Chapter 560: Shock

"The memorial of Hong Chengchou, Superintendent of Ji and Liao, regarding the previous report on the death of Jin Guofeng in battle: Investigation reveals that on that day, several thousand Mounted Armor of the Eastern Invaders suddenly broke into the outskirts of Ningyuan. Our troops formed ranks west and north of the city. Regional Commander of Ningyuan Jin Guofeng fought bravely at the forefront, inflicting casualties equal to those suffered from the Eastern Invaders. However, the military units within Ningyuan city were a chaotic mix, orders could not be universally enforced, and the hearts of the men could not be united. The enemy cavalry charged and broke through, each battalion retreated, and Jin Guofeng was trapped behind enemy lines…"

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation within the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Chongzhen Emperor, dressed in casual robes, waved his hand. Wang Cheng'en, who was in the middle of his report, immediately stopped.

The Chongzhen Emperor's voice was heard, "What does Hong Chengchou want? Read the essential parts."

"Within the single city of Ningyuan, the standard troops of the Surveillance Commissioner, the Defense Circuit Intendant, and others are a chaotic mix of units. Military orders are not unified, and authority is hampered. Henceforth, in all matters of defense and combat, all standard troops in the same city shall obey the Regional Commander's assignments and arrangements. Should there be any disorder or failure to obey restraints and orders, the law of joint military punishment and command shall be applied uniformly to all… Supreme Commander Hong wants the authority of Battle Command."

The Chongzhen Emperor gave an "mm" in acknowledgment, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the chair rest. The eunuch officials and palace maids attending in the hall were all like stone statues, terrified of making the slightest sound.

Wang Cheng'en put down the memorial and signaled to a eunuch official beside him to open the subsequent memorials, revealing the title headers of the memorials so that he could recall their general content. He also made his movements very light, a picture of extreme caution, yet he was the only one in the hall who dared to move at all.

Wang Cheng'en came from the Inner Study Hall and was not affiliated with a powerful department like the Directorate of Ceremonial, but his standing in the palace was such that even the Directorate of Ceremonial had to treat him with wary respect.

The Ming Dynasty did not establish a Chancellor, yet there was no shortage of political affairs to handle. Relying on the Emperor alone was impossible, and the Emperor was also not at ease entrusting matters directly to the civil officials of the Cabinet, lest imperial power be undermined. Therefore, the Directorate of Ceremonial was established to be responsible for Vermilion Endorsement, supervising the Cabinet's handling opinions. If they found an objection, they could return it, but they could not alter it without authorization.

The Emperor transformed himself into the role of an arbitrator, which could spare him from direct confrontation with civil officials. For a long time, these two institutions were generally in balance. If an imbalance occurred, the Emperor would then make adjustments.

Wang Cheng'en was essentially the Emperor's personal secretary. He also managed a group of eunuch officials from the Inner Study Hall. Every day, the memorials the Emperor needed to handle or be informed of were first sorted by him to improve the Emperor's work efficiency.

Some memorials went directly before the throne, such as those from high-ranking frontier officials like Hong Chengchou, who all had the right of direct memorial. For these, Wang Cheng'en needed to browse them first to generally understand what they were about. If the Emperor could not read them all, he would summarize the content and report to the Emperor, ensuring the Emperor obtained the key information.

Other memorials mostly came from the Cabinet and had already been given a draft rescript. These required Wang Cheng'en to communicate with the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial to understand the situation and select the memorials the Emperor might pay attention to. His selection and report could both determine the outcome of the requests submitted in the memorials. Therefore, whether it was the Directorate of Ceremonial or the Cabinet, they all had to be careful when dealing with Wang Cheng'en.

Wang Cheng'en was not old, but he was naturally intelligent and had a very good memory. He had been at the Emperor's side for several years and was becoming more and more adept at this task, also gaining more and more of the Emperor's trust.

So while others dared not make a sound, Wang Cheng'en could still carefully prepare other memorials.

The memorials emitted a slight rustle of turning pages. The Emperor slowly opened his eyes. "Wang Cheng'en, in this memorial of Hong Chengchou's, is he speaking reason, or is it merely that he wants to discipline the Liao Garrison?"

Having spent a long time with the Emperor, Wang Cheng'en almost didn't need to observe the Emperor's expression. Just from the subtle changes in tone, he could judge the Emperor's inclination.

He bowed down. "This servant believes it is both. Military orders come from multiple sources. The Supervisor Battalion, Provincial Commander's Standard Troops, Circuit Guard, garrison troops, reinforcement troops, and defense troops do not fall under each other's command. Once the Eastern Invaders come, each family looks after its own designated defense zone. Not only can they not coordinate, but they hinder each other. Supreme Commander Hong has been in the military for many years and presumably has long had plans for this. Secondly, when Supreme Commander Hong transferred from Shaanxi to take up his post in the Liao Garrison, he only brought one battalion of Qin troops. In the Liaoxi region, no matter what unit, they all ultimately came from the Liao Garrison. Without disciplining and dividing them, his words would be empty talk. Therefore, he first used the name of Extracted Elite Troops to combine the crack troops beyond the pass into one brigade. Naturally, a batch of General Officers had to be replaced. Finally, he handed command to Wu Sangui. This way, the people of the Liao Garrison could not easily voice objections, but his task was accomplished. This time, by again seizing the battle command authority of the Grand Coordinator, the Defense Circuit Intendant, and the Grand Supervisor, his words can then circulate throughout the Liao Garrison."

"Jinzhou, Songshan, and Xingshan are all still there, yet several thousand Eastern Invader troops could still penetrate deep into Ningyuan. Over a hundred thousand men in the Liao Garrison watched helplessly as they killed a Regional Commander and left. It is also said that when the Eastern Invaders invaded last year, the Liaodong Garrison Army was divided among eight cities, to the point that no troops could be deployed. The court has sent several million in Liaodong Military Tax, yet the Liao Garrison can neither repel the enemy nor block the enemy. It originally deserved some disciplining." The Emperor nodded slightly. "Supreme Commanders and Grand Coordinators are all key ministers guarding the borders. The court appoints them to office so they can get things done. Over the years, the Liao Garrison has become entangled with deep roots and knots. If you don't discipline them, those roots and mud will tangle into a dead knot. If you discipline them, that mud loosens up. But you can't let it all collapse at once. Hong Chengchou wants to take battle command, yet he also elevates Wu Sangui. The intensity of this disciplining is appropriately measured."

Wang Cheng'en heard the Emperor's meaning, that he held Hong Chengchou in relatively high regard, and might want to read the entire memorial. He immediately spread the memorial open and placed it before the Emperor, saying as he did so, "Supreme Commander Hong dares to take battle command precisely so that authority matches responsibility. This also shows that Hong Chengchou is someone who dares to take on tasks, not the type who pushes everything onto His Majesty. It is evident that His Majesty's transfer of him to Superintendent of Ji and Liao is truly sage."

The Chongzhen Emperor sat up straight, pressed his right hand on the memorial before him, and began to examine it in detail.

Wang Cheng'en turned around to pick up the next memorial, but then heard the Emperor's voice again, "And what is Sun Chuanting doing now?"

"He has submitted another memorial, arguing that his tenure as Supreme Commander of Baoding between appointment and dismissal was only half a month, that the Ministry of War only mentioned the slave cavalry moving west, and he did not delay matters for months, and that his ear ailment is real…"

The Chongzhen Emperor's voice said coldly, "Then say no more."

Wang Cheng'en turned back and said, "The memorials Sun Chuanting has submitted over these months are still arguing with the former Grand Secretary, arguing with the Ministry of War, seizing on the battle situation during the rally to the king to cry out his own grievances. In the end, he still hasn't understood where his fault lies."

The Chongzhen Emperor did not indicate approval or disapproval. He finished reading Hong Chengchou's memorial, then said softly, "It is evident how difficult it is to find a capable minister who genuinely wants to get things done. When Hong Chengchou went to Liaodong to take up his post, he only brought one battalion of troops. He knew no one else. Why was he not deaf? Since he is the new Supreme Commander and is sincerely devoted to his duties, for such a capable minister, I must back him up. Draft the rescript with this meaning."

Wang Cheng'en understood the meaning: the Emperor supported Hong Chengchou. Not to mention civil officials like the Grand Coordinator and the Defense Circuit Intendant, even the Grand Supervisor's battle command authority was to be seized as well. The two memorials in which Gao Qiqian accused Hong Chengchou's extraction of elite troops of affecting defense affairs need not be brought forward anymore.

"This servant has noted it." Wang Cheng'en waved his hand toward the eunuch official behind him holding Gao Qiqian's memorials. That eunuch official immediately retreated to the very back and placed the memorials into a carrying basket. No matter how well-written these memorials were, they would never see the light of day again.

Wang Cheng'en opened another memorial. "Supreme Commander Hong has another memorial. In it, he again raises the issue of rations and pay, stating that the Liao Garrison is still five months in arrears on pay. At Songshan and Xingshan, there are soldiers beating drums and clamoring. If rations and pay are insufficient, even battle commands and military orders will likely still be difficult to enforce, and the extraction of elite troops will certainly yield half the result for twice the effort."

The Emperor's expression slowly turned cold again. He looked at the imperial desk and said, "Has the Ministry of Revenue responded?"

"The Ministry of Revenue responded saying they are making every effort to raise funds and will issue another month's pay next month. But ultimately, they still say that collecting the new and old stipends from various regions is difficult. This year, the Training Levy is to be newly levied, and it is feared that arrears on the old stipend from various regions will be even worse. In the end, how much more in rations and pay can be produced, the Ministry of Revenue also cannot give an exact figure."

"The Shaanxi Three Borders are eight months in arrears on pay, the Xuan-Da Three Garrisons are half a year in arrears, the Capital Battalion five months…"

"Order the Ministry of Revenue to strictly intensify supervision. This year, an additional Training Levy of seven hundred and 300,000 taels is to be levied. Collection in the localities will certainly be difficult, but that is precisely what it is to be used for drilling troops. If everything were that easy, what need would there be for them? Being an official means getting things done, not just knowing how to cry to the Ministry of Revenue about the difficulty. If you are not strict, they will use the old stipend to fulfill the new stipend and Training Levy, and the old stipend will be left unpaid. The total amount of rations and pay remains the same. Make it clear to both the Cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue: wherever arrears on the old stipend exceed thirty percent, or the new stipend is in default, no Examination Complete will be permitted."

"This servant understands."

The Emperor suddenly said softly, "Wang Cheng'en, whenever increasing troops and increasing pay is mentioned, the censorial officials say the localities are bleeding the people dry and exploiting them. The taxes and grain are levied, the people have suffered, so why is it that when it reaches the various granaries in the capital, there is no silver in reserve, and when it reaches the military garrisons and units, pay is still in arrears year after year? Where exactly has this money and grain gone?"

Wang Cheng'en was momentarily speechless. Fortunately, the Emperor did not press the question. The hall was silent for a moment.

The Emperor stared blankly at the window lattice opposite him. After a good while, he said, "Has Li Guorui's funeral procession taken place?"

"It has."

The Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly. "What is being said in the palace?"

Wang Cheng'en hesitated for a moment, then said, "Everyone says he should not have made trouble for His Majesty, that he listened to others' slander and brought harm upon himself, and it was truly his own fault."

After speaking, Wang Cheng'en carefully glanced at the Chongzhen Emperor. This matter was somewhat sensitive. This Li Guorui was the Marquis of Wuqing, the grandnephew of Empress Dowager Xiaoding. He was, after all, an imperial relative by marriage, but a distant one, and there was no real emotional connection between them. Because when inheriting the family estate, Li Guorui had a dispute with his elder brother. The elder brother believed Li Guorui had swallowed two hundred thousand taels of his share. With both sides having completely fallen out, the elder brother then claimed he would donate these two hundred thousand taels to the Emperor.

It happened that the court was short on military funds. Xue Guoguan proposed that these wealthy imperial relatives donate a portion. Because of the pretext provided by the elder brother, they started with Li Guorui.

But how could Li Guorui be willing to donate? He then set out furniture and belongings for sale on the streets, claiming he needed to raise money for the donation by this means, thus humiliating the imperial family. In his extreme anger, the Chongzhen Emperor stripped Li Guorui of his title. Li Guorui, in his shock, actually died from it. This matter caused a huge uproar in the capital. The root cause of the incident was the court's lack of military funds, and in the end, it became a complete mess. So when the topic of pay arrears came up just now, the Emperor naturally thought of this matter again.

The Chongzhen Emperor asked in a steady tone, "Who gave him the idea to put on a show of poverty by selling things on the streets?"

"This servant also does not…"

"Tell me what you know."

Wang Cheng'en bowed down. "The accounts this servant has heard are all rumors within the palace and cannot be taken as fact. Ultimately, there were other ennobled families who feared that once this precedent of donation was set, every family would have to donate afterward. They all egged on this Li Guorui to oppose His Majesty. I fear more than just one family was involved."

The Emperor asked coldly, "Who came up with the idea?"

Wang Cheng'en gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. "It seems to be connected to the Count of Household Retainer."

"Zhou Helmet."

The two words seemed to hiss out from between the Emperor's clenched teeth. The Emperor's lips trembled a few times, his eyes staring fixedly at the window lattice opposite him, almost motionless.

"I ask you again, what else is being said in the palace?"

Wang Cheng'en's expression shifted and changed as he incessantly stole glances at the Emperor's face. After a good while, he finally said, "This servant has heard a rumor in the palace, saying that Empress Dowager Xiaoding has become the Nine-Lotus Bodhisattva, and because of this matter with Li Guorui, she is blaming His Majesty in heaven for treating her maternal family poorly… and thus has sent down a curse upon the Fifth Prince."

Suddenly, there was a bang. The eunuch officials and palace maids in the hall all trembled in unison. Wang Cheng'en was also startled. He saw the Emperor's palm slam onto the imperial desk, his pale face instantly flushing crimson.

Wang Cheng'en fell to his knees with a thud. The other eunuch officials and palace maids all hurriedly knelt down as well. The Emperor panted rapidly, abruptly stood up, and pointed at Wang Cheng'en, but nothing came out.

"All of you, get out!"

The eunuch officials and palace maids rose one after another and filed out of the hall door like fish.

Wang Cheng'en hesitated as he rose. The Emperor waved his hand at him, signaling him to stay.

Wang Cheng'en breathed a sigh of relief and stood carefully beside the imperial desk. He saw that the flush on the Emperor's face had not yet faded. The muscles on his face twitched as he incessantly muttered the three names: Li Guorui, Xue Guoguan, and Zhou Helmet.

After a good while like this, a eunuch official poked his head in at the door. Wang Cheng'en saw it was someone from the Directorate of Ceremonial, here to prepare for the Imperial Summons. He immediately put his hand behind his back and waved at him, signaling him not to disturb.

At that moment, the Emperor suddenly raised his head and looked at Wang Cheng'en. "Is there still an Imperial Summons today?"

Wang Cheng'en hurriedly said, "In reply to Your Majesty, it is the two venerable gentlemen, Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang. They are here to discuss two matters: the suppression of bandits in Huguang and Fu Zonglong's appointment as Minister of War."

"Venerable gentlemen? These men who bear the title of 'gentleman' — who among them truly serves the nation with all his heart?" Chongzhen murmured to himself. "It is just as you said: their mouths overflow with elegant rhetoric, but in the end they shove everything back onto Us. Where are the men who truly serve the nation with all their hearts?"

Wang Cheng'en dared not respond. He said cautiously, "If Your Majesty feels... it could also be rescheduled for tomorrow."

"No need." Chongzhen strode out of the great hall, not even waiting for the Imperial Guards of Honor, and walked just like that on foot toward the Central Left Gate.

The autumn sky was somewhat overcast; dark clouds seemed to hang right above the palace city. Wang Cheng'en and a group of eunuch officials from the Directorate of Ceremonial chased after him. Fortunately, the distance was not too great, though the formalities of the honor guard had to be forgone.

Because of the clouds in the sky, the Directorate of Ceremonial, worried about rain, still arranged for the meeting in the Warm Pavilion on the terrace.

The Directorate of Ceremonial had already made all preparations. Chongzhen sat down with a cold expression. A moment later, Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang walked in.

During an Imperial Summons, the Directorate of Ceremonial took the lead, so it was inconvenient for Wang Cheng'en to participate. He stood in a position behind the side of the screen. Although somewhat worried, he dared not warn the two Grand Secretaries.

Xue Guoguan spoke first, adding further details about the defeat at Suizhou. Among the various units involved, Zuo Liangyu's losses were the most severe — he had even lost his official seal. Luo Dai's whereabouts were still unknown. The Huguang Standard Battalion had lost over half its strength, leaving northern Huguang with no troops available.

The various camps of the Eight Bandits were entrenched around the Macheng area and had subsequently turned toward Xiangyang, showing signs of intending to pass through Nanyang and return to Henan. A new Five-Province Supreme Commander needed to be appointed as quickly as possible to take charge of the overall situation.

Xue Guoguan's voice when reporting was not very loud, and it differed somewhat from the bell-like resonance he had when he first assumed the post of Chief Grand Secretary. It was likely that the Li Guorui affair had also made him a target of the imperial relatives. He had been in a rather awkward position lately, so naturally his forcefulness had diminished.

But after listening, the Emperor said not a single word. Wang Cheng'en breathed a sigh of relief inwardly; it seemed the Emperor had already gotten over his anger.

Next was Yang Sichang. This Grand Secretary in charge of the Ministry of War had grown even more haggard of late; most of his hair appeared to have gone gray.

After completing the formalities, Yang Sichang raised his head and addressed the Emperor: "Following the earlier defeat at Suizhou, the Huguang region has no troops available for deployment. If we transfer the Henan Army to provide relief, there is concern that the Roving Bandits may return to Henan. The Ministry has deliberated transferring the Xuan-Da Border Army. However, the various battalions of the Xuan-Da Army have been campaigning continuously while rallying to the king last year and this year, and they are five months in arrears of pay. It is feared they cannot endure being conscripted. If they are to be transferred, we should wait until the Ministry of Revenue has made up at least two months of back pay. After that, a portion of the Xuan-Da Army could be transferred to Henan to be stationed at a designated location. While resting and reorganizing, they could provide relief to various parts of Henan. The Henan forces could then be transferred to Huguang to deal with the emergency. In the final analysis, if rations and pay are insufficient, the troops cannot be effectively used."

He paused after speaking. The Emperor above him made no indication whatsoever. Yang Sichang coughed lightly, somewhat awkwardly. Wang Cheng'en raised his eyes slightly and saw that the flush on the Emperor's face had faded, replaced by an utterly indifferent expression.

After waiting for a moment, Yang Sichang continued, "Fu Zonglong, traveling by both water and land without rest, is now near the capital. The affairs of the Ministry of War under my charge have been entrusted to others. I recall that when I assumed this post thirty months ago, I never anticipated the situation would deteriorate to such an extent. My crimes admit no reprieve. I humbly beseech Your Sacred Judgment to immediately impose the executioner's axe..."

Wang Cheng'en had already relaxed inwardly. Yang Sichang's words were very grave, but in reality, this was no major matter. It was just that recently, with the Eastern Invaders and the Roving Bandits running rampant, the realm was in utter turmoil. Yang Sichang, managing the affairs of the Ministry of War, had already submitted memorials admitting his guilt several times. In the fifth month, the Emperor had dismissed him from his post, but then, when merits were subsequently recounted, had restored him to his original position. By all accounts, the matter of the Eastern Invaders' incursion had already been put to rest.

However, the military defeat at Suizhou had once again pushed Yang Sichang to the crest of the storm. Xiong Wencan and Fang Kongzhao had both been arrested and interrogated. Impeachment memorials against Yang Sichang from the supervising censors flew into the palace like snowflakes. Yang Sichang had submitted multiple memorials admitting his guilt and simultaneously requesting resignation.

This was standard official convention in the Ming Dynasty. A person being impeached had to make this gesture. If the Emperor still wished to employ that person, he would simply reject it outright, as had been the case all along. Moreover, the Emperor's anger today was primarily directed at Xue Guoguan, so Wang Cheng'en was not overly worried for Yang Sichang.

Suddenly, the Emperor's voice interrupted: "The Minister of War has labored hard in his planning and deployment, yet cannot but be subject to the law and receive punishment. Previously stripped of rank and allowed to remain in office to atone for his crimes, he was later restored to his post when merits were recounted. Still, he has repeatedly submitted memorials admitting his guilt, his sincerity growing ever more earnest."

The Emperor's voice was cold. The Drafting Clerk from the Directorate of Ceremonial beside him recorded swiftly. These men wielded power over the inner court, but here in this Warm Pavilion, they were merely record-keepers.

Wang Cheng'en also made a mental note. If the Drafting Clerk missed any important content, he would need to supplement it later. But he estimated the Emperor would just offer a few words of encouragement, telling Yang Sichang not to take it to heart — that the whole guilt-admission process was just going through the motions.

The Emperor's tone shifted slightly. "Now the rebel bandits run rampant, and the Five-Province Supreme Commander has been dismissed. The Minister of War, whose talent and insight surpass the ordinary and who handles affairs with ease, may proceed with star-like speed to take over the post, swiftly sweeping away the demonic miasma and rescuing the people from fire and water..." (Note 1)

Wang Cheng'en raised his head in astonishment. He saw that Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang in the hall also wore expressions of utter shock.

"Upon triumphant return, you shall be handsomely rewarded and richly recompensed. You shall still be granted the Shangfang Sword to oversee the campaign, with all provincial armies, from the Supreme Commanders and Grand Coordinators down to the garrison commanders, subject to your command..."

Wang Cheng'en looked again at the Emperor and saw that Chongzhen's pale face actually carried a trace of smugness.

Note 1: See Collected Works of Master Yang Wenruo, Volume 35: Memorial on Imperial Grace Unmatched in the Age and a Subject's Crimes Unforgivable to the End of His Days. The content of the memorial was originally Yang Sichang admitting his guilt, and also carried the implication of requesting resignation, which was standard convention in Ming officialdom when facing impeachment. There was absolutely no hint of actively volunteering to suppress the bandits. The Emperor's previous replies to his memorials had all told him to carry out his duties without worry. Without any prior indication whatsoever, this reply suddenly appointed him Five-Province Supreme Commander. Yang Sichang at that moment must have been equally shocked.