Chapter - 52 (52) (1/2)
Appendix
Kangxi Imperial Court's Secret Memorials
In the story 'The Deer and the Cauldron', Kangxi was said to have secret agents among Wei Xiaobao's subordinates, so that he knew a lot of Wei Xiaobao's covert activities. The tale in the novel is a bit exaggerated. At the beginning of Qing, the government structure was equivalent to Qing-Ming. The Ming Dynasty's Eastern Faction, Western Faction, Internal Faction, Brocade-clothed Guard, and other special assignment military units were disbanded; the Emperor did not have personal special agents. All the way until the demise of Qing, there was no special intelligence unit. Legend has it that Yongzheng established the 'Flying Guillotine', but it was only in the novel, there was no historical evidence.
However, it was a fact that Kangxi paid particular attention to the activity of his ministers and the condition of the local people; for this, the ruler must have had informants. From the beginning, ever since before Kangxi ascended the throne, the Qing court established 'secret memorial (to the emperor)' system. In the original system, the imperial court had a so-called 'General Secretarial Institution'. Memorials submitted by ordinary officials in the Capital, reports from local officials, everything must be submitted to the General Secretary first, after he reviewed it, then it would be transferred to the Emperor. Kangxi thought that this system could lead to constriction and leakage of classified information; therefore, he had a minister whom he extremely trusted to review the memorials. Reports no longer went through the General Secretary, but were submitted directly to the Emperor. On the cover of secret reports, the name and surname of the people who submitted it was not written clearly, it was only stamped with 'Solemnly Submitted to the South Study Room
[43]'. And thus the memorial was personally delivered to the Imperial Study Room and handed over to the court eunuch. After the Emperor gave the official reply, it would be hand-delivered back to the Imperial Study Room.
Later on, the scope of this system of memorials was extended; it was not limited to trusted minister who could submit secret memorial to the emperor, ordinary local governor generals, high officials in the Capital, could now submit memorials directly to the emperor. By Yongzheng's years, the provision was extended further to 'class officers' (middle level officials), every day one person would take turns to submit the memorial to the emperor. Big matter, small matter, everything must be reported, even if there was nothing to report, they still had to explain why there was nothing to report. With this system, the Emperor's power was greatly expanded, while at the same time government officials of all levels did not dare to conceal anything.
Looking at the memorial submitted during Kangxi's reign, in most part the contents of the memorial were grain prices in all parts of the country, the rain water, the harvest, public opinion, and whether the government officials were just and honest or corrupt. It can clearly be seen that Kangxi was most concerned about the common people's economy and life quality, as well as whether the officials governing the people were corrupt or not. Naturally he also paid particular attention to rebellion or insurgency in any place.
On the memorials, Kangxi would write comments using vermillion ink. Most of the time he only wrote ”Noted”, three characters [zhi dao le – lit. ”I know.”], but sometimes he would write detailed directives. From these directives, it is clear that Kangxi was brilliant and very prudent, while at the same time his treatment toward his ministers and the common people was very lenient and considerate.
Wang Hongxu's memorials
Wang Hongxu was nine years older than Kangxi, a native of Huating [county], Jiangsu province. He graduated as a Jinshi in Kangxi's twelfth year, and became compiler and editor of Hanlin Academy, the Minister of Department of Transport & Irrigation, Minister of Revenue, and several other high-ranking official positions; he was a minister whom Kangxi trusted very much. On the memorial that he submitted to Kangxi, he only wrote 'Confidential Report. Subject Wang Hongxu solemnly presents.' He did not write his official rank, it was completely without any polite set of phrases usually used by government officials. He took an official post in the Capital, the secret reports he submitted were mostly about the state of affairs of Beijing's government officials.
Kangxi dispatched his trusted aides to gather information, at first he only sent high-ranking ministers, but the number was extremely limited, furthermore, he repeatedly warned these people to keep it top secret. On the memorial submitted by Wang Hongxu, he personally wrote, ”The matter that can be heard in the Capital, Qing [term used by the emperor for his subjects] submitted in confidential report, with the wish for good health in the memorial, must not be known by other people. If it flows out swiftly (leak out), the repercussion will be substantial. Careful, careful.”
”In the years before the tour to the south, there were many unworthy people deceiving Suzhou women. Even at home, Zhen [I, imperial use] knows. This year I am afraid such thing will happen again, thou shall carefully investigate, if there is indeed such thing, personally write a memorial secretly. This matter must not be known by other people. If someone finds out, thou will be inconvenienced.” (Suzhou women were well known for their beauty; probably some people were taking the opportunity of Kangxi's tour to the south to hold a beauty contest and offer it as a tribute, or perhaps borrowing their names to cheat Suzhou women's families.)
”If there is any problem later on, submit the memorial using the southern tour as precedent. There are numerous ears and eyes in the Palace, inevitably people will know, in which case, do not submit any memorials.”
”If you hear any information, treat it in accordance with the previous memorial.”
Having received the Emperor's commission, Wang Hongxu absolutely did not dare to leak anything. In the memorial he said, ”By being selected from among the scholars, Chen [minister/subject, term of address used when speaking to a ruler] experiences and receives the sage's grace, there is no way I can render service to repay kindness, no matter what; for which I am really ashamed. Now entering the palace courtyard on the thirteenth day of the month, miao ke [4
th
earthly branch, 5-7am] hour, respectfully received imperial confirmation along with the sealed secret order, by this time Cai and Zha, two ministers have not arrived. Acting with reverence Chen opened it and read it silently, I cannot bear to be extremely grateful and frightened at the same time. I have to admit that Chen was ignorant, and have been ignorant several times, and thus it is my responsibility to look up to the Heaven's kindness, for breaking the rule in appointing the confidential, only by exhausting myself by being a dog or a horse I vow my strength in loyalty, looking up to repay the holy sage's ten-thousand and one kindness. To find favor and untiring instruction from above, to think over how Chen somehow exposed some rumor, the responsibility is indeed too great, all the more Chen feels like weeping, forever strictly abide by this moment, three times sealing my mouth, even toward my own flesh and blood like father, son or brothers, I will also never tell, I will make doubly sure to look up to the monarch's will in understanding your idea. From now on, any affair that I hear in the Capital, at any time Chen will respectfully request the holy sage to transcribe tiny suitable memorial, a confidential report to be reviewed. As for confidential matter related to the imperial decree, it will be reported in accompanying memorial. I have been instructed.” (Kangxi noted: 'Yes'.)
For the most part, the memorials submitted by Wang Hongxu pertaining to land tax, transportation, money minting, salt trade, and other public financial matters. He was especially interested in finance and economics affairs; therefore, for a long time afterwards, he served as the Minister of Department of Transport & Irrigation and the Minister of Revenue. Originally, these finance and economics affairs may be reported via formal memorial to the throne, but since secret memorials were mostly dealing with corrupt practices, violations in matters that those government officials had vested interest in, confidential reports seemed to be more appropriate.
Apart from corrupt practices in finance and economics, the nature of Wang Hongxu's secret memorials was extremely extensive. There were several secret memorials related to 'The Chen Rubi Case'. This legal case started when Chen Rubi took three thousand taels bribe, and later on it developed into a big case, 'The minister political affair, the Nine Ministers' zhan shi [lit. excellent matters] Ke Dao, and the others visited the Ministry of Justice yamen for a joint hearing.'
Wang Hongxu participated in the joint hearing, and wrote the proceedings in detail in a secret memorial to Kangxi. Among other things he spoke about the dispute between Manchurian and Han officials: ”… in Chen Rubi's case, the decision was to have him beheaded, all Manchurian Daren already agreed. Li Zhenyu and Chen said: convicting without oral confession, all Daren ought to deliberate, what words Chen Rubi wrote in his letter yesterday. Chen also said: not to conceal anything. Manchurian Daren should have the officer in charge of this case to come over and let all Daren listen to him … Manchurian Daren said, it has nothing to do, there is no need to get oral confession. Han Daren said, these four characters 'pretending to be dead' [jia zhuang shen si] ought to go, the former muddle-headedness and confusion of yesterday must also go. For this reason these four characters are deleted. Tu Cuizhong said: concealing records and the crime of obtaining stolen goods are not enough to warrant beheading. The political affair minister said: Change it. Thereupon Shu Lu changed it to 'Execution by hanging'. Ke Dao said: Still, we must execute under the San Fa Si's [three judicial chief ministries in imperial China] supervision. Before the group of Manchurian Daren responded, a messenger from Chen Rubi's household arrived to deliver the oral confession he personally wrote, but Manchurian Daren did not accept it. Li Luyu said: Previously the San Fa Si failed to obtain Chen Rubi's personal confession, today his own family came to deliver it, yet we do not want to accept it. How are we going to deal with it? … This confession actually contains very few words compared to what Shu Lu actually wrote … For the interrogating officer to change confession or make up confession, it has always been a crime deserving disciplinary action, the regulation about this is very serious … All Manchurian Daren are afraid to attract blame, they were unwilling to speak up. The political affair minister has no choice but to listen to Shu Lu's ruling …”
Kangxi remarked, ”This memorial is very good, it profoundly adheres to high-ranking minister's style. Zhen understood.”
The principal content of the memorial was to say that 'Manchurian Daren' accused wrongly the defendant's circumstances, while the 'Han Daren' did everything in their power to exonerate him. How this case was subsequently closed is unclear, it is believed that Kangxi was being comparatively lenient in his ruling. It's worth noting that although Manchu officials traditionally held more power in the imperial court, yet Kangxi did not side with Manchu officers at all. At the same time it is worth seeing that deciding on death penalty at that time was a very serious business, that it could not be decided based on one high-ranking minister's words.
Occasionally there are some trivial matters in Wang Hongxu's secret memorials; reading it today, it is quite fascinating: There is a lengthy report about the transportation [orig. 'horse'] affair, the last paragraph says, ”… Li Xiu, Yin Debu, two people, I don't know who told them this, but they said that on the outside Your Majesty says that they are big gangsters; Li Xiu and Yin Debu panicked and said other things. Afterwards Chen explain in a secret memorial, and beg Your Majesty to keep it in sealed envelope, and put imperial seal on it, to guard against people take a peek and disclose it to create harm …” (Kangxi remarked: Noted.)
And then there is a lengthy confidential report about whether the Chief Examiner, the Deputy Chief Examiner have committed fraud. The last paragraph says, ”A certain Song Yunxi, young son of Song Luo, a successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination, went to capital to take the metropolitan examination on the twenty-first day of the eleventh month. He told people: all these years his father has dizziness that usually flare-out only once in a long while, but this year he had a dizzy spell in the military once, and then when he went to Yangzhou he got another one, which were a bit more tense compared to the previous ones; fortunately after it passes, he is still able to work. This report asks for new grace, in the future when he requires approval he would come to the Capital to explain other things …” (Kangxi remarked: Noted.)