Chapter 94: Impeachment

Hongwu Year Four, early June, fourth day.

At daybreak, Zhu Yong rose, dressed neatly, and prepared to enter the palace.

Guanyin Nu helped him adjust his robes, whispering, "Prince, if there are verbal conflicts on the court, do not get angry; everything is covered by Imperial Father and elder brother."

"I know, rest assured, I won't engage with those sour scholars," Zhu Yong said with a simple grin.

Yesterday he met Zhu Yuanzhang, and then learned of those Memorandums impeaching him.

At the start of the Chen Hour, Zhu Yong rode his horse to outside Wu Men.

Today is not a grand court session, but Fengtian Hall already gathered many officials.

Zhu Yong entered the hall; the military generals clasped fists and saluted, while the civil officials showed varied expressions—some nodded slightly, others turned their faces away.

Zhu Biao stood at the front of the civil officials' line; seeing Zhu Yong enter, he gave him a signal.

Zhu Yong understood, walked to the front of the generals' line and stood.

Soon, Zhu Yuanzhang emerged from the rear hall and ascended the throne.

"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!"

"Stand down." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

When the hundred officials rose, the morning court began.

First came the regular reports; the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of War, and Ministry of Works reported in turn, everything as usual.

After roughly the time an incense stick burns, all matters to be discussed were finished.

At this moment, Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Guangyang stepped forward and said, "His Majesty, I have a Memorandum."

"Speak." Zhu Yuanzhang lifted his eyes to look at him.

Wang Guangyang clasped his hands and said, "His Majesty, I have recently heard that Prince Wu presented a item to the Empress a few days ago, which was a Blueprint of a loom. The Empress ordered the Directorate of Construction to produce it according to the diagram, and it has already been trialed in the palace."

The hall fell silent.

Zhu Biao slightly frowned, while Zhu Yong's expression remained unchanged.

"It is indeed the case. So, does Censor Wang have objections?" Zhu Yuanzhang said lightly.

"I dare not, but Prince Wu, as a royal prince and a barrier of the state, should prioritize self‑cultivation and governance. Though the loom Blueprint is a trivial item, the prince associating with craftsmen, personally drawing and forging it, may compromise the dignity of a prince."

Wang Guangyang hurriedly added.

When his words fell, several civil officials stepped forward to echo him.

Minister of Rites Tao Kai said, "Censor Wang's words are indeed correct; Prince Wu is exceptionally brave, with brilliant war achievements, which is the prince's strength.

However, this matter of craftsmen is done by subordinates; the prince's personal involvement is indeed improper."

Assistant Minister of Justice Lv Ben also said, "If the prince reads more of the sages' books, understands the classics, knows rites and law, he will be a model for the imperial family. Such strange and frivolous techniques ultimately cannot enter the refined halls."

For a moment, seven or eight civil officials offered their opinions, all saying essentially the same: Prince Wu should not meddle with these craftsmen's gadgets.

In the generals' line, Chang Yuchun's face turned green with anger, and Xu Da furrowed his brows.

Lan Yu could no longer hold back, muttering, "Fart... being able to make good things is skill!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, saying nothing.

When the civil officials had mostly spoken, he finally said, "Prince, what do you think?"

Zhu Biao stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Imperial Father, I, your son, think the statements of the gentlemen are somewhat biased."

He turned to face the ministers, his voice gentle yet clear, and said, "My second brother presented the Spinning Wheel Blueprint; after the Empress ordered its manufacture, I personally saw it."

The New Spinning Wheel is more than three times as efficient as the old type; if spread among the people, they can weave cloth faster and keep warm more easily. This is a measure that benefits the state and the people—how can there be talk of losing dignity?"

Wang Guangyang hurriedly said, "Prince, benefiting the people is indeed good, but this matter could be handled by the Ministry of Works; Prince Wu, as a royal prince, personally drawing the diagram is really…"

"What exactly is 'really'? Are you saying my second brother shouldn't care about the people's cold and warmth? Or that a prince must stay aloof, not partake in mortal affairs, and that if the Ministry of Works can draw it, my second brother need not intervene?"

Zhu Biao cut him off, still smiling, but his eyes had turned cold.

"I… I have no such intention!" Wang Guangyang's forehead broke into sweat.

Zhu Biao no longer looked at him, surveyed the ministers in the hall, and slowly said, "Gentlemen, well‑versed in poetry and books, you naturally understand how hard life is for the people."

"Although my second brother is not skilled in literature, his heart holds the people; during the Northern Campaign, he saw soldiers in thin clothing and thought of how to make the people weave faster. Isn't such thinking more practical than empty discussions of the classics…"

The hall fell into silence.

The civil officials looked at each other, at a loss for how to rebut.

Lv Ben forced himself to speak, "Prince, your words are reasonable, but… but Prince Wu remains a royal prince and should be a model for the world."

"If everyone learned from your example to personally involve themselves with craftsmen, wouldn't that disrupt the hierarchy?"

"Disrupting hierarchy, Minister Lu, the hierarchy you speak of is letting princes stay aloof, ignoring the people's livelihood. Then I must ask, is the Lu family respectable or lowly…"

Those words were heavy.

Lv Ben hurriedly knelt, "I misspoke, I misspoke!"

Zhu Yuanzhang then finally spoke, "Enough, everyone stand up."

He looked at Zhu Yong and said, "Yong Er, they have criticized you; what would you like to say?"

Zhu Yong stepped forward, naively saying, "Father, I didn't think that much; I just felt the old Spinning Wheel was too slow. My mother and the palace maids work hard weaving, so I wondered if it could be faster."

"In a dream, the White-bearded Old Man gave me this diagram, and I presented it to Mother."

He scratched his head and continued, "As for what dignity or lack thereof, I don't understand; I only know that making Mother's work easier and letting the people weave more cloth is a good thing."

"Good things should be done, regardless of whether one is a prince or a commoner."

These plain words caused many generals to nod silently.

Xu Da stepped forward and said, "His Majesty, I, the old minister, think Prince Wu's words are absolutely correct; the prince's heart is with the people, which is great virtue. Those pretentious notions of hierarchy can be discarded."

Chang Yuchun also said, "Exactly, being able to make good things is skill. Look at those sour scholars—aside from flapping their lips, what else can they do?"

The civil officials wore grim faces but dared not refute these two distinguished ministers.

Zhu Yuanzhang scanned the hall and slowly said, "Before we raised troops, we also farmed the land and struggled for food; we know the people's hardships, we know how hard a morsel of rice and a piece of clothing are to obtain."

Yong Er, this Loom Diagram can let the common people weave cloth faster and dress warmer; this is a tremendous good thing.

Zhu Yuanzhang paused, raising his voice a bit and said, "As for what a prince's tradition is, we tell you, our Zhu family's tradition is to keep the common people in our hearts."

Yong Er did it right, did it well; if there are more such beneficial things for the people in the future, just present them, and we will give great rewards!

"His Majesty is wise!" the generals shouted in unison.

The civil officials could only follow, saying, "His Majesty is wise…"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Wang Guangyang and the others and said, "You few, since you care so much about tradition, go think carefully about what true tradition is."

Dismiss the court...

Respectfully escort His Majesty!

Zhu Yuanzhang rose and left.

The morning court dispersed, and the officials emerged from Fengtian Hall.

The civil officials' faces were not good, and they hurried away.

The generals surrounded Zhu Yong, praising him one after another.