The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 54 The General Trend and the Popularity of People
Li Qi walked alone on the main road in the palace.

He looked up at the bright blue sky and the sun, below which stood majestic palace walls and tender green willows. All around him was silent and deserted. Suddenly, he realized that he was all alone in this vast world.

He suddenly thought of the "Zhang Juzheng Walking Alone in the Snow" painting that was widely circulated online in his previous life, and how similar it was to the present.
“I am far inferior to Zhang Juzheng. He had a heart that cared for the country and its people, while my heart was full of calculations.”

only……

What I did was ultimately the right thing, wasn't it? At least my actions and words didn't set a bad example for future generations.

Li Qi was filled with endless emotions, but he didn't know who to share them with.

He left the palace and saw his wife and son waiting for him in front of the carriage. Seeing that he was leaving the palace alone, without his official robes and hat, Princess Lin'an stepped forward and said gently, "Husband, let's go home."

Princess Lin'an didn't ask anything else, but Li Qi felt that someone had spoken his feelings. He got into the carriage, looked at his wife and children for a long time, and finally said with endless emotion and a sigh, "It's all over."

everything is over.

His political life came to a complete end at this moment. All of this was expected, but there was still a sense of regret that he had never seen the most magnificent view of the Ming Dynasty.

"As long as our family remains safe and sound, even if we do not achieve great wealth and status, we are still blessed. Husband, you should put your mind at ease."

"Yes, Father, I will surely bring glory to our family and make you happy in the future."

Li Qi believed that the Li family's future would be bright, but he had no future left. He only had four years left to live, and he wouldn't even live to see Li Xianmu pass the imperial examination in the first year of the Yongle reign.

But in the end, he simply stroked Li Xianmu's head and whispered, "My son, you will surely be remembered in history. Your father is a false saint, but you will be the true saint."

Even with Li Xianmu's intelligence, he didn't understand the meaning of those words, and his eyes were filled with confusion and doubt.

……

[Clan Chief Reputation +2, current reputation 90, reached its peak, known as a demigod in the mortal realm!]

[Family Reputation +5, Current Reputation 10.]

The news of Li Qi's resignation spread throughout the land along with the news of the death of the Prince of Xiang, as well as the news that the Prince of Xiang had been given a derogatory posthumous title. The land was silent for a moment, but then it was in an uproar again.

Anyone can see that the imperial court's intention to weaken the power of the regional military governors is so strong that there is no turning back!
To the surprise of the emperor and Fang Xiaoru, Li Qi's reputation was not affected by his resignation. On the contrary, after returning to the capital, he was even more admired by the people of the world, and he rose to the top of the country. Some scholars from Fujian even traveled thousands of miles to the capital to kowtow to Li Qi and apologize, saying that they had misunderstood him.

The contrast in the matter of reducing the power of the princes was too stark. When Li Qi resigned from his post in the Golden Palace, his plea revealed to the world a ruthless and cruel emperor!
Even though people's hearts still have to submit to the powerful imperial authority, it is best for the imperial authority to always maintain its absolute strength!

The uproar only subsided after Li Qi announced that he would stay home. Li Qi was not surprised by this at all, saying, "There is a scale in people's hearts in this world. I hold both emotion and reason in my hands, so I control the situation!"

Prince of Yan, I have done everything I can to create a stage for you; now it is time for you to take the stage and perform.

I want the Ming Dynasty to rule the world, and from this moment on, it will lead to a different ending!

……

In the Prince of Yan's residence in Beiping, Zhu Di held the news sent back from Yingtian in his hands and remained silent for a long time.

Xu Miaoyun, Zhu Gaochi, and others looked at him with concern. Although Prince Zhou was Zhu Di's younger brother from the same mother, among his many brothers, Zhu Di actually had the best relationship with Prince Xiang. Otherwise, Zhu Di would not have contacted Prince Xiang in history, and later even had Xie Jin write the epitaph for Prince Xiang. Xu Miaoyun and Zhu Di grew up together, so she naturally knew this.

"Ah…"

Zhu Di suddenly burst into laughter, but his laughter was filled with endless sorrow and desolation.

"My own brother, a prince of the great Ming Dynasty, was forced to his death. Even in death, he cannot find peace. The emperor wants to give him such a terrible posthumous title, so that he will be infamous for ten thousand years!"
Jianwen.

Jianwen!

You are going too far!
That's too much! "

Each word, each pause, was as if scooped from the heart and lungs, squeezed from the liver and gallbladder, each word weeping blood and containing tears.

Zhu Di wept uncontrollably, his voice heavy with a deathly silence, "What hope do I have left?"

The death of the Prince of Xiang was the final straw that broke Zhu Di's back, and he no longer harbored any illusions.

And he wasn't the only one!
Most of the princes who were originally observing the situation were now deeply alarmed and shocked by Jianwen's ruthlessness!
The King of Xiang had no heir to inherit the throne, while the other kings all had successors; the King of Xiang had no military force, while the nine border kings each commanded large armies; the King of Xiang had not broken the law, while many of the other kings had questionable morals.

Now that he's dead, what about the others?
Historically, the practice of enfeoffing and weakening feudal lords was always carried out several generations later, when kinship ties had become extremely weak. But Jianwen was punishing his own uncle!

He didn't say that to the late emperor!
Zhu Di shed tears that fell onto the letter. He looked at Xu Miaoyun and his three sons and said sadly, "Tell me, what should I do?"

Zhu Gaochi, whose temper was the most volatile, was already furious. He immediately roared angrily, "Father, what else can we do? Rebellion means death, and not rebelling also means death. Let's rebel against this dog emperor, storm the capital, and seize his throne!"

The room fell silent upon hearing this, but no one objected. Zhu Gaochi, who was usually very good-tempered, said calmly and gently, "Father, my second brother is right. We will die whether we perish or launch a great rebellion. If we are going to die anyway, why not die for our country?"

Xu Miaoyun grasped Zhu Di's hand, and a resilient and unyielding strength flowed through her warm and soft palm into Zhu Di's heart.

The support of his wife and children gave Zhu Di boundless strength, making him the head of the clan princes who led several northern expeditions!

In the world today, he is undoubtedly the greatest warrior!
He never lacked the courage to fight to the death, and his voice gradually shed its sorrowful tone, regaining its metallic quality.

"Li Qi and Li Jinghe, although my brother-in-law failed to stop Jianwen from reducing the power of the princes, his words in the Golden Palace ultimately shook the hearts of the people!"

He denounced Fang Xiaoru and others as treacherous officials in the Golden Palace, and I wholeheartedly agree.

The imperial edict established by my father states that if a treacherous minister appears in the court, the vassal kings can raise troops to punish him!
Although the imperial court holds the upper hand, I am not entirely without popular support. Since I have been forced into a desperate situation, I will fight to the death.

"I, the King, hereby obey Heaven's decree to quell the rebellion, punish the traitors, and eliminate the villains!"

On this day, a true dragon will emerge from the sea; on this day, a roc will soar to the heavens; on this day, a new imperial banner will be raised on the land of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Di gazed at the city in the south that was destined by Heaven, and he wanted to tell everyone in the world that even the emperor could not take his life at will!

(End of this chapter)