Zhu Di —— Gossip makes a father.

Ming, the third emperor of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the uncle of Ming Huizong Zhu Yunwen, was named Yongle. At the age of 42, he became emperor and reigned for 22 years.

In terms of the popularity of Ming emperors, Zhu Di should definitely be among the top three. "Fengtian Jingnan", the northern expedition to Mongolia, the crusade against Annan, the relocation of the capital to Beijing, the establishment of the East Factory, the establishment of the Cabinet, the stationing of troops in Hami, the voyage to the West, the Yongle Grand Ceremony, and so on, all these familiar historical terms are labeled as Zhu Di, saying that he was the best emperor in the Ming Dynasty except Zhu Yuanzhang. I think there should be little objection.

But aside from these so-called literary and martial achievements, what about Zhu Di? I do have something to talk to you about Zhu Di.

Zhu Di is the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Di was born in Nanjing in the twentieth year of Zhengzheng. At that time, Chen Youliang was attacking Tu County, Anhui Province, and the news of the birth of the fourth son obviously could not slow down Zhu Yuanzhang's busy pace.

In the twenty-seventh year of Zhengzheng, as Zhu Yuanzhang was preparing to become the emperor, he finally took a look at his sons as a father. This year, Zhu Yuanzhang had seven sons, and this year, seven sons finally had their own official names.

In the third year of Hongwu, 1-year-old Zhu Di became the second-in-command of the Zongzhengyuan (Zongrenfu). The leader is Zhu Di's second brother, and the other deputy is Zhu Di's third brother. This experience has benefited Zhu Di from his flexible handling of vassal reduction after he ascended the throne.

Zhu Yuanzhang let his three older sons participate in the management of Zhujiajian clan affairs very early. Obviously, the old father has special arrangements for his sons.

Sure enough, Zhu Yuanzhang planned to imitate the Han system and send his sons to various places to defend the central government. In order to achieve this goal, Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to the education of his sons. In addition to inviting famous teachers, Zhu Yuanzhang himself often appeared to preach. He paid attention to the mind and physique of his sons, asked them to participate in military training, and went to Fengyang's hometown to experience life.

in the 13th year of Hongwu, 2-year-old Zhu Di officially went to Beiping.

His father's simple style made Zhu Di understand pragmatism. The appointment of the main courtyard made Zhu Di learn the wrist; Fengyang's recollection of bitterness and sweetness polished the edges and corners; Good educational experience has cultivated eyes. Under the blessing of all these characteristics, there is another thing that is slowly breeding, called ambition.

In the twenty-third year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang set up a stage, Zhu Di sang opera and Fu Youde accompanied him. Zhu Di made his first real "military debut" in his life. The Northern Expedition with Zhu Di as the core defeated Nair Buhua, the general of Yuan Dynasty, and forced his tribe to surrender, and gained countless horses and livestock.

It was this battle that really laid a solid good reputation for Zhu Di in the military field of Daming, and was recognized by the Founding Meritorious Group. It laid a preliminary foundation for the future "Jingnan Battle". At that time, even Zhu Yuanzhang said excitedly: "Those who clear the desert, the prince also!"

the growth of ambition needs a kind of soil called prestige.

Zhu Di has made military achievements, and his talent in Peiping has been recognized, but he is still the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, and according to the chronological order, the throne will never reach him. But god seems to be deliberately teasing him.

In the 25th year of Hongwu, Prince Zhu Biao died of illness; In the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu, the second brother passed away; In the thirty-first year of Hongwu, the third brother died. The time when his father Zhu Yuanzhang died was also in the thirty-first year of Hongwu.

Thirty-one years of Hongwu must have been a very hard year for Zhu Di. This year, he became the eldest son of all living princes. This year, his father Zhu Yuanzhang's body has been swaying.

During the countless nights in Beiping, he wanted to walk into Nanjing, go to his father and express his thoughts. He wants to tell his father that he is now the most qualified person to inherit the throne, regardless of his ability or seniority. Why should he make his grandson Zhu Yunwen the great-grandson? !

From Zhu Yuanzhang's point of view, the matter of choosing an heir is actually very understandable. For Zhu Yuanzhang, sons will be separated when they grow up. Zhu Biao, the eldest son, has got the biggest share of the property-the throne. Then after Zhu Biao's death, this property will naturally be inherited by Zhu Yunwen, the son of Zhu Biao.

But Zhu Di's idea is also correct. Father is still alive! What kind of grandfather left his fortune to his grandson when he was alive? The eldest son is dead, shouldn't we divide it again? !

Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the Yuan Dynasty perished because "the ruler was weak and the minister was strong", so he wanted to enfeoffment his son to various places and give him certain armed forces to defend the Zhu family's political power. It is natural for the older generation who have suffered, but the elderly also have their limitations.

aren't the sons who are enfeoffed to different places ministers? The royal family, in the face of absolute power, can the pitiful flesh and blood affection on earth stand the test?

Zhu Yuanzhang believed it, but Zhu Yunwen didn't, and neither did Zhu Di. "The Battle of Jing Nan" is inevitable.

Many people will wonder why Zhu Di, the "Battle of Jingnan", won the final victory when he clearly resisted the whole country with a corner. Why did Zhu Di kill the minister after he ascended the throne, but he still achieved such dazzling achievements?

Because Zhu Di knows how to control people's hearts, this is his greatest weapon.

Zhu Yunwen, the Emperor of Jianwen, is a typical Confucian scholar, but he didn't learn the essence of Zhu Yuanzhang's governing the country. His actions are always too taken for granted and too idealistic. Politics is an open, multidisciplinary and complex subject. If we only use one way of thinking to solve problems, the road will often get narrower and narrower.

The feudal monarch was a monarch because you could balance the affairs of all parties and coordinate all kinds of resources, and naturally there were a group of people around you. Instead of you sitting on the throne, everyone must naturally submit to you and obey you.

interests are people's hearts.

Zhu Di's Yan army always has the highest salary in the country; Subordinates beg him to do things, and he must be satisfied with what he can do; No one takes care of the injuries during the March, and he will give up his mount; He always gives preferential treatment to the prisoners of the enemy. Those who have defected are prepared and treated. Those who don't want to stay are given dry food and returned to their hometowns.

once, when Zhu Di passed by the downtown area, he bumped into an official bullying a vendor, drew his sword and killed the official on the spot, winning praise from the people present. Even he remembered the women who helped him to transport stone materials in the city, and the reward given to Mibu after he ascended the throne.

After reading these, you won't wonder why people sent by Zhu Yunwen to Zhu Di's side to monitor can be turned against; There are so many eunuchs in Zhu Yunwen's palace to send information to Zhu Di; There are so many courtiers above the courthouse in Nanjing who choose to close their eyes and keep silent after hearing Zhu Di's rebellion.

many people can do temporary kindness and gesture, but Zhu Di's is really rare. You think this is over? In addition to exchanging interests, people's hearts can also be conquered by fear.

After Zhu Di captured Nanjing, he immediately began the political liquidation of Jianwen's old ministers. For those "die-hards", Zhu Disi doesn't mind killing people.

More than 6 members of Huang Zicheng's family were killed, and more than 3 relatives were sent. Fang Xiaoru was killed by ten families, and nearly 9 people were killed; Jing Qing, the imperial censor, was sentenced to death, and the nine families were destroyed; Even Huang Guan, assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, who committed suicide in the southern capital, could not escape the fate of the nine families who were punished.

In sharp contrast, Yang Rong, Jie Jin and others offered their good wishes to Zhu Di, in exchange for a leap in their career.

in Zhu di's values, what is human heart? Those who follow me prosper and those who oppose me die, that is, people's hearts.

Is this carrot and stick routine familiar? Zhu Yuanzhang often used it. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was born as a rebellious warlord, cultivated a scholar prince and a naive grandson, but also cultivated a professional soldier and politician like Zhu Di.

Sometimes I think that when Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang meet in the grave, is the father going to teach this son a lesson or can't help but praise him?

Tell me something about Zhu Di briefly.

As I said before, Zhu Yuanzhang started as a warlord. In the troubled times at the end of Yuan Dynasty, the turbulent society can often breed extreme thoughts. Therefore, when Zhu Yuanzhang conquered the world, it had a certain religious color.

after the founding of the people's Republic of China, Zhu Yuanzhang believed in Buddhism. Especially after Ma Huanghou's death, Zhu Yuanzhang assigned a monk to each son's side, for one thing, he wanted to influence several sons with Buddhism, and for another, he wanted these monks to chant scriptures for his dead wife. This is how Yao Guangxiao came to Zhu Di's side.

But after Zhu Di ascended the throne, he began to respect Confucianism. The essence of respecting Confucianism is to use a large number of civil servants. This is actually very important. In the Ming Dynasty, the royal family always had the tradition of believing in Buddhism, which also led to many monks, Taoists and alchemists accompanying the royal family, affecting the policies of the imperial court, or some thoughts and theories of Buddhism and Taoism were affecting the hearts of the imperial court.

Zhu Di respected Confucianism to eliminate the influence of some religious thoughts on the DPRK, and managed the country by selecting literati to be officials in the DPRK and cultivating more professional and targeted talents. In ancient times, the road of governing the country was originally the profession of literati. This laid a talent foundation for the long-term stability after Daming.

Another direct influence brought by respecting Confucianism is the reform of the imperial examination system.

Mongolians played the imperial examination, which was once abolished, and even if it was reopened later, there was serious ethnic discrimination. The imperial examinations in Ming and Qing Dynasties that we are talking about now were generally restored in the early years of Hongwu of Zhu Yuanzhang, and then subdivided into the so-called "eight-part essay", which began to appear in the period of Zhu Di and basically took shape in Chenghua.

whatever exists is reasonable. "Eight-part essay" is a product that conforms to the times. At least at that time, its positive significance far outweighed its negative impact.

"Eight-part essay" is so difficult that you have to study hard for more than ten years and read several books over and over again before you can write it. Who would study so hard? -children of the poor. Because this is the only mainstream way for them to seek class leap. So at least, in writing "eight-part essay", the children of Daming's meritorious class are no match for the students from poor families.

When the imperial examination gradually became the mainstream mode of selecting officials in the imperial court, those meritorious children who were lying in the shadow of their parents were slowly expelled from the inner circle of the court. These Confucian students, who accepted the concept of monarch, minister and son since childhood, will have a stronger concept of loyalty to the monarch and a stronger spirit of struggle and enterprising, which will bring a steady stream of vitality to Daming.

At the same time, it is also an important means for Zhu Di to suppress the southern old literati group and the southern landlord chaebol.

Including Zhu Di's later move to Beijing, do you really think that just the emperor's personal living habits and the illusory geomantic topography can make an empire invest astronomical financial and material resources to build a new capital?

everything in feudal politics is superficial, and only the power struggle is true.

No matter how Zhu Di decorated this "Jing Nan Battle", its essence was the rebellion of the vassal king. Therefore, in maintaining the legitimacy of the throne, Chu Di really took great pains.

On the one hand, the compilation and revision of Yongle Dadian highlights the prosperous times, because the revision of the book requires huge investment from the state; On the other hand, in the process of revising books, Zhu Di can screen all the books in the world, even directly and rudely ban and modify them, so as to achieve the purpose of unifying people's hearts.

Zheng He's voyage to the Western Seas may indeed be aimed at finding the whereabouts of Zhu Yunwen at first. However, when Zhu Di discovered the great political benefits that this move could bring, he went on ocean voyage again and again. What Zhu Di wants is the sense of accomplishment of "coming to Korea from four foreigners" by showing off the wealth of Ming Dynasty.

Yes, more than one historian has said that Zhu Di's idol is Kublai Khan. Kublai Khan was also the monarch with a large territory. Therefore, how could Zhu Di let go of this matter of expanding territory?

throughout the Ming dynasty, Zhu di was the emperor who liked to fight with Mongols most.

In fact, after Xu Da and Lan Yu fought against Mongolia, the Mongols were basically unable to "recover" Dayuan from the south. In the early years of Yongle, Zhu Di took into account the rise of individual tribes in Mongolia and the killing of the Ming emissary, so he fought in the north.

In the seventh year of Yongle, Zhu Di sent Qiu Fu to lead the 1, Northern Expedition, and the Ming army was defeated and the whole army was wiped out. The following year, Zhu Di personally went to Mobei. If the use of troops against Mongolia at this stage is justified, then several northern expeditions from the twentieth year of Yongle to the twenty-second year of Yongle were more to satisfy Zhu Di's desire to unify troops.

Especially after several northern expeditions, little effect was achieved. But Zhu Di likes it. Later, Zhu Di was old and in poor health, but as soon as he arrived at the military camp, he was full of energy and energy.

and the conquest of Annan.

To put it bluntly, Annan had a courtier usurping the throne and obtained Daming's title from Zhu Di by deception. Zhu Di finally decided to fight against Annan, not only because Zhu Di felt embarrassed, but also considering the stability of the frontier, and there was also a little guilty in it.

someone usurped the throne in Annan? What is Zhu Di's "Battle of Jing Nan"? If this momentum is not suppressed, public opinion in the future will be even more uncontrollable. With such a dozen strokes, Zhu Di made a cross-toe minister.

The direct cause of Zhu Di's difficulty in fighting was Zhu Yunwen's policy of reducing vassals. After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he also cut the vassal, but what Zhu Di did was much better than that of Zhu Yunwen.

After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he first restored the political status of all the vassals whose titles were cut by Zhu Yunwen, and then he began to cut the vassals step by step by changing the local fiefs, reducing the guards, limiting the power of the vassals, and strengthening the local government's monitoring of the vassals. Even Zhu Quan, the king of Ning, can be cheated by Zhu Di's "divide the world". Other dirty brothers, sons and nephews are no match for Zhu Di.

Therefore, the success of Yongle Year is largely attributed to Zhu Di's personal ability. Whether it is vision or intelligence, Zhu Di can actually afford the reputation of "the emperor of the ages".

Many of Zhu Di's actions actually offended courtiers. For example, the establishment of the East Factory, such as the arbitrary power of individuals. Not surprisingly, the officials of Daming managed to survive the war of Zhu Yuanzhang's period, and met a typical literati emperor like Zhu Yunwen, who was silent before, but it happened that Zhu Di was born and won the throne.

So we can often see some "sour" descriptions in historical materials, such as how Zhu Di indulged Ji Gang, how he spoiled his second son, Zhu Gaoxu, and how he unreasonably punished courtiers. In fact, I fully understand this "sour" feeling, because although historians' pens are in the hands of courtiers, even they have to admit that as a monarch, Zhu Di has undoubtedly done a very good job.

Finally, I end the article with a sentence from Zhu Di himself:

Yesterday, when the Turks entered the DPRK, Emperor Taizong said that yue hu's family was full of pride, but I didn't take it. But all the people in the world are born, the border is safe, and the soldiers are not needed.