Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 1321 A Splendid Empire (The Finale)

Such terms were beneficial to both parties, and after Zhu Shenzhui approved them, the Zongli Yamen (Foreign Ministry) formally signed the agreement with Spain.

As the war in the South China Sea came to an end, good news also came from the north. The Tengger brothers made a major breakthrough in their war against the various tribes in the northern desert. The two brothers joined forces and directly defeated the tribal alliance in the eastern part of the northern desert. In one battle, they killed tens of thousands of Mongolians in the northern desert. Thirteen tribal leaders were killed, wounded, or captured. The rest fled in disarray. However, the Tengger brothers did not give up and continued to lead their troops in pursuit, intending to wipe out the entire eastern part of the northern desert in one fell swoop.

Under these circumstances, these tribes in the northern desert could no longer hold out and took the initiative to surrender. If they did not make a choice, they and their tribes would either be wiped out by the Tengger brothers or driven to the even more harsh north.

By then, even if they were lucky enough to escape with their lives, they would absolutely not be able to survive. Compared to the lush grasslands of the northern steppe, which were already far inferior to the southern steppe, the northern steppe was even more icy and snowy. Even cattle and sheep could hardly survive in such places, let alone these Mongols.

In order to gain the trust of Tengger and his brothers and the Ming Dynasty, and even more so to protect themselves, they completely abandoned Bumbutai and Fulin and their mother who had been taken in before. They even used the remnants of the Khorchin tribe who had come to join them as bargaining chips and a token of their sincerity.

Without the protection of the Outer Mongolian tribes, the fate of Bumbutai and her son was predictable. However, Bumbutai was also a ruthless woman. She knew that she had nowhere to go. Her previous plan to use the Outer Mongolian tribes to instigate a falling out with the Southern Mongolians in order to prevent the Ming Dynasty from capturing them had failed. If she were to be given as a gift to Tengger and his brothers by these Mongols, she would inevitably fall into the hands of the Ming Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty is now completely hopeless. As the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty and the birth mother of the Qing Emperor, Bumbutai could not bear this outcome and would never allow herself to be humiliated.

So when she realized something was wrong and knew she couldn't escape again, Bumbutai made a decision. She personally poisoned her son Fulin, then drank the poison herself in the same way. By the time the Mongols realized what was happening, it was too late. Bumbutai and Fulin's bodies, dressed in their finest attire, lay in the yurt, their eyes wide open but lifeless, their faces still bearing deep resentment and regret.

The Battle of Mobei ended under these circumstances. After the war, the remaining remnants of the puppet Qing dynasty and the Khorchin remnants became prisoners and were sent to the capital by the Tengger brothers. They were expected to arrive soon.

Once these prisoners arrived in the capital, there would be a grand ceremony, followed by their execution according to national law. In fact, with the suicide of Bumbutai and her son, the pseudo-Qing dynasty had truly come to an end. This local regime, which had brought countless sufferings to the Ming dynasty and the entire world since Nurhaci, had finally come to a close.

Upon hearing the news, Zhu Shenzhui felt an unprecedented sense of relief. He couldn't help but burst into laughter in the Qianqing Palace, his laughter exceptionally heart-wrenching. But as he laughed, he felt a pang of sorrow. If it weren't for him, and history had followed its original course, China would already be shaving its heads and wearing foreign clothes, and China, which had always been a world leader, would have entered an unprecedented dark period from that moment on.

In modern times, China suffered a century of humiliation, its nation reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal state. Even though it finally broke free of these shackles with the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the aftermath was profound. The soul of the Chinese nation suffered unavoidable damage—a tragedy for all Chinese people and a disgrace to the entire nation. But now, everything has finally changed.

The boy from back then is now almost fifty years old. More than thirty years of life seem to have passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhu Shenzhui can't help but feel extremely emotional.

Composing himself, Zhu Shenzhui glanced at the pile of memorials on the table and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

Although the Ming Dynasty has been restored, the wheels of history continue to roll forward. If the Ming Dynasty were to become complacent and stagnant, it would repeat the same mistakes. The world is changing too fast; if you don't move forward, you fall behind. Zhu Shenzhui dared not slacken his efforts in the slightest.

"Your Majesty, someone from the Eastern Palace has arrived."

"Is it the Crown Prince?" Zhu Shenzhui asked, snapping out of his daze.

Lu Jiude lowered his hands and said, "It was the Crown Prince who sent the steward of the Eastern Palace to inquire whether His Majesty has any other arrangements for the Crown Prince's birthday the day after tomorrow."

Zhu Shenzhui chuckled to himself, realizing that he had been too busy to remember things properly. The Crown Prince's birthday was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and arrangements had been made last month. He had even spoken to the Crown Prince about it and promised the child in front of the Crown Prince that he would definitely hold a grand celebration for his birthday.

But I almost forgot about it these days because I've been so busy. The Crown Prince's inquiry is probably a deliberate way of reminding me. This kid has become more and more composed in recent years, and he handles things flawlessly, which makes Zhu Shenzhui even more satisfied.

The crown prince was raised by him from childhood. He grew up from a child and now sits firmly in the position of crown prince. He is not lacking in temperament or methods, and his vision is far beyond that of ordinary people.

Zhu Shenzhui was extremely proud of this, believing it to be a blessing for the country to have personally cultivated such a qualified successor. Moreover, the grandson of the crown prince was also young and intelligent, and had already begun his studies. Not only was the crown prince paying close attention to his studies, but Zhu Shenzhui was also very concerned about them.

With a qualified crown prince and a virtuous grandson, the three of them alone, if all goes well, can ensure the survival of the Ming Dynasty for three generations. Zhu Shenzhui was quite confident of this. As for what happens after that, Zhu Shenzhui was helpless. He was already over fifty years old, and his energy had been declining in the past two years. Modern medicine was still very primitive. Although traditional Chinese medicine had its skilled practitioners, the people in the Imperial Medical Academy usually sought to avoid mistakes rather than seek merit. Although the emperor was the supreme ruler, in reality, very few emperors throughout history had lived long lives.

In addition, strange and unusual situations occurred frequently in the Ming Dynasty imperial family. Although there is no conclusive evidence, there were quite a few Ming emperors who died young, and many of them even had minor illnesses that turned into serious ones, leading to their deaths. After Zhu Shenzhui became regent, he paid special attention to these issues. He not only made significant changes to the rules in the palace, paying particular attention to diet, but also implemented extremely strict management of the Imperial Medical Academy.

Even so, Zhu Shenzhui never dared to hope that he could live to be seventy or eighty years old. In his opinion, it would be quite good if he could live to the age of the founding emperor. If it were any shorter, he would only be in his early sixties. Moreover, as he grew older, Zhu Shenzhui also deeply felt the changes in his body. In the past two years, not only was his physical strength failing, but his thinking and reaction were also slightly sluggish. Time is like a butcher's knife, cutting and cutting on people, not only changing their appearance, but also leading them step by step to the end of their lives.

Zhu Shenzhui had long considered the succession to the throne. He was now over fifty, while the Crown Prince, in his twenties, was in his prime. By the time the Crown Prince was in his thirties, Zhu Shenzhui would be approaching sixty. In later generations, ordinary people retired at sixty, and Zhu Shenzhui planned to do the same. By then, the Crown Prince would also be in his prime, and with his years of experience and his own arrangements, the Crown Prince would have begun to gradually take over government affairs and cultivate his own faction. Each generation has its own era and its own responsibilities. He had already done enough for the Ming Dynasty; human energy is limited, and even if Zhu Shenzhui were the emperor, he couldn't possibly accomplish everything.

Laying the foundation, creating conditions, and pointing the way for future generations is enough. As for the rest, do as much as you can. If one generation can't finish, then the next generation can continue. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Zhu Shenzhui plans to retire at the age of sixty, directly handing the throne to the crown prince, and then stepping down to become the retired emperor.

The reason for this consideration was not only due to his own physical and mental limitations, but also to pave the way for the crown prince and set a good example. Among emperors throughout history, very few have voluntarily abdicated and relinquished the throne. Most emperors were attached to the throne and, even when old and senile, they clung tightly to the power in their hands and refused to give it up.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was a prime example. Had he abdicated the throne earlier and handed the country over to his son, the An Lushan Rebellion would not have ruined his illustrious career and led to the decline of the Tang Dynasty in its later years.

There were many emperors similar to him, such as Emperor Wu of Han (Liu Che), Emperor Wu of Liang (Xiao Yan), Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji), and Emperor Yang of Sui (Yang Guang).

Even Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, who was known as a wise ruler, was no exception. If Li Shimin had not died early and not given him more time, the Tang Dynasty would probably have declined from its peak in the later years of his reign.

Zhu Shenzhui was a shrewd man, but he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't become so muddle-headed when he truly grew old. Therefore, making plans to retire early was of great benefit to himself, the crown prince, and the entire empire.

Furthermore, being an emperor is an incredibly demanding job. While officials have days off, the emperor is practically working every single day of the year. Countless matters, both big and small, weigh heavily on his shoulders, and every decision he makes affects the rise and fall of the empire. This kind of work not only consumes a tremendous amount of energy but also creates a sense of powerlessness. Over time, even the emperor, with his high position, will become exhausted by these political affairs and develop a dislike for governance.

Even with Zhu Shenzhui's unwavering will, he eventually began to suffer in silence. But having taken this position, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and do it. If he could retire and relinquish his post, thus achieving complete liberation, it wouldn't be a bad thing for Zhu Shenzhui.

"Tell the Crown Prince to proceed with the previous arrangements. I will personally go to the Crown Prince's Palace the day after tomorrow to preside over the birthday celebration. As for the Empress, you should go there yourself. Let her arrange things for the other palaces. As for the princes and princesses, let all those over three years old come. The palace hasn't been lively for a long time. I want to celebrate the Crown Prince's birthday properly and let everyone have some fun."

"This servant will arrange it immediately," Lu Jiude replied with a smile. As the chief eunuch by the emperor's side, he knew all too well how hard the emperor had been working these days. Since the emperor was going to hold a grand celebration for the crown prince's birthday and also turn this event into a royal gathering, how could he, as a servant, not do his best?

After Lu Jiude left, Zhu Shenzhui lost interest in continuing to read the memorials. He tossed the memorial aside and stood up.

After walking a few steps in the side hall, Zhu Shenzhui suddenly became interested and strode out of the side hall. When he saw the emperor coming out, the guards outside hurriedly stepped forward. Zhu Shenzhui waved to them and then headed straight north.

The emperor walked ahead, followed by a group of eunuchs and guards not far behind. It was assumed that the emperor was going to the inner palace, but unexpectedly, after passing through the imperial garden, Zhu Shenzhui did not go to the inner palace, but continued to walk straight ahead.

Before long, Zhu Shenzhui went out of the north palace gate, and ahead of there was Coal Hill. When he reached Coal Hill, Zhu Shenzhui did not stop, but started climbing. Halfway up, when he passed a crooked tree, Zhu Shenzhui paused slightly, stared at the tree for a moment, and then continued forward.

Having climbed Coal Hill and stood at its highest point, it was dusk. Looking westward to my right, the sun was setting, casting a vibrant red glow across the sky, a truly magnificent sight.

Under the glow of the setting sun, the seemingly endless capital city stretched out before Zhu Shenzhui, extending in all directions from his feet. Countless tiny, even indistinct, figures moved about in the city, revealing a prosperous scene.

As the capital receded into the distance, one could see the magnificent landscape of the Ming Dynasty! Watching this scene, Zhu Shenzhui couldn't help but become somewhat mesmerized.

The sunset is like a painting, the afterglow is like blood, and the evening glow is like brocade.

Zhu Shenzhui gazed at him for a long time, then whispered:
The mighty waves have washed away the old wounds, and the sun and moon shine once more upon the nine borders.

Ten thousand ships set sail across the seas, and all corners of the land bow in reverence to the dragon flag.

May our land be forever secure, forged by the strength of mountains and rivers; may our jade candles forever burn, nourished by rain and dew.

As far as the eye can see, the Kunlun Mountains stretch like snow-capped waves, and a starry raft seems to pierce the heavens! (The End)

(End of this chapter)