Chapter - 52 (52)

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.)

Song Luo was originally the inspector-general of Jiangning (district, Nanjing, Jiangsu), the new appointment was the Shangshu [department head] of the Ministry of Appointments. He was very capable. Kangxi cared about his health.

There was a secret memorial reporting a government official who was guilty and was banished to an army post as a punishment, the guards who escorted him extorted money from him, ten taels of silver per person. The government official did not want to give, but raining insult on them instead. One night the official was suddenly tied up, all money in his possession was taken away. This is an insignificant matter, yet Wang Hongxu reported it just the same.

Li Xu's memorials

Li Xu was Kangxi's trusted aide, he held the official post as the supervisor of weaving industry in Suzhou for thirty years. Li Xu's brother-in-law [lit. younger sister's husband] Cao Yin was the supervisor of weaving industry in Jiangning for more than twenty years. Cao Yin was the paternal grandfather of Cao Xueqin, the author of 'A Dream of Red Mansions'. Li Xu, Cao Yin, as well as the supervisor of weaving industry in Hangzhou Sun Wencheng, three people constantly presented secret memorials to Kangxi, reporting about the situation in Jiangnan. For the large part, the reports pertaining to rain water, harvest, the price of rice, epidemic, the situation of the people, the reputation of the government officials, et cetera. At that time there was no newspaper, Kangxi's main source of information about the actual situation in all parts of the country was these memorials to the throne.

In the summer of Kangxi's thirty-second year there was drought at Huai and Xu rivers in Jiangnan, with rainfall in the sixth month, Li Xu reported the harvest and the price of rice. Kangxi noted: "I heard the sun rose erroneously south of Huai and Xu rivers in the fifth month, the summer failed to arrived at the appointed time, the people are flustered and in panic, especially in the two Zhejiang. Morning and night Zhen anxiously consider this matter, my lying down and eating are disturbed, yet in the visit to the south, must ask for details, hearing thy memorials, the night and evening's toil is lessened. After the harvest, write more memorials."

Forty-seventh year, nineteenth day of the first month, Li Xu sent a memorial like this: "Respectfully wish the Ten-thousand Year ten thousand of peace. Early twelfth month, on the seventh day, last year, humble official got wind of the robbery case in Taicang [county, Suzhou, Jiangsu], while dispatching people to investigate, I promptly write a report, together with non-jointed bamboo strips, and send Wang Kecheng of my household to present it to superior. Today is the seventeenth day of the first month, Wang Kecheng returned and stated, 'All the non-jointed bamboo strip memorials have been submitted, folded report [usually in accordion form] have not been issued.' Hearing this, Chen Li Xu panicked. Thinking that all the folded reports have been imperially distributed, that is, if they haven't received comments from superior, the original report must have been issued. learning that they have not been issued today, Chen's heart is extremely bewildered. Repeatedly extracting information rigorously, only learned about this: 'The folded report was hidden inside the pouch, in the hastening on the journey all night, the fastening was not tight, the pouch was lost along the way to Dezhou, nowhere to be found. Because the bamboo strips are critical, did not dare to delay, Xiaode [the lowly one] went to the Capital, hazily delivered the bamboo strips, muddle headedly said there is no folded report. This is the truth.' And other similar confessions. Accordingly Chen Li Xu had Wang Kecheng severely locked up and flogged, while waiting for the imperial decree on how to deal with him. Yet Chen is unable to employ people appropriately, to such an extent as to commit mistakes. Alarmed, frightened, scared; this guilt is really cannot be dismissed, asking the Ten-thousand Year to promptly bestow punishment. Hereby the original report is re-transcribed and submitted, begging the Holy Sage to review. Waiting for the blame Chen Li Xu cannot bear to tremble extremely."

Kangxi remarked in vermillion ink: "Thy memorial was no more than secret report that cannot be associated with the local officials. Be lenient with thy household person. If outsiders hear about it, it would not be too good."

It is worth noting that it was not so much as Kangxi's clemency; rather, it was his fundamental attitude: the Emperor sent people out to make secret inquiry and received secret memorial was a dishonorable matter, a disreputable matter, not an upright and frank work, not a just and honorable way to handle matters, that no matter what no outsiders were to find out. In replying officially to the secret memorials sent by his subordinates, Kangxi has never used other people's hand. There was one time when his right hand was hurt and he could not write, with difficulty he replied officially with his left hand. In today's world, the ruler of every country dispatches spies and inquires secret reports for private reasons, yet the public accepts it as the way it should be, although it could be said that it is politically a great fall. This kind of system of values toward the 'special task operatives' was perhaps a clear dividing line between the Qing and Ming political corruptness. Wu Zetian [624-705, Tang empress, reigned 690-705] used special agents excessively, Qin Hui [1090-1155, Song Dynasty official who betrayed Yue Fei] used a lot of special agents, during the late Ming, special agents went on the rampage; later generations mostly believe that it led to downward spiral of the Ming Dynasty's political system. In order to increase the antipathy toward Emperor Yongzheng, later generation people fabricated a legend that he had used the 'flying guillotine', a special assassin team to kill people.

Kangxi's forty-eighth year, sixth day of the seventh month, in his report to wish good health, Li Xu also included the news of Jiangnan's Tidu [local commander] Zhang Yunyi's death due to sickness. To wish good health to the Emperor means 'to wish the Lord of Ten-thousand Years good luck and success, ten thousand good fortunes and peace like gold', wishing great luck, great profit is a proper thing to do, the news of death must be reported in separate memorial, certainly these two cannot be mixed together, otherwise, it would implicitly cursing the Emperor to die. Li Xu's memorial has violated the fundamental taboo, it was an extremely muddleheaded report.

In the memorial he said, "Respectfully wishing the Ten-thousand Years ten-thousand of peace. The Tidu over the military affairs of the whole province of Jiangnan, subject Zhang Yunyi, fell ill on Kangxi's forty-eighth year, eighteenth day of the sixth month, with carbuncle on his lower back. He did not recover and died on the 'si' hour [9-11am] of third day of the seventh month, at the age of fifty-eight; it is included here for your information. The weather in Suzhou during the sixth month is also included in the report, begging the Holy Sage to review."

Seeing this greatly ominous memorial, naturally Kangxi was greatly displeased, but his reprimand to him still carried a humorous tone. He wrote in vermillion ink, "Report of wishing good health must not be mixed together with this kind of matter, it is extremely irreverent. Thou knew several foul words, I wonder which one I should use?"

Seeing the imperial remark, naturally Li Xu was scared that his soul flew away and scattered; hastily he wrote another memorial to apologize for the offense, while thoroughly confessed his guilt. Kangxi remarked, "Noted."

Kangxi's fifty-first year, seventh month, weaving supervisor of Jiangning, Cao Yin (Cao Xueqin's grandfather) received order to go to Yangzhou to manage the engraving of the 'Pei Wen Yun Fu' [lit. government mansion of 'respectful cultural charm'] when he caught malaria and his condition was very serious. Li Xu promptly went to visit him, Cao Yin asked him to write a memorial, asking for some medicine from Kangxi.

As soon as Kangxi received the memorial, he replied in vermillion ink, "Thy memorial has been received well. I hereby bestow the medicine to treat malaria. Afraid that it would be delayed, I bestow post horse to rush overnight. Yet if the malaria does not turn into diarrhea, it won't be bad. If the illness changes, this medicine must not be used. The charlatans of the south often use a dose of this medicine, the number of people they harm cannot be counted, you must be careful. If Cao Yin originally ate ginseng, he may caught present illness from the ginseng. Jinjina (that is 'quinine', the original text used Manchurian script) is used specifically for the treatment of malaria. Use two qian [1 qian = 1/10 of a tael], that's it. And then take a dose of wine. If the illness is getting somewhat lighter, take another dose; it should control the sickness. After it is under control, take perhaps one qian or eight fen. Take two doses in succession, may even take the roots. If it is not malaria, this medicine must not be taken; you must take this seriously. Urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent!"

Kangxi wrote four 'urgent' words in succession, he also dispatched post horses to expressly deliver the medicine to Yangzhou, so that it arrived in nine days; it can clearly be seen that he cherished and extremely concerned about Cao Yin. Quinine was the correct medicine to be prescribed to cure malaria; however, it is possible that Cao Yin had other complications that in the end he succumbed to the illness and died. Kangxi deeply lamented his passing, he ordered Li Xu to properly take care for the family Cao Yin left behind.

In his memorials, Li Xu also talked a lot about the experiments in new kind of rice. Kangxi attached great importance to the quality of rice. After growing crops on a trial basis in many other ways, they managed to breed a good variety, and then they sent the seeds to various regions for the government officials and members of the gentry to do the test planting. Li Xu then presented the memorials reporting the progress of the test planting, official so-and-so planted how many mu [unit area, approx. 1/15 of a hectare], each mu produced how many dan [unit volume, approx. 100 liters] how many dou [1/10 of a dan]; merchant so-and-so grew how many mu, each mu yielded how many dan, how many dou, and so on. Take the memorial submitted on Kangxi's fifty-eighth year, the twenty-forth day of the sixth month for example: "Your humble servant has planted imperial paddy one hundred mu, and gathered in the crops on the fifteenth of the sixth month. Each mu obtains approximately four dan two dou three sheng [1/10 of a dou], respectfully milled one dou of the new rice to be presented. The original field was put in order without delay, by the twenty-third day of the sixth month the second seedling has been planted. As for the imperial paddy planted by Suzhou's squires, all have also been harvested. The breakdown of the harvest in place of the original, the breakdown of the new crops, is respectfully submitted for imperial review." It can clearly be seen that Li Xu was still responsible for the task of 'planting imperial paddy on experimental fields'.

Kangxi assigned this 'imperial paddy' test-planting task to government officials, members of the gentry, and business people in various regions of the country, each person planted at least two, three mu of field. Li Xu planted a hundred mu, he had the largest experimental farm. At that time the crop was called 'imperial park's rouge rice', the color was red and it was sweet smelling; made into rice porridge it looked pleasing to the eye. In the 'Dream of Red Mansions', the gift presented by the village head Wu to the Jia Mansion was precisely this kind of rice.

During his tour to the south, Kangxi saw that the people loaded the boats full of pig's hair and chicken feather. Upon asking about the purpose of those things, he found out that people used it as fertilizer in paddy fields. Later on he issued an imperial decree to perform experiments; the result was very good. Compared to later generation who did not pay attention to fertilizer, who did not go through experiments and large scale testing in satellite fields but submitted fraudulent report to conceal the truth, Kangxi's practice in developing paddy was much more scientific.

Li Lincheng's memorials

Kangxi had considerable sense of humor; even in giving criticism in serious documents, he often used humor.

This man did not understand Kangxi's character, his memorial contained a great amount of polite phrases to sing Kangxi's praises; concerning local issues and situation of rainwater, he only reported the good news and not the bad news. Most probably this man was a military officer of the Han army banner, and he had employed a secretary, who did not understand the customs; he also put an official seal on the cover of his memorial.

Kangxi's remarked in vermillion ink: "Noted. Next time in your report use Qing character, no need to use seal." 'Qing character' was Manchu scribe, Kangxi's meaning was: this kind of memorial was a secret report, not a formal document at all; he wanted Li Lincheng to write it himself, if he did not know Han characters, then he should have used Manchu characters.

Upon receiving the imperial criticism, Li Lincheng submitted another memorial: "… Looking up only toward my Emperor who is continuing on to the utmost heaven, having divine martial art skill and brave literary knowledge; although during the day the Emperor's holy body has ten thousand crucial points, it is as if there is not a time when you do not remember the people's welfare. In former times because Hedong [lit. river east; not sure, perhaps his alias?] apologize for ages, since in Holy Sage's bosom above there are abundant compassion and special favor, in reply leniency has been issued, sincere merit lofty ten-thousand ages, virtuous steps a hundred rulers, encompassing inside and outside of the ocean, not uncommon to the Yao [see above] in heaven … In responding to the imperial decree, it is only proper that Chen use Qing character in writing the memorial; however, although Chen knew a little bit Qing character, over the years my eyes have become weak and I am muddle-headed, I cannot write, plus Qing words' construction make no sense, if I have other people transcribing it, Chen is not well-versed in its profound meaning, honestly I am afraid the words and sentences will be improper. I further ask in earnest for the imperial kindness, to let Chen from now on when presenting matters in memorials, to be allowed to still use the Han characters, to avoid the crime of contradicting the multitude of common people."

Kangxi's comment: "Noted. These Han characters thou may not necessarily able to use either." He was fully aware that this military employee had limited ink in his belly, the memorial must have been written by other people, thereupon he mocked him a little bit. Afterwards he also did not expect to receive memorials or local secret report written personally by him.