Chapter 1638: An Elder Sister-in-Law as a Mother

Zhu Youjian supported his gravely ill elder brother Zhu Youxiao as they entered the bedchamber of Qianqing Palace, with no one else around.

At the brief morning court session just now, Zhu Youxiao first lavished praise on Wei Zhongxian and Wang Tigan. Then he publicly announced his decision to make Zhu Youjian his heir, and ordered the Grand Secretariat to draft the edict on the spot, with the Directorate of Ceremonial to approve it in red — thus settling the succession question once and for all.

After that was done, Zhu Youxiao had Zhu Youjian support him into the bedchamber. Once he was settled on the dragon bed, he looked at Zhu Youjian standing before him with hands lowered and shoulders relaxed, and felt something was off.

The original Zhu Youjian had been a spirited young lad — how was it that he now looked much like one of those scheming, crafty ministers outside?

Could it be that the old ancestor really taught him how to be emperor last night? Zhu Youxiao smiled bitterly and shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought, then sighed: "Fifth Brother, We shall not live much longer. The Ming's rotten mess is about to be handed to you — can you manage it?"

What? A rotten mess? Zhu Youjian thought to himself: How is the current Ming a rotten mess? There are so many loyal ministers and good generals inside and outside the court, and there are ready-made places to scoop up silver... The Jianzhou caitiffs in the northeast have not yet grown powerful, the roving bandits in the northwest are still obedient subjects and lackeys of the Ming, and only two southwestern chieftains tired of living are making trouble. How can such a fine situation be called a rotten mess? When that unfilial son seized power, that was when the mess was truly rotten!

"Imperial Brother," Zhu Youjian said with full confidence, "our Ming's situation is not rotten at all!"

"Not rotten?" Zhu Youxiao was taken aback. He had already resorted to using someone like Wei Zhongxian — how could the Ming's situation not be rotten? If it weren't rotten, would he have used that lawless scoundrel to deal with those dog officials?

"Then tell me, are there any capable people in the realm?"

Of course there are! Zhu Youjian thought: The realm is full of capable people!

Li Hongji, a post rider at the Yinchuan Relay Station in Shaanxi, is one... This time he must not be allowed to go astray again! He must be made into a loyal minister and good general of the Great Ming!

And there is Zheng Yiguan, the great pirate of the southeastern seas — a man so capable he could not be more capable! Does he have a younger sister, I wonder? If he does, bring her into the palace as a Noble Consort... If not, tell him to hurry up and adopt one from his clan!

In any case, from now on he will be Imperial Brother-in-law Zheng. Foreign muskets, foreign cannons, foreign officers, foreign ships — all will depend on him!

Of course, Zhu Youjian could not recommend Li Zicheng and Zheng Zhilong to his elder brother Zhu Youxiao... That would be too insulting. The Ming court is full of civil and military officials — how could they not compare to a post rider and a pirate?

"Imperial Brother, Mao Wenlong of Pi Island is a capable man!" Zhu Youjian said. "He built the Dongjiang base from nothing with his bare hands and repeatedly won extraordinary victories. He not only shields Joseon, but even the Liaodong southern territories of Lüshun and Jinzhou were recovered because of him. As long as Wenlong is used well, the Jianzhou barbarians will at most amount to a Western Xia situation."

"Wenlong is indeed a rare talent!" Zhu Youxiao nodded approvingly. "Anyone else?"

"Yang Gao, currently in the Imperial Prison, can also be of use." Zhu Youjian named another person.

"Yang Gao?" Zhu Youxiao was startled. "That man brought ruin to the state!"

Yang Gao was the Liaodong Military Commissioner who lost to Nurhaci at the Battle of Sarhu. After Sarhu, Tieling and Kaiyuan fell one after another. The man was sentenced on multiple counts, given a suspended death sentence, and thrown into the Imperial Prison for many years — though he was never executed.

Zhu Youjian said: "Yang Gao did indeed bring ruin to the state, but he is ultimately a man thoroughly familiar with Liaodong affairs, and he is respected by the Joseon court. All of Joseon regards him as the benefactor who gave their country a second life. If Yang Gao's death sentence can be pardoned and he be made an advisory minister, it would greatly benefit Joseon, Dongjiang, and the Liaodong deployments.

Moreover, this is long past the time for killing Yang Gao. Back then, after the defeats at Sarhu, Tieling, and Kaiyuan, executing him could still stiffen discipline. But now that he has been locked up for so many years, dragging him out to behead him would scare no one."

Zhu Youjian's real reason for digging Yang Gao out of prison was to help him build his own personal army!

After studying under that unfilial son for so many years, Zhu Youjian knew that some things are best not delegated to others! Building a personal army, for instance, is best done personally.

With personal troops in hand, one can dominate all directions, and only then is the emperor's authority secure! An emperor, after all, is ultimately whoever has the strongest soldiers and sturdiest horses.

If one cannot be strong in soldiers and horses, then it is only natural that those below will not obey, not pay taxes, and not work properly.

But no matter how personally one handles troop training, one still needs assistants — people well versed in military affairs to help devise plans.

Yang Gao was an old minister who could devise plans. And having been in prison so long, the military officers who once attached themselves to him have either switched allegiance or lost their power. So if Yang Gao is given a good end, he should be willing to help with ideas and solutions.

Of course, Zhu Youjian did not expect to train any elite troops relying on that old fellow Yang Gao — he did not have that ability. But Yang Gao certainly knew the factions and all the corrupt practices within the army, and he also knew how to placate those warlords and common soldiers — and that was crucial!

Reorganizing the military is a business that offends people! If it goes wrong and provokes a mutiny, that would be far too ugly. So an old fox was needed at one's side to give guidance.

Zhu Youxiao pondered for a while and also felt that Zhu Youjian's argument for Yang Gao's usefulness made sense.

He nodded and said: "A new emperor brings new ministers... Let Yang Gao stay in prison a few more days!"

Upon hearing this, tears dripped from Zhu Youjian's eyes again — he knew his brother had only ten days left to live! But he was not weeping over that. Rather, he had already trained himself in the true skill of crying whenever he wanted.

Seeing his younger brother weep so sorrowfully, Zhu Youxiao felt warmth in his heart... What a good younger brother!

"Are there any other usable ministers in the court?" Zhu Youxiao asked again.

"The officials of the court are mostly usable and serviceable." Zhu Youjian said between sobs. "They are all talents whom Imperial Brother valued, and they must have their uses. And the most usable among them is none other than the Depot Intendant Wei Zhongxian."

"Truly?" Zhu Youxiao looked at his brother. "Do you really think Zhongxian is usable?"

"Usable!" Zhu Youjian said. "Your younger brother has surveyed all the ministers in the court, and truly none surpasses Zhongxian."

Zhu Youjian really did think so!

In his view, Wei Zhongxian was the most precious inheritance his elder brother was leaving him... And one that dragged along dozens, even hundreds! The households of Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke alone contained a heap of "precious inheritance," and then there were the Ten Dogs, Ten Children, Forty Grandsons — every one of them a "fine inheritance"!

In his previous life he had not known to cherish it, and while confiscating, confiscating, the inheritance was gone — what a pity. This time he must use that unfilial son's methods and confiscate properly — at least a hundred million!

With a hundred million, plus the old fox Yang Gao, the good Imperial Brother-in-law Zheng Yiguan, and the good loyal subject Li Zicheng, what was there to fear about failing to train a new army and personal troops?

With a new army and personal troops, pacifying Liaodong within five years would be no problem! And there would be no need to send others — this enlightened sovereign would personally lead the campaign!

Zhu Youxiao frowned slightly and asked again: "Do you not think Zhongxian is overbearing and lawless?"

Zhu Youjian said: "If Xiong Tingbi and Master Sun could be put to great use, and the civil officials at court could actually handle affairs, why would we need the likes of Zhongxian to spur them on?"

Zhu Youxiao nodded heavily, deeply convinced.

"Zhongxian goes too far and does not know restraint — it truly puts one in a difficult position. But alas, the court has no officials who can get things done; even Xiong Tingbi and Master Sun lack the ability to set things right. If we do not use Zhongxian, who knows how badly state affairs would deteriorate!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and said: "Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, Confucian scholars have learned to adopt the manner of women — truly shameful! With nothing to do, they sit with folded hands and discuss mind and nature; when crisis comes, they die once to repay the sovereign — and that counts as the highest grade! So Imperial Brother should not expect too much of Confucian officials. That way they will not anger you into ruining your health."

What he said was the critique of old Confucianism — and at the same time a criticism of bureaucratism — made by Yan Yuan, a professor of the Imperial Academy in the final years of Hongxing, in his Collected Debates on Learning.

"Fifth Brother..." Zhu Youxiao looked at his teenage brother, truly feeling he could hardly recognize him.

This boy is not old — how is he already so wily and crafty?

He stared blankly for a while, then finally nodded: "Our younger brother shall be a Yao or a Shun... The restoration of our ancestors' realm is now within hope!"