Transmigrating to the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty: Becoming a Great Emperor Through Idlene

How do I press it?

He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to draft the memorial.

The brush tip moves across the rice paper, making a rustling sound.

His handwriting is very neat, and every stroke reveals a cautious attitude. This is a habit he developed during his decades-long career in officialdom. His handwriting reflects his personality.

"Lian Guoshi is experienced and prudent, deeply knowledgeable about the border situation, and has been managing affairs in Shaanxi for many years, earning the respect of both the military and the people. Although he has now achieved remarkable feats, the bandits in Shaanxi have not yet been pacified, and Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, and others are still alive. We should take advantage of his reputation to press on and wipe out the remaining forces in one fell swoop. If he is suddenly transferred away, all our previous achievements may be in vain..."

He stopped writing here and looked out the window at the icicles.

The icicles melted slowly, dripping down like a water clock.

These few things alone are not enough; we need to add something else. Only then can His Majesty… that “seriously ill and confused” His Majesty be forced to nod in agreement.

He continued, "Moreover, Lian Guoshi is nearly sixty years old and has been living on the frontier for a long time. I fear he may not be able to withstand the hustle and bustle of the capital. It would be better to grant him the title of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and allow him to continue as Governor of Shaanxi. This would not only demonstrate the court's favor but also allow him to use his authority to deter the bandits. It is a win-win solution..."

After finishing writing, he put down his pen and blew on the ink to dry it. The characters on the memorial were neat and tidy, and the reasons given were grand and righteous.

But only he knows his true thoughts.

When Emperor Chongzhen received the news of the victory, he was in Ninghe Hall in Xiyuan.

In late February, sunlight streamed through the newly installed glass windows. Johann Adam Schall von Bell had already fired more than a dozen pieces of usable flat glass. Although there were still some air bubbles and the edges were not very smooth, they were already able to let in light and block the wind.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a bright patch of light on the ground. Dust particles danced in the light, like tiny gold dust.

Johann Adam Schall von Bell wore a peculiar pair of glasses, which he made himself. The glasses had a copper wire frame and two polished crystal lenses.

At this moment, he was bending over, almost lying on the polishing table, holding a piece of bronze mirror blank in his hand, carefully polishing it on the rotating millstone.

The millstone is driven by a person's foot pedal. He steps rhythmically on the pedal, and the millstone starts to spin with a "hum". The diamond and water mix together to form a slurry, which splashes out as the millstone grinds.

"Your Majesty, please take a look." He picked up the mirror blank and wiped away the paste with a soft cloth. The blank reflected a metallic luster in the sunlight, and its concave curvature was clearly visible: "The curvature of this piece is basically uniform. After three more hours of polishing, it can be polished."

After Chongzhen took the blank mirror, he examined it carefully against the light. The mirror surface was still very rough, like looking at a flower through fog, but it already began to resemble a concave lens.

He nodded, a rare smile appearing on his face: "It's faster than I expected."

"His Majesty's drawings are very accurate." Johann Adam Schall von Bell took off his glasses and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

His Chinese was already quite good, though occasionally there was a strange accent: "I only made it according to the blueprints. It's just that the consumption of corundum was too high, and the Ministry of Works has already urged us three times..."

"I will have another ten catties sent over." Chongzhen returned the mirror blank to him and continued, "The telescope is not urgent. Let's make a simple magnifying glass first. It can make small print clear."

He almost let it slip. The magnifying glass was meant for Sun Ting, so he could teach those five hundred people to read.

Most of the miners and blacksmiths were illiterate, but with a magnifying glass, they could at least read the words in the books.

"A magnifying glass is easy." Johann Adam Schall von Bell put his glasses back on. "We can make five in three days."

Just then, Wang Chengen entered quietly. He walked quickly and lightly, like a cat. Reaching Chongzhen's side, he bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, an urgent message from Shaanxi, 800 li away."

Emperor Chongzhen took the military report and broke the sealing wax seal. He moved slowly, rubbing his fingers along the seal before pulling out the memorial inside.

He unfolded it, glanced at it, and his face remained expressionless. He didn't even finish reading it before handing the memorial to Johann Adam Schall von Bell: "Mr. Schall, please take a look as well."

Johann Adam Schall von Bell paused for a moment, then took the memorial. He wasn't used to reading official documents written in vertical columns and filled with classical Chinese phrases, but he still patiently read through it.

After reading it, he raised his head, a sincere smile on his face: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, this is the grace of the Lord. The bandit leader has been captured, and the people of Shaanxi can now live in peace."

"The grace of the Lord?" Chongzhen smiled faintly. "Perhaps."

He turned and walked out, and Wang Chengen hurriedly followed.

As they reached the door, Chongzhen suddenly turned back: "Mr. Tang, what do you think... after someone has made a great contribution, should they be promoted further, or should they stay where they are and continue doing what they should be doing?"

Johann Adam Schall von Bell was stumped by the question.

After thinking for a moment, he cautiously said to Emperor Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, according to European custom, he should be promoted. However, I believe the most important thing is to make the best use of people's talents. If a person can do the most in one place, then he should stay there."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said nothing more.

After leaving Ninghe Hall, walk along Taiye Pond towards Qianqing Palace.

The ice on the surface of the pool had not completely melted; it floated here and there in patches, like a shattered mirror.

When he reached the edge of the pond, Chongzhen suddenly stopped and looked down at the bluestone slabs beneath his feet.

right here.

The place where he "accidentally" fell into the water two months ago.

The moss on the bluestone slabs had long been cleaned off, but some unnatural colors could still be seen in the cracks between the stones.

"Wang Banban," Chongzhen suddenly spoke, his voice low and deep, "what do you think of Lian Guoshi?"

Wang Chengen's body stiffened. He was all too familiar with His Majesty's tone.

On the surface, it may seem casual, but in reality, each word is full of profound meaning.

After a moment of contemplation, he replied, word by word, "Your Majesty, as far as I know, Governor Lian is a cautious and steady man. He led troops in Yansui at the end of the Wanli era, guarded Ningyuan during the Tianqi era, and quelled the rebellion of Wang Jiayin in the first year of the Chongzhen era... He has been in Shaanxi for many years, is familiar with the border situation, and is deeply loved by the soldiers and civilians."

"Mature and prudent..." Chongzhen's tone wavered as he spoke, "This old minister is good. This old minister should stay where he is. Being transferred back and forth will only make things worse, as he won't adapt to the new environment!"

After saying that, he turned around and continued walking, his steps unhurried: "Issue an imperial edict to summon the Cabinet and the Six Ministries."

An hour later, in the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

Wen Tiren led his ministers to kneel on the ground. The warm pavilion was heated by underfloor heating, but kneeling on the gold-brick floor for a long time still made their knees ache. Hou Xun had already changed positions many times, and Zhang Fengyi's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

Only Wen Tiren knelt upright, like a stone statue. He held the victory report in both hands and read it again steadily and clearly. This time he added many embellishments, praising Lian Guoshi to the skies, such as: "a master strategist," "anticipating the enemy's moves," "unparalleled loyalty and bravery"...