Chapter 71: Imperial Audience

When Chongzhen saw the white-haired old man before him, a surge of respect rose unbidden in his heart.

Xu Guangqi, already in his sixties, could absolutely be considered advanced in age for this era.

It was this very unremarkable old man who, after withdrawing from the court, wrote the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration, and then, once it was finished, died of illness while still in office.

If even half the officials of this Great Ming were of Xu Guangqi's type, then what Jianzhou barbarians, what Little Ice Age — all of it would be nothing but dregs.

Although he felt gratified — or perhaps one should say he held respect for the old man before him — that Xu Guangqi, at his advanced age of over sixty, had still traveled a thousand li to the capital merely because of a single edict recalling him to office, Chongzhen, after ordering a seat be granted, still opened his mouth and asked: "We have heard that Our beloved minister Xu is quite accomplished in the field of Western learning.

Would you speak on it — between Eastern and Western learning, which is superior and which inferior?"

Hearing Chongzhen ask about the very subject that interested him most, Xu Guangqi immediately cupped his hands and said: "Your servant memorializes Your Majesty: in your servant's observation, the essence of Western learning lies in precision.

Your servant has observed the guns and cannons they make. Although they are more formidable than the three-eyed fire lances our Great Ming produces, in terms of both service life and accuracy, they slightly surpass the firearms our Great Ming makes.

Your servant humbly believes this to be an application of the art of mathematics, and that our Great Ming ought to study it.

What our Great Ming studies tends rather toward the edification of the sages; in these arts of mechanism and device, we are somewhat inferior to Western learning.

However, the Western barbarians do not value edification. Their people are largely men without sovereign or father. The deities they worship are likewise willful and reckless, treating ritual and law as nothing. Your servant believes this is not to be adopted."

Chongzhen nodded. So Xu Guangqi was fundamentally operating on the idea of learning from others' strong points — that was why he could see their merits and flaws with such perfect clarity.

As for all that Western gods-and-ghosts nonsense, Xu Guangqi had probably never taken it to heart at all. Pity the Jesuits still thought of His Excellency Xu as their bosom friend.

Thinking over everything he himself had done lately, Chongzhen also wanted to see what Xu Guangqi, who had long resided in Jiangnan, thought of it all — and what the common people thought.

So he asked: "Our beloved minister Xu, since We ascended the throne, what is your view of the governance We have implemented? And what is the view among the common people of Jiangnan?"

Xu Guangqi weighed his words for a moment, then slowly said: "Memorializing Your Majesty: in your humble servant's foolish opinion, the governance Your Majesty has implemented is supremely wise.

The malady afflicting our Great Ming today lies not in Liaodong, but in its very heart and vitals.

The grain that farming households obtain is barely enough to feed themselves, and on top of that, the various taxes and levies are truly an unbearable burden.

Yet the merchants pay no taxes while enjoying the greater part of the income — this is the very root of the problem among the common people. Your Majesty has reduced taxes and abolished surcharges, and the common people everywhere are full of praise.

It is only that, among the merchant class, the opposition to Your Majesty's intention to levy commercial taxes is exceedingly strong."

Chongzhen paid it no mind. Those dregs opposing his commercial tax were nothing but dry bones in a graveyard, unworthy of concern. Once the time was ripe, he could smoothly raise the butcher's knife in his hand and teach them how to behave.

Besides, once the Suzhou and Hangzhou textile eunuchs returned, he would question them thoroughly and see who was sticking their neck out. Then he would swing the big stick in his hand straight at them — perfectly settled.

Chongzhen, having imagined all this going beautifully, came back to his senses and only then recalled why he had summoned Xu Guangqi to the capital in the first place.

Clearing his throat, Chongzhen said: "We summoned Our beloved minister to the capital this time not solely for this matter of Western and Eastern learning. There are three matters at hand."

Xu Guangqi, hearing this, asked: "May Your Majesty deign to instruct."

Chongzhen said: "The first is the revision of the calendar. We observe that the Great Ming almanac has become largely inaccurate. Since Our beloved minister Xu is well-versed in the learning of both Great Ming and the Western barbarians, this matter of calendar revision shall be entrusted to you."

"The second concerns the matter of the sweet potato. We once consulted the texts in the palace archives and discovered that many foreign crops have been introduced into Great Ming, among which the sweet potato has a particularly high yield.

In recent years, the lands of Gansu and Shaanxi have seen frequent crop failures. We intend to promote the planting of sweet potatoes there, so that the common people may fill their bellies."

"The third concerns the matter of the New Army.

We, distressed by the rot in the guard-battalion system, wish to organize and train a New Army.

The New Army We desire is to be entirely armed with firearms; swords, blades, and the like are all to be discarded. Therefore, the requirements for the firelocks are extremely high. We intend to appoint Our minister Xu to take overall charge of this matter."

Xu Guangqi, having heard Chongzhen lay out these matters, now had a rough outline in his mind, and said: "Memorializing Your Majesty: your servant does happen to know several Western missionaries well-versed in this field; they can be ordered to take charge of the calendar revision together with your servant's disciples.

As for the matter of the sweet potato, your servant recommends his son, Xu Ji. Xu Ji once participated in your humble servant's compilation of the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration and can be considered proficient in agricultural affairs.

He should be capable of undertaking the task of promoting sweet potato cultivation.

As for your humble servant, I intend to delve into the study of firearms, so that I may also contribute my efforts to organizing and training the New Army for Your Majesty."

Chongzhen, hearing this, was naturally very pleased and was just about to continue the discussion in greater depth when someone came to report that Xu Xianchun had entered the palace and sought an audience.

After Xu Xianchun came in and performed the customary courtesies, Chongzhen asked: "Our beloved minister Xu, what matter brings you here?"

Xu Xianchun said: "Memorializing Your Majesty: Liu Xingzuo of Liaodong has now arrived in the capital and is presently waiting outside the palace."

At the mention of Liu Xingzuo, Chongzhen thought to himself that this man was truly uncanny — he had just been thinking of having Liu Xingzuo train the New Army, and here Liu Xingzuo had arrived in the capital.

At the thought that he could finally meet the real-life prototype of the great hero Guo, Chongzhen said in rapid succession: "Quickly, summon him in."

After the layers of reporting and body-searching were completed, Chongzhen at last laid eyes on the prototype of the great hero Guo he had been thinking of for so long — Liu Xingzuo. Only, Chongzhen was once again given a lesson in the timeless maxim that a man cannot be judged by his appearance.

Who could have imagined that this fellow, who looked like he ought to be a stalwart hero in the mold of Qiao Feng or Guo Jing, had once collaborated with Mao Wenlong in carrying out an atrocity as brutal as the massacre of Liaoyang City?

And had even, without any teacher, picked up the methods of the Japanese pirates — those two born killers, Liu Xingzuo and Mao Wenlong, had actually held a killing contest.

Watching this iron-tower of a man kneel before him like a mountain of gold toppling and a pillar of jade falling, Chongzhen hastily bade him dispense with the ceremony and rise, then continued: "Our beloved minister Liu has returned from Liaodong — excellent indeed.

We have been looking forward to this for a long time."

He then ordered a seat to be granted to Liu Xingzuo, which moved Liu Xingzuo deeply. It seemed that fellow Mao Wenlong truly had not deceived him — the Emperor really did regard him highly. It had not been in vain that he had endured so much suffering to return to Great Ming.

But what a pity about his old mother — she would never again have the chance to see him enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed a general with her own eyes.

At this thought, Liu Xingzuo's eyes began to redden, but mindful that one must not breach decorum before the imperial presence, he forcibly suppressed the grief in his heart.

Looking at the man before him, murmuring and speechless, Chongzhen thought once more of the departed Grand Dowager Liu.

Chongzhen, his own heart full of sighs and laments, also did not know quite what to say. And so, Chongzhen decided to be direct — to cut straight to the substance.

Chongzhen had always believed in a saying from later generations: even when throwing money at something, you must do it in one decisive stroke, directly overwhelming the person until they submit.

Compared to dribbling out money bit by bit, throwing the same amount of money all at once could accomplish far more.

Working hard to churn out words, striving to pay off the debt as soon as possible......

(End of chapter)