Di Ming

Chapter 336 Marquis of Jiangning!
Inside the Qianqing Palace, the eunuchs and palace maids held their breath, not daring to breathe loudly. Even the favored Emperor Zongqin and Gao Cai stood with their heads bowed.

Emperor Wanli was very unhappy, and the Imperial Noble Consort was even more unhappy.

Although Zhu Yin's military achievements in the Northwest were enough to warrant a noble title, the emperor did not grant it. His merits this time were also significant, but the emperor still did not wish to bestow one.

Zhu Yin is too young; it's a good thing to keep him under control.

But if Zhu Yin isn't honored, how can Guo Wang be honored? After all, Zhu Yin deserves the greatest credit. If this opportunity isn't seized to honor Guo Wang, will Guo Wang ever have another chance to achieve such merit in the future?

That's why the emperor decided to bestow titles upon both of them, and quickly at that, because the day after tomorrow was the anniversary of the death of the Consort's father. In this way, Zhu Yin's bestowal of a title was actually due to Zheng Guowang's influence, which is quite ironic.

The emperor's original intention was to grant both of them the title of Earl, which was also his hint to the cabinet, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel.

He certainly couldn't say it outright.

After all, Zhu Yin's military achievements were clearly greater than Zheng Guowang's. If he were to openly declare that both of them should be granted the title of Earl, it would invite criticism from the court officials and inevitably embarrass him, the emperor.

Ideally, the court officials would know his will and then grant Zhu Yin the title of Earl. That way, he wouldn't have to keep it a secret, since it was the court officials who discussed it anyway.

However, whether these ministers truly didn't understand his thoughts or were deliberately going against him by pretending to be ignorant, they actually drafted a proposal to grant Zhu Yin a marquisate!

Was Zhu Yin's merit enough to be enfeoffed as a marquis? Of course it was. But military merit sufficient for enfeoffment as a marquis doesn't necessarily guarantee it. Was enfeoffment as a count insufficient? Did he have to surpass Zheng Guo and be the only one worthy of the title?
Consort Zheng said angrily, "The ministers have no regard for the emperor's loyalty and filial piety! What kind of behavior is this? His Majesty should issue an edict to reprimand them, make them redraft the document, and clearly tell them that Zhu Yin is too young and is more suitable to be a marquis. In our Great Ming Dynasty, how can someone be granted a marquisate for military merit at the age of sixteen?"

Emperor Wanli puffed on his opium, his expression a mixture of ecstasy and helplessness.

“My lady, if I issue an imperial decree directly, wouldn’t that be blatantly showing that I’m doing this for the sake of the country’s reputation, and that it’s unfair to Zhu Yin? The outer court won’t be quiet then; they will take this opportunity to isolate and attack the Zheng family, and I will also be criticized by the court and the public, which would damage my reputation.”

Consort Zheng rolled her eyes, her anger intensifying. She couldn't help but lift her bound feet and stomp on them twice.

The Emperor is so indecisive and wishy-washy. He wants to do what he wants, but doesn't want to take responsibility. Does being indecisive and wishy-washy really make him look good? Will the courtiers then quiet down?

You are the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, so why can't you be decisive and authoritative, and instead let your officials point fingers and make irresponsible remarks?
With your lukewarm approach, when will my son ever become the crown prince? Have all your promises to me been empty words? Does your secret edict appointing Chang Xun as crown prince still stand?

She couldn't help but feel a little sad, and she was angry at the emperor for his lack of ambition.

"My lady," Wanli said, seeing his beloved concubine's anger, "I will have them draft a new version and discuss it again."

Consort Zheng's jade-like face was cold and aloof. "Why doesn't His Majesty issue a clear decree to only confer titles on two earls? If His Majesty issues a decree, who in the world would dare to disobey it? Why make things so complicated?"

The emperor smiled wryly and said, "Issuing this decree clearly just giving the ministers an excuse. The Zheng family will become the target of everyone's criticism! Their reputation will also be tarnished, and they will only become more isolated in the court."

"Their desire to confer a marquisate upon Zhu Yin is nothing more than a power grab for the throne. Zhu Yin surpasses Guo Wang, just as Chang Luo surpasses Chang Xun. Zhu Yin's military achievements are clearly greater, so of course they want to take advantage of this opportunity. If I were to issue a clear decree stating that Zhu Yin can only be conferred the title of earl, they would say that Guo Wang's military achievements are insufficient for such a title."

Consort Zheng's eyes reddened. "Then could... Guowang also be granted a marquisate? Both of them?"

"This..." The emperor's expression hardened. "But Guowang's military achievements are not enough to be granted the title of Marquis. The difference between the military achievements required to be granted the title of Earl and the title of Noble is not small."

"Both the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites are responsible for evaluating military merits. How can they decide on the conferment of titles upon someone with such high military achievements? Unless I issue an edict directly conferring titles, wouldn't the officials be angry with Zheng and Chang Xun? It would be a losing proposition."

"Don't worry, my lady. Even if Zhu Yin is granted a marquisate, he can't suppress the nation's prestige forever. Within a year, I will find a pretext to demote him and send him to a remote post, thus removing Changluo's banner! As the saying goes, 'If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext.' There are no perfect people in the world, and whose faults can't be found?"

"Once his crimes are found, not only will his official position be in jeopardy, but whether he can keep his title will also be up to me."

At this point, Wanli's expression turned somewhat cold.

Zhu Yin was so young yet his prestige was growing daily, and he had made many great contributions. He was also Changluo's teacher and the leader of the Crown Prince's faction... How could he not be suspicious of him?
However, Zhu Yin was a child prodigy who passed the imperial examinations in three consecutive years. He was rumored to be the reincarnation of the God of Literature, an auspicious omen for the Ming Dynasty, and a meritorious official of the Ming Dynasty. He also received a lot of gold and silver, so he never took any action against Zhu Yin.

If Zhu Yin had been a military officer, he would have been imprisoned long ago.

Consort Zheng's expression softened considerably upon hearing the Emperor's words.

The emperor immediately ordered Zong Qin to go to the Wenyuan Pavilion again and tell the cabinet ministers that he was very angry and dissatisfied with the proposal, and that the cabinet should draft a new one.

The Emperor hoped that the cabinet would understand his wishes this time!
……

Inside the elegant and refined Wenyuan Pavilion, several large animal-shaped stoves were burning brightly with charcoal, their smoke curling and the aroma of tea filling the air.

The four cabinet ministers, all dressed in fur coats, were discussing matters in the East Pavilion Jade Hall.

Although it's only the seventh day of the first lunar month, and the New Year has just passed, the great defeat of Korea has left the court in a state of utter chaos, with everyone extremely busy.

This year is the 21st year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, and the beards of the four Grand Secretaries have turned even whiter than last year.

Wang Xijue, seated at the head of the table, spoke with a somber expression:

“I previously suggested that we follow His Majesty’s wishes, but you wouldn’t listen. You insisted on your own opinions and refused to be flexible in proposing to confer a marquisate upon Zhu Yin.”

"How is it going? His Majesty is very dissatisfied and has sent it back for a rewrite. He's practically saying it outright!"

"As subjects, can't we be more understanding of the difficulties faced by our sovereign? Can't we cherish even a little bit of the tacit understanding between the sovereign and his subjects? How can we be at ease if we hurt His Majesty's feelings?"

It turned out that Wang Xijue wanted to follow the emperor's hint and propose that Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang be granted the title of Earl. Zhu Yin's military achievements were indeed enough to be granted the title of Marquis, but having enough military achievements was one thing, and being granted the title was another.

Just like an official who is qualified for promotion, but does not necessarily have to be promoted.

However, the other three Grand Secretaries unanimously opposed the move, leaving him with no choice. Since news of Korea's crushing defeat arrived, his prestige as Grand Secretary had waned considerably. After all, he had initially approved of the Emperor's appointment of Hao Jing and Yang Shaoxun.

The emperor certainly couldn't bear the responsibility for misusing personnel, nor did he intend to. So, only the chief minister could take the blame.

"You flatter me, Grand Secretary," said Zhao Zhigao, the Second Grand Secretary, with a smile. "His Majesty only said to bestow titles, not that both of them would be granted the title of Earl, right? Since His Majesty didn't say so, the Grand Secretariat can only follow the rules."

"If one makes unwarranted speculations about the emperor's will, it would be contrary to justice and public trust. So, is it the fault of the emperor or the subject?"

"Making wild guesses?" Wang Xijue's face darkened. "To share the emperor's burdens is to make wild guesses? You may pretend not to know the emperor's true intentions, but you can't deceive yourselves. You all know the emperor's temperament. With such mutual suspicion between the emperor and his ministers, how can we expect the emperor to change his mind and work hard to govern the country?"

"Even if His Majesty has some selfish motives, which emperor throughout history has been without any selfish motives? As a subject, what's wrong with fulfilling a little of my sovereign's selfish desires? A mere title versus the solemn principles of morality, which is more important?"

“If we do not understand His Majesty’s predicament, His Majesty will be heartbroken and will become more alienated from his officials and more disheartened with the affairs of the court. Our efforts to make His Majesty a sage king will then be further and further away.”

"Such short-sightedness and failure to distinguish between primary and secondary matters is not a blessing for the country or the nation."

"Gentlemen, we are cabinet ministers. Our highest principle of conduct is not ancestral laws or national regulations, but the balance of Yin and Yang, and harmony between Heaven, Earth and Man."

Wang Xijue's words were earnest and heartfelt, yet they carried a deep sense of helplessness.

How difficult it must have been for him to be the Grand Secretary. Alas, there's no way to mend the sky, and no effort to fill the sea.

Looking back, when he first entered officialdom, his passion was still burning bright, and he was full of vigor and ambition. But once he entered the cabinet to assist in governance, he realized the true nature of the matter, and the word "helpless" was an understatement.

By now, he had given up hope for the emperor. But he still clung to a sliver of hope, waiting for the emperor to suddenly recover, for the emperor and his ministers to get along well, for the people to be of one mind, and for the Ming Dynasty to be restored to its former glory.

Shen Yiguan smiled slightly, calmly put down his teacup, stroked his beard, and said:
"The Prime Minister is pure of heart and has worked diligently and painstakingly; who among us does not know this? However... in fulfilling His Majesty's selfish desires in this way, I fear that it might lead His Majesty and Father into a state of confusion, and would be a violation of the righteousness of the emperor."

"If a father has a son who speaks frankly, he will not fall into injustice; if a ruler has a minister who speaks frankly, the state will not be in danger."

"Although we are not like Long Feng or Bi Gan, we hold our positions in the Wenyuan Pavilion without doing any work. We are paid by the emperor, and as ministers, we should set an example for the court. Otherwise, how can we win the hearts of the people?"

"Based on merit, Zhu Yin should be ennobled as a marquis, and Zheng Guowang as an earl. If neither of them is ennobled, that would be understandable. But if they are to be ennobled, then the rewards must be given fairly and justly based on merit. If even the grand ceremony of ennoblement by the state is not upheld, then where is the meaning of 'clear distinction between reward and punishment'?"

"If it cannot be obtained even from those above, how can it be obtained from those below?"

"What is even more worrying is that the situation in North Korea is difficult now, and the military and civilians are eagerly awaiting the outcome. If Zhu Yin is treated unfairly at this time, it will not only be a matter of criticism from the government and the public."

“Prime Minister, I advocate granting Zhu Yin a marquisate, not because he is my disciple, but because of the word ‘fairness’… It is easy to discard him, but difficult to find him.”

"I urge the Prime Minister to reconsider."

After saying those words that left people with no way out, Shen Yiguan calmly drank his tea and began to sit back and relax.

Zhang Wei said in a loud voice, "What the Grand Secretary says makes sense, but the Grand Secretary's reasoning can only comfort His Majesty, but it cannot convince the officials or pacify the world!"

"When faced with two evils, how should one choose the lesser one?"

“Grand Chancellor, if we, the people of Qu'a, were to act according to His Majesty’s wishes today, how would we be any different from Yan Song back then? Yan Song followed the Emperor’s wishes in everything, blindly flattering the Emperor’s evil intentions. Was that loyalty and filial piety?” “For example, in today’s matter, the cabinet blindly followed His Majesty. What about next time, and the time after that?”

"Even if we yield to their wishes, will the officials understand our good intentions? They will see this as a matter of national importance, one that cannot be backed down! What will become of the cabinet's authority then? What will become of His Majesty's reputation?"

Zhao Zhigao nodded and said, "That's right! Grand Secretary, once this matter comes out, everyone inside and outside the country will think it's a struggle over the foundation of the nation. How can the officials back down? If the fighting starts, the people's hearts will be scattered. How will the matter of Korea be resolved? Will we even give up Liaodong?"

Wang Xijue felt a deep sense of powerlessness upon hearing the three people's words.

The words "the struggle over the foundation of the nation" rang in his ears, finally turning into a heavy sigh.

"That's it, that's all."

Wang Xijue picked up his teacup. "I've been exhausted these past few days. Let's leave this matter to you."

"The bestowal of titles is not a big deal. The important thing is still in Korea. Deal with this matter as soon as possible and don't waste too much energy on it."

Although he was the Grand Secretary, he was outnumbered three to one and had no choice but to compromise.

Besides, the reasoning behind the three men's arguments was difficult to refute.

Zhao Zhigao, Shen Yiguan, and Zhang Wei said together, "Your Excellency's insight is brilliant; let's do it that way."

Therefore, the cabinet revised the proposal, still granting Zhu Yin the title of Marquis and Zheng Guowang the title of Earl.

The only change was the addition of a few titles such as "Earl of Helan" and "Marquis of Pingxi," which was considered a complete revision.

As for how angry the emperor would be upon seeing the memorial, they had no control over that.

After Zongqin took the memorial, the cabinet began to discuss another matter.

"I thought His Majesty would meet with the King of Japan, but His Majesty refused again. The ruler of an enemy state was captured at the palace gates, yet His Majesty did not even leave the palace to personally interrogate him. It is truly disappointing. Otherwise, it would have been a great joy to use this opportunity to boost morale and allow the officials to see the Emperor's countenance."

"Very well, His Majesty's health is precious. Since he does not wish to leave the palace, we cannot force him."

"So the Japanese emperor has usurped the title of Emperor. It seems he has never taken the Ming Dynasty seriously. He is arrogant, conceited, and looks down on China!"

"Even so, he is still the ruler of a country, and we can't just kill him. Keeping him locked up in the Embroidered Uniform Guard is not a long-term solution either."

"In my opinion, we should simply house them at the Huitongguan and place them under house arrest, treating them the same as the Annamite envoys."

"The man was captured by Zhu Yin. It would be best to listen to Zhu Yin's opinion on how the Japanese emperor and his ministers should deal with him; perhaps he has a better plan."

"Let's put this matter aside for now. In the next few days, we must petition His Majesty to re-select generals to replace Hao Jing and Gao Huai. If His Majesty does not agree, we will have no choice but to resign and apologize."

When the group discussed this matter, their expressions were all somber.

They brought it up several times, but His Majesty did not agree.

It turned out that the responsibility for the army's initial defeat in the war was entirely shifted onto Yang Shaoxun, who remained completely absolved. Although the emperor ordered Hao Jing and Gao Huai to redeem themselves through meritorious service, he did not consider the two guilty.

Since Yang Shaoxun was captured anyway, he couldn't offer any explanation.

Gao Huai's actions were even more ingenious. He presented the emperor with tens of thousands of taels of silver and hundreds of Japanese swords as spoils of war, claiming that he had won a battle, and also presented hundreds of Japanese pirate heads.

However, after the Ministry of War inspected the bodies, they found that although they were indeed the heads of Japanese pirates, the dates of death seemed incorrect. A doctor said that these Japanese pirates died of illness, not in battle, and had died in Korea long before the imperial army entered the country.

Some speculate that Gao Huai dug up the graves of Japanese pirates who had died of illness and then cut off their heads to claim credit.

But this is just speculation; no one can be sure whether they were Japanese pirates who were killed.

Then everyone pretended to be confused about the matter and reported it to the emperor, also pretending to be innocent and saying that they had won a battle.

Because the court needed a victory to boost morale.

The emperor thought they had truly won a battle, and with gold and silver seized, he not only did not issue an order to investigate, but also rewarded Gao Huai.

However, recently, Hao Jing and Gao Huai suffered another major defeat, losing 13,000 soldiers and retreating more than 200 li, almost reaching the Yalu River.

When the news arrived, it caused an uproar in the court and among the people, and the emperor was furious.

However, the emperor did not immediately replace the commanders. His reason was that Hao Jing and Gao Huai had been leading troops for several months and were most familiar with the Korean and Japanese armies. If the commanders were replaced on the eve of battle, they would probably be unfamiliar with the situation and suffer losses.

Perhaps we should wait a little longer and give them another chance; maybe they can turn the tide soon.

As for why the emperor protected these two men so much, it's not hard to understand. Both were handpicked by the emperor.

They weren't recommended by any court official; it was purely by the emperor's decree.

If the commander were replaced now, the emperor would lose face. Only if the two commanders turned the tide could the emperor save face.

Shen Yiguan suddenly said, "I have a candidate in mind. As the saying goes, when recommending someone, one should not avoid relatives. The most suitable person to succeed the Korean military commissioner is none other than Zhu Yin."

"Because no one in the entire court knows Japan better than him, that's knowing the enemy. Moreover, he also has the talent to command troops. Last year, he recovered the Hetao region and pacified the Northwest. He can be called a young and famous general."

Wang Xijue frowned and said in a deep voice, "I object!"

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the emperor, upon seeing the cabinet's memorial for the second time, once again flew into a rage.

"hateful!"

"Do they still have a father or sovereign in their eyes?!"

Zhang Jing, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who had just arrived at the Qianqing Palace, said:
“Grandfather, please calm down. In my opinion, Zhu Yin has always been superior to the Imperial Brother-in-law. He was superior during the imperial examinations, and he is still superior now that he has been granted a title. There is no need to take it to heart.”

“At this critical moment, this matter should not be blown out of proportion. Grandfather, the enemy’s ruler and his ministers have all been captured. This is an achievement only a wise and enlightened emperor could accomplish. Since the founding of the nation, when has such a thing ever happened? This is a great thing. Grandfather should offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple and let the whole nation celebrate, so that our ancestors can be happy.”

“Since the cabinet is so stubborn and Grandfather doesn’t want to be outspoken, then let’s just do it nicely. Zhu Yin is a meritorious official, so why don’t you show him the Emperor’s grace and win him over? Grant him a hereditary title, and he will share weal and woe with the royal family. He might not be able to change his mind then.”

Zhang Jing's reinstatement certainly proves he is no mediocre talent.

He was very eloquent and often spoke to the emperor's heart.

Sure enough, the emperor's mood brightened immediately upon hearing Zhang Jing's words.

In his delight, he asked bluntly, "Then, in your opinion, which of these titles should Zhu Yin be granted as a marquis?"

Zhang Jing thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, Marquis Jiangning is the most suitable."

The emperor finally nodded, "Then let's bestow upon Zhu Yin the title of Marquis of Jiangning."

"Issue an imperial decree to confer the title of Marquis of Jiangning upon Zhu Yin and the title of Earl of Yongnian upon Zheng Guowang, and to have the cabinet deliberate on the matter! The imperial decree shall be issued within two days!"

"According to the order!"

With the emperor's compromise, Zhu Yin's title of Marquis of Jiangning was finally set in stone and could no longer be changed.

The imperial decree had just been sent out when Zong Qinyou entered the palace to report: "Grandfather, the Imperial Uncle and Vice Minister Zhu have entered the palace by imperial decree."

"Bring them in!"

"According to the order!"

A moment later, Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang, dressed in bestowed robes, entered the palace together and knelt down, saying:

"Your subject Zhu Yin (Zheng Guowang) pays his respects to Your Majesty the Emperor and humbly wishes you good health!"

(End of this chapter)