Chapter 602
The Duke Yansheng is truly afraid of death!
Finally, the relocated people were educated and reformed, and their sins were redeemed through meritorious service.
After the purge, about 500 people, along with their direct relatives, were selected from among the many collateral descendants of the Kong family who were "of decent character, well-versed in poetry and literature, and without any major misdeeds" and moved in batches to the newly established prefectures, states, and counties in Liaodong and Korea.
The imperial court will allocate land and subsidize the establishment of schools and village academies, so that these "descendants of the sages" can teach the local Han, Manchu, and Korean people Chinese language, basic classics, and the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty.
Under the guise of "atone for one's sins and establish merit, and to educate the barbarians with the way of the sages," the real purpose was to uproot the Confucian forces that had become deeply entrenched and uncontrollable in the local areas, and disperse them to the border corners of the empire. This not only eliminated the hidden dangers, but also injected much-needed cultural power into the governance of the border regions.
When Zhu Cilang finished reading the memorial, he showed no surprise on his face, remaining calm to the point of indifference.
Because this was almost exactly the result he had expected.
He knew all along that, given the current political landscape and ideological foundation of the Ming Dynasty, it was absolutely impossible to completely uproot and crush the lineage of the Duke Yansheng, a behemoth symbolizing the Confucian orthodoxy, in one fell swoop.
The civil service would never allow it, and the voices of scholars throughout the land would be difficult to quell.
Being able to achieve this step, while preserving the "Duke Yansheng" title, clearing away most of the rotten parts of its body, and relocating a considerable portion of the "healthy" parts to serve the country, is the best solution that can be obtained under the current conditions. It is a delicate balance reached after compromise and negotiation among various forces.
However, compromise does not equate to unconditional concession.
Zhu Cilang knew that if he did not take this opportunity to make the Duke Yansheng's lineage truly "feel the pain" and pay a heavy enough price, then this thunderous operation would probably be seen by the world as a "show" that was raised high and then put down lightly. It would not only fail to have the desired deterrent effect, but might also encourage their sense of luck.
He picked up his vermilion brush, paused for a moment in the blank space at the end of the memorial, and then wrote a comment with flowing strokes:
"The articles drafted by the Cabinet are well thought out and generally feasible. They should be implemented immediately, and the relevant officials should not be negligent. However, as the eldest son of the clan, the Duke Yansheng has failed in managing his family, which has allowed unworthy members of the clan to cause trouble in the local area and damage the reputation of the sage. His fault is not light. If he is merely reprimanded and asked to reflect on his mistakes, it may not be enough to show his punishment."
The Emperor decrees that the Duke of Yansheng's estate shall donate half of its property to the state for the purpose of educating immigrants and building schools in Liaodong and Korea. If the Duke voluntarily contributes, he will save face, and the court will not pursue the matter further. However, if there is any concealment, delay, or resistance, the Imperial Guard and the Shandong authorities shall jointly investigate and confiscate the property without exception! This is the imperial decree.
After finishing his instructions, Zhu Cilang put down his pen and gently blew on the still-wet ink.
This move not only further squeezed the Duke of Yansheng's resources on top of the original plan, but also seemingly "mercifully" handed over the choice between "voluntarily surrendering property" and "being forced to confiscate his property" to the Duke of Yansheng himself.
Of course, everyone knew perfectly well that if the Duke of Yansheng had any sense left, he would have chosen between "voluntarily donating his property to preserve his dignity" and "resisting the confiscation of his property and suffering disgrace."
As for how much "half of the family fortune" is?
Zhu Cilang did not state it explicitly, but it was in itself a very intimidatingly vague figure—whatever the court said was the figure.
When Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan saw the copy of the Crown Prince's vermilion handwritten instructions, the old minister felt a sharp headache.
He certainly couldn't allow the Crown Prince to actually send people to "confiscate half of the Duke Yansheng's property," as that would be even more unsightly than revealing the secret letter, and would completely tear off their relationship.
He could only rack his brains to find a way to "persuade" Duke Yansheng Kong Yinzhi to voluntarily and "respectably" contribute his huge family fortune in the name of "atonement" and "supporting the court's great cause of education".
The amount of this "half of the family fortune" is enough to make one's heart tremble just by thinking about it.
Why?
Because the lineage of the Duke Yansheng has been passed down for over 1,500 years! Since the first conferment of the title of "Lord of Sacrifices" upon Kong Teng in the twelfth year of Emperor Gaozu of Han, through the Han Dynasty, Wei and Jin Dynasties, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Five Dynasties, Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, and up to the present dynasty, no matter how the dynasties changed, no matter whether the emperor's surname was Liu, Li, Zhao, Borjigin, or Zhu, the title of "Duke Yansheng" and the status of "Sacrificing to the Sage" of the Kong family have almost never been interrupted.
Over 1,500 years of accumulation! During this period, wealth in all its forms, including imperial rewards, private donations, land rents, commercial profits, and dependent populations, accumulated like a snowball.
His wealth, the vastness of his land, and the sheer amount of his treasures were probably unmatched even by the emperor's private treasury.
The difficulty of getting such a powerful and influential family to willingly part with half of their wealth is unimaginable.
To prevent the Duke of Yansheng from taking desperate measures and secretly transferring or hiding his assets after receiving a tip-off, Zhu Cilang had already taken precautions.
Even earlier, a team of elite Imperial Guards, carrying a secret order from the Crown Prince, quietly arrived around Qufu under the pretext of "inspecting the security of Shandong and assisting in investigating the illegal acts of the Confucius family."
They did not enter the Confucius Mansion directly, but like an invisible net, they closely monitored the main roads, docks, and trading houses leading from Qufu to all directions. No large-scale changes in property could escape their eyes.
Under such immense pressure from both internal and external forces, and the combination of soft and hard tactics, the turbulent events, fierce arguments, and compromises that occurred within the Confucius Family Mansion in Qufu remain unknown to outsiders.
But in the end, just half a month later, a memorial written by the Duke of Yansheng, Kong Yinzhi, with “earnest” words, expressing his “willingness to donate half of his family’s wealth to help the court educate and redeem himself”, was still sent to the capital by fast horse.
Along with this came a preliminary list of assets, the figures of which still surprised Zhu Cilang somewhat, even though he was somewhat prepared.
The total amount, converted to cash, is a full thirteen million taels!
A thousand years of accumulation has indeed produced something extraordinary.
It seems this Duke Yansheng is truly afraid of death!
Thus, this upheaval, which was triggered by the illegal activities of the Kong family and nearly shook the court and the public, finally came to a quiet end in a way that was barely acceptable to all parties.
In the imperial court, there was almost no public opposition to the final outcome of this matter.
Clearly, the cabinet leaders, as well as the ministers and censors who knew the details of the "secret letter," used their influence to suppress and appease any potential dissent.
Everyone tacitly agreed that this matter must be resolved quickly and smoothly, and that the "bombshell" that could destroy the reputation of the entire civil service must not be leaked in the slightest.
Stability is paramount.
It was mid-November of the eighteenth year of the Chongzhen reign.
The north wind howls, and a cold front sweeps south.
The entire capital was shrouded in a silvery white blanket. Several heavy snowfalls covered the vermilion palace walls, the dark blue roof tiles, and the crisscrossing streets with a thick, soft white carpet.
Breath turns to frost, water droplets freeze instantly; the true depths of winter have arrived.
The imperial court then entered the most tense and busy period of the year—preparing for the winter border wars.
Countless official documents and urgent reports flew to the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War like snowflakes. Along the nine border regions of northern Xinjiang, Liaodong, Xuanda, Jizhou, Gansu, and beyond, hundreds of thousands of soldiers needed sufficient food, cotton clothing, charcoal, and pay to survive the bitter cold, maintain their fighting strength, and deter the restless remnants of the Mongol forces.
In Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong and other places, although the large-scale famine has been largely eliminated thanks to the promotion of potatoes and sweet potatoes, the wounds caused by years of natural disasters and man-made calamities have not been fully healed. A large number of people are still struggling to make ends meet and need the court to continue to allocate relief grain and winter supplies to prevent peasant uprisings.
Although the climate in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangdong in the southwest is relatively mild, the transportation of grain and provisions is still difficult in remote areas.
The Minister of Revenue was calculating with great speed, his face contorted in a grimace. He had to ensure supplies for the border troops, provide relief to the interior, and also set aside funds for seeds and farming tools for next spring.
The Ministry of Works was busy urging various regions to rush the production and transportation of cotton-padded clothes and tents, and to inspect and repair the official roads and post stations in the north to ensure the smooth transportation of supplies.
The Ministry of War coordinated the garrisoning of various towns, adjusted the deployment, and guarded against any forces taking advantage of the cold winter to launch attacks.
However, compared to the financial difficulties and hardship of a few years ago, the current busyness exudes a sense of confidence and security.
The spoils of war from Liaodong and Korea, the proceeds from the confiscation of the Kong family mansion and other lawless powerful families, coupled with the ever-recovering land taxes and commercial taxes, have made the national treasury more abundant than ever before.
Although the expenses were huge, at least we were no longer at a loss for resources.
Although the old Minister of Revenue still sighed and complained about "spending money like water," the despair and fear of the past were no longer visible in his eyes.
At least this winter, the soldiers on the frontiers of the Ming Dynasty will be able to eat their fill and stay warm; the disaster-stricken people will be able to receive enough food to survive and warm clothing to keep warm.
This was a scene that would have been unimaginable ten years ago.
In general, although the Ming Dynasty still faces many problems, it is much, much better than the precarious state of the early Chongzhen era when the empire was on the verge of collapse and teetering on the brink of collapse, and compared to the dire situation of the middle period when it was constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul and running around in circles.
The nascent form of a powerful, stable, and hopeful empire is quietly taking shape and consolidating beneath this heavy snow.
The scene shifts to the sea off Quanzhou, Fujian.
Unlike the icy and snowy north, the southeastern coast in November, although the sea breeze carries a damp chill, is far from freezing cold.
The azure sea shimmered under the winter sun, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Zheng Zhilong has returned to his old base—the Minhai Base centered in Quanzhou and Xiamen.
After a few days of rest, Zheng Zhilong changed into a light military uniform with arrow sleeves and a mink cloak. Surrounded by his trusted generals, he set sail and headed straight for Penghu.
Several hours later, the fleet arrived at a high point in the Penghu Islands.
Zheng Zhilong climbed onto a reef with an excellent view, raised his binoculars, and carefully gazed and searched towards the hazy horizon to the east.
Although the distance was still far and the sea was shrouded in mist, Zheng Zhilong could still clearly see dozens of black dots slowly swimming in the waters near the west coast of Dongfan with the help of the telescope.
The outlines of those black dots were distinctly different from the Fujian ships, Guangzhou ships, and even Western-style galleons commonly seen in the Zheng family navy. The hulls were longer, the lines were smoother, the masts were taller, and the sails were more complex. Several of them were particularly large, with rows of dark gun ports faintly visible on their sides.
"The Dutch have new warships... and the Portuguese have carracks... The designs are quite novel. It seems these Westerners haven't been idle at home."
Zheng Zhilong lowered his binoculars, a cold smile curving his lips, but his eyes showed no fear, only the focus and killing intent of a hunter seeing his prey.
"With so many new warships assembled, lingering without taking the initiative to attack... it seems they really intend to put down roots on my territory and play a game of 'protracted warfare' with me?"
Beside him, a dark-skinned, capable, and valiant lieutenant quickly bowed and reported:
"My lord, it is indeed as you said. These foreign ships appeared in the waters off Dongfan about two months ago. After they arrived, they did not approach the coast of our Great Ming, nor did they attack our naval patrol ships or merchant ships. They just kept wandering and surveying around Dongfan Island, especially in the waters around 'Taipei' in the south."
Since they did not cross the border to provoke us, and in accordance with your previous strict orders, we did not launch an attack, but only strengthened our surveillance.
Zheng Zhilong nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distant sea.
"Did they send anyone to negotiate? What were their statements?"
The lieutenant shook his head:
"My subordinates once sent an interpreter in a small boat to approach and call out to inquire about our purpose. The other side only responded that it was a 'normal trade voyage' and 'avoiding the storm,' speaking evasively and refusing our personnel to board the ship. Moreover, according to our 'informants' on the island, after these barbarians landed on the island, they were intensifying the construction of the existing simple fortresses, building gun emplacements, digging trenches, and storing supplies in places such as Dayuan Sandbar and Chihkan."
Judging from their posture, they are determined to hold their ground for the long term and defend against our army's attack.
"Oh? Building fortifications and stockpiling food on the island, preparing for a protracted war with me?"
Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhilong was first taken aback, then, as if he had heard something extremely ridiculous, he burst out laughing. However, there was no warmth in his laughter, only a chilling mockery.
"With just a remote, indefensible island like Dongfan, and a few dozen ships and a thousand or so men, they think they can play the game of 'holding out for reinforcements' and 'controlling the sea with the island' with me, Zheng Zhilong, and my Ming Dynasty navy? Haha, I really don't know whether to call them courageous or... incredibly foolish!"
He abruptly stopped smiling, his face instantly turning ashen, his gaze sharp as lightning as he swept over the generals around him, his voice resolute and brooking no argument:
"Pass on my order! All battalions, stockades, and fleets, immediately begin final combat preparations according to Plan No. 3 of the First Division! All provisions, ammunition, and fresh water must be loaded onto ships within two days! All participating vessels must be inspected and repaired, and personnel must be in place!"
Two days later, at the third quarter of the morning, the commander's flag was raised, the war drums were sounded, and the entire army launched an attack, heading straight for Dongfan, besieging the island and launching a fierce assault! In this battle, there will be no prisoners, no future troubles; the goal is to achieve a decisive victory, utterly annihilating the enemy!
"Follow the order!"
The surrounding generals responded with a thunderous roar, their voices shaking the heavens and the sea, their faces revealing long-suppressed excitement and a fierce, murderous aura.
They followed Zheng Zhilong across the world, and what kind of battles hadn't they seen?
These mere Western barbarians, relying on a few new ships, dare to challenge the Grand Duke Jupiter? They're practically courting death! (End of Chapter)