Chapter 226: 224 Zhao Han Gets a Promotion

As things now stand, Hong Chengchou is Governor-General of Six Provinces, and Vice Minister of War Wang Jiabin is Chief Administrator of Six Provinces.

Yang Sichang felt that Wang Jiabin was an imbecile, so he recommended Xiong Wencan to replace him, and Chongzhen swiftly approved the appointment.

Thus, for his promotion and reassignment, Xiong Wencan owed Yang Sichang a great deal of thanks.

As for Lu Xiangsheng, he had won the Emperor's deep esteem and was reassigned as Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi, with special responsibility for defending against Manchu-Qing incursions from the steppe.

Lu Xiangsheng was now contentedly farming, recruiting vast numbers of refugees to open up military colonies; in a single year he stockpiled over two hundred thousand dan of grain, with no need at all for the court to spend silver supporting his troops!

The Chongzhen Emperor was greatly pleased and issued a special commendation, ordering the Nine Border Garrisons to earnestly study Lu Xiangsheng's advanced experience.

Let us turn now to the upheavals at court.

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren had finally fallen from power.

The immediate cause was that after the recommendation system was restored, large numbers of Donglin Faction members were reinstated, and large numbers of Restoration Society members were recommended for office. Combined with old grudges, Wen Tiren believed that Qian Qianyi and his disciple Qu Shisi were directing things from behind the scenes.

Thereupon, Wen Tiren put Zhang Hanru up to denouncing the two men for lawbreaking and criminal conduct.

Qian Qianyi and Qu Shisi had been dismissed from office for years and had been lying low in their hometown, pursuing a literary reform movement of "radical root-and-branch rectification." When calamity suddenly fell from the sky, Qian Qianyi at once asked two people to help him clear his name.

One was the eunuch Cao Huachun, a member of Chongzhen's old inner circle from his days as a prince.

The other was Feng Quan, a man of the eunuch faction who had already been dismissed from office and sent home.

Although Feng Quan was a dismissed eunuch-faction man, his father had sired ten daughters and married them off to a collection of rather formidable sons-in-law. Feng Quan had not wanted to meddle in others' affairs, but when he heard that Cao Huachun was willing to help, he too mobilized his connections and gave things a push with the current.

Why was Cao Huachun willing to help Qian Qianyi?

Because after the death of the great eunuch Wang An, Qian Qianyi had composed Wang An's epitaph.

And Wang An had been the companion-tutor of the Taichang Emperor and had once taken part in supporting the Tianqi Emperor's accession. Even the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Wei Zhongxian had risen to power by currying favor with Wang An's underlings. When Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke grew powerful, they framed Wang An for treason, banished him to the South China Sea, and starved him to death.

After Chongzhen ascended the throne, he bestowed the inscription "Loyal and Illustrious" upon Wang An's shrine.

As for Cao Huachun, he too was a disciple of Wang An!

Qian Qianyi had the epitaph he had written for Wang An delivered to Cao Huachun. Cao Huachun, recalling Wang An's past kindness and himself growing ever more unable to stomach Wen Tiren, seized the chance to help defend Qian Qianyi.

Wen Tiren was overjoyed at the news; he wanted to take down Qian Qianyi and Cao Huachun together, so he went to Chongzhen to whisper poison in his ear.

Chongzhen hated factionalism above all else — and Qian Qianyi and Cao Huachun were precisely forming a faction!

At the same time, Wen Tiren had people put up big-character posters, claiming that Qian Qianyi had given Cao Huachun forty thousand taels of silver.

This move proved superfluous; it seems no money had actually changed hands. Cao Huachun seized on the matter of the alleged bribe and refused to let it go, requesting that Chongzhen dispatch the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot to investigate thoroughly.

They investigated and investigated, and uncovered Wen Tiren's collusion with Zhang Hanru, further uncovered Chen Luqian's instigation in between, and also uncovered that the big-character posters had been put up by men sent by Wen Tiren.

Wen Tiren, seeing the situation turning against him, hid at home feigning illness — only to receive three words in Chongzhen's own vermilion script: "Let him go."

And with that, Wen Tiren was dismissed from office and sent home.

As for the eunuch Cao Huachun, he likewise had many problems exposed, and from this point onward began to incur Chongzhen's suspicion.

The Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat and the Brush-Wielding Eunuch had, one might say, both been wounded in the fight.

Did the Donglin Faction win, then?

Chongzhen had his eye fixed on the Donglin Faction the whole time — how could he possibly let the Donglin men reap the fisherman's profit?

Zhang Zhifa, of the Qi Faction, was bewilderingly made Chief Grand Secretary. The Grand Secretaries ranked ahead of him had either been done in by Wen Tiren or stripped of office by Chongzhen himself.

This fellow had once burned with righteous fervor, but by now he had become a rank-obsessed careerist. After becoming Chief Grand Secretary, he imitated Wen Tiren in everything; he could be seen as a "less incorruptible, less capable knock-off version of Wen Tiren."

…

The Palace of Heavenly Purity.

The attendant eunuch approached with a smile and said to Liu Tongsheng, "Please come in, Zhuangyuan. His Majesty has been waiting for some time."

Liu Tongsheng, who had fled from Jishui to Nanchang, had studied assiduously, passed the jinshi examination, and had moreover been personally selected by the Emperor as Zhuangyuan.

According to the original historical trajectory, he would have been drawn into the political struggle between Yang Sichang and the Donglin Faction. For submitting a memorial criticizing Yang Sichang for remaining in office while in mourning, he would have been demoted by Chongzhen to Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, and in a fit of rage would have pleaded illness and returned home.

But having experienced Zhao Han's uprising and his whole family's flight into exile, Liu Tongsheng had grown more mature.

He did not submit a memorial directly excoriating Yang Sichang; instead, he impeached Xiong Wencan for colluding with rebels — Yang Sichang and Xiong Wencan were on the same side anyway.

Chongzhen was in the midst of reviewing memorials; this Emperor was exceedingly diligent in governance.

Liu Tongsheng stepped forward and made his obeisance. Chongzhen said, "Sit."

The attendant eunuch brought a stool. After Liu Tongsheng sat down, Chongzhen continued reviewing memorials.

After a long while, Chongzhen set down his vermilion brush and said, "I have carefully read every one of your successive memorials. Is the rebel Zhao of Luling truly so difficult to subdue?"

"Your Majesty!"

Liu Tongsheng rose from the stool, prostrated himself on the ground, and wept as he said, "This man Xiong Wencan, under the guise of offering amnesty, is in fact supplying the enemy. A letter from my friend in Nanchang says that throughout the entire Nanchang Prefecture, the countryside has all been secretly seized by the rebel Zhao, and only the city of Nanchang remains court territory. Even within Nanchang city, the common people have been deluded by the rebel Zhao. The Garrison Eunuch of Jiangxi, Wang Yongzhong, was beaten to death by unruly folk."

The Chongzhen Emperor asked, "What exactly were the circumstances of Wang Yongzhong's death?"

Liu Tongsheng replied, "After Wang Yongzhong took up his post, he sought to enclose land outside the city to build a residence, and he sent his minions to exploit and fleece the common people. The people outside the city, all deluded by the rebel Zhao, had already formed peasant soldiers and peasant associations, and they drove Wang Yongzhong back into Nanchang city. Wang Yongzhong then exploited the merchants inside the city; even ordinary street vendors were subjected to heavy taxes. Because that rebel Zhao's power is so great, the merchants in the city no longer fear the court's authority, and in their righteous indignation they beat Wang Yongzhong to death in a mob."

"That thieving wretch deserved to die!"

Chongzhen was so angry his face turned ashen. "I sent him to garrison Jiangxi, and he instead provoked a popular uprising — does that not make the common people turn their hearts even more toward the rebel Zhao?"

"Your Majesty sees clearly," Liu Tongsheng said, kneeling upright and cupping his hands. "Many officials in Jiangxi do indeed exploit the people without restraint, which is why the rebel Zhao's influence grows daily. Take Ding Kuichu, who has been imprisoned — this man colluded with Li Maofang to set up a private customs station outside Nanchang city. Under the name of raising military funds, they were in fact lining their own pockets. Traveling merchants and commoners all detested their rule, and many merchant families have for this reason gone over to the rebel Zhao with their entire clans."

Bang!

Chongzhen was now utterly furious. He slammed the table and said, "Ding Kuichu deserves execution!"

Liu Tongsheng continued, "Since the rebel Zhao began his insurrection, among the high officials of Jiangxi, only four can be called loyal and diligent."

"Which four?" Chongzhen asked.

Liu Tongsheng said, "The late Governor Xie Xuelong, who raised troops to suppress the rebels and died for the realm when his army was defeated — he counts as one. The late Governor-General Zhu Xieyuan, who loved the people as his own children, fought the rebels with all his might, and died of exhaustion and illness — he counts as one…"

Chongzhen immediately cut him off. "Zhu Xieyuan underestimated the enemy and rashly advanced, causing all of Jiangxi's elite troops to be lost, so that from then on the court lacked the strength to exterminate the rebel Zhao. He counts as one?"

Liu Tongsheng said, "There are hidden circumstances in this matter. Jiangxi's elite troops had already been entirely lost while under Li Maofang's command. After Zhu Xieyuan arrived in Jiangxi, he supported the people and trained the troops, and the common people all sang his praises. The defeat at Fengcheng was in truth because Jiangxi Regional Commander Zhu Guoxun stood by and watched his comrades being trapped without lifting a finger, resulting in Supreme Commander Zhu being surrounded on three sides by the rebels and attacked while crossing the river. Zhu Guoxun holds the naval forces, yet to this day he has not fought a single battle; he does not even dare send warships into the rebel's territory."

"Is this true?" Chongzhen asked, frowning.

Liu Tongsheng said, "If Your Majesty does not believe it, you may dispatch the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Nanchang to investigate in secret. Who in Nanchang Prefecture does not know of this matter?"

Chongzhen closed his eyes in silence, deciding to posthumously exonerate Zhu Xieyuan and confer upon him the additional title of Grand Secretary.

After a long while, Chongzhen opened his eyes and said, "Who are the other two?"

Liu Tongsheng continued, "The former Military Defense Assistant Commissioner of Jiangzhou, Wang Siren, reorganized military preparations and drilled a naval force. Though he suffered one defeat, the primary cause was Li Maofang, who held a large army but feared the enemy and refused to advance. This delay of battle allowed the Gan River to rise, and the rebels used small boats to launch a fire attack. Even so, Wang Siren withdrew with the main strength of the naval force. The current Jiangxi naval force is precisely the one drilled by Wang Suidong, and it is the only remaining elite government force in Jiangxi."

Chongzhen believed Liu Tongsheng was telling the truth, because Xie Xuelong, Zhu Xieyuan, and Wang Siren were not officials of the same faction.

Since they were capable and effective officials, they should be put to important use. Xie Xuelong and Zhu Xieyuan were dead, but Wang Siren was still alive. Chongzhen decided to summon Wang Siren back to the capital for assignment.

"And the remaining one?" Chongzhen asked.

Liu Tongsheng said, "The Left Provincial Administration Commissioner, Wu Nuru, Wu Shiliang, is seasoned and prudent, and does his utmost to mediate. But he is over eighty, aged and frail, so he only counts as half. The Right Provincial Administration Commissioner, Zhang Bingwen, loves the people and is diligent in governance, respected by scholars and commoners alike. It is a pity he has no authority over the military, and he is also greedy for wealth and lustful, so he too only counts as half."

Chongzhen sighed and said, "Only through your words have We come to understand the state of Jiangxi's local governance. The rebel unrest in Raozhou and Duchang—was it instigated by that rebel Zhao?"

Liu Tongsheng answered truthfully, "Your servant's old friends in Nanchang formed a Homecoming Society, all scholars who fled the troubles. Your servant corresponds with these friends once every two months. The uprisings in Raozhou and Duchang were not instigated by the rebel Zhao, but because Jiangxi suffered first drought and then flood this year. The officials pressed for taxes, the princes exploited the people, and the common folk had no means to live, so they rose in revolt."

Chongzhen was left speechless. He was the one who had ordered Jiangxi's officials to press for taxes, because he did not believe Jiangxi had suffered any disaster.

Liu Tongsheng suddenly kowtowed, pressing his forehead to the floor. "The rebel Zhao, under the pretext of government authority, dispatched troops to occupy Raozhou and Duchang. It is heard that outside the city of Raozhou, over a thousand members of the imperial clan shouted 'Long live the rebel Zhao.'"

"Imperial clansmen shouting 'Long live' to a rebel?" Chongzhen shot to his feet, stunned where he stood.

Liu Tongsheng said, "Among the imperial clan in Raozhou, a great many are destitute, even those holding the ranks of General and Commandant. The funds and grain provided locally to support the imperial clan are mostly embezzled by the Princes of the Blood and Commandery Princes, and clansmen are forbidden from pursuing any trade or profession. Some imperial clansmen even survive by begging."

Chongzhen was utterly dumbfounded. Descendants of the Zhu family as beggars? Truly, they had returned to the ancestral trade!

Chongzhen asked in bewilderment, "Are not clansmen of more distant blood permitted to seek their own livelihoods?"

The imperial clan problem had long been apparent, and so by the mid-to-late Ming, those of more distant blood could no longer receive stipends of rice and were allowed to seek their own livelihoods like ordinary commoners.

Liu Tongsheng answered, "The Princes of the Blood collude with the Commandery Princes to falsify the clan registers, and the localities do not strictly enforce the court's decrees."

Chongzhen was furious and resolved to investigate the clan registers across the realm, so that the lower-ranking Zhu descendants could seek their own livelihoods.

This was too damn absurd. Zhu family descendants shouting 'Long live' to a rebel? Chongzhen felt as if he had been slapped repeatedly across the face.

Liu Tongsheng kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, if Jiangxi is not set in order, it will surely fall entirely into the hands of the rebel Zhao!"

Chongzhen fell silent, sighing inwardly.

This year, the whole realm suffered great disasters, roving bandits rose from the ashes, and even the tax-lands of Jiangnan were stricken. Where was the money to suppress rebels in Jiangxi?

The roving bandits plagued several provinces, and the Tartars repeatedly raided the capital. These two bands of brigands had to be dealt with first. As for Jiangxi, since the rebel Zhao had not yet spread chaos across provincial borders, it would have to be set aside for the time being.

After pondering for a moment, Chongzhen offered reassurance: "You, sir, are a man of great talent and may serve as an Expositor-in-Waiting. For now, speak no more of Jiangxi affairs."

Liu Tongsheng could only obey. Bowing with tears in his eyes, he said, "Your servant thanks Your Majesty!"

Although Liu Tongsheng had been promoted only one rank, he had crossed a crucial threshold. As an Expositor-in-Waiting, he could see the Emperor frequently and could also be summoned to the Forbidden City to discuss state affairs.

To placate Zhao Han, Chongzhen soon issued an imperial edict. On the grounds of meritorious service in suppressing bandits, he promoted Zhao Han to Vice Commissioner-in-Chief (ranked senior first grade), and even conferred upon Fei Rulan the title of Dame by Imperial Mandate.

(End of Chapter)