The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 290 Zhu Youjian (I)

On May 20th of the second year of Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian led the Chief Secretary of Prince Xin's Palace to arrive in the capital.

Marquis Ping Liao and important officials such as Huang Kexun, Shi Fenglai, Huang Liji, and Ye Xianggao went out of the Daming Gate to welcome him.

Twenty thousand Kaiyuan troops guarded the nine gates of the capital and controlled the entire city.

Kang Yingqian specially selected a group of soldiers with tall and strong appearance to guard the Daming Gate.

According to Kang Yingqian's original intention, Prince Xin, as a vassal king, should enter the capital through Guangning Gate.

However, Xu Guangpu, the chief secretary of Prince Xin, insisted on entering through the Daming Gate. He cited the old precedent of Emperor Shizong Zhu Houzhao, who entered the palace through the Daming Gate. He claimed that the succession from brother to brother was the ancestral system of the dynasty, and that Prince Xin was equivalent to the crown prince, so entering through the Daming Gate was reasonable and in accordance with the ancestral system!
Xu Guangpu was a juren in the 36th year of the Wanli reign. From the 46th year of the Wanli reign, he began to serve as the chief historian of Prince Xin's Palace, teaching Zhu Youjian etiquette and system, classics, history, and literature.

Xu Guangpu was fond of reading and his knowledge was not inferior to Kang Yingqian.

Kang Yingqian was left speechless by the scholar's argument. His beard trembled with anger. Ping Liaohou repeatedly warned him not to use violence against Prince Xin's confidants.

So Lao Kang had to make concessions.

As a result, Kang Yingqian and Xu Guangpu became estranged.

~~~~~~~~
At noon on May 20th, the second year of Chongzhen.

The twelve-year-old Prince Xin Zhu Youjian, wearing a mourning dress made of linen, met with his ministers in front of the Daming Gate under the protection of Kaiyuan guards.

Although his ministers repeatedly urged him to ascend the throne, for Zhu Youjian, the road to the throne was like walking on thin ice.

Although he was only twelve years old and far away in Henan, he saw the so-called Jingnan Campaign very clearly.

The amiable Marquis of Ping Liao, standing before him, was actually the one who murdered his brother. Not only his brother, but his father's death last year was also linked to this traitor.

On the 19th, Prince Xin and his entourage entered Shuntian Prefecture.

After Kang Yingqian learned about this, he secretly sent guard Lin Yu to Shuntian Prefecture to escort Prince Xin into the palace without Liu Zhaosun's permission.

Zhu Youjian was very cautious along the way towards this burly warrior who was as strong as a bear.

What he couldn't forget was the secret warning that Empress Feng had sent to him:

"Don't eat the food of Liu the thief." (Note 1)

Therefore, from Shuntian Prefecture to the capital, Zhu Youjian insisted on eating homemade wheat cakes along the way.

He hid the wheat cake in his sleeve and followed the tall and ferocious-looking Liu Ze's lackey all the way to the Daming Gate in the capital.

In front of the Daming Gate, densely packed soul-calling banners had already been erected, and the area from the moat to the city wall was filled with people.

In addition to the officials of the six ministries, the generals of Kaiyuan, all the princes, princes, princesses, eunuchs and palace maids in the capital were present. Everyone wore a hanqi robe to welcome Prince Xin.

Prince Xin Zhu Youjian looked at the huge crowd of people in front of him waiting for him to ascend the throne, but he did not feel a trace of joy.

Imagining the scene of his brother being burned alive by Liu Zhaosun, he could not help but feel angry. He looked at the bear-like Lin Yu in front of him and said angrily in a low voice:

"Go and tell Marquis Ping Liao that I have my own palace guards to protect me, so there's no need for Marquis Ping Liao to send anyone. You can go back now!"

Lin Yu seemed not to hear him, and walked towards the city gate holding Zhu Youjian tightly.

When the guards on both sides of Prince Xin's Palace saw the knife wound on Lin Yu's face and his black tower-like body, they were so frightened that they said nothing, let alone step forward to "protect" Prince Xin.

Zhu Youjian tried hard to break free from the huge arm, but found it was in vain. He inadvertently looked up at the wall of Daming Gate, but saw rows of archers in black standing behind the battlements, all with bows and arrows drawn, watching vigilantly for any movement in front of the city gate.

Zhu Youjian gave up struggling and followed Lin Yu step by step towards Ping Liaohou who was standing in the front.

He suppressed the deep hatred he felt for Liu Zhaosun, and faced Ping Liaohou with a smile of superiority on his slightly childish face.

Liu Zhaosun wore plain clothes, a black gauze hat, and a black horn belt, and bowed to Zhu Youjian who was walking towards him.

According to the Ming Dynasty official system, officials of the sixth rank and above did not have to kneel and kowtow when meeting a vassal king. Moreover, Liu Zhaosun was now the Prince's Junior Tutor, the Marquis of Ping Liao, and the Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong. Zhu Youjian bowed in return.

Ping Liaohou looked at the chief minister Ye Xianggao standing beside him. Chief Minister Ye immediately stepped out and said to Prince Xin:

"The late emperor was murdered by traitors. Before his death, he entrusted the cabinet of Marquis Ping Liao to the emperor, asking him to assist the successor and abide by the ancestral system."

Before Zhu Youjian could speak, a minister came out from the opposite side and shouted:
"How can a ten-year-old Prince Xin govern the world?"

Chief Secretary Xu Guangpu looked coldly at the man in front of him and shouted:
"Who are you? How can you interfere in the affairs of the royal family? Come, take him..."

Xu Guangpu was about to order the guards of Prince Xin's palace to arrest this man when he suddenly saw a large number of Beijing officials kneeling down in unison on the opposite side. They did not even look at the twelve-year-old Zhu Youjian, but all faced the direction of the Qianqing Palace and started wailing.

"The late emperor's revenge must be avenged!"

"Prince Xin ascended the throne at such a young age. What will become of the Ming Dynasty?"

·······
For a moment, the scene fell into chaos, and civil and military officials expressed their opinions. Finally, the ministers split into two factions, both pointing to Prince Xin Zhu Youjian.

One group said: Prince Xin ascended the throne at a young age and it was difficult to hide the truth from the Chinese. The other group pointed out that Prince Xin was intelligent, benevolent and filial by nature and could be a wise ruler. He should immediately ascend the throne and rule the country, kill Donglin and avenge the late emperor.

When the two sides were in a stalemate, a minister suddenly squeezed out from the crowd. Upon closer inspection, it was Hou Xun, the Minister of Rites.

Hou Xun first bowed to Ping Liao Hou, then bowed to Prince Xin, and finally turned around and pointed at the ministers, shouting with all his might:
"Where is your conscience?! Marquis Ping Liao, clad in armor and armed with sharp weapons, braved arrows and stones. In the first battle at Hunhe, he defeated the Eastern Tartars and killed the old slave. In the second battle at Dengzhou, he pacified the White Lotus Sect and saved the capital. Now, he has entered the pass to defend the king, eradicated the treacherous and evil, and has made outstanding military achievements. He has contributed greatly to the reconstruction of the Ming Dynasty!"

"If it weren't for Marquis Ping Liao, who knows how many would have claimed the title of king, how many would have claimed the title of emperor! Without Marquis Ping Liao, the country would have been overthrown, and all the people would have suffered. Without Marquis Ping Liao, how could Prince Xin have entered the capital to inherit the throne? Without Marquis Ping Liao, how could you all be here talking and laughing, having grand conversations?"

"You are here to sow discord between the emperor and his subjects, and to criticize their meritorious service. What is your real intention? I dare to offer a suggestion! Appoint Ping Liao Hou as regent! Assist the new emperor, just as the Three Yangs assisted Emperor Yingzong! This will benefit the country and all people!"

"Minister Hou, this is the words of a wise and experienced man, and I second your proposal!"

"I second this motion!"

·······
The ministers immediately agreed, and then a group of civil servants began to quote from classics eloquently, each one more moving than the other, comparing Liu Zhaosun to figures like Zhuge Liang and the Three Yangs (Yang Pu, Yang Rong, and Yang Shiqi).

Even officials who had previously supported Prince Xin's personal rule immediately changed their tune, especially the few imperial censors who hadn't had their property confiscated. They swore that the Marquis of Ping Liao was the pillar of the nation. They also cited the example of Liu Zhaosun borrowing money from General Qiao for his birthday celebration in Kaiyuan, demonstrating that the Marquis of Ping Liao had lofty aspirations and a unity of purpose, and was definitely not a powerful official or hypocrite like Zhang Jiangling (Ju Zheng).

In the end, everyone came to the conclusion:

The Ming Dynasty can leave anyone except Ping Liaohou, otherwise the country will be in chaos.

Among hundreds of officials, only Li Banghua, the head of the Ministry of War, and a dozen nobles stood alone on the side, glaring at Liu Zhaosun and others.

Liu Zhaosun knew that this was another big show arranged by Kang Yingqian, Sun Chuanting and others.

However, Prince Xin is so aggressive even though he hasn’t ascended the throne yet.

This way of eating is really ugly.

Liu Zhaosun coughed lightly, and the civil officials and censors who were arguing around him immediately stopped talking.

There was silence all around.

"How can I, an official, dare to compare myself to the Three Yangs? Prince Xin ascended the throne at a young age, gifted with valor and bravery. He should inherit the throne and immediately take charge of the country to avenge the late emperor!"

"There's no need to discuss this matter any further. Everyone, please don't put me on the fire!"

He turned and looked at Zhu Youjian, and Prince Xin was also looking at Marquis Ping Liao with a smile.

Liu Zhaosun was surprised to find that this twelve-year-old boy was quite cunning and could still remain so calm at this time.

"Your Highness Prince Xin, we have already established a new reign title for Your Highness. Once the late emperor's funeral is complete, we invite Your Highness to ascend the throne as soon as possible and establish the reign title of Tianqi."

Note:
1. See Volume of Sun Chengze’s Siling Ceremonial Records.

(End of this chapter)