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

Imperial Prison - Late Night

Luo Yangxing hasn't slept for three days.

The interrogation records piled up on the desk.

All twenty-nine people—seventeen officials, four eunuchs, and eight strongmen—confessed.

The testimonies corroborated each other, outlining a vast and intricate network of information.

At the heart of this network are the eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace.

The four eunuchs each had their own regular "clients".

Zhang Yu mainly sold to officials who were in charge of remonstrance; Li Jinzhong was in contact with officials in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue; Liu Fu had close ties with the Censorate and the Ministry of Justice; and Zhao Quan specialized in doing business with officials from other regions—some governors and generals who did not have informants in the capital would buy information through Zhao Quan.

Prices are clearly marked.

Five taels for the Emperor's daily life, mood, and other factors.

A summary of the conversation between the Emperor and a certain minister, 10 to 20 taels.

The Emperor's inclination on a certain matter and the decision he might make, starting with thirty taels.

Important military intelligence and intentions regarding personnel appointments and removals, amounting to fifty taels or more.

There are many different ways to conduct transactions.

Some passed notes through teahouses and restaurants outside the palace.

Some would use the eunuchs to make purchases outside the palace and then hand them over at a designated location.

Some even used the relatives of eunuchs—Zhang Yu's nephew opened a teahouse, and Li Jinzhong's brother-in-law was in the silk business—to smuggle information through goods.

What alarmed Luo Yangxing even more was the length of time this network had existed.

At that time, Wei Zhongxian had not yet fallen from power.

In other words, this information network was already in operation when the eunuch faction was at its most rampant.

After Wei Zhongxian fell from power, a new group of people came to the palace, but this source of wealth did not disappear.

The new eunuch was quickly pulled in by his "senior" and learned the business.

Three years.

Three whole years.

Every word the Emperor spoke and every matter he discussed in the Qianqing Palace could reach the ears of certain officials on the same day.

Luo Yangxing picked up the last copy of the confession.

It was a guard from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Eight strongmen guarded the gate of the Qianqing Palace.

They couldn't hear the conversations inside the hall, but they could see who went in and out, when they went in and out, what their expressions were like when they went in, and what their expressions were like when they came out.

These can also be sold for money.

"On a certain day and at a certain time, Chen Zhiyuan entered the hall with a calm expression."

"On a certain day and at a certain time, Cheng Jiming left the palace with a furrowed brow."

"On a certain day and at a certain time, the emperor became angry and smashed a teacup."

One message, one tael of silver.

Little by little, it adds up.

Luo Yangxing put down his confession and rubbed his aching temples.

He ordered the captain to compile all the testimonies and copy them into a book.

Then, he picked up his pen and wrote a memorial to the throne.

The operation method, participants, and transaction records of this network should be clearly described.

Qianqing Palace - Dawn

Zhu Youjian did not sleep all night.

He sat behind his desk, waiting for Luo Yangxing's report.

As dawn broke outside the window, Wang Chengen entered carrying a thick stack of memorials.

"Your Majesty, a report from Vice Commissioner Luo."

Zhu Youjian took it and unfolded it.

The first page is a summary.

The case involved 17 officials, 4 eunuchs, and 8 strongmen.

The news network has existed from the seventh year of the Tianqi reign to the present.

Number of transactions: 374.

The amount of silver involved was over 6,800 taels.

Zhu Youjian's hands began to tremble.

He continued reading.

Luo Yangxing wrote in great detail.

On a certain date, a certain eunuch sold the contents of the conversation between the Emperor and Yuan Chonghuan to a certain censor for twenty taels of silver.

On a certain date, a certain strongman sold the news of the Emperor's anger over the military situation in Shaanxi to a certain censor, for which he received one tael of silver.

An official, through a certain eunuch, purchased information about the emperor's daily life for three consecutive years, paying a fixed five taels of silver per month, totaling one hundred and eighty taels.

One pile, one piece.

Time, place, people, amount.

Clearly and distinctly.

Zhu Youjian felt a chill run through his body when he finished reading.

He even saw his own shadow.

In October of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, not long after he ascended the throne, he summoned the cabinet to the Qianqing Palace to discuss the removal of Wei Zhongxian.

That very night, the news reached the ears of the remnants of the eunuch faction.

In March of the first year of Chongzhen's reign, he summoned Yuan Chonghuan to the platform, where Yuan Chonghuan signed a military pledge to pacify Liaodong within five years.

Three days later, the generals in Liaodong learned the details.

In October of the second year of Chongzhen's reign, the Later Jin army breached the pass, and he urgently summoned the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue for discussions.

The next day, grain prices in the capital skyrocketed.

It turned out to be the case.

That's it!

Zhu Youjian suddenly stood up and slammed the memorial to the ground.

"What a brilliant scheme! What a group of loyal subjects!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and his chest was heaving violently.

Wang Chengen knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

"Your Majesty..." he said cautiously, "Vice Minister Luo is still waiting outside."

"Let him in!"

Luo Yangxing entered the Qianqing Palace and knelt down to pay his respects.

"Have you found out?" Zhu Youjian's voice was hoarse.

"Your Majesty, the investigation is complete. All those involved have confessed, and their testimonies corroborate each other, confirming the facts."

"Just how big is this net?"

Luo Yangxing remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, my investigation is limited to those involved in this case."

"But according to these people's confessions, the buying and selling of information in the palace... was not an isolated case. Many eunuchs and guards in various palaces were involved. However... information from the Qianqing Palace was the most valuable."

Zhu Youjian closed his eyes.

He recalled Chen Zhiyuan's words: "The imperial court is like a sieve."

It's not just the imperial court.

The Forbidden City, the Qianqing Palace, has long been riddled with holes.

"Those involved in the case," Zhu Youjian opened his eyes, his gaze filled with murderous intent, "how should they be dealt with?"

"According to the Great Ming Code, eunuchs and strongmen who leaked secrets from the palace were to be executed. Officials who bribed officials to obtain secrets from the palace were to be punished in the same way."

"Execute them," Zhu Youjian said. "The entire family shall be executed immediately. Their families shall be exiled three thousand li away, and their property shall be confiscated."

"Yes."

"And another thing," Zhu Youjian said, staring at Luo Yangxing.

"Continue the investigation. Dig deep, dig thoroughly. Who else in the palace is involved in this kind of business? Who else in the court is buying it? Tear apart the net, one by one!"

"I obey your decree."

After Luo Yangxing withdrew, Zhu Youjian stood alone in the hall.

The morning light streamed in through the window, casting a long shadow over him.

He suddenly felt very tired.

But more than anything, there was anger and lingering fear.

For the past three years, he has considered himself diligent in his duties and in control of everything.

In reality, he was like an actor, performing on stage.

The audience was packed, and everyone knew the script except for him, who was kept in the dark.

"Chen Zhiyuan..."

He murmured the name.

The leak was predicted; that's right.

This person sees things too clearly and speaks too accurately.

But... can it be used?

Zhu Youjian walked back to his desk and looked at the mountain of memorials.

The case of Yuan Chonghuan is still there.

The system of accountability for speech has not yet been implemented.

The factions within the court are still operating in the shadows.

He needs a knife.

A sharp knife that can pierce through the fog.

"Wang Chengen".

"This servant is here."

"Draft an imperial edict," Zhu Youjian said slowly. "Chen Zhiyuan, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, is loyal, outspoken, and insightful about current affairs. He is hereby promoted to Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, a fourth-rank official, and is specifically responsible for verifying the authenticity of memorials submitted in the Yuan Chonghuan case and for piloting a system of accountability for speech."

Wang Chengen was stunned for a moment.

He jumped directly from a sixth-rank Hanlin Compiler to a fourth-rank Left Vice Censor-in-Chief.

This is an exceptional promotion.

"And another thing," Zhu Youjian continued.

"Give him an imperial sword, which allows him to execute first and report later. Tell him that I am giving him power and a sword. Investigate the Yuan Chonghuan case thoroughly. Establish a system of accountability for speech."

"This servant... obeys the decree."

By the time the decree was issued, it was already broad daylight.

The Forbidden City awakens in the morning light, but today, the capital is destined to be anything but peaceful.

Twenty-nine heads are about to fall.

A spy network that had been lying dormant for three years was uprooted.

A junior compiler in the Hanlin Academy suddenly rose to become a fourth-rank censor, wielding the imperial sword.

The government and the public were shaken.