Chapter 29: Candidates for the Imperial Envoy and the Viceroy of the Three Frontiers

"Your Majesty, forgive us for our ignorance!"

After the ministers exchanged glances, Cabinet Minister Shi Fenglai stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, we understand that constructing lakes creates a dense network of waterways for irrigation and drainage, and that building roads facilitates transport and travel. However, we are puzzled by your first directive: to reclaim wasteland."

To ignore the vast stretches of wasteland in the disaster-stricken areas and instead venture thousands of miles away to reclaim land—this seemed, by any measure, like a foolish decision.

"I have my own reasons for this; simply follow my orders."

The four regions the Chongzhen Emperor mentioned were famous in later generations for their potato production, eventually being recognized as products with national geographical indications. His order to reclaim these lands was a preparation for Song Yingxing’s large-scale cultivation next year. Since he could not immediately seize land from the gentry and the imperial clan, he would have to rely on reclaiming new fields himself. Once the harvest of potatoes—yielding twenty to thirty piculs per mu—arrived, transportation would become a major challenge, which is why he was prioritizing the construction of roads now. If not for the constraints of time and silver, he would have liked to produce cement to pave roads from the capital to every provincial prefecture.

"Your Majesty is wise! This move not only gives the common people work to keep their minds occupied, but also increases arable land. It further strengthens water conservancy projects to prevent future disasters and disperses the refugees, preventing them from regrouping. More importantly, it saves a significant amount of expenditure. It is a single move with five advantages. Your Majesty is brilliant!"

After Shi Fenglai finished his praise, the other ministers privately labeled him a sycophant, but they nonetheless followed suit and echoed his acclaim. It had to be said that Chongzhen’s policy of "relief through work" was a brilliant idea. In the midst of a great famine with no harvest, being able to eat in exchange for labor meant survival; a bit of physical exertion was a small price to pay.

"Xue Fengxiang, the Ministry of Works is responsible for road construction and lake excavation. I have two requirements for the lakes: convenience and safety. If a dam bursts, I will have you buried in that dam as a sacrifice to the heavens."

"Guo Yunhou, the Ministry of Revenue is responsible for land reclamation. Be careful in selecting locations; do not destroy forests. You may proceed slowly, but you must not be perfunctory. Every mu reclaimed must be immediately ready for planting."

"Remember, both of you: the rations of the people working for relief must not be skimped. They must be full to have the strength to work."

Xue Fengxiang and Guo Yunhou both frowned. If the workers were allowed to eat their fill, grain consumption would instantly double. Xue Fengxiang explained their dilemma, to which Chongzhen immediately replied, "I will resolve the grain issue. You are to follow my orders."

Faced with such resolve from the Emperor, not only were Xue and Guo perplexed, but the entire court was as well. Chongzhen could not be bothered to explain; was he supposed to tell the ministers that he intended to strike at the Eight Great Shanxi Merchants and confiscate their grain stocks for disaster relief?

"Enough. Let us discuss the third issue—the trust of the common people."

"Your Majesty, I have some thoughts on this matter!" Li Guopu, a member of the Cabinet, stepped forward as soon as Chongzhen finished speaking.

"Speak, Minister."

"Your Majesty, in the villages, when major events occur, it is usually the elders or clan leaders whose words carry weight because of their high moral standing. Applying this to disaster relief, the imperial court could appoint a highly respected minister as the Viceroy of the Three Borders, responsible for all relief affairs, including grain distribution, road and lake construction, and land reclamation. After much deliberation, I believe that among all the officials in the court, apart from Your Majesty, only Grand Secretary Sun and the venerable Yuan possess such prestige."

Chongzhen’s eyes lit up; someone had finally touched upon what he was thinking. When he ascended the throne, the Cabinet—aside from Li Guopu—consisted of Huang Liji, Shi Fenglai, and Zhang Ruitu, all followers of Wei Zhongxian. The cabinet was effectively a "Wei Cabinet." In the entire court, the "Grand Secretary Sun" referred to none other than Sun Chengzong, and the "venerable Yuan" was none other than Yuan Keli.

When Chongzhen had first arrived in this era, he wanted to recall Sun Chengzong to serve as his Chief Grand Secretary, but he was hampered by Wei Zhongxian’s control over the cabinet and the instability of military power. Today, he had removed the Chief Grand Secretary Huang Liji due to the Shaanxi disaster, and everything he had said since was paving the way for Sun Chengzong. It was fortunate that Li Guopu had brought it up; it saved him from alerting Wei Zhongxian prematurely.

Chongzhen understood Li Guopu’s intentions clearly: he was looking for an ally. With Huang Liji gone, only Shi Fenglai and Zhang Ruitu remained as Wei’s men. If the Emperor appointed someone to be the Viceroy of the Three Borders to oversee relief, that person would be on his side. With a two-to-two split and the Emperor’s backing, he would be in an invincible position. Regardless of Li Guopu’s motives, since they aligned with his own, it was the best possible outcome.

Chongzhen felt joy inwardly but remained calm on the surface. "Minister Li, tell me your reasons."

"Your Majesty, regarding Grand Secretary Sun: he was the tutor to the late Emperor and, before his retirement, served as the Minister of War and a Grand Secretary of the East Cabinet. In terms of status, no one in the court is higher. As the commander of Jizhou and Liaodong, he built the two-hundred-mile Ning-Jin defensive line and led 110,000 troops. His achievements are illustrious, and his prestige within the army is unmatched. He is the most suitable candidate for Viceroy of the Three Borders, and he is currently in his hometown of Gaoyang, which is very close to the capital."

Chongzhen made no comment, quietly saying, "Tell me about Yuan Keli."

Li Guopu spoke without hesitation: "Although the venerable Yuan did not enter the cabinet, his experience is even more extensive. He has served as an investigating censor of the Shanxi Circuit, Director of the Seal Office, Junior Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud, Left Vice Minister of the Court of Judicature and Revision, Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief, Right Vice Minister of War, and Minister of Revenue in Nanjing. Having served under the Wanli, Taichang, and Tianqi Emperors, he is a veteran of three reigns and has been granted the honor of 'Five Generations of Imperial Grace.' Among the people, he is ranked alongside Kuang Zhong and Hai Rui as one of the three great incorruptible officials of our Ming Dynasty. If the venerable Yuan is appointed Viceroy of the Three Borders, I can guarantee that he will ensure every ounce of silver and grain is used for the people."

The resonant voice echoed through the Huangji Hall. The ministers wore varying expressions. After a few moments, Chongzhen asked softly, "What do you ministers think?"

"Your Majesty, I believe Sun Chengzong should not be appointed..."

"Do not give me empty words! Nominate someone else then!" Chongzhen interrupted Shi Fenglai. "The same goes for the rest of you. Do not just criticize others for being unfit. Either nominate someone in this court or recommend yourselves. I only care about the results."

Since the Emperor had spoken, the ministers began to debate. Although the position of Viceroy of the Three Borders was a hot potato, it was still a powerful post. If the relief work was done well, one would rise rapidly to the Cabinet. If it failed, it would mean the loss of one's head and eternal infamy. Given the empty state of the national treasury, the possibility of failure seemed higher. However, this was the first major undertaking of the new Emperor’s reign, and he would surely provide full support. All things considered, the risks and rewards were balanced.

For a full quarter of an hour, the ministers went from whispering to arguing heatedly. No one could convince the other, as each faction tried to secure the position for their own. Chongzhen began to develop a headache, so he stood up. "I have matters to attend to. Continue your discussion. We will not adjourn until a decision is reached. Wang Chengen, stay here and watch. Inform me once there is a result."

With that, Chongzhen stepped down from the dais and left the Huangji Hall. Upon returning to the East Warm Chamber, he looked at Fang Zhenghua and said softly, "Fang Zhenghua, bring me some snacks."

A moment later, Fang Zhenghua placed several plates of pastries before Chongzhen, who enjoyed them with tea, looking quite comfortable. Back in the Huangji Hall, the ministers looked at each other and sighed. The Emperor’s intent was clear: either choose Sun Chengzong or choose Yuan Keli. If it was not one of those two, they could stay in the Huangji Hall until they starved.

Shi Fenglai looked at the crowd. "Gentlemen, those who choose Sun Chengzong stand to the right; those who choose Yuan Keli stand to the left; those with other opinions stand in the middle. Whichever side has more people, that is our choice. Eunuch Wang, will you bear witness?"