National Day-None of the Three Essentials of Nationhood?

The second day of the first lunar month.

Zhu Yunwen summoned Xie Jin, Xu Huizu, and Chen Di to the Hall of Martial Valor.

Once the three had taken their seats, Zhu Yunwen went straight to the point. "On the fourth day of the first lunar month in the twenty-eighth year of the Yuan's Zhizheng era, Taizu founded our nation and named it Great Ming. In two days, it will be thirty-two years since Great Ming's founding. I wish to establish a National Day, make it a permanent observance, and celebrate together with the people. What do you three think?"

"National Day?"

Xu Huizu grew somewhat lost in thought.

He recalled the glory of his father, Xu Da, all those years ago. Amid a world in chaos, he had laid Great Ming's foundations and earned unsurpassed merit! Making the founding day a holiday, commemorating the hardships of founding the nation and honoring their fathers' achievements, would surely win the people's hearts.

But...

Xie Jin marveled at Zhu Yunwen's idea. Since ancient times, there had been national celebrations, but these had merely meant "celebrating together with the nation," without any fixed date. They might mark an emperor's accession or some momentous event. A holiday marking a nation's birth was unprecedented.

Yet its benefits were obvious without much thought.

"Your Majesty, this proposal is sound! And it must be vigorously implemented! Whether in the capital region or the provinces, prefectures, and counties, wherever there are subjects of our Great Ming, all should celebrate and offer congratulations on the same day!"

Xie Jin answered solemnly.

Xie Jin understood perfectly well that once National Day was branded into the hearts of Great Ming's people, Great Ming would enjoy unprecedented unity. And a united people and empire would unleash an unparalleled power of cohesion.

Chen Di, Minister of Rites, clapped in approval. "I second Secretariat Minister Xie's words. National Day should be observed throughout the realm. Although preparations would be somewhat rushed this year, there is still time here in the Capital. With the fresh winds of a new reign era upon us, why not draft an edict today, Your Majesty, and proclaim it to the world?"

Xu Huizu rose, his expression turning solemn. "Your Majesty, I support this proposal. But there are some words I cannot keep bottled up."

Zhu Yunwen nodded warmly and raised a hand. "Sit and speak. Sovereign and subject should be frank with one another. Whatever you have to say, say it."

Xu Huizu sat down and said earnestly, "National Day marks Great Ming's birth. It must not be empty words. I believe we could follow the example of the twenty-four meritorious officials honored in the Tang dynasty's Lingyan Pavilion and spread the names of Taizu and the civil and military officials who helped found the nation throughout the realm."

Xie Jin frowned slightly. "Would that not be rather inappropriate?"

Xu Huizu looked at Zhu Yunwen, conflict flickering in his eyes.

Just as Xie Jin had said, publicizing those men on the model of the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion would have posed no problem at all if Zhu Yuanzhang had done it at the beginning of the dynasty.

But this was the Jianwen era now, not the Hongwu era!

How could they publicize them?

Tell the world that these meritorious officials had rendered glorious service to Great Ming, only to end up having their heads chopped off by Zhu Yuanzhang?

Then what would the common people say about Zhu Yuanzhang?

Did the dignity of the Ming Empire's founding emperor no longer matter?

Besides, had some of those officials deserved death, or had they been victims of false charges and miscarriages of justice? Zhu Yuanzhang had branded them traitors, and Zhu Yunwen was to call them meritorious officials the moment he inherited Zhu Yuanzhang's seal of authority?

When that happened, would the people believe Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Yunwen?

Some matters could not be openly judged!

Xie Jin understood this principle. He also knew that Xu Huizu wanted to use National Day to vindicate their forebears!

Although Xu Da had died a natural death, men such as Feng Sheng, Fu Youde, and Wang Bi, who had died after being implicated in the Blue Jade Case, and Liao Yongzhong, who had died for "presumptuously using dragon and phoenix motifs"-which of them had not rendered meritorious service?

And which of them had not been wronged?

As the foremost of the military nobility, Xu Huizu was right to harbor such sentiments, but they were unrealistic all the same.

Xu Huizu lowered his head dejectedly. He knew his notion was merely a foolish dream. The imperial house could do no wrong; the sovereign could do no wrong. No matter how those men had died, their names could never be cleared.

Their grievances could only remain buried in their graves as the grass above withered and flourished. Their descendants, too, would inevitably bear that heavy burden, scraping out humble lives beneath the contempt of others.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xu Huizu, knowing how far-reaching this matter was.

In other words, overturning the verdicts was the smaller issue; publicizing it was the larger one.

After all, though he was Zhu Yuanzhang's grandson, Zhu Yuanzhang still had a whole host of sons. If the grandson went around telling the world ill of his grandfather, could those uncles sit idly by when their father was involved?

They might take up arms and march straight for the Capital within two days.

If the realm descended into war, how could he develop the economy and build the country?

After all, the New Army Strategy had yet to be widely implemented throughout the military. The control the Prince of Ning, Prince of Gu, Prince of Su, Prince of Qing, and others held over their guard forces could not be underestimated. Until the strategic objective of a soft Abolition of the Fiefdoms had been achieved, this matter could not proceed.

"Duke of Wei, I promise you that I will resolve this within ten years. If we rush this matter, the scalding oil may burn us. We must proceed slowly."

Zhu Yunwen spoke gravely.

Tears instantly filled Xu Huizu's eyes. If this matter could be resolved within his lifetime, he could die smiling in the depths of the underworld and meet his heroic forebears with honor! Xu Huizu rose and solemnly knelt. "On behalf of all the meritorious nobles, I thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace!"

Worry showed in Xie Jin's expression. Ten years might seem a long time, but accomplishing this would still be no easy task.

Zhu Yunwen personally helped Xu Huizu to his feet and sighed. "Have the Five Army Commandery draw up a list and submit it to the Grand Secretariat for approval. The Revenue Ministry will allocate money and provisions. Bring those who were exiled back to the Capital and see that they are properly settled."

"Your Majesty!"

Xu Huizu was deeply moved.

Take Fu Youde, Duke of Ying, for example. Zhu Yuanzhang had not only forced him to kill his own two sons but had driven him to take his own life in Zhu Yuanzhang's presence. Even then, Zhu Yuanzhang had not spared Fu Youde's family, sending every member of his household, male and female, young and old, into exile in Liaodong, Yunnan, and elsewhere.

Although Zhu Yunwen had previously issued an edict to redress wrongful convictions, when officials put it into practice, none dared touch the key figures in certain "major cases" or "ironclad cases." They had only dealt with peripheral injustices involving those less deeply implicated.

Now that Zhu Yunwen had spoken in person, although the senior officials and military nobles who had died in major cases such as the Blue Jade Case had yet to have their names cleared, at least their families could return to normal lives, no longer suffering on garrison duty in desolate borderlands.

Zhu Yunwen settled into his seat. "Minister Xu is right. National Day must not be empty words. It would not do for everyone to rejoice without knowing why they were rejoicing or for whom they felt inspired. Minister Chen, instruct the Imperial College to compile an account of Taizu's life, beginning with his birth and ending with Great Ming's founding. Let it record our Great Ming's heroes and spread their renown to every corner of the realm."

"I have only two requirements for this book: first, it must be truthful; second, it must be accessible. Make it so that everyone who can read understands it, and everyone who cannot read understands it when they hear it."

"I obey Your Majesty's command!"

Chen Di gladly accepted the order.

Xu Huizu was endlessly grateful. This way, their forebears' blood shed on the battlefield and their lifetimes of heroism would not have been in vain.

Zhu Yunwen lifted his tea bowl. Looking at the mark on it, he suddenly asked, "What is our Great Ming's national flag?"

"National flag?"

Xie Jin, Xu Huizu, and Chen Di froze.

"Your Majesty, I know the army's battle flags, but what is a national flag?"

Xu Huizu asked cautiously.

"Then what about the national emblem and national anthem?"

"Er... might I ask Your Majesty what a national emblem is, and what a national anthem is?"

Even the learned and widely read Xie Jin, the great scholar himself, was bewildered.

Zhu Yunwen felt thoroughly frustrated. This Ming Empire lacked all three essentials of nationhood: a national flag, a national emblem, and a national anthem. Had they really just pitched a tent, shouted "Long live the emperor," and thrown the Ming Empire together in a clatter?

Wasn't that far too slapdash?