Chapter 62: The Eunuch Faction Falls, the Chongzhen Emperor Feasts

"What the hell!"

Everyone cursed inwardly in unison.

They saw Li Banghua walk into the Huangji Hall carrying a stack of memorials, which he then handed to Li Guopu. "Grand Secretary, please hold these for me for a moment. I'll hold yours for you later."

Although his voice was low, the Chongzhen Emperor still heard it. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily, and a rather ominous image flashed through his mind...

"Your Majesty, by your imperial decree, this minister has investigated the military officials who are accomplices and remnants of Wei Zhongxian. Based on the reports from the commanders and vice-commanders of the Four Bravura Guards and the Twenty-One Guards, as well as investigations by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, a total of 328 accomplices of Wei Zhongxian have been identified..."

Li Banghua spoke at a brisk pace, summarizing the collated information.

The assembled officials felt another pang of shock. Watching Li Banghua take a memorial back from Li Guopu's hands, they shivered, their eyes filled with fear.

"Wu Changqing, Commander of the Flag-Hand Guard, in the third year of the Tianqi reign, attached himself to Wei Zhongxian... embezzled 90,000 taels of silver in cash, approximately 50,000 taels worth of ancient calligraphy and paintings, and 26 qing of fertile land...
Total estimated value: 330,000 taels. The value recovered from the confiscation of his estate is 250,000 taels, leaving a deficit of 80,000 taels which he has already spent. Verdict: Immediate execution by decapitation, confiscation of his estate, extermination of his entire clan, and exile of his family members to the malaria-infested borderlands for permanent military service."

"Liu Kunlong, Directorate of Imperial Horses' Seal-Holding Eunuch, in the third year of the Tianqi reign, was promoted to Seal-Holding Eunuch by Wei Zhongxian. He falsely claimed military merits in Liaoning, illegally occupied 311 qing of pastures and 16 horses under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Imperial Horses, and possessed 60,000 taels of cash... Verdict: Immediate execution by decapitation."

"Tian Ergeng, former Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, embezzled 180,000..."

...

With every single name Li Banghua read out, the officials trembled.

The stack of memorials held in Li Guopu's hands had practically turned into the ledger of the King of Hell.

After speaking for a full quarter of an hour, Li Banghua concluded: "Your Majesty, these are the details of the ten principal culprits. The rest are all waiting outside the Huangji Hall and can be inspected at any time."

"The military officials embezzled a total of five million taels of cash, of which 2.4 million taels have been recovered, along with 84 pieces of ancient calligraphy and paintings valued at 490,000 taels, and 12,000 qing of fertile land... amounting to a grand total valuation of 2.6 million taels."

"At present, all confiscated assets have been sealed and stored in the Southern New Granary in Beijing. Please give your instructions, Your Majesty!"

The Chongzhen Emperor's expression remained calm. Instead of replying to Li Banghua, he looked at Li Guopu. "Minister Li, it is your turn to report!"

Li Guopu also stepped outside and returned carrying a stack of memorials.

"Your Majesty, the civil officials who are accomplices and remnants of Wei Zhongxian total 226 persons, among whom four hold the rank of Proper Second Rank, six hold the Junior Second Rank..."

After summarizing the statistics, Li Guopu began reporting on the principal culprits.

"Cui Chengxiu, former Minister of War, was reported for corruption in the first year of the Tianqi reign by Supervising Secretary Gao Panlong, whereupon he defected to Wei Zhongxian, kowtowing and weeping, begging to become his adopted son... He embezzled 70,000 taels of cash, fertile land... totaling an estimated value of 160,000 taels. Verdict: Immediate execution by decapitation, confiscation of his estate, and extermination of three generations of his clan."

...

Over the next quarter of an hour, the Director of the Ceremonial Directorate Li Yongzhen, Li Chaoqin, Liu Ruoyu, Junior Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, Duke of Ningguo Wei Liangqing... and others were successively listed.

"Your Majesty, among the civil officials, the total embezzlement amounts to 2.8 million taels of cash, with 1.4 million taels actually recovered, alongside 210 pieces of ancient calligraphy and paintings, and 20,000 qing of fertile land... amounting to a grand total valuation of 6.17 million taels."

"At present, all confiscated assets have been sealed and stored in the Southern New Granary in Beijing. Please give your instructions, Your Majesty!"

PS: [Wei Liangqing, Duke of Ningguo, was certainly not a Duke enfeoffed by Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Di of the Great Ming. He was a nephew of Wei Zhongxian, and received the title of Duke solely because of Wei Zhongxian, enjoying a status surpassing that of founding general Xu Da. How pathetic.
There were even rumors at the time that Wei Zhongxian intended to use Wei Liangqing's son to pull off a 'substituting a cat for a crown prince' scheme, mimicking Wang Mang's usurpation of the throne under the guise of assisting a young child. Whether true or false, it shows that Wei Zhongxian indeed harbored treasonous ambitions.]

A sharp glint flashed through the Chongzhen Emperor's eyes. He had just made a rough calculation: the cash alone amounted to 3.8 million taels. If the antiques, paintings, shops, and manors were sold, he could obtain 8.77 million taels.

Cash combined with real estate totaled 12.57 million taels, which equaled three years of the Great Ming's tax revenue (in silver).

Judging from the confiscated properties, civil officials preferred ancient calligraphy, paintings, and fertile land, while military officials favored cash and commercial shops.

This also indirectly demonstrated that the power of civil officials far exceeded that of military officials.

If one had to describe the Chongzhen Emperor's mood in a single sentence at this moment, it would be: the Eunuch Faction falls, and the Emperor feasts.

Unfortunately, it was impossible for such a massive sum of money to entirely enter the inner treasury. The Ministry of Revenue's Imperial Vault, the Court of the Imperial Stud's Ever-Full Treasury, the Ministry of Works' Prudence Treasury, the Court of the Imperial Banquet's Silver Treasury, and the Nanjing Silver Treasury would all likely demand a share.

PS: The sources of the inner treasury's funds are fourfold: first, imperial property, such as imperial estates and farmland; second, tribute from foreign envoys; third, exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous levies; and fourth, the confiscation of corrupt officials' estates—which is precisely why emperors are so fond of confiscating estates.

"Li Guopu, Li Banghua, are the charges you have drawn up against Wei Zhongxian's accomplices and remnants true and accurate?"

Without waiting for the two to reply, the Chongzhen Emperor continued, "What I demand is absolute fairness. Not a single person shall be missed, nor a single person wronged."

A new emperor ascends the throne and immediately executes so many senior officials—would the hundred officials think this emperor is cold-blooded and ruthless, and who would dare to work alongside him thereafter?

Pushing forward new policies later would inevitably encounter resistance. However, as long as it was done fairly, the voice of the common people would drown out the petty schemes of the civil and military officials.

No matter how immense their power, they would never dare to stand completely in opposition to the common people.

"Your Majesty, the confessions, witness testimonies, documentary evidence, physical evidence, and forensic inspection records required to finalize the cases are all on record and open to verification. As for those accomplices whose guilt is questionable, they have all been sentenced to await execution in prison, and their cases can later be submitted to the Three Judicial Offices—the Ministry of Punishments, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate—for review."

"Your Majesty, in a major case of this magnitude, Your ministers dare not harbor the slightest personal bias. Every single crime has been established according to fixed standards."

The Chongzhen Emperor rose from the dragon throne, walked to the edge of the raised platform, and stared down at the gathered officials. "Does anyone have anything to say?"

The ministers collectively fell silent. The human, physical, and testimonial evidence for the crimes committed by these people was complete; what could they possibly say?

Turn black into white? Advise the emperor to show mercy and kill fewer people? Anyone who dared advise the emperor like that might find themselves bundled into the execution squad alongside them.

"Your Majesty, this minister has something to say!"

Sun Chongzong stepped forward. The gathered officials were all startled—was this Grand Secretary really this daring and unyielding?

"Speak!"

"Your Majesty, this minister has no objection to the charges against Wei Zhongxian's remnants, but this minister has a suggestion regarding the location of the executions. Although the Western Market Gate is close to the suburbs, it is still inside the city. Beheading several hundred people there would generate grievances too heavy and might harm the common people.
This minister suggests moving the executions outside the Desheng Gate. The Desheng Gate is the route for military chariots; we can use the martial vigor and life-blood of our soldiers to wash away and suppress those grievances."

When Sun Chongzong finished speaking, both the officials and the Chongzhen Emperor were dumbfounded.

They had expected Sun Chongzong to advise the emperor to kill fewer people to avoid damaging the imperial virtue. Instead, this old gentleman merely suggested changing the decapitation venue!

Such an abrupt turn nearly twisted their aging backs.

"Minister Sun's proposal entirely aligns with My wishes."

Having said that, the Chongzhen Emperor turned his gaze back to Li Banghua and Li Guopu. "My two ministers, there is no time like the present. Take all the remnants sentenced to immediate execution outside the Desheng Gate, and behead them all at the hour of the midday horse (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM)."

"My lords, accompany Me to go and witness it."