SWDnovel Chapter 18: Retreating to Advance, Clearing the Northern Territory
Chapter 18: Retreating to Advance, Clearing the Northern Territory
The 28th day of the first month of the twelfth year of Chongzhen's reign.
The regular court session was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City as usual, but compared to the clear and bright atmosphere of the past few days, the atmosphere of today's court session was strange and oppressive.
Emperor Chongzhen, who had been "calm" for less than a month, used the cabinet to spread rumors that he intended to make great strides and reform corrupt practices.
At today's court assembly, Emperor Chongzhen began by having the cabinet draft three memorials.
First, a thorough investigation was conducted on the estates of princes throughout the land. All official and private lands that had been privately occupied, forcibly seized, or offered up since the Jingtai era were to be thoroughly investigated and registered. Those exceeding the prescribed limits were to be confiscated by the government and transferred to the imperial estates.
Secondly, the commercial tax, grain transport tax, and salt and tea tax in Jiangnan were revised, and corrupt practices and exemptions were eliminated, with full collection and payment into the treasury.
Third, the garrisons and military posts throughout the country were reorganized, the military farms were investigated and cleared, the embezzlement was recovered, redundant and empty official positions were eliminated, and the grain and salary were merged.
These three memorials were like three thunderbolts, directly striking at the lifelines of the entire court, the imperial family, the princes, and the gentry of the north and south.
The hall was initially deathly silent, but then erupted into chaos.
Emperor Chongzhen sat upright on the dragon throne, dressed in his usual court robes, his face calm. He simply looked down at the assembled officials below, remaining silent and letting the murmurs of conversation circulate.
The first to step forward was not one of the outspoken upright officials of the Censorate, but rather Li Daiwen, the Minister of Revenue.
The old minister was pale-faced, stepped forward and bowed, his voice hoarse.
"Your Majesty, these three memorials all concern the foundation of the nation, have far-reaching implications, and are of great importance. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."
The fiefdoms of the imperial family were established by ancestral rules and could not be altered lightly.
The salt and tea trade taxes have been established for centuries. If the tax burden is increased, it may incite another peasant uprising in Jiangnan. We must be cautious.
As for the military garrisons and agricultural settlements... the situations in the north and south are very different. If they are all abolished in one day, it may cause turmoil.
Now that the capital region has just experienced the devastation of war and the people's hearts have only recently settled, to suddenly implement such a drastic change would not only fail to bring tangible benefits to the national treasury, but would also cause panic in the court and among the people, which would certainly not be a blessing for the nation.
Li Daiwen's words were indeed born of genuine concern for the country, fearing that Chongzhen's haste in seeking change would incite popular uprisings and unrest among the imperial family.
In addition, he also reminded Chongzhen not to forget the peasant uprisings caused by previous Ming emperors' tax collection in Jiangnan.
Jiangnan is indeed a major center of finance and taxation, but it is not the purse of the Ming Dynasty court. Rather, it is the purse of the Jiangnan gentry, represented by many officials in the capital.
Squeezing money from the poor can easily lead to local unrest and instability among the people.
But if you want to squeeze money out of the wealthy men of Jiangnan, you'll face the risk of losing a large portion of your tax revenue.
If the Wanli Emperor or the Tianqi Emperor were on the throne back then, this matter would be easier to resolve.
But you, Emperor Chongzhen, who executed Wei Zhongxian as soon as you came to power and cut off your own hand that was reaching out to collect taxes in Jiangnan, now say you want to take back the power to collect taxes.
It's late.
Would someone give away the benefits they've already gained for nothing?
It would be better to abandon the idea of reforming the fiscal and tax system as soon as possible, otherwise, if it causes widespread public discontent in the Jiangnan region and makes it difficult to collect various taxes, the situation will be hard to resolve.
In the end, it still results in a slap in the face to the imperial power, which is really a losing proposition.
As soon as Li Daiwen began, the courtiers in the hall immediately stepped forward to echo his sentiments.
The censors of the Censorate and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy submitted memorials one after another, frequently citing ancestral rules and precedents, and their words were earnest, all advising Chongzhen not to act too hastily.
Among these people, there were naturally upright officials who were truly devoted to the country and feared that the new policies would cause upheaval in the country.
But behind them were more often the representatives of the Jiangnan gentry, local powerful families, and nobles of the imperial family. What appeared to be loyal advice was actually an attempt to protect their own interests and those of the forces behind them.
Before long, voices of opposition almost filled the entire hall.
In conclusion, not a single official present openly supported these three new policies.
Even though they had recently received the emperor's reward of three months' salary, rice, and silk, and were grateful for the emperor's grace, most of them now stood on the side of opposition.
For them, a momentary favor is insignificant; the interests of their family over a hundred years are paramount. No matter how powerful the emperor's authority, he cannot make them relinquish their very foundation.
In comparison, those officials who neither agreed nor echoed the opposition seem to have a conscience.
Yang Sichang, the Grand Secretary who stood at the head of all officials, remained silent at this moment.
He was dressed in a scarlet robe, his posture upright. He neither stepped forward to echo the ministers' advice nor stood up to endorse the emperor's new policies. He simply stood with his head bowed, his face calm, as if he were detached from the matter.
Those who saw it all thought that the chief minister was still acting the same way as before—wanting to please the emperor while not offending the upright officials and various factions, maneuvering between the two sides, not taking sides, and acting as a moderate peacemaker.
Many officials secretly watched with disapproval, feeling that Yang Sichang was too shrewd. The emperor had just returned victorious and was eager to take action, but as the chief minister, he not only failed to provide strong support but also stood by and watched, which was truly a disservice to the emperor's grace.
However, no one knew that the Grand Secretary had already devised a plan of advance and retreat with Emperor Chongzhen, and that all the clamor and opposition in the court today were within the expectations of the emperor and his minister.
Emperor Chongzhen, seated on the dragon throne, listened quietly to the commotion and remonstrances of the princes, his expression remaining unchanged, only his fingertips lightly tapping the imperial desk.
What he wanted was not for these three new policies to be implemented immediately; they were just a pretext to incite opposition from the court officials.
The Ming Dynasty's problems were too deep-seated, and the constraints imposed by the court were too heavy. A single border victory and 20,000 new troops were simply not enough to shake the entire civil official and gentry group.
If the new policies are forcibly implemented across the country at this moment, the result will be that the government's orders will not leave the Forbidden City, the entire court will resist, and everything will be difficult to produce. Not only will nothing be accomplished, but the imperial power will also be isolated again.
What he wanted was to test the waters, to retreat in order to advance.
After the noise in the hall subsided, Chongzhen finally raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the assembled officials. His previously calm face was suddenly tinged with anger.
He suddenly raised his hand and slammed it against the imperial desk. His voice was not loud, but it carried a terrifying sense of authority and coldness.
"When I returned from my personal campaign, all I saw was the devastation in the southern part of the capital. People were displaced, but the national treasury was so empty that it could not even pay the border troops. The garrisons were so corrupt that there were no soldiers available. Yet merchants across the land made millions in profits, but they always delayed and evaded paying taxes!"
I have implemented these three policies to strengthen border defenses, ensure the well-being of the people, and plan for the long-term stability of my Great Ming Dynasty!
"Today you all speak of ancestral rules and instability, obstructing and hindering me at every turn. Do you intend for me to watch the national treasury be emptied, the border troops collapse, and the Jurchens once again invade and plunder at will before you are satisfied?"
The emperor suddenly flew into a rage, and all the officials in the hall fell silent, kneeling and kowtowing, repeatedly saying that they dared not.
The censors and officials who had been speaking out so vehemently just moments before were now prostrate on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.
The emperor before them was no longer the emperor who only reprimanded and dismissed officials, but an emperor who had personally led a large army to fight against the Jurchen's powerful forces in open battle, whose hands were stained with blood, and who already held real military power.
If one were to truly anger the Emperor, no one knew what this decisive and ruthless ruler might do.
He might not dare to behead all the officials who opposed the new policies, but beheading a few as a warning to others would be no problem.
Yang Sichang remained standing with his head bowed, but a faint, imperceptible ripple flickered in his eyes.
It's time to wrap up the show.
After angrily rebuking him, Chongzhen looked at the terrified civil and military officials kneeling on the ground in the hall, remained silent for a moment, his expression gradually calming down, but still carrying a hint of resentment and helplessness, before slowly speaking.
That's enough!
Since you all say that the new policies and reforms have too many implications and may cause unrest, I will not do such a thing that forces you to do something you cannot do!
"I am unwilling to act unilaterally, and even less willing to let the new policies alienate the court and the people, causing turmoil in the nation!"
Upon hearing this, the kneeling officials all raised their heads, their eyes filled with disbelief and surprise.
They had assumed that the emperor, in his fury, would forcefully issue an edict to implement the new policies, and might even punish a few officials who led the opposition to establish his authority.
No one expected that the emperor would actually give in.
It seems the political situation in the court is no different from usual...
However, before they could react, Emperor Chongzhen changed his mind and issued an edict in a deep voice.
"The three matters of investigating the vassal lands, reforming the tax system, and reorganizing the military garrisons will all be temporarily suspended and discussed later!"
However, starting today, I will reorganize the border defenses north of the capital and investigate the actual land area and troop numbers of the imperial estates and directly administered garrisons.
First, I have thoroughly investigated the royal estates and fields owned by the imperial family, clarifying any instances of donations or encroachments, without involving any member of the imperial clan or princes.
Second, I want to reorganize the military farms and garrisons within Zhili Province, investigate and verify the encroached official lands and military farms, eliminate redundant and nominal officials, and reorganize the grain and salary system.
Third, after the land clearing, the military households of Zhili were prohibited from privately selling military land. From then on, 40% of the grain production would be handed over to the national treasury, and each household would contribute one able-bodied man to be incorporated into the newly established local standing army to supplement the defense of the area north of Beijing.
"What I want is only stability in Zhili and the northern border regions. The tax system and garrison system outside Zhili will remain unchanged, following the old practices. What do you think?"
After speaking, Chongzhen squinted at his ministers, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
To drive reform throughout the world?
What a joke! Doing this now is tantamount to courting death, like cutting open a seriously ill person and administering a drastic medicine. It would be strange if the Ming Dynasty didn't perish prematurely.
His primary goal was to first take control of the capital region, reform the Zhili garrison system, and acquire a large amount of military farmland to increase the income of the military and civilian population and provide them with food and fodder.
At this moment, all the civil and military officials felt a great sense of relief.
Although Zhili is a large province, very few officials from the capital actually have any real estate or property in this land that has been repeatedly ravaged by the Jurchens.
Besides, clearing out the military farms of Zhili was no easy task. The military families below were deeply entrenched, and moving one would have far-reaching consequences. If things really got out of hand, no one but the emperor could contain the consequences of the rebellion.
Now that the emperor is willing to clean up the mess in the garrison area himself, they not only suffer no loss, but also gain a good reputation for "advising the emperor and stabilizing the court", and further protect the interests of the southern gentry group. Why not do it?
As a result, the officials who had just been vehemently opposing the new policies changed their tune, kowtowing repeatedly and praising His Majesty for his wisdom, willingness to follow good advice, compassion for the people, and for his forbearance for the sake of the country.
Even the upright officials who were genuinely worried about the drastic changes brought about by the new policies breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that His Majesty had finally restrained his impatience and understood the importance of proceeding step by step, which was truly a blessing for the country.
The tense atmosphere that had just filled the Fengtian Hall vanished instantly, replaced by a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere.
Yang Sichang, who had been standing aside seemingly uninvolved, finally stepped forward and bowed as he addressed the emperor.
"Your Majesty is wise and compassionate, always mindful of the well-being of the people, and is committed to reform and innovation. He is the epitome of benevolence."
Your Majesty, I will certainly devote all my efforts to supervising the new policies in Zhili, coordinating the reorganization of the garrisons and military posts, and will never fail to live up to Your Majesty's trust.
His opening remarks still conveyed a sense of pleasing both sides.
To the officials, he was simply following their wishes and agreeing with the emperor's decision to back down.
For Chongzhen, he publicly accepted the task of reform, thus placing the leading role of the new policies in Zhili in the hands of the imperial faction.
The officials didn't take it seriously, and all thought that Yang Sichang was still the same smooth and moderate chief minister who kept to himself and did his job well, neither offending the emperor nor the officials, and continued to maneuver in the court.
Having achieved his goal, Emperor Chongzhen stood up and announced the end of the court session. Seeing this, the officials also wisely took their leave and left the hall.
When Emperor Chongzhen returned to the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace, the anger on his face had long since disappeared, replaced by a relieved smile.
A short while later, Yang Sichang was led in by Cao Huachun, his face also beaming with joy.
"Your Majesty is wise. Just as Your Majesty predicted, this strategy of retreating to advance is brilliant... The power of reform in Zhili is insignificant in the eyes of the officials, but now Your Majesty can make great achievements in the capital region."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen smiled slightly and waved his hand.
"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; pulling one hair can affect the whole body. Right now, I don't even have complete control over Zhili, so how can I cut off the malignant tumor in Jiangnan? I can only cut it into small pieces and slowly gnaw on it."
After saying that, his expression turned serious, and he gave Yang Sichang detailed instructions.
"Minister Yang, this new policy in Zhili may seem to be implemented on a small scale, but you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders."
The methods for reforming the garrison system, the regulations for land reclamation and distribution, and the rules for reorganizing local troops all need to be thoroughly tested and implemented in Zhili. Only then can they be successfully extended to the nine border towns of Shanxi and Shaanxi in the future.
The two discussed the matter in detail for another half day and finally finalized the personnel arrangements, money and grain allocation, and rules for the reorganization of the guard posts under the new policy in Zhili.
Emperor Chongzhen immediately issued an edict ordering Lu Xiang-sheng, the Minister of War who had now recovered, to lead the 5,000-strong Tianxiong Army, which had been reorganized, to join the 3,000-strong Imperial Guard temporarily led by Zhou Yu-ji, and to immediately depart from the capital to oversee the land reclamation and military household reorganization in the various garrisons in northern Zhili.
Huang Degong remained in the Fengtian Camp in Nanyuan, Beijing, to train the new army and consolidate the capital's foundation.
Lu Xiang-sheng is loyal to the country and enjoys great prestige. Now he is personally leading a strong army to clear out the military farms of the garrisons north of the capital. No matter how dissatisfied the local military leaders are, they can only obediently accept it and cannot cause any trouble.
Less than half a day after the decree was issued, Lu Xiang-sheng, who had already made preparations, led his troops away from the capital with Zhou Yu-ji.
As Chongzhen had predicted, the various garrisons north of Beijing obediently accepted the implementation of the new policies under the pressure of a powerful army.
Of course, this is also largely due to the fact that Emperor Chongzhen only cleaned up the military farms and reduced redundant officials, but did not confiscate their property, execute them, or exterminate them.
Even the most corrupt of the hereditary military commanders of the garrisons north of the capital did not betray their country and become traitors when the Jurchens invaded; some even died on the battlefield, sacrificing their lives for their country.
Even though they have seized military farmland and enslaved military households, committing heinous crimes, considering the current decadent situation and similar circumstances throughout the Ming Dynasty, their crimes do not warrant death.
Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen simply transferred them to the capital with their families to hold leisurely official positions for retirement and even allocated them houses.
More importantly, Chongzhen took all the family property under their names with him, but the land had to be handed over, and their previous actions would not be investigated.
With such a policy of appeasement, the military leaders facing the onslaught of the army naturally bowed their heads and obeyed orders without daring to disobey in the slightest.
The lower-level military households were deeply grateful to receive the promised redistribution of land, the abolition of exorbitant taxes, and the assurance of a livelihood, and fully cooperated with the implementation of the new policy.
Within ten days, most of the farmland in the various garrisons of Beizhili was cleared up, the government land that had been seized was gradually recovered, redundant officials and fictitious positions were eliminated, and the military farm corps began to be reorganized under the overall coordination of Lu Xiang-sheng.
As for those local tyrants who had previously conspired with the military leaders to seize the military farmland of the garrison, Chongzhen was not so easy to talk to.
They either have to voluntarily return the land to apologize and appease the emperor's anger, or they have to wait for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to bring a large army to confiscate their property and interrogate them, ending up with their families destroyed and their lives ruined!
It should be noted that there are also distinctions of rank among men.
The court cannot touch the local lords in Jiangnan, but you local tyrants in the north, you scoundrels who are right under the court's military might, dare to jump out and cause trouble.
Emperor Chongzhen genuinely intended to confiscate property from the families of those in the north of Beijing as a deterrent to other regions.
But those local tyrants were too weak. Seeing that the imperial army was already showing signs of restlessness in the countryside, they all became as docile as sheep and chose to return their land and admit their guilt.
As a result, the land clearing work in various garrisons in northern Beijing progressed rapidly and achieved remarkable results.
When the news reached the capital, Yang Sichang personally went to the palace to report to Emperor Chongzhen on the progress of the new policies in Zhili, his face full of joy.
Despite his joy, he frowned as he looked at the dwindling amount of the imperial treasury accounts on his desk and bowed to Emperor Chongzhen, expressing his deepest concerns.
"Your Majesty, the implementation of the new policies in Zhili has been far smoother than we expected."
However, rewarding the troops, purchasing supplies, providing relief to disaster victims, and expanding military camps all require spending money.
"His Majesty previously used most of the imperial treasury funds accumulated in Linqing for these matters, while the Ministry of Revenue and the national treasury have been empty for years, simply unable to provide sufficient funds to support subsequent reforms. If this continues, although the new policies are good, without financial support, they will ultimately be unsustainable."
Yang Sichang's concerns hit the nail on the head regarding the subsequent implementation of the new policy.
In the end, all reforms throughout history have come down to money and resources.
Without financial and logistical support, even the best-laid plans will inevitably become nothing more than a mirage.
But after hearing his words, Chongzhen showed no sign of worry. Instead, he slowly put down the account book in his hand and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
The smile was deep, carrying a hint of certainty and a touch of coldness.
Yang Sichang was slightly taken aback, looking at Chongzhen with puzzlement, wondering why the emperor was laughing.
Emperor Chongzhen replied with relief.
"Minister Yang need not worry. Before long, my private treasury will be full again, enough to support all the reform plans to come, without any shortage."
Yang Sichang was shocked, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt.
Is the imperial treasury overflowing?
But now that the war has ended and the national treasury is completely empty, where can Your Majesty find a huge sum of money to support the entire reform?
He was about to ask further questions when he saw that Chongzhen had already stood up, looking towards the northwest with a sharp look in his eyes.
Hong Chengchou is a capable man, with shrewd and reliable methods. With more than a month to prepare, that is more than enough time.
The time is perfect; it's time to close the net.