Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

October 16th, the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

The candles in the cabinet office have been burning for two whole nights.

Chen Xun sat at his desk, his brows furrowed, staring blankly at the repeatedly revised "Regulations for the Revision of the Imperial Clan Code".

Since Zhu Qiyu set the tone at the court meeting on the 15th, this draft resolution has become like a hot potato, and no one dares to put pen to paper lightly.

Cao Nai gently pushed open the door and entered: "Grand Secretary Chen."

The Hanlin scholar who had escaped from Tumu Fortress and returned with his life also looked haggard: "It's three-quarters past Chen Shi (7:45 AM), and you haven't slept a wink all night."

Chen Xun, without looking up, asked, "Scholar Cao, what do you think of me if this imperial edict is issued? What will the clan associations of the world think of me?"

Cao Nai remained silent; how could he not know the implications?

Which of those princes and dukes didn't hold sway over their respective regions?

Which one doesn't have intricate connections with relatives and friends in the court?

Once this imperial edict is issued, Chen Xun's name will likely be written into the family genealogy by the imperial clan and cursed for generations.

Light footsteps sounded outside the window, and a secretary from the Imperial Secretariat entered carrying hot tea, saying in a low voice, "Your Excellency, Eunuch Cheng from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs has arrived."

Chen Xun looked up and saw that Cheng Jing had already arrived at the threshold of the duty room.

Cheng Jing bowed slightly: "Grand Secretary Chen."

Chen Xun looked at Cheng Jing: "Does His Majesty have any imperial edict?"

Cheng Jing asked softly, "His Majesty sent me to inquire about the progress of this draft resolution."

He could tell that Chen Xun hadn't slept all night.

Chen Xun did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Where is His Majesty now?"

"Empress Wang was unwell last night, and His Majesty stayed with her in Kunning Palace."

Chen Xun was taken aback: "Is Your Highness unwell?"

A rare smile appeared on Cheng Jing's face: "It's good news. The imperial physician has examined Her Majesty's pulse and found that she is two months pregnant."

Upon hearing this, the tense atmosphere in the duty room immediately eased considerably.

Cao Nai immediately cupped his hands and said, "This is a blessing for the nation, and we should congratulate Your Majesty."

Chen Xun nodded slightly, his tense brows relaxing a little.

Seeing that Chen Xun did not mention the draft proposal, Cheng Jing asked in a low voice, "Grand Secretary Chen, about this draft proposal..."

Chen Xun sighed, picked up his pen, and slowly wrote four characters on the draft section of the "Regulations for the Revision of the Imperial Clan": "Your humble servants respectfully submit this draft."

As he put pen to paper, he seemed to hear the curses of the royal princes coming from afar.

Meanwhile, inside the Kunning Palace.

Zhu Qiyu sat on the edge of the bed, holding Empress Wang's hand, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.

Empress Wang leaned against the soft pillows, her face somewhat pale, but a smile played on her lips as she softly said, "Your Majesty has kept watch all night; it's time for you to rest."

"The affairs of state are very busy; you must not let your concubines interfere."

Zhu Qiyu shook his head: "What political affairs could be more important than my son?"

However, the imperial physician said that you need to take good care of yourself during this pregnancy and avoid overexertion.

From now on, all the trivial matters of the inner palace will be handled by the servants; you just need to focus on your pregnancy.

Empress Wang smiled and said, "Your Majesty makes it sound so easy. What matters, big or small, in the inner palace don't require my attention?"

She paused, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Besides, I also need to take care of Sister Hang."

Zhu Qiyu was taken aback: "What's wrong with Yunxian?"

Empress Wang covered her mouth and chuckled: "Your Majesty doesn't know yet?"

Hang's younger sister has not had a good appetite these past few days.

I suspect that I am pregnant.

However, the pregnancy is still early, and the imperial physicians dare not make a diagnosis yet.

Zhu Qiyu abruptly stood up: "Really?"

Empress Wang quickly pulled him down to sit: "Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. It's just that I think it looks like it."

"We need to have the imperial physician examine my pulse carefully in a few days to determine the exact cause."

Zhu Qiyu, however, was already beaming with joy: "If that's truly the case, then I'm experiencing double happiness!"

He held Empress Wang's hand, his eyes full of tenderness, "Wanyi, you've had a hard time raising children all these years."

Empress Wang smiled and said, "It is my blessing to be able to bear children for Your Majesty."

She paused, then said softly, "I've heard that Your Majesty has been putting in a lot of effort these past few days implementing new policies in court?"

Zhu Qiyu's smile faded slightly, and he nodded: "The system of stipends for members of the imperial clan has been a long-standing problem."

"If I do nothing, the court will eventually be dragged down by these parasites."

After a moment of silence, Empress Wang said softly, "Your Majesty does not understand politics, but I know that there must be a reason behind what Your Majesty does."

But those princes and nobles, after all, share the same lineage as His Majesty…”

Zhu Qiyu interrupted her with a cold laugh: "Let them talk about it."

I have already withstood a hail of arrows from the Oirat Mongols while standing on the Deshengmen city tower, so why should I be afraid of a few idle words?

You just focus on your pregnancy; I'll take care of everything else.

Empress Wang looked at him, her eyes full of tenderness: "I only hope that he grows up safely, that will be enough for me."

Zhu Qiyu gently stroked the back of her hand: "Yes."

October 17th, Zhengtong 14th year, Chenshi (7-9 AM).

East Warm Pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qiyu accepted the draft cabinet proposal presented by Xing'an, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"It's been dragged on for two whole days. I thought the cabinet would drag it out until next year."

Xing'an lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Zhu Qiyu opened the memorial, and the cabinet's draft was almost a verbatim copy of Zhang Lun's three proposals, with only a few inconsequential embellishments added.

He picked up his brush, dipped it in vermilion, and wrote the word "Approved" next to the draft.

Subsequently, the imperial edict, which Zhu Qiyu had approved in red ink, was issued by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, and then officially delivered to the Six Ministries after being stamped by the Grand Secretariat.

Li Kan, the Supervising Secretary of the Six Ministries, sat upright in his duty room.

What lay before him was the "Regulations for the Revision of the Imperial Clan Rules," bearing the seal of the Cabinet and the Emperor's own vermilion annotations.

He was silent for a long time.

The Sixth Corridor behind them was also deathly silent.

Several officials bowed their heads and remained silent, but their eyes were all fixed on Li Kan's back.

They all knew how embarrassed Li Kan had been the day before, when Zhu Qiyu had left him speechless and forced him to kneel and beg for forgiveness in court.

They also know that Li Kan's letter of apology has been "retained and not issued" to this day.

Li Kan slowly picked up his pen, the tip pausing for three breaths on the cover of the memorial.

If he were to write the word "reject" here, the imperial edict would not be issued.

He can cite the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," emphasize that "ancestral rules should not be lightly altered," argue about procedures, and argue about format.

Even if Zhu Qiyu was furious, he could not overstep the authority of the Six Ministries to reject his proposals.

This is a rule set by the founding emperor.

This was his duty as a judge in the Six Departments.

But his pen never came down.

Li Kan recalled the bloody battle inside Zuoshun Gate.

He was standing in the train at the time, watching helplessly as Ma Shun and Jin Ying were beaten to death, and as Prince Cheng "panicked" and pushed Jin Ying into the crowd.

At that time, he felt that the Prince of Cheng was nothing more than a puppet manipulated by civil officials.

But later events proved that everyone was wrong.

Armored figures atop Beijing's city walls, cannons roaring outside Zhangyi Gate, Bayan Temur's head hanging above the city gate, and the remnants of Esen's army fleeing north in panic...

And then there's that unforgettable question Li Kan uttered: "Why didn't the Six Ministries reject the imperial edict for the personal expedition when the Emperor Emeritus approved it?"

Li Kan closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the censor from the Ministry of Justice behind him stepped forward: "Director Li, if you don't approve it, I will."

Li Kan did not turn around.

When she opened her eyes again, her expression was one of utter despair.

Then a bright red "驳" (reject) character appeared next to the imperial edict.

Shen Shi (3-5 PM), Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qiyu looked at the returned imperial edict on the table.

That glaring character "驳" (reject) was like a slap in the face, striking the very red ink on his imperial brush.

Cheng Jing knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

Zhu Qiyu didn't speak, but just stared at the character "驳" (bo) for a very long time.

Then he laughed.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it sent chills down Xing'an's spine.

Zhu Qiyu gently set the rejected imperial edict aside: "Good, Six Ministries Censor, very good!"

Cheng Jing.

"Your subject is here."

"By imperial decree, all officials of the Six Ministries, including the Chief Censors and the Left and Right Censors, shall attend the morning court session tomorrow."

Cheng Jing kowtowed: "As you command."

When he left the Qianqing Palace, his back was soaked with cold sweat.