have more headaches. After all, the label of being unfilial is much more serious than favoring eunuchs and being tyrannical.
Wang Zhen continued, "It was because the Empress Dowager doted on the eldest princess when she was still alive that she allowed her to quell the rebellion, which is why it all started..."
Zhu Qizhen was somewhat displeased when Wang Zhen mentioned Empress Dowager Zhang, but he still said, "Grandma meant well at the time. I didn't expect those officials to be so proud of it. Now that I'm in charge of the government, why should I need a woman to worry about everything?"
He did feel a little resentful in his heart that Empress Dowager Zhang trusted Zhu Yuhuan too much, but no matter what, Empress Dowager Zhang was the one who raised him, and even if he felt resentful, Zhu Qizhen would never show it in front of others.
Wang Zhen had this in mind long ago and immediately said, "Your Majesty has always ruled the country with civility. It is inevitable that these officials may appear obedient but be dissatisfied in their hearts."
Since Zhu Qizhen ascended the throne, the only war that could truly be called a large-scale war was the Battle of Luchuan. Although the war was led by the emperor, any discerning person could see that the emperor delegated power to the Minister of War Wang Ji and Princess Shunde.
These two were the ones who decided the outcome of the Battle of Luchuan, and there was only one word of true praise from the emperor.
——Know people with a discerning eye.
Zhu Qizhen clenched his pen and said, "On a normal day, they all act righteous and talk about morality. But they criticize the princess for interfering in government affairs, yet in their hearts they pay homage to her. How ridiculous!"
Wang Zhen continued, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. These people are simply deceived by the reputations of Emperor Taizong and the late Emperor. They truly believe the Princess is an invincible and calculating individual... Little do they know that if Your Majesty personally went to the front lines, he would be even more powerful than Princess Shunde."
Zhu Qizhen felt relieved upon hearing this, and then said, "I've been looking through the memorials these past few days, and a border commander reported that some Tartars are fleeing southward, and that Yesen is planning a large-scale attack southward."
Wang Zhen felt even more delighted when he brought this up, but his expression remained restrained. "That's right. Previously, the Oirat envoys came to the capital to pay tribute, their numbers far exceeding any previous visit. The Emperor still treated them with courtesy. However, Yesen was truly ungrateful, even daring to secretly plot an invasion southwards."
Zhu Qizhen snorted coldly and said sarcastically, "I only gave him some face because of the Luchuan expedition, but he really dared to take advantage of me." He thought for a moment and said, "Have someone provide sufficient supplies to the border troops. Recently, they have been diligently seeking information about the Oirat Mongols."
Although Zhu Qizhen had no experience in marching and fighting, he had a general idea and was not completely blind.
Moreover, he intended to use the Wala to establish his own authority, so he naturally could not set out without any preparation.
Wang Zhen quickly responded, "I understand."
Zhu Qizhen picked up Wang Ji's victory report and said, "Ever since the Emperor's border patrol in the ninth year of Xuande, the royal family has not personally visited the northern border for ten years. It is time to revive the military's might."
When Wang Ji had almost quelled the rebellion in Fujian and the logistics were no longer a problem, he personally led his troops to the north, just like Emperor Taizong and his father.
Wang Ji can do it, Zhu Yuhuan can do it, and of course he can do it too.
With the Ming army's equipment, tactics and strength, wasn't it enough to deal with Yesen?
At that time, he would let those who held Princess Shunde high up see who was the true emperor.
Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied and said to Wang Zhen, "I remember that the Prince of Qing brought his princess to pay respects to the Queen Mother today?"
"yes."
"Ask Prince Qing to come to the Ganqing Palace to play chess with me."
Wang Zhen didn't understand what Zhu Qizhen meant at first, but he soon came to his senses.
Although the emperor now has an eldest son, it is not uncommon for young children to die young, and Prince Qing is still one of the possibilities to inherit the throne.
Prince Ying was even closer to Princess Yongqing Zhu Youtong in his childhood, and their relationship remains close. Zhu Qizhen had to guard against Princess Shunde, and of course, he couldn't let Prince Ying go.
In particular, we must be wary of collusion between Princess Shunde and Prince Qing.
In August of the tenth year of Zhengtong, Zhu Qiyu officially got married and was able to officially move into the Prince of Qin's Mansion in the capital with his princess Lin. Because he still cared about his elders, Zhu Qiyu would go to the palace to pay his respects once a month, and sometimes he would ask his princess to pay her respects on his behalf.
The Lin family was born in the Jinwu Guard, but was just a small official. Lin's name was Yuanzhen, one year younger than Zhu Qiyu, and she had a lively personality. Wu Miaosu took a liking to her at first sight and asked Hu Shanxiang to make the decision and decide on her as the final candidate for the Princess of Qing. The reason was simple: Zhu Qiyu was a bit dull and needed a lively person to accompany him.
Besides this, there is another important reason.
Lin Yuanzhen's family background was no better than that of other princesses. Before being chosen, her mother had worked in the textile factory of Princess Shunde. She was clever and skillful and had some fame. Therefore, compared with others, Wu Miaosu knew Lin Yuanzhen's family inside and out.
Lin Yuanzhen's mother is outstanding, so her daughter must be no bad either.
As for the disparity in wealth, no matter how noble a family is, can it be richer than the royal family? Instead of doing that, it is better to choose a suitable one.
Just as Wu Miaosu expected, Zhu Qiyu and Lin Yuanzhen had been married for less than a year. Although they were not in love, they were in harmony with each other.
"Your Majesty and Mother may not know, but the factory is bustling with activity right now. I've heard from the maids around me that people say, 'All the skilled women in the capital are in the Princess's household, and all those outside are lazy women.' Even matchmakers often come to the factory to inquire about the daughters of these women, attracting women from all walks of life to look for work for them. Even many restaurants and teahouses have started hiring female waiters to work there."
Hearing Lin Yuanzhen's vivid description, Hu Shanxiang and Wu Miaosu couldn't help laughing.
Hu Shanxiang couldn't help but sigh, "In the past, it was Huanhuan and Tongtong who said these funny things, but now they are both busy with their own things, and the palace is no longer as lively as it used to be."
Wu Miaosu smiled and covered her lips when she heard this. "Our little girl Yuanzhen is like a lark in the palace. Everyone loves to listen to her talk. When the princess returns to the capital some time later, she will definitely like her too."
Hearing Zhu Yuhuan's name, Lin Yuanzhen's eyes lit up and she asked curiously, "Will Princess Shunde really come back this time?"
When the Prince of Qing and his wife got married, Princess Shunde said she wanted to return to Beijing to watch the ceremony, but she happened to encounter a rebellion in Fujian, so Zhu Yuhuan had to stay in Yunnan.
After that, the rebellion in Fujian intensified, and the emperor had no intention of allowing Princess Shunde to return to Beijing.
Zhu Qizhen's decree had not yet been officially issued, but it had not been concealed from everyone, so many people had heard that the emperor was going to order Princess Shunde to return to Beijing.
When this was mentioned, Hu Shanxiang's expression was somewhat unpredictable, and she simply said, "Your Majesty has given the order, so Huanhuan will naturally not object."
When Hu Shanxiang learned that Zhu Yuhuan had reported the Guizhou rebellion to the emperor, she already had a bad premonition.
For the emperor, it would be an act of usurpation for Princess Shunde, who was in Yunnan, to interfere in Guizhou affairs. He was afraid that his daughter would not be able to stay in Yunnan any longer.
Hu Shanxiang was not afraid that her daughter would suffer outside, but she was afraid that she would not be able to realize her ambitions.
Given the current situation, I'm afraid nothing good will happen after I return to Beijing...
Wu Miaosu noticed the uneasiness hidden in Hu Shanxiang's heart. She raised her hand, placed it on Hu Shanxiang's, and gently shook it. She said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Over the years, the eldest princess has diligently followed the late emperor's instructions. Your Majesty has seen it all and will not forget it."
In any case, Zhu Yuhuan is the emperor's sister, and the emperor would never treat Zhu Yuhuan the same way he treated Yang Shiqi and his son.
But Wu Miaosu also realized that this return to Beijing was different from the previous ones. Beneath the calm appearance of the brother and sister lay a turbulent conflict.
Perhaps the eldest princess had been waiting for this day, but she still couldn't help but worry and be curious about how the eldest princess would "win".
Zhu Qiyu, who was outside the palace, knew more than Hu Shanxiang and Wu Miaosu. He was aware that his eldest sister was really in crisis this time. That was why he entered the palace with the princess, wanting to discuss the matter with the two mothers in person.
But before he could say anything, someone outside came in to say that the emperor had summoned Prince Qing.
Zhu Qiyu was feeling somewhat worried when Lin Yuanzhen beside him whispered, "Your Highness, please go quickly. Yuanzhen is with the Queen Mother and Mother."
Zhu Qiyu and his wife looked at each other, then stood up and went to the Qianqing Palace.
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