The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 131 Rescuing the Crown Prince from Danger
Faced with the emperor's attempt to shift the blame, Li Xianmu was not afraid at all; in fact, he was quite excited.

Meanwhile, Li Qi, high above the heavens, received a message from the system.

[Second-generation patriarch Li Xianmu argued forcefully and refuted the emperor at the grand court assembly, increasing his prestige among the ministers by 5 points, bringing his current prestige to 65.]

Li Xianmu was excited because he could feel the change in the eyes of the officials around him. He thought of what his father had said: "Since ancient times, the fastest way to accumulate prestige is to criticize the emperor, the crown prince, and high-ranking officials. These people are excellent prestige boosters, but you can't just boost it randomly. You have to do it in a reasonable and justifiable way."

The ministers aren't stupid. If you're really just trying to gain attention, they'll look down on you, and might even sneer or mock you.

Only situations like Li Qi's angry rebuke of Jianwen in the Golden Palace and Li Xianmu's current advocacy for the righteous path can truly boost one's reputation.

In his excitement, Li Xianmu calmed down slightly.

First of all, Zhu Di was determined to send Zheng He, and there was no way to stop him.

Even if the emperor wanted to make good use of eunuchs, he had already sent eunuchs to guard and supervise the army several times before, and this was an inevitable trend.

He didn't mention the heavy reliance on eunuchs; as long as Zheng He wasn't formally appointed as an official in the outer court, that was enough.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, Zheng Zhangyin is indeed the best candidate to be in charge of the Maritime Affairs Bureau, but he cannot be in charge of it as a formal third-rank official of the outer court."

Zheng Zhangyin was originally a fourth-rank eunuch in the inner court. When the emperor went on his voyages to the Western Ocean, he was appointed to oversee the voyages. This practice can be repeated now, with Zheng Zhangyin in charge of the maritime affairs department. No second- or third-rank officials will be appointed in the maritime affairs department.

The next day, when the court can select a person to take charge of the Maritime Affairs Bureau, Zheng Zhangyin's post can be removed. In this way, Your Majesty will not break with precedent, and you can still let Zheng Zhangyin take charge of the Maritime Affairs Bureau.

Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, then turned to the ministers in the hall, "What do you all think?"

The ministers in the palace looked at each other, and after careful consideration, they realized that this was probably the only solution.

The current emperor trusts the eunuchs who fought alongside him during the Jingnan Rebellion, sending them on numerous missions, even entrusting Zheng He with tasks such as the voyages to the Western Ocean. This speaks volumes.

Their objections are ineffective.

Now that we can cut off the eunuchs' reach into the outer court, that is enough.

Before long, all the officials in the court, whether they liked it or not, approved of the decision.

After the court session ended, Li Xianmu received compliments from people outside of the School of Mind for the first time. Then, the chief eunuch of the emperor's side walked up to him with a smile and said, "Scholar Li, His Majesty summons you to the rear palace."

Li Xianmu's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself: The emperor wouldn't be so petty, would he? Would he actually retaliate?
As soon as he entered the hall, he saw a memorial pointing directly at his face, followed by an annoyed voice saying, "You really showed off your power in the hall today. With such a good plan, why didn't you say so at the beginning? Why did you have to say it at the grand court assembly?"

Li Xianmu rubbed his somewhat numb face, picked up the memorial from the ground, and judged from the emperor's voice that he was a little angry but not much, so he smiled wryly and said, "Your Majesty, I did not know that you would bring up such an important matter in the main hall without prior consultation."

I originally intended to say this after the court session.

But since Your Majesty was about to make a decision, I had no choice but to speak out at the grand court assembly.

The emperor's expression softened slightly, which was considered an acceptance of Li Xianmu's explanation.

Li Xianmu secretly rejoiced that he enjoyed a high level of trust from the emperor.

Just then, Di Pangpang Zhu Gaochi, despite his physical discomfort, walked into the hall. He had heard that Li Xianmu had been summoned away by the emperor after court and was worried that something might have happened to Li Xianmu, so he rushed over.

Upon seeing the atmosphere between the two people in the hall, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But Li Xianmu felt alarm bells ringing and sensed something was wrong. Why did the Crown Prince have to come at this time of year?

Wouldn't this make the emperor suspect the relationship between him and the crown prince?
Before he could react, the emperor said coldly, "What rumors has the Crown Prince heard that have caused you to rush here in such a hurry? Are you worried that I might harm your nephew?"

"There's no need for the Crown Prince to trouble himself; I am not that heartless."

Zhu Gaochi's chubby face turned deathly pale almost instantly, and beads of cold sweat covered his neck. He knew that he had done something wrong with his good intentions.

The emperor's words, which struck at the heart of the matter, almost broke down Zhu Gaochi's defenses, and he really didn't know how to refute them.

In that split second, Li Xianmu turned to the Crown Prince, his lips barely moving, and Zhu Gaochi blinked twice.

Upon receiving the signal, Li Xianmu immediately spoke up: "Your Majesty, I came here as soon as I finished court. His Highness the Crown Prince takes a different route back to the Eastern Palace. How could he have known that I was here?"
Therefore, His Highness the Crown Prince's visit to Your Majesty is not because of this humble subject; presumably, His Highness has something to discuss with Your Majesty.

Zhu Di was still angry, and he shifted his gaze between Li Xianmu and the Crown Prince, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "What could he possibly be up to?"

Your Highness, please speak.

If you can't answer, I will not let you off easily!

Zhu Gaochi knelt on the ground and took out a beautifully patterned peace talisman from his bosom. "Father, this is a peace talisman that I have requested for you. It requires you to personally offer incense for eighty-one days. Today is the ninth day, which is the last day of the eighty-one days. You need to wear it yourself. I was worried that I would miss the appointed time, so I rushed to the back hall as soon as you finished court."

Zhu Di was taken aback. He took the amulet and looked at the date on it. Sure enough, it was the 81st day, and today was the ninth.

It really was a misunderstanding!
Looking at the Crown Prince's pale face and the fear he felt after being scolded, Zhu Di felt a pang of unease and began to reflect on whether he had been too harsh on his eldest son.

Aside from not resembling him, this child is actually not a big problem. Li Qi once said that the Crown Prince is benevolent and decisive, and that making Zhu Gaochi the Crown Prince would be entirely beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Di thought of the Crown Prince's past acts of benevolence and filial piety, and the slight doubt in his heart had long since vanished, leaving only a deep sense of guilt.

"Alas, I misunderstood you just now."

Zhu Di patted Zhu Gaochi on the shoulder. He was a man of deep feelings and said with a hint of guilt, "Tell me what reward you want, and I will compensate you accordingly."

Zhu Gaochi shook his head honestly, "It is my actions that have caused Father to misunderstand. I should reflect on myself. How could I ask Father for a reward?"

Zhu Di knew Zhu Gaochi's temperament, so he didn't try to persuade him further. He planned to have the Imperial Concubine take some good items from her private treasury and send them to the Eastern Palace later.

After the father and son finished speaking, Zhu Di remembered that there was still a person kneeling on the ground. He turned to Li Xianmu and said, "Xianmu, you are right. I have wronged the Crown Prince. Please get up."

If it weren't for you, I would have almost mistaken the Crown Prince for someone with ill intentions.

As Li Xianmu thanked the emperor and rose, he smiled and said, "The Crown Prince's benevolence and filial piety are known to all in the court and the country. That is why I have made this guess. This is a blessing for the Great Ming Dynasty. Since ancient times, within the imperial family, where has there been such a loving father and filial son as our Great Ming Dynasty?"
Your Majesty congratulates Your Majesty on having such a benevolent and filial heir as the Crown Prince.

Zhu Di also remarked with emotion: "The Crown Prince is indeed a filial son. I can rest assured that I have entrusted the Ming Dynasty to him."

His back was still chilly from the cold sweat that had soaked it, but hearing these words made him feel hot again. He rarely heard his father praise him like this.

The two went outside the hall.

Zhu Gaochi said in a low voice, "Cousin, if it weren't for you today, I would be in trouble."

"If Your Highness hadn't been worried about me, why would you have come in such a hurry? In fact, it was I who caused this trouble."

Zhu Gaochi chuckled upon hearing this. His clothes, soaked with cold sweat, clung tightly to his back, making him feel rather uncomfortable, yet he found it quite pleasant.

"You are very important to me, and I can't stand by and watch you get into danger."

"Your Highness need not worry in the future. After all, I am His Majesty's nephew. Would His Majesty kill me?"

It's nothing more than demotion and exile.

As he said these words, Li Xianmu was also covered in cold sweat.

Li Xianmu was even more nervous about today's events than Zhu Gaochi, fearing that this matter might arouse the emperor's suspicion.

Then he would find it extremely difficult to move an inch during the Yongle reign.

Although there is no danger to his life, if he cannot participate in politics, what difference is there between him and being killed?
Fortunately, Li Xianmu had been worried about unforeseen circumstances and had made many contingency plans, one of which was this peace talisman.

The Crown Prince carried one with him every day when he changed his clothes. He destroyed it daily without asking anyone else to do it, all in the hopes that this situation would occur. Unexpectedly, it actually happened.

Just now, Li Xianmu and the Crown Prince exchanged a glance, confirming that he had brought a safety talisman.

What followed was a natural progression.

Political struggles are not actually that mysterious.

The reason why the Prince of Han was able to gain the upper hand was because the emperor liked and favored him. Later, he bribed many people to speak ill of the Crown Prince, making the emperor increasingly dislike and suspicious of the Crown Prince.

Li Xianmu did the opposite, evoking the emperor's fatherly affection for the crown prince, which naturally secured the crown prince's position.

“I have received great kindness from my uncle, and now I am receiving help from you, Xianmu.”

Zhu Gaochi sighed and said, "If I ever ascend to the throne, I will restore the title of Duke of Han to the Li family, so that you, Xianmu, can be distinguished within the family and admired by the world."

"Your Highness, have confidence. You are His Majesty's only successor, the only future master of this vast Ming Dynasty!"

Li Xianmu said sincerely, "This is not just what I think, but what the whole court admires. The world has been longing for a benevolent and wise ruler for a long time."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the first year of the Hongxi reign, the emperor held a grand banquet for his officials. After several rounds of drinks, recalling his time as a prince, the emperor was moved to tears and said with deep emotion, "In the past, we were fortunate to rely on the loyalty and sincerity of all of you. The one who has made the greatest contribution is my uncle-in-law, and the one who has made the second greatest contribution is my brother, Xianmu!"

The officials were full of admiration and drank to celebrate. — *History of Ming Dynasty, Annals of Emperor Renzong*

(End of this chapter)