Di Ming

Chapter 295 Zhu Shilang's Daily Life at the Ministry of War
"Jian Shuren and Wu Shuren?" Zhu Yin's expression tightened; he hadn't expected Tian Yi to bring up this sensitive topic.

Did Tian Yi guess his identity?

No way, right?

Even Ning Caiwei was starting to get nervous. Had her uncle discovered a flaw in the little tiger's defenses?
But Tian Yi continued, “As the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, I have the right to access old archives from previous years. Three years ago, while examining secret documents in the Imperial Archives, I discovered a letter from Lu Bing, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard during the reign of Emperor Shizong.”

"In his proclamation, Lu Bing reported on the matter of Jianwen Emperor's descendant, Jian Shuren, and the descendant of Jianwen Emperor's younger brother, the Prince of Wu. Jian Shuren changed his surname to Jian, and Wu Shuren changed his surname to Wu..."

"...However, the Jian and Wu families were known to the court; it was not a secret. Until ninety years ago, there was a scholar named Miao Gong who petitioned Emperor Xiaozong to enfeoff the descendants of the commoners Jian and Wu as kings. Emperor Xiaozong did not adopt the petition, but he did not punish them either."

"Although Jianwen and Wu Shuren still have descendants, they have long since become ordinary people, indistinguishable from the crowd. Therefore, Jianwen and Wu Shuren mentioned in Lu Bing's secret report are not the key point. The key point is that he mentioned the descendants of Jianwen in Southeast Asia!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin's brow twitched, and he immediately showed surprise. "There are descendants of Jianwen in Southeast Asia?"

Tian Yi did not doubt Zhu Yin. "That was Lu Bing's secret report. Lu Bing is a shrewd and capable man, especially in matters of investigation and crime-solving, where he is exceptionally talented. When it comes to the ability to gather secrets, no one can surpass Lu Bing. His secret report is most likely true!"

"The secret report stated that the descendants of Emperor Jianwen in the island nations of Southeast Asia changed their surname to Wu and had long since abandoned the surname Zhu. All merchants in Southeast Asia with the surname Wu are suspicious. Even more surprisingly, Lu Bing mentioned several major events during the Zhengde era."

"During the Zhengde era, there were four major rebellions: the Ning Prince Rebellion, the Anhua Prince Rebellion, the Liu Liu and Liu Qi Rebellion, and the Sichuan Rebellion. Moreover, all of them occurred within a few years. Is this a coincidence? You must know that it was still very close to the Hongzhi Restoration at that time. Why did such major rebellions occur in such a short period of time?"

Zhu Yin realized what was going on and couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that Lu Bing discovered that the major events during the Zhengde era were related to the descendants of the Jianwen Emperor in Southeast Asia?"

“That’s right!” Tian Yi nodded with a strange expression. “This is the most important thing that Lu Bing secretly reported. Lu Bing found out that there was a shadowy figure behind all four major rebellions during the Zhengde reign. This shadowy figure was surnamed Wu and was related to maritime merchants. Lu Bing felt that this was not a coincidence.”

"He reviewed all the clues from back then and finally found the Wu family of Nanyang. He then discovered that the Wu family of Nanyang was very likely a descendant of Emperor Jianwen."

"To verify this conjecture, Lu Bing personally went to the Nanjing Imperial Palace and carefully examined every inch of the place. He finally discovered a tunnel that had long since collapsed. Although the tunnel had collapsed, it was still possible to see that it led to a riverside area outside the palace."

"Lu Bing can almost conclude that Emperor Jianwen's arson in the palace was just a smokescreen. His real end was not fire, but water! He did not burn himself in the fire, but escaped by water."

"In fact, Emperor Chengzu did not believe it at the time and was worried that he would abdicate and be subjugated by the enemy, so he sent Zheng He to the South Seas to investigate many times. Lu Bing's investigation can be regarded as confirming Emperor Chengzu's guess at the time."

"Unexpectedly, a hundred years later, during the Zhengde reign, the descendants of Jianwen who changed their names in Southeast Asia actually returned to the Ming Dynasty as maritime merchants and participated in supporting four rebellions!"

"The rebellions of Prince Ning, Prince Anhua, Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and others, which occurred within a few short years, were not accidental. Rather, there was a mastermind behind them!"

"However, all these rebellions failed..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin suddenly recalled a legend that had been secretly passed down through his ancestors, namely the story of his fifth-generation ancestor, Wu Zhao.

According to family secrets, the fifth ancestor, Wu Zhao, was the sixth-generation descendant of Emperor Taizu, the fifth-generation descendant of Emperor Xiaokang, and the fourth-generation descendant of Emperor Jianwen. Because the family genealogy starts from the eldest son, Emperor Xiaokang (Zhu Biao), he is also known as the fifth ancestor.

According to family legend, the fifth-generation ancestor, Wu Zhao, was the most powerful figure in the family history. Wu Zhao lived to be 88 years old, probably born in the early years of the Chenghua era and died at the end of the Jiajing era.

Wu Zhao was a shrewd businessman who also engaged in piracy. He not only amassed a huge fortune but also served as the prime minister of Malacca and Java in Southeast Asia, holding power in both countries for a long time, which made the Wu family the most prominent family in Southeast Asia.

Legend has it that many of the notorious pirates who roamed the East and South Seas were subordinates of the fifth ancestor.

After Portugal invaded Southeast Asia, it conquered several countries, causing heavy losses to the Wu family and leading to its rapid decline. Had it not been for the invasion of Western colonialists, the Wu family would have had the opportunity to seize power and establish a Chinese-ruled dynasty in Southeast Asia, which was also the lifelong ambition of their fifth-generation ancestor, Wu Zhao.

Family history, and even legend, tells of how he secretly plotted to assassinate Emperor Zhengde. He also attempted an assassination attempt on Emperor Jiajing during his southern tour, and nearly succeeded.

Legend has it that his plan was to exploit the weakness of the few offspring and the decline of close relatives of the emperors since the Zhengtong era, to kill Zhengde and Jiajing, and trigger a struggle for the throne among the princes.

He also sent agents to infiltrate various vassal states and regions, inciting others to rebel. As soon as the situation became chaotic, Wu, who had been lying low in Southeast Asia accumulating strength, would have the opportunity to make a comeback.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out in the end.

Of course, these are all legends from family secrets, and Zhu Yin has always been very skeptical about their credibility.

But upon hearing Tian Yi's words, he suddenly realized that the legend about his fifth ancestor in the family history might not be a fabricated story.

It must be true!
Tian Yi said: "After Lu Bing submitted his memorial, Emperor Shizong wanted to send people to sea to deal with the Wu family. However, they were separated by vast oceans, and Japanese pirates were rampant at sea. The Ming Dynasty no longer had a strong navy, and Zheng He's treasure ships were long gone. They could only look at the ocean and sigh. Lu Bing's secret memorial could only become a secret file and was sealed away for decades."

“Child Tiger, I’m telling you this to remind you that if there’s another rebellion by the imperial clan in the future, it’s very likely related to the Wu family, the overseas rebels. You should be careful. If possible, you should also report to the court, just in case.”

“The Jian and Wu families in the country should also be closely monitored. It would be best to grant them a title and then raise them like other members of the imperial family.”

"The matter of the Wu family in Nanyang involves state secrets, so it is not advisable to alert them."

Zhu Yin chuckled inwardly, but said aloud, "Uncle, don't worry, I'll remember."

Ning Qingchen lowered her head, revealing only her two horned buns.

“The third thing,” Tian Yi held up a third finger, “is the Zhoushan pirates! I heard they’ve even occupied Luzon, gathering tens of thousands of people and roaming the seas.”

"I once followed your advice and cooperated with them to use thievery to control the barbarians, teaching those Western devils a lesson. But those pirates have quite the ambition!"

"They have been entrenched in Daishan and Luzon for years, yet they have never invaded the coast. Instead, they levy maritime taxes on the high seas. Is this still the behavior of pirates? In my opinion, they will become a major threat to the court sooner or later, and should be eliminated as soon as possible!"

"What's even more worrying is that if the Wu family of Nanyang colludes with the pirates of Zhoushan... or even if they were originally one group, then they will surely become a major threat in the future!"

As Tian Yi spoke, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in his eyes. "Child Tiger, if there is an opportunity, petition the court to deal with them, whether by offering amnesty, dividing and weakening them, or by sending troops to annihilate them, so as not to raise a tiger that will become a threat."

"Of course, we must keep it a secret before we take action, so as not to let their spies find out."

"The imperial court's coastal defense is still a very important matter. If you are able to take charge of the government in the future, coastal defense should be strengthened and rigorously implemented..."

Zhu Yin said solemnly, "Uncle, rest assured. Since you have instructed me, as long as I am here, I will never allow the pirates of Zhoushan and Luzon to threaten our Great Ming!"

Zhu Yin had to admire Tian Yi's shrewdness. It was a pity that Wanli Emperor did not cherish such a good minister.

"Good!" Tian Yi downed the wine in his cup in one gulp. "Zhihu, you are a pillar of the nation, an auspicious omen for the Ming Dynasty, a person worthy of being worshipped in the world. I believe in you. With you in court, I have no worries."

"Alright, we've had our drinks, let's say goodbye now."

After saying that, he stood up.

He didn't want to linger too long, lest people discover that Zhu Yin was seeing him off and implicate Zhu Yin.

Zhu Yin knew his concerns and did not linger any longer, saying:

"We will surely meet again in the future. Please take good care of yourselves, Uncle and Aunt, and look forward to that day. Your journey to Chang'an is long and arduous; we will meet again!"

Tian Yi sighed, “All good things must come to an end. Who knows when we’ll meet again? Zhihu, you’ve always been good at poetry, you’ll surely write a poem to send me back to Chang’an.”

Zhu Yin nodded and slowly recited:

The vast sea stretches out as seagulls return at sunset.
The green gate is desolate, and the melon field is in full bloom.

The nine-tiered crown and tassels were removed from the throne.
The three palaces' remonstrances were met with the weeping of cuckoos.

I can still recall the colorful dance of the Liaoge.
Job's tears are still planted in the mountains of my hometown.

Mochou Baqiao is far away from the rivers and lakes.
The bright moon shines on Chang'an every night.

"Excellent!" Tian Yi clapped his hands in praise. "Young Tiger has a good heart. However, this poem speaks out for the old man, and it would be unseemly if it reached the Emperor's ears."

"Take care! I'm leaving now!"

Zhu Yin cupped his hands in greeting: "See you off, Uncle!"

Madam Ning, holding Ning Caiwei and Ning Qingchen's hands, said with tears streaming down her face, "I'm leaving now. Take care of yourselves and live good lives..."

Ning Caiwei comforted her, "Aunt, don't be sad. It won't be long before I return to Chang'an to visit you..."

Tian Yi and Ning Shi reluctantly boarded the carriage, and Zhu Yin and the Ning sisters accompanied them all the way to Liangxiang Post Station before stopping.

Zhu Yin gazed at the misty autumn night, feeling somewhat lost.

The butterfly effect is changing history more and more, and the unpredictable changes in the political situation are beyond his ability to foresee.

What will happen next? Only God knows.

The holiday is over, and I'll be officially taking up my new post at the Ministry of War tomorrow. Will it be a good start?

……

Early the next day.

At dawn, with Caiwei's help, Zhu Yinyin tied up his hair and changed his clothes. Then, wearing a scarlet peacock-patterned official robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a black gauze hat, he rode in a sedan chair along Qipan Street to the Ministry of War on the east side of the imperial city.

As dawn broke, two majestic stone lions stood before the yamen gate, and a gilded plaque bearing the inscription "Ministry of War" hung above the vermilion gate. Eight bailiffs stood on either side of the gate, and upon seeing the sedan chair arrive, they greeted the procession in unison.
"Welcome, Young Commander!"

This was Zhu Yin's first official day at the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War was located facing south and consisted of three courtyards.

Upon entering, Zhu Yin immediately saw the main hall, "Wucheng Hall," where the Minister and Vice Ministers held discussions. Above it hung a plaque inscribed with the words "Strategic Planning," written by the Emperor himself, and below it was a rosewood desk piled high with military reports, dispatches, and official documents such as lists of military officers selected from various regions.

On both sides of the main hall are the duty rooms of the four departments of military selection, official duties, carriages and vehicles, and armory. Each department has a wooden sign hanging in front of its door indicating its duties.

When Zhu Yin passed by, he made a point of looking at the huge "Nine Border Map" hanging in the office of the Directorate of Personnel.

The second hall, "Xiezhong Hall," served as the daily office and could be considered the meeting hall of the Ministry of War.

Zhu Yin was the Right Vice Minister, the third-highest-ranking official in the Ministry of War, and his personal office was located in the east wing.

Upon entering his office, he found it spacious yet simply furnished, with an elmwood desk, two armchairs, and a row of elmwood bookshelves.

The shelves were filled with classics such as "The Complete Military Classics", "The Nine Border Regions Examination", and military books and strategies from various dynasties. On the desk were a bronze slip holder, an inkstone, and a stack of blank notebooks, which were obviously documents waiting to be reviewed.

So this is the vice minister's office. Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Beyond the screens on both sides, there were several small desks, which were the exclusive scribes' positions for the Right Vice Minister.

Many of the daily affairs of the Ministry of War officials were handled by these clerks. In Zhu Yin's view, they were simply secretaries and assistants. Although these people were not high-ranking clerks, they were all students of the Imperial Academy, scholars, or even those who had passed the provincial examinations.

"Greetings, Junior Minister!" Several clerks bowed respectfully as the young Vice Minister entered.

Knowing that their new official was taking office today, they had all made preparations. Moreover, since this new vice minister was the renowned Mr. Zhihu, they dared not be negligent.

"Please, everyone, no need for formalities!" Zhu Yin returned the greeting. "No need to be so formal, just focus on your work."

Then three clerks stepped forward together, presented a gift box, and said in unison:
"Today is the day of your new appointment as Junior Sima. I would like to offer you this small token of my appreciation. Please accept it with a smile."

This is what's called the "newly appointed gift," similar to the "ice and charcoal gift." On the first day a new official takes office, subordinates and staff typically present gifts.

It's a custom in officialdom.

"You are all so kind and generous; it would be impolite of me to refuse such hospitality," Zhu Yin said with a beaming smile, earnestly accepting the gift boxes.

He certainly didn't want to accept it. But at this moment, accepting the gift was better than not accepting it.

When a new official takes office, the worst thing is to seek special treatment. Even if he wants to reform official customs and rectify bureaucracy, that should only be done after he has gained full power.

Next, Zhu Yin followed the rules and went to pay his respects to his superior: Shi Xing, the Minister of War.

It was exactly 3:45 AM, the time for the morning roll call.

Minister of War Shi Xing sat upright in the main hall, while Vice Minister of War Song Yingchang was already seated to his left. The two were discussing the Korean War in hushed tones.

Zhu Yin stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This humble official, Zhu Yin, greets the Grand Marshal and the Left Junior Marshal."

Song Yingchang quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings, Right Junior Marshal."

Shi Xing raised his hand slightly to indicate: "Since the young tiger has just arrived, let's first read the report on the situation of the Japanese in Korea submitted by the Bureau of Military Affairs, and then discuss the reply with the Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs in the afternoon."

Although his tone was indifferent, his gaze swept over Zhu Yin's jade belt—according to regulations, a third-rank official should wear a gold belt, but Zhu Yin wore a jade belt.

However, Zhu Yin was indeed qualified and did not overstep the bounds of propriety. This was because Zhu Yin was the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.

Although he was unhappy, he could do nothing about it.

Zhu Yin deliberately wore a jade belt, also as a reminder to Shi Xing, who disliked him: I am still a first-rank Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, don't bully me.

Sometimes, being assertive can actually reduce a lot of trouble.

Shi Xing said, "Since you are in charge of the yamen today, you will be sharing some of the official duties. There will be something to take care of soon."

Zhu Yin said, "Grand Marshal, rest assured, I will certainly handle this according to the proper procedures. I hope you will correct me afterward."

Zhu Yin paid a token visit to the two officials before returning to his duty room.

At the beginning of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the four secretaries of the Ministry of Personnel successively went to the office of the Right Vice Minister to pay their respects to Zhu Yin.

Zhang Bingqian, the Assistant Director of the Military Selection Department, was the first to present the "Register of Military Appointments," and bowed, saying:
"This year, a total of 472 people have been promoted, demoted, or transferred, and the list has been compiled in accordance with regulations. Please verify it, Your Excellency."

As he spoke, a gift list slid out from his sleeve, which read "Ten ingots of Huizhou ink and twenty brushes from Huzhou."

He smiled and said, "It's just a small token of my appreciation."

Zhu Yin accepted the offer with a smile and said, "The Grand Marshal and the Left Junior Marshal have both verified it, so I don't need to verify it anymore. Just report to the Grand Marshal and request the seal."

Chen Weizhi, the Assistant Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, followed closely behind and presented the case file, saying:

"Reporting to the Right Junior Commander, the Jizhou Garrison requests an additional one hundred night-duty guards, requiring three thousand taels of silver..."

After saying that, he also presented a gift list.

As Zhu Yin listened, he annotated with his red pen:
"The Ministry of Personnel is hereby ordered to work with the Ministry of Revenue to investigate the payment of silver for horses by the Court of Imperial Stud..."

He then ordered his clerk to retrieve the "Established Regulations for Military Affairs in the Nine Border Regions" for comparison.

Seeing this, Physician Chen sighed inwardly, "Mr. Zhihu is indeed remarkable. On his first day as a high-ranking official in the Ministry of War, he acts like a seasoned veteran who is well-versed in the old files!"

Next, the head of the carriage and vehicle administration reported a shortage of horses at the post stations. Zhu Yin pondered for a moment, then, citing Lü Kun's "Records of Practical Governance" which outlined ten drawbacks of the postal system, he wrote the following instruction:
"Those who fraudulently claim official contracts will be strictly investigated and detained immediately upon discovery..."

The Arsenal reported an overspending on firearms repairs, to which Zhu Yin responded with the following:
"The Bureau of Armaments and the Ministry of Public Works shall conduct a joint inspection; no superficial or fraudulent activity is permitted..."

But one thing after another happened, one after another, in an endless stream.

By the end of the day, officials and clerks inside and outside the office filed in one after another, each carrying documents and reporting their matters. Zhu Yin acted swiftly and decisively, with the sounds of issuing instructions and returning documents constantly ringing out.

Zhu Yin not only handled things quickly, but also handled them properly, leaving no room for criticism.

Everyone was full of admiration!

Zhu Yin knew that all those official duties were actually a way for Minister Shi Xing to give him a hard time, but these administrative matters were no challenge for him at all.

At noon, Vice Minister Song Yingchang invited Zhu Yin to dine at the "Juxian Hall" in the east wing of the government office.

This is a customary practice of the Ministry of War: the Minister eats alone, while the Vice Ministers on the left and right sit together to show harmony.

Four dishes and a soup were placed on the octagonal table. Song Yingchang picked up his chopsticks and said with a smile, "Young Tiger was very efficient today. He handled official business well and quickly. Tomorrow, the news will probably spread throughout the Six Ministries."

Zhu Yin picked up a piece of pickled shad with his chopsticks and said with a calm smile, "Just consider it my first three acts as a new official. So much to do this morning, but the afternoon will be quite leisurely."

Song Yingchang laughed heartily.

I had just finished lunch when a clerk rushed in with an urgent report:

"The Yunnan Provincial Inspector has impeached Mu Changzuo, the Duke of Qian, for embezzling military funds. The memorial has been sent to the Ministry of Justice!"

Song Yingchang frowned: "The Mu family has governed Yunnan for two hundred years. This matter may involve nobles and officials. We should ask Minister Shi to make the decision."

Zhu Yin replied, "In my opinion, the annual income from the Mu family's estates is enough to cover half of the province's revenue. Why would they need to embezzle military funds? Perhaps the officials are making a false accusation."

Song Yingchang nodded: "Young Tiger is indeed insightful! How about you draft the proposal for this matter?"

Zhu Yin calmly agreed: "Very well. In my opinion, the Ministry of War does not need to rush to handle this matter. Let's wait for Mu Changzuo's self-defense first."

Song Yingchang laughed and said, "Zhihu, you are so experienced. Anyone who didn't know better would think you had been an official for decades."

……

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Zhu Yin returned to his duty room and saw that the newly added official documents on his desk were piled up more than a foot high. At the top was a copy of "On the Urgent Discussion of the Armistice in Korea" personally annotated by Shi Xing, with copies of memorials from Song Yingchang and Gu Yangqian attached.

After carefully reading it, Zhu Yin recalled the report on the Japanese pirates from the Bureau of Military Affairs that morning, and wrote the following annotations:
"The situation with the Japanese is constantly shifting, making a ceasefire impossible. We request that the Governor of Liaodong be ordered to verify the military strength before making a final decision..."

After writing the inscription on the silver seal of the Vice Minister, he ordered the clerk to deliver it immediately.

Upon receiving the news, Shi Xing couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and say:

"On his very first day at the ministry, Zhu Zhihu went against me! Although we must fight, we must also negotiate peace, which is also the Emperor's intention! Both are important matters, how can we favor one over the other? He only cares about fighting and doesn't care about the peace negotiations at all. He is, after all, a warlike nature!"

P.S.: Sorry for the late update! Updates will resume tomorrow! Please vote!
(End of this chapter)