Chapter 50: Court Deliberations

After a thorough round of reprimands, Chongzhen let his expression ease slightly.

Looking down at the assembled officials, each one now thoroughly cowed, Chongzhen finally spoke: "We do not care how you conducted yourselves before — after all, it is an indisputable fact that the Great Ming's salaries were too low in the past.

But from now on, if the Depot and the Guard catch you at it again, everything will be handled according to the ancestral institutions."

"Now, as for the matter of cement — since you ministers already know of it, We will no longer keep it hidden. We plan to use this material for the construction of the Loyal Martyrs' Shrine, and subsequently for the building of city walls. What opinions do you ministers have?"

As the saying goes, kill a chicken to frighten the monkeys — and the court officials, being the "monkeys" so frightened, all answered obediently: "His Majesty is sagely and wise."

Watching his ministers' reactions, Chongzhen cursed them inwardly again as cheap-skinned wretches — the kind who would only behave themselves once you slaughtered them into submission, just like the Manchu-Qing people did.

Now that the officials dared not leap about any further, Chongzhen continued: "There are several more major matters that We need to discuss with you ministers."

"The first is the matter of compensating the common people for their losses during this Jianzhou barbarian incursion.

We are the Son of Heaven, and all the people under Heaven are Our subjects. They suffered hardship this time because of Our earlier edict to strengthen walls and clear the fields, and We cannot let the common people be shortchanged."

After the Minister of Revenue, Guo Yunhou, bowed and acknowledged the order, Chongzhen went on: "The second matter concerns those eight dogs who sold out the country and harmed the people."

"The confiscation of their estates this time has yielded a total of over sixty-three million taels of silver.

Every tael of this silver is likely stained with the blood of our Great Ming's common people. The Ministry of Revenue is ordered to tally it and deposit it all into the national treasury, to be used for the people."

Guo Yunhou acknowledged the order once more, but then raised a question: "Your Majesty, although over sixty-three million taels of silver is a great sum, there is the Loyal Martyrs' Shrine, Liaodong and the border armies, and natural disasters in various regions — the disaster victims also need relief.

How should the funds be allocated among these? I beg Your Majesty to give clear instructions."

Chongzhen thought for a moment and said: "The Loyal Martyrs' Shrine is meant to honor the loyal martyrs who died in battle precisely because those curs colluded with the Jianzhou barbarians. Therefore, priority shall be given to the construction of the Loyal Martyrs' Shrine."

"Second, pay off all the military wages owed in arrears to the border armies and the various guard stations.

This matter shall be led by the Ministry of War, coordinated by the Ministry of Revenue, and supervised by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Whoever dares to stretch out a hand shall have it chopped off."

"As for the silver required for the pacification and compensation of the common people near the capital, all such expenditures shall be disbursed from the privy purse, based on the records previously kept by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The distribution of compensation silver this time shall be carried out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard units under Tian Ergeng, and supervised by the Western Depot units under Wei Zhongxian. Whoever dares to stretch out a hand shall have it chopped off!"

After the several men bowed together and acknowledged the orders, Chongzhen continued: "Furthermore, regarding the elderly widowed and orphaned who have been left homeless by the Jianzhou barbarian incursion, and the orphans left behind by the guardsmen who died in battle — what do you ministers think should be done to settle them?"

Wen Tiren, who had been serving as a background wall for quite some time, stepped out from the ranks and memorialized: "I memorialize Your Majesty: in my humble opinion, the orphans of the various armies can be placed in the care of local almshouses for shelter and preferential treatment.

As for the elderly widowed and orphaned left homeless by the Jianzhou barbarian incursion, Your Majesty could also issue a special decree relaxing the restrictions of the Elder Care Statutes, and have local officials provide proper relief and comfort."

Only then did Chongzhen recall having read online in his later era that, whatever else one might say about the Great Ming, its welfare system for caring for the elderly was absolutely top-notch.

After a moment's thought, he said bluntly: "In that case, the elderly widowed and orphaned may be placed in the care of almshouses. All those aged fifty and above shall be provided for according to the Elder Care Statutes established by the Hongwu Emperor, the Great Ancestor.

Wang Cheng'en, order the Directorate of Ceremonial to draft the edict."

Having finished with the elderly, Chongzhen circled the conversation back to the children: "The matter of the elderly widowed and orphaned is settled. Now let us discuss the orphans left behind by the various armies."

"We believe that simply having the almshouses take them in does not do justice to these soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the nation."

"Very well. These orphans shall be taken in and raised by the palace. Those willing to serve in the military shall be organized into a separate Young Soldiers Battalion. Those unwilling to serve shall attend elementary schools in the capital."

What Chongzhen was actually thinking of was the story of Han Wu. The famously renowned Yulin Guard under Emperor Wu of Han had its origins as an army of orphans.

By following that example and raising a similar young army himself, once these children grew up, they would naturally become the sharpest blade in his hand and his most loyal hawks and hounds.

Once these matters were arranged, Chongzhen recalled yet another thing and continued: "During this Jianzhou barbarian incursion, We once spoke of compiling a Register of Han Traitors. What do you ministers think?"

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren stepped out from the ranks and memorialized: "Your Majesty, this task can simply be assigned to the Hanlin Academy for compilation. However, what sort of people are to be entered into this book? I beg Your Majesty to give clear instructions."

Chongzhen said: "Zhonghang Yue of the Former Han, the Child Emperor Shi Jingtang of the Later Jin, Qin Hui of the former Song, and the eight great merchant-traitors of our own dynasty, along with Fan Wencheng and others — any descendants of Yan and Huang by their side who willingly became running dogs for foreign races — all shall have their names entered into this register.

The book must include illustrations and likenesses, so that these dog-traitors will be remembered by later generations."

"Additionally, once the Loyal Martyrs' Shrine is completed, iron statues shall be cast of Zhonghang Yue, Qin Hui, Fan Wencheng, and the rest, to kneel outside the Loyal Martyrs' Shrine for the common people and future descendants to spit upon.

This matter is assigned to Minister Wen to lead the Hanlin Academy in carrying out."

Seeing Wen Tiren also bow and acknowledge the order, Chongzhen spoke again: "The total proceeds from confiscating the estates of the eight Han-traitor merchants and those who plotted rebellion this time, when added together, likely amount to nearly a hundred million taels.

We intend to upgrade the Banknote Office into the Great Ming Imperial Bank, placed directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue, to be solely responsible for the printing and recall of treasure notes, and to reissue treasure notes anew."

What Chongzhen did not expect was that the first to jump out in opposition was actually his previous good teammate — a member of the eunuch faction within the Grand Secretariat, Second Grand Secretary Shi Fenglai.

Hearing that Chongzhen wanted to reissue treasure notes, Shi Fenglai objected: "I memorialize Your Majesty: regarding the matter of treasure notes, I believe this should be postponed."

"First, treasure notes are already flooding the common market. Even seven or eight strings of treasure notes cannot be exchanged for a single tael of silver."

"Second, the common people have no faith in treasure notes, and therefore are unwilling to use them."

"Third, if someone were to counterfeit the treasure notes, how should that be dealt with?"

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen felt that none of these issues were insurmountable, and said: "The problems Minister Shi has raised — We have already considered them beforehand."

"For this issuance of treasure notes, We shall summon highly skilled craftsmen and order them to research anti-counterfeiting techniques for the notes.

This will be combined with covert investigations by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to guard against any lawbreakers attempting forgery. Should anyone report a counterfeiter, that person shall receive half of the counterfeiter's estate."

"Furthermore, the capital shall serve as the initial trial site.

Military wages and the compensation this time shall all be disbursed half in silver coin and half in treasure notes.

A separate Great Ming People's Livelihood Bank shall be established, with many branch locations set up throughout the city, allowing the common people to freely exchange between the two."

"Thereafter, all tax payments and the like within the capital shall prioritize the acceptance of treasure notes. Should one pay taxes in silver, a meltage fee of one mace shall be collected per tael of silver."

"Moreover, the amount of treasure notes printed shall exactly match the amount of silver coin held in the national treasury — not a single wen shall be issued recklessly. With all this in place, would the common people then be able to trust these treasure notes?"

Shi Fenglai thought it over and indeed found no problems. If using silver incurred a meltage fee, and treasure notes could be freely exchanged for silver, the common people would likely even scramble to use treasure notes and grow to dislike using silver.

Having thought this through, Shi Fenglai expressed his approval and opposed it no further.

But the words Chongzhen spoke next once again sent the hearts of the hundred officials and the ennobled nobles in the court leaping into their throats.

I owe 33 chapters... I don't want to live anymore. Just bury me under your tips and let me die willingly.

(End of Chapter)