Chapter 310: The Good Elder Brother of the Great Ming

In the main hall of the Nanjing Prefectural School, the thirty-odd ministers attending the small court session sat in orderly ranks below. Zhu Cilang's small court sessions not only began late but also lasted only a short time, and the high ministers all had seats. It was sitting to discuss governance, not kowtowing to answer questions. And speech was free too — anything could be said, and being wrong was no crime — being dismissed to go home and eat old rice was not punishment for words! If the Censorate then uncovered some corruption or bribery, that was still not punishment for speech.

The Ming Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, deeply supported by all the ministers, had a table and chair set up to the right of the Chongzhen Emperor, where he sat in grand fashion, looking at the ministers below, then glancing at his Imperial Father seated above.

Why does dear Imperial Father Chongzhen look so gloomy today? The New Year is almost here — can't he be a little happier?

"Imperial Father," Zhu Cilang sighed, and said to Chongzhen with some apology, "Today the Ministry of Works reported that the Xuanwu Lake detached palace for your retirement may not be completed on schedule. It seems you will not be able to step down early next year after paying respects at the Xiao Mausoleum."

Really?

The Chongzhen Emperor's originally bitter face suddenly lit up, and he cast a grateful look toward the Minister of Works, Lin Zengzhi — Lin Zengzhi was Zhu Cilang's lecturer and had long been a backbone of the Crown Prince faction. Who would have thought he still had a bit of loyalty left, using this method to delay the Crown Prince's usurpation.

Lin Zengzhi saw Chongzhen's gaze and quickly lowered his head. He had never wanted the Chongzhen Emperor to keep working a while longer!

These days, he had been working very hard to push forward two major projects: the construction of the Tianshou Palace on Taiping Isle in Xuanwu Lake (for Chongzhen's retirement) and the repair of the Xiao Mausoleum Guard — according to plan, these two major projects would be completed in the first month of the eighteenth year of Chongzhen.

By then the Chongzhen Emperor could go to the Xiao Mausoleum to beg forgiveness from the Exalted Founder Emperor, then proclaim to the world and announce his abdication. Chongzhen, who had toiled seventeen years for country and people, could finally get his wish and live an enviable retired life. Yet the Ming had those disloyal and unrighteous ministers who wanted to trap the Crown Prince Regent in unfiliality, not letting the Crown Prince take over as emperor, and not letting the Chongzhen Emperor abdicate — truly hateful!

"Imperial Father," Zhu Cilang said, turning slightly toward the Chongzhen Emperor, "your son has just received good news. The roving bandits have released Wang Cheng'en and the Prince of Yong. They reached Jingmen Subprefecture on the eighteenth day of the twelfth month, and in a few more days they will arrive at Wuchang."

"Is that so?" The Chongzhen Emperor was stirred for a good while. At last he would have a filial son by his side!

Zhu Cilang smiled. "However, Zuo Liangyu has submitted a memorial expressing the hope that the Prince of Yong can remain in Wuchang, to replace the Chu princely line in steadying the hearts of the people of Huguang."

"Remain in Wuchang?" The Chongzhen Emperor thought it over and found it good. Wuchang was not Datong — it lay in the upper reaches of the Yangtze! If Cizhao raised troops from Wuchang and swept downstream, it would be like splitting bamboo!

"But your son feels that if Fourth Brother remains in Wuchang, he will find it hard to accomplish anything," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "Better to have him command troops into Sichuan and take up the title Prince of Shu!"

What?

The Chongzhen Emperor stared at Zhu Cilang, his face turning livid. You unfilial wretch — harming Cijiong was not enough, now you will not even spare Cizhao. He is only twelve!

"Chun'er," the Chongzhen Emperor did not dare show anger, and could only force a smile, "Fourth Brother is still young. How could he defeat the Bandit Xian? Better to send a senior minister and a great general into Shu instead."

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Imperial Father misunderstands. How could your son make Fourth Brother clash head-on with the Bandit Xian?"

Is there anything you would not dare? The Chongzhen Emperor looked at his son, full of suspicion.

"Your son intends to have the Marquis of Wuchang escort Fourth Brother into Shu," Zhu Cilang continued. "If Chengdu and Chongqing can be recovered, then let Fourth Brother hold Chengdu, and let the Marquis of Wuchang be re-ennobled as Duke of Qing, permanently holding Chongqing.

In addition, your son also wishes to transfer Ma Shiying to be Governor-General of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, to go to Guizhou to recruit troops and buy horses, and counterattack Sichuan from the southern front."

"This..." The Chongzhen Emperor hesitated somewhat.

Zhu Cilang looked at Chongzhen and asked with a smile, "Imperial Father must be worried that the Marquis of Wuchang will not exert himself fully?"

Chongzhen nodded.

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Your son does have a way: have the Marquis of Wuchang marry his daughter to Fourth Brother. Once he becomes Fourth Brother's father-in-law, he will naturally assist with all his strength."

"The Marquis of Wuchang's daughter?" Chongzhen asked. "How old is she? Is she dignified and fair?"

The Minister of Revenue, Hou Xun, answered, "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Wuchang has an adopted daughter, named Mengmei, aged seventeen."

"Seventeen?" Chongzhen was taken aback. "But Fourth Brother is only twelve!"

"Only five years older," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "For the sake of the Ming realm, what is there to object to?"

"This..." The Chongzhen Emperor thought it over. His son the Prince of Yong marrying Zuo Liangyu's daughter would be a good thing for consolidating his own imperial throne! Five years older, so be it. Cizhao is a filial child; he will not mind.

"Very well." Chongzhen nodded.

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Imperial Father, for a matter of marriage there must be the parents' command and the matchmaker's word. Sir Hou and the Marquis of Wuchang are close friends, so he can serve as matchmaker. As for the parents' word, we must ask Imperial Father to write a letter to the Marquis of Wuchang."

Why does this sound like a trap? The Chongzhen Emperor frowned deeply.

"Imperial Father," Zhu Cilang said, once again wearing the look of a filial son and good elder brother, "even if the Marquis of Wuchang is unwilling to enter Shu, our family still needs his hundred thousand troops to hold Wuchang Prefecture and Jingzhou Prefecture. Otherwise, whether it is the Bandit Xian in Sichuan or the Roving Bandit in Xiangyang, once they sweep down the river, all of Jiangnan will be shaken!

Now that the northern expedition has suffered setbacks and the Tartars are about to come south, we must do everything we can to stabilize the north. The west can afford no further upheaval!"

Indeed! Chongzhen thought to himself: if the unfilial wretch leads the army north, and Fourth Brother and the Marquis of Wuchang come east...

"Good!" The Chongzhen Emperor slowly nodded, appearing very hesitant.

He had made progress now — he could disguise his own thoughts to deceive Zhu Cilang.

Seeing Chongzhen nod, Zhu Cilang was rather pleased with himself. The value of Zuo Mengmei was simply to split the Zuo faction after Zuo Liangyu's death — once the Zuo faction acclaimed Zhu Cizhao as their lord, then while Zhu Cizhao was too young to govern, Zuo Mengmei would act as regent. This Zuo Mengmei was no orphan Zuo Liangyu had picked up by the roadside; she had a birth father. His name was Qiu Lei, a close friend of Zuo Liangyu and also a Regional Commander in the Zuo faction.

"Then we must trouble Imperial Father," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "Imperial Father, your son also intends to take another consort soon. If it is convenient, Imperial Father might also issue a handwritten edict, to show solemnity."

The Chongzhen Emperor thought to himself: I knew you were lecherous beyond measure. You must have taken a fancy to some noble family's daughter!

Chongzhen asked, "Whose daughter is she?"

"She is the daughter of Zheng Zhilong, Regional Commander of Fujian," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "Zheng Zhilong will arrive in Nanjing within the next few days, and his daughter Chagu will come along as well. They will also deliver a batch of matchlocks and cannon to us.

In addition, Tang Ruowang has invited quite a few Western soldiers and craftsmen from Macao, and has also brought an envoy from Portugal — all of them are coming together with Zheng Zhilong."

So it is the daughter of that profiteer Zheng Zhilong! The Chongzhen Emperor's gaze swept across the hall and finally settled on Wu Xiang's face. Old Wu was expressionless, as if he did not care in the least that his own daughter was about to have a formidable rival.

"Very well!" The Chongzhen Emperor was of course delighted to see the Crown Prince faction split internally. "We shall write a handwritten edict to Zheng Zhilong at once."

"Old Father-in-Law, We shall have Sanfu go to Zhenjiang together with Zheng Sen to receive Zheng Zhilong."

After the court session came the private audience, with Zhu Cilang and Wu Xiang speaking alone.

Wu Xiang did not actually mind Zhu Cilang taking a concubine, but the Crown Prince taking Zheng Zhilong's daughter as a concubine was different.

This was not mere lechery — it was yet another political marriage! The Wu family's position in Zhu Cilang's faction had already declined somewhat. If a Zheng family that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Wu family now appeared, what would become of them in the future?

"This old subject receives the order." Though utterly unwilling at heart, Wu Xiang still answered with utmost deference.

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Old Father-in-Law, the Zheng girl is one We cannot avoid taking. But We have never regarded the Zheng family as a military house. They are merely merchants — giants among merchants, true, but still not the same as your family.

This time We are sending Sanfu nominally to welcome Zheng Zhilong, but in fact We want him to sound out the foreign general Shi Ruien whom Tang Ruowang has invited. It is said this foreign general is extremely formidable, thoroughly versed in the latest Western methods of land warfare, and he also knows fortification. If he truly has ability, Sanfu will have to learn from him in the future.

In addition, we must also let Zheng Zhilong and the Westerners see our matchlock troops and cavalry, so they do not look down on us!"

(End of Chapter)