How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 46 Dogfight, Pushing Two and Giving Away Four (Please add to your favorites and read on)

November 29th, in a not-so-spacious side hall inside the Right Shun Gate.

One folding chair was in the middle, with ten folding chairs arranged on the left and right. On the left were five chairs, occupied by the Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel Huang Lijie, Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou, Minister of Works Li Congxin, and Minister of Justice Xue Zhen. These four men were once servants of Wei Zhongxian, but now they had paid their fines, written letters of repentance, and were considered to have turned over a new leaf, becoming what His Majesty called "imperial party members" who "seek redemption for their crimes."

On the right, five seats were occupied by four people: Sun Chengzong, Left Censor-in-Chief and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall; Li Banghua, Left Vice Minister of War; Qian Qianyi, Right Vice Minister of Rites; and Yang Shaozhen, Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review. These four were either leaders of the Qingliu faction, key members of the Donglin Party, or staunch opponents of the eunuch movement, presenting a different kind of image.

There was an empty chair on each side, not yet occupied. It was reserved for Zhang Jiude, the "fence-sitter" Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He was currently standing between the two factions, his chubby face displaying just the right amount of embarrassment and difficulty, looking left and right as if the chairs on both sides were too hot to sit on.

Where he sits is no small matter. To the left, he would be telling the world that Zhang Jiude is going to follow the "Imperial Party." To the right, he would be determined to stand with the Donglin Party.

Just as he was hesitating, Sun Chengzong stroked his white beard from the Donglin side and said with a smile, "Shuhai (Zhang Jiude's courtesy name), come, come, this side is spacious, and there is an empty seat next to me."

At this greeting, Qian Qianyi, sitting to the left of Sun Chengzong, froze for a moment on his usual gentle smile. He was the leader of the literati's righteous debates, the head of the Donglin faction in the court! Did Old Sun think he could bypass him and recruit people just because he held the positions of Grand Secretary and Chief Censor?

His position as Grand Secretary and Left Censor-in-Chief, just like Huang Lijie's position as Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel, was a temporary measure during the transfer of power, and was not legitimate. Grand Secretaries and Censors-in-Chief or Minister of Personnel usually cannot hold concurrent positions (except in special circumstances where they can hold concurrent positions for a short period of time).

Qian Qianyi's mind raced, and almost immediately he put on an even warmer smile, waving to Zhang Jiude: "Yes, Shuhai, come and sit down."

The Donglin faction was openly recruiting people; how could the "Imperial Party" on the other side sit idly by?
Grand Secretary Huang Lijie chuckled, his voice calm yet carrying a subtle chill: "Brother Shuhai, sit wherever you like. Wherever you sit, aren't you all serving His Majesty and the court? If your heart is with the Emperor, it doesn't matter where you sit." His words, though seemingly gentle, were barbed, highlighting the key point—regardless of where you sit, you must now recognize who your master truly is.

Zhang Jiude's smile widened, like a Maitreya Buddha. He first bowed to Huang Liji, saying, "What Elder Huang says is true, what he says is true." But he subtly moved a few steps and actually sat down in the last chair on Sun Chengzong's side.

Huang Liji's smile remained unchanged, but he glanced at Sun Chengzong with a lingering look.

The meaning in those eyes was clear to a seasoned veteran like Sun Chengzong: "On our side, I'm in charge. Things seem a bit unsettled over at the Donglin Academy, Grand Secretary Sun. As the leader, are you sure you can keep things under control?"
Sun Chengzong gave a barely audible "hmm" through his nose, cleared his throat, and broke the delicate balance first, speaking to Huang Liji opposite him: "Grand Secretary Huang, you concurrently hold the position of Minister of Personnel. According to the old ancestral system, today's court recommendation should be presided over by you."

Huang Liji nodded without refusing. He got up and walked to the empty chair at the head of the table. He glanced at the people on both sides and slowly said, "I am honored by His Majesty's trust. Today's court recommendation will be presided over by this old man. There are two positions to be recommended today: the Minister of War and the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai."

He paused, then continued, “According to the rules, each side should nominate two or three candidates to be submitted to the Emperor for final decision. Let’s first discuss the candidates for our troops. Banghua, you are the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and have been acting as the Minister for some time now. Why don’t you share your thoughts first?”

Li Banghua remained calm, rose, bowed slightly to Huang Liji and the others, and then said, "Currently, the affairs of Liaodong, the barbarians, and the bandits are all urgent. The Ministry of War needs a mature, prudent, and knowledgeable minister to oversee the situation. Wang Zaijin, the acting Right Vice Minister of War, is a nobleman who has served in the Ministry of War and as the strategist of Liaodong. He is well-versed in the situation and problems of the nine border regions, and his previous verification of troop numbers was quite methodical. I believe that Lord Wang is a suitable candidate."

This is only natural; Wang Zaijin is someone the emperor values, and now that he is acting as minister, it's only logical for him to be promoted to the official position. Neither side has any objections.

Huang Liji turned his gaze to Sun Chengzong: "Grand Secretary Sun, you have served as the Governor of Liaodong for many years and are knowledgeable in military affairs and good at assigning tasks. What is your opinion?"

Sun Chengzong stroked his beard, glanced at Qian Qianyi beside him, and slowly said, "Wang Zaijin is indeed a suitable candidate. However, the position of General is of great importance, so it would be advisable to recommend one or two more capable individuals for Your Majesty's decision. In my opinion, the former Governor of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan, guarded the border for many years, ensuring the safety of Ningyuan and Jinzhou, and achieved two great victories at Ningyuan and Ningjin, which dampened the spirits of the Jurchen chieftain. His contributions to the country are immense. He is courageous, resourceful, and knowledgeable in military affairs, so he is also a suitable candidate."

Qian Qianyi smiled and nodded in agreement: "Yuan Su (Yuan Chonghuan's courtesy name) is indeed a capable man and deserves this selection."

This was the result of his private discussions with Sun Chengzong and Li Banghua. Yuan Chonghuan was too impatient. The emperor would certainly not let him serve as a military officer right now, but by pushing him out to fill a quota, it would be easier to arrange for him to replace Wang Zaijin as the Vice Minister of War, and even compete for the position of Governor-General of Liaodong.

Huang Lijie was fully aware of this but didn't point it out; after all, this "Yuan the Barbarian" couldn't possibly be selected as one of the emperor's personal guards. He nodded: "Yuan Yuansu is indeed a good choice. Are there any other candidates?"

Sun Chengzong spoke again, his voice steady: "I would like to recommend another person: Xu Guangqi, the former Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Although Xu Zixian (Xu Guangqi's courtesy name) is known for his expertise in Neo-Confucianism and Western learning, he is also knowledgeable in firearms and military training methods. He once submitted a memorial on military training, which pointed out the current problems. Now the country urgently needs strong military and powerful weapons, and Zixian's talent may be of great use."

Upon hearing this, Qian Qianyi, sitting at the lower seat, paused almost imperceptibly, his brow furrowing slightly. Xu Guangqi? Before his dismissal, he was the Right Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently a Reader-in-Waiting! And he himself was now the Left Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently a Lecturer-in-Waiting! Both positions were extremely prestigious and easily accessible pathways to the Grand Secretariat! Old Sun was pushing Xu Guangqi… Was he trying to elevate Xu Guangqi to suppress himself? Or was he trying to bring Xu Guangqi, this pawn, under his control?

This old Sun wants to seize power from the Donglin Party!
Countless thoughts raced through Qian Qianyi's mind in an instant, but he maintained a calm smile on his face, as if he didn't care at all.

Huang Lijie noticed Qian Qianyi's subtle reaction, and sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm: "Xu Zixian... well, he is also an old minister, familiar with military affairs. Very well, for now, I will choose Wang Zaijin, Yuan Chonghuan, and Xu Guangqi as the three to be in charge of the troops. Next, we will discuss the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai."

His expression turned serious, and his tone became more serious: "The salt tax of Lianghuai is crucial to the national economy, especially the Liaodong and border taxes! In recent years, the salt administration has been lax, smuggling has been rampant, and tax revenue has been severely lost. His Majesty is very concerned about this and has specially ordered that a truly capable minister be selected this time to rectify the salt administration and replenish the national treasury!"

He glanced at everyone and said, "If no one has any objections, shall we nominate a candidate?"

In such a situation, who would have any doubts? Naturally, it would be "to strictly follow the Emperor's will" and "without any objection."

Huang Liji nodded in satisfaction and spoke first: "In that case, I believe that Cui Chengxiu, the former Minister of War and Left Censor-in-Chief, who once inspected Huaiyang and is well-versed in the intricacies of salt administration, and who also knew the importance of military funds when he was in charge of the Ministry of War, is the perfect candidate to take the lead in eliminating long-standing abuses and collecting sufficient salt taxes for His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

The expressions of the Donglin group on the right changed instantly.

Qian Qianyi abruptly raised his head, no longer able to maintain his gentle and refined demeanor, his voice becoming sharper: "No! Absolutely not! Cui Chengxiu's corruption and embezzlement are notorious and known throughout the land! He just paid a huge sum of money as punishment and is reflecting on his mistakes in seclusion. How can he be entrusted with the important task of salt transport in the blink of an eye? This is not a lucrative post, but a fat rat entering a rice jar! We absolutely cannot agree to this!"

His strong reaction was entirely within Huang Lijie's expectations. Huang Lijie ignored him, instead turning his gaze to Sun Chengzong, the meaning clear: "Grand Secretary Sun, your Donglin Party leader is furious! What's your plan? Is this what His Majesty intends…?"

Sun Chengzong's face was ashen. He slowly picked up the teacup in front of him, lifted the lid, gently blew away the foam, and took a sip, as if the cup contained some kind of celestial nectar.

Just as Qian Qianyi was about to lose his temper and launch into another tirade, he put down his teacup and slowly spoke, his voice steady: "Cui Chengxiu... is indeed inappropriate. The position of Salt Commissioner is no ordinary one; it requires not only familiarity with salt affairs but also an honest and upright minister. I have two candidates."

He looked calmly at Huang Liji: "The former Imperial Inspector Hou Xun, Hou Ruogu (Hou Xun's courtesy name), and the former Director of the New Salary Department of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, Yang He, Yang Xiuling (Yang He's courtesy name). Both of them were dismissed for disobeying powerful officials in the court. They are honest and capable. Ruogu has inspected the local areas, and Xiuling is more familiar with money and grain matters. Both of them are suitable for the position of salt transport."

With that, he effortlessly pushed two people out!

Huang Lijie and Qian Qianyi both felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.

Hou Xun and Yang He? How could the Emperor possibly choose them as salt commissioners?
But Sun Chengzong, that old fox, had no intention of being the Salt Commissioner at all!
Yuan Chonghuan, Xu Guangqi, Hou Xun, Yang He... these four people were all persecuted and dismissed by the eunuch faction! Now that the eunuch faction is gone, it has become the "emperor's faction," and Wei Zhongxian, Cui Chengxiu, and others have all paid large sums of money as punishment—paying money as punishment means they are guilty! In that case, it is only natural that the officials persecuted by them be reinstated.

When reinstating officials, if they are to be appointed to their original positions or equivalent positions of the fourth rank or below, they usually do not need to be recommended by the court; the recommendation by the department or the emperor's decree is sufficient!
Sun Chengzong is using the occasion of the court recommendation to openly "register" the Donglin faction officials who have been suppressed!
He put forward four candidates who needed to be "reinstated." No matter what, the emperor had to make a gesture and arrange a few, right? Yuan Chonghuan could return to Liaodong, Xu Guangqi could return to the Ministry of Rites or go to the Ministry of War to manage firearms, and Hou Xun and Yang He could at least get a fourth-rank official position!
This is clearly a case of "pushing two and giving four away"!
Three of these four were rescued by Sun Chengzong, one of the "two top members of the Donglin Party." Once they are reinstated, they will all be Sun's men.

Qian Qianyi is in grave danger!

Looking at Sun Chengzong's composed demeanor, Huang Liji inwardly cursed him as a "cunning old fox," but on his face, he smiled with realization and admiration: "Grand Secretary Sun's thoughtful consideration and recommendation of virtuous and talented individuals are truly admirable! In that case, the candidates for Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai will be Hou Xun, Yang He, and Cui Chengxiu, with Cui Chengxiu listed last. What do you think? If there are no objections, the candidates recommended by the court today have been decided. I will now prepare the memorial and submit it to Your Majesty for Your Majesty's decision!"

Inside the side hall, everyone had different expressions and their thoughts were racing.

Under the eaves outside the palace, a young eunuch quietly withdrew his eavesdropping ears and quickly ran towards the Qianqing Palace.
(End of this chapter)