Chapter 88: Loyal or Treacherous

The Chongzhen Emperor held the Embroidered Uniform Guard's secret report in his hands, sneering without pause.

Tian Ergeng, standing before Chongzhen, had cold sweat streaming down his forehead without pause. Every time the Emperor sneered, it was almost always accompanied by heads rolling; now that such a smile appeared again, who knew how many people were about to meet disaster!

In truth, it was not only Tian Ergeng — Wei Zhongxian, Xu Xianchun, Cao Huachun, all the chiefs of the Depot and the Guard present, along with Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren and Second Grand Secretary Shi Fenglai, all deeply dreaded this kind of sneer from the Chongzhen Emperor.

Chongzhen, whose authority grew heavier by the day, now gave them an ever-increasing sense of oppression, as if the young Emperor with a face like crowned jade seated on the dragon throne were not a youth who had just ascended half a year ago and was not yet twenty, but rather the legendary Hongwu Emperor himself — life and death, reward and ruin, all rested in a single mind.

It was no wonder these men had such an illusion; in the Great Ming, which had long been at peace, the several emperors before Chongzhen had all been masters at manipulating hearts and minds through intrigue — which emperor, like the present Chongzhen, cast aside all face and simply drew his blade to cut men down?

The practice of exterminating nine degrees of kinship at the slightest provocation — who, apart from the Hongwu Emperor and the Yongle Emperor in the founding era, had ever dared to play at that?

What they never knew was that Chongzhen had his own bitterness to swallow. As a miserable programmer, he understood neither military command nor the making of guns and cannons; his limited historical knowledge was all gleaned from the internet.

Now in the Great Ming, in constant fear that one misstep would see him hanging from a southeast branch, only the butcher's blade in his hand could bring him the faintest sense of security.

Having finished reading the secret report in his hands, Chongzhen finally spoke to Wen Tiren: "Minister Wen, what is your opinion of Our imperial brother's teacher, Grand Secretary Sun Chengzong, and of the former Governor of Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan?"

Wen Tiren, seeing Chongzhen pose the question, briefly sorted his thoughts and began: "In reply to Your Majesty, in this minister's humble opinion, the man Sun Chengzong does possess some ability. He is merely a bit too bookish and impetuous.

As for the plan to pacify Liaodong that he proposed, though it had merit, it was excessively costly. The state treasury under the late Emperor could not support his plan to pacify Liaodong.

Had the state treasury been ample, advancing step by step according to his plan could indeed have exterminated the Jianzhou barbarians to the last man.

As for the former Governor of Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan — this minister finds it difficult to say. This minister is dull-witted, and begs Your Majesty's forgiveness."

Chongzhen, with a smile that was not quite a smile, said: "What exactly do you mean by 'difficult to say'? Speak freely, Minister Wen; it matters not if you are wrong."

Only then did Wen Tiren say: "In reply to Your Majesty, although Yuan Chonghuan was nominally the Governor of Liaodong, in practice he was no different from the Supreme Commander of Liaodong.

When this man was at odds with Man Gui, he requested Man Gui be transferred away; when he clashed with Wang Zaijin, he requested Wang Zaijin be transferred. Therefore, this minister believes he is excessively obstinate and self-willed — usable, but not to be used in a great capacity. Moreover…"

After a glance at Wei Zhongxian, he lowered his head and continued: "Moreover, during his tenure as Governor of Liaodong, this man even petitioned to erect a living shrine for Father-in-Law Wei."

Wei Zhongxian, hearing this, felt ten thousand grass-mud horses stampede through his heart, cursing inwardly that these civil officials were truly sons of bitches — putting a spike in his shoe right in front of His Majesty, they hated him so much they wished him dead!

Yet no matter how much he hated it, Wei Zhongxian hurriedly fell to his knees to beg forgiveness: "Your Majesty, this slave deserves death!

The matter of Yuan Chonghuan petitioning to erect a living shrine — it did occur. But this slave and he absolutely had no private dealings whatsoever; I beseech Your Majesty to see clearly!"

Chongzhen, his face utterly expressionless, said flatly: "Slap your own mouth. Did We ask you to speak?"

Hearing Chongzhen's punishment, Wei Zhongxian hurriedly began slapping his own face with a crackling flurry, yet his heart was overjoyed. Having taken this beating, his life was now preserved.

Only Wen Tiren felt deep regret; it seemed Wei Zhongxian's imperial favor was still considerable — perhaps not matching what it had been under the late Emperor, but still not something easily toppled.

Chongzhen, seeing Wei Zhongxian beating himself with such zeal that his old face was nearly deformed, said: "Enough, stop now. Henceforth, when We have not asked you, you are forbidden to interject. Have you remembered this?"

Wei Zhongxian knelt on the ground, not daring to rise, and kowtowed: "This slave thanks Your Majesty. Your Majesty is merciful."

Only then did Chongzhen say: "Rise. Tell Us about this Yuan Chonghuan."

In truth, Chongzhen was also very curious. The controversy surrounding Yuan Chonghuan was too great; he himself did not know whether the man was loyal or treacherous, reliable or not.

Wei Zhongxian, seeing Chongzhen pose the question, then said: "In reply to Your Majesty: Yuan Chonghuan originally passed the jinshi examination in the forty-seventh year of Wanli, ranking forty-third in the third class, and was appointed County Magistrate of Shaowu in Fujian.

In the second year of Tianqi, he came to the capital to report on his duties; upon the recommendation of Hou Xun, then a Censor, he was promoted to Secretary of the Bureau of Operations in the Ministry of War.

He once rode out beyond the pass alone to survey the situation, and submitted a memorial stating: Give me troops, horses, funds, and grain, and I alone am sufficient to defend Shanhai Pass.

At the time, the court officials all praised his willingness to take on responsibilities, and he was therefore exceptionally promoted to Reserve Assistant Surveillance Commissioner; the Ministry of Revenue allocated twenty thousand taels of silver, and the late Emperor further disbursed two hundred thousand taels from the privy purse, permitting Yuan Chonghuan to recruit soldiers and assist in defending Shanhai Pass.

Upon reaching Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan was placed under the command of Circuit Intendant Wang Zaijin and was greatly relied upon. Wang Zaijin memorialized to nominate Yuan Chonghuan as Military Defense Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Ningqian.

Later, due to disagreements over defense arrangements with Wang Zaijin, he bypassed channels and petitioned former Chief Grand Secretary Ye Xianggao; subsequently, at the proposal of Zuo Guangdou, Grand Secretary Sun Chengzong, as a Grand Secretary overseeing the Ministry of War, conducted an inspection tour of Liaodong.

At that time, after the Jianzhou barbarians had captured Guangning Guard, they forcibly relocated the populace of Jinzhou and Yizhou eastward. In Yizhou, a group of roughly one hundred thousand people occupied Thirteen Mountains and then sought relief.

Yuan Chonghuan demanded that five thousand men be dispatched to garrison Ningyuan, and that a large army be sent to rescue Thirteen Mountains.

After Grand Secretary Sun consulted with Governor-General of Ji-Liao Wang Xiangqian, they concluded that the troops lacked combat effectiveness and could not be sent to the rescue; as a result, Yuan Chonghuan's friction with Wang Xiangqian and Wang Zaijin grew even worse.

By the ninth month of the third year of Tianqi, Grand Secretary Sun resolved to hold Ningyuan firmly, and thus appointed Yuan Chonghuan as the principal commander, with Man Gui as his deputy.

That year, Yuan Chonghuan's father passed away, and he requested leave for mourning, but the court denied the leave and retained him in his post.

In the sixth year of Tianqi, he held Ningyuan, but lost Juehua Island, where over ten thousand civilians were slaughtered to the last by the Jianzhou barbarians.

Yet the fault did not obscure his merit, and Yuan Chonghuan was still promoted to Governor of Liaodong, with the concurrent title of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

In the fourth month of the seventh year of Tianqi, Yuan Chonghuan had submitted a memorial requesting that a living shrine be erected for this slave at Ningyuan and Qiantun.

Only because he failed to relieve Jinzhou and was impeached did Yuan Chonghuan then retire and return to his hometown, which was approved in the seventh month."

Having heard all this, Chongzhen felt even more confused. By all logic, whether from Wen Tiren's account or Wei Zhongxian's, both indicated to the Chongzhen Emperor that Yuan Chonghuan was a loyal minister.

Wei Zhongxian in particular — at the time, Wei Zhongxian held the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Western Depot in his grasp; to say that Yuan Chonghuan had problems and the Embroidered Uniform Guard knew nothing of it would be pure bullshit.

Yet it was precisely this loyal minister whose later actions, no matter how you looked at them, did not seem like something a loyal minister could have done.

Especially after Yuan Chonghuan was imprisoned, when Zu Dashou fled with his troops — the impression it gave was not so much a plea to release Yuan Chonghuan as a desire to put him to death.

The Chongzhen Emperor sent envoys but could not recall Zu Dashou, yet a single handwritten note from Yuan Chonghuan in prison recalled him — what exactly did you, Yuan Chonghuan, intend?

Given all this, it was no wonder that Yuan Chonghuan remained endlessly debated in later ages.

Chongzhen simply felt that, since there was controversy, even though his own doubts inclined more toward Yuan Chonghuan having problems, he would ultimately decide to see this Yuan Chonghuan with his own eyes before reaching a conclusion, so as to avoid wronging a good man.

A note: the previous chapter was not because the author is short and weak, but rather to preserve the integrity of updating daily without breaks; I first published 1,000 characters, then added another 1,000. If you felt the previous chapter was too short, reload it and it should be normal.

(End of Chapter)