Chapter 114: Discussing Luchuan, Part Five

Chapter 114: Discussing Luchuan (Part 5)

Hearing Zhang Zhong’s words, Zhu Qizhen said, "I wish to hear the details."

Zhang Zhong replied, "Your Majesty, the Grand Empress Dowager has not forgotten the matter of the Prince of Xiang’s Golden Book. Nor will she ever forget it."

Zhu Qizhen was startled, as if awoken from a dream. The affair of the Prince of Xiang’s Golden Book felt like something from a lifetime ago. As time passed, Zhu Qizhen had set the matter aside. After all, over the past few years, his position had become exceptionally secure, and the Prince of Xiang no longer had any opportunity to maneuver.

Zhu Qizhen was about to dismiss the matter as ancient history when he suddenly paused. He had never considered the issue from the Grand Empress Dowager’s perspective. To her, Zhu Qizhen was her eldest grandson, and the Prince of Xiang was her youngest son. Both were flesh and blood; she was unwilling to harm either. This, in fact, was the very reason she had rejected the Prince of Xiang’s bid for the regency. Similarly, she did not want to see the Prince of Xiang meet a tragic end.

The Grand Empress Dowager had raised Zhu Qizhen; as people spend time together, their true characters are revealed. Even the most cunning deceiver would find it hard to hide their nature from those closest to them. Thus, she was well aware of Zhu Qizhen’s inner thoughts. Because she knew he was not a man content to sit idle, she worried about the Prince of Xiang’s situation. Especially as her own health gradually declined, her constraints on Zhu Qizhen grew weaker and her influence waned. Once her time came, she would inevitably worry that Zhu Qizhen might act against the Prince of Xiang—particularly since the rift between them had been caused by her own hand.

Seeing that Zhu Qizhen grasped this, Zhang Zhong cleared his throat and said, "A parent’s love for a child is deep, and she plans for the long term. The Grand Empress Dowager is advanced in age; she cares most for the long-term future of her descendants."

"If Your Majesty explicitly proposes to her that the Prince of Xiang be sent to Luchuan to permanently guard the southern frontier and resist Burma, then if he possesses the capability, he could seize the Burmese territories and become a sovereign in his own right. That would be a viable path."

"Though it would be arduous, for some, it is a place to build a legacy. Your Majesty knows that the Prince of Xiang is a virtuous member of the Imperial Clan. He is only in his thirties, in the prime of his life—does he truly wish to remain a wealthy, idle man?"

"This action would align with the Grand Empress Dowager’s heart and set a precedent for the eternal prosperity of the Ming."

Zhu Qizhen understood. Among the Ming princes, many were content to simply live out their days in luxury. But the lines of the Prince of Zhou, the Prince of Shu, and the current Prince of Xiang were not of that ilk. Especially the Prince of Xiang. He had tasted power before. When the Rencong Emperor passed away, the Xuanzong Emperor was in Nanjing, so the Prince of Xiang had served as regent. This was not a one-time occurrence; throughout the Xuande era, whenever the Emperor went on inspection tours, the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Xiang would oversee the state.

This arrangement only ended once the Prince of Xiang went to his fiefdom. Zhu Qizhen did not believe for a moment that his uncle was a man of ascetic desires. In any dynasty, the imperial house naturally breeds power-hungry figures, especially those who have held authority. If not, why would the Prince of Xiang spend so much effort maintaining a reputation as a "virtuous prince"? Was it not because he still harbored a flicker of hope?

In history, his uncle had brushed against the throne three times: when the Rencong Emperor ascended while the Xuanzong Emperor was away, during the circumstances surrounding the death of the Xuanzong Emperor—the truth of which only the Grand Empress Dowager knew—and finally, during the Tumu Crisis, when the ministers had considered installing an adult monarch and had pushed for the Prince of Xiang.

It was a curious pattern. He was involved every time. Zhu Qizhen scrutinized his uncle, and countless suspicions flooded his mind. A mother knows her son best; surely the Grand Empress Dowager understood her own son. If he did this, could he set her mind at ease?

Zhu Qizhen thought it was a good idea, but he sighed and said, "Set this aside for now. Go and rest."

The idea was sound, but it was impossible to implement without first persuading the Grand Empress Dowager. And whether he could persuade her, Zhu Qizhen had no certainty. The immediate priority was to win the war in Luchuan; matters of post-war arrangements were for later. However, he had to make preparations.

After dismissing Zhang Zhong, Zhu Qizhen immediately summoned Wang Zhen. "Does the Prince of Xiang have eyes and ears in the palace?"

Wang Zhen replied, "He does. Mostly in the Cining Palace."

Zhu Qizhen knew that many things in the palace could not be hidden from the Grand Empress Dowager, especially those within the Cining Palace. He said, "Avoid the Cining Palace. Make a copy of this memorial and send it to the Prince of Xiang."

Wang Zhen understood instantly and said, "Your Majesty is brilliant."

"Less flattery, get to work," Zhu Qizhen commanded.

He was quite satisfied with this sudden inspiration. He had been fretting over how to persuade the Grand Empress Dowager, but realized it was better to persuade the Prince of Xiang instead. He had no leverage over the Grand Empress Dowager other than gentle persuasion, but he had many ways to deal with the Prince of Xiang.

Although the Cabinet and various factions had informants throughout the palace, it was normal for the Prince of Xiang to have connections, given he had once lived there. This matter could be interpreted in many ways: at its smallest, it was a son concerned for his mother; at its largest, it was spying on the inner court and plotting treason.

Zhu Qizhen naturally had channels to send the memorial to the Prince of Xiang, and the very use of that channel served as a warning. As long as the Prince of Xiang was not a fool, he would know what the Emperor expected of him. If the Emperor wanted him to do this and he refused, what would the consequences be? Especially as the Grand Empress Dowager’s influence waned.

The Prince of Xiang knew which way the wind blew. When the time came, he would petition the Grand Empress Dowager himself, while Zhu Qizhen would offer support from the sidelines—it was a perfect plan. However, he still needed to prepare the Grand Empress Dowager beforehand. Seeing that it was getting late, he set the matter aside, intending to discuss it in detail after the grand court assembly the next day.

At that moment, not only was Zhu Qizhen preparing for the meeting, but Yang Rong was as well. Several oil lamps illuminated his study. Yang Rong sat in his grand armchair, tapping the armrest lightly. "Meng Ying... I never imagined it would be him."

Wang Ji replied, "Indeed, this subordinate did not expect it either, but it is the Marquis of Baoding."

Wang Ji sighed inwardly, finding the situation extremely thorny. While the Marquis of Baoding, Meng Ying, and the Earl of Pingxi, Jiang Gui, were both nobles, their backgrounds were different. Meng Ying was a pillar of the Jingnan campaign, a true blue-blooded noble whose father, Meng Shan, had been posthumously honored as the Duke of Teng. He had held high office since the Yongle era. And what was the climate of the Yongle era? Military officers were ranked above civil officials; a civil official of the same rank would have to bow to a military officer, and there were even cases where civil officials were beaten for failing to show proper respect.

Though Meng Ying had been quiet for many years, who knew if his temper remained as it once was? The Earl of Pingxi was different. Jiang Gui had achieved success late in life; though his title was lower than Meng Ying’s, he was older, and he had served under Wang Ji during the northwestern campaigns. Wang Ji could control him, but he dared not claim he could control Meng Ying.

Seeing Wang Ji’s expression, Yang Rong knew what he was thinking. "Do not worry. The decade of tempering in the Xuande era has worn down much of Meng Ying’s temper. When you go, do not treat him like one of Jiang Gui’s ilk. Leave the tactical matters to him; you need only focus on logistics and clearing out the garrisons in Yunnan."

"The Emperor said something quite right: the court is mobilizing a massive force, and defeating Luchuan is a certainty. But long-term stability is what you and I must consider."

Wang Ji replied, "But what have the southern garrisons become? They are completely unusable. Are we to rely on the tribal troops of the southwest? Even with famous ministers and good generals, it is hard to cook without rice."

Wang Ji was right. In the late Ming, the Guangxi Wolf Troops and the Sichuan White Pole Troops were famous, but although the regular garrisons had decayed significantly, the court generally looked down upon the quality of tribal troops.

Yang Rong thought for a moment. "The south is not without usable troops. Guangxi and Songpan saw fighting in recent years; if you select carefully, you will find men. Besides, Yunnan will be secure for the time being."