Chapter 377: New Year

Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian and others, though noble in status, were barred by their gender from entering the rear palaces beyond Qianqing Palace—their female relatives could visit the inner court, but they themselves had no such qualification. Zhou Kui and his ilk, however, could come and go freely with permission.

This was the difference between hereditary nobles and imperial in-laws.

No matter how distinguished, hereditary nobles were still outsiders, while imperial in-laws were relatives, bound by blood to the noble ladies within the palace. In an age that prized kinship, they were practically half-members of the imperial house.

"Hehehehe, how has my sister been lately? You must find good tutors for my nephews—I have plans for them in the future. And you, Xue Qing and the rest, must also remember: do not slacken in the discipline of your children at home. If any show promise, whether in letters or arms, they may well find a bright future!"

In Zhaoren Hall, after the ruler and his ministers exchanged greetings and took their seats, Zhu Youjian spoke with a smile.

The noble scions of the Ming were numerous, but thanks to their privileged circumstances, the vast majority grew into useless wastrels, squandering their ancestors' fine bloodlines.

Some might say it was because the court restricted the nobles, forbidding their sons from taking office, that this group sank into a life of dissipation.

In truth, no Ming emperor had ever imposed explicit restrictions on noble sons entering officialdom.

The so-called prohibition was the creation of the civil official faction, who feared the emergence of great houses wielding both military power and court influence—an uncontrollable force that might threaten imperial authority and the civil officials' own interests. Thus the situation gradually arose: known to all, spoken of by none.

In reality, even if the civil officials hadn't schemed to restrict the noble houses, those second-generation heirs born with golden spoons had no intention of studying for official posts anyway.

There was simply no need.

Given the Ming's generous treatment of its nobles and their inherent privileges, which noble house did not possess fortunes in the tens of millions and live in extravagant luxury?

Even a concubine's son or a maidservant's child could live out a life free from want.

Moreover, noble houses all rose from the ranks of the military; their children's education was largely hands-off, lacking any systematic family instruction. This too contributed to the near-total absence of talent ever emerging from the Ming's noble class.

Zhu Youjian wanted to try changing this state of affairs.

In his plan, so long as one had talent, regardless of birth or station, one deserved a platform to display one's abilities. Cast the net wide, and perhaps a great fish would be caught.

"To answer Your Majesty, your servant has never relaxed in the education of his children. Even if they fail to achieve greatness, they shall never bring shame upon the imperial house! Thanks to Your Majesty sending skilled physicians, Le'an's health remains excellent! A few days ago Le'an showed signs of chest tightness and nausea; upon examination, the physician found she is with child. Next year Your Majesty may well have to part with another gift of New Year's money! Hehehehe!"

In recent years, Gong Yonggu had risen from an overlooked, minor Imperial Son-in-law to Grand Patriarch of the Imperial Clan Court; his household steward had become chief manager of the imperial trading company; and the Emperor's favor toward him was known to all. In high spirits, the usually refined and magnanimous man rare made a jest.

"Good, good, good—happy news, happy news! Hehehehe! These days have brought joy upon joy! Imperial Son-in-law, today you must not leave until you're thoroughly drunk! I shall inform Le'an myself! Come next New Year's Eve, I will personally place the New Year's money into my nephews' hands, lest you skim some off to keep as private savings! Hahahaha!"

Zhu Youjian, already in good cheer, felt even more delighted after hearing Gong Yonggu's words—so much so that he burst into rare, unrestrained laughter.

"We report to Your Majesty: we your servants well understand Your Majesty's intentions. We have been strict in disciplining our household children, and will never permit a single wastrel to emerge from our houses! Your Majesty's concern for us touches our hearts deeply; we only regret that we have no way to repay it!"

After Zhu Youjian's laughter subsided, Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian rose first, bowing with clasped hands toward Zhu Youjian. Xinle Marquis Liu Wenbing, Xuancheng Earl Wei Shichun, and Gong Yonggu also rose together to pay their respects.

"Gentlemen, please sit, please sit. Today is a small New Year gathering, a family feast—none of you are outsiders, so do not stand on ceremony. The festival is nearly upon us, and with nothing pressing at hand, you must drink freely and to your hearts' content!"

On the twentieth day of the first month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, the nearly month-long New Year holiday finally came to an end. Every office in the capital set off firecrackers to mark the reopening of business, and all officials resumed their regular duties. The new year officially began amid a scene of lively celebration.

At the hour of Chen, the square before Huangji Hall in the Forbidden City was packed with people. Officials of every rank, gathered to attend the first great court assembly of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, clustered in small groups, conversing in hushed tones on various topics, each nursing his own thoughts.

The Grand Secretariat members, high officials of the third rank and above, and nobles such as the Yangwu Marquis stood in two ranks—civil on the left, military on the right—at the front positions below the hall's steps. Each wore a solemn, dignified expression; none whispered to another.

A burst of orderly footsteps suddenly sounded. One hundred and twenty Embroidered Uniform Guard grand generals, similar in height and build and clad in gleaming armor, marched out in columns from both sides of the great hall, bearing various ceremonial instruments. They lined up along the platform before the hall, extending down to a few paces before the Grand Secretariat members, where each stood at attention, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Immediately after, a eunuch of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses appeared on the scene. He swung his long silencing whip in a sharp arc through the air—"Crack!"—and the clamor of the square fell abruptly silent.

"All officials, compose yourselves and enter the court for audience!"

A young eunuch walked to the foot of the steps and called out in a shrill voice to the assembled officials below.

As the call faded, the officials on the square tidied their appearance slightly and, led by Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren and Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian, began ascending the steps in measured pace.

Only after all officials of the fourth rank and above had entered the spacious, brightly lit Huangji Hall did the mid- and lower-ranking officials on the square still queue up awaiting their turn to climb the steps.

"His Majesty arrives!"

Once the high officials inside the hall had taken their positions, at Wang Cheng'en's loud announcement, Zhu Youjian, robed in full ceremonial vestments, emerged from behind the hall, strode up the imperial dais in large steps, turned, and seated himself upon the dragon throne.

As the drums and music of the Music Bureau sounded in unison, officials within and without the hall knelt as one, crying "Long live the Emperor!" and performing the grand ritual of three prostrations and nine kowtows.

"Ministers, present any matters for discussion; if none, the court is adjourned!"

At Wang Cheng'en's call, the hall fell utterly silent; no one stepped forward to present a matter.

This too was an established convention: the great court assembly was but a solemn ceremonial occasion, meant to display the Emperor's majesty and the court's dignity—not a place for deliberating affairs of state.

The Ming's great court assembly system had been revised repeatedly according to each emperor's temperament. When Zhu Youjian had crossed over, the realm was beset by troubles within and without, so such grand gatherings had never been held.

Only today, with the situation fully stabilized, did Zhu Youjian, at the urging of Wen Tiren and others, hold this great court assembly.

"Court adjourned!"

"We respectfully see off His Majesty!"

At Wang Cheng'en's cry and the officials' acclamation, Zhu Youjian rose, descended the imperial dais, and returned to the rear hall.

The civil and military officials bowed and watched the Emperor depart, then turned and filed out of Huangji Hall one after another.

And so the grand assembly came to an end. The mid- and lower-ranking officials who had not been permitted inside the hall had not even caught a glimpse of the Emperor's face, but could only follow the crowd out of the palace.

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren, along with the four newly appointed Grand Secretaries—Sun Chuanting, Chen Qiyu, Hou Xun, and Fan Jingwen—the Censorate's acting Right Censor-in-Chief Shi Bangyao, Minister of War Yang Sichang with his two Vice Ministers, and the Court of Agriculture's Left and Right Junior Directors and other key ministry heads were ordered to remain.

By imperial decree, the assembled ministers gathered in Zhaoren Hall of Qianqing Palace to begin the first state council of the new year.

"We report to Your Majesty: throughout the entire tenth year of Chongzhen, the situation in all aspects of our great Ming has changed considerably for the better compared to before. Both the resettlement of disaster victims in the northern provinces and the remittance of taxes from Jiangnan have shown marked improvement. The Taicang treasury received silver, goods, and materials totaling approximately four million taels last year. And because the settlement of refugees reclaiming wasteland has begun to show results, the amount of relief funds and grain allocated to disaster-stricken provinces, prefectures, and counties has decreased greatly. Now the local governments in the north are fully engaged in digging wells, building canals, and undertaking water conservancy projects, so that the court's policies may benefit more of the common people. The Censorate and the imperial guards have also dispatched large numbers of personnel to all localities to conduct strict investigations into corruption and dereliction of duty. With so many measures pursued simultaneously, barring a large-scale natural disaster, it is expected that this year should prove even better than the last in all respects! Your servant believes this is entirely due to Your Majesty's brilliance, martial prowess, wisdom, and decisiveness. If this continues, a golden age for the great Ming will reappear before long! Your servant congratulates Your Majesty! Congratulates the great Ming!"

As the senior ministers rose one after another to offer their congratulations with loud acclaim, Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren concluded his brief summary of the past year and his outlook for the new one. The atmosphere in Zhaoren Hall grew solemn.