Chapter 620: Aftermath

Lao Bai Niu: Tomorrow morning at eight, there will be a chapter.

……

Setting aside Wang Dou’s actual gains, as the news spread, it eventually stirred a great uproar throughout the Great Ming, even reaching various countries overseas and spawning numerous versions of the story.

Many barbarians sighed with wonder, saying the Great Ming was truly rich in all four corners — the wealth of a mere few merchants exceeded the total wealth of their entire nations. Yet they could not understand: if the Great Ming was so wealthy, why were there natural and man-made disasters, bandits rising everywhere, and people displaced and homeless?

As for the impeachment of the hundred officials and the public outcry, how to deal with Wang Dou and the others was also a headache for the Chongzhen Emperor and the imperial court.

Even several Commandery Princes of Xuan-Da submitted memorials weeping and complaining, saying how domineering and insolent Wang Dou was. The Prince of Jin in particular sent up multiple memorials, bitterly denouncing Wang Dou for daring to kill the stewards and eunuchs in his princely mansion — utterly lawless — and begging His Majesty to render judgment.

It could be said that public feeling was boiling over, but…

Therefore…

The final outcome: the Chongzhen Emperor issued an edict reprimanding Wang Dou, stripping him of the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and fining him one year’s salary. He remained Regional Commander of Xuanfu, General Who Guards the North, and still held the title of Marquis of Yongning, ordered to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.

Wang Pu was likewise fined and demoted. Yang Guozhu had not participated and was commended by decree.

Ji Shiwei, Viceroy of Xuan-Da, was demoted two ranks but retained his original post, likewise ordered to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.

This somewhat surprised Ji Shiwei. He had thought he could not keep his official position, since the matter had blown up so greatly this time — though arresting treacherous merchants was permissible, the irregularities were far too many, and the memorials impeaching him could already drown a man.

It seemed it was still because of his son-in-law that all parties were wary of acting recklessly.

Having weathered such a great storm without falling, he would henceforth be reassessed by all sides.

Zhu Zhifeng, Provincial Governor of Xuanfu; Cai Maode, Provincial Governor of Shanxi; and Wei Jingyuan, Provincial Governor of Datong, were each demoted one rank. They retained their original posts and were all ordered to atone for their crimes through meritorious service.

Du Xun, the garrison eunuch of Xuanfu Garrison, was also reprimanded by decree.

Not long after, the several Commandery Princes also received stern imperial edicts of rebuke, scolding each of them for failing to discipline their households, saying the many troubles were purely of their own making, and strictly ordering them to shut their gates and reflect on their faults.

The conduct of the various Commandery Princes this time had also infuriated the Chongzhen Emperor.

Another imperial decree was issued: the various captured villains were to be tried by a joint tribunal of the Three Judicial Offices, and Wang Dehua, the Seal-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was dispatched to the Eastern Route.

After this final series of decrees, it counted as the reaction of the Emperor and the court, and also as an explanation given to all parties.

Yet many felt that the court’s handling of the matter could be described as much thunder but little rain — not a shred of substantive content. But they knew it could only be so. Would anyone dare truly do anything to Wang Dou? Once a great upheaval was provoked, the ones who would suffer in the end would still be themselves.

In their grief and indignation, many would perhaps wholeheartedly smear Wang Dou to the bitter end, and grow even more vigilant.

Yet many others were pondering: how should they deal with Wang Dou in the future? Everyone needed to think carefully about this.

More and more people also began conducting all-around studies of Wang Dou and the Eastern Route.

……

On the Eastern Route, by mid-twelfth month, all matters had been settled. Apart from a small portion of troops left to guard and supervise, Wang Dou ordered the various armies to return. At the same time, the vehicles of the Supply Battalion and the Logistics Office were all dispatched, vast and mighty, continuously transporting the seized silver and valuables back.

Countless eyes were fixed intently on this wealth. Although many speculated that Wang Dou’s actual gains might far exceed this amount, what did it matter whether one believed it or not? In any case, whatever Wang Dou said the amount was, that was what it was.

Over two million taels of ready silver — such an enormous sum drew the attention of who knows how many people. So once Zhu Zhifeng compiled the account books, an unprecedented fierce struggle and bargaining among all parties unfolded.

Ni Yuanlu, Minister of Revenue, was the first to speak, saying the treasury was depleted of funds and grain, and the Great Ming needed money everywhere, so all this silver should be turned over entirely to the treasury to relieve the urgent crisis.

Chen Xinjia, Minister of War, objected, saying the Marquis of Yongning was an official and general of the Great Ming, so the money he had confiscated should naturally belong to the Ministry of War.

Zheng Sanjun, Minister of Personnel, naturally had something to say as well. Even the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Rites, the Censorate, and other departments likewise spoke out, hoping to obtain a share of the spoils.

That was the central court; the local authorities also had their own reasons.

Ji Shiwei, Viceroy of Xuan-Da, demoted two ranks, held that the storm in Xuan-Da had just subsided, the region had been poisoned by villains, and moreover the soldiers’ pay and provisions had long been in arrears — the army and the people were suffering. Most of this silver and valuables should remain in Xuan-Da for relief and replenishment.

The Imperial Commissioners and Provincial Governors of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi — Zhu Zhifeng, Cai Maode, and Wei Jingyuan, each demoted one rank — all sided with Ji Shiwei on this point. After Ji Shiwei made his statement, he also won the praise of all the people, gentry, officials, and officers of Xuan-Da, and his reputation swiftly rose.

Of course, Xuan-Da was further divided into three garrisons. If a portion of the silver were to remain locally, which garrison should get more and which should get less — the three Provincial Governors also had differing opinions. Naturally, they inclined toward obtaining more in kind.

Beyond Xuan-Da, many officials in numerous other places across the Great Ming were also weeping and pleading desperately, hoping that after the court received the silver, it would give them priority consideration.

Even in the teahouses and wineshops among the common people, many were arguing over how this money should be used.

Amidst all the uproar…

The aftermath work on the Eastern Route and in various localities was also proceeding at an intense pace.

Wang Dou had set the tone beforehand: the soldiers and civilians of the Eastern Route who had suffered losses would receive triple compensation.

Friendly righteous merchants who had suffered losses would receive double compensation.

Victims outside the Route who held counterfeit tickets and the like would, in addition to having their grain exchanged in full according to genuine tickets, also receive a thirty percent increase in face value.

Not only that, but mindful that Heaven cherishes all living things, for those soldiers and civilians among the arrested villains who had been deceived and whose crimes were verified to be truly minor, not only would their offenses not be further prosecuted, but a certain amount of compensation would also be given to the dead and wounded.

When the news spread, all parties were astonished and at the same time overjoyed. The Marquis of Yongning’s reputation for benevolence and righteousness spread swiftly, extending across the three garrisons.

……

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, in Yanqing Department.

In the bitter cold, outside every government shop, dense long lines formed — all people holding counterfeit tickets coming to exchange them for genuine ones, or people holding baojia certificates proving they had suffered some kind of property loss.

Amidst cheerful talk and laughter, everyone’s faces bore smiles. They had thought they were ruined this time, never imagining the Grand General would swiftly grant them compensation, and triple compensation at that. Not only were their losses fully recovered, but each person had also made a small profit.

Moreover, they learned from various channels that the Eastern Route’s compensation rate was the highest. Sure enough, the Grand General took better care of his own people. How good it was to be a resident of the Eastern Route. In everyone’s heart, there was a deep sense of pride.

Though they chatted and laughed, they maintained perfect order, with no clamor or rowdiness. Not to mention the soldiers standing by to keep order — observing order had, over these years, already sunk deep into everyone’s hearts and required no special emphasis. This was also one aspect of the Eastern Route that outsiders found novel.

A traveling scholar pointed out: “On the Eastern Route, regardless of man or woman, young or old, all is orderly and disciplined. If Dou gave a single rallying cry, all would be mighty soldiers.”

Those in the queue who held counterfeit tickets all exchanged them for genuine tickets worth several times the value. They already had absolute faith in the credit of the grain tickets; only a very few exchanged them for grain, invariably drawing looks from others as if they were fools.

Among the queuing crowd were also some old-style literati, gentry, merchants, and officials who had immigrated. They had no special privileges — just like the old residents, each one queued, regardless of whether they had originally been officials or generals. Their expressions were somewhat cautious, rather low-key, and they paid attention to listening to others’ conversations. In their bearing, they were far from the sharp, confident air of those old residents.

They too had suffered losses in the commercial war. Upon hearing the news of compensation, while surprised, it was impossible that they were not delighted. At the same time, a peculiar feeling arose in their hearts — a love for this land, what later generations would often call a sense of identity.

Standing in the crowd, they were just as happy, and in their hearts they felt just as proud.

In fact, after arriving on the Eastern Route, they had discovered a uniquely stirring atmosphere here, different from anywhere else.

So after a brief period of observation, once the fear and hesitation of being new to a strange land had passed, without quite realizing it, the sons and younger kinsmen of their households applied to be clerks in the shogunate and the garrison villages, and engaged in business, all busily setting to work. Sometimes they themselves did not understand why they acted this way.

Gradually, many also began to wish for the young men of their families to join the army — after all, it was the fastest way to earn merit.

And merit — what a fine thing it was! It could be exchanged for fields and gardens, for mines, for pastures, for woodlands, and so on. Lai Mancheng’s good fortune made countless people burn with envy: he had happened to choose a place that contained a gold mine. His legendary experience had even spread abroad.

It was just that, on the Eastern Route, becoming a soldier was no easy matter. There were far too many people vying for it — something truly unimaginable anywhere else in the Great Ming.

As a fallback, many people wanted to send their sons and younger kinsmen into the Loyalty Battalion; the Newly Attached Battalion would also do.

As they moved forward with the crowd, they talked back and forth, sharing the news they had heard.

Word had already come that the Marquis of Yongning would establish the Sanjin Trading Company, uniting the commercial affairs of the three garrisons of Xuan, Da, and Shanxi into a single entity, and that all sorts of major moves would follow — this stirred tremendous interest among them.

Though business opportunities on the Eastern Route were many, the people operating there were just as numerous; after all, the people here were growing wealthier, and too many had idle money in hand. Competition was already fierce, and many commercial investments required ever larger amounts of capital.

Now that the great houses had been confiscated, many places were a blank slate, and the commercial affairs of the three garrisons of Xuan, Da, and Shanxi were about to be united — to them, this was a golden opportunity.

At the same time, probably after the New Year, the Shogunate would also auction off the fields, residences, shops, and other properties confiscated from the traitors — for them, that was another opportunity.

Watching the joyful crowd, from a distance, Wu Zhi, Department Magistrate of Yanqing, let out a silent sigh.

Seeing his expression, the old steward beside him could not bear it and said, "Master, the weather is freezing — let us return to the residence."

Wu Zhi sighed, "Very well."

A gust of snowy wind swept past, swallowing his lonely silhouette.

……

On the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, in Dai Department, Shanxi Garrison.

"Come, come, line up one by one — no need to push. Every fake ticket in your hands can be exchanged for extra grain and rice. You can swap them for real tickets, or for silver if you prefer. If you want beef and mutton, firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, or tea, you can have any of those — absolutely more than what you would get on the market…"

Outside the east gate of Dai Department, large tents had been set up. Inside the tents, barrel after barrel of rice and flour were laid out — all top-quality white rice and white flour. Besides these, there were also numerous other goods of every kind.

And outside the tents, there were likewise many jostling streams of people, each unaccustomed to standing in line, every face bearing surprise and disbelief. That kind-hearted, country-and-people-serving, Loyal and Brave Count Wang Dou — no, Marquis of Yongning Wang Dou — was he really exchanging grain and rice for them?

Many people pinched themselves hard and still could not believe it.

Fortunately — fortunately, they congratulated themselves — they had not thrown away those fake tickets that they had once cursed so bitterly.

Not only that, inside some of the tents there were also many large cauldrons, steaming with billowing heat, and what simmered above them was all thick, fragrant rice porridge.

"In this freezing weather, fellow townsfolk, elders, brothers and sisters, you may first have a bowl of porridge to warm yourselves, and then exchange your tickets afterward…" (To be continued.)