Chapter 6: Top Student Xie Jin Answering the Emperor

The name of Xie Jin, will not disappear from history.

He was a rare genius in the Ming dynasty. It can even be said that he played a very crucial role in the direction of the Ming Dynasty.

If it weren’t for Xie Jin’s remark of “Good Holy Grandson”, it would be difficult to predict who will be the Ming dynasty’s future emperor.

Zhu Yunwen couldn’t help shaking his head when he recalled Xie Jin’s “Top Student” journey.

Xie Jin recited a poem at the age of 5, wrote an essay at the age of 7, read thoroughly “four books and five classics” at the age of 12, become first placed candidate in the provincial imperial exam at the age of 18, At nineteen he placed tenth in the 3rd Rank of the 5th Year Presented Scholar exam. he was granted the treatment same as a Scholar, and the title of “all good men of virtue”.

Zhu Yuanzhang appreciated Xie Jin’s talent, and appointed him as an advisor in the imperial court, promoting him to the position of Hanlin Academician.

At the age of nineteen, he had already reached the height that countless people admired.

Upon careful consideration of future generations, at the age of nineteen, one is typically still studying.

However, it is not necessarily a good thing to hold a high position at a young age, lack of social experience can lead to arrogance and conceit, Xie Jin, being too idealistic, ultimately paid a price.

In just a couple of years, he didn’t rise in rank but managed to offend quite a few people.

Today he criticizes an official for neglecting their duties, tomorrow he points out the negligence of the Ministry of War, and the day after tomorrow he writes a memorial to challenge the authority of the great boss, Zhu Yuanzhang.

As a result, Xie Jin became alienated and isolated.

When the minister of war, Shen Qian, accused Xie Jin, not a single person stood up to speak for him. Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to dismiss Xie Jin and sent him to conduct inspection in Jiangxi.

After being driven out of the capital city, Xie Jin, still trying to make a fuss, and was ordered by Zhu Yuanzhang to ‘stay at home and focus on studying’.

Zhu Yuanzhang left a remark for Xie Jin’s father, saying, “It is not too late to make great use of him in the next ten years.” This implied that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted Xie Jin to return to his duties after ten years.

However, seven years later, Zhu Yuanzhang passed away. Xie Jin clearly didn’t want to wait for a “ten-year period”. Upon hearing the news, he immediately used the excuse of mourning and hurried to the capital, preparing for a comeback.

And so, the present meeting took place.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin with interest. Xie Jin was short and thin, with an unremarkable appearance.

“Xie Jin, humbly paying respect to your majesty.” Xie Jin knelt down and respectfully greeted.

Zhu Yunwen smiled faintly and waved his hand, saying: “have a seat”

Xie Jin sat on the chair but barely touched its edge.

Zhu Yunwen didn’t seem bothered and took out Yuan Tai’s impeachment memorial, instructing someone to hand it to Xie Jin.

“After you have read it, you may respond.”

Xie Jin quickly took the memorial, opened it, and his expression turned fearful. He immediately knelt down and exclaimed,:” I am guilty.”

Zhu Yunwen asked, “Guilty of what?”

Xie Jin’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he hurriedly replied, “I should not have left home while my mother’s funeral rites were unfinished. It was unfilial of me.”

“Knowing it was unfilial, why did you come to the capital?” Zhu Yunwen asked, understanding the situation.

In ancient times, filial piety was highly esteemed. If you held an official position in the court and your parents passed away, regardless of your rank, you were required to resign from your official duties and return home to observe mourning for twenty-seven months, starting from the day you received the news of the bereavement.

There was a specific term for this: “dingyou (丁忧).”

In general, the imperial court does not allow the forced appointment of individuals in mourning as officials.

If it is deemed necessary under special circumstances to forcefully appoint someone in mourning as an official, it is called “duoqing (夺情).

The term “duoqing(夺情)” is rarely used, but once employed, it will inevitably face fierce criticism from the civil officials.

For example, Zhang Juzheng, the most powerful Senior Grand Secretary of Ming Dynasty, was labeled as “unfilial” due to his appointment during mourning. Even after his death, Emperor Wanli held onto this matter, harboring deep resentment towards Zhang Juzheng.

Xie Jin quickly kowtowed and exclaimed,: “Your majesty, I came to the capital to mourn, also driven by filial piety.”

“oh?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen looked intently at Xie Jin and his words.

Xie Jin continued to plead, “Your Majesty, this humble subject’s journey to the capital during mourning is also an expression of filial piety. Emperor Taizu treated me as a loyal subject, but his favor was akin to that of a father. My act of mourning for my father is a clear manifestation of filial devotion.”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Zhu Yunwen’s mouth.

Indeed, Zhu Yuanzhang had once regarded Jie Jin as a father and son when they dined together in the Dapao (大庖)^[1]Dapao refers to Kitchen in the imperial palace during the Ming dynasty. It was one of the several kitchens in the palace complex responsible for preparing meals for the emperor, his family, and the … Continue reading West Chamber, encouraging Jie Jin to speak candidly and express his opinions freely.

It was from this moment that the famous ten-thousand-word memorial, “Memorial of Dapao West Chamber,” came to be in history.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin appreciatively, nodding slightly, and said, “Taizu valued you greatly. Now that I have just taken power, I need capable individuals. Xie Jin, enter the Hanlin Academy and become a Hanlin attendant lecturer.”

Xie Jin was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace.”

Emperor Zhu Yunwen nodded and said, “Rise.”

Suppressing his excitement, Xie Jin stood up.

The Hanlin Academy was a prestigious institution composed of scholars and intellectuals who served as advisers and aides to the emperor. The highest-ranking official in the Imperial Academy was the Academician whose authority was nearly equivalent to that of the Prime Minister.

Entering the Hanlin Academy signifies stepping into the center of imperial power.

“What is your opinion on the current state of the court?” Zhu Yunwen asked.

Reflecting for a moment, Xie Jin spoke with lowered hands, “Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, it is crucial to stabilize the court internally by consolidating the official’s support. Externally, it is necessary to reduce the power of regional kings and centralize military authority.”

Zhu Yunwen glanced at Xie Jin, and asked, “More specific.”

Xie Jin solemnly responded, “During the reign of Emperor Taizu, there was strict discipline, and the officials lived in fear and anxiety. Even the ministers of the Six Ministries were anxious. Your Majesty, the officials have long yearned for your benevolence. If Your Majesty implements a policy of leniency, rectifying the existing malpractices, you will surely win the hearts of the people. Once the hearts of the people are aligned, the court will be as stable as Mount Tai.”

“As for external affairs, Emperor Taizu appointed the nine powerful border kings, granting them significant military power. However, their authority is not based solely on military might, but rather on the system of feudal enfeoffment. Overcoming this predicament is not a difficult task.”

Zhu Yunwen looked at the confident Xie Jin and asked, “How can we overcome this predicament?”

Xie Jin’s said frankly: ”Relocate the vassal kings, steadily reduce their power.”

Zhu Yunwen fell into deep thought,

Xie Jin spoke from the side: “I have heard that the King of Gu, King of Liao, and King of Su have repeatedly petitioned for relocation of their fiefs, but they were rejected by Emperor Taizu. Now that Your Majesty holds the reins of power, you can bestow favor upon the border Kings by selecting suitable locations for their fiefdoms. This will serve as an example for the other border Kings.”

Zhu Yunwen nods slightly, indicating approval of this option.

In fact, the border king’s armies are all under the control of the imperial court, despite being under the jurisdiction and command of the border kings themselves. Their purpose is solely to defend against the Mongols and safeguard the frontier.

If they are relocated internally, they would lose their military authority and naturally pose no threat. However, some individuals cant be resolved by simply changing their location.

For example, the King of Ning and the King of Qin, who have a large number of troops and capable generals, as well as the Prince of Yan, known for his military prowess.

Without waiting for Zhu Yunwen to ask, Xie Jin spoke frankly, “Among the nine border Kings, in terms of military strength and numbers, the most prominent ones are the King of Ning, the King of Qin, and the King of Yan. However, the King of Qin passed away early, and his successor is just a child, so he can hardly be considered a threat. The Prince of Ning commands 80,000 elite troops, but he is situated outside the borders. If he loses the supply and support from the imperial court, his survival will be difficult.”

Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly, not entirely convinced with Xie Jin’s theoretical analysis.

Although the Prince of Ning is located outside the borders and heavily relies on logistical support from the imperial court, if there is a failure in a timely blockade, the King of Ning could lead his troops to capture the strategic city of Datong, directly confronting Beiping Prefecture.

In history, Zhu Di (later Emperor Yongle) took advantage of King of Ning and brought his forces to Beiping, thereby strengthening his power.

Xie Jin only focused attention on Zhu Di, the King of Yan, stating that Zhu Di was the “foremost among the Kings,” making him difficult to handle. Xie Jin proposed a strategy of prioritizing benevolence and governance before resorting to military force.

Zhu Yunwen smiled and appreciated Xie Jin’s perspective, encouraging him to serve the court diligently.

After Xie Jin left, Zhu Yunwen remained silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed and said, “their perspectives are still somewhat narrow. It seems that it’s time to establish the Grand Secretariat^[2]The Grand Secretariat (Chinese: 內閣; pinyin: Nèigé) was nominally a coordinating agency but de facto the highest institution in the imperial government of the Chinese Ming dynasty. It … Continue reading.”

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