Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 5 The Great Ming Dynasty, Your Emperor Has Arrived!

On the 23rd day of the eighth month of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign (1627), at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

Before dawn, the Duke of England's mansion was already brightly lit.

Zhang Weixian sat upright in front of the mirror, letting four or five maids wash and dress him.

Brushing teeth with salt, washing face with fragrant soup, even a single strand of hair is meticulously groomed.

Beside him, his son Zhang Zhiji stood with his hands at his sides, waiting quietly.

Zhang Zhiji was in his early twenties, with a heroic air about him.

Finally, everything was sorted out.

Zhang Weixian waved his hand, and the maids quietly withdrew.

He didn't get up immediately, but slowly leaned back on the recliner covered with white tiger skin, letting out a satisfied groan.

There's nothing you can do; as people get older, their bones become brittle, and even sitting down causes aches and pains all over.

"Have you cleaned up both the beginning and the end?" He closed his eyes, his voice flat, revealing no emotion.

"Father, everything is clean," Zhang Zhiji replied respectfully.

"The personnel from the Beijing Garrison and the Military Command have all been withdrawn. They are all old men from the manor and they keep their mouths shut."

Zhang Weixian grunted in response and said nothing more.

After a long silence, he finally spoke again, asking, "What do you think of Prince Xin?"

Mentioning Prince Xin, Zhang Zhiji's spirits lifted, and his voice carried an undisguised excitement:
“Father, His Highness Prince Xin was known for his uprightness when he was still a prince and has always despised the eunuch faction.”

"Now that I have ascended the throne, I am confident that I can eliminate the treacherous officials in the court, bring order to the country, and mend the nation's riddled problems!"

Zhang Weixian slowly opened his eyes, his cloudy pupils glancing indifferently at his son.

“Recite the family precepts.”

The excitement on Zhang Zhiji's face froze instantly. He opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head unwillingly and began to recite in a voice barely above a whisper:
"Be loyal to your superiors, do not form factions or engage in strife. Defend the land and bring peace to the people, and pass on the blessings of your family."

He had memorized this passage since he was a child, and it was already deeply ingrained in his mind.

But today, he felt as if every word weighed a ton, making it hard for him to breathe.

Seeing his son's unwilling expression, Zhang Weixian sighed inwardly.

He patted the embroidered stool beside him, gesturing for his son to sit down.

“I know that your blood is still hot and you have the world in your heart.”

Looking at this only son of the Zhang family, whom he had late in life, Zhang Weixian's voice softened slightly.

"But look at the twenty-five dukes who founded our Great Ming Dynasty. How many of them are still alive today?"

"The emperors of the Zhu family have always been cold-hearted and ungrateful. The will of Heaven is unfathomable, and the emperor's intentions are as deep as the abyss. As a subject, one must know when to advance and when to retreat, and be wise enough to protect oneself, so as to have a good beginning and a good end."

“But Father!” Zhang Zhiji stood stubbornly in place, pouring out all the words he had held back for days.

"The affairs of the nation have deteriorated to such an extent that even the temple of the saint has been adorned with filthy shrines. We, the nobles who have received the nation's favor for generations, cannot sit idly by and do nothing!"

"Furthermore, I heard that His Highness Prince Xin was so grief-stricken upon hearing of the late Emperor's passing that he nearly fainted. How could such a person, so devoted to loyalty and righteousness, be a heartless and ungrateful person?"

"Furthermore, he was forced by Wei Zhongxian to not even have a decent mansion. It was our family that promptly provided him with a house; otherwise, he wouldn't even have a place to live. Just considering this favor, shouldn't he be grateful?"

Zhang Zhiji's long speech came at us, indicating that he had been pondering these thoughts for a long time.

"Foolish child." Upon hearing this, Zhang Weixian slowly sat up from the recliner.

"Even if we believe the king is sentimental, what about his descendants?"

"Shize is only three years old this year. When he grows up, do you want him to gamble on the temperament of the next emperor?"

"..."

Zhang Shize was Zhang Zhiji's eldest son, so these words were nothing short of a fatal blow to him.

Zhang Zhiji was instantly speechless, his face turning deathly pale.

Zhang Weixian looked at him and continued.

"The affairs of the state are in dire straits; let those scholar-officials who study the classics worry about them."

"What else can we nobles do after the Battle of Tumu, besides performing rituals and offering sacrifices, or idly rotating through the five armies?"

"There's nothing we can do..."

After saying that, he stood up, patted his son on the shoulder, said no more, and turned to walk out.

Zhang Zhiji's blood boiled, and he suddenly asked out in frustration:
"If everything is as Father says, then why help Prince Xin spread rumors?"

Zhang Weixian paused slightly, then left without replying, though the elderly man looked somewhat hunched over.

……

Meanwhile, in the side hall of Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Youjian ate his second wheat cake with a blank expression.

It's really hard and tastes awful.

He vowed to wait until Zhou Yu entered the palace.

The first thing to do is to send her to the imperial kitchen to learn how to properly proof dough.

After finishing the last bite, he patted the crumbs off his hands and called out, "Someone, come and change your clothes."

The hour of Mao (5-7 AM) has arrived, and the final procedure before the coronation ceremony—the three refusals and three concessions—is about to begin.

Soon, he changed into a plain white mourning robe and, guided by a palace attendant, arrived at the main hall of the Wenhua Hall.

Outside the hall, there was already a huge crowd.

Civil and military officials, nobles and relatives, elders and gentry, and even representatives elected by the people of the capital knelt in a dense, dark mass, stretching from the steps of the palace to the square outside.

Upon seeing Prince Xin appear, the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial loudly proclaimed "Greetings!" and everyone immediately kowtowed in unison, their shouts reaching the heavens.

"Your subject respectfully requests that His Highness Prince Xin, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people, ascend the throne!"

Zhu Youjian stood on the steps of the imperial palace, looking down at the vast crowd below, his heart filled with boundless pride.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, his face still solemn and sorrowful.

Duke Zhang Weixian of England led his men forward and held up the first letter urging him to ascend the throne.

Zhu Youjian listened to the lengthy parallel prose without any emotional fluctuation. Only after it was finished did he speak, in a rehearsed tone of grief, enunciating each word clearly:

"Having read your words, I can see your deep concern for the country. However, my elder brother has just passed away, and I am still grieving. How can I bear to hear about the matter of succeeding to the throne? Therefore, I cannot grant your request."

Having said that, he turned and went back to the palace.

The officials bowed again and invited him once more.

The second letter urging him to ascend the throne was presented by Grand Secretary Huang Liji.

Zhu Youjian emerged again, his face still filled with sorrow, but his voice even more hoarse:
"Your intentions for the sake of the ancestral temple and the state are earnest. After reading them, I am filled with even greater sorrow. How can I bear to ascend the throne so hastily? Your request cannot be granted."

The officials kowtowed for the third time, making their third request.

This time, all the representatives shouted in unison, their voices resounding throughout the world. Zhu Youjian walked out of the hall for the third time. He surveyed the crowd, tears glistening in his eyes, and remained silent for a long time before, as if having made a tremendous decision, he sighed deeply:
"You have all petitioned me repeatedly, and I am well aware of your sincere intentions. The throne is of utmost importance and cannot remain vacant for long. I am still bound by the late Emperor's dying wish and dare not refuse. I will do my best to comply with your request."

"Long live my emperor! Long live! Long live!"

Amidst a deafening roar, Zhu Youjian slowly turned around and walked into the hall.

Next, we need to finalize the succession edict and the reign title with the cabinet ministers.

……

A handsome compiler from the Hanlin Academy stood in the hall, reading aloud the imperial edict that had already been prepared.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:..."

It's smelly and long.

Zhu Youjian listened attentively to several points, then became drowsy. Things like preferential treatment for imperial princes, tax reductions, and general amnesty...

It's all just trivial details.

For example, tax reductions and exemptions are targeted at groups that are "those who paid taxes before the first year of the Tianqi reign" + "those who have not yet paid taxes" + "those who are genuinely unable to pay taxes".

That's really impressive. Whatever, he can't possibly change anything on these edicts anyway.

He had not yet conducted sufficient research on this dynasty.

They may not be able to make the right decisions.

Even if the right decision is made, it may not be implemented correctly...

He only became interested near the end.

"...The mandate of heaven is renewed, and joy and renewal begin anew."

Zhu Youjian raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.

What does the eunuch faction mean by writing this? Aren't they afraid of being ousted themselves?
He shook his head inwardly, guessing that this was probably just some cliché from the Ming Dynasty's registration edicts, copied from the Taichang or Tianqi reigns.

The editor read the edict word by word, and Zhu Youjian did not change a single word.

The edict, containing as many as 50 new policy measures, was passed swiftly and decisively.

In any case, once he ascends the throne and consolidates his power, he will naturally issue a truly earth-shattering edict!

The imperial edict had already been decided, so only the reign title remained.

Huang Liji presented a tray with four pieces of yellow paper on it, each bearing one of the four reign titles: Yongchang, Shaoqing, Xianning, and Chongzhen.

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept across the list, finally settling on the two characters "Yongchang".

His heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

Of course he recognized the reign title.

Seventeen years later, a man named Li Zicheng used this reign title to declare himself emperor in Xi'an, establishing the Great Shun dynasty.

The first year of Yongchang was the seventeenth year of Chongzhen!

And now, it lies quietly in front of me, like a fork in the road leading to two completely different rivers of history.

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning and grew wildly.

Chongzhen, Chongzhen...

Zhu Youjian silently recited the words in his heart, his mind in turmoil.

Why not let history change right here? — Yes, why not?!

It is clear that I have come here to write other people's stories.

If Heaven grants something and you don't take it, you'll suffer the consequences; if the time comes and you don't act, you'll suffer the calamity!
Shouldn't this destiny be entrusted to me?
He raised his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly with excitement.

But the moment it fell, it was incredibly firm, steadily pointing towards the yellow paper with "Yongchang" written on it.

"That's it."

His voice trembled slightly, but carried an undeniable determination.

The cabinet ministers in the hall were slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting the new emperor to make a decision so quickly, but they didn't think much of it, treating it as a routine auspicious date selection, and all bowed in agreement.

"The ministers obey the order."

Unbeknownst to them, this young heir, though outwardly calm, was inwardly churning with turbulent emotions.

They know nothing.

History has been completely changed at this moment!
The master of ceremonies stepped forward and solemnly put away the yellow paper with the word "Yongchang" written on it.

From then on, the Ming Dynasty never had another Chongzhen Emperor.

Even if China were to sink again seventeen years later, the history books would only record that the Ming Dynasty finally ended in the seventeenth year of Yongchang!

The cabinet ministers all bowed and took their leave.

In the empty hall, it was so quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat, each beat heavy and powerful, like a war drum.

The turmoil in his heart could not be calmed for a long time. The heroic spirit of pointing out the world and turning the tide was now turning into a scorching current that surged through his limbs and bones.

He strode to the window, pushed it open, and looked up at the sky.

The setting sun was slowly sinking, dyeing the entire sky a magnificent crimson hue.

Zhu Youjian stretched out his hand and made a loose grasping motion toward the setting sun.

It was as if he held the entire country in his palm.

His eyes reflected the rosy clouds in the sky, shimmering with an unprecedented brilliance.

A voice roared from the deepest part of his heart.

Great Ming Dynasty, your emperor has arrived!

　[This chapter is fictional]

　　There is almost no historical record of the Duke of Yingguo or any other noble family in the late Ming Dynasty, but the Duke of Yingguo served as a trusted minister of three emperors: Wanli, Taichang, and Tianqi.

　　This deduction is made by combining the power boundaries of nobles at the end of the Ming Dynasty with the fate of Zhang Shize, a member of the British royal family, who died for his country.

　　Here I'd like to briefly explain my principles: those who died for their country according to historical records will be given a good outcome; if historical records are lacking, my deductions will tend towards glorifying them. Consider this my small act of support a century from now.

　　[Historical Materials in this Chapter]

　　1. The edict of Emperor Tianqi's ascension to the throne comes from the "Veritable Records of Emperor Xizong of Ming" and the edict of Emperor Chongzhen's ascension to the throne comes from the "Imperial Edicts of the Ming Dynasty". The original texts are very long. If you are interested, please leave a comment and I will post the version with both classical Chinese and modern Chinese translations in the relevant section of the work.

　　2. There are two versions of the reign title.

　　The *Liehuang Xiaoshi* records: "Yongchang," "Shaoqing," "Xianning," and "Chongzhen."

　　The "Records of Ceremonies at the Si Mausoleum" mentions: "Qian Sheng," "Xing Fu," "Xian Jia," and "Chong Zhen."

　　The author of "The Record of Ceremonies at the Siling Mausoleum" was Sun Chengze, who first surrendered to the Shun dynasty and then to the Qing dynasty. Moreover, he had not yet passed the imperial examination when he ascended the throne, making him a minor figure. Furthermore, the reign title "Qiansheng" is too grand, combining "Qian" and "Sheng," which seems unlikely.

　　The author of "A Brief Account of the Emperor" is the grandson of Wen Zhengming, one of the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan, and the second son of Wen Zhenyue (who became a cabinet minister) of the Donglin Party. The information he provides should be relatively reliable. Moreover, he did not serve the Qing dynasty after it came to power and was involved in anti-Qing activities. Therefore, I choose to believe him.

　　In conclusion, the Yongchang version was ultimately chosen.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)