Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Xiong Mingyu was not the only one affected by the military's alleged affiliation with the eunuch faction; Xue Fengxiang, Qin Shiwen, and others who were also included in the eunuch faction faced similar scrutiny.

If members of the Donglin Party are to withdraw from the Ministry of War on suspicion of forming a faction, shouldn't members of the eunuch faction also withdraw?
Soon, Xue Fengxiang and Qin Shiwen were forced to submit memorials requesting to retire.

Two ministers who are slated to retire in the next term must retire several months in advance.

Zhu Youjian, of course, could not allow the Minister of War and the Vice Minister to resign together. Especially since he knew that the so-called eunuch faction had long lost its core after Wei Zhongxian's death.

This group, which could not threaten him and could only gravitate towards him, was his means of counterbalancing the Donglin Party.

Without these people, the imperial court would have been filled with Donglin Party members long ago.

Therefore, he did not approve their retirement and severely reprimanded them at the court assembly:

"Okay!"

"The Minister of War and the Vice Minister of War will both retire together."

Are you threatening me?

"You want to shut down the Ministry of War?"

Xue Fengxiang and Qin Shiwen hurriedly defended themselves, explaining that they were not trying to coerce the emperor.

Rather, it was because there had been too many impeachments against them recently, and the two men could no longer continue in their positions.

Zhu Youjian immediately flew into a rage and rebuked him:

"These are all ministers who have experienced major battles. How come they have no resilience at all? They want to run away as soon as they hear about impeachment?"

"I have read all those memorials, and they are all nonsense."

"Although you were once deceived by Wei and implicated in the traitor's case, you are not members of the eunuch faction?"

"Does this political party still exist in the imperial court? Can anyone point it out?"

These words are clearly self-deception and an attempt to protect the remnants of the eunuch faction.

Hou Xundao, Imperial Censor of Guangdong Circuit:

"Your Majesty, these people followed Wei in his rebellion, so why can't they be considered members of the eunuch faction?"

"I believe they should be expelled from the court to rectify the people's hearts."

This statement was immediately echoed by many of his ministers.

The emperor's lenient treatment of the eunuch faction has been criticized by some officials.

They believed that Wei Ni and his cronies should be eliminated to prevent treacherous people from holding office.

Hou Xun's words represented the attitude of many people who hoped to remove all those listed in the anti-government case during the leadership transition.
Zhu Youjian was even angrier when he heard this, because this was what he feared most: the factional strife would continue.

Historically, the eunuch faction and the Donglin faction were entangled for decades, and they were involved in factional struggles in the courts of the Southern Ming and the early Qing dynasties.

Upon hearing someone openly clamoring to reject the eunuch faction, Zhu Youjian immediately realized:

This was a counterattack by the Donglin Party members who were forced to split, wanting to eliminate their biggest enemy first.

He didn't bother with a minor official like Hou Xun, and directly asked Han Kuang:
"Prime Minister Han, you were the one who created the list of those accused of treason, and you also decided how to deal with them."

"Do you think there are still eunuch factions in the imperial court?"

Han Kuang wanted to say yes and take the opportunity to drive Yang Jingchen and the others out, but he knew that the emperor would not allow him to do so.

Especially since his term was about to end and he needed to beg the emperor to keep him in office, he could only agree with the emperor:
“Wei’s traitors and his cronies have already been dealt with. Although others are involved with Wei, most of them were deceived and cannot be called his cronies.”

"The list of cases involving treason has already been made public and has been accepted by both the government and the public."

"The so-called eunuch faction is pure nonsense!"

Zhu Youjian exclaimed "Good!" and addressed Hou Xun and the others:

"Did you hear that? Prime Minister Han said there is no eunuch faction."

"From now on, anyone who uses the pretext of rejecting the eunuch faction to engage in factionalism and attacks will be dismissed from their post and stripped of their official status on the spot."

"Hou Xun, as the censor of Guangdong Circuit, you are not doing your job properly, but instead stirring up trouble in the court."

"Go to the front lines of the Annam army immediately and serve; otherwise, you will be punished for factionalism and suppression of dissidents."

Hou Xun was naturally dissatisfied upon hearing this, feeling that the emperor was being too harsh on the Donglin faction.

However, Han Kuang and the others winked at him, urging him to confess his crimes quickly.

Otherwise, if the charge of "forming cliques and attacking dissidents" is established, many people will be implicated.

Those who had just echoed Hou Xun were even more uneasy, because if the charge of forming cliques and attacking dissidents was established, they would be considered accomplices.

Under pressure from these people, Hou Xun had no choice but to confess his crimes in humiliation and go to Annam to take up his post.

Even after punishing Hou Xun, Zhu Youjian remained furious and emphasized:
“A person like Hou Xun, who is suspected of forming factions, should not be in the Censorate, lest he stir up factional strife and cause trouble in the court.”

"If you have the energy, do your job well. Don't fantasize about pulling others down so you can rise on your own."

"Anyone suspected of forming a faction shall not be allowed to hold an important position."

"The Ministry of Personnel must investigate this matter thoroughly and accept reports during the public announcement of the candidates."

Minister of Personnel Guo Yunhou obeyed the order, and Zhu Youjian, glancing at Li Ruoxing, the Right Vice Minister of Personnel behind him, felt he couldn't be allowed to stay either. He then gave the order:

"The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War have always been mentioned together, and their appointment by the court is comparable to that of a Grand Secretary."

"The Ministry of War forbids the use of partisans, and the same applies to the Ministry of Personnel."

"All officials serving in the Ministry of Personnel must, like those in the Ministry of War, the Privy Council, the Censorate, and the Supreme Court, clearly state that they have not formed any factions or joined any organizations."

"Otherwise, if discovered, he will be immediately dismissed and punished for deceiving the emperor."

This demand is clearly aimed at the Donglin Party, because the existence of the eunuch party is not recognized at all.

Some people want to say that the Donglin Party did not exist, but the Donglin societies that have been established recently indicate that the Donglin Party did indeed exist.

Han Kuang now suspects that the emperor's previous leniency towards the groups was a ploy to lure them out, so that once they revealed their true colors, the Donglin Party members could be wiped out in one fell swoop.

With increasing demands for forming parties and associations, he now regrets publicly joining any such organization.

Hou Xun's face fell upon hearing this, for his teacher, Zheng Sanjun, was vying for the position of head of the Supreme Court.

However, he helped his teacher establish the Nanjing Forestry University Society and has already joined the society.

Now that the emperor has decreed that officials of the Supreme Court are not allowed to form factions or join societies, his teacher no longer has the opportunity to take charge of the Supreme Court.

This puzzled him greatly; he couldn't understand why the emperor was being so harsh.
The emperor had already mentioned that the Censorate should not employ partisans, but as an imperial censor, he had not been taken seriously by the emperor before.

His sudden attack has left him feeling extremely frustrated.

Actually, this was Zhu Youjian's strategy. He had previously mentioned that the Censorate and the Censorate should not employ partisans, but there were too many Donglin Party censors who had been reinstated in order to overthrow the eunuch party, and they could not be replaced in a short time.

So he kept a portion of them in order to put pressure on the remnants of the eunuch faction.

The reason why Yang Jingchen and others were so obedient was because there were such people in the imperial court.

However, after several years of adjustment, the court structure had stabilized. Zhu Youjian naturally no longer wanted to keep the radical faction of the Donglin Party and expelled them directly.

Although Han Kuang was somewhat reluctant, he knew even more that the current situation in the court was hard-won.

He is about to be awarded a noble title for his meritorious service, and he cannot allow anyone to sabotage this process.

Under pressure from the emperor, he abandoned Hou Xun and others, sending them away to other places.

Of course, he would not mistreat these people. His disciple, Yuan Chonghuan, who was leading an army in Annam, would take good care of them.

If one distinguishes oneself in the war in Annam, one might even be able to obtain a noble title.
-
Yang Jingchen was well aware of his scheme.

He took Zhang Fujing as his role model and rose through the ranks of the cabinet very quickly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to firmly hold the position of second-in-command despite bearing the reputation of being a remnant of the eunuch faction.

Although he was not very satisfied with his current position, he knew even more that without the emperor's support, he would not even be able to hold onto his position as the second-in-command.

What happened in court today is clear proof:

If it weren't for the emperor's strong suppression of factional strife, these remnants of the sinful eunuch faction could have been expelled at any time.

"The Emperor spared us because he didn't want the Donglin faction to become too powerful."

"But we have no chance to grow stronger."

While discussing this matter with Guo Yunhou and others, Yang Jingchen sighed.

He once thought the Grand Secretary was very close to him, but now he finds him unattainable.

The emperor needs the chief minister to help him implement policies and will not appoint someone who is resisted by officials.

Han Kuang was able to continue serving as Grand Secretary because there were many Donglin Party members and people who sympathized with the Donglin Party in the current officialdom.

As a remnant of the eunuch faction, he wasn't universally condemned, but he was certainly looked down upon.

In an era where the emperor prioritizes execution, how can one rise to the position of Grand Secretary?

Guo Yunhou didn't have high expectations because he wasn't a member of the Hanlin Academy and couldn't even get into the cabinet.

He was already very satisfied with his current position as Minister of Personnel, and his greatest hope was to stay in office, strive to become a Grand Minister of State, and strive to become the chairman of a cabinet committee.

He advised Yang Jingchen:

"Scholar, there's no need to rush. You are fourteen years younger than Han Kuang."

"The Emperor decreed that officials who have served in the same position for nine years must be reassigned."

"This means that the prime minister can only serve a maximum of three terms, a maximum of nine years, before he must step down."

"The bachelor is still young now, and he will have plenty of opportunities in the future."

"The most important thing now is to take good care of our health and cultivate some capable people to govern."

Yang Jingchen was somewhat helpless, because the reason he was so eager to become the Grand Secretary was that his health was not very good.

In the second year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, he suffered a serious illness and nearly died as a result.

This made him realize that life is short and he must seize every opportunity.

Unfortunately, the emperor didn't give him a chance. He tormented Han Kuang for several years, and even after Han Kuang resigned himself to his fate, he still wanted to use him.

Now, he can only heed Guo Yunhou's advice and first cultivate his governing team:

"The future administration of the cabinet will depend on the Grand Secretariat."

"You mentioned the Grand Secretary, could you recommend one of our people?"

Guo Yunhou shook his head, not optimistic about it:

"The reputation of the eunuch faction is too bad. Those Hanlin scholars who are willing to attach themselves to them have already risen to prominence. It's not our turn to promote them."

"It is the scholar's fellow townsman Zhuang Jichang who is quite good; His Majesty values ​​him highly."

"Unfortunately, fate was unkind, and Zhuang Zhuang died young."

Yang Jingchen felt equally sorry when he heard this name.

Although Zhuang Jichang's status as the top scholar was questioned, the current emperor was in a hurry to appoint capable people and did not care about it at all.

Given his initiative in going to Donglin to resist the Jurchens, he might have become a high-ranking official in the imperial court if he had lived to see the Liaodong War.

Unfortunately, he died young and was posthumously granted the title of Baron, with his descendants inheriting the knighthood.

Even if Yang Jingchen wanted to promote him, it was simply out of the question.

However, thinking of his classmates after hearing this person, Yang Jingchen said:
"Zhuang Jichang was the top scholar in the 47th year of the Wanli reign. The second-place scholar in that examination was Kong Zhenyun, who was already a court official."

"After Zhuang Jichang passed away, Chen Zizhuang, the third-ranked scholar, inherited his will and joined the army in Dongjiang to serve as the chief secretary."

"How is he doing in Dongjiang? Does he have a chance to become a Grand Secretary?"

Guo Yunhou stroked his beard and smiled:
"The scholar has finally remembered."

"This person has done a good job in Dongjiang territory and has made many meritorious contributions. He is now serving as a fifth-rank chief secretary."

"His rank and background were sufficient to qualify him for the position of Grand Secretary, making him the top-ranked candidate."

"With proper training, they will surely become a valuable asset in the future."

Yang Jingchen was overjoyed to hear this and felt extremely happy.

With Chen Zizhuang in the position of Director of the Imperial Secretariat, he had a convenient executor.

Although it's a pity that this person isn't from Jinjiang, in this era where the emperor has perfected the system of avoiding conflicts of interest, it's easier to get promoted if you're not from the same hometown. Maybe you can even serve as Grand Secretaries together in the future.

Under the emperor's pressure, regional cliques were bound to decline, and it was necessary to cultivate people who were not subject to the avoidance policy.

This person is listed among the Donglin Party members. I wonder if he is willing to attach himself to them?
Guo Yunhou said:

"Chen Zizhuang gained merit through Zhuang Jichang. If the scholar encourages the Zhuang family to make more connections, they should be able to establish contact."

“Once we get to know each other, and let Chen Zizhuang know that we are not the eunuch faction, but the imperial faction loyal to the emperor, even if he is unwilling to submit, he will not be our enemy.”

“Especially since there are so many members of the Donglin Party, they simply won’t push him to the top.”

“We’re different; we’re very willing to push him up.”

They believed that if Chen Zizhuang were rational, he would accept their good intentions.

Even if we can only become allies, it's better than having no one in the Secretariat.

Yang Jingchen lacked confidence in this and sighed:
"The Donglin Party has so many talented people!"

Why do we have no successors?

"Even the Emperor personally trained Liu Lishun and Zhang Pu, the two top scholars. How come we don't have anyone in our ranks?"

Guo Yunhou remained silent upon hearing this, knowing that this was their predicament. Bearing the stigma of being a remnant of the eunuch faction, scholars of integrity were unwilling to pledge allegiance to them.

The Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) of the first and fourth years of the Chongzhen reign (1644) were mostly not affiliated with the government, except for those who were already related to them.

Even if Yang Jingchen was the chief examiner of the provincial examination, it wouldn't work; the successful candidates preferred to recognize other people.

After the implementation of the voluntary selection system for officials, Guo Yunhou, the Minister, had no opportunity to manipulate them.

In particular, the positions of the two top scholars, Liu Lishun and Zhang Pu, were always personally arranged by the emperor, and even though Guo Yunhou was the Minister of Personnel, he had no chance to intervene.

However, Yang Jingchen's sigh reminded him of someone else:

"Yu Huang, the top scholar in the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, was the first Hanlin scholar the emperor met after he ascended the throne."

"The Emperor has a very good impression of him, and this person is worth cultivating."

"Yu Huang?" Yang Jingchen pondered the name and realized that it was indeed worth cultivating.

Although the emperor did not value Yu Huang as much as he did Liu Lishun and Zhang Pu, he clearly valued him more than the others.

Moreover, given Yu Huang's qualifications, he could potentially become a Grand Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat; once trained, he could be put to good use.

In particular, the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Tianqi reign was overseen by the eunuch faction. Many of them entered the Hanlin Academy to participate in the compilation of the "Essential Records of Three Reigns," and they belonged to the same category as him.

These people are naturally aligned with him and would never side with the Donglin Party.

Thinking of Yu Huang and other Jinshi graduates from the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, Yang Jingchen quickly decided to select several more from this cohort as candidates for Grand Secretary. This was to prevent a shortage of personnel in the Grand Secretariat when he became Grand Secretary in the future. (End of Chapter)