Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

September 5th, one day before the coronation ceremony.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Qiyu was finalizing the arrangements for tomorrow's grand ceremony with key officials such as Yu Qian and Wang Zhi.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a eunuch entered to report:

"Your Highness, Lord Yue Qian has returned, and the delegation has arrived outside the Meridian Gate."

Zhu Qiyu paused slightly in his writing: "Summon him to an audience immediately."

Soon, Yue Qian and Ji Duo strode into the hall, and both knelt down, saying, "Your subject Yue Qian (Ji Duo) pays his respects to Your Highness!"

Zhu Qiyu raised his hand: "Rise and speak. You must be tired from your journey. Have you seen the Emperor?"

Yue Qian stood up and said, "Your Highness, we have met with the Emperor and Esen."

All the ministers in the hall focused their attention on Yue Qian.

Wang Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Is His Majesty well?"

Yue Qian's expression was complicated: "His Majesty's health is still good, but... but he is mentally exhausted."

While the emperor was outwardly respectful, he was in reality imprisoned.

When we, your humble servants, came to pay our respects, Your Majesty sat to the lower side of Esen, with Oirat warriors standing on either side, swords drawn.

Yu Qian frowned: "What conditions did Esen propose?"

"Esen said that if the emperor were to be welcomed back, the Ming Dynasty would have to cede the two towns of Datong and Xuanfu."

They also paid annual tribute of one million taels of silver and five hundred thousand bolts of silk.

In addition, a prince was to be sent to the Oirat as a hostage, supposedly to preserve the brotherly bond.

Chen Yi slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Arrogant! Such conditions are no different from the destruction of a nation!!"

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand to signal Chen Yi to calm down, and continued to ask, "What was your answer?"

Yue Qian bowed and said, "Your Highness must not tarnish the prestige of the nation, and I will refuse immediately."

Your Majesty, I say: "Not an inch of the Ming Dynasty's territory can be given away. The matter of annual tribute is utterly absurd. If the Grand Tutor truly has the sincerity to negotiate peace, he should first return the territory to His Majesty before discussing anything else."

Zhu Qiyu praised, "Not bad."

Yue Qian continued, "We stayed in the Oirat camp for three days, during which time we were able to meet Your Majesty several times."

The Emperor gave this to me during our last meeting.

As he spoke, Yue Qian took out a roll of bright yellow silk from his bosom and raised it high above his head with both hands.

All eyes were focused on the rolled-up silk, a color reserved for the emperor.

Xing'an stepped forward, took the document, and presented it to Zhu Qiyu's desk.

Zhu Qiyu unfolded the silk scroll, revealing several lines of writing on it with a vermilion brush, the strokes weak and feeble, clearly written in haste:

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

I am trapped in the enemy camp, and my fate is in grave danger.

A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and a society cannot be without a master for a day.

Prince Zhu Qiyu of Cheng, my younger brother, is wise, virtuous and kind, and is fit to succeed me as heir to the throne.

"The Prince of Cheng shall now ascend the throne, overseeing all affairs of state, guarding the ancestral temples, and pacifying the people. This is the imperial decree."

Zhu Qiyu's fingers gently stroked the silk, remaining silent for a long time.

Hu Ying asked in a trembling voice, "This...this is truly His Majesty's own handwriting?"

Yue Qian nodded emphatically: "It is absolutely true. It was written by His Majesty secretly asking me for silk and ink while Bayan Temur was on duty at night."

After finishing writing, the Emperor said, "Take this to the Empress Dowager and all the court officials. This is the last thing I can do for the Ming Dynasty."

After speaking, the emperor burst into tears.

Some ministers couldn't help but cover their faces and wipe away tears.

Zhu Qiyu slowly rolled up the silk and closed his eyes for a moment.

Whether this was Zhu Qizhen's true feeling is no longer important.

It doesn't even matter whether Zhu Qizhen actually said those words.

The important thing is that Zhu Qiyu is now truly and legitimately the emperor.

Yue Qian continued, "Your Highness, I also learned something while in the Oirat camp."

Esen's army was running out of food and supplies, and there were many complaints among his soldiers.

The eastern route troops led by Toghtoa Bukha seemed to have some disagreements with Esen, and the two were not a united front.

This might be useful to me.

Yu Qian's eyes lit up: "This intelligence is extremely important. If we can incite chaos within the Oirat tribe, our chances of victory will greatly increase."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "This matter will be discussed in detail by the Ministry of War. Yue Qian and Ji Duo, you two have rendered meritorious service on your mission. Go back and rest well. You will be rewarded after the ceremony tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

September 6th, early morning.

Beijing was shrouded in an autumn mist, but the atmosphere today was quite different from usual.

From the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the solemn sounds of bells and drums resounded from the Bell and Drum Towers, echoing throughout the capital city.

Zhu Qiyu donned the imperial robes and crown, attended by eunuchs such as Cheng Jing.

The Twelve-Character Robe is black with eight symbols on the upper garment: sun, moon, dragon, stars, mountains, fire, pheasant, and ancestral vessel.

The lower garment is embroidered with four patterns: algae, rice grains, axe, and embroidered brocade.

He wore a twelve-tassel crown, each tassel adorned with twelve five-colored jade beads.

Soon Zhu Qiyu arrived at Fengtian Gate.

Hundreds of officials had gathered outside the Meridian Gate, dressed in various court robes and arranged neatly according to their rank.

The ceremony was kept simple, so no sacrifice was offered at the Temple of Heaven; instead, an altar was set up in front of Fengtian Gate.

The ceremonial guards and processions set up below the altar, though simplified, still displayed the majesty of the imperial family.

The Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) generals stood on both sides, while the newly reorganized three battalions of the Beijing Garrison each dispatched 500 elite soldiers to guard the perimeter.

Empress Dowager Sun sat on the phoenix throne beside the altar, and Consort Wu was also seated to the side.

Hu Ying presided over the ceremony, and the 74-year-old minister was in excellent spirits today.

Zhu Qiyu, guided by the official in charge of rites, arrived at the altar, where three sacrificial animals—ox, sheep, and pig—were displayed, surrounded by the smoke of incense and candles.

Following Hu Ying's instructions, he performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony, then received the prayer document and read it aloud:

"On the sixth day of the ninth month of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, the succeeding emperor Zhu Qiyu dares to solemnly announce to the Supreme God of Heaven and the Gods of Earth:"

The nation suffered a great upheaval, the emperor's elder brother was captured in the north, and the imperial regalia was left without a master.

By the imperial edict of my elder brother, the decree of the Empress Dowager, the support of the officials, and the expectations of the people, I hereby solemnly ascend the throne today.

He will continue the great lineage and bring lasting peace to all people.

Please be advised.

After the prayer was read, Zhu Qiyu placed the prayer tablet on the altar and burned it.

Wisps of smoke rose and disappeared into the morning mist.

After the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was completed, Hu Ying turned to face the assembled officials and unfurled a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict, the official decree issued by Empress Dowager Sun the previous day:

"Empress Dowager's decree: The country is in great distress, the emperor has been captured in the north, and the imperial regalia is without a proper ruler."

Prince Zhu Qiyu of Cheng, the emperor's younger brother, was benevolent, filial, wise, and renowned for his virtue.

By imperial decree, in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's will, it is fitting that you ascend the throne.

The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.

So be it.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Amidst cheers and shouts, Zhu Qiyu received the Imperial Seal of the State from Empress Dowager Sun.

Of course, the real Imperial Seal of the State has long been lost. This "Emperor's Seal of Heaven" was made during the Hongwu period and is a symbol of the Ming Dynasty's imperial power.

The moment Zhu Qiyu held the imperial seal in his hand, a complex and indescribable emotion welled up within him.

Twenty-one years of patient waiting has finally become a reality.

Hu Ying then unfurled an even longer edict, the first official edict issued by Zhu Qiyu after his ascension to the throne, drafted by the Hanlin Academy and reviewed by the Six Ministries:

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

I, in my humble state, have succeeded to this great undertaking, and I am filled with utmost reverence day and night, never daring to be negligent or negligent.

Now, my elder brother has been captured in the north, and the barbarian invaders have ravaged the land, endangering the ancestral temples and causing immense suffering to the people.

Recently, the ministers jointly appealed, saying that the country was in grave danger, the imperial regalia could not remain vacant for long, and the world could not be without a ruler, and urged him to ascend the throne repeatedly.

I, mindful of the weight of the ancestral temples and the state, and the lives of countless people, reluctantly grant the request and ascend the throne on the sixth day of the ninth month of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

He declared the following year as the first year of the Jingtai era, granted a general amnesty, and started anew with the people…