Chapter 24: Deliberations from All Quarters

The next day.

Late last night, an imperial decree was issued from the West Garden.

According to the decree, the urgency of the border situation, coupled with the cowardice and incompetence displayed by the Nine Frontiers, had jeopardized the security of the capital and its surrounding regions. Consequently, the Emperor felt compelled to reorganize the military and bolster the morale of the troops. Furthermore, acting upon the advice of Senior Grand Secretary Yan Song, the Emperor decided to personally inspect the Capital Battalions to eliminate systemic corruption, root out lawlessness, and reinvigorate the military spirit.

These were the stated prerequisites.

The tone of the decree then shifted. The Emperor acknowledged that his departure from the palace carried significant weight; as a ruler deeply benevolent toward his people, he wished to avoid causing them any unnecessary disturbance. Thus, he would not lightly venture out to inspect the battalions himself.

However, the military morale still required bolstering.

What was to be done?

Since the ministers had all acclaimed the Crown Prince for his growing reputation of virtue, the Emperor decreed that the Crown Prince, who had already begun his political apprenticeship, would leave the palace in his stead to inspect the various camps of the capital’s military. Only once everything was prepared would the Emperor himself choose a day to visit, aiming to ensure the objectives were met without the need for cumbersome imperial processions.

Once the decree was promulgated, it naturally sparked widespread discussion at court.

Setting aside the neutral faction that remained silent, there were both those who opposed and those who supported the move. Ultimately, because the Emperor’s decree was so eloquently drafted and the justification appeared so righteous, no one dared to raise objections or obstruct the imperial inspection of the Capital Battalions at a time when the court was already busy rectifying the Xuan-Da frontier defenses.

Yet, a lack of formal petitions against the decree did not mean the matter ceased to be a subject of intense debate.

In the Cabinet, early in the morning, Yan Song, Zhang Zhi, and Lü Ben arrived to sign in and take their seats. The secretaries of the Secretariat, busy with their duties inside and outside the Imperial City, were already in motion, drafting documents or scurrying back and forth to convey news.

Yan Song’s complexion was rather poor today; he sat in his armchair in silence. Lü Ben was equally taciturn, focused solely on reviewing the latest memorials submitted by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue. Only Zhang Zhi appeared in high spirits, his eyes and brows filled with smiles.

After settling in and taking a cup of tea, Zhang Zhi looked toward Yan Song and Lü Ben.

"Senior Grand Secretary," Zhang Zhi called out softly.

Yan Song looked up at him, a trace of confusion in his expression: "What is it, Wenbang?" (Wenbang was Zhang Zhi’s courtesy name.)

Seeing Zhang Zhi speak, Lü Ben also put down his memorial and looked up.

Zhang Zhi smiled and said, "Senior Grand Secretary, according to protocol, now that the Crown Prince, along with Prince Yu and Prince Jing, have begun their studies in the palace, the Classics Mat lectures must also be inaugurated. In a few days, the time for the Classics Mat will arrive. I wonder if you and Minister Xu have discussed anything, and whether we need to make early preparations?"

Minister Xu referred to Xu Jie, who had been promoted to Minister of Rites in February while still overseeing the Hanlin Academy. Zhang Zhi and Lü Ben served as daily lecturers, while Gao Gong and others served as instructors, responsible for the daily curriculum. The Classics Mat, however, was a broader forum where various fields of knowledge were synthesized and explored in depth.

However, hearing that Zhang Zhi was bringing up this matter, Lü Ben frowned. He did not wait for Yan Song to speak, but instead interjected with a touch of annoyance: "Wenbang, the court is already suffering from headaches over the affairs of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, as well as the Xuan-Da frontier. Yesterday, the Emperor issued a decree for the Crown Prince to leave the palace to inspect the camps on his behalf. How can you still be preoccupied with the daily lectures and the Classics Mat?"

Lü Ben had been truly troubled these past few days. The memorials submitted by Weng Wanda, the Governor of the Xuan-Da frontier, had not been approved by the Emperor as usual; instead, they were referred to the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue for discussion. But how could it be easy to reach a conclusion when those two ministries had to deliberate on expenditures of over four hundred thousand taels of silver, alongside the mobilization of tens of thousands of laborers and soldiers?

The affairs in the southeast concerned their own families and kin, while the affairs of the Xuan-Da frontier were tied to their own official positions at court. How could they be at ease?

Zhang Zhi raised an eyebrow and looked at Lü Ben, somewhat puzzled: "The Crown Prince now has a reputation for virtue; is it not a matter of great importance for him to inspect the camps on behalf of the Emperor? Minister Weng’s memorial requested the transfer of six thousand capital troops to garrison Xuanfu, but this could not be realized precisely because the Capital Battalions are currently unusable. If the morale of the Capital Battalions were high and the soldiers were elite, why would there be a need to mobilize such large forces or trouble the Emperor and the Crown Prince with inspections?"

"You!" Lü Ben’s face flushed with agitation. Finally, his face turning a slight crimson, he flicked his sleeves and turned his head away in frustration: "Unreasonable!"

Zhang Zhi was currently fully invested in the studies and virtuous reputation of Zhu Zaiji. Seeing Lü Ben’s posturing, he merely smiled inwardly. Did he not know of the petty schemes Lü Ben and his ilk were engaged in behind the scenes? He simply chose not to pay them any mind.

Watching Lü Ben’s disgruntled expression, Zhang Zhi remained smiling, his tone lingering: "The world knows the immortals are blessed, but only fame and fortune are hard to forget."

He shook his head, sighing, "We have attained both fame and high positions, and have received imperial grace. If we think only of our own interests and disregard the state, we are unworthy of being subjects."

There was no concealment; it was a very blunt warning.

Afterward, Zhang Zhi turned his gaze to Yan Song, who sat in the primary seat of the Cabinet.

Yan Song felt somewhat helpless and could only frown: "Since it is the Emperor’s decree, we as subjects must naturally obey. The Crown Prince will be leaving the palace to inspect various places at any moment; can the court simply do nothing? I believe that whether it is the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, or even the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, all should take action and show some initiative."

Old man Yan was indeed feeling quite wounded. There was much dissatisfaction at court regarding the Emperor and Crown Prince leaving the palace to inspect the camps, and he, as the one who proposed it, had received much of the blame. Yesterday, after the decree was issued, he had wanted to sit at home and have a cup of tea to rest, but to his dismay, even his own son had come to blame him both overtly and covertly.

But if he did not satisfy the Emperor’s desire to inspect the Capital Battalions, could he really let the Emperor run off to inspect the Nine Frontiers?

Having the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate all take action was merely a way to quell the criticism against him. If every department sent people to the Capital Battalions, they could cover up what needed to be hidden and expose the filth that had to be brought to light. There always had to be an accounting to those above and those below.

The atmosphere in the Cabinet office was slightly heavy. Zhang Zhi no longer felt the urge to persuade them; it was simply a matter of waiting for the Crown Prince to grow older and for more loyal officials to join the court, then they could make further plans.

To look at the matter from another perspective: while the Cabinet remained relatively silent, there was constant, heated discussion outside the palace.

In Faxiang Ward, near the Desheng Gate in the north of the city and adjacent to Jishuitan and Shichahai, sat a grand and imposing mansion.

The gate was inscribed with the gilded characters "Residence of the Duke of Cheng," and the array of military honors and guards at the entrance was dazzling. The passersby were all high-ranking officials; commoners rarely passed by.

Today, however, more carriages and sedan chairs stopped before the Duke of Cheng’s mansion than usual. Yet, most of these visitors, wearing expressions of regret and anxiety, departed after lingering at the gates without entering.

Inside the Duke of Cheng’s mansion, in the front hall, the current Duke of Cheng, Zhu Xizhong—only thirty-five years old and in the prime of his life, holding the titles of Jiatejin Guanglu Grand Master and Grand Tutor—sat in the seat of honor. Beside him, his son, Zhu Shitai, dressed in casual, elegant *yesa* robes, waited upon him. Two other men, both in military uniform, sat in the hall.

Liang Jifan, the current Earl of Baoding who oversaw the right sentry of the Five-Army Battalion and had rushed over upon hearing the decree, looked at Zhu Xizhong with eyes full of concern: "Duke, the Crown Prince will soon be leaving the palace to inspect the camps. Can you truly remain so calm?"

Both their families had risen to prominence during the Jingnan Campaign of the Chengzu Emperor, and their relationship was closer than most. Sitting with the Earl of Baoding was Guo Yingqian, a descendant of the Jingnan meritorious nobility from the Marquis of Cheng’an’s family, who also wore a forced smile: "Duke, the Emperor intends to inspect the Capital Battalions and has sent the Crown Prince to lead the way. We all know this is in response to the poor defense of the Xuan-Da frontier. But whether it is the Emperor or the Crown Prince inspecting, it is not just about boosting morale; they will inevitably investigate the failings of the camps. This... this is always unsettling."

Compared to the Earl of Baoding, Guo Yingqian, though born into the Marquis of Cheng’an’s family and holding a higher noble rank, had not yet inherited the title of Marquis after his father’s death. If something went wrong with the Capital Battalions now, he did not know what complications might arise regarding his inheritance.

Zhu Xizhong, sitting above, showed no sign of his thoughts, merely observing the two: "The civil officials at court have submitted memorials about the Capital Battalions more than once in recent years, claiming they are severely understaffed, filled mostly with the old and weak, plagued by incompetent officers, and that the soldiers are lax. If the Emperor wishes to inspect the camps, can I possibly stop him?"

The Earl of Baoding, Liang Jifan, turned stiff.

Guo Yingqian, who had not inherited his title, was even more nervous: "Duke, you have overseen the Right Chief Military Commission since the twenty-first year of the Jiajing reign, commanding the Regimented Battalions and the Five-Army Battalion. You know exactly what the state of the Capital Battalions has been these years. What can we possibly do?"

While he said this openly, he was implicitly suggesting that Zhu Xizhong, as the Duke of Cheng, bore a certain responsibility for the current state of the Capital Battalions.

Zhu Xizhong immediately looked at Guo Yingqian, though he did not show anger. Instead, a smile appeared on his face: "When the imperial decree came down today, I knew that if you didn't find your way to my mansion, you would be heading to the Duke of Ying’s or the Duke of Ding’s. I know why you are here."

Liang Jifan hesitated repeatedly before speaking: "Since the Duke understands everything, please instruct us on what we should do now."

After saying this, he signaled Guo Yingqian to rise with him and bow to Zhu Xizhong.

Zhu Xizhong glanced at his son standing by his side before smiling at the two men again.

"You are caught in the middle, so you cannot see clearly."

"The Emperor’s inspection is indeed for the border, but do you think it is only for the sake of the Nine Frontiers?"

Zhu Xizhong shook his head with a smile.

Guo Yingqian stepped forward, his expression becoming increasingly respectful: "Please, Duke, enlighten us."

Seeing his posture, Liang Jifan also had to step forward.

Zhu Xizhong looked into the distance, his eyes profound: "Just stay calm. If I am not mistaken, I expect that our Crown Prince, who already has such a virtuous reputation, will come out of the palace to find me today!"

The two were completely oblivious, their faces filled with confusion. How could the Duke of Cheng be so certain that the Crown Prince would leave the palace today, and even more certain that he would come to the Duke of Cheng’s mansion?