PFC Chapter 8: Old Zhu was unwilling to share the empire with the scholar-officials!
Chapter 8: Old Zhu was unwilling to share the empire with the scholar-officials!
half an hour.
Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table:
"Great! What a fine distinction and standard!"
He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, his face beaming with undisguised elation: "Yao'er, your idea is absolutely brilliant!"
He stopped, turned around, and stared intently at Zhu Yao, his tone full of disbelief: "How did you come up with these methods?"
Zhu Yao was a little embarrassed by the praise and scratched his head: "Father, I have been in business for many years and have seen a lot about accounts and cargo transportation."
"What about losses, what about errors, what about process supervision? These are all common tactics used in the business world."
"I merely applied the methods I used in business to matters of the court; it's really nothing to mention."
Zhu Yuanzhang burst into laughter, his voice filled with smug satisfaction: "Your business acumen! Do you know how many high-ranking officials in the court have spent half their lives studying the classics, yet none of them could come up with such a comprehensive method as yours?"
His gaze toward Zhu Yao was full of doting and admiration.
I never imagined I would have such a smart and capable son.
If he could be kept by his side to assist him, the Ming Dynasty would surely be more secure.
Standing to the side, Liu Bowen couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
Young Master Zhu is truly a genius!
No wonder His Majesty admires him so much!
If Your Majesty truly handles the matter of the empty seal in this way, you will surely be able to resolve the crisis, win the hearts of the people, and stabilize the court.
Fewer acts of killing are truly a blessing for the Ming Dynasty!
Zhu Yuanzhang sat back down in his chair, his gaze still fixed on Zhu Yao, and said with a hint of emotion, "Yao'er, do you know that if the ministers in the court heard what you said today, they would be so ashamed that they would want to disappear?"
Zhu Yao quickly waved his hand: "Father, please don't say that."
"I am merely a theorist. In reality, when I am in the imperial court, those ministers have far more to consider than I do."
"What balance of power, what factional entanglements, what ancestral rules and regulations—these are all things I wouldn't even dare to think about. So,..."
Zhu Yao chuckled, "I'd better just focus on my business and live a peaceful life. Let those important figures worry about the affairs of the court."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang burst into laughter, his laughter containing both satisfaction and a deeper meaning: "Yao'er, you are so intelligent, yet your temperament is so composed!"
"Rare indeed! Extremely rare!"
Zhu Yuanzhang had met too many capable people, but they were all arrogant!
For example, Liu Bowen.
Zhu Yuanzhang paused, his gaze softening further. "With your insight and ability, you will surely achieve great things in whatever you do in the future."
Zhu Yao smiled modestly: "Thank you for the compliment, Father."
Zhu Yao picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and suddenly changed the subject, "Father, actually, even if His Majesty really wanted to use the Empty Seal Case as a pretext to carry out a massacre, I could understand."
Zhu Yuanzhang's smile froze slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He subconsciously pressed, "Oh? You understand? Tell me, what do you understand?"
He muttered to himself:
We ourselves didn't know we were going to start a mass killing spree. This child not only said we were going to kill people, but also said he could understand our purpose, and even said that our purpose was not pure.
How come we didn't know we had such impure motives?
Zhu Yao put down his teacup and said slowly, "Father, think about it. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, ruling the world. He doesn't do anything based solely on appearances."
"The so-called severe punishment of empty seals and the execution of corrupt officials may seem to be for the purpose of rectifying the government and showing compassion to the people, but the underlying purpose is not so simple."
"Not simple?" Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow, leaned forward slightly, and his surprise deepened. "Yao'er, what do you mean by that?"
"Isn't the emperor's goal simply to ensure the stability of the Ming Dynasty and the well-being of its people? What could be more ulterior motive?"
Zhu Yao turned his head and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a firm gaze. "Father, His Majesty's fundamental purpose has never been as simple as just killing a few corrupt officials. What he really wants to do is establish his authority and consolidate imperial power."
"Our Ming emperor is different from the emperors of previous dynasties; he is not the kind of monarch who is willing to share the world with the scholar-officials."
"He rose from humble beginnings, overcoming countless obstacles to overthrow the tyrannical Yuan dynasty and establish the Ming dynasty. He conquered this land with his own sword and spear. What he wanted was never a system of shared rule between the emperor and his ministers, but simply a Zhu family-run empire, a system of absolute imperial power, and a system where all officials and people in the country would absolutely obey him and dare not have the slightest dissent."
"Those officials who use blank seals, whether or not they are corrupt, are, in His Majesty's eyes, a challenge to imperial power and a disregard for the rules of the court."
"If he were to use this incident to unleash a massacre, he could punish the truly corrupt officials and also intimidate all the officials, letting them know that His Majesty's authority is inviolable, so that they would not dare to be negligent in the slightest or harbor any disloyalty. This is His Majesty's true purpose."
Upon hearing Zhu Yao's words, Liu Bowen felt a chill run through his body, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead and back.
He was both shocked and terrified.
What's astonishing is that Zhu Yao, a mere wealthy merchant, was able to see through the Emperor's deepest, unspoken thoughts. This insight was truly terrifying.
What is terrifying is that Zhu Yao actually analyzed His Majesty's thoughts on imperial power so frankly in front of His Majesty, and even pointed out that His Majesty "wants the Zhu family to rule the world and does not want to share the world with the scholar-officials." This is like dancing on the edge of a knife. If one is not careful, the result will be the execution of the entire family.
He glanced furtively at Zhu Yuanzhang, his heart pounding in his chest, fearing that the emperor might fly into a rage on the spot. After all, such an analysis of an emperor's mind was too taboo, and even he, as a founding father, would never dare to speak so frankly.
Zhu Yuanzhang was completely stunned. The surprise on his face faded, replaced by a look of sudden realization. He muttered unconsciously, "Establishing authority? Consolidating imperial power? The Zhu family's rule?"
He lowered his head and fell into deep thought. Zhu Yao's words exploded in his mind like a thunderclap.
To be honest, he had not yet formally dealt with the Empty Seal case, nor did he have any intention of going on a killing spree or consolidating his power. His initial thought was simply to punish corrupt officials, rectify the court, and ensure the stability of the Ming Dynasty.
But after Zhu Yao said that, he suddenly felt that it was a good idea!
Yes, the empire he painstakingly built must naturally be firmly held in the hands of the Zhu family. Imperial power must be monopolized, and no one should dare to challenge his authority. By using the blank seal case to severely punish a group of officials, he could both punish corruption and deter the court and the public, making all officials respect and obey him, thus consolidating his imperial power and ensuring the stability of the Zhu family's rule. Why not do it?
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head, his gaze returning to Zhu Yao, his admiration even greater, and even a hint of amazement in his eyes.