Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

The four words "Chongzhen's meritorious minister" were told to Shen Yongmao by Cao Wenheng after he decided to surrender.

Although Cao Wenheng said that Li Yu asked him to convey the message, Shen Yongmao did not believe it at all.

He didn't believe that Li Yu, who had some talent in opera, would have such an understanding in politics.

The only one who can say these words is the current emperor.

In this way, the truth of everything that happened in the Shen family today was revealed——

It was obvious that the emperor was manipulating this behind the scenes, using the Shen family as a warning to others.

If he did not surrender today, the punishment waiting for the Shen family would be even more severe.

All this is because his Shen family is not Chongzhen's meritorious official:
"Scholars, farmers, merchants, and soldiers, all those who have made contributions can be awarded titles."

"Your Majesty is truly a good man. He wants to reshape the order of the entire world."

"This is truly about remaking rituals and music and creating a new dynasty!"

After hearing these four words, Shen Yongmao recalled what the current emperor had done, and finally connected everything together and understood the current status of the Shen family.

Now that the order of the whole world needs to be reshaped, the Shen family’s previous status and glory are not worth mentioning.

Only those who are recognized by the current emperor are the new nobles of this dynasty.

In today's world, scholars can be granted titles for their meritorious services, soldiers can be granted titles for their meritorious services, craftsmen can be granted titles for their new inventions, and even businessmen can donate money for titles.

It can be said that the emperor brought all the people in the world into the new order. Even the lowest class of untouchables could join the army to get rid of their untouchable status, and even get a title for meritorious service.

Those who were recognized and conferred titles by the emperor were the new nobles of the dynasty, the so-called meritorious officials of Chongzhen.

This is completely different from the previous practice of a new emperor and new ministers. It is more like after Chengzu inherited the world left by Taizu through the Jingnan Rebellion, he appointed the heroes of the Jingnan Rebellion to power.

The reason why people all over the world do not feel it obviously is that the current emperor has not experienced war, and the titles he conferred are also transformed from hereditary positions. People who previously had hereditary positions can be converted into titles.

In addition, the emperor also established the Purple Pavilion Meritorious Officials and the Purple Pavilion Wise Officials, identified the Taizu Meritorious Officials and Chengzu Meritorious Officials, and conferred titles on the descendants of the meritorious officials on a large scale. This makes people think that all of this is a continuation of the same lineage.

But in Shen Yongmao's view at this time, this was clearly an appeasement to the former ministers. In the future, those who would hold power in the court would definitely not be these people.

When he thought about the current emperor enfeoffing Jianwen's ministers and setting up the National History Institute to compile history, he became even more certain that the current emperor was starting over on the basis of the past and planning to create a new dynasty.

"Will this work?"

"Where does the Lord get such great confidence?"

Shen Yongmao, who had never experienced such a thing, was deeply skeptical about this.

If one handles it wrongly, the relatively stable situation of this dynasty might collapse and the whole country might fall into chaos.

The failure of Wang Mang's reform and Jianwen's reform made Shen Yongmao have doubts about this.

Following his father's teachings, he was unwilling to get involved in such matters when the future was uncertain.

But at this point, the Shen family actually had no choice.

The emperor chose the Shen family to establish his authority, so the Shen family must make their attitude clear.

If the Shen family wanted to maintain their wealth and status, the best option was to obey the emperor's command, join the new order, and become the new nobles of the dynasty.

Otherwise, they would be the remnants of the previous dynasty and would be suppressed everywhere.

Cao Wenheng must have understood this, so he was so tough when dealing with the Shen family.

Since he was a powerful official in the new dynasty, why should he be afraid of the old ministers of the previous dynasty?

Shen Yongmao, who understood this, sighed deeply and became more and more annoyed. He couldn't help but kick his son.

If it weren't for this evil obstacle that prevented Li Yu from taking the imperial examination, why would Li Yu run to the capital and become a close minister to the emperor? The Shen family would not have fallen into the emperor's eyes and become a chicken to scare monkeys.

What made Shen Yongmao even angrier was that after Li Yu became a close minister to the emperor, this evildoer still did not know how to repent, causing the Shen family to miss another opportunity.

Otherwise, with Li Yu's relationship, if he said a few good words for the Shen family, the emperor would most likely list Shen Shixing as a wise minister of the Purple Pavilion, making the Shen family a meritorious official recognized by the emperor.

He, Shen Yongmao, was also able to be reinstated early and take advantage of the emperor's attempt to appease his ministers before the New Year to obtain a hereditary title.

That way he could retire peacefully at the age of 70 this year, and avoid the disaster he is facing today.

There is no need to commit oneself to the game, and at such an old age, one still needs to make contributions and seek wealth for the Shen family.

Shen Yongmao became angrier and angrier, wishing he could kick his son to death. He angrily scolded Shen Chuanfang:

"After I arrive in Beijing, I will donate a knighthood to you."

"If you fail to open up a fiefdom in Southeast Asia, you will never be allowed to enter the Shen family again." Rules were set for the family tree that would have to be changed if the family was divided, and Shen Chuanfang's branch would be temporarily listed separately. Only after the fiefdom was opened up would it be officially included.

Shen Chuanfang collapsed to the ground when he heard this. Because the name Chuanfang was meant to be a model for future generations. If he couldn't even get into the family tree, how could he live up to the name?

He really felt a little regretful at this time, blaming himself for being so reckless in the past, which made his father hate him and send him to Southeast Asia.

His younger brothers Shen Tingfang, Shen Jifang and others did not dare to make a fuss at this time, lest they be exiled to Southeast Asia together with their father out of anger.

Only the eldest brother Shen Chengding said with some worry:

"Dad is already seventy years old this year. Can he still rise again?"

"Besides, you are so old, what if something goes wrong on your way north?"

Old officials over the age of seventy must be reinstated with special permission every year, otherwise they will not remain in office.

The reason why Shen Yongmao was not reinstated before may be because he was too old.

Unless it is absolutely necessary, the current emperor rarely reinstates ministers who are over 70 years old. Even ministers over 65 years old are rarely reinstated.

Shen Yongmao was full of confidence and said to his son:
"Don't worry about that. The Emperor will reinstate my father for at least one year just to set an example for the world."

"As long as you can earn your grandfather the title of Purple Pavilion Sage Minister within this year, our Shen family will be safe."

"Maybe you can even get a viscount or baron title, and I'll let you inherit it in the future."

Considering that his father Shen Shixing once served as the Prime Minister, it was almost certain for him to get the title of Purple Pavilion Minister.

The reason why they haven’t got it now is because the emperor wants to punish the Shen family.

Once he gives in, things will naturally be over.

Shen Yongmao believed that as long as he could make a statement, the emperor would most likely let the Shen family go and appease the former ministers.

After hearing this, Shen Chengding felt both worried and happy.

What makes me happy is that I can get the title, but what makes me worried is the same.

Because the title of the current emperor is not so easy to obtain, one must go overseas to establish a fiefdom before inheriting the title.

Thinking of the dangers overseas, he couldn't help but retreat, just like his grandfather Shen Shixing and his father Shen Yongmao, who would hide when encountering troubles.

But Shen Yongmao understood his inherited character and said:

"After the division today, there will be no Jinshi in my branch. Although your uncle's branch has a Jinshi, it is difficult for him to protect you."

"Only with a title can you avoid being bullied."

"So I, as a father, decided to donate a knighthood to the third son Chuanfang, so that he can go to Southeast Asia and take the lead in establishing a fiefdom."

"Anyone else who wants to go can go together."

"If the eldest brother is unwilling to inherit the title in the future, let the Nanyang branch inherit it."

He applied the emperor's policy of competing for titles in his own family.

This surprised Shen Chengding, but Shen Chuanfang was somewhat happy because he finally realized that his father had not completely given up on him, but instead gave him the opportunity to inherit the title.

Others such as Shen Tingfang and Shen Jifang were also tempted, but they were used to a life of luxury and were unwilling to take risks without being forced.

Shen Yongmao watched their performance and sighed inwardly, knowing that after the family split, his lineage would be in decline.

The reason why he was seeking reinstatement at such an old age was to secure a title for his descendants so that they could continue to be rich and prosperous.

Otherwise, in one or two generations, the Shen family might have completely declined.

There must be someone to inherit the title and serve as the backbone of the Shen family.

When Shen Yongmao thought of this, he admired the emperor's methods even more.

Under the pressure of land tax, after the gentry and wealthy families split up, most of them would choose to seek a title so that the family would have a backbone.

Otherwise, they will all be small families and will become ordinary people after a few generations.

There must be many people like him who seek restoration, and there are even families who would choose to donate a title like him.

Regardless of whether people in the world are willing or not, they must enter the emperor's new order.

This gave Shen Yongmao some more confidence in the current emperor, and he believed that the reform of rituals and music would not necessarily fail and bring chaos to the world. (End of this chapter)