Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 9: Court Meeting at Qianqing Gate

On August 22, Emperor Taichang Zhu Changluo, who had been absent from work for eleven days, convened another morning court session.

Although the Meridian Gate opened at 5 a.m., officials attending the morning court had to get up at midnight, cross half of the capital, and arrive at the Meridian Gate at 3 a.m. to wait for the court.

After the Meridian Gate was opened, all officials entered in order of their rank, crossed the Jinshui Bridge and lined up in the square.

From the time they were waiting for court to the time they were dismissed, officials had to pay attention to their appearance at all times. Not only would coughing and spitting be tolerated, but even not having breakfast and walking unsteadily would be recorded by the ceremonial officer and subject to impeachment.

Since Emperor Shenzong had not attended court for many years, officials had gotten used to it. After Emperor Taichang ascended the throne, all the civil and military officials were at a loss when they suddenly had to attend court.

Zhu Changluo, then Emperor Taichang, was extremely dissatisfied with this and immediately ordered the cabinet to rectify the situation: "This morning, I passed by the imperial palace and saw that many officials and attendants were holding large fans sprinkled with gold. The court ceremony was solemn and serious. How can we tolerate disrespect? I hereby inform the nine ministers, both large and small, and other officials, that they must be extremely cautious when attending court from now on. If anyone continues to violate the prohibitions, the ceremonial officials will report them and punish them severely!"

So when Zhu Changluo was carried to Huangji Gate on August 11 and lay down to listen to government affairs (Huangji Gate was renamed Taihe Gate in the second year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty, and this name continues to this day), Shi Menglin, the Minister of Rites, advised him to use one's own spear to attack his shield.

"Haven't we arrived at Huangji Gate? Why are we still walking?" Fang Congzhe, the chief minister of the cabinet, asked the eunuch who was leading the way.

"Lord Fang, this is the case. The emperor has ordered that from today onwards, court will no longer be held at Huangji Gate but at Qianqing Gate." The eunuch replied.

"Qianqing Palace, that's the sleeping palace? How disgraceful." The eunuch did not lower his voice, so the censor Zuo Guangdou, who was far away, also heard it.

"Hmph!" the eunuch said sarcastically, "I only asked you to go to the Qianqing Gate, but I didn't let you enter the Qianqing Palace. Why are you making such a fuss? You're just an insignificant official. Even if you want to see the emperor, he might not let you in."

"Hahahaha!" Someone started laughing, but most of the officials suddenly started laughing.

The contrast in power between the two factions was clearly evident in this moment of laughter and silence. The Donglin Party had the largest membership and was primarily composed of censors, but the combined membership of the Qi, Chu, Zhejiang, and other smaller factions was greater than that of the Donglin Party.

"Silence, how disgraceful!" After all, Fang Congzhe was the head of all officials. Even if he disliked the Donglin Party, he couldn't let the inner court officials laugh at the external officials.

Half a minute later, all the officials entered the Qianqing Gate.

"Long live our emperor! Long live! Long, long live the emperor!" Fang Congzhe took the lead and performed the ritual of five bows and three kowtows to the emperor.

"Everyone is safe."

"Long live thanks!"

Zhu Changluo felt mixed emotions after watching this scene.

"Crown Prince" Zhu Changluo endured the heavy pressure of his father for more than 30 years, and after a single night of romance, he gave up this hard-earned supreme throne to another person. I hope he is not dead, but replaced me. Although the work of a researcher is not easy, it is great to have parents who truly love him instead of the heavy burden of the country's destruction.
After the officials finished their ceremony, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites sang: "Report on the matter."

In reality, every time a court session was held, the specific matters to be reported, the specific items to be reported, and the specific officials from the government offices who were required to enter the palace to report or leave the emperor were all predetermined. Acts like Yang Lian's, who unauthorizedly criticized the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War, the previous emperor's treasury, and the emperor's treasury, were extremely risky.

If it were another emperor with a worse temper, anyone who reported him would have dismissed him from office even if he didn't go to jail. But then again, for Ming Dynasty censors, being dismissed from office and imprisoned was not necessarily a bad thing.

When an official submitted a report, the emperor would issue a brief reply on the spot. This was because the subject had been selected in advance, having gone through the formalities of cabinet approval and the Imperial Household Department's approval process. The emperor simply repeated his opinion. Except for a few controversial issues, this opinion was usually "approved." If the memorial or the emperor's decision concerned a specific government office, the relevant head of the office would respond, "This office is aware of this" or "This office accepts your order."

For example, on August 11th, the list of personnel appointments and dismissals submitted by Minister of Personnel Zhou Jiamo had already been approved by Emperor Taichang. If he had not "favored several people" the previous night, but had instead appeared in high spirits to complete the final formalities, the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions would have been completely defeated.

However, the "Emperor Taichang" in history fell ill and not only did he not attend the court meeting on the 11th, but was immediately involved in the "Red Pill Case" and the "Palace Move Case". It was not until a month later when Emperor Taichang passed away and the fourteen-year-old Emperor Tianqi ascended the throne that the Donglin Party came up with the list again and obtained the approval of the new emperor.

At today's court meeting, the Minister of Personnel Zhou Jiamo was arranged to sit behind the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Dongge Palace Shen, and the Minister of Punishments and Assistant Director of the Beijing Camp Military Affairs Huang Kezan, which made the Donglin Party very uneasy.

However, there was another thing that made them feel a little comforted - Cui Wensheng, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the head of the Imperial Pharmacy, who was accused of colluding with Liu Yirong, was standing on either side of the emperor, one on the right and the other on the left, with Wang An, the most popular figure in the inner court and the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the commander of the Eastern Depot.

This is a very subtle political signal.

"Ahem!" Shen, the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, coughed twice, then walked out from behind Fang Congzhe, went to the front of the emperor and knelt down to make a speech.

"Noble Concubine Zheng, on the grounds that it is unreasonable, I submit a memorial to His Majesty requesting that the late Emperor revoke his will to confer the title of Empress. I hope Your Majesty will grant my approval." The memorial submitted by Noble Concubine Zheng was written by someone else. It expanded on the two points mentioned by Yang Lian with quotations from classics in a fluent and heartfelt manner, but to sum it up, that's all it meant.

"Approved." Zhu Changluo nodded slightly.

After Shen finished his speech, he stood up and returned to his original position. Then Huang Kezan, the Minister of Justice and Assistant Director of Military Affairs of the Beijing Camp, stepped out and knelt to make his speech.

"In the case of 'the Imperial Censor Wu Liangsi impeaching the Left Governor-General Zheng Yangxing', the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Supreme Court have selected their own officials to submit the report. I hope that Your Majesty will grant your approval and send the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department to assist in handling this case." The list of officials from the three judicial departments was placed in front of Zhu Changluo's desk.

"Approved." Zhu Changluo took a look. As expected of Huang Kezan, a non-partisan man, the officials examining the case included members of the Donglin Party, the Zhejiang Party, the Chu Party, and Huang Kezan himself.

Huang Kezan was well aware that the so-called "Censor Wu Liangsi's Impeachment of Left Commander Zheng Yangxing Case" was merely an extension of the "Noble Concubine's Relocation Case." Since the Noble Concubine had surrendered, the matter should have ended there and not escalated further. Stirring up another "Taichang Factional Struggle" would only exacerbate the situation in Liaodong, already devastated by the Battle of Sarhu.

The Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions, as well as the Donglin Party, were unconcerned with the emperor's favor to Xiong Tingbi. However, Huang Kezan, knowledgeable about military affairs and having once served as Minister of War, was very sensitive to this. He concluded that the new emperor's greatest concern must be the military situation in Liaodong.
If he guessed correctly, whether Zheng Yangxing was dead or alive, his property would be confiscated, and all the money seized would be invested in the front lines. His basis was: on the 11th, the emperor issued an order to stop the construction of the Huangji Hall.

"Cui Wensheng will be removed from his position as the director of the Imperial Pharmacy, but will remain in the Imperial Household Department to write the case and participate in the trial of the 'Zheng Yangxing Case'." After Zhu Changluo finished speaking, there was an uproar in the court.

Three sentences, three meanings.

Cui Wensheng's dismissal from the post of Imperial Pharmacy Director could be considered a family matter for the emperor. The fact that this matter was brought to court publicly represented a unique way for the emperor to acknowledge his fault. Yang Lian was unlikely to die.

The Imperial Household Department was still in charge of the writing. This shows that Cui Wensheng was not disliked by the emperor for "colluding with foreign officials", and Liu Yirong and the Donglin Party got away with it smoothly.

Participating in the trial of the "Zheng Yangxing Case" shows that the eunuchs who were once the eunuchs of Concubine Zheng have completely cut a clear line with their old master, and should not use this matter to attack Cui Wensheng in the future.

"I will obey your Majesty's will." Cui Wensheng breathed a sigh of relief.

It is such a blessing to be your Majesty's dog.

(End of this chapter)