Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

(Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and good health. The remaining two chapters will be tonight.)

November 5th, the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, outside Yongding Gate in Beijing.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, a group of people came from the south.

Leading the procession was a red-wheeled carriage with a magnificent canopy.

The vehicle was led by an honor guard and followed by bodyguards.

That vermilion-wheeled carriage with its ornate canopy was of extraordinary quality, and only princes were allowed to ride in it.

The centurion guarding the gate saw the carriage from afar, and his expression changed slightly.

He immediately ordered the city gates to be closed, and then rode his horse to the guard post inside the city gate.

"Quickly! Report to the commander! A prince's carriage has arrived!"

Half an hour later, a memorial was sent to the Office of Transmission, and then forwarded from the Office of Transmission to the Directorate of Ceremonial.

When the memorial was delivered to the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Qiyu was discussing matters with Chen Xun.

After reading the memorial, Zhu Qiyu handed it directly to Chen Xun.

Chen Xun frowned after reading it.

Besides the three kings, even King Xiang appeared in the memorial.

Prince Xiang, Zhu Zhanshan, was the fifth son of Emperor Renzong, the younger brother of Emperor Xuanzong, and the uncle of the current emperor.

After the Tumu Crisis, Empress Dowager Sun intended to make him emperor, but he firmly declined.

He remained in Beijing after the Tumu Crisis.

Unexpectedly, he and three others submitted a memorial requesting an audience with the emperor.

The other three princes were Prince Zheng, Zhu Zhanjun, the second son of Emperor Renzong, whose fief was Huaiqing, Henan.

Zhu Gui, the Prince of Liao, was the son of Zhu Zhi, the fifteenth son of Emperor Taizu. His fief was Jingzhou in Huguang.

Prince Shen, Zhu Jitun, was the son of Zhu Mo, the twenty-first son of Emperor Taizu. His fief was Luzhou in Shanxi.

The three kings' fiefdoms spanned the north and south, yet they all arrived outside Beijing on the same day.

This is not a coincidence; it was pre-arranged.

Chen Xun said in a low voice, "I fear that their wishes are not simply to congratulate His Majesty on his ascension to the throne."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "They're all here for the sake of reforming the imperial clan."

Chen Xun knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have caused unrest among the imperial clan. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand: "Get up, it's not like you sent them."

Let them come if they want.

"I'd like to see what tricks they can pull."

Chen Xun stood up, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopped himself.

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "What does Grand Secretary Chen want to say?"

Chen Xun gritted his teeth: "Your Majesty, the fact that several princes have come to the capital together means they must have come prepared."

A flash of murderous intent crossed Zhu Qiyu's eyes: "Perfect timing, I need to talk to them about ancestral rules!"

Chen Xun bowed deeply: "Your subject... understands."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Go ahead and tell them that I will summon them tomorrow."

"Let them prepare themselves to speak to my face."

Chen Xun accepted the order and withdrew.

That afternoon, at the Honglu Temple.

King Zheng spoke first: "King Xiang, you can make a decision on how we should speak at tomorrow's court assembly."

King Xiang slowly asked, "What idea do you have?"

I told you this before you came.

Reform of the imperial clan is imperative.

Reducing salaries by 30% will save the court hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, which is a good thing.

Those distant branches of the imperial family were already struggling to survive, so they were stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners.

It's a good thing to let them find their own way to make a living.

You wouldn't listen, you insisted on coming.

The King of Liao sneered: "King Xiang, you are quite generous."

As a prince, your salary will be reduced by 30%, but you will still have 6,500 shi of grain per year.

But we, the border and distant vassal states, already lack sufficient stipends.

If we reduce the tax by another 30%, how will the people below survive?

Those lieutenants of the Fengguo Army have been eating rice for generations.

They stripped them of their titles and sent them to farm?

"How would they know how to farm?"

King Xiang looked at him and said, "If you don't know how to farm, you can study. Didn't His Majesty allow them to take the imperial examinations and enter officialdom?"

The King of Liao scoffed, "Entering officialdom through the imperial examinations? Can those poor, pedantic lieutenants afford to study? Can they even pass the exams?"

King Zheng replied, "King Xiang, we are not here today to bargain with His Majesty."

We are here to uphold the laws and traditions of our ancestors.

The Emperor Taizu's "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" cannot be altered in a single word; this is an ironclad rule.

Your Majesty will reduce your salary today and remove your title tomorrow.

"Will they even strip us of our princely titles the day after tomorrow?"

King Xiang was silent for a moment: "I am not speaking on behalf of His Majesty."

I am simply telling you that times have changed.

Ancestral rules are not immutable.

The Battle of Tumu Fortress severely weakened the imperial court.

Your Majesty's reduction of your salary is for the sake of the nation.

We, as uncles and elders, shouldn't have stopped them.

The King of Liao suddenly stood up: "King Xiang, are you going to be a coward?"

If you won't go, I will!

I will ask the Emperor this in person at tomorrow's court meeting.

Does he even care about us elders anymore?

The King of Xiang looked at him and asked, "King of Liao, during the Tumu Crisis, did you send even a single soldier to defend the king?"

The Prince of Liao was taken aback, then said, "Without an imperial edict, a prince mobilizing his guards would be treason. How can I possibly come to the emperor's aid?"

The King of Xiang nodded: "When the Oirats besieged the city, did you submit a memorial inquiring about our well-being? Did you send anyone to the capital to inquire?"

The King of Liao opened his mouth, but could not utter a word.

The King of Xiang sighed: "You didn't even send a memorial to congratulate the Emperor on his ascension to the throne."

Now that the country is at peace, you've come here. What do you think the Emperor will think of you?

The King of Liao turned ashen-faced and plopped back into his chair.

Prince Shen cautiously began, "Prince Xiang, then tomorrow..."

King Xiang waved his hand: "Go to court tomorrow if you should."

But remember, no making a scene.

When His Majesty asks about the matter of defending the emperor, you should consider your answers carefully.

Furthermore, according to the "Great Ming Code," princes were not allowed to enter the capital without being summoned.

Your coming without summons is already a violation of the rules.

If things escalate tomorrow and His Majesty truly intends to punish you, no one can save you.

Silence fell over the hall.

The next day, several princes arrived at Qianqing Palace, led by Cheng Jing.

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations on your ascension to the throne. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"

Zhu Qiyu raised his hand in a gesture of respect: "No need for formalities, please take a seat."

Before the others had even taken their seats, King Zheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty."

"Besides congratulating you on your ascension to the throne, we have another matter we would like to ask Your Majesty to clarify."

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "What is it?"

King Zheng: "I have heard that the court recently revised the stipend system for members of the imperial clan. May I humbly inquire what legal precedent this new system is based on?"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and said, "Based on the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' by Emperor Taizu."

King Zheng: "The Ancestral Instructions state: All my descendants..."

Zhu Qiyu interrupted him: "There is another sentence in the Ancestral Instructions: All princes, dukes, generals, and lieutenants..."

We should all treat each other with kinship and work together to safeguard our country.

"Does the Imperial Uncle remember?"

King Zheng: "I remember."

Zhu Qiyu: "Then tell me, my uncle, where were those princes, dukes, generals, and lieutenants when the Oirats besieged the city?"

Did they ever come to help defend the country?

I recall issuing edicts to several princes ordering them to come to the aid of the emperor.

King Zheng's face stiffened.

Zhu Qiyu continued, "Furthermore, the Great Ming Code states: Princes may not leave their fiefdoms without the imperial edict."

"You have come to the capital today without being summoned; what is your punishment?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three princes changed simultaneously.

King Zheng broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly said, "We have come to congratulate you on your ascension to the throne..."

Zhu Qiyu interrupted him: "You ascended the throne in August, and now it's November, and you're only now coming to congratulate me?"

"King Zheng, do you take me for a three-year-old child?"

King Zheng's face turned pale and then red. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, we have failed to serve you and are truly guilty."

Entering the capital without being summoned is also a crime.

However, the system of stipends for members of the imperial clan was established by Emperor Taizu and will be passed down for generations.

"Your Majesty's reduction of titles and ranks today will not be tolerated by the vassal states throughout the land!"