Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 189: National Conference in Hongde Hall

Chongjiaofang, near the Imperial College, Fang Mansion.

A young servant was sitting on the stone steps at the back door of the Fang Mansion. He had just added charcoal to the brazier in front of him and was stirring it with an iron skewer. When he saw Fang Shihong coming, he immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Young Master."

"This is a reward for you. Let me go." Fang Shihong took out a silver bar weighing one or two taels and threw it to the servant.

"The master has given orders. I can't keep you from going out." The servant took the silver, but didn't dare put it in his pocket.

"Get out of here!" Fang Shihong cursed in a low voice, "Don't be so ungrateful, or I'll whip you."

Having spent all the money he had taken out, he returned home to ask the old housekeeper for it, only to find his father, Fang Congzhe, who had declined the offer and was staying at home awaiting his father's orders. Fang Congzhe didn't want his son, who was so sensitive he'd bite anyone he saw, to wander around and cause trouble, so he grounded Fang Shihong. But Fang Congzhe was a typical example of a father who spoiled his son; the Fang family's rules had never been strict. Fang Congzhe couldn't bear to lock his son in, so he had servants take turns guarding the door to prevent Fang Shihong from sneaking out.

This really "wrecked" Fang Shihong. He had always been a homeless person. After his first wife died young, he had no intention of remarrying and was out fooling around every day. Now that the old man had locked him up at home, he could only rely on his maid to entertain him. After all, the maid was the daughter of a poor family. She had not learned any special skills or tricks, and it could be said that she had no interest in sex and no culture. It was okay to relieve her sexual desire when she couldn't hold it in, but after a long time, it would really make her feel sick.

"Master, don't make things difficult for him. He's just following orders. If he lets you out, Master won't let him off." The old housekeeper was just strolling between the front and back doors. When he saw Fang Shihong making things difficult for the gatekeeper, he immediately came over to try to stop him.

"Oh, my old uncle, please let me live." Fang Shihong bowed hurriedly. Although Fang Shihong was an uneducated playboy, he still respected his old man and the old housekeeper who had raised him.

"Oh, my young master Fang, could you please stop making trouble and leave me a chance to live?" The old butler also imitated Fang Shihong's cheating.

"Keep your voice down. The old man is still taking a nap, don't wake him up." Fang Shihong waved down continuously.

"The master has finally had some free time, so why don't you spend more time with him?" The old butler still smiled.

"I've been with him for many days." Fang Shihong bowed again. "Please be kind and let me out. I'll be back in two days."

"The master has ordered that you are not allowed to leave the house. If you want to go out and have fun, you'd better ask the master first." The butler stepped to the door and his face darkened.

"Forget it!" Fang Shihong gave up. He turned around and heard a knock on the door from the direction of the Fang Mansion's main gate. He was delighted and decided to slip out through the crack of the door while the housekeeper was opening it. "Uncle, go open the door."

"Okay, okay." The old butler couldn't help but guess what Fang Shihong was thinking. However, he decided to play along and take this opportunity to release the young master, so as not to disturb everyone. Although Fang Shihong enjoyed visiting prostitutes, drinking, and arguing, he had one good thing: he didn't gamble. So, in the old butler's opinion, the young master was still a good kid, just visiting brothels, and wouldn't make a thousand taels a year.

The old housekeeper walked to the main door, took out the key to unlock it, and then removed the bolt. He glanced at Fang Shihong one last time before opening the door.

Fang Shihong concentrated all his attention, waiting for the old housekeeper to open the door, then he carried the old man, who was not heavy, to the side and rushed out quickly. However, when the door was really opened, Fang Shihong was stunned.

The man was quite old but stood tall, with a look of both kindness and majesty. But none of that mattered; what mattered was that he had no beard and wore a bright red cloak.

Fang Shihong immediately understood that this was the chief eunuch in the palace!

"Is Prime Minister Fang here?" the visitor asked kindly.

"My father is taking a nap." Even though Fang Shihong was a playboy, he knew that the man before him was definitely an important figure who deserved courtesy. He hurriedly walked over, showing the demeanor of the Fang family's only son, bowed deeply, and asked, "May I ask your name?"

"My surname is Wang, and my given name is An." Wang An smiled slightly and bowed slightly in return.

"So it's Master Wang!" Fang Shihong hurriedly bowed again. "I've heard a lot about you."

Wang An nodded, then went straight to the point: "There is an imperial decree. Please ask Prime Minister Fang to come out and receive it."

"Please come in!" Fang Shihong waved his hand to invite Wang An in, and at the same time asked the old housekeeper to wake up his old man.

"Master!" The old housekeeper walked in without knocking. How dare he neglect the emperor's order?

"What are you doing?" Fang Congzhe was already awake, but the warm kang in winter was always so inviting, so Fang Congzhe, who had no urge to urinate, still lay on his back with his eyes slightly closed, thinking.

"Master Wang has arrived with the imperial edict." The old butler said concisely.

"Hurry! Put on your court clothes!" Fang Congzhe liked to practice swordplay when he had free time, so he was still in good health despite his old age. So when he heard the housekeeper's words, he straightened up and sat up.

After putting on his court robes, Fang Congzhe came to the courtyard and bowed to Wang Anxian: "Greetings, Master Wang."

"Greetings, Prime Minister Fang." Wang An returned the greeting and pulled out a piece of paper with an imperial decree written on it from his lapel. "Yes, there is an imperial decree!"

When issuing an imperial decree to an individual official, the entire family didn't need to be summoned. For an imperial decree like this, which didn't have a seal, it was even possible to ask those who didn't want to receive it to leave in advance. But Fang Shihong didn't leave, so he knelt with his father.

"Prime Minister Fang, the matter is over. I still want to use you. Come to Hongde Hall immediately. I decree this." The decree was so simple that it only contained one sentence, but Wang An was specially sent to announce it in person, which was enough to show the emperor's favor for the prime minister.

"I will obey the imperial edict!" Fang Congzhe kowtowed and thanked him, took the decree, and handed it to Fang Shihong. "Find someone to frame it."

"Yes." Fang Shihong nodded seriously and felt relieved: the old man was finally reinstated.

------

The Hongde Hall was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign and is located to the west of the Qianqing Palace. It was originally named the Yongsu Hall and was renamed in the 14th year of the Wanli reign.

Hongde Hall faces south, with a sloping corridor in front and a single-eaved hip roof covered in yellow glazed tiles. It is three bays wide, with a main bay door and bay windows. In front of it is a three-bay porch, with the imperial throne facing south.

As a courtyard adjacent to the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, its use and disuse to a certain extent reflects the actual situation of the highest power in the Ming Dynasty.

When Hongde Hall was first built, Emperor Chengzu designated it as a place where he would normally summon his ministers. However, in reality, Emperor Chengzu rarely used this place. It was not until the twelfth month of the eighteenth year of the Yongle reign that Emperor Chengzu moved the regent, the future Emperor Renzong, and his ministers from Nanjing to Beijing. Then, starting in March of the twentieth year of the Yongle reign, Emperor Chengzu launched his third, fourth, and fifth campaigns in succession. During this period, the crown prince continued to oversee the country, but his office was in the Wenhua Hall, and Hongde Hall remained silent. In the twenty-second year of the Yongle reign, Emperor Chengzu, at the age of sixty-five, passed away on his way back to Beijing from the northern expedition. Emperor Renzong officially ascended to the throne, and Hongde Hall began to gain popularity.

But this surge of popularity lasted less than a hundred years. In the third year of the Zhengde reign, Emperor Wuzong, unwilling to endure the dreary life within the palace, officially relocated to the Leopard House. Following the emperor's arrival, the political and military center of the Ming Dynasty shifted from the Qianqing Palace to the Western Gardens of the Imperial City, and Hongde Hall fell silent again. On April 21, the 16th year of the Zhengde reign, the ambitious young emperor ascended the throne according to the law of succession from elder brother to younger brother, and Hongde Hall enjoyed its final twenty years of glory. Afterward, the Jiajing emperor practiced Taoism, the Longqing emperor took apathy, and the Wanli emperor neglected his duties. Thus, Hongde Hall fell silent once again.

The most recent use of Hongde Hall, it turns out, was related to Fang Congzhe, who was waiting at the entrance for the emperor. On the sixth day of the fourth month of the 48th year of the Wanli reign, Empress Wang passed away. On the eleventh day, Fang Congzhe entered the palace to mourn and requested to consult the emperor regarding funeral arrangements. A short while later, the eunuchs delivered the emperor's oral instructions, summoning Fang Congzhe to Hongde Hall. This was Fang Congzhe's second encounter with his emperor in his eight years as prime minister. The next, and final, meeting was on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, when the emperor's illness had worsened.

On the morning of the 21st day of the 12th lunar month in the 48th year of the Wanli reign, while Wang Chengen was caning all officials at the Wumen Gate, a plaque personally written by Emperor Taichang was quietly hung behind the throne in the Hongde Hall, which read "Serve the Three Selflessly".

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Fang Congzhe, the cabinet's chief minister who had been reinstated by imperial decree, met his long-missed deputy minister, Ye Xianggao, Grand Secretary Liu Yirong, and the six ministers at the gate of Hongde Hall. Standing alone beside them was an unexpected figure: Luo Sigong, the head of the Imperial Guard.

Soon, the emperor and his eldest son entered the Qianqing Gate surrounded by eunuchs, and stood in front of the ten civil and military officials.

"Long live our emperor, long live him, long, long live him!" Fang Congzhe led the ten ministers and they all knelt.

"Stand up and enter the hall." The emperor opened his mouth slowly, turned around and stepped into the hall door that was pushed open by Wang An and Wei Chao on his left and right.

From then on, the short process of "waiting, bowing, standing up, and entering the hall" became a common practice in "Promoting Virtue and Discussing the State".

After entering the hall, the emperor stepped onto the steps, turned around again, lifted his robe and sat down. Immediately afterwards, the eldest prince also sat down on a wooden stool at the bottom of the steps.

"Wang An." Zhu Changluo sat lazily, his eyes fixed on Wang An standing beside him. "How are those remonstrators who were beaten?"

"God is merciful and hasn't confiscated any of them. Now they are all lying obediently in the Imperial Physician's Hall of the Imperial Hospital, waiting for Envoy Liu to apply medicine on their buttocks." Wang An replied.

"It's God's will." Zhu Changluo's tone was filled with emotion.

There's no such thing as divine intervention in matters like caning in the imperial court. The fact that no one died was clearly the Emperor's will. Fang Congzhe knew it was time to praise the Emperor, so he led the way in a deep bow. "Your Majesty is holy and virtuous, and may Heaven bless your loyal counselors!"

"Your Majesty is holy and virtuous, and God blesses those who give loyal advice!" The others also bowed in unison.

"Huang Qing." Zhu Changluo called out after the voice subsided.

"I'm here." Huang Kezan replied.

"When we get back, tell Zhang Wenda to release Sun Ruyou." Zhu Changluo smiled. "Let him go home for New Year's Day."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Huang Kezan bowed and accepted the order.

"It is said that we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. But even if we do not bid farewell or welcome the new year, the old year will pass by and the new year will come. Time changes naturally and people cannot go against it, just like this clock. People must wind it up and adjust it from time to time according to the celestial phenomena in order to make it move in response to time." Zhu Changluo pointed to the self-ringing clock placed in the hall.

"When agriculture is in harmony with the heavens, the harvest is plentiful." Zhu Changluo paused, straightening his posture. "If one disobeys the heavens, he will die without a burial ground."

"The weather is difficult to observe year-round, otherwise the court wouldn't have established the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. But in years of disaster, the weather is very obvious. The Ming Dynasty has run deep into problems, and disasters and man-made calamities are frequent. You should all have realized this, so I won't elaborate further." Zhu Changluo said solemnly: "When there are disasters, relief must be provided, and when there are problems, they must be corrected! I must act in accordance with the will of heaven, otherwise the mandate of heaven will change, the imperial star will sink, and the country and people of our ancestors will be taken away by outsiders. The subjects of the world will be ravaged by the barbarians who, after capturing the city, will only slaughter, plunder, and rape."

After opening the discussion with his discussion of the weather, Zhu Changluo looked around at the ministers and said, "Next year, how should we provide disaster relief to the Ming Dynasty and how should we correct the corruption in the court? Let's discuss it today in this Hongde Hall."

"I obey your order." The ministers had thought the emperor would only summon the cabinet ministers for a meeting after the spring, but they hadn't expected him to give them a break. After the caning, just after lunch break, he immediately summoned people to discuss matters.

"Prime Minister Fang, you have been at home for so many days. You shouldn't be sleeping all the time. What are your plans?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"In reply to the emperor's words. I think that the so-called 'disaster relief and amelioration of malpractices' is nothing more than governing people, managing finances, reorganizing the army, and enforcing laws. However, things in the world are easy to summarize but difficult to detail; easy to say but difficult to do. Therefore, things must be sorted out, done one by one, and changed one by one." Fang Congzhe looked at the emperor and thought of the late emperor, and there was actually sadness in his eyes.

He still remembered the last edict from the late emperor to the cabinet, which read: "The Crown Prince has been in the palace for many years, and truly relies on you and the Imperial Household Department to assist him wholeheartedly, abide by the ancestral system, and safeguard the imperial plan. Your contributions to the country will be remembered forever."

Fang Congzhe rubbed his eyes before continuing, "Don't worry about the time. The emperor is in his prime. As long as he maintains his determination and doesn't repeat the same mistakes, the people at home and abroad will surely follow his lead and the Ming Dynasty will be able to revive."

"The Prime Minister said it well, 'Be steady and persistent.' Zhu Youxiao, did you hear that?" Zhu Changluo glanced down.

"I heard it." Zhu Youxiao answered sincerely.

"Perseverance is good, but it's not enough. I'd like to add one more thing." Zhu Changluo looked Zhu Youxiao in the eye and said, "Yugong moved the mountain."

"Your son will follow your father's instructions." Zhu Youxiao stood up and bowed.

"Sit down," Zhu Changluo nodded, then turned to look at Fang Congzhe. "Prime Minister. Governing people, managing finances, strengthening the army, and enforcing laws. Which one do you think is the most urgent task?"

"I think that financial management and military reorganization are the most urgent but difficult things at the moment," Fang Congzhe replied.

"Why?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"The nation has been ill for a long time, with many ailments, but the one that has the greatest impact on the people of the land is the Jiannu in the north," Fang Congzhe explained. "Xiong Tingbi stated in his memorial that Liaodong is vast and open, with few dangerous and indefensible passes. He stated that garrisons would require 180,000 soldiers. Although Xiong Tingbi also stated that by garrisoning Liaodong, 1.3 million shi of millet could be harvested annually, as of now, the soldiers have been recruited but the garrisons are not yet established. Most of Liao's food and supplies are imported from all over the country, and self-sufficiency is a distant prospect. If the Liao situation remains unresolved and the soldiers continue to disarm, the world will suffer. Only by rallying our forces for a decisive battle, pacifying Liao and stamping out the bandits, can the Ming Dynasty stop its hemorrhaging."

After saying this, Fang Congzhe sighed and turned the topic, "But since the disastrous defeat in the 47th year of the Wanli reign, Liaodong has lost a lot of territory. Xiong Tingbi has worked hard to maintain the situation, but he has only been on the defensive and not on the offensive. If we talk about a decisive battle lightly, the situation in Liaodong will inevitably get worse."

"Preparing an army for a decisive battle takes time, but the daily cost of food and rations for the soldiers and horses exceeds ten thousand. Where will the food and silver come from? If we increase taxes on the entire country, it will surely drive the people into rebellion."

"Therefore, military affairs need to be reorganized, and financial management is a matter of urgency. However, both are difficult," Fang Congzhe concluded.

(End of this chapter)