The reduction of vassal status was not accomplished overnight. Zhu Zhanji was not Zhu Yunzhen, and he would knock off the vassal king like a skewer within a few months.
In fact, the reduction of vassals began in the first year of Xuande and continued until the seventh year of Xuande. The last vassal king, King Su, was finally removed from his guard.
However, not much happened in these seven years.
The rule of benevolence and xuan, the cultivation of self-cultivation, is nothing more than that of Wen Jing, who does light corvee and low wealth without disturbing the people.
In this way, it would be difficult to have anything spectacular that could be praised, and the party struggles in the Xuande and Ming dynasties had not yet begun.
With the assistance of Yan Keng and San Yang, Zhu Zhanji spent the seven years of his rule peacefully. During this period, the Ming Dynasty gradually healed the sequelae left by the Yongle era and became more prosperous.
It was not until the eighth year of Xuande's reign that the fleet that sailed to the Western Ocean returned again, and this peace was broken.
Zhu Gaochi indeed stopped his voyage to the West, but Zhu Zhanji restarted it not long ago.
Ma He also died during this voyage to the Western Ocean, but the fleet that sailed to the Western Ocean still brought huge benefits to the Ming Dynasty.
Emperor Xuande was very happy. His internal money was full again, so he decided to earn more.
But what he didn't expect was that when he announced the matter at the court meeting the next day, he was met with fierce opposition from the courtiers.
"I ask your Majesty to stop the Western affairs. This is a move that will harm the country and the people! The people and craftsmen along the coast are all suffering from corvee labor, just like in the Sui Dynasty!"
The first person to stand up was Li Chang, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. His words were quite fierce:
"Your Majesty only knows that the royal family is rich in funds, but you don't know that the Ministry of Revenue has allocated funds to build huge ships year after year, resulting in a deficit in the national treasury! Moreover, your Majesty has made huge sums of money from his voyages to the West, but he has competed with many vassal countries for profit. Our majestic king is actually greedy for a little bit. What kind of behavior is this for gold and silver?"
Zhu Zhanji was stunned for a moment, then his face turned cold and he said:
"How empty is the national treasury? Isn't my internal money money? Didn't I allocate the money from the internal treasury for relief during the great disaster? In the era of Sui Yang... When I proclaimed De, the people recuperated and lived and worked in peace and contentment. Li Chang, what do you do? Dare to compare me with Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty!"
"If Your Majesty continues to be so careless about the people's power, what is the difference between Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty and the canal he built without caring about the people! As for internal funds, public funds are public and private funds are private. Taizu has long said that internal funds are for the private use of the royal family. Your Majesty How can they be confused!"
"Your Majesty, I am old and cannot handle the complicated affairs of the Household Department. Please allow me to retire and return home."
Li Chang directly submitted his resignation. He was trying to force Zhu Zhanji to submit!
Baiguan has been reluctant to go to the West for a long time.
Everyone is greedy for this huge profit.
However, starting from Zhu Di, the royal family has been living alone. Not only did the officials not get any benefits from the voyage project, but it also squeezed out the trade share of the families of the officials in the coastal areas. At the same time, the Ministry of Household Affairs had to pay for the construction of man-made sea ships by the Ministry of Industry. .
What's even more outrageous is that Emperor Yongle received everything in his internal funds, leaving his household with nothing.
Although Emperor Yongle was not a foolish emperor and would not do things like use all the money for pleasure, many major projects of the Yongle Dynasty also relied on the support of internal funds, but this was not in the interests of his ministers.
Otherwise, it was precisely because of the abundant internal funds that the imperial power was greatly strengthened. On the contrary, the power and influence of the Ministry of Revenue in the court were greatly weakened.
It is said that only with soldiers can you have the right to speak, but only with money can you have military power.
The reason why Chongzhen was trapped in an isolated city was that his money was completely empty. If he had no money, the capital would not listen to you, and the emperor lost the support he relied on to frighten the world.
At that moment, although it was only a short time, the Ming Dynasty's ministerial power had indeed reached its peak. They could ignore the imperial edict without being punished. The emperor's words had lost their authority. They even regarded the emperor as their own merit. .
Of course, it does not mean that the emperor is nothing if the internal funds are gone. There were many factors at the time of Chongzhen, but this is also a very important reason. (When the trespassers came to Beijing, Wu Xuanshan (an official from the Ministry of Household Affairs) said: "I have tried the plan of the Ministry of Finance, so please send me some money." The superior came to the secret edict and said: "There is nothing in the inner treasury." Then he burst into tears.)
And this time the attack on the Western Seas was the clarion call for the ministers to counterattack. After being firmly suppressed by two powerful emperors for decades, the civil servant group finally began to counterattack. They wanted to strengthen their ministerial power.
So for a time, the public was almost excited. With the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue taking the lead, many ministers stood up and openly opposed the voyage to the West, criticizing it as a waste of people and money.
What's more, it even implies that the reason why the emperor went to the Western Seas was to seek fame and gain from the people, which was not an act of a wise king.
Only San Yang, a member of the cabinet, made no move.
Such large-scale opposition was voiced, and the Minister of Revenue even resigned on the spot, which shows that these ministers were really anxious.
Will we stop our voyages to the West in exchange for continued cooperation from civil servants?
Emperor Xuande couldn't help clenching his fists.
Being threatened by his ministers, he was undoubtedly angry. There were veins on his forehead and he stared at these ministers.
But the eyes were useless, there were still voices of opposition, and the courtiers ignored the emperor's anger.
In eight years, they have figured out the details of this emperor.
Although this is an emperor who has certain skills and abilities, he also has a kind heart.
He would not be cruel, especially when most of the court came forward.
Yan Keng stood outside the team without saying a word. He did not object to the actions of the civil servants.
The voyage to the West must be stopped, because the Yan family's Luzon strategy seriously conflicts with this. If the voyage to the West continues, sooner or later the Ming Dynasty will find that the Governor of Luzon is using troops everywhere, which is very wrong.
At this time, Chen Su had already used his status as Governor of Luzon to completely defeat Xu Chailao and became the richest man in Luzon Island. He was just waiting for the voyage to the West to end and the officials in the DPRK to become unfamiliar with the sea again, so he would start the Luzon Strategy. .
He and the civil servants have common interests, and of course he will not dig into his own corners.
But now there is a stalemate in the court.
Zhu Zhanji's fists were clenched tightly, and it was obvious that his anger was rising.
The current civil servants are threatening the imperial power and making trouble in the main hall, which makes the emperor lose face. As an emperor, Zhu Zhanji cannot retreat at this time.
But more and more civil servants are coming forward.
Of the six ministers, four stood out.
They know that if they don't attack now, it will be too late later.
God knows what the next emperor will be like. What if another strong king comes out and further strengthens the imperial power?
And Zhu Zhanji had no intention of agreeing.
He exhaled heavily:
"It is not allowed to become an official! The matter of going to the Western Ocean must be postponed until later!"
"Retreat!"
"Your Majesty does not agree today, so I will kneel here and wait for your Majesty to change his mind!"
Li Chang dragged his long gray beard and said tremblingly.
"Then you guys just kneel down!"
Zhu Zhanji snorted heavily through his nose and walked away.
The place where emperors of the Ming Dynasty went to court was the Gate of Supreme Harmony, also known as the "Imperial Gate to listen to politics."
And those ministers are really in the Supreme Harmony Gate, unable to kneel down!
(End of chapter)
