The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 7: Sword Drawn, Enemy Falls

In the side hall, the two listened quietly to the conversation in the main hall.

Lin'an remembered that her husband, Li Qi, had mentioned Wang Wu's matter, saying that it was of great importance!

So she asked in a low voice, "Husband, what's the story behind Wang Wu's case? They're just a few ordinary people, so why does it seem like Father Emperor is taking this very seriously?"

Li Qi thought to himself, "Since it involves the garrison troops, I naturally take it seriously."

He explained, “Wang Wu and his wife Ru Niang are ordinary people from Anfeng County, Yangzhou Prefecture. They were married long ago and have three children. Some time ago, a soldier named Yang Ye suddenly said that Ru Niang was engaged to him and should be his wife, so he reported it to the local garrison.”

After the local garrison inspected the documents, it was found that when Ru Niang was three years old, before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, she was engaged to Yang Ye's elder brother. According to the prevailing custom of levirate marriage at the time, after Yang Ye's elder brother died, the engagement fell to Yang Ye.

So the garrison reported to the Five Military Commissions and the Ministry of War. The Emperor was pushing forward the matter of military dependents following the soldiers to farm, so the Ministry of War ordered Anfeng County to send Ru Niang to the garrison to marry Yang Ye and to garrison with Yang Ye.

Wang Wu was naturally dissatisfied, so he appealed to the county government. The county government refused to accept the case, saying they were only acting on orders from their superiors. So Wang Wu appealed to the capital, which led to the events of today.

Princess Lin'an was dumbfounded; the story was so bizarre it was comparable to a vernacular novel.

Then it dawned on her: "How could such a trivial matter have reached the Emperor's ears?"

Li Qi shook his head and said, "Wang Wu's matter is not that simple."

Without much explanation, it was clear that this involved the military system of the Ming Dynasty, which is why Zhu Yuanzhang attached such importance to it.

In Li Qi's view, this small case is related to the ideological construction of the entire Ming Dynasty.

The emperor was actually the instigator of this incident. In Li Qi's view, this matter should not have been blown out of proportion, but should have been closed immediately to avoid implicating the emperor.

Yang Jing failed to see this point and actually treated it as a case, investigating the truth, which was tantamount to walking into Li Qi's trap!

Inside the main hall, Yang Jing was still reporting, "Your Majesty, I have already sent people to investigate whether the marriage agreement between Ru Niang and the Yang family really exists. Because it was an agreement made by the previous dynasty, there has been no news yet. I will do my best, so please rest assured, Your Majesty."

A marriage agreement cannot be denied simply because of a change of dynasty, and Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't say anything about it.

He could only impatiently rebuke, "Finish this matter immediately! Don't delay the grand plan of military farmland reclamation, or I will hold you responsible!"

The emperor's obvious anger immediately filled Yang Jing with a terrifying sense of impending doom. "Your subject will do his utmost," he said.

Zhu Yuanzhang also found this matter very troublesome. Logically speaking, the wife belongs to whoever's marriage contract came first.

However, the marriage agreement was made in the previous dynasty. Wang Wu and Ru Niang were married through formal procedures. Moreover, Yang Ye had not appeared for so many years, and it was unreasonable for him to suddenly take away Wang Wu's wife.

Yang Jing left Fengtian Hall and glanced back at the main hall. He felt that he was soaked through. As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. This ruler was undoubtedly the most ferocious tiger.

He walked out with unsteady steps, saying, "We must find out the truth about this case as soon as possible."

But Li Qi's image involuntarily surfaced in his mind, and he had a bad feeling.

……

After the eunuchs brought Li Qi and his wife back to the main hall, they discovered that Crown Prince Zhu Biao was also in the hall. After the two went forward to pay their respects, Zhu Yuanzhang prepared a soft chair for Princess Lin'an.

Seeing that Li Qi's brows were furrowed, as if he had something difficult to say, Zhu Biao asked, "Brother-in-law, do you have something to report? Father is here, so please speak freely."

Li Qi was obviously deliberately trying to attract Zhu Biao's attention.

He knelt down with a thud, and said with a slight hesitation, "The Emperor's decree upon returning to the capital clearly states that one must not participate in political affairs. Although the matter I wish to report is not a political matter, it involves important officials of the court. I am afraid of disobeying the Emperor's order, so I dare not speak."

First, defend yourself, then you can unleash your full potential.

Just as Li Qi had expected, Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice, "We won't blame you. Speak your mind."

Li Qi kowtowed again, then raised his head and said loudly, "Just now, I overheard Father Emperor and Minister of Justice Yang Jing discussing matters in the side hall. These days, it is widely rumored in the capital that Yang Jing is treacherous and wicked, harboring great evil intentions, dissatisfied with the dynasty, and bullying the emperor. His crimes are truly unforgivable!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table and said angrily, "I think so too. Wang Wu is a good citizen. Instead of punishing evildoers, he claims that Ru Niang and Yang Shi were already engaged. It's simply hateful!"

Zhu Biao sighed slightly, "Brother-in-law, this is exactly where things are stuck. Ru Niang is Wang Wu's wife, but according to custom, she was indeed betrothed to the Yang family when she was three years old."

Li Qi, however, knew about the huge loophole in this.

He raised his head and said, word by word, "Father, Your Highness, I don't know if Yang Jing deliberately confused us, or what."

But the marriage was promised to Yang Ye's elder brother, not Yang Ye herself.

The reason Yang Ye claimed Ru Niang was his wife, the official approval of this, and even Yang Jing's proactive investigation into the existence of a marriage contract, were all due to the Yuan Dynasty's custom of levirate marriage!

The Yuan Dynasty was ruled by a nomadic people, so there were many differences in the laws. "Levirate marriage" was very common in the Yuan Dynasty. When an elder brother died, the younger brother inherited his sister-in-law, and when a younger brother died, the elder brother inherited his brother's wife. This was common and recognized by the government.

To put it bluntly, this is a form of property inheritance. "However, the Ming Dynasty law clearly stipulates that if a brother dies and takes in his sister-in-law, or a younger brother dies and takes in his brother's wife, both shall be hanged. Now, the Three Judicial Offices are using the old customs of the Yuan Dynasty, which violate the ancient customs of our Han people for thousands of years, to punish the people in the Ming Dynasty."

In order to resist the Mongol Yuan dynasty's custom of levirate marriage, the practice of chastity became prevalent, which shows the popular sentiment.

If this matter is not severely punished, and the old customs of the Hu Yuan dynasty continue to prevail in the Ming Dynasty, even superseding the laws of the Ming Dynasty, wouldn't the great achievements of the Emperor in restoring the Han people's land be...

Wouldn't that be...

Li Qi kowtowed on the ground, tears streaming down his face, choked with sobs and unable to speak any more.

boom!
boom!
It was like a thunderclap, silencing the entire Fengtian Hall.

Li Qi kowtowed on the ground and sobbed, Zhu Biao opened his mouth wide and felt his mouth was dry, and Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned bluish-purple, the two actions occurring alternately.

Daigo empowerment!

It was like a sudden enlightenment!

This world was ruled by the Mongol Yuan dynasty for over ninety years, and many Mongol Yuan customs had become deeply ingrained in people's minds. People living in that era didn't feel there was anything wrong with them.

So, following his usual practice, Yang Jing went to check whether Ru Niang was engaged to Yang Cheng.

However, Li Qi, who came from later generations, immediately saw the crux of the problem.

On a larger scale, this concerns the legitimacy of the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

Drive out the barbarians and restore China!
Which barbarian tribes were expelled, and which Chinese civilization was restored? Is it the barbarian custom of levirate marriage, which disregards human ethics, that still prevails on the land of the Ming Dynasty?
A thought flashed through Zhu Biao's mind: "Yang Jing is finished."

The midday sun cannot penetrate into the Fengtian Hall.

The hall suddenly felt rather cold and gloomy.

Only the hearts inside Li Qi's chest were beating hot and powerfully.

Given the weight of the matter, Li Qi and Princess Lin'an could only choose another day to visit the palace.

As Li Qi stepped out of the palace gate, he looked back at the towering palace walls, so imposing and heavy, and exhaled a deep sigh of the depression that had been lingering in his heart.

I've been here for almost a year!
Today, I finally accomplished half of a major task!

Although he did not answer the emperor's question, the fact that he could draw his sword and behead Yang Jing in one stroke was enough to prove that his long-planned scheme had not been in vain.

As Princess Lin'an walked out of the palace, even the slow-witted princess realized what Yang Jing's fate would be.

After getting into the carriage, she excitedly whispered, "Husband, is Yang Jing...?"

Li Qi nodded slightly.

Princess Lin'an was overjoyed at first, then she sobbed softly, "This matter is now settled, and the wronged souls of the Duke's family can finally rest in peace."

Li Qi didn't speak. The warm light fell on him, but it couldn't hide the coldness emanating from him. Was this matter really over?

Doesn't anyone find that strange?

Why is Yang Ye, at such an advanced age, still unmarried, and suddenly wants to bring up old matters again to steal Wang Wu's wife?
The county government, which usually procrastinates and delays in responding to orders from higher authorities, responded to the Ministry of War's document so quickly this time.

Why would Zhu Yuanzhang allow such a trivial matter to reach the emperor's attention?
Why did Zhu Yuanzhang, swayed by Li Qi's words, develop a murderous intent towards Yang Jing?
Why did Yang Jing, the Minister of Justice, attach so much importance to the beginning and end of this case?
Where are the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions in this case?
How deep is the water behind this?

Like a man-eating abyss, Li Qi knew why, but dared not touch it.

The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.

He didn't have that ability, and the Li family didn't have that much power to save those who were drowning in misery.

In this cruel era, he was nothing more than an ordinary person living in fear and trembling under the imperial power!

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.

Since my death, I have relied on Heaven's mandate to restore the Han dynasty's lands, drive the barbarians far to the northern deserts, restore the ways of my former kings, and promote the teachings of the sages, enabling the people to understand propriety and righteousness. Yang Jing, the Minister of Justice, harbored treacherous intentions, suppressed the path of goodness, deceived the Emperor above, and oppressed the people below; his crimes are unforgivable. The officials have been ordered to execute him by slow slicing! —"The Edict on the Execution of Yang Jing"

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 June of the 23rd year of the Hongwu reign (1380), Yang Jing, the Minister of Justice, betrayed his promise and framed his family. In July of the 24th year of the Hongwu reign (1381), he was executed in the case of Wang Wu and Yang Ye's dispute over a wife; all the family members were beheaded, and the women were sent to the Imperial Music Bureau. This feud was thus resolved. —From *A Collection of Records of Grievances and Ancestral Accusations Against the Li Family*, Volume 1, "Records of the Hongwu Reign"

(End of this chapter)