Di Ming

Chapter 509 "Go to hell!"

It turns out that Ning Caiwei had already received intelligence from Huya that some monks and nobles who were unwilling to "suppress Buddhism" and "persecute the Dharma" were instigating and gathering those monks who had been forced to return to secular life, intending to rebel.

Xu Wei received the information from Huya.

Intelligence reports that monks such as Dawu, Yuankong, and Hudeng, whose temple property was confiscated and who were forced to return to secular life, controlled the eunuch Ma Huaiyu of the Divine Palace and attempted to incite the five hundred Divine Palace guards under Ma Huaiyu's control to launch a coup while the Southern Dynasty's emperor and his officials were performing a sacrificial ceremony at the palace.

Why did Ma Huaiyu obey so obediently? It turns out that the evil monks had obtained a fatal weakness in Ma Huaiyu's case.

What fatal weakness? It turns out that six years ago, when Ma Huaiyu was still in the Beijing Imperial Palace, he had plotted to harm the current Empress Dowager and the Emperor for the sake of Consort Zheng.

And it wasn't just one assassination attempt. But all the attempts failed.

This is a heinous crime punishable by slow slicing and the extermination of the entire family. If Ma Huaiyu is denounced by the evil monk, he himself will certainly be subjected to a thousand cuts, and his family will be finished as well.

This highly confidential information was leaked by Ma Huaiyu's wife, who revealed it to a monk in bed.

That woman was also foolish. After all, she was Ma Huaiyu's wife, and if Ma Huaiyu were to be found guilty, she wouldn't have a good end either. Yet she actually leaked this secret to the evil monk.

Upon learning this, the evil monk was overjoyed and immediately used this fatal weakness to blackmail Ma Huaiyu.

Therefore, Ma Huaiyu was left with only one way to survive: overthrow Emperor Taichang. Since Emperor Taichang was no longer the emperor and Empress Dowager Wang was no longer the empress dowager, his previous actions were no longer considered serious crimes.

Besides the five hundred palace guards under Eunuch Ma, the demonic monks also secretly gathered thousands of monk soldiers to attack and kill the Ning sisters, and even turned the Longjiang Guard's navy against them. They even prepared an escape route after their defeat: fleeing to Japan!

“These Buddhist scoundrels are truly blinded by greed and utterly foolish.” Xu Wei shook his head and chuckled. “How easy is it to stage a coup? Throughout history, countless powerful figures who held military power have failed in their rebellions, let alone a group of demonic monks like them. They are courting death.”

Xu Wei was not angry at all, only filled with endless contempt.

These bald monks who only know wine, women, wealth, and power actually dare to rebel? They have absolutely no self-awareness.

Ning Caiwei took a sip of tea, elegantly wiped her lips, and spoke in a calm and even tone:
“Officials, gentry, scholars, wealthy merchants, monks, soldiers, gangs… even impoverished temple believers—all sorts of people, numbering in the tens of thousands. Many dare not speak out against us, and their resentment grows stronger every day; sooner or later, it will cause a major upheaval.”

"Relying solely on the propaganda of the Propaganda Society will eventually be insufficient to suppress their rumors, slander, and defamation. Sir, you despise these unscrupulous monks. While they may not be able to cause any major trouble, their ability to bewitch people is no less than that of the scholars, and may even surpass it."

Xu Wei nodded and said, "What the princess says is absolutely right. These evil monks are more likely to cause trouble than to accomplish anything. They have thousands of followers, who are all ignorant and foolish people who do not know right from wrong. If this is not handled properly, public opinion will be detrimental to the court."

“We can draft a list linking all the problematic officials and military officers to the case of the wicked monk’s rebellion, and use this opportunity to purge another group of people. In this way, there will be fewer people who oppose us.”

Xu Wei's actions amounted to fabricating a case based on three unfounded accusations, which was about to trigger a major case.

Upon hearing this, Ning Qingchen shook her head.

Ha ha.

Otherwise, how could politics be considered dirty? Even a pure and upright scholar like Xu Wei became a ruthless politician who felt no pressure to engage in widespread corruption and framing. This is rampant injustice and widespread guilt by association.

Isn't this going too far? Where is the spirit of the rule of law in our country?
Just as he was thinking this, he saw his elder sister, Ning Caiwei, take out a densely written list of over a hundred people from her desk and hand it to Xu Wei, saying:
"Sir, please take a look. This is a list I prepared in advance. The people on this list should have been removed long ago under some pretext. Any additions?"

Ning Qingchen opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

She had known all along that her sister was also a political animal.

"So the Princess Consort had prepared this all along!" Xu Wei exclaimed excitedly, his mustache bristling. "This list is very comprehensive, including many people who are at odds with the court. However, this old minister has something to add."

Ning Caiwei smiled and said, "Sir, you may add some more, and then we can proceed with the trial and sentencing according to the list."

Ning Qingchen couldn't help but interject, "Sister, Mr. Wenchang, so many people are being falsely accused? How many wrongful convictions will this create?"

Xu Wei smiled slightly, stroked his beard, and remained silent.

Ning Caiwei's pretty face darkened. "Are you really suffering from a saintly complex? Many people occupy official positions, yet they are stubborn conservatives who oppose us. Even if they don't rebel this time, there's no guarantee they won't rebel next time. Even if they don't rebel in the future, they are still obstacles to the Ming Dynasty's new policies and are destined to cause trouble. Why not get rid of them in advance?"

Ning Qingchen frowned. "But they haven't rebelled yet! Whoever rebels should be arrested and killed. Why implicate those who haven't rebelled? We should judge by actions, not intentions. Many people resent us. Are we supposed to kill them all? Can we kill them all?"

"If you do this, aren't the national laws just for show? Who is guilty and who is innocent can be labeled at will. Aren't you leading the way in undermining the national law? If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too! If the lower officials follow suit, won't they also be able to find a high-sounding excuse to convict people with a single word?"

Xu Wei coughed, looking somewhat embarrassed, unsure whether to stay or leave. Ning Qingchen's words had been too harsh, making him feel a little ashamed.

Ning Caiwei snorted coldly, "Do you know that these rebellious monks are planning to murder us? You can't escape, you child. They plan to poison the herbs you're wearing, trick you into going up the mountain to see them, and then ambush you with crossbows."

"So what!" Ning Qingchen retorted, her neck stiff, like a proud little swan. "It was the evil monk who wanted to kill me, not these officials on your list! As the saying goes, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. If the evil monk wanted to harm me, then kill the evil monk. What does it have to do with these people on the list? One thing at a time!"

"Naive!" Ning Caiwei was choked with anger. "This is a struggle! What do you think it is! These people haven't shown any signs of rebellion yet, but they harbor resentment, plot treachery, and are detrimental to stability. That's a crime! You're a doctor, let me ask you, if the disease hasn't even manifested yet, but the root of the problem is already there, should we treat it? Is it only right to treat it after the disease has manifested?"

Ning Qingchen shook his head, "That's different. You're just making excuses. Illness is illness, and a person is a person. How can you lump them together? Animals can be killed and eaten, but can people be killed and eaten too? Besides, whether it's a disease or not, a doctor can diagnose it. Whether someone is a criminal or not, the law can decide. How can you arbitrarily convict someone based on political needs? To kill someone just because they have different political views? That's treating human life like dirt!"

Ning Caiwei was so angry she gritted her teeth. She pointed outside and yelled, "Get out! Go cool off outside! What do you know? You have no right to interfere in national affairs! Get out!"

"Fine, I'll leave!" Ning Qingchen stood up and walked out. "Who cares about your stuff! I'll admit defeat and take your surname! I look down on you all!"

As Ning Qingchen left, the parrot at the door immediately fawned over her, saying, "Holy Mother, take care! Holy Mother, take care!"

Ning Qingchen snapped at it irritably, "Go away, my ass! Get lost!"

"Slow down, my ass! Go to hell!" the parrot continued to mimic.

After Ning Qingchen left, Ning Caiwei looked at Xu Wei apologetically, "Please forgive me, sir. Qingchen was ignorant..."

Xu Wei smiled without any surprise and said, "Qingchen is a woman of strong character, both extremely intelligent and kind-hearted. What she said may not be wrong, but people in different positions will naturally have different considerations."

Ning Caiwei wasn't really angry with her younger sister. How could she not know what kind of person her sister was? She was a stubborn person with obsessive-compulsive disorder, an idealist living in this corrupt world.

"We'll immediately close in and arrest them," Ning Caiwei said coldly. "The vacant positions will be filled by our own people. When half the officials in the country are our own people, we'll be as secure as Mount Tai."

The "people" Ning Caiwei referred to were, of course, the best members of the Propaganda Department, outstanding agents from Tiger Fang, and talents from the Eight Banners overseas.

In the Southern Dynasties today, from the imperial court to the provinces, there are only two or three hundred officials loyal to Zhu Yin, accounting for less than 10%. Especially in the provinces, prefectures, and counties, the old faction is almost entirely in control.

Under these circumstances, Zhu Yin was still able to maintain control of the court only because he held military power and the emperor's authority, preventing the opposition from openly resisting him. However, this did not mean that Zhu Yin's faction truly held the political and public opinion advantage.

Ning Caiwei and Xu Wei conspired to conclude that the group of self-righteous, rebellious monks would bring about their own destruction.

Ning Caiwei and Xu Wei gave the order, and the Tiger Fang secret agents and the Jinyiwei secret agents were mobilized overnight to arrest people.

Many people are destined not to celebrate this Dragon Boat Festival!

Having finished discussing this important matter, Xu Wei then brought up the second one: "Your Highness, the Ming Dynasty's central bank has minted two million silver coins. One million of them belong to the imperial court and have already been deposited into the Ministry of Revenue's treasury."

Ning Caiwei said, "This is a good thing. I've seen the silver coins minted in Jintai; they are exquisitely crafted."

After speaking, he casually picked up a silver coin from the table. Each coin contained seven mace of silver, nine parts silver and one part copper. The obverse featured the sun, moon, and stars from the Ming Dynasty flag, while the reverse depicted the Chinese totem: the dragon!

The inscription above reads: "Da Ming Jintai, Taichang Second Year".

The silver coins were minted using the Daishan technique, resulting in exquisite and elegant craftsmanship. The edges even feature serrated edges to prevent friction. Each coin is exactly one inch in diameter and one-tenth of an inch thick, giving them an excellent appearance and a premium feel.

Xu Wei had, of course, already seen them, but he still said with a hint of helplessness:

"But this silver coin is unprecedented in our Ming Dynasty. Although the court had previously issued a document stating that officials' salaries would be changed from taels to yuan, it is still opposed by many officials."

"This old minister only deliberately spread some rumors that starting next month, all salaries would be paid in silver dollars. There were a lot of strange comments in the court. Some people said that this was the court's way of reducing salaries, treating a seven-qian silver dollar as if it were a one-tael silver dollar."

"Some people say that if silver dollars are used to pay the soldiers' salaries, it will shake the morale of the army. These people are just afraid that the world is not chaotic enough."

Ning Caiwei tossed the silver coin in her hand, which traced a silvery arc under the lamplight before landing with a "clink" on the incense table not far away. She sneered:

"Such exquisite silver coins, and they don't even want to accept them? Do they not want to be officials of the Ming Dynasty anymore? That's just an excuse. They're actually afraid of abolishing the tael and changing the currency. Because they all have large amounts of hidden silver, and we've taken away their... pie."

Xu Wei took a sip of plum juice. "There's nothing we can do about it. In the Southern Dynasty, there were more than 17,300 civil and military officials of the ninth rank and above. With so many officials' vital interests at stake, how could things possibly go smoothly?"

"More than 17,000 officials? That many?" Ning Caiwei frowned upon hearing this number.

Too much!
Xu Wei explained: "Our Great Ming Dynasty claims to have 40,000 officials, which may be an exaggeration, but there must have been at least 30,000. If we divide it into North and South, wouldn't the South have just that many?"

"These are just officials appointed by the imperial court, not even the lowest-ranking clerks. If we include the minor officials and those who live off the emperor's salary, there are at least 100,000 of them. If they all refuse to accept silver dollars, that would be a huge problem, and the court and the country would surely be in turmoil."

"Although the benefits of silver dollars have been promoted before, the people find it hard to believe anything the court has publicized in recent years."

Ning Caiwei pondered for a moment, then said, "In your opinion, sir, should we postpone this matter?"

Xu Wei nodded helplessly, “Haste makes waste. In my opinion, we should at least wait until the army of the lord or the Duke of Qi returns in triumph. Only when the army returns and there are troops to deter disobedience in various places can we abolish the two reign titles and start issuing salaries. Otherwise, if trouble breaks out in the local areas, the court will have no troops to suppress it.”

How could Ning Caiwei disagree?
"Sir, these are wise words of wisdom for governing the country. Indeed, with our troops currently depleted and the main force stationed abroad, it is not advisable to implement this policy, as it would have too great an impact. Let's wait and see."

"And this matter of reducing redundant staff will also need to be addressed in the future."

"Zhihu and the Duke of Qi have won a great victory and will soon return in triumph. It won't be long. For the time being, the officials' salaries will still be paid in silver ingots and grain."

After discussing for a while, Xu Wei took his leave.

……

Late at night, a large group of people suddenly appeared at a manor outside Nanjing and surrounded it.

The monks hiding in the manor were immediately terrified.

"The evil monks are plotting a rebellion!" shouted a man in black. "The Madam has ordered! Seize them all and take them back for rigorous interrogation! Find out who ordered them!"

The soldiers, as fierce as wolves and tigers, pounced on them and dragged all the so-called high monks out of their beds.

"Ah!" Many women's screams could still be heard from under the covers.

The monks, including Dawu, Yuankong, and Xuanhu, were all naked and in a state of utter disarray, bound hand and foot.

Even now, they remain in a daze, still thinking they are having a nightmare.

They just finalized their plan to rebel yesterday, and today they've been wiped out in one fell swoop?
If they had known that rebellion would be so easily exposed, they would never have dared to rebel.

"Hahaha!" the black-clad agent sneered. "You bunch of scum, you think you can rebel? That's laughable. Who ordered you? Without officials directing you, would you dare?"

Just as the evil monks were being captured, Ma Huaiyu, the eunuch of the Imperial Palace who was guarding the Xiaoling Mausoleum, was also taken down.

All five hundred armed eunuchs of the Divine Palace Guard were disarmed and arrested.

At the same time, the Longjiangwei naval camp was also surrounded and disarmed by a large naval force.

Then, a group of men left the city overnight and headed to the Prince of Huai's residence in Jiangxi to capture the Prince of Huai, Zhu Yiju, who had been caught in the crossfire.

Before a rebellion could even begin, it was ruthlessly suppressed with thunderous force!

Early the next morning, astonishing news spread throughout Nanjing:

"The monks Dawu, Yuankong, and others, with the support and instigation of many officials, secretly plotted a rebellion. The demonic monks were interrogated overnight and have already confessed to the involvement of many officials."

When the news spread, the capital was immediately thrown into a state of panic and fear.

At the same time, the emperor issued an edict declaring martial law!
For a time, countless officials were terrified and lived in constant fear.

Nobody knows whether those monks are falsely accusing him!
……

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(End of this chapter)