Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

Beside the prison wall, under the old crooked neck tree.

Jiang Xinghuo leaned against a tree trunk to enjoy the cool air and ate some watermelon, finally remembering the lecture.

"Where did you talk about last time?"

Zhu Gaoxu sat cross-legged, his waist straight, with a military demeanor.

He also wiped the watermelon juice on his beard and replied: "Mr. Jiang, last time we talked about the centralization and decentralization of power in the Song Dynasty."

"Oh" Jiang Xinghuo wiped his mouth and found a comfortable position to lie down.

"What insights do you have?"

Zhu Gaoxu curled his lips and said: "Emperor Yongle (Yongle is the reign name, not the posthumous title of Wen Emperor or the temple name of Chengzu, it can be called directly) had he been born as a prince in the Song Dynasty, he would definitely not be able to succeed in Jingnan."

Jiang Xinghuo picked up two leaves from the ground and shook the dust off, then covered his eyes to block the mottled sunlight cast by the tree canopy, put his hands behind his head, and then said lazily.

"This is not appropriate. You can think of Emperor Yongle as Song Taizu, and the vassals as the military leaders of Song Taizu in the late Five Dynasties. This is very similar. You said that Song Taizu has put on a yellow robe, will you worry about the military leaders of Song Taizu coming too? ? In fact, this is the root cause of central power."

Zhu Gaoxu's face looked solemn: "Mr. Jiang means that as soon as Emperor Yongle ascends the throne, he will start to reduce the military power of the vassals. Is he afraid that any vassal king will do another Jingnan campaign?"

"No." Zhu Gaoxu frowned slightly and shook his head, "As far as I know, Emperor Yongle has just rewarded the surviving vassals on a large scale. It doesn't seem like he wants to cut down the vassals."

Zhu Gaoxu was very concerned about this issue, because according to his close aides, his father was recently planning to reduce the vassal state. Although there is no conclusive evidence, there is indeed a rumor.

Zhu Gaoxu entered the imperial edict and used the method of retreat to advance. He would never give up his fight for the crown prince's position.

If I could get a better way to cut down the feudal vassal from this strange person like Jiang Xinghuo, and surpass my eldest brother who was always better than me in temple matters, I think my father would definitely think highly of me.

"Since Emperor Yongle is compared to Song Taizu, don't you understand?"

Jiang Xinghuo's lazy voice sounded like he was about to fall asleep, but the content of his words was extremely enlightening.

"The reduction of vassal status is inevitable, but rewards have two meanings."

"Obviously, Emperor Yongle showed goodwill to the vassals to show that his fourth brother, unlike Zhu Yunwen, the eldest nephew who didn't recognize his relatives, was related to the vassals. This is easy to understand."

"The secret meaning is to express an attitude of not using swords or weapons. Even if the vassals are reduced, it must be like Song Taizu releasing his military power over a glass of wine. He will reward the land and houses with gold and silver to ensure the wealth of the vassals and future generations."

In the secret room on the other side of the wall.

Zhu Di raised his eyebrows slightly. It was interesting that this scholar named Jiang Xinghuo was so keen and sharp in analyzing the strategy that he and Master Dao Yan had just decided to reduce the vassal!

You know, it was after deciding how to reduce the vassal that Zhu Di was in a good mood that he remembered to go to the imperial prison to see his second son who was angry with him.

Zhu Di was convinced that even he himself did not know the [final decision] on how to reduce the vassal status an hour ago!

Zhu Di murmured to himself: "I originally wanted to wait for a while before announcing this matter, but I didn't expect that a scholar said it in advance."

Although Jiang Xinghuo's views were not entirely to his liking, Zhu Di gleaned another layer of profound meaning from them.

Zhu Di suddenly realized that the plan to reduce the vassal vassal that he and Master Daoyan had discussed for a long time might be guessable in the eyes of a scheming person, but this young scholar could see through it without any experience in court. To be superior is to be wise.

"He figured out the plan between me and Master Daoyan in such a short period of time. This person is quite extraordinary." There was a hint of appreciation in Zhu Di's eyes.

"Your Majesty, can I avoid this?"

After hearing this, Ji Gang, who was on pins and needles, asked tentatively.

Zhu Di's face remained calm, he did not agree to Ji Gang's request, but after pondering for a few breaths he asked: "If it is what you said, it was Fang Xiaoru, a disciple who was a private school teacher in the countryside, who accepted Jiang Xinghuo as a student. And Jiang Xinghuo has never left his hometown since he was a child, but a year ago he suddenly sold his family property and came to Nanjing, where he only hangs out among the painting boats on the Qinhuai River every day?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"A country scholar can have such knowledge. Where does this knowledge come from? Why would a person with such knowledge be willing to abandon himself among the painted boats? Why would he deliberately get close to my son? Is Jianwen a traitor to the party? Secretly arranged?"

Hearing the emperor's repeated questions, Ji Gang broke out in cold sweat on his forehead and said in a trembling voice.

"I am stupid, please give me some time to investigate! I will definitely find out the truth!"

Zhu Di stared at Ji Gang for a long time, his eyes getting sharper and sharper, as if he could penetrate Ji Gang's soul, and he slowly looked away after a long time.

"I will give you three days to find out this matter."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

Ji Gang bowed to accept the order, and he secretly breathed a long sigh of relief. He didn't even dare to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and could only let the sweat drip on the Feiyu suit.

The lectures on the other side of the wall continued.

"Then Mr. Jiang thinks that by releasing the military power with a glass of wine and removing the guards from the vassals, there will be no more peace battles in the future, right?"

Zhu Gaoxu stared at Jiang Xinghuo who was lying down under the old crooked neck tree with burning eyes, and asked seriously.

Zhu Gaoxu took this issue very seriously, because he was convinced that his father Zhu Di had tricked him, and he might not be able to become the prince, so he began to unconsciously bring him into the perspective of the vassal king.

Guiding Jiangshan is not [asking for death]. Jiang Xinghuo is a dying person and can say whatever he wants.

"Among the many reasons for the future demise of the Ming Dynasty, rebellion by the vassal kings is definitely not one of them."

ginger There is no doubt that pig farmers will be ambitious sooner or later and will cause chaos sooner or later. Once the military power of the vassals is taken back, no one can succeed again, but some people will definitely continue to try."

"But now there won't be anyone in the vassals who is dissatisfied or rising up to resist?" Zhu Gaoxu asked eagerly.

"That's not right." Jiang Xinghuo said with a smile: "Emperor Yongle is the hero who conquered the country with his own hands. He will be merged with Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty in the future. How can the vassals refuse to accept it?"

After a pause, Jiang Xinghuo continued to add: "Besides, there is a saying in this world that if you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight. Do other vassals have the ability to add white to the king like Emperor Yongle? "

"But what if they are obsessed with it?" Zhu Gaoxu frowned.

"Once Emperor Yongle's decree is issued, no matter what the vassals choose, the result is already doomed. Obsession is just a mantis in front of the cavalry. Jianwen's millions of troops can't stop it. How can the vassals' thousands of guards stop it? Unless When the vassals unite, like the Seven Kings Rebellion or the Eight Kings Rebellion, they can break the jar and cause trouble for the court."

Jiang Xinghuo said calmly: "Emperor Yongle wants to peacefully reduce the vassal state. First of all, he does not want to leave a bad reputation in the history books for killing his relatives. Secondly, he is worried that the Ming Dynasty, which has not yet recovered, will suffer war again."

Zhu Gaoxu was silent while stroking his beard. After a long while, he asked unwillingly: "Isn't there any future trouble in this way of releasing military power over a glass of wine?"

Hearing this question, Jiang Xinghuo rarely took it seriously, well, half seriously, so he picked off a leaf.

Anyway, he is not afraid of death. What he talked about was only the content of the lecture and not [actively seeking death], so there was nothing he dared not say.

"There are future troubles, and they are two very fatal troubles for the Ming Dynasty."

"These two troubles will directly shorten the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty!"