Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 358 Let the Arrows Fly! The wind is rising!

In an instant, the tense atmosphere that had been on the verge of exploding seemed to be blown away by an invisible wind and vanished without a trace.

Upon hearing the sound, everyone hurriedly stepped aside, bowed in unison, and respectfully welcomed the imperial edict with reverence.

A moment later, a eunuch strode into the hall with steady, unhurried steps, holding a bright yellow imperial edict high in his hand.

After stepping into the main hall, the father-in-law stood firmly, then slowly turned around, his cold gaze sweeping across the entire room like that of a hawk.

All the censors involuntarily lowered their heads, remaining silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to utter a sound.

Before the eunuch sent by the emperor to deliver the imperial edict, everyone was extremely respectful and dared not slack off in the slightest.

Only Yang Shiqi remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged.

When his father-in-law's gaze fell on him, his originally stern face instantly transformed into a beaming smile, and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

This Lord Yang, who was extremely popular and influential in front of His Majesty, was quite different from the other censors.

Even these fathers-in-law usually try to curry favor with them.

Immediately, the eunuch slowly unfolded the imperial edict in his hands, his movements solemn and dignified, and loudly proclaimed: "Imperial Edict, all censors of the Censorate, receive this decree!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately knelt down and bowed their heads.

The eunuch then slowly read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The people have sent a letter of appeal to the court written in blood to the Censorate, but why has the Censorate not yet reported it?"

"Are the censors of the Censorate, who receive salaries from the imperial court, all just sitting idly by and doing nothing?"

"Or do you think this matter doesn't need to be reported to me, and are even attempting to hide it from me, doing something that deceives the emperor?"

"Human life is at stake, not to mention that this matter involves the imperial court's major national policy of going to sea. Do you dare to conceal this and not report it?"

"Yang Shiqi, as the Left Censor-in-Chief and in charge of the Censorate, how exactly have you managed it? How did the Censorate become like this?"

"Hurry up and find the blood-written petitions from the people for me!"

"Furthermore, report who exactly committed such acts of disregarding the lives of ordinary people and deceiving their superiors, and punish them severely."

"Appreciate this!"

After the imperial edict was read, the hall fell into a deathly silence. All the censors were ashen-faced and trembling, clearly terrified.

The censor who had just been arguing fiercely with Yang Shiqi now looked extremely ugly.

He had previously argued that the matter was insignificant, had nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty, and could be completely ignored.

But who could have imagined that His Majesty would personally issue an edict to slap them in the face in the blink of an eye.

Moreover, this imperial edict, written in plain language, clearly stated that those who concealed or failed to report such matters would be held accountable.

As a result, the entire Censorate will likely face a massive overhaul.

Yang Shiqi's face was equally grim, as dark as a storm cloud.

After all, the imperial edict specifically named and severely criticized him.

After reading the imperial edict, the eunuch continued, "His Majesty also has an oral decree that a grand court assembly will be held tomorrow in the Daming Hall to specifically discuss this matter. All censors of the Censorate are required to attend without fail."

After a pause, seeing that everyone below was standing there in shock and had no reaction, the eunuch coughed lightly twice and reminded them, "What are you all standing there for? Why aren't you receiving the imperial decree?"

The crowd snapped out of their daze and quickly recovered from their shock, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, we receive your decree! Long live the Emperor!"

Then, the eunuch solemnly handed the imperial edict scroll to Yang Shiqi, and whispered in his ear, "Lord Yang, His Majesty still values ​​you highly."

"The reason I reprimanded you today is to make it easier for you to operate within the Censorate in the future. Please do not take this to heart, sir."

Yang Shiqi felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but give the eunuch a deep look.

He was secretly wondering whether his father-in-law's words were an attempt to flatter him and build a closer relationship by guessing the emperor's intentions, or whether the emperor had specifically asked him to convey the message.

He was Zhu Yunwen's confidant and someone he relied on heavily.

But the two are now also in a relationship of ruler and subject.

Some things can no longer be treated as they usually are.

Thinking this, Yang Shiqi remained calm and composed, replying, "Your Majesty has shown me great favor, which I will never forget."

“As the Left Censor-in-Chief, I failed to manage the Censorate properly, which led to this incident and angered Your Majesty. This is all my fault.”

"If I were to harbor any resentment towards Your Majesty because of this, then I would be worse than a pig or a dog."

The father-in-law listened quietly, a faint smile on his face, nodding slightly, without saying anything more.

He glanced at Yang Shiqi for a long time, then turned around and walked away slowly with steady steps.

After the eunuch who was supposed to deliver the imperial decree had completely disappeared outside the door, Yang Shiqi slowly and carefully put the imperial decree away.

Immediately, he turned around sharply, his gaze like lightning, and shot once again at the censor who had previously argued fiercely with him and contradicted him.

His voice was icy cold, carrying a chilling aura.

"Now that His Majesty's decree has been issued and written clearly, do you still dare to say that this matter is unimportant?"

The censor's face turned extremely ugly the moment he was stared at by that sharp gaze, alternating between pale and flushed, with a hint of fear in his eyes.

He clenched his teeth, his lips trembling slightly. After a long while, he finally calmed himself down and said, "Your Majesty is kind-hearted, cares for the world, and pities the suffering of the people. You are truly a wise and sagacious ruler who is rare throughout history."

"How fortunate our Great Ming Dynasty is to have such an enlightened ruler!"

"How fortunate are the people of the world to have an emperor like Your Majesty?"

"How fortunate we are to serve under Your Majesty."

He paused slightly, his expression becoming excited, and his words becoming increasingly impassioned: "But precisely because of this, we, as subjects, cannot tolerate anyone wantonly slandering His Majesty's reputation."

"How can we allow our sovereign and father to suffer the insults of these arrogant scholars and bear those unfounded accusations?"

"If that were truly the case, how could we, as subjects, possibly stand in the world?"

"The safety of the people is naturally the responsibility of the court, but if someone slanders the emperor, can the court just sit idly by?"

"Lord Yang, don't you agree?"

As he spoke, he took a step forward, his eyes revealing a stubbornness and obstinacy.

They remained locked in a tit-for-tat confrontation, refusing to yield an inch, their words becoming increasingly aggressive and inflammatory.

After saying this, he seemed to feel it wasn't enough, and then said loudly and seriously:

"Rescuing the people is certainly a major event, but upholding His Majesty's reputation is of paramount importance, a matter of utmost importance!"

"This matter must not be set aside for later discussion, nor can it be ignored or left unattended!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shiqi's gaze instantly sharpened like a knife as he stared directly at him.

As a trusted close advisor to Zhu Yunwen and one of the ministers most intimately connected with the emperor, Yang Shiqi knew many secrets, including the inside story of "land reform and tax reform".

He knew very well that both of these reforms were strongly promoted by His Majesty behind the scenes.

However, His Majesty also specifically instructed that this matter can only be addressed by using the "Da Ming Daily" to subtly influence public opinion, allowing it to gradually ferment and gain momentum, thereby creating a powerful impact.

Before this, no direct, public intervention is permitted.

Otherwise, it will inevitably trigger a strong wave of opposition.

This could even cause this policy, which concerns the very foundation of the nation, to fail prematurely before it is even formally implemented.

After all, these two reforms truly touched the foundation of the Ming Dynasty and involved the vital interests of the most core landlord and gentry class.

Its far-reaching impact and wide-ranging influence far surpass any previous measures such as levying commercial taxes.

Despite the fact that Zhu Yunwen had already done countless groundwork and preparations beforehand.

First, the proportion of rent collected by landlords was restricted.

Then, under the banner of encouraging meritorious merchants to go overseas, the Ming Dynasty government seized large amounts of fertile land that were originally controlled by these people through buying and selling.

Then, under the pretext of abolishing the feudal domains and enfeoffing the princes overseas, he successfully reclaimed the lands under the princes' names.

By this time, a considerable portion of the land in the country had become "official land" of the Ming Dynasty.

However, Zhu Yunwen knew in his heart that this was far from enough.

In the present Ming Dynasty, those who truly penetrate every corner of the grassroots and permeate every tiny tentacle of the empire are the gentry and landlords scattered throughout the country.

In many villages, farmland is often concentrated in the hands of one or two large families.

These people, though not wealthy or powerful, were just ordinary "local gentry".

However, their numbers are vast, like stars scattered across the sky, and their influence in the local areas is extremely strong.

They were the ones who truly supported the foundation of the Ming Empire.

In their respective territories, these gentry often commanded a large following and possessed near-absolute authority, their word being law.

In some cases, even within the gentry's own private territories, the imperial court's authority was far less than theirs.

This is why even officials dispatched by the Ming Dynasty to local areas, such as county magistrates, had no choice but to cultivate good relations and cooperate with these local gentry in order to maintain the stability of their rule. These gentry were undoubtedly the most important pillars of the Ming Dynasty.

Once they lose their support, the grassroots governance of the Ming Dynasty will fall into chaos and become difficult to carry out normally.

Moreover, the ministers and officials at all levels in the imperial court, and their families, were mostly influential "gentry" in their hometowns.

It can be said that all the officials in the court were landlords, and all the officials in the court were local gentry!
Land reform and tax reform will directly affect the vital interests of these people.

It is conceivable that this reform will inevitably face strong opposition from them.

Even among court officials, very few would genuinely support it.

If all the officials don't support it, how can even the emperor push this forward?
Who should handle this?

Therefore, this will undoubtedly be an unprecedentedly tough battle.

Just as a general must boost morale before leading his troops into battle.

Otherwise, if the army lacks the will to fight, it will collapse at the first sign of trouble.

From the scholar-officials of the imperial court and the meritorious military generals to the local gentry, they constituted the ruling class of the entire feudal society.

Without their support, even if the emperor were determined to do things his own way, he would find it difficult to succeed.

Therefore, Zhu Yunwen adopted the strategy of "making a big show of force but remaining unmoved".

The decision was made to let the "arrow" of reform fly in the air a little longer, and wait for the right time.

As the calls for reform grew louder and louder, they gradually became an overwhelming trend.

At that time, all matters will naturally fall into place, just like a ripe melon falling from a tree!
Knowing the implications, Yang Shiqi calmly put away the letter the censor presented to him, saying that they would discuss it later.

The purpose was to temporarily suppress the matter.

After all, the court could neither punish the scholar who wrote the letter to extinguish the "spark" that had been hard-won, nor could it openly express its support for the scholar's claims.

Delaying and waiting for a change in circumstances is the only viable strategy at present.

As for the exaggerated statements in the scholar's letter, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them slander.

However, compared to a crucial national policy like tax reform, what do a few extreme words matter?

Scholars always need to find support for their views.

When the time is right, we can give it a little more pointers.

However, these thoughts must never be spoken aloud.

Otherwise, it would be tantamount to admitting that one does not care at all about the words that slander the emperor.

That would be disloyalty to His Majesty.

Moreover, even His Majesty is currently unable to defend him.

Because the time is not yet ripe, this national policy cannot be implemented immediately, and His Majesty will naturally not publicly express his support.

After his thoughts raced, Yang Shiqi looked at the aggressive censor in front of him again, feeling both angry and somewhat regretful.

As a high-ranking official in charge of state affairs and the Left Censor-in-Chief, how could I possibly act impulsively and engage in a verbal dispute with an ordinary censor!

Even if you win this debate, what benefit will it bring you?

On the contrary, it would give the censor who was his enemy a reputation for not being afraid of power and daring to openly contradict the ministers and the Left Censor-in-Chief.

Even if he is dismissed from his post and exiled in the future, he will still win the praise of the people, who will commend him as "courageous and a loyal and upright official".

And this is precisely what many censors and officials in the Censorate have dreamed of their entire lives.

Am I not just giving them an excuse?
He was young after all, and although he had always been calm and composed, he had a smooth and successful career since being promoted and given important responsibilities by Zhu Yunwen.

At a young age, he had already risen to the highest rank and wielded immense power.

Over time, he inevitably developed a sharper edge and was no longer as composed and reserved as when he first met Zhu Yunwen.

But Yang Shiqi was no ordinary man after all.

Despite being repeatedly contradicted, he was not angered, but instead engaged in deep self-reflection.

"As a minister of state affairs, I am naturally more familiar with the court's national policies than you are."

"I know in my heart what is more important and what is less important."

Yang Shiqi's voice gradually became calm and peaceful, no longer as sharp as before, but with more composure and calmness.

"His Majesty has just issued a decree that a grand court assembly will be held tomorrow to discuss this matter."

"Since you claim to be a loyal subject of the emperor, you should think carefully about how to relieve the worries and difficulties of your sovereign."

After saying that, he turned around and walked away without looking back.

Inside the main hall, the censors watched the Left Censor-in-Chief leave until his figure disappeared from sight, and then they all turned their attention back to the censor who had been contradicting him.

The people's eyes were different, and their expressions were complicated.

Some people secretly admired this person's courage, daring to openly defy the high-ranking and powerful Left Censor-in-Chief.

Some people think he's courting death.

Who was Yang Shiqi?

That was a trusted and relied-upon minister whom His Majesty relied upon greatly.

Although the censors in the Censorate were independent, they were not subordinate officials of the Left Censor-in-Chief.

However, given Yang Shiqi's status as a Minister of State Affairs, he still had quite a few ways to deal with a mere censor.

After all, most of the government's decrees nowadays come from the government affairs office.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, the censor straightened his chest slightly and stood up abruptly, saying, "Inside the Censorate, there are other letters written by other scholars, with roughly similar contents, all of which are arrogant and rebellious words that slander the Emperor."

"I will present it to His Majesty in person at tomorrow's court assembly."

His words were full of confidence, and he was convinced that His Majesty would be furious after seeing those letters.

After all, what emperor could tolerate his subordinates slandering the country he governs?
Throughout history, emperors have always attached great importance to such matters.

The Emperor's reputation is above all else.

At this moment, an imperial censor in the crowd spoke softly, as if talking to himself, yet also as if reminding the others:

"Although we have not presented His Majesty with the letters from the scholars, which are full of arrogant and rebellious words, you must not forget that His Majesty still controls a number of informants, such as the Intelligence Bureau, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Inspectorate."

“Nothing in Nanjing could escape their surveillance.”

"The matters raised in the scholars' memorials have already sparked heated discussions among many people in Jinling City."

“We have not presented the letter, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Inspectorate, and the Intelligence Bureau must have already informed His Majesty of this matter.”

Upon hearing this, the censor's face turned deathly pale.

Yes, someone wrote a letter in blood to the Censorate, pleading for help from the court. The Censorate did not report this matter, and even Yang Shiqi, the Left Censor-in-Chief in charge of the Censorate, was unaware of it. Yet His Majesty found out first.

This also demonstrates the power of His Majesty's intelligence agencies.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's ubiquitous.

The calls for the court to reform the tax system were far greater than this matter, and countless letters were sent to the Censorate.

Although the censors suppressed these letters, did His Majesty really not know about them?
Absolutely not!

However, since His Majesty was already aware of the situation but had not made any response, what exactly was His Majesty's attitude?
Before he could think further, another person spoke up: "This matter of the blood-written plea for help has actually attracted His Majesty's attention so much."

"A grand court assembly will even be held specifically for this purpose."

"I'm afraid this matter is not so simple."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the censors fell into deep thought.

The sound of the imperial edict still echoed in my ears; it seemed His Majesty was quite angry.

The source of their anger was none other than the Censorate.

It was their suppression of the report that angered the emperor.

But such intense anger suggests there might be more to the story!

"The wind is picking up!" someone murmured softly.

A gust of wind rushed in from the open door, scattering the papers on the desk.

In an instant, papers flew everywhere and scattered all over the ground.

……

(End of this chapter)