Preface
In the splendid history of the Ming Dynasty, a unique and long-standing name often shines in the pages of history - Zhu Chaoyi, the king of Zhouzhuang. He is not only the last Son of Heaven of the Ming Dynasty, but also a witness who witnessed the last Son of Heaven of the Ming Dynasty. This historic parade has attracted much attention not only because it is the curtain call of the Ming Dynasty, but also because Zhu Chaoqi has received unprecedented preferential treatment as a witness.
This amazing piece of history has witnessed the rise and fall of a dynasty, outlining the final glory and desolation of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Chaoqi, as one of the protagonists of that magnificent parade, not only visited the land in person, but also left his unique footprints in the long river of history. Let's walk through the corridor of time, approach the prince in the afterglow of the dynasty, listen to the tour he witnessed, and unveil the mystery of the end of the Ming Dynasty.
1. The chance of the Son of Heaven's southern tour
In 1536, Ming Shizong fought for his father to enjoy the Taimiao alone, and did not hesitate to build a large number of temples to change the nine-temple system to a joint worship system. Who knew that only five years later, a lightning bolt burned the Taimiao into ruins, and Ming Shizong had to restore the nine temples again. After this battle, the government and the opposition have seen the true nature of this dutiful son - he is a political animal who is both ambitious and loves face.
In 1538, Ming Shizong's biological mother, Empress Dowager Zhang, died, and her last wish was to be buried with her husband. Ming Shizong decided to personally tour the south, worship the famous mountains and rivers all the way, and finally arrived at Chengtianfu, where the tomb of Emperor Xingxian is located, to renovate and expand the mausoleum.
On this southern tour, many princes of the royal palace went to meet them. At the critical moment, the 17-year-old Zhou Shisun Zhu Chaoqi did not stay in the fiefdom honestly like other vassal kings, but chose a bold move - he hurried to Zhengzhou, where the emperor was stationed, to meet him!
It stands to reason that his son is still guarding the system for his grandfather, and he should not leave the domain without permission. But Zhu Chaoqi is shrewd and shrewd, and he is thoughtful at first glance. He knew that the emperor's southern tour was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if he knelt on the side of the road to meet him, he was likely to become famous and win the emperor's favor. Or they will never have a chance with the emperor - in the end of the Ming Dynasty, how many county kings can have seen the holy car with their own eyes?
Sure enough, Ming Shizong did not blame the young grandson for leaving the domain without permission, but greatly appreciated his wit and courage. Not only was it given a high-standard reception, but also sealed 300 stone taels and entertained at a banquet. Since then, Zhu Chaoyi's name has been firmly imprinted in the emperor's heart, laying the groundwork for his future ascension to the throne of Zhou.
2. Controversy over the succession to the throne of King Zhou
In 1540, King Gong of Zhou died, and according to the etiquette system, his son Zhu Chaoyan should inherit the throne. But Zhu Chaoqi was only 19 years old at the time, and he was still guarding his grandfather. In addition, the matter of Emperor Xingxian's enshrinement in the Taimiao has not yet settled, and Ming Shizong considered the court's criticism of his ambitions, and he refused to canonize the new king of Zhou for a while.
In fact, Ming Shizong wanted to wait for the expiration of Zhu Chao's service period before reconsidering whether to pass on the throne to him. But for an ambitious young man, this is tantamount to sitting still. Once the time is too long, it is very likely that the traitors in the court will take the opportunity to curry favor with the emperor and let his cronies take his place.
For this reason, Zhu Chaoqi wrote to the emperor and tried his best to defend himself. He said that he was 19 years old and fully capable of taking on the responsibilities of King Zhou, and promised to do his best to serve the country. Otherwise, it will tarnish the expectations of the ancestors and the father, and they will never dare to slack off.
In the face of the young county lord's earnest petition, coupled with the beautiful talk during the southern tour three years ago, it was difficult for Ming Shizong to refuse. After all, the Zhu family in front of him is the only surviving son of his several half-brothers. So under Zhu Chaoyi's soft and hard efforts, Ming Shizong reluctantly nodded, and he was able to successfully ascend the throne as the king of Zhou in the first month of the following year.
3. The amount of the clan is shrinking
After the new king of Zhou ascended the throne, the life of the clan did not get any better. Due to the freedom of childbearing, the number of clans in the middle of the Ming Dynasty skyrocketed to nearly 20,000, which put a heavy burden on the expenses of the imperial court. Some corrupt officials even took the opportunity to deduct the clan's wealth, resulting in the ruin of their families.
In 1541, Zhu Chaojun sought living expenses for several of his uncles, but was sternly rejected by officials of the Ministry of Rites. The official also insulted Zhu Chaoqi in person, he didn't know what to do, and he deserved to eat the emperor's food. Zhu Chaoqi was furious and almost fought with him. This matter was finally reported to the ears of Ming Shizong.
Ming Shizong has always favored his siblings, so he was naturally angry at Xianbei traitors insulting the clan like this. But thinking of the fact that the treasury was empty and had to withhold the clan's money, it was not good to blame the officials of the Ministry of Rites too much. In the end, Ming Shizong was annoyed and angry, and ordered to add a penny to each stone of the Zhou clan to appease.
Unexpectedly, only a year later, the clans of the eight feudal clans in Henan joined forces to besiege the governor's yamen in an attempt to forcibly occupy the arrears. Ming Shizong was furious at this time, and immediately sent troops to quell the rebellion, and severely punished several plotters to set an example.
Fourth, the thoughtfulness of the astute King Zhou
In the face of the emperor's severe punishment, Zhu Chaojun did not secretly complain like other kings. On the contrary, as a far-sighted politician, he was soberly aware that the predicament of the imperial court was not optimistic. The treasury is empty, the population of the clan has skyrocketed, and it is almost impossible to make up for all the money.
If you also ask for sealing again and again, it will be tantamount to adding insult to injury. In the future, only by living in seclusion and concentrating on managing their own fiefdoms can the people live and work in peace and contentment, and only then can they meet the identity of a competent county king. So in the years that followed, Zhu Chaowei tried his best to avoid disputes between the DPRK and China, and rarely offside to seek officials, so he won the trust of Ming Shizong.
During his 12-year reign of King Zhou, Zhu Chaowei quietly managed the livelihood of the Zhou Domain. He opened up water conservancy and irrigation, taught the people to grow mulberry and raise silkworms, and greatly enhanced the economic strength of the Zhou Domain. The streets in Kaifeng City are clean, the market is abundant, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. This is why after his death, Ming Shizong did not hesitate to give the praise of "Zhuang".
What's even more embarrassing is that he became the last king in the history of the Ming Dynasty to see the true face of the Son of Heaven with his own eyes. Perhaps it was his foresight that made this special honor possible.
epilogue
Looking back at the Ming Dynasty, among the many county kings, it seems that only Zhu Chaoqi has lived a complete and contented life. He was not dissatisfied with the loss of political power, nor was he resentful of what happened to the emperor.
On the contrary, he was wise enough to perceive the situation and understand the affairs of the territory, and he did his best to benefit the people of his domain. Perhaps, this is the real reason why he has the emperor's trust.