Huangming

Chapter 94 The Holy Judgment Seizes the Merchants, The Silver Strategy Controls the Eunuch (Please subscribe! Please vote!)

Li Ruzhen stepped onto the icy surface of the bluestone slabs and entered the Dingyuan Marquis's residence.

Deng Shaoyu personally greeted them at the ceremonial gate.

"Commander Li, please!"

Marquis Dingyuan raised his hand in a gesture of invitation.

Li Ruzhen's throat bobbed slightly, somewhat puzzled by the Marquis of Dingyuan's overly polite manner towards him.

The Li family, having lost power, should logically be disliked by everyone, but Marquis Dingyuan seems to have some other request for them.

Filled with questions, Li Ruzhen walked through the three courtyards.

Above the main hall hangs a plaque that reads "Jingbian Pavilion," and on the pillars on both sides are inscribed the words "Iron armor reflects the cold moon, golden spears guard the imperial palace." The ink is still fresh, suggesting that it was written recently.

Upon entering the main hall, a servant led Li Ruzhen to a guest seat and served him tea.

As darkness fell, a chill began to rise.

The brazier in the hall could not dispel all the cold.

Marquis Dingyuan tapped his fingertips on the sandalwood armrest, making a soft tapping sound, and then he spoke:

"I received a visiting card from Commander Li today, which has made me quite suspicious."

Deng Shaoyu picked up the jade cup, the tea reflecting his slightly raised eyebrows.

"We haven't had a close relationship in the past, but this time..."

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Li Ruzhen suddenly looked up and said in a fawning tone, "This humble servant heard that Your Excellency has been ordered to recruit soldiers, so I have come to offer you this generous gift."

Deng Shaoyu glanced at Li Ruzhen and said, "I'd like to see why the Commander is so generous with his gifts."

Li Ruzhen immediately said, "I still have nearly a thousand of my former subordinates, all of whom are skilled in archery and horsemanship and have been through countless battles. If Your Excellency does not despise them, they are willing to serve Your Excellency to the death."

Deng Shaoyu paused his teacup at his lips.

"Commander Li has quite the grand scale, with over a thousand servants. Even though the Li family has declined, it still wields such influence."

He took a sip of tea and continued, "It's just a pity that what my troops have in abundance are skilled warriors."

Does the Ming Dynasty lack men to fight wars right now?
No shortage!

If you randomly pull someone from the nine border regions, who doesn't know how to fight? Who isn't skilled in archery and horsemanship?
It's just that there's no salary.

"Moreover, with a thousand men from the Li family entering the camp, how can I possibly command them as easily as if they were my own limbs? Are they loyal to the Li family, or to His Majesty?"

Li Ruzhen felt a tightness in his throat.

"They are naturally loyal to His Majesty and to the Ming Dynasty."

Li Ruzhen seemed to think that the Marquis of Dingyuan was trying to get something from him, so he gritted his teeth and said, "This humble servant is willing to give you the old Li family mansion! It has three courtyards and five halls, covering an area of ​​thirty acres, and is only two miles away from the capital!"

Before he could finish speaking, Deng Shaoyu had already put down his teacup.

He walked slowly to Li Ruzhen and said, "Commander Li, are you grasping at straws in your desperation?"

The Marquis of Dingyuan's warm breath sprayed on his face.

"Or... do you think I lack that dilapidated mansion?"

The implication is clear: the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and can have any kind of house they want, but they specifically want the Li family's house.

Li Ruzhen's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Master Hou!"

Li Ruzhen pleaded:

"I have followed Your Majesty for decades. Even if I have not made any great contributions, I have certainly worked hard! Those servants have risked their lives with me, but now that they have lost their jobs, their entire families are struggling to make ends meet, to the point that they have to sell their wives and children. They have committed no crime. They have rendered meritorious service to the Ming Dynasty and shed their blood for it. I beg Your Majesty to consider their contributions and give them a bowl of rice."

Marquis Dingyuan shook his head and said, “Which of the refugees outside the city didn’t sell their wives and children to survive, or even resort to exchanging children to eat? They have done good, but shouldn’t the court reward them? Their merits and demerits cancel each other out.”

Seeing Deng Shaoyu's heartless nature, Li Ruzhen couldn't help but recall the words of his elder brother, Li Rubai.

He pursed his lips, and his fist, hidden in his sleeve, suddenly clenched tightly.

He slowly rose from his seat and knelt before Deng Shaoyu.

"I beg Your Excellency to consider the contributions of my Li family to the country and help me this time. In the future, I will obey any orders you give me."

"really?"

Li Ruzhen was overjoyed upon hearing this, thinking that Deng Shaoyu had agreed to his request!

"Thank you, Lord Marquis."

bang bang bang~
Li Ruzhen kowtowed three times.

"Stop kneeling. A man's knees are worth more than gold. The Marquis of Ningyuan has rendered meritorious service to the country. As his son, why should you humiliate yourself?"

Li Ruzhen shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying, "What does dignity matter? My only concern now is the brothers in my troops who have been implicated by me."

The snow had stopped sometime earlier, the dark clouds had dispersed, and moonlight shone through the carved window lattice onto Deng Shaoyu's shoulders, outlining the cold contours of the python pattern.

"He's a man of integrity and loyalty."

Seeing Li Ruzhen's appearance, Deng Shaoyu felt even more that he could be put to use.

"You served in the Fourth Guard Battalion?"

Li Ruzhen didn't understand why the Marquis of Dingyuan asked this, but he still nodded and said, "I have served in that position."

"Are you familiar with the situation of the Fourth Guard Battalion?" Deng Shaoyu asked intently.

Li Ruzhen was stunned, but he quickly came to his senses.

"Your Excellency, aside from going to Liaodong last year, I have spent the rest of my life serving in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Four Guards. It is safe to say that in Beijing, there are no more than five people who know more about the affairs of the camp than I do."

"it is good!"

Deng Shaoyu suddenly burst into laughter.

"I have a way to help you turn your life around."

He approached Li Ruzhen, their noses almost touching, his eyes filled with suspicion and anticipation.

"I wonder if Commander Li has the guts?"

Looking into Deng Shaoyu's burning, desire-filled eyes, Li Ruzhen felt a bitter taste in his throat and his heart pounded. He seemed to realize that this was an opportunity for him.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn my life around!
He suppressed his excitement and cupped his hands in greeting, asking, "Please enlighten me, Your Excellency!"

Deng Shaoyu slowly sat back in his armchair, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.

As the tea steamed, he squinted, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Your Majesty has long intended to reorganize the Four Guards."

"Since Commander Li is familiar with the inside story, why not lend His Majesty a hand?"

Li Ruzhen stared at the eerie light flickering in the eyes of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and he could almost hear Li Rubai's cold laughter again: "Be careful not to get caught up in some trap or conspiracy, or you won't even know how you died."

But behind him were the leaky eaves of the old Li family mansion, the sallow faces of the servants, and the still-warm bones of the dead on the snowy plains of Liaodong.

How could he change the situation if he didn't fall into this trap?
After his trip to Liaodong, Li Ruzhen was no longer the纨绔 (playboy) he once was in the capital.

The bloodline of the Li family has always been rife with intrigue and scheming.

Previously, he had his father Li Chengliang, his elder brother Li Rusong, and his second elder brother Li Rubai protecting him, allowing him to live a carefree and unruly life as a notorious young master in the capital.

But now, no one will stand in front of him anymore; he has to rely on himself for everything! Li Ruzhen's eyes were firm.

If His Majesty intends to use him as a weapon to reorganize the Four Guards, then he is the sharpest weapon.

As for offending people?
The Li family has fallen so low that he has nothing left to lose.

Whom are you afraid of offending?

Sticking your head out means death, sticking your head out also means death.

Why not die a more spectacular death!
Instead, let's fight for a better future for his brothers.

Li Ruzhen immediately said, "Please forward this to the palace, Your Excellency. I am willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty!"

He knelt down on one knee again, his forehead slamming heavily against the blue brick.

This time, he heard the boiling desire in his own blood and the sound of the gears of fate turning.

October 18th, the first year of the Taichang reign.

noon.

Today, Zhu Youxiao still presides over the imperial lectures.

Moreover, in order to handle as many state affairs as possible, he deliberately delayed his audiences past noon.

The officials were so full of urine that their faces turned purple and they almost couldn't hold it in anymore before Zhu Youxiao finally announced the end of the lecture.

These officials, just to annoy him, would submit memorials on trivial matters, clearly trying to exhaust the emperor.

Since you have such ulterior motives, don't blame me for giving you a taste of my own medicine.

In the future, when you attend the morning court or lectures, it's best to drink less water.

Otherwise, if someone were to behave improperly in front of the emperor, he would not let them off easily.

After returning to the East Warm Pavilion and finishing lunch, Zhu Youxiao immediately summoned the capable eunuchs recommended by the old eunuchs Wei Chao, Wei Zhongxian, and Wang Tiqian.

In an instant, more than a dozen people were kneeling in the East Warm Pavilion.

These people varied in age; the oldest was about the same age as Wang Tiqian, while the youngest was over thirty.

On his throne, Zhu Youxiao held a small booklet and looked at the names of these people.

Li Yongzhen, Liu Ruoyu, Shi Yuanya, Liang Dong, Li Chaoqin, Wang Chengen, Cao Huachun, Gao Qiqian, Fang Zhenghua, Li Fengxiang, Wang Dehua
The immortals are as numerous as hemp.

Many of these names were familiar to Zhu Youxiao.

For example, Wang Chengen was the eunuch who accompanied Emperor Chongzhen to hang himself on Coal Hill.

Moreover, Zhu Youxiao reviewed the resumes and abilities of these people and discovered that each of them was a talented individual.

For example, Cao Huachun was influenced by the trend of "being close to the emperor and caring for one's parents" and entered the palace at the age of twelve or thirteen.

Because of his intelligence and diligence, he received a good education in the palace and became proficient in poetry, calligraphy, painting and other arts. He was highly appreciated by the eunuch Wang An and was regarded as a trusted confidant.

After Wang An's downfall, he was highly regarded by the Wei Dynasty and was selected to study classics and history in the Inner Study Hall, where he was taught by Hanlin scholars.

For example, Li Yongzhen was able to read the Four Books as well as the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Zuo Zhuan, and the Han Feizi, and had the learning of a Hanlin scholar.

As for the others, each has their own strengths.

Zhu Youxiao closed the booklet and said, "You are all eunuchs recommended by my trusted confidants. Looking at your resumes, they are all very impressive. I need talents like you right now."

When the emperor gave a speech, no one dared to move.

Zhu Youxiao continued, "The eight major Shanxi merchants have plotted a rebellion. I have already ordered the confiscation of their property in various regions. However, you still need to supervise the confiscation process to prevent anyone from daring to embezzle!"

Using the assassination attempt on the emperor as a pretext, Zhu Youxiao gained the opportunity to crack down on the Shanxi merchants.

However, faced with such a lucrative opportunity as the eight major Shanxi merchants, it wasn't just the emperor who was envious; local officials and high-ranking officials in the court were probably also very eager.

but.
These fat pigs, the emperor wants to kill them; whoever dares to steal his money, he will kill.

after all.

This approach exploited the Shanxi merchants to the point of exhaustion. If they wanted to acquire such wealth again in the future, they would have to target the salt and iron industries, the royal family, officials, and taxes.

These are all tough opponents!

Zhu Youxiao relied on the money confiscated from the homes of the people to train the new army, reform the court, and resolve the Liaodong problem.

As for relying on Liaodong military supplies and taxes?
It's probably unsustainable.

Without major domestic reforms, taxes simply cannot be collected.

To carry out major reforms domestically, it was necessary to train a new army so that Liaodong would no longer be a bleeding point for the Ming Dynasty.

However, without money, a new army cannot be trained, and without a new army, the problems in Liaodong cannot be solved.

A stubborn mind becomes blocked at both ends.

Thinking of this, the emperor's eyes suddenly turned ruthless.

"You are my trusted eunuchs, promoted by me. Once you leave the Forbidden City, you represent the imperial family. If you dare to collude with officials outside the capital, I will not forgive you. You will be executed by slow slicing. Skinning and stuffing your bodies with straw is the least of your worries. Do you understand?"

The eunuchs kneeling in the East Warm Pavilion were both excited and afraid. They immediately said, "We would never dare to bend the law for personal gain. We will definitely do our best to fulfill His Majesty's duties!"

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "You have done a good job. I will not be stingy with rewards. I will take out five parts of the silver you obtained from the confiscation and save it for you eunuchs as your retirement money. I have already paved the way for your future. If you dare to embezzle, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Five percent means five percent. If the confiscation of property yields ten million taels, that would be five hundred thousand taels of retirement money.

If one could confiscate 20 million taels, then one million taels would be enough for retirement.

This was Zhu Youxiao's method for improving the initiative of eunuchs.

Sure enough, as soon as the emperor finished speaking, the eunuchs below immediately became excited.

The care of eunuchs has always been a major concern for these officials. Now that the emperor has solved this problem for them, how could they not be extremely grateful?

Cao Huachun was the quickest to react. He touched his forehead to the ground and said gratefully, "Your Majesty even cares about the trivial matters of us servants. You have even used the national treasury to arrange our funerals. Such benevolence is comparable to that of Yao and Shun! Back then, Han Yu lamented in his 'Preface to Sending Off Yang Shaoyin' that no one would take care of the deceased eunuchs. Now, Your Majesty can even bestow grace and protection upon eunuchs. You have truly created a benevolent government that is unprecedented in history!"

After saying this, tears streamed down his face, his face covered in water stains, making it impossible to tell whether they were tears or snot.

Wang Chengen was also deeply moved and said, "I have served in the palace for thirty years and have seen too many old eunuchs freeze to death on the streets. Your Majesty's arrangement for our funerals is like that of a second parent! How could we servants dare not be loyal to you? Even if I have to risk my life for Your Majesty tomorrow, I will not hesitate!"

After saying that, he kowtowed repeatedly.

Among the eunuchs, the youngest, Fang Zhenghua, crawled forward on his knees: "Although this servant is illiterate, I know from the plays that Bao Zheng beheaded the imperial son-in-law. Your Majesty now treats us eunuchs as human beings."

The eunuch suddenly cried out at the top of his lungs, "Even if I die from confiscating the property of the Shanxi merchants, my soul will still guard His Majesty's silver carriage!"

Wei Chao, Wei Zhongxian, and Wang Tiqian were secretly astonished by this sight.

These people were originally recommended by them; they were their people. However, after His Majesty's actions, their words may no longer carry much weight among them.

Is this how Your Majesty governs your subjects?
Zhu Youxiao was very satisfied with the reactions of these new eunuchs.

But loyalty isn't something you say, it's something you do.

Moreover, he only needs capable people to be loyal. What use is loyalty if someone is incapable?

Zhu Youxiao warned inwardly, "Remember what you said today. If you do things well, I will reward you handsomely. If you mess things up and cause any popular uprisings or military revolts, don't blame me for being ruthless under family law and intolerable under national law."

After speaking, Zhu Youxiao dismissed the eunuchs. After they left, Wei Zhongxian bowed, stepped forward three paces, took out a thick book, knelt before the emperor, and held the book high with both hands, saying:
"Your Majesty: Regarding the corruption within the Four Guards, this old servant has been investigating day and night for the past ten days and has recorded all their shady dealings in this memorial. I humbly request Your Majesty's perusal."

Wei Zhongxian has finally handed over the knife!

(End of this chapter)