Chapter 207: The Debate Over Seizing Power

The so-called struggle between the Donglin Faction and the Imperial Party was in reality a contest between the Chongzhen Emperor's imperial authority and the ministers' power. Whenever an emperor who was willing to act decisively and disregard face came to power, such ridiculous and absurd disputes would hold no suspense whatsoever.

That was precisely the situation now. Once the Chongzhen Emperor, who held military power in his hands, ceased to care about the curses and dark marks that posterity might attach to his name, the Donglin Faction became like a virgin stripped of her garments — left only to wait as the leering Imperial Party pressed down upon her, utterly helpless to resist.

In fact, the Chongzhen Emperor had also taken into consideration the Dispute over the Heir that had occurred during the Wanli era.

The Dispute over the Heir that the Donglin partisans so relished discussing had arisen against the backdrop of the Wanli Emperor's doting on Noble Consort Zheng and his wish to make the current Prince Fu the Crown Prince.

By generation, the Wanli Emperor was the Chongzhen Emperor's grandfather.

Although the Wanli Emperor was exalted as the Son of Heaven, such an intention was not permitted by the Donglin partisans, who prided themselves on their purity and righteousness. They held that this act violated the ethical code and disobeyed ancestral institutions. The more the Wanli Emperor wished to make Prince Fu the Crown Prince, the more the Donglin partisans opposed him, rallying instead around the eldest imperial son, Zhu Changluo. Thus began the fifteen-year-long Dispute over the Heir of the Wanli court.

The Donglin Faction's reasoning was simple — they still used morality to constrain and hobble the Emperor. In those years, the Dispute over the Heir on the court grew ever more intense, while Donglin scholars below the court kept fanning the flames, saying that the Wanli Emperor had been bewitched by a woman, and was ruining the state and harming the people for the sake of a single female.

The climax of the Dispute over the Heir was the Case of the Club Attack, which was exactly like the assassination attempt on the Chongzhen Emperor outside the warm pavilion. After the Club Attack, the Wanli Emperor became utterly disillusioned with the Donglin Faction at court, and lost all interest in the back-and-forth factional strife. The result was that Prince Fu left the capital for his fief, and the eldest imperial son, Zhu Changluo, secured his position as Crown Prince, later becoming Emperor Guangzong.

Speaking of it, this Emperor Guangzong was also quite pitiable — a sacrifice to factional strife, he ascended the throne and departed this world on a crane a mere month later, due to the Case of the Red Pill.

The Donglin partisans called this a great victory, because in the Wanli Emperor's attempt to make Prince Fu the Crown Prince, he had been forced to drive out four Chief Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat during the Dispute over the Heir, and had dismissed, exiled, banished, or caned over a hundred officials — naturally, he had been thoroughly determined.

But in the end, the Wanli Emperor, exalted as the Son of Heaven, compromised for the sake of face. This compromise was in effect the imperial authority's capitulation to inaction before the Donglin Faction bloc.

The present Chongzhen Emperor, wishing to nip problems in the bud, intended to dispose of this issue while it was still in its infancy. He would not concern himself in the slightest with any of the problems the Wanli Emperor had worried about — what was face compared to life itself?

Although the Crown Prince, Zhu Cilang, was said to be young yet proper, adept at debate, and respectful of the law, he had been nurtured single-handedly by the Donglin Faction. The present Chongzhen Emperor was not the one from history, and had never felt any particular attachment to this convenient son of his.

As it happened, this year's New Year's Eve brought double joy — Empress Zhou was with child. On the one hand, the Chongzhen Emperor hoped it would be a son, whom he could cultivate carefully and make the next Crown Prince of the Great Ming; on the other hand, he also had to prepare for whatever actions the Donglin Faction might take in the future.

Anyone who came from later generations understood one principle: a mountain cannot hold two tigers. When the court had an emperor whose word was law, there could no longer be a Donglin Faction of "all worthies filling the court." If I said one thing and they opposed it with another, what could ever be accomplished?

Thus, the Second Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, Jiang Dejing, and other men of insight all understood that although this corruption affair was serious, it was far from warranting the present grand-scale, vine-and-melon style purge. This was entirely the Emperor seizing the opportunity to make his move — a decisive act to take power back from the Donglin Faction's hands.

After returning to the inner palace, the Chongzhen Emperor was met by a female official from Renshou Hall, who said that Empress Yi'an had invited him.

In truth, ever since he had transmigrated here, the Chongzhen Emperor had deliberately avoided contact with Empress Yi'an. On the one hand, he feared this imperial sister-in-law might see through his facade; on the other, he did not want the harem to become tainted with political affairs.

This time, Empress Yi'an had summoned him on her own initiative — she must have heard of the matters at court. The Chongzhen Emperor thought to himself that he could not avoid it, and so nodded and followed the female official to Renshou Hall to pay his respects to Empress Yi'an, Zhang Yan.

To avoid suspicion, the Chongzhen Emperor generally conversed with Zhang Yan from outside the hall, separated by a screen. But this time, Zhang Yan moved the screen aside and gestured for the Chongzhen Emperor to come in alone, saying she wished to have a proper talk.

"I have heard that Your Majesty today once again carried out the punishment of exterminating nine clans and leveling ten clans in the great hall, dismissed and demoted the Donglin officials, and ordered Mou Wenshou, the Regional Commander of Shandong, to surround the Kong Mansion — the implications are far-reaching. Is this true?"

Though Zhang Yan was only forty this year, she still possessed phoenix-shaped eyes and elegant brows, with a full and graceful figure, slender and beautiful. Sitting there, she carried an air of authority that commanded respect without anger. When Zhang Yan posed her question, there was a trace of indignation in her voice, but her expression was filled entirely with worry — clearly, she was concerned about the Chongzhen Emperor's drastic actions.

Historically, Zhang Yan had contributed greatly to the Chongzhen Emperor's succession. The Chongzhen Emperor naturally understood that she was thinking of his interests, and so he bowed and nodded, saying: "It is true. It was I who did it."

"Zhang Guowei, Fang Kezhuang and others deceived and blinded Your Majesty — their crimes merit death. But the extermination of nine clans and leveling of ten clans is already an extremely severe punishment. To conclude that all Donglin scholars in the realm are of the same kind, and to carry out such measures on a grand scale, dismissing the Donglin — is Your Majesty not being a bit too hasty?"

"Hmph — for crimes of this sort, multiplied severalfold, they should all be executed." The Chongzhen Emperor rose and took a seat in the lower position, then gave a cold snort and said: "Does my imperial sister-in-law still remember the Dispute over the Heir?

Exalted as the Son of Heaven yet constrained by one's own ministers — what kind of principle is that?

Moreover, of the Three Cases — the Club Attack, the Red Pill, and the Relocation — which one of them has no connection to these evil Donglin partisans?

The hatred of His Majesty the late emperor, the vengeance for my imperial brother, the resentment at being deceived and blinded — now that these new grievances and old grudges are added together, it is time to settle accounts once and for all, to let them know that this realm belongs to my Zhu family, not to their Donglin Faction!"

As he spoke, the Chongzhen Emperor rose before Zhang Yan's stunned gaze, stroked the dragon-headed strange beast that stood within Renshou Hall, and continued: "If my imperial sister-in-law is worried that there will be no one to serve as officials, there is no need. When has our Great Ming ever lacked men who wished to be officials?

This dynasty is teeming with talent — is the Donglin Faction the only path?

If I do not use the Donglin, I can still use the Zhejiang Faction, the Qi Faction, or even recall in full the officials of the eunuch faction who were dismissed in the early years. As long as they are willing to work for me, to serve the imperial house with all their hearts, what difference does it make?

As the saying goes, 'Better to employ capable officials than pure-stream moralists.' I believe that capable officials are the sharp instruments of the state! When there are not so many so-called pure-stream moralists making trouble over reputation alone, then what the imperial house says will actually carry weight, and I, this Emperor, will truly be a Son of Heaven whose every word is law!

In the past, Emperor Chengzu carried out a vine-and-melon purge to execute treacherous ministers, and contemporaries had their criticisms. Yet times have passed to the present, and the mandate of our Great Ming still endures — does anyone dare to call Emperor Chengzu benighted?

The Son of Heaven centralizes power — one word spoken and the entire court trembles.

Now I, Zhu Youjian, am emulating the methods of Emperor Chengzu, carrying out another vine-and-melon purge. Holding the Emperor's Sword, I execute all those in the court who deceive and harbor treachery. Only by breaking the old order can a new one be established — only thus can the Great Ming enjoy lasting peace!"

Watching the Chongzhen Emperor, so spirited and confident, as if he had become a different person, Zhang Yan's cherry lips parted slightly, and she could find no more words to say. Everything she had been about to say was cast entirely to the back of her mind.

Indeed, on the surface, the Chongzhen Emperor seemed to be slaughtering wantonly without cause, and the people of the realm seemed to be complaining bitterly. But if one looked carefully, beneath all that bitter complaint was hidden a glimmer of life emerging from desperate circumstances.

In the past year, the Great Ming had been in its darkest era — yet it was precisely at this time that the Great Ming won three great victories in succession.

The Chongzhen Emperor led the campaign in person, annihilating over a hundred thousand of the northern-invading Shun bandits. Hot on its heels, the royal rescue armies of Tang Tong, Huang Degong and others drove back the Jianzhou barbarians. Against the opposition of his ministers, the Chongzhen Emperor resolutely appointed Chen Qiyu as Governor-General of the Five Provinces, and Chen Qiyu ultimately did not betray that trust, smashing the Shun army in a great victory at Gu Pass.

Watching this confident man, Zhang Yan could not help but think — perhaps letting him continue on this path was the direction most beneficial to the Great Ming.