Chapter 67: Mother and Son Suspect Each Other
《The Great Ming Code 》 states: When a princess comes of age, a marriage partner shall be chosen. If there are sons with presentable appearances, dignified conduct, and well-taught parents, they may register with the Ministry to be selected by the Imperial Household. The Ministry shall first select the registered sons and request the Directorate of Ceremonial to conduct the selection at the Princes’ Hall.
That is, the conditions required for a Great Ming Imperial Son-in-law: first, good looks; second, a clean family background; third, good upbringing.
Princess Pingning, the biological daughter of Empress Dowager Li and the Emperor’s full sister, therefore, her marriage attracted even more attention, being the most grand event in the Imperial Palace since the beginning of the year.
Because His Majesty trusted Feng Gao, he personally issued an edict for the Directorate of Ceremonial to select a husband for Princess Pingning, and Feng Gao was fully responsible for this matter.
The selection of the Imperial Son-in-law is complete.
In March, Feng Gao brought Liang Bangrui to the capital to report back.
Liang Bangrui was handsome, elegant, and one in ten thousand.
Empress Dowager Li personally went to the meeting hall and saw him from afar, and was very pleased.
Among all her children, only the youngest daughter, Pingning, was not yet married. This matter must be handled to comfort her.
Empress Dowager Li said to His Majesty: “The Imperial Son-in-law is upright, and can be reported to the late Emperor in heaven, and can also comfort my beloved daughter’s heart.”
Seeing that Empress Dowager Li had no objections, His Majesty ordered the Ministry of Rites to set the wedding date.
As everyone knows, His Majesty and Empress Dowager Li had a disagreement over the “matter of the Crown Prince.”
The court officials clamored for the establishment of a Crown Prince. The eldest son, Zhu Changluo, was born to Lady Wang. Lady Wang was originally a maid in Empress Dowager Li’s palace. Empress Dowager Li naturally supported the establishment of Zhu Changluo as Crown Prince. But His Majesty hesitated and did not decide. He doted on Consort Zheng, and in the Imperial Harem, Consort Zheng was the sole dominant figure. He hoped that Consort Zheng would give birth to a Prince in the future.
After His Majesty took personal charge of state affairs, he tried his best to remove the interference of Prime Minister Zhang and Empress Dowager Li in the Imperial Court during the early years of Wanli. How could he then establish the son born to Empress Dowager Li?
The mother and son were at a stalemate for a long time.
At this critical juncture, His Majesty thought that Princess Pingning’s marriage might ease the conflict between mother and son.
On the first day of the fourth month, the princess’s wedding took place.
However, on the wedding day, Liang Bangrui’s nosebleeds were incessant, staining his ceremonial robes.
The ceremony was almost not completed.
Liang Bangrui was someone Feng Gao personally brought back from Jiangnan. The eunuchs present, in a moment of panic to cover it up, quickly shouted: “The Imperial Son-in-law is bleeding red on his wedding day! A most auspicious omen!”
Seeing this, the guests attending the ceremony also hurriedly knelt on the ground, saying: “Your Majesty’s virtue is immense, a most auspicious omen. Congratulations to the Empress Dowager, congratulations to His Majesty, congratulations to the Imperial Son-in-law, congratulations to the Princess.”
The Empress Dowager did not become happy amidst the congratulations.
She coldly looked at His Majesty, at Consort Zheng beside His Majesty, her face ashen, and said nothing.
After the wedding, the Empress Dowager watched as Princess Pingning was helped by palace servants into the bridal chamber. A hint of unfathomable sorrow appeared on her rich and plump face.
The wedding had taken place.
The announcement had been sent to the Four Seas and Nine Provinces.
The Imperial family’s reputation was paramount.
It was too late to say anything.
That night, the lights in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility remained lit until dawn.
And His Majesty, that night, did not go to Consort Zheng’s sleeping quarters. He secretly summoned Feng Gao.
Feng Gao explained the truth to His Majesty. The night before he left Yangzhou, the Head Eunuch of the Palace of Accumulated Splendor went to see him with a golden plaque and conveyed an oral imperial decree, ordering Feng Gao to select Liang Bangrui.
The Palace of Accumulated Splendor was Lady Wang’s residence. Lady Wang was the person Empress Dowager valued most in the Imperial Harem, and Princess Pingning was the Empress Dowager’s own daughter. It was natural for someone from Lady Wang’s palace to deliver the decree.
Moreover, Lady Wang was initially banished to the Cold Palace by His Majesty for a month. It was Empress Dowager herself who brought her out of the Cold Palace and assigned her to the Palace of Accumulated Splendor. To appease the Empress Dowager, His Majesty would spend two or three nights a month in the Palace of Accumulated Splendor. Lady Wang was the most timid, and usually followed the Empress Dowager’s orders in the palace, not daring to make any mistakes.
Therefore, Feng Gao did not suspect anything and obeyed the order.
His Majesty’s brow furrowed upon hearing this.
The former Head Eunuch of the Palace of Accumulated Splendor died of palpitations in the palace’s dormitory on the eve of the princess’s wedding. Currently, the Head Eunuch of the Palace of Accumulated Splendor has been replaced.
The so-called “oral imperial decree” became an unsubstantiated illusion.
There was no one to interrogate.
Nothing to investigate.
Lady Wang would never dare to tamper with the princess’s marriage. Furthermore, doing so would bring her no benefit whatsoever.
Could this be the Empress Dowager’s strategy of undermining from within?
Feng Gao was appointed by His Majesty. The Empress Dowager could use “the princess’s wedding, entrusting her to the wrong person” as an excuse to blame His Majesty. His Majesty would then feel guilty towards the Empress Dowager. Thus, on the matter of establishing the Crown Prince, he would not be able to argue with the Empress Dowager.
Using a small move to achieve a great victory.
“Go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility and see if the Empress Dowager has rested?” His Majesty ordered a young eunuch.
A short while later, the young eunuch returned and reported: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has not rested. The lights in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility are still on.”
His Majesty sat on the dragon throne, narrowing his eyes.
He felt that a hand was secretly playing a game with him.
Prime Minister Zhang, he could execute.
But his mother, he was helpless against her.
A black-hearted prime minister on the dragon bed. Mother once supported Zhang Taiyue so much, trusted Zhang Taiyue so much. Now, Zhang Taiyue is dead, and Mother is still fighting him. The situation is treacherous and unpredictable. The Imperial Palace has always been cold.
He said to Feng Gao: “What exactly is Liang Bangrui’s illness? Have you found out?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, his complexion is fair, his appearance is dignified, and he is tall. No one can tell he is ill. However, the servants attending the princess’s mansion reported that his nosebleeds are incessant, and he cannot perform his duties in the bridal chamber. The imperial physicians examined him overnight and said it is consumption.”
“Who initially recommended Liang Bangrui for this selection?”
“Through layers of prefectural offices and countless official documents, the source has long been untraceable. What is certain is that all reports stated that Liang Bangrui was in good health and free of illness.”
This net had been cast for a long time.
His Majesty smiled sinisterly.
In a flash, he said to Feng Gao: “How have I always treated you?”
Feng Gao quickly knelt and reported: “Your Majesty’s kindness to this subject is as heavy as a mountain.”
“Do you remember me ordering you to watch the leopards fight, Feng Gao? You were the last imperial leopard remaining.”
His Majesty picked up his teacup, scraped the foam with the lid, and said slowly: “When it is unavoidable, you must endure it. You know what to say, understand?”
Feng Gao, being extremely experienced and intelligent, immediately understood His Majesty’s meaning.
He bowed three times and said: “Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject understands.”
Feng Gao guessed that His Majesty suspected the Empress Dowager, but he also felt that the Empress Dowager would not use her own daughter’s lifelong happiness as a ploy.
Regardless, for now, he was the only one who could bear this sin.
The next morning.
The Princess and the Imperial Son-in-law went to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to offer tea.
The Princess’s eyes were red, clearly having cried all night.
After offering tea, the Princess knelt on the Empress Dowager’s lap and cried: “Mother, Mother…”
The Empress Dowager held the Princess, tears streaming down her face.
“My child, you have suffered.”
A Great Ming Princess has no precedent for remarriage, so she could only close her eyes and endure.
The Imperial Son-in-law knelt beside them, trembling.
The Empress Dowager said: “Issue my imperial decree, search the country for physicians to treat the Imperial Son-in-law.”
The Princess shook her head sadly and said: “Mother, it’s no use, it’s no use… Liang Bangrui’s illness, he himself knows, his time is likely short. The Liang family are merely merchants, they have no power to reach the heavens. This child cannot understand why the Directorate of Ceremonial chose him as the Imperial Son-in-law. I am the daughter of Father Emperor and Mother Empress, the Emperor’s own sister, why would my Imperial Brother treat me like this?”
Recalling her childhood, when Father Emperor was still alive, how deep the sibling affection between her and her Imperial Brother was.
These words struck a chord with the Empress Dowager, and her tears could not help but flow.
Barely holding herself together, she sent off the Princess and the Imperial Son-in-law, and then ordered a eunuch: “Go, tell His Majesty to come to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.”
“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, people from the Palace of Heavenly Purity said that His Majesty was reviewing memorials all night yesterday. He has just finished court. His Majesty has likely just gone to sleep.”
The teacup in the Empress Dowager’s hand shattered on the floor with a “bang.”
The eunuch was startled, quickly retreated, and hurried to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to deliver the message.
When His Majesty arrived at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, the broken teacup on the floor had not yet been cleaned up.
He stepped through the brown tea liquid and entered, greeting the Empress Dowager.
Then, he turned and said sternly: “What are the servants of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility doing? Why haven’t they swept up the broken teacup? What if it injured the Empress Dowager?”
The palace servants knelt on the ground: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager ordered us not to sweep.”
His Majesty did nothing further.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and everyone in the hall withdrew.
The Empress Dowager said: “Does His Majesty still fear that I will be injured?”
Upon hearing this, His Majesty bowed and said with a smile: “How dare this son accept such words from Mother? Mother is a holy mother, and this son supports her with the world. No one in the world would dare to make Mother unhappy.”
“Is that so? You know about the Imperial Son-in-law’s illness, don’t you?” the Empress Dowager said, her breathing becoming rapid: “Bleeding red on the wedding day? How could those servants say such a thing. Whether it is an auspicious or inauspicious omen, the gods know. When your father passed away, he entrusted the common people to your care. You even scheme against your own imperial sister, how can you govern the world?”
His Majesty quickly knelt on the ground.
He looked up at the Empress Dowager and said faintly: “Mother, there are some things I did not want to make clear. But since Mother has spoken to this point, I want to ask Mother, did Mother truly not know about the Imperial Son-in-law’s illness beforehand?”
The Empress Dowager was stunned.
She looked at her son, incredulous.
His Majesty said: “Does Mother still want me to issue an edict of self-condemnation like seven years ago? Unfortunately, Zhang Taiyue is no longer in this world, and I am no longer the young emperor of seven years ago.”
He smiled, thinking he had hit upon the Empress Dowager’s thoughts.
“In the fourth year of Wanli, Mother had Zhang Taiyue emulate Huo Guang of the Han Dynasty, depose me, and establish Lu Wang. Now, Mother knows that establishing Lu Wang is not feasible. Is she settling for the next best thing, wanting me to issue an edict of self-condemnation, and then, to satisfy Mother’s wishes, establish Zhu Changluo, the son of a palace servant, as Crown Prince?”
Suddenly, thunder rumbled from outside.
A spring rain descended from the sky.
The fine threads of rain wove into an immensely vast net, hanging from the clouds all the way to the ground.
The Empress Dowager’s hand trembled as she pointed at His Majesty: “You, you, you…”
His Majesty lowered his head and said: “I am Mother’s son. Filial piety is the beginning of all things under heaven. Mother, rest assured, I will not break this thin veil. No matter how Mother treats me, I will be as filial to Mother as before. I will accept this fault.”
He got up from the ground and said: “I will issue an edict to dismiss Feng Gao from his position as Director, imprison him, and torture him severely. Feng Gao will confess that he accepted bribes from the Liang family and, blinded by greed, mistakenly selected the Imperial Son-in-law. Are you satisfied with this outcome, Mother?”
The Empress Dowager trembled and said: “Do you really think I did this?”
His Majesty remained silent.
The Empress Dowager, with tears streaming down her face, smiled: “You are truly my good son.”
His Majesty bowed: “Mother, please rest well. This son takes his leave.”
“Wait!” the Empress Dowager called out to him.
“I am going to the Imperial Prison to personally interrogate Feng Gao.”
