Chapter 44: Tianqi and Chongzhen
Chapter 44: Tianqi and Chongzhen
“Where is this?”
Yang Xin stood in front of a small courtyard gate, cautiously peering inside. Though he knew exactly where he was, he pretended to be confused.
In the courtyard was Tianqi.
The future carpenter emperor of the Great Ming dynasty sat under the shade of a tree, thoroughly focused on his favorite activity: playing with a complex Luban Lock. An older palace maid stood behind him, fanning him gently. Beside him, a young girl and a boy, both around seven or eight years old, leaned over the table, watching him with wonder. The boy seemed bored and glanced up occasionally, while the girl remained captivated. Close by, a beautiful young woman sat drowsing in the cool air fanned by another maid.
It painted a peaceful picture of a family enjoying the afternoon.
The little boy had to be Chongzhen, the future final emperor of the Great Ming, now eight years old.
The little girl was undoubtedly Princess Le’an, Chongzhen’s twin. She died sick the year before Chongzhen’s suicide and had not been buried when Li Zicheng seized Beijing. Her widower bound their children to her coffin and burned them all.
The maid behind Tianqi was surely Lady Ke.
As for the beautiful woman, that was the notorious Lady Li of the West. The Donglin Faction Scholars indeed had wild imaginations! They painted this lowly Concubine, barely above a common palace maid, with no powerful supporters inside or outside the court, as some ambitious schemer who nearly became the Great Ming’s Wu Zetian! Wu Zetian, if she heard this from her grave, must be laughing her head off. The Great Ming had no tradition of Dowagers ruling, Li of the West wasn’t even a formal Consort — her rank, Concubine, was the second lowest in the palace. Ambition? Where would it even come from? Who would back her?
She was, quite simply, Tianqi’s caretaker.
And she’d only held the role for just over a year.
Tianqi’s mother, Consort Wang, had died only this March. Tianqi still wore mourning clothes, a ritual staff of tung wood lay nearby. Supposedly, Tianqi feared his stepmother since childhood. Honestly, if that were true, Tianqi, already a growing lad, could easily grab that staff and beat her to death. No great fuss.
Zhu Changluo wouldn’t have his heir killed to avenge her either.
Wanli did find his own son irritating, but adored this grandson. Tianqi would soon be formally named Imperial Heir Presumptive.
Likely, no woman ranked above a Concubine was in this Eastern Palace. Crown Princess Guo had died sick in Wanli’s 41st year, one daughter dying as a babe. After her, Consort Wang held the highest position. The Ming palace hierarchy ranked Consorts above Beauties, Beauties above Concubines. Consort Wang outranked Concubine Li by two steps. Chongzhen’s mother, being the lowliest Lady, died under punishment. Chongzhen was then handed to Lady Li of the West for care. She’d actually cared for him for years, until the Palace Removal Case transferred him to another Concubine Li, the Lady Li of the East. From this, Zhu Changluo clearly trusted the West Lady immensely. He entrusted his two surviving sons to her. Add Princess Le’an, her own daughter, she cared for three of his five living children.
Later, during the Palace Removal Case, Tianqi’s tutor eunuch Liu Liangxiang prepared an edict stating Tianqi claimed his mother was beaten to death by West Lady and that she died cursing her mortal enemy, thus proving West Lady’s wickedness.
But Tianqi executed him years later.
Tianqi didn’t revoke the edict though.
He did, posthumously for his father, grant West Lady, who’d never received a formal Consort title, the title “Consort Kang”.
Either that edict was false, or Tianqi was truly mad. But he wasn’t. He was clever. “Disliked sitting still for study, but grasped the essence of statecraft. His words consistently surpassed his ministers’ expectations.” Once, when ministers wanted the Red Barbarian Cannons from Ningyuan withdrawn to Shanhai Pass, he firmly decreed that pulling back heavy cannons would undermine morale…
So stated Reflections from the Inner Court.
Its author? Liu Ruoyu, the Directorate of Ceremonial’s record keeper during the Tianqi reign.
Liu Ruoyu was no fool. He knew what to write and what to avoid. His motive was to absolve himself after imprisonment as a Wei Zhongxian faction member. His primary goal was to please Chongzhen and justify Wei Zhongxian’s execution. His bias was entirely against Wei Zhongxian. But he’d have no reason to lie about Tianqi himself. Lying would guarantee Chongzhen’s executioner. Chongzhen would never permit slander against his own brother. Therefore, the Tianqi depicted here — disliking study, refusing to learn calligraphy, dismissive but not detached from governance, personally reviewing memorials, intensely concerned about the Ningyuan battle, sleepless with anxiety — this was likely the true portrait.
As for tales of Tianqi’s illiteracy? Pure fabrication by the historians later serving the Great Qing dynasty.
Nine Thousand Years Old silently signaled him to be quiet.
Inside, a slightly younger eunuch spotted them and quietly approached.
“Uncle!”
He whispered.
“Call him Second Uncle!”
Wei Zhongxian instructed Yang Xin.
“Second Uncle!”
Yang Xin whispered.
“You’re Lao Huang’s nephew? Well done reaching here. Uncle told me about your situation. Don’t worry too much. His Majesty the Emperor approved it. Those scholar officials can’t defy heaven itself. His Majesty the Emperor summoned you today because the Imperial Eldest Grandson saw that… whatchamacallit… that model of yours at the Emperor’s place? He wants one too. But His Majesty didn’t offer one as a reward, and the Imperial Grandson didn’t dare ask directly. So, he wishes you to craft a new one. The Imperial Grandson also has questions for you. Serve him well. If His Highness is pleased, his word pleading for mercy before His Majesty the Emperor surpasses all else!”
The eunuch said.
“Many thanks, Second Uncle!”
Yang Xin hastily saluted.
“Wait here. I’ll inform the Imperial Grandson.”
The eunuch turned away and entered.
“That’s Wei Chao, Big Brother’s sworn brother. A trusted subordinate of Wang An. Back when I served Consort Wang, he helped secure that position.”
Nine Thousand Years Old said.
Yang Xin nodded.
So, Wei Zhongxian’s relationship with Wei Chao hadn’t fractured yet. Though judging by the timeline, he must already be involved with Lady Ke. That woman stood there smiling slyly at them, oozing the air of illicit lovers. Impressive, considering Wei Zhongxian was already fifty, that he held such charms! Yang Xin was frankly curious about the old eunuch’s condition — was he intact or not? A full castration would render it pointless.
A cheat device?
Obviously, Wei Zhongxian wouldn’t be showing him any proof.
Wei Chao soon approached Lady Li of the West.
She opened her eyes languidly, eyeing Yang Xin — this tender young morsel — with undisguised interest. She must be over twenty, her daughter being eight already. Yet, fresh-faced young men inevitably attracted the bored women secluded in palaces, especially one like Yang Xin, his rough outdoors skin shed during recovery, leaving him exceptionally fresh. Add the scholar attire…
“Let him stay right here!”
Her voice was casual, but Yang Xin’s hearing caught every word.
Wei Chao hurried back.
Yang Xin and Nine Thousand Years Old entered. They greeted Lady Li of the West first. She was clearly familiar with Wei Zhongxian — regular trips to Jiazi Storage hadn’t stopped him visiting here often. As they exchanged pleasantries, Tianqi, tinkering with his Luban Lock, called Yang Xin directly to him. The future emperor, destined within a single year to rule this vast empire, remained, for now, a dutiful Imperial Grandson unaware of the imminent deaths of his grandfather and father, and his own sudden ascension.
“Was the ‘Great Ming Unificator Planetarium’ you made?”
Tianqi asked.
“Officially it’s called a Terrestrial Globe, Your Highness. ‘Great Ming Unificator Planetarium’ was what Grand Secretary Fang named it. I call it simply the Terrestrial Globe. It represents the vast earth beneath us. I felt maps like Matteo Ricci’s Global Atlas weren’t tangible enough and contained many inaccuracies. Hence, I made the globe to offer His Majesty, the Emperor. It helps visualize how many barbarian lands remain disobedient and await the illuminating glory of the Great Ming’s sun-moon.”
Yang Xin explained.
“Well, make one for me too. And write out this Heliocentrism teaching.”
Tianqi said, pleased.
“Well… I’m currently crafting telescopes for Junior Advisor of the Left Xu Guangqi. So, I’m occupied for now. Might I suggest Your Highness craft the globe yourself? The making of spheres and frames shouldn’t trouble you, only the mapping requires my aid. This way, you can make it any size you desire — as large as this entire room even! Once completed, I’ll bring the cartographer, she’ll transfer the maps. It should proceed quicker anyway. I understand geography; but craft and artistry belonged to others. Since Your Highness yourself possesses crafting skills, wouldn’t a globe you personally create surpass any other?”
Yang Xin proposed.
Beside him, Wei Chao’s eyes widened sharply, a reproachful stare burning into him.
“That’s true enough!”
Tianqi replied enthusiastically.
Wei Chao looked utterly flabbergasted. How could he understand the core joy of a hands-on tech enthusiast? For Tianqi, the treasure wasn’t the finished globe; the magic lay in the building process itself. Every maker’s soul thrived on creation, even destruction!
“And this telescope? What is it?”
Tianqi inquired next.
“It’s for viewing distant things. Objects two or three li away seem brought near. Junior Advisor Xu funds it, I design it. The finished telescopes shall be offered to the Emperor and deployed in the Liaodong campaigns. Naturally, I’ll gift Your Highness one. Since Junior Advisor Xu pays the bill! Also… I have something else, quite suited for you. Similar to this Luban Lock, it challenges the mind. Only harder to craft.”
Yang Xin took the Luban Lock, skillfully disassembling it.
Wei Chao looked ready to faint.
“What thing?”
Tianqi’s interest peaked.
“That… is called a Rubik’s Cube!”
Yang Xin stated.