Chapter 349: The Imperial Will

When the memorials from Xuanfu Town and the Xuan–Da Viceroy Chen Xinjia and others arrived, the Chongzhen Emperor was in discussion with Yang Sichang, Minister of Rites concurrently overseeing Ministry of War affairs, and Senior Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan.

Upon receiving this news, it was of course impossible for the Chongzhen Emperor not to be shocked. As early as when he appointed Wang Dou as Mobile Corps Commander of the Eastern Route of Xuanfu Town, the Chongzhen Emperor had a certain conviction that Wang Dou would firmly take control of the entire Eastern Route. He did not know why, but in his heart the Chongzhen Emperor was certain of it.

Yet he never expected this day would come so quickly, so suddenly. Wang Dou's drastic methods exceeded everyone's expectations. His utter lack of restraint and audacious recklessness also made people very uncomfortable — simultaneously striking hard against scholars, merchants, and military men, such a uniquely peculiar figure was rarely seen in the realm.

The Eastern Route had already restored order, and the evidence was conclusive; handling it according to ordinary law would suffice. Even if Wang Dou's methods were somewhat excessive and may have harmed some innocents, the court could not punish Wang Dou for it. At this time, the Great Ming treated powerful military commanders with a policy of appeasement. No matter how excessive Wang Dou was, was he more excessive than Zuo Liangyu, Liu Zeqing, He Renlong, and the like?

Moreover, regarding Wang Dou, the Chongzhen Emperor had the intention of seeing him as another Qi Jiguang — just as Marshal Qi back in his day swept away the southern pirates and northern barbarians, restoring peace to the realm. Even less likely would he punish him over such "trivial matters," causing him to develop a rebellious mentality.

At the same time, the Chongzhen Emperor inwardly felt a secret delight. Wang Dou had offended the local literati and merchants, and could no longer curry favor with the people; he could only cling tightly to the court's thigh. In the minds of the Chongzhen Emperor and others, scholars and merchants were the pillars of the state. Having offended these people, how could anyone accomplish anything?

He sighed: "General Wang's capture of Eastern Slave spies is a good deed. It is a pity that, being young and impetuous, his handling of the matter... is somewhat lacking in thoroughness."

"His Majesty speaks the absolute truth."

Yang Sichang and Xue Guoguan beside him said in unison.

People who normally did not get along speaking so simultaneously — the two glanced at each other, then both turned their heads away without any change of expression.

Xue Guoguan gave a light cough. Like Yang Huchang, he too had just passed fifty, with a square face and large ears, a countenance quite suggestive of wealth. When he was young, someone read his physiognomy and said he had the appearance of great nobility, and would certainly be enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed Grand Secretary in the future.

Sure enough, the words of the physiognomist back then proved true. Because of this matter, after Xue Guoguan became Senior Grand Secretary, he specially sought out this fortune-teller, bought him a house, and sent him silver. The fortune-teller was already nearing his nineties and living in dire poverty; thanks to those words spoken back then, he could now enjoy a happy old age.

After Xue Guoguan entered the Grand Secretariat, he studied the Emperor's thoughts and fully implemented Wen Tiren's plans, gaining the Emperor's trust and favor. In the past, the only favored minister frequently summoned by the Emperor was Yang Sichang; now there was also Xue Guoguan. His star was rising so fast that even Yang Sichang had to yield to him.

As for Wang Dou's matter, Xue Guoguan had actually already known the details before the memorials from Xuanfu Town reached the capital.

Now, in the teahouses and wine shops of the capital, and before the government offices, the families of the merchant and scholar "victims" from the Eastern Route had successively poured in to lament Wang Dou's "atrocities." Those who praised Wang Dou's actions and those who condemned them had split into several factions, escalating from verbal disputes to physical conflicts.

There were also censors who, hearing of this, stirred restlessly, preparing to impeach Wang Dou for disregarding human life and acting domineeringly in various ways.

Of all matters in the capital, only the Chongzhen Emperor was unaware. Such was the current state of the Great Ming: the Emperor was almost always the last to receive news. Just as in the final two years of the Chongzhen reign, he angrily rebuked the Viceroys, Provincial Governors, and even the Embroidered Uniform Guard across the realm for reporting nothing to him, making him deaf and mute.

After receiving the news from the Eastern Route, both Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang held their troops in place, first seeking to ascertain the Emperor's thoughts before speaking.

As soon as the Chongzhen Emperor spoke, Xue Guoguan immediately had a plan. He said with a smile: "Just as Your Majesty said, General Wang's capture of spies and strict enforcement of border defenses in the Eastern Route is a good deed. The Eastern Slaves are most adept at using espionage; our various defense measures were mostly penetrated by them, causing the Great Ming to lose many cities. The Eastern Route is close to the frontier, where barbarian cavalry can arrive at a moment's notice. Clearing out spies and those colluding with the enemy is also for the sake of the Eastern Route's safety."

"Of course, General Wang is, after all, young and of military background. As for his manner of handling things, it was unavoidably somewhat rash. Let the local officials diligently pacify the people, and that will suffice."

The Chongzhen Emperor nodded slightly. This was what he was satisfied with in Xue Guoguan: he was adept at gauging his thoughts, often proceeding from his perspective, and would not oppose for the sake of opposing. He was different from those ministers who sought fame by selling their rectitude.

He issued an edict: "Since the Eastern Route has been pacified, order the relevant offices to jointly conduct the trial. After conviction, report for judgment. Eastern Route Military Defense Circuit Ma Guolei and Mobile Corps Commander Wang Dou are commended for their merit in the investigation; convey an edict of commendation and reward."

"Both officials must also be informed that, although the matter was forced and had to be initiated, they should also seek a long-term strategy. Be most earnest."

"Yanqing Department Magistrate Wu Zhi has requested to resign. In consideration of his seasoned experience and sincere handling of affairs, although there is the matter of his son and concubine's negligence, he is permitted to atone for his faults by meritorious service. He is fined one year's salary, given one demerit, and shall remain in his original post."

This was the Chongzhen Emperor's art of balancing grace and authority: he commended Ma Guolei and Wang Dou, yet still kept civil and military power in mutual check, preventing Wang Dou's influence from growing too great. At the same time, he retained Wu Zhi, so that, overwhelmed with gratitude, he would handle affairs more diligently. Keeping him in the Eastern Route would allow better surveillance of Wang Dou.

Moreover, between Ma Guolei and Wu Zhi, one inclined toward Yang Sichang, the other toward Xue Guoguan. Keeping both in the Eastern Route also served the purpose of mutual checks and balances.

No place should be dominated by a single power — this was the Chongzhen Emperor's thinking.

"His Majesty is divinely wise!"

Amid the praises of Yang Sichang and Xue Guoguan, this upheaval in the Eastern Route thus came to a close.

To the Chongzhen Emperor, the matter of the Eastern Route was merely a "trivial matter." He had more important matters to discuss.

Indeed, compared to this "trivial matter" of the Eastern Route, what the Chongzhen Emperor had just been discussing with Yang and Xue was the truly pressing "major matter."

This was the matter of Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai and others rebelling anew. On the ninth day of the fifth month, Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai revolted again. How long had it been since they were pacified? Barely a year, and they could not wait to rebel again. It was also because of Zhang Xianzhong and the others preceding him that the Chongzhen Emperor dared not be harsh with Wang Dou. Wang Dou's might was not something the likes of Zhang Xianzhong could compare to.

In truth, there had long been signs that Zhang Xianzhong would rebel again. In the fourth month of the eleventh year of the Chongzhen reign, Zhang Xianzhong accepted pacification at Gucheng. On the surface, he knelt and bowed with proper decorum at Gucheng, but in reality, he was forging armor and weapons, refusing to disband his troops, refusing to answer deployment orders, and refusing to enter the command headquarters to see the Viceroy, arrogantly defying the law.

At Gucheng, he requisitioned grain, levied taxes, and expanded his army, making endless demands of Xiong Wencan. Gucheng County Magistrate Ruan Zhixi stated that Zhang Xianzhong would certainly rebel, and secretly reported this several times. Xiong Wencan detested hearing such words and paid no attention. Sure enough, Zhang Xianzhong rebelled again, and Ruan Zhixi was killed. Zhang Xianzhong joined forces with Luo Rucai, and their momentum swelled greatly.

Upon receiving the report, the Chongzhen Emperor was extremely furious and ordered Xiong Wencan stripped of his official post, to continue handling affairs while awaiting punishment. Just over ten days ago, the appointed Regional Commander Zuo Liangyu was dealt a crushing defeat by Zhang Xianzhong, with over ten thousand soldiers killed or wounded, countless military supplies abandoned, and all military tallies and seals completely lost.

Because of Zuo Liangyu's great defeat, the situation deteriorated. The Chongzhen Emperor grew even angrier at Xiong Wencan and had already dispatched envoys to arrest Xiong Wencan and bring him to the capital.

Historically, on the sixth day of the tenth month of the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Xiong Wencan was beheaded and his corpse exposed in the marketplace.

At this time, the Chongzhen Emperor already had the intention of appointing Yang Sichang as Regional Commander, but first the problem of provisions and pay had to be resolved.

In earlier years, the Great Ming had already levied the Liaodong military tax and the bandit-suppression tax. Because Qing troops invaded in the eleventh year of the Chongzhen reign, the decision was made to select and train elite troops from various garrisons, and an additional training tax was levied. The bandit-suppression tax of that year was set for a one-year term, to cease after one year. Unexpectedly, the provisions and pay were exhausted yet the roving bandits had still not been exterminated, so the Chongzhen Emperor had no choice but to order half of it collected.

Now that Zhang Xianzhong had rebelled again and the situation was rotting away, the provisions and pay needed to exterminate his forces might reach astronomical figures. A few days ago, the Vice Minister supervising provisions requested the full amount of the bandit-suppression tax, plus an additional training tax of 7.3 million taels. Combined, the Liaodong military tax, the bandit-suppression tax, and the training tax totaled an increased levy of 16.7 million taels.

The Chongzhen Emperor worried about losing the trust of the realm. After all, he himself had issued an edict to collect only half the bandit-suppression tax; now collecting the full amount again carried the hidden danger of going back on his word. Just now in the Qianqing Palace, the Chongzhen Emperor had been discussing this issue with Yang Sichang and Xue Guoguan when they were interrupted by the new memorials from Xuanfu Town.

With the Eastern Route matter decided, sovereign and ministers continued the topic from earlier.

Regarding the Emperor's worry about losing trust, Yang Sichang said: "It is no harm. The increased tax comes from the land, and the land is entirely owned by powerful families. A hundred mu of land would yield an extra three or four qian of silver — this merely slightly curbs annexation."

He gave the Emperor an example: the total registered land area nationwide was over seven hundred million mu. The usual tax revenue only amounted to about one-tenth of the common people's harvest. Even with the three taxes added, doubling it, it would still only be two-tenths of the people's harvest — by no means unbearably heavy.

After the roving bandits were exterminated, these additional levies could be abolished, and the realm would return to peace.

Moreover, the additional levy of the training tax this time, as well as the resumption of the full bandit-suppression tax, were mainly targeted at those landlords and powerful magnates. They would not greatly affect ordinary commoners, and would also have the effect of curbing land annexation and the polarization of rich and poor.

Obviously, Yang Sichang overlooked one issue: the fertility of land varied from place to place, and yields differed. Uniformly collecting taxes by mu would cause many tragedies. More importantly, over half of the registered land was owned by princes of the blood, powerful nobles, eunuchs, meritorious officials, military men, literati, and merchants — people who either paid no taxes or evaded them.

The ultimate burden would only be shifted onto ordinary yeoman farmers. Coupled with rampant corruption and successive layers of additional levies imposed by local officials at every level, the "surtaxes" often reached dozens or even hundreds of times the official tax. Adding the three taxes on top of that would only cause a greater wave of bankruptcies and the emergence of roving bandits on an even larger scale.

Yang Sichang's claim that the bulk of the tax burden fell on "powerful families" was clearly unworkable.

The Chongzhen Emperor perhaps could not understand: with so much registered land, and the people's burden ostensibly not heavy, why did they resist one after another, even rising in rebellion?

This reasoning, the Emperor did not understand, but it was absolutely impossible that Yang Sichang did not understand. Perhaps he was again pretending to be ignorant while fully aware.

Through his analysis, the Chongzhen Emperor finally made up his mind. He sighed: "I shall issue an edict to begin collecting the three taxes. I hope that after the bandits are completely exterminated, the realm will return to peace, and the people will once again live in happiness."

Yang Sichang sang praises: "His Majesty is divinely wise!"

Regarding the Emperor's possible intention to appoint him as Regional Commander, Yang Sichang had also guessed it in his heart. He was full of ambition, determined to exterminate the roving bandits, achieve unparalleled merit, and live up to the vast imperial grace. But before this matter, Yang Sichang hinted at the desire to transfer Wang Dou to accompany him on the campaign.

The Chongzhen Emperor naturally agreed with Yang Sichang's opinion. If a fierce general like Wang Dou was not used, who else should be used?

Even the wolf-like, tiger-like Tatar soldiers had been beaten into fleeing with their heads in their arms by him. Mere roving bandits — would they not be captured as easily as reaching into a bag?

However, Wang Dou had just gone on campaign last year and had only recently returned to Xuanfu Town this year. His men were weary and his horses exhausted. He had also just been newly transferred to the Eastern Route, with numerous affairs at hand. It would be better to wait a while, until his five thousand new troops were trained. Looking at the situation, it did not seem to have deteriorated to that point yet; ordinary government troops could still handle it. They just needed a capable Regional Commander.

After Yang Sichang respectfully took his leave, Xue Guoguan coldly watched his retreating figure. Regarding Yang Sichang's possible appointment as Regional Commander, Xue Guoguan was ten thousand times jealous. It was a pity he himself did not have Yang Sichang's "knowledge of military affairs." But Xue Guoguan had his own methods of winning the sovereign's favor.

Regarding the current financial difficulties, with expenditures exceeding revenues, Xue Guoguan racked his brains and came up with a brilliant scheme.

"What brilliant scheme does my beloved minister have? Speak quickly."

The Chongzhen Emperor was indeed very pleased. He worried about provisions and pay all day long, and he welcomed any method. "Borrowing aid?"

The Emperor was astonished.

"Precisely!"

Xue Guoguan said unhurriedly, "The capital has many wealthy households. The Great Ming has nurtured its scholars for several hundred years. Now, in this time of peril and hardship for the court, it is precisely the time for the gentry and powerful clans to repay the state. My proposal of borrowing aid is to issue loan bonds, having officials and wealthy merchants donate grain and silver to relieve the state's urgent crisis. I have already detailed the relevant provisions in my memorial. If Your Majesty approves my humble strategy, I will personally take full responsibility for the officials and merchants of the outer court..."

He hesitated for a moment. "As for the imperial relatives and nobility..."