Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 252 Why is the Emperor an Emperor?
The small room where the two were located was the "Jiangxue Pavilion" in the Imperial Garden. A pavilion is a bright and airy small hall, mostly semi-open. Jiangxue Pavilion faced a crabapple tree in front and had a small pond behind it. Rainwater slid down from the eaves, tinkling and tinkling, making it exceptionally elegant. There were no eunuchs or palace maids in the pavilion, only the Emperor and his advisor.

The two sat facing each other in a very retro kneeling posture, with small stools placed behind them. Zhu Youjian personally poured Zhu Xieyuan a cup of last year's spring tea. The aroma was a bit weak, but it was warm, which was good, as the temperature was still quite cold in early spring when it rained. Zhu Xieyuan sipped the tea down, and his pale face regained some color.

Zhu Youjian poured him another cup and then asked the question that had been bothering him: "Confucius said, 'At forty, one is no longer perplexed.' Does Grand Secretary Zhu still have any questions?"

Zhu Xieyuan glanced sideways at the emperor: Is this how the sages are understood? He knew the emperor was somewhat unlearned, but surely he couldn't possibly be so ignorant as to not understand the Analects?
However, he was currently experiencing a delicate balance of joy at having regained what he had lost, and patiently explained, "Zhu Xi said in the Analects, 'The chapter on Governance,' 'One who is not perplexed has no doubts about what is right and proper in all things; thus, one's knowledge is clear and one's adherence to it is firm.'"

Then he saw the emperor's bewildered expression. The old man sighed helplessly and said, "Your Majesty, although I am over sixty years old, I cannot know everything in the world. Naturally, there will still be things I do not understand."

However, Confucius meant that by the age of forty, one should have a clear understanding of the fundamental principles of morality, the boundaries between good and evil, and the rules of conduct, and adhere to them without doubt. Even amidst external disturbances and complexities, one will no longer feel confused or bewildered. Your Majesty's question shows that you have doubts. It is my honor to answer your questions!

Zhu Youjian grinned: Who said these old men are pedantic and rigid? They can still flatter, and they're even good at it, doing it in a sophisticated way, appearing neither humble nor arrogant, and without batting an eye.

"Yes, I have a thorn in my heart, a heart ailment that is difficult to cure, to the point that I have lost my appetite and cannot eat or drink," Zhu Youjian sighed.

Zhu Xieyuan put down his teacup, straightened his posture, and adopted a look of being attentive to listening.

"Do you think it is only natural for descendants to inherit the power, wealth, and honor of their elders?" Zhu Youjian asked.

"Is Your Majesty worried that the descendants of nobles are not capable of being of great use? The succession of military officers in our dynasty is handled by the Military Selection and Appointment Office of the Ministry of War. Only those who pass the examination in martial arts and military strategy are allowed to succeed, and their names are recorded in the 'Military Officer Selection Register'. Military officers are divided into hereditary officials and permanent officials, with hereditary officials only below the third rank..."

"No, I am not worried about whether hereditary officials are capable of fulfilling their duties. I am asking whether hereditary succession itself is reasonable! For example, what gives me the right to be emperor?!"

"Uh!" Zhu Xieyuan's expression froze: He had heard Bi Ziyan say that the emperor was a "problem child," and now it seemed that he was indeed difficult to deal with!
"Your Majesty's question is too sharp to be ignored! The 'reason' for hereditary succession needs to be considered on two levels:"

One layer is the customary principle passed down through generations. Since the establishment of the patriarchal system in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the succession of the throne from father to son and from elder brother to younger brother has become the conventional way of passing on the state. This is not because the monarch's power is inherently meant to be passed on to his descendants, but because in times of chaos, hereditary succession is the quickest way to stabilize people's hearts and prevent the chaos of seizures: if the monarch has no designated heir, powerful ministers and members of the royal family will inevitably fight for power, the country will easily fall into war, and the people will suffer even more.

Your Majesty's ascension to the throne is ostensibly a succession of the ancestral position, but in reality, it is a responsibility to "prevent turmoil in the world." This is the "expedient principle" that has been followed by successive dynasties.

The other layer is the 'real principle' of the interdependence between the monarch and the people, and the 'reasonableness' of hereditary succession. It does not lie in 'innate nobility of bloodline', but in 'whether the successor can shoulder the responsibilities of the monarch'.

In the past, King Zhou of Shang and Emperor Er Shi of Qin also inherited their positions, but due to their cruelty and indulgence in the people, their countries were eventually destroyed. In contrast, Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of Han inherited their power, but by reducing taxes and levies, they brought peace to the people and ultimately created a prosperous era.

It is clear that Your Majesty's ability to become ruler is not solely due to being born a prince, but rather to the principle of being in power. Only when Your Majesty can alleviate the people's hunger, uphold the law, and safeguard the empire, thus earning the people's trust in you as a ruler, will the hereditary position have a legitimate basis.

Hereditary succession is a method for establishing succession, not a divine endorsement of monarchical power. Your Majesty ascended the throne through bloodline, but must solidify your position through actual achievements. If the people are at peace, then the hereditary position is justified; if the people are resentful, even with bloodline, lasting peace is difficult to maintain.

"A stopgap measure to avoid war?" Zhu Youjian nodded; he liked this explanation.

"Since nobles need to pass a competition before they can succeed to the throne, what if I, the emperor, am not qualified? Will you join forces to depose me?!" Zhu Youjian asked again.

Zhu Xieyuan's face twitched, and he cupped his hands in reply: "In ancient times, the deposition and enthronement of emperors were never due to ministers' 'collusion for personal gain,' but rather a warning sign that 'the Mandate of Heaven has returned to the people.' If the ruler fails in his duties, it cannot be decided by the private discussions of his ministers; it is a manifestation of the people's hunger and cold and the instability of the state. If Your Majesty forgets the responsibility of 'pacifying the people,' allowing disasters to spread and the people to suffer; abandons the duty of 'rectifying the laws and regulations,' allowing powerful ministers to disrupt the government and the law to collapse, then it is not 'ministers deposing the ruler,' but the ruler abandoning the 'Mandate of Heaven' entrusted to him.' On the day the people's hearts are scattered, the country will be difficult to defend."

We, your subjects, who receive the emperor's bounty, are primarily obligated to "admonish" rather than "abolish": if we see that the emperor has made a mistake, we should risk our lives to speak frankly, just as Bi Gan advised King Zhou and Wei Zheng advised Emperor Taizong of Tang, only hoping that Your Majesty will change your mind and return to the path of governing for the benefit of the people; if your advice is ignored, we will either request to resign or do our utmost to protect the people, and we have absolutely no intention of "joining forces to force the emperor to abdicate," because the power of a subject originally comes from the emperor, and to force the emperor is to fail in our duty, and will only plunge the country into chaos and increase the suffering of the people.

If Your Majesty consistently remembers that "the people are the foundation," diligently governs, and treats the people with care, even minor transgressions will be rectified by your ministers. However, if you lose the hearts of the people, even without ministers to depose or install emperors, the empire will not last long. This is not merely my personal opinion, but an ironclad law governing both order and chaos throughout history!

"Now that I am living in luxury, surrounded by my children, while the people suffer from famine and disaster, and there is a peasant uprising in northern Shaanxi, does this mean I have failed in my duty?"

"Your subject dares not embellish your words! When the people are hungry and in disarray, the ruler must bear the responsibility; this is an unavoidable fact."

It is not that Your Majesty personally implements harsh policies, but as the "ruler of the world," the national treasury has grain, yet it has not been used to provide timely relief to the famine in northern Shaanxi, which is a failure to fulfill the "responsibility to nourish the people"; officials are corrupt and excessively demand taxes, yet they have not been rectified in time, which is a failure to fulfill the "responsibility to govern officials"; public grievances have accumulated, yet the people's suffering has not been addressed, which is a failure to fulfill the "responsibility to observe the people."

Your Majesty's life of luxury is the proper way for a ruler, but if you remain indifferent to the fact that people are exchanging children to eat, then your heart is estranged from the people. Having children around your knees is the joy of family life, but if you forget that the people of the world also have children crying for food, then you have not yet taken responsibility.

Your Majesty believes that 'dereliction of duty' is not insurmountable. In the past, when King Tang of Shang encountered a drought, he burned himself to pray for rain to appease the people. When Emperor Wen of Han saw the refugees, he reduced the imperial meals and abolished the palaces to help them. If Your Majesty can immediately stop extravagance, open the granaries, and take responsibility for your actions to reassure the people, that would be the beginning of making amends.

The duty of a ruler is not to be "without fault," but to "correct one's mistakes upon recognizing them and to keep the people in mind." Correcting mistakes allows for the redress of dereliction of duty and the restoration of public support; failing to correct them could lead to the turmoil in northern Shaanxi today and the potential threat to the nation's future.

"You also think I made a mistake?!" Zhu Youjian said in a deep voice.

"Yes!"

"To do something you know is impossible is right?!"

"If Your Majesty does not do it, why do you know it is impossible?!" Zhu Xieyuan retorted.

Zhu Youjian took a deep breath and did not continue on this topic. Instead, he asked, "Of the eight thousand White-Spear Soldiers who came to the capital to defend the emperor last year, three thousand have not yet returned to their hometowns. Zhang Fengyi, the acting commander of the White-Spear Soldiers, has asked me for their pay. She said that she had approached your Ministry of War several times, but you refused to pay them. Are you aware of this matter?"

"I know." Zhu Xieyuan nodded.

"Then why aren't you paying salaries?!" Zhu Youjian was getting impatient.

Zhu Xieyuan looked at the emperor strangely and said, "Isn't this what Your Majesty desires? We thought Your Majesty would bring them into the inner court."

Zhu Youjian's expression was somewhat unpleasant: "Do you think my imperial treasury can't support so many soldiers?!"

"I understand now," Zhu Xieyuan finally understood the logic behind the emperor's series of unusual actions. It turned out the emperor's paranoia had struck—was this some kind of hereditary disease of the Zhu family?! The old man's face also turned grim.

(End of this chapter)