The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 577: The Struggle for Imperial Power is Cruel and Merciless
Zhu Huakui's groundless accusations were enough to justify the reduction of Chu's vassal state.

However, the New Year is approaching, and it seems a bit unreasonable to reduce the power of the vassal states at this time.

Everything has to be decided on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. It is indeed not a good idea to reduce the power of the vassal during the New Year.

Not to mention anything else, even the New Year made Chu Fan cry loudly. Is this a prosperous era or a chaotic era?
After much deliberation, Wanli decided to wait until after the New Year to reduce the power of the princes.

However, preparations can still be made before reducing the power of the feudal lords.

Early in the morning at about noon that day, he ordered someone to summon Wu Daonan, the left vice minister of the Ministry of Rites and the Xima of the Sijing Bureau, to the imperial study.

After the emperor and his minister exchanged greetings, he handed over Zhu Huakui's confession.

Wu Daonan took the tribute and looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but reveal a hint of shock.

The Chu clan is so unbearable!

What does His Majesty mean by this?

Could it be that I am the one who is supposed to handle the affairs of the Chu clan?

At this moment, Shangshu Lord Lu is still recuperating from his injuries.

Lord Lu was actually injured by a member of the Chu royal family.

This Chu clan is really too outrageous.

Problem, how to deal with it?
He thought about it carefully, then asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, how do you think the Chu clan should be dealt with?"

Of course, that is to reduce the power of the feudal lords!

Wanli said solemnly: "These princes and royal family members are too outrageous. I have decided to reduce the power of the Chu vassal state to serve as a warning to others.

Based on this confession, you should compile a court bulletin to make the crimes committed by Chu Fan public.

Also, you should include the Chu vassal rebellion, the true and false Chu King case, and the Chu Crown Prince Zhu Yingyao's patricide case."

Cut off the vassal!

His Majesty means that I should write about the Chu vassal state in a way that makes it necessary to destroy it.

Upon hearing this, Wu Daonan nodded solemnly and said, "I understand."

Wanli then gave him a detailed instruction: "Don't make this public in advance. Complete the entire article by yourself and don't rely on others."

what?
The next issue of the official bulletin will be published in a few days.

I am afraid it will be too late for me to write so many articles and print them out.

Upon hearing this, Wu Daonan said cautiously, "Your Majesty, I dare say that if I have to write all the articles by myself, I'm afraid I won't be able to publish the next issue."

This is not so urgent.

Wanli shook his head slightly, pondered for a while, and then asked, "This issue will be published on the 20th of the first lunar month next year. Is there any problem?"

There is still more than a month left, so it’s still plenty of time for me to write it by myself.

Wu Daonan nodded repeatedly and said, "No problem."

That'll do.

Wanli thought about it carefully again, then raised his hand and waved.

Wu Daonan hurriedly took the confession and bowed to take his leave.

Immediately afterwards, Wanli summoned Luo Sigong again.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, he asked, "Si Gong, how is the investigation into the lamp oil going?"

Oh, this is really hard to investigate.

This time I met my match.

Luo Sigong said with some shame, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. The remnants of the three great families in Puzhou are hiding too deeply. I haven't found any trace of them yet."

The three great families in Puzhou are really powerful.

These guys are a force that can change dynasties.

Upon hearing this, Wanli nodded slowly, then asked, "Is there anyone in the Chu clan who is engaged in the lamp oil business?"

Chu Fan didn't seem to have it.

Luo Sigong said in a rather strange tone, "Your Majesty, this is indeed a bit strange. It seems that all other vassal states are engaged in the lamp oil business, but it seems that no one in the Chu clan is involved in this business."

This is actually not surprising.

Shen Yikuan had already placed his trusted confidants in the Chu clan.

The Chu vassal state was equivalent to the Zhejiang Party's territory.

At that time, Donglin and Zhejiang Party were still at loggerheads with each other, so the remnants of the three great families of Puzhou would naturally not risk being exposed and go to the Chu vassal state to do this business.

Wanli nodded slightly, and then said solemnly: "I have decided to reduce the Chu vassal state, and I will start on the 20th of the first lunar month next year.

First, send a thousand secret guards to secretly investigate the situation of all the royal family members of the Chu clan. Then, cooperate with the Jinyiwei who are in the open to wipe out the Chu clan."

This is a simple matter.

Those princes and royal families are far inferior to the three major families in Puzhou.

Luo Sigong bowed repeatedly and said, "Your humble servant understands."

Wanli thought about it carefully again, then waved his hand.

Luo Sigong quickly bowed and took his leave.

Immediately afterwards, Wanli summoned Lu Yi again.

After the king and his ministers exchanged greetings, he asked, "Are you busy with the house searches recently? Do you have enough manpower?" It turned out that they were not busy at the moment.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi explained in detail, "Your Majesty, now the only ones left to investigate are the corrupt officials at the local level.

"Mr. Yuan is still conducting trials in batches according to the prefectures, counties, and districts. I only need to send a thousand men and a hundred naval ships to carry them all the way. It won't be busy at all, and I have plenty of manpower under my command."

That's good.

Wanli nodded slightly, then said solemnly: "You should make good preparations. We must reduce the Chu vassal state on the 20th day of the first lunar month next year.

Si Gong has already ordered people to secretly investigate the Chu clan. You can discuss with him how many people to send.

In short, the Jinyiwei who are going to confiscate property on the 20th day of the first lunar month must rush to the Chu clan. You can decide when they will set out."

This means we need to reduce the power of the feudal lords again!

The Chu vassal state is not small.

Hearing this, Lu Yi nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand."

Wanli thought about it carefully again, then waved his hand.

Lu Yi quickly bowed and took his leave.

After that, he never invited anyone to come to see him again.

Seeing that he had finished making the arrangements, little Zhu Changxun couldn't help but ask, "Father, does it take so long to prepare for the reduction of the feudal system? Why wait until the 20th day of the first lunar month next year?"

This is not a question of how long it takes to prepare.

Wanli thought about it carefully, and then patiently explained: "It doesn't take so long to prepare for the reduction of the feudal system. It is a matter of personal relationships and social etiquette.

There is a folk saying that everything should be discussed on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. It means that you should not cause trouble to others during festivals and at least let them wait until the festival is over.

The Chu clan is at least a royal family member, and it's a bit unreasonable for us to not even let them celebrate the New Year."

Sophisticated people?

Does an emperor still need to consider the ways of the world?

Little Zhu Changxun was quite puzzled and asked, "Father, isn't it said that emperors are ruthless? Why should we care about human relationships and worldly affairs?"

The emperor is ruthless?

Who told you that?
Wanli shook his head slowly, then patiently taught: "The emperor's ruthlessness does not mean that the emperor must be cold-blooded and ruthless.

The word "ruthless" means that you should be ruthless when you need to be, not that you should be a person without any feelings.

Let me give you a very simple example, family affection. After you become emperor, can you be bad to your mother?
If you are clearly not kind to your mother, even if you are the emperor, people will scold you."

How could I be mean to my mother?
But you, I heard that grandma was under house arrest by you!

Isn't that your mother?

Little Zhu Changxun thought about it carefully, and then asked cautiously: "Father, I dare to ask you why you locked up Grandma? I haven't even seen her yet."

Is this your understanding of the emperor's ruthlessness?!

If someone else asked me this, I would kill him!

Wanli sighed slightly, then patiently explained: "This is the true meaning of the emperor's ruthlessness.

The emperor is ruthless and he will be ruthless when necessary. You don't understand the empress dowager's character. She is too power-hungry and always wants to seize the imperial power and make the emperor listen to her.

It would be fine if she had some ability to lead the Ming Dynasty to prosperity, but the problem is that she was born into a poor craftsman family who knew nothing and only believed in slander.

If she were allowed to do whatever she wanted, she could sell out the Ming Dynasty and give the money to others. It can be said that she raised the three major families of Puzhou and the Jiannu.

Cai Yong, a famous official of the Eastern Han Dynasty, once said that when women interfere in government affairs, disasters will continue.

The so-called women's temple refers to the harem and eunuchs.

This statement makes a lot of sense. The interference of women in government affairs was the fundamental reason for the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, it was the empress dowager who interfered in government affairs, and the arrogance and domineering of relatives by marriage, and several emperors died in unclear circumstances.

Finally, the Ten Eunuchs emerged and disrupted the government, and the Eastern Han Dynasty fell.

This is the lesson, so my father must take back the imperial power.

However, my father did not explicitly treat the Empress Dowager badly, so outsiders still did not know about this, at least the common people did not know about it.

The emperor is ruthless when it is necessary. You must have heard the story of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, right?
At that time, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was competing with his eldest brother Jiancheng and fourth brother Yuanji for the throne. They launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident and killed Jiancheng and Yuanji.

Later, he placed Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan under house arrest in the harem. This is called being ruthless when necessary, and the struggle for imperial power is cruel and ruthless.

Is the struggle for imperial power so cruel and ruthless?

Upon hearing this, little Zhu Changxun shrank back in fear and said, "Father, if someone competes with me for the imperial power, will I also be cruel and ruthless?"

You kid, you think too much.

However, this is also a good thing. If an emperor doesn't think about anything, the dynasty will most likely be over.

Wanli nodded slowly, then patiently taught: "Of course, you should be ruthless when you need to be.

However, your father will try his best to enfeoff your brothers outside the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, the emperor will not leave them too many troops. At least, the emperor will not allow their troops to be stronger than any of the Beijing troops, the navy, and the border troops.

You must remember to keep a firm grip on the capital's army, navy, and border troops from now on. Do not hand them over to any son other than the Crown Prince, and certainly not to your brothers.

This is the only way to avoid any struggle for imperial power, you know?"

Oh, so this is why you sent your eldest and second brothers so far away.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhu Changxun nodded as if he understood, and then fell into deep thought again.

(End of this chapter)