Chaos of Ming 1628

These words caused an uproar.

They completely disagreed with what Sun Qing said. They even felt resentment and disappointment towards him.

That one sentence alone was enough to overturn and reshape their views on Sun Qing.

During the Tianqi era, the scholars of the Donglin faction deeply hated the eunuch faction, especially Wei Zhongxian, whom they hated even more than their father's killer.

At this moment, anyone who jumps out to speak for the eunuch faction and for Wei Zhongxian is the enemy.

No matter how outstanding he was before, or how much I admired him from the bottom of my heart, it's all in the past.

Even Song Xian stood up indignantly. He could tolerate Song Xian's casual remarks before, but now that Song Xian had spoken like this in front of everyone at the literary gathering, was he really going to let the flame of Donglin extinguished if he didn't say something?

"Nephew, what you just said is simply incomprehensible."

Song Xian's tone hardened: "Tell me yourself, how heinous are Wei Zhongxian's crimes! He wreaked havoc on the court, and his eunuch faction poisoned the entire country. Don't you think they should all be eliminated?"

"If they continue to serve as principals, how can we bring peace to the nation and comfort the loyal souls?"

Sun Qing's gaze swept over the crowd.

To be honest, Sun Qing didn't blame them. He patiently explained, "Wei Zhongxian's moral crimes are unforgivable, and everything he did should be investigated and punished."

"It has only been one month since His Majesty ascended the throne, and the internal and external situation is extremely weak. To take action now would be a typical case of prioritizing morality while ignoring the reality of governance."

After a moment's thought, Song Xian calmed down and said, "Explain in detail."

Sun Qing didn't stand on ceremony.

After all, Emperor Chongzhen actually did just that back then. After impeaching Wei Zhongxian for ten major crimes, Emperor Chongzhen immediately took action.

It dealt a near-devastating blow to the eunuch faction, but what did it ultimately gain?

He still couldn't save the Ming Dynasty.

"Gentlemen, you only see that the eunuch faction deserves to die. But have you considered that the palace is still largely controlled by the eunuch faction? What can the current emperor do to contend with them?"

"Without trusted confidants and without military power, and with the war in Liaodong now critical, what will sustain the border troops' pay? Have you thought about that?"

When the topic of military pay came up, someone immediately stood up and declared confidently, "It's naturally paid from the national treasury!"

"Ridiculous," Sun Qing interrupted immediately, rebuking them mercilessly: "You can only see what's in books, spouting classical phrases all day long, but you can't see the reality. You're living in a dream."

Sun Qing's words were a bit harsh, but weren't they the reality?

The scholar immediately tried to refute him, but Sun Qing didn't give him the chance at all.

He spoke first, his voice firm and clear: "It's supported by the eunuch faction raising commercial taxes."

There are certainly those who disagree, but it seems there's no way to refute them. Because that's an indisputable fact.

Especially those like Song Xian, who had experience in the court, had no right to speak.

Sun Qing continued, "Furthermore, the imperial court relies on the checks and balances between eunuchs and civil officials. If a purge is to be carried out now, the eunuch faction will surely collapse."

"Then I must ask you all: with tax revenue cut off, border troops mutinying, civil officials dominating, factional strife resurfacing, and refugees besieging the Later Jin from both within and without, what should be done?"

The second floor fell silent once again.

They couldn't think of a solution; these problems were undoubtedly catastrophic for them. The key point is that, considering themselves superior, how could they possibly admit that scholars were inferior to the brutal eunuch faction?

"Young master, what do you think we should do?" Yang Qingqing's tone was filled with urgency and hope.

Sun Qing gave her a deep look: "It should be done, but not now. We should gradually divide and conquer, consolidate our foundation, and then carry out the purge."

"Only by taking this position can we achieve the best possible balance between morality and the well-being of the nation."

Sun Qing shared her thoughts without reservation.

He wasn't worried that there were any of Chongzhen's people among them; in fact, he clung to a sliver of unrealistic hope that someone could actually tell Chongzhen these things.

At this moment, he has no right to stand in front of Emperor Chongzhen and say anything.

He didn't understand why, in time-travel movies and TV shows, the protagonist could immediately boss the emperor around and even take decisive action on matters concerning the country.

Was the emperor they were facing really that brainless?

At least, Sun Qing wouldn't dare.

Emperor Chongzhen was sensitive and suspicious, and the purge of the eunuch faction was a well-thought-out decision. The more you say this, the more he will suspect you of having ulterior motives.

Sun Qingqing nodded, then the light in her eyes dimmed, and her voice became melancholy: "In any case, wasn't Wei Zhongxian just destined to die sooner or later?"

"It's not that there's absolutely no way..."

Just as Sun Qing was about to speak, Shi Lin, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it any longer and immediately roared, "Enough!"

"I thought that the descendants of the Sun family should at least have the spirit and character of Grand Secretary Sun. I didn't expect them to be so timid and hesitant."

These rebuttals were within Sun Qing's expectations.

In the minds of these scholars, the distinction between right and wrong lay solely in the distinction between gentlemen and villains. Wei Zhongxian was a rebellious eunuch, and anyone who advocated for a longer settlement period was deemed to have an improper stance and to be colluding with the eunuch faction.

What's even more daunting is that Sun Qing was right. They simply couldn't see the reality of the checks and balances between finance, border defense, and imperial power.

Integrity, loyalty, filial piety, and the noble principles of integrity are the only standards to be upheld.

Sun Qing touched a nerve with them, and they certainly wouldn't let it go.

"The major general is involved in the grand scheme of things; everyone knows that. Your eldest son, Tian Ergeng, is going to give you an official position."

"So that's how it is. It's utterly shameful. Anyone with a righteous heart and who has read the classics should be eager to purge the eunuch faction immediately."

"Hmph, spineless. His character is unworthy of his literary talent!"

At this moment, the faces of all the scholars present darkened, and they transferred all their hatred for the eunuch faction to Sun Qing.

They couldn't openly criticize the eunuch faction, but they could still vent their anger at anyone who dared to speak up for them.

Yang Qingqing stood to the side, her face growing paler and paler. But she didn't utter a single comment regarding the eunuch faction.

"Miss Yang," Sun Qing called out her name.

No matter how intense the group's reaction was, it didn't affect Sun Qing's mood. As for Yang Qingqing, she was the one who started it all; she couldn't simply walk away.

Sun Qing suddenly turned to Yang Qingqing and asked in return, "Since you, one of the leaders, set the question, we have now responded to your question."

"Please give your comments, Miss Yang."

The focus shifted instantly to Yang Qingqing.

The scholar, filled with righteous indignation, exclaimed, "Yes, Miss Yang, you tell us!"

"Tell me, should Wei Zhongxian have been killed? Should the eunuch faction be purged immediately?"

"Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, shouldn't we do something significant to show the scholars of the world that the Ming Dynasty is saved?"

Yang Qingqing's eyes were filled with difficulty, and the sharpness and shrewdness in her eyes gradually turned into something else.

"Don't make things difficult for yourself," Song Xianli said, trying to smooth things over. "You're just a woman; you shouldn't get involved in this."

The more she said this, the uglier Yang Qingqing's face became. Finally, she clenched her fist and turned to Sun Qing: "It seems that Young Master Sun is still too fond of being unconventional."

"Although you are a descendant of Grand Secretary Sun, there are many things that even Grand Secretary Sun couldn't handle, so what can you do?"

"Sometimes, going with the flow isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Therefore, I cannot understand your answer.

Yang Qingqing's words were a shot in the arm for everyone. The crowd was immediately filled with joy and excitement.

They all condemned Sun Qing: "Have you heard me clearly now? Young Master Sun should reflect on his actions."

"If they could take back what they just said, it might not be beyond redemption."

"Even as a deputy county magistrate, he has to depend on Tian Ergeng. No matter how well he writes, he is still a useless person."

The ridicule came like a tidal wave, simply because Sun Qing had expressed a different opinion.

As he circled these scholars, he gained a clearer understanding of the fundamental reason why the Ming Dynasty was beyond saving.

Emperor Chongzhen, you actually entrusted the fate of the nation to this group of blind men who dared not face their own shortcomings.

Sun Qing walked up to Song Xian, picked up the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

The tea was bitter and extremely spicy, yet it turned out to be a top-quality grain liquor.

He smiled and walked slowly forward, reciting a phrase with each step.

"The Kunpeng spreads its wings, soaring ninety thousand miles, stirring up the whirlwind."

Looking down from the blue sky, all I see are human cities and towns.

The air was filled with the sounds of gunfire, and the ground was riddled with bullet holes, which frightened the sparrows in the bushes.

Oh no! I need to fly!

When asked where he was going, the sparrow replied, "To a fairy mountain and a jade palace."

The bright autumn moon of two years ago is nowhere to be seen, and three treaties were signed.

There's also food: cooked potatoes with beef.

No need for empty words; just watch as the world turns upside down.