Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

After the court session ended at dusk, the high-ranking officials who had attended the evening court session returned to their respective residences.

They were Zhu Di's trusted advisors, and tonight they had witnessed His Majesty's miraculous rejuvenation in the Fengtian Hall, and heard the promise that "those who have made outstanding contributions will be granted an additional longevity by the Prince Rui." They were all filled with excitement as they hurried home.

Upon returning home, the first thing he did was to pull his wife aside and recount in detail all the interesting events that had transpired at court that evening.

"Madam, you didn't see it during the evening court session tonight," the Vice Minister of Works said impatiently as he stepped into the main room, not even having had time to change out of his official robes. "When His Majesty sat on the throne, his face clearly looked like he was in his twenties! His features were sharp and his heroic spirit was overwhelming, just like when he was leading troops in battle in Beiping. When I first saw him, I almost thought I was dreaming."

The wife of the vice minister was half-believing and half-doubting, but her husband's words were so detailed and convincing that she had no choice but to believe them.

"Later, Minister Xia mustered up the courage to ask, and His Majesty looked helpless, saying that Prince Rui insisted on extending his lifespan, and he couldn't refuse." The Vice Minister's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement as he said this, "Most importantly, His Majesty said it himself: from now on, as long as we ministers have outstanding achievements and make great contributions to the Ming Dynasty, His Majesty will allow Prince Rui to extend our lifespans as well!"

After saying this, he fully expected his wife to be as happy as he was, and cheerfully raised his water glass: "Wife, let's work hard from now on, who knows, we might even become younger! This would be a wonderful thing!"

Before he could finish speaking, and before he could even bring the water glass to his lips, the lady snatched it away and slammed it down on the table.

"Do a good job?" The lady's eyebrows furrowed, her voice urgent. "You just said that His Majesty has become younger, and the Empress has become younger too?"

"Yes, yes...that's why I say this is a good thing. In the future, we'll have a chance to live longer and become younger!"

"What good news!" The lady jumped to her feet, her finger almost poking his nose. "His Majesty has become younger, the Empress has become younger, and the entire court has a chance! Such a big thing, and you just come back and tell me 'Do a good job from now on' and that's it? You'd better come up with a plan! How do you intend to do it? When will you make a name for yourself? You better speak up!"

The Vice Minister was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions and stammered, "This, this... Madam, I am in charge of waterways in the Ministry of Works. Repairing rivers and building embankments is not something that can be accomplished overnight..."

"Then let's start repairing properly from tomorrow!" The lady slammed her hand on the table. "Get the memorials that need to be put up on time! Get the river patrols that need to be conducted on time! Can you build any of those dikes that won't collapse for a hundred years? Can you let His Majesty see your achievements? Otherwise, while others are getting older and younger, you'll still be a decrepit old man... You'll sleep in the study tonight and think it over carefully."

The Vice Minister could only stammer, "What you say is true, my wife. I will go to inspect the river embankment tomorrow."

The same scene played out repeatedly in various mansions throughout the capital. These trusted ministers enjoyed immense prestige in the court, but returned home looking utterly dejected.

As soon as the official from the Ministry of War's Military Selection Department finished recounting what he had seen at the evening court, the lady's eyes reddened: "Listen to this! How capable Prince Rui is! How much favor His Majesty bestows upon him! If you could achieve some merit, you could become younger in the future, and I could benefit from it too. But you've been living in fear and trembling all these years in the Military Selection Department, and you haven't achieved even the slightest merit. Aren't you worried?"

The physician wiped his sweat: "Madam, the Military Selection Office is just a powerless department that manages the promotion of military officers. There's nowhere for me to make a name for myself..."

"Then transfer him out! To the border! To fight!" His wife cried and punched him. "Weren't you a military officer in your youth? The Tartars are still causing trouble in the north. Go and ask for permission to lead troops... otherwise, don't ever come home again!"

The Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, known for his integrity, suffered an unprecedented family tragedy tonight. He had just finished recounting the story of His Majesty's rejuvenation...

Without a word, the lady grabbed his pillow and threw it at the study doorway. "You've been an imperial censor for so many years, how many people have you impeached? How many merits have you achieved? What did His Majesty say in court? Only those with outstanding merits have a chance! Where are all those merits you've achieved?"

The lady stood blocking the doorway of the main room, her eyes red-rimmed. "Other people's husbands can earn merit and perhaps one day they'll even grow younger together with their husbands. I married you precisely because I wanted a harmonious marriage, to grow old together. If you care about me, go and earn some merit!"

The censor stood in the courtyard, on the verge of tears: "My lady, those I impeached were all deserving of impeachment. I can't just impeach people indiscriminately for the sake of personal gain..."

"Then go and impeach the people who deserve it! Go tomorrow! Aren't there enough corrupt officials in the capital? You could catch a handful with your eyes closed, so go ahead and do it!"

As the censor was heading towards his study, his wife's final words came from behind him: "Starting tomorrow, impeach at least one person every day! If you impeach less than one, don't come back!"

The situation was even more dire for the commanders of the Five Military Commissions.

"Go and fight a battle," the lady said coldly through the door. "If you win, will the merit be enough to persuade His Highness Prince Rui to intervene? Weren't you quite a capable fighter when you were young? Why are you becoming more and more afraid of death as you get older? You'll sleep in the study tonight. Come back whenever you come up with a way to request permission to go to war."

The governor pounded on the door: "Madam! War is not child's play; we must wait for the imperial edict and military intelligence—"

"Then wait!" The lady's voice drifted coldly from the crack in the door. "Anyway, you won't be lonely in the study for more than a few days. While other people's husbands are making achievements and getting younger, you'll watch me turn into an old woman, won't you?"

The governor stood outside the door in a daze for a long while before silently turning around and walking towards the study.

"Husband, are you even capable?! You can't even handle this properly, so at least do a good job when you're handling other matters."

"Sir, can you please pay a little more attention? This concerns the common people."

"Don't come home until you've finished your official business today"...

That night, none of the trusted ministers who attended the evening court had a moment's peace in their residences.

Some were forced by their wives to draft memorials overnight, some were punished by being made to sleep in the study, and some were scolded mercilessly before sheepishly rummaging through old case files. Only a few who had recently made genuine contributions could lie peacefully in bed tonight, but even they were not entirely at ease, because their wives kept saying in their ears, "Work hard, His Majesty is watching, keep up the good work tomorrow."

Several officials who knew each other couldn't wait any longer, so they secretly sent their servants out to inquire about each other's whereabouts, and ended up running into each other at the alley entrance.

"My master has been sent to the study by my wife."

"My husband is the same. Madam said that if he can't come up with a plan, he'll just live in the study until he's old."

"It's all the same, it's all the same. My wife is even more ruthless. She went straight back to her parents' home and said not to bother picking her up unless she makes a contribution."

After the servants finished venting their grievances to each other, they shook their heads and sighed as they returned to report.

That night, the lights in the studies of countless mansions in the capital stayed on until the third watch. Some were studying maps, pondering the defenses of the north; some were drafting impeachment memorials overnight; and some were calculating the tax accounts for the coming year with the clatter of abacuses.

Little did they know that even some well-informed minor officials began to work frantically, thinking that as long as they worked hard, they would have a chance. The horse groom of the Imperial Stud would squat by the manger all night, grabbing fodder and stuffing it into his mouth, saying that he wanted to taste it himself to see if the horse could get used to it.

Several officials from the horse farm followed suit, squatting in a row chewing hay and exchanging their thoughts: "This has a good aftertaste, the horses will definitely love it." The grooms stood by, collectively questioning their existence.

However, after a while, they actually made a name for themselves, achieved political success, figured out the correct ratio of horse feed, and even wrote a book called "The Good Horse Training Plan".

I heard that there was a minor official in Yingtian Prefecture named Zhan Yapeng who went crazy in his pursuit of political achievements. Strange noises, such as "I giao wo li giao, giao, giao, giao," could often be heard coming from his study. When his colleagues asked him what was going on, he would not say anything, only that "I'm having such a hard time."

Meanwhile, Zhu Di, the instigator, was sitting in the Qianqing Palace, listening to Ji Gang report on the activities of the various prefectures that evening.

"This is a good thing..."

After listening, Zhu Di chuckled while holding his teacup.

"Looking at it this way, my move has killed two birds with one stone." He put the teacup back on the table and said calmly, "It has both shown off myself and spurred on my ministers. From now on, I won't have to urge them anymore; their wives are urging them much harder than I am."

"Your Majesty is wise," Huang Yan bowed, his wrinkles curving into a smile like a chrysanthemum.