Huangming

Chapter 331 Slowly Regaining the Old Momentum, Grassland Woman

Forbidden City.

Qianqing Palace.

The autumn wind outside the window swirled withered leaves past the white marble railing, making a soft rustling sound.

Inside the hall, the sandalwood incense in the bronze crane incense burner was burning brightly, yet it could not dispel the chilling atmosphere that penetrated to the bone.

The urgent sound of horses' hooves came to an abrupt halt at the end of the palace road. A report of victory, covered in dust and sealed with wax, was carried by a eunuch with both hands and ran into the Qianqing Palace.

The chief eunuch, Wei Chao, bowed deeply as he received the report of victory and presented it to the emperor's desk, a perfectly measured smile plastered on his face, his voice flattering and booming:
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations on the great victory in Shandong! Minister Yuan has lived up to Your Majesty's grace and has wiped out the Wenxiang Sect rebels in one fell swoop! This is all thanks to Your Majesty's strategic planning and wise command, which has allowed the Shandong rebellion to be quelled so quickly!"

Zhu Youxiao was reviewing memorials when he heard the news. He put down his pen and accepted the report of victory.

The bright yellow memorial still carried a trace of warmth. He slowly opened it, his gaze sweeping over the lines, but his face showed little of the ecstatic joy that an ordinary emperor would feel upon receiving good news; instead, it exuded a calmness.

"Wei Banban, you flatter me."

Zhu Youxiao spoke in a flat tone.

"The soldiers on the front lines fought with their lives to bring about this peace, and I dare not take credit for it."

Zhu Youxiao knew very well that when it came to battlefield command, his abilities were probably not even worth mentioning on paper. If he were to try to imitate that "micro-management master" of later generations and give reckless commands, he would probably have caused great suffering to the soldiers on the front lines.

Instead of pretending to know what you don't, it's better to let capable ministers like Yuan Keli do the work; that would save you a lot of trouble.

“Yuan Keli’s skillful command deserves a reward; Deng Shaoyu and Yang Zhaoji’s bravery in the battle also deserves a reward.”

He tapped his fingertip over the name on the memorial, then suddenly stopped at the three characters "Li Hongji," a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"And then there's Li Hongji, who infiltrated the enemy camp and killed the bandit leader in battle; he's quite a rare talent."

In fact, Zhu Youxiao's choice of the name "Li Hongji" carried a much more complex meaning than that of others.

This Jinyiwei commander who has now made great contributions in Shandong is none other than Li Zicheng, who should have stirred up the storms of history.

Historically, this man was originally a post station worker in Yinchuan. He lost his livelihood due to the closure of the post station and was forced to join the Liangshan rebels. He eventually rose up in rebellion, fought his way to Beijing, established the Da Shun regime, and became the famous "Chuang King".

As a time traveler, Zhu Youxiao took the initiative to promote this "potential rebel king" from the ranks of post station workers and secretly planted him in Shandong as an inconspicuous pawn.

What was originally a casual arrangement turned out to be an unexpected opportunity for this piece to seize amidst the chaos of battle, earning a reputation for merit and becoming the most meritorious contributor to the suppression of the rebellion.

Indeed, those who leave their mark on history are not ordinary people.

Even if circumstances change and starting points are altered, as long as they are given an opportunity, they can be like a dragon hidden in the abyss, transforming into a dragon when they encounter favorable winds and clouds.

"Let the cabinet draft the reward regulations."

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand.

The soldiers' successive victories were a great thing, but for the emperor, it became a "happy trouble."

Since ancient times, meritorious service must be rewarded in order to boost morale, but rewarding people is never as simple as just saying it.

Gold, silver, land, houses, official titles—which of these doesn't require real gold and silver to support it?

The Ming Dynasty court is currently lacking money the most.

The Ministry of Revenue's accounts were already stretched thin, and even officials' salaries were often in arrears, let alone providing large sums of money to reward the army.

Zhu Youxiao felt a headache every time he thought about the empty national treasury.

However, he doesn't need to worry too much about the reward from Shandong this time.

Li Hongji, acting as an inside agent, took control of the rebel army's treasury in advance, thus preserving the millions of taels of silver and preventing them from being squandered by the rioters.

This money was not only enough to reward the soldiers who had made meritorious contributions in suppressing the rebellion, but also to provide Yuan Keli with sufficient financial support to implement various new policies in Shandong, allowing him to make great strides, rectify local officialdom, and restore production.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao's tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little.

But he soon thought of something else.

forage.

Yanzhou Prefecture had been ravaged by rioters for so long that it was already devastated. In addition, Shandong had previously suffered from drought, resulting in a severe reduction in grain production, leaving the people with almost no food to eat.

At times like these, even with a lot of money, it's not guaranteed that you can buy enough food.

Food is the most important thing for people. If the problem of food cannot be solved, the hard-won stability may be destabilized again.

Fortunately, Yang Lian had previously rectified the canal transport system, eliminating long-standing problems and making the transport of grain from the south to the north much smoother.

With the added support of the Tianjin Navy's transport capacity, transferring grain from Jiangnan to Shandong should not be a problem.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao felt a little relieved.

However, this peasant uprising in Shandong still taught Zhu Youxiao a profound lesson.

He originally thought that he was familiar with the trajectory of historical development, and that as long as he followed the historical path and made preparations step by step, he could deal with various crises smoothly.

But he overlooked an important issue.

His appearance itself disrupted the balance of history and changed the course of many things.

Many historical events may occur earlier, may occur later, or may never happen at all.

And some things that have never happened before in history may appear out of thin air because of his arrival.

Just like the recent rebellion of the Fragrance Cult, the timing, scale, and impact differed from historical records. If it weren't for Li Hongji's unexpected good fortune, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Zhu Youxiao leaned back on the dragon throne, gazing at the desolate autumn scenery outside the palace, his heart filled with countless emotions.

The advantages he possesses as a "prophet" from later generations will likely become less and less obvious over time.

The road ahead is full of unknowns and uncertainties, and we can no longer rely solely on historical memory to guide our actions.

Just as Zhu Youxiao was lost in thought, gazing at the autumn scenery outside the window, Wei Chao tiptoed forward, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Yansheng has submitted memorials several times, earnestly requesting an audience with you. What do you think, should we see him or not?"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Zhu Youxiao's expression out of the corner of his eye.

Since the urgent dispatch, news of the peasant uprising in Shandong, the great upheaval suffered by the Duke of Yansheng's family in Shandong, and the extinction of their bloodline had already spread throughout the capital. All the civil and military officials were secretly watching to see how His Majesty would handle this major matter concerning the continuation of the cultural lineage.

The "Duke Yansheng" mentioned by the Wei Dynasty was Kong Shangxian, the 64th generation descendant of Confucius.

This 79-year-old man was already very old and had been recuperating in Beijing due to a serious illness. He never expected that his hometown would suffer such a misfortune.

Upon hearing of the tragic situation in Qufu, Kong Shangxian sent messengers several times a day to request an audience. It is said that he was crying until his eyes were red, coughing and panting as he muttered, "I am ashamed before my ancestors." Zhu Youxiao's fingers tightened slightly as he held the wooden carving, his tone so flat that no emotion could be discerned: "I will not see you."

Wei Chao had already anticipated this, but he still advised in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Confucius is the spiritual sustenance of scholars throughout the land. If we simply refuse to see him after this calamity befalling the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, it will likely chill the hearts of all scholars..."

"Chilling?"

Zhu Youxiao chuckled lightly, unconvinced.

In his view, the Duke Yansheng's mansion was no longer simply a symbol of cultural heritage.

For hundreds of years, the Kong family, relying on their title as "descendants of a sage," amassed countless riches and lands in Shandong and even throughout the country. Furthermore, with the respect of scholars, they dared to challenge the emperor.

Those pedantic literati would readily quote "Confucius said" and "Mencius said" to criticize his governance, as if the words of Confucius were more effective than imperial edicts.

"I have my own plans regarding the Duke Yansheng's residence." Zhu Youxiao's gaze fell on the memorial on the table concerning the sacrificial rites at the Confucius Temple, his brows furrowing slightly.

The most pressing issue right now is the worship of Confucius.

According to ancestral rules, the sacrificial ceremony should be presided over by the Duke Yansheng, but now the direct line of the Duke Yansheng in Qufu has been broken, and Kong Shangxian in the capital is already on his deathbed.

Is it to select someone from a collateral branch of the Kong family to inherit the title and continue to let the Kong family take charge of the sacrificial rites?

Or should we simply have officials dispatched from the palace to oversee the complete removal of the title of Duke Yansheng?

These two choices involve countless interests.

Supporting collateral branches would be tantamount to continuing to acknowledge the special status of the Confucius family.

However, if the title is removed, it will inevitably attract attacks from scholars all over the country, who will say that he "disrespects the sage" and "corrupts the literary tradition".

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Youxiao's eyes.

This matter cannot be rushed.

He looked up at Wei Chao and said slowly, "Tell the Duke of Yansheng that I know his suffering, but Shandong has just been pacified and there are many complicated matters. Once I have dealt with them properly, I will summon him."

This is nothing more than a delaying tactic.

Kong Shangxian was already nearing the end of his life, and this further blow has made him unlikely to survive much longer.

It's a miracle that a 79-year-old man could survive this winter, tormented by both grief and illness.

Once this contemporary Duke Yansheng is no longer alive, dealing with the follow-up matters will be much less difficult.

By then, it will be much easier to choose an easily controllable successor from a collateral branch or to take the opportunity to reclaim the right of sacrifice to the imperial court.

Wei Chao was incredibly astute and instantly grasped Zhu Youxiao's deeper meaning. He bowed and replied, "This servant will immediately send someone to report back."

Watching Wei Chao's retreating figure, Zhu Youxiao began to review the memorials again.

But his thoughts were perfectly clear.

The best strategy to deal with these deeply entrenched old forces is to act hastily, as this will only create chaos, and to proceed cautiously and strategically.

And soon.

After instructing the eunuch to reply, Wei Chao stepped lightly back into the East Warm Pavilion.

Seeing that Zhu Youxiao had almost finished reviewing the memorials on his desk, he bowed and leaned forward, a fawning smile on his face, his voice extremely low:
"Your Majesty, news has come from the Laundry Bureau that Zhe Zhe, the criminal woman captured from Liaodong, has become quite docile after being trained by the palace maids these past few days. Would Your Majesty like to see her?"

"Zhe Zhe?"

Zhu Youxiao raised his eyes, his eyebrows slightly twitching.

He vaguely remembered the name.

Isn't she Huang Taiji's legal wife?

He glanced sideways at Wei Chao, and saw that the fat eunuch had a knowing look on his face, the implication in his eyes was all too clear.

Zhu Youxiao scoffed in annoyance, inwardly cursing the eunuch for his filthy thoughts.

Do you really think he, the emperor, is a womanizer?

I still think he's the same kind of person as Cao Cao, who had a thing for other men's wives.
Despite saying this, Zhu Youxiao still said:
"Bring it over for a look."

The emperor coughed lightly, trying to make his tone sound official, but a slight warmth crept into his ears.

Zhu Youxiao was not misled by Wei Chao's thoughts; it was simply that Zhe Zhe's background was quite remarkable.

She came from the Khorchin tribe and was the daughter of Mangus, a Mongol prince. She held considerable influence on the Khorchin grasslands.

If they could win over the Khorchin tribe through her, or even turn them against them, it would be a devastating blow to the Jurchens who occupied Liaodong.

When they're attacked from both sides, let's see how Huang Taiji will manage to cause trouble!

As for the woman's appearance and figure...

Zhu Youxiao quickly shook his head, trying to banish the thought from his mind.

It was just incidental, secondary, and not worth mentioning!
Seeing that the emperor had relented, Wei Chao's smile grew even brighter, and he hurriedly bowed and replied, "This servant will make the arrangements immediately!"

His steps seemed to carry the wind as he turned around.

Zhu Youxiao watched Wei Chao's hurried departure, reached for the teacup on the table, and gulped down a mouthful of cold tea.

The tea was slightly cool, sliding down my throat, but it couldn't suppress the inexplicable restlessness in my heart.

The image of Zhe Zhe from the rumors involuntarily surfaced in my mind.

The Mongolian woman was tall and voluptuous, with a spirited air about her, unlike the delicate palace maids in the capital…

"Cough cough!"

Zhu Youxiao coughed heavily twice to suppress his chaotic thoughts.

Before long, light footsteps could be heard outside the palace, accompanied by Wei Chao's low announcement: "Your Majesty, the person has been brought."

Zhu Youxiao put down the memorial, straightened his clothes, and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

Ah!
Zhu Youxiao suddenly felt a heat below his body.

Today, watch as I subdue this fierce woman of the grasslands!
I'll beat you with a steel whip!
Let this monster witness the power of my Great Ming Dragon Whip!

(End of this chapter)