Di Ming

Chapter 462 "My heart is like the snow of the Central Plains, falling only on the mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty."

Only then did Zhu Yin step forward, his gaze icy as he looked at Li Tingji and the other hundred-odd court officials, his tone frosty:
“You have committed treason and formed cliques to plot rebellion, witnessed by thousands of people. What do you have to say now? In front of His Majesty and the officials, in front of the spirit of the founding emperor, I will give you a chance to speak.”

Li Tingji, Fan Lun, Wen Chun, and the others looked utterly hopeless, their hearts filled with despair, and their bodies ice-cold!
It turns out, this was Zhu Yin's trap!

How insidious and vicious this person is! He actually deliberately incited us to turn against him, and brewed a shocking case that could implicate hundreds of officials!

Li Tingji couldn't help but recall the words of a retired old man: "You should not be hasty. Zhu Zhihu is a peerless hero with a heart as vast as the sea. How can you rashly plot against him?"

They had been plotting for two or three months, gathering like-minded gentlemen, entering the palace to persuade the emperor and empress dowager, winning over Xu Xiaobai, contacting Qi Jiguang, and spreading public opinion…

After a series of meticulous and elaborate plans, they thought they could take the opportunity to overthrow Zhu Yin, restore order, and re-establish the court!
Who knew that the devil was always one step ahead? Zhu Yin had known all along, yet he deliberately didn't strike sooner, intentionally condoning their actions. Today's utter defeat was entirely due to this scoundrel's scheme.

This is like killing someone and then destroying their spirit.

Li Tingji and the others were heartbroken and devastated!

What does it mean to be a fool playing chess, neglecting one's family? Today's events are a perfect example! What can be done? What can be done!
Knowing he was doomed, Li Tingji lost all will to beg for mercy and shouted angrily, his eyes bloodshot:

"Zhu Yin, the traitor to the nation! He acts perversely, deceives the emperor, and will surely suffer divine retribution! My path is not viable, but I am not alone! There are others who will follow, there are others who will follow!"

As the Minister of Revenue, he still had backbone after his failure, mainly because he knew that begging for mercy was useless and would only invite ridicule.

Censor-in-Chief Wen Chun also went all out and angrily cursed:
"Jiang Ning! You are Wang Mang reincarnated, Cao Cao reborn! You harbor treacherous ambitions and plot to bring chaos! You poison the nation and overthrow the court! For your own selfish gain, you disregard the fate of the Ming Dynasty! The foundation of the Ming Dynasty has been destroyed in your hands. How can you face the founding emperor? How can you face Crown Prince Yiwen!"

Fan Lun, the Minister of Rites who shared the same sentiment, also smiled bitterly:

"Emperor Taizu, open your eyes and look at your descendants! They've committed treason! The Jiangning clan is descended from Jianwen. How could he, as regent, be content to be a subject? He will surely murder the emperor and usurp the throne! Emperor Chengzu's two-hundred-year imperial lineage is the legitimate successor of the Ming Dynasty! If Emperor Taizu is watching over us from heaven, he is protecting Chengzu's lineage! But Zhu Yin, in order to reclaim the throne, has once again launched a rebellion, disrupting the world. Where is the Ming Dynasty's rites and moral order?!"

Zhu Yin, upon hearing the insults from the three high-ranking officials, not only remained unperturbed but also smiled indifferently. He was not afraid of being criticized; he would demonstrate to the people through his actions whether the Ming Dynasty would be destroyed in his hands or become stronger under his rule.

"Shut up!" Duke Xu Xiaobai of Wei shouted. "A bunch of hypocritical and treacherous traitors! What face do you have to bark like this? If your conspiracy succeeds, my Great Ming will be doomed!"

"You oppose the Grand Tutor simply because his regency has diminished your power! You resent his absolute power, his refusal to heed your so-called wise advice, and his rejection of your so-called good strategies! Is this for the sake of the Ming Dynasty? Or for your own power!"

"You are the traitors to the nation, deserving of death by everyone! I will never let you get away with this!"

Zong Qin shouted, "Grand Tutor quelled the rebellion in Nanjing, restored the court, dismissed the tax supervisors, and replenished the national treasury. He personally led a large army, tirelessly suppressing the rebellions of Yongning and Shuixi, and the two great rebels, She and An, were captured and brought to the Xiaoling Mausoleum. He has rendered great service to the country! His Majesty remembers his loyalty and dedication to the country, and considers him a pillar of the court. On the contrary, you bunch of treacherous traitors have seized power and usurped the throne! You have committed treason and rebellion! Are you not afraid of having your entire family executed?"

Immediately, members of Zhu's faction denounced Li Tingji and others for treason, declaring their crimes punishable by the extermination of their entire families!
The neutral court officials also suddenly realized what was happening and rushed to condemn the traitors. Everyone's words were like knives, and they utterly humiliated Li Tingji, Fan Lun, and others.

Seeing that Zhu Yin not only killed people but also tried to destroy their spirits, Li Tingji and the others were filled with even greater resentment.

"Zhu Yin!" Li Tingji roared, "It's just death! A scholar can be killed but not humiliated! The Chengzu lineage has been the legitimate successor for two hundred years! The eldest son's righteousness has been lost. Even if you reclaim the throne, you will still be a usurper! You wicked man who usurped the throne will not escape the infamy of the world! I will die for the legitimacy of the Ming Dynasty, what is there to lose in this life!"

His words, seemingly meant to provoke Zhu Yin, were actually a strategic maneuver to advance while retreating. He cleverly framed the power grab and overthrow of Zhu Yin as upholding the legitimacy of the Yongle Emperor's lineage, thus changing the tone of his actions.

In this way, Zhu Yin might spare his life for the sake of orthodoxy and for the greater good of the world, putting him in a life-or-death situation!
Li Tingjing was cunning and shrewd; his move was actually quite correct, accurately grasping the psychology of the restorers. If it were someone else, they might have deliberately spared his life.

However, Li Tingji had no idea that Zhu Yin's desire for restoration was not ordinary. What Zhu Yin couldn't stand most was this kind of nonsensical, sophistical talk that involved twisting concepts!
Zhu Yin was truly enraged.

"Li Tingji!" Zhu Yin roared, "You're about to die, yet you still dare to be so arrogant! Aren't you afraid of having your entire clan exterminated?!"

Li Tingji said, "Even if you exterminate my nine or ten generations of relatives, you cannot silence the voices of the people, nor can you extinguish the righteous spirit of the nation!"

Zhu Yin retorted sternly, "How could my Great Ming Dynasty ever exterminate nine generations of a family! The so-called extermination of ten generations is utter nonsense! As one of the Nine Ministers, you are spouting utter rubbish and are utterly depraved! But since you are so defiant, then let us exterminate your entire family!"

"Issue the order that Li Tingji, Fan Lun, Wen Chun, and others be interrogated and then charged with treason! Their property shall be confiscated and their entire families exterminated!"

Zhu Yin ruthlessly issued the order to confiscate the property and exterminate the entire clan.

It wasn't the extermination of nine generations, much less ten generations. Because the Ming Dynasty never truly committed the extermination of nine generations.

At a single command, more than a hundred noble court officials who had participated in the rebellion were all gagged and bound hand and foot by the soldiers they despised, forced to kneel on the ground.

Extremely humiliating!

They were usually so proud and aloof, but now they were utterly humiliated. Many wanted to beg for mercy, but being scholars, they found it difficult to utter the words in public.

Most importantly, none of them are stupid; they know very well that begging for mercy is useless and will only bring shame upon themselves.

Thus, this massive coup at Xiaoling Mausoleum was easily suppressed by Zhu Yin in an almost laughable manner.

Seeing that the situation was under control, Emperor Taichang immediately declared: "The Grand Tutor is the regent, which is equivalent to overseeing the country. Anyone who opposes the Grand Tutor is opposing me and is plotting a rebellion!"

"Li Tingji and his accomplices did more than just plot against the Grand Tutor. They also plotted against me and the Empress Dowager, secretly colluding with the Northern Dynasty to hand us over to them in exchange for their wealth and glory. They are despicable and shameless, and their crimes deserve to be punished!"

"Fortunately, the Grand Tutor was discerning and discovered the wickedness of these villains, which has now been crushed in one fell swoop, cleansing the court!"

"All those who plot rebellion, whether court officials or local officials, shall be dealt with according to the law and severely punished without exception!"

This demonstrates absolute support for Zhu Yin, endorses Zhu Yin as the emperor, personally defines the character of Li Tingji and others, and eliminates public criticism of Zhu Yin.

This also serves as a public statement that anyone who tries to sow discord between him and Zhu Yin is courting death!
Their deep respect for teachers and the Way is as clear as the sun and moon.

Zhu Yin was very pleased and solemnly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"

I haven't taught Changluo in vain. Very good, this disciple hasn't gone astray, he's lived up to my hard work, he's a blessed child.

Zhu Yin then issued another order: "All local officials and retired officials who participated in the rebellion, along with their families, shall be arrested and imprisoned! All their property shall be confiscated!"

"But innocent people must not be implicated or wronged! Anyone who violates the law in handling cases or wrongs the innocent will be punished according to the law!"

"Those who condone or tolerate such acts should not be shown leniency; they should be treated as accomplices in treason!"

Zhu Yin's order meant that not only would the hundred-odd officials directly involved in the coup be doomed, but their cronies in various regions would also be exposed.

This is a major case that has brought down hundreds of officials and gentry!

Including their families, this could implicate two to three thousand people!
The value of the confiscated property, converted into silver, is difficult to estimate.

Zhu Yin deliberately condoned their plot, allowing them to stage this grand rebellion, which proved incredibly profitable for him. Not only did he eliminate hundreds of opponents and create hundreds more official positions for his cronies, but he also managed to confiscate vast amounts of gold, silver, and land!
The national treasury is about to make another big profit.

Kill three birds with one stone!
This is the advantage of being a powerful minister. Without a powerful minister, how could these officials who passed the imperial examinations have staged a large-scale coup? And how could he have an excuse to confiscate the property of hundreds of officials?
Fortunately, the facts are now clear: Li Tingji and his associates were indeed found guilty of plotting a rebellion. Their actions, including the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their clan, were entirely deserved, and the people had no grounds for complaint. Taking action against them would not shake the legal foundation of the court, nor would it damage his reputation among the people.

When She Chongming and An Bangyan saw Li Tingji and the others being arrested, they were both on the verge of tears. She Chongming, this ruthless warlord who dared to instigate rebellion, was so angry that he cried.

Cold tears streamed down, blocked by his messy beard, leaving two streaks on his filthy face.

This feeling of hope followed by despair is truly disgusting.

How could She Chongming not see that this coup was the result of Zhu Yin's deliberate indulgence? He must have known from the beginning, but he pretended not to hear, allowing Li Tingji and others to contact more people and create an even bigger mess.

Zhu Zhihu was too cunning and ruthless. He sacrificed the She and An clans, two powerful military commissioners, to establish his authority and intimidate the southwestern warlords. Then, by sacrificing Li Tingji and other opposing ministers, he purged the court and completely seized control of the government.

The She family, the An family, and his political enemies in the court all became his stepping stones and ladders to heaven! They became the piles of white bones beneath his feet!
The wealth accumulated by the She and An families over the years, as well as the assets of these officials involved in the coup, will become his spoils of war! They'll all be used to pave the way for his own success!

Making an enemy of this person is truly terrifying.

"She Chongming, why are you crying?" Zhu Yin looked at She Chongming indifferently. "I once gave you a chance to become sworn brothers with you, as long as you served the court and were loyal to the Ming Dynasty."

She Chongming and An Bangyan were filled with shame and indignation, and deeply regretted their actions.

Zhu Yin gazed at the vast Zhongshan Mountain, his expression forlorn and his eyes vacant. Snowflakes fell on his face, making his young face appear even more cold and aloof, like a stone sculpture.

The Regent's voice was like the wind and snow on Zhongshan Mountain:

"But you rejected me, you rejected the Ming Dynasty. It was yourselves who destroyed the lives of your own family members and the thousand-year foundation of the She and An families."

"She Chongming, An Bangyan, you are traitors to the Ming Dynasty and sinners to the Cuan family." Upon hearing this, She Chongming and An Bangyan were struck dumb, their hearts breaking.

Zhu Yin's tone suddenly became more resolute: "Today, in front of Zhongshan Mountain and the Xiaoling Mausoleum of Emperor Taizu, I want to tell the world that those who do not submit to the Great Ming Dynasty, no matter how far away they are, will be punished!"

"I, Zhu, was born for China and will die for China. My lifelong wish is that the Ming Dynasty will last forever and that the people will live in peace and prosperity! My heart is like the snow of China, falling only on the mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty."

As soon as these words were spoken, all around fell silent. Only the howling of the mountain wind and the serene sound of the heavy snow fell.

The soldiers and officials all looked at the Regent Grand Tutor, and seeing the young and powerful minister standing in the wind and snow, they suddenly couldn't help but feel their eyes well up with tears and their hearts surge with emotion.

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang smiled through his tears, feeling gratified in his old age.

Young Tiger, you've grown up. You can now truly protect the world from the wind and rain.

Emperor Taichang looked at his gentleman, who appeared somewhat lonely and forlorn in the wind and snow, and tears welled up in his eyes, dripping onto the snow.

He had been taught by his teacher for many years, and they had spent every day together. He knew the loneliness in his teacher's heart. It was an indescribable loneliness, a loneliness of being the only one sober in a world of drunks.

That's why he firmly believed that the gentleman was truly the reincarnation of a star deity. That's why he understood what the gentleman's so-called ambitions and imperial aspirations were all for.

The gentleman wasn't doing it for himself.

Great-great-grandfather, did you hear that? The gentleman wasn't doing it for himself!

Xu Wei couldn't help but shed tears, and couldn't help but recall the scene when he first met Zhu Yin in Qinmao.

White hair feels like new acquaintances, a chance meeting feels like old friends. Years have passed in the blink of an eye, and that child prodigy who seemed like a little adult back then is now the regent who holds great power in the Southern Dynasty.

But our lord has weathered countless storms along the way, remaining steadfast in his original aspirations and determined to achieve his goals. He is still the same lord he always was. He has not changed.

Xu Xiaobai couldn't help but recall his time in the Jurchen tribe, and the small, innocent figure who generously gave him silver and sent him back to Nanjing when he bid farewell in Dengzhou.

Xu Xiaobai's nose tingled and her eyes welled up with tears.

Ah, Chick Tiger, all these years, I still can't understand you. Today, perhaps I truly do.

"My lord!" Lan Cha and five hundred guards suddenly knelt down, many of them sobbing uncontrollably.

As Zhu Yin's personal guards, the earliest ones have been with Zhu Yin for ten years!
These old men knew Zhu Yin's character very well. They followed Zhu Yin with unwavering loyalty, risking their lives for him, not only because they were cared for by him, but also because of a bond that outsiders could not understand.

As the five hundred imperial guards knelt, thousands of soldiers from the Xiaoling Mausoleum Guard, seemingly moved by their actions, also knelt down, chanting in unison, "Grand Tutor..."

They are among the most elite soldiers in Nanjing, and these past few months have been the most fulfilling and carefree days of their lives.

After the Grand Tutor's victory in the Jingnan Campaign, he immediately paid back wages owed to everyone, improved their meals, distributed new clothes, replaced their weapons, and even personally visited the camp to offer medical treatment and medicine, and provided preferential treatment to their families.

Having served in the army for many years, they had never been treated so well as the Grand Tutor!
Seeing his personal guards and soldiers of the Xiaoling Guard kneel down, Qi Jiguang's 20,000 cavalrymen also dismounted, bowed in the snow, and shouted in a thunderous voice:

"My lord, the Grand Coordinator!"

"Governor-General!"

The vast majority of these 20,000 cavalrymen had served under Zhu Yin. Some had gone with him to the Northwest, while others had gone with him to Goryeo.

They had all received favors from Zhu Yin.

The reason why the army changed its flag so easily was not only because of the prestige of its commander Qi Jiguang, but also because many of the soldiers in the southern expeditionary army were Zhu Yin's old subordinates!
All the officials who witnessed this scene were shocked and moved.

The Grand Tutor's ability to win the hearts of the army has reached this level!
She Chongming and An Bangyan were stunned with surprise. They suddenly understood why they had been defeated by Zhu Yin so quickly.

The defeat was not unjust!

When Li Tingji, Fan Lun, and other officials who had been bound during the coup d'état saw even the large army brought by Qi Jiguang spontaneously bowing to Zhu Yin, they were dazed and disoriented.

Is this the source of Jiang Ning's confidence?

Is this the prestige of the Jiangning clan?

It turns out that no matter what, there was no way to win; it was destined to be a joke!
They were both successful candidates in the imperial examinations, well-versed in literature, but only today did they realize that some things were even more absurd than the stories in history books!
This time, however, the characters in this absurd story are not the losers in history books, but... themselves!
Li Tingji and the others suddenly felt like crying and laughing at the same time. As they listened to the army bowing to Zhu Yin and watched the powerful minister's figure covered in snowflakes, they felt utterly hopeless.

"Generals and soldiers, no need for formalities! Please rise!" Zhu Yin cupped his hands in a rounds of respect, then gave a firm, gesture of support, "Please rise!"

"Soldiers should not kneel before His Mausoleum, where His Mausoleum stands!"

"Come! Let us pay our respects at the Xiaoling Mausoleum together, and then escort His Majesty back to the capital!"

……

Zhu Yin crushed the rebellion, performed a simple sacrificial ceremony at Xiaoling Mausoleum, and then led his officials back to the city with the emperor's entourage.

The people of Nanjing braved the snow to line the streets in welcome, creating a sea of ​​people. The entire city of Nanjing was filled with cheers. This was certainly due to Zhu Yin's great victory and high popularity, but it was also due to the propaganda efforts of Huya and Xuanshe.

Zhu Yin entered the palace, and the emperor held court. Together they convened a court assembly, announced the course of events surrounding the Xiaoling Incident, and formally issued an edict to investigate and prosecute those involved in the case.

Designated as a major case!

Meanwhile, the local Tigers, who had been prepared for this, also began to take action against the local officials involved in the coup!
This was, of course, an imperial edict issued, and the announcement immediately shook the entire capital.

After announcing the case of treason, Zhu Yin also announced that the Northern Dynasty's southern expeditionary army had changed its flag and returned to the court, and ordered that the families of the generals who had changed their flags be reunited with them.

He also issued an edict to properly settle the soldiers who had switched sides, including 40,000 to 50,000 Japanese soldiers and 60,000 laborers.

The large number of boats and pontoon bridges used by the army that changed flags to cross the river were all taken over by the imperial court.

Next, the rewards for the generals who switched sides were announced, which was quite generous:

"...Qi Jiguang was granted the title of Duke of Qi, with a fief of eighty li..."

"...Li Rubai was initially enfeoffed as the Viscount of Zhaoxin, with a fief of seven li. For his meritorious service, he was promoted and his fief increased..."

"...Ma Gui was initially enfeoffed as the Viscount of Zhaowu, with a fief of seven li. For his meritorious service, he was promoted and his fief increased..."

"...Liu Ting was initially enfeoffed as the Viscount Zhaoyong, with a fief of seven li. For his meritorious service, he was promoted and his fief increased..."

"...Dong Yiyuan was initially granted the title of Viscount Zhaorui, with a fief of seven li. For his meritorious service, he would be promoted and his fief increased..."

"...Xiao Ruxun was initially granted the title of Marquis of Wisdom, with a fief of five li (approximately 2.5 kilometers). For meritorious service, he would be promoted and granted additional fiefs..."

"...Initially, Zhao Shuaijiao was granted the title of Yingyi Baron, with a fief of five li. For his meritorious service, he was promoted and his fief increased..."

"...Initially, Zu Chengxun was granted the title of Baron of Wuyi, with a fief of five li (approximately 2.5 kilometers). For his meritorious service, he was promoted and his fief increased..."

All the generals who surrendered to the cause at the deputy general level and above were granted hereditary titles. Apart from Qi Jiguang, who was a Duke, there were four viscounts and six barons!
And they're all fully sealed!
Even Qi Jiguang did not expect that as soon as he arrived in Nanjing, he would be granted the title of Duke, and the title of Duke of Qi!

It should be noted that in the more than two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty, apart from the title of Duke of Wu held by the founding emperor himself, the best title of duke was Duke of Wei.

And the title of Qi is in no way inferior to that of Wei!

The news spread quickly and became known to everyone in the capital.

General Qi, who had not been granted a title for a long time, was finally granted one.

Duke of Qi!
……

P.S.: Alright, General Qi has finally been granted the title of Duke, and his pent-up resentment is finally over. But is this the pinnacle of his rank? This episode seemed a bit sentimental? Sorry, it wasn't intentional. That's all for today, I'm so tired. Tomorrow, please enjoy: The Fury of the Northern Dynasty!
That's all. Thank you, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)