Chapter 35: We Want Them Publicly Tried

The moment the Eight Locust Merchants heard this, they were so terrified they lost control of their bowels and bladder on the spot.

Now that the Emperor had suddenly issued this order, even if they had men in the court and had spent years cultivating influence throughout Xuanfu, they feared they could hardly escape this calamity.

Fan Yongdou cried out, "Your Majesty! This commoner is wronged, Your Majesty!"

The Chongzhen Emperor laughed coldly. "Wronged? You resold goods and smuggled ironware and provisions — did We wrong you?"

Fan Yongdou immediately wailed, "Your Majesty, we are all honest men of business! We conducted our trade strictly according to the open-certificate law! If you kill us, who will be willing to carry out the open-certificate law in the future, Your Majesty?!"

At the mention of the open-certificate law, the Chongzhen Emperor erupted in fury. "The open-certificate law?! Did the open-certificate law ever permit you to sell border defense intelligence to the Jianzhou barbarians? You even smuggled gunpowder and firearms, did you not?

If We do not punish you, how can We face the millions of soldiers and common folk of the Great Ming who have died unjustly because of you?!"

Having finished speaking, the Chongzhen Emperor turned to Lu Xiangsheng and Chiliarch Gao and asked, "How goes the matter We entrusted to you?"

Chiliarch Gao immediately replied, "In answer to Your Majesty, I have already dispatched men to watch the households of these several families. Not a single person will escape."

The Chongzhen Emperor said, "Good. Where is Ma Xianglin?"

Ma Xianglin, who had been concealed among the troops all along, now stepped out from the ranks, dropped to one knee, and declared, "Your subordinate is here!"

The Chongzhen Emperor said, "Take your White-Pole troops and Our handwritten decree to Datong. Chiliarch Gao will dispatch the Embroidered Uniform Guard to assist.

You are to seal every business establishment these men own in Datong and arrest every member of their households, bringing them all here in chains."

After a pause, he added, "Li Xiang, Regional Commander of Datong, has failed to serve the state loyally. Arrest him as well and bring him back to the capital for punishment.

If he resists, execute him on the spot. Furthermore, inform all the officers and soldiers of Datong that if they henceforth serve the state loyally, We shall not pursue past offenses.

An edict will arrive tomorrow."

After giving Ma Xianglin his orders, he addressed the assembled men before him.

"Yang Zhengxin, Regional Commander of Xuanfu, has failed to serve the state loyally and is deficient in virtue.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is to arrest him and bring him back to the capital. Qin Liangyu shall serve as acting commander.

Lu Xiangsheng is appointed Governor-General of Xuan-Da, with authority over military provisions in Xuanfu, Datong, Shanxi, and other areas. We hope you will hold the state's interests in your heart and guard the northern gateway of the Great Ming well."

Lu Xiangsheng, upon hearing this, was overcome with emotion and immediately performed a formal salute. "Your servant Lu Xiangsheng accepts the decree! Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The Chongzhen Emperor cast an icy glance at Yang Zhengxin, the Regional Commander of Xuanfu, who lay paralyzed on the ground. Recalling the scorched earth he had seen everywhere along the road, he longed to flay these scoundrel officials and the Eight Locust Merchants alive on the spot.

But these men could not be allowed to die today. These officials still needed to be taken back to the capital for a thorough investigation from top to bottom.

As for the Eight Locust Merchants, they would be publicly tried and flayed alive right here in Xuanfu today!

With this in mind, the Chongzhen Emperor ordered Lu Xiangsheng to go prepare for the public trial, and then ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to spread word through the city.

After all the commotion at the city gate, it was already approaching noon. The Chongzhen Emperor did not bother to rest after entering the city, but directly ordered the Xuanfu Reserve Circuit Garrison Commander to lead him to the Xuanfu military camp.

The string of arrest orders he had just issued would surely leave the camp in a state of panic; if a mutiny broke out, that would be no laughing matter.

Upon arriving at the camp, he indeed found the soldiers all looking utterly bewildered. If someone stirred them up at this moment, a major disturbance would be inevitable.

When the Xuanfu troops saw the Chongzhen Emperor in his golden armor enter the camp first, with eunuch attendants beside him, they hurriedly knelt and paid their respects.

The Chongzhen Emperor paid them no heed and headed straight for the parade ground. Upon reaching it, he dismounted and ascended directly onto the command platform.

The Chongzhen Emperor said to Fang Zhenghua, the Director Fang who had shadowed his every step, "Beat the drums and muster the troops!"

Xuanfu was, after all, a critical military stronghold of the time, and the quality of its soldiers was far superior to that of ordinary guard battalions. Before the third roll of the drums had faded, all the officers and soldiers were assembled beneath the command platform.

Seeing the assembly complete, the Chongzhen Emperor stepped forward and declared, "Soldiers! Whatever mistakes you may have made in the past, We shall not pursue them!

The arrest of Yang Zhengxin, Regional Commander of Xuanfu, was by Our decree!

We did not wish to issue this decree.

But Yang Zhengxin colluded with the merchants of Xuanfu, secretly selling weapons and provisions to the Jianzhou barbarians, allowing the Jianzhou barbarians to eat the provisions the court originally gave you, and to wield the weapons the court issued to you, to come and slaughter you!

Tell me — can We spare such a man?"

This was a rather large slander to pin on him. After all, Yang Zhengxin had indeed accepted bribes from the Eight Locust Merchants and turned a blind eye to smuggling, but to say he dared directly resell military provisions and weapons — there was truly no evidence for that.

But how could the Xuanfu soldiers know the truth? They all shouted in response, "No! No! No!" After all, this directly concerned their own lives, and no one was willing to follow such an unreliable superior officer.

"We know that in the past, following Yang Zhengxin, you may have committed many wrongs.

However, the fault does not lie with you. As We said just now, We shall not pursue past offenses!"

Then, shifting his tone, the Chongzhen Emperor continued, "We too wish to live in peace. But soldiers, the Jianzhou barbarians will not allow it.

These savages batter at our gates time and again, burning, killing, and plundering. What shall we do?

Can we retreat? Behind us stand your parents, wives, and children — our homeland! If we retreat, we push them under the butcher's knife of the Jianzhou barbarians! Soldiers, can we retreat?"

Hearing this, the soldiers shouted in unison, "No retreat! No retreat!"

The Chongzhen Emperor continued, "Very good. Of course we cannot retreat. But shall we simply hold our ground to the death? We tell you — no! We want you to train hard and kill the Jianzhou barbarians! One day, We shall lead you personally on a campaign to Liaodong!

Your pay and provisions will be made up and issued to you. Henceforth, you need no longer farm the military colonies. We only want you to train hard and kill the Jianzhou barbarians! For every Jianzhou barbarian head, a reward of two taels of silver!

Nor need you worry about what becomes of you if you die in battle. The Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred is already under construction in the capital.

All who give their lives in loyal service to the Great Ming shall be enshrined there after death! So long as the Great Ming endures, the incense shall burn forever!

At the same time, We shall dispatch army supervisors, down to the lowest level of the Centurion commands. These supervisors will not interfere with your combat operations.

But if you have any grievances, go to them without hesitation! If anyone skims your pay and provisions — go to the supervisors!

If anyone steals credit for your battlefield merits — go to the supervisors! If anyone drives you to forced labor — go to the supervisors!

They are Our eyes placed within the army, and the bridge by which We communicate with you!"

Hearing these words, the soldiers for the first time felt that these army supervisors might not be as detestable as the ones before.

The previous supervisors were all eunuchs from the palace — embezzling, meddling with command, they did it more ruthlessly than anyone!

If the new supervisors were truly as His Majesty described, then aside from depriving the officers of their avenues for graft, the rank-and-file soldiers would welcome them heartily.

The Chongzhen Emperor paid no mind to what the officers below were thinking. In his view, so long as the lowest-ranking soldiers were loyal to him, even if the officers wanted to rebel, it would be useless.

Once the Great Ming established its bank in the future and military pay was disbursed through the bank, the court's control over the army would tighten further, and private armies and the like would cease to exist.

After a pause, the Chongzhen Emperor added, "In this city of Xuanfu, there are those who wish to bring death upon Us — and upon you, soldiers!

Those eight merchant families colluded with the Jianzhou barbarians and smuggled weapons and provisions. Their crimes are now proven beyond doubt!

We shall hold a public trial for these traitors to the Han in the city. Soldiers, come with Us!"

This... this should count as yesterday's second update. We are guilty; Our typing speed is too slow...

(End of Chapter)