Chapter Seven: The Councillors Argue Over Enthronement — Ma and Ruan Prevail and Install a New Emperor

It is told that ever since Hou Chaozong parted from Xiangjun and came to put himself under Shi Kefa's protection, Shi Kefa — knowing him to be a friend of long-standing family connection, and seeing that he had been persecuted by treacherous men — kept him in camp as his secretary. Then dispatches arrived reporting that the bandit Li Zicheng had broken through the capital: the Chongzhen Emperor had taken his own life by hanging on Coal Hill on the fifteenth day of the third month. Shi Kefa was overcome with shock, grief, and fury.

Reports also came that the civil and military officials of Nanjing were in heated debate. Some argued that the troops should be marshalled at once and marched north to avenge the Emperor; others said that since the Son of Heaven had already died, it would be better to enthrone a new sovereign and then plan the recovery of the realm. Though many positions were put forward, no one could arrive at a settled view. Only the treacherous Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng, conspiring together, championed the cause of enthroning the Prince of Fu, intending thereby to seize credit and gain reward. When Chaozong heard this he was greatly alarmed and could not tell whether it was true or false. He waited eagerly for Shi Kefa to return to his office so he might learn the truth.

While he was in the grip of anxiety and doubt, Shi Kefa returned. Chaozong immediately asked: "Master Shi, what is the truth of these reports?"

Shi Kefa heaved a long sigh and said: "I, Shi Kefa, am a native of Henan, registered in the capital. I passed the jinshi examination and took up office just as troubles began to multiply across the Central Plain. Newly appointed to the Ministry of War in Nanjing from the post of Transport Commissioner in Huai'an — who could have foreseen that within a single month of taking office, such a catastrophe would fall? I deserve ten thousand deaths and have no words to offer.

"Though we hold the natural barrier of the great Yangtze, we are only prolonging our existence day by day. But for a month now there has been no ruler, and the hearts of the people are in turmoil. Each day brings proposals and debates about enthronement, and nothing is settled. As for news from the north — some say the capital has fallen but the Emperor is safe and has sailed south by sea; others say the Emperor has died and the Crown Prince has escaped by secret roads and is heading south. None of it can be verified, and so we drift without anchor. What is to be done?"

While they were still speaking, a letter arrived from the office of Governor Ma. Shi Kefa opened it and frowned: "This Ma Yaocao is again pressing the matter of enthronement. From the tone of the letter he favours the Prince of Fu, and asserts that the Emperor has most certainly died and the Crown Prince has fled without a trace. If it is as he says, then even if I refuse to go along, he will proceed on his own. The Prince of Fu's position in the line of succession is not unreasonable. I should write a reply today, and tomorrow draw up a joint memorial with him, adding my name as well."

Upon hearing these words about enthroning the Prince of Fu, Chaozong spoke out urgently and loudly: "Master, you are mistaken! The Prince of Fu has his fief in my home region — I know him better than most. He absolutely cannot be enthroned. He has three great crimes that everyone knows of. Has the Master truly not heard? Allow me to enumerate them and beg your consideration.

"The Prince of Fu is the pampered son of the Wanli Emperor. His mother, Consort Zheng, was wanton and lawless — she worked in secret to harm the Crown Prince and sought to place her own son on the throne. To scheme and usurp the succession: that is his first great crime.

"Moreover, his nature is extravagant and dissolute. When his fief was established, he had stolen the inner treasury nearly bare and departed loaded with goods. Then when the rebels pressed into Henan, he would not part with a single coin to fund the army, and so the state was ruined and his family destroyed with it. To waste state treasure for private greed: that is his second great crime.

"His father was killed by the rebels, the body left unburied. Yet he hardened his heart and fled far away — and in this time of turmoil, he even took women from among the people. To forget his father in pursuit of pleasure: that is his third great crime.

"With these three crimes, his virtue as a ruler is profoundly wanting. How can such a man be entrusted with the imperial enterprise? There are also five reasons why this must not be done.

"First: the fate of the imperial carriage is contradicted by rumour after rumour. Under heaven there cannot be two suns; among the people there cannot be two rulers.

"Second: if the Emperor has truly fallen, the Crown Prince still stands as regent — why pass over the heir apparent to reach for a more distant branch of the family tree?

"Third: when a dynasty is restored, the choice of sovereign need not be rigidly bound by the order of succession. To seek out a man of talent and heroic quality to accomplish the recovery — that is the proper course.

"Fourth: I fear that powerful military lords on the frontiers will seize upon this opportunity to enthrone yet another claimant of their own choosing. Would that not be to invite the realm to tear itself apart?

"Fifth: petty men who claim the merit of having sponsored the enthronement will arrogate power to themselves and act without restraint. The harm they will do is by no means small."

Shi Kefa listened to all of this and was as if awakened from a dream: "You are right, you are absolutely right. Your views, young friend, look far ahead with deep foresight. Some days ago, Vice-Commissioner Lei Yanzuo and Minister of Rites Zhou Biao also held this position. I will trouble you to write a reply letter setting out these three great crimes and five reasons."

Chaozong accepted the commission. He had someone bring in candles and ink, took up his brush over fine writing paper, and before Shi Kefa had written out the reply letter in a single flowing draft. He sealed it, affixed the official seal, and sent it with the messenger.

How fitting the verse:

The host of traitors knew only to seek glory and gain —

One man alone dared speak the upright word.

Now after Shi Kefa had sent his reply to Ma Shiying, the matter of enthronement was no longer raised. But Ruan Dacheng, as Ma Shiying's most trusted confidant, seeing that Shi Kefa had replied only in writing, came in person to the military headquarters to discuss enthroning the Prince of Fu face to face.

Shi Kefa, knowing Ruan Dacheng was of the Wei Zhongxian faction, firmly refused him and would not allow him to be received. Ruan Dacheng withdrew in disappointment and returned to Ma Shiying's residence to report. Ma Shiying said: "Shi Kefa's letter speaks of three crimes and five reasons against it. Today you went to argue it face to face and he would not even receive you. It appears he will not go along with this at all. But he now holds military power. Once he champions this position, who among the Nine Ministries — men like Gao Hongtu, Jiang Riguang, Lü Daqi, Zhang Guowei — will dare to proceed? I fear this enthronement may run into serious difficulty."

Ruan Dacheng said: "Although Shi Kefa holds military power, he has no settled view. Your Excellency may write a letter — let me go and enlist the cooperation of the four military garrisons and the royal kinsmen and palace eunuchs. If they are willing to act, then we can proceed at once. Why not?"

Ma Shiying was pleased: "Excellent!" He wrote a letter and gave it to Ruan Dacheng to deliver to the four garrison commanders.

As it happened, all four garrison commanders were men whom Ma Shiying had personally promoted, and none had strong convictions of their own. The moment they saw the letter, they agreed with delight, and settled on the twenty-eighth of that month to travel together to Jiangdu to welcome the royal entourage.

Ruan Dacheng hurried back to report to Ma Shiying. Ma Shiying then asked: "Besides Gao, Huang, and the two Lius, who else is willing to come?"

Ruan Dacheng said: "There are the Duke of Wei, Xu Hongji; the Director of Ceremonial, Han Tizhou; the Secretary to the Board of Civil Office, Li Gu; and the Investigating Censor, Zhu Guochang."

Ma Shiying was overjoyed: "We have men from the nobility, the palace staff, and the censorate — this is well indeed. I myself am an outer-court official, and those military men and nobles are not going to wait on the ministries and censors. How shall we draw up the memorial and list the names?"

Ruan Dacheng said: "What difficulty is there in that? Find a copy of the official register and copy all the names down in sequence from the beginning."

Ma Shiying said: "Even so — when the royal carriage arrives, if there are no officials to receive it, how will anyone be properly presented to court?"

Ruan Dacheng said: "Looking at all the civil and military officials at court — who among them has any firm conviction? The moment the carriage appears, I expect the jostling to hand in name-cards will be too fierce to find room."

Ma Shiying laughed aloud at this: "Old Ruan sees clearly indeed!" He called for a copy of the official register, had all the titles and names listed out in full, arranged his ceremonial dress, packed his travelling trunks, and set out from the city to welcome the royal carriage.

Since Ruan Dacheng was a dismissed official, he could not wear ceremonial robes. He was therefore assigned the duty of memorial-bearer, carrying the presentation case on his back. But Ruan Dacheng had his eye set solely on winning merit and recovering his post — he felt no shame in carrying the case. He lifted the presentation case onto his back with cheerful readiness, and went out of the city with Ma Shiying, heading straight for Jiangpu.

How fitting:

Caring only to run after name and gain,

He let men jeer and mock — and felt no shame.

What happened next, the following chapter will tell.