Chapter 4: Huzhongtianman (Part 4)
Nowadays, the Ming Dynasty has a prosperous business and light industry, with more and more workers and businessmen in the city, and people's hearts have become more active. In addition, the Confucius Mansion has completely declined after being renovated, and the constraints of etiquette are much looser than before. Even there are many women among the court officials, not to mention that the current emperor is a woman. If women in the folk have any criticisms, they often cite the emperor as their argument. Although the emperor may not have done these things, since women can be emperors like men, they can naturally do other things like men.
Most of the local officials were men. When they encountered such situations, some would adopt a delaying tactic and keep silent, while others would use tough means and suppress it by force. The former could still appease the people temporarily, but the latter would eventually report it to the emperor.
Therefore, in the 26th year of Yuanguang, the emperor carried out a large-scale supplement and revision of the "Great Ming Code", adding a lot of content for business and the people.
Such as the proportion of women's inheritance of family property, personal dependence, marriage relationship, etc., in order to protect women's rights, there are naturally also relevant regulations on women's labor, taxation and other obligations.
The number of laws seems to have increased, but the atmosphere has become much more relaxed.
"Grandma seems to have a few more white hairs."
Zhu Jianshen, who was originally sitting at the bottom, was startled when he heard his daughter's words and scolded her, "Huan'er, how can you be so rude!"
The emperor waved his hand and said, "She is just telling the truth."
The emperor put so much effort into the Great Ming Code, how could he not have gray hair? Even Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, who debated with the emperor and handled government affairs, had gray hair and even fell ill due to the heavy workload.
He was already in poor health because he was born in the same womb as Zhou Yingying when she was still young. This illness made him very ill, with a fever and pain all over his body. The emperor was frightened, so he specially invited Xu Wangzhi to see Zhu Jianshen and used black incense that was tributed from Siam and other places to relieve the pain. Only then did Zhu Jianshen's condition improve.
Zhu Youhuan sighed and said seriously, "If only all those who oppose Grandma could disappear, Grandma would never have gray hair again."
The emperor was amused and asked, "Does Huan'er think this is a good thing?"
Zhu Youhuan tilted his head and thought for a moment, then asked, "Isn't this a good thing? The emperor is the ruler of a country and the lord of the world. If he kills one minister, there are still many. Doesn't my grandmother often demote or promote officials? Anyone who openly opposes my grandmother will be killed."
She often followed the emperor and deeply understood how powerful he was. That was why she was even more puzzled as to why her grandmother, who had always been decisive and ruthless, was so "indecisive" when facing these court officials, often only giving them minor punishments and severe warnings, and letting them off lightly.
Zhu Jianshen was worried about his daughter's words, and he couldn't help but recall that he and his sister had once asked the emperor about his biological father.
Later I thought about it, they were already thirteen or fourteen years old at that time, but they dared to mention the matter of their biological father without worrying about their mother's anger. This was because they subconsciously believed that their mother had a kind and gentle character and would not bother with them.
If this is the case with these two siblings, what about Zhu Youhuan, who is still young and has been close to the emperor since childhood?
The emperor nodded slightly and said, "Indeed. But precisely because of this, the emperor must be extremely cautious. It's easy to kill a few people who oppose the emperor, but if no one opposes him from now on, that would be a more terrifying thing. Huan'er, you can choose not to listen to those who oppose you, but you cannot eliminate the voice of opposition."
Zhu Youhuan met the emperor's gaze, pondered for a long time, and then answered solemnly, "Grandmother, what you meant is that only when someone opposes you can you reflect on yourself, understand right and wrong, and distinguish right from wrong. If you are wrong, you should correct it, but if I am right, I should insist on it."
The emperor's eyes narrowed, wrinkling his face. She smiled and said, "The Crown Prince is making great progress. Your lecturers have taught him well."
After the "Great Ming Code" was revised, in the 27th year of Yuanguang, the emperor issued an edict to confer the title of Crown Prince on Zhu Youhuan.
With the popular customs in place and the revision of the "Great Ming Law" in the future, and the fact that the emperor did not distinguish between men and women after he ascended the throne and only used the order of seniority to address each other on a daily basis, some people gradually accepted the inclusion of women in the order of succession.
Not to mention that the three children of the prince were named according to the generation passed down by Taizu. It can be seen that the emperor had this idea a long time ago, and people did not think it was surprising.
Zhu Jianshen was very clear that his mother had secretly assessed the abilities of her three children. In addition, Zhu Youkai and Zhu Youhang were the heirs born to the Crown Princess after she was 40 years old and had poor health. Therefore, the emperor finally decided to appoint the Crown Prince's eldest daughter Zhu Youhuan as the Crown Prince.
Not only have the customs among the people changed, but the country's institutions and official composition have also changed over the years. It is no longer the same as when Zhu Qizhen was still in power. Even if the emperor was captured, the unrest in the capital was only directed at the successor emperor, and no riot occurred.
But under the current circumstances, if the emperor is a mediocre person, he will certainly not be able to control the court well, let alone rule the country stably.
Therefore, the future heir to the throne must be trained from an early age and adapt to the current state mechanism as quickly as possible, so as to ensure the continuation of the Ming Dynasty.
Otherwise, the emperor would probably have to wait until Zhu Youkai and Zhu Youhang officially left the palace to study and observe for a while before considering appointing the crown prince.
Zhu Youhuan said obediently, "Huan'er is shallow in knowledge and is far less thoughtful than grandma."
The emperor smiled faintly and instructed, "Qiong Lian, give the four treasures of the study that were previously presented to the inner treasury to the crown prince's lecturer."
"yes."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Youhuan stood up and saluted, saying, "Huan'er thanks Grandmother on behalf of the lecturer." She then saluted Shen Qionglian, who was standing beside the emperor, and said, "Thank you, Sister Shen."
The female officials around the emperor have always been his confidants, such as Han Guilan, Song Cuilian and others. After following the emperor for many years, they were sent to other departments to serve as officials, and then transferred to the central government, entering the cabinet or the six ministries, and taking on important responsibilities.
Now, both teacher and student were in the cabinet, second only to Chief Minister Xu Yun and Second Minister Shang Lu after Yu Qian's retirement. When these two retired, Han Guilan and Song Cuilian would likely become the first female Chief Minister in Ming history. However, Han Guilan, already sixty-four, might not outlast the younger Xu Yun and Shang Lu, but Song Cuilian might still have a chance.
If nothing unexpected happens, Shen Qionglian will become a cabinet minister in the future. She is also the emperor's confidant and often takes care of Zhu Youhuan, so Zhu Youhuan is very close to her.
Shen Qionglian bowed and said, "You are too polite, Your Majesty."
Not long after Shen Qionglian left, she received an urgent report from outside.
The eunuch quickly stepped inside and said repeatedly, "Your Majesty, there is urgent news from Dengzhou."
The palace maid beside the emperor quickly stepped forward to take the urgent report and presented it on the imperial desk.
The emperor took a closer look, and, rarely showing any anger, he said in a cold voice, "Cut it into pieces!"
Zhu Jianshen and Zhu Youhuan knelt down hurriedly and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
The emperor waved his hand and the two men stood up. He then said coldly, "While national law certainly doesn't allow fishermen to smuggle, it's not Japan's turn to arbitrarily interfere in the affairs of the Ming Dynasty."
The palace maid brought the memorial from the emperor to Zhu Jianshen and his daughter. Zhu Jianshen took a careful look at it and finally understood.
It turned out that residents of Dengzhou Port were secretly involved in smuggling and had unexpectedly run into Japanese pirates. Seeing that the civilians' boats lacked the imperial Ming Dynasty flag, the pirates murdered and robbed the fishermen. The families of the fishermen, unable to return, reported their loved ones to the authorities. A patrol fleet searched the waters and discovered the fishermen's bodies on a nearby reef. After recovering the bodies and conducting a thorough examination, the coroner determined that the fishermen's wounds had been inflicted by Japanese swords.
Zhu Jianshen knew his mother rarely got angry, but when she did, it was for real. He took the initiative and said, "The threat of Japanese pirates is inevitable. Korean envoys have often mentioned that Japanese pirates are harassing the Tsushima area. If we want to fight back, we need to carefully plan. Why not first order Dengzhou and Laizhou ports to strengthen patrols and defenses to prevent Japanese pirates from causing unrest? Then, send a caravan to carefully investigate the current situation in Japan."
The emperor's expression had returned to composure. He said, "Your Highness is right. Immediate counterattacks are only for the sake of temporary relief. If we want to completely resolve the Japanese threat, we can't just fight an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
Moreover, the nation's focus is now on the northwest battlefield. Ever since Wang Yue pacified the Dzungars in the 21st year of the Yuanguang reign, he has been planning a conquest of the northwest and actively training his soldiers. This spring, Wang Yue learned through merchants that Yunusi Khan was preparing a western expedition. Some nobles in Yilibali were critical of this and were secretly smuggling grain from the Ming Dynasty, clearly harboring other agendas.
Wang Yue judged that Yuyilibali was internally divided and Yunusi Khan was on a western expedition, leaving the country empty. It was a good time for the Ming Dynasty to profit from it, so he immediately petitioned the emperor and obtained permission to lead an army of 150,000 to attack Yilibali.
Such a large-scale war requires stable logistics, whether in terms of manpower or financial resources, it is not advisable to attack on two fronts at this moment.
The emperor lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then ordered, "Have the officials of Dengzhou distribute the compensation. This matter will be handed over to Prince Ji for supervision. Send a caravan to investigate thoroughly."
"yes."
When Zhu Jianshen heard her say this, he was sure that the emperor had already begun planning a counterattack.
In a slightly tense atmosphere, the 28th year of Yuanguang ended hastily. The emperor stayed in the rear and worked closely with Wang Yue on the front line. Military reports from the northwest continued to be transmitted to the capital, and the news was both good and bad.
Before the New Year, news came from Hangzhou that the former Prime Minister Yu Qian, who was enjoying a comfortable life at home, had passed away at the age of 79. The emperor gave him the posthumous title of "Wenmin" and bestowed upon him the title of Grand Tutor.
Although the emperor was acting as usual, Zhu Youhuan could sense that his grandmother was always on edge.
It was not until the autumn of the 29th year of Yuanguang that Wang Yue pacified the eastern part of Yilibali, captured the young son of Yunusi Khan and some of the nobles of Yilibali, and further occupied Yilibali. Considering that the weather was gradually getting colder, the emperor ordered Wang Yue to lead his army to rest and establish the Xinjiang Regional Military Commission to consolidate the Ming Dynasty's presence in Yilibali. After the Xinjiang Regional Military Commission gradually stabilized, he would further march westward to Yarkand and other places.
The campaign against Yilibali was a complete victory, and everyone from top to bottom breathed a sigh of relief, even the crown prince Zhu Youhuan, who had little say in the government.
Of course, the happiest person is the current Prime Minister Xu Yun. He is the person who supports the emperor and Wang Yue the most in the entire court. Now that Wang Yue has won a victory and expanded the territory for the Ming Dynasty, Xu Yun, the Prime Minister, also has a share of the credit, so he is naturally overjoyed.
At the end of the year, news came from Guangdong that King Hui was leading a caravan back to his country. The emperor then ordered the Crown Prince and King Hui to jointly compile a book to provide a detailed introduction to the customs and practices of India and other places.
Zhu Youhuan was only twelve years old, and hadn't even finished his studies, let alone participated in the compilation of a book. The emperor was giving the crown prince an opportunity to hone his skills and broaden his knowledge. Fortunately, Zhu Youhuan had already been studying basic astronomy and geography since leaving the Imperial Academy, and with the guidance of officials from the Academy, he had a basic understanding.
This was the first time that Zhu Youhuan had to deal with so many officials. Although they were only minor officials in the Hanlin Academy, they were also the best of the best selected through the imperial examinations held every three years. Zhu Youhuan was inevitably a little nervous.
Fortunately, his aunt, Queen Hui, assisted him a lot, so Zhu Youhuan was able to calm down and successfully complete the editing.
This compilation was not published and distributed among the public, but was only used internally in the Nanyang School. However, the emperor still specially ordered Zhu Youhuan to write the preface.
Zhu Youhuan pondered for a long time before finally writing the preface.
"…I write this book to fulfill the wishes of my Empress Dowager, hoping that the Ming Dynasty will connect with the four seas and dominate the world."
This was the first time that the Crown Prince showed his talent, and it was also the beginning of the Emperor's formal training of the Crown Prince.
In the 30th year of Yuanguang, the emperor personally led 60,000 troops to Liaodong again. This time, the sword was not aimed at the declining Uriankhai, but at the Jianzhou Jurchens and other tribes of Nurgandusi. The crown prince Zhu Jianshen stayed behind, and the grandson of the crown prince Zhu Youhuan joined the army.
Not only did firearms make a great display in this expedition, but the emperor also issued an order that if they encountered villages that put up serious resistance and refused to surrender, they should all be killed, leaving only the elderly, the weak, women and children alive. They would then all be taken captive and taken back to Liaodong. Those who dared to fight to the death would be poured with oil and set on fire.
Although Zhu Youhuan knew that these were foreign races that might invade the Ming Dynasty's borders, he still couldn't help but feel uneasy when he saw the tragic situation on the battlefield.
Seeing her frowning, the emperor said, "On the battlefield, being soft on the enemy is being cruel to yourself."
Zhu Youhuan gripped the reins tightly and responded, "Huan'er understands, but I can't help but sigh in my heart, thank goodness I was born and raised in the Ming Dynasty."
The emperor chuckled and said, "War is merely a crude and crude means of subjugation. Taking prisoners is only the first step in conquering these people. Once the battlefield is cleared, the remaining captives will be relocated to the Liaodong Military Region for education. That is what true 'rule' is."
Zhu Youhuan looked at his grandmother's profile. Although she was old, she still had the same charm and the light in her eyes. She still showed her determination as always, which made Zhu Youhuan stare at her in a daze.
During these years of study, Zhu Youhuan had no idea how many chronicles of emperors he had read, but they felt like reading a storybook.
Whether he was a wise ruler or a foolish one, Zhu Youhuan did not think there was anything special about it. All she had to do was to inherit the throne step by step, open up channels for people to express their opinions on gains and losses, and lead her subjects to rule the country.
But at this moment, Zhu Youhuan had a vague idea in his mind of the outline of a wise ruler that he should emulate.
She wanted to be an emperor like her grandmother.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
