Chapter 127: The Imperial Faction

"Third, there is the matter of those eight traitor merchants led by Fan Yongdou. Though their silver is plentiful and for now seems to flow without end, this account only goes out and never comes in — we cannot rely solely on the estates of these few traitor merchants to sustain us. I wish to establish imperial estates, but—"

"There are still natural disasters across the realm. After the Northwest Grand Camp is established, how much will annual military expenditures amount to? If we also establish a Northeast Grand Camp at the same time, this silver will not last long either. Good steel must be used on the blade's edge — aside from building the Northwest Grand Camp, the silver should be prioritized for settling refugees throughout the realm."

"Next, with the Ministry of War taking the lead, make up as soon as possible the arrears in military pay owed to the garrison troops around the capital region. Order the Ordnance Bureau and the Armory Bureau to work overtime forging equipment — the newly recruited soldiers cannot still be using old armor, sabers, and spears. Once the new troops are fully equipped, what remains can be supplied to the royalist armies coming to the capital."

"As for compensation for the common folk in the capital region who were displaced by my edicts, all such expenditures shall be paid from the imperial privy purse. All silver disbursed on this occasion shall be recorded and supervised by the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard — I want to know where every single tael goes!"

"If anyone dares to profit from this, cut off their hands, chop off their feet, and hang them before their own doors for three days as a warning!"

It had to be said — with the Donglin Faction gone, and the endless back-and-forth accusations no longer occurring, the pace of policy discussion had quickened considerably.

The Chongzhen Emperor raised matters one by one, while his ministers earnestly deliberated on countermeasures and solutions. Moreover, the Chongzhen Emperor was not at all the stubborn and self-opinionated man rumor made him out to be — he gave serious consideration to suggestions from the likes of Ni Yuanlu and Jiang Degui before issuing orders according to the circumstances.

Once everyone present had no further objections, the Chongzhen Emperor continued:

"Also, have the Ministry of Revenue allocate funds to expand the Imperial Almshouse's buildings in the capital, to house the elderly and widowed within and outside the city walls. As for children who have lost both parents, send them to the Youth Camp to be properly cared for."

"Though the Qing slaves have withdrawn for now, the royalist armies camped outside the city make things relatively safe. It would be best to rebuild the abandoned villages beyond the walls as well. Convey my verbal decree to the newly appointed Prefect of Shuntian — leave this matter to the Shuntian Prefectural Office to handle."

"With more refugees within and outside the capital, the number of ruffians and street thugs has also grown. Fang Zhenghua, after you leave, go personally to the Five Wards Troops and Horses Office and tell them to step up their patrols and investigations. While you're at it, inquire about the situation at the various government offices."

"My minister Jiang, don't you stay idle either. After you leave, go personally to the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Academy, and have those scholars with too much time on their hands go down to the various government offices to help those illiterate clerks register the refugees into ledgers. Do some real work properly — stop shouting that nonsense about tyrants Jie and Zhou all day!"

At this point, Chief Grand Secretary Wei Zaode finally found a place to interject. He quickly stepped forward and said with a smile:

"In former days, Emperor Wu of Han established the Youth Guard, which is how the famed Feathered Forest Army came to be. Now His Majesty establishes this Youth Camp — it shares the same brilliance as Emperor Wu's Youth Guard. This camp will surely become our Great Ming's Feathered Forest Army in days to come. Your Majesty is most sagacious!"

Wei Zaode's words were nothing short of blatant bootlicking. Jiang Degui and the others found it deeply contemptible, yet could hardly say anything, and could only follow along with forced smiles, saying that all wisdom belonged to the Emperor alone.

Facing this sudden flattery, the Chongzhen Emperor naturally accepted it with perfect composure.

But to be honest with himself, when establishing the Youth Camp, Chongzhen had never once thought of Emperor Wu of Han or his Feathered Forest Guard — he had purely wanted to house these children together in one place.

On the one hand, this would spur the soldiers to fight and die for him; on the other, it would make life somewhat better for homeless orphans, and it was also easier to manage.

A man of letters was, after all, a man of letters. Wei Zaode, worthy of being a jinshi of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, had actually gone straight to thinking of Emperor Wu of Han — and before anyone noticed, he had launched into a vigorous bout of flattery.

Since Wei Zaode had already said so much, the Chongzhen Emperor had nothing to decline. Before the assembled ministers, he took on the mantle of sagacious brilliance without so much as a flush or a gasp, and said with righteous solemnity:

"Such a trifling matter — it's enough that you know of it. Why speak it aloud?"

Wei Zaode was deeply astonished by the thickness of the Chongzhen Emperor's skin, and promptly piled on a smile of his own: "Your Majesty speaks truly."

"Let us leave it here for today. Discuss the related matters further in the side hall, and in the end have Wang Cheng'en present the results to me."

"Gentlemen — do you all understand what His Majesty meant by sending us here?" Wang Cheng'en was the last to leave the Warm Pavilion. Though he still wore a full smile upon arriving at the side hall, his words carried a distinctly warning tone.

Jiang Degui stood at the far left. Seeing the glance Wang Cheng'en seemed to cast his way almost casually, he naturally understood that this old fellow's intentions lay elsewhere than his words.

In truth, the very fact that the Chongzhen Emperor had kept Jiang Degui and Ni Yuanlu behind today to discuss affairs already signaled his intent to win them over. Of course, such words could never be spoken by the Emperor himself with lowered face — there were always the hounds below to do it on his behalf.

Jiang Degui had not risen to the position of Second Grand Secretary through uprightness alone — when the moment truly came to choose, he would not hesitate.

At this moment, he looked at Ni Yuanlu on the other side but said nothing, smiling as he awaited what came next.

Wei Zaode was, after all, the Chief Grand Secretary. Though before the Chongzhen Emperor he could offer nothing but flattery, at a time like this he could no longer play the fool. He said:

"Ever since that Gong Dingzi and his ilk conspired to assassinate His Majesty, our Emperor seems to have returned to the way he was when he first took the throne — sole authority in his hands, deciding everything himself."

"Let me put it plainly: the lives and fortunes of every official in this court now lie entirely in His Majesty's hands — to keep or to take as he pleases. Gentlemen, it is time to choose your path!"

Wei Zaode spoke plainly, and none who had climbed to such heights were fools.

Second Grand Secretary Jiang Degui's view of the Chongzhen Emperor had undergone earth-shaking changes in recent months. At first, he had thought the man nothing more than a hot-blooded youth with ambition but no means.

This was not hard to understand — had history run its course, this fellow would have resigned his post several months ago.

Then, starting from the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, this unchanging view had gradually soured — the bloodthirsty, thick-skinned Chongzhen Emperor had become nearly the equal of Jie and Zhou, a tyrant and despot.

But now, the Chongzhen Emperor had suddenly become so resolute, casting all concern for face aside and prioritizing interest above all — for the Great Ming, this was perhaps not bad news at all.

Jiang Degui felt that if the Emperor was like this, then the Great Ming still had hope of salvation.

He smiled then, stepped forward, and said: "Steward Wang speaks most truly. We shall devote ourselves wholeheartedly to serving Your Majesty, and dare not harbor any other thoughts."

"And what does Minister Ni think?" Wang Cheng'en first nodded with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the silent Ni Yuanlu.

The Zhejiang Faction had always promoted Ni Yuanlu as their leader, hoping to bolster their own influence — yet in reality, Ni Yuanlu had never cared about factional strife.

He considered himself a minister of the Great Ming, serving the Great Ming's Emperor. He understood well what Wang Cheng'en's question meant — it was asking him to declare today whether he would serve the Emperor.

Ni Yuanlu had long possessed an answer to these questions, one that had never wavered. Once Jiang Degui finished speaking, he opened his mouth and said:

"What does Steward Wang mean by this? As a minister of the Great Ming, I naturally shall devote every effort to serving Your Majesty and praying for the ancestral altars — how could I harbor any other thoughts?"

Wang Cheng'en detected the disgust toward eunuchs and the Depot and Guard in Ni Yuanlu's words, yet he was not the least bit offended. He smiled apologetically and said:

"Aiyo, Minister Ni, do calm your anger — this old servant spoke out of turn."