Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 10 What you begin with, you will end with.

Zhu Youjian summoned a young eunuch and presented him with a writing brush, ink, and a table.

"Write it down, write down the list in your heart."

Zhu Youjian paused, his tone slightly cold, "What I want is the real account."

He smiled slightly, but it sent a chill down Wei Zhongxian's spine. "If it's discovered later that the account books are fake, I'm afraid..."

Wei Zhongxian stood in front of the desk, his straight posture involuntarily hunching over again.

He lifted his face, which was covered in blood and tears, and forced a smile that looked worse than crying.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... Old slave... Old slave..."

He stammered for a long time, and finally, under Zhu Youjian's cold gaze, he managed to utter a sentence with difficulty: "This old servant is actually illiterate..."

Upon hearing this, even Zhou Yu, who had been on edge the whole time, almost burst out laughing.

Zhu Youjian clapped his hands, feeling embarrassed.

Despite appearing calm during the previous exchanges, he was actually quite nervous inside.

In their nervousness, they completely forgot that this powerful official was actually illiterate.

He turned to look at Zhou Yu beside him and gestured with his head: "Changqiu, you write it for me."

"what?"

Zhou Yu felt a pang of panic, but quickly calmed down.

She imitated Zhu Youjian's indifferent demeanor, put on a stern face, and walked to the table to sit down with a blank expression.

She picked up her pen, her heart trembling.

This was no ordinary copying or writing; every name recorded here could mean a bloody storm in the imperial court.

She composed herself, dipped her brush in ink, and looked up at Wei Zhongxian.

After a final internal deliberation, Wei Zhongxian decided to seize this last opportunity.

He cleared his throat and began his "Jinzhong" performance.

"Minister of War Cui Chengxiu, this man... is extremely corrupt. But it must be said that he is capable, especially good at understanding the emperor's intentions. The task of rebuilding the three main halls was handled by him, and he did it well... the late emperor was very satisfied."

Zhou Yu held his wrist suspended, his back straight, his eyebrows raised in a serious manner, and the tip of his brush scratching on the rice paper.

She wrote in an extremely beautiful small regular script, with delicate handwriting and a touch of the gentle beauty of a young lady from a noble family.

Zhu Youjian glanced at it only once before reaching out and pressing down on Zhou Yu's wrist.

"and many more."

He picked up a pen and quickly drew a table on another sheet of rice paper.

The first line is the name.

The second line, official titles
The third line: corruption.

The fourth line: ability.

The fifth line describes the deeds.

Concise and clear, like a sharp scalpel.

"Do it this way." Zhu Youjian handed the pen back to Zhou Yu. "This way, I can see it clearly."

Zhou Yu looked at this strange format she had never seen before, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes, but she still nodded obediently.

Wei Zhongxian looked at the form, a barely perceptible shock flashing in his cloudy eyes.

This new emperor's mind is frighteningly meticulous.

Without further hesitation, he followed the template given to him by the new emperor and poured out the whole story in his mind, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

"Zhou Yingqiu, the Minister of Personnel, is extremely corrupt. His abilities are...mediocre. He relies entirely on flattery."

"Xue Zhen, the Minister of Justice, is petty and greedy, and is too obsequious to be of any use."

"..."

"Wu Kongjia, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy... This man is not greedy, acts decisively, and writes excellent articles."

Upon hearing this name, Zhu Youjian's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Among the eunuch faction, there are actually those who are not corrupt and have caught your eye, Wei Zhongxian?
Wei Zhongxian talked on and on for nearly half an hour.

From the six ministries of the cabinet to the local governors, one name after another came out of his mouth, and Zhou Yu filled them into the cold form with her delicate handwriting.

When Wei Zhongxian finally stopped, his mouth dry, Zhou Yu had already piled up more than a dozen pages of papers in front of him.

"Your Majesty, this old servant... this old servant can only remember these things." Wei Zhongxian gasped for breath, his voice hoarse. "The rest are not even worthy of my attention."

His words even carried a hint of morbid self-satisfaction.

Zhu Youjian didn't speak, but simply picked up the few pages and carefully flipped through them.

He astutely noticed that, apart from the three secret police agencies—the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard—the other names were surprisingly concentrated.

The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and the Court of Imperial Stud were all densely packed with people from the eunuch faction.

Zhu Youjian looked at Wei Zhongxian and asked, "Why are they all in the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and the Court of Imperial Stud?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian smugly bowed.

"The late emperor valued no two things most highly: the Liaodong affairs and the major construction project."

"As subjects, we should naturally share the burdens of our sovereign. Whatever the late emperor valued, we should naturally do our best to fulfill."

His face once again revealed that honest and humble expression.

"The construction of the three halls took two years to complete. Despite the large scale of the project, the cost was minimal, totaling only 596 million taels of silver, saving millions of taels of silver."

"Since the Battle of Sarhu, the Liaodong situation has deteriorated day by day. However, now, there have been great victories at Ningyuan and Ningjin, which have made the Jurchens no longer dare to easily knock on the gates."

"In just a few years after the late emperor ascended the throne, he completely abolished the Donglin faction, and there was no more factional strife in the court. Later, he worked hard to govern the country, and the situation is now gradually improving."

Zhu Youjian listened to his boasting without comment, and simply asked, "What about the Ministry of Revenue?"

He stared at Wei Zhongxian and asked, word by word, "Why don't you have any people in the Ministry of Revenue?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian suddenly stammered, "This... the national tax revenue is difficult, and the Ministry of Revenue is really not a good place to go."

"Those who climbed the social ladder were eager to get things done quickly and efficiently, so most of them were unwilling to go to the Ministry of Revenue."

He realized something was wrong and changed his tone.

"However, we officials have also realized that the national treasury is insufficient, and we have all donated our salaries to help supplement the national treasury, share the burden of the late emperor, and be loyal to the country!"

Zhu Youjian remained noncommittal on the surface, but inwardly he was growing impatient. He waved his hand and asked one last question.

"What do you think of the state of the world now?"

Wei Zhongxian's spirits lifted; he knew this was the final test, and his last chance at survival.

He did not answer immediately, but straightened his clothes, as if he were not replying, but expounding a policy essay on governing the country.

"Your Majesty, things are getting better across the land."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally firm, carrying an undeniable confidence.

"Liaodong and Ningjin are as solid as a rock, and the Jurchens can hardly advance an inch. The rebellion of She'an in Sichuan has been quelled, and the southwest is safe. All of this was accomplished by the late emperor."

"The greatest difficulty in the world lies in the national treasury. The Donglin faction is prone to factional strife and only knows how to talk big, but is unwilling to share the burden of the country."

"Summer taxes and autumn grains are in arrears year after year in various places, but these hypocrites only talk about tax exemption and tax exemption, and never know the difficulties of the country."

"If it weren't for the late emperor's wisdom and decisive rule, ordering us, his inner court officials, to collect commercial and mining taxes to supplement the national treasury, where would the military pay for Liaodong and the winter clothing for the nine border regions have come from? This land would probably be engulfed in flames of war long ago." As he said this, a trace of sincere respect and sorrow appeared in his eyes.

"The late Emperor... was the one who truly saw the general trend of the world. He knew that to keep the Ming Dynasty running, it couldn't rely solely on those empty-talking civil officials. This old servant... was merely a knife in the late Emperor's hand, a sharp knife."

"It's just a pity that he didn't live long enough..."

He sighed deeply, his expression forlorn, as if he were genuinely grieving for the passing of the late emperor.

Zhu Youjian listened quietly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

He had to admit that Wei Zhongxian's words were very well said.

He attributed all his actions to the late emperor's "wisdom" and "unavoidable circumstances," portraying himself as a loyal minister who bore the blame for the country.

These words were not only a boast, but also a test, and an attempt to firmly bind himself to the Apocalypse.

But these words also revealed that Wei Zhongxian was really just an average person, and his abilities were probably all focused on palace intrigue and how to consolidate his favor.

In this world, things are never simply a matter of either/or.

The Ming Dynasty is about to perish, and you're here making things better for our country?
Zhu Youjian picked up the teacup and gently blew on it.

Then, he raised his eyes and looked calmly at Wei Zhongxian.

"So, does my elder brother... know about this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly.

All the expressions on Wei Zhongxian's face—confidence, sadness, loyalty—shattered at this moment.

He was struck dumb, frozen in place.

This question, like the sharpest sword, instantly pierced through all his pretenses and psychological defenses.

Did the late emperor know?
Does he know whether he is loyal or whether he knows he wields immense power?
Does he know that he is serving the country, or does he know that he is taking the opportunity to amass wealth?

Countless thoughts flashed through Wei Zhongxian's mind in an instant.

He recalled how the Tianqi Emperor listened to the report from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs while doing his own crafts, seemingly indifferent to everything, yet deeply concerned about it all.

He recalled how the Tianqi Emperor held his hand and gently called him Wei Banban, and then bestowed upon him the seal of Zhongxian, a loyal minister appointed by imperial decree. On his deathbed, he entrusted his son to Prince Xin, saying that Zhongxian was capable.

He recalled an incident where he rode his horse before the emperor, only to have his horse shot to death by the emperor, who then questioned him.

An unprecedented fear surged up from the deepest part of his heart.

He always thought he was the emperor's sharpest knife, but... is it possible that he was just a chamber pot that the emperor had used until it got dirty and was ready to throw away at any time?
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

The hall was deathly silent; he could hear his own heart pounding wildly.

For a long time, so long that Zhu Youjian thought he would not answer anymore.

Wei Zhongxian seemed to have used all his strength to squeeze out a few words from his throat, his voice hoarse and bitter.

"This old servant...does not know."

"very good."

Zhu Youjian nodded and stood up.

"I am very satisfied. All the things I promised you before are still valid."

He looked towards the outside of the hall and called out, "Someone come here."

Two eunuchs who had been waiting outside the hall immediately ran in and knelt on the ground.

"Take the eunuch away." Zhu Youjian's voice was devoid of warmth. "Let him leave with some dignity."

"No! Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life!"

It was only at this moment that Wei Zhongxian finally realized that death had truly come.

All his calculations and hopes vanished in that instant.

He suddenly fell to the ground, trying to rush towards the imperial desk, but was held back by two eunuchs.

Zhu Youjian tapped the table and said softly.

"Eunuch, you must still remember Wang An, right?"

"What you begin with, you will surely end with."

"Leave some dignity for yourself and for my brother."

After speaking, he waved his hand.

The two eunuchs were terrified at doing such a big thing, but they still suppressed their fear and dragged the struggling and wailing Wei Zhongxian out.

Wei Zhongxian, however, disregarded all decorum and cried out desperately, his shrill cries echoing throughout the Qianqing Palace, sending chills down one's spine.

A young eunuch looked anxiously at Zhu Youjian, terrified out of his wits. In his panic, he reached out and covered Wei Zhongxian's mouth.

But the strength of a dying person is immense; how could one possibly hold it in?

Driven to desperation, the young eunuch's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. He clenched his fist and slammed it down on Wei Zhongxian's mouth!

With a muffled thud, accompanied by the loss of several teeth, Wei Zhongxian's wailing turned into a muffled sob.

The eunuch wasn't satisfied; he shoved his fist directly into Wei Zhongxian's mouth, completely silencing him.

Wei Zhongxian's body twisted violently, his limbs convulsing wildly, and his cloudy old eyes stared wide open, filled with endless fear and resentment.

Soon, everything returned to calm.

Inside the main hall, only a faint smell of blood remained.

Zhu Youjian stood quietly, as if nothing had happened.

He turned around and looked at Zhou Yu, who was standing beside him, her pretty face already pale with fright, and she was completely stunned.

"Changqiu, don't panic, I'm here."

"Let's go, let's go see the Empress Dowager first, and then I'll show you what the Qianqing Palace looks like when we get back."

Zhou Yu's body trembled slightly, as if she had just woken up from a dream. She looked at her husband in front of her and nodded blankly.

"Huh? Oh... okay."

Zhu Youjian took Zhou Yu's hand and turned to leave.

But then they suddenly noticed that the spot where they shook hands was covered in sweat.

　[Historical Materials in this Chapter]

　　1. The list of eunuchs was initially set by the Donglin Cabinet to include several dozen people, but Emperor Chongzhen was dissatisfied and expanded it to more than two hundred. I have seen this list, and indeed, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and the Court of Imperial Stud (in charge of warhorses) had the most eunuchs.

　　There was a Guo Yunhou in the Ministry of Revenue, but he was only a fifth-rank official. Considering the dismal state of the Ministry of Revenue at the end of the Ming Dynasty, I find it hard to imagine any loyal and patriotic eunuch party member willing to work there.

　　2. Regarding the eunuch faction's selection of officials, it's not entirely my fabrication. Before Ningyuan and Ningjin, the Ming court viewed Liaodong as a perilous place. Gao Di didn't even want to take up the post; it was Wei Zhongxian who forced him to go.

　　However, after two successful defenses, no amount of flattery from Yuan Chonghuan to Wei Zhongxian worked; he was directly arrested, and the eunuch faction went to claim the spoils of victory.

　　So regardless of my opinion on Yuan Chonghuan's later actions, or how I view the significance of the battles of Ningjin and Ningyuan, he was indeed a pillar of strength at that critical juncture when everyone was silent.

　　3. Emperor Tianqi was not an illiterate carpenter emperor. I will write a detailed article on "Memorial to the Late Emperor Xizong" when I have time. In some ways, he was smarter than Emperor Chongzhen.

　　4. The historical fact that Emperor Tianqi shot and killed Wei Zhongxian's horse comes from Yang Lian's "Memorial Impeaching Wei Zhongxian for Twenty-Four Major Crimes." But what was Emperor Tianqi's true attitude towards Wei Zhongxian? If he hadn't died, and Wei Zhongxian had continued to rise in power, would he have met the same fate as Liu Jin? I don't know, and I haven't given an answer.

　　5. Wang An was the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs for Emperor Guangzong's father. He came from the Inner Study and had a good relationship with the Donglin Party.

　　P.S. The Inner Study Hall is an important place. When writing about the inner court of the Ming Dynasty, the Inner Study Hall should not be omitted. I will write about it later when I have the chance.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)