Chapter 22: Master Zhan Might as Well Calculate

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Zhu Yuanzhang was so furious that he was about to recklessly push open the secret door and storm out to reprimand Zhu Yunxu properly in his capacity as the Hongwu Emperor.

Even if Zhu Yunxu were to "pass away" by his own hand, the old Zhu was determined to make him understand that national policies must not be tampered with, lest the eternal foundation of the Ming dynasty be destroyed.

But before Feng Sheng and Tang He could step forward to restrain Zhu Yuanzhang, the scornful laughter of Zhu Yunxu echoed from within the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

“Heh! You truly have narrow minds. To uphold such misguided policies that harm the nation and its people is unforgivable. It seems that inviting you all to the palace today was a grave mistake. With your archaic ways, you are nothing more than ornamental figures in court.”

This remark struck Liu Sanwu and Su Boheng like a knife to the heart, almost causing the two old men to faint in rage.

Yet, behind the wall, Zhu Yuanzhang calmed down upon hearing these words. Though anger still flickered in his eyes, it was now overshadowed by curiosity.

The magnanimity of the Hongwu Emperor was naturally incomparable to that of two old Confucian scholars.

He stood quietly by the secret door, fixing his gaze on Zhu Yunxu, eager to hear what else his rebellious grandson might say.

At this moment, Ren Taiheng suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, rose respectfully, and bowed deeply to Zhu Yunxu. “May I ask, Your Highness, what is wrong with His Majesty’s policy of enfeoffing princes to guard the borders? I have pondered this deeply myself but have yet to grasp its true essence. I humbly request your enlightened guidance.”

“Gu Yong,” Liu Sanwu spat, glaring at Ren Taiheng, “what are you doing? How could a mere child understand statecraft?”

But this time, his contempt was directed at Ren Taiheng, as if he were a traitor.

Ren Taiheng, however, ignored Liu Sanwu’s disdain, continuing to scrutinize Zhu Yunxu as if expecting that if he could not provide a satisfactory answer, he would resign at once.

“Haha!” Zhu Yunxu laughed, his gaze towards Ren Taiheng tinged with a hint of admiration.

Due to the limitations of the era, very few could recognize the flaws in Zhu Yuanzhang’s policy of enfeoffing princes to guard the borders. Those who could were undoubtedly profound thinkers.

Thus, in Zhu Yunxu’s eyes, Ren Taiheng stood a chasm apart from the likes of Liu Sanwu and Su Boheng, elevated above the ranks of stagnant scholars.

“It’s quite simple, really. It’s because of the provisions.”

“Provisions?” Ren Taiheng frowned, pondering.

He vaguely sensed he was touching upon something significant, yet a veil obscured the full truth, preventing him from seeing clearly.

Zhu Yuanzhang, listening behind the door, shared the same feeling but muttered softly, “Provisions? What could my rebellious grandson mean? Have we conquered such a vast Ming only for our descendants to be unworthy of the court’s support?”

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Or does this rebellious grandson truly believe that the vast Ming cannot even afford to support a few of my sons?

Feng Sheng and Tang He furrowed their brows in thought as well. From their observations since last night, they were convinced that Zhu Yunxu’s words carried deeper meaning.

“Yes, exactly. It’s about the provisions,” Zhu Yunxu affirmed once more, nodding at Ren Taiheng.

Ren Taiheng frowned and questioned, “But there are only a few dozen princes now. Even with provisions, it shouldn’t be a significant burden on the court.”

His words clearly echoed Zhu Yuanzhang’s own thoughts.

Behind the wall, the old emperor’s eyes gleamed with amusement, eager to hear what twisted logic his rebellious grandson might conjure to refuse supporting his uncles.

“Hmph!”

But Zhu Yunxu responded only with a cold, disdainful sneer.

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang was on the verge of losing control again, Zhu Yunxu’s voice softened: “That’s right. Currently, it’s no problem for the Ming to provide for my uncles; indeed, their stipends could be increased, allowing them to enjoy a lifetime of wealth and honor.”

Halfway through his statement, the smile vanished from Zhu Yunxu’s face, his tone turning grave as he stared at Ren Taiheng. “But, Ren Gong, do you know how many sons these uncles have now?”

Ren Taiheng was puzzled but replied truthfully, “Most princes have around twenty sons, with the fewest being the Yan King’s line, which has only three.”

Though he answered Zhu Yunxu’s question, Ren Taiheng was even more confused.

Even if princes had many children, only one heir would inherit the title. Adding the brothers and descendants of future kings wouldn’t significantly increase the number of princes, would it?

“Excellent! I’ve heard you excel in mathematics, Ren Gong. Then let us calculate. My uncles are still young; Great-Grandfather still fathered sons a few years ago, so they may as well. Let us assume each prince has an average of fifteen sons. Among these sons, only the eldest inherits the princely title, while the others receive lesser titles as dukes.”

“Now, if each of those fifteen dukes also had fifteen sons, and so on, how many royal family members would require provisions from the court a century from now?”

When Zhu Yunxu finished, not only was Ren Taiheng stunned, but even the furious Liu Sanwu and Su Boheng were rendered speechless.

Though Liu and Su were rigid, they were no fools. As revered scholars, their knowledge was exceptional in many fields.

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Yet within moments, Liu Sanwu shook his head in disbelief.

“I dare not imagine it; I dare not calculate! If this continues, the number of royals will be terrifying, surely exceeding ten thousand in a hundred years.”

“Heh! What about two hundred years from now?” Zhu Yunxu taunted Liu Sanwu.

Just now, you were so righteous in accusing me of usurpation and harming the people. Am I not terrifying enough?

“Tens… and tens of thousands, or even more,” Liu Sanwu’s tongue felt dry.

Such a vast royal family requiring court support would be an enormous expense.

Though the Ming was vast and rich, it could not sustain such numbers; the empire would ultimately be dragged down by the endless descendants of the Zhu family.

“Now, Liu Gong, are you afraid? Do you still doubt my claim that Great-Grandfather’s policy of enfeoffing princes to guard the borders is detrimental to the nation?” Zhu Yunxu’s face wore a faint, knowing smile.

Behind the wall, upon hearing the calculation, Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes widened in shock.

“Harming the nation! Is it I who am harming the nation and the people?”

“No, I cannot allow my Ming to be undermined by future generations, lest I become a perennial villain of the dynasty.”

Though Feng Sheng and Tang He were also shocked by the sprawling descendants of the Zhu family two centuries hence, they were not completely overwhelmed. They quickly stepped forward to restrain the impulsive Zhu Yuanzhang and advised:

“Your Majesty, please do not act rashly. You must not leave.”

“Do not worry. Since this matter was raised by His Highness the Third Prince, he surely has a perfect solution.”

…