Mu Ying regarded Empress Ma as his own mother. Every time he returned from the war and reported to the emperor, he would come to Kunning Palace to visit Empress Ma. "Your Majesty looks good, but the emperor seems to have lost weight."
Empress Ma said, "The Emperor is very busy and often doesn't rest until the third or fourth watch. When he is busiest, he has to read 1,160 memorials in eight days. Each memorial has two things on average. The Emperor handles about 400 things every day. Even an iron man would become thin from overwork. Come to think of it, I haven't seen the Emperor for seven days."
Mu Ying listened and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is a wise ruler, diligent in government affairs, and caring for the people."
Mu Ying was able to stand out among more than twenty adopted sons, be granted the title of Marquis of Xiping, and continue to enjoy the emperor's favor. He was definitely a smart man and knew exactly what to say and what not to say.
In fact, Emperor Hongwu was so busy this year that he did not enter the harem for seven days. The reason behind this was that he deposed the prime minister and executed the entire family of Prime Minister Hu Weiyong. Without the Secretariat headed by the prime minister to assist in handling state affairs, Emperor Hongwu took care of everything by himself, doing the work that hundreds of people did before. It would be strange if he was not busy.
Why did the emperor want to kill the prime minister? This has to start with the dispute over the prime minister in the early Ming Dynasty.
Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there have been two prime ministers. The first prime minister was Li Shanchang. When Li Shanchang retired and returned to his hometown, two ministers in the court, Liu Ji and Hu Weiyong, competed for the position of prime minister.
This was a dispute over the position of prime minister, as well as a dispute between factions in the court. The Huaixi Party headed by Hu Weiyong and the Zhejiang Party headed by Liu Ji competed for the position of prime minister. Almost all members of the Huaixi Party were natives of Fengyang, Anhui and their followers, while the Zhejiang Party was mainly composed of scholars from Jiangnan.
In the end, Li Shanchang nominated Hu Weiyong, his fellow villager and relative-in-law. Emperor Hongwu also favored Hu Weiyong. Liu Ji resigned sadly and returned to his hometown, Zhejiang Tian County. He died of depression a few years later.
Last year, in June of the twelfth year of Hongwu, Liu Lian, the eldest son of Liu Ji, had an argument with the son of Hu Weiyong, and after a scuffle, Liu Lian fell into a well.
Plop, dead.
The Liu family wanted Hu Weiyong's son to pay with his life, but the Liu family was weak and the other party was the prime minister's son. In the end, Yingtian Prefecture ruled it an accidental death, and Hu Weiyong's son was safe and sound.
On the seventh day after Liu Lian's death, Hu Weiyong's son was driving in a busy city when a horse-drawn carriage came from somewhere and scraped past him. Hu Weiyong's son was furious and started racing with the other driver. The carriage overturned and Hu Weiyong's son broke his neck.
Boom! Dead.
Hu Weiyong lost his beloved son and in a rage, he killed the groom with a sword. The groom was a good citizen, and his wife beat the drum to report the case to the emperor. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and wanted to punish the prime minister.
Killing a person means paying with one's life, but Hu Weiyong was a founding hero and had the imperially bestowed "Golden Book and Iron Scroll" which read "Founding Assistant to the Emperor and Loyal Leader", also commonly known as the "Golden Medal of Immunity from Death". It stated on it that except for the crime of treason, the death penalty could be exempted for three other crimes, so Hu Weiyong escaped with the help of the Golden Medal of Immunity from Death.
This year, the 13th year of Hongwu, on New Year's Day, a fountain suddenly appeared in the garden of Hu Weiyong's home, which was a sign of good fortune. Hu Weiyong invited Emperor Hongwu to his home to appreciate the auspicious sign and to use it as an opportunity to rebuild the palace. The killing of the groom caused a rift between the emperor and his ministers.
However, halfway to Hu Weiyong's home, Emperor Hongwu's horse suddenly refused to move. Emperor Hongwu had a bad feeling, so he returned to the palace halfway and ordered Jinyiwei commander Mao Xiang to search Hu Weiyong's mansion.
The Imperial Guards surrounded the Prime Minister's Residence and discovered a large number of armed soldiers and weapons from inside the walls of the residence!
Hu Weiyong cried out that he was wronged, saying that the wall was built only for self-protection and that he had never intended to murder the emperor or rebel. He insisted that someone had framed him.
The evidence was irrefutable, and Emperor Hongwu was furious. He had the entire family executed. In one day, the once-mighty Prime Minister's Mansion was reduced to ashes, and one of the Hu family's household registration books was lost.
The party leader Hu Weiyong was beheaded, and all those in the Huaixi Party who spoke out for Hu Weiyong were imprisoned by the Jinyiwei. They could find evidence of collusion with Hu Weiyong in rebellion, and their entire families were exterminated, and their household registration books were also destroyed along with each person who died.
In the spring of the 13th year of Hongwu, the smell of blood above the Wumen Gate in Nanjing City has never disappeared.
Emperor Hongwu used the excuse that Prime Minister Hu Weiyong was plotting a rebellion to abolish the Secretariat, cut off the checks and balances between the prime minister and the emperor, monopolized power, and announced that the position of prime minister would never be established.
Now no one dared to question Emperor Hongwu’s decision, as everyone was afraid of the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Hu Weiyong became the last prime minister in history. After that, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, although there were ministers like Zhang Juzheng and Liu Yong who had powers similar to those of prime ministers, there was no such thing as the title of prime minister, and the position disappeared from then on.
Mu Ying was a military general who never made friends with civil officials. He had heard about the turmoil in the court and told his family to stay out of it and not get involved.
Even when chatting with Empress Ma, Mu Ying never mentioned political or military affairs, but only talked about family matters.
Talking about his eldest son Mu Chun, Mu Ying touched his forehead as if he had a headache, "… He has been naughty since he was young. There is really no way to deal with him. I thought that the emperor was kind enough to send him to the Imperial Academy to study. There are so many outstanding scholars in the Imperial Academy, and he would make some progress. I didn't expect that he would skip classes every other day. The emperor just told me that he would complain to the Imperial Academy whenever the Imperial Academy's chief priest came to see him. The emperor is busy with all kinds of affairs, and he has to discipline his unfilial son for me. I am really unfilial."
Empress Ma disagreed and said with a smile, "When you were seven years old, you were raised by the emperor and me. You were usually serious and looked more mature than other seventeen-year-olds. You were very sensible at an early age. But what little boy is not naughty? It was only the hardships that made you grow up early."
"Xiaochun was born into wealth, so you had to make up for the mischievous times you had as a child. As a result, you are twice as mischievous as ordinary boys."
Mu Ying looked innocent, "So, I should thank him for being naughty?"
Seeing her adopted son's helpless look, Empress Ma smiled knowingly, "Xiaochun may be naughty, but he is kind by nature. Today, he saw a new palace maid without shoes, and felt sorry for her, so he asked for mercy from me and gave her a pair of shoes. As long as he has a righteous heart, he will never go astray in the future."
Mu Ying was not surprised that the eldest son could do such a thing. Mu Chun had been brought up in the palace since he was a baby. Emperor Hongwu and Empress Ma loved him more, which led to his free-spirited personality. Mu Chun did not avoid suspicion at all when dealing with people in the harem.
Mu Chun grew up in the harem until he was seven years old before Empress Ma reluctantly sent him home. Emperor Hongwu even gave his godson a jade token that allowed him to enter and leave the Forbidden City at any time, so that he could "go home often to visit."
However, Mu Chun is now not seven years old, but seventeen years old. He actually dares to make friends with the palace ladies. We should keep a close eye on him to prevent him from causing trouble in the future.
Mu Ying was furious inside, but he remained calm on the surface. "Yes, I know Mu Chun is kind-hearted."
Empress Ma said, "Mu Chun is seventeen years old this year. You led the third northern expedition this time and won a great victory. You have made great contributions. Why don't you use this great contribution to ask for grace and make Mu Chun the heir of Xiping Marquis?"
Mu Ying carefully considered his words and said, "Mu Chun is my eldest son and will definitely inherit the family title in the future. However, he is still young and has not done anything. If we ask for him to be crowned as the Crown Prince, we will not be able to convince the people. My title was also accumulated bit by bit through military merit. I hope that Mu Chun can make great achievements and serve the Ming Dynasty in the future, so that he will know that hard work will be rewarded. Then I will definitely ask for him to be crowned as the Crown Prince."
Queen Ma felt that what her godson said made sense. Since the position of crown prince was already in her pocket, she might as well try to temper Mu Chun's temper first.
As they were talking, a lady named Cai, who was in charge of paperwork for Emperor Hongwu, came to Kunning Palace to deliver a message.
Ms. Cai said, "The emperor will come to Kunning Palace for lunch at noon and give a banquet to Marquis Xiping."
Queen Ma smiled and said, "I understand."
Then he joked to Mu Ying, "Look, now I have to rely on you to see the emperor."
The Kunning Palace was filled with joy, with mother and son enjoying each other's company. To the east of the six western palaces and west of the Cangzhen Gate in the Forbidden City, the six bureaus and one department, 44 newly arrived female officials were receiving training in the Palace Administration Department, and the atmosphere was serious.
The director of the Palace Administration Department was named Fan, a native of Qingyuan County, Jiangxi Province. She was widowed at a young age and was selected to enter the palace as a female historian in the third year of Hongwu. She has served the Ming court for ten years. Now, at the age of just over 30, she is already a fifth-rank palace director.
Gong Zheng is in charge of supervising punishments, but Fan Gong Zheng is a woman who appears gentle and kind, making people feel close to her.
Fan Gongzheng first asked the forty-four female officials who had "traveled a long way" to sit down, and ordered the young palace maids to serve tea and snacks.
Fan Gongzheng said, "Wearing such thick high-soled shoes, you walked from the inner palace to the Gongzheng Division, which is more than ten miles. You must be tired, right?"
Hu Shanwei thought, yes, my legs are almost broken! But he said with the ladies, "I am not tired of serving the court."
Fan Gongzheng put away his smile, "The first rule of Gongzhengsi is not to lie."
The new female official didn’t dare to speak, not even to drink tea!
Fan Gongzheng smiled again, "Don't be nervous, ignorance is not a crime. There are many rules in the palace. You must learn the rules in the Palace Administration Office for at least half a month and pass the assessment before you can take up your post."
The new female officials drank tea and ate snacks and took a short rest. Only then did Hu Shanwei slowly feel the presence of her feet. Fan Gongzheng then ordered the new female officials to line up, walk out of Gongzhengsi and Cangzhen Gate, and head east to the West Chang Street that ran through the six western palaces from north to south.
At the entrance of West Chang Street stood a black iron tablet with eleven characters engraved on it: "Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in government affairs. Anyone who does will be executed."
Simple, rough and direct.
Fan Gongzheng pointed at the first new female official in the line and said, "Start with you. Everyone read it once, and louder."
"Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in government affairs. Anyone who does will be executed!"
Repeat the above forty-four times.
The entire East Chang Street was filled with the sound of female officials reading the inscriptions, one after another.
Fan Gongzheng asked: "Did you remember it?"
The new female officials said in unison: "Remember."
Fan Gongzheng said, "This is an inscription written by the emperor himself, warning the eunuchs and ladies in the harem not to interfere in government affairs. Those who interfere will be executed. In addition to West Long Street, there is also a similar iron tablet on the opposite East Long Street. These two streets are the only way to walk through the harem, so your first lesson is to remember this inscription and integrate these eleven words into your blood. Don't forget them."
The new female official Nono said yes.
Fan Gongzheng said: "In the harem, there are at least a hundred things that can cost a person's life, interfering in government affairs is the first one. No matter who you are, no matter what position you will be promoted to in the future, no matter how respectable you are, once you interfere in government affairs, even if you are a fifth-rank palace lady, you will be executed immediately."
“Now, read it here a hundred times.”
Hu Shanwei stood at the end of the team and recited the palace rules until he was hoarse.
A few years later, the Ming Dynasty palace was shaken by palace coups and struggles for the throne. Hu Shanwei was always a key figure in the fight, sending emperors to the throne one after another.
She looked back at the iron monument on the East-West Street and deeply understood the eternal truth that rules are dead but people are alive.
But at this moment, she was like all the new female officials, trembling with fear, treading on thin ice, even talking in her sleep, "Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in government affairs, and those who do will be executed!"