Chapter 13 Chapter 47

There were sixteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty. According to the statistics of "History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of Kings", there were 104 princes in total.At the beginning of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, in view of the fact that "the Song and Yuan were isolated and lost the feudalism", was a lesson from the weakening of the Song Dynasty and the demise of the Yuan Dynasty, so he divided the princes into feudal vassals and asked them to "defend the frontiers outside and support internal capital" to strengthen the foundation and maintain the imperial power .Therefore, the prince manages and establishes a system.

First, the princes are entrusted.The prince confers a gold book and gold treasure, and every year Lumi Wanshi is set up outside the capital.The palace has an army, ranging from 3,000 officers and soldiers to 19,000.The palace has a city, mansion, government office, army, and economy.Prince etiquette, crowns, clothing, chariots and horses, ceremonial guards, and mansions are lower than the emperor's, and princes and ministers bow down to pay homage.This makes it easy to form an independent kingdom.There were five clan military coups successively in the Ming Dynasty—the Battle of King Jingnan of Yan, the Rebellion of King Gaoxu of Han, the Restoration of the Orthodox Nangong, the Rebellion of King Zhifan of Anhua, and the Rebellion of Prince Ning Chenhao.

Second, Fulu is for life.Princes and grandsons, ask for names at birth, ask for marriage when they grow up, receive salary for life, birth, old age, sickness and death, all covered by the court. (Volume 16 of "History of the Ming Dynasty: Kings One") The eldest son of the prince, when he reaches the age of 10, is awarded a gold book and gold treasure, and is established as the prince's son, crowned with a first-class uniform.Others were descended respectively, awarded as General Zhen Guo, General Fu Guo, General Feng Guo, Lieutenant Zhen Guo, Lieutenant Fu Guo, Lieutenant Feng Guo, etc.They are "six prohibitions" - they are not allowed to be soldiers, they are not allowed to work in agriculture, they are not allowed to work, they are not allowed to do business, they are not allowed to join the army, and they are not allowed to leave the city.Zhu Youjian (Emperor Chongzhen) "Tried to learn how to ride a horse. Two people held the bridle, two held the stirrup, and two held the autumn. After riding, they fell off the horse. He blamed the horse forty and worked hard as an errand. There are still horses. Knowledge, Shi He knows, such a behavior is not a gimmick. It is always because he was born in the deep palace and grew up in the hands of A Bao, so he doesn't know human nature." (Vol.

Third, please ask the court.The name of the imperial clan in the Ming Dynasty, after birth, was reported to the Rites and System Department of the Ministry of Rites, and the name was drawn up, and the name was given by the emperor.The previous character was determined by Zhu Yuanzhang, while the next character was passed down through the five elements (gold, wood, water, fire, and earth).There are many people for a long time, and they keep repeating, and the indecent words often appear, which is very ridiculous.He Ruchong, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, said that Zong and vassals were named after their weddings, and they went out of the city to sweep graves during Qingming. . ("History of Ming Dynasty He Ruchong Biography" Volume 251)

Fourth, set up high walls.Clan crimes are not sanctioned by general laws, but are confined within the high walls of Fengyang.This is an aristocratic prison specially designed to imprison the clan of the Ming Dynasty, also known as the "High Wall System".Here are four stories. first story.Zhu Wengui, the youngest son of Emperor Jianwen, was two years old at the time. King Yan entered Nanjing and was imprisoned in Guang'an Palace in Fengyang, named Jianshu.Ming Yingzong took pity on him being imprisoned for his innocence, and asked the Queen Mother to release him. He lived in Fengyang, married and married freely, and came and went freely.For 20 eunuchs and more than 10 maidservants.Zhu Wengui was imprisoned for 55 years and died of illness shortly after his release. ("Ming History Three Kings" Volume 18)

second story.After the defeat of the Han king Zhu Gaoxu's rebellion, more than 640 of his party members were killed, and more than 2,220 people were killed or guarded on the border. Zhu Gaoxu was imprisoned in Xihuamen. ("History of the Ming Dynasty Hanwang Gaoxu Biography" Volume 18) Once Emperor Xuande went to see him, he tripped Emperor Xuande with a foot hook, so he was detained in a copper vat, and he pushed it up vigorously.Emperor Xuande was angry, and ordered his uncle Zhu Gaoxu to be detained in a copper vat, and firewood was set up on and around the vat, and the uncle Zhu Gaoxu was burned alive.

third story.Zhu Yuanzhang's sixth son Zhu Zhen, king of Chu, was given the title of Wuchang.Zhu Yingyao, the son of Zhu Xianrong, the sixth grandson of the King of Chu, was sexually dissolute and vicious.After Zhu Xianrong found out, he punished his subordinates as a warning.During the Lantern Festival in the twenty-fourth year of Jiajing (1545), Zhu Yingyao decorated with lanterns and festoons, and held a banquet with wine to entertain his father Zhu Xianrong.In the middle of the banquet, a plan was planned in advance to conceal the villain, who suddenly appeared and struck Zhu Xianrong on the back of the head with a murder weapon, a copper melon, from behind his seat. Zhu Xianrong was killed on the spot and fell beside the table.Zhu Yingyao put his father's body in the palace hall and reported that he died of a stroke.Someone reported that Zhu Yingyao murdered his father, and after examining the corpse, it was verified that Zhu Yingyao had murdered his father.He ordered Yingyao to be arrested and killed, and his body was burned to ashes.Affected by it, 45 people were imprisoned by a high wall. ("History of the Ming Dynasty Biography of the Kings" Volume 116)

Fourth story.Zhu Yuanzhang's twenty-fifth son, Zhu, was named Luoyang at the age of four.This little prince does not study, but is good at martial arts. He often travels in the suburbs with a sword and a bullet. When the people have no time to escape, he allows his servants to beat him, and "makes fun of naked men and women" ("History of the Ming Dynasty: Zhu Wang Biography III" volume One hundred and eighteen) His son, Jian Wang Yong (yong yang), indulged the eunuchs, harassed the local people, and suffered a lot from the people of Luoyang.Li Ji, the magistrate, reported that he had made a false accusation, but was arrested instead.His grandson, Zhu Dianmao, was even more greedy and worse, arresting and humiliating unsatisfactory magistrates at will.The censor passed by and was also whipped.When the gentry come and go, they have to make a detour.Seize the houses and expand the palace.Chen Dazhuang, his neighbor doctor, was asked for a house and was not given, so he sent dozens of people to follow Chen Dazhuang to stand up and lie down. When eating, they robbed Chen Dazhuang of his job and starved Chen Dazhuang to death.In addition, he ordered the gates of Fucheng to be closed, and more than 700 folk children were elected, and 90 of them were beautiful and beautiful.Those who are not selected must be redeemed with gold.This prince is pretending to be a tiger.Once, a Jinyi official school went to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, passing through Luoyang. Zhu Dianli sent people to play music to welcome the imperial edict in the middle of the night.Please read the imperial edict and say: "Secret imperial edict." The officials of Jinyiwei don't know why the prince treats him so favorably.Afterwards, the prince said: "The emperor loves me too." This is a farce of fraud under the guise of the emperor's "edict". (Volume 18 of "History of Ming Dynasty Zhu Dianmao Biography")

There are also excellent kings.Give three examples. first case.Zhu Yuanzhang's fifth son, Zhou Dingwang Zhu Huan (su), was in Kaifeng.At the beginning of Jianwen, he regarded Zhu Xi as the younger brother of Zhu Di, king of Yan, and suspected and guarded against him.Later, Emperor Jianwen suddenly sent troops to besiege the palace, arrest Zhu Wei, and then imprison him in Nanjing.Zhu Di, the king of Yan, entered Nanjing and restored the title of king. He added five thousand shi, and later increased it to 20,000 shi.In the first month of the first year of Yongle (1403), it was still sealed in Kaifeng.Zhu Huan was studious, able to compose Ci Fu, and tried to compose hundreds of chapters of "Yuan Gong Ci".Zhu Wei investigated, collected, screened, and studied more than 400 species of plants that can satisfy hunger in times of famine, drew a map, and explained it, titled "Famine Relief Materia Medica".He also set up a book hall in the east room of the palace to teach his sons to read.The first year of Hongxi (1425) passed away.At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng decided to irrigate the city of Kaifeng with the Yellow River. "In the fall of Biancheng, hundreds of thousands of people died, all the sects were destroyed, and all the treasures in the government were reduced to a huge sink." (Volume 116 of "History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of King Ding of Zhou Ding")

Second case.The second son of Zhu Yuanzhang's twentieth son Han Xianwang Zhu Chongyi (namely "Autumn"), the second son of Xiangling King, was stationed in Pingliang, Gansu Province. He was very filial and filial.The mother was sick, buttocks and medicine, and the disease was cured.After my mother died, I mourned and mourned.Every time you sweep the tomb, you must lead your descendants to fill in the soil and build the tomb.Has been commended six times by the court.His son, Zhu Fanzhi, also inherited the family tradition. His mother was critically ill, and he prepared (kui) stock of medicine and served it to his mother, and her mother recovered.Later, the five generations of the royal family lived under the same roof, and the entire court was harmonious and peaceful. (Volume 18 of "History of the Ming Dynasty Biography of Wang Chongyu of Xiangling")

third case.Zhu Zaiyu (l536-1611) was a descendant of Emperor Renzong Hongxi of the Ming Dynasty, and his ancestors were enshrined in Huaiqing (now Qinyang City, Henan).His father, Zhu Houtan, has insights and personality.Emperor Jiajing believed in Taoism, practiced fasting and offering sacrifices, and all the kings competed to offer incense, but Houtan alone could not enter.In July of the twenty-seventh year of Jiajing (1548), Zhu Houtan wrote a letter, asking Emperor Jiajing not to believe in gods, nor to make large-scale construction projects. Enter "Calculus Lianzhu Ten Chapters", earnestly advise, be honest and straightforward.Emperor Jiajing was furious when he read the book, and deposed Zhu Houtan as a commoner, and imprisoned him in the high wall of Fengyang.His son Zhu Zaiyu was dedicated to learning, and he felt sorry for his father's innocent imprisonment. He built an earthen house outside the gate of the palace, paved the ground with mats, and studied alone for nineteen years.Zhu Zaiyu devoted himself to studying music, mathematics and calendar.It was not until his father Houtan returned to the palace that he returned to live in the mansion.After the death of his father, Zhu Zaiyu did not inherit the title, but devoted himself to studying, with outstanding academic achievements, and devoted his life to writing.He is the author of "Complete Book of Musical Laws", "Lülu Zhenglun", "Lülu Questions and Debates", "Jialiang Suanjing" and other books. "Music Temperament Complete Book" summarizes the predecessors' musical temperament theory and develops it. Among them, "Lv Lu Jingyi" creates a "new legal density rate" through precise calculations and scientific experiments. A scientific treatise that systematically clarifies the theory of twelve equal laws. ("Ci Hai·Zhu Zaiyu Articles") Zhu Zaiyu "examines and distinguishes detailed and accurate, and those who know it call it" ("Ming History·Zhu Zaiyu Biography" Volume 19), in terms of rhythm, mathematics, and calendar. occupy a place in history.In the first month of the 22nd year of Wanli (1594), Zhu Zaiyu went to the Shu, asking the clan to take the imperial examination, and those who passed the exam would be given jobs.The emperor gave his permission and began to implement it.