Chapter 46: The Grand Secretary of Three Know-Nothings

"Converting horse fodder to silver — how is that progressing?"

Zhang Ruitu rose, cupped his hands, and replied in a grave tone: "In reply to Your Majesty, this subject has now ascertained the facts. In the Liaodong horse-fodder silver conversion, there are indeed abuses."

He paused, organizing his words, striving to be thorough.

"This subject examined old files at the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War, and also questioned people in the capital who travel to and from Yongping and the Ji Garrison."

"In the past, when the court requisitioned horse fodder, the price paid was often insufficient. Powerful households could always evade the obligation by various means."

"But powerless commoners, once assigned a quota, would be ruined — and afterward they were often still unable to deliver the full amount of fodder."

"Thus, for the people, this practice stirred boiling resentment; for the state, it left Liaodong short of horse fodder."

At this point, he gave his own conclusion:

"Therefore, this subject believes that rather than requisitioning, it would be more appropriate to convert the fodder into silver, send it to Liaodong, and let the local authorities purchase it themselves."

When he finished, he lowered his head and stood waiting, his heart utterly uneasy.

In principle, there was nothing wrong with what he had said.

But he had omitted precisely the most critical matter — one he could not evade, yet dared not speak of.

Sure enough, after listening, Zhu Youjian sighed softly.

"Grand Secretary Zhang, I recall asking about this the last time."

Zhu Youjian's voice drifted out, low and measured.

"I know there are abuses in the fodder requisition."

"I also know that converting to silver can eliminate those abuses."

"What I asked was: once the silver reaches Liaodong, how does it become horse fodder? Why have you said nothing about that link in the chain?"

A fine sweat instantly beaded on Zhang Ruitu's forehead.

He stammered, and only after a long pause said: "That… the Governor-General of Ji and Liaodong, Yan Mingtai, may have measures to handle it on his own."

"'Handle it on his own'?" A cold, mocking curve touched the corner of Zhu Youjian's mouth.

"The silver-conversion method was submitted by Huang Yuntai, Governor-General of the Liaodong levy. Now that it reaches you and you cannot make sense of it, you propose to send it right back to the Governor-General of Ji and Liaodong."

"Official dispatches to and from the Liao Garrison take more than five days. If you could not clarify this matter from the start, why did you casually promise a result within three days?"

In truth, Zhu Youjian already guessed the reason behind it.

Abuses in the fodder requisition meant a chain of interests existed — simply send someone to cut that chain, and it would be done.

This man was not unable to speak — he was unwilling to speak, and dared not speak.

Zhu Youjian leaned forward slightly and softened his tone.

"Then, in Grand Secretary Zhang's opinion, if I grant another ten days, can this matter reach a conclusion?"

Zhang Ruitu's lips trembled, but he dared not answer with a single word of assent.

Zhu Youjian's patience was wearing thin, bit by bit.

He fixed his gaze on Zhang Ruitu and asked, weighing each word.

"Very well. You cannot handle this matter. Then I ask you again: looking across all the civil and military officials of the court, who, in your judgment, can handle it?"

Zhang Ruitu's eyes swept the hall almost involuntarily.

The Chief Grand Secretary, Huang Liji, had his eyes on his nose and his mind on his heart, as if in deep meditation.

The other Grand Secretaries and ministers likewise acted as though the matter had nothing to do with them.

Only Li Guopu seemed eager, as if ready to step forward.

But in the end, Zhang Ruitu's gaze fell back to the floor in front of him.

Why bother? He was already fifty-seven this year. From a poor Fujian boy to a Grand Secretary of the Great Ming — what more was there to be unsatisfied with?

The new sovereign was bent on reform, the Donglin faction's restoration was imminent, and the court was clearly headed for a storm of blood. Why stay on?

Better to return home. Devote himself to calligraphy — he might yet become a true master, leaving his name in the histories.

Would that not be far better than remaining in the eye of the storm?

Having thought this far, he no longer hesitated. He lifted the black gauze cap from his head, held it in both hands, and knelt trembling to the floor.

"This old minister is muddled and incompetent, and now aged and sickly… I beg Your Majesty, grant this subject… the return of his old bones to the fields!"

The assembled officials all turned to look at Zhu Youjian, waiting for his reaction.

By convention, the Emperor at such a moment should rise from his seat, personally help the old minister to his feet, and comfort him with warm words.

Then a scene of sovereign-minister harmony would be played out, and in the end Zhang Ruitu would "reluctantly accept" and continue serving the state.

After three such repetitions, Zhang Ruitu could retire with honor.

Especially since His present Majesty, ever since his accession, had shown himself astute and decisive, with the makings of a wise ruler — surely he would not let slip this chance to bestow grace.

One breath. Two breaths…

Kneeling on the cold golden brick, Zhang Ruitu gradually sensed something was wrong.

His heart sank, inch by inch.

After a long while, just as everyone in the hall was nearly suffocating, Zhu Youjian suddenly smiled.

"Well, well, well. Truly a 'Grand Secretary of Three Know-Nothings.'"

"With state affairs decayed to this point, incompetents indeed ought not to steal high office."

He looked toward Gao Shiming, standing in attendance at the side, and waved his hand, his tone as indifferent as if giving some trivial instruction.

"Issue the decree."

"Zhang Ruitu is muddled and incompetent, and utterly devoid of responsibility. Add ten green marks to his name on the screen. He is to be stripped of office and reduced to commoner status, all examination degrees revoked, and ordered to return home and dwell in idleness."

The decree was crisp and clean, without the slightest equivocation.

Zhang Ruitu jerked his head up, his eyes full of disbelief.

Stripped of office — that meant dismissal. Revocation of degrees — that meant losing even the privileges of a juren!

With this single decree, one could say that in an instant he had fallen from being a Grand Secretary of the Great Ming back to the nobody he had been at the very beginning.

His mouth opened and closed; he wanted to say something, but found he could not utter a single word.

Before he could even express his gratitude for the mercy, two Bearers of the Imperial Insignia, their faces utterly blank, had already stepped forward. One on his left, one on his right, they lifted him from the floor and half-dragged, half-hustled him out of Wenhua Hall.

Until the very moment he was dragged out the hall doors, Zhang Ruitu's mind was a complete blank.

The instant those words "the Three-Don't-Know Grand Secretary" were spoken, he, Zhang Changgong, would never have a day of redemption in the annals of history!

Inside the hall, a deathly silence fell.

Huang Liji, Shi Fenglai, and the others were as silent as cicadas in the cold.

Even Li Guopu's face showed a flicker of pity, and he hesitated over whether to speak.

Zhu Youjian remained silent for a moment, then suddenly tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk.

The crisp sound made every man's heart leap into his throat.

"In your hearts, are you not all worrying?"

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, breaking the silence.

"Worrying that today We settled accounts with Zhang Ruitu, and tomorrow it will be your turn — all of you who were once part of the 'eunuch faction'?"

These words struck like a bolt of lightning, splitting open the deepest fear in everyone's hearts.

Huang Liji and the others shuddered violently. The ten ministers and grand secretaries in the hall rose to their feet in unison, not daring to remain seated, yet not daring to kneel either.

This Emperor... he had actually laid it out in the open!

"Today, We might as well give you the unvarnished truth."

Zhu Youjian stood up, pressed both hands on the desk, and leaned slightly forward.

"The realm is in such a state. We desire only to be a sovereign who restores the dynasty, not a sovereign who presides over its ruin."

His gaze swept over every man, his eyes forthright and piercing.

"Therefore — whoever can get things done, rises! Whoever cannot get things done, falls! It is as simple as that!"

"Factions, partisan strife — in Our eyes, they are not worth a mention, nor shall they be mentioned again!"

"What We say to you today, We will say to the so-called Donglin faction another day as well! And to all under Heaven, We will say the same!"

Having spoken, Zhu Youjian paid no heed to their reactions. He sat straight back down, as if the thunderous methods and heartfelt words of a moment ago had never happened.

He rapped on the table.

"All of you, sit down. We continue the deliberations."

His gaze once more swept over them, and he repeated the earlier question:

"The matter of commuting the horse-fodder levy to silver in Liaodong — the Three-Don't-Know Grand Secretary could not handle it."

"Which of you can relieve the Great Ming of this burden?"

I suddenly realized that you readers may have no clear picture of the Ji Garrison or Yongping, nor where this horse-fodder matter actually took place.

I'll add a map to illustrate:

The far right is Shanhai Pass; beyond the pass lies Liaodong.

Inside the pass are Yongping, Jizhou, and Miyun.

These three areas are generally administered together with Liaodong, under the office of the Governor-General of Ji and Liao.