Chapter 78: Grandfather and Grandson Finally Reconcile
Chapter Seventy-Eight: Grandmother and Grandson Let Go of Past Grievances
Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Zhu Qizhen exclaimed in astonishment, “Is this truly what Her Majesty said?”
Yu Qian replied, “How would I dare deceive Your Majesty?”
Zhu Qizhen abruptly rose to his feet and said, “Thank you, Master Yu.”
Indeed, those who are remembered in the annals of history are never without their talents.
The knot between Zhu Qizhen and the Grand Empress Dowager, on a small scale, was merely a matter of grandmother and grandson each holding fast to their own views, resulting in a quarrel. But on a larger scale, discord between the two palaces would surely cause unrest in both the court and the country.
This was a matter that affected the stability of the nation.
Was it that Zhu Qizhen did not wish to win the Grand Empress Dowager’s favor? It was simply that she never judged people by their words or appearances, but rather by their hearts.
The Grand Empress Dowager held a firm grasp on Zhu Qizhen’s intentions.
No matter how much Zhu Qizhen yielded, his innermost thoughts had never wavered. When Zhu Qizhen found himself at a loss, Yu Qian intervened and persuaded the Grand Empress Dowager.
This truly earned Zhu Qizhen’s admiration.
Yu Qian said, “I dare not claim credit, but I believe now is not the time for complacency. I urge Your Majesty to proceed at once to the Hall of Compassionate Tranquility and seek audience with the Grand Empress Dowager.”
“In her presence, Your Majesty must not give empty promises or evasive words; speak only the truth.”
Zhu Qizhen nodded repeatedly and replied, “Very well.”
He quickly changed his attire and hastened to the Hall of Compassionate Tranquility.
Upon seeing the Grand Empress Dowager, he knelt down and said, “Your unworthy grandson has brought you worry.”
The Grand Empress Dowager looked at Zhu Qizhen and sighed softly, “Rise and speak.”
Her heart was filled with complex emotions.
At this moment, though she still harbored affection for Zhu Qizhen, she had already set his status in proper perspective.
Zhu Qizhen was not only her eldest grandson, but also the Emperor.
Even though Zhu Qizhen had not yet taken full control of the government, he still possessed certain imperial powers befitting his station.
There is no family affection in the royal family—not because they are cold-blooded, but because each person represents not only themselves but also the interests behind them. If those interests are properly aligned, harmony is possible; if not, even kinship cannot be maintained.
The Grand Empress Dowager said, “My good grandson has grown up. The choice you made in Yu Qian was a wise one.”
Zhu Qizhen rose and stood behind her, gently massaging her shoulders. “Your grandson believes that the Chief Grand Secretary of the Ming Cabinet must be chosen from among the regional officials. Yu Qian is outstanding among them; if all goes well, there will certainly be a place for him in the Cabinet in the future.”
The Grand Empress Dowager asked, “Why not assign him to the Hanlin Academy as your tutor? Why place him as Prefect of Shuntian? That is not an easy post.”
Zhu Qizhen replied, “It is precisely for that reason. The Cabinet is not an easy post either.”
The Grand Empress Dowager said, “I suppose you wish to accomplish something in Shuntian Prefecture.”
Zhu Qizhen hesitated for a moment, then remembered Yu Qian’s advice and spoke frankly, “Your Majesty is wise. After your admonition, I reflected deeply, especially upon what Master Yu said: according to the Cabinet’s investigation, there are as many as 1.2 million deserters from the military households.”
He felt the Grand Empress Dowager’s shoulders stiffen suddenly, and only after a while did she relax. Zhu Qizhen was somewhat surprised—did Her Majesty not know of this?
The information Yu Qian had revealed to Zhu Qizhen was unofficial—a mere estimation.
Yet, often unofficial information proves more accurate than formal reports. Although the Grand Empress Dowager’s intelligence network was capable, it could not penetrate Yang Shiqi’s study.
Only after a nationwide investigation and proper procedure would such numbers reach the central authorities, which would not be until the second year of the Zhengtong era at the earliest. Even then, the numbers reported would be whitewashed.
The real situation might not even be as accurate as this estimate.
This was a chronic problem of the Ming dynasty: since the reign of Hongwu, almost none of the official statistics had been reliable.
The Grand Empress Dowager had not realized the situation had become so dire.
She had seen countless memorials from local officials reporting the flight of the populace. Thus, under her influence during the Xuande reign, the Emperor had implemented various tax reductions and resettlement policies for the people, most notably the adjustment of the heavy taxes in Jiangnan.
The Prefect of Hangzhou, Kuang Zhong, had petitioned for an exemption of more than a million shi of taxes, earning the gratitude of the people for centuries—they called him a “Blue Sky” official.
This large-scale reduction of the people’s burdens was in harmony with the Grand Empress Dowager’s political perspective of abolishing all non-essential affairs.
She understood the suffering of the people, and knew the armies were less powerful than before, but she did not grasp the specifics. She had never imagined the number of deserters would be as high as 1.2 million.
The Grand Empress Dowager was greatly shocked, though she betrayed nothing on her face.
Zhu Qizhen did not press the matter and continued, “If the court wishes to launch a northern campaign, it cannot do so without military reform.”
The Grand Empress Dowager frowned, “Military reform?”
She had lived through the Jingnan Rebellion and knew too well the risks of reforming the military—one misstep could shake the entire nation. She suppressed her urge to scold Zhu Qizhen, keeping it in her heart, wishing for him to suffer a setback so he might learn that, though clever, he was not the only talent in the world.
Thus, the sense of superiority Zhu Qizhen unconsciously displayed as a transmigrator became, in her eyes, his greatest flaw.
Zhu Qizhen said, “In fact, I have discussed this separately with Yu Qian and Zhang Zhong. If we wish to rebuild our forces, the best plan is to replace the hereditary military households with recruited soldiers—starting fresh outside the household system. Select the ablest from the hereditary troops, and recruit brave men from among the people for the nation’s use.”
The Grand Empress Dowager relaxed slightly. “That is a prudent approach.”
It was not the best plan, but it was the safest. After all, Zhu Qizhen was proposing to add rather than subtract; though the hereditary armies’ fighting capacity had declined, the system still had some strength.
Zhu Qizhen smiled wryly, “Yet, if we do this, the treasury will not suffice. I had to abandon the idea. I reviewed the revenues throughout our dynasty’s history and found the peak was during the Hongwu reign; since then, things have worsened each year.”
“I cannot understand it. For nearly fifty years since Hongwu, the nation has been at peace and the people prosperous—why are revenues less than before? True, the founding emperor issued restrictions, but now we cannot simply adhere rigidly to old decrees.”
“Your Majesty, you understand the people’s hardships. Though the court has often remitted taxes, does this benefit the people?”
The Grand Empress Dowager sighed softly, “Yu Qian told you all this, did he not?”
Zhu Qizhen replied, “Some of it, yes; some from the Embroidered Uniform Guard reports. Although the court remits taxes, people are still forced to pay—whether due to corrupt magistrates or greedy grain officials, the court’s generosity is devoured by such men, who extort and oppress the people under the pretense of collecting grain. While there may be a few honest ones, most are a scourge upon the people.”
The Grand Empress Dowager held Yu Qian in even higher regard.
She was aware of these circumstances, but from the heights of the palace, she could not know them as intimately as Yu Qian did.
In her view, Yu Qian had only been with the Emperor for a few days, yet Zhu Qizhen’s insight had grown considerably—she overlooked the fact that it had been half a year since she had conversed deeply with him.
Every day, Zhu Qizhen became more familiar with the era—not solely Yu Qian’s doing.
But this did not concern her. In her heart, she thought, “Yu Qian is trustworthy; with him by the Emperor’s side, even if mistakes are made, there will be someone to set him right.”
She smiled slightly, “So what do you intend to do?”
Her trust in Zhu Qizhen deepened.
He was silent for a moment, then replied, “Grandson does not know. There are myriad complications and my understanding is still fragmented; the situations in the north and south differ. I cannot yet see the right path.”
The Grand Empress Dowager smiled, “Good. It is right that you do not know. If, as before, you had confidently produced a plan, I would have to give you a proper scolding.”