Chapter 303: Even the Emperor Must Endure

ps: Seeking monthly tickets.

"The Directly-Attached Circuit Censor Wang Daozhi memorializes on the proposed punishments for Song Wei and Wu Xiang. Wu Xiang's forces collapsed when the cavalry first fell into disorder; Song Wei's forces collapsed when the artillery had already opened fire. If we sentence them under the statute for fleeing and causing a rout, condemning them to the ultimate penalty, what defense could they offer? Yet in the two battles of Songshan and Jinzhou, Song Wei's subordinate commanders Jin Guochen, Zhang Jihong, and others, spurred by his encouragement, achieved extraordinary merit. Song Wei might thus be granted a sliver of hope for survival. Wu Xiang, in the battles of Songshan and Jinzhou, gave direction and command, his achievements uniquely preeminent. On the Changshan battlefield, he faced the enemy and was wounded, a fact already noted by His Majesty's sagely discernment. His circumstances differ markedly from Song Wei's; it seems fitting to allow him to redeem himself through future merit. This aligns with the clear imperial decree stating that past labors are hard to erase, and future results may be anticipated."

Late at night in the Western Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, the Chongzhen Emperor had not yet flipped any name plaque to choose a consort. He was in no mood for that at the moment. In his hand he held the second recent memorial from the Directly-Attached Circuit Censor Wang Daozhi. In the first, Wang had demanded severe punishment for Wu Xiang and Song Wei; today, he was saying the two had extenuating circumstances, and his reasoning was utterly laughable. The Emperor's face flushed and paled by turns. He knew perfectly well what was going on, but these censors were being far too blatant.

Wang Chengen, standing to one side, had lit some sandalwood incense and dismissed the nearby palace maids. He said to the Emperor in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Qiu Hejia has sent an urgent letter. It did not come through the usual channels but was delivered directly to Senior Grand Secretary Zhou's residence. Old Mr. Zhou did not dare handle it on his own and secretly passed it to your servant. I beg Your Majesty to inspect it."

The Emperor knew it would be nothing good. Qiu Hejia had previously served as Army Preparatory Dao in Shanhaiguan and Yongping, earning merit in the Four Cities campaign and being promoted to Provincial Governor of Liaodong. In office, he had vigorously advocated building Dalinghe Fort, giving a long list of reasons. The Emperor now understood that men like Zu Dashou must have promised him considerable benefits. In the end, the Dalinghe campaign was a complete disaster. During the Battle of Changshan, Qiu Hejia did not even dare leave the city, merely sending a Yongping Army Preparatory Dao official — how could such a man control those long-distance sprint champions of the Liaodong garrison? Fortunately, in the end, he still dared to launch a night raid on the Jianzhou bandits and managed, somehow, to rescue Zu Dashou.

"Bring it here."

Wang Chengen carefully handed it over. The Emperor held the sheet of letter paper, his face flickering between light and shadow. It seemed as if a surge of anger was trapped in his chest, unable to escape. Wang Chengen dared not look directly at him and busied himself tidying the tea service to mask his unease.

After reading, the Emperor closed his eyes. He remained silent for a long while. Wang Chengen finished putting away the tea bowls and cups and waited quietly to one side. Finally, the Emperor spoke, his voice drained of strength: "Chengen, have you read this letter?"

Wang Chengen was so frightened he immediately fell to his knees. "Your servant would not dare. Old Mr. Zhou repeatedly enjoined me not to open or read it."

"Take it and read it."

The Emperor extended his hand, passing it to Wang Chengen. The young eunuch dared not disobey and could only accept it with trepidation. As he read, his mouth gaped wider and wider. Qiu Hejia had written in detail about the true circumstances of Zu Dashou's escape. It turned out that Zu Dashou had executed He Kegang at Dalinghe, then surrendered to the Jianzhou Chieftain, and later escaped by means of a ruse. At the very end, Qiu Hejia poured out his grievances, saying only that the Liaodong garrison was a tangled web of entrenched interests, where everyone looked to Zu Dashou as their leader. His previous report that Zu Dashou had broken through the siege was also made under duress and was not a deliberate attempt to deceive.

"Your Majesty, this…"

The Emperor kept his eyes closed. He let out a long sigh. He no longer had the strength for anger. Four million taels in annual military funds poured into the Liaodong garrison, and all he got in return was a string of defeats and one deception after another.

The Emperor remained silent for a very long time. Only then did he open his mouth to ask Wang Chengen, "Wang Chengen, what do you think should be done?"

Wang Chengen was quick-witted. Now that the Emperor kept him at his side every day, he had gained some understanding of His Majesty's temperament: always impatient to get things done, with little tolerance for most officials, yet remarkably high tolerance for those who suited his fancy. Qiu Hejia clearly did not belong to the latter category. So he boldly said, "Your Majesty, your servant believes that Qiu Hejia is a fence-sitter who fabricates lies and wantonly deceives, then turns around and secretly sends letters. His conduct is like a ghost skulking in the night. This is utterly intolerable."

The Emperor said listlessly, "Everything you say is correct. But what can be done? Should I throw him into the Imperial Prison tomorrow?"

Hearing the Emperor's tone, it seemed he had no intention of arresting Qiu Hejia. Wang Chengen still probed, "Your servant is willing to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard riders to the Liaodong garrison."

The Emperor suddenly sat bolt upright and slammed his palm on the table. The brush holder, bowls, and dishes on the desk all jumped from the impact. Wang Chengen hurriedly lowered his head and said fearfully, "Your servant spoke out of turn…"

The Emperor was so agitated his voice trembled. He roared at Wang Chengen, "On what grounds would I arrest him? Should I say he falsely reported the matter of Zu Dashou? And what exactly is that matter of Zu Dashou? Once this affair is dragged into the open, the censors will never let it rest. You arrest Qiu Hejia, yet Zu Dashou remains at large in Jinzhou, living free and easy. How then do I silence the clamoring mouths of the realm?! Tell me!"

Wang Chengen was drenched in sweat. He stammered, "Zu Dashou, Zu Dashou, he… your servant…"

A surge of fury within the Emperor clouded his mind. He snatched up the inkstone and made as if to hurl it at Wang Chengen. Several palace maids in the distance shrieked in fright. The Emperor seemed startled awake by the sound. He froze, inkstone raised, for a moment, then slumped back down.

His pale face was flushed crimson, and a fine layer of sweat beaded on his forehead. In his heart, the Liaodong garrison was no longer his subject but a third party in a transaction, the bargaining chips being the Liaodong military tax and the in-kind grain levy. Zu Dashou had held Dalinghe for half a year and could be said to have done his utmost. His method of escaping the predicament, though an act of desperation, was something the court censors would never overlook. Moreover, his execution of He Kegang was even more unforgivable. The subsequent deception and false reports showed that the civil officials in Liaodong were compromising with the military houses. In the territory of the Liaodong garrison, the authority of the imperial court had long since vanished.

The Emperor sighed softly. "What can I do? If Zu Dashou stays put in Jinzhou, what good would arresting Qiu Hejia do? Do you think I don't understand Qiu Hejia's calculations? On one hand, he doesn't want to offend the Liaodong garrison; on the other, he fears this matter will be exposed. So he takes the initiative to report secretly to me, hoping to curry favor with both sides. The Jianzhou bandits now have many members of the Zu family among them. Ningyuan and Jinzhou are Zu Dashou's home turf. The moment pressure is applied, he might defect to the bandits. Qiu Hejia has long since calculated that I would be wary of harming the rat for fear of breaking the vase, unable to move against Zu Dashou for the time being. As long as Zu Dashou cannot be touched, men like Qiu Hejia, Wu Xiang, and Song Wei can only be dealt with lightly."

Wang Chengen wept softly, partly from fear, partly from a sense of injustice for this Son of Heaven who ruled all under Heaven. Who could know that the majestic Emperor could be coerced like this by a gang of military bosses?

The Emperor looked down at Wang Chengen and said gently, "Wang Chengen, rise. You are still young and do not understand these matters."

Wang Chengen wiped away his tears and stood. He said cautiously to the Emperor, "Henceforth, your servant will not speak recklessly, lest I disturb Your Majesty's sagely judgment."

The Emperor shook his head, suppressing the raging fury in his heart. "Qiu Hejia's heart deserves death. He can no longer remain in the Liaodong garrison. For the two defeats at Dalinghe and Changshan, he is demoted two ranks and transferred to be Provincial Governor of Shanhaiguan and Yongping. Song Wei and Wu Xiang are to be sentenced to garrison duty at the frontier as military exiles. Zu Dashou is stripped of his title of Junior Tutor but retains his original duties. The matter of his surrender to the Jianzhou bandits and subsequent escape… must not be leaked. Generously compensate the family of He Kegang."

Wang Chengen knew that the Emperor was utterly unwilling to let these people off but was forced by circumstances. Zu Dashou, sitting alone in Jinzhou, was shielding the safety of this entire group. Since the two ringleaders, Wu Xiang and Song Wei, were left untouched, the others who had fled back — men like Zu Dabi, Zu Kuan, Zuo Liangyu, Yang Yufan, and the rest — could hardly be dealt with severely. The defeat at Changshan had cost forty thousand troops, and in the end, it was all swept under the rug. It was truly infuriating.

"Your Majesty, calm your anger. Though Zu Dashou is treacherous and cunning, Your Majesty now has the Wendeng Battalion. Once they reach southern Liaodong, the court will no longer have to rely solely on the Liaodong garrison to deal with the Jianzhou bandits."

The Emperor finally showed a trace of relief. Chen Xin never caused him trouble and always brought him hope just when he was in despair. He could no longer be described merely as "suiting his fancy." The only thing that still gave the Emperor some pause was that this man seemed to have almost no flaws.

His expression shifted to a smile as he said to Wang Chengen, "In these troubled times for the realm, if there could be a few more loyal and steadfast men like General Chen, how could the Jianzhou bandits have run rampant until now?"

Wang Chengen had a very good relationship with Wendeng. Back when he was still at Cao Huachun's side, Chen Xin had treated him with great courtesy and even given him a thousand taels in one go — the first sum of over a thousand taels the young Wang Chengen had ever received. He quickly chimed in, "If one calculates it, Dengzhou receives just over nine hundred thousand taels a year, and the Wendeng Battalion's share of that is only around a hundred thousand. Yet Lord Chen has trained even those military households into a strong army. The Liaodong garrison receives three to four million taels a year, but it all ends up making wedding clothes for the Jianzhou bandits. It is truly a pity."

The Emperor smiled. "After the Jisi Incident, I repeatedly enjoined Sun Yuanhua to ensure the Wendeng Battalion was fully supplied with pay and grain. I never imagined he would still cut corners. Fortunately, this Wang Tingzhi is quite knowledgeable in military affairs. He and General Chen complement each other perfectly and will surely be able to pin down the Jianzhou bandits in southern Liaodong." As he spoke, the Emperor's mood improved further. "I will not treat them shabbily either. In the future, their pay and provisions will naturally be somewhat more than before."

"Your Majesty's vision extends ten thousand li. Giving that military pay to Dengzhou and Laizhou is truly far more worthwhile than giving it to the Liaodong garrison."

Seeing the Emperor's mood improve, Wang Chengen smiled and chatted with him for a while, then called for palace maids to clear the bowls and dishes from the table. The Emperor picked up several memorials from his right side. They were from censors impeaching Chen Xin for seizing land in Wendeng and Dengzhou, and also accusing him of condoning Geng Zhongming's plundering in Pingdu — in short, claiming he was at daggers drawn with the local gentry.

The Emperor murmured to himself, "Chen Xin, as long as he has desires, that is good."…

"Chen Xin, why must you be so formal? You and I are close friends who value mutual understanding. You absolutely must not fall into the vulgar conventions of the hundred officials."

In the magnificent study of the Wen residence, Chen Xin and Song Wenxian had just risen from the floor. Wen Tiren casually glanced at the gift list handed over by the steward. The items were quite valuable, mostly rare jewels, ginseng, furs, coral, and the like, in considerable quantities, worth at least ten thousand taels in the capital. Though it was a lavish gift, Wen Tiren did not care much. He was no longer the lecturer of four years ago. Now that Zhou Yanru was showing signs of decline, people wanting to send gifts to him, Wen Tiren, formed a long queue. Having a gift accepted was already a cause for immense gratitude.

Chen Xin's greatest use to him now was as an external ally and as a means to secure military merit to stabilize his own power and position. Chen Xin's conduct had always been very satisfactory to him — no fence-sitting, always firmly standing on his side, and handling assigned tasks well.

Chen Xin was dressed in a blue scholar's robe, his hair bound in a net cap and topped with a square scholar's hat, giving him a refined and courteous air, a far cry from the martial image he presented in the military camp. He said respectfully to Wen Tiren, "I am a crude man and cannot speak in those elegant, bookish phrases. Your Lordship has shown me the grace of recognition and has always taken care of me. I constantly think of repaying Your Lordship. Having finally made a trip to the capital, I selected the best things I could gather. It is indeed somewhat vulgar, but my intentions are simply sincere."

Wen Tiren stroked his wispy beard and chuckled. He was an old fox. He did not believe for a moment that Chen Xin was not exploiting the war to make a fortune in Dengzhou and Laizhou. Just looking at the annual tribute from Chen Xin, it was clear Wendeng had other ways of making money. One of Wen Tiren's household servants was acquainted with the Four Seas Trading Company, so he had a rough idea that Chen Xin was making money from copper coins and cigarettes.

"From now on, Chen Xin, just focus on leading your troops well. Don't spend too much thought on these ordinary, mundane matters." Wen Tiren treated the two men entirely as trusted confidants and did not beat around the bush. He said directly, "Chen Xin, you must make good use of that area in southern Liaodong and do your best to ease His Majesty's worries. Our Emperor, even as a youth, could outwit and eliminate the Wei faction. Yet now he is repeatedly constrained by the Jianzhou bandits and the Liaodong garrison. Others may not see it, but I can certainly tell — over these past two years, His Majesty has truly grown thin."

Chen Xin replied, "I will remember Your Lordship's words. However, Your Lordship's affairs are no ordinary, mundane matters. I feel at ease only when I personally attend to the preparations."

Though he knew it was flattery, Wen Tiren found it very pleasant to hear. He smiled at Chen Xin and said, "The last list of meritorious service reported by Wang Tingzhi — I personally followed up on it at every stage, and it reached His Majesty's hands smoothly. It should all be approved. If nothing unexpected happens, the subsequent military funds should exceed last year's. I intend to help you secure one and a half million taels. The prerequisite is that Wang Tingzhi must guarantee that your unit receives over sixty percent. If he fails to allocate that much, you must come and tell me."

Chen Xin's heart skipped a beat. He was about to become a major recipient of the Liaodong military tax himself. This time, again, they were carving flesh from the Guanning Army. He wondered if the Guanning Army would still be willing to sell horses to him. Looking at Wen Tiren's demeanor now, he seemed even more confident than before, as if dealing with a Provincial Governor was effortless. It was likely that Zhou Yanru was growing weaker and weaker.

"I understand. Thank you, Your Lordship, for your care."

"But for the necessary gratuities to the Six Ministries, you must have Daoist Priest handle them as usual. These are indispensable. As for how much you actually end up with, you should have a clear idea in your mind."

Daoist Priest was Song Wenxian's courtesy name. He moved about the capital quite a bit and saw Wen Tiren far more often than Chen Xin did. But now, even he appeared very cautious before Wen Tiren's imposing presence. He replied earnestly, "I am well aware of the matters in the capital. Thank you, Your Lordship, for the reminder."

Chen Xin knew that the Liaodong military tax was reduced by several percent before it even left the capital, mainly siphoned off by the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Works. If he wanted a share of this military funding, he had to abide by this unwritten rule. Otherwise, he would be making an enemy of the entire capital bureaucracy, and even if Wen Tiren had three heads and six arms, he wouldn't be able to help him.

Wen Tiren was in high spirits for conversation, but he did not dwell too much on court affairs. Instead, he chatted with Chen Xin like a friend, mostly sharing amusing anecdotes from the capital, as if seeking to establish a closer personal friendship with Chen Xin.

The three talked for nearly two hours. Seeing that it was getting late, Wen Tiren gave Chen Xin a final word of advice: "In the court now, my words carry more weight than before. If Wang Tingzhi or others create any obstacles, have Daoist Priest send word. Also, regarding that last impeachment against you over the land dispute…"

"That matter is…" Chen Xin hurriedly tried to explain, but Wen Tiren gently waved his hand and smiled. "Being impeached is a good thing. At least everyone knows what is happening there. I know you have your own way of managing things, and your disputes with the locals are not many. But if everything were always quiet, people would start speculating about other things. What does a little land dispute matter? So I did not hold up those memorials. His Majesty should have seen them."

Looking at Wen Tiren's manner, Chen Xin saw that his status had indeed risen. No matter how fiercely disputes raged in the provinces, to him they were mere trifles. Wen Tiren's grasp of the Emperor's mind was certainly better than his own, so Chen Xin felt there was nothing left to worry about.

Wen Tiren continued, "Chen Xin, you have been an official for many years now. There are some things I need not teach you. In local matters, you often have to rely on the gentry. With these people, you must not push them too hard, but neither must you be too yielding. Otherwise, they will take a mile when given an inch."

Chen Xin agreed readily, though Wen Tiren was unaware that Chen Xin had his own training system. As long as he established a sufficiently strong grassroots organization locally, the gentry's power of discourse would naturally be stripped away.

The gentry of Dengzhou and Laizhou thought they could trouble a military officer like Chen Xin with a few censors. But with Wen Tiren's patronage, their maneuvers were utterly insignificant, even becoming small tools for Wen Tiren to use.

Wen Tiren had been talking for a long time and felt somewhat tired. He gently lifted his teacup. Chen Xin and his companion stood up and said, "We shall not disturb Your Lordship's rest. We take our leave now."

Wen Tiren actually personally escorted them out of the study and instructed the gatekeeper to use the Wen residence's sedan chair to take them back to Qipan Street, to avoid trouble from the night watchmen and the Warden's Office patrols.

Just as they were parting, Wen Tiren suddenly remembered something and asked Chen Xin, "I heard from the Ministry of War that Wang Tingzhi is transferring a Shandong guard battalion officer to his personal battalion to serve as an Assistant Regional Commander. Is he someone you know well?"

Chen Xin was taken aback and shook his head. He indeed had no close acquaintances in Shandong. "Does Your Lordship know his name?"

Wen Tiren thought for a moment. "I had assumed he was one of your people, which is why I asked specifically whether you needed to intervene in this matter. As for the name, I believe it was something like Liu Zeqing."