Chapter 146: Wishing to Move Wealthy Households to Accompany the Imperial Tomb

Standing in the great hall where a falling needle could be heard, under the gaze of so many people, the Director of the Imperial Observatory's legs did not tremble — that alone was a skill honed by many years in office.

In the end, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, truly unable to bear the pressure, simply dropped to the ground with a thud and said in a trembling voice, "Your subject is dull-witted and cannot clearly discern the late Emperor's intent.

Your subject's crime deserves death ten thousand times over."

Chongzhen, who had long anticipated this outcome, did not feel particularly disappointed, and merely said flatly, "Rise. We said from the start that no matter what, no blame would be assigned."

Only then did the Director of the Imperial Observatory shakily get to his feet, and in the same motion wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Seeing that the Director of the Imperial Observatory had come to no harm, Censor Yuan Hongxun, a member of the eunuch faction skilled at reading his sovereign's wishes, was the first to step out of line and memorialize, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject Yuan Hongxun has a memorial."

At the sight of a Censor, Chongzhen felt some displeasure. These fellows did little real work, but when it came to impeachments, for the sake of winning a reputation for integrity, there was nothing they would not do.

But since he had earlier said he would take no offense no matter what, it would not do to go back on his own words now, so Chongzhen said flatly, "What matter does our beloved minister have?"

Yuan Hongxun bowed and said, "Your subject reports to Your Majesty: the late Emperor sent a dream to Your Majesty. Whatever the interpretation of that dream, the late Emperor's intent was plainly made known to Your Majesty.

Your subject believes that the bond between the late Emperor and Your Majesty as brothers runs deep.

Since the dream conveyed a request, Your Majesty, as the late Emperor's younger brother, ought to follow the late Emperor's wishes and move some commoners from Suzhou and Hangzhou to dwell beside the De Mausoleum.

First, this would fulfill the brotherly bond between Your Majesty and the late Emperor; second, allowing commoners to accompany the Emperor and attend him beside the late Emperor's tomb is itself an act of grace."

What the hell! This fellow was no pure-stream Censor and remonstrating official! Only when he saw Shi Fenglai cast Yuan Hongxun an approving glance did Chongzhen understand — this fellow was one of the eunuch faction!

Of course, whatever faction he belonged to, so long as he could share his sovereign's burdens, he was surely a good one. As for the eunuch faction's sordid affairs, the present Chongzhen simply turned a blind eye.

Chongzhen, however, continued to hold his pose and asked, "Does any beloved minister hold a different opinion?"

Otherwise, why do they say don't put on airs, or lightning will strike you? If Chongzhen had gone with the flow and settled the matter outright, any other court official who wished to object would have had to think it over carefully.

But since you, the Chongzhen Emperor, had already declared that no one would be punished for their words, and now opened wide the gates to remonstrance, what more was there to say?

Several Censors and remonstrating officials exchanged glances, each understanding the other's meaning — brothers, charge!

At once a Censor stepped out of line and memorialized, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject believes this cannot be done."

Chongzhen, his face slapped, did not change expression, but merely asked flatly, "Why can it not be done?"

That Censor said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the commoners of Suzhou and Hangzhou originally dwell in Jiangnan. To abruptly move them to the vicinity of the De Mausoleum in Changping, I fear they would find it hard to adapt in their daily habits.

The south eats mostly rice; the north eats mostly wheat. This is the first reason."

"The second: if too many wealthy households are moved, prices at the De Mausoleum will inevitably soar, and how then are the remaining commoners to make a living?

If only commoners are moved, then the journey from south to north is no different from sentencing them to exile — a route of no less than three thousand li."

"Therefore, your subject believes it cannot be done. Moving people to accompany the imperial tomb, though it fulfills the bond between Your Majesty and the late Emperor, would be inconvenient for the people and in truth a disturbance of the people. Your subject begs Your Majesty to think thrice."

When this Censor had finished, several other Censors at once raised a clamor of agreement. At this point the face of Chongzhen on the dragon throne could no longer preserve its earlier calm, and began slowly to darken.

"Then does our beloved minister have instruction for Us?

Would you have Us go back on Our word and break faith with Our imperial elder brother?"

This Censor was a bold one; since Chongzhen had already promised not to punish anyone for their words, he at once bowed and said, "Your subject is dull-witted, and begs Your Majesty's forgiveness."

In his heart, Chongzhen let out a "what the hell." Mother of his!

So you just dump the pot on Us like that? You say the people must not be disturbed, that Suzhou and Hangzhou commoners must not be moved, yet you give Us no way to answer to Our imperial elder brother — and that's it?

One "dull-witted," and We have to figure out all the mess that follows Ourselves?

It must be said, the highest realm of acting is acting until you yourself believe it. Chongzhen, who had been hypnotizing himself since last night, had almost come to believe that Tianqi really had sent him a dream.

Thus what the assembled officials saw was Chongzhen's face going from still water, to gathering storm clouds, to gloom like deep water.

Before Chongzhen could erupt, Wen Tiren stepped out of line and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject believes Censor Chen Zhiji's words are mistaken."

Chongzhen simply gave a cold snort and said, "Speak."

Only then did Wen Tiren bow and say, "Reporting to Your Majesty, what Censor Chen said just now sounds reasonable on the surface. In fact, it is not so."

"If only commoners are moved, the distance of the journey would indeed be no different from exiling the people to the capital. But if only wealthy households are moved to the capital region, this worry does not arise."

Chongzhen, however, deliberately picked up Censor Chen Zhiji's line of argument and said, "But if only wealthy households are moved, prices in Changping will soar. What then of the commoners?"

Wen Tiren, with an air of full confidence, said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, does Your Majesty still recall the lands of State Uncle Zhou and former Chief Grand Secretary Huang Liji that were previously confiscated into the imperial estates?"

Chongzhen grunted in acknowledgment and said, "We naturally remember. Those lands could no longer be traced to their origins, and not even the commoners they had oppressed came forward to testify, so they had to be confiscated into the imperial estates."

Wen Tiren bowed once more, and only then said, "Your subject is guilty of a capital crime, but dares to ask Your Majesty to allocate some of the imperial estate lands and move the commoners originally dwelling near the De Mausoleum — even the commoners of Changping — to go and farm them.

In this way, the commoners of Changping would have no worries, and the imperial estate lands would not go to waste. This is truly a measure that achieves two ends at once."

Seeing that Wen Tiren had fired the first shot, Shi Fenglai followed close behind: "Reporting to Your Majesty, your humble subject also believes Lord Wen's words are reasonable.

Moving people to accompany a tomb existed already in the Former Han; it is not an invention of our dynasty. Since the late Emperor sent a dream to Your Majesty, Your Majesty cannot ignore it, lest the late Emperor be left uneasy."

Only then did Chongzhen grunt and ask, "Do the assembled beloved ministers still hold any differing opinions?"

Before any other Censor could come out and spoil the mood, the Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, was the first to jump out and memorialize, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject seconds what Lord Wen and Lord Shi have said.

Were it not that the late Emperor's dream specifically requested people from Suzhou and Hangzhou, your subject would also be willing to go to the De Mausoleum and keep vigil at the late Emperor's tomb."

The head of the eunuch faction, Wei Zhongxian, was not willing to be left out either.

Wei Zhongxian, who by rights should have stood obediently in the hall as a human background decoration, had already collapsed to his knees in tears and was striking his head on the ground, saying, "Your slave is guilty of a capital crime.

Your slave is willing to keep vigil at the late Emperor's tomb!"

Seeing Wen Tiren, Shi Fenglai, and the head of the eunuch faction all declare their positions one after another, the many court officials only now cursed inwardly — mother of his! This had surely been agreed upon long ago, and today they were just brought to court to go through the motions!

Chongzhen, however, did not wait for the other court officials to raise any more nauseating opinions, and simply made the final decision: "In that case, beloved ministers Wen and Shi, the two of you, together with beloved minister Guo of the Ministry of Revenue, shall deliberate on exactly what sort of people should be moved to Our imperial elder brother's mausoleum.

This matter brooks no carelessness. You must ensure the moved commoners are satisfied, and that no disturbances arise."

(End of Chapter)