Chapter 31: I've Changed Chief Grand Secretaries Again

"Since none of you have anything to say, it's my turn to speak."

The Chongzhen Emperor first gestured for the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot agents to take away the utterly bewildered Patrol Censor, then continued:

"Regarding today's sealing of Zhili Academy by the Depot and Guard..."

Before the Chongzhen Emperor could finish, Wang Cheng'en understood what he was about to say next, and hurried forward a few steps to prostrate himself on the ground, crying out loudly:

"Your Majesty, the sealing of Zhili Academy was this old servant's own decision, and those scholars thrown into the dungeons in recent days were also this old servant's doing. I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict of punishment!"

"Your Majesty, since this treacherous eunuch has already confessed, if you do not kill him now, what are you waiting for!"

"Exactly! If Your Majesty does not kill him, you will be indulging a eunuch slave who competes with the people for profit, and you will truly become a fatuous ruler reviled by all!"

At these words, the scholars seemed to see new hope and immediately burst into uproar, with cries that not killing Wang Cheng'en would fail to settle the people's hearts ringing out once more. In their excitement, the government students even dragged out the words used to impeach Wei Zhongxian during the Tianqi era — "competing with the people for profit."

The one shouting was a government student surnamed Ma, flanked by an Imperial Academy student and a scholar. Behind the three of them bounced a crowd of literary scholars, all of whom were emboldened by their firm belief that the law cannot punish the many.

The Chongzhen Emperor was initially displeased, but after hearing Wang Cheng'en out, his expression grew complicated. He understood in his heart that this servant was utterly loyal to him, and also possessed considerable emotional intelligence — knowing to take the blame and court death on his own initiative. Naturally, he could not bear to kill him.

"Noisy." The Chongzhen Emperor stared straight at the student surnamed Ma and asked coldly: "If I stubbornly refuse to kill him, are you lot next going to mobilize a palace siege and force me to abdicate?"

With these words, the Chongzhen Emperor instantly elevated the topic to the level of the state. These fledgling scholars, who only wanted to attract attention, did not know how to answer and gradually fell silent.

Seeing that Wang Cheng'en was about to speak again, the Chongzhen Emperor raised a hand to stop him and declared loudly:

"You are Imperial Academy students, eating from the court's stipend, and not a few of you come from families that have received generous state emoluments for generations — yet all you do is oppose me and harm the state! Wang Long, let me ask you one question: is this what your parents endured hardship to raise you for? Li Ruolian, Zhang Shize, shackle these three along with the villains behind them, and take them all to the Eastern Depot dungeons for torture!"

Hearing these words from the Chongzhen Emperor, not only did the government students and scholars find it unbelievable, even Wang Cheng'en, kneeling on the ground, was moved to tears of gratitude. After all, this was fully thirty-some people.

Among them were Imperial Academy students, government students from Zhili Academy, and a considerable number of Donglin scholars. The Chongzhen Emperor could have simply killed him alone to settle the people's hearts, for shifting blame onto subordinates was hardly the first time His Majesty had done such a thing.

But today's final outcome was precisely the opposite. The Chongzhen Emperor, before everyone's eyes, personally issued the order to seize these drum-beating shouters and take them to the Eastern Depot dungeons for torture.

This was not the end — the Chongzhen Emperor continued:

"By imperial edict: government student Wang Long, Imperial Academy student one surnamed Qi, and scholar one surnamed Liu, without cause struck the Petition Drum, defying the court — their crimes are unpardonable. The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are ordered to confiscate their properties and exterminate their nine clans."

The anxiety in Zhang Shize's heart was swept away, replaced by wild elation.

He ordered Vice Regional Commander Dong Qi to remain and guard the Chongzhen Emperor, while he personally led several dozen Capital Camp soldiers and the Embroidered Uniform Guard under Li Ruolian's command, advancing with formidable bearing to shackle the wailing scholars and march them directly to the Eastern Depot dungeons.

On the way to the dungeons, Li Ruolian and Zhang Shize exchanged glances and both burst into hearty laughter. That today could end this way was something neither could have imagined. It seemed the Emperor had truly changed!

"At court assembly tomorrow, I have a great matter to announce. Gentlemen, please return!"

The Chongzhen Emperor said not another word, simply flicking his sleeves and departing, leaving behind a crowd of scholars and government students staring at one another in bewilderment.

Early the next morning, the assembled ministers arrived at Huangji Hall with anxious hearts.

Though they had come early enough, the moment they looked up they saw the Emperor high above — at some point, Chongzhen had already taken his seat on the dragon throne to wait.

The Chongzhen Emperor's face was expressionless as he sat there silently receiving the court's congratulations. Recalling what had happened outside Chengtian Gate the previous day, the assembled ministers were all the more resolved to keep their mouths shut.

Though the government students and scholars had struck the Petition Drum outside Chengtian Gate yesterday and none of the ministers at court had shown their faces, that did not mean they were free of worldly concerns — each of them had disciples and old friends watching outside Chengtian Gate, and they were perfectly clear on how events had unfolded.

By all rights, given the Chongzhen Emperor's former temperament, encountering such an affair would surely have left him panicked and at a loss, and in the end the Donglin scholars would have been satisfied — after all, the law cannot punish the many!

But yesterday's events could no longer be described by the four words "beyond expectation" — it was as if the heavens had collapsed. Patrol Censor Che Shen had died in the Eastern Depot dungeon last night due to excessive torture, and reportedly had confessed to everything. The furious Chongzhen Emperor had additionally dispatched mounted agents to exterminate the three clans of County Magistrate Lu Zhi as well.

Even as court was convening this very moment, Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard personnel had already gone to arrest the families of Lu Zhi and Che Shen. And that was not all — Gong Dingzi's proud disciple Wang Long, the Imperial Academy student surnamed Qi, and the xiucai surnamed Liu had all died in the Eastern Depot dungeon last night. Per the Chongzhen Emperor's decree, all three were to have their nine clans exterminated.

Of all the news that spread regarding the scholars who died in the Eastern Depot dungeon, there were only four words — "excessive torture." The Chongzhen Emperor neither asked nor investigated, but instead continually granted greater authority to the Depot and Guard.

In a single day, four families were exterminated. The Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard worked through the entire night, and wails of regret could be heard everywhere — no fewer than one to two hundred people were implicated.

The Depot and Guard's merciless actions made the outwardly peaceful capital even more bloody and stormy. Beginning this morning, mounted agents had been dispatched from the capital in batches, heading to the provinces to execute these imperial criminals on the spot.

All of this sent a single signal to the Donglin officials at court: the Chongzhen Emperor was no longer someone to be carved up at will. You Donglin Faction believe in the law-cannot-punish-the-many doctrine? Fine — then however many there are, that many will be killed!

No one knew what the Chongzhen Emperor would say at today's court deliberation. To protect themselves, after the shouts of "Long live the Emperor," the assembled ministers were almost all in a state of self-preservation — as long as you weren't called upon, no one would leap out to court death.

The Chongzhen Emperor looked at Second Grand Secretary Wei Zaode. Wei Zaode felt uneasy and cautiously raised his head for a glance, which happened to meet the Chongzhen Emperor's gaze. Startled, he collapsed to the ground with a "thud," kowtowing and crying out:

"Your Majesty, your minister is guilty, your minister is guilty..."

Ever since the household of the Emperor's father-in-law had been confiscated, Wei Zaode had become the most obedient of all the ministers. He no longer attended Donglin Faction gatherings, and dared not even step foot outside his own door.

According to reports from the Eastern Depot's listening agents planted in Wei's residence, Wei Zaode had truly become a frightened bird — it was not an act. It was said that Wei Zaode sat in restless anxiety all day, unable to sleep at night, and in recent days even his hair had turned considerably white.

"What crime does my minister have? Please rise quickly. In the days ahead, I will rely on my minister for matters of state and military affairs. Chief Grand Secretary Chen Yan, am I right?"

Wei Zaode was completely baffled. After wiping his sweat and rising, he could not utter another word, only nodding hesitantly. Upon hearing these words, Chen Yan's hands clenched tight, and forcing himself to remain calm, he stepped forward from the ranks to memorialize:

"In reply to Your Majesty, your minister... does not understand your meaning..."

"Very well then. Wang Cheng'en, help Grand Secretary Chen understand my meaning."

"As you command." Wang Cheng'en sneered inwardly but stepped forward with a respectfully composed expression and said: "I report to Your Majesty: after thorough investigation by the Eastern Depot, Chief Grand Secretary Chen Yan's household holds surplus wealth totaling 4.68 million taels of silver and 560,000 taels of gold. In the sixth year of Chongzhen, he purchased over three hundred mu of fine farmland in his hometown. The evidence is conclusive."

"This this this — this is impossible—!" For some reason, beads of hot sweat poured endlessly down Chen Yan's forehead. Yet at this moment, besides continuously wiping his sweat with his sleeve, Chen Yan truly had nothing to say and could do nothing at all.

"Good. Since the Grand Secretary has no objection, Cheng'en, read the edict."

Wang Cheng'en unfurled the golden scroll in midair and proclaimed loudly:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Chief Grand Secretary Chen Yan, since assuming the post of Chief Grand Secretary, has shown no real ability, made no plans whatsoever, and is known for bribery. All titles and stipends are hereby stripped. The Embroidered Uniform Guard, Eastern Depot, Court of Judicial Review, and Ministry of Justice shall jointly confiscate his properties. Furthermore, because he served as Chief Grand Secretary with vile conduct and wide-reaching influence, I fear he may mislead the literary scholars of the realm. It is decreed that at noon tomorrow he shall be taken to West Vegetable Market Gate for beheading, supervised by the new Chief Grand Secretary Wei Zaode, with Dong Qi leading Capital Camp soldiers to guard the perimeter. His nine clans shall be exterminated."