Chapter 107: The Capabilities of the Embroidered Uniform Guard

Watching the Censor beaten to death on the spot, the assembled officials — who had been thinking of echoing the Censor's words, striving to make the Emperor issue a self-critical edict, and then, like the Jiajing Emperor, have him retreat to the rear palace to pursue immortality, or like the Tianqi Emperor, take up carpentry — all very crisply shut their mouths and did not utter another half-word, as if the man just beaten to death was not a colleague but some irrelevant nobody.

Chongzhen looked down at the officials, silent as cicadas in winter, and sneered inwardly once more. What a bunch of trash.

The moment We raised the butcher's blade, they immediately became more docile than quails, every last one of them learning to walk with their tails between their legs, never again daring to remonstrate to the death.

They wanted to imitate the Hongzhi reign of the Xiaozong Emperor Zhu Youcheng or the Zhengde years of the Wuzong Emperor Zhu Houzhao, tricking the court into a flogging to gain some pure reputation? We'll just beat them to death and replace them!

In this great Ming, with its millions of scholars, is there a shortage of men who want to be officials? What a damn joke!

The Chongzhen Emperor, his heart cold with contempt, watched the officials all kneeling obediently on the ground before he finally spoke: "Beloved ministers, all of you may rise."

After the officials had risen, Chongzhen continued: "Speak, then. What exactly is to be done about this great drought in Shaanxi?"

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren said: "Your servant memorializes Your Majesty. Your servant believes that after every great drought, there is a tendency for great floods.

We may levy additional corvée labor to repair water channels and river courses, using work as relief. For households without able-bodied laborers, separate relief may be provided."

Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang also stepped out of the ranks and memorialized: "Your servant seconds the proposal. The lands of the mountains and Shaanxi have been known since ancient times for their fierce folkways.

If the common people are not given tasks to occupy them, unrest will easily arise. If we use work as relief, we can take the opportunity to organize the mountain and river courses, bridges, and roads of the Shaanxi region.

This will provide disaster relief and also benefit the state."

Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou stepped out of the ranks and memorialized: "Your servant also seconds the proposal.

Although the Ministry of Revenue currently has grain reserves, and the ever-normal granaries in every region also have reserves, if the common people can fill their bellies all day merely by relying on relief, then the number of idle ne'er-do-wells will inevitably increase.

Your servant believes the method of using work as relief should be adopted."

Chongzhen thought over the practices of later ages and found that this method of using work as relief was indeed feasible. This was not the Celestial Dynasty of several centuries later, where disaster relief could be done simply by decree. A single misstep could truly lead to major chaos.

Just as he was about to express agreement, he heard Guo Yunhou continue: "Furthermore, after a great disaster, plague is prone to break out, a fact amply recorded in the historical annals.

Your servant requests that Your Majesty dispatch personnel from the Imperial Academy of Medicine to Shaanxi to guide the common people in epidemic prevention."

Hearing this, Chongzhen cast a surprised glance at Guo Yunhou. Damn it all, who said the officials of the late Ming were all useless pastries who only knew how to fight for power and profit? Once you kill enough to make them obedient, aren't they still quite useful?

Slightly gratified that his court officials had finally begun to attend to proper business, Chongzhen said: "The method of using work as relief is approved. The matter of epidemic prevention is assigned to the Imperial Academy of Medicine. Minister Wen, submit a detailed memorial on this later."

Having roughly discussed the matter of disaster relief, Chongzhen continued: "Additionally, in this drought relief effort, there will inevitably be those who line their own pockets. What do my beloved ministers think should be done to prevent this?"

Hearing this, the assembled officials all cursed inwardly. Prevent it, my foot.

Every ghost knows that you, His Majesty, are about to unleash your hawks and hounds from the Depot and the Guard. With them around, what need is there for prevention?

Whoever dares reach out a hand, won't you exterminate nine degrees of their kin?

Seeing that no one else spoke for a moment — even Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren, who was always charging to the fore in echoing the Chongzhen Emperor, was playing deaf and dumb, not uttering a single word about the Emperor's mention yesterday of having the Depot and the Guard strengthen their surveillance — Second Grand Secretary Shi Fenglai had no choice but to step out of the ranks and say: "Your servant memorializes Your Majesty.

Your servant believes the Embroidered Uniform Guard may be deployed to oversee the localities. Should any corrupt officials be found, they may be dealt with according to the Great Ming Code."

Chongzhen nodded: "Approved."

Then, Chongzhen shifted the topic: "According to this latest report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the ever-normal granaries in various regions have widespread shortfalls.

Even before the new year, We issued repeated and emphatic orders that every region's ever-normal granaries must be fully stocked, yet there are still those who dare to privately sell off the grain. Where this batch of grain has gone is still unclear.

We have already ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to make arrests. Tell me, my beloved ministers, how should these people be dealt with?"

Shi Fenglai, who had always styled himself a member of the Emperor's faction, saw that Wen Tiren still would not open his mouth, so he once again stepped out of the ranks and said: "Memorializing Your Majesty.

Your servant believes that since Your Majesty issued a strict decree before the new year demanding the ever-normal granaries be full, and these people still dared to embezzle, they should be punished as traitors to their sovereign, or, according to the ancestral institutions of the Great Ancestor, the Hongwu Emperor, flayed and stuffed with straw.

However, since these people dared to tamper with the ever-normal granaries, they must have backing behind them. Your Majesty should order a rigorous investigation."

Wen Tiren, however, steeled himself and stepped out of the ranks to memorialize: "Memorializing Your Majesty. Your servant believes Minister Shi's words go too far.

These people indeed deserve death, but this year marks Your Majesty's inaugural Chongzhen reign, and excessive slaughter would be inappropriate.

Therefore, your servant believes the chief culprits should be executed, while the rest may pay fines to atone for their crimes and be ordered to resign and return to their hometowns."

Hearing this, Chongzhen was rather surprised. The person Wen Tiren met last night — did he truly have such influence? He wondered how many in the court would rise to oppose this.

Wen Tiren was also groaning inwardly. His position as Chief Grand Secretary looked glorious — second only to one man, above ten thousand — but in truth, he knew his own suffering.

To say nothing else, with just a few secret instructions from certain people, he would find it impossible to command more than a handful of men in this court. When he proved useless, would the Son of Heaven still let him sit securely in the seat of Chief Grand Secretary today?

Unexpectedly, Chongzhen had long resolved to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. He sneered coldly: "Minister Wen, say no more.

We find Minister Shi's words correct. The governance of this realm has long been in need of rectification.

These years, the Great Ming has been overly lenient, lax in discipline, so that one and all can no longer tell east from west, treating Our decrees as nothing. What use does We have for such officials?

To take Our salary and oppress Our subjects? And in the end, when officials drive the people to revolt, must We face Our ancestors in disgrace after death?"

Wen Tiren, hearing this and seeing that not a single one of the many officials behind him echoed his words, knew the matter was settled. He smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, your servant is old and feeble, unable to endure Your Majesty's command.

Your servant begs for his old bones to be returned, to retire and go home."

Chongzhen, however, laughed: "Old and feeble, you say? Last night, Minister Wen feasted with an honored guest in the study until midnight, and then frolicked in your concubine's chamber for nearly half a watch. How is it that now you are suddenly too old and feeble to serve?"

Wen Tiren was horrified. The Depot and the Guard had, after all, revived the fearsome prestige of the Hongwu and Yongle eras. The Emperor knew everything he had done last night?

Just as he was about to beg for punishment, he heard Chongzhen say flatly: "There have been those in court impeaching you, Minister Wen. Seeing your loyal service to the throne, We mostly held the memorials back without issuing them.

And now, because of a few words from that guest last night, you've changed your mind? Hm?!

Enough. We will not ask you what that man's background is.

Once you are in the Imperial Prison, you will naturally speak."

Having said this, he ignored Wen Tiren and looked at the assembled court officials: "How many of you were approached last night, and by how many people — We can pretend not to know. Your occasional petty vices, We do not care about.

But what We cannot tolerate is taking Our salary while doing things that undermine Us!"

(End of Chapter)