Chapter 48: Execution by Quartering

  Chongzhen Emperor remained silent, his heart certainly disagreed with Liu Zongzhou and the Qingliu faction's opinion, but he was the emperor, he couldn't directly oppose his ministers' opinions, he had to wait for other ministers to express their opposing views and reasons on his behalf, then stand in a transcendent position to judge both sides' opinions.

  Zhou Yanru quickly grasped the holy intention and retorted, "Lord Liu's words are wrong. Can today's Huang Taiji be compared to Datang's Xili?"

  Liu Zongzhou retorted: "How can it be said that they are not the same? Does Lord Zhou think that the Wan Sui is inferior to the great talents and strategies of Emperor Taizong of Tang?"

  "Please, Lord Liu, do not bring up irrelevant topics to confuse the issue." Zhou Yanru's face changed, and he retorted, "When Emperor Taizong of Tang captured Yi'erli, 400,000 Turkic cavalry had already been annihilated by the Tang army, and the entire desert was under the control of the Tang army. So even if Yi'erli were released, it would not affect the overall situation. Today, although our great Ming has captured Huang Taiji, the old nest of Jianzhou, Shengjing, was destroyed by General Wang, but tens of thousands of Jianzhou cavalry remained unscathed, and the entire Liaodong is still under the control of Jianzhou. At this time, releasing Huang Taiji would be like setting a tiger free - what else could it be?"

  Liu Zongzhou said loudly: "My great Ming has hundreds of millions of people, and tens of millions of elite soldiers. What is to be feared from the Jian Nu's trivial tens of thousands of barbarians? I suppose even a Huang Taiji cannot turn the sky upside down. But if my great Ming were to kill Huang Taiji, it would damage the dignity of our great nation and the etiquette and morality of the Chinese state."

  "What's the big country style and etiquette?!" Wang Pu couldn't hold back anymore, and burst out in a loud scolding, "Do you know that because of your 'big country style' and 'etiquette', how many border soldiers will die on the battlefield, how many hot-blooded men will never return to their hometowns, how many young women will become widows from now on, and how many children will become orphans?"

  "How dare you! Wang Pu, you're too arrogant!" Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Li Banghua was furious, his whiskers trembling with rage, as he pointed and rebuked, "You're just a minor general of Datong, yet you dared to shout at Minister Liu in the imperial court. Minister Liu is a dignified Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, a high-ranking official of the second grade. Do you know what propriety and shame are?"

  "What the hell is this etiquette and morality?" Wang Pu bellowed, "If you have the ability, take your troops to Liaodong and talk about etiquette and morality with the Jurchen slaves. Here, anyone can spout grandiose words, who doesn't know how? It's not like it's you who will die, it's our border military officers who will die, right? I'd like to ask you, are the lives of our border military officers worthless? For the sake of your dog officials' nonsense, tens of thousands have to go and die on the battlefield?"

  "You, you..."

  Li Banghua was so angry that his whole body was shaking and he couldn't say a word.

  The Chongzhen Emperor on the jade steps and two classes of civil and military ministers were stunned, although it is said that the imperial court of the Ming Dynasty was the most open-minded, ministers would often quarrel like shrews in the Golden Hall, sometimes even performing martial arts, the emperor generally did not intervene much, but no one had ever scolded as viciously as Wang Pu.

  Wang Pu was really angry, how from ancient times to the present there are such people? If the national strength of Daming is not as good as Jian Nu, under the high pressure of Jian Nu, being forced to release Huang Taiji back is also acceptable, that's called being forced by circumstances. But now, the national strength of Daming clearly has an overwhelming advantage, and Jian Nu is just a barbarian tribe in Liaodong, why should they still release Huang Taiji?

  If Chongzhen Emperor had really listened to Liu Zongzhou and others' nonsense and sent the Huang Taiji back to Liaodong, the Ming army officers and soldiers on the front line of Songshan would have been in big trouble. How vicious Huang Taiji was, how difficult he was to deal with, Wang Pu knew it all too well. It's better to have killed Huang Taiji with a knife on the way.

  "Long live the Emperor! We, your subjects, agree with General Wang's proposal and cannot let Huang Taiji go!"

  "Long live the Emperor, Huang Taiji should be killed."

  "Please value the lives of the soldiers who have been fighting for thousands of years and do not let the tiger return to the mountain."

  When the two factions of officials were at a stalemate, the left and right supervisors, co-supervisors, and deputy supervisors of the Five Armies Commanding Office, as well as the thirteen commanders-in-chief, all came out to support Wang Pu. These military officers had long been subjected to the arrogance of the civil officials, and today they found Wang Pu's scolding refreshing, as it also allowed them to vent their own pent-up frustrations. Moreover, what Wang Pu said was indeed reasonable, so supporting him was only natural.

  The Great Ming Dynasty implemented a national policy of "controlling the military with literature", and military officials had no status. Although these military officials had high ranks, they were just decorations in the imperial court during normal times, and they basically had no say in major state affairs. But today's situation is different, because the two factions of civil officials have differing opinions and are at an impasse, so the opinions of the military officials have become crucial.

  However, based on the opinions of this group of military officers, it is clear that a final decision cannot be made yet, and Emperor Chongzhen still needs more heavyweight opinions.

  The emperor's gaze fell on Cheng Keji, the chief assistant of the Grand Secretariat, and asked: "Cheng Ai Qing, what is your opinion?"

  Cheng Ji hastily stepped out of the row, kneeling down on the stone floor. A layer of fine sweat had already appeared on his forehead. He didn't want to oppose Zhou Yanru, nor did he want to quarrel with Liu Zongzhou and other upright officials. Although Zhou Yanru was only a secondary assistant at present, he had been the chief assistant eight years ago, and his power in the court was complex and far-reaching, making it impossible to offend him. Liu Zongzhou and Li Banghua were even more difficult to deal with because they were considered "gentlemen" in the eyes of the world.

  Cheng Ji was cautious as an official and did not want to offend either side.

  "Long live Your Majesty, I am old and my energy is waning, I fear I can no longer assist Your Majesty in governing the country. I request to retire and return to my hometown."

  Against everyone's expectations, Cheng Ji chose the most negative approach in his desperate situation - to shirk responsibility. I won't say anything, neither side will be offended, can't I just not be the chief assistant anymore?

  All officials were shocked.

  Chongzhen Emperor was even more shocked and outraged!

  A grand chief assistant of the cabinet, a pillar of the state, yet he doesn't even have the courage to express his own opinions! What's the point of keeping such an incompetent official in court?

  In his rage, Emperor Chongzhen calmly said: "I agree."

  "Thanks for your kindness."

  Cheng Ji Ming reluctantly removed his official hat, knelt on the ground and performed three kneels and nine knocks, then stood up and left the grand hall alone. The career of this generation's chief assistant to the emperor thus came to an end in such a most inglorious manner.

  Chongzhen Emperor turned his gaze to Zhou Yanru and said in a loud voice, "Zhou Ai Qing, from today on, you will be the University Scholar of the Huangji Temple."

  The ranking of the Hanlin Academy from high to low is: Imperial Duke of the Grand Secretariat, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Grand Secretary of the Wuying Pavilion, Grand Secretary of the Wenhuadian, Grand Secretary of the Jianqidian, and Grand Secretary of the Huangjidian. Those who enter the cabinet are directly appointed as Grand Secretaries of the Eastern Pavilion, while those above the Wenyuan Pavilion have the qualifications to become the Chief Assistant of the Inner Cabinet.

  Zhou Yanru was changed to be the University Scholar of the Huangji Temple, and in fact, he had already become the First Assistant of the Grand Secretariat.

  Zhou Yanyu hastily stepped out of the class and knelt down, knocking his head on the ground and shouting loudly: "Your subject Zhou Yanyu... thanks to the Dragon Emperor's kindness."

  Chongzhen Emperor said in an unquestionable tone: "I think that the memorials submitted by Zhou and Wang are not unreasonable. Letting Huang Taiji go is no different from releasing a tiger back to the mountains. First, let us parade Huang Taiji through the streets with a cangue to boost the morale of the people and soldiers in the capital. Three days later, execute him by dismemberment at Caishi Street!"

  "Long live the wise and enlightened one."

  "Long live the wise and enlightened one."

  "Long live the wise and enlightened one."

  Zhou Yanru, Wang Pu, and other military officials such as the Commander-in-Chief, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Commander of the 13 Routes, as well as civil officials led by Zhou Yanru, all knelt down in the palace, cheering and shouting. Liu Zongzhou and Li Banghua, who were not pleased with the decision, had nothing to say since the Chongzhen Emperor had already issued an edict. They did not dare to offend the emperor's dignity for the sake of Huang Taiji.

  The Chongzhen Emperor looked at the sky and said to Wang Chengen beside him, "Chengen, go and instruct the imperial kitchen that the banquet can begin."

  Although Liu Zongzhou and other upright officials' clamoring had made the Chongzhen Emperor very displeased, today's celebratory banquet must be held. This was not only to welcome Wang Pu back but also to celebrate the return of the Imperial Seal of the Ming Dynasty and the auspicious sign of the revival of the Great Ming.

  Of course, at the banquet, Emperor Chongzhen also had a big thing to announce, and it was good news.