▁and ▁revers ed ▁many ▁of ▁Z hang ' s ▁administrative ▁improvements . ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 4 , ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁issued ▁an ▁ed ict ▁conf isc ating ▁all ▁of ▁Z hang ' s ▁personal ▁wealth ▁and ▁p urg ing ▁his ▁family ▁members . ▁Es pecially ▁after ▁ 1 5 8 6 ▁when ▁he ▁had ▁conflicts ▁with ▁v ass als ▁about ▁his ▁he ir , ▁W an li ▁decided ▁to ▁not ▁hold ▁the ▁council ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years . ▁The ▁M ing ▁dynast y ' s ▁decl ine ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁inter im . ▁ ▁Middle ▁reign ▁( 1 5 8 2 – 1 6 0 0 ) ▁ ▁After ▁Z hang ▁J uz h eng ' s ▁death , ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁complete ▁personal ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁government . ▁During ▁this ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁reign , ▁he ▁showed ▁himself ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁compet ent ▁and ▁dil igent ▁em peror . ▁Over all , ▁the ▁economy ▁continued ▁to ▁prosper ▁and ▁the ▁emp ire ▁remained ▁powerful . ▁Un like ▁the ▁last ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁reign , ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁would ▁attend ▁every ▁morning ▁meeting ▁and ▁discuss ▁affairs ▁of ▁state . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁W an li ▁era ▁would ▁be ▁domin ated ▁by ▁three ▁wars ▁that ▁he ▁de alt ▁with ▁successfully : ▁ ▁Def ence ▁against ▁the ▁Mong ols : ▁In ▁the ▁northern ▁front ier ▁regions , ▁a ▁M ing ▁general