Chapter 267: All of You, Go Back and Write Self-Criticisms

So this was what it meant to rejoice in the birth of a son. Having obtained his first son, the Chongzhen Emperor was overjoyed, and Chief Grand Secretary Wei Zaode, following his sovereign's heart, requested that the birth be proclaimed to all under heaven to celebrate the arrival of the Eighth Imperial Prince Zhu Cizhuo into the world.

The Chongzhen Emperor nodded his approval, granted a general amnesty to the people, and all under heaven celebrated together, sharing joy with the populace.

"... The roving bandits in all directions shall be disbanded entirely, with no inquiry into past offenses. Should any refuse to turn back from their lost path and remain obstinately unrepentant, the court shall dispatch its million-strong lion host to exterminate them all..."

A general amnesty sounded well, but in truth it did not mean releasing all prisoners at once. Especially in the current situation, if all the captured bandits were set free, would not the realm descend into chaos once more?

This general amnesty by the Chongzhen Emperor was in fact merely a move to win hearts and minds—a decree of grace, narrow in scope and weak in force.

According to court regulations, those eligible for this special pardon required local prefectural and county officials to submit their names to the Provincial Administration Commission, which would then forward them to the Office of Transmission, which would deliver them to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice, upon receiving the case files, would re-examine them and bring the list of those to be pardoned to the Winter Warm Pavilion, where only after receiving the Chongzhen Emperor's written approval could the pardon be granted.

Running through this entire procedure, by normal reckoning, would take no less than half a year, if not several months. For prisoners in outlying regions to obtain pardon due to the Emperor begetting a dragon son, they would have to wait at least until the latter half of the nineteenth year of Chongzhen.

Since the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, with the Emperor handling everything personally and holding military and political power firmly in his own hands, whether the apparatus above and below was efficient or inept depended entirely on the Emperor himself.

In the past, when the Chongzhen Emperor saw matters with cumbersome procedures, he would generally wave his hand and simplify the tedious steps. Yet now this grand amnesty was proclaimed loudly, but the process remained as cumbersome as ever—truly thought-provoking.

Of course, prisoners in the capital might be released somewhat faster, for being near the water one gets the moonlight first. Over the coming months they would likely be released in batches.

But good times did not last long. Just as the Chongzhen Emperor was gazing at his son with a face full of gratification and doting affection, a eunuch came rushing over in a flustered manner, inopportunely hurrying to the doorway.

This young eunuch had barely reached the door when Li Chun, who had arrived upon hearing the news to block him, stopped him. "Hey there, hey there, I'm talking to you—what's your name? Can't you see His Majesty is in good spirits right now? Trivial and miscellaneous matters, take them to the Warm Pavilion instead."

"Steward Li, this one is called Wang An, of the Directorate of Palace Supplies." Seeing that it was Li Chun, seal-holder of the Directorate of Palace Maintenance, this young eunuch named Wang An also spoke with great deference.

"This matter is no small thing. This one had no choice—I feared delaying something of great importance."

Li Chun recalled the recent affair of Wang Cheng'en and Li Ruolian concealing reports, and his heart began to pound as well. He thought to himself that what the Emperor hated most was deceiving superiors and concealing the truth, and after a moment's consideration, he asked:

"How about this—you tell me, and I'll go report it to His Majesty." As he spoke, seeing Wang An's hesitant expression and stammering manner, Li Chun's face changed on the spot, and he rebuked: "What, are you afraid I'll steal your credit?"

"I'm protecting you here. If you go report at this time, I'll be fine—but if you go yourself, His Majesty might just have you chopped with a single word. When that time comes, you won't even have a place to cry."

"This..."

Wang An's heart was clear as a mirror, but he was helpless as well, and so he leaned in close and whispered.

"So something like this happened?" After hearing it all, Li Chun's expression changed, turning somewhat anxious. He said: "Alright, you can go back now. I'll go in right away and report this matter to His Majesty."

Before long, Li Chun arrived within the palace. Seeing the harmonious scene of the Emperor, Empress, and child, he secretly swallowed his saliva, steeled his nerve, and announced: "I beg to report to Your Majesty—Regional Commander Yang, sent to pacify Denglai, has sent back a memorial."

"How is it—has Yang Yufan wiped out that patrol inspection office clean? Is he back at Santun Camp by now?" The Chongzhen Emperor, holding Zhu Cizhuo, laughed and spoke without even turning his head, as if he had not given the matter any thought at all.

"Uh..." Li Chun was momentarily struck speechless.

The Chongzhen Emperor heard no reply, and turning back to see Li Chun's hesitant expression, knew in his heart that something had gone wrong in Denglai. Empress Zhou, seeing the Chongzhen Emperor's face change, also urged:

"Your Majesty, matters of state and military affairs take priority—go and see quickly."

The Chongzhen Emperor placed Zhu Cizhuo into Empress Zhou's hands, took one last look, and without turning back followed Li Chun out of the palace to the Winter Warm Pavilion for deliberation.

"Bang!"

After reading the two memorials, the Chongzhen Emperor hurled them directly to the ground, gave a cold laugh, and said: "Very impressive indeed! The officials of these two prefectures of Denglai are all traitors who defy their superiors and have no regard for sovereign or father. This time we'll thoroughly purge them clean."

"I said yesterday in the edict—should any refuse to turn back from their lost path and remain obstinately unrepentant, I would dispatch the lion host to exterminate them all. Chen Hongfan and Zhang Yan have quite the nerve! Do they think they have the abilities of Kong Youde and his ilk from days past? I refuse to believe that little Denglai could turn the heavens upside down!"

The assembled imperial partisans who had arrived upon hearing the news all exchanged helpless glances. Second Grand Secretary Jiang Dejing stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, calm your anger. We ministers bear responsibility as well for our failure in oversight and appointment of men. Once we leave the Warm Pavilion today, this minister will join Grand Secretary Wei in summoning the Grand Secretaries to draft a plan through the night, to resolve the Denglai disturbance as quickly as possible."

The ministers nodded one after another, and even the group of meritorious nobles including Zhang Shize and Wang Yong'en were no exception. But Chongzhen sneered coldly: "Summoning the Grand Secretaries to draft a plan will not be necessary. I have already made my decision on this matter. Li Fengxiang."

Hearing this, Li Fengxiang, while complaining bitterly in his heart, hurriedly bowed and said: "This servant is here."

The Chongzhen Emperor slammed the table and said: "Transmit my decree—dispatch Zhang Cunren and Mou Wenju to Denglai to assist Yang Yufan in putting down the rebellion. He Tengjiao's period of mourning for his mother should be over by now, is it not? Transfer him to Denglai to serve as Governor. Li Fengxiang, when you get there, sound them out well on my behalf—make them understand matters clearly, and tell them not to act recklessly!"

Li Fengxiang nodded and said: "This servant understands. Your Majesty, rest assured."

"Also, Wang Cheng'en—during this period, send more of your Eastern Depot personnel toward Denglai and Shandong. Let Li Youcheng handle things in Nanjing for now. Your main task is to establish the Eastern Depot's branch offices in Shandong and Denglai."

"If there is the slightest stirring among the common folk, or if other officials or military commanders show signs of such incidents budding, do not fear my wrath—report directly. I grant you permission to enter the palace at night to memorialize! Prevent trouble before it arises. Such matters have not been the first of their kind in this dynasty, and there must never be another!"

The Chongzhen Emperor looked at Wang Cheng'en, and as he spoke, as if suddenly recalling something, added:

"Oh yes—once that wretch Chen Jin is escorted to the capital, there is no need for a joint trial, nor need it pass through the court. Have him taken directly to Caishikou to be flayed and stuffed with straw, and his three clans exterminated to the last!"

"As for that Chen Hongfan—I recall that he rendered meritorious service to the dynasty in years past. After the pacification, only he himself shall be executed; his children and family shall not be implicated. As for that one called Zhang Yan—his ten clans shall be leveled. If a single one escapes, I will hold you accountable!"

Having caused such a huge mess this time, Wang Cheng'en felt deeply guilty in his heart, and immediately gave his guarantee: "Your Majesty, rest assured. This old servant will personally go to Shandong this time, arrest people according to the list—not a single one will get away!"

Hearing this, the Chongzhen Emperor's anger subsided somewhat, and he snorted coldly: "There is no need for you to go personally. The affairs of the capital's depots and guards cannot do without you." As he spoke, seeing the cowering and obsequious manner of the assembled ministers, Chongzhen was speechless once more, and said:

"A local despot like Zhang Yan, who ordinarily has not the slightest connection to the capital, has now managed to make a racket all the way into my Warm Pavilion—and has stirred up such a commotion in Shandong. This fully demonstrates how incompetent you all are in handling affairs, and how lax you are in supervising your subordinates!"

"When you return, you are each to write me a self-criticism within two days, confessing your offenses. Those who fail to produce one shall be punished as guilty of a great crime!"