The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 142 The Rain Stops and the Sky Brightens
"Now you can speak up for the Crown Prince!"

Outside, the wind howled and the rain poured down, lightning flashed, while inside the Wuying Hall, a chilling atmosphere prevailed.

Li Xianmu glanced out of the palace, which was blocked by gauze curtains, and saw that the rain was continuous, stretching from the sky to the earth, with no sign of stopping.

The sky was dark and the sun was nowhere to be seen; only layers of dark clouds hung in the sky.

"Your subject Li Xianmu pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"The memorials that were circulated a few days ago are all false and fabricated. They are not credible and are all absurd and wicked. They are nothing but a laughing stock of the world."

In the stagnant atmosphere of the hall, Li Xianmu spoke solemnly.

He immediately refuted all the memorials presented, aiming for a decisive victory and leaving the enemy no chance to criticize the Crown Prince.

As Zhu Gaochi lay prostrate on the ground, it seemed as if strength was gradually forming in his waist. Someone was supporting his waist, so he slowly raised his head and saw Li Xianmu with a solemn face, as heavy as a mountain and as firm as iron, with the imposing presence of someone who would remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.

The emperor leaned on his throne, his eyes slightly narrowed, and remained silent.

“Cousin, you’re joking. Sorcery is rampant throughout the Ming Dynasty. Do you think it’s fake just because you say so? You’re blatantly lying through your teeth. You’re quite the master of playing dumb. But if you think you can use this to exonerate His Highness the Crown Prince, that’s utterly absurd.”

The Prince of Han would not allow Li Xianmu to defend the Crown Prince so easily. The matter of sorcery was a fact, and he did not believe that Li Xianmu could suppress it openly.

Wouldn't that mean having the ability to distort the truth?
Li Xianmu did not respond to the King of Han's question, but instead said to himself, "Throughout history, every dynasty has been rife with witchcraft and sorcery. Has Your Majesty forgotten the witchcraft calamity that plunged the Han Dynasty into decline?"

In ancient China, both Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han were emperors with very bad reputations. When Li Xianmu mentioned this, everyone in the hall immediately turned pale.

Several thunderclaps came from outside, and the rain intensified, its sound growing louder, as if in response to his words.

The King of Han seemed to have found Li Xianmu's sore spot, and he sternly rebuked him, "Li Xianmu, you are arrogant and rebellious! How can you compare our emperor to a tyrant like Emperor Wu of Han? What are your intentions!"

Zhu Di remained on the throne, his expression unchanged. He was neither angered by the Prince of Han's instigation nor moved by the matter of witchcraft. How could he not know about the disaster caused by witchcraft?

He had naturally thought about it before launching this initiative.

The emperor did not react, and Li Xianmu continued to ignore what the King of Han said: "During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Crown Prince Wei was deeply involved in witchcraft and sorcery, which ultimately led to his wrongful execution. This is recorded in the historical records. Emperor Wu of Han was bewitched by evil people, namely Jiang Chong, Su Wen and others. In his later years, Emperor Wu of Han suddenly realized his mistake and found out that the Crown Prince had been framed. However, it was too late to regret it, so he established the Sigong Palace."

Even a tyrannical emperor like Emperor Wu of Han had a sudden change of heart in his later years and realized that the witchcraft was nothing but a fabrication. Our Holy Emperor is divinely gifted and truly the first-rate sage ruler in the world. He is naturally a hundred times better than Emperor Wu of Han. Therefore, when the witchcraft was first exposed, the potential harm it could cause was nipped in the bud!
Even without me, Your Majesty will surely see through the absurdity and ridiculousness of this sorcery.

Even Emperor Wu of Han recognized the absurdity of the witchcraft accusations. Your Majesty is a hundred times better than Emperor Wu of Han, so you can't be inferior to him.

The King of Han and the King of Zhao were stunned by what they heard. They never expected that Li Xianmu could exonerate the Crown Prince from such a perspective. His cleverness was truly astonishing.

Even the emperor laughed, but there was little joy in his laughter. He simply asked coldly, "If I were to pursue the matter of sorcery today, would I then be a tyrant like Emperor Wu of Han?"

"How can matters of sorcery and matters of witchcraft be compared? One is pure fabrication, while the other originated in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. The matters are different, and the circumstances are also different!"

When the Prince of Han saw that the Emperor did not agree with Li Xianmu's words, he quickly chimed in with delight, trying to upset Li Xianmu and put pressure on him.

Did your words not work?
Li Xianmu asked himself, "No!"
It must have worked, but it's not enough.

"Your Majesty, I dare not coerce you. What can change Your Majesty's mind is not my words, but the principles governing the world."

Li Xianmu was not discouraged by the emperor's words. If the emperor were so easily persuaded, then this would not have happened.

"The matter of sorcery and witchcraft, no matter where they originate, the reason why they can always cause major cases, wrongful convictions, and bloodshed is that people believe them to be true and think they can harm the sacred body!"
However, I believe this is the most absurd thing.

Does sorcery truly exist in this world? Does witchcraft truly exist in this world? Can evil magic truly harm the Emperor?

Li Xianmu's voice gradually rose, and the thunder outside the hall became increasingly intense and intertwined.

"May I be so bold as to ask, does Your Majesty consider yourself an omnipotent god?"

After Li Xianmu uttered his words, the hall fell silent.

The look in his eyes wasn't one of panic, but rather one of bewilderment, a lack of understanding as to why he would ask such an ambiguous question.

Was the emperor a god?
For ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty, the emperor was always portrayed as the Son of Heaven, and Heaven was the supreme god. As the Son of Heaven, he was naturally a god.

Not only were emperors gods, but in the mainstream propaganda of the feudal era, civil and military officials were all transformed from heavenly deities. Those who passed the imperial examinations were called the reincarnation of the Wenqu Star, and those who became nobles were all assisted by heavenly stars. The most famous example is Xue Rengui, the wise minister who appeared in Li Shimin's dream.

In the original version of Water Margin, the heroes of Liangshan are all celestial demons, while in the original version of Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the eighteen heroes are all divine and demonic beings such as the Golden-Winged Roc.

But as the highest ruling class of the empire, they all knew that those things were lies and could only be said to the common people. If they were to say them to each other, it would only make people laugh.

Even emperors are mortals, subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Zhu Di never considered himself a god, so he calmly said, "I am a mortal."

Li Xianmu kowtowed deeply, then said loudly and solemnly, "Your Majesty considers yourself a mortal, so why do you believe in magic and sorcery in this world?"
If there truly are gods in this world, then the divine position should belong to the supreme emperor, granting him immortality, the power to overturn mountains and seas, and the ability to command wind and rain, making him the most supreme being among humankind!

If there truly are gods in this world, then as His Majesty's closest ministers, they should be above all mortals. How could such superhuman abilities as witchcraft and sorcery not fall upon us ministers?

If there truly are gods in this world, then who could surpass us, the imperial relatives, or even His Majesty, to obtain those superhuman abilities?
If Buddhism and Taoism truly possess magical powers, how could Confucianism roam freely in the imperial court while Buddhism and Taoism reside among the common people?

If Buddhism and Taoism truly possess magical arts, why did the imperial examination system teach the Four Books and Five Classics instead of the Three Thousand Canons of Taoism or the Three Canons of Buddhism?

If Buddhism and Taoism truly possess magical arts, then the abundant harvests of the four seas would have no need for officials!
If Buddhism and Taoism truly possessed magical arts, then there would be no need for Your Majesty and your officials to maintain order throughout the land!

If Buddhism and Taoism truly possess magical powers, who in this world would dare to rebel?

"Why not summon him to the palace and have him perform rituals and chant sutras daily? This will surely repel the enemy and bring prosperity to the land!"

Li Xianmu spoke each word with immense power, like a towering mountain, a sharp sword, or a surging river, shooting towards everyone.

Zhu Di felt a buzzing in his head. Everyone in the hall, especially Yao Guangxiao, a monk who was well-versed in the three religions, looked at Li Xianmu with particular bewilderment.

This is a line of thinking that no one has ever mentioned or even considered before.

Do ghosts and gods exist in this world?
Most people believe that it's better to believe it than not, so they always have a sense of unease when it comes to prophecies from Buddhism and Taoism that are mixed with supernatural elements.

But now Li Xianmu has laid bare all of this, hasn't he?
If such a thing existed, why did it fall on ordinary people who could only eke out a living among the common folk, instead of on emperors and high-ranking officials?
This statement has opened a new door for everyone.

Li Xianmu's voice did not stop. Accompanied by the sound of rain and wind outside the palace, his voice almost drowned out the thunder. He seemed to be questioning, or perhaps venting, but in the end, everything reached everyone's ears: "Your Majesty says that you are a mortal, Your Majesty says that you have no magic, then how can there be gods in this world? How can there be magic?"

Who bestowed these things upon them?
Is it Heaven? But Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty has received the Mandate of Heaven!

What kind of evil forces are they?

But what kind of evil forces could defy the will of Heaven? If they have the power to defy the will of Heaven, why don't they consider themselves the mandate of Heaven and sit above all others?
Is it that they are unwilling? Or do they prefer to hide in the mud and live a life of ignominy?

His Majesty!

Do I really need to explain the reasons?
Because there are no gods or magic in this world, everything is just a lie!

If there are neither gods nor magic in this world, then wouldn't the sorcery that is currently prevalent in the Ming Dynasty be nothing but a figment of imagination?
Witchcraft is fake, all the evil magic of past dynasties is fake, and the sorcery of my Great Ming Dynasty is nothing more than a bunch of lies created by a group of ignorant people.

The Crown Prince is well-versed in Confucianism and has always scoffed at such matters of ghosts and spirits. How absurd it would be to say that the Crown Prince participates in sorcery, and how absurd it would be to say that the Crown Prince believes in sorcery.

"If Your Majesty is willing, I am willing to thoroughly investigate the matter of sorcery after this incident, to see who is spreading these rumors. I dare to swear on my life that there is absolutely no sorcery involved!"

Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi kowtowed three times, straightened his back, raised his head to look at the emperor, his plump face already covered with tears, and said in a tearful voice, "Please, Father, see the truth!"

After his son arrived in Nanjing, he overheard that some sorcery was causing havoc in Jiangnan. His son had been well-versed in Confucian classics since childhood and had always scoffed at such supernatural matters. Therefore, he did not give it much thought and was unaware that the rumors had already spread throughout the thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. This was a matter of great importance that could shake the nation. He only wanted to stabilize the place where the emperor had risen to power, so he arrested all the people who spread the rumors of sorcery in Nanjing and questioned them about their evil deeds!
"Your son has never believed in sorcery, so how could he possibly use it to slander Your Majesty? Your son is truly innocent; someone must be framing him. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

Zhu Gaochi's words are very worthy of analysis. He put himself in a very clever way, directly placing himself and sorcery on opposite sides. His actions in Nanjing showed his deep hatred for sorcery, to the point that he did not care about the difference between the emperor and his subjects. This explosive separation, although it could not completely dispel the emperor's suspicion that he had privately met with his subjects, at least removed him from the sorcery.

This was the most accurate complement to Li Xianmu's previous long speech, first extricating Zhu Gaochi from the matter of sorcery. This matter seemed absurd, but it was the point that angered Zhu Di the most, because it implied that his son wanted to kill his father!
No father could accept that his son would try to murder him.

Once the emperor abandons this idea, things will be much easier.

Zhu Di looked at the plump Zhu Gaochi, whose face was covered with tears and even dust, looking quite pitiful. The crown prince of the country had fallen to such a state.

Zhu Di couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.

Sigh, this is, after all, his own son, he couldn't help but think.

His expression, which had been as hard as ice and stone, gradually softened.

He didn't actually dislike Zhu Gaochi. This son had once brought him some glory. Back when the late emperor was still alive, Zhu Gaochi's crown princess was personally chosen by the late emperor.

He simply admired the valiant Prince of Han too much, and his dislike for Zhu Gaochi stemmed from the fact that the son was not like his father.

But upon closer reflection, this crown prince has never done anything wrong over the years. He has always been kind, benevolent, and compassionate. He is an excellent elder brother to his brothers and a qualified son as well.

"Sigh, Your Highness, please get up. What kind of person is the Crown Prince to keep kneeling on the ground? Please sit next to Yao Guangxiao."

The emperor sighed.

The Emperor's change in attitude was so drastic that the Prince of Han's expression changed drastically, filled with tension. The situation was already extremely unfavorable for him, yet he was now completely bewildered, unsure of what else he could do. His words were like scratching an itch through a boot to Li Xianmu, while Li Xianmu's words always struck a chord with the Emperor.

Outside the palace, lightning flashed and thunder roared. He was also torn between his conscience and his own mind. He couldn't help but recall his uncle who had died young. With just a few words, he had lost the position of crown prince that should have been his.

And now it is Li Qi's son, like a towering mountain, standing in front of the Crown Prince, sheltering him from the wind and rain. Are these two, father and son, of the Li family, destined to be my nemesis?
Li Qi, high above the heavens, seemed to see what the King of Han was thinking. If the King of Han hadn't used the Emperor to summon the wind and rain, why would he need them to shelter him from the wind and rain?

Li Xianmu felt a surge of excitement. The emperor's attitude towards the crown prince had clearly changed. This was because the emperor had accepted the emperor's earlier words about sorcery, and he believed that the crown prince had no intention of harming him.

Now, only one thing remains to be solved.

"Why did the Crown Prince privately meet with ministers in Nanjing?"

Seeing that the atmosphere between the emperor and the crown prince had eased, the Prince of Han had no choice but to play his trump card, which was his last chance.

"His Highness the Crown Prince went to Nanjing on the orders of His Majesty to pay homage at the Xiaoling Mausoleum and to look after the place where our Great Ming Dynasty rose to power. The reason why officials went to pay homage to the Crown Prince is because of his special status."

Since ancient times, imperial envoys have traveled throughout the land. Subjects and people alike hoped that these envoys could bring them peace and order. The Jiangnan region was plagued by sorcery, a problem that remained unresolved from the provincial level down to the prefectural and county levels. Then the Crown Prince arrived in Nanjing—wasn't he a divine intervention?
In this world, some are noble and some are lowly. Civil officials enter officialdom through the imperial examinations, while nobles rise to power through military merit.

"But the Crown Prince's prestige does not stem from virtue or ability, but from His Majesty's bloodline. The more important the Crown Prince, the more important His Majesty; the more noble the Crown Prince, the more noble His Majesty. If the civil and military officials of Jiangnan turn a blind eye to the Crown Prince and continue to conceal their sorcery, would they not be showing contempt for His Majesty?"

Li Xianmu spoke in a loud and clear voice. The sounds of wind and rain outside the hall had gradually weakened, and his voice completely drowned out all the noise in the world, lingering in the hall and swirling among the pillars.

"Why don't the civil and military officials in Jiangnan report directly to His Majesty?"

The King of Han shouted sternly!
Most officials in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty remained silent on this matter. This was a thorn in Zhu Di's side that he could not get rid of. He even took his anger out on the Crown Prince because the officials in Jiangnan reported to the Crown Prince, while the other officials did not report to him. This made him feel that the Crown Prince was challenging his authority!

"The reason we didn't report it to His Majesty is naturally because the matter of sorcery is absurd. After investigation, those ministers realized that it was pure fabrication. If we reported it, we would most likely be reprimanded."

The county and prefectural governments report to the provincial government, but the three officials in our Great Ming Dynasty are separate and do not have a unified command. Naturally, they cannot make a decision. If they are reprimanded by His Majesty because of this absurd matter, wouldn't they lose face in front of all the officials in the province?

This is only human nature!
Such matters were already clear when they were designed. Could it be that His Highness the Prince of Han is so ignorant of the fundamental system of our Great Ming?
The officials in the province reported to His Highness the Crown Prince because His Highness posed no threat to them; they were not afraid of him.

Although His Highness the Crown Prince has no real power, he can still speak to His Majesty because of his father-son relationship. Even if there is any reprimand, His Highness the Crown Prince will bear all the blame.

Could it be that she has some kind of private relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince?
This is clearly using His Highness the Crown Prince as a shield to bear the brunt of His Majesty's wrath!

Your Majesty, I implore Your Majesty to severely punish the civil and military officials of Jiangnan for the sake of His Highness the Crown Prince. Such harshness and abuse of the nation's heir apparent is truly unforgivable!

The emperor, the King of Han, the King of Zhao, Yao Guangxiao, the crown prince, and several other ministers were all dumbfounded.

In Li Xianmu's words, how could the position of the Crown Prince, the so-called heir to the throne, be treated like a harmless little white rabbit?

Upon closer examination, Li Xianmu's words made a lot of sense. The reason why those officials dared not report was because they were afraid of being reprimanded by the emperor.
Li Xianmu naturally used clever rhetoric to cover up the real reason, and now it seems to have worked very well.

The real reason was that the Crown Prince did indeed have prestige among civil and military officials. Most officials in the Ming Dynasty knew that the Crown Prince was a reasonable person, so they were willing to report to him. However, this reason did not need to be known to the Emperor.

The sounds of rain and wind outside the palace grew fainter, and even the sound of raindrops falling on the eaves became quieter. The previous torrential rain had now turned into the clear and melodious sound of large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate.

After recovering from his astonishment, the fierce look in the emperor's eyes had completely disappeared. The crown prince posed no threat to him. The crown prince had some virtue, but he had no authority among the civil and military officials. The civil and military officials only regarded him as the emperor and did not feel that anyone else could replace him!
For him, nothing was more important than this!

"Xianmu's words are truly a wake-up call. These civil and military officials in Jiangnan are really going too far. The Crown Prince is my eldest son, a noble member of the imperial family, a person second only to the emperor, yet they dare to disregard him like this. I am indignant!"

Though his words were laced with indignation, who could miss the hint of joy in the emperor's tone?

This blame can only be placed on the civil and military officials of Jiangnan. It can be said that when gods fight, little devils suffer. After the emperor and the crown prince made such a fuss, in the end, the father and son were still kind and filial.

So who was at fault, who made a mistake, who was guilty? It was naturally the Jiangnan literati who sowed discord between father and son!

"If it weren't for Xianmu, I would have almost turned against the Crown Prince today, causing the imperial family's kinship to fall into chaos. I should reward you handsomely."

Li Xianmu kowtowed solemnly and said, "Your subject is truly unworthy of such praise. The fact that I have made some contributions today is only because Your Majesty trusts me and because I also have royal blood. This is all thanks to the imperial family, and I really cannot claim any credit for it!"

"He truly possesses great talent." Yao Guangxiao closed his eyes slightly, and the Buddhist beads he was holding moved even more slowly. He seemed to see Li Qi rising slowly in the court of the Ming Dynasty.

Duke Zhang Fu of Yingguo smiled as he looked at Li Xianmu. His son-in-law had truly surprised him time and time again. In the future, the wealth and honor of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion might fall into Li Xianmu's hands.

The King of Han was devastated, knowing that his chance had slipped away once again. The Crown Prince was out of danger, and all his elaborate schemes had come to nothing. His face was filled with sorrow, but his eyes were sharp with malice.

He stared intently at Li Xianmu. He already knew that if he couldn't bring Li Xianmu down, the Crown Prince would remain unharmed. One mountain after another blocked his way, and these continuous mountain ranges all belonged to the Li family.

Outside the Wuying Hall, the previous storm seemed to have completely stopped, with only a slight breeze carrying the clear chill of the rain slowly seeping in. The eunuchs at the door had already taken down the gauze curtain.

Everyone looked outside, and sure enough, the heavy dark clouds had dispersed, leaving only a clear, mirror-like blue sky.

On the distant horizon, a rainbow hangs, one end rising above the vermilion palace walls, the other side resting on the golden glazed tiles.

Solemn vermilion, golden yellow, and rainbow colors.

The brilliant sun hangs between the magnificent rainbow.

"The rain has stopped and the sky is bright!" the emperor said with a smile. "I haven't seen a rainbow in a long time."

Zhu Gaochi was stunned for a moment, and tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.

The rain stopped and the sky brightened.

Its daybreak!
------

At that time, many of the Crown Prince's officials were imprisoned, many died, and many others rebelled, making the Emperor's position as heir apparent extremely precarious!
People at the time all flocked to the Prince of Han because they thought he would become the crown prince. Only Li Wenzheng went against the tide, risking his life and upholding the principle of loyalty. He pleaded with the emperor in the rain and met with Emperor Taizong. On the imperial palace, he recounted justice, reason, and the right path, bowing three times and nine times. He almost risked his life, pleading with blood and tears. Emperor Taizong finally believed him, and the emperor was safe!

Whenever the emperor thought of this, he would look around and sigh, saying, "Now I can face south and look down upon the world; this is all thanks to the illustrious achievements of my brother!" — *History of Ming Dynasty, Annals of Emperor Renzong*

(End of this chapter)