The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 46 Courtroom Debate
One emperor and one courtier.

Zhu Yuanzhang died in the intercalary fifth month. In June, he appointed Qi Tai, the Vice Minister of War, as Minister of War, Huang Zicheng, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, as Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Fang Xiaoru as a Hanlin Academician to participate in military and state affairs. Zhu Yunwen consulted these three men on almost everything. It was clear to anyone with eyes that these three men were, to some extent, fulfilling the duties of prime ministers.

Zhu Gaochi, having received a hint from Li Qi, left the capital early under the pretext of his father's illness. No sooner had he left than rumors of dissatisfaction among the princes with the emperor began to circulate in the capital. As for how these rumors spread, no one knows. In any case, the emperor was furious and summoned all his ministers to the Fengtian Hall to discuss the matter.

In the Fengtian Hall, the officials exchanged glances. None of them were fools; they all knew that the emperor was using this as an excuse to weaken the power of the vassal states. However, given the incident involving Chao Cuo of the Han Dynasty, no one brought up the matter on their own initiative.

Finally, Huang Zicheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the enfeoffment of vassal states is a policy of weakening the central government and strengthening local powers, which has caused great harm since ancient times. The Rebellion of the Seven States during the Han Dynasty, the Rebellion of the Eight Princes during the Jin Dynasty, and even the wars waged by the princes of the former Yuan Dynasty were all because the vassal states were too strong and did not submit to the control of the court. Now, the princes are autonomous, relying on their natural defenses to compete for power. For example, the Princes of Qin and Jin have committed many illegal acts. How can we expect them to be loyal to the court? We must guard against them as if we cannot do so in time. I request that the vassal states be reduced!"

In the imperial court, the officials remained expressionless. Upon hearing this, they merely twitched their lips slightly, neither agreeing nor objecting. Even Li Qi, standing in the ranks, was like a clay sculpture.

The reduction of the power of the princes was an inevitable trend, so what benefit would opposing it bring him?

Of course there is none.

So he won't say anything; what he really wants to do is what comes next.

Historically, in August of the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign, Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, ordered Cao Guogong Li Jinglong to launch a surprise attack on Henan on trumped-up charges. Before the Prince of Zhou could react, his entire family was arrested, taken to the capital, demoted to commoner status, and exiled to Yunnan.

That would be the time for him to make his appearance.

The policy of weakening the power of the feudal lords was thus decided so easily.

It was faster than Zhu Yunwen had imagined.

Looking at the courtiers who were shouting "You are wise!", he truly felt the supreme power of being an emperor, with everyone bowing down at his feet.

……

In August, King Zhou was indeed brought to the capital bound, just as in history. Accompanying him were the Queen and other concubines from the Zhou palace. Their future was like a candle flame in the wind, already flickering and about to go out.

These princes were indeed like local emperors in their respective regions, but in the capital, they were not even as powerful as a Beijing official. At least Beijing officials had allies, and if they were imprisoned, someone would run around trying to get them out. But if a prince was imprisoned, the officials would either stand by and watch coldly or kick him while he was down.

After all, to some extent, this is a power struggle between the central government and local authorities. After the imperial court reduces the power of the regional officials, the power of these officials in the capital will be greatly enhanced.

In the Fengtian Hall, Emperor Jianwen announced to his ministers the decision he and the three Jianwen fools had made regarding the Prince of Zhou: "He shall be deposed as a commoner and exiled to Yunnan."

As expected, just as Zhu Yunwen had predicted, almost none of the officials in the hall reacted. Let alone exiling him to Yunnan, even if the Prince of Zhou were killed, it would be none of their business.

Just as he was about to issue the decree, a man stepped forward from the court and a voice resounded throughout the hall, "Your subject Li Qi has a memorial to present!"

The once silent hall suddenly came alive.

Zhu Yunwen, sitting at the head of the table, was somewhat bewildered. He hadn't expected Li Qi to step forward and present his report at this moment. All the civil and military officials in the court looked at Li Qi with curiosity, wondering what important matter this imperial son-in-law had to interrupt the emperor at this time.

A rather crazy idea popped into everyone's minds: Could it be that the matter reported by this prince consort was related to the King of Zhou?

He's crazy?
Reducing the power of regional military governors is a national policy!

Anyone who opposes this national policy is going against the emperor. After the late emperor killed all the arrogant military generals in the court, who can stand against the emperor now? No one!

Even though the new emperor is so young, he is absolutely in control.

Moreover, what gives Li Qi the right to oppose the emperor?

Was it his humble position as a fifth-rank Grand Secretary?
Perhaps the only identity he could rely on was that he was the emperor's uncle, an elder, but now that the emperor has imprisoned his own uncle, what does an uncle count for?
Or did Li Qi believe that his prominent position among scholars was enough to stand up to the emperor?
If Li Qi dared to discuss the affairs of the vassal kings today, he might not even be able to keep his position as a fifth-rank Grand Secretary and would have to leave the political arena completely!
Zhu Yunwen snapped out of his shock and asked with a rather grim expression, "Does Minister Li have something important to discuss?"

Li Qi said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I believe that it is very inappropriate to demote the Prince of Zhou to a commoner and exile him to Yunnan."

As soon as he finished speaking, it seemed as if the air in the hall froze, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The next moment, chaos erupted!

It really is related to the Zhou king!
Has Li Jinghe gone mad?
Li Qi was certainly not crazy. He had simulated today's events several times, all to establish a new, invincible persona.

"I don't understand what Minister Li is saying. Prince Zhou is guilty, and I have done nothing wrong by demoting him to commoner status and exiling him to Yunnan in accordance with the law."

Li Qi bowed and said, “Your Majesty, it is not that I do not agree with the policy of reducing the power of the vassal kings. The vassal kings are becoming too powerful, which is harmful to the country. However, I believe that the policy of reducing the power of the vassal kings should not be implemented in this way.”

The Prince of Zhou is the eldest son of the late emperor and Your Majesty's uncle. Why not strip him of his military power and fiefdom, find a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains, and keep him there as a wealthy and carefree person? Why resort to violence and damage the imperial family's relationship?
The rabbit dies and the fox grieves; creatures grieve for their own kind.

If the other kings were to rebel because of the fate of the Zhou king, is that what the court wants to see?

Li Qi's words made all the ministers think, and they did seem to make a lot of sense.

"Your Majesty should personally go to the imperial prison, put a robe on the Prince of Zhou, express your apology, and reiterate the bond between uncle and nephew. Then, the person who offered the advice to Your Majesty should be banished to Yingtian. How can such a person who sows discord within the imperial family have the face to stand in the court?"

boom! !

Li Qi's words stirred up a huge wave of controversy, and Zhu Yunwen, Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng, and Qi Tai all turned pale!
The court officials stared at Li Qi in astonishment, truly unable to comprehend what he was about to do.

Li Qi chuckled to himself, but outsiders obviously couldn't understand.

In the persona he cultivated for himself, his first priority had to be to support the reduction of the power of the princes, because not only Zhu Yunwen wanted to reduce the power of the princes, but Zhu Di also wanted to do so later.

Secondly, was he really trying to save King Zhou? No.

He simply wanted to establish a persona among the princes and the people of the land—he had advised Zhu Yunwen to give the princes a good ending, but Zhu Yunwen did not listen.

In this way, he not only became a loyal subject of Jianwen, but also won favor with the future Zhu Di, which was practically perfect.

That leaves only one question: if Zhu Yunwen is truly persuaded not to so drastically reduce the power of the princes, then the future is truly uncertain.

Therefore, he finally made Zhu Yunwen apologize, and then demoted Qi Tai, Huang Zi, and Fang Xiaoru.

At the time when the new emperor needed to establish his prestige most after his ascension to the throne, Zhu Yunwen would never listen to his advice. The three fools of Jianwen also needed to establish their authority in the court, so they would definitely regard him as a thorn in their side, completely reject his suggestions, demote themselves, and deal with Prince Zhou even more severely!
Only in this way can the whole world see who is truly in charge of the current court!
(End of this chapter)