The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 47 Insufficient Resources and Strategies
"Li Qi! What audacity you have to utter such arrogant words before the Holy One!"

Huang Zicheng pointed directly at Li Qi, his hair standing on end in anger, and shouted: "King Zhou is cruel and the Emperor is supreme! How dare you make His Majesty apologize to a mere criminal king, disappointing the people of the world, and you even slander a high-ranking official! Your heart is deserving of death! Your heart is deserving of death!"

Everything in the imperial court went exactly as Li Qi had predicted.

He successfully angered Emperor Jianwen and the three fools of Jianwen!

Qi Tai was also furious, but he was the only one among the three who was slightly smarter. If Emperor Jianwen had listened to him in history, Zhu Di might have died a thousand times over.

Although he didn't know why Li Qi had uttered such arrogant words, he realized that this was an excellent opportunity to drive Li Qi out of the court.

Although Li Qi had little real power, he was like a flag, and his mere presence in the court was enough to annoy people.

Therefore, after Huang Zicheng finished speaking, Qi Tai shouted, "Li Qi, people have their own hearts in this world. Is the Zhou King's cruelty just a rumor?"

Your Majesty's punishment of Prince Zhou was a righteous act of sacrificing family ties. The world will surely be delighted to see him reduced to a commoner. On the contrary, it is you who are scratching around in the hall, which is an attempt to slander the Holy Emperor. Without a sovereign and father, how can you face the world's fervent hopes and expectations?
"Your Majesty, I implore you to issue an edict to investigate Li Qi's crimes. For him to remain in the imperial court would truly alienate the people."

The officials in the palace, regardless of whether they were from the north or south, all sighed deeply. It was indeed gratifying that the Prince of Zhou had been captured. Among the late emperor's sons, this Prince of Zhou was considered one of the more human-like ones. Li Qi's words in defense of the Prince of Zhou were unwise; he was practically abandoning the general trend and the people's hearts to the enemy.

The northerners were anxious, and Chen Ying, Xie Jin, and others were even more puzzled, not understanding how Li Qi could be involved in this matter.

However, if even Qi Tai could find a weakness, how could Li Qi, who was highly adaptable, not know it? This was a flaw he deliberately left behind.

It's hard to imagine that Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, would be so resolute as to lead his entire family to commit suicide in rebellion against Emperor Jianwen. Unlike the other princes, Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, had a good reputation and high prestige. His forced death completely eliminated any hope for Prince Yan, Zhu Di.

Zhu Yunwen, you're using the excuse of Prince Zhou's cruelty to depose him now. But when Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, commits suicide by fire, let's see how you'll argue then. You've delivered this reputation to your doorstep; don't blame your uncle for treating you like an elite monster.

Li Qi did not respond to Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai's remarks, which others interpreted as Li Qi having run out of words.

Seeing that things were going badly, Xie Jin wanted to step forward to defend Li Qi, but Li Qi's defenses were too flawed, and even he couldn't say anything.

Zhu Yunwen was overjoyed. Once he gained the upper hand, his hypocritical nature was revealed. He recalled the late emperor's dying words, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Minister Li is, after all, the husband of the Grand Princess of Lin'an, and my uncle. Severely punishing him would probably not reassure the people. So, confine him to the princess's residence for six months and deduct his salary for a year, so that all the people will know that I am not intolerant of my own relatives. It is simply that the Prince of Zhou has acted lawlessly and lost the people's support. I am deposing him for the sake of the people."

Li Qi could only laugh inwardly upon hearing these words. How was this any different from the later decree issued by Emperor Jianwen, "Do not let me be known for killing my uncle"? While his ministers charged into battle, he was protecting his own reputation from behind.

If an emperor doesn't even dare to take the blame for such a small thing, what qualifications does he have to shoulder the responsibility of the entire country?

For Li Qi, this play has reached its final act, and it's time to give it a perfect ending.

A look of dejection appeared on Li Qi's face. His lips trembled slightly, and his eyes instantly reddened. With a hint of sorrow, he slowly said, "Your Majesty, do you think I do not know that the King of Zhou is lawless and cruel?"
However, I was entrusted by the late Emperor on his deathbed to assist Your Majesty and devise strategies for Your Majesty.

Therefore, even though I am fully aware of what King Zhou is doing, I still disregard my personal reputation and speak to Your Majesty, solely for the sake of the Ming Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, in the end…

Li Qi was speechless.

"Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng!"

Li Qi fixed his gaze on the two men and said sternly, "These brats are not worth discussing things with! These brats! Not worth discussing things with!"...

The meeting in court ended in discord, and Li Qi was confined to the princess's residence for six months. Princess Lin'an was filled with worry and hesitated to speak.

"My wife, please ask whatever you wish to ask. We have supported each other for over twenty years, so what is there that we cannot say?"

"I wanted to ask my husband why he said those unrestrained things in court, but then I thought that my husband is exceptionally talented and acts in a well-ordered manner, so there is nothing to ask."

The princess added, "It's just a pity that this means Mu'er's path to the imperial examinations will likely be delayed for several years."

They had hoped to make him a sensation in the world, but now it seems the times are not on his side.

As a mother, Princess Lin'an's first thought was of her most beloved son.

Even though Li Xianmu was talented, it was very easy for him to make someone fail the exam. He could even dismiss someone by saying, "He is still young and needs to be tempered to prevent him from becoming arrogant." He offended the emperor and the literati in Jiangnan, and his future was already foreseeable.

Li Qi naturally knew about this matter. Li Xianmu would definitely not be able to participate in the provincial examination of Yingtian Prefecture in the first year of Jianwen's reign and the metropolitan examination in the second year of Jianwen's reign, but it was not a big problem. It would be better to postpone his participation in the imperial examination during the Yongle era for three years.

Zhu Di would likely have been very pleased to have a young prodigy emerge under his command, as a testament to the new dynasty's potential.

A twelve-year-old who becomes a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination) and a thirteen-year-old who becomes a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) are still considered the pride of heaven. Moreover, the Li family will continue to exist for hundreds of years, so Li Xianmu could not set the record too high, lest his descendants lose the will to surpass it.

What if an even more talented descendant of the Li family emerges in the future?
"Mother, do not worry."

Li Xianmu walked in from outside with a smile. He was still young, but he already understood the ways of the world, just like an adult.

“Since ancient times, no great man has ever achieved anything without going through trials and tribulations. When the family fell to its lowest point, Father was still able to rise against the tide and achieve his current fame. What I have in abundance is time. Even if I cannot become an overnight sensation, I will surely let the world know that I exist and that Father has an heir!”

Li Xianmu's words were bold and unrestrained, demonstrating his confidence and impenetrability to evil.

"My wife, do not worry. All my plans are for the sake of the family and Mu'er."

Li Qi asked Li Xianmu to sit down. "I will not gamble with Mu'er's future. He will surely spread his wings and soar to the heavens, stepping on my arm to reach the clouds."

"The scenery I've never seen, Mu'er will see for me; the things I couldn't do, Mu'er will do for me."

Parents who love their children will plan for the long term.

But parents' expectations can sometimes be a form of pressure.

But Li Xianmu had the character of a sage, so he only had endless motivation to strive for progress.

The princess's maidservants came forward to serve the dishes, and none of the three mentioned the affairs of the court again. As for being confined to their quarters and having their salaries reduced, they were simply forgotten.

Not worth mentioning!
(End of this chapter)