Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 58 The Secret Law of Establishing an Heir Apparent! (5k)

As dusk settled, the cicadas' chirping faded away.

Jiang Mansion, Study.

Jiang Zhao held the teacup, took a sip, and silently weighed his options.

After the officials' advice, the emperor and his ministers were temporarily at an impasse.

When a minister tries to persuade the emperor to establish an heir, even grabbing the emperor's robes to prevent him from leaving, the emperor would never back down an inch.

On the one hand, everyone has a sense of luck, and the emperor is no exception.

Instinctively, the emperor was destined to reject the practice of adopting members of the imperial clan.

The late Emperor Zhenzong also faced the same problem of his imperial heir dying young.

Finally, at the age of forty-two, he became an official.

This is not the somewhat ethereal legend recorded in Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian: The Hereditary House of Confucius" that "He had an illicit affair with a woman of the Yan family and gave birth to Confucius."

The late emperor had a son at the age of forty-two, which is a true fact.

And it came true in the case of the officials.

The emperor himself was the "son" in "having a son in his later years".

With such a precedent, it's no wonder that officials were hoping for a chance to have a child.

Furthermore, for the emperor, if he adopted a member of the imperial clan but then had an heir, the situation would inevitably become somewhat complicated.

Even adopted members of the imperial family are still princes, and princes with the right to inherit the throne.

If this situation were to actually occur, how to deal with the adopted members of the royal family would be a difficult problem.

Secondly, once a childless emperor adopts a member of the imperial clan, his position will gradually become awkward.

Throughout history, emperors and their own sons have often fought for power, and there have even been instances of patricide.

As for adopted members of the imperial family and emperors, there's even less to say.

Even without taking an extreme view, the crown prince would still take away the emperor's power.

This is why emperors often favored a particular prince.

The purpose was to pit the favored prince against the crown prince, while the emperor remained high above, acting as the referee.

Now, they are not biological father and son. If the imperial family is adopted, the imperial family is in its prime and the emperor is old and frail. Where will the emperor, who has no son, be placed?

Over time, one will inevitably gain at the expense of the other.

It would be better if the emperor died early, then perhaps there would be a loving father and filial son.

But if the emperor doesn't die young, the outcome will either be a forced early death or abdication between the emperor and his ministers.

It's impossible to expect members of the imperial family to have a conscience and resist the temptation of the throne!

Therefore, the government will never back down.

If a coup succeeds once, there may be a next time.

This time, the coup was to force the adoption of a member of the imperial family; the next coup might be to force the abdication of the emperor.

Emperor Zhao Zhen would never agree to establish an heir according to the demands of his subjects.

At least, not during this time period.

Even if the Grand Chancellor were to force him to abdicate, he would still try to delay as long as possible.

Once a legitimate heir is established, his position as emperor will become merely nominal.

In fact, rather than making a member of the imperial clan the prince, he would prefer to see the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong fighting openly and secretly.

At least there will be a check and balance.

Even as emperor, he still played the role of referee.

This is also how Emperor Zhao Zhen would have handled the situation in the original storyline.

It was delayed again and again, desperately delayed, for nearly ten years.

Only when it became unbearable to delay any longer did they finally establish the Prince of Yong as the crown prince, which led to the palace coup.

Similarly, if the emperor's words are laced with veiled criticism, the prime minister and chief minister would no longer be able to offer advice "while holding the emperor's robe."

If one remonstrance by a hundred officials proves ineffective, several more attempts will likely be equally fruitless.

The emperor was a special figure.

To a certain extent, the emperor could act as shamelessly as possible.

An official can utter one hurtful word, and he can utter two or three hurtful words.

It's one thing for a single remonstrance to elicit a harsh rebuke from the emperor, but if every remonstrance forces the emperor to utter such hurtful words, then that is pure disobedience and insubordination.

Even historical records will document it clearly.

This matter concerns the reputation of Master Fu after his death!

It even involves the posthumous evaluation of the officials of this dynasty!

Therefore, it is unlikely that the wealthy and powerful minister would rush to the front again, and it is unlikely that the civil and military officials would try their best to advise him again.

Of course, not offering strong advice does not mean that no advice was given.

These endless streams of remonstrances and memorials have almost affected the operation of the country.

Emperor Zhao Zhen, as long as he cares about the country and its people, must pay attention.

For a time, the ministers found it difficult to advance further, and the emperor found it difficult to retreat further; a stalemate ensued between the ruler and his ministers.

Jiang Zhao paced back and forth, lost in thought.

Previously, civil and military officials had set aside nearly a year for the emperor to have offspring, but to no avail.

They spent a whole year trying to conceive, but to no avail.

It is almost foreseeable that even if it takes a little longer, it will be difficult to have a royal bloodline.

Furthermore, the longer the time passes, the less likely the emperor will have any more princes.

He's almost forty-eight years old!

The government is certainly aware of this, but has always actively avoided this idea.

Now, the Grand Chancellor, holding the emperor's robe, offered his advice, and the emperor wept uncontrollably in the main hall, as if the Grand Chancellor had forcibly shattered his unrealistic fantasies.

Through this incident, the emperor must have realized the determination of his subjects to establish an heir.

This was a petition from civil and military officials, so important that he had to take it seriously.

However, even knowing the determination of his subjects to persuade him to establish an heir does not mean that he will establish an heir!

The refusal to establish an heir ultimately stems from a lack of security.

The emperor lacked a sense of security!
There are many reasons why officials want the emperor to establish an heir, such as considerations of interests or concerns about the stability of the country.

But in essence, it boils down to just three words.

sense of security!
The so-called allegiance to either the Prince of Yan or the Prince of Yong was in order to preserve power.

In the world of officialdom, for officials, the main thing that comes with power is a sense of security.

When an official has no son, neither the emperor nor his ministers feel secure.

Emperors have their own needs for security, and ministers have their own needs for security.

Fortunately, there is indeed something that allows you to have both.

"Secret Succession Law!"

Jiang Zhao murmured a sentence.

The so-called secret succession system was a system of imperial succession established by Emperor Yongzheng during the Qing Dynasty.
The monarch does not publicly designate a crown prince during his lifetime. Instead, he writes the name of the chosen heir on two edicts, one of which is placed behind the plaque when attending court, and the other is carried by the monarch with him.

After the emperor's death, he entrusted his son to powerful ministers, who then took out two edicts to compare. If there was no discrepancy, the prince on the edict would be made the new emperor.

The secret succession law has three main functions:

First, the selection of the crown prince is uncertain, so as to avoid princes forming factions with ministers.

The uncertainty surrounding the selection of the crown prince eliminates the possibility of princes forming factions or ministers taking sides.

Even if some officials occasionally take sides, it's mostly lower-ranking officials taking a gamble, while the real high-ranking officials prioritize stability.

The top few even aimed to become "regent ministers" for the young emperor.

By now, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong have long been fighting each other and have each established their own power base.

The main function of the secret succession law, "to prevent princes from forming factions," has become ineffective.

However, since the emperor has not yet established an heir, the "uncertainty" regarding the imperial succession can still be effectively addressed through appropriate maneuvering.

To some extent, this helped maintain the emperor's authority.

Second, the emperor had sole control over the right to appoint an heir. The emperor had sole control over who to appoint, eliminating interference from maternal relatives, powerful ministers, and the harem.

The emperor's sole authority over establishing an heir was still valid.

The emperor had sole authority over the selection of an heir, which meant that the selection of an heir was flexible.

Now that the emperor has no son, the flexible system of establishing an heir has naturally become: "If the emperor has a son, the establishment of an heir is invalid; if the emperor has no son, an edict will be issued to the world after the emperor's death."

The emperor did not adopt a son from the imperial clan, partly because he feared that if he had a son, there would be no heir to the throne.

Once adopted by a member of the imperial clan, that member becomes a "legitimate" prince and has the same right of succession.

Once a member of the royal family has been adopted through proper procedures, it's not something that can be deposed or reinstated at will.

If not handled properly, it could turn into a palace coup.

However, the secret succession law allows a monarch to change his or her choice of heir at any time.

Even if the emperor has no son, it does not prevent him from changing his idea of ​​choosing an heir at any time. This desire for control is undoubtedly in line with the habits of a monarch.

Third, the principle of selecting the best candidate breaks the constraint of primogeniture.

Systems must conform to the development of the times and the social atmosphere.

In a society where Confucianism flourished, it was unlikely that the principle of primogeniture could be abolished, and this function would be ineffective.

Even the secret succession law was only suitable for the special case of "the monarch having no son," and was a special case handled on a case-by-case basis.

To expect the secret succession law to be passed down through generations, or even to become the basis for selecting a future crown prince, is undoubtedly a pipe dream.

Of the three main functions, one and a half are no longer functional.

However, this doesn't affect anything.

The mere two advantages of being able to stabilize the monarch's power and make edicts invalid at any time can bring the monarch an unimaginable sense of security.

Similarly, this feature is also a good thing for the ministers.

At least there's a legitimate line of transmission!

On the surface, there is no definite crown prince, but in reality, there is a hidden "legitimate" one.

This is enough!

Don't underestimate the power of the name "orthodox".

It should be noted that there were always nearly 100,000 troops stationed in the eastern suburbs of Bianjing, all commanded by the Duke of Ying, the chief military officer.

The British Duke has always been a figure who does not take sides.

With this secret method of designating an heir, both the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong would have to wait for the emperor's dying edict to decide their fate.

Once we wait, the Duke of England will surely be among the ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor!
With an army of 100,000 suppressing them, how dare these two mere kings cause any trouble?
In the original storyline, why didn't the Duke of England take the initiative to send troops to rescue the Crown Prince?
On the one hand, they naturally did not want to get involved in the struggle between the two kings.

On the other hand, it was because he was not a regent, and the Prince of Yong was not the official crown prince.

At that time, Emperor Zhao Zhen established Prince Yong as the crown prince, but this was only a verbal recognition. He did not formally complete the process of establishing a crown prince, nor did he entrust the young prince to anyone.

Without completing the formal procedures, Prince Yong cannot be considered a true crown prince.

Thus, when the Prince of Yan rebelled, both sides were actually princes.

With two princes vying for power, how could the Duke of Ying, a mere military general, dare to send troops without imperial orders?

If troops are dispatched and the Prince of Yong is already dead, how will he cope?
But once the child is entrusted to someone, the meaning changes completely.

What is meant by entrusting an orphan to another?

Protect the nation, safeguard the reserves!
The moment the heir was entrusted with the care of the young prince, the crown prince and the minister entrusted with the care of the young prince were officially established.

To a certain extent, from the moment the heir apparent is entrusted with the care of the young emperor, the future prospects and interests of the ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor are already deeply intertwined with those of the heir apparent.

To put it bluntly, even if the prince entrusted with the care of his son is on his deathbed, he is still the crown prince.

Even if the crown prince dies, his son can be enthroned!

That's the difference!
In the past, many ministers worried and advised against establishing an heir, one of the reasons being that the longer the process dragged on, the greater the power of the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong would become.

If the process of establishing an heir is delayed for too long, and the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong fight to the death, with one of them ascending to the throne, the other will inevitably be forced to rebel.

Now that there is a "last will and testament" and a "regent minister," this worry is naturally eliminated.

What the ministers wanted was not a crown prince, but the title of "legitimate successor".

The goal is to ensure that, even in the worst-case scenario, the British Duke will send troops to suppress the rebellion!
Most of the officials feared that Zhao Zhen would suddenly die before a legitimate heir could be established.

In this way, it simply becomes a matter of whoever has the largest military force is the "legitimate" one.

Once the orthodoxy is established, the meaning changes completely.

One hundred thousand troops garrisoning the capital—that's no joke.

Legitimacy is the essential demand of a subject, and also the sense of security they need.

The secret succession plan can completely solve this problem.

Jiang Zhao downed his tea in one gulp, then picked up his pen and wrote a few words.

The Emperor's Secret Memorial on Establishing an Heir Apparent!
Of course, times have changed, and it is impossible to completely copy the secret succession system of the Qing Dynasty. It is necessary to make appropriate modifications according to actual needs.

During the Qing Dynasty, the secret succession system was purely for the purpose of imperial succession.

Now that the dispute between the two kings is involved, appropriate modifications are still needed.

Just like before, they did not establish any princes.

They are either members of the imperial family or the crown prince—a polarization!

The rest were given nominal titles, leaving them no room for illusions.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to limit ourselves to just the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong; we can summon several more members of the imperial clan to the capital for inspection.

To be honest, Jiang Zhao didn't think much of either the Prince of Yan or the Prince of Yong.

If either of them had become emperor, they would have been tyrants.

The Prince of Yan was known for his "strong and capable" nature, as well as his notorious temper and extravagance, which needs no further explanation.

Prince Yong was supposed to be virtuous, but for the sake of his daughter, Princess Jiacheng, he had Rong Feiyan kidnapped, raped, and thrown into the street, forcing Consort Rong to rebel.

That's the Imperial Concubine's sister!
This clearly demonstrates just how arrogant the Prince of Yong was.

Admittedly, Consort Rong was no innocent victim of rebellion, but her statement, "If she is so presumptuous before ascending the throne, her entire family will be exterminated once she does," is indeed quite reasonable.

So-called virtue isn't much better!

If these two were to become emperors, it would truly be a disaster for the people of the world.

Apart from the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong, Zhao Zongquan was also morally flawed.

The Puyi Controversy lasted for nearly two years. The civil and military officials did nothing but argue about whether the new emperor should address the late emperor as "Imperial Father" or "Imperial Uncle".

Fundamentally, this matter is definitely about distinguishing between friend and foe.

However, this approach is also terrible.

There are countless ways to distinguish between friend and foe, so why bother with a single term?
However, compared to the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong, Zhao Zongquan, who had a flawed private morality, was actually alright?

At least he's not a tyrant!

Jiang Zhao shook his head. What kind of ugly and deformed things are they?
All I can say is that this generation's heir to the throne is utterly incompetent!

If we really have to say who is slightly better, it would probably be Zhao Zongquan's son, Zhao Ceying.

At least he has some spirit and lofty ambitions.

He can be described as a weakened version of Emperor Wu.

Even so, he can still be considered a wise ruler.

Jiang Zhao sighed, picked up his pen, and wrote:

"Your Majesty, I, Jiang Zhao, am filled with trepidation and fear, and I humbly submit this report at the risk of my life. Your Majesty is advanced in years, and the fate of the nation is of utmost importance. Yet, no heir has been established, and the people are filled with anxiety."

In the past, when the Duke of Zhou established Luoyi, he prioritized the succession of the dynasty; when Emperor Wu of Han established his dynasty, he also planned for an heir apparent. All of these were for the long-term benefit of the ancestral temple.

There are many virtuous and capable members of the imperial clan who are secretly vying for the throne. If one of them is officially chosen, the infighting among the clan members may lead to internal strife; if a decision is not made in time, the court may be in turmoil and the people's hearts may be unsettled.

Your Majesty, I have heard that wise rulers of old valued impartiality and fairness in choosing their successors, and prevented problems before they arose. I humbly request Your Majesty to establish a secret system for choosing an heir.

Your Majesty may select a virtuous and capable member of the imperial clan to come to the capital for observation over several years. Then, take two imperial edicts, one listing the name of the heir apparent, and place one in the inner palace and the other on your person. When the mandate of heaven has been fulfilled, you may entrust the heir to civil and military officials, and then open the edicts to announce it to the world. All those other than the heir apparent shall be granted official titles and ranks.

If the emperor has a son, the imperial edict will be removed and destroyed, and the matter of establishing an heir will be nullified.

In this way, the dangers of succession disputes can be avoided, and the stability of the state's succession can be ensured. In the past, Zhou Bo secured the Liu family's rule, and Huo Guang assisted in governing, both relying on the strategy of pre-establishing a successor. Now, implementing this method will bring comfort to the ancestral temple above and reassure the people below, truly a benefit for all generations.

Your Majesty, I am filled with utter fear and trepidation, and humbly submit this report at the risk of my life. I humbly beg Your Majesty's wise judgment.

After completing the memorial, Jiang Zhao headed straight for the Han residence.

For something like this, you should get an expert to review it.

(End of this chapter)