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

Chapter 308 The Proposal for Moving South
"...Second Grand Secretary Zhu Xieyuan possesses profound wisdom and insight, maintains a prudent and upright character, and is well-versed in classical texts. Previously, as Prefect of Suzhou, he reformed long-standing tax abuses, bringing peace to the people; later, when stationed in the Southwest, he quelled the rebellion of Pu Mingsheng, resolved disputes among local chieftains, and ensured peace on the borders, earning him the reputation of 'pacifying the Southwest'; since joining the Grand Secretariat, his discussions on border affairs and civil administration have always been incisive and to the point, demonstrating loyalty, diligence, and integrity, which I deeply rely on. Now, with the Grand Secretariat's affairs so numerous, I hereby appoint him to oversee all memorials submitted by the Grand Secretariat, ensuring that responsibilities are fulfilled, so that government affairs are not obstructed and the nation remains peaceful."

Admire this! "

"Your subject Zhu Xieyuan accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Seeing that Zhu Xieyuan had accepted the task, Wang Chengen, who had come to deliver the imperial decree, breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Alas, Grand Secretary Zhu, His Majesty, at such a young age, has come to rule over all the land, at a time of internal and external troubles. For several years, not a single tile has been added to the palace, nor has he sought any fine clothes; the rare and precious tributes from the regions are always shared among the officials; even the favored concubines and their relatives have not received generous rewards of gold and silk. Throughout history, how many rulers have been so self-disciplined and diligent in governing?"
"Your Majesty has truly endured great hardship. I urge the Grand Secretary not to fail in your wise rule, so as to comfort Your Majesty's heart!" Wang Chengen said sincerely. After speaking, he bowed deeply and collapsed to the ground, a truly moving sight.

Wang Chengen was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and also the Emperor's close attendant; addressing him as "Inner Minister" wouldn't be an exaggeration. Eunuchs were still officials, and in terms of status, they were no less than the ministers of the outer court. Seeing this, Zhu Xieyuan dared not be presumptuous. He bent down, helped Wang Chengen up, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "Rest assured, Eunuch Wang, I will do my utmost to repay the Emperor's kindness!"

Zhu Xieyuan saw Wang Chengen off at the gate of the Ministry of War's subordinate office and said with great emotion, "His Majesty treats people with sincerity and is easygoing. Even the gatekeepers and guards treat him like old friends. Everyone around him loves him."

Despite his noble birth, he possessed the qualities of a commoner emperor, and unlike the Taizu Emperor, he was not short-tempered. He worried about the soldiers on the border longing for home, and concerned about whether the poor people had enough to eat and wear. A ruler like him was practically a gift from heaven. Even if he had flaws, how could anyone bear to criticize him?

The news that the emperor wanted to move south shocked the entire capital, much like the massive explosion at Wanggongchang in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.

Zhu Xieyuan summoned all civil and military officials of the third rank and above to the Wenyuan Pavilion for a meeting. Among them were thirty-two civil officials (from the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, etc.) of the third rank and above, and twenty-five military officials (from the Five Military Commands and the Commander of the Capital Garrison, etc.), totaling fifty-seven people. Since the emperor wanted them to discuss the matter, they decided to do so properly.

The Wenyuan Pavilion has five rooms in total, and it is a very small house. It can only accommodate fifty people at most. Everyone sits on the left and right, and they are very close to each other.

"So that's how it is. Sun Zhisheng left in a hurry and missed a great show!" Yuan Keli exclaimed.

"If he hadn't made such a fuss, do you think His Majesty would have told us about this?" Xu Guangqi said with a wry smile. "His Majesty has kept this from us for so long!"

"Zhu Xieyuan, where is His Majesty? You have summoned your ministers to plot a rebellion, are you perhaps planning one?!" Zhang Weixian, the Duke of Yingguo and head of the martial arts troupe, said with displeasure, arms crossed.

"Someone, open the door!" Zhu Xieyuan stood up and bowed slightly towards the door. "By order of His Majesty, I have summoned the ministers to discuss the matter of moving south."

"Thanks to His Majesty's trust, you may speak freely. However, let me make this clear beforehand: even if you have unpleasant but truthful opinions, feel free to voice them; but if tomorrow's court session results in a bloody argument like that of commoners, causing His Majesty distress and leading to a deadlock in the national debate, do not blame the Privy Council for showing no mercy. Your opinions today will be recorded without embellishment by the clerk and presented to His Majesty tonight. If the Duke of England is concerned, he may review the record; you all should also sign and seal it after verifying its accuracy. Duke of England, do you have anything else to say?"

“Since it is His Majesty’s order, let’s begin,” Zhang Weixian said, squinting his eyes.

“Alright, does anyone want to speak first?” Zhu Xieyuan asked. Everyone remained silent, their gazes quiet. Zhu Xieyuan frowned slightly, tapped the back of his armchair with his index finger, and said, “The Ministry of Personnel is the head of the Six Ministries. Minister Fang, I would like to ask you to speak first.”

"First of all, the first idiot! Who gets appointed is still just a matter of the emperor's word, isn't it? Has the emperor even asked for my opinion in the Ministry of Personnel? Who takes me, this so-called 'official in charge,' seriously now?!" Fang Zhuangli's resentment was no less than Sun Chengzong's. Sun Chengzong had only been transferred back to the central government for a short time, while he had been silently suffering in the Ministry of Personnel for five years!
With this resentment, Fang Zhuangli spoke up: "Since Grand Secretary Zhu asked me to speak first, then I will speak frankly. I oppose moving the capital south! Each of the two capitals has its own set of officials. If the capital is moved, will the officials in Beijing also be moved there? After they are moved, how will the officials in the two capitals be settled, and who will be in charge?"
How can we govern the hundreds of thousands of troops in the eight prefectures and nine border garrisons of Beizhili? If the officials in Beijing were to remain in Beijing, would any of you here be willing? If the leadership of the North and South were to be swapped, do you think those in Nanjing would be content? I don't know about your other matters, but this is a case my Ministry of Personnel can't resolve!

Fang Zhuangli's words were straightforward and realistic, leaving everyone feeling somewhat heavy-hearted. Each and every one of them was a victor in the factional struggles, and it hadn't been easy for them to climb to their current positions.

Even among the nobles of the North and South, the relationship was clearly divided: the North was mostly composed of meritorious officials who had fought in the Jingnan Campaign, while the South was composed of founding heroes. The two groups could even be considered irreconcilable enemies, having fought each other to the death on the battlefield.

Fang Zhuangli's speech undoubtedly influenced the tone of the entire meeting. Officials who might have been somewhat hesitant about whether to relocate south were forced to face reality. Many of the officials present were from the south, and they had initially considered returning there—higher pay, less work, and closer to home—the ultimate dream of every working person.

Everyone's expression changed, but Zhu Xieyuan's remained largely unchanged, as if he had expected this outcome. Since he, as the chairperson of the meeting, had not expressed his opinion, no one could fathom his thoughts. Zhu Xieyuan nodded, gesturing for Fang Zhuangli to sit down, and then spoke calmly: "Ministry of Revenue!"

Bi Ziyan sighed slightly, stood up, cupped his hands to the crowd, and said, "The matter has come so suddenly that I really don't know what to do. As you all probably know, I previously served in Nanjing, but His Majesty transferred me to the central government because of the severe shortage of funds in the court."

His Majesty's desire to move the capital south is not without reason: Emperor Hongxi and Emperor Xuande insisted on calling Beijing "temporary capital" and issued a clear decree to move the capital south, but unfortunately they did not live long enough to make the move. During the Zhengde and Wanli reigns, ministers also proposed moving the capital south.

Needless to say, the Zhengde era was a period of great upheaval. Since the Jiajing reign, the Yellow River had changed its course, causing severe flooding in the north and congestion in the Grand Canal, which cost a fortune every year. Moreover, the capital region was frequently hit by earthquakes, and border troubles were incessant. First came the Tatars, then the Jurchens, both of whom reached the gates of Beijing. At that time, people were filled with fear and panic, and the Ming Dynasty was in danger of collapsing.

The ills of Beijing need no further explanation; I believe everyone is well aware of them. However, what makes me hesitant is the long-standing neglect of the Nanjing Imperial City: the three main halls have been destroyed by fire, either struck by lightning or damaged by floods; the beams of the other halls are rotten, and the tiles are covered in decaying wood. Repairing them would cost an immeasurable amount of money and resources, which the current imperial treasury is unlikely to be able to support…”

(End of this chapter)