Chapter 1584: Filial Sons and Worthy Grandsons Come Pouring In!

In the fifty-second year of Hongxing, on the eighth day of the fifth month, the Ming court at Yingtian Prefecture formally proclaimed to the realm that the father of the Hongxing Emperor of the Great Ming, the Chongzhen Retired Emperor, who had abdicated in favor of a worthier man fifty-two years earlier, had passed away from a stroke in the Longevity Hall of Old Mountain Palace. Throughout Chongzhen's illness, the Hongxing Emperor remained constantly by his side, performing his filial duty at the sickbed (for roughly half an hour). Regrettably, the Retired Emperor was advanced in years and gravely ill, so treatment proved ineffective, and he departed from this world.

On the same day, the Ming court also issued an edict announcing that in the following year, the fifty-third year of Hongxing, a grand state funeral would be held for the Chongzhen Retired Emperor.

Why delay a full year before laying the Chongzhen Retired Emperor to rest? Was it that the great filial son could not bear to bury his father? Of course not. The reason the Chongzhen Retired Emperor could not be buried immediately was that he had far too many filial sons and worthy grandsons — they all had to come to Yingtian Prefecture to mourn.

And the Chongzhen Retired Emperor's talent for spreading branches and scattering leaves was simply too great. Apart from Antarctica, where there were as yet no descendants of Chongzhen, every other continent on earth already had Chongzhen's children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren — yes, including Africa! The Chongzhen Retired Emperor even had black grandchildren!

One son of the Chongzhen Retired Emperor, named Zhu Ciran, ranked one hundred and eighth. After graduating from middle school he was admitted to the Naval Academy, and after graduating from the naval academy he served ten years in the navy, rising from an ordinary officer all the way to captain of a battleship. He also served for a long time in the Western Ocean Fleet and visited Africa several times. Somehow or other, he took a fancy to the Sultanate of Zanzibar opposite the island of Zanzibar on the African continent. After retiring from the navy, he wheedled a sum of money from his wealthy and powerful elder brothers, sweet-talked a group of naval colleagues, recruited some desperate men seeking fortune, and joined forces with the Yaruba dynasty of Oman to send troops and seize Zanzibar and the Sultanate from the Kingdom of Portugal.

The Yaruba dynasty took Zanzibar, while Zhu Ciran took the Sultanate, where he proclaimed himself Duke of the Sultanate and set himself up as a local tyrant trading in black slaves and ivory. He even married a princess from Ethiopia — Ethiopia had long been engaged in the black slave trade and was effectively Zhu Ciran's "supplier," so the two sides were on intimate terms, and a marriage alliance was only to be expected.

Moreover, this black wife of Zhu Ciran was actually quite beautiful — though of course she herself did not admit to being black, and in truth she was not very dark; her facial features and hair were like those of Middle Eastern whites. With such looks, she naturally won Zhu Ciran's favor, and the two were deeply affectionate, raising a son and a daughter together.

So the Chongzhen Retired Emperor did indeed have black grandchildren. And these were not illegitimate — they were listed in the imperial genealogy under the "He" generation, one named Zhu Hetu, who in theory still had a certain chance of succeeding to the throne of the Great Ming!

These children and grandchildren of the Chongzhen Retired Emperor, scattered across six continents, all now had to hurry back to Yingtian to mourn. How could it be done in less than a year or so?

Thus the laying to rest of the Chongzhen Retired Emperor had become a major international event! And it would trigger a chain of reactions. With so many kings, grand dukes, great generals, grand marshals, and great warlords — all holding heavy troops — heading to Nanjing for the memorial service, gone for at least a year before they could return, could men like Emperor Louis, Peter I, the Iron Khan, and Li Xinge (son of Li Jicheng) let such a rare opportunity slip by?

Moreover, that grandfatherly old emperor of the Timurid Empire of India, Aurangzeb, was also eighty-three this year. Though still alive for the time being, his health was not good, and the old custom of the Timurid Empire of India was that the moment the father died (or even before he died), the sons went to civil war.

Old Aurangzeb had a whole host of governor sons commanding troops in the field. Once the old man died, would the sons not fight until their heads were broken and bleeding?

Though the old man was not yet dead, the sons were already rubbing their hands in anticipation. So the Timurid Empire of India could erupt into war at any moment (Aurangzeb and his father Shah Jahan had both struck first without waiting for the old man to die of illness), and all sides were actively preparing, leaving no leisure to support the Ottoman Empire.

And the tragic life of that King of Spain, Carlos II, was visibly drawing to a close. How could Emperor Louis and Peter I possibly let slip the Ottoman Empire, now bereft of the support of two allies at once? Would they not seize the chance to give Mehmed IV a thorough beating?

In short, Chongzhen's grand funeral was certain to be a truly "earth-shaking" affair.

"Elder Brother, the fast boats bearing the death notices have already been sent out. Given a year or so, everyone will be able to return. However — there are two great-grandsons of our father about whom I'm not sure whether they should be invited."

Speaking with Zhu Cilang in the Hall of Imperial Supremacy was the grief-stricken Prince of Fu, Zhu Cixuan, who was now Chief Grand Secretary — a Chief Grand Secretary from the imperial clan! The first in the history of the Great Ming, and a highly capable one at that; among all the Chief Grand Secretaries of the Great Ming, he could probably rank near the top.

The Chongzhen Retired Emperor was his own father, so he was now dressed in mourning hemp, though he had not taken mourning leave, because he had already been adopted out to the Prince of Fu, Zhu Yousong, and had thus already lost one father. According to regulations, he could not lose a father a second time.

Besides, the vast affairs of the Great Ming needed someone to manage them! Zhu Cixuan was Chief Grand Secretary, and at a time like this he had to turn grief into strength.

And the task of managing the funeral arrangements for the Chongzhen Retired Emperor also fell to him as Chief Grand Secretary. It had to be a grand funeral!

"What do you mean? Who are these two great-grandsons? Why ask whether they should be invited?" Zhu Cilang was somewhat puzzled.

Zhu Cixuan frowned and said, "These two are Your Majesty's grandsons. One is called Afonso VII, the other Pedro II."

Zhu Cilang frowned. "Afonso VII, Pedro II — those names sound familiar."

"One is the King of Portugal, the other the King of Brazil."

"What?" Zhu Cilang's eyes widened. "How did they become my grandsons? Who did this?"

In fact, Zhu Cilang knew that Afonso VI had been cuckolded by Henry, but he did not know that Henry had also slept with that foolish slut Maria Francisca.

"Well..." Zhu Cixuan gave a bitter smile. "It was King Henry, of course. King Henry knew that Afonso VI was not quite capable, so he quietly did him a favor and slept with Queen Maria!"

A good deed done without leaving a name! Zhu Cilang thought to himself: this Henry really was suited to be Archduke of Austria — another "Lower-Body Burg" indeed!

Zhu Cixuan continued, "Later, he somehow persuaded Maria Francisca to go to Tunisia to beg Afonso VI's forgiveness, and personally escorted the forgiven Maria Francisca to Lisbon. As a result... Maria Francisca bore a son for Prince Pedro — that is the present King of Brazil, Pedro II."

Zhu Henry truly carried his good deeds through to the end. He knew that Maria Francisca was not entirely satisfied with Prince Pedro either, having borne him only a daughter. So Prince Pedro's succession to the Brazilian throne was also a problem, and therefore he helped out once more, getting Maria Francisca pregnant and bearing a son for Prince Pedro.

Zhu Cixuan knew about both of these matters. His relationship with Henry had always been good (the Rent-Collecting King got along with everyone), and after they went to India together, they became even closer. Moreover, not long after returning from India, Zhu Cixuan became Minister of Foreign Affairs, holding the Great Ming's diplomatic authority, and had maintained a secret channel of communication with Zhu Henry ever since.

"Their relationship to Us..." Zhu Cilang considered carefully. "Who knows about it?"

"Not many," said Zhu Cixuan. "Emperor Louis may know that King Henry and Maria Francisca had an affair. Those Westerners take such matters very lightly, so it is no great issue. Besides, King Henry is Louis's son-in-law, and Louis relies on him heavily."

"Then let us simply not invite them," Zhu Cilang paused. "And there is no need to invite Henry's family either. Henry has now changed his surname to Mancini — let him live his own life in Austria. As for the others, they need not all come back either. Someone must stay behind to watch the house. Our family is about to hold a great funeral, and Louis, Peter, Li Xinge and the rest will not sit idle. The world is about to descend into chaos again, and we must be prepared!"

(End of Chapter)