Chapter 66: Under the Pretext of Ancestral Tradition, disempowerment of King of Liao and King of Min

Old!

The two words were like a sharp sword, piercing Jing Qing’s heart!

Jing Qing felt a chill throughout his body, struggling to breathe. He anxiously looked at Zhu Yungui, his legs giving way as he knelt on the ground, trembling and unable to utter a word.

Zhu Yunwen didn’t look at Jing Qing but instead returned to the dragon throne. He asked Zhu Zhi and Zhu Geng, “Uncle, although Minister Ru came to ask something, it cannot be considered a commercial act. However, I have heard that the Ministry of War intends to purchase a large amount of medical gauze and alcohol, and you two have negotiated the prices with them. This can be regarded as a commercial act. In Emperor Taizu’s ‘Imperial Ming Ancestral Instructions,’ clearly states that the imperial family and relatives are not allowed to engage in commerce. Do you two intend to violate ancestral tradition?”

Zhu Zhi and Zhu Geng panicked upon hearing this and immediately knelt down.

Zhu Geng shouted, “Your Majesty, we do not have any intention to violate ancestral tradition. We merely wish to contribute to the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty and be a part of its glory.”

Zhu Zhi echoed, “As King of Min said, our loyalty is unquestionable. We are wholeheartedly devoted to the country. We implore Your Majesty to understand.”

Zhu Yunwen’s expression softened a bit, and he asked, “Rise and explain the situation clearly!”

Zhu Zhi and Zhu Geng stood up.

Zhu Zhi cleared his throat softly and then said, “When I was stationed in Liaodong, I noticed that in our battles against the Tartars, three soldiers died and seven perished due to untreatable wounds and infections. So, I discussed it with King of Min, and we thought if we could find a method to reduce the soldiers’ wounds from festering and becoming inflamed, and saving their lives, it would be an achievement itself.”

Zhu Geng nodded vigorously and took over the conversation, saying, “Therefore, we diligently studied ancient texts day and night, sought out renowned physicians in the capital, exhausted all our efforts, and devoted our hearts and souls… um, we finally found a solution. We collaborated with the people in our residence, conducting extensive research, utilizing countless resources and funds, until we finally succeeded.”

Zhou De clenched his teeth and interjected, “Since you have succeeded, the two kings should present this method to the court instead of violating the regulations set by Emperor Taizu, conducting business and trade using the esteemed status of the vassal king!”

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said, “Minister Zhou’s words are not without merit. How do you explain yourselves?”

Zhu Zhi sighed and walked over to a nearby basket covered with a white cloth. He lifted the cloth, reached inside the basket, and pulled out a cold steamed bun, causing a commotion in the court.

Xie Jin and others watched, uncertain about Zhu Zhi’s intentions.

Zhu Zhi held up the steamed bun and shouted to Zhu Yunwen, “Your Majesty, as a vassal king, I should be living a life of luxury and tranquility. But I couldn’t bear it. I wanted to do something for the country and the army. So, I invested all the resources of the king’s mansion, to the production of these medical gauzes and alcohol. Now, the people in the mansion can only eat a cold steamed bun each day!”

“In order to provide a hot and satisfying meal for everyone, in order to feed the hundreds of mouths behind me, I had no choice but to engage in commercial activities. Only by selling these medical gauzes and alcohol to the Ministry of War can the people in the mansion survive, and we can have some funds to support our families!”

Zhou De was filled with suspicion. You two always go to the Qingyan Tower, as if you’re living on cold steamed buns?

If that’s the case, I also want to eat a cold steamed bun.

“It has cost so much?”

Zhu Yunwen asked in surprise.

Zhu Zhi took a bite of the cold steamed bun, chewed it slowly, and with difficulty swallowed it down. Tears welled up in his eyes as he shouted unwillingly, “If not for this, who would be willing to embark on the path of commerce as a vassal king? If the court is willing to allocate the resources invested by the two mansions, I have no complaints or regrets. I will willingly present this method of manufacturing medical gauze and alcohol! But if they want to take away the method without providing funds, they are forcing the people of the King of Liao’s Mansion and King of Min’s Mansion to starve to death. I’m sorry, but I cannot agree!”

“I also refuse!” Zhu Geng shouted loudly.

Xie Jin rubbed his forehead. These two kings are quite good at acting. No wonder they have been inviting the art troupe to their residences these days. So, it turns out they entrusted the funds to the troupe.

Liu Jun, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, stood up and said to Zhu Yunwen, “Your Majesty, I believe the efforts and resources expended by the two kings in researching the medical gauzes and alcohol are beneficial to our military and civilians. The Ministry of War’s procurement, such as purchasing food and horses, is reasonable. On the contrary, it benefits the Ming Dynasty even more.”

Apologies for the confusion. Here’s the corrected version:

Zhou De couldn’t stand it anymore and retorted sharply, “What benefits are there? It’s just a waste of the national treasury!”

Liu Jun coldly glanced at Zhou De and ignored him. Holding his tablet, he said, “Your Majesty, the Ministry of War’s procurement serves three purposes: First, it fulfills the patriotic intentions of the two kings, creating a positive narrative. Second, it supports the expenses of the kings’ households, improving their livelihoods. Third, if the court forcefully demands the kings to present their techniques, will the court expect them to offer any future innovations? Or in other words, who would dare to invest the resources of the entire mansion to develop things that benefit the country?

Ru Chang stepped forward and said, “I believe Minister Liu’s words are correct. If we promote the culture of sharing methods, it might dampen the enthusiasm of the two kings. Moreover, even if we obtain their method, it would require manpower and resources to produce, which would still deplete the national treasury. It would be better to entrust this matter to the two kings, with the Ministry of War procuring it to uphold righteousness.”

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and looked at the Minister of Revenue, Huang Zicheng.

Huang Zicheng stepped forward and loudly proclaimed, “If it benefits the military and our soldiers, I will fully support it.”

“Your Majesty, this goes against ancestral tradition!”

Zhou De unwillingly exclaimed.

Jing Qing also stood up and shouted, “Your Majesty, engaging in commerce for personal gain will only lead to endless greed. If the kings participate in commerce, they will abuse their status and dominate the market, causing chaos and harming the livelihoods of the people!”

Secretary from the Grand Secretariat, Xie Jin, solemnly stepped forward.

Jing Qing, Zhou De, and others felt uneasy, unsure of what Xie Jin would say or which position he would take.

Among the three members of the Grand Secretariat, Xie Jin had an air of being the chief secretary. His words carried more weight than Yu Xin and Zhang Dan.

The court suddenly fell silent, with everyone eagerly waiting for Xie Jin to speak.

Xie Jin solemnly said, “I concur with the words of Left Censor in Chief Jing Qing and Left Assistant Censor Zhou De! With Emperor Taizu’s ancestral tradition in mind, allowing the vassal kings to engage in commerce is not beneficial in the long run. In my opinion, it is not advisable to let the two kings continue with their commercial activities.”

Ru Chang, Liu Jun, and others were shocked. How could this contradict their previous statements?

What was Xie Dashen up to?

Looking at Yu Xin and Zhang Dan, one had his eyes closed in meditation, while the other gazed up at the dragon pattern on the ceiling, as if that the affairs of the court are unrelated to the two.

Jing Qing and Zhou De were filled with excitement. The Grand Secretariat actually supported them!

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin, a hint of an enigmatic smile in his eyes, and asked, “Oh, according to your words, what should we do then?”

Xie Jin looked at Zhu Zhi, the King of Liao, and Zhu Geng, the King of Min, and said sternly, “Setting aside their initial intentions, let’s focus on the fact that the two kings profited from commerce, which goes against ancestral tradition. A decree should be issued to punish them! I propose disempowering the king of Liao and Min, in accordance with the law set by Emperor Taizu!”

“Disempower the kings?!”

The court erupted in commotion, with ministers engaging in discussions and pointing fingers.

Initially, it was Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai, and others who led the proposal to disempower the kings, but it was all done secretly, carefully discussed behind closed doors with the emperor, deciding who to target first and then the next.

There were also written requests for disempowerment, but those publicly advocating it in the court were still a minority.

Now, in the Feng Tian Hall, right in front of the vassal kings, there was only one person openly calling for their disempowerment — Xie Jin!

Fang Xiaoru’s mouth twitched slightly. This Xie Jin was truly audacious, taking it to this level! It reminded Fang Xiaoru of his conversation with Yang Shiqi:

“Merchants are good, what’s the bigger picture?”

“Merchants are good, it should actually be ‘being a merchant is good.’ His Majesty intends to use ancestral tradition as an excuse to disempower the kings.”

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