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

Chen Zhiyuan could feel that everyone's eyes were focused on him.

The scrutiny of Cheng Jiming and Zhou Yanru, the curiosity of other ministers, and the questioning in Zhu Youjian's sharp eyes.

"Research." Chen Zhiyuan repeated the word, his voice clear in the wind.

"Your Majesty, the word 'investigation' can be broken down into 'inquiry' and 'research.' In my opinion, this is the most basic yet most often overlooked step for those in power."

Zhu Youjian frowned even more: "Be more specific."

Chen Zhiyuan took a deep breath and began to organize his thoughts.

He knew that what he was about to say was extremely dangerous, but he only had one chance.

The "Lunheng: Book Explanation" states: "Those who know where the roof leaks are those under the eaves; those who know where the government fails are those in the fields."

"That's very insightful—the people who know a house is leaking are those living inside it. The people who know government policies are flawed are those living among the common people."

"But throughout history, how many rulers have truly stepped down to the grassroots and into the countryside?"

Zhou Yanru interrupted coldly.

"Is Editor Chen implying that His Majesty is unaware of the people's plight?"

"This humble official dares not," Chen Zhiyuan bowed, but his tone remained firm.

"I am merely stating a principle. All the ancient sages and worthies who achieved great things valued on-site investigation."

"During the seventh year of the Shang Dynasty's reign, a severe drought struck. He personally went to the mulberry forest to pray for rain. On the way, he ate and rested with the farmers, and only then did he truly understand the severity of the drought and the hardship of the people's lives."

"King Wen of Zhou, seeking good strategies for governing the country, did not shun the humble woodcutter and asked him for advice."

"These records are always new to me when I am compiling history in the Hanlin Academy."

Zhu Youjian's fingers tightened slightly inside his sleeve.

Chen Zhiyuan continued, "On the other hand, the harm caused by not conducting research is even more shocking in history books."

"When Fu Jian of the Former Qin Dynasty wanted to attack the Eastern Jin Dynasty, most of the civil and military officials in the court opposed it. Only those with ulterior motives, such as Murong Chui, strongly encouraged him."

"Fu Jian ignored Wang Meng's dying words and did not personally investigate the natural barrier of the Yangtze River or the military preparations of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Relying solely on the delusional confidence of 'throwing whips to stop the flow of the river,' he launched a southern expedition with the entire country. As a result, in the Battle of Fei River, a million-strong army was wiped out, and the hegemony of the Former Qin Dynasty collapsed."

The noise on the platform seemed to have subsided a bit, but the atmosphere became even more oppressive.

Chen Zhiyuan sensed that Zhu Youjian's breathing had become lighter—a habit the emperor had when he was focused.

"Your Majesty," Chen Zhiyuan raised his head, his gaze calm.

"Emperor Taizu once warned his officials not to disturb the people lightly, which was a sign of his benevolence in caring for the suffering of the people."

"But 'not disturbing the people' and 'not observing the people' are two different things."

"When officials go to the countryside, they are surrounded by a large entourage and demand bribes; that's disturbing the people."

"But traveling light and conducting on-site inspections is how to understand the real situation. The former should be prohibited, while the latter should be encouraged."

He paused, observing Zhu Youjian's reaction.

The emperor remained expressionless, but his eyes were as deep as a well.

"Let me give a recent example. When Wang Anshi's reforms failed, later generations mostly blamed the new laws themselves."

"However, after carefully studying the historical materials, I believe that the original intention of the new laws was mostly not wrong. If the Green Sprouts Act could truly provide low-interest loans to farmers in urgent need, if the Exemption from Corvée Labor Act could truly be fairly apportioned according to property, and if the Market Regulation Act could truly stabilize prices, why would there be so much resentment?"

"Where is the problem?" Chen Zhiyuan asked himself.

"The problem lies with Emperor Shenzong of Song and Wang Anshi, who both made the same mistake—they were too diligent, but they used the wrong approach."

Zhu Youjian's eyelid twitched.

"Your Majesty, I utter a presumptuous statement."

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

"Wang Anshi spent his days in the Bianjing palace discussing the details of the new laws with Emperor Shenzong and reviewing reports from various regions on their implementation. He worked day and night, and his diligence was truly remarkable."

"Emperor Shenzong personally attended to every detail and placed high hopes on the new laws."

"But they made a fatal mistake—they never actually went to the grassroots level to see how the new law was being implemented."

Chen Zhiyuan's voice echoed clearly on the platform.

"The Green Sprouts Law stipulated an annual interest rate of 2%, but when it came to the prefectures and counties, officials, in order to achieve political achievements and line their own pockets, forcibly lent money to the people, and the interest rate was increased to 4% or 5% or even higher."

"Even those who didn't need loans were forced to take out them."

"The exemption from corvée labor law should have been based on property classification, but local officials colluded with powerful families to shift the burden onto lower-middle-class farmers."

"The Market Regulation Law was originally intended to stabilize prices, but it ended up becoming a tool for the government to monopolize the market and force people to buy low and sell high."

"Was Wang Anshi aware of these circumstances?"

"He didn't know. Because he never went to the fields to ask the farmers."

"All his information came from reports by state and county officials—and those reports were fabricated to curry favor with superiors and exaggerate achievements."

"And so, a terrible cycle was formed."

"The more diligently the emperor and prime minister formulated new laws and urged their implementation, the more frantically local officials distorted these laws and exploited the people, the more suffering the people endured, and ultimately, they rose up in rebellion."

"At this point, no matter how good the original intention of the new law was, it has become an oppressive policy."

Chen Zhiyuan paused, letting his words settle in the air.

He saw Zhu Youjian's lips pressed into a straight line, and the veins on his forehead throbbing slightly.

"Your Majesty," Chen Zhiyuan said in a lower voice.

"I say this not to criticize the sages of the past, but to illustrate a principle."

"If those in power only read memorials and listen to reports from the inner palace, then what they see will always be what others want them to see, and what they hear will always be what others want them to hear."

"The truth always lies beyond official documents, beyond bureaucratic jargon, and beyond layers of embellished reports."

Zhu Youjian suddenly spoke, his voice icy.

"Are you saying that all the memorials I've seen over the past three years are fake?"

The air suddenly froze.

Cheng Jiming and Zhou Yanru both lowered their heads.

The ministers dared not utter a sound.

Chen Zhiyuan felt cold sweat seeping down his back, but he forced himself to keep his voice steady.

"Your Majesty dares not say for sure whether it is true or false. I would only say that if Your Majesty could send someone to investigate in person, no, it would be best if Your Majesty went to see for yourself."

"Look at just how severe the drought is in Shaanxi, see how much of the military farms in Liaodong have been abandoned, see how much grain can still be transported to Beijing by the Grand Canal, and see how many acres of land farmers in Beizhili have already sold to pay for the Liaodong and anti-suppression expenses..."

"Then what His Majesty saw must be quite different from what was written in the memorial."

"How dare you!" Zhu Youjian turned around abruptly, his dragon robe drawing a sharp arc in the air.

His eyes burned with anger, but deeper still, Chen Zhiyuan caught a glimpse of fear.

That fear of the unknown, the fear of things that might overturn our understanding.

Chen Zhiyuan did not back down.

He recalled that from birth to his ascension to the throne to his death, Zhu Youjian never left Beijing, except for the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Agriculture, where he went the furthest.

This emperor relied almost entirely on documents and oral accounts from his ministers to imagine the world outside the Forbidden City.

He harbors an instinctive political wariness and a deep-seated fear of "going out to see the world."

He feared losing control, feared reality, and feared facing a Ming Dynasty that might be completely different from what he had imagined.

"Chen Zhiyuan, you are just a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy, a leisurely office that has never held any real position or handled any financial or criminal matters. How dare you speak so arrogantly here and tell me how to govern the country?"

Zhu Youjian's voice grew louder and louder.

"You think you've seen through the past and present just because you've read a few history books?"

"Do you know why Emperor Taizu (the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty) strictly forbade officials from easily going to the countryside?"

"It's because local officials are using the guise of investigation to harass others!"