Chapter 647: Mixed Feelings of Joy and Sorrow
On September 28th, the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji arrived in Danning, and the funeral procession set off immediately. However, since the army did not have enough burlap, aside from some high-ranking officials like Jin Youzi and Zhang Fu as well as Liu Sheng, the officers and soldiers could not change into mourning clothes. After crying over the deceased with their hair unbound, Zhu Zhanji summoned Zhang Fu, Jin Youzi, and others to discuss matters related to returning to the capital. It was decided that Xue Lu, the Marquis of Yangwu, would stay in Danning, while Zhang Fu, Liu Sheng, Chen Mao, and others would lead the troops to escort the funeral back to the capital the next day. That night, everyone was busy with various tasks and stayed up all night.
Thanks to fast horses delivering the news, word spread quickly throughout the land. Along the journey back to the capital, starting from the pass of Songting, the military and civilians greeted them in plain clothes, crying their grief. The muted colors, combined with the desolate atmosphere, heightened the sense of sorrow. As it was a large army moving forward, the journey of over a thousand miles took five days, with each day’s progress being no more than two hundred miles.
That night was the last night before entering the capital, and the army camped in Sanhe. News had already reached them that the Crown Prince would lead officials to welcome them at the outskirts of the capital. Although they traveled by day and rested at night, almost no one got enough sleep due to their worries. Since the funeral began, Zhu Zhanji had refused to see outsiders unless it was necessary to discuss matters with the high-ranking officials, and he continued to do so now. Yet, as Liu Sheng, Chen Mao, and others saw the capital approaching, they could hardly sit still. After setting up camp, they gathered together. When they sent someone to invite Zhang Fu, he declined under the pretext of being tired.
Zhang Yue had followed Zhang Fu throughout the journey. Now, however, he no longer had to worry about anything, as such major matters like a royal funeral did not require his involvement. Still, he admired Zhang Fu’s caution and prudence. Since it was a funeral procession, the military and civilians did not restrict themselves in terms of food and drink, but Zhang Fu refused to eat meat or drink alcohol, even when alone. In such bitterly cold weather, it was hard to find anyone who could maintain such discipline.
Seeing Zhang Fu send back the servant from the Marquis of Ningyang who had come to invite him, Zhang Yue whispered, “Uncle, as we move forward, the number of troops accompanying us keeps decreasing. These people must have been sent to the southern section of the canal in North Zhili, right?”
“Everyone knows Han Wang has turned against the empire. If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t guard against him now, then who will?” Ever since the emperor fell ill in Danning and passed away, Zhang Fu hadn’t had a single peaceful night’s sleep. His face had become much thinner. “Fortunately, I have no more ties to him now. I even handed the imperial edict to Yang Rong early on for him to take back. Now that Liu Sheng, Chen Mao, and others are in charge of the military, it won’t be easy for him to target me… Brother Yue, it’s good you reminded me. If I held the imperial edict, that would truly be a hot potato.”
“It wasn’t my persuasion. Didn’t Uncle decide long before he got that edict?”
“I only had the intention at that time. But it was after you told me that hesitation was worse than action that I truly made up my mind.” Zhang Fu gave Zhang Yue a meaningful look. Seeing himlowering his head drinking tea, he couldn’t help but reach out and pat the nanmu box. “I am already a duke with a salary of three thousand dan—others must rely on me. Why strive to be first in everything? Besides, the emperor’s previous decree was clear: once Tian grows up, Her Royal Highness the Crown Prince should marry her. Your aunt was already made an imperial concubine. Since the emperor had already arranged for Tian’s future, if I still clung to the imperial edict, I would never be able to shake off the label of a powerful minister.”
Even though Zhang Fu didn’t say it outright, Zhang Yue knew what he was implying—throughout history, powerful ministers who didn’t seek to seize the throne rarely ended well. Zhu Di had treated most of his meritorious subjects well, but there was no bond of shared hardships between the crown prince Zhu Gaochi and the nobles. If he didn’t restrain himself now, he might suffer in the future. Though he vaguely remembered Zhu Gaochi seeming to be a notoriously short-lived emperor, such things couldn’t be mentioned to anyone, not even those closest to him.
Yet, even though he couldn’t speak up, thinking of Lady Wang having only one son and one daughter, he couldn’t help but worry about Zhang Tian: “Uncle, I personally drafted that edict on behalf of the emperor, but I think this situation is really… Marrying into the imperial family is indeed an unparalleled honor, but Sister Tian is still too young. To put it bluntly, by the time she grows up, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will have passed the age of responsibility. You should remember that Scholar Yang and Scholar Jin drafted the previous emperor’s will, and as many as twenty or thirty concubines were buried with him in the harem. Moreover, the crown prince’s consort… the crown prince and his consort are deeply in love…”
“You needn’t say more!”
Zhang Fu immediately released his hand from the nanmu box and stood up. Aside from his son and two daughters at his side now, most of his previous children had died in their infancy, so he naturally felt compassion for them. Yet the emperor’s words were now written in black and white, and disobeying them would be a grave crime. After much thought, he recalled how Marquis Longping Zhang Xin had refused the emperor’s request to make his daughter a concubine, but compared to his own situation, it was not the same.
“When the emperor was on his deathbed, you couldn’t defy his orders, and I couldn’t go against them either, which is why this thing came into being. But it’s not an imperial edict; without proper documentation, it’s not considered an official decree. We’ll discuss it further when we return to the capital! If Hai Shou hadn’t been there back then, it might have been fine, but he was the one who sealed it personally… Speaking of which, the marquis’s daughter has reached marriageable age this year. He once mentioned to me that the emperor promised to make her the Lady Li after the campaign ended. If others didn’t know, it might not matter, but if they did, it could ruin her life.”
The marquis’s daughter?
Zhang Yue was greatly surprised upon hearing this. He thought that later generations often talked about how the Ming dynasty’s concubines were chosen from among the common people, and princesses chose their husbands from among commoners, but they didn’t realize that from Emperor Hongwu Zhu Yuanzhang to Emperor Yongle Zhu Di and now Emperor Zhugaochi, there were many daughters of nobles in the imperial harem, and the husbands were almost always from noble families. It was only later, as literature became valued over martial arts and rituals became stricter, that these strange rules seemed to become unbreakable. Thinking of Zhang Ke, who had also suffered as a result, he suddenly had an idea.
“If the marquis’s daughter can get married, then Sister Ke’s marriage can also be arranged differently at that time.”
Zhang Fu didn’t expect Zhang Yue to think of that matter, and after a brief pause, he nodded slightly. By then, the sound of the midnight drums could be heard outside. The uncle and nephew hadn’t had proper rest in days, so after talking a bit more, they went to bed in their clothes. After sleeping for only a short while, Zhang Yue heard a creaking sound and quickly opened his eyes, standing up immediately.
“Master, Young Master Yue.”
Seeing Peng Shisan enter the room quickly, Zhang Fu, who had already woken up, sat up straight. Worried about delays on the road and not knowing the situation in the capital, Zhang Yue had sent two guards back, and he also sent Peng Shisan ahead to see Lady Wang. Unexpectedly, Peng Shisan returned now. Frowning deeply, he glared at his bold and reckless personal general before helplessly asking, “Weren’t you sent back to inform Lady Wang? Why are you back?”
“I originally planned to return to the capital, but on the way I heard that nearly ten thousand troops from the capital’s defense forces had moved to Tongzhou to welcome us. Worried that something might happen if I entered the capital now, I turned back. Even Lord Yue’s two bodyguards didn’t return to the capital.” Peng Shisan had followed Zhang Fu for decades and wasn’t afraid of this Duke of Ying’s stern expression. “I stopped at an inn for a while to gather information. I heard that Prince Han Ming intended to go to the capital to pay his respects, but so far there’s been no reply.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yue immediately looked at Zhang Fu. Both of them were present when the will was drafted, and Zhang Fu had even kept it with him overnight. The will clearly stated that the funeral rites should follow the old traditions of Emperor Taizu. In Zhu Yuanzhang’s original instructions, it was explicitly stated that princes should mourn in their own regions without having to go to the capital. Back then, Zhu Di ignored this rule and brought his three sons to the capital. Although he was eventually stopped by Emperor Jianwen’s men, this act sowed the seeds for the subsequent Jingnan Campaign.
“I understand. In that case, you may go now. If there’s nothing to report about Lord Yue’s two bodyguards, take them and rest. Rest well—things will likely be busy for me from now on.”
Seeing Peng Shisan nod and leave, Zhang Yue sat down. It is said that the emperor mourns by counting days instead of months, but the numerous complex rituals over these twenty-seven days can be exhausting. As the top military official, Zhang Fu would surely receive special honors upon the new emperor’s ascension and even take on the most important roles in the funeral rites. Without exceptional mental strength, it would be impossible to handle such duties. With this in mind, he picked up a blanket from the kang and gently covered Zhang Fu’s legs.
Unaware of Zhang Yue’s action, Zhang Fu sat there in thought for a while before raising his head. “After returning to the capital, the Ministry of Rites will handle all the funeral procedures. But the Crown Prince must ascend the throne as soon as possible to stabilize the country. Naturally, I will lead the nobles to submit a petition urging his ascension. Once the emperor is on the throne, the top priority will be to establish the Five Military Commanders’ Offices to reassure the nobles and prevent Prince Han from taking advantage of the situation. If nothing goes wrong, I will surely take control of one of those offices again. You’d better be prepared for that.”
Zhang Yue naturally knew what was meant by “preparation.” In the past, Zhang Fu was either idle or stationed outside the city. Now that he had taken control of the Five Armies Command, it would be difficult for him, as a Minister of War, to continue in that role—Zhu Gaochi was not Zhu Di. Even if he had to rely on Zhang Fu to lead the nobles and command the army, he would still be wary—Zhang Fu might not care about being assigned to some trivial position, but he surely couldn’t ignore how his previous efforts would be set aside due to the new emperor’s ascension.
“But you needn’t worry too much. After all, the Crown Prince values you. Being idle for a while is better than always being in the spotlight.” There was another thing Zhang Fu refrained from saying—under the pretext of protecting meritorious officials, he might not be able to hold military power for long. As for whether Zhu Gaochi would appoint Zhang Yue or merely bestow glory and wealth on the Zhang family, that remained to be seen.
The next day, Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi led civil and military officials to welcome the coffin back to Renzhi Palace for reburial. For a time, the whole city wore mourning clothes, and officials went to Sishan Gate every day to weep. They were also required to stay at the government offices, not allowed to return home, and forbidden from eating or drinking meat. Over the next three days, officials and elders in the capital repeatedly submitted petitions urging the ceremony to proceed, while Zhu Gaochi kept declining. After exhausting everyone through repeated refusals, this matter, which had long been settled, was finally finalized, and the coronation ceremony was scheduled for a later date.
With the national mourning coinciding with such bitter cold, it was truly grueling. Although the Ministry of War had heated kang beds, they were reserved for the two elderly ministers and deputy ministers. Even with charcoal stoves, the cold was hard to overcome, and with nothing to eat, the officials, dressed in mourning clothes, suffered greatly. During those days of weeping at Sishan Gate, many elderly and frail people even fainted.
Although Zhang Yue hadn’t been home for over two months, even if he missed his family, he had to stay at the Ministry of War like the other officials, enduring the days agonizingly as he watched the major events unfold in just a few short days.
Former Minister of Revenue Xia Yuanji, Minister of Punishments Wu Zhong, and others were released. Also freed were officials from the Eastern Palace, such as Huang Huai, who had been imprisoned in the Jinyiwei for nearly ten years. However, compared to their release, the candidates for the Five Armies Command attracted even more attention.
Among them, Zhang Fu, who headed the Central Military Command, was immediately granted the title of Grand Tutor and received two salaries. Thanks to Zhang Fu, the Zhang family reaped benefits at all levels. Zhang Xuan, who had been idle for a long time, was promoted to Commander of the Jinwu Vanguard, while Zhang Jie, who had long held a nominal position, was promoted to Commander of the Flag Guard. Zhang You, the General Governor of Jiaozhi and titled Marquis of Yangwu, was recognized for his past merits and his title was changed from Lifetime Commander to Lifetime Marquis. Although Zhang Xin and Zhang Zhuo, who were observing mourning at home, could not receive these favors, the Ministry of Rites ordered that Lady Gu, the late wife of the Marquis of Yangwu who had remained chaste for many years and raised her children, be honored.
Thus, in the eyes of everyone in the capital, the influence of the Zhang family was second to none. If not for the fact that Zhang Fu’s children were still young, many might have thought that the new emperor would surely take this opportunity to marry another daughter from the royal family as a consort, thereby binding this meritorious official through marriage ties.
Among the civil officials, there was also a significant change. Cabinet ministers such as Yang Shiji, who had followed Zhu Di for over twenty years and received numerous rewards but never saw a promotion, finally got their chance for advancement. In addition to already serving as Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Yang Rong also became Minister of Rites, while Jin Youzi became Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Although titles like those of the Nine Ministers and Vice Ministers were merely honorary titles for promotion and did not involve actual governance, they carried special significance for these two who had been stuck at the fifth rank for twenty years. Compared to these two, who were always trusted by Zhu Di, the other cabinet ministers—Yang Shiji, who also served as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and Grand Scholar of the Huagai Hall, and Huang Huai, who served as Commissioner of the Tongzheng Office and Grand Scholar of the Wuying Hall—were so honored because they were former officials of the Eastern Palace. Other former Eastern Palace officials released from the Jinyiwei prison, such as Yang Pu, also received rewards.
Du Zhen remained in charge of internal affairs within the cabinet, serving as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Grand Scholar of the Eastern Pavilion. Among all these promotions, he was not the most prominent, but considering that the earlier promoted individuals were either meritorious nobles, long-serving advisors, or former Eastern Palace officials who had spent years in prison, Du Zhen’s continued tenure was expected. Yet, these exceptional promotions sparked speculation among those with ambitions.
However, people’s attention soon shifted away from these personnel changes. After ascending the throne, Zhu Gaochi first sent people to deliver Zhu Di’s remaining crown and robes to the Princes of Han and Zhao. A few days later, instead of following the old practice of Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, who had used an imperial edict to keep Zhu Di out of the capital, Zhu Gaochi issued an edict summoning Prince Zhu Gaoxu of Han to the capital!