Chapter 1123
Change of Succession
The emperor summoned Yu Qian and other cabinet ministers, as well as Xue Shao and other key officials who advocated reform, and ordered the crown prince to ascend the throne in person.
Naturally, for the sake of legitimacy, members of the royal family were also present.
The emperor held the crown prince's hand, expressing his hopes for reform and setting the direction for the Ming Dynasty's development in the coming years.
At this point, the Crown Prince's position was secure, and unless the Imperial Advisor suddenly objected, his succession to the throne was 100%.
Looking at his outstanding eldest son, Zhu Qiyu closed his eyes with resentment yet also with satisfaction.
He did not test the officials about his posthumous title, nor did he ask his son. He believed that he had worked diligently throughout his life. Although he was not as talented and ambitious as his ancestors, he had expanded the territory and increased the actual territory controlled by the Ming Dynasty to the west to Tieliangguti and the east to Ezo, which was twice the original territory of the Ming Dynasty.
He also achieved peace and prosperity for the people. In eighteen years, the population of the Ming Dynasty increased by more than 28 million. This only includes the number of births. If the newly added population in the first year is included, the population of the Ming Dynasty has exceeded 100 million. However, those were hidden households, and Zhu Qiyu did not consider it to be his achievement.
During his eighteen years in office, he never executed officials who dared to speak out, nor did he instigate literary inquisitions; he considered himself benevolent and humble...
Even his brother received the posthumous title "Rui" and the temple name "Ying". He avenged his brother and did so many things, so how could his posthumous title be bad?
Besides, he also has his good partner Pan Yun, who is both a mentor and a friend.
Zhu Qiyu made a final effort to look at Pan Yun, who was standing to one side, and asked her with his eyes: Do you still remember what you promised me back then?
They promised to make me the greatest emperor of all time.
Pan Yun stepped forward to meet his gaze, took his hand, and whispered, "Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Zhu Qiyu closed his eyes in relief.
Everyone was stunned for a moment. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy, who was standing nearby, reacted and stepped forward tremblingly to check the emperor's pulse and breath. After a moment, he solemnly announced, "The Emperor—has passed away—"
The courtiers wept bitterly, the crown prince knelt on the ground, and the hall was filled with the sound of weeping.
Pan Yun stared intently at the emperor's corpse, watching his spirit float out of the Niwan Palace with a bewildered expression. Just as he was about to be guided away in his confusion, Pan Yun moved his hand, and the spirit was restrained by his body and floated in mid-air.
It wasn't until the dragon's body was placed in the coffin that Yu Qian, on behalf of all the officials, invited the crown prince to ascend the throne. The bewildered soul suddenly came to its senses, its memories returned, and it instantly remembered its identity.
This was Zhu Qiyu's first time being a ghost, and everything seemed strange to him. He stared wide-eyed at his surroundings and surprisingly found himself much more at peace with his own death.
He looked up and met Pan Yunqing's indifferent gaze.
Zhu Qiyu froze, unsure whether Pan Yun could see him.
After thinking for a moment, he quietly floated to Pan Jun's side and cautiously extended his palm in front of her to test her.
Pan Jun listened intently to the conversation, her eyes fixed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to anything amiss.
Zhu Qiyu's heart tightened. Had he been deceived all these years?
He was such a huge ghost floating right in front of her, and she couldn't even see him!
Before her anger had even reached its peak, Pan Yun lifted her eyelids and gave him a cool look. Zhu Qiyu froze, completely frozen in place.
Pan Yun, however, looked through him and at the Crown Prince, saying, "This humble Taoist will calculate the auspicious day for Your Highness's ascension to the throne tomorrow."
Zhu Qiyu then came to his senses. The officials urged the Crown Prince to ascend the throne immediately, but the Crown Prince declined, deciding to observe mourning for the Emperor first and then ascend the throne three months later.
The officials felt that the time had been too long, and that the country could not be without a ruler for even a day. As long as he was not on the throne, the country would be in danger, so they asked him to ascend the throne again.
The crown prince refused again and pulled out Pan Yun, asking her to speak on his behalf.
Pan Yun then offered to select an auspicious day for him. As a result, all the officials and the emperor were very satisfied and decided to privately discuss a suitable date with Pan Yun.
The emperor's body was laid in state, but state affairs could not be suspended. Therefore, in addition to mourning and keeping vigil, the crown prince also had to handle state affairs.
First and foremost, the most important thing was to announce to the outside world that the emperor had passed away and that a new emperor was about to ascend the throne;
Then, it is necessary to ensure that the reforms being carried out in various places can continue to be implemented without any mistakes, and absolutely not allow local rebellious forces to take advantage of the transition between the old and the new to raise their flags and rebel.
Finally, Shi Heng, the Second Prince, and their cronies were dealt with.
Zhu Qiyu, who had been jumping around Pan Yun, quieted down and obediently followed her, listening to her and the Crown Prince's secret plot.
One advantage of being a ghost is that he can openly listen to their private secrets.
With Pan Yun's help, the Crown Prince dealt with each situation one by one. When it came to dealing with Shi Heng and the Second Prince, the Crown Prince paused and asked Pan Yun, "Teacher, what do you think should be done with these two?"
Without even thinking, Pan Yun threw the question back at the Crown Prince: "What does the Crown Prince think?"
The Crown Prince thought for a moment and said, "Treason is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Shi Heng is also the commander of the Imperial Guards. If I don't kill him to make an example of him, how can I sleep peacefully in the future?"
Pan Yun nodded: "Shi Heng deserves to die."
The Crown Prince's expression improved somewhat, and he said, "Then let Shi Heng be executed by slow slicing, and his entire clan be exterminated. All adult men should be beheaded, and women, children, and infants should be exiled to Ningguta."
Pan Yun said, "The late emperor was a benevolent ruler with the softest heart. Shi Heng's crimes are unforgivable, but not all members of his three clans are guilty. I have heard that because Shi Heng was greedy and domineering, he had little contact with his family."
Shi Heng is the kind of person who likes to pocket any benefit he gets. His family members not only don't get any benefits from following him, but they are also bullied by him. The weak and honest ones are simply taken advantage of by him. As a result, many families have been ruined and destroyed. Therefore, his relatives rarely have any contact with Shi Heng.
He was especially good to his two sons, and he tried his best to help them rise to high positions.
Upon hearing this, the crown prince leniently spared the man's three clans, beheaded his two sons, exiled his wife, daughter, and underage grandchildren to Ningguta, and confiscated the property of the other three clans and banished them from the capital.
Pan Yun no longer objected.
Heilongjiang is developing well now, but it is still extremely cold. Ordinary people can survive, but exiled criminals suffer, especially a group of women and children.
However, the tradition of collective punishment in the Ming Dynasty had a long history, and Pan Yun felt that appropriate collective punishment could deter people from committing crimes, so he did not object.
Shi Heng has been dealt with, but what about the Second Prince?
Pan Yun stated that the Second Prince's matter was a family affair of the Zhu family, and the Crown Prince could handle it. She also mentioned the other Imperial Guards.
The Crown Prince thought for a moment. If they were all killed, it would have far-reaching consequences. After all, not everyone had a strained relationship with their family like Shi Heng. If each person's entire family was implicated, the implications would be quite extensive.
With his father recently deceased, the crown prince was unwilling to kill anyone, so he decided to exile all these people and their adult male relatives to the border to fight, do hard labor, or work in coal mines...
Pan Yun praised him, saying, "The Crown Prince is benevolent and kind; the late Emperor would surely be pleased to know this."
Zhu Qiyu, squatting on the dragon table, was indeed very pleased. He disliked killing people the most, although he was so angry at that moment that he wanted to kill them.
The crown prince gave a bitter smile and said, "If I didn't even kill them, there's no way I could kill my second brother."
Pan Jun remained silent.
The Crown Prince said, "Although Father Emperor entrusted the Second Prince to me and did not leave any last words to make things difficult for me, I know that no matter how bad he is, he is still Father Emperor's son and my younger brother. I am willing to let these Imperial Guards go, but if I don't let the Second Prince go, how heartbroken Father Emperor would be if he knew?"
Zhu Qiyu was stunned, staring blankly at the Crown Prince. Even if he were a ghost, he felt a soft, warm feeling in his heart.
Pan Yun remained indifferent and nodded, saying, "Your Highness can make the decision."
The Crown Prince's decision was to confine his second son in the Prince's mansion in the capital, find him a wife, and have him continue the Zhu family line.
Besides this function, the Crown Prince didn't know what other use he had.
Seeing that he handled the situation well, and that the crouching spirit did not show any disapproval, Pan Yun turned to leave.
The Crown Prince quickly stopped her: "Teacher, I wish to keep vigil for my father for a while before ascending the throne."
Zhu Jianji and Zhu Qiyu had a deep friendship.
He had two mothers from birth: his birth mother was gentle but lacked assertiveness; his stepmother was virtuous but had a strong personality. Therefore, he preferred his father, who was both gentle and loving, and powerful.
Even though he often traveled with Pan Yun, he maintained regular communication with his father, and their relationship was better than that of emperors and their sons throughout history. Therefore, Zhu Jianji's desire to ascend the throne after a three-month mourning period was genuine and not just a show.
Pan Yun said, "A country cannot be without a ruler for long. Since the Crown Prince is willing, it would be better to observe mourning for twenty-seven days."
She said, “You are the emperor, and one day will replace one month. You will ascend the throne after twenty-seven days, and then observe three months of mourning to show your remembrance. If the late emperor knew this in the afterlife, he would be pleased.”
Zhu Qiyu, who had already floated up from the table, nodded repeatedly, indicating that he was very pleased.
He himself was unsure how to deal with the second son. He didn't want to kill him, but he was also afraid that letting him go would hurt Ji'er and affect the stability of the Ming Dynasty. He didn't expect that Ji'er would let him go on her own initiative and handle the situation so well.
Zhu Qiyu was moved to tears, but because he was a ghost, the tears didn't actually fall.
He wanted to stay and be intimate with Zhu Jianji, but as soon as Pan Yun walked out, he unconsciously floated after her. By the time Pan Yun stopped and looked up at him, they had already returned to the Imperial Observatory.
Zhu Qiyu was startled and slowly landed in front of her, tentatively calling out, "Imperial Preceptor?"
Pan Yun nodded and said, "Your Majesty is adapting quickly, please come in."
Zhu Qiyu swallowed hard and followed her into the Imperial Observatory, his steps clumsy.
This wasn't his first time visiting the Imperial Observatory, but it was the first time he'd ever been able to float around and wander about in this state. The experience was quite novel, so much so that Zhu Qiyu didn't even have time to grieve for his own passing; his first reaction was curiosity.
"Imperial Preceptor, will I always remain like this?"
"Why don't I see Father and Emperor Gao?"
"And my elder brother, I wonder if he's doing well in the underworld?"
"Will we emperors be directly enshrined as immortals after our death? When will the ghost messengers come to escort me?"
Pan Yun placed a small incense burner in front of him, lit three incense sticks, silently recited his name three times in her heart, and then inserted the incense into the burner before sitting down opposite him and pouring herself a cup of tea.
"How many emperors has China produced throughout history? They've all ascended to the ranks of immortals; the palace of immortals is already overflowing." Since the person was dead, Pan Yun didn't hide anything and said directly, "There's no difference between emperors and ordinary people, except that they bear a greater burden of karma. After death, their consciousness will disappear after a period of time, and they will be reincarnated."
Zhu Qiyu was taken aback: "Then, then I..."
"Your Majesty is a person of great merit, and you will have a good life in the next life."
Zhu Qiyu wasn't particularly happy; instead, he felt a sense of loss: "Am I still me?"
Pan Yun remained silent.
Of course not.
Erasing the past and growing up anew, he will have new parents, new brothers and sisters, and a new life.
Zhu Qiyu quickly recovered from his emotional turmoil and began to care about the Crown Prince and the Ming Dynasty.
Seeing that he was rambling on and on, Pan Yun said, "He has grown up and his intelligence and methods are superior to His Majesty's. You can rest assured."
Zhu Jianji was far more ruthless and decisive than Zhu Qiyu. She had accompanied him on several cases and witnessed him deal with court officials, members of the imperial family, and bandits. In her eyes, he was the only qualified emperor, possessing the gentleness of Zhu Qiyu, the decisiveness of Zhu Yuanzhang, and the methods of Zhu Di. Moreover, he had vision and wisdom that none of them possessed.
As long as he doesn't get arrogant, he won't be a bad emperor.
If he ever gets arrogant... history has shown us the lessons of the past, and even though he is her beloved student, she wouldn't mind letting him start afresh sooner.
After Zhu Qiyu became a ghost, his senses became much sharper. He noticed Pan Yun's unfinished words and began to ponder his abilities. He wanted to send a message to his son in a dream.
But receiving a message in a dream isn't so easy.
First of all, this matter should be kept from Pan Yun.
Secondly, he could not stay by Zhu Jianji's side for long. As a new ghost, he could either stay by the side of the Imperial Preceptor or just wander around his own coffin.
The former showed him how obsequious his officials were to the Grand Preceptor; the latter showed him all sorts of people weeping in various ways before his spirit tablet.
Few people are truly heartbroken.
In the harem, apart from his biological mother and the Empress, everyone else's sadness was only superficial. Even the Crown Prince's birth mother, Consort Hang, was not very sad. He could smell the ginger scent on the handkerchief she used to wipe her eyes.
To the emperor's surprise, the imperial family members who came to mourn were genuinely heartbroken. Several princes and dukes were so grief-stricken that they almost cried themselves to death while holding his coffin. Zhu Qiyu was stunned by their grief.
These members of the imperial clan genuinely loved and respected Zhu Qiyu; of course, more than ten years ago, they also genuinely resented him.
When the imperial clan was first reformed, the imperial clan members had a very difficult time. The stipends that the court was supposed to give them were either reduced or not given at all. How could they not resent and hate it?
But eighteen years have passed, and the first generation of children born after the reforms have grown up, not to mention the children born ten years earlier. Having experienced the reforms from their childhood, they are now the middle-aged and young generation.
These young people are more successful and have a brighter future than their parents and grandparents.
After the reform of the royal family, they were transformed from idle and constantly suppressed parasites into people who could calmly realize their ideals and ambitions.
Meanwhile, the old princes, dukes, and chief ministers of the imperial clan also saw the benefits of the reforms to their own families, the imperial clan, and the country.
Of course, not all members of the royal family agree with this. It cannot be denied that some people prefer to live a life of leisure, collecting money and enjoying their lives.
However, they were not important, and Zhu Qiyu did not want their gratitude.
Most of the court officials wept uncontrollably, genuinely heartbroken.
However, he seemed more saddened that few of his people had died than that the crown prince was about to ascend the throne.
Indeed, apart from Zhu Qiyu's biased view of his son, who thought he was cute and adorable and not yet an adult, everyone else could realize that this crown prince was more ruthless and had more of his own ideas than his father.
Being more opinionated means that he is less likely to listen to the opinions of his ministers.
Sure enough, before the seventh day after the death was over, Zhu Jianji had the eldest and second princesses participate in the funeral rites. Judging from the tone, he even wanted the two princesses to join the management of the royal family's assets.
The officials could not agree to this.
The royal family's business empire is already very large and does not belong to the royal family alone. Every year, the late emperor and empress would take a portion of the revenue to the national treasury to support various national undertakings, not to mention the annual expenditures of the royal family's charitable causes.
Compared to princesses, they trusted professional officials more, believing they were better able to manage the industry and contribute more tax revenue and additional funds to the national treasury.
But Zhu Jianji was very tough.
The officials could only pin their hopes on Pan Yun, hoping she could persuade the Crown Prince.
Pan Yun didn't care about these things.
Even Yu Qian couldn't resist subtly suggesting to Pan Yun that the emperor should listen to all sides and be wise in all matters.
Pan Yun thought what he said made a lot of sense, so he encouraged him: "Grand Secretary Yu can speak up. You are the Grand Secretary, and I think His Majesty will definitely listen to your opinion."
Yu Qian: ...If he were willing to listen, would he have come to find Pan Yun?
The two men exchanged glances and instantly understood that the new emperor wasn't entirely obedient to Pan Yun (Yu Qian).
The two of them gave each other a forced, insincere smile. (End of Chapter)