Chapter 175
Chapter 175
[In the Underworld]
Zhu Di’s blow was solid. Zhu Zhanji took the slap full in the face, his cheek swelling high. When he turned, Zhu Gaochi stood beside his grandfather with his fat face dark, rolling up his sleeves as though preparing to add a few blows of his own.
Zhu Zhanji’s heart quaked. He felt wronged by the slap and furious that his son was such a damned bastard. Zhu Qizhen had committed all those brainless deeds, yet Zhu Zhanji had to shoulder the blame!
Two hundred thousand elite capital troops had been destroyed in a day. Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi grieved bitterly, but was Zhu Zhanji’s own heart not bleeding too?
One fool, one useless son, and everything was ruined!
The more he thought, the worse he felt. His heart hurt so badly he could scarcely breathe.
Had he known, he should have shot that bastard onto a wall in the first place!
He should never have let romance cloud his mind and elevated Lady Sun to Empress!
Had Lady Sun remained Noble Consort, Zhu Qizhen would have been merely the eldest son by a concubine. If the Empress bore a son, the heir would naturally have been that legitimate prince.
Empress Hu could bear daughters, proving there was nothing wrong with her fertility. Given a few more years, she would surely have borne a son!
Regret consumed Zhu Zhanji. What had he been thinking back then?
Empress Hu had been only twenty-six when deposed, the perfect age for childbearing. His own mother had given him a younger brother in her thirties!
As a youth, he had found Empress Hu rigid and dull, less beautiful than Lady Sun, neither seductive nor his childhood sweetheart. Looking back now, what had been rigid or dull about her? She had plainly been dignified, generous, and proper-a true mother to the realm!
Had Empress Hu borne a son, he need not have been outstanding. Preserving what he inherited would have been enough. At the very least, he could hardly have ruined his father like Zhu Qizhen had!
The more Zhu Zhanji thought, the more dejected he became. His longing for Empress Dowager Sun shrank without limit, and resentment clouded his face. I died young and was powerless to manage these things, but what did you do as his mother?!
While my mother lived, Zhu Qizhen behaved. The moment she died, you let him become this?!
Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi were displeased, but Zhu Zhanji was full of anger too. Swallowing his grievance, he approached the mirror and continued spying on the mortal world.
Zhu Qizhen was captured.
He was shoved into Oirat territory, met Esen like an old friend, and conversed delightedly with him.
Xi Ning eagerly defected and became Esen’s dog.
Zhu Qizhen settled comfortably into the Oirat camp, vividly demonstrating what it meant to enjoy captivity so much that one forgot home.
The soles of Zhu Di’s and Zhu Gaochi’s shoes slapped Zhu Zhanji’s face from left and right. “What a fine son you produced!”
The Tumu Crisis destroyed nearly all two hundred thousand elite troops and reduced Tumu Fortress to scorched earth. When word reached Beijing, the court erupted and the grand secretaries paled in horror.
The Empress Dowager and Empress Qian immediately assembled eight cartloads of jewels and rare treasures and sent them to the Oirats, hoping Esen would spare the emperor.
Zhu Di cursed. “He is not worth that damned much!”
Zhu Gaochi demanded, “Why does Esen not draw his saber and finish him?!”
Bruised and swollen, Zhu Zhanji knelt nearby and silently prayed: Son, give your father a little dignity. Accomplish something for Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong to see. If you cannot escape, then at least kill yourself. Just do not become another Qinzong or Huizong!
A country could not go a day without a ruler. Hu Ying, Wang Zhi, Chen Xun, Yu Qian, and the other officials submitted memorials asking the Empress Dowager to enthrone a new sovereign. The state came first, the ruler second.
After repeated hesitation, the Empress Dowager finally agreed.
Zhu Di’s expression eased. “Once there is a new emperor, Zhu Qizhen loses his value. That Yu Qian is not bad!”
He rubbed his temples and asked his eldest son, “Zhu Qizhen is gone, and his sons are mere children. Who among the imperial clan should inherit?”
Zhu Gaochi thought. “My second son, Prince Lu. He went to his fief in Luoyang.”
At the thought of her younger son, Lady Zhang’s tears fell. “That child did not live long. He has already passed. The present Prince Lu is his eldest legitimate son, Zhu Qikun…”
Zhu Gaochi had died early and knew none of this. Zhu Di pushed him aside and asked his daughter-in-law, “By age, this Zhu Qikun seems close to Zhu Qizhen. Do you know his nature?”
“Qikun followed his father to the fief while young, so I rarely saw him. I only remember he was clever. At three, he could already recite the Thousand Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames.”
Zhu Di looked upward and sighed. “The Great Ming does not need a clever emperor now. It needs a steady one. Zhu Qizhen was clever as a child too. Look at him now!”
Zhu Gaochi burst into tears. “Heaven means to destroy our Great Ming!”
Zhu Zhanji cautiously edged forward and tried to please them. “There is no need to be so pessimistic. At least wait until you have seen my nephew…”
Zhu Di slapped him, face savage. “Go kneel over there! Who gave you permission to speak?!”
Zhu Gaochi lifted a fleshy leg and kicked him. “Get lost! Seeing you brings bad luck!”
Zhu Zhanji fell silent.
Waaaah.
What the hell did it have to do with him?!
If they had courage, they should beat Zhu Qizhen!
Lady Zhang’s heart ached for her son. But Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong were both furious, leaving her no opening to plead for him. She could only wait until they calmed down.
The closest eligible imperial kinsman was Prince Lu, legitimate grandson of Emperor Renzong and nephew of Emperor Xuanzong’s full brother. Once the officials reached their decision, Hu Ying, Chen Xun, and the others carried the Empress Dowager’s decree and imperial tally toward Luoyang.
Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi watched the mirror without blinking. Yet when the envoys reached Luoyang, they almost lost the courage to look.
What if he was a wastrel…
Then the Great Ming was truly doomed!
As Hu Ying entered the residence, grandfather and son pressed against the mirror, covered their faces, and peeked through their fingers. A tall, powerfully built young man approached, straight-nosed and square-mouthed, handsome and imposing, with natural severity in every word and gesture.
His features faintly resembled the Old Master in his youth.
Zhu Di’s heart shook. He exclaimed softly, eyes brightening as he leaned closer. A veteran of countless mounted campaigns and an expert horseman and archer, he recognized at once that the young man practiced martial arts. His conduct was flawless. Rather than rejoice at gaining the throne, he wept over the Tumu Crisis. Zhu Di nodded repeatedly. “A true descendant of Emperor Taizu, with the Old Master’s bearing. If he has even thirty percent of Emperor Taizu’s ability, he can stabilize the court and pacify the realm!”
Zhu Gaochi’s eyes narrowed with delight. “Father, this grandson of mine truly resembles my grandfather!”
Zhu Di’s expression softened. One hand on his jade belt, he said with restraint, “A Zhu descendant resembling his own ancestor is perfectly natural!”
He looked at his son more warmly too.
The boy might be unlikable, but his descendants were excellent. High quality indeed!
The crisis was urgent. Hu Ying and the others did not linger in Luoyang and immediately invited Prince Lu to the capital. Yet outside Beijing, Prince Lu refused to enter. The ritual officials wanted him to honor Emperor Xuanzong as Imperial Father and the late Prince Lu as imperial uncle. Prince Lu refused absolutely.
“The emperor left no heir, so I enter the senior line from a junior branch. I have my own father. Why should I recognize Emperor Xuanzong as mine?”
Zhu Di stroked his beard and laughed. “This boy is shrewd!”
Zhu Gaochi chuckled. “No wonder the Empress said he was clever as a child!”
Zhu Zhanji was displeased. This nephew was clearly targeting his line. But with Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi delighted, he dared not make a sound.
The Empress Dowager yielded.
What followed seemed to load an epic quest page.
[Zhu Qikun’s location acquired.]
[Zhu Qikun enters Beijing as the new emperor.]
[Zhu Qikun executes the officials advocating a southern retreat.]
[Zhu Qikun threatens to weep at the ancestral temple and forces the Empress Dowager to retreat.]
[Zhu Qikun enters the Oirat campaign. Loading…]
[To preserve his life, Zhu Qizhen calls the frontier gates open.]
Wait. Had something strange slipped into the final line?!
Zhu Di wanted to thrust his head through the mirror. Zhu Gaochi watched with blood boiling, and even Zhu Zhanji temporarily forgot his hostility toward his nephew. All stared at the mortal world as preparations to defend Beijing continued-then the Great Ming God of War, Zhu Qizhen, called at the gate.
The exalted Son of Heaven of the Great Ming, devoid of all shame, actually called the gate open for Esen!
Zhu Di stared.
Empress Xu stared.
Zhu Gaochi stared.
Lady Zhang stared.
Zhu Di’s face twisted and his fists cracked as he turned toward Zhu Gaochi.
Zhu Gaochi shuddered, his beard trembling, then glared furiously at Zhu Zhanji.
Zhu Zhanji said nothing.
Waaaah!
Humiliating tears escaped him!
Why was everyone looking at him? No one wanted this to happen!
Before Zhu Qizhen even arrived below, Zhu Zhanji had already been seized by a furious Zhu Di.
Once, this grandson had been his treasured good imperial grandson. But that good imperial grandson had produced a turtle bastard. Therefore, he was no longer a good grandson. He was the turtle that had laid an infuriating bastard egg!
Zhu Di hung Zhu Zhanji up and beat him for an entire day.
That was for deposing your Empress!
That was for elevating Lady Sun and her son!
That was for producing such a worthless bastard!
While Zhu Di beat the suspended Zhu Zhanji, the defense of Beijing began.
Zhu Di’s hair stood on end. “Another bastard delivering himself to the Oirats!”
Zhu Zhanji had already been beaten senseless. Terrified he would be next, Zhu Gaochi said as though standing above an abyss and walking on thin ice, “The child is not so reckless. He must have a plan…”
“Bullshit!”
Then his eyes widened. “He still dares continue north? That is Oirat-controlled territory! Heavens-he won again?! This little pr-this prince’s son is truly excellent. My dear great-grandson, your great-grandfather knew you would never leave Beijing without complete confidence!”
Zhu Gaochi fell silent.
So did Lady Zhang.
And Zhu Zhanji.
The battle continued. Unable to gain an advantage at Beijing, Esen and the Oirat army hurriedly withdrew with Zhu Qizhen-straight into Zhu Qikun’s trap. The defenders of Juyong Pass and Beijing attacked from both sides, crushing the Oirats and swallowing several hundred thousand elite troops. Only Esen and a handful of men escaped.
Zhu Di slapped the table and shouted praise until his voice went hoarse, his face radiant. “What a fine dear grandson! He has his great-grandfather’s bearing. That battle was beautiful! Magnificent!”
Seeing his fat son’s round face grow rounder with his smile, Zhu Di liked him from the bottom of his heart. He rubbed Zhu Gaochi’s cheeks. “The old saying is right: everything has its strengths and weaknesses. All your strengths in this life went into producing sons!”
He praised Lady Zhang too. “You gave our Zhu Family two fine sons!”
“Father, Qikun is my grandson, not my son.”
“Same thing!” Zhu Di waved dismissively. “Was his father not your son? The roots still come from you!”
Zhu Gaochi expertly flattered him. “And every virtue I possess came from you, Father!”
Zhu Di agreed wholeheartedly, planted both hands on his hips, and nodded with dignity. Then he suddenly asked, “What happened with Zhu Qizhen?”
He turned to Zhu Gaochi.
Zhu Gaochi turned to Zhu Zhanji.
Still hanging from the tree, Zhu Zhanji fell silent.
“Come on. I am tired.” He lowered his head wearily. “The whip is on the left and the club on the right. Do whatever makes you happy. Let destruction come.”
Zhu Di had no answer.
This grandson seemed broken.
Could he still be used after some repairs?
While the Zhu Family talked, rewards were being distributed in the mortal world.
Yu Qian became Duke of Wei.
Zhu Di nodded. “He performed well and rendered great service to the court. He deserves the dukedom.”
Unable to decline, Yu Qian finally accepted, but remained extraordinarily humble and frugal. He refused to live in the residence bestowed by the emperor or use the gold, silver, and antiques. He sent every reward to the new residence and visited to pay respects on holidays, but would not touch them.
While Yu Qian was at his office, Zhu Qikun moved his entire family into the residence. He then ordered the palace eunuch office that since the Duke of Wei refused to use the gold and silver, the inner court would prepare and deliver all meals for the Yu Family, along with their clothes and necessities. Yu Qian must receive the finest treatment without spending a coin.
Flattered and alarmed, Yu Qian refused. Zhu Qikun dismissed his attendants and said sincerely, “Duke of Wei, you deserve all of this. Must We beg before you accept it?”
Yu Qian knelt in fear. “This minister would not dare!”
“Then accept it!”
Zhu Qikun descended the jade steps and personally helped him up. “You deserve it!”
Tears filled Yu Qian’s eyes. Deeply moved, he agreed.
What a divine bond between sovereign and minister!
Zhu Di’s eyes grew wet.
Moisture also ran from Zhu Gaochi’s eyes.
Zhu Zhanji swayed free of the ropes in the tree and asked blankly, “Grandfather, Father, what is wrong?”
Zhu Gaochi quickly wiped his tears.
Zhu Di dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief. “Nothing. Zhu Qizhen’s ashes blew into Grandfather’s eyes.”