Di Ming

Chapter 404 The Little Tiger's Fury

The emperor was furious, feeling as if he had been tricked. Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang had quelled a rebellion in the northwest and won a great victory in just a few months, a rare triumph for the Ming Dynasty. But in the end, the heir of Prince Qing led the remnants of the rebel army beyond the Great Wall, established a puppet dynasty in the Western Regions, and usurped the throne!

What's even more infuriating is that this happened last year, and I only received the secret report this year!

"This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!" Wanli was furious. "Whether I approve or not grant Zhu and Qi's military achievements in the Northwest is still up in the air!"

"What kind of great victory is this in the Northwest? Hmph, Zhu Yin's military achievements are hardly worthy of the title of Marquis of Jiangning. Perhaps he should be stripped of his title..."

Shen Yiguan quickly said, "Your Majesty, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang's military achievements were indeed diminished, and they did not achieve complete success, which is quite a mistake. As a result, they failed to eliminate the remaining enemies, which led to the Prince of Qing's heir escaping to the Western Regions and usurping the title. However, there were reasons for this."

"What do you mean there's a reason for this!" Wanli glared at Shen Yiguan with an unfriendly expression. "Mr. Shen, are you trying to exonerate your disciple?"

"Your subject dares not," Shen Yiguan said calmly. "Your subject is merely stating the facts. Even if this matter has nothing to do with Zhu Yin, your subject will not try to cover it up."

Emperor Wanli waved his hand impatiently, "Speak!"

Shen Yiguan said, “Your Majesty, without an imperial edict, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang cannot lead their troops beyond the Great Wall, let alone venture deep into the Western Regions; otherwise, they would be executed. Moreover, at that time, Zhu and Qi were besieging the rebel stronghold, focused solely on capturing Prince Qing and Bo Bai, so it was understandable that they overlooked Prince Qing's heir, Zhu Shuaixin. After all, who knew that Zhu Shuaixin would go to the Western Regions and cause such a commotion? He wasn't the leader of the rebels. Even if they knew that Zhu Shuaixin had escaped to the Western Regions, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang could not pursue him there without an imperial edict, since the Western Regions were the territory of the Yarkand Khanate.”

"The western rebellion was quelled, Bo Bai and Prince Qing were both beheaded, the Hetao region was recovered, and the Qinghai Mongols and the Oirats were severely damaged. Isn't this a great victory? Can we simply erase the great victory in the northwest won by 80,000 soldiers by merely letting one of Prince Qing's sons escape?"

"Furthermore, the great victory in the Northwest is primarily a testament to Your Majesty's military prowess and the glory of the court, and only secondarily to the military achievements of Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang. If Your Majesty were to dismiss the great victory in the Northwest because of this, it would also damage Your Majesty's military achievements and glory. At that time, the people of the world would think that the great victory in the Northwest was just boasting, or even that the court had suffered a defeat in the Northwest. Therefore, I believe that we must not deny the great victory in the Northwest because of Marshal Zhu Yin."

Wanli Emperor found Shen Yiguan's words very reasonable and difficult to refute.

Wang Xijue also said, "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Shen is right. It has been almost a year since the great victory in the Northwest. Everyone in the world knows that the court has won a great victory in the Northwest and swiftly quelled the rebellion. Even the chieftains in the Southwest and the Mongol tribes in the North have become much more subdued after hearing about this great victory, fearing the court's military might."

"If we were to tell the world that the victory in the Northwest was not fully realized and that even the commander-in-chief's title was stripped as a result, then the victory in the Northwest might be portrayed as a complete fabrication, or even falsely distorted into a major defeat in the Northwest. Therefore, the victory in the Northwest must not be underestimated."

"Has Zhu Yin committed any serious crimes? No. Has he made any mistakes? Of course he has. But His Majesty has already decided to demote him to a county magistrate in the remote southwest. The punishment is severe enough. Why further strip him of his title? If you strip him of his title, that would be too much. It would not conform to His Majesty's doctrine of the mean and would damage His Majesty's reputation for recognizing and employing talent."

Zhang Wei also said, “Your Majesty, the great victory in the Northwest has rewarded many generals. If Zhu Yin's title is stripped simply because of Zhu Shuaixin's matter, shouldn't the other rewarded generals also be punished? Should generals like Li Rusong and Li Rubai also be demoted? Your Majesty, these national titles are public assets of the court and cannot be discarded for personal reasons. Rules and regulations, and clear definitions of rewards and punishments, are the foundation of governing your subordinates…”

Emperor Wanli angrily retorted, "You're saying I'm showing favoritism? As the emperor, do I have a personal grudge against Zhu Yin? Are you telling me what to do?"

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to do that." Zhang Wei removed his hat and kowtowed. "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, too much is as bad as too little. Zhu Yin's demotion to county magistrate is already a severe punishment. It is really inappropriate to strip him of his title as well. Otherwise, the talented people in the country who want to serve their country and the passionate people in the court and the countryside will be disheartened."

Zhang Jing cautiously added, "Grandpa, I think it would be best to demote him to county magistrate. Stripping him of his title is a bit too harsh. Zhu Yin had just made great contributions in Goryeo, but upon his return, he was demoted to county magistrate and stripped of his title. If this gets out, it's hard to guarantee that scholars won't criticize you for being mean and ungrateful, which would be very detrimental to your reputation. Those people are always eager to stir up trouble, and they might even dare to fabricate such rebellious sayings as 'discarding the bow after the birds are all gone' or 'cooking the dog after the rabbit is dead.'"

Emperor Wanli thought about it and agreed, saying, "Alright, then I won't strip him of his title. Let's see how he performs in the future and let him atone for his crimes through meritorious service."

Shen Yiguan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that his disciple had retained his title.

The Emperor continued, "The Cabinet has drafted an edict to send Song Yingchang, the Vice Minister of War, to Goryeo to take over Zhu Yin's military command. In any case, the Japanese pirates have been almost completely wiped out, and the war can be considered over. Song Yingchang will go to Goryeo to handle the aftermath, while Zhu Yin, Qi Jiguang, and others will return to the capital. Only 20,000 troops will remain in Goryeo for the time being."

"When Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang returned to the capital, the court discussed their crimes. Zhu Yin was demoted to the position of magistrate of Pengshui County and was secretly ordered to be kept under strict guard by Hao Yunlai, the prefect of Chongqing."

"Qi Jiguang should also be punished in court. As the general who quelled the rebellion in the Northwest, he naturally cannot escape responsibility. Let him retire and return to his hometown in Shandong, and forbid him from staying in the capital."

Wang Xijue said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

Everyone knew that although the emperor was indeed angry that Zhu Yin had failed to achieve his goal and escaped the great scourge Zhu Shuaixin, he was also using this as an excuse to suppress Zhu Yin. For the emperor, this was a very good pretext.

Shen Yiguan was very frustrated, but there was nothing he could do.

The emperor seized upon this mistake and demoted Zhihu from a high-ranking official to a county magistrate in Chongqing, where he would likely remain for at least ten years.

By the time he returns to court, he will likely be over thirty. After this blow, it's doubtful that Zhihu will ever be able to enter the cabinet.

Shen Yiguan couldn't help but feel sorry for Zhu Yin.

With just a few words, Emperor Wanli decided the career paths of Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang, saying, "General Zhu must be wiped out! This villain must be removed from the imperial genealogy!"

Wang Xijue said, “Your Majesty, Zhu Shuaixin has usurped the title of a false ruler, and his crimes are heinous. He is a major threat to the court and must be eliminated. However, the Western Regions are too far away, and a long expedition would be extremely costly. Moreover, Zhu Shuaixin has won over various ethnic groups in the Western Regions and has taken many Han Chinese from the Northwest beyond the Great Wall. The rebel army numbers no less than 100,000. If the Western Regions are to be pacified, the court will need to send at least 100,000 troops, which will probably cost at least seven or eight million taels of silver.”

"So much?" Wanli's face darkened. "How much silver does the Ministry of Revenue still have? What about the Court of Imperial Stud and the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue?"

As the Grand Secretary, Wang Xijue was naturally familiar with these figures and answered without hesitation:
"According to the latest accounts, the Ministry of Revenue has more than 2.3 million taels of silver in its coffers, while the Court of Imperial Stud has only 420,000 taels. As for the silver in the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, the accounts reported in February show 870,000 taels. The total silver in the three major treasuries is 3.6 million taels."

Emperor Wanli frowned, feeling quite irritated. "It's not even May yet, not even halfway through the year, how come so much silver has been spent? Is there a problem with the national treasury's expenditures?"

Wang Xijue was speechless. He patiently explained, "At the beginning of this year, the war against Goryeo alone cost 1.8 million taels of silver. Fortunately, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang fought well and quickly; otherwise, it would have cost at least another 3 million taels. We also allocated 300,000 taels for His Majesty's mausoleum construction since the beginning of the year. Salaries, military pay, and other expenses totaled over 3.2 million taels. All this adds up to over 5 million taels of silver spent in just a few months. Last year, the combined revenue of the major treasuries in both the north and south capitals was only 9 million taels, leaving us with only a little over 3 million."

“Actually, it’s not that much yet,” Zhang Wei said. “The Grand Secretary hasn’t deducted the remaining pension payments. The war against Goryeo is about to end, and Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang have reported that the soldiers will return home in June. It’s less than two months at most. When the prisoners are presented at the Meridian Gate, the court will also issue a pension edict, which will amount to at least another million taels of silver! This money cannot be saved; it will definitely have to be spent.”

“After deducting this sum, the three treasuries will only have a little over two million taels of silver left. But even this little over two million taels is not enough to pay the salaries of officials and soldiers for the next few months. So, we are in dire need of funds! Not to mention the expenses for the western expedition, it is not even enough for the normal operation of the court.”

"In the end, we shouldn't have gone to war. The suppression of the rebellion in the Northwest and the resistance against the Japanese pirates in Goryeo have cost money like water, with military expenses reaching seven million taels in just one year. Otherwise, the court would be much better off. In the current situation, a western expedition is absolutely out of the question; we have no money!"

Emperor Wanli said with a long face, "So, we have to wait until the tax revenue is collected in the second half of the year before we can launch a military campaign against the Western Regions?"

Shen Yiguan said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, by the time the autumn tax revenue is collected, it will already be the end of the year. Besides, the national treasury is empty, and we will have to make up for the deficit first. It will only be enough to maintain the normal expenses of the court, and we will not be able to raise enough funds for the western expedition. We are short at least five million taels."

At least five million taels short? Wanli's face was frosty, his big fat face seemed frozen, as if it would fall to the ground and shatter at any moment.

"According to the three gentlemen, since the national treasury is out of money, we can only watch Zhu Shuaixin run rampant in the Western Regions? Let him grow stronger and stronger? And wait for him to come back?"

Wang Xijue's expression was bitter. "Of course, Zhu Shuaixin must be eliminated as soon as possible, the sooner the better. The longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for the court. But even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. Once the troops move, the Western Regions are so far away, and they rely on money and provisions to pave the way. The national treasury has no silver, so we can't afford to delay. This war..."

Emperor Wanli knew perfectly well that Wang Xijue and his associates were after his private treasury! In his anger, he suddenly glanced at Zhang Jing. Zhang Jing immediately understood and said, "Grandfather, this servant believes that the only solution right now is to increase taxes. We could establish a 'suppression tax,' levying an additional one fen of silver per mu. The Ministry of Revenue's register lists seven million hectares of taxable land; in this way, we could collect seven million taels of silver for the suppression tax."

"Absolutely not!" Wang Xijue blurted out. "Your Majesty, this additional tax on the suppression is absolutely unacceptable. The Grand Chancellor's decision to resort to such a desperate measure is like drinking poison to quench thirst."

"This is alarmist talk!" Zhang Jing retorted angrily. "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the emperor! The wealth of the four seas is all at the emperor's disposal. The people of the nine provinces are all His Majesty's subjects. How is adding a mere one cent of silver per mu for the sake of the great western expedition considered drinking poison to quench thirst? Right now, the seas are calm and the rivers are peaceful, and we live in a prosperous and peaceful era. Who can't afford to pay this little bit of silver?"

"Besides, this suppression tax isn't levied every year. It's just levied this once, and it won't be levied anymore after the rebellion is quelled. Is that acceptable?"

"This kind of temporary taxation has happened before! During the Zhengde reign, more than one million taels of land tax were levied to rebuild the Qianqing Palace. During the Jiajing reign, when Altan Khan invaded, two million taels of land tax were levied temporarily. There were also temporary taxations levied more than once during the suppression of Japanese pirates."

Zhang Wei coldly replied, "Your Excellency is unaware of this. An additional levy of one fen per mu may not sound like much, and in these peaceful times, the people aren't truly unable to pay. However, for every fen the court adds, those below dare to collect a coin!"

Zhang Jing shouted, "That's because the civil officials are incompetent! Why do the prefectures and counties dare to levy an extra penny when the imperial court only adds one fen? Isn't it because the local officials are corrupt? Aren't those prefects, magistrates, and governors all learned scholars?"

Zhang Wei angrily retorted, "What did you say?!"

Zhang Jing sneered, "I say there are too many corrupt officials who study and become officials, causing the court's policies to be ineffective! An acre of land yields at least one tael of silver a year. Even if we add one cent, it's only one percent. Why can't we add a cent? If they dare to add a cent, it's because they are corrupt themselves. It has nothing to do with the court, much less the emperor!"

Zhang Wei waved his hand, "I have nothing to do with you! In short, if land taxes are increased, there will surely be widespread resentment throughout the land."

Wanli looked at Wang Xijue: "Mr. Wang, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs has suggested increasing the levy for suppressing the rebellion. What do you think?"

Wang Xijue was speechless.

Your Majesty, although the national treasury is short of silver, isn't the imperial treasury wealthy? I've heard that the imperial treasury already has tens of millions of taels of silver. Wouldn't it be acceptable to allocate a few million taels for the western expedition? This empire belongs to Your Majesty!

“Your Majesty,” Wang Xijue said, forcing a smile, “Imposing additional taxes on the suppression campaign is absolutely unacceptable unless absolutely necessary. Local authorities will inevitably add to the burden at each level. The national treasury has only collected seven million taels, but the local authorities will likely collect several times that amount! That would be a man-made disaster.”

"This old minister has a plan. Doesn't Your Majesty's private treasury have surplus silver? Let's lend it to the national treasury first for the western expedition. When the situation improves later, the national treasury can repay the private treasury in installments..."

"No way!" Zhang Jing interrupted Wang Xijue rudely before he could finish speaking. "The imperial treasury has other important uses! When the princes are enfeoffed and for their weddings, how much money will be needed? Is this all the outer court can do? You're poor and can't get any money, so you're plotting to steal from His Majesty's imperial treasury? Where is your loyalty and filial piety?"

"It would be the best policy to increase the military expenditure for suppressing the rebellion, yet you keep making excuses and insist that His Majesty pay for it himself! What are you really thinking!"

Emperor Wanli remained silent, but in his heart he praised Zhang Jing for his loyalty.

Wang Xijue felt a chill run through his body. He took a deep breath and continued:
"There is another way, which is to have the imperial clan donate money. Zhu Shuaixin is a member of the imperial clan, but he wants to rebel. Other members of the imperial clan will inevitably have ulterior motives and feel uneasy. His Majesty can use this as an excuse to ask the princes of the imperial clan to donate money to show their unwavering loyalty to the court. The money is considered as a gesture."

"Absolutely not!" Wanli refused without hesitation. "They're targeting the imperial clan again! They'll accuse me of suppressing my relatives and will side with Zhu Shuaixin instead. If I take their money, I won't be able to face our ancestors."

Wang Xijue opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but then stopped himself.

Shen Yiguan sighed softly, "What a pity. If only the gold and silver stolen from the Qin Prince's mansion could be recovered."

Zhang Jing said again, "Your Majesty, the only solution now is to increase the levy for the suppression; there is no other way."

The emperor stood up, his corpulent body pacing back and forth on the platform, squinting at the sun in the sky, and suddenly said:

"In the name of the Cabinet, submit a memorial to the throne requesting an additional tax of one cent of silver per mu (unit of land area). This must be approved by the court within two days!"

Wang Xijue and the others looked at each other, and finally could only accept the order and say, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

……

Goryeo.

In mid-April, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang led their army south and joined forces with Xiong Tingbi in Pyongyang.

On April 18, the Ming army crossed the Daedong River and continued south, drinking water from the Han River.

In late April, the Ming army crossed the Han River and captured Seoul. The remaining 10,000-plus Japanese troops and tens of thousands of Goryeo puppet troops were all annihilated. Fukushima Masanori, the last renowned general of the Goryeo-Japanese army, committed seppuku.

The Goryeo king and his officials returned to Seoul and paid homage to the Great Ming Emperor from Gyeongbokgung Palace.

In early May, the remaining Japanese naval forces were also completely annihilated.

With this, all eight provinces of Goryeo were recovered. Of the 220,000 Japanese troops who had invaded Goryeo, most were killed and 70,000 were captured.

Most of the elite troops and generals forged in years of Japanese civil war were wiped out in Korea. Japan's military strength was essentially already waning.

On the second day of the fifth lunar month, on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhu Yin finally received a secret report from Luo Yan in Beijing.

Upon receiving the secret report, Zhu Yin was immediately enraged:

"Luo Yan is an idiot! How dare he act on his own! Who gave him permission to do this?"

"If I want to seize the throne, I will do it through my own abilities! Why resort to such means! Without his schemes and tricks, I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything great?"

Ning Qingchen took the secret report and glanced at it. His face immediately turned pale. "Little Tiger, Old Man Hai has passed away?"

Zhu Yin was already in tears. "Old Man Hai has passed away. From now on, there will be no more Hai Qingtian in this world."

"Sigh, I was planning to go back to Hainan to see him, have a good talk with him, and send him off on his final journey. Who knew that things wouldn't go as planned, and I ended up not being able to see him one last time!"

(End of this chapter)