Kaifeng is a renowned historic city in Chinese history, first established during the Spring and Autumn period under the name Qifeng. Later, to avoid using the personal name of Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi, it was renamed Kaifeng. This name remained in use until the Yuan Dynasty, when it was changed to Bianliang Circuit.
In the third month, Xu Da led his army to capture Bianliang, subsequently seizing the entirety of Henan. By the fifth month, under the pretext of overseeing the Northern Expedition, Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in Bianliang and restored its ancient name, Kaifeng. However, very few people knew that his true purpose for visiting Kaifeng was to prepare for relocating the capital. It was only upon his arrival that he discovered the city was already in ruins.
To prevent the Han people from gathering and rebelling, the Yuan Dynasty had ordered the demolition of cities across the land, and the ancient walls of Kaifeng had not been spared. Decades of turmoil at the end of the Yuan Dynasty had destroyed eight or nine out of every ten civilian dwellings. The entire Bianliang Circuit had a population of less than one hundred thousand, with trade withered and the land barren. Furthermore, due to years of neglect, the canals that the Song Dynasty had spent immense manpower and resources to excavate were now largely silted over.
If he were to establish the capital here, it would be equivalent to starting from scratch. Relocating the population, reconstructing the city, dredging the canals... a project of such magnitude would severely drain the vitality of even a wealthy empire, let alone the newly established Great Ming. Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang had deeper concerns: once the Yellow River shifted its course, Kaifeng lost its only natural defensive line against northern enemies. Should enemies from the steppes bypass the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, Kaifeng would be an undefended city. Therefore, from every angle, it was no longer suitable as a capital.
Zhu Yuanzhang was forced to abandon his plans to relocate and instead focused his energy on managing military affairs. Inside the command tent, he stood before a map, analyzing the state of the world. This campaign was intended to pacify the realm, and the Ming army, divided into several columns, had been deployed in full force. The armies had not disappointed him; news of victory arrived in rapid succession.
Xu Da’s column had captured all of Henan in just two months. Not long ago, Feng Sheng had taken Tongguan, and rebel leaders like Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao had fled at the mere rumor of his approach—the pacification of Guanzhong was now merely a matter of time. Yang Jing had successfully taken Yongzhou, and Liao Yongzhong had captured Wuzhou, with the prefectures of Xun, Gui, Rong, and Yulin all surrendering without a fight. It could be said that the Great Ming’s true unification of the realm was now only a matter of time. Even with Zhu Yuanzhang’s stoic nature, a joyful smile could not help but grace his face.
Just then, the imperial guard Zhao Erhu entered to report: "Your Majesty, Generals Xu and Chang are requesting an audience."
Zhu Yuanzhang looked up sharply and asked, "Where are they?"
Zhao Erhu replied, "They are waiting outside the tent..."
Before he could finish, Zhu Yuanzhang had already hurried out in three strides, finding Xu Da and Chang Yuchun waiting there as expected.
"Haha, Tiande, Boren, you have finally arrived!"
"Your Majesty, we have come to see you..." Chang Yuchun laughed and started to step forward, only to be grabbed by Xu Da.
"Xu Da pays respects to Your Majesty."
Only then did Chang Yuchun realize his mistake; he hurriedly retracted his step and knelt. "Chang Yuchun pays respects to Your Majesty."
Zhu Yuanzhang stepped forward to support their arms, feigning displeasure. "Hey, the two of you are becoming distant with me."
Xu Da rose as he was helped, saying, "There is a distinction between the sovereign and the subject. Please do not take offense, Your Majesty."
Chang Yuchun was no fool; he spoke loudly as well, "You are now the Emperor, the master of all under Heaven. We as subjects must observe the rules. Whoever dares to disregard them, I, Old Chang, will smash their skull with a single punch!"
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily. "Haha... with the two of you here, I can sleep soundly indeed. Come, let us go inside the tent to talk."
The three men entered the tent and sat according to their positions as monarch and subject. Their relationship was not that of typical ruler and official, so they did not immediately discuss official business, instead exchanging pleasantries first. Xu and Chang inquired about the Emperor’s health, as well as that of Empress Ma and Zhu Biao. Zhu Yuanzhang urged them to take care of themselves, noting that the Great Ming still needed them. He also updated them on their families so they could focus on the war with peace of mind.
Xu Da expressed his gratitude again. Chang Yuchun, while happy, felt a bit of anger. "Your Majesty, do not console me. I heard a little about that brat Chang Mao from the front lines. When you return, please give him a sound thrashing for me."
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed. "There is no need for me to act. The Empress wrote to say that Zhu Shuang and Chang Mao caused trouble together, and she has thrown them into the Yingtian Prefecture Prison to reflect on their actions. With the Empress personally disciplining them, you can rest easy."
Upon hearing this, Chang Yuchun was not worried; instead, he was overjoyed. "Oh, if Her Majesty is handling it, I am even more at ease."
Zhu Yuanzhang’s face darkened slightly. "What, you trust the Empress but not me?"
Chang Yuchun jumped in fright and hurriedly said, "No, no! Your Majesty, please do not wrong me like that."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head with a smile. "I am only joking with you, look how frightened you are." His expression grew serious. "I plan to build a school within the palace for the Crown Prince’s studies. We will select outstanding children from the families of officials and generals to serve as his companions, and I will have Chang Mao attend as well."
This was an opportunity to be a close confidant to the future emperor; as long as no major errors were made, a position in the future court would be guaranteed. Even though his own daughter was the prospective Crown Princess, Chang Yuchun was still very pleased. "I thank Your Majesty for this grace."
Xu Da, standing to the side, felt a hint of envy. By all rights, his own son should have been qualified to be a companion to the Crown Prince. However, his eldest son, Xu Yungong, was only four years old this year, far too young to enter school, so he could only look on with longing.
Yet, who was Zhu Yuanzhang? How could he overlook his top military commander? After finishing with Chang Yuchun, he turned to him and smiled. "Tiande, don’t blame me for favoring one over the other—it is just that your eldest was born late. But rest assured, in a few years, when I have a grandson, I will have Yungong serve as his playmate."
Xu Da smiled and said, "Then it is settled. Boren, you be the witness."
Chang Yuchun hadn't even been listening; his eyes were crinkled with laughter. "Hehe, His Majesty’s grandson... that will be my grandson-in-law as well!"
Zhu Yuanzhang and Xu Da both burst into laughter.
After chatting for a while, the three transitioned to military matters. They first discussed the overall situation, confirming the strategic objectives for the campaign. Then came the assignments for Xu Da and Chang Yuchun.
Zhu Yuanzhang stated solemnly, "You two are the people I trust most, and your mission is the most vital. March north and capture Dadu with lightning speed, completely severing any possibility of a Mongol Yuan resurgence. Only then can we truly say that we have conquered the world."
Xu and Chang answered solemnly, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. We will not fail our mission; we will capture Dadu."
After discussing the specific strategy for the attack on Dadu for a while longer, Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed them, citing their fatigue from the long journey. In truth, he sensed that the dispatches from Yingtian would be arriving soon. It was not that he was a fortune teller; it was simply that the dispatches arrived at roughly this time every day.
As expected, not long after Xu and Chang departed, a courier arrived with an 800-li urgent dispatch from Yingtian. He took the secret box, carefully inspecting it to ensure the seals were intact, before using his key to open it. The first item he saw was a letter resting atop the dispatches. Recognizing the handwriting as Empress Ma’s, a look of tenderness softened his cold, sharp eyes. He picked up the private letter and was surprised to find it much thicker than usual. *Could it be that she misses me and has written many personal words?* Zhu Yuanzhang’s thoughts began to wander, and a smile appeared on his face.
Zhao Erhu, standing guard at the door, knew immediately that Her Majesty must have written to the Emperor again. Only when seeing her letters did the Emperor display such an expression. The affection between the Emperor and the Empress was truly deep.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not open Empress Ma’s letter yet; he intended to finish all his official duties and settle down completely before reading it carefully. Carefully setting the letter aside, he reached back into the box for a scroll of dispatches. His expression tightened, becoming stern once more. Zhao Erhu felt a tremor in his heart and quickly averted his gaze, not daring to peek further.
***
It took nearly an hour for Zhu Yuanzhang to review and sign off on all the dispatches. What concerned him most was the drafting of the *Great Ming Code*. The laws currently in force in the Great Ming were the "Laws and Ordinances" drafted by Li Shanchang and his team during the period of the Prince of Wu, which were very rudimentary. Now that the Great Ming was officially established, a comprehensive set of laws was needed.
The officials were divided on this matter. A group led by Li Shanchang believed that strict laws and harsh punishments should be used to deter the populace. They even wanted to reinstate certain corporal punishments that had already been abolished, arguing that a chaotic time required heavy codes, as only this would allow the world to quickly return to stability. Conversely, the Confucian official group led by Liu Bowen believed that punishments should be applied with caution, with moral education as the foundation. They cited the example of the Qin Dynasty.
The two sides argued endlessly, and it was in this context that Li Shanchang had publicly humiliated Liu Bowen. Seeing this, a flicker of irritation flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes. As a monarch, he understood the personalities of his subordinates all too well. Liu Bowen certainly possessed great talent, but his heart was not fully with the Great Ming—or more precisely, it was not with the Zhu family. He was constantly guarding against Zhu Yuanzhang, which explained his cautious and prudent behavior. To avoid becoming a pawn, he would even endure being publicly humiliated by Li Shanchang. This made Zhu Yuanzhang very dissatisfied.
Furthermore, there was Li Shanchang. Humiliating a fellow official in the presence of the Empress was truly an act of arrogance, relying on past merits while showing no respect for superiors. Moreover, as Chancellor, his duty was to lead the officials in solving problems. Instead, he was petty; whenever he encountered dissenting opinions, he would strike out and humiliate others. How could anyone dare to do their job under such conditions? If not for the fact that the Great Ming was in its infancy and required talent, and that he truly had no one else to use, he would have cast both of them aside long ago.
Of course, the way he would handle Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen would differ. Li Shanchang had walked through the hardships with him; it was not a relationship comparable to that of ordinary monarch and subject. Even if he were relieved of the Chancellorship, he would be given a high-ranking honorary position to enjoy wealth and honor for the rest of his life. As for Liu Bowen... hmph, he could go home and retire. Sadly, this was a thought he could only entertain in his mind; the Great Ming currently could not function without either of them.
Zhu Yuanzhang was also troubled by which path the *Great Ming Code* should take. Because of his own experiences, he was a man who hated evil with a passion and wished he could execute all the villains in the world. Deep down, he was inclined toward Li Shanchang’s approach. Yet, as a monarch, he knew clearly that these laws, before punishing the wicked, would likely be used by those same wicked people to persecute the commoners. It was truly possible that the story of the Qin Dynasty’s fall would repeat itself. For the moment, he could not make up his mind and could only write to Empress Ma, asking her not to rush into a decision and to wait until he returned.
He breathed a long sigh of relief after finishing all the dispatches. His gaze turned to the letter at the corner of his desk, and his trivial worries vanished instantly, replaced by a smile. He picked up the letter and opened it, surprised to find nearly twenty pages inside. He realized that the situation was not as simple as he had thought. *Could something unexpected have happened?*
He felt a jolt of concern and hurriedly began to read. The more he read, the more shocked he became. *The beggar who impersonated royalty is a genius? A talent for governing? He even understands the art of kingship?* This... he recognized every character, but when combined... he felt his eyes playing tricks on him. He read it again, but it remained the same. He carefully observed the handwriting; there was no mistake, it was indeed Empress Ma’s.
But... how could this be possible? A talent for governance, knowledge of the art of kingship—how could such a coincidence exist? A talent he had searched for across the entire country in vain, found in a prison? And a thirteen or fourteen-year-old beggar at that? If he didn't trust Empress Ma, he would have assumed she was spouting nonsense. Even so, he still couldn't believe it was true. By this point, he had roughly guessed what the rest of the letter would contain.
He read on impatiently and found exactly what he expected. *She guessed I wanted to move the capital? And concluded I would return in disappointment?* Zhu Yuanzhang instinctively thought his itinerary had been leaked. But reading further... she analyzed the reasons for his desire to move the capital using five key factors, then analyzed the reasons for the failure of his trip using another five. He couldn't help but gasp.
He was shocked not just by the person's insight, but by their courage to make such definitive judgments. There were plenty of learned people, but very few who could flexibly apply their knowledge. To be able to use it decisively and correctly was a rarity. The most typical example was warfare: the same military manual could turn one person into a god of war and another into a Ma Su. This Ma Yu clearly belonged to the former. At the same time, he was convinced that the person hadn't received advance information but had truly deduced it through pure ability. This allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
He continued reading. *Iron Vouchers?* Zhu Yuanzhang felt his scalp tingle. *He even guessed that?* A monster. This was a monster. If the previous point could be explained by extraordinary insight, this was something else entirely; only a monster could be described this way. In that instant, he was struck by the urge to have the person killed. A person like this must not be allowed to live.
However, he quickly suppressed the urge to kill. His wife must have understood this as well. Since she had written this letter, there was clearly another reason. *I must see for myself what is so extraordinary about this beggar that he could move my wife.*
He continued reading and was shocked once again. *Iron Vouchers bring certain death? The old history of Emperor Gaozu of Han executing the vassal kings?* He gasped again. This time it wasn't because of the person's insight, but out of lingering fear. He truly had no intention of killing his meritorious officials, at least not yet. He had awarded the Iron Vouchers to reward the generals' contributions, hoping they would share in the prosperity of the state. But Ma Yu’s analysis had laid bare the underlying reality. Regardless of his intent, once the Iron Vouchers were awarded, there was only one path: death.
How could he not be terrified by this? Especially when he thought about having to personally kill Tang He, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Li Shanchang—he felt a chill run through his body. His hands trembled slightly. Finally, he understood why Empress Ma had written this letter. Regardless of whether Ma Yu possessed such great talent, this warning alone was enough to earn him a reprieve from the law.
He took a deep breath, letting his agitated emotions settle, and then bowed his head to continue reading the rest of the contents.