Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 51 The Great Court Meeting on the Winter Solstice
On the 27th day of the 11th month of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign (the winter solstice), the grand court assembly, which had been rehearsed for two days at Chaotian Palace, was held as scheduled.

Yesterday, the Imperial Seal Office set up a treasure table in the southeast of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and the Court of State Ceremonies set up a congratulatory memorial table outside the east gate of the hall; the Ministry of Rites set up tribute tables for vassal states on both sides of the central path of the Danchi (Red Steps); the Imperial Observatory set up a time-telling drum in the Wenzhao Pavilion; the Music Bureau arranged the chime bells and other elegant musical instruments in the hall and tuned the instruments; the Embroidered Uniform Guard displayed ceremonial guards in the hall and set up a golden drum outside the Meridian Gate; and the Imperial Horse Administration prepared ceremonial horses and trained elephants.

At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the first drumbeat sounded, and civil and military officials lined up outside the Meridian Gate according to their rank, with civil officials on the left and military officials on the right.

On the second drumbeat, officials entered the palace through the left and right side gates, crossed the Golden Water Bridge, and then stood in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony according to their rank.

At this moment, Zhu Youjian was in the Hall of Literary Glory, wearing his imperial robes and ceremonial attire, awaiting his ascension to the throne. His three wives were surrounding him, adjusting his clothing. It must be said that Zhu Youjian was already very handsome, and wearing this imperial robe only added to his divine aura, making him appear majestic and unapproachable.

The third drumbeat sounded with the first rays of sunlight on the winter solstice, its resounding beat lasting long afterward!
Zhu Youjian set off for the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the Imperial Music Bureau played the "Zhonghe Shaoyue Sheng'an Melody". Guards placed a "small divine whip" in front of the throne, and three whips were cracked below the steps.

The Honglu Temple announced the order to "enter the ranks," and all civil and military officials proceeded onto the imperial road. Civil officials faced west and military officials faced east, performing the four bows and three kowtows. The "Danbi Grand Music for Long Live the Emperor" was played, and all officials shouted "Long live the Emperor!" in unison, "The music of Huangzhong is in harmony, and the sun is about to rise."

Officials from the Ministry of Rites led the procession carrying the congratulatory memorial into the hall. The official from the Court of State Ceremonial knelt and read the memorial aloud, while all the officials prostrated themselves to listen: "We respectfully acknowledge His Majesty the Emperor, who has received the mandate of Heaven and is blessed with eternal prosperity..."

The congratulatory message was written in a convoluted and obscure style, almost hypnotic. Fortunately, the imperial crown was heavy, and Zhu Youjian dared not lower his head, thus preventing him from falling asleep. However, the officials below were very excited. Most of them were not usually qualified to attend court assemblies and could only see the emperor's face during the grand court assembly. Indeed, the emperor was a creature more precious and more worthy of being seen than a giant panda.

Then the official announced the decree: "The joy of your long reign is shared with you all." The officials then danced, knelt, and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Finally, the Imperial Music Bureau played the "Zhonghe Shaoyue An Ding Qu" (a piece of music for peace and stability), and the emperor departed for the Huagai Hall, after which the officials withdrew in order.

After the court assembly, there was a banquet where the emperor and his officials changed out of their ceremonial robes and court attire and into everyday clothes.

Generally, only officials of the fifth rank or above could attend the banquet. Zhu Youjian made an exception and allowed more than a thousand officials who participated in the grand court assembly to have a meal. Since the Huangji Hall could not accommodate them all, some of them were dispersed to the Zhongji Hall and Jianji Hall. All three main halls of the outer court were used, and it was enough to squeeze in a few people.

The most eye-catching figure at this Winter Solstice Grand Court Assembly was not the first-rank Duke, the second-rank civil official, or the foreign envoys whose appearance and clothing differed from those of the Central Plains, but rather the Tang Prince Zhu Shuohuang, who stood at the very front of the procession.

The only prince who recently attended the grand court assembly was Prince Xiang, Zhu Zhanxian, right? But he was Emperor Xuanzong's younger brother, Zhu Zhanji, born of the same mother. Zhu Shuohuang had no connection to the current emperor, so why was he invited to the grand court assembly?! The officials were puzzled.

Zhu Youjian was actually quite embarrassed. He had made a huge blunder: he thought the Prince of Tang was Zhu Yujian, the most handsome prince of the late Ming Dynasty who had led troops to defend the emperor on his own initiative. However, he did not expect that the person he had found was his grandfather, Zhu Yujian, who had not yet inherited the title!
In fact, Zhu Shuohuang himself was also very confused. The reason he gave the emperor money was simply to bribe him so that the emperor would agree to depose his eldest son, Zhu Qisheng, and make his second son the heir apparent. His princess had died early, and Zhu Shuohuang had no legitimate son. The Ministry of Rites, citing the principle of "no legitimate son to be established as heir apparent," forcibly made him the heir apparent, but he did not like this eldest son at all.

"Damn it, whatever, let it be a mistake, let it be a blunder." Zhu Youjian got up and walked to Zhu Shuohuang, grabbed the old man's arm, and invited him to sit down next to him.

The old man was startled. His lineage, the Tang clan, was granted this title by the founding emperor, and had a distant relationship with subsequent emperors; the Tang clan was generally disliked. To be honest, this was his first time meeting the emperor, and he wasn't familiar with Zhu Youjian at all!

Zhu Youjian also adopted a friendly demeanor, whispering with the Prince of Tang with a smile on his face. The rumors that followed were certainly that the Prince of Tang had generously donated 30,000 taels of silver to build the late emperor's mausoleum, thus earning the emperor's favor.

However, what the Tang King himself heard was not pleasant, and he was not happy at all. Zhu Youjian said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Uncle Tang King, I heard that you have imprisoned your eldest son and grandson?! You want to change the succession to your second son, which is not in accordance with the rites."

Zhu Shuohuang broke out in a cold sweat. Had the emperor's influence extended all the way to Nanyang? Did the Embroidered Uniform Guard still have such capabilities?! Or had someone betrayed him?
"Your Majesty, perhaps there is some treacherous accusation. I would never dare to have such a thought. Please investigate thoroughly, Your Majesty," Zhu Shuohuang said, forcing a smile.

Zhu Youjian glanced at him sideways, making Zhu Shuohuang stiffen. After a long while, Zhu Youjian said calmly, "Prince Tang, it's meaningless to do something you don't admit. You're putting me in a difficult position. Actually, wanting to make one's favorite son the heir apparent is understandable; it's human nature. My grandfather, the Emperor, really wanted to make Uncle Fu the Crown Prince! It's just that the officials disagreed. Do you think the court will agree to what you're doing? Do you think the Ministry of Rites will grant your second son an official title? Unless... you pay more money!"

Huh?! Zhu Shuohuang was taken aback. His expression changed several times, and finally he held up three fingers under the table to show the emperor.

"Three hundred thousand taels? Although it's a bit low, it's still..."

"No, Your Majesty, I meant thirty thousand taels!" Zhu Shuohuang panicked. Thirty thousand taels was less than enough to kill him!
"That's too little," Zhu Youjian said expressionlessly.

"That...fifty thousand taels?!"

"Three hundred thousand."

"Eighty thousand."

"Three hundred thousand."

"One hundred thousand."

"Three hundred thousand."

"150,000 taels, Your Majesty! This is truly a death sentence for this old minister! The Prince's mansion has several thousand men and horses, and we're almost starving. We really can't come up with 300,000 taels!" Zhu Shuohuang cried out in distress.

Zhu Youjian, of course, did not believe his nonsense. These princes could easily come up with a million taels of silver; the Prince of Zhou had already made more than 500,000 taels of gold coins when he guarded Kaifeng! However, it was unrealistic to really squeeze him dry.

"Let's compromise. How about 200,000 taels? I'll take care of things for you," Zhu Youjian said calmly.

Zhu Shuohuang hesitated for a while, then finally raised his cup to toast the emperor, agreeing to Zhu Youjian's extortion.

Zhu Youjian drank a full cup of wine, and then said, "Your eldest son and grandson, don't bother them anymore. Send them to me, and I'll find them something to do."

Zhu Shuohuang nodded, but his heart was full of doubts.

Zhu Youjian did this to avoid a family tragedy, because according to the original historical timeline, the Prince of Tang would have been poisoned. Later, Zhu Yujian was made the heir apparent under the intervention of the court. After inheriting the throne, he avenged his father by having his uncle beaten to death.

Furthermore, he did indeed have a good impression of Zhu Yujian. Now that he remembered him, he didn't want to keep him in the Tang Prince's Mansion suffering from hunger and fear any longer. He thought it better to grab him and see if he could be trained into a great general of the imperial family.

(End of this chapter)