Chapter Forty-Seven: How Should Hong Taiji Be Dealt With?

"Treasure?" Emperor Chongzhen said with delight, "I wonder what kind of treasure it is?"

"Your Majesty, this treasure is..." Wang Pu intentionally paused, letting suspense soak the hall, before suddenly announcing, "The Imperial Jade Seal!"

The Imperial Jade Seal!?

The Imperial Jade Seal lost in the deserts for over two centuries!?

Emperor Chongzhen and all the civil and military officials instantly held their breath, their eyes fixed upon the yellow silk-wrapped bundle in Wang Pu's hands. If this bundle truly contained the Imperial Jade Seal, then it was indeed a treasure—an unparalleled treasure! The sudden reappearance of the seal shook the emperor and his court far more than the capture of the Manchu chieftain Huang Taiji.

After all, Huang Taiji was merely the leader of an outland tribe, but the Imperial Jade Seal had always been a thorn in the hearts of Ming emperors throughout the dynasty!

Throughout the history of China, dynasties placed great emphasis on the legitimacy of imperial rule as bestowed by Heaven, and the Imperial Jade Seal was the physical symbol of such divine mandate. Possessing it meant one was the Heaven-appointed emperor; without it, one was not the true Son of Heaven, but rather a pretender, a false dynasty, a false emperor!

Since the founding Hongwu Emperor, the Ming had lost the Imperial Jade Seal.

Emperor Chongzhen struggled to control his excitement and said to Minister of Rites Xie Sheng, "Beloved Minister Xie, verify it!"

Xie Sheng dared not delay. He hurried forward, took the yellow silk bundle from Wang Pu, carefully unwrapped layer after layer, and gently withdrew the five-inch square Imperial Jade Seal. Together with Vice Minister Fang Fengnian, Zhang Sizhi, Chen Yan, and the cabinet advisors Cheng Jiming, Zhou Yanru, Wei Zhaocheng, and other high officials, he began a thorough examination.

Only after half an hour did Xie Sheng, trembling with emotion, respectfully return to the ranks, kneeling on the palace steps with the seal in his hands, his voice quivering as he declared, "Your Majesty, we have thoroughly examined it. This jade seal is indeed the Imperial Jade Seal lost in the desert for over two centuries!"

"Excellent! Wonderful!"

Emperor Chongzhen was overjoyed. The return of the Imperial Jade Seal was of great significance to the Ming dynasty, especially now, in these turbulent times. In the superstitious age, people easily associated such events with Heaven’s will, seeing it as a sign of the Ming’s imminent revival.

"Wang Pu," Emperor Chongzhen said, his imperial countenance aglow, "you have rendered great service to me and the Ming. Tell me, what reward should I grant you? Speak your wish!"

"Well..." Wang Pu chuckled softly, "It is all thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune. I have done nothing worthy of reward and dare not ask for it."

"Hahaha!" Emperor Chongzhen laughed heartily. "Speak! Don’t be afraid—what do you want?"

"Should I... truly say it?" Wang Pu hesitated.

Emperor Chongzhen glanced around at his ministers, laughing. "Hahaha! Wang Pu is still a little shy."

The officials roared with laughter. The atmosphere in the grand hall became lively beyond measure. Since Emperor Chongzhen had ascended the throne, the Ming court had never been so joyful. Some elderly ministers were moved to tears—how difficult it had been, and now at last, the Ming dynasty showed signs of revival.

Wang Pu took a deep breath and declared loudly, "In that case, I will speak boldly. During the suppression of the White Lotus rebels in Jining, two captive Manchu women escaped due to my negligence. I hope Your Majesty will absolve me of this failure. I also wish that all the spoils I seized from Liaodong be bestowed upon my soldiers."

Hearing this, Minister of Revenue Fu Shuxun wanted to step forward and speak, but seeing Emperor Chongzhen in high spirits, he refrained.

"I grant it," Emperor Chongzhen replied cheerfully and without hesitation. "Besides these, do you have any other requests?"

Such requests, at any other time, would never be approved. Wang Pu would likely have been reprimanded, especially regarding the Liaodong spoils, which the emperor had intended for the royal treasury. But now, with the Imperial Jade Seal returned, everything was negotiable.

"No more," Wang Pu quickly shook his head. "I have no further requests."

"The Imperial Jade Seal has returned to Ming, and you have rendered distinguished service," Emperor Chongzhen smiled and continued, "If I reward you only with money, the people will say I am stingy! Haha! Thus, today I grant you a Death-Exempt Medal. Hereafter, if you or your descendants commit a capital offense, present this medal and your lives will be spared!"

With that, Emperor Chongzhen unfastened a gold medal from his waist and instructed Wang Cheng'en to deliver it to Wang Pu.

The officials erupted in astonishment. A Death-Exempt Medal? That was supreme favor!

Wang Pu received the medal from Wang Cheng'en, overjoyed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

No doubt, Wang Pu truly appreciated this gift.

"Hahaha!" Emperor Chongzhen laughed three times, then commanded, "Bring forth the Manchu chieftain Huang Taiji!"

Wang Cheng'en hurried forward and shouted, "By imperial order, bring Huang Taiji!"

Two burly generals, who had long been waiting outside, immediately escorted Huang Taiji into the hall. Though now a prisoner, Huang Taiji entered the palace with his head held high, refusing to kneel, his demeanor calm.

"Huang Taiji, why do you not kneel before me?"

Emperor Chongzhen's voice was not loud, but carried an innate majesty.

Huang Taiji snorted and replied proudly, "I am also the ruler of a nation. Why should I kneel to you?"

"Insolence!" Minister of Rites Xie Sheng stepped forward and rebuked, "How dare a barbarian tribe call itself a nation? How dare its chieftain claim such dignity? You are nothing but a monkey in a crown, shameless!"

"Is that so?" Huang Taiji retorted coolly, "If Ming is the Celestial Empire and my Qing but a barbarian tribe, why has your Celestial Empire been repeatedly defeated by us over the past decades, losing cities and territory? Truly, we follow Heaven’s will and the people’s hearts. With our Qing rising in Liaodong, conquering Ming and ruling the land is the trend of the times!"

Cabinet advisor Cheng Jiming stepped forward and scolded, "You Tungusic savages! Our Ming has civilized your ancestors, taught you propriety, honor, farming, and fishing. Instead of gratitude, you turn your weapons against us, bringing calamity upon Ming’s descendants. You are utterly ungrateful!"

Huang Taiji countered, "The body of an old ox may be large, but it will die one day. The wings of a fledgling may be weak, but one day it will soar the sky. The rising Qing will one day replace the decaying Ming and become the new master of the Central Plains."

Wang Pu could not help but mock, "With merely a hundred thousand Manchu troops from Liaodong, you think to rule the Central Plains? Do you know how many Han people there are? Twenty million! If each spat, it would drown your hundred thousand Manchus. You truly are a toad yawning—such big talk!"

The officials burst into laughter.

Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand, saying calmly, "Take him away."

The two generals twisted Huang Taiji around and led him out of the palace. Emperor Chongzhen then addressed his ministers, "We have seen the Manchu chieftain. Apart from being a bit overweight, he is nothing like the legends of three heads and six arms, standing three zhang tall. He too shoulders a head, he too is flesh and blood."

Once again, the court erupted in laughter. Indeed, joy brings out the best in people—even Emperor Chongzhen, who rarely joked, indulged in humor. After laughing, he said, "Before the banquet begins, I wish to discuss with you how we should deal with Huang Taiji."

"Is there any need for discussion?" Wang Pu shouted, "Of course, he should be executed by a thousand cuts!"

Minister of War Chen Xinjia hurried forward and declared, "Your Majesty, I fully agree with General Wang—Huang Taiji should be executed by dismemberment."

Cabinet deputy Zhou Yanru also stepped forward, echoing, "Your Majesty, I second the motion."

Many officials loyal to Zhou Yanru stepped forward, passionate in their demand that Huang Taiji be put to death. But at that moment, Chief Censor Liu Zongzhou presented his ivory tablet and spoke, "Your Majesty, though the Manchus have plagued our borders for decades and committed countless atrocities, and though the punishment may be just, our Ming is the Celestial Empire, a nation of decorum and virtue. How can we stoop to the level of barbarian tribes?"

Emperor Chongzhen frowned, "So what are you suggesting?"

Liu Zongzhou paused, "In the past, Emperor Taizong of Tang released the Turkic Khan, winning centuries of peace. Why not follow the example of the sages and repay evil with virtue? If Your Majesty releases Huang Taiji and moves him with righteousness, sending him back to Liaodong, the Manchus will surely be grateful and cease their aggression. Thus peace will return."

"Your Majesty, I support this."

"Your Majesty, I believe Liu’s words have merit."

"Your Majesty, I too believe Huang Taiji should be released, not killed."

As soon as Liu finished, the censorate’s reformist faction stepped forward, urging Emperor Chongzhen to release Huang Taiji.

Wang Pu held his forehead, nearly fainting in the golden palace. How could there be such pedantic men in the world? And they were high officials in the palace! No wonder the late Ming bureaucracy was in chaos. Before he hanged himself, Emperor Chongzhen would surely curse: "I am not the ruler who lost the nation—it is you ministers who lost it!"