My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Zhu Cilang sat down in a rosewood armchair below Chongzhen, a polite smile on his face, and calmly replied:
"Your Majesty, the trip to Fujian went smoothly. I inspected the coastal defenses and ports of Quanzhou and Fuzhou, reviewed part of the navy, and had many contacts with Zheng Zhilong and his generals and local officials. The Zheng family is indeed deeply rooted and its influence in the Fujian area is far-reaching. The size of the fleet, the combat strength of the sailors, and their familiarity with the routes to Southeast Asia and the East Asia are all extraordinary."

"The extent of their wealth is no exaggeration. This experience has further convinced me that by making good use of the Zheng family's resources, there is great potential for future development in maritime trade, fundraising, and even in managing Southeast Asia and containing the Western barbarians. Their value is not limited to money; they are also crucial for expanding naval power."

Emperor Chongzhen listened and nodded slightly.

He already had a good grasp of Zheng Zhilong's power and influence based on previous reports and Zhu Cilang's analysis, so he wasn't too surprised at this moment, simply confirming:

"Well, Minister Zheng is a wise and shrewd man who knows when to act. Now that you have personally inspected the place, it is good that you have a good understanding of the situation."

"My son understands."

Zhu Cilang responded.

The conversation between father and son about Fujian came to an end, and a brief silence fell over the hall.

Emperor Chongzhen picked up a cup of tea that had gone cold from the low table, took a sip, and seemed to be carefully considering his words.

After a moment, he put down his teacup, his gaze sharpening again as he looked at Zhu Cilang. His tone abruptly changed, now carrying a hint of inquiry and understanding:

"I would like to ask you, what exactly happened last night that caused such a stir in Nanjing? Why did you instruct Luo Yangxing to spread such shocking rumors in the city? Saying that you were traveling incognito and were attacked and insulted by the sons of Nanjing nobles on the banks of the Qinhuai River, and even that Nanjing belonged to them..."

"Tell me honestly, are you... planning something against these nobles in Nanjing again?"

By the end, Chongzhen's tone had become somewhat resolute, and there was also a hint of helplessness about his son "stirring things up" again.

He knew his son too well. His actions seemed whimsical, but in reality, they were all meticulously planned, with every step concealing a hidden agenda.

The claim of being "bullied by the sons of nobles" might fool ignorant commoners and terrified officials, but to think it could fool Emperor Chongzhen? Absolutely not!

His son is already good enough if he doesn't bully others, how could he let others bully him?
Moreover, he was accompanied by a large number of Imperial Guards!
This rumor was clearly a smokescreen spread by Zhu Cilang himself, most likely aimed at the deeply entrenched, wealthy, and somewhat disobedient nobles in Nanjing.

When his father exposed him, Zhu Cilang showed no embarrassment at being caught. Instead, he revealed a sly smile that said, "As expected, I couldn't hide it from Father," and readily admitted:
"Father is wise and discerning; it seems nothing can be hidden from you."

Emperor Chongzhen glared at his son, leaned back, and spoke with a hint of complaint:
"I wish I didn't know, just to have some peace and quiet! But this morning, before dawn, the Duke of Wei, the Earl of Chengyi, and several other marquises and earls knelt together outside my palace, wailing and swearing oaths, saying that their rebellious sons would never dare to show the slightest disrespect to the Crown Prince, that someone must be spreading rumors and slandering them, and begging me to investigate thoroughly and clear their names..."

"Their noise is giving me a headache! I know perfectly well that this is your doing, so I didn't even see them. I just sent the eunuchs out to send them away. Now that there are no outsiders here, tell me, what exactly happened last night? And what are you trying to do with this?"

Seeing his father's "you tricked me again" expression, Zhu Cilang chuckled inwardly, knowing that although his father was complaining, he was not really angry, and might even be pleased with it.

He stopped keeping him in suspense and briefly recounted his experiences at the "Shuyuxuan" on the Qinhuai River the previous night to Chongzhen—from the chance encounter with the grandfather and grandson at the wonton stall, to listening to music at "Shuyuxuan," to the incident where Li, the son of the Earl of Changning, caused trouble while drunk and harassed a woman, which led to Chongzhen ordering his men to arrest him, and how he later used the incident to deliberately spread exaggerated rumors.

"That's how it is. The son of the Marquis of Changning is arrogant and domineering, and he even dares to spout nonsense in front of me. It's clear how rampant he is. I have already taken him down along with the other spoiled brats who were helping him and imprisoned them."

Zhu Cilang stated this calmly.

Emperor Chongzhen listened to what was said earlier, but his face remained largely unmoved.

He had heard and seen many of these kinds of shady dealings—the sons of noble families bullying men and women and running rampant in the streets—in the capital.

In his early years, the country was in dire straits, and he was overwhelmed with problems, having neither the time nor the energy to deal with these "trivial matters".

The nobles in the capital, at least under the emperor's nose, knew some restraint. But Nanjing, far from the political center for over a century, had a weak imperial authority. The nobles here were, to some extent, local "emperors," and their sons were probably even more lawless than those in the capital.

What Zhu Cilang said was exactly what he expected.

But when Zhu Cilang revealed his subsequent plans, Chongzhen involuntarily sat up straight on the couch. The lingering laziness and casualness on his face, which had been disturbed, was instantly replaced by astonishment, doubt, and even a slight shock. The teacup in his hand paused slightly, and a few drops of cold tea splashed onto the bright yellow sleeves of his robe.

"What? You...you want to conscript all the eldest sons of noble families in Nanjing to the capital to train at the New Army Military Academy, and in the future...you want them to go to the Liaodong front with the army!"

Emperor Chongzhen's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently at his son.

"Lang'er, this...this isn't training officers, this is clearly...this is 'hostages'! And not just one or two, but all of them! How...how can this be allowed?"

He shook his head repeatedly, his face showing disapproval:

"Even if those few scoundrels from last night deserved to be beaten and killed, you should deal with them as you see fit. How can you use this as an excuse to drag the entire elite family of Nanjing into this mess? This is unreasonable and far too cruel! It's like if someone wanted you to leave my side and go to a dangerous place where your life is uncertain as a hostage, I would absolutely refuse!"

"This is only human nature! Even the most incompetent nobles will still value their own sons in the same way."

"If you insist on doing this, it may incite public anger, or even... even cause chaos! The situation in Nanjing has just stabilized, and I do not want any major trouble to arise before I leave."

Emperor Chongzhen's concerns were reasonable. Forcibly conscripting all the eldest sons of nobles was tantamount to detaining the most important people as hostages. The method was too drastic and direct, which could easily trigger strong backlash and panic, and might even force some nobles with no other options to take desperate measures.

This seems to contradict his overall strategy of "using both kindness and force" to strive for a smooth transition since his southern tour.

However, Zhu Cilang seemed to have anticipated his father's reaction.

Instead of showing displeasure at being questioned, he revealed a confident and composed smile as he calmly explained:

“Father’s concerns are very valid. If we were to directly conscript them under the name of ‘hostages,’ it would indeed be a very bad idea and would certainly be met with strong resistance. However, there is no need to be so direct about this matter.”

He paused briefly, organized his thoughts, and explained clearly and logically:
“Your Majesty, my intention is not to forcibly abduct hostages, but to select and promote people in a ‘legitimate’ manner. Your Majesty, please consider that Nanjing has enjoyed a century of peace, but its military preparedness has fallen into disrepair and its martial spirit has declined. This is common knowledge. The court has long had plans to reorganize the garrisons in various regions and train new armies.”

"Why not take this opportunity, under the pretext of 'strengthening the defense of the capital, revitalizing the military prestige of Nanjing, and cultivating military talents for the nation,' to issue an edict to select elite officers and soldiers from the Nanjing Garrison, Xiaoling Guard, and other guard posts to form a 'New Nanjing Army,' and transfer them to Beijing to receive a year of rigorous training at the New Army Military Academy."

"At the same time, in order to show the court’s trust in the Nanjing nobles and to give the sons of the nobles an opportunity to serve the country and make contributions, the court ordered each noble family in Nanjing to send one eligible son to join the 'Nanjing New Army' to serve as a middle or lower-ranking officer, such as a centurion, a flag officer, or even a probationary commander, and to accompany the army north for training."

Zhu Cilang's voice was steady and powerful, as if he were stating a perfectly natural national policy:
“In this way, nominally, they are going to Beijing to ‘further study,’ to ‘lead troops,’ to ‘acquire real power’ and ‘accumulate experience.’ The court ‘trusts’ them, ‘promotes’ them, and gives them the opportunity to make merit! This is no longer ‘detention,’ but ‘grace’ and ‘promotion.’”

"Even if some people have doubts in their hearts, it would be extremely difficult to find a reason to oppose it openly. After all, how many military families dream of having their own sons command troops, gain experience, and even have the opportunity to make meritorious contributions in future wars? Once this title of 'serving the country and restoring the family's reputation' is attached to them, who would dare to openly refuse? Wouldn't that be admitting disloyalty and unwillingness to serve the court?"

As Chongzhen listened, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes.

Yes, if you put it another way, the nature of the matter is completely different.

They were transformed from repulsive and feared "hostages" into enviable and even sought-after "opportunities" and "powers".

For lower- and middle-class nobles who yearn to revive their family's reputation or need to accumulate capital in the internal competition within their families, this may indeed be an irresistible temptation.

In particular, granting "officers" real positions, even if they are only at the middle or lower levels, means actual military power and a ladder for promotion, which is much more attractive than simply holding a nominal title in the capital.

"This plan... is quite ingenious, turning a passive situation into an active one and silencing people."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slowly, but a lingering worry remained between his brows.

"But... Lang'er, although this method may deceive people, anyone with discerning eyes can see through its tricks. Bringing them all to the capital and placing them under the direct control of the court is no different from sending them as hostages. How could those cunning nobles not see through it? What I am worried about is not their open opposition, but their secret resistance, their feigned compliance, or even their secret collusion, so that they might cause trouble in Nanjing after we return north."

"Nanjing is a vital center of the nation's finances and a key hub in the southeast. If it were to fall, the consequences would be dire."

Zhu Cilang had clearly considered Chongzhen's concerns thoroughly. He continued his father's line of thought, offering a deeper analysis with a calm and insightful understanding of the world:

"What Father Emperor is concerned about is certainly a wise and experienced opinion on governing the country. However, this matter needs to be handled with care. It is not a monolithic entity. There are divisions within it, and it may not necessarily form a united force to resist."

"One."

Zhu Cilang held up one finger.

"While the eldest son is important, many noble families in Nanjing have large and prosperous households with numerous branches and branches. Even if the eldest son goes north, there are still other children in the family who can take care of him and manage the family business. It is not that the family line has been cut off. Their family roots are still in Nanjing. Their industries, connections, and networks are all there. As long as the court does not take the action of confiscating property and exterminating the clan, they will not dare to or have the ability to really take the risk and commit rebellion. That would be tantamount to destroying their own Great Wall."

"Second."

He raised his second finger, his gaze becoming profound.

“People have different minds and different desires. Those top-ranking, hereditary dukes and marquises, such as the Duke of Wei and the Earl of Chengyi, have already reached the highest rank and are extremely wealthy. They may be more content with the status quo and unwilling to let their sons and nephews take risks.”

"However, the Nanjing noble circle consists mostly of hereditary earls, generals, and assistant generals, as well as some nobles who have long since fallen from grace, whose titles are now merely empty names and who have little real power or influence in Nanjing. For them, their family's glory has long faded and their power has diminished, and they need an opportunity to revive their family's honor!"

"Letting the eldest sons enter the new army, obtain real positions, go north for training, and even strive for military merit in possible future wars is simply a godsend! Not only will they not object, but they will probably rush to join, fearing that they will fall behind! This move by the court can win over these middle and lower-level nobles and divide the noble group."

Thirdly.

Zhu Cilang raised his voice slightly, with a sense of certainty.

"And most importantly, Father, I believe that in such a vast city as Nanjing, among the hundreds of noble families and the hundreds and thousands of noble sons, not everyone is a good-for-nothing who only knows how to fight cocks and ride horses, indulging in a life of debauchery! There must also be ambitious young men who are unwilling to sink into depravity, who yearn to make a name for themselves through real battles and bring glory to their families!"

"They are trapped in this gentle and wealthy land, with no way to go and no place to use their talents. Now that the court has opened its doors, giving them a path to military merit and true glory, how can they not be tempted? Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for the court to discover and cultivate a new generation of loyal military talents for the Ming Dynasty! To simply assume that all the nobles in Nanjing are rotten wood would be too arbitrary."

This speech progresses step by step, analyzing practical interests, gaining insight into the subtleties of human nature, and carrying an inspiring expectation.

As Chongzhen listened, the doubt in his eyes was gradually replaced by a complex emotion—a sense of sudden realization, agreement, and even a flicker of long-dormant passion stirred within him by Zhu Cilang's vision of "selecting outstanding talents and revitalizing the martial spirit." (End of Chapter)