Di Ming

Chapter 335 "I said I would grant him a title, not a marquisate!"

The emperor's decree summoning the chief and deputy envoys had just been issued when the imperial edict to discuss the conferment of titles quickly reached the cabinet.

The imperial edict stated clearly: "Immediately hold a court meeting to discuss the military achievements of Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang and to boost morale."

The meaning couldn't be clearer: "You're discussing how to bestow titles upon them."

It's not about whether to block or not, but how to block.

Which court official wasn't shrewd enough to understand the situation? Upon hearing that the imperial edict for bestowing titles had been issued so quickly, without even a day's delay, and with such unusually swift and decisive action, they all knew exactly what was going on.

This is Consort Zheng's intention!
It's certainly not that His Majesty wanted to bestow a title upon Zhu Yin, but rather that he was doing so to promote Zheng Guowang. Otherwise, if even the deputy envoy is granted a title, while the principal envoy, who has made the greatest contribution, is left unrewarded, how can the people be convinced?
But the move was too fast. The delegation had only been back for half a day when they proposed the conferment of titles, catching the court officials off guard.

His Majesty has gone to great lengths to bestow titles upon the Zheng family.

As for why they were in such a hurry, many people have already guessed the reason. It's because two days later is the anniversary of Consort Zheng's father's death, and a family memorial service is to be held.

Consort Zheng wished that her younger brother, as a count, would perform the sacrificial rites on the anniversary of their father's death. This would alter the ritual specifications and allow for a more effective eulogy to be offered to their deceased father.

That's why the palace acted so quickly—to get there before the Zheng family's ancestral rites.

Thinking about this, many ministers felt a chill in their hearts.

Is it permissible to bestow a title? Of course it is. But what should be a matter free of selfish motives has been deliberately made into one of self-serving actions!

The Ming Dynasty had a very strict system for bestowing titles.

According to the system, only the fathers or brothers of the Empress and Empress Dowager were eligible to be granted titles by imperial favor, and these were mostly "temporary titles" that could not be passed on to their descendants. Hereditary titles were very rare.

The so-called "ancestral law" states that "relatives of the empress should not be granted titles indiscriminately, so as to protect the relatives and ensure the stability of the state."

However, because of the emperor's favoritism towards Consort Zheng, he violated ancestral rules.

In the tenth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the emperor broke with precedent and conferred the title of Earl of Yongnian (a title of nobility) upon Zheng Chengxian, the father of Consort Zheng. Zheng Chengxian was not the Empress's father, nor did he have any military achievements. Yet, he was granted the title of Earl, which sparked controversy in the court and among the public.

Even Consort Wan, who held a position equivalent to Empress Xianmiao, did not have her father or brothers granted titles. Thus, Zheng became the only person in the more than two hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty to be granted a title without being a relative of the Empress.

Zhang Juzheng advised that "ranks and rewards are national treasures and should not be lightly bestowed upon the emperor's concubines," but the emperor did not listen.

Shen Shixing submitted a memorial stating that "ranks and rewards are a way to reward meritorious service, and should not be lightly bestowed upon relatives and friends," strongly advising against rescinding the order.

Li Yi impeached Zheng Chengxian for "receiving rewards without merit and violating ancestral laws," and was punished with caning and demoted by the Emperor.

After Zheng Chengxian's death, his son Zheng Guotai wanted to inherit the title. The emperor also wanted to agree, but was met with collective impeachment and resistance from the court officials. The emperor had no choice but to give up, and the Zheng family's title was not hereditary.

But this time it's different.

This time, Zheng Guowang has earned real military merit!

Moreover, this achievement is indeed quite substantial.

After all, the entire Japanese court was captured and brought to Beijing, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wives, concubines, and unborn children. They also annihilated nearly two thousand Japanese soldiers in the capital and presented him with jewelry and antiques worth millions.

Although the mission did not attack Osaka Castle, it commanded the pirates to serve the imperial court, so their military achievements were counted.

In addition, given the current tense situation in North Korea, which requires morale-boosting efforts, this great achievement is worthy of two noble titles.

But the court officials were still unwilling to accept this, because they knew very well that this was the emperor's personal ambition. The emperor wanted to elevate the Zheng family's status to create momentum for the struggle for the throne.

This time, the emperor has a legitimate reason to bestow titles, so how can he be stopped?

As soon as the news spread, a court official declared, "Your Majesty wishes to bestow titles upon Guowang and Zhu Yin as well. Is this not in accordance with His Majesty's intentions?"

The entire court was thrown into turmoil by the return of the delegation to the capital and the imperial decree to confer titles!
……

When Zhu Yin led his delegation back to the capital, the streets were packed with people, and the crowds were enormous.

However, he could not go directly home. Instead, he led over a hundred official members of the delegation to the Honglu Temple meeting hall near Andingmen, where he exchanged seals, official documents, and tallies with officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, and the Honglu Temple.

They changed clothes, showered, and ate here.

Then they waited for imperial orders at the meeting hall.

However, Zhu Yin did not forget Nurhaci and others outside the city. Before entering the city, he ordered Kangxi to enter first and prepare a banquet to entertain them, so that they would not suffer from cold or hunger.

They even went so far as to hire a group of courtesans from the brothels of Kyoto to accompany the Jurchen warriors who were fighting bloody battles in Japan, which was very thoughtful.

As the "I like Beile" of Jianzhou, Zhu Yin took good care of his Jurchen brothers.

The Admiral, along with Wang Shixing, the head of the office, was also a member of Zhu's faction, so he naturally went out of his way to take care of them. Even the best charcoal could be supplied, and every stove was burning brightly.

"Is this your first time visiting the meeting hall, Your Excellency?" Wang Shixing was very enthusiastic towards the party leader. "This humble official can show you around."

This was indeed Zhu Yin's first visit to the Huitong Hall, even though he had served as an official in Beijing for several years.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "If Brother Heng has the time, I would be delighted. I have heard that Brother Heng is currently writing a remarkable book called 'Guangzhi Yi'. I have been looking forward to it for a long time. I wonder when I will be able to read it?"

This Wang Shixing is a man of great talent; it's a great waste of his abilities to be a sixth-rank official.

This gentleman was one of the two great geographers of the Ming Dynasty. He was known as "Xu in the South and Wang in the North" alongside Xu Xiake, but he actually lived several decades earlier than Xu Xiake.

He holds a high position in the history of world geography, having put forward epoch-making geographical theories and methods that were two hundred years ahead of the West.

For example, the country was divided into sixteen economic and cultural zones for the first time, with each zone implementing targeted policies.

Even Liang Qichao said: "The two outstanding geographers of the Ming Dynasty were Xu Xiake, who was good at traveling, and Shi Xing, who was good at thinking."

What's even more remarkable is that Wang Shixing's ideas on ecological and environmental protection were very advanced. For example, he advocated very early on for the management of water and soil in Guanzhong and the restoration of the old appearance of the Han and Tang dynasties. His concepts and measures were very scientific.

In his book, when discussing the governance of Guanzhong, he emphasized: "Those who govern Qin well must first govern its mountains and marshes; those who govern its mountains and marshes well must first govern the hearts of its people."

Zhu Yin held Wang Shixing in far greater respect than any of the Grand Secretaries or Ministers.

Wang Shixing hadn't expected that Zhu Yin knew about his unfinished work, *Guangzhiyi*, and laughed:

"Brother Zhihu, you flatter me. My humble work is just a collection of miscellaneous notes and random thoughts, nothing more than descriptions of mountains, rivers and local customs. It is not worth mentioning."

Although he spoke lightly, he himself devoted a great deal of effort to the Guangzhiyi. Before becoming an official, he spent ten years traveling all over the country, covering tens of thousands of miles, before he had this unfinished draft of the Guangzhiyi.

He also knew that no matter how much effort he put into "Guangzhiyi", in the eyes of those in power, it was a miscellaneous book that was not worthy of respect and would not be valued by the court.

However, Zhu Yin was very interested in Guangzhiyi, which made him feel like he had found a kindred spirit, and he admired Zhu Yin even more.

"Once my humble work is finished, I will definitely ask Brother Zhihu to be the first to review and correct it." Wang Shixing's eyes shone brightly. "At that time, I would like to ask Brother Zhihu to write a preface for my humble work."

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "That is indeed my wish, I dare not ask!"

He was naturally very willing to write a preface for Guangzhiyi. He not only wanted to write a preface for Wang Shixing's work, but also wanted to recommend Wang Shixing to serve as the prefect of Xi'an or northern Shaanxi.

He certainly has that ability. With his current power and connections, he could easily arrange for Wang Shixing to become the prefect of Xi'an. After all, Wang Shixing is a member of Zhu's faction, so it's better to keep the benefits within the family.

The two chatted casually as they strolled through the Huitong Hall, which brought them much closer together.

The Huitongguan (Meeting Hall) occupied a large area and provided food and lodging for envoys from various countries, as well as special envoys and officials from various Mongol tribes, Western Regions tribes, and southwestern chieftains who came to Beijing.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Recalling the prosperous early Ming Dynasty, the tributary offices in both the northern and southern capitals were teeming with envoys, a veritable gathering of nations paying tribute. Not only East and South Asia, but even distant West and East Africa sent tributary states. With over sixty tributary states, it was second only to the Tang Dynasty.

That period truly was a Celestial Empire.

Looking at the grand yet somewhat deserted courtyard, Zhu Yin asked, "Uncle Heng, the Huitong Hall is not what it used to be. It's a pity..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shixing sighed in deep agreement.

Zhu Zhihu was the only court official who explicitly pointed out the decline of the Huitongguan.

Wang Shixing said, "Brother Zhihu is right. The Huitong Hall is no longer as grand as it used to be. Apart from Korea and Ryukyu still coming frequently, and Siam and Champa coming once every two or three years, envoys from other countries have not come for a long time."

"Even Annam only comes once every few years. Burma has not paid tribute for many years, and has even fought with the Ming Dynasty, repeatedly invading the southwest and swallowing up half of Yunnan. Their visit to the capital this time is also not well-intentioned."

"Not to mention Japan, which is already close to Liaodong. Now, the huge Huitong Hall is mostly occupied by chieftains, Tatars, and Franciscan priests."

Zhu Yin arrived at the foot of Rouyuan Tower and saw the "Tribute of All Nations" painting on the screen wall in front of the gate, as well as a couplet on the main entrance:
"The nine rivers converge, pacifying distant lands and borders, connecting the world; all directions gather, receiving grace and paying tribute to the Heavenly Dynasty."

Haha, the Book of Documents says that pacifying distant lands can bring peace to nearby ones, but without strong military power, how can pacifying distant lands bring peace to nearby ones? A heart full of appeasement cannot win the submission of all barbarians.

Rouyuan Tower is the ceremonial hall and main building of the Huitong Hall. Ancient trees stand tall in front of it, along with a moss-covered stone tablet inscribed with bold, vigorous, and elegant characters:

"...with a front hall and rear sleeping quarters, a storehouse on the left and a stable on the right, surrounded by walls and multiple gates, to secure both the inner and outer areas...so as to uphold the dignity of the state and deter distant peoples..."

Looking at the inscription, it was surprisingly written by Yan Song. The date was the seventeenth year of the Jiajing reign (1548), when Yan Song was the Minister of Rites. "Why does this inscription, written by the powerful and treacherous Yan Song, still exist today, after all this time?" Zhu Yin asked. "Doesn't it detract from the view?"

Wang Shixing laughed and said, "We can't dismiss words or calligraphy because of the person. Although Yan Fenyi was cunning and power-hungry, he was a master calligrapher. In terms of calligraphy, few in the more than two hundred years of our dynasty have been able to match him. Therefore, this inscription has never been touched. For more than fifty years, it has been a scenic spot in the Huitong Hall. Even Koreans, Ryukyuans, and Annamites have made rubbings of the inscription here."

Zhu Yin's calligraphy is now quite accomplished, and his reputation among the public is growing daily. However, upon seeing Yan Song's authentic works, he immediately felt the difference. Indeed, Yan Song was a great calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty.

Next door was the Siyiguan (Foreigners' Hall), which at its peak had over a hundred interpreters, including translators for Arabic, Persian, and Ceylon.

There is also a couplet at the main gate of the Siyi Pavilion. Zhu Yin read it: "Translators convey feelings, and the barbarians and Chinese share the same customs and return to the king's rule; the envoys express their aspirations, and literary treasures and rare artifacts are presented to the imperial court."

The couplets were well-written, but the calligraphy was ultimately inferior to Yan Song's. And Zhu Yin looked somewhat familiar.

Wang Shixing said, "This is a couplet written by Yu Shenxing, the current Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, several years ago."

So it's an authentic work by Yu Shenxing! No wonder it looked familiar.

"Brother Heng," Zhu Yin looked at the Four Barbarian Inn, "how many interpreters are still in service today?"

Wang Shixing said, "Twenty-four people, only a quarter of what we had back then. Some foreign languages ​​are no longer translated by anyone in the court, so we still have to rely on maritime merchants."

"I've heard that Brother Zhihu is fluent in the languages ​​of various countries. If our interpreters had his talent, we wouldn't need maritime merchants at all."

Zhu Yin, recalling the record in "Shuidong Diary", couldn't help but say: "The buildings are magnificent and the steles are bright, but in the end, they cannot bring the people of all nations to pay homage to the emperor."

Wang Shixing nodded: "My brother is right. Just today, when news of the Japanese incident reached the Huitong Hall, the envoys from all sides were delighted, the Ryukyu envoy was intimidated, and the Siamese envoy was respectful. The envoys from all sides immediately became much more respectful, which was truly an immediate effect."

"Even the newly arrived Franjic no longer wanders around preaching Christianity."

"It is clear that the barbarians truly fear power but do not cherish virtue. The court's policy of appeasement and giving generously but receiving little in return is by no means a wise move."

"I served as the chief official of the Hall of Receptions for two years and witnessed many envoys who actually had no respect for the Ming Dynasty. There were quite a few who were arrogant and haughty. They would receive the rewards from the court one day and then complain that the court had not given enough, and even uttered wild words and acted bossily."

"But the court mostly indulged and condoned them, treating them like honored guests with fine wine and food every day, and also requiring them to be polite and respectful, so as not to cause any conflict, for fear of offending them. I am a sixth-rank official, and although I am in charge of the guild hall, in the eyes of the envoys, I am just a gofer."

"Some people also get drunk and cause trouble, fight with each other, or go out without permission to associate with officials, spy on information, and harass women."

“Some envoys stayed for a year or two, and when they committed crimes or got into trouble, the court would just let it go.”

“My brother has followed Ban Chao’s example this time, capturing the Japanese emperor and his ministers and bringing them back to the court as prisoners. This can be seen as making an example of them, and it will make things easier for me as an official.”

He was more than twenty years older than Zhu Yin, yet he addressed Zhu Yin as his elder brother.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin held Wang Shixing in even higher regard.

The fact that this person could see these things is enough to show that he is not one of those heartless and incompetent ministers, and that he is capable of undertaking important tasks.

“Uncle Heng, there’s no need to compromise with them any longer,” Zhu Yin said. “If any more arrogant envoys appear, report them to the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial for strict punishment. Don’t be afraid, I’ll take responsibility for you! This is the Ming Dynasty, no one can run wild.”

At this point, Zhu Yin suddenly said, "I heard that Brother Heng spent two years in the Northwest and is very familiar with the mountains and rivers and geography of Guanzhong and Longxi? Is the feng shui of Guanzhong really bad now?"

Wang Shixing was somewhat surprised that Zhu Yin would care about this, and immediately became interested, saying solemnly, "Indeed, I understand. Although it's not quite a disaster in terms of feng shui, the situation is still serious."

"The people of Qin were eager for quick success and instant benefits. They burned forests to hunt, drained lakes to fish, felled trees and burned fields, leaving no mountain intact. Although they gained the benefits of grain and silk, they left a future calamity for their descendants."

"In many parts of Qin, rains have caused landslides and mudslides, rotting away fertile land and drying up water sources, leaving only deep ravines and gullies. If this continues, Guanzhong will likely be beyond redemption."

Zhu Yin feigned emotion and said, "Has it really come to this?"

Wang Shixing sighed and said, "The original meaning of the character 'Qin' is lush crops. In the past, the land of Qin was rich in water and grass, and densely covered with forests and fields. Now, it is mostly dry and shallow, and it floods in summer and stops flowing in winter."

"This is especially true in northern Shaanxi. The imperial court has been cutting down trees and making bricks in northern Shaanxi to build the Great Wall and fortresses. Barren mountains are everywhere, a truly shocking sight. So much so that even digging a well ten feet deep yields only a drop of water. How can this be tolerated?"

His expression was filled with worry and helplessness:
"If the feng shui of the northwest does not improve within the next few decades, the millions of people in Qin will not be able to support themselves. Moreover, the people of Qin are fierce and will surely face great chaos if there is a natural disaster and food shortage."

"Unfortunately, the palace, the cabinet, and the nine ministers all disagree with me. The court officials regard my opinions as alarmist and needless worry."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin felt a chill run down his spine. His evaluation of Wang Shixing rose to another level.

Zhu Yin stopped in his tracks, looked at Wang Shixing with admiration, and said seriously:
"Brother Heng, would you be willing to be transferred to the Qin region and serve as the prefect of Xi'an or Yan'an?"

"Hmm?" Wang Shixing was taken aback. "Prefect? ​​Brother Zhihu is worried about the feng shui of Guanzhong and wants me to manage the land and water?"

He couldn't help but feel a little excited. He was a sixth-rank official in the Court of State Ceremonial, a position in the capital, but not a prestigious one. If he were to be transferred to a post outside the capital, he would generally become a fifth-rank prefect or a fifth-rank assistant prefect.

Very few people could be appointed as a fourth-rank prefect. Especially for prefectures and important places like Xi'an and Yan'an, the number of prefects was even smaller.

However, given his qualifications and rank, he could easily be appointed as the prefect of Xi'an if he had the support of powerful figures.

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "Brother Heng is very talented. He is more than capable of being a prefect, let alone a provincial governor. Especially in Qin, no one but Brother Heng is suitable."

"As long as Brother Heng is willing to go, I will do my best to secure this position for him. Brother Heng is a man of integrity and hard work, so I'm sure he won't refuse, will he?"

Wang Shixing cupped his hands and said, "Then I thank Brother Zhihu. If I can go to Shaanxi to govern a region, I will devote myself wholeheartedly and live up to Brother Zhihu's expectations."

Just as the two were talking, the official in charge of the administration rushed in and reported:

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the imperial messenger has arrived, saying that the chief envoy and his deputy are to be summoned to the palace for an audience!"

Zhu Yin, who had been waiting for the imperial decree, immediately left the meeting hall and entered the palace together with the deputy envoy Zheng Guowang.

Wang Shixing watched Zhu Yin's retreating figure and said with delight:

"Mr. Zhihu is concerned about the world and knows how to appoint people to positions. He is truly a talent for governing the world!"

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor was discussing matters with Consort Zheng.

The emperor and the imperial concubine were both holding opium pipes, puffing away. On the card table in front of them was a mess of mahjong tiles, clearly indicating they had already finished their game.

"Old nanny," the beautiful Consort Zheng said coquettishly, "the matter of bestowing titles is something the Emperor can decide on his own. Why is there a need for a court discussion? Even if there is a court discussion, the title itself should not be subject to their deliberation."

"If the court deliberately tries to offend Guowang by giving him a bad title and Zhu Yin a good one, should it be approved or not?"

Wanli tapped his pipe and patiently explained, "My lady, although the conferment of a title requires the emperor or the cabinet to make a proposal, it also requires the Ministry of Personnel to check the resume, the Ministry of War to verify military merits, and the Ministry of Rites to discuss the rites."

"After all that, a vote by the Nine Ministers is still needed, and it can only be done if more than 60% agree. Although an imperial edict can grant the title directly, it would offend all the officials and is not worth it."

"Furthermore, Guowang had military merits in the Northwest last time, but it wasn't enough to be granted a title. This time, he made such great military achievements on his mission to Japan. These are real achievements, and the outer court has no reason to object."

"As for the title? I have already instructed the cabinet to draft a suitable one. Wang Xijue is quite sensible; he said that once the cabinet has decided on the title, it will be sent to the palace for review. It should be here by now."

No sooner had the emperor finished speaking than Zong Qin, who had already served as an imperial eunuch and been promoted to the position of director of the Imperial Horse Administration, entered the Qianqing Palace with shuffling steps.

He is now more favored than Gao Cai in the Qianqing Palace.

"Grandpa, Mother!"

Zong Qin slid down to his knees and prostrated himself on the ground, holding up the two edicts high, and said respectfully:

"The cabinet ministers' proposals are out, each proposing three titles for the emperor's review. The ministers said that if the emperor agrees, the court discussion will begin. If the emperor is not satisfied, they will revise the proposals."

The emperor picked up a document, opened it, and saw that it contained the title of Zheng Guowang.

The inscription above reads three titles: "Earl of Yongnian, Earl of Ping'an, and Earl of Zhiyong".

The names of noble titles were either derived from one's place of origin, the place where one made meritorious contributions, or honorific titles.

The emperor nodded in approval; the titles were all very good.

The title of Earl of Yongnian is related to his place of origin. It was the title of the Consort's father, but unfortunately it was not hereditary. This title was very meaningful to the Zheng family, so it was just right to make it a hereditary title.

The title "Earl of Ping'an" comes from the fact that Zheng Guowang distinguished himself in Heian-kyo, the capital of Japan.

"Emperor of Wisdom and Courage" is, of course, a complimentary title.

Which one should he choose? The emperor was torn between the two.

Consort Zheng picked up another document, opened it, and frowned upon reading it.

"Marquis? How could Zhu Yin be granted a marquisate? The Emperor only said he would be granted a title, when did he say he would be granted a marquisate? You scoundrel!"

The memorial clearly stated: "Marquis of Jiangning, Marquis of Ping'an, Marquis of Wenchang".

The emperor snorted coldly: "I said I would grant him a title, not a marquisate!"

PS: What exactly will be blocked?
(End of this chapter)