The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 122 United in Heart and Mind!

The cabinet during the Yongle era had virtually no power.

Who would feel awe towards an official whose highest rank is only the fifth grade?

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, starting from the reign of Emperor Renzong, the status of Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet was elevated.

In reality, except during the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli reigns, the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet were at least half a head shorter than the Ministers of the Six Ministries.

Yu Qian, the most famous figure in the early Ming Dynasty, never entered the cabinet; instead, he served as the Minister of War and was in charge of state affairs.

Although the cabinet members during the Yongle era frequently participated in court discussions, they were still essentially secretaries and advisors.

Therefore, in the current cabinet, there is no distinction or concept of chief minister, deputy minister, and assistant ministers; at most, they are just sticking together.

Without the crucial power of voting, whether a cabinet minister can influence national affairs depends entirely on his own abilities.

But why was the influence of the cabinet during the Yongle period much greater than that of the cabinets during the Chenghua, Hongzhi, and Zhengde periods, which gradually gained real power?
Because the current cabinet members, including Hu Guang, Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Li Xianmu, are all capable of being prime ministers.

The position of Grand Secretary in the Cabinet is a waste of talent.

Even with a difficult emperor like Zhu Di, these people were able to get through things smoothly and even influence important national affairs.

And Li Xianmu.

His greatest advantage was that the emperor trusted him, and it could even be said that he was the only one in the cabinet to have such trust. This trust had been cultivated since his father's generation and was far beyond what anyone else could compare to.

Therefore, apart from Hu Guang, who had no choice but to oppose Li Xianmu, no one else would openly ostracize Li Xianmu as they did with Wang Gen.

Yang Shiqi even got up and helped Li Xianmu move a chair from the corner.

Li Xianmu expressed his gratitude.

Yang Shiqi remained calm, but Yang Rong breathed a slight sigh of relief. He was afraid that Yang Shiqi and Li Xianmu would continue to be at odds. Both of them were generals of the Crown Prince's faction, and if they fought, the Crown Prince would be in danger.

Yang Shiqi's thoughts had already drifted back to a few days ago, when Li Xianmu went to Qufu after the Yansheng Duke's affairs were concluded, and he was summoned by the Crown Prince, which was quite unusual.

Although he was a subordinate official of the Eastern Palace, he had very little contact with the Crown Prince.

Neither he nor the crown prince wanted the emperor to link the two together, as it would be bad for both of them.

On that day, Zhu Gaochi said to Yang Shiqi in a very serious tone: "You have always been loyal to me, and I am very grateful. Now that the situation is difficult, this sincerity is even more precious. However, Li Mingda is my blood relative and a descendant of Li Zhongwen. His existence is very important. I hope that you can put aside your personal grudges in the future. I will be eternally grateful."

Yang Shiqi remembered that he agreed almost without hesitation. "Your Highness's words are clear to me. It was my fault that day. I have now reflected on my mistakes. I am grateful for Your Highness's concern."

After leaving the East Palace that day, Yang Shiqi knew that Li Xianmu was also a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince trusted him greatly. Under the current circumstances, they could not compete with each other, but could only cooperate.

Today's gesture of goodwill within the cabinet is one such gesture.

Li Xianmu responded amicably to Yang Shiqi's overtures, stating that they should unite as one to fight against the Prince of Han.

Several major events have just occurred, but there are no particularly urgent matters in the court, only some routine work.

After the day of duty ends.

Li Xianmu slowed down a few steps, and Yang Shiqi knew that Li Xianmu had something to say, so he also lagged behind.

As Li Xianmu walked, he said, "His Majesty will set off for Beijing next month, and at the latest, the northern expedition will begin next year."

When His Majesty goes on the northern expedition, he may take me with him.

The King of Han will also accompany him on the northern expedition.

At that time, the Crown Prince was overseeing the state affairs. This presented an opportunity for the Prince of Han. If Scholar Yang were the Prince of Han, what would he have done?

Yang Shiqi frowned slightly.

An opportunity for the King of Han?
Countless historical examples flashed through his mind, and then he said solemnly, "Are you saying that the Prince of Han will take the opportunity to frame the Crown Prince in front of His Majesty?"

Li Xianmu flicked his sleeve and said coldly, "Isn't this inevitable?"

Why is it that, even though it is known that it is a good thing for princes to see the hardships of ordinary people, since ancient times, crown princes have always been raised in the hands of women in the deep palace, and have to stay by the emperor's side at all times, instead of seeing the hardships of ordinary people?

Why does the inability of the emperor and his son to meet always lead to tragedy?
Although the witchcraft incident in the Han Dynasty was essentially caused by Emperor Wu of Han's fear of the crown prince, wasn't the crown prince Liu Ju's rebellion also caused by being isolated from the outside world by Jiang Chong and others?

Now that His Majesty has voluntarily left the capital, and no one knows how long the war will last, a prince who covets the throne is constantly by the emperor's side.

The crown prince was far away from the emperor, thousands of miles away.

"Won't something bad happen?"

Yang Shiqi had to admit that Li Xianmu was right; this was almost inevitable.

But it seems there's no good solution.

The only solution is to keep the crown prince closer to the emperor, but it's impossible for both the emperor and the crown prince to go out at the same time. If something really happens, it will be too late to regret it.

"What does Mingda think should be done?"

“I will accompany Your Majesty on the northern expedition. If the Prince of Han is framed, I will know and I will certainly defend the Crown Prince. Therefore, you need not worry during the northern expedition.”

You will inevitably remain in the capital. The most crucial point is to ensure that the Crown Prince does what a Crown Prince is supposed to do. He cannot do it poorly, lest he displease the Emperor, nor can he do it well, lest he please the Emperor too much.

There can be no mistakes whatsoever!
The crown prince is the crown prince; he must strictly adhere to those ironclad rules and must never break them.

I will discuss these matters with the Crown Prince again before my northern expedition. However, the Crown Prince is, after all, of noble birth, and in some areas is inferior to Scholar Yang. Therefore, Scholar Yang will be needed to fill in the gaps in his knowledge.

Li Xianmu's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

“Mingda seems to value me highly. Among the Crown Prince’s faction are high-ranking officials like the Minister of Personnel, I don’t seem to be an important figure.”

Li Xianmu sneered, "While power and position are important, location and people are even more crucial. Although you are only a fifth-rank official, you are in the cabinet, a place where you can speak to the emperor at critical moments."

Many major trends can change with just a single word.

Moreover, Scholar Yang is quite different from those scholars who rose through the imperial examinations. He has risen through the ranks of the common people and yet has managed to stand out in the world; he is a true man.

A dark glint flashed in Yang Shiqi's eyes. He looked up and met Li Xianmu's gaze, but for a moment, they couldn't tell whose eyes were more unfathomable.

Li Xianmu's words had a profound meaning; anyone who knew Yang Shiqi's background would not underestimate him.

Yang Shiqi was a genius. He was born during the Yuan Dynasty, in the 25th year of the Zhizheng era. His father died when he was one and a half years old. His mother took him around and traveled everywhere. Under such difficult circumstances, he memorized the entire text of "The Great Learning" when he was five years old.

In the fourth year of the Hongwu reign, his mother remarried, and he finally had the means to continue his studies. Unfortunately, this good fortune did not last long. It was always difficult to be an official in the Hongwu reign, and his stepfather was soon demoted. He spent the first half of his life in such hardship.

He had worked as a teacher in many places, and even held some minor official positions. While serving as an official, he lost his official seal and, without any intention of admitting his mistake, simply ran away and became a fugitive. He wandered like this for twenty years. He was someone who had truly lived at the very bottom of society, and he knew almost everything about the lower class, how the most ordinary peddlers and laborers lived their daily lives, and what kind of hardships they endured.

How much cunning is involved among them?

He was even considered to have been involved in the underworld, dealing not only with law-abiding citizens but also with a considerable number of thugs and petty criminals.

He spent the first half of his life dealing with these people, and at the same time, he was always reading and arming his mind with knowledge, which gave him the opportunity to change his destiny.

What difference is there between those important figures in the imperial court and ordinary commoners?

The only difference is that one is fighting for power, while the other is fighting for a few copper coins.

They were just high-ranking officials in the imperial court, but their character was even worse, and they were even less satisfied.

As Li Xianmu said, Yang Shiqi, having experienced all of this, was destined to be a master of intrigue and scheming.

"It can be large or small, it can rise or hide; when it is large, it can stir up clouds and mist, when it is small, it can hide its form; when it rises, it can soar through the universe, when it hides, it can lurk within the waves, changing with the times, just as a person who has achieved his ambitions can roam freely across the world."

A hero is one who cherishes lofty ambitions, possesses brilliant strategies, has the capacity to encompass the universe, and the ambition to swallow the heavens and earth.

Scholar Yang is precisely that kind of hero.

Yang Shiqi never expected that Li Xianmu would have such a high opinion of him, even bringing over the words of Emperor Wu of Wei: "Mingda, you flatter me. I am just a minor official, not even worthy to be a supporting figure to these heroes. I really do not deserve such praise."

"I heard that the Crown Prince once wanted to bestow a mansion upon Scholar Yang, but the scholar refused, saying that he already had a house to live in."

How could anyone in this world not like a luxury home?
The scholar was adept at keeping a low profile; he knew that acquiring this mansion would attract the attention of the Prince of Han. If my uncle Jie had possessed even a fraction of the scholar's abilities, he likely wouldn't have ended up being demoted.

After saying these words with a smile, Li Xianmu left with his hands behind his back.

Yang Shiqi watched Li Xianmu's departing figure, lost in deep thought, "If Li Xianmu knew about my past..."

Despite experiencing so many hardships, Yang Shiqi was well-versed in intrigue and skilled at scheming, yet he was not a two-faced coward. Even in his poorest days, he always upheld his principles and would even help his more destitute friends.

He was incredibly resilient.

Why did he choose to serve the Crown Prince? Because he saw benevolence in the Crown Prince. He had witnessed the misery of the lowest classes. To be honest, he disliked the Hongwu Emperor and the current emperor, as the people lived in misery.

The Crown Prince was an honest and kind man, a rare person with a benevolent heart. He believed that Zhu Gaochi would definitely be a good emperor in the future. Perhaps he would not have such great achievements, but the world would be glad that there was such an emperor sitting on the throne of the Ming Dynasty.

From the moment he chose the crown prince, he never thought of betraying him. So when Li Xianmu and Yang Rong discussed the key to the struggle for the throne, and the crown prince expressed his unwillingness to let him compete with Li Xianmu, he immediately let it go.

"Li Xianmu, it seems you already know that some things are not over yet."

Yang Shiqi remained silent.

He was indeed very talented and capable, but it cannot be ignored that he was a person without official rank or title.

He wasn't even a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations), let alone a Jinshi (a successful candidate in

During the Jianwen era, Emperor Jianwen summoned Confucian scholars to compile the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu. He got the opportunity, and then, with his solid foundation, he gained the appreciation of Fang Xiaoru and became the vice president of the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu.

It was this experience that enabled him to become a cabinet minister during the later Yongle reign.

Fang Xiaoru can be considered his benefactor; without Fang Xiaoru, he would not be where he is today.

Both Emperor Jianwen and Fang Xiaoru met tragic ends, but he had no intention of being buried with them. Especially after being questioned before the palace, his last thought vanished, and he harbored even greater ambitions.

He kept everything about Fang Xiaoru to himself, and criticizing his father was not something he would do.

But he soon discovered that Li Qi was involved in the matter, and that Li Qi was the mastermind behind it.

He didn't harbor resentment over this discovery—his relationship with Fang Xiaoru wasn't deep—but a faint sense of unease arose in his heart.

In addition, he disliked Li Qi's alteration of Zhu Xi's teachings and rejected the philosophy of mind.

Furthermore, Li Qi's efforts to promote Confucianism among northerners, one by one, made Yang Shiqi realize that the two sides had different paths and could not work together.

This dislike continued to affect Li Xianmu.

That's why, during the court discussion on matters concerning the Duke of Yansheng, he suddenly spoke up and attacked Li Xianmu.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but in the end only the image of the Crown Prince's benevolent face remained. Yang Shiqi sighed, "In the end, I was wrong, but I cannot make the same mistake again."

After muttering to himself, he strode quickly out of the palace.

Li Xianmu walked out of the palace with one hand behind his back, believing that Yang Shiqi would understand the situation.

Although Yang Shiqi is not a completely virtuous gentleman, he possesses the perseverance and wisdom of one. Now that they are both part of the Crown Prince's faction, their joint efforts to ensure the Crown Prince's position remains secure are of paramount importance.

As for any other grudges or grievances, those can be settled later.

After the Crown Prince ascended the throne, the Han King's faction was purged, and the disintegration of the Crown Prince's faction was only natural.

By then, even Zhu Gaochi probably wouldn't stop them from fighting anymore.

Li Xianmu boarded the carriage at the princess's residence and gazed at the setting sun shining on the red walls of the palace. As always, the glazed tiles reflected the colors of the setting sun.

Before him stood the majestic palace, but in his mind, the beautiful scenery of the setting sun on the banks of the Qinhuai River came to mind.

The water shimmered, reflecting a vibrant orange-red hue, like golden-red blood spilled onto the river, exuding a magnificent and lingering charm.

"The scenery of Nanjing is beautiful, but it will be hard to see it again in the future."

Li Xianmu sighed, saying that he grew up in Yingtian and had grown accustomed to the surging river and the glitz and glamour of the Qinhuai River.

After the imperial court moved the capital to the north, the scenery of his hometown only existed in his dreams.

"Let's go."

Li Xianmu lowered the carriage curtain.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

This conversation between Li Xianmu and Yang Shiqi was not recorded in historical books and was only recently deciphered by the Li family.

The Ming History records that "Xianmu entered the cabinet, and Shiqi treated him with great respect, and they worked together to plan for the country." However, we all know that not long ago, Yang Shiqi had attacked Li Xianmu in the matter of the Duke of Yansheng. In the past, we thought that the Ming History was trying to avoid offending the powerful, but now we see the truth in this dialogue.

We can't help but admire that great politicians throughout history have never lacked the courage to forgive and forgive, and with a broad mind, they have turned past grievances into a matter of laughter, all for the sake of a greater goal.

Emperor Renzong (Zhu Gaochi) was incredibly fortunate to have two of the most outstanding ministers of his time! — *China: The Ming Dynasty*

(End of this chapter)