First Prince of Ming Dynasty

On the Longevity Day in the seventeenth year of Hongwu, amidst the sound of rites and music, civil and military officials from the Manchu Dynasty celebrated the emperor’s birthday. Local states and chieftains from various local clans also offered birthday presents. host.

  For example, Master Fatian, an eminent monk of Gantong Temple in Dali, Yunnan, traveled mountains and rivers to present a pot of Yunnan camellia, a Dali white horse and poems symbolizing national unity to the emperor.

   There are still many poor prefectures and counties who just donated some self-grown grain. Emperor Zhu was also delighted and rewarded these officials vigorously.

  In the evening, the princes and grandchildren celebrated the emperor with family gifts in Kunning Palace. Zhu Yuanzhang changed into ordinary clothes and chatted with his sons whom he had not seen for a long time in a relaxed manner.

  Zhu Xi, who was a little nervous at first, also relaxed at this time, thinking that his father would reprimand him because of the impeachment of the imperial envoy.

Zhu Biao was talking to his younger brothers, the seventh and the eighth, who had also established themselves as kings and vassals. Although it was more like a formality, Zhu Biao still made some suggestions for their actions in the past two years .

  Da Ming is now in a state of satiety after drinking and eating, and stabilizing the internal digestion of what has been obtained is the most important thing at present.

  At the family banquet, Lao Zhu put down his chopsticks, and the others quickly put down their chopsticks, swallowed the food in their mouths and pricked up their ears, still wondering what his father was going to say.

  The elders had expected it in their hearts, but now they are not resisting but looking forward to it.

"We said back then that we wanted to feudalize the princes and serve as the vassal screen of the country, so we have been sealed up to Laoba, but now that the country has been founded for 17 years, the situation has changed again, so we plan to move your vassals and enfeoff your vassal states from Move the seal from home to overseas.”

   "We have planned this matter for a long time, and we don't want to leave this matter until after your elder brother succeeds to the throne, so as to avoid discord between your brothers."

  Zhu Di stood up and responded: "My son is willing to obey the will of the emperor!"

  Zhu Xi gave Zhu Di a dissatisfied look. The fourth child is really getting more and more unruly. In any case, I, the leader of the kings, should express my opinion on behalf of the brothers.

   Anyone with a little bit of ambition is willing. There are too many constraints in the feudal land within the territory. If you go out to hunt in the city, you will be impeached by the imperial envoy for several days, let alone other things.

  However, some people are willing and others are not. A few who are young or have a gentle temperament frown but dare not say anything against their father's order.

  Zhu Biao said: "It's okay if you don't want to go, but you can't establish a feudal land. You can be a Taiping royal family and enjoy wealth forever."

   "The so-called people have their own aspirations, and the emperor naturally wants you to stay by his side more, so as to enjoy the family happiness of father and son. Brothers here also need the help of brothers."

  Hearing the big brother's words, everyone felt that they could advance, attack, retreat, or defend, and they felt more at ease. Although the overseas land was in charge of their own affairs, what might there be to enjoy?

  Chu Wang Zhu stood up and said: "I have never had great ambitions, and it is difficult for me to leave my father and queen mother. I would like to stay in the court and serve in order to do my best."

  The second child was very surprised, but Zhu Yuanzhang was also satisfied, so the fifth child, Zhu Xi, and the eighth child, Zhu Zi, also successively expressed their hope to stay in Daming, honor their father and emperor and assist their elder brothers, and the rest were willing to move overseas.

The first reduction of feudal vassals in the Ming Dynasty was carried out in a unique way. First, the alternation of local military power made Zhu Biao waste a lot of effort, because the new generation of generals could not completely take charge of their own affairs. It has been a long time since they were divided, except for Zhu Di, most of them are interested in Dongying.

Through the small countries in the southwest, Ming has also had trade relations with the Tughluk Dynasty in India, and roughly found out their situation. They only ruled the northern part of India, and they were helpless in the south. The place is eyeing.

  ...

  In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, under the condition of large-scale light taxation and exemption from population tax, the development of all aspects of Ming Dynasty entered another level. Zhu Biao began to focus on reversing concepts and social thoughts to prepare for future development.

  This year, in Luchuan, Annan, Guizhou, and Dongying, Liaodong, Korea, there were ambitious people who incited the people to rebel, but they were all suppressed one by one. The center of Ming Dynasty showed a good state of rapid response.

   This undoubtedly dispelled the rumors that the two masters believed in each other. I don’t know when, the story of the old witchcraft disaster in Hanwu began to be talked about everywhere, and there were even related nursery rhymes.

The emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. The pro-army Duwei's mansion went everywhere, and finally the prime minister's mansion was found. Hu Weiyong was sent to prison. Before the emperor ordered the three divisions to interrogate, Zhongshu Youcheng Chen Liang wrote a letter to sue the prime minister. With the heart of rebellion, the party members Tu Jie, Chen Ning, Lu Zhongheng and other civil servants and Wu Xun.

  The government and the public were in an uproar. Before the emperor ordered a thorough investigation, many officials from the six departments of Zhongshu wrote letters one after another, either defending themselves or testifying, and the censor followed suit to impeach Hu Weiyong.

   It is said that he is "sinister as loyal, treacherous as straight, relying on meritorious service and pampering, conceived against the side, promoted to the top of the stage, good at being a blessing, independent in charge of politics, a big beetle for the country, and a sinister bird of prey."

Just three days later, in the name of perverting the law, slandering the virtuous and harming politics, the emperor ransacked and beheaded the house of the prime minister who had been prominent for more than ten years. , nearly a thousand calligraphy and painting seals of famous artists of the previous generation...

  After the incident, the first prime minister, Li Shanchang, immediately set off to Beijing to plead guilty, but he was persuaded to return just outside the capital, and the servant sent a decree: "The monarch and ministers don't doubt it, and return home to take care of themselves. See you again on the Longevity Festival."

   Shanchang was so grateful that he knelt outside the city for a long time and refused to get up.

Li Shanchang was able to get away, but Hu Weiyong's large number of disciples were not easy to get away, and Zhu Biao did not come forward to protect him. Under his deliberate arrangement, Hu Weiyong absorbed and sheltered many unwilling officials. These people occupied too much of the court center. It's time to clean up the location.

  As a result, the big case suddenly broke out, and it did not become smaller because of Hu Weiyong's death. Instead, it became more and more serious. Not only officials, but also those military generals who were dissatisfied with the imperial court's confiscation of military power were also captured and put into the prison of the Ministry of Justice.

   Two full months of turbulent waves and undercurrents surged, and in the end, not to mention how many people were beheaded and their homes confiscated, there were more than 50,000 people exiled to the border or even overseas, many of whom were exiled with their families.

Afterwards, the censor impeached the pro-army Duwei's mansion for plotting to frame up and frame the blame, and took the opportunity to amass money. , Reconnaissance, arrest, and command of prison.

   This completely made the capital clear, and no one dared to figure out what the emperor wanted.

  ...

  One night in the 20th year of Hongwu, the father and son were reviewing memorials at the Jinshen Hall. After sitting for a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang felt back pain, so he put down the imperial pen to hammer his waist.

  I think of my half-grey hair in the mirror when I was grooming in the morning, and looking at the thick black long hair on my son’s head, it turns out that we are getting old...

  Zhu Yuanzhang was inexplicably depressed, and didn't want to review the memorials anymore. He just stared blankly at the hall and the memorials that could never be finished in front of him.

  When Zhu Biao looked up by chance, he saw that his father was in a daze, so he got up and beat his back for him and said, "It's late at night, father, go back and rest, and the rest of the ministers can just look at it."

  Zhu Yuanzhang came back to his senses: "Biaoer, we are getting old."

Zhu Biao stopped his hand, but immediately returned to the rhythm and laughed: "Yesterday, the imperial doctor came to report that Concubine Liu Hui is pregnant, and my son is still congratulating you. Father, you are still in the prime of life, and I will add a few more brothers and sisters to my son." No problem."

  Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and laughed: "It's not this, stinky boy, dare to make fun of your father, we feel that in terms of government affairs, the energy is not as good as before."

   "It's inevitable that it's always in one place. It's better for the father to go north and south, go to a few places, and just relax. My son is here to supervise the country. Why don't you worry about it?"

  Zhu Yuanzhang still shook his head, and seemed to let go of something after a while: "We have been the emperor for twenty years, and you have also been the prince for twenty years."

  Zhu Biao had some expectations in his heart, so he went to stand in front of the imperial case: "Relying on the trust of the father and the emperor, my son has been the prince of the East Palace for twenty years."

  Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was a bit complicated: "It's so fast."

"Biao'er, when we made you the crown prince, we didn't expect that we could live so long. We only thought that before the end of our lives, we must clear up the obstacles for you so that you can take over a country that is as solid as gold, and you can rest assured. Enjoy and pass on the country."

   "Father's loving heart, sons and ministers know."

   "I really didn't expect that it took only twenty years for me and my father to manage this broken river and mountain to the splendor it is now."

   "How much effort did you put into this?"

  Zhu Biao said with a smile, "It's worth spending as much effort on your own."

   "Yes, this country belongs to you and me, and it should be done no matter what!"

   "Biao'er, let's start preparing for the Zen seat ceremony tomorrow."

Zhu Biao didn't promise, nor did he kneel down in fear and decline, but just kept silent for a moment and said, "Father, I'm not in a hurry, let alone a chair and a suit of clothes, it doesn't make any difference. You can sit down, and I can feel at ease in everything you do." .”

  Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and kicked the dragon chair with his feet: "Although we are not tired of sitting, we don't want to move our buttocks until we die. It will only make future generations laugh."

  Zhu Biao wanted to say something else, but Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "What else can we say no to? Watching you ascend the throne and proclaim yourself emperor is also our long-cherished wish."

   "Looking at it with our own eyes, I can still protect it for a while. It couldn't be better."

"Your mother has not been in good health for the past two years, and she is also getting old. To be honest, we are most sorry for her... Xiongying is not young anymore, he should be allowed to participate in political affairs... Once the emperor and the courtiers, those few Those who have been trained for many years can be directly arranged to be appointed as ministers in the sixth department, and promoted to ministers after two years..."

  Zhu Yuanzhang circled around in the palace planning for his son after he ascended the throne, trying to help him sort out the best. From this it can be seen that he is still reluctant in his heart, not for power, but for hard work.

  ………(end of this chapter)