The Ming Dynasty 1626 Enlightenment

Chapter 45 Sun Chengzong and Yuan Chonghuan

Wenyuan Pavilion, the military cabinet.

Sun Chengzong opened the first memorial, his eyebrows twitching slightly.

He read through the second copy, the third copy... thirty-seven copies in succession, and then put down his vermilion pen.

Although the wording and phrasing differ, the underlying meaning is exactly the same!

Firstly, he opposed the new Ming Dynasty paper money, saying, "The paper money system should not be implemented lightly, lest it lose the trust of the world."

Secondly, we request that the editorial department of the Tianqi Daily "publicize the list of editors and make the news gathering and editing process transparent," arguing that "the mouthpiece of the imperial court should be subject to the supervision of the people."

Thirdly, the statement "Frequent natural disasters indicate the presence of evil spirits that will bring disaster to the country" alludes to the presence of treacherous officials who are causing chaos in the court.

Fourth, he urged the early establishment of a national foundation and requested the appointment of a crown prince to ensure the stability of the country.

Sun Chengzong closed his eyes for a moment and lightly tapped the table with his fingers.

Thirty-seven memorials were written by thirty-seven people from the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Imperial Academy, and the two capitals (Beijing and Nanjing)!

The wind rises from the tip of a blade of grass, and there stands at the tip of that blade of grass.

He opened his eyes and called out, "Please invite Eunuch Wei from the Directorate of Ceremonial."

Wei Zhongxian arrived quickly.

He wore a bright red python robe and walked silently, followed by two eunuchs carrying boxes.

Before even entering the Wenyuan Pavilion, he laughed, "Grand Secretary Sun summoned me in such a hurry, could it be that those memorials are troublesome?"

Without exchanging pleasantries, Sun Chengzong pushed the stack of memorials over, saying, "You can see for yourself, Your Excellency."

Wei Zhongxian casually flipped through a few documents, his smile gradually fading. He then took out a thin note from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table.

"I have some things here; Your Excellency may wish to take a look."

Sun Chengzong took it, scanned only a few lines, and his pupils contracted slightly.

On a certain day of a certain month, at a certain residence in the capital, Gao Panlong, Han Kuang, Zhou Qiyuan, Huang Zunsu, Li Yingsheng, Liu Zongzhou and others gathered for a discussion.

The details of who spoke, what they said, and how they divided the work of contacting the gentry and students of the Imperial Academy in Jiangnan are all clearly presented.

It even clearly states who wrote the pen, who copied it, and who was responsible for sending it to the Office of General Affairs.

"The work of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Sun Chengzong raised his eyes. "Is Eunuch Wei trying to get His Majesty to arrest someone?"

"Of course!" Wei Zhongxian sneered, "Colluding to offer advice is, according to the law, punishable by...!"

"According to the law, this should be a matter for the Censorate and the Ministry of Justice," Sun Chengzong interrupted him. "The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is in charge of issuing imperial edicts, not the imperial prison. Eunuch Wei, don't overstep your bounds."

Wei Zhongxian narrowed his eyes: "Is Grand Secretary Sun speaking on their behalf?"

"This old minister is speaking on the side of propriety," Sun Chengzong said, looking directly at him. "Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in politics. This is an ancestral rule. I will not stop the Directorate of Ceremonial from approving matters; but please, Eunuch Wei, stop giving unsolicited instructions on matters of the Grand Secretariat."

"Sun Chengzong, you summoned me here just to scold me?"

Wei Zhongxian's face darkened slightly, and he said angrily.

"Eunuch Wei, please address me as Grand Secretary!" Sun Chengzong softened his tone, then pushed the secret letter back. "Also, His Majesty is aware of these matters."

Wei Zhongxian was taken aback, recalling the scene of being bullied by Tian Ergeng that day.

"When to act, how to act, and how much to act—His Majesty knows the proper measure," Sun Chengzong said, picking up his teacup and taking a sip. "Now is not the time. These people are still useful."

"Still useful?" Wei Zhongxian frowned. "They're about to turn the world upside down, what use are they?"

"The paper money needs to be implemented, the border troops need to be reorganized and consolidated..." Sun Chengzong listed them one by one. "These things always require someone to argue, someone to make trouble, someone to jump out and be the target. Without the Donglin Party, who would be the target?"

Wei Zhongxian was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "What does Grand Secretary Sun mean...?"

"That's right! The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will continue to play the villain!" Sun Chengzong said noncommittally, and before Wei Zhongxian could react, "His Majesty has decreed that the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs...seal the seal."

As soon as he finished speaking, he walked back to his desk, spread out a blank memorial, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote with a steady hand, as firm as a pillar.

"Firstly, the court encouraged students of the Imperial Academy to submit memorials, opening up channels for public opinion and ensuring that those who spoke out were not punished."

Wei Zhongxian was taken aback.

"But," Sun Chengzong paused, glancing at Wei Zhongxian, "those who frequently cause natural disasters, those who are wicked and disrupt the country by making irresponsible remarks about politics and inciting unrest, should still be purged."

Wei Zhongxian's eyes darted around, and the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly: "What does the Grand Secretary mean...?"

Sun Chengzong put down his pen and said calmly, "You be the bad guy, arrest those who should be arrested. I, the Grand Secretary, will be the good guy, protect those who should be protected, and release those who should be released."

Damn it~

Wei Zhongxian couldn't help but twitch his lips, feeling that something was amiss.

Although Song Donglin Party officials often went to the imperial prison to drink pre-rain Longjing tea due to some unpleasantness in the past, this is the first time they have been passively arrested like this!

"Secondly," Sun Chengzong said, before Wei Zhongxian could even complain, he picked up his pen and wrote, "Summon Yuan Chonghuan to the capital to report on his duties and confront him face-to-face about the issue of 'military pay in silver'."

He paused, then looked at Wei Zhongxian: "Eunuch Wei, you should impeach those who need to be impeached, and it's time to take action against those officials you've been supporting."

"Understood." Wei Zhongxian nodded helplessly. "As for Yuan Chonghuan, I'll have someone send a few impeachment memorials up there to muddy the waters first."

"Thirdly, all military pay for the border troops shall, effective immediately, be paid in two installments: half in paper money and half in silver, without error!"

Wei Zhongxian received the imperial edict, skimming through it quickly. A look of astonishment gradually appeared on his face. "This is... an edict from His Majesty?"

Sun Chengzong did not respond, but simply copied the three imperial edicts one by one and affixed the Grand Secretariat seal.

"Eunuch Wei, I'll trouble you with the imperial edict from the Directorate of Ceremonial."

Sun Chengzong didn't say it, but Wei Zhongxian knew that these things were the work of Zhu Ming. Otherwise, someone like Sun Chengzong or him would have already started a massacre!

Unlike the Ming Dynasty, which manipulated the Donglin Party without shedding a drop of blood, and forced the court to donate twice in just one month, amounting to no less than two million taels of silver.

This is a faster and safer way to make money than confiscating the property of corrupt officials.

"Of course, of course," Wei Zhongxian thought to himself. He hurriedly took the bag and left quickly, looking constipated, as if afraid that there was something else dirty that might be thrown at him.

Sun Chengzong watched him leave, and after a long while, he sighed softly. Then, he pulled out a pre-prepared secret order from his desk and said, "Your Majesty truly had foresight; they were indeed going to take action against Mao Wenlong!"

"The Dark Guardian, Qiongqi!"

A dark figure appeared behind him, a hoarse, deep voice asking, "Grand Secretary Sun, what are your orders?"

Without wasting any words, Sun Chengzong handed over the secret order directly.

Qiongqi caught the document and glanced at it: He ordered the adjutant and supervisor who were going to Pi Island to act according to the secret order upon arrival. In addition to opening the branch of the Ming Central Bank of China in Dongjiang Town, the Ming Industrial and Commercial Bank and the Baohe Store branch, they were also to monitor the movements of Mao Wenlong and others. There must be no mistakes.

"Yes." The shadowy figure vanished.

Sun Chengzong shook his head, his eyes deep.

"Yuan Ziru, Yuan Ziru, you, the newly appointed Liaodong Military Commissioner, do not appreciate His Majesty's kindness at all, and have made a move you should not have made!" Sun Chengzong shook his head, his eyes deep.

Yuan Chonghuan, also known as Ziru, was Yuan Ziru.

After all, the implementation of the new Ming Dynasty paper money began with the border troops, and anyone who opposed the paper money was obstructing the border troops' food and supplies.

It must be said that Yuan Chonghuan's requirement that military pay be in silver indirectly negated the implementation of the new Daming paper money.

Of course, it was understandable that the border troops initially only wanted silver, since the new Ming Dynasty paper money had not yet been truly implemented.

Yuan Chonghuan's actions were somewhat understandable.

However, it was rather tactless of him to use the issue of military pay as a pretext to target another powerful regional official, Mao Wenlong.

"Ziru, Ziru, you've already made it perfectly clear in the letter, so why are you still biased towards Han Kuang's side and Jiangnan's side... Alas, what a pity!"

Therefore, Sun Chengzong couldn't help but lament that this talented general he had personally promoted had now become a driving force for the Donglin Party.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you're putting those people on the hot seat of adversity..."

Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, only Sun Chengzong's sighs remained!

It is a lament for Yuan Chonghuan, and also a lament for the Donglin Party members who thought they had immense power, unaware that Emperor Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty had already laid a trap.

From this moment on, the dispute over the new Ming Dynasty paper money became a game between the Ming emperor and the gentry of Jiangnan, and even more so, a stark choice:

Anyone who opposes the paper money is obstructing the border troops' food and supplies.

Those who obstruct the supply of provisions to the border troops are no different from those who collude with the enemy.

What difference is there between this and colluding with the enemy? What difference is there between this and treason?

The chessboard has been laid out, and the pieces have been placed.

The player strategizes within the Forbidden City.

The rumors persisted: the carpenter emperor remained obsessed with woodworking, allowing the eunuch faction to wield absolute power...