Chapter 2179: Shizong Chronicles 47: The Fengshan Sacrifices

In the autumn of the fifteenth year of Jianlong, Yanzhou Prefecture, Mount Tai.

As one of the empire's most renowned mountains, it had long enjoyed the favor of aristocratic sons and literary men. Over the past several decades, countless talented scholars had come drawn by its fame, and students of the Qi-Lu region often treated it as a sacred site for study tours and literary inspiration. This was not only due to the influence of Qi-Lu culture, but also because of that magnificent feat of Emperor Shizu back in his day: the Fengshan sacrifices.

Starting from the beginning of the fifteenth year of Jianlong, the Yanzhou government had sealed off the Mount Tai area, prohibiting logging and all passage in and out. At the same time, the government mobilized a large amount of manpower and resources to renovate the roads and buildings on Mount Tai.

The commotion was considerable, and all these measures stemmed from a single point: the current Son of Heaven was also going to perform the Fengshan sacrifices! This matter had been brewing since the twelfth year of Jianlong, when the head of the Naiman bandit Liu Jin was first delivered, and only in the fourteenth year, when there were no more major wars between north and south and the passes and rivers were all at peace, did it formally enter the court's discussion agenda. By the fifteenth year, it entered the implementation stage.

Regarding the Fengshan sacrifices, there was in fact enormous controversy within the court, which also triggered a political earthquake. A group of senior ministers led by Director of State Affairs Han Chengjun explicitly opposed it and submitted memorials to remonstrate against it.

Although the ministers had many considerations of sparing the sovereign's dignity in their choice of words, the meaning expressed was very clear: his merits and virtue were insufficient. After all, with what immense merits Emperor Shizu had back then, he had still been so cautious and solemn about the Fengshan matter, delaying until the eleventh year of Kaibao before setting foot on Mount Tai.

Emperor Taizong, through fourteen years of rising before dawn and eating after dark, governing with vigor and dedication, achieving literary accomplishment and martial virtue, revered by all the world, had ultimately humbly declined the repeated requests of his ministers and did not take that step. You, Liu Wenji—what great achievements have you actually accomplished, that you would presume to surpass your late father and rival Emperor Shizu?

In the final analysis, although Liu Wenji had already subdued his fellow ministers and actually wielded the empire's supreme power, in the minds of many of the Great Han's powerful and honored figures, he was far from comparable to Shizu and Taizong.

That the Great Han Empire could enjoy today's flourishing age was the result of the devoted efforts of many worthies and upright men. Pacifying the chaos in the south and sweeping away bandits in the north were also the achievements of pillar generals like Cao Wei and Dong Congyan, along with hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Liu Wenji's intention to perform the Fengshan sacrifices not only breached the psychological "bottom line" of the powerful and honored who held such views, but also squeezed their space in terms of real political interests. The opponents, rather than defending the Way or defending Shizu, were in fact rolling up their sleeves to fight the Emperor for the right to speak—never able to escape the word "power."

As for the result, there was no doubt it ended in the Emperor's complete victory. Han Chengjun, the most "mediocre" Chief Chancellor in the empire's history, consequently lost his position and was demoted to retirement with the title of Director of the Chancellery.

Along with Han Chengjun, a large number of meritorious nobles and bureaucrats were also dismissed together. On the critical issue of confronting imperial power, it seemed there was indeed room for cooperation between the aristocratic faction and the commoner faction...

In fact, by the fourteenth year of Jianlong, Liu Wenji had already been on the throne for seventeen years. At this stage, if he truly wanted to accomplish anything within the empire's territory, as long as he cast aside his concerns, there was no person or force that could truly stop him.

Moreover, the Fengshan matter was not the Emperor fighting alone—that was not Liu Wenji's style. Whatever he wanted to do, he always planned carefully before acting, and there was never a shortage of a group of "little brothers" charging ahead to break the way.

In the court, the three ministers handling and promoting this matter for Liu Wenji were Ding Wei, Wang Zeng, and Cao Liyong. Of these three, one was cunning and capable, one had served as Pacification Commissioner for over a decade and was skilled at flattery and bootlicking, and one was a veteran minister from the founding days and a chancellor. Each of them had a clique of partisans and possessed special political influence, enough to create a formidable momentum.

With such a group of "loyal ministers and capable officials" managing things, Liu Wenji was spared much trouble. In the end, amid an atmosphere of all officials petitioning and the masses supporting, he thrice declined the request before issuing the edict for the Fengshan sacrifices.

Accompanied by Yanzhou Prefect Zhao Jue and a host of subordinates, Imperial Chancellor Ding Wei personally arrived to inspect the Mount Tai project and the preparations for the Fengshan ceremony. Ding Wei's trip was naturally to arrive first, to pave the way for the Emperor and reconfirm the ceremonial arrangements. Ding Wei, already approaching seventy, was so hands-on and reverent—his purpose was naturally not simple.

For Ding Wei, who had already spent many years at the pinnacle of the court, the Emperor's Fengshan sacrifices were also an extremely important political gamble. The fundamental reason that could make Ding Wei swallow his pride, disregard criticism, forcibly stir up public opinion, and push the Emperor toward the Fengshan sacrifices lay in the temptation of the position of Director of State Affairs—the empire's "Chief Chancellor." This was his last charge at the pinnacle of ministerial power before retirement.

Perhaps due to following a different "boss," Ding Wei's reputation in the Great Han's political and scholarly circles was not as notorious as during the "Zhao-Song dynasty" era; he even consistently maintained the image of a capable minister and competent official.

Ding Wei had served through three reigns. Apart from the Kangzong era, when his sycophantic conduct earned him contempt, his performance in other periods was that of a standard young talent, loyal minister, capable official, and pillar chancellor...

Of course, Ding Wei was by no means a traditional Confucian scholar-official. He had done plenty of trimming sails to the wind and taking unorthodox paths. While skilled at discerning people's hearts, he was extremely narrow-minded and highly vindictive. During his tenure in Hubei, a subordinate surnamed Zheng, drunk and running his mouth, once joked about Ding Wei's appearance. When Ding Wei learned of it, the man was forced out of office, stripped of his post, his family fortune scattered, driven from his homeland, and finally fled overseas...

Back when Kou Zhun was Director of State Affairs, Ding Wei was mocked by him for "greasing his beard," and harbored a secret grudge. During the process of Kou Zhun's dismissal as chancellor, Ding Wei fanned the flames, even wanting to reduce Kou Zhun directly to commoner status—but Liu Wenji refused.

Forming cliques for private gain was also a point for which Ding Wei was criticized. His brothers and nephews all held official positions, not to mention his partisans and disciples. For instance, Zhao Jue of Yanzhou Prefecture came from Ding Wei's circle, specially arranged by him to be stationed there to manage the Fengshan preparations, and Ding Wei even boldly encouraged him with the precedent of Zhang Qixian.

Yet none of these shortcomings and flaws prevented Ding Wei from becoming a celebrated capable minister and famous chancellor of the Jianlong era. Over the past decade-plus, he had successively served in the court as Chief Censor, Finance Commissioner, and Minister of Personnel, achieving tangible results and outstanding contributions in each post. He was a very handy blade in Liu Wenji's hand, especially in policy execution and political struggles.

Especially in the five or six years after Kou Zhun's dismissal, he advanced by leaps and bounds. In this process, he toppled Wang Qinruo, replaced Zhang Zhibai, and used the Fengshan debate to bring down Han Chengjun. Although the final decision rested with the Emperor, Ding Wei's maneuvering and fanning of flames indeed played a key role.

Now, Ding Wei was only one step away. In his view, as long as the Fengshan ceremony went smoothly and succeeded, he could use it to ascend to the throne of Director of State Affairs. In the more than half a year since Han Chengjun's dismissal, the position of Director of State Affairs had remained vacant—the first time in decades that the great power of the Hall of State Affairs was truly shared among the chancellors, rotating in leadership.

Although Ding Wei was already approaching seventy, in politics, age was never the truly critical issue, and power had always been a panacea that could prolong life. Since passing the imperial examination in the Yongxi era and entering officialdom, Ding Wei had been fighting in the political arena for nearly forty years. At the final threshold, how could he not give it one more push?

It should be noted that during the gradual development of the Jianlong era to its full form, struggles among the empire's high-ranking powerful and honored had always been fierce. Especially after Kou Zhun, the central government was a forest of rival factions, a "contest of heroes."

All kinds of power struggles and political contests emerged endlessly, and the contradictions were not limited to the "inherent" oppositions of sovereign and minister, noble and commoner, north and south. Take the struggle between Wang Qinruo and Ding Wei: both coveted the position of Chief Chancellor, both wanted to be the first among commoner bureaucrats, to become the minister most relied upon by the Emperor.

Both came from the south, but their backgrounds and career paths were two typical representatives. Ascending to the narrow Hall of State Affairs, above power, fame, and profit, the contradictions became even sharper, each virtually viewing the other as a heretic. Behind this, there may well have been the Emperor's indulgence.

As for Wang Qinruo's eventual downfall, although on the surface there were charges of factionalism, favoritism, and dereliction of duty, the fundamental reason was that he privately cultivated eunuchs, spied on the inner palace, and violated the Emperor's taboo.

In the extremely complex political struggle environment of the Jianlong era, as people came and went, old and new replaced each other, the originally clear-cut political struggle landscape gradually became murky. Between the aristocratic faction and the commoner faction, there was intermingling and entanglement—still full of contradictions, but instances of convergence were not rare either.

That the court could maintain a relatively rational struggle and the political situation could maintain long-term stability—the greatest credit had to go to Emperor Liu Wenji, because of his mature and flexible political skill.

Although Liu Wenji could not compare with Shizu and Taizong, in the Jianlong era he was indeed the empire's stabilizing anchor. Many people subconsciously were dissatisfied with this Emperor, but few stopped to think: without this Emperor, where would the empire have headed, and how would they have fared...

The five-colored altar at the foot of the mountain had been restored to its splendor of sixty years ago. The stone steps in the mountain had been expanded and repaired, like a heavenly street leading straight to the celestial court. The merit stele on the mountain...

Climbing the steps, when they reached the base of the Dengfeng Altar, Ding Wei and his party could not help but stop. Sixty years of wind and frost, rain and dew had left the merit stele covered with the marks and accumulation of time. The historical weightiness steeped in Shizu's glorious achievements pressed on everyone's hearts like a stone.

Without much hesitation, Ding Wei led the others in performing the kowtow ceremony before Shizu's merit stele. Yet, as he bowed his head to the ground, Ding Wei's heart was especially heavy. Gazing at the small stele prepared for Liu Wenji beside the great one, he even felt a sense of daze.

It was an indescribable feeling, but it was the first time since Ding Wei had advocated and promoted the Fengshan sacrifices that he felt hesitation and unease from the depths of his heart. The change in Old Chancellor Ding's mood did not escape notice, but others could not fathom its meaning. After the inspection was complete, he only briefly praised his disciple Zhao Jue's performance, and pointed out that the Fengshan preparations had exhausted Yanzhou's resources and wearied its people, telling him to take care—the imperial carriage was approaching, and no ugly scenes should occur. If the Fengshan were ruined, no one could bear the responsibility.

Shortly after returning to the official guesthouse to rest, Ding Wei fell ill. The illness came suddenly, so much so that he could not even participate in the Fengshan ceremony, and at the same time lost the position of Director of State Affairs that had been within easy reach.

Liu Wenji had initially truly intended to let Ding Wei serve as Chief Chancellor for a few years, but with his health failing, there was nothing to be done. In the end, Chen Yaozuo, then serving as Vice Director of State Affairs, picked up the bargain. Cao Liyong advanced to Minister of War, Wang Zeng became Minister of Works, and Zhang Jian took over from Ding Wei as Minister of Personnel.

Of course, Liu Wenji did not treat Ding Wei shabbily. He made him Vice Director of State Affairs, continuing to serve as "Deputy Chancellor," while also adding the title of Grand Minister of Works—still at the pinnacle of ministerial rank. But judging from the result, Ding Wei was quite badly hit.

On the twenty-third day of the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Jianlong, Liu Wenji of the Great Han Empire performed the Fengshan sacrifices at Mount Tai, at the age of fifty-seven.