Chapter 56: Disposal

The Jianzhou barbarians were annihilated, the four seas were at peace, all quarters came to pay tribute, and myriad nations came to court.

The Chongzhen Emperor felt deeply satisfied — in just over ten short years since his accession, he had achieved what Yue Wumu had dreamed of: "reclaiming the old rivers and mountains."

Now the armies on every frontier were pushing outward, striving to expand the Great Ming's territory.

Even the Great Ming Royal Navy had already set sail for the Americas, searching for the legendary descendants of the fallen Shang dynasty wandering overseas, preparing to bring them back into the fold of Huaxia.

As for within the realm, several high-yield crops had been widely planted, and the common people no longer worried about having enough to eat. In fact, with grain so abundant, some was even being fed to pigs — truly a blessing so excessive it bordered on sinful.

The Great Ming of today had fully recreated the flourishing scene of the High Tang, when "public and private granaries alike overflowed with abundance."

Having been an emperor to the degree Chongzhen had, there was basically nothing left to strive for. In both civil governance and military achievement, he could be said to have far surpassed the Han and Tang.

Therefore, the Chongzhen Emperor decided to seek a little amusement on the North Sea Lake in the capital, summoning several of the city's famous acrobatic troupes to perform for the entertainment of himself and the Empress.

Before his eyes, the acrobatic troupe pulled out every trick they had — breathing fire, swallowing swords, every kind of performance, each excelling in its own way. In the distant night sky, fireworks bloomed in celebration of him, the Son of Heaven. What more could he possibly be dissatisfied with?

Just as Chongzhen and the Empress were wholly absorbed in watching the performance before them, a sudden catastrophe struck.

From within the acrobatic troupe ahead, someone abruptly drew a concealed blade and lunged straight for Chongzhen, shouting: "Dog emperor, your life is forfeit!"

Startled, Chongzhen hurriedly pulled the Empress back in rapid retreat. Fang Zhenghua, who was in attendance at his side, rushed forward to intercept the assassin.

At that moment, the Embroidered Uniform Guard on alert in the distance also noticed something was wrong. All of them drew their Embroidered Spring Blades and surged forward to protect the imperial person, only to be unexpectedly blocked by another group that suddenly charged out.

The two sides clashed in slaughter right before Chongzhen's eyes.

Enraged, Chongzhen bellowed at the assassins who were driving Fang Zhenghua back step by step before him: "Who are you people?! Do you not fear the extermination of nine degrees of kinship?!"

The lead assassin was a powerfully built man, around twenty-some years old. He spat and roared: "Nine degrees of kinship?!

My nine degrees of kinship were long ago slaughtered by you, you dog emperor! Do you still remember the Zhou and Hou clans, whose entire households you exterminated twelve years ago?

Today I will have my revenge for this irreconcilable blood feud!" Fighting with ever greater ferocity, the assassin struck Fang Zhenghua dead on the spot.

Since Chongzhen had only Fang Zhenghua as a guard at his side, and those nearby were all tied down by others, for a moment there was no one left to stop the assassin.

Chongzhen could only watch helplessly as the assassin's keen sword thrust toward his heart — so terrified that Chongzhen let out a great cry: "Ah!"

Abruptly waking, Chongzhen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, only to realize it had been nothing but a grand dream. The scene, in fact, was remarkably close to a movie he had seen in his previous life, Fong Sai-yuk.

It must have been a case of dwelling on something by day and dreaming of it by night.

The Empress, startled awake by Chongzhen's shout, hurriedly rose and draped the blanket over Chongzhen, fearful that he might catch a chill.

Fang Zhenghua and the Embroidered Uniform Guard lieutenants on duty outside the door also rushed in, having already drawn their blades, ready for a fight.

But seeing that Chongzhen had already put on his underclothes and gotten out of bed, and that there were no assassins in the bedchamber, the entire group hastily fell to their knees and said in unison: "Your servants are guilty, having startled Your Majesty.

Your servants deserve death ten thousand times over!"

Startled from his nightmare, Chongzhen said angrily: "Summon Xu Xianchun of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Cao Huachun, Director of the Eastern Depot, Wei Zhongxian, Director of the Western Depot, and Wang Cheng'en, seal-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, to come before Us!"

By the time these men hurriedly arrived at Chongzhen's bedchamber, Chongzhen had already changed his clothes and was drinking tea, though the shock and anger on his face could not be concealed.

Wang Cheng'en, as the one most trusted by Chongzhen, mustered his courage and asked: "Your Majesty, summoning your slaves here in the deep of night — may we ask what has happened?"

Chongzhen had summoned these men intending to directly root out the weeds, to eliminate outright those among the day's amnesty who were older. But when the words reached his lips, the mindset of an ordinary man from a later age ultimately prevailed, and he could not bring himself to speak them.

With a sigh, Chongzhen said: "We just had a nightmare. In the dream, those children granted amnesty today grew to adulthood and came to assassinate Us.

We summoned you here originally intending to have you root out the weeds. But We ultimately cannot harden Our heart. Enough — withdraw, all of you. Let this matter end here."

The men exchanged glances but did not leave. Wei Zhongxian stepped forward half a pace, bowed, and said: "Imperial Lord, it truly would be right to root out the weeds.

Among those children, the oldest are already ten. When they grow up, they will surely remember today's events.

If they harbor gratitude, that would be one thing, but if their hearts are twisted, I fear it would indeed be just as in Your Majesty's dream."

Chongzhen, however, said: "Enough. They are children, after all. What would killing them accomplish? Surely they lack the ability to assassinate Us."

Xu Xianchun also spoke: "Your Majesty, your servant also believes they cannot be spared.

Since Your Majesty is merciful and unwilling to create more slaughter, perhaps we could send the women and children aged five and above to the penal labor camp under Mao Wenlong at Dongjiang, ordering them to follow the army and redeem their crimes through service.

As for the younger ones, they can be trained by the Depot and the Guard. Since children under five have little memory, as long as they can endure it, they will become the most loyal blades of the Depot and the Guard.

The Depot and the Guard were originally due to replenish a batch of children this year; now we can simply stuff them in."

Wang Cheng'en also said: "Your Majesty, this old slave also believes Lord Xu's words are most sound. After all, if the weeds are not rooted out, the spring breeze will make them grow again.

Since Your Majesty is merciful and wishes to give them a path to live, then perhaps we should proceed as Lord Xu suggests — it would not be without merit as a solution."

Chongzhen, however, was torn. In the later age, what could a ten-year-old child understand?

Family vengeance? At an age when all they cared about was play, could any child truly remember?

But then he reconsidered — the people of this Great Ming generally matured early; it was common everywhere to marry at thirteen or fourteen. What if someone truly came to assassinate him in the future?

What then?

In the end, the thought of "better the stranger dies than I" ultimately prevailed. Gritting his teeth, Chongzhen said: "Enough.

Let it be as Our beloved minister Xu proposes. Wang Cheng'en, draft the edict: order the Embroidered Uniform Guard to send all the prisoners in question to the penal labor camp in Liaodong, commanding them to atone for their crimes through service.

Children aged three and under are to be kept by the Embroidered Uniform Guard for training, so that upon reaching adulthood they may serve the state."

Through this affair, Chongzhen finally hardened his heart, forcing himself not to think of the wretched scenes of mothers and children being torn apart.

He then asked Xu Xianchun: "Last time when the Jianzhou barbarians besieged the city, Liu Xingzuo was on the verge of returning to the Great Ming. How does the matter stand now?"

Because the Great Ming had always held that Liaodong was Great Ming territory and the Jianzhou barbarians were merely rebels, intelligence and espionage in Liaodong remained the responsibility of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; the Eastern Depot did not meddle in Liaodong affairs.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xianchun hastily bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, the latest news is that Liu Xingzuo has already returned to Dongjiang together with General Mao Wenlong and can come back at any time. Your servant was just about to send men to establish contact."

Chongzhen said: "In that case, select another Centurion command to escort these prisoners along on the journey."

Xu Xianchun bowed and accepted the order: "Your servant obeys the decree."

Having finally cast aside completely the benevolence, righteousness, and morality of his previous life, Chongzhen began to learn to view and handle problems through the eyes of a Great Ming emperor.

We ultimately decided to just fill in this plot hole. The previous chapter disgusted even Ourselves half to death.

(End of chapter)