Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 14 Duke of England: Does His Majesty lack ambition?!
Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, Grand Secretary Huang Lijie, who had just come down from the court assembly, seemed somewhat absent-minded. Noticing his leader's unusual behavior, the other three Grand Secretaries also quieted down.

"Brother Zhongwu, it was just a couple of arguments with you, surely you don't hold a grudge until now?" Vice Minister Shi Laifeng said half-jokingly.

However, Huang Lijie was not in the mood for jokes. He said with some worry, "Don't you think the emperor is too intelligent?"

After he finished speaking, everyone in the cabinet fell silent.

Shi Laifeng also sighed and said, "The current emperor's behavior is completely unlike that of a young man. I see the shadows of Emperor Shenzong and Emperor Shizong in him."

Zhang Ruitu also had a bitter expression, but he didn't say anything.

Although he managed to get into the cabinet, he knew that the other three looked down on him.

In terms of seniority, he was the least experienced; his entry into the court was entirely due to currying favor with Wei Zhongxian and the late emperor. He possessed excellent calligraphy skills and was also a talented writer, a true literary official. However, now that the new emperor had taken the throne, he had never been summoned even once.

The Emperor doesn't like calligraphy at all, that's not right! Prince Xin used to enjoy associating with the upright scholars and was fond of showing off his refined tastes. It turns out they were all fooled by the Emperor.

However, rumors have recently spread that the emperor has a fondness for beautiful women, and Zhang Ruitu has begun to wonder if there are any good-looking girls in his family or even distant relatives that he could send to the palace. In his view, political achievements are of little use; it's much more important to find ways to please the emperor.

Seeing the Grand Secretary and the Second Grand Secretary sighing and complaining, Li Guozhu showed no mercy and retorted, "Isn't it a good thing that the Emperor is wise? What, do you Huang Lijie and Shi Laifeng want to become Zhang Juzheng?"

"So only you, Li Guoyu, are loyal to the emperor and love your country, right?" Shi Laifeng said coldly.

Huang Lijie's expression was also somewhat unpleasant, but he was by nature mild-mannered and did not use his position and seniority as the chief minister to pressure Li Guozhu. Instead, he patiently explained, "Yuanzhi, I am not greedy for power, but I am worried about you."

Although the emperor appeared very restrained, you can probably tell that he is actually very opinionated.

We've spent our whole lives navigating the affairs of the court and the government, and we still can't say we fully understand them, but the current emperor seems to be able to see right through them.

I'm so eager to ask Sun Chengzong how he taught him. Is there really someone in this world who is born with knowledge?

The emperor, with keen insight, coldly observed his ministers. He could endure it now only because his power was not yet fully consolidated. Once he had complete control over the military, political, and financial sectors, he might very well become the next Emperor Xianzong.

We Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet are addressed with the honorific "Grand Secretary," but in reality, we are merely fifth-rank officials. Our current red attire can easily revert to blue. Our high status is solely due to the Emperor's consultation with us on state affairs, but since his ascension to the throne, has the Emperor ever summoned any of us individually?
I'm getting old, and the emperor doesn't trust me anymore. According to custom, I should retire. I plan to request permission from His Majesty to retire after the New Year.”

“The constitution is to restore order and restore discipline. The world is in a state of chaos today, and it needs such a ruler. How come it has become a scourge in your mouths? The way of a minister is to ‘uphold righteousness even in a corrupt world.’”

"Li Guoyu, people outside say you're a member of the eunuch faction. How dare you say such things?" Shi Laifeng retorted sarcastically, tearing off her pretense of civility.

“The innocent will remain innocent,” Li Guozhuo said, emphasizing each word.

At the same time, not only the cabinet, but also the Donglin Party, Zhejiang Party, Qi Party, Xuan Party, eunuch party, etc., from the court to the people, from the central government to the local governments, from the country to abroad, and even including Huang Taiji and others, were all discussing Zhu Youjian, the new master of the Ming Dynasty.

This is a hunt for the emperor!
What are the emperor's likes and dislikes? What is his personality like? What are his political leanings? What are his weaknesses? What has he done in the past? What might he do in the future? Various factions are trying to analyze him, some to curry favor, others to be wary. Huang Taiji, on the other hand, is thinking about whether he should take this opportunity to take a sharp bite out of the Ming Dynasty.

After all, the transition between emperors in the Central Plains dynasties was the weakest time for the country, making it the most suitable time to launch an attack. If things went smoothly, they could drive straight in and plunder; even if things didn't go well, they could still send a large army to the border and take the opportunity to extort money.

Huang Taiji asked his loyal henchman Fan Wencheng, "What kind of emperor was Chongzhen?"

Fan Wencheng replied:
Emperor Chongzhen, a mere child, favored sycophants and distanced himself from virtuous officials. When he was a prince, he enjoyed associating with refined scholars and cultivating an air of elegance.

Although he was filled with indignation, he was probably just a person who loved grandstanding.

If the Later Jin advances, they can take advantage of the arrogance of Emperor Chongzhen and his court officials to lure the enemy deep into their territory, then surround and annihilate them; if they retreat, they can also submit a memorial to deceive Emperor Chongzhen, gain some benefits, develop their strength, and then continue their campaign against the Ming.

Hearing Fan Wencheng's analysis, Huang Taiji was finally relieved.

The Later Jin dynasty had only recently lost its Great Khan. Although he had seized the throne, his other brothers were not entirely convinced of his authority. Furthermore, the old Khan's subsequent madness and massacre of hundreds of thousands of surrendered Han Chinese in Liaodong had instantly reversed public sentiment in Liaodong, which had previously been aligned with the Later Jin. Relations between the two ethnic groups had now reached a freezing point.

Nurhaci's "Seven Grievances" when he raised his army were essentially intended to incite ethnic conflict between the Jianzhou Jurchens and the Han Chinese. However, eight years have passed since the "Seven Grievances" were announced, and going back further, the Jianzhou Jurchens and the Ming Dynasty had been fighting for over a decade. The older generation had mostly perished in the wars, and the new generation had achieved successive victories in the war against the Ming. Therefore, the so-called "Seven Grievances" are no longer tenable.

At this time, the upper echelons of the Later Jin regime were unstable, and the core core of the lower-level forces, the veteran soldiers of the Jurchen tribe, suffered heavy losses, resulting in a lack of elite combat power. Like the Ming Dynasty, the Later Jin also entered a rather dangerous situation.

Although he decisively defeated Yuan Chonghuan in the Battle of Ningjin last year, he ultimately failed to capture Jinzhou. With the Later Jin winning year after year, this victory was insignificant and insufficient to convince the people; he desperately needed a truly decisive victory to establish his authority.

The young Duke Zhang Weixian attended court as usual. However, to his astonishment, the emperor did not attend court that day.

Looking at the empty dragon throne, listening to the jarring arguments of the civil officials in the court, and then glancing at the sleepy-eyed nobles beside him, who seemed to have been to the brothel or some other entertainment venue the night before, he felt ashamed to associate with such people.

Where is the spirit and energy in these people? Where is the bearing of a military general?

After finally waiting for the court session to end, Zhang Weixian could no longer contain himself. He knocked on the Qianqing Gate, demanding a personal audience with the emperor to demand an explanation.

When Zhu Youjian heard that the Duke of Yingguo was requesting an audience, it was unexpected yet reasonable, so he granted Zhang Weixian a meeting. Seeing that it was lunchtime, he even asked Cao Huachun to send over an extra portion of food.

However, Zhang Weixian held his bowl and chopsticks, looking at the sumptuous dishes in front of him, but he had no appetite at all. He put his bowl back on the table, and then, in a fit of rage, slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table.

The unusual commotion attracted the eunuchs, but Zhu Youjian waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

Zhang Weixian's eyes were slightly red, and he questioned in a heavy tone, "Does Your Majesty lack ambition?! I've heard that Your Majesty is so addicted to sex that you sleep until the sun is high in the sky!"

(End of this chapter)