Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 156 Emperors Have No Family Matters (with Zhou Yu, 0.87 Daily Life)
The autumn sunlight streamed through the window lattices, illuminating Kunning Palace brightly, yet it could not dispel the chill within.

"Your Majesty! His Majesty... His Majesty is on his way to Kunning Palace!"

A young eunuch rushed into the hall, his shrill voice shattering the silence.

Zhou Yu, who had been curled up on the warm couch with a soft pillow in her arms, staring blankly into space, suddenly jumped up, and her previously dim eyes instantly burst into an amazing light.

"Quickly! Help me change my clothes!"

The entire Kunning Palace seemed to come alive instantly.

The palace maids were in a flurry of activity, some holding phoenix coronet and wedding robes, others rushing to fetch their makeup boxes.

"Move that loom quickly to the back, so His Majesty won't see it!"

"Go to the warm cellar and bring me those pots of the most beautiful 'Yao Huang' peonies!"

"Where is His Majesty's favorite Junshan Silver Needle tea? Hurry up and prepare it!"

In an instant, footsteps, urging voices, and the sounds of objects colliding filled the air.

The palace maids spun around like tops caught in a whirlwind.

Some were selecting jade pendants to match the Empress's phoenix robe, some were carefully drawing eyebrows with delicate eyebrow pencils, and others were meticulously adorning her with kingfisher feather headdresses.

Rouge, lipstick, eyebrow pencil... each item was packaged in the most exquisite porcelain box, and the palace maids' techniques were skillful and swift.

Amidst this chaos, a young eunuch loudly announced from outside the palace:
"His Majesty has passed through Xihua Gate!"

The people inside the hall suddenly froze, as if a pause button had been pressed.

The next moment, an even more frantic rush ensued.

Finally, when everything had settled down and the eunuch's loud announcement came from outside the palace, the Kunning Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

When Zhu Youjian stepped into Kunning Palace, he smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance floating in the warm air, carrying a calming aura.

He pushed open the palace door, but what he saw was not the coquettish or resentful appearance of Changqiu that he had imagined.

Zhou Yu, dressed in a ceremonial robe and wearing a crown with nine dragons and four phoenixes, surrounded by pearls and jade, stood quietly in the hall with a solemn expression, displaying the most grand court ceremonies.

"Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

The palace maids and eunuchs were all kneeling on the ground.

Zhu Youjian frowned almost imperceptibly, then waved his hand: "All of you, step back."

The crowd felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quietly withdrew, leaving the vast space to the most distinguished couple in the empire.

Zhu Youjian sighed inwardly, stepped forward, and forced a smile, trying to break the heavy atmosphere.

"This is just a casual family talk, why is it being made so grand today?"

Zhou Yu feigned indifference, turned around, and lightly taunted him:
“A day apart feels like three autumns. Your Majesty has not set foot in Kunning Palace for half a month, and it has been forty-five years since then. I will naturally give you a grand welcome.”

With just one sentence, Zhu Youjian was rendered speechless.

His smile was somewhat stiff, and he stammered, unsure of what to say.

Who is to blame?
Of course, it's that amazing father-in-law's fault.

When the new policies in the capital were in effect, and nobles and officials were donating money to repair roads, this guy wouldn't even give a penny.

He even sent his steward to seize the 100 hectares of land that he had originally left for Wei Zhongxian's family.

This is utterly a rip-off and trampling of his reputation and credibility.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was putting on an act in public and doing something else in private!

The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard naturally dared not report this matter on their own initiative, for that would only create trouble between the Emperor and the Empress.
The eunuch faction throughout the court dared not report it for fear of being implicated, and the Donglin faction was also unwilling to report it, wishing that the Wei faction would suffer even more.

It was only when he was busy that he remembered this muffled thunder and specifically summoned Wang Tiqian to inquire about it that he learned about this bizarre matter.

He's just as stupid and greedy as he was in history, unchanged.

Anger? Of course not. After all, I had expected it.

He merely used this opportunity to suppress Zhou Kui's memorial requesting the title of Earl, and instead approved only the new title of Earl of Le for his uncle Liu Xiaozu.

Even waste has its uses.

It's perfect for boosting his reputation.

He has a clear conscience regarding this matter to the country.

But for Yu Jia, this matter is hard to explain.

Having done this "wrongdoing," he didn't know how to face Zhou Yu, so he simply buryed his head in the sand like an ostrich and disappeared into Xiyuan.

At this moment, the hall fell into a suffocating silence.

So close, yet it feels like the ends of the earth.

Zhou Yu stood with her back to him, waiting for a long time, but she didn't hear any movement behind her.

A mix of grievance and anxiety welled up inside her, and she couldn't help but glance back quietly.

But Zhu Youjian was standing there, his brows furrowed and his face full of worry, as if he was troubled by something of great importance.

In that instant, the high wall she had built in her heart collapsed.

All her reserve and resentment turned into a torrent of tears.

She could no longer hold back, letting out a very soft sob, and suddenly turned around and lunged at him.

"Woo..."

At first, it was just suppressed sobbing, but soon it turned into a wail, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances and fears of the past half month.

Zhu Youjian sighed and gently patted her slightly trembling back.

The crying in her arms gradually subsided, leaving only intermittent sobs.

He had already made up his mind.

Let's grant her the title first, appease the Empress, and silence the gossip of the people.

After all, being harsh on one's maternal relatives is a disgraceful thing.

If this dragged on for too long, even some of the civil officials couldn't help but speak out and offer their advice.

Sigh... After all, who could have known that this relative of the empress was a complete idiot?

If all else fails, we'll observe his behavior later. If he makes a mistake, we'll punish him immediately.

Since he has come today, he is prepared to back down.

"Alright, it was my fault." He softened his voice. "I will approve the memorial requesting the conferment of a marquisate upon the father-in-law tomorrow."

He thought it would be a miracle cure.

To everyone's surprise, Zhou Yu froze upon hearing this, and then cried even more bitterly than before.

Zhu Youjian was completely dumbfounded.

A nameless anger rose in his heart. No wonder the relatives of the emperor throughout history have been so despicable. It is really hard to distinguish between public and private interests, between emotion and law!
His concessions had their limits; if she were to act like her father...

He was furious, and his tone turned cold: "The Emperor's father-in-law's request for two thousand hectares of land is simply too much!"

"With the national treasury in dire straits and new policies about to be implemented, we must not allow the practice of relatives of the empress seeking donations to recur! This is absolutely impossible!"

The crying in her arms stopped abruptly.

Zhou Yu suddenly raised her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying staring straight at him, her gaze filled with shock and disbelief.

"Does Your Majesty think... that I only care about my own selfish interests?" Zhu Youjian was taken aback by her question.

"King of faith! King of faith!"

Zhou Yu was so angry that she trembled and couldn't help but shout twice.

In an instant, tears welled up in her eyes again. She simply grabbed the emperor's dragon robe sleeve and hastily wiped away the tears on her face.

"Yes! I know Father is being unreasonable!" Her voice, thick with nasal tone, suddenly rose. "For the past two weeks, I've been either weaving or copying the 'Admonitions for Women' in the palace. Is it to force Your Majesty to bestow rewards upon him?"

She raised her tear-streaked face, looking directly into the emperor's astonished eyes, her voice filled with grievance and resentment:
"Everyone says you are a sage king reincarnated, but I am also educated! How could I not know that the country is in dire straits and that the ruler, his ministers, and the people must work together in utmost sincerity!"

"I am angry, not because you did not bestow titles upon my father or grant him land!"

Her voice suddenly rose, tinged with a sob.

"I'm angry at you... angry that you mistook me for one of those women who use their beauty to seduce their superiors and favor their families!"

"You are the ruler of the world, and I too am aware of the rise and fall of dynasties. Is what we contend for merely wealth and status? It is nothing more than a heart!"

Two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks.

"You personally cultivate the fields in the Western Garden, working tirelessly for the agricultural affairs of the world. Am I only supposed to sit in the deep palace and enjoy the fruits of your labor? I have also found a loom and wish to learn about sericulture, to share your burdens and contribute to the world!"

Zhou Yu became increasingly angry as she spoke, and her words gradually became more and more reckless.

"If you deem me unworthy, you may depose me! But I am by no means the kind of person who covets wealth and begs for glory!"

At this point, she finally couldn't hold back and choked up again.

"You should handle Father's matter fairly. I have never pleaded for him. Why... why do you think of me as such a despicable person?"

"Do I have to cut out my heart for you to see before you know if it's real or not?"

Unable to continue speaking, she abruptly turned around, threw herself onto the warm couch, buried her face in the brocade quilt, and burst into tears once again.

This time, however, she cried for a long time, but there was no sound behind her.

Could it be... that he's really angry?
Zhou Yu panicked, her crying gradually stopped, and she carefully turned around.

The hall was empty.

Zhu Youjian had already quietly left.

Overwhelmed by immense grief and despair.

She fell backward onto the couch, feeling a chill run through her body.

Zhou Yu hastily pulled the blanket over herself from head to toe, curling up into a ball in the darkness.

He doesn’t want me anymore…

He finally gave up on me...

I'm going to be crippled...

So be it! I'm not that kind of person!

No, I did nothing wrong! He was the one who was wrong! He didn't believe me!
But I... can't bear to part with him...

Various thoughts swirled in her mind, and tears silently soaked her pillowcase.

Just when she was so grief-stricken that she almost fainted.

The blanket above my head was suddenly pulled off by a gentle force.

The light shone in again, somewhat dazzling.

Zhou Yu opened her red and swollen eyes and looked around in confusion.

Zhu Youjian stood by the couch, his face no longer clouded by any gloom, but instead adorned with the familiar, warm smile she knew so well.

He held a warm handkerchief in his hand, his voice full of apology.

"Alright, Changqiu, it was my fault."

"How about you wipe your face first?"

"Wait a moment, let's have our meal together."

"After we finish our meal, you can teach me how to weave cloth."

Zhou Yu sniffed, looking at the tenderness in his eyes, but remained still, letting tears hang on her long eyelashes, threatening to fall.

Zhu Youjian then bent down, picked up a warm handkerchief, and gently wiped away the tears on her face.

The handkerchief covered her face, blocking her vision and also preventing embarrassment.

Just as he was carefully wiping her cheeks, a muffled voice with a thick nasal tone came from behind the handkerchief.

"Then...I want to eat Tianjin crabs..."

Zhu Youjian paused in his wiping motion, and a scene from a movie from later generations suddenly flashed into his mind.

He couldn't help but smile. "Okay, whatever you say. I'll take you out for crabs once a month from now on."

Zhou Yu couldn't help but laugh through her tears, snatching the handkerchief away: "There's no reason to eat crabs every month! Crabs are only at their best in autumn!"

She wiped her face haphazardly, only to find a smear of rouge on her face, and suddenly felt embarrassed.

"You should leave now. I'll come back after I've washed and dressed. Get out... get out, get out..."

……

The palace door creaked shut behind him, trapping the warmth and beauty of the room inside.

The autumn sun shines through the corridors, casting long shadows between the vermilion pillars.

The bleak autumn wind swept by, dispelling the last trace of warmth in his heart and making his mind clear and cold again.

He stood with his hands behind his back on the steps, gazing up at the distant sky.

The sky was overcast, as gray as lead, making the majestic Forbidden City appear even more oppressive and lonely.

The principle of primogeniture is fundamental to the stability of ancestral temples; this is an ancestral system that remains unchanged for all ages.

However, the weight of the world's sacred treasures cannot be easily borne by the mere title of "eldest son".
In another ten years or so, will the succession follow the same path as the Ming Dynasty, where the eldest son of the legitimate wife was chosen, or will it follow the same path as the Qing Dynasty, where nine princes vied for the throne?

When he turns sixty, what will the mindset of the forty-year-old crown princes or princes be?

What kind of classes and groups will emerge from forty years of reform, and how will these people become entangled with royal affairs?
His empress, his crown prince, the ancestral laws he must face...

Every single matter is intertwined with the fate of the nation and its people; none of them can be called a "family affair."

Zhu Youjian remained calm.

In a sense, being an emperor means no longer being human.

He wanted to propel the dynasty forward, but various forces within the dynasty also tried to pull him back to where he started.

The same applies to national affairs, and the same applies to family affairs.

Zhu Youjian clenched his fist tightly behind his back.

—At tomorrow's grand court assembly, he will let the whole world see just how powerful the storm he has unleashed will be!

Just as his ambition was reaching its halfway point, the door behind him suddenly opened.

Zhu Youjian's expression softened instantly, and he turned around with a gentle smile:
"Let's go, Changqiu, let's eat first."

(End of this chapter)