Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 129 Your Majesty, Absolutely Not!
Shandong and other places, Liaodong area, Shenyang.

Since the beginning of the 48th year of the Wanli reign, Xiong Tingbi moved the headquarters in Liaoyang to Shenyang, which was closer to the Jiannu forces.

Xiong Tingbi, a native of Jiangxia, Huguang, was awarded the title of Jinshi in the 26th year of Wanli, ranking 115th among the third class.

Xiong Tingbi's first visit to Liaodong was twelve years earlier, in the 36th year of the Wanli reign. In August of that year, Xiong Tingbi passed an examination and was promoted to the position of Trial Supervisory Censor, in charge of Zhejiang Province. However, just ten days after taking office, Xiong Tingbi was secretly promoted to Liaodong Provincial Governor through the manipulation of the Zhejiang Party.

At the time, inspecting Liaodong was an undeniably tough job, one everyone avoided, let alone being transferred from the affluent provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the bitter cold of Liaodong. However, Xiong Tingbi, "aspiring to rule the world, fond of recounting the stories of Chen Tang and Fu Jiezi, and often indignant at the arrogance of the barbarians between Ji and Liao," resolutely undertook the inspection tour despite the advice of his friends.

During his years in Liaodong, he stopped bribery, checked the army's strength, and investigated the officers and officials without leniency, which greatly improved discipline. In the following long period, due to the seemingly endless struggle between the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions in the court and his straightforward and fiery temper, Xiong Tingbi experienced ups and downs several times, and finally retired at home.

It wasn't until the 46th year of the Wanli reign, when Nurhaci, accusing the emperor of his "Seven Great Grievances" and launching an attack on the Ming, that things began to change. At the time, Yang Hao, considered knowledgeable about Liaodong's military affairs, was appointed Governor of Liaodong. The imperial court originally intended to simultaneously appoint Xiong Tingbi, who had previously served as a military inspector, as military supervisor. However, Yang Hao, having previously been at odds with Xiong Tingbi during his tenure as Liaodong Governor, intervened to block this proposal.

This obstacle was Xiong Tingbi's luck, because with the joint efforts of the emperor, the cabinet, and public opinion in the court, the Battle of Sarhu had to be fought, but at the same time it was certain that it could not be won.

In March of the following year, news of the disastrous defeat at Sarhu rocked the capital, and officials urged Xiong Tingbi to be appointed. Consequently, on March 22, the 47th year of the Wanli reign, Emperor Shenzong appointed Xiong Tingbi as the Left Assistant Secretary of the Dali Temple and Supervisory Censor of Henan Province, to comfort the soldiers and civilians of Liaodong.

On April 12, Xiong Tingbi received an imperial edict ordering him to leave home and head north. In June, Kaiyuan fell, and censors filed letters impeaching Yang Hao. Yang Hao was dismissed, and the court officially appointed Xiong Tingbi to replace him as governor of Liaodong on June 22.

Before leaving Beijing, Xiong Tingbi submitted a memorial to Emperor Shenzong analyzing the situation in Liaodong. He argued: "Liaodong is the backbone of the capital. To protect both the capital and Hedong (east of the Liaohe River), Kaiyuan must not be abandoned. Kaiyuan has been destroyed, Qinghe abandoned, Qingyun plundered, Liaoxi besieged, and the inhabitants of several cities in Tieling and Yilu have fled. Only Liaoyang and Shenyang remain isolated in Hedong and are difficult to defend. However, without defending Liaoshen, Liaodong cannot be secured; and without recovering Kaiyuan, Liaoshen cannot be secured.

To this end, Xiong Tingbi requested the Emperor to "prepare fodder and grain, repair weapons, do not suffocate me, do not delay my deadline, do not discourage me, do not hinder me, and do not leave me alone in hardship and danger, so as not to harm me, Liao, and the country."

Emperor Shenzong agreed with this and immediately issued an edict: "Recovering Kaiyuan is an urgent matter for defending the border and maintaining peace. All necessary troops, equipment, money, food, fodder, and other supplies must be promptly provided by all government offices. No excuses should be used to prevent military delays."

Xiong Tingbi, so highly regarded by Emperor Shenzong, left Shanhaiguan with great confidence and ambition. However, the situation was far from optimistic. Before he reached Liaodong, Tieling fell, and the military and civilians in Shenyang and other fortresses quickly fled, leaving the people of Liaoyang in a state of panic.

In early August, Xiong Tingbi entered Liaoyang and began to reorganize military affairs and persuade deserters to return. Upon taking office, Xiong Tingbi executed deserting generals to honor the fallen soldiers. He also executed the corrupt general Chen Lun and dismissed General Li Ruzhen, replacing him with Li Huaixin. Simultaneously, Xiong Tingbi personally supervised the construction of bulldozers and firearms, dredged moats, and reinforced city walls, preparing for a protracted standoff with the Jiannu. Within months, Liaoyang was secured at Dagu. No further cities in Liaodong fell.

The actual situation in Liaodong made him realize that presumptuous talk of restoration and rash offensives were too hasty. He could only maintain stability, employing defense over warfare. To stem the Jiannu's ascendant offensive momentum, Xiong Tingbi submitted a memorial to Emperor Shenzong, advocating a strategy of "step-by-step, gradual advance." By establishing strong strongholds and engaging in strategic warfare, he hoped to gradually squeeze the Jiannu's space for maneuver, leaving them with nothing left to plunder and pillage.

But holding on is easier said than done. If the Jiannu had 100,000 soldiers, then the government troops should have 180,000 to stabilize the situation. However, when Xiong Tingbi took office, there were only 80,000 government troops in Liaodong, which was not a numerical advantage. Moreover, these soldiers were mostly old and weak and needed to be streamlined, so they could not be used as a real number.

In order to replenish these 180,000 soldiers, the imperial court needed to allocate 3.24 million taels of silver, 1.08 million dan of rice, and 970,000 dan of horse beans to Liaodong every year.

Judging from the strategic situation at the time, Xiong Tingbi's decision to hold out was undoubtedly a sound one. Emperor Shenzong, Zhu Yijun, awakened by the disastrous defeat at Sarhu, also endorsed Xiong Tingbi's judgment, declaring, "Assessing the enemy's situation and deploying a strategy of combat and defense is quite appropriate. Once the defense is solid, gradually resuming the offensive is the most foolproof strategy."

Emperor Shenzong not only supported Xiong Tingbi verbally, but also tried his best to provide him with what he needed. However, he was reluctant to spend his own money.

The Liaodong military campaign escalated, necessitating a sudden increase in military pay of three million. Ruhua's repeated requests for release of the imperial treasury were denied, so he borrowed from the Nanjing treasury, collected surpluses from the treasury throughout the country, collected arrears, cut back on labor and food, and set a precedent. Meanwhile, Liaodong Governor Zhou Yongchun requested additional troops and taxes. From then on, the imposition of additional Liaodong military pay across the country became a common practice.

Regardless of how the rest of the country fared, at least with the full support of Emperor Shenzong, Xiong Tingbi achieved significant results after a year in Liao. Not only was the dilapidated city of Liaoyang renovated, with refugees returning in droves, but the deserted cities of Fengji and Shenyang, once threatened by war, were now transformed into important towns.

In the 48th year of the Wanli reign, during the final months of Zhu Yijun's life, Emperor Shenzong, though gravely ill, remained particularly attentive to Xiong Tingbi. He might ignore other people's memorials, but he would read Xiong Tingbi's and approve every one of them. Despite the burden of the entire empire, Liaodong remained stable thanks to the mutual trust between the emperor and his subjects.

On July 21st, Emperor Shenzong, already ill and unable to recover, passed away. On August 1st, the new emperor ascended the throne. This momentarily worried Xiong Tingbi, as he had never interacted with the crown prince and had never even met the new emperor. The dangers of this situation were obvious. Unknown to the new emperor, his opinions and assessments could only rely on the praise or criticism of other officials. Generally speaking, the better one's connections and wider network of contacts, the more likely they were to gain the emperor's favor, but Xiong Tingbi was clearly not one for the popular variety.

During the reign of Emperor Shenzong, Xiong Tingbi was unreasonably attacked by the Zhejiang Party headed by Shen Yikuan just because he was a Chu person from Huguang, and the so-called Chu Party was unwilling to speak out for him.

Although the three factions of Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang united because of their common enemy after the rise of the Donglin Party, and their mutual attacks gradually decreased, the desire to attack these "three factions with a common enemy" was so strong that they would unite to attack those who were different.

Moreover, the Donglin Party members have always prided themselves on being "loyal and upright" and were staunch members of the Prince's Party during the Wanli period. This allowed them to occupy a series of important positions in the central government by relying on the favor of the new emperor as soon as the emperor ascended the throne.

The cabinet immediately added five members, including Liu Yirong and Han Yu, both acknowledged Donglin Party members. Second Assistant Minister Ye Xianggao was also a Donglin Party sympathizer. Simultaneously, numerous Donglin Party members were appointed to the six ministries, one temple, one academy, and one department—nine key departments directly reporting to the emperor. Among them were many high-ranking officials of the second and third ranks, making them the most powerful.

Just as Xiong Tingbi, anxiously preparing to launch a counterattack against Yao Zongwen, who had been constantly attacking him and proving his innocence, an imperial edict was delivered from Beijing to Shenyang. The edict was brief, stripped of all the official rhetoric, and its core content was one thing: Xiong Tingbi had made meritorious contributions during the Liao Dynasty and was promoted one level and awarded 100 taels of silver.

Xiong Tingbi was a man of few means, not fools. He knew that such a minor matter didn't require an imperial edict; a mere notification from the Ministry of Civil Affairs would suffice. The new emperor's move was a signal of trust in Xiong Tingbi. Two days later, a court report finally arrived, confirming this assumption. It not only reported Xiong Tingbi's promotion but also revealed another personnel change.

Yao Zongwen, who had long been at odds with Xiong Tingbi and constantly opposed him, was stripped of his official position by the emperor and demoted to a commoner. Yao Zongwen was reviewing troops in Liaodong. Xiong Tingbi was a straightforward man, never one to leave anything to chance. So upon hearing the news, he rushed to Yao Zongwen and delivered a barrage of sarcasm, sending the already bewildered Yao, already suffering from heart rhythm problems, into a state of panic.

You know, even Emperor Shenzong only gave him some verbal comfort when he was attacked to the point of wanting to resign out of anger.

The bearded Xiong Manzi was deeply moved, so he beat up the Jiannu who tried to plunder before winter.

A few days ago, Xiong Tingbi received another piece of delightful news. Yang Hao's uncle, Yang Yuan, and two members of the Donglin Party attacked him, accusing him of "delaying progress and wasting state funds." The emperor had also stripped him of his title and reduced him to a commoner. This not only signaled the emperor's renewed support but also his approval of his strategy. Liaodong was now defendable but unable to attack, and talking about reclaiming it would only lead to a repeat of the fate of Sarhu.

"Xiong Zuotang, someone's coming from Beijing." The guard at the gate walked quickly into the camp. Because Xiong Tingbi was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and was in charge of Liaodong, he was called "Zuotang".

"Please ask him to come in." Xiong Tingbi put down the desk in his hand.

After a while, the man entered the camp. "Greetings, Xiong Zuotang."

"From the Tongzhengsi?" Xiong Tingbi asked.

"No." The man shook his head.

"Which government office are you from?"

The visitor looked around but did not answer.

"Come with me." Xiong Tingbi knew that there was something he wanted to say that could not be heard in public.

Arriving at the quiet room in the back hall, the visitor took out a wooden box and a key from his pocket and handed them to Xiong Tingbi.

"What is this?" Xiong Tingbi didn't answer. "Who are you?"

"I'm just a messenger. You don't need to know my name," the man vaguely stated. "Master Zuotang, just know that I was sent by the palace."

"There are so many government offices in the palace. You have to tell me which one you are from, right?" Xiong Tingbi still did not take the wooden box.

"You'll know everything after you read the letter inside." The man placed the box on a nearby table. "Master Zuotang, I'll take my leave now."

"What's going on?" Xiong Tingbi was confused.

"Xiong Zuotang, I only know that there is a letter inside, and I don't know anything else." The visitor said earnestly.

"Forget it." Xiong Tingbi nodded, then took out ten taels of silver as usual and handed it to the visitor.

"Thank you, Xiong Zuotang." The visitor was not polite.

This person's hasty comings and goings left Xiong Tingbi completely bewildered, but his confusion didn't last long. Xiong Tingbi picked up the key and unlocked the box. Inside, he found only an eight-leaf letter addressed to "Xiong Tingbi himself."

Xiong Tingbi unfolded the eight-leaf letter and looked up. The first words he said stunned him: "How are you these days, Mr. Xiong? I don't know what you look like yet, but I imagine you're a man with bright eyes and a strong spirit. When Liaodong is more stable, come to the palace and let me take a good look at you."

In addition to secret memorials, the secret memorial system also has another advantage, which is that it can express private and intimate words, narrow the distance between the emperor and his subjects, and win over the feelings of officials.

Previously, public memorials, whether addressing official court affairs or private officials, were handled publicly by the cabinet, drafting a signature. This made it difficult for the emperor to express personal feelings to his subjects. However, memorials, or secret memorials, were exchanged solely between the emperor and officials, freeing them from such scruples and bureaucratic formalities.

"I know your difficulties. You don't have to worry about changes in the capital, nor do you have to worry about no one speaking up for you. All you have to do is help the Ming Dynasty defend Liaodong, focus on reviving it, and restore its territory. I will personally speak up for you."

"Your Majesty!" A feeling of "a gentleman will die for his friend" suddenly arose in Xiong Tingbi's heart.

".There is something I would like to ask for your opinion on." After expressing his feelings, the content of the text began to become serious.

"A group of Western merchants has arrived in Guangdong, one of whom is a human trafficker. I want to use his sea routes to transport and sell the rebellious slaves from Jianzhou. This will reduce the population of Jiannu and supplement the military pay in Liaodong."

"No! This is a plan to cause chaos!" Xiong Tingbi wanted to write a memorial to the emperor explaining the pros and cons. However, he had not yet finished reading the eight-leaf memorial, which seemed to be written by the emperor himself.

"This matter has not yet been submitted to public discussion. When you reply, Lord Xiong, please do not submit a memorial to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Seal your reply in this box and have a trusted confidant deliver it directly to the Inner Court via a secret memorial. Furthermore, if Lord Xiong has any matters outside of my purview that are inconvenient for discussion in court, or if you simply wish to ask my well-being, you may do so in this manner, expressing your views in memorials without relying solely on memorials or memorials. Lord Xiong, please remember that all matters contained in memorials are confidential and must not be left in the hands of others."

".Xiong Qing still needs to take care of the affairs of Liaodong. Please take good care of your health." At the end, Zhu Changluo did not forget to care about Xiong Tingbi's health again.

Xiong Tingbi solemnly closed the eight-leaf folding scroll and put it into a cabinet for his personal belongings. Then he sat down at his desk, pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and began to draft his reply: "The door to the Liao slave trade must not be opened. Once the door is opened, the people will run rampant. Besides, it is impossible to tell which is easier to obtain, Jian slaves or Han slaves. If this door is opened, I am afraid that nine out of ten ships of slaves will be your Majesty's people, not the Jianzhou bandits."

Not long after, Yang Lian, the imperial censor, received a similar wooden box while on tour in Qinghe. After reading the imperial letter inside, Yang Lian gave the same answer from another perspective: Absolutely not!
(End of this chapter)