Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 12: The Imperial Inspector of Liao and the Imperial Sword Handle

Zhu Changluo got dressed with Mi Mengshang's help. It wasn't even September yet, but even with the midday sun high in the sky, it still didn't feel warm.

Zhu Changluo straightened his collar and suddenly asked, "Mi Cairen, can you read?"

"Your Majesty, I can read and write." This was the vocational education provided by the Jiaofang Bureau to courtesans. To satisfy the princes and nobles, it was not enough to just be able to play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting; one also had to be able to recite poetry and compose couplets, and ideally, dance.

Zhu Changluo nodded: "Very good. Have you studied arithmetic?"

"No." Mi Mengshang could only shake her head regretfully.

"I will teach you, and after you finish learning, I want you to do something." Zhu Changluo's mouth corners rose slightly, but his eyes were full of coldness.

"What?" she asked subconsciously, but immediately realized that she had said something wrong.

"Do chores." Zhu Changluo didn't care about such trivial matters. But before Mi Mengshang mastered the basic four arithmetic operations and unit conversion, Zhu Changluo didn't intend to tell her the content of the task. This would be harmful to her.

If she was ignorant and leaked the news, things would become unnecessarily troublesome. Then, in order to make an example of her, he would have to sentence Mi Mengshang to death.

"I advise you not to guess, and even if you guess, don't tell anyone about it. It's best to keep this a secret between us," said Zhu Changluo.

"I know." Mi Mengshang was very happy. It was not a bad thing for men and women to have a common secret.

Unless the secret can never be revealed.

Zhu Changluo nodded and said, "Okay, I have some government affairs to attend to. Come back after dinner and call Wang An."

Wang An was actually much busier than Cui Wensheng, as he also ran the East Depot. But Cui Wensheng had to "attend" Zheng Yangxing's trial recently, and after the case was concluded, he had to confiscate his property, so he had no choice but to ask Wang An to work overtime.

After a while, Wang An came over jogging.

"Your Majesty." Wang An kowtowed.

"Go and call Yang Lian into the palace." Zhu Changluo ordered.

"Master, won't you take a break?" Wang An protested. It was this complaining memorial that had angered his master to the point of fainting.

"I've rested enough. Liaodong is in turmoil, and I've been worried all night. Go and tell them."

"Hey~~! I obey your command."

"Your servant Yang Lian pays homage to the emperor, Long Live the Emperor." Yang Lian currently has no official position.

"Come and sit down and talk." Zhu Changluo patted the chair beside him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the seat."

The emperor's bestowal of a seat on his subjects showed their respect, but they wouldn't sit fully on the chair. Instead, they would sit upright on the edge, which was even more uncomfortable than kneeling. Sitting for too long felt like torture. However, not everyone could endure this kind of pain.

"Sarhu case closed. You have made great contributions. I am very satisfied."

In the Zheng family relocation case, the impeachment memorials against Cui Wensheng and Liu Yirong, and the closing memorial to the Sarhu case, Concubine Zheng, Cui Wensheng, the Donglin Party, and the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions all saw only one side of the story from their own perspective. The one closest to the truth, seemingly the furthest removed from the court, was Yang Lian.

"I'm just following orders. This is my duty. I dare not talk about my achievements." Yang Lian got off the chair smoothly and knelt down. "Sit down and talk. Don't kneel." Zhu Changluo was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." With the exception of the few veteran officials in the cabinet, the other officials would have preferred to prostrate themselves on the ground when speaking before the emperor. This would have saved them the hassle of kneeling, standing, and sitting.

"Rewards are due for merit, but not everyone is willing to obey this order. I heard your family isn't very wealthy, so I'm giving you something practical: one hundred taels of silver. This is money to improve your life, not just for show." Zhu Changluo said with a smile. "Sit down!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Sitting down to thank for the reward made Yang Lian feel very uncomfortable.

"There are constant factional struggles within the court, with all parties competing against each other. The Donglin Party, the Zhejiang Party, the Qi Party, the Chu Party, the Xuan Party. I know exactly which factions there are within the court and who the backbones are within each party."

"But this is normal. When people from the south and the north get together, they can't even understand what the other side is saying, so how can they not stick together?"

"In addition, the Emperor has not attended court for over thirty years, and the turmoil surrounding this position right under my feet has lasted for over twenty years. The Donglin Party was the Prince's Party during the Wanli Emperor's reign, but I want to destroy the bridge after crossing it. I will not reward those who have followed me. Do you understand?"

"I understand." After these days, Yang Lian finally saw through the essence of the party struggle.

Party struggles will distort people's thinking to the point where they only see the party and not the court, and only seek small profits without caring about the world.

Which of the core members of each party doesn't possess genuine talent and knowledge? But when they start arguing, they're like mad dogs, grasping at every last scrap of information and biting recklessly. They have no interest in state affairs, only in party strife. Over the past ten days, these people have done almost nothing of value, spending their days contemplating impeachment and insults.

But could Zhu Changluo make them all leave? No, if they all left, the court would be paralyzed.

The emperor can decide life and death with a single word, but he cannot bring peace to the world with a single word.

If we want long-term peace and stability in the world, an honest and efficient bureaucratic system is essential.

Killing people and dismissing officials are means, not ends. Reform is not a sudden, thunderous event, but a gradual transformation of systems and mindsets.

Zhu Youjian should be singled out for criticism here, as he changed the Prime Minister every year (and that was just the Prime Minister). Without permanent property for the people and permanent positions for the officials, how could there be any perseverance?
Therefore, Zhu Changluo rejected Zhou Jiamo's "Memorandum for Appointing Officials," but did not remove any officials from any particular faction. He first sought to maintain a balance and stabilize the status quo. Yao Zongwen, who had been attacking Xiong Tingbi, was an opportunist. If one were to pin his affiliation on a particular faction, he would be considered a member of the eunuch faction.

"I want to implement reforms, but reforms cannot be achieved overnight and will inevitably lead to unrest in the country. We cannot have internal chaos or external chaos. Before the pain is over, nothing must go wrong in Liaodong." Zhu Changluo's eyes were firm.

"I am willing to share the Holy Lord's worries." Yang Lian felt his eyes redden and felt that he could not sit still any longer.

But Zhu Changluo pressed his shoulder, stared at him and said: "Yang Lian, I appoint you as the Right Censor-in-Chief, and send you to inspect Liaodong, and grant you the handle of the imperial sword." From the seventh rank of the Imperial Censor to the fourth rank of the Right Vice Minister, Yang Lian was promoted six levels in one day.

Yang Lian was shocked, but what puzzled him even more was the handle of the Shangfang sword. What was this?
Yang Lian's confusion didn't last long. Wang An came over with a tray on which lay a carved wooden hilt and a scroll of imperial edicts. The hilt was alone, without a blade or scabbard.

"You are not going to cause trouble for Xiong Tingbi, but to help him. He has full authority on Liao affairs. You go to Liaodong to find out those parasites who corrode weapons and armor, embezzle military pay, and drink the blood of soldiers. The handle of the Shangfang sword means that you can arrest first and report later. If you want to execute them, you have to go to Xiong Tingbi to ask for the Shangfang sword. My Ming Dynasty can't withstand another Sarhu." Zhu Changluo made his words very clear this time.

Yang Lian was a loyal and honest minister like Hai Rui, and there was no point in playing tricks on him.

"I obey your command." Yang Lian held the hilt of the sword with both hands and found a small private seal engraved on the back - Chang Luo.

"Here's another imperial edict. Read it to Xiong Tingbi when you arrive in Shenyang," Zhu Changluo continued. "Liaodong must remain in order. As long as you work diligently, you won't have to worry about anyone causing trouble in the court. You don't need a backer; I am your backer." Zhu Changluo handed the edict to Yang Lian.

"I obey your command." Yang Lian's shoulders were finally freed from the pressure. He knelt on the ground and bowed, saying, "I am willing to die for Your Majesty and the court."

"Don't keep dying. I want you to live and serve the whole country." Zhu Changluo shook his head and smiled.

(End of this chapter)