Chapter 309: Transplanted to the Immortal Palace, Fish Leap in the Western Pool

In the seventh year of Wanli, the first day of the twelfth lunar month, Bingshen.

Today's morning court still convened in the Wenhua Hall.

All civil and military ministers on the left and right, along with the ceremonial officers and eunuchs, had taken their places.

Only the imperial throne remained empty.

"Four days already—how much longer will His Majesty stay in the military camp?" Vice Censor-in-Chief Chen Wude glanced at the vacant throne, then turned to Shen Shixing for an explanation.

On that day, Liu Shiyan plotted rebellion; the Emperor immediately beheaded him publicly and then proceeded to enact a series of reforms on his own authority.

Such conduct, bypassing proper procedure, could not stand—immediately, ministers drafted memorials and waited outside the Wu Gate to demand an accounting.

But by nightfall, the Emperor still had not returned to the palace.

Only then did they learn: the Emperor had spent the night in the military camp!

His four-day stay, while sparing him the trouble of direct autocracy, left both palace and court in anxious suspense.

Chen Wude now asked this question at every morning court, turning it into an obligatory ritual before proceedings began.

Shen Shixing had grown accustomed to being squeezed from both sides; at this, he reflexively turned his head away.

Pretending not to hear, he cleared his throat: "The memorials and petitions on the Grand Secretariat's desks have piled up like mountains—let us begin the deliberations."

What could he do when the Emperor skipped court for days? Go to the camp and drag him back by the ears?

The Emperor himself claimed he was inspecting the camps, auditing the treasuries, and reviewing military officers—all legitimate duties.

With Liu Shiyan's fate before them, who could dare obstruct the Emperor's efforts to nip problems in the bud?

If so, let us turn to the matter at hand.

Chen Wude watched Shen Shixing grow ever more evasive, and felt only helplessness.

But since they were now addressing real business, he dropped the Jiuchan and reluctantly picked up Shen's thread: "Then let us first discuss how to handle the Liu Shiyan case."

"Should the lineage of the Marquis of Chengyi be extinguished with the ringleader alone, or should the entire clan be executed?"

"To what extent should accomplices be implicated?"

"Someone must establish clear guidelines—Censorate detention cells are nearly full."

As he spoke, Chen Wude subtly nodded toward Censor-in-Chief Wen Chun.

Today, the Emperor's authority far surpassed past eras—even seizing control of the Ministry of War stirred barely a ripple, a clear sign.

Naturally, officials scrambled to guess His Majesty's intentions.

Junior officials pulled every string, dragging in hundreds within days.

This alarmed Chen Wude greatly.

If no boundaries were drawn now, a massive case could engulf ten thousand people.

Wen Chun knew Chen was signaling him; he paid it no mind, responding with calm nod.

The court ministers showed no interest whatsoever and made no move to speak.

The Marquis of Chengyi was an honored noble granted by Emperor Taizu, hereditary and endowed with a pardon for death—even now, for rebellion, this was not for court ministers to decide.

For civil officials like Shi Mao, they might offer a few words of support; but for nobles? Forget it—whether execute the ringleader or annihilate the clan, it made no difference.

Especially with the Emperor's stance ambiguous, no one wished to join this frenzy—what if they spoke wrongly?

Seeing the ministers' indifference, Chen Wude turned to the imperial dais: "Zhang Dang, what has His Majesty decreed on this matter?"

Though the Emperor hid himself in the camp, he still tightly controlled court affairs.

Indeed, his ambiguous stance on the Liu Shiyan case was likely deliberate—to allow the web of accusations to spread and purge lingering poison.

Zhang Hong, who had been staring at his nose, finally lifted his eyelids slightly as Chen named him.

Seeing all eyes upon him, Zhang Hong bowed toward the north: "Vice Censor-in-Chief Chen, your question is redundant. Since the Liu Shiyan case broke, His Majesty has always instructed the judicial offices to adjudicate fairly, according solely to the Great Ming Code—no other directives."

The ministers' expressions turned strange—how could the Emperor say this after personally executing Liu Shiyan?

Chen Wude did not hesitate; he immediately turned to Wen Chun: "Chief Censor, since His Majesty says this, shall we follow the precedent of Marquis Zhao Wu or that of Marquis Qian Guo?"

Marquis Zhao Wu, Cao Qin, led troops to attack the imperial palace; after failure, his entire household was exterminated, not a soul spared. Marquis Qian Guo, Mu Chaobi, forged fire tokens and colluded with foreign powers to bring troops across the border—only the ringleader was executed.

Two extremes—Chen Wude left the decision to Wen Chun, the chief official.

After all, the method of punishment mattered little to Chen; what mattered was settling the matter quickly, to prevent prolonged entanglements from destabilizing court order.

Wen Chun needed no thought—he answered instinctively: "We must follow the precedent of Marquis Zhao Wu!"

Hundreds have already been arrested—now to say only the ringleader dies? Would you simply release these people? Where would the Censorate save face? What of the performance records of your colleagues?

Shen Shixing, seeing Wen Chun take the lead, immediately nodded in agreement: "Entire household to be executed!"

With the Chief Censor and Grand Secretariat speaking, others began to speak one after another.

"Nine clans or three?"

"Irrelevant details are not worth discussing—three clans, naturally."

"Then execute three clans."

"How to treat children, distant relatives, and household servants?"

"The Holy Son of Heaven possesses heavenly virtue—he governs with benevolence and leniency. If truly innocent, let them off."

"Those who received favors from Liu Shiyan are not innocent—they must be exiled."

"Naturally—exile them to Hainan."

"Should the Marquis of Chengyi's title be inherited?"

"That is for His Majesty to decide. If needed, choose a distant relative beyond the fifth degree of kinship to continue the line—this preserves Emperor Taizu's promise."

In a few words, each revealed their stance.

Shen Shixing quickly opened Chen Wude's memorial and drafted the recommendation: "Execute three clans."

At that moment, Zhang Hong on the dais suddenly spoke, addressing Zhu Heng out of nowhere: "Grand Minister of Works, have the ocean-going ships been completed?"

All ministers froze.

Zhu Heng met Zhang Hong's gaze with suspicion, unsure what the eunuch meant.

After a moment's thought, he replied: "Zhang Dang, the shipyard reported completion this month, but the Ministry of Public Works has yet to inspect."

Zhang Hong pressed on: "When will they sail? Has the route been decided?"

Zhu Heng paused, then answered: "We plan several coastal trials after spring begins; if no errors, we will sail between spring and summer. The exact route remains undetermined."

Zhang Hong slowly nodded and said no more.

Shen Shixing remained expressionless: "Zhang Dang, does His Majesty have instructions?"

All eyes turned to Zhang Hong.

Zhang Hong smiled slightly and explained to the ministers: "Shi Mao, Liu Shiyan, and others have long received imperial grace, yet dared rebel—this has deeply wounded His Majesty. He often tells me: anything connected to them fills him with revulsion."

"If the Marquis of Chengyi's title is inherited, His Majesty will inevitably be reminded of them."

"Therefore…"

"I venture to interpret His Majesty's will: if the Marquis of Chengyi's lineage is to continue, let them escort these exiled convicts aboard the Ministry of Public Works' trial voyage, to settle in Rosas. This preserves Emperor Taizu's promise and spares His Majesty the sight and sorrow."

He never claimed this was the Emperor's direct order—only that he interpreted His Majesty's will.

The ministers were stunned.

Shen Shixing and Wang Zongyi exchanged glances—they had never heard of such a place.

Zhu Heng, familiar with maritime affairs, recalled after a moment and confirmed: "Does His Majesty intend to exile them to a remote island?"

A remote island?

All frowned.

Seeing Zhu Heng refuse to explain, Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi bluntly asked: "My knowledge is shallow—I've never heard of this place. Where exactly do you mean?"

Zhu Heng was about to answer when Yin Zhengmao, hearing Wang's question, cleared his throat and cut in.

Glancing sideways at Wang, he feigned explanation to all: "The Yuan-era traveler Wang Dayuan wrote 'A Brief Account of the Barbarian Isles,' which records Rosas."

"It lies at the southernmost edge of the four seas, over ten thousand li from Quanzhou—a tiny land, teeming with savages, overgrown with wilderness—a true remote island."

He gave Wang a slight nod.

Having governed the southeast for years, he knew maritime matters better than anyone.

Zhang Hong nodded: "Wang Dayuan called it Rosas; Quanzhou merchants called it the Land of Death; missionaries call it Australia—all the same place."

The ministers tightened their brows.

Shen Shixing asked Yin Zhengmao curiously: "Savages everywhere? Wilderness everywhere?"

His expression nearly asked: Do these savages eat people?

Of course, the real concern was confirming this distant land was not fertile ground where exiled remnants might gather strength and launch a counterattack.

Yin Zhengmao nodded: "These savages have male and female forms unlike ours; they weave no cloth, wear no garments, cover themselves with bird feathers, eat without fire, and live only on raw flesh and blood."

"As for the wilderness… they say the land is surrounded by water, swamps everywhere—even in July, snow falls for a hundred days straight!"

What kind of barbaric wasteland was this?

The ministers all showed clear distaste.

Seeing no objections from his colleagues, Shen Shixing waved his hand: "Then submit this proposal."

He handed the memorial with the draft recommendation to the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Zhang Hong bowed to Shen Shixing, then lowered his head once more.

Shen Shixing did not respond, but immediately moved to the next item: "Recent resignations of southern frontier officials and the Liu Shiyan conspiracy have left many vacancies. The Minister of Personnel…"

Before he finished, Wang Xijue cut in: "I was just about to mention this—the junior officials have proposed candidates; the post of Minister of War still requires our collective nomination."

The post of Minister of War typically involved the Ministry of Personnel proposing names, the court selecting three, and the Emperor choosing one.

Shen Shixing nodded: "Present the names. Let us deliberate together."

Wang Xijue pulled a memorial from his sleeve, handed it to a Secretariat Clerk, and explained: "Per His Majesty's earlier directive in court, the Minister of War must have at least five years' experience governing a region."

"In addition to background, military merit, annual evaluations, and reputation, the Ministry of Personnel nominated eleven candidates: Viceroy Yin Zhengmao of Guangdong and Guangxi, Provincial Governor Zhang Xueyan of Liaodong, Provincial Governor Li Zaiting of Fujian..."

He named several more, all veteran viceroys and provincial governors who had governed their regions for years.

Even ministers unaware that the Emperor had already decided internally were perfectly clear, repeatedly glancing at Yin Zhengmao.

Now that the Emperor had seized authority from the Ministry of War, he waited eagerly for all sides to cooperate so his title of Regional Commander of All Troops could be settled.

Thus, the Minister of War was now critically important, leaving little room for these ministers to interfere.

As gazes settled upon him, Yin Zhengmao silently returned to his place in the line, lowering his head to avoid suspicion.

After Wang Xijue finished naming the nine candidates, he added: "If any colleagues have other nominations, please submit them separately."

Without waiting for anyone to speak, Shen Shixing immediately raised his hand: "Let the court proceed with the nomination."

Meanwhile, in the Daben Hall, voices chanted clearly.

"At first, Duke Wu of Zheng married a woman from Shen, named... Wu Jiang, who bore Duke Zhuang and Gongshu Duan. Duke Zhuang was born feet-first... feet-first... feet-first—oh! —startling Lady Jiang, so she named him Wusheng, and thus hated him. She loved Gongshu Duan and wished to make him heir. She urgently... urgently petitioned Duke Wu, but he refused..."

Zhu Yiliu mumbled haltingly, forgetting lines, struggling to recite.

"Is this not what it means?"

After fifteen minutes, he finally managed to recite it through.

He raised his head, beaming at Dong Yue: "Master, I've recited it!"

Dong Yue pursed his lips, his expression unreadable: "Your Highness, beware of arrogance and impatience. Do not become complacent."

"When His Majesty was your age—twelve—he had already read all Four Books and begun studying the Classics."

Zhu Yiliu let out an "Oh," and his face immediately drooped.

It seemed... no matter how well he did, he never received praise from these masters.

Dong Yue ignored him, continuing today's lesson: "Your Highness, why does the text say 'defeated' in 'Duke Zheng Defeated His Brother Duan at Yan'?"

Zhu Yiliu strained to recall the master's earlier interpretation. After a long pause, he gathered his words: "Your servant humbly replies: human desire is ever-expanding. Because Duke Zhuang repeatedly granted Duan's excessive demands, Duan's ambition grew until he committed the crime of treason."

"This is the subtle, profound meaning of the Sage—hence the word 'defeated.'"

Though the Prince of Lu did not fully understand the text after four days of study, he had memorized these interpretations thoroughly.

Dong Yue remained stern, asking seriously: "To prevent the tragic conflict between Duke Zheng and Duan, what should Duke Zhuang have done?"

Zhu Yiliu thought, then answered cautiously: "If... if Duke Zhuang had clearly defined the ruler-subject relationship early on, he could have avoided this?"

Dong Yue's face broke into a rare smile, pressing further: "And what of Duan, as a younger brother? Could he have prevented the tragedy?"

Prompted, Zhu Yiliu's thoughts grew clearer: "Master, if Duan had possessed self-awareness, not indulged in arrogance because of his mother's favoritism, followed ritual propriety, honored his elder brother, and obeyed his sovereign, this tragedy would never have occurred."

Dong Yue's smile did not fade; he seized his student's hand.

In Zhu Yiliu's bewildered gaze, Dong Yue spoke earnestly: "Given this, Your Highness, you have been crowned for over two years and are now twelve."

"You are long past the age of drinking the Empress Dowager's milk—why refuse to leave the palace and take up your princely residence? Why insist on lingering here!?"

This work is compiled and uploaded by...

The master's sudden anger made Zhu Yiliu shudder.

His face filled with fear: "Master..."

Dong Yue fell silent for a moment, then patted the Prince of Lu's back: "Your Highness enjoys the favor of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty—that is fortune. But matters of the imperial family are beyond my right to comment."

"Yet imperial affairs are also affairs of the realm. The people may not tolerate the Emperor and Your Highness indulging in private affection."

"Your Highness's life is now in immediate danger—how could I turn a blind eye?"

Zhu Yiliu seemed to understand his master's meaning; tears welled up.

Voice trembling with grievance: "Master, it is not that I linger in the palace—it is because the palace is lonely, and Mother is alone. His Majesty permitted her wish that I stay to keep her company!"

Dong Yue turned his face aside, mechanically patting the Prince's back: "Just now you said: human desire is ever-expanding."

True, there are causes—but everyone's lives depend on the Emperor. How can such matters be left to his whims?

Zhu Yiliu froze, finally understanding why his lesson had suddenly switched from the Analects to this obscure text, "Duke Zheng Defeated His Brother Duan at Yan."

He opened his mouth to speak.

Dong Yue cut him off coldly: "Your Highness, several days ago, Liu Shiyan plotted treason and openly shouted in broad daylight: 'Kill the tyrant, install the Prince of Lu!'"

Zhu Yiliu gasped in horror: "It wasn't me!"

Dong Yue sighed softly: "I know it wasn't you. That is precisely why I must teach you today: in life, one is often powerless."

"The Emperor's affection is not something you may enjoy."

"At today's court session, Minister Wang Xijue accused you of plotting treason, claiming your crime merits death!"

"If you do not leave the palace and take up your residence, your life may not be safe!"

Zhu Yiliu, caught off guard, fell silent.

Dong Yue stared at him steadily.

The two remained wordless.

After a long while, Zhu Yiliu clenched his teeth and wiped the tears from his face.

He bowed respectfully to Dong Yue: "Master's lesson is understood. I shall go to the Western Garden and beg the Empress Dowager's permission to leave the palace and take up my residence."

Dong Yue helped him up, watching silently as his student stumbled away.

He stared at the direction Zhu Yiliu had gone for a moment, then lowered his head to gather his papers, brushes, and books.

Moments later, Dong Yue exited the Daben Hall.

After turning several corners, he arrived beneath an eave, where two figures already stood.

Dong Yue paused, then approached them: "Grand Secretary Shen, Grand Minister of Personnel, I have delivered the message to the Empress Dowager."

Shen Shixing patted Dong Yue's shoulder and turned to leave.

Wang Xijue, hands clasped behind his back, spoke kindly to Dong Yue: "You've worked hard."

Dong Yue shook his head, saying nothing.

Wang Xijue gazed up at the distant palace, speaking slowly: "I must still reprimand some others. Will you accompany me to listen?"

Dong Yue hesitated, then bowed deeply: "It is my deepest wish—I dare not presume."

Wang Xijue said nothing more, swept his sleeve, and turned away.

"Just now, when you said 'some others,' who did you mean...?"

"Hmm, probably those His Majesty cannot personally scold: Grand Master Li, Alliance Master Wang, several imperial fathers-in-law, the Princess Dowager... oh, yes, remind me when Zhang Juzheng returns to court."

"Your servant will remember."

"Several counties in the capital region are in disarray—would you like to pick one to test yourself?"

"I shall not disgrace..."

Their voices faded into the distance.

Near noon, the morning drills of the Capital Garrison ended.

Nearly ten thousand troops gathered on the drill field, under the command of mid-level officers, limped away in scattered groups.

After barking orders, several generals quickly pushed past the Emperor's sparring partners and crowded near the throne.

Eunuchs, practiced and swift, brought clothes and warm towels.

Zhu Yijun took the towel, wiped sweat from his neck and forehead, and grinned at Qi Jiguang: "From now on, the Capital Garrison will train at the same intensity as the Qi Army!"

A Assistant Regional Commander opened his mouth but held back.

The Emperor had trained with them these past days—surely they had shared hardship. His demand for increased training sounded naturally bold.

But the problem was: the Emperor would leave after this burst of enthusiasm!

Qi Jiguang, of course, seized this chance with the Emperor's personal endorsement: "Your servant obeys!"

Zhu Yijun changed clothes, walking toward the gate of the drill field, and said: "Inform all units: the New Year's Day parade bonuses will be distributed early. I will personally hand them out tomorrow—have each unit come to the drill field to collect."

This was not Qi Jiguang's responsibility as Viceroy. Jia Sanjin, the Military Affairs Censor, stepped close to the Emperor and hesitated: "Your Majesty, should we notify the Ministry of War?"

Zhu Yijun glanced at Jia Sanjin in surprise: "Of course. How could we distribute pay without informing the Ministry of War?"

Jia Sanjin fell silent, crestfallen.

Seeing his expression, Zhu Yijun sighed and explained patiently: "Jia Qing, do not keep testing me. I have no intention of dismantling the Ministry of War."

"Let me reiterate: the ministries will continue managing civil affairs and coordinating national defense. I will not touch this authority."

Jia Sanjin listened, head bowed.

He had tested the Emperor several times and received the same reply—now he believed him, at least partly.

Jia Sanjin murmured: "Your servant will inform the units about the parade bonuses."

Zhu Yijun waved his hand helplessly.

Then he remembered something and turned to Wang Chonggu.

Wang Chonggu's face, weathered by decades of military service, remained expressionless; his stride carried unshaken authority.

Zhu Yijun, gentle and calm, added: "Grand Secretary Wang, I will not exclude civil officials from the Five Military Directorates' authority to command all armies, domestic and foreign."

"After the New Year's Day parade, you will step down from the Grand Secretariat and join the Five Military Directorates to manage military affairs for me."

Wang Chonggu's face finally showed a flicker of surprise.

The Emperor's actions had shifted command and decision-making authority from the Ministry of War to the Five Military Directorates—or rather, into his own hands.

In other words, the Ministry of War could now only manage daily tactics; strategic matters no longer belonged to the ministries.

For Wang Chonggu, whose influence was rooted in the ministries, this was like being cast aside after the Emperor had sucked the sweetness from a sugarcane.

When the Emperor had publicly forced him to declare his stance, Wang Chonggu had prepared for this—but now the situation had turned unexpectedly, and the Emperor...

Looking at the Emperor's sincere expression, Wang Chonggu was momentarily speechless. At this moment, the Emperor had no reason to deceive him.

Zhu Yijun saw him silent and assumed he didn't believe it, so he reassured him again: "As for Shi Mao's matter, since Wang Qing has made his choice, I will not betray you."

The Emperor spoke with sincere earnestness; Wang Chonggu finally bowed in response, his tone still devoid of clear emotion: "I await Your Majesty's orders."

Zhu Yijun reached out and helped him rise, saying nothing more.

"Let's eat first, then test the newly made firearms this afternoon."

He spoke of official matters as naturally as if it were ordinary conversation.

Qi Jiguang, hearing this, grew curious: "Newly made firearms?"

Zhu Yijun nodded: "All current arquebuses rely on matchlocks, which are severely limited in rain. Several years ago, I ordered the Inner Court to explore alternatives."

"We've produced several prototypes. Let's go see them this afternoon and discuss how to improve them."

Qi Jiguang felt his curiosity burning inside him and couldn't help pressing further: "Without a matchlock? How else?"

Zhu Yijun walked as he spoke: "The most stable attempt so far is flint ignition, though it has its own drawbacks."

Qi Jiguang was about to ask more.

At that moment, Xu Wenbi suddenly requested an audience.

As the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard sought an audience, all those accompanying them were sensible enough not to linger and eavesdrop.

Qi Jiguang had no choice but to join the others and discreetly withdraw.

"Wang GeLao, you may listen as well."

The Emperor's voice called out to Wang Chonggu, who was just turning away.

Wang Chonggu silently walked back.

Xu Wenbi paused meaningfully before speaking: "Your Majesty, we've uncovered some leads regarding the White Lotus Sect..."

He cast a wide, pointed glance at Wang Chonggu, making the latter's expression turn suspicious.

Zhu Yijun interrupted Xu Wenbi: "The White Lotus Sect is no threat. I've already assigned Chen Dong to handle it. Continue."

Xu Wenbi quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

He withdrew his gaze and continued: "There is another matter."

"A letter arrived from beyond the frontier: two days ago, Shi Mao appeared at the camp of the Shunyi Prince, who received him as an honored guest."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chonggu opened his mouth in shock.

Zhu Yijun's eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured: "Altan Khan is growing restless too."

The Tumens of the Mongol Left Wing clearly exerted a significant influence on the Right Wing as well.

Xu Wenbi ventured cautiously: "Your Majesty, should we attempt to secretly bring Shi Mao back?"

"Bring" was a euphemism—this meant stealing a man.

After all, Altan Khan had submitted for years; no war had broken out between us, and the court had no reason to provoke him.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and looked at Wang Chonggu: "Wang Qing, what do you think?"

Wang Chonggu pondered a moment, then replied solemnly: "Your Majesty, no matter how corrupt the Shunyi Prince may be, he remains a subject of our realm. The court should send a formal letter of reprimand, urging him to return to the right path and surrender the fugitive."

Zhu Yijun nodded with approval: "Excellent—open and upright."

He gestured for all those present to return.

Zhu Yijun looked at the Secretary Wang Yingxuan and gave a solemn order: "Go, write to the Shunyi Prince. Tell him that on the first day of the New Year, I shall inspect the Capital Troops, and invite him and his consort to attend the ceremony in the capital."

Wang Yingxuan blinked, clearly surprised, but still bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty," then turned to leave.

"Wait."

Wang Yingxuan immediately halted and turned back to face the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun paused, then said: "I misspoke just now. Don't send a letter—issue an imperial edict instead."

(End of Chapter)