Chapter 10: First Meeting with the Civil Officials

When Chongzhen and his party returned to the capital around mid-morning, Luo Yangxing took his leave of the Emperor outside the palace gates and returned to his office to press on with implementing the reform plan for the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Chongzhen went back to Wuying Hall.

Wang Cheng'en helped the Emperor down from the carriage. Li Erxi hurried over, knelt, and reported: "Your Majesty, since yesterday, Grand Secretary Wen and the other grand secretaries have requested an audience several times. This servant awaits Your Majesty's decision."

Chongzhen rose and walked toward the hall, pondering as he went.

This counterfeit Chongzhen had been in the Ming for several days now. The reason he had not yet met with the civil officials was mainly that he felt disgust toward the grand secretaries of the Chongzhen era as recorded in history. The vast majority of these men utterly lacked the ability required of grand secretaries—they were all spokesmen for this or that faction or party. When it came to internal infighting, each was incomparably shrewd, but when asked to govern the state, they were utterly helpless. That was why Chongzhen had no desire whatsoever to bother with them.

In this period, only one Chief Grand Secretary, Wen Tiren, was barely adequate—not because Wen Tiren's abilities were sufficient, but because he was obedient. During his tenure in office, Wen Tiren had offended too many court officials, and he feared that if he were ever dismissed, he would suffer severe retaliation. With no other choice, he could only cling tightly to the Emperor's thick thigh. He had also learned to be adept at gauging the Emperor's intentions, never insisting on his own position—the moment he sensed the Emperor's opinion diverged from his own, he would immediately change his original plans.

Although he liked to gauge the Emperor's intentions, he was not the sort to deceive the Emperor with sweet words. In his early years, when he served as chief examiner for the metropolitan examination, Wen Tiren had once admitted Wang Heng, the son of former Grand Secretary Wang Xijue. But Wang Heng had evaluated him as "stern and cold, unapproachable by others," showing that his personality was of the unsociable sort.

His shortcoming was that he knew nothing whatsoever of military or financial matters, being skilled only at handling domestic administrative affairs. On the surface he was a solitary minister, but inwardly he also courted court officials—yet because of his personality, few dared to become his allies. But Wen Tiren's greatest virtue was his incorruptibility and caution. On ordinary days, after leaving court and returning home, he would tightly shut his gates and receive no outside visitors; even those wishing to bribe him could not get through his door. This was because he knew there were too many political enemies seeking to seize on any fault of his, so he simply dared not leave any evidence for them.

Seating himself behind the imperial desk in the hall, Chongzhen ordered: "Transmit the edict—permit the grand secretaries an audience." Li Erxi received the order and hurried away.

The Grand Secretariat's offices were not far from Wuying Hall. Before Chongzhen had even finished a cup of tea, Li Erxi announced from outside: "Reporting to His Majesty, Grand Secretary Wen Tiren and others request an audience!"

As soon as the words fell, several ministers in crimson official robes of varying ages stepped into the hall, then knelt in unison and announced loudly: "Your ministers Wen Tiren, Wang Yingxiong, Zhang Zhifa, and Zheng Yiwei kowtow to Your Majesty!"

"Rise—all you grand secretaries, stand!" Chongzhen said in a warm voice. "Ministers, if you have matters to report, speak!"

The assembled men exchanged glances, then all turned their gazes to Wen Tiren standing at the front. This Chief Grand Secretary stepped forward and reported: "Reporting to Your Majesty, previously the roving bandits attacked Fengyang and burned the Imperial Ancestral Mausoleum, shaking the entire realm! The most pressing task now is to send someone in Your Majesty's stead to Fengyang to offer sacrifices and report to the ancestral mausoleum, so as to reassure the hearts of the realm!"

"Approved. Whom do you have in mind?" Chongzhen asked.

"Imperial Son-in-law Wang Bing and Count of Taikang Zhang Guoji could serve as envoys!" Wen Tiren replied with a bow.

"Agreed. Let it be as you propose. After this audience concludes, you may return to the Grand Secretariat to draft the edict and deliver it to Wang Cheng'en to affix the imperial seal for execution!" Wen Tiren bowed again in acceptance.

"Do you have any other matters?" Chongzhen asked.

It was still Wen Tiren who stepped forward to reply: "At present, Minister of Personnel Wang Yongguang has retired. The posts of Fengyang Governor and Regional Inspector are vacant. May I ask whom Your Majesty favors?"

Chongzhen fell into thought. The position of Minister of Personnel was extremely important—though one could not enter the Grand Secretariat from it, its authority was no less than that of a Grand Secretary.

The previous minister, Wang Yongguang, had been aged and senile. Chongzhen had ordered his dismissal, but before a new minister could be appointed, the original Chongzhen had been seized and this soul had entered.

As for the Fengyang Governor and Regional Inspector, candidates surfaced in Chongzhen's mind. He spoke: "The post of Minister of Personnel is of great consequence. I must consider it carefully—let the Left Vice Minister temporarily take charge of the ministry's affairs. For Fengyang Governor, I favor Chen Qiyu; for Regional Inspector, let Censor Chen Liangmo serve. What do you think, ministers?"

Wen Tiren hesitated slightly before replying: "Your minister would not presume to interfere in Your Majesty's personnel decisions. But Chen Qiyu was previously imprisoned in the Imperial Prison for several months over the matter of releasing the bandits at Chexiang Gorge. Court officials have unanimously impeached him, saying his crime is unforgivable. Your Majesty now wishes to restore him for reasons unknown—I fear this will provoke criticism among the court officials. I beg Your Majesty to think thrice!"

"Though Qiyu previously committed the great crime of releasing the enemy, it was in truth because those around him had been bribed by the bandits and spoke on their behalf. His earlier strategies for suppressing the bandits still had commendable points. Now that he has spent several months in the Imperial Prison, he should be able to reflect on his errors. So long as he acknowledges his faults, I believe the man is still serviceable. Let it be thus—I will send someone to the Imperial Prison shortly to have him enumerate the causes of his previous crimes. If he awakens in repentance, I may permit him to atone for his crimes through merit. If not, do any of you have candidates to recommend?" After Chongzhen finished speaking, his gaze swept across the faces of all present.

From Wen Tiren on down, upon hearing the Emperor's final words, the assembled men's minds turned rapidly, each considering whether he had any candidate for Governor in his own pocket. Chongzhen smiled faintly and did not urge them, casually picking up his teacup, taking a light sip, and setting it back on the imperial desk. Wang Cheng'en hurriedly picked up the teapot and refilled it.

Chongzhen knew full well that Fengyang was currently a furnace. Given the nature of Ming officials, even though the post of Governor carried high rank and great power, no one dared to sit on a furnace. These grand secretaries lacked governing ability, but when it came to contending for power and profit, or avoiding harm and seeking advantage, each was a past master.

Sure enough, after a moment, all of them bowed with clasped hands and said in unison: "We respectfully await Your Majesty's decision—we have no objections!"

"Then Minister Wen, draft the edict when you return! There is one more matter—previously, Shaanxi Regional Inspector Li Yingqi impeached Shaanxi Governor Gan Xuekuo for fearing the enemy and shrinking from battle, cowering in Xi'an without venturing out. Let Gan Xuekuo be stripped of his post as Governor and degraded to commoner. As for the candidate for Shaanxi Governor, you ministers may recommend someone. I am weary—for domestic affairs, let Minister Wen take the lead. You may withdraw!" Chongzhen waved his hand. He truly had no desire to deal with this pack of incompetents.

History had already proven that these civil officials, like wooden idols and clay statues, had never once given the Chongzhen Emperor a single sound suggestion beneficial to matters of state and military. Since he had come to the Ming and been reborn as Emperor, everything still depended on himself—these people could not be relied upon at all. In the future, if he could turn the tide and pacify internal and external threats, some of these men's talents might yet prove useful.

The assembled men looked at one another in bewilderment. The previous emperor had been extremely diligent, holding court audiences at the platform with great frequency. Though they themselves had accomplished little in governance, being able to meet the imperial presence often was still something court officials envied—after all, unless one was a high minister, it was very difficult to behold the imperial countenance. Only during grand court sessions could one catch a distant glimpse of the Emperor.

But ever since the Fengyang ancestral mausoleum had been burned, the Emperor had first avoided seeing all the ministers. Now that they had finally managed to see him, before they could even deliver a rousing speech on state affairs to win the Emperor's favor, they were being shown the door. Though each harbored doubts, since His Majesty was already dismissing them, the assembled men could only bow and withdraw, returning to the Grand Secretariat.

Shaanxi was the birthplace of the bandits. Though under Hong Chengchou's vigorous suppression they had fled to Henan and Huguang, small bands of roving bandits still appeared constantly within Shaanxi's borders, attacking county seats and raiding towns. Under such circumstances, the local authorities simply could not organize normal productive activities.

The Shaanxi Governor had to be a forceful figure capable of holding the situation together. Small bandits must not be allowed to grow into great ones. Only once the situation stabilized and the people felt secure would they resume normal life and production, and would the refugee population stop expanding.

With fewer refugees, the bandits would become water without a source, a tree without roots. Thinking of this, Zhu Zhenqing felt that the time had come for that tragic talent from history to take the stage. His own arrival would certainly not allow that man to repeat history's mistakes—the various impeachments the court officials would level against him would all be ignored, and he would never be recklessly hounded to annihilate the bandits by a set deadline as the historical Chongzhen Emperor had done, which had driven him to hastily raise troops and die on the battlefield.

"Wang Cheng'en, send someone to the Ministry of Personnel to look up Sun Chuanting's current post, then summon him for an audience!" Chongzhen ordered.

Wang Cheng'en acknowledged the order and went outside the hall to arrange for a young eunuch to deliver the edict to the Ministry of Personnel. Li Erxi hurried in to report that Luo Yangxing sought an audience. Moments later, Luo Yangxing entered hastily, and after paying his respects, reported: "Your Majesty, it has now been ascertained that the occupation of the coal mine in Mentougou Village resulting in deaths was the doing of the Earl of Chengyi's household. Investigation has also revealed numerous unlawful acts on their part—seizing good farmland from commoners, forcibly abducting women, and illegally taking over shops run by honest citizens. I beg Your Majesty to decide!"

"Have the specific details been thoroughly investigated?" Chongzhen asked.

"All has been ascertained. The families of the deceased had previously lodged complaints with the Shuntian Prefecture, but the prefecture was pressured by the Earl of Chengyi through his connections, and the matter was ultimately dropped," Luo Yangxing reported.

"How many deaths has his household caused in these past few years?" Chongzhen continued.

"Three deaths, and two persons maimed!"

"Why have no censors impeached him?"

"The Earl of Chengyi, Liu Kongzhao, is on good terms with the Left Chief Censor, Min Hongxue!"

"I understand. Find a way to make the evidence you have collected known to Left Vice Censor Li Banghua. Go and arrange it!" Chongzhen waved his hand, and Luo Yangxing received the order and departed hastily.

By this time Wang Cheng'en had returned to the Emperor's side. Zhu Zhenqing asked: "Who commands the Yongwei Camp?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Eunuch Cao Huachun currently commands the Yongwei Camp, with Liu Yuanbin and Lu Jiude serving as supervising eunuchs. The camp has a total of over six thousand officers and men, all selected from the Capital Camps to guard the imperial palace!" Wang Cheng'en was quite well informed on the matter.

"After the midday meal, I will go to inspect the Yongwei Camp. Do not make a great show of it—just as when visiting the imperial estates. Go and pass the word," Chongzhen said. He felt he should see for himself what the army directly under the Emperor was like.