The Ming Dynasty: Starting with Emperor Chongzhen's crackdown on factionalism

Last October, Huang Taiji's ability to break through the Gubeikou Pass was not accidental, but inevitable.

Zhu Youjian's hands began to tremble. Not from anger, but from lingering fear.

If what Chen Zhiyuan wrote is true, it means that the Ming Dynasty's border defenses are already riddled with holes, and the enemy could come again at any time.

He suppressed his emotions and continued reading.

The section on "Analysis of Yuan Chonghuan's Merits and Demerits" was even more alarming to him.

Instead of trying to exonerate Yuan Chonghuan, Chen Zhiyuan listed three major crimes: unauthorized killing of Mao Wenlong, making a hasty promise to pacify Liaodong within five years, and negligence in the defense of Jizhou.

Each point is clearly stated and supported by conclusive evidence.

But then, he listed three more achievements: the merits of the two battles of Ningyuan and Ningjin, the merits of protecting the capital at Guangqumen, and the merits of winning the hearts of the soldiers through strict military discipline.

Merit is merit, and fault is fault; they must be clearly distinguished.

As Zhu Youjian read, he suddenly remembered the memorials impeaching Yuan Chonghuan.

Those people either portrayed Yuan Chonghuan as an utterly wicked traitor or as a loyal minister who suffered injustice.

No one talks about both sins and merits like Chen Zhiyuan.

This made him very uncomfortable.

Because he himself is the same way.

You either completely trust someone or completely reject them.

He once placed unprecedented trust in Yuan Chonghuan, but now he wishes he could tear him to pieces.

Chen Zhiyuan's "separation of merits and demerits" writing style seems to be a reminder to him that people are very complex and not simply black and white.

Zhu Youjian shook his head and continued reading.

The next part is the most crucial: "How did the Yuan Chonghuan case come to this?"

"In my opinion, this case has been debated in the court for half a year, with hundreds of memorials submitted, but upon closer examination, most of them are empty words."

"Those who claim that he colluded with the enemy only mention a few words such as 'he once secretly met with an enemy envoy' and 'let the enemy advance unchecked,' but there is no real evidence."

Those who speak of his loyalty only mention his "meritorious service at Guangqumen" and "prestige in the army," without mentioning his crimes.

"Why is this so? I believe there are three reasons."

"Firstly, it was used as a pretext for factional strife. The Donglin faction protected Yuan Chonghuan because he was recommended by Qian Longxi, fearing that his failure would implicate his recommender."

"The factions in Zhejiang and Hubei wanted to use this case to attack the Donglin Party, so they strongly advocated for his execution."

"What each faction says is not for the sake of seeking the truth, but for attacking each other."

"Secondly, there was the fear of taking responsibility. When Yuan Chonghuan made the promise to pacify Liaodong five years later, many in the court initially agreed with him."

"Now that the promise has been broken, if we investigate the real situation in Liaodong, then those who initially agreed with it are all responsible for their oversight."

Therefore, people would rather dwell on whether Yuan Chonghuan was loyal or treacherous than face up to the long-standing problems in Liaodong.

"Thirdly, information was isolated. Liaodong was a thousand miles from the capital, and military reports were lost in the process of being relayed through multiple layers before reaching the emperor."

"Most of the officials in the court did not personally go to Liaodong, and their words and opinions were all based on documents."

"Documents can be embellished, forged, and taken out of context."

"When I was in Shanhaiguan, I secretly investigated the border markets. Shanxi merchants such as Fan Yongdou and Wang Dengku often went across the border to trade, exchanging tea, cloth and ironware for ginseng and sable fur."

"This is nothing out of the ordinary. However, upon closer inspection, I found that in addition to tea and cloth, the items he carried out of the pass also included sulfur, saltpeter, and pig iron—all military supplies."

"What they exchanged included not only furs, but also pearls, horses, and even military equipment lost in Liaodong."

"I have also learned some information about the situation of the Later Jin."

"After Huang Taiji ascended the throne, he reformed the political system, modeled the official system of the Ming Dynasty, established the Six Ministries, opened the imperial examination system, and heavily relied on Han Chinese officials."

"Last year, we entered the border region, capturing hundreds of thousands of people and millions of gold and silver, greatly increasing our strength."

"Their military system consisted of approximately 60,000 Eight Banner soldiers, 30,000 Mongol vassals, and 20,000 Han soldiers, totaling 110,000 to 120,000 combat-ready troops."

"However, its weaknesses are also apparent: insufficient food supplies, relying on plunder; weak firearms, relying mostly on captured weapons; and internal instability, with the princes fighting amongst themselves."

The section on "How did the Yuan Chonghuan case come to this?" sent chills down Zhu Youjian's spine.

Factional strife, fear of taking responsibility, and information isolation—each of these three reasons struck at the heart of the court's vulnerabilities.

In particular, the point about "information isolation".

This sentence reminded Zhu Youjian of many things.

He recalled the reports sent from Liaodong when Yuan Chonghuan had just been imprisoned.

Some said, "The soldiers are in a bad mood, which may lead to unrest," while others said, "The morale of the army is stable, and there is no obstacle to defense."

Which one is true?

He recalled the memorial sent by Wang Yuanya, the governor of Jizhou, before the Later Jin invaded the pass last year, which said that "the defenses are thorough and foolproof."

And the result? The enemy entered as if they had no one there.

If Chen Zhiyuan is right, then how many of the memorials that the emperor reads every day are true?

How much of it was made up by his subordinates to fool him?

Zhu Youjian felt a wave of dizziness.

He steadied himself on the imperial desk, composed himself, and continued reading.

The section on border trade infuriated him.

"Shanxi merchants such as Fan Yongdou and Wang Dengku frequently crossed the border to trade... In addition to tea and cloth, the items they carried across the border included sulfur, saltpeter, and pig iron—all of which were military supplies."

Sulfur and saltpeter are raw materials for making gunpowder, and pig iron can be used to forge weapons.

What does it mean that these things fell into the hands of the Later Jin?

This means that Ming Dynasty merchants are funding the enemy!

This means that part of the Later Jin's military strength was "supplied" by the Ming Dynasty itself!

Zhu Youjian clenched his fist, his nails digging into his flesh.

He thought of those Shanxi merchants, those who frequently paid tribute to the palace and had connections in the court.

They actually did such a thing!

Finally, there is the "Suggestions" section.

"If Your Majesty wishes to clarify the Yuan case, I believe you should start with three things."

"First, send envoys to conduct on-site investigations. Dispatch trusted officials to Liaodong to inspect military preparations, verify provisions and pay, question the soldiers, and interview the common people. Yuan Chonghuan's merits and demerits cannot be determined by mere speculation; they must be based on the facts."

"Secondly, we must investigate any violations of border trade regulations. If Shanxi merchants were to trade only tea and cloth across the border, it would be considered normal. However, if they were to smuggle military supplies, the suspicion of collusion with the enemy cannot be ignored. This matter will have far-reaching implications, but if it is not investigated, the supply to the enemy will continue."

"Thirdly, summarize the gains and losses in Liaodong. Where did Yuan Chonghuan fail?"

"It's not just the individual's fault, but a flaw in the system."

"Why are military farms abandoned? Why are military pays delayed? Why are border generals obstructing our work?"

"If we do not delve into these fundamental issues, even if we kill ten Yuan Chonghuans, the decline of Liaodong will be irreversible."

Sending envoys to conduct on-site inspections, investigating border trade violations, and summarizing the gains and losses in Liaodong—each of these three suggestions hits the nail on the head.

After reading the last word, Zhu Youjian remained silent for a long time.

The candlelight on the emperor's desk flickered, casting a long shadow over him.

The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside; it was already the second watch of the night.

He sat there for two hours.

Wang Chengen stood by, not daring to utter a sound.

He could sense the emperor's changing emotions—from anger to shock, to doubt, to deep thought.

Finally, Zhu Youjian spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Did Chen Zhiyuan really go to Shanhaiguan?"

Wang Chengen bowed.

"Chen Zhiyuan did indeed take leave to go to Shanhaiguan last year. The Hanlin Academy has records of this."

"Yes. Last August, I took a month's leave, saying I was going back to my hometown to visit relatives."

"But I checked and found that he was from Southern Zhili. He shouldn't have gone north when returning to his hometown. Later, I asked his colleagues and found out that he went to Liaodong at his own expense to investigate the geography, saying it was for compiling history."

Zhu Youjian was stunned.

But if this is true...

The things written in those memorials were probably not fabricated.

Zhu Youjian picked up the memorial again and turned to the section on "the actual situation of defense in Liaodong".

Those specific figures and detailed descriptions are indeed not something that can be written out of thin air.

Of the beacon towers along the Great Wall, eleven were intact, eighteen were partially damaged, and eight were completely destroyed.

"Less than 30% of the military settlements are actually cultivated."

"Each garrison has a maximum of eight thousand troops and a minimum of three thousand."

These figures, if fabricated, are far too detailed.

Those who fabricate stories usually write "mostly damaged," "mostly abandoned," and "insufficient troops," rather than being as precise as "thirty-seven beacon towers."

Zhu Youjian's heart began to beat faster.

If what Chen Zhiyuan wrote is true, what does that mean?