Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 121: Responding with order brings good fortune; responding with chaos brings misfortune.

On the third day of the sixth month of the first year of Chongzhen's reign, at seven o'clock in the morning, Zhu Youjian was awakened by the heat. He was surrounded by women, Li Qiuniang on his left and Shen Peiqing on his right: one was tall and slender, the other petite, their skin glistening with a slight sheen, like mutton fat jade. Any normal man would find it hard to remain calm after just one glance.

Zhu Youjian felt a bit dizzy, as if he had heatstroke. His back and scalp were covered in sweat, and the damp hair clung to his flushed cheeks. He grabbed Li Qiuniang's buttocks, pinched Shen Peiqing's nose to wake them both, and then took a bath with the two women's help. It was only because he needed to attend court that he felt so...

After Zhu Youjian took his seat in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the assembled officials filed in from outside. Civil officials on the left ascended the eastern steps; military officials on the right ascended the western steps; officials from various government offices lined up below the steps, awaiting imperial decree to present their reports. Liu Zeshen, the Left Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, sang in a pretentious tone: "On the morning of the third day of the sixth month of the first year of Chongzhen's reign (1645), a total of 733 officials in the capital were present for the morning court session."

"Among the officials: 305 civil officials, from the Ministers of the Six Ministries downwards, and 199 military officials, from the Commanders-in-Chief of the Five Armies downwards, are all in their posts; 218 scholars who left the capital to express their gratitude are the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) of this year, and are currently awaiting imperial decree outside the Meridian Gate; one person has left the capital to resign, namely Zhang Ruitu, the former Grand Secretary of the Jianji Hall, who requested to return home due to old age and declining health, and has been granted permission by the Emperor to depart immediately."

"Your Majesty, may I ask if you wish to meet with the officials who have left the capital? Or perhaps have them express their gratitude outside the palace and depart immediately?" Liu Zeshen asked respectfully.

"Fujian is a long and difficult journey. I urge Minister Zhang to set off as soon as possible and not to go through any more complicated formalities, so as not to delay his journey. I hope that after returning to his hometown, Minister Zhang can educate the local people, spread the teachings of the sage, and change their customs. I also hope that the people in the village will value righteousness over profit, sacrifice their personal interests for the country, pay their taxes on time and in full to fund the army, suppress the Japanese pirates, and protect their homes and country."

"He was once a Grand Secretary, yet the Emperor wouldn't even see him?" A chill ran through the crowd, and the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat oppressive. A lifetime of scheming, finally reaching the pinnacle of power, only to be dismissed with a single word from the Emperor. Everyone felt a sense of shared vulnerability, especially since Zhang Ruitu was innocent! While he hadn't achieved anything particularly outstanding, being neither meritorious nor demeritful was already a rare feat; even without merit, he had certainly put in the effort!

All he did was speak a few words for his hometown. What official doesn't speak up for their hometown elders? Being heartless and ungrateful will be condemned! The emperor is being a bit domineering. Is it really a case of "those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish"? Many ministers held their prepared memorials in their hands, their hearts filled with mixed feelings, and they hesitated. But many more glanced at them blankly, and their eyes became firm again.

"Let the newly appointed scholars come in. I have something to say to them," Zhu Youjian said.

"His Majesty has decreed that all scholars outside the palace be summoned to an audience!"

As Liu Zeshen spoke first, the minor officials of the Court of State Ceremonial repeated his words twice, their voices carrying outside the main hall. Two hundred and eighteen newly appointed scholars swarmed in, crowding the entrance to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, blocking some of the light and dimming the brightness inside.

These people hadn't yet become seasoned veterans of officialdom, because summoning them into the palace was not a routine procedure. The emperor would usually only call in a few people he particularly favored to inquire about their affairs, or sometimes he wouldn't call in any at all, and would just have them kowtow outside the palace.

The event was sudden; none of them had received any training or rehearsal. They entered awkwardly, unsure whether to stand or kneel, looking like a bunch of clueless geese. The court officials, mostly high-ranking officials, couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion upon seeing these newcomers to the bureaucracy, many showing expressions of nostalgia.

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial could no longer stand it. He coughed and shouted, "His Majesty proclaims the edict! All kneel and listen!"

The scholars hurriedly knelt down, a practice that required skill, and they were clearly not very good at it. Zhu Youjian, however, was not angry; it was good that they didn't know how to kneel.

In the first year of the Chongzhen reign, 353 people passed the imperial examination and were awarded the title of Jinshi or Tongjinshi. Of these, 135 stayed in various government offices in the capital to observe the administration as interns, and those who performed well could be promoted to official positions. The remaining 218 were given a "Guide to New Officials" and then thrown out.

The official documents they received included "The Duties of Various Departments" and "The Great Ming Code," but privately, Yuan Huang's "The Merit and Demerit Record of Officials" was more popular. They relied on these guidebooks to go to the local areas and outwit and outmaneuver the local tyrants.

Those from good families would be provided with several experienced advisors, strong servants, and charming maids or pageboys; those from poor families, like Hai Rui, whose family was so poor that they couldn't even afford pork for their birthdays, could only rely on their own luck.

Even if a commoner's son passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, it didn't mean he could rise smoothly into high office; their hardships had only just begun. The unfairness began in childhood when others attended private schools, while they could only attend free county or garrison schools, a situation that would accompany them throughout their lives. Many passionate scholars had their spirits worn down, some even turning to the dark side, becoming more greedy and tyrannical than officials from wealthier families, seemingly trying to recoup the suffering they had endured.

Zhu Youjian had always disdained public speaking. Times had changed; with the collapse of social order and the decline of morality, people were no longer as simple and honest as they had been during the Hundred Schools of Thought period. However, even knowing that such formalities were useless, he still intended to speak from the heart.

What if some "little cutie" actually listened? The Ming Dynasty did indeed have quite a few "fools" who had absorbed the teachings of the sages and genuinely wanted to speak up for the people.

Zhu Youjian composed himself and said, “I have heard it said during the Han and Tang dynasties that ‘prime ministers rise from local government posts, and fierce generals emerge from the ranks,’ and I wholeheartedly agree.”

In the past, our Great Ming Dynasty often promoted men of noble character to important positions. These men were either of impeccable virtue and also accomplished in the study of classics and history. In times of peace, they were certainly beneficial in revitalizing the nation and rectifying the court. However, in these turbulent times, it is probably not their forte to quell the rebellion and secure the country.

Since the reign of Emperor Jiajing, natural disasters have been frequent and increasingly severe. This is not due to my misrule, nor to the chaos caused by treacherous officials, but rather to natural changes in the world!

Historical records from the late Zhou Dynasty, the late Han Dynasty, and the late Tang Dynasty all mention years of unusually cold weather: during the reign of King Xiao of Zhou, "there was heavy rain and hail in winter, cattle and horses died, and the Yangtze and Han Rivers were frozen." The "Treatise on the Five Elements" in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty also records "extremely cold winter, rain and hail killed livestock" and "low summer temperature, crops did not ripen."

This celestial phenomenon has now befallen our dynasty; how can human power defy it? In ancient times, Yuzhou was abundant with elephants, and the Jianghuai region was teeming with alligators, but now they have all vanished. Is this truly due to the emperor's lack of virtue? It is merely that they migrated south to escape the cold of winter!
Since assuming the throne, I have believed myself to have diligently governed, favored virtuous ministers, and distanced myself from treacherous officials, and that I have rarely made mistakes in handling state affairs. I have quelled the rebellions of the southern barbarians and driven out the northern Tartars, with frequent reports of victories, and my military achievements are no less than those of my predecessors. Yet why does Heaven not bless me, but instead send down calamities? From this perspective, the workings of Heaven are truly unrelated to the virtue of the emperor.

Xunzi's "On Heaven" states: "The course of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie. Responding to it with order brings good fortune; responding to it with chaos brings misfortune." The way of Heaven cannot be interfered with; one should only strive to reduce human calamities.

Throughout history, dynasties have risen and fallen, beginning in prosperity but ending in decline, with few instances of true revival. This is all due to deeply entrenched and difficult-to-reverse accumulated problems. Now, our Great Ming Dynasty is showing clear signs of impending doom. If I become the ruler of a fallen nation, and you become its ministers, history will hardly record a glorious chapter. Furthermore, if foreign tribes invade, forcing us to shave our heads, change our clothes, and destroy historical records, I fear we will not even be able to leave our mark on history. This is truly a crisis that threatens the very existence of the empire!
I hereby appoint you as county magistrates, sending you back to your hometowns to govern the people. This is not out of estrangement, but simply an appointment based on your place of origin. According to the old system, officials were required to avoid their hometowns and be assigned to distant posts, a request that many cabinet ministers had advised against. However, is there a fixed rule for governing a country? It lies only in weighing the pros and cons! I hope that you will return to your hometowns, uphold the authority of your elders, receive the Emperor's grace, bring peace to the people, and help your villages through famine years, so as not to waste the learning you have acquired throughout your lives.

Since you are disciples of the sage, you should aspire to be like the sage and not judge others by their social status!
Newly appointed scholars, whether staying in the capital or being sent to other regions, if they perform exceptionally well in their examinations, I will certainly promote them without hesitation; if they are found guilty of corruption or illegal activities, they will be arrested and severely punished! You are the Emperor's disciples, and I hope you will become pillars of the nation and pillars of the state, not prisoners awaiting execution on the Ministry of Justice's documents! I urge you to remember these heartfelt words, and not say that I did not warn you!

The impact of the emperor saying that the country was on the verge of collapse was still very strong. Everyone initially thought the emperor was just making routine, perfunctory remarks, and when he boasted, they thought he was shameless. They never expected him to say something like this. Reflecting on it, everyone felt a profound shock and a sense of heaviness in their hearts.

The concept of "interaction between Heaven and man" was the saying of Dong Zhongshu, not considered orthodox Confucianism. People used it when they needed it, but didn't take it entirely seriously. Because the emperor's words were somewhat unconventional, everyone was momentarily stunned and didn't know what to say.

The worst off were these newly appointed scholars who had just entered officialdom, only to be told by the emperor that the country was about to collapse?! Wouldn't all their hard work over the years have been for nothing? Ten years of diligent study, and they were facing the risk of being laid off just after being officially employed?! They all looked dazed.

Zhu Youjian didn't care what they thought and waved them away. His words weren't just for these inexperienced officials; they were also a psychological preparation for the court officials. Many might dismiss his words as nonsense now, but in a few days, their prophecy would come true, and then it would be interesting to see how they viewed the emperor.

None of the above procedures were part of the formal court assembly procedures. Under the emperor's instructions, Liu Zeshen continued to loudly chant: "Now is the time for presenting matters. Those with matters to report, step forward; those without, roll up the curtain and leave the court. Officials of all departments, do not whisper to each other, do not cough or behave improperly. Those who violate this rule will be recorded as demerits by the Court of State Ceremonies and a memorial will be submitted for punishment!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the court assembly officially began! The main topic of today's assembly was disaster relief in various regions. After handing over the original memorials to the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, everyone held their copies in their hands, feeling uneasy. What was going on? Had the Emperor's Embroidered Uniform Guard become active again?!
(End of this chapter)