Ming Dynasty Simulator: I will be the greatest emperor of all time!

"Tell me in detail. You scholars, if you want to curse someone, just use a posthumous title. Why make such a big deal out of it, and why do you have to consider the positive and negative connotations in relation to our predecessors? It's all so confusing to us."

Zhu Yuanzhang watched as Huang Guan listened attentively, while simultaneously offering his criticisms.

Huang Guan smiled awkwardly, not daring to refute Zhu Yuanzhang's words.

He thought to himself, "We scholars go through all this trouble because the system of posthumous titles has been ruined by you emperors."

"Your Majesty, the most recent Emperor Yingzong, also known as Emperor Yingzong of Yuan, was ambitious to govern well during his reign. He implemented a series of 'New Policies of Supreme Governance' centered on 'Confucianism,' including appointing Han officials, promulgating the 'Great Yuan Code,' dismissing redundant officials, and reducing taxes. However, his reforms threatened the interests of the conservative Mongol nobles, causing strong dissatisfaction. Finally, on his way back to Dadu from Shangdu, he was assassinated at Nanpo Inn by Teshi, the adopted son of the powerful minister Temüder, who opposed the reforms, and others. This event is known as the 'Nanpo Incident.' He was only 21 years old when he was killed."

"After Emperor Yingzong of Yuan was murdered, the Yuan Dynasty was plunged into a great upheaval of succession struggle within a few years."

"Before Emperor Yingzong of Yuan, there was another Emperor Yingzong, namely Emperor Yingzong of Song. After ascending the throne, he continued to employ the reformist ministers who had served under Emperor Renzong of Song, striving to eliminate corrupt practices. However, after his accession, the issue of his biological father's status sparked the famous 'Puyi' controversy, which split the court into two factions and lasted for 18 months. Moreover, he only reigned for four years before dying of illness at the young age of 36."

"These two emperors have several things in common: one was ambitious to govern well, the other died young, and the third was that although they were ambitious, they were not very capable and sowed the seeds of disaster for the country."

"Therefore, Your Majesty, you want me to find among those temple names the person most likely to cause instability to the country during his reign. I think it should be Emperor Yingzong."

Zhu Yuanzhang finally understood.

According to these civil officials' pedantic thinking, if a descendant of the Ming Dynasty were to become an Emperor Yingzong, his reputation should be judged in the same way as that of the recent Emperor Yingzong of Yuan.

Does this mean that Emperor Yingzong of Ming was ambitious but incompetent, and ultimately he was murdered, sowing the seeds of future turmoil and power struggles for the throne in the Ming Dynasty?

That should be the meaning, right?

Zhu Yuanzhang was still somewhat unwilling and continued to ask Huang Guan:

"Tell me, if someone in our Ming Dynasty were to have the temple name Yingzong, wouldn't that be using the literal meaning of Yingzong to praise him?"

"Speak freely, and whatever you say, we will pardon you."

Huang Guan smiled to himself, thinking, "Why is His Majesty asking this? Does His Majesty possibly know about the emperors of the Ming Dynasty after this?"

He shook his head and replied with a smile:

"Your Majesty, that's impossible. All temple names in the world are praiseworthy. If you use Yingzong and then connect it to Emperor Yingzong of Yuan, it's practically insulting that emperor. It means that this emperor... this person really messed things up, harming not only himself but also the country."

"Okay, we understand. You may leave now."

After Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed Huang Guan, he did some calculations himself and discovered that this Emperor Yingzong was actually Zhu Di's great-grandson. He then sighed.

"Starting with us, it's only the fifth generation, and our Great Ming Dynasty is already in crisis?"

"If it weren't for the fourth prince's regent, our Ming Dynasty might be in grave danger."

"We need to figure out who this Emperor Yingzong is. We can't let him be the emperor. He's ambitious but incompetent. It's better to have a lazy emperor who's neither ambitious nor capable, and leave the affairs of state to the ministers."

Although Zhu Yuanzhang did everything personally and did not trust his ministers, when faced with a descendant who lacked ability but wanted to accomplish great things, he couldn't help but complain that it would be better to delegate power to the ministers and control them from the palace.

"Renzong and Xuanzong are both top-tier temple names. Gao Chi certainly deserves the title of Renzong, as he was very benevolent. As for Xuanzong, we know it was given to an emperor who ushered in a period of peace and prosperity. The Xuanzong of the last unified dynasty was known as the 'Little Taizong' of Tang."

"Therefore, it is not a problem for Gao Chi to succeed the fourth prince. Gao Chi's son is Emperor Xuanzong, so it is also not a problem for Gao Chi's son to succeed the emperor."

"If the fourth prince had lived to see us, and if Zhu Chi and his son had lived to see us, our Ming Dynasty would have been prosperous for at least another hundred years."

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't stop smiling.

He completely ignored the following passage in the simulator: "Your temple name, Taizong, has been maintained for over 100 years."

By the time of that Taoist Emperor, the Ming Dynasty had been ruled by almost nine emperors, and only a little over a hundred years had passed. This means that some of them must have died young.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang completely overlooked this point, basking in the pride of the Ming Dynasty's more than 100 years of prosperity. If he had just used his brain a little more and figured out who this Emperor Yingzong was, and prevented him from succeeding to the throne, and then continued with Emperors Xianzong, Xiaozong, and Wuzong, the Ming Dynasty might have been able to prosper for hundreds of years!

……

Zhu Gaoxi has now become the bridge connecting the Prince of Yan's residence and the Emperor.

Zhu Gaoxi lived in the palace every day and was too lazy to leave, which pleased Zhu Yuanzhang.

Therefore, Zhu Di often used the pretext of visiting Zhu Gaoxi to come to the palace to see the old man, and by the way, he would talk about the progress of building the new capital, so as to make his presence known to the old man and increase his chances of winning the crown prince position.

The tons of grain buried beneath the Prince of Yan's residence were sold off by Zhu Di through various means. He kept the sudden appearance of this grain a secret very well, because the Prince of Yan's residence was far from the palace. Even Zhu Yuanzhang was kept in the dark about this matter.

This was partly because Zhu Yuanzhang was so focused on the simulator that he didn't use the Embroidered Uniform Guard to monitor Zhu Di much.

As for why they kept it a secret from Zhu Yuanzhang, it's quite simple: if they couldn't get the position of crown prince, they would use these things as supplies for rebellion.

Zhu Di didn't know how these grains appeared. At first, everyone thought they were a gift from the immortals. Later, they wondered if Yingtian Prefecture, as an ancient capital, was left behind by the ancients. But how could the grains left by the ancients be so exquisite? Besides, it's been so long, how could they not be moldy?

After failing to figure it out, the Prince of Yan's mansion simply stopped trying to find out, as long as it could be sold for money.

But when they actually started digging, they discovered that there wasn't much grain under the Prince of Yan's mansion.

At this time, after several hints from Zhu Gaoxi, the people of the Prince of Yan's mansion finally discovered even more grain underground in the Prince of Yan's mansion in Beiping, Zhu Di's hometown.

Before arriving in Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Gaoxi had already buried a large amount of grain underground in the Prince of Yan's residence in Beiping.

He shared the same idea as his father, Zhu Di, that they should keep this a secret from him, in case his father failed to become the crown prince and rebelled.

Upon hearing this news and learning that the immortal had actually helped him so much, Zhu Di breathed a sigh of relief. The chances of keeping it a secret from the old man in Yingtian Prefecture were extremely slim, as the Embroidered Uniform Guard was omnipresent.

But if it were Beiping Prefecture, he was confident he could keep it from the old man.

But why would the immortal behind this help me without showing himself?

Zhu Di looked thoughtful.

This person has so much grain that he could easily rebel and establish his own independent regime. Why help a prince who is already the crown prince?

As for his subordinates' claim that the grain was left behind by the ancients, Zhu Di didn't believe it at all. First, how could grain be stored for so long? Second, how could the Prince of Yan be so lucky that all the grain was hidden under his Prince of Yan's residence? There was grain in the Prince of Yan's residence in Yingtian Prefecture, and there was also grain in the Prince of Yan's residence in Beiping.

"Eldest brother, second brother, third brother, we must kneel down and thank the immortal who helped us behind the scenes in person in the future."

Zhu Di spoke solemnly to his three brothers, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Di.