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

Zhou Yanru raised his head and looked at the young emperor standing in the center of the platform.

The sunlight shone on Zhu Youjian's face, revealing the dark circles under his eyes and the lines around his tightly pursed lips.

This face looks much older than it did three years ago.

But something in his eyes was different.

Zhou Yanru recalled the first year of Chongzhen's reign, when the emperor had just ascended the throne.

He was seventeen years old then, and his eyes still held the light of youth.

He said he wanted to eliminate the eunuch faction, to rectify official corruption, and to revitalize the Ming Dynasty.

At that time, Zhou Yanru thought it was just a momentary burst of enthusiasm from the new emperor.

Once the initial enthusiasm cools, things remain the same.

But now, three years have passed.

The eunuch faction was eliminated and the bureaucracy was rectified, but the Ming Dynasty did not experience a revival.

The emperor's passion seemed undiminished.

He just learned more.

I learned to read account books, to calculate numbers, and to calculate how much rice 680,000 taels of silver could buy using the prices in the capital.

I've also learned to ask, "How much longer can this be stable?"

Zhou Yanru suddenly felt a chill down his back.

He remembered what Chen Zhiyuan had just said.

Verify, convict, disclose, and restructure.

Four steps.

Every step sets the rules.

Every step they take is cutting off people's livelihoods.

Every step I take offends someone.

Isn't this person afraid of death?

Zhou Yanru looked at Chen Zhiyuan.

Chen Zhiyuan stood beside the low table, his hands hanging down, his face expressionless.

He was wearing a fourth-rank scarlet robe, made of the most ordinary official silk, which had faded somewhat after washing.

His cuffs were frayed, but he stood very straight.

Zhou Yanru recalled Chen Zhiyuan's background.

He was from Changzhou Prefecture in Southern Zhili. His father was a scholar, and his family was of ordinary means.

He was a second-class Jinshi in the first year of the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor, where he served for three years.

No background, no connections, no money.

Such a person will not last more than three years in officialdom.

But he survived.

Not only did he survive, but he also rose from a seventh-rank editor to a fourth-rank vice censor.

He was also bestowed with an imperial sword.

He was still flipping through the account books one by one on the platform, reading out the numbers in groups, and calculating the difference of 680,000 taels of military expenses to the emperor.

Zhou Yanru suddenly realized something.

This person is truly fearless.

Or rather, he has something he desires more than life itself.

Qian Shisheng stood aside, his mind a complete mess.

He is fifty-six years old this year and has been in the cabinet for two years. He has always considered himself a reliable person. He says what should be said and doesn't say what shouldn't be said. He does what should be done and doesn't do what shouldn't be done.

But now, the emperor wants to investigate military spending, make it public, and reform the system.

Is this something that should be done?

he does not know.

All he knew was that this was a huge deal.

It was so big that he wanted to hide.

There's no escaping it now.

He signed the cabinet's draft resolution, agreeing to impeach Chen Zhiyuan.

The emperor rejected the application.

The cabinet issued another official document, ordering the six ministries and nine ministers to "fully cooperate" with Chen Zhiyuan's investigation.

He also signed it.

Now the emperor is on the platform, in front of everyone, saying that he wants to be "completely open" and that he wants to "post the names of corrupt officials on the city gates".

Can he still hide?

Qian Shisheng kept his head down, his palms sweaty.

He Wuzhou stood to the side, his face expressionless.

But he was also thinking about something.

He was thinking about Chen Zhiyuan.

Three days ago, he personally drafted the motion to impeach Chen Zhiyuan.

Today, he listened to Chen Zhiyuan read the account books line by line on the platform again.

What exactly does this person want to do?

He Wuzhou recalled what Chen Zhiyuan had just said.

"When I was reviewing the accounts at the Censorate, I made a discovery. In the first year of the Chongzhen reign, the Ministry of War audited the military pay for Liaodong and found a shortfall of 7,000 taels of silver, which was recovered at a rate of 80,000 taels. At that time, two guerrilla commanders were executed and a deputy general was dismissed. It seemed that the task had been accomplished. However, when I checked the accounts for the second year of the Chongzhen reign, the 7,000 taels of silver that had been shortfall reappeared the following year. A new group of people were using it."

This isn't a question of whether or not to change the people involved.

This is a problem because the rules haven't been changed.

He Wuzhou suddenly realized that this person was more profound than he had thought.

Chen Zhiyuan was not investigating a case.

He's breaking the rules.

Dismantle that set of rules that has been in place for over a hundred years.

The emperor, however, was willing to let him demolish it.

He Wuzhou raised his head and looked at Zhu Youjian.

The emperor had already returned to his throne.

"Chen Zhiyuan".

"Your subject is here."

"I approve of the four steps you just mentioned: investigation, conviction, public disclosure, and reform. Proceed step by step."

Zhu Youjian's voice was not loud, but it was very clear.

"Once this step is verified, continue. As for the Three Judicial Offices, I will have the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review send people to assist you. If there aren't enough people, we'll transfer them from the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"After verifying the facts, we will proceed according to the law. Those who deserve to be executed will be executed, those who deserve to be dismissed will be dismissed, and those who deserve to be prosecuted will be prosecuted. I will not show any mercy."

He paused.

"I have already decided to make this public. After the investigation is completed, I will first send the information to the provincial administration commissioners through the official gazette. This will let the local officials know what the court is investigating and what it has found."

"Then, notices were posted in Shuntian Prefecture and Yingtian Prefecture to let the people know where the money went."

He looked at Chen Zhiyuan.

"What do you think? Is it feasible?"

Chen Zhiyuan said.

"Your Majesty is wise. The official gazette should be issued first, followed by proclamations, which will have a gradual effect. Let the officials know first, and then let the people know, so that public opinion can be formed gradually and not cause a sudden upheaval."

Zhu Youjian nodded.

"Regarding the reform, I have read your budget proposal. It is very well written. But it cannot be released yet."

"Once the case is verified, public opinion is formed, and both the government and the public know how the military funds are managed, then we can release them. At that time, anyone who opposes it will be going against the border troops, against the people, and against the entire nation."

He looked at Chen Zhiyuan.

"What do you think? Is it feasible?"

Chen Zhiyuan said.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Zhu Youjian stood up.

"Then it's settled."

He looked at the four cabinet ministers.

"Mr. Cheng, Mr. Zhou, Mr. Qian, Mr. He, do you have anything to say?"

Cheng Jiming remained silent for a moment, then bowed and said.

"Your Majesty is wise. This old minister... has nothing to say."

Zhou Yanru also bowed.

"I obey your decree."

Qian Shisheng bowed in response.

"I obey your decree."

He Wuzhou bowed one last time.

"I obey your decree."

Zhu Youjian nodded.

"Alright. That's all for today. Chen Zhiyuan, continue the investigation. Report back immediately if there are any developments."

"I obey your decree."

Zhu Youjian turned around and walked down from the platform.

Wang Chengen quickly followed.

After taking a few steps, Zhu Youjian suddenly stopped.

He didn't turn around.

Mr. Cheng.

Cheng Ji bowed deeply.

"Your old minister is here."

"Think again about the question I just asked."

"This old minister... obeys the decree."

Zhu Youjian continued walking forward and disappeared at the end of the platform.

The platform remained quiet for a long time.

Cheng Jiming straightened up and stared motionlessly in the direction where the emperor had disappeared.

Zhou Yanru walked over and said in a low voice.

"Motosuke..."

Cheng Jiming waved his hand, stopping him from continuing.

He turned around and looked at Chen Zhiyuan.

Chen Zhiyuan stood beside the low table, organizing the dozen or so account books.

Cheng Jiming looked at him for a while.

Then he turned around and walked down the platform.

Zhou Yanru, Qian Shisheng, and He Wuzhou followed behind him.

Chen Zhiyuan looked up and watched the four cabinet ministers disappear at the other end of the platform.

Zhao Delu walked over from the corner and said in a low voice.

"Vice Prefect..."

Chen Zhiyuan put the last account book into the wooden box.

"go back."

The wind picked up again on the platform.

Zhao Delu picked up the wooden box and followed Chen Zhiyuan toward the Censorate.

After leaving the platform, passing through the corridors, going through the Meridian Gate, and returning to the Censorate.

Zhao Delu didn't say a word the whole way.

But in his mind, the words he had just heard on the platform kept replaying in his mind.

The emperor said it should be "completely public".

The names of corrupt officials should be "posted on the city gates".

We need to reform the system, plug the loopholes, and make sure that newcomers don't dare to take advantage of it.

Zhao Delu worked in the Censorate for twelve years and saw too many cases.

Some investigations were stopped halfway through, some were completed but never resolved, some people were arrested but then released, and some people were killed but nothing was changed.

But this time is different.