The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 405 The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will endure forever; the Ming Dynasty will last forever.

The name of the nation has been decided: Great Ming!
The framework of the dynasty was already solid, but the path to establishing the nation had only just begun, and there were still many preparatory matters to be carried out, the second being the reign title.

"Your Majesty, the name of the country, 'Great Ming,' has been decided. The matter of the reign title needs to be finalized as soon as possible."

"We have heard that Your Majesty is inclined to use the First Emperor's calendar in order to demonstrate that our dynasty is the legitimate successor to the ancient Chinese tradition. While this proposal has merit, we must also consider the practicalities."

"The reign title has been used since Emperor Wu of Han, and has been passed down for more than a thousand years. It has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and carries the special political meaning of 'receiving the mandate of heaven and renewing the era'."

Gu Zizhong bowed and said, "We suggest that the First Emperor's calendar and reign titles be used in parallel: the calendar should be used for court chronology and agricultural planning to ensure the rigor of the system; the reign titles should be used for common people's names and document records to conform to the habits of the people."

Other ministers echoed his sentiments, and Zhang Xinghua added, "Your Majesty, if we only use the First Emperor's calendar, the people may feel that the new dynasty is separate from the Han and Tang dynasties, which is not conducive to winning their hearts and minds."

"By doing both, we can both uphold orthodoxy and take into account the people's livelihood, which is a win-win solution."

Li Xiao pondered for a moment and felt that the ministers' suggestions made sense.

Governing a country cannot only focus on having a rigorous system; it also requires considering the public's acceptance of it.

He nodded and said, "As you all have proposed, the First Emperor's calendar and reign titles will run concurrently."

What era names have you proposed?

Gu Zizhong hurriedly presented the proposed list of reign titles, which consisted of five: "Wutai", "Jingxing", "Yongxi", "Qiande", and "Changlong".

He explained one by one: "'Wu Tai' means 'military prowess and prosperity,' which fits the characteristics of our dynasty in founding the country through military force and pacifying chaotic times."

'Jingxing' means 'prosperous scene' and expresses the hope for peace and happiness for the people.

'Yongxi' symbolizes 'a long-lasting national fortune and universal enlightenment'.

The term 'Qian De' comes from the Book of Changes and means 'the virtue of strength and the ability to govern the world'.

'Changlong' directly expresses the vision of 'national prosperity and flourishing foundation'.

Li Xiao looked at the list, but his gaze finally fell on the name "Wu Tai".

He recalled how he started his rebellion in Hexi Fort and fought his way through the country, relying on his "martial arts" to conquer the vast land.

Although we are about to establish a nation, the great cause of conquering the Jin Dynasty and unifying China has not yet been completed.

The name "Wu Tai" not only highlights the military strength of the new dynasty, but also implies the expectation of "pacifying the world through military force and ensuring the well-being of the people through peace and prosperity," making it more in line with the current situation than other reign titles.

“Let us choose ‘Wu Tai’ as the reign title.”

Li Xiao said firmly, "After I become emperor, the first year will be the first year of Wutai."

There was little controversy over the reign title, as it was entirely up to Li Xiao to decide. However, new problems soon followed.

How should the legitimacy of the Ming Dynasty be defined?

Where should we begin to discuss the Five Elements and their corresponding virtues?

This not only concerned the dynasty's symbolic "mandate of heaven," but also affected the characterization of all countries in the world. The court quickly split into several factions, and the debate raged on.

Gu Zizhong spoke first: "Your Majesty, the Jin Kingdom occupied the Central Plains for many years. Although it was established by a foreign race, it once controlled the core territory of China."

"Now that our dynasty is to take its place, we must prioritize 'overcoming metal'. The Jin Kingdom belongs to the element 'metal' in the Five Elements theory. According to the principle of 'fire overcomes metal,' our Great Ming should be associated with the virtue of 'fire'."

Zhang Xinghua immediately retorted, "That's incorrect!"

"Although the Song Dynasty was located in the south of the Yangtze River, it was a lineage of Han Chinese. All its rulers considered themselves the legitimate successors of the Chinese nation, and the people also largely recognized the Song Dynasty as the legitimate successor."

“The Song state belongs to the element of ‘fire’ in the Five Elements theory. Water overcomes fire, so it should be considered ‘water virtue’ to demonstrate the meaning of ‘reform and innovation’.”

They all had their own stances and ideas. For example, Han Jiuguang, the former Grand Secretary of the Western Liao Dynasty, was biased towards the Liao Dynasty in this matter.

"Both of you have made some biased statements."

Han Jiuguang stepped forward, bowed, and said, "The Liao Kingdom occupied the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun for a hundred years, promoted the Han system, and educated the people. Although it was founded by the Khitan, it has long been integrated into the Chinese cultural heritage."

"Moreover, our Great Ming Dynasty rose to prominence in the Western Regions, which can be described as 'born from the destruction of Liao.' Therefore, both in terms of sentiment and reason, Liao should be taken as the standard."

"The Liao Dynasty belongs to the element of 'water' in the Five Elements theory. According to the principle of 'earth overcomes water,' our dynasty should be associated with the element of 'earth,' which would better highlight our dynasty's legitimate status in replacing the Liao Dynasty and ruling the four directions."

This makes a lot of sense. In any case, the northern frontier was once the territory of the Western Liao Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty was a towering tree that broke through the soil and grew from the land of the Western Liao Dynasty.

It is only natural that it was originally the Liao dynasty.

Moreover, Li Xiao's wife, Xiao Yanyan, was a princess of the Liao Kingdom.

My mother was the emperor of the Liao Dynasty, and my maternal grandfather was the founding emperor of the Western Liao Dynasty.

Li Xiao's ancestral home was Yanyun, which was the core of the Liao Dynasty's rule.

Therefore, the Liao Dynasty left an indelible mark on the Ming Dynasty.

The three held their own opinions, and none of them could convince the others. They all looked to Li Xiao in the main seat, waiting for him to make the final decision.

Li Xiao looked around at everyone, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and suddenly spoke: "What you all said makes sense, but none of it touches on the fundamental principles of orthodoxy."

"In my opinion, the Liao, Song, and Jin dynasties were not the legitimate successors of the Chinese nation."

Upon hearing this, the three of them were taken aback.

Li Xiao slowly rose, walked into the hall, his gaze swept over everyone, and his tone was heavy yet clear: "Since the Huang Chao Rebellion at the end of the Tang Dynasty, China has been mired in nearly two hundred years of division and chaos."

"The Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties changed hands like a revolving lantern in just fifty-three years. Most of the monarchs were murderers who seized power. The people were displaced and the Central Plains were devastated."

He paused, then continued, "Later, the Song Dynasty rose to power, ending the chaos of the Five Dynasties and unifying the Central Plains and Jiangnan, but it failed to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun."

"In the northwest, there is still the Western Xia separatist regime, and in the southwest, the Dali Kingdom has established its own independent regime. They have not even been able to fully control the traditional territory of China. How can we talk about 'true unification'? Let alone legitimacy!"

"The Zhao Song dynasty was deeply concerned with maintaining its precarious peace and made constant compromises and peace with foreign powers, paying tribute year after year. Even its emperors were once captured. Such a regime, even if it had Han Chinese blood, could not bear the title of 'legitimate'."

"The Khitan Liao Dynasty and the Jurchen Jin Dynasty were both like this, occupying only a corner of the country and unable to be the legitimate rulers."

At this moment, everyone understood that Li Xiao was not rejecting a particular regime, but all countries that had failed to unify China and bring peace to their people.

Neither the Liao, Song, nor Jin dynasties can be called unified dynasties.

Li Xiao returned to the main seat, his tone softening slightly: "Lord Han said that our Great Ming was 'born from the destruction of Liao,' which is true, but the destruction of Liao was about pacifying separatist regimes and rescuing the people of the Western Regions from the oppression of Liao, not about inheriting its rule."

"Although the Song Dynasty had Han blood, it was content with its corner of the country and lived a life of mere survival; although the Jin Dynasty occupied the Central Plains, it ruled brutally and lost the hearts of the people."

"They may each have their own advantages, but none of them were able to end the chaos and unify China. They were merely regimes that continued the conflict. How can they be considered 'legitimate'?"

His gaze turned eastward, and his voice gradually became more impassioned: "The Ming Dynasty is not going to follow the old path of a separatist regime, but to create a completely new unified dynasty."

"Therefore, the legitimacy of the Ming Dynasty does not need to be inherited from these separatist regimes, but should be directly inherited from the Tang Dynasty."

"The Tang Dynasty was the last truly unified Chinese dynasty that dominated the world. Its territory was vast, its culture was prosperous, its foreign tribes were subjugated, and its people lived in peace and happiness."

At this point, Li Xiao looked at Gu Zizhong and asked in a questioning tone, "Governor Gu, you are well-versed in etiquette and classical texts, so tell me, what category does the virtue and fortune of the Tang Dynasty belong to?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Zizhong immediately bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the fortunes of the Tang Dynasty need to be discussed in stages."

"At the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan honored the Sui Dynasty as 'Fire Virtue' in order to demonstrate that he inherited the Sui Dynasty's legacy and was in accordance with the Mandate of Heaven. According to the principle of 'mutual generation of the five elements'—fire generates earth—the Tang Dynasty was designated as 'Earth Virtue.' This system continued until Empress Wu Zetian became emperor."

He paused, then added: "During the Wu Zhou period, Empress Wu changed the dynasty. In order to establish the legitimacy of the Wu Zhou dynasty, she abolished the Tang dynasty's 'Earth Virtue' and changed the Wu Zhou dynasty's 'Fire Virtue'."

"When Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian was restored to the throne and the name of the Tang Dynasty was restored, he did not change the 'fire element' established by Wu Zhou, but instead continued to use it until the end."

"Therefore, when people talk about the virtues of the Tang Dynasty today, they often refer to it as the 'virtue of fire,' but if we talk about the foundation of the founding of the dynasty, we should take the 'virtue of earth' as ​​the source."

Li Xiao nodded slightly, then looked at Zhang Xinghua beside him: "Lord Zhang, if our Great Ming Dynasty were to inherit the orthodoxy of the Tang Dynasty, what kind of laws should we follow to determine its destiny?"

Zhang Xinghua stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the determination of the dynasty's fortune is based on nothing more than two laws: 'mutual restraint of the five elements' and 'mutual generation of the five elements'."

"When it comes to 'mutual restraint,' it is mostly used when dynasties change or the previous dynasty is overthrown, such as when the Shang dynasty restrained the Xia dynasty and the Zhou dynasty restrained the Shang dynasty, both of which meant 'replacing the old with the new.'"

"As for 'mutual generation,' it is often used to inherit orthodoxy and continue the cultural lineage, such as the Sui Dynasty inheriting from the Northern Zhou Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty inheriting from the Sui Dynasty, both of which take the principle of 'succession from the same lineage.'"

His tone became increasingly solemn: "Now our Great Ming Dynasty has set the tone of 'directly inheriting the orthodoxy of the Tang Dynasty,' rather than overthrowing the Tang Dynasty. If we use the concept of 'mutual restraint of the five elements,' it will contradict the meaning of 'inheritance.'"

"Only by continuing to use the concept of 'mutual generation of the five elements' can we demonstrate that the cultural lineage of our Great Ming Dynasty is connected to that of the Tang Dynasty and that it is a legitimate successor, so that the world will know that the Great Ming Dynasty is restoring the glory of the Tang Dynasty, rather than starting anew."

These words echoed Gu Zizhong's interpretation of the Tang Dynasty's moral fortune, and the ministers in the hall nodded in agreement.

The previous debate on "mutual restraint" viewed the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Liao, Jin, and Song Dynasties as one of "overthrowing and being overthrown." Now that it is clearly stated that the Ming Dynasty "inherited the orthodoxy of the Tang Dynasty," "mutual generation" naturally becomes the only reasonable choice.

Seeing this, Li Xiao had already made up his mind and nodded, saying, "Lord Zhang's concerns are correct."

"The Tang Dynasty was founded on the virtue of 'Earth'. Although the Wu Zhou Dynasty changed it to 'Fire', our Great Ming Dynasty inherited the orthodoxy of the founding of the Tang Dynasty and the cultural lineage of its golden age. Therefore, we should take the original virtue of 'Earth' of the Tang Dynasty as our foundation."

According to the principle of "mutual generation of the five elements", earth generates metal, therefore our Great Ming should be associated with the virtue of metal.

"Gold and silver are the two colors of the imperial family. From now on, these two colors will be the exclusive colors of the imperial family. The imperial ceremonial guards, palace decorations, dragon robes and crowns will all use gold and silver as the main colors."

"It symbolizes the Ming Dynasty as indestructible as gold and as clear and just as silver."

"As for 'born from the destruction of Liao'..."

Li Xiao responded to Han Jiuguang's concerns again, his tone both reassuring and firm: "This is not a reason for our dynasty to inherit the Liao dynasty's rule, but rather the beginning of our dynasty's pacification of separatist regimes and the start of unification."

"In the future, we will also destroy the Jin, the Song, the Dali, and the Tubo, ending the nearly two hundred years of division on the land of China, restoring and even surpassing the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties. This is the most powerful proof of the legitimacy of the Ming Dynasty."

These words were like a thunderclap, instantly quelling all the arguments.

The previous disagreements caused by differing stances vanished instantly, and they all bowed in unison, saying, "Your Majesty is wise, long live the Ming Dynasty, may the Jin Dynasty prosper forever!"

Seeing the convinced looks on everyone's faces, Li Xiao nodded inwardly.

The debate over legitimacy and the prevailing virtue ultimately concluded with the decision to "inherit the virtue of the Tang dynasty and establish the virtue of the Ming dynasty." This was not merely a decision at the level of ritual, but also a political declaration: it not only clarified the ultimate goal of the Ming dynasty to "unify China and restore its golden age," but also clearly defined its historical position in the current chaotic world.

The existence of states like Song and Jin was no different from that of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period; they were all separatist forces that emerged after China fell into division.

No regime could truly unify China, and no monarch could bring peace and prosperity to the people. Instead, each regime occupied its own territory and fought against each other, leaving the land of China in constant turmoil.

"When the Ming Dynasty compiles its history books in the future, it should define this period of history as the 'Second Warring States Period'."

Li Xiao's words resonated deeply: "In the past, the seven Warring States rose up and fought for hundreds of years, until Qin finally unified the world."

"Today, the Liao, Jin, Song, Xia, Western Regions, Dali, and Tubo are just like the 'Seven Heroes' of today."

"Warlords rose up and carved out their own territories, but the Ming Dynasty was destined to be the 'new Qin' that ended the chaos and unified the world."

These words clearly defined the historical position and mission of the Ming Dynasty. Gu Zizhong was the first to react and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty has great foresight."

"Defining this period as the 'Second Warring States Period' not only acknowledges the Chinese identity of each regime but also clarifies its separatist nature, further highlighting the legitimacy and inevitability of the Ming Dynasty's unification of China. It is truly a brilliant move."

Zhang Xinghua quickly echoed, "That's exactly right."

"This definition will make it clear to the people that when our Great Ming Dynasty sent troops to fight against the Liao, Jin, and Song regimes, it was not an invasion or an attack on foreign tribes."

"It is a war of unification within China, a just act to end division and restore order, and it will surely win the hearts and minds of the people."

Li Xiao nodded slightly: "It's good that you all understand."

"The Ming Dynasty established the 'Jin De' era, inherited the Tang Dynasty's legacy, and defined the 'Second Warring States Period.' Its core message was to declare to the world that the Ming Dynasty was the rightful heir to the Chinese civilization and the terminator of the chaotic and divided world."

"In the future, when we send troops to the Central Plains, it will be to recover the lost lands of China; when we fight against the Jin and Song dynasties, it will be to unify the territory of China; when we take over Tibet and Dali, it will be to bring the Chinese people back to unity."

“All of these are not acts of aggression, but of unification; not acts of seizing power, but of bringing peace and security to the people.”

Li Xiao's voice echoed in the hall, carrying an undeniable conviction: "When the world is unified, we will make the land of China once again witness the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties."

"With a vast territory, all barbarian tribes submitted, the people lived in peace and happiness, and the culture flourished."

"When future generations recall this history, they will only remember that the Ming Dynasty ended the 'Second Warring States Period' and ushered in a new golden age of China, rather than remembering those separatist regimes that fought each other."

The ministers bowed in unison: "Your Majesty is wise."

"I am willing to sacrifice my life for the Ming Dynasty to unify China and create a prosperous era."

Li Xiao looked down at the assembled officials bowing with their hands on their chests, but did not raise his hand to tell them to rise. Instead, he slowly turned around and walked out of the hall.

Step by step, I walked out of the palace and stood on the high steps, looking up at the sky and earth.

Under the azure sky, the clouds slowly unfurled, and the outline of Longcheng was clearly visible in the sunlight. Further away lay the ancestral land of China, which he had yet to traverse in this lifetime.

The mountains of Yanyun, the plains of the Central Plains, the water towns of Jiangnan, the snowy plateaus of Tibet, the black soil of Northeast China, and the vast mountains of Lingnan and Yunnan...

At this moment, it seemed as if everyone was under his gaze, quietly awaiting the call to unify.

Li Xiao slowly raised his hand, as if touching the veins of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his deep chanting echoed across the steps of the palace: "The bright sun and moon illuminate my heart; restore my China, and rectify my attire."

"The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will endure forever; the Ming Dynasty will live on forever."

In Longcheng thereafter, the atmosphere of preparations for the founding of the nation became even stronger because of this "political declaration".

Officials were busy revising the "Great Ming Code," incorporating the goal of "unifying China" into the general principles of the law, and clarifying that "all the territory of China belongs to the Great Ming; all the people of China belong to the Great Ming."

"Regardless of ethnicity, all are equally protected by the laws of the Ming Dynasty and must abide by them."

Then, the initial territory of China was clearly defined, and this vast land, stretching from the East China Sea in the east to the Caspian Sea in the west, from India in the south to the extreme cold ice fields in the north, was defined as the inherent territory of China.

Remembering history is an integral part of Chinese civilization.

In the future, we will attract even more.

……

After the officials had dispersed, the sunlight outside the palace had begun to slant westward, and the shadows on the steps had shortened.

Li Dongkun, the general manager of the Hexi Trading Company, did not leave. He held a sandalwood box, walked slowly to Li Xiao, and bowed: "Your Majesty, I have important matters to report."

Li Xiao turned around, his gaze falling on the wooden box in Li Dongkun's hand, and asked calmly, "Is it about eunuchs?"

"Your Majesty is wise."

Li Dongkun opened the wooden box, inside which was a booklet: "As Your Majesty previously instructed, the boys and children I secretly purchased from Liaodong and the Central Plains have completed their training."

"These children were either sold by their parents because of poverty, or they were slaves of the Jurchens. Many of them had family members who died at the hands of the Jurchens and had a blood feud with them."

"That is why they have a natural loyalty to the King and to the Ming Dynasty."

He paused, then continued, "All the children were castrated by local merchants in the Jin Kingdom according to regulations, and then secretly transported back to Longcheng via our trade routes. The whole process took two years, and in the end, only three hundred remained."

"I have instructed the eunuchs captured from the Xia and Liao imperial palaces to familiarize them with court etiquette, daily service procedures, and the rules of the Ming Dynasty. They are ready to serve in the palace at any time."

Li Xiao took the booklet and nodded slowly, but there was no joy on his face. Instead, he looked solemn: "I do not like eunuchs. After all, they are disabled people who violate human ethics."

"But we must admit that their existence is indeed irreplaceable."

His thoughts drifted into the depths of history, and he thought of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

The emperor who, like him, came from humble origins and founded the Ming Dynasty, also deeply abhorred eunuchs in his early years. He strictly forbade Chinese men from castrating themselves, and the eunuchs in the palace were either remnants of the Yuan Dynasty or captured Koreans who had been castrated.

He also established an ironclad rule: "Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in politics; those who violate this rule will be executed without mercy."

However, after the Hu-Lan case broke out, the civil official group and the Huai-Xi nobles became less useful, and the advantages of eunuchs became apparent.

They were rootless and homeless, unable to form an independent political force, and could only rely on the imperial power.

They served the king day and night, knew secrets, and acted discreetly and efficiently.

Furthermore, due to his status, he was extremely despised by the scholar-officials and generals, making it difficult for him to collude with outside officials and form a stable power base.

Many people say that eunuchs are bad, and they curse them for doing things that anger both heaven and man, but what they see is only the surface evil.

What truly shakes the foundations of a nation are those heinous evils that even history books cannot record.

In this respect, the Qing Dynasty did an excellent job.

For nearly three hundred years, there has almost never been a case of eunuchs interfering in politics. Even when there were favored eunuchs like An Dehai and Li Lianying, they were merely attached to the emperor and never formed a eunuch faction that could threaten imperial power.

An Dehai's fate was even worse. He became arrogant and left the capital without permission, and was executed on the spot by the Shandong governor for "a eunuch leaving the capital without permission, which is against regulations." Even Empress Dowager Cixi could not protect him.

The core reason why the Qing Dynasty was able to achieve this was its system.

You could say the Qing Dynasty was bad, but you can't say it was incompetent.

They learned from the lessons of the previous thousand-year-old dynasties, taking the best and making up for the worst, and have reached the pinnacle of feudal rule.

It was the dynasty that managed eunuchs most successfully and rigorously, completely instrumentalizing them and confining them within the cage of the system.

Among them, the most important institution was the Imperial Household Department.

The establishment of the Imperial Household Department strictly limited the power of eunuchs to the role of 'servants'.

The Imperial Household Department managed the royal family's assets, and eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in the economy; the Imperial Household Department coordinated palace affairs, and eunuchs were only responsible for specific service.

There are also layers of supervision, and anyone who crosses the line will be severely punished.

Now that the Ming Dynasty is about to be established, eunuchs will inevitably enter the palace.

They were indispensable for cleaning, serving, and delivering messages in the palace.

But we must be even more vigilant and guard against them, and never allow them to plunder power, especially military and political power.

Rather than waiting for future generations to make mistakes, it is better to establish rules from the beginning.

Following the example of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Household Department was established to supervise and check the eunuchs.

Thinking of all this, Li Xiao looked at Li Dongkun with a solemn expression: "I have decided to reorganize the Hexi Trading Company into the Imperial Household Department."

"It is equivalent to the function of the Shaofu during the Han Dynasty, but its authority is more important."

"Firstly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs can directly investigate and deal with any eunuchs who overstep their authority, interfere in politics, or commit corruption."

"Secondly, he was in charge of all royal properties, including estates, trading companies, and mines, to ensure that the royal family was self-sufficient."

"Thirdly, the Imperial Household Department was responsible for the overall management of palace affairs, including the selection, training, and deployment of eunuchs."

He paused, his voice carrying an undeniable determination: "And for the first Grand Minister of the Imperial Household Department, I have chosen you, Li Dongkun."

“You are my second cousin, and your loyalty is beyond question.”

"You have been in charge of the Hexi Merchants for many years and are proficient in industrial management. You are capable of managing the royal family's assets well."

"More importantly, you are meticulous and rigorous in your work..."

"You just need to remember that the Imperial Household Department serves the imperial power, but even more so, it serves the Ming Dynasty."

Looking into Li Xiao's resolute eyes, Li Dongkun bowed deeply, his tone resolute: "Your subject obeys the decree."

"I will live up to Your Majesty's trust, strictly abide by the rules, manage the Imperial Household Department well, and never allow eunuchs to interfere in politics in the Ming Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)