Chapter 131: Abolishing the Title of Duke of Yansheng

Wei Liangqing immediately bowed and said, "I obey the decree!" With that, he waved a hand and addressed the duty warriors in the hall — those broad-shouldered, barrel-chested Han Generals — "Separate all the honored gentlemen."

Chongzhen shot Wei Liangqing a thoroughly exasperated glare; the man was putting on an act, but he had absolutely grasped his meaning — stall for a little more time!

Once the assembled officials had been separated, Chongzhen surveyed the sorry state of the high and low mandarins and nearly laughed in sheer disbelief — Shi Fenglai's hat was nowhere to be found, Cui Chengxiu's sleeve had been torn open, and Meng Shaoyu sported a vivid red handprint on his face, which needed no asking to know was Cui Chengxiu's doing.

As for the several Censors, remonstrance officials, and other lower-ranked functionaries whom the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Han Generals had helped to their feet, they were in even more wretched shape; some still bore the imprint of a boot sole on their faces.

Among the multitude of officials and ennobled aristocrats, the ones who had come through looking best were Zhang Weixian and the rest of the military house contingent — even the most decayed military house still had a bit of martial foundation, and their combat prowess far outstripped that of the civil officials.

Thoroughly incensed, Chongzhen said with a dark face, "We have certainly broadened Our horizons today! Were Our beloved ministers perhaps planning to reenact the grand spectacles of the Jingtai era?

If Our Minister of War was not enough, you could add the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander and the Directorate of Ceremonial eunuch to make up the numbers, and if that still wasn't enough, you could count Us in as well!?"

These words cut straight to the bone. Under Shi Fenglai's lead, the assembled courtiers all fell to their knees and kowtowed, saying, "Your servants deserve death. We beg Your Majesty to quell your wrath."

Chongzhen, however, did not bid them rise, and said coldly, "Fine, every last one of you a hero. When the Jianzhou barbarians battered at the capital's gates, We did not see you mount the walls to kill the foe, yet today you dare to brawl openly in the imperial court.

Every one of you a hero indeed! Cowardly against foreign foes and fierce in internal strife — the civil and military officials of our Great Ming truly do Us proud!"

This speech sent the assembled courtiers kowtowing once more: "Your servants deserve ten thousand deaths! Your Majesty, quell your wrath."

Only when Chongzhen judged that the officials had knelt long enough did he give a cold snort and say, "All of you, rise."

Once the courtiers had risen, Chongzhen spoke: "Who struck the first blow just now? Step forward!"

Censorate Secretary Xu Chengwen, who had thrown the first punch, felt his heart lurch. Steeling himself, he stepped forward and bowed, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it was your humble servant who struck first. This servant's crime warrants ten thousand deaths!"

Chongzhen looked at this Censorate Secretary called Xu Chengwen and said coldly, "When the Jianzhou barbarians came the other day, why did you not mount the walls to kill the foe? Today you find the brute courage of a common ruffian?"

Without waiting for Xu Chengwen to defend himself, he pronounced directly: "Censorate Secretary Xu Chengwen, for instigating a court brawl, thirty strokes of the court flogging. Dismissed from office and stripped of rank, never to be employed again!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Liangqing immediately waved a hand at the Han Generals in the hall, and two Han Generals promptly marched Xu Chengwen out of the hall.

Ignoring Xu Chengwen's cries for mercy, Chongzhen next asked Chief Censor of the Censorate Cao Sicheng, "Unseemly conduct before the sovereign — what is the prescribed penalty?"

Cao Sicheng, a eunuch-faction heavyweight who had also taken part in the brawl, though inwardly uneasy, still bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, unseemly conduct before the sovereign warrants a fine of salary.

Today's court brawl by the assembled ministers has already exceeded mere unseemly conduct before the sovereign; it is in truth the offense of gross disrespect."

Chongzhen, however, said to Wang Cheng'en, "Draft an edict: The assembled ministers, having engaged in unseemly conduct and brawling before the sovereign, originally committed the offense of gross disrespect.

We, in Our mercy, mitigate the sentence: each shall be fined one year's salary, to be observed for future conduct. Any who offend again shall be dealt with under the statute for gross disrespect."

In his heart, Chongzhen would have dearly loved to use this opportunity for a thorough purge, but among the Double-Flower-Red-Stick tier, the ones who had struck first were Cui Chengxiu and Zhang Weixian — he could hardly start by chopping those two.

Thoroughly pained, Chongzhen continued to the courtiers, "You've all tired yourselves out by now, I trust? If you are all tired, then let us properly deliberate what exactly is to be done about this matter of the Duke of Yansheng.

If you believe that violence can settle the issue, you may go outside the Meridian Gate and have a proper fight; whichever side wins shall be in the right. How about that?"

The courtiers cursed inwardly — this was the way of barbarian Hu and Tatar tribes. Even if you, the Emperor, have no shame, we are dignified, refined men of Huaxia and still want our dignity. How could we follow the ways of those savages on the steppe? What sort of decorum is that!

It was still Shi Fenglai who stepped out first and memorialized, "Your Majesty, quell your wrath. Your servants' momentary lapse in decorum warrants ten thousand deaths, but Your Majesty must still safeguard the dragon body."

Only then did Chongzhen say huffily, "Enough, enough. We did not call upon you to beg forgiveness. All that is empty. Now speak — what exactly is the proposal?"

Shi Fenglai said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant still holds to the view expressed earlier.

Since the Southern Lineage has thus been extinguished, and the Northern Lineage is unworthy to tend the Sage's ancestral temple, it would be better to abolish the title outright and have the state perform the rites and offerings to the Sage instead."

Chongzhen simply asked Meng Shaoyu, "Beloved Minister Meng is the Minister of Rites. What, precisely, is your opinion?"

Meng Shaoyu very much wished to stick to his earlier view, but his faintly aching cheek reminded him that he had already suffered once. If he provoked another brawl, who knew what would happen.

In any case, he was not the one who stood to lose; if the Kong clan met with misfortune, so be it, as long as the Confucian moral order was not harmed. He might as well shove the whole matter onto that damned eunuch-faction Shi Fenglai.

If it truly stirred up trouble, that would be Shi's own affair.

Having reached this calculation in his mind, Meng Shaoyu also stepped out and memorialized, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant is dull-witted and has no good stratagem in mind. It would be better to follow what Grand Secretary Shi has proposed."

Seeing that both heavyweights held this opinion, those below no longer voiced opposition and stepped out one after another to second the motion.

With this, Chongzhen was more or less satisfied, and then continued, "Now let us deliberate the next matter: how are the people of the Northern Lineage to be dealt with? Where is the Minister of Justice?"

Su Maoxiang, the Minister of Justice, who had always styled himself a gentleman of the pure stream, stepped out and said, "Your servant memorializes Your Majesty: if we follow the Great Ming Code, the people of the Northern Lineage are guilty of the premeditated murder of a sitting state duke, which constitutes premeditated rebellion.

By law, they should be exterminated to the ninth degree of kinship."

Chongzhen, hearing this, said coldly, "'If'? It seems Beloved Minister Su has more to say that he has not finished?"

Su Maoxiang's heart lurched. He memorialized, "Your Majesty is sagely and clear-sighted.

Although these people of the Northern Lineage deserve death, they are, after all, descendants of the Sage, and excessive slaughter would be inappropriate. Your servant believes they should be dealt with leniently."

Before Chongzhen could speak, another wave of seconding voices rose in the court. In any case, no matter what, getting you to abolish this title was already our greatest concession.

If you, little Emperor, go and slaughter the Sage's bloodline to the last man, won't the very root of Confucianism be severed? This absolutely cannot be allowed!

Chongzhen pondered for a moment, and finally spoke: "We once read the histories and saw in the Records of the Grand Historian, in the Biography of Lord Shang, the saying: 'When a prince breaks the law, he is punished the same as a commoner.' The descendants of the Sage are, after all, not the Sage himself.

To commit such despicable acts only brings disgrace upon the Sage."

After a moment of deliberation, Chongzhen said to Wang Cheng'en, "Draft an edict: The Kong clan Northern Lineage, devoid of benevolence and righteousness, no better than beasts.

For the sake of the dynasty's dignity, all within the ninth degree of kinship are granted the mercy of suicide. Those aged ninety and above, and those aged seven and below, are exempted from this provision."

To eliminate future troubles, gritting his teeth, Chongzhen continued, "However, though the death penalty may be remitted, the punishment of the living shall not be escaped. The remainder are to be exiled to Dongjiang for military conscription."

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(End of Chapter)