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

The next day.

Chen Zhiyuan stood in front of the two heavy wooden doors of the Ministry of Revenue's archives, followed by Zhao Delu and two captains brought by the Censorate.

Inside the gate was the place where the capital's income and expenditure details were kept, and the air was filled with the musty smell of old paper and insect-repelling herbs.

The old clerk guarding the warehouse was surnamed Wu. He was around sixty years old, with half-white hair and beard, a slightly hunched back, and cloudy eyes that shone with a sharp light.

When he saw Chen Zhiyuan wearing a fourth-rank scarlet robe and followed by men with knives, his heart tightened at first, but he put on a respectful smile.

"Sir, what brings you here?"

"Chen Zhiyuan, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate."

Chen Zhiyuan showed his waist tag, his voice calm.

"I have been ordered to investigate matters related to the Yuan Chonghuan case. I now need to access several old files."

Old Wu's heart skipped a beat, but his smile remained unchanged.

"What file does Your Excellency wish to transfer? Do you have a written order from the Minister?"

"No." Chen Zhiyuan looked directly at him.

"I am acting on an imperial edict, investigating an imperial case. According to regulations, I have the authority to access all relevant documents from the Six Ministries."

"This... please forgive me, sir." Old Wu rubbed his hands together, bending even lower.

"According to the rules of the treasury, accessing classified files requires a handwritten order from the head of the department or the vice minister, and must also be registered with the official seal."

"I am merely a treasury keeper; I truly dare not make such a decision..."

Chen Zhiyuan stopped wasting words with him and took out a gold-lacquered token from his pocket, holding it up in front of Old Wu.

The token was small, with the words "As if the Emperor were personally present" engraved on the front, and it still gleamed with a heavy light in the dimly lit corridor.

Old Wu's smile froze instantly, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.

He recognized the object and knew what it meant.

His throat was dry and his voice trembled.

"M-Sir...this..."

"Open the door."

Chen Zhiyuan took back the token, his tone completely unchanged.

Old Wu dared not stop him any longer. His hands trembled as he pulled out a large bunch of keys from his waist, jingling as he searched for a while before finally inserting them into the keyhole.

The heavy wooden door was pushed open with a dull creak, and an even stronger musty smell wafted out.

The warehouse was enormous, with rows upon rows of towering cypress shelves piled high with bundles of files wrapped in blue cloth.

The light was dim, with only a few slivers of light filtering in through a few small air vents high up.

"Sir, what setting do you need? I'll find it for you."

Old Wu hunched over, trying to take the initiative.

Chen Zhiyuan took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, on which several lines of words were neatly written in the official script.

"Complete records of military pay disbursements for Liaodong, Jizhou, and Denglai garrisons from the first to the second year of the Chongzhen reign. The military procurement ledger of the Jiliao Military Governor's Office, from April of the first year of the Chongzhen reign when Yuan Chonghuan became the military governor, to October of the second year."

"The grain and salary reimbursement records of Mao Wenlong's troops in Dongjiang Town, from the sixth year of the Tianqi reign to June of the second year of the Chongzhen reign."

Old Wu took the note, glanced at it, and beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

These are the most critical issues.

He swallowed hard, trying to remain calm.

"My lord... these files... are quite old and scattered. Please allow me to search through them slowly. The back of the storeroom is damp; perhaps you and the other officials would like to rest outside for a while..."

"No need," Chen Zhiyuan interrupted him, speaking to the two captains behind him.

"Guard the gate; no one may enter or leave without my permission."

"yes!"

Two captains stood on either side of the gate, their hands on their swords.

Chen Zhiyuan then spoke to Zhao Delu.

"Secretary Zhao, come inside with me."

Old Wu's face turned pale, and he had no choice but to turn around and lead the way.

He deliberately walked into the deepest part of the warehouse, the darkest corner with the most disorganized shelves, slowing his pace, glancing around furtively, and muttering to himself.

"The tents in Liaodong... I think they were in Zone C... no, I think they were in Zone D... it's been so long, I can't remember..."

Chen Zhiyuan ignored his mutterings and glanced at the classification signs hanging on the shelf.

He stopped and pointed to a row of relatively neat shelves not far away.

"Is that the 'Border Town Provisions' shelf?"

Old Wu was taken aback, and stammered, "Is...is that right?"

Chen Zhiyuan stopped looking at him and walked straight past him.

The wooden sign does indeed read "Nine Border Garrisons Provisions - Jizhou Garrison, Liaodong".

He pulled out a scroll, untied the blue cloth, and inside was a bound account book with the title "General Account of Receipts and Expenditure of Liaodong Garrison in the First Year of Chongzhen".

"Clerk Wu," Chen Zhiyuan said, opening the account book without looking up.

"Is this what you mean by 'scattered'?"

Old Wu was speechless, his back soaked with cold sweat.

Chen Zhiyuan quickly flipped through the account books.

Zhao Delu spread out the blank pages he had brought with him, ready to take notes.

The only sound in the warehouse was the rustling of pages turning.

While Chen Zhiyuan was focused on checking the accounts, Lao Wu quietly took half a step back, glancing at the door out of the corner of his eye.

A younger warehouse clerk was peeking around.

Old Wu shook his head very slightly, then quickly mouthed the words.

The warehouse clerk's expression changed, he shrank back, and his footsteps hurriedly faded into the distance.

Chen Zhiyuan seemed completely unaware.

He found five or six relevant military pay registers and had Zhao Delu register and number them.

Next, he began looking for the more crucial "military procurement records".

These types of accounts record specific material purchases, showing the flow of money in more detail, making them easier to manipulate.

According to the numbering, the bottom tent should be in "C-seventh frame".

Chen Zhiyuan walked to the corresponding shelf and searched through it, layer by layer.

We found the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth months of the second year of Chongzhen's reign... but the third and eighth months are missing.

"What about these two books?"

Chen Zhiyuan pointed to the empty seat and asked Lao Wu, who was following behind him.

Old Wu took a closer look and slapped his forehead.

"Oh dear, look at my memory! I remember now, a couple of years ago the warehouse leaked and that corner suffered. A lot of booklets got soaked in water, and then they got infested with insects."

"These two books...were they probably damaged back then? Yes, they must have been damaged; they were even reported damaged later..."

"What about the damage report?" Chen Zhiyuan asked.

"This... needs to be checked and filed by the judicial authorities; I don't have it here."

Old Wu answered fluently, as if he had prepared his answer in advance.

Chen Zhiyuan stared at him for a while, until Old Wu felt uneasy, before finally looking away.

He instructed Zhao Delu to write it clearly in the record.

"Seven shelves of the character '丙' were missing from the military supply purchase records of the Jiliao Military Governor's Office in March and August of the second year of the Chongzhen reign. According to the warehouse keeper, the damage was caused by leaks and insect infestation in the warehouse."

Old Wu's lips twitched slightly as he listened to Zhao Delu quietly repeat the contents of the record.

All the necessary ledgers were inventoried, and there were two large stacks of them.

Chen Zhiyuan asked Zhao Delu to check everything and make a detailed list, then said to Lao Wu.

"The Censorate needs to review and verify these account books. Clerk Wu, please sign and affix your seal on this detailed list, noting the current status of these account books, especially any missing parts."

Old Wu signed the document and pressed his fingerprint with trembling hands.

Two captains entered, carefully packed the account books into the wooden box they had brought, and sealed it.

Chen Zhiyuan signed and stamped the seal.

It was nearly noon when I left the Ministry of Revenue archives.

Chen Zhiyuan did not linger and led his men straight to the Ministry of War.

When Shen Xun, the chief clerk of the Military Affairs Department of the Ministry of War, heard from his subordinates that Chen Zhiyuan had arrived and had just transferred a large number of military pay ledgers from the Ministry of Revenue, his heart sank.

He straightened his official robes, took a deep breath, and went out to greet them.

"I am deeply sorry for not welcoming Vice Minister Chen properly with his presence."

Shen Xun wore a formulaic smile and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "May I ask what business brings Vice Commissioner Chen to the Ministry of War?"