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

Chen Zhiyuan did not answer immediately.

He hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "I can do it. But... the results won't be good."

Why?

"Because I am merely a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, a sixth-rank official," Chen Zhiyuan said frankly.

"The verification of the authenticity of memorials involved the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and even the Cabinet."

"I have neither the authority to mobilize these government offices nor the prestige to get those first and second-rank officials to cooperate."

"I believe that this matter should be led by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate, and Your Majesty should issue a special decree to supervise it."

"Only in this way can we deter the court and the public, and demonstrate Your Majesty's determination to implement the system of accountability for speech."

Zhu Youjian stared at him, then suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it stirred something within Chen Zhiyuan.

"You're so good at shirking responsibility. When we ask you to do something, you pass the buck to the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate."

"Your subject dares not shirk responsibility," Chen Zhiyuan kowtowed.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to participate and do my utmost. However... Your Majesty's authorization is required, and a senior minister must be in charge."

Zhu Youjian nodded, his expression finally softening.

He was indeed persuaded.

By implementing the accountability system for speech through the Yuan Chonghuan case, we can not only clarify this unsolved case, but also deter those court officials who engage in factionalism and suppression of dissent, and establish the rule that "those who speak out must be held accountable."

Three birds with one stone.

"Get up." Zhu Youjian waved his hand.

Chen Zhiyuan stood up; his legs were a little numb, but he stood very steadily.

Zhu Youjian looked at him and suddenly remembered something else.

"You just said that those who do not participate in partisan strife cannot gain a foothold."

The emperor's voice turned cold again.

"And what about yourself? Aren't you afraid of being implicated in factional strife when you submit these memorials and say these things?"

Chen Zhiyuan remained silent for a moment.

Then he said, "Your Majesty, I have been approached by someone."

Zhu Youjian frowned: "What do you mean?"

Yesterday, Wang Dengku, a merchant from Shanxi, visited my residence in the capital with generous gifts.

Chen Zhiyuan calmly said, "They wanted to befriend me and sent me congratulatory gifts. I firmly refused."

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly changed.

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes.

"Wang Dengku? Is that the Shanxi merchant you mentioned in your memorial?"

"Yes."

Why did he contact you?

"I do not know," Chen Zhiyuan replied.

"But I suspect it's because I mentioned his name in my memorial. Perhaps he wanted to bribe me to change my tune. Or perhaps... he just wanted to test my stance."

Zhu Youjian tapped his fingers on the imperial desk, once, twice, three times.

"You refused?"

"Yes. I rebuked him in public, and all the neighbors can testify to that."

"Okay." Zhu Youjian nodded, but his face grew even more gloomy.

"You have great integrity. But I ask you—how did Wang Dengku, a merchant from Shanxi, know where you lived? And how did he know what you said in your memorial?"

This question, like a knife, hangs over the hearts of everyone in the Qianqing Palace.

The eunuchs standing nearby all lowered their heads in unison.

The compiler of the Hanlin Academy, who was recording the conversation, trembled slightly at the tip of his pen.

Chen Zhiyuan raised his head, looked at Zhu Youjian, and slowly said, "This is another matter that I wish to report to Your Majesty."

"explain."

"The imperial court is now riddled with holes."

Six words made Zhu Youjian's back stiffen suddenly.

Chen Zhiyuan continued, "I believe this is not the first or second time such a thing has happened."

"My residence address is not a secret, but for a businessman to find it so quickly and send someone to my door immediately—this speed and this audacity, I believe, are abnormal."

"You mean..." Zhu Youjian's voice was as cold as ice, "that someone close to me has leaked secrets?"

"I dare not presume to speculate," Chen Zhiyuan said, "but I believe this matter can be investigated."

How do I check?

"Simple," Chen Zhiyuan said. "If this conversation between His Majesty and me today were to be leaked, the pool of potential leakers would shrink."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the eunuchs standing in the hall and the editors recording the events.

"Only a few people in the palace know the content of today's conversation. If someone in the court submits a memorial impeaching me for what I said today—then it will be clear who leaked the secret."

"Follow the clues and break this chain of information transmission. In the future, His Majesty's decrees and discussions in the court will not become known throughout the land as soon as they leave the palace."

Chen Zhiyuan spoke calmly.

But several eunuchs inside the hall had already broken out in a cold sweat.

The Hanlin compiler who made the record was so shaky that he could barely hold the pen.

They were all intelligent people, and they understood all too well the power of Chen Zhiyuan's words.

The conversations in the Qianqing Palace have always been the most valuable news in the capital.

Whoever knows the emperor's thoughts first will gain the upper hand in factional struggles and will be able to maximize their own interests and minimize their own risks in officialdom.

Therefore, the eunuchs would secretly sell information to court officials.

This has long been an open secret.

But now, Chen Zhiyuan is going to expose this chain.

Zhu Youjian surveyed the hall.

His gaze swept across everyone's face; those evasive eyes, those trembling fingers, none escaped his notice.

The emperor suddenly laughed.

The laughter was cold, carrying a chilling edge.

"Very well, very well indeed," he said. "My Qianqing Palace, my court, has become a sieve. My words and my discussions reach the ears of merchants in the blink of an eye."

He stood up and walked to the center of the hall.

The candlelight cast his long shadow onto the cold gold bricks.

"Wang Chengen".

"This servant is here." The chief eunuch immediately knelt down.

Who are the officials on duty in the palace today?

Zhu Youjian's voice was not loud, but it made everyone tremble with fear.

"Your Majesty, there are four eunuchs serving inside the palace, one Hanlin scholar recording the records, and eight guards standing watch outside the gate."

The hall was deathly silent.

The only sound was the crackling of the charcoal fire.

Zhu Youjian walked back to his desk and sat down again.

He looked at Chen Zhiyuan with a complicated expression.

This young compiler said too many harsh things today, and pierced too many windows of truth.

But what he said seemed to be true.

"Chen Zhiyuan," Zhu Youjian began.

"Your subject is here."

"I will consider the matter of the accountability system for speech. I will also investigate the matter of the Shanxi merchants leaking secrets," the emperor said slowly.

"But remember this: once you leave the Qianqing Palace, you are not to mention these words again."

"Your subject understands."

"After you return, write a detailed report outlining how the system of accountability for speech will be implemented, how the authenticity of memorials will be verified, and how rewards and punishments will be applied. I want to see it in three days."

"I obey your decree."

Zhu Youjian waved his hand: "You may leave."

Chen Zhiyuan bowed and walked backward out of the Qianqing Palace.

As he stepped out of the palace gate, the evening breeze swept over him, carrying the chill of early spring.

He took a deep breath and walked down the steps.

The next day.

Memorials impeaching Chen Zhiyuan arrived at Zhu Youjian's desk like snowflakes.

The content was basically the same, all impeaching Chen Zhiyuan for spreading alarmist rumors and misleading the emperor.

Zhu Youjian was furious when he saw these memorials.

Yesterday, Chen Zhiyuan almost named all these people.

However, it was still leaked.

Moreover, this group of people is also intelligent.

It wasn't just one or two people who impeached Chen Zhiyuan, but a whole group of people.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

Zhu Youjian looked at these memorials.

He couldn't understand—were these people really not afraid of death?

Why?