Chapter 68: Year's End

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the seventh year of Tianqi in the Great Ming, at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City.

Today was supposed to be Little New Year, and since before the year's end all the government offices had already begun their holiday and ceased official business.

Yet today the assembled officials had been summoned once more by Chongzhen, and no one knew what fresh mischief this lord was about to stir up.

Sure enough, Chongzhen upon the imperial throne opened his mouth and said: "We have summoned you all here today because there are several matters We wish to discuss with you.

First, the seventh year of Tianqi is about to pass. As the saying goes, only by summing up the past can one look to the future. We sovereign and ministers shall first sum up the affairs of the seventh year of Tianqi.

Second, We have heard a common saying among the people: a new year brings a new spirit. We and our ministers shall today settle upon a rough five-year plan for the future.

After each ministry returns, after the new year they shall refine it together with the Grand Secretariat and then submit memorials.

As for the third matter, it concerns the Shrine of the Loyal and Valiant. Though We are not clever, We have heard that the great affairs of state lie in sacrifice and war.

Therefore, We intend on the first day of the first month to lead you all to the Shrine of the Loyal and Valiant to perform the rites. As for the ceremonial regulations and protocol, the ministers of the Ministry of Rites must produce a set of procedures."

The assembled ministers below heard this, and in their hearts all wailed without cease. This lord was simply too fond of making trouble; he was deliberately refusing to let everyone enjoy the New Year, stirring up all these affairs.

Especially that Shrine of the Loyal and Valiant — the ones enshrined within were all a bunch of common soldiers, and now they, these pure and lofty scholars, were expected to research sacrifices and rituals for them. Just thinking of it made them furious as hell!

Seated at ease upon the dragon throne, Chongzhen took in every expression on the faces of the ministers below, while inwardly he sneered without end. I'm doing it on purpose! I just won't let you enjoy your New Year! And this is only the beginning, damn it — there's more to come, slowly but surely!

Seeing that none of the ministers below had stepped forward to speak first, Chongzhen simply began calling names: "Minister Wen, as the Chief Grand Secretary of our Great Ming, you shall be the first to speak of the affairs of this past year."

Wen Tiren was likewise displeased at hearing this, but since the Emperor had called upon him by name, there was no avoiding it.

He could only step out from the ranks and memorialize: "Reporting to Your Majesty, in the seventh year of Tianqi, the Governor of Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan, memorialized that the Jianzhou barbarians had sent envoys to sue for peace, which the late Emperor refused.

In the third month, Supreme Commander Wang Zhichen memorialized concerning the various abuses in the rewards and subsidies in Liaodong. The late Emperor ordered it referred to the ministries for deliberation, and to this day there has been no result.

On the twenty-first day of the third month, County Magistrate Zhang Douyao of Chengcheng in Shaanxi collected taxes with extreme cruelty. The people could not endure his poison, and gathered in a mob to storm the county seat.

Zhang Douyao was killed by Zheng Yanfu and others. The matter has been pacified.

In the ninth month, the Jianzhou barbarians invaded, shaking the capital. Only by Your Majesty's great fortune and the soldiers' willingness to give their lives was the barbarian chieftain Hong Taiji's son Hooge captured and put to death by slow slicing."

Chongzhen waited until Wen Tiren had finished speaking, and only then remembered that there was still a figure by the name of Yuan Chonghuan. He asked: "What of Yuan Chonghuan?"

Wen Tiren said: "In reply to Your Majesty, Yuan Chonghuan already resigned his post and returned to his hometown in the eighth month."

Only then did Chongzhen suddenly realize — he had been in the Great Ming for so long, how had he never seen this fellow jump out to disgust him? So he had gone home.

Just as well; it saved him the trouble of figuring out whether the man was loyal or treacherous. Letting him live out his days as a wealthy country gentleman was fine too.

Chongzhen was thinking of Yuan Chonghuan in his heart, but his mouth said: "Then what of the next five years? Does the minister have any thoughts?"

Wen Tiren said: "Your servant is dull-witted and has no good strategy in mind.

Only, after the previous confiscation of the assets of the eight great Shanxi merchants, and after clearing the arrears of pay owed to the various guard stations, the state treasury still holds more than forty million taels.

Your servant believes we could conscript more common laborers to dredge the waterways throughout the realm, and at the same time build more cities and fortresses in Liaodong to hem in the Jianzhou barbarians. In this way, both within and without shall be at peace."

Chongzhen was utterly disappointed at hearing this. Even the current Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren could only offer such a view. Chongzhen suddenly felt like cutting someone down again.

How was it that every single one of them only thought of defense and encirclement? Why could none of them think of training the New Army properly and going to smash the Jianzhou barbarians?

With a cold laugh, Chongzhen said: "The waterways of the realm must of course be dredged, but the common people of our Great Ming have hard lives. The matter of conscription is hereby dropped.

Order Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang and Supreme Commander Wang Zhichen of Liaodong to go capture Jianzhou barbarians for Us. Only able-bodied adults will do. For each one captured, a reward of two taels of silver.

From now on, these captured Jianzhou barbarians shall be used for dangerous or filthy and exhausting labor such as mining and dredging the waterways of the realm. The common people of our Great Ming are far more precious than they are.

Furthermore, all prisoners of war taken on the battlefield shall be castrated, and then put to such labor."

Unexpectedly, a Censor, Shi Jizhi, stepped out from the ranks to object: "Your servant memorializes Your Majesty. Since ancient times, a sovereign should cultivate virtuous governance within, and only then will the barbarians of the four directions submit willingly.

Your Majesty's action, I fear, somewhat harms the harmony of Heaven. Your servant begs Your Majesty to retract this decree."

Chongzhen only felt thoroughly disgusted. The barbarians are not of our kind; their hearts must differ.

When strong they are surely raiders and bandits; when weak they grovel and submit. They have no regard for grace or righteousness — such is their nature.

The man who said this was also a scholar. How was it that the scholar-lackeys of the old Li family and the scholar-lackeys of the old Zhu family felt like they had not been taught from the same Confucianism?

The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. Chongzhen said: "The barbarians are beasts. They fear might but do not cherish virtue. All whose hearts do not turn toward the Great Ming are barbarians. This matter is settled. Let the minister say no more."

Shi Jizhi raised his head slightly, intending to object once more, but unexpectedly caught sight of the expression on the Chongzhen Emperor's face. His heart gave a jolt, and he hurriedly knelt and said: "Your servant is dull-witted.

The barbarians have human faces but the hearts of beasts. If they are the least bit dissatisfied, they will surely turn and bite.

Your Majesty's action is greatly good. Your servant congratulates Your Majesty!"

Inwardly, Chongzhen cursed him for a cheap bastard. As it turned out, Chongzhen, impatient with listening to nonsense, had already prepared to see whether this Censor had the guts to remonstrate unto death or angle for a court flogging. As long as he did, Chongzhen was ready to grant it to him.

But the face reveals the heart, and Chongzhen's vicious expression happened to be seen by Shi Jizhi, which was how he escaped this calamity.

Seeing that no one else came forward to object, Chongzhen continued: "Cement is now available. We intend to build a straight cement road from the capital to Nanjing to strengthen communication between north and south.

The Ministry of Works must produce a plan — how much labor will be required and how much time. However, since the road-building concerns the vital matter of communication between north and south of our Great Ming, captured Jianzhou barbarians may not be used.

Priority shall be given to selecting refugees from disaster-stricken areas in each region. Give them wages and grain, so that they do not cause unrest."

After the Minister of Works, Xue Fengxiang, had accepted the order, Chongzhen spoke again: "After the rites at the Shrine of the Loyal and Valiant, the various tributary states and the regional princes from all over are to come to the capital to pay audience, are they not?"

The Minister of Rites, Meng Shaoyu, stepped out from the ranks and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the envoys of the various tributary states and the emissaries of the princes have all already arrived in the capital. After the new year, the audiences will be arranged."

Chongzhen made a sound of acknowledgment and said: "Then instruct the Court of State Ceremonial to make proper arrangements. In addition, We have received reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard that the ever-normal granaries in many places are far from sufficient.

We have said before: past matters shall not be pursued. This time, taking advantage of the occasion of the various tributary states coming to the capital to pay audience, order the countries of the Southern Seas to pay tribute in grain.

For amounts exceeding the tribute quota, the state treasury shall pay silver to purchase it. Be sure to fill the ever-normal granaries in every region to the brim for Us.

Also, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot shall cooperate fully in surveillance. If anyone cannot control his own hands and fishes for silver from this, let him not blame Us for failing to control the butcher's blade in Our hand!"

Motherfucker! I've hit writer's block! I'll try to post another chapter in a bit.

(End of chapter)