How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 195 Protecting the Ming Dynasty is Protecting the Confucian Church (Please add to your favorites and subscribe)

Beijing, November 1st.

Before dawn, the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City was already packed with officials waiting to attend court. They hunched their shoulders, stamping their feet, their breath forming a continuous white cloud.

Today is the grand court assembly held on the fifteenth of the lunar month, with strict rules and a well-organized assembly. The heads of the Six Ministries, the ministers and deputy ministers of the various courts, the censors of the Censorate, and the upright officials of the Hanlin Academy—all those who were supposed to be there were present. Everyone stood in their rank and order, waiting for the three cracks of the whip to signal the opening of the palace gates.

At the exact moment of dawn, three sharp cracks of the whip echoed through the cold morning air. The palace gates slowly opened, and the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial loudly announced their arrival, guiding the civil and military officials in order, passing over the Golden Water Bridge, and entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The main hall was spacious, but not very warm; the warmth came only from the large number of people gathered together. The officials stood silently on both sides of the imperial path. Only the faint smoke rising slowly from the gilded incense burners could be heard.

Shortly after, a soft sound of footsteps came from the rear hall. Wei Zhongxian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, appeared first and stood to one side of the imperial couch. Then, Emperor Chongzhen, dressed in a crimson gauze robe and wearing a winged crown, slowly walked out and sat down on the imperial couch.

All the officials knelt down in unison to pay their respects, and their shouts echoed throughout the hall.

"All of you, rise." Chongzhen's voice was calm, with a slight morning hoarseness.

And so a grand court assembly began.

The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial reported the matters to be discussed one by one according to the regulations. Most of them were ordinary petitions, such as which place had suffered a disaster and requested a reduction in taxes and rations, or which garrison was short of pay and requested the allocation of funds. The Grand Secretaries would occasionally reply with a few words, but Emperor Chongzhen mostly just listened, occasionally asking a brief question or two, or simply writing "Understood" or "This matter should be discussed and reported by the Ministry."

The atmosphere was somewhat somber, as stagnant as the winter weather. Many officials lowered their heads, preoccupied with their own affairs, hoping the court session would end soon so they could go home and warm up.

Just as the memorials regarding the drought in several places were finished being discussed, and the hall was temporarily quiet, Wei Zhongxian, who had been standing respectfully beside the imperial couch with his hands at his sides, suddenly turned slightly and cast an inquiring glance at Chongzhen. Chongzhen nodded almost imperceptibly.

Wei Zhongxian immediately straightened his back, stepped forward, and with a burst of energy, his high-pitched yet extremely penetrating voice instantly resounded throughout the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony:
"His Majesty has decreed that Duke Yansheng, Kong Yinzhi, be summoned to the palace for an audience."

The sound was like a stone thrown into a calm pond. A commotion immediately arose in the hall. The officials looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with surprise and uncertainty.

The Duke Yansheng? Right, it seems he came to Beijing to meet the Emperor a few days ago, saying he wanted to plead for the people. But he went into Tsinghua University and never came out again. Why is he here to attend the court assembly today?

Did this petition on behalf of the people succeed or fail?
All eyes turned to the entrance of the main hall.

The Duke Yansheng, Kong Yinzhi, dressed in an imperial robe bestowed upon him, held a jade tablet in his hands and walked in slowly, his steps heavy. His usual composure as a descendant of a sage and the head of all civil officials was nowhere to be seen; instead, he exuded an indescribable dejection and fear. He dared not look at the officials on either side, much less at the emperor on the throne. He went straight to the center of the imperial path, pushed aside the golden mountain and jade pillar, and knelt down.

"Your subject, Duke Yansheng Kong Yinzhi, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

The voice sounded relatively steady, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a slight, barely perceptible tremor in it.

Emperor Chongzhen sat above him, looking down at him with a blank expression, and said indifferently, "Your Excellency Yansheng, please take your leave."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Kong Yinzhi stood up, still bowing slightly.

"What matters does the Duke Yansheng have to report to the court today?" Chongzhen asked.

Kong Yinzhi took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and bowed again, raising a memorial high with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial entitled 'Apology for Guilt and Request for Service,' which I humbly request Your Majesty's wise consideration!"

The hall fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone pricked up their ears.

Emperor Chongzhen gestured to Wei Zhongxian. Wei Zhongxian shrieked, "Granted! The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, read the memorial!"

A messenger from the Court of State Ceremonial stepped forward, quickly approached Kong Yinzhi, respectfully accepted the weighty memorial, then turned to face the assembled civil and military officials, cleared his throat, and began to read aloud in a loud and clear voice:
"Your subject, Duke Yansheng Kong Yinzhi, is filled with utmost trepidation and humbly submits this report:"

The meeting began with an apology, which made all the officials nervous.

"I have failed in managing my household and have not been strict in disciplining my relatives, which has led to my cousin Kong Yinshu becoming arrogant and domineering. He openly resisted the imperial court's method of collecting taxes for local militias at the Tongzhou water gate, assaulted a tax official, and caused a disturbance in the local area... This is all due to my foolishness and negligence. I have failed Your Majesty's boundless grace and am ashamed of the virtues left by our ancestors... I earnestly request Your Majesty to severely punish my negligence and to severely punish Kong Yinshu and his gang of lawless individuals, so as to uphold the law of the country and serve as a warning to others!"

Upon reading this, many officials felt a chill run down their spines. Was this a confession? The Duke Yansheng's Mansion had actually confessed! And they even wanted to "uphold the law" and uphold justice even at the cost of family ties?

The messenger's voice continued to echo:

"After the incident, I secluded myself to reflect on my mistakes, examining my conscience day and night, and only then did I realize how utterly wrong I had been! The court's implementation of the militia tax was for the purpose of training soldiers and selecting generals, replenishing border funds, resisting the Jurchens, protecting the Ming Dynasty, and safeguarding the civilization and culture of China! This is an unprecedentedly benevolent policy, and also the most urgent ancestral system at present! The exemption from corvée labor was the Taizu Emperor's compassion for the descendants of the Holy One, how could it become a basis for opposing such a national policy of preserving the race and the religion?"

Upon hearing this, many upright officials who had previously been critical of the "military training donation" changed their expressions. The Duke of Yansheng had elevated this matter to the level of "preserving the race and education"—who would dare to easily oppose it? The official in charge of the imperial edict suddenly raised his voice, carrying an almost preaching passion:
"I have suddenly realized! To protect the Ming Dynasty is to protect Confucianism! If the Jurchen cavalry were to trample over the borders, ravage the Central Plains, and plunge the land into ruin, where would the teachings of Confucius and Mencius remain? Where would poetry, books, rites, and music be? If the skin is gone, where would the hair attach itself?"

"To protect the Ming Dynasty is to protect Confucianism!"

These words, like a thunderclap, exploded in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, resonating in the hearts of all the officials. Some young and ambitious Hanlin scholars and censors, upon hearing this, had their eyes light up and involuntarily straightened their backs.

"Your Majesty, I humbly beseech you to consider my repentance and grant me permission to atone for my crimes through meritorious service! I am willing to donate a portion of my family's wealth to support the suppression of the rebellion and replenish the army's supplies! I also humbly request Your Majesty to grant me the position of 'Supervisor of the Militia Regiment Donation in Northern Zhili'... I will certainly set an example and persuade the gentry of Northern Zhili to let the whole world know that contributing funds to support the suppression of the rebellion is not just ordinary corvée labor, but truly the duty of us scholars to uphold morality and protect education, and the sincere loyalty to the emperor and the country!"

The memorial was finished. The official who delivered the document closed it, and the hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Not only did the Duke Yansheng confess his guilt, but he also offered to donate money and even volunteered to oversee the most controversial "military training donation"? Had the sun risen in the west?

What's even more surprising is that he elevated the collection of "tuition fees" to the level of "preserving the seed and education"!

It was as if if the Ming Dynasty couldn't collect this small amount of commercial tax, the Han people would be wiped out and Confucianism would perish.
Emperor Chongzhen sat upright on his imperial couch, his gaze slowly sweeping over the assembled officials with their varied expressions, finally settling on Kong Yinzhi. He remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice still steady: "I am greatly gratified that the Duke of Yansheng has come to his senses and understands the greater good."

Kong Yinzhi quickly bowed and said, "Your subject dares not."

Just then, Kong Yinzhi took out another scroll from his sleeve and held it high above his head: "Your Majesty! I also have a 'Proclamation Against the Jurchens' to present to Your Majesty for your perusal! I am willing to lend my support to Your Majesty's great cause of defeating the Jurchens and to inspire loyalty and righteousness throughout the land!"

"And another thing?" The officials were shocked once again.

A faint smile flashed in Chongzhen's eyes as he said, "Oh? Niu Hanlin, you read it aloud."

Upon hearing this, Niu Jinxing, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, immediately stepped forward and took the scroll of the proclamation. He unfolded it, his expression immediately turning solemn. Taking a deep breath, he read aloud in the distinctive "refined Central Plains accent" of a Henan Hanlin scholar:
"To proclaim this matter to the world: Since the Jurchens have acted tyrannically, defying Heaven and rebellion, they have seized Liaodong, ravaging the land... With wolfish ambitions, they covet the imperial throne; wherever they go, houses are reduced to ruins, people are devastated, righteousness is swept away, and morality collapses..."

The manifesto began with an atmosphere of grief and indignation. It then proceeded to detail and denounce the various atrocities committed by the Jurchens:
"They destroyed our cities, slaughtered our people, and insulted our sages. This is truly a catastrophe unprecedented in China's thousand-year history, an irreconcilable enemy of the disciples of Confucius and Mencius!"

Upon reading this, some officials in the hall showed expressions of indignation.

Niu Dahanlin's voice grew louder and louder, carrying a strong appeal:

"How can we, who have studied the classics and followed the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, sit idly by and watch civilization crumble and rites and music collapse? ... We must all be inspired to uphold loyalty and righteousness, donate provisions and supplies, and assist the royal army... to jointly carry out the great undertaking of suppressing the enemy and recovering lost territory, so as to uphold the great virtues of loyalty and filial piety and safeguard the orthodox tradition from its decline!"

Finally, he ended with an almost shouting voice:
"Upon the day this proclamation arrives, all shall be informed. The distinction between obedience and rebellion is clearly defined. Let us unite as one and exert our utmost efforts to annihilate this band of enemies!"

The four words, "Destroy this breakfast!" echoed between the beams and pillars of the main hall, making people's eardrums buzz.

The entire Hall of Supreme Harmony was eerily quiet. Everyone was stunned by the imposing force of the manifesto and the Duke Yansheng's sudden display of "loyalty and courage."

Emperor Chongzhen then slowly stood up. His gaze swept across the entire room, and every official felt that gaze fall upon them.

“The words of the Duke Yansheng are filled with tears of blood and unwavering loyalty!” Chongzhen’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable and resolute power. “‘Protecting the Ming Dynasty is protecting Confucianism’—this statement should become the consensus of all scholars and officials in the land!”

He looked at Kong Yinzhi: "The Duke Yansheng is a man of great integrity, loyal to the emperor and patriotic. I am very pleased. The matter you have reported, I grant!"

"I hereby appoint Duke Yansheng Kong Yinzhi as concurrently the Supervisor of the Northern Zhili Militia, bestow upon him the Imperial Sword, and grant him the authority to act as he sees fit! I hope you will live up to my expectations and serve as a model for the gentry throughout the land!"

"Your Majesty, I...receive your imperial decree and express my gratitude! I will certainly do my utmost to repay your kindness!" Kong Yinzhi knelt on the ground, his voice choked with emotion. Whether it was genuine or not was unknown.

Emperor Chongzhen sat down again, his tone turning cold and stern: "From this day forward, all officials of the Great Ming Dynasty shall take the Duke Yansheng as their role model. Those who contribute to the war against the Jurchens are loyal and virtuous, meritorious officials of Confucianism; those who obstruct and sabotage are traitors to the nation, sinners against Confucianism! I will not tolerate them! Nor will I tolerate them among the scholars of the world!"

"Court adjourned."

Wei Zhongxian's shrill voice rang out.

The officials, recovering from their initial shock, hurriedly knelt to see the emperor off. Emperor Chongzhen rose, and amidst cheers, turned and walked towards the rear hall, his back view appearing exceptionally tall.

Kong Yinzhi slowly got up from the ground, his face still pale, but his forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. Several officials who were on good terms with him wanted to come over and ask what was going on, but they were "politely" asked away by the eunuch sent by Wei Zhongxian, who said that the emperor had other instructions.

Stepping out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a chilly breeze swept over us. Sunlight shone on the snow-covered glazed tiles, reflecting a blinding light. Officials gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves, each face etched with complex emotions.

They knew that the Ming Dynasty's Confucian tradition was about to change!
(End of this chapter)