Chapter 91 Gold Medal Freed from Death in the Second Quarter

In his later years, Zhu Yuanzhang slaughtered heroes so cruelly and thoroughly that people often think that "cooking rabbits to death" is his original ambition. In fact, it is not the case. At the beginning of the founding of the country, Zhu Yuanzhang once sincerely hoped to "share prosperity" with fellow villagers and heroes. Zhu Yuanzhang followed his idol Liu Bang everywhere, and believed that Liu Bang's deeds were absolutely brilliant.However, in a conversation two years before the founding of the country, Zhu Yuanzhang rarely criticized Liu Bang.It was a chat with the courtiers after a meal, talking about who is greater, Han Gaozu or Tang Taizong.Zhu Yuanzhang said that Liu Bang is generally stronger than Li Shimin.But he has a serious flaw, that is, "there is a lot of suspicion in the interior, and the heroes of the barbarians", so "the amount is not great."In contrast, Tang Taizong "can control the officials, and the great cause is established, and the soldiers are all preserved", which is more humane. From this point of view, Liu Bang is not as good as Li Shimin.

If we follow the tradition of conspiracy theory and suspect that this is Zhu Yuanzhang's words to win over heroes before the founding of the country, then Zhu Yuanzhang's actions after the founding of the country should dispel our suspicion. Giving Jue and Tiantian still failed to satisfy Zhu Yuanzhang's desire for repayment.After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhu Yuanzhang has been trying to bestow "iron coupons" on meritorious officials to ensure their eternal fame. When I was a child, I watched operas, and the emperors often gave the meritorious officials iron coupons of alchemy books, or cards for avoiding death.The reason why Chai Jin in the book can do whatever he wants and only take in heroes who others dare not take in is because he "is a descendant of Chai Shizong of the Great Zhou Dynasty... Since Chen Qiao abdicated, Emperor Taizu Wude bestowed on him the iron certificate of oath At home", with this magical "iron coupon", "they killed the imperial court officials and robbed the treasury's property, and Chai Jin dared to hide in the manor".

When Zhu Yuanzhang was a child, he played games with the children. He himself played the role of the emperor wearing the car spoke version. One of the most important contents was to give the children tree leaves as death-proof cards.With this thing, one can become a special class that is not bound by ordinary laws. "Jumping out of the three realms, not in the five elements", killing a few civilians, committing a few mistakes, can be regarded as nothing, how chic and joyful that is! It is difficult to say whether Zhu Yuanzhang's political style was greatly influenced by the lower class culture or by the Confucian emperor's study.Anyway, when he was making a great contribution to the meritorious officials, he would not feel satisfied if he didn't make an "oath of iron certificate" to save the fellow from dying several times.If it is not so, it cannot show their special relationship with themselves; if it is not so, it is not enough to show that they are superior to ordinary people or even a few degrees.Before planning to seal the meritorious officials, he discussed with the officials of the Ministry of Rites how to make this "iron coupon".

The system of iron coupons originated from Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, they were occasionally awarded.But later it was no longer implemented, so no one has ever seen what the iron coupon looks like. It is Wei Su, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, who is well-informed. He said that Qian Liu, a general of the Tang Dynasty, was bestowed with iron coupons. Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an order immediately to find the descendants of the Qian family.Qian Shangde, the fifteenth grandson of Qian Liu, was found soon, and Qian's iron coupon was sent to the capital.Zhu Yuanzhang put down all the affairs at hand and called the ministers to play together.I saw this iron coupon that has gone through hundreds of years "shaped like a tile, with words carved on the surface, and the number of times the body and descendants are saved from death on the bottom. The quality is like green jade, not like ordinary iron, and the characters are all filled with gold" (" Wanli Yehuo Compilation "Volume 5).That is to say, the shape is like a tile, the surface of the coupon is slightly curved, and the iron is very special, which looks like green jade.It is engraved with words and filled with gold, indicating the number of times the recipient himself and his descendants have been saved from death.

Curiosity was satisfied, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the Ministry of Rites to carve a model with wood according to the shape for reference.He and the officials of the Ministry of Rites refer to this model and formulate the iron coupon specifications of the Ming Dynasty. The iron coupons in the Ming Dynasty were divided into two pairs, left and right: "every coupon, one on the left, one on the left, one on the left, the inner mansion on the left, and the home of the hero on the right." (History of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 72) The left half of the coupon was hidden in the palace, The right half of the voucher is given to the family of heroes.Once something happens, you can take it out and check it.Zhu Yuanzhang divided the iron coupons into seven grades according to the rank of meritorious officials.Duke iron coupons are divided into two classes: the first class is one foot high and one foot six inches wide; the second class is nine inches five inches high and one foot six inches wide.Marquises are divided into three classes: the third class is nine inches high and one foot five inches five cents wide; the fourth class is eight inches five inches high and one foot five inches wide; the fifth class is eight inches high and one foot four inches five cents wide.Earls are divided into two classes: the sixth class is seven inches five inches high and one foot three inches five minutes wide; the seventh class is seven inches high and one foot two inches five inches wide.

So, what is engraved on the iron coupon?Let’s take a look at the existing iron coupons given by Zhu Yuanzhang to Nan’an Hou Yu Tongyuan. The full text is as follows: I have observed that there have been fathers and sons, brothers and younger brothers in the past dynasties, all of whom were good ministers of Zuoyun, and their hearts are very good, but they are rare in the world.I started from the right side of the Huai River, and stationed troops in Heyang. My brother went to the sea and attached his divisions, and crossed the great river to the east, as if walking on flat ground.Then he leveled the enemy's country twice, and made great achievements.He Dagong will gather and die suddenly?I sympathized with his labor and posthumously made him the Duke of Yu.Er Tongyuan is actually his own brother, and he was an official in the world, and he was towned in Jianghuai with Pingzhang.Conquer the Central Plains and work hard.It has been decided today that I will not be able to reward you in terms of merit and deeds. I will use Gal Juelu to inherit it from generation to generation.I swear to you: If you do not forgive me for treason, I will commit a capital crime, and you will be spared two deaths, and my son will be spared one death, so as to repay your merits.Yu play!Work hard to make things happen, be respectful and thrifty to protect your position, and be cautious every day, then wealth and honor will last forever in the world.

In the third year of Hongwu, Wu Cheng was sued and rewarded for meritorious deeds. Ten people were dukes and twenty-eight people were marquises. This oath is written with sincerity.Yu Tongyuan's elder brother Yu Tonghai made great contributions, but unfortunately passed away before the founding of the country.Zhu Yuanzhang traced back his military exploits of "crossing the great river east as if walking on flat land" and "peace the enemy's country with outstanding achievements". He made his younger brother a marquis and promised that, except for the crime of treason, he would not be exempt from death. , can avoid dying twice.His son can avoid death once.

In Hongwu's three-year ceremony to seal the meritorious officials, the dramatic link of issuing iron coupons made the heroes extremely moved.For a moment, they felt that they were all living in legends, that they had not worked hard in vain, and that the leading brother was indeed unparalleled in the world.