Chapter 10: Dao Yan Offers Advice to King of Yan, Life in the Imperial Academy

Beiping Prefecture.

In the scorching heat of June, the streets and alleys of Beiping are devoid of liveliness.

Inside the King of Yan’s residence, Zhu Di sits upright in his room, flipping through a military book.

“Your Highness.”

Qiu Fu, the commander of the King of Yan’s guards, reported from outside the room. Upon receiving permission, he entered the room and respectfully addressed Zhu Di, saying, “Your Highness, we have received news from the capital summoning Your Highness to enter the capital.”

“To the capital?” Zhu Di looked at Qiu Fu, his face expressing surprise and doubt.

Having traveled a long distance to mourn, Zhu Di was blocked by Mei Yin’s^[1]Mei Yin (14th century – 1405), styled Boyin, was the grandson of Marquis of Runan, Mei Sizu, and the son in law of the founding Emperor of Ming Dynasty Zhu Yuanzhang. He was known for his … Continue reading subordinates in Huai’an, and his pleas were not granted. In the end, he had no choice but to send his three sons to mourn on his behalf. Unable to bid a final farewell, Zhu Di knelt towards the direction of the capital in Huai’an, filled with sorrow and resentment returning to Beiping Prefecture.

Just when I haven’t had a peaceful moment, the court summons me to enter the capital.

“Where did the news come from?”

Zhu Di asked in a deep voice.

Qiu Fu quickly said, “My lord, this is the news we gathered from our sources in the capital. And according to them, there is another major event.”

“What event?”

“The Emperor is reducing the army by 100,000 men!”

“What?”

Zhu Di abruptly stood up, his gaze sharp as he stared at Qiu Fu.

Qiu Fu dared not meet his gaze and lowered his head, saying, “My lord, the imperial envoy will arrive within one or two days. Moreover, I have heard that the news of your summons to the capital and the disbanding of the army is already widely known in the capital.”

Zhu Di furrowed his brows tightly and paced anxiously in the room, saying, “I have been informed. You may go now.”

Qiu Fu withdrew from the room.

Zhu Di sat in his chair, his eyes showing a hint of uncertain anxiety.

Zhu Di, currently thirty-nine years old, was appointed as the King of Yan by Zhu Yuanzhang, when he was only eleven years old in the third year of the Hongwu reign (1363). At the age of twenty-one, he was granted the fiefdom of Beiping.

During the early Ming Dynasty, although the Yuan Dynasty had been driven out of the central plains and forced to retreat to the northern regions, it still maintained a formidable force and constantly harbored ambitions of reclaiming the central plains.

Beiping, being the previous center of the Yuan Empire and the capital, naturally held great importance in terms of defense.

At the beginning of his appointment, Zhu Di, along with the King of Qin, the King of Jin, the King of Ning, and other border kings, guarded the northern borders of the Ming Empire.

After purging a group of military commanders from the Hongwu era, Zhu Yuanzhang entrusted his sons with the defense of the empire. In the 23rd and 28th years of the Hongwu reign (1390 and 1395), Zhu Yuanzhang twice ordered Zhu Di to lead expeditions to the northern frontier.

Zhu Di lived up to the expectations and achieved complete victories in both campaigns, earning him great fame.

Zhu Yuanzhang placed great trust in Zhu Di, especially after the deaths of his eldest son, Zhu Biao, his second son, Zhu Zhan, and his third son, Zhu Gan. As the fourth son, Zhu Di became the leader among the various kings.

One month before Zhu Yuanzhang’s passing, he had ordered Zhu Di to exercise control over the military and defend Kaiping. Zhu Di didn’t receive the command to march out from Zhu Yuanzhang, but instead received the news of his death.

Zhu Di started his journey of mourning but returned midway, leaving the people in Beiping puzzled. This action also caused dissatisfaction among Zhu Di’s subordinates. Though they didn’t dare to openly curse Zhu Yunwen, in private, they held deep resentment towards him.

“Your Highness.”

A voice tinged with worldly wisdom startled Zhu Di’s contemplation.

Zhu Di looked up and saw a thin and elderly monk standing at the door, dressed in a black-striped light red kasaya, with his hands folded in prayer.

“Master Daoyan^[2]Yao Guangxiao (姚廣孝, 1335–1418), also known by his dharma name Daoyan (道衍), was a Chinese military strategist, statesman and Chan Buddhist monk who lived in … Continue reading, please have a seat.”

Zhu Di quickly stood up, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and arranged, “It must be exhausting to travel back and forth between the mansion and Qingshou Temple in this summer heat. Why not stay in the mansion for a while?”

Master Daoyan expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Your Highness. However, I have grown accustomed to the tranquility of the meditation hall at the Qingshou Temple. The summer heat is not much of a bother.”

Zhu Di understood and no longer engaged in small talk. He arranged for tea to be served and sat down, sipping the tea gently while contemplating how to broach the subject.

Master Daoyan remained calm and composed, holding a Buddhist prayer bead in one hand, seemingly lost in thought as he quietly observed Zhu Di.

Although Zhu Di was aware of Master Daoyan’s background, he still found it difficult to see through the person before him.

Originally named Yao Guangxiao, he hailed from Changzhou in Suzhou. At the age of fourteen, he entered the monastic life and was given the Dharma name Daoyan.

Despite being a Buddhist practitioner, Dao Yan was not confined to a single school of thought. He was well-versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and had extensive knowledge in subjects such as astrology, divination, physiognomy, and military strategy.

Their acquaintance began in the fifteenth year of the Hongwu era when Empress Ma passed away. Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the selection of eminent monks to recite scriptures and pray for Empress Ma. The monk Zong Le recommended Dao Yan to serve the king of Yan.

Doa Yan believed Zhu Di possessed the bearing of an emperor, exceptional eloquence, proficiency in both literary and military art, and broad-mindedness, therefore Dao Yan made a firm decision to follow Zhu Di.

Later, Dao Yan arrived in Beiping, and Zhu Di appointed him as the abbot of the Qingshou Monastery, considering him a trusted confidant. They would consult with each other on important matters. After Zhu Di’s unsuccessful attempt to attend the funeral and his return to Beiping, Dao Yan approached him and warned him that the Jianwen Emperor intended to weaken the fiefs and might take action against Zhu Di. He advised Zhu Di to be prepared early, citing the “apprehension of the imperial court,” and also suggested gathering information on the situation.

Zhu Di took Dao Yan’s advice seriously. However, the sudden shift in the court’s direction made it difficult for Zhu Di to ascertain the court’s current attitude.

“Master, have you heard the news from the capital?” Zhu Di broke the silence and asked.

Dao Yan stopped counting the beads on his Buddhist rosary and replied slowly, “I have heard some rumors, but I am unsure of their authenticity.”

Zhu Di let out a sigh and said, “It should be true, but I am uncertain about the court’s stance. I don’t know if this summons is a blessing or a danger.”

Deep in thought, Dao Yan responded, “My Lord, if the court indeed summons you to the capital, in my opinion, it may not necessarily be risky. Perhaps, it could even present an opportunity.”

“Oh?”

Zhu Di’s eyes lit up as he looked at Dao Yan.

Dao Yan explained, “It is widely known in the capital that the Emperor has summoned you and announced the disarmament of 100,000 troops. If this information is true, it sends a message to the world that the Emperor has no intention of curtailing the fiefs—at least not at present.”

Zhu Di gazed at Dao Yan and asked in a deep voice, “Why do you say so?”

Dao Yan replied solemnly, “Firstly if the Emperor intended to forcefully detain the feudal kings who come to the capital for mourning and proceed with curtailing the fiefs, it would instill fear in the hearts of the people and create concerns among the frontier generals. Any slight mishap could lead to mutiny.”

“Secondly, the disarmament of 100,000 troops is not a precursor to curtailing the fiefs. If the Emperor planned to do so, the key would be to weaken the branches while maintaining the core strength. However, the Emperor has not weakened the branches yet but has chosen to weaken the strength first. This indicates his focus on the well-being of the people rather than preparing for curtailing the fiefs.”

“Thirdly, there is no precise news of fief curtailment circulating in the capital. Despite the repeated appeals from Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng, the Emperor remains unmoved. This indicates that the Emperor has not yet made a firm decision.”

“Fourthly, and most importantly, there have been no warnings from your highness former comrades and personnel in the capital. There is no indication of any movement within the capital’s military forces.”

Dao Yan analyzed the situation cautiously.

Zhu Di nodded repeatedly as he listened, but still expressed his concerns and asked, “If the Emperor takes such a risky move and forcefully curtails the fief, what should I do?”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Dao Yan’s mouth as he said, “If Your Highness goes to the capital and accomplishes a certain task, you will undoubtedly have no worries.”

“Oh? What task?” Zhu Di asked.

Dao Yan spoke slowly, “Make a grand display, rally the support of the citizen and the army.”

Zhu Di fell silent.

Dao Yan’s plan was to bring the hearts of the people and the military to the capital. Once Zhu Di was trapped in the capital, it would inevitably provoke dissatisfaction among the people and the troops in Beiping. At that time, Beiping would descend into complete chaos. And that is something Zhu Yunwen couldn’t bear.

“In that case, I will make another trip to the capital,” Zhu Di made up his mind.

Dao Yan smiled and said, “My lord, there is no need to worry. If you enter the capital, it may present an opportunity. The Five Army Commanders’ Office has many people who are close to you. If we can make some moves and preparations, it may benefit us in the future.”

Zhu Di nodded calmly. After keeping Dao Yan to have a meal, he arranged for someone to escort Dao Yan back to the Qingshou Temple.

As Zhu Di walked through his Mansion, he looked at Ma Sanbao^[3]Zheng He (simplified Chinese: 郑和; traditional Chinese: 鄭和; pinyin: Zhènghé; Wade–Giles: Chêng-ho; 1371–1433 or 1435) was a … Continue reading, who was on guard duty, and said, “Prepare yourself. In a couple of days, accompany me to the capital.”

“Understood, my lord,” Ma Sanbao responded solemnly.

The capital city, Imperial Academy.

Xu Miaojin was well aware that being a Chief of Education at Imperial Academy was not an easy task. She would have to endure the criticisms and ridicule of others. Nevertheless, Xu Miaojin accepted the assignment willingly.

Though burdened, it held great significance.

While Xu Miaojin did not know how Zhu Yunwen had managed to quell the turmoil she caused, she respect the customs of the Imperial Academy. She dressed modestly, removing all her jewelry and donning the attire of a refined scholar. With a scholar’s cap on her head, she entered Imperial Academy.

The Chief Scholar of the Imperial Academy, Cheng Shizhou, and the Registrar, Zhang Zhi, received Xu Miaojin’s arrival with calmness. In their eyes, Xu Miaojin was merely a passing guest, a temporary interest of the emperor.

After all, although Xu Miaojin came from a prestigious family and possessed some knowledge, she still had a long way to go, in the Imperial Academy.

If the emperor truly wished to select talent from Imperial Academy, he would not have chosen her.

Rumors had it that Xu Miaojin had begged the emperor for something to do, and out of helplessness, the emperor had agreed to this arrangement.

Upon her arrival, Cheng Shizhou casually exchanged a few words with her and arranged for her to find a place to stay. Afterward, he paid her no further attention. Xu Miaojin was not bothered by this. She understood the principle that if the mountain does not come to you, then you must go to the mountain. She went directly to a hall of record, obtained a list of students at Imperial Academy, and conducted research on their past performances.

Being a student at Imperial Academy allowed for direct appointment to official positions, but life as a student was not easy.

According to the Ming Dynasty regulations, Imperial Academy students had two days off on the first and fifteenth of each month, while the rest of the time was spent either attending classes or self-study. For example, on the second and third of the month, there would be lectures; on the fourth, there would be recitation; on the fifth and sixth, there would be a review of the lectures; on the seventh…

It was either lectures, recitations, or reviews.

Approximately thirteen days of each month were spent on recitation, eight days on the review, and the remaining time was dedicated to self-study, academic assessments, and participating in various activities.

Compared to the scientific education in later times that did not emphasize memorization, Imperial Academy took memorization to the extreme.

Every student had to memorize texts, understand their meanings, and undergo examinations every three days. During each examination, they were required to recite a hundred characters of Edicts, Classics Confucianism Text, and Four books of Confucianism.

Failure to recite accurately resulted in being given ten lashes.

And the lashes were not administered on the palms but on the buttocks…

Each month, there is a requirement to write six essays, two on the interpretation of classics, two on the principles of the Four Books, imperial decrees, memorials, policy discussions, and judicial opinions in the field of internal affairs.

There was no room for slacking off.

The Imperial Academy in the early Ming Dynasty, they were indeed serious about nurturing talent.

However, the majority of students were often labeled as orthodox Confucian scholars, or simply “bookworms.”

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