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

Zhu Youjian recalled Chen Zhiyuan's appearance on the platform.

The young man stood there, facing the emperor and his ministers, neither humble nor arrogant, his words sharp as knives.

He said, "The more diligent the rulers are, the more the people will suffer if they are going in the wrong direction."

He said, "If those in power only read memorials and listen to reports from the inner palace, they will only ever see what others want them to see."

Those words were too sharp, too direct, and too merciless.

Zhu Youjian disliked this kind of person.

He has been let down too many times in these three years.

Yuan Chonghuan betrayed him, as did the ministers who had initially defended him, and all the civil and military officials who claimed to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic but were actually driven by their own selfish motives.

Who can he trust?

"No need," Zhu Youjian finally said, his voice very soft.

"Let him return to the Hanlin Academy and continue his duties as usual."

"Yes." Wang Chengen bowed, but couldn't help asking.

"Your Majesty, regarding Chen Zhiyuan's memorial... will the cabinet still discuss it? And the matter of the system of accountability for speech..."

"Let's discuss it," Zhu Youjian said.

"Let the cabinet draft a charter first. As for the research... we'll discuss that later."

Wang Chengen understood.

The emperor accepted the system of accountability for criticism because it aligned with his current desire to rectify the court and deal with the "Yuan faction." However, the emperor still harbored reservations about conducting investigations.

"This servant will go and deliver the imperial decree immediately."

Wang Chengen withdrew.

Zhu Youjian was left alone in the Qianqing Palace again.

He picked up Chen Zhiyuan's memorial again, turned to the section on border trade, and stared intently at those few names.

Fan Yongdou, Wang Dengku, Jin Liangyu, Wang Dayu, Liang Jiabin, Tian Shenglan, Zhai Tang, Huang Yunfa.

The eight names were like eight thorns, piercing his eyes.

"Sulfur, saltpeter, pig iron..."

Zhu Youjian read these words in a low voice, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

In the three years since his ascension to the throne, he has reviewed countless memorials and been exposed to all sorts of news.

He vaguely knew that there was smuggling at the border and that some merchants had dealings with the Mongols and Jurchens.

But he never imagined it would be this serious.

Military supplies and vital national assets were brazenly transported out of the country!

In return, they received pearls, horses, and even military equipment lost by the Ming Dynasty!

What does this mean?

This means that with every transaction these merchants make, the Later Jin's sword becomes sharper and the Ming Dynasty's border defenses become weaker!

This means that Huang Taiji's ability to advance so rapidly last year may have been due to the "contribution" of swords and arrows by these merchants!

Zhu Youjian pressed his fingers on the memorial, pressing so hard that his knuckles turned white.

The urge to kill grew wildly like weeds at that moment.

If we don't kill them, we won't be able to intimidate the world!

If they are not killed, it will not serve as a warning to future generations!

If he isn't killed, what kind of emperor is Zhu Youjian?

What's the point of talking about ZTE?

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Kill them, kill them!

But we cannot kill indiscriminately.

Chen Zhiyuan, a mere seventh-rank compiler, with no evidence and only a memorial, was about to take action against these deeply entrenched Shanxi merchants in the court.

Zhu Youjian frowned.

At this moment, his suspicious nature began to take over.

Is everything Chen Zhiyuan said true?

As a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, he was able to uncover these secrets that even the head of the Ministry of War couldn't find by taking a month's leave to go to Liaodong.

He remembered several of those Shanxi merchants.

The Fan and Wang families donated money and grain for disaster relief during the severe drought in Shanxi last year and were commended by local officials.

Do they really dare to do that?

If they really do that, then there must be someone in the court who knows about it, and there might even be someone involved!

Zhu Youjian's breathing became rapid.

He recalled the memorials impeaching Chen Zhiyuan.

He stood up and paced back and forth in front of the imperial desk.

One step, two steps, three steps.

The boots made a dull thud as they stepped on the gold bricks.

The sound of a clapper could be heard outside the window at the third watch of the night. It was late, but Zhu Youjian was wide awake.

He has to investigate.

But how do I check?

Who should we send to investigate?

Chen Zhiyuan?

No, no.

A mere seventh-rank editor, with no official position or power, was essentially committing suicide by investigating these influential Shanxi merchants.

Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Zhu Youjian stopped in his tracks.

He needed a way to find out the truth without alarming too many people.

"Summoning camels to cultivate one's nature."

Zhu Youjian made the final decision.

Luo Yangxing was the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the son of Luo Sigong.

Luo Sigong served as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard during the Tianqi reign. He was dismissed for refusing to submit to Wei Zhongxian, and was considered a descendant of loyal and virtuous officials.

Luo Yangxing is young and inexperienced, and doesn't yet have a deep-rooted foundation in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Using him might allow us to avoid those tangled relationships.

When Wang Chengen hurriedly entered, Zhu Youjian had already sat back down behind his desk.

"Issue the imperial decree that after the morning court session tomorrow, an audience will be held at the platform. All officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital must attend."

"Yes." Wang Chengen bowed.

Zhu Youjian paused.

"Have Chen Zhiyuan wait outside the Meridian Gate."

According to regulations, only officials of the fourth rank or above are eligible to participate in the platform's recruitment process.

Chen Zhiyuan was only a seventh-rank Hanlin compiler, so he was indeed not qualified.

Zhu Youjian finally said, "If I have any questions, I will summon him again."

"Yes."

March 18th, Chen hour (7-9 AM).

On the platform, the officials were already standing in neat rows.

Grand Secretary Cheng Jiming and Second Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru stood in the front row, followed by the ministers and vice ministers of the six ministries, the censor-in-chief and deputy censor-in-chief of the Censorate, the censors of the six departments, the academicians of the Hanlin Academy, and officials of the fourth rank and above from various ministries and departments.

Outside the Meridian Gate, Chen Zhiyuan stood alone beside the stone lion, his blue official robe fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

He is not qualified to be on the platform and can only wait here for a summons.

But he knew that today's court assembly would decide many things—including his life or death.

An hour earlier, while he was organizing historical manuscripts in the Hanlin Academy, he was hastily summoned by a eunuch.

Without explaining the reason, they only said, "His Majesty has ordered that Compiler Chen wait outside the Meridian Gate."

Chen Zhiyuan understood.

Zhu Youjian read his memorial and was tempted to kill him, but then hesitated.

Today's court assembly must be about the Shanxi merchants.

And he will be the pawn pushed to the forefront of the storm.

Chen Zhiyuan looked up at the high palace walls.

Inside the walls lies the place where the fate of the world is decided.

Outside the wall was where he, a minor official of the seventh rank, stood.

A palace wall separated two worlds.

On the platform, Zhu Youjian arrived.

He was still wearing his usual clothes, but today he wore a winged crown, and his complexion was more somber than yesterday.

"Rise."

The voice wasn't loud, but everyone on the platform could hear it clearly.

"I have summoned you all here today to discuss one matter."

Zhu Youjian didn't waste any words and got straight to the point.

"Border trade".

Those two words instantly created a tense atmosphere on the platform.

"I have recently learned that some merchants on the border are using tea and cloth as a pretext to actually supply the enemy."

"Sulfur, saltpeter, pig iron and other military supplies were smuggled out of the country in exchange for pearls, horses and even the military equipment that our Great Ming Dynasty had lost."

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept over the officials on the platform.

"Gentlemen, you are all important officials of the court. Are you aware of this matter?"

silence.

Dead silence.

Everyone kept their heads down, and no one dared to speak.

Zhu Youjian sneered, "You don't know? Fine, I'll tell you."

He rose from his throne and walked to the center of the platform.

"Fan Yongdou, Wang Dengku, Jin Liangyu, Wang Dayu, Liang Jiabin, Tian Shenglan, Zhai Tang, Huang Yunfa."

He read out eight names one by one.

With each word read aloud, the atmosphere on the platform grew more somber.

"Are you all familiar with these people?"

Still, silence.

But in this silence, some people began to move their feet uneasily.

Zhu Youjian saw this and sneered inwardly.

"Since none of you are speaking, then I will speak."