The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 99: Sorrow and Rong

What kind of scene is it between life and death?
It lies between reality and nothingness.

With eyes open, there is bright light; with eyes closed, there is deep darkness.

Li Qi strained to look out from the gap between heaven and earth, soaring high in the sky and looking down upon the human world.

Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, when the Heavenly Official bestows blessings.

Everywhere the eye can see, there is dazzling splendor.

Countless lanterns rose from the banks of the Qinhuai River, illuminating the dark night as brightly as day. The lanterns on the flower boats were brightly lit, and the fragrance of cosmetics wafted through the city on the wind.

Men and women strolled through the lantern festival, their clothes a vibrant mix of red and green, while vendors called out their wares. It was as if one had been transported back to the night market of Bianjing in the Northern Song Dynasty, where the yamen runners of the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture were dozing off in the streets and alleys, and children were running through the lanes, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Large red lanterns hung high in front of the princess's mansion, their bright light reflecting off the orange lanterns and casting a peaceful and serene glow over the gate. Strings of wind chimes hung from the eaves of the pavilions, terraces, towers, and galleries inside the mansion, swaying in the wind with melodious and clear sounds. After the green leaves had all fallen, the treetops, with their bare branches, were filled with colorful lanterns, creating a lively and enchanting scene.

Time seemed to fly by, as if it were only a blink of an eye.

Red turned into white.

It was as if a heavy snow had fallen on the princess's residence. The bright red makeup had faded, and pure white, as white as snow, covered the lintels and high places. Servants used ladders to take down the big red lanterns, and the white lanterns were hung high. All the colorful lanterns had fallen, leaving only white paper and white cloth.

The crowd surged into the front yard like a tide. Sometime during the night, the crimson robes of the top scholar had faded, and mourning clothes were worn instead of the deathly pale ones. Flames rose, but not in celebration; rather, they reflected the thoughts of the deceased.

The clamor and chaos dissipated, and a deep sorrow and grief arose.

Several suppressed sobs echoed through the air.

White silk covers the body, the deceased rests in peace, mourning clothes are worn, and elegiac couplets are hung high.

Heavy snow falls here, and people feel cold, and so does the world!
……

"Tomorrow, Mu'er, you will come with me to the palace to personally inform my elder brother and His Highness the Crown Prince about this matter."

Princess Lin'an was no longer the gentle and obedient woman she was in front of Li Qi. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, but her words carried a deep sense of authority. At this moment, people might remember that she was the eldest daughter of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty!

"Fang'er, you take Steward Li and carefully consider the obituaries to be sent to the princes. You will also take responsibility for the mourning period for the relatives."

Although the Li family had long since passed away, Li Qi was the husband of Princess Lin'an and an elder in the imperial clan. The princes were either his brothers-in-law or his nephews and nieces, so they naturally had to come to offer their condolences. Even if the princes could not leave their fiefdoms, they still had to send people to the capital. Those who were close to him or who intended to befriend him would send their heirs to attend the funeral, while others would send their stewards to offer their condolences.

"Mao'er, go to your friends in the capital to deliver the obituary and inform them that your father has passed away."

"Wang Gen, tomorrow you go to the Imperial Academy to find all the students of the School of Mindfulness, and go to find Fang'er to handle all matters related to mourning."

The strictness of the teacher-student relationship in ancient times is far beyond what we can imagine today. For formally registered teachers and students like Li Qi and Wang Gen, after the teacher's death, the student had to observe the mourning rites for three years, which was called "being as grief-stricken as one's father, but without wearing mourning clothes!"

The three brothers and Wang Gen all nodded in agreement.

"Your father was a learned scholar in life, and we must not let people think that our family has lost its manners after his death. All matters shall be handled in accordance with his last wishes. During the period of mourning, everyone shall take turns keeping watch. This number shall be followed for now. If there are any other matters, please report them to me. Tonight, Fang'er, you shall keep watch over the body."

"Yes, mother."

The atmosphere in the room was heavy and somber.

The stark contrast between the bustling city outside and the sorrowful atmosphere of the princess's residence only intensified the grief.

Nothing happened all night.

The next day.

As dawn broke, a gentle breeze dispersed the hustle and bustle of the previous night, along with the lingering smells of fireworks and gunpowder. Occasionally, it would swirl up a few grains of snow, like salt, hidden in a street corner, and pedestrians would brush them off and continue on their way.

Then we saw white banners hanging in front of the princess's residence.

Prince Consort Li Qi has passed away?!

The news spread throughout the capital in an instant, like autumn leaves swept away by the wind. Soon after, the people of the capital saw the steward of the princess's residence wearing mourning clothes and heading out of the capital.

Princess Lin'an went to the palace in person.

Everyone was certain that Prince Consort Li Qi had indeed passed away on the night of the Lantern Festival.

"Li Xianmu just passed the imperial examination with top honors. According to the neighbors who live on the same street as Princess, Li Xianmu had just arrived at the gate of the Princess's residence when he and his father met briefly and did not exchange a word before Duke Jinghe could not hold on any longer."

"Alas, he was probably just holding on by sheer willpower. If it weren't for this incident, Duke Jinghe would probably have given up when he met with the other candidates last time. I was watching from the wall next to him at the time, and he was already drowsy and even his hands were trembling slightly."

"To see his son become the top scholar in the imperial examination on his deathbed is a great blessing amidst misfortune. To not see his son parade through the streets on horseback is also a misfortune. Life is full of disappointments, even for a wealthy and prominent family like ours."

"With the death of Duke Jinghe, only the princess remains in the mansion. Li Fang and Li Mao are both mediocre, and although Li Xianmu is talented, he is too young and must observe three years of mourning. The once mighty Li family has just begun to show signs of revival, but it has fallen into this predicament again."

"After all, he is of noble birth from the imperial family, and the legacy of Duke Jinghe is very profound. Not only does he have the old friendship with His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince, but he also has relatives and friends in the Wenyuan Pavilion and in the court. Even though Li Xianmu is observing three years of mourning, he is different from others and still has a bright future."

"That's right, it's truly a fortunate thing!"

On the streets and alleys, whether they were ordinary people or scholars and officials, everyone was talking about it. Li Qi may not have enough prestige, but his reputation was excellent. Therefore, most people had some concern for him, and their words were mostly filled with regret.

These clamors went unheard by Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu. Early in the morning, the two drove to the palace, where they found officials and the successful candidates of the imperial examination already lined up outside.

When the officials and scholars saw Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu, the already appointed top scholar of the imperial examination, enter the palace in mourning clothes, they were immediately shocked.

Before they could ask any further questions, Princess Lin'an had already entered the palace through a side gate. Everyone could only suppress their feelings, but as the news spread, almost everyone knew that Li Jinghe had passed away.

Although I already knew it would be in the next few days, hearing the news still felt like a lifetime had passed. Especially for the many newly appointed scholars who came to participate in the grand ceremony of announcing the results of the imperial examinations, their hearts were filled with mixed emotions. The leader of the scholars in the world had just passed away.

Before they could think it over, the official in charge of ceremonies was already leading them into the palace.

Fengtian Temple.

Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu knelt in the hall, Zhu Di stood with his hands behind his back, his face showing a complex mix of emotions, Empress Xu looked sorrowful, and Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi was also quite saddened, sighing repeatedly.

May the departed rest in peace, and may the living be gone.

After Zhu Di regained his composure, he turned around and comforted Princess Lin'an, saying, "Take good care of yourself. Jinghe probably hopes you can live to be a hundred years old, and besides, Xianmu is still young."

Princess Lin'an said with a slight sob in her voice, "Brother, I understand."

"Xianmu, today is the grand ceremony of announcing the top scholars. As the top scholar personally selected by me, you cannot be absent. You will join the ranks with the officials in a moment. I grant you permission to wear mourning clothes."

This is also a great day for you. To walk the imperial path before a vast crowd is the most glorious moment of your life. If Jinghe were alive, seeing your glorious and illustrious occasion would surely bring him great comfort!

Zhu Di looked at Li Xianmu with admiration, not only because he was his close nephew, but also because he saw a trace of Li Qi in Li Xianmu. He believed that Li Xianmu would definitely become a pillar of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Even if he could not be used during the Yongle era, he could leave it to the later emperors, or even pass it down to three generations to assist Zhu Zhanji.

"Your humble servant kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's great kindness."

Zhu Di turned to Zhu Gaochi and asked, "Your Highness, have the cabinet ministers arrived yet? Quickly have them enter the Fengtian Hall."

In recent times, especially since Li Qi was unable to attend to state affairs, the power of the cabinet has greatly increased. Although it is still far inferior to the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, it has become a force that cannot be ignored in the political arena of the Ming Dynasty. After all, being able to stay by the emperor's side is an honor and a great power.

After all, even uneducated eunuchs could gain power by getting close to the emperor, let alone cabinet ministers who were already outstanding individuals.

The cabinet ministers who had entered the Wenyuan Pavilion stepped into the Fengtian Hall. After bowing and standing still, their eyes couldn't help but turn to Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu, who were kneeling on the ground.

Zhu Di went straight to the point: "As you all know, Jinghe passed away last night. What should be done about his funeral, his posthumous title, and so on? You can all tell me."

Xie Jin, a close friend of Li Qi, immediately spoke up and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please posthumously confer a title upon Duke Jinghe first. His current official position does not qualify him for a posthumous title. Once Your Majesty has conferred the title, the Ministry of Rites can proceed with all the necessary procedures. After that, Your Majesty can either promote or demote him."

The other cabinet ministers echoed in unison, “What Scholar Xie said is absolutely right, Your Majesty. We request that the title of Duke Jinghe be posthumously conferred upon him first.”

The Ming Dynasty had a very complete system. For example, to receive a posthumous title, one needed to be of the third rank or above. Among the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty, only the senior officials of the provincial and ministerial levels could receive this honor. However, in reality, officials of the fourth rank and below also had the opportunity to receive a posthumous title by the emperor. But it was clear that Xie Jin did not want Li Qi to take this path, so he took this opportunity to receive a posthumous title.

"Posthumously conferred..."

Zhu Di hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want to posthumously honor Li Qi, but he was struggling with what kind of posthumous title to bestow, because that would determine the range of posthumous titles in the future.

"I had actually considered posthumously honoring Jinghe, but I was really torn."

When Xie Jin and others proposed posthumously honoring Li Qi, they never expected the emperor to hesitate. What was there to hesitate about? It was simply a matter of posthumously granting him the title of Minister of Rites. If the emperor felt it would be difficult to explain Li Qi's use of his position to suppress his father, then he could posthumously grant him the title of Minister of Personnel.

If he were to receive further favor, he could be posthumously granted the title of Grand Tutor or Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, a first-rank official position. As for the Three Dukes, a first-rank official position, that would be impossible. Li Qi had been a fifth-rank Grand Secretary his entire life. According to the rules, posthumously granting him a second-rank official position would already be considered an extreme favor. Normally, he would be posthumously granted the title of Vice Minister at most.

On the one hand, the relationships between the cabinet ministers and Li Qi were not bad, and Xie Jin was a close friend, so there was no need to make things difficult for Li Qi in this regard. On the other hand, Li Qi had a good relationship with the emperor, and if he spoke too lightly, the emperor would not be happy, and he might even be accused of "being jealous of ministers and harboring treacherous intentions" and be directly demoted, which would be a great misfortune.

Zhu Di walked through the hall with his hands behind his back, and everyone looked at him with curiosity. What was His Majesty thinking?

"If Ruo Jinghe is posthumously granted the title of Minister of Rites, what posthumous title would he receive?"

After pacing back and forth a few times, the emperor suddenly turned around and looked at his ministers.

Since the Zhou Dynasty established the system of posthumous titles, early posthumous titles were mostly determined based on a person's life and the interpretations in the "Explanation of the Law of Posthumous Titles." Therefore, there was no distinction between high and low posthumous titles. Later generations determined the value of a posthumous title based on the person who received it.

However, since the Song Dynasty promoted civil administration, posthumous titles have become part of the hierarchical system, with distinctions between high and low. After entering the Ming Dynasty, the ranking of posthumous titles for civil officials was very complete. The first one was naturally Wenzheng, followed by Zhen, Cheng, Zhong, Duan, Ding, Jian, Yi, Su, Yi, Xian, Zhuang, Jing, Yu, Jie, Yi, Jing, Mu, Zhao, Ke, Gong, and Xiang.

The first four, Zheng, Zhen, Cheng, and Zhong, have very clear rankings, while the others are not too far off. Of course, if you offend the emperor, you will suffer greatly. For example, Gao Gong only got the worst Wenxiang, while Zhang Juzheng should have at least gotten Wenzhen, but he only got Wenzhong.

Now the emperor asked Li Qi what posthumous title he could receive, and naturally it would be one of the first four.

The cabinet ministers looked at each other. Judging from his achievements and official positions during his lifetime, Wenzhong was the most suitable candidate. If it came to showing favor, Wencheng would also be acceptable. After all, although Li Qi had an outstanding reputation in his time, his reputation among scholars could not be used as a basis for his actions in the court. He had not been transferred to other counties or prefectures, nor had he held any real positions in the Five Ministries or Six Departments. These were his inherent shortcomings.

Even though Xie Jin and Li Qi had a good relationship, there were some things he was unwilling to say carelessly.

"I know, I'm afraid even Wencheng wants my favor and promotion."

Seeing that no one spoke, Zhu Di sighed and said, "Although Jinghe's contributions to the country and the government were not many, none of you know how much he did for my clan. He is truly the best in the clan. I am uneasy about the posthumous title of Wencheng."

Everyone felt a sense of curiosity; it seemed that there were still many things about Li Qi that the world did not know.

Although the family and the country are one, the emperor has a private treasury and a national treasury. Naturally, national affairs also have a distinction between the imperial family and the state. Everyone knows that Li Qi once spoke up for the princes and even defended the Prince of Yan. Could there be anything else?

"If Your Majesty truly intends to..."

"No need to say more. If I were to truly promote Jinghe to the position of Wenzheng, I fear it would not bring him honor, but rather make him a target of criticism."

Seeing that the emperor had not lost his mind due to personal feelings, the ministers breathed a slight sigh of relief. Sometimes, the emperor's excessive favor is not necessarily a good thing.

"Draft the decree."

Before anyone could think any further, Zhu Di suddenly spoke.

Ok?
The emperor was just hesitating, how come he suddenly made a decision?

The cabinet ministers were responsible for drafting imperial edicts, and each of them was a man of great talent. Xie Jin immediately spread out the blank imperial edict, picked up his pen, and awaited the emperor's instructions.

The rest of the people—the cabinet ministers, Li Xianmu, Princess Lin'an, and Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi—listened intently, eager to know the emperor's final decree.

Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu were particularly nervous, wondering what posthumous title Li Qi would receive. They hoped that if he would be Minister of Rites and Wencheng, the honor would be truly great.

"The late Li Qi, a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, is posthumously conferred the title of Right Minister of the Imperial Clan!"

Ok?
Just as Xie Jin was about to pick up his pen to write the imperial edict, he was suddenly stunned. Right Clan Minister?
Almost everyone in the hall was stunned.

You Zongzheng? !

After a moment of stunned silence, Xie Jin, Li Xianmu, and Princess Lin'an all showed excitement on their faces, while the other cabinet ministers also realized that the emperor truly had a different perspective.

While they were all focused on Li Qi's status as a civil official, the emperor had already recognized Li Qi's status as a son-in-law of the emperor's maternal relatives.

The Imperial Clan Court of the Ming Dynasty was established in the third year of the Hongwu reign (1389). It was then called the Grand Court of Imperial Clan Affairs. In the twenty-second year of the Hongwu reign (1389), it was renamed the Imperial Clan Court. Among its officials, the Chief of the Imperial Clan Court was Zhu Shuang, the Prince of Qin, who was the head of the princes. The Left Chief of the Imperial Clan Court was Zhu Gang, the Prince of Jin. The Right Chief of the Imperial Clan Court was Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan. The Left Chief of the Imperial Clan Court was Zhu Su, the Prince of Zhou. The Right Chief of the Imperial Clan Court was Zhu Zhen, the Prince of Chu.

Most importantly, all five of these officials held the highest rank of the first grade!

After His Majesty ascended the throne, the Imperial Clan Court was no longer headed by princes, but by meritorious officials. All matters under its jurisdiction were transferred to the Ministry of Rites. The Imperial Clan Court existed in name only, but its lofty status would not change.

A first-grade official is a first-grade official!
Just like the Three Dukes and Three Ministers, their actual power was not as great as that of the Ministers of the Six Ministries, who were of the second rank, or even less than that of the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, who were of the fifth rank. But who would not want to receive the honor of the Three Dukes and Three Ministers?

The emperor's posthumous conferment of the titles of the Three Dukes of the First Rank and the Three Ministers of the Second Rank might have drawn criticism from the court and the public, but the posthumous conferment of the title of Right Minister of the Imperial Clan of the First Rank would have been met with no objection, since matters concerning the imperial clan were solely the responsibility of His Majesty!

the most important is!

Xie Jin became more and more excited as he thought about it, and his pen even seemed to bloom on the imperial edict. Not only did he think of it, but most people in the hall thought of it as well. By not posthumously conferring titles on civil officials, Li Qi could circumvent the restrictions on posthumous titles for civil officials!
What posthumous title would the emperor give Li Qi?

"Let's give him the posthumous title 'Zhongwen'."

As expected, loyalty is the first word in this system. Naturally, loyalty and martial prowess are the most famous. However, most of those who received this posthumous title were military generals, such as Yuchi Jingde and Guo Ziyi of the Tang Dynasty, Yue Fei and Han Shizhong of the Song Dynasty, Chang Yuchun, the Prince of Kaiping of the Ming Dynasty, and even Zhuge Liang and Wang Meng, all of whom had led troops into battle and fought many battles.

Therefore, Zhongwen is the most appropriate posthumous title for Li Qi!
"Your Majesty, I kowtow to express my gratitude for Your Majesty's great favor!"

Princess Lin'an and Li Xianmu knelt at Zhu Di's feet, choking back tears as they kowtowed in gratitude for the emperor's boundless grace.

"Get up quickly! Jinghe has treated me with sincerity, and I will repay him in return!"

Upon hearing the emperor's words, all the cabinet ministers in the hall felt a flicker of emotion in their eyes. Although His Majesty's temperament was still somewhat volatile, he was quite different from the late emperor.

The late emperor treated his officials like pigs and dogs, never showing the same understanding of the hardships his subjects endured as Your Majesty does now.

He was posthumously granted the title of Right Minister of the Imperial Clan, a first-rank official, and the posthumous name of Zhongwen. The cabinet ministers were quite envious, as this was equivalent to being posthumously granted the title of one of the Three Dukes and the posthumous name of Wenzheng in the civil service system. Li Qi's posthumous honors were truly enviable.

Zhu Di took in everyone's expressions and straightened his back slightly. He was an emperor who surpassed his predecessor in many ways.

Just as Xie Jin was about to blow the imperial edict he had just written to dry, he heard the emperor say again: "Place this imperial edict on the right side, and wait for the officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers to enter the hall, inform them of the edict, and then issue it."

Everyone was taken aback. Generally, the ministers would select several posthumous titles and present them to the emperor, who would then make the final decision. From the emperor's choice, one could even see the emperor's true attitude towards the minister.

Historically, after Zhang Juzheng's death, Zhang Siwei dared to suddenly launch a purge against Zhang Juzheng because he discerned a signal from the posthumous title given to him.

At the time, the court officials would have recommended four posthumous titles for Emperor Wanli: "Wenzheng, Wenzhen, Wencheng, and Wenzhong." Among them, Wenzhen and Wencheng were appropriate. If the emperor had chosen Wenzheng, it would have shown that Emperor Wanli was very satisfied with Zhang Juzheng. However, the emperor ultimately chose Wenzhong, and Zhang Juzheng was quickly attacked and purged. Even the cabinet ministers he recommended before his death were not allowed to enter the capital.

"I have another decree."

Zhu Di did not stop.

The posthumous title has been conferred and the posthumous name has been decided. What other decree is there that is worth mentioning on this occasion?
As for those matters of favoritism or other things, the Ministry of Rites can handle them later according to regulations. Besides, what need does the Li family have for favoritism?

Li Qi's wife was a princess of the first rank, so she did not need an imperial title. Li Qi's two sons had already been granted positions such as commanders of the garrison. As for Li Xianmu, he was the top scholar in the imperial examination and would be appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy of the sixth rank after the grand ceremony of announcing the results of the imperial examination.

Only Li Xianmu suddenly looked up, his heart trembling, and guessed what had happened.

"I promised Jinghe while he was alive that after his death he would be honored with a place in the Temple of Literature. Now, let's draft an edict in accordance with that promise."

The cabinet ministers were truly stunned. Only Xie Jin's hands trembled with excitement, but he still wrote the emperor's decree word by word on the blank imperial edict.

No wonder everyone was shocked. The Temple of Literature and the Temple of Martial Arts are completely different things. The Temple of Martial Arts mostly selects historical generals who have written military books, which can be regarded as a kind of assessment of military ability.

However, the Confucian Temple did not select famous ministers and prime ministers. It was a pure Confucian ritual, with Confucius as the chief officiant. All ten philosophers were Confucius's disciples. In later generations, most of those who could enter the Confucian Temple were Confucian scholars, except for a very few.

Li Qi was able to be enshrined in the Temple of Literature right after his death. Originally, everyone thought that he would be enshrined in the Temple of Literature when the School of Mind had developed and flourished further.

Once Li Qi enters the Confucian Temple, the status of the School of Mind will instantly change. This means that the imperial court has officially recognized Li Qi's doctrines, and the School of Mind can no longer be condemned as "heretical" in the future.

He was posthumously awarded the title of Right Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, a first-rank official, and given the posthumous name of Zhongwen (忠文). He was also granted the honor of being enshrined in the Confucian Temple. With these three combined blows, it's no wonder that the cabinet ministers were all numb to the situation. This was truly the highest honor bestowed upon him in mourning.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, among all the officials, only the founding princes were of a higher rank.

Even though everyone knew that the emperor trusted Li Qi, no one expected that the trust would be this great.

Li Xianmu lowered his head, concealing the boundless excitement in his eyes. His father was already worthy of being enshrined in the Confucian Temple, so everything that followed was a matter of course!

If he is merely ranked last, how can he be worthy of his father's extraordinary talent?

Even if they couldn't squeeze out the positions of Confucius and Mencius as the principal and secondary figures, how could Confucius's students be so eager to be listed among the Ten Philosophers because of Confucius's name?
The Confucian Temple should also be inhabited by virtuous, talented, and capable individuals!
Two more chapters before midnight!

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(End of this chapter)