Volume 4: Hot! The whole world is a warring state Chapter 744: The National Foundation is Decided Today
After the discussion on the banknote design was over, it was already 7pm. Thinking the meeting was over, the secretaries started to get up and pull the curtains on the windows of the meeting room. But just as they were about to start, Ma Shiying called them back: "Go and inform the chefs in the canteen of the cabinet to make a bowl of wonton for each of us to make do with."
"Ma Xiang, is there anything else?"
"Yes." After taking a deep breath, Ma Shiying responded in a low voice, "And it's a big deal. Everyone, the emperor has already sent a verbal order, saying that after today's State Council meeting, all colleagues must follow me to the Qianqing Palace. I think today's matter will probably last until late at night, and all of you colleagues are not young anymore. If you don't eat something now, I'm afraid someone will be disrespectful to the emperor later."
When Ma Shiying said this, all the ministers present at the meeting were startled: Your Majesty, are you going to have an open discussion with the ministers on the issue of appointing a crown prince?
Amidst the sound of gulps, the group of more than 20 high-ranking officials of the imperial court, with heavy hearts but very quickly finished the wonton in their bowls, and then followed Ma Shiying into the Palace of Heavenly Purity. It was already eight o'clock in the evening, and Zhu Youdong was already lying on a rocking chair, waiting for everyone in front of the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
"Everyone is here, thank you for your hard work. Alas, the weather this year is really strange. It was very cold in January and February, and now it's only May, but it's so hot. Let's not go into the house today, just stay in the square in front of the palace. This way, it will be cooler. Hurry up and turn on the lights, we won't have a meeting in the dark."
"Hahaha. " Amid the laughter of the ministers, all the lampposts in the square in front of the Qianqing Palace lit up, and then more than 20 important ministers took their seats one after another.
"Ahem." After seeing everyone sitting down, Zhu Youdong cleared his throat and said, "I asked everyone to come here so late today. Actually, I have only one thing to do. I want to decide on a crown prince!"
Although they were mentally prepared, after the emperor made it clear, most of the ministers present still let out a slight exclamation.
Regardless of these little noises, Zhu Youdong continued to talk to himself: "I am only 43 years old this year, and I feel that I am in good health. Moreover, I have been the regent for several times and have managed the country well. So I originally wanted to observe my sons for a few more years to see who would be more secure to entrust the Ming Dynasty to in the future. Who knew that since Ci Yi returned to the country, this party struggle has already shown some signs. I think it is better to quickly decide on the crown prince, otherwise my Ming Dynasty will be caught in a dispute over the foundation of the country, and the vitality of the country will be wasted in vain.
Although the Imperial Ming Constitution clearly stipulates that the Crown Prince is directly appointed by the current emperor and no one else has the right to interfere. However, after all, you are all important officials of the court. The country can have the current situation, and it is also inseparable from your dedication and hard work. Therefore, I want to hear your opinions. Therefore, I will let Prime Minister Ma bring you here tonight. "
He was talking freely in front of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, and the eunuchs in the palace had already spread the news across the Jiaotai Hall to the Queen's residence, Kunning Palace, and the Imperial Concubine's residence, Chengqian Palace. At this time, Zhu Ciyan and Zhu Ciyi, who had received Zhu Youdong's notice and entered Kunning Palace and Chengqian Palace respectively, were also with their mothers, nervously waiting for the results ahead.
"Mother, don't be too anxious. Even if father doesn't allow me to be the crown prince, I will definitely have a large piece of land as my fief in the future."
"Silly son, what are you talking about? Being an emperor and commanding all the vassal kings is better than being a vassal king in a remote place. Is there any need to tell me which is better?"
"Your Majesty, what you said is absolutely right. I, your son, naturally want to be the crown prince. But now it seems that your father obviously prefers my eldest brother. Otherwise, since I am the legitimate son, it would be natural for me to be the crown prince. Is it necessary for your father to personally come out to lobby all the important officials tonight?"
"What you said does make sense, but mother is the queen, and she is not someone you can easily mess with. Don't worry, son. Those twenty or so important officials outside will speak for you!"
"Ah? Hey, what did you do behind your son's back? This Ming Dynasty belongs to our father. I only have as much as he gives me. If he doesn't give me anything, we can't rob him."
"You can't rob it, but when it comes to the throne, can't we fight for it?"
…
On the other side is Concubine You’s bedroom, Chengqian Palace.
"Mother, please stop walking around in front of your son. His eyes are blurry."
"Ci Yi, aren't you nervous?"
"It would be a lie to say I'm not nervous, but my son feels that it's superfluous to do anything right now , so it's better to just sit quietly and wait for the results."
"......Hmm." Although You Fei, who was born in a military family, was almost 40 years old and was the mother of three children, she still maintained a good figure. After thinking for a while, she also sat down: "Ci Yi, what if your father gave the throne to Ci Yan?"
"That's nothing. I'll ask my father for permission to go to South America when the time comes."
"But isn't Nanmei reserved as the fiefdom for the Queen's other son, Ci Yan?"
"Mother, South America is very big. Although my third brother's fief is not small, there is still a lot of vacant land in South America. And with my son's accumulation of so many years of cultivation in South America, if he really goes to South America, as long as he raises the banner, countless Indians will flock to him. So..." He patted his mother's hand gently: "Please rest assured, mother, I certainly want the position of crown prince. But if father does not give it to me, I can find a suitable job. I will definitely be able to take good care of you and my brothers and sisters."
…
"Your Majesty, I think that the eldest son, His Highness Ci Yan, should be enthroned!" In the Qianqing Palace, as soon as Zhu Youdong finished saying that he would listen to everyone's opinions, the Minister of Personnel Huang Daozhou stood up and clearly stated his opinion.
"Can you tell me the reason, Otsukasa?"
"Your Majesty, the reason is very simple, it's just a matter of etiquette and law. Since the Zhou Dynasty, China has always adhered to the principle that if there is a legitimate heir, the legitimate heir shall be appointed as the heir, and if there is no legitimate heir, the eldest son shall be appointed as the heir. Although His Highness Ci Yan is the second among the emperor's sons, he is the legitimate son! The oldest among the legitimate sons!
Your Majesty, Duke Zhou took great pains to establish such a system. As long as everyone respects etiquette, everyone will know where their position is from the moment they are born, what belongs to them and what they cannot touch. In this way, the family and the country can be in order. If the royal family does not take the lead in following the etiquette, then the officials and people below will be even less aware of etiquette.
I dare to say that if the emperor does not make His Highness Ci Yan the crown prince, the family inheritance among the common people will also be in trouble in the future. Those illegitimate sons will naturally be dissatisfied with their status as illegitimate sons when they see the royal family doing this, and they will want to suppress the legitimate sons in their families and seize the family property. In this way, from top to bottom, the rituals and music of our Ming Dynasty will collapse, and the country will be in chaos!
Your Majesty, when I was young, the national household registration was in chaos, and the fiscal revenue was declining. The country was on the verge of extinction. After Your Majesty became the regent, he checked the household registration, rectified the administration, reformed the salt and iron industries, and promoted the country's prestige in Southeast Asia. Today, the country is not only revived, but also prosperous. Therefore, the rulers and ministers of our dynasty should be prepared for danger in times of peace, so as not to destroy the achievements of decades in an instant. I have a few humble opinions, and I hope Your Majesty will understand them. "
"Well, I know Huang Qing's loyalty. Then, who else would like to recommend other princes?"
"Your Majesty, I, Li Jia, believe that the eldest son of the Emperor, Ci Yi, should be made the Crown Prince."
"Tell me why."
"The reason is very simple, and it can be summed up in two words: talent. Your Majesty, Prime Minister Ma, and all my colleagues. There is no need to elaborate on the performance of the eldest in America. When Li Dingguo and Zhang Huangyan proposed the strategy of using a substitute, the eldest prince slightly improved it and turned it into a bluff. The strategic goal was achieved, and Bangkok in the lower reaches of the Chao Phraya River was preserved, allowing the Zhou and Tang countries to continue to establish their own countries there. Such talent is far superior to the other princes of the emperor.
As for establishing a concubine's son when there is a legitimate son, yes, it is indeed against Zhou Li. But, may I ask the Grand Chancellor, your courtesy name is Youxuan, so you should not be the eldest legitimate son in the family, right?"
"Indeed, I am not. I am the second child in my father's family. If the children of several uncles are ranked together, I would be the fifth."
"That's it. The Grand Chancellor is not the eldest son in the family. Logically, the position of the clan leader has nothing to do with the Grand Chancellor. But why does the Huang family need to consult the Grand Chancellor for all matters, big or small? I also heard that your current clan leader, your uncle, is going to pass the position of clan leader to you?"
"this?"
"It's because the Grand Chancellor is the highest-ranking official among the Huang family's sons." After saying this, Li Jia turned to Zhu Youdong and said, "Your Majesty, the so-called etiquette and law must eventually succumb to reality. If the legitimate son is too weak and the illegitimate son is too strong, then no matter what the etiquette and law are, the legitimate son cannot suppress the illegitimate son. On the contrary, in many cases, the legitimate son has to rely on the illegitimate son to survive. There are already countless examples of this in the folk and in various families in the officialdom. Of course, I don't think that the Second Prince is weak. On the contrary, the Second Prince is generous and magnanimous, and can be loved by those around him. However, compared to the First Prince, the Second Prince is lacking in talent. It is true that the people around the Second Prince like him, but it is also true that they lack respect for him. And the word respect is something that those in power cannot do without."
After looking at the ministers, Zhu Youdong rocked twice in his rocking chair and asked calmly, "Are you done?"
"Yes, I have finished speaking."
"Well, does anyone want to nominate other princes? Oh, it seems there are no more."
Waving his hand and letting Fang Zhenghua help him stand up, Zhu Youdong said loudly: "Etiquette and law are good things. They set rules so that everyone knows how to abide by them and implement them in daily life. China has been ruled by etiquette and law for thousands of years. Generally speaking, there are more peaceful times than chaotic times, and etiquette and law have made an indelible contribution.
However, if the etiquette is too rigid, it will also cause many problems. As the Grand Chancellor just said, if the etiquette is strictly followed, then what a person can do in the future is largely determined from the day he is born. I don't like this very much. In fact, for thousands of years, China has always been unable to get out of the cycle of order and chaos, and etiquette is also largely responsible.
The identity of birth determines the future life. The Chinese people never like this and do not agree with it. In reality, since the Qin Dynasty, not many people have followed it. The Qin Empire fell in the second generation, let alone him. Let me ask you, how many emperors in the Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, and even the Ming Dynasty were legitimate sons, and how many were illegitimate sons? Even if the legitimate son succeeded to the throne, how many of them were not the eldest legitimate son?
At this point, you all know who my preferred prince is. Of course , I didn't deliberately let Ci Yan, the eldest son, lose the election just because I hate this etiquette. But over the past twenty years, through my own observations and your reports, I sincerely believe that my eldest son Ci Yi is more suitable to be the prince. In the future, a hundred years after me, he will be able to lead the Ming Dynasty better. "
He heaved a sigh of relief, looked at the officials who bowed their heads and said nothing, and continued: "I called you here today because you are all important officials of the country. If you are not allowed to have a clear mind, the prince will not be able to do things in the future. Anyway, Prince, I will establish you tonight. I don't care what position you have held in the past, but I hope that from today on, you will know where the foundation of my dynasty lies and how to treat my sons. From now on, all those meaningless fights below will stop."
"Your Highness, I congratulate you and your Majesty on the stability of our dynasty!"
