Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 375 The Matters Here Are Not Over
Time flows on, like a galloping horse, like flowing water, never ceasing day or night.

The sky in the north grew ever higher and more distant, and ever more austere.

The snow had fallen silently without anyone noticing. At first, it was like grains of salt, then like willow catkins, and before long, it had covered the entire governor's mansion and the distant mountains and cities with a layer of pure white and solemn splendid robes.

The snow washed away the dust, but it couldn't cleanse the anxiety in people's hearts.

Zhu Youjian's campaigns in Xuanhua and Datong were successful in every aspect, progressing steadily and surely.

Those grand ideas that originally existed only in his mind are now being transformed into concrete government decrees by Fan Jingwen, Man Gui and others, taking root and sprouting on this ancient land at an unprecedented speed.

Every move he made in the game was incredibly ingenious.

Differentiation, investiture, redemption, education... each step is interconnected, like a vast net slowly unfolding towards the entire southern grasslands.

Such absolute power and decisiveness bring unparalleled pleasure to the emperor.

However, this joy was swept away by a massive torrent from the capital as the snow fell heavily and the year drew to a close.

The Lunar New Year is almost here!

As the year draws to a close, the emperor is not in the magnificent Forbidden City, but instead lingers on the snow-covered frontier.

This matter was no longer a major event for the Ming Dynasty court and the general public.

This is a momentous event!
This was an extraordinary act that could shake the very foundations of social order and deeply shock people.

In recent days, apart from a few people like Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren, who were considered Zhu Youjian's confidants and had some understanding of the emperor's strategies, memorials from the Six Ministries, Nine Ministers, and Censors in the capital have been pouring in like snowflakes from beyond the Great Wall.

Every day, Wang Chengen would present a thick stack of papers.

Even without reading it, Zhu Youjian could guess what kind of loyal and righteous words were written in it.

He sat upright behind his desk, the charcoal brazier in front of him burning brightly, casting flickering light and shadow on his handsome face.

As soon as I randomly opened a book, the familiar official script and passionate words came into view.

The reasons for opposition are all the same, yet they are all irrefutable.

Its core lies in the unchanging rites and laws of nature.

The memorial stated: "Rites are the order of Heaven and Earth. The Son of Heaven governs all things on behalf of Heaven, upholds the Way of Heaven, and is the model for all people and the foundation of the state. Now, as the end of the year approaches and the New Year is about to begin, it is a great occasion of renewal and the beginning of all things. As the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty should reside in the Nine Heavens, report to Heaven above, and offer sacrifices to the ancestors below..."

Zhu Youjian found the memorials rather dull. He tossed them aside and picked up another, his words even more forceful, each sentence ringing with conviction:

"I have heard that when a ruler loses his moral compass, the court falls into chaos; when rites are abandoned, the world loses its order! Your Majesty has been stationed on the frontier for too long, without thinking of returning to the capital; you have personally led military campaigns, yet have forgotten the sacrificial rites. What is the meaning of this?"

"The burning of firewood at the Temple of Heaven, leaving the place empty, is it an attempt to sever the connection between heaven and man? The offering of food at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, with its incense burning cold, is it an attempt to forget the merits of our ancestors? If we do not respect heaven, the seasons will not be peaceful, and the weather will be unfavorable; if we do not worship our ancestors, the ancestral temples will have no glory, and filial piety will not be shown!"

Your Majesty's fate rests on the shoulders of the nation, and you serve as a model for all. If the fundamental principles of morality are neglected at the top, then ethics will crumble below. At that time, even if the borders are pacified, the foundation of the nation will be shaken, and the hearts of the people will be scattered. How will this be different from the fate of Jie and Zhou of Xia?

These words were like thunderclaps in his ears, and Zhu Youjian felt a splitting headache.

These well-read civil officials truly knew best how to manipulate people's hearts.

They cited classical texts, from the Rites of Zhou and the Book of Rites to the institutions and systems of the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, repeatedly emphasizing that "sacrifices are a major national affair" and that the emperor's personal sacrifices are "an unchanging law for all ages."

In their view, it was a breach of etiquette for the emperor not to return to the capital to preside over the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, and a breach of etiquette was a breach of morality.

It is a great disrespect to Heaven and our ancestors, and a blasphemous act that could shake the very foundation of the theory of the interaction between Heaven and humanity.

Zhu Youjian knew very well what the subtext was behind these memorials.

If next year, no, even after the beginning of spring, if any drought, flood, earthquake, or locust plague occurs in any part of the Ming Dynasty, these officials will immediately swarm like flies to blood, blaming all natural disasters on the emperor's current lack of virtue and neglect of sacrificial rites!

At that point, even if he had a hundred mouths, he would find it difficult to defend himself.

We have to take the blame, whether we like it or not.

“Summer insects… summer insects…” Zhu Youjian murmured to himself, rubbing his throbbing temples.

He wasn't actually angry.

He knew that while there were those who were rigid and inflexible, and those who sought fame and fortune, there were also many who were truly loyal.

In their understanding, the emperor's duty was to govern from the center, sit in the central government, and rule by doing nothing.

His hands-on approach to everything on the front lines blurs the lines between the roles of monarch and general, neglecting his duties. If this continues, the national system will inevitably descend into chaos.

This is what is meant by "If the ruler is not a ruler, then the ministers will not be ministers".

What troubled Zhu Youjian even more was the news that Wei Zhongxian had secretly reported from the capital.

The undercurrents of public opinion are no longer just surging within the imperial court.

In the streets and alleys, some unsavory rumors have already begun to circulate.

Some whispered among themselves, saying that the Emperor's reluctance to return to the capital might be due to some trouble in the city, a loss of control over the situation in the south, or perhaps His Majesty's fear of the Jurchens prevented him from returning to defend the capital.

These rumors, though absurd, are highly inflammatory.

In those days of limited information access, even the slightest speculation about instability in the central government was enough to stir up a storm among the people and cause immeasurable panic.

"Fuck you!"

Even with Zhu Youjian's calm and collected nature, he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath. He summoned Wang Chengen and calmly dictated the imperial edict, sending one letter to the Eastern Depot and another to the Ministry of Rites.

"Instruct Wei Zhongxian to thoroughly investigate the source of the rumors. Arrest those who should be arrested and execute those who should be executed, without any leniency! Furthermore, order the *Da Ming Zhou Bao* to open a special column to serialize His Majesty's achievements in Xuanfu and Datong, especially his virtuous governance in pacifying the tribes in southern Mongolia and making the Mongols and Han Chinese as one family. Let the people of the capital know that His Majesty is not staying here, but is expanding the territory for the eternal foundation of the Ming Dynasty!"

"I hereby order Minister of Rites Wen Tiren to fully cooperate! If any official submits a memorial on such trivial matters again, Wen Tiren shall personally reject them all on my behalf! Tell them that wherever the emperor is, that place is the court! When offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors, sincerity is key; why be bound by time or place!"

Wang Chengen noted them down one by one, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, there's also... a letter from the inner palace..."

Upon hearing the words "harem," Zhu Youjian's sharp edges seemed to soften instantly.

Compared to the grand and ruthless political battles in the imperial court, the tender charm from the inner palace was what truly troubled him, and he was even somewhat powerless to resist.

Zhu Youjian accepted the letter from Wang Chengen, which carried a faint scent of orchids and musk and was written in Zhou Jingshu's handwriting.

Her handwriting is elegant yet carries a touch of heroism, just like her personality.

The letter did not mention a single word of etiquette or rules, nor did it contain the slightest complaint.

The entire text simply recounts the daily life in the palace, mentioning that the Empress Dowager Zhang Yan often summoned her over to chat and relieve boredom, and that the plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden were in bloom. She wondered if the fragrance of plum blossoms could be smelled in the snow and wind of Xuan Da.
These seemingly simple words, however, were like the finest threads, tightly binding Zhu Youjian's heart.

"...Last night, the wind and snow came fiercely. I sat alone in the warm pavilion, yet the chill still seeped into my bones. I wondered if you were warmly clothed and well-fed on the frontier. The border is bitterly cold, and swords are merciless. I and everyone in the palace have been burning incense and praying day and night, hoping only for your safety and your early return. Even if the affairs of the world are of utmost importance, they are still for my own sake. I beg Your Majesty to take good care of yourself and not cause us any worry..."

There wasn't a single word of urging, yet every word was urging.

There wasn't a single word of blame, yet every word was filled with concern.

This heartfelt concern carries a thousand times more weight than a hundred memorials from censors.

Zhu Youjian held the letter in his hand, and Zhou Jingshu's clear yet worried eyes seemed to appear before his eyes.

He knew she wasn't acting out of womanly compassion, but was genuinely worried about his safety. In her heart, he was her husband, and only then did he become the mighty Ming emperor who ruled the world.

This pure emotion warmed Zhu Youjian's heart, but it also added a heavy sense of guilt.

Wei Zhongxian's secret report also mentioned that there was indeed widespread panic in the palace recently.

With the emperor absent from court for a long time and the situation on the front lines uncertain, various speculations and rumors circulated among the eunuchs and palace maids. Many concubines spent their days in tears, repeatedly going to Renshou Palace to plead with their sister-in-law, Zhang Yan, to persuade the emperor to return to the capital.

Even the Empress Dowager's sister-in-law had repeatedly conveyed messages to him through Wei Zhongxian, hoping that he would prioritize the country's interests, return to court as soon as possible, and stabilize the people's hearts.

Externally, court officials pressured him with propriety and law; internally, the harem persuaded him with tenderness and affection.

One force, one soft; one public, one private—two enormous forces crossed thousands of miles from the direction of the capital and converged on the small governor's mansion of Xuanda, placing all their weight on the shoulders of Zhu Youjian alone.

"Ugh……"

Zhu Youjian sighed deeply, carefully folded the letter in his hand, and put it close to his body.

He slowly got up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack.

The icy wind and snow, mixed with the atmosphere of the northern frontier, immediately swept in, clearing his mind, which had become somewhat drowsy from the heating.

Looking out, the world was a vast expanse of white, with only the corner flags of the distant military camp fluttering in the wind and snow, like unyielding banners.

Back to Beijing?

Of course he wanted to go back.

I miss the warmth of the Forbidden City, and I miss Zhou Jingshu's gentleness.

But no!
Zhu Youjian closed his eyes, and what appeared in his mind were the faces of the Mongol Taijis, some with awe, some with greed, and some with ecstasy; the increasingly bright look of admiration in Fan Jingwen's eyes; the temples and elementary schools that were rising from the ground outside Guihua City; and the small and medium-sized tribal leaders who rushed to see him day and night after the plan to buy the inheritance rights was put forward...

Everything has only just begun!
In this unprecedented grand game of chess, he has only just made a few crucial moves.

To stop now would be tantamount to wasting all previous efforts!

The emotions of those in southern Inner Mongolia that had just been stirred up would cool down immediately.

The trust and prestige that have just been established will vanish in an instant.

Once Ligdan Khan catches his breath, he will surely go on a frantic effort to consolidate the various tribes.

By then, everything he has done will have come to naught!
No! no way!

Zhu Youjian was preoccupied with his thoughts and painstaking efforts. What he sought was not the stability of a corner of the country, but to create a peaceful and prosperous era for the Ming Dynasty and for his descendants, a period of hundreds of years in which there would be no more worries about the north!
Compared to such a monumental achievement, what are a mere festival, a little empty fame, and a few criticisms?
Zhu Youjian's gaze became incredibly firm at that moment.

That was the unique isolation and resolute determination of an emperor who was misunderstood.

"Preach my will!"

Wang Chengen quickly stepped forward and bowed to listen attentively.

"To the Cabinet and the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers: My efforts in Xuanfu and Datong to pacify the border regions and expand our territory, and to secure peace in the southern desert, surpass even the merit of offering sacrifices to Heaven and demonstrate the filial piety of worshipping our ancestors. If our ancestors are watching over us from Heaven, they should also comfort my painstaking efforts. By the end of this year, I have made up my mind not to return to the capital."

Wang Chengen trembled and stammered, "Your Majesty...Your Majesty, this..."

"I share the same camaraderie with my soldiers and the hardships with the border people. Right here in the Xuanda Governor's Mansion, I will celebrate the New Year with the soldiers and people of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Youjian's gaze pierced through the wind and snow, looking towards the boundless, desolate land.

"The matter here is not yet resolved!"

(End of this chapter)