Chapter 174
Chapter 174
[After Zhu Yuanzhang Returned to the Great Ming – 25]
The ministers knew the emperor intended to kill the Emperor Emeritus, but none had expected him to be so ruthless as to order the full flayed-and-stuffed treatment.
When Zhu Yuanzhang finished, everyone shuddered. Yet recalling the debate between civil officials and generals, and considering the emperor’s immense prestige, not one person opposed stripping the Emperor Emeritus of his title and stuffing his flayed skin with straw.
Zhu Yuanzhang surveyed the hall with great satisfaction. “Record the edict. Reduce Zhu Qizhen to a commoner, clearly enumerate his crimes, flay him, stuff his skin with straw, and proclaim it publicly! We shall personally visit the Imperial Ancestral Temple and report the matter to the ancestors of every reign!”
The ministers respectfully obeyed. No one stepped forward to remonstrate.
Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression softened slightly. Pointing at Yu Qian, he said earnestly, “We kill him today not for private benefit, but for public justice. With Our present strength and prestige, killing him would be as easy as turning a hand. Why choose a method that invites criticism? We could let him die at Oirat hands, in the chaos of battle, from illness on the journey home, or openly imprison him behind the high walls of Fengyang. Why flay and stuff him, provoking debate among officials and commoners alike?!”
The ministers were moved, and light flashed in Yu Qian’s eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued, “The Son of Heaven guards the nation’s gate, and the ruler dies for the state. Our ancestors cut through thorns to establish this realm. If their descendants cannot preserve it, so be it. But how can they turn against their own country and call its frontier gates open? What right has such a foolish and shameless ruler to remain alive?”
Emotion filled the officials’ eyes. They bowed together. “Your Majesty is wise!”
“Compared with Zhu Qizhen, We can indeed bear the word wise.” Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed, then grew solemn. “Tomorrow, We shall personally worship at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and report this to the ancestors. If they hold Us responsible when We meet below, We shall answer every charge! All officials are present today, so remember Our words: from this day onward, any future descendant of the Great Ming who collaborates with the enemy and betrays the nation as Zhu Qizhen did shall be flayed, stuffed with straw, and hung beside Zhu Qizhen in the Imperial Ancestral Temple!”
The ministers bowed their heads. “Yes, Your Majesty!”
…
Once the emperor issued the command and no minister dared oppose it, the formal process of dealing with Zhu Qizhen proceeded step by step.
Any Son of Heaven of the Great Ming who dared collaborate with the enemy and betray the nation could be slain by all!
When news reached the inner palace, the Empress Dowager thought her ears had failed. Her cheek twitched. “What did you say?!”
The young maid dared not raise her head. “Word came from the outer court that the deliberation has concluded. They say the Emperor Emeritus collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the nation, an unforgivable crime. His imperial title will be stripped, and he will be flayed and stuffed with straw…”
The teacup slipped from the Empress Dowager’s hand and shattered. Her face went white. “Nonsense!”
She sprang up, trembling all over. “That is the Emperor Emeritus, once Son of Heaven of the Great Ming! How dare Zhu Qikun do this?!”
The maid bowed her head and wept, too afraid to speak.
The Empress Dowager’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably. She staggered and nearly fell down the steps, but a senior maid caught her quickly.
“Send… send someone to investigate again!” she forced through clenched teeth.
Several eunuchs hurried away.
The Empress Dowager collapsed back into her chair, hands shaking beyond control and fingertips icy.
The servants in the hall were terrified and silent, afraid of drawing her anger.
The eunuch sent for news returned quickly. In his haste, he tripped over the threshold and sprawled flat on his back as soon as he entered.
Meeting the Empress Dowager’s dark gaze, he hurriedly kowtowed, trembling like a sieve. “Your Majesty, the news… the news is true. The outer court has already drafted the edict stripping the Emperor Emeritus of his title. Tomorrow, His Majesty will report to the ancestors at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. And the flaying and stuffing…”
The emotion in her stare intensified. He forced himself to continue. “The flaying and stuffing is also true!”
The Empress Dowager bit her lip so hard that it bled, but fury and hatred left her unaware.
Her attendants saw, but who dared remind her now?
With a sharp crack, one of her carefully maintained nails broke. A chilling severity filled her eyes, and her smile twisted between clenched teeth. “Good. Very good, Zhu Qikun. You already took the throne, yet you still insist on exterminating him!”
The emperor dared act because strength and prestige supported him. Unable to confront him directly, the Empress Dowager could only appeal through weakness.
She had her servants support her into the inner hall to remove her ornaments. Her hands trembled as she wiped the color from her lips before the mirror. Indignation and hatred tangled with profound grievance in her heart.
“Former Emperor!”
Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. “Your widow and orphan are bullied so cruelly in this world. If your spirit knows in the Yellow Springs…”
She did not know.
At that very moment, Zhu Zhanji was hanging in the air while Zhu Di beat him.
…
After Zhu Di died and entered the Underworld, the first person he saw was Empress Xu, who had passed away many years earlier. Reunited after decades as husband and wife, they were both sorrowful and delighted.
After an intimate conversation, Zhu Di quietly asked, “Did the Old Master curse me? Did that little bastard Zhu Yunwen complain about me? The Old Master did not take it out on you, did he?”
Empress Xu dabbed away her tears, amused. “He would not. The Old Master has at least that much magnanimity. Go on. Once you take a beating, everything will be fine. It is not as though he never beat you before.”
Zhu Di grumbled, “Fine. A father beating his son is perfectly natural.”
Ah, those words were wonderful to hear! His back stopped aching, strength returned to his legs, and even another beating seemed worthwhile!
Zhu Di basked in delight and drew Empress Xu into conversation, feeling as though his ghost might float away. But the good times did not last. Zhu Gaochi arrived!
My beloved eldest son, were you emperor for even a full year?!
Why did you come so quickly?!
While alive, Zhu Di had never liked this fat son very much and preferred his second. But his eldest was still his own child. Seeing him less than a year after death was truly painful.
After questioning him, Zhu Di found that state affairs had been handled well and no disaster had occurred. His attitude became much warmer.
Empress Xu inevitably wept upon seeing her eldest son. Afterward, mother and son held hands and spoke affectionately, leaving Zhu Di off to one side.
Zhu Di reminded Zhu Gaochi, “Go kowtow to your grandfather.”
The family of three went to look, only to find the Old Master absent.
Zhu Di waited at the door for a while, but no one returned. He told his son, “Your grandfather went out. Pay respects when he comes back!”
Zhu Gaochi naturally obeyed.
In the end, his fears came true. Zhu Gaoxu rebelled, failed, and was trapped beneath a bronze vessel and burned to death by Zhu Zhanji.
He had brought death upon himself, but that did not make the grief less real.
His grandson had killed his son. Both were his flesh and blood. Zhu Di endured it, but Empress Xu could not. She wept bitterly upon hearing the news and even her ghost seemed to grow thin.
Zhu Di knew the circumstances and could not honestly blame his grandson. He sighed and continued watching.
Zhu Zhanji had a son. Zhu Zhanji deposed his Empress. Zhu Zhanji led a campaign in person…
Zhu Zhanji was doing fairly well.
Zhu Di felt somewhat gratified.
His second son resembled him, but how should he put it? The man had a simple mind and powerful limbs. When it came to inheriting the throne, his eldest grandson was still the proper choice!
The only regret was that his grandson died too young, at merely thirty-six-even younger than his father.
Alas!
When Zhu Di met his grandson, he praised and encouraged him, then said worriedly, “You died so young, and the new emperor is still a child. I fear trouble may arise…”
Zhu Zhanji was unconcerned. “Emperor Taizong need not worry. My mother remains in the mortal world. She possesses both strategy and breadth of mind, and several regents will assist her. Nothing will go wrong!”
Zhu Di relaxed slightly and led him to pay respects to the Old Master.
“Strange.” He peered inside suspiciously. “Where did the Old Master go? Why is he never here?”
They could only return and wait to bring the descendants once the Old Master came back.
Zhu Di initially worried about his young great-grandson in the mortal realm. But Lady Zhang proved virtuous, and the regents managed the Great Ming diligently and in perfect order. His concern vanished.
“Lady Zhang is excellent. Your mother and I judged her correctly!” he told Zhu Gaochi, praising his daughter-in-law.
He praised Zhu Zhanji too. “The regents you chose are excellent. Not one is treacherous.”
There was only one small problem: his great-grandson seemed too mischievous.
But that was fine. All children were like that. He would improve when he grew up.
Several years later, Grand Empress Dowager Zhang arrived below. Husband and wife reunited and wept together. Zhu Di specially praised her. “A woman like you is a blessing to the Zhu Family!”
But once Grand Empress Dowager Zhang was gone, the mountain pressing down from above disappeared, and Zhu Qizhen began going wrong.
He made trouble.
All kinds of trouble.
Zhu Di watched Wang Zhen remove the iron plaque left by Emperor Taizu.
“You damned castrated dog! Even I never dared do that. How dare you?!”
He rolled up his sleeves, glared fiercely, and demanded of Zhu Zhanji, “What is going on?!”
Sweat broke out on Zhu Zhanji’s brow. “The servant seemed clever at the time, so I assigned him to attend the prince…”
Zhu Di pointed at him. “I am recording this debt!”
Zhu Qizhen continued making trouble.
Wang Zhen continued persecuting loyal men and ruining the government.
Zhu Di’s rage climbed!
Zhu Qizhen decided to lead a campaign personally.
Zhu Di stared. “What?!”
Are you even capable of that? How dare you lead a campaign?!
He glared at Zhu Zhanji.
Zhu Zhanji looked equally furious. “Has that little bastard gone stupid? When he dies, I will beat him!”
With Wang Zhen beside him, Zhu Qizhen launched a personal campaign planned with all the rigor of children playing house. The officials begged in vain. They bloodied their foreheads kowtowing in vain. Generals remonstrated in vain. Senior ministers talked themselves hoarse in vain. At last, the Tumu Crisis arrived.
Burdened with such an infuriating descendant, Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi, and Zhu Zhanji lost sleep night after night and shed hair by the handful. Fortunately, ghosts did not need sleep. The three stared into the mirror that revealed the mortal world, watching so intently they dared not blink.
Zhu Qizhen made another disastrous decision!
And another!
At this point, he still trusted Wang Zhen?!
You are already fleeing! Why the hell are you going to Wang Zhen’s hometown?!
You reached the gates of Wang Zhen’s hometown with the Oirats on your heels-why the hell are you turning back?!
My Duke of Cheng died!
My Duke of Yingguo died!
More than a hundred officials died!
Two hundred thousand elite capital troops were destroyed!
The emperor was captured!!!
Captured!!!
Taken!!!
The last emperor captured by an enemy had been Emperor Huizong of Song!!!
Zhu Di exploded. Leaping up, he slapped Zhu Zhanji across the face. “Damn your mother-what a fine son you produced!”