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

The Qianqing Palace was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of candles burning.

Zhu Youjian looked at Chen Zhiyuan, waiting for his answer.

Chen Zhiyuan was silent for a moment before speaking: "Your Majesty, I have already written about Yuan Chonghuan in my memorial. He did not collude with the enemy; this is the conclusion I have reached through my investigation."

"But as the military governor of Jiliao, he cannot escape responsibility for the problems with military spending and defense."

Zhu Youjian asked, "Then what do you think? Should I kill him?"

In fact, Zhu Youjian had long harbored murderous intent towards Yuan Chonghuan.

However, Yuan Chonghuan is now an important assistant in promoting reforms, and through his case, the budget system will be implemented.

Chen Zhiyuan said, "Your Majesty, I cannot make a decision for you. I can only tell Your Majesty the truth as I have found out—which cases were wronged and which he should indeed bear responsibility for. As for the judgment, the final report from the three judicial departments is still required."

Zhu Youjian nodded and said nothing more.

Chen Zhiyuan noticed that the emperor was tired, so he got up and took his leave.

As I stepped out of the Qianqing Palace, a night breeze swept over me, carrying the chill of early spring.

He stood on the steps and took a deep breath.

He didn't finish what he was saying.

He wanted to tell Zhu Youjian that behind the Yuan Chonghuan case was the military expenditure case.

Behind the military spending scandal lies collusion between officials and businessmen.

Behind the collusion between officials and businessmen lies factionalism.

Layer upon layer, each link connected to the next.

But now is not the time to talk about it.

He needed evidence, he needed the right opportunity, and he needed Zhu Youjian to see it for himself.

Chen Zhiyuan walked down the steps and headed towards the Censorate.

The night was deep, and the walls of the Forbidden City gleamed with a cold white light under the moonlight.

Three days later, another urgent report from Dengzhou and Laizhou arrived in the capital.

This time, it wasn't news of a mutiny, but a letter of surrender sent by Kong Youde.

Sun Yuanhua said in the urgent report.

Kong Youde agreed to withdraw his troops on the condition that all back pay be made up and that the soldiers who participated in the mutiny be held accountable.

He has already sent people to negotiate, and it is estimated that an agreement will be reached soon.

When the news reached the imperial court, many people breathed a sigh of relief.

But Chen Zhiyuan frowned as he looked at the urgent report.

too fast.

Kong Youde caused trouble for half a month, besieged the city, killed officials and looted the treasury, and now he is suddenly willing to surrender?

He recalled the 80,000 taels of silver in pay, the name of Liu Wenyao, the official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, and the account books that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had found.

wrong.

There must be something going on here.

He summoned Zhao Delu: "Do we have any people in Dengzhou and Laizhou?"

Zhao Delu said, "No. Our Censorate does not have an Inspector General in Dengzhou and Laizhou; all the news comes from the Ministry of War."

Chen Zhiyuan said, "Let's find a way. Find Luo Yangxing of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and ask him if anyone can send a message back from Dengzhou and Laizhou."

Zhao Delu was taken aback: "Vice-Prefect, do you think there's a problem with the Dengzhou-Laizhou matter?"

Chen Zhiyuan said, "I don't know. But it's too fast. Kong Youde made a scene for half a month, and suddenly he's willing to surrender? If he really wanted to surrender, why didn't he do it earlier?"

Zhao Delu didn't dare to ask any more questions and went out to take care of his business.

That afternoon, Luo Yangxing arrived in person.

He summoned Chen Zhiyuan to the duty room, closed the door, and lowered his voice, saying, "You sent someone to find me because you wanted to ask about the Dengzhou-Laizhou matter?"

Chen Zhiyuan nodded.

Luo Yangxing said, "What a coincidence, I was just looking for you. We've discovered something new with the Shanxi merchants."

He took out a copy from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Zhiyuan.

Chen Zhiyuan took it and looked at it; it was a copy of a letter.

The letter was written by Jin Liangyu, a merchant from Shanxi, to Liu Wenyao, a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue.

The letter said that the matter of the 80,000 taels of silver had been settled, and the interest had been distributed according to the rules.

Lord Liu's share has already been delivered to his residence.

The text also mentions that someone has already gone to "appease" the situation in Denpasar and Laiyang, and that there won't be any trouble.

After Chen Zhiyuan finished reading, he looked up at Luo Yangxing.

Luo Yangxing said, "This letter was copied from a secret room in Jin Liangyu's house. It was written two months ago."

Two months ago.

At that time, the unrest in Dengzhou and Laiyang had not yet started.

Chen Zhiyuan tapped his fingers on the letter: "What does 'appease' mean?"

Luo Yangxing said, "I also want to know. So I sent men to Dengzhou and Laizhou to keep an eye on Kong Youde's camp."

Chen Zhiyuan asked, "Any news?"

Luo Yangxing said, "Yes. It was just reported back yesterday. Kong Youde has a new person by his side, who speaks with a Beizhili accent and claims to be an 'official from the Ministry of War' to 'appease' Kong Youde. But this person is not on the list of the Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs."

Chen Zhiyuan remained silent for a while.

"When did this person go there?"

"One month ago."

Chen Zhiyuan calculated the time in his mind.

A month ago, the Ministry of Revenue's 80,000 taels of silver were "stuck" in Tongzhou.

A month ago, Kong Youde hadn't yet started causing trouble.

A month ago, someone went to "appease" him.

Then, Denglai started making a fuss.

Chen Zhiyuan looked up at Luo Yangxing: "Do you believe me?"

Luo Yangxing shook his head: "I don't believe it. But I have no evidence to prove what this person went there for."

Chen Zhiyuan said, "The evidence will come. Can you get a word from Kong Youde?"

Luo Yangxing said, "We can give it a try. But the risks are high."

Chen Zhiyuan said, "Give it a try."

Luo Yangxing nodded, asked no further questions, and got up to leave.

Chen Zhiyuan sat alone in the duty room, watching the sky outside the window gradually darken.

The words from that letter kept replaying in his mind: "Someone has already gone to 'appease' the people in Dengzhou and Laiyang."

What are you trying to appease?

How to appease Kong Youde and stop him from causing trouble?

Should I try to appease him... or make a scene?

The court remained unusually calm for the next few days.

The number of impeachment memorials against Chen Zhiyuan has decreased, but the Office of General Affairs still receives three to five every day.

As for the cabinet, Cheng Jiming kept most of it in the central government and did not send it to the emperor.

Zhou Yanru has been staying home due to illness these past few days and has not attended court.

Liang Tingdong handled the Ministry of War affairs as usual, and even nodded and greeted Chen Zhiyuan when he saw him, as if nothing had happened.

But Chen Zhiyuan knew that this was only a facade of calm.

He was waiting for news from Luo Yangxing.

On the fifth day, the news arrived.

Luo Yangxing sent someone to deliver a letter, which was written in Kong Youde's own handwriting.

The letter was short, but every word sent chills down Chen Zhiyuan's spine.

In his letter, Kong Youde wrote that a month ago, a man who claimed to be an "official from the Ministry of War" did come to see him.

The man said that the imperial court was investigating military expenditures, and Chen Zhiyuan wanted to use the investigation to reorganize the border towns, which might involve dismissing the old troops from Dongjiang.

Rather than waiting to die, let's start making a scene.

As long as he makes a scene, the imperial court will have to give him money. At that time, Kong Youde will have whatever he wants.

Kong Youde was skeptical at the time.

But after that, the pay never arrived.

He began to believe the man's words.

That's why he made a scene.

But after he started making a scene, the person disappeared again.

At the end of his letter, Kong Youde wrote: "Although I am a rough man, I know that I have been used as a pawn. The person spoke with a Beizhili accent and claimed to be surnamed Wang, but I later inquired and found that there was no such person in the Ministry of War."

"I don't know who he is, I only know that he came to force me to rebel."

"I am writing this down today not to ask for the court's forgiveness, but to let the court know that those who withheld wages and forced the people to rebel are the real culprits."

After reading the letter, Chen Zhiyuan remained silent for a long time.

He folded the letter, put it in his sleeve, and got up to go to the Qianqing Palace.

He stopped halfway there.

Now go, what should we say?

Is it said that Kong Youde was forced into rebellion by "officials from the Ministry of War"?

Are you saying that the official in charge was a fake?

Is someone manipulating all of this behind the scenes?

What about the evidence?

Can a letter serve as evidence?

Who sent that fake official? Who made him go? Who's behind it all?

There is no answer.

Chen Zhiyuan stood in the middle of the passageway, looking at the lights of the Qianqing Palace in the distance, and finally turned around and walked back.

It's not the right time yet.